how do i find a research topic in education

250+ Educational Research Topics: Exploring the Path to Educational Excellence

Education is the cornerstone of human development, and its continuous improvement relies on diligent research and exploration. Educational research topics serve as beacons, guiding scholars and practitioners toward innovations that enhance teaching methodologies, student engagement, and overall learning outcomes. These educational research topics delve into the depths of educational systems, dissecting their intricacies to identify effective strategies and interventions. 

From investigating the impact of technology integration on student achievement to exploring the benefits of inclusive education, educational research delves into diverse areas of study. 

In this blog series, we embark on an enlightening journey, shedding light on a myriad of educational research topics. By examining these subjects, we aim to unravel valuable insights that can shape the future of education, fostering an enriching learning experience for all.

Table of Contents

How to choose the right educational research topics?

Choosing the right educational research topic requires careful consideration. Here are some steps to help you select a suitable topic:

Identify your interests

Start by reflecting on your own interests within the field of education. What topics or issues capture your attention? Consider areas such as student learning, teaching methods, educational policies, or educational technology.

Conduct a literature review

Read widely in the field of education to familiarize yourself with current research trends and gaps in knowledge. Identify areas where more research is needed or where existing studies have conflicting results.

Consider practical relevance

Think about the practical implications of the research topic. Is it relevant to current educational challenges or issues? Will the findings have the potential to inform and improve educational practice?

Consult with experts

Seek guidance from professors, researchers, or professionals in the field of education. Discuss your potential research topics with them and get their insights and recommendations. They can provide valuable feedback and suggest areas that align with your research goals.

Narrow down the scope

Once you have a general idea, narrow down your topic to make it more focused and manageable. Consider the available resources, time constraints, and the feasibility of conducting research in that specific area.

Define research objectives

Clearly define your research objectives and questions. What specific aspects of the topic do you want to explore? Ensure that your research objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

Research feasibility

Consider the availability of data and resources required to conduct research on your chosen topic. Evaluate whether you have access to relevant literature, data sources, or research participants. Additionally, consider ethical considerations and any potential constraints that may impact your research.

Seek feedback

Share your potential research topic with peers or mentors and seek their feedback. They can provide valuable insights, suggest improvements, or offer alternative perspectives.

Remember, selecting a research topic is an iterative process. It’s essential to be flexible and open to adjustments as you gather more information and refine your research objectives.

15+ College educational research topics

• The effectiveness of flipped classrooms in improving student engagement and learning outcomes.
• The impact of online learning on student achievement and retention rates.
• Strategies for promoting critical thinking skills in college classrooms.
• The influence of active learning techniques on student participation and comprehension.
• The role of project-based learning in developing real-world skills among college students.
• Factors influencing student motivation and engagement in higher education.
• The effectiveness of peer tutoring programs in supporting student learning and success.
• The impact of online discussion forums on student interaction and collaboration.
• The role of feedback and assessment in enhancing student learning and performance.
• The relationship between classroom environment and student academic achievement.
• Strategies for promoting effective communication skills among college students.
• The impact of experiential learning opportunities on student career readiness.
• The effectiveness of blended learning approaches in higher education.
• The role of metacognition in promoting deep learning among college students.
• The impact of diversity and inclusion initiatives on campus climate and student experiences.
• Factors influencing student decision-making in choosing majors and career paths.
• The effectiveness of student support services (e.g., counseling, tutoring, mentoring) in promoting student success.
• The relationship between student engagement in co-curricular activities and academic performance.

15+ Health educational research topics

• The effectiveness of health education programs in reducing risky behaviors among teenagers.
• The impact of school-based physical activity interventions on children’s health and well-being.
• The role of nutrition education in promoting healthy eating habits among adolescents.
• The effectiveness of sex education programs in reducing teen pregnancy rates.
• The impact of mental health education on student well-being and academic performance.
• The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in reducing stress and improving mental health among students.
• The role of health education in preventing substance abuse among young adults.
• The impact of comprehensive sex education on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to sexual health.
• The effectiveness of school-based vaccination programs in improving immunization rates among students.
• The role of physical education in promoting lifelong physical activity and healthy lifestyle habits.
• The impact of school wellness policies on student health outcomes.
• The effectiveness of health literacy interventions in improving health knowledge and behaviors.
• The role of peer education in promoting HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention among young people.
• The impact of nutrition education on reducing childhood obesity rates.
• The effectiveness of school-based bullying prevention programs on student mental health and well-being.
• The role of school nurses in promoting health and providing healthcare services to students.
• The impact of health education on knowledge and behaviors related to hygiene and disease prevention.

15+ Educational research topics on Medicine

• The effectiveness of online medical education in comparison to traditional classroom-based education.
• The impact of simulation-based training on medical students’ clinical skills and confidence.
• Strategies for promoting interprofessional education and collaboration in healthcare settings.
• The role of virtual reality in medical education and its impact on knowledge retention and skill development.
• The use of gamification in medical education to enhance engagement and learning outcomes.
• Investigating the effectiveness of problem-based learning (PBL) in medical schools.
• Assessing the impact of clinical rotations on medical students’ clinical competency and preparedness.
• Exploring the integration of cultural competency training in medical education curricula.
• Investigating the use of e-portfolios for reflective practice and competency assessment in medical education.
• The effectiveness of flipped classroom models in medical education.
• Investigating the impact of longitudinal clerkships on medical students’ professional identity formation.
• Examining the use of standardized patients in medical education and their impact on students’ communication and clinical skills.
• Exploring the role of medical simulation centers in enhancing medical students’ procedural skills and patient safety.
• Investigating the impact of peer teaching and peer-assisted learning in medical education.
• Assessing the effectiveness of team-based learning (TBL) in medical education.
• Investigating the use of virtual patient cases for clinical reasoning and decision-making skills development.
• The role of medical humanities in developing empathy and cultural understanding among medical students.

15+ Educational research topics on Environment

• The effectiveness of environmental education programs in promoting environmental awareness and behavior change among students.
• Investigating the role of schools in fostering environmental literacy and sustainability.
• Assessing the impact of outdoor learning experiences on students’ environmental knowledge and attitudes.
• Exploring the effectiveness of the environmental education curriculum in developing students’ eco-literacy.
• Investigating the relationship between environmental education and pro-environmental behavior in children.
• Examining the impact of environmental education on students’ attitudes towards conservation and environmental stewardship.
• Investigating the role of teachers in promoting environmental education and sustainability practices in schools.
• Assessing the effectiveness of school recycling programs in reducing waste and promoting environmental responsibility.
• Investigating the impact of school gardens on students’ understanding of and connection to the environment.
• Exploring the role of environmental education in fostering climate change awareness and action among students.
• Assessing the effectiveness of environmental education interventions in addressing environmental justice issues.
• Investigating the impact of environmental education on students’ understanding of biodiversity and ecosystem conservation.
• Exploring the use of technology and digital tools in enhancing environmental education and engagement.
• Assessing the effectiveness of environmental education in promoting sustainable consumption and lifestyle choices.
• Investigating the role of environmental education in mitigating environmental pollution and promoting environmental health.

15+ Educational research topics on Sport and Entertainment

• The impact of physical education on academic performance.
• Strategies for promoting physical activity among children and adolescents.
• The role of sports in character development and life skills acquisition.
• The influence of sports participation on self-esteem and self-confidence.
• The effectiveness of coaching styles in enhancing athlete performance and motivation.
• The impact of sport on social integration and community development.
• The role of sports in promoting gender equality and empowerment.
• The relationship between sports and academic engagement among student-athletes.
• The effects of sports specialization on long-term athletic success and well-being.
• The role of sports in promoting mental health and well-being.
• Strategies for preventing and managing sports-related injuries among athletes.
• The impact of sports marketing and sponsorship on consumer behavior.
• The influence of sports media on public perception and participation in sports.
• The role of entertainment education in promoting health and well-being.
• The effects of celebrity endorsements in the entertainment industry.
• The impact of music and dance education on cognitive development and academic achievement.
• The use of virtual reality and augmented reality in sports training and entertainment experiences.
• The effects of video games on cognitive skills and decision-making abilities in sports.

15+ Educational research topics for college students

• The effectiveness of online learning in higher education.
• The impact of student engagement on academic performance in college.
• Strategies for improving critical thinking skills in college students.
• The role of self-regulated learning in college success.
• The effects of student motivation on academic achievement in college.
• The impact of flipped classrooms on student learning in college.
• The effectiveness of peer tutoring programs in college settings.
• The influence of social media on student well-being and academic performance in college.
• The benefits and challenges of incorporating experiential learning in college curricula.
• The relationship between college student stress levels and academic performance.
• The impact of diverse learning environments on student learning outcomes in college.
• Strategies for promoting effective time management skills among college students.
• The role of metacognitive strategies in improving study habits and academic success in college.
• The effectiveness of active learning strategies in college classrooms.
• The influence of cultural competence in teaching and learning in college settings.
• The effects of collaborative learning on student engagement and academic achievement in college.
• The role of feedback and assessment practices in enhancing student learning in college.
• The impact of study abroad programs on intercultural competency development in college students.

15+ Educational research topics on Media and Communication

• The influence of media literacy education on critical thinking skills of students.
• The role of social media in shaping students’ attitudes and behaviors.
• The impact of media use on academic performance and learning outcomes.
• Effective strategies for teaching media literacy in the classroom.
• The use of digital media in promoting creativity and expression among students.
• The effects of media violence on children and adolescents.
• Media representations of diverse cultures and their effects on students’ perceptions.
• The role of media in shaping students’ political and social awareness.
• The influence of the media on body image and self-esteem among students.
• Media literacy and its relationship to digital citizenship.
• The role of media in promoting cultural understanding and tolerance among students.
• The impact of media on students’ language development and communication skills.
• The use of media in promoting active learning and student engagement.
• The effects of social media on students’ social interactions and relationships.
• The role of media in enhancing students’ information literacy skills.
• Media portrayal of gender roles and its impact on students’ attitudes and beliefs.
• The use of multimedia in improving students’ retention and comprehension of educational content.
• The influence of the media on students’ decision-making processes.

15+ Educational research topics on Technology

• The impact of online learning platforms on student engagement and academic performance.
• The effectiveness of educational apps in enhancing early childhood learning.
• The role of virtual reality in improving students’ understanding of complex concepts.
• Investigating the effectiveness of gamification in motivating students to learn.
• The use of artificial intelligence in personalized learning: benefits and challenges.
• Exploring the impact of mobile devices on student collaboration and information sharing.
• Analyzing the effectiveness of online discussion forums in promoting critical thinking skills.
• The use of educational video content for enhancing student comprehension and retention.
• Investigating the role of social media in supporting collaborative learning environments.
• The impact of coding and programming education on students’ problem-solving abilities.
• Assessing the effectiveness of blended learning models in K-12 classrooms.
• The influence of technology on teacher-student relationships and classroom dynamics.
• Investigating the factors influencing teachers’ adoption of technology in the classroom.
• The use of educational robotics in promoting STEM education and computational thinking skills.
• Examining the effects of digital storytelling on students’ creativity and narrative skills.
• The impact of online assessment tools on student performance and feedback effectiveness.
• Investigating the role of artificial intelligence in adaptive learning and personalized instruction.

15+ Educational research topics on Politics

• The influence of political ideologies on civic education.
• The role of political socialization in shaping young citizens’ political attitudes.
• The impact of political party affiliation on educational policies.
• The effectiveness of civic education programs in promoting political participation among youth.
• The influence of political bias in educational materials and its implications for student learning.
• The role of education in fostering democratic values and citizenship.
• The impact of political discourse in the classroom on student engagement and critical thinking.
• The relationship between political knowledge and voting behavior among college students.
• The representation of political issues and controversies in educational curricula.
• The impact of political activism and student protests on educational institutions.
• The influence of political factors on educational funding and resource allocation.
• The role of education in promoting tolerance and understanding in politically divided societies.
• The impact of political polarization on classroom dynamics and educational outcomes.
• The role of educational institutions in promoting political literacy and informed decision-making.
• The effects of political campaign advertising on students’ political attitudes and behavior.
• The impact of political decentralization on educational governance and policies.
• The role of education in addressing social justice issues and promoting political equality.

15+ Educational research topics on Thesis

• The effectiveness of project-based learning in enhancing student engagement and achievement.
• The impact of teacher-student relationships on student motivation and academic performance.
• The role of parental involvement in students’ academic success.
• The influence of socioeconomic status on educational opportunities and outcomes.
• The effects of inclusive education on students with disabilities.
• The effectiveness of differentiated instruction in meeting the diverse learning needs of students.
• The impact of early childhood education on long-term academic and social development.
• The role of assessment and feedback in promoting student learning and achievement.
• The effectiveness of online learning compared to traditional classroom instruction.
• The relationship between school climate and student well-being and academic success.
• The impact of teacher professional development on instructional practices and student outcomes.
• The effectiveness of peer tutoring in enhancing student learning and academic performance.
• The influence of cultural diversity on classroom dynamics and student learning experiences.
• The effects of homework on student achievement and overall well-being.
• The role of educational leadership in school improvement and student success.
• The impact of social-emotional learning programs on students’ social skills and emotional well-being.
• The effectiveness of educational interventions for students with learning disabilities.
• The relationship between teacher beliefs and instructional practices in the classroom.
• The role of school counseling in supporting students’ academic and personal development.
• The effects of school-based nutrition programs on students’ health and academic performance.

15+ Psychology Educational research topics

• The influence of the classroom environment on student motivation and learning.
• The effects of teacher-student relationships on academic achievement and social-emotional development.
• The impact of mindfulness-based interventions on student well-being and academic performance.
• Gender differences in academic achievement and career choices in STEM fields.
• The role of self-efficacy in student learning and academic success.
• The effects of bullying on students’ psychological well-being and academic performance.
• The relationship between parental involvement and student achievement.
• The effectiveness of different teaching strategies in promoting critical thinking skills.
• The impact of peer tutoring on student learning outcomes.
• The role of motivation in academic procrastination among students.
• The effects of classroom diversity on intergroup relations and academic achievement.
• The relationship between learning styles and academic performance.
• The influence of educational technology on cognitive processes and learning outcomes.
• The effects of stress on students’ cognitive functioning and academic performance.
• The role of emotional intelligence in student success and well-being.
• The impact of extracurricular activities on students’ social and emotional development.
• The effectiveness of positive reinforcement techniques in classroom management and student behavior.

15+ Educational research topics on Sociology

• The influence of social class on educational attainment.
• The impact of cultural diversity in the classroom on student learning.
• The role of gender in educational achievement and career choices.
• Examining the effects of racial and ethnic segregation in schools.
• Exploring the relationship between teacher expectations and student performance.
• Investigating the effects of social capital on educational outcomes.
• Analyzing the impact of poverty on educational opportunities.
• Examining the role of social networks in students’ academic success.
• The influence of family background and socioeconomic status on educational outcomes.
• Exploring the effects of tracking and ability grouping in schools.
• Investigating the impact of school discipline policies on marginalized student populations.
• Examining the role of socialization in shaping students’ attitudes and behaviors.
• Analyzing the effects of peer influence on academic performance and engagement.
• Investigating the role of teacher-student relationships in student motivation and achievement.
• Exploring the effects of school climate and culture on student well-being and learning.
• Analyzing the impact of educational policies on educational equity and social justice.
• Investigating the relationship between educational institutions and social inequality.
• Exploring the effects of cultural capital on educational access and success.

15+ Educational research topics on Culture

• The influence of cultural diversity on student achievement in multicultural classrooms.
• The role of cultural sensitivity in teacher-student interactions and its impact on student learning outcomes.
• Exploring the relationship between cultural background and student engagement in the classroom.
• Investigating the effects of culturally responsive teaching practices on academic performance.
• Examining the impact of culturally relevant curriculum on student motivation and self-esteem.
• The role of cultural values in shaping parental involvement in education.
• Exploring the impact of culturally inclusive pedagogy on student attitudes towards diversity.
• Investigating the challenges and benefits of integrating culturally diverse literature in the classroom.
• The influence of cultural identity on student resilience and academic success.
• Examining the impact of cultural competency training on teachers’ ability to meet the needs of culturally diverse students.
• Investigating the role of cultural factors in shaping educational policies and practices.
• The impact of cultural integration programs on social cohesion and intercultural understanding in schools.
• Exploring the relationship between cultural competence of school leaders and the school climate.
• Investigating the influence of cultural stereotypes on teacher expectations and student outcomes.
• The role of cultural capital in educational achievement and attainment.
• Examining the impact of multicultural education on reducing prejudice and discrimination among students.
• Investigating the effects of cultural immersion experiences on students’ understanding of global citizenship.

15+ Leadership  Educational research topics

• The role of transformational leadership in improving student achievement.
• Exploring the relationship between instructional leadership and teacher effectiveness.
• Investigating the impact of distributed leadership on school culture and climate.
• Examining the influence of ethical leadership on organizational trust in educational institutions.
• The role of instructional coaching in supporting teacher leadership and professional development.
• Investigating the leadership practices that promote teacher collaboration and collective efficacy.
• Exploring the impact of principal leadership on teacher job satisfaction and retention.
• Investigating the effectiveness of distributed leadership in facilitating educational change.
• The role of servant leadership in promoting a positive school climate and student well-being.
• Exploring the relationship between instructional leadership and student engagement.
• Investigating the impact of instructional leadership on the implementation of evidence-based practices.
• The role of leadership in fostering parent and community engagement in schools.
• Examining the effectiveness of instructional leadership in promoting educational equity and closing achievement gaps.
• Investigating the leadership practices that facilitate successful school turnaround efforts.
• Exploring the impact of leadership development programs on leadership capacity in educational settings.
• Investigating the relationship between leadership styles and teacher motivation and job satisfaction.
• The role of distributed leadership in promoting instructional improvement and professional learning communities.

15+ Educational research topics for For Middle School

• The effectiveness of project-based learning in middle school classrooms.
• The impact of differentiated instruction on student achievement in mathematics.
• The role of physical activity and its influence on academic performance.
• The benefits of incorporating educational games in middle school curriculum.
• The effects of peer tutoring on student engagement and learning outcomes.
• The relationship between parental involvement and academic success in middle school.
• The impact of social-emotional learning programs on student behavior and well-being.
• The effectiveness of flipped classrooms in middle school science education.
• The influence of arts education on creativity and critical thinking skills.
• The role of mindfulness techniques in improving attention and concentration in middle school students.
• The benefits of incorporating multicultural literature in middle school English language arts.
• The impact of inquiry-based learning on student motivation and scientific inquiry skills.
• The effectiveness of cooperative learning strategies in middle school social studies classrooms.
• The relationship between school climate and student academic performance.
• The impact of technology integration on middle school students’ digital literacy skills.
• The benefits of incorporating financial literacy education in middle school curriculum.
• The role of teacher-student relationships in promoting a positive classroom environment.

