A topic is too narrow if you can’t find enough information to answer your research question.
A topic is too broad if you are overwhelmed by the amount of information you find.
You can narrow or broaden a topic by adding or eliminating:
--a time period (year, decade, century)
--a specific population (male, female, child, adult, nationality)
--a geographic area (state, region, country)
Research questions should be grounded in fact, able to be answered by means of evidence-based research, so avoid "what-if" questions.
Unless specified by the assignment, research questions that center on philosophical, ethical, or religious issues are not appropriate, so avoid "could/should" questions.
A bland question is one that does not require much inquiry to answer. If your question can be answered by one source, it is too bland.
To answer an interesting question, you may need to answer several bland questions.
Once you've narrowed your broad topic to one that fits your assignment parameters, turn it into a research question (or thesis). Then identify the most descriptive keywords in your question or thesis, and use these keywords to navigate information sources for books, articles, and websites.
Broad topic: Teen suicide
Narrow topic: Use of anti-depressant drugs and teen suicide
Research question: How has the widespread use of antidepressant drugs affected teen suicide rates?
Keywords: "antidepressant drugs" "teen suicide"
How to Select a Topic by Credo Reference
Using Pre-Research to Understand Your Topic by Credo Reference
What to Do When Your Topic is Too Broad by Credo Reference
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