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What is Research Topic – Ideas and Examples

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A research topic is a specific subject or issue that a researcher chooses to study, analyze, and explore through systematic investigation. The selection of a research topic is the foundation of the research process, shaping the study’s focus, scope, and direction. Choosing a relevant and meaningful topic is essential for producing valuable insights and contributing to the field. This guide explains what a research topic is, provides ideas for finding one, and offers examples across various disciplines.

Research Topic

A research topic is a precise question, concept, or area of inquiry chosen by a researcher to investigate. It guides the study’s objectives, methods, and analysis, shaping every stage of the research process. A well-chosen research topic is clear, specific, and manageable, helping the researcher address a focused question or hypothesis.

Characteristics of a Good Research Topic :

• Relevance : The topic should be meaningful and contribute to the field of study.
• Clarity : The topic should be clearly defined, making it easy to understand the research focus.
• Manageability : The scope should be narrow enough to allow in-depth analysis within the researcher’s time and resource constraints.
• Interest : The researcher should have a genuine interest in the topic, as this can drive motivation and engagement.
• Originality : A good topic often addresses gaps in existing knowledge or offers a fresh perspective on known issues.

How to Choose a Research Topic

• Identify Your Interests : Begin by listing areas within your field that genuinely interest you. This will keep you motivated throughout the research process.
• Review Literature : Reading current research articles can reveal gaps or unanswered questions that you may want to address.
• Consider Relevance : Think about practical applications or current trends within the field. Relevant topics are often tied to real-world issues, making the research impactful.
• Discuss with Mentors : Talking to advisors or professors can help you refine your ideas and identify feasible topics.
• Define the Scope : Ensure that the topic is neither too broad nor too narrow. A focused topic will help you conduct detailed research within a manageable timeframe.

Research Topic Ideas and Examples

1. social sciences.

• Impact of Social Media on Mental Health : This topic explores the connection between social media usage and mental well-being, focusing on aspects like self-esteem, anxiety, and depression.
• Gender Equality in the Workplace : Investigates the progress and challenges of achieving gender parity in different industries and job roles.
• Effects of Remote Learning on Student Performance : Examines how online education affects student engagement, motivation, and academic success.

2. Healthcare and Medicine

• Effects of Diet on Mental Health : This topic studies the correlation between dietary habits and psychological health, particularly depression and anxiety.
• Telemedicine and Patient Satisfaction : Explores how telemedicine impacts patient access to healthcare and overall satisfaction with medical services.
• Vaccination Hesitancy Among Parents : Investigates the factors influencing parents’ reluctance to vaccinate their children and strategies to improve vaccine acceptance.

3. Environmental Science

• Impact of Plastic Pollution on Marine Life : Studies how plastic waste in oceans affects marine ecosystems and biodiversity.
• Renewable Energy Adoption in Urban Areas : Examines the challenges and benefits of implementing renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, in urban environments.
• Deforestation and Climate Change : Explores how deforestation contributes to climate change, focusing on policies and strategies to promote reforestation.

4. Education

• Effectiveness of Virtual Reality in Education : Investigates whether VR technology enhances learning outcomes, particularly in science and engineering fields.
• Bilingual Education and Cognitive Development : Studies the impact of bilingual education programs on children’s cognitive skills and academic performance.
• Challenges of Inclusive Education for Students with Disabilities : Examines the effectiveness of inclusive education policies in supporting students with special needs.

5. Business and Economics

• Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) on Brand Loyalty : Explores how CSR activities influence customer loyalty and brand perception.
• Effects of Artificial Intelligence on Employment : Analyzes how AI and automation affect job opportunities and workforce dynamics.
• Consumer Behavior in Online Shopping : Studies the factors influencing consumers’ decisions when purchasing goods online, such as website design, reviews, and convenience.

6. Psychology

• Impact of Mindfulness on Stress Management : Examines whether mindfulness practices effectively reduce stress and improve overall well-being.
• Role of Parental Influence on Adolescent Behavior : Studies how parenting styles affect teenagers’ behavior and academic performance.
• Effect of Music Therapy on Depression : Investigates the effectiveness of music therapy as a complementary treatment for patients with depressive disorders.

7. Political Science

• Factors Influencing Voter Turnout in Elections : Studies the sociopolitical factors that affect voter turnout, focusing on age, socioeconomic status, and education.
• Impact of Social Media on Political Polarization : Examines how social media platforms contribute to political division and polarization among different groups.
• Challenges of Implementing Democracy in Developing Nations : Explores the factors that hinder democratic processes in developing countries, such as corruption and lack of resources.

8. Technology and Engineering

• Cybersecurity Risks in Remote Work : Investigates the cybersecurity challenges posed by remote work and strategies to protect sensitive information.
• Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare : Studies how AI is used in diagnostics, treatment planning, and patient monitoring in healthcare.
• Impact of Blockchain on Financial Transactions : Explores how blockchain technology is changing the landscape of finance, focusing on security, speed, and transparency.

Examples of Research Topics and How to Narrow Them Down

• Narrowed Topic : “The Effects of Social Media Usage on Adolescent Self-Esteem”
• Explanation : The narrower topic focuses specifically on adolescents, making it more manageable and targeted.
• Narrowed Topic : “The Role of Renewable Energy Policies in Reducing Urban Air Pollution”
• Explanation : This version narrows the focus to urban settings and air pollution, making it a more specific and researchable topic.
• Narrowed Topic : “The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives on Millennial Consumer Trust in Tech Companies”
• Explanation : Narrowing down to a specific consumer group (Millennials) and industry (Tech) refines the topic for detailed research.

Tips for Choosing a Research Topic

• Stay Updated : Follow news, academic journals, and professional networks to keep up with emerging trends and current issues in your field.
• Think About Practical Impact : Consider how your research topic might contribute to solving real-world problems or influencing policy.
• Balance Personal Interest and Relevance : While personal interest is essential, ensure your topic is also relevant to your field and valuable to others.
• Evaluate the Availability of Resources : Make sure there is enough research material and data available for your topic.
• Consider Scope and Time : Ensure that your topic is feasible within your time frame and fits the scale of your study, whether it’s for a class assignment, thesis, or professional research.

Selecting a research topic is a critical step that influences the direction and quality of your study. By choosing a topic that is focused, relevant, and feasible, researchers can conduct meaningful investigations that contribute valuable insights to their field. From healthcare to business, and environmental science to education, the examples and tips provided here serve as inspiration for finding a topic that aligns with both academic and practical goals.

• Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches . Sage Publications.
• Booth, W. C., Colomb, G. G., & Williams, J. M. (2016). The Craft of Research . University of Chicago Press.
• Neuman, W. L. (2014). Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches . Pearson.
• Bryman, A. (2016). Social Research Methods . Oxford University Press.
• Kumar, R. (2019). Research Methodology: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners . Sage Publications.

About the author

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• Research Topic, Definition of
• By: Xun Liu
• In: The SAGE Encyclopedia of Communication Research Methods
• Chapter DOI: https:// doi. org/10.4135/9781483381411.n510
• Subject: Communication Research Methods (general)
• Show page numbers Hide page numbers

A research topic is a subject or issue that a researcher is interested in when conducting research. A well-defined research topic is the starting point of every successful research project. Choosing a topic is an ongoing process by which researchers explore, define, and refine their ideas. There are four steps for defining a research topic, each of which is discussed in turn in this entry.

Step 1: Getting Ideas

Often the most difficult part of the research process is selecting a topic. Students may encounter [Page 1463] two problems: too many ideas or no idea at all. On one hand, some students might have lots of ideas. They are interested in online gaming, video sharing, interpersonal conflict, advertising effects, and the representation of women by mass media. They do not know which idea to pick. On the other hand, some students might be struggling with finding a topic and really scared of the project. No matter which scenario one is in, hone always starts by reviewing the assignment and making sure that he or she understands the requirements and purpose of the assignment. The purpose of the research project should be understood: Is the research for a class assignment or are for publication? A topic for a class assignment will be different from a topic for a peer-reviewed journal submission.

In addition to the purpose of the research, one also needs to consider the requirements for the research and the time one has to complete the research. The requirements for the assignment reveals a lot about what kinds of ideas will make a good topic. Considerations include how long the paper needs to be, how many references are appropriate, and how much time is allotted. For example, if a professor assigned a few months for students to work on a research paper, he or she may expect more than if two weeks are assigned.

The requirements of the assignment may also specify whether the project shall be focused on a specific area of communication and tie to the class materials or whether students can choose any topic. Communication is a broad discipline. There are different subject areas, for example, interpersonal communication, intercultural and international communication, group communication, health communication, technology and communication, instructional communication, language and symbolic codes, mass communication, organizational communication, and public communication. Each subject area favors different issues and topics. An example would be technology: communication is concerned with technology-mediated communication and how people use this type of communication tool to fulfill their entertainment or information needs. Topics like how different demographic groups use technology and its impact are interesting in this subject area.

After the directions of the assignment are clarified, one can start to explore different ideas for the project. For some people, getting the topic ideas for a project can be a daunting task whereas some people think getting research topic ideas is the easier part of a research project. There are several ways to help generating ideas for the research. One way is to talk to professors and classmates or colleagues. Professors may have suggestions and provide some examples. Classmates and colleagues may share what they are working on and provide brainstorming ideas. Other methods include reviewing course materials to see what have been covered in the class and talking to a librarian. News in traditional media or social media can be helpful too, as current events may pique one’s interests. Last but not least, everyday experience such as what has been experienced in everyday communication scenarios, can be a good starting point for developing a research idea: Why does my professor not check Facebook messages? Why do my boyfriend and I always argue on the same simple issues? Why do my friends only text me and not call me anymore? All these experiences can develop into interesting research projects.

Step 2: Choose a Topic

After getting some ideas, the next step is choosing a topic. An idea is usually very general whereas a research topic is more focused. A good research topic is interesting, manageable, and valuable. When choosing a topic, one should select a topic that interests him or her personally. Working on a research project is usually a long and tedious process, so interests in the topic and curiosity to find an answer can provide motivations and make the research process fun. One should also choose a topic that one can relate to. For example, a student was interested in autism because her little brother was diagnosed and she wanted to find more about it to help him. Another student wrote about student athletes’ academic struggles on campus because he was a student athlete.

It is also important to make sure that the scope of the topic is manageable. On one hand, a topic like global warming or the history of the Internet is not likely to encourage a thorough research project because the topic is too broad and cannot be analyzed in depth within a few. On the other hand, a topic like the use of new public speaking tool for a class of 12 seventh-grade students in Central California might not inspire interests [Page 1464] because the topic is too narrow and the findings might not be useful for other contexts.

In addition, the topic should have values and add something new to the discipline. Jason S. Wrench and colleagues indicated that a valuable topic can fill a “gap.” He and his co-authors further identified five types of gaps in their communication research methods textbook. The first type of gap is information missing in a specific context. An example would be that many researchers studied the impact of note taking in class on student learning, but taking notes with laptops and iPads are relevantly new. It is a new context to revisit older research findings. The second type of gap is about samples. For example, one can find many studies on teenagers’ video games playing behavior, but few studies examined toddlers’ play of video games (yes, toddlers start to play video games). This new sample or population can bring new insight on the impacts of video games. The third type of gap is the need of new update information. Robert Kraut, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, found in his 1998 study that the use of the Internet can increase depression. In his 2002 follow-up study, the connection between Internet use and depression disappeared. After a dozen years, revisiting this topic is important to test whether there is still correlation between Internet use and depression. The fourth type of research gap is conceptual gaps—a concept that has not been studied. Personal experiences, observations, and literature review may lead to development of new concepts. For example, a father of student commented that now, due to smartphone use, people text a lot, but these texts do not really mean a lot. He called this phenomenon “communication inflation.” Communication inflation is an interesting and fresh idea, may probably be a new concept for communication. However, before claiming it is a new concept, it is important to review the literature to double-check that the supposed new concept is actually new. The last gap is theoretical gaps. Testing a theory in a new context, a new population, adding new concepts to a theory, or developing new theories are valuable to the communication discipline.

Step 3: Making It a Research Question

Once a general topic is chosen, the next step is to narrow the topic to formulate a specific research question. Developing a specific research question helps keep the research focused and channel one’s energies into a productive purpose. A good research question identifies a theme that will help one to navigate available research and provide the guidance on how to add or eliminate literature. A good research question is a question that is clear, concise, and can be answered. Questions that are too complicated, fuzzy, or not possible to answer should be avoided. The best research questions are simple and clear ones that add new knowledge to the discipline. Table 1 includes some examples of how to turn a research topic into research questions.

After deciding on the research question, one can start to identify key concepts and terms of the research question. A helpful approach is to first underline the important terms in the research question and then try to identity two or three key concepts represented by these terms. Identifying a [Page 1465] few synonymous terms related to the key terms can also be helpful.

