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One of the hardest parts of writing a research paper can be just finding a good topic to write about. Fortunately we've done the hard work for you and have compiled a list of 113 interesting research paper topics. They've been organized into ten categories and cover a wide range of subjects so you can easily find the best topic for you.
In addition to the list of good research topics, we've included advice on what makes a good research paper topic and how you can use your topic to start writing a great paper.
What Makes a Good Research Paper Topic?
Not all research paper topics are created equal, and you want to make sure you choose a great topic before you start writing. Below are the three most important factors to consider to make sure you choose the best research paper topics.
#1: It's Something You're Interested In
A paper is always easier to write if you're interested in the topic, and you'll be more motivated to do in-depth research and write a paper that really covers the entire subject. Even if a certain research paper topic is getting a lot of buzz right now or other people seem interested in writing about it, don't feel tempted to make it your topic unless you genuinely have some sort of interest in it as well.
#2: There's Enough Information to Write a Paper
Even if you come up with the absolute best research paper topic and you're so excited to write about it, you won't be able to produce a good paper if there isn't enough research about the topic. This can happen for very specific or specialized topics, as well as topics that are too new to have enough research done on them at the moment. Easy research paper topics will always be topics with enough information to write a full-length paper.
Trying to write a research paper on a topic that doesn't have much research on it is incredibly hard, so before you decide on a topic, do a bit of preliminary searching and make sure you'll have all the information you need to write your paper.
#3: It Fits Your Teacher's Guidelines
Don't get so carried away looking at lists of research paper topics that you forget any requirements or restrictions your teacher may have put on research topic ideas. If you're writing a research paper on a health-related topic, deciding to write about the impact of rap on the music scene probably won't be allowed, but there may be some sort of leeway. For example, if you're really interested in current events but your teacher wants you to write a research paper on a history topic, you may be able to choose a topic that fits both categories, like exploring the relationship between the US and North Korea. No matter what, always get your research paper topic approved by your teacher first before you begin writing.
113 Good Research Paper Topics
Below are 113 good research topics to help you get you started on your paper. We've organized them into ten categories to make it easier to find the type of research paper topics you're looking for.
Arts/Culture
- Discuss the main differences in art from the Italian Renaissance and the Northern Renaissance .
- Analyze the impact a famous artist had on the world.
- How is sexism portrayed in different types of media (music, film, video games, etc.)? Has the amount/type of sexism changed over the years?
- How has the music of slaves brought over from Africa shaped modern American music?
- How has rap music evolved in the past decade?
- How has the portrayal of minorities in the media changed?

Current Events
- What have been the impacts of China's one child policy?
- How have the goals of feminists changed over the decades?
- How has the Trump presidency changed international relations?
- Analyze the history of the relationship between the United States and North Korea.
- What factors contributed to the current decline in the rate of unemployment?
- What have been the impacts of states which have increased their minimum wage?
- How do US immigration laws compare to immigration laws of other countries?
- How have the US's immigration laws changed in the past few years/decades?
- How has the Black Lives Matter movement affected discussions and view about racism in the US?
- What impact has the Affordable Care Act had on healthcare in the US?
- What factors contributed to the UK deciding to leave the EU (Brexit)?
- What factors contributed to China becoming an economic power?
- Discuss the history of Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies (some of which tokenize the S&P 500 Index on the blockchain) .
- Do students in schools that eliminate grades do better in college and their careers?
- Do students from wealthier backgrounds score higher on standardized tests?
- Do students who receive free meals at school get higher grades compared to when they weren't receiving a free meal?
- Do students who attend charter schools score higher on standardized tests than students in public schools?
- Do students learn better in same-sex classrooms?
- How does giving each student access to an iPad or laptop affect their studies?
- What are the benefits and drawbacks of the Montessori Method ?
- Do children who attend preschool do better in school later on?
- What was the impact of the No Child Left Behind act?
- How does the US education system compare to education systems in other countries?
- What impact does mandatory physical education classes have on students' health?
- Which methods are most effective at reducing bullying in schools?
- Do homeschoolers who attend college do as well as students who attended traditional schools?
- Does offering tenure increase or decrease quality of teaching?
- How does college debt affect future life choices of students?
- Should graduate students be able to form unions?

- What are different ways to lower gun-related deaths in the US?
- How and why have divorce rates changed over time?
- Is affirmative action still necessary in education and/or the workplace?
- Should physician-assisted suicide be legal?
- How has stem cell research impacted the medical field?
- How can human trafficking be reduced in the United States/world?
- Should people be able to donate organs in exchange for money?
- Which types of juvenile punishment have proven most effective at preventing future crimes?
- Has the increase in US airport security made passengers safer?
- Analyze the immigration policies of certain countries and how they are similar and different from one another.
- Several states have legalized recreational marijuana. What positive and negative impacts have they experienced as a result?
- Do tariffs increase the number of domestic jobs?
- Which prison reforms have proven most effective?
- Should governments be able to censor certain information on the internet?
- Which methods/programs have been most effective at reducing teen pregnancy?
- What are the benefits and drawbacks of the Keto diet?
- How effective are different exercise regimes for losing weight and maintaining weight loss?
- How do the healthcare plans of various countries differ from each other?
- What are the most effective ways to treat depression ?
- What are the pros and cons of genetically modified foods?
- Which methods are most effective for improving memory?
- What can be done to lower healthcare costs in the US?
- What factors contributed to the current opioid crisis?
- Analyze the history and impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic .
- Are low-carbohydrate or low-fat diets more effective for weight loss?
- How much exercise should the average adult be getting each week?
- Which methods are most effective to get parents to vaccinate their children?
- What are the pros and cons of clean needle programs?
- How does stress affect the body?
- Discuss the history of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
- What were the causes and effects of the Salem Witch Trials?
- Who was responsible for the Iran-Contra situation?
- How has New Orleans and the government's response to natural disasters changed since Hurricane Katrina?
- What events led to the fall of the Roman Empire?
- What were the impacts of British rule in India ?
- Was the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki necessary?
- What were the successes and failures of the women's suffrage movement in the United States?
- What were the causes of the Civil War?
- How did Abraham Lincoln's assassination impact the country and reconstruction after the Civil War?
- Which factors contributed to the colonies winning the American Revolution?
- What caused Hitler's rise to power?
- Discuss how a specific invention impacted history.
- What led to Cleopatra's fall as ruler of Egypt?
- How has Japan changed and evolved over the centuries?
- What were the causes of the Rwandan genocide ?

- Why did Martin Luther decide to split with the Catholic Church?
- Analyze the history and impact of a well-known cult (Jonestown, Manson family, etc.)
- How did the sexual abuse scandal impact how people view the Catholic Church?
- How has the Catholic church's power changed over the past decades/centuries?
- What are the causes behind the rise in atheism/ agnosticism in the United States?
- What were the influences in Siddhartha's life resulted in him becoming the Buddha?
- How has media portrayal of Islam/Muslims changed since September 11th?
Science/Environment
- How has the earth's climate changed in the past few decades?
- How has the use and elimination of DDT affected bird populations in the US?
- Analyze how the number and severity of natural disasters have increased in the past few decades.
- Analyze deforestation rates in a certain area or globally over a period of time.
- How have past oil spills changed regulations and cleanup methods?
- How has the Flint water crisis changed water regulation safety?
- What are the pros and cons of fracking?
- What impact has the Paris Climate Agreement had so far?
- What have NASA's biggest successes and failures been?
- How can we improve access to clean water around the world?
- Does ecotourism actually have a positive impact on the environment?
- Should the US rely on nuclear energy more?
- What can be done to save amphibian species currently at risk of extinction?
- What impact has climate change had on coral reefs?
- How are black holes created?
- Are teens who spend more time on social media more likely to suffer anxiety and/or depression?
- How will the loss of net neutrality affect internet users?
- Analyze the history and progress of self-driving vehicles.
- How has the use of drones changed surveillance and warfare methods?
- Has social media made people more or less connected?
- What progress has currently been made with artificial intelligence ?
- Do smartphones increase or decrease workplace productivity?
- What are the most effective ways to use technology in the classroom?
- How is Google search affecting our intelligence?
- When is the best age for a child to begin owning a smartphone?
- Has frequent texting reduced teen literacy rates?

