In order to be successful in the research process, you need to be interested in your topic! The links below, plus general internet searches, will help you explore ideas and help you develop a background on various topics. If your topic needs to be subject specific, look for "Browse Topics" in the Gale databases. The more you read about the topics on your list the easier it will be to figure out which will be most appropriate for your assignment and also suits your interests.

It is at this time you need to develop a solid background knowledge about your topic. As you are developing a solid background about your topic, list possible supporting claims to build and support your argument. This will help you refine your search when you are looking for quality sources AND it will help you begin an outline for your paper. This is an essential step in order to figure out if you have a manageable topic.

For example, if your main topic is going to examine the pros and cons of a vegetarian diet, supporting claims could be about health impacts, environmental impacts, economic impacts, and animal ethics.

A good research question:

• • • • Is not too big or too small - is open to research

      • Is important for people to know - is relevant, reasonable, and significant

      • Is something you don’t already know the answer to

      • Raises more questions

      • will contribute knowledge to the field

      • Leads to a solid hypothesis

You might need to narrow your subject. Consider:

• • • • Time - limit the timeframe of your project

      • Place - anchor a larger subject to a particular location

      • Person - use the particulars of a person to reveal the generalities about the group

      • Story - ground a larger story in the specifics of a smaller one

The following templates might help:

• • • • Why might ___ be true or not true?

      • What might explain____?

      • How was ____able to ______?

      • What is the relationship between ____ and ____?

      • Does ____ cause _____?

      • What impact did ____ have on ____?

Ballenger, Bruce P. The curious researcher: a guide to writing research papers. Hoboken, NJ: Pearson, 2017. Print.