technical writing research paper topics

Are you seeking one-on-one college counseling and/or essay support? Limited spots are now available. Click here to learn more.

60 Most Interesting Technology Research Topics for 2024

August 22, 2024

Scrambling to find technology research topics for the assignment that’s due sooner than you thought? Take a scroll through these 60 interesting technology essay topics in 10 different categories, including controversial technology topics, and some example research questions for each.

Social Technology Research Topics

Whether you have active profiles on every social media platform, you’ve taken a social media break, or you generally try to limit your engagement as much as possible, you probably understand how pervasive social technologies have become in today’s culture. Social technology will especially appeal to those looking for widely discussed, mainstream technology essay topics.

• How do viewers respond to virtual influencers vs. human influencers? Is one more effective or ethical over the other?
• Across social media platforms, when and where is mob mentality most prevalent? How do the nuances of mob mentality shift depending on the platform or topic?
• Portable devices like cell phones, laptops, and tablets have certainly made daily life easier in some ways. But how have they made daily life more difficult?
• How does access to social media affect developing brains? And what about mature brains?
• Can dating apps alter how users perceive and interact with people in real life?
• Studies have proven “doomscrolling” to negatively impact mental health—could there ever be any positive impacts?
• How much can bots truly shape or manipulate opinions on social media? Is their influence positive or negative?
• Social media algorithms can contribute to the spread of sensationalized or controversial stories. Should social media companies be held accountable for misinformation on their platforms?

Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Technology Research Topics

Following cryptocurrency and blockchain technology has been a rollercoaster over the last few years. Since Bitcoin’s conception in 2009, cryptocurrency has consistently showed up on many lists of controversial technology topics, and continues to undergo massive shifts in popularity as well as value.

• Is it ethical for celebrities or influential people to promote cryptocurrencies or cryptographic assets like NFTs ?
• What are the environmental impacts of mining cryptocurrencies? Could those impacts ever change?
• How does cryptocurrency impact financial security and financial health?
• Could the privacy cryptocurrency offers ever be worth the added security risks?
• How might cryptocurrency regulations and impacts continue to evolve?
• Created to enable cryptocurrency, blockchain has since proven useful in several other industries. What new uses could blockchain have?

Artificial Intelligence Technology Research Topics

ChatGPT , voice cloning , and deepfakes continue to be a major source of conversation (and contention). While people have discussed artificial intelligence for ages, recent advances have pushed this topic to the front of our minds. Those searching for controversial technology topics should pay close attention to this section.

• OpenAI –the company behind ChatGPT–has shown commitment to safe, moderated AI tools that they hope will provide positive benefits to society. Sam Altman, their CEO, recently testified before a US Senate committee. He described what AI makes possible and called for more regulation in the industry. But even with companies like OpenAI displaying efforts to produce safe AI and advocating for regulations, can AI ever have a purely positive impact? Are certain pitfalls unavoidable?
• In a similar vein, can AI ever actually be ethically or safely produced? Will there always be certain risks?
• How might AI tools impact society across future generations?
• Countless movies and television shows explore the idea of AI going wrong, going back all the way to 1927’s Metropolis . What has a greater impact on public perception—representations in media or industry developments? And can public perception impact industry developments and their effectiveness?
• Is it ever okay to use voice cloning or deepfakes without the person’s knowledge or consent?

Beauty and Anti-Aging Technology

Throughout human history, people in many cultures have gone to extreme lengths to capture and maintain youth. But technology has taken this pursuit to another level. For those seeking technology essay topics that are both timely and timeless, this one’s a gold mine.

• With augmented reality technology, companies like Perfect allow app users to virtually try on makeup, hair color, hair accessories, and hand or wrist accessories. Could virtual try-ons lead to a somewhat less wasteful beauty industry? What downsides should we consider?
• Users of the Perfect app can also receive virtual diagnoses for skin care issues and virtually “beautify” themselves with smoothed skin, erased blemishes, whitened teeth, brightened under-eye circles, and reshaped facial structures. How could advancements in beauty and anti-aging technology affect self-perception and mental health?
• What are the best alternatives to animal testing within the beauty and anti-aging industry?
• Is anti-aging purely a cosmetic pursuit? Could anti-aging technology provide other benefits?
• Could people actually find a “cure” to aging? And could a cure to aging lead to longer lifespans?
• How might longer human lifespans affect the Earth?
• Should social media influencers be expected to disclose when they are using augmented reality, filters, or Photoshop on their photos?

Geoengineering Technology Research Topics

An umbrella term, geoengineering refers to large-scale technologies that can alter the earth and its climate. Typically, these types of technologies aim to combat climate change. Those searching for controversial technology topics should consider looking into this one.

• What benefits can solar geoengineering provide? Can they outweigh the severe risks?
• Compare solar geoengineering methods like mirrors in space, stratospheric aerosol injection, marine cloud brightening, and other proposed methods. How have these methods evolved? How might they continue to evolve?
• Which direct air capture methods are most sustainable?
• How can technology contribute to reforestation efforts?
• What are the best uses for biochar? And how can biochar help or harm the earth?
• Out of all the carbon geoengineering methods that exist or have been proposed, which should we focus on the most?
• Given the potential unintended consequences, is geoengineering ethical?

Creative and Performing Arts Technology Topics

While tensions often arise between artists and technology, they’ve also maintained a symbiotic relationship in many ways. It’s complicated. But of course, that’s what makes it interesting. Here’s another option for those searching for hot-button technology essay topics.

• How has the relationship between art and technology evolved over time?
• How has technology impacted the ways people create art? And how has technology impacted the ways people engage with art?
• Technology has made creating and viewing art widely accessible. Does this increased accessibility change the value of art? And do we value physical art more than digital art?
• Does technology complement storytelling in the performing arts? Or does technology hinder storytelling in the performing arts?
• Which current issues in the creative or performing arts could potentially be solved with technology?
• Should digital or AI-generated art be valued in the same way as more traditional art forms, like drawing, painting, or sculpting?

Cellular Agriculture Technology Research Topics

And another route for those drawn to controversial technology topics: cellular agriculture. You’ve probably heard about popular plant-based meat options from brands like Impossible and Beyond Meat . While products made with cellular agriculture also don’t require the raising and slaughtering of livestock, they are not plant-based. Cellular agriculture allows for the production of animal-sourced foods and materials made from cultured animal cells.

• Many consumers have a proven bias against plant-based meats. Will that same bias extend to cultured meat, despite cultured meat coming from actual animal cells?
• Which issues can arise from patenting genes?
• Does the animal agriculture industry provide any benefits that cellular agriculture may have trouble replicating?
• How might products made with cellular agriculture become more affordable?
• Could cellular agriculture conflict with the notion of a “ circular bioeconomy ?” And should we strive for a circular bioeconomy? Can we create a sustainable relationship between technology, capitalism, and the environment, with or without cellular agriculture?

Transportation Technology Research Topics

For decades, we’ve expected flying cars to carry us into a techno-utopia, where everything’s shiny, digital, and easy. We’ve heard promises of super fast trains that can zap us across the country or even across the world. We’ve imagined spring breaks on the moon, jet packs, and teleportation. Who wouldn’t love the option to go anywhere, anytime, super quickly? Transportation technology is another great option for those seeking widely discussed, mainstream technology essay topics.

• Once upon a time, Lady Gaga was set to perform in space as a promotion for Virgin Galactic . While Virgin Galactic never actually launched the iconic musician/actor, they launched their first commercial flight full of civilians–who paid $450,000 a pop–on a 90-minute trip into the stars in 2023. And if you think that’s pricey, SpaceX launched three businessmen into space for $55 million in April 2022 (though with meals included, this is actually a total steal). So should we be launching people into space just for fun? What are the impacts of space tourism?
• Could technology improve the way hazardous materials get transported?
• How can the 5.9 GHz Safety Band affect drivers?
• Which might be safer: self-driving cars or self-flying airplanes?
• Compare hyperloop and maglev.  Which is better and why?
• Can technology improve safety for cyclists?

Gaming Technology Topics

A recent study involving over 2,000 children found links between video game play and enhanced cognitive abilities. While many different studies have found the impacts of video games to be positive or neutral, we still don’t fully understand the impact of every type of video game on every type of brain. Regardless, most people have opinions on video gaming. So this one’s for those seeking widely discussed, mainstream, and controversial technology topics.

• Are different types or genres of video games more cognitively beneficial than others? Or are certain gaming consoles more cognitively beneficial than others?
• How do the impacts of video games differ from other types of games, such as board games or puzzles?
• What ethical challenges and safety risks come with virtual reality gaming?
• How does a player perceive reality during a virtual reality game compared to other types of video games?
• Can neurodivergent brains benefit from video games in different ways than neurotypical brains?

Medical Technology

Advancements in healthcare have the power to change and save lives. In the last ten years, countless new medical technologies have been developed, and in the next ten years, countless more will likely emerge. Always relevant and often controversial, this final technology research topic could interest anyone.

• Which ethical issues might arise from editing genes using CRISPR-Cas9 technology? And should this technology continue to be illegal in the United States?
• How has telemedicine impacted patients and the healthcare they receive?
• Can neurotechnology devices potentially affect a user’s agency, identity, privacy, and/or cognitive liberty?
• How could the use of medical 3-D printing continue to evolve?
• Are patients more likely to skip digital therapeutics than in-person therapeutic methods? And can the increased screen time required by digital therapeutics impact mental health?

Now that you’ve picked from this list of technology essay topics, do a deep dive and immerse yourself in new ideas, new information, and new perspectives. And of course, now that these topics have motivated you to change the world, look into the best computer science schools , the top feeders to tech and Silicon Valley , the best summer programs for STEM students , and the best biomedical engineering schools .

• High School Success

Mariya holds a BFA in Creative Writing from the Pratt Institute and is currently pursuing an MFA in writing at the University of California Davis. Mariya serves as a teaching assistant in the English department at UC Davis. She previously served as an associate editor at Carve Magazine for two years, where she managed 60 fiction writers. She is the winner of the 2015 Stony Brook Fiction Prize, and her short stories have been published in Mid-American Review , Cutbank , Sonora Review , New Orleans Review , and The Collagist , among other magazines.

• 2-Year Colleges
• ADHD/LD/Autism/Executive Functioning
• Application Strategies
• Best Colleges by Major
• Best Colleges by State
• Big Picture
• Career & Personality Assessment
• College Essay
• College Search/Knowledge
• College Success
• Costs & Financial Aid
• Data Visualizations
• Dental School Admissions
• Extracurricular Activities
• Graduate School Admissions
• High Schools
• Homeschool Resources
• Law School Admissions
• Medical School Admissions
• Navigating the Admissions Process
• Online Learning
• Outdoor Adventure
• Private High School Spotlight
• Research Programs
• Summer Program Spotlight
• Summer Programs
• Teacher Tools
• Test Prep Provider Spotlight

“Innovative and invaluable…use this book as your college lifeline.”

— Lynn O'Shaughnessy

Nationally Recognized College Expert

College Planning in Your Inbox

Join our information-packed monthly newsletter.

• Link to facebook
• Link to linkedin
• Link to twitter
• Link to youtube
• Writing Tips

A Guide to Technical Writing (With Examples)

4-minute read

• 5th May 2023

You can find technical writing in lots of places, including in your home, at your job, in many industries, and in businesses of all sizes. If you need help with business writing specifically, check out how we can assist you .

In today’s post, we’ll break down what technical writing is and how to do it effectively. We’ll also provide some handy examples.

What Is Technical Writing?

Technical writing doesn’t always look very technical! It can be anything that describes how to do a task or how to operate a machine or system. Or it can cover a specialized topic. Technical writing includes recipes in your favorite cookbook, board game instructions, operator manuals, health and safety regulations, legal documents, and financial reports.

Instructions for Carrying Out a Task

This type of technical writing can be a recipe for a cake, the instructions for a board game, tips on how to walk your dog to heel, or the script for a social media video on how to cut your own hair.

Operating Manuals for Machinery, Appliances, or Systems

Technical writing can also be the user guide for a dishwasher, for a factory machine that makes cardboard boxes, a “how to” guide for spreadsheets, or instructions for changing the oil in your motorcycle.

Specialized Topics

The list here could be very, very long! Technical writing on specialized topics includes a company’s business reports, a medical consultant’s letter to a patient, health and safety regulations, employment policies, and legal documents.

So How Do I Produce a Great Piece of Technical Writing?

Let’s take it in three stages: Who? What? How?

Who Is It For?

In any type of writing, knowing your audience is important. This is particularly true of technical writing. Here are some examples of who might read technical writing:

·  A renter of an apartment that needs details on their lease

·  An electrical engineer who needs to know how the wiring is laid out in the apartment block

·  The janitor of that same building who needs to know the location of the emergency lights

·  The occupant of apartment 61, who needs to know how to use the oven in their kitchen

They all need information presented to them, but what information do they need?

What Do They Need?

The renter needs a legal document that leaves no room for doubt about their legal rights and obligations and those of their landlord. The document will be very detailed, containing terms that need careful explanation.

The electrical engineer needs accurate, clear information about the wiring, as they could get hurt or cause harm to someone else if the diagram is inaccurate.

The janitor needs clear directions and a map of where the emergency lights are.

The occupant of apartment 61 needs instructions that are written in plain English so they can use their oven safely.

How Should Technical Writing Be Composed?

Follow these steps when writing a technical document:

·  Research and know your subject thoroughly.

Find this useful?

Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.

·  Decide on the appropriate writing style. Just because it’s technical, doesn’t mean it has to contain lots of jargon . Be concise, be direct, and be straightforward.

·  Consider whether you need to include diagrams, maps, images, charts, and/or tables.

·  If writing instructions, take it one step at a time, write objectively , and make sure the instructions work!

Examples of Technical Writing

Let’s look at some examples:

The first version contains unnecessary words, but the warnings are not specific enough. The instructions should be concise and clear. In the second version, the danger is stated right away, and the critical warnings are concise and specific.

In these examples, the first version is unnecessarily wordy. It provides a lot of detail for minor tasks but gives vague instructions for bigger tasks. The second version is much clearer. The instructions are easier to follow, and they include each necessary step.

Good technical writing needs the following attributes:

1. Relevance

2. Accuracy

4. Accessibility

5. Simplicity

Really good technical writing will include these attributes every time.

Is technical writing difficult?

Technical writing does not have to be difficult if you follow our guide and do your research beforehand.

Are there professional bodies for technical writers?

There are several professional organizations for technical writing. This list from UTA Libraries is very useful.

What can I do if I’m not sure that my technical writing style is appropriate to my subject?

We have experts in many fields who can check your writing and advise on style .

Share this article:

Post A New Comment

Got content that needs a quick turnaround? Let us polish your work. Explore our editorial business services.

5-minute read

Free Email Newsletter Template (2024)

Promoting a brand means sharing valuable insights to connect more deeply with your audience, and...

6-minute read

How to Write a Nonprofit Grant Proposal

If you’re seeking funding to support your charitable endeavors as a nonprofit organization, you’ll need...

9-minute read

How to Use Infographics to Boost Your Presentation

Is your content getting noticed? Capturing and maintaining an audience’s attention is a challenge when...

8-minute read

Why Interactive PDFs Are Better for Engagement

Are you looking to enhance engagement and captivate your audience through your professional documents? Interactive...

7-minute read

Seven Key Strategies for Voice Search Optimization

Voice search optimization is rapidly shaping the digital landscape, requiring content professionals to adapt their...

Five Creative Ways to Showcase Your Digital Portfolio

Are you a creative freelancer looking to make a lasting impression on potential clients or...

Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing.

Questions? Call us: 

Email: 

• How it works
• Testimonials

Essay Writing

• Essay service
• Essay writers
• College essay service
• Write my essay
• Pay for essay
• Essay topics

Term Paper Writing

• Term paper service
• Buy term papers
• Term paper help
• Term paper writers
• College term papers
• Write my term paper
• Pay for term paper
• Term paper topic

Research Paper Writing

• Research paper service
• Buy research paper
• Research paper help
• Research paper writers
• College research papers
• Write my research paper
• Pay for research paper
• Research paper topics

Dissertation Writing

• Dissertation service
• Buy dissertation
• Dissertation help
• Dissertation writers
• College thesis
• Write my dissertation
• Pay for dissertation
• Dissertation topics

Other Services

• Custom writing services
• Speech writing service
• Movie review writing
• Editing service
• Assignment writing
• Article writing service
• Book report writing
• Book review writing

Popular request:

Top 100 technology research topics.

July 8, 2020

The choice of technology research topics can influence the quality of the final papers submitted by students. It can also impact the experience of students when writing their papers. These are some of the reasons why students should be careful when choosing technology topics to research and write about.

Nevertheless, students that have difficulties in choosing topics about technology have many options to consider. What’s more, topics on technology can be classified into different categories. Here are some of the research topics about technology that learners can research and write about. If you decide to get professional writing help, just contact our academic writers .

Latest Technology Research Topics

If you want to write about the latest technological inventions, consider technology research paper topics in this category. Here are some of them.

• 3D algorithms – Discuss their use in computer programming languages and the game video games’ development
• Explain the inefficient use of 3D printers in today’s society
• Ad Server – Explain technology use in advertising
• Explain the evolution of artificial intelligence
• Explain the concept of auto text summarization
• Explain the process of building energy conservation designs
• Compare and contrast online learning and face-to-face learning
• Explain how cloud computing has changed how data is processed and stored in servers
• How do cell phones make humans depend on one another?
• Can the use of cell phones lead to brain cancer?
• Can genetic food modification technology be used to solve the world hunger problem?
• Discuss the undefined guidelines or rules that are followed in business technology
• Discuss the computer-aided control technology
• Discuss the computer-aided manufacture and design
• Explain how social media technology is helping in the creation of new families
• Explain the use of data mining technology in detecting technical theft and fraud
• Explain the effectiveness of the use of electronic surveillance to protect properties from possible dangers
• Explain how phishing can be stopped completely
• Explain how imaginaire has changed how people relate
• Why is the use of cell phones when driving risky?

These are just some of the latest technology-related topics. However, students should choose topics they find interesting and then conduct extensive research to find adequate and relevant data.

Amazing Technology Debate Topics

Are you looking for debatable technology essay topics? If yes, here are examples of such topics to consider.

• Explain how smart clothes or technology-compatible fashions have become a future wave
• Explain how voting fraud is a major problem because voting machines are easy to compromise
• How are tech companies overshadowing technology security
• Apple versus Samsung – Which company is the technology giant?
• Are Apple products designed and built to last?
• Android versus Apple – Who makes better devices?
• Are plasma televisions on their way out?
• How better can robots be in comparison to humans?
• Are entrepreneurs spending too much on tech start-ups?
• Can this time in history be described as the Age of Hacks?
• Why should you prefer Apple products?
• Do you like the autoplay feature for Facebook videos?
• Are you worried that your email account could be hacked?
• Are Firefox and Yahoo going against Google when it comes to diminishing its influence and growth?
• Are you worried about having your USB device hacked?
• Can you trust anti-surveillance software?
• Can books be replaced by technology?
• Can cell phones be used as educational tools?
• How important is a website for a modern company?
• Will consoles every reach the level of personal computers?

Interesting Technology Topics

If looking for hot topics in technology, consider some of the ideas in this category. Here are some of the most interesting research topics on technology that you should consider.

• Are medical apps reliable?
• How has the internet made outsourcing easier?
• Is Bitcoin safe and reliable?
• How can technology be used to manage healthcare in the cloud?
• Will self-driving cars be safe?
• How effective are video surveillance and smart homes?
• Are digital voting machines encouraging voter fraud or paving way for the future?
• Are children spending excessive time on the internet?
• Is gene editing ethical?
• What are the Blockchain technology basics?
• Why is virtual gaming and reality so popular?
• How addictive are video games?
• Why are teenagers avoiding some social media platforms?
• Are VPN sketchy or safe?
• What does a transition from 4G to 5G means?
• What is the future of video streaming?
• How have technology advances changed IT support?
• Explain what companies are doing to beat hackers?
• Explain the concept of online shopping and augmented reality
• Explain GGI advancements in videogames and movies

These are some of the best computer technology topics to consider if you want to research and write about something interesting. Nevertheless, you should be ready to research extensively to find relevant and factual data to support your argument.

Controversial Technology Topics

Learners have many controversial topics in technology to consider. These are engaging and relatable topics that many people find controversial. Here are examples of such topics:

• How dangerous are cell phones?
• What are the emerging alternative energy forms?
• Are digital tools making humans less or more productive?
• How different is the world in which kids under the age of 12 are growing compared to those in colleges?
• Is the world having a throw-away society?
• Explain the drone warfare
• How can technology be used to prevent pregnancy among teens?
• Should the internet be censored or controlled?
• Digital learning is changing education and schools- Explain
• Explain the use of filthy language on the internet
• Explain how technology is influencing the education system
• Is technology turning humans into zombies?
• How can technology be used to regulate the human diet?
• Should technological developments be accessed by people across the world equally?
• Should identity chips be implanted under the human skin?
• How is technology influencing behavior among children?
• How have human lives changed because of technology?
• How is digital learning changing education and classrooms
• Are Smartphones reducing live communication?
• What are the negative effects of new technologies?

This category has some of the best educational technology topics. Some of them are also great technology presentation topics. However, students should research them extensively and use reliable sources to find quality data to support their arguments.

Technology Argumentative Essay Topics

Perhaps, you’re looking for technology essays topics that allow you to take a stance. In that case, you should choose the topics in this category. Here are examples of the best topics in this category.

• Cell phones are too harmful
• Video games are too violent for children
• How good are mobile apps for learning
• Are the existing technologies making people lonely?
• Modern people are technological zombies
• Young people are too dependent on Smartphones and computers
• Modern teens are over depending on information technologies
• Is texting an effective way to communicate?
• Spy applications are an invasion of mobile phones privacy
• Explain how cyber-bullying can be blocked effectively
• Explain how Google has affected society
• How people have become anti-social because of technology
• Explain the pros and cons of using mobile phones
• Explain how technology makes people feel lonely
• Some computer games are partly the cause of mass murder

These can also be great technology speech topics. Nevertheless, they also require extensive research to come up with great papers.

Information Technology Topics

In addition to science and technology topics, students can also write on different information technology research topics. Examples of such topics include:

• How information technologies will change human life in 20 years
• Explain what governments are doing to regulate how people use the internet
• Explain the long-term effects of information technology
• Does the use of the internet to communicate bring humans closer together?
• Compare the human brain function and how computers work

Information technology research paper topics are very common in high schools and colleges. They are also common in social science studies. That’s because they enable learners to evaluate the impact of modern technologies on human behaviors. You can also check our computer science topics .

In addition to these categories, learners can also choose topics in business technology, science and technology topics, as well as, technology security topics. The most important thing is to select a topic you can comfortably research and write about.

Take a break from writing.

Top academic experts are here for you.

