50+ High School Research Paper Topics to Ace Your Grades

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Table of contents

  • 1 How to Choose High School Research Paper Topics
  • 2.1 Education
  • 2.2 World history
  • 2.3 Mental Health
  • 2.4 Science
  • 2.6 Healthcare finance research topics
  • 2.7 Environmental
  • 2.8 Entrepreneurship
  • 3 Conclusion

Research papers are common assignments in high school systems worldwide. It is a scientific term that refers to essays where students share what they’ve learned after thoroughly researching one specific topic. Why do high schools impose them?

Writing a well-structured and organized research paper is key to teaching students how to make critical connections, express understanding, summarize data, and communicate findings.

Students don’t only have to come up with several high school research paper topics, choose one, and produce a research paper. A good topic will help you connect with the evaluating public, or in this case, your professors and classmates. However, many students struggle with finding the right high school research topics.

This is why we’ve put together this guide on choosing topics for a high school research paper and over 50 topic ideas you can use or get inspired with.

How to Choose High School Research Paper Topics

Since you are about to go through over 50 high school research topics, you might get overwhelmed. To avoid it, you need to know how to choose the right research paper topic for you.

The most important thing to consider is the time needed to complete a paper on a particular topic. Too broad topics will wear you out, and you might fail to meet the deadline. This is why you should always stick to, shall we say, not-too-broad and well-defined topics.

Since you will spend some time researching and writing, you need to consider your motivation too. Choosing a topic that you find interesting will help you fuel your research and paper writing capabilities. If your efforts turn out to be futile and the deadline is dangerously close, you can always look for a research paper for sale to ace your grade.

Most Interesting & Easy Research Topics for High School students

Since there are many research paper ideas for high school students, we didn’t want to just provide you with a list. Your interest is an essential factor when choosing a topic. This is why we’ve put them in 8 categories. Feel free to jump to a category that you find the most engaging. If you don’t have the time, here at StudyClerk, we are standing by to deliver a completely custom research paper to you.

If you are interested in education, you should consider choosing an education research topic for high school students. Below you can find ten topics you can use as inspiration.

  • Should High Schools Impose Mandatory Vaccination On Students?
  • The Benefits Of Charter Schools For The Public Education System
  • Homeschooling Vs. Traditional Schooling: Which One Better Sets Students For Success
  • Should Public Education Continue To Promote Diversity? Why?
  • The Most Beneficial Funding Programs For Students
  • The Effects Of The Rising Price Of College Tuitions On High School Students
  • Discuss The Most Noteworthy Advantages And Disadvantages Of Standardized Testing
  • What Are The Alternatives To Standardized Testing?
  • Does Gap Year Between High School And College Set Students For Success?
  • Identify And Discuss The Major Benefits Of Group Projects For High Schoolers

World history

World history is rich, fun, and engaging. There are numerous attractive topics to choose from. If history is something that has you on your toes, you’ll find the following world history research topics for high school fascinating.

  • The Origin Of The Israel-Palestine Conflict And Possible Resolutions
  • The History Of The USA Occupation Of Iraq
  • Choose A Famous Assassinated World Leader And Discuss What Led To The Assassination
  • Discuss A Historical Invention And How It Changed The Lives Of People Worldwide
  • Has The World’s Leading Countries’ Response To Climate Change Improved Or Declined Over The Last Decade?
  • How The President Of Belarus Manages To Stay In Power For Over 25 Years
  • Which Event In World History Had The Most Impact On Your Country?

Mental Health

Many governments worldwide work on increasing mental health awareness. The following mental health topics for high school research papers will put you in a position to contribute to this very important movement.

  • Discuss The Main Ways Stress Affects The Body
  • Can Daily Exercises Benefit Mental Health? How?
  • Should More Counselors Work In High Schools? Why?
  • Discuss The Major Factors That Contribute To Poor Mental And Physical Well-Being
  • In What Ways Has The Worldwide Pandemic Affected People’s Mental Health?
  • Explore The Relationship Between Social Media And Mental Health Disorders
  • How The Public School System Cares For The Mental Health Of Students
  • What Is The Most Effective Psychotherapy For High Schoolers?

Science is one of those fields where there is always something new you can research. If you need a science research topic for high school students, feel free to use any of the following.

  • How Can Civilization Save Coral Reefs?
  • What Are Black Holes, And What Is Their Role?
  • Explain Sugar Chemistry That Enables Us To Make Candies
  • What Are The Biggest Successes Of The Epa In The Last Decade?
  • Is There A Way To Reverse Climate Change? How?
  • What Solutions Does Science Offer To Resolve The Drinking Water Crisis In The Future?

Many teenagers find inspiration in music, so why not choose some music high school research paper topics.

  • In What Way Music Education Benefits High School Students?
  • How Famous Musicians Impact Pop Music
  • Classification Of Music Instruments: Discuss The Sachs-Hornbostel System
  • Did Sound Effect Technology Change The Music Industry? How?
  • How Did Online Streaming Platforms Help Music Evolve?
  • How Does Music Software Emulate Sounds Of Different Instruments?

Healthcare finance research topics

Healthcare and finance go hand in hand. Shining light on some exciting correlations between these two fields can be engaging. Here are some topics that you can consider.

  • How Can Patient Management Systems Save Money In Hospitals?
  • The Pros And Cons Of The Public Healthcare System
  • Should Individuals Or The Government Pay For Healthcare?
  • What Is Obama-Care And How It Benefits Americans?
  • The Most Noteworthy Developments In The History Of Healthcare Financing

Environmental

Our environment has been a hot topic for quite some time now. There is a lot of research to back up your claims and make logical assumptions. Here are some environmental high school research topics you can choose from.

  • What Is The Impact Of Offshore Drilling On The Environment?
  • Do We Need Climate Change Legislation? Why?
  • Are Ecotourism And Tropical Fishing Viable Ways To Save And Recuperate Endangered Areas And Animals?
  • The Impact Of Disposable Products On The Environment
  • Discuss The Benefits Of Green Buildings To Our Environment
  • Find And Discuss A Large-Scale Recent Project That Helped Restore Balance In An Area

Entrepreneurship

Many students struggle with having to find good entrepreneurship research paper ideas for high school. This is why we’ve developed a list of topics to inspire your research.

  • What Is Entrepreneurship?
  • Are People Born With An Entrepreneurial Spirit, Or Can You Learn It?
  • Discuss The Major Entrepreneurship Theories
  • Does Entrepreneurship Affect The Growth Of The Economy?
  • Which Character Traits Are Commonly Found In Successful Entrepreneurs?
  • The Pros And Cons Of Having A Traditional Job And Being An Entrepreneur
  • Discuss Entrepreneurship As One Of The Solutions To Unemployment
  • What Is Crowdfunding, And How It’s Related To Entrepreneurship
  • The Most Common Challenges Entrepreneurs Face
  • How Social Media Made A Lot Of Successful Entrepreneurs

Hopefully, you’ll find these high school research paper topics inspirational. The categories are there to help you choose easily. Here at StudyClerk, we know how hard it is to complete all assignments in time and ace all your grades. If you are struggling with writing, feel free to contact us about our writing services, and we’ll help you come on top of your research paper assignment no matter how complex it is.

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research essay ideas for high school

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The Big List of Essay Topics for High School (120+ Ideas!)

Ideas to inspire every young writer!

What one class should all high schools students be required to take and pass in order to graduate?

High school students generally do a lot of writing, learning to use language clearly, concisely, and persuasively. When it’s time to choose an essay topic, though, it’s easy to come up blank. If that’s the case, check out this huge round-up of essay topics for high school. You’ll find choices for every subject and writing style.

  • Argumentative Essay Topics
  • Cause-and-Effect Essay Topics
  • Compare-Contrast Essay Topics
  • Descriptive Essay Topics
  • Expository and Informative Essay Topics
  • Humorous Essay Topics

Literary Essay Topics

  • Narrative and Personal Essay Topics
  • Personal Essay Topics
  • Persuasive Essay Topics

Research Essay Topics

Argumentative essay topics for high school.

When writing an argumentative essay, remember to do the research and lay out the facts clearly. Your goal is not necessarily to persuade someone to agree with you, but to encourage your reader to accept your point of view as valid. Here are some possible argumentative topics to try. ( Here are 100 more compelling argumentative essay topics. )

  • The most important challenge our country is currently facing is … (e.g., immigration, gun control, economy)
  • The government should provide free internet access for every citizen.
  • All drugs should be legalized, regulated, and taxed.
  • Vaping is less harmful than smoking tobacco.
  • The best country in the world is …
  • Parents should be punished for their minor children’s crimes.
  • Should all students have the ability to attend college for free?
  • Should physical education be part of the standard high school curriculum?

Should physical education be part of the standard high school curriculum?

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  • Schools should require recommended vaccines for all students, with very limited exceptions.
  • Is it acceptable to use animals for experiments and research?
  • Does social media do more harm than good?
  • Capital punishment does/does not deter crime.
  • What one class should all high schools students be required to take and pass in order to graduate?
  • Do we really learn anything from history, or does it just repeat itself over and over?
  • Are men and women treated equally?

Cause-and-Effect Essay Topics for High School

A cause-and-effect essay is a type of argumentative essay. Your goal is to show how one specific thing directly influences another specific thing. You’ll likely need to do some research to make your point. Here are some ideas for cause-and-effect essays. ( Get a big list of 100 cause-and-effect essay topics here. )

  • Humans are causing accelerated climate change.
  • Fast-food restaurants have made human health worse over the decades.
  • What caused World War II? (Choose any conflict for this one.)
  • Describe the effects social media has on young adults.

Describe the effects social media has on young adults.

  • How does playing sports affect people?
  • What are the effects of loving to read?
  • Being an only/oldest/youngest/middle child makes you …
  • What effect does violence in movies or video games have on kids?
  • Traveling to new places opens people’s minds to new ideas.
  • Racism is caused by …

Compare-Contrast Essay Topics for High School

As the name indicates, in compare-and-contrast essays, writers show the similarities and differences between two things. They combine descriptive writing with analysis, making connections and showing dissimilarities. The following ideas work well for compare-contrast essays. ( Find 80+ compare-contrast essay topics for all ages here. )

  • Public and private schools
  • Capitalism vs. communism
  • Monarchy or democracy
  • Dogs vs. cats as pets

Dogs vs. cats as pets

  • Paper books or e-books
  • Two political candidates in a current race
  • Going to college vs. starting work full-time
  • Working your way through college as you go or taking out student loans
  • iPhone or Android
  • Instagram vs. Twitter (or choose any other two social media platforms)

Descriptive Essay Topics for High School

Bring on the adjectives! Descriptive writing is all about creating a rich picture for the reader. Take readers on a journey to far-off places, help them understand an experience, or introduce them to a new person. Remember: Show, don’t tell. These topics make excellent descriptive essays.

  • Who is the funniest person you know?
  • What is your happiest memory?
  • Tell about the most inspirational person in your life.
  • Write about your favorite place.
  • When you were little, what was your favorite thing to do?
  • Choose a piece of art or music and explain how it makes you feel.
  • What is your earliest memory?

What is your earliest memory?

  • What’s the best/worst vacation you’ve ever taken?
  • Describe your favorite pet.
  • What is the most important item in the world to you?
  • Give a tour of your bedroom (or another favorite room in your home).
  • Describe yourself to someone who has never met you.
  • Lay out your perfect day from start to finish.
  • Explain what it’s like to move to a new town or start a new school.
  • Tell what it would be like to live on the moon.

Expository and Informative Essay Topics for High School

Expository essays set out clear explanations of a particular topic. You might be defining a word or phrase or explaining how something works. Expository or informative essays are based on facts, and while you might explore different points of view, you won’t necessarily say which one is “better” or “right.” Remember: Expository essays educate the reader. Here are some expository and informative essay topics to explore. ( See 70+ expository and informative essay topics here. )

  • What makes a good leader?
  • Explain why a given school subject (math, history, science, etc.) is important for students to learn.
  • What is the “glass ceiling” and how does it affect society?
  • Describe how the internet changed the world.
  • What does it mean to be a good teacher?

What does it mean to be a good teacher?

  • Explain how we could colonize the moon or another planet.
  • Discuss why mental health is just as important as physical health.
  • Describe a healthy lifestyle for a teenager.
  • Choose an American president and explain how their time in office affected the country.
  • What does “financial responsibility” mean?

Humorous Essay Topics for High School

Humorous essays can take on any form, like narrative, persuasive, or expository. You might employ sarcasm or satire, or simply tell a story about a funny person or event. Even though these essay topics are lighthearted, they still take some skill to tackle well. Give these ideas a try.

  • What would happen if cats (or any other animal) ruled the world?
  • What do newborn babies wish their parents knew?
  • Explain the best ways to be annoying on social media.
  • Invent a wacky new sport, explain the rules, and describe a game or match.

Explain why it's important to eat dessert first.

  • Imagine a discussion between two historic figures from very different times, like Cleopatra and Queen Elizabeth I.
  • Retell a familiar story in tweets or other social media posts.
  • Describe present-day Earth from an alien’s point of view.
  • Choose a fictional character and explain why they should be the next president.
  • Describe a day when kids are in charge of everything, at school and at home.

Literary essays analyze a piece of writing, like a book or a play. In high school, students usually write literary essays about the works they study in class. These literary essay topic ideas focus on books students often read in high school, but many of them can be tweaked to fit other works as well.

  • Discuss the portrayal of women in Shakespeare’s Othello .
  • Explore the symbolism used in The Scarlet Letter .
  • Explain the importance of dreams in Of Mice and Men .
  • Compare and contrast the romantic relationships in Pride and Prejudice .

Analyze the role of the witches in Macbeth.

  • Dissect the allegory of Animal Farm and its relation to contemporary events.
  • Interpret the author’s take on society and class structure in The Great Gatsby .
  • Explore the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia.
  • Discuss whether Shakespeare’s portrayal of young love in Romeo and Juliet is accurate.
  • Explain the imagery used in Beowulf .

Narrative and Personal Essay Topics for High School

Think of a narrative essay like telling a story. Use some of the same techniques that you would for a descriptive essay, but be sure you have a beginning, middle, and end. A narrative essay doesn’t necessarily need to be personal, but they often are. Take inspiration from these narrative and personal essay topics.

  • Describe a performance or sporting event you took part in.
  • Explain the process of cooking and eating your favorite meal.
  • Write about meeting your best friend for the first time and how your relationship developed.
  • Tell about learning to ride a bike or drive a car.
  • Describe a time in your life when you’ve been scared.

Write about a time when you or someone you know displayed courage.

  • Share the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you.
  • Tell about a time when you overcame a big challenge.
  • Tell the story of how you learned an important life lesson.
  • Describe a time when you or someone you know experienced prejudice or oppression.
  • Explain a family tradition, how it developed, and its importance today.
  • What is your favorite holiday? How does your family celebrate it?
  • Retell a familiar story from the point of view of a different character.
  • Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision.
  • Tell about your proudest moment.

Persuasive Essay Topics for High School

Persuasive essays are similar to argumentative , but they rely less on facts and more on emotion to sway the reader. It’s important to know your audience, so you can anticipate any counterarguments they might make and try to overcome them. Try these topics to persuade someone to come around to your point of view. ( Discover 60 more intriguing persuasive essay topics here. )

  • Do you think homework should be required, optional, or not given at all?
  • Everyone should be vegetarian or vegan.
  • What animal makes the best pet?
  • Visit an animal shelter, choose an animal that needs a home, and write an essay persuading someone to adopt that animal.
  • Who is the world’s best athlete, present or past?
  • Should little kids be allowed to play competitive sports?
  • Are professional athletes/musicians/actors overpaid?
  • The best music genre is …

What is one book that everyone should be required to read?

  • Is democracy the best form of government?
  • Is capitalism the best form of economy?
  • Students should/should not be able to use their phones during the school day.
  • Should schools have dress codes?
  • If I could change one school rule, it would be …
  • Is year-round school a good idea?

A research essay is a classic high school assignment. These papers require deep research into primary source documents, with lots of supporting facts and evidence that’s properly cited. Research essays can be in any of the styles shown above. Here are some possible topics, across a variety of subjects.

  • Which country’s style of government is best for the people who live there?
  • Choose a country and analyze its development from founding to present day.
  • Describe the causes and effects of a specific war.
  • Formulate an ideal economic plan for our country.
  • What scientific discovery has had the biggest impact on life today?

Tell the story of the development of artificial intelligence so far, and describe its impacts along the way.

