How do I adapt my topic as I work through the research process?
In all likelihood, you will need to adapt your topic as you work though the research process.
If you are finding too much information, you likely will need to narrow your topic to develop a focused question.
Example
Fashion > Fashion in the U.S. > Fashion in the U.S. in the 1980s
Potential research question: How was U.S. fashion influenced by the politics of the 1980s
If you are finding too little, you likely will need to broaden your topic.
Example
Fashion > Fashion in the U.S. > Fashion of 1980s > New Jersey hair bands.
You may need to broaden it a bit to look at Fashion of 1980s hair bands in the United States instead.
Here’s an example of how the topic development process can work:
(Adapted from: How can I choose a good topic for my research paper? - Emory Libraries)
Learn more
See these guides from UCLA:
