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Writing a Research Paper
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The pages in this section provide detailed information about how to write research papers including discussing research papers as a genre, choosing topics, and finding sources.
The Research Paper
There will come a time in most students' careers when they are assigned a research paper. Such an assignment often creates a great deal of unneeded anxiety in the student, which may result in procrastination and a feeling of confusion and inadequacy. This anxiety frequently stems from the fact that many students are unfamiliar and inexperienced with this genre of writing. Never fear—inexperience and unfamiliarity are situations you can change through practice! Writing a research paper is an essential aspect of academics and should not be avoided on account of one's anxiety. In fact, the process of writing a research paper can be one of the more rewarding experiences one may encounter in academics. What is more, many students will continue to do research throughout their careers, which is one of the reasons this topic is so important.
Becoming an experienced researcher and writer in any field or discipline takes a great deal of practice. There are few individuals for whom this process comes naturally. Remember, even the most seasoned academic veterans have had to learn how to write a research paper at some point in their career. Therefore, with diligence, organization, practice, a willingness to learn (and to make mistakes!), and, perhaps most important of all, patience, students will find that they can achieve great things through their research and writing.
The pages in this section cover the following topic areas related to the process of writing a research paper:
- Genre - This section will provide an overview for understanding the difference between an analytical and argumentative research paper.
- Choosing a Topic - This section will guide the student through the process of choosing topics, whether the topic be one that is assigned or one that the student chooses themselves.
- Identifying an Audience - This section will help the student understand the often times confusing topic of audience by offering some basic guidelines for the process.
- Where Do I Begin - This section concludes the handout by offering several links to resources at Purdue, and also provides an overview of the final stages of writing a research paper.
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How to Write a Research Paper | A Beginner's Guide
A research paper is a piece of academic writing that provides analysis, interpretation, and argument based on in-depth independent research.
Research papers are similar to academic essays , but they are usually longer and more detailed assignments, designed to assess not only your writing skills but also your skills in scholarly research. Writing a research paper requires you to demonstrate a strong knowledge of your topic, engage with a variety of sources, and make an original contribution to the debate.
This step-by-step guide takes you through the entire writing process, from understanding your assignment to proofreading your final draft.
Table of contents
Understand the assignment, choose a research paper topic, conduct preliminary research, develop a thesis statement, create a research paper outline, write a first draft of the research paper, write the introduction, write a compelling body of text, write the conclusion, the second draft, the revision process, research paper checklist, free lecture slides.
Completing a research paper successfully means accomplishing the specific tasks set out for you. Before you start, make sure you thoroughly understanding the assignment task sheet:
- Read it carefully, looking for anything confusing you might need to clarify with your professor.
- Identify the assignment goal, deadline, length specifications, formatting, and submission method.
- Make a bulleted list of the key points, then go back and cross completed items off as you’re writing.
Carefully consider your timeframe and word limit: be realistic, and plan enough time to research, write, and edit.
There are many ways to generate an idea for a research paper, from brainstorming with pen and paper to talking it through with a fellow student or professor.
You can try free writing, which involves taking a broad topic and writing continuously for two or three minutes to identify absolutely anything relevant that could be interesting.
You can also gain inspiration from other research. The discussion or recommendations sections of research papers often include ideas for other specific topics that require further examination.
Once you have a broad subject area, narrow it down to choose a topic that interests you, m eets the criteria of your assignment, and i s possible to research. Aim for ideas that are both original and specific:
- A paper following the chronology of World War II would not be original or specific enough.
- A paper on the experience of Danish citizens living close to the German border during World War II would be specific and could be original enough.
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Note any discussions that seem important to the topic, and try to find an issue that you can focus your paper around. Use a variety of sources , including journals, books, and reliable websites, to ensure you do not miss anything glaring.
Do not only verify the ideas you have in mind, but look for sources that contradict your point of view.
- Is there anything people seem to overlook in the sources you research?
- Are there any heated debates you can address?
- Do you have a unique take on your topic?
- Have there been some recent developments that build on the extant research?
In this stage, you might find it helpful to formulate some research questions to help guide you. To write research questions, try to finish the following sentence: “I want to know how/what/why…”
A thesis statement is a statement of your central argument — it establishes the purpose and position of your paper. If you started with a research question, the thesis statement should answer it. It should also show what evidence and reasoning you’ll use to support that answer.
The thesis statement should be concise, contentious, and coherent. That means it should briefly summarize your argument in a sentence or two, make a claim that requires further evidence or analysis, and make a coherent point that relates to every part of the paper.
You will probably revise and refine the thesis statement as you do more research, but it can serve as a guide throughout the writing process. Every paragraph should aim to support and develop this central claim.
A research paper outline is essentially a list of the key topics, arguments, and evidence you want to include, divided into sections with headings so that you know roughly what the paper will look like before you start writing.
A structure outline can help make the writing process much more efficient, so it’s worth dedicating some time to create one.
Your first draft won’t be perfect — you can polish later on. Your priorities at this stage are as follows:
- Maintaining forward momentum — write now, perfect later.
- Paying attention to clear organization and logical ordering of paragraphs and sentences, which will help when you come to the second draft.
- Expressing your ideas as clearly as possible, so you know what you were trying to say when you come back to the text.
You do not need to start by writing the introduction. Begin where it feels most natural for you — some prefer to finish the most difficult sections first, while others choose to start with the easiest part. If you created an outline, use it as a map while you work.
Do not delete large sections of text. If you begin to dislike something you have written or find it doesn’t quite fit, move it to a different document, but don’t lose it completely — you never know if it might come in useful later.
Paragraph structure
Paragraphs are the basic building blocks of research papers. Each one should focus on a single claim or idea that helps to establish the overall argument or purpose of the paper.
Example paragraph
George Orwell’s 1946 essay “Politics and the English Language” has had an enduring impact on thought about the relationship between politics and language. This impact is particularly obvious in light of the various critical review articles that have recently referenced the essay. For example, consider Mark Falcoff’s 2009 article in The National Review Online, “The Perversion of Language; or, Orwell Revisited,” in which he analyzes several common words (“activist,” “civil-rights leader,” “diversity,” and more). Falcoff’s close analysis of the ambiguity built into political language intentionally mirrors Orwell’s own point-by-point analysis of the political language of his day. Even 63 years after its publication, Orwell’s essay is emulated by contemporary thinkers.
Citing sources
It’s also important to keep track of citations at this stage to avoid accidental plagiarism . Each time you use a source, make sure to take note of where the information came from.
You can use our free citation generators to automatically create citations and save your reference list as you go.
APA Citation Generator MLA Citation Generator
The research paper introduction should address three questions: What, why, and how? After finishing the introduction, the reader should know what the paper is about, why it is worth reading, and how you’ll build your arguments.
What? Be specific about the topic of the paper, introduce the background, and define key terms or concepts.
Why? This is the most important, but also the most difficult, part of the introduction. Try to provide brief answers to the following questions: What new material or insight are you offering? What important issues does your essay help define or answer?
How? To let the reader know what to expect from the rest of the paper, the introduction should include a “map” of what will be discussed, briefly presenting the key elements of the paper in chronological order.
The major struggle faced by most writers is how to organize the information presented in the paper, which is one reason an outline is so useful. However, remember that the outline is only a guide and, when writing, you can be flexible with the order in which the information and arguments are presented.
One way to stay on track is to use your thesis statement and topic sentences . Check:
- topic sentences against the thesis statement;
- topic sentences against each other, for similarities and logical ordering;
- and each sentence against the topic sentence of that paragraph.
Be aware of paragraphs that seem to cover the same things. If two paragraphs discuss something similar, they must approach that topic in different ways. Aim to create smooth transitions between sentences, paragraphs, and sections.
The research paper conclusion is designed to help your reader out of the paper’s argument, giving them a sense of finality.
Trace the course of the paper, emphasizing how it all comes together to prove your thesis statement. Give the paper a sense of finality by making sure the reader understands how you’ve settled the issues raised in the introduction.
You might also discuss the more general consequences of the argument, outline what the paper offers to future students of the topic, and suggest any questions the paper’s argument raises but cannot or does not try to answer.
You should not :
- Offer new arguments or essential information
- Take up any more space than necessary
- Begin with stock phrases that signal you are ending the paper (e.g. “In conclusion”)
There are four main considerations when it comes to the second draft.
- Check how your vision of the paper lines up with the first draft and, more importantly, that your paper still answers the assignment.
- Identify any assumptions that might require (more substantial) justification, keeping your reader’s perspective foremost in mind. Remove these points if you cannot substantiate them further.
- Be open to rearranging your ideas. Check whether any sections feel out of place and whether your ideas could be better organized.
- If you find that old ideas do not fit as well as you anticipated, you should cut them out or condense them. You might also find that new and well-suited ideas occurred to you during the writing of the first draft — now is the time to make them part of the paper.
The goal during the revision and proofreading process is to ensure you have completed all the necessary tasks and that the paper is as well-articulated as possible.
Global concerns
- Confirm that your paper completes every task specified in your assignment sheet.
- Check for logical organization and flow of paragraphs.
- Check paragraphs against the introduction and thesis statement.
Fine-grained details
Check the content of each paragraph, making sure that:
- each sentence helps support the topic sentence.
- no unnecessary or irrelevant information is present.
- all technical terms your audience might not know are identified.
Next, think about sentence structure , grammatical errors, and formatting . Check that you have correctly used transition words and phrases to show the connections between your ideas. Look for typos, cut unnecessary words, and check for consistency in aspects such as heading formatting and spellings .
Finally, you need to make sure your paper is correctly formatted according to the rules of the citation style you are using. For example, you might need to include an MLA heading or create an APA title page .
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Checklist: Research paper
I have followed all instructions in the assignment sheet.
My introduction presents my topic in an engaging way and provides necessary background information.
My introduction presents a clear, focused research problem and/or thesis statement .
My paper is logically organized using paragraphs and (if relevant) section headings .
Each paragraph is clearly focused on one central idea, expressed in a clear topic sentence .
Each paragraph is relevant to my research problem or thesis statement.
I have used appropriate transitions to clarify the connections between sections, paragraphs, and sentences.
My conclusion provides a concise answer to the research question or emphasizes how the thesis has been supported.
My conclusion shows how my research has contributed to knowledge or understanding of my topic.
My conclusion does not present any new points or information essential to my argument.
I have provided an in-text citation every time I refer to ideas or information from a source.
I have included a reference list at the end of my paper, consistently formatted according to a specific citation style .
I have thoroughly revised my paper and addressed any feedback from my professor or supervisor.
I have followed all formatting guidelines (page numbers, headers, spacing, etc.).
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- USC Libraries
- Research Guides
Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper
- Academic Writing Style
- Purpose of Guide
- Design Flaws to Avoid
- Independent and Dependent Variables
- Glossary of Research Terms
- Reading Research Effectively
- Narrowing a Topic Idea
- Broadening a Topic Idea
- Extending the Timeliness of a Topic Idea
- Choosing a Title
- Making an Outline
- Paragraph Development
- Research Process Video Series
- Executive Summary
- The C.A.R.S. Model
- Background Information
- The Research Problem/Question
- Theoretical Framework
- Citation Tracking
- Content Alert Services
- Evaluating Sources
- Primary Sources
- Secondary Sources
- Tiertiary Sources
- Scholarly vs. Popular Publications
- Qualitative Methods
- Quantitative Methods
- Insiderness
- Using Non-Textual Elements
- Limitations of the Study
- Common Grammar Mistakes
- Writing Concisely
- Avoiding Plagiarism
- Footnotes or Endnotes?
- Further Readings
- Bibliography
Academic writing refers to a style of expression that researchers use to define the intellectual boundaries of their disciplines and specific areas of expertise. Characteristics of academic writing include a formal tone, use of the third-person rather than first-person perspective (usually), a clear focus on the research problem under investigation, and precise word choice. Like specialist languages adopted in other professions, such as, law or medicine, academic writing is designed to convey agreed meaning about complex ideas or concepts within a community of scholarly experts and practitioners.
Academic Writing. Writing Center. Colorado Technical College; Hartley, James. Academic Writing and Publishing: A Practical Guide . New York: Routledge, 2008; Ezza, El-Sadig Y. and Touria Drid. T eaching Academic Writing as a Discipline-Specific Skill in Higher Education . Hershey, PA: IGI Global, 2020.
Importance of Good Academic Writing
The accepted form of academic writing in the social sciences can vary considerable depending on the methodological framework and the intended audience. However, most college-level research papers require careful attention to the following stylistic elements:
I. The Big Picture Unlike creative or journalistic writing, the overall structure of academic writing is formal and logical. It must be cohesive and possess a logically organized flow of ideas; this means that the various parts are connected to form a unified whole. There should be narrative links between sentences and paragraphs so that the reader is able to follow your argument. The introduction should include a description of how the rest of the paper is organized and all sources are properly cited throughout the paper.
II. Tone The overall tone refers to the attitude conveyed in a piece of writing. Throughout your paper, it is important that you present the arguments of others fairly and with an appropriate narrative tone. When presenting a position or argument that you disagree with, describe this argument accurately and without loaded or biased language. In academic writing, the author is expected to investigate the research problem from an authoritative point of view. You should, therefore, state the strengths of your arguments confidently, using language that is neutral, not confrontational or dismissive.
III. Diction Diction refers to the choice of words you use. Awareness of the words you use is important because words that have almost the same denotation [dictionary definition] can have very different connotations [implied meanings]. This is particularly true in academic writing because words and terminology can evolve a nuanced meaning that describes a particular idea, concept, or phenomenon derived from the epistemological culture of that discipline [e.g., the concept of rational choice in political science]. Therefore, use concrete words [not general] that convey a specific meaning. If this cannot be done without confusing the reader, then you need to explain what you mean within the context of how that word or phrase is used within a discipline.
IV. Language The investigation of research problems in the social sciences is often complex and multi- dimensional . Therefore, it is important that you use unambiguous language. Well-structured paragraphs and clear topic sentences enable a reader to follow your line of thinking without difficulty. Your language should be concise, formal, and express precisely what you want it to mean. Do not use vague expressions that are not specific or precise enough for the reader to derive exact meaning ["they," "we," "people," "the organization," etc.], abbreviations like 'i.e.' ["in other words"], 'e.g.' ["for example"], or 'a.k.a.' ["also known as"], and the use of unspecific determinate words ["super," "very," "incredible," "huge," etc.].
V. Punctuation Scholars rely on precise words and language to establish the narrative tone of their work and, therefore, punctuation marks are used very deliberately. For example, exclamation points are rarely used to express a heightened tone because it can come across as unsophisticated or over-excited. Dashes should be limited to the insertion of an explanatory comment in a sentence, while hyphens should be limited to connecting prefixes to words [e.g., multi-disciplinary] or when forming compound phrases [e.g., commander-in-chief]. Finally, understand that semi-colons represent a pause that is longer than a comma, but shorter than a period in a sentence. In general, there are four grammatical uses of semi-colons: when a second clause expands or explains the first clause; to describe a sequence of actions or different aspects of the same topic; placed before clauses which begin with "nevertheless", "therefore", "even so," and "for instance”; and, to mark off a series of phrases or clauses which contain commas. If you are not confident about when to use semi-colons [and most of the time, they are not required for proper punctuation], rewrite using shorter sentences or revise the paragraph.
VI. Academic Conventions Citing sources in the body of your paper and providing a list of references as either footnotes or endnotes is a key feature of academic writing. It is essential to always acknowledge the source of any ideas, research findings, data, paraphrased, or quoted text that you have used in your paper as a defense against allegations of plagiarism. Even more important, the scholarly convention of citing sources allow readers to identify the resources you used in writing your paper so they can independently verify and assess the quality of findings and conclusions based on your review of the literature. Examples of other academic conventions to follow include the appropriate use of headings and subheadings, properly spelling out acronyms when first used in the text, avoiding slang or colloquial language, avoiding emotive language or unsupported declarative statements, avoiding contractions [e.g., isn't], and using first person and second person pronouns only when necessary.
VII. Evidence-Based Reasoning Assignments often ask you to express your own point of view about the research problem. However, what is valued in academic writing is that statements are based on evidence-based reasoning. This refers to possessing a clear understanding of the pertinent body of knowledge and academic debates that exist within, and often external to, your discipline concerning the topic. You need to support your arguments with evidence from scholarly [i.e., academic or peer-reviewed] sources. It should be an objective stance presented as a logical argument; the quality of the evidence you cite will determine the strength of your argument. The objective is to convince the reader of the validity of your thoughts through a well-documented, coherent, and logically structured piece of writing. This is particularly important when proposing solutions to problems or delineating recommended courses of action.
VIII. Thesis-Driven Academic writing is “thesis-driven,” meaning that the starting point is a particular perspective, idea, or position applied to the chosen topic of investigation, such as, establishing, proving, or disproving solutions to the questions applied to investigating the research problem. Note that a problem statement without the research questions does not qualify as academic writing because simply identifying the research problem does not establish for the reader how you will contribute to solving the problem, what aspects you believe are most critical, or suggest a method for gathering information or data to better understand the problem.
IX. Complexity and Higher-Order Thinking Academic writing addresses complex issues that require higher-order thinking skills applied to understanding the research problem [e.g., critical, reflective, logical, and creative thinking as opposed to, for example, descriptive or prescriptive thinking]. Higher-order thinking skills include cognitive processes that are used to comprehend, solve problems, and express concepts or that describe abstract ideas that cannot be easily acted out, pointed to, or shown with images. Think of your writing this way: One of the most important attributes of a good teacher is the ability to explain complexity in a way that is understandable and relatable to the topic being presented during class. This is also one of the main functions of academic writing--examining and explaining the significance of complex ideas as clearly as possible. As a writer, you must adopt the role of a good teacher by summarizing complex information into a well-organized synthesis of ideas, concepts, and recommendations that contribute to a better understanding of the research problem.
Academic Writing. Writing Center. Colorado Technical College; Hartley, James. Academic Writing and Publishing: A Practical Guide . New York: Routledge, 2008; Murray, Rowena and Sarah Moore. The Handbook of Academic Writing: A Fresh Approach . New York: Open University Press, 2006; Johnson, Roy. Improve Your Writing Skills . Manchester, UK: Clifton Press, 1995; Nygaard, Lynn P. Writing for Scholars: A Practical Guide to Making Sense and Being Heard . Second edition. Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications, 2015; Silvia, Paul J. How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing . Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2007; Style, Diction, Tone, and Voice. Writing Center, Wheaton College; Sword, Helen. Stylish Academic Writing . Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2012.
Strategies for...
Understanding Academic Writing and Its Jargon
The very definition of research jargon is language specific to a particular community of practitioner-researchers . Therefore, in modern university life, jargon represents the specific language and meaning assigned to words and phrases specific to a discipline or area of study. For example, the idea of being rational may hold the same general meaning in both political science and psychology, but its application to understanding and explaining phenomena within the research domain of a each discipline may have subtle differences based upon how scholars in that discipline apply the concept to the theories and practice of their work.
Given this, it is important that specialist terminology [i.e., jargon] must be used accurately and applied under the appropriate conditions . Subject-specific dictionaries are the best places to confirm the meaning of terms within the context of a specific discipline. These can be found by either searching in the USC Libraries catalog by entering the disciplinary and the word dictionary [e.g., sociology and dictionary] or using a database such as Credo Reference [a curated collection of subject encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, guides from highly regarded publishers] . It is appropriate for you to use specialist language within your field of study, but you should avoid using such language when writing for non-academic or general audiences.
Problems with Opaque Writing
A common criticism of scholars is that they can utilize needlessly complex syntax or overly expansive vocabulary that is impenetrable or not well-defined. When writing, avoid problems associated with opaque writing by keeping in mind the following:
1. Excessive use of specialized terminology . Yes, it is appropriate for you to use specialist language and a formal style of expression in academic writing, but it does not mean using "big words" just for the sake of doing so. Overuse of complex or obscure words or writing complicated sentence constructions gives readers the impression that your paper is more about style than substance; it leads the reader to question if you really know what you are talking about. Focus on creating clear, concise, and elegant prose that minimizes reliance on specialized terminology.
2. Inappropriate use of specialized terminology . Because you are dealing with concepts, research, and data within your discipline, you need to use the technical language appropriate to that area of study. However, nothing will undermine the validity of your study quicker than the inappropriate application of a term or concept. Avoid using terms whose meaning you are unsure of--do not just guess or assume! Consult the meaning of terms in specialized, discipline-specific dictionaries by searching the USC Libraries catalog or the Credo Reference database [see above].
Additional Problems to Avoid
In addition to understanding the use of specialized language, there are other aspects of academic writing in the social sciences that you should be aware of. These problems include:
- Personal nouns . Excessive use of personal nouns [e.g., I, me, you, us] may lead the reader to believe the study was overly subjective. These words can be interpreted as being used only to avoid presenting empirical evidence about the research problem. Limit the use of personal nouns to descriptions of things you actually did [e.g., "I interviewed ten teachers about classroom management techniques..."]. Note that personal nouns are generally found in the discussion section of a paper because this is where you as the author/researcher interpret and describe your work.
- Directives . Avoid directives that demand the reader to "do this" or "do that." Directives should be framed as evidence-based recommendations or goals leading to specific outcomes. Note that an exception to this can be found in various forms of action research that involve evidence-based advocacy for social justice or transformative change. Within this area of the social sciences, authors may offer directives for action in a declarative tone of urgency.
- Informal, conversational tone using slang and idioms . Academic writing relies on excellent grammar and precise word structure. Your narrative should not include regional dialects or slang terms because they can be open to interpretation. Your writing should be direct and concise using standard English.
- Wordiness. Focus on being concise, straightforward, and developing a narrative that does not have confusing language . By doing so, you help eliminate the possibility of the reader misinterpreting the design and purpose of your study.
- Vague expressions (e.g., "they," "we," "people," "the company," "that area," etc.). Being concise in your writing also includes avoiding vague references to persons, places, or things. While proofreading your paper, be sure to look for and edit any vague or imprecise statements that lack context or specificity.
- Numbered lists and bulleted items . The use of bulleted items or lists should be used only if the narrative dictates a need for clarity. For example, it is fine to state, "The four main problems with hedge funds are:" and then list them as 1, 2, 3, 4. However, in academic writing, this must then be followed by detailed explanation and analysis of each item. Given this, the question you should ask yourself while proofreading is: why begin with a list in the first place rather than just starting with systematic analysis of each item arranged in separate paragraphs? Also, be careful using numbers because they can imply a ranked order of priority or importance. If none exists, use bullets and avoid checkmarks or other symbols.
- Descriptive writing . Describing a research problem is an important means of contextualizing a study. In fact, some description or background information may be needed because you can not assume the reader knows the key aspects of the topic. However, the content of your paper should focus on methodology, the analysis and interpretation of findings, and their implications as they apply to the research problem rather than background information and descriptions of tangential issues.
- Personal experience. Drawing upon personal experience [e.g., traveling abroad; caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease] can be an effective way of introducing the research problem or engaging your readers in understanding its significance. Use personal experience only as an example, though, because academic writing relies on evidence-based research. To do otherwise is simply story-telling.
NOTE: Rules concerning excellent grammar and precise word structure do not apply when quoting someone. A quote should be inserted in the text of your paper exactly as it was stated. If the quote is especially vague or hard to understand, consider paraphrasing it or using a different quote to convey the same meaning. Consider inserting the term "sic" in brackets after the quoted text to indicate that the quotation has been transcribed exactly as found in the original source, but the source had grammar, spelling, or other errors. The adverb sic informs the reader that the errors are not yours.
Academic Writing. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Academic Writing Style. First-Year Seminar Handbook. Mercer University; Bem, Daryl J. Writing the Empirical Journal Article. Cornell University; College Writing. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Murray, Rowena and Sarah Moore. The Handbook of Academic Writing: A Fresh Approach . New York: Open University Press, 2006; Johnson, Eileen S. “Action Research.” In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education . Edited by George W. Noblit and Joseph R. Neikirk. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2020); Oppenheimer, Daniel M. "Consequences of Erudite Vernacular Utilized Irrespective of Necessity: Problems with Using Long Words Needlessly." Applied Cognitive Psychology 20 (2006): 139-156; Ezza, El-Sadig Y. and Touria Drid. T eaching Academic Writing as a Discipline-Specific Skill in Higher Education . Hershey, PA: IGI Global, 2020; Pernawan, Ari. Common Flaws in Students' Research Proposals. English Education Department. Yogyakarta State University; Style. College Writing. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Invention: Five Qualities of Good Writing. The Reading/Writing Center. Hunter College; Sword, Helen. Stylish Academic Writing . Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2012; What Is an Academic Paper? Institute for Writing Rhetoric. Dartmouth College.
Structure and Writing Style
I. Improving Academic Writing
To improve your academic writing skills, you should focus your efforts on three key areas: 1. Clear Writing . The act of thinking about precedes the process of writing about. Good writers spend sufficient time distilling information and reviewing major points from the literature they have reviewed before creating their work. Writing detailed outlines can help you clearly organize your thoughts. Effective academic writing begins with solid planning, so manage your time carefully. 2. Excellent Grammar . Needless to say, English grammar can be difficult and complex; even the best scholars take many years before they have a command of the major points of good grammar. Take the time to learn the major and minor points of good grammar. Spend time practicing writing and seek detailed feedback from professors. Take advantage of the Writing Center on campus if you need help. Proper punctuation and good proofreading skills can significantly improve academic writing [see sub-tab for proofreading you paper ].
Refer to these three basic resources to help your grammar and writing skills:
- A good writing reference book, such as, Strunk and White’s book, The Elements of Style or the St. Martin's Handbook ;
- A college-level dictionary, such as, Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary ;
- The latest edition of Roget's Thesaurus in Dictionary Form .
3. Consistent Stylistic Approach . Whether your professor expresses a preference to use MLA, APA or the Chicago Manual of Style or not, choose one style manual and stick to it. Each of these style manuals provide rules on how to write out numbers, references, citations, footnotes, and lists. Consistent adherence to a style of writing helps with the narrative flow of your paper and improves its readability. Note that some disciplines require a particular style [e.g., education uses APA] so as you write more papers within your major, your familiarity with it will improve.
II. Evaluating Quality of Writing
A useful approach for evaluating the quality of your academic writing is to consider the following issues from the perspective of the reader. While proofreading your final draft, critically assess the following elements in your writing.
- It is shaped around one clear research problem, and it explains what that problem is from the outset.
- Your paper tells the reader why the problem is important and why people should know about it.
- You have accurately and thoroughly informed the reader what has already been published about this problem or others related to it and noted important gaps in the research.
- You have provided evidence to support your argument that the reader finds convincing.
- The paper includes a description of how and why particular evidence was collected and analyzed, and why specific theoretical arguments or concepts were used.
- The paper is made up of paragraphs, each containing only one controlling idea.
- You indicate how each section of the paper addresses the research problem.
- You have considered counter-arguments or counter-examples where they are relevant.
- Arguments, evidence, and their significance have been presented in the conclusion.
- Limitations of your research have been explained as evidence of the potential need for further study.
- The narrative flows in a clear, accurate, and well-organized way.
Boscoloa, Pietro, Barbara Arféb, and Mara Quarisaa. “Improving the Quality of Students' Academic Writing: An Intervention Study.” Studies in Higher Education 32 (August 2007): 419-438; Academic Writing. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Academic Writing Style. First-Year Seminar Handbook. Mercer University; Bem, Daryl J. Writing the Empirical Journal Article. Cornell University; Candlin, Christopher. Academic Writing Step-By-Step: A Research-based Approach . Bristol, CT: Equinox Publishing Ltd., 2016; College Writing. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Style . College Writing. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Invention: Five Qualities of Good Writing. The Reading/Writing Center. Hunter College; Sword, Helen. Stylish Academic Writing . Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2012; What Is an Academic Paper? Institute for Writing Rhetoric. Dartmouth College.
Writing Tip
Considering the Passive Voice in Academic Writing
In the English language, we are able to construct sentences in the following way: 1. "The policies of Congress caused the economic crisis." 2. "The economic crisis was caused by the policies of Congress."
The decision about which sentence to use is governed by whether you want to focus on “Congress” and what they did, or on “the economic crisis” and what caused it. This choice in focus is achieved with the use of either the active or the passive voice. When you want your readers to focus on the "doer" of an action, you can make the "doer"' the subject of the sentence and use the active form of the verb. When you want readers to focus on the person, place, or thing affected by the action, or the action itself, you can make the effect or the action the subject of the sentence by using the passive form of the verb.
Often in academic writing, scholars don't want to focus on who is doing an action, but on who is receiving or experiencing the consequences of that action. The passive voice is useful in academic writing because it allows writers to highlight the most important participants or events within sentences by placing them at the beginning of the sentence.
Use the passive voice when:
- You want to focus on the person, place, or thing affected by the action, or the action itself;
- It is not important who or what did the action;
- You want to be impersonal or more formal.
Form the passive voice by:
- Turning the object of the active sentence into the subject of the passive sentence.
- Changing the verb to a passive form by adding the appropriate form of the verb "to be" and the past participle of the main verb.
NOTE: Consult with your professor about using the passive voice before submitting your research paper. Some strongly discourage its use!
Active and Passive Voice. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Diefenbach, Paul. Future of Digital Media Syllabus. Drexel University; Passive Voice. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina.
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How to Write a College Research Paper (With Examples)
- by Daniel Friedman
- 9 minute read
Want to know how to write A+ essays from an A+ student? This guide will show you how to write a college research paper perfectly!
Some of the most common assignments you will receive in college are essays. They can be intimidating and time consuming, but they don’t have to be.
I’m going to share with you how I approach essays, from the initial preparation, to how I create an outline which basically writes the essay for me.
Let’s get started!
Before you write your college research paper, it’s essential that you review the guidelines of your essay.
Create a document with the following basic guidelines of the paper:
- The number of sources needed
- Where your sources have to come from
This gives you an easy place to refer back to without reading the whole page of guidelines everytime.
I recommend using the same document to write your outline so you have everything in one place at all times.
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Research question example.
Writing out your research question (if necessary) or topic up front is really helpful as well. Do a bit of googling on several topics that match your prompt.
For example, if the prompt is to pick a historical event between 1950-1970 which impacted the United States in a negative way and explain the history of the event, how it impacted the US when it occurred, and the effects of the event, you’ll want to begin by looking up historical events between 1950 and 1970 which were impactful for the United States.
From there, choose events which have a lot of research essays, news articles, and papers written about them.
This just makes it a lot easier to find research to back up your essay claims compared to picking a niche topic with only 2 papers written about them.
This will also allow you to create a more original essay because there’s more research to choose from than merely 2 academic essays.
How to Research for a College Paper
To write a college research paper, it boils to down to one main thing… the research.
Often professors will give you guidelines as to where your research must come from. Remember to pay attention to these guidelines and use the databases your professor suggests.
Use databases provided by your university library’s website that match the genre you’re writing about. If it’s a history paper, be sure to use a historical database. Same for political science, english, or any other subject.
Research Example
With the example we’ve been working with, let’s say we chose the Cuban Missile Crisis as our event. I would then type the Cuban Missile Crisis into my database and see what academic papers come up.
There will be LOTS of options with a topic like the Cuban missile crisis which is good.
It can also be a bit daunting, so it may help to add something a little more specific to your search.
For example, searching “Cuban Missile Crisis long term effects on the United States” may give you a better pool of options for the “effects” portion of your essay. Doing the same for each section will help you find the right research papers for your essay.
You will need to read through several research papers. I say need because this is what will help you write MUCH better papers. By reading through a good few papers, you not only gain a much better understanding of what your topic is about, but it helps you figure out which papers are the best for your topic.
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Start taking notes of the papers. This is super important when you need lots of sources.
When more than 5 sources are needed, reading so many papers without taking notes means you will forget everything you’ve read. You can then refer back to these notes and quotes when writing out your essay, and you’ll easily know which source to use for your point and which source to cite.
Keep in mind, your notes don’t have to be crazy. Getting the general idea with a few key points to recite back to is all you need to sort out the best ideas.
How to Create an Effective Outline
Once you know the instructions, the topic, and which research you’ll be pulling from, the next step is an outline. Each outline differs based on what your professor asks of you, but I will give you several examples of different outlines.
Always begin an outline by writing out the basic structure of your paper. Most papers will start with an introduction, followed by several sections/paragraphs depending on the length of your paper, and ending with a conclusion.
For longer essays, the best approach is to create sections. Sections will be titled based on the content, and split up into paragraphs within the section.
Sample College Research Paper Outline
If we continue with the aforementioned example prompt, this is how the sections would be split up:
- Introduction
- Background/history
- The Cuban Missile Crisis (a description of the event and how it impacted the United States)
- Effects of the Cuban Missile Crisis
Your introduction and conclusion should be short. Most professors don’t want a lot of information in those two sections, and prefer instead that you put the bulk of your essay into the main sections.
Your introduction should include the following:
- Your research question/topic
- The context of the event (what’s going on in the United States around the time of the event)
- A brief overview of what your paper talks about.
This includes your thesis!
Your conclusion is merely a summary of what you spoke about in your paper. Do not include new information in your conclusion! Doing so takes away from what the paper was really about and confuses the reader.
In your outline, bullet point these things so you know exactly what to write out in your essay.
Related Post: 10 Time Management Tips for College Students
Creating proper sections.
The most important part of your outline is your sections. This is where you’ll bullet point exactly what you’ll be talking about, and which research/sources you will be pulling from.
Group your sources based on which section they go into. If it’s a good source on the context of your main topic, put it under your background section with your source notes included, and create points based on that research.
This is generally how you should outline your college research paper. By already having your sources, notes from those sources, and creating points based on it, You’ll already have the bulk of your paper mapped out.
Theories and Hypotheses
Some research papers require you to come up with a theory made up of hypotheses. Your hypothesis will be based on your research question if this is the case.
Here’s an example of a research question, and a practical theory created from it:
Research Question – What are the causes of the use of terrorism by the Palestinians and how has its use affected Arab-Israeli relations?
Hypothesis of causes are: a sense of abandonment from the Arab world, humiliation at the hands of Israelis, and demands falling on deaf ears, all of this caused Palestininans to utilize more drastic measures in order to get their needs heard and acted on.
Hypothesis of how its use affected Arab-Israeli relations: Terrorism created more distrust and fearfulness between Israel and Palestine wherein Israelis didn’t and don’t feel comfortable trusting any group of Palestinians due to the extreme actions of several groups, and utilize harsher retaliation or countermeasures as a result of the Palestinian terrorism, pushing both sides farther from cooperation.
A hypothesis is essentially coming up with what you believe the research will prove, and then supporting or contrasting that hypothesis based on what the research proves.
How to Write a Thesis for a College Research Paper
Getting a clear idea of your sections and what they’re about is how to write a college research paper with an effective thesis.
By doing so, your thesis will include the main points of your sections rather than just the names of your sections, which gives a better overview of what your paper is actually about.
You don’t have to create it at the end though. You might find often that you’ll write a thesis at the start and just correct it as your essay points change while writing.
Here’s an example of an A+ thesis in an introduction of an essay:
In the example above, I’ve highlighted the main issue of the poem in blue and the main argument of the poem in red.
Keep in mind, the whole point of a thesis is to explain what your entire paper is going to be discussing/arguing for within 1 or 2 sentences.
As long as you get the issue across along with (more importantly) the main argument of discussion, then your thesis will be formatted perfectly.
Related Post: 10 College Study Hacks Every Student Needs
How to structure a college research paper.
Structuring your paper is fairly simple. Often just asking your professor or TA will give you the best idea of how to structure. But if they don’t give you structure, the best way to go about it is in the way I mentioned before.
Introduction, sections, conclusion. It’s simple and clear cut, and most professors will appreciate that.
Reading through the sources also helps with structure. Often the sequence of events will guide the structure of your paper, so really understanding your topic helps not only with the content of your paper, but with the structure as well.
How to Cite Properly to Avoid Plagiarism
In my experience most professors won’t ask for a specific format in their essay guidelines. This means you’ll want to use whatever you’re most comfortable with.
MLA format is very common amongst most classes. If you didn’t have a clear format you learned in class, or don’t feel particularly comfortable with any one format, I suggest you use MLA.
A quick google search will give you the basic guidelines of MLA. Use this MLA format tool if you’re confused about how to cite sources properly.
Parenthetical Citations
An important part of citing is including parenthetical citations, AKA citing after a quote or paraphrased section.
It’s crucial that you cite ANY quote you use. This also goes for any section where you paraphrase from a source.
Both of these need parenthetical citations right after the direct quote or paraphrase.
Related Post: 10 College Hacks Every Freshman Should Know
Works cited.
The last portion of Citing you need to think about is your works cited or bibliography page. This has all your sources in one place, in the format you’re using.
In order to make this I always use EasyBib . EasyBib will cite your sources for you and create a bibliography with very little effort on your part, and it can be in any format you choose.
Your works cited page will go at the end of your essay, after your conclusion, on a separate page. Not including one means you are plagiarizing , so make sure you don’t forget it!
Hopefully these tips help you how to write a college research paper and better college essays overall.
Take it from an A+ student who can help you achieve the same goal in your college classes.
A huge thanks to Nivi at nivishahamphotography.com for helping out Modern Teen with this incredible post!
If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions leave them below. Thanks for reading!
Daniel Friedman
Hey, I'm Daniel! I am the Founder of Modern Teen! I love sharing everything I've experienced and learned through my years of "young adulting". I designed this blog to build a community of young adults from all around the world so we can grow together and share our knowledge! Enjoy and Welcome!
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How To Write A Research Paper
Research Paper Example
Research Paper Example - Examples for Different Formats
Published on: Jun 12, 2021
Last updated on: Jan 3, 2023
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Writing a research paper is the most challenging task in a student’s academic life. Students face similar writing process hardships, whether the research paper is to be written for high school or college.
A research paper is a writing type in which a detailed analysis, interpretation, and evaluation are made on the topic. It only requires not only time but also effort and skills to be drafted correctly.
If you are working on your research paper for the first time, here is a collection of examples that you will need to understand the paper’s format and how its different parts are drafted. Continue reading the article to get free research paper examples.
Research Paper Example for Different Formats
When writing a research paper, it is essential to know which format to use to structure your content. Depending on the requirements of the institution, there are mainly four format styles in which a writer drafts a research paper:
Let’s look into each format in detail to understand the fundamental differences and similarities.
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Research Paper Example APA
If your instructor asks you to provide a research paper in an APA format, go through the example given below and understand the basic structure. Make sure to follow the format throughout the paper.
APA Research Paper Sample (PDF)
Research Paper Example MLA
Another widespread research paper format is MLA. A few institutes require this format style as well for your research paper. Look at the example provided of this format style to learn the basics.
MLA Research Paper Sample (PDF)
Research Paper Example Chicago
Unlike MLA and APA styles, Chicago is not very common. Very few institutions require this formatting style research paper, but it is essential to learn it. Look at the example given below to understand the formatting of the content and citations in the research paper.
Chicago Research Paper Sample (PDF)
Research Paper Example Harvard
Learn how a research paper through Harvard formatting style is written through this example. Carefully examine how the cover page and other pages are structured.
Harvard Research Paper Sample (PDF)
Examples for Different Research Paper Parts
A research paper is based on different parts. Each part plays a significant role in the overall success of the paper. So each chapter of the paper must be drafted correctly according to a format and structure.
Below are examples of how different sections of the research paper are drafted.
Research Proposal Example
A research proposal is a plan that describes what you will investigate, its significance, and how you will conduct the study.
Research Proposal Sample (PDF)
Abstract Research Paper Example
An abstract is an executive summary of the research paper that includes the purpose of the research, the design of the study, and significant research findings.
It is a small section that is based on a few paragraphs. Following is an example of the abstract to help you draft yours professionally.
Abstract Research Paper Sample (PDF)
Literature Review Research Paper Example
A literature review in a research paper is a comprehensive summary of the previous research on your topic. It studies sources like books, articles, journals, and papers on the relevant research problem to form the basis of the new research.
Writing this section of the research paper perfectly is as important as any part of it.
Literature Review in Research Sample (PDF)
Methods Section of Research Paper Example
The method section comes after the introduction of the research paper that presents the process of collecting data. Basically, in this section, a researcher presents the details of how your research was conducted.
Methods Section in Research Sample (PDF)
Research Paper Conclusion Example
The conclusion is the last part of your research paper that sums up the writer’s discussion for the audience and leaves an impression. This is how it should be drafted:
Research Paper Conclusion Sample (PDF)
Research Paper Examples for Different Fields
The research papers are not limited to a particular field. They can be written for any discipline or subject that needs a detailed study.
In the following section, various research paper examples are given to show how they are drafted for different subjects.
Science Research Paper Example
Are you a science student that has to conduct research? Here is an example for you to draft a compelling research paper for the field of science.
Science Research Paper Sample (PDF)
History Research Paper Example
Conducting research and drafting a paper is not only bound to science subjects. Other subjects like history and arts require a research paper to be written as well. Observe how research papers related to history are drafted.
History Research Paper Sample (PDF)
Psychology Research Paper Example
If you are a psychology student, look into the example provided in the research paper to help you draft yours professionally.
Psychology Research Paper Sample (PDF)
Research Paper Example for Different Levels
Writing a research paper is based on a list of elements. If the writer is not aware of the basic elements, the process of writing the paper will become daunting. Start writing your research paper taking the following steps:
- Choose a topic
- Form a strong thesis statement
- Conduct research
- Develop a research paper outline
Once you have a plan in your hand, the actual writing procedure will become a piece of cake for you.
No matter which level you are writing a research paper for, it has to be well structured and written to guarantee you better grades.
If you are a college or a high school student, the examples in the following section will be of great help.
Research Paper Outline (PDF)
Research Paper Example for College
Pay attention to the research paper example provided below. If you are a college student, this sample will help you understand how a winning paper is written.
College Research Paper Sample (PDF)
Research Paper Example for High School
Expert writers of CollegeEssay.org have provided an excellent example of a research paper for high school students. If you are struggling to draft an exceptional paper, go through the example provided.
High School Research Paper Sample (PDF)
Examples are essential when it comes to academic assignments. If you are a student and aim to achieve good grades in your assignments, it is suggested to get help from CollegeEssay.org .
We are the best writing company that helps students by providing free samples and writing assistance. Professional writers have your back, whether you are looking for guidance in writing a lab report, college essay , or research paper.
Simply hire a writer by placing your order at the most reasonable price.
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As a Digital Content Strategist, Nova Allison has eight years of experience in writing both technical and scientific content. With a focus on developing online content plans that engage audiences, Nova strives to write pieces that are not only informative but captivating as well.
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Scholarly invites applications for ls 190 - introduction to college-level research from students that have completed grade ix. students who have appeared for grade ix final exam may also apply. in this course, students learn how to apply critical thinking to turn general curiosity about a topic into real knowledge, grounded in research and supported by evidence. students will learn to ask the right kinds of questions, find credible sources, determine an author’s argument and effectively communicate a research topic. there are opportunities to work under highly qualified full-time college professors in the field of physics, chemistry, biology, material science, engineering, psychology, neuroscience and economics., "students will earn two (2) credits upon successfully completing the course. high quality research papers that are endorsed by the professors will be published by scholarly.", indicative program schedule, introduction to research methodologies, classroom sessions.
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Ultimate List of 265 Research Topics for College Students
How often do you freeze up after receiving an assignment to write a research paper? We know how tough it can be, particularly in a flood of possible research topics for students. Choosing that one idea of plenty research proposal topics for college students is the foremost step in any academic project.
Lack of inspiration? We made an ultimate list of research topics for college students. You will find art, biology, social science, education, and even more fun research topics for college students. Don’t scour the tons of outdated or dull topics anymore. A much better alternative would be to look at essay examples instead.
What’s more, we prepared three main steps to start converting the chosen topic into a successful research paper. Besides, we will dispel any uncertainty in research importance.
Is Research Important?
- Art Research Topics
- Biology Research Topics
- Educational Topics
- Environmental Topics
Gender Research Topics
- Law Research Topics
Literature Research Topics
- Music Research Topics
- Psychology Topics
- Religion Research Topics
- Science Research Topics
- Social Science Topics
Sports Research Paper Topics
How to start a research paper, top 10 research topics for college students:.
- Human impact on biodiversity loss
- Internet’s effect on freedom of speech
- Is isolation a cause of child abuse?
- Negative effect of pop culture trends on youth
- Pros and cons of free education
- Is AI a threat to humans?
- The impact of modern technology on ecology
- Can nuclear power be safe?
- Economic impact of GMO food
- Negative effect of climate change on economy
Before getting into the importance of research, let’s understand what kind of work it is.
Research is an analysis aimed at the discovery of new facts or revision of existing theories. It consists of several steps. The most common are:
- Research methodology setting
- Research problem statement
- Data extraction and gathering
- Assessment of the gathered data
- Conclusions summarizing
What are the purposes of research?
The intentions are countless, but here are the general ones:
✨ to accept or reject a hypothesis; ✨ to gather information on a phenomenon or subject; ✨ to initiate further research or to “dig deeper.”
Why is it important?
Research makes our life easier. The underlying cause of new discoveries is to understand how things work. If we acquire that data, we’ll know how to get the practical value out of it.
Think of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. As we meet our deficiency needs, its level grows. At the same time, the demand for new knowledge increases. That is why discovering new is a never-ending process.
That is all clear. But you may ask: why do I need a research skill in my day-to-day life?
After graduation, you will most likely still need research skills at work. No matter what the industry is. Either you decided to excel in science or form a hi-tech startup. If you want to achieve success, you should have strong research skills.
All in all, having research skills is one of the core elements of personal and social growth. It helps to generate additional findings or set new questions around existing knowledge.
Now let’s move on to the list of research topics.
Art Research Paper Topics
We’ll start from the study area, which is difficult to measure. We talk about art. For some, it may seem easier to study than exact sciences. But still, the number of questions around various genres, forms, and styles of art is beyond imagination.
Why should we not overestimate the importance of studying art ?
Art is not just something for connoisseurs. It has always been and still is vital for the whole society. What affected humanity’s development? Of course, the way people expressed their everyday life or feelings through art.
Besides, thanks to art, we can see things from different perspectives. It makes us open-minded and helps to develop critical thinking. And, the most apparently, art fills our lives with beauty and elegance.
Art is so diverse that students may struggle to choose from a myriad of research areas. Here are some of the hottest art research paper topics for you:
- The influence of the internet and social networks on art.
- The music industry and information technology .
- The comparison of modern art in the United States and Europe.
- The representation of art in Lars von Trier’s films.
- The influence of African-American cultural heritage on modern American art.
- What are the features of contemporary art?
- Frida Khalo and her sources of inspiration.