15+ Educational research topics for For High School

• The effects of implementing project-based learning on student engagement and academic performance.
• The impact of flipped classrooms on student learning and retention of content.
• The role of teacher-student relationships in promoting academic success and well-being in high school.
• Investigating the effectiveness of different instructional methods (e.g., lecture, group work, online learning) in high school classrooms.
• Examining the influence of parental involvement on high school students’ academic achievement.
• The relationship between extracurricular activities and academic performance in high school.
• Exploring the effectiveness of different assessment methods (e.g., tests, projects, portfolios) in measuring high school students’ learning outcomes.
• Investigating the impact of integrating social-emotional learning (SEL) programs in high school curriculum on students’ well-being and academic achievement.
• The effects of incorporating technology in high school classrooms on students’ motivation and learning outcomes.
• Investigating the factors influencing high school students’ career decision-making and exploring effective career guidance approaches.
• Examining the impact of different teaching strategies on high school students’ critical thinking skills.
• Exploring the role of student voice and participation in decision-making processes in high schools.
• Investigating the effects of school climate and culture on high school students’ academic performance and well-being.
• The influence of parental expectations and aspirations on high school students’ educational attainment.
• Examining the impact of personalized learning approaches on high school students’ achievement and motivation.
• Investigating the effects of teacher professional development programs on instructional practices and student outcomes in high schools.
• The relationship between high school students’ self-regulation skills and academic achievement.

Tips to write educational research topics

Here are some tips to help you write effective educational research topics:

Identify a specific research problem: Start by identifying a specific issue or problem within the field of education that you want to investigate. Narrow down your topic to a specific aspect or area that interests you.

Be clear and concise: Formulate your research topic in a clear and concise manner. Avoid using vague or general terms. Make sure your topic is specific enough to guide your research and provide focus.

Consider the significance and relevance: Ensure that your research topic is significant and relevant to the field of education. Think about the potential impact and contribution of your research to the existing knowledge base.

Conduct a literature review: Before finalizing your research topic, conduct a literature review to familiarize yourself with the existing research and identify any gaps or areas for further investigation. This will help you refine your topic and ensure its originality.

Consult with experts: Seek feedback from your professors, advisors, or other experts in the field of education. They can provide valuable insights and suggestions for refining your research topic.

Formulate research questions or objectives: Once you have identified your research problem, formulate specific research questions or objectives that you aim to address in your study. These will guide your research and provide a clear focus.

Consider feasibility: Evaluate the feasibility of your research topic in terms of available resources, data availability, and ethical considerations. Make sure your topic is manageable within the given constraints.

Stay flexible: Keep in mind that your research topic may evolve as you delve deeper into the literature and conduct your research. Be open to adjustments and modifications along the way to ensure that your topic remains relevant and aligned with your research goals.

By following these tips, you can develop a strong and focused educational research topic that will serve as the foundation for your study.

In conclusion, educational research topics play a crucial role in advancing our understanding of various aspects of education. These topics provide opportunities to explore innovative teaching methods, evaluate the impact of interventions, and investigate factors that influence student learning and well-being. 

By conducting research in high school settings, we can identify effective instructional strategies, examine the role of technology, and understand the importance of student-teacher relationships. Additionally, research topics in education shed light on the significance of parental involvement, extracurricular activities, and social-emotional learning in promoting student success. 

Through rigorous investigation, educational research topics contribute to evidence-based practices that can enhance educational outcomes and create a positive impact on the lives of high school students.

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364 Education Research Topics about School Issues, Special Education, and More

The field of education encompasses diverse areas of study, ranging from elementary school to higher education. It includes curriculum development, teaching policy-making, and the application of psychology and technology in learning.

Education research explores learning theories and effective teaching practices, examines the impact of sociocultural elements on teaching, and addresses concerns of equality and inclusion. This dynamic discipline continually evolves, driven by innovations and the desire to enhance learning outcomes for all students while creating new avenues for fundamental research.

In this article, you’ll find many education research topics for your projects. You can also find additional ideas in our free essay database .

🏫 15 Controversial School Topics

🔎 research areas & topics in education, 🎒 elementary education research topics, 👩‍🎓 adult education research topics, 🧮 action research topics in education, 🔕 special education research topics, 🚌 school issues topics, 📒 more controversial school topics, 🧠 school psychology research topics, 🔗 references.

• The role of school counselors’ support for students considering abortion.
• Psychedelic therapy: The impact on students’ mental health.
• The role of school religion classes in promoting cultural understanding.
• How do economic policies impact teacher retention and job satisfaction?
• Sexual harassment in schools: Prevalence, structure, and perceptions.
• Free education and its role in reducing educational inequality.
• Why is parental support crucial in achieving academic success?
• Bullying and cyberbullying: The influence on the school environment.
• The effectiveness of school-based sex education programs.
• Promoting school safety for LGBTQ students.
• Inclusive curriculum as a path to better educational performance.
• Cultural diversity in secondary school classrooms.
• The link between alcohol consumption and educational performance.
• Gambling behavior and risk factors in preadolescent students.
• Final exams as the main reason for student depression and anxiety.

Research in education seeks to improve learning outcomes, address the issues of equity and inclusion , and integrate innovative technology into the educational process. Look at the table below to learn what different research areas in education deal with!

• The influence of modern technologies on elementary school education.
• Elementary education: Methods and strategies.
• Elementary School: Picture Communication at the Lesson .
• Promotion of the healthy diet program in elementary schools.
• The role of physical education in elementary schools.
• Addressing Bullying in Elementary and Middle School Classrooms .
• Social studies in the elementary school.
• How to increase motivation among students in elementary school?
• Math Methodology for Elementary Teachers .
• The value of community and family involvement in elementary schools.
• Dominant learning styles among elementary school students.
• Teacher Efficacy of Pre-service Elementary Teachers .
• Elementary education principles: Europe vs. the US.
• The problem of bullying among elementary school students.
• Departmentalization in American Elementary Schools .
• The impact of laptops on elementary school students’ performance.
• The history of elementary education development in Europe.
• Yorktown Elementary School Improvement Plan .
• Corporal punishment as a way of dealing with elementary-level aggressive children.
• Pedagogical Skills in Elementary School .
• Effects of obesity on elementary school students’ development.
• Elementary-level art education and its importance.
• Students’ Academic Performance: Elementary Homework Policies .
• The standards of learning at the elementary educational level.
• Modern approaches to self-studying in elementary school.
• Task-Based Language Teaching Applied in Elementary Classroom .
• Learning English in bilingual elementary schools.
• Lack of proper grooming as a cause of violence among elementary students.
• Proposal for Providing Healthier Food Choices for Elementary Students .
• The need for sexual education in elementary school.
• Differences between adult and child education.
• Main types of adult education and their features.
• Adult Education: Reasons to Continue Studying .
• The most popular adult education agencies and institutions in Europe.
• Adult education: Purpose and theories.
• Adult Education in the “Real World” Classroom .
• Challenges and motivating factors in education for adults.
• Greater social inclusion as one of the crucial benefits of adult education.
• Adult Education for Canadian Immigrants .
• Adult-education movements in the UK.
• What sets adult education apart from traditional education?
• Interaction Strategies in Adult Education .
• Albert Mansbridge and his role in adult education development.
• Adult education in Canada: Key features.
• Adult Educational Pedagogical Philosophies, Theories .
• Peculiarities of learning environment for adult students.
• Critical resources for adult education and training.
• Importance of Adult Education: Risks and Rewards .
• Adult education as a tool for developing leadership capabilities.
• The role of critical thinking in adult education.
• Adult Education: McClusky’s Power-Load-Margin .
• What theories of adult learning are used in UK education?
• Modern technology and its impact on adult learning improvement.
• Michael Collins “Adult Education as Vocation”: Theoretical Positions .
• Theories of adult learning in the context of clinical teaching nurses.
• Adult education: Opportunities and limitations.
• Concept of Lifelong Learning .
• The aid of volunteers in adult education.
• Teaching skills that play a vital role in adult education.

Action research seeks to identify problems, weaknesses, or areas for improvement in different dimensions of the education system — instructional, academic, or organizational. It is a cyclical process, the goal of which is to equip teachers with a mechanism for problem resolution in schools to enhance student learning and teacher effectiveness.

• William Barry: A theory-based educational approach to action research.
• The Effects of Cyberbullying on Students’ Academic Performance .
• Educators’ challenges in conducting action research in classrooms.
• Action research’s importance in teacher education courses.
• Inclusion Policies in Education and Their Effects .
• Primary school education: Action research plan.
• The benefits of using action research in the classroom.
• Learning Disabilities and Intervention Methods .
• The role of action research in college education.
• Parental involvement in student’s education with the help of action research.
• Online Learning and Students’ Mental Health .
• The influence of action research on curriculum development.
• Action research in education: Characteristics and working principles.
• How Is Social Media Affecting College Students?
• Why is action research one of the best ways to improve academic performance?
• Action research for educational reform: Remodeling action research theories.
• College Students’ Weight Gain and Its Causes .
• The use of action research in higher education and its outcomes.
• International educational perspectives through action research.
• Inclusion and Individual Differences in Classroom .
• The contribution of action research to investigating classroom practice.
• How does action research support the development of inclusive classroom environments?
• Homeschooling: Argumentation For and Against .

School & Classroom Management

• Peculiarities of educational management in primary and elementary schools.
• Classroom Management and Techniques to Incorporate in Student’s Reinforcement Plan .
• Preventive approaches to classroom management.
• Educational management: The blue vs. orange card theory.
• Teaching Strategies and Classroom Management .
• What is the role of corporal punishment in educational management?
• Classroom management system: Effective classroom rules.
• Dominance and Cooperation as Classroom Management Strategies .
• Culturally responsive classroom management: Definition and features.
• The influence of school management on student well-being and engagement.
• Blended Learning and Flipped Classrooms .
• Use of information communication technology in school management.
• The problems of classroom management with high school students.
• The Role of Computers in the Classroom .
• Assessment of the role of teachers in school management.
• Online vs. Traditional Classroom Education .

Educational Policies

• Why are education policies and strategies crucial for teachers and students?
• The effectiveness of implementing educational policies.
• Implementation of Federal Educational Policies .
• State policies to increase teacher retention.
• Policies and laws promoting gender equality in education.
• The Separate But Equal Education and Racial Segregation .
• Education policy issues in 2020: Consequences of Covid-19.
• Educational policies for students with disabilities.
• Higher Education Should Be Free for Everyone .
• What education policies and practices does UNESCO prioritize?
• Education policies as a way to improve the school system in the Philippines.
• Where and How Sex Education Should Be Conducted Among the Young People?
• The education policy fellowship program and its value and goal.
• Should Schools Distribute Condoms?
• European education policy regarding the education of adults.
• The main features of the special education process.
• Use of assistive technology in improving education for students with special needs.
• Special Education in New York City .
• Special education: Transforming America’s classrooms.
• The issues faced by parents of students with disabilities.
• Functional Curriculum Goals in Special Education .
• The role of social skills training in the development of special education.
• Paraeducators: Assisting students with special needs in their studies.
• Labeling in Special Education .
• Physical class as a vital part of special education.
• Effects of co-teaching approaches on the academic performance of students with disabilities.
• English Language Learning in Special Education .
• Behavioral strategies for dealing with autism spectrum conditions during lessons.
• Natural Readers Website as Assistive Technology in Education .
• Trauma-informed teaching as a trending issue in special education.
• Special education: The main concepts and legal background.
• Learning Disabilities: Speech and Language Disorders .
• Use of cultural resonance in special education.
• Current issues in special education for children with disabilities.
• Related Services for Students with Disabilities .
• The special education profession and its value.
• Special education: Teaching children with mental disorders.
• Exclusion of Students with Learning Disabilities .
• How to create a perfect curriculum for students with special needs?
• The importance of collaboration between parents and special education teachers.
• General Curriculum for Students with Severe Disabilities .
• The Netherlands as a leader in supporting intellectual disabilities programs.
• Effective Strategies for Students With Learning Disabilities
• The role of cultural sensitivity in multicultural special education.
• Special education: The main aspects and conflicts.
• New Technologies for the Students with Disabilities .
• The frequency and consequences of firearm-related incidents in schools.
• Gun Control and School Shootings .
• The impact of political ideology on educational policies and practices.
• Why is sexual assault a serious problem on American campuses?
• Negative Impact of Media Attention to School Shooting .
• Regulations and procedures for preventing unauthorized access to weapons in schools.
• College accreditation and student loan forgiveness.
• Discrimination in School and Its Effects on Students .
• Modern technologies as a real threat to student privacy and security.
• The issue with learning accommodation for non-traditional students.
• Discrimination and Inequality in the Education System
• Why is standardized testing one of the biggest problems in education?
• The prevalence and patterns of alcohol consumption among students.
• The Early Education Issues: Development and Importance .
• Student poverty and its connection to academic performance and success.
• Teacher salaries: A critical education issue of the 21st century.
• School Bullying and Legal Responsibility .
• What effect does the size of the class have on student outcomes?
• School violence: Dealing with it and minimizing the danger.
• Adolescent Mental Health: Depression .
• Analyzing the impact of technology integration on the increased level of cheating.
• Teacher burnout and its impact on student achievement.
• Adolescent Drug Abuse, Their Awareness, and Prevention .
• What is the influence of socioeconomic status on educational achievement gaps?
• Social Inequality at School .
• High-stakes testing as the main reason for increasing student stress levels.
• Homework: The main disadvantages of self-studying at home.
• Social Inequality and Juvenile Delinquency .
• The effects of drug education campaigns on student knowledge and attitudes.
• Why do college students often become addicted to gambling?

School Bullying

• A method to prevent bias and discrimination in the school system.
• Cyberbullying Among University Students .
• The social consequences of cyberbullying and cyberstalking for students.
• What is the influence of bullying on the academic performance of students?
• School Bullying and Problems in Adult Life .
• Bullying and suicide: Understanding the link and dealing with it.
• School Bullying: Causes and Effects .
• The issue of bullying of children with special needs in school.
• The impact of bullying on school communities.
• Prevention of Bullying in Schools .
• What effect does bullying have on high school-aged students?
• Parenting Style and Bullying Among Children .
• School bullying: Government strategies for managing the problem.
• What steps can parents take to stop bullying at school?
• Cyberbullying of Children in Canada .
• The importance of the anti-bullying program for schools.
• The contribution of technology to the occurrence or prevention of bullying.
• Student Dropouts in Bully-Friendly Schools .
• Bullying and its influence on school climate.
• Bullying and violence in schools: Social psychology perspective.
• The Long-Term Consequences of Being Bullied or Bullying Others in Childhood .
• What are the leading causes of bullying in school?
• Investigating the consequences of online bullying among school-aged children.
• Bullying of Learners with Disabilities .

Lack of Funding

• The impact of school funding issues on the performance of students.
• Children Education. Federal Funding of Preschool .
• School funding issues: Methods and strategies to overcome the problem.
• Why is school funding a key to equitable education?
• The Role of External Funding in Academic Projects .
• The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on school funding.
• How can an increase in spending on education help boost economic recovery?
• School-Funding System in New Jersey .
• Investigating the link between financial disparities and educational inequality.
• How Misuse of Funding Could Affect Education .
• The influence of budget cuts on teacher recruitment and retention.
• Inadequate funding as one of the biggest problems in education.
• Free College Education: Arguments in Support .
• Problems of insufficient funding for elementary education in Asia.
• The role of private sector partnerships in education funding.
• Should College Education Be Free for All US Citizens?
• Public education funding in the US: Peculiarities.
• The importance of educating children in poor countries.
• Should College Athletes Be Paid or Not?
• How can the issue of improper funding for schools be solved?
• New school funding model in Kenya: Benefits and main problems.
• Evidence-Based Model and Solving Problems with School Funding .
• How do decreasing budgets affect student learning and achievement?

Mental Health of Students

• Why do many college students experience symptoms of severe mental health conditions?
• University Students’ Mental Health in 2000-2020 .
• Depression as a common mental health issue in US students.
• Suicidal ideation and intent in students: The leading causes and symptoms.
• The Effect of Mental Health Programs on Students Academic Performance .
• American Psychological Association and its role in helping students with anxiety.
• Eating disorders: The female college students’ problem.
• Mental Health Issues in College Students .
• Substance misuse and its influence on the social life of students.
• What are the long-term effects of academic stress on student mental health?
• Strategies to Decrease Nursing Student Anxiety .
• Factors contributing to the rise in student anxiety and depression rates.
• Social media use and its connection to the mental health of high school students.
• Adolescent Depression: Modern Issues and Resources .
• Sleep quality and duration’s influence on student mental health.
• How does parental involvement influence the mental health and well-being of students?
• The Problem of Adolescent Suicide .
• Physical activity and its contribution to students’ mental health.
• The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student mental health.
• Mental Health Well-Being Notion: Its Effect on Education .
• The effectiveness of school-based mental health programs for students in Europe.
• Education and Motivation for At-Risk Students .
• Creative approaches to support teenagers with mental disorders.

Inclusivity

• The value of inclusive education for high school students.
• Diversity and Inclusivity as Teaching Philosophy .
• Government measures to advance inclusive education.
• Inclusive education: Essential elements, related laws, and strategies.
• Inclusive Education for Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder .
• Inclusive teaching principles at Columbia schools.
• How do open society foundations support inclusive education?
• Student-Teacher Interaction in Inclusive Education .
• Inclusive education and its benefits for students with disabilities.
• Non-competitive learning as the main concept of inclusive education.
• Inclusive Education for Students With Disabilities .
• Increasing inclusivity in the classroom: The main benefits and methods.
• How can parents build an inclusive behavioral model for their children in elementary school?
• Effective Practice in Inclusive and Special Needs Education .
• The role of government in funding inclusive education in the US.
• Respectful language as a key to teaching students to be more tolerant.
• Early Childhood: Inclusive Programs and Social Interactions .
• Diverse groups and their contribution to increasing inclusivity in the classroom.
• The value of inclusive education: Socialization and academic progress.
• Creating Inclusive Classrooms for Diverse Learners .
• Peculiarities of curriculum and pedagogy in inclusive education.
• What are the critical challenges in implementing inclusive education policies?

