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On the web at www.nv2.commnet.edu/library Term Papers |
Step One: Choosing Your Topic
Choose
a topic of interest to you. Term papers should
serve to enlighten you as well as fulfill the assignment. Doing the research will less tedious if the
topic interests you, and your writing will reflect your motivation. Allow enough time for this step. Often students change their topic many times
before deciding on the best one.
To get ideas for a
topic, we suggest you first visit the three of our online sources that are
arranged by topic. Start on the library
homepage and click Electronic Databases.
1)
Issues & Controversies @ Facts.com
On the Electronic Databases page, select
Facts.com
Click
on the Issues & Controversies tab at the top
Go
to the Indexes section of Understanding Today’s News
• Articles A-Z is a scrolling list of over
600 topics
• Issues: Pro and Con offers over 50
argumentative issues
• Choose from 16 main categories in Subject
Index
2) Opposing Viewpoints
On the Electronic Databases page, select Opposing Viewpoints
• Click a topic OR type a keyword into the
“Search by Subject” box
• Use tabs at the top of the frame for
specific source types
3) SIRS Knowledge
Source
On the Electronic Databases page, select SIRS Knowledge Source
Under Special Features,
select Leading Issues
• Click a topic OR click the
Topic Browse tab for 30+ general categories
•
Use tabs at the top of the frame for specific source types
You can also
use a current periodical from the magazine rack for topic ideas. Try:
CQ
Weekly Report Newsweek Time
U.S.News & World Report World & I
A few good
Internet sites http://library.sau.edu/bestinfo/Hot/hotindex.htm
for topic ideas http://www.gc.maricopa.edu/English/topicarg.html
http://www.multcolib.org/homework/sochc.html
http://www.csulb.edu/library/subj/Paper%20Topics/hottopics/hottopicsindex.htm
Step Two: Developing Your Topic
Refine/broaden your ideas
to fit the assignment. Once you have a general picture of what issue
you want to write (and know more) about, narrow or expand your topic to a
manageable focus. A short paper should
focus on a single issue, or a small aspect of a larger issue. For a longer paper, you can develop
background and related areas, so a broader topic will be better
Broad topic: "Drug Abuse" Narrow
topic: "Performance Drugs in Professional Sports"
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A strong thesis takes a
stand on a controversial topic. To take a stand you need to do research on
the background of your topic. Get the picture Get a good idea of the background of your
topic before you start writing.
Reference books (such as encyclopedias) in your subject area can give
you an overview of the topic and lead you to good sources for further
research. Be thinking of your opening
paragraph at this stage; that paragraph which will introduce the 5 Ws: the
Who, What, When, Where, and Why (and sometimes How) of your topic. Sometimes writing out a rough outline can
help you to recognize what information you already have and what information
you still need to research. Finding books Finding books and videos in the NVCC
Library is easy. Use the library’s
online catalog from our homepage.
Other area and state libraries can be searched as well. Finding periodical
articles From the library’s
homepage, click Electronic Databases.
Use the library handouts "Databases at the LRC,"
"Basic Search Techniques," and "Finding Periodical
Articles" for help. |
Finding Internet
information A good place to start on the Internet is the
NVCC Library’s webpage, where you will find links to all kinds of web based
resources.
Warning: Each and every website you use for academic
credit must be carefully evaluated. See
the library handout entitled “Evaluating A
Website."
Do the numbers. Finding statistics can be confusing at first,
but pay off later as evidence to prove a point. See library handout entitled
"Finding Statistics."
Keep track of information
on your source material. This will save a lot of time later, at the last minute, when
most people type up their bibliography (“works cited” page). Make sure, when gathering source material,
that you have a complete citation for
each book, article, web site, or other resource you will be using in your
bibliography. Even if you just think you
might use it, get the citation.
Leaving out the citation for the writings (even the ideas) of another person is plagiarism. This is unacceptable at NVCC, and doing so has serious consequences. Don’t let this happen to you.
Friends don’t let friends
plagiarize.
Talk the talk. Use a thesaurus or other
subject-specific reference book to construct a glossary of your topic on index
cards. Use this terminology in context
when you talk about your topic with friends, family, other students, and faculty. Get their feedback on your ideas.
Ask for help. The Library's Reference staff is here to help
you. We welcome your questions.
The best term
papers start with good research! EJF
01/05