| How to Find a Topic for Your Research Paper Posted: 13 May 2021 01:00 AM PDT Sometimes, finding a topic for a research paper can be the most challenging part of the whole process. When you're looking out at a field brimming with possibilities, it's easy to get overwhelmed. Lucky for you, we here at wikiHow have come up with a list of ways to pick that topic that will take you from the more vague brainstorming all the way to your specific, perfectly focused research question and thesis. [Edit]Review your course materials. - Your textbook, syllabus, and class notes can help you find a topic. If you're writing your paper for a class, skim through your course materials to see what sparks your interest. Major academic journals in your field of study might also give you ideas for a topic.[1]
- If your textbook has discussion questions at the end of each chapter, these can be great to comb through for potential research paper topic ideas.
- Look at any recommended reading your instructor has suggested—you might find ideas there as well.
[Edit]Search hot issues in your field of study. - Run an internet search or talk to your instructor. Scholars in a field of study always know what issues are really hot in the field at any given time. If you want to write something more cutting edge, focus on these newly emerging issues.[2]
- Think about current events that touch on your field of study as well. For example, if you're writing a research paper for a sociology class, you might want to write something related to race in America or the Black Lives Matter movement.
- Other instructors in the same department or field might also have ideas for you. Don't be afraid to stop in during their office hours and talk or send them an email, even if you've never had them for a class.
[Edit]Go for a walk to get your brain going. - Being active can stimulate your mind to focus on topic ideas. If you've been churning through materials and just can't come up with something that really strikes you, taking a break will help. And research shows walking will boost your creative thinking by as much as 60%![3]
- If you want to walk with a friend and discuss topic ideas as you walk, that can help too. Sometimes, you'll come up with new things when you can bounce your ideas off someone else.
[Edit]Ask your family or friends for input. - Bounce ideas off of people you know to get their thoughts. Talking to other people is a great way to work through your general ideas and figure out more specifically what you might want to write your paper on. Pay particular attention to any questions they ask—those can be great at generating research topics.[4]
- People who aren't really familiar with the general subject you're researching can be helpful too! Because they aren't making many assumptions, they might bring up something you'd overlooked or not thought about before.
[Edit]Free-write on topic ideas to find your passion. - Set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes and write without stopping. Don't worry about editing or creating something polished—no one has to see this but you. Do this for each of your topic ideas. When the timer goes off, assess how you feel. Did you want to keep writing, or did you have to force yourself to keep going? How much about the topic do you already know? What are you curious about?[5]
- Having a personal interest in the topic will keep you from getting bored. You'll do better research—and write a better paper—if you're excited about the topic itself.
[Edit]Read background information on your favorites. - Search online for background articles about topics you like. You might have several topics you're thinking about—getting some background can help! Make sure the topic fits in with your assignment for your paper and that there are still unanswered questions out there. Generally, you don't want to write about something that's already been researched extensively.[6]
- Ideally, based on your background research, you'll be able to choose one of the topics that interests you the most. If you still can't narrow it down, keep reading!
- Even though you wouldn't want to use them as sources for your actual paper, sources like Wikipedia can be excellent for getting background information about a topic.
[Edit]Identify important words to use as keywords. - Jot down words related to your topic to search for sources. For some topics, you'll include proper nouns, such as the name of a specific person you're researching. If your topic is more conceptual, on the other hand, include synonyms as well as the specific terminology you plan to use in your paper.[7]
- For example, if you've chosen environmental regulations as a topic, you might also include keywords such as "conservation," "pollution," and "nature."
[Edit]Do preliminary research using your keywords. - Search online or on library databases and review your results. Use your keywords to find out how much research has already been done on the topic you're thinking about. This preliminary research can also give you some sources for your paper.[8]
- Your results might also suggest other keywords you can search to find more sources. Searching for specific terminology used in articles you find often leads to other articles.
- Check the bibliography of any papers you find to pick up some other sources you might be able to use.
