ENG 1100 - Academic Writing and Reading: 1. Develop Your Topic

Do you understand your research assignment and what is expected of you?

Before selecting a topic or starting your research, make sure you understand your assignment and its requirements. Consider the following:

• Have you been assigned a topic or can you pick your own?
• How many pages/words do you need to write? How long is your presentation?
• Do you need to include specific types of sources? (e.g., scholarly journal, book, government document)
• When is the assignment due? How much time do you have to do your research?
• Is currency of information important?

When in doubt, consult your instructor.

Can’t think of a topic to research? 

• Scan your textbook for broad topic ideas.
• Peruse current magazines and newspapers to see what catches your eye.
• Discuss potential topics with your instructor, a librarian or a classmate.
• Browse some online news sources to discover "hot topics."
• Browse some of the following resources:

Example: encyclopedia psychology

Video used with permission from NCSU under Creative Commons 3.0 BY-NC-SA US license

Before you can begin searching for information in a print or online resource, you need to identify keywords related to your topic. Key terminology can be found easily by scanning:

• Your initial research questions,
• Encyclopedia and other articles used when conducting background research,
• Bibliographies found at the end of books and articles.

If you are still struggling, then try these suggestions:

• Use a thesaurus to identify synonyms.
• Find pictures related to your topic, then describe the picture.
• Brainstorm keywords with a librarian, your instructor, or a friend.

What keywords should I use to search?

The Brainstorming Keywords worksheet below illustrates how to start thinking about keywords.