Have you ever noticed that some people seem to never have any trouble choosing a topic for a research paper? Some folks just know right away what they want to write about. However, not everyone does. Choosing a topic for a philosophy class can seem very overwhelming. Philosophy is, after all, a very broad subject. If you are having trouble choosing a topic, there are some techniques that can make the choice a bit easier:
Instructor--Feel free to ask your instructor for suggestions for your research paper. Your instructor is an expert in the field of philosophy and can certainly suggest worthwhile topics.
Textbook--Your textbook is also a good source for term paper topics. Try looking through the table of contents or index for ideas. If you see a topic that interests you, you can read about it in your textbook and decide if it is worth pursuing.
List of topics provided by instructor--Many instructors provide a pre-set list of topics that are recommended for that class. If you are unsure about what some of the topics are, ask your instructor.
Library--The library can also be an effective place to find a term paper topic. Specialized reference books are available that can help you select a topic in your subject area. Please see the Librarians at the Reference Desk for help
Refining Your Topic
Once you have decided on your research topic, you may need to refine it. Often a chosen topic is too broad. For instance, deciding to do a philosophy paper on Plato may sound interesting, but is much too broad. If you were to search the library or Internet for Plato, you would simply get too much material, much of it too vague or unfocused to be of much use. Refining or focusing your topic by selecting one aspect of the larger subject Plato will decrease the amount of information you retrieve and make your search more manageable. A search for Plato's Apology will produce less but more useful information for a small research paper. On the other hand, choosing a topic related to Plato that is very rare or unusual can result in not enough information and can lead to frustration.
Choosing a topic that is neither too broad or too narrow is one of the most important decisions you will make during the research process. If you are unsure whether your topic is too broad, too narrow or just right, see your instructor or a librarian at the Reference Desk.