How To Develop A Topic For A Research Paper: A Creative Approach To The Question

When required to write a research paper, one of your major challenges will be to choose an interesting topic. The good news is that there are several tips that you can use to do this. One of the first steps when choosing a topic for your research paper is to choose a topic that you are interested in. When you choose a topic that you care about, the research process will be more relevant.

Narrow your search to a manageable topic

Be sure to narrow your topic to something that is more manageable. When you have a topic that is too broad, you will find too much information such that it will be difficult for you to focus. It can also help if you take time to engage in background reading, as this will help reduce the scope of work. Review the guidelines on your topic of choice as outlined in the assignment. You can ask for the suggestion of your professor or TA.

Refer to your lecture notes

Another idea of developing a great topic for your research paper is to refer to your lecture notes as well as your knowledge of the assignment and course. You can also discuss various research ideas with your classmates or friends. These may help you in making the right choice as they can raise issues that never occurred to you at first.

Think about the interesting facts of the topic

It can be helpful to think of the ‘who’, ‘when’, ‘what’, ‘why’ and ‘where’ questions. Consider why you chose the topic and what you find interesting about that topic. What is your opinion concerning the topic of discussion. Who will provide you with the information in this given topic? Are there people who would be interested in publishing information on the topic? How many people are affected by this topic? Are there any institutions or organizations that are affected by the topic? What major questions do you need to answer in this given topic? Is there any debate on the topic? Where do you consider your topic to be important? Is it at the local, national or even international level? What are the specific areas that are affected by the topic? When was this topic important? Is the topic a current or historical event? Is it necessary to compare your topic using time periods?

Ensure the topic meets the desired requirement

Even as you consider all these issues, it is important to ensure that your topic meets the assignment requirement. Also, consider the scope of the topic and whether it is to narrow or too broad.