things to consider when choosing a research topic

7 Factors to Consider When Choosing a Research Topic

Choosing a research topic is a crucial decision that you have to make on the road to attaining a degree.

Depending on the type of degree, your teachers may provide recommendations of topics and you select a research topic from that list. Alternatively, you may have to select your own research topic.

I know how tough this decision can be and hence it is the reason why I created a free research topic selection planner to accompany this post with 7 questions along with helpful prompts to move you from research topic selection confusion to clarity. Just fill in the form below and your free planner will be on its way.

Hereunder are 7 factors to consider when choosing a research topic:

The greater your interest in the research area, the more committed and dedicated you will be. Research can be a long journey which requires perseverance and determination. Therefore, to avoid boredom and frustration along the way, select a research area that you are passionate about.

Career Path

Your career path is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a research topic. A research topic closely linked to your career vision will only add value in the world of work.

One of the main purposes of doing a research is to provide contribution to knowledge and practice. Therefore, it will be beneficial to you if your research aligns with your career vision and career plan .

Completing your research paper is a critical milestone to achieving your dream career. Download the thesis planner below to stay organized and focused as you write.

Usually your college will have a time period by which you are expected to complete your study. This time will usually affect how deep you can explore a particular subject area.

Depending on the subject area you may not be able to explore the topic to the depth that is required by your programme.

Ensure that you have narrowed down your research topic to reflect this. As an example, you can use Geography as a factor to narrow down your study. So instead of your study focus on the State of Texas, you can narrow your study down to focus on Houston, Texas.

Alternatively you can also use time periods to narrow down your research area such as using a year in your research topic. Thus time is a factor to bear in mind when considering a research topic.

Research can be costly as you have to travel to meet with participants and other costs that will come up in order to complete your research.

These may include costs such as proof reading, printing and transcription services. The cost of the research will vary depending on the nature of the topic selected.

As an example, if your research topic compares one factor in country A to country B, you may be required to spend time in both locations. This may translate into airfare, accommodation and various other costs to complete this exercise.

Practical Use of the Data

There are some research topics that may have greater practical application than others. If you want your study to elevate your career, consider choosing an area where your study can make a difference.

The more important your subject area is to policy makers as an example, the greater the contribution of your research.

Avoid selecting a research topic that several other persons have contributed to in your field in your country. If there are several researchers who have completed studies in your field, then your research will be just another paper in the area in your country.

However, if it is new in your country as an example, then your work will get greater exposure. Therefore, get creative in your topic selection.

Ease of Locating Participants

The ease of locating participants in your subject area should be something that you should consider. If your research topic is extremely sensitive, your data collection process could take a considerable period of time.

You may also find that participants are reluctant to participate in your study and hence your search for participants may be longer.

Final Thoughts

Research can be very interesting since you are exploring a research problem that you are passionate about.

According to Neil Armstrong, research is creating new knowledge. Hope these points above help you while choosing a research topic.

Choosing a perfect research topic can be confusing. That is why I have put together a research topic selection planner. This planner contains 7 questions along with prompts to help you decide what research topic is right for you. Just fill in the form below to download. Thank you in advance for your support as I grow this blog.

Important Factors To Consider When Choosing A Research Topic

Factors to consider when choosing a career

3 comments on “7 Factors to Consider When Choosing a Research Topic”

Thanks for sharing this very good piece of information. Very interesting points too!

Delighted you found the article helpful. All the best with your research.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Research Topic

Discover how to pick the perfect research topic with our expert guide.

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Personal interest and passion:, relevance and significance:, feasibility and scope:, originality and innovation:, research gap and literature review:, audience and impact:, ethical and social considerations:.

Boarding on a research journey is an exciting yet challenging endeavor, often commencing with the pivotal decision of selecting a research topic. This initial choice can significantly shape the trajectory of the entire scholarly pursuit, influencing the depth, breadth, and impact of the study. In this article, iLovePhD highlighted the key factors to be considered in Choosing a Research Topic to carry out innovative and purposeful research for the benefit of mankind.

Passion is the fuel that drives perseverance and dedication.
Choosing a research topic aligned with one’s interests fosters genuine enthusiasm, making the journey more enjoyable and sustaining motivation throughout the often lengthy process.
A topic that resonates with the researcher ’s curiosity or aligns with their personal values tends to yield more profound insights and a deeper understanding.
An impactful research topic should address a pertinent issue or gap in existing knowledge.
Assessing the relevance and significance of a topic within the academic field or its practical implications in the real world is crucial.
Consider its potential contribution to the field, societal relevance, and the extent to which it can fill a knowledge vacuum or address an existing problem.
While enthusiasm is vital, feasibility is equally important.
Evaluating the scope of the research topic in terms of available resources, time, and access to necessary data or materials is crucial.
Researchers must ascertain whether the chosen topic is manageable within the given constraints without compromising the depth or quality of the study.
Originality sparks intellectual curiosity and encourages the exploration of new ideas.
A novel approach or unique perspective on a familiar topic can breathe fresh life into research.
Consider whether the chosen topic offers an opportunity for innovative thinking or the potential to generate new knowledge, methodologies, or paradigms.
Conducting a thorough literature review is essential to identify gaps in existing research.
A robust research topic often emerges from gaps or inconsistencies found in previous studies.
Understanding what has been done and what remains unexplored in the field helps pinpoint areas where new research can make a significant contribution.
Consider the intended audience for the research and its potential impact.
Will the findings cater to fellow researchers, policymakers, practitioners, or the general public?
Understanding the target audience and envisioning the potential impact of the research aids in shaping the study to ensure it resonates with and contributes meaningfully to the intended community.
Ethical implications are vital in research.
Researchers must consider the potential consequences and ethical implications of their work.
This includes ensuring that the research respects the rights and dignity of participants and adheres to ethical guidelines and standards.

Selecting a research topic is a pivotal stage in the research process. By considering these factors, researchers can make informed decisions that align with their interests, contribute meaningfully to the academic community, and potentially bring about real-world change. Ultimately, a well-chosen research topic sets the stage for a rewarding and impactful scholarly journey. Happy Researching!

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How to Choose a Dissertation Topic | 8 Steps to Follow

Published on November 11, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Tegan George. Revised on November 20, 2023.

Choosing your dissertation topic is the first step in making sure your research goes as smoothly as possible. When choosing a topic, it’s important to consider:

Your institution and department’s requirements
Your areas of knowledge and interest
The scientific, social, or practical relevance
The availability of data and resources
The timeframe of your dissertation
The relevance of your topic

You can follow these steps to begin narrowing down your ideas.

Step 1: check the requirements, step 2: choose a broad field of research, step 3: look for books and articles, step 4: find a niche, step 5: consider the type of research, step 6: determine the relevance, step 7: make sure it’s plausible, step 8: get your topic approved, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about dissertation topics.

The very first step is to check your program’s requirements. This determines the scope of what it is possible for you to research.

Is there a minimum and maximum word count?
When is the deadline?
Should the research have an academic or a professional orientation?
Are there any methodological conditions? Do you have to conduct fieldwork, or use specific types of sources?

Some programs have stricter requirements than others. You might be given nothing more than a word count and a deadline, or you might have a restricted list of topics and approaches to choose from. If in doubt about what is expected of you, always ask your supervisor or department coordinator.

Start by thinking about your areas of interest within the subject you’re studying. Examples of broad ideas include:

Twentieth-century literature
Economic history
Health policy

To get a more specific sense of the current state of research on your potential topic, skim through a few recent issues of the top journals in your field. Be sure to check out their most-cited articles in particular. For inspiration, you can also search Google Scholar , subject-specific databases , and your university library’s resources.

As you read, note down any specific ideas that interest you and make a shortlist of possible topics. If you’ve written other papers, such as a 3rd-year paper or a conference paper, consider how those topics can be broadened into a dissertation.

After doing some initial reading, it’s time to start narrowing down options for your potential topic. This can be a gradual process, and should get more and more specific as you go. For example, from the ideas above, you might narrow it down like this:

Twentieth-century literature Twentieth-century Irish literature Post-war Irish poetry
Economic history European economic history German labor union history
Health policy Reproductive health policy Reproductive rights in South America

All of these topics are still broad enough that you’ll find a huge amount of books and articles about them. Try to find a specific niche where you can make your mark, such as: something not many people have researched yet, a question that’s still being debated, or a very current practical issue.

At this stage, make sure you have a few backup ideas — there’s still time to change your focus. If your topic doesn’t make it through the next few steps, you can try a different one. Later, you will narrow your focus down even more in your problem statement and research questions .

There are many different types of research , so at this stage, it’s a good idea to start thinking about what kind of approach you’ll take to your topic. Will you mainly focus on:

Collecting original data (e.g., experimental or field research)?
Analyzing existing data (e.g., national statistics, public records, or archives)?
Interpreting cultural objects (e.g., novels, films, or paintings)?
Comparing scholarly approaches (e.g., theories, methods, or interpretations)?

Many dissertations will combine more than one of these. Sometimes the type of research is obvious: if your topic is post-war Irish poetry, you will probably mainly be interpreting poems. But in other cases, there are several possible approaches. If your topic is reproductive rights in South America, you could analyze public policy documents and media coverage, or you could gather original data through interviews and surveys .

You don’t have to finalize your research design and methods yet, but the type of research will influence which aspects of the topic it’s possible to address, so it’s wise to consider this as you narrow down your ideas.

It’s important that your topic is interesting to you, but you’ll also have to make sure it’s academically, socially or practically relevant to your field.

