Determine the Information Requirements 4. These steps may seem straightforward, yet librarians frequently encounter students who simply jump in and attempt to do library research before they have a clear idea of exactly what they are trying to research. We recommend that you take a little time in the beginning to complete these four recommended research preparation steps. If you do, we guarantee that you will save time, your information gathering process will be far less frustrating, and your research results will be significantly better. Your professor is often the best guide in helping you select an appropriate academic research topic, especially one which will satisfy the requirements of the course.
Instructors often suggest topics in class or in the course syllabus.
Remember that these ideas are typically broad suggestions. They may need to be narrowed in order to make them feasible term paper topics. If your professor has provided no topic guidance, you may wish to discuss possible topic choices with him or her during office hours. All professors are required to keep open office hours. Students are invited to drop by during these open hours to talk about classroom lectures, discussions, and assignments.