research paper english 101

ENGL 101: Academic Writing: How to write a research paper

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How to write a research paer

Understand the topic, what is the instructor asking for, who is the intended audience, choosing a topic.

• General Research

Books on the subject

Journal articles, other sources, write the paper.

You've just been assigned by your instructor to write a paper on a topic. Relax, this isn't going to be as bad as it seems. You just need to get started. Here are some suggestions to make the process as painless as possible. Remember, if you have any questions ASK .

Is the assignment a formal research paper where you have to do research and cite other sources of information, or is the assignment asking you for your reaction to a particular topic where all you will need to do is collect your thoughts and organize them coherently. If you do need to research your topic, make sure you know what style manual your instructor prefers (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc).

Make sure you keep track of any restrictions that your instructor places on you. If your instructor wants a 4 page paper, they won't be happy with a 2 page paper, or a 10 page paper. Keep in mind that the instructor knows roughly how long it should take to cover the topic. If your paper is too short, you probably aren't looking at enough materials. If you paper is too long, you need to narrow your topic. Also, many times the instructor may restrict you to certain types of resources (books written after 1946, scholarly journals, no web sites). You don't want to automatically lessen your grade by not following the rules. Remember the key rule, if you have any questions ask your instructor!

You will also need to know which audience that you are writing for. Are you writing to an audience that knows nothing about your topic? If so you will need to write in such a way that you paper makes sense, and can be understood by these people. If your paper is geared to peers who have a similar background of information you won't need to include that type of information. If your paper is for experts in the field, you won't need to include background information.

If you're lucky, you were given a narrow topic by your instructor. You may not be interested in your topic, but you can be reasonably sure that the topic isn't too broad. Most of you aren't going to be that lucky. Your instructor gave you a broad topic, or no topic at all and you are going to have to choose the specific topic for your paper.

There are some general rules that you can use to help choose and narrow a topic. Does a particular topic interest you? If you are excited by a particular field, choose a topic from that field. While doing research you will learn more about the field, and learn which journals are written for your topic. Are you answering a relevant question? You and your instructor are going to be bored if you are writing a paper on the hazards of drunken driving. However, it might be more interesting to write about what causes people to drink and drive. The more interesting your topic the more you will enjoy and learn from writing your paper. You may also want to focus on a specific point of view about the topic, such as what teenagers think the causes of drunken driving are.

Do General Research

Now that you have a topic, it is time to start doing research. Don't jump to the card catalog and the indexes yet. The first research that you want to do is some general research on your topic. Find out what some of the terms used in the field are. You will also find that this research can help you further define you topic.

One source of general research is a general encyclopedia. Depending on the encyclopedia, at the end of each entry there may be a bibliography of suggested works. Good encyclopedias to consult are Encyclopedia Britannica , Encyclopedia Americana, and World Book.

You will also want to check to see if your topic is in a field that has a subject Encyclopedia, a Subject Handbook, or a Subject Dictionary. These guides contain information about a wide variety of topics inside a specific field. Generally the information in more detailed that what is contained in a general encyclopedia. Also the bibliographies are more extensive.

Find further information

Now that we have some background information on our topic; we need to find information about our specific topic. Before searching, ask yourself what type of information you are looking for. If you want to find statistical information, you will need to look in certain types of sources. If you are looking for news accounts of an event, you will need to look in other types of sources. Remember, if you have a question about what type of source to use, ask a librarian.

Have you asked your instructor for suggestions on where to look? Why not? This person is experienced in the field, and they have been doing research in it longer than you have. They can recommend authors who write on your topic, and they can recommend a short list of journals that may contain information on your topic.

Books are one type of resource that you can use for your research. To find a book on your topic, you will need to use the online catalog, the CamelCat . Taking the list of keywords that you created while doing general research, do keyword searches in the catalog. Look at the titles that are being returned, do any look promising? If none do, revise your search using other keywords. If one does, look at the full record for that book. Check the subject headings that it is cataloged by. If one of those headings looks pertinent to your research, do a subject search using that particular heading.

Once you've got the books that you want to use start evaluating whether the book will be useful. Is it written by an author who is knowledgeable about that particular topic? Is the author qualified to write about the topic? What biases does the author have about the topic? Is the book current enough to contain useful information?

Once you've answered these questions, use the books that you deem useful for your research. Remember while taking notes to get the information that you need to do a proper citation. Also, pay attention to any bibliographies that are included in the book. These can help you locate other books and articles that may be useful for your research.

The Campbell University Libraries subscribe to a wide variety of Indexes and Journals for the use of students and faculty. Increasingly these materials are provided as Electronic Databases. These databases contain citations of articles and in some cases the full text of articles on a variety of topics. If you don't know which database will be useful for you, ask a librarian and they will be happy to assist you. You can also use the Find Articles link to search multiple databases at one time for information on your topic.

Once you've selected a database to use, use the keywords that you developed from your general research to find articles that will be useful for you. Once you've found one, see which terms the database used to catalog the article and use those terms to find more articles. Don't forget to set limits on the database so that only scholarly articles are returned if your instructor has made that a requirement for your paper.

Look at the journal articles that you have selected, and examine the bibliographies. Are there any authors that are mentioned in more than one article? Are there any articles that are mentioned more than once? You should find those authors and articles and include them in your research.

There are other useful sources that you can use in your research. If your report tends to be on a business topic or if you need company information for your research there are many companies that provide company reports. The contents of these reports differ, depending on which service that you are using. Generally speaking you will find company officers, financial statements, lists of competitors, and stock price.

The Internet is another source for information on a variety of topics. The major problem with the using Internet resources is authority. Anybody who knows HTML can produce a web site that looks pretty decent. However, a website produced by a sophomore in high school on a topic is not going to be useful to you in your research. Before using a website for information, you need to evaluate the site. Here are some questions you will want to ask: Who created the site? (If you can't tell, don't use it.) Has the site been recently updated? Is the site promoting a specific agenda/ does it have a bias? (Bias isn't necessarily bad, but you need to keep it in mind when interpreting the information presented?) Are there any misspellings on the site? (If there is one misspelling careless error more than three, don't use the page) Do the links on the page work? (If a few don't work, not a big problem, if most of the links don't work, the site isn't being maintained, and should not be used.)

You have all of your research, now it is time to write the paper. Don't forget to cite all of the research that you have collected using the preferred citation style of your instructor. If possible try to give yourself a couple of days to let the paper sit before you edit it. Look at a hard copy of the paper and check for mechanical errors (spelling, punctuation). Also try to imagine that you are the intended audience for the paper. Does your paper make sense? Are the arguments logical? Does the evidence presented support the arguments made? If you answered no to any of these questions, make the necessary changes to your paper.