Academic relevance means that the research can fill a gap in knowledge or contribute to a scholarly debate in your field.
Social relevance means that the research can advance our understanding of society and inform social change.
Practical relevance means that the research can be applied to solve concrete problems or improve real-life processes.

The easiest way to make sure your research is relevant is to choose a topic that is clearly connected to current issues or debates, either in society at large or in your academic discipline. The relevance must be clearly stated when you define your research problem .

Before you make a final decision on your topic, consider again the length of your dissertation, the timeframe in which you have to complete it, and the practicalities of conducting the research.

Will you have enough time to read all the most important academic literature on this topic? If there’s too much information to tackle, consider narrowing your focus even more.

Will you be able to find enough sources or gather enough data to fulfil the requirements of the dissertation? If you think you might struggle to find information, consider broadening or shifting your focus.

Do you have to go to a specific location to gather data on the topic? Make sure that you have enough funding and practical access.

Last but not least, will the topic hold your interest for the length of the research process? To stay motivated, it’s important to choose something you’re enthusiastic about!

Most programmes will require you to submit a brief description of your topic, called a research prospectus or proposal .

Remember, if you discover that your topic is not as strong as you thought it was, it’s usually acceptable to change your mind and switch focus early in the dissertation process. Just make sure you have enough time to start on a new topic, and always check with your supervisor or department.

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

Formulating a main research question can be a difficult task. Overall, your question should contribute to solving the problem that you have defined in your problem statement .

However, it should also fulfill criteria in three main areas:

Researchability
Feasibility and specificity
Relevance and originality

All research questions should be:

Focused on a single problem or issue
Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources
Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints
Specific enough to answer thoroughly
Complex enough to develop the answer over the space of a paper or thesis
Relevant to your field of study and/or society more broadly

You can assess information and arguments critically by asking certain questions about the source. You can use the CRAAP test , focusing on the currency , relevance , authority , accuracy , and purpose of a source of information.

Ask questions such as:

Who is the author? Are they an expert?
Why did the author publish it? What is their motivation?
How do they make their argument? Is it backed up by evidence?

A dissertation prospectus or proposal describes what or who you plan to research for your dissertation. It delves into why, when, where, and how you will do your research, as well as helps you choose a type of research to pursue. You should also determine whether you plan to pursue qualitative or quantitative methods and what your research design will look like.

It should outline all of the decisions you have taken about your project, from your dissertation topic to your hypotheses and research objectives , ready to be approved by your supervisor or committee.

Note that some departments require a defense component, where you present your prospectus to your committee orally.

The best way to remember the difference between a research plan and a research proposal is that they have fundamentally different audiences. A research plan helps you, the researcher, organize your thoughts. On the other hand, a dissertation proposal or research proposal aims to convince others (e.g., a supervisor, a funding body, or a dissertation committee) that your research topic is relevant and worthy of being conducted.

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McCombes, S. & George, T. (2023, November 20). How to Choose a Dissertation Topic | 8 Steps to Follow. Scribbr. Retrieved March 22, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/dissertation-topic/

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Boston University Libraries

Choosing a Research Topic

Starting Points

Where to Find Ideas

Persuasive paper assignments, dissertations and theses.

From Idea to Search
Make It Manageable

If you are starting a research project and would like some help choosing the best topic, this guide is for you. Start by asking yourself these questions:

What does your instructor require? What interests you? What information sources can support your research? What is doable in the time you have?

While keeping these questions in mind, find suggestions in this guide to select a topic, turn that topic into a database search, and make your research manageable. You will also find more information in our About the Research Process guide.

Whether your instructor has given a range of possible topics to you or you have to come up with a topic on your own, you could benefit from these activities:

Consult Course Materials If a reading, film, or other resource is selected by your instructor, the subject of it is important to the course. You can often find inspiration for a paper in these materials.

Is a broad topic presented? You can focus on a specific aspect of that topic. For example, if your class viewed a film on poverty in the United States, you could look at poverty in a specific city or explore how poverty affects Americans of a specific gender, ethnic group, or age range.
Are experts presented, quoted, or cited? Look up their work in BU Libraries Search or Google Scholar .

Use Background Sources If you've identified one or more topics you'd like to investigate further, look them up in an encyclopedia, handbook, or other background information source. Here are some good places to start.

Britannica Academic This link opens in a new window Online version of Encyclopædia Britannica along Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary and Thesaurus, magazines and periodicals and other reference sources.
Oxford Reference This link opens in a new window Published by Oxford University Press, it is a fully-indexed, cross-searchable database containing dictionaries, language reference and subject reference works.

Explore the Scholarly Literature Ask your instructor or a librarian to guide you to the top journals in the field you're studying. Scanning the tables of contents within these journals will provide some inspiration for your research project. As a bonus, each of the articles in these journals will have a bibliography that will lead you to related articles, books, and other materials.

Ask a Librarian We are here to help you! You can request a consultation or contact us by email or through our chat service . We can help you identify what interests you, where to find more about it, and how to narrow the topic to something manageable in the time you have.

If your assignment entails persuading a reader to adopt a position, you can conduct your research in the same way you would with any other research project. The biggest mistake you can make, however, is choosing a position before you start your research. Instead, the information you consult should inform your position. Researching before choosing a position is also much easier; you will be able to explore all sides of a topic rather than limiting yourself to one.

If you would like examples of debates on controversial topics, try these resources:

CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window Covers the most current and controversial issues of the day with summaries, pros and cons, bibliographies and more. Provides reporting and analysis on issues in the news, including coverage of issues relating to health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy.
New York Times: Room for Debate Selections from the New York Times' opinion pages.
ProCon.org Created by Britannica, this site exposes readers to two sides of timely arguments. Each article includes a bibliography of suggested resources.

If you are writing a dissertation or thesis, you will find more specialized information at our Guide for Writers of Theses and Dissertations .

If you would like to find published dissertations and theses, please use this database:

This database contains indexing and abstracts of American doctoral dissertations accepted at accredited institutions since 1861 and a selection from other countries. Masters theses are included selectively. Date coverage: full text 1997 - present; abstracts 1980 - present; indexing 1861 - present.

Next: From Idea to Search >>
Last Updated: Sep 7, 2023 3:45 PM
URL: https://library.bu.edu/choosing-a-topic

Research Process: An Overview: Choosing a Topic

Choosing a Topic
Refining Your Topic
Finding Information
Evaluating Your Sources
Database Searching
APA Citation This link opens in a new window
Topic selection
Brainstorm Questions
Tip: Keywords
Finding Topic Ideas Online

Read Background Information

Tip: keywords.

Keywords are the main terms that describe your research question or topic. Keep track of these words so you can use them when searching for books and articles.

Identify the main concepts in your research question. Typically there should only be two or three main concepts.
Look for keywords that best describe these concepts.
You can look for keywords when reading background information or encyclopedia articles on your topic
Use a thesaurus, your textbook and subject headings in databases to find different keywords.

things to consider when choosing a research topic

Related Research Guides

APA Citation

Click through the tabs to learn the basics, find examples, and watch video tutorials.

English Writing Skills

This guide supports academic and business writing, including a basic review of grammar fundamentals, writing guides, video tutorials on business writing, and resources for the TOEFL, IELTS, and PTE exams.

Getting Started

Topic selection.

Choosing your topic is the first step in the research process. Be aware that selecting a good topic may not be easy. It must be narrow and focused enough to be interesting, yet broad enough to find adequate information.

For help getting started on the writing process go to the GGU Online Writing Lab (Writing tutor) where you can set up and appointment with a writing tutor.

#1 Research ti p: Pick a topic that interests you. You are going to live with this topic for weeks while you research, read, and write your assignment. Choose something that will hold your interest and that you might even be excited about. Your attitude towards your topic will come across in your writing or presentation!

Brainstorming is a technique you can use to help you generate ideas. Below are brainstorming exercises and resources to help you come up with research topic ideas.

Brainstorming Topic Ideas

Ask yourself the following questions to help you generate topic ideas:.

Do you have a strong opinion on a current social or political controversy?
Did you read or see a news story recently that has interested you?
Do you have a personal issue, problem or interest that you would like to know more about?
Is there an aspect of one of your classes that you would like to learn more about?

Finding Topic Ideas

Topic ideas.

Try the resources below to help you get ideas for possible research topics:

CQ Researcher Coverage of the most important issues and controversies of the day, including pro-con analysis. Help Video
Google News This site provides national and international news on a variety of subjects gathered from over 4,000 sources.
Article & News Databases Use the Library's Articles and News databases to browse contents of current magazines and newspapers. If you do not know how to browse current issues ask a librarian for help.

Background Information

Read an encyclopedia article on the top two or three topics you are considering. Reading a broad summary enables you to get an overview of the topic and see how your idea relates to broader, narrower, and related issues. If you cant find an article on your topic, ask a librarian for help.

Gale eBooks The Gale Virtual Reference Library contains several business focused encyclopedias such as The Encyclopedia of Management and The Encyclopedia of Emerging Industries which may provide background information on possible topics.
Article & News Databases Use the Library's Articles and News databases to search for brief articles on your topic ideas.
SAGE Knowledge Hundreds of encyclopedias and handbooks on key topics in the social and behavioral sciences. User Guide

SAGE Research Methods

Ask A Librarian

Email questions to [email protected] .

Available during normal business hours.

LIBRARY HOURS

Next: Refining Your Topic >>
Last Updated: Jan 8, 2024 1:44 PM
URL: https://ggu.libguides.com/research

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Choosing a Topic

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

This handout provides detailed information about how to write research papers including discussing research papers as a genre, choosing topics, and finding sources.