How to Write a Great Research Paper
Even great research paper topics won't give you a great research paper if you don't hone your topic before and during the writing process. Follow these three tips to turn good research paper topics into great papers.
#1: Figure Out Your Thesis Early
Before you start writing a single word of your paper, you first need to know what your thesis will be. Your thesis is a statement that explains what you intend to prove/show in your paper. Every sentence in your research paper will relate back to your thesis, so you don't want to start writing without it!
As some examples, if you're writing a research paper on if students learn better in same-sex classrooms, your thesis might be "Research has shown that elementary-age students in same-sex classrooms score higher on standardized tests and report feeling more comfortable in the classroom."
If you're writing a paper on the causes of the Civil War, your thesis might be "While the dispute between the North and South over slavery is the most well-known cause of the Civil War, other key causes include differences in the economies of the North and South, states' rights, and territorial expansion."
#2: Back Every Statement Up With Research
Remember, this is a research paper you're writing, so you'll need to use lots of research to make your points. Every statement you give must be backed up with research, properly cited the way your teacher requested. You're allowed to include opinions of your own, but they must also be supported by the research you give.
#3: Do Your Research Before You Begin Writing
You don't want to start writing your research paper and then learn that there isn't enough research to back up the points you're making, or, even worse, that the research contradicts the points you're trying to make!
Get most of your research on your good research topics done before you begin writing. Then use the research you've collected to create a rough outline of what your paper will cover and the key points you're going to make. This will help keep your paper clear and organized, and it'll ensure you have enough research to produce a strong paper.
What's Next?
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Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.
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Top 200+ Ideas For Research Paper Topics 2023
Updated 02 Mar 2023
Some say the most difficult part of writing a text – is to start. But topic selection even precedes this starting point. This activity takes off a lot of time, and sometimes imagination just doesn’t work in your favor. That’s where our list of best research paper topics will come in handy.
We collected the most unhacked and powerful ideas to turn the average piece of writing into a research paper . Discover what is a research paper and how to choose suitable and interesting research topics with our help.
Writing a research topic on your own requires either producing one from scratch (based on your interests and goals and potentially, on some brainstorming) or getting inspiration from a number of sources, like preassembled topic lists, course material, teachers, real life, news headlines, published research in the respective field, etc.
What are the 3 Types of Research Questions?
Before formulating your research questions ideas, note that there are 3 important types of research questions:
- descriptive – these employ careful and comprehensive observation of a phenomenon/ event, subject, trait, etc. in order to characterize it in detail and to potentially reveal important/ interesting/ undescribed aspects or patterns.
- causal – these investigate whether altering some variables leads to changes in other variables suggesting a causal relationship.
- comparative – these look into similarities and differences between two or more entities
What is a Good Research Paper Topic?
Features that tend to characterize good research questions are as follows:
- specific and concrete – investigation goals and (expected results) have to be clear and focused
- original – investigating aspects/ entities/ relationships that have not been researched before
- highly important/ impactful for community/ society/ a professional field.
- highly relevant for potential readers/ reviewers
- trending – emerging disciplines/ topics spark more interest due to their novelty and yet unexplored potential
College Research Paper Topics
- The bias in the selection of the college internships and scholarships
- The problems of reverse discrimination in post-college employment
- Should multicultural education concepts be implemented at a greater depth?
- The drug and alcohol abuse on college campuses
- Does social media help students to find appropriate information and learn?
- The psychological disorders and the support groups in modern colleges
- Should people with ADHD and Autism be separated from the other students?
- The art of college political campaigns
- Pros and cons of religious colleges
- Should college athletes be paid and provided with additional advantages?
Essay Examples Relevant to College
- College Education
- Scholarship
- College Life
- College Students
- Paying College Athletes
Health Research Paper Topics
- The challenges of deafness and communication difficulties among special needs students
- The concept of global health security
- The ways to decrease household air pollution
- How the information about infectious diseases is distributed online
- Should people be allowed to know more about climate change issues?
- The privacy factor and the personal health issues
- The role of fitness ads in exercising practices
- The healthy food standards are not always unbiased
- The role of social media in the medical care system
- The psychological aspect in the perception of allergies
Essay Examples Relevant to Health
- Public Health
- Physical Exercise
- Infectious Disease
Research Paper Topics on Medicine
- Is life-sustaining therapy needed when it’s futile?
- The role of placebo treatment
- How to avoid animal testing?
- Pros and contras of medical marijuana
- Is being a vegetarian useful for child’s health?
- How obesity affects our health?
- Vaccines for kids: their usefulness or damage
- Should prescription drugs be advertised directly to consumers?
- Do doctors turn their patients into drug addicts?
Essay Examples Relevant to Medicine
- Animal Testing
- Vaccination
Need more writing assistance?
Connect with our top writers and receive writing sample crafted to your needs.
Education Research Paper Topics
- How can standardized tests improve education?
- Does college graduates make more money?
- Should education be cheaper?
- How will modern technologies change the way of teaching in the future?
- The creation of particular learning methods for blind children
- Social networking and school
- Metal detectors at schools
- The effects of contemporary teaching methods
- The role of technology in lesson planning
- How to manage bullies and take actions against bullying at education institutions?
Essay Examples Relevant to Education
- Standardized Testing
- Special Education
- Technology in Education
Read also: 150+ Best Sociology Research Topics
Environmental Research Paper Topics
- How to reduce global warming?
- How to stop wasting paper and save trees?
- Can overpopulation be managed?
- Should more films about environmental issues be produced?
- Human impacts on forests
- Underground effects of earthquakes
- How to elaborate the optimal adaptation of buildings threatened by hurricanes?
- Is it possible to predict hurricane impacts?
- Is nuclear power safe for humans?
- How dangerous is GMO food?
Essay Examples Relevant to Environmental Research Paper Topics
- Overpopulation
- Nuclear Power
- Genetic Modification
Research Topics on Entertainment and Sport
- Are social networks good for our society?
- Do violent video games make kids angry and cruel?
- Is it necessary to forbid using animals for entertainment?
- Do beauty contests set the non-achievable beauty standards?
- Are newspapers going to be replaced by online sources of information?
- How gaming consoles influence the youth?
- Should women be allowed to compete against men?
- What television programs should be banned?
- How tv shows impose fake moral standards?
- Can the use of social media, such as Facebook, lower teens’ self-esteem?
Essay Examples Relevant to Entertainment and Sport
- Pop Culture
- Social Media
- Violence in Video Games
- Impact of Technology
Research Paper Topics on Media and Communication
- Should the media programming of ads aimed at children be made illegal?
- The role of mediation in the media
- Should bloggers be considered as journalists?
- The ethical side of modern news reports
- The freedom of speech online
- The copyright law restrictions and the vague concepts
- The importance of psychology and communicative skills in journalism
- The role of gender in interpersonal communication
- The modern standards of nonverbal communication
- The negative influence of Instagram and body image distortion
Essay Examples Relevant to Media and Communication
- Communication
- Role of Media
- Effects of Social Media
Research Paper Topics on Politics
- Should the drinking age be lowered?
- Should adults have the right to carry a concealed handgun?
- More gun control laws should be enacted
- How can the international community prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons?
- How can ethnic killings be stopped?
- Current prospect for peace between Israel and the Palestinians
- What world would be like without wars?
- How to avoid workforce reduction?
- Should the death penalty be allowed?
- Is socialism possible?
Essay Examples Relevant to Politics
- Gun Control
- Death Penalty
- Political Systems & Ideologies
Psychology Research Paper Topics
- Is autism a disease or a development idiosyncrasy?
- How to forecast and shape behavioral patterns?
- How to manage child violence?
- How to deal with a mental breakdown?
- The impact of classical music on the work of the brain
- How insomnia affects our health?
- How bad dreams influence our mood?
- Is stress really harmful?
- How depression impacts the immune system?
- Intellectually gifted people: how is it possible?
Essay Examples Relevant to Psychology
- Youth Violence
Science & Technology Research Paper Ideas
- How is light being used to treat cancer and other diseases?
- What is the current evidence that Mars has had water and maybe life?
- Can nanomedicine potentially extend the human lifespan?
- What is the future of computing and artificial intelligence?
- The role cryogenics may play in future
- Can alternative energy effectively replace fossil fuels?
- Is it beneficial for wild animals to have interactions with people?
- What evidence do we have that CMB is the result of the big bang?
- How will self-driving cars change the way people live?
- Can using system like bitcoin help protect identity theft?
Essay Examples Relevant to Science & Technology
- Artificial Intelligence
- Identity Theft
Research Topics Ideas on Culture
- A new comprehension of past events
- The origin of racial discrimination
- The roots of antisemitism
- The impact of advertisements and commercials on modern art
- The most remarkable cultural achievements of the 20th century and their influence on our society
- Cultural revolutions throughout history
- How pop culture trends influence youth?
- Should pregnant celebrities be exposed on magazine’s covers?
- Why was Greek cultural influence so important for the ancient Mediterranean world?
- Why was the Victorian period a time of cultural change?
Essay Examples Relevant to Culture
- Western Culture
Research Paper Topics on Math
- The influence of algorithms
- Is it possible to build a winning monopoly strategy?
- Why is 'x' the unknown?
- How math changed the world?
- What's the solution to the McDonald's math problem?
- How do math geniuses understand extremely hard math concepts so quickly?
- Should high school math contests be banned?
- What is the relationship between music and math?
- Are math formulas ever used in real life?
- What are some of the most confusing math problems ever?
Essay Examples Relevant to Math
- Mathematics in Everyday Life
Research Paper Topics on Business
- How do dirty business tactics work?
- Can business be started without money?
- Notorious business leaders
- Entrepreneurship and family business
- Ethical decision making in everyday work situations
- What are the most effective strategies for promoting a small business?
- Is it worth it to expand the business into a new region or country?
- How to build a successful startup
- The role of international business and sustainable development
- The impact of climate change on international business strategies
Essay Examples Relevant to Business
- Business Analysis
- Entrepreneurs
- Decision Making
- International Business
Research Paper Topics For Middle School
- Is going vegan the healthiest choice for you?
- Is the greenhouse effect artificial or natural?
- The causes, effects, and consequences of earthquakes
- How much computer games can one play without getting addicted
- Princess Diana and her dynasty
- Why is competition so critical for humans?
- How did poetry evolve?
- Methods used by ancient sailors to navigate the globe
- Gender roles in children’s books and cartoons
- Who is the greatest general who has lived on the planet?
Essay Examples Relevant to Middle School
- Studying at School
- Middle School
High School Research Paper Ideas
- The ways to address drug addiction cases in high school
- The physical vs digital communications
- The body image and the K-Pop culture
- The importance of school volunteering and social work
- The changes to the academic process due to Covid-19
- The legacy of the Trail of Tears
- The role of motivation in becoming a better student
- The role of books in print and the libraries
- The ways to improve school safety
- The role of parental involvement in school work
Essay Examples Relevant to High School
- High School
- Drug Addiction
- Digital Communication
- Academic Achievements
History Research Paper Topics
- What were the impacts of World War II on the rights of women?
- What factors initiated the WWII
- Is liberalism the most optimal solution?
- What were the consequences of women suffrage movements
- What was the impact of Martin Luther King’s protest against the Catholic church
- What is the most effective military strategy of all time
- How has Asian art influenced contemporary art
- How have different monetary systems affected the development of humanity
- What is the correlation between the Roman and Greek culture?
- Aztec empire and its architecture
Essay Examples Relevant to History
- Martin Luther King
- Women's Suffrage Movement
- Roman Empire
Art Research Paper Ideas
- The reasons why digital museums must be present and made available
- The peculiarities of the Flemish artists
- Should Japanese anime be considered as a separate art form?
- The role of Photoshop and similar digital solutions in the perception of modern art
- The history of photography and the artistic expression forms
- The challenges of the modern artists during social distancing times
- The Middle Eastern perception of color and the light
- Ancient Rome's role in the creation of the sculptures
- Should the artists be allowed to represent their works in public parks?
- The importance of art education in middle schools
Essay Examples Relevant to Art
- Contemporary Art
- Visual Arts
Literature Research Paper Topics
- The American dream literature
- How does harry potter reflects the ideal of the time
- Can you show a new aspect of prose based on the independent investigation
- The prose of women suffrage movements
- The dawn of literature on modern society
- Why do authors use metaphors and similes
- Evaluate and discuss the allegory of 2 random novels
- What factors are helpful in allowing you to identify the genre of a novel you are reading
- Is fanfiction considered an independent literature
- Romance and sex in Renaissance
- Fiction as an instrument of propaganda
Essay Examples Relevant to Literature
- American Dream
Law Research Paper Topics
- How is the Islamic law perceived around the globe
- Is ECOLEX a pathway to environmental law
- Why is it critical to learn the GATT documents?
- What does the European patent office do?
- Mass communication law
- Impact of women’s authority in different countries on the planet
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the international criminal law court tools
- Detailed analysis and report of the comparative criminal procedure
- Exciting outtakes from the inter-American human rights library
- Does the US copyright office really help writers defend their businesses?
Essay Examples Relevant to Law
- American Laws
- Criminal Justice
- American Criminal Justice System
Religion Research Paper Topics
- The depiction of bisexuality in the Bible
- Creationism
- Christianity and economics
- Modernism and religion
- Religion and sex
- Pastrol and religious counseling
- Intelligent design
- Church and social action
- How do teenagers perceive religion
- Women and religion
Essay Examples Relevant to Religion
- Christianity
Argumentative Research Paper Topics
- Should education be made free for everyone?
- The influencers and bloggers cannot be considered as a job
- The role of military service is the way towards maturity
- Should Internet access be limited during college lectures?
- The death penalty service is not an ethical solution
- Fashion industry creates a bad influence on young people
- The Fairplay concept should be rewarded financially
- Should tobacco be made illegal indoors?
- Religious differences often become the cause of wars
- The majority of mobile applications represent the invasion of privacy
Essay Examples Relevant to Argumentative Research Paper Topics
These are the 200+ topics on various subjects, which you might find useful when creating your own. In case you need help aside from creating topics, you can also order the original research on Politics, Media & Communication, Math, Law, and even Nursing papers for sale on Edubirdie.
How to Choose a Good Research Paper Topic?
While it may seem challenging to come up with a good research paper topic as you try your best to narrow things down, the trick is to choose something that influences you because you know it well and can support your arguments with relevant evidence. The subject should be well-structured and relevant to your thesis statement. Always take time to research the list of sources to compose your topic sentences as well to make them relate to your thesis part. It’s always best to check a good research paper introduction example before you start working on the paper and choosing your topic. Here are the steps to consider:
- Start With Observing Your Interests.
If you are confused with a variety of interesting topics for writing a creative essay, it’s better to decide what interests you the most. Don’t stick to easy research paper topics just to complete the task fast. If you are allowed to freely choose what to write an essay about, use the opportunity to create something unique. Write down the list of your interests and break down every idea into small certain topics. When you have a list in front of your eyes, it will be easier to make up your mind and start considering a particular issue.
Then you should examine what aspect of the topic is preferable for you to outline in your research paper . A list will save you here again. Use pros/cons template to include all the arguments and objections to the issues.
- Come Up With an Argumentative Research Question.
The most challenging part of choosing a competitive research paper topic is finding an aspect that poses some importance for your course and the subject per se. While it may seem that it is sufficient to make a general statement, your argumentation should include a clear research question. Consider asking yourself why you have chosen a particular topic and how your research will make it clearer or provide innovative solutions.
- Study Available Research Topic Ideas.
Since we have already mentioned the dangers of choosing something too broad, it is vital to narrow things down and brainstorm the list of possible research paper ideas that deal with the same subject. In other words, you can write down at least five different subjects and see whether you can find sufficient information to support them with the sources or statistical data. Remember the importance of your topic’s wording!
- Compose Strong Thesis Statement.
It must be done at the same time as you choose your research paper topic because these two concepts must be interconnected. Your subject must reflect your main idea of the thesis statement. Make sure that you have the list of sources prepared in advance to incorporate relevant information in your body paragraphs. As always, they must be the supporting evidence for your thesis statement’s idea and the research purpose.
Get 100+ more unique topics for your paper!
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Where Is The Research Question In A Research Paper?
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The research question, the objective or hypothesis of the study, helps to set up context for what you have researched and why you chose to study this particular topic. Therefore, it is included in the Introduction of the manuscript .
Where is research question located?
Good writing begins with clearly stating your research question (or hypothesis) in the Introduction section —the focal point on which your entire paper builds and unfolds in the subsequent Methods, Results, and Discussion sections.
What is a research question in a research paper?
What is a research question? A research question is the question around which you center your research . It should be: clear: it provides enough specifics that one’s audience can easily understand its purpose without needing additional explanation.
Where can I find research questions in thesis?
One or two declarative sentences (no questions). Generally placed at the end of the introduction; however, it can sometime be found at the end of the research or literature review section of more extensive papers .
Is the research question the title of the paper?
It should provide more information about your research and the main outcome that you have achieved. It is not advisable to have a question as the title of your paper as it is the first thing readers will see about your paper.
How do you find the research question and hypothesis in an article?
The first few paragraphs of a journal article serve to introduce the topic, to provide the author’s hypothesis or thesis, and to indicate why the research was done. A thesis or hypothesis is not always clearly labled; you may need to read through the introductory paragraphs to determine what the authors are proposing .
What are the parts of research paper?
There are eight main parts in a research paper:
- Title (cover page)
- Introduction.
- Literature review.
- Research methodology.
- Data analysis.
- Conclusion.
- Reference page.
How do you present a research question in a paper?
- Step 1: Introduce your topic. The first job of the introduction is to tell the reader what your topic is and why it’s interesting or important.
- Step 2: Describe the background.
- Step 3: Establish your research problem.
- Step 4: Specify your objective(s)
- Step 5: Map out your paper.
How do you introduce a research question in a paper example?
- 10 tips for writing an effective introduction to original research papers.
- Start broadly and then narrow down.
- State the aims and importance.
- Cite thoroughly but not excessively.
- Avoid giving too many citations for one point.
- Clearly state either your hypothesis or research question.
- Consider giving an overview of the paper.
Are research questions the same as hypothesis?
Both are aspects of the Scientific Method, but they are not identical . A research question is typically a concise, focused and debatable question that will provide a clear path for research. A hypothesis is a formal statement designed to predict the relationship between two or more variables.
What comes first thesis or research question?
Simply stated, a thesis statement is what your paper intends to prove or show. A research question is what you need to learn in order to come up with a good thesis statement. Instead of starting with a thesis statement, it’s better to start with a question , and there are a couple of reasons for that.
Where do research questions come from?
The research question emerges from the topic of interest, or more directly from the topic problem, and the methodology of choice . Its articulation is carefully crafted to establish both lenses.
Where does the problem statement go in a research paper?
A problem statement can be several paragraphs long and serve as the basis for your research proposal, or it can be condensed into just a few sentences in the introduction of your paper or thesis .
What’s a research question examples?
10 Research Question Examples to Guide your Research Project
- What effect does social media have on people’s minds?
- What effect does daily use of Twitter have on the attention span of under-16s?
Can a research paper start with a question?
This is your thesis. 3) Writing the paper. The paper should start with an introduction that states your question or puzzle , and your thesis. If you can’t state your thesis in one or at most two sentences, you probably do not have a clear answer/argument.
Can you ask questions in a research paper?
You can ask a question in an essay provided the question leads to an idea . The idea in this case should be the answer to the question you just asked. Don’t ask a question to which you don’t intend to give an answer. Instead of a direct rhetorical question in an essay, use a rhetorical statement.
Is research question in abstract?
For a research paper, an abstract typically answers these questions: Purpose: What is the nature of your topic/study and why did you do it? Methods: What did you do, and how? Results: What were your most important findings?
What is the title of Chapter 1 in research?
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND This chapter includes the introduction, theoretical framework, statement of the problem, hypothesis, scope and limitation, conceptual framework, significance of the study and the definition of terms used.
What chapter is hypothesis in research?
Chapter 4 -RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS AND DEFINING VARIABLES.
What are the 5 parts of a research paper?
5 parts of research paper
- Seeing Your Paper as a Whole Jrobles10-11.
- CHAPTER 1 THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND • CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE • CHAPTER 3 METHOD AND PROCEDURES • CHAPTER 4 PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA • CHAPTER 5 SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS • Others.
What is the chapter 2 of a research paper?
A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO RESEARCH WRITING – CHAPTER TWO This is the chapter where you provide detailed explanation of previous researches that has been conducted on your topic of interest .

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Research Paper Guide
Research Paper Topics

250+ Interesting Research Paper Topics for 2022
22 min read
Published on: Dec 5, 2017
Last updated on: Jan 23, 2023

