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One of the hardest parts of writing a research paper can be just finding a good topic to write about. Fortunately we've done the hard work for you and have compiled a list of 113 interesting research paper topics. They've been organized into ten categories and cover a wide range of subjects so you can easily find the best topic for you.

In addition to the list of good research topics, we've included advice on what makes a good research paper topic and how you can use your topic to start writing a great paper.

What Makes a Good Research Paper Topic?

Not all research paper topics are created equal, and you want to make sure you choose a great topic before you start writing. Below are the three most important factors to consider to make sure you choose the best research paper topics.

#1: It's Something You're Interested In

A paper is always easier to write if you're interested in the topic, and you'll be more motivated to do in-depth research and write a paper that really covers the entire subject. Even if a certain research paper topic is getting a lot of buzz right now or other people seem interested in writing about it, don't feel tempted to make it your topic unless you genuinely have some sort of interest in it as well.

#2: There's Enough Information to Write a Paper

Even if you come up with the absolute best research paper topic and you're so excited to write about it, you won't be able to produce a good paper if there isn't enough research about the topic. This can happen for very specific or specialized topics, as well as topics that are too new to have enough research done on them at the moment. Easy research paper topics will always be topics with enough information to write a full-length paper.

Trying to write a research paper on a topic that doesn't have much research on it is incredibly hard, so before you decide on a topic, do a bit of preliminary searching and make sure you'll have all the information you need to write your paper.

#3: It Fits Your Teacher's Guidelines

Don't get so carried away looking at lists of research paper topics that you forget any requirements or restrictions your teacher may have put on research topic ideas. If you're writing a research paper on a health-related topic, deciding to write about the impact of rap on the music scene probably won't be allowed, but there may be some sort of leeway. For example, if you're really interested in current events but your teacher wants you to write a research paper on a history topic, you may be able to choose a topic that fits both categories, like exploring the relationship between the US and North Korea. No matter what, always get your research paper topic approved by your teacher first before you begin writing.

113 Good Research Paper Topics

Below are 113 good research topics to help you get you started on your paper. We've organized them into ten categories to make it easier to find the type of research paper topics you're looking for.

Arts/Culture

• Discuss the main differences in art from the Italian Renaissance and the Northern Renaissance .
• Analyze the impact a famous artist had on the world.
• How is sexism portrayed in different types of media (music, film, video games, etc.)? Has the amount/type of sexism changed over the years?
• How has the music of slaves brought over from Africa shaped modern American music?
• How has rap music evolved in the past decade?
• How has the portrayal of minorities in the media changed?

Current Events

• What have been the impacts of China's one child policy?
• How have the goals of feminists changed over the decades?
• How has the Trump presidency changed international relations?
• Analyze the history of the relationship between the United States and North Korea.
• What factors contributed to the current decline in the rate of unemployment?
• What have been the impacts of states which have increased their minimum wage?
• How do US immigration laws compare to immigration laws of other countries?
• How have the US's immigration laws changed in the past few years/decades?
• How has the Black Lives Matter movement affected discussions and view about racism in the US?
• What impact has the Affordable Care Act had on healthcare in the US?
• What factors contributed to the UK deciding to leave the EU (Brexit)?
• What factors contributed to China becoming an economic power?
• Discuss the history of Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies  (some of which tokenize the S&P 500 Index on the blockchain) .
• Do students in schools that eliminate grades do better in college and their careers?
• Do students from wealthier backgrounds score higher on standardized tests?
• Do students who receive free meals at school get higher grades compared to when they weren't receiving a free meal?
• Do students who attend charter schools score higher on standardized tests than students in public schools?
• Do students learn better in same-sex classrooms?
• How does giving each student access to an iPad or laptop affect their studies?
• What are the benefits and drawbacks of the Montessori Method ?
• Do children who attend preschool do better in school later on?
• What was the impact of the No Child Left Behind act?
• How does the US education system compare to education systems in other countries?
• What impact does mandatory physical education classes have on students' health?
• Which methods are most effective at reducing bullying in schools?
• Do homeschoolers who attend college do as well as students who attended traditional schools?
• Does offering tenure increase or decrease quality of teaching?
• How does college debt affect future life choices of students?
• Should graduate students be able to form unions?

• What are different ways to lower gun-related deaths in the US?
• How and why have divorce rates changed over time?
• Is affirmative action still necessary in education and/or the workplace?
• Should physician-assisted suicide be legal?
• How has stem cell research impacted the medical field?
• How can human trafficking be reduced in the United States/world?
• Should people be able to donate organs in exchange for money?
• Which types of juvenile punishment have proven most effective at preventing future crimes?
• Has the increase in US airport security made passengers safer?
• Analyze the immigration policies of certain countries and how they are similar and different from one another.
• Several states have legalized recreational marijuana. What positive and negative impacts have they experienced as a result?
• Do tariffs increase the number of domestic jobs?
• Which prison reforms have proven most effective?
• Should governments be able to censor certain information on the internet?
• Which methods/programs have been most effective at reducing teen pregnancy?
• What are the benefits and drawbacks of the Keto diet?
• How effective are different exercise regimes for losing weight and maintaining weight loss?
• How do the healthcare plans of various countries differ from each other?
• What are the most effective ways to treat depression ?
• What are the pros and cons of genetically modified foods?
• Which methods are most effective for improving memory?
• What can be done to lower healthcare costs in the US?
• What factors contributed to the current opioid crisis?
• Analyze the history and impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic .
• Are low-carbohydrate or low-fat diets more effective for weight loss?
• How much exercise should the average adult be getting each week?
• Which methods are most effective to get parents to vaccinate their children?
• What are the pros and cons of clean needle programs?
• How does stress affect the body?
• Discuss the history of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
• What were the causes and effects of the Salem Witch Trials?
• Who was responsible for the Iran-Contra situation?
• How has New Orleans and the government's response to natural disasters changed since Hurricane Katrina?
• What events led to the fall of the Roman Empire?
• What were the impacts of British rule in India ?
• Was the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki necessary?
• What were the successes and failures of the women's suffrage movement in the United States?
• What were the causes of the Civil War?
• How did Abraham Lincoln's assassination impact the country and reconstruction after the Civil War?
• Which factors contributed to the colonies winning the American Revolution?
• What caused Hitler's rise to power?
• Discuss how a specific invention impacted history.
• What led to Cleopatra's fall as ruler of Egypt?
• How has Japan changed and evolved over the centuries?
• What were the causes of the Rwandan genocide ?

• Why did Martin Luther decide to split with the Catholic Church?
• Analyze the history and impact of a well-known cult (Jonestown, Manson family, etc.)
• How did the sexual abuse scandal impact how people view the Catholic Church?
• How has the Catholic church's power changed over the past decades/centuries?
• What are the causes behind the rise in atheism/ agnosticism in the United States?
• What were the influences in Siddhartha's life resulted in him becoming the Buddha?
• How has media portrayal of Islam/Muslims changed since September 11th?

Science/Environment

• How has the earth's climate changed in the past few decades?
• How has the use and elimination of DDT affected bird populations in the US?
• Analyze how the number and severity of natural disasters have increased in the past few decades.
• Analyze deforestation rates in a certain area or globally over a period of time.
• How have past oil spills changed regulations and cleanup methods?
• How has the Flint water crisis changed water regulation safety?
• What are the pros and cons of fracking?
• What impact has the Paris Climate Agreement had so far?
• What have NASA's biggest successes and failures been?
• How can we improve access to clean water around the world?
• Does ecotourism actually have a positive impact on the environment?
• Should the US rely on nuclear energy more?
• What can be done to save amphibian species currently at risk of extinction?
• What impact has climate change had on coral reefs?
• How are black holes created?
• Are teens who spend more time on social media more likely to suffer anxiety and/or depression?
• How will the loss of net neutrality affect internet users?
• Analyze the history and progress of self-driving vehicles.
• How has the use of drones changed surveillance and warfare methods?
• Has social media made people more or less connected?
• What progress has currently been made with artificial intelligence ?
• Do smartphones increase or decrease workplace productivity?
• What are the most effective ways to use technology in the classroom?
• How is Google search affecting our intelligence?
• When is the best age for a child to begin owning a smartphone?
• Has frequent texting reduced teen literacy rates?

How to Write a Great Research Paper

Even great research paper topics won't give you a great research paper if you don't hone your topic before and during the writing process. Follow these three tips to turn good research paper topics into great papers.

#1: Figure Out Your Thesis Early

Before you start writing a single word of your paper, you first need to know what your thesis will be. Your thesis is a statement that explains what you intend to prove/show in your paper. Every sentence in your research paper will relate back to your thesis, so you don't want to start writing without it!

As some examples, if you're writing a research paper on if students learn better in same-sex classrooms, your thesis might be "Research has shown that elementary-age students in same-sex classrooms score higher on standardized tests and report feeling more comfortable in the classroom."

If you're writing a paper on the causes of the Civil War, your thesis might be "While the dispute between the North and South over slavery is the most well-known cause of the Civil War, other key causes include differences in the economies of the North and South, states' rights, and territorial expansion."

#2: Back Every Statement Up With Research

Remember, this is a research paper you're writing, so you'll need to use lots of research to make your points. Every statement you give must be backed up with research, properly cited the way your teacher requested. You're allowed to include opinions of your own, but they must also be supported by the research you give.

#3: Do Your Research Before You Begin Writing

You don't want to start writing your research paper and then learn that there isn't enough research to back up the points you're making, or, even worse, that the research contradicts the points you're trying to make!

Get most of your research on your good research topics done before you begin writing. Then use the research you've collected to create a rough outline of what your paper will cover and the key points you're going to make. This will help keep your paper clear and organized, and it'll ensure you have enough research to produce a strong paper.

What's Next?

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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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Breaking Down a Research Prompt: Research Prompts

• Research Prompts
• Research Essay Types & Goals
• Source Types
• Citation Formats
• Research Topics

Questions to Ask

Understanding the research prompt is the first step in the research process.

First, read the prompt once, all the way through.

Next, ask yourself the following questions as you read through it a second time, also noting when the assignment is due and how you might have to turn it in. You can highlight or underline words and phrases that alert you to what you're supposed to do.

• What kind of research essay/assignment do you need to write? Or, what is/are the goal/s of the assignment?
• What kinds of sources do you need to use?
• What kind of citation format do you need to use?

