primary school research paper ideas

Research Topics & Ideas: Education

170+ Research Ideas To Fast-Track Your Dissertation, Thesis Or Research Project

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I f you’re just starting out exploring education-related topics for your dissertation, thesis or research project, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll help kickstart your research topic ideation process by providing a hearty list of research topics and ideas , including examples from actual dissertations and theses..

PS – This is just the start…

We know it’s exciting to run through a list of research topics, but please keep in mind that this list is just a starting point . To develop a suitable education-related research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , and a viable plan of action to fill that gap.

If this sounds foreign to you, check out our free research topic webinar that explores how to find and refine a high-quality research topic, from scratch. Alternatively, if you’d like hands-on help, consider our 1-on-1 coaching service .

Overview: Education Research Topics

  • How to find a research topic (video)
  • List of 50+ education-related research topics/ideas
  • List of 120+ level-specific research topics 
  • Examples of actual dissertation topics in education
  • Tips to fast-track your topic ideation (video)
  • Where to get extra help

Topic Kickstarter: Research topics in education

Education-Related Research Topics & Ideas

Below you’ll find a list of education-related research topics and idea kickstarters. These are fairly broad and flexible to various contexts, so keep in mind that you will need to refine them a little. Nevertheless, they should inspire some ideas for your project.

  • The impact of school funding on student achievement
  • The effects of social and emotional learning on student well-being
  • The effects of parental involvement on student behaviour
  • The impact of teacher training on student learning
  • The impact of classroom design on student learning
  • The impact of poverty on education
  • The use of student data to inform instruction
  • The role of parental involvement in education
  • The effects of mindfulness practices in the classroom
  • The use of technology in the classroom
  • The role of critical thinking in education
  • The use of formative and summative assessments in the classroom
  • The use of differentiated instruction in the classroom
  • The use of gamification in education
  • The effects of teacher burnout on student learning
  • The impact of school leadership on student achievement
  • The effects of teacher diversity on student outcomes
  • The role of teacher collaboration in improving student outcomes
  • The implementation of blended and online learning
  • The effects of teacher accountability on student achievement
  • The effects of standardized testing on student learning
  • The effects of classroom management on student behaviour
  • The effects of school culture on student achievement
  • The use of student-centred learning in the classroom
  • The impact of teacher-student relationships on student outcomes
  • The achievement gap in minority and low-income students
  • The use of culturally responsive teaching in the classroom
  • The impact of teacher professional development on student learning
  • The use of project-based learning in the classroom
  • The effects of teacher expectations on student achievement
  • The use of adaptive learning technology in the classroom
  • The impact of teacher turnover on student learning
  • The effects of teacher recruitment and retention on student learning
  • The impact of early childhood education on later academic success
  • The impact of parental involvement on student engagement
  • The use of positive reinforcement in education
  • The impact of school climate on student engagement
  • The role of STEM education in preparing students for the workforce
  • The effects of school choice on student achievement
  • The use of technology in the form of online tutoring

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Level-Specific Research Topics

Looking for research topics for a specific level of education? We’ve got you covered. Below you can find research topic ideas for primary, secondary and tertiary-level education contexts. Click the relevant level to view the respective list.

Research Topics: Pick An Education Level

Primary education.