• How To Write An Autobiography Guideline And Useful Advice
• 182 Best Classification Essay Topics To Learn And Write About
• How To Manage Stress In College: Top Practical Tips  
• How To Write A Narrative Essay: Definition, Tips, And A Step-by-Step Guide
• How To Write Article Review Like Professional
• Great Problem Solution Essay Topics
• Creating Best Stanford Roommate Essay
• Costco Essay – Best Writing Guide
• How To Quote A Dialogue
• Wonderful Expository Essay Topics
• Research Paper Topics For 2020
• Interesting Persuasive Essay Topics

Explore your training options in 10 minutes Get Started

• Graduate Stories
• Partner Spotlights
• Bootcamp Prep
• Bootcamp Admissions
• University Bootcamps
• Coding Tools
• Software Engineering
• Web Development
• Data Science
• Tech Guides
• Tech Resources
• Career Advice
• Online Learning
• Internships
• Apprenticeships
• Tech Salaries
• Associate Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree
• University Admissions
• Best Schools
• Certifications
• Bootcamp Financing
• Higher Ed Financing
• Scholarships
• Financial Aid
• Best Coding Bootcamps
• Best Online Bootcamps
• Best Web Design Bootcamps
• Best Data Science Bootcamps
• Best Technology Sales Bootcamps
• Best Data Analytics Bootcamps
• Best Cybersecurity Bootcamps
• Best Digital Marketing Bootcamps
• Los Angeles
• San Francisco
• Browse All Locations
• Digital Marketing
• Machine Learning
• See All Subjects
• Bootcamps 101
• Full-Stack Development
• Career Changes
• View all Career Discussions
• Mobile App Development
• Cybersecurity
• Product Management
• UX/UI Design
• What is a Coding Bootcamp?
• Are Coding Bootcamps Worth It?
• How to Choose a Coding Bootcamp
• Best Online Coding Bootcamps and Courses
• Best Free Bootcamps and Coding Training
• Coding Bootcamp vs. Community College
• Coding Bootcamp vs. Self-Learning
• Bootcamps vs. Certifications: Compared
• What Is a Coding Bootcamp Job Guarantee?
• How to Pay for Coding Bootcamp
• Ultimate Guide to Coding Bootcamp Loans
• Best Coding Bootcamp Scholarships and Grants
• Education Stipends for Coding Bootcamps
• Get Your Coding Bootcamp Sponsored by Your Employer
• GI Bill and Coding Bootcamps
• Tech Intevriews
• Our Enterprise Solution
• Connect With Us
• Publication
• Reskill America
• Partner With Us

• Resource Center
• Bachelor’s Degree
• Master’s Degree

The Top 10 Most Interesting Technology Research Topics

With technological innovation streamlining processes in businesses at all levels and customers opting for digital interaction, adopting modern technologies have become critical for success in all industries. Technology continues to positively impact organizations , according to Statista, which is why technology research topics have become common among college-level students.

In this article, we have hand-picked the best examples of technology research topics and technology research questions to help you choose a direction to focus your research efforts. These technology research paper topics will inspire you to consider new ways to analyze technology and its evolving role in today’s world.

Find your bootcamp match

What makes a strong technology research topic.

A strong research topic is clear, relevant, and original. It should intrigue readers to learn more about the role of technology through your research paper. A successful research topic meets the requirements of the assignment and isn’t too broad or narrow.

Technology research topics must identify a broad area of research on technologies, so an extremely technical topic can be overwhelming to write. Your technology research paper topic should be suitable for the academic level of your audience.

Tips for Choosing a Technology Research Topic

• Make sure it’s clear. Select a research topic with a clear main idea that you can explain in simple language. It should be able to capture the attention of the audience and keep them engaged in your research paper.
• Make sure it’s relevant. The technology research paper topic should be relevant to the understanding and academic level of the readers. It should enhance their knowledge of a specific technological topic, instead of simply providing vague, directionless ideas about different types of technologies.
• Employ approachable language. Even though you might be choosing a topic from complex technology research topics, the language should be simple. It can be field-specific, but the technical terms used must be basic and easy to understand for the readers.
• Discuss innovations. New technologies get introduced frequently, which adds to the variety of technology research paper topics. Your research topic shouldn’t be limited to old or common technologies. Along with the famous technologies, it should include evolving technologies and introduce them to the audience.
• Be creative . With the rapid growth of technological development, some technology research topics have become increasingly common. It can be challenging to be creative with a topic that has been exhausted through numerous research papers. Your research topic should provide unique information to the audience, which can attract them to your work.

What’s the Difference Between a Research Topic and a Research Question?

A research topic is a subject or a problem being studied by a researcher. It is the foundation of any research paper that sets the tone of the research. It should be broad with a wide range of information available for conducting research.

On the other hand, a research question is closely related to the research topic and is addressed in the study. The answer is formed through data analysis and interpretation. It is more field-specific and directs the research paper toward a specific aspect of a broad subject.

How to Create Strong Technology Research Questions

Technology research questions should be concise, specific, and original while showing a connection to the technology research paper topic. It should be researchable and answerable through analysis of a problem or issue. Make sure it is easy to understand and write within the given word limit and timeframe of the research paper.

Technology is an emerging field with several areas of study, so a strong research question is based on a specific part of a large technical field. For example, many technologies are used in branches of healthcare such as genetics and DNA. Therefore, a research paper about genetics technology should feature a research question that is exclusive to genetics technology only.

Top 10 Technology Research Paper Topics

1. the future of computer-assisted education.

The world shifted to digital learning in the last few years. Students were using the Internet to take online classes, online exams, and courses. Some people prefer distance learning courses over face-to-face classes now, as they only require modern technologies like laptops, mobile phones, and the Internet to study, complete assignments, and even attend lectures.

The demand for digital learning has increased, and it will be an essential part of the education system in the coming years. As a result of the increasing demand, the global digital learning market is expecting a growth of about 110 percent by 2026 .

2. Children’s Use of Social Media

Nowadays, parents allow their children to use the Internet from a very young age. A recent poll by C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital reported that 32 percent of parents allow their children aged seven to nine to use social media sites. This can expose them to cyber bullying and age-inappropriate content, as well as increase their dependence on technology.

Kids need to engage in physical activities and explore the world around them. Using social media sites in childhood can be negative for their personalities and brain health. Analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of the use of technology among young children can create an interesting research paper.

3. The Risks of Digital Voting

Digital voting is an easy way of casting and counting votes. It can save the cost and time associated with traveling to the polling station and getting a postal vote. However, it has a different set of security challenges. A research paper can list the major election security risks caused by digital voting.

Voting in an online format can expose your personal information and decisions to a hacker. As no computer device or software is completely unhackable, the voting system can be taken down, or the hacking may even go undetected.

4. Technology’s Impact on Society in 20 Years

Technological development has accelerated in the last decade. Current technology trends in innovation are focusing on artificial intelligence development, machine learning, and the development and implementation of robots.

Climate change has affected both human life and animal life. Climate technology can be used to deal with global warming in the coming years, and digital learning can make education available for everyone. This technology research paper can discuss the positive and negative effects of technology in 20 years.

5. The Reliability of Self-Driving Cars

Self-driving cars are one of the most exciting trends in technology today. It is a major technology of the future and one of the controversial technology topics. It is considered safer than human driving, but there are some risks involved. For example, edge cases are still common to experience while driving.

Edge cases are occasional and unpredictable situations that may lead to accidents and injuries. It includes difficult weather conditions, objects or animals on the road, and blocked roads. Self-driving cars may struggle to respond to edge cases appropriately, requiring the driver to employ common sense to handle the situation.

6. The Impact of Technology on Infertility

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) helps infertile couples get pregnant. It employs infertility techniques such as In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT).

Infertility technologies are included in the controversial technology topics because embryonic stem cell research requires extracted human embryos. So, the research can be considered unethical. It is an excellent research topic from the reproductive technology field.

7. Evolution of War Technology

Military technologies have improved throughout history. Modern technologies, such as airplanes, missiles, nuclear reactors, and drones, are essential for war management. Countries experience major innovation in technologies during wars to fulfill their military-specific needs.

Military technologies have controversial ideas and debates linked to them, as some people believe that it plays a role in wars. A research paper on war technology can help evaluate the role of technology in warfare.

8. Using Technology to Create Eco-Friendly Food Packaging

Food technologies and agricultural technologies are trying to manage climate change through eco-friendly food packaging. The materials used are biodegradable, sustainable, and have inbuilt technology that kills microbes harmful to human life.

Research on eco-friendly food packaging can discuss the ineffectiveness of current packaging strategies. The new food technologies used for packaging can be costly, but they are better for preserving foods and the environment.

9. Disease Diagnostics and Therapeutics Through DNA Cloning

Genetic engineering deals with genes and uses them as diagnostics and therapeutics. DNA cloning creates copies of genes or parts of DNA to study different characteristics. The findings are used for diagnosing different types of cancers and even hematological diseases.

Genetic engineering is also used for therapeutic cloning, which clones an embryo for studying diseases and treatments. DNA technology, gene editing, gene therapy, and similar topics are hot topics in technology research papers.

10. Artificial Intelligence in Mental Health Care

Mental health is a widely discussed topic around the world, making it perfect for technology research topics. The mental health care industry has more recently been using artificial intelligence tools and mental health technology like chatbots and virtual assistants to connect with patients.

"Career Karma entered my life when I needed it most and quickly helped me match with a bootcamp. Two months after graduating, I found my dream job that aligned with my values and goals in life!"

Venus, Software Engineer at Rockbot

Artificial intelligence has the potential to improve the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness. It can help a health care provider with monitoring patient progress and assigning the right therapist based on provided data and information.

Other Examples of Technology Research Topics & Questions

Technology research topics.

• The connection between productivity and the use of digital tools
• The importance of medical technologies in the next years
• The consequences of addiction to technology
• The negative impact of social media
• The rise and future of blockchain technology

Technology Research Questions

• Is using technology in college classrooms a good or bad idea?
• What are the advantages of cloud technologies for pharmaceutical companies?
• Can new technologies help in treating morbid obesity?
• How to identify true and false information on social media
• Why is machine learning the future?

Choosing the Right Technology Research Topic

Since technology is a diverse field, it can be challenging to choose an interesting technology research topic. It is crucial to select a good research topic for a successful research paper. Any research is centered around the research topic, so it’s important to pick one carefully.

From cell phones to self-driving cars, technological development has completely transformed the world. It offers a wide range of topics to research, resulting in numerous options to choose from. We have compiled technology research topics from a variety of fields. You should select a topic that interests you, as you will be spending weeks researching and writing about it.

Technology Research Topics FAQ

Technology is important in education because it allows people to access educational opportunities globally through mobile technologies and the Internet. Students can enroll in online college degrees , courses, and attend online coding bootcamps . Technology has also made writing research papers easier with the tremendous amount of material available online.

Yes, technology can take over jobs as robotics and automation continue to evolve. However, the management of these technologies will still require human employees with technical backgrounds, such as artificial intelligence specialists, data scientists , and cloud engineers.

Solar panels and wind turbines are two forms of technology that help with climate change, as they convert energy efficiently without emitting greenhouse gases. Electric bikes run on lithium batteries and only take a few hours to charge, which makes them environmentally friendly. Carbon dioxide captures are a way of removing CO 2 from the atmosphere and storing it deep underground.

Technology helps companies manage client and employee data, store and protect important information, and develop strategies to stay ahead of competitors. Marketing technologies, such as Search Engine Optimization (SEO), are great for attracting customers online.

About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication .

What's Next?

Get matched with top bootcamps

Ask a question to our community, take our careers quiz.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Professional Writing Services at an affordable price. Get assistance from our experts for best writing help.

Enhance user experience effortlessly!

Sign up today for FREE Website Accessibility Audit.

Section 1: Choosing Your Topic

Section 2: literature review, section 3: structuring your paper, section 4: peer review and feedback, section 5: editing and proofreading, section 6: references and citations, section 7: submission and publication, research papers made easy: a comprehensive writing guide.

• Read in 07 mins Published: 26-Oct-2023

Writing a technical or research paper can be both a tricky and enjoyable experience. It's an essential skill for researchers, scientists, and academics, as it allows you to communicate your findings and contribute to the world of knowledge. However, the question that arises is: How to write a technical paper?

The method of writing a technical paper can be complicated if you don't have a specific structure and plan in place. We will guide you through the fundamental elements and tips to help you write an effective research paper in this step-by-step guide. Whether you are a skilled writer or just starting, having a well-defined structure is key to maintaining clarity and coherence in your technical or research paper.

The first step in technical paper writing is to choose a topic that is interesting as well as relevant to your field of study. Consider the current trends and advancements in your field, and identify a topic that you are passionate about and have a good understanding of. It's important to choose a topic that is neither too broad nor too narrow, as this will facilitate thorough research and analysis.

The Significance of a Well-Chosen Topic

The journey to writing a successful research paper begins with selecting a topic. This initial step is crucial as it shapes the entire research process. Two primary factors should influence your choice:

1. Your Interest

When you are genuinely interested in a topic, you are more likely to dedicate the time and effort needed to explore and analyze it thoroughly. Passion for your chosen topic is a driving force in research. It keeps you enlightened and committed throughout the writing process. Research is a long-haul commitment, so make sure you're passionate about the subject you're about to delve into.

2. Relevance and Significance

Select a topic that's relevant and significant. Your paper's impact largely depends on the relevance of the topic to your field of study or area of interest. By selecting a topic that aligns with your field of study or area of interest, you can contribute to the pre-existing body structure of knowledge and make a valuable contribution to your academic community.

3. Finding Your Research Question

Once you've identified your area of interest, you need to narrow it down to a specific research question. Your research question should be clear, concise, and researchable. It acts as the guiding star throughout your research journey.

A well-crafted research question will help you focus your efforts and ensure that you gather relevant data and information. It should be specific enough to provide meaningful results but broad enough to allow for exploration and analysis.

Bonus Read: Exploring the 11 Types of Technical Writing

The literature review serves multiple purposes, including providing a comprehensive understanding of the present condition of details in your field, identifying gaps or inconsistencies in previous research, and informing the development of your research question.

The Foundation of Your Research

A thorough literature review is required before carrying out your research. This step involves exploring existing work in your field, understanding the landscape of your chosen topic, and identifying gaps in knowledge. For example, let's say you are researching the effects of social media on mental health among teenagers.

In your literature review, start by examining existing studies and theories on both social media and mental health. You may find that there is a significant amount of research on the negative impacts of excessive social media usage, such as increased anxiety and depression among teenagers.

However, during your review, you noticed a gap in the literature regarding the possible positive effects of social media on mental health. This observation leads you to develop your research question: "What are the potential positive effects of using social media for promoting mental health among teenagers?"

From this example, a thorough literature review not only helps you understand what has already been studied but also identifies gaps in the existing research. This research question opens up new possibilities for exploring how social media can be utilized as a tool for promoting mental well-being among teenagers, potentially leading to innovative interventions and strategies in this area.

A well-organized structure is the backbone of a research paper. It helps convey your ideas clearly and logically. A typical structure comprises:

Introduction

• Research Question: Clearly state your research question.
• Objectives: Mention the objectives of your research.
• Significance: Explain the significance of your research topic.
• Structure: Outline the structure of your paper.

Literature Review

• Existing Work: Summarize and analyze relevant literature.
• Identified Gaps: Highlight the gaps that your research addresses.
• Framework: Provide a conceptual framework for your research.

Methodology

• Data Collection: Describe the methods used to gather data.
• Participants: Provide information on your study's participants (if applicable).
• Ethical Considerations: Explain ethical considerations.
• Data Analysis: Describe the methods used for data analysis.
• Data Presentation: Present your research findings using tables, graphs, or other visual aids.
• Statistical Analysis: If necessary, use statistical analysis to support your findings.
• Interpretation: Understanding the results in the context of your research question.
• Implications: Discuss the implications of your findings.
• Limitations: Acknowledge the limitations of your research.
• Future Research: Suggest areas for future research based on your findings.
• Summary: Summarize your main findings.
• Contributions: Emphasize the contributions your research makes.
• Final Thoughts: Conclude with your final thoughts on the research.

Simple and easy-to-understandable writing is necessary. Avoid complex, convoluted sentences that may confuse readers. Simplicity enhances comprehension. Make use of graphs, charts, and tables to present data effectively, enhancing reader engagement.

Seeking feedback from fellows, mentors, or professors is invaluable. Peer review ensures the quality of your paper and helps identify areas for improvement. During the research paper writing process, it is crucial to engage in peer review and seek feedback from peers, mentors, or professors.

This step is essential as it helps ensure the quality of your paper and allows you to identify areas that need improvement. Incorporating feedback from others not only enhances the overall quality of your writing but also helps you gain a fresh perspective on your work. By soliciting input from others, you can address any possible weaknesses or gaps in your argument, ensuring that your paper is comprehensive and well-rounded.

Editing and proofreading are the final touches that transform your research paper into a polished gem. It's essential to edit your paper for clarity, grammar, style, and formatting. During the editing process, you can also check for any inconsistencies or redundancies in your writing.

Additionally, proofreading allows you to catch any spelling or punctuation errors that may have been overlooked. By taking the time to edit and proofread your paper carefully, you demonstrate your commitment to producing a high-quality piece of work.

Some tools that can help with editing and proofreading a research paper include:

• Grammar and spell checkers, such as Grammarly or Hemingway Editor, can catch any errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• Style guides, such as the APA or the MLA style guides, can also be useful for ensuring consistency in formatting and citations.

This section is crucial as it allows readers to find and confirm the sources you have used in your paper. When writing a paper, it is important to avoid plagiarism by properly citing your sources in the references and citations section. It is essential to ensure this and follow the guidelines provided by the specific style guide you are using, like APA or MLA.

These style guides provide detailed instructions on how to format different types of sources, including books, journal articles, websites, and more.

• Suppose you are writing a research paper on climate change, and you want to include a statistic from a scientific study. In that case, you need to cite the source in your references and citations section properly.
• In the APA style guide, you would format the citation as follows: Smith, J. D., Johnson, A. B., & Thompson, C. (2019). The impact of climate change over global temperatures. Journal of Environmental Science, 45(2), 132-150. (Note: This is just an example, and the actual citation format may vary depending on the specific guidelines of the APA style guide).
• By including this citation in your paper, readers can locate the original study and verify the information you have included. It not only adds credibility to your paper but also gives proper credit to the authors of the study.

Once your paper is polished and ready, it's time to consider submission and publication. This step is the culmination of your hard work, where you share your findings with the academic community. Each journal or conference will have its submission guidelines that you must adhere to.

For example, suppose you are submitting a paper to a scientific journal. In that case, you may be required to include an abstract or keywords and follow specific formatting guidelines. These guidelines are crucial to ensure that your paper meets the standards and requirements of the publication.

This guide discussed various steps on how to write a technical paper or research paper. It is a journey of discovery where you not only contribute to the collective knowledge of your field but also enhance your own research and writing skills.

Remember, the journey starts with choosing a compelling topic that resonates with you. The literature review lays the foundation for your research, and rigorous data collection ensures the credibility of your work. Our technical writing services can provide valuable assistance in organizing and presenting your findings clearly and straightforwardly.

• proofreading
• content development
• copy editing

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mary has extensive experience of over 5 years in writing on a wide range of topics, including healthcare, technology, science, and business. She is highly knowledgeable and skilled in researching and crafting accurate, well-structured, and engaging content. Mary is a reliable and professional writer who is always willing to go the extra mile to ensure her clients are satisfied with her work. She is committed to delivering quality content on time and within budget.

• Previous eLearning Content Development - Future Trends 2024
• Next How to Conduct a WCAG Audit to Assess the Accessibility of a Webpage?

You Might Like

How to Sharpen Your Technical Writing Skills for Clear Communication?

Mastering technical writing entails honing distinct skills tailored to its unique demands.

• Read in 08 mins

The Essential Guide to Writing Safety Data Sheets

Creating Safety Data Sheets (SDS) can help with this by providing details on the hazardous chemical products that may be encountered in the workplace.

• Read in 09 mins

How to Create Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for Your Businesses ?

By implementing SOPs, businesses can streamline their operations and improve overall productivity.

• Read in 07 mins

Subscribe to our newsletter

Join our newsletter.

Stay in tune with Acadecrafts latest news and updates.

Clients Testimonials

Acadecraft has been an invaluable partner in our journey towards excellence in certification. Their commitment to delivering exceptional service, coupled with their unwavering dedication to timeliness and quality, has truly set them apart.

From the outset, their team has demonstrated a keen understanding of our needs, consistently delivering reports with meticulous attention to detail. Their responsiveness is commendable; whenever we've reached out with queries or requests, they've always been prompt and accommodating, ensuring a smooth and seamless experience.

One of the standout aspects of Acadecraft's service is their ability to deliver reports in a timely manner without compromising on quality. This has been instrumental in our decision-making processes, allowing us to make informed choices based on accurate and insightful data.

Acadecraft has consistently exceeded our expectations with their exemplary service, timely responsiveness, and unwavering commitment to quality.

• Shradha Shetty
• Certification Manager, SISA

Acadecraft's Voice-Over service was amazing! The team provided accurate and culturally relevant recordings for what we expected. They showed true professionalism and expertise. We highly recommend Acadecraft for their excellent Voiceover services.

• Manav Malhotra
• Sr. Manager – Operations

Always impressed with Acadecraft's expertise! Their translation services play a vital role for our company to drive international growth within our team and clients.

• Alex Capizola
• Business Operations Executive

AcadeCraft's assessment content creation team was able to understand our unique requirements and created customized assessments that fit our needs. The team was prompt and professional, and the quality of their work was good.

Acadecraft have recorded several audiobooks for us. They have a wide range of talented artists with different accents who really bring our stories to life. Their work is of high quality, with good attention to detail.

Acadecraft are reliable, efficient and friendly. Their services are highly recommended by us.

• Mazlini Kirsty Louise
• Editorial Head

As a producer, I've had the pleasure of using Acadecraft for sourcing VO and liaising with artists for several film projects. They offer a wide range of VO profiles and the artists I have collaborated with all were talented and professional. The team at Acadecraft have supported me with great professionalism, responsiveness and creativity. I highly recommend their services.

• Katia Hérault
• Head of Production

Acadecraft has been helpful with connecting our editorial team with subject matter experts (SMEs) who help us QA assessments and create solutions for computational assessments. They have been able to find SMEs to meet our needs and our deadlines. We are happy to continue to partner with Acadecraft.

• Managing Editor

Acadecraft team is always very supportive, and we and Acadecraft corroborate to create educational contents for K12 Students in India.

We appreciate Acadecraft teams' professionality, punctuality, creation skills in each subject.

• Mikiko Matsuoka
• Content Manager

I am thrilled to share my testimonial for Acadecraft which creates interactive and engaging content. Working with this team has been an absolute pleasure from start to finish. Not only did they create outstanding content for our project, but they also went above and beyond to ensure that it was interactive, engaging, and effective.

Throughout the entire process, the team was highly cooperative and communicative, always available to resolve any issues or concerns that arose. They truly made us feel like partners in the project, and their dedication to delivering high-quality content was evident in every interaction.

Thanks to their exceptional work, our project was a huge success, and we couldn't be happier with the results. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a team that is passionate, professional, and committed to excellence. Wishing them all the best in their future endeavors.

• Hemika Kumar
• Ed-Tech Program Lead

The team at Acadecraft has truly been an end-to-end service provider for us, providing content development services and their commitment, attention to detail and expertise have made the project a success. Their team's dedication, attention to detail, and expertise have been unmatched, making our partnership an absolute pleasure. We highly recommend Acadecraft to anyone looking for a reliable and efficient education solutions provider.

