You may have found too many or too few results to meet your needs or assignment requirements. For example, a topic like "health care" will be too broad and return many results and potential areas for research. In contrast, a topic like "cardiovascular issues of Bosnian immigrants in the St. Louis area" will return very few results, so you may need to broaden your search.
| Technique | Ask Yourself | Example | Narrowed |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Time Period |
Can my topic focus on a specific time or date range? In the past decade or a specific year? In the future? |
prescription drug prices | prescription drug prices in the past five years |
| Place | Does my topic have a local focus? Can I focus on a specific geographic region or area? | Bubonic plague | Bubonic plague in Italy |
|
Population |
Can I limit the topic to a specific gender, age group, income level, ethnicity, nationality, education level, etc.? |
public smoking bans |
public smoking bans and their impact on children's health |
|
Viewpoint |
Can I focus on a political, philosophical, ethical, social, legal, or economic aspect or viewpoint? |
economic impacts of drug testing |
economic impacts of drug testing on welfare recipients |
|
Person/Group |
Is there an individual or group relevant to my topic? |
performance-enhancing drugs |
performance-enhancing drug use in Major League Baseball |
Your topic or research question could potentially be too narrow or specific to find enough information. Since most topics involve multiple aspects and different contexts, you may need to broaden your topic to find acceptable resources. When expanding your topic, make sure it still reflects the same main idea.
| Technique | Ask Yourself | Example | Broadened |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Generalize |
Is my topic too specific? Can I use more general terms to describe the topic? |
Cytogenic damage caused by smokeless tobacco |
Health risks of smokeless tobacco |
|
Synonyms |
Is there another way to say my topic? Are there any related terms? |
Fracking |
Hydraulic fracturing in the United States |
|
Eliminate Concepts |
Am I trying to research too many concepts at a time? Can I eliminate one or more? |
Measles outbreak in Syrian refugee camps |
Infectious disease outbreaks in refugee camps |