1. Develop a list of potential topics. Consult your syllabus, your course readings, news articles, etc. to identify areas of interest. Overwhelmed? Try creating a topic map
2. Do some preliminary/background research. Consult reference sources. Look for articles and books. The purpose this is to identify important questions related to your topic as well as decide whether there are enough sources available to support your thesis.
3. Narrow your topic down. Make sure your topic is narrow and specific enough that it is manageable to research but not so narrow that it could be answered with simple facts.
4. Evaluate your research question. Does it require analysis? Is this a unique area of inquiry? Did you eliminate the vagueness?
Library Hours
Study Rooms
My Library Account
Library Website
