Information and Computer Sciences
Find a Topic
Not sure where to start? Try these tips:
- Start where you are. Think about topics that might be of interest to you. What do you already know? What would you like to know? What class papers or discussion caught your attention? Skim over your reading list or textbook for ideas.
- Seach for relevant current events. Twitter, ScienceDaily's Computers and Math section, the New York Times, and popular science magazines, such as WIRED or Ars Technica, often cover recent events in the field.
- Look for trade magazine articles in your area of interest. Peruse the ACM Magazines, particularly Communications of the ACM and XRDS Crossroads. (Full text is available to UMass through the ACM Digital Library.)
Gather Background Information
Gather background information on your topic to help you:
- Focus your topic
- Hone your search
- Define specific terms and phrases
- Identify the big players or experts in the field
Encyclopedias, Biographies, or Handbooks are all excellent places to find more background information.
- Encyclopedia of Computer Science and Engineering This link opens in a new windowIncludes over 450 articles, each authored by an expert in the field and peer reviewed, covering the latest advances and findings in computer science and engineering.
Includes topics covering Artificial Intelligence; Vision; Software systems, data and knowledge engineering; Computer architectures, networks, and interconnects; VLSI Technology; Computer Systems; Performance evaluation and real-time computing; Theory and Algorithms; and Applications. - Gale Virtual Reference Library This link opens in a new windowA collection of several hundred current subject encyclopedias.
- Synthesis Digital Library of Engineering and Computer Science This link opens in a new windowPeer-reviewed, expert reports on research and development topics in engineering and computer science; includes access to Complete Collections One, Two, Three, and Four.
Refine Your Topic
Writing your research question/thesis:
Your topic of interest is typically phrased as a one sentence statement at the beginning of your project. This statement (or thesis) should be specific. It will also need to cover what you are discussing in your paper and should be supported by the evidence you present.
Ask yourself:
- Who? Who is the specific person or group you would like to focus on? Who is this topic important to?
- What? What part of your topic are you specifically interested in?
- When? What time period is of interest to you?
- Where? Where would you like to focus your research? What area or region is most interesting?
- Why? Why do you think this is an important or interesting topic?
It's okay if your thesis statement changes as you write! Research is an iterative process, so you may go through a few thesis statements before you finish your project.