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There are a number of tasks you will have to face when you enroll in a college. Most students feel stressed and tired, particularly when it comes to writing a research paper.
Some say the hardest part of drafting a text is to get started. However, selecting good research topics even precedes the starting point. This practice takes a lot of time and creativity. Therefore, exploring this complete guide will give you plenty of topic ideas in no time.
Most of the time, the instructors assign a list of topics to the students. While sometimes, they give you the freedom to come up with the topic of your choice.
This is where our list of best research paper topics will come in handy. The essay experts at MyPerfectWords.com have collected impressive ideas for your paper. We will assist you in turning an average research paper into an exceptional one.
How to Find a Good Research Paper Topic?
There are some special techniques you should follow to pick the right research paper topic. Follow the easy steps below to find good research paper topics.
1. Conduct Background Research
The first step is to conduct detailed background research by reviewing the existing literature. It will help to identify the history of a well-defined research problem. Similarly, it will also assist in developing research questions and a thesis statement .
2. Brainstorm Topic Ideas
Brainstorm research topic ideas and make a list of the general subjects. Narrow down to a specific field of study and choose the one that interests you the most. It is the key to producing an interesting and impressive writing piece.
You can further take help from your professor to identify a unique idea to write a research paper. Remember, it would be better to avoid controversial topics for research papers if you are not confident about justifying them.
3. Find Relevant Information
The next step is to find relevant information about your chosen topic. For this, read different points of view available on the internet. Also, consult scholarly sources like books and peer-reviewed articles to keep the facts straight and referable.
4. Use Keywords
Try to come up with a keyword and reach the best-suited topic according to your subject and preference. For example, the keyword ‘violence’ can provide you with a number of choices. It may include gun violence, domestic violence, and other essay topics related to abuse.
This step serves as a crucial strategy to grab the reader’s attention.
5. Keep Your Audience in Mind
Always keep your target audience in mind. It is another important element in selecting your high-school or college research paper topics.
For this, a writer must strictly comply with the instructor's preference and requirements. Make sure your topic gets approved before you begin with the writing process.
What is a Good Topic for a Research Paper?
A good research topic is the one that has the following characteristics;
Specific and Solid - the aims of research and expected results should be clear.
Original and Unique - a good research topic should be original. And the research should be aimed to be unique and never done before.
Extremely Important - It should be significant for the society, community, or to a field of study.
Relevant - It should be relevant for the readers.
Trending - These kinds of topics are the ones that spark interest among the readers and keep them interested.
What are the 6 Types of Research Questions?
Here are the 6 important types of research questions that you should know about when creating it for your research paper.
- Exploratory Questions - These questions are designed to explore the question in detail.
- Predictive Questions - These questions are used to predict the results of the research.
- Interpretive Questions - Interpretive research is conducted in the participants’ natural setting. These questions interpret how a group shares experiences.
- Descriptive Questions - It is a basic kind of question and it describes the main research topic in detail.
- Comparative Questions - Comparative questions compare one thing or occurrence with another.
- Relationship-based Questions - These questions are about understanding the relation between different variables.
Best Research Paper Topics 2022
Here are some impressive and easy research paper topics to write an extraordinary paper.
Research Paper Topics on Marketing and Business
- Explain workforce rules and regulations in Texas.
- How can we stop corporate abuse?
- Small business innovations to grow your business setup.
- Ways to reduce taxes in small businesses.
- Effective tips for women in business.
- How has marketing etiquette changed in the last few years?
- Why are stock markets becoming more popular?
- What are the positive effects of relationship marketing?
- How globalization impacts brand marketing?
- Can women prove to be better marketing experts than men?
Research Paper Topics on Economics
- Discuss Balanced vs. Unbalanced growth.
- How to improve the quality of life in developing countries?
- Ways to measure and manage inflation.
- Demand and supply analysis - A complete guide
- History trends in Income disparity.
- An easy guideline for property rights.
- Standards versus taxes as policy instruments.
- Explain the difference between private and public finance.
- Understanding the dynamics of economics and culture influence.
- Immigration and its impacts on the economy
Research Paper Topics on Current Affairs
- How has feminism changed over the years?
- Has the “Black Lives Matter” movement reduced racism in the United States?
- Are we moving towards World War 3?
- Has China decided to tackle its pollution problem?
- India: A poor nation or a superpower?
- Is the U.S. economy becoming stronger or weaker?
- How important is it to reduce the Federal budget deficit?
- How can police departments minimize the danger to officers from shooters?
- How can Chicago reduce the amount of violence and murders in the city?
- Should it be easier for people to become United States citizens?
Research Paper Topics on Education
- Should American students take a gap year between school and college?
- Discuss the concept of homeschool along with its benefits.
- Education and funding - A complete overview.
- Pros and cons of standardized tests - Discuss briefly.
- Do college students make more money?
- Should education be cheaper?
- How will modern technologies change the way of teaching in the future?
- The creation of particular learning methods for blind children.
- Benefits and risks of social networking in school.
- The role of technology in lesson planning.
Research Paper Topics on English Literature
- Similarities and differences between Shakespeare and Charles Dickens.
- Do you believe that Dickens failed after turning to serious and romantic novels?
- Examine controversies associated with Shakespeare.
- Literature as an instrument of propaganda.
- The American Dream in the 20th century’s literature.
- Religion and literature in a secular age.
- Discuss the works of Hemingway.
- Why did “Harry Potter” become so popular?
- Classify artificial languages in literature.
- What is the role of mythology in English literature?
College Research Paper Topics
- IELTS vs. TOEFL - Discuss the similarities and differences.
- College admission policies and criteria in the United States.
- How to plan for paying college tuition?
- Elaborate on ACT vs. SAT.
- Benefits of Distance learning.
- Impacts of China's one-child policy.
- Do students learn better in same-sex classrooms?
- Effect of the No Child Left Behind Act.
- Analyze the history of the relationship between the United States and North Korea.
- Should people be able to donate organs in exchange for money?
High School Research Paper Topics
- Discuss methods to prevent bullying at high schools.
- Study the ways to plan for high school tuition.
- How to handle diseases like AIDS?
- Future of science: Expectations vs Reality.
- Discuss political issues in the Middle East.
- Discuss the personality of Bill Clinton as a politician.
- Critically analyze the revolution of terrorism in the modern world.
- Developing relationships on the internet must be avoided. Why?
- How natural disasters have affected developing states?
- Examine Barack Obama’s life before and after the presidency.
Research Paper Topics on Health
- Effects of Fast-food culture on regional cuisines.
- Should there be a minimum weight limit for models?
- Unique school lunch ideas for kids.
- Should steroids be legalized?
- Should indoor smoking be banned by the government?
- The politics of climate change in Canada.
- Deafness and other communication disorders in children.
- Eye disease, vision health, and blindness - Major symptoms and causes.
- A detailed guide to Global health security - Threats and opportunities.
- Effects on household air pollution on human health.
Research Paper Topics on Abortion
- Critical analysis of the Unborn Victims of Violence Act.
- How to protect abortion clinics and the rights to protest?
- Facts of the Partial-birth abortion.
- Can abortion be viewed as murder?
- Is it right for abortion clinics to profit from terminating pregnancies?
- Adverse psychological effects on families that decided to do an abortion.
- Abortion as an ethical problem.
- Correlation between religion and abortion.
- The number of abortions may affect the birth rate - Discuss?
- The prohibition of abortion may have dreadful consequences.
Psychology Research Paper Topics
- Causes of depression among youth.
- Define Memory and its types.
- Why do we dream?
- Criminal psychology vs. Forensic psychology.
- Child abuse - Ways to prevent it.
- The relation between obesity and watching TV.
- Discuss the psychological reasons for mental stress.
- Elaborate on the link between mental health and child obesity.
- Are later mental health issues related to childhood trauma?
- Divorce – The influence on children
Related: Psychology Research Topics - 200+ Interesting Ideas
Research Paper Topics on Adoption
- Foster care: Issues and Concerns
- An overview of children with special needs.
- How is cross-cultural adoption raising sensitive issues?
- Psychological issues faced adopted children.
- Standard procedures of same-sex couples looking to adopt.
- Adult adoption - Discuss complete processes and laws.
- Positive and negative aspects of DNA profiling.
- Discuss the problems after adopting a child.
- Open adoption is the biggest lie. Discuss.
- Should adopted children be allowed to contact their real parents?
Research Paper Topics on Information Technology
- Instant messaging affects literacy. Discuss the reasons?
- Violent video games are the reason for juvenile delinquency.
- Best Spotify and related apps you should try.
- Discuss the long-term effects of living in a technological world.
- How has social media helped to solve world problems?
- Information technologies and the internet has made work from home the norm. Explain.
- Impacts of digital learning on schools and education.
- How technology is impacting globalization and the global economy?
- How can people use information technology to change the world?
- The Internet does need control and censorship. Comment.
Research Paper Topics on Media and Communication
- Say NO to online censorship.
- Ways to detect bias in the news media?
- Impacts of advertising on children.
- Reality TV - How it works?
- Freedom of speech - Why is it an important right?
- Explore the examples of political correctness.
- Significance of media in war against crimes.
- Examine the concept of freedom & rights of expression in a democratic state.
- Describe the conflict between Media and religion.
- Discuss the history of the film industry.
Research Paper Topics on Computer Science
- Open Source software and its importance.
- Everything you need to know about Blockchain.
- A beginner’s guide to SEO basics.
- Is Mac safer than windows?
- Is Artificial Intelligence the right thing to do?
- Neuron networks and machine learning.
- What is the importance of big data analysis?
- All about computer assistance in support services.
- Concept of database architecture and management.
- Digital security vs private information.
Sociological Research Paper Topics
- Overview of Gun laws in the United States.
- Hate crime - A brief review.
- How to prevent identity theft?
- Discuss the causes and types of Poverty.
- Trends and patterns in interracial marriage.
- Airline safety tips - A beginner’s guide.
- Impacts of social media on youth.
- 5 Types of Birth control options.
- A critical analysis of youth cultures.
- Class Conflict in the 21st century
Related: Interesting Sociology Research Topics & Ideas for Students
Research Paper Topics on Religion
- Discuss the popular new age religions.
- How do religions influence morality?
- Elaborate on the concept of freedom of religion.
- Briefly discuss the world's religions with no god.
- The rise of modernism in Religion.
- Christianity and the global economic order.
- What is the role of the Church in the 19th century’s social action?
- American’s view of Church sex abuse scandals.
- Ways to handle religion in the workplace.
- Discuss the relationship between world religions and science.
Research Paper Topics on Bullying
- Top punishments for bullying.
- Cyberbullying and how to stop it.
- Types and consequences of Individual bullying.
- Should laws be enforced to stop bullying?
- Can bullying be a cause for murder?
- What should school authorities do to fight to bully?
- How to identify and manage workplace bullying?
- What does it feel like to be bullied?
- Do bullies specifically choose their targets in school?
- Do people abandon unwanted behavior when they graduate school?
Research Paper Topics on Culture
- Explore the evolution of rap music.
- Is Ethnic conflict avoidable?
- Does religion influence culture and to what extent?
- How do different cultures deal with deaths?
- Culture of my community - A detailed overview
- Gender roles in different cultures - A cross-cultural perspective.
- Discuss the History of cultural revolutions.
- 10 most prominent cultural events of the 20th century.
- Struggles of Interracial Relationships
- The power of Mentoring minorities in the workplace.
Argumentative Research Paper Topics
- Who is to blame for homelessness?
- What should the ideal age for alcohol consumption be?
- Curfews for young adults - Discuss the reasons and consequences
- Can a family survive on the US minimum wage?
- Money itself isn’t the cause of evil but how you choose to use it.
- The death sentence should be activated in every country of the world.
- Smoking in public places has to be banned.
- Should court proceedings be documented for television?
- Why should we lower the voting age?
- Pros and cons of globalization
Persuasive Research Paper Topics
- Kids should be allowed to have their own pets. Elaborate on the reasons.
- Reasons why junk meals must be banned from schools.
- Analyze the productive ways to spend money.
- Parents should be more engaged in the educational process. Why?
- Vaccines have more negative effects than positive ones. Discuss.
- Patients with chronic diseases should be sent to mental hospitals.
- Why is it important to stop the production and selling of weapons?
- What are the major reasons to remain honest in life situations?
- Hobbies do help people with their careers. How?
- Why is an effective time management strategy important for jobs?
History Research Paper Topics
- Cause of the decline of the Mughal dynasty.
- How did the Roman Empire fall?
- Effects Julius Caesar had in Rome.
- How did Genghis Khan conquer Persia?
- Discuss the use of weapons in Ancient Civilizations.
- Bridal Ceremonies in Ancient Rome - A brief overview.
- Social Relationships in Medieval Europe - A case study.
- Understanding the impacts of Apartheid.
- Describe the main causes of the Thirty Years War.
- History of gender bias in England.
Research Paper Topics on Arts
- Differences in the Italian Renaissance and Northern Renaissance.
- Impacts famous artists had on the world.
- Explain the art of Ancient Egypt.
- Art therapy is used to heal people. How?
- Is photography an art?
- Discuss the history of the Bauhaus Movement.
- Discuss the concept of censorship in art.
- Digital art and its rise.
- Hollywood vs. Bollywood.
- Fine art vs. Folk art.
Easy Research Paper Topics
- Steps involved in making a music video?
- Discuss the factors that can stop sexual harassment.
- The negative impacts of feminism on the employment culture.
- How to deal with personality orders?
- Why white-collar jobs losing their significance?
- Discuss the consequences of homeschooling.
- Effects of using plastic bags.
- How to solve the issue of gender discrimination at workplaces?
- Factors that can influence the behavior of an individual.
- Impacts of social networks on mental health
Research Paper Topics on World Problems
- Discuss the examples of human rights violations.
- Consequences of the shortage of natural resources.
- What is the difference between global warming and climate change?
- The crisis of water pollution and shortage.
- Violence and Conflict Resolution in the changing world order.
- World Trade and Tourism - A global agenda for sustainable development.
- How can we overcome the challenge of corruption in governance?
- Discuss the brief history of space exploration.
- What are the effects of migration on the urban population?
- Discuss top wild animals’ endangered species.
Research Paper Topics on Criminal Justice
- Should the police use body cameras?
- What is White-collar crime? Discuss examples.
- Penalties for DUI (Drinking Under the Influence) should be made stricter. Why?
- Discuss laws that protect animal rights.
- 10 facts about hate crimes.
- Causes of Sexual harassment in the workplace.
- What action should the government take to address police brutality?
- Ethics of Assisted suicide.
- Is it possible to cure a serial killer?
- What can we do to curb domestic violence?
Funny Research Paper Topics
- How companies can improve their odds by becoming a unicorn?
- Pop art vs. lady gaga.
- The art of erasing bad memories and only remembering good ones.
- Can chicken feathers determine the speed of tornados?
- Harry Potter and the world of wizards.
- Do You Love Using Your Surname?
- Why Do Most People Love Watching Funny Animal Videos?
- Do You Know What Your Pet Dog Is Thinking?
- All Men Know How To Pick The Right Clothes.
- School Dropouts Are The Best In Our Society.
Good Research Paper Topics
Here are some good research paper topics for you to choose from for your paper.
US History Research Paper Topics
- The American Revolution
- The American Civil War
- The US Constitution
- The American West
- US Presidents
- US Foreign Policy
- The Cold War
- Civil Rights in America
- Latin America and the US
- The Environmental Movement in America
Research Paper Topics on Social Media
- Social media and its effect on human behavior
- The impact of social media on society
- Social media and marketing
- Social media and cyberbullying
- The rise of social media
- Social media and privacy
- Social media addiction
- How social media is changing the way we communicate
- The pros and cons of social media
- Social media and democracy
Research Paper Topics for English Linguistics
- The history and evolution of the English language
- The different dialects of English and their origins
- The influence of English on other languages
- The impact of technology on the English language
- The role of the media in shaping the English language
- The challenges of teaching English as a second language
- The importance of English in the global context
- The future of the English language
- The impact of globalization on the English language
- The role of English in education.
Controversial Research Paper Topics
- Religious freedom
- Violence in media content.
- The limits of self-defense
- Psychological effects of hate crimes
- Gender equality will never exist.
- The medical tourism issue.
- Bloggers are not journalists.
- Is politics always a dirty game?
- Religion is not based on science
- The ethical issues of human cloning.
Nursing Research Paper Topics
- Causes of childhood obesity
- Psychiatric patient ethics
- Common measles complications in children
- Features of the classification of nurses.
- What is epidural?
- How does alcohol addiction happen?
- Proper treatment of sleep disorders
- Major causes of Type II diabetes.
- Drive-thru pharmacy
- Ethical rules on infertility
Research Paper Topics in Chemistry
- Acids properties
- Lewis structure study
- Gas laws application
- The future of inorganic chemistry
- Define and describe steroids
- What is enzyme kinetics?
- Photons and physical chemistry
- Chemistry in everyday life
- Metal oxides in electronics
- The main stages of gasoline production
Ethical Research Paper Topics
- Is donating organs morally justified?
- Ethics and homeless people treatment.
- Is it legal for judges to lie?
- Is assisted suicide not the same as murder?
- The basic notions of ethics
- Bias among employees
- Is it mandatory to give flu shots to kids?
- Role of ethics in friendship
- The issue of truth in ethics
- The correlation between ethics and philosophy
Environmental Research Paper Topics
- Water management
- The scientific standpoint for climate change
- Noise and light pollution
- History of environmental studies
- How and why does acid rain forms?
- Can humans survive without bees?
- Reinforcing the ozone layer: is it possible?
- Evaluate what is meant by urban ecology
- Noise pollution and modernization
- Long-term repercussions of plastic pollution.
Politics Research Paper Topics
- Election ethics
- The interdependence of modern leaders
- The impact of political scandals
- News coverage media bias
- China-US relations in 2022
- The Swedish immigrant crisis
- How did the Afghanistan war start?
- Chinese political thought
- Children soldiers in Africa
- The foreign policy of your country.
Science and Technology Research Paper Topics
- Evolution of war technology
- 5 major fields of robotics
- How to eliminate stalking?
- The impact of digital learning on schools
- Discuss the internet of things story
- How can the internet be improved?
- Types of software security
- IT project management
- Can technology help people quit smoking?
- Cloud computing vs. artificial intelligence
Law Research Paper Topics
- The different types of crime
- Business laws in Africa
- Environmental and wildlife crimes
- The pros and cons of federalism
- Is it time to reform US family law?
- Women and religion
- How does the law regulate drugs?
- The way biometrics affect cybersecurity.
- Importance of capacity to contract
- Intelligent design
Social Research Paper Topics
- Rise of hate groups in society
- How are secure social networks?
- Class and parenting styles
- How has fast food affected society?
- Political culture in the U.S.
- Socialism and its effectiveness
- Class stratification and inequality
- Impact of bullying on mental health
- Importance of marriage
- What are the benefits of arranged marriage?
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Research Aims, Objectives & Questions
The “Golden Thread” Explained Simply (+ Examples)
By: David Phair (PhD) and Alexandra Shaeffer (PhD) | June 2022
The research aims , objectives and research questions (collectively called the “golden thread”) are arguably the most important thing you need to get right when you’re crafting a research proposal , dissertation or thesis . We receive questions almost every day about this “holy trinity” of research and there’s certainly a lot of confusion out there, so we’ve crafted this post to help you navigate your way through the fog.
Overview: The Golden Thread
- What is the golden thread
- What are research aims ( examples )
- What are research objectives ( examples )
- What are research questions ( examples )
- The importance of alignment in the golden thread
What is the “golden thread”?
The golden thread simply refers to the collective research aims , research objectives , and research questions for any given project (i.e., a dissertation, thesis, or research paper). These three elements are bundled together because it’s extremely important that they align with each other, and that the entire research project aligns with them.
Importantly, the golden thread needs to weave its way through the entirety of any research project , from start to end. In other words, it needs to be very clearly defined right at the beginning of the project (the topic ideation and proposal stage) and it needs to inform almost every decision throughout the rest of the project. For example, your research design and methodology will be heavily influenced by the golden thread (we’ll explain this in more detail later), as well as your literature review.
The research aims, objectives and research questions (the golden thread) define the focus and scope ( the delimitations ) of your research project. In other words, they help ringfence your dissertation or thesis to a relatively narrow domain, so that you can “go deep” and really dig into a specific problem or opportunity. They also help keep you on track , as they act as a litmus test for relevance. In other words, if you’re ever unsure whether to include something in your document, simply ask yourself the question, “does this contribute toward my research aims, objectives or questions?”. If it doesn’t, chances are you can drop it.
Alright, enough of the fluffy, conceptual stuff. Let’s get down to business and look at what exactly the research aims, objectives and questions are and outline a few examples to bring these concepts to life.

Research Aims: What are they?
Simply put, the research aim(s) is a statement that reflects the broad overarching goal (s) of the research project. Research aims are fairly high-level (low resolution) as they outline the general direction of the research and what it’s trying to achieve .
Research Aims: Examples
True to the name, research aims usually start with the wording “this research aims to…”, “this research seeks to…”, and so on. For example:
- “This research aims to explore employee experiences of digital transformation in retail HR.
- “This study sets out to assess the interaction between student support and self-care on well-being in engineering graduate students”
As you can see, these research aims provide a high-level description of what the study is about and what it seeks to achieve. They’re not hyper-specific or action-oriented, but they’re clear about what the study’s focus is and what is being investigated.
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Research Objectives: What are they?
The research objectives take the research aims and make them more practical and actionable . In other words, the research objectives showcase the steps that the researcher will take to achieve the research aims.
The research objectives need to be far more specific (higher resolution) and actionable than the research aims. In fact, it’s always a good idea to craft your research objectives using the “SMART” criteria. In other words, they should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound”.
Research Objectives: Examples
Let’s look at two examples of research objectives. We’ll stick with the topic and research aims we mentioned previously.
For the digital transformation topic:
- To observe the retail HR employees throughout the digital transformation.
- To assess employee perceptions of digital transformation in retail HR.
- To identify the barriers and facilitators of digital transformation in retail HR.
And for the student wellness topic:
- To determine whether student self-care predicts the well-being score of engineering graduate students.
- To determine whether student support predicts the well-being score of engineering students.
- To assess the interaction between student self-care and student support when predicting well-being in engineering graduate students.
As you can see, these research objectives clearly align with the previously mentioned research aims and effectively translate the low-resolution aims into (comparatively) higher-resolution objectives and action points . They give the research project a clear focus and present something that resembles a research-based “to-do” list.


