Academic Research Booklet

3

Choosing a topic

If you’re stuck choosing a topic, try the following exercise, all your answers could be potential essay topics:

Is there a topic you're particularly interested in within that subject? WHAT DO YOU WANT DO AT UNIVERSITY? Write down some related facts or events which interest you. WHAT DO YOU MOST ENJOY DOING OUTSIDE OF CLASS?

LIST YOUR FAVOURITE SCHOOL SUBJECT(S)

Write down three things you have enjoyed learning about so far.

What might you want to know more about in relation to these issues? WHAT CURRENT EVENTS ARE YOU MOST PASSIONATE ABOUT?

Getting started

Sometimes just getting started can feel like a daunting task, if you have a topic in mind the easiest way to begin can be to simply start thinking and asking questions about your topic. The example on the next page shows initial questions that were asked for an essay with the topic:

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland adapted to explore mental health issues through interpretive dance.

When we exercise, our body gives out a hormone called endorphins, giving us the feeling of joy EXERCISE MORE

NOTE: this is still a broad topic, not yet a question. It is hard to narrow down a question before you have started some level of questioning and research.