Library Research Strategies

This page provides ideas for finding and developing topics.

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To get started, it's good to know the requirements of your assignment:

1. What are the guidelines for the assignment? How many words or pages? What other criteria is provided?
2. What types of sources do you need? How many? 
3. What is the scope of the paper? How in depth does the research need to be?
4. Who is your audience (academic or non-academic)?
5. What do you already know and what do you need to find out?

Where do I get some topic ideas?

1. Check with your instructor. They may give you specific instructions, prompts, readings, links, or lists as to what your topic will be about.
2. Do some general searching for ideas. Some places to look:
   • SVC databases - use SVC login from off campus: Try looking at topic ideas from issue-based databases like:
     • Facts on File: Topic List
     • Points of View Reference Center. Topics listed on main page.
     • Britannica Pro/Con
   • Websites: Browse through the following websites for ideas:
     •  Allsides, which offers balanced perpectives on current news items.
     • Scan Google News headlines, or another general news source.
     • The New York Times archives provides Times Topics for topic ideas.
     • Brookings Institute: Topics. This is a non-profit public policy organization that conducts research.
     • Pew Research: Topics. A non-profit think tank that provides information on social issues, public opinion, and demographic trends shaping the United States and the world. 
     • Futurity provides current synthesized research on science, health, environmental topics.
3. Questions to ask as you look:
   • Does it seem like there will be enough material to cover your needs?
   • Is there a wide range of sources and places to locate information?
   • Has there already been something written about the topic?
   • Is the information fairly easy to find?