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178 Communication Research Topics For Your Paper

Imagine what the world would be without communication! How would we get along? I guess there would be no sense in existing after all. That is just a tiny snippet of how important communication is in everyday life. Exchanging information is a key component of coexistence as it creates order and a sense of satisfaction in the end.

However, communication as a discipline cuts across all other niches in the academic world. Students from an Engineering course would also take up communication as a unit of study. Students delve into the transmission, representation, reception, and decoding of information communicated to a greater extent.

Situations When You May Need To Write A Communication Paper

Various scenarios call for a communication paper either as an assignment or a research project in college. The communication papers needed for every situation vary in format and outline. Here are some of the cases when communication papers are necessary:

When writing a resume or cover letter In presentations and reports Internal or external communication in a company Writing a thesis statement

When writing communication papers in these different scenarios, students can develop the following aspects:

Understand the various communication phenomena Ability to direct communication messages towards accomplishing individual and organizational goals Understand various types of communication such as rhetoric, interpersonal or organizational

Such an assignment is peculiar because it deals with students’ communication processes. Therefore, the student can easily relate a communication assignment to the real-world environment.

You will have to conduct extensive digging before writing your paper like any other research project. In writing a communication research paper, you will benefit from the importance of communication in general, such as building better relationships and finding the right solutions to various problems.

It takes a lot of time to create a high-quality writing, so you have all the right to ask dissertation writers for hire to help.

Guidelines On Structure And Step By Step Tips On Writing

To have an award-winning communication paper, you need to understand that structure is always at the heart of it all. A great communication paper follows the structure below:

Solid intro : Begin by presenting a captivating introduction by highlighting the facts, questions, or problems that you will explore in the body. The reader should find more than a million reasons to proceed with your essay by reading the first two lines. A strong thesis statement is also necessary for the introduction. An insightful literature review : It shows the theoretical basis of your research project, thus giving it validity. An in-depth literature review will give room for exploration and further research. Main body : This is where we expect to find all your findings, methodological steps, concepts, analyses, and the outcome. Discussion and conclusion : Depending on your professor’s instructions, you can divide this into two parts or put it as one. In either case, this section will consist of the strengths and weaknesses of your research and any future development or improvements. You could also compare the results found in your research with what other authors have discovered.

Provided you have all your facts at hand, a communication research paper will be the easiest you will ever handle in college. Nonetheless, you can order a custom paper from various online writing experts.

If you want to make an impression with your communication research paper, here are some tips to consider:

Select a thought-provoking and captivating research topic Have a working outline with all the arguments and examples/evidence in place Ensure that you exhaust reading all the possible research materials on your topic Such papers are always in the first person except in unique cases

You can review some of the samples on our essay writer to familiarize yourself with the structure and outline of a communication research paper.

Let’s now explore 178 of the hottest communication research topics to ace your project:

World-Class Communication Research Topics For College Students

Understanding the historical research methods in communication
Discuss the relationship between technology, media, and culture
Evaluate the various revolutions in human communication
Discuss the developments made in the invention of human speech and language
The role of image-making, cinema, and media entertainment in communication
How to overcome communication barriers among students
Steps in encouraging participation in meetings
How employees contribute to the information flow in organizations
How to evaluate a report based on its findings
Sources of error during nonverbal communication
How the media can match the channels of communication to their audience
Ensuring audience attention during a presentation
The impact of graphics in communication strategies
How to interpret non-verbal signals
Developing communication methods that match a given purpose

Possible Topics For Communication Research

How to develop realistic communication strategies
Discuss the economics of finance in communication processes
How exposure to radio and TV impacts communication
How to manage controversial issues in communication
Why speaking with confidence is still difficult for many people
The effectiveness of communicating with words and body language
Why defining your purpose is key in any communication process
Why explanatory communication is more difficult than informative communication
The place of communication in long-distance relationships
Communication strategies that influence people
How to use communication effectively for conflict resolution
Developing your self-esteem for effective communication
Effects of redundancy in communication processes
The place of responsibility in developing communication messages
How to acquire effective communication skills in college

Latest Communication Topic For Research

The role of persuasive dialogue in negotiations
Why everyone must learn proper expression strategies
Effects of emoji and other characters in enhancing textual conversations
The role of propaganda in shaping communication tones
Evaluate the unique political language used in America versus Africa
The continuing impact of the internet on interpersonal communication
How images are enhancing communication
Discuss the effects of gender victimization on communication
Evaluate the development of modern digital communication
How to effectively communicate during a war or crisis
How hacking is transforming communication of encrypted messages
Effects of stereotyping in developing communication messages
Is virtual reality ruining effective communication?
Evaluate language as a barrier in communicating messages
The role of empathy in communicating to victims of a disaster

Top-Notch Communication Research Paper Topics

The role of diplomacy in fostering better relations among countries
Why aided communication may not achieve the intended purpose
Effects of using a translator in the communication of critical messages
Evaluate the development of audio-visual devices for communication
The dangers of failing to notice barriers to communication
How stigma and prejudice impact effective communication
Discuss the impact of having a common language in a country
How social classes affect communication messages
Factors that hinder communication between fighting political sides
How to develop strong communication skills in a marketplace
Why opinions may prevent one from seeing the true picture
Discuss the role of fantasy and exaggeration in communication
Differences between oral and verbal messages in conveying information
The role of attitude and mood in enhancing effective message delivery
How the media sets the communication pattern of a given society

Highly Rated Mass Communication Research Topics

Discuss the essence of social media among PR practitioners
The role of mass media in rebranding a nation
Challenges to media freedom and their impact on proper communication
Discuss the effects of news commercialization and their credibility
How TV advertisements impact children and their development
Compare and contrast between animation and real-people adverts in mass media
How the internet affects professionalization in news media
How mass media messages contribute to the development of religion in Africa
Evaluate the radio listenership patterns between men and women
How does mass media contribute to an emerging democracy
Discuss how the media enlightens the public on issues of concern
The role of mass media in communicating development messages
Why mass media is critical before, during, and after elections
Assess the influence of community radio in remote areas
How mass media contributes to national integration

Good Communication Research Topics

What determines consumer preference patterns in the 21 st century?
Effective communication strategies for creating awareness against drug abuse
Prospects and challenges of local dialects in communication
Evaluate the influence of television on public opinion
Discuss the growing cyberactivism in the digital age
How social media is contributing to misleading information
Challenges facing teachers when communicating to pre-school students
Discuss the impact of information overload on the credibility of information
Evaluate communication patterns among the youth in the US
Assess the effects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on communication patterns
How public perception influences communication strategies
Explain how mothers learn to communicate with and understand their babies at such a tender age
The role of music in shaping communication models
How to overcome the challenge of top-down communication in companies
Management of information on online media for effective use

Business Communication Research Paper Topics

Discuss the increasing role of influencers on brand marketing
Why company blogs are essential in attracting new clients
Evaluate the differences between face to face and virtual business meetings
The growing popularity of social media in business marketing
Why every company should have a partner relations department
Dealing with complaints in a relaxed and useful manner
Why online project management is the future of business
Discuss why it is necessary to have company retreats
Explore the role of digital document sharing in speeding up business communication
Effects of relying on online communication at the expense of physical meetings
The role of effective business management in the performance of an organization
How staff motivation improve the overall working environment
Discuss the place of corporate social responsibility in a company
Effective ways of handling crisis in a large company
Explain why trust is important in any business partnerships

Intercultural Communication Research Topics

Discuss how Muslims interact with Christians at a social level
Evaluate the reception of instructions from a man to a woman
How Americans interact with Africans at the basic level
Discuss how an American Democrat would associate with a Chinese politician
Discuss the impact of marginalization in developing communication messages
How migration and immigration affect communication patterns
Effects of social stereotyping in communication
How do Western communication models differ from those of Africa?
Impact of discriminatory communication messages
How to organize an effective intergroup come-together
How the media represents various groups in its communication
Effects of the growing intercultural norms
The role of language attitudes in inhibiting effective communication
Evaluate how ethnographic perspectives affect communication messages
Why it is difficult to solve intercultural conflicts

Additional Interpersonal Communication Topics For Research Paper

The role of interpersonal communication in team member satisfaction
How collaboration and teamwork enhances business success
Discuss how interpersonal communication enhances problem-solving skills
The role of trust in interpersonal communication
Effects of confusion, negativity, and conflicts on interpersonal communication
How to deal with workplace miscommunication effectively
The role of personalizing information
How to improve internal communication channels in a company
Discuss the role of interests in communication patterns
Challenges when implementing modern communication solutions
Evaluate how jargon and inattention make internal communication difficult
The role of feedback in interpreting messages correctly
Discuss the influence of environmental factors in communication
Why miscommunication may result in a disconnect among a group of people
Discuss the role of skills and knowledge in effective communication among leaders

Interesting Communication Research Topics

How can effective interpersonal communication be a catalyst for action
Why a focused and intentional approach is necessary for effective communication
Discuss why online dating is not successful in most cases
Evaluate the role of non-verbal communication and customer satisfaction
Why is it important to have a list of communication networks?
Effects of lack of personal contact when it comes to communication
Discuss the various forms of human interactions and their influence on communication
The role of clear communication during an organizational change process
Why online communication is not as effective as physical meetings
Evaluate the roles and issues involved in a nurse-patient communication
The role of TV shows in determining how people relate to each other in the society
Effects of the digital divide in communication paradigms
The relationship between quality leadership and effective communication
Why is email still not yet an effective communication medium?
Effects of integrating marketing communication

General Communication Studies Research Topics

Discuss the differences in body language between male and female
The role of communication in familiarizing with someone
How online gaming communication affects one’s interpersonal communication
Why a leader without proper communication skills may not succeed
The role of communication in achieving an organization’s vision
How mobile phone conversations are turning around interpersonal communication
Discuss the role of different personality types in communication
Is there a difference between language and communication?
Discuss how communication in the military is different from that in a normal setting
Compare and contrast between written and spoken forms of communication
Why family communication is critical for a peaceful coexistence
Shortcomings to understanding foreign languages
Discuss the effectiveness of web-based communication

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301+ Research Essay Topics [Updated]

Embarking on a research essay journey is similar to setting sail on uncharted waters. The key to a successful expedition lies in choosing the right topic – one that not only aligns with your interests but also resonates with the broader context of your academic or professional pursuits. In this comprehensive guide, we will navigate through the various considerations, disciplines, and emerging trends to help you uncover the perfect research essay topics that sparks curiosity and passion.

General Considerations for Choosing Research Essay Topics

Table of Contents

Before delving into specific topics, it’s crucial to understand the general principles that should guide your decision-making process.

Personal Interest

Selecting a topic that genuinely interests you is paramount. Your enthusiasm will fuel the research process and contribute to a more engaging and compelling essay. Consider your hobbies, personal experiences, or areas that have always intrigued you.

For instance, if you have a fascination with technology, topics like the impact of artificial intelligence on society or ethical considerations in genetic engineering might be appealing.

Relevance to Course or Discipline

Aligning your research essay with the objectives of your course or academic discipline adds depth and significance to your work. Think about how your chosen topic contributes to the broader conversation within your field.

For a business or economics student, exploring the economic implications of the gig economy might provide valuable insights.

Scope and Feasibility

Strike a balance between a topic’s breadth and depth. Ensure your chosen subject is neither too broad to cover adequately nor too narrow to find sufficient research material.

Assess the availability of resources – both primary and secondary – to ensure you can conduct thorough research within the given timeframe.

Availability of Resources

Before finalizing your topic, consider the accessibility of resources. Check whether there are enough scholarly articles, books, and other materials available to support your research.

A topic that lacks substantial resources might lead to a frustrating dead end.

301+ Research Essay Topics: Category Wise

Science and technology.

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Employment
Ethical Considerations in Genetic Engineering
Renewable Energy Solutions for a Sustainable Future
Cybersecurity in the Age of Digital Transformation
Blockchain Technology: Applications and Implications
The Role of Technology in Healthcare Innovation
Future Prospects of Quantum Computing
Augmented Reality: Transforming User Experiences
Biotechnology Advancements and Their Ethical Dilemmas
Space Exploration and its Scientific Contributions
The Ethics of CRISPR Technology in Human Gene Editing
Applications and Implications of Nanotechnology
Advancements in Robotics and their Impact on Industries
Big Data Analytics in Healthcare: Opportunities and Challenges
The Future of Space Tourism
Internet of Things (IoT) and its Integration in Everyday Life
Quantum Cryptography: Ensuring Secure Communication
Biometrics Technology and Privacy Concerns
Impact of 3D Printing on Manufacturing and Supply Chains
Space Debris: Challenges and Solutions for Earth’s Orbit
Quantum Computing and Its Potential Impact on Cryptography
Biodegradable Technology: Eco-Friendly Innovations
Advanced Materials in Aerospace Engineering
The Ethical Considerations of Artificial Intelligence in Military Applications
Challenges and Solutions in Developing Sustainable Transportation Systems
Internet Censorship: Balancing National Security and Freedom of Information
The Role of Technology in Disaster Management and Response
Exploring the Use of Virtual Reality in Mental Health Treatment
Space Colonization: Feasibility and Ethical Considerations
Advancements in Brain-Computer Interface Technology
The Future of Quantum Internet: Secure Communication
Biotechnology in Agriculture: Improving Crop Yield and Quality
Innovations in Solar Energy Storage Technologies
Ethical Implications of Autonomous Weapon Systems
Human Augmentation: Balancing Advancements and Ethics
The Role of Technology in Disaster Resilience
Surveillance Technologies and Privacy Concerns
Space Mining: Challenges and Opportunities
Advancements in Brain-Machine Interface for Rehabilitation
The Potential of Gene Therapy in Treating Genetic Disorders
Green Computing: Strategies for Energy-Efficient IT Practices
The Potential of Quantum Dots in Medical Imaging
Space Tourism: Challenges and Opportunities
The Ethical Implications of Biometric Surveillance
Innovations in Wearable Health Technologies
Advancements in Neuroscience: Brain-Computer Interfaces
Cyber-Physical Systems in Smart Cities
CRISPR-Based Therapies: Promises and Ethical Concerns
The Role of 3D Bioprinting in Medicine
Renewable Energy Storage Technologies: Beyond Batteries
The Future of Quantum Computing: Challenges and Breakthroughs
Environmental Impacts of E-waste and Strategies for Recycling
Advancements in Cognitive Computing and Artificial Intelligence
The Role of Technology in Enhancing Healthcare Accessibility
Space Debris Cleanup: Technologies and Ethical Considerations
The Potential of Fusion Energy for Sustainable Power Generation
Augmented Reality in Education: Transforming Learning Experiences
Biometric Authentication Systems: Security and Privacy Concerns
Technology and Mental Health: Exploring Digital Therapeutics
Smart Cities and IoT: Improving Urban Living

Social Sciences

Effects of Social Media on Mental Health
Gender Inequality in the Workplace
The Role of Education in Reducing Poverty
The Impact of Social Policies on Welfare
Youth Activism and Social Change
Political Polarization in Contemporary Society
Immigration Policies and their Societal Effects
Analyzing Criminal Justice Reform Strategies
Socioeconomic Factors Influencing Health Disparities
Cultural Influences on Mental Health Stigma
Social and Economic Impact of a Universal Basic Income
The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories in Contemporary Society
Environmental Activism and its Influence on Government Policies
The Sociology of Online Communities and Subcultures
Influence of Social Media on Political Movements
The Intersectionality of Gender, Race, and Sexual Orientation
Analysis of Social Capital in Community Development
Media Representation and its Influence on Public Perception
The Effects of Childhood Trauma on Adult Mental Health
Social Impact of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Experiences
The Psychological Impact of Social Isolation on Individuals
Socioeconomic Determinants of Health Disparities in Underserved Communities
Political Communication in the Age of Social Media
Analyzing Cross-Cultural Communication Challenges in Global Organizations
The Influence of Social Networks on Online Behavior
Understanding the Impact of Cultural Diversity on Team Dynamics
Social Media and Political Polarization: A Comparative Analysis
Examining the Link Between Educational Attainment and Economic Mobility
The Role of Social Institutions in Shaping Cultural Values
Impact of COVID-19 on Social Structures and Relationships
Examining the Impact of Social Media Influencers on Consumer Behavior
Cultural Shifts in Attitudes Toward Mental Health in Modern Society
Analyzing the Socioeconomic Impact of Universal Basic Income
Media Portrayals of Marginalized Communities: A Critical Analysis
Political Populism: Causes, Consequences, and Global Trends
The Social Dynamics of Online Dating and Relationship Formation
Urbanization and Social Change: Implications for Communities
Social Media Activism and its Influence on Policy Change
The Psychological Effects of Climate Change Anxiety
The Intersection of Technology and Social Isolation
The Psychological Impact of Social Isolation in Elderly Populations
The Sociology of Conspiracy Theories and Misinformation
Social Media and Body Image: Examining Influences on Self-Perception
Cultural Influences on Parenting Styles
The Relationship Between Education and Social Mobility
Political Polarization and Media Consumption Habits
Social Capital in Online Communities: Building Trust in Virtual Spaces
Analyzing the Impact of Environmental Activism on Policy Change
The Role of Social Support in Coping with Trauma
Cultural Factors Influencing Attitudes Toward Mental Health
The Impact of Social Media on Political Participation
Cultural Influences on Perceptions of Beauty and Body Image
Educational Inequality: Addressing Disparities in Access
The Role of Community Engagement in Urban Development
The Sociology of Conspiracy Theories and Public Opinion
Identity Politics and Social Movements in the 21st Century
The Psychological Effects of Long-Term Isolation
Cultural Factors in Workplace Diversity and Inclusion
The Dynamics of Social Change in the Digital Age
Impact of Social Networks on Social Capital Formation
Exploring Cultural Identity through Literature
The Evolution of Artistic Expression in the Digital Age
Historical Perspectives on Human Rights Movements
Analyzing Symbolism in Classic Literature
Influence of Ancient Philosophy on Modern Ethics
The Role of Religion in Shaping Societal Norms
Cultural Impact of Historical Events on Art
Language Evolution and its Cultural Implications
Folklore and its Reflection of Societal Beliefs
Impact of Digital Media on Traditional Storytelling
Depiction of Mental Health in Literature and Art
Cultural Appropriation: Examining Controversies and Context
Historical Analysis of Propaganda in Warfare
Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence and Consciousness
Folklore and Mythology: Cultural Narratives Across Societies
Impact of Social Media on Language Evolution
The Role of Museums in Shaping Cultural Memory
Literary Criticism: Analyzing Classic Works through a Modern Lens
The Evolution of Fashion Trends Through History
The Influence of Ancient Philosophy on Modern Political Thought
Eco-Criticism: Exploring Environmental Themes in Literature
The Influence of Ancient Mythology on Contemporary Pop Culture
Analyzing Political Satire in Literature and Media
The Evolution of Language: A Comparative Study of Linguistic Changes
Cultural Representations of Gender Roles in Literature and Film
The Impact of Historical Trauma on Collective Memory
Exploring the Intersection of Religion and Science in Historical Context
Art as a Reflection of Social and Political Movements
The Evolution of Dance as a Cultural Expression
Literary Depictions of Utopian and Dystopian Societies
Contemporary Art as a Reflection of Societal Values
Cultural Perspectives on Death and Mourning Practices
Folk Music Traditions in the Digital Age
The Influence of Cultural Heritage on Architectural Design
Literary Representations of Artificial Intelligence and Consciousness
The Evolution of Dance as a Cultural and Artistic Expression
Analyzing Historical Fiction: Accuracy and Creative Liberties
Folklore and Superstitions: Their Role in Modern Society
The Impact of Social Media on Language and Communication Styles
Cultural Narratives in Indigenous Oral Traditions
Cultural Implications of Urban Legends and Folklore
The Intersection of Art and Activism: Creative Expression for Social Change
Analyzing the Impact of Literature on Social Movements
The Evolution of Language in Internet Communication
Cultural Depictions of Artificial Intelligence in Film
The Representation of Mental Health in Contemporary Art
Folk Art Traditions: Preservation and Evolution
Cultural Influences on Architectural Design Principles
The Role of Literature in Shaping Historical Narratives
The Impact of Music Festivals on Cultural Exchange
Cultural Representations of Artificial Intelligence in Literature
Historical Fiction: Balancing Fact and Imagination
The Art of Satire: Political Commentary in Literature and Media
Language Evolution in Multilingual Societies
Cultural Preservation through Indigenous Storytelling
Visual Arts and Cultural Identity: A Comparative Analysis
The Impact of Historical Trauma on Artistic Expression
Contemporary Perspectives on Classical Philosophical Ideas
Cultural Influences on Fashion: From Traditional to Avant-Garde
The Role of Literature in Shaping Environmental Awareness

