Selecting a Topic for Your Research Paper

  The first thing to do when looking for a research topic: find a subject area that interests you. After all, you will be spending several hours researching and writing your paper, you don't want to be bored with your topic before you even start! Make sure to select a topic that is not too broad, but still has enough information on it to write a complete paper. With that in mind, take a look at some of the following sources for ideas:

CQ Researcher, Issues & Controversies and Opposing Viewpoints
 (Phoenix College Library's Controversial Issues Databases.)
Browse through current and back issues for ideas. CQ Researcher also has a "Find a Topic" link on the left menu bar.
Documents in the News: Current Events Research (http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/docnews.html)
From the University of Michigan Library's Document Center. Identifies current events in the news dating back to 1995, and links to web sites with further information.
Frontline (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline)
The PBS show Frontline links to reports on a wide variety of current topics.
Hot Paper Topics (http://library.sau.edu/bestinfo/Hot/hotindex.htm)
A listing of topics from the "Best Information on the Net" web site.
Hot Topics on the Internet (http://infodome.sdsu.edu/research/guides/hot/list.shtml)
San Diego State University Library has compiled a listing of topics and related Internet sites.
Idea Generator (http://www.lib.odu.edu/libassist/idea/index.php)
A listing of topics from the Old Dominion University Libraries web site.
Public Agenda Online (http://www.publicagenda.org)
Current issues from a non-profit public policy research organization.
Research Questions: Persuasion (http://valencia.cc.fl.us/lrcwest/kaysmith.html)
Topic suggestions for papers dealing with the pros and cons of a controversial issue. 
Speakout.com -Issues (http://speakout.com/activism/issues/)
Provides a useful list of current controversial topics and subtopics.

     Is Your Topic Too Broad or Too Narrow?

Too Broad?
You have decided you are interested in Global Warming. Well, that is a broad subject area likely to have a large amount of information written on it. To narrow your topic, choose some specific aspect of global warming, such as: Is Global Warming Affecting Our Climate?

Just Right!   Is Global Warming Affecting Our Climate?

Too Narrow?
If you had continued narrowing your topic, and decided to write a paper on Global Warming and its Effect on U.S. Snowfall Amounts, you would probably find that it was difficult to gather enough information on this topic. In that case, you could broaden your topic back out to Is Global Warming Affecting Our Climate?

Additional Resources to Help with Refining Your Topic:

How to Narrow or Broaden Your Topic (http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college/help/topic/index.htm)
UCLA Library
Refining a Topic (http://library.duke.edu/services/instruction/libraryguide/refining.html)
Duke University Libraries

 

If you need help, ask a librarian.
Call the reference desk at 602-285-7470 during the hours the library is open.

 

Last Updated 10/2007, MDH