Narrow/Adapt Topic

The next thing to do is to narrow (or broaden, if necessary) your topic. Check the Library of Congress Subject Headings for key terms that you identified in step 1. Then, with LCSH terms in hand, check SAGE to see if Colorado State University has any books or government documents on your topic.

If you are doing research on a current topic (something in the news right now), you probably won't find materials in SAGE about it. Instead, look through Current Issues Research for recommended sources.

However, if you are required to use books for your research, this is the time to change or adapt your topic! It is much easier to change your mind now than later. On the other hand, if you have plenty of time before your paper is due (4+ weeks), check WorldCat to see if there are any books on your topic that you can request from Interlibrary Loan. If you don't find books in WorldCat, CHANGE TOPICS NOW! It is important that you then repeat step 1 and this step until you have a workable topic area that is doable within your time frame. Keep your options open within that topic so that you can use what you find.

When you are working on a thesis or dissertation, you have months or years to work on one topic or subject, so easy accessibility isn't important. Easy accessibility is important when your paper is due in two weeks or even at the end of the semester.

Go to the next step.

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URL: http://lib.colostate.edu/howto/narradpt.html • Modified: 2006-08-22

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