Guides Template

Believe it or not, coming up with a topic for your research can be the most difficult step. The following can be helpful when generating topic ideas:

• Check the news - Google News and BBC News are great starting points for current events
• Review your class readings
• Consider your personal interests
• Talk to someone else such as a classmate, your instructor, or a librarian
• Explore a library database
  • Issues & Controversies
  • Global Issues
  • Opposing Viewpoints
• Try AI...while you should not use and cannot trust AI for every step of the research process, it is a great tool for topic generation; here's a portion of an example using ChatGPT:

Once you have a topic, you're ready to research - or are you? Before you begin using library databases and other research tools, you should be able to explain the basics of your topic to someone else. This will allow you to select better sources and gain a deeper understanding of your topic.

To learn more about your topic, Google it!

• Look for websites that summarize the topic.
• Use Wikipedia to find definitions, timelines, notable people, and explanations.
  • Note: Do not cite Wikipedia. If you find a useful piece of information, locate the source under References and cite that.
• Read the AI overview at the top of your Google search, if one is provided, but don't rely on it as the information is not verified.

You can also use Library Search to see if the library has any books or chapters that explain your topic.

Now that you have a basic understanding of your topic, it will be helpful to identify keywords. Think about the most important aspects of your topic.

For example:

• Topic - How does poverty affect children?
• Keywords - poverty children

You might also need to think of terms related or in addition to your keywords:

• Related terms - poor, underprivileged, low income, low socioeconomic status; child, kids, young people, family or families
• Added terms - health, housing, nutrition, religion, development, family, education, politics, safety

Don't be afraid to modify your keywords as you research and learn more about your topic!