Developing Your Research Topic Worksheet
- Developing your research topic handoutUse this template to help you brainstorm and refine your research topic.
Picking a Topic
To browse possible topics or get inspired by current events, check out these databases:
- CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
Coverage of the most important issues of the day, written by experienced journalists, footnoted and professionally fact-checked. Articles include an overview, historical background, chronology, pro/con feature, and resources for additional research.
- Opposing Viewpoints in Context (OV or OVIC) This link opens in a new window
Pro and con articles on important social, political, and economic issues. Reference articles that provide context, magazines, newspapers, primary source documents, government and organizational statistics, and links.
K-12 Education Topics
Here are some of the current research topics in K-12 education:
- pandemic response
- online learning
- school choice
- school safety
- classroom size
- bullying
- technology
- school funding
- student health
- student attitudes & behaviors
- parent involvement
Higher Education Topics
The following topics are from the 2020 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report™ | Teaching and Learning Edition. This report profiles key trends and emerging technologies and practices shaping the future of teaching and learning and envisions a number of scenarios and implications for that future. Trends are listed by category below:
Social
- Well-Being and Mental Health
- Demographic Changes
- Equity and Fair Practices
Technological
- Artificial Intelligence: Technology Implications
- Next-Generation Digital Learning Environment (NGDLE)
- Analytics and Privacy Questions
Economic
- Cost of Higher Education
- Future of Work and Skills
- Climate Change
Higher Education
- Changes in Student Population
- Alternative Pathways to Education
- Online Education
Political
- Decrease in Higher Education Funding
- Value of Higher Education
- Political Polarization
Psychology Topics
Here are some current research topics in the field of psychology:
- Social media and its effects on depression, anxiety, etc.
- Effect of ACE (adverse childhood experiences) on later psychological health / criminality
- Tapering or discontinuation of psychotropic drugs
- Suicide risk screening and intervention (in college students)
- Dialectical behavior therapy / cognitive behavior therapy / eye movement desensitization
- Human-computer interaction systems
- Additional ideas can be found browsing in the Annual Review of Psychology
