The life of England's Queen Elizabeth I has filled books, so squeezing her into 10 to 15 pages would be too difficult. So, a student should figure out a purpose. Rereading the assignment, a student sees the word "analyze." This type of inquiry calls for deep critical thinking and scrutiny. To narrow down the topic, pick one detail to zero in on. For example, Queen Elizabeth I was a woman monarch in a lineage dominated by men. Within England, she might have been the center of power, but she had to compromise parts of her life to hold power. She couldn't marry even is she wanted to, because having a husband would, according to tradition, undermine her hold on the throne. By this method, "Write about Queen Elizabeth I" now has become, "How did gender issues affect Queen Elizabeth's reign?"
Epic historical events might appear trickier than people as a writing topic. The Russian Revolution, for example, involved so many people, affected so many lives, and changed the course of a society. However, complexity often helps narrow a topic. There are more points of interest to choose from. Forming questions such as "Who were the Bolsheviks?" can help. Yet, even that is still too broad. "Explain who was Leon Trotsky?" is still too large to manage. Answering the question "Explain how Leon Trotsky's military strategy helped the Bolsheviks win the Russian Civil War" might work. The key here is narrowing down step by step.
Sometimes, descriptive assignments look deceptively simple. On the surface, description seems like a verbal picture. So, the key would be to find a focal point. New York City is obviously too large. Harlem narrows the map but still encompasses too much. Streets or even a certain type of business, like clubs, still might provide too much information. "Describe The Apollo Theater During Prohibition" might be narrow enough.