Skip to Main Content

Research in Sociology

Develop Topic Ideas

Need help coming up with a topic for your research? 

  • Think about a topic that has different elements within a whole so your finished product will be cohesive without being repetitive.
  • Scan your syllabus - did your professor provide topic guidelines?
  • Browse current journals, magazines, newspapersand/or news websites (with reliable information).
  • Click the link on this page to find out the current news of the day from the newspapers in our collection.
  • Search encyclopedias -- try the Credo Reference search box on this page.

Refining Your Topic

Start with a broad topic, like prison inmates, and then narrow it down into a focused question.  This will help you search for more relevant information that pertains to your topic, and save you time in the searching part of the research process.

Explore Your Topic Using an Encyclopedia