Virtual Writing Lab Guide

Choosing a topic can be overwhelming.  There are a few things that you want to be sure to locate.

To determine a topic, try finding information in some of these ways:

• If your course has a textbook, read the Table of Contents.  Is there a topic that you see that sounds interesting to you?
• Is there something you discussed in class that you want to learn more about?
• Skim articles in journals that are available in the library to see if there is an interesting topic that you like?
• Use a broad library database like Academic Search Complete to search for articles in that area of study.
• Schedule an appointment with a librarian.  They can help you determine a topic that sounds interesting to you.

Watch this video from North Carolina State University on the best way to choose a research topic.

Choosing a topic is research

This video is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States license.

When you begin to think you have an idea of a topic that you would like to use:

• Look for broad subject terms that deal with your topic
• Begin to narrow down the topics in your mind
• If you are finding a lot of information, try to limit your topic by geography, time, and culture
• Write down key words and questions as you think of them when you are doing your research
• Write down subject terms on articles that are particularly interesting to you