Step 4: Refining the Research Question

Once a research question and key concepts have been identified, the next step is to refine the research question. During this step, one searches previous studies to see whether the question is too board or too narrow, or whether it has already been answered. This search of the literature helps one assess the status of published research and information about the research question and provides an overview of the research question. If the research question is too broad, there will be a large amount of previous studies. If the research question is too narrow, there will be little information to review. One may also find that the research question has already been answered and there is little need to duplicate the efforts. At this point, the research question should be refined to make the question clear, interesting, and worth investigation.

See also Publishing Journal Articles ; Research Ethics and Social Values ; Research, Inspiration for ; Research Ideas, Sources of ; Research Project, Planning of ; Research Proposal ; Research Question Formulation

Further Readings

Allen, M., Titsworth, S., & Hunt, S. K. (2009). Quantitative research in communication. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

Wrench, J. S., Thomas-Maddox, C., Richmond, V. P., & McCroskey, J. C. (2008). Quantitative research methods for communication: A hands-on approach . New York, NY: Oxford University Press

• Research Reports, Subjective

Researcher–Participant Relationships

• Authoring: Telling a Research Story
• Body Image and Eating Disorders
• Hypothesis Formulation
• Methodology, Selection of
• Program Assessment
• Research Ideas, Sources of
• Research Project, Planning of
• Research Question Formulation
• Research, Inspiration for
• Social Media: Blogs, Microblogs, and Twitter
• Testability
• Acknowledging the Contribution of Others
• Activism and Social Justice
• Anonymous Source of Data
• Authorship Bias
• Authorship Credit
• Confidentiality and Anonymity of Participants
• Conflict of Interest in Research
• Controversial Experiments
• Copyright Issues in Research
• Cultural Sensitivity in Research
• Data Security
• Debriefing of Participants
• Deception in Research
• Ethical Issues, International Research
• Ethics Codes and Guidelines
• Fraudulent and Misleading Data
• Funding Research
• Health Care Disparities
• Human Subjects, Treatment of
• Informed Consent
• Institutional Review Board
• Organizational Ethics
• Peer Review
• Plagiarism, Self-
• Privacy of Information
• Privacy of Participants
• Public Behavior, Recording of
• Reliability, Unitizing
• Research Ethics and Social Values
• Researcher-Participant Relationships
• Social Implications of Research
• Archive Searching for Research
• Bibliographic Research
• Databases, Academic
• Foundation and Government Research Collections
• Library Research
• Literature Review, The
• Literature Reviews, Foundational
• Literature Reviews, Resources for
• Literature Reviews, Strategies for
• Literature Sources, Skeptical and Critical Stance Toward
• Literature, Determining Quality of
• Literature, Determining Relevance of
• Meta-Analysis
• Publications, Scholarly
• Search Engines for Literature Search
• Vote Counting Literature Review Methods
• Abstract or Executive Summary
• Academic Journals
• Alternative Conference Presentation Formats
• American Psychological Association (APA) Style
• Archiving Data
• Blogs and Research
• Chicago Style
• Citations to Research
• Evidence-Based Policy Making
• Invited Publication
• Limitations of Research
• Modern Language Association (MLA) Style
• Narrative Literature Review
• New Media Analysis
• News Media, Writing for
• Panel Presentations and Discussion
• Pay to Review and/or Publish
• Peer Reviewed Publication
• Poster Presentation of Research
• Primary Data Analysis
• Publication Style Guides
• Publication, Politics of
• Publications, Open-Access
• Publishing a Book
• Publishing a Journal Article
• Research Report, Organization of
• Research Reports, Objective
• Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
• Secondary Data
• Submission of Research to a Convention
• Submission of Research to a Journal
• Title of Manuscript, Selection of
• Visual Images as Data Within Qualitative Research
• Writer’s Block
• Writing a Discussion Section
• Writing a Literature Review
• Writing a Methods Section
• Writing a Results Section
• Writing Process, The
• Coding of Data
• Content Analysis, Definition of
• Content Analysis, Process of
• Content Analysis: Advantages and Disadvantages
• Conversation Analysis
• Critical Analysis
• Discourse Analysis
• Interaction Analysis, Quantitative
• Intercoder Reliability
• Intercoder Reliability Coefficients, Comparison of
• Intercoder Reliability Standards: Reproducibility
• Intercoder Reliability Standards: Stability
• Intercoder Reliability Techniques: Cohen’s Kappa
• Intercoder Reliability Techniques: Fleiss System
• Intercoder Reliability Techniques: Holsti Method
• Intercoder Reliability Techniques: Krippendorf Alpha
• Intercoder Reliability Techniques: Percent Agreement
• Intercoder Reliability Techniques: Scott’s Pi
• Metrics for Analysis, Selection of
• Narrative Analysis
• Observational Research Methods
• Observational Research, Advantages and Disadvantages
• Observer Reliability
• Rhetorical and Dramatism Analysis
• Unobtrusive Analysis
• Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR)
• Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC)
• Internet as Cultural Context
• Internet Research and Ethical Decision Making
• Internet Research, Privacy of Participants
• Online and Offline Data, Comparison of
• Online Communities
• Online Data, Collection and Interpretation of
• Online Data, Documentation of
• Online Data, Hacking of
• Online Interviews
• Online Social Worlds
• Social Networks, Online
• Correspondence Analysis
• Cutoff Scores
• Data Cleaning
• Data Reduction
• Data Trimming
• Facial Affect Coding System
• Factor Analysis
• Factor Analysis-Oblique Rotation
• Factor Analysis: Confirmatory
• Factor Analysis: Evolutionary
• Factor Analysis: Exploratory
• Factor Analysis: Internal Consistency
• Factor Analysis: Parallelism Test
• Factor Analysis: Rotated Matrix
• Factor Analysis: Varimax Rotation
• Implicit Measures
• Measurement Levels
• Measurement Levels, Interval
• Measurement Levels, Nominal/Categorical
• Measurement Levels, Ordinal
• Measurement Levels, Ratio
• Observational Measurement: Face Features
• Observational Measurement: Proxemics and Touch
• Observational Measurement: Vocal Qualities
• Organizational Identification
• Outlier Analysis
• Physiological Measurement
• Physiological Measurement: Blood Pressure
• Physiological Measurement: Genital Blood Volume
• Physiological Measurement: Heart Rate
• Physiological Measurement: Pupillary Response
• Physiological Measurement: Skin Conductance
• Reaction Time
• Reliability of Measurement
• Reliability, Cronbach’s Alpha
• Reliability, Knuder-Richardson
• Reliability, Split-half
• Scales, Forced Choice
• Scales, Likert Statement
• Scales, Open-Ended
• Scales, Rank Order
• Scales, Semantic Differential
• Scales, True/False
• Scaling, Guttman
• Standard Score
• Time Series Notation
• Validity, Concurrent
• Validity, Construct
• Validity, Face and Content
• Validity, Halo Effect
• Validity, Measurement of
• Validity, Predictive
• Variables, Conceptualization
• Variables, Operationalization
• Z Transformation
• Confederates
• Generalization
• Imagined Interactions
• Interviewees
• Matched Groups
• Matched Individuals
• Random Assignment of Participants
• Respondents
• Response Style
• Treatment Groups
• Vulnerable Groups
• Experience Sampling Method
• Sample Versus Population
• Sampling Decisions
• Sampling Frames
• Sampling, Internet
• Sampling, Methodological Issues in
• Sampling, Multistage
• Sampling, Nonprobability
• Sampling, Probability
• Sampling, Special Population
• Opinion Polling
• Sampling, Random
• Survey Instructions
• Survey Questions, Writing and Phrasing of
• Survey Response Rates
• Survey Wording
• Survey: Contrast Questions
• Survey: Demographic Questions