  • Analyze the way mental health is viewed and treated in this country.
  • Explore the ways systemic racism impacts people in all walks of life.
  • Defend the importance of teaching music and the arts in public schools.
  • Choose one animal from the endangered species list, and propose a realistic plan to protect it.

What are some of your favorite essay topics for high school? Come share your prompts on the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, check out the ultimate guide to student writing contests .

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  • A Research Guide
  • Research Paper Topics

120 Research Paper Topics for High School

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How to Choose a Topic for High School Research Paper:

High school psychology research paper topics:.

  • The impact of social media on adolescent mental health
  • The effects of bullying on the psychological well-being of high school students
  • The relationship between academic stress and anxiety in high school students
  • The influence of parental involvement on the academic achievement of high school students
  • The role of self-esteem in teenage substance abuse
  • The effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance in adolescents
  • The impact of peer pressure on decision-making in high school students
  • The relationship between body image dissatisfaction and eating disorders among teenagers
  • The effects of video games on aggression levels in adolescents
  • The role of mindfulness in reducing stress and improving mental health in high school students
  • The influence of family dynamics on the development of personality traits in teenagers
  • The effects of music on mood regulation in adolescents
  • The relationship between teenage pregnancy and psychological outcomes
  • The impact of gender stereotypes on academic and career choices in high school students
  • The role of cultural factors in shaping adolescent identity formation

High School Sociology Research Paper Topics:

  • The impact of social media on teenage self-esteem
  • The role of gender stereotypes in high school sports
  • The effects of bullying on academic performance among high school students
  • The influence of family dynamics on teenage substance abuse
  • The relationship between socioeconomic status and educational achievement
  • The impact of peer pressure on teenage decision-making
  • The role of cultural diversity in promoting tolerance and acceptance in high schools
  • The effects of single-parent households on adolescent development
  • The influence of school uniforms on student behavior and academic performance
  • The relationship between parental involvement and student success in high school
  • The impact of standardized testing on educational inequality
  • The role of race and ethnicity in educational opportunities and outcomes
  • The effects of social class on access to higher education
  • The influence of media on body image and eating disorders among high school students
  • The relationship between school climate and student mental health

High School Education Research Paper Topics:

  • The impact of standardized testing on student performance
  • The effectiveness of inclusive education for students with disabilities
  • The role of technology in enhancing learning outcomes in high school classrooms
  • The influence of parental involvement on academic achievement in high school
  • The effects of school bullying on students’ mental health and academic performance
  • The benefits and challenges of implementing project-based learning in high schools
  • The impact of socioeconomic status on educational opportunities and outcomes in high school
  • The role of school counselors in supporting students’ college and career readiness
  • The effectiveness of different teaching methods in high school science education
  • The relationship between physical activity and academic performance in high school students
  • The impact of social media on students’ academic engagement and achievement
  • The effectiveness of sex education programs in reducing teenage pregnancy rates in high schools
  • The influence of teacher-student relationships on students’ motivation and academic success
  • The role of arts education in fostering creativity and critical thinking skills in high school students
  • The effects of early school start times on students’ sleep patterns and academic performance

High School History Research Paper Topics:

  • The impact of the Industrial Revolution on society and the economy
  • The causes and consequences of World War I
  • The role of women in the American Civil Rights Movement
  • The rise and fall of the Roman Empire
  • The effects of the Great Depression on American society
  • The origins and consequences of the Cold War
  • The impact of the French Revolution on European politics and society
  • The role of propaganda in shaping public opinion during World War II
  • The causes and consequences of the American Revolution
  • The influence of ancient Greek philosophy on modern Western thought
  • The impact of the Civil Rights Movement on racial equality in the United States
  • The causes and consequences of the Holocaust
  • The role of religion in the colonization of the Americas
  • The effects of the Vietnam War on American society and politics
  • The rise and fall of apartheid in South Africa

High School Chemistry Research Paper Topics:

  • The effects of different catalysts on the rate of a chemical reaction
  • Investigating the properties and applications of graphene in nanotechnology
  • Analyzing the impact of pH on enzyme activity
  • Exploring the synthesis and characterization of biodegradable polymers
  • Investigating the role of antioxidants in preventing oxidative stress
  • Analyzing the effects of different concentrations of acids on metal corrosion
  • Investigating the principles and applications of chromatography in chemical analysis
  • Exploring the synthesis and properties of superconducting materials
  • Analyzing the effects of different factors on the rate of photosynthesis
  • Investigating the principles and applications of electrochemistry in energy storage
  • Exploring the synthesis and properties of carbon nanotubes
  • Analyzing the effects of different factors on the rate of a chemical equilibrium
  • Investigating the principles and applications of spectroscopy in chemical analysis
  • Exploring the synthesis and properties of biocompatible materials for medical applications
  • Analyzing the effects of different factors on the rate of a redox reaction

High School Medical Research Paper Topics:

  • The impact of social media on mental health among high school students
  • The effectiveness of school-based interventions in preventing teenage pregnancy
  • The relationship between sleep patterns and academic performance in high school students
  • The prevalence and consequences of substance abuse among teenagers
  • The role of physical activity in reducing stress and anxiety among high school students
  • The impact of bullying on mental health and well-being in adolescents
  • The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in reducing symptoms of depression among high school students
  • The relationship between nutrition and academic achievement in high school students
  • The prevalence and consequences of eating disorders among teenagers
  • The impact of technology use on sleep quality and quantity in high school students
  • The effectiveness of school-based sexual education programs in preventing sexually transmitted infections
  • The relationship between screen time and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in adolescents
  • The prevalence and consequences of self-harm behaviors among high school students
  • The impact of peer pressure on substance abuse and risky behaviors in teenagers
  • The effectiveness of school-based mental health programs in promoting emotional well-being among high school students

High School Environmental Research Paper Topics:

  • The impact of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems
  • The effectiveness of renewable energy sources in reducing carbon emissions
  • The role of deforestation in climate change
  • The effects of air pollution on human health
  • The importance of biodiversity conservation in maintaining ecosystem stability
  • The relationship between water scarcity and agricultural practices
  • The impact of climate change on wildlife habitats
  • The role of sustainable agriculture in food security
  • The effects of urbanization on local ecosystems
  • The significance of recycling and waste management in reducing environmental pollution
  • The relationship between pesticide use and declining bee populations
  • The impact of industrial pollution on freshwater ecosystems
  • The effectiveness of environmental policies in reducing greenhouse gas emissions
  • The role of environmental education in promoting sustainable practices
  • The effects of ocean acidification on coral reefs and marine life

High School Economic Research Paper Topics:

  • The impact of minimum wage on employment rates
  • The relationship between economic growth and income inequality
  • The effects of globalization on local economies
  • The role of government intervention in market failures
  • The economic consequences of climate change
  • The influence of consumer behavior on market demand
  • The economic implications of immigration policies
  • The relationship between education and economic development
  • The effects of automation on employment opportunities
  • The role of entrepreneurship in economic growth
  • The impact of trade policies on domestic industries
  • The economic consequences of healthcare reform
  • The relationship between inflation and unemployment
  • The effects of fiscal and monetary policies on economic stability
  • The role of technology in shaping future economic trends

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100+ High School Research Paper Topics [Updated]

high school research paper topics

Hey there, high school students! Have you ever felt a bit overwhelmed when your teacher mentioned a research paper? No worries – it’s totally normal. In fact, tackling a research paper is like embarking on an exciting journey where you get to explore topics you’re interested in, do your own research, and become a critical thinking pro! This blog post is like your trusty map for this adventure. It’s here to help you create top-notch high school research paper topics without the stress.

What is The Significance of Research?

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Before delving into the intricacies of crafting a research paper, it’s crucial to understand the significance of this academic exercise. Research papers serve as a platform for students to explore a chosen topic in depth, analyze existing literature, and contribute to the broader conversation within a particular field. 

The process of conducting research enhances critical thinking, analytical, and communication skills—essential attributes for success in higher education and beyond.

How to Write a Research Paper?

Writing a research paper can seem like a daunting task, but with a structured approach, it becomes much more manageable. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you through the process:

  • Choose a Topic
  • Pick a topic that interests you and is relevant to your assignment.
  • Make sure it’s not too broad or too narrow; find a balance.
  • Conduct Preliminary Research
  • Gather some initial information to ensure there’s enough material available.
  • Note down key points and potential sources.
  • Develop a Thesis Statement
  • Formulate a clear and concise thesis statement that outlines the main purpose or argument of your paper.
  • Create an Outline
  • Form an outline that is structured based on your research and ideas.
  • Assign headings to the sections of your work, such as introduction, methods, findings, discussion, and conclusion.
  • Write the Introduction
  • Provide background information on your topic.
  • State the purpose of your research and present your thesis statement.
  • Review the Literature
  • Summarize existing research related to your topic.
  • Identify gaps or controversies in the literature.
  • Detail the Methodology
  • Explain your research design (e.g., experiment, survey, case study).
  • Describe the data collection process and justify your chosen method.
  • Present the Results
  • Showcase your findings using tables, graphs, or charts.
  • Analyze the results and connect them to your thesis statement.
  • Discuss Your Findings
  • Compare your results to existing research.
  • Explore the broader implications and practical applications.
  • Encourage critical thinking and discussion.
  • Write the Conclusion
  • Summarize the key findings.
  • Restate your thesis and highlight its importance.
  • Suggest directions for future research.
  • Cite Your Sources
  • Compile a list of all sources cited in your paper.
  • Use a specific citation style (e.g., APA, MLA) as per your assignment guidelines.
  • Revise and Edit
  • Review your paper for clarity, coherence, and grammar.
  • Make sure your arguments flow logically, and check for any spelling or punctuation errors.
  • Seek Feedback
  • Ask a friend, family member, or teacher to review your paper.
  • Consider their feedback and make necessary revisions.
  • Finalize Your Paper
  • Double-check formatting and ensure your paper adheres to any specific requirements.
  • Submit your well-crafted research paper on time!

100+ High School Research Paper Topics

  • Climate Change: Impact and Mitigation Strategies
  • The Effects of Social Media on Teenagers’ Mental Health
  • Cybersecurity: Protecting Against Online Threats
  • The History and Impact of Vaccines
  • Gender Inequality in the Workplace
  • Artificial Intelligence: Boon or Bane?
  • Environmental Pollution: Causes and Solutions
  • The Influence of Pop Culture on Society
  • The Importance of Financial Literacy for High School Students
  • The Rise of E-commerce and Its Effects on Traditional Retail
  • Bullying in Schools: Causes and Prevention
  • The Role of Women in History
  • Genetic Engineering: Ethical Considerations
  • The Impact of Video Games on Adolescent Behavior
  • Youth Activism: Examining Movements and Causes
  • The Relationship Between Diet and Academic Performance
  • The History and Impact of Space Exploration
  • Mental Health Stigma: Breaking the Silence
  • The Future of Renewable Energy
  • The Evolution of Language: From Ancient to Modern
  • The Influence of Art and Music on Society
  • Cultural Appropriation: Understanding the Debate
  • The Rise of Online Education: Pros and Cons
  • Human Trafficking: A Global Issue
  • The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Academic Performance
  • The Impact of Social Class on Educational Opportunities
  • The History of Civil Rights Movements
  • Technology Addiction: Causes and Solutions
  • The Role of Government in Public Health
  • Animal Testing: Ethical Dilemmas
  • The Influence of Literature on Social Change
  • Gun Control: Balancing Rights and Safety
  • The Importance of Diversity in Education
  • The Rise of Single-Parent Families: Causes and Effects
  • The Role of Mass Media in Shaping Public Opinion
  • The Future of Space Travel and Colonization
  • The Impact of Globalization on Local Cultures
  • Teenage Pregnancy: Causes and Prevention
  • The History and Impact of Rock and Roll Music
  • The Ethics of Cloning and Genetic Modification
  • The Effectiveness of Anti-Smoking Campaigns
  • The Impact of Social and Economic Inequality
  • Human Rights Violations: A Global Perspective
  • The Role of Religion in Shaping Societal Norms
  • The History and Impact of Hip-Hop Culture
  • Online Privacy: Balancing Security and Freedom
  • The Effects of Fast Food on Health
  • The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Employment
  • Climate Change Denial: Causes and Consequences
  • The Influence of Ancient Philosophers on Modern Thought
  • Internet Censorship: Balancing Free Speech and Security
  • The Effects of Parental Involvement on Academic Achievement
  • The Impact of Social Media Influencers on Consumer Behavior
  • Renewable Energy: Exploring Alternatives
  • The History and Impact of Feminism
  • Technology and Education: Enhancing or Hindering Learning?
  • The Role of Social Institutions in Shaping Behavior
  • The Impact of Colonialism on Indigenous Peoples
  • The Evolution of Human Rights
  • The Influence of Advertising on Consumer Choices
  • The Importance of STEM Education
  • The Effects of Peer Pressure on Teenagers
  • The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Healthcare
  • The Role of Religion in Shaping Political Beliefs
  • Cyberbullying: Causes and Solutions
  • The Influence of Literature on Cultural Identity
  • The Impact of Social Media on Political Activism
  • The Importance of Critical Thinking in Education
  • The Effects of Air Pollution on Health
  • The History and Impact of LGBTQ+ Rights Movements
  • The Impact of Social Media on Body Image
  • The Influence of Technology on Human Relationships
  • The Role of Education in Combating Racism
  • The History and Impact of the Internet
  • The Effects of Childhood Obesity on Long-Term Health
  • The Role of NGOs in Addressing Global Issues
  • The Impact of Immigration on Society

Tips For Successful High School Research Paper

  • Choose a topic you’re passionate about and align with the assignment.
  • Start your research early to allow sufficient time for thorough investigation.
  • Craft a clear thesis statement that encapsulates your main argument.
  • Create a well-organized outline to structure your paper effectively.
  • Use reliable and diverse sources for a comprehensive literature review.
  • Clearly explain your research methodology, showcasing its relevance.
  • Present your findings using visual aids like graphs or charts.
  • Engage in critical discussion in the results and discussion sections.
  • Conclude by summarizing key findings and suggesting future research.
  • Follow the prescribed citation style diligently for accurate referencing.
  • Revise and edit your paper for clarity, coherence, and grammar.
  • Seek feedback from peers or teachers to enhance your paper further.
  • Pay attention to formatting details to meet assignment requirements.
  • Proofread carefully before submission to catch any last-minute errors.

Crafting a high school research paper is an intellectual journey that allows students to explore their passions, hone critical skills, and contribute to the academic discourse.

By following the outlined structure, students can navigate the process with confidence, producing a well-organized and impactful research paper that not only fulfills academic requirements but also serves as a testament to their intellectual curiosity and prowess. I hope this topic on high school research paper topics will help you out with a number of suggestions.

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151 Good Research Topics For High School Students

In this blog, we have discussed the research topics for high school students. Research papers allow high school students to explore academic subjects in-depth and learn how to find and analyze information. 

Selecting a good research topic can be challenging for students, as it needs to be engaging, relevant, and manageable within a school term. Current issues, science and technology, and social topics impacting teens make ideal subjects. 

Research also provides excellent opportunities for students to improve skills needed for college, such as critical thinking, sourcing quality information, and writing academic papers. Whether selecting famous historical figures, environmental issues, or teen psychology topics, students should choose research questions that excite them. 

The process teaches valuable research skills and lets students explore issues they care about. In this blog, we will discuss engaging research topics for high school students and tips to help them select the best subject for their research papers.

Importance of Research Topics For High School Students

Table of Contents

Here are some key reasons why research topics are essential for high school students:

Develop Research And Critical Thinking Skills

Doing research allows students to learn how to find reliable information, analyze and evaluate sources, and synthesize information effectively. These skills are invaluable for college and career readiness.

Explore Passions and Interests

Research papers allow students to fully immerse themselves in a topic they care about or are curious to learn more about. This can increase engagement and inspiration to learn.

Learn Time Management and Responsibility

Completing a long-term research project requires planning, organization, and discipline. Students learn to manage their time and take responsibility for their learning.

Build Knowledge 

Deep diving into a topic through quality research allows students to build knowledge and become mini-experts. Retaining this knowledge can benefit them in the future.

Practice Academic Writing 

Research papers require students to present information in a scholarly, well-structured format. This is an excellent writing experience that prepares students for college-level writing.

Develop Presentation Skills 

Many research projects culminate in a presentation of findings. This allows students to practice public speaking and build confidence.

Gain Credibility and Recognition

High-quality research projects allow students to be recognized in their school community and beyond. This can build self-esteem.

