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Selected resources for choosing a research topic:
Selected library databases to search for topic suggestions. If not logged in through MyEFSC, you must log in to databases with your EFSC username & password (the one you use to log in to Canvas). |
Before you start searching for resources, it is helpful to perform steps like the ones shown here:
You have decided on a topic you want to research: Eating and teenagers
Now, create a Research Question about that topic: What is the relationship between teenage eating habits and health problems?
Step 1: Break this research question into its main concepts:
teenage
eating habits
health problems
Step 2: Brainstorm keywords for each of these three main concepts:
Try thinking of synonyms and related terms. A thesaurus may be helpful.
teenage | eating habits | health problems |
teenager(s) teen(s) adolescent(s) adolescence youth |
eating eating habits food food habits diet(s) nutrition nutritional habits |
health health problems disease(s) well being sickness disorders obesity |
Step 3: Choose where to search first - inside the Library Catalog interface? Or inside a database?
Step 4: Combine your terms in various combinations in the search boxes. What kinds of results do you get? Can you find one or more that connect to your research question and how you want to write about it?
Step 5: Keep searching, using different combinations of your keywords, synonyms, and related-words, to find more resources to use in your writing.