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One of the hardest parts of writing a research paper can be just finding a good topic to write about. Fortunately we've done the hard work for you and have compiled a list of 113 interesting research paper topics. They've been organized into ten categories and cover a wide range of subjects so you can easily find the best topic for you.

In addition to the list of good research topics, we've included advice on what makes a good research paper topic and how you can use your topic to start writing a great paper.

What Makes a Good Research Paper Topic?

Not all research paper topics are created equal, and you want to make sure you choose a great topic before you start writing. Below are the three most important factors to consider to make sure you choose the best research paper topics.

#1: It's Something You're Interested In

A paper is always easier to write if you're interested in the topic, and you'll be more motivated to do in-depth research and write a paper that really covers the entire subject. Even if a certain research paper topic is getting a lot of buzz right now or other people seem interested in writing about it, don't feel tempted to make it your topic unless you genuinely have some sort of interest in it as well.

#2: There's Enough Information to Write a Paper

Even if you come up with the absolute best research paper topic and you're so excited to write about it, you won't be able to produce a good paper if there isn't enough research about the topic. This can happen for very specific or specialized topics, as well as topics that are too new to have enough research done on them at the moment. Easy research paper topics will always be topics with enough information to write a full-length paper.

Trying to write a research paper on a topic that doesn't have much research on it is incredibly hard, so before you decide on a topic, do a bit of preliminary searching and make sure you'll have all the information you need to write your paper.

#3: It Fits Your Teacher's Guidelines

Don't get so carried away looking at lists of research paper topics that you forget any requirements or restrictions your teacher may have put on research topic ideas. If you're writing a research paper on a health-related topic, deciding to write about the impact of rap on the music scene probably won't be allowed, but there may be some sort of leeway. For example, if you're really interested in current events but your teacher wants you to write a research paper on a history topic, you may be able to choose a topic that fits both categories, like exploring the relationship between the US and North Korea. No matter what, always get your research paper topic approved by your teacher first before you begin writing.

113 Good Research Paper Topics

Below are 113 good research topics to help you get you started on your paper. We've organized them into ten categories to make it easier to find the type of research paper topics you're looking for.

Arts/Culture

  • Discuss the main differences in art from the Italian Renaissance and the Northern Renaissance .
  • Analyze the impact a famous artist had on the world.
  • How is sexism portrayed in different types of media (music, film, video games, etc.)? Has the amount/type of sexism changed over the years?
  • How has the music of slaves brought over from Africa shaped modern American music?
  • How has rap music evolved in the past decade?
  • How has the portrayal of minorities in the media changed?

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Current Events

  • What have been the impacts of China's one child policy?
  • How have the goals of feminists changed over the decades?
  • How has the Trump presidency changed international relations?
  • Analyze the history of the relationship between the United States and North Korea.
  • What factors contributed to the current decline in the rate of unemployment?
  • What have been the impacts of states which have increased their minimum wage?
  • How do US immigration laws compare to immigration laws of other countries?
  • How have the US's immigration laws changed in the past few years/decades?
  • How has the Black Lives Matter movement affected discussions and view about racism in the US?
  • What impact has the Affordable Care Act had on healthcare in the US?
  • What factors contributed to the UK deciding to leave the EU (Brexit)?
  • What factors contributed to China becoming an economic power?
  • Discuss the history of Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies  (some of which tokenize the S&P 500 Index on the blockchain) .
  • Do students in schools that eliminate grades do better in college and their careers?
  • Do students from wealthier backgrounds score higher on standardized tests?
  • Do students who receive free meals at school get higher grades compared to when they weren't receiving a free meal?
  • Do students who attend charter schools score higher on standardized tests than students in public schools?
  • Do students learn better in same-sex classrooms?
  • How does giving each student access to an iPad or laptop affect their studies?
  • What are the benefits and drawbacks of the Montessori Method ?
  • Do children who attend preschool do better in school later on?
  • What was the impact of the No Child Left Behind act?
  • How does the US education system compare to education systems in other countries?
  • What impact does mandatory physical education classes have on students' health?
  • Which methods are most effective at reducing bullying in schools?
  • Do homeschoolers who attend college do as well as students who attended traditional schools?
  • Does offering tenure increase or decrease quality of teaching?
  • How does college debt affect future life choices of students?
  • Should graduate students be able to form unions?

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  • What are different ways to lower gun-related deaths in the US?
  • How and why have divorce rates changed over time?
  • Is affirmative action still necessary in education and/or the workplace?
  • Should physician-assisted suicide be legal?
  • How has stem cell research impacted the medical field?
  • How can human trafficking be reduced in the United States/world?
  • Should people be able to donate organs in exchange for money?
  • Which types of juvenile punishment have proven most effective at preventing future crimes?
  • Has the increase in US airport security made passengers safer?
  • Analyze the immigration policies of certain countries and how they are similar and different from one another.
  • Several states have legalized recreational marijuana. What positive and negative impacts have they experienced as a result?
  • Do tariffs increase the number of domestic jobs?
  • Which prison reforms have proven most effective?
  • Should governments be able to censor certain information on the internet?
  • Which methods/programs have been most effective at reducing teen pregnancy?
  • What are the benefits and drawbacks of the Keto diet?
  • How effective are different exercise regimes for losing weight and maintaining weight loss?
  • How do the healthcare plans of various countries differ from each other?
  • What are the most effective ways to treat depression ?
  • What are the pros and cons of genetically modified foods?
  • Which methods are most effective for improving memory?
  • What can be done to lower healthcare costs in the US?
  • What factors contributed to the current opioid crisis?
  • Analyze the history and impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic .
  • Are low-carbohydrate or low-fat diets more effective for weight loss?
  • How much exercise should the average adult be getting each week?
  • Which methods are most effective to get parents to vaccinate their children?
  • What are the pros and cons of clean needle programs?
  • How does stress affect the body?
  • Discuss the history of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
  • What were the causes and effects of the Salem Witch Trials?
  • Who was responsible for the Iran-Contra situation?
  • How has New Orleans and the government's response to natural disasters changed since Hurricane Katrina?
  • What events led to the fall of the Roman Empire?
  • What were the impacts of British rule in India ?
  • Was the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki necessary?
  • What were the successes and failures of the women's suffrage movement in the United States?
  • What were the causes of the Civil War?
  • How did Abraham Lincoln's assassination impact the country and reconstruction after the Civil War?
  • Which factors contributed to the colonies winning the American Revolution?
  • What caused Hitler's rise to power?
  • Discuss how a specific invention impacted history.
  • What led to Cleopatra's fall as ruler of Egypt?
  • How has Japan changed and evolved over the centuries?
  • What were the causes of the Rwandan genocide ?

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  • Why did Martin Luther decide to split with the Catholic Church?
  • Analyze the history and impact of a well-known cult (Jonestown, Manson family, etc.)
  • How did the sexual abuse scandal impact how people view the Catholic Church?
  • How has the Catholic church's power changed over the past decades/centuries?
  • What are the causes behind the rise in atheism/ agnosticism in the United States?
  • What were the influences in Siddhartha's life resulted in him becoming the Buddha?
  • How has media portrayal of Islam/Muslims changed since September 11th?

Science/Environment

  • How has the earth's climate changed in the past few decades?
  • How has the use and elimination of DDT affected bird populations in the US?
  • Analyze how the number and severity of natural disasters have increased in the past few decades.
  • Analyze deforestation rates in a certain area or globally over a period of time.
  • How have past oil spills changed regulations and cleanup methods?
  • How has the Flint water crisis changed water regulation safety?
  • What are the pros and cons of fracking?
  • What impact has the Paris Climate Agreement had so far?
  • What have NASA's biggest successes and failures been?
  • How can we improve access to clean water around the world?
  • Does ecotourism actually have a positive impact on the environment?
  • Should the US rely on nuclear energy more?
  • What can be done to save amphibian species currently at risk of extinction?
  • What impact has climate change had on coral reefs?
  • How are black holes created?
  • Are teens who spend more time on social media more likely to suffer anxiety and/or depression?
  • How will the loss of net neutrality affect internet users?
  • Analyze the history and progress of self-driving vehicles.
  • How has the use of drones changed surveillance and warfare methods?
  • Has social media made people more or less connected?
  • What progress has currently been made with artificial intelligence ?
  • Do smartphones increase or decrease workplace productivity?
  • What are the most effective ways to use technology in the classroom?
  • How is Google search affecting our intelligence?
  • When is the best age for a child to begin owning a smartphone?
  • Has frequent texting reduced teen literacy rates?

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How to Write a Great Research Paper

Even great research paper topics won't give you a great research paper if you don't hone your topic before and during the writing process. Follow these three tips to turn good research paper topics into great papers.

#1: Figure Out Your Thesis Early

Before you start writing a single word of your paper, you first need to know what your thesis will be. Your thesis is a statement that explains what you intend to prove/show in your paper. Every sentence in your research paper will relate back to your thesis, so you don't want to start writing without it!

As some examples, if you're writing a research paper on if students learn better in same-sex classrooms, your thesis might be "Research has shown that elementary-age students in same-sex classrooms score higher on standardized tests and report feeling more comfortable in the classroom."

If you're writing a paper on the causes of the Civil War, your thesis might be "While the dispute between the North and South over slavery is the most well-known cause of the Civil War, other key causes include differences in the economies of the North and South, states' rights, and territorial expansion."

#2: Back Every Statement Up With Research

Remember, this is a research paper you're writing, so you'll need to use lots of research to make your points. Every statement you give must be backed up with research, properly cited the way your teacher requested. You're allowed to include opinions of your own, but they must also be supported by the research you give.

#3: Do Your Research Before You Begin Writing

You don't want to start writing your research paper and then learn that there isn't enough research to back up the points you're making, or, even worse, that the research contradicts the points you're trying to make!

Get most of your research on your good research topics done before you begin writing. Then use the research you've collected to create a rough outline of what your paper will cover and the key points you're going to make. This will help keep your paper clear and organized, and it'll ensure you have enough research to produce a strong paper.

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Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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190 Best English Research Topics and Ideas

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What are the best English Research Topics? Do you want to write an impressive research paper on a unique English research topic? In general, when it comes to writing a research paper on English, there are numerous topics you can research about. However, out of them all, choosing an interesting topic that will help you grab the attention of the readers is challenging.

If you are confused about how to choose a good English research topic and write a brilliant English research paper, then continue reading this blog and learn how to get started. Also, explore the suggested list of the top English research paper topics and ideas for writing an A+ English assignment.

English Research Paper Topic Selection

Every student needs to know how to select a good topic for writing an academic essay or research paper. No matter whether it is an English research paper or the research papers of any other subject, whenever you are assigned a task to write a research paper by selecting a topic on your own, this is what you should do.

  • First, identify the topic of your interest.
  • Conduct background research and brainstorm different ideas related to your area of interest.
  • Note down various keywords that will help you narrow down the essay topic.
  • Finally, analyze and get different perspectives on the topic by raising questions such as what, why, who, and when.
  • Based on your answers to the variety of questions, prepare an outline of how your content would look like.
  • Before finalizing your research topic, keep in mind the length, and due date, and also check whether or not your topic meets all the assignment requirements shared by your instructor.

For choosing the best English research topic, you don’t need to be so focused on a specific topic. Instead, you can modify your topic and generate new interesting research ideas to deal with by analyzing the different perspectives of the topic.

Remember, the research topic you choose is said to be good only if it is interesting and exciting to you and your readers. Also, it is advisable to go with a topic you are familiar with and have a wide research scope and different reference sources. So, when generating research paper topic ideas, keep these aspects in mind and make sure to pick a unique topic that will help you earn an A+ grade.

Read More – Learn and Understand the Common English Techniques

English Research Topics

List of English Research Topics and Ideas

As said earlier, English is a broad subject with a variety of research topics. If you are asked to write an English research paper, you can choose any topic from categories that are related to English literature, technology, drugs and alcohol, politics, culture, religion, gender discrimination, and activism.

Usually, searching and finding a good research topic consumes a lot of time and effort. Hence, to make your search process easier and to help you save time, here we have recommended a list of the top English Research Topics and Ideas.

Go through the entire list of ideas and pick a research topic that is comfortable for you to perform research and write a top-quality English research paper.

Outstanding English Research Topics

  • Examine American Literature
  • How have women contributed to literature?
  • Advantages of studying internationally versus locally
  • What is the prevalence of discrimination at work today?
  • How do alcohol and drug addiction lead to suicide?
  • Ways of improving race relations
  • How have novels impacted political issues?
  • Should corporal punishment be allowed?
  • Analyze terrorism and its impact on business
  • Should drug testing be mandatory for student-athletes?
  • How effective is the No Child Left Behind Act?
  • The effect of cell phones and texting
  • The impact of tenure on teaching quality
  • The impact of tariffs on domestic jobs
  • The issue of accessibility of contraceptives for high school students

Amazing English Research Paper Topics

  • Should people sell their organs to get money?
  • Ways of reducing human trafficking in America
  • The role of technology in economics
  • Psychological factors that influence consumer choice
  • Biblical allegories in modern literature
  • The democratic political system along with its benefits and limitations
  • Difference between authoritarianism, democracy, and monarchy
  • Biblical hermeneutics
  • Manuscripts of the New Testament
  • Textual Criticism of the New Testament
  • Controversies related to Euthanasia
  • Describe the contributions of Indian writers to English literature.
  • Explain the theme of racism in Heart of Darkness by Josef Conrad.
  • The manifestation of non-standard usage of English among University Students.
  • Describe the personal happiness versus societal norms in Victorian literature.

Also read: Top 12 Longest Words in the English Language

Intriguing English Research Paper Topics

  • Find and compare the same characters in Japanese Myths and anime series
  • How has Miguel de Cervantes ridiculed chivalrous ideals, and why is it now essential for society?
  • The consequences of negativity in modern literature.
  • How can hunting become a necessary means in some cases?
  • Provide a detailed history of the Hundred Years’ War and its results.
  • Holy Roman Empire: from successor to the Romans to a Nazi symbol.
  • Liberalism in national politics: emergence and evolution.
  • The history of the world is a series of conquests.
  • Impact of counseling and guidance on scholars’ academic performance.
  • Sexism in the media industry
  • Drawbacks of a democratic political system
  • The issue of feminist women being too harsh on other women who don’t support the movement
  • Whether or not convicted criminals should be eligible for social welfare.
  • The effects of gangs in poor urban centers
  • How can the pleasure of literature lead to a dark side?

Best English Research Ideas

  • The perception of how women love in the legend of La Llorona
  • The importance of the digitization of medical records
  • Life in London in the 18th century
  • Literary Criticism of The Monk by Mathew Lewis
  • Compare and contrast Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold and The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S Eliot.
  • Discuss the theme of industrialization, corruption, and capitalism using Williams Blake’s London.
  • The expectation of women in Marge Piercy’s Barbie Doll
  • Criticism of gender roles in The Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
  • The theme of racism in Heart of Darkness by Josef Conrad
  • How modern-day heroes shape young people
  • The link between illegal immigration and terrorism
  • Does modern technology for teaching affect the quality of education?
  • How marriage has changed in modern society
  • Celebration of Pride Month in the United Kingdom
  • Cases of Mercy Killing in the United States

Informative Topics for English Research Paper

  • Euthanasia – Right to Die versus Right to Life
  • Use of automation in the Healthcare system
  • What is the neoclassical period in English Literature?
  • What is Medieval English Literature as well as the idea of the anthology?
  • Explain the variations across the different dialects and speakers of English
  • What is the impact of diversity on a society’s development and progress?
  • Should the government control what is served in school cafeterias?
  • The high school curriculum should include subjects related to real life. Discuss.
  • What are the psychological effects of the Holocaust on the survivors?
  • Effectiveness of the federal education system as compared to other countries’ education systems.
  • Discuss the role of postsecondary educational institutions in American literacy.
  • Legal consequences of plagiarism in academic writing.
  • How to boost English communication skills for international students?
  • Technical barriers in oral and written communication in the English language.

Interesting English Research Topics

  • Pros and Cons of e-learning
  • The American Dream for immigrants and marginalized group
  • Are UFOS a reality or fiction?
  • Write about the life of tribals.
  • How has the role of women in the military and battlefield changed?
  • How technology is revolutionizing terrorism
  • The drawbacks of online dating apps
  • How depression affects human behavior
  • Violent discipline by caregivers affects a child’s mental growth
  • How alternative medicine for cancer is unsafe
  • Negative effects of doing the wrong exercises
  • Cybercrime is the new terrorism
  • European influence on fashion in the world
  • The genetic link to optimism can shape attitudes. Explain
  • The Impact of Bioterrorism

Captivating English Research Paper Ideas

  • Effects of commercialization of sports
  • Dangers of consuming organic foods
  • The refugee crisis is increasing terrorism
  • Analysis of the Crisis between Ukraine and Russia
  • Impact of the Controversial Cartoon of Prophet Muhammad
  • The recent issue on Prophet Muhammad
  • The threat of Third World War
  • How the English Language Has Evolved Over the Last 20 Years Due to Improvements in Technology.
  • What is the difference between communicative English as well as Written English?
  • Discuss the role of America in the aerospace field.
  • What is psychology and Literature?
  • Does beauty, in general, determine how much a person will be successful in life?
  • What are some pros and cons related to plastic surgery?
  • Cross-cultural influences of the English language.
  • Should sports betting be regulated?
  • Critical analysis of the role of the National Organization for Women (NOW)
  • What other common sayings such as “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” exist in your language?
  • Discuss the Importance of Grammar in English language to increase employability in developed nations
  • Communism as an ideology and communism in the USSR are many different things: Explain
  • Theatre artists often risk their mental health while playing the roles of killers: Explain with justification

Excellent English Research Paper Topics

  • Tobacco advertising and its effects
  • Dangers of weight lifting on women
  • The definition of feminism has changed since the 18th century
  • Should it be mandatory for parents to control their kid’s social media accounts?
  • Globalization and How It Affects the Economy
  • Contributions by Indian writers to English literature.
  • The civil rights movement and its effects
  • Shakespeare’s contribution to English literature.
  • Industrialization and agricultural activities are the greatest contributors to climate change
  • Is social media making it easy for models to become rich?
  • The reasons for fictional languages in literature
  • Female writers in English literature.
  • Gender controversy in modern English.
  • Challenges of learning English as a second language
  • The role of women in the military.

Popular English Research Topics

  • The impact of child labor on society.
  • The decline or increase of divorce over the decades
  • The role of affirmative action in education or work
  • The COVID-19 – An Unrestricted Bio-weapon
  • The Outbreak of Monkeypox
  • Contribution of the World Poet Rabindranath Tagore in the field of global Literature
  • Contribution of William Gaddis in the field of US literature
  • Can fan fiction be considered in terms of independent literature?
  • What do you mean by comedy literature?
  • What is the influence of modern technology on the quality of education?
  • How does depression affect human behavior?
  • The effective ways to reduce bullying in learning institutions
  • What has led to the reduction of unemployment today?
  • Analyze crimes orchestrated by white collars and the punishments
  • How prevalent are wrongful convictions?

Impressive English Research Paper Topics

  • Should we legalize all immigrants without papers?
  • How efficient are police borders?
  • How are activism and protests criminalized?
  • The modern pop musician has more influence than musicians of the 80s
  • Children should be taught at school about various types of sexual orientation
  • Therapy and how it can be an effective rehabilitation method for hard-core prisoners
  • Is bodybuilding only for boosting ego or for health reasons?
  • Dehumanization effects of colonialism in Heart of Darkness by Josef Conrad
  • Sea symbolism in Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold
  • Use The Monk by Matthew Lewis as a response to formal realism.
  • Strange medieval family laws and their influence on society
  • Golan Heights and its importance to the Israelites
  • The pros and cons of legalizing prostitution
  • Second-hand smoke is the major cause of lung cancer deaths
  • Athletes are excelling because of their professional trainers.
  • Critical analysis of the impact of religious believers and stereotypes of society
  • Discuss the similarities and differences between classical music and modern music
  • Analyze the relationship between social status and political power depicted in William Shakespeare’s play
  • What should be actions every government needs to undertake to provide equal rights and opportunities to the people belonging to the LGBTQ+ community?
  • Discuss how Europeans perceive Indians and Middle-East countries’ people

Awesome English Research Questions

  • Discuss the impact of grammatical mistakes on English writing skills.
  • Explain the role of poetry in learning English literature.
  • Write about Modern American English Literature.
  • Examine the obstacles in modern English Literature.
  • Suggest digital tools to advance English fluency.
  • How to search for credible resources for writing English papers?
  • Discuss the role of mobile applications in advancing English verbal communication.
  • Explain the impact of reading in English communication.
  • Explain how to boost English communication skills for international students.
  • Examine Intensive English Programs (IEPs) in the US.

Also read: Learn About Different Language Features in English

Trending English Research Paper Topics

  • How obsession with healthy eating can drive more people into anorexia
  • Ethical Use of Stem Cells
  • What are the reasons for the fictional languages in the literature?
  • Is it ethical to wear fur coats?
  • Are standardized tests a good way to evaluate a student’s knowledge?
  • Is random drug testing in the workplace ethical and necessary?
  • Is technology affecting health management?
  • If college education is made free, will it be more or less qualitative?
  • Does motivation play a role in human development?
  • Do pharmaceutical companies view the Ebola vaccine as unprofitable?
  • Should the use of marijuana be regulated?
  • Have the effects of religious cults changed today as compared to those in ancient society?
  • Caricature and Nigger – An Anti-Black Imagery
  • Effect of systemic diseases on olfactory functioning among coronavirus infected patients
  • Which practices of the Native Americans helped them to protect nature?
  • Discuss the way music listening practices changed during the last three decades
  • Analyze the negative impacts of social media networking sites on face-to-face or physical communications
  • What should be strategies every government needs to undertake to ensure equal access to technology, health, and education?
  • Compare and contrast the philosophy of African culture and European culture

Final Words

From the list of English research topics and ideas suggested in this blog post, you can use any topic of your choice and come up with an excellent, top-scoring English research paper. If you still find it difficult to choose an impressive English research paper topic, then you can use our English Assignment Help service without hesitation.

We are well-known for offering reliable essay writing and research paper writing services to our customers by connecting them with well-experienced academic writers in various fields of study. So, without any second thought, just avail of our USA assignment help & writing service to enjoy the necessary academic benefits at a reasonable rate.

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Ever struggled to find the perfect topic for your research paper ? We get it – it can be a bit overwhelming. 

Picking something interesting and valuable for your academic journey isn't always easy. But don't worry, we're here to help!

Here, we have listed more than 300 research paper ideas for a variety of subjects.

These topics can help you get creative and find the inspiration you need. 

So read on! 

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What are Good Topics for a Research Paper? 

An interesting research topic is the one that has the following characteristics:

  • Specific and Clear . The topic should cover a specific aspect or question within a broader subject area. A focused topic allows for in-depth exploration.
  • Original and Unique - Great research topics are original. They explore a unique angle or perspective on a subject.
  • Significant - Good topics have academic or real-world significance. They contribute to existing knowledge or address a problem with practical implications.
  • Relevant - Topics that are timely and related to the current issues and debates in your field of study are better for research.

Research Paper Topics for Your Academic Level

All students get research writing assignments, whether they are in high school, college, or higher. Here are some engaging ideas suitable for different academic levels.

High School Research Essay Topics

  • Examine the impact of social media on teenagers' well-being.
  • Assess the effects of climate change and its consequences.
  • Analyze the dynamics of cyberbullying and online safety.
  • Explore the influence of music on adolescents.
  • Investigate the importance of financial literacy education.
  • Assess gender inequality in high school sports programs.
  • Examine the impact of technology on the education system.
  • Analyze youth voting trends and political engagement.
  • Investigate the role of video games in cognitive development.
  • Assess teenage substance abuse and prevention programs.

College Research Paper Topics 

  • IELTS vs. TOEFL - Discuss the similarities and differences.
  • College admission policies and criteria in the United States.
  • How to plan to pay college tuition?
  • Elaborate on ACT vs. SAT.
  • Benefits of Distance Learning.
  • Impacts of China's one-child policy.
  • Do college students learn better in same-sex classrooms?
  • Effect of the No Child Left Behind Act.
  • Analyze the history of the relationship between the United States and North Korea.
  • Should people be able to donate organs in exchange for money?

Graduate Research Paper Topics

  • The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Business Operations and Strategy
  • Environmental Sustainability in Supply Chain Management: Strategies for Global Corporations
  • The Ethical Implications of Gene Editing Technologies: CRISPR-Cas9 and Beyond
  • Financial Derivatives and Risk Management: Advanced Strategies for Portfolio Optimization
  • The Role of Big Data Analytics in Healthcare: Improving Patient Care and Outcomes
  • Cybersecurity Threats and Mitigation in Critical Infrastructure: A Comprehensive Analysis
  • The Intersection of International Trade and Intellectual Property Rights: Trade Agreements and Dispute Resolution
  • Exploring the Impacts of Climate Change on Urban Planning and Infrastructure
  • Educational Leadership and School Reform in the 21st Century: Innovative Approaches and Challenges
  • Theoretical Advances in Quantum Computing: Applications, Limitations, and Future Prospects

Research Paper Topics for Science & Technology

Looking for research paper ideas in your discipline? The list of topics below covers a variety of subjects and disciplines to help you out.

Research Paper Topics for Computer Science 

  • Quantum Computing: Current State and Future Prospects
  • Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: Diagnosis and Treatment
  • Blockchain Technology and Its Applications Beyond Cryptocurrency
  • Cybersecurity in the Age of IoT: Challenges and Solutions
  • The Ethical Implications of Machine Learning Algorithms
  • Natural Language Processing for Sentiment Analysis in Social Media
  • The Role of Computer Vision in Autonomous Vehicles
  • Big Data Analytics for Business Intelligence and Decision-Making
  • Human-Computer Interaction: Enhancing User Experience
  • The Evolution of Cloud Computing: Trends and Innovations

Research Paper Topics in Machine Learning

  • Explainable AI (XAI): Techniques and Challenges in Interpretable Machine Learning Models
  • Federated Learning: Privacy-Preserving Machine Learning Across Decentralized Data Sources
  • Transfer Learning in Deep Neural Networks: Methods, Applications, and Limitations
  • Reinforcement Learning: Recent Advances and Real-World Applications
  • Bias and Fairness in Machine Learning: Detection, Mitigation, and Ethical Considerations
  • Multi-Modal Learning: Integrating Data from Multiple Sources for Improved Performance
  • Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs): Innovations in Image Generation and Beyond
  • Natural Language Processing (NLP) for Healthcare: Applications in Clinical Data Analysis and Diagnosis
  • AutoML (Automated Machine Learning): Tools, Challenges, and Implications for Non-Experts
  • Quantum Machine Learning: Harnessing Quantum Computing for Advanced Data Analysis

Research Paper Topics in Chemistry

  • Green Chemistry: Sustainable Approaches to Chemical Synthesis
  • Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery: Innovations and Challenges
  • Chemical Analysis of Environmental Pollutants and Their Remediation
  • Advancements in Organic Synthesis: New Methods and Strategies
  • The Role of Catalysis in Industrial Chemical Processes
  • Chemical Kinetics: Studying Reaction Rates and Mechanisms
  • Analytical Chemistry Techniques for Food Safety and Quality Control
  • Supramolecular Chemistry: Self-assembly and Molecular Recognition
  • The Chemistry of Renewable Energy Sources
  • Chemical Bonding in Complex Molecules: Insights from Quantum Chemistry

Information Technology Research Paper Topics

  • The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Information Technology
  • Blockchain Technology: Security and Privacy Implications
  • Data Governance and Compliance in the Digital Age
  • Cloud Computing Adoption Strategies for Small and Medium Enterprises
  • Internet of Things (IoT) Security Challenges and Solutions
  • E-Government: Advancements and Challenges in Digital Transformation
  • The Role of Machine Learning in Healthcare Data Management
  • Cybersecurity Threat Intelligence: Trends and Best Practices
  • Digital Twins and their Applications in Industry 4.0
  • Human-Centric IT: Designing Systems with User Well-being in Mind

Research Paper Topics Environmental Science

  • Climate Change and Its Impact on Global Ecosystems
  • Biodiversity Conservation and Habitat Restoration
  • Sustainable Agriculture Practices for Food Security
  • Air Pollution Control Strategies in Urban Environments
  • The Effects of Deforestation on Watersheds and Biodiversity
  • Waste Management and Recycling: Towards a Circular Economy
  • Ocean Acidification and Coral Reef Conservation
  • Environmental Impacts of Renewable Energy Technologies
  • Eco-friendly Transportation Solutions: Promoting Sustainable Mobility
  • Human Health and Environmental Pollution: Assessing Risks and Mitigation

Research Paper Topics for Medical Students

  • The Role of Telemedicine in Improving Healthcare Access and Delivery
  • Epidemiology and Management of Infectious Diseases: A Focus on Emerging Pathogens
  • Precision Medicine and Personalized Healthcare: Advancements and Challenges
  • Ethical Considerations in Medical Research: Informed Consent and Human Rights
  • Mental Health in Medical Education: Strategies for Reducing Burnout and Promoting Well-being
  • Global Health Disparities: Analyzing Causes and Strategies for Health Equity
  • Advancements in Surgical Techniques and Robotics in Medicine
  • The Opioid Epidemic: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions
  • Healthcare for Underserved Populations: Access, Barriers, and Innovations
  • Medical Innovations in Diagnostic Imaging: Impact on Patient Care and Diagnosis

Research Paper Topics in Zoology

  • The Impact of Climate Change on Wildlife Migration Patterns and Habitats
  • Behavioral Ecology of Apex Predators: From Wolves to Tigers
  • Zoonotic Diseases: Investigating the Transmission of Diseases Between Animals and Humans
  • Marine Biology and Conservation: Coral Reefs, Ocean Acidification, and Marine Biodiversity
  • The Role of Zoos in Conservation and Species Preservation
  • Invasive Species: Ecological Impacts and Management Strategies
  • Bird Migration and Navigation: Mechanisms and Conservation Implications
  • Animal Communication and Language: Insights from Studies on Dolphins and Primates
  • Endangered Species Recovery Programs: Successes, Failures, and Lessons Learned
  • Evolutionary Biology: The Coevolution of Predators and Prey

Research Paper Topics For Social Sciences

Are you a student of social sciences? The list of research paper topics below is for you!

History Research Paper Topics

  • The Causes and Consequences of the American Civil War
  • The Impact of the Industrial Revolution on Society and Labor
  • The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire: Lessons from History
  • Women's Suffrage Movements Around the World
  • The Cold War: Origins, Conflicts, and Effects on Global Politics
  • The Role of Religion in Ancient Civilizations: Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Greece
  • The Renaissance Era: Art, Science, and Cultural Transformation
  • The Development of Culture in Mughal India
  • The Decolonization of Africa and Asia: Struggles for Independence
  • The Civil Rights Movement in the United States: Progress and Challenges

Research Paper Topics for Education

  • The Impact of Technology in the Classroom: Enhancing Learning or Distracting Students?
  • Inclusive Education: Strategies for Supporting Students with Disabilities
  • The Role of Parental Involvement in Student Academic Achievement
  • Education and Socioeconomic Inequality: Bridging the Gap
  • The Effectiveness of Online Learning: Pros and Cons
  • Early Childhood Education: The Importance of Preschool Programs
  • Teacher Burnout and Strategies for Teacher Well-being
  • The Influence of Standardized Testing on Curriculum and Instruction
  • Culturally Responsive Teaching: Promoting Diversity and Inclusion
  • Education Policy Reform: Challenges and Impacts on Student Success

Sociology Research Paper Topics 

  • The Impact of Social Media on Social Interaction and Relationships
  • Gender Inequality in the Workplace: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions
  • Racial Profiling and Policing: Examining Bias and Discrimination
  • The Sociology of Deviance: Understanding Criminal Behavior
  • Income Inequality and Its Effects on Society
  • The Influence of Family Structure on Child Development
  • Migration and the Social Integration of Immigrants
  • Environmental Sociology: Exploring the Relationship Between Society and the Environment
  • The Role of Religion in Shaping Societal Norms and Values
  • Health Disparities in Marginalized Communities: A Sociological Perspective

Psychology Research Paper Topics

  • The Impact of Childhood Trauma on Adult Mental Health
  • Psychological Effects of Social Media Use on Adolescents
  • Stress and Coping Mechanisms: Strategies for Resilience
  • The Psychology of Decision-Making: Biases and Heuristics
  • The Role of Attachment Theory in Parent-Child Relationships
  • Mental Health Stigma: Barriers to Seeking and Receiving Treatment
  • The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Cognitive Functioning
  • Psychological Factors in Addiction and Recovery
  • Cognitive Development in Infants: Theories and Milestones
  • The Psychology of Happiness and Well-being: Factors and Interventions

Research Paper Topics On Media And Communication

  • The Influence of Social Media on Political Discourse and Public Opinion
  • Media Bias: Examining News Coverage and Its Impact on Perception
  • The Evolution of Journalism in the Digital Age: Challenges and Opportunities
  • The Effects of Advertising on Consumer Behavior and Purchasing Decisions
  • Media Literacy Education: Preparing Citizens for a Digital World
  • The Role of Media in Shaping Gender Stereotypes and Representation
  • Fake News and Misinformation: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions
  • Cultural Appropriation in Media: Analyzing Its Implications
  • Media and Crisis Communication: Case Studies and Best Practices
  • Media Effects on Body Image and Self-esteem: Exploring the Impact of Beauty Standards

Political Science Research Paper Topics

  • The Role of Political Parties in Shaping Government Policies
  • Electoral Systems and Their Impact on Representation and Governance
  • The Rise of Populism: Causes and Consequences
  • The Influence of Lobbying and Interest Groups on Policy-Making
  • Comparative Analysis of Political Systems: Democracies vs. Authoritarian Regimes
  • Foreign Policy Decision-Making: Case Studies and Models
  • Political Polarization: Understanding the Divisions in Contemporary Politics
  • Human Rights and International Relations: Challenges and Solutions
  • Environmental Politics and Climate Change Agreements
  • The Role of Social Media in Shaping Political Discourse and Activism

Research Paper Topics for International Relations

  • The Impact of Globalization on International Security
  • International Human Rights Law: Challenges and Progress
  • Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution: Case Studies in Successful Negotiations
  • The Role of International Organizations in Promoting Peace and Cooperation
  • Nuclear Proliferation: Examining the Threats and Non-Proliferation Efforts
  • Cybersecurity in International Relations: Challenges and Strategies
  • Global Economic Governance: The Role of International Financial Institutions
  • The Refugee Crisis: International Responses and the Humanitarian Challenge
  • Climate Change Diplomacy: Agreements, Obstacles, and Climate Justice
  • The Geopolitics of Energy: Resource Competition and Security Issues

Research Paper Topics On Culture

  • Cultural Appropriation: Understanding the Controversy and Implications
  • Cultural Relativism vs. Universalism: Debates in Anthropology and Ethics
  • Cultural Expressions in Art: Analyzing Cultural Identity Through Creative Works
  • Globalization and Its Impact on Cultural Homogenization vs. Cultural Diversity
  • Cultural Influences on Gender Roles and Identity
  • The Role of Culture in Shaping Dietary Habits and Food Traditions
  • Cultural Heritage Preservation: Challenges and Strategies
  • Language and Culture: The Relationship Between Linguistic Diversity and Cultural Identity
  • Cultural Rituals and Their Significance in Different Societies
  • Intercultural Communication: Navigating Cultural Differences in a Globalized World

Research Paper Topics for Humanities

Here are some engaging ideas for research paper topics in humanities disciplines.

