How to Narrow Down A Broad Topic in Research

Timeframe: 1.5 hours

Dr. Marita Garcia SanchezProfessor IICVCITC, Santiago City Philippines

1. Name the specific key terms from your research title2. Define your major terms or concepts in the key

terms of your research title3. Relate the literature review matrix that you made

including those that needs to be elaborated4. Explain the matching of your related literature matrix in constructing your introduction5. Demonstrate the writing of paragraphs in your

introduction6. Solve an issue of mismatch in relating your

literature review matrix

Lesson Objectives

Key word- a word that serves as key to a code or cipher, a significant or descriptive word, used as a reference point for finding other words or information. Usually, these are found in the title(s) of topic(s), book(s), study (ies)

Example: Online Mentoring: Its Implication to Successful Behavioral Change

Key words: Online, Mentoring, Behavior, Change

Specific Terms/ Key Words

1. Identify the class to which the subject belongs:  Online Mentoring is a technique and a method .... 2. Cite its essential characteristics:  ... which helps a mentor in assisting a mentee or client to understand

himself in a complex situation3. Isolate the single most important characteristic or‘motif’: ... either to perform a task or improve behavior or both’... 4. Trace the word’s roots: ... preseanted by Harri Virroleinen and conformed by other authors in the

social sciences and educational setting5. Find synonyms or terms that are close in meaning: ... Mentoring has influenced many other counselors and social scientists

like ....... 6. Provide a specific illustration of how it is used: ... Mentoring has influenced educators, and sociologists of education,

language and religion, and also analysts of gender and cultural studies, etc.  

When you define major terms

It provides authorities that confirms the reliability and validity of claims

Ready access to the Bibliography or complete sources of your write up

Additional information to the discussion In academic work students are often

expected to give definitions of key words and phrases in order to demonstrate to their tutors that they understand these terms clearly

Relationship of Literature Review Matrix

Academic writers define terms so that their readers understand exactly what is meant when certain key terms are used.

When important words are not clearly understood misinterpretation may result.

Many disagreements in academic, legal, diplomatic, personal arise as a result of different interpretations of the same term.

In academic writing, teachers and their students often have to explore these differing interpretations before moving on to study a topic.

Explanation

- It is generally half a page in length (3 paragraphs)

- usually begin with supporting statements, and end with a description of hypothesis.

- offers a theoretical context to a paper, allowing readers to understand the reasoning behind your work.

- sets the tone for the paper, catch the reader's interest, and communicate the hypothesis or thesis statement.

Writing the Introduction

Begin the opening paragraph with a few sentences containing supporting information about your topic. Give the reader an idea of what issue you will be discussing, such as, "Just a few years ago, the term "virtual reference" had little meaning to many librarians." ◦ Immediately opening with your main argument can be

too abrupt For a scientific research paper, you can begin with a

discussion of the significance of your study, and then lead into the rationale behind your experimental model and how it met your objectives.

How to write Introduction

you can begin with a discussion of the significance of your study, and then lead into the rationale behind your experimental model and how it met your objectives

Scientific Paper

It is best suited by the "funnel" or "inverted pyramid" technique. To use this approach, start with some general background information on your subject, becoming more narrow and specific in focus as you work toward a description of your hypothesis.

A Humanities based paper

Place the thesis statement or hypothesis in the final sentence of your introduction's first paragraph

Example Throughout the 20th century, views of life

on other planets has drastically changed. You may need to write multiple sentences to

explain your thesis.

Step 2

Continue your introduction by acquainting your audience with the major points of your paper, and your objectives and results in a scientific paper, in the order they will appear. 

This lets the reader know what to expect.

Step 3

Consider other "starters" for your introduction if your initial approach doesn't fit well with your topic.

Example Throughout the 20th century, views of life on

other planets has drastically changed. It was once thought to be an impossibility, as all we had seen of space showed us a barren landscape unfit for anything we would recognize as life.

Step 4

Evaluate your writing.  Read your introduction, and then read your

conclusion. Make sure there is a fluid transition between them

Step 5

Never use personal pronouns in your introduction, such as "I," "me," "we," "us," "my," "mine," or "our." Don't make pronouncements, such as "I am going to explain why global warming is destroying animal habitats." This is a hallmark of an inexperienced writer.

Don't overwhelm the reader with an overabundance of information. Keep the introduction as concise as possible by saving specific details for the body of your paper.

Avoid emotional or sensational introductions; these can create distrust in the reader.

The Don’ts

Solve an issue of mismatch in relating your literature review matrix to your Introduction

Let us Write

1.Identify the specific sources of literature and studies

2. Enumerate the steps of literature review in the search of problems for research.

3. Illustrate how to write a related study/literature4. Evaluate the literature review matrix you sent in e

mails5. Recognize the value of a literature review matrix6. Gather and make your literature review matrix as

basis of key words in your approved title7. Send your soft copy output in this e mail as your

assignment atiram40@yahoo.com

Assignment