Narrowing and specifying a topic for the research project

Example 1

General Topic: Euthanasia

Specific Topic: Euthanasia should not be legalised.

Research Question: What are reasons not to legalise euthanasia?

The specific topic must be an argumentative one. You must take a stand on the issue
and try to convince your reader to accept your arguments. You will support your
arguments with evidence from articles you have researched and analysed.

Thesis statement:

Euthanasia should not be legalized as it undermines the overall worth of human life, it
is destructive to the practice of medicine and it is an act of killing which must not be
accommodated in the legal system

Example 2

General Topic : Education

Specific Topic : Dress code in colleges

Research Question: Should dress code be imposed on college students?

Thesis statement: Dress code should not be imposed in colleges as it is

discriminatory and bears no weight on the students performance nor
behaviour.