[Edit]Limit a broad topic. - Narrow your topic to a specific time period, geographic area, or population. If you're getting hundreds of results on your topic, try another search with something more specific. You might need to narrow your topic in more than one way to find something narrow enough that you can do it justice in your research paper.[9]
- For example, suppose you decided to look at race relations in the US during the Trump administration. If you got too many results, you might narrow your results to a single US city or state.
- Keep in mind how long your research paper will ultimately be. For example, if there's an entire book written on a topic you want to write a 20-page research paper on, it's probably too broad.
[Edit]Expand a topic that's too narrow. - Broaden your scope if you're not getting enough results from your keywords. Sometimes, you'll type in your keywords and only get a handful of results—or worse, nothing at all! If you were doing an original study, this would be great. But you can't write a research paper without sources, so if you're not getting a lot of hits, you'll have to cast a broader net.[10]
- For example, suppose you wanted to research the impact of a particular environmental law on your hometown, but when you did a search, you didn't get any quality results. You might expand your search to encompass the entire state or region, rather than just your hometown.
[Edit]Do more in-depth research to fine-tune your topic. - Run another search based on the information you've gained. Really, you can do this at the same time that you're limiting or expanding your topic. At this stage, your research is more about experimenting and staying flexible so you can find the best angle of approach that will yield results you can use.[11]
- For example, you might do an initial search and get hundreds of results back and decide your topic is too broad. Then, when you limit it, you get next to nothing and figure out you've narrowed it too much, so you have to broaden it a little bit again.
- Stay flexible and keep going until you've found that happy medium that you think will work for your paper.
[Edit]Formulate the question you'll answer in your paper. - Use the 5 W's (who, what, when, where, and why) to write your question. You don't have to answer all of these questions, but they can help you narrow your focus. Ultimately, this research question will be the driving force behind your research and your entire paper.[12]
- For example, your research question might be something like "How did environmental regulations affect the living conditions of people living near paper mills?" This question covers "who" (people living near paper mills), "what" (living conditions), "where" (near paper mills), and "why" (environmental regulations).
[Edit]Build a list of potential sources. - Write down citation information as you work. Even sources that you find in your preliminary research might end up being something you use in your final paper. Writing down the citation information also ensures that you can find the source again if you want to refer back to it.[13]
- At this point, your list is still a "working" list. You won't necessarily use all the sources you find in your actual paper.
- Building a working list of sources is also helpful if you want to use a source and can't immediately get access to it. If you have to get it through your professor or request it from another library, you have time to do so.
[Edit]Develop your thesis. - Your thesis is the answer to your research question. Once you've got a little bit of research under your belt, you should be able to decide how you want to answer your research question. Then, you'll do additional research to prove or disprove your thesis.[14]
- For example, suppose your research question is "How did environmental regulations affect the living conditions of people living near paper mills?" Your thesis might be something like: "Environmental regulations improved living conditions for people living around paper mills."
- As another example, suppose your research question is "Why did hate crimes spike in the US from 2017 to 2020?" Your thesis might be: "A permissive attitude towards racial supremacy caused a spike in hate crimes in the US from 2017 to 2020."
- Keep in mind, you don't have to prove that your thesis is correct. Proving that your thesis was wrong can make for an even more compelling research paper, especially if your thesis follows conventional wisdom.
- If you've been given a list of topics but you come up with something different that you want to do, don't be afraid to talk to your instructor about it! The worst that will happen is that they'll make you choose something from the list instead.[15]
[Edit]References |
| How to Work in Costa Rica Posted: 12 May 2021 05:00 PM PDT Costa Rica is full of immigrants who travel to the country for its beautiful environment and high quality of life. If you want to stay there, however, you will run into the difficult legal obstacles surrounding employment. The Costa Rican government does not make it easy for foreigners to get their work permit, but there are several loopholes and paths to success that apply to people in different situations. [Edit]Can I get a job in Costa Rica? - You can work remotely from Costa Rica without a work permit. The most straightforward option for many immigrants is to work online for a company based outside of Costa Rica, or to work as a freelancer for foreign clients. You do not need a work permit for this as long as your work is unrelated to Costa Rica.[1]
- You still need to apply for a residency permit to stay in Costa Rica once your visa expires (30–90 days for a tourist visa, depending on your nationality). The big advantage is that this does not need to be a "permanent residency permit," which is notoriously hard to get. As long as you earn at least $US2,500 per month, you can get a permit as a rentista.[2]
- Work permits are only given to irreplaceable workers. Work permits are extremely difficult to get, as Costa Rican law requires employers to hire Costa Rican nationals if possible. If you have specialized or high-demand skills and can find an job offer in Costa Rica, you and your potential employer can apply for a work permit through the Dirección General de Migración. This process may take months, and will likely fail if the job could reasonably be filled by a Costa Rican.
