Guides: Online Classes: 1. Choose a Topic

Developing A Research Topic

Developing a Research Topic

Understanding your assignment: Read your assignment carefully. Look for details about page limits and types of sources you can use.
Think about what you would like to research: What interests you? What angle would you like to take? Do some background research, browse the internet, and check out recent news articles for inspiration.
Identify your topic & develop your research question: Once you know a bit about your topic, think about questions that you would like to explore. Use a min map/concept map tool to brainstorm possible questions.
Identify the sources you need: Before starting your research, think about the types of sources you need. Statistics? Primary sources? Historical information? News reports?
Scale your topic: Make sure your topic is not too broad or too narrow. You will likely make changes to your topic as you research.
Iterate: You will keep developing and refining your topic and research question as you conduct your research and write your paper. Don't be afraid to adjust your topic as needed.

Credo Reference: Complete Core Collection
- Why Search Here?
  The best place for background information to start your research.
- What's Included?
  Reference material like dictionaries and encyclopedias.
Opposing Viewpoints (Gale in Context)
- Why Search Here?
  A rich resource for debaters. Covers today's hottest social issues, from capital punishment to immigration to marijuana.
- What's Included?
  Pro and con viewpoints, reference articles, infographics, news, magazines, images, video, audio, and more.
- Getting Articles?
  While most articles are full text some might be citation only, just click on the Get It! icon. If the article is available, it will be delivered to you via email in about two weeks.
Issues & Controversies
- Why Search Here?
  Find timely, in-depth articles covering complex, hot-button issues in politics, government, business, society, education, and popular culture.
- What's Included?
  Includes pro and con arguments, videos, primary documents, and statistics.
CQ Researcher Online (no archive)
- Why Search Here?
  Great starting place for original, comprehensive reporting and analysis on issues in the news.
- What's Included?
  Provides an introductory overview, relevant questions, a background and chronology on the topic, an assessment of the current situation, tables and maps, and a pro/con debate by representatives of opposing positions.
Science (Gale in Context)
- Why Search Here?
  Provides contextual information on hundreds of today's most significant science topics.
- What's Included?
  Full-text articles that include national and global publications, science experiments, interactive simulations, other multimedia, and top reference content.
- Getting Articles?
  While most articles are full text some might be citation only, just click on the Get It! icon. If the article is available, it will be delivered to you via email in about two weeks.

What are keywords?

Keywords are the most important terms about or describe aspects or elements on your topic of research.

To illustrate this, let's think of the subject "Technology is destroying society."

In order to determine keywords, ask yourself questions about the subject area, like:

What kinds of technology are destructive?
How are they destructive? How are they non-destructive? (Be specific.)
What parts of society does technology impact? And what can you specifically focus on within the parameters of your assignment?

Gather Background Information

Level Up Your Research: Build Your Knowledge Base!

Before you dive deep into your research, take some time to get acquainted with your topic. Think of it as building a strong foundation for your research paper.

Why Background Info Rocks?

Become an Instant Expert (Okay, almost!): Gain a broad understanding of the topic.
Unlock the Mystery: Identify key questions you want to explore further.
Speak the Lingo: Learn important terms and vocabulary used by the experts.
Meet the Masterminds: Discover influential figures in your field.
Find Your Research Goldmine: Uncover bibliographies that lead you to even more resources!

Ready to Start Building? Check Out These Resources:

Credo Reference: Complete Core Collection
- Why Search Here?
  The best place for background information to start your research.
- What's Included?
  Reference material like dictionaries and encyclopedias.
CQ Researcher Online (no archive)
- Why Search Here?
  Great starting place for original, comprehensive reporting and analysis on issues in the news.
- What's Included?
  Provides an introductory overview, relevant questions, a background and chronology on the topic, an assessment of the current situation, tables and maps, and a pro/con debate by representatives of opposing positions.
Gale eBooks
- Why Search Here?
  Great reference books on arts, business, education, history, law, literature, sciences, and technology, with particular emphasis on literature and on social sciences.
- What's Included?
  Cool tools to translate, download, and save.

We have more to recommend...but that would be TMI! Instead, we encourage you to explore our Research Database pages. They are organized by subject areas. Each page is then separated out based on the type of information need.

Try some of the Reference, Background, and Overview databases.

Research Databases