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The Best Research Paper Topic Ideas and Guide

Even though choosing a research paper topic sounds easy on paper, it is a dreaded process to many students. Since writing a research paper is mandatory in college and university, most students find it challenging to begin, complete, and submit research papers on time.

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It is not appropriate to underestimate the research projects because, eventually, they demand time and effort. Furthermore, even though they are just a piece of a research paper, they carry marks that influence your grades.

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We have realized that the most stressful stage when working on a research paper is the confidence you have in your topic. Is your research paper topic relevant, plausible, and appropriate for your chosen field? Although sometimes the research paper prompts or instructions provide a list of research paper topics to select, sometimes you are required to research and select the best; that’s where trouble sets in.

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To write an intriguing introduction, engaging body, and an unforgettable conclusion, you have to ensure that you have a unique but also interesting topic. If you are worried about selecting the best topic, we wrote this guide and a list of topics to get you started.

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How to Select Good Research Paper Topics

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Selecting research paper topics is a dreaded endeavor by many. First, it is because there are very many sources with information, which results in information overload. Furthermore, college students are always expected to write on trending research topics, which sometimes they lack knowledge and ideas.

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Although you are not required to invent something and write about it, your topic must be comprehensive, relevant, and appropriate to the field that you are pursuing. For instance, you cannot write a medical research paper, yet you are pursuing IT unless you are writing it from the perspective of applying IT in medicine.

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We have some valuable tips and tricks to help you master the art of choosing the best topics for research papers assigned to you without suggesting the topic to write about.

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Here is how to choose a creative research topic in four simple steps:

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Read and understand the assignment prompt.

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Usually, there are instructions given by your instructor or professor when assigning a research paper. They can be through the canvas, email, or whatever platform your school uses.

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The assignment prompt is usually rich in information concerning the length and scope of the research paper. Besides, they also contain some topic suggestions that you might be free to use or pick similar.

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Reading the prompt helps you limit your scope when researching and selecting a specific topic for your research paper. Ultimately, it also helps you to brainstorm about the appropriate research paper topics.

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Brainstorm for good research paper topic ideas

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With the information extracted from the instructions, the first step for topic idea generation is brainstorming. This step usually helps create a list of good research topics, develop research questions, come up with a thesis statement, and categorize the research topic ideas.

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As you brainstorm, it is always great to refer to your text, research online and read through research paper examples available online or on your school databases.

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Brainstorming allows you to utilize the school library database better. Usually, you are allowed to ask for research essay topics from library staff or write to your instructor. You can use these strategies when brainstorming for your interesting research topic ideas.

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Research and sieve the list of research topics

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As you brainstorm, you will notice that you will yield many research paper topics. However, because you are only required to focus on a topic, you will have to eliminate the others.

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Most students make a mistake in choosing a wide topic that limits the number of words they use to express the ideas. Remember, selecting a specific research topic helps you narrow down to a thesis, develop good arguments, and write a focused research paper.

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As you research more on the topics, eliminate each of them based on the relevance to your field of study, course material, and the instructions. If possible, define your research paper topic as a question. For instance, if you have selected The impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Refugees, you can frame it as How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected refugees in Myanmar? Doing so helps you narrow your research and, to be specific enough.

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Select your topic and research further to develop an outline

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Having narrowed it down to a specific research topic for your essay, proposal, or research paper. It is a norm to delve deeper into research. Utilize the scholarly databases and websites to gain in-depth information about

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To eliminate a topic, here is a checklist:

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  • Is it relevant to your field of study?
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  • Does the topic specifically allow you to address the issues in the instructions?
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  • Is the topic great enough to explore using theories from class?
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  • How relevant is the topic to the course content?
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  • Can you write a full research paper using the topic?
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    If your answer is yes to all the above questions, you have yourself a good topic for the research paper. Otherwise, you still need to research the research topic ideas developed when brainstorming or expand your list then select the best.

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    After selecting the best research topic, it is now your chance to write a research paper beginning with the process of creating an outline.

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    List of the Best Research Paper Topics for Different Fields (By Category)

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    As we explore different research topics, we have categorized them to help you grasp what a good research topic should be. Remember, high school, college, and university students have different preferred topics that they wish to write a research paper on.