Purdue's Online Writing Lab https://owl.english.purdue.edu/

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ENG101 - First-Year Composition

• ASSESSMENT 1
• Selecting Topics
• Information Cycle & Search Strategies
• Primary vs Secondary Sources
• Video & Images
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Types of Research Essays

Pvcc english division writing rubric, pvcc eng101 handbook.

• Causal Analysis (Cause & Effect)
• Literary Analysis This link opens in a new window
• Literature Review This link opens in a new window
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• ASSESSMENT 2

Use ONESearch to locate  articles off our many databases on any of your topics.

Search library resources for

articles, books, movies and more

There are multiple types of essays that everyone should be able to write or be familiar with and they are: analytical, argumentative (persuasive), cause & effect, compare & contrast, critical, definition & expository, descriptive, experimental research, interpretative, literary analysis, literature review,  reports, and surveys.

Analytical , the analytical research paper often begins with the student asking a question (a.k.a. a research question) on which he has taken no stance. such a paper is often an exercise in exploration and evaluation. this type of paper hopes to offer a well-supported critical analysis without necessarily persuading the reader to any particular way of thinking. , the kinds of instructions for an analytical assignment include: 'analyze', 'compare', 'contrast', 'relate', and 'examine'., example: do later school start times increase student success, argumentative (persuasive), the argumentative research paper consists of an introduction in which the writer clearly introduces the topic and informs his audience exactly which stance he intends to take. an important goal of the argumentative research paper is persuasion, which means the topic chosen should be debatable or controversial., the kinds of instructions for a persuasive assignment include: 'argue', 'evaluate', 'discuss', and 'take a position'. example: self-driving cars are dangerous and should be banned from the streets., the argumentative essay  - lois roma-deeley & john nelson, causal analysis - cause & effect  a cause is something that produces an event or condition; an effect is what results from an event or condition. the purpose of the cause-and-effect essay is to determine how various phenomena relate in terms of origins and results. sometimes the connection between cause and effect is clear, but often determining the exact relationship between the two is very difficult., causal analysis information  - lois roma-deeley & john nelson, compare & contrast, this essay is needed to analyze the differences between two subjects, authors, viewpoints, leadership styles, or other criteria and it is a common assignment for subjects such as literature, philosophy, social sciences, and many other disciplines. , writing the comparison essay  - lois roma-deeley & john nelson, critical , critical writing is common for research, postgraduate and advanced undergraduate writing. it has all the features of persuasive writing, with the added feature of at least one other point of view. while persuasive writing requires you to have your own point of view on an issue or topic, critical writing requires you to consider at least two points of view, including your own., for example, you may explain a researcher's interpretation or argument and then evaluate the merits of the argument, or give your own alternative interpretation. examples of critical writing assignments include a critique of a journal article or a literature review that identifies the strengths and weaknesses of existing research. the kinds of instructions for critical writing include: 'critique', 'debate', 'disagree' and 'evaluate'., characteristics of a critical thinker  - dr. tom butler,  it is a focused analysis of a piece of writing or a live performance. while it may contain a sentence or two of summary material, the critique will offer the reader a “considered evaluation” of the writing or performance in question., how to write a critique  - pvcc english division, definition & expository , an expository essay "exposes" the reader to a new topic; it informs the reader with descriptions or explanations of a subject. if you are writing an expository essay, your thesis statement should explain to the reader what they will learn in your essay. example: how to lead a healthy lifestyle on a tight budget., descriptive/narrative , the simplest type of academic writing is descriptive. its purpose is to provide facts or information. an example would be a summary of an article or a report of the results of an experiment. the kinds of instructions for a purely descriptive assignment include: 'identify', 'report', 'record', 'summarize' and 'define'.​, writing the descriptive/narrative essay  - lois roma-deeley & john nelson, experimental research, this essay is commonly written for biology, chemistry, physics, psychology, and sociology papers. it is used to describe an experimental research case in detail. the student conducts the experiment, shares their results and provides data evidence and sums up the case.  the paper describes your experiment with supporting data and an analysis of the experiment. experiments are aimed to explain some causation or predict a fact or reality with certain actions., interpretive,  this essay requires one to use the knowledge that he or she has gained from a particular case study situation, for example, a poem or work of art, or material from business and psychology fields. this paper requires using learned theoretical knowledge to write the paper and using supporting information for the thesis statement and findings., literary analysis, the purpose of a literary analysis essay is to carefully examine and sometimes evaluate a work of literature or an aspect of a work of literature. , literature review, a "literature review“ is a critical analysis of a segment of a published body of knowledge through summary, classification, and comparison of prior research studies, reviews of literature, and theoretical articles” (university of wisconsin writing center)., outlines the case of a study situation. as a rule, such text includes the summary of a breakdown, situation, identification of the main issue, and recommendations, which means that it is basically a logical and detailed summary of some case study situation. a report is a mere restatement of the significant elements or components of a piece of writing or a live performance. it is, primarily, a summary of the substantial elements (the who, what, where, when and how) which are embedded in a piece of writing or a live performance. .

• English Division Writing Rubric (Based on Arizona State Standardswith college-level emphasis on higher order thinking skills, research, documentation, and manuscript preparation)
• PVCC ENG101 Handbook The ENG101 Handbook was created by PVCC professors Lois Roma-Deeley and John Nelson. This was created prior to the 2009 updates to MLA; therefore, if you use them, be aware you will need to update them. However, the instructions on how to write each essay type are clear and very helpful.
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How to write a Research Paper – Step by Step Guide

A Step-by-Step Guide to writing a research paper

Introduction:

Writing a research paper is a job that we all have to do in our academic life. A research paper represents the ideas of the person who writes it. In simple words, a research paper presents an original idea and substantiates it with logical arguments. Writing a research paper in the domain of English literature is very different compared to writing research articles in other domains. Literature inclines towards abstract thinking. In other subjects, one has to stick to the facts. Howsoever you try, disputing an idea of science becomes very difficult. On the other hand, to contradict an idea in the purview of literature, you just need a systematic flow of arguments (logical and valid) and it’s done! So, writing a research paper in the field of English literature becomes easy if arguments are strong, in a sequence and wisely crafted.

Step 1: Choose the topic of your research paper:

This is one of the most vital parts. Choosing a topic is a crucial choice to make and it has to be taken seriously. You have to choose the area of your interest in English literature and then narrow it down to the area of your expertise. You cannot write a paper on the topics which are wider than a Doctoral thesis! So, you have to be precise and wise while choosing your topic.