Business and Economics

Impact of Globalization on Small Businesses
Sustainable Business Practices for Environmental Conservation
Economic Implications of the Gig Economy
Corporate Social Responsibility and its Effects
Global Economic Trends in the Post-Pandemic Era
Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Emerging Markets
The Psychology of Consumer Behavior
Cryptocurrency: Challenges and Opportunities
Ethical Dilemmas in Corporate Decision-Making
Future Trends in Supply Chain Management
Impact of E-commerce on Traditional Retail Businesses
Behavioral Economics: Understanding Consumer Decision-Making
Circular Economy: Sustainable Practices in Business
The Rise of Impact Investing in Socially Responsible Finance
Challenges and Opportunities in the Sharing Economy
Corporate Governance and its Influence on Business Ethics
The Role of Diversity and Inclusion in Corporate Success
Innovations in Financial Technology (Fintech)
Economic Impacts of Global Health Pandemics
Sustainable Tourism Practices: Balancing Profit and Conservation
Corporate Social Responsibility: Case Studies in Successful Implementation
Innovations in Green Finance: Financing Sustainable Projects
The Gig Economy and Its Implications for Workers’ Rights
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Business Strategy
Sustainable Supply Chain Management: Best Practices and Challenges
Consumer Behavior in the Age of E-commerce
The Role of Digital Marketing in Shaping Consumer Preferences
Exploring the Circular Economy in Fashion Industry Practices
Business Strategies for Navigating Economic Uncertainty
The Role of Social Entrepreneurship in Addressing Global Challenges
Sustainable Business Models: Success Stories and Challenges
The Rise of Impact Investing in Emerging Markets
Corporate Governance in the Era of Shareholder Activism
The Impact of E-commerce on Brick-and-Mortar Retail Sustainability
Innovation Clusters and Economic Development
Exploring the Link Between Corporate Culture and Business Success
Digital Currencies and their Implications for Central Banking
The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership Effectiveness
Ethical Considerations in Marketing to Children
The Gig Economy and the Future of Work: A Global Perspective
Social Entrepreneurship: Models for Sustainable Impact
The Circular Economy in Fashion: Reducing Waste in the Industry
The Future of Remote Work and its Economic Implications
The Role of Corporate Culture in Business Innovation
Financial Inclusion and Digital Banking in Developing Economies
The Gig Economy and the Evolution of Employment Relationships
The Economic Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture
Innovation in Green Construction: Sustainable Building Practices
Ethical Considerations in Marketing Artificial Intelligence Products
The Economics of Renewable Energy: Balancing Costs and Benefits
The Influence of Social Media on Consumer Buying Behavior
Corporate Innovation Strategies: Case Studies of Success and Failure
The Economic Impact of Climate Change Adaptation Measures
Financial Inclusion: Bridging the Gap in Developing Economies
The Gig Economy: Assessing Worker Protections and Rights
Sustainable Business Models in the Fashion Industry
The Rise of Impact Investing in Healthcare
Corporate Responsibility in the Age of Environmental Activism
The Economic Implications of Telecommuting Trends
Technological Disruption in Traditional Industries: Challenges and Opportunities

Interdisciplinary Topics

The Intersection of Technology and Ethics
Climate Change and its Socioeconomic Consequences
Human Rights and Global Health Initiatives
Intersectionality in Social Justice Movements
Bioethics in the Age of Biotechnological Advancements
Digital Humanities: Bridging Technology and the Arts
Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
Sustainability in Urban Planning and Development
The Nexus of Psychology and Environmental Conservation
Media’s Role in Shaping Cultural Perceptions
Ethical Considerations in Artificial Intelligence and Healthcare
The Role of Technology in Addressing Climate Change
Bioethics at the Intersection of Medicine and Genetics
Digital Citizenship: Balancing Rights and Responsibilities Online
Cultural Perspectives on Mental Health Stigma
Ethics of Human Augmentation Technologies
The Impact of Smart Cities on Urban Societies
Technological Solutions for Wildlife Conservation
The Psychology of Online Activism and Advocacy
Integrating Arts and Sciences: A Holistic Approach to Education
Ethical Considerations in Biomedical Engineering and Healthcare
The Role of Technology in Addressing Mental Health Disparities
Intersectionality in Educational Policies and Practices
Sustainable Urban Development: Integrating Environmental and Social Goals
Exploring the Connection Between Climate Change and Migration
Human-AI Collaboration: Opportunities and Challenges
Technological Solutions for Water Conservation and Management
The Influence of Cultural Practices on Health and Well-being
Analyzing the Impact of Social Media on Environmental Activism
The Intersection of Genetics and Ethics in Personalized Medicine
The Bioethics of Neurotechnology and Cognitive Enhancement
Smart Cities: Integrating Technology for Sustainable Urban Living
The Intersection of Art and Science in Data Visualization
Music Therapy in Mental Health Treatment
Cultural Competence in Healthcare: A Holistic Approach
The Ethical Dimensions of Climate Engineering
Analyzing the Cultural Impact of Virtual Reality Experiences
The Integration of Robotics in Healthcare Delivery
Technological Solutions for Wildlife Conservation and Biodiversity
Understanding the Social and Environmental Impacts of Tourism
Bioethics and Environmental Conservation: A Crossroads
Human-Computer Interaction in Virtual Reality Therapy
Intersectionality in Health Disparities and Access to Healthcare
Technology-Enhanced Learning Environments: Effectiveness and Challenges
The Intersection of Environmental Sustainability and Public Health
The Impact of Cultural Diversity on Team Creativity and Innovation
Ethics of Genetic Counseling: Balancing Autonomy and Informed Consent
The Integration of AI in Environmental Monitoring and Conservation
The Psychology of Sustainable Behavior: Motivations and Barriers
Cultural and Technological Perspectives on Digital Heritage Preservation

Emerging Trends and Issues

Artificial General Intelligence: Risks and Benefits
Future of Work: Remote Work Trends and Challenges
Sustainable Transportation Solutions
Impact of 5G Technology on Communication
The Ethics of Autonomous Vehicles
Mental Health Implications of Extended Reality
Environmental Justice in Climate Change Policies
Integrating Augmented Reality in Education
Challenges of Space Colonization
The Future of Personalized Medicine

Unique and Creative Topics

The Influence of Science Fiction on Technological Innovation
The Art of Storytelling in Virtual Reality
Exploring Subcultures and Countercultures in Modern Society
Impact of Video Games on Cognitive Skills
The Role of Humor in Shaping Cultural Perspectives
Evolution of Fashion as a Form of Art
Cultural Significance of Urban Street Art
Analysis of Internet Memes and Cultural Expression
The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories
Impact of Music on Human Emotions

Tips For Successful Research Essay

Clearly Define Your Topic: Ensure a focused and specific research question or thesis statement.
Thoroughly Plan Your Research: Create a research plan outlining key sources, databases, and methodologies.
Use Reliable Sources: Rely on peer-reviewed journals, reputable websites, and scholarly books for information.
Critical Evaluation of Sources: Assess the credibility, relevance, and reliability of each source.
Organize Your Ideas: Develop a clear outline to structure your essay logically.
Balance Depth and Breadth: Aim for a comprehensive understanding while maintaining focus.
Cite Properly: Adhere to citation styles (APA, MLA, etc.) and give credit to original authors.
Revise and Edit: Review your essay for clarity, coherence, and grammatical correctness.
Seek Feedback: Get input from peers, instructors, or mentors to refine your work.
Stay Consistent: Maintain a consistent writing style, tone, and formatting throughout.
Manage Time Effectively: Allocate sufficient time for each stage of the research and writing process.
Stay Updated: Incorporate recent research to ensure relevance and currency.
Address Counterarguments: Acknowledge and counter opposing viewpoints for a more robust argument.
Stay Focused on the Thesis: Ensure every section contributes directly to supporting your main argument.
Proofread Carefully: Check for spelling, grammar, and formatting errors to present a polished essay.

Choosing the right research essay topics are a pivotal step in crafting a meaningful and impactful piece of academic work.

By considering personal interests, aligning with your discipline, assessing feasibility, and exploring interdisciplinary and emerging trends, you can navigate the maze of options with confidence.

Remember, the best topics are those that ignite your passion and contribute valuable insights to your chosen field of study. As you embark on your research journey, embrace the opportunity to explore, learn, and make a meaningful contribution to the academic discourse.

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Debate Topics

Need to write an argumentative essay? Preparing for an upcoming debate? ProCon.org has over 100 topics complete with pro and con arguments, quotes and statistics from experts, historical information, and other pertinent research.

Abortion – Should abortion be legal?

Alternative Energy – Can alternative energy effectively replace fossil fuels?

American Socialism – Should the U.S. become socialist?

Animal Dissection – Should K-12 students dissect animals in science classrooms?

Animal Testing – Should animals be used for scientific or commercial testing?

Artificial Intelligence – Is artificial intelligence good for society?

Banned Books – Should parents or other adults be able to ban books from schools and libraries?

Binge-Watching – Is binge-watching good for you?

Cancel Culture – Is cancel culture (or callout culture) good for society?

CBD for Pets – Is CBD good for pets?

Cell Phone Radiation – Is cell phone radiation safe?

Cheerleading – Is cheerleading a sport?

Churches & Taxes – Should churches (including mosques, synagogues, etc.) remain tax-exempt?

College Education – Is a college education worth it?

Congressional Term Limits – Should term limits be imposed on U.S. Senators and Representatives?

Constitutional Carry of Handguns – Should permitless, “constitutional carry” of guns be legal?

Corporal Punishment – Should corporal punishment be used in K-12 schools?

Corporate Tax Rate – Should the federal corporate income tax rate be raised?

Cuba Embargo – Should the United States maintain its embargo against Cuba?

DACA & Dreamers – Are DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and the DREAM Act good for America?

Daylight Saving Time – Should the United States keep daylight saving time?

DC AND Puerto Rico Statehood – Should Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico be granted U.S. statehood?

Death Penalty – Should the death penalty be legal?

Defund the Police – Should police departments be defunded, if not abolished?

Dress Codes – Should dress codes be implemented and enforced?

Drinking Age – Should the drinking age be lowered from 21 to a younger age?

Drone Strikes – Should the United States continue its use of drone strikes abroad?

Drug Use in Sports – Should performance-enhancing drugs be accepted in sports?

Election Day National Holiday – Should the election day be made a national holiday?

Electoral College – Should the United States use the electoral college in presidential elections?

Employer Vaccine Mandates – Should employers be able to mandate vaccinations?

Felon Voting – Should people who have completed felony sentences be allowed to vote?

Fighting in Hockey – Should fighting be allowed in hockey?

Filibuster – Should the U.S. Senate keep the filibuster?

Fracking – Should the United States continue fracking

Free College – Should public college be tuition-free?

Fur Clothing Bans – Should fur clothing be banned?

GMOS – Should genetically modified organisms (GMOs) be grown?

Gold Standard – Should the United States return to a gold standard?

Golf – Is golf a sport and are golfers athletes?

Gun Control – Should more gun control laws be enacted?

Historic Statue Removal – Should historic statues be taken down?

Homework – Is homework beneficial?

Illegal Immigration – Should the U.S. government provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants?

Internet – Is the internet “making us stupid?”

Kneeling during the National Anthem – Is kneeling during the national anthem an appropriate form of protest?

Mandatory National Service – Should the United States have mandatory national service?

Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) – Should medical aid in dying be legal?

Medical Marijuana – Should medical marijuana be legal?

Milk – Should humans consume dairy milk?

Minimum Wage – Should the federal minimum wage be increased?

Net Neutrality – Should the U.S. have net neutrality laws?

Obesity – Is obesity a disease?

Olympics – Are the Olympic games an overall benefit for their host countries and cities?

OTC Birth Control Pills – Should birth control pills be available over-the-counter (OTC)?

Penny – Should the penny stay in circulation?

Pit Bull Bans – Should breed-specific legislation (“pit bull bans”) be enacted?

Pokémon – Is Pokémon Go good for our society?

Police Body Cameras – Should police officers wear body cameras?

Prescription Drug Costs – Should the U.S. federal government regulate prescription drug prices?

Presidential Election, 2024 – 2024 Presidential Election Site

Private Prisons – Should prisons be privatized?

Recreational Marijuana – Should recreational marijuana be legal?

Reparations for Slavery – Should the federal government pay reparations to the descendants of slaves?

Right to Healthcare – Should all Americans have the right (be entitled) to health care?

Sanctuary Cities – Should sanctuary cities receive federal funding?

Santa Claus – Is there really a Santa Claus?

Saturday Halloween – Should Halloween be moved permanently to Saturday?

School Uniforms – Should students have to wear school uniforms?

Single-use Plastics Ban – Should single-use plastics be banned?

Social Media & Digital Addiction – Does social media spur digital addiction and other social ills?

Social Security Privatization – Should social security be privatized?

Space Colonization – Should humans colonize space?

Standardized Tests – Do standardized tests improve education in America?

Student Loan Debt – Should student loan debt be eliminated via forgiveness or bankruptcy?

TikTok Bans – Should TikTok be banned?

Uber & Lyft – Are ride-sharing companies a benefit to society?

Universal Basic Income (UBI) – Should the United States implement a universal basic income?

U.S. Supreme Court Packing – Should packing the U.S. Supreme Court ever be considered?

Vaccines for Kids – Should states be allowed to mandate vaccines for school attendance??

Vaping E-Cigarettes – Is vaping e-cigarettes safe?

Vegetarianism – Should people become vegetarian?

Video Games & Violence – Do violent video games contribute to youth violence?

Voting Age – Should the voting age be lowered to 16?

Voting Machines – Are electronic voting machines the best method for voting?

Zoos – Should zoos exist?

Archived Topics

Please note that ProCon no longer updates these debates.

ACLU – Is the ACLU good for America?

Big Three Bailout – Should the big three car manufacturers be bailed out by the U.S. government?

Born Gay – Is sexual orientation determined at birth?

Climate Change – Is human activity primarily responsible for global climate change?

College Football Playoffs – Should college football replace the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) with a playoff system?

Dakota Access Pipeline – Should the Dakota Access Pipeline be completed?

D.A.R.E. – Is the D.A.R.E. program good for America’s kids (K-12)?

Gay Marriage – Should gay marriage be legal?

Congressional Insider Trading – Should insider trading by Congress be allowed?

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict – What are the solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

Obamacare – Is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) good for America?

Paying College Athletes – Should colleges and universities pay college athletes?

President Bill Clinton – Was Bill Clinton a good president?

President Ronald Reagan – Was Ronald Reagan a good president?

Presidential Election, 2008 – Which candidate would make the best U.S. president?

Presidential Election, 2012 – Which candidate should be U.S. president in 2012?

Presidential Election, 2016 – The candidates and where they stand on the issues

Presidential Election, 2020 – 2020 Presidential Election Site

Prostitution – Should prostitution be legal?

School Vouchers – Should states have school voucher programs?

Tablets v. Textbooks -Should tablets replace textbooks in K-12 schools?

Teacher Tenure – Should teachers get tenure?

Under God in the Pledge – Should the words “under god” be in the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance?

U.S. Drone Shot down by Iran – Was the U.S. drone shot down by Iran over international waters?

U.S.-Iraq War – Should the U.S. have attacked Iraq?

WTC Muslim Center – Is it appropriate to build a muslim community center (aka the ”ground zero mosque”) near the World Trade Center site?

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The Best Controversial Topics for Debates and Essays

General Education

Controversial topics are a good choice for an essay or debate because they immediately draw in the reader or listener. The adage that “controversy sells” is so rooted in society that even the rapper Chamillionaire named his second album after it! Controversial issues are also a good topic because it’s easier to write a strong thesis and find sources to back up your argument . After all, when something is controversial, everybody wants to have their say over it.

However, it’s also important that you address controversial issues with sensitivity and care. Because controversial topics tend to raise emotions, you must walk a thin line between opinion and fact in order to build trust between you and your reader/listener.

In this article, we’re going to give you the best controversial topics you can use for essays and debates—and we’ll explain the controversies for you, too! We’ll also discuss when to use controversial topics, the pros and cons of choosing a controversial issue, and tips for making sure you’re treating a controversial topic with sensitivity and respect.

That’s a lot to cover, so let’s get started!

Controversial topics are issues that can really get people up in arms. (Yes, it's a dad joke. No, we're not sorry.)

What Are Controversial Topics?

If you’ve flipped on a television lately, you’ve probably seen people on the news arguing different sides of an issue. (Occasionally, these arguments can get pretty emotional!) When you see this happening, there’s a good chance that the people you’re watching are discussing a controversial topic.

Controversial debate topics include subjects that create strong differences of opinion. They are issues that can affect politics, society as a whole, individuals on a personal level, the environment, or any other area of life that people feel strongly about. Additionally, controversial issues often have no clear answer because people’s feelings and personal beliefs are often strongly involved.

3 Pros and 3 Cons of Using Controversial Topics in Essays or Debates

It might be tempting to pick any old controversial topic and run with it. Not so fast! While controversial topics definitely give you a lot to talk about in an essay or debate, there are some definite drawbacks to dealing with hot-button issues.

Here are the pros and cons you should consider before deciding to use a controversial topic in your work.

Pro #1: It’s Usually Easy to Find Sources

Everyone wants to have their say on controversial topics, which is great when you need sources to include in your paper! A quick library or Google search will turn up tons of information. It can make that part of writing (or preparing for a debate) much easier.

Con #1: It Can Be Hard to Find Good Sources

When you Google a controversial source, the results can be overwhelming. While you’re probably going to have tons of hits, they'll be from a wide range of sources like social media, personal blogs, podcasts, and message boards (like Reddit and Quora). Just because something appears high in a Google result doesn’t make it a good source that you can site in a paper or speech.

Good sources are ones that are written by credentialed authors (they are experts in their field) and include reliable, cited evidence. A good place to find good sources are scholarly databases, like JSTOR and ProQuest, since the articles on these databases have been vetted by other experts before they are published. Reputable news outlets can also be good resources, too.

Pro #2: It’s Easier to Talk About Things That Interest You

If you care about a topic you probably already know a little bit about it. This is especially true for many controversial issues. After all, they tend to be controversial because many people have opinions on them! If you pick a controversial issue that’s near and dear to your heart, you’ll find that you have a lot to say about it.

Con #2: It’s Hard to Keep Your Emotions In Check

If it is a topic you care about a lot, you probably already have strong opinions formed. But in order to build trust with your reader/listener and to be accurate, you need to use neutral language so that your reader/listener can draw their own conclusions based on your work. While it’s tempting to call people out or get heated, those are both pitfalls you should avoid .

Pro #3: Controversial Issues Capture Attention

Tackling a subject like mass incarceration, the death penalty, or abortion is a good way to get your audience to sit up and take notice. People want to hear your opinion to see how it does—or doesn’t—match their own.

Con #3: You Open Yourself Up to Criticism

On the flip side, if your argument doesn’t align with their beliefs, the people reading or listening to your argument may criticize your opinion or belief because it is not the same as theirs. You’ll have to spend extra time making sure you’ve created a strong argument since people have often spent more time thinking about a controversial topic and are better able to challenge your position.

How to Pick Good Controversial Topics for Teens

When picking what topic to write about, it’s important that you pick a good strong topic that is relevant and that has an amount of easy to find good sources. When deciding on a topic, try to keep these tips in mind!

Tip #1: Choose a Topic That Interests You

It’s easier to work on a subject you enjoy. Don’t use a topic you find boring or have no interest in. Write about a topic you are passionate about, since your own interest will shine through in your writing or speech. Also, when you pick a topic you like, the assignment can actually be fun. Imagine that!

Tip #2: Be Passionate...But Not Too Passionate

Stay away from topics where you might be too passionate about one side since it can be tough to distance yourself enough to see both sides of the argument. You’ll want to know what good arguments the other side has so that you can defend your position against them. If you're too passionate about a subject, you might miss key details that help you defend your position. Every side has good points—that’s why there’s an argument in the first place!

Tip #3: Make Sure There’s Hard Evidence

Pick a topic where there’s evidence, not just a “he said, she said” kind of thing. Avoid arguments that don’t have any facts or figures backing them up or they are entirely opinion based. Examples of topics that are controversial but lack compelling evidence include government conspiracies or theories that have been proven false, like the Earth being flat or that pineapple belongs on pizza (it doesn’t).

Tip #4: Know Your Audience

If you are writing about controversial debate topics, ask yourself who it is you are trying to persuade. Is it your teacher? A certain segment of the population? If you know who your audience is, you can better tailor your argument to hit on the points they care about.

For example, say you’re writing an essay about how teacher’s unions are unnecessary. If your audience is your teacher—who's probably in a union!—you’re going to have to work harder to prove your point since they’re more likely to be in favor of unions. (You’ll also need to make sure you’re being fair and respectful to avoid offending your teacher. We’ll talk more about how to do that in a minute.)

In the example above, knowing your audience can (and should) change the way you write your argument in order to make it as persuasive and convincing as possible.

Tip #5: Narrow Down Your Topic

Make sure your topic is broad enough that you have plenty of information sources to choose from but narrow enough that you aren’t overwhelmed by the amount of information. An easy way to narrow a broad topic is to limit it to a time period or geographical location. For instance, let’s say that you want to write an argumentative essay about climate change. Climate change covers a lot of ground, so you could narrow it down to only writing about climate change in the last 15 years. You could narrow it down even more by writing about how climate change has affected a small geographical location, like California or your own city, in the last 15 years.

Gun control is a perennially controversial topic in the United States.

The Best Controversial Topics of 2019

Here are some of the most controversial topics discussed this year. Many of these issues are evergreen topics, which means you’ll be able to find plenty of information for them!

These are topics related to current political subjects both in the US and abroad.

Is Brexit a good or bad idea?

In 2016, the United Kingdom voted to settle the question of whether or not they should leave the European Union. Proponents of Brexit argue that leaving the EU would save money for the nation as they would no longer need to pay a membership fee to the EU. Opponents argue that the UK will lose money due to new trade restrictions.

Did Russia interfere with the 2016 Presidential Election?

After Donald Trump won the 2016 Presidential Election , there were several investigative reports published that suggested that Russia used targeted Facebook ads to encourage people to vote for Trump , and Russia may have been the ones who hacked the Democratic National Convention. Trump supporters have been quick to rebuff this claim, arguing that the election results reflect the will of the American population. However, those who are anti-Trump argue that Trump did not legitimately win the election and that the results were due to Russian interference. They cite the fact that Hilary Clinton had a larger popular vote than Trump to support this.

Should there be stricter gun control?

The United States has experienced more than 200 mass shootings in 2019, and each new incident brings up controversial questions about gun control. Those in favor of gun control argue that more gun laws would reduce gun deaths. Those against gun control argue that the Second Amendment protects their right to own guns and any legislation for stricter gun control would be unconstitutional.

Should America allow illegal immigrants to become American citizens?

As more and more immigrants arrive at America’s borders, the debate over immigration becomes even more heated. On the pro side, people argue that illegal immigrants help the economy by paying taxes and that most immigrants came here as asylum seekers, which is legal. Opponents argue that these immigrants have crossed the border illegally and that a large portion of these immigrants are violent criminals and should be sent back to protect American citizens.

Should the death penalty still be allowed?

Many states have done away with the death penalty, yet some states still support it. Many have questioned if the death penalty is a moral, ethical, and effective way to deal with crime. On the pro side, the argument is that the death penalty acts as a deterrent to crime and can help bring closure to families affected by heinous criminal activity. On the con side, the argument is that it violates the 8th amendment and that sometimes innocent people have been put to death.

Should abortion be allowed?

Recently, several states have enacted new legislation limiting access to abortion. The pro-choice/pro-abortion side argues that women should be allowed to control their bodies without any interference from the government or religious authority. The pro-life/anti-abortion side argues that abortion is murder and inflicts pain and suffering on the unborn fetus. They are also opposed to Roe vs. Wade , a court decision that made abortion legal in the United States.

Should doctor-assisted suicide be allowed?

In January of 2019, Hawaii will join six other states in enacting Death with Dignity laws for patients with terminal illnesses . However, unlike in countries like Belgium, Luxembourg, Canada, and the Netherlands, doctor-assisted euthanasia is still illegal according to US federal laws. Many believe it should also be legal on the federal level. Those for doctor-assisted suicide argue that allowing those with chronic pain or terminal illnesses to end their lives is a compassionate act that relieves their suffering. Those opposed argue that it violates the Hippocratic Oath to “do no harm,” and allowing euthanasia is a slippery slope that will lead to doctors deciding who is worthy of life and who is not.

Should the government legalize recreational marijuana?

As of 2018, there are 11 states that have legalized recreational marijuana: Alaska (2014), California (2016), Colorado (2012), DC (2014), Maine (2016), Massachusetts (2016), Michigan (2018), Nevada (2016), Oregon (2014), Vermont (2018), and Washington (2012). Legal marijuana proponents argue that the War on Drugs was a failed initiative that unfairly affected minority communities,and that marijuana isn’t any worse for you than drinking alcohol. Those against legal marijuana argue that the drug is addictive and leads to a higher percentage of school dropouts, car accidents, and crime.

These are topics based on current controversies happening in the scientific field.

Are humans causing global warming?

As the polar ice caps continue to melt, people question whether or not human activity is responsible for raising the temperature of the Earth . Proponents of this idea argue that due to human-generated waste and carbon dioxide, we are responsible for this rise in temperature. Opponents argue that the earth has gone through many warming and cooling cycles and that human activity is not to blame.

Are GMOs good or bad?

In recent years there has been an increase in the number of controversial questions raised by GMO, or genetically modified, crops. Those in favor of GMOs, which stands for genetically modified organisms, argue that without genetically modified crops and animals, there would be food shortages; they also argue that GMOs have been around for millennia. Those opposed to GMOs argue that GMOs could be the cause of the rise of cancers and that the pesticides needed to grow GMO crops contribute to pesticide-resistant pests.

Will work done on artificial intelligence eventually lead to our demise?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming more sophisticated, which raises questions about the ethics and eventual outcome of creating artificial intelligence . Proponents believe artificial intelligence will keep us safer and solve many of the world’s problems; but opponents believe that developing AI might not be ethical, they ask whether or not robots programmed with AI count as conscious beings and should be given rights, or if AI will eventually lead to humanity’s downfall.

Should we allow gene editing on human beings?

2017 saw exciting advances in the science of gene editing with the arrival of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing method. However, it’s also raised some controversial debate topics regarding the ethics of allowing gene editing. Gene editing proponents argue that gene editing will allow us to cure genetic diseases and prolong life. But opponents argue that the technology will create more social inequity because only the rich will be able to afford it. They also argue that editing the genes of human embryos is tantamount to playing God.

Are self driving cars really safe?

In 2018, a car accidentally ran over and killed a pedestrian as she was crossing the street in Tempe, AZ. Despite this, driverless car manufacturers like Tesla and transportation companies like Uber argue that driverless technology is ultimately safer than human piloted transportation. This is due to the fact that driverless cars would feature many sensors and safety features whereas human drivers have a tendency to get distracted or sleepy while driving, and some may be driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. There are many pro and con arguments about the controversial issues related to driverless technology , which makes this a great controversial topic for essays and debates!

Should anti-vaxxers be forced to vaccinate their kids?

Recently a measles outbreak has spread throughout Europe. According to the World Health Organization, there have been at least 40 measles-related deaths associated with the outbreak. Many blame anti-vaxxers, or parents who believe vaccines cause autism and other illnesses, for the spread of this disease. Those who are pro-vaccine argue that vaccines save lives and by not vaccinating their children , anti-vaxxers are putting others at risk. Anti-vaxxers argue that vaccines can cause serious side effects like autism, seizures, or Guillain-Barre Syndrome. They also argue that getting vaccinated is a personal choice that should be respected by the government.

Do we really need a General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)?

In April of 2016, the European Union enacted the General Data Protection Regulation, which is designed to protect EU citizens’ personal data. Proponents for the GDPR argue that it will prevent the number of wide-scale data breaches and hacking that occurs on a day to day basis. Opponents argue that the GDPR doesn’t do enough to protect data and that it will negatively impact the economy because of the fines that will be enforced if a company fails to comply with GDPR guidelines.

Should we grow our meat in a lab?

Recent advances in technology have allowed scientists to experiment with lab-grown, edible meat that doesn’t require animal slaughter. Supporters of lab grown meat claim it is better for the environment and does away with the moral issues surrounding animal husbandry, including animal abuse and inhumane farming practices. Opponents claim lab grown meat may have adverse health effects on people who eat lab-grown meat, especially since the technology is so new. Opponents also argue that lab-grown meat could end the farming industry and put thousands of people out of work.

Uber is great when you need a lift...but does it treat its employees fairly?

Society & Culture

These are current topics that involve our day to day lives.

Should transgendered people be allowed to use the bathroom of their choice?

Earlier last year, North Carolina passed a law that prohibited transgender people from using the bathroom of their choice based on their expressed gender rather than their biologically assigned sex . The “bathroom bill” is the first of its kind to specifically address the issue of transgender public restroom access. Proponents for the bill argue that allowing biological males and females to use the same restroom will lead to a higher percentage of sexual assault and was a risk to public safety. Opponents argue that the bill is discriminatory.

Is it still okay to use UBER?

In 2017, UBER was rocked by claims of sexual harassment, sexual discrimination, and false advertising. The hashtag #DeleteUber went viral in January 2017, and many users and drivers boycotted the company. This situation raises two controversial questions. First, what rights do contract workers have in this new, emerging gig economy ? And second, is UBER the victim of cancel culture , or do customers have an ethical obligation to boycott companies with shady practices?

Cultural appropriation or cultural appreciation? What’s the difference?

Katy Perry has been criticized for her 2017 music video "This Is How We Do” because the singer wore cornrows in her hair. Many have claimed the appearance of a Caucasian woman with a traditionally black hairstyle is cultural appropriation . These opponents argue that because people of color have been discriminated against for wearing traditionally black hairstyles, white women who sport the same hair styles profit from it. However, some argue that without cultural appropriation, many elements of minority cultures have become popularized, like rap music and R&B .

Should we give men accused of sexual misconduct a second chance?

In 2017, comedian Louis CK was accused of sexually harassing his female colleagues . Since these accusations went public, Louis CK has tried to rehabilitate his image, and h e has since publicly apologized. But this raises the question of whether we should give men accused of sexual misconduct a second chance if they seem to have learned their lesson.

Is social media ruining society?

According to a 2018 survey, approximately 70% of Americans use at least one social media site including Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter . Those in favor of social media argue that it promotes a sense of community and helps create social interactions. But social media detractors argue that sites like Facebook or Reddit waste time, trigger mental illnesses, and encourage dangerous bullying.

Should people get fired for what they say on social media?

Recently, James Gunn, the director of Guardians of the Galaxy , was fired by Disney because there were several tweets on his Twitter feed they believed were offensive. He is not the only one, either: Roseanne was fired by Netflix after she made an offensive tweet towards politician Valerie Jarrett. This has raised some controversial questions, like whether someone be held professionally accountable for what they say on social media . Proponents for social media accountability argue that what someone posts on social media is a reflection of who they are as a person. Opponents argue that posting on social media is protected by free speech and that the context of the posting should matter.

Is the #MeToo movement helping or hurting women?

The #MeToo movement began in 2017 with a series of articles that accused Harvey Weinstein of rape and sexual assault. These articles led to Weinstein’s ostracization from Hollywood and eventually led to criminal investigations into his behavior. The #MeToo movement has brought down several powerful men with accusations of sexual misconduct. But some argue the movement has set the feminist movement back by discouraging companies from hiring women due to their fear of lawsuits.

Is Gen Z worse than previous generations?

Someone is always complaining that the generation after them is worse than their generation. As members of Gen Z mature and reach adulthood, they face many criticisms from the preceding generations. For example, d etractors have accused Gen Z of being lazy and introverted. However, others think Gen Z might be the generation that saves the world.

Arts & Entertainment

These are topics that are currently affecting sports, tv, Hollywood, literature, music, and art.

Should movies and television shows be forced to hire more diverse casts?

Hollywood has come under fire for “whitewashing” or the act of casting a white actor when the role should have gone to a person of color. An example of this is when Rupert Sanders, director of Ghost in the Shell , cast Scarlett Johansson as the Asian protagonist Major . Opponents of this practice argue that “whitewashing” takes jobs away from deserving POC actors. However, others argue that art should be free of any restrictions or boundaries .

Should the show 13 Reasons Why have removed its controversial scenes?

In 2017, Netflix released an original show based on the young adult novel 13 Reasons Why , which focuses on the suicide of 17-year-old Hannah Baker. Parents and educators opposed the release of this show due to the fact that it involved several controversial topics for teens such as suicide and rape. But those that support the show have argued that it provided a way to start conversations with teens about these tough topics . Ultimately, Netflix went back and edited out the controversial scenes. This topic gives you the opportunity to talk about whether mature content like suicide and rape is appropriate in shows aimed toward teenagers. You can also discuss whether Netflix’s removal of the offending scenes is the right decision or not.

Should male and female actors make the same amount of money?

In 2018, Hollywood came under fire after the internet learned that Michelle Williams was paid substantially less for her role in “All The Money In The World” than her male co-star, Mark Wahlberg. Some argue that as the bigger star, Whalberg deserved to be compensated at a higher rat e. Others argue that Williams did the same amount of work as Wahlberg and should receive the same amount of pay. This issue plugs into the larger social issue of pay discrepancies based on race and gender.

Should athletes be allowed to kneel during the national anthem?

People have started to boycott Nike for their commercial featuring Colin Kaepernick . Kaepernick is a San Francisco 49ers quarterback who has received a lot of press for being the first athlete to kneel during the national anthem in protest the treatment of African Americans and minorities in the United States. President Trump has publicly stated that any athlete who kneels during the national anthem is being disrespectful and should be fired. Yet others defend kneeling during the anthem, regarding it as an expression of free speech that’s protected under the First Amendment.

The 5 Best Tips for Treating Controversial Topics With Sensitivity and Respect

In order to write a good argument and convince your reader/listener to agree with you, you will need to treat your controversial issue with sensitivity and respect. This helps the reader/listener to trust you.

But that can be really hard when you feel passionately about your topic and your opinions! Here are the best tips for making sure you stick to the facts, not the feelings.

Tip #1: Avoid Charged Language

An author is accused of using loaded language when they substitute words with positive or negative connotations instead of using more neutral language. Some examples of this are using the word “superior” instead of better, calling the opposition “stupid,” or using biased terminology (“infanticide” vs. “abortion”). While emotional appeals are a great tool to persuade people to your point of view, when they’re used in the wrong way, they come across as overly aggressive and biased.

Tip #2 : Avoid Logical Fallacies

A logical fallacy is an error in your argument’s logic because it presents the topic’s information in a deceptive way. Below are some common logical fallacies to watch out for.

Straw Man Fallacy: this is when you ignore your opponent’s real argument and instead argue that your opponent believes something easily ridiculed or proved false.

Slippery Slope: this is when you argue that something seemingly benign will lead to an unlikely extreme.

Generalizations: generalizations are statements about an idea that do not have any facts to support them. They tend to play into stereotypes and often rely on exaggerations or over the top statements.

For more information on logical fallacies and how to avoid them, check out this resource.

Tip #3: Do Not Attack Your Opponent Personally

This is called an ad hominem fallacy, and is often referred to as “mud-slinging” or “bashing.” When you do this, it implies that the only way you can counter your opponents viewpoints is through personal attacks. (Also, it’s just not cool.) Instead, stick to using facts and figures to show why their argument is wrong.

Tip #4: Avoid Hyperbole, Stereotypes, and Clichés

These are common issues that crop up in argumentative writing that ultimately weaken your position.

Hyperbole happens when you exaggerate. When you use hyperbole, you risk misrepresenting the issue at hand—which is an argument killer. For example, take this statement: “If we don’t stop climate change now, we’ll all be dead in 10 years.” While climate change is definitely a huge risk to humanity, saying everyone on Earth will die in a decade if we don’t fix is a significant exaggeration. It would be better to say something like, “If we don’t start to solve climate change now, we’re risking the livelihoods and safety of future generations.” This is a more moderate statement that you can back up with facts, like scientists’ belief that climate change will put coastal cities underwater.

Stereotypes are oversimplified, misinformed, or prejudiced assumptions held about other people or things. For example, a common stereotype is that all women love pink. (Spoiler alert: they don’t.) While stereotypes like this seem harmless, most are not. For example, a stereotype like the idea that all immigrants are criminals is extremely harmful. Stereotypes are not only false, they make you seem biased and ill-informed.

Finally, clichés are overused or commonplace phrases, themes, or expressions . These are often phrases that have been said so much that they’ve lost all real meaning. For example, the idea that people can “pull themselves up by their bootstraps” is a textbook example of a cliché. Instead, it’s better to explain the idea behind the cliché in more detail. In this case, it would be better to say that people—no matter their station in life—can create opportunities for themselves through hard work.

Tip #5 : Don’t Beat a Dead Horse

Remember that your job is to present them with the facts in an open and honest way. If you have done a good job, your reader or listener will come away with the same opinion as you, or at least more informed. It’s okay to state your opinion in your paper as long as you use other sources to back your opinion up and are fair to the other side. (Also resist the urge to restate your opinion every other sentence—it’s monotonous and doesn’t do much to win your reader over!)

5 Resources for Finding More Controversial Debate Topics

If you’re not inspired by the topics we’ve already mentioned, don’t worry. There are many other controversial topics out there! Here are some other places you can look to find a topic that’s perfect for your essay or debate.

#1: ProCon.Org

You probably noticed that we’ve included links in this article that take you to ProCon.org . That’s because this website is a treasure trove of controversial issues! The website has lists of ideas that they break down into general pro/con lists, and each topic links you research starters.

#2: National & Local News

Much of the modern news cycle is devoted to discussing hot-button topics of our time. If you’re looking for topics related to current events, news sources like The New York Times and The Washington Post will help! Also, don’t discount your local news resources, either. They’ll give you valuable information about what’s going on in your community and how larger, national issues are impacting where you live.

#3: They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing (Fourth Edition) by Cathy Birkenstein & Gerald Graff

Writing argumentative papers where you have to pick (and defend) your perspective is a skill you’ll use throughout high school, college, and beyond. They Say/I Say walks you through everything you need to know to write an argument. Even better: the book uses controversial issues as a way to teach writing, so you’ll get expert instruction on how to use them to write an amazing paper.

#4: Documentaries

Documentaries provide more in-depth perspectives on topics—both historical and contemporary—that have shaped the world. A great documentary can give you a thorough overview of an issue, and often they dig into different perspectives around an event, idea, or historical moment. The PBS series, Frontline , is a good place to start, but don’t be afraid to look at critically acclaimed films (like The Times of Harvey Milk or How to Survive a Plague ) for inspiration as well.

#5: The Learning Network

The Learning Network , a blog run by The New York Times, is a great resource for students and teachers. They have lots of great resources, and their article on 200 prompts for argumentative writing is amazing for anyone looking for essay or debate topics. The article split into categories by topic and links to articles that can help explain each issue. It’s a great place to find a topic that interests you.

What’s Next?

Controversial topics are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to things you can research and write about for class. Check out our list of 113 amazing research paper topics to put you on the path to an A+ paper grade! ( If you’re looking for speech topics or argumentative essay topics , we’ve got you covered, too.)

Researching a controversial topic is just the first step in the argumentative process. You also have to be able to persuade your reader or listener to believe in your point of view. Here are 3 killer tips to help you write an amazing argumentative essay.

Learning how to read critically, come up with an argument, and communicate it is one of the fundamental skills you’ll need to tackle the writing portions of the SAT and ACT. To make sure you’re prepared, check out our step-by-step guide to the essay portion of the SAT ( and the ACT ).

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

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50+ Research Topics for Psychology Papers

How to Find Psychology Research Topics for Your Student Paper

Specific Branches of Psychology
Topics Involving a Disorder or Type of Therapy
Human Cognition
Human Development
Critique of Publications
Famous Experiments
Historical Figures
Specific Careers
Case Studies
Literature Reviews
Your Own Study/Experiment

Are you searching for a great topic for your psychology paper ? Sometimes it seems like coming up with topics of psychology research is more challenging than the actual research and writing. Fortunately, there are plenty of great places to find inspiration and the following list contains just a few ideas to help get you started.

Finding a solid topic is one of the most important steps when writing any type of paper. It can be particularly important when you are writing a psychology research paper or essay. Psychology is such a broad topic, so you want to find a topic that allows you to adequately cover the subject without becoming overwhelmed with information.

I can always tell when a student really cares about the topic they chose; it comes through in the writing. My advice is to choose a topic that genuinely interests you, so you’ll be more motivated to do thorough research.

In some cases, such as in a general psychology class, you might have the option to select any topic from within psychology's broad reach. Other instances, such as in an abnormal psychology course, might require you to write your paper on a specific subject such as a psychological disorder.

As you begin your search for a topic for your psychology paper, it is first important to consider the guidelines established by your instructor.

Research Topics Within Specific Branches of Psychology

The key to selecting a good topic for your psychology paper is to select something that is narrow enough to allow you to really focus on the subject, but not so narrow that it is difficult to find sources or information to write about.

One approach is to narrow your focus down to a subject within a specific branch of psychology. For example, you might start by deciding that you want to write a paper on some sort of social psychology topic. Next, you might narrow your focus down to how persuasion can be used to influence behavior .

Other social psychology topics you might consider include:

Prejudice and discrimination (i.e., homophobia, sexism, racism)
Social cognition
Person perception
Social control and cults
Persuasion, propaganda, and marketing
Attraction, romance, and love
Nonverbal communication
Prosocial behavior

Psychology Research Topics Involving a Disorder or Type of Therapy

Exploring a psychological disorder or a specific treatment modality can also be a good topic for a psychology paper. Some potential abnormal psychology topics include specific psychological disorders or particular treatment modalities, including:

Eating disorders
Borderline personality disorder
Seasonal affective disorder
Schizophrenia
Antisocial personality disorder
Profile a type of therapy (i.e., cognitive-behavioral therapy, group therapy, psychoanalytic therapy)

Topics of Psychology Research Related to Human Cognition

Some of the possible topics you might explore in this area include thinking, language, intelligence, and decision-making. Other ideas might include:

False memories
Speech disorders
Problem-solving

Topics of Psychology Research Related to Human Development

In this area, you might opt to focus on issues pertinent to early childhood such as language development, social learning, or childhood attachment or you might instead opt to concentrate on issues that affect older adults such as dementia or Alzheimer's disease.

Some other topics you might consider include:

Language acquisition
Media violence and children
Learning disabilities
Gender roles
Child abuse
Prenatal development
Parenting styles
Aspects of the aging process

Do a Critique of Publications Involving Psychology Research Topics

One option is to consider writing a critique paper of a published psychology book or academic journal article. For example, you might write a critical analysis of Sigmund Freud's Interpretation of Dreams or you might evaluate a more recent book such as Philip Zimbardo's The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil .

Professional and academic journals are also great places to find materials for a critique paper. Browse through the collection at your university library to find titles devoted to the subject that you are most interested in, then look through recent articles until you find one that grabs your attention.

Topics of Psychology Research Related to Famous Experiments

There have been many fascinating and groundbreaking experiments throughout the history of psychology, providing ample material for students looking for an interesting term paper topic. In your paper, you might choose to summarize the experiment, analyze the ethics of the research, or evaluate the implications of the study. Possible experiments that you might consider include:

The Milgram Obedience Experiment
The Stanford Prison Experiment
The Little Albert Experiment
Pavlov's Conditioning Experiments
The Asch Conformity Experiment
Harlow's Rhesus Monkey Experiments

Topics of Psychology Research About Historical Figures

One of the simplest ways to find a great topic is to choose an interesting person in the history of psychology and write a paper about them. Your paper might focus on many different elements of the individual's life, such as their biography, professional history, theories, or influence on psychology.

While this type of paper may be historical in nature, there is no need for this assignment to be dry or boring. Psychology is full of fascinating figures rife with intriguing stories and anecdotes. Consider such famous individuals as Sigmund Freud, B.F. Skinner, Harry Harlow, or one of the many other eminent psychologists .

Psychology Research Topics About a Specific Career

Another possible topic, depending on the course in which you are enrolled, is to write about specific career paths within the field of psychology . This type of paper is especially appropriate if you are exploring different subtopics or considering which area interests you the most.

In your paper, you might opt to explore the typical duties of a psychologist, how much people working in these fields typically earn, and the different employment options that are available.

Topics of Psychology Research Involving Case Studies

One potentially interesting idea is to write a psychology case study of a particular individual or group of people. In this type of paper, you will provide an in-depth analysis of your subject, including a thorough biography.

Generally, you will also assess the person, often using a major psychological theory such as Piaget's stages of cognitive development or Erikson's eight-stage theory of human development . It is also important to note that your paper doesn't necessarily have to be about someone you know personally.

In fact, many professors encourage students to write case studies on historical figures or fictional characters from books, television programs, or films.

Psychology Research Topics Involving Literature Reviews

Another possibility that would work well for a number of psychology courses is to do a literature review of a specific topic within psychology. A literature review involves finding a variety of sources on a particular subject, then summarizing and reporting on what these sources have to say about the topic.

Literature reviews are generally found in the introduction of journal articles and other psychology papers , but this type of analysis also works well for a full-scale psychology term paper.

Topics of Psychology Research Based on Your Own Study or Experiment

Many psychology courses require students to design an actual psychological study or perform some type of experiment. In some cases, students simply devise the study and then imagine the possible results that might occur. In other situations, you may actually have the opportunity to collect data, analyze your findings, and write up your results.

Finding a topic for your study can be difficult, but there are plenty of great ways to come up with intriguing ideas. Start by considering your own interests as well as subjects you have studied in the past.

Online sources, newspaper articles, books , journal articles, and even your own class textbook are all great places to start searching for topics for your experiments and psychology term papers. Before you begin, learn more about how to conduct a psychology experiment .

What This Means For You

After looking at this brief list of possible topics for psychology papers, it is easy to see that psychology is a very broad and diverse subject. While this variety makes it possible to find a topic that really catches your interest, it can sometimes make it very difficult for some students to select a good topic.

If you are still stumped by your assignment, ask your instructor for suggestions and consider a few from this list for inspiration.

Hockenbury, SE & Nolan, SA. Psychology. New York: Worth Publishers; 2014.
Santrock, JW. A Topical Approach to Lifespan Development. New York: McGraw-Hill Education; 2016.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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The purpose of the discussion section is to interpret and describe the significance of your findings in relation to what was already known about the research problem being investigated and to explain any new understanding or insights that emerged as a result of your research. The discussion will always connect to the introduction by way of the research questions or hypotheses you posed and the literature you reviewed, but the discussion does not simply repeat or rearrange the first parts of your paper; the discussion clearly explains how your study advanced the reader's understanding of the research problem from where you left them at the end of your review of prior research.

Annesley, Thomas M. “The Discussion Section: Your Closing Argument.” Clinical Chemistry 56 (November 2010): 1671-1674; Peacock, Matthew. “Communicative Moves in the Discussion Section of Research Articles.” System 30 (December 2002): 479-497.

Importance of a Good Discussion

The discussion section is often considered the most important part of your research paper because it:

Most effectively demonstrates your ability as a researcher to think critically about an issue, to develop creative solutions to problems based upon a logical synthesis of the findings, and to formulate a deeper, more profound understanding of the research problem under investigation;
Presents the underlying meaning of your research, notes possible implications in other areas of study, and explores possible improvements that can be made in order to further develop the concerns of your research;
Highlights the importance of your study and how it can contribute to understanding the research problem within the field of study;
Presents how the findings from your study revealed and helped fill gaps in the literature that had not been previously exposed or adequately described; and,
Engages the reader in thinking critically about issues based on an evidence-based interpretation of findings; it is not governed strictly by objective reporting of information.

Annesley Thomas M. “The Discussion Section: Your Closing Argument.” Clinical Chemistry 56 (November 2010): 1671-1674; Bitchener, John and Helen Basturkmen. “Perceptions of the Difficulties of Postgraduate L2 Thesis Students Writing the Discussion Section.” Journal of English for Academic Purposes 5 (January 2006): 4-18; Kretchmer, Paul. Fourteen Steps to Writing an Effective Discussion Section. San Francisco Edit, 2003-2008.

Structure and Writing Style

I. General Rules

These are the general rules you should adopt when composing your discussion of the results :

Do not be verbose or repetitive; be concise and make your points clearly
Avoid the use of jargon or undefined technical language
Follow a logical stream of thought; in general, interpret and discuss the significance of your findings in the same sequence you described them in your results section [a notable exception is to begin by highlighting an unexpected result or a finding that can grab the reader's attention]
Use the present verb tense, especially for established facts; however, refer to specific works or prior studies in the past tense
If needed, use subheadings to help organize your discussion or to categorize your interpretations into themes

II. The Content

The content of the discussion section of your paper most often includes :

Explanation of results : Comment on whether or not the results were expected for each set of findings; go into greater depth to explain findings that were unexpected or especially profound. If appropriate, note any unusual or unanticipated patterns or trends that emerged from your results and explain their meaning in relation to the research problem.
References to previous research : Either compare your results with the findings from other studies or use the studies to support a claim. This can include re-visiting key sources already cited in your literature review section, or, save them to cite later in the discussion section if they are more important to compare with your results instead of being a part of the general literature review of prior research used to provide context and background information. Note that you can make this decision to highlight specific studies after you have begun writing the discussion section.
Deduction : A claim for how the results can be applied more generally. For example, describing lessons learned, proposing recommendations that can help improve a situation, or highlighting best practices.
Hypothesis : A more general claim or possible conclusion arising from the results [which may be proved or disproved in subsequent research]. This can be framed as new research questions that emerged as a consequence of your analysis.

III. Organization and Structure

Keep the following sequential points in mind as you organize and write the discussion section of your paper:

Think of your discussion as an inverted pyramid. Organize the discussion from the general to the specific, linking your findings to the literature, then to theory, then to practice [if appropriate].
Use the same key terms, narrative style, and verb tense [present] that you used when describing the research problem in your introduction.
Begin by briefly re-stating the research problem you were investigating and answer all of the research questions underpinning the problem that you posed in the introduction.
Describe the patterns, principles, and relationships shown by each major findings and place them in proper perspective. The sequence of this information is important; first state the answer, then the relevant results, then cite the work of others. If appropriate, refer the reader to a figure or table to help enhance the interpretation of the data [either within the text or as an appendix].
Regardless of where it's mentioned, a good discussion section includes analysis of any unexpected findings. This part of the discussion should begin with a description of the unanticipated finding, followed by a brief interpretation as to why you believe it appeared and, if necessary, its possible significance in relation to the overall study. If more than one unexpected finding emerged during the study, describe each of them in the order they appeared as you gathered or analyzed the data. As noted, the exception to discussing findings in the same order you described them in the results section would be to begin by highlighting the implications of a particularly unexpected or significant finding that emerged from the study, followed by a discussion of the remaining findings.
Before concluding the discussion, identify potential limitations and weaknesses if you do not plan to do so in the conclusion of the paper. Comment on their relative importance in relation to your overall interpretation of the results and, if necessary, note how they may affect the validity of your findings. Avoid using an apologetic tone; however, be honest and self-critical [e.g., in retrospect, had you included a particular question in a survey instrument, additional data could have been revealed].
The discussion section should end with a concise summary of the principal implications of the findings regardless of their significance. Give a brief explanation about why you believe the findings and conclusions of your study are important and how they support broader knowledge or understanding of the research problem. This can be followed by any recommendations for further research. However, do not offer recommendations which could have been easily addressed within the study. This would demonstrate to the reader that you have inadequately examined and interpreted the data.

IV. Overall Objectives

The objectives of your discussion section should include the following: I. Reiterate the Research Problem/State the Major Findings

Briefly reiterate the research problem or problems you are investigating and the methods you used to investigate them, then move quickly to describe the major findings of the study. You should write a direct, declarative, and succinct proclamation of the study results, usually in one paragraph.

II. Explain the Meaning of the Findings and Why They are Important

No one has thought as long and hard about your study as you have. Systematically explain the underlying meaning of your findings and state why you believe they are significant. After reading the discussion section, you want the reader to think critically about the results and why they are important. You don’t want to force the reader to go through the paper multiple times to figure out what it all means. If applicable, begin this part of the section by repeating what you consider to be your most significant or unanticipated finding first, then systematically review each finding. Otherwise, follow the general order you reported the findings presented in the results section.

III. Relate the Findings to Similar Studies

No study in the social sciences is so novel or possesses such a restricted focus that it has absolutely no relation to previously published research. The discussion section should relate your results to those found in other studies, particularly if questions raised from prior studies served as the motivation for your research. This is important because comparing and contrasting the findings of other studies helps to support the overall importance of your results and it highlights how and in what ways your study differs from other research about the topic. Note that any significant or unanticipated finding is often because there was no prior research to indicate the finding could occur. If there is prior research to indicate this, you need to explain why it was significant or unanticipated. IV. Consider Alternative Explanations of the Findings

It is important to remember that the purpose of research in the social sciences is to discover and not to prove . When writing the discussion section, you should carefully consider all possible explanations for the study results, rather than just those that fit your hypothesis or prior assumptions and biases. This is especially important when describing the discovery of significant or unanticipated findings.

V. Acknowledge the Study’s Limitations

It is far better for you to identify and acknowledge your study’s limitations than to have them pointed out by your professor! Note any unanswered questions or issues your study could not address and describe the generalizability of your results to other situations. If a limitation is applicable to the method chosen to gather information, then describe in detail the problems you encountered and why. VI. Make Suggestions for Further Research

You may choose to conclude the discussion section by making suggestions for further research [as opposed to offering suggestions in the conclusion of your paper]. Although your study can offer important insights about the research problem, this is where you can address other questions related to the problem that remain unanswered or highlight hidden issues that were revealed as a result of conducting your research. You should frame your suggestions by linking the need for further research to the limitations of your study [e.g., in future studies, the survey instrument should include more questions that ask..."] or linking to critical issues revealed from the data that were not considered initially in your research.

NOTE: Besides the literature review section, the preponderance of references to sources is usually found in the discussion section . A few historical references may be helpful for perspective, but most of the references should be relatively recent and included to aid in the interpretation of your results, to support the significance of a finding, and/or to place a finding within a particular context. If a study that you cited does not support your findings, don't ignore it--clearly explain why your research findings differ from theirs.

V. Problems to Avoid

Do not waste time restating your results . Should you need to remind the reader of a finding to be discussed, use "bridge sentences" that relate the result to the interpretation. An example would be: “In the case of determining available housing to single women with children in rural areas of Texas, the findings suggest that access to good schools is important...," then move on to further explaining this finding and its implications.
As noted, recommendations for further research can be included in either the discussion or conclusion of your paper, but do not repeat your recommendations in the both sections. Think about the overall narrative flow of your paper to determine where best to locate this information. However, if your findings raise a lot of new questions or issues, consider including suggestions for further research in the discussion section.
Do not introduce new results in the discussion section. Be wary of mistaking the reiteration of a specific finding for an interpretation because it may confuse the reader. The description of findings [results section] and the interpretation of their significance [discussion section] should be distinct parts of your paper. If you choose to combine the results section and the discussion section into a single narrative, you must be clear in how you report the information discovered and your own interpretation of each finding. This approach is not recommended if you lack experience writing college-level research papers.
Use of the first person pronoun is generally acceptable. Using first person singular pronouns can help emphasize a point or illustrate a contrasting finding. However, keep in mind that too much use of the first person can actually distract the reader from the main points [i.e., I know you're telling me this--just tell me!].

Analyzing vs. Summarizing. Department of English Writing Guide. George Mason University; Discussion. The Structure, Format, Content, and Style of a Journal-Style Scientific Paper. Department of Biology. Bates College; Hess, Dean R. "How to Write an Effective Discussion." Respiratory Care 49 (October 2004); Kretchmer, Paul. Fourteen Steps to Writing to Writing an Effective Discussion Section. San Francisco Edit, 2003-2008; The Lab Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Sauaia, A. et al. "The Anatomy of an Article: The Discussion Section: "How Does the Article I Read Today Change What I Will Recommend to my Patients Tomorrow?” The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery 74 (June 2013): 1599-1602; Research Limitations & Future Research . Lund Research Ltd., 2012; Summary: Using it Wisely. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Schafer, Mickey S. Writing the Discussion. Writing in Psychology course syllabus. University of Florida; Yellin, Linda L. A Sociology Writer's Guide . Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon, 2009.

Writing Tip

Don’t Over-Interpret the Results!

Interpretation is a subjective exercise. As such, you should always approach the selection and interpretation of your findings introspectively and to think critically about the possibility of judgmental biases unintentionally entering into discussions about the significance of your work. With this in mind, be careful that you do not read more into the findings than can be supported by the evidence you have gathered. Remember that the data are the data: nothing more, nothing less.

MacCoun, Robert J. "Biases in the Interpretation and Use of Research Results." Annual Review of Psychology 49 (February 1998): 259-287; Ward, Paulet al, editors. The Oxford Handbook of Expertise . Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2018.

Another Writing Tip

Don't Write Two Results Sections!

One of the most common mistakes that you can make when discussing the results of your study is to present a superficial interpretation of the findings that more or less re-states the results section of your paper. Obviously, you must refer to your results when discussing them, but focus on the interpretation of those results and their significance in relation to the research problem, not the data itself.

Azar, Beth. "Discussing Your Findings." American Psychological Association gradPSYCH Magazine (January 2006).

Yet Another Writing Tip

Avoid Unwarranted Speculation!

The discussion section should remain focused on the findings of your study. For example, if the purpose of your research was to measure the impact of foreign aid on increasing access to education among disadvantaged children in Bangladesh, it would not be appropriate to speculate about how your findings might apply to populations in other countries without drawing from existing studies to support your claim or if analysis of other countries was not a part of your original research design. If you feel compelled to speculate, do so in the form of describing possible implications or explaining possible impacts. Be certain that you clearly identify your comments as speculation or as a suggestion for where further research is needed. Sometimes your professor will encourage you to expand your discussion of the results in this way, while others don’t care what your opinion is beyond your effort to interpret the data in relation to the research problem.

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How to Write a Discussion Section | Tips & Examples

How to Write a Discussion Section | Tips & Examples

Published on August 21, 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 18, 2023.

The discussion section is where you delve into the meaning, importance, and relevance of your results .

It should focus on explaining and evaluating what you found, showing how it relates to your literature review and paper or dissertation topic , and making an argument in support of your overall conclusion. It should not be a second results section.

There are different ways to write this section, but you can focus your writing around these key elements:

Summary : A brief recap of your key results
Interpretations: What do your results mean?
Implications: Why do your results matter?
Limitations: What can’t your results tell us?
Recommendations: Avenues for further studies or analyses

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What not to include in your discussion section, step 1: summarize your key findings, step 2: give your interpretations, step 3: discuss the implications, step 4: acknowledge the limitations, step 5: share your recommendations, discussion section example, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about discussion sections.

There are a few common mistakes to avoid when writing the discussion section of your paper.

Don’t introduce new results: You should only discuss the data that you have already reported in your results section .
Don’t make inflated claims: Avoid overinterpretation and speculation that isn’t directly supported by your data.
Don’t undermine your research: The discussion of limitations should aim to strengthen your credibility, not emphasize weaknesses or failures.

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Start this section by reiterating your research problem and concisely summarizing your major findings. To speed up the process you can use a summarizer to quickly get an overview of all important findings. Don’t just repeat all the data you have already reported—aim for a clear statement of the overall result that directly answers your main research question . This should be no more than one paragraph.