- You are allowed to travel to Costa Rica before submitting the application. Request a provisional visa from the Costa Rica consulate in your country.
- There is an exception for Canadians under 35, described later in this article.
- You may own a business, but not work in it. If you have the funds to run a business, you are legally allowed to hire Costa Ricans, oversee operations as manager and owner, and receive an income. This is possible under any kind of temporary residence permit, such as the rentista permit. However, you cannot participate in any of the day-to-day labor; this must be done by Costa Ricans or people with permanent residency.[3]
- You gain the right to work through marriage or three years of residency. A permanent residency permit allows a foreign citizen to work any type of job in Costa Rica. Unfortunately, this has strict requirements. To apply for this status, you must hold a temporary residence permit (not tourist visas) for three years.[4] If you are married to a Costa Rican citizen, or have a Costa Rican parent or child, you can apply for a temporary residence permit as a spouse or relative. Unlike normal temporary residence permits, this one will allow you to work.[5]
[Edit]How can I work in Costa Rica as a Canadian? - Canadian citizens aged 18 to 35 may qualify for an easier application. The Youth Mobility program is a special arrangement between the two countries that makes it much easier to work in Costa Rica for temporary stays (up to one year). Besides meeting the citizenship and age requirements, you'll need the following to qualify:[6]
- Possession of CAD$2500 to cover your own expenses at the start of your stay
- A clean Canadian police certificate (criminal record check), usually obtained through local police services or an accredited fingerprinting company[7]
- Health insurance for the duration of your time in Costa Rica, including coverage for hospitalization and repatriation
- No dependents that would need to accompany you to Costa Rica
- Send your documents to the consulate first. Before you travel, the Costa Rican consulate in Ottawa will need to legalize the documents proving that you meet the qualifications listed above, including a birth certificate demonstrating your age. Check the consulate website for up-to-date forms and processing fee amounts for the "legalization of documents" service (typically US$40 as of March 2021).[8]
- These documents will also need to be translated into Spanish by an official translator for the Costa Rican government, but this can be done once you are in the country.
- You do not need a visa or job offer to travel. Young Canadian workers can enter Costa Rica on a tourist visa (good for 90 days), which is granted when you arrive in the country. Unlike most tourists, you can then apply for the right to work as soon as you find a job offer. To do this, bring your legalized, translated documents to the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería in San José. The exact process may depend on which category of work you are applying for, but your future employer can accompany you and help you through the process.[9]
- Because of the special agreement between the two countries, you do not need to go through the usual work permit requirements. Most importantly, your employer can hire you for any job, not only jobs that cannot be filled by a Costa Rican citizen.
- Students, volunteers, and researchers are eligible for a special visa. The Youth Mobility program also covers young Canadians looking for internships, work placements, or academic positions (as a student, teacher, or researcher) in Costa Rica. Unlike people looking for work, you will need to get accepted into a program before you travel. Once you do, send the work contract or letter of acceptance as part of a request for the "Provisional Visa Special Category for Canadian citizens under the Memorandum of Understanding concerning Youth Mobility." Once this has been approved, you can travel to Costa Rica and finish your application for temporary residency under the same category, at the Dirección General de Migración in San José.[10]
- If it is difficult for you to travel to Ottawa to apply for a visa at the consulate, you are allowed to enter Costa Rica as a tourist and change your immigration status once you are there. This still requires you to legalize all your documents in advance, and will cost an additional US$200.