In summary, research projects provide immense value for high school students on both academic and personal levels, making them an essential part of a well-rounded education.

Elements of a Strong Research Paper

Here are some key elements that contribute to a strong research paper:

  • Relevant, focused research question – The research question should be specific, original, and clearly stated early in the paper. It sets the direction for the whole project.
  • Strong thesis statement – The thesis presents the main argument or position of the paper. It should be concise, arguable, and supported by evidence.
  • Organized structure – The paper should follow a logical flow, starting with an introduction, body paragraphs discussing evidence, and a conclusion. Effective transitions connect ideas.
  • Reliable sources – Research studies, expert analysis, and reliable facts support claims. Varied perspectives are included.
  • Critical analysis – The paper should analyze and interpret research findings rather than just describe them. Connections to key concepts are made.
  • Clear writing style – Precise language, smooth transitions, topic sentences, and appropriate word choice improve readability. Active voice and varied sentence structure engage readers.
  • Proper formatting – Following the required style guide for citing sources and formatting elements like page numbers, headings, and title page.
  • Meticulous editing – Checking for grammar, spelling, punctuation, ambiguity, and formatting errors polishes the paper.
  • Compliance with guidelines – Adhering to all requirements set by the instructor such as word count, formatting, and submission procedures.

Students can craft excellent research papers with thoughtful research, clear writing, and meticulous editing. The process requires time and diligent work but yields valuable skills.

151 Research Topics For High School Students

Here’s a list of 151+ research topics for high school students to explore across various subjects. Feel free to modify them to suit your interests or combine different ideas:

Science and Technology

  • The impact of technology on education.
  • Advancements in renewable energy technologies.
  • Effects of climate change on biodiversity.
  • Nanotechnology applications in medicine.
  • The role of genetics in predicting diseases.
  • The future of artificial intelligence.
  • Cybersecurity: Challenges and solutions.
  • The impact of the social media on the mental health.
  • Robotics and automation in various industries.
  • Space exploration and the search for extraterrestrial life.
  • CRISPR gene editing and its ethical implications.
  • The human microbiome and its influence on health.
  • Evolution of antibiotic resistance in bacteria.
  • Effects of different diets on human health.
  • The major role of stem cells in regenerative medicine.
  • Impact of pollution on aquatic ecosystems.
  • The connection between sleep patterns and academic performance.
  • Effects of various types of exercise on cardiovascular health.
  • Genetics of taste preferences.
  • Environmental conservation and endangered species protection.
  • Applications of nanomaterials in everyday life.
  • Green chemistry and sustainable practices.
  • The chemistry behind food preservation.
  • Analyzing the chemical composition of household products.
  • Investigating the pH levels of local water sources.
  • Chemical reactions in the human body.
  • The science behind the taste of different foods.
  • Synthesis and properties of biodegradable plastics.
  • Chemical analysis of air pollutants in urban areas.
  • Chemistry of cooking: Effects of different cooking methods on food.
  • The physics of sports: Analyzing the mechanics of different sports.
  • Quantum mechanics and its applications.
  • The concept of time: Physics and philosophy.
  • The physics of music: How musical instruments produce sound.
  • Applications of electromagnetic waves in daily life.
  • The science behind roller coasters.
  • Investigating the physics of climate change.
  • The relationship between mass and gravity.
  • Einstein’s theory of relativity: Understanding its principles.
  • The physics of renewable energy sources.

Environmental Science

  • Impacts of deforestation on local ecosystems.
  • Water pollution in urban areas.
  • The role of wetlands in ecological conservation.
  • Sustainable agriculture practices.
  • Plastic pollution in oceans: Causes and solutions.
  • The results of air pollution on the respiratory health.
  • Urban heat islands: Causes and mitigation.
  • Impact of invasive species on local biodiversity.
  • Analyzing the environmental footprint of different diets.
  • The significance of the biodiversity in supporting ecosystem balance.

Social Sciences

  • The influence of social media on political opinions.
  • Effects of bullying on mental health.
  • Gender stereotypes in the media.
  • The impact of video games on behavior.
  • Teen mental health: Identifying risk factors.
  • Cultural diversity in schools and its effects on education.
  • The role of family dynamics in shaping personality.
  • Impact of social isolation on well-being.
  • Analyzing the effectiveness of anti-drug campaigns.
  • The connection between socioeconomic status & academic achievement.
  • The effects of music on mood and cognition.
  • Sleep patterns and their impact on mental health.
  • The psychology of decision-making.
  • Factors influencing academic motivation.
  • Impact of social media on body image.
  • The role of nature vs. nurture in personality development.
  • Effects of mindfulness meditation on stress reduction.
  • The psychology of laughter: Why do we laugh?
  • The impact of positive affirmations on self-esteem.
  • Analyzing the placebo effect in medical treatments.
  • The impact of World War II on international geopolitics.
  • Civil rights movements and their legacy.
  • The role of women in historical revolutions.
  • The effects of colonialism on indigenous cultures.
  • Historical analysis of pandemics and their aftermath.
  • The Industrial Revolution and its social consequences.
  • The history of human rights movements.
  • The legacy of ancient civilizations on modern society.
  • Causes and consequences of the Cold War.
  • Historical development of democracy around the world.

Literature and Language Arts

  • Analysis of symbolism in a specific literary work.
  • The evolution of language and its impact on communication.
  • The portrayal of mental illness in literature.
  • The influence of science fiction on technological innovation.
  • The major role of folklore in shaping cultural identity.
  • Shakespearean plays: Themes and contemporary relevance.
  • Gender representation in literature.
  • The impact of censorship on literary works.
  • Analyzing the use of metaphors in poetry.
  • The influence of literature on social change.

Mathematics

  • The history and applications of fractals.
  • Cryptography: The mathematics of secure communication.
  • Mathematical modeling of population growth.
  • The role of mathematics in computer programming.
  • Analyzing the geometry of famous landmarks.
  • The mathematics behind music: Patterns and rhythms.
  • Game theory and its applications in decision-making.
  • Fibonacci sequence and its occurrences in nature.
  • Analyzing the statistics of a specific real-world phenomenon.
  • The concept of infinity in mathematics.
  • The impact of globalization on local economies.
  • Income inequality and its consequences.
  • The economics of climate change mitigation.
  • The role of small businesses in economic development.
  • The effects of automation on employment.
  • Consumer behavior and the psychology of spending.
  • Economic analysis of a specific industry.
  • The relationship between education and economic success.
  • The impact of government policies on economic growth.
  • Analyzing economic systems: Capitalism, socialism, and communism.

Political Science

  • The role of political parties in shaping procedures.
  • The impact of lobbying on political decision-making.
  • The history and consequences of political revolutions.
  • Electoral systems: A comparative analysis.
  • The influence of media on political opinions.
  • Human rights and their enforcement on the global stage.
  • The role of diplomacy in international relations.
  • Political corruption and its impact on society.
  • The concept of political ideology: Origins and evolution.
  • The role of grassroots movements in political change.

Health and Nutrition

  • The impact of fast food on health.
  • The benefits of a plant-based diet.
  • Exercise and its effects on mental health.
  • The role of core microbiota in digestion and immunity.
  • The psychology of eating disorders.
  • The relationship between stress and physical health.
  • Analysis of different diet trends.
  • The impact of sleep on overall well-being.
  • Effects of advertising on food choices and nutrition.
  • Public health initiatives: Successes and challenges.
  • The effectiveness of online learning platforms.
  • The impact of standardized testing on education.
  • The role of teachers in student motivation.
  • Inclusive education and its benefits.
  • School uniforms: Pros and cons.
  • The effect of parent’s involvement on academic success.
  • The importance of arts education in schools.
  • Analyzing the benefits of extracurricular activities.
  • The role of technology in modern classrooms.
  • Homeschooling: Factors influencing its success.

Art and Music

  • The evolution of hip-hop music and its cultural impact.
  • The role of art treatment in mental health treatment.
  • Cultural influences on visual arts.
  • Exploring the use of color in famous paintings.
  • The impact of technology on music production.
  • The intersection of art and technology in contemporary society.
  • Cultural appropriation in the arts.
  • The influence of political events on artistic expression.
  • The history and significance of a specific art movement.
  • Analyzing the symbolism in a particular piece of artwork.
  • The relationship between music and memory.

How to Pick the Right Research Topic

Here are some tips for picking the right research topic as a high school student:

  • Choose a topic that genuinely interests you. Researching and writing about something intriguing will make the process more enjoyable and rewarding.
  • Make sure the topic is narrow and focused enough to be manageable. Don’t pick subjects that are too broad or vague.
  • Consider your research resources – access to primary sources, scholarly articles, experts to interview, etc. Pick a feasible topic.
  • Select a topic that is original and where you can offer a new perspective or angle. Avoid overdone topics.
  • Ensure the topic is relevant to your class objectives or allows you to demonstrate core skills. Consult your teacher.
  • Pick a topic that challenges you intellectually but is still within your capability. Balance ambition with practicality.
  • Look for available research topics that provide enough evidence and detail to support your thesis.
  • Consider topics that connect to your personal experiences, background, or community. These can offer passion.
  • If allowed, pick something enjoyable like music, sports, technology, or pop culture. Interest keeps you motivated.
  • Bounce ideas on your teacher or librarian for feedback. They can help assess research viability.

With the right topic, you’re off to an excellent start on your research paper! Allow time to refine your direction as the work progresses.

Final Remarks

In conclusion, selecting the right research topic is crucial for high school students. It engages them in academic exploration and cultivates essential skills for their future. Research enhances critical thinking, source evaluation, and practical information synthesis – all valuable for college readiness. 

Exploring personal interests boosts engagement and inspiration while instilling time management and responsibility. A solid research paper requires a focused question, a robust thesis, an organized structure, and critical analysis. Students also learn the art of clear writing, proper formatting, and meticulous editing. 

The journey offers a chance to become mini-experts, practice academic writing, develop presentation skills, and gain recognition. The significance of research topics extends beyond the classroom, contributing to a well-rounded education and preparing students for future challenges.

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250 Plus Interesting High School Research Topics to Rock your Paper

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Everyone including our expert  paper writers  understand what you’re going through!

Writing a research paper  is hard but selecting an appropriate topic that interests all of your readers is even harder. Here’s the solution that will save you from hours of combing through data.

In this post, we have assembled lists of over 250 plus high school research paper topics that will get your creative juices flowing with additional work. 

So, stick around till the end to find your favorite topic that  WILL  help you secure that top grade.

Table of Contents

Impressive High School Research Paper Topics from 8 Different Fields

Let us spill the real tea! Composing a research paper without the right topic is a recipe for disaster. But how do we know if the topic we have chosen is right?

Simple, before picking a topic, look for the following characteristics;

  • your topic must compliment your and your reader’s interest.
  • The chosen topic must be easily understood by the readers 
  • It must have enough existing data on it, so there are no issues while  citing a paper
  • The topic must check all your academic requirements. 
  • An ideal research paper should have a practically applicable topic
  • Lastly, the right topic aligns with your specified deadline. 

With these measures, you can easily pick the right topic for yourself. Speaking of which, we’ve got tons of cool stuff for you to check out, so let’s jump right in!

Research Paper Topics related to Mental Health (Health research paper topics)

If you want to work on a high school research paper about mental health, these topics could be a great place to start.

  • Is mental health a hindrance for some people to interact with technology?
  • Measures that assure the safety of mental health problems.
  • Virtual therapies vs Physical therapies.
  • The effect of obesity on mental health.
  • The symptoms of mental illness in family members.
  • Main causes of anorexia.
  • Ways to deal with post-traumatic stress.
  • The truth behind the statement’ mental illness is more prevalent in men than women.’
  • Can we regard ADHD as a mental illness?
  • Is OCD a mental illness?
  • Drug abuse and its side effects on mental health.
  • Different tested ways of proving ADHD.
  • The most effective ways of overcoming low self-esteem.
  • How does marijuana affect the mental health of an addict?
  • Reasons why depression pills must be regulated.
  • Understanding post-traumatic stress disorder.
  • How does poverty affect mental health?
  • Ways to improve brain health.
  • Side effects of antidepressants.
  • Indicators of mental illness.
  • Mental illness of soldiers returning from War.
  • How is mental illness portrayed in the media?
  • Understanding the difference between sadness and depression.
  • Mental illness in the age of toxic internet culture.
  • How are violence and mental illness connected?
  • Why do people with mental illness find it hard to socialize?
  • The challenges of a psychiatric nursing career.
  • Effectiveness of antidepressants to cope with depression.
  • How can classical music help in treating mental illness?

High School Research Paper Topics Related to Science (argumentative research paper topics)

If you’re a high school student looking for a science research topic, you’re in luck! There’s always something new to explore in the beautiful world of science. Check out any of the following ideas for a good research paper topic.

  • Reasons why COVID-19 is deadlier than Influenza.
  • How are meteorites affecting the universe?
  • The misconceptions regarding Pluto.
  • Understanding the supernova.
  • Is it true that Mars has water?
  • What do we need to know about the Big Bang Theory?
  • Different viruses in the modern world.
  • Understanding the DNA and its functionalities.
  • The impact of acid rains on earth.
  • Oil spills and their effect on the ecology.
  • What should we know about global warming?
  • Understanding the extinction of coral reefs.
  • Digging deep to understand green cities.
  • What Does the Future of 3D Printing Look like?
  • Are fertilizers harmful to human health?
  • Understanding the contamination of soils.
  • How do the shortages of water look in the modern world?
  • The effective ways of keeping ice from defrosting.
  • Music and its effects on your assimilation ability.
  • Do soil worms impact the plant’s growth?
  • How can food affect the heart?
  • Important innovations in medicinal chemistry.
  • How to restrict the use of antibiotics in agriculture?
  • Why is it challenging to eliminate malaria?
  • Ideal weight for living a long life.
  • How severe is a migraine for human health?
  • Understanding the different types of headaches.
  • Analyzing the learning ability of mice.
  • What type of food does a dog prefer the most?
  • Understanding dark matter and black holes.
  • What will a commercial space flight look like?
  • Reasons why water boils faster when we pour salt into it?
  • Is it possible for humans to live in space?
  • The use of nanotechnology in medicine.
  • The role of nanofibers in repairing brain injuries.
  • Has there ever been life on Mars?

High School Research Topics Related to Education

If you’re into education, consider developing an interesting research topic for high school students. Speaking of which, some persuasive research paper topics could work as a starting point.

  • Understanding why students should receive advanced mental help in colleges?
  • Higher education in Europe vs Higher education in the US.
  • What essential role does collaboration play in higher education?
  • Ethnic minorities in American Universities.
  • Things to know about the Liberal Arts Education 2021.
  • What role does a video game play in developing a child’s memory?
  • Improving cognitive qualities via playing.
  • Individual studying vs group studying.
  • The significance of school mindfulness lessons. 
  • E-books vs printed books.
  • Computer literacy and its challenges.
  • Why do students perceive writing research papers as a daunting task?
  • School bullying and its dark side.
  • Reasons why special education teachers must be entitled to receive higher pay?
  • Private school vs Homeschooling.
  • Understanding the concept of third-world countries
  • Does homework lift students’ learning?
  • Is  paper writing help  actually helpful for the students? 
  • How are teachers voluntary parent figures for students?
  • Ways to avoid the use of an illicit substance in school.
  • The significance of older students interacting with younger children.
  • Ways to prevent school violence.
  • Analyzing the causes of boredom in the classroom.
  • The challenges of social distancing during a pandemic.
  • How is technology impacting early childhood literacy?
  • How effective are educational games in enhancing learning?
  • The effect of psychological development on students’ learning.
  • Using psychological techniques for improving language skills.
  • The importance of socialization among children.
  • Reasons students feel anxious and stressed.
  • The process of conflict resolution on college campuses.
  • The impact of globalization on higher education.
  • Academic difficulties that online students face.
  • The pros and cons of an online learning environment.

High School Research Paper Topics Related to World History

History can be fascinating, and there are many excellent topics to pick from. If you’re into history and want to learn more, check out these excellent world history research topics for high school!

