Getting background information

Once you have a general area of interest in mind, it is important to refine your area of interest until you have a manageable topic. An idea like "I want to write a paper about the problem of censorship" lacks focus and will leave you frustrated.

Refining your topic can be difficult if you are not deeply familiar with your general area of interest. In order to help you focus your attention and topic, it is important that you gather background information.

The purpose of gathering background information is:

• To give you an overview of the topic as a whole
• To alert you to the key issues and controversies
• To provide you with a sense of how the topic area relates to other topics
• To introduce you to the specialized vocabulary relating to the topic