Sociology: Home

While the research process may feel daunting, it doesn't need to be! This helpful video tutorial, created by a CSUB librarian, outlines the beginnings of the research process, from pre-research, to outlining, to writing.

Additionally, you will need to develop your research focus, narrow your topic to something more specific, and ultimately declare your thesis statement, which will help guide and structure the argument you will make within your research paper.

Components & Importance

• Original scholarly research conducted by experts within a field or discipline
• Prior to publication, work is reviewed by other scholars or experts within that same discipline
• Peer-review ensure that the information being presented to you based on solid evidence and scientific facts, not opinions
• Provides a level of quality control
• They generally include: Introduction, literature review, method, analysis, conclusion, and references

*Note: Peer reviewed articles are important because they represent the most scholarly, most authoritative information within a given field.

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CQ Researcher -  a collection of weekly research reports on recent news topics and issues of broad interest in the public policy sphere. Reports address a wide variety of subjects, including health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy.

Opposing Viewpoints -  allows researchers to read the overview of a topic, featured viewpoints, view infographics, videos, news, and read articles from academic journals.  Researchers can browse by issue, visualize connections between search terms and topics, and view relevant articles for those topics through the 'Topic Finder' resource.

Gale eBooks - browse by subject or search the full catalog.

Johns Hopkins Writing Resources - provides researchers with resources for developing a topic or research question.

Indiana University Libraries - this PDF composed by Indiana University Libraries provides information on narrowing a topic, forming a research question from a topic, and sample research questions.

Columbia College Chicago - provides information on the TQS or Topic + Question + Significance format of developing a research question.