• Yogesh Malhotra
• Senior Manager Team - Program Management

Our experience working with Acadecraft has been great. Their highly knowledgeable team of experts was always available to answer our questions, provide guidance, and ensure we were delighted with the services. Their thorough, accurate assessments provided valuable insights that helped us make informed decisions about our exam performances.

We look forward to continuing our partnership with Acadecraft and leveraging their expertise to help us achieve our business goals.

• Sohail Ahmed
• Senior Manager

I recently used Acadecraft's Video Editing services and I am extremely impressed with the quality of their work. The team at Acadecraft was highly professional, attentive and skilled in delivering my company’s project on time and within budget.

Their attention to detail was impeccable, and they understood my needs and requirements very well. They were able to create a video that not only met my expectations, but far exceeded them.

Throughout the process, they kept me informed and updated on the progress of the project, and were always available to answer any questions I had. Their customer service was excellent, and they were always friendly and easy to work with.

I highly recommend Acadecraft's Video Editing services to anyone who is looking for a high-quality and professional video editing experience. They are truly experts in their field and I look forward to working with them again in the future.

• Senior Executive

The video creation team of Acadecraft is insightful. They understood my requirements carefully and delivered a winning video that perfectly aligned with my business needs.

With a good script, content, sound, and editing – Acadecraft helped me with the best video content to strategize my marketing and promotional campaigns. Their tremendous experience in video editing and professionalism in serving the customer before and after delivering services are commendable.

The passionate team knows great about getting into the details and providing impeccable video services. I am extremely impressed by the work Acadecraft has delivered to me.

I appreciate my collaboration with Acadecraft and look forward to availing of services again.

• Ganesh Sonawane
• Founder & CEO

I required an explainer video for my business, and I am mesmerized by the work Acadecraft’s video editing team delivered to me. The perfectly aligned video elements and superb editing demonstrate the experience, knowledge, and professionalism Acadecraft has.

Acadecraft’s 3d video solutions are amazing. They used a perfect blend of art, color, shape, sound, and editing to create the video, making the video engaging and immersive.

I have always been excited to explore the opportunities of videos in business, and it was my pleasure to make Acadecraft my companion for the best video solutions. I highly recommend this organization and would love to collaborate with them again.

With a holistic approach to creating powerful blended videos, Acadecraft delivered me a well-developed video solution. I appreciate the relentless efforts of the video editing team, whose in-depth knowledge and analytical skills effectively catered to my needs.

The services Acadecraft has given me exceeded my expectations; the team was effective and listened to my requirements carefully, and went the extra mile in researching and creatively developing awesome pieces of video content.

Not only from a quality perspective but on the management and delivery front, Acadecraft’s services are prolific. They stuck to the turnaround time and were constantly in touch with me throughout the creation process.

I recommend Acadecraft for video solutions as they have great hands-on use of animation, graphics, and other creative assets.

• Shweta Patidar

I am thoroughly astounded by Acadecraft's proficient skills! Their exceptional voiceover and translation services were instrumental in amplifying our marketing endeavors and video promotions. They enabled us to communicate effectively with varied audiences and significantly propelled growth across numerous media platforms.

• Sparsh Verma
• Marketing Strategist

Working along with Acadecraft has been an exceptional journey. Their meticulous attention to detail and commitment to maintaining the essence of the content in the transition from English to Arabic was truly impressive. The collaborative spirit and timely communication made the entire process smooth and enjoyable. Without a doubt, I wholeheartedly endorse their services for a remarkable translation experience.

• Yashashwini V Rathod
• Account Director

Grab a FREE Accessibility Audit Today!

Expand your website reach.

Topics for Research Papers: Diverse Research Ideas Across Disciplines

Table of contents

• 1 Why Is the Choice of Subject in Research Papers So Important? 
• 2 How to Choose a Research Paper Topic?
• 3 Business Research Paper Topics
• 4 Media and Communications Research Paper Topics
• 5 Psychology Research Paper Topics
• 6 Argumentative Research Paper Topics
• 7 Controversial Topics for Research Paper
• 8 Easy Research Paper Topics
• 9 Research Topic in Natural Sciences
• 10 Sociology Research Paper Topics
• 11 Family Research Paper Topics
• 12 Discrimination Research Paper Topics
• 13 Law Research Paper Topics
• 14 Environmental Research Paper Topics
• 15 Education Research Paper Topics
• 16 Science and Technology Research Paper Topics
• 17 College Research Paper Topics
• 18 Health Research Paper Topics
• 19 Politics Research Paper Topics
• 20 History Research Paper Topics
• 21 Music Research Paper Topics
• 22.1 After Choosing the Research Topic
• 22.2 Closing Thoughts

When students approach the final stage of their academic journey, they immediately begin to think about the need to develop their research project to add to their college curriculum. To do this, students start searching for the best research paper topics. From then on, many insecurities and doubts will haunt the minds of these college education students who will have a big job ahead of them with the best research paper topic.

To help students during this challenging phase of their education, we can help them explore various interesting research paper topics, figure out which one aligns with their interests, and start working on it well ahead of the deadline.                    

Why Is the Choice of Subject in Research Papers So Important?  

The final project of a student who is in college is a research paper. However, the student needs to start working on it before the end of their program. It is known that the sooner you begin this process, the more time and tranquility you will find to develop it. Therefore, a research paper will review what experts on a given subject have published in the literature, making the student choose and defend a point of view concerning a thesis statement. Writing one successfully requires surveys and data to back your idea or topic and choose a good research paper topic.

How to Choose a Research Paper Topic?

Choosing a research paper topic is a crucial step in the research process . It’s important to select a topic that interests you, aligns with your academic goals, and is feasible to research. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to pick a good research paper topic :

• Pick a subject that you’re passionate about! If you’re passionate about your subject, the research process will be more relevant, and you will have more research topic ideas.
• Concentrate on a doable topic.
• You will only be able to focus if your topic is narrow enough.
• Examine the subject selection instructions provided in your assignment—request advice from your lecturer or TA.
• Always refer to important materials and notes about classes so that you are up to date on the topic.
• Brainstorm research topics with a friend. They will be able to help you write your emphasis and raise concerns that will not be present at the time of your presentation.
• Consider the following questions for your research topic ideas: who, what, when, where, and why:

WHY did you choose this particular topic? What piques your curiosity about it?

WHO are the sources of information, and who is impacted?

WHAT are the most important questions about this subject?

WHERE does your topic matter most: locally, nationally, or internationally?

WHEN did your topic become important? Is this a current issue or one from the past?

Business Research Paper Topics

A study of the business is current and significant. It allows data and information to be collected about commercial relationships worldwide. In this way, students can delve deeper into an important economics and professional development topic, finding solutions and discussing results. Sometimes, one can get research paper writing to assist in situations where it is inconvenient. Some examples of these business research paper topics include:

• The influence of employee benefits on representative efficiency.
• The difficulties of managing workgroup conflict.
• Start-ups: Examining the challenges that arise during the early stages of a business.
• How to work with open and closed systems in business.
• Workgroups’ ability to evolve to meet the needs of the future.
• Inter-authoritative networks and leadership strategies.
• Product and service improvements made in significant cooperation.
• How to manage an organization’s emergencies.
• The effect of full quality management practices on client retention and satisfaction.
• Effective time management as a tool for authoritative endurance.

Media and Communications Research Paper Topics

The research work developed in the area of the media manages to provide students with information about mass communication and its importance. With the advent of the internet and all its nuances, it is increasingly important to develop studies and research to understand the effects of media and communication in the social context. Some communication research topics can explore include:

• The influence of the media on real-life relationships.
• The role of the media in the expression of social issues.
• Consequences of mass media on society’s ethical well-being.
• The advantages of using the media to anticipate a crisis.
• How the media infringes on citizens’ rights.
• What role does the media play in spreading awareness?
• The significance of trustworthy ads.
• The impact of the media on a country’s political elite.
• Is the media good or harmful to the economy?
• What role does the media play in technological advancement?

Psychology Research Paper Topics

Many subjects can be approached within the theme of psychology. It is an area of science that allows us to carry out different studies with various themes and views. However, the student must be able to choose an important topic for the psychology and academic context. Your teacher’s attention is drawn to an engaging and novel topic. Here are some ideas for you:

• What impact do violent video games have on children’s brain development?
• Do violent cartoons impact our children’s behavior and mental health?
• What impact does divorce have on a child’s emotional blooming?
• An introverted child’s social anxiety and sadness.
• How does bullying affect high school or college students’ social interactions?
• When a person is in love, how does the brain work?
• Differences in the way a man’s and a woman’s brains work
• Is there a link between PTSD and Alzheimer’s disease?
• Sleep paralysis causes and effects
• What is the best way to deal with multiple personality disorders?

Argumentative Research Paper Topics

The student must choose an argumentative research paper topic because you will have to defend a thesis during the work. By opting for a good research paper topic of your interest, you will base yourself on various materials already published on the subject to develop your thoughts and arguments to defend your initial idea chosen as the main subject of your work.

• The role of government in addressing income inequality.
• The pros and cons of school uniform policies.
• Analyzing the effects of violent video games on behavior.
• The effectiveness of abstinence-only sex education programs.
• The impact of fast food advertising on childhood obesity.
• The role of government in regulating online privacy.
• The pros and cons of school voucher programs.
• Examining the impact of standardized testing on education.
• The ethics of capital punishment for juveniles.
• The ethics of human organ trafficking.

Controversial Topics for Research Paper

• High times or high risks? The legalization of recreational marijuana use.
• Locked and loaded: The endless debate on gun control policies.
• To kill or not to kill: The ongoing debate on capital punishment.
• Drones in the crosshairs: Balancing security and privacy.
• The ethics of human cloning and genetic engineering.
• Vaccination controversies: Mandates, exemptions, and public health.
• Affirmative action under scrutiny: Equity in college admissions.
• The ethics of assisted suicide and euthanasia.
• Balancing surveillance and civil liberties.
• Nuclear power and weapons: Weighing the benefits and risks.
• Solitary confinement: Cruel punishment or necessary measure?
• Rise of the machines: Artificial intelligence, employment, and ethics.
• Animals in entertainment: Whose amusement at what cost?
• Privacy vs. security: Government surveillance and individual rights.
• Playing God: The ethics of human gene editing and designer babies.
• Statues and symbols: The controversy surrounding Confederate memorials.
• Fracking unveiled: The controversy surrounding hydraulic fracturing.

Easy Research Paper Topics

• The effects of fast food consumption on health.
• The benefits of reading for personal development.
• Strategies for stress reduction in everyday life.
• The role of family in child development.
• The history of famous inventions.
• Strategies for effective communication in relationships.
• The history and impact of social movements.
• The influence of advertising on consumer choices.
• Strategies for healthy eating on a budget.
• The importance of setting goals in life.

Research Topic in Natural Sciences

• The impact of ocean acidification on marine life
• Exploring the genetic diversity of soil microbes and their influence on crop health.
• Studying the impacts of emerging contaminants on freshwater ecosystems.
• Understanding the dynamics of emerging zoonotic diseases in wildlife populations.
• The use of CRISPR in gene editing.
• The use of drones in disaster response.
• The effects of light pollution on nocturnal insect communities in urban areas.
• Natural toxins in plants: mechanisms, benefits, and risks in agriculture.
• Climate change and its effects on algal blooms and water quality in 2023.
• The ecological significance of wetland restoration efforts in 2023.

Sociology Research Paper Topics

The sociology discipline is responsible for studying human behavior within society. These studies will address how people behave in social relationships and groups and how cultures and customs emerge. The possibilities for research are endless regarding sociology’s enormous reach and continually changing societal trends. Choose the best easy sociology research topics for yourself. Some topic ideas are:

• Is emotional intelligence as crucial as everyone claims?
• Is there a misconception that males are better professionals than women?
• Is homeschooling a hindrance to children’s socialization?
• Abuse marriages have both causes and effects.
• We spend too much time on our phones.
• The ethics of animal experimentation.
• Is recycling beneficial to the environment?
• In the United States, is there a stereotype about Mexicans?
• Racial preconceptions ruin people.
• The need for sex education.

Family Research Paper Topics

It’s not always easy to research family issues. This is mainly because some students may be coming from pleased families. Thus, many concepts might be difficult to comprehend. However, this field of study has the potential to significantly improve the psychological climate in many households throughout the world. Some topics one can research include:

• In the family, there has been sexual abuse. The escape plan and organizations that can assist.
• Resolving religious issues in families.
• Is it possible to rescue oneself from substance abuse in a family if others engage?
• Saving family connections while not inheriting the family business.
• Balancing between family support and allowing young adults to experience living on their own in the transition to adulthood.
• A relationship that is toxic and abusive. Breaking up with a toxic spouse has psychological ramifications.
• Children and adults go through phases of grieving after losing a family member. How can we cope as a group?
• What issues might parents confront when fostering a child?
• When does teen misbehavior become more than a normal desire for independence?
• A generational divide exists. The moral and cultural differences. Is this typical?

Discrimination Research Paper Topics

It is undeniable the massive impact that discrimination has in the society of the past and also of the present. Therefore, articles on discrimination and race relations must be the subject of academic research. Research papers on it can probe and proffer solutions through data found. Much research in this area can be developed, addressing relations of age, religion, race, sexual orientation, and any existing social conflict. Some topics to explore are:

• Colorism as a kind of discrimination.
• Discrimination Against Muslims in the Workplace.
• Discrimination Against Asian Americans in Colleges.
• Discrimination in the Workplace.
• Discrimination against people of color as a result of racial profiling.
• Discrimination Against Muslims in the Workplace is an issue that has to be addressed.
• Discrimination in the Workplace: How to Manage in an Inclusive Environment.
• Discrimination, social exclusion, and violence against LGBT people are issues that the LGBT community faces.
• Discrimination and Equality Struggle.
• Discrimination based on age in the workplace.

Law Research Paper Topics

Another fundamental form of research is legal research. It is a significant topic and one that allows us to have different approaches and points of view. Each country and each historical time will give us an even greater immersion in laws and legal conduct.

The law can be divided into 21 major areas. Just choose one of them to be the topic of your law research . Some areas of law are constitutional law, environmental law, and criminal law, among others. Some good topics include:

• What are the benefits of business rules for institutions and organizations?
• What is business law’s actual nature?
• What do we know about the classification of business rules and the legal regulation of non-consensual adoption in the United States?
• How does the law handle marriage and divorce for mentally ill people?
• The cultural influence of transgender marriage and its legal status in different countries.
• The environment and private property.
• Equal protection under the law and the principle of equality.
• The financial pyramid’s legal aspects.
• Environment-related crimes.
• Exchange Commission and Securities.

Environmental Research Paper Topics

To improve our relationship with nature and preserve it, it is necessary to carry out a lot of debate and research in this area. In this way, we will learn about the importance of ecology and the environment in the lives of all living beings. Developing work on this subject means containing the adverse effects of globalization, industrialization, and the use of nature. This way, we can save ecosystems, avoiding irreparable losses to our planet. Some environment research paper topics  are:

• Analysis and proposed remedies for lung cancer and radon.
• The negative impact of acid rain on aquatic life and natural resources.
• What can we do to protect wildlife from being killed by acid rain?
• What role did prehistoric creatures have in today’s ecosystems?
• The repercussion of air pollution and global warming on human health.
• Can recycling assist people worldwide in improving their health?
• What can be done to protect coral reefs from being destroyed?
• How much are garbage and pesticides to blame for our soil contamination?
• How big is the problem of ocean acidification?
• Permafrost melting and its impact on climate change.

Education Research Paper Topics

It is known that improving the educational system worldwide is imperative, better serving students and society. However, how can we do this? This type of research aims to make education more efficient and accessible for everyone. Some topics to consider are:

• Will one of the aims of modern education be the growth of emotional intelligence?
• Discrimination in education and its impact on students’ futures.
• Mentally ill persons need to be educated and socialized. There are some similarities and some variances.
• Education and censorship. Do we want to protect the pupils, or do we want to help them learn what they need to know?
• How do students in inclusive classrooms perform compared to students in non-inclusive classes?
• Is it still necessary to have grades in today’s education?
• Education and incentive: how to pique the interest of students.
• In what ways may modern education be compared to traditional schooling?
• Bullying and a negative psychological climate in the classroom. Its influence on educational quality.
• The importance of discipline in education and how it affects the learning process.

Science and Technology Research Paper Topics

We can see many positive technical advances in the world these days. However, some have negative consequences. Students must prioritize topics that influence many people’s lives and help develop technological research. At the same time, look at the advantages and preservation of technology in today’s world. Some technology topics include:

• What effect does alcohol intake have on athletes who are training?
• What influence does ADCC activity research have on HIV treatment?
• What function does CDfT-Cell Subsets play in HIV patient progression?
• What is the most significant technical breakthrough of the twentieth century?
• Is it possible for tech to ever replace human intelligence?
• What impact does tech play in genetic engineering’s advancement?
• Can microbial factories help solve the raw metals shortage?
• Is the paleo diet representative of ancient life? Is it the best diet for people?
• Is Europe’s objection to genetically modified crops motivated by science or economic considerations?
• Could molecular biology study into uncommon genetic abnormalities possibly lead to new insights into cancer and other diseases?

College Research Paper Topics

Developing research about the dilemmas faced daily by many students within the university environment is also extremely important. In this way, it becomes possible to analyze more objectively all social relations within the college, the influence of social media, the academic development of students, and especially the results that will be reaped in their profession in the future. The education system is an extensive topic with possibilities to develop easy research paper topics. In addition, it is an environment you are probably already familiar with, thus facilitating the data and information collection process. Some topics about it:

• The importance of higher education in a professional career for middle ages people.
• What are the main reasons that lead students to drop out of college?
• Why should people study foreign languages in college?
• The influence of the digital world on the university world.
• College and the financial hardship faced by many students.
• Doubts about choosing the right college.
• How to enter the job market after completing college.
• What are the main differences between public and private colleges?
• The effects of cyberbullying in the university context.
• What is the ideal human behaviour in the university environment?

Health Research Paper Topics

Academic work must be developed in Health subjects, seeking to understand better the dynamics of health in different world countries and how this influences people’s lives to have physical well-being. We have recently seen the impact of the Covid-19 virus pandemic on our planet. We have seen the collapse of many health systems in many countries’ human relationships. In addition, we also saw despair and suffering in many families with mental health problems. Therefore, we see how necessary it is to develop research projects that help consolidate better care for the population, promoting health and preventing the emergence of new diseases, especially in third-world countries. Some health research paper topics are:

• Support for family members who have lost loved ones to COVID-19.
• Adolescent violence as a public health problem.
• Assistance for people with disabilities living in rural areas.
• Adolescent mental health in public health.
• The evolution of the human body over the years.
• Health problems caused by the use of pesticides.
• How does social media addiction influence people’s health?
• Obesity as a public health problem.
• Health education in schools and through social media.
• How does water quality interfere with public health?

Politics Research Paper Topics

Another research paper topic is politics. Politics is a topic that directly or indirectly involves the lives of all world inhabitants. Through it, we seek our rights, have the strength to fight for our ideologies, and become citizens. Here are some politics research paper topics :

• Policies to face global warming.
• The presence of politics within the education system.
• The influences of the cultural industry in the constitution of public policies.
• Political relations during World War I and World War II.
• The importance of feminism in the political achievement of women’s right to vote.
• Best professional writers on political topics.
• Public policy related to an all-female working environment.
• The importance of public policies that make people aware of drug use.
• The emergence of extremist political ideologies in the 21st century.
• The importance of democracy in politics.

History Research Paper Topics

History is essential for humanity to understand the facts that occurred and their relationship with time. From history, we can develop several exciting research topics as it can investigate what men did, thought, felt, and set in all social dynamics thousands of years ago. Historical knowledge is capable of helping to understand human beings, their attitudes, and their evolution. Some history research paper topics are:

• The historical development of the electoral college.
• Major terrorist attacks throughout history.
• The historical and social importance of gender psychology.
• The changes that came with the end of the Soviet Union.
• The progression of the minimum wage over the years.
• The worldwide impacts of the war between Russia and Ukraine.
• The emergence of offshore bank accounts work and their social impact.
• The Mayan Civilization and Its Cultural Legacy.
• The history of dictatorships in South America and funding from the United States.
• The democratization of access to course material at History College.

Music Research Paper Topics

Music has been present in humanity since the most remote times. Through music, people can express themselves, have fun, relax, and express their opinions. As it is a vast topic, it is possible to do extensive research. Music also allows you to find funny research paper topics to develop. We selected a few good research paper topics here:

• The evolution of the music industry globally.
• The influence of music in the treatment of depression.
• The importance of still producing and listening to traditional music.
• The presence of music in film.
• The main legacies of classical music.
• Songs about self-esteem that encourage obese people.
• School development through music.
• The aid of artificial intelligence in the creation of new songs.
• The effects of music on brain development.
• Songs that address controversial topics and their importance.

Literature Research Paper Topics

Literature is everything that involves the art of the word. We consider literature an instrument capable of making us communicate and interact socially. With literature, we can transmit knowledge, emotions, and stories, and that’s why literature has many good research topics. Literature can provide us with the most interesting research topics. Here are some research paper ideas.

• Literature as a tool of corporate social responsibility.
• The first forms of literature found.
• The use of social media as a way to propagate literature.
• A sensitive approach to child abuse in the literature.
• Are people switching from literature to social media?
• The change of literature after the Industrial Revolution.
• Literature as a way to protect children online.
• The development of scientific literature for standardized tests in science.
• Literature review on computer science.
• The importance of developing a thesis statement in literature.

After Choosing the Research Topic

Well, after finding great research paper topics, you will decide which one you like the most and which you are more comfortable writing about. So, once you’ve decided which college research paper topics to cover in your thesis, it’s time to start writing. It is important, right at the beginning, to define your main research question to start researching websites, books, articles, etc. A tip is always to opt for a broader research question, so your first research will have a greater amount of material on your research topics, which will make it easier when choosing an approach and focusing on the main subject of your thesis. Before starting the process of submitting research papers, it is important that an advisor can read and review your text on the chosen research topics.

Closing Thoughts

When you have to choose your research paper topic, there are tons of ideas you can use to embark on your research journey. It is very important that you first carry out thorough research about a good research paper topic so that you can start writing your thesis statement. You can read materials online to know if the topic you want to write on is relevant and has enough data. I hope you can take advantage of all our tips to develop your research papers. The most important thing to consider is that you need to like the topic you choose for a good research paper because it’ll help make writing fun.

Readers also enjoyed

WHY WAIT? PLACE AN ORDER RIGHT NOW!

Just fill out the form, press the button, and have no worries!

We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy.

How to write a technical paper or a research paper

By michael ernst, april, 2005 last updated: july 1, 2024, which details to include, make the organization and results clear, getting started: overcoming writer's block and procrastination, writing style, computer program source code, numbers and measurements, processing data, related work, when to submit your paper for publication, responding to conference reviews, norman ramsey's advice, other resources, introduction.

This document describes several simple, concrete ways to improve your writing, by avoiding some common mistakes. The end of this document contains more resources for improving your writing.

Some people believe that writing papers, giving talks , and similar “marketing” activities are not part of research, but an adjunct to it or even an undesirable distraction. This view is inaccurate. The purpose of research is to increase the store of human knowledge, and so even the very best work is useless if you cannot effectively communicate it to the rest of the world. If a paper is poorly written, then readers might conclude you spent as little effort on the research that it describes.

