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BIOL 333 - Plant Biology

How to Choose a Topic

There are many ways to use to choose a topic for your research:

  • Choose a topic that interests you from your textbook.
  • Choose a topic from your supplemental reading, leisure reading, or something that has been in the news.
  • Use the library catalog to find review sources

To use the library catalog to find a topic:

  • Go to the library's home page
  • Click on "Books & e-Books"
  • In the "Search for books, journals, and more..." box, type "encyclopedia", "dictionary", "handbook", or "manual" and a generic term for your topic (for example, encyclopedia genetics)
  • If the library has a print copy, page through the book for ideas. If the library only has an electronic version, you will need to browse through the e-book for ideas.

What is a Research Article?

You must find a research (or primary) article for your assignment. What is a research article? It is the report of a study that the author(s) conducted that leads to the creation of new knowledge on a topic. A review (secondary) article, in contrast, compiles knowledge from existing research [articles] to present the depth of knowledge about a topic.

See Research or Review Article for a comparison of characteristics of each type of article.

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