Choosing Something to Write About
Prompts
The prompts are often very broad, but this does not mean the thesis or topic of the paper should be. Often, the first topic that you think about is too broad for the page length. Prompts can also be combined with detailed parameters that the paper must satisfy. Read all of these carefully before starting research or the paper itself in combination with information from the professor or TA.
Topics
Since prompts are so broad, you can choose almost any topic, but will need to narrow it. The best ways to do this are to look through CatQuest and try to find a more specific idea that still has numerous articles or to talk to your professor. Another strategy is to take a topic that is too vague is to add a limiting statement to it. For example, instead of women in the Aeneid, a shorter paper could be Lavinia in the Aeneid. If you are unsure if your topic is too broad or too narrow, talk to your professor.