Narrowing Your Topic

After you have chosen a topic area related to the theme: Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History it is important to make sure your topic is narrow enough to manage for a History Day project. There is no way you will be able to cover the entire history of prohibition in a 10 minute NHD documentary. Ken Burns just created a 6 hour documentary on the topic and I'm sure even he could  have done more! So take a look at your topic choice to see if you can narrow it and focus on something more specific.

By narrowing your topic it will make your research more manageable too. If you go to an archives and try to look up everything they have on the Civil War you're going to get overwhelmed! Research itself can be difficult, so make it a bit easier by knowing what to focus on.

You might have to do some basckground research before narrowing your topic: check books out from your library, do some internet research. After you have a general grasp of your topic, you will be able to look at more specific issues, people, events that will lead you to a narrow focus.

NOTE: In your final project you will need to place your topic in context, so you will need to understand the broader picture. But the heart of your project (ie: most exhibit space, most time during documentary, performance, paper, and most sections of website) will be on your narrow topic choice.

There are lots of ways to think about narrowing. If your topic lasted a period of time, maybe you could focus on one period. If your topic had lots of events associated with it, maybe choose 1 or 2 to focus on. Lots of people involved? Choose 1 to research.

Here's an example to help demonstrate how the narrowing process can work:

 

Topic I am interested in: Think of general area of history you like or even a broader topic you like.

 

     Television

Relation to Theme: Brainstorm a list of way you think your chosen topic fits the theme. Ask yourself questions like "How is this revolutionary?" "Did it lead to any reforms?" "What were reactions to it?"

• New method of communication
• New form of entertainment
• New way to sell goods
• Educational tool/spread values
• Changed elections/campaigns
• News laws to regulate TV

Narrow it even more if needed: Do some search and find specific topics or examples for some of your  brainstorming topics. Take this list and see what sources (both primary and secondary) are available for each. You might find that 1 or 2 have lots of sources and then it will be easier for you to make a decision.

• New method of communication- TV changed the way Americans learned about War- Vietnam
• New way to sell goods- Television commericals changes how Americans shop
• Educational tool/spread values- Sesame Street as a revolutionary educational tool
• Changed elections/campaigns- TV revolutionized presidential campaigns- 1960 Nixon v. JFK

Choose one and start researching! Go back to the theme and ask yourself questions that can help with your research and guide you toward sources.

Choice: TV Revolutionized Advertising

Revolution- how did TV change advertising? What was advertising like before and how/why did TV
revolutize the process of selling goods?
Reaction: What were the different reactions to commericals? Look at multiple perspectives- how did those selling goods react to TV and commericals? How did TV executive react and deal with advertisers? How did the American public react to commericals on TV (then and now)?
Reform: Have there been any changes or reforms with TV advertising? (truth in advertising laws)

 

 Remember- you don't have to hit all 3 parts to the theme but it's a good idea to consider all 3 to see if there is an element of them in your topic.

Good luck with topic selection and research!