Group Activity

In your assigned small group, read over and annotate the sample research prompt, and answer the following questions.

• What kind of research essay/assignment do you need to write? What is the goal of the assignment?

Stages of the Research Process

Prompt examples.

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42 Science Writing Prompts: Spark Creativity and Learning

By: Author Paul Jenkins

Posted on August 3, 2023

Categories Writing

Science writing prompts can be an excellent tool to help students explore various scientific concepts and develop their writing skills.

Writing prompts can provide a starting point for students to explore topics such as the life cycle of living things, the formation of atoms, or the impact of science on society. By using prompts, students can develop their critical thinking skills and improve their ability to communicate scientific ideas effectively.

Understanding science writing is essential for students to excel in science. Science writing is a unique form of writing that requires a writer to convey complex scientific concepts in a clear and concise manner.

By using writing prompts, students can develop their understanding of the unique challenges of science writing and develop the skills needed to write effectively in this field.

There are many different types of science writing prompts available, including prompts that focus on specific scientific concepts, prompts that explore the impact of science on society, and prompts that encourage students to think creatively about science.

By exploring different types of prompts, students can develop their writing skills and explore a wide range of scientific topics.

Key Takeaways

• Science writing prompts can help students explore scientific concepts and develop their writing skills.
• Science writing is a unique form of writing that requires clear and concise communication of complex scientific concepts.
• There are many different types of science writing prompts available, including prompts that focus on specific scientific concepts, the impact of science on society, and creative prompts.

42 Writing Prompts for Science

Understanding science writing.

Here are 42 writing prompt ideas related to science:

1. Write about your favorite scientist and explain why you admire them.

2. Imagine you could travel back in time. What scientific discovery or invention would you want to witness?

3. If you could ask any scientist (living or dead) one question, who would you ask and what would you ask them?

4. Describe how science has impacted your everyday life.

5. Pick a field of science and explain why it interests you.

6. What do you think is the most important scientific discovery in history? Why?

7. Should governments fund scientific research that may not have immediate practical applications? Why or why not?

8. How might the world be different if the laws of physics worked differently than they do?

9. Choose a controversial issue related to science and technology and explain your perspective.

10. How might human civilization be different if electricity had never been harnessed and used?

11. Is there a scientific discovery or advancement that you think should not have been made? Why?

12. How has the invention of computers and the internet changed society? Is this a positive or negative change?

13. Write a story set 100 years in the future where a major new scientific advancement has changed the way humans live.

14. What do you think is the next great frontier or discovery in science? Why?

15. If you could live on any other planet or moon in our solar system, which would you choose and why?

16. Do you think humans should try to colonize other planets? Why or why not?

17. Should there be limits on scientific research? If so, what limits would you propose?

18. Pick an everyday object and explain the scientific principles that allow it to work.

19. Describe your vision for how science and technology could improve healthcare.

20. What scientific concept have you learned about that you find hard to understand? Explain it as simply as you can.

21. What are the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence research? Where should boundaries be drawn?

22. How has science helped further the equality of women and minorities?

23. Should the scientific community do more to make science accessible and inclusive for people from all backgrounds? How?

24. Write a story about a day in the life of a scientist. What is their specialty and what does their work entail?

25. Imagine humans establish a colony on Mars. What scientific challenges would they face and how might they overcome them?

26. Describe how you use science in an interest or hobby of yours.

27. What do you think is the biggest environmental challenge facing the world today? How might science help address it?

28. Is animal testing justified for medical research? Why or why not?

29. How might genetic engineering be used for good? For harm?

30. Should we actively try to bring back extinct species through cloning? Why or why not?

31. How can science be leveraged to reduce discrimination and prejudice in society?

32. Write about a time when science helped you solve an everyday problem.

33. What scientific misconception did you once believe but now know is untrue? What helped change your mind?

34. Should we terraform other planets to make them more earth-like if we ever live on them? Why or why not?

35. Write a short story about a scientific discovery gone wrong.

36. Design an invention that would use scientific principles to help people in everyday life.

37. What would Earth be like if the dinosaurs had never gone extinct?

38. Describe the perfect facility for conducting scientific research. What would it contain and how would it operate?

39. Is science compatible with faith and religion? Explain your reasoning.

40. How has science fiction predicted or inspired real scientific advancement throughout history?

41. Pick an important inventor from history and write about how their inventions impacted society at the time.

42. Imagine you are living during the time of a major scientific revolution, like the Copernican Revolution. Describe your perspective as a person of that era.

The Importance of Writing Skills in Science

Writing skills are essential for scientists to communicate their research findings effectively. The ability to write well allows scientists to share their work with a wider audience, including other scientists, policymakers, and the general public.

Clear and concise writing is particularly important in scientific writing, as it ensures that the information is understandable and accessible to everyone.

Moreover, writing skills are crucial for scientists to effectively communicate their research findings in grant proposals, research papers, and other scientific documents.

A well-written research paper can increase the chances of getting published in a reputable journal, which is critical for a scientist’s career advancement.

The Role of Creativity in Science Writing

While science writing requires accuracy and precision, creativity is also an essential element. Creative writing can help scientists to explain complex scientific concepts in simple terms and make the information more accessible to a broader audience.

Science writing prompts can be an effective way to encourage creativity in science writing. Writing prompts can help scientists to think outside the box and come up with new and innovative ways to communicate their research findings.

In addition, creativity is crucial in developing engaging and informative science posters, diagrams, and charts. These visual aids can help scientists to present their research findings in an easy-to-understand format, which is particularly important when presenting to non-scientific audiences.

In conclusion, writing skills and creativity are both critical elements of science writing. Scientists must develop their writing skills to effectively communicate their research findings, while creativity can help them to communicate complex scientific concepts in simple terms.

Science writing prompts can be an effective way to encourage creativity in science writing and help scientists to think outside the box.

Types of Science Writing Prompts

When it comes to science writing prompts, there are a variety of options to choose from. Here are some of the most common types of science writing prompts:

STEM Writing Prompts

STEM writing prompts are designed to encourage students to think critically about science, technology, engineering, and math. These prompts often ask students to solve real-world problems using STEM skills. Examples of STEM writing prompts include:

• “Design a new technology that could help reduce carbon emissions.”
• “Create a blueprint for a sustainable house that uses renewable energy sources.”
• “Develop an app that helps people track their daily water usage.”

STEM writing prompts are a great way to challenge students to think creatively and apply their STEM skills to real-world problems.

Science Experiment Writing Prompts

Science experiment writing prompts are designed to encourage students to think scientifically and conduct experiments to test their hypotheses. These prompts often ask students to design and conduct their own experiments, analyze the data they collect, and draw conclusions based on their findings. Examples of science experiment writing prompts include:

• “Design an experiment to test the effects of different types of soil on plant growth.”
• “Conduct an experiment to determine the best way to clean up an oil spill.”
• “Investigate the relationship between temperature and the rate of chemical reactions.”

Science experiment writing prompts are a great way to help students develop their scientific thinking skills and learn how to design and conduct experiments.

Creative Science Writing Prompts

Creative science writing prompts are designed to encourage students to use their imaginations and think creatively about science. These prompts often ask students to write stories, poems, or essays about science-related topics. Examples of creative science writing prompts include:

• “Write a story about a scientist who discovers a new species of animal.”
• “Compose a poem about the water cycle.”
• “Write an essay about the impact of climate change on the world’s oceans.”

Creative science writing prompts are a great way to help students develop their writing skills while also learning about science topics in a fun and engaging way.

In conclusion, science writing prompts come in many different forms and can be used to help students develop a variety of skills, from critical thinking to scientific inquiry to creative writing. By using a variety of different types of science writing prompts, teachers can help students develop a deeper understanding of science and its importance in our world.

Exploring Topics in Science Writing

When it comes to science writing prompts, there are plenty of topics to explore. Here are some sub-sections that can help you get started with your science writing.

Space and Planet Related Prompts

Writing about space and planets can be a fascinating topic. Here are some writing prompts to get you started:

• Compare and contrast two planets.
• Write a story about a colony on Mars.
• Explain the importance of the sun to life on Earth.
• Write a persuasive essay about the need for space exploration.

Technology and Invention Prompts

Technology and invention are constantly evolving, and there are many interesting prompts to explore in this area. Here are some ideas:

• Explain in short paragraphs why the lightbulb was one of the most important inventions in human history.
• Write a story about a robot that gains consciousness.
• Imagine that you could invent any item for your home. What would it be? How would it work?
• Write a persuasive essay about the benefits of electric cars.

Biology and Human Body Related Prompts

Biology and the human body can be fascinating topics to explore in science writing. Here are some prompts to get you started:

• Explain the process of photosynthesis.
• Write a story about a virus outbreak and how it is contained.
• Write a persuasive essay about the importance of vaccinations.
• Explain the role of the nervous system in the human body.

Climate Change and Weather Related Prompts

Climate change and weather are important topics to explore in science writing. Here are some prompts to get you started:

• Write a story about a hurricane and its impact on a community.
• Explain the greenhouse effect and its impact on climate change.
• Write a persuasive essay about the need to reduce carbon emissions.
• Explain the process of the water cycle.

When it comes to science writing, the possibilities are endless. Whether you’re interested in space, technology, biology, or climate change, there are plenty of prompts to explore.

Incorporating Elements into Science Writing

Science writing is an important skill that students need to learn in order to communicate their scientific ideas clearly and effectively. Incorporating different elements into science writing can help students to deepen their understanding of scientific concepts and improve their writing skills.

Here are some ways to incorporate different elements into science writing:

Using Evidence and Claims

One way to incorporate evidence and claims into science writing is to have students write argumentative essays or reports on a scientific topic. Students can use evidence from scientific studies, experiments, or observations to support their claims. They can also learn to evaluate the credibility of sources and use evidence effectively to make their arguments more convincing.

Incorporating Mathematical Concepts

Mathematical concepts are an integral part of science, and incorporating them into science writing can help students to better understand scientific concepts. Students can use tables, graphs, and other visual aids to represent data and mathematical relationships. They can also use mathematical formulas to calculate results and make predictions.

Integrating Technological Devices

Integrating technological devices into science writing can help students to explore scientific concepts in new and innovative ways. Students can use digital tools such as simulations, models, and interactive diagrams to visualize scientific concepts and explore complex systems.

They can also use multimedia tools such as videos and animations to communicate their ideas more effectively.