- The role of Kazimir Malevich in abstract art development.
- Art in the early renaissance and today’s European society .
- Art therapy techniques: what are they and are they effective?
- The difference of women’s representation in ancient and modern art.
- Comparative analysis of modern and classic cubism.
- The history and main features of abstract expressionism.
- The relationship between art and globalization.
- The influence of art on the fashion industry in Japan.
Biology Research Topics for College Students
Let’s move on to biology. This science deals with vital processes of living organisms. We’ve gathered a list of topics from different biology fields. You’ll find essay ideas from the fields of botany and zoology to genetics.
Research in biology has one distinctive feature. It is the use of research lab equipment. If you don’t use it and base your research on other sources — make sure they are credible.
What are the attributes of a research paper in biology?
Molecular biology, cellular, and other categories of biology imply accurate measurements. There is no place for mistakes here. Otherwise, the relevance of research results would be insignificant. A researcher should be scrupulous in calculations and statements.
So, feel free to pick up any topics from the list below. Study them thoroughly!
- The impact of global warming on marine life.
- Extensive research of photosynthesis aspects and functions.
- Thyroid hormones and their impact on the female body.
- DNA structure, modifications, and genetic disorders.
- Is it ethical to test cosmetics on animals?
- The ability of living organisms to adapt to changing environments.
- The need for the protection of rare and endangered species.
- The role of sustainability in biology.
- Advantages and disadvantages of organic farming.
- The role of neurobiology in artificial intelligence development.
- The discovery and impact of Darwin’s theory.
- The discovery, history, and importance of vaccination.
- The role of microbes and microbiology in health .
- Neurobiology and its association with emotional trauma .
- Biology: mechanical signals regulating development .
- Cultural variations in environment and biology: AIDS .
- A review of the ecology and biology of the whale shark.
- Performance and quality assessment of methods for detection of point mutations.
- Optical imaging techniques in cell biology.
- Computational methods in molecular biology.
Educational Research Topics for Students
What can be trickier than studying how to study? Education research papers evolve at a rapid pace as the world changes every day. That is why new techniques and approaches are in demand.
No other discipline will answer the milestone questions as good as education. And the most important is about human nature.
What can make a precious contribution to society? The definite answer is — driving innovations in studying .
Want to remain in history as an author of a revolutionary breakthrough? Explore educational research paper topics for college students:
- Language distribution issues in bilingual schooling .
- Critical thinking as the primary goal of the educational process.
- Role-playing games as a learning tool .
- Pay-for-performance scheme for teachers .
- Moving from compliance to performance-based schools .
- Bilingual learning: advantages and disadvantages.
- Educational approaches in retrospective.
- Aspects of multicultural educational practices.
- The importance of inclusivity in teaching.
- Popular modern educational techniques: a comparison.
- Arithmetical problem-solving difficulties .
- Learning methods for blind children.
- The role of technology in lesson planning.
- Role-playing as an educational practice.
- The need for parents’ involvement in the educational process.
- Tools to develop the best teaching strategy .
- The efficiency of gamification.
- Individual approach to students.
- Popular educational mobile apps.
- Peculiarities of teaching disabled children.
- Same-gender and mixed-gender schools: a comparative analysis.
- Understanding the causes of school violence and bullying.
- The importance of sex education at schools.
- The educational system in America: problems and prospects.
- Cloud computing in educational institutions: an impact on the educational environment.
- Ethical behavior in higher educational institutions.
- Cooperation of educational institutions and businesses: successful cases.
- Information technology as a means of educational process improvement.
- Homeschooling and its influence on communication skills.
- Comparative analysis of distance learning and face-to-face education efficiency.
- Individualized versus group learning.
- The necessity of higher education for all students.
- Best practices of top higher education establishments.
- Peculiarities of teacher’s education in America.
- Preschool education versus tertiary education .
- Teacher as a researcher. Cross-age peer tutoring .
- Multicultural and monocultural education programs: a comparison.
- Comparison of advantages and disadvantages of tablets and printed textbooks.
- Should education be free?
- Education unification: reasons to apply in high schools.
Environmental Research Topics
Our day-to-day comfort is an inherent cause of environmental problems. We may drive a car and have no idea how we harm nature.
Eco activism is a growing trend. Ecology issues acquired a more frequent and lucid coverage. Regardless, people tend to overlook the environment. They got the idea that we should protect our planet, but not all of them are ready to act.
That is why we need to be aware of more facts and measures. This can’t be obtained without decent environmental science research papers.
Do you want to be a part of it? Use our list of environmental research topics for college students:
- Risks of climate change and global warming.
- Aspects and perspectives of Kyoto protocol.
- Green hydrogen in automotive industry: is it a great alternative?
- The origin of the carbon tax.
- Amazonian deforestation, its causes, and trends.
- The greenhouse effect: process, components, and risks.
- Types of pollution: air, water, and soil.
- Alternative energy in Europe.
- Water scarcity in the Middle East .
- Wind energy as an alternative source .
- Benefits of sustainable technology and living .
- Vulnerability of hazardville to flooding disasters .
- Environment protection authority and chemical waste .
- Population control in China.
- Geoengineering principles.
- Acid rains: the cause and current measures.
- Radioactive waste disposal.
- The protection of wildlife.
- E-mobility as an environmental protection measure.
- Ecological conservation.
Gender roles and aspects are one of the central social questions nowadays. Studies in this field are as relevant and necessary as never before. It pushes our society forward, eliminating gender inequality and discrimination.
Do you want to contribute to gender knowledge but don’t know where to start? Here is the list of most relevant gender studies essay topics:
- Public policy analysis on gender inequality in education in South Sudan.
- The history of gender concept.
- Gender imbalance in the developing countries.
- Sex reassignment in treating gender dysphoria: a way to psychological well-being.
- Employee issues: gender discrimination, sexual harassment, discrimination.
- Gender roles in couples and sex stereotypes in society.
- The diversity of gender and sexual orientation identities of transgender individuals.
- MeToo movement as sexual harassment fight measure.
- Feminism: the contraception movement in Canada.
- Maternity and paternity leaves.
- The correlation between gender and cognitive abilities.
- Transgender people and healthcare barriers .
- Race and gender in public relations .
- Gender stereotyping in American media .
- The health and well-being of LGBTQA+ young people in Australia.
- Cancel culture in America.
- Transgender healthcare issues.
- Transgender person in professional sports.
- Female genital mutilation.
- Gender roles in media.
Law Research Paper Topics
We cannot imagine a civilized society without law. Even though the fundamental rights and obligations in different countries are mostly similar, there is still a great scope of differences to research.
We gathered the list of law research paper topics to explore:
- Human rights violations in CIS countries.
- A self-enforcing model of corporate law.
- Corporate strategies and environmental regulations: organizing framework.
- The benefits of decriminalization .
- International criminal law and measures .
- Discrimination in the workplace in legal practice.
- Welfare legislation for families .
- Intellectual property law: copyright law, trademark law, patent law.
- Enforcement of civil rights law in private workplaces.
- The establishment of foreign and international law in American courts. A procedural overview.
- Family law: spousal support after a divorce in Canada.
- Employment law and workplace relations in Saudi Arabia.
- Applicable real estate laws and policies for sustainable development in South Africa.
- Retrospective of the immigration crisis in Europe.
- The need for a domestic violence law in Russian Federation.
- Religious crimes and religious laws.
- Terrorism in different countries’ law systems.
- Grievance procedure in the European court of human rights.
- Cybercrimes in legal practice.
- Human trafficking and slavery in the modern world.
When it comes to literature, there is a vast ocean of ideas to research. The topics can be classified into a large number of categories. Those can be literature genres, awards, trends in literature, different social aspects of literature, etc.
To make finding the best fit easier, we conducted a list of the world literature research topics:
- Golden Age writers and their impact on literature.
- Feminist literature authors.
- Y. Zamyatin’s “We” as the origin of dystopian literature.
- Trends of modern literature.
- Ancient Greece literature.
- Is best seller always good literature?
- Tricksters in literature.
- Post-modernism in literature .
- Sexual violence in the “Handmaid’s Tale” by Atwood .
- Children literature.
- The works of J. D. Salinger.
- Social perception of modern literature.
- Philosophy, literature, and religion in society: a comparative analysis of the impact on human life.
- The portrayal of racism in the literature of the 21st century.
- Censorship in literature.
- Professional literature trends.
- Central themes in American literature.
- The impact of digitalization on literature.
- The role of the main character in literature.
- Literature: print versus digitalized?
Music Research Paper Topics
Research is something we can do not only in astronomy or molecular biology. We need it in the music too. Music shapes our life in a way we can’t even imagine. It’s a tremendous social and cultural phenomenon to explore.
These are 20 potential topics for your research in the music industry :
- The effect of music on a human brain.
- The evolution of rap music.
- TikTok as the most efficient promotional channel for new music.
- The origin of music theory.
- The influence of Kanye West performances on the music industry.
- Music journalism: the most influential music media.
- Feminism and sex in hip-hop music .
- Opera and instrumental music .
- The origin of music festivals.
- Reggae music and its aspects .
- Latin American women and trap music .
- Streaming services prospects.
- Music as the way of promoting new trends.
- Features of punk music.
Psychology Research Paper Topics
Psychology is a multidisciplinary kind of field. That means there’s a wide range of potential research questions.
Do you need to write a psychology paper? Explore the list of possible topics:
- Cross-cultural psychology: research and application.
- The psychology of self-esteem.
- Aspects of industrial and organizational psychology.
- The psychology of learning and motivation: skill and strategy in memory use.
- Description of remarkable experiments and their results in psychology.
- The influence of meditation on people’s health .
- Analyzing psychological disorders: disorders treatment and research .
- Personality psychology and zen Buddhism .
- Perception of psychology in society .
- Organizational behavior. Emotion and personality .
- Children’s emotional development .
- Predictors of postpartum depression.
- Symptoms, causes, and treatment of schizophrenia.
- The social, political, and religious reasons of homophobia.
- Eating disorders in males: current progress and challenges.
- The side effects of antidepressants.
- Cognitive psychology: best cognitive scientists’ practices.
- Social anxiety as a constraint in learning.
- Alzheimer’s disease: working strategies for disease modification.
- The relation between the aging process and psychology.
Religion Research Paper Topics
Religious institutions, beliefs, and customs also get explored in papers quite often. That is rather a controversial sphere of education, so we gathered the most relevant religion paper topics below to help you.
- The religious significance of the Bible.
- The place of women in Islam.
- The history of Christianity in Indonesia.
- Assessing a crisis of faith and making a pastoral crisis intervention.
- Forced religion: cause and effect on children.
- The problem of creation mythology in the study of Indian religion.
- Existence of God: a philosophical introduction.
- Religion and mythology: concepts, differences.
- The role of religion in attitudes toward LGBT individuals.
- Issues and traditions in western religion .
- Theology in the concepts of nature, time, and the future.
- Religion and government interaction in the US.
- The history of the Christian church in East Europe.
- Religion freedom and its limitation .
- Hinduism and Buddhism: similarities and differences .
- Baptism in Christianity .
- The impact of religion on terrorism.
- The God of Israel and Christian theology.
- Culture and religion: how they interact.
- Religion and social morality.
Science Research Topics for College Students
What is a better way to uncover the mysteries of our universe than through science? As it comprises multiple types and directions, there is a vast number of questions to answer.
We suggest you the following science research paper topics:
- Paris climate agreement perspectives.
- Ethical aspects of cloning.
- Political science in the US: past and present issues.
- Genetic engineering and cloning controversy .
- The development of life on Earth .
- The current state of nuclear energetics in America.
- Nuclear weapon-free zones: a history and assessment.
- Solid earth dynamics and the evolution of the Antarctic ice sheet.
- Natural hazards: local, national, global.
- Geophysical fluid dynamics: atmospheric dynamics, dynamo theory, and climate dynamics.
- Data science as a key element of data-driven decision-making.
- Robotics & mobility systems in agriculture: successful cases.
- Legal models of space resources exploration and utilization.
- The social context of recycling: factors influencing household recycling behavior.
- Trends in consumer attitudes about agricultural biotechnology.
- Theory of turbulence: a mathematical model that illustrates it.
- Dual-mode infrared and radar hardware-in-the-loop test equipment.
- Essentials of computational chemistry: theories and models.
- Genetic algorithms in astronomy and astrophysics.
- A fundamental relation between supermassive black holes and their host galaxies.
Social Science Research Topics
Sociology is an umbrella term that covers dozens of branches. It studies family, social movements, mass media, class theory, race, ethnicity, levels of income. We could go on and on.
As you can see, the options for research are endless. Don’t waste your time trying to understand the peculiarities of each social or cultural branch. Use our list of social science research paper topics for college students.
- Social movements of 21 st century.
- Strauss–howe generational theory in marketing.
- Social media as a “hotbed” of narcissism.
- The nutritional status of vegans and vegetarians.
- Gender identity and community among three transgender groups in the United States: MTFs, FTMs, and genderqueers.
- Social causes of anorexia in young women.
- The civil rights in South America.
- #BlackLivesMatter movement and its influence on society.
- Gay marriage in America: current debates.
- Dependency of the children mortality level on the anti-vaccination movement development.
- Judaism in the first centuries of the Christian era.
- School choice and segregation by race, class, and achievement.
- The correlation between race and wealth.
- Freedom and social status of blacks in America .
- The problem of abortion .
- Causes and effects of drug addiction .
- Horizontal and vertical gender segregation in employment .
- Influence of domestic violence on children.
- The poverty level in the US: a retrospective analysis.
- Women leadership and community development.
We are approaching the end of our ultimate research paper topics list. To wrap it up, let’s take a look at sports research ideas.
It has been present in our lives for a long time and is still developing. That’s why we need to answer new questions and build new knowledge. Explore the list below:
- How does globalization affect sports?
- History of doping scandals in the Olympics.
- Team sports as a socialization tool for children.
- The origin and history of ice hockey.
- Organizational aspects of Paralympic games.
- Aspects of independent Olympians at the Olympic games.
- The unique history of Pelé.
- Risk factors for injuries in football.
- Short interval versus long interval training.
- Sport as a communication medium .
- Nutritional support of young athletes.
- Mental training during competition preparation.
- Philosophical conflicts between the practices of sport and cybersport.
- Running as a treatment for heart diseases.
- Typical traumas of soccer players.
After getting familiar with the list of topics, let’s discuss the essential steps before beginning research.
Narrow Your Topic
Let’s say you selected that one topic from the list. What’s next? It’s time to outline the boundaries of the research. It should not be too broad or narrow . Its scope must strictly correspond to the problem’s scope under exploration.
What is the difference between a narrow and a broad topic?
Let’s look at three research topic examples:
- Eating Disorders. The topic is too general and comprehensive. If your research paper requires to be short, then there is no sense in choosing this topic. You better narrow it down.
- Eating Disorders in Young Females. In this topic, we try to segment the subjected populations to specify the research question. It is still rather broad but more focused.
- Anorexia in Young Females and Its Impact on Society. Here, we distinguish a particular type of eating disorder and leave a population segmentation. That is a perfect example of a narrowed topic. Now, it’s easier to ask specific questions, uncover insights and contribute to further research.
Focus on your narrowed topic and form a central research question. After that, research the existing data and find supporting facts. Don’t let your exploration be one-sided: explore different points of view. Compare and analyze counterpoints and draw conclusions.
After a profound studying, create a thesis statement to support your narrowed topic in a specific way.
To make things clear, use this step-by-step guide on finding and narrowing your topic.
Evaluate Sources
It takes a second to get access to billions of search results on any topic in Google. Most of the time, we jump through the first two or three links, and that’s it. If you seek quality, then it’s not the proper approach. You should acquire the skill of processing the sources.
What are the tips for sources evaluation?
- Forget about Wikipedia as a scientific source. Wikipedia is a free platform where any user can make edits. Extracting information from wiki without fact-checking isn’t a good academic practice. Great alternatives to Wikipedia are College e-libraries, scholarly databases, Google Scholar, etc.
- Explore well-respected professional research journals. They contain up-to-date research data and conclusions which shape the most relevant views and understanding of what is going on in the modern world.
- Visit libraries. We tend to overlook them in our digital era. But you can find super valuable sources for research there.
- Avoid personal blogs, opinion articles, and self-published books . There can be heavy use of bias.
3 Main Tips on Writing a Thesis Statement
After you decide on a research topic and sources, it’s time to write a thesis statement.
- Ask a question. Here are two options. In the first one, your professor can assign you a concrete question. If it’s not your case, then ask what interests you. What would you like to explore?
- Give an initial answer. Try to answer the question before in-depth topic exploration. Work out some hypotheses.
- Enrich the initial answer. Prove the initial hypothesis by detailing the research. Use the calculations and quantitative data to make your thesis credible.
To back up these tips, let’s look at a couple of example thesis statements from the StudyCorgi essay database:
You’ve just explored an ultimate list of research paper topic ideas and important steps to turn those topics into excellent research papers.
Did you find our topics compilation helpful? Save it for a future reference or share with friends!
- What Is Research? — Hampshire College
- Definition of Research — Western Sydney University
- The Importance of Research to Students — Cleveland University Kansas City
- Guidelines for Writing Art History Research Papers — UA Little Rock University
- Areas of Research in Biology — Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Environmental Science: Current Research — Herald Scholarly Open Access
- Thesis Statements — University of North Carolina
- Thesis Statement Tips — Purdue University
- What Is Education Research — National Center for Education Research
- Research in the Faculty of Music — University of Cambridge
- Research: Religion and Society Specialism — University of Birmingham
- Sociology Research Areas — Cornell University
- Narrowing a Topic Idea — UCS Libraries
- Developing a Research Question — The University of Arizona
- Organizing Academic Research Paper — Sacred Heart University
- Conclusions and Recommendations — Monash University
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Credible sources 101: how to evaluate them + 60 reliable websites for students, 265 powerful research proposal topics to consider [+ writing tips], researсh ethics: history & principles.
200 Easy Research Paper Topics for College Students in 2021
Writing research papers is a must-do step in any educational process at college. In many cases, professors allow students to be creative with choosing a topic to complete this type of academic assignment. This privilege usually sounds great at first glance. However, thousands of learners might feel overwhelmed with a wide choice of interesting research topics they can find online.
The truth is that you can easily get lost in countless research paper topics available on different websites. Moreover, exploring and narrowing down the solutions for your essay might appear too challenging. The reason is that many research topics for college available online are outdated or contain too broad concepts for the research. To make your investigation process easier, we’ve collected a list of 200 new and innovative topics for composing an impressive research essay, presentation, or report. No worries if you have little writing experience or creativity - this guide will help you choose a fresh solution for your assignments in no time.
How to Choose Research Study Ideas for College Students
If the professor gives you complete freedom to pick up a topic, we have good news for you. Now, you can select a field or niche according to your individual preferences and background knowledge! There is no need to compose a boring paper that will make you yawn during the entire writing process. However, make sure you follow some basic rules of choosing good research paper topics below.
Stick to Your Favorite Topic
Are you fond of cars? Feel free to research the benefits and drawbacks of electric automobiles. Can’t imagine your life without sports? Explore the dope issue in professional sports. The key to developing a successful paper is to write about the topic that makes you feel excited. If you write about something you show zero interest in, the process will likely slow down and become more challenging. Therefore, always try to find something inspiring.
Choose Understandable Solutions
Many students are interested in modern technologies or space exploration. However, writing on these topics requires having advanced knowledge in the corresponding areas. Still, few learners can boast of having a deep understanding of artificial intelligence, computer programming, or space technologies. That is why it is better to look for easier and more comprehensive topics to write about. As a result, you will reduce the amount of time for research and cope with the college task faster.
Make Sure You Will Find Enough Information
When choosing ideas for a research paper, you need to make sure there are at least several reliable sources you can use for researching. The fact is that if you pick a truly out-of-the-box solution, you might fail to find enough relevant information about it. The same rule works for outdated topics. In case you select a played-out idea, you will hardly find new and up-to-date sources to support your idea. Here is a little hint for you: if you are looking for the relevant information for a chosen idea but fail to find anything suitable, it is better to change your topic.
Look for Clear and Understandable Concepts and Issues
When searching for the best research paper topics, don’t forget to think about your audience. What does it mean? The fact is that it is necessary to pick up a solution that is completely understandable for both you and the readers. In other words, avoid sticking to extremely difficult or complex topics that might make your audience feel confused. In case you use some specific terms in your paper that might be unfamiliar to the common reader, it is better to explain them briefly.
Try to Be Specific
Picking up too broad topics for research papers is one of the most common mistakes of hundreds of students. To avoid this issue, it is better to stay away from too general solutions that can be described from dozens of sides. Otherwise, you might go down in tons of diverse data and arguments you can use for your paper. Being precise and choosing only the most powerful facts are among the features of any successful student.
Look For Something Unique
Picking up topics for a research paper some of your classmates are also writing about is never the best choice. It is better to select an idea you will be able to describe from an unusual perspective. If you prefer to cover simple and comprehensive topics, it will be great to try an innovative approach to describing facts. However, don’t experiment with the paper’s structure and focus on providing exclusive and original arguments only. The best research academic papers are intriguing and inspiring.
Be In Trend
There is nothing new that trendy topics attract more attention from the audience. The reason is that they have a huge unexplored potential and amazing research opportunities. If you pick up an emerging topic, you will likely get higher grades for your academic assignment.
Simple Research Topics: Education
If you are still wondering which idea is the best one for composing your research paper, it might be good to write about education . The truth is that this topic is one of the easiest to write about. Moreover, you will effortlessly find countless relevant sources to support your ideas related to education. Feel free to grab one of these handy solutions you can put into practice when writing your academic paper.
- Are Standardized Tests Good to Evaluate the Student’s Knowledge?
- How to Make Education More Accessible for Students With Disabilities?
- Should Tuition Become Free at All Colleges in the United States?
- How Can Schools and Colleges Support International Students?
- Becoming a Student and a Successful Businessman: Is It Possible?
- The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Education Sector
- The Benefits of Social Networking at College and University
- The Innovations in the Education System of the United States
- Is It Possible to Start Building a Career During Studies?
- How Can Schools Stop Violence Among Students?
- Should American Learners Have a “Gap Year”?
- The Analysis of the Finnish Education System
- Homeschooling vs. Learning in the Classroom
- British vs. American Education Systems
- The Teaching Technologies of the Future
- Should College Students Have a Part-Time Job?
- Is There Any Discrimination at High Schools?
- Should Schools Have Sexual Education Lessons?
- Most Common Issues of Bilingual Education
- Why Do Students Need to Learn Religion at School?
- How to Stop Cheating on Exams
- Student Loans: Pros and Cons
- The Pros and Cons of Same-Sex Classrooms
- The Development of Women’s Right to Education
- Montessori Method: Advantages and Drawbacks
- Effective Ways to Improve the Quality of Teaching
- How Can the Issue of “Useless Classes” Be Solved?
- Should Colleges Become Business-Driven?
- How to Improve Modern Elementary Education?
- Should School Children Wear Uniforms?
- How to Stop Hazing at High Schools?
Unique Research Topics on Health
To put it short, these solutions remain topical among young learners for years. If you would like to select a comprehensive and brilliant solution for your research paper, choosing topics related to health might help you finish your essay fast. What to research? Here is a list of ideas you can start writing about right now.
- The Impact of Drugs on the Human Body
- How to Stop Consuming Too Much Junk Food?
- How Much Fruit and Vegetables Should a Common Student Consume per Day?
