Lecture 05 | Narrowing the topic-02

In the previous post, I discussed two approaches to narrow down the topic. Here we go with more.  

3. By using  five Ws and one H

If you feel your topic is too broad, look at the same with microscopic view. I mean divide the broader topic into several smaller questions. This exercise allows you to find bits and tips of which the topic is made of. Then you can choose bit of your choice to write on. If we put it simply, we mean to analyse a topic in terms of certain simple and straight forward questions such as who, what, when, where, whom, why, and how?. 

For instance, if we want to continue working on our topic of "Climate Change", we can come up with many interesting questions such as When was the term "Climate Change" coined? Was there a scientific or political  motivation behind coinage of this term? At what time the term was coined? Who takes the decision regarding climate change? Scientists or politicians? Who/Which nations are the most affected by climate change? Which nations are greatly contributing in emission of green house gases? What is the condition of biodiversity in Indus Delta Region? 

In applying this tool, you will have to keep in mind that the scope of questions with 'what, when, where, who' will be narrow. Therefore, be advised to focus more on 'how' and 'why' questions. 

Without a shred of doubt, this exercise will take some time of yours, but believe me, it will be immensely helpful for you in determining the angle or aspect of topic to be treated. This exercise is a little time-consuming and you may always not be in position to spend that much time one single assignment. Even then it's one of the essential exercise for a variety of reasons: (1) this exercise will make you do some thinking over the topic; (2) the thinking process will mentally push you into the circle of your topic making it a part of your mind and; (3) by doing this exercise you are more likely to come up with another idea for the future.   

4. By searching on internet

Ideas always strike our minds very easily. Those ideas are equally potential to confuse us as well. Therefore, spare your time in doing some research on your topic and find one aspect of the topic on which you can get inspiration from. Internet is our best companion in such cases. You are supposed to receive very interesting results when you search the given topic on google. We get a great deal of results while searching for "Climate Change" on google. Few examples are given below:

(1) Climate Change and poetry on month of December

(2) Climate Change effects on human psychological behaviour. 

(3) Climate Change and Indus Blue Whale Survival

In the topic # 01, you may start from a thesis statement that "In the wake of climate change, Urdu poetry done on the month of December has become irrelevant". While in topic # 02, you may start from an individuals' always angry mood in the season of summer.  And the third topic is also about climate change in which you intend to write about loss of biodiversity in Indus delta due to climate change by making Indus Blue Whale a case. 

You see we receive such an interesting range of results. After that, we may find an aspect of our choice and writing will be fun for us then. When you take writing as passion your writing also becomes enjoyable for readers as well. Just a final tip. While searching on google, do not stop at the first page. Browse few more pages or keep changing your key search words for getting better and more interesting results.