Scientific research papers, in addition to examining opposing viewpoints and evidence, must often explain scientific principles in terms that a general audience can understand. If your focus is biology, you could research the efficacy of particular AIDS medications or the incidence of nosocomial (hospital -- induced) infections in neonatal intensive care units. If your focus is chemistry, you could research such topics as the chemical composition of the brains of epileptics or the uses of spectroscopy (the study of light) in modern science.
English research papers can run the scope from an analysis of American literature in the Southwest in the early 1900s to the study of literary devices used by Shakespeare such as consonance (repetition of consonant sounds) and assonance (repetition of vowel sounds).
The analysis of symbolism used throughout literature is a popular topic. Narrow this focus to the use of nature as symbols or on the symbolism of a particular author, such as Edgar Allen Poe.
When writing a history research paper, it is helpful to think of historical events that are considered the root cause of social changes. Possible topics could be studying the origins of the Hindu caste system; events leading up to the suffrage movement; or factors leading to the rise of Nazism after World War I. Research papers studying dictators can be narrowed by focusing on a time period or a specific set of events, such as the late dictator of Romania Nicole Ceuasescu's demand that each couple have at least five children.
Sociology studies how the actions of groups or individuals affect change and evolve throughout time. Picking a sociology topic that relates to today's issues will enhance the relevance of your research paper. If you are thinking of studying the sociological effects of aging, you could focus on how elder laws have evolved in response to society's perception of the elderly. Possible topics relating to gender or marriage could entail researching how gender socialization has evolved in the past 50 years or researching the effects of a single-parent household on the grades of elementary school students.