Once you have found a topic that works favorably in your search, you then need to conduct more preliminary research to determine if ample research exists for your topic. Like a great explorer uncovering uncharted territory or a great archaeologist undertaking an important dig for unknown artifacts, you need to get your explorer shoes on and dig deeper.Doing more preliminary research will provide you with the additional facts, opinions, and details to assess the overall feasibility of your topic. The more you research and the more dedicated you are to this task, the more fully you will be able to assess your topic's viability.During this phase of the operation, you want to consult as many sources as possible. This may involve keyword searching on Internet search engines, Web directories, specialized Web sites, or online databases at your library to find more information relevant to your topic.As an active researcher, you want to constantly evaluate your research, its purpose and its relevancy by asking yourself, "How does it relate to my topic?" "What ideas support my topic?" "From where does the author draw his or her ideas?"The last question is vitally important for two reasons. First, most published articles—mostly in scholarly journals, specialty publications, books, and popular references—will feature a bibliography of sources at the end offering additional avenues to research for your topic later. Secondly, the author of the article may have used only a fraction of material from that listed "source." Therefore, you should always consult the original article to see if other important details were covered that the writer left out.Another important tip: Remember, many of the books and articles that you find in periodical indexes also will have bibliographies. You can check these for additional relevant sources for your research.At this stage of your project, your search may yield a bumper crop of information that precisely addresses your paper's concept. If so, you are in good shape. Or you may find that potential sources for your topic are few and far between, or that there are hundreds of sources, far too many to list. If either is the case, then pick a question that a dozen or so of the sources you have found focus on and restate the theme of your paper appropriately. Don't be married to your original idea if it will be too restrictive or cumbersome. Otherwise, you are setting yourself up for more frustration than it is worth.Now that you have successfully found your topic, you are ready for the next task: Finding all the information and sources needed for your written project and, more important, developing a plan that will ensure your success.
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