Other School Issues

• Traditional teaching methods and their negative impact on student performance.
• Shooting in Schools: Trends and Definition .
• The main teaching issues: Constant pressure and a lot of paperwork.
• The lack of effective communication between teachers and students in high school.
• Alcohol Abuse Among Students: Reforming College Drinking .
• Students’ behavior as one of the relevant issues in elementary school.
• The risk of burning out in college students: Causes and symptoms.
• Dormitory Life and Its Tough Sides for Students .
• How does a lack of support outside of the classroom influence students’ grades?
• The connection between administrative workload and teacher retention rates.
• Changes in Diet and Lifestyle for Students .
• Changing educational trends as one of the challenges faced by teachers.
• What are the main limitations of disciplining students?
• Homeschooling Disadvantages for Students and Parents .
• The issue of using mobile devices in the classroom.
• The potential drawbacks and limitations of redundant teaching techniques.
• Dealing With Procrastination Among Students .
• How to deal with the growing discipline problem in US classrooms?
• The effects of educational technology use on college student learning.
• Teaching Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder .
• The emotional and mental toll of lesson planning on teachers.
• What is the impact of pressure from school administrators on teacher performance?
• Cybersecurity Threats for Students & How to Fight Them .
• The community perceptions and concerns regarding armed guards in schools.
• Small-Group Counseling for the High-School Students .
• The need for bilingual education for students in England.
• LGBT+ inclusive sex education: Advantages and disadvantages.
• Challenges Faced by Foreign Students in Adapting to University Culture .
• Why should school uniforms in middle and high school be mandatory?
• The influence of teaching salaries on teacher motivation and performance.
• The Problem of Technology Addiction Among College Students .
• The role of teachers in navigating religious diversity in classrooms.
• What makes private schools in the US better than public ones?
• Why Some Students Cheat .
• The impact of free colleges on the quality of higher education.
• Dissection in school: The value and impact on student’s attitudes toward science.
• How Inclusive Learning Affects Other Students .
• The social and emotional development of students in homeschooling and traditional schooling.
• Why is it necessary to implement college courses in state prisons?
• How to Keep Young Students Engaged and Disciplined in Classroom .
• The effectiveness of school-supplied condoms in preventing teenage pregnancy.
• The impact of implicit bias on racial segregation in education.
• The Problem of Anxiety Among the College Students .
• Race-based school discipline in high school: For and against.
• What are the cons and pros of single-sex schools?
• The Need for Curriculum Change Among African American Students .
• Corporal punishment in schools as a way of controlling undisciplined behavior.
• The role of online education in student-teacher interaction.
• Self-Esteem and Self-Anxiety in Nursing Students .
• The problem of sexually or socially provocative clothes at school and methods of solving it.
• Behavioral Intervention Plan (BIP) For Anxious Students .
• Corruption and emotional manipulations in the educational system.
• How can social and religious issues uniquely affect education?
• Mandatory Drug Tests for Nursing Students .
• What are the main aspects and goals of school psychology?
• Adlerian Theory for School Counseling .
• Historical foundations of American school psychology.
• The role of school psychologists in conceptualizing children’s development.
• Solution-Focused Brief Therapy in School Counseling .
• School psychology: The helping hand in overcoming school crisis.
• The value of professional development programs in high school.
• Therapy Modality for Transformational P-12 School Counselors .
• Job prospects in school psychology in the United States.
• What is the role of school psychologists in supporting students with special needs?
• The McMartin Preschool and Forensic Psychology .
• School psychology in the 21st century: Foundations and practices.
• How do the social-emotional learning programs impact student well-being?
• The effects of school-based crisis interventions on students’ post-traumatic recovery.
• Cognitive Distortions in Middle-School Students.
• School psychology science: Skills and procedures.
• What are the most effective psychological strategies for reducing bullying in schools?
• Instruction Development for Students with Cognitive Disability .
• The effects of crisis intervention work on school psychologists.
• National Association of School Psychologists: Standards and practices.
• The influence of psychologists on the formulation of school policies in the UK.
• Risky Sexual Behaviors Among College Students .
• Counseling students with a sexual abuse history and its impact on academic success.
• Religion and spirituality as diverse topics in school psychology publications.
• Social-Behavioral Skills of Elementary Students with Physical Disabilities .
• School-based considerations for supporting American youths’ mental health.
• The practices for increasing cross-cultural competency in school.
• Classroom Management Ideas: Behavioral Crises and Promotion of Friendship Between Students .
• School psychologists: Principles of professional ethics .

Educational research advances knowledge across diverse disciplines, employing scientific methods to address real-world challenges within the realm of education. By exploring various topics , from innovative pedagogies to the impact of technology, we gain valuable insights to enhance educational practices, ensure inclusivity, and empower future generations with the tools for success.

❓ Educational Research Topics FAQ

What are good research topics for education.

An effective topic is one you can explore in-depth within the length of your assignment. Here are some crucial characteristics of a good research topic:

• Relevant and clear.
• Not too broad or narrow.
• Interesting for the author and target audience.

For example:

• Project-based learning in the classroom: Pros and cons.
• What role did technology play in the development of online tutoring?

How do I find a research topic in education?

You should take 3 simple steps to find a research topic in education:

• Determine the area in education that interests you the most.
• Read all the relevant information to understand the hot issues in your field.
• If you still cannot find the one that suits you best, use our base of the most exciting research topics in education!

What are the top 5 most researched topics?

• Bullying and cyberbullying as significant issues in US schools.
• Why are modern technologies more of a distraction than a helper in education?
• The benefits of inclusive classrooms for students with disabilities.
• How did COVID-19 affect student mental health and the school environment?
• The barriers to education access in underserved communities.
• 10 Challenges Facing Public Education Today | National Education Association
• Education Issues, Explained | EducationWeek
• The Education Crisis: Being in School Is Not the Same as Learning | The World Bank
• The 10 Most Significant Education Studies of 2021 | Edutopia
• Special Education Topics | Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
• Social Issues That Special Education Teachers Face | Chron
• How Teachers Can Learn Through Action Research | Edutopia
• School Psychology | American Psychological Association
• Issues and Problems in Education | Sociology by University of Minnesota
• Educational Research Design | University of Pittsburgh
• Global Education Issues: Making a Difference Through Policy | American University
• Unequal Opportunity: Race and Education | Brookings
• Higher Education | George Mason University
• Department of Curriculum and Instruction: Research Topics | University of Minnesota
• A Six Step Process to Developing an Educational Research Plan | East Carolina University
• Teaching and Learning Topics | University of Oregon
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• Arts in Education
• Career and Lifelong Learning
• Climate Change and Education
• Cognitive Development
• College Access and Success
• Counseling and Mental Health
• Disruption and Crises
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Early Education
• Education Finances
• Education Policy
• Education Reform
• Entrepreneurship
• Evidence-Based Intervention
• Families and Community
• Global Education
• Higher Education Leadership
• History of Education
• Human Development
• Immigration and Refugee Education
• Inequality and Education Gaps
• Informal and Out-of-School Learning
• K-12 School Leadership
• K-12 System Leadership
• Language and Literacy Development
• Learning Design and Instruction
• Learning Differences and Accessibility
• Moral, Civic, and Ethical Education
• Nonprofit/Organizational Leadership
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• Social Emotional Learning
• Student Achievement and Outcomes
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Home » 500+ Educational Research Topics

500+ Educational Research Topics

Education is a fundamental human right that plays a vital role in shaping the future of individuals, communities, and societies. In order to improve the effectiveness of education, it is crucial to engage in rigorous educational research that seeks to understand how people learn, what factors influence their learning outcomes, and how educational systems can be designed to promote equitable access and success for all learners. Educational research topics cover a wide range of issues, from exploring new teaching methods to examining the impact of technology on learning. In this blog post, we will delve into some of the most important and relevant educational research topics, highlighting their significance and potential impact on the field of education.

Educational Research Topics

Educational Research Topics are as follows:

• The effects of personalized learning on student academic achievement
• The impact of teacher expectations on student achievement
• The effectiveness of flipped classroom models on student engagement and learning outcomes
• The impact of classroom design on student behavior and learning
• The relationship between socio-economic status and student academic achievement
• The effectiveness of differentiated instruction on student academic achievement
• The impact of technology on student learning outcomes
• The effectiveness of online learning versus traditional classroom instruction
• The influence of teacher expectations on student achievement
• The role of parental involvement in student success
• The relationship between school culture and student engagement
• The impact of teacher training on student achievement
• The effectiveness of peer tutoring programs
• The relationship between socioeconomic status and academic achievement
• The effectiveness of project-based learning
• The impact of standardized testing on student motivation and achievement
• The role of homework in student learning
• The relationship between teacher-student rapport and academic achievement
• The effectiveness of differentiated instruction
• The relationship between student self-esteem and academic achievement
• The impact of school size on student achievement
• The role of school discipline policies in student behavior and achievement
• The effectiveness of character education programs
• The relationship between school funding and student achievement
• The impact of school start times on student achievement
• The effectiveness of arts education programs
• The relationship between teacher feedback and student learning
• The impact of school climate on student achievement
• The effectiveness of online assessment tools
• The relationship between teacher expectations and student behavior
• The impact of school resources on student achievement
• The effectiveness of teacher collaboration
• The relationship between student motivation and academic achievement
• The impact of class size on student achievement
• The role of student-teacher trust in academic achievement
• The effectiveness of student-led conferences
• The relationship between student self-efficacy and academic achievement
• The impact of school culture on teacher job satisfaction
• The effectiveness of inquiry-based learning
• The relationship between teacher stress and student achievement
• The impact of school safety measures on student achievement
• The effectiveness of flipped classroom instruction
• The relationship between teacher diversity and student achievement
• The impact of technology integration on teacher job satisfaction
• The effectiveness of project-based assessment
• The relationship between school climate and teacher job satisfaction
• The impact of teacher job satisfaction on student achievement
• The effectiveness of service-learning programs
• The relationship between school leadership and teacher job satisfaction
• The impact of parent-teacher communication on student achievement
• The effectiveness of online professional development for teachers
• The relationship between student engagement and teacher job satisfaction
• The impact of peer mentoring programs on student achievement
• The effectiveness of cooperative learning
• The relationship between teacher-student ethnicity match and student achievement
• The impact of school discipline policies on teacher job satisfaction
• The relationship between teacher quality and student academic achievement
• The effectiveness of technology integration in the classroom
• The impact of parent involvement on student academic achievement
• The relationship between teacher leadership and student academic achievement
• The effectiveness of peer tutoring on student academic achievement
• The impact of class size on student academic achievement
• The effectiveness of project-based learning on student academic achievement
• The impact of teacher diversity on student academic achievement
• The relationship between student engagement and academic achievement
• The effectiveness of student-centered learning on academic achievement
• The impact of teacher-student relationships on academic achievement
• The relationship between homework and academic achievement
• The effectiveness of cooperative learning on academic achievement
• The impact of school culture on academic achievement
• The relationship between teacher collaboration and academic achievement
• The effectiveness of online learning on academic achievement
• The impact of standardized testing on student academic achievement
• The relationship between teacher burnout and student academic achievement
• The effectiveness of mindfulness interventions on student academic achievement
• The impact of cultural competency on student academic achievement
• The relationship between teacher job satisfaction and student academic achievement
• The effectiveness of social-emotional learning on academic achievement
• The impact of parent-teacher communication on academic achievement
• The relationship between student-teacher relationships and academic achievement
• The effectiveness of inquiry-based learning on academic achievement
• The impact of learning environment on academic achievement
• The relationship between student attendance and academic achievement
• The effectiveness of feedback on academic achievement
• The impact of teacher expectations on student behavior
• The relationship between teacher training and academic achievement
• The effectiveness of teacher professional development on academic achievement
• The impact of teacher beliefs on student academic achievement
• The relationship between classroom management and academic achievement
• The effectiveness of bilingual education on academic achievement
• The impact of cultural background on academic achievement
• The relationship between teacher turnover and academic achievement
• The effectiveness of tutoring programs on academic achievement
• The impact of teacher salaries on academic achievement
• The relationship between teacher-student racial matching and academic achievement
• The effectiveness of college preparatory programs on academic achievement
• The impact of high-stakes testing on academic achievement
• The relationship between student well-being and academic achievement
• The effectiveness of service learning on academic achievement.
• The effects of technology on student learning outcomes.
• The relationship between parental involvement and student achievement.
• The impact of teacher feedback on student motivation and learning.
• The effectiveness of online learning compared to traditional classroom instruction.
• The role of emotional intelligence in academic success.
• The relationship between sleep and academic performance.
• The effectiveness of peer tutoring on student achievement.
• The impact of early childhood education on later academic success.
• The effects of social media on academic performance and well-being.
• The impact of teacher expectations on student achievement.
• The effectiveness of differentiated instruction on student learning outcomes.
• The relationship between teacher burnout and student performance.
• The effectiveness of inclusive education for students with disabilities.
• The impact of teacher training and professional development on student outcomes.
• The effects of school culture and climate on student engagement and achievement.
• The relationship between homework and student achievement.
• The effectiveness of gamification in education.
• The impact of nutrition on student academic performance.
• The effects of gender on academic achievement and attitudes towards learning.
• The effectiveness of project-based learning on student engagement and learning outcomes.
• The relationship between school attendance and academic performance.
• The impact of teacher-student relationships on academic achievement and well-being.
• The effectiveness of cooperative learning on student learning outcomes.
• The effects of parental involvement in homework on student achievement.
• The relationship between student engagement and academic performance.
• The impact of classroom size on student learning outcomes.
• The effectiveness of feedback in online learning environments.
• The effects of poverty on student academic achievement.
• The relationship between student motivation and academic achievement.
• The impact of school leadership on student outcomes.
• The effectiveness of formative assessment on student learning outcomes.
• The effects of school funding on student achievement.
• The relationship between student self-regulation and academic performance.
• The impact of cultural diversity on academic achievement and student attitudes towards learning.
• The effectiveness of technology integration in the classroom.
• The effects of teacher diversity on student achievement and attitudes towards learning.
• The relationship between teacher expectations and student engagement.
• The impact of school policies on student academic performance and behavior.
• The effectiveness of metacognitive strategies on student learning outcomes.
• The effects of parental involvement on student behavior and well-being.
• The relationship between teacher collaboration and student achievement.
• The impact of school transitions on student academic performance and well-being.
• The effectiveness of inquiry-based learning on student engagement and learning outcomes.
• The effects of standardized testing on student motivation and learning.
• The relationship between student self-efficacy and academic performance.
• The impact of cultural competency training on teacher attitudes and student outcomes.
• The effectiveness of blended learning on student achievement and engagement.
• The effects of teacher beliefs and attitudes on student outcomes.
• The relationship between student achievement and post-secondary success.
• The impact of extracurricular activities on student academic performance and well-being.
• The effectiveness of flipped classroom models in higher education
• The relationship between teacher-student rapport and academic performance
• The effects of parental involvement on student achievement
• The effectiveness of differentiated instruction in mixed-ability classrooms
• The impact of teacher collaboration on student learning outcomes
• The effectiveness of project-based learning in K-12 education
• The relationship between classroom climate and student motivation
• The effects of social media use on academic performance
• The impact of inclusive education on students with disabilities
• The effectiveness of online learning in higher education
• The relationship between school size and academic achievement
• The effects of school uniforms on student behavior and academic performance
• The impact of student-centered learning on student achievement
• The effectiveness of cooperative learning in K-12 education
• The relationship between teacher expectations and student achievement
• The effects of school funding on student achievement
• The impact of teacher training on student outcomes
• The effectiveness of peer tutoring in K-12 education
• The effects of class size on student achievement
• The impact of bilingual education on student outcomes
• The effectiveness of gamification in education
• The relationship between standardized testing and student achievement
• The effects of homework on student achievement
• The impact of parental involvement on college retention rates
• The effectiveness of problem-based learning in K-12 education
• The effects of teacher feedback on student learning outcomes
• The impact of school discipline policies on student behavior and academic performance
• The effectiveness of computer-assisted instruction in K-12 education
• The relationship between teacher burnout and student outcomes
• The effects of teacher-student racial/ethnic matching on academic performance
• The impact of extracurricular activities on student achievement
• The effectiveness of blended learning in higher education
• The relationship between school leadership and student achievement
• The effects of parental involvement on student attendance
• The impact of peer influence on student achievement
• The effectiveness of outdoor learning in K-12 education
• The relationship between teacher autonomy and student outcomes
• The effects of teacher diversity on student achievement
• The impact of early childhood education on later academic achievement
• The effectiveness of mindfulness practices in education
• The relationship between teacher evaluation and student achievement
• The effects of student self-assessment on learning outcomes
• The impact of cultural competence on teacher-student relationships and academic performance
• The effectiveness of online discussion forums in higher education
• The relationship between school climate and student mental health
• The effects of student-teacher race/ethnicity matching on academic performance
• The impact of college majors on post-graduation outcomes.
• The impact of technology on student engagement and academic performance
• The effectiveness of project-based learning compared to traditional teaching methods
• The impact of school uniforms on student behavior and academic performance
• The relationship between teacher diversity and student outcomes
• The effectiveness of peer mentoring for at-risk students
• The impact of school funding on student achievement
• The relationship between parent-teacher communication and student success
• The effectiveness of social media for educational purposes
• The impact of inclusive education on academic achievement
• The effectiveness of teacher mentoring programs for new teachers
• The relationship between school funding and student outcomes
• The impact of teacher diversity on student achievement
• The effectiveness of using games in the classroom for learning
• The impact of teacher collaboration on teacher retention
• The effectiveness of using graphic novels in the classroom for literacy development
• The impact of standardized testing on student motivation and performance
• The effectiveness of teacher coaching on teacher practice and student learning
• The relationship between parent-teacher communication and student outcomes
• The impact of peer mentoring on academic achievement
• The effectiveness of teacher professional learning communities on student outcomes
• The relationship between teacher personality and classroom climate
• The impact of arts education on student creativity and academic achievement
• The effectiveness of technology in teaching math
• The relationship between teacher autonomy and teacher motivation
• The impact of student-led conferences on parent involvement and academic performance
• The effectiveness of differentiated instruction for gifted and talented students
• The relationship between school discipline policies and student mental health
• The impact of teacher leadership on school improvement
• The effectiveness of using social media in education
• The relationship between teacher beliefs and teacher effectiveness
• The impact of school size on student outcomes
• The effectiveness of using simulations in the classroom for learning
• The relationship between parent involvement and teacher satisfaction
• The impact of outdoor education on student learning and development
• The effectiveness of using digital portfolios in the classroom for assessment
• The relationship between teacher collaboration and teacher professional growth
• The effectiveness of using multimedia in the classroom for learning
• The relationship between school choice and student achievement
• The impact of teacher empathy on student motivation and engagement
• The effectiveness of using mindfulness practices in the classroom
• The relationship between teacher creativity and student engagement
• The impact of student ownership on academic performance
• The effectiveness of using project-based learning in science education
• The relationship between teacher job satisfaction and teacher retention
• The impact of using drama in the classroom for learning
• The effectiveness of using educational apps in the classroom
• The relationship between teacher feedback and student achievement
• The impact of peer assessment on student learning
• The effectiveness of using simulations in social studies education
• The impact of teacher-parent partnerships on student outcomes
• The effectiveness of using podcasts in the classroom for learning
• The relationship between teacher collaboration and teacher well-being
• The impact of school culture on parent involvement
• The effectiveness of using debate in the classroom for critical thinking skills.
• The impact of teacher-student ratio on academic performance
• The effectiveness of outdoor education on student learning
• The impact of teacher gender on student engagement and achievement
• The relationship between teacher feedback and student self-efficacy
• The effectiveness of blended learning for language education
• The impact of teacher-student relationships on student attendance
• The relationship between teacher diversity and school culture
• The effectiveness of cultural responsiveness in the classroom
• The impact of school choice on student outcomes
• The relationship between classroom design and student engagement
• The effectiveness of differentiated instruction for gifted students
• The impact of student mobility on academic achievement
• The relationship between teacher experience and classroom management
• The effectiveness of technology in teaching mathematics
• The impact of teacher burnout on student performance
• The relationship between teacher job satisfaction and student outcomes
• The effectiveness of arts education on student development
• The impact of standardized testing on student motivation and academic performance
• The relationship between teacher-student trust and academic achievement
• The effectiveness of online learning for adult education
• The impact of school culture on teacher retention
• The relationship between student motivation and academic success
• The effectiveness of game-based learning for science education
• The impact of teacher training on student outcomes in special education
• The relationship between teacher beliefs and classroom management
• The effectiveness of project-based learning for social studies education
• The impact of school leadership on teacher job satisfaction
• The relationship between teacher support and student mental health
• The effectiveness of experiential learning for environmental education
• The impact of teacher collaboration on student outcomes
• The relationship between school climate and student achievement
• The effectiveness of technology in teaching foreign languages
• The impact of teacher evaluation on instructional quality
• The relationship between school diversity and student achievement
• The effectiveness of multicultural education for promoting social justice
• The impact of teacher-student relationships on student self-esteem
• The relationship between teacher turnover and student outcomes
• The effectiveness of inquiry-based learning for mathematics education
• The impact of school discipline policies on student behavior
• The relationship between teacher expectations and student engagement
• The effectiveness of technology in teaching literacy
• The impact of teacher autonomy on classroom innovation
• The relationship between school climate and teacher job satisfaction.
• The relationship between classroom size and student achievement
• The impact of school leadership on student outcomes
• The effectiveness of different types of assessment methods
• The influence of teacher attitudes on student motivation and engagement
• The relationship between parental involvement and student achievement
• The effectiveness of different teaching strategies for diverse learners
• The impact of early childhood education on academic success
• The relationship between teacher training and student outcomes
• The effectiveness of different types of feedback on student learning
• The impact of student-centered learning on academic performance
• The effectiveness of differentiated instruction for diverse learners
• The impact of teacher-student relationships on academic success
• The relationship between school culture and student outcomes
• The effectiveness of flipped classrooms compared to traditional classrooms
• The impact of classroom management on student behavior and academic performance
• The effectiveness of peer tutoring on student learning
• The impact of parental involvement on student behavior and social-emotional development
• The effectiveness of co-teaching for students with disabilities
• The impact of bilingual education on academic achievement
• The relationship between teacher beliefs and student achievement
• The effectiveness of online learning compared to traditional classroom instruction
• The impact of school culture on teacher satisfaction and retention
• The relationship between teacher experience and student achievement
• The effectiveness of technology-enhanced learning environments
• The impact of teacher-student race/ethnicity matching on academic performance
• The effectiveness of inquiry-based learning for science education
• The relationship between school discipline policies and student outcomes
• The effectiveness of teacher professional development on student learning
• The impact of teacher preparation programs on teacher effectiveness
• The relationship between classroom climate and student engagement
• The effectiveness of teacher collaboration on student learning
• The impact of social-emotional learning on academic performance
• The relationship between teacher motivation and student achievement
• The effectiveness of technology in teaching English as a second language
• The impact of teacher autonomy on student outcomes
• The relationship between teacher feedback and student motivation
• The effectiveness of self-regulated learning strategies for academic success
• The impact of single-sex education on student achievement
• The relationship between teacher personality and student engagement
• The effectiveness of experiential learning for history education
• The impact of teacher-student relationships on student mental health
• The relationship between school safety and student outcomes
• The effectiveness of mindfulness practices on student behavior and academic performance.
• The impact of technology on classroom learning
• The effectiveness of differentiated instruction in diverse classrooms
• The relationship between teacher burnout and student achievement
• The impact of teacher-student relationships on academic performance
• The effectiveness of teacher professional development on instructional practice
• The effectiveness of online learning during the pandemic
• The impact of teacher burnout on student achievement
• The effectiveness of early childhood education programs
• The impact of parental involvement on student success
• The relationship between teacher expectations and student performance
• The impact of school safety measures on student well-being
• The relationship between school culture and teacher satisfaction
• The effectiveness of using manipulatives in math education
• The impact of homework on student achievement
• The relationship between teacher preparation programs and teacher retention
• The effectiveness of using technology for literacy development
• The impact of social-emotional learning programs on student behavior and academic achievement
• The relationship between school leadership and teacher morale
• The effectiveness of using virtual reality in science education
• The impact of teacher gender on student achievement
• The relationship between parental involvement and student motivation
• The effectiveness of project-based learning in social studies education
• The impact of school climate on student attendance
• The relationship between teacher experience and student outcomes
• The effectiveness of using game-based learning in language arts education
• The relationship between school funding and teacher quality
• The effectiveness of using inquiry-based learning in science education
• The impact of teacher expectations on student motivation
• The relationship between school facilities and student achievement
• The effectiveness of using music in the classroom for learning
• The impact of teacher diversity on student outcomes
• The effectiveness of using graphic organizers in the classroom for writing
• The impact of teacher evaluation systems on teacher performance
• The relationship between school size and student achievement
• The effectiveness of using digital storytelling in the classroom
• The impact of teacher feedback on student learning
• The relationship between teacher professional development and student outcomes
• The effectiveness of using problem-based learning in math education
• The impact of school discipline policies on student outcomes
• The relationship between teacher expectations and student self-esteem
• The effectiveness of using visual aids in the classroom for learning
• The impact of school culture on teacher collaboration
• The relationship between school climate and student behavior
• The effectiveness of using drama in language arts education
• The impact of teacher motivation on student engagement
• The relationship between school culture and student academic identity
• The effectiveness of using mobile devices in the classroom for learning
• The relationship between school climate and teacher retention
• The effectiveness of using games for social-emotional learning
• The impact of teacher-student racial matching on student achievement.
• The relationship between parental involvement and academic achievement
• The impact of inclusive education on social and emotional development
• The effectiveness of blended learning on student outcomes
• The impact of school culture on student behavior and attitudes
• The effectiveness of flipped classroom models on student engagement
• The relationship between teacher autonomy and student motivation
• The impact of bilingual education on cognitive development
• The effectiveness of cooperative learning strategies in the classroom
• The effectiveness of classroom management strategies on student behavior
• The impact of standardized testing on teaching and learning
• The effectiveness of peer tutoring on academic achievement
• The relationship between teacher training and student achievement
• The impact of cultural diversity on classroom dynamics and learning
• The effectiveness of technology in teaching and learning writing
• The relationship between school facilities and student learning
• The impact of teacher collaboration on instructional quality
• The effectiveness of project-based learning in science education
• The relationship between parent involvement and school climate
• The impact of teacher feedback on student learning and motivation
• The effectiveness of assessment tools in measuring student learning
• The relationship between student attitudes and academic achievement
• The impact of college readiness programs on student success
• The effectiveness of using graphic organizers for teaching reading comprehension
• The relationship between teacher leadership and school improvement
• The impact of special education programs on student outcomes
• The effectiveness of using digital tools in teaching and learning history
• The relationship between school culture and student attendance
• The impact of teacher expectations on student self-efficacy
• The effectiveness of using peer assessment in student writing
• The impact of teacher preparation programs on instructional quality
• The impact of teacher-student ratio on student outcomes
• The relationship between student engagement and academic achievement in online learning
• The impact of teacher tenure policies on student outcomes
• The relationship between school safety and student learning
• The effectiveness of using game-based learning in the classroom.
• The impact of COVID-19 on online learning in K-12 education
• The effectiveness of differentiated instruction in a diverse classroom
• The impact of early literacy intervention programs on reading comprehension
• The effectiveness of inquiry-based learning in science education
• The relationship between parent involvement and student academic success
• The impact of teacher feedback on student writing
• The effectiveness of using digital tools for formative assessment
• The relationship between teacher burnout and student engagement
• The relationship between school climate and bullying prevention
• The impact of school discipline policies on student behavior and academic achievement
• The effectiveness of using virtual reality in history education
• The relationship between teacher expectations and student self-efficacy
• The impact of teacher-student relationships on student well-being
• The effectiveness of using games for math learning in elementary school
• The relationship between teacher training and technology integration in the classroom
• The impact of school culture on student mental health
• The effectiveness of using project-based learning in social studies education
• The relationship between teacher autonomy and job satisfaction
• The impact of socio-economic status on access to higher education
• The effectiveness of using technology for language learning
• The relationship between school size and student outcomes
• The impact of school leadership on teacher retention
• The effectiveness of using active learning strategies in college classrooms
• The relationship between teacher collaboration and student achievement
• The impact of school-based mental health services on student well-being
• The effectiveness of using assistive technology for special education students
• The relationship between teacher job satisfaction and student performance
• The impact of school-based health education programs on student health behaviors
• The effectiveness of using simulations in science education
• The effectiveness of using educational games for literacy development
• The relationship between school culture and student academic achievement
• The impact of teacher professional development on student outcomes
• The effectiveness of using experiential learning in business education
• The impact of teacher diversity on student engagement
• The effectiveness of using graphic organizers in the classroom for reading comprehension
• The relationship between school climate and teacher collaboration
• The impact of school-based social-emotional learning programs on student behavior and academic performance
• The effectiveness of using mobile devices for language learning
• The relationship between teacher autonomy and teacher creativity
• The effectiveness of using game-based learning for STEM education
• The relationship between school climate and student motivation
• The effectiveness of using mindfulness practices in the classroom for student well-being.
• The effectiveness of personalized learning strategies
• The effectiveness of mindfulness interventions in reducing stress and anxiety in students
• The impact of teacher communication styles on student engagement
• The relationship between bilingual education and cognitive development
• The effectiveness of using virtual simulations in science education
• The impact of school start times on student performance and well-being
• The effectiveness of using art in language arts education
• The impact of teacher-student race matching on student motivation and achievement
• The relationship between school culture and student mental health
• The effectiveness of inquiry-based learning in social studies education
• The impact of peer mentoring on student success in college
• The relationship between teacher burnout and student behavior
• The effectiveness of using manipulatives in science education
• The effectiveness of using gamification in math education
• The impact of teacher-student gender matching on student attitudes towards STEM subjects
• The relationship between student engagement and academic performance
• The effectiveness of using social media in language learning
• The relationship between school climate and parent involvement
• The effectiveness of using technology in physical education
• The effectiveness of using multimedia in history education
• The impact of teacher motivation on student engagement and achievement
• The relationship between school culture and parent satisfaction
• The impact of teacher feedback on student motivation and self-regulation
• The relationship between school climate and student attitudes towards diversity
• The effectiveness of using blended learning in literacy education
• The impact of teacher-student relationships on college success
• The effectiveness of using digital portfolios for assessment
• The impact of teacher diversity on school culture and climate
• The relationship between school leadership and teacher professional development
• The effectiveness of using inquiry-based learning in art education
• The impact of teacher-student personality matching on academic achievement
• The relationship between school climate and student creativity
• The effectiveness of using coding in math education
• The impact of teacher mentoring on new teacher retention
• The relationship between school culture and student motivation
• The effectiveness of using peer feedback in writing instruction
• The impact of teacher diversity on student attitudes towards diversity
• The relationship between school culture and student resilience
• The effectiveness of using case-based learning in business education
• The impact of teacher-student trust on student engagement and academic achievement.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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Selecting a Research Topic: Overview

