Part 1: Topics, Ideas, and Research Questions
Identify each of the following items as either a broad topic, narrowed idea, or research question.
Item Response
Political Correctness
What are three ways to resolve conflict in order to maintain a
healthy relationship?
Communication
What are three reasons factory farming hurts animals or the
environment?
Business Ethics
Technology
What are three reasons why pre-employment drug testing
can reduce turnover or violate employees’ rights?
Education
What are three ways to reduce health care costs?
Incarceration
What are three challenges faced by military families?
Social Media
Homeschooling
Psychology
What are three reasons why online learning is as good as
face-to-face learning?
Part 2: Topic Selection and Discussion
Review the table below, which has a broad topic, a narrowed idea within that broad topic, and the
research question associated with that narrowed idea.
Criminal Justice
& Security
Background Checks
What are three reasons why background checks should
be required for all employees at all companies?
Respond to the prompts below in a minimum total of 175 words.
? Identify the broad topic, narrowed idea, and research question you selected and explain why
you chose them.
? What interests you academically or personally with the broad topic, narrowed idea, and
research question if you were working as a Probation and Parole Officer?
Part 3: Consider an essay you have read that was designed to solve a problem.
Respond to the following in a minimum of 175 words:
- Could you tell, before reading the entire essay, what the author was going to talk about?
- What did the author of the essay do to introduce the topic of the essay, and where in the essay
could you identify that topic? - Why is it important that an author picks narrow topic or research question for an essay?