• Survey: Dichotomous Questions
• Survey: Filter Questions
• Survey: Follow-up Questions
• Survey: Leading Questions
• Survey: Multiple-Choice Questions
• Survey: Negative-Wording Questions
• Survey: Open-Ended Questions
• Survey: Questionnaire
• Survey: Sampling Issues
• Survey: Structural Questions
• Surveys, Advantages and Disadvantages of
• Surveys, Using Others’
• Under-represented Group
• Alternative News Media
• Analytic Induction
• Archival Analysis
• Artifact Selection
• Autoethnography
• Axial Coding
• Burkean Analysis
• Close Reading
• Coding, Fixed
• Coding, Flexible
• Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software (CAQDAS)
• Covert Observation
• Critical Ethnography
• Critical Incident Method
• Critical Race Theory
• Cultural Studies and Communication
• Demand Characteristics
• Ethnographic Interview
• Ethnography
• Ethnomethodology
• Fantasy Theme Analysis
• Feminist Analysis
• Field Notes
• First Wave Feminism
• Fisher Narrative Paradigm
• Focus Groups
• Frame Analysis
• Garfinkling
• Gender-Specific Language
• Grounded Theory
• Hermeneutics
• Historical Analysis
• Informant Interview
• Interaction Analysis, Qualitative
• Interpretative Research
• Interviews for Data Gathering
• Interviews, Recording and Transcribing
• Marxist Analysis
• Meta-ethnography
• Metaphor Analysis
• Narrative Interviewing
• Naturalistic Observation
• Negative Case Analysis
• Neo-Aristotelian Method
• New Media and Participant Observation
• Participant Observer
• Pentadic Analysis
• Performance Research
• Phenomenological Traditions
• Poetic Analysis
• Postcolonial Analysis
• Power in Language
• Pronomial Use-Solidarity
• Psychoanalytic Approaches to Rhetoric
• Public Memory
• Qualitative Data
• Queer Methods
• Queer Theory
• Researcher-Participant Relationships in Observational Research
• Respondent Interviews
• Rhetoric as Epistemic
• Rhetoric, Aristotle’s: Ethos
• Rhetoric, Aristotle’s: Logos
• Rhetoric, Aristotle’s: Pathos
• Rhetoric, Isocrates’
• Rhetorical Artifact
• Rhetorical Method
• Rhetorical Theory
• Second Wave Feminism
• Snowball Subject Recruitment
• Social Constructionism
• Social Network Analysis
• Spontaneous Decision Making
• Symbolic Interactionism
• Terministic Screens
• Textual Analysis
• Thematic Analysis
• Theoretical Traditions
• Third-Wave Feminism
• Transcription Systems
• Triangulation
• Turning Point Analysis
• Unobtrusive Measurement
• Visual Materials, Analysis of
• t -Test, Independent Samples
• t -Test, One Sample
• t -Test, Paired Samples
• Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA)
• Analysis of Ranks
• Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)
• Bonferroni Correction
• Decomposing Sums of Squares
• Eta Squared
• Factorial Analysis of Variance
• McNemar Test
• One-Tailed Test
• One-Way Analysis of Variance
• Post Hoc Tests
• Post Hoc Tests: Duncan Multiple Range Test
• Post Hoc Tests: Least Significant Difference
• Post Hoc Tests: Scheffe Test
• Post Hoc Tests: Student-Newman-Keuls Test
• Post Hoc Tests: Tukey Honestly Significance Difference Test
• Repeated Measures
• Between-Subjects Design
• Blocking Variable
• Control Groups
• Counterbalancing
• Cross-Sectional Design
• Degrees of Freedom
• Delayed Measurement
• Ex Post Facto Designs
• Experimental Manipulation
• Experiments and Experimental Design
• External Validity
• Extraneous Variables, Control of
• Factor, Crossed
• Factor, Fixed
• Factor, Nested
• Factor, Random
• Factorial Designs
• False Negative
• False Positive
• Field Experiments
• Hierarchical Model
• Individual Difference
• Internal Validity
• Laboratory Experiments
• Latin Square Design
• Longitudinal Design
• Manipulation Check
• Measures of Variability
• Median Split of Sample
• Mixed Level Design
• Multitrial Design
• Null Hypothesis
• One-Group Pretest–Posttest Design
• Orthogonality
• Overidentified Model
• Pilot Study
• Population/Sample
• Power Curves
• Quantitative Research, Purpose of
• Quantitative Research, Steps for
• Quasi-Experimental Design
• Random Assignment
• Replication
• Research Proposal
• Sampling Theory
• Sampling, Determining Size
• Solomon Four-Group Design
• Stimulus Pre-test
• Two-Group Pretest–Posttest Design
• Two-Group Random Assignment Pretest–Posttest Design
• Variables, Control
• Variables, Dependent
• Variables, Independent
• Variables, Latent
• Variables, Marker
• Variables, Mediating Types
• Variables, Moderating Types
• Within-Subjects Design
• Analysis of Residuals
• Bivariate Statistics
• Bootstrapping
• Confidence Interval
• Conjoint Analysis
• Contrast Analysis
• Correlation, Pearson
• Correlation, Point-Biserial
• Correlation, Spearman
• Covariance/Variance Matrix
• Cramér’s V
• Discriminant Analysis
• Kendall’s Tau
• Kruskal-Wallis Test
• Linear Regression
• Linear Versus Nonlinear Relationships
• Multicollinearity
• Multiple Regression
• Multiple Regression: Block Analysis
• Multiple Regression: Covariates in Multiple Regression
• Multiple Regression: Multiple R
• Multiple Regression: Standardized Regression Coefficient
• Partial Correlation
• Phi Coefficient
• Semi-Partial r
• Simple Bivariate Correlation
• Categorization
• Cluster Analysis
• Data Transformation
• Errors of Measurement
• Errors of Measurement: Attenuation
• Errors of Measurement: Ceiling and Floor Effects
• Errors of Measurement: Dichotomization of a Continuous Variable
• Errors of Measurement: Range Restriction
• Errors of Measurement: Regression Toward the Mean
• Frequency Distributions
• Heterogeneity of Variance
• Heteroskedasticity
• Homogeneity of Variance
• Hypothesis Testing, Logic of
• Intraclass Correlation
• Mean, Arithmetic
• Mean, Geometric
• Mean, Harmonic
• Measures of Central Tendency
• Mortality in Sample
• Normal Curve Distribution
• Relationships Between Variables
• Sensitivity Analysis
• Significance Test
• Simple Descriptive Statistics
• Standard Deviation and Variance
• Standard Error
• Standard Error, Mean
• Statistical Power Analysis
• Type I error
• Type II error
• Univariate Statistics
• Variables, Categorical
• Variables, Continuous
• Variables, Defining
• Variables, Interaction of
• Autoregressive, Integrative, Moving Average (ARIMA) Models
• Binomial Effect Size Display
• Cloze Procedure
• Cross Validation
• Cross-Lagged Panel Analysis
• Curvilinear Relationship
• Effect Sizes
• Hierarchical Linear Modeling
• Lag Sequential Analysis
• Log-Linear Analysis
• Logistic Analysis
• Margin of Error
• Markov Analysis
• Maximum Likelihood Estimation
• Meta-Analysis: Estimation of Average Effect
• Meta-Analysis: Fixed Effects Analysis
• Meta-Analysis: Literature Search Issues
• Meta-Analysis: Model Testing
• Meta-Analysis: Random Effects Analysis
• Meta-Analysis: Statistical Conversion to Common Metric
• Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA)
• Multivariate Statistics
• Ordinary Least Squares
• Path Analysis
• Probit Analysis
• Structural Equation Modeling
• Time-Series Analysis
• Acculturation
• African American Communication and Culture
• Agenda Setting
• Applied Communication
• Argumentation Theory
• Asian/Pacific American Communication Studies
• Bad News, Communication of
• Basic Course in Communication
• Business Communication
• Communication and Aging Research
• Communication and Culture
• Communication and Evolution
• Communication and Future Studies
• Communication and Human Biology
• Communication and Technology
• Communication Apprehension
• Communication Assessment
• Communication Competence
• Communication Education
• Communication Ethics
• Communication History
• Communication Privacy Management Theory
• Communication Skills
• Communication Theory
• Conflict, Mediation, and Negotiation
• Corporate Communication
• Crisis Communication
• Cross-Cultural Communication
• Cyberchondria
• Dark Side of Communication
• Debate and Forensics
• Development of Communication in Children
• Digital Media and Race
• Digital Natives
• Dime Dating
• Disability and Communication
• Distance Learning
• Educational Technology
• Emergency Communication
• Empathic Listening
• English as a Second Language
• Environmental Communication
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Main navigation