  • The miserable life of peasants in Medieval Times.
  • Understanding social stratification.
  • A comparative analysis of World War I and World War II
  • Recent historical developments in China.
  • Shedding lights on Jamaican history.
  • What do we need to know about South African apartheid?
  • Significant events of the Ottoman Empire.
  • The Pearl Harbor Fiasco.
  • Analyzing the history of the Mughal Empire.
  • Reviewing the American Civil War.
  • What do we need to know about French Revolution
  • The intellectual level of people living in the Middle Ages.
  • The concept of religion in Ancient Greece.
  • Factors that led to the American Revolution.
  • Political causes of the French Revolution.
  • The causes and consequences of the Mexican War.
  • Analyzing the Watergate scandal.
  • The Indo-China War 1967.
  • The most prolonged War ever fought by America
  • Reasons behind the fall of the US military operation in Vietnam.
  • The Lawrence of Arabia.
  • Picturing Nazi Germany.
  • Main Reasons that led to World War II.

High School Research Paper Topics Related to Entrepreneurship

Many high schoolers need help thinking of ideas for an entrepreneurship research paper. To help them, we put together this list of potential topics. 

  • The effects of entrepreneurism on economic growth.
  • How effective is cloud technology for entrepreneurship?
  • Personality traits of a successful entrepreneur.
  • What are the significant drivers of entrepreneurial growth?
  • Strategies of investors for procuring top entrepreneurs.
  • The advantages of becoming an entrepreneur.
  • Understanding the functioning of crowdsourcing.
  • How are taxes impacting the decisions of entrepreneurs?
  • Alternative marketing tactics for small-scale food entrepreneurs.
  • Understanding entrepreneurship as a long-term solution to unemployment.
  • How must the government support students pursuing entrepreneurship?
  • The effect of fiscal policies on entrepreneurship.
  • Skills and qualities of a brilliant entrepreneur.
  • Problems that entrepreneurs are facing globally.
  • Entrepreneurism vs Regular job.
  • Important personality traits to become a good entrepreneur.
  • Why should you become an entrepreneur?
  • Different ways of mitigating common risks in entrepreneurship.
  • Reasons adults are pursuing entrepreneurialism with passion.
  • How are technological advancements impacting entrepreneurship?
  • Common challenges a new entrepreneur faces.

High School Research Paper Topics Related to Music (interesting research topics)

Lots of teens get motivated by music, so why not pick out some music-related topics for that high school research paper? Here you go with the list.

  • The effect of music on the human brain.
  • The evolution of rap music.
  • Reasons why jazz feels so great.
  • Arabic music and its history.
  • The effect of Chinese music on nearby countries??
  • The effect of music on your productivity.
  • The role of music in eradicating stress.
  • What do we need to know about ancient ballads?
  • Does music help in relieving stress?
  • Music in ancient Egypt.
  • How women are impacting classical music.
  • The use of music for educational purposes.
  • How music helps you to concentrate better?
  • How can music help you learn foreign languages?
  • Analyzing the music for studying.

High School Research Paper Topics related to Finance (Business research paper topics)

Figuring out the best finance topics can be challenging, so we did some digging and assembled a great selection of economic research paper topics for you. Here you go with another list of research paper ideas.

  • How are corporate bonds a source of financing?
  • Understanding venture capital financing.
  • Analyzing systematic corporate risk.
  • How to plan the capital structure of a corporation?
  • Methods for developing the corporate investment policy.
  • Analyzing the effectiveness of mergers and acquisitions.
  • Motives behind corporate mergers.
  • How is bankruptcy a way of restructuring a corporation?
  • Understanding the concept of Financial Management.
  • How is financial literacy affecting the global economy?
  • How can e-money influence the world finance market?
  • The global financial crisis
  • The development of the securities market in the 21st century.
  • How can we prevent the emergence of financial shocks?
  • The derivatives of financial engineering.
  • Characteristics of financial control.
  • How is finance playing a role in social reproduction?
  • Understanding the concept of bank loans.
  • Ways to evaluate the effectiveness of financial management.
  • Exchange rate fluctuations and their impact on foreign economic activity.
  • The essence of leasing – what do we need to know?
  • Ways to develop a sound financial plan for the organization.
  • Different methods of calculating interest.
  • Significance of monetary policy.
  • How are funds playing a role in solving social problems?
  • Understanding risk management in the financial sector.

High School Research Paper Topics Related to Information Technology 

Information Technology (IT) is a part of everyday life, so staying up-to-date on the latest and greatest is important. Check out these great ideas from our writers!

  • The ability of artificial intelligence to deal with tedious tasks.
  • The recent development of computational and synthetic biology.
  • Understanding computer architecture in colleges.
  • Evolution of computer graphics and animations.
  • Emerging fields of study in computer data science.
  • Managing data in the age of 5G technology.
  • The role of molecular information systems in biotechnology.
  • Information technology and its contribution to natural language processing.
  • Latest developments in programming languages.
  • Ways to deal with rising privacy concerns as technology advances.
  • Theory of computation to information technology.
  • How are wireless and sensor systems making the world a safe place?
  • The importance of amorphous computing in the 21st century.
  • The impact of biomedical mining on the health sector.
  • Role of swarm intelligence in brainstorming.
  • How are companies making use of Big Data?
  • The advantages and disadvantages of IOT (Internet of Things).
  • The challenges of software-defined networking.
  • How is augmented reality playing a crucial role in the healthcare system?
  • How are new apps making a man’s life easier?
  • How can informational technology detect and wipe the fake news?
  • Long-term benefits of a technologically oriented world.
  • How is technology making student-centered learning possible?
  • How is technology preventing the spread of the pandemic?
  • Discussing if social media is making the world a dividend universe/
  • The impact of technological globalization.

We are certain that these list of topics must have helped you pick a good research paper topic. Also, we’ve been offering essay and research paper writing services for quite a while now to students worldwide. Therefore, if you’re struggling to write your research paper, feel free to avail our  college paper writing service  at a cut price for academic growth.

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65 Argumentative Research Topics For High School Students [PDF Included]

In today’s world, where information is readily available at our fingertips, it’s becoming increasingly important to teach students how to think critically, evaluate sources, and develop persuasive arguments. And one of the best ways to do this is through argumentative research topics.

In high school, students are often encouraged to learn and analyze factual information. However, much like other English and biology research topics , argumentative research topics offer a different kind of challenge. Instead of simply presenting facts, these topics require students to delve into complex issues, think critically, and present their opinions in a clear and convincing manner.

In this article, we will provide a list of compelling argumentative research topics for high school students. From education and politics to social issues and environmental concerns, these topics will challenge students to think deeply, evaluate sources critically, and develop and challenge their skills!

Argumentative research topics: Persuading the student to think and reason harder

Argumentative research topics are a fascinating and exciting way for students to engage in critical thinking and persuasive writing. This type of research topic encourages students to take a stance on a controversial issue and defend it using well-reasoned arguments and evidence. By doing so, students are not only honing their analytical skills and persuasive writing skills, but they are also developing a deeper understanding of their own beliefs and assumptions.

Unlike other research topics that may simply require students to regurgitate facts or summarize existing research, argumentative topics require students to develop and defend their own ideas.

Through argumentative research, students are encouraged to question their own biases and consider alternative perspectives. This type of critical thinking is a vital skill that is essential for success in any academic or professional context. Being able to analyze and evaluate information from different perspectives is an invaluable tool that will serve students well in their future careers.

Furthermore, argumentative research topics, are like writing prompts , which are meant to encourage students to engage in civil discourse and debate. These topics often involve controversial issues that can elicit strong emotions and passionate opinions from individuals with differing viewpoints.

By engaging in respectful, fact-based discussions and debates, students can learn how to engage with people who have different beliefs and opinions

Argumentative Research Topics

  • The boundaries of free speech: where should the line be drawn?
  • Internet privacy: Should websites and apps be restricted in collecting and utilizing user data?
  • Has the internet been a force for progress or a hindrance?
  • The role of public surveillance in modern society: is it necessary or invasive?
  • Climate change and global warming: Are human activities solely responsible?
  • Mandating physical education in schools to combat childhood obesity: Is it effective?
  • The ethics of mandatory vaccination for high school students for public health reasons
  • The ethics of wearing fur and leather: Is it always unethical?
  • Keeping exotic pets: is it acceptable or inhumane?
  • The impact of social media on mental health: Is it more positive or negative?
  • Wildlife preserves: Are they suitable habitats for all species that reside there?
  • Animal fashion: Should it be prohibited?
  • Mental health services in schools: Should they be free or reduced-cost for students?
  • Quality of high school education: Should teachers undergo regular assessments to ensure it?
  • Healthy eating habits in schools: Should schools offer healthier food options in their cafeteria or allow students to bring food from home?
  • Social media addiction: Is it a significant health concern for kids?
  • Technology use and mental health problems: Is there a connection among high school students?
  • Junk food in schools: Should schools ban it from vending machines and school stores to promote healthy eating habits?
  • Dress codes in schools: Are they necessary or outdated
  • Regulating social media: Should the government regulate it to prevent cyberbullying?
  • Politicians and standardized testing: Should politicians be subject to standardized testing?
  • Art vs Science: Are they equally challenging fields?
  • School uniform and discrimination: Does it really reduce discrimination in schools?
  • Teachers and poor academic performance: Are teachers the cause of poor academic performance?
  • Physical discipline: Should teachers and parents be allowed to physically discipline their children?
  • Telling white lies: Is it acceptable to tell a white lie to spare someone’s feelings?
  • Sports in college: Should colleges promote sports as a career path?
  • Gender and education: How does gender affect education?
  • Refusing medical treatment: Is it acceptable to refuse medical treatment based on personal beliefs?
  • Children’s rights and medical treatment: Do doctors violate children’s rights if they do not provide treatment when the parents refuse to treat the child?
  • Parental influence on gender stereotypes: Do parents encourage gender stereotypes?
  • Dating in schools: Should dating be permitted in schools with supervision?
  • Human nature: Are people inherently good or evil by nature?
  • Immigration and national economy: Can immigration benefit the national economy?
  • Keeping animals in zoos: Is it appropriate?
  • Cell phone use in schools: Should cell phone use be permitted in schools?
  • Veganism: Should humans only consume vegan food?
  • Animal testing: Should it be outlawed?
  • Waste segregation: Should the government mandate waste segregation at home?
  • Technology integration in schools: Is it beneficial for traditional learning?
  • Homeschooling vs traditional schooling: Is homeschooling as effective as traditional schooling?
  • Prohibition of smoking and drinking: Should it be permanently prohibited?
  • Banning violent and aggressive video games: Should they be banned?
  • Harmful effects of beauty standards on society: Are beauty standards harmful to society?
  • The impact of advertising on consumer behavior
  • The ethical considerations of artificial intelligence and its potential impact on society
  • The impact of globalization on cultural diversity
  • The effectiveness of alternative medicine in treating various illnesses
  • The benefits and drawbacks of online learning compared to traditional classroom education
  • The role of mass media in shaping public opinion and political discourse
  • The impact of artificial intelligence on job automation and employment rates
  • The impact of fast fashion on the environment and human rights
  • The ethical considerations of using animals for entertainment purposes
  • Parents are solely responsible for their child’s behavior.
  • Is space exploration worth it or not?
  •   stricter regulations on the use of plastic and single-use products to reduce waste
  • Is capitalism the best economic system
  • Should there be limits on the amount of wealth individuals can accumulate?
  • Is it ethical to use animals for food production?
  • Is the concept of national borders outdated in the modern era?
  • Should the use of nuclear power be expanded or phased out?
  • Self-driving cars: Convenience or threat?
  • The implications of allowing influencers to advertise dietary supplements and weight loss products.
  •  Faults in the education system: need change or modification?
  • Are the intentions of “big pharma” genuinely aligned with the well-being of the public?

Argumentative research topics are an important tool for promoting critical thinking, and persuasive communication skills and preparing high school students for active engagement in society. These topics challenge students to think deeply and develop persuasive arguments by engaging with complex issues and evaluating sources. Through this process, students can become informed, engaged, and empathetic citizens who are equipped to participate actively in a democratic society.

Furthermore, argumentative research topics teach students how to engage in respectful, fact-based discussions and debates, and how to communicate effectively with people who have different beliefs and opinions. By fostering civil discourse, argumentative research topics can help bridge social, cultural, and political divides, and promote a more united and equitable society.

Overall, argumentative research topics are a crucial component of high school education, as they provide students with the skills and confidence they need to succeed in college, career, and life.

research essay ideas for high school

Having a 10+ years of experience in teaching little budding learners, I am now working as a soft skills and IELTS trainers. Having spent my share of time with high schoolers, I understand their fears about the future. At the same time, my experience has helped me foster plenty of strategies that can make their 4 years of high school blissful. Furthermore, I have worked intensely on helping these young adults bloom into successful adults by training them for their dream colleges. Through my blogs, I intend to help parents, educators and students in making these years joyful and prosperous.

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130 New Prompts for Argumentative Writing

Questions on everything from mental health and sports to video games and dating. Which ones inspire you to take a stand?

research essay ideas for high school

By The Learning Network

Note: We have an updated version of this list, with 300 new argumentative writing prompts .

What issues do you care most about? What topics do you find yourself discussing passionately, whether online, at the dinner table, in the classroom or with your friends?

In Unit 5 of our free yearlong writing curriculum and related Student Editorial Contest , we invite students to research and write about the issues that matter to them, whether that’s Shakespeare , health care , standardized testing or being messy .

But with so many possibilities, where does one even begin? Try our student writing prompts.

In 2017, we compiled a list of 401 argumentative writing prompts , all drawn from our daily Student Opinion column . Now, we’re rounding up 130 more we’ve published since then ( available here as a PDF ). Each prompt links to a free Times article as well as additional subquestions that can help you think more deeply about it.

You might use this list to inspire your own writing and to find links to reliable resources about the issues that intrigue you. But even if you’re not participating in our contest, you can use these prompts to practice the kind of low-stakes writing that can help you hone your argumentation skills.

So scroll through the list below with questions on everything from sports and mental health to dating and video games and see which ones inspire you to take a stand.

Please note: Many of these prompts are still open to comment by students 13 and up.

Technology & Social Media

1. Do Memes Make the Internet a Better Place? 2. Does Online Public Shaming Prevent Us From Being Able to Grow and Change? 3. How Young Is Too Young to Use Social Media? 4. Should the Adults in Your Life Be Worried by How Much You Use Your Phone? 5. Is Your Phone Love Hurting Your Relationships? 6. Should Kids Be Social Media Influencers? 7. Does Grammar Still Matter in the Age of Twitter? 8. Should Texting While Driving Be Treated Like Drunken Driving? 9. How Do You Think Technology Affects Dating?

10. Are Straight A’s Always a Good Thing? 11. Should Schools Teach You How to Be Happy? 12. How Do You Think American Education Could Be Improved? 13. Should Schools Test Their Students for Nicotine and Drug Use? 14. Can Social Media Be a Tool for Learning and Growth in Schools? 15. Should Facial Recognition Technology Be Used in Schools? 16. Should Your School Day Start Later? 17. How Should Senior Year in High School Be Spent? 18. Should Teachers Be Armed With Guns? 19. Is School a Place for Self-Expression? 20. Should Students Be Punished for Not Having Lunch Money? 21. Is Live-Streaming Classrooms a Good Idea? 22. Should Gifted and Talented Education Be Eliminated? 23. What Are the Most Important Things Students Should Learn in School? 24. Should Schools Be Allowed to Censor Student Newspapers? 25. Do You Feel Your School and Teachers Welcome Both Conservative and Liberal Points of View? 26. Should Teachers and Professors Ban Student Use of Laptops in Class? 27. Should Schools Teach About Climate Change? 28. Should All Schools Offer Music Programs? 29. Does Your School Need More Money? 30. Should All Schools Teach Cursive? 31. What Role Should Textbooks Play in Education? 32. Do Kids Need Recess?

College & Career

33. What Is Your Reaction to the College Admissions Cheating Scandal? 34. Is the College Admissions Process Fair? 35. Should Everyone Go to College? 36. Should College Be Free? 37. Are Lavish Amenities on College Campuses Useful or Frivolous? 38. Should ‘Despised Dissenters’ Be Allowed to Speak on College Campuses? 39. How Should the Problem of Sexual Assault on Campuses Be Addressed? 40. Should Fraternities Be Abolished? 41. Is Student Debt Worth It?

Mental & Physical Health

42. Should Students Get Mental Health Days Off From School? 43. Is Struggle Essential to Happiness? 44. Does Every Country Need a ‘Loneliness Minister’? 45. Should Schools Teach Mindfulness? 46. Should All Children Be Vaccinated? 47. What Do You Think About Vegetarianism? 48. Do We Worry Too Much About Germs? 49. What Advice Should Parents and Counselors Give Teenagers About Sexting? 50. Do You Think Porn Influences the Way Teenagers Think About Sex?

