SOC 212: Principles of Sociology (Avedikian ): Choose a Topic
Turn Your Topic Into a Research Question
- How to create a research questionTool for creating a research question and keywords
Choosing a Topic
If you are allowed to choose your topic, pick one that you are interested in; this will make your research experience more enjoyable. Remember: you and your topic are going to be spending a lot of time together over the next few weeks! The links below provide lots of ideas:
- New York Times TopicsEach topic page collects all the news, reference and archival information, photos, graphics, audio and video files published on topics ranging from A M Castle & Company to Zyuganov, Gennadi A. This treasure trove is available without charge on articles going back to 1981.
- Idea GeneratorThe Idea Generator, from Old Dominion University Libraries, contains a wide assortment of ideas, organized under broad categories. Click on a category and browse through a variety of key words and phrases; then explore the ideas using encyclopedias and other reference sources to devise a more specific topic.
Using Google for your Research
Places to Explore Topics
- Brookings InstituteThe Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC. Our mission is to conduct in-depth research that leads to new ideas for solving problems facing society at the local, national and global level.
- Intelligence Squared U.S. - Research for Archived DebatesBased on the highly successful debate program in London, Intelligence Squared, the U.S. version of IQ2 discusses and debates today's most important issues. "Since its inception in 2006, the goals have been to provide a new forum for intelligent discussion, grounded in facts and informed by reasoned analysis; to transcend the toxically emotional and the reflexively ideological; and to encourage recognition that the opposing side has intellectually respectable views."
- Pew Research CenterPew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. We conduct public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research. We do not take policy positions.
- ProCon.org"ProCon.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit nonpartisan public charity that provides well-sourced pro, con, and related research on more than 50 controversial issues, from gun control and death penalty to illegal immigration and alternative energy. With more than 12,000 pages of highly curated, referenced content, ProCon.org provides a platform for people to question information, evaluate opposing views, and debate them in a respectful way."
- RAND CorporationFounded in 1948, RAND “helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis.”
Map it!
Mapping out your topic can be a highly effective organizational tool. Begin with your broad topic in the center of the map. After gathering some background information from an encyclopedia and a web site or two, add some subtopics directly off the main topic, as shown below, in the green bubbles. These are different 'lenses,' through which to view the larger topic. The concepts extending from there (blue bubbles) can help you refine your topic and determine what aspect you want to focus your research on. It's important to note that the parameters of your assignment will also help you determine how broad, or narrow your topic should be. See the box below for examples of turning your topic into a research question.
