Search the TCNJ Library Catalog . Do some searches in Sociological Abstracts or Social Sciences Abstracts using key concepts derived from your topic. Depending on your results, it may be necessary to modify or refine your topic. You can narrow by population, age group, gender, occupational group, race or ethnic group, theoretical approach, time period, or research method. For example, instead of writing about racism, focus on racism or racist violence between two age groups or nationalities.
Broad topics are hard to write about because too much information is available.
If you find too few resources, consider broadening your topic. For example, instead of writing about the social impact of violence on television on children between the ages of two and four, write about the impact on elementary school children. Topics that are too obscure and specific can be just as hard to write about as topics that are too broad. If you haven't found anything at all in the library, consider choosing a new topic . Discuss your research question and preliminary searches with your professor.