Race & Gender

51. How Should Parents Teach Their Children About Race and Racism? 52. Is America ‘Backsliding’ on Race? 53. Should All Americans Receive Anti-Bias Education? 54. Should All Companies Require Anti-Bias Training for Employees? 55. Should Columbus Day Be Replaced With Indigenous Peoples Day? 56. Is Fear of ‘The Other’ Poisoning Public Life? 57. Should the Boy Scouts Be Coed? 58. What Is Hard About Being a Boy?

59. Can You Separate Art From the Artist? 60. Are There Subjects That Should Be Off-Limits to Artists, or to Certain Artists in Particular? 61. Should Art Come With Trigger Warnings? 62. Should Graffiti Be Protected? 63. Is the Digital Era Improving or Ruining the Experience of Art? 64. Are Museums Still Important in the Digital Age? 65. In the Age of Digital Streaming, Are Movie Theaters Still Relevant? 66. Is Hollywood Becoming More Diverse? 67. What Stereotypical Characters Make You Cringe? 68. Do We Need More Female Superheroes? 69. Do Video Games Deserve the Bad Rap They Often Get? 70. Should Musicians Be Allowed to Copy or Borrow From Other Artists? 71. Is Listening to a Book Just as Good as Reading It? 72. Is There Any Benefit to Reading Books You Hate?

73. Should Girls and Boys Sports Teams Compete in the Same League? 74. Should College Athletes Be Paid? 75. Are Youth Sports Too Competitive? 76. Is It Selfish to Pursue Risky Sports Like Extreme Mountain Climbing? 77. How Should We Punish Sports Cheaters? 78. Should Technology in Sports Be Limited? 79. Should Blowouts Be Allowed in Youth Sports? 80. Is It Offensive for Sports Teams and Their Fans to Use Native American Names, Imagery and Gestures?

81. Is It Wrong to Focus on Animal Welfare When Humans Are Suffering? 82. Should Extinct Animals Be Resurrected? If So, Which Ones? 83. Are Emotional-Support Animals a Scam? 84. Is Animal Testing Ever Justified? 85. Should We Be Concerned With Where We Get Our Pets? 86. Is This Exhibit Animal Cruelty or Art?

Parenting & Childhood

87. Who Should Decide Whether a Teenager Can Get a Tattoo or Piercing? 88. Is It Harder to Grow Up in the 21st Century Than It Was in the Past? 89. Should Parents Track Their Teenager’s Location? 90. Is Childhood Today Over-Supervised? 91. How Should Parents Talk to Their Children About Drugs? 92. What Should We Call Your Generation? 93. Do Other People Care Too Much About Your Post-High School Plans? 94. Do Parents Ever Cross a Line by Helping Too Much With Schoolwork? 95. What’s the Best Way to Discipline Children? 96. What Are Your Thoughts on ‘Snowplow Parents’? 97. Should Stay-at-Home Parents Be Paid? 98. When Do You Become an Adult?

Ethics & Morality

99. Why Do Bystanders Sometimes Fail to Help When They See Someone in Danger? 100. Is It Ethical to Create Genetically Edited Humans? 101. Should Reporters Ever Help the People They Are Covering? 102. Is It O.K. to Use Family Connections to Get a Job? 103. Is $1 Billion Too Much Money for Any One Person to Have? 104. Are We Being Bad Citizens If We Don’t Keep Up With the News? 105. Should Prisons Offer Incarcerated People Education Opportunities? 106. Should Law Enforcement Be Able to Use DNA Data From Genealogy Websites for Criminal Investigations? 107. Should We Treat Robots Like People?

Government & Politics

108. Does the United States Owe Reparations to the Descendants of Enslaved People? 109. Do You Think It Is Important for Teenagers to Participate in Political Activism? 110. Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16? 111. What Should Lawmakers Do About Guns and Gun Violence? 112. Should Confederate Statues Be Removed or Remain in Place? 113. Does the U.S. Constitution Need an Equal Rights Amendment? 114. Should National Monuments Be Protected by the Government? 115. Should Free Speech Protections Include Self Expression That Discriminates? 116. How Important Is Freedom of the Press? 117. Should Ex-Felons Have the Right to Vote? 118. Should Marijuana Be Legal? 119. Should the United States Abolish Daylight Saving Time? 120. Should We Abolish the Death Penalty? 121. Should the U.S. Ban Military-Style Semiautomatic Weapons? 122. Should the U.S. Get Rid of the Electoral College? 123. What Do You Think of President Trump’s Use of Twitter? 124. Should Celebrities Weigh In on Politics? 125. Why Is It Important for People With Different Political Beliefs to Talk to Each Other?

Other Questions

126. Should the Week Be Four Days Instead of Five? 127. Should Public Transit Be Free? 128. How Important Is Knowing a Foreign Language? 129. Is There a ‘Right Way’ to Be a Tourist? 130. Should Your Significant Other Be Your Best Friend?

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Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 113 perfect persuasive essay topics for any assignment.

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General Education

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Do you need to write a persuasive essay but aren’t sure what topic to focus on? Were you thrilled when your teacher said you could write about whatever you wanted but are now overwhelmed by the possibilities? We’re here to help!

Read on for a list of 113 top-notch persuasive essay topics, organized into ten categories. To help get you started, we also discuss what a persuasive essay is, how to choose a great topic, and what tips to keep in mind as you write your persuasive essay.

What Is a Persuasive Essay?

In a persuasive essay, you attempt to convince readers to agree with your point of view on an argument. For example, an essay analyzing changes in Italian art during the Renaissance wouldn’t be a persuasive essay, because there’s no argument, but an essay where you argue that Italian art reached its peak during the Renaissance would be a persuasive essay because you’re trying to get your audience to agree with your viewpoint.

Persuasive and argumentative essays both try to convince readers to agree with the author, but the two essay types have key differences. Argumentative essays show a more balanced view of the issue and discuss both sides. Persuasive essays focus more heavily on the side the author agrees with. They also often include more of the author’s opinion than argumentative essays, which tend to use only facts and data to support their argument.

All persuasive essays have the following:

  • Introduction: Introduces the topic, explains why it’s important, and ends with the thesis.
  • Thesis: A sentence that sums up what the essay be discussing and what your stance on the issue is.
  • Reasons you believe your side of the argument: Why do you support the side you do? Typically each main point will have its own body paragraph.
  • Evidence supporting your argument: Facts or examples to back up your main points. Even though your opinion is allowed in persuasive essays more than most other essays, having concrete examples will make a stronger argument than relying on your opinion alone.
  • Conclusion: Restatement of thesis, summary of main points, and a recap of why the issue is important.

What Makes a Good Persuasive Essay Topic?

Theoretically, you could write a persuasive essay about any subject under the sun, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you should. Certain topics are easier to write a strong persuasive essay on, and below are tips to follow when deciding what you should write about.

It’s a Topic You Care About

Obviously, it’s possible to write an essay about a topic you find completely boring. You’ve probably done it! However, if possible, it’s always better to choose a topic that you care about and are interested in. When this is the case, you’ll find doing the research more enjoyable, writing the essay easier, and your writing will likely be better because you’ll be more passionate about and informed on the topic.

You Have Enough Evidence to Support Your Argument

Just being passionate about a subject isn’t enough to make it a good persuasive essay topic, though. You need to make sure your argument is complex enough to have at least two potential sides to root for, and you need to be able to back up your side with evidence and examples. Even though persuasive essays allow your opinion to feature more than many other essays, you still need concrete evidence to back up your claims, or you’ll end up with a weak essay.

For example, you may passionately believe that mint chocolate chip ice cream is the best ice cream flavor (I agree!), but could you really write an entire essay on this? What would be your reasons for believing mint chocolate chip is the best (besides the fact that it’s delicious)? How would you support your belief? Have enough studies been done on preferred ice cream flavors to support an entire essay? When choosing a persuasive essay idea, you want to find the right balance between something you care about (so you can write well on it) and something the rest of the world cares about (so you can reference evidence to strengthen your position).

It’s a Manageable Topic

Bigger isn’t always better, especially with essay topics. While it may seem like a great idea to choose a huge, complex topic to write about, you’ll likely struggle to sift through all the information and different sides of the issue and winnow them down to one streamlined essay. For example, choosing to write an essay about how WWII impacted American life more than WWI wouldn’t be a great idea because you’d need to analyze all the impacts of both the wars in numerous areas of American life. It’d be a huge undertaking. A better idea would be to choose one impact on American life the wars had (such as changes in female employment) and focus on that. Doing so will make researching and writing your persuasive essay much more feasible.

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List of 113 Good Persuasive Essay Topics

Below are over 100 persuasive essay ideas, organized into ten categories. When you find an idea that piques your interest, you’ll choose one side of it to argue for in your essay. For example, if you choose the topic, “should fracking be legal?” you’d decide whether you believe fracking should be legal or illegal, then you’d write an essay arguing all the reasons why your audience should agree with you.

Arts/Culture

  • Should students be required to learn an instrument in school?
  • Did the end of Game of Thrones fit with the rest of the series?
  • Can music be an effective way to treat mental illness?
  • With e-readers so popular, have libraries become obsolete?
  • Are the Harry Potter books more popular than they deserve to be?
  • Should music with offensive language come with a warning label?
  • What’s the best way for museums to get more people to visit?
  • Should students be able to substitute an art or music class for a PE class in school?
  • Are the Kardashians good or bad role models for young people?
  • Should people in higher income brackets pay more taxes?
  • Should all high school students be required to take a class on financial literacy?
  • Is it possible to achieve the American dream, or is it only a myth?
  • Is it better to spend a summer as an unpaid intern at a prestigious company or as a paid worker at a local store/restaurant?
  • Should the United States impose more or fewer tariffs?
  • Should college graduates have their student loans forgiven?
  • Should restaurants eliminate tipping and raise staff wages instead?
  • Should students learn cursive writing in school?
  • Which is more important: PE class or music class?
  • Is it better to have year-round school with shorter breaks throughout the year?
  • Should class rank be abolished in schools?
  • Should students be taught sex education in school?
  • Should students be able to attend public universities for free?
  • What’s the most effective way to change the behavior of school bullies?
  • Are the SAT and ACT accurate ways to measure intelligence?
  • Should students be able to learn sign language instead of a foreign language?
  • Do the benefits of Greek life at colleges outweigh the negatives?
  • Does doing homework actually help students learn more?
  • Why do students in many other countries score higher than American students on math exams?
  • Should parents/teachers be able to ban certain books from schools?
  • What’s the best way to reduce cheating in school?
  • Should colleges take a student’s race into account when making admissions decisions?
  • Should there be limits to free speech?
  • Should students be required to perform community service to graduate high school?
  • Should convicted felons who have completed their sentence be allowed to vote?
  • Should gun ownership be more tightly regulated?
  • Should recycling be made mandatory?
  • Should employers be required to offer paid leave to new parents?
  • Are there any circumstances where torture should be allowed?
  • Should children under the age of 18 be able to get plastic surgery for cosmetic reasons?
  • Should white supremacy groups be allowed to hold rallies in public places?
  • Does making abortion illegal make women more or less safe?
  • Does foreign aid actually help developing countries?
  • Are there times a person’s freedom of speech should be curtailed?
  • Should people over a certain age not be allowed to adopt children?

Government/Politics

  • Should the minimum voting age be raised/lowered/kept the same?
  • Should Puerto Rico be granted statehood?
  • Should the United States build a border wall with Mexico?
  • Who should be the next person printed on American banknotes?
  • Should the United States’ military budget be reduced?
  • Did China’s one child policy have overall positive or negative impacts on the country?
  • Should DREAMers be granted US citizenship?
  • Is national security more important than individual privacy?
  • What responsibility does the government have to help homeless people?
  • Should the electoral college be abolished?
  • Should the US increase or decrease the number of refugees it allows in each year?
  • Should privately-run prisons be abolished?
  • Who was the most/least effective US president?
  • Will Brexit end up helping or harming the UK?

body-sparkler-us-flag

  • What’s the best way to reduce the spread of Ebola?
  • Is the Keto diet a safe and effective way to lose weight?
  • Should the FDA regulate vitamins and supplements more strictly?
  • Should public schools require all students who attend to be vaccinated?
  • Is eating genetically modified food safe?
  • What’s the best way to make health insurance more affordable?
  • What’s the best way to lower the teen pregnancy rate?
  • Should recreational marijuana be legalized nationwide?
  • Should birth control pills be available without a prescription?
  • Should pregnant women be forbidden from buying cigarettes and alcohol?
  • Why has anxiety increased in adolescents?
  • Are low-carb or low-fat diets more effective for weight loss?
  • What caused the destruction of the USS Maine?
  • Was King Arthur a mythical legend or actual Dark Ages king?
  • Was the US justified in dropping atomic bombs during WWII?
  • What was the primary cause of the Rwandan genocide?
  • What happened to the settlers of the Roanoke colony?
  • Was disagreement over slavery the primary cause of the US Civil War?
  • What has caused the numerous disappearances in the Bermuda triangle?
  • Should nuclear power be banned?
  • Is scientific testing on animals necessary?
  • Do zoos help or harm animals?
  • Should scientists be allowed to clone humans?
  • Should animals in circuses be banned?
  • Should fracking be legal?
  • Should people be allowed to keep exotic animals as pets?
  • What’s the best way to reduce illegal poaching in Africa?
  • What is the best way to reduce the impact of global warming?
  • Should euthanasia be legalized?
  • Is there legitimate evidence of extraterrestrial life?
  • Should people be banned from owning aggressive dog breeds?
  • Should the United States devote more money towards space exploration?
  • Should the government subsidize renewable forms of energy?
  • Is solar energy worth the cost?
  • Should stem cells be used in medicine?
  • Is it right for the US to leave the Paris Climate Agreement?
  • Should athletes who fail a drug test receive a lifetime ban from the sport?
  • Should college athletes receive a salary?
  • Should the NFL do more to prevent concussions in players?
  • Do PE classes help students stay in shape?
  • Should horse racing be banned?
  • Should cheerleading be considered a sport?
  • Should children younger than 18 be allowed to play tackle football?
  • Are the costs of hosting an Olympic Games worth it?
  • Can online schools be as effective as traditional schools?
  • Do violent video games encourage players to be violent in real life?
  • Should facial recognition technology be banned?
  • Does excessive social media use lead to depression/anxiety?
  • Has the rise of translation technology made knowing multiple languages obsolete?
  • Was Steve Jobs a visionary or just a great marketer?
  • Should social media be banned for children younger than a certain age?
  • Which 21st-century invention has had the largest impact on society?
  • Are ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft good or bad for society?
  • Should Facebook have done more to protect the privacy of its users?
  • Will technology end up increasing or decreasing inequality worldwide?

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Tips for Writing a Strong Persuasive Essay

After you’ve chosen the perfect topic for your persuasive essay, your work isn’t over. Follow the three tips below to create a top-notch essay.

Do Your Research

Your argument will fall apart if you don’t fully understand the issue you’re discussing or you overlook an important piece of it. Readers won’t be convinced by someone who doesn’t know the subject, and you likely won’t persuade any of them to begin supporting your viewpoint. Before you begin writing a single word of your essay, research your topic thoroughly. Study different sources, learn about the different sides of the argument, ask anyone who’s an expert on the topic what their opinion is, etc. You might be tempted to start writing right away, but by doing your research, you’ll make the writing process much easier when the time comes.

Make Your Thesis Perfect

Your thesis is the most important sentence in your persuasive essay. Just by reading that single sentence, your audience should know exactly what topic you’ll be discussing and where you stand on the issue. You want your thesis to be crystal clear and to accurately set up the rest of your essay. Asking classmates or your teacher to look it over before you begin writing the rest of your essay can be a big help if you’re not entirely confident in your thesis.

Consider the Other Side

You’ll spend most of your essay focusing on your side of the argument since that’s what you want readers to come away believing. However, don’t think that means you can ignore other sides of the issue. In your essay, be sure to discuss the other side’s argument, as well as why you believe this view is weak or untrue. Researching all the different viewpoints and including them in your essay will increase the quality of your writing by making your essay more complete and nuanced.

Summary: Persuasive Essay Ideas

Good persuasive essay topics can be difficult to come up with, but in this guide we’ve created a list of 113 excellent essay topics for you to browse. The best persuasive essay ideas will be those that you are interested in, have enough evidence to support your argument, and aren’t too complicated to be summarized in an essay.