Research Questions: What are they?
Finally, we arrive at the all-important research questions. The research questions are, as the name suggests, the key questions that your study will seek to answer . Simply put, they are the core purpose of your dissertation, thesis, or research project. You’ll present them at the beginning of your document (either in the introduction chapter or literature review chapter) and you’ll answer them at the end of your document (typically in the discussion and conclusion chapters).
The research questions will be the driving force throughout the research process. For example, in the literature review chapter, you’ll assess the relevance of any given resource based on whether it helps you move towards answering your research questions. Similarly, your methodology and research design will be heavily influenced by the nature of your research questions. For instance, research questions that are exploratory in nature will usually make use of a qualitative approach, whereas questions that relate to measurement or relationship testing will make use of a quantitative approach.
Let’s look at some examples of research questions to make this more tangible.
Research Questions: Examples
Again, we’ll stick with the research aims and research objectives we mentioned previously.
For the digital transformation topic (which would be qualitative in nature):
- How do employees perceive digital transformation in retail HR?
- What are the barriers and facilitators of digital transformation in retail HR?
And for the student wellness topic (which would be quantitative in nature):
- Does student self-care predict the well-being scores of engineering graduate students?
- Does student support predict the well-being scores of engineering students?
- Do student self-care and student support interact when predicting well-being in engineering graduate students?
You’ll probably notice that there’s quite a formulaic approach to this. In other words, the research questions are basically the research objectives “converted” into question format. While that is true most of the time, it’s not always the case. For example, the first research objective for the digital transformation topic was more or less a step on the path toward the other objectives, and as such, it didn’t warrant its own research question.
So, don’t rush your research questions and sloppily reword your objectives as questions. Carefully think about what exactly you’re trying to achieve (i.e. your research aim) and the objectives you’ve set out, then craft a set of well-aligned research questions . Also, keep in mind that this can be a somewhat iterative process , where you go back and tweak research objectives and aims to ensure tight alignment throughout the golden thread.

The importance of strong alignment
Alignment is the keyword here and we have to stress its importance . Simply put, you need to make sure that there is a very tight alignment between all three pieces of the golden thread. If your research aims and research questions don’t align, for example, your project will be pulling in different directions and will lack focus . This is a common problem students face and can cause many headaches (and tears), so be warned.
Take the time to carefully craft your research aims, objectives and research questions before you run off down the research path. Ideally, get your research supervisor/advisor to review and comment on your golden thread before you invest significant time into your project, and certainly before you start collecting data .
Recap: The golden thread
In this post, we unpacked the golden thread of research, consisting of the research aims , research objectives and research questions . You can jump back to any section using the links below.
As always, feel free to leave a comment below – we always love to hear from you. Also, if you’re interested in 1-on-1 support, take a look at our private coaching service here.

Psst… there’s more (for free)
This post is part of our research writing mini-course, which covers everything you need to get started with your dissertation, thesis or research project.
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15 Comments
Thank you very much for your great effort put. As an Undergraduate taking Demographic Research & Methodology, I’ve been trying so hard to understand clearly what is a Research Question, Research Aim and the Objectives in a research and the relationship between them etc. But as for now I’m thankful that you’ve solved my problem.
Well appreciated. This has helped me greatly in doing my dissertation.
An so delighted with this wonderful information thank you a lot.
so impressive i have benefited a lot looking forward to learn more on research.
I am very happy to have carefully gone through this well researched article.
Infact,I used to be phobia about anything research, because of my poor understanding of the concepts.
Now,I get to know that my research question is the same as my research objective(s) rephrased in question format.
I please I would need a follow up on the subject,as I intends to join the team of researchers. Thanks once again.
Thanks so much. This was really helpful.
i found this document so useful towards my study in research methods. thanks so much.
This is my 2nd read topic in your course and I should commend the simplified explanations of each part. I’m beginning to understand and absorb the use of each part of a dissertation/thesis. I’ll keep on reading your free course and might be able to avail the training course! Kudos!
Thank you! Better put that my lecture and helped to easily understand the basics which I feel often get brushed over when beginning dissertation work.
This is quite helpful. I like how the Golden thread has been explained and the needed alignment.
This is quite helpful. I really appreciate!
The article made it simple for researcher students to differentiate between three concepts.
Very innovative and educational in approach to conducting research.
A very helpful piece. thanks, I really appreciate it .
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- Research paper
Writing a Research Paper Introduction | Step-by-Step Guide
Published on September 24, 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on November 29, 2022.
The introduction to a research paper is where you set up your topic and approach for the reader. It has several key goals:
- Present your topic and get the reader interested
- Provide background or summarize existing research
- Position your own approach
- Detail your specific research problem and problem statement
- Give an overview of the paper’s structure
The introduction looks slightly different depending on whether your paper presents the results of original empirical research or constructs an argument by engaging with a variety of sources.
Table of contents
Step 1: introduce your topic, step 2: describe the background, step 3: establish your research problem, step 4: specify your objective(s), step 5: map out your paper, research paper introduction examples, frequently asked questions about the research paper introduction.
The first job of the introduction is to tell the reader what your topic is and why it’s interesting or important. This is generally accomplished with a strong opening hook.
The hook is a striking opening sentence that clearly conveys the relevance of your topic. Think of an interesting fact or statistic, a strong statement, a question, or a brief anecdote that will get the reader wondering about your topic.
For example, the following could be an effective hook for an argumentative paper about the environmental impact of cattle farming:
A more empirical paper investigating the relationship of Instagram use with body image issues in adolescent girls might use the following hook:
Don’t feel that your hook necessarily has to be deeply impressive or creative. Clarity and relevance are still more important than catchiness. The key thing is to guide the reader into your topic and situate your ideas.
This part of the introduction differs depending on what approach your paper is taking.
In a more argumentative paper, you’ll explore some general background here. In a more empirical paper, this is the place to review previous research and establish how yours fits in.
Argumentative paper: Background information
After you’ve caught your reader’s attention, specify a bit more, providing context and narrowing down your topic.
Provide only the most relevant background information. The introduction isn’t the place to get too in-depth; if more background is essential to your paper, it can appear in the body .
Empirical paper: Describing previous research
For a paper describing original research, you’ll instead provide an overview of the most relevant research that has already been conducted. This is a sort of miniature literature review —a sketch of the current state of research into your topic, boiled down to a few sentences.
This should be informed by genuine engagement with the literature. Your search can be less extensive than in a full literature review, but a clear sense of the relevant research is crucial to inform your own work.
Begin by establishing the kinds of research that have been done, and end with limitations or gaps in the research that you intend to respond to.
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The next step is to clarify how your own research fits in and what problem it addresses.
Argumentative paper: Emphasize importance
In an argumentative research paper, you can simply state the problem you intend to discuss, and what is original or important about your argument.
Empirical paper: Relate to the literature
In an empirical research paper, try to lead into the problem on the basis of your discussion of the literature. Think in terms of these questions:
- What research gap is your work intended to fill?
- What limitations in previous work does it address?
- What contribution to knowledge does it make?
You can make the connection between your problem and the existing research using phrases like the following.
Now you’ll get into the specifics of what you intend to find out or express in your research paper.
The way you frame your research objectives varies. An argumentative paper presents a thesis statement, while an empirical paper generally poses a research question (sometimes with a hypothesis as to the answer).
Argumentative paper: Thesis statement
The thesis statement expresses the position that the rest of the paper will present evidence and arguments for. It can be presented in one or two sentences, and should state your position clearly and directly, without providing specific arguments for it at this point.
Empirical paper: Research question and hypothesis
The research question is the question you want to answer in an empirical research paper.
Present your research question clearly and directly, with a minimum of discussion at this point. The rest of the paper will be taken up with discussing and investigating this question; here you just need to express it.
A research question can be framed either directly or indirectly.
- This study set out to answer the following question: What effects does daily use of Instagram have on the prevalence of body image issues among adolescent girls?
- We investigated the effects of daily Instagram use on the prevalence of body image issues among adolescent girls.
If your research involved testing hypotheses , these should be stated along with your research question. They are usually presented in the past tense, since the hypothesis will already have been tested by the time you are writing up your paper.
For example, the following hypothesis might respond to the research question above:
The final part of the introduction is often dedicated to a brief overview of the rest of the paper.
In a paper structured using the standard scientific “introduction, methods, results, discussion” format, this isn’t always necessary. But if your paper is structured in a less predictable way, it’s important to describe the shape of it for the reader.
If included, the overview should be concise, direct, and written in the present tense.
- This paper will first discuss several examples of survey-based research into adolescent social media use, then will go on to …
- This paper first discusses several examples of survey-based research into adolescent social media use, then goes on to …
Full examples of research paper introductions are shown in the tabs below: one for an argumentative paper, the other for an empirical paper.
- Argumentative paper
- Empirical paper
Are cows responsible for climate change? A recent study (RIVM, 2019) shows that cattle farmers account for two thirds of agricultural nitrogen emissions in the Netherlands. These emissions result from nitrogen in manure, which can degrade into ammonia and enter the atmosphere. The study’s calculations show that agriculture is the main source of nitrogen pollution, accounting for 46% of the country’s total emissions. By comparison, road traffic and households are responsible for 6.1% each, the industrial sector for 1%. While efforts are being made to mitigate these emissions, policymakers are reluctant to reckon with the scale of the problem. The approach presented here is a radical one, but commensurate with the issue. This paper argues that the Dutch government must stimulate and subsidize livestock farmers, especially cattle farmers, to transition to sustainable vegetable farming. It first establishes the inadequacy of current mitigation measures, then discusses the various advantages of the results proposed, and finally addresses potential objections to the plan on economic grounds.
The rise of social media has been accompanied by a sharp increase in the prevalence of body image issues among women and girls. This correlation has received significant academic attention: Various empirical studies have been conducted into Facebook usage among adolescent girls (Tiggermann & Slater, 2013; Meier & Gray, 2014). These studies have consistently found that the visual and interactive aspects of the platform have the greatest influence on body image issues. Despite this, highly visual social media (HVSM) such as Instagram have yet to be robustly researched. This paper sets out to address this research gap. We investigated the effects of daily Instagram use on the prevalence of body image issues among adolescent girls. It was hypothesized that daily Instagram use would be associated with an increase in body image concerns and a decrease in self-esteem ratings.
The introduction of a research paper includes several key elements:
- A hook to catch the reader’s interest
- Relevant background on the topic
- Details of your research problem
and your problem statement
- A thesis statement or research question
- Sometimes an overview of the paper
Don’t feel that you have to write the introduction first. The introduction is often one of the last parts of the research paper you’ll write, along with the conclusion.
This is because it can be easier to introduce your paper once you’ve already written the body ; you may not have the clearest idea of your arguments until you’ve written them, and things can change during the writing process .
The way you present your research problem in your introduction varies depending on the nature of your research paper . A research paper that presents a sustained argument will usually encapsulate this argument in a thesis statement .
A research paper designed to present the results of empirical research tends to present a research question that it seeks to answer. It may also include a hypothesis —a prediction that will be confirmed or disproved by your research.
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100 good examples of picot questions & papers.
What You'll Learn
PICOT question examples diabetes
- The PICOT question components include: (P) Adults with type 2 diabetes in the primary care setting, (I) does diabetes self-management with education (DSME) program intervention help control patients A1c? (C) when compared to the absence of self-management or DSME education (O), there will be a reduction in A1c (T) within three months.
- PICOT Question: In patients with diabetes type 2, how do inpatient diabetes management and education compared to outpatient care and education improve glycemic control over a period of 6 months?
- Among diabetic children patients (P), how does adopting various lifestyles (I), compared to non-adoption of new lifestyles (C), reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications (O) for a period of one year (T)?
- Among Adult patient with type 2 diabetes , does diabetes self-management education and diabetes awareness brings better result on maintaining a healthy lifestyle without diabetes complication and help to better control A1c?
- In African-American patients suffering from diabetes type 2 (P), how effective is the use of insulin (I) as compared to dietary modification and lifestyle changes (C ) in lowering the blood sugar levels in the body (O)within one month (T) after the initial diagnosis?
- In African Americans with diabetes type II, how does exercise compared to a sedentary lifestyle affect their quality of life?
PICOT question examples for falls
- For community-dwelling adults over the age of 65, is a multifactorial weekly, group fall prevention program more beneficial than weekly conventional PT for improving scores on the Berg Balance Scale?
- Among adult patients in the acute care setting would the implementation of patient-centered interventions be more effective compared to the usual fall prevention interventions in reducing incidence of falls one month after implementation?
- In 65+ and older adults with a one-year history of falling (P), does family involvement through education (I) compared to care without family participation (C) decrease the number of falls and fall-related complications (O) over six months (T)?
- For patients 80 years or older at risk of falls- as determined by performance on the TUG, 30 second chair stand, or 4-stage balance tests- is the Otago exercise program more effective than a strengthening program alone in preventing falls over follow-up periods of at least 6 and up to 12 months.
13 examples of PICOT Questions
Picot question examples emergency nursing.
- In emergency nursing, does changing patient triage and caregiver workflow as compared with the current model reduce patient overcrowding and decrease patient length of stay?
- In Emergency Departments, does the Application of over-crowding indices compared to Raw ED volumes, lead to Prognostic accuracy for over-crowding related outcomes (increased error rates, ED length of stay, staff burnout), reliability, physician/patient acceptability, external validity .
- In Emergency Departments, does Operational Improvement Interventions to Reduce ED Overcrowding and/or Overcrowding Related Sequelae, compared to Routine ED operations lead to over-crowding related outcomes (error rates, ED length of stay, staff burnout), physician/patient acceptability, external validity.
- In the emergency department (ED), how does a nurse-initiated protocol (NIP) for chest pain (CP) patients compared to no protocol use influence length of stay (LOS) in the ED over 8 weeks?
- In emergency nursing (P) how does violence prevention training (I) compared to no training ( C) affect nurses perspective of violence in the emergency room (O) within the first month of implementation (T)?
PICOT question examples pregnancy
PICOT question examples hypertension
- In overweight adults with hypertension (P), does changing diet and exercise (I) result in weight loss and reduced blood pressure (O) within a three month time period (T)?
- Does telemonitoring blood pressure (I) in patients with hypertension (P) improve blood pressure control (O) within one year of initiation of the medication (T)?
- Are patient education programs effective (compared to no intervention) in increasing patient exercise in the population of patients age 65 and older with high blood pressure?
- Are 30- to 50- year old women (P) who have high blood pressure (I) compared with those without high blood pressure (C)at increased risk for an acute myocardial infarction (O) during the first year after hysterectomy (T)?
- In adult patients diagnosed with hypertension (P), how does home blood pressure monitoring (I) compared to no blood pressure monitoring (C) affect blood pressure (O) twelve weeks after diagnosis (T)?
PICOT question nurse burnout
- Do nurses who practice stress management have lower levels of burnout compared to nurses who do not practice stress management?
- For ED nurses, how does a nurse education program addressing coping skills for work related stress impact job satisfaction, patient satisfaction scores, and reduce nurse desensitization?
- Among nursing practitioners (P), will encouraged retired professionals to return to the workforce (I), compared to not doing this (C), provide additional nurse aids to minimize the current shortage of nurses (O) within a year (T)?
- Among nurses having chronic burnout, what would be the effect or impact of increasing the nurse enrolment compared to the issue of exploring retention strategies to resolve the nursing shortage that is currently affecting the United States healthcare over the next eight years?
- Among nursing staff in the emergency department, intensive care unit, neonatal intensive care unit, and labor and delivery, how does proactive implementation of nursing staff education on burnout and depressive symptoms, assessment of burnout and depressive symptoms, and referral, compared to not educating or screening staff, affect burnout, stress recognition, and nurse turnover rates within three months of education and implementation of the interactive screening program for suicide prevention
PICOT question medication errors
- For nurses administering medication in a long-term acute care hospital, does the implementation of Medication Reconciliation Timeout Process (MRTP) decrease the medication errors, compared to the usual medication practice, in one month?
- In consideration of patients in acute units with dynamic medication needs, what methods are imperative in reinforcing the five rights and communication practices contrasted with increasing computer knowledge, lead to a decrease in mediation error events over the subsequent fiscal year.
- In critically ill patients , does the integration of health information technology compared to conventional methods in the medication management process reduce medication errors during hospital stays?
- In community dwelling adults, how effective is hands-only CPR versus hands plus breathing CPR at preventing mortality?
PICOT questions for icu nurses
- In mechanically ventilated ICU patients, does positioning the patient in semi-fowlers result in a lower incidence of nosocomial pneumonia when compared to the supine position?
- In the critically-ill patient (P), how does promoting early mobility within 72 hours of admission (I), compared with prolonged bed rest affect patient hospital length of stay (O) over a three month period (T)?
PICOT question childhood obesity
- For Obese children does the use of community recreation activities compare to educational programs on lifestyle changes reduce the risk of diabetes mellitus?
- Does parental obesity play a role in their children’s body mass index (BMI) in the ages between five and twelve years of age?
- Will obese children in the community benefit from dietary and physical activity guidance, compared to having no nutritional or physical activity education, in a way that will reduce weight and health related concerns over the next five years?
- Among parents of children aged 3 to 12 years old with a BMI of 85% or greater, does understanding parental perception of their child’s weight increase a parent’s readiness to change toward a healthy lifestyle management?
- Will a change in policy directed at utilizing a tracking form for identifying overweight/obese children at a primary care center by its PCPs increase the identification of overweight/obese children?
- Among parents with young children, early education about healthy eating and exercise, as opposed to education provided to parents prior to when that child is born could lead to the prevention of child obesity within 5 years.
PICOT question examples depression
- Does aerobic exercise improve the mental health status of adults with clinical depression? Whereas, the patient population identified would be adults (male and/or female); the intervention of interest is the use of aerobic activity/exercise as a therapeutic component; the comparison interventions include adults who don’t apply physical activity/exercise as a therapeutic intervention; the primary desired outcome is treatment of clinical depression; and the time frame would ideally be long-term benefits
- For patients on CABG waiting lists, does an intervention program consisting of presurgical home visits and follow-up calls from a specialist cardiac nurse lead to decreased patient anxiety and depression [when compared with no intervention]?
Good PICOT questions for nurse practitioners
- PICO Question: For young athletes (aged 13-30 years) trying to return to sport after arthroscopic hip labral surgery, is short-term PT as beneficial as long-term PT in returning an athlete to sport at full strength?
- In women over 70 years old with knee osteoarthritis (P), is aquatic therapy (I) more effective than land-based therapy (C) in decreasing pain with ambulation (O)?
- Is body support treadmill training (I) more effective than overground training (C) for improvement in gait motor outcomes (O) in a 48-year-old man with left hemiparesis due to stroke (P) ?
- In (P) adult patients with chronic low back pain presenting to outpatient physical therapy services, does the (I) integration of strategies based in psychologically informed practices (O) better promote patient self-management (increase self- efficacy) compared with (C) traditional PT practice alone.
- In patients who are 60 years of age and older who have had a reverse total shoulder arthroplasty, are there differences in clinical and/or patient reported outcomes between those having surgery for rotator cuff tear arthropathy as compared to those having the procedure for primary osteoarthritis?
- Is the Otago Exercise Program (OEP) or Tai Chi more effective at achieving clinically significant reductions in patients’ risk for falling with knee osteoarthritis (OA), ages 65 and up, and at risk for falls, as measured by the Timed Up and Go (TUG) assessment, 12 months following the initiation of treatment?
- In a 25-year-old athlete with a history of ACL injury, do deep squats or shallow squats impose less tensile and shear stress on the tibiofemoral joint and ACL?
- In a child with cerebral palsy, is an anterior walker more effective than a posterior walker in improving upright posture (measured by decreased hip and trunk flexion), gait parameters (such as cadence, walking velocity, stride and step length, single and double support/stance time) and energy efficiency (measured by oxygen consumption)?
- In a 60-year-old patient with hemiplegia due to stroke , does distraction through a cognitive task, compared to focusing exclusively on gait during a treadmill gait training intervention increase affected step length?
- What are the health benefits of a community-based exercise and health education program for underserved Latinas?
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High risk nutritional practices paper – assignment 1 solution.
Research Paper Quiz Questions And Answers!

