The material you need in this course may differ from that of your classmates, depending on your research topics and questions.
Your research topic should be the first thing you come up with. This can be broad, and reflect a general interest you have: "African Women and the Media." Your research question, then, will ask a specific question about your topic. For example, "Has colorism played a role in the portrayal of African women in North African media?"
Research questions may be narrow or broad, and that can effect the number and type of sources you will find when conducting research. Aim for a question that is neither too broad: "What were the traditional gender roles for women in Africa?" Or too narrow: "What were the traditional gender roles for Igbo women in 1935?" A good way to determine whether or not your topic is too narrow or too broad is by running some keywords through OneSearch. If you find your search is bringing up 50,000 results, your focus is likely too broad. If you find yourself only coming up with 5 results, it's potentially too narrow. If all else fails, don't hesitate to meet with a librarian either by making an appointment or visiting Sherrod 156 for drop-in assistance!