The first step of any research paper is for the student to understand the assignment. If this is not done, the student will often travel down many dead-end roads, wasting a great deal of time along the way. Do not hesitate to approach the instructor with questions if there is any confusion. A clear understanding of the assignment will allow you to focus on other aspects of the process, such as choosing a topic and identifying your audience.

A student will often encounter one of two situations when it comes to choosing a topic for a research paper. The first situation occurs when the instructor provides a list of topics from which the student may choose. These topics have been deemed worthy by the instructor; therefore, the student should be confident in the topic he chooses from the list. Many first-time researchers appreciate such an arrangement by the instructor because it eliminates the stress of having to decide upon a topic on their own.

However, the student may also find the topics that have been provided to be limiting; moreover, it is not uncommon for the student to have a topic in mind that does not fit with any of those provided. If this is the case, it is always beneficial to approach the instructor with one's ideas. Be respectful, and ask the instructor if the topic you have in mind would be a possible research option for the assignment. Remember, as a first-time researcher, your knowledge of the process is quite limited; the instructor is experienced, and may have very precise reasons for choosing the topics she has offered to the class. Trust that she has the best interests of the class in mind. If she likes the topic, great! If not, do not take it personally and choose the topic from the list that seems most interesting to you.

The second situation occurs when the instructor simply hands out an assignment sheet that covers the logistics of the research paper, but leaves the choice of topic up to the student. Typically, assignments in which students are given the opportunity to choose the topic require the topic to be relevant to some aspect of the course; so, keep this in mind as you begin a course in which you know there will be a research paper near the end. That way, you can be on the lookout for a topic that may interest you. Do not be anxious on account of a perceived lack of authority or knowledge about the topic chosen. Instead, realize that it takes practice to become an experienced researcher in any field.

For a discussion of Evaluating Sources, see Evaluating Sources of Information .

Methods for choosing a topic

Thinking early leads to starting early. If the student begins thinking about possible topics when the assignment is given, she has already begun the arduous, yet rewarding, task of planning and organization. Once she has made the assignment a priority in her mind, she may begin to have ideas throughout the day. Brainstorming is often a successful way for students to get some of these ideas down on paper. Seeing one's ideas in writing is often an impetus for the writing process. Though brainstorming is particularly effective when a topic has been chosen, it can also benefit the student who is unable to narrow a topic. It consists of a timed writing session during which the student jots down—often in list or bulleted form—any ideas that come to his mind. At the end of the timed period, the student will peruse his list for patterns of consistency. If it appears that something seems to be standing out in his mind more than others, it may be wise to pursue this as a topic possibility.

It is important for the student to keep in mind that an initial topic that you come up with may not be the exact topic about which you end up writing. Research topics are often fluid, and dictated more by the student's ongoing research than by the original chosen topic. Such fluidity is common in research, and should be embraced as one of its many characteristics.

The Purdue OWL also offers a number of other resources on choosing and developing a topic:

Understanding Writing Assignments
Starting the Writing Process
Invention Slide Presentation

Scholar Speak

Choosing a research topic.

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Research Guides

Research Essentials

Choosing a Research Topic

Introduction

Choosing a topic, improving your search.

Find Books and Articles in WorldCat
Find eBooks
Find Articles in Research Databases
Effective Database Searching
What is a Scholarly Article?
Misinformation, Disinformation, and Malinformation
Citing Sources This link opens in a new window
Library Workshops and Events
Database Access Troubleshooting

Research is a multifaceted process. In searching, you could find that your topic is too broad, pulling up too many irrelevant sources. Conversely, you could find that your topic is too narrow, resulting in too few sources or too many specifically irrelevant sources.

If your research isn't meeting your needs, take a moment to reflect on your research topic. How did you choose your topic? Did you have enough background knowledge before you started searching, or are you trying to make sense of your topic from highly academic journal articles? Use the prompts on this page to guide your reflection and refine your topic for more sustainable and inquiry-driven research.

1. Brainstorm possible topic ideas

Consider your personal interests
Talk about topics and your personal interests with classmates and peers
Reflect on interesting social media content you've recently encountered. Most social media content is not scholarly but can be explored with scholarly research from academic sources
Review class readings
Read encyclopedia articles about potential topics
Browse recent issues of journals, magazines, or newspapers
Browse the library shelves for books on your subject

2. Review assignment requirements

What kind of assignment is it - a 5-minute oral presentation, 3-page, or 10-page paper?
How much information do you need?
What kind of sources does the assignment require - peer-review, books, journal or newspaper articles, multimedia?
How current does your information need to be - published in the last 3 years, 5 years, or 10 years?
What types of publications would further your research - newspaper articles, books, journal articles, primary sources, trade publications?
What formats do you need - visual, audio, printed, electronic?
Do you need opinion pieces?
How much time do you have?

3. List keywords to define your topic

State your research topic as a question. If you want to write about music festivals, you could ask "How have music festivals affected the prevalence local music venues?"
Think about the significant terms, concepts, and keywords that describe your topic. These terms will become the keywords for searching in library catalogs, online databases, and other resources.

4. Gather background information on your topic

Do some general reading in reference materials and other library resources to get an overview of your topic and develop your own working knowledge of your topic.

Adapted from Duke University Libraries (Thanks to Duke librarians)

Narrowing Your Topic
Broadening Your Topic

Is your search producing too many irrelevant sources? Consider narrowing your topic to make your results list more manageable. Here are some options to consider when narrowing the scope of your paper:

Aspect or sub-area: Consider only one piece of the subject. For example, if your topic is human cloning, investigate government regulation of cloning animals.
Time: Limit the time span you examine. If you are writing about genetic testing, contrast public attitudes about genetic testing in the 1950's versus the 1990's.
Population group: Limit by age, sex, race, occupation, species or ethnic group. Rather than writing about the job market for construction workers, narrow your topic to tunnel diggers.
Geographical location: A geographic analysis can provide a useful means to examine an issue. If you are writing about climate change, narrow your topic by focusing on the effects of climate change in Bangladesh or Iceland.
Theoretical approach: Limit your topic to a particular approach to the issue. If you are writing about Greek goddesses, you can further limit your topic by researching feminist approaches to studying the Greek pantheon.

More Suggestions:

State your topic in the form of a research question or thesis statement.
Ask "how" or "why" questions rather than who, what, when, and where questions or yes/no questions.
Use specific words, i.e., use poetry instead of literature.
Add more than one keyword to your search. Use the Boolean connector AND to narrow your search; AND retrieves documents which include both terms in the search such as "gun control" AND "second amendment.

One narrowing might not be enough to yield relevant results. Keep refocusing your keywords, and keep notes of each time you further narrow your topic. This information is important when writing your introduction, where you define the scope of your inquiry into a topic.

Adapted from MIT Libraries Selecting a Research Topic Overview, https://libguides.mit.edu. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License

If you're finding too few resources, consider broadening your topic. Think of related ideas, returning to some of your initial research in reference materials. You may not be finding enough information for several reasons, including:

Your topic is too specific. Generalize what you are looking for. If your topic is genetic diversity for a specific ethnic group in Ghana, broaden your topic by generalizing to ethnic groups in Ghana or West Africa.
Your topic is too new. If you're researching a breaking news event, you are likely to only find information about it in the news media. Be sure to search databases that contain articles from newspapers. If you are not finding enough in the news - or need scholarly sources for your paper - consider changing your topic to one that has been covered more extensively.
Y ou have not checked enough databases for information. Find other databases in your subject area which might cover the topic from a different perspective.
You are using normal, non-academic words to describe an academic topic. When reading background information, note how your topic is discussed, particularly how it is discussed in academic conversations. Keep note of these synonyms and start using them in your search.

Adapted from MIT Libraries Selecting a Research Topic Overview,, https://libguides.mit.edu. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License

Use broader or more general search terms to describe your topic. For example, use "bioethics" instead of a specific issue like "stem cell research.
Find alternative words. Search with synonyms. For example, instead of "teenagers" use "adolescents" or "teens" or "young adults."
Use fewer keywords in your search.
Use the Boolean connector OR to broaden your search. OR means more; it will search for either term in a search statement such as private OR public education.
Try truncating your terms to include all variant endings of your keyword, such as legal* gives you legal, legalize, legalizes, legality, and legalization.

Because research is iterative, one broadening might not be enough to yield relevant results. Keep rethinking your keywords and search terms, and keep notes of each time you further broaden your topic. This information is important when writing your introduction, where you define the scope of your inquiry into a topic.

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Understanding Research

Information Sources

Choose a Topic

Identify Keywords
Search the Databases
Evaluate Sources
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Test Your Knowledge

From Topic to Question

From Topic to Question (Accessible PDF)

Choosing a Topic

There are several things to think about when selecting a topic:

First, have you been assigned a topic or are you free to choose a topic?
Next, how many words or pages do you need to write (or how long does a presentation have to be)?
Do you need to include specific types of sources in your citations?
Finally, if you can select your own topic, what are you passionate about or most interested in from the class?

If you still need help choosing your topic, the Academic Success Center can help you understand your assignment and select a topic.

Expand Your Topic

Exploring related topics or products,
Comparing or contrasting your topic with another topic,
Choosing an alternative topic that isn’t as recent.

You can also:

Consider the time period your topic is covering,
Look at a larger sample population, or
Expand the geographic area being discussed.

Refine Your Topic

If you need to narrow a topic from a broad subject to a specific research question or thesis statement, one of the easiest ways is by asking yourself the 5Ws – who, what, where, when, and why .

You don't have to answer all the questions, but should answer enough so that your topic is manageable to research and will fit within your assignment length requirement.

Refining a Topic with the 5Ws: Who, What, Where, When, and Why (infographic) - accessible PDF below image

Want to try a different way to refine your topic? Check out the From Topic to Question infographic!

