ECON 2453 : Macroeconomics

Sometimes the most difficult part of the research process is simply getting started.  If you are struggling, try some of the suggestions below.

Make sure you understand the assignment

The first thing you should do is make sure you understand the assignment. Key questions to ask yourself are: 

• Do I have to write on an assigned topic, or can I pick my own?
• How many pages/words do I need to write?
• How long does my presentation need to be?
• Do I have to include any specific types of sources (e.g. scholarly journal, book, etc.)?
• How many sources am I required to use?
• When is the assignment due? How much time do you have to research?
• Is currency of information important?

When in doubt, consult with your instructor.

(It's a good idea to take the answers to the above questions into a checklist.  This will help ensure you don't have gaps in either the type of resources you collect, or the components of your paper.  If your instructor has supplied the Library with a checklist for this assignment, you can locate that in the box title "Argumentative Essay Checklists by Instructor" on the the left-hand side of this page.)

Refine your topic

If you are finding too much information, your research topic may be too broad. Consider narrowing it to a more specific:

Broad Topic: Exercise

Narrower Topic: How has an increased emphasis on the importance of exercise among children impacted childhood obesity rates? 

"Develop a Topic" and subpages adapted from the JWU's "Research Process" libguide.