How to Choose a Topic for Your Research Paper As class starts your Professor announces that there will be a term paper due in two months. He continues, explaining that the paper is going to be a large investment requiring a lot of time and dedication. You lean forward in anticipation, listening for what the topic will be. After clearing his throat your professor states that the topic is open to your decision. The first thoughts in your head are, ‘this is great! I can pick whatever I want…wait what do I want?” This is probably the hardest part of the paper, choosing the topic. It also is the most important. A term paper is going to take weeks of preparation and if you are not fond of your topic this could be hours of personal torture. No need to fear though, choosing your topic does not have to be that hard. Here are some easy steps for you to follow.
1. Does Open Really Mean Open? Your professor has declared the topic to be chosen at your discretion, but he may also have some preconceptions as to what makes a good topic. Stop by his office after class and discuss the paper with him. Ask for examples of topics he would like to see. His advice will be very insightful and he may even give you a few ideas to start with.
2. Begin the Brainstorm
Grab a pad of paper and a pen and get ready to write anything and everything that comes into your head. No bad ideas at this point, write any possible topic you can think of. Begin in the morning when you wake up with twenty minutes of just straight brainstorming. You can do this during breakfast.
As you prepare to leave the house take the pad with you and keep the topic in your head. It can be amazing how ideas seem to come from out of nowhere as you go through your day. Write these down the moment they come to you so they are not lost with the rest of your thoughts Ask your friends and family for ideas. Write down what they say, even if the ideas are silly. The more people you ask the more possible perspectives you will have. Do this for the whole day or even a few days if you have the time and on the last day it is time to review the list for the final storm. Read through the possible topics using them as inspiration and write down any others that pop into your head.
3. Start the Sifting Now that you have a pad full of different ideas for your topic you need to start sifting the wheat from the tares. Eliminate the topics that will not work for your paper. Here are some things to keep in mind.
Do the Categories fit the Paper requirements? Think back to the discussion you had with your professor and the type of topics that he is looking for in a paper. Remove any of the topics that won’t work. Does it interest you? This is going to be a long paper so make sure that you enjoy it. If the topic seems boring take it off the list. Can the topic support a paper? Hopefully we are down to around 10 ideas. Now it is time to do a little bit of background research to make sure that there is enough written about the topic already to do pull from. If it looks like it is going to be difficult task finding information on the topic, scratch it. Do we have a perspective? You will need more than a topic; you need a point to prove. Look through your ideas and write down your viewpoint on each of them. Are you trying to prove, to disprove? If there really is no purpose to writing on a topic other than reporting, ditch it. What is the Best? We have a few topics left and now it really is up to you and your personal preferences. Pick the best three topics you have and write a mock thesis statement for each of them. You now have three potential papers. Consult with the grade giver. Go back to your professor. Bring your three topics and thesis statements and ask the professor his thoughts. If you have done a good job he will probably say yes to all three, but it is good to ask anyway.
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Your final choice? You have done the work, prepared well, so now make your choice from the three.
4. Stay Flexible Now that you have a topic you can begin your research, but one thing I have learned is the more you know about a topic the more your perspective can change. Maybe in a couple weeks you may want to tweak your thesis, this is ok. If you would like chat with your professor about possible changes do so. Lastly, remember to smile. Whether you are in a Salt Lake College, a New York university, or an online school you are on your way to a great paper. Photo Credit: markgranitz, Juhan Sonin, World Bank Photo Collection