Exploring my Research Topic

Part I: Exploration

1. Identify the issue or problem that you plan to focus on in your research project.

Does music therapy really work in helping to cure mental and/or physical illness?

2. What is your personal connection to and interest in this topic?

I love music and I have a friend who I majoring in music therapy. I think this is also a very interesting topic. When I play music, listen to music, and/or sing, I know first hand that a lot of stress is relieved. I also know that music can quickly allow people to escape their daily lives. As Aristotle put it, “music is the quickest way to the soul”.

3. What opinions do you already hold about this topic?

I feel that it can help to improve people’s mental stability and peace of mind. I believe that music is a great way of expressing emotions. Expressing emotions is a very good way to keep the mind healthy and happy. I think that music therapy should be incorporated into our everyday lives in order to prevent illness, because people are generally more healthier when they are happy.

4. What knowledge do you already have about this topic?

I know that some people believe that music therapy has helped people who have some kinds of mental illnesses and possibly physical illness too. Also it can help people who are generally stressed out. I know that music is very uplifting and helps us to connect with ourselves. I really don’t know a lot on the subject, I just know that I would like to research it more.

5. What are your main questions about this topic? What are you most curious about?

I would like to know what the opposing side’s point of view and support is. I would like to learn more information both sides to develop a more educated opinion on the subject. I would also like to know if this field is widely accepted in the scholarly world and if this is a new field.

6. Within what scholarly discipline (such as history, biology, psychology) do you expect to do most of your research? How does this discipline approach or study this topic?

I expect to do most of my research within the psychology discipline. I assume the psychology discipline studies this topic through case studies and through general observation in controlled environments.

7. How could you research this topic outside the library (for example, through interviews and/or observations)?

I could hold my own experiment on a stressed out college student and see whether or not music therapy works.

Part II: Focusing

Write an initial claim, or an open-ended question, to guide your research on this topic. Make it specific but exploratory. Remember that a good claim opens up an area of inquiry about a topic; a claim should invite evidence, support, and debate.

Music therapy is an effective way to improve the overall health of humans.