Have you ever prepared research papers? If you want to check how well you understand the terms, you can take this research paper quiz. With research paper quiz questions and answers, you can check your knowledge and get to learn something, which you were unable to recall during the routine. Read the questions carefully to get all the questions correct with a perfect score. All the best! And, don't forget to share the results on social handles and friends.
Solving a mystery.
Designing a puzzle.
Digging in the ground to retrieve something.
Classifying books in a research library.
As a student writing for your instructor.
As an instructor writing for students.
As an expert writing for other experts.
As a reporter writing for the general public.
Inform your reader.
Persuade your reader.
Save your reader time.
Motivate your reader to learn more about the subject.
A semi-colon.
A question mark.
To qualify statements.
To add minor comments.
To make insertions in quotations.
To indicate deleted material.
To imply something that isn’t actually stated.
In your introduction.
In your thesis statement in your introduction.
In the first sentence of your introduction.
In the last sentence of your introduction.
Summarize your paper’s main point or thesis (since it’s unnecessary).
Introduce a final, strong argument to support your thesis.
State why the results of your research are significant.
Point out where further research on your topic is needed.
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110 Immigration Research Paper Topics

Immigration is the process of people moving to a country and can be either voluntary or involuntary. Immigration is a very interesting aspect of education, and you may be asked at one point or another to come up with a research paper in the immigration niche.
Immigration is a broad topic, and it can be difficult to choose immigration research paper topics. Here are some broad categories of immigration.
- Voluntary migration : This refers to people who move to another country on their own accord and are not forced by the government. It could be for health reasons, lifestyle change, economic reasons, educational reasons, tax evasion, etc.
- Involuntary migration : This refers to people who are forced to move to another country because there is no other option for them. Examples include migration during a crisis, migration due to fear of persecution, etc.
- Emigration : This refers to people who decide on their own not to stay in a particular country and return home.
- Internal migration : This refers to people who move within a country for work or school purposes or simply for personal reasons, such as living closer to family members or friends.
Why Do You Need Help Choosing Immigration Research Paper Topics?
You’re ready to write your immigration research paper, but you’re scared. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’re looking for research paper topics. Why? Because there are so many things that you can write about, it can be hard to know where to start.
You’ve put a lot of thought into the topic, but you’re not sure how to start. Maybe you have a great idea but don’t know where to start writing. Or maybe you’ve already written the outline, but it’s not working out. You feel stuck.
Whatever the case may be, it’s normal to get stressed out when writing a research paper on an important topic like immigration. When you’re in this situation, it can be really helpful to have someone who can point out what works and what doesn’t work with your outline or subject matter. And that’s where we come in.
There are many benefits to getting help with your immigration paper research topics.
- Immigration research paper topics are hard to come by.
Immigration has been a hot topic for quite some time now. Since the government has been putting a heavy focus on it, there are a lot of different angles to research. This can make it difficult to find a topic that is interesting and relevant to your own life experience.
- Immigration research paper topics are often controversial.
Immigration is a very touchy subject, which means that it can be hard to find something that accurately reflects your views on the issue without being too extreme or inflammatory.
- You’ll save time.
If your research paper is due soon, you might not have enough time to do the necessary research and choose topics yourself. Seeking help out there makes your work easier and saves you from stress!
- It will be well detailed.
Other than just looking at things from your point of view, seeking help from other sources can help you get detailed in-depth approaches.
Immigration Research Paper Topics
As a result of the Covid-19 Pandemic and other global military wars, the difficulties associated with immigration are now more widely recognized in the world. Are you looking for good topics to write about for your immigration research paper? If so, the list below includes some of the top options:
- How did the Covid-19 pandemic affect immigration into the UK and the United States?
- How does immigration affect the global economy?
- What are the benefits and disadvantages of immigration?
- What are the top five benefits of being an immigrant?
- What is the relationship between immigration and crime?
- How does the cost of immigration compare with other factors that influence business?
- How do illegal immigrants affect our economy and society, and how can they be made legal?
- What are the most common reasons people apply for a U.S. visa?
- What are some of the benefits of having an immigration visa program in the U.S.?
- How many countries have a visa waiver program with the U.S. and how does it work?
Simple Immigration Essay Topics
Selecting a simple topic for an immigration essay is not always an easy thing to do. At times, it requires you to spend a lot of time doing research here and there. To save you from this stress, we have compiled the top ten simple immigration essay topics for you!
- How has immigration impacted your life?
- What are your thoughts on illegal immigration?
- How would you improve the process for naturalized citizens?
- What are some of the challenges associated with immigration?
- Give some examples of how immigration benefits the U.S.
- What is the motivation for immigration?
- Discuss the attitude of nativism towards immigrants.
- How has being an immigrant changed the way you think about yourself?
- What is the greatest barrier to becoming a citizen?
- What would you say to people who believe that immigrants should not be allowed into the U.S.?
International Immigration Essay Topics
We have compiled 10 international immigration essay topics for your essay because when it comes to choosing topics about immigration internationally, you need to make sure it covers the entire world of immigration. This can often be a difficult process.
- How have international immigration policies changed over time?
- How can we increase our understanding of the diversity of the world’s cultures?
- What are some of the benefits of allowing more immigration?
- Describe the UK’s current immigration system.
- Discuss Canada’s 20th-century immigration policies.
- Talk about the EU’s current immigration problems and how they affect the terrorism rate.
- Examine the connection between immigration and Australian national identity.
- Describe Switzerland’s newest immigration law.
- Examine the effects of Muslim immigration on Britain.
- Examine the importance of gender in Irish immigration.
Best Immigration Research Topics
Do you want to come up with the best topic for your essay in your class? We also want you to be the best, so we’ve put together a list of some of the best topics on immigration that you could pick from.
- The impact of immigration on wages and employment levels
- The impact of immigration on public health and other social outcomes
- The impact of immigration on local governments and their budgets
- How immigrants help contribute to economic growth
- What are the best ways to attract immigrants to your country?
- The impact of immigration on education and health care
- What is the relationship between immigration and terrorism?
- Does immigration increase or decrease social cohesion?
- What effect immigration has on things like forests, water sources, and wildlife habitats.
- What are the best ways to encourage new immigrants to stay in their new home country?
Immigration Argumentative Essay Topics
Because you would need to compare and view the issue from all sides, choosing an argumentative immigration topics to write about could be challenging. To make your job easier, we have compiled a list of 10 argumentative immigration essay ideas for you below.
- Immigrants are taking jobs away from American citizens who deserve them.
- Should an immigrant be given a path to citizenship?
- Do you think that it is important for countries to take in refugees who are fleeing war-torn countries?
- Immigrants contribute to the growth of our economy, our culture, and our society.
- Should immigrants pay taxes?
- Should immigration from certain countries be limited based on their economic impact on the country?
- Should incentives be given to people who want to immigrate legally instead of illegally?
- Should businesses be permitted to hire foreign workers over Americans if they can’t find any eligible Americans?
- Should immigrants be allowed to stay in the country indefinitely?
- Should people be treated differently based on their immigration status?
Controversial Immigration Topics
When we discuss contentious topics, we typically engage in debate or discussion of divergent viewpoints. Finding a topic on this can be difficult at times, but don’t worry; to relieve some of your tension, we’ve selected 10 contentious immigration topics for research paper that you can choose from or use as a reference:
- Should gay couples be allowed to marry?
- Race and Immigration
- Ethnicity and Immigration
- Should non-citizens be able to vote?
- Is it okay for parents to get deported because they refuse to pay child support?
- Undocumented immigrants and identity theft.
- Deportation rates for undocumented immigrants
- Immigration: Illegals vs. Legal Immigrants
- The wall between the U.S. and Mexico.
Immigration Thesis Topics
Choosing a thesis topic on immigration requires extensive research because the paper needs to be outstanding and well written. Do you need a thesis for an academic degree? Here are 10 thesis immigration topics for essays that could help you.
- The historical impact of immigration on America
- The impact of immigration on the economy
- The impact of immigration on our culture and society
- Why should immigrants be allowed into the United States?
- How can we make sure that immigrants are treated fairly and humanely in America?
- Immigration is a major issue that affects Americans in many ways.
- Immigrants are less likely to commit crimes
- Immigrants do not make any significant difference in the unemployment rate of native-born Americans
- Immigrants create more jobs than they take
- Immigrants need government assistance to survive
Global Politics Immigration Paper Topics
Global politics is a large topic. So, finding suitable global political immigration topics may be a bit tiresome. Here are 10 global research topics on immigration that you can choose from!
- Immigration policies in the U.S., Canada, and Australia.
- International trade and immigration policies.
- The diversity of immigrants: A look at America’s immigrant population.
- The social structure of immigrants in the Netherlands.
- Globalization and migration patterns: A case study of Australia.
- Global recessions, financial crises, and the labor market.
- Immigration policy and human rights violations
- Migration patterns around the world
- The history of immigration in the U.S.
- Political and economic implications of immigration in Europe
Illegal Immigration Research Paper Topics
Illegal immigration is a big problem for law enforcement and the national security of many countries. It also often leads to violations of the human rights of the most vulnerable people.
Would you like to investigate this for a research paper? Here are some illegal immigration topics to research that can help.
- The effects of illegal immigration on businesses
- Illegal immigration and public safety
- Illegal immigration and workplace discrimination
- The impact of illegal immigration on the American workforce
- How does illegal immigration affect the U.S?
- Should illegal immigration be legalized?
- What are some of the consequences of legalizing illegal immigrants?
- What are some benefits of legalizing illegal immigrants?
- How many people illegally immigrate to the U.S. every year?
- How are illegal immigrants treated by society?
Research Paper Topics on Immigration in America
Are you seeking a topic to write about for a research paper about immigration in America? Here are 10 excellent American immigration research paper topics for you.
- Why America’s immigration policies are unfair and unproductive, and why we need to change them.
- Why the Mexican border is a good immigration channel
- Border security and border policy in the U.S.
- How does immigrant crime compare to native crime?
- Immigrants are more likely to have good grades than native-born Americans
- Which groups of immigrants have been most affected by the rise in deportations and why?
- Are immigrants more likely to start businesses than native-born Americans?
- Immigrants have made incredible contributions to the U.S., like Levi Strauss and Albert Einstein
- Should undocumented immigrants have health insurance coverage in the U.S.?
- The Effect of Immigration on Social Security in the U.S.
Persuasive Speech Topics About Immigration
You need to make sure the topics you choose for your persuasive speeches are compelling enough to win over your audience. Finding a topic like this could be difficult, but we have nonetheless put together a list of the top 10 persuasive immigration topics for essay from which you can choose.
- Should immigration be a human right?
- Can immigrants help economies grow and make countries better
- Why immigration is not a threat to our culture but a benefit
- We need more immigrants in this country because it’s not sustainable otherwise!
- Immigrants are an asset to any country, not a burden.
- Are most immigrants hard-working, honest, and law-abiding citizens?
- Illegal immigration is not a problem—it’s a solution to problems—like unemployment and poverty
- The U.S. needs immigrants to keep growing and stay strong in the world economy
- Are immigrants good for business and do they make great contributions to society?
- Immigrants bring in new ideas and experiences that enrich culture and nation growth.
How to Choose a Topic on Immigration
Choosing a topic for your immigration research paper is a big decision. You have to consider your audience, the content of the paper, and how much time you have to write it. Here are some tips for choosing the best immigration research paper topics.
- Know your audience.
You can’t write an immigration research paper if you don’t know who you’re writing it for! Before you start writing, sit down with the person in charge of your assignment (usually the professor) and get their feedback on what they need from you. This will help you narrow down topics that they’ll find interesting and relevant, which will make them more excited about reading your work!
- Look at what’s already out there.
You may want to try writing something new, but don’t forget about other people’s work! Go online and check out any papers written by professors on similar topics in your field. Have them give their opinions about whether or not those papers are good examples of quality work done well. If they love something else, maybe those details can help inspire yours!
- Do your research.
Do some research on current events. This is where most of the immigration news comes from, so it’s a great way to find out what’s happening in your community.
Read blogs and articles from reliable sources like newspapers or websites that focus on profiling immigrants and people who are looking for asylum.
Immigration research paper topics could be challenging to find. Sometimes they are complex and require an in-depth understanding. Here are 110 immigration research paper topics you can choose from. Sometimes, you might need help in writing your research paper. You can always outsource your research paper to a trusted writing company to help you!
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How to Write a Research Question
What is a research question? A research question is the question around which you center your research. It should be:
- clear : it provides enough specifics that one’s audience can easily understand its purpose without needing additional explanation.
- focused : it is narrow enough that it can be answered thoroughly in the space the writing task allows.
- concise : it is expressed in the fewest possible words.
- complex : it is not answerable with a simple “yes” or “no,” but rather requires synthesis and analysis of ideas and sources prior to composition of an answer.
- arguable : its potential answers are open to debate rather than accepted facts.
You should ask a question about an issue that you are genuinely curious and/or passionate about.
The question you ask should be developed for the discipline you are studying. A question appropriate for Biology, for instance, is different from an appropriate one in Political Science or Sociology. If you are developing your question for a course other than first-year composition, you may want to discuss your ideas for a research question with your professor.
Why is a research question essential to the research process? Research questions help writers focus their research by providing a path through the research and writing process. The specificity of a well-developed research question helps writers avoid the “all-about” paper and work toward supporting a specific, arguable thesis.
Steps to developing a research question:
- Choose an interesting general topic. Most professional researchers focus on topics they are genuinely interested in studying. Writers should choose a broad topic about which they genuinely would like to know more. An example of a general topic might be “Slavery in the American South” or “Films of the 1930s.”
- Do some preliminary research on your general topic. Do a few quick searches in current periodicals and journals on your topic to see what’s already been done and to help you narrow your focus. What issues are scholars and researchers discussing, when it comes to your topic? What questions occur to you as you read these articles?
- Consider your audience. For most college papers, your audience will be academic, but always keep your audience in mind when narrowing your topic and developing your question. Would that particular audience be interested in the question you are developing?
- Start asking questions. Taking into consideration all of the above, start asking yourself open-ended “how” and “why” questions about your general topic. For example, “Why were slave narratives effective tools in working toward the abolishment of slavery?” or “How did the films of the 1930s reflect or respond to the conditions of the Great Depression?”
- Is your research question clear? With so much research available on any given topic, research questions must be as clear as possible in order to be effective in helping the writer direct his or her research.
- Is your research question focused? Research questions must be specific enough to be well covered in the space available.
- Is your research question complex? Research questions should not be answerable with a simple “yes” or “no” or by easily-found facts. They should, instead, require both research and analysis on the part of the writer. They often begin with “How” or “Why.”
- Begin your research . After you’ve come up with a question, think about the possible paths your research could take. What sources should you consult as you seek answers to your question? What research process will ensure that you find a variety of perspectives and responses to your question?
Sample Research Questions
Unclear: How should social networking sites address the harm they cause? Clear: What action should social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook take to protect users’ personal information and privacy? The unclear version of this question doesn’t specify which social networking sites or suggest what kind of harm the sites might be causing. It also assumes that this “harm” is proven and/or accepted. The clearer version specifies sites (MySpace and Facebook), the type of potential harm (privacy issues), and who may be experiencing that harm (users). A strong research question should never leave room for ambiguity or interpretation. Unfocused: What is the effect on the environment from global warming? Focused: What is the most significant effect of glacial melting on the lives of penguins in Antarctica?
The unfocused research question is so broad that it couldn’t be adequately answered in a book-length piece, let alone a standard college-level paper. The focused version narrows down to a specific effect of global warming (glacial melting), a specific place (Antarctica), and a specific animal that is affected (penguins). It also requires the writer to take a stance on which effect has the greatest impact on the affected animal. When in doubt, make a research question as narrow and focused as possible.
Too simple: How are doctors addressing diabetes in the U.S.? Appropriately Complex: What main environmental, behavioral, and genetic factors predict whether Americans will develop diabetes, and how can these commonalities be used to aid the medical community in prevention of the disease?
The simple version of this question can be looked up online and answered in a few factual sentences; it leaves no room for analysis. The more complex version is written in two parts; it is thought provoking and requires both significant investigation and evaluation from the writer. As a general rule of thumb, if a quick Google search can answer a research question, it’s likely not very effective.
Last updated 8/8/2018
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Where to Put the Research Question in a Paper
Silke Haidekker has a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Hannover. She is a Clinical Research Associate in multiple pharmaceutical companies in Germany and the USA. She now works as a full-time medical translator and writer in a small town in Georgia.
Of Rats and Panic Attacks: A Doctoral Student’s Tale
You would probably agree that the time spent writing your PhD dissertation or thesis is not only a time of taking pride or even joy in what you do, but also a time riddled with panic attacks of different varieties and lengths. When I worked on my PhD thesis in pharmacology in Germany many years back, I had my first panic attack as I first learned how to kill rats for my experiments with a very ugly tool called a guillotine! After that part of the procedure, I was to remove and mash their livers, spike them with Ciclosporin A (an immunosuppressive agent), and then present the metabolites by high-pressure liquid chromatography.
Many rats later, I had another serious panic attack. It occurred at the moment my doctoral adviser told me to write my first research paper on the Ciclosporin A metabolites I had detected in hundreds of slimy mashes of rat liver. Sadly, this second panic attack led to a third one that was caused by living in the pre-internet era, when it was not as easy to access information about how to write research papers .
How I got over writing my first research paper is now ancient history. But it was only years later, living in the USA and finally being immersed in the language of most scientific research papers, that my interest in the art of writing “good” research papers was sparked during conferences held by the American Medical Writers Association , as well as by getting involved in different writing programs and academic self-study courses.
How to State the Research Question in the Introduction Section
Good writing begins with clearly stating your research question (or hypothesis) in the Introduction section —the focal point on which your entire paper builds and unfolds in the subsequent Methods, Results, and Discussion sections . This research question or hypothesis that goes into the first section of your research manuscript, the Introduction, explains at least three major elements:
a) What is known or believed about the research topic?
B) what is still unknown (or problematic), c) what is the question or hypothesis of your investigation.
Some medical writers refer to this organizational structure of the Introduction as a “funnel shape” because it starts broadly, with the bigger picture, and then follows one scientifically logical step after the other until finally narrowing down the story to the focal point of your research at the end of the funnel.
Let’s now look in greater detail at a research question example and how you can logically embed it into the Introduction to make it a powerful focal point and ignite the reader’s interest about the importance of your research:
a) The Known
You should start by giving your reader a brief overview of knowledge or previous studies already performed in the context of your research topic.
The topic of one of my research papers was “investigating the value of diabetes as an independent predictor of death in people with end-stage renal disease (ESRD).” So in the Introduction, I first presented the basic knowledge that diabetes is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and thus made the reader better understand our interest in this specific study population. I then presented previous studies already showing that diabetes indeed seems to represent an independent risk factor for death in the general population. However, very few studies had been performed in the ESRD population and those only yielded controversial results.
Example : “It seems well established that there is a link between diabetic nephropathy and hypertensive nephropathy and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in Western countries. In 2014, 73% of patients in US hospitals had comorbid ESRD and type 2 diabetes (1, 2, 3)…”
b) The Unknown
In our example, this “controversy” flags the “unknown” or “problematic” and therefore provides strong reasons for why further research is justified. The unknown should be clearly stated or implied by using phrases such as “were controversial” (as in our example), “…has not been determined,” or “…is unclear.” By clearly stating what is “unknown,” you indicate that your research is new. This creates a smooth transition into your research question.
Example : “However, previous studies have failed to isolate diabetes as an independent factor, and thus much remains unknown about specific risk factors associated with both diabetes and ESRD .”
c) The Research Question (Hypothesis)
Your research question is the question that inevitably evolves from the deficits or problems revealed in the “Unknown” and clearly states the goal of your research. It is important to describe your research question in just one or two short sentences, but very precisely and including all variables studied, if applicable. A transition should be used to mark the transition from the unknown to the research question using one word such as “therefore” or “accordingly,” or short phrases like “for this reason” or “considering this lack of crucial information.”
In our example, we stated the research question as follows:
Example : “Therefore, the primary goal of our study was to perform a Kaplan-Meier survival study and to investigate, by means of the Cox proportional hazard model, the value of diabetes as an independent predictor of death in diabetic patients with ESRD.”
Note that the research question may include the experimental approach of the study used to answer the research question.
