A good topic idea can from anywhere... personal experiences, suggestions from friends and classmates, your textbook, a television show, your own curiosity, you name it! Pick a topic that you are truly interested in so that in addition to getting your assignment done- you'll also enjoy learning about your topic. 

If you are having trouble coming up with something, here are two good places to look around for topic ideas:

• CQ Researcher
• CREDO Reference

After you select your topic, you'll need to gather some background information. Background information provides an overview of a broad topic and can help you form a better, narrower idea of what you want to research. This kind of information is generally found in an encyclopedia and other reference books, or by doing a quick scan of an internet search. 

What do you want to know? "To Research" means to find out about something; you must first ask a question in order to discover or develop any idea. Starting with a good question will give you a tremendous advantage in research and writing. A research question is an open-ended beginning to your process. Often, the answer to the question will lead you to your thesis statement (NOT the other way around, please!). 

Examples of good research questions include:

• Should cell phone use while driving be banned?
• How does the media affect the body image and wellness of teenagers?
• Should the use of marijuana for medical purposes be legalized?

Developing Research Questions and Search Words