Pick a Good Topic

• Selecting a topic can be the most challenging part of a research assignment. 

• Select a topic that meets the requirements of your assignment. ​Your instructor will give you clear assignment instructions as to what you can write about. 

• Select a topic that interest you! The research and writing process will be more enjoyable and you will do a better job writing about something you are interested in. 

• State your topic as a question to focus your research assignment and select a topic that for which you can find a good amount of information. Do a preliminary search of information sources.  If you find too much information, you may need to narrow your topic. If you find too little information you may need to broaden your topic.
  • For more help, please view the Narrowing A Topic and Developing A Research Question: PDF created by Indiana University Libraries. 

• Be Unique. Your instructor reads a lot of research papers on the same topics semester after semester. Select an interesting topic that will make you standout from your classmates. Write on a topic your instructor will never forget!

• Still need help choosing a topic? View the Picking Your Topic IS Research video by NC State University Libraries in the tab 2. 

Still can't select a topic? Contact your instructor or visit the Student Success Center and schedule an appointment with a tutor.