Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Find a Topic and Get an Overview

Planning and Writing a Research Paper

Find a Topic and Get an Overview

To find a topic that interests you, think about your subject matter or your topic in personal terms. Finding an angle or imaginative slant on the subject can get you started. An added benefit of researching something that interests you is just that: you are interested in learning more about said topic.

Remember when we were discussing wanting to learn more about knitting because your friend made a beautiful sweater and you always wanted to learn how to knit? This is a perfect example of learning more about something that interests you.

When researching, as we learn new things, we also learn things that can be useful to others. Those useful things are what we share in writing. This relationship between wanting to learn something new and then taking steps to learn something new is beneficial to you in your personal life and your academic career.

When determining which topic to write about ask yourself these questions.

Can I relate this topic to my work or personal life?

Key Takeaways

Picking a topic you are personally interested in will recharge your energy to pursue knowledge on the topic.
Realizing your stance on the topic narrows your focus.

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