Your goal here is to write a thoughtful and well-organized paragraph in which you start to define — essentially to narrow down — a possible area of inquiry for a research project. At this point, I do not expect or want a final topic, let alone a thesis statement. Instead, I want you to identify an issue in which you have a genuine interest. You should also pose a question or two, though you should not go overboard here; don’t write down a list of questions. Remember that how and why questions are always more productive than who, what, when, and where questions.
In your paragraph, you should explain why you think this topic is interesting, and to whom it would be important. Note that the issue need not be one that has current, widespread relevance to the world. For example, why the painter Caravaggio’s reputation is much higher now than it was for three hundred years after his death is a question that matters to probably fewer than one person in a thousand, but it is a perfectly legitimate question for art historians and might even provoke passionate debate among them. On the other hand, issues in the news can be legitimate topics, too. Just be careful to avoid topics that are are rooted primarily in ideological arguments or are too big and complex to engage with satisfactorily in an undergraduate essay. You are not going to solve the problems of world hunger or gun violence, explain how the Big Bang happened, analyze the reasons for political instability in the Middle East, or discuss the causes and effects of climate change in an essay. Aim for something narrow and deep, not broad and shallow.
Realistically, though, you will not be able to define your topic fully at this stage because you haven’t done the necessary research yet — and you shouldn’t try. Focus on what you do not know and would like to. That is always a good starting point.
Note: most students choose a topic with some connection to their majors or minors. However, this is not required. What matters is that the topic interests you. Choosing to devote your time to a topic you find dull verges on masochism. (Although if you can’t think of any topics connected to your major that interest you, I might think about why it is your major in the first place. Life is too short and days are too long to spend a major chunk of yours doing something for which you have no passion.)