How to Focus a Topic: Example using Water Scarcity in Sub-Saharan Africa

This is the article that I plan to introduce to my essay writing class as an example of how to focus one's research by choosing one critical issue within a topic.

For example, if a student or student group is working on the issue of water scarcity in Africa, the following source would have a wealth of relevant details.

http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/Publications/Working_Papers/working/WOR55.pdf

One temptation of the group would be to make their essay or presentation simply a summary of one expert's results.

However, that does not lead to a well-researched, insightful analysis.

The important thing is to find an unresolved issue or controversy mentioned within the report and try to find other sources to develop an opinion on that issue.