Another powerful way to introduce the research question is to state the research question as a hypothesis so that the reader can more easily anticipate the answer. In our case, the question could be put as follows:
Example : “To test the hypothesis that diabetes is an independent predictor of death in people with ESRD, we performed a Kaplan-Survival study and investigated the value of diabetes by means of the Cox proportional hazard model.”
Note that this sentence leads with an introductory clause that indicates the hypothesis itself, transitioning well into a synopsis of the approach in the second half of the sentence.
The generic framework of the Introduction can be modified to include, for example, two research questions instead of just one. In such a case, both questions must follow inevitably from the previous statements, meaning that the background information leading to the second question cannot be omitted. Otherwise, the Introduction will get confusing, with the reader not knowing where that question comes from.
Begin with your research purpose in mind
To conclude, here is my simple but most important advice for you as a researcher preparing to write a scientific paper (or just the Introduction of a research paper) for the first time: Think your research question through precisely before trying to write it down; have in mind the reasons for exactly why you wanted to do this specific research, what exactly you wanted to find out, and how (by which methods) you did your investigation. If you have the answers to these questions in mind (or even better, create a comprehensive outline ) before starting the paper, the actual writing process will be a piece of cake and you will finish it “like a rat up a drainpipe”! And hopefully with no panic attacks.
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Before submitting your master’s thesis or PhD dissertation to academic journals for publication, be sure to receive proofreading services (including research paper editing , manuscript editing , thesis editing , and dissertation editing ) to ensure that your research writing is error-free. Impress your journal editor and get into the academic journal of your choice.
Hello, I'm doing a research paper on (VETYEARS) Number of years in...
Hello, I'm doing a research paper on (VETYEARS) Number of years in...
Hello, I'm doing a research paper on (VETYEARS) Number of years in the military (IV) and (EVIDU) R ever-injected drugs (DV). In need materials/reference sources to analyze these methods to validate/their reliability. As to accuracy versus relevance must be peer-reviewed scholarly articles. Need guidance.
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Can I Use Questions in a Research Paper
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Questions in a Research Paper
The academic community is concerned with any kind of a research paper since it is the material for work. As a rule, the students’ academic branch is usually linked to such research papers as a master’s thesis, a term paper or a doctoral dissertation. Generally speaking, a research paper may be defined as an area of the academic origin which is concerned with its author’s quaint input to the analysis and interpretation of any subject matter in a particular field.
As far as a research paper, in general, is concerned, you will find information which is suitable for any kind of a research paper. Of course, the most worrying issue is the usage of different types of questions in a formal academic paper. This problem is developed from a variety of perspectives.
Furthermore, you will be able to find a bunch of useful information on writing a research paper. A responsible writer of a research paper has to pay attention to small but sufficient details while doing research. Therefore, there is a need to analyze the possibility of questions usage while relying on a research paper of any type. We will help you understand if you can use questions in research papers.
Can you use Questions in a research paper?
A research paper is the type of writing which demands deep analysis as well as thoroughly investigated phenomena of the subject matter. Overall this type of paper is highly codified writing in a rhetorical form. Rules are of the utmost importance; therefore, it is easier to plan the draft of the research paper in a questionnaire form rather than in a statement manner.
There is a necessity to address a specific research question. It is not a typical question that is easy to answer since the whole research paper is aimed at responding to it throughout the paper. Any information which is related to the research question is important for the paper; the other one is not.
Understandably, the research question is central whereas there may exist secondary but related questions. It would be easier to compose the draft of the work with them. It is worth noting that interrogative sentences are not advised to use in the research paper, they are better for the researcher’s understanding of how to organize the whole paper.
Alternatively, the research question possesses some key features which define that it is not a typical question of posterior importance. If you want to be logical and consequent in your research paper, pay attention to the research question specificity, novelty, originality, relevance. The paper has to be suitable for a broad scientific community.
Can you Start a Research paper with a question?
As far as we know the essence of a research paper, it is easier to predict how the structure of a research paper looks like. One may be constantly curious about the necessity of questions in the introduction part. If you want to know whether you can start a research paper with a question, there is the necessity to understand what type of a question is suitable for the beginning part.
Therefore, this issue is a bit controversial. Some of the students may be confused with the title of a research paper as well since it is an important driving force of the whole academic work. If you want to ask whether research paper titles can be questions, the answer is approving. However, it is much better to have a respond as a title of the research paper. The interrogative form is not typical for titles through the meaning of interrogation is preserved. We want you to get excellence in the academic field, so refer to the following ideas while starting your research paper .
- Do not ask the research question directly; give the reader a chance to take it in from a brief outline of the topic and your intention as a writer to develop this issue.
- Specify the topic and, simultaneously, identify the branch you are going to advance in the research paper.
- Do not try to shock the reader with the results of the investigation since they are the building material for the body as well as conclusion paragraphs.
- The reference to rhetorical questions is a bad idea as well while mentioning the introduction.
- The first sentences of the introduction are to address the question with a statement in a direct manner outlining the writer’s attitude towards the subject matter.
- Do not try to quote the question; you would better explain it within a few following sentences in an argumentative manner.
- The last part of the introduction is concerned with your outlining the method of the stated argument or the structure as it is.
Therefore, if you think you can start off a research paper with a question, be sure you understand what type of a question is meant and what the best position of it is.
Can you End a research paper with a question?
When it comes to the end of the research paper, each writer is willing to sound academic and broad-minded. Sometimes a very interesting thing happens when a writer is full of ideas, and he or she tries to put every new thought in the conclusion part of the research paper and use interesting things to write a research paper on.
It is the closing paragraph which is aimed at summarizing the main points in a research paper. The typical question about the conclusion usually sounds like the following: can I end a research paper with a question? The answer is: you would better avoid it. There are some reasons why not do this, so let’s refer to the following on how to avoid spoiling your close-to-perfection research paper.
1. Questions (as the most worrying issue)
As it has been previously mentioned, there is a necessity to differentiate among various kinds of questions. If we mention an ordinary, for instance, yes/ no or wh-question, they are not appropriate due to the fact that they develop new ideas which are banned in this very part of the research paper.
Therefore, do not tend to end a research paper with a question. Questions are of the utmost importance on the step of pre-work over the issue to analyze. When you, as a writer, try to compose the first draft of the paper, do it in a questionnaire form. This will help you to see what information is not relevant to your subject matter. Moreover, you will be able to see the further work from the introduction part until the end of a research paper.
2. Contradictions
All the doubts or following ideas are not typical to refer to in the conclusion body of a research paper. They are the fundamentals of the body part. Honestly, this is the largest part of a research paper and, definitely, it is easier to place this information in the body, rather than in conclusion. If you feel there is something contradictory while you approach the end of the research paper, you would better avoid showing hesitation at the end of the academic work.
It is not appropriate to offer opposing viewpoints or hesitations about the finding in conclusion. It will, undoubtedly, spoil the whole work and show you in bad light within an academic community. It is necessary to pay attention to contradictions on the step of pre-work with a research paper.
The choice of topic is meant here. It is difficult to predict whether the topic will soon offer a range of contradictions to work with. The only thing a careful writer has to do is to analyze the topic from different perspectives. If you, as a writer, work in a field of linguistics, do not try to limit yourself only within this sphere, try to find information on the aspects of developing the same topic within the branch of sociology. Doing this will assist you in overcoming a range of contradictions on the level of pre-work.
3. Brand new ideas
Presumably, the most frequent mistake of an average student is placing new ideas or findings at the end of the research paper. One may think that it creates the room for the reader to think about the issue. Honestly, it rather raises doubts concerning the practical use of your research as well as its novelty and completeness. Remember, no one starts a new idea in the end.
4. Extra evidence.
It is necessary for the academic writer to be logic and sound precise and convinced in what he or she writes and develops. Quotes, supporting statements or evidence are not appropriate for the conclusion since they are perceived as new ideas, to some extent. While referring to the structure of a research paper, it is necessary to know there is a reference part of this type of writing.
Therefore, all the used material has to be supported in the body part of the writing through referencing the sources in a proper manner (it depends what citation style is obligatory for personally your type of a research paper).
Graduates are those students who have already worked with a number of research papers. So, it is not a secret for them that each type of writing possesses a number of clichés. These are phrases which assist in defining the level of formality. For instance, some papers demand personal pronouns, some not – these are cliché, to some extent.
If you start working with a research paper, the first and foremost thing to do is to refer to the formal clichés concerning your type of a research paper. They will serve as linking words and phrases to bind all the ideas raised in the paper. Some clichés are used with a range of contractions or abbreviations.
Even though they are clichés, they are not to use in a formal type of writing such as a research paper. Therefore, as a writer, you have to pay attention to ‘don’t,’ ‘won’t,’ ‘hasn’t,’ try to use the full form. Some traditional phrases consist of colloquial vocabulary. Words and phrases which are constantly used in everyday spoken language are meant.
Be careful with them while using cliché phrases. Those who are appropriate for opinion essays are out-of-use for the master’s thesis. Moreover, if you want to develop your own style of writing, do not refer to the usage of idioms, while working with a research paper. Idiomatic phrases show the level of the language development, but the academic sphere is not the niche to show it.
Can you Use Rhetorical Questions in a Research Paper?
A rhetorical question is the specific type of interrogation which does not demand the urgent and precise answer; it rather leaves something to think over. Not all types of research papers are appropriate to be with a rhetorical question. A perfect example of the research paper which approves the usage of a rhetorical question is the one about social matters. You may ask a rhetorical question at the end if it meets the purpose of the paper.
The rhetorical question is usually bound with a research question; it may even be the same version of it. Remember, a research question is placed in the introduction part of a research. When you place the rhetorical question in the conclusion part, make sure your research paper reveals the evidence in the body for answering it.
The deductive manner is developed here which shows that your research paper is logically developed and used for the academic community. If it is allowed by the rules concerning your type of a research paper, you may briefly summarize the answer after the stated question. However, you have to be careful with rhetorical questions at the end of the research paper since they may be inappropriate. Readers are not that audience which is thoroughly chosen, and they do not usually demonstrate conversance in a particular topic of your research.
You do not have to take risks with rhetorical questions since you can be misunderstood and your academic work will leave a bad opinion. If you have strong will to place the question, do not perform it in the interrogative form, try to turn it in a way that it sounds formal and it is affirmative. It would serve as a hint for the reader.
The topicality will be evident since the reader feels the necessity to think over the issue. The practical relevance to the contemporary usage will become urgent. All the preceding information is of the utmost importance since it helps you, as a writer, to save precious time on the work itself omitting pitfalls and mistakes.
This article is useful for the academic writers due to the fact that it raises the most worrying aspect of a research paper – a question. As you may now understand, questions are possible to use in a research paper; everything depends on the type of a question, its mode, and place in the research paper. The only thing a research paper writer has to do is to be careful with addressing the reader with a question. Since the audience can be different, therefore, the academic paper has to be multi-perspective and topical.
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Write By Example Of This The Question Research Proposal
Type of paper: Research Proposal
Topic: Students , English , Performance , Writing , Study , University , Testing , Relationships
Words: 1600
Published: 03/08/2023
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The IELTS test is one of the most significant single measures of student ESL skills, as it relates to class placement, program acceptance and more. As such, I feel that it is imperative that these tests accurately measure skill and predict performance. Members of the educational community should be concerned with this question, because it directly impacts international enrollment and student success, as well as graduation rates, and program acceptance. The findings derived from the study could be used to improve program criteria, or testing approach in order to increase accuracy of placement, and improve student performance, among non-native speakers of English who are applying to English speaking university programs.
The question has been posited: Is the IELTS written test a valid predictor of student performance, or a meaningful guide for student acceptance and placement, within the University setting? This question will specifically focus on the relationship between “band scores”, or score range that a student is awarded when taking the writing portion of the IELTS, and student performance and outcomes, both with regard to university admission and with regard to in-class performance. I predict that the study will uncover significant flaws in the IELTS, and will demonstrate a need for more accurate assessment in order to appropriately place students, and improve their success at the academic level. This is based both of evidence uncovered in the literature review, and in my casual observation of students who have taken the IELTS, and who have been incorrectly placed as a result of their scores.
Literature Review
There has been an active field of research surrounding the accuracy and efficacy of the IELTS writing test. One significant area of research is related to the IELTS writing test’s ability to predict University Performance. One such study, by Trish Cooper (2014) asks whether or not there is a correlative relationship between the IELTS writing scores and classroom performance. Cooper’s study takes aim at creating meaningful data around the way that IELT scores are used to make high stakes decisions in the University setting, including being used to determine what a student is actually capable of, and to what degree educators can expect them to engage in academic level writing. The study found that the IELTS writing task was far more accurate at, or had more in common with, discourse skills, or oral language patterns, than it did with the language patterns in typical written discourse. These findings indicated that this demonstrates that the IELTS Task 2 writing assessment is not a valid predictor of a student’s university performance, as it relates to first year writing tasks (Cooper, 2014). Similarly. Vicki Feast (2002) studied the relationship between university performance and IELTS scores, going a step beyond Cooper, in order to establish a causative, rather than correlative relationship. In Feast’s (2002) study a strong positive relationship was established between IELTS test score, and University performance as measured by GPA. As such, the study recommended, in direct opposition to Cooper’s findings, that an increase in minimum English Proficiency as measured by the IELTS could actually improve student performance at the graduate and post-graduate level, by correctly predicting student success and readiness. These studies can be more completely understood through the theoretical lens provided by Cyril Weir (2005), who stated that context validity should be considered both with regard to context, and with regard to known theory. The test’s context must be statistically considered as it relates to not only performance conditions, but also operations (p.56). Theory, in contrast, looks at construct validity, and uses relationships to address the constructs ability to measure those relationships, (Weir, 2005). Bearing these things in mind, and given the difference of opinion based on basic correlation, it is significant to consider the work which has been done to determine what the core relationships are between IELTS writing tests and student writing performance, or academic ability. One study by Amanda Muller (2015), meaningfully demonstrates that IELTS score does not always accurately reflect academic performance level of students. It quantitatively considers the gap between what is demonstrated in standardized testing, and what students are actually capable of doing within the academic classroom. Similarly, a study by Moore & Morton (2005), like Muller, considered the gap between IELTS and performance, but rather, this considers the gap between IELTS testing strategy and classroom tasks. In other words, it considers the way in which IELTS measures a different set of skills than academic work. This is very significant to our study. If the tasks are comparable then we should see a strong correlation in the data that we collect in our research process, but if they are not comparable then we will see variance, which is indicative of a major flaw in the testing system. More specifically relating to the issues of both the correlation and the performance findings, it could be said that the testing system is flawed and in need of redesign. Uysal (2010) completed a critical review of the IELTS test, giving special attention to various flaws in the testing procedure which could lead to a lack of reliability and trying to determine whether or not they have created unreliability in practice. He also provides suggestions for changes that should be made in order to increase the reliability and usability of the test. This is strong evidence, as our hypothesis suggests, that changes need to be made in order to improve the effectiveness of the test overall.
Proposed Methodology:
The Methodology: My study will be a Quantitative study, because I am interested, from a descriptive statistic standpoint in the relationship between performance in English and Major related coursework and the performance that students have on the IELTS test. The Qualitative data that would be related might tell me more about how students feel about their performance in each scenario, but would not provide me a numeric comparison of measurable performance. I think that Quantitative data will show whether or not the IELTS is serving its purpose, and correctly predicting student success in these two main areas: English related coursework, and field of interest.
Written IELTS test score and performance in English 101/ entry level English class based on percentage grade in the course, and performance in entry level class in the student’s degree area, based on percentage grade in the course. The IELTS score will be measured by band scored. The bands of interest are likely to be between 5 and 8, with most students falling in the 6.0 to 7.5 range of bands.
Discussion of Possible Outcome:
While it is possible that we will find that this is accurate and meets the needs of students, universities, and professors, I think it more likely that we will discover critical flaws that need addressed with regard to both accuracy and use. In either case, the findings will be significant in determining the future of collegiate program. For example, the validity of the test is integral in setting admission requirements, establishing course level which a student can be admitted into, and in establishing remediation for certain low preforming students. If it is discovered that it is accurate and meets student’s needs, then there is no need to revamp current testing and admission strategies, and current performance markers will be fully supported, and can be considered best practice, with supporting evidence of efficacy. However, if the findings indicate that the testing program is not appropriately measuring student performance, and is contributing to the misplacement of students within the academic setting, then the testing, or the way the tests are used needs to be improved in such a way that it increases the level of student success overall.
Sample Survey:
Age: _________________________________________________________________________ Country of Citizenship: __________________________________________________________ IELTS Score: _________________________________________________________________ Current GPA: __________________________________________________________________ Average grade in majors area courses: ______________________________________________ Average grade in general requirements and electives: __________________________________ How did you prepare for the IELTS Test: ___________________________________________ How do you feel that the test relates to coursework: ____________________________________ What would you like to see change ? ________________________________________________ Do you feel your IELTS score correctly placed you in the program ? ______________________ IQ Test Results: ____________________________________________ Other placement tests results:______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________
References:
Cooper, Trish. "Can IELTS Writing Scores Predict University Performance? Comparing the Use of Lexical Bundles in IELTS Writing Tests and First-year Academic Writing." Stellenbosch Papers in Linguistics Plus 42.0 (2014): 63. Web. Feast, Vicki. “The Impact of IELTS scores on performance at University. International Education Journal Vol 3, No 4, 2002. Print. Moore, Tim, and Janne Morton. "Dimensions of Difference: A Comparison of University Writing and IELTS Writing." Journal of English for Academic Purposes 4.1 (2005): 43-66. Web. Müller, Amanda. "The Differences In Error Rate And Type Between IELTS Writing Bands And Their Impact On Academic Workload." Higher Education Research & Development 34.6 (2015): 1207-1219. Academic Search Complete. Web. 9 Mar. 2016. Uysal, Hacer Hande. "A Critical Review Of The IELTS Writing Test." ELT Journal: English Language Teaching Journal 64.3 (2010): 314-320. Academic Search Complete. Web. 9 Mar. 2016. Weir, C. Language Testing and Validation. 2005. New York: Springer.
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Research Paper Question
The purpose of the paper.
One of the major parts of developing any research paper is defining the research paper question.
This article is a part of the guide:
- Outline Examples
- Example of a Paper
- Write a Hypothesis
- Introduction
Browse Full Outline
- 1 Write a Research Paper
- 2 Writing a Paper
- 3.1 Write an Outline
- 3.2 Outline Examples
- 4.1 Thesis Statement
- 4.2 Write a Hypothesis
- 5.2 Abstract
- 5.3 Introduction
- 5.4 Methods
- 5.5 Results
- 5.6 Discussion
- 5.7 Conclusion
- 5.8 Bibliography
- 6.1 Table of Contents
- 6.2 Acknowledgements
- 6.3 Appendix
- 7.1 In Text Citations
- 7.2 Footnotes
- 7.3.1 Floating Blocks
- 7.4 Example of a Paper
- 7.5 Example of a Paper 2
- 7.6.1 Citations
- 7.7.1 Writing Style
- 7.7.2 Citations
- 8.1.1 Sham Peer Review
- 8.1.2 Advantages
- 8.1.3 Disadvantages
- 8.2 Publication Bias
- 8.3.1 Journal Rejection
- 9.1 Article Writing
- 9.2 Ideas for Topics
In an experiment-based project, this question naturally leads onto a hypothesis .
For a more review -based paper, such as an essay, it will lead to a thesis statement .
When trying to define the research paper purpose, you should brainstorm a few ideas , which will help you to develop a research question that is relevant, interesting and novel. Some ideas are:
- What are the most important research questions in my discipline, and are there any particular areas that are ripe for further exploration?
- Will my research lead to a greater understanding, and fill a gap in current knowledge?
- Has my literature review turned up a wealth of relevant information in this area?
- Am I replicating a previous study? If I am, in what ways am I improving and refining the research?
- Is this research at the cutting edge of science or is it in an area that is fading out of relevance?
- Is my research question going to have a meaningful impact on the field?
Obviously, for a short-term research project, you do not have to answer yes to all of these questions or be as rigorous.
For a dissertation or thesis, these are just some of the possible questions, and for research scientists submitting a proposal, affirmative answers to all these questions are the bare minimum for receiving a research grant .