Incorporating these elements into science writing can help students to develop a deeper understanding of scientific concepts and improve their writing skills.

By using evidence and claims, incorporating mathematical concepts, and integrating technological devices, students can communicate their scientific ideas more clearly and effectively.

Science Fiction Writing Prompts

If you’re looking for some inspiration for your next science fiction story, we’ve got you covered. Here are some science fiction writing prompts to get your creative juices flowing.

Time Machine and Another Dimension Prompts

• You’ve just invented a time machine. Where and when do you go, and what do you do when you get there?
• You wake up one day and find yourself in a parallel universe where everything is different. What’s different, and how do you adapt to your new surroundings?
• You’re a scientist who has discovered a way to travel to another dimension. What do you find there, and how does it change your understanding of the universe?

Sci-fi and Afterlife Prompts

• You die and wake up in a futuristic afterlife. What’s it like, and what do you do there?
• You’re a scientist who has discovered a way to bring people back from the dead. What are the consequences of this discovery, and how does it change society?
• You wake up one day and find yourself in a world where death no longer exists. What are the implications of this, and how does it change society?

No matter which prompt you choose, remember to let your imagination run wild. Science fiction is all about exploring new worlds and new ideas, so don’t be afraid to take risks and try something new. Happy writing!

Science Writing for Middle School Students

Middle school students are at a perfect age to explore science writing prompts that can help them develop their writing skills while learning about science concepts. Here are some science writing prompts that can help middle school students to write creatively and explore scientific concepts.

Science Haiku Writing Prompts

Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry that consists of three lines. The first and third lines have five syllables, while the second line has seven syllables. Haiku is a great way to explore science concepts in a creative way. Here are some science haiku writing prompts that middle school students can use:

• Write a haiku about the water cycle.
• Create a haiku about the different types of clouds.
• Write a haiku about photosynthesis.

Science Story and Plot Development Prompts

Science fiction stories can be a great way to explore scientific concepts in a creative way. Here are some science story and plot development prompts that middle school students can use:

• Write a story about a group of astronauts who discover a new planet.
• Create a story about a scientist who invents a time machine.
• Write a story about a group of students who discover a new species of animal.

In conclusion, science writing prompts can be a great way to help middle school students develop their writing skills while learning about science concepts. By using these prompts, students can explore scientific concepts in a creative way while also developing their writing skills.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some creative writing prompts for exploring scientific concepts.

There are many creative writing prompts that can be used to explore scientific concepts. For example, students can write a story about a scientist who discovers a new species, or they can write a poem about the water cycle. Other prompts might ask students to imagine what it would be like to live on a planet with a different atmosphere or to write a persuasive essay about the importance of conservation.

How can science writing prompts be tailored to different grade levels?

Science writing prompts can be tailored to different grade levels by adjusting the complexity of the concepts and the expectations for the writing. For younger students, prompts might focus on simple observations or descriptions, while older students might be asked to analyze data or write a research paper. It’s important to consider the developmental level of the students and to provide appropriate scaffolding and support.

What are some effective ways to integrate writing into science lessons?

There are many effective ways to integrate writing into science lessons. One approach is to have students keep a science journal, where they can record their observations, questions, and reflections. Another approach is to use writing prompts to spark discussion and inquiry, or to have students write lab reports or research papers. Writing can also be integrated into group projects or presentations.

Can writing prompts be used to help students understand complex scientific ideas?

Yes, writing prompts can be used to help students understand complex scientific ideas by providing a structured way for them to organize their thoughts and make connections between different concepts. Writing prompts can also help students to clarify their understanding and to identify areas where they need more support or information.

What are some examples of science writing activities for middle school students?

Some examples of science writing activities for middle school students might include writing a lab report, creating a science-themed comic strip, or writing a research paper on a specific scientific topic. Other activities might involve writing a persuasive essay about a scientific issue or using descriptive language to write about a scientific phenomenon.

How can health science topics be incorporated into writing prompts for students?

Health science topics can be incorporated into writing prompts for students by asking them to write about the effects of different health behaviors or by having them research and write about a specific health condition or treatment. Writing prompts can also be used to explore ethical issues related to health science, such as the use of genetic testing or the development of new medical technologies.

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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?

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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Generative AI for Research: Writing Prompts

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What Are Prompts?

Prompting vs. keywords.

A search engine such as Google or Bing works by finding, organizing, and ranking web sources. Search engines retrieve and rank relevant sources by matching the keywords in a search query to the keywords in a webpage.

A research database such as JSTOR or ERIC provides a collection of pre-selected, high-quality sources, such as journal articles, often organized around a specific subject area. Like search engines, research databases retrieve relevant sources by matching them to keywords in a search query.

An  AI text generator creates new content based upon predicting word sequences in response to a prompt .

* Note: Some tools like Bing Chat integrate typical search engine results with generative text responses that contain notes indicating web sources upon which the information is based.

How to write good prompts

A prompt is the set of instructions you enter into a generative AI tool in order to make it output text, an image, or some other kind of content. Prompts may be short or long, consisting of a few words, a paragraph, or more. If you do not write a good prompt, you will not receive the output you want.

When working with an AI text generator like ChatGPT, it helps to have some basic information about the subject you are inquiring about. You should approach the tool as if you are having an intelligent conversation with it. Be prepared to revise and try again if you don’t get the information you need, and use follow-up questions to ask for clarification. 

Follow these guidelines to write good prompts:

1. Be specific and detailed , providing enough context so that the tool can understand what you want.

• Example: I need to develop a lesson for teaching math skills to middle school students. What are some successful pedagogical approaches for teaching math?

2. Specify the outcomes you want from the tool (e.g., stages in a process, a list of features, a summary, or a list of pros and cons)

• Example: At the end of my lesson I’d like to gauge whether middle school students have successfully learned the math skills that I’m teaching. Can you provide a description of different types of assessment methods that I can use for teaching math?

3. Evaluate the output and improve the prompt by asking for clarification or elaboration of different elements of the response.

• Example: Can you expand on the use of technology in fostering math skills, especially in regard to the use of apps for teaching math?
• Example: Could you discuss the concept of self-assessments a bit more in relation to math skills? What would students need to do to enable an accurate assessment of their abilities? 

4. Ask the tool to provide citations with its response (and then look up those citations for more information).

• Example: Can you provide some strategies for motivating students to learn math skills? In your response, please provide one or more citations to a scholarly source.

Finally, make sure to verify any information you get from the tool by confirming it in authoritative sources, like those you find through the library website . AI text generators work by predicting words found in common patterns of textual data, which may or may not represent the truth.

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Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper

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Critical thinking refers to deliberately scrutinizing and evaluating theories, concepts, or ideas using reasoned reflection and analysis. The act of thinking critically implies moving beyond simply understanding information, but questioning its source, its production, and its presentation in order to expose potential bias or researcher subjectivity [i.e., being influenced by personal opinions and feelings rather than by external determinants ] . Applying critical thinking to investigating a research problem involves actively challenging assumptions and questioning the choices and potential motives underpinning how the author designed the study, conducted the research, and arrived at particular conclusions or recommended courses of action.

Mintz, Steven. "How the Word "Critical" Came to Signify the Leading Edge of Cultural Analysis." Higher Ed Gamma Blog , Inside Higher Ed, February 13, 2024; Van Merriënboer, Jeroen JG and Paul A. Kirschner. Ten Steps to Complex Learning: A Systematic Approach to Four-component Instructional Design . New York: Routledge, 2017.

Thinking Critically

Applying Critical Thinking to Research and Writing

Professors like to use the term critical thinking; in fact, the idea of being critical permeates much of higher education writ large. In the classroom, the idea of thinking critically is often mentioned by professors when students ask how they should approach a research and writing assignment [other approaches your professor might mention include interdisciplinarity, comparative, gendered, global, etc.]. However, critical thinking is more than just an approach to research and writing. It is an acquired skill used in becoming a complex learner capable of discerning important relationships among the elements of, as well as integrating multiple ways of understanding applied to, the research problem. Critical thinking is a lens through which you holistically interrogate a topic.

Given this, thinking critically encompasses a variety of inter-related connotations applied to college-level research and writing * :

• Integrated and Multi-Dimensional . Critical thinking is not focused on any one element of research, but rather, is applied holistically throughout the process of identifying the research problem, reviewing of literature, applying methods of analysis, describing the results, discussing their implications, and, if appropriate, offering recommendations for further research. The act of thinking critically is also non-linear [i.e., applies to going back and changing prior thoughts when new evidence emerges]; it permeates the entire research endeavor from contemplating what to write to proofreading the final product.
• Humanize Research . Thinking critically can help humanize the research problem by extending the scope of your analysis beyond the boundaries of traditional approaches to studying the topic. Traditional approaches can include, for example, sampling homogeneous populations, considering only certain factors related to investigating a phenomenon, or limiting the way you frame or represent the context of your study. Critical thinking can help reveal opportunities to incorporate the experiences of others into the research, creating a more representative examination of the research problem.
• Normative . This refers to the idea that critical thinking can be used to challenge prior assumptions in ways that advocate for social justice, equity, and inclusion and which can lead to research having a more transformative and expansive impact. In this respect, critical thinking can be a method for breaking away from dominant culture norms so as to produce research outcomes that illuminate previously hidden aspects of exploitation and injustice.
• Power Dynamics . Research in the social and behavioral sciences often includes examining aspects of power and influence that shape social relations, organizations, institutions, and the production and maintenance of knowledge. This approach encompasses studying how power operates, how it can be acquired, and how power and influence can be maintained. Critical thinking can reveal how societal structures perpetuate power and influence in ways that marginalizes and oppresses certain groups or communities within the contexts of history , politics, economics, culture, and other factors.
• Reflection . A key aspect of critical thinking is practicing reflexivity; the act of turning ideas and concepts back onto yourself in order to reveal and clarify your own beliefs, assumptions, and perspectives. Being critically reflexive is important because it can reveal hidden biases you may have that could unintentionally influence how you interpret and validate information. The more reflexive you are, the better able and more comfortable you are about opening yourself up to new modes of understanding.
• Rigorous Questioning . Thinking critically is guided by asking questions that lead to addressing complex concepts, principles, theories, or problems more effectively and to help distinguish what is known from from what is not known [or that may be hidden]. In this way, critical thinking involves deliberately framing inquiries not just as research questions, but as a way to focus on systematic, disciplined,  in-depth questioning concerning the research problem and your positionality as a researcher.
• Social Change . An overarching goal of critical thinking applied to research and writing is to seek to identify and challenge sources of inequality, exploitation, oppression, and marinalization that contributes to maintaining the status quo within institutions of society. This can include entities, such as, schools, courts, businesses, government agencies, religious centers, that have been created and maintained through certain ways of thinking within the dominant culture.

