Consider your own interests. You'll learn more if you're invested in the results of your work.
Read your assignment carefully. Select an appropriate topic from your instructions or create a short list of possible interests.
Preliminary research. Get background information, discover new ideas, and see whether researchers have published sources on your topic.
Develop an initial question. Ask a question that can be answered by exploring library resources and other materials. For example, "How did the industrial revolution impact American women?" or "How are healthcare workers portrayed in 21st century television?"
Adjust your topic as needed. Your first idea doesn't have to be your final research question! Fine-tune your topic based on available resources or new interests.
Authoritative background information on a variety of subjects.
Note: Only 5 UMSL users can access the Oxford Reference database simultaneously. Please close out of Oxford Reference when you are finished using it. If full text is not available to UMSL through Oxford Reference, check the UMSL & MOBIUS Catalogs and request any unavailable items through UMSL's Interlibrary Loan service.
Consider your own interests. You'll learn more if you're invested in the results of your work.
