1. The Incredible Shrinking Topic
FOCUS YOUR RESEARCH
The Incredible Shrinking Topic

2. Create a Table of Contents (10 Pages)
DO-NOW
Take out I.T.R. Notebook
Open to first page.
Create a Table of Contents (10 Pages)

3. How Do We Focus Our Research Topic?
AIM:
How Do We Focus Our Research Topic?

4. WARM UP ACTIVITY
Choose the topic from your
K-W-L organizer.
Why does it interest you?

5. WARM UP ACTIVITY
Remember to restate the question: “I find _____ interesting because . . .”
Write 5-7 sentences about the topic.

6. Explain your topic to the world.
TOPIC SELECTION
Prove your viewpoint:
“School dress codes promote professionalism and lead to higher graduation rates.”
Explain your topic to the world.
“Skateboarding: A culture of motion, agility and gravity-defying athleticism.”

7. FOCUS YOUR TOPIC
A good research detective uses a magnifying glass to focus on small objects or ideas to develop into a thesis project.

8. FOCUSING YOUR TOPIC
So, your first job is to NARROW DOWN the BIG IDEA!
Focus on something SPECIFIC

9. The History of the Whole Universe from Its Beginning to Now!
TOPIC SELECTION
The History of the Whole Universe from Its Beginning to Now!

10. FOCUS IT!
Way TOO BIG
15 Billion years TOO BIG!
How about US History?

11. FOCUS IT!
That’s about 500 years versus 15 billion years!

12. FOCUS IT EVEN MORE!
Exploration
Famous People
Immigration
Farming
Wars

13. WARS
War of Independence
War of 1812
Mexican War
Civil War

14. BREAK IT DOWN!
Choose a famous battle . . .
Antietam
Shiloh
Atlanta
Gettysburg

15. BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG
Fought on July 1-3, 1863
We did it!
We focused it!
Great Job!

16. NATURE
Forests
Trees
Big Trees
Focus it: Redwoods!

17. Celebrities

18. GROUP ACTIVITY
Complete the TOPIC TRIMMERS handout with a partner
Work from the General to Specific

19. WRAP UP REMINDER
Specific is terrific!
If you have too big a topic you’ll need some hocus-pocus
Be very microscopic
And focus, focus, focus!!!

20. I.T.R. Homework:
Complete the “Trimming My Topic”. Check
Tape the “Topic Trimmer” classwork to Page 9 of your I.T.R. notebook.