Researching a Topic Worksheet
Step 1. Write down your broad topic idea:
Step 2. List some of the aspects of your topic you might want to investigate. Here are two different approaches that you might try:
Approach #1: List one or more subtopics you wish to explore...
Subtopic:
Subtopic:
Subtopic:
Approach #2: List possible questions about your topic you might wish your research to focus on:
Who?
What?
Where?
Why?
When?
How?
Step 3. Draft a possible thesis or problem statement:
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Step 4. Considering your thesis or problem statement, list as many terms as you can think of
which might be useful in a subject or keyword search for materials. Consider synonyms
or word variations.
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Step 5. Search CENTRA (CMU's online catalog) or another library catalog to locate the citation of a book that relates to your topic.
Subject you searched: ______________________________________________
Author: __________________________________________________________
Title: ____________________________________________________________
Publisher: ____________________________________
Date: _______________
Call number: ______________________________________________________
What other subject headings are suggested? ________________________________________________________________
Step 6. Search a database such as ABI/Inform, ERIC, or Health Reference Center-
Academic and locate a citation for an article on your topic.
Index you searched: _____________________________________________
Subject you searched: _____________________________________________
Article title: ______________________________________________
Author(s) if given: _________________________________________________
Title of periodical: _________________________________________________
Volume number ______ Issue number (if any) ______
Page number(s) _________
Date: ___________________________________
Other useful subject headings or descriptors that were listed: ___________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________