• For supervisees
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• Graduate Mentorship
• Finding a Supervisor
• Purposes of the graduate degree
• Starting out
• Integrity and ethical practice in conduct of research
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Defining the research topic

• Improving reading and writing skills
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• Comprehensive exams
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Conceptualizing your research topic

Conceptualizing a research topic entails formulating a “defensible and researchable” research question . Conducting a literature search as one of the first steps in a graduate degree is often quite helpful as published peer-reviewed research articles are key to identify knowledge gaps in current literature. Thus, students can design and phrase their research projects to aim to address these research gaps.

Elements of a good research topic

• Interesting: topic represents an area of deep interest for the researcher
• Original : for PhD students, the topic can produce an original contribution to knowledge
• Manageable: research question could be answered within the degree’s recommended time frame (see time limitation ).

At McGill, PhD students are usually expected to have a sufficiently defined research topic by the time of the comprehensive exam .

Seminar presentations can help with topic definition and project planning

Many experienced supervisors and successful PhD students suggest that preparing a research proposal for presentation at a seminar within six months of commencement helps with focusing on the topic. Here are some suggested questions:

• What is it that you want to find answers for?
• Why is it important that this be researched?
• What impact will this research have?
• How will you go about researching this?

Read critically to identify gaps in the field and understand different research methods

Critical reading involves developing an understanding of the knowledge and gaps in the field and being able to critique different research methods, methodologies and epistemologies.

Try concept mapping to visualize and organize links between ideas

Concept mapping: a practical strategy for students and researchers starting a project. It helps to identify areas of importance as well as possibilities for the exploration and analysis of such areas.

Concept maps are helpful as a means of focusing discussion on the topic or research question because they offer a visual approach to creating relationships among concepts . More information about concept mapping can be found at the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition's page on Constructing your first concept map .

• A concept map showing the main components of a concept map , from Novak & Canas (2008) .

If the student makes a concept map, this can form the basis of different discussions between the student and supervisor.

How important is motivation for topic selection?

Most graduate students have a general idea about what they would like to research. Depending on supervisors and disciplines, a student may be "given" a specific research topic or a list of topics to choose from or be asked to generate a topic based on her or his prior knowledge and experience. In either situation, it is a good idea to talk with others – supervisors, students, colleagues, peers, even friends and family – about possible choices, since a research topic is something most students will commit to for the rest of their degree.

