Search & Find
English Composition
Where can I go to get ideas?
CQ Researcher
A must for all 102 students. Use CQ Researcher to explore current and controversial topics and get in-depth, high-quality articles.
Times Topics
The New York Times has helpfully grouped its coverage by topic. Each one, from Facebook to global warming, includes breaking news, archival content, and tons of multimedia.
Open Democracy
Want something with a more global perspective? Use this source to find news analysis and debates related to human rights and democracy worldwide. Great for finding global viewpoints you might not be familiar with.
Reference Shelf Series
Still having trouble looking for a topic? This series offers articles on hot-button issues from a wide range of national publications. Recent topics include robotics and American military presence overseas. Scan the table of contents for inspiration.
Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Topics
Another great place to get topic ideas: click on each book title and scroll down to the contents note for thought-provoking discussion points.
How do I choose a topic?
The first step in writing any paper is coming up with a good topic. A good topic is one that you find interesting and that meets the assignment requirements. The resources and tutorials listed here will help you find and narrow a topic.
Tutorials
Focus your topic! Use these tutorials to pare down your research inquiries for concision and clarity.
Exploring Topics
The UA Library has some great resources that can help you find a topic and this tutorial shows you how.
Narrow Your Topic
Learn how to create a topic pyramid to narrow your subject.
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