Showing posts with label term papers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label term papers. Show all posts

Friday, November 4, 2011

Choosing a Topic for a College Research Paper

Three weeks ago I began teaching an information-literacy course.  This one-credit course runs for eight weeks and is called ACAD 1199: Information Research.  In week two we talked about choosing a topic, brainstorming, and narrowing down a topic to a manageable size for a 5-6 page college paper. 

For one of these classes, I created a PowerPoint presentation, outlining some of my ideas and those of Mary W. George, as written in her book The Elements of Library Research: What Every Student Needs to Know.  Quite simply, this presentation is titled "Choosing a Topic."  Take a look at it, and let me know what yo think.  Still, sometimes it is a challenge to know how to help students narrow down a topic to one that interests them but still avoids trying to do too much.

What do you tell students when they need to narrow a topic?

If you are a student currently, what research projects have carried off successfully?  What made it work so well?

"Narrow City."  by Nick Peligno.
This photo seemed appropriate with the topic of narrowing down a topic as it appears that this street gradually gets narrower.  I like the colors, shapes, and lines.  Seems like a fun photo.  Thank you for sharing this Flickr.com, Nick Peligno.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Activity for Narrowing Down a Topic

Today I participated in a good class discussion about academic dishonesty, plagiarism, and narrowing topics down to a manageable size. I split the class in half, and had one set of groups talk about childhood obesity and how it could be broken down into a smaller topic for a 5-6 page paper. The other half of the class talked about "reality TV," and how it is influencing society. They were a great class to work with.

The whole activity took about ten minutes. In groups of 3-5 they discussed various aspects of the topic to consider how it could be narrowed down from a large, book-sized topic to a more workable essay-sized topic. After five minutes, a scribe wrote down answers from the groups on the board, and I inserted comments and suggested ideas. The scribe divided the board in half and wrote the ideas for obesity on one side and for reality tv on the other.

Then I suggested in general terms, that they can always narrow down a topic by population (a demographic), location (geography), and by time period.

Here are some of the results from the group discussions about narrowing a topic:

Childhood obesity

* parenting
* video games/TV (sedentary lifestyles)
* genetics (it's changing)
* future health
* junk food access/availability

"Reality" TV

* perception of reality
* distracts from life
* jackasses (society getting dumber?) Reminds me of Pinocchio movie where the boys play and do bad things, then they become jackasses.
* demographic influence

Narrowing Down a Topic (suggestions from the librarian)

* demographic = population i.e. age group, race, class, single-parent family, income, etc.
* time = last 5 years, last 10 years, the 90s, 19th century, etc.
* location = city, state, region, country, world--even urban, rural, 3rd world, etc.

For the plagiarism discussion, I used a PowerPoint presentation to drive the discussion. Each slide asked a question:
  • What is academic dishonesty?
  • What is plagiarism?
  • What is common knowledge?
  • How can you avoid plagiarism and academic dishonesty?
  • Where can you go for help?

With each question, students wrote down answers on their own piece of paper. Then they discussed their answers with a neighbor before we talked about each question as a class. This method of active learning seems to yield more participation. It leads me to believe that students will more readily accept what they hear from a peer than from their instructor. Also, students like to test their ideas on each other before sharing them with the instructor and the class as a whole.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

CQ Researcher: A Tool to Jump-start Research Projects

CQ Researcher continues to create great reports that can facilitate student research. These reports provide basic background on their topics, which are usually of current interest. The bibliographies point to other sources the students can cite, and the Pro/Con section can point to different viewpoints from respected experts.

The following are some titles of CQ Researcher reports that might be of interest to students who need to decide on a topic for a term paper, project, or speech. If you are a college student or instructor, check your libraries listing of databases. At ISU, CQ Researcher can be found in the alphabetical listing of databases in the C's.

