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HSPS 2611: Contemporary Europe

Narrow Your Topic

Ask these questions to help you narrow down your topic so that it is appropriate for your research project.

Example Broad Topic: World War II

Who?

  • Who is a specific person or group involved with this topic, impacted by this topic, or related to this topic?
  • example: women in the French Resistance

What?

  • What is a specific aspect of or issue related to this topic?
  • example: effect on science and technology research and development

When?

  • When was a specific time that this topic happened, or a notable event related to this topic?
  • example: Allied invasion of Normandy (D-Day)

Where?

  • Where is a specific place that this topic happens or happened, or a notable place related to this topic?
  • example: Mauthausen Concentration Camp in Austria

Why?

  • Why does this topic happen, why is it important, and why should people care about it?
  • example: current rise of far-right ideology