Many students struggle with the differences between a discussion section and a results section . The crux of the matter is that your results sections should present your results, and your discussion section should subjectively evaluate them. Try not to blend elements of these two sections, in order to keep your paper sharp.

The results indicate that…
The study demonstrates a correlation between…
This analysis supports the theory that…
The data suggest that…

The meaning of your results may seem obvious to you, but it’s important to spell out their significance for your reader, showing exactly how they answer your research question.

The form of your interpretations will depend on the type of research, but some typical approaches to interpreting the data include:

Identifying correlations , patterns, and relationships among the data
Discussing whether the results met your expectations or supported your hypotheses
Contextualizing your findings within previous research and theory
Explaining unexpected results and evaluating their significance
Considering possible alternative explanations and making an argument for your position

You can organize your discussion around key themes, hypotheses, or research questions, following the same structure as your results section. Alternatively, you can also begin by highlighting the most significant or unexpected results.

In line with the hypothesis…
Contrary to the hypothesized association…
The results contradict the claims of Smith (2022) that…
The results might suggest that x . However, based on the findings of similar studies, a more plausible explanation is y .

As well as giving your own interpretations, make sure to relate your results back to the scholarly work that you surveyed in the literature review . The discussion should show how your findings fit with existing knowledge, what new insights they contribute, and what consequences they have for theory or practice.

Ask yourself these questions:

Do your results support or challenge existing theories? If they support existing theories, what new information do they contribute? If they challenge existing theories, why do you think that is?
Are there any practical implications?

Your overall aim is to show the reader exactly what your research has contributed, and why they should care.

These results build on existing evidence of…
The results do not fit with the theory that…
The experiment provides a new insight into the relationship between…
These results should be taken into account when considering how to…
The data contribute a clearer understanding of…
While previous research has focused on x , these results demonstrate that y .

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Even the best research has its limitations. Acknowledging these is important to demonstrate your credibility. Limitations aren’t about listing your errors, but about providing an accurate picture of what can and cannot be concluded from your study.

Limitations might be due to your overall research design, specific methodological choices , or unanticipated obstacles that emerged during your research process.

Here are a few common possibilities:

If your sample size was small or limited to a specific group of people, explain how generalizability is limited.
If you encountered problems when gathering or analyzing data, explain how these influenced the results.
If there are potential confounding variables that you were unable to control, acknowledge the effect these may have had.

After noting the limitations, you can reiterate why the results are nonetheless valid for the purpose of answering your research question.

The generalizability of the results is limited by…
The reliability of these data is impacted by…
Due to the lack of data on x , the results cannot confirm…
The methodological choices were constrained by…
It is beyond the scope of this study to…

Based on the discussion of your results, you can make recommendations for practical implementation or further research. Sometimes, the recommendations are saved for the conclusion .

Suggestions for further research can lead directly from the limitations. Don’t just state that more studies should be done—give concrete ideas for how future work can build on areas that your own research was unable to address.

Further research is needed to establish…
Future studies should take into account…
Avenues for future research include…

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or research bias, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

Research bias

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In the discussion , you explore the meaning and relevance of your research results , explaining how they fit with existing research and theory. Discuss:

Your interpretations : what do the results tell us?
The implications : why do the results matter?
The limitation s : what can’t the results tell us?

The results chapter or section simply and objectively reports what you found, without speculating on why you found these results. The discussion interprets the meaning of the results, puts them in context, and explains why they matter.

In qualitative research , results and discussion are sometimes combined. But in quantitative research , it’s considered important to separate the objective results from your interpretation of them.

In a thesis or dissertation, the discussion is an in-depth exploration of the results, going into detail about the meaning of your findings and citing relevant sources to put them in context.

The conclusion is more shorter and more general: it concisely answers your main research question and makes recommendations based on your overall findings.

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61 intriguing psychology research topics to explore

Last updated

11 January 2024

Reviewed by

Brittany Ferri, PhD, OTR/L

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Psychology is an incredibly diverse, critical, and ever-changing area of study in the medical and health industries. Because of this, it’s a common area of study for students and healthcare professionals.

We’re walking you through picking the perfect topic for your upcoming paper or study. Keep reading for plenty of example topics to pique your interest and curiosity.

How to choose a psychology research topic

Exploring a psychology-based topic for your research project? You need to pick a specific area of interest to collect compelling data.

Use these tips to help you narrow down which psychology topics to research:

Focus on a particular area of psychology

The most effective psychological research focuses on a smaller, niche concept or disorder within the scope of a study.

Psychology is a broad and fascinating area of science, including everything from diagnosed mental health disorders to sports performance mindset assessments.

This gives you plenty of different avenues to explore. Having a hard time choosing? Check out our list of 61 ideas further down in this article to get started.

Read the latest clinical studies

Once you’ve picked a more niche topic to explore, you need to do your due diligence and explore other research projects on the same topic.

This practice will help you learn more about your chosen topic, ask more specific questions, and avoid covering existing projects.

For the best results, we recommend creating a research folder of associated published papers to reference throughout your project. This makes it much easier to cite direct references and find inspiration down the line.

Find a topic you enjoy and ask questions

Once you’ve spent time researching and collecting references for your study, you finally get to explore.

Whether this research project is for work, school, or just for fun, having a passion for your research will make the project much more enjoyable. (Trust us, there will be times when that is the only thing that keeps you going.)

Now you’ve decided on the topic, ask more nuanced questions you might want to explore.

If you can, pick the direction that interests you the most to make the research process much more enjoyable.

61 psychology topics to research in 2024

Need some extra help starting your psychology research project on the right foot? Explore our list of 61 cutting-edge, in-demand psychology research topics to use as a starting point for your research journey.

Psychology research topics for university students

As a university student, it can be hard to pick a research topic that fits the scope of your classes and is still compelling and unique.

Here are a few exciting topics we recommend exploring for your next assigned research project:

Mental health in post-secondary students

Seeking post-secondary education is a stressful and overwhelming experience for most students, making this topic a great choice to explore for your in-class research paper.

Examples of post-secondary mental health research topics include:

Student mental health status during exam season

Mental health disorder prevalence based on study major

The impact of chronic school stress on overall quality of life

The impacts of cyberbullying

Cyberbullying can occur at all ages, starting as early as elementary school and carrying through into professional workplaces.

Examples of cyberbullying-based research topics you can study include:

The impact of cyberbullying on self-esteem

Common reasons people engage in cyberbullying

Cyberbullying themes and commonly used terms

Cyberbullying habits in children vs. adults

The long-term effects of cyberbullying

Clinical psychology research topics

If you’re looking to take a more clinical approach to your next project, here are a few topics that involve direct patient assessment for you to consider:

Chronic pain and mental health

Living with chronic pain dramatically impacts every aspect of a person’s life, including their mental and emotional health.

Here are a few examples of in-demand pain-related psychology research topics:

The connection between diabetic neuropathy and depression

Neurological pain and its connection to mental health disorders

Efficacy of meditation and mindfulness for pain management

The long-term effects of insomnia

Insomnia is where you have difficulty falling or staying asleep. It’s a common health concern that impacts millions of people worldwide.

This is an excellent topic because insomnia can have a variety of causes, offering many research possibilities.

Here are a few compelling psychology research topics about insomnia you could investigate:

The prevalence of insomnia based on age, gender, and ethnicity

Insomnia and its impact on workplace productivity

The connection between insomnia and mental health disorders

Efficacy and use of melatonin supplements for insomnia

The risks and benefits of prescription insomnia medications

Lifestyle options for managing insomnia symptoms

The efficacy of mental health treatment options

Management and treatment of mental health conditions is an ever-changing area of study. If you can witness or participate in mental health therapies, this can make a great research project.

Examples of mental health treatment-related psychology research topics include:

The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for patients with severe anxiety

The benefits and drawbacks of group vs. individual therapy sessions

Music therapy for mental health disorders

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for patients with depression

Controversial psychology research paper topics

If you are looking to explore a more cutting-edge or modern psychology topic, you can delve into a variety of controversial and topical options:

The impact of social media and digital platforms

Ever since access to internet forums and video games became more commonplace, there’s been growing concern about the impact these digital platforms have on mental health.

Examples of social media and video game-related psychology research topics include:

The effect of edited images on self-confidence

How social media platforms impact social behavior

Video games and their impact on teenage anger and violence

Digital communication and the rapid spread of misinformation

The development of digital friendships

Psychotropic medications for mental health

In recent years, the interest in using psychoactive medications to treat and manage health conditions has increased despite their inherently controversial nature.

Examples of psychotropic medication-related research topics include:

The risks and benefits of using psilocybin mushrooms for managing anxiety

The impact of marijuana on early-onset psychosis

Childhood marijuana use and related prevalence of mental health conditions

Ketamine and its use for complex PTSD (C-PTSD) symptom management

The effect of long-term psychedelic use and mental health conditions

Mental health disorder research topics

As one of the most popular subsections of psychology, studying mental health disorders and how they impact quality of life is an essential and impactful area of research.

While studies in these areas are common, there’s always room for additional exploration, including the following hot-button topics:

Anxiety and depression disorders

Anxiety and depression are well-known and heavily researched mental health disorders.

Despite this, we still don’t know many things about these conditions, making them great candidates for psychology research projects:

Social anxiety and its connection to chronic loneliness

C-PTSD symptoms and causes

The development of phobias

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) behaviors and symptoms

Depression triggers and causes

Self-care tools and resources for depression

The prevalence of anxiety and depression in particular age groups or geographic areas

Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder is a complex and multi-faceted area of psychology research.

Use your research skills to learn more about this condition and its impact by choosing any of the following topics:

Early signs of bipolar disorder

The incidence of bipolar disorder in young adults

The efficacy of existing bipolar treatment options

Bipolar medication side effects

Cognitive behavioral therapy for people with bipolar

Schizoaffective disorder

Schizoaffective disorder is often stigmatized, and less common mental health disorders are a hotbed for new and exciting research.

Here are a few examples of interesting research topics related to this mental health disorder:

The prevalence of schizoaffective disorder by certain age groups or geographic locations

Risk factors for developing schizoaffective disorder

The prevalence and content of auditory and visual hallucinations

Alternative therapies for schizoaffective disorder

Societal and systematic psychology research topics

Modern society’s impact is deeply enmeshed in our mental and emotional health on a personal and community level.

Here are a few examples of societal and systemic psychology research topics to explore in more detail:

Access to mental health services

While mental health awareness has risen over the past few decades, access to quality mental health treatment and resources is still not equitable.

This can significantly impact the severity of a person’s mental health symptoms, which can result in worse health outcomes if left untreated.

Explore this crucial issue and provide information about the need for improved mental health resource access by studying any of the following topics:

Rural vs. urban access to mental health resources

Access to crisis lines by location

Wait times for emergency mental health services

Inequities in mental health access based on income and location

Insurance coverage for mental health services

Systemic racism and mental health

Societal systems and the prevalence of systemic racism heavily impact every aspect of a person’s overall health.

Researching these topics draws attention to existing problems and contributes valuable insights into ways to improve access to care moving forward.

Examples of systemic racism-related psychology research topics include:

Access to mental health resources based on race

The prevalence of BIPOC mental health therapists in a chosen area

The impact of systemic racism on mental health and self-worth

Racism training for mental health workers

The prevalence of mental health disorders in discriminated groups

LGBTQIA+ mental health concerns

Research about LGBTQIA+ people and their mental health needs is a unique area of study to explore for your next research project. It’s a commonly overlooked and underserved community.

Examples of LGBTQIA+ psychology research topics to consider include:

Mental health supports for queer teens and children

The impact of queer safe spaces on mental health

The prevalence of mental health disorders in the LGBTQIA+ community

The benefits of queer mentorship and found family

Substance misuse in LQBTQIA+ youth and adults

Collect data and identify trends with Dovetail

Psychology research is an exciting and competitive study area, making it the perfect choice for projects or papers.

Take the headache out of analyzing your data and instantly access the insights you need to complete your next psychology research project by teaming up with Dovetail today.

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Research as a Conversation: Choosing a Topic

Getting Started

Choosing a Topic

Choosing a Conversation Group
Knowing Their Words
Using Search Skills/Tools to Find What They Say
Understanding the Conversation
Making Your Own Discoveries & Conclusions
Sharing Your Discoveries & Conclusions

Writing & Speaking

How to choose a topic.

Questions for Choosing a Top ic

Check with your teacher about this.

2. What interests you? What would you like to find out about the topic you are considering? And will it hold your attention over a periods of weeks?

Look in a textbook, encyclopedia, or book chapter for ideas.

3. What problem do you want to solve?

4. What do you know about that you would like to learn more about?

5. Can information be gathered and organized in the time allotted?

6. Is there enough information for the topic?

Do a quick search in your library to see if there is enough information on your topic.
Do you need to broaden the topic? What subject is it listed under?
Librarians can help you with this.
Do you may need to narrow the topic? What are the subheadings under this topic? (See Library of Congress Classification Outline )
Librarians can also help you with this.

Think Hierarchically

You can always narrow or broaden your topic

1. Go up the hierarchy to find more specific topics.

2. Go down the hierarchy to find broader topics.

3. Go to the right or left on the hierarchy to find related topics.

Burr oak trees in Ohio

Science

Good tools for narrowing a topic

Library of Congress Classification Outline
Medical Subject Headings
Discuss your topic with others

It Takes Time

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Last Updated: Jul 6, 2023 5:07 PM
URL: https://libguides.cedarville.edu/ResearchAsAConversation

1000+ FREE Research Topics & Title Ideas

Select your area of interest to view a collection of potential research topics and ideas.

Or grab the full list 📋 (for free)

PS – You can also check out our free topic ideation webinar for more ideas

How To Find A Research Topic

If you’re struggling to get started, this step-by-step video tutorial will help you find the perfect research topic.

Research Topic FAQs

What (exactly) is a research topic.

A research topic is the subject of a research project or study – for example, a dissertation or thesis. A research topic typically takes the form of a problem to be solved, or a question to be answered.

A good research topic should be specific enough to allow for focused research and analysis. For example, if you are interested in studying the effects of climate change on agriculture, your research topic could focus on how rising temperatures have impacted crop yields in certain regions over time.

To learn more about the basics of developing a research topic, consider our free research topic ideation webinar.

What constitutes a good research topic?

A strong research topic comprises three important qualities : originality, value and feasibility.

Originality – a good topic explores an original area or takes a novel angle on an existing area of study.
Value – a strong research topic provides value and makes a contribution, either academically or practically.
Feasibility – a good research topic needs to be practical and manageable, given the resource constraints you face.

To learn more about what makes for a high-quality research topic, check out this post .

What's the difference between a research topic and research problem?

A research topic and a research problem are two distinct concepts that are often confused. A research topic is a broader label that indicates the focus of the study , while a research problem is an issue or gap in knowledge within the broader field that needs to be addressed.

To illustrate this distinction, consider a student who has chosen “teenage pregnancy in the United Kingdom” as their research topic. This research topic could encompass any number of issues related to teenage pregnancy such as causes, prevention strategies, health outcomes for mothers and babies, etc.

Within this broad category (the research topic) lies potential areas of inquiry that can be explored further – these become the research problems . For example:

What factors contribute to higher rates of teenage pregnancy in certain communities?
How do different types of parenting styles affect teen pregnancy rates?
What interventions have been successful in reducing teenage pregnancies?

Simply put, a key difference between a research topic and a research problem is scope ; the research topic provides an umbrella under which multiple questions can be asked, while the research problem focuses on one specific question or set of questions within that larger context.

How can I find potential research topics for my project?

There are many steps involved in the process of finding and choosing a high-quality research topic for a dissertation or thesis. We cover these steps in detail in this video (also accessible below).

How can I find quality sources for my research topic?

Finding quality sources is an essential step in the topic ideation process. To do this, you should start by researching scholarly journals, books, and other academic publications related to your topic. These sources can provide reliable information on a wide range of topics. Additionally, they may contain data or statistics that can help support your argument or conclusions.

Identifying Relevant Sources

When searching for relevant sources, it’s important to look beyond just published material; try using online databases such as Google Scholar or JSTOR to find articles from reputable journals that have been peer-reviewed by experts in the field.

You can also use search engines like Google or Bing to locate websites with useful information about your topic. However, be sure to evaluate any website before citing it as a source—look for evidence of authorship (such as an “About Us” page) and make sure the content is up-to-date and accurate before relying on it.

Evaluating Sources

Once you’ve identified potential sources for your research project, take some time to evaluate them thoroughly before deciding which ones will best serve your purpose. Consider factors such as author credibility (are they an expert in their field?), publication date (is the source current?), objectivity (does the author present both sides of an issue?) and relevance (how closely does this source relate to my specific topic?).

By researching the current literature on your topic, you can identify potential sources that will help to provide quality information. Once you’ve identified these sources, it’s time to look for a gap in the research and determine what new knowledge could be gained from further study.

How can I find a good research gap?

Finding a strong gap in the literature is an essential step when looking for potential research topics. We explain what research gaps are and how to find them in this post.

How should I evaluate potential research topics/ideas?

When evaluating potential research topics, it is important to consider the factors that make for a strong topic (we discussed these earlier). Specifically:

Originality
Feasibility

So, when you have a list of potential topics or ideas, assess each of them in terms of these three criteria. A good topic should take a unique angle, provide value (either to academia or practitioners), and be practical enough for you to pull off, given your limited resources.

Finally, you should also assess whether this project could lead to potential career opportunities such as internships or job offers down the line. Make sure that you are researching something that is relevant enough so that it can benefit your professional development in some way. Additionally, consider how each research topic aligns with your career goals and interests; researching something that you are passionate about can help keep motivation high throughout the process.

How can I assess the feasibility of a research topic?

When evaluating the feasibility and practicality of a research topic, it is important to consider several factors.

First, you should assess whether or not the research topic is within your area of competence. Of course, when you start out, you are not expected to be the world’s leading expert, but do should at least have some foundational knowledge.

Time commitment

When considering a research topic, you should think about how much time will be required for completion. Depending on your field of study, some topics may require more time than others due to their complexity or scope.

Additionally, if you plan on collaborating with other researchers or institutions in order to complete your project, additional considerations must be taken into account such as coordinating schedules and ensuring that all parties involved have adequate resources available.

Resources needed

It’s also critically important to consider what type of resources are necessary in order to conduct the research successfully. This includes physical materials such as lab equipment and chemicals but can also include intangible items like access to certain databases or software programs which may be necessary depending on the nature of your work. Additionally, if there are costs associated with obtaining these materials then this must also be factored into your evaluation process.

Potential risks

It’s important to consider the inherent potential risks for each potential research topic. These can include ethical risks (challenges getting ethical approval), data risks (not being able to access the data you’ll need), technical risks relating to the equipment you’ll use and funding risks (not securing the necessary financial back to undertake the research).

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Research Topic Ideas

Picking a Topic
Area & Interdisciplinary Studies
Behavioral & Social Sciences
Business, Economics, & Management

Not Sure Which Topic to Choose?

Controversial issues and current events, flint water crisis.

Education & Social Work
Health Sciences
Natural and Physical Sciences

Look at the "Picking a Topic" tab on this guide for help brainstorming your topic. Also, our Research Process guide can help you throughout your research process.

Research Process by Liz Svoboda Last Updated May 29, 2024 10854 views this year

Most of our online resources are available only to UM-Flint students. You may have access to them through your own library. While we are happy to assist you when we can, .

Affirmative Action
Affordable Care Act
Alternative medicine
America's global influence
Artificial intelligence
Assisted suicide
Bilingual education
Black Lives Matter
Border security
Capital punishment
Charter schools
Childhood obesity
Civil rights
Climate change
Concussions in football
COVID restrictions
Cryptocurrency
Cyber bullying
Cybersecurity
Drug legalization
Early voting
Eating disorders
Equal Rights Amendment
Executive order
Factory farming
Foreign aid
Freedom of speech
General Data Protection Regulation
Genetic engineering
Gerrymandering
Green New Deal
Hate speech
Health insurance
Human trafficking
Immigration
Israel-Palestine relations
Judicial activism
Labor unions
Land acknowledgments
#MeToo movement
Minimum wage
Misinformation
Net neutrality
Nuclear energy
Offshore drilling
Online anonymity
Organic food
Outsourcing
Police reform
Political activism
Prescription drug addiction
Racial profiling
Reparations
Russian hacking
Sanctuary city
Screen addiction
Self-driving cars
Sex education
Smart speakers
Social Security reform
Standardized testing
Stimulus packages
Supreme Court confirmation
Syrian civil war
Title IX enforcement
Trade tariffs
Transgender rights
Ukraine and Russia
Urban agriculture
Vaccination mandates
Violence in the media
Voter ID laws
Voting fraud and security
White nationalism
Women's rights
Zero tolerance policies

Related suggested databases

Covers contemporary social issues with pro & con and background information. Also allows searching of the collection Global Issues.

Covers contemporary social issues, from Offshore Drilling to Climate Change, Health Care to Immigration. Helps students research, analyze and organize a broad variety of data for conducting research, completing writing assignments, preparing for debates, creating presentations, and more. This resource helps students explore issues from all perspectives, and includes: pro/con viewpoint essays, topic overviews, primary source documents, biographies of social activists and reformers, court-case overviews, periodical articles, statistical tables, charts and graphs, images and a link to Google Image Search, podcasts (including weekly presidential addresses and premier NPR programs), and a national and state curriculum standards search correlated to the content that allows educators to quickly identify material by grade and discipline. Keyword(s): United States

In-depth, unbiased coverage of health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy.

1923-present. Each single-themed, 12,000-word report is researched and written by a seasoned journalist, and contains an introductory overview; background and chronology on the topic; an assessment of the current situation; tables and maps; pro & con statements from representatives of opposing positions; and bibliographies of key sources.

Balanced, accurate discussions of over 250 controversial topics in the news along with chronologies, illustrations, maps, tables, sidebars, contact info, and bibliographies, including primary source documents and news editorials.

Covers 1995-present. A Read Aloud button is available for text-to-speech for much of the content.

Series of short books that offer a balanced and authoritative treatment of current events and countries of the world.

What Everyone Needs to Know has short overviews designed to offer a balanced and authoritative treatment on complex current events and countries of the world. Includes books in these areas:

Arts & Humanities
Medicine & Health
Science & Mathematics
Social Sciences
Art as commentary
Early childhood development
Citizen scientists
Emergency manager law
Environmental health
Government regulations
Health care access
Infrastructure
Investigative journalism
Lead and Copper Rule
Lead toxicity
Volunteerism
Water filtration
Water Resource Development Act (S.2848)
Water rights
Water supply policy
Water supply regulation

Related subject guide

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URL: https://libguides.umflint.edu/topics

Describing and Explaining a Scholarly Conversation

Introduction

Entering into a conversation of any kind can be tricky if you are new to a group of people, topic, or even the tone of the conversation. If you don’t pause and listen to what people are saying for a moment before speaking, you can repeat something someone else has said, come across as speaking in bad faith, or strike up the wrong tone entirely. The same is true for engaging with a conversation within an academic discipline or topic of scholarship. To become a member of their scholarly community and enter the conversation, you may need to spend some time catching up on what people have said before you. While deciding when you have listened or read enough is going vary from topic to topic and assignment to assignment, the research process utilizes many concrete techniques and practices that can help you reach those goals. In this section of readings, you will read about some of those techniques and how they can serve you as a researcher and writer.

Questions and Arguments

Research is often described as a linear process, but it is often anything but. While there are recognizable phases and strategies, in extended research projects you can often find yourself doing certain tasks repeatedly, adjusting the scope of your research, changing your terms, or even discovering a related but functionally new topic that interests you more. In many ways, this makes sense because what we know can teach us what to ask. If you learn a lot about particle physics, for example, you begin to see what we don’t know and what would merit further study. “Listening” to the conversation doesn’t just teach you more about what to say, but also about how to listen even better.

Often our understanding of a topic starts broad and digs down into a particular group of ideas or applications, which is how some broad disciplines like engineering have vastly different subfields that deal with aerodynamics, construction, efficiency, computer software and hardware, chemicals, and many other areas. Our understanding of how manipulate and craft the world around us may have begun with general concerns, but the more we learned about the world, the more specific our questions have become. A computer engineer may spend the majority of their time examining how sound signals are processed and transmitted and may never even examine the particular chemical makeup of a pesticide that targets certain species but is virtually harmless to others, and yet both of those concerns fall under the umbrella of engineering. Similarly a historian who studies ancient Persia may never spend meaningful time considering the cultural impact of TikTok and other social media apps, but both topic could be considered to be part of the humanities or even the social sciences. In a similar way, your understanding of a concept may start off very broad, and so your initial questions about that topic may start equally broad, but as you learn more and gain a deeper understanding of a topic, your questions will change and become far more specific. Your questions will evolve from learning the definitions of terms and concepts to applying those terms to situations to test them out. So while early on in your research, you may have broad questions, if you allow these questions to evolve and change as you learn more and more about a topic, you will find your ability to research the topic improve as you go.

Similarly, when you are looking for a stance or argument to make on a topic for an assignment, you may find this stance evolve as you learn more about a topic. A topic that had initially seemed extremely simple to you at first may grow more and more complex as you delve into the research, which will likely make your argument more specific and granular. Or, alternatively, a topic which seemed hopelessly complicated may become much simpler to you as the true point of controversy becomes clear in the midst of a large and messy conversation. Or your argument may change in a dozen other ways. Regardless, allowing your stance to change along with your questions will not only help you better understand your topic, it will also help you better explain your perspective.

While research can be a tedious process, the goal is not simply to prove you deserve to speak about a topic, but to understand your topic as clearly as you can. By cultivating a deep understanding of a topic, you are better equipped to describe and demonstrate your stance on that topic. If someone is explaining why a business regulation should be stronger but they can’t clearly explain the details of the regulation, it is more difficult to follow the point they are making even if it is a good one. They may be completely right, but having as deep a knowledge about the regulations surrounding this business will help them select the best information to share and focus on the most important points of the conversation. While research can build your credibility as a writer, its greatest power is in how it builds your ability to write in the first place.

Engaging with research can do a lot of things for us as writers, learners, and people. Not only does it allow us to better understand the world around us, it also helps us to better position ourselves within that world and decide what we want to do about it. Not every research project may change your mind in a deep way, but every research project is an opportunity to better understand the world and yourself as a part of that world, and the readings that follow should help provide you with tools to do just that.

Writing Spaces at Oklahoma State University Copyright © 2023 by Dr. Joshua Daniel; Dr. Kathy Essmiller; Mark DiFrusio; Natasha Tinsley; Dr. Josiah Meints; Dr. Courtney Lund O'Neil; Dane Howard; and Roseanna Recchia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Conversation - Free Essay Examples And Topic Ideas

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About Institutional Racism

Introduction In order to to come to a resolution with any problem, one has to first state and understand that which they’re dealing with. Institutional racism, as defined by Oxford University Press, (2017) is racial discrimination that has become established as normal behavior in a society or organization. In our society there is a speech/and unspoken awareness of structural racism/ethnic discrimination in every aspect of life in America. As stated by Anonymous (2015) “it's (institutional racism) a demon that America […]

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"David Hewson wrote ?Juliet and Romeo, ?a modern-day appropriation of the Shakespearean play, ?Romeo and Juliet?, bringing to attention the aspect of sexism in society and how women think of sexism. Hewson makes Juliet much more three-dimensional, giving her interests besides marriage, providing her with the courage to stand up against the sexist-based prejudices placed on her by her family and society. Despite these changes, there is still sexism in the derivative text that was also present in the source […]

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Technology, on the whole, has drastically reshaped the way we communicate by linking humans globally. Despite the positive changes that technology has had, there have also been many negatives. Personally, I have witnessed the negative effects of technology. For instance, during dinner time, a time for families to interact about their day, dinner time tends to be silent with the occasional laughter of an Instagram video. Not to mention the blue-lit faces from the very addictive screens. This essay will […]

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Conversation, Dialogue, and Discourse Research Paper

View sample communication research paper on conversation, dialogue, and discourse. Browse research paper examples for more inspiration. If you need a thorough research paper written according to all the academic standards, you can always turn to our experienced writers for help. This is how your paper can get an A! Feel free to contact our writing service for professional assistance. We offer high-quality assignments for reasonable rates.

Conversation, dialogue, discourse. Each of these terms names a form of communication in everyday life, yet each directs our attention in different ways. Conversation , ordinarily understood as informal, free-flowing talk, is what we do with friends, family, and coworkers when we have meals together, do joint tasks, or talk on the phone. Conversation is a descriptive term; it captures one kind of talking that is an alternative to others, such as interviewing, being in a meeting, or giving a speech.

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Dialogue is both a descriptive term and an evaluative one. As a descriptive term, dialogue is a synonym for conversation. This descriptive meaning traces its roots to the scholarship of Mikhail Bakhtin, a Russian scholar who wrote in the first half of the 20th century. Every utterance, the basic and fundamental unit of talk, is dialogic: responding to what was said before and at the same time offering something new. By Bakhtin’s definition, conversation is inherently dialogic. In communication studies, the more common meanings for dialogue are the evaluative ones that have been developed by Martin Buber, Carl Rogers, and others.As an evaluative term, dialogue is not just any stretch of conversation; it is a stretch in which people exhibit an openness to hear others, often on personal or difficult topics (Anderson, Baxter, & Cissna, 2004). Dialogues are communicative achievements, something only a small percentage of conversations deserve to be labeled as.

Discourse , the last term, is also descriptive. In contrast to conversation, it is much broader, including speeches, interrogations, and meetings, as well as conversation. Simply put, discourse is any type of talk. Drawing on discourse as the central term, this research paper addresses three issues. The paper’s first section describes several of the key units of discourse and their usual social functions. Then, the paper overviews how discourse is made “study-able” and analyzed. The final sections focus on an especially significant function of talk—to build and maintain identities. After the process of “identity-work” is explained generally, the paper examines two studies of law enforcement discourse to illustrate the subtleties with which discourse accomplishes identity-work.

Key Units of Discourse

Just as a “pizza” can be divided into slices or squares of different sizes or become a single big unit—a “calzone”— the unitizing possibilities for discourse are many and affected by an analyzer’s purposes. Linguistics, a field also interested in discourse, and especially its written forms, treats discourse as an umbrella term to reference spoken or written units of language that are larger than a sentence.

Language has semantic units (words such as smile and word endings such as past-tense markers, as in “smil ed ”), phonemic units (the sounds that go with meaningful distinctions: r and 1 distinguish the word rave from lave ), and syntactic rules (about how words may be ordered to make meaningful sentences). In linguistics, discourse refers to units that are bigger than sentences (e.g., paragraphs, stories) or the social and practical functions to which a stretch of language is put.

In the field of communication, the central interest is in spoken discourse and the purposes to which it is put. For this reason, unitizing begins with the utterance, which is the smallest unit of speech (e.g., “Hi,” “Sure, no problem”). A basic and important kind of utterance is the speech act . In the mid-20th century, the issue about speech to which scholars gave the most attention concerned how well a stretch of speech represented a state of affairs in the world. Speech that was not a true, accurate representation of what existed was asserted to be meaningless. The language philosopher John Austin (1962) regarded this view as missing what was crucial about speech in social life. Speech does not simply represent the world, he argued. It performs social actions.When people speak, their utterances compliment, warn, advise, promise, command, or perform any number of other actions.

John Searle (1969), a student of Austin’s, went on to distinguish among five categories of speech acts. Speech acts may be (1) directives—acts that suggest, guide, or direct a person to do something; (2) representatives—acts that assert what is taken to be true in the world; (3) commissives—acts that commit a speaker to a future course of action; (4) expressives—acts that make a speaker’s feelings visible; and (5) declaratives—speech that has the power to transform people from one state to another, as happens when a minister pronounces two people to be married. Not everyone agrees with Searle’s typology of speech acts, but his typology begins to make visible the varied purposes to which speech is actually put.

One type of speech act that has been extensively studied is the “account.” As Scott and Lyman (1968) defined it, an account is “a statement made by a social actor to explain unanticipated or untoward behavior” (p. 47). People offer accounts when they are late for a meeting, speak in a thoughtless fashion to a friend, or eat more than they think they should. They also offer accounts for highly consequential matters, such as when they violate a law (e.g., explaining to a police officer why they were speeding) or transgress a significant relational norm (e.g., sexual infidelity). Although people can offer accounts out of the blue, they more typically occur within a conversational sequence in which they are a response to an act of reproaching. Reproaches, as is the case with accounts, occur in different flavors. Just as accounts may justify why individuals did what they did or point to circumstances that made their action not entirely under their control, reproaches may range in tone from direct and hostile (“What the hell do you think you are doing?”) to indirect and subtle, which could be seen in sarcastic compliments or a speaker muttering a comment under his or her breath that is hearable (“Hmmm, I wonder what’s going on here”).

Directives and apologies are two other speech acts that have received considerable attention (Blum-Kulka, House, & Kasper, 1989). Both of these acts are socially sensitive to perform and have relational repercussions. To direct another invariably raises the issue of who has the right to tell whom to do what. Similarly, speakers who apologize often want to accept that they did a wrong but minimize the wrong’s scope or elicit a counterapology.

A second unit of discourse is what Tracy (2002) referred to as naming practices. Naming practices include both the words and the phrases used to address particular others and the terms that are used to reference, label, and categorize people. Forms of address include first and last names, nicknames, titles (e.g., “Ms.,” “Professor”) and general terms of endearment (e.g., “babe”). Choosing among possible forms of address conveys what the speaker takes to be the formality or closeness of a relationship. To address a person using his or her title and last name (e.g., “Dr. Jones”) constructs a relationship as a distant one; in contrast, calling that person by a nickname, especially if it is an exclusive one known only by a select few, constructs two people as close. Speakers also combine forms to build relationships that mix respectful distance with friendliness, as seen in the rather common practice of children calling adults by their title and first name (e.g., “Dr. Joe,” “Miss Jane”).

Not only do speakers directly address others by a selected name, they also refer to others in relational terms (e.g. “My friend will be joining us” vs. “An acquaintance from work will be joining us) and by categories (group memberships, such as “Shriner” or “Catholic”; job categories, such as “librarian” or “office manager”; and race and ethnicity, such as “African American” or “black,” “Hispanic” or “Latino/a”). Debates about how to refer to people have become the focus of controversies in the larger society. One such debate that led to significant change in speaking and writing in the communication and other social science fields has been over the use of gender-neutral terms. On one side of the argument are people advocating that mixed-sex groups be referred to as “he and she” rather than the generic “he” and that forms such as “postal worker” or “police officer” should be preferred over “mailman” and “policeman” because the former terms are more inclusive of women. On the other side of the argument are people who regard these changes as unimportant, a matter of being “politically correct” (Aufderheide, 1992). In communication studies, there is consensus that, at least in its weak form, the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis captures a truth about meaning making. Edwin Sapir and his student Benjamin Whorf argued that the semantic and grammatical distinctions available in a particular language, whether the language be English, Hopi, or Portuguese, shape how people make sense and understand possibilities for action. Names matter. Although names do not determine what a person may think, they channel thought, making some interpretations and associations more (or less) likely.

Two more complicated units of discourse deserve mention. The first, direct/indirect conversational style , includes a large set of talk features, often going together, that speakers use to convey meanings either straightforwardly or through hints and subtle cues (Tracy, 2002). A relatively direct conversational style is one in which words convey a speaker’s intended meaning straightforwardly; an indirect style requires a listener to arrive at a speaker’s likely meaning by considering what was said in light of the topic and how it is viewed in society, the speech situation, and the relationship between conversational partners. Being direct involves saying what one thinks without softeners, bluntly and noneuphemistically. Being indirect involves using more words to convey a message; it is accomplished by hinting at what one might want, fishing for information, softening opinions, or avoiding certain expressions entirely.

A central way in which speakers vary their level of directness is through the use of politeness tokens (Brown & Levinson, 1987). Politeness is not just about saying “please” and “thank you”; it refers to language practices that soften potential threats to others. If a communicator wanted to borrow fifty dollars from a friend, the request could be made directly without regard for the other’s desires (“Hey, can I borrow fifty dollars?”). The request could also be made less directly by attending to the other’s need for social acceptance and approval, what Brown and Levinson call people’s “positive face wants,” using devices such as compliments and friendly forms of address (e.g., “Hey buddy, be a pal and loan me fifty dollars.”). An even more indirect move, the negative-politeness strategy, would give attention to the partner’s desire to be free from imposition and obligation (e.g., “I hate to be a burden by asking you this, but do you think you could loan me fifty dollars?”). Negative-politeness forms include verbal markers that mitigate the intensity of the speaker’s request (e.g., “I was wondering,” “Would it be at all possible”). The most indirect form, barring not making the request at all, would be for a speaker to hint at needing money in the hope that the other will offer it (“Oh gosh, looks like I’m going to be fifty dollars short for my rent”). In an extensive study of requests, Craig, Tracy, and Spisak (1986) found that people do not typically use only a single form but mix politeness strategies in skillful ways.

The directness style a communicator uses will have interpersonal consequences. The use of a relatively direct style can cue that a speaker is sincere and outspoken, a person who prefers to “get down to business.”At the same time, the usage of a direct style may be interpreted as showing aggressiveness and insensitivity to others. Conversely, an indirect strategy could cue tactfulness and “people skills,” but it also could seem indecisive, shifty, or untrustworthy. There are no simple positive/negative assessments that go with being indirect or direct. Most speakers use a mix of both styles, which vary with the kind of situation in which they find themselves. To complicate matters further, national and ethnic communities have sharply different notions about the most reasonable conversational style in particular situations.

Stance indicators is a second complex bundle of talk features to which people regularly attend in conversation.A speaker’s stance—his or her in-the-moment attitude toward the topic of talk, the other, or the situation—is conveyed through linguistic, vocal, and gestural cues. In everyday life, people make judgments about whether their partner is an expert or novice on the subject, friendly or hostile toward them, and involved or bored with the situation. These “stances” are cued by sets of indicators. In Tannen’s (2005) examination of conversations among friends, she found that when speakers talk loudly and fast, make large hand gestures, pause only briefly, and vary their pitch extensively, they will be assumed to be involved and interested in the topic.

A second example of a stance indicator has to do with belief and skepticism. When speakers respond to what another has said, they implicitly convey whether they believe or are skeptical of what their conversational partner said (Pomerantz, 1989/1990). When people believe a person, they will report it to others straightforwardly (e.g., “Arnie can’t come to the party tonight because he hurt his back”). The stance indicators that cue skepticism include adding phrases such as “According to Arnie . . . ,” “Arnie claims that . . . ,” and “Arnie’s story is that. . . .” Thus, when speakers report what a person said, they not only provide a sense of the message’s content, but they also reveal their stance to what the other has said.

These four discourse units—speech acts, naming practices, direct/indirect conversational style, and stance indicators—are but a small set of possible discourse units; there are many more. For instance, speech acts often occur in pairs (e.g., greeting-greeting, question-answer), creating demands for how the first part of a pair should be responded to or generating inferences about the respondent if that expected second part is not forthcoming. Not returning a greeting does happen, but when a return greeting is absent, marked inferences will be made (e.g., the spoken-to party is completely distracted, or the greeter is being snubbed by the spoken-to other). Units of discourse may also be quite large and include smaller interaction practices. An example is a story; stories usually include strings of speech acts and multiple reports of what various people in the story’s social world have said—a discourse device referred to as “reported speech” (e.g., “Mary said, ‘No, don’t go.’And I said . . .”) (Buttny, 2004). Jointly,thesediscourseunitsandothersoccurinsceneswithin social life and perform a variety of interpersonal functions. Before examining more closely the identity-work functions of talk, let us consider how discourse is studied to arrive at the claims that research forwards.

How Discourse Is Studied

The analysis of discourse began in earnest as audio- and video-recording technologies became commonplace and as the idea that ordinary exchanges between people in family and work life deserved as much systematic attention as had previously only been given to “big” events such as a politician’s speech took root. It has been the work of the sociologist Harvey Sacks (1992) in the late 1960s, which strongly influenced a large range of distinct discourse analysis traditions. Working in a crisis call center in Los Angeles, he began taping, transcribing, and studying these telephone calls, as well as doing the same with phone calls between family members and friends. In disagreement with Noam Chomsky, an influential linguist of the time who thought that language was too messy to study in actual occasions of talk, Sacks argued for the value of looking closely at the social world and at conversational exchanges in particular. “From close looking at the world,” Sacks stated, “you can find things that we couldn’t by imagination assert were there: One wouldn’t know that they were typical, one might not know that they even happened” (p. 420).

Over time, conventions developed in communication as to the best way to represent features of spoken discourse in written form. The transcription system that is most often employed today is the one developed by Gail Jefferson, commonly referred to as the CA (conversation analysis) transcription system. Symbols in the CA system capture (a) the actual pronunciation and contractions of words (e.g., “y’know,” “got ’em goin’”), repetitions, and word cutoffs; (b) intonation patterns of utterances and word stress; and (c) utterance timing, including pauses and where one person’s speech overlaps another’s. Table 1 includes the most common meanings of the symbols used in transcripts.

Conversation, Dialogue, and Discourse Research Paper

An obvious question to pose is why bother with so much detail; is it useful for understanding discourse better? Communication scholars who analyze discourse, although they have disagreements with each other about the appropriate level of transcript detail, would all agree that a careful record of what has been said is an important first step to building interesting claims about communication.

An example of a CA transcript and how it led to an insightful understanding of communication is seen in Excerpt 1. This excerpt comes from a study by Staske (2002). Staske was interested in how romantic partners’ talk reflected and further solidified closeness in their relationships—something talk in intimate relationships was assumed to do, but how this was accomplished through talk was not well understood. Her study recorded romantic partners having conversations with each other, created transcripts of the exchanges, and then repeatedly looked at the transcripts while listening to the exchanges. Following this intense immersion with the discourse materials, she was able to name and describe a conversational practice that relational partners regularly used. It is a practice for doing intimacy. The practice, which Staske labeled “claims of intimate partner knowledge,” or CIPKs for short, tended to occur when partners were discussing relational problems.

M: Why does what affect us?
F: Our differences in our personalities. Do you
think this affects us? Do think it’s
[something that just [bothers us all the time
M: [Because [you: a
F: Listen to you. I knew you would say that. That
you’d say it was all my fault
M: No:: I’m not saying it’s your fault
F: Aren’t you admitting
M: I’m just saying you blew a lot of things way
outta proportion

Line 6 is an example of a CIPK. The vocal emphasis specifically on “ knew ” cues the speaker’s certainty about predicting what her partner would likely say at that moment. This is interesting because M’s utterance in Line 5 is broken and unfinished; nonetheless, F claims that she knows what M would say even though he barely said anything at all. In Line 8, M denies F’s CIPK, although his final comment (lines 10 and 11) frames F as not being completely off base. Stating that she “blows things way outta proportion” does imply blame. His utterance, then, partially confirms her CIPK. Claims that a speaker knows what the other will say is one discourse practice through which people enact themselves as close. This is true even if, as happens in Excerpt 1, the partner disputes the specific content of the claim.

The analysis of discourse is an inductive research enterprise. As Sacks formulated it so aptly, communication scholars doing discourse analysis are committed to discovering interesting features of social life by studying talk closely. One particularly interesting issue in social life that analysis of discourse has been used to further is the study of identity enactment.

Discourse and Identity-Work

When people talk, they present a version of self to others. The sociologist Erving Goffman (1959) used a dramaturgical metaphor to understand this presentation process. People in ordinary exchanges are “actors” and, as in the theater, they are expected to know their lines, have the right costume, and make their actions appropriate and believable to the role they are playing. Other communicators in a social situation, “the audience,” are expected to respond appropriately to the actor’s performance, applauding, laughing, and crying at appropriate moments. Because not all performances go smoothly, actors and audiences have practices they employ to respond to errors and glitches. Communicators in the actor role use “defensive practices,” such as when they have to “wing it” or “fake it.” Similarly, “protective practices,” such as listening or showing interest, are used by communicators in audience member roles to ratify that the actor has done a reasonable job.

Although the dramaturgical metaphor ably captures a part of what people experience as they meet, greet, and talk with others, it also introduces elements that are problematic. People do not change who they understand themselves to be (i.e., their identities) as quickly and easily as the theater metaphor implies; for that reason, we use the term identity-work to describe the work talk accomplishes during the presentation of self. A second advantage of identity-work as the key frame for understanding what discourse does is that it draws attention to another aspect of the discourse-identity process besides self-presentation. At the same time that a person’s talk is presenting a self, it is also altercasting.

Altercasting refers to the process through which talk casts the conversational partner in a particular role (Tracy, 2007). Imagine a student stopping by a professor’s office to get help in understanding a theory (“the systems perspective”) that was presented during a lecture and requesting help in one of two ways:

Request A: Excuse me Dr. Trintash, I was wondering if you could go over the systems perspective with me again. I wasn’t feeling well in class the other day and didn’t listen as closely as I should have.

Request B: Hi Jean, how’s it goin? I was getting lost in class when you were talking about the systems perspective. Could you explain it to me one more time?

The person-referencing practices used in RequestA, title and last name, imply a nonclose relationship in which the teacher has a higher status. In contrast Request B, by virtue of the first-name form of address, casts the teacher as an informal, friendly other. Request A also uses a more tentative, negative-politeness strategy (“I was wondering if . . . ”) that treats the request for help as a favor rather than a matter-of-fact right to which the student is entitled. Part of the sense that B is treating the request as a right is cued by the account that the speaker gives for why she did not understand. Describing the reason for needing clarification as “I was getting lost” subtly justifies the student’s having trouble and makes relevant the possibility that the teacher did not give a clear explanation. In contrast, the student in Request A accounts for her request by saying that she “didn’t feel well” and she “didn’t listen closely,” suggesting that her inability to understand was a result of her own state rather than the teacher’s failure. In essence, Requests A and B altercast the teacher in markedly different ways. At the same time, the requests present the speaker differently. Request A portrays the student as a deferential person who sees self as responsible for mastering class material; Request B presents the speaker as a friendly, informal sort of student who sees self as entitled to receiving clear explanations of course ideas.

Another way to explain identity-work is with Goffman’s (1955) notion of face.Around the same time when Goffman was developing his dramaturgical view of social life, he introduced the idea of “face.” “Face may be defined as the positive social value a person effectively claims for himself by the line others assume he has taken during a particular contact. Face is an image of self delineated in terms of approved social attributes” (Goffman, 1967, p. 5). Face is the identity that a person desires in a particular social situation; it is not something over which a speaker has total control. Rather, face is granted by the people with whom a person interacts. The face that a speaker desires will always be situation specific. In work situations, people often want to be seen as “responsible,” “competent,” or “loyal.” In friendships, people may want to be seen as experts on a topic, “fun,” “funny,” or “trustworthy.” People also do work to avoid being seen in negative ways—for example as boring, incompetent, or autocratic. It is discourse practices that maintain face, ward off possible threats, or save face after it is lost. Face is an umbrella term that references a large set of desired personal identities.

It is important to note that identities have many layers, some of which become more relevant than others in a particular situation. One layer of identity pertains to the broad social and cultural groups people belong to (such as race, nationality, age, gender, or religion). Another is the personality-style characteristics people possess (such as being friendly, rude, generous, or opinionated). A third kind of identity relates to the institutional roles that people hold at work and in families, and the last relates to the interactional style with which people act in workplace and intimate relationships (e.g., laidback vs. uptight teacher, close vs. distant friend). Stemming from the fact that people are usually considered to uphold multiple identities, they often work to give attention to more than one goal at a time. In making a request, for instance, the requestor can be seen as having the goals of (a) convincing the other person to comply with the request, (b) preserving the conversational partner’s face, and (c) preserving the self’s own face.

What makes communication difficult is that interactional goals may be incompatible with each other.Attending to one identity goal can endanger another one. For instance, a common practice in most academic departments is for graduate students and faculty to meet and discuss the research projects that a student or faculty member is working on (Tracy, 1997). In this kind of discussion group, which includes institutional members of different ranks (i.e., beginning and advanced graduate students, junior and senior faculty), presenting ideas and asking questions is likely to challenge multiple identities of the participants. Discussants, for instance, often desire to be seen as intellectually competent—accomplished through asking tough questions, and at the same time they desire to be judged supportive and tactful—accomplished through posing easily answerable questions. Participants typically recognize the importance of distinguishing among fellow members’expertise levels (i.e., a graduate student and a faculty member are not equally expert), but at the same time they believe that for the discussion to go well, it is important to minimize status differences and develop a climate of equality.

To summarize, identity-work is the simultaneous presentation of self and altercasting of others and is accomplished through discourse practices. As identity is multilayered and interaction goals can be in tension with each other, identitywork is a complicated and uncertain process.

Two Extended Examples of Identity-Work

The first example of identity-work to be examined occurred in a call a citizen made to the police/9-1-1. People call 9-11 for a variety of reasons, many of which are at odds with ordinary notions of “emergency.” When people have troubles they want help solving and there is no obvious other person or agency to intervene, they will turn to the police. One kind of situation in which this happens is when a person has problems with someone with whom there is a connection. If we seek to describe the likely face/identity wants that a person with this type of trouble would have, three are probable. First, we can expect that callers would like to get their trouble resolved, whether it is getting a piece of property back or getting another to stop engaging in harassing actions. Second, we would expect that callers would want to be perceived by the police agents with whom they talk as reasonable, or at least not unreasonable given the trouble they are experiencing. Third, in some cases, albeit not necessarily all, callers may want to accomplish the first two goals without strongly implying that the person with whom they have the trouble is so blameworthy that he or she should be arrested. Of note, these likely self-presentation and altercasting goals are in tension with each other.

Tracy and Anderson (1999) examined a small set of police calls in which citizens had these kinds of “connection-to-people-they-knew” troubles. One call involved a woman whose car had been taken. Consider how the caller initially describes her trouble.

1 CT1: Citywest Police?

2 C: Um, yeah, I need to file a complaint about my

3 car being taken?

4 CT1: (.) It was stol en?

5 C: Well .hhhhh a friend borrowed it and h- he

6 never brought it back.

7 CT1: How long’s he had it?

8 C: Uh:m close to forty-eight hours.

By looking closely at these calls, Tracy and Anderson identified the discourse practices citizens use to manage conflicting identity goals. A first practice was for citizen callers to formulate a problem as agent-less. The caller does this in lines 2 and 3, where she identifies no agent who “took” the car. This agent-less formulation can be seen as attentive to not accusing a particular other and getting that person in trouble with the police. At the same time, it causes difficulty because it leads the call taker to infer that the caller has no knowledge of who took the car (line 4), thereby making relevant a police bulletin seeking to apprehend and arrest whoever was driving her car.As the caller knows the person who took her car, this agent-less formulation causes confusion.

As noted previously, naming practices reflect closeness and distance. A second strategy callers use to preserve their identity as reasonable people is to label an intimate sexual partner a “friend” and trade on the ambiguity of the term. “Friend,” for instance, can be used as a polite term to refer to an acquaintance, or it can reference an ability to talk easily and openly with an intimate (My dad is one of my best friends). Most often, though, it is used as a contrast term with intimate (“just a friend”). To refer to someone as a friend will typically be heard as distinguishing them from a sexual partner. Following a lengthy exchange, the first call taker refers the caller to auto fraud, and the following exchange occurs. Note how in lines 7 to 8 in Excerpt 3, the second call taker probes the meaning behind the caller’s description of the car taker as a “friend.”

1 C: Uhm yeah I don’t know what to do. A friend of

2 mine uhmm was using my car while I was in the

3 hospital? And he’s been gone now for, well, it’s

been, gosh, about 36 hours.And I haven’t been able
to get in touch with him. He doesn’t have a local
phone number, and I don’t know what to do.
CT2: Okay a friend of yours, meaning an acquaintance
friend? Or a friend, a boyfriend?

9 C: He’s staying with me.

10 CT2: Pardon? A boyfriend?

11 C: Yeah

With the call taker’s probing, the “friend” label looks like a downgrade from the close type of relationship the caller ends up admitting. What this exchange makes visible is the delicacy in police calls, and presumably other kinds of institutional encounters, in selecting forms of reference. Each form sets in motion different inferences about the caller and the kind of relationship he or she will be taken as having with the called-about person.

A second complex example of identity-work, also from a law enforcement context, illustrates how an FBI negotiator in a crisis situation failed to establish his superiority and his right to tell a law breaker what he should do (Excerpt 4; Agne & Tracy, 2001). Inequality is not necessarily preestablished, as it often is in parent/young-child relationships or in job interviews where the parent or the interviewer (respectively) is regarded as higher ranking before talk even begins. Talk often upholds the expected relational picture, but sometimes it reframes what would be situationally expected, turning nonequals into equals or making the superior the subordinate. Such a reframing is illustrated in the hostage negotiations that took place in 1993 between FBI agents and David Koresh, the leader of a religious group called the Branch Davidians, who were living in a compound outside Waco, Texas. The crisis situation started when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms tried to arrest David Koresh on charges of abusing the children of his followers and illegally stockpiling weapons. The attempted arrest led to gunfire and killing of several people on both sides; it was followed by a 51-day standoff between the FBI and the Davidians, in which FBI agents and Koresh and several other key Davidians spoke regularly on the telephone.

During the telephone negotiations, both sides worked to assume authority over the other. The FBI saw themselves as the enforcers of the law, expecting all citizens to abide by their directives regardless of a citizen’s religious affiliation. Koresh, in contrast, believed that he was the Lamb of God prophesized in the Book of Revelation to open the Seven Seals and usher in the Apocalypse and Judgment Day. As a result, Koresh saw himself as justified to resist “the government.” In the following exchange, the FBI negotiator (Sage) and Koresh construct an asymmetrical relationship. Using discourse practices, most likely out of conscious awareness, Sage altercasts Koresh as more knowledgeable (and hence superior). At the same time, Koresh constructs himself as an expert teacher and altercasts Sage as a novice student. Consider the discourse practices in a short exchange that contributed to these identities.

Sage: I’m not claiming to be anywhere near as well
versed in word and quotation as you are and I
respect that capability. But I find in that book
(.) that that book says the only person (.) the

5 only person (.) the only entity that can open

6 those Seven Seals is the Lamb of God.

Koresh: Ex ac tly
(six lines omitted)
Sage: It’s gar bageit’safalsehopeand[youknowthat.
Koresh: [No it’s not ,
on the contrary. These people remain here

12 because I have tho roughly opened to them

the Seven Seals see if you had [understood.
Sage: [Well then you
have a message that’s extremely valuable
that you need to share with the rest of
this world. The only way you can do that
David is if we can get this matter resolved
when when you come out you will be provided
with that opportunity and I’ll be in the front of
21 the line to lis ten to it

22 Koresh: That’s where you remain ig norant it’s not your

23 fault I do not hold you con temp tible for that

but you remain ig norant to un derstand what is
actually being applied at this very time (.) see
(.) when it says in twenty two when I come
my reward is me it very clearly identifies that
when Christ comes the identifying mark will 29 be the knowledge of those Seven S eals .

There are several discourse practices that invoke a teacher identity for Koresh, therein establishing his expertise, and frame Sage as not so knowledgeable. First, the confirmation, “Ex ac tly” in line 7 acknowledges some part of Sage’s statements (lines 1–6), whether it be that Sage is not “near as well versed,” that only the Lamb of God can open the Seven Seals, or both. “Ex ac tly” is used much as a teacher does when validating a student’s response as correct; in fact, the remark has the flavor of a teacher giving a gold star for superlative work. Sage’s “ gar bage” comment in line 9 diffuses Koresh’s positive assessment, and in lines 10 to 13 Koresh straightforwardly disagrees with Sage (“No it’s not , on the contrary”) and explains why he is wrong (“ I have tho roughly opened to them the Seven S eals ”).

Koresh also sounds like a teacher in lines 22 to 29. By emphasizing Sage’s lack of understanding (“but you remain ig norant to un derstand . . .”) followed by a lesson on where in the Bible the identity of the one to open the Seven Seals is revealed, he underscores Sage’s limited knowledge. Saying, “in twenty-two” instead of “in Revelation, chapter twenty two,” establishes Koresh as an expert who uses the biblical text so often that shorthand jargon is called for. In addition, when in line 27, the phrase “ very clearly ” is stressed, Koresh conveys his view that the lesson he is conveying is an easy one to comprehend. Notice, too, the very short but noticeable pauses between words (signaled by (.)). These micropauses before and after “see” cue that a speaker is about to say something that he has said many times before.

At the same time that Koresh is presenting himself as a teacher and altercasting Sage as a novice, Sage’s talk is confirming rather than resisting this relational identity. His disclaimer in lines 1 and 2 (“I’m not claiming to be anywhere near as well versed in word and quotation as you are”) positions himself as a novice; in addition, Sage saying that he “respects that capability” positions Koresh as the recognized expert. The FBI agent’s talk in this call was adhering to one kind of advice that negotiators are trained to consider in crisis negotiations: It gave attention to Koresh’s face wants to be seen as competent. In not adequately thinking through their complex interactional goals, however, the FBI did not give adequate attention to discursively building their rank as legitimately higher, with its attendant right to have their directives obeyed.

Negotiating equality and inequality is difficult not just because people struggle to attain one or the other in a given relationship but because the two are related in such a way that the pursuit of one necessarily involves the other. Tannen (1986) describes this as the paradox of power and solidarity in relationships. The desire to establish rapport or equal footing in a relationship is accomplished through discourse moves that if done only by one person (e.g., using first names, patting another on the shoulder) will enact an unequal relationship.At the same time, refraining from doing friendly gestures to avoid the possibility of being seen as claiming a higher status identity could be taken as simple unfriendliness.

This research paper has described several of the basic units of discourse and the identity-work process, examined how discourse practices do identity-work, and considered how communication researchers interested in discourse arrive at claims about social life. In 2007, a new journal, Discourse and Communication , was launched. Its mission is to promote research that furthers connections between what Gee (1999) called Big-D and little-d discourse, that is, larger social and institutional issues and the specifics of talk and texts. The felt need for this new journal points to one rapidly growing discourse research arena: studies that investigate how talk is designed and structured to achieve or avoid certain ends in business contexts, media institutions, health care organizations, governance bodies, volunteer groups, and social-movement organizations. The audio and video recorders in these new institutional areas are rolling. It is now up to future scholars to transcribe, study carefully, and create insights into these previously unexamined stretches of conversational life.

Bibliography:

Agne, R. R., & Tracy, K. (2001). Bible babble: Naming the interactional trouble at Waco. Discourse Studies, 3, 269–294.
Anderson, R., Baxter, L. A., & Cissna, K. N. (2004). Texts and contexts of dialogue. In R. Anderson, L. A. Baxter, & K. N. Cissna (Eds.), Dialogue: Theorizing difference in communication studies (pp. 1–17). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Antaki, C., & Widdicombe, S. (1998). Identities in talk. London: Sage.
Aufderheide, P. (Ed.). (1992). Beyond PC: Toward a politics of understanding. Paul, MN: Graywolf Press.
Austin, J. L. (1962). How to do things with words. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Blum-Kulka, S., House, J., & Kasper, G. (1989). Investigating cross-cultural pragmatics: An introductory overview. In S. Blum-Kulka, J. House, & G. Kasper (Eds.), Cross-cultural pragmatics: Requests and apologies (pp. 1–34). Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
Brown, P., & Levinson, S. (1987). Politeness: Some universals in language usage. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Buttny, R. (2004). Talking problems: Studies of discursive construction. Albany: State University of New York Press.
Craig, R. T., Tracy, K., & Spisak, F. (1986). The discourse of requests: Assessment of a politeness approach. Human Communication Research, 12, 437–468.
Drew, P., & Heritage, J. (Eds.). (1992). Talk at work: Interaction in institutional settings. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Gee, J. P. (1999). An introduction to discourse analysis: Theory and method . London: Routledge.
Glenn, P., LeBaron, C. D., & Mandelbaum, J. (Eds.). (2003). Studies in language and social interaction: In honor of Robert Hopper. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Goffman, E. (1955). On facework: An analysis of ritual elements in social interaction. Psychiatry, 18, 213–231.
Goffman, E. (1959). The presentation of self in everyday life. New York: Doubleday.
Goffman, E. (1967). Interaction ritual: Essays on face-to-face behavior. Chicago: Aldine.
Jaworski,A., & Coupland, N. (Eds.). (1999). The discourse reader. London: Routledge.
Pomerantz,A. (1989/1990). Constructing skepticism: Four devices used to engender the audience’s skepticism. Research on Language and Social Interaction, 22, 293–313.
Sacks, H. (1992). Lectures on conversation (2 vols.). Cambridge, MA: Blackwell.
Sarangi, S., & Roberts, C. (Eds.). (1999). Talk, work, and institutionalorder:Discourseinmedical,mediationandmanagement settings. Berlin, Germany: Mouton de Gruyter.
Scott, M. B., & Lyman, S. M. (1968). Accounts. American Sociological Review, 33, 46–62.
Searle, J. (1969). Speech acts. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Staske, S. (2002). Claiming individualized knowledge of a conversational partner. Research on Language and Social Interaction, 35, 249–276.
Tannen, D. (1986). That’s not what I meant: How conversational style makes or breaks relationships . New York: Ballantine.
Tannen, D. (2005). Conversational style: Analyzing talk among friends. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Tracy, K. (Ed.). (1990). Understanding face-to-face interaction: Issues linking goals and discourse. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Tracy, K. (1997). Colloquium: Dilemmas of academic discourse. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
Tracy, K. (2002). Everyday talk: Building and reflecting identities . New York: Guilford Press.
Tracy, K. (2007). Discourse and identity: Language or talk? In B. Whaley & W. Samter (Eds.), Explaining communication: Contemporary theories and exemplars (pp. 15–35). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Tracy, K., & Anderson, D. (1999). Relational positioning in police calls: A dilemma. Discourse Studies, 1, 201–225.

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Economics JIW - Tips for Choosing a Topic: Home

Choosing a topic.

Choosing a topic that can answer an economic research question is challenging. Some tips:

Ripped from the headlines rarely makes a good economic paper. You will be using data to determine causation or correlation. Sometimes a similar event can be used. Topics such as artificial intelligence may make a good policy paper but not a good economic one due to lack of data.
Literature Review: Your JIW should use primarily scholarly sources. Start with Econlit (the database of the American Economic Association). Econlit indexes major journals, working papers, conference proceedings, dissertations, and chapters in critical books. It takes a long time for scholarly literature to appear. Preprints are called working papers in economics and major ones are indexed in Econlit. Y ou are your own research team and have limited time. Many articles are written over a couple of years and involve many people gathering and cleaning the data. Some starting places: see https://libguides.princeton.edu/econliterature/gettingstarted
Outside of finance and some macroeconomic data, most data will not have many points in time. Data determines the methods used . While a linear regression can be great for time series data, it is likely not what you will use for survey data.
Longitudinal or panel study : same group of individuals is interviewed at intervals over a period of time. This can be very useful to observe changes over time. Keep in mind when using a long running longitudinal dataset that the panel generally is not adding new participants so may not reflect today’s demographics.
Cross-sectional study : data from particular subjects are obtained only once. While you are studying different individuals each time, you are looking at individuals with similar demographic characteristics. Demography is typically rebalanced to reflect the population.
Summary statistics : aggregated counts of survey or administrative data.
Typically around a 2 year time lag from the time the survey data is collected to the time of release. The Economic Census and Census of Agriculture take about 4 years for all data to be released. Many surveys never release the microdata.
Very little subnational data is available and is often restricted when available. State level macro data for the United States is more prevalent. City level data is often a case study or only available for very large cities.
Many micro-level datasets are restricted. It is not uncommon to wait a year before getting permission or denial to use the data. Each organization has its own rules.
Historical data in electronic format prior to 1950 is rare. Most governmental links provide current data only.
What is measured changes over time . Do not assume modern concepts were tracked in the past. Definitions of indicators often change over time.
Data cannot be made more frequent. Many items are collected annually or even once a decade. Major macroeconomic indicators such as GDP tend to be quarterly but some countries may only estimate annually.
What exists for one country may not exist for another country. Data is generally inconsistent across borders .
Documentation is typically in the native language .
Always look at the methodology. The methodology section is one of the most important parts of the paper. Someone should be able to replicate your work. Describe the dataset and its population. Describe how the data was subset, any filters used, and any adjustment methods. While you are likely not trying to publish in American Economic Review or Journal of Finance , these are the gold standards. See how they layout the articles and in particular the methodology and data sections.
The basic question to ask when looking for economic data is " who cares about what i am studying ?" Unfortunately, the answer may be no one. Ideally, look for an organization that is concerned with your research as part of its mission. Examples include the International Labor Organization or the Bureau of Labor Statistics focusing on labor research; the International Monetary Fund or the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System focusing on monetary and fiscal concerns; the World Bank focusing on development; and the World Health Organization focusing on health. This does not mean these organizations collect data on all topics related to that field.
Find a topic for which there is literature and data but allows room to add a contribution. Topics such as sports and music are popular due to personal interests but may not make good research topics due to lack of data and overuse.

More tips:

Data is typically not adjusted for inflation. It is usually presented in current (nominal) currency. This means the numbers as they originally appeared. When data has been adjusted for inflation (constant or real), a base year such as 2020 or 1990 will be shown. If a base year is not provided, then data is current and therefore not adjusted for inflation. If given a choice, choose current dollars. Data is often derived from different datasets and many will use different base years. Adjust everything at the end. It is easier than doing reverse math!
While most datasets are consistent within the dataset for currency used such as all in US Dollars or Euro or Japanese Yen or each item in local currency, some will mix and match. LCU is a common abbreviation meaning local currency units. Consider looking at percent changes rather than actual values. If adjusting use the exchange rate for each period of time, not the latest one.
Economic indicators may be either seasonally adjusted or not seasonally adjusted. This is very common for employment and retail sales. Unless something says it is seasonally adjusted, it is not. Be consistent and note in methodology.

Librarians are here to help! Librarians can help to devise a feasible topic, assist with the literature search, and choose appropriate data. Your data may fall into multiple categories. Think of the primary aspect of your topic in terms of first contact. Do not email librarians individually. If unsure who to contact either put all that apply on same email or email just one. If that person is not the best, they will refer you.

Bobray Bordelon Economics, Finance, & Data Librarian [email protected]

Charissa Jefferson

Labor Librarian [email protected]

Mary Carter Finance and Operations Research Librarian [email protected]

Data workshops

Environmental and energy data (Bordelon), 9/23/2024 - 7:30-8:50 pm
Health, Crime and other Socioeconomic Data (Bordelon), 9/23/2024 and 10/02/2024 - 3-4:20 pm
Macroeconomics and trade data (Bordelon), 9/25/2024 and 9/30/2024 - 3-4:20 pm
Finance data (Carter), 9/23/2024 and 9/25/2024 - 3-4:20 pm
Labor and education data (Jefferson), 9/23/2024 and 9/25/2024 - 3-4:20 pm

Workshops listed twice have the same content and are done as an opportunity to fit your schedule. While you must attend at least one data workshop, it is wise to attend more than one. If in a certificate program, with the exception of political economy which has to be incorporated into your JIW, other programs have different requirements which are typically for your senior year. As an example, if in finance, if you choose not to explore a finance topic this year you will still need to incorporate in your senior theses so try and attend a finance workshop in addition to your topical workshop for your JIW since these are intended to help you for your time at Princeton and both the JIW but also the senior thesis.

Last Updated: Aug 28, 2024 9:32 AM
URL: https://libguides.princeton.edu/ECOJIWTopics

Articles on Project 2025

Displaying all articles.

Why the radical right has turned to the teachings of an Italian Marxist thinker

Srdjan Vucetic , L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa

The specter of China has edged into US presidential election rhetoric − for Republicans much more than Democrats

Fan Yang , University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Project 2025: what is it and why does Trump say he knows nothing about it?

David Hastings Dunn , University of Birmingham

Friday essay: Project 2025, the policy substance behind Trump’s showmanship, reveals a radical plan to reshape the world

Emma Shortis , RMIT University

Top contributors

Adjunct Senior Fellow, School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University

Professor of International Politics in the Department of Political Science and International Studies, University of Birmingham

Professor of Media and Communication Studies, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Professor, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa

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Northern Illinois University
Thursday, September 12

2024 Lincoln Lecture - A discussion with award-winning author Clint Smith

Thursday, September 12, 2024 7:30 PM

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About this Event

595 College Ave, DeKalb, IL 60115

This conversation, moderated by Christina Abreu, Director of the Center for Latino and Latin American Studies, draws on Smith’s 2021 book , How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America, which was a #1 New York Times bestseller, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction and selected by the New York Times as one of the 10 best books of 2021.

Smith’s bestselling books include How the Word Is Passed , which Publishers Weekly called “an essential consideration of how America’s past informs its present.” It has won numerous awards, including the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction, and was named one of the best books of the year by TIME , The New York Times , The Economist and The Washington Post .

His latest book, Above Ground , was named to TIME magazine’s 100 Must-Read Books and NPR ‘s Books We Love. Smith’s first book, Counting Descent , won the 2017 Literary Award for Best Poetry Book from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association and was a finalist for an NAACP Image Award. In his forthcoming book, Just Beneath the Soil , he will explore the little-known stories behind World War II sites and discuss how they shape our collective memory of the war.

His essays, poems, and scholarly writing have been published in The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine , The New Republic, Poetry Magazine, The Paris Review, the Harvard Educational Review and elsewhere. He is a staff writer at The Atlantic .

The W. Bruce Lincoln Endowed Lecture Series brings to campus distinguished scholars who address topics of interest to both the academic community and the general public. The lectures engage key issues and are often interdisciplinary, in the spirit of Professor Lincoln’s research, writing and teaching.

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Anne Hanley

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https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/08/20/gcse-results-day-2024-number-grading-system/

GCSE results day 2024: Everything you need to know including the number grading system

Thousands of students across the country will soon be finding out their GCSE results and thinking about the next steps in their education.

Here we explain everything you need to know about the big day, from when results day is, to the current 9-1 grading scale, to what your options are if your results aren’t what you’re expecting.

When is GCSE results day 2024?

GCSE results day will be taking place on Thursday the 22 August.

The results will be made available to schools on Wednesday and available to pick up from your school by 8am on Thursday morning.

Schools will issue their own instructions on how and when to collect your results.

When did we change to a number grading scale?

The shift to the numerical grading system was introduced in England in 2017 firstly in English language, English literature, and maths.

By 2020 all subjects were shifted to number grades. This means anyone with GCSE results from 2017-2020 will have a combination of both letters and numbers.

The numerical grading system was to signal more challenging GCSEs and to better differentiate between students’ abilities - particularly at higher grades between the A *-C grades. There only used to be 4 grades between A* and C, now with the numerical grading scale there are 6.

What do the number grades mean?

The grades are ranked from 1, the lowest, to 9, the highest.

The grades don’t exactly translate, but the two grading scales meet at three points as illustrated below.

The bottom of grade 7 is aligned with the bottom of grade A, while the bottom of grade 4 is aligned to the bottom of grade C.

Meanwhile, the bottom of grade 1 is aligned to the bottom of grade G.

What to do if your results weren’t what you were expecting?

If your results weren’t what you were expecting, firstly don’t panic. You have options.

First things first, speak to your school or college – they could be flexible on entry requirements if you’ve just missed your grades.

They’ll also be able to give you the best tailored advice on whether re-sitting while studying for your next qualifications is a possibility.

If you’re really unhappy with your results you can enter to resit all GCSE subjects in summer 2025. You can also take autumn exams in GCSE English language and maths.

Speak to your sixth form or college to decide when it’s the best time for you to resit a GCSE exam.

Look for other courses with different grade requirements

Entry requirements vary depending on the college and course. Ask your school for advice, and call your college or another one in your area to see if there’s a space on a course you’re interested in.

Consider an apprenticeship

Apprenticeships combine a practical training job with study too. They’re open to you if you’re 16 or over, living in England, and not in full time education.

As an apprentice you’ll be a paid employee, have the opportunity to work alongside experienced staff, gain job-specific skills, and get time set aside for training and study related to your role.

You can find out more about how to apply here .

Talk to a National Careers Service (NCS) adviser

The National Career Service is a free resource that can help you with your career planning. Give them a call to discuss potential routes into higher education, further education, or the workplace.

Whatever your results, if you want to find out more about all your education and training options, as well as get practical advice about your exam results, visit the  National Careers Service page  and Skills for Careers to explore your study and work choices.

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🏷️ The best research paper topics. 200 Easy Research Paper Topics for
How to Write a Discussion Essay
😂 Great research topics for college students. Powerful Persuasive
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A List of 580 Interesting Research Topics [2024 Edition]

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100+ topics for everyday life conversations
How to write Your Research Project Chapter One
Practical English Questions and Answers
29 Short English Conversation Topics
10 Topics Daily Conversation
100 Common English Questions

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113 Great Research Paper Topics
113 Great Research Paper Topics. 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 ...
A Practical Guide to Conversation Research: How to Study What People
At least three developments have enabled a recent boom in conversation research. First, conversations have become increasingly mediated through technology as a consequence of the Digital Revolution and Information Age of the 20th century and the social media era of the 21st century (Rainie & Wellman, 2012), shifts that were accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic (M. Nguyen et al., 2020).
199 Potential Topics For a Communication Research Paper
199 Potential Topics For a Communication Research Paper. A communication research paper can help cap your academic career and position you for a postgraduate career. Communication research topics span a wide range of subjects and issues about how people convey information, allowing you to make unique discoveries about human behavior.
178 Communication Research Topics To Impress The Professor
Understanding the historical research methods in communication. Discuss the relationship between technology, media, and culture. Evaluate the various revolutions in human communication. Discuss the developments made in the invention of human speech and language.
301+ Research Essay Topics [Updated]
301+ Research Essay Topics [Updated] 301+ Research Essay Topics [Updated] General / By StatAnalytica / 29th January 2024. Embarking on a research essay journey is similar to setting sail on uncharted waters. The key to a successful expedition lies in choosing the right topic - one that not only aligns with your interests but also resonates ...
100+ Topics for Argumentative Essays and Debates
Need to write an argumentative essay? Preparing for an upcoming debate? ProCon.org has over 100 topics complete with pro and con arguments, quotes and statistics from experts, historical information, and other pertinent research. Abortion - Should abortion be legal? Alternative Energy - Can alternative energy effectively replace fossil fuels?
The Best Controversial Topics for Debates and Essays
Pro #1: It's Usually Easy to Find Sources. Everyone wants to have their say on controversial topics, which is great when you need sources to include in your paper! A quick library or Google search will turn up tons of information. It can make that part of writing (or preparing for a debate) much easier.
50+ Research Topics for Psychology Papers
Topics of Psychology Research Related to Human Cognition. Some of the possible topics you might explore in this area include thinking, language, intelligence, and decision-making. Other ideas might include: Dreams. False memories. Attention. Perception.
Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper
The discussion section is often considered the most important part of your research paper because it: Most effectively demonstrates your ability as a researcher to think critically about an issue, to develop creative solutions to problems based upon a logical synthesis of the findings, and to formulate a deeper, more profound understanding of the research problem under investigation;
How to Write a Discussion Section
Step 1: Summarize your key findings. Start this section by reiterating your research problem and concisely summarizing your major findings. To speed up the process you can use a summarizer to quickly get an overview of all important findings. Don't just repeat all the data you have already reported—aim for a clear statement of the overall result that directly answers your main research ...
Entering the Conversation
Introduce and review the previous and current research in your chosen research area. This is where you are showing the larger conversation taking place and what you are, therefore, responding to in your paper. Move II: Establish a Niche. Point out a gap, raise questions about, or extend the knowledge in some way of the previous and current ...
61 Interesting Psychology Research Topics (2024)
Examples of systemic racism-related psychology research topics include: Access to mental health resources based on race. The prevalence of BIPOC mental health therapists in a chosen area. The impact of systemic racism on mental health and self-worth. Racism training for mental health workers.
Using Informal Conversations in Qualitative Research
The aim of this paper is to promote a greater use of informal conversations in qualitative research. Although not a new innovation, we posit that they are a neglected innovation and a method that should become more widely employed. We argue that these conversations create a greater ease of communication and often produce more naturalistic data.
10: Adding to the Conversation with Research Papers
This page discusses how research writing is the main platform for academic discourse and conversation. 10.2: The Process of Writing a Research Paper This page explains the overall process of writing a research paper. 10.3: Developing a Research Proposal This page takes a student step by step through developing a research proposal.
Research as a Conversation: Choosing a Topic
Think Hierarchically. You can always narrow or broaden your topic. 1. Go up the hierarchy to find more specific topics. 2. Go down the hierarchy to find broader topics. 3. Go to the right or left on the hierarchy to find related topics. Burr oak trees in Ohio.
1000+ Research Topics & Research Title Examples For Students
1000+ FREE Research Topics & Title Ideas. Select your area of interest to view a collection of potential research topics and ideas. AI & Machine Learning. Blockchain & Cryptocurrency. Biotech & Genetic Engineering. Business & Management. Communication. Computer Science & IT. Cybersecurity.
Research Topic Ideas
Balanced, accurate discussions of over 250 controversial topics in the news along with chronologies, illustrations, maps, tables, sidebars, contact info, and bibliographies, including primary source documents and news editorials.
Changing the Scholarly Conversation: What it Means, Why it Matters, and
Accordingly, in this editorial we examine what distinguishes papers that significantly change the scholarly conversation on a topic and analyse the functions of such conversation-changing papers, focussing on research in the micro domain. Based on an inductive analysis of exemplar conversation-changing micro papers, we propose a typology that ...
Describing and Explaining a Scholarly Conversation
The same is true for engaging with a conversation within an academic discipline or topic of scholarship. To become a member of their scholarly community and enter the conversation, you may need to spend some time catching up on what people have said before you. While deciding when you have listened or read enough is going vary from topic to ...
(PDF) Conversation Analysis
Conversation analysis (CA) is an approach to social research that investigates the sequential. organisation of talk as a way of accessing participants' understandings of, and collaborative. means ...
Conversation
12 essay samples found. Conversation is a form of interactive communication between individuals sharing information, ideas, or emotions. Essays on conversation might explore its role in socialization, relationship-building, or decision-making. The topic also opens avenues to discuss the impact of digital communication on conversational skills ...
Research Brief News, Research and Analysis
Racism and discrimination lead to faster aging through brain network changes, new study finds. Negar Fani, Emory University and Nathaniel Harnett, Harvard University. Black women who are more ...
Conversation, Dialogue, and Discourse Research Paper
In contrast to conversation, it is much broader, including speeches, interrogations, and meetings, as well as conversation. Simply put, discourse is any type of talk. Drawing on discourse as the central term, this research paper addresses three issues. The paper's first section describes several of the key units of discourse and their usual ...
Research Guides: Economics JIW
Choosing a topic that can answer an economic research question is challenging. Some tips: Ripped from the headlines rarely makes a good economic paper. You will be using data to determine causation or correlation. Sometimes a similar event can be used. Topics such as artificial intelligence may make a good policy paper but not a good economic ...
Project 2025 News, Research and Analysis
Browse Project 2025 news, research and analysis from The Conversation Project 2025 - News, Research and Analysis - The Conversation - page 1 Menu Close
72 Great Conversation Starters for Couples
"When a couple is in a good mood and feeling connected, conversation starters become invitations to greater connection," says Meunier. She describes these invitations as high-level bids, or in other terms, a simple but important gesture for increased intimacy and vulnerability between partners. "A high-level bid shows more curiosity about the person and their internal world and creates safety ...
2024 Lincoln Lecture
This conversation, moderated by Christina Abreu, Director of the Center for Latino and Latin American Studies, draws on Smith's 2021 book, How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America, which was a #1 New York Times bestseller, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction and selected by the New York Times as one of the 10 best books of 2021.
GCSE results day 2024: Everything you need to know including the number
You'll find accessible, straightforward information on popular topics, Q&As, interviews, case studies, and more. Please note that for media enquiries, journalists should call our central Newsdesk on 020 7783 8300. This media-only line operates from Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm. Outside of these hours the number will divert to the duty media ...