Choosing your topic
Depending on the course you will have to choose a topic. This can be as easy as getting interested in a specific recreation topic through reading an article, watching a television documentary, or observing a recreation related behaviour in person.

You will need to become familiar with some classic studies on your topic. This background research can be gained by reading your textbooks, required course readings, and by consulting library Reference sources. Pay particular attention to studies dealing with principles, theories, hypotheses, and models as well as typical research methodologies used with your topic.

Stating your questions
Once you have sufficient knowledge of the background research on your topic you will be ready to ask some investigative questions. A research statement should now be formulated. This should be brief, to the point, and must identify the variables used in your study if applicable.

Refining your topic
After you have stated your research problem you must then present your hypothesis, or expected results based on some theoretical construct and/or the results of previous studies. This process is not strictly linear, following exact steps, but rather integrated with your initial library research. Starting with general questions and consulting encyclopedias and textbooks, for example, your ideas will gradually take shape.

The following pages will help you do all the above. Proceed through the four tutorial modules by choosing the index buttons on the left (develop topic, explore resources, refine topic, and report findings). Look at the examples provided in each section, then try the Catalogue Quiz, Database Quiz, and Exercise Quiz when they appear in the examples section of some tutorials. Use the naviagation arrows at the bottom of each page to help you go to the previous or next pages in the tutorials.