Lincoln Memorial University Libraries: Biology: Develop a Topic

Tips

If you cannot decide on a topic, think about what interests you or what you may be curious about.
You can use your notes, your textbooks, or even the description of an assignment in your syllabus.
A great database for exploring topics and ideas is Credo Reference. To access this database in the library, see the link below:

Credo Reference Collection This link opens in a new window
Provides access to the full text of hundreds of top quality reference books in all major subjects ranging from art and literature to psychology and social sciences to religion and technology, as well as bilingual and biographical dictionaries. Provides access to a multitude of Topic Pages on various subjects, which include subject overviews as well as links to associated journal articles, resources from e-books, and relevant images.

Depending on how advanced you are in your studies, you may want to use a different database. If so, then click on the Resources tab at the top of the page and then the Databases tab in the box.
After you have refreshed your knowledge, you can start to brainstorm.
Write a list of ideas or concepts you want to explore.
Write down the relationships between these concepts, or if you are a visual learner, you may want to create a mind map.
If you feel like you need more guidance, check out this helpful video, How to Select a Topic.

If you are a visual learner, a mind map is a great way to clarify your thoughts and ideas. If you are accustomed to taking notes, creating a mind map may be a fun way to get a better understanding of your topic. For example, let's say you are interested in epigenetics. Your mind map (below) may look like this:

Making a mind map is easy. Go to the Credo Reference database, type a keyword into the search box, hit the search button, and the mind map will come up with your results. It is also interactive, so you can click on each concept to explore more related concepts. To see how it's done, click here.