When you start your research, keep in mind that research is similar to detective work. Look for clues to narrow your topic, find relevant search terms, and formulate ideas for your essay. While researching, keep your eyes open for clues such as topics you might want to include in your essay such as key search terms, controversies, names of people or legislation that relate to your topic. These terms might make good search terms. You might also find useful publications listed in bibliographies.
Read your prompt carefully. Like a detective, get the basic facts and expectations from your client (your professor). What does your professor want? Your professor will explain the requirements for the assignment, but clues like possible search terms may slip into the text of the prompt. If your professor wants you to research business-related professions, words and phrases from the prompt such as career, vocation, job satisfaction, employment might be useful in a database search. Search terms can be phrases and proper names, not just single words.
Like any detective, you'll need information about the different "suspects" or the topics in your assignment. To find background information, there are various resources.
If you use OneSearch, you will often retrieve a Start Your Research article indicated with the light bulb that provides useful overviews about your topic. Not all searches will bring up a starter article, but Start Your Research articles provide background information typically found in encyclopedias. Use these articles as a starting point for research to find useful concepts, controversies, names of important people or legislation, historical background, and very importantly, keywords that you can incorporate into database searches.
To find other encyclopedic articles for background information, you can use the Gale eBooks database.
Containing encyclopedias and specialized reference sources, Gale eBooks assists with research over a number of disciplines.
If you're trying to think of a topic, you can browse the Issues on the home page of Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context. The various topic pages lists numerous current and controversial subjects that might help you come up with a research topic.