Narrowing a Topic: STRATEGIES 1

     Let's say you are interested in writing about domestic violence.  This is an enormous topic which will need to be narrowed down to a manageable size.  Ask questions like this to zero in on a particular aspect and then run some keyword database searches:

• Who reports domestic violence?  Who are the perpetrators?  Who are the victims?
• What causes domestic violence?  What single factor contributes the most to domestic violence?  What should a teacher do if she thinks a child is a victim? 
• When was domestic violence first recognized as a social problem?  When is domestic violence least likely to happen?  When do victims feel able to live normal lives again?
• Where can victims go for help?  Where are reports of domestic violence the lowest?  Where does the funding for domestic violence programs come from?
• How can domestic violence be stopped?  How does a specific type of therapy help the victims?  How does a particular treatment help the perpetrator?

Here are more questions to try:

• Does gender/age/ethnicity play a role in relation to my topic?
• Is there a specific incident/discovery/turning point for my topic?
• What specific time period is most interesting in relation to my topic?
• Is there a single cause/effect I can focus on?
• Is there a particular argument/viewpoint in relation to my topic?