Home - LDST 399 - Junior Honors Tutorial - Hoyt - LibGuides at University of Richmond

Leadership Handbooks

Political and Civic Leadership: A Reference Handbook
Covers important topics, issues, questions and debates specific to politics and civic society
Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations: A Reference Handbook
Covers issues and leadership topics and focuses on the specific roles and skills required of the nonprofit leader in voluntary organizations
Leadership in Science and Technology: A Reference Handbook
Covers issues relevant to leadership in the realm of science and technology.

Full-text; 2011; Topics covered include characteristics of science and technology leaders and their environments; leadership in government, higher education industry research; and strategies, tactics, and tools within the various scientific fields.
Gender and Women's Leadership: A Reference Handbook
Provides an authoritative reference resource on leadership issues specific to women and gender

Full-text; 2010
Religious Leadership: A Reference Handbook
Explores the contexts in which religious leaders move, leadership in communities of faith, leadership as taught in theological education and training, religious leadership impacting social change and social justice, and more.
Environmental Leadership: A Reference Handbook
Covers issues relevant to leadership in the realm of the environment and sustainability.

Full-text; 2012
Encyclopedia of Leadership
Comprehensive reference guide to the most important business leadership principles, theories, tools, and techniques.

Full-text; 2004

Preliminary Research: Defining and Narrowing Topics

Use specialized encyclopedias, handbooks and scholarly books for excellent overviews and syntheses of possible topics. Use bibliographies at the end of encyclopedia articles for further inquiry.
How to find these sources?

Ask Your Librarian!
Use the Subject Research Guides on the library's web site, especially the LEADERSHIP STUDIES Research Guide.
Search the following online reference databases:

SAGE Reference Online
Full-text encyclopedias and handbooks, primarily in the social sciences.

Full-text
Gale eBooks
Collection of encyclopedias, almanacs, and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research.

Full-text; 1990s - present
Encyclopedia of Leadership
Comprehensive reference guide to the most important business leadership principles, theories, tools, and techniques.

Full-text; 2004
Very Short Introductions
Intelligent and serious introductions written by authors who are experts in their field.

Full-text; 2000 - Present; access limited to 5 simultaneous users
CQ Researcher
In-depth reports and background information on major current topics and policy issues.

Covering such topics as: social programs, health, social trends, criminal justice, education, the environment, technology, and the economy. Complete summaries, pros and cons, bibliographies and background information are included in each report.; Full-text reports; charts; 1923 - present

Narrowing Your Topic

Start by phrasing your subject or general topic in the form of a question.

Then ask yourself further questions about your topic:

What do you know about it? What don't you know?
What interests you about a potential topic? Are you enthusiastic about it?
Think back on previous classes, discussions, programs, readings, etc. Is there an issue or topic from those experiences that can influence your topic choice?
What aspects or viewpoints of your topic interest you? Examples include social, legal, medical, ethical, biological, psychological, economic, political, and philosophical. A viewpoint allows you to focus on a single aspect.
What time period do you want to cover?
What place or geographic region do you want to cover? Examples include national, international, local social norms & values, economic & political systems, or languages.
What population do you want to cover? Examples include gender, age, occupation, ethnicity, nationality, educational attainment, species, etc.

Next, look for resources which provide background information. Some selected general and specialized subject sources can help narrow the topic.

Remember, there are two layers of research:
1) a broad search to discover resources and to read some background information
2) specific searches for information once you've focused your topic.
__________________________________________________________

You may also want to consult ideas on the University of Richmond's Writer's Web.
Link to Narrowing Your Topic: 5 Quick Tips

LDST 399 - Junior Honors Tutorial - Hoyt: Home

Leadership Handbooks

Preliminary Research: Defining and Narrowing Topics

Narrowing Your Topic