Research Guides: Criminal Justice 280: Nielson: Selecting and refining a topic

Using background research to refine a topic

Background research is the research you do to learn more about your topic. It is an important step and should not be skipped. Quite often we pick a research topic because it is one that interests us, but we may not have a very robust understanding of the full scope of the topic. Doing background research will help you identify some of the terminology being used to talk about a topic, various aspects and perspectives on the topic, key figures, and pivotal events. All of this information can help you refine your focus and give you great search terms (your keywords).

In order to generate a list of keywords, it can be helpful to look for the who, what, where, when, and why of your topic while conducting background research.

Who?

Who are the key figures associated with the topic?
Are there specific people or groups affected by the topic?

What?

What are some of the angles through which the topic is explored?
What events precipitated awareness of the topic?

Where?

To what areas of the world does this topic pertain?
Where did significant events associated with the topic take place?

When?

When did the topic become part of the regional, national, or international conversation?
When did significant events take place?

Why?

Why is the topic studied?
Why do people care about the topic?

This is not an exhaustive list and depending on your topic, some of these questions may not be applicable. However, if you go into your background research with similar questions in mind, you can begin identifying some the most important or prevalent terminology used to talk about your topic.

Merriam-Webster Thesaurus
The language we use to describe a topic may not be the same way the topic is described by authors or in databases/library catalogs. Use the thesaurus to identify synonyms for your keywords.

Background research resources

Credo Reference
Encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference sources that provide authoritative information. Entries may be quick facts or in-depth articles. Useful for: background information, key concepts, historical context, and mining reference lists.
Reference Universe
A great place for starting your research by guiding you to resources (both online and in print) that contain background information on virtually any topic. Within these scholarly resources you’ll find explanations of key concepts, historical and current information on a topic, along with bibliographies that can guide you to additional reading and key literature references on your topic.