- The Correlation Between Mood and the Health of the Immune System
- Is It Possible to Stop the COVID-19 Spread in All Countries?
- Why Do Many Girls Suffer From Anorexia During Their Studies?
- The Mental Issues of the Most Well-Known Criminals
- The Impact of Classical Music on Overall Well-Being
- Main Reasons for Facing Serious Allergies
- The Importance of Regular Health Screenings
- Ways to Prevent Serious Mental Diseases
- Kids’ Vaccination: Advantages and Risks
- Birth Control Issues in Developed Countries
- The Impact of Breastfeeding on the Kids’ Health
- The Impact of Insomnia on the Quality of Life
- Most Effective Ways to Control Obesity
- Top Reasons to Consume More Fats Regularly
- Artificial Vitamins: Should Everyone Consume Them?
- The Role of Nutrition for Maintaining Brain Health
- How to Decrease Stress Levels of Teenagers
- The Pros and Cons of Reconstructive Surgery
- Acupuncture: The Hidden Health Benefits
- The Most Important Aspects of Neonatal Nutrition
- Impact of Emotional Stability on Human Health
- Uncommon Solutions to Improve Short-Term Memory
- Should Elementary Schools Have Homework?
- The Psychology of Gifted People
- Top Issues of Cardiovascular Care
- How to Keep Your Brain Healthy
- The Impact of Sports on Human Health
- The Future of Natural Medicine
- New Strategies for Coma Recovery
- Basic Rules of Sun Safety
- The Dangers of Low-Fat Diets
- The Future of Antibiotics Therapies
- Pros and Cons of Dietary Supplements
- Non-Medical Cancer Treatments
- Most Effective Ways to Make Your Brain Work Harder
- Religion and Health
- Benefits of Swimming
- Eating Disorders
Easy Research Paper Topics: Environment
If you would like to follow the path of Greta Thunberg, it might be good to start your way with composing papers related to environment protection and ecology. Explore the main issues in this field and come up with an impressive research paper in a matter of a couple of hours.
- The Main Dangers of Air Pollution
- Greenhouse Effect: Myths vs. Reality
- Ways to Stop Marine Pollution
- Advantages and Drawbacks of Using Pesticides in Agriculture
- GMO Products vs. Organic Food
- The Importance of “Green Programs” in Developing Countries
- The Problem of Radioactive Waste Disposal
- Should Environmental Regulations Become Stricter?
- Is the Problem of Global Warming Exaggerated?
- The Problem of Water Deficit in Developing Countries
- Ways to Protect Endangered Wildlife
- How Can an Individual Help Save an Environment?
- Why Should Children Learn About Global Warming?
- The Advantages of Solar Technologies
- The Main Dangers of Producing Too Much Plastic
- How to Start Using Eco-Friendly Products?
- The Changes in the Climate of Earth in the 21st Century
- The Analysis of the Deforestation Levels in South America
- How to Improve Access to Clean Water in All Countries Globally?
- Is It Possible to Manage Overpopulation?
- The Prospects of Nuclear Energy
Interesting Topics to Research: Technology and Media
Modern technologies are developing at a breakneck speed. The new solutions, apps, and approaches revolutionize different industries and elevate the quality of lives of millions of people. If you choose a nice solution about innovation and computing for your essay, you will definitely have a chance to attract the attention of the audience. Top research papers topics ideas are right here below!
- The Possible Ways to Develop Artificial Intelligence Systems
- How Will Smartphones Change in the Near Future?
- The Benefits of Cloud Solutions in Storing Data
- Top Areas to Use Drone Technologies
- Ecommerce Solutions vs. Local Retailers
- Online Currencies and Their Impact on the Global Financial System
- How to Avoid the Dangers of the Dark Web?
- Will Self-Driving Cars Become Common in the Future?
- Privacy Issues Online
- The Future of Blogging
- Online vs. Offline Communication
- Will People Colonize Mars?
- Nanomedicine: Myths and Realities
- Online Payments and Paper Money
- Breaking the Sound Barrier
- Is Social Media a New Technology?
- Technologies That Might Impact Human Behavior
- Safest Ways to Store Information in the 21st Century
- How Do Modern Technologies Allow People to Work From Home?
- The Impact of Modern Technologies on Globalization
- The Perspectives of Online Gaming
- The Impact of Advertisements on Kids and Teens
- Newest Technologies Used in Surgery
- Internet Addiction and the Ways to Prevent It
- Censorship Control
Top Solutions Related to Business and Economy
Many students are looking for research papers topics for college-related to the economy, e-commerce, and business. If you are one of them, explore this ultimate list of the newest ideas related to these popular spheres.
- Most Effective Ways to Improve the Economy of the Developed Countries
- How to Start Your Business in E-Commerce
- Modern Ways to Manage Inflation
- How to Fight Poverty and Hunger
- The Role of Taxes in the Modern Economy
- How Did Industrialization Change the World?
- International Tourism During the Pandemic Times
- Industries That Were Impacted by the COVID-19 Crisis
- The Correlation Between Culture and Economic Growth
- How Can Immigration Impact the Country’s Economy?
- The Global Pandemic and Employment Rates
- Role of a Leader in Modern Business
- Choosing the Best Work Environment
- The Impact of Corporate Culture on the Employment Rate
- How to Set Up Effective Business Links?
- The Most Common Issue of Taxation of Small Businesses
- The Advantages of a Four-Day Workweek
- How to Stop Discrimination at the Workplace?
- Drawbacks of Using Unethical Business Practices
- Social Media Ads to Promote Small Businesses
- How to Improve the Effectiveness of a Human Resource Department?
- Why Do Companies Attract International Investors?
- Most Effective Types of Business Models
- How to Become More Competitive in a Chosen Market?
- Government Regulations and Business
- Basic Reasons to Increase the Minimum Wage in the United States
- Most Promising Business Ideas for the Near Future
Hot Topics for Research Paper: Family and Communication
Family is an essential part of our lives. How to set up healthy family relationships? What is the role of parents in raising children? Feel free to use any of these ideas for your research paper. By the way, good research topics related to communication are also collected in this paragraph.
- Marital Rape and Its Impact on the Personality
- Impact of Divorce on Kids and Teens
- How to Stop Abusive Relationships?
- How to Make Your Children Happier?
- Effective Ways to Solve Conflicts in Families
- How to Improve Communication Between Siblings?
- Role of Grandparents in Raising Children
- Lack of Communication Between Family Members
- Why Do Children Kill Abusive Parents?
- The Impact of Parents’ Depression on Their Children
- Happy Childhood and Leadership
- Advantages of Having a Big Family
- Drugs and Alcoholism in Modern Families
- Impact of Home Life on Child Development
- Do All Children Need to Respect Their Parents?
- The Criticism of Freud’s Theories
- Important Parental Rights
- Gender Roles in the Family
- Basic Family Values
- Domestic Abuse
Easy and Interesting Research Paper Topics
Many students face difficulties when choosing an idea for composing an academic paper. If you are not good at writing on education, health, business, or family relationships, it might be great to search for something more exciting. Here is a list of diverse topics you might find good-looking.
- The Role of International Health Organizations in Modern Society
- Corporate and Business Laws: Most Common Issues
- Why Do Many People Watch TV Shows and Series?
- Future of Chinese Economy
- The Future of Video Streaming Services
- Women’s Rights in the Modern World
- How to Support Global Peacekeeping
- Gender Stereotypes in Advertising
- Classical Hollywood Cinema
- Landmark Court Decisions
- Possible Ways to Use 3d Printers
- Portrayals of Superheroes in Movies
- Cannabis Legalization: Pros and Cons
- Should Companies Stop Animal Testing?
- Criminalizing Protests
- Socialism vs. Capitalism
- How Has Feminism Changed Over the Years?
- Origins of Racial Discrimination
- Should Modern People Read More?
- Top Effective Promotion Solutions for Startups
- Crowdfunding & Outsourcing
- Policies That Are Related to Transgenders
- Role of Cultural Revolutions
- How to Decrease Crime Rates in Big Cities?
- What Are the Benefits and Drawbacks of Fracking?
- Freedom of Religion: Basic Issues
- Body Cameras for Police Officers: Pros and Cons
- Should Penalties for Drunk Driving Become Stricter?
- Abstinence Program: Do They Truly Work?
- The Importance of Writing Research Papers at Colleges
- Effective Techniques to Erase Bad Memories
- Ways to Solve the Immigration Crisis
- Stereotypes in Modern Culture
- Gun Safety and Control Policies
Top Tips to Writing a Winning Research Paper
Picking up an excellent topic is only about 20% of the job you need to do to compose a flawless research paper. What’s next? Are there any prompts that might help you finish your assignment in no time? Sure! Our experts are ready to share some secrets on composing fantastic essays within the shortest terms.
Double-Check the Professor’s Instructions
The secret truth is that there are many types of research papers you might face during your studies. Consequently, these papers might have different requirements and writing rules you need to follow. How to find out how to compose your essay? The easiest way to discover all details is to read the instructions shared by the professor. Although it is a must step all students need to do before they start writing, many learners often forget about this easy rule. By the way, what information can you find in the college writing instructions? As a rule, you will find these types of data:
- deadlines for completing assignments;
- formatting styles;
- the tone of voice you need to use;
- assignment goals;
- length specifications;
- list of topics;
- key features for your writing;
- submission method;
- most common mistakes you need to avoid.
It is recommended to read the instructions at least a couple of times to make sure you understand all the requirements and specifications of your research paper. Avoid starting to write your essay before you’ve learned its basic rules.
Be Realistic
Many students are very confident about their research and writing skills. Therefore, thousands of learners still believe they can effortlessly develop a top-notch research paper in just a couple of hours. However, even professional writers can’t compose a superior 3000-word essay in just an hour.
Therefore, it is vital to be realistic when setting up your individual deadlines and creating writing schedules to cope with your academic assignments. Even if you choose current research topics that are incredibly easy to write about, you will still need to do advanced research, choose trustworthy sources, and pick up the most impressive arguments for your paper. All these tasks might take you plenty of time.
It is also not recommended to write research papers at the last moment. First, you might fail to meet the deadline. Second, you might easily come up with poor quality writing because of being unattentive. Third, you will hardly have enough time to proofread and edit your essay. Fourth, when in a hurry, you might copy and paste data from different sources into your paper. This will inevitably lead to extremely high plagiarism levels. All these issues might lead to receiving low grades for your academic assignment.
Follow the Rules
There are many writing rules you will need to follow. However, the basic one is to choose a traditional structure of an academic paper. In other words, your research paper will need to have an introduction, body paragraphs, and the conclusion. Avoid being creative when choosing the structure of your paper - it is the worst place for showing off your innovation. If you would like to stand out from the crowd of other learners, it is better to select an out-of-the-box topic for your assignment.
Proofread and Edit Your Paper
Many students are so tired of doing the research and writing that they often forget to proofread their papers. However, this is an important step in completing any type of academic assignment. If you proofread your essay, you can easily detect dozens of inconsistencies, mistakes, and typos. Moreover, you can also find some repetitive phrases, sentences, or facts in your paper. All these issues can drastically worsen your quality of writing. Even if you are sure your writing is 100% excellent, make sure to proofread it before passing it to the professor.
Check Originality
Plagiarism is a true nightmare of any diligent student. How to avoid this serious issue when composing your academic paper? First, make sure to share the results of your analysis uniquely and uncommonly. Second, use citations carefully. Third, check your essay for plagiarism online! You can find dozens of plagiarism detecting tools and utilities designed for students on many websites. Feel free to use a couple of solutions to make sure your essay is fresh and original. If you suddenly find out your paper has a high plagiarism level, make sure to make significant modifications and be more original. After that, double-check your essay once again.
The Best Way to Get a Perfect Research Paper
There are plenty of important research topics you can use in your academic writing. But what if you’ve chosen a great idea but fail to compose a unique and flawless paper? Is there any solution if you don’t have enough time to meet the professor's deadline? Sure!
Thousands of students fail to deliver college or university assignments on time. The reasons for this issue might significantly vary. Some learners are not skilled writers, while others might not have a deep understanding of the chosen field. Moreover, many students are trying to build careers or dedicate all their free time to sports. Anyway, failure to meet deadlines might worsen the student’s academic performance and other problems related to studies. The good news is that you can avoid facing all these issues!
Our professional writers are always ready to help you complete any type of research paper within the shortest terms. You don’t need to provide any reasons for asking for writing help - we understand the students’ pain and can provide you with pro assistance anytime. Just place an order on our website, choose the deadline, and forget about all your learning issues. You will get a perfectly written academic paper right when you need it. We have thousands of happy customers and impressive guarantees, so you can always trust our service. We value each customer and always deliver superior papers to each of our clients.
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The Best Research Paper Topics for College Students
The success of a research paper mostly depends on the topic, which is why a lot of time is spent searching for the right research paper topics for college students. All academic authors face a similar problem, from freshmen to professors.
You had already written some research papers when you were at school, but college level research paper topics will be more difficult and require from you deeper knowledge and analytical skills. At college tutors expect students to not only state information about certain topics, but also to draw new knowledge, critically evaluate information, and make original conclusions.
Easy topics for college research papers
- Analyze the accountability and effects of police body-worn cameras.
- Examine the history of Bollywood music. What style is the most common?
- Present arguments about why cannabis should be decriminalized in all states of the U.S.
- Describe what situations in college make the student’s life unsustainable.
- Describe how the topic about xiake is depicted in Asian movies.
- Yellowstone volcano: How would an eruption influence the U.S. and the whole world?
- Identify types of alternative medicine that are popular in the U.S.
- Design and construction of thermal energy power systems around the globe.
- Research and discuss the bibliography of Ernest Gaines.
- Analysis of free software movement and its contribution to society.
- The challenges of managing a multi-generational workforce.
- Describe social peculiarities of Islamophobia in Russia and the U.S.
- Analyze the promotion of cognitive development among elderly people.
- Investigate the problem of involuntary de-boarding situation among airlines.
- Offer distinct arguments about the benefits of probation and problems that it creates.
Medium topics for college research papers
- Research and discuss the benefits of Catalonia receiving independence.
- Distinctive characteristics of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
- About the salvation of non-Christians and the eternity of torment in “The Great Divorce” by C. S. Lewis.
- Identify the assessment methods of community health needs.
- How has healthcare reform helped or hurt access to healthcare in the U.S.?
- Analyze the influence of Mexico City’s transportation on air pollution.
- Muslim migration. What are the consequences of this migration and should it be stopped?
- Analysis of reasons of the Soviet famine of 1932–33 and its consequences.
- The use of diagnostic medical sonography in obstetrics and gynecology.
- Examine the effects of pre-election polling on voter behavior.
- Police psychology. Analysis of methods for shaping qualities necessary for effective performance of official duties.
- Describe what controversial issues have arisen from Guantanamo Bay.
- Discuss the regulation of live videos on Facebook and other social networks in the example of the case with the killing in Thailand.
- Analyze problems of the utilization of long-lived radioactive waste in U.S. radioactive management.
- The role of iron supplementation in the treatment of anemia in cancer patients.
Hard topics for college research papers
- Analysis of Japanese history from the Jomon to the Nara Period.
- Compare the aspects of United States corporate law with the judiciary of Saudi Arabia.
- Sleep deprivation and its impact on dreams in the adult population.
- Contingency management for substance use treatment for pregnant and postpartum women.
- Moore’s Law. What impact did it have on computer development?
- How did the copyright laws in the 1930s affect how eugenics was portrayed on the silver screen?
- Features and benefits of formal and informal assessment for elementary.
- Outline the effects of the emigration of educated persons from Puerto Rico.
- The importance of sunlight in children’s hospitals and its influence on recovery.
- Analysis of growth of nuclear weapons across the globe on the example of North and South Korea.
- Identify and analyze similarities between the Book of Exodus and the Gospel of Matthew in the first two chapters.
- Describe the system of music education in China and peculiarities of its development.
- Discuss the issue of psychological help for first responders and consequences of systematic stress.
- Effect of obesity on kidney function and the possibility of drug therapy for children with obesity.
- Investigate and compare modern methods of assessing the activity of systemic lupus erythematosus.
How to pick a good topic for a research paper
There are three keys that increase your chances to pick a good topic for a research paper:
- Look at worldwide experience. An analytical overview of recent advances will give a good basis for your topic.
- Be flexible. You can change the direction of your topic during writing.
- Be in trend with latest news. Keep track on several sections of the news portal and analyze situations.
You can be inspired with situations that have occurred with you or your friends, or from information that you have read a long time ago. College research paper topic ideas can evolve just in conversation with your family or tutor. All you need to remember is: write only about topics that are interesting for you, consider up-to-date information, and always make sure that there is enough information about the topic to conduct research.
But this is not a reason to panic! We have prepared a unique college research paper topics list on various topics. The list was divided into three parts depending on the complexity of research: easy, medium, and hard. Good luck with your paper!
22 thoughts on “ The Best Research Paper Topics for College Students ”
Please suggest some research topics under Politics that can involve the perspective of college students for data gathering.
Hello. Try these ones: – Fake News in Canadian Politics – Clean Water Act and it’s Importance in American Politics – Fiscal crisis of the 1970s – Influence of celebrity in politics – Hezbollah, Al Qaeda, and ISIS in Influencing Regional and International Politics Or you can ask our writers https://essayshark.com/write-my-college-essay.html to help you.
Hey can you help me with a case study topic from history
Hello. You can choose any of these: Mikhail Gorbachev’s 1988 UN Speech Winston Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech Ho Chi Minh and Vietnamese Independence The Operation Anaconda Or place an order with us and our writers will choose a perfect topic for you.
I have a doubt which topic i choose for research study? i want to do research in zoology subject. can you clear my doubt?
Hello! Here are some suggestions for you to consider:
– Who is Dr. Scott Edwards? What is his scientific specialization, what is/are his major contributions to science? – What sort of behaviors do elephants or dolphins have that seem to be geared towards the cohesiveness of the group and what behaviors have to do with survival? Or are those behaviors one in the same? – Broadcast spawners are organisms that fling their gametes out into the water where fertilization takes place. Why would these organisms choose to be broadcast spawners? For those that are mobile, why not just have internal fertilization? – If one assumes that we would prefer not to die to mate, why do so many organisms do just that? Explain some of the evolutionary forces that might have caused some organisms to sacrifice themselves for the opportunity to mate? – Why do you think that parasites impact people so much in other parts of the world and not so much in the United States? What do you think can be done to reduce the rate of parasitic infection in other countries? – Self-Medication in Animals
would really love to see research topics on psychology
Hope, you’ll find this post https://essayshark.com/blog/psychology-papers-topics/ useful.
What are good art history college research paper topics that I could write a research paper about?
Here you go – https://essayshark.com/blog/research-paper-topics/
Currently writing a psychology research paper on the sleep deprivation! Thanks for the topic!!!
Didn’t know what I was going to do for my research paper and now I have 3 potential topics.
Thank you for these college research paper topics, now the most difficult part for me is to choose a topic to write about…hmmm
I’m betting I have the best potential research topics than my classmates.
Thank you! That was helpful.
Hi! Can you help me guys? What topic is good for research in sports?
Check out our post https://essayshark.com/blog/60-best-sports-research-paper-topics/ and pick a topic that interests you the most.
I have a humble question – can you help me with writing my research paper? I have selected the topic, but I don’t know what to do next…
Specify your topic here https://essayshark.com/ and your paper will be completed within deadline.
These topics are great, but I need smth else… You have some art history research topics?
Dear Zoe, we have a post dedicated to art topics. Choose any of them you like here – https://essayshark.com/blog/art-history-research-paper-topics/
Hi there, it’s my first visit to this site and it carries amazing research topics for college!
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Research Paper Guide
Research Paper Example
Research Paper Example - APA and MLA Format
12 min read
Published on: Nov 27, 2017
Last updated on: Jan 26, 2023
On This Page On This Page
Do you spend time staring at the screen and thinking about how to approach a monstrous research paper ?
If yes, you are not alone.
Research papers are no less than a curse for high school and college students.
It takes time, effort, and expertise to craft a striking research paper.
Every other person craves to master the magic of producing impressive research papers.
Continue with the guide to investigate the mysterious nature of different types of research through examples.
Research Paper Example for Different Formats
An academic paper doesn't have to be boring. You can use an anecdote, a provocative question, or a quote to begin the introduction.
Learning from introductions written in professional college papers is the best strategy.
Have a look at the expertise of the writer in the following example.
Social Media and Social Media Marketing: A Literature Review
APA Research Paper Example
While writing research papers, you must pay attention to the required format.
Follow the example when the instructor mentions the APA format .
Effects of Food Deprivation of Concentration and Preserverance
Research Paper Example APA 7th Edition
Research Paper Example MLA
Once you are done with APA format, let’s practice the art of writing quality MLA papers.
Found Voices: Carl Sagan
We have provided you with a top-notch research paper example in MLA format here.
Research Paper Example Chicago
Chicago style is not very common, but it is important to learn. Few institutions require this style for research papers, but it is essential to learn. The content and citations in the research paper are formatted like this example.
Chicago Research Paper Sample
Research Paper Example Harvard
To learn how a research paper is written using the Harvard citation style , carefully examine this example. Note the structure of the cover page and other pages.
Harvard Research Paper Sample
Examples for Different Research Paper Parts
A research paper has different parts. Each part is important for the overall success of the paper. Chapters in a research paper must be written correctly, using a certain format and structure.
The following are examples of how different sections of the research paper can be written.
Example of Research Proposal
What is the first step to starting a research paper?
Submitting the research proposal!
It involves several sections that take a toll on beginners.
Here is a detailed guide to help you write a research proposal .
Are you a beginner or do you lack experience? Don’t worry.
The following example of a research paper is the perfect place to get started.
View Research Proposal Example Here
Research Paper Example Abstract
After submitting the research proposal, prepare to write a seasoned abstract section.
The abstract delivers the bigger picture by revealing the purpose of the research.
A common mistake students make is writing it the same way a summary is written.
It is not merely a summary but an analysis of the whole research project. Still confused?
Read the abstract mentioned in the following research to get a better idea.
Affirmative Action: What Do We Know? - Abstract Example
Literature Review Research Paper Example
What if a novice person reads your research paper?
He will never understand the critical elements involved in the research paper.
To enlighten him, focus on the literature review section. This section offers an extensive analysis of the past research conducted on the paper topics.
It is relatively easier than other sections of the paper.
Take a closer look at the paper below to find out.
Methods Section of Research Paper Example
While writing research papers, excellent papers focus a great deal on the methodology.
Yes, the research sample and methodology define the fate of the papers.
Are you facing trouble going through the methodology section?
Relax and let comprehensive sample research papers clear your doubts.
View Methods Section of Research Paper Here
Research Paper Conclusion Example
The conclusion leaves the last impression on the reader.
“Who cares for the last impression? It’s always the first.”
Don’t be fooled!
The conclusion sets the tone of the whole research paper properly.
A key list of elements must be present in conclusion to make it crisp and remarkable.
The Conclusion: Your Paper's Final Impression
View the sample paper and identify the points you thought were never a part of the conclusion.
Research Paper Examples for Different Fields
Research papers can be about any subject that needs a detailed study. The following examples show how research papers are written for different subjects.
History Research Paper Sample
Many Faces of Generalisimo Fransisco Franco
Sociology Research Paper Sample
A Descriptive Statistical Analysis within the State of Virginia
Science Fair Research Paper Sample
What Do I Need To Do For The Science Fair?
