Research

Strategies for Finding Your Original Research Ideas

The difficulty of conceptualizing and writing a research paper is moving from an interest to a topic and, as if that isn’t difficult enough, moving from that topic to an actual research question and problem which you will then present, as an argument, in your paper.

Research Topic: an interest specific enough to support research that one might plausibly report on – the narrower the better.

Ex: Schizophrenia and the Cold War in A Beautiful Mind

Research Question: a question about your topic worth asking and answering:

Ex: Is there a connection between Nashe’s schizophrenia and Cold War anxiety in a Beautiful Mind? Why was this film made now, in 2001/2?

Research Problem: the “So What” of the research question – what is the question’s significance, consequences, motivations? And this problem, when you answer it, becomes your thesis:

Ex: The release of Ron Howard’s A Beautiful Mind, a film that reflects Cold War anxiety as the neurosis of one American economist with schizophrenia, in the end of 2001 is not coincidental. The post-September 11th film signals not only the return of war anxiety for American viewers, but it also depicts an American split consciousness between a national economic project and an international human rights campaign that uncannily connects with issues at stake in the current terrorist conflict.

10 Tips for Finding Your Original Idea

A topic is too broad if you can state it in fewer than four or five words.
use verbs! Rather than have a conflict, make things conflict, rather than have a description, describe, rather than show a contribution, have something contribute.
Know your question: what are its parts? What bigger picture is it a part of? What is its history and how has it changed? What are its characteristics? What is its value, and to whom?
Name your topic, suggest questions, and motivate your question with “So What”
Be open to resources that are always all around you – be creative in your research
Ask for help
Look for problems as you read
Look for problems as you write
Have a research plan – where will you start?
Read critically and evaluate your sources

Online Guides

General Woodruff Libraries Research Guides Page
The research guides page features both general research guides as well as discipline and course specific guides.

The English and North American Literature Subject Guide
A good research starting point for undergraduates taking English classes.

Woodruff Library Citation Styles, Style Manuals, and Plagiarism
Features resources such as the citation managing software, EndNote. The citation style guides and links were last revised in 2002 and are currently undergoing revision to reflect the newest versions of MLA and APA.

The Rhetoric Page at Kettering University
There are a wealth of Rhetoric and Composition resources indexed here.

Callaway North 205A | (404) 727-0886


	Research Strategies \| 10 Tips \| Online Guides Strategies for Finding Your Original Research Ideas The difficulty of conceptualizing and writing a research paper is moving from an interest to a topic and, as if that isn’t difficult enough, moving from that topic to an actual research question and problem which you will then present, as an argument, in your paper. Research Topic: an interest specific enough to support research that one might plausibly report on – the narrower the better. Ex: Schizophrenia and the Cold War in A Beautiful Mind Research Question: a question about your topic worth asking and answering: Ex: Is there a connection between Nashe’s schizophrenia and Cold War anxiety in a Beautiful Mind? Why was this film made now, in 2001/2? Research Problem: the “So What” of the research question – what is the question’s significance, consequences, motivations? And this problem, when you answer it, becomes your thesis: Ex: The release of Ron Howard’s A Beautiful Mind, a film that reflects Cold War anxiety as the neurosis of one American economist with schizophrenia, in the end of 2001 is not coincidental. The post-September 11th film signals not only the return of war anxiety for American viewers, but it also depicts an American split consciousness between a national economic project and an international human rights campaign that uncannily connects with issues at stake in the current terrorist conflict. 10 Tips for Finding Your Original Idea A topic is too broad if you can state it in fewer than four or five words. use verbs! Rather than have a conflict, make things conflict, rather than have a description, describe, rather than show a contribution, have something contribute. Know your question: what are its parts? What bigger picture is it a part of? What is its history and how has it changed? What are its characteristics? What is its value, and to whom? Name your topic, suggest questions, and motivate your question with “So What” Be open to resources that are always all around you – be creative in your research Ask for help Look for problems as you read Look for problems as you write Have a research plan – where will you start? Read critically and evaluate your sources Online Guides General Woodruff Libraries Research Guides Page The research guides page features both general research guides as well as discipline and course specific guides. The English and North American Literature Subject Guide A good research starting point for undergraduates taking English classes. Woodruff Library Citation Styles, Style Manuals, and Plagiarism Features resources such as the citation managing software, EndNote. The citation style guides and links were last revised in 2002 and are currently undergoing revision to reflect the newest versions of MLA and APA. The Rhetoric Page at Kettering University There are a wealth of Rhetoric and Composition resources indexed here. Callaway North 205A \| (404) 727-0886