Defining your research question is the key to beginning. While you may be clear on the area you want to study, chances are there are some nuances that you need to think through.
What is the specific research question that your literature review helps to define?
- You may need to some exploratory searching of the literature to get a sense of scope, to determine whether you need to narrow or broaden your focus
- Identify databases that provide the most relevant sources, and identify relevant terms (controlled vocabularies) to add to your search strategy
The narrower your topic, the easier it will be to limit the number of sources you need to read in order to get a good survey of the material.
Feeling stuck? Here are some ways you can narrow down your topic:
- Geographic location
- Time period
- Discipline/field of study
- Population
- Language
- Age group, etc.
You may find that the research question you begin with evolves as you learn more about the topic.
Keep in mind that WNE has research guides and databases relevant to many fields of study. You can also schedule an appointment with a librarian for one-on-one research help. And don’t forget to tap into your professor’s (or other professors’) knowledge in the field. They may be able to help you quickly determine the most seminal pieces in the field.