[Edit]How much do workers earn in Costa Rica? - The average household earns about US$530 per month. This is based on 2020 data, and is around ₡326,500 in local terms.[11] Keep in mind that this survey covers the whole country; wages are higher in the cities and lower in the countryside.
- A middle-class salary starts at around US$1,200 per month. This is based on 2018 data of about ₡743,000 as average for the middle quintile of earners.[12] This is roughly the monthly wages of, for example, a full-time English teacher at a private school. Upper middle class workers such as IT professionals can earn twice this amount.[13]
- Minimum wage law in Costa Rica is based on the level of skill and education required for your field of work. If your job requires a 4+ year university degree, you cannot legally be paid less than 682,600 colones per month (about US$1,100).[14]
[Edit]How much money do you need to live comfortably in Costa Rica? - A comfortable lifestyle will run you around US$1,000 per month. If you are a middle-class immigrant from an affluent country such as the US, this is a realistic budget for the kind of lifestyle you are probably used to. This means a decent apartment in the city, and room in the budget for dining out and entertainment. Many immigrants spend more like $1,500 on a less frugal lifestyle.[15]
- The bare minimum essentials cost about US$300 a month. Research from 2018 suggests that minimum monthly costs fall between 145,000 and 210,000 colones (roughly US$240 to 340) for a single person, or ₡400,000–560,000 (US$650 to 915) for a family.[16] This covers only the cheapest adequate housing, food, health care, and transport. Note that this budget will be easier to live on in rural areas of the country.
- Housing costs are especially low in Costa Rica. Compared to the many cities suffering under sky-high rents, Costa Rica has cheap housing even relative to other costs of living. For example, rent in San José, Costa Rica is about ¼ the cost of rent in Los Angeles or London, even though most supermarket goods are about ⅔ the price.[17] If you are moving from one of these cities, you may find your new wages go even further than you expect simply because of the massive difference in rental cost.
[Edit]What jobs are in demand in Costa Rica? - Technical positions are in the highest demand. Engineers, technicians, and skilled tradesman are some of the most in-demand jobs in Costa Rica.[18] If you are trying to get a work permit as a foreigner, your chances of success are much higher if you have this kind of technical experience and education.
- Call centers, English teaching, and tourism offer low-entry work. If you don't speak fluent Spanish or have specialized skills, the job market in Costa Rica will be tough. It is easier for English-speakers to find work in these fields, but you'll still be competing with many other applicants, and won't necessarily get paid great wages.[19] Still, this is a way to pay your bills while you're getting on your feet and taking Spanish classes.
- Note that working these jobs still requires a permanent residence permit or a work permit. In most cases this will be extremely difficult to get, and accepting the work without one is illegal.
[Edit]References |
| How to Make a Loaf of White Bread Posted: 12 May 2021 09:00 AM PDT A simple loaf of white bread is a great recipe to have in your baking arsenal, and you'll love knowing how to make bread anytime you might want it. It's a fairly straightforward process to form the dough, and you don't need any special equipment. From beginning to end, it shouldn't take more than 3 hours between proofing the yeast to pulling 2 freshly-baked loaves out of your oven! [Edit]Ingredients - of warm water
- 2 teaspoons (6.2 grams) of active dry yeast
- of milk
- of melted, unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams) of sugar
- 1 tablespoon (17 grams) of salt
- 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 cups (660 to 780 grams) of all-purpose flour
- Neutral oil, like canola oil
- Cooking spray (optional)
Makes 2 loaves of bread [Edit]Mixing the Dough - Proof the yeast in warm water for 5 minutes. Use the bowl of a stand mixer if you have one; if not, any large mixing bowl will work. Add of warm water and sprinkle 2 teaspoons (6.2 grams) of active dry yeast over the surface. Set a timer for 5 minutes.[1]
- This process gives the yeast time to dissolve and activate.
- The water should be warm to the touch, but not hot. Stick your finger in it before adding the yeast—if you can't leave your finger in there for a few seconds, the water is too hot and needs to cool down a bit more.
