How Can You Narrow the Topic for your Literature Review?
1. READ the work, READ it again and Take Notes!
2. Select the Topic that you have been assigned or select a topic that interests you. If you are having trouble picking a topic, ask some of the questions listed below:
- What elements (characters, setting, themes, images, etc) are interesting to you? Do these elements have a significance?
- What is the work about? Can the elements of the work be understood to represent anything symbolically or allegorically.
- What is the overall tone of the work? Does the tone have any influence on the people or events of the work?
- Is there any conflict, tension or problems in the work: Are they resolved? Can they be resolved?
- Who are the characters? Do they change? How do they change? Why do they change? What changes them?
- Is there any lesson to be learned? Is there any message? How do the elements reinforce the lesson or message?
- Are there questions left unanswered in the end? Is there a possible answer?
3. Form your topic into a Thesis! A thesis is a sentence or two that states what you think is meaningful or interesting about the topic.
4. Support your thesis with research. When you write the bulk of your paper, you should include details from the work that support your thesis. Do research to find criticism (Secondary sources) to expand upon your discussion.