Psychology Research Paper Sample
The Effects of Food Deprivation on Concentration and Preserverance
Art History Research Paper Sample
European Art History: A Primer
Scientific Research Paper Example
We have discussed several elements of research papers through examples.
Research Proposal!
Introduction in Research Paper!
Read on to move towards advanced versions of information.
Scientific research paper
Let's have a look at the template and an example to elaborate on concepts.
It includes:
- Introduction
- Related Work
- Research Methodology
- Experiments
- Results and Discussion
- Conclusion & Future Work
- Acknowledgment
The name itself sounds terrifying to many students. Make no mistake; it sure is dangerous when touched without practice.
Students become afraid and hence aspire to locate an outstanding essay paper writer to get their papers done.
Detailed, high-quality, and credible sources and samples are a must to be shared here.
Science Fair Paper Format
Example of Methodology in Research Paper
The words methodology, procedure, and approach are the same. They indicate the approach pursued by the researcher while conducting research to accomplish the goal through research.
The methodology is the bloodline of the research paper.
A practical or assumed procedure is used to conduct the methodology.
The Effects of Immediate Feedback Devices in High School Chemistry Classes
See the way the researcher has shared participants and limits in the methodology section of the example.
Research Paper Example for Different Levels
The process of writing a research paper is based on a set of steps. The process will seem daunting if you are unaware of the basic steps. Start writing your research paper by taking the following steps:
- Choose a Topic
- Create a thesis statement
- Do in-depth research for the research study
- Create an outline
You will find writing a research paper much easier once you have a plan.
No matter which level you are writing at, your research paper needs to be well structured.
Research Paper Example Outline
Before you plan on writing a well-researched paper, make a rough draft.
Brainstorm again and again!
Pour all of your ideas into the basket of the outline.
What will it include?
A standard is not set but follow the research paper outline example below:
View Research Paper Outline Example Here
This example outlines the following elements:
- Thesis Statement
- Methodology
Utilize this standard of outline in your research papers to polish your paper. Here is a step-by-step guide that will help you write a research paper according to this format.
Good Research Paper Examples for Students
Theoretically, good research paper examples will meet the objectives of the research.
Always remember! The first goal of the research paper is to explain ideas, goals, and theory as clearly as water.
Yes, leave no room for confusion of any sort.
Fiscal Research Center - Action Plan
Qualitative Research Paper Example
Research Paper Example Introduction
How to Write a Research Paper Example?
Research Paper Example for High School
When the professor reads such a professional research paper, he will be delighted.
High scores!
Grant of funds for the project!
Appreciation in Class!
You'll surely be highly rewarded.
Research Paper Conclusion
“Who cares for the last impression? It's always the first.”
Don't be fooled!
A key list of elements must be present in the conclusion to make it crisp and remarkable.
Critical Research Paper
To write a research paper remarkably, include the following ingredients in it:
- Justification of the Experimental Design
- Analysis of Results
- Validation of the Study
How to Write the Methods Section of a Research Paper
Theoretical Framework Examples
The theoretical framework is the key to establish credibility in research papers.
Read the purpose of the theoretical framework before following it in the research paper.
The researcher offers a guide through a theoretical framework.
- Philosophical view
- Conceptual Analysis
- Benefits of the Research
An in-depth analysis of theoretical framework examples research paper is underlined in the sample below.
View Theoretical Framework Example Here
Now that you have explored the research paper examples, you can start working on your research project.
Hopefully, these examples will help you understand the writing process for a research paper. You can hire an essay writer online if you still require help writing your paper. You can buy well-written yet cheap research papers by contacting our expert and professional writers.
So, contact our essay writing service now.
Nova A. (Literature, Marketing)
Nova Allison is a Digital Content Strategist with over eight years of experience. Nova has also worked as a technical and scientific writer. She is majorly involved in developing and reviewing online content plans that engage and resonate with audiences. Nova has a passion for writing that engages and informs her readers.
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Best Sites for College-Level Research
College students need to find reputable sources for their research. It can take longer to find academic sources when using a simple search engine. Students also have to ensure the reliability of the information while considering the source since not all websites offer unbiased information. Luckily, there are certain search engines and websites devoted to academic research. Some are specific to subject areas while others cover a broad range of topics.
College Library
Your college or university library subscribes to multiple resources, databases, journals, books and more to provide full-text access to scholarly content across all subject areas. Academic librarians assist with research instruction and help you with creating effective search strategies to find relevant, quality sources to support your course assignments or research projects. Through a service called interlibrary loan (ILL), your library can often borrow books and journal articles they don’t own through a network of libraries that share content, thereby providing access to an incredibly large network of scholarly resources.
Google Scholar
Google offers college research tools in addition to its classic search engine feature. Google Scholar is a search engine that focuses on scholarly resources available on the internet, including articles, theses and books. Universities and other academic institutions also have publications available through Google Scholar. You can even connect your college or university library holdings in Google Scholar, so you can access full-text content through your library’s link in your Google Scholar search results. Google Scholar can be a great addition to library research when conducting a thorough search of published literature.
Google Books
Google Books includes book titles from modern to classic. You can search for a topic and Google Books will scan book pages for your search terms. You can also read sections of the book, see reviews of the material and learn where you can buy the book. This can be helpful for research papers or projects where you are looking for a wealth of information on the topic.
Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC)
Sponsored by the Institute of Education Sciences at the United States Department of Education, ERIC is a freely accessible, education-focused database containing citations and article summaries with some content available as full-text. You can also access and search ERIC through your college library’s website to find even more full-text content in this education database. ERIC is a great starting point for research for teacher candidates and educators .
Internet Archive
The Internet Archive began with indexing and archiving website pages for continued access back in 1996 through their Wayback Machine. Today, the Internet Archive provides access to millions of resources, including books, audio recordings and videos. Both popular and scholarly materials are accessible through the Internet Archive, so be sure to evaluate and review your sources. Use the search feature to find specific titles or materials to support your scholarly research.
Project Gutenberg
Focusing on older book titles (mostly prior to 1924) where the United States copyright has expired, Project Gutenberg provides access to over 60,000 ebooks at your fingertips. Browse their top 100 list or search for specific titles in the online book catalog search feature. Ebooks are available across different formats including Kindle, EPUB, plain text or in HTML to read online in your internet browser. If you are studying literature or researching older historical materials, Project Gutenberg is a great resource for books.
PubMed is the premier biomedical database, indexing over 30 million citations and summaries of articles related to health sciences literature. Developed by the National Center for Biotechnology Information at the National Library of Medicine, PubMed is free to search but can also be accessed through your college’s library, where the library’s full-text content is linked to allow access to a large number of full-text articles. If you are studying a subject related to health sciences or currently serving as a practicing clinician, PubMed is a great place to start your research.
Wolfram Alpha
If you have a specific question about what something is or how something works while doing your research, Wolfram Alpha is a useful tool. Instead of providing search results, it answers questions. Type in a topic or a question and the answer will show up without you having to choose other websites to go to for results. Users who are researching mathematics, sciences or technology processes or are looking for help with homework may find this site particularly helpful.
When you enroll in coursework at Grand Canyon University, you gain access to our excellent library system. You will be able to access academic content easily to conduct your college research, and if you need assistance with your research, you can always inquire with our helpful librarians. Learn more about joining our community of committed learners by visiting our website or clicking the Request Info button on this page.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.
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The samples we have on our website can help in the selection of the best research paper topics for college students. Since proper writing begins with choosing a clear and researchable topic, it is good to have experts like our own who can help you choose the best topic. The course you are taking does not matter; we have experts in every field. If you are pursuing psychology-based courses, we have the best psychology research paper topics for college students. If you want to research on depression, abnormal psychology, or theories of psychology, we can help you create an interesting.
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Recommended Research Paper Topics College Students Could Choose
Research work in college can be flexible especially when the professor allows you to choose a topic on your own. Some lecturers may have a list of topics for you to decide. However, most institutions allow students to make a choice. Since you recognize the difficulty of choosing a topic, we have various recommendations for the best research paper topics college students would want to write on. Since we are experts, we know the college paper topics that would attract your reader especially your professor as he or she marks your essay. Rely on us for the best professional assistance with choosing a good topic.
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How To Research In College
By reese lopez.
Published on July 15, 2021
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College students in nearly every field write research papers, including business, sciences, and humanities students. To write a strong research paper, learners conduct research, evaluate information, and synthesize their findings. Gathering and evaluating research sources is the first step to writing a compelling paper.
This guide to college research papers explores common research strategies, tips for evaluating scholarly sources, and online resources for college students. The following sections also highlight popular online research databases, such as Google Scholar, ERIC, and PubMed Central.
Understanding and Finding Sources
While writing college research papers, learners use many types of sources. Students must be able to identify different types of sources and use them effectively together. Most research authorities define three major types of research sources: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Online research databases typically feature all three types of sources.
Primary sources recount information as close as possible to the original source. Examples include statistics and data from original research, speeches and interviews, and court decisions. Primary sources also include original texts such as novels, journals, and letters.
Secondary sources interpret and analyze primary sources. Secondary sources include scholarly journal articles, reports, and documentaries. Most research papers cite both primary and secondary sources. Primary sources often form the basis of a paper, while secondary sources add depth through critical analysis.
Tertiary sources identify and catalog primary and secondary sources. Bibliographies, literature reviews, and indexes are tertiary sources.
10 Search Engines for College Research
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Google Scholar
This search engine for scholarly literature indexes most major academic research sources. The comprehensive database includes academic journals, conference papers, academic books, dissertations, and technical reports. Users can also find patents and legal opinions.
Google Scholar offers a comprehensive selection of research sources. However, the database may not include shorter pieces from academic journals, such as editorials, book reviews, and news sections.
Google Books
Google Books stores and catalogs scans of print books, including many academic publications. As of 2019, the service includes more than 40 million books written in more than 400 languages. Google Books offers access to a wealth of research information, but some sources may include scanning or metadata errors. The database makes no guarantee of scholarly authenticity, and some books may include incorrect information.
Microsoft Academic
Similar to Google Scholar, Microsoft Academic offers a searchable database of academic publications and other research resources. Users can search and browse publications from more than 49,000 academic journals and 27,000 research institutions. The service uses semantic search technology, which can provide more accurate results based on keywords.
The Microsoft Academic database features a huge array of research publications. However, the service is set to suspend access on December 31, 2021.
Bielefeld University Library maintains this resource, which provides access to more than 270 million academic documents. More than 9,000 content providers contribute research. Base carefully evaluates and indexes sources, ensuring that all content meets the highest academic standards. Users can search for terms in more than 20 languages. All search results display in-depth bibliographic information. About 60% of Base's content is available for free.
This targeted academic search engine serves teachers, students, administrators, and researchers. The database features hundreds of thousands of reputable research sources. Users can access publications from colleges, government agencies, and noncommercial research organizations. Large portions of the site's documents are editor-reviewed.
The service offers useful search specifications for teachers and education majors. Users can filter results by school subject and grade level. They can also find educational activities and lesson plans.
Science.gov
Users can search more than 60 federal scientific databases and more than 2,200 websites. This online database compiles research and development data from all types of federal science agencies. Participating U.S. agencies include the USDA, NASA, and the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Science.gov offers valuable resources for science students and researchers, but the service isn't practical for conducting research in other fields.
Refseek offers access to more than five billion research documents. Resources include books, academic journals, newspapers, encyclopedias, and web pages. Refseek's databases cover subjects including writing, visual arts, mathematics, and coding. Refseek offers a practical approach to research. That said, the service delivers less comprehensive results than other academic databases.
Educational Resources Information Center
This searchable education research database serves academics and students. Users can access publications from hundreds of academic journals. Additional sources include policy organizations and federal departments.
Unlike many college research databases, ERIC does not require institutional affiliation. The general public can access information for free. However, ERIC primarily contains education publications, making it less useful for students in other fields.
PubMed Central
PubMed Central hosts research publications in biomedical and life sciences. The U.S. National Institutes of Health's National Library of Medicine operates this database, which contains more than seven million articles. Users can browse and search the database of journals, digitized content, and author manuscripts. All content is free to access.
PubMed Central is an excellent resource for science research papers. However, students in other fields may find the site less useful.
Semantic Scholar
Semantic Scholar uses artificial intelligence to help students identify relevant college research paper sources. The site uses machine learning to draw connections between papers and identify relevant publications. Operated by the Allen Institute for AI, Semantic Scholar maintains partnerships with more than 50 scholarly societies and academic publishers. The database contains more than 190 million papers, covering all major scientific fields. The site also hosts articles from other fields, such as the humanities.
Research Tips for College Students
Browsing databases can overwhelm even organized students. Smart research involves refining searches and narrowing down findings. This section highlights tips to help learners perform research efficiently.
How to Evaluate a Resource for Academic Research
While writing a research paper, students should use information that is authentic, reputable, and up to date. This section highlights key questions to ask yourself when evaluating research sources.
College Research Resources
To produce a strong college research paper, students should use relevant and reputable sources. The following websites offer academic resources for college students. These resources help users identify the best sources for research papers.
RADAR Technique
RADAR stands for relevance, authority, date, appearance, and reason. This research technique can help students quickly evaluate research sources and determine their usefulness.
OWL at Purdue
Pudue's Online Writing Lab offers comprehensive resources for academic writing and research. The site features information on common types of papers, academic formatting, and citation practices.
This free research assistant tool compiles, organizes, and cites research sources. Users can arrange information and quickly search and view research sources.
Determine If a Source Is Scholarly
The University of Illinois Library offers this guide to determining a research source's scholarly authenticity. The guide includes evaluation criteria and a flowchart.
Finding Sources
SUNY Empire State College's writing center offers this comprehensive guide to identifying and locating research sources. The guide outlines major research sources and techniques.
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Research Paper Format Guidelines: Let Formatting Trouble You No More
Updated 01 Feb 2023
Writing a research paper is not that difficult providing you know what to start from and what pitfalls you can face. We’ve prepared a short guide to ease this task and make it less challenging. Here you will find tips on how to write a successful research paper format-wise, what sections it is supposed to include, how to choose a good title and reliable sources, and so on. Special attention will be paid to the specifics of research paper format, structure, and related details. Overall, academic writing requires attention to details and a bit of patience, as well as enough time for proofreading every assignment. In simple words, just keep calm and write on!
How to Write a Research Paper Format
As required by the most widespread essay paper format, a good assignment should include an Introduction, Body, and Conclusion:
- Introduction
A research paper introduction is one of the most difficult to write. It is supposed to take only 10% of the general word count, but that’s also where you need to shortly outline the topic and provide the necessary background information, as well as identify a strong thesis statement or a key argument. The key thing is to make the reader interested in the rest of your work and clearly state your main idea.
In this part, you are to present facts and premises in support of your thesis statement. Within one paragraph, it’s better to stick to one major fact. As for the character count, it should include at least three sentences, but no more than 200 words. Don’t forget to add the transition sentence at the end. Overall, you can include as many paragraphs as necessary, but don’t wander from the main subject.
That’s where you need to summarize the essay. Don’t introduce any new facts or citations. The key thing is to show how the facts you’ve introduced earlier support your thesis. Have a tough research paper? Use assistance from a professional research paper helper !
Read also: Examples of research paper outlines
Research Paper Format Tips
Attempting to adhere to college research paper format can be rather challenging. In order to succeed, you should indeed be attentive. The good news is that formatting a research paper is a skill that can be developed, which means that the entire process will require less time and effort in the future. Besides, you can always consider an option to use one of free citation generators or simply order cheap research papers .
How to format a research paper? It depends a lot on whether it is a theoretical or experimental one. Here, the focus is on papers with an experimental component, which has more sections.
There are several types of format for a research paper, like MLA, APA, ASA , Chicago, etc. In other words, formatting requirements can differ!
Here is a list of key details:
- Submit your essay on standard, white 8.5 x 11-inch.
- For MLA and APA formats, set 1-inch margins on all sides.
- Check if you need the title page (it is not required in MLA, for example).
- For MLA and APA research paper format , double-space your essay.
- Use Times New Roman of 12-point font size.
- Add headers with page numbers at the top-right corner of the page. Don’t number paragraphs unless required by instructions.
- Indent the first line of each paragraph one half-inch from the left margin.
- For essays larger than 5-6 pages, add a table of contents, as well as mind adding headings and subheadings to improve readability.
- For essays in APA format, write Abstract and Conclusion on separate pages.
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Main Sections of a Research Paper
As stated in most research paper guidelines, the main sections are:
It includes the title of your essay, as well as your name and institutional affiliation.
This is a broad overview of a paper. It takes from 100 to 300 words, so short assignments don’t require abstracts.
State the thesis statement and explain why the issue is important.
- Literature review
Describe the previous research related to your topic.
- Materials and Methods
This part explains the research methodology. In particular, you’re to write how you collected data and what methods you used.
Present the results of your research.
- Discussion/Conclusion
Analyze the results and discuss how they relate to the previous research.
Provide an alphabetized bibliography list of all the sources you were using. Among other things you should include in a research paper are: graphs and tables depicting experimental results and statistics-in order to ensure better readability, you might want to include them in the appendices section.
How to Choose a Title, find Reliable Sources and Proofread your Research Paper
To create a strong thesis statement, provide arguments to support it, as well as carry out all instructions as required by the format of a research paper is only half the work. There are several details you should not forget to pay attention to. Are you looking for a way to pay for a research paper ? Look no further! Our team of experts can provide you with high-quality research papers at an affordable price. Get in touch today and let us help you get the results you need!
- The first one is the title since trying to pick up a good one can be quite challenging. It should give readers an understanding of what your essay is about and create a desire to read it. Try writing the title after you finish your essay, even though doing the opposite might seem more logical. This will not only save your time but will give you a clear idea of what your title should be.
- Reliable sources are another important thing. Avoid such sources as Wikipedia and use books and scholarly journals instead. A list of reliable sources on your Reference page creates a good impression of your paper, at the very least.
- Finally, don’t forget about proofreading after you finish your assignment . Pay attention to possible mistakes in spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Also, try to eliminate unnecessary words. It will make your sound more concise.
Steps of Writing Process
Before you start writing, make sure you’ve defined the subject. You are to present something new and interesting to your audience, but still, you’d better not select too complicated subjects. After this, you will need to brainstorm the existing literature, as well as pick up sources you are going to refer to when writing. Imagine your thesis is an endpoint, while the paragraphs in your paper are the steps you’re to make to reach it.
When writing a research paper, it might make a lot of sense to start by describing the goals of the research, the objectives, the hypotheses, then, by listing all evidence (e.g. experimental), materials and methods, and conclusion. The literature review can be written at the end but keep in mind that you should research the topic extensively BEFORE commencing writing.
Next, write a rough draft. It shouldn’t take much of your time as you will need to edit the paper and write the final draft after you finish. Still, don’t forget to cite the sources you’re using. Revise your draft and check whether all the paragraphs have a topic sentence and whether each of your ideas is supported by evidence. Finally, write the final draft. You can get help with writing research papers at Edubirdie. It should support your thesis statement as well as be clearly organized and properly formatted.
College Writing Tips for your Research Paper
Writing a research paper for college is by far less difficult than writing an academic paper. Nevertheless, higher rigors apply compared to average college tasks.
Here are several tips you might find useful:
- Try to make your introduction as strong and clear as possible. It’s a common mistake when students start their essays with too generic sentences that do not reflect any position or make readers interested in the topic.
- Each type of format for a research paper sets its own requirements as for in-text citations and the Reference page. Consult online guidelines to fulfill all of them.
- Since you will probably be using online sources, try to avoid such domain name extensions as .com or .net. Instead, use sources from .gov (government), .edu (educational institutions), and .org (nonprofit organizations) websites.
- Mind the word count. Sentences should be no longer than 30 words.
- Don’t overindulge with linking words and phrases. When used correctly, they make the text cohesive and easier to read. If used when unnecessary, they make your essay too wordy.
Writing a research paper can be both a challenging and rewarding experience, that is why many students choose EduBirdie to purchase research papers . The crucial thing is to allow yourself enough time to do this. Define the subject of your assignment, carefully learn the existing literature, prepare an outline and an argumentative thesis, edit research papers and start writing! Pay special attention to the research paper format and consult the online guides in order not to leave any important details out of account. The last but not least step is proofreading. Finally, ask yourself a question: would you personally enjoy reading your assignment? If your answer is “Yes,” you’ve probably succeeded!
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How to Write a Research Paper
Updated August 24, 2022
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If you’re a college student, you will probably have to write at least one college-level research paper before you graduate. Writing a good research paper can be daunting if you have never done it before. We’re here to help.
This guide walks you through everything you need to do to write an effective, impactful research paper . . . and get the good grade you’re after!
Here are the steps and resources you need to write a strong research paper, as well as a checklist to go over to be sure you wrote a good paper. Research writing can be a challenge, but with a little practice, it can become an important part of your academic and professional toolkit.
The Process
The following steps will help you write a research paper, starting with nothing but an assignment or prompt and ending up with a well-crafted essay. The steps are:
- Step 1: Get familiar with the assignment
- Step 2: Pick a topic
Step 3: Research
- Step 4: Organize research
- Step 5: Form a thesis
- Step 6: Create an outline
Step 7: Write
- Step 8: Edit for content
- Step 9: Edit for grammar
- Step 10: Re-read and submit your paper
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Step 1: Get Familiar with the Assignment
This may sound obvious, but it’s very important to understand what your teacher or professor is asking for before you start writing your research paper. Many students skip this step, and then wonder why they receive a low grade on a paper they worked hard on or were excited about. It’s often because they didn’t read the instructions.
Spend time going over the assignment. Look at everything your instructor has provided you with. Carefully read the writing assignment, prompts, grading rubric, or any other materials you’ve received. It might even be helpful to highlight and take notes on the assignment. Take time to understand exactly what you are being asked to write and how you will be graded on it. And if you aren’t sure, ask! Ask your teacher for clarification before you even pick a topic. That way, you will be sure you are on the right track.
Step 2: Pick a Topic
Once you understand what you’re being asked to write in your research paper, it’s time to decide what to write about. This can be daunting, but don’t get too bent out of shape. It can be very helpful to write about something you’re interested in or passionate about, but don’t worry about choosing the perfect topic. In many cases, a controversial topic can be ideal, so that you can exercise your ability to objectively explain differing positions, and even defend one if the assignment calls for that.
Use the guidelines given by your instructor to help pick your paper topic. If you have a topic that you love, but you’re having trouble fitting it into the guidelines, choose another topic. It will be easier on you in the long run to write about a topic that fits the assignment. It’s important to be engaged in the topic you’re writing about it, but you don’t have to love it. It’s also good to realize that you can use this research writing assignment as an opportunity to learn about something new. You will be somewhat of an expert in the topic by the end of this process, but you don’t have to know everything right now.
And now what you have been waiting for — research! This step is pretty flexible; different people will research for a paper in different ways. However, it’s important to stay focused and move pretty quickly. After all, you still have to write your research paper.
Several key things to remember as you research are: 1) skim, 2) find reliable resources, and 3) don’t ignore information.
First off, skimming. You don’t have to read in-full everything ever written about your topic. In fact, you probably can’t. Get comfortable reading through things quickly. Learn how to identify key points and arguments without getting bogged down and reading every word.
Next, find reliable resources. Although this may run contrary to what you’ve been told, you can use Wikipedia to write a research paper. But, you cannot use that as a final source. You can use general sources like Wikipedia to get familiar with a topic, find keywords that can further drive your research, and quickly understand large amounts of information. But, for the information you use in your paper, you have to find reliable resources.