After you’ve chosen your essay topic, keep these three tips in mind when you begin writing:

  • Do your research
  • Make your thesis perfect
  • Consider the other side

What's Next?

Need ideas for a research paper topic as well? Our guide to research paper topics has over 100 topics in ten categories so you can be sure to find the perfect topic for you.

Thinking about taking an AP English class? Read our guide on AP English classes to learn whether you should take AP English Language or AP English Literature (or both!)

Deciding between the SAT or ACT? Find out for sure which you will do the best on . Also read a detailed comparison between the two tests .

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Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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The Complete Guide to Independent Research Projects for High School Students

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Indigo Research Team

research essay ideas for high school

If you want to get into top universities, an independent research project will give your application the competitive edge it needs.

Writing and publishing independent research during high school lets you demonstrate to top colleges and universities that you can deeply inquire into a topic, think critically, and produce original analysis. In fact, MIT features "Research" and "Maker" portfolio sections in its application, highlighting the value it places on self-driven projects.

Moreover, successfully executing high-quality research shows potential employers that you can rise to challenges, manage your time, contribute new ideas, and work independently. 

This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know to take on independent study ideas and succeed. You’ll learn how to develop a compelling topic, conduct rigorous research, and ultimately publish your findings.

research essay ideas for high school

What is an Independent Research Project?

An independent research project is a self-directed investigation into an academic question or topic that interests you. Unlike projects assigned by teachers in class, independent research will allow you to explore your curiosity and passions.

These types of projects can vary widely between academic disciplines and scientific fields, but what connects them is a step-by-step approach to answering a research question. Specifically, you will have to collect and analyze data and draw conclusions from your analysis.

For a high school student, carrying out quality research may still require some mentorship from a teacher or other qualified scholar. But the project research ideas should come from you, the student. The end goal is producing original research and analysis around a topic you care about.

Some key features that define an independent study project include:

● Formulating your own research question

● Designing the methodology

● Conducting a literature review of existing research

● Gathering and analyzing data, and

● Communicating your findings.

The topic and scope may be smaller than a professional college academic project, but the process and skills learned have similar benefits.

Why Should High School Students Do Independent Research?

High school students who engage in independent study projects gain valuable skills and experiences that benefit and serve them well in their college and career pursuits. Here's a breakdown of what you will typically acquire:

Develop Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills

Research and critical thinking are among the top 10 soft skills in demand in 2024 . They help you solve new challenges quickly and come up with alternative solutions

An independent project will give you firsthand experience with essential research skills like forming hypotheses, designing studies, collecting and analyzing data, and interpreting results. These skills will serve you well in college and when employed in any industry.

Stand Out for College Applications

With many applicants having similar GPAs and test scores, an Independent research study offer a chance to stand out from the crowd. Completing a research study in high school signals colleges that you are self-motivated and capable of high-level work. Showcasing your research process, findings, and contributions in your application essays or interviews can boost your application's strengths in top-level colleges and universities.

Earn Scholarship Opportunities

Completing an independent research project makes you a more preferred candidate for merit-based scholarships, especially in STEM fields. Many scholarships reward students who show initiative by pursuing projects outside of class requirements. Your research project ideas will demonstrate your skills and motivation to impress scholarship committees. For example, the Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology rewards students with original independent research projects in STEM fields. Others include the Garcia Summer Program and the BioGENEius challenge for life sciences.

research essay ideas for high school

Gain Subject Area Knowledge

Independent projects allow you to immerse yourself in a topic you genuinely care about beyond what is covered in the classroom. It's a chance to become an expert in something you're passionate about . You will build deep knowledge in the topic area you choose to research, which can complement what you're learning in related classes. This expertise can even help inform your career interests and goals.

Develop Time Management Skills

Time Management is the skill that lets you effectively plan and prioritize tasks and avoid procrastination. With no teacher guiding you step-by-step, independent study projects require strong time management, self-discipline, and personal responsibility – skills critical in college and adulthood.

Types of Independent Research Projects for High School Students

Understanding the different types and categories can spark inspiration if you need help finding an idea for an independent study. Topics for independent research generally fall into a few main buckets:

Science Experiments

For students interested in STEM fields, designing and carrying out science experiments is a great option. Test a hypothesis, collect data, and draw conclusions. Experiments in physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, and psychology are common choices. Science experiment is best for self-motivated students with access to lab equipment.

Science Experiments Independent Research Projects

Social Science Surveys and Studies  

Use research methods from sociology, political science, anthropology, economics, and psychology to craft a survey study or field observation around a high school research project idea that interests you. Collect data from peers, your community, and online sources, and compile findings. Strong fit for students interested in social studies.

Literary Analysis Paper

This research category involves analyzing existing research papers, books, and articles on a specific topic. Imagine exploring the history of robots, examining the impact of social media on mental health, or comparing different interpretations of a classic novel. If you are an English enthusiast, this is an easy chance to showcase your analytical writing skills.

Programming or Engineering Project

For aspiring programmers or engineers, you can take on practical student projects that develop software programs, apps, websites, robots, electronic gadgets, or other hands-on engineering projects. This type of project will easily highlight your technical skills and interest in computer science or engineering fields in your college applications

Historical Research

History research projects will allow you to travel back and uncover the past to inform the future. This research involves analyzing historical documents, artifacts, and records to shed light on a specific event or period. For example, you can conduct independent research on the impact of a local historical figure or the evolution of fashion throughout the decades. Check to explore even more history project ideas for high school students .

Artistic and Creative Works

If you are artistic and love creating art,  you can explore ideas for independent study to produce an original film, musical composition, sculpture, painting series, fashion line, or other creative work. Alongside the tangible output, document your creative process and inspirations.

Bonus Tip: Feel free to mix different ideas for your project. For example, you could conduct a literature review on a specific historical event and follow it up with field research that interviewed people who experienced the event firsthand.

How To Conduct an Independent Research Project

Now that you have ideas for project topics that match your interests and strengths, here are the critical steps you must follow to move from mere concept to completed study.

1. Get Expert Guidance and Mentorship

As a high school student just starting out in research, it is advised to collaborate with more experienced mentors who will help you learn the ropes of research projects easily. Mentors are usually professors, post-doctoral researchers, or graduate students with significant experience in conducting independent project research and can guide you through the process. 

Specifically, your mentor will advise you on formulating research questions, designing methodologies, analyzing data, and communicating findings effectively. To quickly find mentors in your research project area of interest, enroll in an online academic research mentorship program that targets high school students. You’d be exposed to one-on-one sessions with professors and graduate students that will help you develop your research and publish your findings.

The right mentor can also help transform your independent project ideas into a study suitable for publication in relevant research journals. With their experience, mentors will guide you to follow the proper research methods and best practices. This ensures your work meets the standards required, avoiding rejection from journals. 

2. Develop a Compelling Research Question

Once you are familiar with the type of independent research best suited to your strengths and interests, as explained in the previous section, the next step is to develop a question you want to answer in that field. This is called a research question and will serve as the foundation for your entire project.

The research question will drive your entire project, so it needs to be complex enough to merit investigation but clear enough to study. Here are some ts for crafting your research question:

●  Align your research question(s) with topics you are passionate about and have some background knowledge. You will spend a significant amount of time on this question.

●  Consult with your mentor teacher or professor to get feedback and guidance on developing a feasible, meaningful question

●  Avoid overly broad questions better suited for doctoral dissertations. Narrow your focus to something manageable, but that still intrigues you.

●  Pose your research question as an actual question, like "How does social media usage affect teen mental health?" The question should lay out the key variables you'll be investigating.

●  Ensure your question and desired approach are ethically sound. You may need permission to study human subjects.

●  Conduct preliminary research to ensure your question hasn't already been answered. You want to contribute something new to your field.

With a compelling research question as your compass, you're ready to start your independent study project. Remember to stay flexible; you may need to refine the question further as your research develops.

3. Set a Timeline and Write a Proposal

After defining your research question, the next step is to map out a timeline for completing your research project. This will keep you organized and help you develop strong time management skills.

Start by creating a schedule that outlines all major milestones from start to finish. In your schedule, allow plenty of time for research, experimentation, data analysis, and compiling your report. Always remember to build in some cushion for unexpected delays.

Moreover, you can use tools like Gantt charts to design a timeline for an independent research project . Gantt charts help you visualize your research project timeline at a glance. See the video below for a tutorial on designing a Gantt chart to plan your project schedule:

[YouTube Video on How to Make a Gantt Chart: https://youtu.be/un8j6QqpYa0?si=C2_I0C_ZBXS73kZy ]

Research Proposal

To have a clear direction of the step-by-step process for your independent study, write a 1-2 page research proposal to outline your question, goals, methodology, timeline, resources, and desired outcomes. Get feedback from your mentor to improve the proposal before starting your research. 

Sticking to your timeline requires self-discipline. But strive to meet your goals and deadlines; it will build invaluable real-world skills in time and project management. With a plan in place, it's time to move forward with your research.

4. Do Your Research

This is the active phase where a student is conducting a research project. The specific method you will follow varies enormously based on your project type and field. You should have your methodology outlined in your approved research proposal already. However, most independent research has a similar basic process:

  • Review existing studies : Perform a literature review to understand current knowledge on your topic and inform your own hypothesis/framework. Read relevant studies, articles, and papers.
  • Create methodology materials : Design your independent research methodology for gathering data. This may involve experiments, surveys, interviews, field observations, or analysis of existing artifacts like texts or datasets.
  • Permissions and Equipment :  Secure any necessary equipment and permissions. For example, if doing interviews, you'll need a recording device and consent from participants.
  • Collect your data : For science projects, perform experiments and record results. For surveys, recruit respondents and compile responses. Gather enough data to draw valid conclusions.
  • Analyze the data using appropriate techniques : Quantitative data may involve statistical analysis, while qualitative data requires coding for themes. Consult your mentor for direction.
  • Interpret the findings : Take care not to overstate conclusions. Look for patterns and relationships that shed light on your research question. Always maintain rigorous objectivity.

While a student's project methodology and its execution are unique, ensure you follow the standard practices in your field of interest to ensure high-quality acceptable results. You can always refer to the plan in your research proposal as you diligently carry out the steps required to execute your study. Ensure you have detailed records that document all your processes.  

research essay ideas for high school

5. Write Your Final Paper and Presentation

Once you've completed your research, it's time to summarize and share your findings with the world by writing the final paper and designing its presentation. This involves synthesizing your work into clear, compelling reporting.

Drafting the paper will likely involve extensive writing and editing. Be prepared to go through multiple revisions to get the paper polished. Follow the standard format used in academic papers in your field;  your mentor can provide you with examples of independent study related to yours. The final product should include: 

  • Abstract : A short summary of your project and conclusions.
  • Introduction : Background on your topic, goals, and research questions.
  • Literature Review : Summary of relevant existing research in your field.
  • Methods : Detailed explanation of the methodology and process of your study.
  • Results : Presentation of the data and main findings from your research. Using visual representations like charts was helpful.
  • Discussion : Objective interpretation and analysis of the results and their significance.
  • Conclusion : Summary of your research contributions, limitations, and suggestions for future work.
  • References/Bibliography : Full citations for all sources referenced.

Adhere to clear academic writing principles to keep your writing objective and straightforward. Generally, stick to a 10-15 page length limit appropriate for student work. However, you may need to write more depending on your project type.

6. Research Presentation

After writing your research project report, you should prepare a presentation to share your research orally. Moreover, a research presentation is a tangible opportunity to practice public speaking and visual communication skills. Your presentation will include slides, handouts, demonstrations, or other aids to engage your audience and highlight key points in your independent study project.

Once you have written your final paper, you will likely want to publish it in relevant journals and publications. For detailed tips see our guide on how to publish your student research paper . Some options you have to formally publish your high school-level independent research include:

  • Submitting your paper to academic journals and competitions
  • Presenting at symposiums and science fairs
  • Sharing on online research databases
  • Adding your work to college applications

Publishing your independent project allows you to share your findings with broader scholarly and student audiences. It also helps amplify the impact of all your hard work.

Independent Research Project Examples

To spark creative ideas for independent research projects, it can be helpful to read through and examine examples of successful projects completed by other high school students in recent years. Here are some inspiring examples:

●  Using machine learning to diagnose cancer based on blood markers (bioinformatics)

●  Applying feature engineering and natural language processing to analyze Twitter data (data science)

●  Investigating connections between stress levels and HIV/AIDS progression (health science)

●  The Relationship between Color and Human Experience

These published i ndependent research project examples demonstrate the impressive research high schoolers take on using the Indigo research service with mentors from different fields. Let these case studies motivate your creative investigation and analysis of the best ideas for your project.

Need Mentorship for Your Independent Research Project?

As outlined in this guide, conducting a rigorous independent research study can be challenging without proper guidance from experts, especially for high school students. This is why partnering with an experienced research mentor is so crucial if your goal is to produce publishable research work.

With Indigo's structured research programs and ongoing expert feedback, you can elevate your high school independent study to a professional level. To get matched with the perfect research mentor aligned with your academic interests and passions, apply to Indigo Research now.

Indigo Research connects high school students with PhD-level researchers and professors who provide one-on-one mentorship through the entire research process - from refining your initial topic idea all the way through analyzing data, writing up results, and finalizing your findings.

research essay ideas for high school

Are you seeking one-on-one college counseling and/or essay support? Limited spots are now available. Click here to learn more.

160 Good Argumentative Essay Topics for Students in 2024

April 3, 2024

argumentative essay topics

The skill of writing an excellent argumentative essay is a crucial one for every high school or college student to master. In sum, argumentative essays teach students how to organize their thoughts logically and present them in a convincing way. This skill is helpful not only for those pursuing degrees in law , international relations , or public policy , but for any student who wishes to develop their critical thinking faculties. In this article, we’ll cover what makes a good argument essay and offer several argumentative essay topics for high school and college students. Let’s begin!

What is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is an essay that uses research to present a reasoned argument on a particular subject . As with the persuasive essay , the purpose of an argumentative essay is to sway the reader to the writer’s position. However, a strong persuasive essay makes its point through diligent research and emotion while a strong argumentative essay should be based solely on facts, not feelings.

Moreover, each fact should be supported by clear evidence from credible sources . Furthermore, a good argumentative essay will have an easy-to-follow structure. When organizing your argumentative essay, use this format as a guide:

  • Introduction
  • Supporting body paragraphs
  • Paragraph(s) addressing common counterarguments

Argumentative Essay Format

In the introduction , the writer presents their position and thesis statement —a sentence that summarizes the paper’s main points. The body paragraphs then draw upon supporting evidence to back up this initial statement, with each paragraph focusing on its own point. The length of your paper will determine the amount of examples you need. In general, you’ll likely need at least two to three. Additionally, your examples should be as detailed as possible, citing specific research, case studies, statistics, or anecdotes.

In the counterargument paragraph , the writer acknowledges and refutes opposing viewpoints. Finally, in the conclusion , the writer restates the main argument made in the thesis statement and summarizes the points of the essay. Additionally, the conclusion may offer a final proposal to persuade the reader of the essay’s position.

How to Write an Effective Argumentative Essay, Step by Step

  • Choose your topic. Use the list below to help you pick a topic. Ideally, a good argumentative essay topic will be meaningful to you—writing is always stronger when you are interested in the subject matter. In addition, the topic should be complex with plenty of “pro” and “con” arguments. Avoid choosing a topic that is either widely accepted as fact or too narrow. For example, “Is the earth round?” would not be a solid choice.
  • Research. Use the library, the web, and any other resources to gather information about your argumentative essay topic. Research widely but smartly. As you go, take organized notes, marking the source of every quote and where it may fit in the scheme of your larger essay. Moreover, remember to look for (and research) possible counterarguments.
  • Outline . Using the argument essay format above, create an outline for your essay. Then, brainstorm a thesis statement covering your argument’s main points, and begin to put your examples in order, focusing on logical flow. It’s often best to place your strongest example last.
  • Write . Draw on your research and outline to create a first draft. Remember, your first draft doesn’t need to be perfect. (As Voltaire says, “Perfect is the enemy of good.”) Accordingly, just focus on getting the words down on paper.
  • Does my thesis statement need to be adjusted?
  • Which examples feel strongest? Weakest?
  • Do the transitions flow smoothly?
  • Do I have a strong opening paragraph?
  • Does the conclusion reinforce my argument?

