Where do I begin when I don't know much about the topic?
Many of us do a Google search when we want to find basic facts on a topic. Often, the most common source for this is Wikipedia. The Library provides additional background sources:
- Need to find economic facts about a country? Try this database: Economist Intelligence Unit.
- Want to know the family background of a literary figure? Check the Gale Dictionary of Literary Biography.
- Looking for details on a work of art? It's probably in Oxford Art Online.
If you want to know how to find background sources like these, ask a librarian. If you prefer to find out on your own, try these resources from Concordia Library:
Example
You are interested in exploring the topic of happiness. That's a BIG topic. Let's see what else we can find out about it.
The Table of Contents might give you some ideas for subtopics
You could look at subject-specific encyclopedias. For example, are there any encyclopedias of emotions, well-being, or psychology?
In fact, Concordia Library has a few of these:
Encyclopedia of emotion
Encyclopedia of quality of life research
Encyclopedia of social psychology
Textbooks are designed to identify for students key aspects of a topic. Your textbook might outline controversies, provide a timeline, or describe the different schools of thought on a topic.
Look at the table of contents for a few books related to your topic. In the example below, each chapter is about 20 to 25 pages long. That should give you an idea of what you can fit into a paper of that length.
Talk to your professor about possible topics. Keep in mind that you should do some background reading and bring along a few ideas of your own.
Of course! It all depends on your topic. You could:
- Browse news websites (or search one of the Library's news databases).
- Ask your professor to name a key journal in your discipline, and browse the latest issues.
- Ask a librarian to recommend some different places to look.
Also, every discipline has its own way of addressing a topic.
For example: Say your topic is happiness. A sociologist, a psychologist, an economist and a historian would all approach the topic differently. Your textbook will analyze a topic according to the methods of your discipline, which is probably what your professor wants you to do too.
Tip: How does Wikipedia work?
