Narrow Down Your Topic!

Once you’ve found a topic you are interested in, it’s time to narrow it down! Often we start of with really broad ideas, like “The History of Violence against Women,” or “Labour history in Canada” but these are HUGE topics. Here are a few examples of ways topics can be narrowed down to something you will be able to write a concise essay about with a clear thesis and argument.

Example:

1. Violence Against Women:

Violence against women ► Institutional Violence against women in Canada ► Medical, Physiological, and Physical violence against women ► The compulsory institutionalization of women in Canada during the 1940s for “incorrigible” behaviour.

2. Labour History in Canada

Labour History in Canada ► Labour uprisings in Canada ► History of strikes in Canada ► The birth of unions in Canada ► How the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike served as a crucial stepping stone for the Canadian Labour Movement of the mid-20th century.

So what are the key points to take away from this? You need to have a very specific topic in mind. Narrow down your topic by exploring a specific part of an event; by looking at either one case study, or a small selection of case studies. Narrow down your topic by dates: often exploring even 20 years can prove to be quite challenging, or the topic for a thesis paper, rather than an undergrad essay. Try to narrow down your topic with specific dates. It gives your paper a more specific focus, which will allow you to make a stronger argument and in turn, paper. (This is another example of where talking to your professor is helpful! They can help you to narrow down your topic.)