Choosing a Topic and Getting an Overview

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Often students will be assigned a topic for a research project. If you are free to choose your own topic, consult course materials, such as textbooks and handouts, to get ideas, and consult your instructor to make sure your topic is appropriate. Sometimes conducting an Internet search may give you an idea for a topic.

Once you’ve chosen an appropriate topic, an overview can help you determine the kinds of issues you should consider.

General Encyclopedias

General encyclopedias, such as Britannica Online and the Columbia Encyclopedia, provide basic information about many topics. Your library will likely have one or more general encyclopedias, available either on the shelf or through the library’s digital portal. Often, encyclopedias are part of an online reference package. Wikipedia, too, offers a wealth of information, and it is often the first stop for students who are accustomed to consulting the Internet first for information. Be aware, though, that Wikipedia is user generated rather than traditionally published, and for this reason, the quality of information found there can be inconsistent. Many instructors do not consider Wikipedia a reliable source, so you should ask your teacher for advice on consulting it at this stage. Whichever general encyclopedia you consult, bear in mind that general encyclopedias should be used only for an overview of a topic; the information is not sufficiently in-depth to be an appropriate resource for college research.

Specialized Encyclopedias and Other Overview Resources

Specialized, or subject-specific, encyclopedias cover topics in more depth than general encyclopedias do. Here are some examples:

Encyclopedia of Computer Science and Technology

Encyclopedia of Addictions

Encyclopedia of Global Warming and Climate Change

Encyclopedia of Human Rights

The Encyclopedia of Punk

Grove Dictionary of Art or Grove Art Online

In addition to providing an overview of a topic, specialized encyclopedias often include an explanation of issues related to the topic, definitions of specialized terminology, and selective bibliographies of additional sources. As starting points, specialized encyclopedias have two distinct advantages:

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  1. They provide a comprehensive introduction to your topic, including the key terms you will need to find relevant material in catalogs and databases.
  2. They present subtopics, enabling you to see many possibilities for focusing your research.

Frequently, libraries prepare guides to a subject—lists of reliable sources on popular topics. A guide can offer very useful suggested resources for research, so check your library to find out if such a guide is available. You may also find resources that provide good overviews of topics, such as CQ Researcher. A reference librarian can help point you in the right direction.