In some cases, your professor or instructor will give you a topic. In others, you need to come up with your own. Here are some places to get ideas:
Starting with a research question means approaching your research with curiosity and an open mind. You should let your question guide you both in practical terms of helping you come up with search terms (keywords) as well as in avoiding bias by assuming you know the outcome or answer.
Check out this tutorial from Arizona State Libraries to get started:
Watch this short video from NC State University Libraries about choosing a research topic.
You will need to use keywords to search for information online and in library resources. Follow this guidance to identify keywords that will be useful for searching.
This graphic emphasizes how reading various sources can play a role in defining your research topic.
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