Research Paper Topics.

When considering a research topic, remember three essential points. First, on popular cultural topics, you must know that the more popular the topic area or person, the less you can expect responsible and objective reporting. Thus, no responsible writer seeking the truth will write an essay on Jennifer Anniston and Brad Pitt. You cannot write an essay on them; any materials on these people, at this point, will be biased and will have only one objective: titillating the audience to buy more newspapers or magazines. It would seem, at this point, 50 years after their peak celebrity that one could write a solid paper on Marilyn Monroe or Elvis Presley. Unfortunately, doing so is fraught, still, with difficulties. In most cases, neither intellectual balance, nor objectivity are to be found on these people -- even after all of these years. Now, you can write a solid paper on Frank Sinatra, Presley's precursor as popular crooner. It can be done (though because of the pop-culture angle, a good essay on Billy Eckstein or the Ink Spots would be more easily achievable [yes, I know, it's because you've never heard of Billy Eckstein or the Ink Spots that it is more easily achievable]). In fact, if you come to me, and tell me you wish to write an essay on Marilyn Monroe’s marriage to Joe DiMaggio, I will seriously discourage you.

Second, your general tendency will be wish to write on broad topics and on broad issues. Please do not do so. For research papers to be successful, they must offer particularized and detailed information and insights. Thus, if you're going to write that essay on Frank Sinatra, your tendency will be to want to write on his Big Band years. No, that's still too broad. Instead, focus on a time frame (1936-1938) or action frame (Sinatra's disputes with two band leaders). In the first instance noticed what a vague, generalized thesis statement results (" Sinatra's Big Band years were filled with adulation and glory, but were trying personally" -- not really too bad, but still, a bit vague). In the second instance notice how much more interesting the thesis statement becomes, because the topic is sufficiently focused ("In 1936, Sinatra's name became a household word -- he made ‘Night and Day’ an eternal standard; however, his personal successes were offset by the rising demons that would plague the next 15 years of his life: gambling and women” --much better, the time frame allows you to investigate these two addictions in a more concentrated form).”

Thirdly, if you intend to use Questia, you must understand its advantages and liabilities. Its strengths lie in academic areas at some distance in the past. The material in Questia will be much better on John Barrymore than on Marilyn Monroe [Again, you've never heard of John Barrymore -- probably -- that's why Questia will give you better information, and investigating his life, you will come up with a more interesting research paper, more interesting for your reader and for yourself.] “ALTHOUGH MORE TALENTED THAN EITHER HIS BROTHER LIONEL OR SISTER ETHEL, JOHN BARRYMORE’S CAREER WAS MORE TRUNCATED; ALTHOUGH ALCOHOL -- THE MOST FAMOUS CULPRIT -- WAS A SIGNIFICANT, CONTRIBUTING FACTOR, REALLY, JOHN BARRYMORE'S BOUTS OF SELF-DELUSION INSURED HIS DEMISE.”

Consider areas for research that are nonstandard. One of the most interesting research papers, I ever received was on the origin and smooth running of the vacuum cleaner. Here are two or three, apparently random topics, but they're not. Take for instance, THE PRINTING PRESS PROVED MOST POPULAR, MOST IMMEDIATELY, IN THE COUNTRY OF ___________________, AND HERE IS WHY. Or think about, THE NATURE AND MAKE UP OF TIRE RUBBER HAS CHANGED SINCE THE DAYS OF HENRY FORD BECAUSE ________________________. And here's one more:

MILAN EMERGED AS A FASHION CENTER IN THE 1950S FOR THREE ECONOMIC REASONS. Let the Internet help you at this juncture. It is in this area, of idea searching, it is a particular help.

Let me give you some areas that might both be interesting to you and yield successful topics.

Architecture -- i.e., How the computer has changed the architect’s profession?

Dance -- i.e., What Happened to the Mambo?