Research Paper Topics for English Literature

  • Exploring the Themes of Love and Desire in Shakespeare's Sonnets
  • Postcolonial Literature: Analyzing the Works of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
  • The Role of Symbolism in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby"
  • Feminist Critique of Classic Literature: Reevaluating Jane Austen's Heroines
  • The Gothic Tradition in Literature: A Comparative Study of Edgar Allan Poe and Mary Shelley
  • Dystopian Literature: Examining Social Commentary in George Orwell's "1984"
  • The Evolution of Science Fiction: From H.G. Wells to Contemporary Authors
  • The Modernist Movement in Poetry: T.S. Eliot and "The Waste Land"
  • Literary Representations of War: Analysis of Ernest Hemingway's Works
  • The Influence of Mythology in Literature: A Study of Greek and Roman Epics

Research Paper Topics for English Linguistics 

  • The Evolution of English Language: A Historical Analysis
  • Exploring Dialectical Variations: A Study of Regional English Accents
  • Syntax in Shakespearean English: Unraveling Linguistic Patterns
  • Code-Switching in Bilingual Literature: Impacts on Linguistic Identity
  • The Influence of Technology on Modern English: A Linguistic Perspective
  • Gendered Language in Literature: Analyzing Linguistic Representations
  • Sociolinguistic Aspects of English in Global Communication
  • Cognitive Linguistics: Understanding Language Processing and Comprehension
  • The Role of Phonetics in English Language Teaching: Strategies and Challenges
  • Linguistic Analysis of Online Discourse: Trends in Digital Communication

Research Paper Topics on Arts

  • The Influence of Renaissance Art on Modern Visual Culture
  • The Evolution of Street Art: From Vandalism to Urban Beautification
  • Gender and Identity in Contemporary Performance Art
  • The Role of Public Art in Shaping Urban Spaces and Communities
  • Censorship in the Arts: Balancing Expression and Sensitivity
  • The Intersection of Technology and Art: Digital Media and New Frontiers
  • Art as a Form of Political Protest: Examining Contemporary Activist Art
  • The Psychology of Art Appreciation: Understanding Aesthetic Experiences
  • Art Conservation and Preservation: Challenges and Ethical Considerations
  • Art Therapy: Exploring the Healing Power of Creativity

Research Paper Topics on Religion

  • Religious Pluralism and Interfaith Dialogue: Promoting Understanding and Tolerance
  • The Role of Religion in Shaping Moral Values and Ethics
  • Religion and Politics: Examining the Influence of Faith on Governance
  • Religious Rituals and Their Significance in Different Cultures
  • Secularism and Its Impact on Religious Practice and Belief
  • Religion and Science: Exploring the Compatibility and Conflict
  • The Influence of Religion on Gender Roles and Equality
  • Religious Fundamentalism and Its Implications for Society
  • Religion and Environmental Ethics: Perspectives on Stewardship
  • Religious Conversion and the Psychology Behind Faith Changes

Philosophy Research Paper Topics

  • The Philosophy of Ethics: Exploring Different Ethical Theories
  • The Problem of Free Will and Determinism: Philosophical Perspectives
  • Existentialism in Literature: A Philosophical Analysis
  • The Philosophy of Mind: Dualism vs. Materialism
  • The Nature of Reality: Metaphysical Approaches and Debates
  • Moral Dilemmas and Ethical Decision-Making: A Philosophical Examination
  • Philosophy of Technology: Ethical Implications of Advancements
  • Political Philosophy: Theories of Justice and Social Contracts
  • Philosophy of Religion: The Existence of God and Theodicy
  • Environmental Ethics: Philosophical Perspectives on Nature and Sustainability

Research Paper Topics for Ethics

  • Ethical Dilemmas in Medical Decision-Making: Balancing Autonomy and Beneficence
  • The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence: Accountability and Bias in AI Systems
  • Corporate Ethics: Ethical Responsibility of Multinational Corporations
  • Ethical Considerations in Environmental Conservation: Sustainability and Future Generations
  • The Ethics of Genetic Engineering and Designer Babies
  • The Intersection of Ethics and Technology: Privacy, Surveillance, and Data Ethics
  • Ethical Implications of End-of-Life Care and Euthanasia
  • Animal Rights and Ethical Treatment of Animals in Research
  • The Role of Ethics in Criminal Justice: Police Conduct and Criminal Punishment
  • The Ethics of Whistleblowing: Balancing Loyalty and Accountability

Law Research Paper Topics

  • The Evolution of Privacy Rights in the Digital Age: Legal and Ethical Considerations
  • Criminal Justice Reform: Assessing the Impact of Changes in Sentencing and Policing
  • Intellectual Property Rights in the Digital Era: Copyright, Trademarks, and Patents
  • The Role of International Law in Addressing Global Human Rights Violations
  • Environmental Law and Sustainable Development: Balancing Conservation and Economic Interests
  • Legal Aspects of Cybersecurity: Privacy, Data Protection, and Cybercrime
  • The Legalization of Marijuana: Implications for Criminal Justice and Public Health
  • Corporate Governance and Ethics: Analyzing Legal Frameworks for Accountability
  • Family Law and Child Custody Disputes: Examining Best Interests and Parental Rights
  • The Intersection of Law and Bioethics: Ethical Dilemmas in Medical and Scientific Research

Research Paper Topics on Criminal Justice 

  • Racial Disparities in the Criminal Justice System: Causes and Consequences
  • Police Use of Force: Policies, Accountability, and Community Relations
  • Criminal Profiling and Its Effectiveness in Solving Crimes
  • Mental Illness in the Criminal Justice System: Diversion Programs and Treatment
  • The Impact of Mass Incarceration on Communities and Rehabilitation Efforts
  • Forensic Science and Criminal Investigations: Advances, Challenges, and Ethics
  • Cybercrime and Digital Forensics: Investigative Techniques and Legal Implications
  • Juvenile Justice: Rehabilitation vs. Punishment and the Recidivism Rate
  • The Death Penalty: Ethical, Legal, and Policy Considerations
  • Victim Rights and Restorative Justice Programs: Balancing the Scales of Justice

Research Paper Topics on Economics

  • Income Inequality: Causes, Consequences, and Policy Solutions
  • The Impact of Economic Globalization on Developing Countries
  • Behavioral Economics: Exploring Psychological Factors in Decision-Making
  • The Economics of Climate Change: Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies
  • Monetary Policy and Its Effects on Economic Stability
  • Trade Wars and Tariffs: Economic Effects and Global Trade Relations
  • Healthcare Economics: Examining Healthcare Costs, Access, and Reform
  • The Economics of Education: Investment in Human Capital and Economic Growth
  • Urban Economics: Challenges and Solutions in Sustainable City Development
  • Labor Market Trends: Gig Economy, Automation, and Future of Work

Research Paper Topics Related to Marketing

  • Influencer Marketing: Effectiveness, Ethics, and the Role of Social Media
  • Consumer Behavior in the Digital Age: Online Shopping Trends and Decision-Making
  • Brand Loyalty and Customer Retention Strategies in Competitive Markets
  • Neuromarketing: Understanding the Psychology of Consumer Choices
  • The Impact of Social Media Marketing on Brand Image and Customer Engagement
  • E-commerce and Marketplaces: Strategies for Success in Online Retail
  • Content Marketing: Creating and Measuring the Value of Branded Content
  • Marketing to Generation Z: Preferences, Values, and Communication Channels
  • The Role of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Marketing
  • Crisis Marketing and Reputation Management: Strategies for Navigating Challenges

Best Research Paper Topics 2023

Here are some impressive and easy research paper topics to write an extraordinary paper.

Argumentative Research Paper Topics 

  • Should the Minimum Wage be Raised?
  • The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health: Harmful or Beneficial?
  • Is Genetic Engineering Ethical? Examining the Pros and Cons of Genetic Modification
  • The Death Penalty: Should it be Abolished or Retained?
  • Gun Control: Balancing Second Amendment Rights and Public Safety
  • Universal Healthcare: Is it a Right or a Privilege?
  • The Role of Government in Regulating Big Tech Companies
  • Climate Change: Is Human Activity the Primary Cause?
  • Online Privacy: Balancing Security and Civil Liberties
  • The Legalization of Recreational Marijuana: Weighing the Social and Economic Impacts

US History Research Paper Topics

  • The American Revolution: Causes, Key Figures, and Impact on the Nation
  • The Abolitionist Movement: Strategies, Leaders, and the Fight Against Slavery
  • The Reconstruction Era: Challenges, Achievements, and Failures
  • The Women's Suffrage Movement: Struggles and Triumphs in the Fight for Voting Rights
  • The Civil Rights Movement: Leaders, Events, and the Struggle for Equality
  • The Great Depression: Causes, Effects, and Government Responses
  • The Vietnam War: Origins, Controversies, and Legacy
  • The Space Race: The Cold War Competition for Supremacy Beyond Earth
  • The Civil War: Battlefronts, Political Divisions, and the Emancipation Proclamation
  • The American Westward Expansion: Manifest Destiny, Conflicts, and Impacts on Native Americans

Persuasive Research Paper Topics 

  • The Importance of Comprehensive Sex Education in Schools
  • Banning Single-Use Plastics: Protecting the Environment and Marine Life
  • Promoting Renewable Energy: Transitioning to a Sustainable Future
  • Mandatory Vaccination: Protecting Public Health and Herd Immunity
  • The Benefits of Telecommuting: A Win-Win for Employers and Employees
  • Promoting Healthy Eating Habits: The Case for Implementing Sugar Taxes
  • The Need for Stricter Animal Welfare Laws: Preventing Animal Cruelty
  • Accessible Education for All: The Case for Affordable College Tuition
  • Promoting Voting Rights: Ensuring a Fair and Inclusive Democracy
  • The Importance of Mental Health Awareness and Support: Breaking the Stigma

Easy Research Paper Topics 

  • The Benefits of Regular Exercise for Physical and Mental Health
  • The History and Impact of Social Media on Society
  • The Basics of Climate Change: Causes, Effects, and Solutions
  • The Life and Achievements of a Notable Inventor or Scientist
  • The Importance of Recycling and Waste Reduction in Daily Life
  • The Impact of Fast Food on Diet and Health
  • Effect of Global Warming on The Frequency And Intensity Of Natural Disasters
  • Should Marijuana be legalized in US? Costs, Economic And Social Benefits
  • How Do Terrorist Attacks Influence Public Opinion And Political Behavior In Democratic Countries
  • Crime Rates: Main Factors That Explain The Variation In Crime Rates Across Different Countries And Regions

Research Paper Topics on Current Affairs 

  • The Impact of COVID-19 on Global Health Systems and Preparedness
  • Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events: Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies
  • The Future of Work: Remote Work Trends and Implications
  • Economic Recovery Post-Pandemic: Challenges and Opportunities
  • Vaccine Hesitancy: Understanding Causes and Addressing Concerns
  • Cybersecurity in the Digital Age: Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Defense
  • Immigration Policies and Border Security: A Global Perspective
  • The Role of Social Media in Political Movements and Disinformation
  • Global Supply Chain Disruptions: Causes and Strategies for Resilience
  • Racial and Social Justice Movements: Progress and Ongoing Challenges

Controversial Research Paper Topics 

  • The Legalization of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia: Ethical and Legal Considerations
  • Gun Control Laws: Balancing Second Amendment Rights and Public Safety
  • The Death Penalty: Is it an Effective Deterrent or a Violation of Human Rights?
  • Animal Testing: Ethical Issues and Alternatives for Scientific Research
  • The Legalization of Recreational Drugs: Assessing Risks and Benefits
  • Abortion: Examining the Ethical, Legal, and Medical Aspects
  • Freedom of Speech vs. Hate Speech: Protecting Civil Liberties in a Digital Age
  • Climate Change Denial: Analyzing the Science and Skepticism
  • School Vouchers and School Choice: The Future of Public Education
  • Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs): Safety, Labeling, and Environmental Concerns

Research Paper Topics on Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

  • Historical Roots of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Tracing the Beginnings
  • Media Framing of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Impact on Public Perception
  • The Role of International Diplomacy in Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
  • Human Rights Violations in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A Critical Analysis
  • Refugees and Displacement: The Ongoing Humanitarian Crisis in the Conflict
  • Religious Perspectives in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A Comparative Study
  • Water Scarcity and Resource Management in the Context of the Conflict
  • Education and Propaganda: Examining the Impact of Curricula on Perpetuating Conflict Narratives
  • The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Peacebuilding Efforts
  • Media and Social Media's Influence on Shaping Public Opinion in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Nursing Research Paper Topics 

  • The Impact of Nurse-to-Patient Ratios on Patient Outcomes
  • Nursing Shortages: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions
  • Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing: Implementing Research into Clinical Care
  • Nursing Ethics: Ethical Dilemmas and Decision-Making in Patient Care
  • Palliative Care and End-of-Life Nursing: Improving Quality of Life for Patients
  • Nursing Informatics: Advancements in Healthcare Technology and Data Management
  • The Role of Cultural Competence in Nursing: Providing Culturally Sensitive Care
  • Nursing Burnout and Staff Well-being: Strategies for Prevention and Support
  • The Impact of Nurse Leadership on Patient Safety and Quality of Care
  • Pediatric Nursing: Specialized Care for Children and Families

How to Choose a Good Research Paper Topic?

Now that you have a plethora of ideas for your research paper, which one should you choose? Here are some steps you need to follow to choose a good research paper topic: 

  • Identify Your Interests: Start by considering your own interests and passions. Research is much more enjoyable when you're exploring a topic you're genuinely curious about. Think about subjects, issues, or questions that intrigue you.
  • Brainstorm and Mind Map: Write down potential topics or research questions and create a mind map to visualize how they connect to one another. This can help you see the relationships between different ideas and narrow down your options.
  • Do Some Preliminary Research: Conduct initial research to see what resources are available on potential topics. This will help you gauge whether there is enough information and credible sources to support your research.
  • Consider Your Audience: Think about who will be reading your research paper. Tailor your topic to your target audience's interests and knowledge level. You should also comply with the instructor's requirements. Make sure your topic gets approved before you begin with the writing process.
  • Discuss with Others: Talk to your peers, professors, or mentors about your potential topics. They may offer valuable insights, suggest relevant resources, or help you refine your ideas.

To conclude,

Selecting a good topic is the first and most important step in writing a research paper. Your decision should be guided by your interests, the assignment requirements, and the availability of credible resources. 

With this list of potential research paper topics and tips on how to choose a good topic, you are able to select a topic that is both engaging for you and relevant to your audience.

Remember that staying current and conducting preliminary research will help you make an informed choice. Seek feedback from peers and mentors, and don't shy away from challenging or controversial topics when appropriate. 

Looking for a research paper writing service? Look no further! MyPerfectWords.com can help you out!

At our professional essay writing service , we have subject specialists and research writers with advanced knowledge and expertise. They will help you choose a topic and write an amazing research paper.

So contact us to get your custom research paper !

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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500 Good Research Paper Topics

Bonus Material: Essential essay checklist

Writing a research paper for a class and not sure how to start?

One of the most important steps to creating a great paper is finding a good topic! 

Here’s a hand-drafted list from a Princeton grad who has helped professors at Harvard and Yale edit their papers for publication and taught college writing at the University of Notre Dame and .

What’s more, we give you some foolproof formulas for creating your own paper topic to fit the requirements of your class.

Using these simple formulas, we’ve helped hundreds of students turn a B- paper topic into an A+ paper topic.

Keep reading for our list of 500 vetted research paper topics and our magic formulas for creating your own topic!

Of course, if you want help learning to write research papers tailored to your individual needs, check out our one-on-one writing coaching or academic writing workshop . Set up a free consultation to see how we can help you learn to write A+ papers!

Jump to paper topics in:

European & Mediterranean History

African history, asian history, history of the pre-columbian americas.

  • Latin American History

History of Science

Politics & public policy, education & education policy, political theory, science policy.

  • Health Sciences & Psychology

Download the essential essay checklist

What is a research paper?

In order to write a good research paper, it’s important to know what it is! 

In general, we can divide academic writing into three broad categories:

  • Analytical: analyze the tools an author uses to make their point
  • Research: delve deeply into a research topic and share your findings
  • Persuasive : argue a specific and nuanced position backed by evidence

What’s the difference between an analytical paper and a research paper? For an analytical paper, it’s okay to just use one or two sources (a book, poem, work of art, piece of music, etc.) and examine them in detail. For a research paper, however, the expectation is that you do, well . . . research .

student writing research paper

The depth of research that you’re expected to do will depend on your age and the type of class you’re taking.

In elementary or middle school, a “research paper” might mean finding information from a few general books or encyclopedias in your school library. 

In high school, your teachers might expect you to start using information from academic articles and more specific books. You might use encyclopedias and general works as a starting point, but you’ll be expected to go beyond them and do more work to synthesize information from different perspectives or different types of sources. You may also be expected to do “primary research,” where you study the source material yourself, instead of synthesizing what other people have written about the source material.

In college, you’ll be required to use academic journals and scholarly books, and your professors will now expect that you be more critical of these secondary sources, noticing the methodology and perspectives of whatever articles and books you’re using. 

In more advanced college courses, you’ll be expected to do more exhaustive surveys of the existing literature on a topic. You’ll need to conduct primary research that makes an original contribution to the field—the kind that could be published in a journal article itself.

For a walkthrough of the 12 essential steps to writing a good paper, check out our step-by-step guide .

student writing research paper

Working on a research paper? Grab our free checklist to make sure your essay has everything it needs to earn an A grade.

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What makes a good research paper topic?

One of the most important features of a research paper topic is that it has a clear, narrow focus. 

For example, your teacher may assign you to write a research paper related to the US Revolutionary War. Does that mean that your topic should be “the US Revolutionary War”? 

Definitely not! There’s no way to craft a good paper with in-depth research with such a broad topic. (Unless you’re in elementary or middle school, in which case it’s okay to have a more general topic for your research paper.)

Instead, you need to find a more specific topic within this broader one. There are endless ways that you can make this narrower! Some ideas generated from this one broader topic might be:

  • Causes of the US Revolutionary War
  • Changes in military strategy during the Revolutionary War
  • The experiences of Loyalists to England who remained in the American colonies during the Revolutionary War
  • How the Revolutionary War was pivotal for the career of Alexander Hamilton
  • The role of alliances with France during the US Revolutionary War
  • The experiences of people of color during the Revolutionary War
  • How George Washington’s previous military career paved the way for his leadership in the Revolutionary War
  • The main types of weaponry during the Revolutionary War
  • Changes in clothing and fashion over the courses of the Revolutionary War
  • How Valley Forge was a key moment in the Revolutionary War
  • How women contributed to the Revolutionary War
  • What happened in Amherst, Massachusetts during the Revolutionary War
  • Field medicine during the Revolutionary War
  • How the Battle of Saratoga was a turning point in the Revolutionary War
  • How different opinions about the Revolutionary War were reflected in poetry written during that time
  • Debates over abolition during the Revolutionary War
  • The importance of supply chains during the Revolutionary War
  • Reactions to the US Revolutionary war in Europe
  • How the US Revolutionary war impacted political theory in England and France
  • Similarities and differences between the US Revolutionary War and the French Revolution
  • Famous paintings inspired by the US Revolutionary War
  • Different ways that the US Revolutionary War has been depicted in modern contemporary culture
  • The appropriation of the “Boston Tea Party” by US politicians in the 2010s

This list could go on forever!

good research paper topics about the US Revolution

In fact, any of these topics could become even more specific. For example, check out the evolution of this topic:

  • Economic causes of the Revolutionary war
  • The way that tax policies helped lead to the Revolutionary War
  • How tax laws enacted 1763–1775 helped lead to the Revolutionary War
  • How the tax-free status of the British East India Company helped lead to the Revolutionary War
  • How the 1773 tax-free status of the British East India Company helped lead to the Revolutionary War, as reflected in letters written 1767–1775
  • How the 1773 tax-free status of the British East India Company helped lead to the Revolutionary War, as reflected in letters written by members of the Sons of Liberty 1767–1775

As you advance in your educational career, you’ll need to make your topic more and more specific. Steps 1–3 of this topic might be okay in high school, but for a college research paper steps 4–7 would be more appropriate!

As you craft your research paper topic, you should also keep in mind the availability of research materials on your subject. There are millions of topics that would make interesting research papers, but for which you yourself might not be able to investigate with the primary and secondary sources to which you have access.

Access to research materials might look like:

  • To the best of our knowledge, the sources exist somewhere
  • The source isn’t behind a paywall (or you or your school can pay for it)
  • Your school or local library has a copy of the source
  • Your school or local library can order a copy of the source for you
  • The source is in a language that you speak
  • The source has been published already (there’s tons of amazing research that hasn’t been published yet, a frustrating problem!)
  • You can access the archive, museum, or database where the primary source is held—this might mean online access or travel! To access a source in an archive or museum you’ll often need permission, which often requires a letter of support from your school.

If you’re not sure about access to source materials, talk to a librarian! They’re professionals for this question.

Finally, pick a research topic that interests you! Given that there are unlimited research topics in the world and many ways to adapt a broad topic, there should absolutely be a way to modify a research topic to fit your interests.

student writing research paper

Want help learning to write an amazing research paper? Work one-on-one with an experienced Ivy-League tutor to improve your writing skills or sign up for our bestselling academic writing workshop .

Insider tips to generate your own research paper topic

Use these formulas to generate your own research paper topics:

  • How did X change over a period of time (year, decade, century)?
  • What is the impact (or consequences) of X?
  • What led to X?
  • What is the role of X in Y?
  • How did X influence Y?
  • How did X become Y?
  • How was X different from Y?
  • How is X an example of Y?
  • How did X affect Y?
  • What were some reactions to X?
  • What are the most effective policies to produce X result?
  • What are some risks of X?
  • How is our current understanding of X incorrect? (advanced)
  • What happens if we look at X through the lens of Y theory or perspective? (advanced)

A good research paper topic often starts with the question words—why, how, what, who, and where. Remember to make it as specific as possible!

student writing research paper

Good research paper topics

These research paper topics have been vetted by a Princeton grad and academic book editor!

  • How did European rivalries (British vs French) impact North American history?
  • What was the role of British and French alliances with indigneous tribes during the Seven Years’ War?
  • Reactions to the 1754 Albany Congress among North American intellectual figures
  • How the Albany Plan served as a model for future attempts at union among the North American colonies
  • How did different religious identities (Calvinist, Catholic, etc.) play a role in the aftermath of the Seven Years’ War?
  • What were the consequences of the 1763 Treaty of Paris?
  • How did the Seven Years’ War impact British debt and colonial economics?
  • What were some causes of the US Revolutionary War?
  • How did military strategy change during the Revolutionary War?
  • What were the experiences of Loyalists to England who remained in the American colonies during the Revolutionary War?
  • How was the Revolutionary War pivotal for the career of Alexander Hamilton?
  • What was the role of alliances with France during the US Revolutionary War?
  • What were the experiences of people of color during the Revolutionary War?
  • How did George Washington’s previous military career pave the way for his leadership in the Revolutionary War?
  • What were the main types of weaponry during the Revolutionary War? How did that affect the options for military strategies?
  • How did clothing and fashion change over the courses of the Revolutionary War?
  • How was Valley Forge a key moment in the Revolutionary War?
  • How did women contribute to the Revolutionary War?
  • What happened in Amherst, Massachusetts (or any other specific location) during the Revolutionary War?
  • What was field medicine like during the Revolutionary War? 
  • How was the Battle of Saratoga a turning point in the Revolutionary War?
  • How were different opinions about the Revolutionary War reflected in poetry written during that time?
  • What were the debates over abolition during the Revolutionary War?
  • What was the role of supply chains during the Revolutionary War?
  • What were reactions to the US Revolutionary war like in Europe? What does that tell us about politics in England, France, the Netherlands, etc?
  • How did the US Revolutionary war impact political theory in England and France?
  • What are similarities and differences between the US Revolutionary War and the French Revolution?
  • What are some famous paintings inspired by the US Revolutionary War? What do differences between these paintings tell us about how the artists who created them saw the war?
  • What are some different ways that the US Revolutionary War has been depicted in modern contemporary culture? What does that tell us?
  • How was the story of the “Boston Tea Party” appropriated by US politicians in the 2010s, and why?
  • What was the difference between the Federalists and the Jeffersonians?
  • How did the 1797 XYZ Affair lead to the Quasi-War with France?
  • How were loans from European countries and companies (France, Spain, Dutch bankers) key to the early US?
  • What were reactions to the Constitutional Convention of 1787?
  • Why did the US remain neutral during the French Revolution?
  • How did the Alien and Sedition acts contribute to the election of Thomas Jefferson as president?
  • What was the US’s reaction to the Haitian revolution? Why did the US not recognize Haitian independence until 1862?
  • What were the reactions to John Jay’s Treaty of 1794?
  • How have the remarks made by George Washington in his Farewell Address inspired isolationist policies?
  • How did interpretations of the Monroe Doctrine change over the decades since its creation? 
  • How did the Roosevelt Corollary and Lodge Corollary change and expand the Monroe Doctrine?
  • How did the presence of US companies like the United Fruit Company affect US military interventions in Latin America? 
  • How was the Monroe Doctrine invoked in the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962? 
  • How was US culture shaped by the Cold War?
  • How did ecology play a role in the rise of Ancient Egypt?
  • How did water management technologies impact Ancient Egypt?
  • How did bureaucracies function in Ancient Egypt?
  • How did Egyptian art influence Ancient Greek art?
  • Who could be a citizen in Athens in the 5th century BCE? What does this tell us about classical Athenian society?
  • What was the impact of the Peloponnesian War?
  • What was the impact of Alexander the Great’s attempt to create an empire?
  • How does the way that Alexander the Great is represented in art demonstrate conceptions about the relationship between the human and the divine?
  • Was there a conception of race in the ancient world? How were these ideas different from our own modern conceptions of race?
  • What was the role of debt slavery in the Roman republic? How were these policies ended, and what is the significance of the end of debt slavery? What kinds of slavery remained?
  • To what degree does the movie Gladiator accurately the Roman Empire in 176–192 CE?
  • What was the role of slavery in managing the large latifundia ?
  • How and why did the emperor Constantine I adopt Christianity?
  • How did patterns of urbanism in the latter Roman empire change? What does this tell us about challenges being faced at that time?
  • What do reactions to the Byzantine empress Theodora tell us about ideas of gender in 6th-century Byzantium?
  • How did scientific advancements in Islamic Spain influence the rest of Europe?
  • What was the relationship between Muslim, Christian, and Jewish populations in Islamic Spain? How does this compare to the experience of Muslim and Jewish populations in Christian Spain?
  • How did medieval troubadour poetry represent a new idea of romantic relationships?
  • What are similarities and differences between medieval troubadour poetry and lyric poetry in Ancient Greece? 
  • What do letters between women and popes tell us about gender, power, and religion in medieval Europe?
  • In what ways was Hildegard of Bingen groundbreaking for her time?
  • Who produced beer in medieval England, and what does this tell us about society?
  • How did the adoption of hops affect the production and distribution of beer?
  • How did beer production allow some women a way to be financially independent?
  • How was clothing used to mark religious and cultural identities in 15th- and 16th-century Spain?
  • How did print culture change relationships and courting in Georgian England?
  • How did churches function as social gathering spaces in Georgian England?
  • To what degree is Netflix’s Bridgerton series historically accurate?
  • How did ideas of love change in the 18th century? How did philosophy play a role in this?
  • When were Valentine cards first commercially available? What does that show us about cultural ideas of love and courtship?
  • What were the consequences of the desertification of the Sahara?
  • How did trade links on the Red Sea influence Nubian culture?
  • How did Carthage build power in Northern Africa around 600–500 BCE?
  • What was the impact of the Mercenary War (241–238 BCE) in Carthage?
  • How did the Roman province of Africa play a key role in financing the Roman Empire?
  • What were the consequences of the Donatist division in the 300s in Northern Africa?
  • What was the impact of the large-scale movement of Bedouins from the Arabian peninsula into the Maghreb?
  • How was Mande society organized in the Mali Empire? 
  • What was the role of the book trade in Timbuktu? What does this tell us about culture and learning in the Mali Empire?
  • How did Aksum use trade to build wealth and power? 
  • What do Nok terracotta sculptures tell us about Nok culture?
  • How did the Luba Empire create a centralized political system? How did the idea of spiritual kins ( balopwe ) play a role in this system?
  • How did tax collection work in the Lunda empire?
  • What does it mean to say that the Ajuran Empire was a hydraulic empire? How did control over water resources allow the Ajuran Empire to build and consolidate power?
  • What is the significance of diplomatic ties between the Somai Ajuran Empire and Ming dynasty China? 
  • How did the tribute system in the Kingdom of Kongo help to stimulate interregional trade?
  • What was the impact of the introduction of maize and cassava to the Kingdom of Kongo?
  • How did women wield influence in the Kingdom of Benin?
  • How did the Industrial Revolution in Europe help lead to the Scramble for Africa 1878–1898?
  • What were the consequences of the Second Boer War?
  • What happened in the Year of Africa (1960)?
  • How did the Han dynasty consolidate power in frontier regions? 
  • How and why did the Han dynasty nationalize the private salt and iron industries in 117 BCE?
  • What are the earliest records of papermaking, and what is the significance of this invention?
  • What was the role of Daoist religious societies in rebellions at the end of the Han dynasty (Yellow Turban Rebellion, Five Pecks of Rice Rebellion)?
  • What do tomb paintings tell us about ancient Chinese society?
  • What was the impact of the Sui dynasty’s standardization and re-unification of the coinage?
  • What was the role of standardized testing in Sui dynasty and Tang dynasty China?
  • Why is the Tang dynasty often regarded as a golden age of cosmopolitan culture in Chinese history?
  • What was the role of slavery in imperial China? 
  • How did the rise of jiedushi (regional military governments) undermine the civil-service system? What were the consequences of this?
  • How did Tang dynasty China exert power over Japan and Korea?
  • What was the Three Departments and Six Ministries system in imperial China and how did it work?
  • What does the appearance of Inca, Maya, and Aztec goods in North America (Utah, Canada) and the appearance of goods from the Great Lakes region in Maya and Aztec ruins tell us about trade in the Pre-Columbian Americas?
  • How did celebration of maize play a central role in Mesoamerican cultures?
  • How did the Aztec empire use relationships with client city-states to establish power? How did the Aztec empire use taxation to exert power?
  • How did the luxury good trade impact Aztec political power? 
  • How did the building of roads play a key role in the Aztec empire?
  • How and why has archaeology played a pivotal role in expanding our understanding of the pre-Columbian Americas?
  • What are some common misconceptions about the Americas in the year 1491? Why do these misconceptions exist?

Latin American History (post-1492)

  • How and why did the Spanish appropriate Aztec sites of significance (e.g. Mexico City at the site of Tenochtitlan)?
  • What were reactions among Latin American intellectuals (e.g. Luis María Drago, Alejandro Álvarez and Baltasar Brum) to the Monroe Doctrine?
  • How was the US’s involvement in the Venezuela Crisis of 1902–1903 a pivotal turning point in the relationship between the US and Latin American countries?
  • What were the effects of the US’s involvement in the Cuban War for Independence?
  • How did the Roosevelt Corollary of 1904 benefit the US?
  • How did Simon Bolivar’s time in Europe affect his ideas about Latin American independence?
  • How did 19th century academic societies play a role in the advancement of scientific discoveries? Who was excluded from these societies?
  • How was music connected to the sciences in medieval thinking?
  • When was the concept of zero first used, and how was it instrumental for advancements in math?
  • What role did Islamic Spain play in the spread of scientific advancements in medieval Europe?
  • What role has translation between languages played in the development of sciences?
  • Why were Galileo’s ideas about astronomy controversial at the time?
  • What was the connection between art and advancements in human anatomy?
  • Why were Darwin’s ideas about natural selection controversial at the time?
  • To what degree does the film Master and Commander accurately depict the voyages of Charles Darwin?
  • How did the discovery of quinine and other medical innovations help to facilitate the European colonization of Africa?
  • How and why was the internet invented?
  • Does Virgil’s Aeneid celebrate the new Roman Empire or subvert it?
  • Why was the poet Ovid exiled from Rome?
  • What are the pagan influences in Beowulf ? What are the Christian elements in Beowulf ? What does that tell us about late Anglo-Saxon England?
  • How does Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales reflect gender roles in late medieval England?
  • How does Dante’s Inferno draw on book IV of Virgil’s Aeneid ? 
  • How are gender roles presented and subverted in Shakespeare’s plays?
  • To what degree did Henry David Thoreau live out the ideals he described in Walden in his own life?
  • How did the serialized publication of novels affect the way that they were written?
  • Does Dickens’ novel A Tale of Two Cities accurately portray the French Revolution?
  • How did 18th-century novels propagate the idea of marrying for love?
  • What did contemporary readers think about Jane Austen and her novels?
  • To what degree do Jane Austen’s novels reflect economic realities for women in Regency England? What do they leave out?
  • How did Lord Byron’s personal life affect his poetry?
  • What do we know about the romantic life of Emily Dickinson?
  • What were the religious movements that influenced the writer George Eliot, and how do those influences appear in her novels?
  • In what ways were Walt Whitman’s writings new or different?
  • How did British poets react to the horrors of Word War I?
  • What do Tolkien’s letters reveal about the ways in which the two world wars influenced his writings?
  • How did the friendship between CS Lewis and Tolkien affect their respective writings?
  • What are the arguments for and against Catalonian independence from Spain?
  • What are the arguments for and against Scottish independence from the United Kingdom?
  • What are some risks of contact sports, especially for children?
  • What are the most effective policies for combating childhood obesity?
  • What are the most effective policies for reducing gun violence?
  • Which countries have the longest life expectancy and why?
  • What are some differences between the healthcare system in the US and in European countries? Which country has the most similar system to the US?
  • What policies for parental leave exist in different countries? What are some effects of these policies?
  • Has the drinking age in the US always been 21? What have been some different policies, and what were some consequences of them?
  • What is the debate around museum artifacts like the Elgin Marbles in London or the Benin Bronzes in Berlin?
  • How have politicians attempted to control population growth in different countries, either directly or indirectly? What have been some effects of these policies?
  • Which countries have the most gender parity reflected in national governments? How have they accomplished this?
  • How has public funding of K-12 education changed since the 1930s in the US? 
  • How has public funding of higher education changed in the US?
  • What is early childhood education like in different countries?
  • What are some effects of free or reduced-cost meals in schools?
  • How does access to menstrual products affect education outcomes for girls in different countries?
  • What was the impact of Rousseau’s writings on education?
  • How did Plato’s ideal forms of government reflect contemporary Athenian concerns about the unruly masses ( demos )?
  • How did Aristotle justify slavery?
  • How has wealth inequality increased in recent decades?
  • How is inflation calculated, and what are the implications of this methodology?
  • How have genetically-engineered crops changed the way that the planet feeds itself?
  • How has animal testing changed since 2000?
  • How is animal testing regulated differently in different countries?

Health Sciences and Psychology

  • How do different societies reflect the natural circadian rhythms of the human body?
  • How does secondhand smoke affect the human body?
  • How does lack of sleep affect the body?
  • How does stress affect the body?
  • What are some ways to reduce stress?
  • How have cancer treatments changed in the past 30 years?
  • Why is it hard to find a “cure” for cancer?
  • How has the Human Genome Project changed medical science?
  • How were the Covid vaccines developed so quickly? What is the difference between the various Covid vaccines that have been developed?

