Choosing a Research Paper Topic

2.12.13

Day 13

What makes a good research paper topic? We'll take a look today to help you decide what to choose for your IRP as well as what we'll choose as a class for our GRP.

1.What makes a good research paper topic? (ppt)

We want to choose a topic that is a problem. It will be our task as writers to come up with solutions to that problem. So when thinking about a topic, we should choose something that comes with both real problems and potential solutions.

Example topics: school bullying, illegal music downloading, binge drinking...

2. Search and discussion of topics based on Checklist

Try using search engines or websites with lists of topics like this one: Midway College's 100 Research Paper Topics

We will choose 1 main topic and 1 or 2 back-up topics (in case our main topic doesn't work out).

3. Defending topics- choose a representative!

4. Choosing a class GRP topic- vote

5. Brainstorming problems and solutions- on the white board
Group 1: problems
Group 2: problems
Group 3: solutions
Group 4: solutions