• Refine your topic
• Background information & facts
• Writing help

Here are some resources to refer to when selecting a topic and preparing to write a paper:

• MIT Writing and Communication Center "Providing free professional advice about all types of writing and speaking to all members of the MIT community."
• Search Our Collections Find books about writing. Search by subject for: english language grammar; report writing handbooks; technical writing handbooks
• Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation Online version of the book that provides examples and tips on grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and other writing rules.
• Select a topic

Choosing an interesting research topic is your first challenge. Here are some tips:

• Choose a topic that you are interested in! The research process is more relevant if you care about your topic.
• If your topic is too broad, you will find too much information and not be able to focus.
• Background reading can help you choose and limit the scope of your topic. 
• Review the guidelines on topic selection outlined in your assignment.  Ask your professor or TA for suggestions.
• Refer to lecture notes and required texts to refresh your knowledge of the course and assignment.
• Talk about research ideas with a friend.  S/he may be able to help focus your topic by discussing issues that didn't occur to you at first.
• WHY did you choose the topic?  What interests you about it?  Do you have an opinion about the issues involved?
• WHO are the information providers on this topic?  Who might publish information about it?  Who is affected by the topic?  Do you know of organizations or institutions affiliated with the topic?
• WHAT are the major questions for this topic?  Is there a debate about the topic?  Are there a range of issues and viewpoints to consider?
• WHERE is your topic important: at the local, national or international level?  Are there specific places affected by the topic?
• WHEN is/was your topic important?  Is it a current event or an historical issue?  Do you want to compare your topic by time periods?

Table of contents

• Broaden your topic
• Information Navigator home
• Sources for facts - general
• Sources for facts - specific subjects

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Ask Us Ask a question, make an appointment, give feedback, or visit us.

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• Last Updated: Jul 30, 2021 2:50 PM
• URL: https://libguides.mit.edu/select-topic

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Ways to Find New Research Topics

The ability to find new research topics is an essential skill that should be obtained before you achieve your doctoral degree. It is, however, universally acknowledged that finding a new topic for your research is not easy. Rarely, professors may ask whether you are interested in some specific topics. If yes, you may be assigned to those specific topics and not need to find your dissertation topic on your own. The majority of the time, on the other hand, professors require you to develop some topics you can work on and then work with you to select one of the topics as your dissertation topic. Below are some tips that will help you as you develop new research topics.

1. Seek out collaborators from different disciplinary backgrounds

[ Image Description : A group of five people gathered around a round table all working together on a project.]

When you have no ideas about research topics in your own discipline, you can open your mind to other research fields and look for cross-functional collaboration. For example, for scientific students, you may apply your existing methods to other fields; while for education students, you may look for some scientific methods to prove that your suggestions are reasonable and have the capacity to be implemented in society.

2. Participate in related seminars

Departments offer regular seminars each quarter. Our campus also offers select workshops open to the whole campus. Please do not limit yourself to listening to seminars in your own professional department. Different fields sometimes bring you more opportunities for building on innovative ideas. Try to participate in as many seminars as you can, not only to find new ideas but also to stay ahead of advanced technologies. Through seminars, you can have discussions with presenters about their projects. Through these discussions, you may find new ideas about how to develop your own interesting topics. You may even notice that some of the projects presented may have limitations; then it's your turn to build a new model to overcome those limitations.

[I mage Description : A speaker stands in front of a group of students to give a lecture.]

3. Reading to equip yourself with new topics and advanced technologies

Read at least two to three papers per week. If that sounds like a lot, don't worry! you don’t need to read every paper carefully. Quickly scan the paper the first time you go through it. If you can find points you are interested in, then you spend more time reading the paper more closely. After a second reading, you should fully understand how the author studies their topic and if there any improvements you can make based on the paper. If there are improvements you can create or you can use the methods in different problems, then you can try to develop your research based on the paper.

4. Identify a general topic you are interested in or ideas you already have

Good projects are done in a replicable or sequenced way. If you have no ideas at all, you can recall the courses or projects you were interested in when you were an undergraduate or early graduate student. Then try to improve or enrich your new research topic based on your existing projects. For example, when you were an undergraduate, the methods you applied to a project may have had limitations that you can now either improve on or develop a new algorithm to overcome. Additionally, you may even be able to apply your existing methods to some young fields.

5. Develop your research topic based on social phenomenon

[ Image Description : A hillside on fire.]

Although the public often emphasizes the benefits of a college degree for graduates themselves, the benefits to society are just as important. You may investigate social phenomena and through research find a new way to improve societal problems. For example, recently there have been many fires in the mountain spread all over California. Various projects can be done drawing on this situation. For instance, biological scientists can investigate how these fires affect wildlife. Statisticians can work on how to predict and avoid this tragedy in the future. Social workers can work on how to protect people’s lives during this tragedy.

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110+ Exceptional Education Research Topics Ideas

Topics for education research usually comprise school research topics, research problems in education, qualitative research topics in education, and concept paper topics about education to mention a few.

If you’re looking for research titles about education,  you’re reading the right post! This article contains 110 of the best education research topics that will come in handy when you need to choose one for your research. From sample research topics in education, to research titles examples for high school students about education – we have it all.

Educational Research Topics

Research title examples for college students, quantitative research titles about education, topics related to education for thesis, research titles about school issues, ph.d. research titles in education, elementary education research topics, research title examples about online class, research titles about modular learning, examples of research questions in education, special education research titles.

The best research titles about education must be done through the detailed process of exploring previous works and improving personal knowledge.

Here are some good research topics in education to consider.

What Are Good Research Topics Related to Education?

• The role of Covid-19 in reinvigorating online learning
• The growth of cognitive abilities through leisure experiences
• The merits of group study in education
• Merits and demerits of traditional learning methods
• The impact of homework on traditional and modern education
• Student underdevelopment as a result of larger class volumes
• Advantages of digital textbooks in learning
• The struggle of older generations in computer education
• The standards of learning  in the various academic levels
• Bullying and its effects on educational and mental health
• Exceptional education tutors: Is the need for higher pay justifiable?

The following examples of research titles about education for college students are ideal for a project that will take a long duration to complete. Here are some education topics for research that you can consider for your degree.

• Modern classroom difficulties of students and teachers
• Strategies to reform the learning difficulties within schools
• The rising cost of tuition and its burden on middle-class parents
• The concept of creativity among public schools and how it can be harnessed
• Major difficulties experienced in academic staff training
• Evaluating the learning cultures of college students
• Use of scientific development techniques in student learning
• Research of skill development in high school and college students
• Modern grading methods in underdeveloped institutions
• Dissertations and the difficulties surrounding their completion
• Integration of new gender categories in personalized learning

These research topics about education require a direct quantitative analysis and study of major ideas and arguments. They often contain general statistics and figures to back up regular research. Some of such research topics in education include:

• The relationship between poor education and increased academic fees
• Creating a social link between homeschool and traditional schoolgoers
• The relationship between teacher satisfaction and student performance
• The divide between public and private school performance
• The merits of parental involvement in students’ cognitive growth.
• A study on child welfare and its impact on educational development
• The relationship between academic performance and economic growth
• Urbanization in rural areas and its contribution to institutional growth
• The relationship between students and professors in dissertation writing
• The link between debt accumulation and student loans
• Boarding schools and regular schools: The role these two school types play in cognitive development

Educational-related topics used for a thesis normally require a wide aspect of study and enough educational materials.  Here are some education research topics you can use for write my thesis .