Narrowing Down the Research Paper Question
A general research question will usually be based around 'why' or 'how' a certain phenomenon is happening.
An example of a good general research statement could be:
'What is causing deforestation in the Amazon rainforest?'
This statement is based around a review of the literature, which shows that the Amazon rainforest surface area is shrinking rapidly. You can use this fact as a starting point and a basic assumption upon which to build your research project.
Whilst many researchers have postulated reasons for this, there is no clear consensus about what factor, or combination of factors, is contributing to the environmental and ecological damage. Now you need to narrow down the broad question, ideally moving towards a hypothesis or thesis question .
For example, looking at the above general question, you could arrive at:
'Is intensive agriculture the major cause of deforestation in the Amazon?'
'Is the logging industry the major cause of deforestation in the Amazon?'
'Is global warming the major cause of deforestation in the Amazon?'
Once you have a good research paper question , you can then begin to generate a testable hypothesis or research question , and construct your paper around this.
At the end of the research, you will be able to refer your results and discussion back to the research paper question, adding a little more information to the store of human knowledge.
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Martyn Shuttleworth (Oct 18, 2009). Research Paper Question. Retrieved Mar 13, 2023 from Explorable.com: https://explorable.com/research-paper-question
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3 Questions: Mriganka Sur on the research origins of the first approved drug to treat Rett syndrome
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Rett syndrome is a devastating developmental disorder, principally occurring in girls, caused by mutations in the gene MECP2 that leads to severe cognitive, motor, and other symptoms. As such, the March 10 approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of the first-ever treatment for the disorder, a drug called Trofinetide based on the natural protein IGF-1, brings new hope to patients and their families.
The approval is also a dream come true for Mriganka Sur , Newton Professor of Neuroscience in The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory and the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT. His lab’s preclinical discoveries in mice, particularly a highly influential paper published in 2009, provided the first demonstration that injecting IGF-1 or its peptide fragment could reverse the effects of reduced or altered MECP2. This provided a mechanism-based rationale for IGF-1 as a potential therapeutic intervention . And Sur’s lab has never stopped studying Rett syndrome since.
The research began nearly 20 years ago when his lab was studying a famous phenomenon in neuroscience: When an animal’s eye is blocked during a critical period of development, the brain shifts neural connections called synapses to devote more brainpower to the unblocked eye. Sur’s lab investigated the molecules involved in this flexibility, or “ocular dominance plasticity,” and discovered IGF-1’s role. Here, Sur discusses his Rett syndrome research.
Q: How did your lab discover that IGF-1 might be a potential Rett syndrome therapeutic?
A: We decided to study the molecular basis of ocular dominance plasticity using a large-scale, unbiased screen. An interesting gene set that changed when an eye was closed was the IGF-1 gene set named for the growth factor IGF-1. When we checked one week after closing the eye, a binding protein for IGF-1 had gone up. It soaked up a lot of IGF-1. That suggested that to make connections change you must decrease molecules like IGF-1.
This was published in a paper in 2006 in Nature Neuroscience , where Daniela Tropea, who was a postdoc in the lab, led the experiments. The icing on the cake was when Daniela delivered a peptide form of IGF-1 to the brain. When she did that and closed the eye, thereby overcoming the reduction of IGF-1, then this shift of synapses did not happen. The addition of IGF-1 into the brain stabilized synapses and made them resistant to change, essentially making them adult-like.
In 2007 the lab of Adrian Bird in Edinburgh made a mouse line in which they could keep MECP2 in check for the first five or six weeks of life, so that the mice began to develop Rett syndrome-like symptoms. But then Adrian's lab turned the gene back on and the mice largely recovered. I was immediately struck by this discovery. It showed that Rett syndrome is not a disorder of degeneration, it is a disorder of aberrant and even abnormally prolonged development: :oss of MeCP2 likely reduces molecules that the brain requires for normal development, but adding back these molecules could enable the brain to develop normally, at least to some extent.
The developing brain shows pronounced plasticity, as demonstrated by ocular dominance plasticity in visual cortex. This plasticity occurs only during early life, and not later. If mice missing MECP2 had aberrantly prolonged development, they should show this plasticity later in life as well. Daniela and I decided to do an experiment to test this idea. We asked whether we could use our visual cortex paradigm to ask, is there prolonged plasticity into adulthood in Rett model mice and can we reverse it by adding IGF-1? We did this using Rett model mice from the lab of Rudolf Jaenisch at the Whitehead Institute [for Biomedical Research].
Unlike in normal mice, where there is only a critical time window of plasticity in the visual cortex, Rett model mice showed an effect of closing one eye even in adulthood. We immediately then asked, is there reduced IGF-1 in the brain? And there was, and there was increased IGF-1 binding protein. These mice were in a state of perpetual plasticity.
We reasoned if we could give adult Rett model mice a peptide form of IGF-1 via injection the effect of this perpetual plasticity should go away, meaning that the animals should not show an effect of the eye being closed — as occurs when mice normally mature. And that’s what happened. We showed that IGF-1 peptide increased expression of a number of synaptic molecules and made excitatory synapses stronger. This provided a powerful mechanism for explaining the effects of the drug. Finally we asked, do the mice do better in other ways? We found that the mice lived longer, that they moved better and other symptoms improved.
We published that discovery in 2009 in PNAS : In a mouse model we showed that by understanding the molecules underlying Rett syndrome’s prolonged development and plasticity we could intervene to potentially offset the molecular and synaptic deficits and treat the disorder. This is the foundational discovery behind Trofinetide and its mechanism of action in Rett syndrome.
Q: Tell us about your lab’s continued work on fundamental mechanisms of Rett syndrome?
A: We’ve never stopped working on Rett syndrome. It’s a devastating disorder, and there is certainly still much left to learn.
In 2014 we published another paper in PNAS showing that doses of recombinant human IGF1 were effective in mice. And I was also the co-author in that same journal later that year showing encouraging results in a small human clinical trial.
We’ve also done more research, right up to the present day, to understand the fundamental mechanisms of how the genetic mutations perturb brain development. In 2017 using induced stem cell cultures derived from patients and normal subjects, we found that when MECP2 is lacking, microRNAs critical to proper brain development become misregulated. Overexpression of the microRNAs prevented new neurons from being born, whereas inhibiting the microRNAs enabled healthy neural birth. This was a surprisingly early effect of Rett syndrome that we demonstrated directly in human neurons and their progenitors.
Last year we used an innovative combination of advanced imaging methods and human stem cell-derived organoids to show that in Rett syndrome, the migration of neurons to the cerebral cortex becomes much slower and highly erratic. These discoveries led to the sobering realization that there can be very early changes in brain development due to the genetic mutations of Rett syndrome.
Q: What is the significance of seeing this basic research achieve clinical utility and impact?
A: By studying plasticity in normal mice and the fundamental mechanisms by which synapses change, and hence change brain function and behavior, we moved into analyzing the effect of a gene that underlies a devastating brain disorder. IGF-1 peptide has become the very first molecule to reach this stage for any developmental brain disorder in that it is a mechanism-based therapeutic. Based on an animal model and doing the mechanistic analysis of why does the gene affect the brain and how might we offset it, we set the course for the first drug to treat Rett syndrome.
A lot of the early work was Daniela’s insight in terms of how to think about basic mechanisms of developmental plasticity and apply them to brain disorders. This was completely uncharted territory as to whether plasticity would be a phenomenon underlying developmental disorders, and whether the visual cortex in the mouse could then model the disorder. And finally we had the idea that a molecule that has a role in regulating this plasticity can be applied to the disorder. Many ideas in science don’t work out, but this one did. Several people from my lab participated in the discovery. We also could not have tested these ideas without our collaboration with Rudolf Jaenisch and his lab. He was very generous with his lab’s resources — we had no grant funds for this work at that time — and our labs have now collaborated on several studies since then.
It is the dream of every neuroscientist to have an impact on the world in some way. And this is my dream come true!
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Advanced imaging reveals mired migration of neurons in Rett syndrome lab models

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How To Write a Research Question

Academic writing and research require a distinct focus and direction. A well-designed research question gives purpose and clarity to your research. In addition, it helps your readers understand the issue you are trying to address and explore.
Every time you want to know more about a subject, you will pose a question. The same idea is used in research as well. You must pose a question in order to effectively address a research problem. That's why the research question is an integral part of the research process. Additionally, it offers the author writing and reading guidelines, be it qualitative research or quantitative research.
In your research paper, you must single out just one issue or problem. The specific issue or claim you wish to address should be included in your thesis statement in order to clarify your main argument.
A good research question must have the following characteristics.

- Should include only one problem in the research question
- Should be able to find the answer using primary data and secondary data sources
- Should be possible to resolve within the given time and other constraints
- Detailed and in-depth results should be achievable
- Should be relevant and realistic.
- It should relate to your chosen area of research
While a larger project, like a thesis, might have several research questions to address, each one should be directed at your main area of study. Of course, you can use different research designs and research methods (qualitative research or quantitative research) to address various research questions. However, they must all be pertinent to the study's objectives.
What is a Research Question?

