Pick either a topic or a discipline that you’re already interested in and start your search there.

Many specialized academic articles are interested in contributing to knowledge in the discipline. But articles such as the one you’re writing are about intellectual stimulation and entertainment. As you read the articles, think about people beyond that original, specialized audience. What are the implications of the work for readers in the wider world? What aspects might interest them? Entertain them? Frighten them?

As you’re looking for images to use, think about both the specific content of the article as well as adjectives or emotions it suggests. An article about climate change, for example, might use images of polar bears or icebergs, but it might also use creative images such as a snow shovel, a beach pail full of sand, or even a composite image including a snowball and fire.