An example: Suppose a person has adequate knowledge about Matthew Arnold. Can he write a research article on Arnold alone? No! He will need to bring the topic to some specific idea related to Arnold. The possibilities may be in his prose or poetry writing. In certain states in India, students work on topics like “Matthew Arnold as a poet” and “Matthew Arnold as a great prose writer” which is invalid, injustice and academically a sin. It should not be encouraged! Someone being a poet cannot be a subject of a research article. Any special quality of someone’s poetry writing can certainly be an interesting topic of a research paper – now you must have the idea. ‘Hopelessness and Despair in the poetry of Matthew Arnold’ can be a topic for a brilliant research paper. The hint is very simple – narrow it down to the speciality and you will have your topic ready!

Read in detail – How to choose a research topic? 

Step 2: Collect information – primary and secondary sources:

Now that you have selected a topic for your research paper, you should find ‘credible sources’ that substantiate your ‘paper’s purpose’. Sources are divided into two major categories – primary and secondary. Primary sources are the materials produced by the people who feature in your topic. In the case of our example above, poetry by Matthew Arnold and other writings by him will be primary sources. Secondary sources are the writings ‘about the topic and anything related to the topic’. Therefore, you have to browse the internet, visit a library, check your bookshelves and do anything that will bring you information about the topic and anything that relates to the topic.

Step 3: Plan your research article:

Before you begin writing the paper, it’s always wise to have a clear plan in your mind. Planning a research paper in the domain of English literature should always begin with a clear ‘purpose of research’ in your mind. Why are you writing this paper? What point do you want to make? How significant is that point? Do you have your arguments to support the point (or idea) that you want to establish? Do you have enough credible sources that support the arguments you want to make in the body of the paper? If all the answers are positive, move to the next step and begin writing the drafts for your paper.

Step 4: Writing the first draft of your research paper:

Now it comes to writing the paper’s first draft. Before you begin writing, have a clear picture of your paper in your mind. It will make the job easier. What does a research paper look like? Or, rather, what’s the ideal structure of a research paper?

Beginning – Introduce your idea that drives the research paper. How do you approach that idea? What is your paper – an analysis, review of a book or two ideas compared or something else. The introduction must tell the story of your research in brief – ideas, a highlight or arguments and the glimpse of conclusion. It is generally advised that the introduction part should be written in the end so that you have the final research paper clearly justified, introduced and highlighted at the beginning itself.

Middle – And here goes the meat of your paper. All that you have to emphasise, euphemise, compare, collaborate and break down will take place in the middle or the body of your research paper. Please be careful once you begin writing the body of your paper. This is what will impact your readers (or the examiners or the teachers) the most. You have to be disciplined, systematic, clever and also no-nonsense. Make your points and support them with your arguments. Arguments should be logical and based on textual proofs (if required). Analyse, compare or collaborate as required to make your arguments sharp and supportive to the proposition that you make. The example topic of a research paper that we chose somewhere above in this article – Hopelessness and Despair in the Poetry of Matthew Arnold will require the person writing this paper to convince the readers (and so on) that actually Arnold’s poetry gives a sign of the two negative attitudes picked as the topic. It would be wise to analyse the works (and instances from them, to be specific) The Scholar Gypsy, Empedocles on Etna, Dover Beach and others that support the proposition made in the topic for research. You can use primary and secondary sources and cite them wisely as required. You have to convince the readers of your paper that what you propose in the purpose of the research paper stands on the ground as a logical and valid proposition.

End – Or the conclusion of a research paper that should be written wisely and carefully. You can use a few of your strongest arguments here to strike the final balance and make your proposition justified. After a few of your strongest arguments are made, you can briefly summarise your research topic and exhibit your skills of writing to close the lid by justifying why you are proposing that you have concluded what you began. Make sure that you leave the least possible loopholes for conjecture after you conclude your paper.

Reference: You can use two of the most used styles (or rather only used) to give a list of references in your paper – APA or MLA. Whatever you choose needs to be constant throughout the paper.

To summarise, here is what a research paper should look like:

• Introduction
• A list of References

Step 5: Read & re-read your draft: It gives you the chance to judge your research paper and find the possible shortcomings so that you can make amends and finalise your paper before you print it out for your academic requirements. While you read your first draft, treat it with a purpose to find contradictions and conjecture points as much as possible. Wherever you find the chances of contradiction possible, you have to make those arguments forceful and more logical and substantiate them to bypass the fear of being contradicted (and defeated). Let us be clear – it is English literature we are dealing with and there will be contradictions. Don’t fear it. However, make sure your arguments are not defeated. The defeat means your paper will not hold up to the scrutiny of the experts. And this is why you need to read and re-read the first draft of your literature research paper.

Step 6: Finalise & print your research paper: After reading your paper 1 or 2 times, you should be sure what needs to be changed and otherwise. Finalise it so that it appears the best and sounds good to be the final version. Print your work in the best possible quality and you are done! If there is a verbal question-answer associated with the paper you prepare, make sure you understand it completely and are ready for the questions from any possible side of your topic.

This was our step-by-step guide to writing a research paper in the field of English literature. We hope you have found it useful. We will write more articles associated with the concept – such as choosing a research topic, building arguments, writing powerful introductions. Make sure you subscribe to our website so that you are notified whenever we post a new article on English Literature Education! All the best with your paper!

More guides on How to Subjects: 

How to Study Poetry?

Read related articles from this category:

Bildungsroman – literary term definition, examples, notes & help you need

List of important literary terms associated with studying drama or play – Literature Guides

What is Drama? What is Drama in Literature? Features, Types & Details Students Must Know

Have something to say? Add your comments:

9 Comments . Leave new

Thank you so much, explanation about research work is a nice manner. (private information retracted)

Very well written article! Thanks for this. I was confused about my research paper. I am sure I can do it now.

Quite resourceful. thank you.

Very nice reseach paper

It was very nice reading, helpful for writing research paper.

Thanks for your kind sharing of the information

Normally, I don’t leave any replies after reading a blog, but I couldn’t help this time. I found this blog very useful. So, I’m writing my research paper and I’ve been racking my brain and the internet for a good topic, plus trying to learn how to write a research paper. Thank you so much for putting this up!

I want to work on The French Revolution and its impact on romantic poetry. Please help in this regard.

Thanks a lot for the information.