Agriculture
“Biofuels Boom: Can ethanol satisfy America's thirst for foreign oil?” (Sept. 29, 2006)
“Global Food Crisis: What’s causing the rising prices?” (June 27, 2008)
“Factory Farms: Are they the best way to feed the nation?”(Jan. 12, 2007)
Business, Banking, & Economics
“Middle-Class Squeeze: Is more government aid needed?” (Mar. 6, 2009)
“Business Bankruptcy: Are U.S. bankruptcy laws effective?”(Apr. 10, 2009)
“Socially Responsible Investing: Can investors do well by doing good?” (Aug. 29, 2008)
Communications and the Mass Media
“Online Privacy: Do Americans need better protection?”
(Nov. 6, 2009) “Cyberbullying: Are new laws needed to curb online aggression?”
(May 2, 2008) “Conspiracy Theories: Do they threaten democracy?”
(Oct. 23, 2009)
Culture, Sports, and Recreation
“Stolen Antiquities: Should museums return relics to their country of origin?”
(Apr. 13, 2007)
“Extreme Sports: Are they too dangerous?”
(Apr. 3, 2009)
“Prostitution Debate: Should the United State legalize sex work?” (May 23, 2008)
Education
“Student Aid: Will many low-income students be left out? (Jan. 25, 2008)
“The Value of a College Education: Is a four-year degree the only path to a secure future?”(Nov. 20, 2009)
“Drinking on Campus: Have efforts to reduce alcohol abuse failed?” (Aug. 18, 2006)
Employment, Labor, & Income
“Straining the Safety Net: Is joblessness overwhelming aid programs?” (July 31, 2009)
“Rethinking Retirement: Can Americans afford to retire?” (June 19, 2009) “America’s Border Fence: Will it stem the flow of illegal immigrants?” (Sept. 19, 2008)
Energy>
“Confronting Warming: Can states and localities prevent climate change?” (Jan. 9, 2009)
“Coal’s Comeback: Can coal become a clean energy source?” (Oct. 5, 2007)
“Oil Jitters: Are the days of cheap oil gone forever?” (Jan. 4, 2008)
Family and Domestic Life
“Future of Feminism: Are women returning to a 1950’s mindset?” (Apr. 14, 2006) “Cyber Socializing: Are Internet sites such as Myspace potentially dangerous?” (July 28, 2006)
“Sex Offenders: Will tough new laws do more harm than good?” (Sept. 8, 2006)
Health
“Heart Health: Is America ready for the coming cardiac crisis?” (Sept. 12, 2008)
“Regulating Toxic Chemicals: Do we know enough about chemical risks?” (Jan. 23, 2009)
“Stem Cell Research: Is Pres. Bush blocking important medical research?” (Sept. 1, 2006)
Religion
“Religion and Politics: Is President Bush too vocal about his faith?” (July 30, 2004)
“Understanding Islam: Is Islam compatible with Western values?” (Nov. 3, 2006) “Protestants Today: Can U.S. Protestants survive today’s challenges?” (Dec. 7, 2007)
Science & Technology
“Human Spaceflight: Are missions to the moon and Mars feasible?”(Oct. 16, 2009)
“Science in America: Are we falling behind in science and technology?” (Jan. 11, 2008)
“Intelligent Design: Should alternatives to evolution theory be taught?” (July 29, 2005)
Social Movements
“Changing U.S. Electorate: Are demographic trends reshaping U.S. politics?” (May 30, 2008)
“Gay Marriage Showdowns: Will voters bar marriage for same-sex couples?” (Sept. 26, 2008)
“Hate Groups: Is extremism on the rise in the United States?” (May 8, 2009)
War & Conflict
“New Strategy in Iraq: Will President Bush’s troop surge work?” (Feb. 23, 2007)
“Mexico’s Drug War: Is the violence spilling into the U.S.?”(Dec. 12, 2008)
“Cost of the Iraq War: Are economic woes a casualty of unexpectedly high costs?” (Apr. 25, 2008)

Elements of a CQ Researcher Report
  • Overview
  • Background
  • Bibliography
  • Pro/Con Discussion
  • Outlook
  • Current Situation
  • Chronology
  • Maps/Graphs
  • Contacts (Addresses and websites of reputable organizations)
  • Next Step (Additional articles and resources to explore the issue.)
  • “Cite Now!” shows you how to cite in various formats.
  • You can email a pdf copy of the whole report or individual sections.
  • Search by Keyword
  • Browse by Topic or Date

Friday, January 8, 2010

Ideas for Papers & Speeches

Children
• Raising children in affluent America
• Child geniuses: how smart are they?
• Breast feeding vs. the bottle
• How to instill in children a respect for the natural world
• Shy children: causes, concerns, and corrections
• Disciplining children
• Pros & cons of marriage without children

