Bachelor of Integrated Studies CHAD Cohort

One of the best ways to start exploring any topic is to create a concept map. A concept map is a visual diagram that can help you:

• capture what you already know about a topic;
• identify a variety of perspectives on a topic;
• formulate research questions; and
• narrow or broaden your topic.

This video from the UCLA Library describes the process of creating a concept map.

Some key points from the video:

• Use questions to help fill out your concept map:
  • Who...
  • What...
  • When...
  • Where...
  • Why...
  • To what extent...
  • Under what circumstances...
• Consider different thematic aspects of your topic:
  • Social or cultural aspects
  • Geographic areas
  • Groups of people
  • Time spans or historical events
• And finally...
  • Ask specific questions
  • Let your curiosity lead the way
  • Use the concept map to identify or select key words and concepts

While these maps are not organized around specific questions, they demonstrate how a topic can be developed. It is possible to turn the concepts presented here into questions. For example, in the first example below, "Types of Drugs" might become "What types of drugs are most common?" It would even be fruitful to look at a specific geographic area, such as B.C. or the Downtown Eastside. "Prevention" might become "How do we prevent substance abuse?"

Substance Abuse

At-Risk Youth

The next step in developing your Big Picture is to identify a research question as a starting point. This might not be your final research question - you will continue to refine it as you move through the research journey - but it is where you will start, based on your current knowledge of and interest in the topic.

This video from Las Positas College Library describes a process for creating a research question from your concept map:

Some key points to consider:

• You are looking for a topic that is neither too broad (so much information that it's difficult to write a focused paper) nor too narrow (one for there is not enough information and it's a stretch to write enough to make your paper compelling).
• Choose a perspective or angle from your concept map that interests you, and start to restrict and narrow the topic until you end up with a research question.
• A good research question:
  • is open-ended (it can't be answered with a "yes" or "no", but instead invites debate, discussion, and exploration).
  • attempts to solve a problem, find the cause of a problem, or describe a problem.
  • has enough (but not too much) information available to help you answer it.

The following tables illustrates the development of a research question from topic to question.