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7.3: The Purpose of Research Writing

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Who has written poetry about exile? What roles did women play in the American Revolution? Where do cicadas go during their ‘off’ years? When did bookmakers start using movable type? Why was the Great Wall of China built? How does the human brain create, store, and retrieve memories?

You may know the answers to these questions off the top of your head. If you are like most people, however, you find answers to tough questions like these by searching the Internet, visiting a library, or asking others for information. To put it simply, you perform research.

Whether or not you realize it, you probably already perform research in your everyday life. When your boss, your instructor, or a family member asks you a question that you don’t know the answer to, you locate relevant information, analyze your findings, and share your results. Locating, analyzing, and sharing information are key steps in the research process. In this chapter, you will learn more about each step. By developing your research writing skills, you will prepare yourself to answer challenging questions.

Sometimes you perform research simply to satisfy your own curiosity. Once you find the answer to your questions, your search may be over, or it may lead to more in-depth research about that topic or about another topic. Other times, you want to communicate what you have learned to your peers, your family, your teachers, or even the editors of magazines, newspapers, or journals. In your personal life, you might simply discuss the topic with your friends. In more formal situations, such as in business and school, you communicate your findings in writing or in a presentation. A report may simply relay the results of your research in an organized manner. In contrast, a research paper presents an original thesis about a topic and develops that thesis with ideas and information gathered from a variety of sources. In a research paper, you use facts, interpretations, and opinions you encounter in your research to create a narrative and support an argument about your topic.

A student in an art history course might write a research paper about an artist’s work or an aesthetic movement. A student in a psychology course might write a research paper about current findings in childhood development. No matter what field of study you pursue, you will most likely be asked to write a research paper in your college degree program and to apply the skills of research and writing in your career. For similar reasons as professionals, students do research to answer specific questions, to share their findings with others, to increase their understanding of challenging topics, and to strengthen their analytical skills.

Having to write a research paper may feel intimidating at first. After all, researching and writing a long paper requires a lot of time, effort, and organization. However, its challenges have rewards. The research process allows you to gain expertise on a topic of your choice. The writing process helps you to remember what you learned and to understand it on a deeper level. Thus writing a research paper can be a great opportunity to explore a topic that particularly interests you and to grow as a person.

Writing at Work

Knowing how to write a good research paper is a valuable skill that will serve you well throughout your career. For example, laboratory technicians and information technology professionals do research to learn about the latest technological developments in their fields. A small business owner may conduct research to learn about the latest trends in his or her industry. A freelance writer will need to research his or her topics to write informed, up-to-date articles. Whether you are developing a new product, studying the best way to perform a procedure, discovering the challenges and opportunities in your field of employment, or learning about how to find a job, you will use research techniques to guide your exploration. Because effective communication is essential to any company, employers seek to hire people who can write clearly and professionally.

Think about the job of your dreams. How might you use research writing skills to perform that job? Create a list of ways in which strong researching, organizing, writing, and critical thinking skills could help you succeed at your dream job. How might these skills help you obtain that job?

Process Overview

How does a research paper grow from a folder of notes to a polished final draft? No two projects are identical, but most writers of research papers follow six basic steps.

Step 1: Choosing a Topic

To narrow the focus of your topic, brainstorm using Prewriting Techniques. Starting with your topic, formulate a specific research question—a broad, open-ended question that will guide your research—as well as propose a possible answer, or a working thesis.

Step 2: Planning and Scheduling

Before you start researching your topic, take time to plan your researching and writing schedule. Research projects can take days, weeks, or even months to complete. Creating a schedule is a good way to ensure that you do not end up being overwhelmed by all the work you have to do as the deadline approaches. During this step of the process, it is also a good idea to plan the resources and organizational tools you will use to keep yourself on track throughout the project. Flowcharts, calendars, and checklists can all help you stick to your schedule.

Step 3: Conducting Research

When going about your research, you will likely use a variety of sources—anything from books and periodicals to video presentations and in-person interviews. However, you should pay close attention to instructions; instructors often specify what kinds of sources they require for research papers. Some may assign you to only use scholarly (peerreviewed) sources. For some assignments, your sources might include both primary sources and secondary sources. Primary sources provide firsthand information or raw data. For example, surveys, in-person interviews, historical documents, works of art, and works of literature are primary sources. Secondary sources, such as biographies, literary reviews, or news articles, include some analysis or interpretation of the information presented. As you conduct research, you should take detailed, careful notes about your discoveries. You should also evaluate the reliability of each source you find, especially sources that are not peer-reviewed.

Step 4: Organizing Your Research and Ideas

When your research is complete, you will organize your findings and decide which sources to cite in your paper. You will also have an opportunity to evaluate the evidence you have collected and determine whether it supports your thesis, or the focus of your paper. You may decide to adjust your thesis or conduct additional research to ensure that your thesis is well supported.

Step 5: Drafting Your Paper

Now you are ready to combine your research findings with your critical analysis of the results in a rough draft. You will incorporate source materials into your paper and discuss each source thoughtfully in relation to your thesis or purpose statement. It is important to pay close attention to standard conventions for citing sources in order to avoid plagiarism, which is the practice of using someone else’s words without acknowledging the source. Later in this chapter, you will learn how to incorporate sources in your paper and avoid some of the most common pitfalls of attributing information.

Step 6: Revising and Editing Your Paper

In the final step of the research writing process, you will revise and polish your paper. You might reorganize your paper’s structure or revise for unity and cohesion, ensuring that each element in your paper smoothly and logically flows into the next. You will also make sure that your paper uses an appropriate and consistent tone. Once you feel confident in the strength of your writing, you will edit your paper for proper spelling, grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and formatting. When you complete this final step, you will have transformed a simple idea or question into a thoroughly researched and well-written paper of which you can be proud.

Writing a good research paper takes time, thought, and effort. Although this assignment is challenging, it is manageable. Focusing on one step at a time will help you develop a thoughtful, informative, well-supported research paper.

English 101 (ENG 101): English Composition I: Getting Started

• Getting Started
• Find A Book
• Find an Article

Welcome to the English Composition I libguide! Use this guide to get started on your persuasive research paper assignment.

To begin, you will need to identify and research a political, legal, or social issue and determine whether you think a change should be made within the broader society. Then, you will need to argue convincingly. Ideally, you want to choose a narrow topic. Make sure you have your topic approved by your instructor before you begin researching. Try to choose an issue that intrigues you, since the genuine interest will result in a better final paper.

Make sure that you find quality sources. You can consult the videos below for help with this, or you can contact a librarian during our open hours via email, text, chat, or phone.

Cite Your Sources

Why do you need to cite sources?

