By now, you should have a good idea of what your research interests are.

Often, it is not easy to know what your particular interests are. You may be interested in certain issues that you learned about in your classes. You may also learn about your interests by attending lectures, panel discussions, workshops and other informal discussions at which other students discuss their research. Remember, the academic enterprise is a social one; it is almost impossible to develop a clear research agenda without feedback from peers and professors.

Professors are excellent resources for clarifying a research interest and perhaps even transforming that interest into a piece of publishable work. Although it is relatively rare for an undergraduate to have a published work, many professors are willing to engage in joint publication with students. There are many undergraduate journals that publish student papers. In addition, having a publication will certainly make your graduate school application more attractive.

Here, the relationships you have cultivated with your professors, as well as your intimate familiarity with the library, will be of great help.