Point to reflect on

• What questions, topics or methodologies are you passionate about? Why are you passionate about them (e.g., personal interest or curiosity, potential applications to help others or the environment)?
• Is it possible to answer your desired question within the time frame of a graduate degree? If not, is it possible to choose a portion of this topic to investigate during your graduate studies?
• Do you get more motivated from knowing exactly what you’re going to do, or from the excitement of unexpected discoveries or research trajectories? How can you select a topic and plan your project to better suit your sources of motivation See  Staying motivated  for additional resources

Steps to refine the research focus

• Identify the boundaries of the research areas and the gaps in the field .
• Make a list of possible research ideas within a topic.
• Discuss these ideas with others (e.g., peers, colleagues, professors, mentors). This can provide opportunities for receiving advice based on past experiences, additional ideas, or opportunities for collaboration.
• Reduce the list to two ideas : a first choice and a backup. Having a backup is useful in the event that the first choice is found to be inappropriate for the time restriction, require unattainable resources, or be otherwise not feasible.
• Brainstorm as many ideas, questions, possible problems, and any other thoughts relevant to the first choice.
• Narrow down these ideas into a more precise focus by considering feasibility (e.g., time, requires resources), interest, and significance. The resulting idea should complete the sentence “The purpose of this project is…”
• Refer back to the brainstorming and remove anything not relevant to the purpose statement. Add any new relevant ideas. Use these ideas as well as the purpose statement to create a list of researchable questions . Be sure to define key terms and consider required resources, including the characteristics of the participants if applicable.
• Create a project outline. Consider what information or data will be needed and how it can be obtained.

Adapted from Wisker (2005, p. 83) and Bell & Waters (2014)

Bell, J., & Waters, S. (2014). Doing your research project: A guide for first-time researchers . New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

Novak, J. D., & Cañas, A. J. (2008). The theory underlying concept maps and how to construct and use them. Institute for Human and Machine Cognition . Retrieved from http://cmap.ihmc.us/docs/theory-of-concept-maps

Wisker, G. (2005). The good supervisor: Supervising postgraduate and undergraduate research for doctoral theses and dissertations . Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 International License . Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, McGill University .

Department and University Information

Graduate and postdoctoral studies.

How to Identify and Develop a Topic: .

How to identify and develop a topic.

It is difficult to define a topic with much specificity before starting your research. But until you define your topic, you won't know where to begin your search for information and you won't know what to look for. With a well-defined topic, you can focus your search strategies to find lots of relevant information without also finding a lot of useless stuff.

Selecting a topic to research is not a one-step task. Identifying and developing your topic is an ongoing process that does not end until you have finished your research project. Start with an idea you are interested in. Find and read some background information to get a better understanding of the topic, then use what you have learned to search for more specific information. Refine (broaden, narrow, refocus, or change) your topic, and try another search.  

Find a Topic

If you weren't assigned a specific topic and can't think of one:

• talk with your class instructor (who is, after all, the reason you are doing this project in the first place)
• find something interesting in the course reading assignments
• look at the entries and index of a subject encyclopedia
• ask a librarian to help you figure out a topic  

Narrow Your Topic

The initial idea for a research topic is often too broad. If your first searches for resources are so general that you find more information than you can click a mouse at or deal with in a reasonable amount of time (i.e. before the research project is due), focus on one of the following:

• a specific period of time
• a specific geographic location
• specific individuals or groups
• a specific aspect of the subject
• the viewpoint of a specific discipline  

Make it a Question

It is often helpful to state your topic in the form of a question. Treat the research project as an attempt to find a specific answer for a specific question.  

List Main Concepts

Pull out ideas and key terms that describe your topic. You can get a better idea of these by looking up your topic in an encyclopedia or other appropriate reference work. This will give you a better understanding of your topic, which will help you figure out what sources you will need and where you will need to look to find them.  

Analyze Your Topic

Where should you look for information? From what subject or discipline perspective are you looking at this topic? Do you need scholarly or popular sources? Will you need books, articles, sound recordings, primary sources, etc.?  

Select Appropriate Tools

Which tools do you need to find the type of information you want, (e.g. the library catalog for books, subject specific indexes for journal articles, etc.) See the library's guide to How to Find and Evaluate Sources for more.  

Initial Results

After you do an initial search, you can tell some things just from the number and type of sources you find. If you get a million or so hits, you probably need to narrow your topic. If you get only a few, broaden it. If the hits seem to be irrelevant to your topic, search using different terms. Do another search and see if you get what seems to be an appropriate amount of appropriate sources. Keep refining your search until you are satisfied with your results. Then go read them.  

After reading through some of the sources you find, you will get a better understanding of the topic you are researching. With this better understanding, you can revise your initial topic and its corresponding question for which you are so diligently seeking an answer. You can also refine your search strategy: the databases you search in, the keywords or subject terms you search for, etc. Go back and try another search using your revisions. Repeat as necessary until you have done enough research to know what to ask and how to answer it.

• Last Updated: Oct 20, 2020 8:13 PM
• URL: https://libguides.wesleyan.edu/topic

Research Process Guide

• Step 1 - Identifying and Developing a Topic
• Step 2 - Narrowing Your Topic
• Step 3 - Developing Research Questions
• Step 4 - Conducting a Literature Review
• Step 5 - Choosing a Conceptual or Theoretical Framework
• Step 6 - Determining Research Methodology
• Step 6a - Determining Research Methodology - Quantitative Research Methods
• Step 6b - Determining Research Methodology - Qualitative Design
• Step 7 - Considering Ethical Issues in Research with Human Subjects - Institutional Review Board (IRB)
• Step 8 - Collecting Data
• Step 9 - Analyzing Data
• Step 10 - Interpreting Results
• Step 11 - Writing Up Results

Step 1: Identifying and Developing a Topic

Whatever your field or discipline, the best advice to give on identifying a research topic is to choose something that you find really interesting. You will be spending an enormous amount of time with your topic, you need to be invested. Over the course of your research design, proposal and actually conducting your study, you may feel like you are really tired of your topic, however,  your interest and investment in the topic will help you persist through dissertation defense. Identifying a research topic can be challenging. Most of the research that has been completed on the process of conducting research fails to examine the preliminary stages of the interactive and self-reflective process of identifying a research topic (Wintersberger & Saunders, 2020).  You may choose a topic at the beginning of the process, and through exploring the research that has already been done, one’s own interests that are narrowed or expanded in scope, the topic will change over time (Dwarkadas & Lin, 2019). Where do I begin? According to the research, there are generally two paths to exploring your research topic, creative path and the rational path (Saunders et al., 2019).  The rational path takes a linear path and deals with questions we need to ask ourselves like: what are some timely topics in my field in the media right now?; what strengths do I bring to the research?; what are the gaps in the research about the area of research interest? (Saunders et al., 2019; Wintersberger & Saunders, 2020).The creative path is less linear in that it may include keeping a notebook of ideas based on discussion in coursework or with your peers in the field. Whichever path you take, you will inevitably have to narrow your more generalized ideas down. A great way to do that is to continue reading the literature about and around your topic looking for gaps that could be explored. Also, try engaging in meaningful discussions with experts in your field to get their take on your research ideas (Saunders et al., 2019; Wintersberger & Saunders, 2020). It is important to remember that a research topic should be (Dwarkadas & Lin, 2019; Saunders et al., 2019; Wintersberger & Saunders, 2020):

• Interesting to you.
• Realistic in that it can be completed in an appropriate amount of time.
• Relevant to your program or field of study.
• Not widely researched.