• The difficulties of bilingual education in private universities
• Homework and its impact on learning processes in college education
• Dissertation topic selection: Key aspects and research obligations
• Social media research topics and their educational functions
• A detailed educational review of student learning via virtual reality techniques
• Ethnicities in universities and their participation in group activities
• The modern approach to self-studying for college students
• Developing time management skills in modern education
• Guidelines for teacher development in advanced educational institutions
• The need for religious education in boarding schools
• A measure of cognitive development using digital learning methods

A research title about school issues focuses on activities surrounding the school environment and its effects on students, teachers, parents, and education in general. Below are some sample research titles in education, relating to school issues.

• Learning English in bilingual schools
• A study of teachers’ role as parent figures on school grounds
• Addressing the increased use of illegal substances and their effects in schools
• The benefits of after-class activities for foreign students
• Assessing student and teacher relationships
• A study of the best methods to implement safety rules in school
• Major obstacles in meeting school schedules using boarding students as a case study
• The need for counseling in public and private schools: Which is greater?
• Academic volunteering in understaffed public schools
• Modern techniques for curbing school violence among college students
• The advantages and disadvantages of teacher unions in schools

As you create your proposed list of research topics in education, consider scientific journals for referencing purposes. Here are some Ph.D. research titles for education.

• The modern methods of academic research writing
• The role of colleges in advanced mental care
• The merits and demerits of Ph.D. studies in Europe and Africa
• Interpersonal relationships between students and professors in advanced institutions
• A review of community colleges: merits and demerits
• Assessing racism in academic ethnic minorities
• The psychological changes of students in higher education
• The questionable standards of student loan provisions
• The merits of personalized teaching techniques in colleges
• The wage gap between private and public university teachers
• Teacher responsibilities in private universities versus public universities

The research topics in elementary education in 2023 are very different from the elementary education research topics from five or ten years ago. This creates interesting grounds for different research titles for elementary education.

Here are some elementary education title research ideas.

• Assessing quick computer literacy among elementary school pupils.
• The role of video games in childhood brain development
• Male vs female role models in early education periods
• The advantages of digital textbooks in elementary schools
• The impact of modern curriculums on elementary education
• Lack of proper school grooming is a cause of violence.
• Should elementary school children be taught about LGBTQ?
• A review of the need for sexual education in elementary schools
• The effects of emotional dependence in early childhood learners.
• The need for constant technology supervision of elementary school students
• Advantages of computer-guided education in elementary schools

Here are some research title examples for students taking online classes.

• The academic difficulties experienced by online students.
• A study of decreased attention in online classes
• The upsides and downsides of online education
• The rising fees of online and traditional education in universities
• A detailed study on the necessity of college internships
• The need to provide college scholarships based on environmental achievements
• How online education terminates university fraternities and sororities.
• The role of academic supervisors in career selection
• Why interactive assignments improved learning capabilities during the pandemic
• Merits of education in online learning environments
• Why online lessons are the least effective for some college students

The modular learning approach focuses primarily on learning outcomes. Here are some examples of research titles about modular learning.

• Modular learning and the role of teachers in its execution
• Teaching techniques of religious institutions
• Potential risks of accelerated learning
• Modular learning on students’ future performances
• The general overview of modular learning amongst students
• The modern Advantages and disadvantages of inclusive classes
• Observing student developments in modular learning
• Music therapy for fostering modular learning techniques
• The creation of a personalized curriculum for students.
• Applications of modular learning both in home-schooling?
• The benefits of modular learning towards creating a more holistic educational system

These research title examples about education answer important questions and they can also be argumentative essay topics .

Here are some titles of research about education questions.

• What impacts do learning approaches provide for students?
• How can schools manage their increasing gender differences?
• What fosters the provision of learning needs?
• What are the best educational recruitment methods?
• How can cognitive development improve education?
• How can you assess the moral growth of institutions?
• What are the primary causes of educational differences in geographical locations?
• How can institutions address increasing mental health needs?
• Why is early intervention essential in students with mental health setbacks?
• What are the characteristics of mental health deterioration among students?
• What techniques are acceptable in regulating the violence of students in institutions

Some of the research title examples about education include:

• How do schools create more personalized learning methods?
• Evaluating mental health setbacks during education
• The impact of modern technology on special education
• The cognitive improvements via specialized learning in dyslexic children
• The psychological link between dyslexia and bullying in high school
• Impact of social isolation in special education classes
• The difficulties in providing specialized learning environments
• A study of orphan students with disabilities and their aptitudes for learning
• How special classes improve the self-esteem of disabled students.
• How to use modern teaching techniques in unique learning environments.
• A study of the application of digital games to autistic learning

Final words about education research topics

We have provided some reliable examples of a research topic about education you can use for write my thesis . You can use these research titles in education to cultivate your ideas, create inspiration, or for online research. Remember always to select a topic that you’re naturally passionate about and do diligent research, and reach out to our professional writing services if you need any help.

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Unleashing Creativity in Research: How High Schoolers Can Find Unique and Engaging Research Topics

In a competitive college admissions landscape, research accomplishments can help make you stand out, both academically and in terms of extracurriculars. But to achieve these goals, you need to start with a unique and engaging research topic. In this blog post we explain the importance of high school research projects for college admissions, share expert tips for finding your own compelling research topics, and offer you lots of examples of great research topics in different subject areas.

The Importance of Research for High Schoolers

Academic knowledge is driven by inquiry, and virtually all inquiry prompts us to engage in research that advances learning or solves problems. Not only will you need research skills to excel in college, but engaging in high-quality research projects while you’re still in high school can do a lot more than just get you a better grade.

For example, engaging in original research that aligns with your personal passions is a great way to spotlight you curiosity and motivation. And, if you tailor your research project to dovetail with other scholars’ interests, or with a compelling practical application or area of public interest, you’re already spotlighting for admissions officers your ability to apply learning to real life problem solving and public service.

Finally, because a sophisticated research project hones core academic skills, boosts subject-matter learning dramatically, and showcases your academic drive and motivation, an extracurricular research project can go a long way in elevating your college admissions profile!

Great Research Starts with a Great Research Topic

To get the most of a research project, it’s crucial to start with a unique and compelling research topic.

With a research topic that’s relevant and engaging, you’ll get more for the time and effort you’ll be investing in your research project.

Here’s just some of the benefits you can get from a well-designed research project with an interesting and relevant research topic:

• learn new information that’s not covered in your regular classes
• discover cutting-edge ideas, interests, and unanswered questions in your field of interest
• move from passive learning to actively exploring hypotheses and contributing to academic conversations to science, to public policy, or to problem solving
• make important strides as a student, by consolidating your learning and contributing new insights to your field of interest

With research projects offering so many benefits for high school students, it’s crucial to remember that all winning research starts with a winning research topic!

So let’s get started!

How to Develop a Great Research Topic

Researching something you’re passionate about that’s original, relevant, and compelling is key to turning your research effort into something that really helps you grow and stand out academically.

But, if you aren’t going to settle for an overly cliche or general research topic, how do you find one that’s truly engaging and also right for your interests?

Using a thorough and tested multi-step process is probably the best way to chart your own path to a unique and engaging research topic.

• Brainstorming: Good old-fashioned brainstorming is almost certain to help you tap into your own passions and jumpstart the work of developing a great topic. You’re likely to surprise yourself with your own creativity. Be sure to write your ideas down; then finish this step by creating a “short list” of the topic ideas you believe to be most promising.
• Exploratory Research: Sometimes you just need to know a bit more about an area of research in order to come up with the best research topics. Exploratory research is often easy to do online, and is a great way to get insights into the subject matter terrain you’re considering in order to:
• find additional topic ideas
• deepen or narrow a topic idea
• decide if a topic is worth pursuing further

TIP: If you’re exploring topics for a PERSONAL ESSAY for college applications, be sure to check out Crimson Education’s Free Topic & Idea Generator .

Or, do you want to learn more about research-focused extracurriculars for high schoolers , with added guidance and learning in the form research mentorships, internship placements, proposal writing competitions, or summer research intensives? If so, reach out to a Crimson Education Advisor for more information.

• Defining and Refining Your Research Topic or Question: A research paper or project typically involves more than just a short essay: you’ll have to craft a driving question or hypothesis and synthesize information from a variety of sources:
• Is your  topic broad enough to invite meaningful inquiry?
• Is it complex enough to incorporate and evaluate competing perspectives?
• Is there a way to use specific experiments, examples, or case study approaches in order to keep the project focused?
• Outside Guidance and Advice: Getting guidance and input from teachers or professors, other mentors, or industry professionals can be immensely valuable for uncovering new topics or for refining your existing topic ideas!

TIP: Many professionals find it gratifying to talk about their work with an interested young scholar, so don’t be afraid to ask someone in the field for input — it’s a great way to get an expert perspective can really transform a good research topic into a great one.

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Examples of Research Topics Across Disciplines

We’ve covered a lot of ground already, but maybe you’re still wondering, okay, what does a good research topic look like?

As you review the examples below, you can evaluate them on your own by asking yourself:

• Is the topic open-ended enough?  Can the topic be explored with evidence, critical thinking, a case study approach, or some form of scientific method?
• Is the topic relevant and interesting? Does the topic advance scholarly or academic conversations? Or contribute to an area of public interest or social debate? Or have some kind of scientific value?

Topics in Schools & Education

• Should high schools re-invest in vocational education or focus exclusively on a college prep curriculum?
• Should ethnic studies courses and curricula in public schools be required, optional, or eliminated ?
• How can we predict the impacts tools like Chat-GPT will have on student learning?
• Should countries have national curriculum standards, or should local communities and school boards decide what is taught in schools?
• Have charter schools helped the US improve the public education system?
• What countries appear to have the best education systems and what features do they have in common, if any?

Topics in History

• What do important examples in history teach us about the causes of civil war and how to prevent civil war?
• Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt are among the highest ranking US presidents, based on scholarly estimations and public opinions. What do their presidencies teach us about the qualities of great political leadership?
• What constitutes the US’s greatest military or national defense failure? What lessons  can policymakers draw from it?
• Does the history of the Israel-Palestine conflict offer any insights into how to end it today?
• What can we learn about democracy today based on the successes and failures of ancient experiments in democracy?
• If used as primary source evidence by historians, how can art illuminate social history or social progress?

Topics in Government

• Should we protect or abolish the Electoral College in the US?
• Using Canada as a model, what are the pros and cons of a nationalized healthcare system?
• Is affirmative action good public policy?
• Should we reform the US Supreme Court? Why or why not?
• Using carbon cap & trade policy, or a similar economic policy as an example, how effective are economic incentives for solving big social problems?
• Should there be a global revenue tax on large global technology companies?
• Should industrial countries do more to help developing countries cope with the effects of climate change?

Topics in Literature

• How does literature give a voice to the voiceless?
• Why are some books banned or censored?
• Is literature educational or just entertainment?
• Do graphic novels count as literature?
• What characterizes the works of authors who have won Nobel Prizes for literature?
• Can literature —  in the form of novels, short stories, essays, or plays — change the course of history?

Topics in Society, Health, & Human Psychology

• What are the best ways to reduce and prevent bullying?
• Should we criminalize hate speech?
• Since loneliness has been shown to decrease life expectancy, are there any promising ways to combat it?
• What can schools do to help reduce mental health suffering in teens and young adults?
• Do we truly live in an “age of anxiety”? What do the indicators tell us about the scope of the problem and possible remedies?

Topics in Sports

• Should college athletes get paid?
• What are the benefits and downsides of participating in athletics in high school?
• What sports should be eliminated from the Olympics and which ones added? Why?
• How can we use sports to increase international goodwill and cooperation?

Topics in Technology and Social Media

• Should there be more age restrictions on social media access?
• How can society address hate speech and/or disinformation in social media?
• Should employers encourage or discourage more remote work arrangements?

Interdisciplinary Examples

Another great way to pick a research topic is to explore interdisciplinary areas of research . In fact, many engaging research topics are going to naturally encompass different disciplines.

Here are some examples of topics that bridge two or more disciplines:

• What concept(s) from the field of economics might help us find ways to improve education?
• How can we use marketing principles to develop better public awareness campaigns for reducing teen vaping?
• Does participating in team sports help improve mental health?
• How can we apply insights from either microeconomics or from organizational psychology to improve health and fitness?
• How can concepts from the study of linguistics help us understand political messaging and address political polarization?
• What are additional ways we can leverage economic incentives to combat global warming?
• Does mainstream advertising have an impact on social prejudices and stereotypes?

The Social Impact Factor

You should always consider if there are ways to shape your research topic to make your research project more relevant and consequential.

As an illustration, look at the two pairs of research topics below.

Compare the topics in each pair. Does A) or B) have more relevance or urgency in your opinion? Why?

A) What are the personal benefits of participating in team sports?

B) How can we use access to team sports programs in high schools to address today’s teen mental health crisis?

A) How can we use insights from linguistics to promote nonviolence and conflict resolution?

B) How can we use insights from linguistics to reduce extreme political polarization?

If your research topic address a clear “need,” “challenge” or “problem,” your audience is likely to find the topic more engaging and relevant.

What to Do When You’re Not Sure You Have a Good Research Topic?

If you’re not sure if you have a good topic, use the simple rubric below and see how your topic stacks up.

Compelling interest and social relevance. Does your research topic set you up to shed light on an important academic or scientific question? Does it illuminate a controversial and consequential social issue? Will it help solve a consequential problem? If so, you have a topic that will help you stay motivated and be more engaging for your audience.

Personally fulfilling. Whatever research topic you choose, it needs to be a research topic that relates to your own learning interests and passions, otherwise it’s hard to imagine that you’ll get the results you hoped for.

Important academic considerations. A good essay topic will offer valuable benefits for your academic growth and college journey: enhancing and accelerating your learning in one or more disciplines you enjoy studying and boosting your overall academic profile.

Research Resources

Once you’ve selected a research topic, you’ll obviously need to gather information from various sources and synthesize it into a coherent set of claims, findings, or arguments.

Here's a list of basic research tools and resources that you might find useful:

Libraries and Librarians

Libraries, especially academic libraries, are the researcher’s paradise.

If there’s a drawback to libraries, it’s not a lack of resources, but the challenge of finding your way to what’s most useful and relevant!

Fortunately, most libraries come with librarians who are trained to help researchers find the right resources, so don’t be afraid to ask for help!

Popular Kinds of Library Research Resources

Books: Useful for in-depth information, background information, historical context.

TIP: Don’t worry about how “long” a book is — use the table of contents and indexes to navigate to the information you need.

Academic Journals: Get scholarly articles useful for gathering more specialized and more up-to-date information about your topic.

Magazines and Newspapers: Good resources for getting interesting quotes from experts in a current events context or for exploring diverse public perspectives and viewpoints.

Online Platforms and Databases: Although some of these, such as Google Scholar are free and easy to access from any computer and internet browser, it’s often easier to get free access to many others with the help of a school or public library acting as an intermediary. Also, there are so many digital resources and databases, that we recommend getting assistance in this area from a trained librarian.

Reference Librarians: Last but not at all least, take advantage of librarians! They are not a direct research source of course, but may help you navigate quickly to the most useful research resources for your particular topic.

TIP: In many larger libraries, the librarians specially trained to help patrons with research are commonly referred to as reference librarians.

Internet Search Engines

Most young scholars today are already well acquainted with internet searches and search engines, with Google and Bing among the most popular.

Here’s a few tips for upping your internet search prowess:

• Refine your search parameters with more sophisticated search terms and search engine settings
• Know how to identify trustworthy and reliable internet sources

Educational Websites

There are a number of .edu websites operated by reputable sources that provide access to a range of educational content for students at different grade levels. Here are just a few examples:

• Khan Academy: Comprehensive overviews and instructional videos on a variety of subjects
• BBC Bitesize: Provides study guides for different topics (especially for UK curriculum)
• National Geographic Education: Great for geography, history, and science topics
• The Learning Network: (NY Times): Educational perspectives on a wide range of current events topics
• The PBS Newshour Classroom: A respected educational website covering a range of topics

Government and Organization Websites

There are also lots of government ( .gov ) websites offering useful information for researchers. An upside of .gov websites is they are among the most objective and reliable sources of information, appropriate for academic research. Examples in the US include:

• The White House
• The Department of State
• Science.gov
• Department of Justice
• Department of Agriculture
• Department of Education

Websites operated by large, well-established, and highly reputable organizations are also typically good sources of information for researchers.

Examples could be highly reputable news organizations , such as US News and World Report , The BBC , Time Magazine , or The New York Times . Most of these news outlets also have searchable online resources.

Alternately, large international organizations , such as the United Nations or the World Health Organization, or the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation can also be reliable sources of information.

Documentaries and Educational Videos

Easy to overlook as research resources are any number of educational videos, podcasts, and documentary films.

YouTube educational channels such as CrashCourse and TED-Ed are two examples.

Likewise, ordinary streaming services may also list informative, high-quality documentaries.

Final Thoughts

In this post, we've explored a wide array of strategies and considerations for choosing a compelling research topic. From brainstorming and exploratory research to defining and refining your topic with guidance from mentors and professionals, the journey to selecting the right topic is as important as the research itself!

The Power of a Good Topic: Remember, an intriguing and relevant topic will not only captivate your audience but keep you motivated to the finish line.

Aligning with Your Interests: Does your topic resonate with your personal learning interests and goals? This alignment is crucial for achieving fulfilling and meaningful outcomes.

Practical Considerations: Consider how your chosen topic can enhance your understanding and passion in your field of study, especially in the context of your future academic and career goals.

Finally, don't underestimate the value of the resources and tools available for research exploration.

From online search to electronic databases and journals, to librarians themselves, these tools are pivotal in helping you refine your research interests and embark on a successful research project.

Interested in exploring more options for pre-college research experiences? Want information about more advanced research mentorships, competitions, internships, or initiatives? Connecting with a Crimson Education Advisor is the best way to find opportunities like these, both online and around the world, based on your individual interests and preferences.

These opportunities can take you well beyond ordinary classroom research assignments, connecting you with like-minded peers for group projects, with schools hosting summer research intensives or fun and prestigious research competitions, or with university mentors…

We’ve helped thousands of students just like you elevate their extracurriculars with opportunities like these! Contact a friendly Crimson Education Advisor today and find out what you can do…

Finally, stay tuned for future blogs that explore extracurriculars, interesting future careers, diverse majors, and insights for boosting your university admissions strategy!

