Analyzing Your Area of Research

Once you have selected an area to research, the next step is to figure out where your area of research fits in to the existing literature.

A. Is your area of research too broad or too narrow?

What specific question or questions do you want to answer as you do your research? (i.e. what is your hypothesis or hypotheses? You may need to modify these as you do your research)

If your area of research is too broad you will be overwhelmed with too much information and will have trouble figuring out what to write about. Some areas of research might be fine if you were writing a full length book, but not practical for a 10 page paper. Try limiting your area of research in terms of time period, geography, or noteworthy individuals. You may want to explore some subset of your area of research.

If you have trouble finding any information on your topic at all, or can find only one or two articles or a brief mention of your topic in a book, then your area of research may be too narrow or focused. If this is the case, try taking a broader view of the area you are investigating.

EXAMPLE:	Quantum Mechanics -- (too broad for a 10 page paper)
	What was the nature of the debate between Albert Einstein and Neils Bohr over quantum theory? -- (this research question could be covered in a 10 page paper)

B. What disciplines might cover your area of research?

EXAMPLE:	What was the nature of the debate between Albert Einstein and Neils Bohr over quantum theory?
	You might want to look at the literature within the following disciplines: Physics Philosophy History of Science

C. Dissect your research question into pieces or components. Try and think of all the possible areas you will want to explore in order to answer your research question.

EXAMPLE:
	quantum theory, quantum mechanics, complementarity, relativity Albert Einstein Neils Bohr

This page was last modified on: Apr 10, 2007