  • Investigating the effects of peer tutoring on academic achievement in primary school
  • Exploring the benefits of mindfulness practices in primary school classrooms
  • Examining the effects of different teaching strategies on primary school students’ problem-solving skills
  • The use of storytelling as a teaching strategy in primary school literacy instruction
  • The role of cultural diversity in promoting tolerance and understanding in primary schools
  • The impact of character education programs on moral development in primary school students
  • Investigating the use of technology in enhancing primary school mathematics education
  • The impact of inclusive curriculum on promoting equity and diversity in primary schools
  • The impact of outdoor education programs on environmental awareness in primary school students
  • The influence of school climate on student motivation and engagement in primary schools
  • Investigating the effects of early literacy interventions on reading comprehension in primary school students
  • The impact of parental involvement in school decision-making processes on student achievement in primary schools
  • Exploring the benefits of inclusive education for students with special needs in primary schools
  • Investigating the effects of teacher-student feedback on academic motivation in primary schools
  • The role of technology in developing digital literacy skills in primary school students
  • Effective strategies for fostering a growth mindset in primary school students
  • Investigating the role of parental support in reducing academic stress in primary school children
  • The role of arts education in fostering creativity and self-expression in primary school students
  • Examining the effects of early childhood education programs on primary school readiness
  • Examining the effects of homework on primary school students’ academic performance
  • The role of formative assessment in improving learning outcomes in primary school classrooms
  • The impact of teacher-student relationships on academic outcomes in primary school
  • Investigating the effects of classroom environment on student behavior and learning outcomes in primary schools
  • Investigating the role of creativity and imagination in primary school curriculum
  • The impact of nutrition and healthy eating programs on academic performance in primary schools
  • The impact of social-emotional learning programs on primary school students’ well-being and academic performance
  • The role of parental involvement in academic achievement of primary school children
  • Examining the effects of classroom management strategies on student behavior in primary school
  • The role of school leadership in creating a positive school climate Exploring the benefits of bilingual education in primary schools
  • The effectiveness of project-based learning in developing critical thinking skills in primary school students
  • The role of inquiry-based learning in fostering curiosity and critical thinking in primary school students
  • The effects of class size on student engagement and achievement in primary schools
  • Investigating the effects of recess and physical activity breaks on attention and learning in primary school
  • Exploring the benefits of outdoor play in developing gross motor skills in primary school children
  • The effects of educational field trips on knowledge retention in primary school students
  • Examining the effects of inclusive classroom practices on students’ attitudes towards diversity in primary schools
  • The impact of parental involvement in homework on primary school students’ academic achievement
  • Investigating the effectiveness of different assessment methods in primary school classrooms
  • The influence of physical activity and exercise on cognitive development in primary school children
  • Exploring the benefits of cooperative learning in promoting social skills in primary school students

Secondary Education

  • Investigating the effects of school discipline policies on student behavior and academic success in secondary education
  • The role of social media in enhancing communication and collaboration among secondary school students
  • The impact of school leadership on teacher effectiveness and student outcomes in secondary schools
  • Investigating the effects of technology integration on teaching and learning in secondary education
  • Exploring the benefits of interdisciplinary instruction in promoting critical thinking skills in secondary schools
  • The impact of arts education on creativity and self-expression in secondary school students
  • The effectiveness of flipped classrooms in promoting student learning in secondary education
  • The role of career guidance programs in preparing secondary school students for future employment
  • Investigating the effects of student-centered learning approaches on student autonomy and academic success in secondary schools
  • The impact of socio-economic factors on educational attainment in secondary education
  • Investigating the impact of project-based learning on student engagement and academic achievement in secondary schools
  • Investigating the effects of multicultural education on cultural understanding and tolerance in secondary schools
  • The influence of standardized testing on teaching practices and student learning in secondary education
  • Investigating the effects of classroom management strategies on student behavior and academic engagement in secondary education
  • The influence of teacher professional development on instructional practices and student outcomes in secondary schools
  • The role of extracurricular activities in promoting holistic development and well-roundedness in secondary school students
  • Investigating the effects of blended learning models on student engagement and achievement in secondary education
  • The role of physical education in promoting physical health and well-being among secondary school students
  • Investigating the effects of gender on academic achievement and career aspirations in secondary education
  • Exploring the benefits of multicultural literature in promoting cultural awareness and empathy among secondary school students
  • The impact of school counseling services on student mental health and well-being in secondary schools
  • Exploring the benefits of vocational education and training in preparing secondary school students for the workforce
  • The role of digital literacy in preparing secondary school students for the digital age
  • The influence of parental involvement on academic success and well-being of secondary school students
  • The impact of social-emotional learning programs on secondary school students’ well-being and academic success
  • The role of character education in fostering ethical and responsible behavior in secondary school students
  • Examining the effects of digital citizenship education on responsible and ethical technology use among secondary school students
  • The impact of parental involvement in school decision-making processes on student outcomes in secondary schools
  • The role of educational technology in promoting personalized learning experiences in secondary schools
  • The impact of inclusive education on the social and academic outcomes of students with disabilities in secondary schools
  • The influence of parental support on academic motivation and achievement in secondary education
  • The role of school climate in promoting positive behavior and well-being among secondary school students
  • Examining the effects of peer mentoring programs on academic achievement and social-emotional development in secondary schools
  • Examining the effects of teacher-student relationships on student motivation and achievement in secondary schools
  • Exploring the benefits of service-learning programs in promoting civic engagement among secondary school students
  • The impact of educational policies on educational equity and access in secondary education
  • Examining the effects of homework on academic achievement and student well-being in secondary education
  • Investigating the effects of different assessment methods on student performance in secondary schools
  • Examining the effects of single-sex education on academic performance and gender stereotypes in secondary schools
  • The role of mentoring programs in supporting the transition from secondary to post-secondary education