Refining Your Topic with the 5Ws (Accessible PDF)
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Choose a Research Topic: Choose a Research Topic

This guide will help you understand how to develop your topic ideas into a manageable research topic.

Terms in this Guide

Information Literacy: The set of skills needed to find, retrieve, analyze, and use information.
Research Process: It is a process of multiple deliberate steps in conducting the research work where each step is interlinked with other steps such as starting with a broad topic question to focus on an aspect of it to narrow the research focus to all the way to find and evaluate the reliability of that information. The most important thing to realize is that this is not a linear process.

Step 1: Choose a Broad Research Topic

Research is a long process. Try to choose a broad topic that is interesting to you and that fits the assignment parameters set by the professor.

Read through background information in an encyclopedia, dictionary, or database to learn about aspects of the topic that might interest you.

If you are unsure of what topic to start with, review the sources below for ideas.

Step 2: Narrow & Focus Your Topic

If you are getting too many search results, then it is time to limit your topic to a particular approach to the issue!

Consider writing about one of these aspects of your broad topic:

Theme (a particular opinion, focus, or point of view)
Timeframe (period, date)
Place (city, state, region, country, continent)

Step 3. Write a Topic Statement

Now turn your narrow topic into a topic statement by writing it out as a short sentence. This is known as a thesis or topic statement. It expresses the subject and purpose of your paper.

Step 4. Evaluate your Topic Statement

Ask yourself the following questions to evaluate the quality of your topic statement:

Is this statement interesting enough to spark my own thoughts and opinions?
What type of information will I need to support the topic statement?
Is the scope of this topic statement reasonable? Or does it need to be focused even further?
What sources will have the type of information that I need to answer the research question?
Can I access these sources? If yes, where can I get the material I need? (textbook, library book, online databases, personal interviews?)
If yes, it's time to start your project!
If not, you may need guidance. Talk to your professor, librarian, and/or a Writing, Reading & Language Center tutor if you are unsure.

Research Cycle

Watch this tutorial and practice using the activities / answering questions.

MC Library's Begin Your Research Tutorial

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Check these resources below to learn more about how to develop a manageable research topic and select appropriate source types.

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31 Choosing a Topic

Questions to consider.

When it comes to academic research, choosing a topic is often the hardest part of the process! In many instances, college instructors will provide guidelines or a broad topic for the assignment, but it’s your job to choose a narrower topic within those guidelines. Here are some questions to ask yourself before you decide on a topic to research:

Have I been assigned a specific topic or can I choose my own?
Is there a particular current event that interests me or an issue I feel strongly about? Can I select a topic that is closely related to my college major?
Did the instructor specify what types of information sources I need to use?

Four circles decreasing in size within each other to depict how one moves from all possible topics to one narrowed down research topic

Narrowing Your Topic

It is important to select a topic that not only interests you or sparks your curiosity, but also one that is neither too broad or too narrow in scope. For example, if you are interested in climate change and wanted to choose that as a topic for your research paper, you would quickly find yourself overwhelmed with search results and information. You may find millions of search results about all different aspects of climate change, like policy, history, and the environment, and feel lost about where to begin.

An important step in the research process is narrowing down your larger topic into a smaller, more researchable topic. What is it about climate change that is most interesting to you? Is there something in particular that you’ve learned in class that relates to this topic that you could explore with your research? Watch the following video [3:10] to see how to recognize if your topic is too broad or too specific, and to learn some tips on what to do:

Note: Turn on closed captions with the “CC” button or use the text transcript if you prefer to read.

More Strategies

If you are having trouble selecting a topic or narrowing down your topic, here are some strategies that can help:

Scan your course textbook for ideas
Browse some magazines or newspapers for current events
Dive into Wikipedia, or another encyclopedia, and see what sparks your interest
Talk to your instructor, a librarian, or classmates, for ideas and guidance
Browse the “issues” and “topic” pages in library databases that include reference sources, like CQ Researcher or Opposing Viewpoints. These topic pages are similar to Wikipedia and give general background information on a topic and link to more specific information, which is helpful when narrowing down your topic. Some library databases have great features for getting your research started, like pro/con viewpoints, background information, timelines, and bibliographies for further reading. If you are unfamiliar with what library databases your college has a subscription to, ask a librarian for help!

The Opposing Viewpoints "Browse Issues" page has links to topics of social debate like Fake News and Offshore Drilling

Image: “ Narrowing a Topic ” by Teaching & Learning, Ohio State University Libraries is licensed under CC BY 4.0

“ Picking Your Topic IS Research ” by NC State University Libraries is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US

Introduction to College Research Copyright © by Walter D. Butler; Aloha Sargent; and Kelsey Smith is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How to Select a Research Topic: A Step-by-Step Guide (2021)

by Antony W

September 15, 2021

Learning how to select a research topic can be the difference between failing your assignment and writing a comprehensive research paper. That’s why in this guide we’ll teach you how to select a research topic step-by-step.

You don’t need this guide if your professor has already given you a list of topics to consider for your assignment . You can skip to our guide on how to write a research paper .

If they have left it up to you to choose a topic to investigate, which they must approve before you start working on your research study, we suggest that you read the process shared in this post.

Choosing a topic after finding your research problem is important because:

The topic guides your research and gives you a mean to not only arrive at other interesting topics but also direct you to discover new knowledge
The topic you choose will govern what you say and ensures you keep a logical flow of information.

Picking a topic for a research paper can be challenging and sometimes intimidating, but it’s not impossible. In the following section, we show you how to choose the best research topic that your instructor can approve after the first review.

How to Select a Research Topic

Below are four steps to follow to find the most suitable topic for your research paper assignment:

Step 1: Consider a Topic that Interests You

If your professor has asked you to choose a topic for your research paper, it means you can choose just about any subject to focus on in your area of study. A significant first step to take is to consider topics that interest you.

An interesting topic should meet two very important conditions.

First, it should be concise. The topic you choose should not be too broad or two narrow. Rather, it should be something focused on a specific issue. Second, the topic should allow you to find enough sources to cite in the research stage of your assignment.

The best way to determine if the research topic is interesting is to do some free writing for about 10 minutes. As you free write, think about the number of questions that people ask about the topic and try to consider why they’re important. These questions are important because they will make the research stage easier for you.

You’ll probably have a long list of interesting topics to consider for your research assignment. That’s a good first step because it means your options aren’t limited. However, you need to narrow down to only one topic for the assignment, so it’s time to start brainstorming.

Step 2: Brainstorm Your Topics

You aren’t doing research at this stage yet. You are only trying to make considerations to determine which topic will suit your research assignment.

The brainstorming stage isn’t difficult at all. It should take only a couple of hours or a few days depending on how you approach.

We recommend talking to your professor, classmates, and friends about the topics that you’ve picked and ask for their opinion. Expect mixed opinions from this audience and then consider the topics that make the most sense. Note what topics picked their interest the most and put them on top of the list.

You’ll end up removing some topics from your initial list after brainstorming, and that’s completely fine. The goal here is to end up with a topic that interests you as well as your readers.

Step 3: Define Your Topics

Check once again to make sure that your topic is a subject that you can easily define. You want to make sure the topic isn’t too broad or too narrow.

Often, a broad topic presents overwhelming amount of information, which makes it difficult to write a comprehensive research paper. A narrow topic, on the other hand, means you’ll find very little information, and therefore it can be difficult to do your assignment.

The length of the research paper, as stated in the assignment brief, should guide your topic selection.

Narrow down your list to topics that are:

Broad enough to allows you to find enough scholarly articles and journals for reference
Narrow enough to fit within the expected word count and the scope of the research

Topics that meet these two conditions should be easy to work on as they easily fit within the constraints of the research assignment.

Step 4: Read Background Information of Selected Topics

You probably have two or three topics by the time you get to this step. Now it’s time to read the background information on the topics to decide which topic to work on.

This step is important because it gives you a clear overview of the topic, enabling you to see how it relates to broader, narrower, and related concepts. Preliminary research also helps you to find keywords commonly used to describe the topic, which may be useful in further research.

It’s important to note how easy or difficult it is to find information on the topic.

Look at different sources of information to be sure you can find enough references for the topic. Such periodic indexes scan journals, newspaper articles, and magazines to find the information you’re looking for. You can even use web search engines. Google and Bing are currently that best options to consider because they make it easy for searchers to find relevant information on scholarly topics.

If you’re having a hard time to find references for a topic that you’ve so far considered for your research paper, skip it and go to the next one. Doing so will go a long way to ensure you have the right topic to work on from start to finish.

Get Research Paper Writing Help

If you’ve found your research topic but you feel so stuck that you can’t proceed with the assignment without some assistance, we are here to help. With our research paper writing service , we can help you handle the assignment within the shortest time possible.

We will research your topic, develop a research question, outline the project, and help you with writing. We also get you involved in the process, allowing you to track the progress of your order until the delivery stage.

About the author

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

Selecting a Research Topic: Refine your topic

Refine your topic
Background information & facts

Narrow your topic's scope

Too much information? Make your results list more manageable. Less, but more relevant, information is key. Here are some options to consider when narrowing the scope of your paper:

Theoretical approach : Limit your topic to a particular approach to the issue. For example, if your topic concerns cloning, examine the theories surrounding of the high rate of failures in animal cloning.
Aspect or sub-area : Consider only one piece of the subject. For example, if your topic is human cloning, investigate government regulation of cloning.
Time : Limit the time span you examine. For example, on a topic in genetics, contrast public attitudes in the 1950's versus the 1990's.
Population group : Limit by age, sex, race, occupation, species or ethnic group. For example, on a topic in genetics, examine specific traits as they affect women over 40 years of age.
Geographical location : A geographic analysis can provide a useful means to examine an issue. For example, if your topic concerns cloning, investigate cloning practices in Europe or the Middle East.