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    Argumentative Research Paper Topics and Ideas

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    When you opt to write an argumentative research paper, you must have facts to support your main idea and be able to counterargue against your selected stance. Besides, you must also have a strong conclusion and introduction. Here is a list to get you started:

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    1. Should college athletes be paid?
    2. Does working online during the covid pandemic affect the well-being of employees?
    3. The ideal age to consume alcohol should be 18 years
    4. Students should wear school uniforms
    5. Animal testing for human beauty products should be banned
    6. Immigrants are a good foundation for the diversity of their host nations
    7. Virtual reality is promising in the world of research
    8. Is the grid pattern of city planning the best?
    9. Should humans fight population explosion?
    10. Does prostitution impact community policing?
    11. Cyberbullying has caused more deaths during the pandemic
    12. Accidents due to drunk driving are avoidable
    13. Child traffickers should be executed
    14. The rich should share their wealth with the poor
    15. The rich countries fund wars in developing nations
    16. Minorities should be allowed to participate in high-end sports
    17. Should students have to take general education/pre-requisites (i.e., speech, ENC 1101, CGS 1060, humanities, philosophy, etc.) courses?
    18. To what extent was the Shah responsible for the revolution in 1979?
    19. Do the media provide oxygen of publicity for terrorists?
    20. Should students be allowed to work while studying to avoid ballooning student loan debts?

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  • Should college athletes be paid?
  • ,

  • Does working online during the covid pandemic affect the well-being of employees?
  • ,

  • The ideal age to consume alcohol should be 18 years
  • ,

  • Students should wear school uniforms
  • ,

  • Animal testing for human beauty products should be banned
  • ,

  • Immigrants are a good foundation for the diversity of their host nations
  • ,

  • Virtual reality is promising in the world of research
  • ,

  • Is the grid pattern of city planning the best?
  • ,

  • Should humans fight population explosion?
  • ,

  • Does prostitution impact community policing?
  • ,

  • Cyberbullying has caused more deaths during the pandemic
  • ,

  • Accidents due to drunk driving are avoidable
  • ,

  • Child traffickers should be executed
  • ,

  • The rich should share their wealth with the poor
  • ,

  • The rich countries fund wars in developing nations
  • ,

  • Minorities should be allowed to participate in high-end sports
  • ,

  • Should students have to take general education/pre-requisites (i.e., speech, ENC 1101, CGS 1060, humanities, philosophy, etc.) courses?
  • ,

  • To what extent was the Shah responsible for the revolution in 1979?
  • ,

  • Do the media provide oxygen of publicity for terrorists?
  • ,

  • Should students be allowed to work while studying to avoid ballooning student loan debts?
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    Funny Research Topic Ideas to Consider

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    1. Why do people like making memes?
    2. Should movie directors show us the fails when preparing the movies?
    3. How can one stop being lazy?
    4. Comics should be used in education
    5. Does getting drunk make someone stupid?
    6. Can one travel around the world without money?
    7. Why are people creating sex toys yet there are so many people in the world?
    8. Is the media thinking for the Millenial generation?
    9. Does farting relieve stress?
    10. Can a falling coconut harm people underneath it?
    11. Vegetable fats and oils make people fat
    12. Sugar is lethal to the body
    13. Can someone be a fairy?
    14. Do shorter people have problems faced by long people?

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  • Why do people like making memes?
  • ,

  • Should movie directors show us the fails when preparing the movies?
  • ,

  • How can one stop being lazy?
  • ,

  • Comics should be used in education
  • ,

  • Does getting drunk make someone stupid?
  • ,

  • Can one travel around the world without money?
  • ,

  • Why are people creating sex toys yet there are so many people in the world?
  • ,

  • Is the media thinking for the Millenial generation?
  • ,

  • Does farting relieve stress?
  • ,

  • Can a falling coconut harm people underneath it?
  • ,

  • Vegetable fats and oils make people fat
  • ,

  • Sugar is lethal to the body
  • ,

  • Can someone be a fairy?
  • ,

  • Do shorter people have problems faced by long people?
  • ,

    These are topics that are least thought of as profound by many people. Nevertheless, exploring these topics after thorough research will get you accolades. As long as there is adequate information online to help you explore a funny topic in your research paper, you can always explore any idea.

