Choosing a Topic for Your Research Paper
Selecting a research topic is one of the most important decisions you will make in writing your paper. Your topic will determine the direction and scope of your paper, so it’s important to choose a topic that sufficiently interests you while also having enough readily available research sources to explore. There are a few general steps you can take to choose an effective research topic:
Brainstorm Potential Topic Ideas
The first step is brainstorming all potential topics that interest you or relate to your course theme or focus. Write down anything that sparks your curiosity, even if it feels too broad or underdeveloped. At this early stage, cast a wide net and get as many ideas on the page as possible without censoring anything. Good places to start your brainstorm include:
Your interests, hobbies, areas of study or expertise
Current events in the news or major issues happening now
Past papers, books or lectures from your class
Broad themes or concepts from your course syllabus
Expertise or research areas of your professor
As you brainstorm, also start thinking about potential literature sources for each idea. Topics with readily available research will be much more manageable than overly broad or obscure topics with limited published material. Getting potential sources on your list early will help evaluate feasibility.
Narrow Your Topic List
Once you have an initial brainstormed list of 10-20 potential topics, it’s time to start narrowing down options. Revisit each idea with the following evaluation criteria in mind:
Interest level: Choose a topic you genuinely want to learn more about. Lack of interest will make the research process tedious.
Scope: Is the topic narrow enough to be thoroughly researched within your assigned page limit? Broad topics may feel impossible to adequately cover.
Available sources: Search library databases to get a sense of published books, articles, reports on each topic. Lack of sources means limited research support.
Feasibility: Consider your research abilities and time constraints. Some topics may require expertise or resources beyond the scope of an undergraduate paper.
Professor approval: Your professor needs to approve your topic. Choose something relevant to the course framework and their research expertise.
Cross off any options that don’t meet your evaluation criteria. This should refine your list to 5 strong potential topics to further explore. Discuss your narrowed options with friends, classmates, reference librarians or your professor for additional feedback before selecting your final topic.
Research Your Topic Further
Now that you’ve selected a potential topic, it’s time to conduct preliminary research to ensure it’s viable. Spend 1-2 hours researching your topic through relevant books, articles, reports and other sources. Make notes on:
Key theories, frameworks and scholarly perspectives addressed
Major arguments and debates within the research field
Potential literature sources along with their publication details
Any gaps, limitations or areas for further analysis within existing research
This preliminary research serves two key purposes:
It confirms your topic has enough published research and viewpoints to analyze, rather than being too narrow of an obscure topic.
It gives you an overview of major themes, frameworks and literature to structure your research plan and determine what specific aspect you want to analyze in more depth for your paper.
If your initial research uncovers major gaps or limitations, you may need to modify your topic or perspective. Discuss any necessary changes with your professor.
Develop a Focused Research Question
At this stage, your broad topic area is narrowed down but still quite wide-ranging. To structure your research and analysis, develop a specific research question that focuses your paper. An effective question should:
Be answerable based on research findings rather than being too broad
Guide your literature review process by signaling what sources and viewpoints to prioritize
Provide a clear framework for your analysis and argument in the paper
Consider phrasing your research question as:
How does X impact/influence Y?
In what ways does X relate to Y?
What are the implications of X for Y?
What are the debates surrounding aspect X of topic Y?
Run your research question by your professor for feedback before finalizing. From this focused question, you can now develop an outline laying out your research plan and argument structure.
Additional Research Tips
Here are some additional tips to keep in mind as you conduct research on your topic:
Use various source types like books, peer-reviewed journal articles and reputable websites. Diversity strengthens your research.
Cite authoritative sources from respected publishers, universities and research institutions when possible.
Keep detailed notes in a format like index cards that document source details fully for citations.
Stay organized with file folders for notes by source type and keep track of quotes, paraphrases and ideas for use in your analysis.
Evaluate sources for credibility, currency, intended audience and potential biases before using them in your paper.
Maintain persistence in your research as quality sources on focused topics can take time to surface.
Discuss research progress and solicit input from reference librarians, classmates and professors as needed.
Leave yourself time after research is complete to outline and draft your paper before the due date approaches.
By following this step-by-step process for choosing and then thoroughly researching your topic, you put yourself in the best position for writing a successful research paper that makes an insightful analysis and argument. Come prepared to discuss any topic-related research questions with your professor as needed.
Andrew Stroud