The Best Research Paper Topic Ideas and Guide

Last Updated: 19 July 2021

Best research paper topics

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.

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.

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.

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.

How to Select Good Research Paper Topics

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.

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.

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.

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

Read and understand the assignment prompt.

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.

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.

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.

Brainstorm for good research paper topic ideas

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.

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.

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.

Research and sieve the list of research topics

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.

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.

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.

Select your topic and research further to develop an outline

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

To eliminate a topic, here is a checklist:

Is it relevant to your field of study?

Does the topic specifically allow you to address the issues in the instructions?

Is the topic great enough to explore using theories from class?

How relevant is the topic to the course content?

Can you write a full research paper using the topic?

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.

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

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

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.

Argumentative Research Paper Topics and Ideas

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:

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?

Funny Research Topic Ideas to Consider

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.

Interesting Research Topics

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.

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

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.

Controversial Topics to write a research paper on

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:

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 justified

Girls are mean to one another

Homework: useful or harmful?

College admission should not be competitive

Students should learn at least one foreign language

Affirmative action is unfair

School teachers are not responsible for poor performance

Racing industry should be allowed to use alternative fuels

Companies should not market to children

Cigarette smoking should be banned

The use of coal and charcoal should be banned

Governments should promote healthy agricultural practices

Third world countries should not depend on foreign aid

Men should get paternity leave from work

People working together should not date one another

People with cancer should be treated for free

Big Pharma should not regulate and control prices of medicine

Being vegan affects the lives of humans

Refugees and migrants should be welcome to any country

Countries should be boundaryless

Western culture destroys other culture

Censorship is unjustified

State surveillance infringes the rights of citizens

Surrogate motherhood should be regulated

Single-sex schools should be abolished

Human cloning should not be allowed

Single parents are ostracized from the society

Convicted criminals should lead normal lives after prison

Teenage marriages should not be allowed

Military veterans should be allowed duty-free items

Euthanasia cannot count as palliative treatment

Impacts of TV on the rise of the make-up industry

Make-up and identity theft

Why Africans hate their beauty and love American beauty standards

Specific Research Paper Topics by Subject

When looking for research topic ideas for either a research paper or proposal, chances are that you need specific ones. By this, we mean the topics for a research paper specific to a given field of study. Given our existence in the industry, we have understood how to select these topics. Here are some ideas and suggestions to consider.

Biology Research Topics

Benefits of stem cells in human medicine

The role of CRISPR and Genetic engineering

How epidemiology helps solve human pandemics

Why coronavirus vaccines have taken long

Role of Prions in diseases such as mad cow diseases

How biologists can combat climate change

Role of biology in endangered species recovery

The evolution and role of synthetic biology in society

How epigenetics helps combat diseases

Hormonal changes during pregnancy

Antibiotic resistance and cell structure

Cardio exercises and hormonal changes

Genetic grounds of obesity

Depression and genes

Impacts of DNA fingerprinting on crime control

How meningitis affects people

Medicine and Health Sciences (Nursing included)

Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT)

Critical analysis of the leadership role of an RN within a nursing team

Role of communication and collaboration among the healthcare teams

Interprofessional collaboration among healthcare workers

Use of telemedicine to improve access and quality of care

Importance of not Disclosing One’s HIV/AIDs Status

Should the U.S. government provide free health care for all?

Healthcare Challenges at the End of Life

Insurance costs and availability in the USA

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) and adoption of EHR

Impacts of EHR in quality improvement in healthcare

The opioid crisis

Nurses and physician shortage in the USA

Research Paper Topics Categorized by Subjects

If you are very keen, you will notice that there are millions of topic ideas you can use for a research paper. Looking around you can as well give you a great idea. Having looked at the research paper topics from a general point of view, we can further narrow the list down to research topics by the field of study. This is a section we will endeavor to update as we discover more topic ideas. Note that you can use these specific ideas when developing your research questions and choosing research proposal topics. Ours is to get you started in terms of brainstorming.

Sociology Research Paper Topics

Impacts of social media on family bonds

Impacts of cheating on peace within families

How divorce affects children

Cross-racial adoption of children and perceptions of the society

Impacts of single parenting on kids

Challenges of helicopter parenting

The link between race and educational attainment

How racial stereotypes affect self-esteem

The link between patriotism and social status

Role of social sanctions in society

How to fight social media addiction

Are memes and funny Tik Tok videos healthy for adolescents?

Anorexia nervosa due to social media marketing

How social media has advanced the culture of photography

Social media and setting of new beauty standards

Impacts of teamwork on interpersonal skills

Origin and dangers of feminism

Effects of bullying

How to address homelessness

Does K-Pop culture and anime lead to the feminization of male youth?

Role of social media in social movements such as the #MeTOO movement

Child-free or childlessness – understanding the perceptions of the society

The Asian intolerance phenomenon in Covid-19 pandemic

Raw food diet, its benefits, and dangers

Effects of fast foods on society

Criminal Law and Justice Research Paper Topics

Criminal justice biases

Effectiveness of prisons

Does capital punishment deter crime?

Should private prisons be abolished?

