ENG 210: Get Started
Selecting a topic
Readings
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Look through your readings or the news for ideas on what to write about. What sounds interesting to you? What do you want to know more about?
Personal Experience
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Research something that is personal. What are you interested in? What makes you angry? What needs to change in the world? The possibilities are endless.
Research Tip - Keywords
Developing the proper keywords is a crucial step in the research process. Use the overview stage to help you find the best terms for searching and to develop a search strategy. Look carefully for synonyms as well as broader and narrower ways to refer to your topic.
- Choosing and Using Keywords TutorialMaui College librarians created this tutorial on choosing and using keywords.
- Identifying Keywords (From Indiana University)A simple one-page handout on discovering and using keywords.
- Search Strategy Worksheet (From Hunter College)A simple worksheet to help you identify relevant keywords as well as put them together to search for information.
- Hunter College video on keywords and search strategyThis 5 1/2 minute video offers a nice introduction to keywords an their power when searching.
Getting Started: Encyclopedias & Dictionaries
Begin your research by searching for background information on your topic, using one of the Reference Databases listed below.
- Credo Reference
Provides full-text access to a large digital collection of reference materials. In addition to dictionaries and encyclopedias, biographies, maps and images are available.
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Google Search -- Search around on Google to practice your keywords and see if there is information on your topic. Get an overview by reading a short web article.
Other Ideas
The following databases offer in-depth, non-biased introductions to many of today's important issues. Additionally, these sources may assist you in discovering a topic:
If you are studying a local topic, be sure to consult the Researching Local Issues LibGuide.