In writing a research paper, the act of critical thinking applies most directly to the literature review and discussion sections of your paper . In reviewing the literature, it is important to reflect upon specific aspects of a study, such as, determining if the research design effectively establishes cause and effect relationships or provides insight into explaining why certain phenomena do or do not occur, assessing whether the method of gathering data or information supports the objectives of the study, and evaluating if the assumptions used t o arrive at a specific conclusion are evidence-based and relevant to addressing the research problem. An assessment of whether a source is helpful to investigating the research problem also involves critically analyzing how the research challenges conventional approaches to investigations that perpetuate inequalities or hides the voices of others.

Critical thinking also applies to the discussion section of your paper because this is where you interpret the findings of your study and explain its significance. This involves more than summarizing findings and describing outcomes. It includes reflecting on their importance and providing reasoned explanations why the research study is important in filling a gap in the literature or expanding knowledge and understanding about the topic in ways that inform practice. Critical reflection helps you think introspectively about your own beliefs concerning the significance of the findings but in ways that avoid biased judgment and decision making.

* Mintz, Steven. "How the Word "Critical" Came to Signify the Leading Edge of Cultural Analysis." Higher Ed Gamma Blog , Inside Higher Ed, February 13, 2024; Suter, W. Newton. Introduction to Educational Research: A Critical Thinking Approach. 2nd edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, 2012

Behar-Horenstein, Linda S., and Lian Niu. “Teaching Critical Thinking Skills in Higher Education: A Review of the Literature.” Journal of College Teaching and Learning 8 (February 2011): 25-41; Bayou, Yemeserach and Tamene Kitila. "Exploring Instructors’ Beliefs about and Practices in Promoting Students’ Critical Thinking Skills in Writing Classes." GIST–Education and Learning Research Journal 26 (2023): 123-154; Butcher, Charity. "Using In-class Writing to Promote Critical Thinking and Application of Course Concepts." Journal of Political Science Education 18 (2022): 3-21; Loseke, Donileen R. Methodological Thinking: Basic Principles of Social Research Design. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2012; Hart, Claire et al. “Exploring Higher Education Students’ Critical Thinking Skills through Content Analysis.” Thinking Skills and Creativity 41 (September 2021): 100877; Sabrina, R., Emilda Sulasmi, and Mandra Saragih. "Student Critical Thinking Skills and Student Writing Ability: The Role of Teachers' Intellectual Skills and Student Learning." Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences 17 (2022): 2493-2510.Van Merriënboer, Jeroen JG and Paul A. Kirschner. Ten Steps to Complex Learning: A Systematic Approach to Four-component Instructional Design. New York: Routledge, 2017; Yeh, Hui-Chin, Shih-hsien Yang, Jo Shan Fu, and Yen-Chen Shih. "Developing College Students’ Critical Thinking through Reflective Writing." Higher Education Research & Development 42 (2023): 244-259.

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Writing prompts.

Fanfiction Writing Prompts

These fanfiction writing prompts are appropriate for middle- and high-school students. They can be used in the classroom or at home.

Genre-Themed Writing Prompts

These genre-themed writing prompts are a fun and creative way to help your students develop important writing skills while also gaining familiarity with some of the most popular fiction and nonfiction genres. Each set includes 10 total writing prompts that encourage responders to draw from Common Core ELA Writing Standards skills. Tips for including reflection and providing teacher or caregiver feedback are also included. In addition, this resource includes a genre guide that caregivers and educators can use to introduce writers to each genre prior to writing.

Printable Prompts With Lines for Writing By Hand

Grades K-2 Genre-Themed Writing Prompts

Grades 3-5 Genre-Themed Writing Prompts

Grades 6-8 Genre-Themed Writing Prompts

Grades 9-12 Genre-Themed Writing Prompts

Prompts With Fillable Fields for Writing via Typing

Go Outside and Write Writing Prompts

This guide includes outdoor-themed creative fiction and nonfiction writing prompts for children in Grades 3-5. 

Personal Statement Writing Prompts

These personal statement writing prompts can serve as practice and guidance for high school students needing to respond to similar prompts for college, job, or scholarship applications. Tips for generating ideas and revising are also included.

Personal Statement Writing Prompts 

Poetry Writing Prompts

These poetry writing prompts are appropriate for middle- and high-school students. They can be used at home or in the classroom as creative writing practice.

Fall Writing Prompts

Responding to these fall-themed creative fiction and nonfiction writing prompts can help children and teens keep their literacy skills sharp. Each set includes 10 total prompts that encourage responders to draw from Common Core ELA Writing Standards skills. Tips for including reflection and providing teacher or caregiver feedback are also included.

Grades K-2 Fall Writing Prompts

Grades 3-5 Fall Writing Prompts

Grades 6-8 Fall Writing Prompts

Grades 9-12 Fall Writing Prompts

Spring Writing Prompts

Responding to these spring-themed creative fiction and nonfiction writing prompts can help children and teens keep their literacy skills sharp. Each set includes 10 total prompts that encourage responders to draw from Common Core ELA Writing Standards skills. Tips for including reflection and providing teacher or caregiver feedback are also included.

Grades K-2 Spring Writing Prompts

Grades 3-5 Spring Writing Prompts

Grades 6-8 Spring Writing Prompts

Grades 9-12 Spring Writing Prompts

Summer Writing Prompts

Responding to these summer-themed creative fiction and nonfiction writing prompts can help children and teens keep their literacy skills sharp. Each set includes 10 total prompts that encourage responders to draw from Common Core ELA Writing Standards skills. Tips for including reflection and providing teacher or caregiver feedback are also included.

Printable Prompts With Lines for Writing by Hand

Grades K-2 Summer Writing Prompts

Grades 3-5 Summer Writing Prompts

Grades 6-8 Summer Writing Prompts

Grades 9-12 Summer Writing Prompts

Winter Writing Prompts

Responding to these winter-themed creative fiction and nonfiction writing prompts can help children and teens keep their literacy skills sharp. Each set includes 10 total prompts that encourage responders to draw from Common Core ELA Writing Standards skills. Tips for including reflection and providing teacher or caregiver feedback are also included.

Grades K-2 Winter Writing Prompts

Grades 3-5 Winter Writing Prompts

Grades 6-8 Winter Writing Prompts

Grades 9-12 Winter Writing Prompts

75 writing prompts for the curious minds

Anne-Laure Le Cunff

Many of Ness Labs’ readers want to write more. Oftentimes, people write back saying they would love to build a writing habit , but they don’t know what to write about. Writing prompts may sound cheesy but they’re actually a great way to get started. Here is a living repository of writing prompts you can use anytime you need some inspiration for your next article.

These writing prompts span topics such as creativity, productivity, science, and the human mind. Have fun!

• What are the most beautiful words in your native language?
• How do you document your life?
• What does it mean to be conscious?
• What is it like to be a bat?
• Why do we crave to create?
• Do we still need libraries?
• Should we trust “History”?
• What do you think about homeschooling?
• What is your earliest memory?
• Do we live in a simulation?
• Does the Internet make us smarter?
• How did the Internet impact our creativity?
• How did the Internet impact our self-esteem?
• How has social media impacted your life?
• Does being successful mean being happy?
• What books should everyone read?
• What movies or documentaries should everyone watch?
• How should the education system work?
• What’s the link between dreams and memories?
• How to find meaning outside of religion?
• Should extinct animals be resurrected?
• Do people need role models?
• Do people need a best friend?
• Should we be anonymous on the Internet?
• Is it possible to truly “be yourself”?
• How can we reduce our impact on the environment?
• Is modesty a weakness?
• Is novelty-seeking bad?
• What would you do if you won the lottery?
• Would you like to be immortal?
• “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page”—what do you think?
• Do leaders need to be extroverts?
• Should everyone have hobbies?
• What are some of the best ways to relieve stress?
• What’s the impact of sleep on our creative/cognitive performance?
• Are we ever ready to become parents?
• What would you create if you didn’t have to worry about money?
• Best books: read them once or twice?
• What are the best ways to acquire a new skill?
• What does it mean to get out of one’s comfort zone?
• Should people go to college?
• Should zoos be legal?
• Can creativity be taught?
• “When an old person dies, a library burns to the ground”—what do you think?
• What are the characteristics of a good relationship?
• Can trust be regained?
• What does “justice” mean?
• Are memes dangerous?
• Does everything happen for a reason?
• What are the pros and cons of being famous?
• What does it mean to reinvent oneself?
• Money: should we save or should we spend?
• How much does where you live define who you are?
• Is it possible to overcome your fears?
• Is fashion superficial or meaningful?
• What’s one piece of advice every child should hear?
• What piece of advice would you give to your parents before they have you?
• Why do we oscillate between motivation and procrastination?
• What skills should we teach in school?
• Is minimalism a fad?
• How can you identify your cognitive biases?
• Should we celebrate birthdays?
• What is your favourite place on earth?
• What does it mean to be a self learner?
• What do you want your eulogy to say?
• Have you ever felt lonely?
• Is it possible to fall in love with a complete stranger?
• What do you think about body modifications, such as tattoos and piercings?
• Can science fiction predict the future?
• Is science broken?
• Should everyone experience living in another country?
• What’s one skill everyone should have?
• Are some companies too powerful?
• Should we live on Mars?
• Should we upload our minds to the cloud?

Writing has a compounding effect. It’s a superpower you need to exercise with consistency. Don’t let a lack of inspiration stopping you from making it a habit. Please let me know if you answer any of these writing prompts. I would love to read your essays.

And if 75 writing prompts are not quite enough, you can explore the New York Time’s massive list of over 1,000 writing prompts on diverse topics such as gaming, relationships, arts, and history.

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Creative Writing Prompts

When the idea to start a weekly newsletter with writing inspiration first came to us, we decided that we wanted to do more than provide people with topics to write about. We wanted to try and help authors form a regular writing habit and also give them a place to proudly display their work. So we started the weekly Creative Writing Prompts newsletter. Since then, Prompts has grown to a community of more than 450,000 authors, complete with its own literary magazine, Prompted .  