Tertiary Education

  • The role of student support services in promoting academic success and well-being in higher education
  • The impact of internationalization initiatives on students’ intercultural competence and global perspectives in tertiary education
  • Investigating the effects of active learning classrooms and learning spaces on student engagement and learning outcomes in tertiary education
  • Exploring the benefits of service-learning experiences in fostering civic engagement and social responsibility in higher education
  • The influence of learning communities and collaborative learning environments on student academic and social integration in higher education
  • Exploring the benefits of undergraduate research experiences in fostering critical thinking and scientific inquiry skills
  • Investigating the effects of academic advising and mentoring on student retention and degree completion in higher education
  • The role of student engagement and involvement in co-curricular activities on holistic student development in higher education
  • The impact of multicultural education on fostering cultural competence and diversity appreciation in higher education
  • The role of internships and work-integrated learning experiences in enhancing students’ employability and career outcomes
  • Examining the effects of assessment and feedback practices on student learning and academic achievement in tertiary education
  • The influence of faculty professional development on instructional practices and student outcomes in tertiary education
  • The influence of faculty-student relationships on student success and well-being in tertiary education
  • The impact of college transition programs on students’ academic and social adjustment to higher education
  • The impact of online learning platforms on student learning outcomes in higher education
  • The impact of financial aid and scholarships on access and persistence in higher education
  • The influence of student leadership and involvement in extracurricular activities on personal development and campus engagement
  • Exploring the benefits of competency-based education in developing job-specific skills in tertiary students
  • Examining the effects of flipped classroom models on student learning and retention in higher education
  • Exploring the benefits of online collaboration and virtual team projects in developing teamwork skills in tertiary students
  • Investigating the effects of diversity and inclusion initiatives on campus climate and student experiences in tertiary education
  • The influence of study abroad programs on intercultural competence and global perspectives of college students
  • Investigating the effects of peer mentoring and tutoring programs on student retention and academic performance in tertiary education
  • Investigating the effectiveness of active learning strategies in promoting student engagement and achievement in tertiary education
  • Investigating the effects of blended learning models and hybrid courses on student learning and satisfaction in higher education
  • The role of digital literacy and information literacy skills in supporting student success in the digital age
  • Investigating the effects of experiential learning opportunities on career readiness and employability of college students
  • The impact of e-portfolios on student reflection, self-assessment, and showcasing of learning in higher education
  • The role of technology in enhancing collaborative learning experiences in tertiary classrooms
  • The impact of research opportunities on undergraduate student engagement and pursuit of advanced degrees
  • Examining the effects of competency-based assessment on measuring student learning and achievement in tertiary education
  • Examining the effects of interdisciplinary programs and courses on critical thinking and problem-solving skills in college students
  • The role of inclusive education and accessibility in promoting equitable learning experiences for diverse student populations
  • The role of career counseling and guidance in supporting students’ career decision-making in tertiary education
  • The influence of faculty diversity and representation on student success and inclusive learning environments in higher education

Research topic idea mega list

Education-Related Dissertations & Theses

While the ideas we’ve presented above are a decent starting point for finding a research topic in education, they are fairly generic and non-specific. So, it helps to look at actual dissertations and theses in the education space to see how this all comes together in practice.

Below, we’ve included a selection of education-related research projects to help refine your thinking. These are actual dissertations and theses, written as part of Master’s and PhD-level programs, so they can provide some useful insight as to what a research topic looks like in practice.

  • From Rural to Urban: Education Conditions of Migrant Children in China (Wang, 2019)
  • Energy Renovation While Learning English: A Guidebook for Elementary ESL Teachers (Yang, 2019)
  • A Reanalyses of Intercorrelational Matrices of Visual and Verbal Learners’ Abilities, Cognitive Styles, and Learning Preferences (Fox, 2020)
  • A study of the elementary math program utilized by a mid-Missouri school district (Barabas, 2020)
  • Instructor formative assessment practices in virtual learning environments : a posthumanist sociomaterial perspective (Burcks, 2019)
  • Higher education students services: a qualitative study of two mid-size universities’ direct exchange programs (Kinde, 2020)
  • Exploring editorial leadership : a qualitative study of scholastic journalism advisers teaching leadership in Missouri secondary schools (Lewis, 2020)
  • Selling the virtual university: a multimodal discourse analysis of marketing for online learning (Ludwig, 2020)
  • Advocacy and accountability in school counselling: assessing the use of data as related to professional self-efficacy (Matthews, 2020)
  • The use of an application screening assessment as a predictor of teaching retention at a midwestern, K-12, public school district (Scarbrough, 2020)
  • Core values driving sustained elite performance cultures (Beiner, 2020)
  • Educative features of upper elementary Eureka math curriculum (Dwiggins, 2020)
  • How female principals nurture adult learning opportunities in successful high schools with challenging student demographics (Woodward, 2020)
  • The disproportionality of Black Males in Special Education: A Case Study Analysis of Educator Perceptions in a Southeastern Urban High School (McCrae, 2021)

As you can see, these research topics are a lot more focused than the generic topic ideas we presented earlier. So, in order for you to develop a high-quality research topic, you’ll need to get specific and laser-focused on a specific context with specific variables of interest.  In the video below, we explore some other important things you’ll need to consider when crafting your research topic.