Broaden your topic

Not finding enough information? Think of related ideas, or read some background information first. You may not be finding enough information for several reasons, including:

Your topic is too specific . Generalize what you are looking for. For example: if your topic is genetic diversity for a specific ethnic group in Ghana, Africa, broaden your topic by generalizing to all ethnic groups in Ghana or in West Africa.
Your topic is too new for anything substantive to have been written. If you're researching a recently breaking news event, you are likely to only find information about it in the news media. Be sure to search databases that contain articles from newspapers. If you are not finding enough in the news media, consider changing your topic to one that has been covered more extensively.
You have not checked enough databases for information . Search Our Collections to find other databases in your subject area which might cover the topic from a different perspective. Also, use excellent searching techniques to ensure you are getting the most out of every database.
You are using less common words or too much jargon to describe your topic. Use a thesaurus to find other terms to represent your topic. When reading background information, note how your topic is expressed in these materials. When you find citations in an article database, see how the topic is expressed by experts in the field.

Once you have a solid topic, formulate your research question or hypothesis and begin finding information.

If you need guidance with topic formulation, Ask Us ! Library staff are happy to help you focus your ideas.

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Last Updated: Jul 30, 2021 2:50 PM
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Research process

How to Choose a Dissertation Topic | 8 Steps to Follow

Published on 11 November 2022 by Shona McCombes and Tegan George.

Choosing your dissertation topic is the first step in making sure your research goes as smoothly as possible. When choosing a topic, it’s important to consider:

Your institution and department’s requirements
Your areas of knowledge and interest
The scientific, social, or practical relevance
The availability of data and resources
The timeframe of your dissertation

You can follow these steps to begin narrowing down your ideas.

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The very first step is to check your program’s requirements. This determines the scope of what it is possible for you to research.

Is there a minimum and maximum word count?
When is the deadline?
Should the research have an academic or a professional orientation?
Are there any methodological conditions? Do you have to conduct fieldwork, or use specific types of sources?

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Start by thinking about your areas of interest within the subject you’re studying. Examples of broad ideas include:

Twentieth-century literature
Economic history
Health policy

Twentieth-century literature Twentieth-century Irish literature Post-war Irish poetry
Economic history European economic history German labor union history
Health policy Reproductive health policy Reproductive rights in South America

At this stage, make sure you have a few backup ideas – there’s still time to change your focus. If your topic doesn’t make it through the next few steps, you can try a different one. Later, you will narrow your focus down even more in your problem statement and research questions .

Prevent plagiarism, run a free check.

There are many different types of research , so at this stage, it’s a good idea to start thinking about what kind of approach you’ll take to your topic. Will you mainly focus on:

Collecting original data (e.g., experimental or field research)?
Analysing existing data (e.g., national statistics, public records, or archives)?
Interpreting cultural objects (e.g., novels, films, or paintings)?
Comparing scholarly approaches (e.g., theories, methods, or interpretations)?

Many dissertations will combine more than one of these. Sometimes the type of research is obvious: if your topic is post-war Irish poetry, you will probably mainly be interpreting poems. But in other cases, there are several possible approaches. If your topic is reproductive rights in South America, you could analyse public policy documents and media coverage, or you could gather original data through interviews and surveys .

You don’t have to finalise your research design and methods yet, but the type of research will influence which aspects of the topic it’s possible to address, so it’s wise to consider this as you narrow down your ideas.

It’s important that your topic is interesting to you, but you’ll also have to make sure it’s academically, sociallym or practically relevant to your field.

Academic relevance means that the research can fill a gap in knowledge or contribute to a scholarly debate in your field.
Social relevance means that the research can advance our understanding of society and inform social change.
Practical relevance means that the research can be applied to solve concrete problems or improve real-life processes.

Before you make a final decision on your topic, consider again the length of your dissertation, the timeframe in which you have to complete it, and the practicalities of conducting the research.

Will you have enough time to read all the most important academic literature on this topic? If there’s too much information to tackle, consider narrowing your focus even more.

Do you have to go to a specific location to gather data on the topic? Make sure that you have enough funding and practical access.

Last but not least, will the topic hold your interest for the length of the research process? To stay motivated, it’s important to choose something you’re enthusiastic about!

Most programmes will require you to submit a brief description of your topic, called a research prospectus or proposal .

Formulating a main research question can be a difficult task. Overall, your question should contribute to solving the problem that you have defined in your problem statement .

However, it should also fulfill criteria in three main areas:

Researchability
Feasibility and specificity
Relevance and originality

All research questions should be:

Focused on a single problem or issue
Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources
Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints
Specific enough to answer thoroughly
Complex enough to develop the answer over the space of a paper or thesis
Relevant to your field of study and/or society more broadly

Ask questions such as:

Who is the author? Are they an expert?
Why did the author publish it? What is their motivation?
How do they make their argument? Is it backed up by evidence?

Note that some departments require a defense component, where you present your prospectus to your committee orally.

Cite this Scribbr article

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McCombes, S. & George, T. (2022, November 11). How to Choose a Dissertation Topic | 8 Steps to Follow. Scribbr. Retrieved 20 March 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/the-research-process/choosing-a-topic/

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What to Consider When Choosing a Research Paper Topic

The selection of a research paper topic is an essential and potentially overwhelming process for many students. It is critical that one approaches this task with careful consideration, taking into account various factors to ensure the choice of an appropriate, effective and relevant topic. This article aims to provide guidelines on what should be taken into account when selecting a research paper topic by reviewing key principles associated with choosing such topics as well as potential sources where one can find inspiration for ideas.

I. Introduction to Research Paper Topics

Ii. establishing relevant criteria for choosing a topic, iii. analyzing possible sources of information, iv. examining the quality and availability of data or statistics, v. understanding constraints related to time and resources, vi. exploring intriguing sub-topics in depth, vii. conclusion: making an informed decision on your topic.

The research paper topics available are as varied and expansive as the fields of knowledge they inhabit. From ancient history to modern art, there is no shortage of subject matter for a student to explore. Yet before embarking on any exploration, it helps to have an idea of what makes up a successful research paper.

A good research paper should focus on one central topic . It may touch upon related issues along the way, but its primary purpose is always clear: To discuss in-depth a single concept or issue.

As research paper writing can often be a complex process, establishing criteria for choosing an appropriate topic is essential to success. One of the most important points to consider when selecting a topic is that it should align with the requirements set forth by your instructor. Making sure you understand what type of content and structure are expected will help ensure you meet all expectations.

It’s also wise to pick something interesting which resonates with your own interests; this way, researching and writing on it won’t feel like such a chore! A good research paper should address current issues or debates in its field while providing evidence-based arguments that support particular perspectives. It must analyze available information objectively while being creative enough to bring new insight into an existing subject area.

Upon deciding on a research paper topic, it is paramount to analyze possible sources of information in order to construct an effective and reliable argument. To begin, understanding what type of information is necessary for the given topic allows the researcher to properly categorize their search accordingly. Depending on the field or discipline being discussed within your work, sources such as journals, books and articles will provide reputable academic insight.

Moreover, utilizing online resources through databases like JSTOR can prove useful in providing students with plenty of scholarly material that contains primary evidence relating directly to the thesis statement outlined within your project. It’s also important not forget about non-traditional yet valuable forms of data which include personal interviews & surveys – these may be just as beneficial when discussing topics related to culture or society. All-in-all, researching appropriate content helps create a solid foundation upon which ideas are formed into comprehensive arguments regarding whatever issue you’re exploring through your paper.

The Importance of Data and Statistics in Research

Data is an essential tool for the development of any research paper.
High-quality data should be well documented and up to date.

Time and Resource Limitations

Making the most of limited time and resources is a crucial aspect for any research paper. To do this, it’s important to have an understanding of how much time can be realistically dedicated to your project in order to ensure that it meets its goals within the allotted timeframe. Time constraints should not only cover when you need the final paper completed by but also take into account factors such as:

The amount of preparation before beginning writing.
How often one can dedicate themselves to researching, gathering evidence, analyzing data etc.

When dealing with resource limitations, some key considerations are:

Given the vastness of a chosen topic, it is always best to hone in on interesting sub-topics and explore them thoroughly. Here we dive into the different elements that make up this research paper’s overarching concept.

Focus: The crux of this section lies with narrowing down our main area of focus. By exploring smaller components within our greater theme, we can find areas for further exploration which will ultimately lead us to draw more concrete conclusions regarding our overall idea.

Considering All Aspects When researching any topic, it is important to consider all aspects before making an informed decision. From the angle of historical context, to ethical considerations and current trends; every element needs to be carefully weighed against each other in order for one’s research paper conclusion to have value. By surveying a wide range of reliable sources from books, scholarly articles, interviews with experts or even taking primary data samples – researchers can gain an understanding as far-reaching as their investigation efforts go.

One should also keep their objectives and goals in mind when conducting this analysis: what are they attempting to uncover? What did they set out looking for? Having these answers will provide direction and shape the results into a solid piece that makes sense overall – no matter if you make a recommendation at the end or not! Ultimately this process enables us come up with research papers which are thought-provoking and invaluable contributions that could potentially help spark meaningful conversations about topics we care about.

Keep your objectives & goals clear.
Explore varied & reliable sources.

Course Reserves
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I need help choosing a topic

How do you decide what to write about when confronted with a research paper? You want a focused topic that will make a good paper.

