Understanding Research

Research process
Select a topic
Refine a topic
Identify objectives Choose approach
Explore a topic
Plan a search
Evaluate info

Finding Books

Finding Articles

How do I select a topic? (continued)

Once you have a few ideas or general areas of interest in mind, do some brainstorming! Discuss your ideas with others:

• Your classmates and friends
• Your professor (be sure you understand your assignment)
• A reference librarian (set up an appointment)

Use the ODU library reference collection or library databases to help select your topic:

• Current Topics Books in the Reference Collection: Find books covering current issues and find out what the opposing viewpoints are on those issues
• Encyclopedias: Subject-specific encyclopedias are great for getting ideas and for introductions to and overviews of many topics
• Library database: Find newspaper headlines or article titles to get ideas of what you could write about

Beware! Selecting a good topic is not as easy as it seems. It must be focused so that you can write a paper of appropriate length and depth. But it must be broad enough (but not too broad) to find an adequate amount of information.

Survivor Tip: There are reference books, including specialized encyclopedias, dictionaries, and handbooks, just for specific topics. These resources can give you ideas about concepts, people, places, and events in your topic—ideas that you can explore for your research.

Next: Do I Have a ManageableTopic?