Before you develop your research topic or question, you'll need to do some background research first.
Some good places to find background information:
Try the library databases below to explore your topic. When you're ready, move on to refining your topic.
CQ Researcher | Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints | Sage eReference |
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Need an Idea?
A great idea can come from many places. Here are some suggested places to start:
Now that you've done some background research, it's time to narrow your topic. Remember: the shorter your final paper, the narrower your topic needs to be. Here are some suggestions for narrowing and defining your topic:
Describe and develop your topic in some detail. Try filling in the blanks in the following sentence, as much as you can:
I want to research ____(what/who)____
and ____(what/who)____
in ____(where)____
during ____(when)____
because ____(why)____.
Creating a concept map helps you think about your topic and plan your search strategy. Start with your topic and identify what you know and the questions you have. Concept maps include key concepts, alternative terms, and their relationships.
To create a concept map:
If you're stuck, consider:
Write down any questions that arise. This process generates keywords for a richer database search, leading to better results! Try either of the resources below to get you started!
Successful searches for information require you to be creative and flexible. The words you use to describe your topic may be different than the words used by the person who created the information you need to find. Challenge yourself (and give yourself enough time) to search, read, discover new terms, and then search again. Research is an iterative process!
Creating a concept map can help you begin to think about your topic and create a search strategy. As you begin a project, your topic may evolve, but you need to identify what you know about it and what questions you have. Concept maps include the key concepts associated with your topic, alternative terminology for those concepts, and the relationships between the various aspects of your topic.
To create a concept map:
Feeling stuck? Here are some questions to get you going:
Write down any questions you come up with during the process. Those questions may help develop a more precise topic, or determine different avenues of inquiry around the topic.
By doing this activity, you have just created a whole list of keywords that can now be used to do a much richer and more varied search of the research databases. This means better results to work with! Good job, you!
This guide was created with help and input from Librarians Jenay Dougherty, Cathy Cranston, and Max Radl. It was last revised and updated by SLIS graduate student, Reagan Anania in Spring 2025.