Explore the significance or impact of current events or trends on society. For example, the proliferation of social media websites has impacted how people communicate with one another and what they communicate about. For a research paper on social media you could focus your paper on privacy concerns with social media, the impact of hours spent per day on social media versus in-person interactions or the impact of social media on students during school hours. When researching current events or trends, remember it is important to research the history or evolution of your topic in order to better understand the current state of affairs.
Research papers often compare two related but different topics. For example, you can discuss the benefit or lack thereof of one economic system over another or the differences between two government systems. In literature, you can compare two texts or two authors who touched on similar themes but used different styles of writing. When making a comparison in a research paper you will still need to develop a clear thesis statement and then focus your paper on proving your thesis. For example, your paper might address capitalism versus socialism, but your thesis statement might state the benefit of capitalism over socialism is its allegiance to the idea of the free market. Your paper will then focus on demonstrating how your interpretation of the evidence proves your thesis statement.
Social issues such as reproductive rights, gun rights, religion in schools and environmental concerns are all good paper topics. Choose a social issue that you are passionate about or with which you strongly agree or disagree. Once you have decided on a general social issue, remember to refine your paper to a core question or thesis statement. If you elect to write about the environment, for example, focus on demonstrating how pesticides contribute to certain birth defects.
Write about a famous or influential person and their work. While you can choose a past President or other historical figure, also consider writing about less well-known people doing important work. Consider who the influential people are within your specific field of interest. Write about scientists, authors, musicians, politicians or humanitarians who have come before you and how they have specifically contributed to your field.