Consider the following:
Choose a topic that you are interested in.
Choose a topic that is manageable to complete.
If too broad - you will have difficulty covering all of the necessary material.
If too narrow, you may have difficulty finding material published or locally available on your topic.
Use reference sources to explore your topic or subject interest
Identify and make a note of terms and concepts relevant to your topic
Identify scholars and individuals important to your subject area
Gather background knowledge on your topic
Encyclopaedia Britannica Online Academic Edition, containing over 73,000 articles, is a comprehensive, convenient, and accurate resource from which one can begin his or her research. Several bonus features are included in this online reference tool: Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary and Thesaurus; thousands of photographs, illustrations, and sound files; complementary Web site hot links; hundreds of relevant videos; hot links from Encyclopaedia Britannica articles to related magazine and journal articles from EBSCO and ProQuest online databases; World Data containing information and customizable charts and tables about nations of the world; over 4,000 Notable Quotations from historical and contemporary important men and women; and Gateway to the Classics, 225 works by 140 significant writers of the Western world.
Gale Virtual Reference Library is a database of encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research. These reference materials once were accessible only in the library, but now you can access them online from the library orremotely 24/7. Because each library creates its own eBook collection, the content you see may vary if you use the database at different libraries (your school, your public library, or your office).
Contextual information and opinions on hundreds of today's hottest social issues. Drawing on the acclaimed Greenhaven Press series, the solution features continuously updated viewpoints, topic overviews, full-text magazines, academic journals, news articles, primary source documents, statistics, images, videos, audio files and links to vetted websites.
Test your topic
Is it original
Has someone already answered your research question?
Test the “So what” factor
Is it relevant?
Is the answer obvious?
Why would your audience be interested?
Is it feasible to complete
Booth, Wayne C., et al. Planning your Project" The Craft of Research. Chicago UP, pp. 29-64. [Q180.55.M4B66 2016]
Focused topic:How are online users experiencing or addressing privacy issues on social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook?
Keep notes to map your information gathering process
Use a format (digital or print) that works for you