 Beginning a research project can often seem intimidating and you might not know where to begin. In this video, we are going to work our way through the beginning of the research process and discuss how to select and narrow a research topic, articulate a research question, and develop a working thesis statement. The ability to develop a good research topic is an important skill. An instructor may assign you a specific topic or they might ask you to select your own topic of interest. If you are unfamiliar with the topic that you are being asked to write about, you might have to do some preliminary research to better understand how to best approach your topic. Keep in mind that the sources you consult during the stage may not be appropriate to use in your final paper, but they can help you learn a little bit more about your topic. After you know a little bit more, you will need to refine your topic. Sometimes a topic that seems like the right size can be way too big after you learn a little more about it. When this happens, you need to narrow the focus of your topic. You can do this by considering different ways to restrict your research topic. One way to do this is to ask who, what, where, when, or why questions. These will often lead you to a much narrower approach to your topic. You can also use concept mapping during this process. So for a broad topic on social media, maybe you are interested in teenagers and the mental health impacts during the last five years in the United States. Now you are starting to narrow down your topic which will make your research much easier, your thesis statement clearer, and your paper more effective. Once you have narrowed your topic and completed some preliminary research, your next step in the process is to articulate your research question. A research question takes you beyond simple facts about a given topic. It is an inquiry into a specific issue or problem. Remember that there are multiple ways to approach an issue and you might find yourself working through several attempts until you find the perfect research question for your assignment. Let's go back to our previous example where we narrowed down our topic on social media. Based on the concept map we created, my research question might be something like, how has social media use impacted the mental health of teenagers in the United States in the past five years? This research question will guide you continuously as you write your paper, form the basis of your research activities, and be essential to developing your thesis statement. Finally, you will develop a working thesis statement before you dive into your more advanced research. Think of your thesis statement as a roadmap for your paper. It should appear in your introduction and convey to the reader the specifics of what your paper is going to discuss. If I am thinking about my example research question, how has social media use impacted the mental health of teenagers in the United States in the past five years, a working thesis that I might develop could look like, over the past five years studies have shown that an increase in social media use has direct impact on the social life, sleep habits, and mental well-being of American teenagers. This thesis statement makes it clear to my reader what my paper is going to discuss. Once you have developed your thesis statement, you are ready to begin your research. But remember that the research process is not always simple and straightforward. At this point, your working thesis statement might change or evolve as you dig deeper into your topic. Don't get discouraged if you struggle to find sources related to your thesis during your research. You might just need to adjust your approach. IRSC librarians are always available and happy to work with you as you make your way through the research process.