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    Interesting Research Topics

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    If you thought that funny topics for a research paper are an odd idea, let us look at some interesting research ideas to make a good research paper topic.

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    1. Social media is the greatest employer today
    2. Going to space is no longer rocket science
    3. Tesla has revolutionized the world with its innovations
    4. Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are geniuses that will never get poor
    5. Plastic surgery can be done for patients with facial deformities
    6. How to communicate better with your spouse
    7. Beauty and success are the new pursuits for most women
    8. Data is the new oil and gold
    9. Amusement parks can be used for educational purposes
    10. Poverty and corruption indices rhyme for failed states
    11. Who funds global wars?
    12. Can top MNCs create a fairground for health and life?
    13. Does death scare people?
    14. Why do people make bad decisions when they can make the best ones?
    15. Men and women have different relationships
    16. Effectiveness of CBT
    17. How to manage PTSD among integrated veterans
    18. Impacts of Faith-Based Environmentalism
    19. The Rationality of War: The misconceptions of religion and political ideology
    20. Impact Of Tinnitus on Military Service Members

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  • Social media is the greatest employer today
  • ,

  • Going to space is no longer rocket science
  • ,

  • Tesla has revolutionized the world with its innovations
  • ,

  • Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are geniuses that will never get poor
  • ,

  • Plastic surgery can be done for patients with facial deformities
  • ,

  • How to communicate better with your spouse
  • ,

  • Beauty and success are the new pursuits for most women
  • ,

  • Data is the new oil and gold
  • ,

  • Amusement parks can be used for educational purposes
  • ,

  • Poverty and corruption indices rhyme for failed states
  • ,

  • Who funds global wars?
  • ,

  • Can top MNCs create a fairground for health and life?
  • ,

  • Does death scare people?
  • ,

  • Why do people make bad decisions when they can make the best ones?
  • ,

  • Men and women have different relationships
  • ,

  • Effectiveness of CBT
  • ,

  • How to manage PTSD among integrated veterans
  • ,

  • Impacts of Faith-Based Environmentalism
  • ,

  • The Rationality of War: The misconceptions of religion and political ideology
  • ,

  • Impact Of Tinnitus on Military Service Members
  • ,

    Simple Research paper topics

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    1. The link between poverty and crime
    2. Importance of diversity in the classroom
    3. Benefits of face-to-face communication
    4. How to handle stress at work
    5. Perceptions of High School Students Adaptability Challenges to Online Learning Due to Unforeseeable Circumstances
    6. High costs of college education
    7. Do grades matter?
    8. Importance of governments in enabling trade
    9. Impacts of procrastination
    10. How politics affect peace in countries
    11. Impacts of global wars on global peace
    12. How to manage leisure time
    13. Sports as a unifying factor
    14. National culture influences national culture
    15. How to become a nurse
    16. The rise of cryptocurrencies
    17. Influence of cyberbullying on children
    18. Impacts of helicopter parenting
    19. Benefits of being an authoritarian parent
    20. Impacts of media on children’s behavior
    21. Video games and violent children
    22. How video games improve innovation and creativity in children
    23. Benefits of standardized tests in schools
    24. Benefits of boarding schools
    25. Impacts of parents on school performance
    26. Impacts of class size on individual performance
    27. How to appreciate gifted children
    28. How to prepare for graduation
    29. Legal and Ethical Issues Related to Psychiatric Emergencies

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  • The link between poverty and crime
  • ,

  • Importance of diversity in the classroom
  • ,

  • Benefits of face-to-face communication
  • ,

  • How to handle stress at work
  • ,

  • Perceptions of High School Students Adaptability Challenges to Online Learning Due to Unforeseeable Circumstances
  • ,