Take what you have learned from a Google search or Wikipedia article and dig deeper. Check out the sources on the article, use keywords from your internet search to search an academic database, or ask an expert whether or not what you learned is valid and if it is, where you can find a reliable source stating the same thing. So, just to be clear: you can use Wikipedia as a starting point in your research, but you should not cite Wikipedia as one of the primary sources for your research paper.
Finally, don’t ignore information. You can find an article that says anything you want it to say. Did researchers recently discover that octopus DNA is made of alien DNA from outer space? Are the spires on the Cinderella Castle at Disney World removable in case of a hurricane? Did a cook attempt to assassinate George Washington by feeding him poisoned tomatoes? You can find articles testifying that all three of the previous claims are true; however, when you dig deeper, it’s clear that they’re not. Just because you find one article stating that something is true, that does not necessarily mean it is a proven fact that you can use in your research.
Work to understand all of the different viewpoints and schools of thought on your topic. This can be done by reading a variety of articles, reading a book or article that gives an overview of the topic and incorporates different points of view, or talking to an expert who can explain the topic in depth.
Step 4: Organize Your Research
So you have all of this information, now what to do with it? Step four is all about getting organized. Like research, different people have different preferences here. It can also depend on your assignment. Some sort of bibliography (literally “book writing,” this is a list of the books, articles, and other sources you have used in your research) is helpful when it comes to organizing your research.
If your teacher requires you to turn in a bibliography with your research paper (think back to step #1; you ought to already know exactly what the assignment is by now!), create a bibliography that meets the requirements for the paper. If you are just making one just for yourself, think about how you would like to organize your research. It might make sense to bookmark resources on your web browser or make a digital bibliography that allows you to link the resources you found. You might prefer a printed list of your resources or you might want to write down all you have learned that is relevant to your project on notecards or sticky notes and organize your research paper on a table or the floor.
Step 5: Form a Thesis
Now that you understand what you’ve been asked to do, have chosen a topic that fits the assignment, and have researched and organized that research, you’re ready to articulate your own opinion, argument, or assertion. Even if you aren’t arguing for or against anything, your paper needs a thesis. A thesis is a short statement that you — as researcher and author — put forward for the readers of your paper as what you are trying to explain or prove.
A starting point when writing a thesis might be to write a one-sentence answer to the question: what is your paper about? The answer might be something like the following examples:
- My paper explains the relationship between dogs and humans.
- It’s about university policies on freshman living on campus.
- I wrote about views on marriage in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice .
See, that wasn’t so hard. But, what is important to remember, is that this is just a starting point. Many students stop right there, and then don’t understand why their instructor graded them poorly on their thesis statement. A thesis needs to be definitive, and should not be about you. So, you might change the above answers to statements like:
The relationship between dogs and humans goes both ways; not only are dogs man’s best friend, but human interactions have influenced the way that modern dogs’ behavior and anatomy.
Many universities require freshmen students to live on campus for their first year, which keeps students out of trouble, helps students get better grades, and increases their likelihood of staying in school.
In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, marriage is seen as a number of things, including as a social mobility tool, as a mistake, and as a beneficial partnership .
Can you see the differences between the first set of sentences and the second set of thesis statements? It might take a few tries, but work to eliminate words and phrases like “I think,” or “My paper is about.”
It is also very important not to be too vague. Don’t be afraid to make a strong statement. If you look at the above examples, each of them makes a specific point about the topic. Another key to crafting a strong thesis statement is making sure that your thesis is arguable. That doesn’t mean it’s controversial or particularly opinionated, but it does mean that someone could disagree.
For example, someone might argue that humans haven’t influenced dogs all that much, that requiring freshman students to live on campus isn’t a good thing, or that marriage in Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is all about romance. (Another way to check whether or not your statement is arguable: Is Pride and Prejudice a book? Yes. So the statement, “Pride and Prejudice is a book written by Jane Austen,” doesn’t work as a thesis because no one could disagree. There is no point in writing an entire essay about that obvious fact.) Checking whether or not someone could argue with your thesis statement is a good way to make sure you have written a strong, specific thesis statement that will guide you as you write your paper and earn a good grade for your efforts.
After you have worked to create a specific, arguable, definitive thesis statement, this is another place that it could be helpful to check in with your professor, a writing center tutor, or another trusted educator or mentor. Show them your thesis statement and ask them if they think itis a powerful thesis that you will guide you as you build your essay.
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Step 6: Create an Outline
Like a bibliography, the way that you create your outline may depend on your assignment. If your teacher asked you to turn in an outline, be sure to make an outline that follows the example, guidelines, or requirements you have been given. If you aren’t required to write an outline, it can still be a helpful tool as you build your research paper.
Creating an outline is really about structuring your paper. Don’t be too formulaic, but it can be helpful to follow patterns and guides. In high school you might have written three- or five-paragraph essays, and it’s okay to use those same patterns for a college research paper, but be sure that whatever format you choose makes sense for your paper. If you have two main points in your thesis, three or five main sections might not work for your research paper. If the assignment asks you to introduce a topic, explain different opinions on the topic, and then choose and explain your opinion, then your paper probably needs three main sections, one for each of those objectives.
As you create an outline, think critically about what you are trying to explain or communicate in your research paper and what structure allows you to do that in a clear, organized way. It usually makes sense to have an introduction and conclusion, but what goes between will vary based on the contents of your essay.
The outlining stage of producing your argument is a great time to think about bad forms of argumentation you should avoid. If you aren’t familiar with logical fallacies, take some time to review the most common fallacies ; your grade could depend on it!
And then, finally, it’s time to actually write your paper. You might feel like you should have started writing sooner, but, rest assured: the work you have done up to this point is important. It will help you create a strong, clear, interesting research paper.
As you write, don’t be a perfectionist. Don’t worry about finding the perfect words, using the perfect grammar, or crafting the perfect title. There is time to perfect your research paper as you edit. Right now, you just need to write.
It might be helpful to look over your research before you start writing, but don’t write directly from your research. If you’re looking back and forth between your resources and your paper as you begin writing, it’s easy to copy ideas without really creating your own work. You have done a lot of work already, so trust that and work from memory as you write your research paper. It’s okay to look up a specific quote or statistic, but in general your ideas should be your own at this point.
Working from your own ideas will help you avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism is the uncredited use of someone else’s words or ideas, whether you meant to use them without credit or not. This sounds scary, but it doesn’t have to be. If you follow the steps outlined in this guide, you can be confident that you’ve created your own essay that builds on the ideas, writing, and work of others, without stealing, copying, or plagiarising.
If you quote something word-for-word, you need to cite your source. Use quotation marks and mention the source of the quote. You will also need to include more information about the quote on a Works Cited or References page. If you paraphrase, that is, you don’t use the exact words, but do use someone’s idea, it’s still important to give credit. You don’t need quotation marks here, but it is important to mention where the idea comes from.
If something is a common fact (generally accepted if you can find the fact stated, without credit, in three or more credible sources), you don’t need to mention where the idea comes from. For example, Bill Gates is a billionaire who founded Microsoft. That is a common fact; you can find it stated in numerous trustworthy sources. But if your paper is about the why behind Bill Gates’ wealth, fame, and success, then you’re going to need to credit and cite specific quotes and statistics, as well as theories about why the Microsoft billionaire is so successful.
Step 8: Edit for Content
Now that you’ve got a paper written, take a moment to congratulate yourself. You have done a lot of work to get to this point! And then, get back to work. You still need to edit your paper before it’s ready to turn in. Remember how you weren’t supposed to worry about being perfect? You still don’t need to worry, but it is time to make your paper as perfect as you possibly can.
Start by editing for content. This means thinking about structure, organization, wording, and length. You carefully organized your paper when you created an outline. Now that you have written your paper, does that organization still make sense? If so, great. If not, what do you need to move around? Look carefully at how you’ve worded your sentences. Did you communicate what you meant to get across? Can you make your paper clearer or easier to understand? This is also a good point to think back to Step 1. Does your paper include everything the assignment asked for? If not, where can you include the missing pieces?
If your paper is too long or too short, now is the time to cut it down or build it up to an acceptable length. Don’t just delete your conclusion because your paper is too long. Don’t waste your time playing with the font size and margins to try to make your essay longer. Be careful and thoughtful about these edits. If you need to take something out, what makes sense to cut and how can you re-organize your paper so that it maintains a strong structure? If you need to lengthen your paper, don’t just randomly add words or repeat things you have already said. Think about where you could expand or what you can add that fits in with the rest of your paper, further develops the ideas you are presenting, or adds valuable information to your research paper.
Once you have made all the changes you think necessary, read back through your paper again to be sure it all makes sense. Especially when working on a computer, it is easy to leave or delete a word, sentence, or paragraph that you didn’t mean to. If you are tired of looking at your research paper, give it to a friend, mentor, or teacher and ask them to take a look at your paper and let you know what they think of the content.
Step 9: Edit for Grammar
It is also important to edit for grammar. This might seem daunting, but there are lots of tools and resources that can help. Check out resources like Grammarly or Strunk and White’s Elements of Style if you’re unsure of what to do with commas, semicolons, or run-on sentences.
Like editing for content, editing for grammar might take a few run-throughs. If you need to take a break, that’s fine. It can even help you come back to your paper feeling more focused, which is key to catching and fixing mistakes.
Step 10: Re-read and Submit your Research Paper
Once you’ve finished Steps 1–9, it’s definitely time to take a break. Give your paper a day or two (or an hour or two, if you are running short on time) and give it a final read-through. It can be helpful to print a copy of your paper and read a hard-copy if you have only read through it on a screen thus far. You might notice mistakes or formatting issues that your eyes missed while reading on your computer. Once you have read your research paper for a final time and double checked that your paper does everything the assignment is asking for, it is time to submit.
Be sure to follow any instructions you have been given about turning in your research paper. Also give yourself time to troubleshoot if things go wrong. If you try to print your paper five minutes before class starts, what are you going to do if your printer is out of toner? If you are supposed to submit your paper online at midnight and the wifi is down when you login to submit your assignment at 11:58 PM, even though that is unfortunate, it is still something you could have avoided by logging on with enough time to solve any problems that arise before the deadline. Your teacher will appreciate and respect your preparedness, and it will likely impact your grades positively.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to your instructor for help, but be reasonable and responsible about it. If you log on the day before and see that the place where you are supposed to turn in your assignment is locked or unavailable, send your teacher an email so that they can help you submit your paper before it is due. Just don’t expect them to help you in the middle of the night, on a weekend, or minutes before an assignment is due. Some instructors might, but you are just lucky at that point. If you prepare and give yourself time to turn in an assignment, you don’t have to count on getting lucky about whether or not your professor is sitting at their computer and available to help you at the very moment you email them.
Your Teacher or Professor
When writing a research paper for a teacher or professor, it is important to step back and think about why they asked you to write this essay in the first place. More than likely, they are giving you an opportunity to learn something. Learning often involves trial-and-error, making mistakes, and asking lots of questions. Don’t be afraid to ask a question; in fact, don’t be afraid to ask your instructor lots of questions! However, do remember to be respectful of them, their time, and efforts. It is important to follow any directions that you have been given by your teacher or professor, to take responsibility and not expect them to do your work for you, and to listen to the answers and advice they share with you. Working with your teacher and asking them for help is an often overlooked resource when it comes to writing research papers. Be sure to take advantage of this help; your paper will be all the better for it.
Research Librarians
Another often-overlooked resource is the research librarian. Did you know that, in addition to tons of books and online materials, college and university libraries often have staff whose job it is to help answer your questions? Research librarians specialize in research (it might sound obvious, but take a second to get excited about how much this could help you and your research paper!). These librarians usually specialize in particular fields and subjects, so you can get specific, expert help that pertains to your topic. They can help you search for resources, connect you with experts in the field your researching, or give you suggestions about the direction of your research and writing.
Writing Centers
In addition to research librarians, many college and university libraries often house writing centers. While research librarians can help you more with your research, writing center staff can help you actually write your research paper. You can usually schedule an online or in-person appointment with a tutor or instructor that will help you through any step of the writing process. You might want to visit a writing center early on as you develop the concept for your paper, in the middle as you struggle to think of how to discuss one of your key points, or right before you turn in your paper to be sure it’s in near-perfect shape before it goes to your professor for a grade. Many professors even give you extra credit for taking advantage of writing center services. Win-win!
As mentioned earlier in this guide, you can use Wikipedia for introductory research. But, because Wikipedia articles can be edited by anyone and therefore aren’t 100% credible, your professor will likely frown on citing it as a source for your research paper. So, do not use Wikipedia as a primary source for your research paper. When it comes to writing research papers, the references section of a Wikipedia page is one of your best friends. Just like you should be citing your sources at the end of your research paper, Wikipedia articles link to their primary sources. You can use the list of references to find books, articles, and other material that can help you find reliable, relevant primary sources for use in your research.
Academic Databases
Your instructor may require you to use peer-reviewed academic articles as some or all of the sources for your research paper. As a college student, you probably have access to a number of academic databases that you can use to find scholarly articles. If you are unsure of how to search for articles in an academic database, it’s worth asking your professor or a research librarian to help you learn. This skill will be a useful one to have, and you will be easily finding trustworthy, interesting sources in no time.
OWL at Purdue
This is not a nocturnal bird that lives at a university in Indiana, but rather the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University. This online resource offers a number of helpful writing materials, including information on how to cite sources, grammar rules, choosing a topic, and even how to write a research paper. You can search for specific help, or browse resources by category. This free website is a must-visit online resource when writing a college research paper.
Grammarly is like a super-powered spell checker. It’s a free Chrome extension that allows you to edit your writing. You can copy and paste your paper into the Grammarly editor and get spelling and grammar advice that is easy to implement. If you’re looking for additional help or want to use the software without leaving Microsoft Office, check out Grammarly Premium or Grammarly for Microsoft Office. However, it’s important to remember when using this software (or any spelling or grammar checker!) that it is a computer and therefore doesn’t always understand your writing. You need to go over each suggestion made by the software and make sure that it is indeed correcting an error or improving a sentence and not changing something that you meant to say. That being said, Grammarly is great at catching errors and provides easy-to-understand explanations of spelling and grammar suggestions so you can knowledgeably make changes to your research paper.
The Elements of Style — William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White
Style guides may be mostly a thing of the past. You have probably used a spell checker or Googled where to put a comma, but you may never have opened a style guide. However, this book, The Elements of Style, has helpful advice and information about writing. If you are looking for guidance when it comes to editing your paper, picking up a copy of this book may be just what you need. The book consists of different sections, some with specific grammar and writing rules and definitions and others with general writing advice. One rule that is worth knowing, even if you don’t read The Elements of Style is Rule #17: “Omit needless words.” Keep that in mind as you edit your paper; it will help you craft a clear, strong, concise research paper that your teacher will enjoy reading (and even grading!).
Style Guides (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.)
You might feel like we keep saying this (we do . . . ), but it’s for a good reason: know what your research paper assignment is asking for. That is especially important when it comes to formatting your paper. There are several different formatting styles and each has specific rules and guidelines. The main three are MLA, APA, and Chicago. Your instructor likely gave you instructions on which style to use, and if not you can ask which they prefer. Each style has a different name for the list of sources you attach at the end of your paper, different rules about headers and page numbers, etc. Many teachers will deduct points from your grade if you don’t adhere to the style they have asked you to for your research paper; some teachers may not accept the paper at all. You can find more information about whatever style you are working with in a style guide or from OWL at Purdue.
If you are crafting a paper from scratch, start by reading through the above steps to learn how to write a strong research paper. If you have already written a paper, go over this checklist to ensure that it is ready to turn in.
- Does your paper fulfill all of the requirements that the assignment asked for? (If not, or if you are unsure, look back at Step 1.)
- Did you stick to a topic that fits the assignment? (Reference Step two as you think through topic selection.)
- Are your sources credible, reliable, and logical? (Look at Steps three and four for help reflecting on your research.)
- Do you have a clear, arguable thesis statement? (For help with thesis statements, take a look at Step 5.)
- Is your paper organized in a logical way that is easy to understand? (When thinking about outline and structure, see Step 6.)
- Did you plagiarize? (If you have any doubts, check out Step 7.)
- Did you proofread for content and grammar improvements and errors? (See Steps eight and nine for more information about proofreading and editing.)
- Is your paper properly formatted? (See Step one and check out the resources section for information about being sure your paper is formatted correctly.)
- Are you prepared to submit correctly? (Read Step 10 for a few last pieces of advice before you turn in your research paper.)
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College Research
- Pick a Topic
- Ask a Research Question
- Thesis Statement
- Reliable Sources
- Primary & Secondary Sources
- Fact Checking
- MLA Citations
- APA Citations
- Annotated Bibliography
Getting Started
The process of researching and writing your paper can be broken down into the following steps:
- Pick a topic
- Ask a research question
- Find and read research about your topic - evidence, perspectives, interpretations, data, etc. ► take notes as you read, and use what you learn to find more research ► evaluate the sources you read carefully
- Write your thesis statement - the answer to your research question.
The following pages in this guide will help you with these steps.
What is a Research Paper?
Writing a research paper can be challenging. So it may be helpful to first understand what a research paper is and what it is not .
A research paper is NOT
- a mix of other people's ideas
- an analysis of other people's writing or work
- a mix of quotes from other sources
- a way for you to prove what you already think is true
A research paper IS
- a way for you to develop your own ideas with evidence
- an opportunity to challenge your own beliefs
- one of the best ways to learn deeply about a topic that interests you
What is Research?
College research might be different from other types of writing you've done before, such as writing your opinion or simply reporting facts. Research can be defined as
- the investigation into and study of
- materials and sources
- in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.
Watch the video below to better understand the process of research and to avoid common mistakes some students make when writing their research paper.
- Next: Pick a Topic >>
- Last Updated: Mar 1, 2023 3:52 PM
- URL: https://libguides.sowela.edu/college-research
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Psychology Research Paper Topics Ideas for Your Next Assignment
Updated Aug 2021
Psychology research papers are some of the most intriguing writing assignments, but they can be pretty daunting to complete. Studying the human mind and behavior is just as fascinating as it is complicated.
Are you having a tough time picking a single idea for your psychology research paper topic? No wonder since psychology encompasses many different disciplines, such as social, experimental, educational, cognitive, developmental, and forensic psychology, to name but a few.
Even after you pinpoint the psychology branch you’d like to tackle in your writing project, regardless of whether you choose to pay to write research paper or complete it on your own, there’s an abundance of topics you can dive into. How can you make the right choice and ensure you’ll captivate the reader? Which topic could bring more value to the community?
This comprehensive list of psychology research topics can give you an idea. Read on to explore some helpful tips for picking a good topic and writing your paper before checking out some of the most interesting topics you could use.
Psychology Research Paper: Definition and Writing Tips for Psychology Research Papers
Psychology research papers aim to inform the reader about new ideas, experiments, or theories regarding the human mind and behavior. They present the latest developments in psychology and provide facts supported by statistical data and other hard evidence.
As such, psychology research papers require extensive research. Fortunately, hundreds of psychology papers get published every year, so there’s a world of excellent sources out there to help you get the hang of your writing.
How to write a high-quality psychology research paper? Here are some general tips to follow:
- Find an interesting topic - You need to find an engaging topic that interests you because that’s how you’ll have the necessary motivation to explore it. Whether that has to do with sociology research topics , clinical psychology, or any other branch, make sure you feel passionate about it.
- Explore different ideas - Whether you have several or no ideas at all, check out relevant literature and other reliable sources, including recent publications in online psychology journals. Gather and evaluate relevant facts before narrowing down your focus to a single idea.
- Conduct extensive research - Once you have your topic and main idea, find as many reliable sources as possible to provide factual knowledge and support all your claims.
- Write an outline - An outline with a clear hypothesis will help you ensure your paper will have a good flow.
- Hook the reader right off the bat - Propose an intriguing question or argument, or make a shocking revelation in the introduction. Grab the reader’s attention and compel them to keep reading.
- Make your writing informative, inspiring, and impeccable - Use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, formatting, style, and language to showcase professionalism.
- Cite all your sources - Use proper citations for all the references to credit the original authors and avoid plagiarism. Include in-text citations and make a reference list at the end of your paper.
How to Choose Good Psychology Research Paper Topics
Choosing a good topic for a psychology research paper comes down to thorough research. Here’s what you need to do to gather relevant information and pick right:
- Brainstorm ideas - Pick a psychology branch and think about what interests you the most about it. Come up with several exciting ideas you could explore.
- Do your research - Hit the books and head to reliable online sources to sift through recent academic publications and news articles to find relevant topics for your desired ideas.
- Narrow down your focus - Read up on different topics to find the right one that comes with plenty of credible sources to support your hypothesis. For instance, if you’re interested in communications research topics , you can go with intercultural communication and write about how language connects different cultures.
- Avoid general or too narrow topics - Focus on something specific, but don’t narrow it down too much because you might fail to engage the reader and offer real value.
Research Topics In Psychology For College Students
Considering how diverse psychology is, there’s no doubt that every student will be able to find an interesting topic for their research paper. If you ever feel overwhelmed by the number of easy topics ideas for your undergraduate research, don’t. Many good papers on psychology have already been written, which is why it is easy for you to find an easily researchable topic for your educational assignment. There’s nothing hard about writing a custom research paper about mental health, so remember to stay positive.
- Gender roles in modern society
- Factors contributing to children’s school performance
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Religion in social psychology
- Physical illnesses and psychological health
- ADHD within family systems
- Asexuality as sexual orientation
- Narcissism in modern society
- What causes schizophrenia?
- How school anxiety affects teens?
Social Psychology Research Topics
Studying social psychology may be hard but interesting because such paper topics usually concern our daily lives. We wanted you not to struggle while choosing a paper topic, so here’s the list of the best psychology research topics in this field.
- Cognitive dissonance
- Persuasion in modern advertisement
- Corporal punishment and criminal activity
- The Halo effect in popular culture
- Experimental social psychology
- Does social media promote conformity or individualism?
- Correlation between Pavlov’s conditioning in advertising
- “Fear of happiness” in modern society
- National identity
Clinical Psychology Research Topics
Clinical psychology, while complicated, is a very interesting science branch. When it comes to its examination, students often can’t choose appropriate psychology research topics. From therapy types to childhood disorders, there are interesting topics for anyone.
- Childhood neurosis effects on adult mental health
- Compare two therapy types
- Effects of anxiety disorder on one’s daily life
- Childhood trauma, its effects in adulthood
- Mental health issues in adolescents
- Effects of “pro-ana” websites on eating disorder rates
- Risk factors associated with eating disorders
- Therapy for childhood behavioral disorders
- Correlation between violence in media and childhood behavior
- Social media addiction
Experimental Psychology Research Topics
Experimental psychology may probably be the most engaging study of the human mind. Besides, the results of psychological tests can be used to improve our understanding of certain behaviors. In college, we can start by choosing experimental psychology topics for our written assignments.
- Does color affect mood?
- Does color affect appetite?
- Can colors affect academic performance?
- Physiological responses to music
- Does social media cause addiction?
- Can facial symmetry cause attraction?
- Correlation between gender and memory
- What causes differences in people seeing optical illusions?
- What causes conformity in groups?
- Is music taste affected by personality traits?
Child Psychology Research Topics
We all know that there are many factors that influence psychological children's development. Although we can’t always prevent the development of abnormalities, we can study child psychology, which can help in the long run. Check out the child psychology research topics below for your next assignment.
