Human Ecology: A Guide to Research

Welcome to the Human Ecology Research Guide! Use the tabs at left to navigate. This guide contains information about library resources (and how to use them) for Human Ecology students. (Image from SUNY Oneonta CANTO collection)

The Research Process

This library guide is designed to help you along each step of the research process as you prepare and write papers for your classes. For general Research Paper Help, try this guide, too. 

Each section of the guide connects with one step of the research process:

• Pick a topic with ideas from the news, library databases, and more.
• Find Research Sources by searching for reference items, articles, books, and other library resources to help you learn about your topic.
• When you are ready to get writing, the Write & Cite page has helpful links to citation and writing/revising resources.

Pick a Topic

Looking for ideas? Here are a few ways to generate ideas for a research paper topic: 

• Consider adapting a topic you are studying for another class -- get a new perspective on it, and use your research twice
• Browse chapter titles in your textbook or unit titles in your class syllabus
• Scan newspaper headlines (see "News and Topic Databases" below) 
• Check out what's trending in social media sites you like
• Use the "Browse Issues" section in the library's Opposing Viewpoints database (see link below)
• Watch a film or documentary and explore the film's ideas further with your research paper

News & Topic Databases