Developing a title and a focus

Considering your reader

• An academic approach for an expert. • Not necessarily an expert on the subject you

are writing about.

Study tipYour writing should sound authoritative, but you should not make assumptions about the reader’s knowledge.

Developing a topic

Choosing a specific focus will make your research easier. When you search for information you can find it quickly.

Categorise the following topics as very general / general / most specific

• The causes of unemployment.

• A comparative analysis of monetary policies in the USA and Japan during the crisis of 2008-2009.

• The results of global warming in China.

• Very general

• Most specific

• General

Categorise the following topics as very general / general / most specific

• The establishment of the Asian Currency Unit; a comparative analysis with the European Currency Unit.

• The internet and marketing.

• Why organic foods are better for the consumer.

• Most specific

• Very general

• General

Categorise the following topics as very general / general / most specific

• Herbal medicine and human health.

• The intelligence of intelligent buildings; evaluating current trends and examining what the future holds.

• The melting poles: the greatest danger from climate change.

• Very general

• Most specific

• General

Establishing a focus

• Planning

• Researching

• Writing up

Establishing a focusIf you had the topic tourism, to make it more specific you could ask, Why? Who? Where? When? Which? How?

• Why is tourism important?• Who is affected by tourism?• What is tourism?• Where does tourism have the most impact?• Which countries are most dependent on

tourism?• How is tourism evolving in the 21st century?

Add to the list of questions for the following topic, based on the above examples (at least 4 more questions)

The education system in Argentina

• What problems exist in the Argentinian education system? • How can the Argentinian education system be improved?

Here are some general subjects chosen by students. How could you change them, using questions like those in the

previous exercise, to make the topic more specific or focused? Try to relate specifically to China.

• Milk supply and production• Demographic trends

• Intelligent buildings• The United Nations

• Genetically modified (GM) food

• China’s construction industry

• Class size• Vitamin C and the common

cold• Branding• Future developments in

human health

• How does the production of milk keep up with supply in North China?

• What are the demographic trends of China’s aging population?

• What Chinese cities make use of intelligent building design?• Where does the United Nations Departments have the most

affect in China?• What alternatives can Chinese farmers use to producing

genetically modified (GM) foods?• Why have many companies become bankrupt in China’s

construction industry from 2008 onwards? • What is the ideal class size in China’s primary schools? • How does vitamin C protect individuals against the common

cold? • What is the most effective branding strategy for Chinese

luxury product markets?• What are the most recent scientific advancements in the

future developments in human health?

Establishing a working title

• Your title is your starting point.

• Your viewpoint may change.

• You may modify your plan and the title will also change.

Study the following example of a working title and think about why it changed.

Pollution and its relationship with people and the environment

The social and environmental impact of pollution

The environmental impact of pollution in urban areas

Look at these titles. Decide why they are too general. Then rewrite them to make them more

specific, to give the essay more focus.

1. Learning a second language.

2. Organic food and health

Look at these titles. Decide why they are too general. Then rewrite them to make them more

specific, to give the essay more focus.

3. The effect of technology on society

Look at these titles. Decide why they are too general. Then rewrite them to make them more

specific, to give the essay more focus.

Now choose two topics related to a subject you are studying. Try to

create two working titles.

Answer with a partner. You may have already done some reading, research and thinking about your

project. Based on this, complete the following plan as far as possible.

Project planWhat is your topic?Why have you chosen this topic?Key questions (what do you want to find out about this topic?)What is your focus and/or working title?Thesis statementSpecific title