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Tutorials

Topic Selection

Choosing a topic

• understand the assignment guidelines for choosing a topic
  • do you choose your topic
  • did the professor give suggestions or assign a topic
• what type of research is required - informative, persuasive, argumentative, scientific, etc.
• pick a topic that is interesting to you, something you care about or something familiar to you

Narrowing down a topic

• before starting your research, decide your focus
• choose a few main points
• when deciding the main points, keep in mind the type of research you are working on

• investigate the feeding habits and foraging strategies of sea otters
• habitat of the sea otter
• historical and current interactions between different sea otter types and human activities

• nutrition: effects of different diets on athletic performance
• physiological adaptations to different training regimens
• efficiency and effectiveness of sports management software

• environmental issues endangering sea otters
• discuss the various threats faced by sea otter populations and what should be done to help
• sea otters in captivity – is it beneficial for them to be raised in zoos/aquariums

• is there a need for stricter regulations on sports betting
• should performance-enhancing drugs be banned in athletic competition
• when should equal playing time in youth sports end

• study the social structure and behavior of sea otter populations
• how sea otters help maintain the balance of kelp forest ecosystems
• how sea otters may contribute to climate change mitigation

• how aging affects athletic recovery and performance
• impact of technology on officiating and fair play in sports
• technologies aimed at preventing and diagnosing concussions in sports

• explore the two main species of sea otters – northern and southern
• discuss the similarities and differences in the physical characteristics, geographic distributions and distinct features of the different species of sea otters

• analyzing player performance data to identify patterns and trends
• examine the role of materials like carbon fiber, Kevlar and other high-performance composites in enhancing safety

Search Terms

• type in your main topic in the database search box
• use the advanced search option, when available, to enter your main point or subtopic
• keep it simple - just use the main term of your topic and main point/subtopic
• be aware of alternate search terms for a topic
  • examples of alternate search terms
    • death penalty, capital punishment, execution, death sentence
    • euthanasia, physician assisted death, end of life
    • paying college athletes, college athlete compensation, pay to play, NIL's (name, image, likeness profits)
    • sea otters, Enhydra lutris (scientific name)
    • ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
    • medical marijuana, medical cannabis, MMJ, physician prescribed marijuana/cannabis
    • sports concussions, traumatic brain injury (TBI), chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)
  • you may need to run multiple searches using alternate search terms

Search Tips

Getting too many results

• use the Select a field drop down next to the search box
  • change to the Abstract to search the summary of the source
  • change to the Subject to search what the author or publisher has determined is the main topic of the source 
• once you run your search use the Refine Results options (normally on left of screen)
  • always check off the Full Text Articles and eBooks - this narrow the results to mostly what you will be able to access
  • select date restrictions if would be helpful with your topic or required by your professor
  • limit by Type of Resource if necessary based on restrictions from your professor

Choosing a Database

The library has databases on many different subjects and topics. Click here to see the full list of databases available at the CCC Library.

On the list of databases, there is a drop down listed All Subject. Select this and you will see a list of subjects to choose from. Once you select a subject, there will be a list of databases to choose from that are determined to be the best options for a specific subject. 

Remember, if you are off-campus you will need an active CCC library barcode number to access most of these resources (see link on this page for the Library Card Application).