Some essays appear as challenges even when you haven’t started writing the thing yet. And the issues generate themselves at the point where you have to choose a topic. If you make a mistake at the start, its effects will go through your whole text. To simplify your choice and make it effective in parallel, you can use at least 5 techniques how to choose a topic for essay!
What are the Most Common Mistakes when Students Choose an Essay Topic?
Learning how to choose a topic for essay can’t be momentous. Throughout studying, students make the same mistakes that are okay and understandable. Gladly, the experience of past generations of students now allows you to avoid those slips.
Generalization
Picking a general topic gives you the widest field for writing, that’s for sure. Yet, the drawback affects the whole paper. When your essay topic’s question has minimal specifics, the paper overall won’t present a definite answer. For instance:
- “Education is for everyone”. Okay, and? If you have this topic, you can write about how even your neighbor’s cat deserves to become a MA. Sure thing, every living being has the right to become educated and learn any subject they like.
- “Non-traditional student’s experience or why education has no preferences”. Now, this is a more specific topic. At least, you instantly know that you have to seek non-trad students’ stories. Also, your thesis delivers the idea that every person can go to college no matter their peculiarities.
Cliches
Some topics have got their elucidation thousands of times. There is nothing novel you can add about it in a mere essay. Moreover, your professor wants to see your flow of thoughts. When your topic is a standard one, you might write only about the usual attitudes of consciousness. There is no compelling material in such essays.
Shouldn’t-essays
Some essay topics imply that some people shouldn’t do this and that. Such topics sound like banning, which makes it uninteresting for those readers who like doing this or that. Still, if you rephrase it without the banning vibe, it might become more compelling. For instance:
- “Why people shouldn’t smoke”. Sure thing, smoking is far from being good for the lungs. Yet, no one bans smoking in proper places, so why shouldn’t a person smoke if they want?
- “How smoking affects our body and how to minimize negative effects”. This way of phrasing doesn’t take away the rights of smokers but presents the issue.
Choosing a Compelling Essay Topic: Effortless Means
Understandably, students have to avoid the mistakes that we have listed above. And now we move to tips and resources that can help you with a topic problem.
Scan the net for bright ideas
Gladly, there are numerous lists of unusual and even quirky topics you might become interested in. Still, you don’t have to copy a topic that has already appeared on the Internet. Still, you can choose the one you like and rephrase it or add another perspective.
Narrow your topic down
In other words, avoid generalizations. Think of your topic as a question. If you get a super general question, you won’t answer something concrete. So, try finding at least two answers to a general question and transform them into potential topics.
Don’t neglect your interests and preferences
Focus on the topics that you have at least the slightest interest in. Every subject has some materials that can make even the most indifferent student pay attention. Or you can take into account the materials that you like. For instance, who said you can’t add an example which you experienced in your favorite computer game? Has someone banned mentioning your preferred characters? And who said they can’t be the object of your observation and analysis?
Use a topic generator and transform its result
You can find a random generation on the Internet and roll it until you see something compelling in an AI’s topic. Of course, it will be strange or too dull. Still, you will obtain a basis of your topic that you can rephrase and correct.
Think of what answers you can give
Sometimes it’s better to go vice versa. Remember that your essay topic is a question. You can form this question by answering first. Sure thing, you will have to conduct small research for your decided answer and see if it works objectively. So, scan the net for materials to support your generated thesis and then think of a proper topic.
In Conclusion how to choose a topic for an essay
Coming up with a compelling and demonstrative essay topic is a significant thing that decides your content. Still, if you need more time to learn how to choose a topic for essay, it’s alright. This skill will eventually grow if you have systematic practice. For the beginning, try avoiding common mistakes, that will suffice for some time.