Research QuickStart  Tags: research_topics journals books library research quickstart find_books find_articles citations bibliography find_statistics  

Interest. If possible, choose a topic that interests you. You'll be spending a lot of time and energy on it, and there's more chance you'll do a good job if it's something you want to know more about.

Scope. Your topic must be manageable. Avoid choosing a topic that is too broad or too narrow. If it is too broad, you will be overwhelmed with too much information. If it is too narrow, specialized, new, or limited in appeal, you may not find enough information.

Time. Choose a project that can be finished in the time you have. You will run into delays - you'll need Interlibrary Loan; to recall a book; to visit other libraries, etc. Plan for enough time to read the material and think about it before writing your paper. It is important to find information. More important? The way you use it.

Clarity. Be clear about the topic you are searching. A topic often does need to be adjusted as the information is gathered, but you should always know what topic you are searching. Not having a clear idea of what you are looking for can cause you to get off track and waste valuable time.

These library databases, book series, and Web sites present issues and topics that may be useful when forming your own research topic.

CQ Researcher
Features in-depth background & current information, pro/con discussion, links to news sources, and statistics of a broad range of topics.

Issues & Controversies
This database summarizes current issues and controversies in political, economic, social and scientific topics.

Current Controversies
A series of books that covers current political and social controversies. Search for these books in Homer (catalog) as a title search. Sort by Most Recent First to find the most recent publications.

Society & Culture - Issues and Causes (Yahoo! Directory)
Gathers sites related to social issues and causes.

Times Topics
A thorough collection of topics from the New York Times. Each topic includes news, reference and archival information, photos, graphics, audio and video files published.

Taking Sides
This series presents arguments on both sides of many controversial issues. Search for these books in Homer (catalog) as a title search. Sort by Most Recent First to find the most recent publications.

Public Agenda for Citizens: Understanding the Issues
Public Agenda is a non-profit, non-partisan organization whose "in-depth, unbiased opinion research bridges the gap between American leaders and what the public really thinks"

If your topic is new to you, you may want to find some background information.

Look in reference books, such as encyclopedias or dictionaries. Try Oxford Reference Online or the Library's collection of online reference books .

Use Subject Encyclopedias. This guide is specific to the Babbidge Library. Use the call numbers as a guide when researching at regional campus libraries.

Try Wikipedia. Wikipedia is a great source for information, but is written by users who are not necessarily experts in a field. You need to carefully evaluate the information you find on Wikipedia.