Research Paper Topics for College Students

Academic

Every paper begins with a good topic. A strong, engaging topic makes up 50% of the paper’s success. In fact, some writers spend enormous time searching for a worthy subject. Students face similar challenges. A comfortable research paper in college takes more time and effort than even the most difficult high school project. You will require more sophisticated critical and analytical skills. You will need more expertise and knowledge to investigate the subject matter in detail. Yet, even these recommendations won’t work, if you don’t have a good topic for your paper. Looking for research paper topics for college becomes a routine process. Sometimes, it takes more time to locate a strong topic than to write a paper. However, you can always use our advice to improve your results.

Choosing College Research Paper Topics

No matter how you try to narrow down a broad subject and develop a subject question, you may end up with something really boring. You need a topic that is interesting to you and your readers. This is why you should never hurry when choosing a subject for work. Follow these simple steps:

• Think about your interests or preferences.

When you are lost amid hundreds of topics for your essay, stop and think about yourself. What exactly would you want to discuss? Don’t limit yourself to easy topics. List your interests. See how they reflect different topics on the list. Use these records to come up with a topic that will keep your readers engaged throughout. When you have a broad topic, it’s time to choose one specific aspect you will address in your work. Again, make a list of possible ideas. Weigh the pros and cons of each one. Choose the aspect you believe best reflects your interests and resonates with the target audience.

• Create a burning question or an argumentative thesis.

When looking for great topics on research paper, the most difficult part is finding a subject or aspect that will also fit with your course/program objectives. After all, you are not doing it because you want it. You have instructions from your professor, and you must stick to them. With a research question, you will balance your interest and the course goals, creating a paper that gives you a competitive edge.

• Review topics for research that are available online or have been used before.

It’s better to take some time and explore research writing topics before focusing on something. No one says that you should take someone else’s topic and write an identical paper. However, you can always list these topics by priority and brainstorm, using them as a source of inspiration for your own work. See if you have enough data or argumentation to support the subject of your choosing. Mind the words, and don’t plagiarize.

• Create a thesis statement.

Good research paper ideas may lose their charm and fancy without a good thesis statement. This should be the central idea discussed in your work. Reflect on your findings. Don’t forget that even the most prominent topics for research papers will be meaningless without extensive evidence to support them. Thus, take your time to explore the chosen subject in more detail. If you are struggling to find a notable, outstanding topic for your project, check the following recommendations:

• Expand your readers’ knowledge of a global issue or phenomenon. You have plenty of topics to choose from.
• Be flexible in writing. Don’t be afraid of making an unpredictable turn in your discussion. What if you set a new direction for research and practice?
• Review the latest findings. Your writing will be much stronger if you can incorporate recent data or innovative solutions to support the argument.

College topics can inspire you, or they slow down your movement up the academic ladder. Be attentive. Sometimes, you can come up with a good idea after an ordinary conversation with your friend or partner. Even then, be ready to do research and explore the topic in more detail. We have organized some topic ideas into five categories, by priority and complexity. Choose anything that is interesting to you.

Easy Topics for a College Research Paper

1. Why modern police can’t be effective without body cameras?
2. The history of cinema, music and Bollywood – what others need to know.
3. Why the U.S. should make recreational cannabis legal in all states?
4. Things that make the life of a college student unbearable.
5. An asteroid hitting the Earth – prognosis and consequences.
6. Fringe medicine examples in the developed world.
7. Recycled energy systems and their impact on the global environment.
8. Ernest Gaines – life and achievements.
9. Asian movies as a gateway into a different world.
10. Why a diverse workforce is best suited to handle modern workplace problems?
11. Why western countries are reluctant to accept the word of Islam?
12. How Islam has changed the world?
13. Cognitive decline in older people – a problem or a norm?
14. Why conditional release is a problem?
15. Forced de-boarding – law and ethics behind airline safety.

Regular Topics for a College Research Paper

1. Risks and benefits of Catalonia’s hypothetical independence.
2. How does chronic obstructive lung disorder (COPD) differ from other lung diseases?
3. Theology and religion in C.S. Lewis’s “The Great Divorce”.
4. Ethical and legal issues surrounding the Guantanamo Bay detention camp.
5. What are the best approaches in assessing community needs?
6. Air pollution in Mexico.
7. Why the healthcare reform in the U.S. is so problematic.
8. The Holodomor – a famine that destroyed millions in the Soviet Union.
9. The advantages and risks of using ultrasound in gynecology and obstetrics.
10. How do voters perceive the usefulness (or uselessness) of pre-election polls?
11. Why streaming live videos online is an ethical problem?
12. What Europe can learn from the U.S. in terms of nuclear energy?
13. Why should Europe be more active against illegal migrants?
14. The U.S. police and their protective capacity.
15. How anemia and cancer are related?

Difficult Topics for a College Research Paper

1. How the Kofun period in Japan is differed from the Asuka period?
2. Sleep disorders and their health and financial implications.
3. The effects of substance use and abuse on women.
4. The most popular myths surrounding Moore’s law.
5. How did the public vision of eugenics change with the rapid advancement of copyright law?
6. Compare and contrast the Old and New Testament.
7. Long-term stress and anxiety in frontline healthcare workers compared to first responders.
8. How does obesity alter patients’ kidney function?
9. How China has revolutionized its music education?
10. South and North Korea – the history of conflict and the future of diplomacy.
11. How the sunlight affects convalescence?
12. How is the legal systems of Qatar and the UAE differ from that in the U.S?
13. Grading primary school learners – discuss.
14. Immigration and its impact on education.
15. Photosensitivity in individuals with autoimmune disorders.

World Problems Research Paper Topics

1. Provide and discuss a recent example of global human rights violations.
2. Evaluate the consequences of resource depletion on the planet.
3. Climate change. Is it the same as global warming?
4. How does water pollution contribute to the global environmental crisis?
5. Why is violence so prevalent in different parts of the globe?
6. How can we balance the rapid growth of tourism with sustainable development priorities?
7. How can we reduce the extent of government corruption?
8. Review and evaluate the history of space travels.
9. How does migrant labor impact urbanization?
10. What are endangered species?

Crime and Law Research Paper Topics

1. Why body cameras can promote law and justice?
2. What are the most prominent examples of white-collar crimes?
3. Why should driving under the influence be criminalized?
4. What are the most effective laws protecting animal rights?
5. What is a hate crime? Provide examples.
6. Sexual harassment – what are the main causes in the workplace?
7. What are the most effective instruments against police brutality?
8. Is assisted suicide appropriate and ethical? Should it be legal?
9. Can a serial killer become a diligent community member?
10. What can society do to reduce domestic violence?

We hope that these topics will ease your academic burdens. Use any of the subjects above for your academic work.