Check out this PPT courtesy of the OSU Libraries, Instruction Office on How to Narrow a Research Topic by asking yourself the 5 W's.

1. How to Narrow a Research
Topic

2. How to Narrow a Research Topic
When your research topic is too
broad, ask yourself these questions:
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
© 2007, OSU Libraries, Instruction Office

3. How to Narrow a Research Topic
Let’s see how this works with an
example: eating disorders
This topic is too broad (general) to write
about in a short paper. We need to
make it narrower (more specific).
© 2007, OSU Libraries, Instruction Office

4. How to Narrow a Research Topic
Who?
TOPIC: EATING DISORDERS
Populations
Age
NEW TOPIC:
Gender
Eating disorders
in elderly females
Race or
Ethnicity
© 2007, OSU Libraries, Instruction Office

5. How to Narrow a Research Topic
What?
TOPIC: EATING DISORDERS
Types
Anorexia
NEW TOPIC:
Bulimia
Anorexia in
elderly females
Compulsive
eating
© 2007, OSU Libraries, Instruction Office

6. How to Narrow a Research Topic
When?
TOPIC: EATING DISORDERS
Timeframes
Current or
historical
view
Period of
life
© 2007, OSU Libraries, Instruction Office
NEW TOPIC:
Bulimia in middleaged females

7. How to Narrow a Research Topic
Where?
TOPIC: EATING DISORDERS
Places
States
NEW TOPIC:
Regions
Anorexia in
Australian women
Countries
© 2007, OSU Libraries, Instruction Office

8. How to Narrow a Research Topic
Why?
TOPIC: EATING DISORDERS
Evaluate
Causes
Treatments
Outcomes
© 2007, OSU Libraries, Instruction Office
NEW TOPIC:
Successful
methods for
treatment of
compulsive eating

9. How to Narrow a Research Topic
Mix n’ Match
Combine any number of elements that you derive from
asking these questions until you find an interesting topic
to research.
Some examples:
• Causes and treatment of anorexia in college athletes
• Prevalence of bulimia in teen-age males in the United States
• Changes in treatment for compulsive overeaters, 1950-present.
© 2007, OSU Libraries, Instruction Office

10. How to Narrow a Research Topic
Mix n’ Match
Combine any number of elements that you derive from
asking these questions until you find an interesting topic
to research.
Some examples:
• Causes and treatment of anorexia in college athletes
• Prevalence of bulimia in teen-age males in the United States
• Changes in treatment for compulsive overeaters, 1950-present.
© 2007, OSU Libraries, Instruction Office