Lindell Library: History: Pick a Topic

Pick a Manageable Topic

It can be tough to pick a research topic! Here are some ways to get started:

Use one of the reference databases below. Like Wikipedia, each of these databases help you understand a topic, but they have more reliable information and usually have a list of sources at the bottom of each page.
Meet with a librarian. Helping students find a topic is part of our job! A 30-minute meeting with a librarian will help you get started quickly. Click on the "Need Help?" button at the top of the screen to get help now.
Think about a manageable topic. For example: you can't fit the whole story of Rosa Parks into a paper. Focus on something detailed:
- You might write about her role in the Montgomery bus boycott.
- Then, you focus even more: how did she relate to other organizers during the boycott? How did the media portray her?

Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Similar to Wikipedia, but actually written by experts, this collection of more than 400 reference books will help you learn general information about your topic from quality information sources. Includes thousands of topic pages and images. Mind maps illustrate relationships between topics.
Gale ebooks This link opens in a new window
Search thousands of electronic reference books on every subject from leading publishers. Search all titles simultaneously or browse titles by collection.
Oxford Reference This link opens in a new window
Similar to Wikipedia, but with better information, Oxford Reference has more than two million articles from dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference sources on every subject from archaeology to zoology. Search individual titles or all titles simultaneously.