The Five W's and the H
The Five W's and the H, an idea borrowed from journalism, is another approach to use to narrow topics. Good reporting covers the 5W's and the H of every story: Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How? Since these words guide coverage of the entire range of a subject being reported, you can use them as a guide to the range of possibilities offered by the subject you have chosen:
| WHO: |
THE PEOPLE INVOLVED. |
| WHAT: |
THE PROBLEMS, THINGS, IDEAS. |
| WHEN: |
PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE OF THE TOPIC. |
| WHERE: |
THE PLACES INVOLVED. |
| WHY: |
THE CAUSES, REASONS, RESULTS, CONDITIONS. |
| HOW: |
HISTORY OR FUNCTION (HOW IT BEGAN OR OPERATES). |