A research question is an inquiry that the research attempts to answer. It is the heart of the systematic investigation. Research questions are the most important step in any research project. In essence, it initiates the research project and establishes the pace for the specific research A research question is:
- Clear : It provides enough detail that the audience understands its purpose without any additional explanation.
- Focused : It is so specific that it can be addressed within the time constraints of the writing task.
- Succinct: It is written in the shortest possible words.
- Complex : It is not possible to answer it with a "yes" or "no", but requires analysis and synthesis of ideas before somebody can create a solution.
- Argumental : Its potential answers are open for debate rather than accepted facts.
A good research question usually focuses on the research and determines the research design, methodology, and hypothesis. It guides all phases of inquiry, data collection, analysis, and reporting. You should gather valuable information by asking the right questions.
Why are Research Questions so important?
Regardless of whether it is a qualitative research or quantitative research project, research questions provide writers and their audience with a way to navigate the writing and research process. Writers can avoid "all-about" papers by asking straightforward and specific research questions that help them focus on their research and support a specific thesis.
Types of Research Questions

There are two types of research: Qualitative research and Quantitative research . There must be research questions for every type of research. Your research question will be based on the type of research you want to conduct and the type of data collection.
The first step in designing research involves identifying a gap and creating a focused research question.
Below is a list of common research questions that can be used in a dissertation. Keep in mind that these are merely illustrations of typical research questions used in dissertation projects. The real research questions themselves might be more difficult.
Example Research Questions

The following are a few examples of research questions and research problems to help you understand how research questions can be created for a particular research problem.
Steps to Write Research Questions

You can focus on the issue or research gaps you're attempting to solve by using the research questions as a direction.
If you're unsure how to go about writing a good research question, these are the steps to follow in the process:
- Select an interesting topic Always choose a topic that interests you. Because if your curiosity isn’t aroused by a subject, you’ll have a hard time conducting research around it. Alos, it’s better that you pick something that’s neither too narrow or too broad.
- Do preliminary research on the topic Search for relevant literature to gauge what problems have already been tackled by scholars. You can do that conveniently through repositories like Scispace , where you’ll find millions of papers in one place. Once you do find the papers you’re looking for, try our reading assistant, SciSpace Copilot to get simple explanations for the paper. You’ll be able to quickly understand the abstract, find the key takeaways, and the main arguments presented in the paper. This will give you a more contextual understanding of your subject and you’ll have an easier time identifying knowledge gaps in your discipline.
- Consider your audience It is essential to understand your audience to develop focused research questions for essays or dissertations. When narrowing down your topic, you can identify aspects that might interest your audience.
- Ask questions Asking questions will give you a deeper understanding of the topic. Evaluate your question through the What, Why, When, How, and other open-ended questions assessment.
- Assess your question Once you have created a research question, assess its effectiveness to determine if it is useful for the purpose. Refine and revise the dissertation research question multiple times.
Additionally, use this list of questions as a guide when formulating your research question.
Are you able to answer a specific research question? After identifying a gap in research, it would be helpful to formulate the research question. And this will allow the research to solve a part of the problem. Is your research question clear and centered on the main topic? It is important that your research question should be specific and related to your central goal. Are you tackling a difficult research question? It is not possible to answer the research question with a simple yes or no. The problem requires in-depth analysis. It is often started with "How" and "Why."
Start your research Once you have completed your dissertation research questions, it is time to review the literature on similar topics to discover different perspectives.
Strong Research Question Samples
Uncertain: How should social networking sites work on the hatred that flows through their platform?
Certain: What should social media sites like Twitter or Facebook do to address the harm they are causing?
This unclear question does not specify the social networking sites that are being used or what harm they might be causing. In addition, this question assumes that the "harm" has been proven and/or accepted. This version is more specific and identifies the sites (Twitter, Facebook), the type and extent of harm (privacy concerns), and who might be suffering from that harm (users). Effective research questions should not be ambiguous or interpreted.
Unfocused: What are the effects of global warming on the environment?
Focused: What are the most important effects of glacial melting in Antarctica on penguins' lives?
This broad research question cannot be addressed in a book, let alone a college-level paper. Focused research targets a specific effect of global heating (glacial melting), an area (Antarctica), or a specific animal (penguins). The writer must also decide which effect will have the greatest impact on the animals affected. If in doubt, narrow down your research question to the most specific possible.
Too Simple: What are the U.S. doctors doing to treat diabetes?
Appropriately complex: Which factors, if any, are most likely to predict a person's risk of developing diabetes?
This simple version can be found online. It is easy to answer with a few facts. The second, more complicated version of this question is divided into two parts. It is thought-provoking and requires extensive investigation as well as evaluation by the author. So, ensure that a quick Google search should not answer your research question.
How to write a strong Research Question?

The foundation of all research is the research question. You should therefore spend as much time as necessary to refine your research question based on various data.
You can conduct your research more efficiently and analyze your results better if you have great research questions for your dissertation, research paper, or essay.
The following criteria can help you evaluate the strength and importance of your research question and can be used to determine the strength of your research question:
- Researchable
- It should only cover one issue.
- A subjective judgment should not be included in the question.
- It can be answered with data analysis and research.
- Specific and Practical
- It should not contain a plan of action, policy, or solution.
- It should be clearly defined
- Within research limits
- Complex and Arguable
- It shouldn't be difficult to answer.
- To find the truth, you need in-depth knowledge
- Allows for discussion and deliberation
- Original and Relevant
- It should be in your area of study
- Its results should be measurable
- It should be original
Conclusion - How to write Research Questions?
Research questions provide a clear guideline for research. One research question may be part of a larger project, such as a dissertation. However, each question should only focus on one topic.
Research questions must be answerable, practical, specific, and applicable to your field. The research type that you use to base your research questions on will determine the research topic. You can start by selecting an interesting topic and doing preliminary research. Then, you can begin asking questions, evaluating your questions, and start your research.
Now it's easier than ever to streamline your research workflow with SciSpace . Its integrated, comprehensive end-to-end platform for research allows scholars to easily discover, read, write and publish their research and fosters collaboration.
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Research Questions: Definition, Types, and How to Write One
by Antony W
March 10, 2023

If you’re looking for the complete guide to research questions, this article is for you. In this in-depth post, you’ll learn:
- 1 The right way to develop research questions for your studies
- 2 What research questions are
- 3 The elements of a good research question
Plus, we’ll provide some example of research questions in the last section of this guide to make everything clear.
Keep in mind that coming up with relevant research questions is the first step to writing a killer thesis, a dissertation, or research paper .
The question you come up with should not only provide a path for the research and writing process, but also help you to about being generic and focus on an arguable, specific concept instead.
What are Research Questions?

A research question is the main focus of a research project. By definition, this is the question around which you’ll center your research writing.
Good research question should be:
- 1 Clear and easy to understand without the need for additional explanation
- 2 Relevant to your field of study
- 3 Arguable and open for debate, not acceptable as fast
- 4 Focused enough so you can answer it thoroughly and concisely in fewest words possible
- 5 Feasible enough to answer with practical constraint and timeframe
- 6 Complex that it requires synthesizing, analysis of ideas, and sources and citation before arrive to an answer
A research question may be around an issue that you’re either curious or passionate about. In some cases, your instructor may give you a topic for your research project.
Either way, you’ll have to develop relevant research questions and pick the most relevant one for the project.
Types of Research Questions

There are two main type of research questions. These are qualitative and quantitative research questions. Each of the type has other subtypes, and we discuss them below:
Qualitative Research Questions
This type of research question focuses on exploring meaning and experience.
It focuses on a larger group and seeks to understand a concept or experiment. It's open ended in structure as it focuses more on the experiences of more than one person.
Formulate questions from data collected from case studies, focus groups, and surveys.
Type of Qualitative Research Questions
There are three types of qualitative research questions and they are as follows:
Exploratory Questions
The type of question you ask because you want to understand a topic.
These kind of questions don’t require a preconceived notions or bias. You ask because you want to understand a topic.
Examples:

Interpretative Questions
We come up with these kind of questions because we want to learn and understand how a group of people view and interpret shared experiences.
Plus, the question focuses on how they attribute those experiences to different phenomena in life.
When you ask this kind of question, you’re mainly interested in understanding the feedback on a group’s behavior.

Predictive Questions
Predictive questions are the kind you ask if you’re concerned about the future outcome of an event or an action.
As a researcher, you’ll use the past information to predict reaction to an event.

Quantitative Research Questions
Here, researchers use empirical evidence and measurable data to give an explanation for an occurrence.
This one is common in historical, statistical, marketing and psychical research studies.
Often used to confirm or disapprove a hypothesis through comparisons, descriptions, and relationships.
Types of Quantitative Research Questions
Relationship-based questions .
Relationship based questions are the ones you ask if you want to know the effect of two or more variables on one of more groups.
From a statistics viewpoint, relationship-based questions fall in the experimental research design where we measure the cause and effect between two or more variables.
It’s different in dissertation, especially at the undergraduate and master’s level, as the questions are often based on quasi-experimental and relationship-based research design. In this case, it’s impossible to account for casual relationship between variables. There are only trends and associations.
We start relationship-based research questions with the phrase “what is the relationship?” followed by the terms “between or amongst”. Then we list an independent and a dependent variable.

Descriptive Questions
If you want to know why, how, when, or where something occurred, then you should use descriptive questions.
This is where you use question phrases such as “what proportion?”, “how often?”, “how much?”, and “what percentage?” to quantify the variable under examination.
You’ll have to use data and stats to describe an event, a group of people or things, or a phenomenon.

Comparative Questions
These are the types of questions to ask when you want to compare one occurrence or group with another.
Your goal is to examine the difference between groups on one or more variables. This type of research question will start with the phrase “What’s the difference in?” followed by the dependent variable.
More often than not, a comparative research question uses a single dependent variable when comparing concepts or groups, but it’s also common to come across some complex questions in which case the dependent variable consists of two or more items.
Example:

How to Develop Write Research Questions
Now that you know the different types of research questions, let’s see how you can come up with a best research question for your study.

Step #1: Identify and Start with a Broad Topic
We recommend you start with a broad topic because it gives you the opportunity to explore plenty of avenues that you can use to come up with as many research questions as possible.
By going broad, it becomes easier to find a topic, develop it into subtopics, and then come up with potential questions or your research project. At this stage, you should pay more attention to brainstorming and mapping your concept while organizing your thoughts at the same time.
Don’t choose a broad topic based on its popularity. Instead, make sure the area of study is something you are passionate about and genuinely interested in examining. At the end of the day, you don’t want to focus on a topic that will demotivate your level of research when you’re even barely halfway the job.
Step #2: Do In-depth Preliminary Research for Your Topic
Start doing preliminary research on the broad topic that you chose in step 1.
Here, your goal is to discover issues that scholars and researchers discuss so you’re up to date on the topic.
Also, this is the stage where you identify gaps and limits on the current knowledge of the topic. Often, these gaps make the best focus area for research questions.
Step #3: Narrow Down the Topic, Then Pick Research Questions
You’ve gathered a lot of information in step 2.
Now it’s time to narrow down the topic to a more specific area of the study. While you have many options here, we recommend that it’s best to focus on the existing gaps that you identified in the previous step.
Here, you’re using the gap spotting approach first developed by Alvesson and Sandberg in 2011 to come up with research questions that touch deeply on the areas of study that researchers have overlooked.
You can use your personal experiences to develop a research question. According to Lipowski, a researcher can identify problematic areas of their practice and come up with questions to address.
Alvesson even provides a problematization technique, which mainly allows you to challenge and scrutinize a theoretical position, makes it easy for you to come up with research questions that can easily challenge your knowledge and view of the area of study.
Step #4: Determine the Relevance of Your Research Question
You have a number of research questions at this stage already, but not all of them are sound to begin with.
So how do you know you have a good research question? You do that by using the FINER criteria developed by Hulley Et Al in 2007.
In other words, your research questions should be:
- Feasible : Do you really have the ability to investigate the topic and come up with realistic results? What contingency plans do you have in case your research on the question flops?
- Interesting : Pick the research question that’s not only easy to investigate but also interesting for you and the community to study.
- Novel : If the research question you’ve picked can unveil new insights to the field of study, then you should give it the utmost priority.
- Ethical : Can the review board and authorities approve your research question? It means that being ethical with your question is an important consideration in determining whether it’s a good research question to pursue.
- Relevant : If the topic is relevant to the scientific community, your area of study, and the people involved, then it’s a good one. It even helps if the question aligns with the public’s interest.
Step #5: Construct Your Research Question
The last step in developing a research question is to use the right framework to structure the question properly.
While there are many research question frameworks that you can use, the PICOT and PEO are the most commonly used.
Using the PICOT Framework

Using the PEO Framework
About the author
Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.
Question about ChatGPT and academic misconduct

But he is using chatgpt (I have reasonable believes, like detectors) in his part of the work. I do not think I want to or able to write his part. So now we either submit it with GPT content in it or without (that means we will have a very crapy introduction). I think the best way is to somehow convince him?
How is this even a question? Including thoughts or words that are not your own, without proper citation, is plagiarism.
My prof said it is in grey are. And with that being said, if I acknowledge those, is it still? (As chatgpt cannot be “cited” I could only put it in acknowledgment
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The exact form of your question will depend on a few things, such as the length of your project, the type of research you're conducting, the topic, and the research problem. However, all research questions should be focused, specific, and relevant to a timely social or scholarly issue.
Below are the three most important factors to consider to make sure you choose the best research paper topics. #1: It's Something You're Interested In A paper is always easier to write if you're interested in the topic, and you'll be more motivated to do in-depth research and write a paper that really covers the entire subject.
What is a Good Research Paper Topic? Features that tend to characterize good research questions are as follows: specific and concrete - investigation goals and (expected results) have to be clear and focused original - investigating aspects/ entities/ relationships that have not been researched before
For a research paper, an abstract typically answers these questions: Purpose: What is the nature of your topic/study and why did you do it? Methods: What did you do, and how? Results: What were your most important findings? What is the title of Chapter 1 in research? THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND
Here are the 6 important types of research questions that you should know about when creating it for your research paper. Exploratory Questions - These questions are designed to explore the question in detail. Predictive Questions - These questions are used to predict the results of the research.
What are research questions ( examples) The importance of alignment in the golden thread What is the "golden thread"? The golden thread simply refers to the collective research aims, research objectives, and research questions for any given project (i.e., a dissertation, thesis, or research paper).
Question 2 - Problem Solving (10 marks) Hansel and Myrtle have been dating for a couple of months. Hansel is an executive at Bica Ltd. Bica Ltd has always been in the oil business, but more recently has decided to make the move to a more green solution and has started investing in Biofuel.
The five steps in this article will help you put together an effective introduction for either type of research paper. Table of contents Step 1: Introduce your topic Step 2: Describe the background Step 3: Establish your research problem Step 4: Specify your objective (s) Step 5: Map out your paper Research paper introduction examples
13 examples of PICOT Questions. PICOT question examples emergency nursing. PICOT question examples pregnancy. PICOT question examples hypertension. PICOT question nurse burnout. PICOT question medication errors. PICOT questions for icu nurses. PICOT question childhood obesity.
1. If you have good research skills, then when you're doing research, you should feel a bit like you are: A. Solving a mystery. B. Designing a puzzle. C. Digging in the ground to retrieve something. D. Classifying books in a research library. 2. What should be your writing persona, when you have finished researching and are writing your paper, ?
Illegal Immigration Research Paper Topics Illegal immigration is a big problem for law enforcement and the national security of many countries. It also often leads to violations of the human rights of the most vulnerable people. Would you like to investigate this for a research paper?
A research question is the question around which you center your research. It should be: clear: it provides enough specifics that one's audience can easily understand its purpose without needing additional explanation. focused: it is narrow enough that it can be answered thoroughly in the space the writing task allows.
This research question or hypothesis that goes into the first section of your research manuscript, the Introduction, explains at least three major elements: a) What is known or believed about the research topic? b) What is still unknown (or problematic)? c) What is the question or hypothesis of your investigation?
Solved by verified expert. For your research paper, you should look for peer-reviewed scholarly articles that analyze the reliability of the number of years in the military (IV) and ever-injected drugs (DV) as measures of accuracy and relevance. You can search for relevant articles in academic databases such as PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science.
As you may now understand, questions are possible to use in a research paper; everything depends on the type of a question, its mode, and place in the research paper. The only thing a research paper writer has to do is to be careful with addressing the reader with a question. Since the audience can be different, therefore, the academic paper ...
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Broadly, a good research question should be relevant, decided, and meaningful (Stone, 2002). Creating a research question can be a tricky process, but there is a specific method you can follow to ease the process. The steps to this method are outlined below: 1. Start with a broad topic.
One of the major parts of developing any research paper is defining the research paper question. In an experiment-based project, this question naturally leads onto a hypothesis. For a more review -based paper, such as an essay, it will lead to a thesis statement. When trying to define the research paper purpose, you should brainstorm a few ...
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How to Write a Research Paper for History Class. One of the most common elements of a history-based course is the dreaded research paper. Generally despised by students due to the tremendous amount of work these assignments require, the research paper has recently become a staple of modern-learning in both high school and college-based settings.
Rett syndrome is a devastating developmental disorder, principally occurring in girls, caused by mutations in the gene MECP2 that leads to severe cognitive, motor, and other symptoms. As such, the March 10 approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of the first-ever treatment for the disorder, a drug called Trofinetide based on the natural protein IGF-1, brings new hope to patients and ...
Since research questions are such a crucial part of a research paper, you'll want to devote a reasonable amount of time and effort to writing them well. The following six steps can guide you through the basic process. Then, in the next section, we'll talk more about how to write a research question that gives your research paper a laser ...
A research question is: Clear: It provides enough detail that the audience understands its purpose without any additional explanation. Focused: It is so specific that it can be addressed within the time constraints of the writing task. Succinct: It is written in the shortest possible words.
A research question is the main focus of a research project. By definition, this is the question around which you'll center your research writing. Good research question should be: 1. Clear and easy to understand without the need for additional explanation. 2. Relevant to your field of study. 3. Arguable and open for debate, not acceptable as ...
Question about ChatGPT and academic misconduct. Edit: my field is computer science. I am a undergrad research assistant and going to publish my first paper. I was always resistant to use chatgpt, however my supervisor encouraged me to do it. He showed me how good the chatgpt is and when he told me to add points he said you could just put them ...