Introduction to Research

Choosing the right topic for your research will depend on these considerations:

1. The Assignment Guidelines: Always carefully read the assignment guidelines and ask your professor for clarification if you aren’t sure about something. These guidelines should indicate what sorts of topics are appropriate for the assignment.
2. What you Already Know: Even if you’ve never done research before, you already have a lifetime of knowledge and experiences to help guide your choice of topics. Your personal knowledge is a valuable resource!
3. Your Personal Interests: Research is an opportunity to learn more about your passions and interests. Choosing a topic related to your personal interests will make it easier to find the energy and motivation to engage with your research.

Sometimes it’s hard to choose a topic because there are just too many options or none that seem interesting to you. If you find yourself in this situation, you can use the databases below to “shop” for topic ideas. Points of View Reference Center and CQ Researcher organize topic ideas using broad general categories and focused sub-categories. Spend a few minutes skimming over these categories until you discover a topic idea that clicks for you.