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If you’re still unsure about how to find a quality research topic within education, check out our Research Topic Kickstarter service, which is the perfect starting point for developing a unique, well-justified research topic.

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Research Topics & Ideas: Sociology

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Research Topics & Ideas: Public Health & Epidemiology

Research Topics & Ideas: Public Health & Epidemiology

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Research Defense for students in senior high

Kupoluyi Regina

Kindly help me with a research topic in educational psychology. Ph.D level. Thank you.

Project-based learning is a teaching/learning type,if well applied in a classroom setting will yield serious positive impact. What can a teacher do to implement this in a disadvantaged zone like “North West Region of Cameroon ( hinterland) where war has brought about prolonged and untold sufferings on the indegins?

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D.Newlands PhD.

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JAMES MALUKI MUTIA

I am a graduate with two masters. 1) Master of arts in religious studies and 2) Master in education in foundations of education. I intend to do a Ph.D. on my second master’s, however, I need to bring both masters together through my Ph.D. research. can I do something like, ” The contribution of Philosophy of education for a quality religion education in Kenya”? kindly, assist and be free to suggest a similar topic that will bring together the two masters. thanks in advance

betiel

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primary school research paper ideas

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The Collection of Primary Education Research Topics Aimed To Stimulate Thought

Primary education research encompasses investigations into various aspects of early childhood learning and teaching. Often students find it difficult to create unique dissertation ideas for primary education research topics Therefore, the Research guardian comes as a saviour to help students create a strong foundation for their research journey.

Difficulties That Block the Way of a Smooth Research Journey for Students

Starting with a clear research question for primary education dissertation topics and a solid understanding of the existing literature is not child’s play. Students have to face some major challenges that are mentioned below.

The Complexity of Primary Education:

Primary education involves a mix of teaching methodologies, child psychology, curriculum design, and more. This complexity can make it challenging to formulate research questions for various primary education dissertation ideas that capture all relevant aspects.

a) Time and Resources:

Research takes time, and primary education research might require interactions with teachers, parents, and children. This can be time-consuming and might require resources that students might not readily have access to.

b) Language and Communication:

Expressing complex educational concepts in a clear and concise manner can be difficult, especially for students who are not native speakers of the language in which they are conducting research.

c) Narrowing Down a Topic:

The field of primary education is broad, and selecting a specific, manageable research topic can be difficult. Students need to find a balance between a topic that is not too broad and not too narrow.

d) Relevance and Originality:

Coming up with a research question that is both relevant to the field and original can be challenging. Many areas in primary education thesis topics have been extensively studied, so finding a unique angle is important.

e) Data Collection and Analysis:

Designing research studies that involve young children and collecting reliable data can be intricate. Analysing the data appropriately and drawing meaningful conclusions is equally demanding.

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Invaluable Assistance from a Worthy Research Department

To overcome challenges, students should consider seeking guidance from those who have polished their expertise in the research process. Researchers at the Research Guardian utilize available resources, provide the best primary education dissertation examples, and carefully plan their research journey. They offer the following services to students having any issues.

  • Topic brainstorming
  • Topic refinement
  • Literature review support
  • Advice on data collection and analysis
  • Research question formulation
  • Resource recommendations

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Our top thesis writing experts are available 24/7 to assist you the right university projects. Whether its critical literature reviews to complete your PhD. or Master Levels thesis.

List of Primary Education Dissertation topics that outshine your Thesis

Some of the topics mentioned below are formulated by our expert researchers that offer a range of complexities and scopes suitable for bachelors, masters, and Ph.D. level research . Remember to adapt and refine these primary education research topics based on your interests, expertise, and the specific research resources available to you.

Bachelor Impact of Interactive Learning Tools on Early Literacy Development
Bachelor Effective Strategies for Promoting Inclusive Education in Primary Classrooms
Masters Assessment Strategies for Evaluating Socio-Emotional Learning in Primary Education
Masters Teacher Professional Development and Its Impact on Student Engagement in Mathematics
Ph.D. Long-Term Effects of Bilingual Education on Cognitive Development in Primary Years
Ph.D. Exploring the Role of Parental Involvement in Primary Education

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TheresearchGuardian.com providing expert thesis assistance for university students at any sort of level. Our thesis writing service has been serving students since 2011.

