Lesson 275 of 1570
Expanding a Too-Narrow Topic
Sometimes you pick a question so specific that no published research exists. Recognizing this fast — and broadening just enough — saves the project.
Lesson map
What this lesson covers
Learning path
The main moves in order
- 1When research returns zero results
- 2scope
- 3broadening
- 4context
Concept cluster
Terms to connect while reading
Section 1
When research returns zero results
If you Google your research question and get zero meaningful results, your question is too narrow. The world has not yet researched that exact thing.
That doesn't mean your question is bad — it means you need to broaden it just enough that other people have thought about it before.
Real examples
- 1"How does AI affect elementary teachers in Toledo?" — likely no research exists
- 2"How does AI affect elementary teachers?" — broader, more research available
- 3"How does AI affect K-12 teachers?" — broader still, plenty of studies
- 4Apply general findings to your specific case in your discussion
When narrow questions are fine
If your project is original research (a survey you're running, an experiment you're doing), narrow is good. You don't need others to have asked your exact question — you're asking it yourself.
Key terms in this lesson
The big idea: zero search results is feedback. Broaden until you find adjacent research, then bring your specific case back in.
End-of-lesson quiz
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