Crops -- i.e., Harvesting Potatoes

Philosophy -- i.e., Hume’s Most Difficult Question

Flowers -- i.e., What Makes the Orchid Different? (May be too broad)

Colleges – i.e., William Marsh Rice’s Will

Sports -- i.e., Who Introduced The Jump Shot, and Why

Birds -- i.e., Why Penguins live in Antarctica, but not the North Pole

Cars -- i.e., Why the 57 Chevy Is Still so Valuable.

Shoes -- i.e., The First Five Years Of America's First Shoe Factory.

Hurricanes -- i.e., Florida's Worst Hurricane.

Pianos -- i.e., Four Steps in Tuning A Piano.

Diet -- i.e., Do Alaskan Natives Really Subsist On Whale Blubber?

The Seminary -- i.e., Why Did Saint Mary’s Seminary Move?

Photography -- i.e., What Were Matthew Brady's Favorite Pictures And Why?

Art – i.e., Why is the portrait Gilbert Stuart painted of George Washington (the one on the dollar bill) unfinished?

Disease -- i.e., What Makes Hepatitis C The Worst Form of the Disease?

Geography -- i.e., The Smallest State Capital of the 50 -- does it work?

Hawaii -- i.e., Are Hawaiian Pineapples Really Better?

St. Agnes -- i.e., Who Is St. Agnes’ most famous Alumnus And Why?

Bricks -- i.e., What Is the Oddest Part Of Brick Manufacturing?

St. Thomas More -- i.e., What Was More's Relationship To His Wife?

Italian -- i.e., The Principal Difference Between the Italian Spoken In Southern and Northern Italy is______________________________ .

Wisdom Teeth -- i.e., What Happened to Wisdom Teeth In the Evolutionary Transit?

Religion -- i.e., What Happened to the Buddha Under the Bodhi Tree?

Education -- i.e., What Is Mainstreaming and why and how is it Important?

Sociology -- i.e., What Would One Expect to Learn With Such a Degree?

National Parks -- i.e., Will Black Bears Really Kill?

Old movies -- i.e., How Did Carol Lombard Die?

Wines -- i.e., How Is Brandy Made?

Germany -- i.e., Why Does the Black Forest Carry That Name?

Championships -- i.e., Why does Stanford University Win so Many Athletic Championships?

Credit Cards -- i.e., What Is Happening with Credit Card Debt, Today?

Saints -- i.e., Mother Teresa's Earliest Years.

Medicine --i.e, How has cancer (breast cancer?) treatment evolved in the last ten years?

Education--i.e., One significant pro/con of reading instruction. Whole language vs. Phonetics.

Health --ie., Is a vegan diet weird or truly superior to one including animal products? (or a vegetarian diet?)

Ethics --i.e., Ethical considerations of animal testing (products/pharmaceuticals).

Early Childhood --i.e., Should the focus of Early Childhood Education (preschool) be on socialization or academics?

Psychology/theology -- i.e., What Does It Mean To Be “My Brother's Keeper,” And What Are the Pros and Cons of Being so or Doing so?

Farming -- i.e., In what kind of soil and weather does the peanut flourish?

Baseball -- i.e., Three famous nicknames: Babe Ruth, Schoolboy Rowe, Ty "The Georgia Peach" Cobb.

Art -- i.e., Why and what circumstances did Andy Warhol say that in future, everyone would be famous for 15 minutes?

Haircutting -- i.e., What happened to the old-fashioned barbershop?

Teaching -- i.e., What happened to the contemporary study of Latin? (May be too broad; see Mr. Zoch)

Persian Rugs -- i.e., How has they’re manufactured changed?

Persian poetry -- i.e., The tomb of Rumi.

Travel -- i.e., Victoria Falls today.

Houston History -- i.e., Incarnate Word's first 20 years.

Candy -- i.e., Who was the first assembly line manufacture of candy?

Books -- i.e., What was the most popular novel of 1928? Is it still in print? If not, why not? (See Mr. Sutter).

Rock-and-Roll -- i.e., How Did American Bandstand get started?

Catholicism -- i.e., Why Do People visit St. Patrick's Cathedral?