Sentence 1: Choosing a manageable research topic, avoiding pitfalls, is a monster topic out to get you. Sentence 2: Beginning researchers often pick a broad general topic, thinking that big topics are easier to research, but some topics are just too big. Sentence 3: Consider these examples: global warming, eating disorders, physical fitness, and media violence-- it's too much. Sentence 4: Problems with big topics: you cannot adequately cover a large topic in a brief paper; you will be overwhelmed with research material; you cannot research or write about a topic if you cannot define it clearly. Sentence 5: Solution: ask questions -- who, what, where, when, how -- for the topic "benefits of exercise." Sentence 6: Ask who might benefit, such as women, smokers, overweight children, and the elderly. Sentence 7: Ask what kind of benefits, such as losing weight, improving mental awareness, reducing stress, and lowering blood pressure. Sentence 8: Now that the big topic becomes smaller: can exercise improve memory and cognition in the elderly? Sentence 9: To narrow your topic, focus on a single event, a specific group, a limited time period, one cause or effect, one argument or viewpoint. Sentence 10: For the topic "death penalty," focus on an argument or viewpoint: is the death penalty a form of cruel and unusual punishment? Sentence 11: For the topic "voting," focus on a group of people: are there gender differences in American voting patterns? Sentence 12: For the topic "eating disorders," focus on cause or effect: do genetics contribute to anorexia nervosa? Sentence 13: Of course, some topics are too small, making published information difficult or impossible to find. Sentence 14: For example, the topic "how do Martians in the Inland Empire cope with the stress of being chased by ravenous monsters" is too tight -- a specific group in a specific place with a specific condition and a...