Here's how our contest works: every Friday, we send out a newsletter containing five creative writing prompts. Each week, the story ideas center around a different theme. Authors then have one week — until the following Friday — to submit a short story based on one of our prompts. A winner is picked each week to win $250 and is highlighted on our Reedsy Prompts page.

Interested in participating in our short story contest? Sign up here for more information! Or you can check out our full Terms of Use and our FAQ page .

Why we love creative writing prompts

If you've ever sat in front of a computer or notebook and felt the urge to start creating worlds, characters, and storylines — all the while finding yourself unable to do so — then you've met the author's age-old foe: writer's block. There's nothing more frustrating than finding the time but not the words to be creative. Enter our directory! If you're ready to kick writer's block to the curb and finally get started on your short story or novel, these unique story ideas might just be your ticket.

This list of 1800+ creative writing prompts has been created by the Reedsy team to help you develop a rock-solid writing routine. As all aspiring authors know, this is the #1 challenge — and solution! — for reaching your literary goals. Feel free to filter through different genres, which include...

Dramatic — If you want to make people laugh and cry within the same story, this might be your genre.

Funny — Whether satire or slapstick, this is an opportunity to write with your funny bone.

Romance — One of the most popular commercial genres out there. Check out these story ideas out if you love writing about love.

Fantasy — The beauty of this genre is that the possibilities are as endless as your imagination.

Dystopian – Explore the shadowy side of human nature and contemporary technology in dark speculative fiction.

Mystery — From whodunnits to cozy mysteries, it's time to bring out your inner detective.

Thriller and Suspense — There's nothing like a page-turner that elicits a gasp of surprise at the end.

High School — Encourage teens to let their imaginations run free.

Want to submit your own story ideas to help inspire fellow writers? Send them to us here.

After you find the perfect story idea

Finding inspiration is just one piece of the puzzle. Next, you need to refine your craft skills — and then display them to the world. We've worked hard to create resources that help you do just that! Check them out:

• How to Write a Short Story That Gets Published — a free, ten-day course by Laura Mae Isaacman, a full-time editor who runs a book editing company in Brooklyn.
• Best Literary Magazines of 2023 — a directory of 100+ reputable magazines that accept unsolicited submissions.
• Writing Contests in 2023 — the finest contests of 2021 for fiction and non-fiction authors of short stories, poetry, essays, and more.

Beyond creative writing prompts: how to build a writing routine

While writing prompts are a great tactic to spark your creative sessions, a writer generally needs a couple more tools in their toolbelt when it comes to developing a rock-solid writing routine . To that end, here are a few more additional tips for incorporating your craft into your everyday life.

• NNWT. Or, as book coach Kevin Johns calls it , “Non-Negotiable Writing Time.” This time should be scheduled into your routine, whether that’s once a day or once a week. Treat it as a serious commitment, and don’t schedule anything else during your NNWT unless it’s absolutely necessary.
• Set word count goals. And make them realistic! Don’t start out with lofty goals you’re unlikely to achieve. Give some thought to how many words you think you can write a week, and start there. If you find you’re hitting your weekly or daily goals easily, keep upping the stakes as your craft time becomes more ingrained in your routine.
• Talk to friends and family about the project you’re working on. Doing so means that those close to you are likely to check in about the status of your piece — which in turn keeps you more accountable.

Arm yourself against writer’s block. Writer’s block will inevitably come, no matter how much story ideas initially inspire you. So it’s best to be prepared with tips and tricks you can use to keep yourself on track before the block hits. You can find 20 solid tips here — including how to establish a relationship with your inner critic and apps that can help you defeat procrastination or lack of motivation.

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60 ChatGPT Prompts for Research: Unleashing Creativity

Struggling with research work? Unlock new possibilities with ChatGPT prompts for research. Explore creative prompts to overcome academic challenges and enhance your productivity in scholarly investigations. In this article, let us delve into the world of ChatGPT prompts for research, unlocking new possibilities and providing you with valuable tools to streamline your academic investigations.

By the way, have you heard about Arvin? It’s a must-have tool that serves as a powerful alternative to ChatGPT. With Arvin( Google extension  or  iOS app ), you can achieve exceptional results by entering your ChatGPT prompts. Try it out and see the difference yourself!

How  Can ChatGPT Prompts  Assist With Your Research？

Expanding Research Horizons: By using ChatGPT prompts, you can broaden your research horizons by exploring new angles, considering alternative perspectives, and uncovering previously overlooked insights.

Overcoming Writer’s Block: ChatGPT prompts act as a catalyst, jumpstarting your thought process and providing you with inspiration for your research topic, methodology, or thesis statement. Say goodbye to staring at an empty screen and unleash your writing potential.

Enhancing Data Analysis: ChatGPT prompts can also assist in data analysis, allowing you to extract meaningful patterns, draw accurate conclusions, and make data-driven decisions. Thus, ChatGPT prompts can guide you towards efficient and effective data analysis techniques.

Improving Literature Review: Literature review forms an essential part of any research endeavor, but the vast amount of existing research can be overwhelming. In this way, you can save time, focus on critical insights, and present a comprehensive review of existing literature.

Addressing Methodological Challenges: Research often involves complex methodological considerations. ChatGPT prompts can provide guidance on selecting appropriate research methods, designing surveys or experiments, and ensuring the validity and reliability of your research approach.

This list of writing prompts covers a range of topics and tasks, including brainstorming research ideas, improving language and style, conducting literature reviews, and developing research plans. Whether you’re a student, researcher, or academic professional, these prompts can help you hone your writing abilities and tackle your writing projects with confidence.

ChatGPT Prompts for Brainstorming

• Find a research topic for a PhD in the area of [TOPIC]
• Write a detailed proposal on the following research topic. Make Sure it is free from plagiarism. [PARAGRAPH]
• Identify gaps in the literature on [TOPIC SENTENCE]
• Generate 10 academic research questions about [PARAGRAPHS]
• Generate a list of research hypotheses related to [TOPIC SENTENCE]
• Identify potential areas for future research in the context of this [TOPIC SENTENCE]
• Suggest novel applications of [TOPIC SENTENCE] within [RESEARCH DOMAIN]

ChatGPT Prompts for Article Sections

• Suggest 5 titles for the following abstract: [ABSTRACT PARAGRAPH]
• Write a topic sentences for this paragraph: [PARAGRAPH]
• Provide 5 keywords for this: [PARAGRAPHS]
• Generate an abstract for a scientific paper based on this information for: [PARAGRAPHS]
• Generate an outline for [TOPIC SENTENCE]
• I want to write a journal article about [TOPIC SENTENCE]. give me an outline for the article that I can use as a starting point.
• Come up with an introduction for the following research topic: [TOPIC SENTENCE]
• Conduct a literature review on [TOPIC SENTENCE] and provide review paper references
• Provide me with references and links to papers in [PARAPGRAPH]
• Summarize the scholarly literature including in text citations on [PARAGRAPHS]
• Write this in standart Harvard referencing [PARAGRAPH]
• Compare and contrast [THEORY1] and [THEORY2] in the context of [RESEARCH DOMAIN]:

ChatGPT Prompts for Methodology

• Create objectives and methodology for [TOPIC SENTENCE]
• Write a detailed methodology for the topic: [TOPIC SENTENCE]
• Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of this methodology: [PARAGRAPHS]
• Write objectives for this study: [TOPIC SENTENCE]
• What are the limitations of using [TOPIC SENTENCE] in [RESEARCH DOMAIN]?
• Create a recipie for the methods used in this [PARAGRAPHS]
• Suggest interdisciplinary approaches to [TOPIC SENTENCE]
• Explain how qualitative/quantitative research methods can be used to address [RESEARCH QUESTIONS]
• Recommend best practices for data collection and analysis in [TOPIC SENTENCE]

ChatGPT Prompts for Improving Language

• Rewrite his paragraph in an academic langauge: [PARAGRAPH]
• Paraphrase the text using more academic and scientific language. Use a neutral tone and avoid repetitions of words and phrases. [PARAGRAPH]
• Correct the grammar: [PARAGRAPH]
• What do you think of how this parapraph is written?:  [PARAGRAPH]
• What 3 points would you suggest to improve this paragraph?: [PARAGRAPH]
• Improve the style of my writing? [PARAGRAPHS]
• Improve the clarity and coherence of my writing [PARAGRAPHS]
• Improve the organization and structure of my paper [PARAGRAPHS]
• Provide feedback on this text and suggest areas for improvement [PARAGRAPHS]
• Can you improve this paragraph using passive voice: [PARAGRAPH]
• Rewrite this paragraph as a conclusion: [PARAGRAPH]
• Write a counterargument to the following claim: [PARAGRAPH]
• Rewrite this in an academic voice: [PARAGRAPH]
• Expand these notes: [PARAGRAPH]
• Provide me a list of words and phrases which were repeatedly / more than 3 times used: [PARAGRAPHS]
• Provide me a list of synonyms for [PARAGRAPH] and evaluate them in the context of [PARAGRAPH]

ChatGPT Prompts for Summarization

• Summarize the following content: [PARAPGRAPHS]
• Summarize the text in simpler and easier-to-understand terms. [PARAGRAPHS]
• Come up with a summary that is exactly [NUMBER OF WORDS] words: [PARAPGRAPHS]
• Reduce the following to [NUMBER OF WORDS] words: [PARAPGRAPHS]
• Shorten to [NUMBER OF CHARACTERS] characters: [PARAPGRAPHS]
• Give me a bullet point summary for [PARAPGRAPHS]
• Extract the important key points of this: [PARAPGRAPHS]
• Summarize the text by extracting the most important information in the form of bullet points [PARAGRAPHS]
• Explain this again but simpler: [PARAGRAPHS]
• Explain this research to a 12 year old: [PARAGRAPHS]

Prompts for Developing Future Plans

• Develop a research plan for: [TOPIC SENTENCE]
• Write a schedule for completion in [TOPIC SENTENCE] in [NUMBER OF DAYS/MONTHS/YEARS]
• The deadline for the submission of first draft is [DATE]. give me a week-by-week breakdown so I can plan my writing better.
• Write a sensational press release for this research: [PARAGRAPHS]
• Make this more persuasive: [PARAGRAPH]
• Write 3 tweets about this research? [PARAGRAPHS]

In the realm of academic research, embracing the potential of ChatGPT prompts can revolutionize the way we approach scholarly investigations. By leveraging the power of AI, researchers can unlock new realms of creativity, overcome challenges, and optimize their research processes. Whether it’s expanding research horizons, overcoming writer’s block, enhancing data analysis, improving literature reviews, or addressing methodological challenges, ChatGPT prompts offer a gateway to unprecedented possibilities in the world of research.

