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Western Civilization II: What Should I Write About?

This guide was designed as a starting point for researching topics in Western Civilization, Hist102, 1500 - Present

Select an Interesting Topic

Painting of a woman thinking.Deciding on the right topic for your history research paper takes time. Build on your interests.

  • Make sure you have a good understanding of the assignment.
  • Scan your textbook or lecture notes to spark ideas.
  • Read more about it! Encyclopedias in print or online will provide background information. 

Break it Down

If your topic is too broad, try to focus on a specific aspect.
Here's a good example: CHILD LABOR during the Industrial Revolution.

Breaking down a topic, reverse pyramid starting with the industrial revolution in England, getting more specific with child labor, more specific with safety, and more specific with mining.Break it down by asking the following:

WHO was involved? Children, boys, girls, employers

WHAT were the issues? Working long hours in factories or farms, unsafe conditions, no access to education

WHERE did it take place? Europe, region, England, urban, rural

WHEN did it take place? Industrial Revolution, late 1700's - 1800's, Victorian era

WHY did it happen? Increased demand for goods and cheap labor,  family income, living expenses

HOW was the issue addressed? Activists rallied public support to force government officials and employers to address the problem of child labor and exploitation.

Formulate a Research Question

A child laborer drags a coal tub in a narrow mine shaft.After gathering information and narrowing your topic, formulate a research question: 

What led to the reform of child labor in England? 

A concise question will help to you to stay focused during your research. It can also help you create a solid thesis statement.

Find Background Information

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Four Steps to Narrow Your Research Topic

Four Steps to Narrow Your Research Topic, by the University of Guelph Library, This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.