Here are some things to consider:

Make sure your topic meets the assignment requirements. Read it closely. Ask your professor for feedback if you are unsure.

Choose a topic that is interesting to you. It may seem obvious, but this will make the research process more fun and engaging for you.

Choose a topic others have written about. You will find far more resources this way.

Consider the scope of your topic. If your topic is too broad it may be hard to find information that is focused and relevant; if your topic is too narrow it may be hard to find any information at all.

Graphic showing how to go from broad to narrow, and narrow to broad

Here's one strategy for developing a research topic once you have a broad topic in mind:

Background research can help you develop your topic. This will help you learn more about your topic and may also help you hone or change it in more appropriate ways. Though this seems like extra work, it is actually a vital, time-saving step. Knowing more about your topic's background can only help you develop a more effective topic, and therefore, research paper.

Brainstorm concepts. Once you think of a broad topic that interests you, try to brainstorm all of the words or concepts you can that might be related to that topic. For example, if your topic is "polar bears," you might think of the following words and topics in association: ice, cubs, pollution, hunting, diet, and environmental icon. It may help to write this process down.

Develop a research question. Once you have come up with a broad research topic and done some background research, you may want to develop a research question or a question you're going to answer in your research paper by doing in-depth research.

What's your general approach to the topic? Think about some general approaches that may help you further develop your topic: your research could use a historical angle, focusing on a particular time period; a geographical angle, focusing on a particular part of the world; or a sociological angle, focusing on a particular group of people.

Start doing some exploratory, in-depth research. As you do more in-depth research (like looking for scholarly articles, books, and other sources to include in your paper), you can and probably will modify or refine your topic based on what you find.

Research is a dynamic process . Don't be afraid to discover new things and modify or refine your topic.

The topic development process will help you to develop your thesis, which is essentially your proposed answer to your research question. You will then be ready to use the sources you've found and find more sources in order to support that thesis or to answer your research question.

Here's an example of how the topic development process above can lead you to a thesis:

Graphic of the topic development process as a flow chart

Resources that can help you develop your topic:

Your instructor, SJSU librarians, course readings, class notes, Wikipedia, and Google can all be helpful in terms of getting ideas for broad topics for further, in-depth research using more scholarly resources.

Research Guides created by subject librarians are great for helping you choose where to begin your research. These online guides can help you identify encyclopedias, books, databases, and other materials that will help you get started with research in your chosen academic field.

Library resources like CQ Researcher and subject-specific encyclopedias can help you come up with topic ideas because they provide great overviews and introductions to topics. You can find links to these kinds of resources in the Research Guides mentioned above. These will probably not be scholarly sources you can use in your paper, but they may lead you to more in-depth, scholarly resources that you will want to use in your paper.

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SCC Research Guides
Choosing a Research Topic

Remember, doing research is a process. It is normal and common if you need to backtrack or rework your research topic a few times to get it right. If you need help coming up with a research topic, be sure to Ask a Librarian !

In this guide, you will learn about what makes a good research topic . Then you will learn how to start brainstorming by using a concept map . Next, we will go over how to do background research on a topic , and end with narrowing your topic into a thesis statement.

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What Makes a Good Research Topic?
1. Concept Mapping
2. Background Research
3. Narrow Your Topic / Thesis Statements

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Choose a topic
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Develop a research question
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Choosing a topic

The hardest part of research is getting started! Choosing a topic can be challenging, especially in introductory classes, when you don't really know much about the subject. The most important thing to remember is this: you are doing research, so don't make a statement about what you want to prove and then go looking for evidence to support your claim. Instead, start out with an interest, read some articles on the topic and then take a stance on the subject based on what you have learned.

Here are some tips to get you started when choosing a topic:

1. Think about the topics in your class that have interested you so far. Or, if it is the beginning of the semester, think about what you expect the course will cover and what you expect to enjoy about the class. When you added this class, what made you think it might be interesting?

2. Flip through your textbooks and look for chapter titles or subheadings that interest you.

3. Look at a magazine or journal in your subject area and look for interesting articles that might inspire you.

4. Think about controversies or current events in your subject area. Could they lead to a potential research question? If you don't know any controversies or current events for your subject, Google "Controversies in XYZ," "Disagreements in XYZ," or "Current hot topics in XYX" and see if something you find interests you.

5. Think about what you’re studying in other classes. Are there interesting ways in which they might intersect with or relate to this class?

5. Brainstorm with your classmates. Talking to each other is a good way to figure out what interests you.

Some things to consider when choosing a topic:

How long does your paper need to be?

A shorter paper will need a more narrowly focused idea. A longer paper will allow for a more complex exploration of a topic. How much time do you have?

If you have several weeks, it’s likely your instructor is expecting you to do a lot of research.

Do you need a a particular number or type of references?

Scholarly books and articles take time to write and publish, so topics focused narrowly on a very recent event can be problematic. If you need primary sources, choosing a topic focused on a region whose language you do not speak will be difficult.

Narrowing your topic

When you first begin working on a writing assignment, it is fine to start out with a really broad idea. For example, if you are writing a paper for an introductory computer science class, you might want to focus on cyber security because that is the work field you plan to enter. That is a good starting point - choosing to do more research on an aspect of your future profession is a great idea. But cyber security is too broad of a topic.

How do you know if your topic is too broad?

Here are some strategies you might use to decide if your topic is too broad:

1. Type the topic (like cyber security) into a library search engine. If you get thousands of results, your topic is probably too broad. Look at some of the titles of those results to get an idea of "sub-topics" you might focus on.

2. If you type the topic into a search engine and you find whole books are written on the topic, it is definitely too broad. But scan the chapter titles of several of those books to get an idea of something more specific to focus on.

3. Sit down and brainstorm all the different angles you might take on your topic (ex. cyber security: encryption methods, types of malware, device security, types a social engineering etc). If you can list lots of different angles, any one of those might be a good way to narrow your topic - but it definitely needs to be narrower.

Why is it a big deal if my topic is too broad? Doesn't that make it easier to find lots of information?

Finding lots of information may make you feel more comfortable at first, but here are some reasons why its important to make sure you topic is narrow enough:

1. If your topic is too broad you'll have so much information to include in your paper that you won't know how to organize it or even where to start.

2. If your topic is too broad, your reader may expect you to talk about aspects of the topic that you never address.

3. If your topic is too broad, you'll have to write more pages than your instructor assigned to cover everything you need to say. Most instructors won't accept that. Or they may take off points for it. So, you'll end up having to cut material you took time to write in order to make your paper fit the proper length.

4. If your topic is too broad, you will spend a lot of time finding articles or gathering data you will never use because you eventually have to cut material as in #3 above.

5. If your topic is too broad, it will be difficult to identify and apply the proper methods needed to analyze all the information/data you gather.

So,in short, making sure your topic is properly narrow saves you from wasting a lot of time!

How can you narrow your topic?

We suggest two great ways to narrow your topic:

1. One option is to ask yourself who, what, where, when, why and how questions about your topic. Using cyber security as an example of a "too broad" topic, we can ask who? (what countries are responsible for hacking? who performs hacking for corporate espionage?) and how? (types of malware, types of social engineering) and where? (on networks, computers, phones, smart devices). If we were writing a historical overview of cyber security, we might have narrowed our focus by asking "when". Then our topic might have narrowed like this: A comparison of how hacking has evolved since the dawn of the Internet of Things (ex. smart refrigerators, coffee pots etc).

Below is a video of how this might work using an example from an American history class:

2. A second option is to create a concept map. To create a concept map, write down your broad topic in the middle of a piece of paper. Then brainstorm associated ideas. The terms you write down will likely be good directions to take when narrowing your topic. Here is an example of a concept map:

Here is a video showing how to develop a concept map and use it to create a research statement:

So, returning to our example of cyber security, we might finally decide to write about user education (who? - users) to prevent phishing attacks (what? - phishing attacks)?

What is a research question?

Once you have done enough research to narrow your topic to something manageable, you are probably ready to formulate your research question. For college-level research, you will start out with a question, look at all the evidence and then draw a conclusion based on that evidence. Therefore, your research must begin with a research question - a statement that identifies what you are going to study.

How do you formulate a research question?

To formulate your research question you might:

1. Start with the topic that you have decided upon and then list all the questions that you'd like answered about it yourself. Brainstorm, alone or with another student or with your professor, on all the questions the topic raises in your mind.

2. For beginning researchers, a good way to identify possible research questions is to look at previous studies on the topic. While reading the research studies, look for places where the authors of the studies mention "more research is needed" or "XYZ angle was not included in this study." These statements might indicate gaps in the current research.

3. Another way to use existing studies is to identify a type of study that has been done on one population, but not another. For example, referring again to our computer science research project on which types of user education mitigate social engineering attacks, what if your preliminary research showed there have been many studies on "white collar" workers but none that focused on "blue collar" workers. A study that focused on blue collar workers might offer a new angle for research.

4. A final way to use existing research studies to identify a research question is to look for indications of controversy. If numerous recent studies mention a particular angle of research on the topic is controversial, that indicates there is still a need for study on that angle.

What are the characteristics of a good research question?

Your individual classes will address in depth the characteristics of a good research question in your discipline. We can make a few generalizations about good research questions at the introductory level here. A good research question:

1. Can be answered objectively, with evidence. It is not solely value-based.

2. Can be answered with evidence that already exists or with evidence that can be gathered through experimentation you can design.