Dwarkadas, S., & Lin, M. C. (2019, August 04). Finding a research topic. Computing Research Association for Women, Portland State University. https://cra.org/cra-wp/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/04/FindingResearchTopic/2019.pdf

Saunders, M. N. K., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2019). Research methods for business students (8th ed.). Pearson.

Wintersberger, D., & Saunders, M. (2020). Formulating and clarifying the research topic: Insights and a guide for the production management research community. Production, 30 . https://doi.org/10.1590/0103-6513.20200059

• Last Updated: Jun 29, 2023 1:35 PM
• URL: https://libguides.kean.edu/ResearchProcessGuide

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Defining a Topic

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(2017). Defining a Topic. Project Planner . 10.4135/9781526408501.

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• Philosophy of Research
• Reviewing the Literature
• Developing a Researchable Question
• Research Design
• Planning and Practicalities
• Research Ethics
• Data Collection
• Data Analysis and Interpretation
• Dissemination

Introduction

• Publication year: 2017
• DOI: https:// doi. org/10.4135/9781526408501
• Online ISBN: 9781526408501 More information Less information

(2017). Introduction. Project Planner . 10.4135/9781526408501.

. "Introduction". Project Planner , 2017. 10.4135/9781526408501.

. 2017. 'Introduction', Project Planner [online]., [Accessed 18 December 2024], doi: 10.4135/9781526408501.

. "Introduction". Project Planner , 2017. SAGE Research Methods. 10.4135/9781526408501. 18 Dec. 2024

This stage will:

• Help you decide what to study
• Explain how to choose a good research project
• Provide an overview of the research practicalities you should consider

Before you start your research, you need to define your topic and develop a research question or hypothesis. You already know your general area of interest, which is probably linked to your discipline of study. Next, you have to specify a particular area of interest which is appropriate for research and which you will enjoy working on. Before choosing a topic, it might be useful to read some of the basics about why we do research, if you haven’t already.

Read more about why we do research

How Can I Decide What to Study?

How do i identify a good research topic, what practical things should i think about before i start my research, checklist: questions to ask yourself when deciding on a topic.

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Organizing Academic Research Papers: 1. Choosing a Topic

• Purpose of Guide
• Design Flaws to Avoid
• Glossary of Research Terms
• Narrowing a Topic Idea
• Broadening a Topic Idea
• Extending the Timeliness of a Topic Idea
• Academic Writing Style
• Choosing a Title
• Making an Outline
• Paragraph Development
• Executive Summary
• Background Information
• The Research Problem/Question
• Theoretical Framework
• Citation Tracking
• Content Alert Services
• Evaluating Sources
• Primary Sources
• Secondary Sources
• Tertiary Sources
• What Is Scholarly vs. Popular?
• Qualitative Methods
• Quantitative Methods
• Using Non-Textual Elements
• Limitations of the Study
• Common Grammar Mistakes
• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Footnotes or Endnotes?
• Further Readings
• Annotated Bibliography
• Dealing with Nervousness
• Using Visual Aids
• Grading Someone Else's Paper
• How to Manage Group Projects
• Multiple Book Review Essay
• Reviewing Collected Essays
• About Informed Consent
• Writing Field Notes
• Writing a Policy Memo
• Writing a Research Proposal
• Acknowledgements

A topic is the main organizing principle guiding the analysis of your research paper. Topics offer us an occasion for writing and a focus that governs what we want to say. Topics represent the core subject matter of scholarly communication, and the means by which we arrive at other topics of conversations and discover new knowledge.

Choosing a Topic / How to Begin

Do not expect choosing the topic to be a quick or easy task! You should be thinking about it right from the start of the course. There are generally three ways you are asked to write about a research problem :

• your professor provides you with a general topic from which you study a particular aspect of;
• your professor provides you with a list of possible topics; or
• your professor leaves it up to you to choose a topic and you only have to obtain his/her permission to write about it before beginning your investigation.

Here are some strategies for getting started for each scenario.

I.  How To Begin:  You are given the topic to write about Step 1 : Identify concepts and terms that make up the topic statement . For example, your professor wants the class to focus on the following research problem: “Is the European Union as a whole becoming a credible security actor with the ability to contribute to global security?” The main concepts are: European Union, global security, credibility [ hint : focus on identifying proper nouns, nouns or noun phrases, and action verbs in the assignment description]. Step 2 : Review related literature to help refine how you will approach focusing on the topic and finding a way to analyze it . You can begin by doing any or all of the following: reading through background information from materials listed in your course syllabus; searching the SHU library catalog to find a recent introductory book and, if appropriate, more specialized works about the topic; conducting a preliminary review of the research literature using multidisciplinary library databases such as EBSCOhost's Academic Search Premier  or subject-specific databases found here . Use the main concept terms you developed in Step 1 to retrieve relevant articles. This will help you refine and frame the research problem. Don’t be surprised if you need to do this several times before you finalize how to approach writing about the topic. NOTE :  Always review the references cited by the authors in footnotes, endnotes, or a bibliography to help locate additional research on the topic. However, if you’re having trouble at this point locating related research literature, ask a librarian for help! Step 3 : Since social science research papers are generally designed to get you to develop your own ideas and arguments, look for sources that can help broaden, modify, or strengthen your initial thoughts and arguments [for example, if you decide to argue that the European Union is ill prepared to take on responsibilities for broader global security because of the debt crisis in many EU countries, then focus on identifying sources that support as well as refute this position].

