Hamilton Heights High School Library

Selecting a topic is one of the most important keys to success for your research paper. Here are some ideas to start you on the process:

Classic Topics and Representative Questions

Abortion (Is it ethical? Should regulations regarding abortion be changed?)
Animal rights (Are greater restrictions needed in the use of animals for research?)
Capital punishment/the death penalty (Does it deter crime? Is it racially biased?)
Censorship (Should there be limits to free speech in music, newspapers, books)
Cloning (Should it be regulated? Is it ethical?)
Drug testing of students and other issues related to a student's right to privacy (locker searches)
Evolution vs. creationism (Should both be taught in schools?)
Euthanasia (Is physician-assisted suicide ethical?)
Genetic engineering (Should man be able to genetically alter plants and animals?)
Global warming (Does it exist? What should be done about it?)
Gun control (Are current gun control regulations too lax or too lenient?)
Legalizing drugs (Will legalizing drugs decrease drug-related crime? Should medical patients be allowed to use marijuana?)
Prayer in school (and other issues related to the separation of church and state such as government aid to private religious schools)
The prison system (Does the prison system treat prisoners fairly? Does the prison system create more hardened criminals?)
Rain forests (Are they threatened? If so, what should be done?)
UFO's (Are they legitimate or a hoax?)
Chevy vs Ford -- which is better (print sources for this topic are limited).

Other Controversial Issues

Is the money used for the space program beneficial to society? What have we learned from space exploration?
Should parents be able to adopt a child of a different racial background?
Is crypto zoology a "real" science? (the study of reports of unusual creatures such as Bigfoot)
Has the media's coverage of politics unfairly influenced society?
How does the media portray adolescence (or women or minorities)?
Has the media's coverage of war influenced society's opinion of that war? How about the outcome of the war?
Does violence in the media create violence in society?
Does racial profiling and racial bias occur in our legal system (for example, being pulled over for "driving while black").
Are modern antibiotics creating "super germs" that threaten future society?
Are medical alternatives such as acupuncture legitimate?
Is homework beneficial?
Should high school students be allowed to work?
Is society's reliance on technology dangerous?
Is there such a thing as Internet addiction?
How has the Internet affected society?
Is there such a thing as gaming addiction?
Are video games beneficial?
Has Title IX, which requires equal spending on girls and boys sports, been beneficial or harmful?
Does involvement in high school athletics help a student in other, non-athletic ways?
What happened to the dinosaurs? Are birds the dinosaurs direct descendents?
Are there too many demands being made on young children today?
Is single-sex education (i.e. all-female colleges and the like) better than co-ed education?
Should school uniforms be adopted?
Is home schooling a good idea?
What are some of the dangers and effects of college hazing (initiation) rituals?
What were some of the controversies surrounding the Salem Witch Trials?
Did the 1960's have a positive or negative impact on society?
Should the legal driving age be raised or lowered?
Is the US doing enough (or too much) regarding homeland security?
Is the current war on terrorism legitimate?
Is US Foreign Policy helping or hurting other issues (social welfare, the economy, etc.) within the United States?
Should laws for stalking be made more strict?
Does hunting for sport help or hurt conservation efforts?

Explore a Topic Ideas

Current trends such as reality tv, multi-person online gaming communities, blogs, home remodeling shows, etc.
What methods do advertisers use to get people to buy things they don't need?
How do advertisers appeal to the adolescent market?
How does birth order effect one's personality?
Why do people lie? How do experts (police, psychologists, etc.) detect lying?
What are some of the causes and effects of relationship infidelity (cheating)?
What are some of the methods used to catch criminals in police forensics?
How are scientists using modern forensic methods to solve old mysteries (known as forensic anthropology)?
How are some of the special effects in movies created?
What are some of the causes and consequences of child abuse?
What are some of the issues surrounding youth violence and gang culture?
What are some of the causes of consequences of eating disorders?
Describe the issues surrounding an alternative medical treatments such as sound therapy, aroma therapy, acupuncture, etc.
What are some of the scientific differences between how men and women (or boys and girls) behave?
How has society's view of adolescence changed throughout the years? In different cultures?
How have high school athletics changed over the years?
How safe is fast food? How safe is our food supply in general?
How have gender roles (the way men and women are expected to behave) changed?

Once you have selected a general topic area you should begin reading material to determine what is available. Remember, the purpose of research is to find sources to support different aspects of your argument on a persuasive topic or to describe the problem or offer support for your solution on a problem/solution type of paper. You need to have some idea of what kinds of things you are looking for when doing research to make your time productive.