Specialized Custom Research Topics Service Designed To Assist Students

We have pioneered a custom research topics service designed to assist students in identifying tailored research areas that align with their academic goals and interests. You can submit your requirements for customized primary education thesis topics and get assistance from seasoned professionals who collaborate closely with you to propose well-defined and researchable topics. If you need personalized guidance that not only accelerates the research process but also enhances the quality and originality of your academic endeavours contact us now!

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200+ List of Topics for Action Research in the Classroom

List of Topics for Action Research in the Classroom

In the dynamic landscape of education, teachers are continually seeking innovative ways to enhance their teaching practices and improve student outcomes. Action research in the classroom is a powerful tool that allows educators to investigate and address specific challenges, leading to positive changes in teaching methods and learning experiences. 

Selecting the right topics from the list of topics for action research in the classroom is crucial for ensuring meaningful insights and improvements. In this blog post, we will explore the significance of action research in the classroom, the criteria for selecting impactful topics, and provide an extensive list of potential research areas.

Understanding: What is Action Research

Table of Contents

Action research is a reflective process that empowers teachers to systematically investigate and analyze their own teaching practices. Unlike traditional research, action research is conducted by educators within their own classrooms, emphasizing a collaborative and participatory approach. 

This method enables teachers to identify challenges, implement interventions, and assess the effectiveness of their actions.

How to Select Topics From List of Topics for Action Research in the Classroom

Choosing the right topic is the first step in the action research process. The selected topic should align with classroom goals, address students’ needs, be feasible to implement, and have the potential for positive impact. Teachers should consider the following criteria when selecting action research topics:

  • Alignment with Classroom Goals and Objectives: The chosen topic should directly contribute to the overall goals and objectives of the classroom. Whether it’s improving student engagement, enhancing learning outcomes, or fostering a positive classroom environment, the topic should align with the broader educational context.
  • Relevance to Students’ Needs and Challenges: Effective action research addresses the specific needs and challenges faced by students. Teachers should identify areas where students may be struggling or where improvement is needed, ensuring that the research directly impacts the learning experiences of the students.
  • Feasibility and Practicality: The feasibility of the research is crucial. Teachers must choose topics that are practical to implement within the constraints of the classroom setting. This includes considering available resources, time constraints, and the level of support from school administrators.
  • Potential for Positive Impact: The ultimate goal of action research is to bring about positive change. Teachers should carefully assess the potential impact of their research, aiming for improvements in teaching methods, student performance, or overall classroom dynamics.

