Brainstorming
As with any research project, the first step is generally to select your topic. Reference materials (encyclopedias, dictionaries, bibliographies, etc. . .) can be a great way to get started. These resources offer overviews of thousands of topics and will help you launch into your search for the scholarly resources that you will need to use to support your research. On this page you will find some selections to get you started.
When brainstorming, it can also be helpful to browse popular, non-scholarly resources in order to understand the status of general discourse on your topic and explore diverse viewpoints while developing thesis statement that can be supported with scholarly resources.
Getting Started
- Read your assignment carefully!
- Take note of important elements such as the due date, the format, the length, the type of materials you are expected to use, and any other specific requirements.
- Break down the assignment into elements such as the following:
- Who or what are you researching?
- Are you arguing a specific point of view or analyzing a specific topic?
- What do you know about the topic already?
- Start with brainstorming and background research:
- Explore the assigned topic using broad, informational resources such as encyclopedias and reference databases that will help you understand the context of the topic.
- While you are exploring the topic, look for common terms, themes, and ideas.
- Use the outline of the assignment and your background research to brainstorm topics and thesis statements.
- Support your topic/thesis statement with high-quality resources that meet the requirements of your assignment:
- Scholarly materials (also known as peer-reviewed materials) are often required for academic research projects. This is because these resources must be written by experts in the fields, published in reputable journals, reviewed by other experts, and must be based on quality work.
- The Lyman Beecher Brooks Library has a curated collection of resources that provide you access to excellent, scholarly content. Visit the Library Catalog or the A-Z Database List to get started and consult a Research Guide or Ask a Librarian if you have any questions!
- Scholarly materials (also known as peer-reviewed materials) are often required for academic research projects. This is because these resources must be written by experts in the fields, published in reputable journals, reviewed by other experts, and must be based on quality work.
For more information on planning your research, visit the Writing Center, where professional and accomplished writing consultants will guide you through your writing project.
Encyclopedias & Dictionaries
- Britannica Academic
Britannica Academic provides access to high-quality, comprehensive reference information. Includes access to the Britannica encyclopedia, atlas, world data, the Classics, biographies, news, multimedia, and more. You can also use Britannica Academic to search an Internet directory that includes more than 300,000 links to Web sites selected, rated, and reviewed by Britannica editors. This database also includes the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate® Dictionary.
- Cambridge Core
Cambridge Core is the home of academic content from Cambridge University Press. The collection includes access to nearly one million articles and more than 300 books covering a wide variety of subjects. In addition, users can access more than 100 Cambridge Elements - original, concise, authoritative, and peer-reviewed scholarly and scientific research, organised into focused series edited by leading scholars, and providing comprehensive coverage of the key topics in disciplines spanning the arts and sciences.
- Credo Reference
Credo Reference provides full-text online access to hundreds of multidisciplinary reference book collections, including art, history, law, medicine, psychology, technology, bilingual dictionaries, and encyclopedias through a one-stop search platform. Search results often include articles from a wide array of publications and frequently present subject coverage from multiple perspectives. Using Credo Reference to approach a topic from different viewpoints can be a great way to expand your familiarity with the topic and it can help you develop new arguments and observations for your research.
- Oxford Reference Premium
This reference database includes access to almost 400 dictionaries and encyclopedias of fully-indexed, cross-searchable works published by Oxford University Press with detailed information across a broad subject range of topics.