121 Great Research Paper Topics

Nobody prepares a high school student for the tons of essays they’re going to write. But, writing essays is a normal part of student life – high school or college. The first step towards writing an essay is selecting an interesting research topic. This part should be easy, but it can also be a nightmare.

There are many ways you can choose research paper topics if you don’t already have an area of interest. If you are looking for research topic ideas for your essay assignment, you have come to the right place. This article includes how to choose a topic over one hundred research paper topic ideas.

How to Find Great Research Paper Topics

Several factors influence the choice of interesting topics to research. That includes the course, if there’s a topic assigned, if there’s a subject area, and how much freedom you have to choose a topic of interest. Whichever way, below are ways you can get great research paper topic ideas:

Seek your professor out and ask; they likely have fabulous ideas
Go through research papers and journals, but stick to the most recent
Review other publications, professional or government
Review your notes, which you take everywhere you go; something might stick out

Factors to Consider When Choosing Interesting Research Paper Topics

Choosing research paper topics shouldn’t be hard, especially if you know the principles for choosing a good research paper topic. Before you choose a topic for your research paper, here are some important factors to consider:

Your interest – considering that you will be spending countless hours on the research paper, you want to choose a topic that really interests you. If it is not a topic you are passionate about, you will find this process more tedious – and your paper may suffer the consequence.
Your experience – it helps if you have some experience, personal or professional, with the research topic. You will not have to do much work researching, and the whole process of choosing a topic and writing will be easier.
Available information – you will want to choose a topic with readily-available information and numerous sources to get them.
The audience – you may also want to consider your audience, the people who will read your research paper; they should find it interesting. Your audience’s level of interest is another area you want to consider before choosing a research topic.

Research Topic Ideas for You

We have rounded up 121 research topic ideas in different categories:

Great Research Topic Ideas on Education

Discrimination in Formal Education: Prevalence and Effects
Placement by academic prowess vs. placement by age
The teaching profession vs. teachers’ demands
School policies: causing more harm than good?
Is the No Child Left Behind Act working?
Funding in formal education
The pros and cons of homeschooling
Does toughness with flexibility curb violence in educational institutions?
Government support for parents who pay twice for education
How does religion contribute to the public good?
Special classrooms for students with special needs vs. mainstreaming students with disabilities
Do Teachers’ competency tests help degree requirements?
Corporal punishment: to permit or not permit?
The concept of bilingual or multicultural education
Grade Inflation: good or bad?
Is there another form of assessment that can outlaw exams?
In what ways do exams help a student?
Should US teens adopt the British rule of having a gap year between college and high school?
Grade Inflation: Why do so many Americans get A’s?
Fewer than 10% of students of European schools get A’s

Interesting Research Topics for Health and Medicine

Does the prolonged use of steroids have any effects on the human body?
Medical marijuana: benefits and hazards
Effect of tobacco on the human body
Vaccination: do the benefits outweigh the risks?
Common sleep disorders and treatments
Artificial tanning: risks of prolonged exposure to the sun
Weight training vs. aerobics: benefits, advantages, and disadvantages
Do health websites give too much information?
When do exercises and workouts become too much?
Cardiovascular exercises: health benefits and dangers
The search for a cure for cancer
Prevalence of psychological disorders such as Autism, Tourette, ADD, ADHD
Alzheimer’s
Anorexia: Concept, Symptoms, Cure
Anorexia: causes and society’s view of women
The concept of down’s syndrome
Artificial Insemination: why many women prefer it
Is attention deficit disorder a thing?
Schizophrenia: prevalence and treatment
What raises the chances of having Alzheimer’s disease?

Good Research Topics on Schools and Interpersonal Communication

Adverse effects of technology on interpersonal communication
Social media and other online social networks: their influence on relationships
How have cell phones impacted lives?
The impact of texting on interpersonal relationships
Why people should focus more on interpersonal communication than technology
Body Language: the different ways people communicate
The idea of prayer in schools
School uniforms: advantages and disadvantages
Charter schools
Schooling overseas
Scholarships
Boys-only vs. girls-only schools: where do children learn best
Public schools vs. private schools
Discrimination against public schools
Professors taking advantage of female students
The prevalence of cultism in higher institutions
Tuition fees: too high?
The purpose of schooling
School policies
School syllabus vs. teachers’ competence

Research Topics on Pharmacy and Treatments

Prescription drugs
Learning disabilities treatment
Coma recovery
Treatment for Alzheimer’s
Alternative treatments
Assisted suicide vs. life preservation
Children vaccination
Health insurance
Extreme treatment of electroshock
Sociopathy
Organic vs. inorganic foods
In vitro fertilization
Fast food
Fad diets
Birth control pills
Anorexia statistics
Dyslexia statistics
Conventional medicine
Steroids
Traditional herbs