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Choosing a research topic.

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Research Starter Toolkit

• Getting Started: Home

Brainstorming a Research Topic

• Developing Your Topic
• Ask a Research Question
• The Information Cycle
• Types of Information Sources
• Scholarly & Popular Sources
• Primary & Secondary Sources
• Search the Library Catalog
• What are Library Databases?
• Search the Library Databases
• Evaluating Sources of Information
• Reading & Understanding Scholarly Articles
• Cite Your Sources

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The first step of any research assignment is brainstorming possible research topics.

To begin the brainstorming process, it is often helpful to free write for 5-10 minutes on a topic or issue of interest to you. During this process it may be helpful to reflect on the following:

• What is everything you know about this topic/issue? 
• How do you know this? Are you sure that what you know is correct? What other possibilities exist?
• What questions do you have about your topic? Do more free writing on what you don't know.

When you have finished, read through your notes and highlight any themes and ideas have emerged. 

Try a KWL Chart

Another brainstorming approach is a KWL chart.  Watch the brief video below about creating a KWL chart to kickstart your research topic exploration:

Learn More About Your Topic

Once you have an idea about what you already know about your potential topic and what you want to know , it's a good time to start to learn or review basic information about this topic.

Gathering general background information on your potential topic at this stage of the research process is helpful because:

• You'll start to find answers regarding  what you want to know about the topic
• You'll discover the the terminology or specialized language related to the topic 
• You'll begin to notice sub-topics and/or related topics that will help you hone the focus of your research question 

Check out the following resources to find background information on your topic: 

• Credo Reference Background information to start your research from expert reference works.
• Wikipedia We know! We know! Wikipedia is supposed to be off-limits, right? Not necessarily! While you may not want to cite it in your paper, Wikipedia is a great tool for the brainstorming part of the research process as it often provides broad coverage of subject matter and is written in a way that is easy for non-experts to understand. Wikipedia articles may even lead you to more reliable, credible sources that you can include in your assignment.
• Issues and Controversies Explore topic overview articles for in-depth background information and related topics and sources.
• Opposing Viewpoints Explore topic overview articles for in-depth background information and related topics and sources.
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• Next: Developing Your Topic >>
• Last Updated: Nov 1, 2024 2:21 PM
• URL: https://library.mwcc.edu/start

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Research Topic Ideas

Getting started, 1. brainstorming for a topic, 2. read general background information, 3. focus your topic, more research help.

• Area & Interdisciplinary Studies
• Behavioral & Social Sciences
• Business, Economics, & Management
• Current Events and Controversial Issues
• Education & Social Work
• Health Sciences
• Natural and Physical Sciences

This guide provides you with a list of topic ideas (by subject or academic discipline) which could be developed into a research paper or project. It is not an all-inclusive list, but a list developed over time with input from faculty and students.

It is intended to offer suggestions only.

This is NOT a guide to help you research a topic. It is only intended to provide ideas for a paper.

The ability to develop a good research topic is an important skill. An instructor may assign you a specific topic, but most often instructors require you to select your own topic of interest. When deciding on a topic, there are a few things that you will need to do:

• Brainstorm for ideas.
• Choose a topic that will enable you to read and understand the articles and books you find.
• Ensure that the topic is manageable and that material is available.
• Make a list of key words.
• Be flexible. You may have to broaden or narrow your topic to fit your assignment or the sources you find.

Selecting a good topic may not be easy. It must be narrow and focused enough to be interesting, yet broad enough to find adequate information. Before selecting your final topic, make sure you know what your final project should look like. Each class or instructor will likely require a different format or style of research project.

Choose a topic that interests you. Use the following questions to help generate topic ideas.

• Do you have a strong opinion on a current social or political controversy?
• Did you read or see a news story recently that has piqued your interest or made you angry or anxious?
• Do you have a personal issue, problem, or interest that you would like to know more about?
• Is there an aspect of a class that you are interested in learning more about?

Write down any key words or concepts that may be of interest to you. These terms can be helpful in your searching and used to form a more focused research topic.

Be aware of overused ideas when deciding a topic. You may wish to avoid topics such as abortion, gun control, teen pregnancy, or suicide unless you feel you have a unique approach to the topic. Ask the instructor for ideas if you feel you are stuck or need additional guidance.

Sometimes using a  Concept Map  can help you come up with directions to take your research.

• Topic Concept Map Download and print this PDF to create a concept map for your topic. Put your main topic in the middle circle and then put ideas related to your topic on the lines radiating from the circle.

Read a general encyclopedia article on the top two or three topics you are considering.

Reading a broad summary enables you to get an overview of the topic and see how your idea relates to broader, narrower, and related issues. It also provides a great source for finding words commonly used to describe the topic. These keywords may be very useful to your later research.

If you can't find an article on your topic, try using broader terms and ask for help from a librarian.

The databases listed below are good places to find general information. The library's print reference collection can also be useful and is located on the third floor of the library.

Authoritative coverage of thousands of topics in all areas of study.

Encyclopaedia Britannica's latest article database (including hundreds of articles not found in the print edition), Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary and Thesaurus, and the Britannica Book of the Year (1994-present), with thousands of web links selected by editors. Updated daily.

Fully indexed, cross-searchable database of over 400 dictionary, language reference, and subject reference works published by Oxford University Press. Includes subject reference works in the humanities, social sciences, and science--both "Quick Reference" titles (concise dictionaries, etc.) and larger "Reference Library" titles (multi-volume encyclopedias, etc.).

Covers anthropology, communication, education, geography, health, history, law, management, politics, psychology, and sociology.

Concise introductions to a diverse range of subject areas in the sciences, social sciences, and arts and humanities.

Keep it manageable and be flexible. If you start doing more research and not finding enough sources that support your thesis, you may need to adjust your topic.

A topic will be very difficult to research if it is too broad or narrow. One way to narrow a broad topic such as "the environment" is to limit your topic. Some common ways to limit a topic are:

• by geographic area

Example: What environmental issues are most important in the Southwestern United States?

• by time frame:

Example: What are the most prominent environmental issues of the last 10 years?

• by discipline

Example: How does environmental awareness effect business practices today?

• by population group

Example: What are the effects of air pollution on senior citizens?

Remember that a topic may be too difficult to research if it is too:

• locally confined - Topics this specific may only be covered in local newspapers and not in scholarly articles.

Example: What sources of pollution affect the Genesee County water supply?

• recent - If a topic is quite recent, books or journal articles may not be available, but newspaper or magazine articles may. Also, websites related to the topic may or may not be available.
• broadly interdisciplinary - You could be overwhelmed with superficial information.

Example: How can the environment contribute to the culture, politics and society of the Western United States?

• popular - You will only find very popular articles about some topics such as sports figures and high-profile celebrities and musicians.

Putting your topic in the form of a question will help you focus on what type of information you want to collect.

If you have any difficulties or questions with focusing your topic, discuss the topic with your instructor, or with a librarian.

For more help with the research help, please see our Research Help Guides:

• Research Process by Liz Svoboda Last Updated Oct 18, 2024 18715 views this year
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• Next: Area & Interdisciplinary Studies >>
• Last Updated: Nov 7, 2024 1:14 PM
• URL: https://libguides.umflint.edu/topics