List of Topics for Action Research in the Classroom

  • Impact of Mindfulness Practices on Student Focus
  • The Effectiveness of Peer Tutoring in Mathematics
  • Strategies for Encouraging Critical Thinking in History Classes
  • Using Gamification to Enhance Learning in Science
  • Investigating the Impact of Flexible Seating Arrangements
  • Assessing the Benefits of Project-Based Learning in Language Arts
  • The Influence of Classroom Decor on Student Motivation
  • Examining the Use of Learning Stations for Differentiation
  • Implementing Reflective Journals to Enhance Writing Skills
  • Exploring the Impact of Flipped Classroom Models
  • Analyzing the Effects of Homework on Student Performance
  • The Role of Positive Reinforcement in Classroom Behavior
  • Investigating the Impact of Classroom Libraries on Reading Proficiency
  • Strategies for Fostering a Growth Mindset in Students
  • Assessing the Benefits of Cross-Curricular Integration
  • Using Technology to Enhance Vocabulary Acquisition
  • The Impact of Outdoor Learning on Student Engagement
  • Investigating the Relationship Between Attendance and Academic Success
  • The Role of Parental Involvement in Homework Completion
  • Assessing the Impact of Classroom Rituals on Community Building
  • Strategies for Increasing Student Participation in Discussions
  • Exploring the Influence of Classroom Lighting on Student Alertness
  • Investigating the Impact of Daily Agendas on Time Management
  • The Effectiveness of Socratic Seminars in Social Studies
  • Analyzing the Use of Graphic Organizers for Concept Mapping
  • Implementing Student-Led Conferences for Goal Setting
  • Examining the Effects of Mind Mapping on Information Retention
  • The Influence of Classroom Temperature on Academic Performance
  • Investigating the Benefits of Cooperative Learning Strategies
  • Strategies for Addressing Test Anxiety in Students
  • Assessing the Impact of Positive Affirmations on Student Confidence
  • The Use of Literature Circles to Enhance Reading Comprehension
  • Exploring the Effects of Classroom Noise Levels on Concentration
  • Investigating the Benefits of Cross-Grade Collaborations
  • Analyzing the Impact of Goal Setting on Student Achievement
  • Implementing Interactive Notebooks for Conceptual Understanding
  • The Effectiveness of Response to Intervention (RTI) Programs
  • Strategies for Integrating Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
  • Investigating the Impact of Classroom Discussions on Critical Thinking
  • The Role of Brain Breaks in Enhancing Student Focus
  • Assessing the Benefits of Inquiry-Based Learning in Science
  • Exploring the Effects of Music on Studying and Retention
  • Investigating the Use of Learning Contracts for Individualized Learning
  • The Influence of Classroom Colors on Mood and Learning
  • Strategies for Promoting Collaborative Problem-Solving
  • Analyzing the Impact of Flexible Scheduling on Student Productivity
  • The Effectiveness of Mindful Breathing Exercises on Stress Reduction
  • Investigating the Benefits of Service Learning Projects
  • The Role of Peer Assessment in Improving Writing Skills
  • Exploring the Impact of Field Trips on Cultural Competency
  • Assessing the Benefits of Personalized Learning Plans
  • Strategies for Differentiating Instruction in Large Classrooms
  • Investigating the Influence of Teacher-Student Relationships on Learning
  • The Effectiveness of Vocabulary Games in Foreign Language Classes
  • Analyzing the Impact of Classroom Discussions on Civic Engagement
  • Implementing Goal-Setting Strategies for Test Preparation
  • The Role of Classroom Celebrations in Building a Positive Environment
  • Strategies for Enhancing Student Reflection and Metacognition
  • Investigating the Effects of Positive Behavior Supports (PBS)
  • The Influence of Classroom Humor on Student Engagement
  • Assessing the Benefits of Student-Led Research Projects
  • Exploring the Impact of Timed vs. Untimed Tests on Anxiety
  • Investigating the Use of Educational Podcasts for Learning
  • The Effectiveness of Debate Activities in Developing Persuasive Skills
  • Analyzing the Impact of Mindful Walking Breaks on Concentration
  • Strategies for Promoting Digital Citizenship in the Classroom
  • The Role of Visualization Techniques in Mathematics Learning
  • Assessing the Benefits of Classroom Agreements for Behavior
  • Exploring the Effects of Goal-Setting in Physical Education
  • Investigating the Influence of Classroom Seating Charts on Behavior
  • The Effectiveness of Peer Editing in Improving Writing Skills
  • Strategies for Integrating Cultural Competency in History Lessons
  • Analyzing the Impact of Classroom Pets on Student Well-Being
  • The Role of Morning Meetings in Building Classroom Community
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Learning Centers in Elementary Schools
  • Exploring the Effects of Virtual Reality in Geography Education
  • Assessing the Impact of Homework Choice on Student Motivation
  • Strategies for Promoting Growth Mindset in Mathematics
  • The Influence of Classroom Layout on Group Collaboration
  • Investigating the Benefits of Mindful Listening Practices
  • The Effectiveness of Using Real-World Examples in Science Lessons
  • Analyzing the Impact of Student-Led Assessments on Accountability
  • Exploring the Use of Learning Contracts for Student Responsibility
  • Investigating the Benefits of Teaching Digital Literacy Skills
  • Strategies for Implementing Peer Mentoring Programs
  • The Role of Graphic Novels in Promoting Literacy
  • Assessing the Impact of Flexible Grouping in Mathematics Classes
  • The Effectiveness of Using Storytelling for Conceptual Understanding
  • Investigating the Influence of Classroom Rituals on Attendance
  • Exploring the Benefits of Mindfulness Practices in Physical Education
  • Strategies for Integrating Social Justice Education in the Curriculum
  • Analyzing the Impact of Goal-Setting on Homework Completion
  • The Role of Classroom Mindfulness Activities in Stress Reduction
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Educational Apps for Vocabulary
  • The Effectiveness of Using Drama in History Lessons
  • Assessing the Impact of Classroom Routines on Time Management
  • Exploring the Influence of Teacher-Student Rapport on Academic Achievement
  • Strategies for Promoting Active Listening Skills in the Classroom
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Concept Mapping in Science
  • The Role of Classroom Socratic Seminars in Developing Critical Thinking
  • Assessing the Impact of Mindful Eating Practices on Student Focus
  • Exploring the Effects of Flipped Learning in Physical Education
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Educational Games for Math Fluency
  • The Effectiveness of Peer Assessment in Art Classes
  • Strategies for Fostering Creativity in Science Education
