Research Guides: Module 1: Beginning Your Research: Selecting a Topic

Selecting a Topic

Frequently your instructor will ask you to choose your own research topic. To help you get started, remember a research topic should be:

Manageable: Do some preliminary investigative work to see if there's too much (or too little) information on the topic you've selected.

Related to your personal interests: Choose a topic related to your personal interests. It's likely that you'll put more effort into researching a topic that piques your curiosity and more effort can mean a better grade!

Try these sources for ideas:

Your class textbook or other class readings
Reference Sources: Cover just about every topic you can imagine.
Journals: Browse in your area of interest.

Reference Sources

Reference sources are a great starting point for research and provide find background information on many subjects. Browse by subjects or search for a broad topic.

Britannica Library This link opens in a new window
The Britannica Library is a comprehensive encyclopedia covering all subjects. It has brief to in-depth articles, which get updated regularly. Research sources include thousands of curated articles and magazines, images, videos, audio clips, primary sources, maps, research tools, and recommended websites, along with a pop-up Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus.
CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
Explores in depth a single "hot" issue in the news each week. All articles include an introduction to the topic, a lengthy overview, background information, the current situation, the outlook, and a pro/con section.
Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Credo Reference provides access to a broad variety of reference sources from dictionaries to encyclopedias covering topics from the arts to the sciences. It has an image collection, maps, customizable data, and audio pronunciation files. You can search the whole collection or a specific subject area.

Module 1: Beginning Your Research

Tutorial on Understanding Your Assignment

Selecting a Topic

Reference Sources

Handouts and Sample Topics