Researching Current Events & Issues: Selecting a Topic

Choose a topic that is interesting and meaningful to you.

Take advantage of an opportunity to learn about something you've wanted to know more about in the past, but didn't have the time to explore. Or perhaps there's a problem at work that you would like to solve, which you could turn into a topic.

Be sure to talk to your instructor (and librarian!) about your topic. Instructors enjoy reading papers from students who are engaged and interested in their research paper topics.

photo credit: Jurnasyanto Sukarno—epa/Corbis

Interesting topics are everywhere – in newspaper articles, on the radio and television, in blogs and newsfeeds, and in everyday conversations and places. 

Suggestions for places to find interesting topics include:

Library Research Databases

• TOPICsearch (EBSCO's searchable current events database) 
   
• CQ Researcher (check out the Recent Reports or the Browse by Topic option) 
   
• Issues & Controversies (check out the Need a Topic? section)