Find a Topic

Research Help Appointments

Need help with your research? A reference librarian is like a tutor for finding and citing information. Schedule an appointment to get uninterrupted individual time with a librarian.

Curiosity

The best research topics come from your interests. Choose a topic you want to know more about and then research it.

Scholarly or academic topics

If you have to use scholarly or peer-reviewed sources, you’ll find your research easier if you choose a topic popular with researchers and experts. One way to find popular topics is to browse through press releases and news items about new and interesting research studies.

  1. Science Daily shows press releases from universities, laboratories and research centers around the world. You can browse by topic, or search the site. Each press release is accompanied by a citation for the original study or conference paper.
  2. Your subject’s research guide may have links to current research or journals that will news items about research.

Current Issue or Policy Topics

Try starting with the Opposing Viewpoints database.

PCC Librarians also blog about potential current paper topics, how to think about generating paper topics, and other places to look for paper topics on the Paper Topic Ideas guide.

Watch: “Turning an Interest into a Researchable Question”

In this video (5:12) you’ll learn how to turn something you find interesting into a researchable question for a college research project.