Before you pick your topic or start your research, make sure you understand the assignment and its requirements.
How many pages or words do you need to write?
Do you need to use books, magazines, scholarly journals?
Are you allowed to use reliable websites?
When is the assignment due?
A keyword is a word or phrase that describes the main concepts of a topic. It is a good idea to brainstorm synonyms and combinations of keywords to help improve your search results.
For example, if your topic is about teenage drinking, consider using:
adolescents or college students in place of teenagers
alcoholism or drunkeness in place of drinking
Step 1. Choosing a Topic
If you need help choosing a topic, look through current news magazines, newspapers or online news sources. Browse the PC Argument/Debate databases for interesting and timely topics. Discuss potential topics with your instructor or a librarian.
Think about what interests you the most or what you have been talking about with your friends and family.
Write down your ideas and some keywords you might use to describe the topics. Try putting your interest in the form of a question. If you are interested in what effect alcoholic beverages might have on the health of teenagers, write down the question and identify the keywords you will use to search for information.
"What effect does the use of alcoholic beverages have on the health of teenagers?"
If you find that you have too much information, try narrowing your focus by using different aspects.
Examples:
Economic aspects - college sports AND economic aspects; journalism AND economic aspects
Health aspects - alcohol AND health aspects; race AND health aspects
Legal status - women AND legal aspects; same-sex marriage AND legal status
Moral aspect - abortion AND moral aspects; capital punishment AND moral aspect
Psychological aspects - love and psychological aspects; trauma AND psychological aspects
Public opinion - religion AND public opinion; gun rights AND public opinion
Sex differences - communication AND sex differences; health AND sex differences
Social aspects - hip hop music AND social aspects, computers AND social aspects; body image AND social aspects
Other ways of narrowing you focus is to limit by:
population or age group - athletics, married, teenagers, college students
geography or environment - schools, sports, Southwest, Arizona
ethnic background - Asian Americans, Native Americans
Your best library resource...
THE LIBRARIAN
1. The Reference Desk (main level of the library next to the computers)
2. By Appointment with any of the Phoenix College Research Coaches
3. Use the ASK A LIBRARIAN chat box!