There’s nothing quite like choosing a paper topic to make your brain go into panic mode. You want something interesting but not too broad, general enough that you can find research but not so narrow that you can’t find much. Don’t worry, though. With a little brainstorming and some smart decisions, choosing your topic and making it interesting for both you and your reader will be a breeze. Here’s how to do it.
1. Start with Your Interests
Good research papers often come from topics you are genuinely interested in. What have you really enjoyed reading about in class? What subjects have you talked with your classmates or professors about outside of class? If it’s something you are excited about, writing about it can feel less like drudgery. So, before you begin, list some of your interests: the effects of climate change, psychological algorithms that shape our social media use, procrastination, or what have you. This is a good point at which to hone your research focus.
2. Consider the Assignment Guidelines
Before you get too invested in your topic, go back and look at the assignment again. Is there a specific area that your professor would like you to consider? Have they given a word count range? Doing so will help you avoid picking a topic that’s either too narrow or too broad for the assignment.
3. Narrow Down Broad Topics
You can’t pick a topic that is too broad, such as “technology”. That’s definitely too insurmountable for a research paper – you’ll have to trim it way, way back. Instead, try these: “How social media affects mental health”, or “The future of medicine with artificial intelligence”.
A great way to narrow down topics is to ask questions. For example:
Instead of “climate change”, ask, “How does climate change affect agriculture in developing countries?”
Rewrite: Instead of “education”, ask: “What is the effect of home education on students’ academic performance during the pandemic?”
It is a way of picking one vantage point on which to center your paper.
4. Do Preliminary Research
Now, you have a general idea of your topic, so you can begin finding out what the research says about it. Look it up in Google Scholar, an academic database, or the library catalog at your school. Do people have enough to say on the topic that you could write a paper about it? Does anyone put a new spin on the topic? Preliminary research will help you determine whether the topic is feasible. If there isn’t much out there to work with, that’s a strong hint that you might need to reframe your topic or pick a completely different one.
5. Ask for Help When Needed
It’s easy to panic and think: “I don’t know what to write about – someone, please help me write my research paper!”. It’s perfectly normal to feel stuck, and the best thing you can do when you reach this point is ask for help. Go to your professor or academic advisor. They should be able to suggest ways to refine your topic or point you toward good sources for your research. If you are really lost, there are research paper writing services you can turn to and ask for help or examples. Just remember, in the end, it should be your work, and you should be able to understand every part of it and have an independent opinion about it.
6. Brainstorm Keywords
When researching your paper, develop some keywords to cover your topic. Having keywords on hand will make your research more focused and efficient. Incorporating them into your writing will also help readers find your paper. This step is important if you plan to publish your paper online or in a scientific journal.
7. Be Flexible
Don’t be afraid to go with the flow. You might start to write on a topic, only to realize that there isn’t enough research to support your case or that a new lens has opened up the evidence in an interesting new way, and you want to focus on that instead. Feel free to rework the topic as needed. You’re better off adjusting your topic early on than facing writer’s block while writing your paper.
Trust Your Process
Finding the ‘perfect’ research paper topic doesn’t have to be a source of great anxiety. Start with what interests you, think about what others are studying, trim the topic down if it’s too broad, and take a look at the assignment guidelines. If you’re lost, reach out for help and be flexible enough to make changes if things don’t go as planned. If you take some time to think about it, you’ll find a topic that works for you, is interesting, and will keep you engaged during the research process.