- Combine the milk, melted butter, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl from the proofing yeast, add of milk, of melted, unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons (25 grams) of sugar, and 1 tablespoon (17 grams) of salt. Stir them together.[2]
- For this recipe, you can use any type of milk. Keep in mind that if you use something like vanilla almond milk, your loaves will take on some of that flavor.
- It's a great idea to use a digital scale when baking bread if you have one. It helps you measure exactly the right amount of each ingredient.[3]
- Pour the milk mixture into the bowl with the activated yeast. Carefully transfer the contents of the bowl with the milk into the bowl with the water and yeast. Stir them together with a wooden spoon.[4]
- It's okay if not all the sugar, salt, or yeast have dissolved. They'll incorporate during the kneading process.
- Add 1 cup (120 grams) of flour to the liquid to form a loose dough. This step begins to bind the ingredients and makes it a lot easier to add the rest of the flour. Don't worry if the dough doesn't exactly look like dough at this stage.[5]
- If you don't have a digital scale, use the spoon-and-level method. Instead of dipping the measuring cup into the flour, which can overly-compress it and add more to your recipe than you need, spoon the flour out of the bag into the measuring cup, then level it off with the back of a clean knife.[6]
- Stir an additional 4.5 cups (540 grams) of flour into the dough.[7] Add the flour slowly so that the dough can absorb the flour and not get overly dry. Use a wooden spoon to mix everything until the dough becomes shaggy (lumpy, but mixed well). It's okay if all the flour isn't yet incorporated—it will come together during the kneading process.[8]
- Don't put your flour away just yet! Once you get to the kneading process, you may need to add a little more to get your dough to the right consistency.
- Shaggy dough is mixed well so there aren't any visible dry spots of flour, but it won't look like a smooth, round ball yet.
[Edit]Kneading and Proofing - Use a dough hook, on a stand mixer if you have one. Attach the bowl to the mixer and put the dough hook in place. Set the speed to medium and let the dough knead for 8-10 minutes until it forms a smooth ball. If the dough looks super sticky, add 1 tablespoon (8.5 grams) of flour at a time until it starts pulling away from the walls of the bowl.[9]
- Test the dough by poking it. If it springs back, it's good to go! If it doesn't, knead it for another minute before testing it again.
- If the dough sags through your fingers when you pick it up, that's another sign that it's not ready yet. It should hold its shape pretty well.[10]
- Knead the dough by hand for 8-10 minutes if you don't have a stand mixer. If the dough is incredibly sticky, add 1 tablespoon (8.5 grams) of flour at a time until it's easier to handle.[11] Push down on the dough and stretch it out with the palm of your hand. Fold the top of the dough back on itself, then press and stretch it again. Repeat this process for 8-10 minutes, or until the dough makes a smooth ball.[12]
- At the end, the dough should spring back when you poke it.[13]
- If you need to, let the dough rest for 5 minutes after adding some extra flour. This gives the flour time to absorb moisture from the dough, making it easier to handle.[14]
- Place the dough in a buttered bowl and let it rise until it's twice as big. Use either butter or a neutral-tasting oil, like vegetable oil, to coat the bowl so that the flavor doesn't impact the taste of your bread. Place the dough inside the bowl, turning it a few times, so it's entirely coated in the grease. Cover the bowl with either plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and set it to the side for about 60 minutes.[15]
- If you used a stand mixer, wash and dry that same bowl and use it for your proofing process to make fewer dishes for yourself.