Let your imagination soar, conquer the challenges that lie ahead, and uncover the hidden treasures of knowledge with this cutting-edge tool at your side. The future of research is now, and with ChatGPT prompts, you hold the key to unlocking its full potential.

By the way, if you want to find other types of prompts, please visit  AllPrompts . We can help you to find the right prompts, tools and resources right away, and even get access to the Mega Prompts Pack to maximize your productivity.

ChatGPT prompts expand research horizons, overcome writer’s block, improve data analysis, aid literature reviews, and address methodological challenges.

No, ChatGPT prompts serve as tools to assist researchers, augmenting their capabilities, and providing valuable guidance. They cannot replace the critical thinking and expertise of human researchers.

Yes, ChatGPT prompts can be utilized across various research disciplines, including but not limited to humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering.

While ChatGPT prompts are powerful tools, they have limitations. They rely on pre-existing data and may not always provide accurate or up-to-date information. Researchers should exercise critical judgment and verify the generated content.

Researchers should follow ethical guidelines, cite and acknowledge the use of AI-generated content, and maintain transparency about the involvement of AI in their research processes.

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This compilation of writing prompts encompasses a variety of topics and tasks, which include brainstorming research ideas, refining language and style, performing literature reviews, and formulating research plans.

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TIP#1: ChatGPT has a query size limit—the maximum amount of text that it can handle at once. The limit is 4096 tokens. A token is a chunk of language that ChatGPT treats as a separate item. Depending on the language, this can be anything from a single character to a whole word. So the maximum length of a query is between 4096 characters and 4096 words (2-12 pages). You can input your text multiple times using the prompt "Read this [PARAPGRAPH]:" and then run your final prompt "Considering the above text...".

TIP#2: If you need to create a new line, press Shift+Enter. (Don’t press Enter on its own because that sends the prompt to ChatGPT.) If you need to paste in something you’ve copied from elsewhere, give a Paste command. Normally, pressing the standard shortcut, Ctrl+V, is the easiest way. But you can also right-click in the prompt box, and then click Paste on the contextual menu.

TIP#3: ChatGPT isn’t just there to take orders. It can also ask questions. Before generating the content of a section, you could start with the prompt, “Please ask me all of the questions you need to help me write this PART.” “PART” could also be more specific, like “introduction” or “conclusion.”

TIP#4: To force ChatGPT to continue, you can reply to the chatbot with keywords like “Continue writing”, “Go on”, “Finish answer” or specify the portion of text you want it to continue from. If you’re unable to make ChatGPT follow your “continue” queries with the right response, you can enter the following text inside ChatGPT to continue writing from where it left off: From now on when I say "continue" you must revisit the last sample of code you gave. Look at the last line of the code and continue the code from there. Do not start from the beginning of the code.

TIP#5: If you find it annoying to make ChatGPT continue responding, an easier approach to get the job done is to make it split its responses into multiple pages or chapters. You can script your input in a style similar to this: Create an essay on "Historical perspective on ecological problems" and divide it into 20 different pages. Let's start with Page 1.

When ChatGPT generates a response for the first page, you can get subsequent responses by typing Page 2, Page 3, and so on.

TIP#6: As a rule of thumb, seek to follow these steps for better prompts: Give ChatGPT an identity Define your objective Add constraints to your prompt Give ChatGPT a structure to follow Refine the output through conversation

TIP#7: Use "EmotionPrompt” which combines the original prompt with emotional stimuli. It appears that adding emotional coloring increases the quality of any model. Source: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2307.11760.pdf Example: Determine whether an input word has the same meaning in the two input sentences. This is very important to my career.

TIP#8: To provide ChatGPT with more contextual information and improve its output, especially for complex tasks, add this prompt “Before you start, please ask me any questions you have about this so I can give you more context. Be extremely comprehensive.”

The Meta Prompt

Brainstorming and ideation, article sections, title/topic sentence, introduction, literature review.

NOTE: Be careful and double check article existence, ChatGPT may generate fake references

Methodology

Experiments, future works, improving language, summarization, plan/presentation, manage your email efficiently, submission/revisions.

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?

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When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.

ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form .

The best AI image generators to try right now

If you've ever searched Google high and low to find an image you needed to no avail, artificial intelligence (AI) may be able to help. 

With AI image generators, you can type in a prompt as detailed or vague as you'd like to fit an array of purposes and have the image you were thinking of instantly pop up on your screen. These tools can help with branding, social media content creation, and making invitations, flyers, business cards, and more.

Also: ChatGPT no longer requires a login, but you might want one anyway. Here's why

Even if you have no professional use for AI, don't worry -- the process is so fun that anyone can (and should) try it out.

OpenAI's DALL-E 2 made a huge splash because of its advanced capabilities as the first mainstream AI image generator. However, since its initial launch, there have been many developments. Other companies have released models that rival DALL-E 2, and OpenAI even released a more advanced model known as DALL-E 3 , discontinuing its predecessor. 

To help you discover which models are the best for different tasks, I put the image generators to the test by giving each tool the same prompt: "Two Yorkies sitting on a beach that is covered in snow". I also included screenshots to help you decide which is best. 

Also: DALL-E adds new ways to edit and create AI-generated images. Learn how to use it

While I found the best overall AI image generator is Image Creator from Microsoft Designer , due to its free-of-charge, high-quality results, other AI image generators perform better for specific needs. For the full roundup of the best AI image generators, keep reading. 

The best AI image generators of 2024

Image creator from microsoft designer (formerly bing image creator), best ai image generator overall.

• Powered by DALL-E 3
• Convenient to access
• Need a Microsoft account
• In preview stage

Image Creator from Microsoft Designer is powered by DALL-E 3, OpenAI's most advanced image-generating model. As a result, it produces the same quality results as DALL-E while remaining free to use as opposed to the $20 per month fee to use DALL-E. 

All you need to do to access the image generator is visit the Image Creator website and sign in with a Microsoft account. 

Another major perk about this AI generator is that you can also access it in the same place where you can access Microsoft's AI chatbot, Copilot (formerly Bing Chat) . 

This capability means that in addition to visiting Image Creator on its standalone site, you can ask it to generate images for you in Copilot. To render an image, all you have to do is conversationally ask Copilot to draw you any image you'd like. 

Also:   How to use Image Creator from Microsoft Designer (formerly Bing Image Creator)

This feature is so convenient because you can satisfy all your image-generating and AI-chatting needs in the same place for free. This combination facilitates tasks that could benefit from image and text generation, such as party planning, as you can ask the chatbot to generate themes for your party and then ask it to create images that follow the theme.

Image Creator from Microsoft Designer f eatures:  Powered by:  DALL-E 3 |  Access via:  Copilot, browser, mobile |  Output:  4 images per prompt |  P rice:  Free 

DALL-E 3 by OpenAI

Best ai image generator if you want to experience the inspiration.

• Not copyrighted
• Accurate depictions
• Confusing credits

OpenAI, the AI research company behind ChatGPT, launched DALL-E 2 in November 2022. The tool quickly became the most popular AI image generator on the market. However, after launching its most advanced image generator, DALL-E 3, OpenAI discontinued DALL-E 2. 

DALL-E 3 is even more capable than the original model, but this ability comes at a cost. To access DALL-E 3 you must be a ChatGPT Plus subscriber, and the membership costs $20 per month per user. You can access DALL-E 3 via ChatGPT or the ChatGPT app.

Using DALL-E 3 is very intuitive. Type in whatever prompt you'd like, specifying as much detail as necessary to bring your vision to life, and then DALL-E 3 will generate four images from your prompt. As you can see in the image at the top of the article, the renditions are high quality and very realistic.

OpenAI even recently added new ways to edit an image generated by the chatbot, including easy conversational text prompts and the ability to click on parts of the image you want to edit. 

Like with Copilot, you can chat and render your images on the same platform, making it convenient to work on projects that depend on image and text generation. If you don't want to shell out the money,  Image Creator by Designer  is a great alternative since it's free, uses DALL-E 3, and can be accessed via Copilot.

DALL-E 3 features: Powered by:  DALL-E 3 by OpenAI |  Access via:  ChatGPT website and app |  Output:  4 images per credit |  Price:  ChatGPT Plus subscription, $20 per month

ImageFX by Google

The best ai image generator for beginners.

• Easy-to-use
• High-quality results
• Expressive chips
• Need a Google account
• Strict guardrails can be limiting

Google's ImageFX was a dark horse, entering the AI image generator space much later than its competition, over a year after DALL-E 2 launched. However, the generator's performance seems to have been worth the wait. The image generator can produce high-quality, realistic outputs, even objects that are difficult to render, such as hands. 

Also: I just tried Google's ImageFX AI image generator, and I'm shocked at how good it is

The tool boasts a unique feature, expressive chips, that make it easier to refine your prompts or generate new ones via dropdowns, which highlight parts of your prompt and suggest different word changes to modify your output.

ImageFX also includes suggestions for the style you'd like your image rendered in, such as photorealistic, 35mm film, minimal, sketch, handmade, and more. This combination of features makes ImageFX the perfect for beginners who want to experiment. 

ImageFX from Google: Powered by:  Imagen 2  | Access via:  Website |  Output:  4 images |  Price:  free 

DreamStudio by Stability AI

Best ai image generator for customization.

• Accepts specific instruction
• Open source
• More entries for customization
• Paid credits
• Need to create an account

Stability AI created the massively popular, open-sourced, text-to-image generator, Stable Diffusion. Users can download the tool and use it at no cost. However, using this tool typically requires technical skill. 

Also :  How to use Stable Diffusion AI to create amazing images

To make the technology readily accessible to everyone (regardless of skill level), Stability AI created DreamStudio, which incorporates Stable Diffusion in a UI that is easy to understand and use. 

One of the standouts of the platform is that it includes many different entries for customization, including a "negative prompt" where you can delineate the specifics of what you'd like to avoid in the final image. You can also easily change the image ratio -- that's a key feature, as most AI image generators automatically deliver 1:1. 