As the MLA Handbook (8th ed) will tell you:

“Academic writing is at its root a conversation among scholars about a topic or question. . . .Given the importance of this conversation to research, authors must have comprehensible, verifiable means of referring to one another’s work.  Such reference enable them to give credit to the precursors whose ideas they borrow, build on, or contradict and allow future researchers interested in the history of the conversation to trace it back to its beginning” (5).

As a student, part of your education includes learning documentation styles like MLA.  Learning MLA and other styles will help prepare you for other conventions and standards when you enter a career field.  Also, by carefully documenting your research and by identifying the ideas that you have borrowed, you will avoid plagiarism .  Plagiarism is a very serious offense involving the theft of intellectual property, and it can lead to embarrassment, loss of credibility, and even lawsuits (7).  You can avoid plagiarizing by citing other authors when you quote or paraphrase their words and ideas.  Check out the 'citation help' box (to the right) for resources on how to cite books, websites, and articles.  Make sure you are properly citing sources in your papers.

Modern Language Association of America. MLA Handbook, 8th edition, MLA, 2016.

Using Artemis Literary Sources

Kathryn schulz- on being wrong.

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• Last Updated: May 1, 2024 7:49 AM
• URL: https://libguides.jeffco.edu/eng101

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ENG 101 - Current Issues / Topics

Eng 101: Current Issues / Topics

This guide is designed to help you complete a research paper about a current or controversial issue in English 101. Follow the steps below in order - each step builds on the one before it, guiding you through the research project. We offer research advice/tips, as well as recommended sources, citation help, etc.

What's in this Guide:

• Next: 1. Getting Started >>
• 1. Getting Started
• 2. Explore Topics and Issues
• 3. Narrow Your Topic
• 4. Find Sources
• 5. Cite Your Sources
• 6. Write Your Annotated Bib
• 7. Write Your Paper

Questions? Ask a Librarian

• Last Updated: May 8, 2024 9:31 AM
• URL: https://libguides.sccsc.edu/eng101issues

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English 101: Controversial Issues Paper: Research Paper Process Guide

• Research Paper Process Guide
• Literature Guide

Choose your topic

Can't think of a topic , brainstorm..

• What aspects of your research assignment are you interested in?
• What time period of geographic area are you interested in?
• What do you already know about the topic?

Some tips to consider:

• Be sure to pick something that genuinely interests you.
• Ask your instructor, a librarian, or even a classmate for advice or feedback on paper topic ideas.
• Finally, once you've settled on something you want to work on, try to express it as a question. 

General Reference Resources

Browsing  a general reference resource on some subjects areas that interest you might give you some good ideas. 

• Credo Reference This link opens in a new window Broad subject general reference database searching hundreds of encyclopedias and other reference works. Provides subject/topic maps.

A broad ranging general reference collection of ebooks. Search thousands of authoritative reference sources across all fields and disciplines.

Current events

Read through current newspapers and see what is happening in the news that interests you.

This newspaper resource allows users to search articles instantly by title, headline, date, author, newspaper section, or other fields. Provides access to more than 2,300 major U.S. regional, national, and local newspapers, as well as leading titles from around the world. It also includes thousands of images, radio and TV broadcasts and transcripts.

A few "Hot Topic" sources

Here are a few places that outline many important social issues.

• Controversial Issue Projects Ideas 301 Prompts for Argumentative Writing asking questions about some of the more debatable issues of the day.
• Points of View Reference Center This link opens in a new window Provides content to help assess and develop persuasive arguments and essays, better understand controversial issues and develop analytical thinking skills. This database assembles controversial information in a non-biased manner for evaluation by the patron.

Covers today's hottest social issues, from capital punishment to immigration to marijuana. This cross-curricular resource supports science, social studies, current events, and language arts classes. Includes viewpoints, reference articles, infographics, news, images, video, audio, etc. Periodical content covers current events, news and commentary, economics, environmental issues, political science,etc.

Keywords and Subjects

Need help finding the right search terms to help you broaden or narrow your search? 

• Library 101: Identify keywords

Do your research

Gather information to support your argument.

Now that you know what you're writing about, you need to gather your research. This includes your topic's background, current events, data and statistics, and expert opinion and analysis. For this, there are a variety of different resources we like:

This is where you wrap your head around your topic. Look here to find topic overviews; definitions; and to get a general sense of important events, people, and key concepts.

Here are some place to look for information to understand what how your topic is understood within a bigger picture. This might include: current events, historical context, cultural attitudes, literary themes, scientific perspectives, or political controversies.

• History Reference Center This link opens in a new window Covering both U.S. and world history topics, this is a full-text database featuring historical reference books, magazines, journals and thousands of primary source documents. Offers full text from reference books, encyclopedias, and non-fiction books, and includes photos, maps, and videos.

Here's where you find information about your topic's bigger impact, how this is an issue that affects something larger and is meaningful in a broad way. This typically means statistics, but might also mean finding many examples from other sources to support your observations.

• Statista This link opens in a new window An online statistics portal that provides access to data from market and opinion research institutions, as well as from business organizations and government institutions.
• Pew Research Center for the People and the Press Polling statistics on matters of national and global importance
• Statistics Research Guide
• Census Data Produced by the Census Bureau, this is the premier source for population, housing, economic, and geographic data.

Credible Support and Analysis

Because you are making a claim, you need to lean on the credibility of scholars or experts to help support and ground your argument. Here are a number of databases to find peer-reviewed articles on many topics from a variety of subject areas:

A broad subject database which includes peer-reviewed journals, magazines, reference sets and podcasts covering the areas of criminal justice, history, economics, marketing, and psychology. Also includes podcasts and transcripts from NPR and CNN as well as videos from BBC Worldwide Learning.

• Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window Academic Search Complete offers an enormous collection of full-text journals, providing users access to critical information from many sources unique to this database. In addition, it includes peer-reviewed full text for STEM research, as well as for the social sciences and humanities. Scholarly content covers a broad range of important areas of academic study, including anthropology, engineering, law, sciences and more. Topical Video Content Academic Search Complete offers access to video content from the Associated Press, the world’s leading news agency. Videos relevant to the search terms will appear in a carousel in the result list. With footage from 1930 to the present and updated monthly, this collection of more than 75,000 videos covers a wide variety of topics.

Best Bet! Controversial Issues Databases

For a deeper investigation into your topics, books are always going to be helpful.

