Choosing and Refining Topics
Contents
Introduction
A Definition of a Topic
Arriving at Topics for Writing Assignments
How Purpose and Audience Affect the Choice of Topics
Choosing Workable Topics
Narrowing Topics
Moving from Topic to Thesis
Working With Topics in Different Disciplines
Citation Information
When we are given a choice of topics to write on, or are asked to come up with our own topic ideas, we must always make choices that appeal to our own interests, curiosity, and current knowledge. If you decide to write an essay on same sex marriage, for instance, it is obvious that you should make that decision because you are interested in the issue, know something about it already, and/or would like to know more about it. However, because we rarely write solely for our own satisfaction, we must consider matters other than our own interests as we choose topics.