Choosing Essay
Topics
Thinking about Topics
During my first semester teaching English 1301 to
students, I received some of the following essay
topics:
 How to give a dog a bath
 How to wash your car
 How to put gas in your car
What’s the problem with these topics?
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Car Wash Example
Let’s take the essay on how to wash a car. At one point
in the essay the writer said:
“Don’t point the water hose toward your eye.
You might hurt yourself.”
Is this good advice? If you read this statement in a
magazine article, how would you react?
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A Few Tips When Choosing
Essay Topics
TIP #1: TOPICS SHOULD BE “COLLEGELEVEL”
TIP #2: TOPICS SHOULD BE NARROW AND
SPECIFIC
TIP #3: “SO WHAT?”
TIP #4: WATCH FOR EMOTIONALLYCHARGED TOPICS
TIP #1: Topics should be “CollegeLevel”
When I use the phrase “college-level,” I mean
that your paper should strive to provide the
reader with NEW information.
How might the author of the car wash essay make his
paper “college-level?”
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Tip #2: Topics should be Narrow
and Specific
Writers who choose specific, narrow topics are
less likely to fall into shallow, inadequate
discussion.
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Universe Example
Once I had a student who insisted she be
allowed to write her 3-5 page paper on “the
universe.”
What problems might she run into as she writes?
Why is her topic unsuitable?
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Weight Loss Example
Another student asked if he might write his
paper on “weight loss.”
What about this topic? Can it be accomplished
completely in 3-5 pages?
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How to Narrow a Topic
Let’s say I’d like to write my paper on one of my
interests, the American Revolutionary War.
This topic is too large and should be narrowed:
The American Revolution
The Boston Tea
Party
John Hancock’s contribution to the
Boston Tea Party
NOTE: Narrow topics are the reason for the long titles you see so often in
scholarly books and articles!
Your Turn!
How might you narrow the following topics?
 Music
 Great TV shows
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Some Possible Answers
Music
Rock
The Red Hot Chili Peppers
Why the Red Hot Chili Peppers Should
Receive a Lifetime Achievement Award
Great TV shows
sitcoms
How I Met
Your Mother
“Barney” (one character)
How
the Comedic Timing of Neil Patrick Harris
Contributes to the Success of How I Met Your
Mother
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How to Know if You’ve Narrowed
Enough
Your topic is specific enough if you feel you
can:

Provide your reader with a developed discussion

Provide your reader with a complete discussion
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Tip #3: “So What?”
After you’ve picked a topic, ask yourself “so
what?” Why should the reader care about
your topic?
If you can’t answer this question, chances are good
that your reader won’t be able to either.
Possible “So What?” Answers
Some possible answers to the “so what”
question:





I want my reader to understand something better
I want my reader to perform an action
I want my reader to change their mind
I want my reader to avoid an action
Etc.
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Tip #4: Watch for EmotionallyCharged Topics
 Dog example:
 Angel example:
 Death example:
Avoid topics you can’t discuss rationally or think of in
terms of an essay.
Questions?
If you have questions about this presentation,
post to our discussion board at the end of this
module.