  • Analyzing the Impact of Morning Stretches on Student Alertness
  • The Role of Classroom Discussions in Enhancing Social Studies Learning
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Augmented Reality in History Lessons
  • Assessing the Impact of Growth Mindset Interventions on Test Anxiety
  • Strategies for Incorporating Environmental Education in the Curriculum
  • The Effectiveness of Using Conceptual Maps in Literature Analysis
  • Exploring the Influence of Classroom Lighting on Reading Comprehension
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Learning Apps for Language Acquisition
  • The Role of Classroom Experiments in Science Education
  • Analyzing the Impact of Mindful Breathing Exercises on Test Performance
  • Strategies for Promoting Collaborative Problem-Solving in Mathematics
  • Assessing the Benefits of Mindfulness Practices in Physical Education
  • Exploring the Effects of Flexible Seating on Student Collaboration
  • Investigating the Influence of Homework Choice on Student Motivation
  • The Effectiveness of Using Educational Podcasts for History Learning
  • Strategies for Integrating Sustainability Education Across Subjects
  • Analyzing the Impact of Mindful Writing Practices on Language Arts Skills
  • The Role of Peer Teaching in Enhancing Understanding of Complex Concepts
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Digital Storytelling in Literature Classes
  • The Effectiveness of Inquiry-Based Learning in Social Studies
  • Assessing the Impact of Student-Led Book Clubs on Reading Engagement
  • Strategies for Incorporating Financial Literacy in Mathematics Education
  • Exploring the Influence of Classroom Decor on Science Interest
  • Investigating the Benefits of Mindful Movement Breaks in the Classroom
  • The Role of Reflection Journals in Developing Critical Thinking Skills
  • Analyzing the Impact of Virtual Field Trips on Geography Learning
  • Strategies for Promoting Inclusive Physical Education Practices
  • Assessing the Benefits of Using Educational Board Games for Learning
  • The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Practices in Foreign Language Classes
  • Investigating the Influence of Classroom Rituals on Academic Rigor
  • Exploring the Impact of Student-Led Conferences on Goal Setting
  • The Role of Mindful Listening Practices in Improving Communication Skills
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Educational Apps for Science Exploration
  • Analyzing the Effectiveness of Socratic Seminars in Philosophy Classes
  • Strategies for Promoting Gender Equity in STEM Education
  • Assessing the Impact of Classroom Celebrations on Student Well-Being
  • The Effectiveness of Using Debate Activities in Language Arts
  • Exploring the Influence of Positive Affirmations on Classroom Climate
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Concept Mapping in History Essays
  • Strategies for Incorporating Media Literacy in Social Studies
  • Analyzing the Impact of Mindful Reflection Practices on Homework Completion
  • The Role of Peer Collaboration in Enhancing Artistic Skills
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Educational Apps for Vocabulary Acquisition
  • The Effectiveness of Mindful Breathing Exercises in Test Preparation
  • Assessing the Impact of Flipped Learning in Science Laboratories
  • Strategies for Promoting Civic Engagement in Social Studies Classes
  • Exploring the Influence of Outdoor Learning on Scientific Inquiry
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Learning Stations for Literature Analysis
  • The Role of Mindful Movement in Improving Physical Education Experiences
  • Analyzing the Effectiveness of Virtual Reality in Language Learning
  • Strategies for Incorporating Global Perspectives in Geography Education
  • Assessing the Impact of Mindful Coloring Activities on Stress Reduction
  • The Effectiveness of Using Educational Games for History Review
  • Investigating the Benefits of Mindful Breathing Exercises in Mathematics
  • Exploring the Influence of Classroom Rituals on Study Habits
  • The Role of Mindful Listening Practices in Enhancing Oral Communication
  • Analyzing the Impact of Student-Led Workshops on Study Skills
  • Strategies for Promoting Critical Media Literacy in Language Arts
  • Assessing the Benefits of Mindfulness Practices in Physical Fitness
  • The Effectiveness of Using Educational Apps for Music Appreciation
  • Investigating the Influence of Classroom Decor on Artistic Expression
  • Exploring the Impact of Mindful Eating Practices on Nutrition Awareness
  • The Role of Peer Assessment in Improving Science Fair Projects
  • Analyzing the Benefits of Mindful Breathing Exercises in History Classes
  • Strategies for Promoting Teamwork in Physical Education
  • Assessing the Impact of Classroom Celebrations on Cultural Understanding
  • The Effectiveness of Using Conceptual Maps in Geography Education
  • Investigating the Benefits of Mindful Movement Breaks in Mathematics
  • The Role of Mindful Listening Practices in Improving Musical Skills
  • Analyzing the Impact of Student-Led Discussions in Philosophy Classes
  • Strategies for Incorporating Environmental Stewardship in Science Education
  • Assessing the Benefits of Using Educational Games for Physical Fitness
  • Exploring the Influence of Classroom Decor on Mathematical Interest
  • Investigating the Effectiveness of Virtual Reality in Art Appreciation
  • The Role of Mindful Movement in Enhancing Physical Education Experiences
  • Strategies for Promoting Cultural Competency in Language Arts
  • Analyzing the Impact of Mindful Breathing Exercises on Test Anxiety
  • The Effectiveness of Using Educational Apps for Science Exploration
  • Investigating the Benefits of Peer Teaching in Mathematics Classes
  • Exploring the Influence of Classroom Rituals on Language Arts Skills
  • Assessing the Impact of Mindful Coloring Activities on Creative Expression
  • The Role of Mindful Listening Practices in Improving Public Speaking
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Learning Stations for History Learning
  • The Effectiveness of Peer Assessment in Improving Writing Skills
  • Strategies for Promoting Digital Literacy in Geography Education
  • Analyzing the Impact of Mindful Eating Practices on Healthy Habits
  • Assessing the Benefits of Using Educational Games for Social Studies
  • The Effectiveness of Mindful Movement Breaks in Science Education
  • Exploring the Influence of Classroom Decor on Writing Motivation
  • Investigating the Role of Mindfulness Practices in Mathematics Anxiety
  • Strategies for Incorporating Financial Literacy in Social Studies
  • Analyzing the Benefits of Using Concept Mapping in Science Labs
  • The Role of Mindful Breathing Exercises in Improving Music Education
  • Exploring the Impact of Virtual Reality on Foreign Language Acquisition
  • Assessing the Benefits of Mindful Movement Breaks in History Classes

