Start Your Research Claire Sandbox

Exploratory Search

Once you've picked a general topic, the next step is to learn a little more about it before you commit to it.  Doing background research will help you see how others are talking about your topic, which angles or subtopics are common, and what vocabulary is being used to describe your topic.

You can do background research:

• In simple places like Google to get a quick overview of your topic
• In the database Opposing Viewpoints in Context to see how your topic is discussed in both news and academic sources.

As you explore, pay attention to:

• Common subtopics or themes you could focus on
• Specific groups, places, or time periods that are mentioned
• Common words and vocabulary that appear often

From there, you can broaden or narrow your topic until you land on a clear, researchable topic.

Narrow Your Topic

Are you getting way too many search results that don't seem very relevant to your topic? 

• Try narrowing your topic by discipline, population group, or location.

💡Tip: Did you notice any common themes or subtopics from your background research? That's another way you can narrow your topic!

Broaden Your Topic

Is your topic too narrow?  Are you not finding any sources that seem relevant? Your topic may be too narrow.

Consider:

• Is your topic too new or recent? There might not be any articles out there yet.
• Think of similar topics and see if they have been more heavily researched.
• Broaden your topic by removing one or move of its elements.