1. Choosing Your Topic

Before you can begin your research, you will need to define your topic.

Sometimes your instructor will let you choose your own topic. In this case,
select a topic that is of interest to you:

What do you care about?
Have you seen something in the news recently that has piqued your interest?
What do you know about your chosen career field?

At a loss for a topic?

The Giovale Library has a number of resources that may be helpful to you:

Databases:

These databases offer coverage of thousands of different current events and other topics. Try them out on your own, and ask a librarian if you need help.

Opposing Viewpoints

CQ Researcher

Encyclopedia Britannica Online's Year in Review

BioOne's Featured Articles and Top Ten

The Bureau of Nat'l Affairs Web Watch

Books:

• Use the Title/Series Keyword Search in Giovale Library's online catalog to search for the following series. Ask a librarian if you need help.
  
• Reference Shelf - this series addresses current trends and social issues in the United States and abroad.
  
• Contemporary Issues - this series deals in a factual manner with current issues.
  
• Ideas in Conflict Series - "This series features ideas in conflict on political, social, and moral issues. It presents counterpoints, debates, opinions, commentary, and analysis for use in libraries and classrooms.

Websites:

Newspaper Databases from the Giovale Library at Westminster College
http://www.westminstercollege.edu/library/databases/subj/newspapers.cfm

News and Current Events from the Internet Public Library
http://www.ipl.org/div/subject/browse/ref55.00.00/

Hot Paper Topics from the O'Keefe Library at St. Ambrose University
http://library.sau.edu/bestinfo/Hot/hotindex.htm

Hot Topics Supersites from the San Diego State University Library
http://infodome.sdsu.edu/research/guides/hot/supersites.shtml

Finding a Topic tutorial from the Eden-Webster Library on the Web
http://www.library.webster.edu/wbt/t-w1-00.html