There are basically two types of research papers, according to Allen Brizee, Professor of Writing at Loyola University: argumentative research papers and analytical papers. The argumentative paper is not as disagreeable as it sounds: it simply takes a position on a controversial issue and tries to persuade the reader that this position is correct. The thesis of the paper is clearly stated somewhere near the beginning of the essay.
An analytical paper starts with a question in the researcher's mind. Over the course of her research, the writer may arrive at a fresh interpretation of her subject that is different from that of previous writers. This new interpretation becomes the "thesis," but this thesis may be more conditional and fluid than the thesis of an argumentative paper.
In most cases, the topic of the course you are taking should influence the topic you choose. For example, in an American history course, you might pick a topic about a critical event during the Civil War. If you are in a literature class, your topic will most likely be an aspect of a poem or story you have read in the class. In an art history class, you might choose a particular artist about whom to write.
Some freshman English courses do teach the research paper as an assignment not necessarily related to the rest of the course, so in a class such as this, the topic might be completely open, and you could choose a topic such as "Should medical marijuana be legal in all states?" or "Should the minimum wage be raised?" These would be argumentative topics. An analytical topic would be something like, "What effect will global climate change have on zooplankton in the oceans?" These are not "English" topics, but they would be fine if the purpose is just to learn to write a research paper.
Most beginning writers of research papers tend to take on topics that are way too broad for a five to ten page paper, for example, "Freedom and Oppression." This would be a topic for a five-volume study, not a short paper. A better topic would be "Does airport security infringe on citizens' civil liberties?" You can narrow your topic as your research proceeds. For example, you may find a lot of information about certain laws that were enacted right after 9/11 that affected airport security. Just researching one of those laws might be enough for a college research paper.
Usually your instructor will let you know at the beginning of the semester that you will be required to write a research paper. Start thinking about a topic early. The instructor may give you a list of topics from which to choose, but if not, be alert to topics discussed in class that you find especially interesting. Then try to come up with a research project that relates to it. (The more interested you are in your topic, the better your paper will be and the more you will enjoy the process of writing it.) For example, if you are in an art history class and you are particularly struck by a slide that you see in the lecture, note the artist and the work, and think about writing your paper about that work and that artist. You can talk to your instructor early on in the semester about whether that artist would make a good topic. Some topics are easier to research than others. It may be difficult, for example, to find very many articles or books about very contemporary art or literature. On the other hand, writing about "Hamlet" can be overwhelming because there is so much information, and it's hard to sift through it. Your instructor can give you some guidance about the difficulty of your project.