Research Topic Examples

If you started to brainstorm with: Napster
Your focused research question might be: Am I infringing on musicians' rights when I use Napster?
Your thesis statement might be: Napster is at the center of the current Internet copyright controversy. Individuals wanting to share the music they love are at legal odds with the music industry wanting to be paid for the music it produces.
Your keywords might be: Napster, music, sharing, Internet, copyright, musicians

If you started to brainstorm with: Degas
Your focused research question might be: What was the impact of New Orleans on the painting of Edgar Degas?
Your thesis statement might be: Edgar Degas' visits to his uncle's plantation in Louisiana influenced his later painting.
Your keywords might be: Edgar Degas, Louisiana, New Orleans, impressionist painting

If you started to brainstorm with: wolves in Yellowstone
Your focused research question might be: How have the wolves in Yellowstone affected local ranching in the past five years?
Your thesis statement might be: The introduction of wolves into Yellowstone in the past five years has impacted local cattle ranches.
Your keywords might be: wolves, wolf, Yellowstone, ranchers, ranching

If you started to brainstorm with: legalization of marijuana
Your focused research question might be: What would be the effects of legalizing marijuana on the terminally ill?
Your thesis statement might be: Legalizing marijuana would positively affect terminally ill patients.
Your keywords might be: marijuana, cannabis, legalization, legalize, legal, therapeutic, medical legalization of marijuana

If you started to brainstorm with: sports and violence
Your focused research question might be: Are professional athletes more violent than the average male?
Your thesis statement might be: Many factors contribute to a higher than average rate of violence among professional athletes.
Your keywords might be: professional athletes, sports, violence, abuse

If you started to brainstorm with: Lake Powell
Your focused research question might be: Should Lake Powell be drained?
Your thesis statement might be: Draining Lake Powell would affect the environment, economy, and electricity supply.
Your keywords might be: Lake Powell, environment, economy, drain, drained

If you started to brainstorm with: Parental involvement in schools
Your focused research question might be: How can parental involvement improve a child's learning?
Your thesis statement might be: Parental involvement brings academic success.
Your keywords might be: parents, parental, schools, involvement

If you started to brainstorm with: Influence of military research on society
Your focused research question might be: What scientific knowledge useful to the civilian community has come from military research?
Your thesis statement might be: The military has produced much scientific knowledge useful to society.
Your keywords might be: military, research, civilian, society

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