A good place to get ideas about topics is by using reference books such as encyclopedias, dictionaries and bibliographies.
Another way is to look at the Table of Contents of specific journals that deal with Latin American studies, e.g., Latin American Politics and Society and NACLA Report on the Americas.
TIP: Make the research process enjoyable for yourself by picking a topic that interests you!
Picking a topic can be difficult, and you need to make sure your topic is manageable. You may be overwhelmed with information if you choose too broad a topic. On the other hand, if your topic is too narrow, you may not find enough information to back up your thoughts.
TIP: If you feel you are overwhelmed with too much material or that your aren't not finding enough resources on your topics, you should refine your search. How? Think about broader/narrower time span, larger/smaller place, broad/specific group of people, general/specific event, etc.
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Too Broad Mexico - foreign relations |
Why: A general statement that has no specific focus. Your research would yield too many articles and books, and you would become overwhelmed by the number of resources you would find. |
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Too Narrow Tijuana and San Diego 1995-1997
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Why: Your research will probably yield very few books and articles. if any. |
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Good Thesis Foreign relations between Mexico and the U.S. have changed dramatically from the 1960s to the present |
Why: This thesis is strong with a specific focus and it is also broad enough to get a manageable amount of information. This is not merely a statement of fact. It is something that can be argued. |