Professor Chester

Hist 3133

8 February 2006

Rules of Thumb for the Research Process: Identifying and Refining a Paper Topic

1. Pick a general topic that interests you.  Research papers are a lot of work; you will enjoy the process much more and consequently write a better paper if you choose a topic that won’t bore you.

2. Narrow your topic down.  Generally, the more specific your topic is, the stronger your paper will be.  Overly ambitious topics tend to produce overly vague papers.  There are a number of ways to narrow your topic:

◦ Chronologically: Tighten the time period you’re working in.  Rather than analyzing the development of the East India Company from 1600 to 1858, select a crucial period or moment, such as 1757, and discuss its impact on EIC development.

◦ Thematically: Focus on a specific theme.  General themes include economic, social, political, and cultural factors.  You can narrow your theme further by focusing on sub-themes, such as the economic impact of women’s work during World War II, or the political utility of maps.

◦ Geographically: Center your work on a particular area.  Rather than dealing with the issue of literacy in all of India, focus on the state of Kerala’s astonishingly high literacy rates.

3. Read a range of secondary material on your topic.  Keep an eye out for ways to narrow your subject down further.  It is vital to have a strong background in your subject before you begin to write.  Identify that field’s major theories, controversies, and problems.

4. For history papers, identify available primary sources.  Keep in mind that you can only work where the light is.  If primary sources are not available for the topic you’ve set your heart on exploring, you are well advised to select another topic.  If you need material that’s not available at CU, look for it on WorldCat (see http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/research/findarticles/alpha-w.htm, but be aware a CU IP address is required for access).  Be sure to submit your Inter Library Loan request in good time, because ILL material can take weeks to arrive.

5. Consult a reference librarian.  CU has a wide range of subject specialists who can provide invaluable assistance in identifying and locating the library material you need.  For a list of specialists in history, international affairs, geography, maps, political science, and much more, see http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/services/bibliographers.htm.

6. Talk to your professor or TA.  If you’re stuck for ideas, feel free to come to our office hours or make an appointment to discuss your interests.  Often we can guide you in an appropriate direction.  Also, it’s important to make sure your topic fits within the course framework.