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topics for an english research paper

Emily graduated  summa cum laude  from Princeton University and holds an MA from the University of Notre Dame. She was a National Merit Scholar and has won numerous academic prizes and fellowships. A veteran of the publishing industry, she has helped professors at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton revise their books and articles. Over the last decade, Emily has successfully mentored hundreds of students in all aspects of the college admissions process, including the SAT, ACT, and college application essay. 

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Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics

717 Good Research Paper Topics

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Jim Peterson has over 20 years experience on speech writing. He wrote over 300 free speech topic ideas and how-to guides for any kind of public speaking and speech writing assignments at My Speech Class.

good and interesting research paper topics

Some examples of common research paper styles include:

  • Argumentative Research Papers
  • Persuasive Research Papers
  • Education Research Papers
  • Analytical Research Papers
  • Informative Research Papers

Your research essay topic may also need to be related to the specific class you are taking. For example, an economics class may require a business research paper, while a class on human behavior may call for a psychology research paper.

The requirements for your paper will vary depending on whether you are in high school, college, or a postgraduate student. In high school, you may be able to choose an easy topic and cite five or six sources you found on Google or Yahoo!, but college term papers require more in-depth research from reliable sources, such as scholarly books and peer-reviewed journals.

Do you need some help with brainstorming for topics? Some common research paper topics include abortion, birth control, child abuse, gun control, history, climate change, social media, AI, global warming, health, science, and technology. 

But we have many more!

On this page, we have hundreds of good research paper topics across a wide range of subject fields. Each of these topics could be used “as is” to write your paper, or as a starting point to develop your own topic ideas.

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How to Choose Your Research Paper Topic

The first step to developing an interesting research paper is choosing a good topic. Finding a topic can be difficult, especially if you don’t know where to start. Finding the Right Research Paper Topic

If you are in a class that allows you to choose your own term paper topic, there are some important areas to consider before you begin your project:

Your Level of Interest: Research papers are time-consuming; you will be spending countless hours researching the topic and related topics, developing several primary and secondary sources, and putting everything together into a paper that is coherent and accomplishes your objectives. If you do not choose a topic you are passionate about, the process will be far more tedious, and the finished product may suffer as a result.

Your Level of Experience: Being interested in a topic is great, but it is even more helpful if you already know something about it. If you can find a topic that you already have some personal and/or professional experience with, it will vastly reduce the amount of research needed and make the whole process much easier.

Available Information on the Topic: Be sure to choose a topic that is not only interesting but also one that has numerous sources available from which to compile your research. A researchable topic with several potential sources gives you access to the level of information you need to become an authority on the subject.

Your Audience: An interesting topic to you may not necessarily be interesting to your professor or whoever is grading your research paper. Before you begin, consider the level of interest of the person(s) who will be reading it. If you are writing a persuasive or argumentative essay, also consider their point of view on the subject matter.

As you begin researching your topic, you may want to revise your thesis statement based on new information you have learned. This is perfectly fine, just have fun and pursue the truth, wherever it leads. If you find that you are not having fun during the research phase, you may want to reconsider the topic you have chosen.

The process of writing the research paper is going to be very time consuming so it’s important to select a topic that is going to sustain your interest for the duration of the project. It is good to select a topic that is relevant to your life since you are going to spend a long time researching and writing about it. Perhaps you are considering starting your own business or pursuing a career in politics. Look through the suggested research paper topics and find one in a category that you can relate to easily. Finding a topic that you have some personal interest in will help make the arduous task a lot easier, and the project will have better results because of your vested interest.

Our List of Research Topics and Issues

Affirmative action, health, pharmacy, medical treatments, interpersonal communication, marketing and advertising, barack obama, discrimination, bill clinton, hilary clinton, computer crimes and security, cosmetic surgery, controversial, criminal justice, donald trump, easy/simple, environment, family violence, foreign policy, gambling and lotteries, the lgbtq community, generational conflict, gun control, hate crimes, immigration, middle east, maternity/paternity leave, natural disasters, police work, population explosion, pornography, prisons and prisoners, prostitution, ronald reagan, student loan debt, teen issues, women, mothers, what, why, and how, relationships.

We compiled an exhaustive list of topics that would make excellent research papers. The topics are specifically organized to help you find one that will work for your project. Broad topics are headed, and then below them are narrowed topics, all to help you find an area to focus on. The way we have organized the topics for research papers can save you lots of time getting prepared to write your research paper.

We have topics that fit into categories that cover such areas as education, environmental sciences, communication and languages, current events, politics, business, criminal justice, art, psychology, economics to name just a few. Simply get started by choosing the category that interests you and peruse through the topics listed in that category and you’ll be well on your way to constructing an excellent research paper.

Be sure to check other topics ideas: persuasive speech topics , argumentative speech topics , policy speech topics . We also have some sample outlines and essay templates .

  • What limits are responsible?
  • What limits are realistic?
  • How to protect abortion doctors, pregnant women, and the protection of abortion clinics vs. the right to protest
  • Partial birth abortion
  • Scientific evidence vs. definition of viability
  • Stem cell research
  • Unborn victims of violence
  • Relative equality has been achieved vs. serious inequities continue
  • Can racial balance in business, education, and the military be achieved without policies that promote Affirmative Action
  • Reverse discrimination
  • NOW, National Organization for Women
  • No government support vs. fairness to parents who pay twice for education
  • Separation of church and state vs. religion’s contribution to the public good
  • Placement by age vs. placement by academic ability
  • Mainstreaming students with disabilities vs. special classrooms for their special needs
  • Required standardized tests for advancement vs. course requirements only
  • National standardized tests vs. local control of education
  • Discrimination in education
  • Multicultural/bilingual education vs. traditional basics
  • Teacher competency tests vs. degree requirements only
  • Teacher’s needs/demands vs. teaching as a service profession
  • Policing schools
  • School’s responsibility vs. parental responsibility for school violence
  • Drug and alcohol abuse, pregnancy, suicide
  • Zero tolerance toward violence vs. toughness with flexibility
  • Permit corporal punishment
  • Exams often do little more than measure a person’s ability to take exams. Should exams be outlawed in favor of another form of assessment?
  • Should teens in the U.S. adopt the British custom of taking a “gap year” between high school and college?
  • In some European schools, fewer than 10% of students get “As”. Is there grade inflation in the U.S.? Why so many “As” for Americans?
  • Education and funding
  • Grade inflation
  • No Child Left Behind Act: Is it working?
  • Home schooling
  • Standardized tests
  • Are children smarter (or more socialized) because of the Internet?
  • Should the federal government be allowed to regulate information on the internet?
  • How has the music industry been affected by the internet and digital downloading?
  • How does a search engine work?
  • What are the effects of prolonged steroid use on the human body?
  • What are the benefits and hazards of medical marijuana?
  • How does tobacco use affect the human body?
  • Do the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks?
  • What are some common sleep disorders and how are they treated?
  • What are the risks of artificial tanning or prolonged exposure to the sun?
  • Should thin people have to pay Medicare and other health costs for the health problems of obese people? Should obese people have higher premiums?
  • Low carbohydrate vs. low fat diets
  • Benefits of weight training vs. aerobics
  • How much weekly exercise is needed to achieve lasting health benefits
  • Health websites give too much information
  • Psychological disorders, such as cutting and self-harm, eating disorders, Autism, Tourette Syndrome, ADHD, ADD, Asperger Syndrome
  • Are we taking it too far by blaming fast food restaurants for obesity? When is it individual responsibility and when is it appropriate to place blame?
  • Should companies allow employees to exercise on work time?
  • Steroids, Antibiotics, Sprays; Are food manufacturers killing us?
  • Alternative medicine
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Causes of eating disorders, society’s portrayal of women
  • Eating disorders statistics
  • Down’s syndrome
  • Birth control
  • Dietary supplements
  • Exercise and fitness
  • Heart disease
  • In vitro fertilization
  • Attention deficit disorder
  • Investigate the history and authenticity of ADHD and ADD.
  • Organic foods
  • Prescription drugs
  • Vegetarianism
  • Learning disabilities
  • Schizophrenia
  • Coma recovery: techniques, successes, new strategies.
  • What are the primary types of cancer, and in what ways are they related?
  • Investigate the success ratio of holistic and non-medical cancer treatments.
  • Is Alzheimer’s inevitable? Examine theories regarding its prevention.
  • What forms of physical degeneracy are seen as linked to aging?
  • Investigate the connections between emotional stability and physical well-being, and provide evidence as to how the two may be related.
  • Investigate differences in rates of injury recovery and overcoming illness based on cultural parameters.
  • Examine the modern history of viral epidemics, researching what is known about the emergence of deadly viruses.
  • Examine how congenital heart disease may be treated, and how it differs from other forms of heart disease.
  • Is occasional depression a natural state to an extent, and is society too eager to treat this as a disorder?
  • Investigate Sociopathy, determine biological and psychological roots, typical patterns, and potentials of treatment.
  • How are compulsive behaviors determined as such? Explore examples of anal retention and expulsion, OCD, etc., as offering accepted criteria.
  • Research and analyze the nature of codependency as both a normal state of relations and as an unhealthy extreme.
  • Investigate the history and practice of electroshock, analyzing how and why this extreme treatment came to be widely used.
  • Hoarding: symptoms and treatments, causes, types of hoarding
  • Limits on extraordinary, costly treatments vs. doing everything possible
  • Nutritional/alternative therapy vs. mainstream medical treatment insurance coverage for alternative treatment?
  • Government grants for alternative treatment research?
  • Health superiority of alternative treatments?
  • Assisted suicide vs. preservation of life
  • Governmental insurance requirements
  • Should there be a national database to track controlled substances (i.e., OXYCODONE) or should it be a state issue?
  • Should parents avoid vaccinating their children?
  • Decline of communication due to technology
  • Online social networks and their influence
  • Impact of texting and cell phones
  • How do men and women communicate differently using body language, and why does it matter (in dating, the workplace, and social circles)?
  • Limitations of the media
  • Marketing to children
  • Sexual innuendos in marketing
  • Global marketing trends
  • Should certain kinds of ads be banned in the interest of health/morality/annoyance – alcohol, cigarettes, prescription meds, etc…?
  • Children’s programming and advertising
  • Most controversial political ads
  • Media response and public outcry to political ads
  • Campaign funds and their relation to political advertising
  • Domestic policy
  • Separation of church and state
  • Judge nominations and make up of supreme court
  • Congressional opposition to presidential nominees/filibusters
  • Affirmative action
  • Erosion of civil liberties vs. protection against terrorism
  • Patriot Act One and Two
  • Most developed nations have universal health coverage. Why doesn’t the U.S., the wealthiest nation, have it?
  • Tax cut as economic stimulation
  • Needs of the states vs. needs of the individuals
  • Budget deficits and deficit spending
  • Rich vs. poor
  • Protection of victims vs. freedom of speech/rights of the accused
  • How to improve race relations
  • Women still earn only 75 cents for every $1 a man earns. Explain why.
  • Discrimination in the workplace: analyzing issues for today’s corporations.
  • Gender discrimination
  • Interracial marriage
  • Should government impose restrictions on what kinds of foods can be served in school cafeterias?
  • Pros and cons of school uniforms.
  • Do children learn better in boys-only and girls-only schools?
  • Charter schools
  • Prayer in schools
  • Rights of the individual vs. community safety (or campus safety)
  • Funding for research
  • U.S. obligation to third world countries
  • Manufacturing of generic drugs vs. U.S. pharmaceutical companies
  • How contagious diseases “jump” from animal hosts to human
  • What treatments are available to people infected with HIV and are they effective?
  • Right to privacy of a child with AIDS vs. safety of other children
  • Limits for campus safety vs. personal freedom
  • Implications on violence and crime
  • Issues with binge drinking
  • Should the U.S. lower the drinking age to 18?
  • Leniency because of condition vs. community safety
  • Revoking drivers license vs. being able to attend classes and work
  • Age discrimination of violators
  • Animal rights vs. medical research
  • Should it be illegal to use animals for sports and entertainment?
  • Humane treatment of animals vs. factory farms
  • Animal welfare in slaughter houses
  • Animal protection vs. business, employment interests
  • School prestige vs. academic standards
  • Should shoe companies be able to give away free shoes and equipment to high school athletes?
  • Should college athletes be paid?
  • Doping in sports
  • What are the effects on children whose parents push them in sports?
  • Steroids: Should they be legalized?
  • Title IX: Has it helped women’s sports? Has it harmed men’s sports?
  • Social effects of team sports
  • Needed in public school library/curriculum?
  • Needed in entertainment industry?
  • Needed on the Internet?
  • Should parents censor textbooks and other literature for children in schools?
  • Parental filters on the Internet. Does censorship actually increase curiosity and use of pornography?
  • How is internet censorship used in China and around the world?
  • How has United States censorship changed over the decades?
  • Democratic kingmaker, influence on political succession
  • Impact of global initiative
  • Influence on fundraising
  • Influence as Secretary of State
  • Foreign policies
  • Influence on women
  • ACT or SAT score requirements
  • Promotional techniques, such as 1st time scholarships
  • 4 year vs. 2 year colleges
  • College admission policies
  • College tuition planning
  • Distance education
  • Diploma mills
  • Online porn vs. freedom of speech
  • Stalking, invasion of privacy vs. reasonable access
  • Hacking crimes–workable solutions?
  • What are the latest ways to steal identity and money?
  • From where does spam email come and can we stop it?
  • How do computer viruses spread and in what ways do they affect computers?
  • Cyber security
  • Securing Internet commerce: is it possible in today’s arms’ race of hackers and evolving technology?
  • Is downloading of media (music, videos, software) infringing on the rights of media producers and causing economic hardships on media creators?
  • Should media producers prosecute students and individuals that they suspect of downloading copyrighted materials?
  • Programs such as SPOTIFY and PANDORA
  • Copyright Law
  • Age limitations on surgery
  • Addiction to surgery
  • Demand for beauty by society
  • The dangers of breast implants for teenagers
  • The cost of cosmetic surgery
  • Plastic surgery
  • Weight loss surgery
  • Are surgeons “scissor happy,” and are surgeries widely unnecessarily
  • Negative texting, instant messaging, email
  • Is cyber-bullying as bad as face-to-face?
  • Kinds of punishment for cyber-bullying
  • Media response
  • Should the state or federal government put laws into place to prevent bullying?
  • Is homosexuality a choice, or are people born gay?
  • Evolution vs. Creationism.
  • Should “under God” remain in the Pledge of Allegiance?
  • Is healthcare a right or a privilege?
  • Fossil fuels vs. alternative energy.
  • Transgender bathroom policies.
  • Capitalism vs. socialism.
  • Should parents be allowed to spank their children?
  • Should sanctuary cities lose their federal funding?
  • The pros and cons of gun control.
  • Should the U.S. continue drone strikes in foreign countries?
  • Was the U.S. justified in going to war with Iraq?
  • How to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
  • The pros and cons of animal testing.
  • Do pro athletes have the right to sit during the national anthem?
  • Incarceration rates in the U.S.
  • Technology and the criminal justice system.
  • Police brutality and minorities.
  • Should the police wear body cameras?
  • In what circumstances should the death penalty be allowed?
  • Should we have stiffer penalties for drunk driving?
  • Should those who text while driving be put in jail?
  • White-collar crime and punishment.
  • Criminalizing protests and activism.
  • The rise of wrongful convictions.
  • Mutual consent vs. exploitation
  • Campuses with “no touch” policy
  • Drugs associated to Date Rape
  • Violence and Rape
  • Government support vs. parental financing
  • Benefits vs. harmful effects
  • Trump’s unconventional presidential campaign.
  • The psychology of Donald Trump.
  • Who is behind Trump’s political rise?
  • Donald Trump and evangelical voters.
  • Donald Trump the businessman.
  • Trump’s war on the press (aka “fake news”).
  • The Trump Organization and conflicts of interest.
  • The border wall and illegal immigration policy.
  • Global warming and climate change policy.
  • Trump-Russia collusion.
  • The rapid rise of “The Resistance.”
  • Trump’s legislative agenda; e.g., health care, tax policy, deregulation, etc.
  • Trump’s “America First” trade and foreign policy.
  • The case for (or against) the Trump presidency.
  • Punishment vs. treatment
  • Family reactions
  • Social acceptance
  • Community safety vs. legalization
  • United States military involvement in Colombian drug trade?
  • Drug legalization
  • Abstinence Program: Do they work?
  • Should the federal government legalize the use of marijuana?
  • What is the true key to happiness?
  • What is the cause of America’s obesity crisis?
  • Why sleep is necessary.
  • Are plastic bottles really bad for you?
  • How to encourage people to recycle more.
  • How 3D printers benefit everyone.
  • How do GPS systems on smartphones work?
  • How have oil spills impacted the environment?
  • Verbal vs. nonverbal communication.
  • The accuracy of lie detector tests.
  • How Bill Gates and Steve Jobs changed the world.
  • The pros and cons of hitchhiking.
  • The PC vs. the Mac.
  • What causes tornadoes?
  • Pollution, air, and water
  • Endangered species
  • What are the risks of climate change and global warming?
  • Rain forests
  • Alternative energy
  • Alternative fuel/hybrid vehicles
  • Conservation
  • Deforestation
  • Greenhouse effect
  • Marine pollution
  • How have oil spills affected the planet and what steps are being taken to prevent them?
  • Sustainability of buildings
  • Recycling programs
  • Cost of “green” programs
  • Wind turbines
  • Landfill issues
  • Renewable fuels
  • Radioactive waste disposal
  • Soil pollution
  • Wildlife conservation: what efforts are being taken to protect endangered wildlife?
  • Excessive burden on industries?
  • Drilling for oil in Alaska’s ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge)
  • Gasoline consumption vs. SUV’s popularity
  • Wildlife protection vs. rights of developers
  • Clean air and water standards–weakened vs. strengthened
  • What are the dangers of scuba diving and underwater exploration?
  • Should the use of coal be subjected to stricter environmental regulations than other fuels?
  • Is global warming a hoax? Is it being exaggerated?
  • How much is too much noise? What, if anything, should we do to curb it?
  • Protecting victims vs. rights of the accused
  • Women who kill abusive husbands vs. punishment for murder
  • Marital rape?
  • How to protect children vs. respect for parental rights
  • Children who kill abusive parents
  • Child abuse–workable solutions?
  • Child abuse
  • Domestic abuse
  • Organic farming vs. mainline use of chemical sprays
  • How to best protect the environment; conservation
  • Family vs. corporate farms
  • Food production costs
  • Interventionism?
  • Third world debt and World Bank/International Monetary Fund
  • Military support vs. economic development of third world countries
  • Human rights violations
  • European Union in competition with the U.S.
  • Unilateralism
  • Relevance of the United Nations
  • Neocon role in foreign policy
  • Christian right influence on foreign policy
  • Pentagon vs. State Department
  • Nation building as a policy
  • Arms control
  • Obama’s National Strategy for Counterterrorism
  • Control of al Qaeda
  • Drawdown of U.S. Armed Forces in the Middle East
  • Cats vs. dogs: which makes the better pet?
  • My pet can live forever: why I love animal clones.
  • According to my social media profile, my life is perfect.
  • Football vs. baseball: which sport is America’s favorite pastime?
  • Starbucks vs. Caribou: whose coffee is better?
  • What does your dog really think of you?
  • Why millennials deserve lower pay.
  • What makes people end up with so many mismatched socks?
  • How to become a research paper master.
  • How reading Tuesdays with Morrie can make you wiser.
  • Easy way to earn revenues vs. social damage
  • Individual freedom vs. social damage
  • Do lotteries actually benefit education or is it a scam?
  • Can gamblers ever acquire a statistical advantage over the house in casino games?
  • Should there be a constitutional amendment that allows gays and lesbians to legally marry?
  • Adoption rights?
  • Need special rights for protection?
  • College campus response
  • Gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender
  • Gay parenting
  • Elderly to share in the tax burden vs. government support of elderly
  • Future of social security
  • Job discrimination
  • Child rearing
  • Employment issues
  • Generational differences
  • Community and police safety vs. unrestricted right to bear arms
  • NRA (National Rifle Association)
  • 2nd Amendment
  • Do states that allow citizens to carry guns have higher or lower crime rates?
  • Community safety vs. freedom of Speech
  • Punishment inequities
  • Persecution of alternative lifestyles
  • Church Arson: Hate crime?
  • Prevention of hazing
  • Greek organizations and rituals of hazing
  • Statistics of death or injury due to Hazing
  • High Schools and Hazing
  • What happened during the Salem witch trials?
  • How did trains and railroads change life in America?
  • What may have occurred during the Roswell UFO incident of 1947?
  • What Olympic events were practiced in ancient Greece?
  • How did Cleopatra come to power in Egypt? What did she accomplish during her reign?
  • What are the origins of the conflict in Darfur?
  • What was the women’s suffrage movement and how did it change America?
  • How was the assassination of Abraham Lincoln plotted and executed?
  • How did Cold War tension affect the US and the world?
  • What happened to the lost settlers at Roanoke?
  • How did Julius Caesar affect Rome?
  • How did the Freedom Riders change society?
  • What was the code of the Bushido and how did it affect samurai warriors?
  • How did Joan of Arc change history?
  • What dangers and hardships did Lewis and Clark face when exploring the Midwest?
  • How are the Great Depression and the Great Recession similar and different?
  • What was the Manhattan Project and what impact did it have on the world?
  • Why did Marin Luther protest against the Catholic Church?
  • How did the Roman Empire fall?
  • How did the black plague affect Europe?
  • How did Genghis Khan conquer Persia?
  • How did journalists influence US war efforts in Vietnam?
  • Who is Vlad the Impaler and what is his connection to Count Dracula?
  • Who was a greater inventor, Leonardo di Vinci or Thomas Edison?
  • What was the role of African Americans during the Revolutionary War?
  • What was Britain’s view of India during British rule?
  • What were the factors in the China-Tibet conflict?
  • Research and analyze the emergence of the Catholic Church as a political force following the collapse of the Roman Empire.
  • Investigate Dr. Eileen Powers’ claim that the Roman Empire was lost primarily due to an inability to perceive itself as subject to the change inevitable to all governments, or her “force of nature” theory.
  • Explore and discuss the actual cooperation occurring through the centuries of Barbarian conquest of Rome.
  • Examine the differences and similarities between Western and Eastern concepts and practices of kingship.
  • Investigate and explain the trajectory of ALEXANDER THE GREAT’s empire, with minimal emphasis on personal leadership.
  • To what extent did commerce first link Eastern and Western cultures, and how did this influence early international relations?
  • Research and analyze how Japan moved from a feudalistic to a modern state, and how geographic isolation played a role in the process.
  • Analyze the process and effects of Romanization on the Celtic people of ancient England: benefits, conflicts, influences.
  • Overview of British dominance of Ireland, Wales, and Scotland! How was this justified in each case, and what motivated the attempts over centuries of rebellion and failure?
  • Investigate the known consequences of Guttenberg’s printing press within the first 30 years of its invention, and only in regard to the interaction between European nations.
  • Identify and analyze the point at which the Reformation became fused with European politics and nationalist agendas.
  • To what extent did Henry VIII promote the Reformation, despite his vigorous persecution of heretics in England?
  • Trace and discuss the uses of papal power as a military and political device in the 14th and 15th centuries.
  • Research the city/state of Florence from the 13th to the 16th centuries, discussing how and why it evolved as so fiercely republican.
  • Compare and contrast the Russian Czarism of Peter, Elizabeth, and Catherine with the monarchies of England and France in the 18th and 19th centuries.
  • Investigate the enormous significance of Catholic Orthodoxy as the dominant faith in Russia, and its meaning and influence in an empire populated by a minimal aristocracy and predominant serfdom.
  • To what extent did Philip II’s religious convictions shape European policy and conflict in the 16th century?
  • Trace the path leading to the convocation of the Estates in France in the late 18th century, leading to the Revolution. Assess political and social errors responsible.
  • What eventually ended serfdom in Russia, and why were numerous attempts to end it by the Czars in power consistently unsuccessful?
  • Research and report on how England was transformed in the 19th century by the industrial revolution and the advent of the railroad.
  • Compare and contrast the consequences of the industrial revolutions in England and America in terms of urbanization.
  • What were the circumstances leading to World War I, and how might the war have been averted?
  • Assess the Cold War of the 20th century in an historical context: can any parallels be made between this conflict and other ongoing tensions between major powers in earlier centuries?
  • Analyze Roosevelt’s decisions in implementing the New Deal, beginning with the closing of the banks. Suggest alternative strategies, or reinforce the rationale of the actions.
  • What architectural marvels were found in Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire?
  • What was the cultural significance of the first moon landing?
  • Food programs
  • Welfare reform
  • Governmental supplementation
  • Homeless: urban restrictions vs. needs of the destitute
  • Workable solutions?
  • Realistic limits vs. openness toward people in need
  • English as official language vs. respect for diversity
  • Should illegal immigrants be made legal citizens?
  • Access to public school and public programs for Illegal Aliens
  • Policing borders–workable solutions?
  • Employment and/or taxation for Illegal Aliens
  • International trade
  • Democratization
  • “Shock and awe”
  • U.S. occupation vs. liberation
  • Iraqi run vs. U.S. puppet state
  • Oil and Gas prices-Control of resources
  • Effective self-government
  • War on Terrorism
  • Is America winning or losing the War? What is the measurement of success? Have the benefits outweighed the costs?
  • Parental leave for both parents
  • FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act)
  • Bonding time
  • Preemptive strike policy
  • Precision weapons
  • Intelligence reliability
  • Afghanistan – a success or stalemate
  • Should the U.S. have mandatory military conscriptions? For whom?
  • Governmental support
  • Preparedness
  • School emergency plans
  • Community warning systems
  • Damage costs
  • U.S. presidential elections should be decided by the popular vote, rather than the Electoral College.
  • The minimum wage should be increased to provide a “livable” wage for working families.
  • There should be stiffer penalties for those who commit animal cruelty.
  • School vouchers increase competition and create better quality schools.
  • The corporate tax rate should be lowered to create more jobs.
  • Social Security should be privatized.
  • Human torture should be banned in all circumstances.
  • Affirmative action is still needed to ensure racial and gender equality.
  • The U.S. dollar should go back on the gold standard.
  • Euthanasia and assisted suicide should be outlawed.
  • Police brutality vs. dangers that police face
  • Racially motivated brutality?
  • Politician’s right to privacy vs. the public’s right to know
  • Amount of money going into presidential campaigns
  • Views on abortion, gay marriage, and other controversial topics
  • Political debates throughout history
  • Third-party candidates at presidential debates
  • Rights of religious citizens vs. freedom from imposition (e.g. prayer in schools)
  • Religious motivation for political involvement vs. cultural pluralism
  • Christian Right’s influence on foreign policy
  • How serious? Causes? Workable solutions?
  • Funding abortion as a form of birth control in third world countries?
  • What would happen globally if the demand for natural resources is greater than the supply?
  • Limitation of social deterioration vs. freedom of speech
  • Definition of Pornography
  • Child Pornography
  • Building prisons vs. alternative sentencing
  • Adjusted sentencing for lesser crimes
  • Community service
  • Diversion Programs for inmates
  • How does the prison population in America compare to other nations?
  • Prostitution laws in the US and abroad
  • Benefits and drawbacks to legalizing prostitution
  • Psychological effect on prostitutes and former prostitutes
  • Sex slavery, buying and selling
  • Should the government be allowed to wire tap without permission?
  • What limitations, if any, should be applied to the paparazzi?
  • What medical information should be confidential? Who, if anybody, should have access to medical records?
  • Does the public have a right to know about a public figure’s private life?
  • Privacy rights
  • Do harsher punishments mean fewer convictions?
  • Date rape: consent vs. exploitation
  • Drugs-Rohypnol, GHB, KETAMINE
  • Legalization of Date Rape Drugs
  • Recently, a 17-year-old boy was sentenced to 10 years in prison for having consensual oral sex with a 15-year-old girl. Are statutory rape laws patronizing to girls and discriminatory to boys?
  • Acquaintance rape
  • Is there one true religion?
  • Freedom of religion
  • Offer distinct reasons why the Bible should be studied as literature, removed from religious significance.
  • From Hollywood to the White House: the political rise of Ronald Reagan.
  • The Great Communicator: how Reagan captured the hearts of Americans.
  • 1981 assassination attempt: bullet wound leaves Reagan inches away from death.
  • Reagan appoints the first female Supreme Court justice.
  • The PATCO breakup and decline of the labor unions.
  • Tax cuts and “Reaganomics.”
  • The “Iran-Contra” scandal.
  • Reagan, Gorbachev, and the end of the Cold War.
  • The final act: Reagan’s Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis and long goodbye.
  • How has airport security intensified since September 11th, 2001?
  • Identity theft
  • Homeland Security: Are we safer since the creation of this department?
  • Should the government use invasive pat-downs and body scans to ensure passenger safety or are there better methods?
  • Is arming Pilots a good idea?
  • What responsibilities do secret service agents have?
  • Student loan scams
  • How to avoid student loan debt
  • Managing student loan debt
  • Driverless cars and the future of transportation.
  • Breaking the glass ceiling: the impact of the women’s rights movement.
  • How seniors contribute to societal well-being.
  • How disabled individuals are viewed by society.
  • The modern-day civil rights movement.
  • Has technology made us more detached from society?
  • The role of religion in society.
  • In today’s society, are we better off or worse off than previous generations?
  • Popular music and its impact on the culture.
  • Class and geographical segregation.
  • The differences between life in the city, suburbs, and/or rural areas.
  • Should parents be able to create designer babies?
  • Should microchips be implanted inside humans for better tracking and security?
  • Will smart watches eventually replace cell phones?
  • The pros and cons of being a global citizen.
  • Progressive vs. flat tax
  • Excessive taxes vs. worthwhile programs
  • Is text messaging contributing to teen illiteracy?
  • How eating disorders impact teens.
  • Tablets vs. textbooks.
  • Do standardized tests improve teen education?
  • Are violent video games contributing to juvenile delinquency?
  • Is English literature relevant for today’s teens?
  • Should the HPV vaccine be required for teen girls?
  • Do teachers inflate grades so students can pass?
  • Should advertisers be allowed to target teens?
  • How to encourage teens to stop smoking.
  • The causes and effects of teen alcohol and drug abuse.
  • How to prevent teen pregnancy.
  • Osama Bin Laden
  • World Trade Center and Pentagon bombings
  • September 11, 2001
  • War on terrorism
  • Afghanistan
  • Bioterrorism
  • Al Qaida: Has U.S. policy actually spread terrorism rather than contained it? Will it get better or worse? Why and how?
  • Can terrorism ever be justified?
  • What kind of person becomes a suicide bomber?
  • What were the circumstances surrounding the death of Osama Bin Laden?
  • Has the Patriot Act prevented or stopped terrorist acts in America?
  • How is text messaging affecting teen literacy?
  • Cell Phones: How have they changed us socially?
  • Does the Information Age mean we are losing important historical information?
  • Where did hip-hop music originate?
  • A day in the life of a Buddhist monk.
  • How does the brain store and retrieve memories?
  • What life is like inside an ant colony.
  • The case for and against the existence of UFOs.
  • Can virtual reality adequately substitute for actual reality?
  • Are dreams hidden messages or just hot air?
  • Why do people collect the most ridiculous things?
  • When is it time to get out of an abusive relationship?
  • The art of pretending to care.
  • Public attitudes toward veterans
  • Health issues caused by service time
  • Organizations for veterans
  • Governmental support for veterans
  • What programs are available to help war veterans get back into society?
  • Iraq War Vets: Are they being cheated on medical benefits?
  • Is there a glass ceiling?
  • Obstacles to women running for political office?
  • Should women be priests, pastors, ministers, and rabbis?
  • What differences, if any, are there in children who are raised by stay-at-home moms and working moms? Does society today still discriminate against working mothers who wish to have flexible work schedules?
  • Should stay-at-home moms get a salary from the government?
  • Why do we sleep?
  • How do GPS systems work?
  • Who was the first person to reach the North Pole?
  • Did anybody ever escape Alcatraz?
  • What was life like for a gladiator?
  • Are there any effective means of repelling insects?
  • How is bulletproof clothing made?
  • How was the skateboard invented and how has it changed over the years?
  • What is life like inside of a beehive?
  • Where did hip hop originate and who were its founders?
  • What makes the platypus a unique and interesting mammal?
  • What is daily life like for a Buddhist monk?
  • How did gunpowder change warfare?
  • How were cats and dogs domesticated and for what purposes?
  • What do historians know about ninjas?
  • Are humans still evolving?
  • What is the curse of the pharaohs?
  • Why was Socrates executed?
  • How did ancient sailors navigate the globe?
  • How are black holes formed?
  • How do submarines work?
  • Do lie detector tests accurately determine truthful statements?
  • How does a hybrid car save energy?
  • What ingredients can be found in a hotdog?
  • How does a shark hunt?
  • How does the human brain store and retrieve memories?
  • How does stealth technology shield aircraft from radar?
  • What causes tornados?
  • How does night vision work?
  • What causes desert mirages, and how do they affect wanderers?
  • What are sinkholes, and how are they formed?
  • What are the major theories explaining the disappearance of the dinosaurs?
  • Should we reform laws to make it harder to get a divorce?
  • Divorce rates
  • Family relationships
  • Family values
  • Race relations
  • Marriage and Divorce
  • A view of home life and its effect on child development
  • How 4 generations in the workplace can work together.
  • Building positive employee relationships
  • Modern work environments
  • Business leadership
  • Workforce regulations
  • Small business and taxation
  • Corporate law
  • Issues in modern Human Resources: Are today’s corporations patronizing employees or being more responsible for them?
  • Cultural conflict in globalization: Strategies for successfully establishing a presence in a foreign culture
  • Corporate abuse: How can executives so successfully manipulate corporations criminally?
  • Identifying stakeholders in non-public companies: is the corporate responsibility the same as for public offerings?
  • Devise a new model of leadership for business today, incorporating elements of existing leadership models and theories.
  • Examine the actual impact of social media as a business promotion instrument.
  • Devise a scenario in which traditionally unethical business practices may be justified.
  • Should newspaper reporters be required to reveal their sources?
  • Do the media (both print and broadcast) report fairly? Do they ever cross the line between reporting the news and creating the news?
  • Does news coverage favor whites?
  • What steps are involved in creating a movie or television show?
  • How have the film and music industries dealt with piracy?
  • Media conglomerates/ownership
  • Minorities in mass media
  • Portrayal of women
  • Reality television
  • Television violence
  • Media portrayals
  • Sensationalized media
  • Examine the issues of responsibility in pharmaceutical companies’ promotion of drugs in the media.
  • Forensic science technology
  • What are the current capabilities and future goals of genetic engineers?
  • What obstacles faced scientists in breaking the sound barrier?
  • What is alchemy and how has it been attempted?
  • What technologies are available to home owners to help them conserve energy?
  • Nuclear energy
  • Clean energy resources
  • Wind energy: Is wind energy really that inexpensive? Is it effective? Is it practical?
  • What are the dangers and hazards of using nuclear power?
  • Investigate Freud’s contributions to psychology as they exist today: what value remains?
  • Are there gender foundations to psychology and behavior that are removed from cultural considerations? To what extent does gender actually dictate thought process?
  • To what extent is sexual orientation dictated by culture, and is there an orientation not subject to social and cultural influences?
  • Investigate the psychological process in group dynamics with regard to the emergence of leaders and the compliance of others.
  • Compare and contrast Jung, Freud, and Adler: explore distinctions and commonalities.
  • What is “normal,” and to what extent is psychology reliant on culture to define this?
  • Research and assess the effectiveness of radical psychotherapies and unconventional treatments.
  • Research the concept of human will as both a component of individual psychology and a process or element removed from it.
  • To what extent is self-image influenced by culture in regard to eating disorders? Are external factors entirely to blame?
  • How do centuries-old beliefs of madness and dementia relate to modern conceptions of mental illness?
  • Is psychology itself inevitably a non-science in that virtually any theory may be substantiated, or is there a foundation of science to the subject to which all theorists must conform?
  • Examine Euripides and gender psychology: what do the Trojan Women and Medea reveal?
  • Using three characters, explore Chaucer’s insight into human behavior in The Canterbury Tales.
  • Identify the true relationship between Dante and Virgil in The Divine Comedy, emphasizing Dante’s reliance on the poet.
  • Research and discuss the English fascination for euphemism and ornate narratives in the 16th century, beginning with John Lyly.
  • Examine any existing controversies regarding Shakespearean authorship, citing arguments on both sides.
  • Analyze similarities and differences between Marlowe and Shakespeare in regard to Tamburlaine and Titus Andronicus.
  • Defend or support Bloom’s assertion of Shakespeare as the “inventor of the human being.”
  • To what degree are Shakespeare’s plays influenced by, or reflective, of the Elizabethan era? Identify specific cultural and national events linked to at least 3 plays.
  • Analyze the unusual construction of A Winter’s Tale in regard to transition from comedy to drama. Is this valid? Does the transition benefit or harm the play?
  • Support the belief that Shakespeare is representing himself as Prospero through evidence, or similarly refute the belief.
  • Why was extreme violence so popular in English Reformation drama? Cite Marlowe, Kyd, Webster, and Shakespeare.
  • Analyze the metaphysical in Donne’s poetry: is it spiritual, existential, or both?
  • What is Shelley seeking to say in Frankenstein? Support your answer with passages from the novel.
  • Compare and contrast Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina with Flaubert’s Madame Bovary, noting the characters of the heroines.
  • It is argued that Dickens failed when he turned to serious, romantic narrative in his novels. Using Copperfield, Great Expectations, and Dombey and Son, defend or refute this claim.
  • Assess Dickens’ stance as a moralist in Bleak House and Hard Times: to what extent does he seek reform, and to what does he comment on the human condition?
  • Was the Harry Potter phenomenon warranted by quality of storytelling or more a matter of public receptivity at the time combined with media exposure?

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20 thoughts on “717 Good Research Paper Topics”

How has music evolved? How has music effected history? Music of the past vs music of the present. How has the music industry effected the music’s quality?

Do you think abortion is legal? Why they do abortion?

Why are people instinctively afraid of animals that are not mammals?

Should abortion be legalized? Should domestic abuse and child abuse victims be granted clemency for killing their abuser?

Jewish holocaust and its contribution to European History, specifically Germany

What is the most popular college in the United States?

The Black Knight: Space Waste or Alien Satellite? The Moon Landing: Real or Hollywood Hoax? Have We Become Too Politically Correct? Paranormal Research: Real? Fake? Should it be offered in college? Who really was Jack the Ripper? Can a zombie apocalypse truly occur? Who is the best or worst president of the USA? The Men in Black: real or hoax?

Why Marching Band is a sport.

Marching band is not a sport

how did aids start?

Topic : Alternative medicine Research question : Does the alternative medicine is safe and standardized Hypothesis : analyse the quality controle of alternative medicine formulations

Does our nostalgic music/childhood songs affect our present lifestyle, and in what ways?

reverse discriminations is still discrimination so there’s no such thing as that. like reverse racism isn’t a thing because that is still racism

Men on birth control and not women.

You forget the topic Islamophobia 😉

You should add a music section. Is Muzio Clementi overshadowed by Mozart? The Toccata and Fugue in D- really wasn’t written by Bach The use of the “Dies Irae” in cinema Why is modern music so repetitive and simple compared to classical music?

I want to do a research project on Education

I want to research but not get a perfect topic help me give me a best topic about current affairs

Topic: History. Are the Crusades oversimplified? where they justified? If so, how? Topic: Current affairs. Is the term “conspiracy theory” used to discredit any non-mainstream, controversial opinions. Topic: Gun control. Does limiting magazine capacity for firearms have any effect on gun crime? Are high-capacity magazines ever necessary for self-defense? Topic: Economics. Are minimum wage laws necessary to guarantee “decent”, or do the laws of supply and demand automatically ensure that?

Are women funny?

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101 research paper topics.

  • Why do we sleep ?
  • How do GPS systems work?
  • Who was the first person to reach the North Pole ?
  • Did anybody ever escape Alcatraz ?
  • What was life like for a gladiator ?
  • What are the effects of prolonged steroid use on the human body?
  • What happened during the Salem witch trials ?
  • Are there any effective means of repelling insects ?
  • How did trains and railroads change life in America?
  • What may have occurred during the Roswell  UFO incident of 1947?
  • How is bulletproof clothing made?
  • What Olympic events were practiced in ancient Greece?
  • What are the major theories explaining the disappearance of the dinosaurs ?
  • How was the skateboard invented and how has it changed over the years?
  • How did the long bow contribute to English military dominance?
  • What caused the stock market crash of 2008?
  • How did Cleopatra come to power in Egypt what did she do during her reign?
  • How has airport security intensified since September 11 th , 2001?
  • What is life like inside of a beehive ?
  • Where did hip hop originate and who were its founders?
  • What makes the platypus a unique and interesting mammal?
  • How does tobacco use affect the human body?
  • How do computer viruses spread and in what ways do they affect computers?
  • What is daily life like for a Buddhist monk ?
  • What are the origins of the conflict in Darfur ?
  • How did gunpowder change warfare?
  • In what ways do Wal-Mart stores affect local economies?
  • How were cats and dogs domesticated and for what purposes?
  • What do historians know about ninjas ?
  • How has the music industry been affected by the internet and digital downloading?
  • What were the circumstances surrounding the death of Osama Bin Laden ?
  • What was the women’s suffrage movement and how did it change America?
  • What efforts are being taken to protect endangered wildlife ?
  • How much does the war on drugs cost Americans each year?
  • How is text messaging affecting teen literacy?
  • Are humans still evolving ?
  • What technologies are available to home owners to help them conserve energy ?
  • How have oil spills affected the planet and what steps are being taken to prevent them?
  • What was the Magna Carta and how did it change England?
  • What is the curse of the pharaohs?
  • Why was Socrates executed?
  • What nonlethal weapons are used by police to subdue rioters?
  • How does the prison population in America compare to other nations?
  • How did ancient sailors navigate the globe?
  • Can gamblers ever acquire a statistical advantage over the house in casino games?
  • What is alchemy and how has it been attempted?
  • How are black holes formed?
  • How was the assassination of Abraham Lincoln plotted and executed?
  • Do the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks?
  • How do submarines work?
  • Do lie detector tests accurately determine truthful statements?
  • How did Cold War tension affect the US and the world?
  • What happened to the lost settlers at Roanoke ?
  • How does a hybrid car save energy?
  • What ingredients can be found inside of a hotdog ?
  • How did Julius Caesar affect Rome?
  • What are some common sleep disorders and how are they treated?
  • How did the Freedom Riders change society?
  • How is internet censorship used in China and around the world?
  • What was the code of the Bushido and how did it affect samurai warriors ?
  • What are the risks of artificial tanning or prolonged exposure to the sun?
  • What programs are available to help war veterans get back into society?
  • What steps are involved in creating a movie or television show?
  • How have the film and music industries dealt with piracy ?
  • How did Joan of Arc change history?
  • What responsibilities do secret service agents have?
  • How does a shark hunt?
  • What dangers and hardships did Lewis and Clark face when exploring the Midwest?
  • Has the Patriot Act prevented or stopped terrorist acts in America?
  • Do states that allow citizens to carry guns have higher or lower crime rates?
  • How are the Great Depression and the Great Recession similar and different?
  • What are the dangers of scuba diving and underwater exploration?
  • How does the human brain store and retrieve memories ?
  • What was the Manhattan Project and what impact did it have on the world?
  • How does stealth technology shield aircraft from radar?
  • What causes tornadoes ?
  • Why did Martin Luther protest against the Catholic Church?
  • How does a search engine work?
  • What are the current capabilities and future goals of genetic engineers ?
  • How did the Roman Empire fall?
  • What obstacles faced scientists in breaking the sound barrier ?
  • How did the black plague affect Europe?
  • What happened to Amelia Earhart ?
  • What are the dangers and hazards of using nuclear power ?
  • How did Genghis Khan conquer Persia?
  • What architectural marvels were found in Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire ?
  • From where does spam email come and can we stop it?
  • How does night vision work?
  • How did journalists influence US war efforts in Vietnam ?
  • What are the benefits and hazards of medical marijuana ?
  • What causes desert mirages and how do they affect wanderers?
  • What was the cultural significance of the first moon landing ?
  • What are sinkholes and how are they formed?
  • Have any psychics ever solved crimes or prevented them from occurring?
  • Who is Vlad the Impaler and what is his connection to Count Dracula ?
  • What are the risks of climate change and global warming ?
  • What treatments are available to people infected with HIV and are they effective?
  • Who was a greater inventor, Leonardo di Vinci or Thomas Edison ?
  • How are the Chinese and American economies similar and different?
  • Why was communism unsuccessful in so many countries?
  • In what ways do video games affect children and teenagers?

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923 Comments

I like using this website when I assist kids with learning as a lot of these topics are quickly covered in the school systems. Thankyou

Mackenah Nicole Molina

Wow! I always have trouble deiciding what to do a research project on but this list has totally solved that. Now my only problem is choosing what idea on this list I should do first!

Most of these my teacher rejected because apparently ‘these aren’t grade level topics, and I doubt they interest you”

I’m sorry to hear that. Sounds like you will have a potentially valuable character-building experience in the short-term.

Edwin Augusto Galindo Cuba

THIS SITE IS AWESOME, THERE ARE LOTS OF TOPICS TO LEARN AND MASTER OUR SKILLS!

research kid

I need one about animals, please. I have been challenged to a animal research project, Due Friday. I have no clue what to research! somebody help, thanks for reading!

You can do one on bats

For international studies you can do Defense and Security.

This was very helpful.

Research on Ben Franklin? I think THAT will get a real charge out of everyone (hehehehegetit)

Mandy Maher

“Is it possible to colonize Mars?”

maddy burney

these are silly topics

thx for making this real.

more gaming questions!!!!!!

Is it still considered stealing if you don’t get caught?

Yes, yes it is still considered stealing.

I need topics on memes

Mary Nnamani

Please I need project topics on Language Literature

Marcella Vallarino

I would appreciate a list of survey questions for middle school grades 6-8

I need a research topics about public sector management

I NEED FIVE EXAMPLES EACH ON QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH (EDUCATION, HEALTH, TECHNOLOGY, ECONOMY AND ENGINEERING)

publish research that are interesting please……

hey can you do one on the burmiueda triangle

Anybody know video games effect kids,and,teens. There Fun!!

they’re

I need a topic about woman history if any of u can find 1 please that would be great!

You could research about the history of the astronauts, and of human past (WWI, WWII, etc.)

so about women? Manitoba Women Win the Right to Vote in Municipal Elections, The First Women, January 23, 1849: Elizabeth Blackwell becomes the first woman to graduate from medical school and become a doctor in the United States, Rosa Parks Civil Rights Equal Pay. I have way more. so if you need more just ask.

communism is good

what are you a communist?!?!

Did FDR know about the upcoming attack on Pearl Harbor on 07 DEC 1941.

do you know how babies are born

Christine Singu

kindly assist with a research topic in the field of accounting or auditing

need more about US army

Please can yiu give me a topic in education

I think one should be how can music/Video games can affect the life for people

or How Do Video Games Affect Teenagers?

zimbabwe leader

I think a good topic is supporting the confederate flag!

Need a research topic within the context of students union government and dues payments

do more weird ones plz

joyce alcantara

Hi pls po can you give me a topic relate for humanities pls thank u.

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100 Good English Research Paper Topics & Ideas to Make Successful Submission

English research paper topics

Working in the English language always creates a compelling experience in your learning. It will allow you to explore the language and its interesting features. Surprisingly, more than 1.35 billion people speak English globally. According to Statista 2021 findings, English is the most spoken language worldwide. Consider the facts in your mind while working on your English research papers. For that reason, pick the interesting English research paper topics and unbox your understanding smartly.

To make your learning more presentable, you should understand the significance of the English paper topics. If you pick a good topic for drafting your English research papers, you can easily advance your learning. It makes your academic writing more productive and credible. So, browse the suggestions for selecting the easy research paper topics for English projects.

Table of Contents

Educational English Research Paper Topics

To make your work more engaging, you should focus on topic selection. Go through the list of numerous topics for English research papers to expand your learning of the language.

  • Present a study on various credible sources of learning the English language.
  • Impact of grammatical mistakes on English writing skills.
  • Understanding of the English language for non-native speakers.
  • Difficulties faced by non-American students in English communication.
  • Role of poetry in learning English literature.
  • Reflects the interpretation of Shakespeare’s work.
  • Discuss mythology as literature.
  • How to correlate literature with psychology?
  • Discuss stream of consciousness writing style.
  • Is there any relation between literature and religion?
  • Glorification of romance in literature.
  • Feminist perspective in English literature.
  • Modern American English Literature.
  • Impact of language in society development.
  • Verbal English communication for teaching moral values.
  • Importance of imagination in poetry writing.
  • Fiction Vs Nonfiction: which one is keeping more interesting appeal.
  • Poetry work of Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth.
  • Romantic philosophy in Walt Whitman’s poetry.
  • Impact of counselling and guidance on scholars’ academic performance.
  • How to boost students’ interest in academic literature?
  • Creativity analysis on poetry composition.
  • Today’s communication language barrier.
  • Obstacles in modern English literature .
  • Explore easy poetic techniques for beginners.

Interesting English Research Paper Topics

Make your English research paper writing more interesting by picking an interesting topic. Unload your thoughts precisely and make your work more worthy to read. Consider good research paper topics for drafting good English projects.

  • Significance of distance education.
  • How to address learning disabilities in a college education?
  • Importance of sex education in college scholars.
  • Methods to discrimination in educational administration.
  • Effective college administration for successful placement.
  • Same-sex Vs mixed-sex education: which one is better?
  • Pensive analysis on No Child Left Behind Act.
  • Effectiveness of the federal education system as compared to other countries’ education systems.
  • Strong methodology to lower bullying in schools.
  • Online education Vs physical education: which one is more effective?
  • Analysis of the grading system on students’ learning.
  • Discuss Montessori Method of Education.
  • Examine Intensive English Programs (IEPs) in the US,
  • Discuss the role of postsecondary educational institutions in American literacy.
  • Legal consequences of plagiarism in academic writing.
  • Impact of tuition fees for home students.
  • Is student engagement with social media affecting their studies?
  • Methods to control sleeping disorders.
  • How to develop positivity in college students?
  • Role of leadership for handling real-life problems.
  • Psychology impacts of COVID on students.
  • Role of family relationship on students’ mental abilities.
  • Career prospects of literature students.
  • How to boost English communication skills for international students?

Research Paper Ideas For English Topics Related to Technology

Unimaginable changes are brought by technical advancement and it is hard to ignore. Capturing the advancement in your research topics for English papers allows you to expand your knowledge. So, think pensively on the following topic ideas.

  • Impact of over-used computers on students’ health.
  • Role of digital communication in learning the English language.
  • Stress management to advance learning abilities.
  • Technical barriers in oral and written communication in the English language.
  • Digital tools to advance English fluency.
  • Future of electric-vehicle.
  • Methods to improve speaking attributes.
  • Role of online classes in knowledge enhancement.
  • The credibility of digital certification.
  • How to search for credible resources for writing English papers?
  • Role of kinesics in communication.
  • Impact of technology exposure on students’ learning skills.
  • Importance of technical advancement in advancing academic progress.
  • Advantages as well as disadvantages of e-learning.
  • International Vs national learning: Pros and cons.
  • Scope of digital marketing for small businesses.
  • Use of modern technology to improve the quality of education.
  • Is social media increasing suicidal thoughts on students’ minds?
  • Role of mobile applications in advancing English verbal communication.
  • Is digital technology altering consumer attitudes?
  • Use of online assignment help in writing a good essay.
  • Impact of online tutoring in students’ knowledge enhancement.
  • Role of artificial intelligence in educational advancement.
  • Efficacy of digital tools to check plagiarism.
  • Future aspects of machine learning in the education sector.

English Research Paper Topics For Mini Projects

When you do not need to write lengthy papers, pick the easiest topic for your projects. So, modify your research for selecting appropriate topics for English research papers. It will help to prepare your mini projects and meet the deadlines.

  • Interpretation of American English Drama.
  • Role of English communication in business management.
  • Impact of the internet in students’ psychology.
  • Teaching methodology for the English language.
  • Significance of soft skills.
  • Differentiate between modern vs traditional classrooms.
  • Examine active listening techniques.
  • Impact of reading in English communication.
  • Effect of mother tongue on learning the English language.
  • How to control people management and leadership?
  • Socio-ideological values of television programs.
  • Role of functional English in daily routine.
  • Techniques to develop speaking attributes.
  • Ways to improve writing skills.
  • Tips to compose strong descriptive paragraphs.
  • How does pronunciation vary in different learning cultures?
  • How to develop interview skills?
  • Impact of audiobooks in enhancing learning abilities.
  • How to develop a positive mindset?
  • Ways to learn time management skills.
  • Influence of standardized tests for knowledge evaluation.
  • A key motivation for students’ knowledge enhancement.
  • Is it practicable to make college education free?
  • Positivity learning techniques.
  • How to prepare health management for students?

Also, Read: 100+ Compelling Linguistics Research Topics

Tips To Pick the Right Research Topics For English Papers

When it is about sharing your ideas on your research topics, you should be attentive. Your research writing reflects your critical thinking, writing abilities, and creative mindset. Therefore, you must concentrate on research paper ideas for the English projects. For that, go through the following tips to pick the English papers topics.

  • Understand your area of interest. If you pick the right topic according to interest, it will be easy for you to project your learning.
  • Do not jump straight to any research topic for English papers. Make sure to brainstorm the idea deeply so that you can unlayer your understanding properly.
  • Good research topics for English papers reflect your knowledge and time management skills. Choose the topic according to your project submission deadline.
  • Paying utmost attention to a particular idea while writing your papers can limit your creativity. So, absorb the other aspects of topics for writing compelling English research papers.
  • Before finalizing any English papers topic, make sure to look around. It means you need to write according to your audiences’ interests. Otherwise, you would fail to create a good impression.

Still In Doubts? Turn Your Attention To Expert’s Suggestion!

Are you feeling puzzled while selecting the English research paper topics? Holding your research paper for longer can hurt your performance. So, search for the solutions instead of creating tension in your mind. If you cannot focus on your English research paper writing, ask for experts’ help. Use our noteworthy paper help and share your concerns with our English writers. Their interpretation and proficiency in the English language will help you out. Under their guidance, you will find the right research.

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101 English Research Paper Topics, Questions and Ideas

Patrick Allen

English Research Paper Topics and Ideas

When it comes to English, there is no limit to the topics you can research about. English research paper topic is the question you’re going to answer in your paper based on your research. However, choosing an interesting topic that will capture the attention of your readers and show your academic prowess can be challenging. The trick to getting an idea worth writing about which will also give you a good grade is to pick a topic that you’re interested in and that which you have some background knowledge. It must also be narrow yet have adequate research material and be related to the specific class you’re currently taking. If you’re having trouble finding a good research topic, here are helpful tools on how to get started.

How to Select the Best English Research Paper Topics? Here Is the Easiest Way

Knowing how to select the best research paper topic is an essential skill that every student must have. It is crucial not only for English courses but also for other assignment papers that you will need to write. Selecting a great paper topic starts with choosing a topic of interest. You then need to do background research and brainstorm different ideas.

During the research, you also need to note down various keywords which will help you narrow down your topic. Finally, you need to use the why, who, what and when questions to get different aspects of the topic and to create an outline of how your content is going to look like.

Even with all the information, keep in mind the length, due date and makes sure your topic meets all the assignment requirements.  However, don’t be so focused on your topic that you fail to modify it based on the research. In most instances, during the research process, it is normal to find some other aspects of the topic that are more interesting. So be flexible!

List of English Research Paper Topics for All Students

Your ideal paper topic should be written as a thesis statement. The thesis statement should be between one and two sentences. Keep in mind that the title of your paper may not be the same as your thesis statement, but both should convey the purpose and focus of your research. In English literature, there are so many topics at your disposal that it might overwhelm you. The best way to go about choosing your topic is to look at the different categories.

Look at the similarities between the two genres in the story or what are the differences. Is one genre more effective than the other and how each genre is portrayed in the story? You can also explain how a particular genre emerged or literature in current society.

What issues do the characters try to bring out ion the story? Or how are the characters important to the novel and how do they reflect in real society?  These are some of the research topics you can consider.

  • Gender Roles

How is the gender portrayed in the story? What are the roles of men and women in the novel? You can examine equality or gender expectations as part of your research topics.

  • Culture and Literature

What cultural issues is the book addressing?

  • Politics and Religion

In the novel is there any connection between politics and religion? What beliefs is the book promoting?

Interesting 101 English Research Paper Topics

  • Role of technology in economics
  • Advantages of studying internationally versus locally
  • Importance of teamwork collaboration for nurses
  • School-based mandatory student drug testing approach work to reduce illicit substance use in adolescents
  • Does pissing on demand: workplace drug testing and the rise of the detox industry by Kenneth D. Tunnell advocate for invasiveness?
  • Psychological factors that influence consumer choice
  • Should Drug testing be mandatory for student-athletes?
  • The benefits of drug testing for welfare individuals
  • Employee drug testing can result in business productivity
  • Biblical allegories in modern literature
  • Steinberg display hypocrisy of modern Christianity
  • In The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, rose of Sharon’s baby is a symbol of hope or death
  • Important themes in The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and their reflection in today’s society
  • Is The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck an educative classic novel or a controversial piece of writing?
  • Today’s immigrant can relate to the Joad family in The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
  • The issue of accessibility of contraceptives for high school students
  • Sexism in the media industry
  • Whether or not convicted criminals should be eligible for social welfare
  • How hunting can become a necessary means in some cases
  • Drawbacks of a democratic political system
  • The issue of firearms and whether or not they should be registered with the police
  • Effects of gangs in poor urban centers
  • The pros and cons of legalizing prostitution
  • How early modern treatment of extremes resonate in present-day culture in Excess and the Mean in Early Modern English Literature by Joshua Scodel
  • How individual freedom and modern English culture is portrayed in Excess and the Mean in Early Modern English Literature by Joshua Scodel
  • How the pleasure of literature can lead to a dark side? Use the book Futile Pleasures: Early Modern Literature and the Limits of Utility by Corey McEleney
  • In the book Animal Characters: Nonhuman Beings in Early Modern Literature by Bruce Thomas explain how animal characters relate to the emerging economy and culture of the European Renaissance
  • The relationship between literary form and code of conduct in the book Rhetoric and Courtliness in Early Modern Literature by Jennifer Richards
  • Importance of digitization of medical records
  • The issue of feminist women being too harsh on other women who don’t support the movement
  • Life in London in the 18 th century
  • Ethical use of stem cells
  • Golan Heights and its importance to the Israelites
  • Various conflicts that have revolved around the Golan Heights
  • The issue of who are the legal occupants of Golan Height
  • Strange medieval family laws and their influence on society
  • The significance of the little bird in Trifles by Susan Glaspell
  • Changes in the role of women from Susan Glaspell’s Trifles
  • Use The Monk by Matthew Lewis as a response to formal realism.
  • The role of feminine men and masculine men in The Monk by Matthew Lewis
  • Feminism in Susan Glaspell’s Trifles
  • The role of violence in Victorian society in Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold
  • Literary criticism of The Monk by Mathew Lewis
  • Sea symbolism in Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold
  • How is the Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold a presentation of a changing world?
  • Is Susan Glaspell’s trifle the ultimate women suffrage story?
  • The Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold is a mockery of the Victorian society
  • Compare and contrast the Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold and The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S Eliot
  • The perception of how women love in the legend of La Llorona
  • The expectation of women in Marge Piercy’s Barbie Doll
  • Unfair treatment of women in the poem A work of Artifice by Marge Piercy
  • Discuss the theme of industrialization, corruption, and capitalism using Williams Blake’s London
  • London in the eighteenth century by William Blake’s London
  • Criticism of gender roles in The Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
  • Social distinction in The Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
  • Dehumanization effects of colonialism in Heart of Darkness by Josef Conrad
  • The theme of racism in Heart of Darkness by Josef Conrad
  • How the characters portray differences in social class in Pamela by Samuel Richardson
  • Teachers using modern technology affect the quality of education
  • How modern-day heroes shape young people
  • How marriage has changed for modern society
  • The link between illegal immigration and terrorism
  • The drawbacks of online dating apps
  • European influence on fashion in the world
  • How myths about eating certain foods are affecting health
  • Are UFOS a reality or fiction?
  • Pros and Cons of e-learning
  • Is bodybuilding only for boosting ego or for health reasons
  • The America dream for immigrants and minorities
  • How technology is revolutionizing terrorism
  • Eliminating the SAT for college admission can make education better
  • How the role of women in the military and battlefield has changed?
  • How depression affects human behavior
  • The genetic link to optimism can shape attitudes. Explain
  • Violent discipline by caregivers affects a child’s mental growth
  • Therapy and how it can be an effective rehabilitation method for hardcore prisoners
  • Secondhand smoke is the major cause of lung cancer deaths
  • How alternative medicine for cancer is unsafe
  • Children should be taught at school about various types of sexual orientation
  • Cybercrime is the new terrorism
  • The impact of Bioterrorism
  • The refugee crisis is increasing terrorism
  • Social media and modeling industry: Is social media making it easy for models to become rich?
  • Industrialization and agricultural activities are the greatest contributors to climate change
  • Effects of commercialization of sports
  • Negative effects of doing the wrong exercises
  • Dangers of consuming organic foods
  • Dangers of weight lifting on women
  • Whether or not sports betting should be regulated
  • Should gambling addiction be ranked in the same category as hard drugs?
  • Athletes are excelling because of their professional trainers
  • The modern pop musician has more influence than musicians of 80s
  • The definition of feminism has changed since the 18th century
  • Going to music school influences the success of a modern musician
  • Tobacco advertising and its effects
  • How obsession with healthy eating can drive more people into anorexia
  • The link between Social media and suicide for teenagers and youths
  • Should it be mandatory for parents to control their kid’s social media accounts
  • The civil rights movement and the effects
  • Analysis of strategies used to alter consumer attitudes
  • Globalization and how it affects the economy

Examples of English Research Paper Questions

One of the main parts of writing English research paper is to define the research paper question. The question often leads to a hypothesis or thesis statement. Good research questions will generally be based on the who, why, how and what type of questions.

For example, what are the main questions that a reader might ask in this topic or what are your opinions about the topic and who is affected by it? How is the culture portrayed in that particular novel or book? Which political values is the novel questioning? What are the differences and similarities between the two characters?

Once you have a couple of various research questions, you can choose the top three questions and use them to generate a thesis statement.  You can then construct your paper around good research questions. If you don’t have a clue what to write, here are a couple of questions to inspire you.

  • Is random drug testing in a workplace ethical and necessary?
  • Do pharmaceutical companies view Ebola vaccine as unprofitable?
  • Has the role of the first lady changed?
  • Does motivation play a role in human development?
  • Should the use of marijuana be regulated?
  • Have the effects of religious cults changed today as compared to those in ancient society?
  • Is technology affecting health management?
  • Is it ethical to wear fur coats?
  • If a college education is made free, will it be more or less qualitative?
  • Are standardized tests a good way to evaluate a student’s knowledge?

How to Come up with the Best English Research Paper Ideas

The main point of choosing a research topic is to go for aspects of the subjects that you understood better and that which interests you the most. What’s great about a teacher asking you to come up with a research topic is that you can go in any direction that you want. You can look at imagery within the novel, or discuss the allegory of two random but related novels.

However, the process of coming up with English research paper topic that will impress your lecturer is not easy. If you don’t understand your assignments, then don’t hesitate to use our services. Feel free to call us now, and we will help you narrow down good topics that your lecturer will love.

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Literature Research Paper Topics

Academic Writing Service

This page provides a comprehensive guide to literature research paper topics , offering an extensive list divided into twenty categories, each with ten unique topics. Students can navigate the immense landscape of literature, including classical, contemporary, and multicultural dimensions, literary theory, specific authors’ studies, genre analyses, and historical contexts. From understanding how to choose the right topic to crafting an insightful literature research paper, this guide serves as a one-stop resource. Furthermore, iResearchNet’s writing services are presented, providing students with the opportunity to order a custom literature research paper with a range of impressive features, including expert writers, in-depth research, top-quality work, and guaranteed satisfaction. By exploring this page, students can find invaluable assistance and inspiration to embark on their literature research journey.

200 Literature Research Paper Topics

Literature is an expansive field that encompasses a multitude of subcategories. Below, we offer 200 literature research paper topics, neatly divided into twenty categories. Each of these themes presents a rich array of options to inspire your next research paper.

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  • The representation of heroism in Homer’s “Iliad”
  • The concept of fate in ancient Greek tragedies
  • Female characters in Sophocles’ plays
  • The importance of dialogue in Plato’s philosophical works
  • The depiction of Gods in “The Odyssey”
  • Tragic love in Virgil’s “Aeneid”
  • Prophecy and divination in ancient Greek literature
  • Wisdom in the works of Socrates
  • The portrayal of Athens in Aristophanes’ comedies
  • Stoicism in Seneca’s letters and essays
  • Christian symbolism in Dante’s “Divine Comedy”
  • The depiction of women in “The Canterbury Tales”
  • Heroism in “Beowulf”
  • The significance of dreams in medieval literature
  • Religious conflict in “The Song of Roland”
  • The concept of courtly love in “Tristan and Isolde”
  • The role of magic in Arthurian literature
  • The representation of chivalry in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”
  • Life and death in “The Book of the Dead”
  • The theme of rebellion in “The Decameron”
  • The influence of humanism in Shakespeare’s plays
  • Love and beauty in Petrarch’s sonnets
  • The representation of monarchy in “The Faerie Queene”
  • The depiction of the New World in “Utopia”
  • The power of speech in “Othello”
  • Metaphysical poetry and John Donne
  • Tragedy and revenge in “Hamlet”
  • Women in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
  • The concept of the ideal ruler in Machiavelli’s “The Prince”
  • Religion and superstition in “Macbeth”
  • The use of satire in Jonathan Swift’s works
  • Romantic love in “Pride and Prejudice”
  • The depiction of the bourgeoisie in “Candide”
  • The role of women in “Moll Flanders”
  • The critique of society in “Gulliver’s Travels”
  • The supernatural in “The Castle of Otranto”
  • Enlightenment principles in “Persuasion”
  • The concept of sensibility in “Sense and Sensibility”
  • The epistolary form in “Dangerous Liaisons”
  • The critique of colonialism in “Oroonoko”
  • Romanticism in the works of Wordsworth and Coleridge
  • The depiction of the working class in Dickens’ novels
  • The portrayal of women in the Brontë sisters’ works
  • The theme of isolation in “Frankenstein”
  • The symbolism in Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter”
  • The role of nature in Thoreau’s “Walden”
  • The representation of Paris in Hugo’s “Les Misérables”
  • The conflict between passion and reason in “Anna Karenina”
  • The exploration of the American South in Twain’s works
  • The representation of the Industrial Revolution in literature
  • The stream of consciousness technique in Joyce’s “Ulysses”
  • The fragmentation of identity in Eliot’s “The Waste Land”
  • The depiction of war in Hemingway’s works
  • The influence of psychoanalysis on Woolf’s novels
  • The depiction of the Lost Generation in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
  • The role of time in Faulkner’s “The Sound and the Fury”
  • The absurd in Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”
  • The theme of alienation in Hesse’s “Steppenwolf”
  • The exploration of gender in Barnes’ “Nightwood”
  • The use of free indirect discourse in Flaubert’s “Madame Bovary”
  • Metafiction in Calvino’s “If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler”
  • The interplay of history and fiction in Pynchon’s “Gravity’s Rainbow”
  • The critique of consumer culture in DeLillo’s “White Noise”
  • The use of magic realism in Marquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude”
  • The postcolonial perspective in Rushdie’s “Midnight’s Children”
  • The exploration of language in Barth’s “The Sot-Weed Factor”
  • The representation of postmodern society in Wallace’s “Infinite Jest”
  • The theme of power in Foucault’s works
  • The concept of the author in Barthes’ “The Death of the Author”
  • The fragmentation of narrative in Auster’s “New York Trilogy”
  • The theme of the American Dream in Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath”
  • The use of dialect in Morrison’s “Beloved”
  • The influence of transcendentalism on Emerson’s essays
  • The theme of identity in Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”
  • The depiction of the Great Depression in Steinbeck’s works
  • The conflict between individualism and society in Miller’s “Death of a Salesman”
  • The representation of the South in O’Connor’s stories
  • The influence of race and class in Baldwin’s “Go Tell It on the Mountain”
  • The exploration of freedom in Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye”
  • The theme of disillusionment in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
  • The role of the supernatural in Shakespeare’s plays
  • The depiction of Victorian society in Austen’s novels
  • The exploration of morality in Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”
  • The theme of madness in Stoker’s “Dracula”
  • The influence of the Romantic Movement on Wordsworth’s poetry
  • The representation of London in Dickens’ novels
  • The critique of colonialism in Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness”
  • The exploration of the human condition in Woolf’s “To the Lighthouse”
  • The theme of social class in Brontë’s “Wuthering Heights”
  • The use of symbolism in Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”
  • The exploration of existentialism in Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment”
  • The theme of love and jealousy in Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina”
  • The representation of the Russian Revolution in Bulgakov’s “The Master and Margarita”
  • The use of magical realism in Gogol’s “The Nose”
  • The depiction of war in Tolstoy’s “War and Peace”
  • The role of faith in Dostoevsky’s “The Brothers Karamazov”
  • The exploration of freedom in Solzhenitsyn’s “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich”
  • The theme of rebellion in Turgenev’s “Fathers and Sons”
  • The representation of Siberia in Chekhov’s “Sakhalin Island”
  • The use of satire in Ilf and Petrov’s “The Twelve Chairs”
  • The portrayal of post-colonial society in Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”
  • The theme of identity in Coetzee’s “Disgrace”
  • The exploration of gender roles in Aidoo’s “Anowa”
  • The representation of apartheid in Gordimer’s “July’s People”
  • The use of folklore in Tutuola’s “The Palm-Wine Drinkard”
  • The depiction of urban life in Mwangi’s “Going Down River Road”
  • The theme of corruption in Soyinka’s “King Baabu”
  • The portrayal of women in Dangarembga’s “Nervous Conditions”
  • The influence of Islam in Salih’s “Season of Migration to the North”
  • The exploration of freedom in Ngugi’s “A Grain of Wheat”
  • The portrayal of family dynamics in Tan’s “The Joy Luck Club”
  • The exploration of historical memory in Ishiguro’s “Never Let Me Go”
  • The theme of spirituality in Tagore’s “Gitanjali”
  • The influence of political change in Ha Jin’s “Waiting”
  • The depiction of society in Murakami’s “Norwegian Wood”
  • The exploration of gender in Adichie’s “Purple Hibiscus”
  • The theme of alienation in Lahiri’s “The Namesake”
  • The representation of war in Hosseini’s “The Kite Runner”
  • The portrayal of tradition and change in Roy’s “The God of Small Things”
  • The exploration of culture and identity in Jin’s “A Free Life”
  • The use of magical realism in Marquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude”
  • The exploration of totalitarianism in Carpentier’s “The Lost Steps”
  • The theme of death in Rulfo’s “Pedro Paramo”
  • The influence of indigenous culture in Arguedas’ “Deep Rivers”
  • The depiction of urban life in Bolaño’s “The Savage Detectives”
  • The theme of revolution in Cortázar’s “Hopscotch”
  • The representation of family dynamics in Allende’s “The House of the Spirits”
  • The portrayal of political struggle in Neruda’s “Canto General”
  • The exploration of time and memory in Borges’ “Ficciones”
  • The influence of magical realism in Garcia Marquez’s “Love in the Time of Cholera”
  • The exploration of gender roles in Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”
  • The theme of independence in Bronte’s “Jane Eyre”
  • The influence of society on women in Woolf’s “A Room of One’s Own”
  • The depiction of family in Morrison’s “Beloved”
  • The representation of women’s rights in Chopin’s “The Awakening”
  • The portrayal of female resilience in Alcott’s “Little Women”
  • The exploration of women’s psyche in Plath’s “The Bell Jar”
  • The influence of feminism in Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale”
  • The depiction of womanhood in Walker’s “The Color Purple”
  • The portrayal of female friendships in Wharton’s “The Age of Innocence”
  • The exploration of consciousness in Joyce’s “Ulysses”
  • The influence of war on society in Hemingway’s “A Farewell to Arms”
  • The representation of fragmented identity in Eliot’s “The Waste Land”
  • The influence of industrialization in Lawrence’s “Sons and Lovers”
  • The depiction of sexuality in Miller’s “Tropic of Cancer”
  • The exploration of existentialism in Kafka’s “The Trial”
  • The theme of individualism in Woolf’s “Mrs. Dalloway”
  • The portrayal of colonialism in Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness”
  • The exploration of language in Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot”
  • Marxist criticism in “The Grapes of Wrath”
  • Psychoanalytic criticism in “Hamlet”
  • Feminist criticism in “The Yellow Wallpaper”
  • Postcolonial criticism in “Wide Sargasso Sea”
  • New Criticism and “The Road Not Taken”
  • Queer Theory and “Giovanni’s Room”
  • Structuralist criticism and “To the Lighthouse”
  • Reader-Response criticism and “Don Quixote”
  • Ecocriticism and “The Lorax”
  • Postmodern criticism and “Infinite Jest”
  • Existentialism in Camus’s “The Stranger”
  • Utilitarianism in Dickens’s “Hard Times”
  • Transcendentalism in Thoreau’s “Walden”
  • Stoicism in Aurelius’s “Meditations”
  • Nihilism in Dostoevsky’s “Notes from Underground”
  • Absurdism in Ionesco’s “Rhinoceros”
  • Idealism in Plato’s “The Republic”
  • Empiricism in Locke’s “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding”
  • Pragmatism in James’s “Pragmatism”
  • Objectivism in Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged”
  • The reflection of Victorian society in Dickens’s “Great Expectations”
  • Critique of American Dream in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
  • Race relations in Morrison’s “Beloved”
  • Exploration of societal norms in Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”
  • Portrayal of post-war society in Heller’s “Catch-22”
  • Examination of social class in Bronte’s “Wuthering Heights”
  • The influence of societal change in Orwell’s “1984”
  • Depiction of colonial society in Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”
  • Examination of gender roles in Chopin’s “The Awakening”
  • Exploration of rural life in Hardy’s “Far From The Madding Crowd”
  • The evolution of the fantasy genre in Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings”
  • The elements of mystery in Doyle’s “Sherlock Holmes”
  • The origins of science fiction in Shelley’s “Frankenstein”
  • The use of horror elements in King’s “The Shining”
  • The definition of modern romance in Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”
  • The impact of dystopian genre in Orwell’s “1984”
  • The use of symbolism in the magical realism genre in Marquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude”
  • The elements of satire in Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels”
  • The exploration of tragedy in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
  • The structure of classic comedy in Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest”
  • The use of symbolism in works by Virginia Woolf
  • Examination of themes across the novels of Toni Morrison
  • Influence of historical context on the works of Charles Dickens
  • Exploration of narrative style in the works of Ernest Hemingway
  • Examination of William Shakespeare’s contribution to English literature
  • The influence of personal life on the works of Sylvia Plath
  • Comparison of themes across the poetry of Emily Dickinson
  • Analysis of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s exploration of human psychology
  • Examination of J.R.R. Tolkien’s creation and expansion of the fantasy genre
  • The influence of postmodernism on the works of Thomas Pynchon

With this comprehensive list of topics across 20 different categories, students can find an array of literature research paper topics that align with their interests and academic objectives.

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Literature and the Range of Research Paper Topics It Offers

Literature is an art form that has the power to convey emotions, evoke feelings, and bring about a change in society. This dynamic nature makes it an ideal subject for research as it encompasses an expansive array of genres, periods, themes, and techniques. In a literature research paper, one can delve into numerous facets of this intricate art form, leading to an extensive range of topics for exploration.

Literature comes in various forms, including novels, short stories, plays, and poems. Each of these forms has unique characteristics, providing ample research paper topics. For instance, one can study the evolution of the novel, the structures and styles of different kinds of poetry, or the distinct elements of drama. Moreover, one can analyze specific works or authors, examining the usage of literary devices, narrative techniques, or character development.

Furthermore, literature is closely tied to culture and history. As a result, it serves as a rich source of information about the societies in which it was created. A literature research paper can explore how different periods in history influenced the literature of the time. Topics in this category can encompass the exploration of themes in specific literary periods such as Romanticism, the Victorian Era, Modernism, or Postmodernism.

Literature also plays a pivotal role in shaping and reflecting societal norms, values, and beliefs. Therefore, one can conduct research on how literature addresses various social issues such as gender, race, class, or power dynamics. For instance, feminist readings of literature, analyses of postcolonial literature, or studies on representation in literature could all make excellent research paper topics.

Moreover, literature is a global phenomenon. Each region has its unique literary traditions, styles, and themes, leading to a wealth of research paper topics. For example, students might choose to study African American literature, Latin American literature, European literature, or Asian literature. They could examine how different cultures and societies influence the narrative structures, themes, and characters in these texts.

Another exciting aspect of literature is its ability to experiment with language and form. Avant-garde movements, such as surrealism or postmodernism, often push the boundaries of what literature can do. In this regard, one could study the evolution of literary styles, the use of innovative narrative structures, or the role of intertextuality in literature.

Not to forget, literature does not operate in isolation. It often interacts with other forms of art and media. For example, research could focus on the adaptation of novels into films, the influence of visual arts on poetry, or the intersection of literature and music.

Finally, theoretical approaches to literature offer a plethora of research paper topics. From structuralism, psychoanalysis, and deconstruction, to reader-response theory, feminist theory, and queer theory, these lenses provide different ways to interpret and understand literature.

In conclusion, the study of literature is vast, spanning across time, geography, forms, and themes. Whether one is interested in specific literary works, authors, themes, periods, or theoretical approaches, literature provides a wide array of research paper topics. Each topic is a gateway to understanding not just the text itself, but also the wider world around us. The study of literature, therefore, is not only an exploration of the text, but also an investigation into human nature, societal structures, and cultural phenomena.

How to Choose Literature Research Paper Topics

Choosing a literature research paper topic can be as intriguing as the study of literature itself. However, with such a vast array of options, it might also seem overwhelming. Here are some tips to guide you through the process of selecting the ideal topic that aligns with your interests and academic requirements.

  • Identify Your Area of Interest : Begin by identifying the aspect of literature that fascinates you the most. It could be a specific genre, literary period, author, literary technique, theme, or theoretical approach. Having an interest in your chosen area will fuel your curiosity, making the research process more enjoyable and engaging.
  • Familiarity with the Subject : Choose a topic that you are familiar with or willing to learn about. If you select a subject you know little about, make sure you’re ready to spend time understanding its intricacies before you start your research.
  • Scope of the Topic : Keep in mind the breadth and depth of the potential topic. While it should be narrow enough to manage within the constraints of your research paper, it should also be broad enough to provide ample material for research.
  • Check the Available Resources : Before finalizing the topic, ensure there are enough scholarly resources available for your research. This includes academic articles, books, critical essays, and other primary and secondary sources.
  • Relevance to Coursework : Your topic should align with the objectives of your coursework. It’s wise to reflect on what you have learned in your literature classes and try to incorporate that knowledge into your research.
  • Unique Perspective : The best research papers offer a fresh perspective or new insight into a text or topic. Try to formulate a topic that allows you to explore an unconventional viewpoint or an understudied aspect of the text.
  • Consider the Audience : Keep your audience in mind while choosing your topic. The level of complexity and the angle of your topic might vary depending on whether your audience comprises of your classmates, a panel of professors, or a broader academic community.
  • Adaptability : Your topic should be flexible enough to adapt as you delve deeper into your research. It’s common to refine or reframe your research question as you discover new information.
  • Interdisciplinary Approach : Consider topics that allow for an interdisciplinary approach. Literature frequently intersects with history, philosophy, psychology, and other disciplines, and these intersections often lead to enriching research.
  • Consult with Your Advisor : Always consult with your academic advisor or professor before finalizing your topic. They can provide valuable feedback, guide you towards useful resources, and help you refine your research question.

In conclusion, choosing a literature research paper topic is a thoughtful process that involves introspection, preliminary research, and consultation. Remember, the journey of research is just as important as the destination. The process of choosing your topic, thus, should ignite curiosity and prepare you for the intellectual adventure that is to come. With careful consideration and planning, you can choose a literature research paper topic that is engaging, manageable, and academically rewarding.

How to Write a Literature Research Paper

The journey of crafting a literature research paper is a significant part of a student’s academic voyage. It involves the exploration of themes, characters, contexts, and literary techniques that make up the literary world. Here are ten tips to help you navigate the process of writing a literature research paper:

  • Understanding the Assignment : Begin by thoroughly understanding your assignment. Note down the specific requirements regarding the length, format, citation style, and deadline. Make sure you understand the objective of the research paper and what is expected of you.
  • Choosing the Topic : As mentioned in the previous section, choosing the right topic is crucial. Make sure your topic aligns with your interest, has ample scholarly resources, and fits the scope of your assignment.
  • Preliminary Research and Thesis Statement : Conduct preliminary research to familiarize yourself with your topic. Based on your research, create a clear, concise, and arguable thesis statement. This will act as the backbone of your research paper, guiding your arguments and analysis.
  • Creating an Outline : An outline will help you organize your thoughts and arguments systematically. It typically includes an introduction, body paragraphs for each argument or point of analysis, and a conclusion.
  • In-Depth Research : Dig deeper into the topic, using a mix of primary and secondary sources. Primary sources in literature often refer to the text(s) you are analyzing, while secondary sources include scholarly articles, essays, and books that comment on these texts.
  • Close Reading and Analysis : Engage in a close reading of the primary text(s). Look for symbols, motifs, themes, character development, plot structure, and literary devices. Your analysis of these elements should support your thesis statement.
  • Writing the Draft : Start writing your paper based on the outline. Ensure each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that your arguments are well-supported with evidence from the text(s). Use quotes sparingly and always explain their significance to your argument.
  • Citations and Formatting : Follow the citation style specified in your assignment. Properly citing your sources avoids plagiarism and gives credit to the scholars whose work you are building upon. Be consistent with formatting rules related to margins, font size, headers, and footnotes.
  • Revising and Editing : Always leave enough time for revising and editing. Revising involves looking at the overall structure, flow, clarity, and strength of your arguments. Editing involves fixing grammatical errors, punctuation, and spelling.
  • Peer Review and Feedback : Have a classmate, friend, or mentor review your paper. They can provide fresh insights, point out unnoticed errors, and suggest improvements.

In conclusion, writing a literature research paper is a process that requires patience, diligence, and creativity. While the process may seem daunting, it offers an opportunity to delve deeper into the realm of literature, strengthening your analytical skills and understanding of the text. Remember, writing is a process of exploration and discovery, and every step brings you closer to a rewarding academic achievement.

iResearchNet Writing Services

For custom literature research paper.

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  • Expert Degree-Holding Writers : iResearchNet prides itself on its team of professional writers who hold advanced degrees in literature and related fields. These writers have a profound understanding of both classic and contemporary literature and are proficient in various literary analysis techniques.
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  • In-depth Research : The writers at iResearchNet conduct thorough and meticulous research. They explore a variety of sources to gather relevant and up-to-date information to build a strong foundation for your paper.
  • Custom Formatting : Formatting is a significant aspect of a research paper that cannot be overlooked. iResearchNet’s writers are proficient in various formatting styles, including APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, and Harvard.
  • Top Quality : Quality is the topmost priority for iResearchNet. The company adheres to strict quality control measures to ensure that every paper maintains high academic standards.
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  • Absolute Privacy : Your privacy is of utmost importance to iResearchNet. They guarantee absolute confidentiality and do not share your personal information with third parties.
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In conclusion, iResearchNet offers comprehensive and reliable writing services for your literature research paper needs. With our expert guidance, you can navigate the path of literary exploration with ease and confidence, knowing that your academic success is our prime concern. Trust iResearchNet to help you explore the depths of literature, synthesizing your insights into a stellar research paper.

Craft Your Outstanding Literature Research Paper with iResearchNet

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topics for an english research paper

Top-notch Research Paper Topics List

29 November, 2020

16 minutes read

Author:  Kate Smith

You know how they say: “Be strong; the beginnings to great things are always the hardest”? And though you might not consider writing a research paper and choosing a good research paper topic a really great thing, you see our point. If you are having troubles getting started with the composition in question, we have good news for you.

Research Paper Topics

We have come up with a lengthy list of good research paper topics that will come in handy if you are running out of research paper ideas. Sounds like something you can use? Then don’t hesitate to make the most out of it!

And if you would rather order a whole piece from a professional, we can be of much help here too. Our research paper writing service can craft a piece for you at any time and on any topic. Just drop us a line!

But before we dive into various topics we have to offer, consider checking out our recommendations on how to find argumentative research paper topics all by yourself.

What is a Good Topic for a Research Paper?

good research paper topic

There are several facets of a good research paper topic. To put it short, your theme should be:

When you pose a topic for your research, be sure that it is clear. A reader should be able to understand its purpose right away. If he doesn’t, you did not do a very good job formulating the subject line.

No kidding: you should do your best to be innovative even if you are writing a paper on something as old as time. It might not be simple, but we’re sure you can find a new perspective if you dedicate enough time to the search.

The paper must contain precise figures or facts. They are at the core of your research. Don’t confuse this type of composition with descriptive writing. They have nothing in common. So, focus on precise data: that’s exactly what your readers expect from you.

How to Choose Interesting Research Paper Topics

how to choose research paper topic

Before you take one of the topics we suggest, we recommend you to try to come up with a good topic yourself. It might be easier than you think. Here are several ways to spot an interesting idea:

Think of Something You Find Interesting.

There are always things we find astonishing but don’t have enough time to explore deeper. Maybe this is your chance to give it some time and conduct in-depth research. Of course, take into account the discipline and the academic level required. Thus, it’s pretty clear that you can’t talk about the Vietnam War for the Social Studies class paper (unless you’re looking into the differences of the military operations impact on the civilians and soldiers).

Choose a Topic With Sufficient Data for the Research.

The main point of writing this paper lies in finding information at various credible sources and refining it. Therefore, if you pick a subject that is somewhat new or wasn’t studied well in the past, you’ll have no information to work with. That is why the availability of credible information is vital to the success of the writing process.

Narrow the Subject Down.

The subject you find great interest in might be too broad. Not to sound too shallow, it’s better for you to pick just one perspective of the problem and study it carefully. This way you will be able to dive deep enough into the research instead of just hitting the high spots.

These are our recommendations on how to choose a theme on your own. Now let’s look into other tips we’d like to offer to you before you get down to writing.

Related post: How to write an Argumentative essay 

How to write an outline for a research paper

While you can find all the essential information in our guide on how to write a perfect research paper outline , here we’ll introduce you to the basics.

  • Find an engaging topic. For it, read on to see what subject line we have to offer.
  • Create a list of credible sources to take a look at. You can either ask you tutor for recommendations, surf the web, or go old school and visit a library for suggestions.
  • Mark all the elements you will add to your outline.
  • Briefly explain what each of these components will be about. But don’t bury the blueprint under too many details. Keep it short!
  • Finally, find good examples to explore.

Now, that you understand how to craft a plan for your paper, have our tips to help you out along the way, your only job is to find good topic ideas to write about. And we can help you with that too!

Note that our company provides academic writing help. You can buy a research paper written from scratch by our  essay writer .

Now that you know your ways around crafting good research papers, we want to introduce you to our list of various ideas you can conduct a thorough research on. Use our ideas if coming up with your own is something you don’t want to deal with at the moment.

Psychology Research Paper Topics

  • Are people with the IQ level above the average really unhappy?
  • Eating disorders: Are they necessarily associated with the self-image issues?
  • The impact of stress on the mental health of a person.
  • The nature and causes of child violence.
  • Insomnia as a valid excuse for breaking the rules or committing crimes.
  • Race relations in the USA in the 20th century and today.
  • The nature and causes of sexual orientation: Different perspectives on the issue.

Easy Research Paper Topics

  • The glass ceiling: Myth or reality?
  • Popular ventures started without money.
  • The history of the social media boom around the globe.
  • Top tech startups of the 21st century.
  • Video games and their impact on the development of young people.
  • Animal testing across the globe.
  • Is global warming real?
  • Has the Internet become a safer place with the cybersecurity principles implementation?
  • The impact of the screen time on a child’s mental development.
  • The US election system: The history and principles behind it.

World History Research Paper Topics

  • The life and traditions of the first Gladiators.
  • Hiroshima and Nagasaki: Bits and pieces of the tragedy.
  • The history of Singapore: From worst to first.
  • North Korea: Dictatorship ideology and its complications.
  • The establishment of the League of Nations.
  • Racial discrimination origins.
  • The history of the Gutenberg Bible.
  • The most powerful opponent of Germany in the WWI.
  • Egyptian pyramids: The history and meaning.
  • The history of Christianity.

Controversial Topics for Research Paper

  • The history of modern Israel.
  • Abortion: “My body – my rules” or the discrimination of the unborns’ rights?
  • How Facebook shaped the way people communicate today.
  • Beauty pageants: Celebration of the beauty or discrimination in disguise?
  • Death penalty around the globe.
  • Implications of gun control in the USA.
  • Creationism against Evolution.
  • Physical punishment as a core principle of children’s upbringing.
  • The origins of the “invasion of privacy” notion across the world.
  • The impact of social media addiction on young people.
  • Genetic predisposition to committing a crime.

High School Research Paper Topics

  • School uniform: The good, the bad, and the ugly.
  • The effect of sexual acts displays on TV.
  • The American Dream of Generation X and the Millennials.
  • Biggest cults existing today in the world.
  • Learning disabilities: Their nature, causes, and solutions.
  • The history of Somalia.
  • The portrayal of a woman in the social media today and 20 years ago.
  • Freedom of expression.
  • The poorest nations in the world.
  • The effect of feminism on Europe.
  • The impact of classical music on one’s brain.

Literature Research Paper Topics

  • The relevance of the US Literature class choices to the modern youth.
  • Examples of literature pieces that shaped whole cultures across the globe.
  • Feminism in literature.
  • The issue of the Holocaust in the world’s literature.
  • The first translations of the Bible.
  • Literature is known to be most effective in the struggle against illiteracy in different cultures.
  • The brightest images of Death in literature.
  • The history of slavery in Africa in world literature.
  • Romanticism in Spanish literature.
  • The moralism of the British literature of the 20th century.

College Research Paper Topics

  • Success stories of college dropouts.
  • The rarest phobias and fears people have.
  • The history of e-learning around the globe.
  • Can higher education grant a successful future career?
  • Should grades be banned from the educational system?
  • The use and harm of vaccination.
  • The new emerging specializations and professions of the 21st century.
  • The most effective teaching methods today.
  • The History of the Ivy League.
  • College re-organization for the better future of education.
  • Private vs. Public colleges in the USA: Pros and cons.

Persuasive Research Paper Topics

  • Antisemitism origins.
  • Sex education pushes the youth to involve in sexual relations too early.
  • The last days of newspapers in our media-controlled world.
  • The danger of the GMO.
  • Impact of Instagram on teenagers’ self-esteem.
  • Pros and cons of studying at a single-sex school.
  • Overpopulation management.
  • Deforestation: Are we digging our own grave this way?
  • People using cell phones while driving should be held criminally liable.
  • Paying children for good grades: Different perspectives on the issue.

Sports Research Paper Topics

  • The greatest athlete in the history of the world.
  • The history of the Olympic Games.
  • Why are cybersports considered sports?
  • The history of marathons and their use today.
  • Doping in sports.
  • The use of playing competitive sports.
  • The most dangerous sports from all over the world.
  • Should sports be used as a therapy in prisons?
  • Should student athletes be paid for playing sports?
  • The effect of physical activities on the human’s brain.

Criminal Justice Research Paper Topics

  • Prisoners falsely accused and then released should receive financial compensation from the state.
  • Sexual harassment problem in Europe and the USA.
  • Should corporate abuse be considered a criminal injustice case?
  • The death penalty in different countries.
  • Hate crime history in the USA.
  • Control over the brutal behavior of guardsmen at prisons.
  • Should mental issues affect the court judgment?
  • Sex slavery: Should people buying and selling sex slaves be sentenced to the death penalty?
  • Should the criminals be allowed to vote?
  • Two sides of the Mandatory Minimum sentencing.

Topics about Technology for the Research Paper

  • Will artificial intelligence substitute humans at a workplace?
  • Saving the Earth today with the aid of state-of-the-art technologies.
  • Self-driving cars development history.
  • The history of Virtual and Augmented realities.
  • Positive use of nuclear energy and the future.
  • How does the lie detector work? Is this a trustworthy technology?
  • The history of aviation in the world.

Medical Research Paper Topics

  • Why animal testing should be stopped.
  • The history of the Placebo treatment.
  • Euthanasia: What doctors from different countries think about it.
  • The use of vegetarianism: The myth or reality?
  • Mental breakdown: Causes and prevention.
  • The notion of mood in medicine.
  • Should marijuana be allowed for recreational purposes?
  • Should vaccination be mandatory?
  • The history of plague in Europe.
  • The most dangerous virus of today.

Ethics Research Paper Topics

  • Religion and morality: Are people with strong moral beliefs more moral than atheists?
  • Should teachers be allowed to carry weapons to school?
  • Prostitution across the globe.
  • Should recycling be made mandatory?
  • Paparazzi and the invasion of celebrities’ privacy.
  • Parents should monitor their kids’ Internet use.
  • Do laws generally patronize women and discriminate against men?
  • Adoption by single parents vs. adoption by a two-parent family today.
  • Countries that use child labor: Should we use their products?
  • Should breastfeeding in public be banned?

Tips on Writing a Research Paper

  • Write an outline. An outline will help you stay focused. Since this type of writing is quite lengthy, it is easy to lose track along the way. That is why crafting a detailed outline is in your best interest. It will serve as a roadmap or a blueprint of the whole project.
  • Start bright. You only have one chance to make a positive first impression. That is why you simply cannot afford writing a dull introduction. There are certain rules on how to start a research paper, and you’d better stick to the rules as described in our guide. A bright opening paragraph will ensure the genuine interest of your audience in what you have to say about the topic and will keep them engaged as you write.
  • Use immaculate grammar and spelling. Nothing kills a good paper like poor grammar or spelling. It distracts the reader from the main point and makes him stumble while reading. And if you’re worried that grammar and spelling checking will take up too much of your time, don’t worry: you can always use technologies like Grammarly to do the job for you in seconds.
  • Compose a compelling thesis statement. A thesis statement is the central point of your research paper. You need to insert it in the introduction and make sure that this central idea is exactly one sentence long. Make it loud and clear. However, given the length of this vital part of a research paper, don’t bore readers with too many unnecessary details. This means that you should mention what issue you will look into and why but don’t explain in which ways you will achieve this. Here is a complete guide on what is a thesis statement that will walk you through the process step by step. Enjoy!
  • Stay within the word count limits. This type of writing has a rather strict word count limit. And you need to stay within it. Tutors don’t have all the time in the world to read long pieces. If you can’t stay within word count limits, they’ll assume you didn’t spend enough time filtering the most vital information out of the research (even if you did). So, not to give them that false impression, don’t make it too short or too long. Make it just right. This is the case when the size matters!
  • Ask for help. After spending long hours crafting this paper, you are likely to miss some important points. The thing is that you know exactly what you wanted to say, and mistakes seem to be left unnoticed. Not to let them slip into your text, ask your peers, friends, or family to take a look at your writing. Their fresh perspective might be of much help to you!

tips on writing a research paper

We hope our research paper topics ideas will help you pick a theme you are genuinely interested in. We promise: conducting research and diving into the search can be a lot of fun as long as you choose an engaging subject.

Related posts: Argumentative essay topics | Compare&Contrast essay topics

A life lesson in Romeo and Juliet taught by death

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Due to human nature, we draw conclusions only when life gives us a lesson since the experience of others is not so effective and powerful. Therefore, when analyzing and sorting out common problems we face, we may trace a parallel with well-known book characters or real historical figures. Moreover, we often compare our situations with […]

Ethical Research Paper Topics

Ethical Research Paper Topics

Writing a research paper on ethics is not an easy task, especially if you do not possess excellent writing skills and do not like to contemplate controversial questions. But an ethics course is obligatory in all higher education institutions, and students have to look for a way out and be creative. When you find an […]

Art Research Paper Topics

Art Research Paper Topics

Students obtaining degrees in fine art and art & design programs most commonly need to write a paper on art topics. However, this subject is becoming more popular in educational institutions for expanding students’ horizons. Thus, both groups of receivers of education: those who are into arts and those who only get acquainted with art […]

topics for an english research paper

200 Best Research Paper Topics for 2023 + Examples

When you enroll in university, you are maybe not even aware of the number of obligations that you might have to face over the course of your studies, and this might make you feel overwhelmed and exhausted especially when it comes to writing and submitting research papers on time. Most students feel highly stressed and anxious about their assignments and exams that most of them feel lost and don’t even know how to choose the most appropriate topic for papers that would suit their writing style as well.

Luckily, our professional research paper writers are here to bring you a list of research paper topics 2023 that might as well be useful, interesting, and thought-provoking, which are the qualities of great writing tasks. If you are having difficulty writing a paper, even with the most competent resources, topics of interest, and earnest efforts to write the very best, then it is time to seek help from the website that writes essays for you .

Table of contents

Easy research paper topics, interesting research topics, controversial topics for research paper, funny research paper topics, argumentative research topics, natural sciences (physics, chemistry, ecology, biology), criminal law and justice, history (world, us, anthropology), medical research topics (dentistry, nursing, psychology).

  • Business (marketing, economics, and finance)

Science and Technology (Computer Science, Math, Statistics)

Social sciences (social work, political science, sociology).

  • Social Media
  • Social issues

Environment

Choosing a field of interest.

  • Checking Available Material

Making a Research Question

Brainstorming research topic ideas, create a thesis statement, list of best research paper topics 2023.

Having a comprehensive list of topics for research papers might make students think that the most difficult part of work is done. However, research topics still need to do enough research and gather a lot of data and facts from reliable sources in order to complete their research paper. Then again, this can be quite demanding since a lot depends on what kind of paper you yourself want to write. Is it supposed to be a funny one, an interesting one, a controversial one or a simple argumentative essay?

We understand that the research paper writing process piles up, so writers from our custom research paper writing service work hard to provide only the best research paper topics. If you want to succeed in college, you can pay someone to write a research paper to ensure a brilliant future. Knowledge is power, and Paperell is here to help you learn as much as you can so you can bring home A’s and B’s every semester.

  • Evolution of anime – what made anime popular worldwide?
  • Is diversity a good thing within a team, and why?
  • Is traditional music of a country more important than the international music that is heard everywhere?
  • What makes one sport more popular than another?
  • How would the world be different without the discoveries of Nikola Tesla?
  • Why do people change their leisure time activities as they get older?
  • What hobbies are the most popular with children and adults in your area?
  • Are there hobbies you can do in your own country but not when you travel abroad? Why?
  • How to deal with procrastination?
  • What stereotypes are related to people from your country, and is there any truth to those?
  • Are older people always wiser and correct in their choices and opinions?
  • Is it true that technology can cause a gap between generations?
  • Are friendships between men different from friendships between women and why?
  • Can amusement parks have an educative purpose apart from an entertaining one?
  • What other common sayings such as “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” exist in your language?
  • What makes people in your country happy?
  • What makes some nations happier and more prosperous than others?
  • Does beauty, in general, determine how much a person will be successful in life?
  • What are some pros and cons related to plastic surgery?
  • How to be better at communicating with friends, family, work colleagues, and strangers?

There are some subjects that might trigger different responses from people because most of these subjects are controversial and are prone to raise a series of other issues. Creative writers online know how to develop a topic for research papers. Most of these research titles are related to politics, religion, gender roles, as well as human relationships.

  • What is the proper punishment for serial killers and rapists?
  • What caused two state-of-the-art planes to crash and what can be done to prevent further accidents?
  • How to prevent an increase in the number of homeless children?
  • What is the future of religion?
  • What is the morality in the world of cam girls?
  • What is the background of all terrorist attacks in the world?
  • What is it like to be transgender nowadays?
  • How to deal with a huge wave of immigrants?
  • Can police unions prevent corruption?
  • What can developed countries do in order to help underdeveloped countries?
  • How to stop being a couch potato?
  • Why did we start celebrating Halloween Day?
  • What are some positive sides of energy drinks and coffee?
  • What are some ways to fund a trip around the world?
  • Who is the funniest historical figure, and why?
  • If you could turn into an animal, which one would you choose to be?
  • What makes people mispronounce .gif?
  • What comics are funny but educational?
  • What is the philosophy behind Assassin’s Creed?
  • Why do we talk and act like we are drunk when we become exhausted?
  • Do immigrants provide a good or bad impact on a country’s economy?
  • Are the virtual world and video games, causing more violence or more antisocial people?
  • Why more expensive sports like rowing and tennis should be more accessible to social and ethnic minorities?
  • Adoption rights for single parents: why are laws so strict?
  • City development: should we keep the grid pattern or move to the new approaches to city planning?
  • What makes communism the best political system in the world?
  • Did Andy Warhol manage to make high art more accessible to a wider audience?
  • How can raising the minimum wage help increase economic mobility?
  • Should steroids be allowed in sports?
  • What can be done to prevent cyberbullying?
  • Is obesity a problem for the American population?
  • Should all students have free access to the Internet for education?
  • Students should be able to change a college curriculum due to their objectives
  • English will be the official language in most countries in a few decades
  • Each student should learn at least three foreign languages
  • The advertisement industry is all a lie
  • Education should be less expensive in order to involve more students
  • Steroids should be forbidden
  • The attention to sports in the education system is too big
  • Diets are not as effective as they are presented to the masses
  • Eight hours is a normal duration of sleep for every student
  • Risky sports should be forbidden
  • Parents shouldn’t allow their children to watch adult films
  • Tobacco and its smoking should be forbidden in most the countries
  • Government should do more for fighting alcoholism in the US
  • Energetic drinks can be more dangerous than usual alcohol drinks
  • Filming court proceedings shouldn’t be forbidden in any court
  • People should be allowed to start voting at the age of 25
  • The usage of animals in research should be forbidden
  • Each person who causes environmental pollution should be punished
  • The government needs to work more on protection from tornadoes
  • Indians that are living in the US are not true representatives of their kind
  • Each following financial crisis will be worse than previous
  • Acceptance rates it should be much higher than now
  • The legalization of gay marriages shows the high level of development in the county
  • How to fight corruption more effectively?
  • Communism as an ideology and communism in USSR are many different things
  • Chats of the web teach children of a bad grammar
  • When using modern technologies, people become less intelligent
  • The usage of messengers has a bad influence on the culture of communication
  • The educational system should use more advantages of modern technologies
  • The number of working hours should reduce from time to time
  • The government should support social activists in their projects
  • Cloning animals and people should be banned
  • Modern art is mostly a lie and shouldn’t be called an art even
  • The movie can never be better than the book on which it is based
  • Song lyrics become worse with every year
  • Buying a lottery ticket is a bad idea for those who want to win
  • That is the problem that sports competitions take much more attention than scientific events
  • The feminist movement becomes a problem for women who don’t join it
  • Democracy is not the best ideology for the modern world
  • Social media are not as dangerous as they told to be
  • Are diaries still popular?
  • Are public cameras a problem for privacy?
  • Is homeschooling a problem for the socialization of children?
  • All subjects should be optional so students can choose other subjects
  • This is the problem that modern films are crueler than old films
  • Historical films should be based only on facts
  • Do artists risk their mental health when playing psychopaths and killers?
  • People should read more books

Sample Research Papers

  • Argumentative essays examples

Research Topics By Field of Study

Research proposal ideas can be found in many fields of study that allow you to be innovative and do extensive research to put forward new ideas and opinions.

  • Why being warm usually makes us feel tired and sleepy?
  • What causes visual abnormalities such as special frequency?
  • How is it possible that birds flying in bad and cloudy weather conditions don’t get disoriented?
  • When gas becomes plasma, what actually happens to molecules?
  • Why is skin on a face more sensitive to breakouts and touch than on any other part of the body?
  • What are some proofs of period alignment?
  • How do allergies to nuts and other fruits happen?
  • What chemical processes keep canned drinks mixed together and not separate into their ingredients?
  • What steps can be taken in third world countries to prevent ecological catastrophes?
  • Why are carbs bad for people who are insulin resistant?
  • Biology examples
  • Chemistry examples
  • Physics examples
  • Ecology and Environmental Issues examples
  • What have been some of the best decisions of the Supreme Court?
  • What have been some of the worst decisions of the Supreme Court?
  • What does it mean when jury rules that Bayer must pay in the Monsanto cancer trial?
  • How can students protect themselves from giving back students’ loans?
  • What can be done to improve family law?
  • What countries have the worst legal systems?
  • What countries have the best legal systems?
  • What are the main flaws of the legal system in the USA?
  • How to change abortion laws to pro-choice?
  • How corrupted are legal systems in South America?
  • Criminal Justice examples
  • Criminal Law examples
  • Criminology examples
  • What is Operation Pastorius?
  • Was the Norse religion practice in the Danelaw, and to what extent?
  • Why did the Soviet Union want to invade Afghanistan?
  • Why did the Germanics abolish their religion?
  • What are the most important events in the history of Latin America?
  • Who foresaw the encroachment of Nazism?
  • What’s the story behind the Yugoslav wars in the 90s?
  • How did Greece become such a philosophical hotspot in ancient times?
  • How did people study foreign languages before the 19 th century?
  • Who profited the most from wars in the Middle Ages?
  • History examples
  • American History examples
  • What improvements in dentistry marked the 21 st century?
  • How can implants provide a permanent solution to a lost tooth?
  • What nutrition can prevent insulin resistance?
  • What are the main symptoms of PCOS and how to deal with them?
  • What are the pros and cons of antipsychotics?
  • What are the benefits of massage therapy?
  • How many treatments to Autism are there?
  • What are the potential risks of water birth?
  • How can music therapy foster lactation?
  • How is ageism impacting mental health and addictions?
  • Medicine examples
  • Nursing examples
  • Psychology examples

Business (Marketing, Economics, and Finance)

  • Who are the greatest businessmen in the 21 st century?
  • Who are the greatest businesswomen in the 21 st century?
  • How has business etiquette changed in the past few years?
  • How can the knowledge of culture help in doing business better?
  • What are the qualities of team leaders and how to become one?
  • Why are stock markets becoming more and more popular?
  • What is an all-female working environment like?
  • How is Islamic banking system different from interest?
  • How does finding gold and diamonds affect the economy?
  • How do offshore bank accounts work – the case of Panama papers?
  • Business examples
  • Marketing examples
  • Economics examples
  • Finance examples
  • What are some great scientific breakthroughs in the 21 st century?
  • Why is the first image of a black hole so important?
  • What is the significance of the number 0?
  • How do fractals have an unlimited perimeter but limited area?
  • How to be able to perform rapid mental calculations?
  • What is the math behind the NBA Draft lottery?
  • What is the fourth dimension?
  • What is the difference between parametric and non-parametric statistics?
  • How are the concepts of something impossible or random mathematically proven?
  • Who are some great mathematicians of the modern age?
  • Computer Science examples
  • Math examples
  • Statistics examples
  • What social issues marked the beginning of the 21 st century?
  • Is there a difference in how men and women gain power?
  • How has the role of a woman in society changed over time?
  • Is the study of humanities necessary to develop critical thinking?
  • How to prevent child marriages?
  • Why has socialism been mostly unsuccessful?
  • How does globalization affect politics?
  • What is identity politics and how it affects society in general?
  • How can child welfare in underdeveloped countries be assured?
  • How to make the most out of clinical supervision?
  • Political Science examples
  • Sociology examples

Other Great Research Paper Topics:

  • How are the latest improvements in the automobile industry working on the protection of the environment?
  • What makes smartphones so resistant to bugs and viruses compare to computers?
  • What is the story behind the Internet of Things?
  • Why didn’t vector graphics become mainstream instead of pixels?
  • What are some advances in technology related to medicine?
  • What are Molten Salt Nuclear Reactors?
  • Can everything be solar powered?
  • How are old recordings converted to new formats?
  • What are the differences between open and closed systems?
  • Why do smart our electronic devices get slower over time?
  • Technology paper examples
  • What do all religions have in common?
  • Why are younger generations less religious than older ones?
  • How are terrorist attacks in religious buildings affecting religion?
  • What are the new beliefs that are becoming popular?
  • What are some main differences between Orthodox and Catholic Christians?
  • Why did we stop believing in multiple gods?
  • What impact do religions have on the perception of the good and the bad?
  • Are Abrahamic religions the only ones that punish non-believers?
  • Can religion help to change the view of women in Arabic cultures?
  • Historically speaking, what has been the impact of religions in wars?
  • Religion paper examples

Social media

  • Are social networks making us lonely and unsociable?
  • How to protect children online?
  • What are some ways to identify pedophiles on social media?
  • Why do people have the need to post everything online?
  • How to stop cyber-bullying?
  • Can LinkedIn help people find jobs or further education?
  • How to make a break from social media?
  • Why are younger generations obsessed with the number of followers and likes?
  • Is there such a thing as social media addiction?
  • Who are world-famous influencers on social media?
  • Social media paper examples
  • Why do people listen to sad music when they are in a bad mood?
  • What music to listen to when you want to relax?
  • How has hip-hop culture changed over the years?
  • Why is classical music becoming more popular these days?
  • What music to listen to in order to foster memorization?
  • Why are successful musicians more prone to become drug-abusers?
  • Who was Doris Day?
  • Why influences the popularity of soundtracks?
  • What are some all-time romantic songs?
  • What makes some music festivals more popular than others?
  • Music paper examples
  • What are some successful anti-bullying programs at school?
  • Is student-centred learning effective?
  • Are there any benefits of taking a year off and what to do during the year?
  • What visual aids can be implemented in all classrooms?
  • What are some innovations in the USA Education system?
  • What is FERPA and what impact does it have on education?
  • What encourages students to cheat on exams?
  • How to prevent students from plagiarizing their research papers?
  • What education system is the best – the USA, Finland or France?
  • Education paper examples
  • Why do more and more women suffer from PCOS?
  • What is insulin resistance and how to fight it?
  • What are some ways to encourage obese people to change their habits?
  • How can Israeli colon cancer research be a true breakthrough?
  • What health problems can be caused by emotional stress?
  • Can have too much coffee cause health problems?
  • How to lower blood pressure using natural medicines and herbs?
  • Is there a link between online bullying and depression?
  • Is it appropriate to fine parents for skipping vaccination?
  • Are antibiotics becoming useless and obsolete?
  • Health paper examples

Social Issues

  • How can immigration crises be solved?
  • Is there a way to stop the raising of racism?
  • Why are there still anti-LGBT communities and?
  • How to encourage parents to educate themselves on vaccination?
  • Is there a way to stop sex trafficking in underdeveloped countries?
  • Is it too late to stop global warming?
  • Why are people fighting against abortion?
  • Are children becoming over-dependent on technology?
  • Which countries are known for media censorship?
  • What are the good and bad sides of digital currencies?
  • Social Issue paper examples
  • Is going vegan one way to protect the environment?
  • How can an average person contribute to saving the environment?
  • What can schools do to make children be more aware of environmental issues?
  • How is global warming affecting wildlife?
  • How are pesticides harming bird populations?
  • How is plastic ocean pollution harming the oxygen we breathe?
  • What eco-friendly products are better than the original ones?
  • What catastrophes in history had a bad impact on the environment?
  • Can solar technology become more sustainable?
  • How to attain land for reverse desertification on a tight budget?
  • Environment paper examples

How to Select The Best Research Paper Topic?

Selecting research topics might be a nightmare for all college students since you are expected to write about something new even though nobody expects you to make some groundbreaking discovery, especially not during the early years of your studies. However, there are some tips on how to choose the right topics for research papers that can make the whole process much easier.

Topics for the research paper are not easy to find since there are different fields that have been already exhausted from the beginning of the year, but you can always go for an area of interest. In order to choose great research paper titles and interesting things to research, taking some time and contemplate on what makes you be passionate about a certain subject is a good starting point. This is, after all, of great importance since you won’t be able to commit fully to writing an amazing assignment if you are not so interested in the subject. Once you managed to decide which topic might be of your interest, you should check the available materials you could use to foster your research. You should analyze the available materials carefully in order to make the right choice on which subject you could thoroughly work on and expand it to a whole other level. If you skip this step, you might end up putting yourself under a lot of pressure to meet the due date of the research essay, topics, and research paper submissions. Then again, if you enjoy conducting experiments and your chosen research topic allows you, maybe you could have a survey conducted with the help of your peers and write a paper after analyzing the data.

Topics for research papers might be demanding, but the most challenging part is related to making a research question. This is where you need to think hard about what your work will be focused on and what other people might find thought-provoking. You need to be able to motivate people to read your research essay even though they don’t know much about the subject itself.

Dedicating your time and knowledge as well as skills to finish a paper based on well-done research asks for a lot of self-discipline. However, if you feel stuck at any point looking for research paper ideas, you should ask your peers about research proposal ideas. Sometimes, getting a second or even third opinion can help you brainstorm your research ideas much better. In addition, you can always turn to your mentor who can help you identify an issue or an idea you should work on.

Some students still say that the most difficult stage of writing a research paper for them was to create a thesis statement. Throughout the studies, students have the chance to write a lot of essays on a variety of subjects that are not so closely connected, but they have never had to create a thesis statement. Therefore, most professors encourage students to ask for help in order to have the best possible ground statement for their research proposal topics.

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100 Interesting Research Paper Topics for High Schoolers

What’s covered:, how to pick the right research topic, elements of a strong research paper.

  • Interesting Research Paper Topics

Composing a research paper can be a daunting task for first-time writers. In addition to making sure you’re using concise language and your thoughts are organized clearly, you need to find a topic that draws the reader in.

CollegeVine is here to help you brainstorm creative topics! Below are 100 interesting research paper topics that will help you engage with your project and keep you motivated until you’ve typed the final period. 

You can’t have a good research paper without a good research paper topic. “Good” is subjective and different students will find different topics interesting; however, what’s important is that you find a topic that makes you want to find out more and make a convincing argument. Maybe you’ll be so interested that you’ll want to take it further and submit your paper to a competition!

A research paper is similar to an academic essay but more lengthy and requires more research. This is bittersweet: although it is more work, you can create a more nuanced argument, and learn more about your topic area. Research papers are a demonstration of your research ability and your ability to formulate a convincing argument. How well you’re able to engage with the sources and make original contributions will determine the strength of your paper. 

Introduction

The introduction to a research paper serves two critical functions: it conveys the topic of the paper and illustrates how you will address it. A strong introduction will also pique the interest of the reader and make them excited to read more. Selecting a research paper topic that is meaningful, interesting, and fascinates you is an excellent first step toward creating an engaging paper that people will want to read.

Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is technically part of the introduction—generally the last sentence of it—but is so important that it merits a section of its own. The thesis statement is a declarative sentence that tells the reader what the paper is about. A strong thesis statement serves three purposes: present the topic of the paper, deliver a clear opinion on the topic, and summarize the points the paper will cover.

An example of a good thesis statement of diversity in the workforce is:

Diversity in the workplace is not just a moral imperative but also a strategic advantage for businesses, as it fosters innovation, enhances creativity, improves decision-making, and enables companies to better understand and connect with a diverse customer base.

The body is the largest section of a research paper. It’s here where you support your thesis, present your facts and research, and persuade the reader.

Each paragraph in the body of a research paper should have its own idea. The idea is presented, generally in the first sentence of the paragraph, by a topic sentence. The topic sentence acts similarly to the thesis statement, only on a smaller scale, and every sentence in the paragraph with it supports the idea it conveys.

An example of a topic sentence on how diversity in the workplace fosters innovation is:

Diversity in the workplace fosters innovation by bringing together individuals with different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences, which stimulates creativity, encourages new ideas, and leads to the development of innovative solutions to complex problems.

The body of an engaging research paper flows smoothly from one idea to the next. Create an outline before writing and order your ideas so that each idea logically leads to another.

The conclusion of a research paper should summarize your thesis and reinforce your argument. It’s common to restate the thesis in the conclusion of a research paper.

For example, a conclusion for a paper about diversity in the workforce is:

In conclusion, diversity in the workplace is vital to success in the modern business world. By embracing diversity, companies can tap into the full potential of their workforce, promote creativity and innovation, and better connect with a diverse customer base, ultimately leading to greater success and a more prosperous future for all.

Reference Page

The reference page is normally found at the end of a research paper. It provides proof that you did research using credible sources, properly credits the originators of information, and prevents plagiarism.

There are a number of different formats of reference pages, including APA, MLA, and Chicago. Make sure to format your reference page in your teacher’s preferred style.

  • Analyze the benefits of diversity in education.
  • Are charter schools useful for the national education system?
  • How has modern technology changed teaching?
  • Discuss the pros and cons of standardized testing.
  • What are the benefits of a gap year between high school and college?
  • What funding allocations give the most benefit to students?
  • Does homeschooling set students up for success?
  • Should universities/high schools require students to be vaccinated?
  • What effect does rising college tuition have on high schoolers?
  • Do students perform better in same-sex schools?
  • Discuss and analyze the impacts of a famous musician on pop music.
  • How has pop music evolved over the past decade?
  • How has the portrayal of women in music changed in the media over the past decade?
  • How does a synthesizer work?
  • How has music evolved to feature different instruments/voices?
  • How has sound effect technology changed the music industry?
  • Analyze the benefits of music education in high schools.
  • Are rehabilitation centers more effective than prisons?
  • Are congestion taxes useful?
  • Does affirmative action help minorities?
  • Can a capitalist system effectively reduce inequality?
  • Is a three-branch government system effective?
  • What causes polarization in today’s politics?
  • Is the U.S. government racially unbiased?
  • Choose a historical invention and discuss its impact on society today.
  • Choose a famous historical leader who lost power—what led to their eventual downfall?
  • How has your country evolved over the past century?
  • What historical event has had the largest effect on the U.S.?
  • Has the government’s response to national disasters improved or declined throughout history?
  • Discuss the history of the American occupation of Iraq.
  • Explain the history of the Israel-Palestine conflict.
  • Is literature relevant in modern society?
  • Discuss how fiction can be used for propaganda.
  • How does literature teach and inform about society?
  • Explain the influence of children’s literature on adulthood.
  • How has literature addressed homosexuality?
  • Does the media portray minorities realistically?
  • Does the media reinforce stereotypes?
  • Why have podcasts become so popular?
  • Will streaming end traditional television?
  • What is a patriot?
  • What are the pros and cons of global citizenship?
  • What are the causes and effects of bullying?
  • Why has the divorce rate in the U.S. been declining in recent years?
  • Is it more important to follow social norms or religion?
  • What are the responsible limits on abortion, if any?
  • How does an MRI machine work?
  • Would the U.S. benefit from socialized healthcare?
  • Elderly populations
  • The education system
  • State tax bases
  • How do anti-vaxxers affect the health of the country?
  • Analyze the costs and benefits of diet culture.
  • Should companies allow employees to exercise on company time?
  • What is an adequate amount of exercise for an adult per week/per month/per day?
  • Discuss the effects of the obesity epidemic on American society.
  • Are students smarter since the advent of the internet?
  • What departures has the internet made from its original design?
  • Has digital downloading helped the music industry?
  • Discuss the benefits and costs of stricter internet censorship.
  • Analyze the effects of the internet on the paper news industry.
  • What would happen if the internet went out?
  • How will artificial intelligence (AI) change our lives?
  • What are the pros and cons of cryptocurrency?
  • How has social media affected the way people relate with each other?
  • Should social media have an age restriction?
  • Discuss the importance of source software.
  • What is more relevant in today’s world: mobile apps or websites?
  • How will fully autonomous vehicles change our lives?
  • How is text messaging affecting teen literacy?

Mental Health

  • What are the benefits of daily exercise?
  • How has social media affected people’s mental health?
  • What things contribute to poor mental and physical health?
  • Analyze how mental health is talked about in pop culture.
  • Discuss the pros and cons of more counselors in high schools.
  • How does stress affect the body?
  • How do emotional support animals help people?
  • What are black holes?
  • Discuss the biggest successes and failures of the EPA.
  • How has the Flint water crisis affected life in Michigan?
  • Can science help save endangered species?
  • Is the development of an anti-cancer vaccine possible?

Environment

  • What are the effects of deforestation on climate change?
  • Is climate change reversible?
  • How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect global warming and climate change?
  • Are carbon credits effective for offsetting emissions or just marketing?
  • Is nuclear power a safe alternative to fossil fuels?
  • Are hybrid vehicles helping to control pollution in the atmosphere?
  • How is plastic waste harming the environment?
  • Is entrepreneurism a trait people are born with or something they learn?
  • How much more should CEOs make than their average employee?
  • Can you start a business without money?
  • Should the U.S. raise the minimum wage?
  • Discuss how happy employees benefit businesses.
  • How important is branding for a business?
  • Discuss the ease, or difficulty, of landing a job today.
  • What is the economic impact of sporting events?
  • Are professional athletes overpaid?
  • Should male and female athletes receive equal pay?
  • What is a fair and equitable way for transgender athletes to compete in high school sports?
  • What are the benefits of playing team sports?
  • What is the most corrupt professional sport?

Where to Get More Research Paper Topic Ideas

If you need more help brainstorming topics, especially those that are personalized to your interests, you can use CollegeVine’s free AI tutor, Ivy . Ivy can help you come up with original research topic ideas, and she can also help with the rest of your homework, from math to languages.

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topics for an english research paper

ENG 102/105/108, First-Year Composition

  • Videos & Tutorials

Finding Topics Tutorial

Tools for exploring topics.

  • Thesis Statements
  • Background Research
  • Finding Articles: Research Databases
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  • Citing Your Sources
  • Instructor Materials
  • ASU Online ENG 102: Local Issues and Solutions

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  • Finding Topics Online Tutorial (2:40) Use the online tutorial to help you find and define a workable topic.

Having trouble deciding what to write about? Try looking at the links below to get some ideas:

Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center

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  • Last updated: Jan 29, 2024 11:26 AM
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130 New Prompts for Argumentative Writing

Questions on everything from mental health and sports to video games and dating. Which ones inspire you to take a stand?

topics for an english research paper

By The Learning Network

Note: We have an updated version of this list, with 300 new argumentative writing prompts .

What issues do you care most about? What topics do you find yourself discussing passionately, whether online, at the dinner table, in the classroom or with your friends?

In Unit 5 of our free yearlong writing curriculum and related Student Editorial Contest , we invite students to research and write about the issues that matter to them, whether that’s Shakespeare , health care , standardized testing or being messy .

But with so many possibilities, where does one even begin? Try our student writing prompts.

In 2017, we compiled a list of 401 argumentative writing prompts , all drawn from our daily Student Opinion column . Now, we’re rounding up 130 more we’ve published since then ( available here as a PDF ). Each prompt links to a free Times article as well as additional subquestions that can help you think more deeply about it.

You might use this list to inspire your own writing and to find links to reliable resources about the issues that intrigue you. But even if you’re not participating in our contest, you can use these prompts to practice the kind of low-stakes writing that can help you hone your argumentation skills.

So scroll through the list below with questions on everything from sports and mental health to dating and video games and see which ones inspire you to take a stand.

Please note: Many of these prompts are still open to comment by students 13 and up.

Technology & Social Media

1. Do Memes Make the Internet a Better Place? 2. Does Online Public Shaming Prevent Us From Being Able to Grow and Change? 3. How Young Is Too Young to Use Social Media? 4. Should the Adults in Your Life Be Worried by How Much You Use Your Phone? 5. Is Your Phone Love Hurting Your Relationships? 6. Should Kids Be Social Media Influencers? 7. Does Grammar Still Matter in the Age of Twitter? 8. Should Texting While Driving Be Treated Like Drunken Driving? 9. How Do You Think Technology Affects Dating?

10. Are Straight A’s Always a Good Thing? 11. Should Schools Teach You How to Be Happy? 12. How Do You Think American Education Could Be Improved? 13. Should Schools Test Their Students for Nicotine and Drug Use? 14. Can Social Media Be a Tool for Learning and Growth in Schools? 15. Should Facial Recognition Technology Be Used in Schools? 16. Should Your School Day Start Later? 17. How Should Senior Year in High School Be Spent? 18. Should Teachers Be Armed With Guns? 19. Is School a Place for Self-Expression? 20. Should Students Be Punished for Not Having Lunch Money? 21. Is Live-Streaming Classrooms a Good Idea? 22. Should Gifted and Talented Education Be Eliminated? 23. What Are the Most Important Things Students Should Learn in School? 24. Should Schools Be Allowed to Censor Student Newspapers? 25. Do You Feel Your School and Teachers Welcome Both Conservative and Liberal Points of View? 26. Should Teachers and Professors Ban Student Use of Laptops in Class? 27. Should Schools Teach About Climate Change? 28. Should All Schools Offer Music Programs? 29. Does Your School Need More Money? 30. Should All Schools Teach Cursive? 31. What Role Should Textbooks Play in Education? 32. Do Kids Need Recess?

College & Career

33. What Is Your Reaction to the College Admissions Cheating Scandal? 34. Is the College Admissions Process Fair? 35. Should Everyone Go to College? 36. Should College Be Free? 37. Are Lavish Amenities on College Campuses Useful or Frivolous? 38. Should ‘Despised Dissenters’ Be Allowed to Speak on College Campuses? 39. How Should the Problem of Sexual Assault on Campuses Be Addressed? 40. Should Fraternities Be Abolished? 41. Is Student Debt Worth It?

Mental & Physical Health

42. Should Students Get Mental Health Days Off From School? 43. Is Struggle Essential to Happiness? 44. Does Every Country Need a ‘Loneliness Minister’? 45. Should Schools Teach Mindfulness? 46. Should All Children Be Vaccinated? 47. What Do You Think About Vegetarianism? 48. Do We Worry Too Much About Germs? 49. What Advice Should Parents and Counselors Give Teenagers About Sexting? 50. Do You Think Porn Influences the Way Teenagers Think About Sex?

Race & Gender

51. How Should Parents Teach Their Children About Race and Racism? 52. Is America ‘Backsliding’ on Race? 53. Should All Americans Receive Anti-Bias Education? 54. Should All Companies Require Anti-Bias Training for Employees? 55. Should Columbus Day Be Replaced With Indigenous Peoples Day? 56. Is Fear of ‘The Other’ Poisoning Public Life? 57. Should the Boy Scouts Be Coed? 58. What Is Hard About Being a Boy?

59. Can You Separate Art From the Artist? 60. Are There Subjects That Should Be Off-Limits to Artists, or to Certain Artists in Particular? 61. Should Art Come With Trigger Warnings? 62. Should Graffiti Be Protected? 63. Is the Digital Era Improving or Ruining the Experience of Art? 64. Are Museums Still Important in the Digital Age? 65. In the Age of Digital Streaming, Are Movie Theaters Still Relevant? 66. Is Hollywood Becoming More Diverse? 67. What Stereotypical Characters Make You Cringe? 68. Do We Need More Female Superheroes? 69. Do Video Games Deserve the Bad Rap They Often Get? 70. Should Musicians Be Allowed to Copy or Borrow From Other Artists? 71. Is Listening to a Book Just as Good as Reading It? 72. Is There Any Benefit to Reading Books You Hate?

73. Should Girls and Boys Sports Teams Compete in the Same League? 74. Should College Athletes Be Paid? 75. Are Youth Sports Too Competitive? 76. Is It Selfish to Pursue Risky Sports Like Extreme Mountain Climbing? 77. How Should We Punish Sports Cheaters? 78. Should Technology in Sports Be Limited? 79. Should Blowouts Be Allowed in Youth Sports? 80. Is It Offensive for Sports Teams and Their Fans to Use Native American Names, Imagery and Gestures?

81. Is It Wrong to Focus on Animal Welfare When Humans Are Suffering? 82. Should Extinct Animals Be Resurrected? If So, Which Ones? 83. Are Emotional-Support Animals a Scam? 84. Is Animal Testing Ever Justified? 85. Should We Be Concerned With Where We Get Our Pets? 86. Is This Exhibit Animal Cruelty or Art?

Parenting & Childhood

87. Who Should Decide Whether a Teenager Can Get a Tattoo or Piercing? 88. Is It Harder to Grow Up in the 21st Century Than It Was in the Past? 89. Should Parents Track Their Teenager’s Location? 90. Is Childhood Today Over-Supervised? 91. How Should Parents Talk to Their Children About Drugs? 92. What Should We Call Your Generation? 93. Do Other People Care Too Much About Your Post-High School Plans? 94. Do Parents Ever Cross a Line by Helping Too Much With Schoolwork? 95. What’s the Best Way to Discipline Children? 96. What Are Your Thoughts on ‘Snowplow Parents’? 97. Should Stay-at-Home Parents Be Paid? 98. When Do You Become an Adult?

Ethics & Morality

99. Why Do Bystanders Sometimes Fail to Help When They See Someone in Danger? 100. Is It Ethical to Create Genetically Edited Humans? 101. Should Reporters Ever Help the People They Are Covering? 102. Is It O.K. to Use Family Connections to Get a Job? 103. Is $1 Billion Too Much Money for Any One Person to Have? 104. Are We Being Bad Citizens If We Don’t Keep Up With the News? 105. Should Prisons Offer Incarcerated People Education Opportunities? 106. Should Law Enforcement Be Able to Use DNA Data From Genealogy Websites for Criminal Investigations? 107. Should We Treat Robots Like People?

Government & Politics

108. Does the United States Owe Reparations to the Descendants of Enslaved People? 109. Do You Think It Is Important for Teenagers to Participate in Political Activism? 110. Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16? 111. What Should Lawmakers Do About Guns and Gun Violence? 112. Should Confederate Statues Be Removed or Remain in Place? 113. Does the U.S. Constitution Need an Equal Rights Amendment? 114. Should National Monuments Be Protected by the Government? 115. Should Free Speech Protections Include Self Expression That Discriminates? 116. How Important Is Freedom of the Press? 117. Should Ex-Felons Have the Right to Vote? 118. Should Marijuana Be Legal? 119. Should the United States Abolish Daylight Saving Time? 120. Should We Abolish the Death Penalty? 121. Should the U.S. Ban Military-Style Semiautomatic Weapons? 122. Should the U.S. Get Rid of the Electoral College? 123. What Do You Think of President Trump’s Use of Twitter? 124. Should Celebrities Weigh In on Politics? 125. Why Is It Important for People With Different Political Beliefs to Talk to Each Other?

Other Questions

126. Should the Week Be Four Days Instead of Five? 127. Should Public Transit Be Free? 128. How Important Is Knowing a Foreign Language? 129. Is There a ‘Right Way’ to Be a Tourist? 130. Should Your Significant Other Be Your Best Friend?

50 Argumentative Essay Topics

Illustration by Catherine Song. ThoughtCo. 

  • M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
  • B.A., History, Armstrong State University

An argumentative essay requires you to decide on a topic and take a position on it. You'll need to back up your viewpoint with well-researched facts and information as well. One of the hardest parts is deciding which topic to write about, but there are plenty of ideas available to get you started.

Choosing a Great Argumentative Essay Topic

Students often find that most of their work on these essays is done before they even start writing. This means that it's best if you have a general interest in your subject, otherwise you might get bored or frustrated while trying to gather information. (You don't need to know everything, though.) Part of what makes this experience rewarding is learning something new.

It's best if you have a general interest in your subject, but the argument you choose doesn't have to be one that you agree with.

The subject you choose may not necessarily be one that you are in full agreement with, either. You may even be asked to write a paper from the opposing point of view. Researching a different viewpoint helps students broaden their perspectives. 

Ideas for Argument Essays

Sometimes, the best ideas are sparked by looking at many different options. Explore this list of possible topics and see if a few pique your interest. Write those down as you come across them, then think about each for a few minutes.

Which would you enjoy researching? Do you have a firm position on a particular subject? Is there a point you would like to make sure to get across? Did the topic give you something new to think about? Can you see why someone else may feel differently?

50 Possible Topics

A number of these topics are rather controversial—that's the point. In an argumentative essay, opinions matter and controversy is based on opinions, which are, hopefully, backed up by facts.   If these topics are a little too controversial or you don't find the right one for you, try browsing through persuasive essay and speech topics  as well.

  • Is global climate change  caused by humans?
  • Is the death penalty effective?
  • Is our election process fair?
  • Is torture ever acceptable?
  • Should men get paternity leave from work?
  • Are school uniforms beneficial?
  • Do we have a fair tax system?
  • Do curfews keep teens out of trouble?
  • Is cheating out of control?
  • Are we too dependent on computers?
  • Should animals be used for research?
  • Should cigarette smoking be banned?
  • Are cell phones dangerous?
  • Are law enforcement cameras an invasion of privacy?
  • Do we have a throwaway society?
  • Is child behavior better or worse than it was years ago?
  • Should companies market to children?
  • Should the government have a say in our diets?
  • Does access to condoms prevent teen pregnancy?
  • Should members of Congress have term limits?
  • Are actors and professional athletes paid too much?
  • Are CEOs paid too much?
  • Should athletes be held to high moral standards?
  • Do violent video games cause behavior problems?
  • Should creationism be taught in public schools?
  • Are beauty pageants exploitative ?
  • Should English be the official language of the United States?
  • Should the racing industry be forced to use biofuels?
  • Should the alcohol drinking age be increased or decreased?
  • Should everyone be required to recycle?
  • Is it okay for prisoners to vote (as they are in some states)?
  • Is it good that same-sex couples are able to marry?
  • Are there benefits to attending a single-sex school ?
  • Does boredom lead to trouble?
  • Should schools be in session year-round ?
  • Does religion cause war?
  • Should the government provide health care?
  • Should abortion be illegal?
  • Are girls too mean to each other?
  • Is homework harmful or helpful?
  • Is the cost of college too high?
  • Is college admission too competitive?
  • Should euthanasia be illegal?
  • Should the federal government legalize marijuana use nationally ?
  • Should rich people be required to pay more taxes?
  • Should schools require foreign language or physical education?
  • Is affirmative action fair?
  • Is public prayer okay in schools?
  • Are schools and teachers responsible for low test scores?
  • Is greater gun control a good idea?
  • Preparing an Argument Essay: Exploring Both Sides of an Issue
  • Controversial Speech Topics
  • Tips on How to Write an Argumentative Essay
  • Bad Essay Topics for College Admissions
  • 25 Essay Topics for American Government Classes
  • Topic In Composition and Speech
  • MBA Essay Tips
  • How to Write a Solid Thesis Statement
  • How to Write a Narrative Essay or Speech
  • 61 General Expository Essay Topic Ideas to Practice Academic Writing
  • 40 Writing Topics for Argumentative and Persuasive Essays
  • Expository Essay Genre With Suggested Prompts
  • Middle School Debate Topics
  • Topical Organization Essay
  • Supporting Detail in Composition and Speech
  • Writing an Opinion Essay

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  • Knowledge Base
  • Research paper

Writing a Research Paper Introduction | Step-by-Step Guide

Published on September 24, 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on March 27, 2023.

Writing a Research Paper Introduction

The introduction to a research paper is where you set up your topic and approach for the reader. It has several key goals:

  • Present your topic and get the reader interested
  • Provide background or summarize existing research
  • Position your own approach
  • Detail your specific research problem and problem statement
  • Give an overview of the paper’s structure

The introduction looks slightly different depending on whether your paper presents the results of original empirical research or constructs an argument by engaging with a variety of sources.

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Table of contents

Step 1: introduce your topic, step 2: describe the background, step 3: establish your research problem, step 4: specify your objective(s), step 5: map out your paper, research paper introduction examples, frequently asked questions about the research paper introduction.

The first job of the introduction is to tell the reader what your topic is and why it’s interesting or important. This is generally accomplished with a strong opening hook.

The hook is a striking opening sentence that clearly conveys the relevance of your topic. Think of an interesting fact or statistic, a strong statement, a question, or a brief anecdote that will get the reader wondering about your topic.

For example, the following could be an effective hook for an argumentative paper about the environmental impact of cattle farming:

A more empirical paper investigating the relationship of Instagram use with body image issues in adolescent girls might use the following hook:

Don’t feel that your hook necessarily has to be deeply impressive or creative. Clarity and relevance are still more important than catchiness. The key thing is to guide the reader into your topic and situate your ideas.

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topics for an english research paper

This part of the introduction differs depending on what approach your paper is taking.

In a more argumentative paper, you’ll explore some general background here. In a more empirical paper, this is the place to review previous research and establish how yours fits in.

Argumentative paper: Background information

After you’ve caught your reader’s attention, specify a bit more, providing context and narrowing down your topic.

Provide only the most relevant background information. The introduction isn’t the place to get too in-depth; if more background is essential to your paper, it can appear in the body .

Empirical paper: Describing previous research

For a paper describing original research, you’ll instead provide an overview of the most relevant research that has already been conducted. This is a sort of miniature literature review —a sketch of the current state of research into your topic, boiled down to a few sentences.

This should be informed by genuine engagement with the literature. Your search can be less extensive than in a full literature review, but a clear sense of the relevant research is crucial to inform your own work.

Begin by establishing the kinds of research that have been done, and end with limitations or gaps in the research that you intend to respond to.

The next step is to clarify how your own research fits in and what problem it addresses.

Argumentative paper: Emphasize importance

In an argumentative research paper, you can simply state the problem you intend to discuss, and what is original or important about your argument.

Empirical paper: Relate to the literature

In an empirical research paper, try to lead into the problem on the basis of your discussion of the literature. Think in terms of these questions:

  • What research gap is your work intended to fill?
  • What limitations in previous work does it address?
  • What contribution to knowledge does it make?

You can make the connection between your problem and the existing research using phrases like the following.

Now you’ll get into the specifics of what you intend to find out or express in your research paper.

The way you frame your research objectives varies. An argumentative paper presents a thesis statement, while an empirical paper generally poses a research question (sometimes with a hypothesis as to the answer).

Argumentative paper: Thesis statement

The thesis statement expresses the position that the rest of the paper will present evidence and arguments for. It can be presented in one or two sentences, and should state your position clearly and directly, without providing specific arguments for it at this point.

Empirical paper: Research question and hypothesis

The research question is the question you want to answer in an empirical research paper.

Present your research question clearly and directly, with a minimum of discussion at this point. The rest of the paper will be taken up with discussing and investigating this question; here you just need to express it.

A research question can be framed either directly or indirectly.

  • This study set out to answer the following question: What effects does daily use of Instagram have on the prevalence of body image issues among adolescent girls?
  • We investigated the effects of daily Instagram use on the prevalence of body image issues among adolescent girls.

If your research involved testing hypotheses , these should be stated along with your research question. They are usually presented in the past tense, since the hypothesis will already have been tested by the time you are writing up your paper.

For example, the following hypothesis might respond to the research question above:

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The final part of the introduction is often dedicated to a brief overview of the rest of the paper.

In a paper structured using the standard scientific “introduction, methods, results, discussion” format, this isn’t always necessary. But if your paper is structured in a less predictable way, it’s important to describe the shape of it for the reader.

If included, the overview should be concise, direct, and written in the present tense.

  • This paper will first discuss several examples of survey-based research into adolescent social media use, then will go on to …
  • This paper first discusses several examples of survey-based research into adolescent social media use, then goes on to …

Full examples of research paper introductions are shown in the tabs below: one for an argumentative paper, the other for an empirical paper.

  • Argumentative paper
  • Empirical paper

Are cows responsible for climate change? A recent study (RIVM, 2019) shows that cattle farmers account for two thirds of agricultural nitrogen emissions in the Netherlands. These emissions result from nitrogen in manure, which can degrade into ammonia and enter the atmosphere. The study’s calculations show that agriculture is the main source of nitrogen pollution, accounting for 46% of the country’s total emissions. By comparison, road traffic and households are responsible for 6.1% each, the industrial sector for 1%. While efforts are being made to mitigate these emissions, policymakers are reluctant to reckon with the scale of the problem. The approach presented here is a radical one, but commensurate with the issue. This paper argues that the Dutch government must stimulate and subsidize livestock farmers, especially cattle farmers, to transition to sustainable vegetable farming. It first establishes the inadequacy of current mitigation measures, then discusses the various advantages of the results proposed, and finally addresses potential objections to the plan on economic grounds.

The rise of social media has been accompanied by a sharp increase in the prevalence of body image issues among women and girls. This correlation has received significant academic attention: Various empirical studies have been conducted into Facebook usage among adolescent girls (Tiggermann & Slater, 2013; Meier & Gray, 2014). These studies have consistently found that the visual and interactive aspects of the platform have the greatest influence on body image issues. Despite this, highly visual social media (HVSM) such as Instagram have yet to be robustly researched. This paper sets out to address this research gap. We investigated the effects of daily Instagram use on the prevalence of body image issues among adolescent girls. It was hypothesized that daily Instagram use would be associated with an increase in body image concerns and a decrease in self-esteem ratings.

The introduction of a research paper includes several key elements:

  • A hook to catch the reader’s interest
  • Relevant background on the topic
  • Details of your research problem

and your problem statement

  • A thesis statement or research question
  • Sometimes an overview of the paper

Don’t feel that you have to write the introduction first. The introduction is often one of the last parts of the research paper you’ll write, along with the conclusion.

This is because it can be easier to introduce your paper once you’ve already written the body ; you may not have the clearest idea of your arguments until you’ve written them, and things can change during the writing process .

The way you present your research problem in your introduction varies depending on the nature of your research paper . A research paper that presents a sustained argument will usually encapsulate this argument in a thesis statement .

A research paper designed to present the results of empirical research tends to present a research question that it seeks to answer. It may also include a hypothesis —a prediction that will be confirmed or disproved by your research.

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150 Research Paper Topics

150 Research Paper Topics

Whether you’re in high school or college, there will come a time when you’ll be required to write a research paper. For many students, writing a research paper can be a challenging task.

Writing the research paper might seem like it’s the hardest part of the entire paper, but for many students, it’s picking out what topic to write about.

If you’re having a difficult time figuring out what topic to write your research paper about, we’ve compiled a list of 150 topics for you to choose from!

How to Choose a Topic for a Research Paper

  • Pick a few areas or topics that you’re interested in and narrow it down to the topic that you like the best. You’ll be able to put together an insightful paper if you’re interested in the topic you chose.
  • Make sure you have enough references for your topic. Doing a quick search will help you see if your topic is discussed enough for you to do research.
  • Make sure your topic fits within your teacher’s guidelines. Your teacher may have set restrictions on certain topics or even requirements that they may want in your paper.

Health Topics

  • How can lifestyle habits influence overall health?
  • How does breastfeeding improve the infant’s health?
  • Reasons why the flu virus is different from year to year.
  • Different types of stem cells and their usage.
  • Sleep disorders’ impact on the overall health condition.
  • The healthiest diet does not exist.
  • Stop smoking to improve mental health.
  • Why are carbs bad for people who are insulin resistant?
  • Why is the skin on a face more sensitive to breakouts and touch than on any other part of the body?
  • Low carbohydrate vs. low-fat diets.

Science Topics

  • How has the earth’s climate changed in the past few decades?
  • What are the pros and cons of fracking?
  • Should the US rely on nuclear energy more?
  • How are black holes created?
  • Why is “dark matter” important?
  • Is global warming a hoax? Is it being exaggerated?
  • What are the main sources of marine pollution?
  • Endangered species – How can we preserve them?
  • What did you do to make the world a better place?
  • What have NASA’s biggest successes and failures been?

Psychology Topics

  • What Are Psychological Effects of Technology Addiction?
  • What Causes Eating Disorders?
  • How Do Certain People Become Leaders?
  • How Important Is Love for the Child’s Development?
  • How Does Lack of Sleep Affect Our Mental Health?
  • Insomnia and its Effects on Human Health.
  • Physical and Mental Violence on Children and Domestic Abuse.
  • How dangerous are eating disorders?
  • Post-traumatic stress syndrome.
  • What causes depression?

Ethics Topics

  • How and why have divorce rates changed over time?
  • Should physician-assisted suicide be legal?
  • How has stem cell research impacted the medical field?
  • How can human trafficking be reduced in the United States/world?
  • Importance of following ethics in psychological research.

Social Media Topics

  • Are social networks making us lonely and unsociable?
  • How to protect children online?
  • Is there such a thing as social media addiction?
  • Who are world-famous influencers on social media?
  • Does social media affect our relationships?
  • Are teens who spend more time on social media more likely to suffer anxiety and/or depression?
  • Has social media made people more or less connected?
  • How does social media influence interpersonal communication?
  • How can one defend privacy issues on Facebook and other social media?
  • Impacts of social media on youth.

Legal Issues Topics

  • Should marijuana be legalized at the national level?
  • Should there be a law preventing cyber-bullying?
  • What can be done to improve family law?
  • What countries have the worst legal systems?
  • What countries have the best legal systems?
  • What are the main flaws of the legal system in the USA?
  • Does police brutality contribute to the onset of hate crimes?
  • Why should the minimum legal drinking age be kept at eighteen years?
  • Does drug legalization contribute to the increased crime rate?
  • How do torrenting sites influence creativity and copyright?

Technology Topics

  • Do smartphones increase or decrease workplace productivity?
  • What are the most effective ways to use technology in the classroom?
  • How is Google search affecting our intelligence?
  • What are some advances in technology related to medicine?
  • Can everything be solar powered?
  • How is text messaging affecting teen literacy?
  • How can technology help in preventing terrorist attacks?

Government Topics

  • Several states have legalized recreational marijuana. What positive and negative impacts have they experienced as a result?
  • Has the increase in US airport security made passengers safer?
  • Should the federal government be allowed to regulate information on the internet?
  • Should the United States of America reform its Immigration policies?
  • Which prison reforms have proven most effective?

Education Topics

  • Do students from wealthier backgrounds score higher on standardized tests?
  • How does giving each student access to an iPad or laptop affect their studies?
  • Do children who attend preschool do better in school later on?
  • What impact does mandatory physical education classes have on students’ health?
  • Which methods are most effective at reducing bullying in schools?
  • How does college debt affect future life choices of students?
  • E-Learning at home VS traditional education.
  • The Effectiveness and Flaws of the No Child Left Behind Act.
  • General tests and their effectiveness in various institutions.
  • How to encourage students to study what they are passionate about?

Business Topics

  • How has business etiquette changed in the past few years?
  • Features that define a true business leader.
  • Things that make young startups fail during the first couple of years.
  • Does franchising make it easier to run a business?
  • Pros & cons of outsourcing services.

Sports Topics

  • Importance of physical exercise in school.
  • Is cheerleading a sport?
  • Do sports influence an individual’s emotional well-being?
  • Safest exercises for students with disabilities.
  • Collaboration on a sports field. What is the most effective communication strategy among sports team members?
  • Differences in the Italian Renaissance and Northern Renaissance.
  • Impacts famous artists had on the world.
  • The art of Ancient Egypt.
  • Censorship in art.
  • Analyze the impact a famous artist had on the world.

Entertainment Topics

  • Are violent video games really to blame for problems in children’s behavior?
  • Are beauty contests making beauty standards even more unachievable?
  • Are modern media gradually replacing newspapers?
  • Reasons why we cannot do without the mass media.
  • Compare and contrast the benefits of mass media to society.
  • How have shows like “Project Runway” influenced fashion? Have they motivated people to become more creative and personal in what they wear?
  • Are newspapers going extinct?
  • Do TV shows impose unreal moral standards?
  • Women competing against men: is it really fair?
  • How fake moral standards are imposed by television

Current Events Topics

  • Analyze the history of the relationship between the United States and North Korea.
  • What factors contributed to the current decline in the rate of unemployment?
  • What have been the impacts of states which have increased their minimum wage?
  • How do US immigration laws compare to immigration laws of other countries?
  • How have the US’s immigration laws changed in the past few years/decades?
  • Is the U.S. economy becoming stronger or weaker?
  • Is there a better way to fight the war against drugs internationally?
  • Can Bitcoin really become the currency of the future in America?
  • Preventing police brutality: history and what citizens can do.
  • History of the electoral college system of voting.

History Topics

  • What events led to the fall of the Roman Empire?
  • Was the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki necessary?
  • What were the causes of the Civil War?
  • How did Abraham Lincoln’s assassination impact the country and reconstruction after the Civil War?
  • Which factors contributed to the colonies winning the American Revolution?
  • What caused Hitler’s rise to power?
  • Discuss how a specific invention impacted history.
  • What Factors Caused the Stock Market Crash in 1929?
  • What Were the Social Consequences of the Vietnam War?
  • What Is the Role of Women in the Military?

Physics and Astronomy Topics

  • What Is Pluto if It’s not a Planet?
  • Can We Determine How Old the Universe Is?
  • What Are Dark Holes?
  • Could People Survive on Mars?
  • Is Space Exploration Really Necessary?
  • Can We Prevent a Large Comet from Striking the Earth?
  • What are the physics behind the creation of rainbows?
  • The importance of robots in industries.
  • The evolution of the self-driving car and its impact on the economy.
  • The role of physics in the healthcare industry.

Animals Topics

  • Do animals express love?
  • Is animal testing a kind of animal cruelty?
  • Should environments be protected if endangered species live there?
  • How have humans bred domestic animals to be different from their original wild counterparts?
  • What is the current genetic and fossil evidence that chickens, dogs, and other domestic animals were much different even a few hundred years ago?

Medical Topics

  • The use of medical marijuana: pros and cons
  • Is it safe for children to be vegetarians?
  • How the society views on vaccines change
  • Can pharmaceutical companies advertise prescription drugs directly to buyers?
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Survey on sentiment analysis: evolution of research methods and topics

  • Published: 06 January 2023
  • Volume 56 , pages 8469–8510, ( 2023 )

Cite this article

  • Jingfeng Cui   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8306-0727 1 , 2 ,
  • Zhaoxia Wang   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7674-5488 3 ,
  • Seng-Beng Ho   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4839-1509 1 &
  • Erik Cambria   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-3030-1280 4  

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Sentiment analysis, one of the research hotspots in the natural language processing field, has attracted the attention of researchers, and research papers on the field are increasingly published. Many literature reviews on sentiment analysis involving techniques, methods, and applications have been produced using different survey methodologies and tools, but there has not been a survey dedicated to the evolution of research methods and topics of sentiment analysis. There have also been few survey works leveraging keyword co-occurrence on sentiment analysis. Therefore, this study presents a survey of sentiment analysis focusing on the evolution of research methods and topics. It incorporates keyword co-occurrence analysis with a community detection algorithm. This survey not only compares and analyzes the connections between research methods and topics over the past two decades but also uncovers the hotspots and trends over time, thus providing guidance for researchers. Furthermore, this paper presents broad practical insights into the methods and topics of sentiment analysis, while also identifying technical directions, limitations, and future work.

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1 Introduction

Web 2.0 has driven the proliferation of user-generated content on the Internet. This content is closely related to the lives, emotions, and opinions of users. Therefore, analysis of this user-generated data is beneficial for monitoring public opinion and assisting in making decisions. Sentiment analysis, as one of the most popular applications of text-based analytics, can be used to mine people’s attitudes, emotions, appraisals, and opinions about issues, entities, topics, events, and products (Cambria et al. 2022a , b , c , d ; Injadat et al. 2016 ; Jiang et al. 2017 ; Liang et al. 2022 ; Oueslati et al. 2020 ; Piryani et al. 2017 ). Sentiment analysis can help us interpret emotions in unstructured texts as positive, negative, or neutral, and even calculate how strong or weak the emotions are. Today, sentiment analysis is widely used in various fields, such as business, finance, politics, education, and services. This analytical technique has gained broad acceptance not only among researchers but also among governments, institutions, and companies (Khatua et al. 2020 ; Liu et al. 2012 ; Sánchez-Rada and Iglesias 2019 ; Wang et al. 2020b ). It helps policy leaders, businessmen, and service people make better decisions.

The majority of user-generated content data is unstructured text, which increases the great difficulty of sentiment analysis. Since 2000, researchers have been exploring techniques and methods to enhance the accuracy of such analysis. The popularity of social media platforms has brought people around the world closer together. With the continuous advancement of technology, the research topics, application fields, and core methods and technologies of sentiment analysis are also constantly changing.

Comparing and analyzing papers from specific disciplines can help researchers gain a comprehensive understanding of the field. There have been many surveys on sentiment analysis (Nair et al. 2019 ; Obiedat et al. 2021 ; Raghuvanshi and Patil 2016 ). However, there is a lack of adequate discussion on the connections between research methods and topics in the field, as well as on their evolution over time. In 1983, Callon et al. proposed co-word analysis (Callon et al. 1983 ). It can effectively reflect the correlation strength of information items in text data. Co-word analysis based on the frequency of co-occurrence of keywords used to describe papers can reveal the core contents of the research in specific fields. An evolutionary analysis of the associations between core contents is helpful for a comprehensive understanding of the research hotspots and frontiers in the field (Deng et al. 2021 ). It can provide guidance for researchers, especially those who are new to the field, and help them determine research directions, avoid repetitive research, and better discover and grasp the research trends in this field (Wang et al. 2012 ). To fill in the gap in existing research, we conduct keyword co-occurrence analysis and evolution analysis with informetric tools to explore the research hotspots and trends of sentiment analysis.

The main contributions of this survey are as follows:

Using keyword co-occurrence analysis and the informetric tools, the paper presents a survey on sentiment analysis, explores and discovers useful information.

A keyword co-occurrence network is constructed by combining the paper title, abstract, and author keywords. Through the keyword co-occurrence network and community detection algorithm, the research methods and topics in the field of sentiment analysis, along with their evolution in the past two decades, are discussed.

The paper summarizes the research hotspots and trends in sentiment analysis. It also highlights practical implications and technical directions.

The remainder of this paper is organized as follows: In Sect.  2 , we summarize and analyze the existing surveys on sentiment analysis and present the research purpose and methodologies of this paper. Section  3 details the survey methodology, including the collection and processing of scientific publications, visualization, and analysis using different methods and tools. In Sect.  4 , we analyze the results obtained from the keyword co-occurrence analysis and evolution analysis, along with the research hotspots and trends in sentiment analysis identified through the analysis results. Finally, in Sect.  5 , we summarize the research conclusions as well as the practical implications and technical directions of sentiment analysis. We also clarify the limitations of this paper and make suggestions for future work.

2 Existing surveys on sentiment analysis

Sentiment analysis is a concept encompassing many tasks, such as sentiment extraction, sentiment classification, opinion summarization, review analysis, sarcasm detection or emotion detection, etc. Since the 2000s, sentiment analysis has become a popular research field in natural language processing (Hussein 2018 ). In the existing surveys, the researchers mainly conducted specific analyses of the tasks, technologies, methods, analysis granularity, and application fields involved in the sentiment analysis process.

2.1 Surveys on contents and topics of sentiment analysis

When research on sentiment analysis was still in its infancy, the contents and topics of surveys mainly focused on sentiment analysis tasks, analysis granularity, and application areas. Kumer et al. reviewed the basic terms, tasks, and levels of granularity related to sentiment analysis (Kumar and Sebastian 2012 ). They also discussed some key feature selection techniques and the applications of sentiment analysis in business, politics, recommender systems and other fields. Nassirtoussi et al. explored the application of sentiment analysis in market prediction (Nassirtoussi et al. 2014 ). Medhat et al. analyzed the improvement of the algorithms proposed in 2010–2013 and their application fields (Medhat et al. 2014 ). Ravi et al. analyzed the papers related to opinion mining and sentiment analysis from 2002 to 2015. Their study mainly discussed the necessary tasks, methods, applications, and unsolved problems in the field of sentiment analysis (Ravi and Ravi 2015 ).

Existing surveys of the applications of sentiment analysis have focused more on the domains of market research, medicine, and social media in recent years. Rambocas et al. examined the application of sentiment analysis in marketing research from three main perspectives, including the unit of analysis, sampling design, and methods used in sentiment detection and statistical analysis (Rambocas and Pacheco 2018 ). Cheng et al. summarized techniques based on semantic, sentiment, and event extraction, as well as hybrid methods employed in stock forecasting (Cheng et al. 2022 ). Yue et al. categorized and compared a large number of techniques and approaches in the social media domain. That study also introduced different types of data and advanced research tools, and discussed their limitations (Yue et al. 2019 ). In the context of the COVID-19 epidemic, Alamoodi et al. reviewed and analyzed articles on the occurrence of different types of infectious diseases in the past 10 years. They reviewed the applications of sentiment analysis from the identified 28 articles, summarizing the adopted techniques such as dictionary-based models, machine learning models, and mixed models (Alamoodi et al. 2021b ); Alamoodi et al. also conducted a review of the applications of sentiment analysis for vaccine hesitancy (Alamoodi et al. 2021a ). Researchers also reviewed the application of sentiment analysis in the fields of election prediction (Brito et al. 2021 ), education (Kastrati et al. 2021 ; Zhou and Ye 2020 ) and service industries (Adak et al. 2022 ).

Quite a number of research works investigated sentiment analysis works in non-English languages. Sentiment analysis in Chinese (Peng et al. 2017 ), Arabic (Al-Ayyoub et al. 2019 ; Boudad et al. 2018 ; Nassif et al. 2021 ; Oueslati et al. 2020 ), Urdu (Khattak et al. 2021 ), Spanish (Angel et al. 2021 ), and Portuguese (Pereira 2021 ) were conducted. They mainly reviewed the classification frameworks of the sentiment analysis process, supported language resources (dictionaries, natural language processing tools, corpora, ontologies, etc.), and deep learning models used (CNN, RNN, and transfer learning) for each of the languages involved.

2.2 Surveys on methods of sentiment analysis

Before machine learning technology became mature, researchers were particularly concerned about feature extraction methods. For example, Feldman summarized methods for extracting preferred entities from indirect opinions and methods for dictionary acquisition (Feldman 2013 ). Asghar et al. reviewed the natural language processing techniques for extracting features based on part of speech and term position; statistical techniques for extracting features based on word frequency and decision tree model; and techniques for combining part of speech tagging, syntactic feature analysis, and dictionaries (Asghar et al. 2014 ). Koto et al. discussed the best features for Twitter sentiment analysis prior to 2014 by comparing 9 feature sets (Koto and Adriani 2015 ). They found that the current best features for sentiment analysis of Twitter texts are AFINN (a list of English terms used for sentiment analysis manually rated by Finn Årup Nielsen) (Nielsen 2011 ) and Senti-Strength (Thelwall et al. 2012 ). Taboada sorted out the characteristics of words, phrases, and sentence patterns in sentiment analysis from the perspective of linguistics (Taboada 2016 ). Besides, Schouten and Frasinar conducted a comprehensive and in-depth critical evaluation of 15 sentiment analysis web tools (Schouten and Frasincar 2015 ). Medhat et al. ( 2014 ) and Ravi et al. (Ravi and Ravi 2015 ) also analyzed the early algorithms for sentiment analysis.

In the study by Schouten et al., the authors focused on aspect-level sentiment analysis, combing the techniques of aspect-level sentiment analysis before 2014, such as frequency-based, syntax-based, supervised machine learning, unsupervised machine learning, and hybrid approaches. They concluded that the latest technology was moving beyond the early stages (Schouten and Frasincar 2015 ). As research into sentiment analysis became more and more popular and there was important progress made in the development of deep learning technologies, researchers started to pay more attention to the techniques and methods of sentiment analysis. Deep learning methods in particular became the focus of discussions among researchers.

Prabha et al. analyzed various deep learning methods used in different applications at the level of sentence and aspect/object sentiment analysis, including Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), Recurrent Neural Network (RNN), and Long Short-term Memory (LSTM) (Prabha and Srikanth 2019 ). They discussed the advantages and disadvantages of these methods and their performance parameters. Ain et al. introduced deep learning techniques such as Deep Neural Network (DNN), CNN and Deep Belief Network (DBN) to solve sentiment analysis tasks like sentiment classification, cross-lingual problems, and product review analysis (Ain et al. 2017 ). Zhang et al. investigated deep learning and machine learning techniques for sentiment analysis in the contexts of aspect extraction and categorization, opinion expression extraction, opinion holder extraction, sarcasm analysis, multimodal data, etc. (Zhang et al. 2018 ). Habimana et al. compared the performance of deep learning methods on specific datasets and proposed that performance could be improved using models including Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT), sentiment-specific word embedding models, cognitive-based attention models, and commonsense knowledge (Habimana et al. 2020 ). Wang et al. reviewed and discussed existing analytical models for sentiment classification and proposed a computational emotion-sensing model (Wang et al. 2020b ).

Some researchers also discussed web tools (Zucco et al. 2020 ), fuzzy logic algorithms (Serrano-Guerrero et al. 2021 ), transformer models (Acheampong et al. 2021 ), and sequential transfer learning (Chan et al. 2022 ) for sentiment analysis.

2.3 Overall survey methodology

With the increase in the popularity of sentiment analysis research, more related research results began to accumulate. Researchers needed to systematically organize and analyze results from a large number of publications to perform literature reviews. They used different survey methodologies to conduct surveys of a large number of papers.

Content analysis is a powerful approach to characterizing the contents of each study by carefully reading its content and manually identifying, coding, and organizing key information in it. A literature review is formed as a result of the repeated use of this approach (Elo and Kyngäs 2008 ; Stemler 2000 ). Content analysis has been used for different studies and systematic reviews (Qazi et al. 2015 , 2017 ). For example, Birjali et al. have studied the most commonly used classification techniques in sentiment analysis from a large amount of literature and introduced the application areas and sentiment classification processes, including preprocessing and feature selection (Birjali et al. 2021 ). They conducted a comprehensive analysis of the papers, discovering that supervised machine learning algorithms are the most commonly used techniques in the field. A complete review of methods and evaluation for sentiment analysis tasks and their applications was conducted by Wankhade et al. ( 2022 ). They compared the strengths and weaknesses of the methods, and discussed the future challenges of sentiment analysis in terms of both the methods and the forms of the data. Although this method can review the research contents and penetrate into the cores of the papers most systematically, it requires a considerable amount of manpower and time for in-depth literature reading.

The systematic literature review guideline proposed by Kitchenham and Charters has gradually attracted the attention of researchers (Kitchenham 2004 ; Kitchenham and Charters 2007 ; Sarsam et al. 2020 ). This review process is divided into six stages: research question definition, search strategy formulation, inclusion and exclusion criteria definition, quality assessment, data extraction, and data synthesis. Researchers can eliminate a large number of retrieved papers by using this standard process and finally conducting further analysis and research on a small number of papers. Kumar et al. reviewed context-based sentiment analysis in social multimedia between 2006 and 2018. From the 573 papers retrieved in the initial search, they finally selected 37 papers to use in discussing sentiment analysis techniques (Kumar and Garg 2020 ). This approach was also used by Kumar et al. in their research on sentiment analysis on Twitter using soft computing techniques. They selected 60 articles out of 502 for follow-up analysis (Kumar and Jaiswal 2020 ). Zunic et al. selected 86 papers from 299 papers retrieved in the period 2011–2019 to discuss the application of sentiment analysis techniques in the field of health and well-being (Zunic et al. 2020 ); Ligthart et al. followed Kitchenham’s guideline and identified 14 secondary studies. They provided an overview of specific sentiment analysis tasks and of the features and methods required for different tasks (Ligthart et al. 2021 ). Obiedat (Obiedat et al. 2021 ), Angel (Angel et al. 2021 ) and Lin (Lin et al. 2022 ) also all followed this guideline to select literature for further analysis. This method can reduce the amount of literature that requires in-depth reading, but in the case of a large amount of literature, more effort is still required to search and screen the material than in traditional literature review methods (Kitchenham and Charters 2007 ).

There are also a few authors who have used informetric methods to review papers. Piryani et al. conducted an informetric analysis of research on opinion mining and sentiment analysis from 2000 to 2015 (Piryani et al. 2017 ). The authors used social network analysis, literature co-citation analysis, and other methods in the paper. They analyzed publication growth rates; the most productive countries, institutions, journals, and authors; and topic density maps and keyword bursts, among other elements. To a certain extent, they interpreted core authors, core papers, areas of research focus in this field, and the current state of national cooperation. In order to explore the application of sentiment analysis in building smart societies, Verma collected 353 papers published between 2010 and 2021 (Verma 2022 ). Using a topic analysis perspective combined with the Louvain algorithm, the author identified four sub-topics in the research field. Similarly, Mantyla et al. employed LDA techniques and manual classification to explore the topic structures of sentiment analysis articles (Mäntylä et al. 2018 ). The informetric methods use natural language processing technologies to intuitively conduct topic mining and analysis of a large number of papers. Through topic clustering, the literature is organized and analyzed, which reduces the time researchers spend on reading the literature in depth. These methods are suitable for exploring research topics and trends in the field.

2.4 Summary of advantages and disadvantages of the existing surveys

In the following, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the existing surveys from a number of different points of view.

2.4.1 From the point of view of the contents and topics of sentiment analysis

As summarized in Table 1 , the researchers organized the literature and conducted depth investigations of the contents and topics of sentiment analysis. They reviewed the tasks of sentiment analysis (e.g., different text granularity, opinion mining, spam review detection, and emotion detection), the application areas of sentiment analysis (e.g. market, medicine, social media, and election prediction), and different languages for sentiment analysis, such as Chinese, Spanish, and Arabic (Adak et al. 2022 ; Al-Ayyoub et al. 2019 ; Alamoodi et al. ( 2021a , b ); Alonso et al. 2021 ; Angel et al. 2021 ; Boudad et al. 2018 ; Brito et al. 2021 ; Cheng et al. 2022 ; Hussain et al. 2019 ; Kastrati et al. 2021 ; Khattak et al. 2021 ; Koto and Adriani 2015 ; Kumar and Sebastian 2012 ; Ligthart et al. 2021 ; Medhat et al. 2014 ; Nassif et al. 2021 ; Nassirtoussi et al. 2014 ; Oueslati et al. 2020 ; Peng et al. 2017 ; Pereira 2021 ; Rambocas and Pacheco 2018 ; Ravi and Ravi 2015 ; Schouten and Frasincar 2015 ; Sharma and Jain 2020 ; Yue et al. 2019 ; Zhou and Ye 2020 ). They summarized the methods and application prospects of sentiment analysis under different contents and topics. As the field has grown, new topics have emerged, and knowledge from other fields has been gradually integrated into it. In recent years, the popularity of social media has aroused increasing interest in sentiment analysis research, and the number of papers published, especially those related to different topics of sentiment analysis, has grown rapidly. However, the existing surveys cover a short time range, and there has not been a survey dedicated to the evolution of research contents or topics of sentiment analysis. There have also been few survey works analyzing the connections between topics and methods, or their evolution (e.g., how the contents and topics of sentiment analysis have changed over time).

2.4.2 From the point of view of the methods of sentiment analysis

Some researchers reviewed different techniques and methods of sentiment analysis in different application areas and tasks. They analyzed and discussed sentiment analysis methods based on lexicons, rules, part of speech, term position, statistical techniques, supervised and unsupervised machine learning methods, as well as deep learning methods like LSTM, CNN, RNN, DNN, DBN, BERT, and other hybrid approaches (Acheampong et al. 2021 ; Ain et al. 2017 ; Alamoodi et al. 2021b ; Asghar et al. 2014 ; Chan et al. 2022 ; Cheng et al. 2022 ; Feldman 2013 ; Habimana et al. 2020 ; Koto and Adriani 2015 ; Kumar, Akshi and Sebastian 2012 ; Medhat et al. 2014 ; Prabha and Srikanth 2019 ; Ravi and Ravi 2015 ; Schouten and Frasincar 2015 ; Serrano-Guerrero et al. 2021 ; Taboada 2016 ; Wang et al. 2020b ; Yue et al. 2019 ; Zhang et al. 2018 ; Zucco et al. 2020 ). These researchers also compared the advantages and disadvantages of each method. As summarized in Table 1 , even though existing surveys analyze the techniques and methods of sentiment analysis, providing good insights, there has not been a survey that analyzes the evolution of research methods over time. There have also been few survey works that focuses on the connections between topics and methods of sentiment analysis, and their evolution over time.

2.4.3 From the point of view of the overall survey methodology

The survey methods used have mainly been the content analysis method, Kitchenham and Charters' guideline, and the informetric methods. As summarized in Table 1 , the content analysis method can effectively analyze the contents of research papers in depth, but it does not address the issue of the evolution of the research methods and topics (Bengtsson 2016 ; Birjali et al. 2021 ; Elo and Kyngäs 2008 ; Krippendorff 2018 ; Qazi et al. 2015 , 2017 ; Wankhade et al. 2022 ). Although the number of papers that need to be read in depth can be reduced by following Kitchenham and Charters' guideline, more effort is needed to search and screen literature than in traditional literature review methods (Angel et al. 2021 ; Kitchenham 2004 ; Kitchenham and Charters 2007 ; Kumar and Garg 2020 ; Ligthart et al. 2021 ; Lin et al. 2022 ; Obiedat et al. 2021 ; Sarsam et al. 2020 ; Zunic et al. 2020 ). The informetric methods are best suited to investigating the research methods and topics of sentiment analysis (Bar-Ilan 2008 ; Mäntylä et al. 2018 ; Piryani et al. 2017 ; Santos et al. 2019 ; Verma 2022 ). There are three surveys using informetric techniques and tools that are well suited for analysis of a large number of papers over many years (Mäntylä et al. 2018 ; Piryani et al. 2017 ; Verma 2022 ). However, the evolution of research methods and topics of sentiment analysis over time has not been studied with informetric methods. There have also been few survey works that leverages keyword co-occurrence analysis and community detection to analyze the connections between research methods and topics, and their evolution over time.

Therefore, to address the gaps in the existing surveys, this study presents a survey on the research methods and topics, and their evolution over time. It combines keyword co-occurrence analysis and informetric analysis tools to reveal the methods and topics of sentiment analysis and their evolution in this field from 2002 to 2022.

The following section, Sect.  3 , describes our proposed survey methodology in detail.

3 The proposed survey methodology

This section describes our proposed survey methodology, including collection of scientific publications, processing of scientific publications, as well as visualization and analysis using different methods and tools. The overall scheme of this survey (Fig.  2 ) is also presented in the end of Sect.  3 to better visualize and summarize the proposed survey methodology in this research.

3.1 Collection of scientific publications

We collected research data from the Web of Science platform. We used keywords such as "sentiment analysis," "sentiment mining," and "sentiment classification" to search for relevant papers as data samples. In examining the retrieved papers, we found that some paper topics, paper types, and publication journals were not related to sentiment analysis, so we excluded them. The papers we included were mainly related to the sentiment analysis of texts. We excluded papers on sentiment analysis related to image processing, video processing, speech processing, biological signal processing, etc. Therefore, the retrieval strategy was as follows:

Topic Search (TS) = ("sentiment analy*" or "sentiment mining" or "sentiment classification") And Abstract (AB) = "sentiment" NOT TS = ("face image*" or "speech recognition" or "speech emotion" or "physiological signal*" or "music emotion*" or "facial feature extraction" or "video emotion" or "electroencephalography " or "biosignal*" or "image process*") NOT Title = ("facial" or "speech" or "sound*" or "face" or "dance" or "temperature" or "image*" or "spoken" or "electroencephalography" or "EEG" or "biosignal*" or "voice*" not AB = "facial."

The results in conferences are given the same relevance as journal papers. We chose four databases in the Web of Science: two conference citation databases (Conference Proceedings Citation Index—Social Sciences & Humanities [CPCI-SSH], and Conference Proceedings Citation Index—Science [CPCI-S]), and two journal citation databases (Science Citation Index Expanded [SCI-Expanded] and Social Sciences Citation Index [SSCI]). Given the various forms of words such as "analyzing" and "analysis," a truncated search technique (marked with an asterisk) was used to prevent the omission of relevant papers. The time frame of the retrieved papers was from January 2002 to January 2022, and the publication types of the papers included "article," "conference paper," "review," and "edited material." A total of 9,714 papers were obtained from the four databases above. These included 3,809 articles, 5,633 proceeding papers, 267 reviews, and 5 pieces of editorial material from 2002 to 2022. Overall, there were 104 papers from January 2022. The number of papers each year from 2002 to 2021 is shown in Fig.  1 .

figure 1

The number of papers each year from 2002 to 2021

3.2 Processing of scientific publications

In this process, our purpose was to extract the key contents of the papers, which are used to analyze the research methods and topics in the field of sentiment analysis. Due to their limited number, the author keywords in each paper often cannot fully represent the key content of the paper. We found that combining the title and abstract could better reflect the core information. Therefore, we synthesized the title, abstract, and author keywords of each paper to extract keywords that represented the main research method and topic of the paper involved using KeyBERT Footnote 1 . KeyBERT is a keyword extraction technique that uses BERT embedding to create keywords and key phrases that most closely resemble document content (Grootendorst and Warmerdam 2021 ). The specific keyword extraction process was as follows:

First, we used KeyBERT to extract 8 keywords and eliminated keywords with a weight lower than 0.3. We then combined the extracted keywords with the author keywords and removed duplicates. After that, we standardized the whole collection of keywords and merged synonyms. Finally, we counted the number of keywords and removed meaningless terms like "sentiment analysis," "sentiment classification," and "sentiment mining."

After statistical analysis, we obtained 41,827 keywords with a total word frequency of 88,104. As there were 9,714 papers and 41,827 keywords, we found that most of the keywords with word frequency below 10 were not representative of the research contents of sentiment analysis. As a result, a total of 685 representative keywords were reserved for subsequent analysis. These keywords appeared a total of 30,801 times. Table 2 shows the keywords with word frequency in the top 50.

High-frequency keywords generally represent research hotspots. We therefore extracted high-frequency keywords to serve as the basis for the subsequent analysis. We found that most of the keywords with word frequency 18 and lower, such as "ranking," "mask," "experience," "affect," "online forum," and so on, were not relevant to sentiment analysis. Therefore, the keywords with a word frequency higher than 18 were reserved for analysis. These keywords appeared 25,429 times in the collected data, accounting for close to 83% of all the keywords. We obtained 275 keywords, which were used to analyze the main methods and topics of sentiment analysis.

3.3 Visualization and analysis using different methods and tools

3.3.1 analytical methods.

Keywords are the core natural language vocabulary to express the subject, content, ideas, and research methods of the literature (You et al. 2021 ). Keywords represent the topics of the domain, and cluster analysis of these words can reflect the structure and association of topics. Keyword co-occurrence analysis counts the number of occurrences of a set of keywords in the same document. The strength and number of associations between research contents can be obtained through keyword co-occurrence analysis. Dividing research methods and topics into sub-communities helps researchers to analyze hotspots and trends in methods and topics, as well as to obtain sub-fields of sentiment analysis research (Ding et al. 2001 ).

3.3.2 Visualization and analysis tools

BibExcel Footnote 2 is a software tool for analyzing bibliographic data or any text-based data formatted in a similar way (Persson 2017 ). The tool generates structured data files that can be read by Excel for subsequent processing (Persson et al. 2009 ). Our processing steps are as follows. First, we imported the standardized bibliographic data into BibExcel. This tool can help structure the data. Second, we checked and corrected the data and used BibExcel to count the number of co-occurrences of keywords.

We then used Pajek Footnote 3 software to visualize the keyword co-occurrence network and divided the sub-communities. Pajek is a large and complex network analysis tool (Batagelj and Andrej 2022 ; Batagelj and Mrvar 1998 ). It can calculate certain indicators to reveal the state and properties of the network involved. In addition, Pajek’s Louvain community detection algorithm can help divide the keyword co-occurrence network into sub-communities, which represent sub-fields of sentiment analysis (Blondel et al. 2008 ; Leydesdorff et al. 2014 ; Rotta and Noack 2011 ). The Louvain community-detection algorithm unfolds a complete hierarchical community structure for the network. It has an advantage in subdividing different areas of study: multiple knowledge structures and details can be shown in one network (Deng et al. 2021 ).

After that, we applied VOSviewer Footnote 4 to optimize the visualization of sub-communities (Van Eck and Waltman 2010 ; VOSviewer 2021 ; Perianes-Rodriguez et al. 2016 ; Waltman and Van Eck 2013 ; Waltman et al. 2010 ). VOSviewer can help display the core keywords in each sub-community and the correlation between keywords. It can also reflect the closeness of the association between sub-communities. Finally, we used Excel to count the frequency of keywords for each year and to map the evolution of research methods and topics in the field of sentiment analysis.

3.3.3 Graphical representation of the overall scheme of this survey

This paper proposes and conducts a new research survey on sentiment analysis. The graphical representation of the overall scheme of this survey is shown in Fig.  2 . The main scheme includes four modules: Module A, Collection of scientific publications; Module B, Processing of scientific publications; Module C, Visualization and analysis through different methods and tools, and Module D, Result analysis and discussions based on various aspects.

figure 2

Graphical representation of the overall scheme of this survey. Module A: Collection of scientific publications; Module B: Processing of scientific publications; Module C: Visualization and analysis using different methods and tools; Module D: Result analysis and discussions considering various aspects

In Module A, scientific publications are collected from the Web of Science (WOS) platform, as has been detailed in Sect.  3.1 Collection of scientific publications above. Module B, Processing of scientific publications, has been detailed in Sect.  3.2 above. It performs a data processing procedure to obtain key information, which includes all the representative keywords and high-frequency keywords. The title, abstract and keywords of the papers are used to extract such key information using KeyBERT (Grootendorst and Warmerdam 2021 ). Such key information is analyzed and visualized through different methods, including different visualization tools, as introduced in Sect.  3.3 (Module C), Visualization and analysis using different methods and tools, above.

In Module C, the number of co-occurrences of keywords is obtained using BibExcel (Persson 2017 ), the co-occurrences of keywords are analyzed and visualized using Pajek (Blondel et al. 2008 ; Leydesdorff et al. 2014 ; Rotta and Noack 2011 ) and VOSviewer (Van Eck and Waltman 2010 ; VOSviewer 2021 ; Perianes-Rodriguez et al. 2016 ; Waltman and Van Eck 2013 ; Waltman et al. 2010 ). The keyword community network and the keyword community evolution are analyzed and visualized using these tools, as described in Sect.  3.3 (Module C), Visualization and analysis using different methods and tools. According to the visualization and analysis results obtained in Module C, Module D, Result analysis and discussions, will be detailed in Sect.  4 .

In the following section, Sect.  4 (Module D), results are analyzed and discussed considering various aspects, including the research methods and topics of sentiment analysis in each community, the evolution of research methods and topics along with the research hotspots and trends over time.

4 Results and analysis through various aspects

4.1 research methods and topics of sentiment analysis, 4.1.1 overall characteristic analysis.

The high-frequency keywords were presented in Table 2 . These keywords can be regarded as the main research contents in the field of sentiment analysis. "Twitter" ranks at the top. It is followed by "opinion mining," "natural language processing," "machine learning," and so on. The high-frequency keywords cover the topics of the studies, the contents of the studies, and the techniques and methods used. Based on these keywords, we used Pajek’s Louvain method to construct a keyword co-occurrence network to represent the research methods and topics as shown in Fig.  3 . The keyword co-occurrence network is divided into six communities. The research methods and topics of the six communities include social media platforms (C1), machine learning methods (C2), natural language processing and deep learning methods (C3), opinion mining and text mining (C4), Arabic sentiment analysis (C5), and others, such as domain sentiment analysis and transfer learning, etc. (C6).

figure 3

Keyword community network

In Fig.  3 , the size of the node represents the number of keywords. The thickness of the line between the nodes represents the number of collaborations between keywords. The top 20 keywords in each community are sorted in descending order, as shown in Table 3 . The keyword co-occurrence network features of the six sub-communities are described in Table 4 . The number of nodes shows the number of keywords in each community, and the number of links shows the correlations between the keywords.

As shown in Table 4 , we can see from the number of links between sub-communities that there is a strong correlation between them, especially the link between C3 and C4, which has 1306 lines. The reason may be that the research methods of C4 focus on "opinion mining" and "text mining," while those of C3 focus on "natural language processing" and "deep learning," and C3 provides more technical support for C4 research. In C5 and C6, the research methods and topics are scattered. Their internal links are also low, but the connections with C3 and C4 are relatively high. The contents of C5 and C6 may include some emerging research methods and topics. We will present a specific analysis on the methods and topics of each sub-community in the next subsection.

4.1.2 Analysis on research methods and topics of sub-communities

4.1.2.1 analysis on research methods and topics of the c1 community.

Figure  4 shows the keyword co-occurrence network of the C1 community. The research methods and topics of the C1 community focus on three areas: "social media," "topic models," and "covid-19." In the context of big data, web 2.0 technology provides users with a way to express reviews and opinions of services, events, and people. Various social media platforms, such as Twitter, YouTube, and Weibo, have a large amount of users’ emotional data (Momtazi 2012 ). Compared to traditional news media, information on social media spreads more quickly, and people are able to express their feelings more freely. It is important to analyze the emotions generated by the information shared and published on social media (Abdullah and Zolkepli 2017 ; Wang et al. 2014 ). Researchers have been extracting text data from social media platforms for years to detect unexpected events (Bai and Yu 2016 ; Preethi et al. 2015 ), improve the quality of products (Abrahams et al. 2012 ; Isah et al. 2014 ; Myslin et al. 2013 ), understand the direction of public opinion (Fink et al. 2013 ; Groshek and Al-Rawi 2013 ), and so on.

figure 4

The keyword co-occurrence network for the C1 community

Users’ sentiments are often associated with the topics, and the accuracy of sentiment analysis can be improved through the introduction of topic models (Li et al. 2010 ). Among them, the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) method is cited most frequently. Previous studies found that the LDA method can be effective in subdividing topics and identifying the sentiments of the contents. This method is quite general, and there are also many improved models based on this one that can be applied to any type of web text, helping to enhance the accuracy of sentiment polarity calculation (Chen et al. 2019 ; Liu et al. 2020 ).

As the COVID-19 pandemic has unfolded, a large number of individuals, media and governments have been publishing news and opinions about the COVID-19 crisis on social media platforms. This has resulted in a lot of sentiment analysis studies focusing on COVID-19-related texts exploring the impact of the epidemic on people’s lives (Sari and Ruldeviyani 2020 ; Wang, T. et al. 2020a ), physical health (Berkovic et al. 2020 ; Binkheder et al. 2021 ) and mental health (Yin et al. 2020 ), and so on. Therefore, we can see many related keywords, such as "infodemiology," "healthcare," and "mental health."

4.1.2.2 Analysis on research methods and topics of the C2 community

The contents of the C2 community mainly focus on "machine learning," "text classification," "feature extraction," and "stock market" (see Fig.  5 ). Most keywords are related to the research methods of sentiment analysis. Machine learning approaches have expanded from topic recognition to more challenging tasks such as sentiment classification. It is very important to explore and compare machine learning methods applied to sentiment classification (Li and Sun 2007 ). Methods like Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Naive Bayes models are widely used (Altrabsheh et al. 2013 ; Dereli et al. 2021 ; Shofiya and Abidi 2021 ; Tan et al. 2009 ; Wang and Lin 2020 ) and are used as benchmarks for the comparisons of models proposed by many researchers (Kumar et al. 2021 ; Sadamitsu et al. 2008 ; Waila et al. 2012 ; Zhang et al. 2019 ). Many algorithms, such as random forest (Al Amrani et al. 2018 ; Fitri et al. 2019 ; Sutoyo et al. 2022 ), tf-idf (Arafin Mahtab et al. 2018 ; Awan et al. 2021 ; Dey et al. 2017 ), logistic regression (Prabhat and Khullar 2017 ; Qasem et al. 2015 ; Sutoyo et al. 2022 ), and n-gram (Ikram and Afzal 2019 ; Singh and Kumari 2016 ; Xiong et al. 2021 ) are used to enhance the accuracy of machine learning, as shown in Fig.  5 .

figure 5

The keyword co-occurrence network for the C2 community

The trading volume and asset prices of financial commodities or financial instruments are influenced by a variety of factors in the online environment. Machine learning and sentiment analysis are powerful tools that can help gather vast amounts of useful information to predict financial risk effectively (Li et al. 2009 ). Research on the relationship between public sentiment and stock prices has always been the focus of many scholars (Smailović et al. 2014 ; Xing et al. 2018 ). They have used machine learning methods to explore the influence of sentiments on stock prices through sentiment analysis of news articles, and then predicted the trend changes in the stock market (Ahuja et al. 2015 ; Januário et al. 2022 ; Maqsood et al. 2020 ; Picasso et al. 2019 ).

4.1.2.3 Analysis on research methods and topics of the C3 community

The contents of the C3 community also mainly focus on the methods for sentiment analysis, like "natural language processing", "deep learning," "aspect-based sentiment analysis," and "task analysis" (Fig.  6 ). Sentiment analysis is a sub-field of natural language processing (Nicholls and Song 2010 ), and natural language processing techniques have been widely used in sentiment analysis. Using natural language processing technology can help to better parse text features, such as part-of-speech tagging, word sense disambiguation, keyword extraction, inter-word dependency recognition, semantic parsing, and dictionary construction (Abbasi et al. 2011 ; Syed et al. 2010 ; Trilla and Alías 2009 ). With the rise of deep learning technology, researchers began to introduce it to sentiment analysis. Neural network models like LSTM (Al-Dabet et al. 2021 ; Al-Smadi et al. 2019 ; Li and Qian 2016 ; Schuller et al. 2015 ; Tai et al. 2015 ), CNN (Cai and Xia 2015 ; Jia and Wang 2022 ; Ouyang et al. 2015 ), RNN (Hassan and Mahmood 2017 ; Tembhurne and Diwan 2021 ; You et al. 2016 ), and some combination of these, as well as other models (An and Moon 2022 ; Li et al. 2022 ; Liu et al. 2020a ; Salur and Aydin 2020 ; Zhao et al. 2021 ), have received significant attention.

figure 6

The keyword co-occurrence network for the C3 community

Sentiment analysis granularity is subdivided into document level, sentence level, and aspect level. Document-level sentiment analysis takes the entire document as a unit, but the premise is that the document needs to have a clear attitude orientation—that is, the point of view needs to be clear (Shirsat et al. 2018 ; Wang and Wan 2011 ). Sentence-level sentiment analysis is intended to perform sentiment analysis of the sentences in the document alone (Arulmurugan et al. 2019 ; Liu et al. 2009 ; Nejat et al. 2017 ). Aspect-based analysis is a fundamental and significant task in sentiment analysis. The aim of aspect-level sentiment analysis is to separately summarize positive and negative views about different aspects of a product or entity, although overall sentiment toward a product or entity may tend to be positive or negative (Rao et al. 2021 ; Thet et al. 2010 ). Aspect-level sentiment analysis facilitates a more finely-grained analysis of sentiment than either document or sentence-level analysis (Liang et al. 2022 ; Wang et al. 2020c ). The traditional levels of analysis, such as sentence-level analysis can only calculate the comprehensive sentiment polarity of paragraphs or sentences (Wang et al. 2016 ; Zhang et al. 2021 ). In recent years, the aspect level has become more and more popular, and with the application of deep learning technology, it has become better at capturing the semantic relationship between aspect terms and words in a more quantifiable way (Huang et al. 2018 ). The process of sentiment analysis involves the coordination of multiple tasks, and the subtasks include feature extraction (Bouktif et al. 2020 ; Lin et al. 2020 ), context analysis (Yu et al. 2019 ; Zuo et al. 2020 ), and the application of some analytical models (Tan et al. 2020 ).

4.1.2.4 Analysis on research methods and topics of the C4 community

The C4 community mainly shows keywords related to the research methods and topics of "opinion mining" and "user review," which is the largest of the six sub-communities (Fig.  7 ). With the popularity of platforms like online review sites and personal blogs on the Internet, opinions and user reviews are readily available on the web. Opinion mining has always been a hot field of research (Khan et al. 2009 ; Poria et al. 2016 ). From Table 4 , we can see that the link between C3 and C4 has 1306 lines. In opinion mining, researchers use many text mining methods to discover users’ opinions on goods or services, and then help improve the quality of corresponding products or services (Da’u et al. 2020 ; Lo and Potdar 2009 ; Martinez-Camara et al. 2011 ). In addition, scholars have found that the consideration of user opinions can help improve the overall quality of recommender systems (Artemenko et al. 2020 ; Da’u et al. 2020 ; Garg 2021 ; Malandri et al. 2022 ). Therefore, "recommendation system" has a strong correlation with "opinion mining."

figure 7

The keyword co-occurrence network for C4 community

Evaluation metrics for quantifying the existing approaches are also a popular topic related to opinion mining. There is a keyword named "performance sentiment" in the C4 community. Precision, recall, accuracy and F1-score are the most commonly used evaluation metrics (Dangi et al. 2022 ; Jain et al. 2022 ; JayaLakshmi and Kishore 2022 ; Li et al. 2017 ; Wang et al. 2021 ; Yi and Niblack 2005 ). Some researchers have also used runtimes to calculate the model efficiency (Abo et al. 2021 ; Ferilli et al. 2015 ), p-value to statistically evaluate the relationship or difference between two samples of classification results (JayaLakshmi and Kishore 2022 ; Salur and Aydin 2020 ), paired sample t-tests to verify that the results are not obtained by chance (Nhlabano and Lutu 2018 ), and standard deviation to measure the stability of the model (Chang et al. 2020 ). There have also been researchers who have used G-mean (Wang et al. 2021 ), Pearson Correlation Coefficient (Corr) (Yang et al. 2022 ), Mean Absolute Error (MAE) (Yang et al. 2022 ), Normalized Information Transfer (NIT) and Entropy-Modified Accuracy (EMA) (Valverde-Albacete et al. 2013 ), Mean Squared Error (MSE) (Mao et al. 2022 ), Hamming loss (Liu and Chen 2015 ), Area Under the Curve (AUC) (Abo et al. 2021 ), sensitivity and specificity (Thakur and Deshpande 2019 ), etc.

4.1.2.5 Analysis on research methods and topics of the C5 & C6 communities

Both sub-communities C5 (Fig.  8 ) and C6 (Fig.  9 ) are small in size. The C5 community has 25 nodes and the C6 community has 41 nodes. The core content of the C5 community is "Arabic sentiment analysis." Before 2011, most resources and systems built in the field of sentiment analysis were tailored to English and other Indo-European languages. It is increasingly necessary to design sentiment analysis systems for other languages (Korayem et al. 2012 ), and researchers are increasingly interested in the study of tweets and texts in the Arabic language (Heikal et al. 2018 ; Khasawneh et al. 2013 ; Oueslati et al. 2020 ). They use technologies such as named entity recognition (Al-Laith and Shahbaz 2021 ), deep learning (Al-Ayyoub et al. 2018 ; Heikal et al. 2018 ), and corpus construction (Alayba et al. 2018 ) to enhance the accuracy of sentiment analysis.

figure 8

The keyword co-occurrence network for the C5 community

figure 9

The keyword co-occurrence network for the C6 community

The contents of the C6 community are not very concentrated. From the size of the circle, we can see that the keywords "domain adaptation"(Blitzer et al. 2007 ; Glorot et al. 2011 ), "domain sentiment," and "cross-domain" appear more frequently. Cross-domain sentiment classification is intended to address the lack of mass labeling data (Du et al. 2020a ). It has attracted much attention (Du et al. 2020b ; Hao et al. 2019 ; Yang et al. 2020b ). Advances in communication technology have provided valuable interactive resources for people in different regions, and the processing of multilingual user comments has gradually become a key challenge in natural language processing (Martinez-Garcia et al. 2021 ). Therefore, some keywords related to "lingual" have appeared. Other keywords, such as "transfer learning," "active learning," and "semi-supervised learning," are mainly related to sentiment analysis technologies.

4.2 Evolution of research methods and topics of sentiment analysis

4.2.1 overall evolution analysis.

Annual changes in keyword frequency in sentiment analysis research can reflect the evolution of research methods and topics in this field. Based on the keyword community network (Fig.  3 ), we counted the frequency of keywords in each sub-community for each year. The keyword community evolution diagram is shown in Fig.  10 . Since there were fewer papers published before 2006, we combined the occurrences of keywords from 2002 to 2006. We can see that the C1 community and the C3 community have shown a significant growth trend. The C2 community was in a state of growth until 2019, and the frequency of keywords decreased year by year after 2019. The frequency of C4 community keywords continued to increase until 2018 and declined after 2018. The number of keywords in the C5 community and in the C6 community both had a slow growth trend, but the trend was not obvious.

figure 10

Keyword community evolution diagram

4.2.2 Evolution analysis of sub-communities

We selected the high-frequency keywords under each category and plotted the change of word frequency in each year, as shown in Figs.  11 and 12 . In the C1 community, "social medium," "Twitter," "social network," "covid-19," "Latent Dirichlet Allocation," "topic model," and "text analysis" all had significant increases in word frequency, and the growth trend in 2021 was obvious. "Covid-19" appears in 2020, and the word frequency increased rapidly in 2021. Social media platforms have always been the focus of researchers’ attention. Under the influence of COVID-19, more people express their emotions, stress, and thoughts through social media platforms. Sentiment analysis on data from social media platforms related to COVID-19 has become a hot topic (Boon-Itt and Skunkan 2020 ). We believe that due to the impact of COVID-19, the widespread use of social platforms in 2020–2021 has led to a surge in the number of C1-related keywords.

figure 11

C1, C2, C5, C6 communities: High-frequency keyword evolution diagram

figure 12

C3, C4 communities: High-frequency keyword evolution diagram

The C2 community focuses on the method of "machine learning," and the C3 community focuses on the methods of "deep learning" and "natural language processing." The keywords in the two communities are mainly related to the techniques and methods of sentiment analysis. We have found that before 2016 (Fig.  10 ), the frequency of keywords in the C2 community was higher than that in the C3 community, and in 2016 and later, the frequency of keywords in the C3 community gradually accounted for a larger proportion of the total. This reflects the fact that deep learning-related technologies and methods have become a research hotspot, and the attention given to SVM, Naive Bayes, supervised learning, and other technologies in machine learning has declined. In addition to deep learning models such as Bi-LSTM, Long Short-term Memory, and recurrent neural network in the C3 community, the number of "aspect based" and "feature extraction" keywords have also been growing, which shows that researchers now pay more attention to the aspect level of text granularity in the field of sentiment analysis.

Among the keywords found in the C4 community, the word frequency of the "opinion mining" keyword has decreased since 2018. This shows that in the field of sentiment analysis, researchers have begun to reduce the attention they give to sentiment analysis of opinions on product or service quality, while still maintaining a certain degree of attention to "user review" and "online review." In addition, the number of keywords for "sentiment lexicon" and "lexicon-based" has declined. It may be because, in the context of the widespread application of deep learning technology in recent years, the lexicon-based method requires more time and higher labor costs (Kaity and Balakrishnan 2020 ). However, its accuracy still attracts attention due to the high involvement of experts, especially in non-English languages (Bakar et al. 2019 ; Kydros et al. 2021 ; Piryani et al. 2020 ; Tammina 2020 ; Xing et al. 2019 ; Yurtalan et al. 2019 ).

The high-frequency keywords in the C5 and C6 communities are "Arabic language," "Arabic sentiment analysis," and "transfer learning." Arabic has 30 variants, including the official Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) (ISO 639–3 2017). Arabic dialects are becoming increasingly popular as the language of informal communication on blogs, forums, and social media networks (Lulu and Elnagar 2018 ). This makes them challenging languages for natural language processing and sentiment analysis (Alali et al. 2019 ; Elshakankery and Ahmed 2019 ; Sayed et al. 2020 ). Transfer learning can solve the problem by leveraging knowledge obtained from a large-scale source domain to enhance the classification performance of target domains (Heaton 2018 ). In recent years, based on the success of deep learning technology, this method has gradually attracted attention.

5 Research hotspots and trends

Through the analysis in Sects.  4.1 and 4.2 , we found that the research methods and topics of sentiment analysis are constantly changing. The keyword topic heat map is shown in Fig.  13 . From this map, we can see that in the past two decades, research hotspots have included social media platforms (such as "social medium," "social network," and "Twitter"); sentiment analysis techniques and methods (such as "machine learning," "svm," "natural language processing," "deep learning," "aspect-based," "text mining," and "sentiment lexicon"), mining of user comments or opinions (e.g., "opinion mining," "user review," and "online review"), and sentiment analysis for non-English languages (e.g., "Arabic sentiment analysis" and "Arabic language").

figure 13

Keyword topic heat map

With the popularity of digitization, a large amount of user-generated content has appeared on the Internet, where users express their opinions and comments on different topics such as the news, events, activities, products, services, etc. through social media. This is especially so in the case of the Twitter mobile platform, launched in 2006, which has become the most popular social channel (Kumar and Jaiswal 2020 ). However, online text data is mostly unstructured. In order to accurately analyze users’ sentiments, the research methods for sentiment analysis, such as natural language processing technology, and automatic sentiment analysis models have become the focus of researchers’ works. From Fig.  11 , we can see that early technologies and methods are dominated by machine learning and that SVM and Naive Bayes have always been favored by researchers. This has also been confirmed in studies by Neha Raghuvanshi (Raghuvanshi and Patil 2016 ), Harpreet Kaur (Kaur et al. 2017 ), and Marouane Birjali (Birjali et al. 2021 ). With the improvement of neural network and artificial intelligence technology, deep learning technology has been widely used in sentiment analysis, and has resulted in good outcomes (Basiri et al. 2021 ; Ma et al. 2018 ; Prabha and Srikanth 2019 ; Yuan et al. 2020 ). However, deep learning technology still has room for improvement, and the hybrid methods combining sentiment dictionary and semantic analysis are gradually becoming a trend (Prabha and Srikanth 2019 ; Yang et al. 2020a ).

The granularity of sentiment analysis ranges from the early text level to the sentence level and finally to the aspect level, which is currently gaining strong attention. The granularity of sentiment analysis is gradually being refined, but the method is immature at present, and further research work in the future is needed (Agüero-Torales et al. 2021 ; Li et al. 2020 ; Trisna and Jie 2022 ).

Early sentiment analysis was mainly in the English language. In recent years, non-English languages such as Chinese (Lai et al. 2020 ; Peng et al. 2018 ), French (Apidianaki et al. 2016 ; Pecore and Villaneau 2019 ), Spanish (Chaturvedi et al. 2016 ; Plaza-del-Arco et al. 2020 ), Russian (Smetanin 2020 ), and Arabic (Alhumoud and Al Wazrah 2022 ; Ombabi et al. 2020 ) have attracted more and more attention. Furthermore, cross-domain sentiment analysis technology is in urgent need of research and discussion by researchers (Liu et al. 2019 ; Singh et al. 2021 ).

6 Conclusion and future work

6.1 conclusion.

Judging from the increasing number of papers related to sentiment analysis research every year, sentiment analysis has been on the rise. Although there are many surveys on sentiment analysis research, there has not been a survey dedicated to the evolution of research methods and topics of sentiment analysis. This paper has used keyword co-occurrence analysis and the informetric tools to enrich the perspectives and methods of previous studies. Its aims have been to outline the evolution of the research methods and tools, research hotspots and trends and to provide research guidance for researchers.

By adopting keyword co-occurrence analysis and community detection methods, we analyzed the research methods and topics of sentiment analysis, as well as their connections and evolution trends, and summarized the research hotspots and trends in sentiment analysis. We found that research hotspots include social media platforms, sentiment analysis techniques and methods, mining of user comments or opinions, and sentiment analysis for non-English languages. Moreover, deep learning technology, with its hybrid methods combining sentiment dictionary and semantic analysis, fine-grained sentiment analysis methods, and non-English language analysis methods, and cross-domain sentiment analysis techniques have gradually become the research trends.

6.2 Practical implications and technical directions of sentiment analysis

Sentiment analysis has a wide range of application targets, such as e-commerce platforms, social platforms, public opinion platforms, and customer service platforms. Years of development have led to many related tasks in sentiment analysis, such as sentiment analysis of different text granularity, sentiment recognition, opinion mining, dialogue sentiment analysis, irony recognition, false information detection, etc. Such analysis can help structure user reviews, support product improvement decisions, discover public opinion hotspots, identify public positions, investigate user satisfaction with products, and so on. As long as user-generated content is involved, sentiment analysis technology can be used to mine the emotions of human actors associated with the content. The improvement of sentiment analysis technology can help machines better understand the thoughts and opinions of users, make machines more intelligent, and make better decisions for policy leaders, businessmen, and service people. However, most of the current sentiment analysis methods are based on sentiment dictionaries, sentiment rules, statistics-based machine learning models, neural network-based deep learning models, and pre-training models, and have yet to achieve true language understanding in the sense of comprehension at the deep semantic level, though this does not prevent them from being useful in certain practical applications.

As an important task in natural language understanding, sentiment analysis has received extensive attention from academia and industry. Coarse-grained sentiment analysis is increasingly unable to meet people's decision-making needs, and for aspect-level sentiment analysis and complex tasks, pure machine learning is still unable to flexibly achieve true language understanding. Once the scene or domain changes, problems such as the domain incompatibility of the sentiment dictionary and the low transfer effect of the model involved keep appearing. At present, the accuracy of sentiment analysis provided by machines is far less than that of humans. To achieve human-like performance for machines, we believe that it is necessary to incorporate human commonsense knowledge and domain knowledge, as well as grounded definitions of concepts, in order for machines to understand natural language at a deeper level. These, combined with rules for affective reasoning to supplement interpretable information, will be effective in improving the performance of sentiment analysis. Future research in this direction can be strengthened to achieve true language understanding in machines.

6.3 Limitations and future work

There are some research limitations in this paper. First, we only studied papers written in English and searched from the Web of Science platform. We believe there are papers in other languages or other databases (e.g., Scopus, PubMed, Sci-hub, etc.) that also involve sentiment analysis but that were not included in our study. In addition, the keywords we chose to search in the Web of Science were mainly "sentiment analysis," "sentiment mining," and "sentiment classification." There may be papers related to our research topic that do not have these keywords. To track developments in sentiment analysis research, future studies could replicate this work by employing more precise keywords and using different literature databases.

Second, we selected the main high-frequency keywords for analysis, and some important low-frequency keywords may have been ignored. In future work, we can analyze the changes in each keyword in detail from the perspective of time and obtain more comprehensive analysis results.

Third, the results show that the themes of sentiment analysis cover many fields, such as computer science, linguistics, and electrical engineering, which indicates the trend of interdisciplinary research. Therefore, future work should apply co-citation and diversity measures to explore the interdisciplinary nature of sentiment analysis research.

Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Cui, J., Wang, Z., Ho, SB. et al. Survey on sentiment analysis: evolution of research methods and topics. Artif Intell Rev 56 , 8469–8510 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10462-022-10386-z

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Tax Policy and Investment in a Global Economy

We evaluate the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Combining reduced-form estimates from tax data with a global investment model, we estimate responses, identify parameters, and conduct counterfactuals. Domestic investment of firms with the mean tax change increases 20% versus a no-change baseline. Due to novel foreign incentives, foreign capital of U.S. multinationals rises substantially. These incentives also boost domestic investment, indicating complementarity between domestic and foreign capital. In the model, the long-run effect on domestic capital in general equilibrium is 7% and the tax revenue feedback from growth offsets only 2p.p. of the direct cost of 41% of pre-TCJA corporate revenue.

We thank Agustin Barboza, Emily Bjorkman, Walker Lewis, Anh-Huy Nguyen, Shivani Pandey, Sarah Robinson, Francesco Ruggieri, Sam Thorpe, and Caleb Wroblewski for excellent research assistance; our discussants Eyal Argov, Steven Bond, Manon François, Andrea Lanteri, and Jason Furman; and seminar and conference participants for comments, ideas, and help with data. We thank Michael Caballero, Anne Moore, and Laura Power for insights on multinational tax data and Tom Winberry for helpful discussions about his adjustment cost estimates. Chodorow-Reich gratefully acknowledges support from the Ferrante Fund and Chae fund at Harvard University. Zwick gratefully acknowledges financial support from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago. Zidar thanks the NSF for support under grant no. 1752431. Disclaimer: All data work for this project involving confidential taxpayer information was done at IRS facilities, on IRS computers, and at no time was confidential taxpayer data ever outside of the IRS computing environment. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the IRS, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, or the National Bureau of Economic Research. All results have been reviewed to ensure that no confidential information is disclosed. The model-implied revenue estimates are not revenue estimates of the TCJA.

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How sensory gamma rhythm stimulation clears amyloid in Alzheimer’s mice

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A coronal cross-section of a mouse brain is stained blue. The entire outer edge and occasional points further inside are speckled with yellow-green dots.

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Studies at MIT and elsewhere are producing mounting evidence that light flickering and sound clicking at the gamma brain rhythm frequency of 40 hertz (Hz) can reduce Alzheimer’s disease (AD) progression and treat symptoms in human volunteers as well as lab mice. In a new open-access study in Nature using a mouse model of the disease, MIT researchers reveal a key mechanism that may contribute to these beneficial effects: clearance of amyloid proteins, a hallmark of AD pathology, via the brain’s glymphatic system, a recently discovered “plumbing” network parallel to the brain’s blood vessels.

“Ever since we published our first results in 2016, people have asked me how does it work? Why 40Hz? Why not some other frequency?” says study senior author Li-Huei Tsai , Picower Professor of Neuroscience and director of The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory of MIT and MIT’s Aging Brain Initiative . “These are indeed very important questions we have worked very hard in the lab to address.”

The new paper describes a series of experiments, led by Mitch Murdock PhD '23 when he was a brain and cognitive sciences doctoral student at MIT, showing that when sensory gamma stimulation increases 40Hz power and synchrony in the brains of mice, that prompts a particular type of neuron to release peptides. The study results further suggest that those short protein signals then drive specific processes that promote increased amyloid clearance via the glymphatic system.

“We do not yet have a linear map of the exact sequence of events that occurs,” says Murdock, who was jointly supervised by Tsai and co-author and collaborator Ed Boyden, Y. Eva Tan Professor of Neurotechnology at MIT, a member of the McGovern Institute for Brain Research and an affiliate member of the Picower Institute. “But the findings in our experiments support this clearance pathway through the major glymphatic routes.”

From gamma to glymphatics

Because prior research has shown that the glymphatic system is a key conduit for brain waste clearance and may be regulated by brain rhythms, Tsai and Murdock’s team hypothesized that it might help explain the lab’s prior observations that gamma sensory stimulation reduces amyloid levels in Alzheimer’s model mice.

Working with “5XFAD” mice, which genentically model Alzheimer’s, Murdock and co-authors first replicated the lab’s prior results that 40Hz sensory stimulation increases 40Hz neuronal activity in the brain and reduces amyloid levels. Then they set out to measure whether there was any correlated change in the fluids that flow through the glymphatic system to carry away wastes. Indeed, they measured increases in cerebrospinal fluid in the brain tissue of mice treated with sensory gamma stimulation compared to untreated controls. They also measured an increase in the rate of interstitial fluid leaving the brain. Moreover, in the gamma-treated mice he measured increased diameter of the lymphatic vessels that drain away the fluids and measured increased accumulation of amyloid in cervical lymph nodes, which is the drainage site for that flow.

To investigate how this increased fluid flow might be happening, the team focused on the aquaporin 4 (AQP4) water channel of astrocyte cells, which enables the cells to facilitate glymphatic fluid exchange. When they blocked APQ4 function with a chemical, that prevented sensory gamma stimulation from reducing amyloid levels and prevented it from improving mouse learning and memory. And when, as an added test, they used a genetic technique for disrupting AQP4, that also interfered with gamma-driven amyloid clearance.

In addition to the fluid exchange promoted by APQ4 activity in astrocytes, another mechanism by which gamma waves promote glymphatic flow is by increasing the pulsation of neighboring blood vessels. Several measurements showed stronger arterial pulsatility in mice subjected to sensory gamma stimulation compared to untreated controls.

One of the best new techniques for tracking how a condition, such as sensory gamma stimulation, affects different cell types is to sequence their RNA to track changes in how they express their genes. Using this method, Tsai and Murdock’s team saw that gamma sensory stimulation indeed promoted changes consistent with increased astrocyte AQP4 activity.

Prompted by peptides

The RNA sequencing data also revealed that upon gamma sensory stimulation a subset of neurons, called “interneurons,” experienced a notable uptick in the production of several peptides. This was not surprising in the sense that peptide release is known to be dependent on brain rhythm frequencies, but it was still notable because one peptide in particular, VIP, is associated with Alzheimer’s-fighting benefits and helps to regulate vascular cells, blood flow, and glymphatic clearance.

Seizing on this intriguing result, the team ran tests that revealed increased VIP in the brains of gamma-treated mice. The researchers also used a sensor of peptide release and observed that sensory gamma stimulation resulted in an increase in peptide release from VIP-expressing interneurons.

But did this gamma-stimulated peptide release mediate the glymphatic clearance of amyloid? To find out, the team ran another experiment: They chemically shut down the VIP neurons. When they did so, and then exposed mice to sensory gamma stimulation, they found that there was no longer an increase in arterial pulsatility and there was no more gamma-stimulated amyloid clearance.

“We think that many neuropeptides are involved,” Murdock says. Tsai added that a major new direction for the lab’s research will be determining what other peptides or other molecular factors may be driven by sensory gamma stimulation.

Tsai and Murdock add that while this paper focuses on what is likely an important mechanism — glymphatic clearance of amyloid — by which sensory gamma stimulation helps the brain, it’s probably not the only underlying mechanism that matters. The clearance effects shown in this study occurred rather rapidly, but in lab experiments and clinical studies weeks or months of chronic sensory gamma stimulation have been needed to have sustained effects on cognition.

With each new study, however, scientists learn more about how sensory stimulation of brain rhythms may help treat neurological disorders.

In addition to Tsai, Murdock, and Boyden, the paper’s other authors are Cheng-Yi Yang, Na Sun, Ping-Chieh Pao, Cristina Blanco-Duque, Martin C. Kahn, Nicolas S. Lavoie, Matheus B. Victor, Md Rezaul Islam, Fabiola Galiana, Noelle Leary, Sidney Wang, Adele Bubnys, Emily Ma, Leyla A. Akay, TaeHyun Kim, Madison Sneve, Yong Qian, Cuixin Lai, Michelle M. McCarthy, Nancy Kopell, Manolis Kellis, and Kiryl D. Piatkevich.

Support for the study came from Robert A. and Renee E. Belfer, the Halis Family Foundation, Eduardo Eurnekian, the Dolby family, Barbara J. Weedon, Henry E. Singleton, the Hubolow family, the Ko Hahn family, Carol and Gene Ludwig Family Foundation, Lester A. Gimpelson, Lawrence and Debra Hilibrand, Glenda and Donald Mattes, Kathleen and Miguel Octavio, David B. Emmes, the Marc Haas Foundation, Thomas Stocky and Avni Shah, the JPB Foundation, the Picower Institute, and the National Institutes of Health.

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  • Tsai Laboratory
  • The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory
  • Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences

Related Topics

  • Alzheimer's
  • Neuroscience
  • Brain and cognitive sciences
  • McGovern Institute
  • Picower Institute

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