• Points of View Reference Center This link opens in a new window ● Browse by category or enter words in search box ● Filter by "Points of View" or "Academic Journal" sources
• Opposing Viewpoints: Gale in Context This link opens in a new window ● Browse by Category or enter words in search box ● Filter by "Viewpoints," "Academic Journals," or "Reference" sources

All Library Databases

• Library Research Databases Search for article databases, electronic journals, image collections, statistical sources, and more. If you know where you want to go or would like to browse by subject are, go to the full list of library databases. You can sort by subject area, type of material, and database name.

Search the Library Catalog

Primo is our main search function. Go here to see all of our books, articles, and more.

Research Process Overview

Research basics: a step-by-step guide.

Develop a topic Select a Topic | Develop Research Questions | Identify Keywords | Find Background Information | Refine a Topic

Locate information Books & E-Books | Videos & Images | Articles  | Websites | Search Strategies

Types of Information Information Sources  | Examples of Information Sources  |  Types of Periodicals

Evaluate Help! My News is Fake!  | What Can I Do?  | Let's Check a Claim  |  Check your own claim!​

Write Grammar and Figures of Speech  |  Take Notes | Outline the Paper  

Cite Plagiarism | MLA Format |  APA Format | APA Examples | Annotated Bibliographies  | Additional Citation Styles and Sources

Creating PowerPoint Presentations

Looking for help using TCTC Library Resources? 

• Library Instruction and Online Tutorials Our online Library Tutorials will guide you through the process with both printable handouts and online videos.

Have a specific question?

• Ask a librarian Need help? Ask a librarian! We're available via online chat, email, and phone. Or check out our FAQs to see if someone has already asked your question.

This guide was developed with the Johnson & Wales University Denver Library and is used with permission.

A little more about print titles and the library catalog

Using the library catalog.

Using the catalog isn't difficult, but it can be a little tricky.

• Library Catalog You can always get to the catalog under the "Find" tab at the top of the page under "get Books."

The materials in the Tri-County Technical College Library are organized so that materials on similar subjects are shelved together. We use the Library of Congress classification system to organize our books. It is used by most research and academic libraries in the United States.

• Library of Congress (LC) Classification System Learn more about the Library of Congress classification system and its various categories here.

How to find books using the Library of Congress Classification system 

Each item is given a subject heading that corresponds to a call number which identifies the location of the item on a shelf. 

Items are arranged on the shelves from left to right, top to bottom, according to call numbers. Call numbers are read in this format:

Search Strategies

The keywords you use can have a profound impact on the results of your research. Using the “right” words will speed up the research process, while the “wrong” words can bring to it to a halt.

Before you can begin searching for information, you need to identify keywords related to your topic.

• Use a thesaurus to identify synonyms.
• Find pictures related to your topic, then describe them.
• Brainstorm keywords with a librarian, your instructor, or a friend.
• Use a keyword generator .

Limiting Searches

It is common for an initial search to return an overwhelming number of results. Refining the results allows you to identify exactly the most relevant content.

Each database is a little different, but there are a few common ways to limit your search:

"Show only"

• Peer-Reviewed Journals
• Full Text Online 

"Refine my results"

• Resource type (i.e. Journals, Magazines, Reviews, Critical Essays, Books, Topic Overviews)
• Subject: Depending upon the search, this section lists various standard subject categories and allows the results to be limited to the chosen subject.
• Publication year
• Date: This section allows you to limit the results to items created in particular time periods.You can type dates into the boxes or sometimes there will be a date slider to determine your date search range.
• Often, there will be a “More options” choice--it might be designated by a plus (+) sign--where you will find a full list of available search-refining options; only the most first few will be initially visible. 

Combining and clearing refinements

After you have chosen one refinement, it is possible to continue to choose additional refinements. The results list will then show only results that meet the criteria for all the selected refinements. In most databases the selected refinements are displayed at the top of the results list. To remove a refinement, you will click on the X near its box. Doing so will start a new search without that refinement.

Sorting Results

Your results are sorted by what the database thinks is most relevant to your search. But there are almost always other ways to sort your results. Some of the various sort methods include: 

• Relevance: This tends to be the default sorting method.
• Date: By either newest or oldest
• Author: Alphabetically, by either A-Z or Z-A
• Title:  Alphabetically, by either A-Z or Z-A

A few special things:

All databases have their own unique features for doing typical search procedures that are worth using to help limit your results. Some of these include:

• Search within results
• Search history
• Related articles and links.

Citation information

This guide will help you with the following: 

• Tips to help you  avoid plagiarism
• Some information about MLA Formatting  
• Some information about APA Formatting and Example APA Citations
• Help you understand what an Annotated Bibliography is and how to make one
• To offer some additional citation style tools and information

Need more help?

Did you miss the library workshop for your English 101 or 103 class? Are you taking English online? Or do you just need a refresher on how to do research for a paper? Here are videos that tell you about each step of the research process.

• English 101 Research Paper Worksheet 2016
• Getting Started 2016
• Information Literacy 2016
• Evaluating Sources 2016
• Reference Sources 2016
• Journals vs Magazines 2016
• Database Searching 2016
• Searching for Journals in Databases 2016
• Using the “Find Anything” Search Engine 2016
• eBooks 2016
• Library Books: Print and Online 2016
• How to use the library videos in Blackboard 2016
• Next: Literature Guide >>
• Last Updated: Jan 10, 2024 7:46 AM
• URL: https://library.tctc.edu/eng101

• Collections
• Research Help
• Teaching & Learning
• Library Home

English 101 Research Guide

• Search Encyclopedias
• Need a Topic?
• Get Journal Articles (EbscoHost)
• Brainstorming Activities
• How-to Videos and More
• Newspaper Articles
• Research Activity

Sources for Statistics

Statista provdes marketing and poll data and is easy to use.  You can download charts and PowerPoint reports.

• Statista This link opens in a new window Provides access to statistics and studies gathered by market researchers, trade organizations, scientific publications, and government sources on over 600 industries.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Statistical Abstract of the United States provides categorized census (population) data.

• Statistical Abstract of the United States This link opens in a new window Provides comprehensive summary of statistics on these major topics: Population, Health, Education, Crime, Environment, Government, Human Services, Labor Force, Income, Prices, Business, Science, Agriculture, Energy, Construction, Manufacturing, Trade, Transportation, Information and Communication, Finance, and Arts. The source notes can be used to find more detailed tables and machine-readable datasets.

Find detailed encyclopedia articles about your topic!

Credo reference, find topics and get articles from journals, magazines, and newspapers..