Equally importantly, writing papers and giving talks will clarify your thinking and thereby improve your research. You may be surprised how difficult it is to clearly communicate your ideas and contributions; doing so will force you to understand them more deeply and enable you to improve them.

Know your message, and stay on message

The goal of writing a paper is to change people's behavior: for instance, to change the way they think about a research problem or to convince them to use a new approach. Determine your goal (also known as your thesis), and focus the paper around that goal.

As a general rule, your paper needs to convince the audience of three key points. If any of these is missing or unclear, the paper will not be compelling.

• The problem is important . The problem has a significant impact and consequences. You can buttress your argument by showing that others consider the problem important.
• The problem is hard . Explain that obvious techniques and existing approaches do not suffice. Showing what others have tried can be effective here.
• You have solved the problem. This is often demonstrated via experiments. Keep in mind how you expect the behavior of readers to change once they appreciate your contributions. You'll also need to convince readers that your contributions are novel. When expressing this, it is helpful to explain why no one else thought of your approach before (or why, if they thought of it, they would have rejected the approach) , and whether similar insights apply to other problems.

Before you write your paper, you need to understand your audience. Who will read your paper? What are their backgrounds, motivations, interests, and beliefs? What are the key points you want a reader person to take away from your paper? Once you know the thesis and audience, you can determine what points your document should make to achieve its purpose.

For each point in your paper, you need to explain both what and why . Start with what, but don't omit why. For example, it is not enough to state how an algorithm works; you should explain why it works in that way, or why another way of solving the problem would be different. Similarly, it is not sufficient to present a figure or facts. You must also ensure that reader understands the significance or implications of the figure and what parts of it are most important.

Your purpose is to communicate specific ideas, and everything about your paper should contribute to this goal. If any part of the paper does not support your main point, then delete or change that part. You must be ruthless in cutting every irrelevant detail, however true it may be. Everything in your paper that does not support your main point distracts from it.

Write for the readers, rather than writing for yourself. In particular, think about what matters to the intended audience, and focus on that. It is not necessarily what you personally find most intriguing.

A common mistake is to focus on what you spent the most time on. Do not write your paper as a chronological narrative of all the things that you tried, and do not devote space in the paper proportionately to the amount of time you spent on each task. Most work that you do will never show up in any paper; the purpose of infrastructure-building and exploration of blind alleys is to enable you to do the small amount of work that is worth writing about. Another way of stating this is that the purpose of the paper is not to describe what you have done, but to inform readers of the successful outcome or significant results, and to convince readers of the validity of those conclusions.

Likewise, do not dwell on details of the implementation or the experiments except insofar as they contribute to your main point. This is a particularly important piece of advice for software documentation, where you need to focus on the software's benefits to the user, and how to use it, rather than how you implemented it. However, it holds for technical papers as well — and remember that readers expect different things from the two types of writing!

The audience is interested in what worked, and why, so start with that. If you discuss approaches that were not successful, do so briefly, and typically only after you have discussed the successful approach. Furthermore, the discussion should focus on differences from the successful technique, and if at all possible should provide general rules or lessons learned that will yield insight and help others to avoid such blind alleys in the future.

Whenever you introduce a strawman or an inferior approach, say so upfront. A reader will (and should) assume that whatever you write in a paper is something you believe or advocate, unless very clearly marked otherwise. A paper should never first detail a technique, then (without forewarning) indicate that the technique is flawed and proceed to discuss another technique. Such surprises confuse and irritate readers. This mistake is often called “leading the reader down the garden path”.

When there are multiple possible approaches to a problem, it is preferable to give the best or successful one first. Oftentimes it is not even necessary to discuss the alternatives. If you do, they should generally come after, not before, the successful one. Your paper should give the most important details first, and the less important ones afterward. Its main line of argument should flow coherently rather than being interrupted. It can be acceptable to state an imperfect solution first (with a clear indication that it is imperfect) if it is a simpler version of the full solution, and the full solution is a direct modification of the simpler one. Less commonly, it can be acceptable to state an imperfect solution first if it is an obvious solution that every reader will assume is adequate; but use care with this rationalization, since you are usually wrong that every reader will jump to the given conclusion.

A paper should communicate the main ideas of your research (such as the techniques and results) early and clearly. Then, the body of the paper can expand on these points; a reader who understands the structure and big ideas can better appreciate the details. Another way of saying this is that you should give away the punchline. A technical paper is not a joke or a mystery novel. The reader should not encounter any surprises, only deeper explanations of ideas that have already been introduced. It's particularly irritating when an abstract or introduction states, “We evaluated the relationship between baldness and beekeeping”, with the key results buried pages later. A better abstract would say, “Male beekeepers are 25% more likely to be bald (p=.04), but there is no statistically significant correlation for female beekeepers.”

The same advice applies at the level of sections and paragraphs. It is a bad approach to start with a mass of details and only at the end tell the reader what the main point was or how the details related to one another. Instead, state the point first and then support it. The reader is more likely to appreciate which evidence is important and why, and is less likely to become confused or frustrated.

For each section of the paper, consider writing a mini-introduction that says what its organization is, what is in each subpart, and how the parts relate to one another. For the whole paper, this is probably a paragraph. For a section or sub-section, it can be as short as a sentence. This may feel redundant to you (the author), but readers haven't spent as much time with the paper's structure as you have, so they will truly appreciate these signposts that orient them within your text.

Some people like to write the abstract, and often also the introduction, last. Doing so makes them easier to write, because the rest of the paper is already complete and can just be described. However, I prefer to write these sections early in the process (and then revise them as needed), because they frame the paper. If you know the paper's organization and outlook, then writing the front matter will take little effort. If you don't, then it is an excellent use of your time to determine that information by writing the front matter. To write the body of the paper without knowing its broad outlines will take more time in the long run. Another way of putting this is that writing the paper first will make writing the abstract faster, and writing the abstract first will make writing the paper faster. There is a lot more paper than abstract, so it makes sense to start with that and to clarify the point of the paper early on.

It is a very common error to dive into the technical approach or the implementation details without first appropriately framing the problem and providing motivation and background. Readers need to understand what the task is before they are convinced that they should pay attention to what you are saying about it. You should first say what the problem or goal is, and — even when presenting an algorithm — first state what the output is and probably the key idea, before discussing steps. Avoid providing information that isn't useful to readers/users. It just distracts from the important content.

Some writers are overwhelmed by the emptiness of a blank page or editor buffer, and they have trouble getting started with their writing. Don't worry! Here are some tricks to help you get started. Once you have begun, you will find it relatively easier to revise your notes or first draft. The key idea is to write something , and you can improve it later.

Start verbally . Explain what the paper needs to say to another person. After the conversation is over, write down what you just said, focusing on the main points rather than every word you spoke. Many people find it easier to speak than to write. Furthermore, getting feedback and giving clarifications will help you discover problems with your argument, explanation, or word choice.

Outline . You may not be ready to write full English paragraphs, but you can decide which sections your paper will have and give them descriptive titles. Once you have decided on the section structure, you can write a little outline of each section, which indicates the subsection titles. Now, expand that into a topic sentence for each paragraph. At this point, since you know the exact topic of each paragraph, you will find the paragraph easy to write.

Stream-of-consciousness notes . Write down everything that you know, in no particular order and with no particular formatting. Afterward, organize what you wrote thematically, bringing related points together. Eventually, convert it into an outline and proceed as above. While writing notes, use phrases/keywords, not complete sentences. The phrases are quicker to write and less likely to derail your brainstorming; they are easier to organize; and you will feel less attached to them and more willing to delete them.

Divide and conquer . Rather than trying to write your entire document, choose some specific part, and write just that part. Then, move on to another part.

Re-use . Find other text that you have written on the topic and start from that. An excellent source is your progress reports — you are writing them, aren't you? This can remind you what was hard or interesting, or of points that you might otherwise forget to make. You will rarely want to re-use text verbatim, both because you can probably convey the point better now, and also because writing for different audiences or in different contexts requires a different argument or phrasing. For example, a technical paper and a technical talk have similar aims but rather different forms.

You must be willing to delete and/or rewrite your notes and early drafts. If you wrote something once, you can write it again (probably better!). Early on, the point is to organize your ideas, not to create finished sentences.

Be brief. Make every word count. If a word does not support your point, cut it out, because excess verbiage and fluff only make it harder for the reader to appreciate your message. Use shorter and more direct phrases wherever possible.

Make your writing crisp and to the point. Eliminate any text that does not support your point. Here is one way you might go about this; it is time-consuming but extremely effective. First, examine each section of the paper in turn and ask what role it serves and whether it contributes to the paper's main point. If not, delete it. Next, within each section, examine each paragraph. Ask whether that paragraph has a single point. If not, rewrite the paragraph. Also ask whether that point contributes to the goals of the section. If not, then delete the paragraph. Next, within each paragraph, examine each sentence. If it does not make a single, clear point that strengthens the paragraph, delete or rewrite it. Finally, within each sentence, examine each word, and delete or replace those that do not strengthen their point. You will need to repeat this entire process multiple times, keeping a fresh perspective on the paper.

Some people find it easier to follow this approach bottom-up, first cutting/rewriting words, then sentences, etc.

Passive voice has no place in technical writing. It obscures who the actor was, what caused it, and when it happened. Use active voice and simple, clear, direct phrasing.

First person is rarely appropriate in technical writing.

• First person is appropriate when describing something that the author of the paper did manually. Recall that your paper should not be couched as a narrative.
• Do not use “we” to mean “the author and the reader” or “the paper”. For example, do not write “In this section, we ...”.
• Do not use “we” to describe the operation of a program or system. “We compute a graph” makes it sound like the authors did it by hand. As a related point, do not anthropomorphize computers: they hate it. Anthropomorphism, such as “the program thinks that ...”, is unclear and vague.

Avoid puffery, self-congratulation, superlatives, and subjective or value judgments: give the objective facts and let the reader judge. Avoid vague terms like “sizable” and “significant” (which are also subjective). Don't overuse the word “novel”. When I see a paper that is full of these, my rule of thumb is that the paper is trying too hard to cover up for scanty evidence.

Do not use words like “clearly”, “easily”, “obviously”, and “trivially”, as in “Obviously, this Taylor series sums to π.” If the point is really obvious, then you are just wasting words by pointing it out. And if the point is not obvious to readers who are not intimately familiar with the subject matter the way you are, then you are offending readers by insulting their intelligence, and you are demonstrating your own inability to communicate the intuition.

Prefer singular to plural number. In “sequences induce graphs”, it is not clear whether the two collections are in one-to-one correspondence, or the set of sequences collectively induces a set of graphs; “each sequence induces a graph” avoids this confusion. Likewise, in “graphs might contain paths”, it is unclear whether a given graph might contain multiple paths, or might contain at most one path.

When describing an experiment or some other event or action that occurred in the past, use past tense . For example, the methodology section might say “We ran the program”. It would be ungrammatical and confusing to use present tense, as in “We run the program”. Present tense is for ongoing events (“I write this letter to inform you...”) or regular events (“I brush my teeth each day”), but not past events (“Yesterday, I eat dinner with my family”). It is also correct to say “Our methodology was to run the program”, where you use past tense “was” and the infinitive “to run”.

When describing the paper itself, use present tense . “This paper shows that ...”. The reason for this is that the reader is experiencing the paper in real time.

Avoid gratuitous use of the future tense “will ...”, as in, “switching the red and green wires will cause the bomb to explode”. It is unclear when the action will occur. If it is an immediate effect, use the shorter and more direct “switching the red and green wires causes the bomb to explode”.

Use “previous work” instead of “existing work”. Your work exists, so “existing work” would refer to it as well.

In a list with 3 or more elements list, put a serial comma between each of the items (including the last two). As a simple example of why, consider this 3-element grocery list written without the clarifying last comma: “milk, macaroni and cheese and crackers”. It's not clear whether that means { milk, macaroni and cheese, crackers } or { milk, macaroni, cheese and crackers }. As another example, “I would like to thank my parents, Rene Descartes and Ayn Rand,” suggests rather unusual parentage, whereas “I would like to thank my parents, Rene Descartes, and Ayn Rand,” shows a debt to four people. I've seen real examples that were even more confusing than these.

In English, compound adjectives are hyphenated (except those whose first words end with “ly”, in some style guides) but compound nouns are not. Consider “the semantics provide name protection” versus “the name-protection semantics”.

Prefer unambiguous words to ambiguous ones. Do not use “as” or “since” to mean “because”. Do not use “if” to mean “whether”.

Use quotations sparingly. A clear paraphrase of the points that are relevant to your own work (along with a proper citation) is usually better than a long quotation from a previous publication.

Avoid third-person pronouns when you can. The old standard was “he”, which is masculine chauvinist. The new standard is “he or she”, which can be viewed as heteronormative and which some people find clumsy. An emerging standard is “they” as a first-person singular pronoun, which is inclusive but grammatically incorrect and confusing (see comments above about singular vs. plural number).

Some of the suggestions in this document are about good writing, and that might seem secondary to the research. But writing more clearly will help you think more clearly and often reveals flaws (or ideas!) that had previously been invisible even to you. Furthermore, if your writing is not good, then either readers will not be able to comprehend your good ideas, or readers will be (rightly) suspicious of your technical work. If you do not (or cannot) write well, why should readers believe you were any more careful in the research itself? The writing reflects on you, so make it reflect well.

Use figures! Different people learn in different ways, so you should complement a textual or mathematical presentation with a graphical one. Even for people whose primary learning modality is textual, another presentation of the ideas can clarify, fill gaps, or enable the reader to verify his or her understanding. Figures can also help to illustrate concepts, draw a skimming reader into the text (or at least communicate a key idea to that reader). Figures make the paper more visually appealing.

It is extremely helpful to give an example to clarify your ideas: this can make concrete in the reader's mind what your technique does (and why it is hard or interesting). A running example used throughout the paper is also helpful in illustrating how your algorithm works, and a single example permits you to amortize the time and space spent explaining the example (and the reader's time in appreciating it). It's harder to find or create a single example that you re-use throughout the paper, but it is worth it.

A figure should stand on its own, containing all the information that is necessary to understand it. Good captions contain multiple sentences; the caption provides context and explanation. For examples of good, informative captions, see the print editions of magazines such as Scientific American and American Scientist . The caption should state what the figure illustrates or what conclusion a reader should draw from it. Don't write an obvious description of what the figure is, such as "Code example". Never write a caption like “The Foobar technique”; the caption should also say what the Foobar technique is, what it is good for, or how it works. The caption may also need to explain the meaning of columns in a table or of symbols in a figure. However, it's even better to put that information in the figure proper; for example, use labels or a legend. When the body of your paper contains information that belongs in a caption, there are several negative effects. The reader is forced to hunt all over the paper in order to understand the figure. The flow of the writing is interrupted with details that are relevant only when one is looking at the figure. The figures become ineffective at drawing in a reader who is scanning the paper — an important constituency that you should cater to!

As with naming , use pictorial elements consistently. Only use two different types of arrows (or boxes, shading, etc.) when they denote distinct concepts; do not introduce inconsistency just because it pleases your personal aesthetic sense. Almost any diagram with multiple types of elements requires a legend (either explicitly in the diagram, or in the caption) to explain what each one means; and so do many diagrams with just one type of element, to explain what it means.

Some writers label all the types of figures differently — some as “figure”, others as “table” or “graph” or “picture”. This differentiation has no benefits, but it does have a drawback: it is very hard for a reader to find “table 3”, which might appear after “figure 7” but before “freehand drawing 1”. You should simply call them all figures and number them sequentially. The body of each figure might be a table, a graph, a diagram, a screenshot, or any other content.

Put figures at the top of the page, not in the middle or bottom. If a numbered, captioned figure appears in the middle or at the bottom of a page, it is harder for readers to find the next paragraph of text while reading, and harder to find the figure from a reference to it.

Avoid bitmaps, which are hard to read. Export figures from your drawing program in a vector graphics format. If you must use a bitmap (which is only appropriate for screenshots of a tool), then produce them at very high resolution. Use the biggest-resolution screen you can, and magnify the portion you will capture.

Don't waste text in the paper (and tax the reader's patience) regurgitating information that is expressed more precisely and concisely in a figure. For example, the text should not repeat the numbers from a table or graph. Text in the paper should add insight or explanations, or summarize the conclusions to be drawn from the data in the figure.

Your code examples should either be real code, or should be close to real code. Never use synthetic examples such as procedures or variables named foo or bar . Made-up examples are much harder for readers to understand and to build intuition regarding. Furthermore, they give the reader the impression that your technique is not applicable in practice — you couldn't find any real examples to illustrate it, so you had to make something up.

Any boldface or other highlighting should be used to indicate the most important parts of a text. In code snippets, it should never be used to highlight syntactic elements such as “public” or “int”, because that is not the part to which you want to draw the reader's eye. (Even if your IDE happens to do that, it isn't appropriate for a paper.) For example, it would be acceptable to use boldface to indicate the names of procedures (helping the reader find them), but not their return types.

Give each concept in your paper a descriptive name to make it more memorable to readers. Never use terms like “approach 1”, “approach 2”, or “our approach”, and avoid acronyms when possible. If you can't think of a good name, then quite likely you don't really understand the concept. Think harder about it to determine its most important or salient features.

It is better to name a technique (or a paper section, etc.) based on what it does rather than how it does it.

Use terms consistently and precisely. Avoid “elegant variation”, which uses different terms for the same concept to avoid boredom on the part of the reader or to emphasize different aspects of the concept. While elegant variation may be appropriate in poems, novels, and some essays, it is not acceptable in technical writing, where you should clearly define terms when they are first introduced, then use them consistently. If you switch wording gratuitously, you will confuse the reader and muddle your point. A reader of a technical paper expects that use of a different term flags a different meaning, and will wonder what subtle difference you are trying to highlight. Thus, don't confuse the reader by substituting “program”, “library”, “component”, “system”, and “artifact”, nor by conflating “technique”, “idea”, “method” and “approach”, nor by switching among “program”, “code”, and “source”. Choose the best word for the concept, and stick with it.

Do not use a single term to refer to multiple concepts. If you use the term “technique” for every last idea that you introduce in your paper, then readers will become confused. This is a place that use of synonyms to distinguish concepts that are unrelated (from the point of view of your paper) is acceptable. For instance, you might always use “phase” when describing an algorithm but “step” when describing how a user uses a tool.

When you present a list, be consistent in how you introduce each element, and either use special formatting to make them stand out or else state the size of the list. Don't use, “There are several reasons I am smart. I am intelligent. Second, I am bright. Also, I am clever. Finally, I am brilliant.” Instead, use “There are four reasons I am smart. First, I am intelligent. Second, I am bright. Third, I am clever. Fourth, I am brilliant.” Especially when the points are longer, this makes the argument much easier to follow. Some people worry that such consistency and repetition is pedantic or stilted, or it makes the writing hard to follow. There is no need for such concerns: none of these is the case. It's more important to make your argument clear than to achieve “elegant variation” at the expense of clarity.

Choose good names not only for the concepts that you present in your paper, but for the document source file. Don't name the file after the conference to which you are submitting (the paper might be rejected) or the year. Even if the paper is accepted, such a name won't tell you what the paper is about when you look over your files in later years. Instead, give the paper or its folder/directory a name that reflects its content. Another benefit is that this will also lead you to think about the paper in terms of its content and contributions.

Here is a piece of advice that is specific to computing: do not use the vague, nontechnical term “bug”. Instead, use one of the standard terms fault, error, or failure. A fault is an underlying defect in a system, introduced by a human. A failure is a user-visible manifestation of the fault or defect. In other circumstances, “bug report” may be more appropriate than “bug”.

Digits of precision:

• Don't report more digits of precision than the measurement process reliably and reproducibly produces. The 3rd or 4th digit of precision is rarely accurate and generalizable; if you don't have confidence that it is both repeatable and generalizable to new experiments, omit it. Another way to say this is that if you are not confident that a different set of experiments would produce all the same digits, then don't report so much precision.
• Don't report more digits of precision than needed to convey your message. If the difference between 4.13 and 4 will not make a difference in convincing readers, then don't report the extra digits. Reporting extra digits can distract readers from the larger trends and the big picture. Including an inappropriate number of digits of precision can cast suspicion on all of your results, by giving readers the impression that you are statistically naive.
• Use a consistent number of digits of precision. If the measured data are 1.23, 45.67, and 891.23, for example, you might report them as 1.23, 45.7, and 891, or as 1.2, 46, and 890, or as 1, 50, and 900. (An exception is when data are known to sum to a particular value; I would report 93% and 7% rather than either 93% and 7.4% or 90% and 7%. Often it's appropriate to report percentages as whole numbers rather than using the same precision.)
• If you do any computations such as ratios, your computations should internally use the full precision of your actual measurements, even though your paper reports only a limited number of digits of precision.
• If a measurement is exact, such as a count of items, then it can be acceptable to give the entire number even if it has many digits; by contrast, timings and other inexact measurements should always be reported with a limited number of digits of precision.

Do not confuse relative and absolute measurements. For instance, suppose your medicine cures 30% of patients, and the placebo cures 25% of patients. You could report that your medicine's cure rate is .3, the placebo's cure rate is .25, and your medicine's cure rate is either .05 greater or 20% greater. (Other correct, but less good, ways to say the same thing are that it cures 20% more, 120% as many, or 1.2 times as many patients.) It would be inaccurate to state that your medicine cures 5% more patients or your medicine cures 120% more patients. Just as you need to correctly use “120% more” versus “120% as many”, you need to correctly use “3 times faster than” versus “3 times as fast as”. A related, also common, confusion is between “3 times faster than and 3 times as fast as”. And, “2 times fewer” makes absolutely no sense. I would avoid these terms entirely. “Half as many” is a much better substitute for “2 times fewer”.

Given the great ease of misunderstanding what a percentage means or what its denominator is, I try to avoid percentages and focus on fractions whenever possible, especially for base measurements. For comparisons between techniques, percentages can be acceptable. Avoid presenting two different measurements that are both percentages but have different denominators.

Your paper probably includes tables, bibliographies, or other content that is generated from external data. Your paper may also be written in a text formatting language such as LaTeX. In each of these cases, it is necessary to run some external command to create some of the content or to create the final PDF.

All of the steps to create your final paper should be clearly documented — say, in comments or in a notes file that you maintain with the paper. Preferably, they should be automated so that you only have to run one command that collects all the data, creates the tables, and generates the final PDF.

If you document and automate these steps, then you can easily regenerate the paper when needed. This is useful if you re-run experiments or analysis, or if you need to defend your results against a criticism by other researchers. If you leave some steps manual, then you or your colleagues are highly likely to make a mistake (leading to a scientific error) or to be unable to reproduce your results later.

One good way to automate these tasks is by writing a program or creating a script for a build system such as Ant, Gradle, Make, Maven, etc.

A related work section should not only explain what research others have done, but in each case should compare and contrast that to your work and also to other related work. After reading your related work section, a reader should understand the key idea and contribution of each significant piece of related work, how they fit together (what are the common themes or approaches in the research community?), and how your work differs. Don't write a related work section that is just a list of other papers, with a sentence about each one that was lifted from its abstract, and without any critical analysis nor deep comparison to other work.

