Subject Selection

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Subject Selection

• Developed by
• Elisa Paramore
• Student Support Services Counselor

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Introduction

• Selecting a subject for an essay is the most
  important, yet difficult task that students face
  when asked to write an essay. In some cases you
  may be given a list of topics by your instructor
  and then be asked to choose one. However, in some
  instances you may be given the task of choosing a
  topic of your own. Whichever the case, it is best
  to follow the guidelines that will be discussed
  in this presentation to help ensure that you
  choose the best possible topic for you.

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Guidelines for topic selection

• Choose a subject that you already know something
  about or that you would like to know more about.
• Choose a subject that will teach you something
  new while you are in the process of explaining it
  to your reader.
• Remember not to undervalue the significance of
  your personal experience, especially when a
  particular experience led to a change in your
  life, the way you look at life or the way you
  live your life.

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Other Guidelines for choosing a Topic

• Let necessity be your guide. Ask yourself, Is
  there some product that I need? If so, you may
  choose to write an essay that discusses the
  different brands available, as well as the pros
  and cons of each.
• Let the courses that you are taking help you
  decide. Ask yourself, Have we briefly studied
  some topic in one of my classes that I would like
  to know more about?

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Topic Selection for Research Papers

• When assigned the task of writing a research
  paper it is also very important to choose your
  topic wisely.
• You may be drawn to a subject that you have heard
  a lot about from TV, or read about in magazines
  or newspaper articles. Choosing a topic that may
  be controversial and new may be a very good way
  to gain and keep your readers attention, but
  the problem with choosing topics that are so new
  is that there may not be enough resources
  available to adequately cover your topic.

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Narrowing a Broad Subject

• After choosing a broad subject area either for an
  essay or research paper, it is necessary to limit
  the scope of your subject into a more manageable
  topic that can be sufficiently covered in a
  limited amount of space. For example, writing
  about the world of work is too broad to cover
  completely and thoroughly in a short
  essay.Therefore, it is necessary to decide on one
  particular aspect of the world of work. For
  instance, the important benefits derived from
  working while attending college, would be a
  better topic choice.

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More Guidelines for Narrowing

• In deciding how to narrow your subject into a
  more manageable size, you may use any of the
  following aids, either alone or in combination.
• Time period
• Occupation
• Cultural period
• Religion
• Particular economic group
• Specialized discipline
• Specific classification

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Guidelines for Narrowing, cont

• Individual example
• Gender
• Specific region or locale
• Specific nationality, or race
• Specific age group
• Remember that although you may have narrowed your
  subject as far as you think is possible, it may
  be necessary to do so again, especially if you
  find something unexpected that may be of interest

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Narrowing Activity

• Look at the broad topics listed below and narrow
  them using the guidelines from the previous 2
  pages so that each can be used in 500-1000 word
  essays
• Advertising
• Animals
• Automobiles
• College
• Crime

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Activity, cont

• Drugs
• Education
• Fashion
• Foreign Affairs
• Hobbies
• Magazines
• Movies
• Television
• Vacations

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Topics to Avoid

• Topics to avoid writing essays or research papers
  about include the following
• Topics that you are too emotionally connected to
  or have some connection to your faith
• Topics that appear to be too easy to write about.
  The danger here is that you may soon become
  bored, and therefore, you will run the risk of
  not writing a very interesting paper
• Topics with resources that are not available
  within a specified time. Therefore, it is advised
  that you find out which topics have the most
  readily available material

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Topics to Avoid, cont

• Topics that limit you to a fixed viewpoint before
  you even start your research. Allow your topic to
  develop into a thesis and do not try to make your
  facts fit your thesis
• Avoid topics that have been done over and over
  unless you can approach the topic from a new
  perspective
• Avoid topics that can be summed up in an
  encyclopedia entry or found in any single source
• Avoid topics chosen out of desperation

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Conclusion

• In selecting a topic to write about, it is
  extremely important to remember that your topic
  needs to be narrow enough to be completely
  explained in a specific number of words, your
  audience needs to remain engaged in what you have
  written,and your instructor needs to be
  surprised.

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Important Note

• We hope this presentation has given you some
  useful information concerning the task of
  choosing a subject about which to write. If you
  have any questions concerning this topic, please
  feel free to contact Student Support Services
  staff Elisa Paramore or Jason Griggs.
• It is important that an Academic Seminar
  Evaluation form be submitted so that we may
  document your program participation. This may
  done either in person or online. We would like to
  hear your suggestions for other seminar topics.

EXIT
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