Transcript available from NC State University Libraries.

You can also view— Pre-Research Strategies to Begin Any Assignment. This video shares ways to brainstorm and gather information before committing to a topic or defining an argument.

Choosing an interesting research topic is your first challenge. Here are some tips:

• Choose a topic you find interesting! The process is more engaging if you care about your topic.
• Review the guidelines on topic selection outlined in your assignment and ask your professor for suggestions.
• Refer to lecture notes and required texts to refresh your knowledge of the course and assignment.
• Talk about research ideas with a friend.  They may be able to help focus your topic by discussing issues that didn't occur to you at first.
• Think of the who, what, when, where and why questions:
  • WHY did you choose the topic?  What interests you about it?  Do you have an opinion about the issues involved?
  • WHO are the information providers on this topic?  Who might publish information about it?  Who is affected by the topic?  Do you know of organizations or institutions affiliated with the topic?
  • WHAT are the major questions for this topic?  Is there a debate about the topic?  Are there a range of issues and viewpoints to consider?
  • WHERE is your topic important: at the local, national or international level?  Are there specific places affected by the topic?
  • WHEN is/was your topic important?  Is it a current event or an historical issue?  Do you want to compare your topic by time periods?

Adapted from MIT Libraries