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Research Process

• Brainstorming
• Explore Google This link opens in a new window
• Explore Web Resources
• Explore Background Information
• Explore Books
• Explore Scholarly Articles
• Narrowing a Topic
• Primary and Secondary Resources
• Academic, Popular & Trade Publications
• Scholarly and Peer-Reviewed Journals
• Grey Literature
• Clinical Trials
• Evidence Based Treatment
• Scholarly Research
• Database Research Log
• Search Limits
• Keyword Searching
• Boolean Operators
• Phrase Searching
• Truncation & Wildcard Symbols
• Proximity Searching
• Field Codes
• Subject Terms and Database Thesauri
• Reading a Scientific Article
• Website Evaluation
• Article Keywords and Subject Terms
• Cited References
• Citing Articles
• Related Results
• Search Within Publication
• Database Alerts & RSS Feeds
• Personal Database Accounts
• Persistent URLs
• Literature Gap and Future Research
• Web of Knowledge
• Annual Reviews
• Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
• Finding Seminal Works
• Exhausting the Literature
• Finding Dissertations
• Researching Theoretical Frameworks
• Research Methodology & Design
• Tests and Measurements
• Organizing Research & Citations This link opens in a new window
• Scholarly Publication
• Learn the Library This link opens in a new window

Finding a Research Topic

Which step of the research process takes the most time?

A. Finding a topic B. Researching a topic C. Both

How did you answer the above question? Do you spend most of your efforts actually researching a topic, or do you spend a lot of time and energy finding a topic? Ideally, you’ll want to spend fairly equal amounts of effort on both. Finding an appropriate and manageable topic can sometimes be just as hard as researching a topic.

A good research topic will have a body of related research which is accessible and manageable. Identifying a topic with these characteristics at the beginning  of the research process will ultimately save you time.

Finding a research topic that is interesting, relevant, feasible, and worthy of your time may take substantial effort so you should be prepared to invest your time accordingly. Considering your options, doing some background work on each option, and ultimately settling on a topic that is manageable will spare you many of the frustrations that come from attempting research on a topic that, for whatever reason, may not be appropriate.

Remember that as you are searching for a research topic you will need to be able to find enough information about your topic(s) in a book or scholarly journal. If you can only find information about your topic(s) in current event sources (newspapers, magazines, etc.) then the topic might be too new to have a large body of published scholarly information. If this is the case, you may want to reconsider the topic(s).

So how do you find a research topic? Unfortunately there’s no directory of topics that you pick and choose from, but there are a few relatively easy techniques that you can use to find a relevant and manageable topic. A good starting point may be to view the Library's Resources for Finding a Research Topic Workshop below.

The sub-pages in this section (on the left-hand menu) offer various tips for where and how to locate resources to develop your research topic. And for additional information on selecting a research topic, see the resources below.

• Defining a Topic - SAGE Research Methods
• Develop My Research Idea - Academic Writer Note: You MUST create an Academic Writer account AND start a paper in order to access this tool. Once you have done so, open a paper and click Research Lab Book in the left navigation menu.
• The Process for Developing Questions - ASC Guide

Resources for Finding a Research Topic Workshop

This workshop will introduce you to library resources which can be used to locate potential topics for a research paper or dissertation. This workshop explores websites, reference books, and scholarly articles, as well as review criteria to consider when selecting a topic.

• Resources for Finding a Research Topic Workshop Outline

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• Knowledge Base
• Starting the research process

A Beginner's Guide to Starting the Research Process

When you have to write a thesis or dissertation , it can be hard to know where to begin, but there are some clear steps you can follow.

The research process often begins with a very broad idea for a topic you’d like to know more about. You do some preliminary research to identify a  problem . After refining your research questions , you can lay out the foundations of your research design , leading to a proposal that outlines your ideas and plans.

This article takes you through the first steps of the research process, helping you narrow down your ideas and build up a strong foundation for your research project.

Table of contents

Step 1: choose your topic, step 2: identify a problem, step 3: formulate research questions, step 4: create a research design, step 5: write a research proposal, other interesting articles.

First you have to come up with some ideas. Your thesis or dissertation topic can start out very broad. Think about the general area or field you’re interested in—maybe you already have specific research interests based on classes you’ve taken, or maybe you had to consider your topic when applying to graduate school and writing a statement of purpose .

Even if you already have a good sense of your topic, you’ll need to read widely to build background knowledge and begin narrowing down your ideas. Conduct an initial literature review to begin gathering relevant sources. As you read, take notes and try to identify problems, questions, debates, contradictions and gaps. Your aim is to narrow down from a broad area of interest to a specific niche.

Make sure to consider the practicalities: the requirements of your programme, the amount of time you have to complete the research, and how difficult it will be to access sources and data on the topic. Before moving onto the next stage, it’s a good idea to discuss the topic with your thesis supervisor.

>>Read more about narrowing down a research topic

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So you’ve settled on a topic and found a niche—but what exactly will your research investigate, and why does it matter? To give your project focus and purpose, you have to define a research problem .

The problem might be a practical issue—for example, a process or practice that isn’t working well, an area of concern in an organization’s performance, or a difficulty faced by a specific group of people in society.

Alternatively, you might choose to investigate a theoretical problem—for example, an underexplored phenomenon or relationship, a contradiction between different models or theories, or an unresolved debate among scholars.

To put the problem in context and set your objectives, you can write a problem statement . This describes who the problem affects, why research is needed, and how your research project will contribute to solving it.

>>Read more about defining a research problem

Next, based on the problem statement, you need to write one or more research questions . These target exactly what you want to find out. They might focus on describing, comparing, evaluating, or explaining the research problem.

A strong research question should be specific enough that you can answer it thoroughly using appropriate qualitative or quantitative research methods. It should also be complex enough to require in-depth investigation, analysis, and argument. Questions that can be answered with “yes/no” or with easily available facts are not complex enough for a thesis or dissertation.

In some types of research, at this stage you might also have to develop a conceptual framework and testable hypotheses .

>>See research question examples

The research design is a practical framework for answering your research questions. It involves making decisions about the type of data you need, the methods you’ll use to collect and analyze it, and the location and timescale of your research.

There are often many possible paths you can take to answering your questions. The decisions you make will partly be based on your priorities. For example, do you want to determine causes and effects, draw generalizable conclusions, or understand the details of a specific context?

You need to decide whether you will use primary or secondary data and qualitative or quantitative methods . You also need to determine the specific tools, procedures, and materials you’ll use to collect and analyze your data, as well as your criteria for selecting participants or sources.

>>Read more about creating a research design

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Finally, after completing these steps, you are ready to complete a research proposal . The proposal outlines the context, relevance, purpose, and plan of your research.

As well as outlining the background, problem statement, and research questions, the proposal should also include a literature review that shows how your project will fit into existing work on the topic. The research design section describes your approach and explains exactly what you will do.

You might have to get the proposal approved by your supervisor before you get started, and it will guide the process of writing your thesis or dissertation.

>>Read more about writing a research proposal

If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Methodology

• Sampling methods
• Simple random sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Cluster sampling
• Likert scales
• Reproducibility

 Statistics

• Null hypothesis
• Statistical power
• Probability distribution
• Effect size
• Poisson distribution

Research bias

• Optimism bias
• Cognitive bias
• Implicit bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Anchoring bias
• Explicit bias

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Graduate College

On the dissertation: how to find a research topic.

A new book sheds light on a vital academic skill: the art and craft of figuring out what you want to investigate.

When it comes to choosing a dissertation topic, students in the lab sciences have it the easiest. Because their funding comes from their adviser’s lab, their dissertations will typically be carved out of the professor’s research agenda. That practice has its problems. The most obvious: These graduate students have only limited input into their own thesis topic. They don’t get to learn and practice an important skill that all researchers need once they’re on their own — the knack of figuring out what to study.

Clearing an easy path to a thesis topic defers an important part of doctoral education in the sciences. But what about everyone else? All graduate students need to learn how to identify and develop a topic and formulate a research agenda. And it’s not an easy skill to teach — especially if the instructor doesn’t know much about how to do it, either.

I’ve long wanted to spotlight this subject in The Chronicle’s occasional series on the dissertation (earlier essays focused on  drafting the introduction  and the  value of writing groups ). But I hesitated because I wasn’t sure of what to say. Back when I was a graduate student, I got lucky: My topic snuck up on me. It emerged from a course I devised at the time. (The course was called “The Literature of the Bizarre, the Grotesque, and the Macabre,” and it led to a dissertation on the grotesque in antebellum American literature.)

The best I can say for myself is that when I did stumble upon a thesis topic, I had the good sense to notice. However, my experience isn’t exactly teachable. I’ve advised many student dissertations over the years, and I confess that topic design has never been one of my strengths.

For better and worse, I’ve been cautious about offering advice on this front. The sciences are not the only fields in which students end up with a topic that mirrors their adviser’s work. I’ve seen that happen more than a few times in the humanistic precincts I inhabit, with decidedly mixed results.

And I don’t want to dictate thesis topics to my students. After all, they have to live for two or three years with their topic. I don’t. On the other hand, if I hold myself at too great a distance from their thought process, I’m not helping them — or doing my job.

So how can students — and professors like me — learn the art and craft of topic design?

Fortunately, an  excellent new book  from the University of Chicago Press has come to the rescue. Thomas S. Mullaney and Christopher Rea’s Where Research Begins, is a revelation. Unlike previous books in the field (such as the valuable and many-times revised The Craft of Research, published in 1995), Mullaney and Rea focus on how to release and develop your own analytical creativity, and then how to shape it into what they call “a research project that matters to you (and the world).”

Where Research Begins is fundamentally a workbook, and it’s filled with exercises. The book has two parts. The first section describes what Mullaney and Rea call “self centered” research, which they define as discovering what matters to you and framing it as a problem that can be investigated.

Too often, the book says, academics try to “please some imaginary, external judge.” Or maybe that judge is not imaginary at all. I’ve seen plenty of graduate students — including some under my own direction — try to please the teacher before pleasing themselves. Perhaps the book’s single greatest virtue lies in its emphasis on the importance of uncovering what matters to you and separating that from everything else, including what you think your dissertation adviser wants.

Via a series of exercises, the book gradually moves the reader from topic to questions, and then to a research problem. Repeatedly in framing a topic, Mullaney and Rea encourage the researcher to look for “the effect on you.” Their emphasis on a step-by-step process to transform a personal interest into a viable research topic is the second cardinal virtue of the book.

Where Research Begins shows how a topic will enter both a field of study and a “problem collective” made up of researchers who may belong to different fields, but who are working on similar questions. For example, someone trying to learn why bourbon has become so popular in the United States might identify her field as American food studies. But she might share her problem with a researcher tracing the emergence of religious denominations in Europe, or someone studying fads in Japan.

The shift from self-centeredness to intellectual community makes up the second part of the book. Mullaney and Rea call this second stage “Getting Over Yourself.”

In moving from exercise to exercise, the book advises the reader to “write as you go.” If you do, the end result will be what the authors cleverly call “draft zero,” a step away from a first draft.

Such formulations led one of my former students to remark that Mullaney and Rea “have the best metaphors.” Where Research Begins is indeed filled with witty analogies that make reading the book a pleasure. Instead of merely encouraging the reader to ask rigorous questions, they write: “Think of a question as if it were a car,” and “stress test” the steering and brakes.

To get from sources to arguments, Mullaney and Rea ask the researcher to “connect the dots.” In real life, as opposed to dot-to-dot coloring books, you have to find the dots to connect. What happens when there are only a few of them? When you don’t know what picture they form? “Figure out which dots belong to your picture,” they advise. This extended metaphor delivers a powerful and memorable lesson on how to identify and plumb an archive.

Playful metaphors do more than make the reader smile. Metaphors, as the linguist George Lakoff reminds us, shape thought.

The authors recommend a method that I would describe (to offer my own metaphor) as quarrying. They direct the researcher to quarry, examine, and reflect — and then repeat the procedure. Discover things, study them, figure out what they say to you (including about your personal interests), and then use that knowledge to discover more things. The book’s exercises employ this recursive method again and again.

Where Research Begins is a gratifyingly student-centered book but it will help experienced researchers as well as beginners, teachers as well as students. For faculty members who advise graduate students, it particularly helps expose the assumptions baked into our own methods of thinking. I’ll be a better teacher for that, and my students will arrive at better research topics.

That’s a valuable takeaway for all concerned, but good dissertation topics especially matter for students from underrepresented groups. Many of them want to do research that reflects their personal commitments — and they’re more likely to leave graduate school if they are discouraged from pursuing those interests. That subject deserves particular attention, and I’ll have more to say about it in my next column.

Original article: https://www.chronicle.com/article/on-the-dissertation-how-to-find-a-research-topic

Education Scholarship in Healthcare pp 13–23 Cite as

Introduction to Education Research

• Sharon K. Park 3 ,
• Khanh-Van Le-Bucklin 4 &
• Julie Youm 4  
• First Online: 29 November 2023

231 Accesses

Educators rely on the discovery of new knowledge of teaching practices and frameworks to improve and evolve education for trainees. An important consideration that should be made when embarking on a career conducting education research is finding a scholarship niche. An education researcher can then develop the conceptual framework that describes the state of knowledge, realize gaps in understanding of the phenomenon or problem, and develop an outline for the methodological underpinnings of the research project. In response to Ernest Boyer’s seminal report, Priorities of the Professoriate , research was conducted about the criteria and decision processes for grants and publications. Six standards known as the Glassick’s criteria provide a tangible measure by which educators can assess the quality and structure of their education research—clear goals, adequate preparation, appropriate methods, significant results, effective presentation, and reflective critique. Ultimately, the promise of education research is to realize advances and innovation for learners that are informed by evidence-based knowledge and practices.

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School of Pharmacy, Notre Dame of Maryland University, Baltimore, MD, USA

Sharon K. Park

University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA

Khanh-Van Le-Bucklin & Julie Youm

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Correspondence to Sharon K. Park .

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April S. Fitzgerald

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA

Gundula Bosch

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Park, S.K., Le-Bucklin, KV., Youm, J. (2023). Introduction to Education Research. In: Fitzgerald, A.S., Bosch, G. (eds) Education Scholarship in Healthcare. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38534-6_2

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Emerging Research Topics in Education: Exploring the Frontiers

Are you searching for the best research topics in education? If yes, then have a close look at some of the best research topics in education in 2023.

Education is a crucial sector that plays a significant role in shaping individuals, society, and the economy. Research in education provides insights into the effectiveness of teaching and learning methods, curriculum, policies, and other aspects of education.

Education research helps to identify gaps in knowledge and practices and provides evidence-based solutions to address them. This blog post will provide an overview of various research topics in education, methodologies, emerging trends, and challenges.

The post will provide a brief overview of each topic, including examples of research questions and methodologies used in education research. The aim is to provide readers with an understanding of the different areas of education research that they can explore.

Importance of Research in Education

Table of Contents

Research in education is essential to advancing knowledge and understanding of teaching and learning processes. The following are some reasons why research is critical in education:

Improving teaching and learning

Research provides valuable insights into effective teaching and learning practices, allowing educators to continually improve their methods and increase student success.

Evidence-based decision making

Research helps educational policymakers and leaders make informed decisions about curriculum, programs, and policies based on solid evidence and data.

Advancing knowledge

Research drives innovation in education by expanding our understanding of how students learn and how to optimize learning outcomes.

Addressing equity and diversity

Research can identify and address disparities in access to educational opportunities and achievement gaps among different groups of students.

Informing education policy

Research can inform policies and practices at the local, state, and national levels to promote educational equity and excellence.

Professional development

Research can inform the development of professional development programs and teacher training to improve teaching practices and student learning.

In summary, research is essential in education to improve teaching and learning, make evidence-based decisions, advance knowledge, address equity and diversity, inform education policy, and support professional development.

General Research Topics in Education

Have a close look at general research topics in education.

Teacher Preparation and Professional Development

• The effectiveness of different teacher training programs
• The impact of professional development on teacher practice and student outcomes
• The relationship between teacher beliefs and classroom practices
• Teacher retention and attrition rates
• Teacher diversity and its impact on student outcomes

Curriculum and Instruction

• Curriculum design and development
• Teaching strategies and pedagogical approaches
• Differentiated instruction and individualized learning
• Assessment and evaluation of student learning
• The impact of culturally responsive teaching on student outcomes

Classroom Management

• Classroom environment and culture
• Behavior management and discipline strategies
• Teacher-student relationships
• Bullying and student safety
• Student engagement and motivation

Educational Technology

• The impact of technology on student learning outcomes
• The effectiveness of different educational technology tools and platforms
• The integration of technology into teaching and learning
• Digital literacy and online safety
• The digital divide and equity in access to technology

Educational Leadership and Administration

• School leadership and its impact on student outcomes
• School culture and climate
• School improvement and reform strategies
• School governance and decision-making processes
• Education law and policy

Educational Policy and Reform

• Education funding and resource allocation
• Education standards and accountability
• School choice and school vouchers
• Charter schools and school privatization
• Education equity and access to quality education

The topics covered in this section are broad and provide a good starting point for researchers to explore various aspects of education.

Specific Research Topics in Education

Have a close look at specific research topics in education.

Learning and Cognition

• Cognitive development and learning processes
• Memory and information processing
• Metacognition and self-regulated learning
• Learning styles and preferences
• Neuroscience and education

Student Motivation and Engagement

• Student motivation and its impact on learning
• Engagement and student-centered learning
• Extrinsic and intrinsic motivation
• Teacher support and student motivation
• Culturally responsive teaching and student motivation

Student Assessment and Evaluation

• Assessment and evaluation of student learning outcomes
• Formative and summative assessment
• Standardized testing and its impact on student learning
• Alternative forms of assessment
• Grading and feedback in student evaluation

Early Childhood Education

• Early childhood education and brain development
• Curriculum and instruction in early childhood education
• Play-based learning and its impact on child development
• Parent involvement in early childhood education
• Early childhood education policy and reform

Special Education

• Inclusion and special education services
• Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
• Assistive technology and special education
• Teacher preparation and professional development in special education
• Post-secondary outcomes for students with disabilities

Multilingual Education

• Second language acquisition and bilingualism
• Language policies and bilingual education
• Heritage language education and maintenance
• Dual-language immersion programs
• Multilingualism and social justice in education

GSTEM Education

• STEM curriculum and instruction
• STEM teacher preparation and professional development
• Gender and racial disparities in STEM education
• STEM career pathways and workforce development
• STEM education policy and reform

Social and Emotional Learning

• Social and emotional development in children and adolescents
• Social and emotional learning in schools
• Positive behavior interventions and supports
• Restorative justice and discipline in schools
• Mental health and school-based interventions

Inclusive Education

• Inclusive education and disability rights
• Universal design for learning
• Differentiated instruction and accommodations
• Teacher preparation and professional development in inclusive education
• Inclusive education policy and reform

The topics covered in this section are more specific and provide a deeper dive into particular areas of education research. Researchers can explore these topics in greater detail to develop a more comprehensive understanding of various aspects of education.

Methodologies for Education Research

Have a close look at methodologies for education research.