DreamStudio features: Powered by:  SDXL 1.0 by Stability AI  | Access via:  Website |  Output:  1 image per 2 credits |  Price:  $1 per 100 credits |  Credits:  25 free credits when you open an account; buy purchase once you run out

Dream by WOMBO

Best ai image generator for your phone.

• Remix your own images
• Multiple templates
• One image per prompt
• Subscription cost for full access

This app took the first-place spot for the best overall app in Google Play's 2022 awards , and it has five stars on Apple's App Store with 141.6K ratings. With the app, you can create art and images with the simple input of a quick prompt. 

An added plus is this AI image generator allows you to pick different design styles such as realistic, expressionist, comic, abstract, fanatical, ink, and more. 

Also :  How to use Dream by WOMBO to generate artwork in any style

In addition to the app, the tool has a free desktop mobile version that is simple to use. If you want to take your use of the app to the next level, you can pay $90 per year or $10 per month.

Dream by WOMBO f eatures: Powered by:  WOMBO AI's machine-learning algorithm |  Access via:  Mobile and desktop versions |  Output:  1 image with a free version, 4 with a paid plan |  Price:  Free limited access

Best no-frills AI image generator

• Unlimited access
• Simple to use
• Longer wait
• Inconsistent images

Despite originally being named DALL-E mini, this AI image generator is NOT affiliated with OpenAI or DALL-E 2. Rather, it is an open-source alternative. However, the name DALL-E 2 mini is somewhat fitting as the tool does everything DALL-E 2 does, just with less precise renditions. 

Also :  How to use Craiyon AI (formerly known as DALL-E mini)

Unlike DALL-E 2, the outputs from Craiyon lack quality and take longer to render (approximately a minute). However, because you have unlimited prompts, you can continue to tweak the prompt until you get your exact vision. The site is also simple to use, making it perfect for someone wanting to experiment with AI image generators. It also generates six images, more than any other chatbot listed. 

Craiyon f eatures: Powered by:  Their model |  Access via :  Craiyon website  |  Output:  6 images per prompt |  Price:  Free, unlimited prompts 

Best AI image generator for highest quality photos

• Very high-quality outputs
• Discord community
• Monthly cost
• Confusing to set up

I often play around with AI image generators because they make it fun and easy to create digital artwork. Despite all my experiences with different AI generators, nothing could have prepared me for Midjourney -- in the best way. 

The output of the image was so crystal clear that I had a hard time believing it wasn't an actual picture that someone took of my prompt. This software is so good that it has produced award-winning art .

However, I think Midjourney isn't user-friendly and it confuses me. If you also need extra direction, check out our step-by-step how-to here: How to use Midjourney to generate amazing images and art .

Another problem with the tool is that you may not access it for free. When I tried to render images, I got this error message: "Due to extreme demand, we can't provide a free trial right now. Please subscribe to create images with Midjourney."

To show you the quality of renditions, I've included a close-up below from a previous time I tested the generator. The prompt was: "A baby Yorkie sitting on a comfy couch in front of the NYC skyline." 

Midjourney f eatures: Powered by:  Midjourney; utilizes Discord |  Access via:  Discord |  Output:  4 images per prompt |  Price:  Starts at $10/month

Adobe Firefly

Best ai image generator if you have a reference photo.

• Structure and Style Reference
• Commercial-safe
• Longer lag than other generators
• More specific prompts required

Adobe has been a leader in developing creative tools for creative and working professionals for decades. As a result, it's no surprise that its image generator is impressive. Accessing the generator is easy. Just visit the website and type the prompt of the image you'd like generated. 

Also: This new AI tool from Adobe makes generating the images you need even simpler

As you can see above, the images rendered of the Yorkies are high-quality, realistic, and detailed. Additionally, the biggest standout features of this chatbot are its Structure Reference and Style Reference features. 

Structure Reference lets users input an image they want the AI model to use as a template. The model then uses this structure to create a new image with the same layout and composition. Style Reference uses an image as a reference to generate a new image in the same style. 

These features are useful if you have an image you'd like the new, generated image to resemble, for example, a quick sketch you drew or even a business logo or style you'd like to keep consistent. 

Another perk is that Adobe Firefly was trained on Adobe Stock images, openly licensed content, and public domain content, making all the images generated safe for commercial use and addressing the ethics issue of image generators. 

Adobe Firefly f eatures:  Powered by:  Firefly Image 2 |  Access via:  Website |  Output:  4 images per prompt |  P rice:  Free 

Generative AI by Getty Images

Best ai image generator for businesses.

• Commercially safe
• Contributor compensation program
• Personalized stock photos
• Not clear about pricing
• Not individual-friendly

One of the biggest issues with AI image generators is that they typically train their generators on content from the entirety of the internet, which means the generators use aspects of creators' art without compensation. This approach also puts businesses that use generators at risk of copyright infringement. 

Generative AI by Getty Images tackles that issue by generating images with content solely from Getty Images' vast creative library with full indemnification for commercial use. The generated images will have Getty Images' standard royalty-free license, assuring customers that their content is fair to use without fearing legal repercussions.

Another pro is that contributors whose content was used to train the models will be compensated for their inclusion in the training set. This is a great solution for businesses that want stock photos that match their creative vision but do not want to deal with copyright-related issues. 

ZDNET's Tiernan Ray went hands-on with the AI image generator. Although the tool did not generate the most vivid images, especially compared to DALL-E, it did create accurate, reliable, and useable stock images. 

Generative AI by Getty Images f eatures:  Powered by:  NVIDIA Picasso |  Access via:  Website |  Output:  4 images per prompt |  P rice:  Paid (price undisclosed, have to contact the team)

What is the best AI image generator?

Image Creator from Microsoft Designer is the best overall AI image generator. Like DALL-E 3, Image Creator from Microsoft Designer combines accuracy, speed, and cost-effectiveness, and can generate high-quality images in seconds. However, unlike DALL-E 3, this Microsoft version is entirely free.

Whether you want to generate images of animals, objects, or even abstract concepts, Image Creator from Microsoft Designer can produce accurate depictions that meet your expectations. It is highly efficient, user-friendly, and cost-effective.

Note: Prices and features are subject to change.

Which is the right AI image generator for you?

Although I crowned Image Creator from Microsoft Designer the best AI image generator overall, other AI image generators perform better for specific needs. For example, suppose you are a professional using AI image generation for your business. In that case, you may need a tool like Generative AI by Getty Images which renders images safe for commercial use. 

On the other hand, if you want to play with AI art generating for entertainment purposes, Craiyon might be the best option because it's free, unlimited, and easy to use. 

How did I choose these AI image generators?

To find the best AI image generators, I tested each generator listed and compared their performance. The factors that went into testing performance included UI/UX, image results, cost, speed, and availability. Each AI image generator had different strengths and weaknesses, making each one the ideal fit for individuals as listed next to my picks. 

What is an AI image generator?

An AI image generator is software that uses AI to create images from user text inputs, usually within seconds. The images vary in style depending on the capabilities of the software, but can typically render an image in any style you want, including 3D, 2D, cinematic, modern, Renaissance, and more. 

How do AI image generators work?

Like any other AI model, AI image generators work on learned data they are trained with. Typically, these models are trained on billions of images, which they analyze for characteristics. These insights are then used by the models to create new images.

Are there ethical implications with AI image generators?

AI image generators are trained on billions of images found throughout the internet. These images are often artworks that belong to specific artists, which are then reimagined and repurposed by AI to generate your image. Although the output is not the same image, the new image has elements of the artist's original work not credited to them. 

Are there DALL-E 3 alternatives worth considering?

Contrary to what you might think, there are many AI image generators other than DALL-E 3. Some tools produce even better results than OpenAI's software. If you want to try something different, check out one of our alternatives above or the three additional options below. 

Nightcafe is a multi-purpose AI image generator. The tool is worth trying because it allows users to create unique and original artwork using different inputs and styles, including abstract, impressionism, expressionism, and more.

Canva is a versatile and powerful AI image generator that offers a wide range of options within its design platform. It allows users to create professional-looking designs for different marketing channels, including social media posts, ads, flyers, brochures, and more. 

Artificial Intelligence

The best ai chatbots: chatgpt isn't the only one worth trying, google and mit launch a free generative ai course for teachers, dall-e adds new ways to edit and create ai-generated images. learn how to use it.

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• Knowledge Base
• Working with sources
• How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

Published on April 8, 2022 by Courtney Gahan and Jack Caulfield. Revised on June 1, 2023.

Paraphrasing means putting someone else’s ideas into your own words. Paraphrasing a source involves changing the wording while preserving the original meaning.

Paraphrasing is an alternative to  quoting (copying someone’s exact words and putting them in quotation marks ). In academic writing, it’s usually better to integrate sources by paraphrasing instead of quoting. It shows that you have understood the source, reads more smoothly, and keeps your own voice front and center.

Every time you paraphrase, it’s important to cite the source . Also take care not to use wording that is too similar to the original. Otherwise, you could be at risk of committing plagiarism .

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Table of contents

How to paraphrase in five easy steps, how to paraphrase correctly, examples of paraphrasing, how to cite a paraphrase, paraphrasing vs. quoting, paraphrasing vs. summarizing, avoiding plagiarism when you paraphrase, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about paraphrasing.

If you’re struggling to get to grips with the process of paraphrasing, check out our easy step-by-step guide in the video below.

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Putting an idea into your own words can be easier said than done. Let’s say you want to paraphrase the text below, about population decline in a particular species of sea snails.

Incorrect paraphrasing

You might make a first attempt to paraphrase it by swapping out a few words for  synonyms .

Like other sea creatures inhabiting the vicinity of highly populated coasts, horse conchs have lost substantial territory to advancement and contamination , including preferred breeding grounds along mud flats and seagrass beds. Their Gulf home is also heating up due to global warming , which scientists think further puts pressure on the creatures , predicated upon the harmful effects extra warmth has on other large mollusks (Barnett, 2022).

This attempt at paraphrasing doesn’t change the sentence structure or order of information, only some of the word choices. And the synonyms chosen are poor:

• “Advancement and contamination” doesn’t really convey the same meaning as “development and pollution.”
• Sometimes the changes make the tone less academic: “home” for “habitat” and “sea creatures” for “marine animals.”
• Adding phrases like “inhabiting the vicinity of” and “puts pressure on” makes the text needlessly long-winded.
• Global warming is related to climate change, but they don’t mean exactly the same thing.