- Attachment theory
- Social interaction in children
- Effects of children facing loss at a young age on psychological development
- Gender-differentiated toys in the advertisement
- The impact of color on a child’s development
- How children perceive aggression
- Cognitive processes in young children
- Do make-believe games affect socialization?
- Socio-emotional growth at an early age
- Effects of play on a child’s development
Developmental Psychology Research Topics
There’s no doubt you have, at some point, wondered which events in your childhood shaped you into the person you became today. Developmental psychology studies exactly that. Besides being an interesting topic of scientific research, it also is useful for our understanding of the family's role in one’s development.
- What affects the language acquisition process?
- Parenting style’s effect on a child’s physical, psychological development
- How bullying affects one’s development
- Does birth order define procrastination?
- Short-term memory limits at various stages in life
- Reinforcement in the learning environment
- What affects a child’s food choices?
- Correlation between listening to music and academic performance
- Permissive vs. authoritative parents
- Does self-efficacy affect long-term memory?
Abnormal Psychology Research Topics
It is critical that we study mental disorders to improve society. Abnormal psychology allows scientists to understand psychological disorders, their causes, and their effects. Because of the improvements caused by such analysis, we believe that you should take a look at these research topics.
- Seasonal affective disorder
- Correlation between eating disorders and anxiety disorders
- Phobias caused by childhood traumas
- Group therapy vs. cognitive behavioral therapy
- Psychoanalytic therapy: history, development
- Borderline personality disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Major depressive disorder
- Antisocial personality disorder
Cognitive Psychology Research Topics
Understanding how the human mind works is fascinating, which is why you should probably study cognitive psychology. If you’ve given an assignment on the topic in college, look no further. We have gathered the most exciting cognitive psychology research topics in the list below.
- Does sport affect attention?
- Applied research in cognition
- A theme of memory in popular culture
- Consciousness and cognition
- Narrative psychology
- Development of problem-solving skills
- Decision-making processes
- Role of cognitive neuroscience in AI development
- Theories of cognition
- How cognition relates to perception?
Forensic Psychology Research Paper Topics
Many people are passionate about forensics, which is why they will also find forensic psychology interesting. When it comes to the below topics, many of them are of critical importance in modern society. If you want to impress your professor, be sure to check them out.
- Psychological evaluation in a court trial
- AMBER Alert system in social psychology
- Early signs of serial killers
- Juvenile offenders and corporal punishment
- Psychopathy in criminal behaviors
- Antisocial personality disorder in forensic examination
- Domestic violence against men
- Does a career in law enforcement affect social life?
- Effects of upbringing on serial killers
- Special needs education in the prevention of criminal behavior
Controversial Topics In Psychology For Research Paper
Many of us have strong opinions about different topics. However, that doesn’t mean that there’s one side to each story. Psychology can be controversial, and some of the below topics may help you think twice about what you were sure about before.
- Is civil marriage a marriage?
- Abortion: pro-choice or pro-life?
- Is homeopathy a fraud?
- Can convicted individuals become ordinary citizens?
- Single parents in modern society
- Teenage parents and a child’s development
- Single-sex schools and socio-emotional development
- Legalization of prostitution
- Surrogate motherhood or adoption: ethical dilemmas
- Veganism in psychology
Criminal Psychology Research Topics
Understanding what causes criminal behavior on a psychological level can help us prevent it. Criminal psychology is not only interesting but also valuable science. Below, you’ll find some examples of criminal psychology research topics for your college assignments.
- Mental illness and the death penalty
- Competence to stand trial
- Prejudice in jury selection
- Prison system and rehabilitation
- The effects of social media on copycat crimes
- Causes and effects of mass school shootings
- Psychological disorders and incarceration
- Socioeconomic status and criminal behavior
- Social environment and aggression
- Incarceration rates and education
Cultural Psychology Research Paper Topics
It should come as no surprise that our actions and beliefs are greatly affected by our cultures. When it comes to cultural psychology, science helps us understand how exactly that happens. Culture and behavior are closely related, which is why we believe you should never underestimate cultural psychology.
- Social media in different cultures
- Effects of culture on online shopping
- Regional humor peculiarities
- Hollywood and modern perception of beauty
- Cultural psychology and multinational businesses
- Research in cultural psychology
- Perception of motherhood in various cultures
- Cultural models
- Culture and self-education
- Whiting model
Health Psychology Research Topics
When we speak about health, we often only focus on its physical aspects. Unfortunately, that’s not the best approach. Health psychology is multidimensional and valuable for our understanding of psychology in healthcare.
- Eating disorders and physical health
- Popular culture and anorexia rates
- Causes of increased teen suicide rates
- Mending disaster aftermath: social and health psychology
- Smoking cessation strategies
- Safety equipment promotion in modern society
- Stress management and relaxation
- PTSD among veterans
- Psychological effects of caregiving
- Promoting childhood immunization
Neuropsychology Research Paper Topics
Neuroscience and psychology may be equally different but also equally interesting. Knowing how and why our nervous system affects our behavior is incredibly valuable. Below, you’ll find some of the best topics for your neuropsychology research in college.
- Music and learning disorder treatment
- Representation of pronouns and self-perception
- Theory of mind
- Neuropsychological data and ADHD treatment
- Relationship with choice and impulsivity
- What is pre-choice computation?
- Cognitive impairment and iron deficiency
- Neuropsychological testing in patients with dementia
- Nonverbal neuropsychology and IQ testing
- Experimental dual-task studies
Personality Psychology Research Topics
As people, we all are different, and personality psychology research topics may help you understand, why. Knowing how our personalities interact and why they are different will greatly help you in life. Besides, it can actually help you receive a high grade in college.
- Correlation between temperament and creativity
- Traits linked to prosocial behavior
- Comparison of personality assessments
- Correlation between personality types and music preferences
- Athletics and personality traits
- Social media and personality
- Effects of Type A behavior on academic success
- Art preferences and personality
- What causes low self-esteem in teens?
- Effects and causes of high self-efficacy
Sports Psychology Research Topics
Nowadays, you probably can’t find a person who doesn’t like sports. What makes the hobby even more interesting is that the human mind is closely related to one’s physical activity and athletic performance. Because of this, we believe that sports psychology should be of interest to college students.
- Effects of sports on personality traits
- Neuro-linguistic programming and performance
- Gender studies in sport psychology
- Effects of family psychology on athletic performance
- Psychological recovery after trauma
- Aggression in sports
- Self-image and athletic performance
- Families of athletes and childhood development
- Doping in sports: psychological point of view
- Emotions and personality traits in sports
Educational Psychology Topics
Educational psychology is diverse and encompasses many other disciplines, including cognitive, behavioral, and developmental psychology. That’s why it can be challenging to select the right educational psychology topic. Here are some of the most captivating you could use.
- The inclusion of students with dyslexia
- School bullying and victimization
- The theory of operant conditioning
- Self-esteem, self-confidence, and academic success
- The effect of music on cognitive performance
- Motivation and learning strategies
- The impact of rewards, recognition, and motivation on student achievement
- The impact of parenting styles on academic achievement and career choices
- Affection and social behavior in teaching planning
- Are achievement gaps related to discipline gaps?
If you need any assistance with your psychology research paper, StudyClerk can help. Our team of expert writers can provide you with extensive research, a clear outline, proper formatting, and citations to help you write a fantastic paper.
Browse their profiles to pick the most qualified writer for your project, share details about your topic, and get a unique, plagiarism-free psychology research paper in no time. Contact us today to place your order!
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Good Argumentative Essay Topics For College Students
30 Jul 2021
Quick Navigation
❓What Is an Argumentative Essay?
✅Best Argumentative Essay Tips
Argumentative Essay Topics:
- 🧩Society & Culture
- 👨👩👧👦Family Relations
- ⚙️Technology
- 📱Social Media
✍️What to Write in & How to Format Conclusion?
How To Effectively Choose Argumentative Essay Topics?
The unique argumentative essay topics can spark readers' interest and provide ample room for persuasion. This is because argumentative essays turn theories into facts and give a valid argument based on evidence.
They show that the writer has spent a considerable amount of time developing the argument position. People who are experienced in writing these essays often develop their own rules to follow.
In the end, readers form their own opinions or arguments. These essays can help students understand different subjects with research.
The validity relies heavily on the material. Hence, simple issues need a much more straightforward approach. Nevertheless, you're dealing with a more controversial topic. You have to use many resources to back up your argument and claims.
This brief guide will discuss an argumentative essay and share some important tips to write such essays effectively. We will also share a host of different topics that you can write about with us.
So, let's begin with our discussion.
What Is an Argumentative Essay?
Such an essay is a kind of an academic paper that can introduce different claims regarding both sides on a particular topic. Both sides can balance one if they can dominate. In contrast, the tone of the content will be based on the writer's authority on that particular subject.
The objective here is to convince the readers to change their opinion if they have a different one than the writers. So, you can always hire an argumentative essay writing service .
Now, there are three different models that you can follow when writing these argumentative essays.
- Toulmin model This essay will contain an introduction featuring the thesis statement followed by the background info fully backed up with evidence from different resources. The essay writer has to list the reasons for supporting the main argument and rebuttals.
- Rogerian model This argumentative essay model has to weigh both sides of the topic and list down the pros and cons of each. Then, it provides some advice after evaluating each side and in-depth assessment.
- Classical model In this model, the writer has to introduce a topic and provide a personal solution. It is to be done with your persuasive writing to inform readers that this particular solution is the best one. The objective here is to make the readers think and spark inspiration about the topic.
Best Argumentative Essay Tips
How to pick a good topic for your argumentative essay is critical. It might seem that finding the best topic for the essay is something like finding a needle in a haystack, but that is not the case. You can easily choose the right topic. However, you have to make an outline based on credible sources and follow some core principles. You also can buy argumentative essay of your choice on any topic.
Most controversial topics here are highly prone to prejudice. And in most cases, they have some unconscious aim to prove some pre-assumed facts.
So, when writing an essay task, it is always critical to truly understand both sides of a topic. The best way is to pick a basic and neutral topic to which the writer has an indifferent opinion.
Tips to choose your argumentative topic
Here you can find plenty of argumentative essay tips that you can follow while choosing easy argumentative essay topics that you want to discuss in your writing:
- First of all, you have to think about the subject matter that interests you. You need to have in-depth knowledge about the topic and can you develop an opinion about the topic or not.
- Take your experience into account and think about how well you know a particular topic. You can always present your personal touch to the readers in your essay.
- You need to follow any recent trends regarding the topic. Type some keywords associated with your unique argumentative essay title in Google Trends and see what frequently discussed issues related to your topic.
- Make sure to avoid any themes with a more general or broader perspective. It is important because you have to stay on topic while writing as it can be pretty easy to discuss some off-topic points. But it generally depends upon how lengthy you want your essay to be.
- You can check your primary and secondary resources related to the topic. You can search the internet and see if you can get around enough authentic resources for your essay.
- And stay away from any emotionally driven topics because argumentative writing is all about staying sober and calm with the judgments.
- Don't forget about your target audience. Will they accept your opinion, or will your essay spark another debate?
- Make sure to find a fun topic, brainstorm, and finalize your list of ideas. You can discuss the list of final topics with your mentors and choose the idea that the majority will vote for.
- Choosing a debatable subject can be risky, but it will work the best in your interests if you can prove your authority on it with related articles and homework.
Argumentative Essay Topics About Society & Culture
One of the best subjects for your argumentative writing is society and culture. Most people spend their lives based on their moral code. It can be based on individual interests, philosophy, religion, experiences, etc. But everyone has a moral value.
Here is a list of unique argumentative essay topics for college that you can choose based on the subject of society and culture.
- Healthcare - Is it a fundamental human right?
- Television programmers have to produce popular family-friendly content as an obligation; should any explicit content be censored or not?
- Social media has the power of getting us together, and it can pull us apart; do the pros outweigh the cons or is it the other way around?
- Gap years - Are they a precious time to explore and reflect, or are they a vacation period to get some good rest from the hectic life?
- Some states are decriminalizing marijuana and some other drugs; is it a good decision?
- Equality for all is an essential pillar of lawmaking, but is it a part of practice?
- The US Gun Law - The right to self-defense and the right to be exploited.
- Terminal illness - Can someone request medically-assisted suicide?
- Smoking - Should it be banned entirely?
- Best ways to encourage productive conversions on contentious issues.
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Argumentative Essay Topics About History
If you enjoy studying history, there are tons of different history argumentative essay topics that you can write on. Here are a few to get you started.
- "You should learn from the past" - Sometimes there are home patterns in history; do you think history does repeat itself?
- Did the US Civil War get the country together or pull it apart?
- Thomas Jefferson did make some significant contributions to the founding of the US, but he didn't live a perfect life - Was he a hero?
- Do our modern perspectives and opinions alter the truth of what went down during the significant historical event?
- Did immigrants and other lower socio-economic groups and classes have opportunities in the US during that period (choose the past decade for the topic)?
- World War I & The US - The US was reluctant to join, and when they died, many US soldiers lost their lives - Was it a necessary war for us?
- Native American & Their Treatment - How does it leave a moral stain on the US?
- Slavery was fundamental for American colonies and the US; later on - How did this injustice alter the country?
- Reasons behind the rise of Naziism in Germany & The Holocaust - How can these horrors avoid in the future?
- The European plague & the decimation of the continent's population - How did it alter history, and what was its greatest impact?
Argumentative Essay Topics About Family Relations
Here are some interesting argumentative topics associated with the subject of family relations.
- Should mothers stay at home with their children for their best upbringing?
- Do distance relationships work?
- How can bullying and divorce be prevented?
- Can kids recover from the divorce of their parents?
- Is teenage marriage a good idea?
- Should a pregnant teenager keep the baby?
- Domestic violence and teenagers.
- House chores and their distribution in the family.
- Should family members do sports together?
- Are mature and older people better parents?
Argumentative Essay Topics About Education
The following list will give you a good start to writing an argumentative essay on education.
- Should parents actively participate in child education?
- Grading systems shouldn't be used for judging any student's abilities.
- Should students wear a uniform while attending high school?
- The role of technology in the educational system.
- Should programming be compulsory for all students?
- Pros & cons of studying in a single-sex class vs. mixed one.
- Should all students learn a foreign language?
- Should students be allowed sex education at school?
- Girls should be given an equal opportunity to participate in school sports.
- Should schools possess the right to drug test their students?
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Argumentative Essay Topics About Technology
Here are some technology argumentative essay topics for your argumentative writing.
- Smartphones - A blessing or a menace?
- Has technology-facilitated us or made us lazier?
- Do Millennials overly depend on computers compared to Baby Boomers?
- Should students learn coding from middle school?
- Is Watson the Cognitive Computer and the likes unethical?
- Microwave tech - How does it facilitate our lives, and how does it impact our biology?
- Should social media profiles of the candidates also be considered during the hiring process?
- Should children have their mobile phones?
- Self-driving cars - A blessing or a curse in the future of transportation?
- Is our future in the hands of AI?
Argumentative Essay Topics About Social Media
These are some interesting argumentative essay topics that you can use to write on the subject of social media:
- Does LinkedIn help people in landing a job?
- How much money can you earn from YouTube?
- Is buying different types of social media engagement ethical?
- Celebrity endorsements - are they unethical?
- Has social media devastated real-life communication?
- Has social media made doing business easier?
- Blogging is not a profession, or is it?
- Social media and how it depicts beauty standards?
- Social media and the inferiority complex among teenagers?
- Can we imagine a life without social media now?
Argumentative Essay Topics About Art
Here is a list of creative argumentative essay topics on art.
- Is music a kind of real art?
- Most of the artists of modern times are 1-hit wonders.
- Should schools need to have art courses?
- Is graffiti a kind of art?
- Should Banksy be considered an artist?
- Is it okay to display art in public places?
- Should modern art be considered timeless?
- Should society support aspiring artists?
- How important is arts education?
- Can commercials be considered good works of art?
Argumentative Essay Topics About Politics
Some of the best political science argumentative essay topics for argumentative writing on politics are as follows.
- Political leaders and their moral obligations.
- Which US political party has the right ideology? (the country can be changed).
- Income inequality - what can be done to reduce it?
- The Current US Deficit - Is paying it down the essential matter of the modern time?
- Does printing more money create an unsustainable bubble?
- Pros and cons of capitalism.
- Pros and cons of socialism.
- Is the US ready for a female president?
- What modern political decision has been the most significant social-economic catalyst?
- Does campaign finance reform work?
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Argumentative Essay Topics About Economics
Following is the list of some best real-life argumentative essay topics.
- Is free trade beneficial for developing countries?
- Is it economically justified to set a minimum wage?
- Economic sanctions on other countries, and how do they benefit local companies?
- Pros and cons of immigration and the country's economy.
- Social benefits and their true efficacy in poverty eradication.
- Should the prices of necessities be regulated?
- The impact of high obesity rates on the national economy.
- Should the unemployed people be financed for their own businesses?
- Market regulation in the 21st Century.
- Does climate change positively impact an economy?
Argumentative Essay Topics About Health
Following are some health care argumentative essays topics for high school students.
- Should females over 40 be eligible to receive IVF treatment?
- Is there a link between child obesity and processed foods?
- Is there a connection between fashion and teenage girl anorexia?
- Are low-carb diets healthy?
- Is stress related to cancer in any way?
- Vegetarianism - Is it healthy?
- Can type-2 diabetes be cured with lifestyle changes?
- Can increasing the prices of unhealthy foods helps in reducing obesity?
- If smoking is unhealthy, why is it still legal?
- How effective is Intrinsic motivation in addiction treatment?
What to Write in the Conclusion & How to Format It?
How to end an argumentative essay is equally important as choosing evidence-based argumentative essay topics. And it's your tone that is the most critical aspect of this section of your essay.
You need to speak with authority and bring out your most compelling points from the authority that you have gathered.
Give your readers something to think about and form their own opinions. And in the end, you can give your call to action by implementing or correcting a current trend.
Your Take Away
There are many topics for argumentative essays on different subjects. But no matter what you do, you have to present the views in favor and opposition to the topic. Otherwise, your argumentative essay will lose its true essence.
Writing with your personal authority on a topic makes you an expert, but you can do some research to identify plenty of authentic platforms both in favor and opposition of the topic to write on the best argumentative essay topics. By assessing these resources, you can present your views and opinions.
Was this article helpful?
Thanks for your feedback.
Dr. Karlyna PhD
I am a proficient writer from the United States with over five years of experience in academic writing. I comfortably complete given assignments within stipulated deadlines and at the same time deliver high-quality work, which follows the guidelines provided.
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With all the things you have going on as a student, writing a paper can seem like a daunting task. Many students opt to put off that daunting task, which ultimately leads to bad grades on papers that would otherwise have been easy A's. On top of that, papers often make up a large portion of a student's overall grade in any class, which makes them even higher risk ventures.
Here, we'll walk you through the most important aspects of making a paper, from beginning to end so you won't have to whip up a paper in an afternoon, plagiarize, or neglect to do the assignment.
This image and list-based, step-by-step tutorial is the closest thing to writing a plug and chug paper you can get. In this tutorial you'll learn:
- Techniques to clearly understanding assignments and what professors want to see in your writing
- Techniques for managing your time while you work on a long term research paper or short term writing assignment
- Approaches to generating solid topic ideas that will make your paper interesting and engaging
- Tips for crafting a strong thesis statement that can be sustained throughout the whole of a long assignment
- Tips for crafting transitions between ideas, sentences and paragraphs
- Techniques for revising and editing your paper before you hand it in
So, are you ready to ace this paper of yours? Get out some paper and a pencil and let's get started!
How do I Know What My Professor is Looking for?
The answer to this question is easy: look at the materials the prof gives you. But, it’s important to get started the exact same day that the prof hands you the assignment, and it will only take 30 minutes. There’s no time to waste.
Let’s deal with the first one right now: Looking at what the prof wants you to do.
1. Write to the Rubric
The first important step in writing a paper is taking some time to understand what the professor is looking for. If you know that, you can write to the rubric and pick up easy points along the way.
Universities mandate that professors given students rubrics or some form of assessment guideline. Remember, the rubric for the course on the assignment sheet you’ve been given, you will find a general rubric in the class syllabus, or the professor will include a rubric with an assignment sheet.
If the professor does not provide these things to you, don’t be afraid to ask for them. It’s completely unfair to assess a student if the student doesn’t know what’s expected of them. When you ask, be courteous.
2. Begin with the End in Mind
Once you have that rubric and assignment sheet in hand, you’re ready to discern the things your prof will look for when grading the assignment. This means you can begin with the end in mind, crafting the paper around what you know the prof wants to see. To begin with the end in mind, you need to follow three simple steps:
– Look at the Assignment With a Critical Eye
Take a few moments to review the assignment and rubric with a pen and highlighter, making notes and underlining key elements the prof wants to see.
– Write an Anchor Sentence
Once you know what the prof wants, you can write a one sentence reference that you can refer to whenever you feel like you’re going off course.
– Assess your Gaps
Make a list of three strengths and weaknesses you have as a writer. Be mindful of the pitfalls and confident about your high points.
All this should take you no more than 10 or 15 minutes. It may seem counter-intuitive, but using time to get organized saves you time later, and makes the writing process so much simpler. So, here it is, step-by-step:
3. Look at the Assignment Critically
Now, let’s take a look at a sample assignment. Say you have to write a paper for your Linguistics class. Take a look at this assignment from an actual college professor:
Yow! Even with bullets and commands that’s a lot of text. Let’s take it section by section, one directive at a time.
First, let’s start with the macro. Go through and find the concepts the prof wants you to cover in the paper.
This prof is doing what profs do: pontificating. Lord love ‘em, but professors are notorious for giving more information than necessary or saying more than what needs saying, so do your best to boil the assignment down to the essentials with your highlighter:
Take note, these macro concepts are often suggestions, not commands. They are the prof telling you how to be impressive, clear, or to raise your grade through a demonstration of your wits and knowledge.
Your profs know when you don’t take time prewriting, and they know when you’re being wishy-washy or only reading to reinforce your opinion. This is your prof letting you know that.
Second, go micro. Go through and underline actionable items. These are the items that must be included in the paper for you to get a good grade. Usually they are very specific:
Clearly, if your paper uses first-person pronouns, it will irk the person giving you the grade—probably best to stay away from that. Also, you should be using scholarly research, which means no random Googling and picking the first things you ping.
Take a look at the first section of the assignment sheet. See where the prof tells you exactly what your paper should be?
Also, take a look at the section at the “Requirements” section. This paper better be formatted in a particular way!
Also, watch for specific requests about format changes and due dates. Circle them!
These are no-nonsense statements/compromises that the prof needs you to abide.
Why would a prof do this? Well, the answer is simple. Your profs aren’t trying to bust your chops (they do, in fact, have other things to do than make you miserable)—they’re trying to streamline the grading process. Imagine you have 75 papers to grade written by your 75 students.
Imagine just how much variation and diversity would occur between those 75 people and their papers if the prof left it all to chance—all of these students like different fonts, would cite things differently based on their preferences, and would hand in widely varied papers, at least doubling the time it would take to read those papers.
So, don’t you want to help that prof out? Make that prof love you by following these directions. If you follow the directions, this prof will direct their ire elsewhere.
