Step 1. Know Identify your topic
Selecting a Topic | Brainstorming Keywords | Refining a Topic
After you select your topic and brainstorm keywords, may need to refine your topic. Research is often an evolutionary process. As you find more information on your topic, your research question and keywords may change. Where are you going to begin your research?
If you have not written on this topic before, it is useful to begin with background research on this topic. Background research will help you understand your topic in a broader context. Such as…What is known about your topic? How much and what kind of information is available?
Background information can be found in your textbook, dictionaries, and encyclopedias. You can also use your keywords to search for articles in an online database. The search results (number of articles displayed) will indicate the amount of available information. To help you find these types of sources, check to see if there is a Class Guide on your topic.
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