- When you use yeast in a recipe, the dough is going to rise and spread. The yeast essentially eats the flour and releases carbon dioxide, creating air bubbles and making your dough rise.[16]
- At the end of this process, the dough should not spring back when it's poked. If it does, it needs more time.[17]
- Keep in mind that bread rises faster in a warm environment and slower in a cool one. If your kitchen is super cold, you could even turn your oven on low and set your dough nearby.[18]
- Remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into 2 equal sections. Sprinkle a little flour on a clean countertop, then gently dump the dough out of the bowl. Use your hands or a bench scraper to cut it in half. If you want to be super precise, use a food scale![19]
- A bench scraper is a baker's tool used to cut and manipulate all different kinds of doughs.[20]
- Shape each section of dough into a ball and let them rest for 10 minutes. These balls can be loose—there's no need for them to look perfect at this stage! Just gently roll them or tuck the dough so that they resemble a ball, and leave them on the counter for about 10 minutes.[21]
- When you divided the dough and formed the balls, you created a little bit of tension in the dough. Letting the dough relax releases that tension, which means it'll be easier to do your final shaping. Easier shaping equals better bread![22]
[Edit]Shaping the Loaves - Grease 2 loaf pans that measure . Take a few seconds to prep your loaf pans while your dough is resting on the counter. The next stage requires the dough to go into those pans, so it'll be nice to have them ready. Use cooking spray if you want, or just lightly coat them with oil or butter.[23]
- You could also use pans.[24]
- Flatten the dough into a rectangle and fold the bottom 1/3 up. If the dough seems like it's a little too sticky and isn't coming away from the counter easily, sprinkle a little flour underneath it. Use your palms to spread the dough ball into a rectangle, then fold the bottom 1/3 up to the middle.[25]
- The folding technique here is similar to how you would fold a letter.
- Fold the top 1/3 of the dough down and pinch the dough closed. Bring the top of the dough down, so it covers the bottom section that you already folded up. Use your fingers to pinch the seam closed all around, including the sides.[26]
- Your loaves will look much more professional with closed seams.
- Create more tension by folding the dough in half a second time. Gently press down on the middle and bring the sides together. Pinch the seams together again.[27]
- This entire process creates surface tension so that the loaves rise well and keep their shape.
- Place the dough into the loaf pans and let them rise for 30-40 minutes. Set the dough into the pans seam-side down. The dough should start to peek over the edge of the pan once they've grown enough.[28]
- If you use larger pans, the dough will rise to be about level with the tops of the pans rather than peeking over the top.
[Edit]Baking Your Bread - Preheat your oven to . Position a rack in the center of the oven, making sure to remove any racks above it. Otherwise, there won't be enough space for your bread to grow![29]
- Score the top of the dough before putting it into the oven. Use a sharp, serrated knife or a lame (pronounced "laahm") to make a long, deep slash down the length of the dough. You could also do 3 diagonal cuts across the width of the dough if you prefer.[30]
- For an easy variation on this classic recipe, brush the top of the scored dough with beaten egg white and sprinkle sesame seeds overtop.[31]
- Put the loaves in the oven and reduce the heat to . Bake both loaves at the same time. The high heat helps the dough rise and creates a nice exterior, and the lowering temp ensures your loaves will keep cooking through without getting overly brown on the outside.[32]
- If you forget to reduce the temperature, do it as soon as you think of it.
- Bake the bread for 30-35 minutes, until it's golden-brown on top.[33] Test the bread by carefully tipping it out of the loaf pan and tapping the bottom—if it's done, it will sound hollow. If it needs a little more time, pop it directly onto the rack instead of placing it back in the loaf pan.[34]
- You could also use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature. It should read when the bread is done.[35]
- Wear oven mitts when handling the hot pans and bread!
- Let the loaves cool on wire racks for several hours before you cut them. Cutting bread while it's still hot is, of course, super tempting—who doesn't love fresh, warm bread? But doing so compresses the bread and ruins all of that beautiful volume you spent so much time developing. It's best to let it rest until it's cool to the touch before diving in.[36]
- You'll at least get to enjoy the smell of your bread while it's baking and resting, even if you have to wait to eat it.
- Save your bread for a few days on the counter by wrapping it in foil and plastic.[37]
- Freeze uncut loaves of bread by putting them in a sealed plastic bag. Use them within the month for the best taste.[38]
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Stand mixer with a dough hook (optional)
- Large bowl
- Wooden spoon
- Digital scale (optional)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Kitchen towel
- 2 loaf pans
- Serrated knife or lame
- Wire rack
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
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