Unless your approach is a small variation on another technique, it is usually best to defer the related work to the end of the paper. When it comes first, it gives readers the impression that your work is rather derivative. (If this is true, it is your responsibility to convey that clearly; if it is not true, then it's misleading to intimate it.) You need to ensure that readers understand your technique in its entirety, and also understand its relationship to other work; different orders can work in different circumstances.

Just as you should generally explain your technique first, and later show relationships with other work, it is also usually more effective to defer a detailed discussion of limitations to a later section rather than the main description of your technique. You should be straightforward and honest about the limitations, of course (do mention them early on, even if you don't detail them then), but don't destroy the coherence of your narrative or sour the reader on your technique.

Get feedback ! Finish your paper well in advance, so that you can improve the writing. Even re-reading your own text after being away from it can show you things that you didn't notice. An outside reader can tell you even more.

When readers misunderstand the paper, that is always at least partly the author's fault! Even if you think the readers have missed the point, you will learn how your work can be misinterpreted, and eliminating those ambiguities will improve the paper.

Be considerate to your reviewers, who are spending their time to help you. Here are several ways to do that.

As with submission to conferences, don't waste anyone's time if there are major flaws. Only ask someone to read (a part of) your paper when you think you will learn something new, because you are not aware of serious problems. If only parts are ready, it is best to indicate this in the paper itself (e.g., a TODO comment that the reader will see or a hand-written annotation on a hardcopy) rather than verbally or in email that can get forgotten or separated from the paper.

Sometimes you want to tell a colleague who is giving you feedback that some sections of your draft are not ready to be read, or to focus on particular aspects of the document. You should write such directions in the paper, not just in email or verbally. You will then update them as you update the paper, and all relevant information is collected together. By contrast, it's asking for trouble to make your colleague keep track of information that is in multiple places.

It is most effective to get feedback sequentially rather than in parallel. Rather than asking 3 people to read the same version of your paper, ask one person to read the paper, then make corrections before asking the next person to read it, and so on. This prevents you from getting the same comments repeatedly — subsequent readers can give you new feedback rather than repeating what you already knew, and you'll get feedback on something that is closer to the final version. If you ask multiple reviewers at once, you are de-valuing their time — you are indicating that you don't mind if they waste their time saying something you already know. You might ask multiple reviewers if you are not confident of their judgment or if you are very confident the paper already is in good shape, in which case there are unlikely to be major issues that every reviewer stumbles over.

It usually best not to email the document, but to provide a location from which reviewers can obtain the latest version of the paper, such as a version control repository or a URL you will update. That way, you won't clutter inboxes with many revisions, and readers can always get the most recent copy.

Be generous with your time when colleagues need comments on their papers: you will help them, you will learn what to emulate or avoid, and they will be more willing to review your writing.

Some of your best feedback will be from yourself, especially as you get more thoughtful and introspective about your writing. To take advantage of this, start writing early. One good way to do this is to write a periodic progress report that describes your successes and failures. The progress report will give you practice writing about your work, oftentimes trying out new explanations.

Whereas you should start writing as early as possible, you don't need to put that writing in the form of a technical paper right away. In fact, it's usually best to outline the technical paper, and get feedback on that, before you start to fill in the sections with text. (You might think that you can copy existing text into the paper, but it usually works out better to write the information anew. With your knowledge of the overall structure, goals, and audience, you will be able to do a much better job that fits with the paper's narrative.) When outlining, I like to start with one sentence about the paper; then write one sentence for each section of the paper; then write one sentence for each subsection; then write one sentence for each paragraph (think of this as the topic sentence); and at that point, it's remarkably easy just to flesh out the paragraphs.

You should not submit your paper too early, when it does not reflect well on you and a submission would waste the community's reviewing resources. You should not submit your paper too late, because then the community is deprived of your scientific insights. In general, you should err on the side of submitting too late rather than too early.

A rule of thumb is to submit only if you are proud for the world to associate your name with the work, in its current form . If you know of significant criticisms that reviewers might raise, then don't submit the paper.

Submitting your paper prematurely has many negative consequences.

• You will waste the time of hard-working reviewers, who will give you feedback that you could have obtained in other ways.
• You will get a reputation for shoddy work.
• You will make the paper less likely to be accepted in the future. Oftentimes the same reviewers may serve two different venues. Reviewing a paper again puts a reviewer in a negative state of mind. I have frequently heard reviewers say, “I read an earlier version of this paper, it was a bad paper, and this version is similar.” (This is unethical because reviewers are not supposed to talk about papers they have reviewed, but nonetheless it is very common.) Now the paper will likely be rejected again, and the whole committee gets a bad impression of you. A reviewer who has read a previous version of the paper may read the resubmission less carefully or make assumptions based on a previous version. To sum up: it's harder to get a given paper accepted on its second submission, than it would have been to get the identical paper accepted on its first submission.

Here are some bad reasons to submit a paper.

It's true that the feedback from reviewers is extraordinarily valuable to you and will help you improve the paper. However, you should get feedback from other scientists (your friends and colleagues) before submitting for publication.

Those are true facts, and some people do “salami-slice” their research into as many papers as possible — such papers are called a “least publishable unit”. However, doing so leads to less impact than publishing fewer papers, each one with more content. If a paper contains few contributions, it is less likely to make a big impression, because it is less exciting. In addition, readers won't enjoy reading many pages to learn just a few facts.

Note: This point refers to taking a single research idea or theme and splitting it into multiple publications. When there are multiple distinct research contributions, it can be appropriate to describe them in different papers.

The reviewing process can be frustrating, because it contains a great deal of randomness: the same paper would be rejected by some reviewers and accepted by others. However, all great papers are accepted and all bad papers are rejected. For mediocre papers, luck plays a role. Your goal should not be to write great papers, not mediocre ones. Find a way to improve your paper. Recognize the great value of reviews: they provide a valuable perspective on your work and how to improve it, even if you feel that the reviewer should have done a better job.

If you aren't excited about the paper, it is unlikely that other people will be. Furthermore, the period after submitting the paper is not a time to take a break, but an opportunity to further improve it.

After you submit a paper, don't stop working on it! You can always improve the research. For instance, you might expand the experiments, improve the implementation, or make other changes. Even if your paper is accepted, you want the accepted version to be as impressive as possible. And if the paper is rejected, you need to have a better paper to submit to the next venue.

(This section is most relevant to fields like computer science where conferences are the premier publication venue. Responding to journal reviews is different.)

Many conferences provide an author response period: the authors are shown the reviews and are given limited space (say, 500 words) to respond to the reviews, such as by clarifying misunderstandings or answering questions. The author response is sometimes called a “rebuttal”, but I don't like that term because it sets an adversarial tone.

Your paper will only be accepted if there is a champion for the paper: someone who is excited about it and will try to convince the rest of the committee to accept the paper. Your response needs to give information to your champion to overcome objections. If there isn't a champion, then the main goal of your response is to create that champion. Your response should also give information to detractors to soften their opposition.

After reading the reviews, you may be disappointed or angry. Take a break to overcome this, so that you can think clearly.

For every point in the reviews, write a brief response. Do this in email-response style, to ensure that you did not miss any points. You will want to save this for later, so it can be better to do this in the paper's version control repository, rather than in a WYSIWYG editor such as Google Docs. (This assumes you have a version control repository for the paper, which you should!) Much of this text won't go in your response, but it is essential for formulating the response.

Summarize (in 5 or so bullet points, however many make sense) the key concerns of the reviewers. Your review needs to focus on the most important and substantive critiques. The authors of the paper should agree on this structure before you start to write the actual response.

Your response to each point will be one paragraph in your response. Start the paragraph with a brief heading or title about the point. Do not assume that the reviewers remember everything that was written by every reviewer, nor that they will re-read their reviews before reading your response. A little context will help them determine what you are talking about and will make the review stand on its own. This also lets you frame the issues in your own words, which may be clearer or address a more relevant point than the reviews did.

Organize your responses thematically. Group the paragraphs into sections, and have a small heading/title for each section. If a given section has just one paragraph, then you can use the paragraph heading as the section heading. Order the sections from most to least important.

This is better than organizing your response by reviewer, first addressing the comments of reviewer 1, then reviewer 2, and so forth. Downsides of by-reviewer organization include:

• It can encourage you not to give sufficient context.
• It does not encourage putting related information together nor important information first.
• You want to encourage all reviewers to read the entire response, rather than encouraging them to just look at one part.
• When multiple reviewers raised the same issue, then no matter where you address it, it's possible for a reviewer to overlook it and think you failed to address it.
• You don't want to make glaringly obvious which issues in a review you had to ignore (for reasons of space or other reasons).
• You don't want to make glaringly obvious that you spent much more time and space on one reviewer than another.

In general, it's best not to mention reviewer names/numbers in your response at all. Make the response be about the science, not about the people.

In your responses, admit your errors forthrightly. Don't ignore or avoid key issues, especially ones that multiple reviewers brought up.

Finally, be civil and thankful the reviewers. They have spent considerable time and energy to give you feedback (even if it doesn't seem to you that they have!), and you should be grateful and courteous in return.

If you submit technical papers, you will experience rejection. In some cases, rejection indicates that you should move on and begin a different line of research. In most cases, the reviews offer an opportunity to improve the work, and so you should be very grateful for a rejection! It is much better for your career if a good paper appears at a later date, rather than a poor paper earlier or a sequence of weak papers.

Even small flaws or omissions in an otherwise good paper may lead to rejection. This is particularly at the elite venues with small acceptance rates, where you should aim your work. Referees are generally people of good will, but different referees at a conference may have different standards, so the luck of the draw in referees is a factor in acceptance.

The wrong lesson to learn from rejection is discouragement or a sense of personal failure. Many papers — even papers that later win awards — are rejected at least once. The feedback you receive, and the opportunity to return to your work, will invariably improve your results.

Don't be put off by a negative tone in the reviews. The referees are trying to help you, and the bast way to do that is to point out how your work can be improved. I often write a much longer review, with more suggestions for improvement, for papers that I like; if the paper is terrible, I may not be able to make as many concrete suggestions, or my high-level comments may make detailed comments moot.

If a reviewer didn't understand something, then the main fault almost always lies with your writing. If you blame a lazy or dumb reviewer, you are missing the opportunity to improve. Reviewers are not perfect, but they work hard to give you helpful suggestions, so you should give them the benefit of the doubt. Remember that just as it is hard to convey technical ideas in your paper (and if you are getting a rejection, that is evidence that you did not succeed!), it is hard to convey them in a review, and the review is written in a few hours rather than the weeks you spent on the paper (not to mention months or years of understanding the concepts). You should closely attend to both the explicit comments, and to underlying issues that may have led to those comments — it isn't always easy to capture every possible comment in a coherent manner. Think about how to improve your research and your writing, even beyond the explicit suggestions in the review — the prime responsibility for your research and writing belongs with you.

Norman Ramsey's nice Teach Technical Writing in Two Hours per Week espouses a similar approach to mine: by focusing on clarity in your writing, you will inevitably gain clarity in your thinking.

Don't bother to read both the student and instructor manuals — the student one is a subset of the instructor one. You can get much of the benefit from just one part, his excellent “principles and practices of successful writers”:

• Correctness. Write correct English, but know that you have more latitude than your high-school English teachers may have given you.
• Consistent names. Refer to each significant character (algorithm, concept, language) using the same word everywhere. Give a significant new character a proper name.
• Singular. To distinguish one-to-one relationships from n-to-m relationships, refer to each item in the singular, not the plural.
• Subjects and verbs. Put your important characters in subjects, and join each subject to a verb that expresses a significant action.
• Information flow. In each sentence, move your reader from familiar information to new information.
• Emphasis. For material you want to carry weight or be remembered, use the end of a sentence.
• Coherence. In a coherent passage, choose subjects that refer to a consistent set of related concepts.
• Parallel structure. Order your text so your reader can easily see how related concepts are different and how they are similar.
• Abstract. In an abstract, don't enumerate a list of topics covered; instead, convey the essential information found in your paper.
• Write in brief daily sessions. Ignore the common myth that successful writing requires large, uninterrupted blocks of time — instead, practice writing in brief, daily sessions.
• Focus on the process, not the product. Don't worry about the size or quality of your output; instead, reward yourself for the consistency and regularity of your input.
• Prewrite. Don't be afraid to think before you write, or even jot down notes, diagrams, and so on.
• Use index cards. Use them to plan a draft or to organize or reorganize a large unit like a section or chapter.
• Write a Shitty First Draft™. Value a first draft not because it's great but because it's there.
• Don't worry about page limits. Write the paper you want, then cut it down to size.
• Cut. Plan a revision session in which your only goal is to cut.
• Norman Ramsey's advice , excerpted immediately above .
• “Hints on writing an M.Eng. thesis” , by Jeremy Nimmer
• my notes on reviewing a technical paper , which indicate how to recognize — and thus produce — quality work
• my notes on choosing a venue for publication
• my notes on giving a technical talk : a talk has the same goal as a paper, namely to convey technical ideas
• my notes on making a technical poster
• Ronald B. Standler's advice on technical writing
• Dave Patterson's Writing Advice
• Advice on SIGPLAN conference submissions (at bottom of page)
• The Elements of Style , William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White, is classic book on improving your writing. It focuses at a low level, on English usage.
• Style: Toward Clarity and Grace , by Joseph M. Williams, is another general-purpose writing guide, with a somewhat higher-level focus than that of Strunk & White.
• The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century , by Steven Pinker, is an excellent guide to writing. It gives reasons (from psychology and other scientific fields) for its advice, making it more authoritative than someone's opinion.

Back to Advice compiled by Michael Ernst .

Choose Your Test

• Search Blogs By Category
• College Admissions
• AP and IB Exams
• GPA and Coursework

113 Great Research Paper Topics

General Education

One of the hardest parts of writing a research paper can be just finding a good topic to write about. Fortunately we've done the hard work for you and have compiled a list of 113 interesting research paper topics. They've been organized into ten categories and cover a wide range of subjects so you can easily find the best topic for you.

In addition to the list of good research topics, we've included advice on what makes a good research paper topic and how you can use your topic to start writing a great paper.

What Makes a Good Research Paper Topic?

Not all research paper topics are created equal, and you want to make sure you choose a great topic before you start writing. Below are the three most important factors to consider to make sure you choose the best research paper topics.

#1: It's Something You're Interested In

A paper is always easier to write if you're interested in the topic, and you'll be more motivated to do in-depth research and write a paper that really covers the entire subject. Even if a certain research paper topic is getting a lot of buzz right now or other people seem interested in writing about it, don't feel tempted to make it your topic unless you genuinely have some sort of interest in it as well.

#2: There's Enough Information to Write a Paper

Even if you come up with the absolute best research paper topic and you're so excited to write about it, you won't be able to produce a good paper if there isn't enough research about the topic. This can happen for very specific or specialized topics, as well as topics that are too new to have enough research done on them at the moment. Easy research paper topics will always be topics with enough information to write a full-length paper.

Trying to write a research paper on a topic that doesn't have much research on it is incredibly hard, so before you decide on a topic, do a bit of preliminary searching and make sure you'll have all the information you need to write your paper.

#3: It Fits Your Teacher's Guidelines

Don't get so carried away looking at lists of research paper topics that you forget any requirements or restrictions your teacher may have put on research topic ideas. If you're writing a research paper on a health-related topic, deciding to write about the impact of rap on the music scene probably won't be allowed, but there may be some sort of leeway. For example, if you're really interested in current events but your teacher wants you to write a research paper on a history topic, you may be able to choose a topic that fits both categories, like exploring the relationship between the US and North Korea. No matter what, always get your research paper topic approved by your teacher first before you begin writing.

113 Good Research Paper Topics

Below are 113 good research topics to help you get you started on your paper. We've organized them into ten categories to make it easier to find the type of research paper topics you're looking for.

Arts/Culture

• Discuss the main differences in art from the Italian Renaissance and the Northern Renaissance .
• Analyze the impact a famous artist had on the world.
• How is sexism portrayed in different types of media (music, film, video games, etc.)? Has the amount/type of sexism changed over the years?
• How has the music of slaves brought over from Africa shaped modern American music?
• How has rap music evolved in the past decade?
• How has the portrayal of minorities in the media changed?

Current Events

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

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

• Why did Martin Luther decide to split with the Catholic Church?
• Analyze the history and impact of a well-known cult (Jonestown, Manson family, etc.)
• How did the sexual abuse scandal impact how people view the Catholic Church?
• How has the Catholic church's power changed over the past decades/centuries?
• What are the causes behind the rise in atheism/ agnosticism in the United States?
• What were the influences in Siddhartha's life resulted in him becoming the Buddha?
• How has media portrayal of Islam/Muslims changed since September 11th?

Science/Environment

• How has the earth's climate changed in the past few decades?
• How has the use and elimination of DDT affected bird populations in the US?
• Analyze how the number and severity of natural disasters have increased in the past few decades.
• Analyze deforestation rates in a certain area or globally over a period of time.
• How have past oil spills changed regulations and cleanup methods?
• How has the Flint water crisis changed water regulation safety?
• What are the pros and cons of fracking?
• What impact has the Paris Climate Agreement had so far?
• What have NASA's biggest successes and failures been?
• How can we improve access to clean water around the world?
• Does ecotourism actually have a positive impact on the environment?
• Should the US rely on nuclear energy more?
• What can be done to save amphibian species currently at risk of extinction?
• What impact has climate change had on coral reefs?
• How are black holes created?
• Are teens who spend more time on social media more likely to suffer anxiety and/or depression?
• How will the loss of net neutrality affect internet users?
• Analyze the history and progress of self-driving vehicles.
• How has the use of drones changed surveillance and warfare methods?
• Has social media made people more or less connected?
• What progress has currently been made with artificial intelligence ?
• Do smartphones increase or decrease workplace productivity?
• What are the most effective ways to use technology in the classroom?
• How is Google search affecting our intelligence?
• When is the best age for a child to begin owning a smartphone?
• Has frequent texting reduced teen literacy rates?

How to Write a Great Research Paper

Even great research paper topics won't give you a great research paper if you don't hone your topic before and during the writing process. Follow these three tips to turn good research paper topics into great papers.

#1: Figure Out Your Thesis Early

Before you start writing a single word of your paper, you first need to know what your thesis will be. Your thesis is a statement that explains what you intend to prove/show in your paper. Every sentence in your research paper will relate back to your thesis, so you don't want to start writing without it!

As some examples, if you're writing a research paper on if students learn better in same-sex classrooms, your thesis might be "Research has shown that elementary-age students in same-sex classrooms score higher on standardized tests and report feeling more comfortable in the classroom."

If you're writing a paper on the causes of the Civil War, your thesis might be "While the dispute between the North and South over slavery is the most well-known cause of the Civil War, other key causes include differences in the economies of the North and South, states' rights, and territorial expansion."

#2: Back Every Statement Up With Research

Remember, this is a research paper you're writing, so you'll need to use lots of research to make your points. Every statement you give must be backed up with research, properly cited the way your teacher requested. You're allowed to include opinions of your own, but they must also be supported by the research you give.

#3: Do Your Research Before You Begin Writing

You don't want to start writing your research paper and then learn that there isn't enough research to back up the points you're making, or, even worse, that the research contradicts the points you're trying to make!

Get most of your research on your good research topics done before you begin writing. Then use the research you've collected to create a rough outline of what your paper will cover and the key points you're going to make. This will help keep your paper clear and organized, and it'll ensure you have enough research to produce a strong paper.

What's Next?

Are you also learning about dynamic equilibrium in your science class? We break this sometimes tricky concept down so it's easy to understand in our complete guide to dynamic equilibrium .

Thinking about becoming a nurse practitioner? Nurse practitioners have one of the fastest growing careers in the country, and we have all the information you need to know about what to expect from nurse practitioner school .

Want to know the fastest and easiest ways to convert between Fahrenheit and Celsius? We've got you covered! Check out our guide to the best ways to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit (or vice versa).

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.

Trending Now

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

ACT vs. SAT: Which Test Should You Take?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Get Your Free

Find Your Target SAT Score

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

How to Get a Perfect SAT Score, by an Expert Full Scorer

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading and Writing

How to Improve Your Low SAT Score

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading and Writing

Find Your Target ACT Score

Complete Official Free ACT Practice Tests

How to Get a Perfect ACT Score, by a 36 Full Scorer

Get a 36 on ACT English

Get a 36 on ACT Math

Get a 36 on ACT Reading

Get a 36 on ACT Science

How to Improve Your Low ACT Score

Get a 24 on ACT English

Get a 24 on ACT Math

Get a 24 on ACT Reading

Get a 24 on ACT Science

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Technical Articles: Writing and Understanding Essentials

Mastering the art and learning about article usage in technical writing is vital in today’s information-rich landscape. This guide provides an in-depth look into the essential elements of effective technical writing, emphasising the significance of research, audience awareness, and the strategic use of examples.

Aimed at both novice and seasoned writers, it offers valuable insights to enhance writing skills and contribute meaningfully to diverse fields such as technical article writing themes . Stay ahead of trends by understanding and crafting compelling, authoritative technical articles.

Key Takeaways

• Research papers record examinations in a specific field and propose solutions, while technical articles provide detailed information on specialised topics.
• Research papers focus on basic issues and have a narrower reference list, while technical articles emphasise the methodology and have an extensive bibliography.
• Research papers are typically written by students at universities, while technical articles are written by experts in the field.
• Research papers present observational data, while technical articles explain original findings and educate readers on a specific topic or idea.

Unveiling Technical Articles: Definition and Purpose

In the realm of professional writing, an expert’s technical article serves a pivotal role in disseminating specialised knowledge and educating readers on a particular technical topic.

What is and how to make a good technical article ? It is an editorial that provides detailed, specialised information, typically written by an authority in the field.

It all starts with getting acquainted with how to do content strategy . Technical article writing involves extensive research, deep understanding of the subject matter, and the ability to convey complex concepts in an understandable manner. Sometimes it also involves knowledge on technical writing software .

Unlike other forms of writing, technical writing articles focus on teaching or guiding the reader about a specific technical issue or method. The purpose is not just to inform, but also to instruct, making the reader proficient in the discussed subject.

Thus, the value of a well-written technical article is immeasurable in the professional world. 

The Key Elements of a Technical Article

Among the core components of a technical article, the aspects of detailed research, clear understanding of the audience, effective use of examples, and knowledge derived from other technical articles stand out for their indispensable role in crafting a well-structured and informative article.

• Detailed research:
• Enables a comprehensive understanding of the topic.
• Helps in making informed decisions on content inclusion.

Understanding the audience:

• Assists in tailoring the content to meet audience needs.
• Enhances the relevance and impact of the article.

Effective use of examples:

• Facilitates a better comprehension of complex concepts.
• Adds practical value to the article.

Knowledge from other articles:

• Provides insights on effective writing techniques.
• Helps stay updated with recent trends and advancements.

The Role of Research in Crafting a Technical Article

Extensive research not only ensures the technical article is accurate and reliable, but it also provides a firm foundation for the writer to build upon, thereby enhancing the overall quality of the end product.

It provides a comprehensive understanding of the topic at hand, enabling the writer to make informed decisions on what information to include, and how to arrange it.

Furthermore, research aids in identifying the target audience, thereby ensuring the delivery of a message that resonates.

Additionally, it facilitates the organisation of ideas and supporting arguments, making the piece more coherent and persuasive.

