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English Composition

This guide is intended to assist students, faculty, and other users that are conducting research in the English Composition related topics.

Understanding your Assignment

Before you begin, be certain you understand the assignment. Does your paper need to explain something? Present an argument for an issue? Present the most recent research or explore a historical perspective? Compare two alternatives? {Click the 'Rhetorical Modes' chart below to learn about these differences.}

What kinds of resources do you need? Peer-Reviewed? Primary Sources? Seminal works? Something specific to your field such as a composer's score or an empirical study? Clarify these terms with your professor or a librarian before getting too deep!

What will the final paper requirements be? Will the format be APA or MLA? Gathering and saving your citations while you're researching will make your works cited page easy later on. How long will the paper be and how many resources are needed? What are the due dates for an outline, rough draft, or annotated bibliography? Be sure to check out the Writing Studio and make an appointment with a tutor for one-on-one help getting that rough draft cleaned up!

Selecting a Topic

Still need help selecting a topic? These general guides below can help you brainstorm as you narrow your selection.

Need to broaden or narrow a topic? Check out this LibGuide from UCLA for strategies.

Search Strategies

A researcher must have a goal for their research. Be ready to think bigger or narrow down your topic based on the information you find. Research is a process... there isn't any one perfect topic! Be prepared to change your mind and adjust your topic statement based on what you find while researching.

      –Pick out the main concept/keywords from your research topic. Searches work best using keywords, not complete sentences. For example, use "gun control" or "alternative energy" instead of using a complete question like "Do more gun controls laws deter crime?" or "What are some types of alternative energy sources?"

      –Evaluate the resources by reading the abstracts before selecting them. An abstract is a summary of the article or research findings. You'll find abstracts by clicking on a search result but before opening the full article. Consider using words found in the abstract of a paper as related search terms. 

      --Brainstorm other related words and try them in different combinations. You can also check out the subjects listed on a resource you've found. These may lead to more and better search terms. (Eg. A search for "alternative energy" might also show the words "renewable energy." Re-try your search with the new phrase instead.)

      --Do a general internet search or Wikipedia search and skim the results more related terms or topics. But don't stop there! This should only be a starting point before exploring scholarly resources.

      –Select the appropriate database(s) for the topic being searched for journal articles. Some of our databases are ideal for STEM and others are better for arts and humanities. Our LibGuides can help you locate the best ones for you.  

      –Use our Online catalog for print books in our collection

      –Check your syllabus/assignment for the number and types of resources your project requires.

Wikipedia : What is it good for?

Wikipedia is NOT a scholarly resource! But that doesn't mean it's all bad. Here's a quick overview of how it can be used for your research...

Why isn't Wikipedia "scholarly"?

  • Scholarly resources are very clear about who is writing the content. Scholarly sources display the authors' names and credentials (degrees, field of study, etc.) Wikipedia DOES NOT require its creators to provide their names. Anyone with an e-mail address can set up a Wikipedia account and edit a page.
  • Scholarly publications go through regular review. Scholarly articles are only published after a peer-review process and rarely recalled (though it can happen after further review.) Wikipedia pages are updated as often as someone feels like adding or deleting content. There is no official 'board' or group that oversees Wikipedia articles.
  •  Wikipedia has been found to contain hoaxes. Some are deleted quickly by other users, but some go on for years before other users catch on and can put in the work to remove them. 
  • Users who feel strongly about one side of an issue can easily add bias to those articles by only focusing on that side.

How can Wikipedia be used for college-level work?

  • Wikipedia can be a good start for background information if you know very little (or nothing) about your topic yet.
  • It can help you find related search terms. For example: Skimming through the article on 'Net Neutrality' might help you find the terms "open internet," "end-to-end principle," or "digital rights" which would all be useful search terms to research more.
  • You can check the references at the bottom of the article. These can often lead to useful books and scholarly resources. However, some of the references aren't great resources so don't rely on them for everything.

Rhetorical Modes

(Click chart to open in new window) View full chart  >>HERE<<.

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