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Honors College Research

Developing Your Topic

Developing a Research Topic

Background Research

Credo Reference is a great place to start exploring your topic and keywords. It includes a mind map tool that allows you to explore connections between words. This can be particularly useful while you are developing your research question and narrowing your topic.

Developing Keywords

What is your research topic? Once you have made a decision, you should generate keywords. Keywords are search terms that you use when searching for information about your topic. The above video explains how you can write keywords. Watch it, then continue reading this section.

Let's pose an example: you're writing about the uses of executive powers by the past three US Presidents Your keywords could include:

  • Trump and executive power
  • Obama and executive power
  • George W Bush and executive power

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