Ultimately, the role of research in crafting a technical article is crucial, underpinning every aspect from the inception of the idea to the final piece.

The Importance of Audience Awareness in Technical Writing

Why is audience awareness vital in technical writing, and how can it transform the effectiveness of the communication?

Audience awareness is the backbone of any successful technical writing. It ensures the information delivered is relevant, understandable, and engaging for the intended readers. Tailoring content to suit the audience’s knowledge level, interest, and needs can significantly enhance the effectiveness of the communication.

Understanding audience needs:

• Tailoring language: Using jargon or simplified language based on the audience’s expertise.
• Relevant content: Providing information that solves the audience’s problems or answers their questions.

Engaging the audience:

• Emotional connection: Crafting content that resonates with the audience’s experiences.
• Inviting feedback: Encouraging readers to share their thoughts, creating a two-way communication.

Audience awareness thus bridges the gap between the writer’s intent and the reader’s understanding, transforming technical writing into a valuable resource.

The Power of Examples in Technical Articles

Incorporating relevant examples in technical articles significantly enhances their comprehensibility and impact, serving as practical tools that bridge the gap between abstract concepts and real-world application.

Examples, whether they are diagrams, figures, or case studies, provide readers with a tangible reference point, aiding in the assimilation and retention of information. They also substantiate the author’s claims, reinforcing their credibility and authority on the subject matter.

Beyond explicating technical ideas, examples also stimulate reader engagement, making the learning process more interactive and enjoyable.

However, the selection and presentation of examples require careful consideration to ensure they are accurate, relevant, and easily interpretable.

In essence, the effective use of examples in technical articles can transform complex information into digestible knowledge, promoting a better understanding of the subject.

Sign up for our Publishing Newsletter and start delivering creative, concise content

Frequently asked questions, what are some common mistakes to avoid when writing a technical article.

Common mistakes to avoid when writing a technical article include lack of research, not understanding the audience, poor organisation of content, absence of practical examples, and failure to stay updated with current trends.

How Can You Ensure That Your Technical Article Is Engaging and Holds the Reader’s Interest?

To ensure your technical article is engaging, use a clear and concise writing style, incorporate relevant examples, and structure the content logically. Additionally, addressing the reader’s needs and interests is crucial for maintaining their attention.

What Are Some Strategies for Overcoming Writer’s Block When Writing a Technical Article?

To overcome writer’s block when crafting a technical article, consider conducting further research, outlining key points, taking short breaks, seeking feedback, and reading other articles to stimulate ideas and maintain a productive writing process.

How Does the Writing Style Differ Between a Technical Article and a More Casual Blog Post?

The writing style in a technical article is typically more formal, precise, and structured than a casual blog post. It often includes rigorous explanations, technical terms, and extensive research, while blogs may feature a conversational tone.

How Can You Effectively Incorporate Feedback and Criticism to Improve Your Technical Articles?

Incorporating feedback and criticism effectively requires an open mindset. Analyse comments objectively, focusing on areas for improvement. Prioritise feedback that aligns with your writing goals. Implement changes iteratively, assessing improvement after each revision.

In conclusion, mastering the art of technical article writing necessitates a comprehensive understanding of its purpose, key elements, and the role of research.

The significance of audience awareness cannot be understated. It is equally important to employ powerful examples to elucidate complex concepts.

Continuous learning from other technical works bolsters the writer’s knowledge and keeps them abreast of current trends.

Hence, fostering these skills can significantly enhance the quality and authority of one’s contributions to their respective fields.

Discover the ScioWire research newsfeed: summarised scientific knowledge ready to digest.

Tips for Writing Technical Papers

Jennifer widom , january 2006, running example, paper title, the abstract, the introduction, related work, performance experiments, the conclusions, future work, the acknowledgements, grammar and small-scale presentation issues, versions and distribution.

The Whatfix Blog | Drive Digital Adoption

• CIO CIO CIO Blog Explore all new CIO, change, and ITSM content on our enterprise digitalization blog hub. Explore by Category Business Processes Change Management Digital Adoption Digital Transformation ERP Healthcare Transformation ITSM Insurance Transformation Procurement
• Employee Experience Employee Experience EX Blog Explore all new employee experience related content on our EX blog hub. Explore by category Employee Onboarding Employee Training HCM HR & People Ops Instructional Design Learning Technology Performance Support Skill Development CRM Sales Ops
• CX & Product Product CX & Product Ops Blog Explore all new CX and product-related content on our CX and product manager hub. Explore by category Product Ops Support Technical Documentation User Feedback User Onboarding
• Resources Customer Experience What Is a Digital Adoption Platform? Learn how DAPs enable technology users in our ultimate guide. Resources Case Studies eBooks Podcasts White Papers
• Explore Whatfix What Is Whatfix? Whatfix DAP Create contextual in-app guidance in the flow of work with Whatfix DAP. Mirror Easily create simulated application experiences for hands-on IT training with Whatfix Mirror. Product Analytics Analyze how users engage with desktop and web apps with no-code event tracking. Resources About Us Pricing Userization Whatfix AI
• Back to Blog
• Technical Documentation

11 Technical Writing Examples & Samples in 2024

• Published: October 21, 2021
• Updated: January 23, 2024

For any organization, there is a need for technical writers to provide easy-to-understand technical documentation to help explain complex processes for its products end-users, customers, and internal workforce. 

Many organizations are a renewed focus on developing the technical writing skills of their writers and product managers. According to the U.S. Department of Labour Statistics, employment for technical content writing is expected to grow at a 12% faster rate between 2020-2030 in comparison to the overall average of other writing occupations.

With different industries having various technical writing needs (ie. in format types, tone, complexity, etc.), analyzing industry-leading technical writing examples from other companies can provide a roadmap and inspiration for new technical writers. 

What Are Common Examples of Technical Writing?

• User Manuals
• Software Installation Guides
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
• API Documentation
• Service Level Agreements (SLA)
• Press Release
• Case Studies & White Papers
• Company Documents
• Requests for Proposals
• Annual Reports
• Business Plans

What Is Technical Writing?

Technical writing is a niche, user-centric form of writing used to disseminate information on technical or specialized topics, such as software applications, environmental regulations, or medical procedures. This writing style simplifies complex information and processes, allowing readers to use that information for an intended purpose – such as using technology, executing a project, onboarding a user, exemplifying a complex process, or informing a large audience.

Types of Technical Writing

Technical writing majorly falls into fourr categories:

1. End-User Technical Writing

End-user documentation aims to empower the user of a product by helping them understand the core functionality of a product and how to solve common troubleshooting issues. This form of writing is observed in types of technical documentation such as user manuals, legal disclaimers, employee handbooks, and website help centers.

2. Expert-to-Expert Technical Writing

A niche style of technical writing, this documentation includes types such as research summaries, legal documents, and white papers. These technical writing examples are written by experts, for experts, to help them dive deeper into a complex, industry-specific topic. 

3. Process Documentation Writing

Process documentation is a form of technical writing that is designed for internal use by organizations to share knowledge on how to complete a task, with an emphasis on creating consistent, company-wide procedures. Examples of this type of technical writing include step-by-step process guides, internal wikis, KPI and goal reporting, OKRs, and HR policies.

4. Technical Marketing Communications

Most technical marketing communications fall under the B2B (business to business) writing umbrella. A technical writer needs to communicate their expertise in user-friendly language to help drive brand awareness and help prospective customers understand the product’s core benefits. Examples of companies using technical marketing writing include competitive analysis documents, in-depth case studies, marketing landing pages , informative articles, and business emails to promote or sell their services and products.

What’s the Difference Between Business Writing & Technical Writing?

Technical writing is often confused with business writing. Although both writing styles share similarities, writers can’t use them interchangeably. Both writing styles adhere to formal, specific, and concise language to convey the intent. There is an additional use of bulleted and numbered lists for an easier-to-read content structure. 

Technical writing maintains a neutral, competent tone throughout its documentation, as the sole purpose of technical writing is to clearly explain complex topics to a non-technical reader. However, in business writing, the tone varies depending on the target reader. For example, a proposal requires persuasive language to highlight the factual aspects of a bid, while an external email to a new client requires a professional, yet warm tone. 

PRO TIP : To decide the writing style, answer a simple question. Is my writing intended to communicate the desired purpose or an instruction?

11 Examples of Technical Writing in 2024

Here are 11 examples of common technical writing documents – with real-world samples for you to use as inspiration for your business’s technical writing needs.

1. User Manuals

User guides are instruction training manuals written for novice end-users to help them with products ranging from consumer products such as electronics or appliances to B2B SaaS tools and solutions. These manuals are user-friendly and well-illustrated to highlight common issues and features.

Additionally, technical writers must collaborate with engineers, programmers, and product designers to cover all the bases. 

2. Software Installation Guides

Computer software must be equipped with software documentation , such as installation guides, to assist users through the software implementation and installation process.

A well-written installation guide must include detailed workflows, video tutorials, FAQs, and a troubleshooting guide. Often the programmers automate the process, and the technical writer authors alert boxes and the ReadMe file.

Software installation guides can be easily created, published, and maintained with software documentation tools .

3. Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) are holistic processes to help employees work in unison and accomplish various tasks in an organization. SOPs are a form of process documentation that ensures smoother internal operations and workflows by making business processes more efficient and economical. Examples of an SOP document include anything from payroll processing to manufacturing guidelines.

4. API Documentation

API documentation helps your customers’ developers interact easily with a product’s code to implement an API effectively. It contains instructions and tutorials to simplify integration with other APIs such as web-API, software API, and SCPIs.

5. Service Level Agreements (SLA)

An SLA is a legally binding contract between a provider and a customer that outlines services, guarantees, warranties, and other mutually negotiated items between the two parties.

Source: BMC

6. Press Releases

Press releases are formal and factual documents issued by an organization to make business-related announcements.

They are short and factual documents that highlight how the announcement impacts users and external stakeholders of the organization. This technical document has a specific format and includes a headline, overview of the information, company’s contact information, and direct quotes from internal stakeholders like the CEO.

Source: Apple

7. Case Studies & Whitepapers

Case studies & whitepapers are industry-specific documents that provide real-world examples testifying to an organization’s expertise and value, and are used for lead generation purposes.

Case studies are instance-specific documents written in passive voice and offer key takeaways, often using data to highlight its benefits. In comparison, whitepapers address a specific challenge and are written in an active voice. Technical writers authoring such documents should possess in-depth knowledge about the industry for effective writing.

Source: Whatfix

8. Company Documents

Company HR documents such as employee handbooks and orientation manuals require a perfect combination of technical writing skills and organizational knowledge. These documents are of immense help during the initial phases of employee onboarding and provide continuous support for ongoing employee development and general assistance.

9. Request for Proposal (RFP)

An RFP is a business document that announces a project and solicits bids from multiple qualifying contractors. The writing style of this document is persuasive, and a poorly-written RFP document can ensure whether or not the deal will be successful. A well-written RFP must clearly highlight the project goals, challenges, scope of work, and evaluation metrics.

Source: Venngage

10. Annual Reports

Annual reports are exhaustive documents that indicate a company’s financial health and yearly performance. These reports are of prime importance to the organizations seeking investors’ trust and include stock performance, financial information, new product information, and strategic developments.

Source: Tesla

11. Business Plans

Every organization starts with a detailed business plan to secure funding and requires an update during expansion phases. A business plan must include the following sections:

• Executive Summary: This section provides an overview of the business plan, target market, and purpose.   
• Product Description: The product or service description includes a brief about the offering, its USP, and the development stage.
• SWOT Analysis:   A complete analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for the business. 
• Market Research: This section includes a detailed analysis of all the competitors and product potential in the target market. 
• Organizational System: Before the initial start-up, it is crucial to clarify the organizational hierarchy and team members to support the business.  
• Schedule: This section highlights the implementation schedule and includes start date, hiring, and investment milestones. 
• Financial Planning: This is the most critical section and highlights the viability of the business plan. It includes income statements, projected revenues, balance sheets, and liquidity measures.
• Appendix: The appendix consists of any other additional and relevant information such as patents.

Create contextual user onboarding flows, drive adoption of new features, and make in-app announcements with Whatfix

Whatfix is a no-code digital adoption platform that enables product managers to create contextual in-app guidance, product-led user onboarding, and self-help user support – all without engineering dependencies. With Whatfix, create branded product tours, user onboarding checklists, interactive walkthroughs, pop-ups, smart tips, and more – all enabling customers and users with contextual guidance at the moment need. With Whatfix, analyze, build, and deliver better user experiences.

Technical writing is an analytical form of writing where attention to detail is paramount. Unlike creative writing, technical writing doesn’t need to invoke the reader’s emotions – but instead, its goal is to convey complex information in an easy-to-read, digestible form. 

Technical writing doesn’t negate creativity. It’s a subtle form of writing which needs to be highly user-centric and understandable.

Technical writing tools such as Whatfix help you author impactful technical documents in a way that encourages interaction and retention. With Whatfix, technical writers create on-screen guides, pop-up prompts, tooltips, chatbots, in-app knowledge bases, and more to inform users how to use your product. A technical writer’s goal should be to create documents that promote your product effectively and to make those documents easy and fun to read.  

Learn how Whatfix can help create the interactive product and process walkthroughs you need now!  

• Customer Reviews
• Extended Essays
• IB Internal Assessment
• Theory of Knowledge
• Literature Review
• Dissertations
• Essay Writing
• Research Writing
• Assignment Help
• Capstone Projects
• College Application
• Online Class

Technology Research Paper Topics: 20+ Ideas You Can Use

by  Antony W

June 6, 2024

Technological inventions have come a long way, and, to be honest, things are getting a lot better than we’d ever thought initially. For students in an information technology class, the advancement in technology means there are tons of interesting topics to explore.

The goal of this post is simple. We’ll put together some interesting research paper topics in technology from various sources in one place. Whether you’re into biotechnology, artificial intelligence, computer science, engineering, energy and power technologies, or any topic in technology, you’ll find this post useful.

Technology Research Paper Help

Do you feel like writing a research paper is an overwhelming task that you would rather not do yourself? Or maybe you don’t have time due to your demanding schedule and you would rather have a professional writer help you get the work done? Help for Assessment is here to help. Check out our research paper writing service for more information.

Technology Research Paper Topics

Here you’ll find some interesting topic ideas to explore based on categories.

1. Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence employs binary logic to aid in problem solving in several fields. Generalized AI replicates human intelligence’s multitasking capabilities. However, it is still in the development stage because technology has not yet reached the level required to operate as humans do.

It would be prudent to engage your time and energy in AI research, as its progress is quite pertinent in the modern day. Here are some topic ideas to consider:

• Which aspects of life are the most impacted by machine learning?
• A comparison between model-free reinforcement learning algorithms with model-based reinforcement learning algorithms
• How is natural language produced by natural language processing?
• Content-based recommendation vs collaborative filtering in recommender systems
• Internet of things and artificial intelligence: their relationship

2. Biotechnology

The growth of this field enables individuals to treat ailments using new medications, improve research on biological therapy and plant modification, and manufacturer food, home chemicals, and textiles. Even physicians are able to collect precise data and give patients accurate diagnosis and therapy.

You may use the following examples of biotechnology research questions for a presentation or even a PhD dissertation: 

• Self-sufficient protein supply and agricultural biotechnology
• How much genetic control do we have, and when do we stop to be human?
• enhancing plant genetics: creating resilience to shortage
• How can UV kill heat-resistant microorganisms?
• How do new food processing technology influence Aspalathus Linearis-related bacteria?
• Is sweet sorghum ideal for bioethanol production in Africa?

Also Read: Research Paper Topic on Environment

3. Communications and Media

People from the previous century could not have anticipated how simple it is to communicate with anybody nowadays. Today, social media are not only relevant for social connections but also for corporate development and education.

You may now launch an online-only business or market an existing one using specialized tools. Even Artificial Intelligence has recently played an enhancing function in communications and the media by facilitating the production of tailored content for the demanding consumers.

Developing media also generate many employment prospects. For example, influencer has lately been a popular job path because it utilizes the most pertinent communication tools accessible at all times.

There are several basic yet intriguing ideas for study subjects in media and communications technology. Some of the best topics to explore are as follows: 

• The progress of computer-mediated communication during the past decade
• Authorities’ media portrayals in various nations: a comparison and contrast
• Is it feasible to establish trustworthy connections through online communication?
• How has the development of computers altered interpersonal communication?
• How do businesses leverage ICT to gain a competitive advantage?

Also Read: How to Revie a Journal Article

4. Computer Science

Computer science is responsible for the brain of the computer. It often involves subjects like computer languages and algorithms. According to the rationalist paradigm, computer science is a subset of mathematics centered on software engineering.

Computer engineering maintains the hardware and software of a computer’s body. It strongly depends on electrical engineering, and only a mix of computer science and engineering provides a comprehensive comprehension of the machine.

The development of artificial intelligence is perhaps the most significant trend and invention in the field of computer science technology. Even big data has become an increasingly prominent subject of study.

Check out the following computer science research topic ideas: 

• How does virtual reality relate to human perception?
• The use of blockchain technology and artificial intelligence for algorithmic regulations
• How does the architecture of the computer impact the performance of the code?
• What is the purpose of mesh creation in computational domains?
• The evolution of computer graphics: an example of non-photorealistic rendering
• What effect does computational thinking have on science?

5. Energy & Power Technologies

Without energy, there can be no technological advancement. The improvement of energy and power technology is a constant objective of researchers.

Recent initiatives in the energy and power technology focus on three areas:

• New battery and fuel types
• Hydrogen energy storage
• Smart grid 

Creating new battery and fuel types reduces the cost of energy storage systems that ensures continuous production of power for as long as fuel is available.

Hydrogen energy storage is a promising development for the next years. This approach is still in the developmental stage, and when it fully develops, it will allow for the substitution of hydrogen for electricity.

A smart grid uses information technology to maximize energy efficiency. For instance, the first-generation smart grid monitors transmits information on the movement of electric energy and it’s an ideal method for real-time energy usage correction.

Some interesting topics to consider for a research paper project in energy technology include:

• Can we utilize fuel cells to generate stationary power?
• How can energy transformation techniques be used to hydrogen energy?
• Is future space-based solar power a fiction or reality?
• How might robots be used to regulate the weather-responsiveness of solar panels?
• Is the intelligent energy network a remedy for climate change?

You May Also Like: Are Google Articles Peer Reviewed?

6. Food Technology Research Paper Topics

Manufacturers use technology to not only package but also produce and process foods in an effort to feed 7.5 billion people.

Introducing robots into the production process has several advantages for the manufacturer. Not only do they increase cost-effectiveness, but they also decrease safety issues.

Surprisingly, it is now possible to print food on a 3D printer! This technique is used to generate soft foods for individuals who are unable to chew. Drones now assist farmers in monitoring crops from above. This enables them to examine the big picture and assess the present situation of their respective professions.

The most recent eco-trends encourage businesses to become more ecologically conscious. They utilize technology to develop safer packaging.

Some of the best topics that would make a good fit for your research paper include:

• How effective are the plant-based antioxidant peptides?
• What are the most recent technological advancements in the baking industry?
• Citric acid’s influence on orange juice on a physicochemical level
• 3D-printed food: A remedy for those with swallowing disorders
• How is robotics utilized to develop environmentally friendly food packaging?

We have divided the topics into specific categories, making it easier for you to find the one that interests you. Each category has subject ideas to make your selection easier.

Obviously, you are welcome to modify the topic you select! More inventiveness is great! Perhaps your study has the potential to effect change! Best wishes and have fun.

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

ENGL410: Technical Writing

The IEEE guide to writing in the engineering and technical fields

Taking science to the people : a communication primer for scientists and engineers

Dictionary of engineering terms

The AMA Dictionary of Business and Management

Related Research Guides

• Working with Data by Kayla Abner Last Updated Aug 19, 2024 70 views this year
• Data Visualization by Kayla Abner Last Updated Jul 24, 2024 374 views this year
• ENGL312 - Written Communications in Business by Beth Twomey Last Updated Jul 17, 2024 233 views this year

Resources for Technical Writing

Technical writing involves researching expert diagnoses of complex problems and their solutions and then translating your findings into accessible explanations and actionable recommendations.

A common form of technical writing, a white paper, typically advocates for a particular policy stance or a particular solution to address a problem.

The resources on this page will help you locate authoritative, expert information sources on which to base your assertions.

For more help...

The library has research guides for every academic discipline at UD. Be sure to take a look at the one(s) related to your field, and feel free to contact your subject librarian for in-depth research help.

Searching DELCAT Discovery

Search University of Delaware Library and libraries worldwide, for books, articles, and more, including some technical reports and white papers. You may seearch by title, author, or keywords. UD items appear at or near the top of the results display. Materials not held by UD (labeled WorldCat Libraries) can be requested using the "Get This For Me!" button.

Search DELCAT:

Advanced Search

Searching Subject Databases

Databases allow you to search the contents of scholarly journals, as well as other materials. Some databases, such as Academic OneFile and Web of Science, cover a wide variety of topics. Others focus on the literature of a specific subject field ( e.g., PubMed for medicine and Business Source Premier for business).

Visit the Databases page to search for a particular database by name or to choose a subject category. Librarians can help you with recommended databases for specific topics.

Identify important search terms and concepts for your topic. Enter the search terms into the search box of the database. Connect the search terms with connector words (i.e., AND, OR). Truncation (use of * with the root of the word) obtains singular, plural and other variations.

antioxidants AND food - will return only results that contain both keywords

recycling OR conservation - will return results that contain either keyword

pollut* - will return results containing pollute , pollutants , pollution , etc.

A premier source for peer-reviewed, full-text articles from scholarly journals and other authoritative sources. Also includes thousands of podcasts and transcripts from NPR and CNN, as well as videos from BBC Worldwide Learning. (Coverage: 1980 --)

A collection of databases that can be searched individually or in various combinations. WoS indexs the world’s leading scholarly literature in the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities, as published in journals, conference proceedings, symposia, seminars, colloquia, and workshops across the globe.

Biology & Medicine

A subset database within Web of Science.

Environment

• Bureau of Labor Statistics The Bureau of Labor Statistics measures labor market activity, working conditions, price changes, and productivity in the U.S. economy to support public and private decision making.

Data on media, business, finance, politics, and a wide variety of other areas of interest and markets.

Statistical tables and charts covering various aspects of social, political, and economic life. Emphasis is on the U.S., but some tables cover regions, states, cities, and comparative international statistics. (Coverage: 1878 --)

Technical Reports

• National Technical Reports Library A collection of scientific and technical information produced by federal and international sources, created by the National Technical Information Service (NTIS).
• Science.gov More than 200 million pages of authoritative federal science information from 15 agencies, including research and development results.
• WorldWideScience A federation of approximately 100 databases and portals from over 70 countries, providing global science and research results with multilingual translations.
• CiteSeerX An evolving scientific literature digital library and search engine that focuses primarily on computer and information science.
• Policy Archive A comprehensive digital library of public policy research containing over 30,000 documents.