3. Is adequately focused.

4. Is significant.

What is all this about being able to test and analyze? Or in other words: A quick introduction to the concept of Methodology

The type of methodology you will use for your research depends greatly on your field of study. Biologists, economists, historians, literature scholars - they all have vastly different methods of gathering evidence that suit their fields. For now, it would help to understand that in some fields, especially the humanities (literature, history, religion etc), research is often "qualitative." Qualitative research focuses on relationships between people or texts. It seeks to to understand people's beliefs, experiences, attitudes, behavior, and interactions in a non-numeric way. For example, a scholar of literature might exam a wide body of medieval texts to answer the question: How was the LGBTQ+ community portrayed in the writings of a certain author. To answer that question, the scholar will examine a body of texts for all references to LGBTQ+ characters or interactions and how they were portrayed/perceived by other characters. They will then draw a conclusion based on that evidence on the perception of LGBTQ+ characters by that author in that time period.

Physical and social scientists (ex. biologists, psychologists, economists), in contrast, typically conduct quantitative research . Quantitative research emphasizes objective measurements and the statistical, mathematical, or numerical analysis of data collected through direct experiments, polls, questionnaires, and surveys, or by manipulating pre-existing statistical data using computational techniques. Your goal in conducting quantitative research study is to determine the relationship between one thing [an independent variable] and another [a dependent or outcome variable] within a population. Quantitative research designs are either descriptive [subjects usually measured once] or experimental [subjects measured before and after a treatment]. A descriptive study establishes only associations between variables; an experimental study establishes causality.

You will focus on discipline-appropriate methodologies in your classes, but having at least this introduction will help you understand why certain questions aren't really research questions - they can't be tested and they don't allow for analysis or conclusions.

Babbie, Earl R. The Practice of Social Research . 12th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage, 2010; Brians, Craig Leonard et al. Empirical Political Analysis: Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods . 8th ed. Boston, MA: Longman, 2011; McNabb, David E. Research Methods in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches . 2nd ed. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2008; Quantitative Research Methods . Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Singh, Kultar. Quantitative Social Research Methods . Los Angeles, CA: Sage, 2007.

Once you have developed your research question and you have done some preliminary reading on your topic, you are ready to form your thesis statement or hypothesis. Depending on your discipline, your thesis or hypothesis will have very specific requirements. You will learn about those requirements in your classes. Here, we will make a general introduction to the thesis or hypothesis statement.

A thesis statement may be seen in quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research.

A thesis statement is a short, direct sentence that summarizes the main point or claim of an essay or research paper. It It is developed, supported, and explained in the body of the essay or research report by means of examples and evidence.

A good thesis statement:

is stated in declarative form.
tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
directly answers the research question.
makes a claim that others might dispute and that you will support with evidence.

The following is an example of a strong thesis statement in the context of the introduction paragraphs of a history paper:

Ritchie, Daniel. “War, Religion and Anti-Slavery Ideology: Isaac Nelson’s Radical Abolitionist Examination of the American Civil War.” Historical Research , vol. 89, no. 246, Nov. 2016, pp. 799–823. EBSCOhost , doi:10.1111/1468-2281.12134.

Hypotheses are typically used in quantitative research.

A hypothesis is a formal statement that predicts a measurable relationship between two or more variables. A well stated, researchable hypothesis:

Is stated in declarative form
Uses precise terminology and is stated as concisely as possible
Aligns with the research question and problem statement and is consistent with known fact, previous research and theory
Is testable
Is a statement of relationship between variables

Types of variables:

To properly formulate a hypothesis, it is helpful to understand the different types of variables that it must operationalize:

Dependent variable : the target organism; who or what is affected. Independent variable: who or what will affect the target organism; the variable the researcher will manipulate to see if it will make the dependent variable change. Control variable(s ): variables that must be held constant to ensure that the independent variable is the only variable affecting the dependent variable.

Types of hypothesis

There are several types of hypotheses that you might formulate:

Simple hypothesis - predicts the relationship between a single independent variable (IV) and a single dependent variable (DV).

For example: Computer-based training (IV) is associated with lower susceptibility to social engineering attacks (DV).

Complex hypothesis - predicts the relationship between two or more independent variables, and two or more dependent variables.

For example: The implementation of a computer-based training program (IV) will result in (DV):

decreased user susceptibility to social engineering attacks; increased user confidence in the ability to recognize social engineering attacks;

Null hypotheses - the hypothesis that there is no significant correlation or difference between specified populations, any observed difference being due to sampling or experimental error.

For example: Computer-based training will have no significant effect on susceptibility to social engineering attacks.

Directional hypothesis - predicts positive or negative correlation or change.

For example:

There is a positive correlation between user education and user confidence in the ability to recognize a social engineering attack. Users receiving computer-based training will succumb less frequently to phishing attacks than users who do not receive training.

Nondirectional hypothesis - predicts the independent variable will affect the dependent variable, but the direction of the effect is not specified.

For example: There will be a difference in how users trained by computer-based methods and face-to-face training methods respond to social engineering attacks. (As opposed to: Users trained with face-to-face methods will succumb to fewer social engineering attacks than users trained with computer-based methods).

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Undergraduate Research

Choosing a topic, developing a research question.

Planning Your Secondary Research
Writing a Literature Review
Designing Your Research & Choosing a Methodology
Finding Books
Finding Articles
Finding Laws & Regulations
Finding Statistics & Datasets
Finding Multimedia
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For your capstone or other research project, you are required to choose your own topic. Here are some things to keep in mind as you begin to brainstorm a topic:

Your topic must be academic in nature.
Make sure it is something that you like and are interested in. You will be working with this topic and your research question in depth as you complete your capstone project.

Topics can be found in a number of places, though sometimes it can be difficult to narrow a focus or know where to start. The following are places to look for inspiration:

Is there a topic that you would like to study but haven't yet had the chance to do so in one of your classes or one that you haven't had a chance to research in depth? Your capstone project would be a good opportunity to learn!
Explore the newest online edition of Emerging Trends in the Social and Behavioral Sciences . Simply click on the table of contents to view the latest trends in interdisciplinary research.
Browse news sources to see what types of topics are being discussed for a starting point. For a list of news sources Bentley Library has access to consult our Current News Resources Research Guide .
Review top journals in a field you are interested in to see what topics other scholars and researchers are focusing on. To identify these journals, use Cabell's Directories , Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory , and Journal Citation Reports .
Explore some of our library databases by doing searches on a topic to see what information is out there. The following might be especially helpful to get you started:

Each week, the CQ Researcher examines an issue of compelling public interest. All CQ reports include an abstract, chronology, extensive bibliography and notes, and an outlook. A sidebar includes reports related to the latest topic, and the full text of past reports can be searched via the CQ search function or the cumulative index.

Don't forget to keep track of all of the sources you consult along the way in developing your topic and doing preliminary research! Visit this page for some tips on how to keep track of your sources .

Once you have a topic, the next step is to develop a research question. Your advisor will be helping you along the way but here are some things to consider in developing a good research question.

Good research questions are open-ended , meaning they do not necessarily have a simple yes or no answer and require you to consult a number of sources. Some research questions involve investigating a cause and effect, comparing two or more ideas, or measuring efficacy though there are many different types of questions to be asked.

Brainstorming and doing preliminary research can help you come up with ideas for aspects of your topic you would like to explore further.

If you have a large topic, you may need to narrow your research and question to be more manageable due to time constraints and resources available. One suggestion is to focus on a specific aspect of the topic such as:

Geographic area
Population demographic (i.e. age range, sex, ethnicity, profession, etc.)

Keep in mind the reverse can also be true - sometimes you can have a question that is too specific that will need to be opened up a bit more to become workable.

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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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Our vetted tutor database includes a range of experienced educators who can help you polish an essay for English or explain how derivatives work for Calculus. You can use dozens of filters and search criteria to find the perfect person for your needs.

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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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Developing a Research Question

by acburton | Mar 22, 2024 | Resources for Students , Writing Resources

Selecting your research question and creating a clear goal and structure for your writing can be challenging – whether you are doing it for the first time or if you’ve done it many times before. It can be especially difficult when your research question starts to look and feel a little different somewhere between your first and final draft. Don’t panic! It’s normal for your research question to change a little (or even quite a bit) as you move through and engage with the writing process. Anticipating this can remind you to stay on track while you work and that it’ll be okay even if the literature takes you in a different direction.

What Makes an Effective Research Question?

The most effective research question will usually be a critical thinking question and should use “how” or “why” to ensure it can move beyond a yes/no or one-word type of answer. Consider how your research question can aim to reveal something new, fill in a gap, even if small, and contribute to the field in a meaningful way; How might the proposed project move knowledge forward about a particular place or process? This should be specific and achievable!

The CEWC’s Grad Writing Consultant Tariq says, “I definitely concentrated on those aspects of what I saw in the field where I believed there was an opportunity to move the discipline forward.”

General Tips

Do your research.

Utilize the librarians at your university and take the time to research your topic first. Try looking at very general sources to get an idea of what could be interesting to you before you move to more academic articles that support your rough idea of the topic. It is important that research is grounded in what you see or experience regarding the topic you have chosen and what is already known in the literature. Spend time researching articles, books, etc. that supports your thesis. Once you have a number of sources that you know support what you want to write about, formulate a research question that serves as the interrogative form of your thesis statement.

Grad Writing Consultant Deni advises, “Delineate your intervention in the literature (i.e., be strategic about the literature you discuss and clear about your contributions to it).”

Start Broadly…. then Narrow Your Topic Down to Something Manageable

When brainstorming your research question, let your mind veer toward connections or associations that you might have already considered or that seem to make sense and consider if new research terms, language or concepts come to mind that may be interesting or exciting for you as a researcher. Sometimes testing out a research question while doing some preliminary researching is also useful to see if the language you are using or the direction you are heading toward is fruitful when trying to search strategically in academic databases. Be prepared to focus on a specific area of a broad topic.

