LibGuides: Library Services for Students: Topic Exploration

Getting Started with a Research Topic

Narrowing down a research topic is one of the most difficult parts of starting a project. The resources below are reference sources; they provide short, factual articles about a variety of topics. As you read the articles, take note of ideas and keywords that you'd like to learn more about. You can search for those ideas in the reference source or in OneSearch.

Librarians are also happy to help you explore your topic! Contact a subject librarian for personal assistance.

Credo Reference Online
This online reference library provides access to a large number of encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesauri and other reference books. Subjects covered include art, biography, history, literature, music, religion, science, and technology.
Gale In Context Opposing Viewpoints
This database's resources are divided into topics which contains numerous full-text pieces further categorized by the nature of their material: viewpoints (essays), reference, statistics, magazines and newspapers, images, primary documents and web sites. It covers today's hottest social issues, from capital punishment to immigration to marijuana. Cross-curricular in nature, this research database supports science, social studies, current events, and language arts classes. Informed, differing views help learners develop critical-thinking skills and draw their own conclusions.
Oxford Reference Online
You can click on subjects to explore online encyclopedias published by Oxford University Press.
Points of View Reference Source
Points of View Reference Center is a full-text database designed to provide students with a series of essays that present multiple sides of a current issue. The database provides 250 topics, each with an overview (objective background, or description), point (argument), counterpoint (opposing argument), and Critical Thinking Guide. The database also offers guides to debate, developing arguments, and writing position papers.