ACWR303 - Academic Writing for Nursing

The purpose of this phase is to select a focus for your research based on the exploration you did of the broader topic in phase 2.

To do this, you will want to:

Review the notes you collected in the exploration phase – look at the themes and issues that stood out as you did your reading. Go through the citations you collected.

Make a list of possible refined topics or questions for your research – some will still seem possible, others you will discard. You may want to further narrow some of the themes or issues you jotted down, or combine some of them into broader themes

As you move towards a decision, consider the following four criteria:

1. Interest – What do I find personally interesting/intriguing about this topic? 
   Research takes time and energy. You'll find it a lot less arduous if you've chosen a focus that actually interests you.
   
2. Task – Will researching this aspect of the topic meet the requirements of my assignment?
   You want to make sure that you are doing what your professor has actually asked you to do. If you have doubts, check with your instructor or TA/GA and make sure you are on the right track.
   
3. Information – Is there enough information out there on this aspect of my topic?
   Your pre-focus exploration should have given you some idea of how much information is available on certain themes, issues or elements of the topic. Try to avoid picking a focus that is so obscure that information collection will be onerous. But make sure you're not pursuing a topic so broad that you will be overwhelmed by the information.
   
4. Time – Do I have enough time to research this aspect of the topic?
   Don't tackle more than you can handle within the time frame you have. Set realistic expectations of yourself. Remember that you may have to recall books that are signed out or use inter-library loan, and that you will need time to actually read and process the information that you have found!