Tips For Finding a Topic For Your Research Paper
Writing a research paper can be a daunting task. Selecting a good topic is essential to crafting an effective paper, but the process can often be difficult and time consuming. Here are a few simple tips to help you find a compelling topic for your research paper:
Identify a broad topic or area of interest. This will help narrow down the range of topics that you have to choose from.
Brainstorm ideas and potential questions. For example, if you are interested in the history of the civil rights movement, you might ask questions such as “How did schools change to comply with desegregation laws?” or “What were the effects of the Montgomery Bus Boycott?”
Read up on the general field of study. This will provide background insight and will also help you develop an understanding of which topics have been studied and which ones might be potential research topics.
Discuss your ideas and questions with others — your professor, classmates, librarians, and experts in the field.
Consult a variety of resources — magazines, books, scholarly articles, websites, and databases.
Eliminate topics that are too broad or too narrow for the scope of your paper.
Create an outline of the main points or sections that you will discuss in your paper.
Check to ensure that your topic is current and relevant.
Make sure that there is sufficient material available about your topic.
