Your interests, the things you have been reading, and conversations you have had in class or with others are often good sources of ideas.

Sources of background information like general encyclopedias, subject-specific encyclopedias, dictionaries, or textbooks can be sources of ideas. Check out the reference section of the library. Ask the librarian for assistance.

Current periodicals may give you an idea of hot research topics. Look through some recent issues of journals or magazines in the EBSCO databases [District-Wide Access] or the Infotrac databases [ Select Your School ----- Churchill High School North Eugene High School South Eugene High School ----- Cal Young Middle School Spencer Butte Middle School ] on your library web page. You may need to enter your school's password. Take a look at Topic Search on the EBSCO page.

Browsing the shelves in the library is also a good way to get an idea of topics.Do a keyword search of the library database to find out where books on a certain topic are shelved. Since books are shelved together by topic, once you have identified the call number of one book, you can browse that section for related books.

You may be need to narrow (or sometimes broaden) a topic so that you can demonstrate a good understanding of it, including enough examples and important details, within the size limits of the project you are required to produce. You need to satisfy both yourself and your teacher that you know what you are talking about. If your teacher gives you no limits, make them for yourself. You don't want to spend your life on this, at least not right now.
 
This is the #1 biggest pitfall in the research process. If you pick a topic that is too big, you will not only have trouble selecting what to include from a huge selection of material available, you will probably leave out some critical information that will make it apparent (especially to your teacher) that you don't really know what you are talking about.
 
If, on the other hand, you pick a topic that is too narrow, you won't find enough to write about and end up repeating yourself to fill 6 pages (which doesn't go over very well with teachers either, by the way).
 
The process of narrowing a topic takes practice, so be patient with yourself. It is challenging when you don't know too much about a topic. It will get easier as your knowledge base increases. Remember that the research process is a recursive one which means that you may need to revisit your topic choice more than once if you find it doesn't work out. Luckily there are some strategies and methods to help you through this critically important part of the process.

Say you have to do a research project about World War II, and you don't know a thing about it, nor are you at all interested in it. Try to find a subtopic that connects to your interests.*

If you like cars, try comparing the land vehicles used by the Germans and the Americans.

If you like fashion, look at women's fashions during the war and how they were influenced by military uniforms and the shortage of certain materials.

If you like animals, look at the use of dogs by the US Armed Forces.

If you like puzzles and brain teasers, look at the fascinating topic of decoding secret messages.

If you like music, find out what types of music American teenagers were listening to during the war years.

If you are a pacifist, find out what the anti-war movement was like during the war in any country.

Find out what was happening during the war on your birth date.

Find out if any of your relatives fought in the war and research that time and place.

*Thanks to Holly Samuels, Librarian: Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, Cambridge, MA USA

Here is another way to approach the narrowing process:

General Topic:	History of Italian Music
Time Span:	Since World War II
Person or Place:	Dallapiccolo and Nona
Event or Aspects:	Opera
Narrowed Topic Sentence:	The contributions to opera of Dallapiccolo and Nona

Boolean Searching

The Boolean operators AND and NOT can be used in database searches to narrow a search statement. For more information, consult Electronic Searching.

Topic Broadening

Topics that are too narrow are fairly simple to fix. Think of broader associations for your subject. For example, if your topic was deforestation on Colombia's long-term ability to feed its citizens, consider the following questions:

• Could you examine other countries or regions in addition to Colombia?
• Could you think more broadly about this topic? Give thought to wider topics like agriculture and sustainable development.
• Who are the key players in this topic? The government? Citizens? International organizations?
• What other issues are involved in this topic? Such as, how can natural resources be allocated most economically to sustain the populace of Colombia?

Specific Topic:	What is the effect of deforestation on Colombia's long-term ability to feed its citizens?
Alternate Focus:	Agriculture, sustainable development
Alternate Place:	South America
Alternate Person or Group:	United Nations and its subgroups
Alternate Event or Aspect:	Birth Control
Broadened Topic Sentence:	How can the United Nations encourage South American countries to employ sustainable development practices?

 

When analyzing your assignment, you will also want to consider the type, quantity, and format of information you will need. Answering the following questions may help you organize your research:

• What is the due date?
• How much time do I need to spend on this? Do I have dates/time set aside on my calendar to get it done?
• What kind of assignment do I have to complete? (5 minute oral presentation, 10-page paper, multimedia presentation)
• What do I already know about this topic? If I don't know anything I need to check sources of background information.
• How much information do I need? What kind of information do I need? (background, up-to-date)
• What formats do I need? (visual, audio, printed, electronic)
• How will I organize the information? (outline, mind map, chart/matrix) Do I want to use Inspiration?
• Is point of view an issue? Do you need opinions?
• When I run into a problem who will help me refine or redefine the project? (my teacher, the librarian, a parent)

It is important to look for key words in the assignment as they will tell you what you are supposed to do. Some key words often found in assignments and questions are:

Analyze:
Divide the topic into parts. Tell how each part is related to the whole. It means to take apart in such a way that a complete understanding of the whole can be acquired by a consideration of the parts.

Apply:
To use practically or specifically. An apply question usually asks that you transfer abstract concepts in everyday or concrete examples.

Assess:
Rate or evaluate something.

Compare:
Decide how things are the same and different. Tell about both the similarities and differences.

Contrast:
Find the differences between things and tell about the differences.

Criticize:
Explain both the good points and bad points, not just the bad points as many people think. It means to judge the merits and the faults.

Define:
Explain what it means. Tell how it is like some things and different than others.

Describe:
To tell in words how a person looks, feels, or acts, or how a place, a thing, or an event looks or happened.

Discuss:
To talk or write about an issue/topic from all aspects. Careful thought should be given to a "discuss" assignment.

Evaluate:
Give the positive and negative points, advantages and disadvantages, pros and cons. Also give your opinion.

Explain:
Clearly tell the details about something, or the reasons or causes for something. The answer can best be organized in step-by-step organization.

Identify:
To name, to make known, to bring out, to list.

Illustrate:
Describe specific examples. The more examples you can give, the better.

Interpret:
To clarify, to expound or to explain the significance of. It also means to translate the meaning of. It is often used with famous quotations.

Relate:
Tell how things are connected, what they have in common. Relate may also mean to narrate or to tell a story.

Summarize:
Present you information in as few words as possible (and in your own words).

Example:

How did New Deal programs influence the arts in America?

Keywords:

New Deal
United States
Great Depression
Art
Federal Aid to the Arts

Please send comments or questions to the 4J Web Team.
Eugene School District 4J
200 North Monroe Street, Eugene, Oregon 97402
Phone: 541.687.3123 [TTD 541.687.3447]

Last modified: October 6 by Steinke, Ague, Feuerhelm, Maxwell, and Warburg