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Minnesota and National History Day : Topic Narrowing

Topic selection

Narrow Your Topic

Once you have chosen a broad topic, consider how you can narrow that to a manageable topic for the project. Ask these questions:

  • Where?
  • When?
  • Who?
  • (What) Related Events?
  • Why?

Example:
Theme: Turning Points in History: The Key to Understanding

Broad Topic: World War II
     Where: Pacific Arena, Europe, United States, Africa
     When: Events leading up to the war; events leading up to US entering; specific battles; dropping of atomic bombs.
     Who: generals, troops, leaders, civilians, etc.
     Related events: US war preparation, Japanese war preparation
     Types of Documents: army documents, newspaper articles, interviews, documentaries

Final Narrower Topic: Development and use of the Navajo language for use as code language in the South Pacific arena of World War II.

Subjects: Development and use of the Navajo language for use as code language in the South Pacific arena of World War II

The Research Process

 

The research process shown as eight circles in rainbow colors with matching colored arrows pointing from one circle to the next circle. Black arrows indicate where one may need to return to a previous step. The circles say, in order: define the topic; narrow the topic; preliminary research; develop a working thesis statement; select sources and research; evaluate sources; writing and revision; and cite sources. Black arrows indicate returning from preliminary research to narrow topic; from evaluate sources to select sources and research; and from writing and revision to select sources and research.

Your Research Plan

Step 1: Define Topic
Clarify what you're trying to achieve or find out (narrow topic, thesis statement).

Step 2: Identify Objectives
Think about research objectives. What is your end goal? How will you get there? What sources could provide the information you need?
Helps focus your scope to keep you on the path.

Step 3: Choose the Right Research Method
What methods you use will depend on your topic and goals.

  1. Understand the assignment and select topic
  2. Find background information in reference resources/do a literature review
  3. Use catalogs to find books, databases to find articles
  4. Evaluate what you find, review progress

Step 4: Start searching!

Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary sources

There are some great resources available on the web for determining whether a resource is considered primary or secondary.

Check these out: