LibGuides: Engl 1102 Library Research Unit Guide for Students: Choosing a Topic

Finding A Topic

If you don't know what topic to research, here are some databases that might give you some ideas. You can browse their topic lists.

CQ Researcher
The CQ Researcher explores a single 'hot' issue in the news in depth each week. Topics range from social and teen issues to environment, health, education and science and technology.

There are 44 reports produced each year including four expanded reports. Every 12,000-word report is written by an experienced journalist and features comments from experts, lawmakers and citizens on all sides of every issue. Numerous charts, graphs and sidebar articles -- plus a pro-con feature, a chronology, lengthy bibliographies and a list of contacts -- round out each report.PDF files are available for full issues dating back to January 1996; for issues published since January 2001, PDF files are in color.
Opposing Viewpoints in Context
Multiple resources covering today's hot social issues, such as offshore drilling, health care and immigration explore issues from all perspectives.

Includes: * More than 14,000 pro/con viewpoint essays * 5,000+ topic overviews * More than 300 primary source documents * 300 biographies of social activists and reformers * More than 775 court-case overviews * 5 million periodical articles * Nearly 6,000 statistical tables, charts and graphs * Nearly 70,000 images and a link to Google Image Search * Thousands of podcasts, including weekly presidential addresses and premier NPR programs * A national and state curriculum standards search, correlated to the content that allows educators to quickly identify material by grade and discipline New reference content is added on an ongoing basis, and new full-text periodical and newspaper articles are added every day.

Refining Your Topic

Once you have a topic idea, you will want to begin to refine it into a question that can be successfully researched. A good research question is neither too broad nor too narrow. If your question is too broad, it cannot be answered in one paper-- like "how do we have world peace?". If your question is too narrow, or specific, you may not be able to find enough information about it. Here are some links to more information about broadening and narrowing a research question:

Broadening your topic
Narrowing your topic

Research can be thought of as a recursive cycle. You will often start with a research question, decide on a method and source to answer it, find answers to the question, and then formulate new questions that were raised while researching your original question. It is okay to allow your research question to evolve!

Concept Mapping

Concept mapping is a creative and visual way to help you explore and refine your topic. It can also help you determine subtopics and to brainstorm search terms. Click on the link below to learn about concept mapping.

Research Guides

Engl 1102 Library Research Unit Guide for Students

Finding A Topic

Refining Your Topic

Concept Mapping