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Social Sciences & Programs Team Librarians:
Sylvia Tag
Elizabeth Stephan
Emily Spracklin
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Work with a Research & Writing Studio Assistant from your computer! Ask quick questions or leave the chat open to check in as you work.
OneSearch, Google Scholar, and subject specific encyclopedias are good starting points for testing your topic and learning more about the terminology used in your discipline.
After you have landed on a topic, it is helpful to turn that topic into something called an inquiry question. An inquiry question is the central question your research paper or project addresses. It gives direction to your research and guides your writing. Here is an example of a topic being turned into an inquiry question:
Watch the video below to the characteristics of a strong inquiry question and how to draft one yourself.