Choosing a topic without doing some background research on it can result in a topic that is too narrow or too broad to write a research paper on. Watch the short video above to help you conceptualize how a usable (and interesting) research topic is formed by tweaking the topic as you go.

Source: NCSU Libraries

Forming a Research Question: Where to Start?

College and university-level research assignments are often somewhat open-ended. When you're choosing a topic, consider what interests you. Choose something that you feel passionate about whether that feeling is curiosity, excitement, or even frustration!

Using a tool like a KWHL Chart can help you clarify what the nature of your interest in a topic is and point you in the direction of where to start the research process. First consider what you Know about that topic, then determine what you Want to know. Next, form a plan of action for How you'll find that information. Finally, summarize what you have Learned.

Ex. James was instructed to write a research paper on Othello for their English class and to reference existing literary criticism. They decided to jot down some notes in a KWHL Chart to organize their thoughts and brainstorm what databases to search for sources:

  Every question has a singular answer

• Not necessarily! Experts disagree with each other all the time (the collective pool of these debates is what we call scholarly discourse). Even when it comes to scientifically tested data, new information is always being produced that complicates the answers to our questions.

  Research is a linear process

• Research is more like an expedition into a new landscape than it is a short trip down a straight road. Most of the time research questions are complicated enough that finding all the relevant information requires looking in more than one location and experimenting with a variety of search strategies. Sometimes you may even find yourself retracing your steps or starting over. This is normal, so don't feel discouraged!

  Google is a sufficient search tool

• For academic-level research, Google will rarely find the quality sources you need. Part of this has to do with the fact that the Google algorithm isn't designed to find the most relevant results for your search, but instead is intended to show you the links it thinks you're most likely to click on. Remember, your clicks make someone money, so use Google sparingly and with a critical eye!

  Freely available internet resources are sufficient for academic work

• Free online resources are often popular sources as opposed to scholarly sources which tend to live behind paywalls. The Library pays for your access to these high-value scholarly sources by subscribing to academic databases, so you can still find the information you need at no additional cost to yourself. The one exception to this rule is that there is an Open Access Movement in academia to make more scholarly resources freely available to the public. If you're interested in Open Access, ask a librarian what sites are credible!

  All library resources are credible

• The library ensures equitable, free access to information for the HCC community, but ultimately it is up to you to evaluate a library resource as accurate, credible, and useful for your academic purposes. For guidance on how to make that call, check out the Evaluating a Source page of this guide!

Source: Predictable Information Literacy Misconceptions of First-Year College Students (Hinchliffe, Rand, & Collier)