Step
2: The Subject and Scope
Once you have identified a topic that appeals to you, the next step is to determine if the subject is suited to the length of paper you are going to write. The best topics are usually those that are limited in scope so that you have room for detailed and vivid treatment of the topic. Therefore, a 250-word paper will call for a more limited treatment than a 500 or 1000 word paper.
For example, a 250-word paper on “athletics” would probably be inappropriate because the topic is too general for a short paper. Instead, a more appropriate topic for a 250-word paper might be “The Importance of Basketball in Our Feast Day Celebrations”. Again, “Pollution” would be a very broad topic for a short paper, so it might b better to narrow the topic down to something like “How Can We Help Prevent Pollution” or “Health Problems Caused by Pollution”.
To evaluate the subject and scope, ask yourself this question: Will I be able to fully develop the topic I have chosen? Can I provide enough background and detail to make the paper informative and interesting within the limitations of the assignment? If the answer is “yes”, you have a good topic and you are ready to move on to step 3.