Final answer:
The signs of a properly focused topic include the capacity to craft a clear and focused thesis statement and to summarize the topic in a concise phrase. These aspects display the necessary specificity and precision indicative of a well-defined thesis and topic. The best answer is b) 2 and 3.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine if your topic is sufficiently focused, you should consider several criteria. A key indicator of a well-focused topic is the ability to write a clear and focused thesis statement that directly states your position and is narrow enough to be proven within the scope of your paper. This encapsulates the essence of focus, as it requires a precise scope of inquiry and a thesis that aligns with this scope.
In addition, you should be able to state your topic in a word or a short phrase—this brevity helps to maintain a strict focus on a specific aspect of a broader subject. Conversely, being able to find hundreds of related sources or only one source does not directly indicate whether the topic is focused. A well-focused topic commonly garners a moderate number of relevant, high-quality sources targeted towards the claims you wish to make.
The correct answer to the question would be option b) 2 and 3, as these are indicators of a properly focused topic. It's important to note that while a multitude of sources suggests that your topic is of general interest, it is the specificity of your thesis statement and conciseness of your topic that truly determine the focus.