  • High costs of college education
  • ,

  • Do grades matter?
  • ,

  • Importance of governments in enabling trade
  • ,

  • Impacts of procrastination
  • ,

  • How politics affect peace in countries
  • ,

  • Impacts of global wars on global peace
  • ,

  • How to manage leisure time
  • ,

  • Sports as a unifying factor
  • ,

  • National culture influences national culture
  • ,

  • How to become a nurse
  • ,

  • The rise of cryptocurrencies
  • ,

  • Influence of cyberbullying on children
  • ,

  • Impacts of helicopter parenting
  • ,

  • Benefits of being an authoritarian parent
  • ,

  • Impacts of media on children’s behavior
  • ,

  • Video games and violent children
  • ,

  • How video games improve innovation and creativity in children
  • ,

  • Benefits of standardized tests in schools
  • ,

  • Benefits of boarding schools
  • ,

  • Impacts of parents on school performance
  • ,

  • Impacts of class size on individual performance
  • ,

  • How to appreciate gifted children
  • ,

  • How to prepare for graduation
  • ,

  • Legal and Ethical Issues Related to Psychiatric Emergencies
  • ,

    The list of research topics above is easy to select. They are general and can be used across the board, depending on your field of study. You can already see that even the simplest of all research paper topics can be selected. It does not have to be rocket science selecting a research paper.

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    Controversial Topics to write a research paper on

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    Now, apart from the easy ones, you can choose to consider some controversial research paper topics. These are the topics that bring mixed reactions from different groups and people. Most of these topics can be related, but not limited to technology, politics, gender, human relationships, sociology, or medicine. Here are some topic suggestions:

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    1. Churches should be taxed
    2. Are some youth sports too intense?
    3. Religion should be voluntary: no parent should force their child to a given religion
    4. Religion as an enabler of terrorism
    5. Serial killers should also be killed
    6. Rapists should be castrated
    7. Governments should not adopt cryptocurrencies
    8. Pornography should be legal for adults
    9. What it feels like to be transgender in today’s world
    10. How to prevent child trafficking
    11. Sex tourism is equal to legal prostitution
    12. Police unions cannot help fight corruption
    13. Gun control alone is not effective in stopping shootings
    14. We live in an overly regulated society
    15. Gay partners and child adoption
    16. Media perpetuates violence in society
    17. Homework should be abolished
    18. Healthcare should be free
    19. Doctors and researchers should be paid better
    20. The list of wealthiest people in the world should be abolished
    21. Sex education should be taught in middle school
    22. Animals should not be used as research models
    23. Cell phones are dangerous
    24. CEOs are paid too much, yet employees work more
    25. Athletes should be held to high moral standards
    26. Couples found cheating should be punished
    27. Our tax system is unfair to the poor
    28. College education is necessary but not mandatory
    29. Same-sex marriage should be abolished
    30. Abortion should be illegal unless

    ,

  • Churches should be taxed
  • ,

  • Are some youth sports too intense?
  • ,

  • Religion should be voluntary: no parent should force their child to a given religion
  • ,

  • Religion as an enabler of terrorism
  • ,

  • Serial killers should also be killed
  • ,

  • Rapists should be castrated
  • ,

  • Governments should not adopt cryptocurrencies
  • ,

  • Pornography should be legal for adults
  • ,

  • What it feels like to be transgender in today’s world
  • ,

  • How to prevent child trafficking
  • ,

  • Sex tourism is equal to legal prostitution
  • ,

  • Police unions cannot help fight corruption
  • ,

  • Gun control alone is not effective in stopping shootings
  • ,

  • We live in an overly regulated society
  • ,

  • Gay partners and child adoption
  • ,

  • Media perpetuates violence in society
  • ,

  • Homework should be abolished
  • ,

  • Healthcare should be free
  • ,

  • Doctors and researchers should be paid better
  • ,

  • The list of wealthiest people in the world should be abolished
  • ,

  • Sex education should be taught in middle school
  • ,

  • Animals should not be used as research models
  • ,

  • Cell phones are dangerous
  • ,

  • CEOs are paid too much, yet employees work more
  • ,

  • Athletes should be held to high moral standards
  • ,

  • Couples found cheating should be punished
  • ,

  • Our tax system is unfair to the poor
  • ,

  • College education is necessary but not mandatory
  • ,

  • Same-sex marriage should be abolished
  • ,

  • Abortion should be illegal unless