Quantitative Research Methods

• Experimental research design
• Quasi-experimental research design
• Survey research
• Correlational research
• Longitudinal research

Qualitative Research Methods

• Case study research
• Ethnographic research
• Phenomenological research
• Grounded theory research
• Narrative research

Mixed-Methods Research

• Sequential explanatory design
• Sequential exploratory design
• Concurrent triangulation design
• Concurrent nested design
• Transformative design
• Meta-analysis
• Factor analysis
• ANOVA (Analysis of Variance)
• Participatory research
• Content analysis
• Discourse analysis
• Exploratory sequential design:
• Concurrent transformative design
• Convergent parallel design

The methodologies covered in this section offer different ways to approach education research. Researchers can use these methodologies to collect and analyze data in various ways to gain insights into educational phenomena. Choosing the appropriate methodology for a research question can have a significant impact on the findings and implications of a study.

Emerging Trends in Education Research

Have a close look at emerging trends in research topics in education.

Personalized Learning

• Definition and benefits
• Personalized learning approaches and models
• Challenges and considerations

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Education

• AI and machine learning applications in education
• Ethical considerations

Gamification in Education

• Gamification approaches and models
• Impact on student motivation and engagement

Virtual and Augmented Reality in Education

• VR and AR applications in education
• Impact on student learning and engagement

Globalization and Internationalization in Education

• Trends in international student mobility
• Implications for curriculum and pedagogy

STEM Education

• Challenges and opportunities
• Trends in STEM education research and practice
• Approaches and models
• Impact on student well-being and academic success

Education Technology and Digital Literacy

• Trends in educational technology
• Digital literacy skills and competencies

Environmental Education

• Trends in environmental education research and practice

Open Educational Resources and Open Access

• Trends in open education and access
• Impact on student learning and affordability
• Challenges and considerations.

These emerging trends in education research highlight the potential for innovative approaches and technologies to enhance student learning and engagement. However, researchers must also consider the potential challenges and ethical considerations that come with integrating new technologies and approaches into educational settings.

Challenges in Education Research

Have a close look at challenges in education research.

Funding Constraints

• Limited funding for education research
• Competition for funding
• Impact on the scope and quality of research

Access to Data

• Difficulty accessing data
• Limited availability of data
• Data quality and reliability

Ethical Considerations

• Informed consent and participant confidentiality
• Use of sensitive data
• Ethical considerations in the use of new technologies

Generalizability of Research Findings

• Difficulty generalizing findings to other populations or contexts
• Challenges in replicating research
• Variability in research design and methodology

Complex and Evolving Educational Systems

• The complexity of education systems
• Constantly evolving educational policies and practices
• Challenges in keeping up with new developments and trends

Researcher Bias

• Potential for researcher bias and subjectivity
• Challenges in maintaining objectivity and neutrality
• Impact on the validity and reliability of research findings

Time and Resource Constraints

• Limited time and resources for conducting research
• Challenges in conducting comprehensive and rigorous studies
• Impact on the quality and scope of research findings

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

• Importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in education research
• Challenges in finding and establishing collaborative partnerships
• Impact on the breadth and depth of research findings

These challenges in education research can pose significant barriers to conducting high-quality research and generating findings that are applicable and generalizable to different contexts. Researchers must navigate these challenges to ensure that their research is reliable, valid, and ethical.

It is all about research topics in education. In conclusion, education research is a diverse and dynamic field that encompasses a broad range of topics and methodologies. The field is constantly evolving, as emerging trends in education and new technologies present new opportunities and challenges for researchers. Topics in education research can range from theoretical and philosophical explorations of the nature of education to practical investigations of teaching and learning in real-world settings.

Regardless of the topic, education research plays a crucial role in informing and improving educational practices and policies, and ultimately in shaping the future of education.

As such, it is important for researchers to continue to explore new topics, use innovative methodologies, and collaborate across disciplines to address the complex challenges facing education today. If you want to suggest us any research topics in education then comment down below.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is research important in education.

Research is important in education because it provides evidence-based solutions to educational problems, informs policy and practice decisions, and improves student learning outcomes.

What are some emerging trends in education research?

Some emerging trends in education research include personalized learning, artificial intelligence and machine learning in education, gamification in education, and virtual and augmented reality in education.

How do I choose a research topic in education?

When choosing a research topic in education, consider your personal interests and expertise, identify a gap in the existing research, consider the feasibility of the research topic, including access to data and funding, and consider the potential impact and relevance of the research.

What are some challenges in education research?

Some challenges in education research include funding constraints, limited access to data, ethical considerations, and the generalizability of research findings.

What are some methodologies used in education research?

Some methodologies used in education research include quantitative research methods, qualitative research methods, and mixed-methods research.

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• Learning how to find, evaluate, and use resources to explore a topic in depth

Series Editor : Michael Theall, Youngstown State University Authors : Gail MacKay, Indiana University Kokomo; Barbara Millis, University of Nevada-Reno; Rebecca Brent, Education Designs, Inc.

At institutions of higher education across the U.S., information literacy (IL) is being integrated into general education curricula as a specific learning objective. The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) (1) defines information literate students as those who “recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.” As the world moves toward a knowledge-based economy, information literacy becomes a crucial component of preparing students for the lifelong learning that current and future job markets demand.

IDEA Research Report #1 (2) states that, “…It is important to recognize that much of the subject matter content which students learn today will be outdated in 5-10 years after they graduate.” Thus, an emphasis on lifelong learning seems imperative. Canja (3), for example, suggests that “… Lifelong learning has become an economic necessity for national and global productivity. With the decline in birth rates in major developed countries, persons—still active, still healthy—must continue in the workforce, trained and retrained” (p. 27). Ironically, IDEA Research Report #1 also finds that the objectives identified as emphasizing lifelong learning (Learning to find and use resources, and Gave tests/projects that covered most important points) were identified as “Important” or “Essential” in only about 30% of the classes using IDEA. The ACRL (1) notes, “Information literacy forms the basis for lifelong learning. It is common to all disciplines, to all learning environments, and to all levels of education. It enables learners to master content and extend their investigations, become more self-directed, and assume greater control over their own learning.” However, information literacy does not concern itself only with technical resources. Successful students and workers must also be able to affiliate with others and to seek and find expertise among the human resources that are available (4).

Seeking out information resources and then using them to address a question or a problem are engaging activities, and there are several attached benefits. First is recognition of the value of the resources. Next is application of the new information and the construction of new knowledge. Intrinsic motivation results from the realization that learning is taking place and ultimately, these practical and motivational effects promote continued use of the resources, lifelong learning, and facilitates deep learning.

For example, here are key components that characterize a deep, rather than a surface approach to learning. Rhem (5) summarizes them as follows:

Motivational context: We learn best what we feel a need to know. Intrinsic motivation remains inextricably bound to some level of choice and control. Courses that remove these take away the sense of ownership and kill one of the strongest elements in lasting learning.

Learner activity: Deep learning and “doing” travel together. Doing in itself isn’t enough. Faculty must connect activity to the abstract conceptions that make sense of it, but passive mental postures lead to superficial learning.

Interaction with others: As Noel Entwistle put it in a recent email message, “The teacher is not the only source of instruction or inspiration.”

A well-structured knowledge base: This does not just mean presenting new material in an organized way. It also means engaging and reshaping, when necessary, the concepts students bring with them. Deep approaches and learning for understanding are integrative processes. The more fully new concepts can be connected with students’ prior experience and existing knowledge, the more it is they will be impatient with inert facts and eager to achieve their own synthesis (p. 4).

If instructors are to motivate students to acquire the skills of information literacy that will help them to remain lifelong learners, then they need to design research projects and assignments that get students into the knowledge base and engage them in critical thinking activities through active learning and interaction with one another. Through such sequenced assignments, students can learn how to answer relevant questions and to solve challenging problems.

Keep in mind that an important component of finding and using resources to explore topics is evaluating the quality of those resources. In an information-rich world, students must be able to determine if a resource is reliable and valid enough to use in their work. These information literacy skills (and even quantitative literacy skills–see the Teaching Note, “Learning appropriate methods for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting numerical information”) must be taught. See the Teaching Note, “Encouraged students to use multiple resources (e.g. Internet, library holdings, outside experts) to improve understanding,” for more ideas.

Teaching This Objective

The most relevant IDEA instructional method is “encouraged students to use multiple resources to improve understanding.” This Learning Note complements Baron’s with some general guidelines that focus on developing good research projects or assignments to assist with “learning how to find and use resources for answering questions or solving problems” and attempts to help instructors provide students with effective and feasible assignments. With today’s information overload, students need guidance in locating and using appropriate resources for answering questions and solving problems. Students must hone these skills throughout their lives. Academic librarians can serve as an instructor’s best ally.

Other IDEA instructional methods that are important to Objective #9 include items #2 Finding ways to help students answer their own questions, #8 Stimulating intellectual effort, #15 Inspiring students to set and achieve goals, #18 Asking students to help each other understand ideas or concepts, and #19 Assigning work that requires original or creative thinking. These relationships are logical because the nature of investigative activity requires intellectual effort, focused exploration, and creativity, and the connections between problem solving and gathering information and evidence have been well-documented (6). These methods support many of the specific hints described below.

Motivation as a starting point. Locating information for its own sake provides practice, but it fails to engage motivated students in productive work linked to an understood outcome. Feldman suggests that student achievement remains strongly correlated to the perceived outcomes of instruction (7). The relevance of assigned work is also critical to student’s active engagement (8) and a major predictor of student ratings of their teachers (9). Thus, skill development becomes much more productive when there is a clearly understood link between the assigned work and specific learning goals or tangible products. The real-world analog is obvious: people do not search for information unless they have a reason to do so. Because in many teaching-learning situations, teachers expect students to explore issues and topics that may not intrinsically interest them, demonstrating relevance and utility become critical first steps in getting students engaged (See “Related course material to real-life situations” and “Introduced stimulating ideas about the subject”). Allowing students some choice of topic or project can motivate them to take a deeper approach to learning (10).

Sequence the research project or assignment. If instructors want students to learn to find and use resources to tackle stimulating questions and challenging problems through research, they need to design sequenced activities that motivate students and get them into the knowledge base. This can often be accomplished through the individual work that students do either as discrete homework assignments or as smaller parts of an extended research project. What becomes of these assignments or project components is critical for deep learning. Instructors should design in-class exercises where learners are actively engaged with the material they prepared individually and with each other (11).

A. Planning

• Arrange for library instruction. Even students who have achieved some level of proficiency with library research will benefit from the reinforcement and enhancement of their skills. Require attendance. Attend yourself, asking questions as a learner.
• Bring the class to the library or ask a librarian to come to your classroom when they are ready to begin their project, not in advance. Students learn best when there is an immediate and applicable need.
• Send a copy of the assignment to the instruction librarian at your campus. Ask for input before finalizing the assignment. Librarians, for example, are highly skeptical of the academic value of commonly assigned “Library Scavenger Hunts.”
• Include homegrown resource guides, sometimes called “pathfinders,” in your initial quest for student library sources. Often campus instruction and reference librarians develop these guides for various fields or disciplines. If your field is not included, ask the library to develop a resource guide for your area. These subject guides provide students with suggestions for “where to start” their research. Included in the guides are both print and electronic sources such as subject encyclopedias; specialized periodical indexes such as Applied Science and Technology Index ; PsycINFO ; or Sociological Abstracts ; also included are reference works or standards in the field such as The Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR) ; CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics ; or the Statistical Abstract of the United States .
• Consider alternatives to the conventional research paper. Excellent assignment ideas reside on the Web, often at other campus library sites (12, 13, 14, 15, 16).

B. Designing

• Provide your expectations for the assignment in writing to your students. Let them know what the assignment involves and what you expect them to learn from the experience. “I don’t know what s/he wants” is a student lament transcending the ages. Make their day; tell them. To help students fully understand these expectations in practice, consider providing strong and weak samples of typical segments of the project or assignment to discuss and critique in class.
• Specify how the assignment fits with the goals or objectives of the course to show relevance. Be as explicit as possible. Share this information, also, with instruction librarians to help them determine appropriate sources.
• Provide students with the grading criteria in writing for the project or assignment.
• Offer a variety of flexible topics, encouraging students to choose ones that interest them.
• Review the student-selected topics to see that they are appropriate and achievable. Avoid very current or local topics if students need scholarly sources as scholarly peer reviewed journals take time to reach publication.
• Place materials on “Reserve,” if necessary, to avoid having 30 students compete for six books.
• Discuss the role of attribution and documentation in a community of scholars. Include a policy on plagiarism in the syllabus. Emphasize the ethical use of information and of the avoidance of plagiarism. Aside from ethics, there are also copyright laws, both national and international, to consider. Specifically discuss appropriate and inappropriate use of online material, a gray area for many students.
• Announce which style manual you expect students to use. Be very specific about documentation for online sources. Many style manuals are difficult to interpret.

Provide opportunities to engage in deep learning. As noted in the background section, the key components characterizing deep learning are motivation context, learner activity, interaction with others, and a well-structured knowledge base (5). As an example, faculty members can ask students, as part of a larger research project, to prepare paired annotations based on the double entry journal recommended by writing across the curriculum and classroom assessment experts (17). The teacher or the students identify a pool of articles on the question or problem at hand. Each student, working individually out-of-class, prepares a reflective commentary on one of the articles or chapters. They do so using a double column format (a Microsoft Word table works beautifully) where they cite the key points of the research article on the left-hand side and reactions, questions, commentary, and connections with other readings on the right, aligning the key point with the reflective commentary. The entries in these columns will not be the same length. When students come to class, the teacher randomly pairs them with another student who has read and analyzed the same research article. The two partners now read one another’s reflective commentaries, comparing both the key points they have identified and their specific responses to them. They discuss their reasons for the choices they made. Then working together, they prepare a composite annotation summarizing the article (See IDEA Paper No. 38).

This activity should be repeated several times during the semester, pairing different students. It enables students to reflect on their own thinking skills (metacognition) and to compare their thinking with those of other students. The more paired annotations they complete, the more skilled students become at identifying key points in an article and “using resources for answering questions or solving problems.” This structure thus enables teachers to sequence learning in meaningful ways. It builds critical thinking and writing skills by having students analyze and then compare their responses to the same piece of writing. It has the additional virtue of being relevant to virtually any discipline. Over the course of the semester, students build a repertoire of annotated research articles they can bring to bear on the given question or problem.

A note about technology. A thorough discussion of the ways in which new technologies can support and supplement students’ efforts to find and use resources is beyond the scope of this Note. However, we should mention at minimum, that the bounty that awaits students who explore web-based resources comes with a price: the equally large amount of inaccurate, incomplete, and sometimes distorted information that can be found in any web search. The critical issue for teachers is to construct assignments that require specific information known to exist and is accessible with minimum interference from useless, irrelevant, or biased data . Your resource librarian can be a tremendous asset in saving you hours of work (e.g., training students on effective and efficient search strategies and helping everyone to avoid wasting time and effort on valueless information). All disciplines and courses deal with electronic information and we cannot ignore its potential value. What is important to remember in constructing assignments is that the work must have a meaningful relationship to a clearly stated outcome. There has to be a tangible “payoff” in terms of students being able to connect the work to an understood and desired result.

Assessing This Objective

• Develop a rubric (or a form) to assess the announced grading criteria. For example, assign a certain number of points for each component of a project or assignment (see 2 below). What percentage of the total will the final paper and bibliography be? Note what happens if any of the required items are a day late; two days late; etc. What percentage will mechanics—spelling, punctuation, grammar—contribute to the final grade?
• Sequence parts of the project or assignment by establishing intermittent deadlines along the way. This practice not only helps prevent procrastination, but also helps to deter plagiarism. For example, have due dates for the overall topic and the thesis statement, due dates for a preliminary bibliography of “X” number of sources, an outline, a first draft, oral presentation, written or in-class peer reviews, etc.
• Require critical thinking. If students are using Web sites, for example, ask for the background or credentials of the author; ask for the date of last revision if currency is important; ask if students found any bias on the site; and ask why they selected this site from among all the others.
• Make use of peer reviewing throughout the research project or assignment to provide an additional source of feedback and add to the active learning and student interactions essential for deep learning. Have students exchange drafts and apply the rubric or checklist that will be used to assess the assignment. The opportunity for critical review of another draft and seeing comments from a peer will help them more fully understand the expectations, leading to better final products.
• Review respected resources such as the Tutorial for Developing and Evaluating Library Assignments at the University of Maryland University College, Adelphi, MD (18) and the Scoring Criteria for Development/Resource-Based Learning Project at Delta College, University Center, MI (19).
• Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). (2006). Information literacy competency standards for higher education. American Library Association. Retrieved September 27, 2006 from http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/standardsguidelines.htm
• Hoyt, D. P., & Perera, S. (2000). Teaching approach, instructional objectives, and learning: IDEA research report #1 . Manhattan, KS: IDEA Center, Kansas State University.
• Canja, E. T. (2002). Lifelong learning: Challenges and opportunities. CAEL Forum and News , 26-29.
• Klemp, G. O. (1977). Three factors of success. In D. W. Vermilye (Eds.) Relating work and education: Current issues in higher education 1977 . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• Rhem, J. (1995). Close-up: Going deep. The National Teaching and Learning Forum, 5 (1), 4.
• See the Problem Based Learning website at: http://www.samford.edu/pbl/ for many resources and references. Retrieved September 27, 2006.
• Feldman, K. A. (1989). The association between student ratings of specific instructional dimensions and student achievement: Refining and extending the synthesis of data from multisection validity studies. Research in Higher Education, 30 , 583-645.
• Theall, M. (1999). What have we learned? A synthesis and some guidelines for effective motivation in higher education. In M. Theall (Eds.) “Motivation from within: Encouraging faculty and students to excel.” New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 78 . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• Franklin, J. L., & Theall, M. (1995). The relationship of disciplinary differences and the value of class preparation time to student ratings of instruction. In N. Hativa & M. Marincovich (Eds.) “Disciplinary differences in teaching and learning: Implications for practice.” New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 64 . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• Felder, R.M., & Brent, R. (2005). Understanding student differences. Journal of Engineering Education, 94 (1), 57-72. Retrieved September 27, 2006 from http://www.ncsu.edu/effective_teaching/Papers/Understanding_Differences.pdf
• Millis, B. J. (2006). Helping faculty learn to teach better and “smarter” through sequenced activities. In S. Chadwick-Blossy & D.R. Robertson (Eds.). To Improve the Academy , Vol 24. (pp. 216-230). Bolton, MA: POD Network and Anker Publications.
• Designing assignments , University of Washington Libraries.
• Effective assignments using library and Internet resources . (2004). Teaching Library, University of California, Berkeley. Retrieved September 27, 2006 from http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/assignments.html
• Fister, B., & Fuhr, S. (2001). Suggestions for assignments. Enhancing developmental research skills in the undergraduate curriculum . Folke Bernadotte Memorial Library, Gustavus Adolphus College. Retrieved September 27, 2006 from http://www.gustavus.edu/oncampus/academics/library/IMLS/assignmentsuggestions.html
• Recommendations for creating effective library assignments. (2005). Mitchell Memorial Library, Library Instructional Services, Mississippi State University. Retrieved September 27, 2006 from http://library.msstate.edu/content/templates/?a=323&z=74
• Creative assignments using information competency and writing. (2006). Ohio University, Athens OH. Retrieved September 27, 2006 from http://www.library.ohiou.edu/inst/creative.html
• Millis, B., & Cottell, P. (1998). Cooperative learning for higher education faculty. Greenwood Press: American Council on Education, Oryx Press.
• Kelley, K., & McDonald, R. (2005). Section 4: Designing assignments that contain writing and research. In Information literacy and writing assessment project: Tutorial for developing and evaluating assignments . Information and Library Services, University of Maryland University College.
• Examples of good assessments . (2006). Delta College Library, Delta College. Retrieved September 27, 2006 from http://www.delta.edu/library/assessments.html
• IDEA Paper No. 38: Enhancing Learning – and More! – Through Cooperative Learning , Millis
• IDEA Paper No. 41: Student Goal Orientation, Motivation, and Learning , Svinicki
• from http://ejournals.library.gatech.edu/ijsotel/index.php/ijsotel/article/view/19/18
• Gaining A Basic Understanding of the Subject
• Developing knowledge and understanding of diverse perspectives, global awareness, or other cultures
• Learning to apply course material
• Developing specific skills, competencies, and points of view needed by professionals in the field most closely related to this course
• Acquiring skills in working with others as a member of a team
• Developing creative capacities
• Gaining a broader understanding and appreciation of intellectual/cultural activity
• Developing skill in expressing myself orally or in writing
• Developing ethical reasoning and/or ethical decision making
• Learning to analyze and critically evaluate ideas, arguments, and points of view
• Learning to apply knowledge and skills to benefit others or serve the public good
• Learning appropriate methods for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting numerical information

Develop a Search Strategy

• Getting Started
• Choosing a Topic
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• Drafting Your Search
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How do I choose a topic?

