presentation for how to choose a research paper topic updated Jan 2016

1. A good topic
• Interesting and important to you.
• Something you would like to learn more about.
• Something on which you can keep an open
mind.
• Something argumentative—people might
disagree or have misperceptions about it.
• Narrowed so that you can explore it in detail in
about 3000 words.

2. Some types of claims that are
arguments
• Taking a stand on a controversy
– The goal of bilingual education should be to preserve
the student’s first language while building skills in
the target language.
– Stem cell research should be allowed on embryonic
cells that would otherwise be destroyed, but we
should not purposely create cells for research.

3. Some types of claims that are
arguments
• Evaluating something
– The sequester has helped to reduce the deficit but at
a great cost to the economic recovery.
– The Hawaii Convention Center, while architecturally
successful, is unlikely to be an economic success.
– The Common Core Standards will improve public
education.
– The rise of social media has had more positive than
negative effects.

4. Some types of claims that are
arguments
• Proposing a solution
– Mandatory premarital counseling and a waiting
period of six months between applying for a license
and getting married would help to decrease the
number of divorces.
– To decrease the shortage of health professionals,
programs that pay for medical school or nursing
school in exchange for service in underserved areas
should be expanded.

5. Some types of claims that are
arguments
• Arguing for a particular interpretation or way of
understanding something or explaining its
significance or causes when other possible
interpretations exist.
– Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin was successful in
reaching a female audience because it appealed to
her readers’ maternal instincts and religious values.
– More examples on next page

6. Interpretations etc.
• One of the main contributors to the rise of eating
disorders among young women is the distorted idea of
beauty represented in the media and by the fashion
industry.
• The current cultural fascination with Zombies is a
reflection of our fear that the human race is destroying
itself with overpopulation, pollution, global warming and
other dangers we are helpless to reverse.

7. Where to get ideas
• The media
• Your academic interests
• Your personal interests

8. Online sites for topic ideas
• Sites where you can read about both sides
– Procon.org Debate.org
– www.usnews.com/debate-club
• Site with a list of potential topics-but no
background:
http://www.midway.edu/student-life/student-resources/l
• Browse opinion sections of online news sites

9. Some periodicals that have
substantive articles
• Atlantic Monthly
• Commonweal
• Harper’s
• National Geographic
• New Yorker
• Pacific Standard
• Scientific American

10. Some news and commentary
websites with opinion sections
• CNN
• Huffington Post
• Newsweek
• Salon
• Slate
• Time

11. Ideas for academic topics
• Expand on something you worked on previously
(Give me a copy of your old paper)
• Ask a professor for suggestions.
• Browse through some journals in your field.
• Type your area of interest and “controversy” into
a search engine.

12. Pitfalls to avoid
• If you choose an academic topic be sure it
– is not too technical or complex
– does not require too much time to research
• If you choose a subject of personal interest
– Be sure it can be discussed in relation to a variety of
electronic or print sources not just your own
experience
• Plagiarizing from other students, term paper mill,
Internet etc. leads to failing the course.

13. Over the next 2 weeks
• We will do several activities designed to help
you explore topics.
• For example, today we will work on an interest
inventory.
• Your goal is to pick a topic by Feb. 5 and spend
some time investigating it by Feb. 9 when your
proposal is due.