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).