Brainstorming about your research topic is an essential step in the research process. Concept maps are a great tool for brainstorming and connecting your ideas.

For your Common Reading Research Assignment you will create a concept map for the book chapter you selected from The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. This concept map will be the foundation of your research for the annotated bibliography. The research topic you selected will be at the center of your map.

Students often research and write about topics that are unfamiliar to them.  Gathering background information on your topic from reference sources will help you understand and focus your topic.  Background information will help you identify key concepts and search terms.

General and specialized encyclopedias are a great place to start. 

• Oxford Reference Online
• World Book Web

You will need a Libray PIN to access these databases from off-campus.