Help! Midterm Research Paper FAQs

Can I change my topic?  I can't find enough information on this one.

Usually this problem is not due to the topic itself, but due to the researcher's research skills. Are you using suitable keywords (and are they spelled correctly when you enter them)? Are you looking in the right places? Have you consulted with the right experts?

If your research skills are not polished, then your next topic choice might prove to be equally difficult to work with, too. Also, your deadline might be coming up soon, so don't cut yourself short on time by switching too far into the term.

Is it okay to have the same topic as my classmate?

Sure, why not? You may find that you'll start out with the same wide topic, but then narrow it down differently, due to differences in personal opinion and interests. You may be able to save time by sharing some of the basic research load, but unless your instructor permits jointly written papers, it's a good idea to do the actual writing individually.

Why go to the library? I have unlimited access Internet account.

The Internet is fun. It's exciting. It's ever-changing. But it's also just a tad bit too easy. Get out of that comfy chair and investigate the myriad of sources available to you in the library! Look at it this way: if you're one of the few in your class who takes the initiative to go there, your instructor will be impressed by your sources.

These research sources are too hard to read. I can't understand them.

Books and articles are written for many audiences. A topic like "Global warming" could be addressed by, and for, scholars, businesspeople, elementary school students, and environmentalists. The language, style, and level of discussion would be different in each case, so if the source you have is too hard to understand, look for material written more for you. Ask for help finding suitable publications if you don't know the names of the various ones in the particular field.

I tried to interview people but nobody had time to answer the questions. What should I do?

Surveys and interviews are valuable sources of first-hand information - if people are willing to give you that information! Sometimes it's just a fact that people are too

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