Choosing a topic can sometimes be the most challenging part of the research process. Here are some ways to jump-start the process.

• discussion post: pick a simple, broad topic that can be researched quickly
• research paper or project: choose a topic that will meet all the requirements of the assignment
• dissertation: pick a unique topic that builds on previous research
• Is there a question you would like answered? Have you seen something in the media that you want to explore further? Choose a topic you can apply to your daily life or one that overlaps with your course topics.
• Is there a topic in your class that you are interested in or want to explore deeper? Look through the course syllabus, readings, or textbook for ideas or concepts that interest you.

Keep in mind that research isn't linear, and refining your topic is a dynamic process. You may need to run multiple general searches about your topic in the library search box before you lock down your final research topic.

ProQuest Research Companion: How do I choose a topic?

ProQuest Research Companion has an excellent section that leads you through choosing a topic. From the home page in the database, select How do I choose a topic? to work through the module.

Need ideas for a topic?

If you get stuck and need ideas for a topic, some of our databases provide broad overviews that can help you find a more specific topic you want to write about.

• Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
• Global Issues in Context This link opens in a new window
• Opposing Viewpoints in Context This link opens in a new window

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Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 113 great research paper topics.

General Education

One of the hardest parts of writing a research paper can be just finding a good topic to write about. Fortunately we've done the hard work for you and have compiled a list of 113 interesting research paper topics. They've been organized into ten categories and cover a wide range of subjects so you can easily find the best topic for you.

In addition to the list of good research topics, we've included advice on what makes a good research paper topic and how you can use your topic to start writing a great paper.

What Makes a Good Research Paper Topic?

Not all research paper topics are created equal, and you want to make sure you choose a great topic before you start writing. Below are the three most important factors to consider to make sure you choose the best research paper topics.

#1: It's Something You're Interested In

A paper is always easier to write if you're interested in the topic, and you'll be more motivated to do in-depth research and write a paper that really covers the entire subject. Even if a certain research paper topic is getting a lot of buzz right now or other people seem interested in writing about it, don't feel tempted to make it your topic unless you genuinely have some sort of interest in it as well.

#2: There's Enough Information to Write a Paper

Even if you come up with the absolute best research paper topic and you're so excited to write about it, you won't be able to produce a good paper if there isn't enough research about the topic. This can happen for very specific or specialized topics, as well as topics that are too new to have enough research done on them at the moment. Easy research paper topics will always be topics with enough information to write a full-length paper.

Trying to write a research paper on a topic that doesn't have much research on it is incredibly hard, so before you decide on a topic, do a bit of preliminary searching and make sure you'll have all the information you need to write your paper.

#3: It Fits Your Teacher's Guidelines

Don't get so carried away looking at lists of research paper topics that you forget any requirements or restrictions your teacher may have put on research topic ideas. If you're writing a research paper on a health-related topic, deciding to write about the impact of rap on the music scene probably won't be allowed, but there may be some sort of leeway. For example, if you're really interested in current events but your teacher wants you to write a research paper on a history topic, you may be able to choose a topic that fits both categories, like exploring the relationship between the US and North Korea. No matter what, always get your research paper topic approved by your teacher first before you begin writing.

113 Good Research Paper Topics

Below are 113 good research topics to help you get you started on your paper. We've organized them into ten categories to make it easier to find the type of research paper topics you're looking for.

Arts/Culture

• Discuss the main differences in art from the Italian Renaissance and the Northern Renaissance .
• Analyze the impact a famous artist had on the world.
• How is sexism portrayed in different types of media (music, film, video games, etc.)? Has the amount/type of sexism changed over the years?
• How has the music of slaves brought over from Africa shaped modern American music?
• How has rap music evolved in the past decade?
• How has the portrayal of minorities in the media changed?

Current Events

• What have been the impacts of China's one child policy?
• How have the goals of feminists changed over the decades?
• How has the Trump presidency changed international relations?
• Analyze the history of the relationship between the United States and North Korea.
• What factors contributed to the current decline in the rate of unemployment?
• What have been the impacts of states which have increased their minimum wage?
• How do US immigration laws compare to immigration laws of other countries?
• How have the US's immigration laws changed in the past few years/decades?
• How has the Black Lives Matter movement affected discussions and view about racism in the US?
• What impact has the Affordable Care Act had on healthcare in the US?
• What factors contributed to the UK deciding to leave the EU (Brexit)?
• What factors contributed to China becoming an economic power?
• Discuss the history of Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies  (some of which tokenize the S&P 500 Index on the blockchain) .
• Do students in schools that eliminate grades do better in college and their careers?
• Do students from wealthier backgrounds score higher on standardized tests?
• Do students who receive free meals at school get higher grades compared to when they weren't receiving a free meal?
• Do students who attend charter schools score higher on standardized tests than students in public schools?
• Do students learn better in same-sex classrooms?
• How does giving each student access to an iPad or laptop affect their studies?
• What are the benefits and drawbacks of the Montessori Method ?
• Do children who attend preschool do better in school later on?
• What was the impact of the No Child Left Behind act?
• How does the US education system compare to education systems in other countries?
• What impact does mandatory physical education classes have on students' health?
• Which methods are most effective at reducing bullying in schools?
• Do homeschoolers who attend college do as well as students who attended traditional schools?
• Does offering tenure increase or decrease quality of teaching?
• How does college debt affect future life choices of students?
• Should graduate students be able to form unions?

• What are different ways to lower gun-related deaths in the US?
• How and why have divorce rates changed over time?
• Is affirmative action still necessary in education and/or the workplace?
• Should physician-assisted suicide be legal?
• How has stem cell research impacted the medical field?
• How can human trafficking be reduced in the United States/world?
• Should people be able to donate organs in exchange for money?
• Which types of juvenile punishment have proven most effective at preventing future crimes?
• Has the increase in US airport security made passengers safer?
• Analyze the immigration policies of certain countries and how they are similar and different from one another.
• Several states have legalized recreational marijuana. What positive and negative impacts have they experienced as a result?
• Do tariffs increase the number of domestic jobs?
• Which prison reforms have proven most effective?
• Should governments be able to censor certain information on the internet?
• Which methods/programs have been most effective at reducing teen pregnancy?
• What are the benefits and drawbacks of the Keto diet?
• How effective are different exercise regimes for losing weight and maintaining weight loss?
• How do the healthcare plans of various countries differ from each other?
• What are the most effective ways to treat depression ?
• What are the pros and cons of genetically modified foods?
• Which methods are most effective for improving memory?
• What can be done to lower healthcare costs in the US?
• What factors contributed to the current opioid crisis?
• Analyze the history and impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic .
• Are low-carbohydrate or low-fat diets more effective for weight loss?
• How much exercise should the average adult be getting each week?
• Which methods are most effective to get parents to vaccinate their children?
• What are the pros and cons of clean needle programs?
• How does stress affect the body?
• Discuss the history of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
• What were the causes and effects of the Salem Witch Trials?
• Who was responsible for the Iran-Contra situation?
• How has New Orleans and the government's response to natural disasters changed since Hurricane Katrina?
• What events led to the fall of the Roman Empire?
• What were the impacts of British rule in India ?
• Was the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki necessary?
• What were the successes and failures of the women's suffrage movement in the United States?
• What were the causes of the Civil War?
• How did Abraham Lincoln's assassination impact the country and reconstruction after the Civil War?
• Which factors contributed to the colonies winning the American Revolution?
• What caused Hitler's rise to power?
• Discuss how a specific invention impacted history.
• What led to Cleopatra's fall as ruler of Egypt?
• How has Japan changed and evolved over the centuries?
• What were the causes of the Rwandan genocide ?

• Why did Martin Luther decide to split with the Catholic Church?
• Analyze the history and impact of a well-known cult (Jonestown, Manson family, etc.)
• How did the sexual abuse scandal impact how people view the Catholic Church?
• How has the Catholic church's power changed over the past decades/centuries?
• What are the causes behind the rise in atheism/ agnosticism in the United States?
• What were the influences in Siddhartha's life resulted in him becoming the Buddha?
• How has media portrayal of Islam/Muslims changed since September 11th?

Science/Environment

• How has the earth's climate changed in the past few decades?
• How has the use and elimination of DDT affected bird populations in the US?
• Analyze how the number and severity of natural disasters have increased in the past few decades.
• Analyze deforestation rates in a certain area or globally over a period of time.
• How have past oil spills changed regulations and cleanup methods?
• How has the Flint water crisis changed water regulation safety?
• What are the pros and cons of fracking?
• What impact has the Paris Climate Agreement had so far?
• What have NASA's biggest successes and failures been?
• How can we improve access to clean water around the world?
• Does ecotourism actually have a positive impact on the environment?
• Should the US rely on nuclear energy more?
• What can be done to save amphibian species currently at risk of extinction?
• What impact has climate change had on coral reefs?
• How are black holes created?
• Are teens who spend more time on social media more likely to suffer anxiety and/or depression?
• How will the loss of net neutrality affect internet users?
• Analyze the history and progress of self-driving vehicles.
• How has the use of drones changed surveillance and warfare methods?
• Has social media made people more or less connected?
• What progress has currently been made with artificial intelligence ?
• Do smartphones increase or decrease workplace productivity?
• What are the most effective ways to use technology in the classroom?
• How is Google search affecting our intelligence?
• When is the best age for a child to begin owning a smartphone?
• Has frequent texting reduced teen literacy rates?

How to Write a Great Research Paper

Even great research paper topics won't give you a great research paper if you don't hone your topic before and during the writing process. Follow these three tips to turn good research paper topics into great papers.

#1: Figure Out Your Thesis Early

Before you start writing a single word of your paper, you first need to know what your thesis will be. Your thesis is a statement that explains what you intend to prove/show in your paper. Every sentence in your research paper will relate back to your thesis, so you don't want to start writing without it!

As some examples, if you're writing a research paper on if students learn better in same-sex classrooms, your thesis might be "Research has shown that elementary-age students in same-sex classrooms score higher on standardized tests and report feeling more comfortable in the classroom."

If you're writing a paper on the causes of the Civil War, your thesis might be "While the dispute between the North and South over slavery is the most well-known cause of the Civil War, other key causes include differences in the economies of the North and South, states' rights, and territorial expansion."

#2: Back Every Statement Up With Research

Remember, this is a research paper you're writing, so you'll need to use lots of research to make your points. Every statement you give must be backed up with research, properly cited the way your teacher requested. You're allowed to include opinions of your own, but they must also be supported by the research you give.

#3: Do Your Research Before You Begin Writing

You don't want to start writing your research paper and then learn that there isn't enough research to back up the points you're making, or, even worse, that the research contradicts the points you're trying to make!

Get most of your research on your good research topics done before you begin writing. Then use the research you've collected to create a rough outline of what your paper will cover and the key points you're going to make. This will help keep your paper clear and organized, and it'll ensure you have enough research to produce a strong paper.

What's Next?

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Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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What public k-12 teachers want americans to know about teaching.

Illustrations by Hokyoung Kim

At a time when most teachers are feeling stressed and overwhelmed in their jobs, we asked 2,531 public K-12 teachers this open-ended question:

If there’s one thing you’d want the public to know about teachers, what would it be?

We also asked Americans what they think about teachers to compare with teachers’ perceptions of how the public views them.

Related: What’s It Like To Be a Teacher in America Today?

Pew Research Center conducted this analysis to better understand what public K-12 teachers would like Americans to know about their profession. We also wanted to learn how the public thinks about teachers.

For the open-end question, we surveyed 2,531 U.S. public K-12 teachers from Oct. 17 to Nov. 14, 2023. The teachers surveyed are members of RAND’s American Teacher Panel, a nationally representative panel of public K-12 school teachers recruited through MDR Education. Survey data is weighted to state and national teacher characteristics to account for differences in sampling and response to ensure they are representative of the target population.

Overall, 96% of surveyed teachers provided an answer to the open-ended question. Center researchers developed a coding scheme categorizing the responses, coded all responses, and then grouped them into the six themes explored in the data essay.

For the questions for the general public, we surveyed 5,029 U.S. adults from Nov. 9 to Nov. 16, 2023. The adults surveyed are members of the Ipsos KnowledgePanel, a nationally representative online survey panel. Panel members are randomly recruited through probability-based sampling, and households are provided with access to the Internet and hardware if needed. To ensure that the results of this survey reflect a balanced cross section of the nation, the data is weighted to match the U.S. adult population by gender, age, education, race and ethnicity and other categories.

Here are the questions used for this analysis , along with responses, the teacher survey methodology and the general public survey methodology .

Most of the responses to the open-ended question fell into one of these six themes:

Teaching is a hard job

About half of teachers (51%) said they want the public to know that teaching is a difficult job and that teachers are hardworking. Within this share, many mentioned that they have roles and responsibilities in the classroom besides teaching, which makes the job stressful. Many also talked about working long hours, beyond those they’re contracted for.

“Teachers serve multiple roles other than being responsible for teaching curriculum. We are counselors, behavioral specialists and parents for students who need us to fill those roles. We sacrifice a lot to give all of ourselves to the role as teacher.”

– Elementary school teacher

“The amount of extra hours that teachers have to put in beyond the contractual time is ridiculous. Arriving 30 minutes before and leaving an hour after is just the tip of the iceberg. … And as far as ‘having summers off,’ most of August is taken up with preparing materials for the upcoming school year or attending three, four, seven days’ worth of unpaid development training.”

– High school teacher

Teachers care about their students

The next most common theme: 22% of teachers brought up how fulfilling teaching is and how much teachers care about their students. Many gave examples of the hardships of teaching but reaffirmed that they do their job because they love the kids and helping them succeed. 

“We are passionate about what we do. Every child we teach is important to us and we look out for them like they are our own.”

– Middle school teacher

“We are in it for the kids, and the most incredible moments are when children make connections with learning.”

Teachers are undervalued and disrespected

Some 17% of teachers want the public to know that they feel undervalued and disrespected, and that they need more public support. Some mentioned that they are well-educated professionals but are not treated as such. And many teachers in this category responded with a general plea for support from the public, which they don’t feel they’re getting now.

“We feel undervalued. The public and many parents of my students treat me and my peers as if we do not know as much as they do, as if we are uneducated.”

“The public attitudes toward teachers have been degrading, and it is making it impossible for well-qualified teachers to be found. People are simply not wanting to go into the profession because of public sentiments.”

Teachers are underpaid

A similar share of teachers (15%) want the public to know that teachers are underpaid. Many teachers said their salary doesn’t account for the effort and care they put into their students’ education and believe that their pay should reflect this.

“We are sorely underpaid for the amount of hours we work and the education level we have attained.”

Teachers need support and resources from government and administrators

About one-in-ten teachers (9%) said they need more support from the government, their administrators and other key stakeholders. Many mentioned working in understaffed schools, not having enough funding and paying for supplies out of pocket. Some teachers also expressed that they have little control over the curriculum that they teach.

“The world-class education we used to be proud of does not exist because of all the red tape we are constantly navigating. If you want to see real change in the classroom, advocate for smaller class sizes for your child, push your district to cap class sizes at a reasonable level and have real, authentic conversations with your child’s teacher about what is going on in the classroom if you’re curious.”

Teachers need more support from parents

Roughly the same share of teachers (8%) want the public to know that teachers need more support from parents, emphasizing that the parent-teacher relationship is strained. Many view parents as partners in their child’s education and believe that a strong relationship improves kids’ overall social and emotional development.

“Teachers help students to reach their potential. However, that job is near impossible if parents/guardians do not take an active part in their student’s education.”

How the U.S. public views teachers

While the top response from teachers in the open-ended question is that they want the public to know that teaching is a hard job, most Americans already see it that way. Two-thirds of U.S. adults say being a public K-12 teacher is harder than most other jobs, with 33% saying it’s a lot harder.

And about three-quarters of Americans (74%) say teachers should be paid more than they are now, including 39% who say teachers should be paid a lot more.

Americans are about evenly divided on whether the public generally looks up to (32%) or down on (30%) public K-12 teachers. Some 37% say Americans neither look up to or down on public K-12 teachers.

In addition to the open-ended question about what they want the public to know about them, we asked teachers how much they think most Americans trust public K-12 teachers to do their job well. We also asked the public how much they trust teachers. Answers differ considerably.

Nearly half of public K-12 teachers (47%) say most Americans don’t trust teachers much or at all. A third say most Americans trust teachers some, and 18% say the public trusts teachers a great deal or a fair amount.

In contrast, a majority of Americans (57%) say they do trust public K-12 teachers to do their job well a great deal or a fair amount. About a quarter (26%) say they trust teachers some, and 17% say they don’t trust teachers much or at all.

Related: About half of Americans say public K-12 education is going in the wrong direction

How the public’s views differ by party

There are sizable party differences in Americans’ views of teachers. In particular, Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are more likely than Republicans and Republican leaners to say:

• They trust teachers to do their job well a great deal or a fair amount (70% vs. 44%)
• Teaching is a lot or somewhat harder when compared with most other jobs (77% vs. 59%)
• Teachers should be paid a lot or somewhat more than they are now (86% vs. 63%)

In their own words

Below, we have a selection of quotes that describe what teachers want the public to know about them and their profession.

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About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .