Selecting the Best Research Paper Topic-Making it catchy
When writing research papers, especially analytical ones, it can be hard to pick out a topic to focus on. There are so many possible choices that it can be difficult to narrow it down. Luckily there are a few tips that can help you navigate your way through picking a great topic that will catch people’s attention.
Keeping it current
One of the most important things when it comes to writing a research paper is to keep the topic about something current. Consider things like what others in the same field as you are doing. For example, for a research paper in the sciences, compare a topic that was prominent at one point in time and contrast it with a more current study. How has the research changed?
Make every word count
When you have to write a research paper with a required page length, the temptation to add filler words and information into the document can be heavy. It is important to resist the urge. Think of the research paper as a way to showcase how interested in a topic you are. If you think that a topic is interesting, chances are that someone else will too. But they won’t think it is interesting if you add useless information in that doesn’t push along the writing.
Thesis Statement
Pick a topic that you can ask compelling questions about: Why doesn’t glue stick to the inside of the jar? Why are there so many ways to pronounce the word crawfish? Things like that. Make sure that you can write a good thesis statement around the topic. A thesis statement is arguably the most critical component of making a research paper catchy. The Thesis statement is what tells the reader what the paper is going to be about. If it doesn’t catch the reader’s attention then they won’t want to continue reading about it. The same goes for a research paper title. Make it informative and thought-provoking.
Phone a friend
If you are still having trouble narrowing down the possible topics, ask your fellow students to look at your list of top 3, and pick out some of the ones that they like. If that fails then talk to your professor about it. Since they are the one that have to read your paper it’s always a good idea to see what they have to say about it. While it is completely okay to write about a topic someone else has already covered, if the professor has read many similar articles about a topic, they are less likely to actually focus on reading it.