Whether your instructor has assigned you a topic or allowed you to choose one for yourself, it can be daunting to know how to start narrowing your ideas down and figuring out how best to search for information about those ideas. The following activity will use a technique called mind mapping to show you how to narrow down a large topic (Wisconsin issues) into smaller topics (environmental protections, immigration, and LGBTQ+ youth issues,) do some preliminary research on your choice of those subtopics using a few sources, and then begin to develop search terms and strategies for more advanced research.
There is no one right way to research! Mind mapping is only one technique for organizing your thoughts and ideas, so feel free to play around with different maps or strategies until you find one that works for you.