Choosing a research topic can be tricky. Here are some tips to help you get started with selecting and developing your topic.
Brainstorm - Brainstorm different areas of interest and topic ideas. You can check the following places for inspiration.
Explore and test out your topic idea - try searching for your topic online and in library databases to see what you find. Are you finding information that you can use for your research assignment? Is what you are finding interesting to you?
Scope your topic - sometimes a topic can be too broad or too narrow to start. Refine your topic with these tips
Talk to an expert - Contact your librarian. Research which faculty members and graduate students at Emory specialize in the area you are researching. Reach out via email and see if they have the time to chat with you about resources, texts, or authors you should look into while you are researching your topic. While they may not be able to read your research proposal they will be able to recommend additional reading to help you develop your research topic.
Reference Sources provide you contextual information and an overview of the critical historical events and figures. They are written based on primary and secondary sources. These are good are for familiarizing yourself with your research area.
Reference sources can: