As you start developing a research question and thinking about what kind of research you want to do, you're going to need to dig into a topic, and figure out what aspect of that topic you are going to engage with. As with most research projects, you'll need to learn a lot more about your topic than you can ultimately fit into your finished piece. How will you decide what's most important?
A concept map is a great strategy to use when developing a research question.
A concept map is:
Use a concept map to:
Ask yourself: what do I already know about my topic? what am I curious about? what kind of information do I need, and where am I likely to find it?
From a disciplinary perspective, think about what kind(s) of scholars might investigate your topic, the kinds of questions scholars and experts in a particular field might ask, how they would ask those questions and what evidence they would use to make their argument.
Finally, consider what you know about the resources available to you and where might be most fruitful for you to begin your search. Are you looking for primary sources, such as newspaper articles? Do you need contemporary news articles or historical ones? If you're following up on the scholarly conversation around your topic, do you need to look for work by historians? Scientists? Sociologists?
The process is simple: start with the subject of your research question in the center, then:
Do some background research on your topic to help create a concept map. Feel free to consult the Internet, an encyclopedia, course readings, or a librarian to help explore a topic. Background research can help you stumble upon a gap that you want to explore! Keep revising your map as you learn more about your topic.
