LibGuides: SCLA 101: Brainstorming

Brainstorming

If you're having trouble choosing a research topic, try the following tips and tools.

Option 1: find something that interests you personally.

Current social or political controversies
- Things you've may have seen in news stories, blog posts, and/or social media
Personal curiosity
- Has something come up recently in conversations with friends, coworkers, family, or peers (in class) that you want to know more about?
Problem-solving
- Is there a personal, cultural, societal, or regional problem or issue that you want to learn more about in order to find a solution?
Your major
- Have you learned anything in your classes that you want to explore further?

Option 2: Conversations

One of the above tips is to learn about what other people are currently interested in that you want to know more about it. If you go this route, you must learn how to listen.
- Sometimes we let others talk and simply wait quietly for them to finish, in order to take our turn to talk in return. But for this technique, you need to really listen to what they're saying, and how they're saying it, with the intent to learn, not with the intent to respond.

Option 3: Freewrite

Give your mind a chance to show you what's inside your brain.

Set a timer for about 5 minutes
Write down (or type) whatever comes to mind.
- DO NOT edit yourself as you write/type.
The key is to silence your inner critic to uncover thoughts and feelings that you may not be aware of.
At the end of the freewrite, simply look at what you wrote and see if there's anything you can explore further.

Where to Look

Visit the following library resources to explore controversial, interesting, and/or current issues for topic ideas.

CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window CQ Researcher is often the first source that librarians recommend when researchers are seeking original, comprehensive reporting and analysis on issues in the news. Founded in 1923 as Editorial Research Reports, CQ Researcher is noted for its in-depth, unbiased coverage of health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy.
Points of View Reference Source This link opens in a new window Points of View Reference Center (Ebsco) is an interface intended for public, academic, and high school libraries. Points of View is designed to assist researchers in understanding the full scope of controversial subjects. High school and undergraduate students can use Points of View as a guide to debating, developing arguments, writing position papers, and developing critical thinking skills. Each Points of View Essay includes a series of questions and additional material to generate further thought. Also included are thousands of supporting articles from the world’s top political and societal publications. The Points of View Debate Blog is a forum for students to express and exchange their unique views on topics in the news.
Statista This link opens in a new window Statista is a statistical database that draws more that 1 million statistics from over 18,000 sources. Dossiers, reports, and infographics are included. Categorized into 21 market sectors, Statista.com provides companies, business customers, research institutions, and the academic community with direct access to quantitative data on media, business, finance, politics, and a wide variety of other areas of interest or markets.

Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Check out the Credo Concept Map feature, below:

Credo Reference: Concept Map

The Credo Reference database is a great place to start when looking for background information about your topic.

Many topics* will include a Concept Map, which displays relevant connections to a central theme and can help you choose or narrow your topic.
In the example below, the search term was "mothman." which retrieved encyclopedia entries and a Concept Map showing connecting areas of interest.
*Note: not all topics will generate a Concept Map.

SCLA 101: Brainstorming