TOPIC: How to Use the Library for Research

Finding Topic Ideas

Library Databases - The databases listed below are also good places to start looking for topic ideas:

• Opposing Viewpoints in Context
• Issues and Controversies
• CQ Researcher

Books - Check out the following series of books in our library collections for topic ideas. * Review the book titles that come up in your results list to get topic ideas. Review the Details (book chapters/sections) of these book records in your results list to get ideas on how to refine your topic.

• Compact research series
• Current controversies series
• Opposing viewpoints series

  (click on the links above to see what we have in our catalog)

Select Wisely

Your first step towards a successful research endeavor is to choose a good topic.  A good topic should be:

• Interesting to you:   It should be a topic that you want to know more about and can hold your interest to the end of your research.
• Clear and focused:   In other words, the question should clearly state what the writer needs to do.
• Not too broad:  A topic that is too broad may not be manageable within your time frame.  Select something that you can cover adequately within the time and limits assigned. 
• Nor too narrow:  A topic too narrow may not have an appropriate amount of information.  A topic that is too narrow may not be researchable with none or very few written documents available. 
• Not too easy to answer:   For example, the question should require more than a simple yes or no answer.
• Not too difficult to answer:   You must be able to answer the question thoroughly within the given timeframe and word limit.
• Researchable:  You must have access to a suitable amount of quality research materials, such as academic books and refereed journal articles.
• Analytical rather than descriptive:   In other words, your research question should allow you to produce an analysis of an issue or problem rather than a simple description of it (more on this below).
• Well defined & focused:  Always try to state your topic as a question or sentence, which becomes the thesis statement.  This will help you clarify your thoughts and remain focused. 

Examples:

• Too broad: Fish
• Too narrow: How has fishing in the James River in Richmond, VA affected the smallmouth bass population?
• Well defined & focused: How has government fishing regulations in the United States affected the freshwater fish population? 

What do you already know about your topic?

• Use what you know to develop new questions to research (What? Why? How?)
• Avoid questions that can be simply responded to with a YES or a NO.