Are drug courts effective

The link between social status and crime

How religion impacts crime

Understanding victimization

Biological theories of crime

Explaining crime through the anomie theory

Impacts of elderly abuse

Factors leading to juvenile delinquency

Causes and consequences of prostitution

Causes of college violence

Impacts and causes of domestic violence

How to address substance abuse among teenagers

How to combat human and organ trafficking in Africa

Social media and identity theft

Analysis of false confessions

The best suspect interrogation strategies

How transnational criminal networks operate

The ethics of prison labor

Causes and consequences of gang culture

How to reduce recidivism

How police can collaborate to end financial crimes

History Research Topics

The significance and impacts of the American revolution

The COVID-19 pandemic and the China-USA relations

The history of the Israel-Palestinian conflict

How globalization affected geographical cultures

Impacts of the Great Depression

How the Chernobyl explosion occurred

Key figures in the Atlanta campaign

The Mexican-American war

American reaction towards the Holocaust

The bubonic plague and the black death eras

Causes and consequences of civil wars

How the Dodd-Frank laws have impacted the war-torn Congo

Business Research Paper Topics

How ethical mistakes can lead to business bankruptcy

Importance of ethical codes in organizations

Causes and consequences of workplace violence

How managers can address conflict in the workplace

Impacts of COVID-19 on remote workers in organizations

How companies are using virtual teams during the COVID-19 pandemic

How wars affect the progress of MNCs

Influence of wages on productivity

How to retain employees

Leveraging staff wellbeing to improve productivity in organizations

We have a list of international business management topics that you can equally consider when writing your paper.

Music Research Topics and Ideas

Different countries have different cultures, musical instruments, and compositions. Although music research is challenging, the availability of information on the internet makes it possible to write an excellent music research paper. From the history of music to music production in modern times, there are many research ideas that one can develop a research paper topic from. We have listed some of the most recent music research paper topics and ideas to get you started.

Why reggae music is popular across the world

Impacts of pop music on global music culture

What influence does hip-hop have on blacks in the USA?

The significance of music in films

Great and famous women in music

Benefits and challenges of music therapy

The impacts of COVID-19 on the global music industry

Impacts of piracy on musicians

Different genres of music

History of opera music

History of Jazz and Blues

Famous music composers

How to teach youngsters how to make music

Is music profitable?

Can music be used for education?

The psychology of music

The evolution of country music in the USA

History of reggae music in Africa

Is reggae music linked to the use of marijuana?

The link between reggae music and the Rastafarian religion

Effects of music on mood

Effects of music on the brain

Origins of black music and how it influenced pop culture in the USA

Exploring the musical journey of Michael Jackson

Can musical sounds be patented?

Comparison between Japanese and Chinese music

How Shakespeare used music in his plays

Do the radio influence the music people listen to and love?

The impacts of jazz music

Typical musical instruments in India

Leadership Research Paper Topics

Impacts of abusive supervision on employee performance

Difference between leadership and management

Benefits of charismatic leadership

Impacts of leadership on management

Impacts of globalization on the leadership of MNCs

Application of Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness Project (GLOBE) in understanding organizational culture, leadership, and societal culture

Benefits of participative leadership in organizations

Ethical leadership and organizational culture

Impacts of performance reviews on employee performance

How transactional leadership impacts organizational success

Servant leadership and positive work culture

How leadership influences positive organizational citizenship behaviors

Women make better leaders than men

The best leadership for public sector organizations

Are good leaders born or made?

Can leadership be learned?

Transformational leadership and employee wellbeing

Impacts of leaders in technological adoption

Leaders as change advocates

Leadership in the age of the gig economy

The link between innovation, leadership, and organizational sustainability

Leadership styles and employee creativity in organizations

Leadership and organizational learning

Check out our leadership paper guide for more topics and details on how to write and get great grades.

Organizational Behavior Topics

How to measure employee reliability

Impacts of Counterproductive work behavior (CWB) in organizations

Role of employees in customer satisfaction

Diversity and creativity among employees

How to reduce cyberloafing at work

Impacts of absenteeism in an organization

How to reduce employee turnover in organizations

Strategies to engage and retain employees

How to reduce workplace incivility in organizations

Foundations of workplace violence and strategies to address it

Strategies to promote positive organizational citizenship behavior

Can surveillance reduce employee theft?

Role of whistleblowing on organizations

How to reduce lateness among employees

Strategies to boost job performance

Use of artificial intelligence to reduce absenteeism in workplaces

How to boost the social connection between leaders and employees

How to cultivate an inclusive culture that promotes interaction in the workplace

How to manage change in an organization with a multigenerational workforce

Role of mentorship and coaching in the workplace

Disaster Management Research Topics

As you set out to write a disaster management research paper, here are some hot topics to consider. We can also help with writing your disaster management answers. In addition, we offer fast and reliable disaster management assignment help. Contact us if you are stuck.

Salient vulnerabilities associated with key assets within a given sector

FEMA Whole Community and Foundation in Emergency Management

Role of NGOs in Disaster Response

Role of Disaster exercises and drills in disaster preparedness

Role of public health nurses in disaster management

Benefits of multiagency approach in disaster management

Disaster management competencies

''Hand only CPR Campaign'' Risk Communication campaign Project

Incident Command System and disaster preparedness

Active shooter preparedness and strategies

Earthquake preparedness for every child care provider

Homeland security and anti-terrorist preparedness

Role of volunteers in disaster preparedness

Responding to a hurricane disaster

Psychiatry consultation during disaster preparedness

Stormwatch! Hurricane preparedness for hospitals

Factors associated with hurricane preparedness: results of a pre-hurricane assessment

Risk assessment and management: emergency planning perspectives

Policy issues in disaster preparedness and response

Disaster risk reduction and preparedness of health facilities

Hazard mitigation and preparedness during disasters

Bioterrorism and local agency preparedness

Disaster risk reduction and emergency management in prison