U se the search box or click on the Points of View Reference Center link

• Use Browse by Category to help narrow your topic
• Use Keyword search box at the top of the page

Search Points of View Reference Center

• Points of View Reference Center (Courtesy of WVInfoDepot) This link opens in a new window Term paper resources and topics.

Get articles using the EbscoHost: Academic Search Complete search box!

Search academic search complete.

For better results, always start in Advanced Search .

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• Last Updated: Apr 1, 2024 6:57 PM
• URL: https://libguides.wvu.edu/english101

ENGL 102 - Research Papers

• Planning Your Research
• Library Database Search
• Primo Search
• Credible Web Sources
• Cite Your Sources

Chat with a Librarian

Have deeper questions book a research appointment, class handouts.

• ENGL 102 Class Handout
• Download/print a blank keyword table here.
• Diverse Perspectives Checklist (Example 1)
• Diverse Perspectives Checklist (Example 2)
• Diverse Perspectives Checklist (Fillable)

Research Tip: Know your requirements!

Read your instructor's assignment. Make a mental note of certain requirements, such as:

• Number of required sources
• Variety of sources (peer-reviewed, scholarly, popular, personal interview, etc.)
• Number of written pages
• Citation style

Research Tip: What should I research?

Choosing a research topic is often challenging!  Here are some ideas for picking a topic.

• Explore a topic from a personal experience.
• Watch a TED Talk video for cutting edge research ideas.
• Browse through the library's e-magazines on Flipster  for a story and topic that interest you.

Assistant Professor, Public Services Librarian

Picking your topic is research!

Choosing a topic is the first and most important step of any research paper. This video from North Carolina State University helps outline this process.

Concept Mapping: What are the Advantages?

• Allows flexibility and creativity
• Free flowing, visual representation of your ideas
• Can help narrow down your topic by focusing and developing a single branch from the broad topic
• Can be adapted and revised as you do more research

Concept Mapping: What Does It Look Like?

The video below was created by Penn State University Libraries to explain the process of concept mapping for a research paper.

Research Tip: Start with simple sources.

At times, it may be challenging to come up with keywords or avoid our own biases. Reading an overview article about the topic can help guide your research. Below are some Molstead Library subscription databases to help you find background information on your subject.

• Next: Library Database Search >>
• Last Updated: Apr 1, 2024 4:44 PM
• URL: https://nic.libguides.com/engl102

English 101 (College Writing) Research Guide: Get Started

• Get Started
• Find Articles
• Streaming videos
• Mira Foote Problem Solution Essay
• Contrast Essay Research Tips
• Horace Bearzi ENGL 101
• Keyes Problem Solution Essay
• Keyes Argument Essay
• O'Neal Argumentative Paper
• K. Dine' Mongold assignments
• Bohn Cause and Effect Essay
• Gertz Cause and Effect Essay
• Citing Sources
• Writing Tips

Need a topic idea?

Here are some places you could look for a paper topic:

• Class discussions
• Assigned readings
• Personal interests
• Browse journals in the field
• Hot topics in the news (see links below)
• ACLU Key Issues (American Civil Liberties Union) Click on the "Issues" button for a drop-down of topics such as racial justice and free speech.
• Brookings Institute - Research Research covers topics like foreign policy, healthcare, and social issues.
• Pew Research Center - Topics Index Browse public opinion polls by subject here.
• Urban Institute Nonprofit, authoritative source for unbiased information on current events.
• List of Hot Paper Topics (Saint Ambrose University Library) More popular topics with authoritative sources for students to use in papers.

Gale Virtual Reference Library

Don't know the first thing about climate change or the Vietnam War? Reference sources (like encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks) are a great place to start. Click the link below, and try your topic in the search box.

Print Reference Writing Sources

We have extra copies of each of these books, which you can check out:

• Next: Find Books >>
• Last Updated: Mar 4, 2024 7:44 PM
• URL: https://library.carrollcc.edu/ENGL101

101 English Research Paper Topics, Questions and Ideas

English Research Paper Topics and Ideas

When it comes to English, there is no limit to the topics you can research about. English research paper topic is the question you’re going to answer in your paper based on your research. However, choosing an interesting topic that will capture the attention of your readers and show your academic prowess can be challenging. The trick to getting an idea worth writing about which will also give you a good grade is to pick a topic that you’re interested in and that which you have some background knowledge. It must also be narrow yet have adequate research material and be related to the specific class you’re currently taking. If you’re having trouble finding a good research topic, here are helpful tools on how to get started.

How to Select the Best English Research Paper Topics? Here Is the Easiest Way

Knowing how to select the best research paper topic is an essential skill that every student must have. It is crucial not only for English courses but also for other assignment papers that you will need to write. Selecting a great paper topic starts with choosing a topic of interest. You then need to do background research and brainstorm different ideas.

During the research, you also need to note down various keywords which will help you narrow down your topic. Finally, you need to use the why, who, what and when questions to get different aspects of the topic and to create an outline of how your content is going to look like.

Even with all the information, keep in mind the length, due date and makes sure your topic meets all the assignment requirements.  However, don’t be so focused on your topic that you fail to modify it based on the research. In most instances, during the research process, it is normal to find some other aspects of the topic that are more interesting. So be flexible!

List of English Research Paper Topics for All Students

Your ideal paper topic should be written as a thesis statement. The thesis statement should be between one and two sentences. Keep in mind that the title of your paper may not be the same as your thesis statement, but both should convey the purpose and focus of your research. In English literature, there are so many topics at your disposal that it might overwhelm you. The best way to go about choosing your topic is to look at the different categories.

Look at the similarities between the two genres in the story or what are the differences. Is one genre more effective than the other and how each genre is portrayed in the story? You can also explain how a particular genre emerged or literature in current society.

What issues do the characters try to bring out ion the story? Or how are the characters important to the novel and how do they reflect in real society?  These are some of the research topics you can consider.

• Gender Roles

How is the gender portrayed in the story? What are the roles of men and women in the novel? You can examine equality or gender expectations as part of your research topics.

• Culture and Literature

What cultural issues is the book addressing?

• Politics and Religion

In the novel is there any connection between politics and religion? What beliefs is the book promoting?

