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完美撰題八大原則五：判斷主題的深度和廣度
【學術專欄】
在學術寫作中，「完美」是相對的，但也是我們追求的理想。想寫出完美的研究報告，首先選擇題目必須明智。本次學術專欄特別推出「完美撰題八大原則」，為大家介紹選擇題目的原則，每項原則將定期刊登於TPS專頁。
“Perfect” is a relative term in academic writing, but it always is the ideal. The first rule in the pursuit of perfection in a paper is to choose a topic wisely. This essay introduces and explains one guide in selecting a topic. Each guide is contained in “8 Guides in Choosing a Perfect Research Paper Topic” and will be posted on the TPS Fan page as introduced.
#5 – Determine the depth and breadth of a possible topic
原則五 判斷主題的深度和廣度
This suggestion might seem to put an extra burden on a writer, but the opposite is the case. Nothing is more difficult than to write in depth on a topic that is shallow. Nothing is more challenging than to write substantively about a subject that is transparently simplistic. In such cases, writers resort to setting up straw arguments, belaboring the obvious, and larding the paper with adjectives, adverbs, general wordiness, and sometimes the kitchen sink and cabinetry.
這個建議聽起來似乎讓作者又多了一份負擔，然而實際上剛好相反。寫作研究報告時，最困難的莫過於深入分析一個膚淺的主題，最痛苦的莫過於嚴肅討論一個簡單不過的題目。如果執意這麼做，只能言不及義、滿紙空話，東加一個形容詞、西添一個副詞，文章多半冗長空洞，甚至瑣碎平庸。
Know thy topic—but not too quickly. If a writer can instantly see how to proceed with writing about a possible topic, the topic probably is too facile to seriously consider. Genuinely complex topics for a paper are not that transparent. They are too deep to have their bottoms seen. They hide undercurrents of information that only can be discovered by diving into them. On the other hand, sometimes they are too deep for a paper. Discerning a topic’s depth is important.
寫作要了解主題，但不要急於一時。如果能立刻看出主題的寫作方向，表示此主題可能太為淺顯，不值得深入探究。真正複雜、適合寫研究報告的題目通常無法輕易看透，其內涵深不可測，只有深入探究才能發現其中蘊含的訊息。然而，有時候主題卻太過深奧，不適合寫研究報告。因此判斷主題的深度是非常重要的。
The other important dimension to consider is breadth. A topic worth writing about should have wide enough application to have value beyond whatever grade is earned by its writer. For example, the pin oak tree might be too narrow a biological topic unless one incorporates the tree’s migration to Australia. On the other hand, as with depth, a topic can be too broad to be addressed in a paper. A thorough survey of depth and breadth is key in any topic selection.
此外也應考量題目的廣度，值得探討的題目應該能廣泛運用，除了可以讓作者拿到分數，應該還有其他價值。例如，單純以針櫟樹為主題範圍可能太狹窄，但可以將討論結合針櫟樹如何遷徙到澳洲。此外，就像題目可能太深奧，同樣也可能太廣泛而不適合寫研究報告。選擇主題前，切記徹底瞭解題目的深度與廣度。
“Perfect” is a relative term in academic writing, but it always is the ideal. The first rule in the pursuit of perfection in a paper is to choose a topic wisely. This essay introduces and explains one guide in selecting a topic. Each guide is contained in “8 Guides in Choosing a Perfect Research Paper Topic” and will be posted on the TPS Fan page as introduced.
#5 – Determine the depth and breadth of a possible topic
原則五 判斷主題的深度和廣度
This suggestion might seem to put an extra burden on a writer, but the opposite is the case. Nothing is more difficult than to write in depth on a topic that is shallow. Nothing is more challenging than to write substantively about a subject that is transparently simplistic. In such cases, writers resort to setting up straw arguments, belaboring the obvious, and larding the paper with adjectives, adverbs, general wordiness, and sometimes the kitchen sink and cabinetry.
這個建議聽起來似乎讓作者又多了一份負擔，然而實際上剛好相反。寫作研究報告時，最困難的莫過於深入分析一個膚淺的主題，最痛苦的莫過於嚴肅討論一個簡單不過的題目。如果執意這麼做，只能言不及義、滿紙空話，東加一個形容詞、西添一個副詞，文章多半冗長空洞，甚至瑣碎平庸。
Know thy topic—but not too quickly. If a writer can instantly see how to proceed with writing about a possible topic, the topic probably is too facile to seriously consider. Genuinely complex topics for a paper are not that transparent. They are too deep to have their bottoms seen. They hide undercurrents of information that only can be discovered by diving into them. On the other hand, sometimes they are too deep for a paper. Discerning a topic’s depth is important.
寫作要了解主題，但不要急於一時。如果能立刻看出主題的寫作方向，表示此主題可能太為淺顯，不值得深入探究。真正複雜、適合寫研究報告的題目通常無法輕易看透，其內涵深不可測，只有深入探究才能發現其中蘊含的訊息。然而，有時候主題卻太過深奧，不適合寫研究報告。因此判斷主題的深度是非常重要的。
The other important dimension to consider is breadth. A topic worth writing about should have wide enough application to have value beyond whatever grade is earned by its writer. For example, the pin oak tree might be too narrow a biological topic unless one incorporates the tree’s migration to Australia. On the other hand, as with depth, a topic can be too broad to be addressed in a paper. A thorough survey of depth and breadth is key in any topic selection.
此外也應考量題目的廣度，值得探討的題目應該能廣泛運用，除了可以讓作者拿到分數，應該還有其他價值。例如，單純以針櫟樹為主題範圍可能太狹窄，但可以將討論結合針櫟樹如何遷徙到澳洲。此外，就像題目可能太深奧，同樣也可能太廣泛而不適合寫研究報告。選擇主題前，切記徹底瞭解題目的深度與廣度。
