Research Guides: WR122 James Bryant-Trerise: Choose an issue

Identify an issue to study in-depth

Option 1: Browse

If you don't know much about your field of study or career yet, browse in our contemporary social issues databases. Find an issue relevant to your discipline.

Opposing Viewpoints (Gale)

Begin your research on hot topics and current events here. Opposing Viewpoints (OV) offers "viewpoint articles" and opinion pieces that provide multiple perspectives on issues. Additional coverage includes magazine, newspaper, and academic journal articles.
CQ Researcher (CQ Press)

A great place to begin research on contemporary topics. Reports are written by journalists and fact checked. They include a topic overview and background, current situations, pro and con viewpoints, images, and timelines.

Option 2: Interview yourself

If you know a bit about your field of study or career, spend 5 minutes reflecting on the following questions. Doing so will help you tease out interesting issues to further research.

What’s one thing you’d change about the field / career?
What challenges do people in this field / career face?
How does government / laws / [lack of] regulation affect the field / career?
Where do inequities show up in this field / career?
What makes you nervous or worried about this field / career?

Here are some other topics, universal to most disciplines, that may be interesting to consider:

Burnout
Pay / living wage / retirement
Work / life balance