Tips for Revising an Argument Essay

Evaluating your own work can be difficult, so you might consider the following strategies:

  • Read your work aloud to yourself.
  • Record yourself reading your paper, and listen to the recording.
  • Reverse outline your paper. Firstly, next to each paragraph, write a short summary of that paragraph’s main points/idea. Then, read through your reverse outline. Does it have a logical flow? If not, where should you adjust?
  • Print out your paper and cut it into paragraphs. What happens when you rearrange the paragraphs?

Good Argumentative Essay Topics for Middle School, High School, and College Students

Family argumentative essay topics.

  • Should the government provide financial incentives for families to have children to address the declining birth rate?
  • Should we require parents to provide their children with a certain level of nutrition and physical activity to prevent childhood obesity?
  • Should parents implement limits on how much time their children spend playing video games?
  • Should cell phones be banned from family/holiday gatherings?
  • Should we hold parents legally responsible for their children’s actions?
  • Should children have the right to sue their parents for neglect?
  • Should parents have the right to choose their child’s religion?
  • Are spanking and other forms of physical punishment an effective method of discipline?
  • Should courts allow children to choose where they live in cases of divorce?
  • Should parents have the right to monitor teens’ activity on social media?
  • Should parents control their child’s medical treatment, even if it goes against the child’s wishes?
  • Should parents be allowed to post pictures of their children on social media without their consent?
  • Should fathers have a legal say in whether their partners do or do not receive an abortion?
  • Can television have positive developmental benefits on children?
  • Should the driving age be raised to prevent teen car accidents?
  • Should adult children be legally required to care for their aging parents?

Education Argument Essay Topics

  • Should schools ban the use of technology like ChatGPT?
  • Are zoos unethical, or necessary for conservation and education?
  • To what degree should we hold parents responsible in the event of a school shooting?
  • Should schools offer students a set number of mental health days?
  • Should school science curriculums offer a course on combating climate change?
  • Should public libraries be allowed to ban certain books? If so, what types?
  • What role, if any, should prayer play in public schools?
  • Should schools push to abolish homework?
  • Are gifted and talented programs in schools more harmful than beneficial due to their exclusionary nature?
  • Should universities do away with Greek life?
  • Should schools remove artwork, such as murals, that some perceive as offensive?
  • Should the government grant parents the right to choose alternative education options for their children and use taxpayer funds to support these options?
  • Is homeschooling better than traditional schooling for children’s academic and social development?
  • Should we require schools to teach sex education to reduce teen pregnancy rates?
  • Should we require schools to provide sex education that includes information about both homosexual and heterosexual relationships?
  • Should colleges use affirmative action and other race-conscious policies to address diversity on campus?
  • Should public schools remove the line “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance?
  • Should college admissions officers be allowed to look at students’ social media accounts?
  • Should schools abolish their dress codes, many of which unfairly target girls, LGBTQ students, and students of color?
  • Should schools be required to stock free period products in bathrooms?
  • Should legacy students receive preferential treatment during the college admissions process?
  • Are school “voluntourism” trips ethical?

Government Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Should the U.S. decriminalize prostitution?
  • Should the U.S. issue migration visas to all eligible applicants?
  • Should the federal government cancel all student loan debt?
  • Should we lower the minimum voting age? If so, to what?
  • Should the federal government abolish all laws penalizing drug production and use?
  • Should the U.S. use its military power to deter a Chinese invasion of Taiwan?
  • Should the U.S. supply Ukraine with further military intelligence and supplies?
  • Should the North and South of the U.S. split up into two regions?
  • Should Americans hold up nationalism as a critical value?
  • Should we permit Supreme Court justices to hold their positions indefinitely?
  • Should Supreme Court justices be democratically elected?
  • Is the Electoral College still a productive approach to electing the U.S. president?
  • Should the U.S. implement a national firearm registry?
  • Is it ethical for countries like China and Israel to mandate compulsory military service for all citizens?
  • Should the U.S. government implement a ranked-choice voting system?
  • Should institutions that benefited from slavery be required to provide reparations?
  • Based on the 1619 project, should history classes change how they teach about the founding of the U.S.?
  • Should term limits be imposed on Senators and Representatives? If so, how long?
  • Should women be allowed into special forces units?
  • Should the federal government implement stronger, universal firearm licensing laws?
  • Do public sex offender registries help prevent future sex crimes?
  • Should the government be allowed to regulate family size?
  • Should all adults legally be considered mandated reporters?
  • Should the government fund public universities to make higher education more accessible to low-income students?
  • Should the government fund universal preschool to improve children’s readiness for kindergarten?

Health/Bioethics Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Should the U.S. government offer its own healthcare plan?
  • In the case of highly infectious pandemics, should we focus on individual freedoms or public safety when implementing policies to control the spread?
  • Should we legally require parents to vaccinate their children to protect public health?
  • Is it ethical for parents to use genetic engineering to create “designer babies” with specific physical and intellectual traits?
  • Should the government fund research on embryonic stem cells for medical treatments?
  • Should the government legalize assisted suicide for terminally ill patients?
  • Should organ donation be mandatory?
  • Is cloning animals ethical?
  • Should cancer screenings start earlier? If so, what age?
  • Is surrogacy ethical?
  • Should birth control require a prescription?
  • Should minors have access to emergency contraception?
  • Should hospitals be for-profit or nonprofit institutions?

Good Argumentative Essay Topics — Continued

Social media argumentative essay topics.

  • Should the federal government increase its efforts to minimize the negative impact of social media?
  • Do social media and smartphones strengthen one’s relationships?
  • Should antitrust regulators take action to limit the size of big tech companies?
  • Should social media platforms ban political advertisements?
  • Should the federal government hold social media companies accountable for instances of hate speech discovered on their platforms?
  • Do apps such as TikTok and Instagram ultimately worsen the mental well-being of teenagers?
  • Should governments oversee how social media platforms manage their users’ data?
  • Should social media platforms like Facebook enforce a minimum age requirement for users?
  • Should social media companies be held responsible for cases of cyberbullying?
  • Should the United States ban TikTok?
  • Is social media harmful to children?
  • Should employers screen applicants’ social media accounts during the hiring process?

Religion Argument Essay Topics

  • Should religious institutions be tax-exempt?
  • Should religious symbols such as the hijab or crucifix be allowed in public spaces?
  • Should religious freedoms be protected, even when they conflict with secular laws?
  • Should the government regulate religious practices?
  • Should we allow churches to engage in political activities?
  • Religion: a force for good or evil in the world?
  • Should the government provide funding for religious schools?
  • Is it ethical for healthcare providers to deny abortions based on religious beliefs?
  • Should religious organizations be allowed to discriminate in their hiring practices?
  • Should we allow people to opt out of medical treatments based on their religious beliefs?
  • Should the U.S. government hold religious organizations accountable for cases of sexual abuse within their community?
  • Should religious beliefs be exempt from anti-discrimination laws?
  • Should religious individuals be allowed to refuse services to others based on their beliefs or lifestyles? (As in this famous case .)
  • Should the US ban religion-based federal holidays?
  • Should public schools be allowed to teach children about religious holidays?

Science Argument Essay Topics

  • Would the world be safer if we eliminated nuclear weapons?
  • Should scientists bring back extinct animals? If so, which ones?
  • Should we hold companies fiscally responsible for their carbon footprint?
  • Should we ban pesticides in favor of organic farming methods?
  • Should the federal government ban all fossil fuels, despite the potential economic impact on specific industries and communities?
  • What renewable energy source should the U.S. invest more money in?
  • Should the FDA outlaw GMOs?
  • Should we worry about artificial intelligence surpassing human intelligence?
  • Should the alternative medicine industry be more stringently regulated?
  • Is colonizing Mars a viable option?
  • Is the animal testing worth the potential to save human lives?

Sports Argument Essay Topics

  • Should colleges compensate student-athletes?
  • How should sports teams and leagues address the gender pay gap?
  • Should youth sports teams do away with scorekeeping?
  • Should we ban aggressive contact sports like boxing and MMA?
  • Should professional sports associations mandate that athletes stand during the national anthem?
  • Should high schools require their student-athletes to maintain a certain GPA?
  • Should transgender athletes compete in sports according to their gender identity?
  • Should schools ban football due to the inherent danger it poses to players?
  • Should performance-enhancing drugs be allowed in sports?
  • Do participation trophies foster entitlement and unrealistic expectations?
  • Should sports teams be divided by gender?
  • Should professional athletes be allowed to compete in the Olympics?
  • Should women be allowed on NFL teams?

Technology Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Should sites like DALL-E compensate the artists whose work it was trained on?
  • Should the federal government make human exploration of space a more significant priority?
  • Is it ethical for the government to use surveillance technology to monitor citizens?
  • Should websites require proof of age from their users? If so, what age?
  • Should we consider A.I.-generated images and text pieces of art?
  • Does the use of facial recognition technology violate individuals’ privacy?
  • Is online learning as effective as in-person learning?
  • Does computing harm the environment?
  • Should buying, sharing, and selling collected personal data be illegal?
  • Are electric cars really better for the environment?
  • Should car companies be held responsible for self-driving car accidents?
  • Should private jets be banned?
  • Do violent video games contribute to real-life violence?

Business Argument Essay Topics

  • Should the U.S. government phase out the use of paper money in favor of a fully digital currency system?
  • Should the federal government abolish its patent and copyright laws?
  • Should we replace the Federal Reserve with free-market institutions?
  • Is free-market ideology responsible for the U.S. economy’s poor performance over the past decade?
  • Will cryptocurrencies overtake natural resources like gold and silver?
  • Is capitalism the best economic system? What system would be better?
  • Should the U.S. government enact a universal basic income?
  • Should we require companies to provide paid parental leave to their employees?
  • Should the government raise the minimum wage? If so, to what?
  • Should antitrust regulators break up large companies to promote competition?
  • Is it ethical for companies to prioritize profits over social responsibility?
  • Should gig-economy workers like Uber and Lyft drivers be considered employees or independent contractors?
  • Should the federal government regulate the gig economy to ensure fair treatment of workers?
  • Should the government require companies to disclose the environmental impact of their products?
  • Should companies be allowed to fire employees based on political views or activities?
  • Should tipping practices be phased out?
  • Should employees who choose not to have children be given the same amount of paid leave as parents?
  • Should MLMs (multi-level marketing companies) be illegal?
  • Should employers be allowed to factor tattoos and personal appearance into hiring decisions?

In Conclusion – Argument Essay Topics

Using the tips above, you can effectively structure and pen a compelling argumentative essay that will wow your instructor and classmates. Remember to craft a thesis statement that offers readers a roadmap through your essay, draw on your sources wisely to back up any claims, and read through your paper several times before it’s due to catch any last-minute proofreading errors. With time, diligence, and patience, your essay will be the most outstanding assignment you’ve ever turned in…until the next one rolls around.

Looking for more fresh and engaging topics for use in the classroom? You might consider checking out the following:

  • 125 Good Debate Topics for High School Students
  • 150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics
  • 7 Best Places to Study
  • Guide to the IB Extended Essay
  • How to Write the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay
  • AP Lit Reading List
  • How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis Essay
  • 49 Most Interesting Biology Research Topics
  • High School Success

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Lauren Green

With a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from Columbia University and an MFA in Fiction from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin, Lauren has been a professional writer for over a decade. She is the author of the chapbook  A Great Dark House  (Poetry Society of America, 2023) and a forthcoming novel (Viking/Penguin).

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research essay ideas for high school

50 Engaging Narrative Essay Topics for High Schoolers

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What’s Covered:

Narrative essays vs. analytical essays, how to pick the right narrative essay topic, elements of a strong narrative essay, engaging narrative essay topics for high schoolers, where to get your narrative essay edited for free.

Narrative essays are an extensive form of writing that gives readers the opportunity to follow along as a person goes through a journey or sets of experiences. Rather than providing analytic insight, narrative essays simply share a story and offer a first-person account. These essays may seem easy to write at first, but it takes a certain finesse to write a narrative essay that is interesting, cohesive, and well-researched. Whether you’re looking for a unique topic to write about, or just want some new inspiration, CollegeVine is here to help! These 50 narrative essay topics are engaging, unique and will have you writing in no time.

A narrative essay is a great way to express your personal experiences and opinions, but it is important to remember that this type of essay is different from an analytical paper. In a narrative essay, you do not need to provide background information or explain your thoughts and feelings; instead, you simply tell a story. It’s important to avoid too much telling in your writing; instead, use creative details and vivid imagery to make readers feel as if they are actually right there with you.

Where You Will Encounter Narrative Essays

This type of essay is typically encountered in high school, where students may be required to write personal statements to prepare for their Common App essay . Narrative essays are also commonly seen in AP Language and Composition. Therefore, it’s important you are aware of the style because you are bound to have a narrative essay assignment.  

Of course, before you start writing, it is important to pick the right essay topic. There are many factors involved in the process of picking the perfect narrative essay topic for your story.

You should always choose a topic that you are passionate about, since writing on something you care about will make the process much easier. Not only will it be more interesting to create your paper around something that truly interests you, but it will also allow you to fully express yourself in your essay. You also want to be sure that the topic has enough material to work with. If your chosen topic is too short, you will not have enough content to write a complete paper. For example, if you are writing about your experience getting lost at the mall, make sure that you have enough information to work with to craft an engaging narrative. 

The best topic for an engaging narrative essay is one that focuses on showing versus telling, has a clear structure, and provides a dialogue. These elements come together to form an engaging narrative essay. Regardless of what subject you pick, any topic may be turned into a fascinating, A+ worthy narrative using the tips below.

Show, Don’t Tell

To write a good narrative essay, it’s important to show, not tell. Instead of simply informing your audience, show them what you mean. For example, instead of saying “I was nervous,” you could say “My heart began to race and my stomach filled with butterflies.” Also make sure to use sensory details, such as sights, sounds and tastes, and include a personal reflection at the end of your narrative. 

Begin with a Strong Opening Line

A good narrative essay will begin with an attention-grabbing opening line. But make sure to avoid common clichés, such as “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Instead, come up with something original and specific to you and your situation. For example: “My pre-calc teacher was obsessed with circles. I mean, he even used circular note cards.” Or, “It all started the day my mom brought home a guinea pig.”

Follows a Three-Act Structure

A strong narrative essay follows the same three-act structure as other essays. But in order to make it interesting, you’ll need to come up with a creative way to break things down into sections. For example, using the guinea pig example from above, you could write the following:

  • Act 1 – Introduction: The day my mom brought home a guinea pig.
  • Act 2 – Conflict: The day I had to say goodbye to my beloved pet.
  • Act 3 – Conclusion: Looking back at how much I miss him now that he’s gone.

Conclude with Personal Reflection

To conclude your narrative essay, you’ll want to explain what this specific experience taught you or how you’ve changed. For example, upon realizing that her pre-calc teacher was obsessed with circles, the writer of the previous example begins to notice circular shapes everywhere. Another way to conclude your narrative essay is by touching on how this experience impacted you emotionally. For example, after losing his guinea pig, the writer explains how much he missed it.

Use Dialogue

Include a conversation in your essay to make it come alive. For example, instead of simply saying that you met a new friend, talk about how you introduced yourselves or what they were wearing when you met them.

research essay ideas for high school

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The following list of 50 narrative essay topics is divided into categories. This will make it easier to find a topic that fits your writing style.

1. What is a childhood song that still sticks with you today?

2. Your first day of Kindergarten

3. Talk about a time when you’re siblings looked up to you

4. Describe the best birthday party you’ve ever had

5. Talk about the best day you ever spent with a childhood friend

6. Explain your first childhood hobby

7. Describe your first halloween costume

8. A family vacation gone wrong

9. Your first family reunion

10. Describe a tradition that is unique to your family

11. Describe your family to a person who’s never met them before

12. What frustrates you most about your family

13. If you could only keep one memory of your family, what would it be and why?

14. Describe a time your family embarrassed you in public

15. The most beautiful place in the world

16. Your favorite season and why

17. If you were a part of nature, what element would you be? Why?

18. When you go outside, which of your senses are you most thankful to have?

19. Describe the first time you witnessed a tornado 

20. Write a poem about your favorite season

21. Describe yourself as one of the four seasons

22. Describe a time in which you felt connected with nature

23. Describe the first time you played an instrument and how you felt

24. What major event would be much worse if music was removed, and why?

25. If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

26. What would a life without music look like?

27. If you could master one instrument, what would it be and why?

Relationships

28. What if you had never met your best friend?

29. Describe a time when you fixed a broken relationship

30. Talk about a movie that defined a relationship for you

31. Describe your first date

32. Describe the first time you made a friend

33. Describe your relationship with your parents

Self Reflection

34. Have you ever fooled someone? If so, describe what happened and how you felt about it

35. What is the worst thing you’ve done to someone else?

36. Write about the difference between how things seem and how they really are. 

37. Have you ever been embarrassed in some way? If so, describe the situation and how it affected you as well as those around you

38. Have you ever witnessed something really beautiful? Describe it

39. Is your glass half empty or half full?

Overcoming Adversity 

40. Have you ever been very afraid of something but tried your hardest to appear fearless? If so, describe that experience

41. When have you ever succeeded when you thought you might fail

42. What are your secret survival strategies?

43. Describe the last time you were stressed and why?

44. Describe a time when you were discriminated against

45. The most memorable class you’ve had and why

46. Your favorite study abroad memory

47. Describe your kindergarten classroom

48. Describe your first teacher

49. The first time you experienced detention

50. Your first field trip

Hopefully these topics will get you thinking about a personal experience that could make for a thoughtful and engaging narrative essay. Remember, a strong narrative essay must contain relatable details and a clear flow that keeps the reader entertained and engaged to read all the way to the end.

