How to select a good Research Paper Topic

The ability to choose an excellent research topic is a crucial ability. A teacher may give you a particular topic, but typically, instructors ask you to pick your personal topic of interest. When deciding on a topic, there are some items you'll have to consider:

think of ideas to brainstorm.
Select a topic that allows you to read and comprehend the written works.
make sure that the topic is manageable and that the material is readily available.
Make a list of the crucial words.
Be flexible.
define your subject as a specific research inquiry.
read and research your subject.
write a thesis statement.

Take note that picking the right topic might be difficult. It should be focused and narrow enough to be interesting but wide enough to allow for sufficient data. Prior to deciding on the topic, be sure you know what your final work will be like. Every class or instructor is likely to require a different format or type of research project. Use these steps to help you navigate the steps of choosing the right research area.

Step 1. Brainstorm to come up with ideas

Select a subject that is interesting to you. Utilize these questions to help you come up with topics.

Do you have an opinion or opinions on a particular political or social controversy?
Have you seen or read an article in the news recently that piqued your interest or caused you to become irritable or worried?
Do you have a personal issue, concern, or interest you'd like to learn more about?
Have you got a research essay due for a course this term?
Are there aspects of a course that you're interested in knowing more about? Take a look at the top-rated websites and research sites for some ideas.
Are you interested in news, current affairs in politics, government, or social sciences?
Try Washington File
Are you curious about health or medicine?

Take a look at the most popular websites and research websites for suggestions.

Are you interested in news, current affairs such as politics, government, politics, or social sciences?
- Try Washington File
Are you curious about health or medicine?
- Check out Healthfinder.gov, Health & Wellness Resource Center, or the National Library of Medicine
Are you looking for information on the Humanities such as literature, art, and music?
- Find links to the National Endowment for the Humanities
For additional subject areas, look into:
- The Scout Report or the New York Times/ College website

Note any important words or concepts that could be interesting to you. Can these concepts be used to help you narrow your research subject?

Be aware of common themes when choosing to choose a subject. You might want to stay clear of issues like abortion, gun control, teen pregnancy, or suicide unless you believe that you have a distinctive approach to the subject. Talk to your instructor about ideas when you feel stuck or require help.

Step 2: Read General Background Information

Go through a general encyclopedia article about the most important two or three subjects that you are considering. Reading an overview of the topic allows you to gain a general understanding of the subject matter and to see how it relates to other wider, more narrow, and more related questions. It is also a good source of words that are commonly employed to define the subject. The keywords could prove beneficial to your future Research. If you are unable to find an article about your subject, you can try using broader phrases and get assistance from a librarian.

For instance, instance, the Encyclopedia Britannica Online (or the printed version in the Thompson Library's Reference Collection on Reference Table 1) is not likely to have an article about the Social and political implications of Jackie Robinson's breaking of the Color Barrier in major league Baseball, but there will be articles about the history of baseball as well as on Jackie Robinson.

Explore the Encyclopedia Americana for information on the topics you're thinking of. Both online encyclopedias offer hyperlinks to articles from magazines and websites. They're listed in the left or right margins.

Utilize indexes of periodicals to read magazines, journals, or newspaper articles about your topic. Ask the librarian to assist you with searching for articles related to your areas that interest you.

Make use of search engines for the Web. Google and Bing are thought to be two of the top search engines for finding websites on this topic.

Step 3: Concentrate on Your Subject

Make it manageable. A topic can be a challenge to research If it's too broad or too narrow. One method to narrow a broad topic such as "the environment" is to narrow your subject. The most common methods to narrow the scope of a topic include:

According to geographical region

Examples: What environmental issues are the most important for the Southwestern United States

Through the lens of the culture

Example: How does the surrounding be integrated within the Navajo worldview?

In terms of the time by frame

Example: What have been the most important environmental issues that have been a focus of the past ten years?

Through discipline

Example: What can environmental awareness impact how businesses operate in the present?

By the population group

Example: What are the impacts that air pollution has on elderly people?

Be aware that a subject could be difficult to study when it's:

Locally restricted - Topics that are this particular may only be covered by these (local) local newspapers or at all.

Examples: What causes of pollution impact your Genesee County water supply?

Current - If a subject is relatively new, journals or books might not be readily available, but magazines or newspaper articles might be. Additionally, websites that are related to the subject may be unavailable.

Broad-ranging and interdisciplinary. You may be overwhelmed by the simplest information. Example How does the environment impact the politics, culture, and society of the Western states?

Popular - You'll only find articles that are very popular on certain topics, such as stars from the world of sports, celebrities, and music artists.

If you're having trouble or have questions about focusing on your subject, you can discuss the subject with your teacher or librarians.

Step 4: Create an enumeration of keywords that you can use

Be aware of the terms that describe your topic.

Find the words to best explain your subject.
See them in you are reading encyclopedias, general and background information.
Find more encompassing and narrower terms or synonyms and essential concepts for key terms to expand your search possibilities.
Take note of these terms and remember them later in your search for catalogs and databases.

Step 5: Be flexible

It is normal to alter your study process. It's impossible to know for certain what you will discover. You might find excessive information and have to narrow your search or find too little and require a broader area of focus. This is an inevitable aspect of Research. While researching, you might not be tempted to change the subject. However, you may find that different aspect of the subject is more interesting or manageable.

Step 6: define your topic to be a specific research Topic.

It is common, to begin with a word, then take an interest that is more specific to the specific aspect of the word, and then start to ask questions regarding the subject.

For instance:

Ideas are Frank Lloyd Wright or modern architecture.
Research Question: What is the way that Frank Lloyd Wright influenced modern architecture?
Focused Research Question: What design principles employed in the work of Frank Lloyd Wright are common in modern-day residences?

Step 7: Conduct Research and learn more about Your Subject.

Utilize the keywords you've gathered to search through the catalog, databases of articles, as well as Internet search engines. Get more information to help answer your research query.

You'll need to conduct some reading and Research prior to you choosing your final subject. Do you have enough facts to answer your research query? Be aware that choosing a subject is a crucial and complex aspect that is part of the study process.

Step 8: Create A Thesis Statement

Create your topic into an argumentative thesis statement. It could help answer the question you are researching or a way to express clearly the reason for your study. The statement of your thesis will typically consist of a couple of sentences that define precisely what needs to be addressed, proved, or the way you plan to tell your audience about your subject.

The formulation of a thesis presumes that the thesis statement is supported by sufficient evidence. Justify the thesis statement.

A good example of a thesis statement might be the design of Frank Lloyd Wright's principles, such as his use of ornamental detail and his understanding of space and texture, which opened an entirely new period in American architecture. His works have also influenced the design of contemporary homes.

Your title for your article may not exactly be identical to your research question or thesis statement; however, the title should clearly communicate the main purpose and the significance of your study.

A good example might be Frank Lloyd Wright: the Key Principles of Design for the Modern Home.

Be sure to follow the specific instructions given by your instructor.

Practical Exercises to Enhance Your Knowledge

Find three more specific aspects of the broad subjects listed below. What are three possible areas of study that are a good fit for these broad subjects?