ENGL 102: Gietzen, S. (Fall 2024): Search tips

How to brainstorm:

1. State your research question/topic

   • Example: "Do the economic benefits of the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline outweigh the concerns over potential environmental damage?"

2. Extract main concepts:

   • CONCEPT #1	CONCEPT #2	CONCEPT #3
     "economic benefits"	pipeline	"environmental damages"

3. Brainstorm key words:

   • 	CONCEPT #1	CONCEPT #2	CONCEPT #3
     BRAINSTORM KEYWORDS	"energy independence" jobs exports	oil pipeline oil tankers supertankers "liquefied natural gas"	"oil spills" "habitat destruction"

Keywords can be:

• synonyms
• related terms
• broader ideas
• narrower ideas
• alternate spellings
• specific examples
• abbreviations or acronyms

When selecting a topic for research, it is important to choose a topic which is neither too narrow nor too broad. If you select a topic that is too broad, it will be difficult to adequately address the problem in the space and time allowed for your assignment.

Possible roadblocks include:

• finding too many sources, which will make it difficult to determine which sources to include and which to exclude
• finding information that is too general; this will make it challenging to create a clear framework for your research

Example of a broad topic: global warming

When doing research, it is necessary to narrow down a topic that is too broad. One method is to generate key words to help you narrow down your topic. Ask the following questions about your topic:

Topic: Global warming

• What? (focus on different types within your topic) Example: pollution, global warming, carbon
• When? (focus on a particular time period) Example: today, 2025, 1980s
• Who? (focus on a particular population) Example: businesses, polar bears, children
• Where? (focus on a particular environment) Example: United States, Antarctica, atmosphere
• Why? (focus on causes, outcomes, etc. related to the topic) Example, deregulation, denial, overconsumption

Research Question: How will overconsumption of fossil fuels affect global warming in the United States by 2025.