If you need some additional guidance on your narrative essay, use CollegeVine’s free peer review essay tool to get feedback for free!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

research essay ideas for high school

ScienceDaily

High school student helps transform 'crazy idea' into innovative research tool

Like many good ideas in science, it started with a walk in the woods.

During a stroll through the Berlin Botanic Garden in 2019, HHMI Janelia Research Campus Group Leader Jan Funke and some of his scientific colleagues started chatting about a familiar topic: how to get more information out of insect connectomes.

These wiring diagrams give researchers unprecedented information about brain cells and how they connect to each other, but they don't tell scientists how the signal from one neuron affects the other neurons in its network.

The group wondered if they might be able to use information from previous experiments identifying the neurotransmitters released from some neurons to predict the neurotransmitters released from others in the connectome. Neurons use neurotransmitters to communicate with each other, with different chemicals responsible for different signals.

The human eye can't tell the difference between the synapses on neurons where different neurotransmitters are released, but perhaps a computer model could. Funke and his colleagues were skeptical, but they thought it might be worth giving it a try.

"This is basically where we left it: we have the data, I guess we could try," Funke says. "We were not particularly optimistic."

Back at Janelia, Funke decided to give the project to Michelle Du, a high school student who was starting a summer internship in his lab. The project would allow Du to learn how to train a neural network to recognize images -- a useful skill for a budding computer scientist even if the project did not yield results.

A few days into her internship, Du showed up in Funke's office having trained the model on published data and evaluated its performance on test data. Though Funke had little hope it would work, the model was more than 90 percent accurate in predicting some neurotransmitters.

"I couldn't believe it," Funke says. "The numbers were way too good."

After checking the data and the model, Funke, Du, and their colleagues were convinced that the numbers weren't a mistake: The model could predict neurotransmitters. But the team was still cautious, and they didn't have a good grasp on how the network was making the predictions.

"I should have been very happy, but instead I was worried because we didn't understand what was going on," Funke says.

After ruling out possible confounders that could be skewing their results, the team developed a way to understand what the network was seeing that allowed it to make predictions.

First, they used their network to predict a neurotransmitter from a known image, which it did successfully. Then, they asked a separate network to take that known image and change it slightly to create an image corresponding to the release of a different neurotransmitter -- essentially identifying the minimum traits that need to be changed for the model to predict one neurotransmitter over 4another. Lastly, the team developed a separate method to identify these distinct traits.

From this information, the team understood the different features their original network used to make predictions. This gave them confidence to release their method to the wider neuroscience community in 2020.

"What most of the neuroscience community has seen from this work is the predictions," Funke says. "They were happy to use it, but for us it was very important to make sure it was actually working."

Five years later, Du is now an undergraduate at Duke University, and the method she helped develop has been used to predict neurotransmitters in connectomes of the fruit fly hemibrain, ventral nerve cord, and optic lobe created by Janelia researchers and collaborators, as well as the adult fly brain connectome created by FlyWire.

The information helps scientists understand how neurons in a circuit affect each other so they can then form hypotheses about the function of brain circuits that can be tested in the lab.

"It really all started with a bit of a crazy idea, something that no one was really too optimistic about. And what do you do with a crazy idea? You give it to a high school student as a learning experience," Funke says. "We were very fortunate that Michelle was extremely talented."

  • Neuroscience
  • Educational Psychology
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  • Telecommunications
  • Drosophila melanogaster
  • Double blind
  • Neurotransmitter
  • Earth science
  • Brachiosaurus
  • Positron emission tomography

Story Source:

Materials provided by Howard Hughes Medical Institute . Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference :

  • Nils Eckstein, Alexander Shakeel Bates, Andrew Champion, Michelle Du, Yijie Yin, Philipp Schlegel, Alicia Kun-Yang Lu, Thomson Rymer, Samantha Finley-May, Tyler Paterson, Ruchi Parekh, Sven Dorkenwald, Arie Matsliah, Szi-Chieh Yu, Claire McKellar, Amy Sterling, Katharina Eichler, Marta Costa, Sebastian Seung, Mala Murthy, Volker Hartenstein, Gregory S.X.E. Jefferis, Jan Funke. Neurotransmitter classification from electron microscopy images at synaptic sites in Drosophila melanogaster . Cell , 2024; 187 (10): 2574 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.03.016

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Education | New Vista High School students have bilingual…

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Education | New Vista High School students have bilingual education ideas

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The students plan to share their recommendations with the Boulder Valley school board at its Tuesday meeting. They also presented at this year’s Colorado Association of Bilingual Education and the American Education Research Association’s annual meeting held in Philadelphia.

“Our recommendations could benefit a lot of people,” New Vista sophomore Reese Fusman said. “It’s cool to do something in school that gives you a feeling of accomplishment. It has led to so many amazing things.”

The students, 27 in total, took the class as part of New Vista’s community experience program. Some stayed with the class all year, while others took the class for a quarter or a semester.

“Community experiences are for passion projects,” New Vista Principal John McCluskey said. “You can really dive in on something that gives you a sense of purpose, to ask how can I solve a problem, how can I be of service. It’s a chance for people to get out in the real world. We can get kids to engage with the community.”

The weekly class was taught by Laura Meinzen, a doctoral student in CU Boulder’s School of Education, and overseen by Michelle Renée Valladares, National Education Policy Center associate director .

Valladares said students learned research skills; learned about bilingual education and its implementation in Boulder Valley; collected data at elementary, middle and high schools and at universities inside and outside of the school district, attended class on the CU Boulder campus; and developed their own biliteracy skills by using both Spanish and English throughout their work.

“We wanted to get a lot of different perspectives,” New Vista junior Patrick Martin said.

The teaching assistant for the class, CU Boulder undergraduate student Maya Milan, is a Centaurus High School graduate. She said she is passionate about the research topic and was impressed by how hard the New Vista students worked.

“The heavy lifting was done by them,” Milan said.

The class started by looking at research that shows multilingual students could benefit from continuing to develop their biliteracy skills through high school. But, in Colorado and nationally, most bilingual education programs end after elementary school. While there are some districts that offer middle school options, very few programs continue through high school.

Kristin Nelson-Steinhoff, Boulder Valley’s Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education director, said Boulder Valley is working to create a K-12 bilingual pathway and appreciates the opportunity to work with the New Vista students.

“The fact that they are engaged in thinking about what that (high school pathway) might look like is super exciting,” she said.

The district started with expanding its middle school options , adding classes for sixth graders at three middle schools last fall. More bilingual classes, for seventh and eighth graders, will be added over the next two years. Boulder Valley also introduced a “bilingual and proud” campaign this school year.

“We’re really taking a systems approach,” Nelson-Steinhoff said, adding that the goal is to create high-quality, sustainable programs.

New Vista students developed a range of recommendations that include translating announcements and fliers for clubs into Spanish, providing class tests in a student’s native language, hiring more bilingual staff members, adding bilingual high school classes and providing summer school classes in Spanish.

“It would help create schools where all students have equal opportunities to learn,”  said New Vista sophomore Hamilton Dunn, adding that he especially wants to see high schools build a sense of belonging for their Spanish-speaking students.

Junior Lily Thoresen said there’s a large Spanish-speaking population in Boulder, including students at New Vista who are native Spanish speakers. The high school students they interviewed who don’t have bilingual options also reported feeling behind as they tried to learn a second language, she said.

“We want there to be more of an opportunity for people who don’t speak English,” she said. “It will help the community and the schools.”

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Franklin Antonio Hall Sparks Research Collaborations

The fruits of these team efforts are presented at the icra 2024 conference.

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From improving tools for robot-assisted surgery to studying how humans prefer to interact with robots, collaborations across different departments at the Jacobs School of Engineering are in the spotlight in this year’s accepted papers for the 2024 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. 

The interdisciplinary collaborations were partially ignited by the opening of Franklin Antonio Hall in 2022, which is home to various collaboratories bringing together research from across disciplines, including computer scientists, mechanical engineers and electrical engineers, into shared lab spaces. 

ICRA brings together robotics researchers, students and industrial partners from around the world to discuss the latest innovations and breakthroughs, highlighting the role of robotics and automation in addressing global challenges.

 Incidentally, the theme of this year’s ICRA conference is “CONNECT+”--reflecting the conference’s aim of helping to build relationships and potential collaborations with participants within and outside their field of study. 

“This year’s papers accepted at ICRA from UC San Diego researchers show that the collaborative spaces housed in the new Franklin Antonio Hall are bearing fruit,” said Henrik Christensen, a professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and Director of the Contextual Robotics Institute here at UC San Diego.

The following research will be presented at ICRA:

 Robust Surgical Tool Tracking with Pixel-based Probabilities for Projected Geometric Primitives

A paper on improving tools for robot-assisted surgery would not have been possible without sharing the same building with electrical engineers, said Christopher D’Ambrosia, who earned his PhD in Christensen’s research group. 

D’Ambrosia worked closely with the research group of Michael Yip, a professor in the UC San Diego Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Coauthors from Yip’s group on the paper were Florian Richter, Zih-Yun Ciu, Nikhil Shinde and Fei Liu. 

Being in Franklin Antonio Hall allowed the researchers to hold spontaneous meetings, as well as scheduled group meetings and Q&A sessions. The PhD students could; share hardware, such as the DaVinci surgical robot platform; and work together at the various whiteboards available in the building. 

“It 1000% would not have been possible to do this together without FAH,” D’Ambrosio said. “For example, one of us could easily pick up where someone else left off on a common workstation because we could easily shift our seats that day to the place where we were needed.

{/exp:typographee}

Robot Navigation in risky, crowded environments: understanding human preferences

Ph.D. students from the research groups of mechanical engineering professor Sonia Martinez and computer science professor Laurel Riek had been at work on a paper about how humans prefer to interact with robots in risky, crowded environments before their work shifted during the COVID 19 pandemic. Martinez and Riek both say the collaboration made them look forward to moving into Franklin Antonio Hall, which made it easier to work together.

Open X-Embodiment: Robotic Learning Datasets and RT-X Models (robotics-transformer-x.github.io)

Another collaboration stemming from being located in Franklin Antonio is the involvement of three UC San Diego engineering faculty members on a paper bringing together academic and industry researchers to develop a wide range of datasets for embodied AI and robotics. The three faculty members–Christensen, computer science professor Hao Su; and electrical and computer engineering Xiaolong Wang–used to be located in three different buildings. Moving into the same space at Franklin Antonio Hall allowed them to dramatically increase their collaborations, Christensen said. 

Also of note, the lead author of the paper, Quan Vuong, is a former PhD student in Christensen’s research group here at UC San Diego.

In addition to these rich collaborations, Franklin Antonio Hall continues to be a center of innovative work in a wide range of robotics-related fields, as illustrated by these additional ICRA 2024 papers: 

Nikolai Atanasov Optimal Scene Graph Planning with Large Language Model Guidance :  Hamiltonian Dynamics Learning from Point Cloud Observations for Nonholonomic Mobile Robot Control website: https://altwaitan.github.io/DLFO/

Hao Su EasyHeC (ootts.github.io)

Tania Morimoto Hapstick: a soft flexible joystick for stiffness rendering via fiber jamming 

Xiaolong Wang Robot Synesthesia: In-hand Manipulation with Visuotactile Sensing Sim2Real Manipulation on Unknown Objects with Tactile-based reinforcement learning

Michael Yip   Tracking Snake-like Robots in the Wild Using Only a Single Camera

Learn more about research and education at UC San Diego in: Artificial Intelligence

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  12. 250 High School Research Paper Topics to Get You Started

    250 Plus Interesting High School Research Topics to Rock your Paper. Everyone including our expert paper writers understand what you're going through! Writing a research paper is hard but selecting an appropriate topic that interests all of your readers is even harder. Here's the solution that will save you from hours of combing through data.

  13. 65 Argumentative Research Topics For High School Students [PDF Included

    Conclusion. Argumentative research topics are an important tool for promoting critical thinking, and persuasive communication skills and preparing high school students for active engagement in society. These topics challenge students to think deeply and develop persuasive arguments by engaging with complex issues and evaluating sources.

  14. 100 Great Research Paper Topics

    1. How to become a successful businessman. 2. 5 Steps for becoming a successful mom. 3. Ways to become a successful entrepreneur. 4. 6 Steps to successfully making a perfect pie. Question: I want to write a research paper on natural disasters Vs damages and costs.

  15. 130 New Prompts for Argumentative Writing

    Try our student writing prompts. In 2017, we compiled a list of 401 argumentative writing prompts, all drawn from our daily Student Opinion column. Now, we're rounding up 130 more we've ...

  16. 113 Perfect Persuasive Essay Topics for Any Assignment

    List of 113 Good Persuasive Essay Topics. Below are over 100 persuasive essay ideas, organized into ten categories. When you find an idea that piques your interest, you'll choose one side of it to argue for in your essay. For example, if you choose the topic, "should fracking be legal?" you'd decide whether you believe fracking should ...

  17. Independent Research Projects for High School Students

    March 13, 2024. If you want to get into top universities, an independent research project will give your application the competitive edge it needs. Writing and publishing independent research during high school lets you demonstrate to top colleges and universities that you can deeply inquire into a topic, think critically, and produce original ...

  18. 110 Fresh Essay Topics for High School (Expanded List)

    What Essay Topics Are Suitable for HighSchool Students. High school is a time of self-discovery, exploration, and development, and your essay topics should reflect these important years in your life. Good essay topics for high school students cover a full range - from analyzing classic literature to researching contemporary social issues.

  19. 160 Good Argumentative Essay Topics for Students in 2024

    April 3, 2024. The skill of writing an excellent argumentative essay is a crucial one for every high school or college student to master. In sum, argumentative essays teach students how to organize their thoughts logically and present them in a convincing way. This skill is helpful not only for those pursuing degrees in law, international ...

  20. 20 Journals to Publish Your Research in High School

    2. The Concord Review. Submission Deadline: August 1 (Winter), November 1 (Spring), February 1 (Summer) and May 1 (Fall). The Concord Review, one of the most popular journals to publish your research, is a quarterly publication showcasing history essays authored by high school students.

  21. 26 Research Internships for High School Students

    To be eligible, students must be residents of Palm Beach or Martin counties, be at least 16 years old by the internship start date (June 17th), and attend a high school in those counties. Internship applications typically open in January and close in March, and accepted interns will be compensated $12.50 per hour. 10.

  22. 50 Engaging Narrative Essay Topics for High Schoolers

    A good narrative essay will begin with an attention-grabbing opening line. But make sure to avoid common clichés, such as "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.". Instead, come up with something original and specific to you and your situation. For example: "My pre-calc teacher was obsessed with circles.

  23. High school student helps transform 'crazy idea' into innovative

    High school student helps transform 'crazy idea' into innovative research tool. ScienceDaily . Retrieved May 9, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com / releases / 2024 / 05 / 240509124703.htm

  24. New Vista High School students have bilingual education ideas

    May 11, 2024 at 6:25 a.m. Instead of being the subjects of education research, students at New Vista High School worked with the University of Colorado Boulder to create their own research study ...

  25. Franklin Antonio Hall Sparks Research Collaborations

    Robot Navigation in risky, crowded environments: understanding human preferences. Ph.D. students from the research groups of mechanical engineering professor Sonia Martinez and computer science professor Laurel Riek had been at work on a paper about how humans prefer to interact with robots in risky, crowded environments before their work shifted during the COVID 19 pandemic.