The first, and often the hardest, step in the research process is to define your topic. Listed below are some things to consider when selecting a topic:
Choose something that interests you.
Working on a topic that is within your major may help you later in your academic career.
Begin with reference works to get some background information on your topic.
Be prepared to change your topic if you cannot find enough information on your topic
A research question defines the center of your research topic and narrows your focus. This website gives excellent advice on defining your research question.
Find current and archived articles on issues, events, people, government and more with the world's largest collection of full-text news sources. Includes local news, editorials, announcements and other sections from more than 4,700 sources.
Encyclopedia Britannica - contains high-quality, comprehensive information with articles written by Nobel laureates, historians, curators, professors, and other experts, The Encyclopedia Britannica articles are trusted resources with balanced, global perspectives and unique insights.
Nexis Uni - (formerly LexisNexis) contains full-text documents from many news, business, and legal publications, with a variety of flexible search options.
Contains full-text essays designed to present students with multiple sides of a current issue. This database contains many topics, each with an overview (objective background/description), point (argument), counterpoint (opposing argument), and Critical Thinking Guide.
