Skip to Main Content

COMM111 Hooten

This Course Guide will help you define expertise within the context of your topics, and find expert sources to cite in your persuasive and informative speeches.

Choose a topic

Having trouble finding a topic for your paper? The most important aspect of your topic is that it needs to be interesting to you - because you get to learn (research) and write (paper) about it.

  1. Browse for suggested topics in CCC Library's databases (good database options for topic browsing are listed below under Browse for topics).
  2. Review your class lecture notes and PowerPoints.
  3. Brainstorm topics by making a concept map.
  4. Bounce ideas off of your classmates, instructor, or a librarian, tutor, or peer mentor.

A good topic:

  • is interesting to you;
  • is narrow enough - too broad a topic and you won't be able to cover it in your paper;
  • is broad enough - too narrow a topic and you won't be able to find enough information about it; and
  • fits the parameters of your assignment.

Choosing a good research topic

Before you choose a topic to research, test it out and make sure it is a good topic to use!

Now that you've learned how to choose a good research topic, the next step is to develop a thesis.

Screen blank or would like Closed Captioning? Watch the YouTube video.

  Video created by CCC Library (Feb. 2018).

Browse for topics

Clackamas Community College Library - 19600 Molalla Avenue, Oregon City, Oregon 97045
Reference: 503-594-6042     |     reference@clackamas.edu     |     Circulation: 503-594-6323
Library Hours     |     Moodle     |     myClackamas     |     FAQ
Creative Commons License Except where otherwise noted, content in these research guides is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Link broken? Information need updating? Have website feedback? Please email reference@clackamas.edu