Interesting 101 English Research Paper Topics

• Role of technology in economics
• Advantages of studying internationally versus locally
• Importance of teamwork collaboration for nurses
• School-based mandatory student drug testing approach work to reduce illicit substance use in adolescents
• Does pissing on demand: workplace drug testing and the rise of the detox industry by Kenneth D. Tunnell advocate for invasiveness?
• Psychological factors that influence consumer choice
• Should Drug testing be mandatory for student-athletes?
• The benefits of drug testing for welfare individuals
• Employee drug testing can result in business productivity
• Biblical allegories in modern literature
• Steinberg display hypocrisy of modern Christianity
• In The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, rose of Sharon’s baby is a symbol of hope or death
• Important themes in The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and their reflection in today’s society
• Is The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck an educative classic novel or a controversial piece of writing?
• Today’s immigrant can relate to the Joad family in The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
• The issue of accessibility of contraceptives for high school students
• Sexism in the media industry
• Whether or not convicted criminals should be eligible for social welfare
• How hunting can become a necessary means in some cases
• Drawbacks of a democratic political system
• The issue of firearms and whether or not they should be registered with the police
• Effects of gangs in poor urban centers
• The pros and cons of legalizing prostitution
• How early modern treatment of extremes resonate in present-day culture in Excess and the Mean in Early Modern English Literature by Joshua Scodel
• How individual freedom and modern English culture is portrayed in Excess and the Mean in Early Modern English Literature by Joshua Scodel
• How the pleasure of literature can lead to a dark side? Use the book Futile Pleasures: Early Modern Literature and the Limits of Utility by Corey McEleney
• In the book Animal Characters: Nonhuman Beings in Early Modern Literature by Bruce Thomas explain how animal characters relate to the emerging economy and culture of the European Renaissance
• The relationship between literary form and code of conduct in the book Rhetoric and Courtliness in Early Modern Literature by Jennifer Richards
• Importance of digitization of medical records
• The issue of feminist women being too harsh on other women who don’t support the movement
• Life in London in the 18 th century
• Ethical use of stem cells
• Golan Heights and its importance to the Israelites
• Various conflicts that have revolved around the Golan Heights
• The issue of who are the legal occupants of Golan Height
• Strange medieval family laws and their influence on society
• The significance of the little bird in Trifles by Susan Glaspell
• Changes in the role of women from Susan Glaspell’s Trifles
• Use The Monk by Matthew Lewis as a response to formal realism.
• The role of feminine men and masculine men in The Monk by Matthew Lewis
• Feminism in Susan Glaspell’s Trifles
• The role of violence in Victorian society in Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold
• Literary criticism of The Monk by Mathew Lewis
• Sea symbolism in Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold
• How is the Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold a presentation of a changing world?
• Is Susan Glaspell’s trifle the ultimate women suffrage story?
• The Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold is a mockery of the Victorian society
• Compare and contrast the Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold and The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S Eliot
• The perception of how women love in the legend of La Llorona
• The expectation of women in Marge Piercy’s Barbie Doll
• Unfair treatment of women in the poem A work of Artifice by Marge Piercy
• Discuss the theme of industrialization, corruption, and capitalism using Williams Blake’s London
• London in the eighteenth century by William Blake’s London
• Criticism of gender roles in The Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
• Social distinction in The Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
• Dehumanization effects of colonialism in Heart of Darkness by Josef Conrad
• The theme of racism in Heart of Darkness by Josef Conrad
• How the characters portray differences in social class in Pamela by Samuel Richardson
• Teachers using modern technology affect the quality of education
• How modern-day heroes shape young people
• How marriage has changed for modern society
• The link between illegal immigration and terrorism
• The drawbacks of online dating apps
• European influence on fashion in the world
• How myths about eating certain foods are affecting health
• Are UFOS a reality or fiction?
• Pros and Cons of e-learning
• Is bodybuilding only for boosting ego or for health reasons
• The America dream for immigrants and minorities
• How technology is revolutionizing terrorism
• Eliminating the SAT for college admission can make education better
• How the role of women in the military and battlefield has changed?
• How depression affects human behavior
• The genetic link to optimism can shape attitudes. Explain
• Violent discipline by caregivers affects a child’s mental growth
• Therapy and how it can be an effective rehabilitation method for hardcore prisoners
• Secondhand smoke is the major cause of lung cancer deaths
• How alternative medicine for cancer is unsafe
• Children should be taught at school about various types of sexual orientation
• Cybercrime is the new terrorism
• The impact of Bioterrorism
• The refugee crisis is increasing terrorism
• Social media and modeling industry: Is social media making it easy for models to become rich?
• Industrialization and agricultural activities are the greatest contributors to climate change
• Effects of commercialization of sports
• Negative effects of doing the wrong exercises
• Dangers of consuming organic foods
• Dangers of weight lifting on women
• Whether or not sports betting should be regulated
• Should gambling addiction be ranked in the same category as hard drugs?
• Athletes are excelling because of their professional trainers
• The modern pop musician has more influence than musicians of 80s
• The definition of feminism has changed since the 18th century
• Going to music school influences the success of a modern musician
• Tobacco advertising and its effects
• How obsession with healthy eating can drive more people into anorexia
• The link between Social media and suicide for teenagers and youths
• Should it be mandatory for parents to control their kid’s social media accounts
• The civil rights movement and the effects
• Analysis of strategies used to alter consumer attitudes
• Globalization and how it affects the economy

Examples of English Research Paper Questions

One of the main parts of writing English research paper is to define the research paper question. The question often leads to a hypothesis or thesis statement. Good research questions will generally be based on the who, why, how and what type of questions.

For example, what are the main questions that a reader might ask in this topic or what are your opinions about the topic and who is affected by it? How is the culture portrayed in that particular novel or book? Which political values is the novel questioning? What are the differences and similarities between the two characters?

Once you have a couple of various research questions, you can choose the top three questions and use them to generate a thesis statement.  You can then construct your paper around good research questions. If you don’t have a clue what to write, here are a couple of questions to inspire you.

• Is random drug testing in a workplace ethical and necessary?
• Do pharmaceutical companies view Ebola vaccine as unprofitable?
• Has the role of the first lady changed?
• Does motivation play a role in human development?
• Should the use of marijuana be regulated?
• Have the effects of religious cults changed today as compared to those in ancient society?
• Is technology affecting health management?
• Is it ethical to wear fur coats?
• If a college education is made free, will it be more or less qualitative?
• Are standardized tests a good way to evaluate a student’s knowledge?

How to Come up with the Best English Research Paper Ideas

The main point of choosing a research topic is to go for aspects of the subjects that you understood better and that which interests you the most. What’s great about a teacher asking you to come up with a research topic is that you can go in any direction that you want. You can look at imagery within the novel, or discuss the allegory of two random but related novels.

However, the process of coming up with English research paper topic that will impress your lecturer is not easy. If you don’t understand your assignments, then don’t hesitate to use our services. Feel free to call us now, and we will help you narrow down good topics that your lecturer will love.

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