Research Topic/Question
To select a topic of interest ...
- Brainstorm on a possible topic with possible questions: Who? What? Where? Why? When?
- You might want to use a concept map or topic worksheet (see below)
- You might want to explore your topic by finding background information in an encyclopedia from Credo. You might click on the drop down box & then click on Mind Map in addition to the basic search and enter "sleep deprivation" as an example. Then, try your topic!
- You can find other encyclopedias through our Subject Research Guides.
- Points of View Reference Center This link opens in a new windowProvides different points of view on controversial subjects.
- Explore your topic through contrasting perspectives from the Points of View Database.
- Try phrasing your topic sentence as a question. For example, "What are the connections between sleep and succeeding at school for college students?"
- As you continue your research, you will be continually working to organize your materials, select new sources, and recraft your search strategy with new "synonyms." Please review those 3 tabs. You will work through these stages in a cyclical process during your research.
- You will, of course, be evaluating your materials throughout the process.
Concept Mapping
- Concept MappingConcept maps illustrate the connections between different ideas or bits of information. Try using this worksheet to identify the informational relationships you’ve discovered during your research, or you can create your own map.
Researching a Topic Worksheet
- Researching a Topic Worksheet (PDF Format)If you’re feeling stuck and can’t seem to translate your research interests into a concrete topic, try this worksheet. This step-by-step process will help your refine a big idea into a tidy problem statement.
Citation: Central Michigan University Off-Campus Library Services. (n.d.) Researching a topic worksheet. Retrieved from http://ocls.cmich.edu/help/topicsheet.htm
Researching a Topic Worksheet
Step 1. Write down your broad topic idea. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________
Step 2. List some of the aspects of your topic you might want to investigate. Below are two different approaches that you might try.
Approach #1: List one or more subtopics you wish to explore.
Subtopic: ______________________________________________________
Subtopic: ______________________________________________________
Subtopic: ______________________________________________________
Approach #2: List possible questions about your topic you might wish your research to focus on: Who? What? Where? Why? When? How? ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________
Step 3. Draft a possible thesis or problem statement. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Step 4. Considering your thesis or problem statement, list as many terms as you can think of which might be useful in a subject or keyword search for materials. Consider synonyms and word variations. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Adapted from Central Michigan University Off-Campus Library Services Literature Review libguide. (n.d.) Researching a topic worksheet.Retrieved from http://ocls.cmich.edu/help/topicsheet.htm