Now that you understand why profs are such format sticklers, take a look at the rubric:
The rubric is a list of direct touch points that will be examined by the professor as they grade your work. Take note, they’re specific and they break down your potential performance. In this case, you can see five discrete categories, each with its own stakes, and the number value that corresponds to your performance:
The prof will take the rubric and keep it within reach while grading. Along with making notes on your paper, the prof will also check off your performance in each category—summarizing your performance in that category:
If you have a hundred-point paper, each one of these categories is worth 20 points. The prof will add up the categories and multiply that number by 4 to get your grade: 4 + 5 + 5 + 4 + 5 = 23 x 4 = 92.
To get an A on this paper, you have to perform with excellence in 3 categories and above average in at least 2 of the other categories.
Now you have a goal. Which three categories are you going to absolutely kill in?
At least one of them—formatting—is a gimmie. All it takes is attention to detail—Microsoft Word has all the tools you need to score perfectly there.
Focus on Development and Body Paragraphs for your other two. They’re simple—almost completely made of a thesis statement and transitions.
Now that you have that figured out, let’s move on to the next step: Crafting a reminder that you can revisit while you write.
4. Writing an Anchor Sentence
It might seem like a silly thing to do, but an anchor sentence is as vital as a thesis statement. It’s essentially a thesis statement for the paper writing process. With this sentence you will remind yourself about what the prof wants and how you’re going to give it to them.
– Summarize the Elements
It’s clear from the highlighting and underlining that the prof wants an argumentative paper that’s well-organized and thoughtful. Note that there is nothing about originality in this rubric.
The prof isn’t asking you to reinvent the wheel or come up with something that will change the field of Linguistics forever—they’re simply asking you to take some important ideas from your linguistics class and apply them to something that you like.
– Understand the Concept
It’s also clear that this prof wants you to synthesize the research in the field of linguistics, not conduct new research.
This goes back to the originality idea—demonstrate you’ve been listening and can apply the concepts of the class to the practices and concepts in another field of study or personal interest.
– Create the Anchor
Now that you have an idea of what’s needed, go ahead and write one or two sentences combining steps 1 and 2:
In this paper, I will demonstrate my understanding of a linguistic concept I learned this semester and how it relates to my field of study. I will demonstrate this knowledge by staying organized, using relevant research, and sticking to my thesis statement.
Yes, it seems a bit silly. But now you have an anchor. If you get stuck while writing, pull out this sentence and see where you’ve gone astray, or where you go to get back on track.
5. Assessing Your Gaps
You know what the prof wants, you know how you’re going to give it to them. Now all you need to know is where it could all fall off the rails. In this step, you name your strengths and weakness so you know exactly where you stand walking in.
It’s super-simple—all you do is answer two questions, making a list of two or three things for each:
- As a writer, I know I’m not so great at … developing a thesis, staying organized, and conducting research .
- As a writer, I know I’m great at … coming up with interesting ideas, articulating my thoughts clearly, and using good grammar .
Simple as that. Now all you need to do is play to those strengths and be cognizant of the weaknesses. You’re ready to move on to the next step, so get to it! Let’s talk about how to execute.
How do I Organize my Research Paper?
1. sit down.
Ernest Hemingway famously said that “the hardest part about writing is getting your ass in the chair.” And he’s absolutely correct. If you can sit down to write, you’ve got 90% of the work behind you already.
Completing this second step immediately—before you go to bed on the day you get the assignment—is essential to acing this paper.
That said, you should go back to your room, get out your calendar, and start looking at specific pockets of time in your days between when you’re assigned the paper and when the assignment is due.
Follow these tips when making the schedule:
Make the time non-negotiable
It will be tough, but don’t let friends or activities derail your schedule. Set the plan and execute, execute, execute—this is the only way to achieve the results you want.
Be specific about how you spend the time
When making the schedule, set completion goals so that the time isn’t open-ended. If your time is nebulous, you will be more likely to drop the ball. You’ve got a date with a chair and life-long learning.
Commit to the process
Keep in mind that one of the crucial ingredients of successful writing is time. You need time to think, research, and create. If you fail to acknowledge this, you will write a crumby paper every time.
You’re working toward something bigger
It can be easy to fixate on the trees at the expense of seeing the whole forest, so be sure to remember that what you’re doing is adding to your overall career. If the paper is good, you can use it as a writing sample or try to publish it, which will build your résumé. Resist the impulse to think of the paper as a hurdle.
Take advantage of support systems
You’re not writing in a vacuum—you have academic support at your fingertips, as well as friends who are in the same boat. Make an appointment with the writing center to get a semi-professional set of eyes, and had that paper to a friend for quick notes.
2. Get Organized
Your next step is to organize your time. You’re going to fill out an hour or two of work each day, accounting for other classes, social engagements, and priority requirements.
Make a specific tab for your paper, and fill in the times you can work:
The most important part about this is that you’re specific —setting tangible completion goals for each work session. Most of your sessions should be no more than an hour or two, but some activities—like research—might need to be a bit longer:
If you notice, most of your writing time will be spent on the front end—creating the first draft of the paper. This is because everything after that will be revisionary.
Don’t forget to find your revision buddy, and make an appointment at the writing center!
If you stick to this schedule, you will not only complete your paper on time, you will complete it well. Every writer on the planet will tell you that the schedule is the foundation of good writing—the more time you spend in the chair, the better the writing gets.
How do I Come Up with Ideas for a Paper?
So you’ve completed the first two steps before bed on the day your assigned the paper, now comes the tough stuff. It will, however, be a bit easier now that you know exactly what your prof wants and you’ve got a schedule in place.
To generate ideas, you’ve got a few options. Free writing is often popular, but it can be really time consuming, and also not particularly helpful for research papers. As well, some profs advise talking it out with a friend, which can be distracting.
But you don’t have much time, so you want to focus and narrow your ideas—it’s essential to success. The best method for this is mapping. Mapping is a technique that allows you to freely record your ideas in a logical manner.
Mapping will give you strong guiding questions as well as demonstrate how your ideas are connected, which is super useful for writing a long research paper. Mapping looks something like this:
Note that the ideas get more specific the further away they are from the center topic. As well, note that they’re written as interrogatives—questions stimulate thought. Circle the ones that are most specific and uses them for your paper.
Pro tip: One simple angle that always seems to work is “how is your subject different, altered, or effected by technology and the contemporary trappings of the 21 st century?” You can apply this concept to every paper you will write in college.
So, apply your field of study, your interests, or something topical to the subject. Let’s say you’re studying to be a teacher and are interested in ESL students—that’s a lens every topic and question in this list can be examined through. Here are some ideas based upon that…
- Language acquisition: How can new technologies help second language learners learn English faster?
- Pragmatics: How do ESL students understand pragmatics in English contexts?
- Universal Grammar: How does an ESL student learn to transition from one language to another?
- Phonetics: How can ESL students learn English sounds more effectively?
Out of the above, which sounds like it has the most juice? Probably number one. Even without doing any Googling, it seems evident that there will be research in this area that you can draw from. As well, you can rely on non-technical, non-academic observation to give you better ideas—you can use your experience to shape your subject matter. So go with number 1.
Now, plug the subject into Wikipedia to get an overview of what the subject is.
Ctrl + F to search the page and look for key words, like technology
No shock that there’s a whole section on Wikipedia to get you going. Take a look at these specific ideas that you can use in your research phase:
Click the numbered hypertext to see resources. Looks like 23-26 will be helpful:
And look, you can scroll to the bottom of the page to get a jump on specific articles to use in your research. As well, 51 mentions your keyword!
Now that you know—on a very general level—what’s happening in the field, you can get going on making your thesis and outline.
How do I Write a Thesis Statement?
With our tutorial on writing a thesis statement, you will see thesis examples, ways to craft a thesis sentence, and how to organize your paper around a thesis statement. First, you’ll need a decent grasp of your topic. Second, you will need specific examples to write about. Third, you will need to organize those three items effectively. And, fourth, you will need to make an outline.
For this step-by-step tutorial of thesis examples, we’re going to break things down for super efficiency so you can create the backbone of the paper.
The writing of the thesis is broken into four parts. Master these and the paper will be a cinch.
1. Creating the Topic Overview
The first step to creating a successful thesis statement is generating a concise overview of the topic at hand. In this case, technology and the ESL classroom is the topic upon which the paper is based. So the first portion of your thesis should be a generalized statement that describes the imperatives which make your paper relevant.
Begin by making a list of why you think your paper topic is relevant. In this case, we could say that…
– technology use inside and outside the classroom has increased in the past decade.
– students use their phones in class, which is a distraction to learning.
– social media interaction is now just as important to most students as face-to-face interaction.
– students are often taken from the expansive digital world outside of the classroom and are bored in a classroom with walls.
– student learning is increasingly social and communal in nature, as opposed to being delivered by an expert.
Now, let’s take those ideas and try to make them into one sentence:
Teachers who refuse to use technology in the classroom are not engaging their students and are disregarding their students’ natural ways of learning and their social needs.
Sounds pretty good, eh? Yep! Now, let’s punch up that language a bit, so we can sound a bit smarter:
Teachers who do not embrace technology in their classes risk losing students to academic boredom, not to mention that they will be perceived by their students as tedious and irrelevant. This is because technology and sociability aren’t extracurricular—students’ lives are increasingly technology oriented and social in nature in ways that weren’t around years ago.
Oh! Even better! But there are still some simple things we can do to punch up the language, like use Word’s synonyms function by right-clicking:
Be careful as you do this—sometimes the tool can be a bit off since it can’t improvise well for word forms. But go through word by word and tighten, change, and you’ll get this:
That sounds great, doesn’t it? With adding then subtracting, expanding then consolidating, moving from the general to the specific, you can craft an overview to be used in the thesis. Also, note the use of old tricks, like opposing vocabulary (extracurricular v. intercurricular) which heighten the rhetoric.
So, check the rubric—did we hit any goals? Yep! See Development, Language and vocabulary, and Sentence structure!
2. Constructing the Specifics
Now that you’ve nailed down the overview, switch gears into getting really narrow. Here, you’re going to identify three solutions to the issue that you presented in the crafting of the overview.
While these things will be more specific than the previous section, they aren’t going to be hyper-specific, but broad enough to act as a reference points for the rest of the paper.
The problem presented was that instructors take away learning tools from students and replace them with less interesting forms of learning and stop social interaction with the classroom. As well, instructors give little attention to technology-based learning tools as an avenue for education.
How can this problem be fixed? Teachers should…
– Leverage technology to get students talking about work when not in class
– Integrate unconventional technologies in class (like iPhones)
– Make technology use a classroom priority
Now, take those things and combine them into a single statement:
ESL instructors should make using technology a priority of education, both inside and outside the classroom.
But, let’s try massage it a bit more, like the last one. Let’s try to keep our triad of ideas intact, that way we can make at least three different sections to the paper:
ESL instructors should try to increase digital interactions between students outside of class, use digital technology inside of class, and make digital avenues of education a learning priority.
Pretty good, but we can make it sound even more academic. Again, use the Word synonym function, and try to bring out the parallel structure even more:
Yeah—that’s great!
3. Crafting the Thesis Sentences
We’re so close to being done with the thesis! All we need now is to connect the two sentences together with some kind of sentence, transitional phrase, or conjunction. In this case (as with almost everything in writing, actually) keep it simple:
Some of you are saying “Hey! Wait a sec! You can’t begin a sentence with because !” In fact, you can. You’ve been lied to if that’s what you think.
Many teachers tell students this because it prevents them from writing incomplete thoughts, or writing sloppily, but it’s totally street legal and, in this case, quite stylish as a prepositional phrase. So use it with abandon, so long as you complete the sentence!
Now, check the rubric again!—clarity of the argument, arguable thesis, and well-organized ideas! Check and check and check! You’re killing it.
You have a thesis!
4. Make an Outline
From there, you can also build your outline, and break up your potential sources, like so:
Introduction/Hook (Engaging anecdote to transition you into the thesis)
Thesis sentences
Part 1 (first portion of the thesis)
– 3-4 sources
Part 2 (second portion of the thesis
Part 3 (third portion of the thesis)
Conclusion/Charge (Wrapping up, charging the reader to make a change)
It’s really just that simple. And, to top it all off, you now have three areas of research to focus on!
Now that we’ve got that square, let’s move on to some techniques for transitioning between ideas.
How do I Create a Transition?
Often students writing long, research-based papers struggle with smoothly connecting the related ideas within the paper. This isn’t uncommon, and—good news—is easily fixed! There are three simple steps. First, you must identify the relationship between the two ideas. Second, you must craft a transition. And, third, you must be careful of potential pitfalls.
1. Determine the Relationship
Let’s say you have this paragraph to open the first section of your Linguistics paper:
You need to get from that really broad idea to a much simpler idea: that people from different cultures have trouble communicating, or—as it’s written in the paper, this:
See how jarring the logical jump is from the broad statement to the specific assertion? Take a look at the two statements together, as they are color coded—red being broad, blue being specific:
You need something between them to link them logically together and to help the reader make the leap with you, so you’ll need to make a sentence to go between them—one that embodies both the broad and the specific together.
Take a look at this, which logically fills in the gap for the reader, so that the reader doesn’t have to fill in the gaps themselves:
Now give it a read all together:
2. Make the Connections
– the author identified the relationship.
It’s clear here that people’s abilities to communicate define their cultural importance. This idea is loosely connected to another idea the author is writing toward—that those unique cultural differences are often the culprit for communication breakdown.
The author sees that the relationship is one of contrasts, so they try to name the contrast to create a connection in the transition—the green text is the merging of contrasts:
– The author crafted the transition
Using a really simple, but subtle writing skill, this author used word choice to make deeper connections between the sentences. See the color coded portions:
The phrases “existing in the world” and “shared paradigm” mean almost the same thing. As do the phrases “mutual conventions” and “cultural overlap.” The author is essentially re-saying what was just previously stated, but in a more specific way or with different vocabulary. Not how the ideas from each paragraph come together in the transition.
– The author is careful not to fall into traps
In a paper, it’s easy to use simple transition words— therefore, consequently, etc. There is nothing wrong with a transition word here and there, but they are very easy to overuse. Most blogs, like this one , this one , and this one make using transition words an important part of this process.
And it is, sort of, but we’re teaching you how to do this better than average, remember?
You’re trying to ace this paper, which means you have to do a little extra and move past the things that all students can do into things that exceptional students do.
The elegant transition based on nuanced vocabulary is an exceptional student move. Check it against the rubric: readability/unity, logical/seamless transitions, demonstration of knowledge through word choice, vocab, and logical thought—you got it! Bam!
How Do I Edit My Paper?
After you’ve filled in your outline and placed some of your research into your paper, you will have completed first draft. This is more than most students have when they hand in a paper. The editing portion has five steps: First, you revise to tighten and clarify. Second, you edit for grammar, usage, and mechanics. Third, you give a clean copy to a friend and visit academic support. Fourth, you do your final read through to clean things up. And, fifth, recheck the paper against the rubric.
Remember when you were one of those foolish plebes handing in a paper you wrote hours before it was due and hope for an C? Aren’t you glad you know better now?
You’ve finished your preliminary draft and now you need to get it looking sexy for your prof. There are two ways to do this—revising and editing.
– Revising comes first. Revising is when you literally re-vision the piece. You make big changes—fix transitions or pieces research alongside organization and structure.
– Editing comes second. Editing is making small changes to the piece—correcting the grammar, usage, and mechanics, changing the diction to alter the tone a bit.
These terms aren’t interchangeable, though many people make mistakes and use them interchangeably.
Step 1: Revise
After you have finished that paper, it’s important to go back and make large-scale changes. You aren’t going to change the bedrock of the paper—the thesis and the research to go along with it—but you are going to change things that make the paper flow, like smoothing out the transitions, evening out the structure and order of the paragraphs, and make sure all the ideas link together naturally.
This is also a time to add ideas to the basic premise of each section or to eliminate tangents that you may have followed in the heat of the moment. Add what must be added and cut out anything that doesn’t need to be there. Some common things to look for:
– Paragraphs have a logical unfolding order
– Rambling, overly long sentences
– All sections echo back to the thesis
– Appropriate, academic tone
– Engaging to reader
– Claims contain evidence and support
– Transitions are clear
– All ideas are fully developed
– Adding section headings
– Introduction and conclusion serve thesis well
Step 2: Edit
Now that the paper is set, your job is to go through and tighten all the sentences, make changes to word choice (remember Word’s synonym function), and correct and errors in grammar or punctuation that you find. Some common things to look for:
- – Eliminate contractions
- – Comma/semi-colon use
- – Spelling errors
- – Clear pronoun reference
- – Format specific (italics, bolds, etc.)
- – Quotation rules obeyed
- – Apostrophes for plurals and possessives
- – Easily confused words ( too, to , and two )
- – Misplaced or dangling modifiers
- – Incomplete sentences
Pro reading tip: While you’re re-reading for your edits, it might be good to move through the paper backwards, that way you can disorient yourself a little and catch more mistakes. Start with the last sentence, then read the second to last sentence, and so on until you get to the first sentence.
Step 3: Review
Next, you’re ready to give this paper to other people for them to examine. First, find a friend you trust and share the paper with them. Next, make an appointment with the campus writing center. With both of these reviews, hand over this set of questions for your reviewers to answer:
- Summarize the main points of this paper in your own words.
- Is the thesis clear and focused, does it fit well with the introduction?
- Is the end of the paper effective? Does it summarize the content well and invite the reader to action?
- Has the argument of the paper been fully addressed?
- Are there any places where the analysis in the paper falls short or is incomplete?
- Are the transitions fluid and succinct? Are there are jarring jumps between ideas?
- Is the research well integrated to the paper? Is there a good balance between my voice and the voices of my sources?
- Do you see any inconsistencies with grammar, usage, or mechanics?
Your reviewer can answer these directly with by talking it out, or offer suggestions by making notes. Once you have this feedback, make the suggested changes you feel make sense.
Step 4: Last Pass
You’ve done so much work and you’re almost complete! You have one more important step: download the Natural Reader Pro app . This app will cost you $10 and is well worth the price. Natural Reader reads documents, PDFs, and websites to you in a range of speeds and voices so that you can hear your paper as it is written, not as you wish it was written.
Print out your paper, fire up Natural Reader, and follow along. Mark any spots that don’t feel right and correct any final mistakes.
Step 5. Check the Rubric
At this point, it might seem like it’s over the top with all the excellent work you just finished. But take one moment to look at the rubric one last time. And the assignment sheet, too.
Ask yourself honestly: Did I fulfill these requirements?
Based on all the work you did above, it’s very unlikely that you didn’t nail the assignment. Unless there are any glaring errors, you’re finished!
Print that sucker out and hand it in! You’re done! Get ready to see a bump in your GPA!
We hope you’ve enjoyed this College Choice tutorial on writing the perfect research paper. Stay tuned for more tutorials on all things related to thriving in college.
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The Research Paper There will come a time in most students' careers when they are assigned a research paper. Such an assignment often creates a great deal of unneeded anxiety in the student, which may result in procrastination and a feeling of confusion and inadequacy.
A research paper is a piece of academic writing that provides analysis, interpretation, and argument based on in-depth independent research. Research papers are similar to academic essays, but they are usually longer and more detailed assignments, designed to assess not only your writing skills but also your skills in scholarly research.
The accepted form of academic writing in the social sciences can vary considerable depending on the methodological framework and the intended audience. However, most college-level research papers require careful attention to the following stylistic elements: I. The Big Picture
To write a college research paper, it boils to down to one main thing… the research. Often professors will give you guidelines as to where your research must come from. Remember to pay attention to these guidelines and use the databases your professor suggests.
No matter which level you are writing a research paper for, it has to be well structured and written to guarantee you better grades. If you are a college or a high school student, the examples in the following section will be of great help. Research Paper Outline (PDF) Research Paper Example for College
College Level Research Scholarly invites applications for LS 190 - Introduction to College-Level Research from students that have completed Grade IX. Students who have appeared for Grade IX final exam may also apply.
Explore educational research paper topics for college students: Language distribution issues in bilingual schooling. Critical thinking as the primary goal of the educational process. Role-playing games as a learning tool. Pay-for-performance scheme for teachers. Moving from compliance to performance-based schools.
200 Easy Research Paper Topics for College Students in 2021 Writing research papers is a must-do step in any educational process at college. In many cases, professors allow students to be creative with choosing a topic to complete this type of academic assignment. This privilege usually sounds great at first glance.
Easy topics for college research papers Analyze the accountability and effects of police body-worn cameras. Examine the history of Bollywood music. What style is the most common? Present arguments about why cannabis should be decriminalized in all states of the U.S. Describe what situations in college make the student's life unsustainable.
2 very simple writing rubrics for essays and research papers. They provide a great way to get started with rubrics. Rubric for Scoring Rhetorically-Effective Writing; Teaching Analytical Writing through Rubrics. Political Science faculty action research article, including the rubric used. Participation and Discussion Rubrics. Class ...
Research papers are no less than a curse for high school and college students. It takes time, effort, and expertise to craft a striking research paper. Every other person craves to master the magic of producing impressive research papers. Continue with the guide to investigate the mysterious nature of different types of research through examples.
Universities and other academic institutions also have publications available through Google Scholar. You can even connect your college or university library holdings in Google Scholar, so you can access full-text content through your library's link in your Google Scholar search results.
Law argumentative essay. Nursing coursework. Quotation. "A country that demands moral perfection in its foreign policy will achieve neither perfection nor security" (H. Kissinger) Political Science Essay. Chemistry Thesis. Quotation. "Without courage, wisdom bears no fruit." (B. Gracian) Management Essay.
In our online database you can find College work for every taste: thesis, essays, dissertations, assignments, research and term papers etc. - easy and free. Choose any document below and bravely use it as an example to make your own work perfect! About College Samples List About College The Significance of Free College Papers Online
Example 1 - Research Paper Rubric. Characteristics to note in the rubric: Language is descriptive, not evaluative. Labels for degrees of success are descriptive ("Expert" "Proficient", etc.); by avoiding the use of letters representing grades or numbers representing points, there is no implied contract that qualities of the paper will ...
This guide to college research papers explores common research strategies, tips for evaluating scholarly sources, and online resources for college students. The following sections also highlight popular online research databases, such as Google Scholar, ERIC, and PubMed Central. Understanding and Finding Sources
Submit your essay on standard, white 8.5 x 11-inch. For MLA and APA formats, set 1-inch margins on all sides. Check if you need the title page (it is not required in MLA, for example). For MLA and APA research paper format, double-space your essay. Use Times New Roman of 12-point font size.
If you're a college student, you will probably have to write at least one college-level research paper before you graduate. Writing a good research paper can be daunting if you have never done it before. ... This free website is a must-visit online resource when writing a college research paper. Grammarly. Grammarly is like a super-powered ...
Getting Started. The process of researching and writing your paper can be broken down into the following steps: Pick a topic. Ask a research question. Find and read research about your topic - evidence, perspectives, interpretations, data, etc. take notes as you read, and use what you learn to find more research.
Psychology Research Paper: Definition and Writing Tips for Psychology Research Papers. Psychology research papers aim to inform the reader about new ideas, experiments, or theories regarding the human mind and behavior. They present the latest developments in psychology and provide facts supported by statistical data and other hard evidence. As ...
Rogerian model. This argumentative essay model has to weigh both sides of the topic and list down the pros and cons of each. Then, it provides some advice after evaluating each side and in-depth assessment. Classical model. In this model, the writer has to introduce a topic and provide a personal solution.
1. Write to the Rubric. The first important step in writing a paper is taking some time to understand what the professor is looking for. If you know that, you can write to the rubric and pick up easy points along the way. Universities mandate that professors given students rubrics or some form of assessment guideline.