Consumerism
  • Frauds & deceptions in the used automobile market
  • Would the consumer benefit from the breakup of large corporations?
  • How electronic banking affects the consumer
  • Financing abuses: common instances, current regulations, and techniques for avoiding misleading & dishonest practices

Contemporary Issues
  • Should sex education be taught in school?
  • What are human rights?
  • Can democracy survive?
  • Refute/defend: free enterprise & environmental issues are incompatible
  • Substantiate or refute: America recovers from recessions by waging war
  • Objections to legalized gambling
  • The case for a stronger United Nations

Crime & Criminal Justice
  • Police training standards
  • Police weaponry
  • Mental illness among law enforcement officers and national surveys
  • Should prison be abolished?
  • Women behind the badge
  • Child molesters: detection, prevention, and punishment
  • The correlation between education levels and crime

Health
  • Preventive measures for common running injuries
  • New ways to manage stress
  • Problems of health care in rural areas
  • Permanent effects of methamphetamines
  • Exercise and pregnancy
  • Prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the United States vs. other countries or Idaho
  • How the United States controls epidemics

Family Life
• Changes in the American family since the 1950s
• Sex-role changes in the American family
• Complex problems single parents face
• Teenage suicide and families
• How children view divorce
• Why sibling rivalry develops and how to cure it
• Dealing with Alzheimer’s in the family

Essay Ideas
  • Books that changed my life
  • How to teach children manners
  • How to flirt
  • Advantages of honesty
  • Why get married nowadays
  • A little learning is a dangerous thing
  • Absence makes the heart grow stronger
  • Life’s most painful lesson(s)
  • The very best way to make fool of yourself
  • All’s fair in love and war
  • Worst experience I ever had
  • The ‘good old days’ weren’t so great
  • Information overload

The Future
  • Refute or substantiate: “By 2050 the world will consist of two cultures—the permanently rich and the permanently poor
  • Potential energy sources
  • What will be the effects of worldwide overpopulation on the environment?
  • Can acts of international terrorism be forecast? How?
  • United States’ funding of health care

Geography
  • Current immigration issues and their possible solutions
  • Birth defects and their demographic implications
  • Impact of populations on tropical soils
  • What are the geographic dimensions of poverty in the United States? Why?

Food & Drink
  • A comparison of commercial and homemade baby food. Consider nutritive contents, convenience, additives, and appearance.
  • The widespread mechanization of food production has affected food quality. Review some of those changes, both pro and con
  • Cooking with solar energy
  • Bioengineering and food: what’s ahead
  • Are fast foods synonymous with junk food? Evaluate them from a nutritional point of view.

• These ideas come from 10,000 Ideas for Term Papers, Projects, Reports & Speeches. 4th Ed. REFDESK REF LB1047.3 L35 1995. Check Amazon.com for prices of this title in its several editions.

Term Paper, Project, and Speech Ideas

Websites with Ideas for Topics

Speech Topics Help, Advice & Ideas

Good Speech Topics

Best Essay Topics: Essay Topics Suggestion

About.com: Homework/Study Tips

Custom Writing: Top 50 Ideas for Argumentative/Persuasive Essay Topics

Find ideas for all kinds of speeches and papers: persuasive, argumentative, funny, popular, demonstrative, definition, controversial, compare/contrast, informal, expository, research, response, etc.

Titles Worth Browsing
1. 10,000 IDEAS for Term Papers, Projects, Reports & Speeches (REFDESK REF LB1047.3L35 1995)
2. Encyclopedia of American Social Movements (REF HN57.E594 2004)
3. Encyclopedia of Social Issues (REF HN57.E59 1997)
4. Social Issues in America (REF HN57.S624 2006)
For more titles, see the Library Catalog.

Digital Titles to Explore Topics
  1. Oxford Reference Online: Premium Collection
  2. Encyclopedia Britannica
  3. Social Issues in America
  4. Wikipedia
  5. Google
  6. Google News
  7. Google Scholar

How can reference materials be helpful?
• make it easy and quick to browse potential research projects.
• point to other sources that are quotable.
• provide basic background you should know.
• offer ideas that can help you narrow down your topic and create a more interesting report/project/paper/speech, etc.
• give keywords to increase searching efficiency & effectiveness in the databases.