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In this class, we will:
Worksheet: Compare and Contrast Peer Reviewed Journal Articles
Articles for review:
Humanities:
Social Sciences:
Sciences:
This page will take you through the process of topic exploration.
You will follow these steps:
Use this worksheet to keep track of your notes on your own topic exploration:
Topic exploration can provide a basic understanding of the various aspects of your topic and give you a basic vocabulary of the topic that will help you in later searching. One of the best places to start is Wikipedia. Most Wikipedia entries include basic facts (who, what, where, when, why and how) along with vocabulary and references. While we strongly recommend that you start with Wikipedia, it won't be one of the references in your reference list. What you learn in a Wikipedia entry will be too general to be cited as a source.
This short video will also explain the process to select a topic for a research assignment.
The websites below offer a variety of subject areas for you to explore for topics.
Topic exploration gives you a chance to learn a little about your topic before deciding on a final topic for your assignment. Use the questions below, or the Topic Exploration Worksheet to guide you in topic exploration.
Now is a great time to start a mind map with what you know and you'll add to it as you move through the next steps of exploration.
Find a Wikipedia* entry that is related to your topic
* Wikipedia is a great source for topic exploration - it has basic facts, background information and, often, a lot of references that will lead you to better sources. But it’s not appropriate to use it as a reference in your assignment.
Use your favorite search engine to find a website about your topic.
Once you have investigated your subtopics, choose one that you'd like to learn more about. Write a short description of the topic you will research.
When making your final selection for your topic, remember that this is something you will be learning more about for a few weeks to a few months. Make sure that you find it interesting and want to learn more about it.
At each step in the research process, your topic will continue to evolve. Topic exploration will take you through an evolution of your topic from a big idea to a smaller idea, and after some background research, a research question.