Research topics on health can focus on issues surrounding patient care and the proposed government-run health care system. In writing about patient care, controversial topics such as physician-assisted suicide, stem cell research, pharmaceuticals to create multiple births or abortions, students can use government research to study trends as well as newspapers and magazines to track legislation, political battles and statements from religious leaders. The government-run health care debate can focus on how much the system would cost and what would happen to the existing system. Students could also analyze similar systems across the world and their effect on patients, doctors and nurses.
Social issues such as poverty, the war on drugs and homelessness allow students to examine years of government studies and data that track trends and movement of the specific problems. They also look at the money spent fighting each issue. Research topics on poverty can also look at how nonprofits play a role in helping people, what government programs rank as highly efficient in moving people out of the cycle of poverty and how multi-generational poverty plays a role in families. Examining how much money the government spends on fighting the war on drugs can lead to analyzing effective techniques in curbing the problem. Investigating the percentage of working homeless in America as opposed to other parts of the world also makes a great research topic.
Environmental research topics can look at government policy and its attempt to save the earth. Analyzing issues such as global warming, the effectiveness of landfills, ocean pollution, population pollution, renewable resources and offshore oil drilling all make great research topics. Students can analyze how each of these issues affects the local and national economy and politics, as well as the real benefits of saving the environment. In addition, researching alternative forms of energy such as the electric car, solar power, wind power, nuclear energy and hydroelectric power also make compelling research topics, especially when students compare a cost/benefit ratio and analysis.
Researching educational topics can address the latest trends in teaching students and the costs associated with educating students. Analyzing the merits and downfalls of online education, homeschooling, charter schools, smaller class sizes, all-day kindergarten, longer school years and an increased focus on math and science all make smart research topics. In addition, students can also research the cost of educating each child in their particular state, how the state finances education, how to fund school vouchers and how the government will manage increasing costs in the coming years. On the higher education level, topics can include vocational training benefits and expansion of community colleges.