Answering these questions about your topic can help you save time and locate the materials you need more efficiently
- When? Identify dates or named events connected to your idea
- Why? Articulate how anything connected to your idea would make it into the written record.
- Who? Name individuals or groups connected to your idea.
- Where? Designate a specific location or set of locations tied to your idea.
- What? List what sort of documents (letters, memos, articles, maps, poems) might support your work.
Do you prefer to organize your ideas visually? Print off this concept map to give it a try.
The design of this page was partly adapted from Research: By Course, Subject, or Topic, by University of Arizona Libraries, © 2020 The Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of The University of Arizona, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.