There are least four appropriate roles your related literature plays in helping you formulate how to begin your analysis :

• Sources of criticism -- frequently, you'll find yourself reading materials that are relevant to your chosen topic, but you disagree with the author's position. Therefore, one way that you can use a source is to describe the counter-argument, provide evidence from your review of the literature as to why it is unsatisfactory, and discuss how your own view is more appropriate based upon your interpretation of the evidence.
• Sources of new ideas -- while a general goal in writing college research papers is to approach a research problem with some basic idea of what position you'd like to take and what grounds you'd like to stand upon, it is certainly acceptable [and often encouraged] to read the literature and extend, modify, and refine your own position in light of the ideas proposed by others. Just make sure that you cite the sources !
• Sources for historical context -- another role your related literature plays in helping you formulate how to begin your analysis is to place issues and events in proper historical context. This can help to demonstrate familiarity with developments in relevant scholarship about your topic, provide a means of comparing historical versus contemporary issues and events, and identifying key people, places, and things that had an important role related to the research problem.
• Sources of interdisciplinary insight -- an advantage of using databases like EBSCOhost's  Academic Search Premier  to begin exploring your topic is that it covers publications from a variety of different disciplines. Another way to formulate how to study the topic is to look at it from different disciplinary perspectives. If the topic concerns immigration reform, ask yourself, for example, how do studies from sociological journals found by searching Proquest vary in their analysis from those in law journals. Another role of related literature is to provide a means of approaching a topic from multiple perspectives rather than the perspective offered from just one discipline.

NOTE : Remember to keep careful notes at every stage. You may think you'll remember what you have searched and where you found things, but it’s easy to forget.

Step 4 : Assuming you've done an effective job of synthesizing and thinking about the results of our initial search for related literature, you're ready to prepare a detailed outline for your paper that lays the foundation for a more in-depth and focused review of relevant research literature [after consulting with a librarian, if needed!].

II.  How To Begin:  You are provided a list of possible topics to choose from Step 1 : I know what you’re thinking--which topic from this list is the easiest to find the most information on? An effective instructor should never include a topic that is so obscure or complex that no research is available to review and from which to begin to design a study. Instead of searching for the path of least resistance, begin by choosing a topic that you find interesting in some way, or that is controversial and you have a strong opinion about, or that has some personal meaning for you. You're going to be working on your topic for quite some time, so choose one that's interesting or that makes you want to take a position on. Once you’ve settled on a topic of interest from the list, follow Steps 1 - 4 listed above to further develop it into a research paper .

NOTE : It’s ok to review related literature to help refine how you will approach analyzing a topic, and then discover that the topic isn’t all that interesting after all. In that case, you can choose another from the list. Just don’t wait too long to make a switch and be sure to consult with your professor first.

III.  How To Begin:  Your professor leaves it up to you to choose a topic Step 1 : Under this scenario, the key process is turning an idea or general thought into a topic that can be cast as a research problem. When given an assignment where you choose the research topic, don't begin by thinking about what to write about, but rather, ask yourself the question, "What do I want to know?" Treat an open-ended assignment as an opportunity to learn about something that's new or exciting to you.

Step 2 : If you lack ideas, or wish to gain focus, try some or all of the following strategies:

• Review your course readings, particularly the suggested readings, for topic ideas. Don't just review what you've already read but jump ahead in the syllabus to readings that have not been covered yet.
• Search the SHU library catalog for a good, recent introductory book and, if appropriate, more specialized works related to the discipline  area of the course.
• Browse through some current journals in your subject discipline. Even if most of the articles are not relevant, you can skim through the contents quickly. You only need one to be the spark that begins the process of wanting to learn more about a topic. Consult a librarian or your professor about the core journals within your subject discipline.
• Think about essays you have written for past classes and other coursework you have taken or academic lectures and programs you have attended. Thinking back, what most interested you? What would you like to know more about?
• Search online media sources, such as CNN , the Los Angeles Times , Huffington Post , or Newsweek , to see if your idea has been covered in the news. Use this coverage to refine your idea into something that you'd like to investigate further but in a more deliberate, scholarly way based on a problem to research.

Step 3 : To build upon your initial idea, use the suggestions under this tab to help narrow, broaden, or increase the timeliness of your idea so you can write it out as a research problem.

Once you are comfortable with having turned your idea into a topic, follow Steps 1 - 4 listed in Part I above to further develop it into a research paper .

Answering the Question. Academic Skills Centre. University of Canberra; Brainstorming. Department of English Writing Guide. George Mason University; Brainstorming . The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Choosing a Topic . The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University;  Coming Up With Your Topic . Institute for Writing Rhetoric. Dartmouth College; How To Write a Thesis Statement . Writing Tutorial Services, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. Indiana University; Identify Your Question . Start Your Research. University Library, University of California, Santa Cruz; The Process of Writing a Research Paper . Department of History. Trent University; Trochim, William M.K. Problem Formulation . Research Methods Knowledge Base. 2006.

Resources for Identifying a Topic

If you are having difficulty identifying a topic to study or need basic background information, the following web resources and databases can be useful:

• Global Issues in Context - Offers international viewpoints on a broad spectrum of global issues, topics, and current events, with rich multimedia - including podcasts, video, and interactive graphs.
• New York Times Topics -- each topic page collects news, reference and archival information, photos, graphics, audio and video files published on a variety of topics. Content is available without charge on articles going back to 1981.
• Social Science Research Network -- a service providing scholarly research papers, working papers, and journals in numerous social science disciplines.

Writing Tip

Don't be a Martyr!

In thinking about a research topic to study, don't adopt the mindset of pursuing an esoteric or incredibly complicated topic just to impress your professor but that, in reality, does not have any real interest to you. As best as you can, choose a topic that has at least some interest to you. Obviously, this is easier for courses within your major, but even for those nasty prerequisit classes that you must take in order to graduate [and that provide an additional revenue stream to the University], try to apply issues from your major to the general topic given to you. For example, if you are an IR major taking a philosophy class where the assignment asks you to apply the question of "what is truth" to some aspect of life, you could choose to study how government leaders attempt to shape truth through the use of propaganda.

Another Writing Tip

Not Finding Anything on Your Topic? Ask a Librarian!

Librarians are experts in locating information and providing strategies for analyzing existing knowledge in new ways. Do not immediately assume that your topic is too narrow because you haven’t found any information about it. Always consult a librarian before you consider giving up on finding information about the topic you want to investigate. If there isn't a lot of information about your topic, a librarian can often help you identify a closely related topic you can study.

• << Previous: Glossary of Research Terms
• Next: Narrowing a Topic Idea >>
• Last Updated: Jul 18, 2023 11:58 AM
• URL: https://library.sacredheart.edu/c.php?g=29803
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