Library and Research Skills Micro-Course

Many students, when they first get a research assignment that let's them pick a topic, struggle with how to pick one that is manageable and fits the assignment. Here are steps to help:

1. What question do you want to answer in your paper (or other project)?

A college-level paper (unlike most high school papers which only summarize one or more sources) usually requires you to craft a sufficiently narrow, discipline-specific question that you then attempt to answer in the body of your paper, using reliable sources to back up your arguments. As you think of a topic, always keep in mind the end product should be in the form of a question.

• Start by identifying a topic that interests you. The exact focus of the topic/question (and answer) will likely change as you start reading the literature on it.
• If you're not sure where to start, try scanning your textbook, course readings/ or lecture notes for ideas.
• If you're really stuck, ask your instructor for ideas or guidance.

2. Get some background information about your topic.

• Once you have an idea for a starting topic, do background reading. Search for a Wikipedia or encyclopedia entry directly related to your topic. This will equip you with the necessary knowledge and terminology to find sources and write about the topic.
  • For example, if my topic is related to teens and video gaming culture, I could scan or read the Wikipedia article on video game addiction.
• You don't use this kind of information as a cited source in your paper, but getting an understanding of the scope and history of your topic and terminology related to it is essential. Doing this helps you understand the place of your topic in the wider discipline, understand the jargon often used in scholarly sources, and give you ideas for possible narrower aspects to investigate, as well as the names of important people, places, theories, laws, etc. (i.e., terminology that can be used when searching the scholarly literature) related to your topic.

Example starting topic: Use of military gear and tactics by police > Wikipedia article (Militarization of Police).

3. Narrow your topic and put it in the form of a question

Once you have a broad starting topic of interest you likely need to narrow it. Start by doing some brainstorming about your topic. The end goal (and you'll have a better sense of this once you do some background reading) is finding a question whose possible answer(s) are manageable and open to your ideas, arguments or interpretations. Here are a couple of example starting broad topics and more focused research questions derived from them:

• Use of military gear and tactics by police > How has the use of military-style gear changed the riot control tactics and behavior of local U.S. law enforcement? Background reading: Wikipedia: Militarization of Police
• History of the science fiction genre > How did the invention of steam engines influence the development of science fiction literature? Background reading: Wikipedia: History of Science Fiction
• Anti-bullying programs > A comparison of three secondary school anti-bullying programs: Which has better outcomes? Background reading: StopBullying.gov

Questions that are too broad [+ focused and open-ended versions]

• What is diversity in the workplace? [instead: What kinds of successes and failures have social media companies seen with recent diversity initiatives? or How does workplace satisfaction impact employee perceptions of diversity initiatives?]
• Do bicycle lanes work? [instead: What impact do urban bicycle lanes have on traffic safety? or How has the construction of bicycle lanes in Buffalo impacted downtown businesses?]

Lastly, a couple other things to consider as you begin any research project:

• Assess your knowledge vs your assumptions

Research writing should be as objective as possible. However, biases (we all have them) can get in the way of this. Our world view, beliefs, and experiences can create blind spots in how we interact with information. One such blind spot is called confirmation bias. This universal bias has been extensively studied and influences how we seek, understand and remember information. At it's most basic, this means we subconsciously tend to gravitate to information that confirms our existing beliefs. One way to combat these kinds of inherent human biases is to take stock of your own beliefs and how they may color your view of the topic.

• Think about how information is traditionally produced and disseminated

Be aware that most information is created within a system with human biases built into it. These biases have traditionally raised up white, male, Western voices, while downplaying or silencing other, culturally marginalized or non-Western ones. In other words, what is published and promoted as accepted knowledge or main stream theory is sometimes a reflection of the existing power structures within that society or specific discipline.