Choosing a topic for a library research paper can feel overwhelming with so much information available. Focusing your topic will help guide your research in the library and make the paper more manageable. Here are some potential topics organized by subject area that students have effectively researched using library resources:
History:
Analysis of a historical event: Examine a specific battle, political movement, scientific discovery, etc. in depth using primary and secondary sources. Events like the American Civil War, women’s suffrage movement, or invention of the telephone can provide rich material.
Biography of an important figure: Research the life and accomplishments of someone influential like Martin Luther King Jr., Marie Curie, or Alexander the Great. Analyze their impact and how they were products of their time.
Social or political movements over time: Trace the development and evolution of ideas/causes like civil rights, environmentalism, or women’s rights from their origins to modern day.
Comparative history: Analyze and compare two or more historical time periods, cultures, events, or groups of people to gain perspective. For example, compare medieval Europe and ancient China or the US Civil Rights Movement to Indian independence.
Literature:
Analysis of a literary work: Closely examine a novel, play, or poem through the lens of themes, characters, styles, context, etc. Classics often studied are works like The Great Gatsby, Hamlet, or Song of Solomon.
Literary period or genre study: Research the defining elements of periods like Romanticism or the Harlem Renaissance or genres like magical realism orbildungsroman and include works as examples.
Biography of an author: Investigate the life and writing process of influential writers like Toni Morrison, Ernest Hemingway, or Emily Dickinson and how their experiences shaped their work.
Comparative analysis of two authors: Compare and contrast themes, styles, and subject matter in the writings of peer authors like Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters or T.S. Eliot and Ezra Pound.
Science & Technology:
Scientific theory or discovery: Trace the progression and evidence for theories of evolution, relativity, or cell theory or inventions like vaccines, computers, or plate tectonics.
Medical or health topic: Research a condition, treatment, or public health issue like cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, obesity epidemics, or antibiotic resistance.
Environmental science topic: Study pressing issues surrounding climate change, pollution, sustainability, or conservation through a science lens. Topics could be recycling, deforestation, renewable energy sources.
Technology impact: Analyze the societal effects of technologies like smartphones, social media, genetic engineering through their advantages, drawbacks on communities, and future implications.
Social Sciences:
Sociological issue: Research topics involving people and social behaviors like poverty, immigration, education policy, racial profiling, drug use, gang activity, or marital trends over generations.
Psychological concept: Analyze behaviorism, cognitive theories, mental disorders, development across the lifespan, dreams, motivation or other psychology oriented issues.
Political issues: Study topics relating to governments, elections, policy debates, activism and civic participation, both in the US and worldwide. Consider international relations factors as well.
Economic factors: Research financial topics like recessions, free trade, income inequality, organized labor movements, corporate influence, or financial literacy challenges through historical and contemporary angles using political science and sociological perspectives too.
Multidisciplinary Topics:
Some issues invite consideration of ideas that span across humanities, science and social science disciplines. For example:
Environmental justice: Analyze the disproportionate health and socioeconomic impacts of pollution and natural disasters on marginalized groups.
Digital privacy/surveillance: Explore the philosophical, technological and policy implications raised by big data and widespread monitoring capabilities.
Health disparities: Research spatial, socioeconomic and cultural determinants of disease incidence, treatment access and health outcomes between demographic groups.
Globalization impacts: Study transnational cultural diffusion, economic interdependence and political integration trends across borders from a mix of historical, sociological and political standpoints.
The key is to identify a topic that sparks personal interest as passion will motivate independent research. Consulting with librarians can point students towards databases, reference works and approach options geared towards their particular questions. With focus and diligent investigation of topic-relevant library holdings, any of these areas provide rich ground for effective research papers.