Useful Websites

• ClickHelp Technical Writing Blog Technical Writing: Information, Articles for Technical Writers
• Illustrations in Technical Writing Technical Writer and blogger, Bradley Nice, shares a brief post on the creation of illustrations in tech writing documents.
• Investopedia: Feasibility Study
• Technical Writing Courses at Google This collection of courses and learning resources aims to improve your technical documentation. Learn how to plan and author technical documents. You can also learn about the role of technical writers at Google.
• Technical Writing on Medium Medium articles tagged Technical Writing that offer techniques, descriptions, and topics related to the fields of technical writing and technical communication.
• What Is a Feasibility Study
• When to Do and How to Do a Feasibility Study

Technical Writing as a Career

• Occupational Outlook Handbook: Technical Writers Generated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry for technical writers provides a summary of the profession as well as job outlook, necessary skills, pay, working conditions and other pertinent info regarding technical writing as a profession.
• Data USA: Technical Writers Data USA is the most comprehensive website and visualization engine of public US Government data.
• US News & World Report: Technical Writer Overview
• Last Updated: Jul 9, 2024 4:22 PM
• URL: https://guides.lib.udel.edu/engl410

Technology Topics for Research Papers

In order for a technology research paper to get an audience’s attention, choosing the right topic is key. One’s topic should be clear, detailed, and also concise. It probably goes without saying that often the most interesting technology topics deal with the latest news and developments in technology, although, of course, this depends on the field.

Our  research proposal writing service has been helping students with various assignments for many years and knows a lot about choosing topics.

That’s why many of the topics we’re presenting for possible technology papers pertain to recent developments, rather than say technology’s role in history or anthropology. We believe that papers written by authors who are truly interested in the subjects they are writing about, will, in turn, be more interesting for their readers. “Technology” is a massive topic with limitless possibilities for the curious mind to explore. We hope that you’ll find some good advice here on choosing a great topic for your essay that will excite you and your readers. You can also use our research paper title generator to find more ideas for writing.

With the help of an AI writing checker , you can check the finished paper for originality in a few seconds and not worry about the final result.

How to choose the right technology topic

Pay for a research paper or cope with the task yourself; it’s up to you, and we are ready to help you save more time when choosing a topic.

In order to choose a good topic for yourself, here are some things that we can suggest taking into account when making your selection:

• A topic that is newsworthy and relevant at the time of writing (of course, the “newness” depends on one’s discipline). Consider what might surprise readers or awaken their curiosity and how your topic can inform them about a particular subject. And as with the news, it’s important that you’re not just interesting, but also accurate. Holocaust research paper topics will help interest the reader and provide reliable information.
• This might seem self-evident, but if you’re studying in a particular field, then consider choosing a topic that corresponds with your area of study. It’s going to be exceedingly difficult to write an in-depth paper about, say, NASA’s latest rocket if your specialization is bio-science. Now, if NASA is conducting biological research on one in zero gravity, that’s a different story! That said, multidisciplinary studies are valuable and important, and, if you’re writing about technology in, say, a journalism class, then pretty much any field is fair game. Even if you choose business research paper topics , you can integrate the information into any subject and provide a summary of the research reports.
• A direction you might choose to take with your paper is to consider a technological problem, to think about how far the problem has been worked out, how difficult it might be to resolve the problem, and how much attention is being paid to the problem. Perhaps you can use your paper about technology to advocate a solution! Of course, if there’s been very little development on a particular technology, finding good research and new developments pertaining to it will be particularly challenging.

Focusing on urbanization research topics will yield a lot of information. You can also introduce something new using new trends and your own argumentation. Choosing a topic is very important, so give this process due attention. You can always rely on our experts if difficulties arise while working on a task and receive research papers for sale from us.

Searching archives

Selecting suitable information sources is essential whether you choose adoption research topics   or focus on another industry.

For your research, you might consider scouring going through databases to see what the latest scientific papers are related to the technology. Some things you can search for include:

• Specialized archives focused on different fields in technology. Some archives are very well-structured, making it easier to find the relevant literature. Often you can find archives that are sorted by date, topic, and author.
•  There are also corporate archives that belong to certain tech companies. These companies might publish related technology articles.

Regardless of whether you are writing about technological progress or slavery topics to write about , our experts are ready to inspire you to new academic achievements

Technology topics about AI

• What does AI do best today?
• What is the situation in terms of AI technological development for global companies? What areas are companies and developers focusing on?
• Everyone is hearing about the use of AI in the field of medicine,  in writing, and for the production of drones. What are some more obscure areas that AI is being used?
• If we talk about industries such as education and other humanitarian areas, is there a place for AI in them?
• How can AI be profitable?
• Do businesses need to drastically restructure in order to take full advantage of AI?
• What are the weaknesses of AI and AI-based products? What can it not do now and what is it unlikely to be able to do in the future?
• Artificial intelligence is a very powerful tool. What are the ethical dilemmas of AI?
• What is your forecast for the development of AI in the next 20 years?
• How is AI-use going to change society?

Technology topics about internet of things

• What is the Internet of Things?
• What are examples of the use of the Internet of Things?
• What does IoT consist of?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of IoT?
• Where is the Internet of Things used most?
• What are prospects for the future development of the Internet of things?
• What are the problems of Internet of Things security?
• How does one take advantage of the Internet of Things?
• Why is the Internet of Things becoming increasingly popular in industries?
• How can the Internet of Things be used in smart houses?

Technology topics about blockchain

• What is blockchain technology?
• How does one create value with blockchain technology?
• What are blockchain basics and application possibilities?
• How will international banks be transformed through blockchain?
• What is the functionality of platforms for working with blockchain in enterprise management?
• How can one use blockchain in education?
• What are the main areas of blockchain application development?
• What are the sources of blockchain?
• What are the most revolutionary possibilities related to blockchain?
• How can one describe the evolution of blockchain?

Technology topics about VR and AR

• What are the properties of VR technology?
• How can VR technology be applied in industry?
• What are the methods of using VR?
• What are the methods of using AR?
• What are the properties of AR?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of using VR and AR in education?
• Will VR technology ever reach critical mass?
• What are the functions of VR and AR?
• How can VR help at the workplace?
• How can AR help at the workplace?

Technology topics about cybersecurity

• What are tools of cybersecurity?
• What are the main categories of cybersecurity?
• What are methods for implementing cybersecurity?
• What are phishing attacks?
• What is the role of removable media in cybersecurity?
• What is the main problem of cybersecurity in social media?
• What is the economic aspect of the use of cybersecurity?
• What are the main processes of cybersecurity?
• What is the connection between passwords and authentication and cybersecurity?
•  What are the main problems of mobile device security?

Basic technology topics

• Technologies for working with graphic editors.
• Automation of information processes. Automated information systems.
• Technologization of social spaces.
• Copyright information technologies.
• The role of technology in the development of the economy and society.
• Information resources and their potential evolution in society.
• Information processes, needs, resources, products and services, provisions.
• Technology approaches to solving functional problems.
• Life cycle of information products and services.
• Information retrieval systems. Types and stages of information searches.

Top-notch technology topics

• Means and organization of technology support.
• Use of technologies in education.
• Processes of informatization of education. Distance and e-learning.
• Technical training aids.
• Negative components of informatization.
• Encoding information. Coding methods.
• Technologies and systems for collecting and processing information.
• Technologies for storing and preserving information. Archives and information repositories.
• Ensuring the safety of information on various media. Backups.
• Software and hardware for storing information.
• Devices for stabilizing and ensuring uninterruptible power supply for electronic equipment.
• Technologies for presenting information. Information means and technologies.
• Types of network information technologies.
• Technologies for group work of users: forum, e-mail, tele- and video conferencing.
• Integration of technologies.
• Distributed data processing systems. Client-server technology.
• Corporate information systems.
• Use of technologies in various fields.

Unique technology topics

• Electronic document management systems.
• Geographic information and global systems.
• Open systems technologies.
• Methods for creating multimedia presentations.
• Software tools for creating multimedia presentations.
• Multimedia technical means.
• Audio technical means.
• Projection equipment and organization of presentations.
• Digital video technologies.
• Use of computers in various fields, incl. in intelligent buildings, offices, processes, etc.
•  Technologies for the transmission and exchange of information.
• Systems and methods for transmitting information in wired channels, comparative effectiveness of various methods.
•  Types, means, channels and cables of communication.
• Television and television systems in organizations.
•  Options for using dispatch communications, radio systems, sound recording, sound amplification and playback.
• Technical means of administrative and management communication.
• Types of wireless communication. Their relative effectiveness.
• Satellite communication systems.
• Mobile systems, incl. cellular communications.
• Nano-technology treatment.

Popular technology topics

• Technical means of information transmission in networks.
• Network information technologies.
• Local and global computer networks.
• Construction methods, architecture and data exchange in information networks. Integration of information networks (Intranet/Internet).
• Working with remote technical and information resources using Web technologies. Software and hardware support.
• Programming languages used on the Internet.
• Features of the functioning, management and use of LAN.
• Internet device. Server, hosts, portals, sites, browsers, providers, etc.
• Distributed data processing systems, client-server technologies.
•  Integrated information technologies. Corporate systems.
• Neural networks: architecture, distinctive features, scope of application.
• Basic internet services expanded reach into the Global South.
• Types of collective communication: forum, chat, teleconference.
• Internet information resources. American segment of the Internet.
• Creation and publication (posting) of electronic documents on the Internet.
• Animation, banners and blogs on the Internet.
• Indexing, metadata of information resources on the Internet.
•  Problems of storing electronic data on the Internet.
• Organization of information search on the Internet.
• Search and metasearch engines on the Internet.

Best technology topics

• Educational opportunities of the Internet.
• Electronic educational systems and resources on the Internet. Educational environment on the Internet.
• Legal protection of programs and data.
• Information technologies for information protection.
• Possible unauthorized technology impacts on buildings and premises.
• Personal safety of users of information resources and service personnel.
• Computer viruses.
• Software protection against various types of unauthorized influences on computer software and hardware.
• Cryptography, cryptographic protection.
• Electronic signature.
• Technical protection against unauthorized influences.
• Access control systems.
• Technological security of objects in order to limit free access to them.
• Technological security of software, hardware and information resources.
• Biometric security methods.
• Biometric security systems and devices.
• Types and methods of protecting information in communication channels.
• Document processing tools.

Topics about technology in organizations

• Information technologies for copying and replication of data.
• Information technologies of operational printing.
• Printing equipment and the possibilities of using it in information organizations.
• Software and hardware compatibility of information systems. Problems and solutions.
• Standards and standardization, their purpose, place and role in the process of informatization.
• Automated workstation, electronic office.
• Electronic documents, books, publications and libraries.
• Integrated software systems for office applications.
• Integrated software and hardware systems for problem-oriented developments (problem-oriented CAD systems).
• Expert systems. Knowledge bases. Extracting knowledge from data. Neural systems.
• Ergonomics and design in organizations.
• Organization of work with personal computers.
• Creating a microclimate in an organization or living space.
• Printing equipment in organizations.
• Office equipment in organizations.

Perhaps having gone through our advice for choosing a technology topic and having looked through our list of sample topics, we hope that you will have found something to inspire your paper. As mentioned, to write a great paper, we recommend considering the following factors: the relevance of the topic to the latest news and developments, your personal interest in the topic, its closeness to your field of study, and the availability of the necessary literature to produce an adequate paper.

Writing help from EssayShark technology experts

Are you lacking the time to do all this on your own? In that case, you can seek our help.  Our writers handle challenging writing problems on a daily basis. That’s one reason why when you use our service, your paper will be written quickly and professionally. We at EssayShark.com endeavor to help you succeed in writing papers.

Buy research papers and forget about stress, an excellent solution for a busy student!

Photo by Ales Nesetril from Unsplash

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

What our customers say

Our website uses secure cookies. More details

Get professional help from best writers right from your phone

Grab our 3 e-books bundle for $27 FREE

Basics of scientific and technical writing

• Career Central
• Published: 01 March 2021
• Volume 46 , pages 284–286, ( 2021 )

Cite this article

• Morteza Monavarian 1 , 2  

6115 Accesses

3 Citations

6 Altmetric

Explore all metrics

Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

Introduction to scientific/technical writing

Scientific/technical writing is an essential part of research. The outcome of a research activity should be shared with others in the form of scientific paper publications; some ideas require a patent to reserve the implementation rights; and almost any research activity requires a funding source, for which a grant proposal is necessary. Therefore, it is crucial to know the differences among writing papers, patents, and grant proposals and how to prepare them in a research environment ( Figure 1 ).

Three major types of scientific/technical writing covered in the three-part series.

The publication of papers is a standard way to share knowledge and transfer methods in scientific communities, thus a pivotal part of any research activity, especially in an academic environment. In industry, where financial profit is a key factor, patents are possibly more favorable.

Types of paper publications

There are different types of paper publications, depending on the content, audience, purpose, length, and scope: original research, review articles, invited articles, conference proceedings, comments/errata, and press releases ( Figure 2 ).

Original research articles may be published in journals or conference proceedings (or preprints in arXiv) and target specific audiences within a field of research. Journal research papers require peer review that typically involves an editor and two reviewers. For conference proceedings, there is usually no direct peer-review process, but the work has to be presented in the corresponding conference to be eligible for publication.

In contrast to original research articles, which are written on special topics within a field of research, review articles normally cover an overview of research and tend to be longer. Review articles do not necessarily reflect on novel data or ideas and could be similar to a book chapter. However, unlike review articles, book chapters or books are usually written when the target field of research is fully established. In a review paper, figures are typically not original and reprinted from other publications, for which a copyright permission from the original publishing journal is required.

Invited articles are written in response to an invitation by a journal editor or a conference organizer in a specific field of research or for a special issue. An invited article could be a review article or original research. Invited articles are normally written by peers or researchers with significant contributions to a field of research.

Other items published include comments or errata. The purpose of a comment on a published article is to bring points of criticism to the attention of the readers as well as the authors of the original article. The comments can be published in the same journal as the original paper. Errata correct mistakes in an article after publication.

Finally, press releases target a more general audience and normally report on a review/overview of recently published research. The author of the press release is not the same as that of the original article. Unlike peer-reviewed research articles, press release articles are usually not citable.

Six major types of paper publications.

Writing structures and styles

Different articles have different structures. A research article typically consists of a title, author list and affiliations, abstract, main body, conclusions, acknowledgments, and references.

A good title should be concise, to the point, and free of abbreviations. Author lists and affiliations include whoever has intellectually contributed to the paper (identifying at least one corresponding author and email address), with the order approved by all of the co-authors. A good abstract should give a full, but short, overview of the work with both qualitative and quantitative data summaries. An abstract should be self-contained, meaning it should not require a referral to a reference or figure. Abstracts are usually written in the present tense and have an active voice.

Unlike letters with no sections within the main body, the main body of research articles normally contains several sections (e.g., introduction, methods and approach, results, and discussions). The introduction should contain a deep literature review of the field as the basis for motivating the current work. The last paragraph of the introduction usually summarizes what to expect from the article. The following sections will demonstrate study methods, results, and discussions/interpretations of the results, including plots, tables, and figures.

Conclusions summarize the findings of the paper and may point out any future directions. The acknowledgment lists all funding support and gratitude toward anyone who helped with the work, not including those listed as co-authors. The reference section lists all references in a format described in the journal submission guidelines. Using reference management software (such as Zotero, Mendeley, BibTex) makes organizing the references less cumbersome. A good scholarly research article should have citations for almost any claims made within the main body, to ensure proper connections to the prior research in the field.

Unlike patents, papers require a deep scientific background and should be straight to the point. While patents include all aspects of the idea, papers typically have space limitations, so should therefore be concise. The data in research articles should speak for itself. The language of a research paper should be clear and simple and not include metaphors or slang.

Where to submit

The submission target depends on several factors: (1) scope of the journal, (2) length of the paper (letters versus regular length articles), (3) access (regular versus open access), and (4) impact factor (IF). The scope of the journal is probably the first thing to consider; you cannot publish a biological paper in a humanity journal. Regarding length, a letter is much shorter and usually does not have section headings. It depends on the discipline, but sometimes letters are more favorable because of the shorter publication time, preparation simplicity, and more readability (takes less time to read, which may also improve the visibility of the paper). In terms of access, you may pay publication charges to receive open access, or some journals charge publication fees upon acceptance. Open access papers could potentially get more visibility than normal publications.

IF is a specific journal parameter indicating the average number of citations per published article over a certain period of time. Paying serious attention to IF could oppose the mission of science itself, as it could mean that you judge a paper only by where it is being published and not by its intrinsic values (also called high IF syndrome).

Submission, peer-review, and decisions

Your article will enter the peer-review process upon submission. If done properly, the peer-review process not only avoids false or inconsistent data from being published (and helps science in this regard), but also improves your paper and removes any potential errors/issues or vague discussion. During submission, some journals may ask you to include/exclude reviewers. If there are researchers who may have a direct conflict with your work, you may list them as excluded reviewers. You may also suggest to include reviewers who have relevant experience.

Serving as a reviewer may help you with your own writing, as it assists in developing critical thinking. However, for the sake of science, try peer-reviewing for lesser-known journals (the high-impact journals already have many reviewers). Decisions on your article could be (1) reject: cannot be accepted to this journal; (2) referral to other journals; submit to another journal; (3) accept: accepted as is; (4) major revisions: not accepted, but could be accepted upon significant improvement (upon approval from reviewers); and (5) minor revision: accept but needs slight revisions (no need to go through a peer review again).

Copyrights and archiving

Most journals obtain copyrights from the authors before submission via a copyright transfer form. Hence, re-publishing the same data and plots in another journal is often forbidden. Also, the language of a paper should have a significant difference from an already published paper to avoid plagiarism. In the case where some content (e.g., figure or table) needs to be re-published in another paper (e.g., for review articles or thesis/dissertations), one can request a copyright permission from the original publishing journal. Also, archiving of one’s published papers in personal profile websites (e.g., Researchgate or LinkedIn) is usually forbidden, unless the paper is published as open access.

Final tips for paper publication

Read, read, read! There is probably no better way of improving writing skills than reading other articles and books.

Make illustrative and self-contained figures that can stand on their own.

Know your audience when selecting a journal. Find out which journals are normally targeted by people in your research community.

Protect yourself from high impact factor (IF) syndrome. Journals with a high IF may have very subjective decision criteria. It is sometimes more important to have your paper published than to spend a couple of years waiting for publication in a high-impact journal.

Serve as a reviewer. Get a sense of how a peer-review process feels in order to establish critical thinking. Before submitting your article, self-review.

Look forward to a constructive peer review. It definitely improves your paper (always good to have a view from different perspective).

Enjoy your publications!

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Materials Department, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA

Morteza Monavarian

Solid State Lighting & Energy Electronics Center, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Additional information

This article is the first in a three-part series in MRS Bulletin that will focus on writing papers, patents, and proposals.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Monavarian, M. Basics of scientific and technical writing. MRS Bulletin 46 , 284–286 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1557/s43577-021-00070-y

Download citation

Published : 01 March 2021

Issue Date : March 2021

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1557/s43577-021-00070-y

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Find a journal
• Publish with us
• Track your research

#Life Sciences #Quality Management

The ultimate guide to technical writing in the life sciences

Introduction

Despite its crucial role in life sciences, college curricula often overlook technical writing. However, life sciences professionals are expected to possess this skill and demonstrate it at a level that frequently exceeds their capabilities. This gap in experience creates a twofold problem:

• Writers struggle to produce clear, accurate, and effective documentation.
• Readers, often lacking expertise in technical writing themselves, may not recognize the difference between well-crafted and subpar documentation.

The result is a pervasive issue of mediocre technical writing that fails to convey its intended message accurately.

Poorly written documentation is prevalent in many life sciences organizations, particularly within their Quality Management Systems (QMS) . This leads to difficulties locating information, confusion among workers about their responsibilities, non-conformities, and documentation that is hard to defend during audits. More concerningly, it poses significant risks to both product quality and patient safety.

The first step toward improvement is recognizing the importance of clear, accurate, and effective technical writing in the life sciences. Addressing this often-overlooked skill can enhance your organization's operations, ensure compliance, and improve outcomes in this critical field.

This article will explore the essentials of effective technical writing, its crucial role in compliance, and the common challenges faced in the field. We will also outline the five key phases of the technical writing process and share some general best practices. By the end of this article, you will have a clear understanding of these phases and be well-equipped to create a wide range of technical documents, including manuals, procedures, work instructions, deviations, root-cause analyses, CAPAs, and more.

What is technical writing for life sciences?

Technical writing is often described as the art of simplifying the complex. This seemingly straightforward definition encompasses a wide range of skills and characteristics that address diverse human performance needs. It's important to understand that technical writing is not an exact science or merely about using technical jargon.

At its core, technical writing is about conveying information quickly, accurately, clearly, and succinctly. The effectiveness of communication—how it is crafted, understood, and received—relies heavily on the skills of the technical writer.

Source: https://books.google.hr/books?id=OXSbj25RSrwC&pg=PA17&cad=4#v=onepage&q=attributes&f=false  

What is technical writing used for in the life sciences?

Technical writing plays a vital role in the life sciences for several reasons. Primarily, producing documents required for regulatory compliance and safety is essential. Given these documents' impact on public health and safety, technical writers must communicate information clearly and accurately.

Technical writers in life sciences are responsible for creating a wide range of educational materials. Some examples include: 

• User manuals
• Root-Cause Analyses (RCAs)
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• Work Instructions (WIs)
• Change controls
• Corrective and Preventive actions (CAPAs)
• Batch records
• Reports & journal papers
• Label information

What makes an effective technical writer? 

The goal of technical writing is not to entertain or to highlight the writer's educational background. Instead, excellence in technical writing is demonstrated through the ability to convey complex information in a simple, understandable manner for a diverse audience. This skill is especially crucial in highly regulated fields, such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and medical devices. 

Clarity in technical writing minimizes human error, enhances process quality, and is essential for audits and error analysis. Documents must be comprehensive and remain relevant over time. 

To be truly effective, a technical writer must consider several key aspects of the craft. They must adopt and apply a specific form and style relevant to their industry, as the requirements for pharmaceutical production documents differ from those for scientific journal articles.

Understanding the audience is paramount. Writers must gauge their audience's needs, abilities, level of understanding, and proficiency in the language used. An unwavering dedication to accuracy and consistency is paramount. Finally, collaboration is key to ensuring accuracy by gathering insights from subject matter experts.

Why strong technical writing skills are essential for regulatory compliance 

Documentation is the backbone of good manufacturing practices (GMP) . It serves as a tool for verifying quality, investigating issues, and determining the safety and efficacy of a product. 

Even minor alterations can transform a safe product into a harmful one in the pharmaceutical industry. Therefore, every manufacturing process step must be meticulously recorded and validated. Any inaccuracies, data mix-ups, or procedural deviations can compromise the integrity of the product, potentially leading to adulteration.

Consider the impact of an unclear or erroneous batch record. Such mistakes can render a product unusable, resulting in financial losses and damaged client relationships. More seriously, these errors could harm employees or, if undetected, pose risks to patients, potentially leading to severe injury or even death. 

This is where precise and effective technical writing plays a significant role. Documentation ensures content is clearly understood and that tasks or procedures are performed accurately. The technical writer is responsible for ensuring clarity and accuracy in these documents.

FDA expectations for writing 

While the FDA does not explicitly regulate the quality or clarity of writing, it emphasizes the importance of thorough documentation. The agency's guiding principle is, "If it’s not written down, then it didn’t happen." 

For FDA-regulated manufacturers, documentation is the primary means of demonstrating compliance with regulations and communicating activities to the agency. Poor writing can lead to miscommunication, which is often at the root of issues identified during inspections of pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing facilities.

FDA Warning Letters frequently cite failures to explain, justify, or provide sufficient information as evidence of inadequate writing skills. These issues highlight the critical role that effective technical writing plays in ensuring regulatory compliance and maintaining the integrity of manufacturing processes.

What does a good document look like for the FDA, then? 

It is not enough for a company to know its operations are scientifically valid and compliant. The information must be articulated in a way that FDA investigators can easily understand.

If the documentation fails to communicate compliance effectively and properly record-keeping, it will likely result in issues during an inspection, potentially leading to 483 observations from the FDA.

Understanding regulatory requirements in the life sciences as a technical writer

Technical writers in the life sciences must understand the industry's regulatory framework and stay updated on any changes or amendments to ensure their documentation remains compliant. 

Regulatory inspectors often spend significantly more time examining a company’s documents and records during inspections than assessing the physical operations. This documentation builds a detailed picture of what a manufacturing function has done in the past and what it is currently doing, providing a solid foundation for planning future activities. 

Adequate documentation enhances the visibility of the quality assurance system, which is critical for maintaining compliance.

GMP and technical writing 

A fundamental principle of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) is to "write good procedures." But what does this mean?

In the pharmaceutical sector, GMP dictates that instructional materials, such as Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) , must be error-free and well-written. Creating SOPs is a regulatory requirement frequently referenced in FDA, ISO, and ICH guidelines. 

Many parts of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) outline these requirements, emphasizing the need for clarity in manufacturing documentation, problem reporting, laboratory test methodologies, and batch production records. All instructions must be crystal clear to ensure compliance and operational efficiency.

Moreover, adherence to Good Documentation Practices (GDP) is essential for all documentation and records utilized throughout the manufacturing process, including supporting procedures such as quality control and assurance. Whether navigating GMP, Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) , or other regulatory frameworks, mastering the craft of technical writing is vital for ensuring compliance and fostering operational excellence in the life sciences industry. 

The challenges in technical writing 

The scarcity of technical writing skills in the industry .

Ensuring that company documents are well-written presents numerous challenges, primarily due to the need for strong technical writing skills. Although the industry recognizes this issue, it is seldom openly discussed. 

Finding an employee with deep content knowledge in their field and the ability to craft clear technical documents is like finding a unicorn. It is also rare to find those who have completed formal training in technical writing, as many colleges do not offer it as a specialized course within their English departments.

Lack of training and focus

Training in writing principles and techniques is typically absent from educational programs for manufacturing and quality assurance employees. These skills are overlooked during the hiring process as well. The rapid advancement of technology may have inadvertently sidelined effective communication, turning clear writing into a lost art that is now ripe for revival. 

The overlooked importance of technical writing skills 

Many companies may not fully appreciate—or even recognize—the critical importance of good writing. In industries like pharmaceuticals and medical devices, there is a tendency to prioritize scientific and technical expertise over the clarity of communication. 

This focus can lead to neglecting the regulatory significance of well-structured and purposeful written documents, which are crucial for internal and external stakeholders.

Recommended learning :   Unlock the secrets to user-friendly writing! Watch our expert-led training video on plain language techniques and discover how to empower your team to create clear, user-friendly documents.

Technical Writing Phases

In this section, we will explore the technical writing process as outlined by Kieran Morgan in her book, Technical Writing Process: The Simple, Five-Step Guide That Anyone Can Use to Create Almost Any Piece of Technical Documentation, Such as a User Guide, Manual, or Procedures .

Morgan identifies five key steps in the technical writing process: Plan, Structure, Write, Review, and Publish.

Phase 1: Plan

Before you begin writing, the first step is to create a Documentation Plan. This essential document serves as a roadmap, outlining the deliverables you will produce. Consider this phase as the project management stage of your document.

The Documentation Plan defines the project's scope, identifies the target audience, lists the required deliverables, and outlines the process you will follow to complete the documentation.

Here are the key factors to consider in the planning phase:

Scope, Stakeholders, and Process

In this phase, you'll define the scope of your project, identify key stakeholders, and establish a timeline. If templates are available, now is the time to gather the necessary information and ensure compliance with relevant regulations.

Clarifying roles and responsibilities is also important. Identify the subject matter experts, team members, and other stakeholders involved.

To create an effective technical document, you must have a deep understanding of your audience. During this phase, focus on your target audience—the individuals who will be reading and using the document. Consider what they need to know and how best to convey that information.

Remember that there are two types of audiences: primary and secondary.

• Primary Audience: This group will actively use your document, such as in a training program.
• Secondary Audience : While this group may read your document, they won't use it directly. An auditor, for example, might fall into this category.

An SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) often serves primary and secondary audiences. The primary audience might include company employees or department members, while the secondary audience could be internal or external auditors interested in the process.

Bonus Resource: Download Scilife’s SOP template to streamline your documentation process and ensure consistency in your standard operating procedures.

Tips for identifying your audience

• Interview Subject Matter Experts: Speak with those familiar with the audience to gain insights into their challenges, needs, and user experience with the process, technology, or product you're writing about.
• Understand their needs: Determine the level of detail your audience requires, how they process information, and how they will use the document. This will help you tailor your writing to their needs.
• Consider usage: Remember that people typically use technical documents as references, work instructions, or guidelines. Tailor your content accordingly.

To create a comprehensive audience profile, ask yourself:

Techniques & Tools

Before you begin writing, carefully consider the techniques and tools you will use. Selecting the right tools and methodologies upfront can significantly enhance the efficiency and quality of your technical document.

Style Guide

Always seek out existing style guides or templates before starting. These resources provide a valuable reference and ensure consistency and adherence to established standards throughout your document.

Schedule: Timeline

Establish a clear timeline for all deliverables and create a documentation schedule. Incorporate status tracking to monitor progress and ensure the project stays on track.

Before you move on to the next phase 

Once the plan is prepared, the technical writer should schedule a meeting with the manager and other stakeholders to review and refine the Documentation Plan. This meeting is crucial for reaching a consensus and ensuring everyone is aligned with the plan.

It's also recommended that a spreadsheet titled "Matrix of Deliverables” be created. This document should list every required deliverable and its key attributes, providing a clear overview of all the documents that need to be written.

Phase 2: Structure

Now, let’s discuss the structure of your technical document. The structure corresponds to the various levels of headings in the final manuscript. It's advisable to use specific templates with predefined headings tailored to the type of document you're creating (e.g., deviation, CAPA, SOP, complaint).

If a table of contents is required, create one and review it with subject matter experts and stakeholders. This review helps ensure the document’s structure is clear and aligned with its purpose.

Depending on the document type, you might choose different approaches to structure it: narrative, process-based, library, or system-based.

Narrative structure

The narrative structure comprises three main sections: an introduction, a main body, and a conclusion. In this format, topics are presented sequentially in the main body, one after the other. While this structure is not commonly used in technical writing, it is frequently employed in academic papers, textbooks, or reports.

Process-based structure

A process-based structure organizes documentation around a sequence of activities or use cases, providing a clear roadmap of how tasks are performed to achieve a specific outcome. 

This structure is typically used for process and procedure documentation within Quality Management Systems. To create process-based documentation , you need to use a four-step approach.

1. Analyze Information

• Collect all relevant information about the topic, including specifications, guidelines, and requirements—and analyze it. This step ensures a comprehensive understanding of what needs to be documented.

2. Create a high-level process model

• Develop a high-level process model, such as a flowchart or diagram. This model should outline the entire process from start to finish and serve as the foundation for your document’s table of contents.
• Include distinct boxes or nodes representing key activities or tasks. Avoid complicating the diagram with too many levels; two levels of detail are usually sufficient.

Inside each box of the high-level diagram, describe the activity using a clear verb-noun format. This imperative mood helps in making instructions direct and unambiguous. Examples include:

• Write a list of specifications
• Create a validation report
• Inform the QA department

3.  Validate with Subject Matter Experts

• Review and refine the process model with subject matter experts. Organize a meeting or workshop to discuss the model, make necessary adjustments, and document any changes. Use tools like whiteboards or digital apps for record updates.

4. Develop the table of contents

• Translate the finalized process model into a structured table of contents for the document. Include headings and subheadings that correspond to each part of the process model.
• Begin the document with an introduction section that provides context and outlines the purpose of the documentation.

System-based structure

The system-based structure organizes technical documents, which is particularly useful in manuals and specifications documents. 

This structure focuses on describing the components and interactions within a system. It is typically found in technical manuals, where each part of the system is detailed separately to provide a comprehensive understanding of the entire system. 

While useful for technical specifications, the system-based structure may not align directly with the needs of QMS documents, which require clear process flows and procedural documentation.

Library Structure

The library structure organizes content into a collection of independent documents or articles, typically found on websites, blogs, or online newspapers. Each document is tagged with metadata, including the title, author, publication date, topic, project, or department.

Example : A document might be a monograph detailing analytical tests and specifications for product XYZ. This document would include chapters dedicated to various aspects of the analytical procedure and acceptance criteria for each test, such as identification, loss on drying, impurities, and assay.

Users can easily access documents in a library structure through keyword searches. However, it is important to note that the library structure is generally not used for documents related to a Quality Management System.

Phase 3: Write

With your plan and document structure in place, it’s time to start writing! Here are our top 5 tips to guide you as you start drafting your document:

• Before you start writing, finalize your document's structure with a clear table of contents. This will serve as your roadmap, reducing writing time and ensuring a logical flow.
• Create your document structure using a combination of templates, your table of contents, and other relevant materials. These resources can provide a strong foundation for your first draft.
• Begin with an initial document draft. Remember, technical writing is a collaborative effort, so expect to review, test, and revise the draft with subject matter experts multiple times.
• Make sure you have a solid understanding of the topic. Use guidelines, standards, and product guides to inform your writing. Be cautious when repurposing information—ensure it’s current, accurate, and suitable for your document.
• Don’t wait until the end to apply your style guide. Adhere to it from the beginning to maintain consistency. For example, consult the European Pharmacopeia’s technical guide to ensure compliance if drafting a specifications document.

Bonus Resource: Download Scilife’s Work Instruction template to create clear, actionable work instructions that enhance workflow efficiency and accuracy.

Writing Techniques 

To streamline the writing process, consider employing these key techniques:

• KISS (Keep it simple, stupid): Focus on clarity and brevity to ensure your message is easily understood.
• 5W1H (Who, What, When, Where, Why, How): This framework covers all essential details comprehensively.
• Plain English: Write in clear, straightforward language to enhance readability and accessibility.

  KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid!)

With origins in military practices, the KISS principle emphasizes the importance of creating straightforward and clear documents aimed at a broad audience rather than focusing solely on experts. This approach does not imply that your readers lack intelligence; instead, it acknowledges that they may be unfamiliar with the subject matter, new to the team, or simply need to grasp essential information to complete a task effectively. When unsure of your audience's level of expertise or training, applying the KISS principle can be a valuable strategy.

Plain English

The Plain English approach focuses on writing clearly and straightforwardly, avoiding complex vocabulary and unnecessary jargon. Short sentences and simple language enhance readability and ensure a broad audience easily understands the content.

The Five W’s and One H

This technique is simple, specific, and effective for introductions and overviews, originating from journalism to ensure you capture key elements of a story. Aim to cover the Five W’s and One H in a single paragraph.

• Who is the audience? Is there more than one audience? Is the audience primary or secondary?

Remember that the primary audience is the target audience. These people will receive the communication or use the documents (e.g., operators and lab analysts). Your secondary audience consists of readers who do not typically use the documents. They are reviewers, approvers, or auditors, for example.

• Why does the audience need the documentation? Look for the documentation's solutions to the audience’s needs, problems, or issues.
• When will the audience use the documentation? You should map out the journey of when the audience interacts with the process or product.
• Where and how will the audience use the documentation? This determines the format, language, and requirements.
• What is important to the audience? You need to check the audience’s priorities for the product or process.

Example to nail down your 5 Whys and H

Use this framework to clarify your writing:

This [PROCEDURE/PROCESS] is about [WHAT]. It is performed by [WHO], [WHEN] because [WHY].

For instance,

This SOP is about the use of an infrared spectrophotometer. It’s performed by the Quality Control analysts when performing an infrared test of substances in the laboratory to check their conformance with the identification acceptance criterion.

Phase 4: Review

Many consider the review phase the most crucial part of the technical writing process. Since no one produces a perfect first draft, this stage is vital for refining your document. During this phase, you will edit your draft, assemble a review team, and gather stakeholder feedback. After incorporating the necessary revisions, you can seek approval to publish the document.

It is typical to review a document multiple times before finalizing it. Each review enhances the quality and clarity of the document by checking the style and making necessary corrections. As a result, the table of contents may evolve from the initial structure you defined. To effectively track and manage changes, assigning a sequential version number to each draft is standard practice.

There are two parts to the review process:

Part 1: Editing and Checking

Part 1 involves editing and checking to refine the document and prepare it for publishing. The goal is to ensure the document is as user-friendly and accurate as possible before moving on to Part 2. 

Editing is a multi-step process that includes various levels: rewriting, structural editing, validation, copy editing, compliance checking, proofreading, and layout and format checking. However, this process is broadly categorized into three primary levels: proofreading, copy editing, and structural or substantive editing.

Part 2: Formal Review and Approval

In Part 2, the document undergoes a formal review and approval process by key subject matter experts and other stakeholders who provide the authorization to publish. 

After the review, the document must be formatted according to your organization's template, branding, and style. The choice between a formal or informal layout should be based on the intended audience. Typically, formal documents do not include pictures, cartoons, or colorful aids.

Document layout tips & tricks

• Use bullet points : Break down long sentences into bullet points to make information easier to digest.
• Add tables and charts : Visual representations of numerical or ordered data can enhance clarity and engagement.
• Add diagrams : Use diagrams to illustrate concepts; a single image can convey information more effectively than a lengthy explanation.
• Use call-outs : Highlight isolated concepts with call-outs that include arrows, lines, or numbers to draw attention to tips, notes, or insights in specific areas.

Phase 5: Publish

The final phase of the technical writing process is an exciting milestone—it means your technical document is ready to be published! 

This phase includes formatting and proofreading, establishing document control, and publishing the final draft. The document should be uploaded to the appropriate document management system, and stakeholders should be communicated with throughout the process.

Technical Writing: Do's and Don'ts

Here are some final rules of thumb to consider as a technical writer:

Avoid assuming prior knowledge

Don't assume your audience already understands the subject. Avoid skipping steps or referencing other materials without explanation, leading to confusion.

Integrate text and visuals

Use visuals to complement the text, especially when describing actions like clicking an icon. Visuals are generally more straightforward and less prone to misinterpretation than lengthy textual descriptions.

Use simple language

Write clearly and directly, avoiding technical jargon. Consider having someone from your target audience review your document to ensure it is accessible.

Use templates

Adhere to standardized templates to ensure uniformity and readability. Templates help organize content and reduce errors, especially in documents like SOPs and validation protocols.

Focus on structure

Organize information with bullet points, readable fonts, and a professional layout. Include a table of contents or appendices for lengthier documents to aid navigation.

Collaborate effectively

Technical writing often involves collaboration with cross-functional teams and experts. Effective teamwork ensures accurate documentation reflects best practices and regulatory standards.

Regularly review your document

Review technical documentation frequently to catch errors and ensure accuracy. Regular updates help maintain the information's quality and reliability.

Commit to continuous improvement and training

Invest in ongoing training to stay updated with industry trends and regulatory changes. Attending seminars and obtaining certifications can help technical writers remain compliant and valuable to their organizations.

Leverage technology

Utilize technology to enhance technical writing. Tools like EQMS offer version control and document tracking, while advanced software provides validation templates and automated workflows to streamline processes.

Recommended learning : Discover more technical writing tips for deviations, root-cause analysis, and CAPAs!

Technical writing is not rocket science—it is a learnable skill that can be developed and brings measurable benefits to a life sciences organization.

By creating high-quality content and tailoring documents to achieve maximum clarity, technical writers can help their organization achieve positive results. More critically, they can train others within the company to produce more sound technical documents. 

The ripple effect of well-crafted technical documents extends beyond mere communication; it fosters trust and credibility among clients and customers, ultimately driving business growth. As organizations prioritize clear and professional communication, they will undoubtedly experience increased customer satisfaction, enhanced stakeholder value, improved internal relations, and greater efficiency and compliance. 

Improve the quality of your documentation with Scilife's Smart QMS! Our advanced system goes beyond traditional solutions, offering automated workflows, real-time collaboration, and robust version control.

Is writing in the second or third person always preferable? Should the first person (i.e., “we” and “I”) never be used in technical writing? 

In investigation reports, there is a place for the second person (or “we”). However, it is best to avoid writing in the first person or using “I.” The plan should be to write in the third person or describe a series of events impartially. 

Are there tools available to proofread technical texts? 

AI is an option (e.g., ChatGPT), although only some use it. Microsoft Word’s spellcheck function is also a practical option. 

It’s important to note that while AI works well for proofreading texts, you should exercise caution when using it to write content. There can be issues surrounding copyright, accuracy, and the confidentiality of your company’s documentation.

Where, if anywhere, should we use the words “shall” and “should”? 

It depends on the document. In SOPs and WIs, active voice is preferable—but there is no inherent problem with using “shall” or “should” in, say, a root-cause analysis.

Generally, try to avoid vague language. Terms like “shall” or “should” could raise more questions than they answer.

Which technical skills does a technical writer require?

Technical writers can succeed with limited technical skills if they can access a subject matter expert during the writing process. When writing WIs, consulting the people who are performing those instructions is essential. 

How do you effectively prepare documents in multiple languages?

A translator is your best option for GMP documents, which are regulatory documents. For minor GxP documents (e.g., awareness, safety flashes, etc.), online translator tools like DeepL Translate or ChatGPT can be helpful. Some companies even have a secure online translation tool.

The important thing is to always comply with your company’s data safety and security policy.

What kind of grammar should be avoided in technical writing?

Avoid poor grammar, such as misuse of passive voice, lack of subject-verb agreement, and incorrect punctuation. Also, avoid overusing jargon, which can confuse readers unfamiliar with the subject.

What is the goal of technical writing?

Technical writing aims to convey complex information clearly and accurately to a specific audience, enabling them to understand and perform tasks effectively.

How can I improve my technical writing skills?

To improve your technical writing skills, practice regularly, seek feedback, study good examples, use grammar tools, focus on organization, and understand your audience’s needs. Consider taking technical writing courses for additional guidance.

Related stories

Best practices and tips for technical writing | Scilife

If you’ve been on the lookout for a go-to resource offering valuable tips for technical writing, your search is finally over. We’re here to simplify ...

How to Write a Non-conformance Report and Why It Matters | Scilife

What Is a Non-Conformance Report? A non-conformance report is a document that explains a deviation from the anticipated outcome of a process or ...

A Guide on How to Write Effective SOPs | Scilife

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) describe, well, the standard operating procedures of a company. They provide step-by-step instructions on how to ...

The 5 must-have templates for managing your QMS | Scilife

Most pharma and medical device companies are increasingly adopting electronic Quality Management Systems (eQMS) to streamline their quality ...

Subscribe to the

Scilife blog.

Life Science and Quality resources and news. All directly to your inbox!

• Digital Marketing

Top 20 Technical Report Writing Topics

Technical report writing is one of the most challenging papers. It includes many stages: a selection of the topic, collection of the relevant data, analysis of the data, establishing the right message of the report, and organization of all ideas. Experts recommend students to start writing a technical report early as it takes much time and effort. If you lack time or skills for writing an insightful paper, go to a report writing service with experts from WriteMyPaperHub, for example, to submit an A-grade report before the deadline.

Most students make the same mistake when they start writing a report late, thinking that they’ll manage to complete it within one day. It may be possible in two cases: if you are an experienced technical writer or if you’ve chosen the topic you’re familiar with. It’s very important to choose the right topic. Check useful tips on how to pick the best topic for your technical report below. 

What is a Technical Report?

It’s a formal paper that includes only credible data based on careful analysis. You shouldn’t give your personal opinion about the topic. The task of the writer is to search for the research that has already been conducted, check the methods that have been used, and establish the main message of the topic. You need to present the information in a clear and concise manner. Make sure that it will be understandable for your target audience. The main idea is to find credible sources of information, process it, and structure it in sections. Like any other paper, it should start with an introduction and contain the background information on the topic or some facts you are going to talk about in detail in the main body. This type of work should include a well-structured main body, containing steps on how to do something, a detailed description of the procedure. You shouldn’t forget to include the section with the methods used as well as the section with the results. Finally, write conclusions and references. It’s a good idea to add illustrative materials that will prove the evidence you have included in the paper.

How to Choose a Good Technical Report Topic

You should be guided by certain rules when choosing the topic for your report: 

• Brainstorm at least 10 topic ideas and think about the advantages and disadvantages of each one.
• Think if there is a technical topic you are familiar with and have enough materials for writing a paper.
• Give preference to the topic you feel passionate about.
• Think of the message you’d like to convey with the help of your technical report.
• Keep in mind your target audience when choosing a topic.

Follow the tips above, and you will definitely find the topic that will bring you an A-grade. Take into account that your topic should be interesting to both your reader and you. It mustn’t be broad or too narrow. 

20+ Great Topics for Your Technical Report

Do you have no idea what to write about? Then, you are welcome to check the list of interesting topics for a technical report and get inspired to create a valuable paper.

• What methods of control over Internet access do governments use?
• The impact of new technology on kids. Explain both positive and negative influences. 
• What technology can help deal with the most challenging global problems?
• The negative consequences of the increasing globalization.
• The forecast for technology’s impact on people in 30 years.
• Will governments implant chips into people as we see in American films?
• Advantages and disadvantages of playing computer games.
• Will machines substitute human work in most industries in the future?
• Organic food & genetically modified food: Is it worth paying more?
• The role of the genetic information in the life of a person.
• Should a government spend money on the technologies of mechanical reproduction?
• Health care in the XIX century: Problems and Possible Solutions.
• The best ways on how to solve the problem of the shortage of organ donors.
• The results of the use of animal tissue for people who need a replacement due to the accident, etc.
• How to deal with the problem of global warming?
•  Diabetes Type 2: Main causes and treatment.
• Should healthcare be free for people with a low budget?
• The results of the research on genetic engineering.
• Advantages of human cloning technologies.
• The methods of how to deal with genetic health diseases.

Some extra topics for you to get inspired:

• DNA information and its influence on human identity.
• Should DNA testing be a must for everyone?
• The consequences of the use of virtual reality technology.
• Is it possible to get rid of mental illnesses forever?
• Are there any technologies that could control the human’s brain activity? 

We hope you will find the topic you like most on the list above. Choose the topic you’d like to research and share with your target audience. Remember that paper writing may take longer than you plan. That’s why you should manage time effectively and start brainstorming topic ideas the day you’ve got the task to write a technical report . Whenever you don’t feel inspired or lack time, ask for custom writing help. It’s a guaranteed way to meet the teacher’s requirements and submit the paper without delay.

Latest news

Digital drawing tools: revolutionizing art and design with microsoft, from seoul to jeju: a senior’s guide to navigating south korea, 3 reasons to automate more parts of your business, repurposing digital content: 3 helpful tips.