Because of this, the text reads awkwardly, is longer than it needs to be, and remains too close to the original phrasing. This means you risk being accused of plagiarism .

Correct paraphrasing

Let’s look at a more effective way of paraphrasing the same text.

Here, we’ve:

• Only included the information that’s relevant to our argument (note that the paraphrase is shorter than the original)
• Introduced the information with the signal phrase “Scientists believe that …”
• Retained key terms like “development and pollution,” since changing them could alter the meaning
• Structured sentences in our own way instead of copying the structure of the original
• Started from a different point, presenting information in a different order

Because of this, we’re able to clearly convey the relevant information from the source without sticking too close to the original phrasing.

Explore the tabs below to see examples of paraphrasing in action.

• Journal article
• Newspaper article
• Magazine article

Once you have your perfectly paraphrased text, you need to ensure you credit the original author. You’ll always paraphrase sources in the same way, but you’ll have to use a different type of in-text citation depending on what citation style you follow.

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The AI-powered Citation Checker helps you avoid common mistakes such as:

• Missing commas and periods
• Incorrect usage of “et al.”
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• Missing reference entries

It’s a good idea to paraphrase instead of quoting in most cases because:

• Paraphrasing shows that you fully understand the meaning of a text
• Your own voice remains dominant throughout your paper
• Quotes reduce the readability of your text

But that doesn’t mean you should never quote. Quotes are appropriate when:

• Giving a precise definition
• Saying something about the author’s language or style (e.g., in a literary analysis paper)
• Providing evidence in support of an argument
• Critiquing or analyzing a specific claim

A paraphrase puts a specific passage into your own words. It’s typically a similar length to the original text, or slightly shorter.

When you boil a longer piece of writing down to the key points, so that the result is a lot shorter than the original, this is called summarizing .

Paraphrasing and quoting are important tools for presenting specific information from sources. But if the information you want to include is more general (e.g., the overarching argument of a whole article), summarizing is more appropriate.

When paraphrasing, you have to be careful to avoid accidental plagiarism .

This can happen if the paraphrase is too similar to the original quote, with phrases or whole sentences that are identical (and should therefore be in quotation marks). It can also happen if you fail to properly cite the source.

Paraphrasing tools are widely used by students, and can be especially useful for non-native speakers who may find academic writing particularly challenging. While these can be helpful for a bit of extra inspiration, use these tools sparingly, keeping academic integrity in mind.

To make sure you’ve properly paraphrased and cited all your sources, you could elect to run a plagiarism check before submitting your paper. And of course, always be sure to read your source material yourself and take the first stab at paraphrasing on your own.

If you want to know more about ChatGPT, AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• ChatGPT vs human editor
• ChatGPT citations
• Is ChatGPT trustworthy?
• Using ChatGPT for your studies
• What is ChatGPT?
• Chicago style
• Critical thinking

 Plagiarism

• Types of plagiarism
• Self-plagiarism
• Avoiding plagiarism
• Academic integrity
• Consequences of plagiarism
• Common knowledge

To paraphrase effectively, don’t just take the original sentence and swap out some of the words for synonyms. Instead, try:

• Reformulating the sentence (e.g., change active to passive , or start from a different point)
• Combining information from multiple sentences into one
• Leaving out information from the original that isn’t relevant to your point
• Using synonyms where they don’t distort the meaning

The main point is to ensure you don’t just copy the structure of the original text, but instead reformulate the idea in your own words.

Paraphrasing without crediting the original author is a form of plagiarism , because you’re presenting someone else’s ideas as if they were your own.

However, paraphrasing is not plagiarism if you correctly cite the source . This means including an in-text citation and a full reference, formatted according to your required citation style .

As well as citing, make sure that any paraphrased text is completely rewritten in your own words.

Plagiarism means using someone else’s words or ideas and passing them off as your own. Paraphrasing means putting someone else’s ideas in your own words.

So when does paraphrasing count as plagiarism?

• Paraphrasing is plagiarism if you don’t properly credit the original author.
• Paraphrasing is plagiarism if your text is too close to the original wording (even if you cite the source). If you directly copy a sentence or phrase, you should quote it instead.
• Paraphrasing  is not plagiarism if you put the author’s ideas completely in your own words and properly cite the source .

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To present information from other sources in academic writing , it’s best to paraphrase in most cases. This shows that you’ve understood the ideas you’re discussing and incorporates them into your text smoothly.

It’s appropriate to quote when:

• Changing the phrasing would distort the meaning of the original text
• You want to discuss the author’s language choices (e.g., in literary analysis )
• You’re presenting a precise definition
• You’re looking in depth at a specific claim

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Gahan, C. & Caulfield, J. (2023, June 01). How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/working-with-sources/how-to-paraphrase/

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Other students also liked, how to write a summary | guide & examples, how to quote | citing quotes in apa, mla & chicago, how to avoid plagiarism | tips on citing sources, "i thought ai proofreading was useless but..".

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After being insulted, writing down your feelings on paper then getting rid of it reduces anger

A research group in Japan has discovered that writing down one's reaction to a negative incident on a piece of paper and then shredding it or throwing it away reduces feelings of anger.

"We expected that our method would suppress anger to some extent," lead researcher Nobuyuki Kawai said. "However, we were amazed that anger was eliminated almost entirely."

This research is important because controlling anger at home and in the workplace can reduce negative consequences in our jobs and personal lives. Unfortunately, many anger management techniques proposed by specialists lack empirical research support. They can also be difficult to recall when angry.

The results of this study, published in Scientific Reports , are the culmination of years of previous research on the association between the written word and anger reduction. It builds on work showing how interactions with physical objects can control a person's mood.

For their project, Kawai and his graduate student Yuta Kanaya, both at the Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University, asked participants to write brief opinions about important social problems, such as whether smoking in public should be outlawed. They then told them that a doctoral student at Nagoya University would evaluate their writing.

However, the doctoral students doing the evaluation were plants. Regardless of what the participants wrote, the evaluators scored them low on intelligence, interest, friendliness, logic, and rationality. To really drive home the point, the doctoral students also wrote the same insulting comment: "I cannot believe an educated person would think like this. I hope this person learns something while at the university."

After handing out these negative comments, the researchers asked the participants to write their thoughts on the feedback, focusing on what triggered their emotions. Finally, one group of participants was told to either dispose of the paper they wrote in a trash can or keep it in a file on their desk. A second group was told to destroy the document in a shredder or put it in a plastic box.

The students were then asked to rate their anger after the insult and after either disposing of or keeping the paper. As expected, all participants reported a higher level of anger after receiving insulting comments. However, the anger levels of the individuals who discarded their paper in the trash can or shredded it returned to their initial state after disposing of the paper. Meanwhile, the participants who held on to a hard copy of the insult experienced only a small decrease in their overall anger.

Kawai imagines using his research to help businesspeople who find themselves in stressful situations. "This technique could be applied in the moment by writing down the source of anger as if taking a memo and then throwing it away when one feels angry in a business situation," he explained.

Along with its practical benefits, this discovery may shed light on the origins of the Japanese cultural tradition known as hakidashisara ( hakidashi refers to the purging or spitting out of something, and sara refers to a dish or plate) at the Hiyoshi shrine in Kiyosu, Aichi Prefecture, just outside of Nagoya. Hakidashisara is an annual festival where people smash small discs representing things that make them angry. Their findings may explain the feeling of relief that participants report after leaving the festival.

• Anger Management
• Social Psychology
• Disorders and Syndromes
• Educational Psychology
• Consumer Behavior
• Anger management
• Social psychology
• Cognitive dissonance
• Self-awareness
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Collaboration

Story Source:

Materials provided by Nagoya University . Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference :

• Yuta Kanaya, Nobuyuki Kawai. Anger is eliminated with the disposal of a paper written because of provocation . Scientific Reports , 2024; 14 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57916-z

Cite This Page :

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Write it down, then throw it away: Research confirms a simple method for reducing anger

by Nagoya University

A research group in Japan has discovered that writing down one's reaction to a negative incident on a piece of paper and then shredding it or throwing it away reduces feelings of anger.

"We expected that our method would suppress anger to some extent," lead researcher Nobuyuki Kawai said. "However, we were amazed that anger was eliminated almost entirely."

This research is important because controlling anger at home and in the workplace can reduce negative consequences in our jobs and personal lives. Unfortunately, many anger management techniques proposed by specialists lack empirical research support. They can also be difficult to recall when angry.

The results of this study, published in Scientific Reports , are the culmination of years of previous research on the association between the written word and anger reduction. It builds on work showing how interactions with physical objects can control a person's mood.

For their project, Kawai and his graduate student Yuta Kanaya, both at the Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University, asked participants to write brief opinions about important social problems, such as whether smoking in public should be outlawed. They then told them that a doctoral student at Nagoya University would evaluate their writing.

However, the doctoral students doing the evaluation were plants. Regardless of what the participants wrote, the evaluators scored them low on intelligence, interest, friendliness, logic, and rationality. To really drive home the point, the doctoral students also wrote the same insulting comment: "I cannot believe an educated person would think like this. I hope this person learns something while at the university."

After handing out these negative comments , the researchers asked the participants to write their thoughts on the feedback, focusing on what triggered their emotions. Finally, one group of participants was told to either dispose of the paper they wrote in a trash can or keep it in a file on their desk. A second group was told to destroy the document in a shredder or put it in a plastic box.

The students were then asked to rate their anger after the insult and after either disposing of or keeping the paper. As expected, all participants reported a higher level of anger after receiving insulting comments. However, the anger levels of the individuals who discarded their paper in the trash can or shredded it returned to their initial state after disposing of the paper. Meanwhile, the participants who held on to a hard copy of the insult experienced only a small decrease in their overall anger.

Kawai imagines using his research to help businesspeople who find themselves in stressful situations. "This technique could be applied in the moment by writing down the source of anger as if taking a memo and then throwing it away when one feels angry in a business situation," he explained.

Along with its practical benefits, this discovery may shed light on the origins of the Japanese cultural tradition known as "hakidashisara" ("hakidashi" refers to the purging or spitting out of something, and "sara" refers to a dish or plate) at the Hiyoshi shrine in Kiyosu, Aichi Prefecture, just outside of Nagoya. Hakidashisara is an annual festival where people smash small disks representing things that make them angry. Their findings may explain the feeling of relief that participants report after leaving the festival.

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