How To Develop A Topic? Part- II

1. You narrow a topic by adding:

Databases

Citations

Concepts

You narrow a topic by adding concepts. For example, if you start with dogs, you narrow it by adding the idea of veterinary medicine. So now your topic is veterinary medicine involving dogs.

Explanation

You narrow a topic by adding concepts. For example, if you start with dogs, you narrow it by adding the idea of veterinary medicine. So now your topic is veterinary medicine involving dogs.

2. A research topic should:

Be as broad as possible so that you have plenty to write about.

Be as narrow as possible so that your reader is not overwhelmed with details.

Be stated clearly enough that you can use it as a guide to selecting or rejecting possible research sources.

The only time your topic has to be something that nobody's ever researched before is for a dissertation. (Or a scholarly article or book... you're not likely to be published if you aren't saying anything new.) It's perfectly ok for a student to research something that's already been researched - you're learning. And a research topic should be neither too broad nor too narrow. The important thing it's just broad (and narrow) enough and that you state it clearly. It focuses your research, and later your writing.

Explanation

The only time your topic has to be something that nobody's ever researched before is for a dissertation. (Or a scholarly article or book... you're not likely to be published if you aren't saying anything new.) It's perfectly ok for a student to research something that's already been researched - you're learning. And a research topic should be neither too broad nor too narrow. The important thing it's just broad (and narrow) enough and that you state it clearly. It focuses your research, and later your writing.

3. Which of the following statements is true about reference resources?

They are good for providing background information, but are not usually cited in your paper.

They provide the most up-to-date information about a topic.

They are primary sources.

Reference sources should generally not be cited in a scholarly paper because they are tertiary sources (which means they are based on other scholars' work.) However they can be quite advanced and contain very detailed, sophisticated information. Generally they are not as up to date as scholarly articles, or even monographs (scholarly books.)

Explanation

Reference sources should generally not be cited in a scholarly paper because they are tertiary sources (which means they are based on other scholars' work.) However they can be quite advanced and contain very detailed, sophisticated information. Generally they are not as up to date as scholarly articles, or even monographs (scholarly books.)

4. To get information on geographical locations, what type of reference source would you use?

An encyclopedia of earth science.

Atlas

Gazetteer

An encyclopedia of earth science will have information about things like bedrock, earthquakes, and weather, but not geographical locations. An atlas is a book of maps. A gazetteer is a book that correlates geographical locations with information about those locations.

Explanation

An encyclopedia of earth science will have information about things like bedrock, earthquakes, and weather, but not geographical locations. An atlas is a book of maps. A gazetteer is a book that correlates geographical locations with information about those locations.

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5. To get background information about an author, what kind of reference source would you use?

A biographical source.

An encyclopedia of literature.

A bibliography.

A biographical source has information about people's lives and accomplishments. An encyclopedia of literature will have information about authors. A bibliography is simply a list of works published by a certain person or on a certain topic.

Explanation

A biographical source has information about people's lives and accomplishments. An encyclopedia of literature will have information about authors. A bibliography is simply a list of works published by a certain person or on a certain topic.

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