Library Help: ENGL 3764 Technical Writing: Develop a Topic
Developing a Topic Tutorial
Developing a topic can be challenging. Check out the video below for more information and tips on developing a topic.
Picking a Topic
Developing your research topic is a continuous process. Watch this video from NCSU Libraries to help you get started. Then, use the news sources below to start exploring potential topics.
Background Information
Picking Your Topic IS Research
What does this mean? As you consider possible topics for your research process, you will need to learn more about them and build your background knowledge. News and information sources created for popular audiences are great starting points.
As you explore the news sources below which focus on higher education generally, ask yourself & your group member:
- Why did you choose this topic?
- Does it interest you?
- Does it fit your assignment parameters?
- What do you know about this topic?
- Brainstorm lists of your knowledge
- Consider making a concept map. (See Utah State University Libraries Concept Map Directions. )
- What do you need to learn about this topic?
- What's missing from your concept map?
- Step back and ask yourself: "Is this topic a good fit for the assignment?"
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News
- Chronicle of Higher EducationThe Chronicle of Higher Education provides full text HTML articles from the publication back to 1970.
- Collegiate TimesExplore articles from VT's student newspaper.
- Newspaper Source Plus from EBSCOhostNewspaper Source Plus indexes citations, abstracts, and full text from more than 860 newspapers. Full-text articles are available in PDF format.The database covers major newspapers and television and radio news transcripts. 1985-present.