Writing Consultant Jessie recommends outlining: “I think some rough outlining with a research question in mind can be helpful for me. I’ll have a research question and maybe a working thesis that I feel may be my claim to the research question based on some preliminary materials, brainstorming, etc.” — Jessie, CEWC Writing Consultant

Try an Exercise

In the earliest phase of brainstorming, try an exercise suggested by CEWC Writing Specialist, Percival! While it is normally used in classroom or workshop settings, this exercise can easily be modified for someone working alone. The flow of the activity, if done within a group setting, is 1) someone starts with an idea, 2) three other people share their idea, and 3) the starting person picks two of these new ideas they like best and combines their original idea with those. The activity then begins again with the idea that was not chosen. The solo version of this exercise substitutes a ‘word bank,’ created using words, topics, or ideas similar to your broad, overarching theme. Pick two words or phrases from your word bank, combine it with your original idea or topic, and ‘start again’ with two different words. This serves as a replacement for different people’s suggestions. Ideas for your ‘word bank’ can range from vague prompts about mapping or webbing (e.g., where your topic falls within the discipline and others like it), to more specific concepts that come from tracing the history of an idea (its past, present, future) or mapping the idea’s related ideas, influences, etc. Care for a physics analogy? There is a particle (your topic) that you can describe, a wave that the particle traces, and a field that the particle is mapped on.

Get Feedback and Affirm Your Confidence!

Creating a few different versions of your research question (they may be the same topic/issue/theme or differ slightly) can be useful during this process. Sharing these with trusted friends, colleagues, mentors, (or tutors!) and having conversations about your questions and ideas with other people can help you decide which version you may feel most confident or interested in. Ask colleagues and mentors to share their research questions with you to get a lot of examples. Once you have done the work of developing an effective research question, do not forget to affirm your confidence! Based on your working thesis, think about how you might organize your chapters or paragraphs and what resources you have for supporting this structure and organization. This can help boost your confidence that the research question you have created is effective and fruitful.

Be Open to Change

Remember, your research question may change from your first to final draft. For questions along the way, make an appointment with the Writing Center. We are here to help you develop an effective and engaging research question and build the foundation for a solid research paper!

Example 1: In my field developing a research question involves navigating the relationship between 1) what one sees/experiences at their field site and 2) what is already known in the literature. During my preliminary research, I found that the financial value of land was often a matter of precisely these cultural factors. So, my research question ended up being: How do the social and material qualities of land entangle with processes of financialization in the city of Lahore. Regarding point #1, this question was absolutely informed by what I saw in the field. But regarding point #2, the question was also heavily shaped by the literature. – Tariq

Example 2: A research question should not be a yes/no question like “Is pollution bad?”; but an open-ended question where the answer has to be supported with reasons and explanation. The question also has to be narrowed down to a specific topic—using the same example as before—”Is pollution bad?” can be revised to “How does pollution affect people?” I would encourage students to be more specific then; e.g., what area of pollution do you want to talk about: water, air, plastic, climate change… what type of people or demographic can we focus on? …how does this affect marginalized communities, minorities, or specific areas in California? After researching and deciding on a focus, your question might sound something like: How does government policy affect water pollution and how does it affect the marginalized communities in the state of California? -Janella

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7 Factors to Consider When Choosing a Research Topic
Novelty. Avoid selecting a research topic that several other persons have contributed to in your field in your country. If there are several researchers who have completed studies in your field, then your research will be just another paper in the area in your country. However, if it is new in your country as an example, then your work will get ...
Overview
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. Narrow your topic to something manageable. If your topic is too broad, you will find too much information and not be able to focus.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Research Topic
Ethical implications are vital in research. Researchers must consider the potential consequences and ethical implications of their work. This includes ensuring that the research respects the rights and dignity of participants and adheres to ethical guidelines and standards. Selecting a research topic is a pivotal stage in the research process.
How to Choose a Dissertation Topic
Step 2: Choose a broad field of research. Step 3: Look for books and articles. Step 4: Find a niche. Step 5: Consider the type of research. Step 6: Determine the relevance. Step 7: Make sure it's plausible. Step 8: Get your topic approved. Other interesting articles. Frequently asked questions about dissertation topics.
Research: Choosing a Research Topic: Starting Points
The biggest mistake you can make, however, is choosing a position before you start your research. Instead, the information you consult should inform your position. Researching before choosing a position is also much easier; you will be able to explore all sides of a topic rather than limiting yourself to one.
Research Guides: Research Process: An Overview: Choosing a Topic
For help getting started on the writing process go to the GGU Online Writing Lab (Writing tutor) where you can set up and appointment with a writing tutor. #1 Research tip: Pick a topic that interests you. You are going to live with this topic for weeks while you research, read, and write your assignment. Choose something that will hold your ...
Choosing a Topic
Choosing a Topic. The first step of any research paper is for the student to understand the assignment. If this is not done, the student will often travel down many dead-end roads, wasting a great deal of time along the way. Do not hesitate to approach the instructor with questions if there is any confusion.
Choosing a Research Topic
The Purdue OWL (n.d.) guide to choosing a topic describes the brainstorming process: start thinking about the research project, set a timer, and write down all ideas that occur to you. Then, examine the list to look for patterns or trends among the topic ideas. Not all ideas that come up in brainstorming will be viable, but it is a good first ...
Choosing a Research Topic
Choosing a Topic. 1. Brainstorm possible topic ideas. Consider your personal interests. Talk about topics and your personal interests with classmates and peers. Reflect on interesting social media content you've recently encountered. Most social media content is not scholarly but can be explored with scholarly research from academic sources.
What Makes a Good Research Topic?
Before diving into how to choose a research topic, it is important to think about what are some elements of a good research topic. Of course, this will depend specifically on your research project, but a good research topic will always: Relate to the assignment itself. Even when you have a choice for your research topic, you still want to make ...
Choose a Topic
Exploring related topics or products, Comparing or contrasting your topic with another topic, Choosing an alternative topic that isn't as recent. You can also: Consider the time period your topic is covering, Look at a larger sample population, or; Expand the geographic area being discussed.
Choose a Research Topic: Choose a Research Topic
Information Literacy: The set of skills needed to find, retrieve, analyze, and use information. Research Process: It is a process of multiple deliberate steps in conducting the research work where each step is interlinked with other steps such as starting with a broad topic question to focus on an aspect of it to narrow the research focus to all the way to find and evaluate the reliability of ...
Choosing a Topic
31 Choosing a Topic Questions to Consider. When it comes to academic research, choosing a topic is often the hardest part of the process! In many instances, college instructors will provide guidelines or a broad topic for the assignment, but it's your job to choose a narrower topic within those guidelines. Here are some questions to ask ...
How to Select a Research Topic: A Step-by-Step Guide (2021)
Step 2: Brainstorm Your Topics. You aren't doing research at this stage yet. You are only trying to make considerations to determine which topic will suit your research assignment. The brainstorming stage isn't difficult at all. It should take only a couple of hours or a few days depending on how you approach.
LibGuides: Selecting a Research Topic: Refine your topic
Here are some options to consider when narrowing the scope of your paper: Theoretical approach : Limit your topic to a particular approach to the issue. For example, if your topic concerns cloning, examine the theories surrounding of the high rate of failures in animal cloning. Aspect or sub-area : Consider only one piece of the subject.
How to Choose a Dissertation Topic
Table of contents. Step 1: Check the requirements. Step 2: Choose a broad field of research. Step 3: Look for books and articles. Step 4: Find a niche. Step 5: Consider the type of research. Step 6: Determine the relevance. Step 7: Make sure it's plausible. Step 8: Get your topic approved.
What to Consider When Choosing a Research Paper Topic
Keep your objectives & goals clear. Explore varied & reliable sources. Make sure findings align across multiple perspectives. Choosing the right research paper topic can be daunting. Consider your interests, available resources, and potential impact to help narrow down your choices and ensure a successful outcome.
I need help choosing a topic
Here are some things to consider: Make sure your topic meets the assignment requirements. Read it closely. Ask your professor for feedback if you are unsure. Choose a topic that is interesting to you. It may seem obvious, but this will make the research process more fun and engaging for you. Choose a topic others have written about.
Choosing a Research Topic
This guide will walk you through how to come up with a strong and concise research topic. Remember, doing research is a process. It is normal and common if you need to backtrack or rework your research topic a few times to get it right. If you need help coming up with a research topic, be sure to Ask a Librarian! In this guide, you will learn ...
Formulate a research topic
Here are some tips to get you started when choosing a topic: 1. Think about the topics in your class that have interested you so far. Or, if it is the beginning of the semester, think about what you expect the course will cover and what you expect to enjoy about the class. When you added this class, what made you think it might be interesting? 2.
Choosing a Topic & Research Question
Once you have a topic, the next step is to develop a research question. Your advisor will be helping you along the way but here are some things to consider in developing a good research question. Good research questions are open-ended, meaning they do not necessarily have a simple yes or no answer and require you to consult a number of sources ...
Choosing a Research Topic
Choosing a Research Topic. By Richard M. Reis. November 19, 1999. "It is really important to do the right research as well as to do the research right. You need to do 'wow' research ...
113 Great Research Paper Topics
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.
Developing a Research Question
Consider how your research question can aim to reveal something new, fill in a gap, even if small, and contribute to the field in a meaningful way; How might the proposed project move knowledge forward about a particular place or ... Utilize the librarians at your university and take the time to research your topic first. Try looking at very ...

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