Starting a research project is challenging when you don’t yet know much about the topic. Invest some time in conducting preliminary research in reference sources. Even Wikipedia can provide an overview of a topic but should be read with a critical lens. These background sources likely won’t be included in your research paper, but they will help you focus your research question.
Picking a research topic can be challenging for some students. This video (1 minute 54 seconds) from Washtenaw Community College can help you tap into your interests and expertise to explore compelling research topics.
"Choosing a Topic" by Washtenaw Community College Library is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
This video (4:00) explains the difference between popular information sources like newspapers, magazines, and trade journals, and scholarly journals.