The inspiration for a research topic can come from a variety of sources. For example, the courses you take often spark curiosity and a desire to learn more about a specific subject. You may also find an instructor to be compelling, and the office hour visits lead to discussions about academic topics you find interesting. Or, you may have peers who are doing research, and conversations with them lead to an interest in doing research.
Students find their way into research in a wide variety of ways. Below, we discuss this topic from two different perspectives.
If You Know of an Academic Subject You’re Interested In
- Speak with the instructors of the courses you take in your area of interest. You can attend their office hours or arrange to have a meeting.
- Explore the department website and review the research topics being explored by their faculty.
- Explore research centers and institutes at the university that are associated with your area of interest.
- Speak to a UO Subject and Area Librarian. Tell them about the topic(s) you are interested in and ask for some introductory readings and online resources on the subject such as journals and blogs.
- Perform a Google search for the topic you are interested in. For example "University of Oregon research Alzheimer's disease."
If You are Unsure of a Topic
- A good place to start is your major’s department website. Go to their webpage about undergraduate research if they have one, if not we recommend visiting their research page and/or their faculty directory.
- Explore course offerings and enroll in a course that connects to your interests.
- Attend events such as campus speakers, department seminars, performances, and community events.
- Speak with the advisor in your major or schedule a meeting with a UROP adviser to discuss your interests.
Exploring potential topics is the fun part, the difficult part is making sense of all the information you have encountered, narrowing down your interests, and arranging meetings with prospective mentors. The next section discusses this aspect in more detail.