Broadening a Research Question

A question that is too narrow or specific may not retrieve enough information, but most questions have multiple contexts and varying levels of specificity. If your question is too specific, try broadening it!

The underlined terms below represent broader ways of asking the same question without changing the basic meaning.

Narrow:	Broader:
Makah Whaling Rituals Endangered Species Laws	Native Americans Religious and Social Customs Local and Federal Laws

Narrow:	Broader:
Sweat Shops South Asia	U.S. Labor Practices Developing Countries

Topics Sections

1. Topics
2. Basic Pointers
3. Generating Questions
- Brainmapping Ex.

4. Broadening Questions

5. Narrowing Questions
6. Selecting Keywords
7. Vocabulary