Tips for Conducting Action Research in the Classroom

  • Setting Clear Research Goals and Objectives: Clearly define the goals and objectives of the research to ensure a focused and purposeful investigation.
  • Involving Stakeholders in the Research Process: Engage students, parents, and colleagues in the research process to gather diverse perspectives and insights.
  • Collecting and Analyzing Relevant Data: Use a variety of data collection methods, such as surveys, observations, and assessments, to gather comprehensive and meaningful data.
  • Reflecting on Findings and Adjusting Teaching Practices: Regularly reflect on the research findings and be open to adjusting teaching practices based on the insights gained from the research.

Case Studies or Examples

Highlighting successful action research projects provides inspiration and practical insights for teachers. 

Sharing case studies or examples of impactful research can demonstrate the positive outcomes and improvements that can result from well-conducted action research.

In conclusion, action research is a valuable tool for educators seeking to enhance their teaching practices and improve student outcomes. 

Selecting the right topics from a list of topics for action research in the classroom is crucial for the success of action research projects, and teachers should consider alignment with goals, relevance to students, feasibility, and potential impact. 

By exploring a diverse range of topics, teachers can embark on meaningful action research journeys, contributing to the continuous improvement of education.

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Top 300+ Ideas For Research Paper Topics in 2024

Updated 28 Aug 2024

research paper topics

Some say the most difficult part of writing a text – is to start. But topic selection even precedes this starting point. This activity takes off a lot of time, and sometimes, imagination just doesn’t work in your favor. That’s where our list of best research paper topics will be useful.

Our  research paper writing service collected the most unhacked and powerful ideas to turn the average piece of writing into a research paper. Discover  what is a research paper and how to choose suitable and interesting research topics with our help. 

Writing a research topic on your own requires either producing one from scratch (based on your interests and goals and, potentially, on some brainstorming) or getting inspiration from a number of sources, like preassembled topic lists, course material, teachers, real-life, news headlines, published research in the respective field, etc.

What are the 3 Types of Research Questions?

Before formulating your research questions ideas, note that there are 3 important types of research questions:

Descriptive – these employ careful and comprehensive observation of a phenomenon/ event, subject, trait, etc. in order to characterize it in detail and to reveal important/ interesting/ undescribed aspects or patterns potentially.

Causal – these investigate whether altering some variables leads to changes in other variables, suggesting a causal relationship.

Comparative – these look into similarities and differences between two or more entities.

What is a Good Research Paper Topic?

Good research paper topics are characterized by several features that make them suitable for engaging and successful research papers. Features that tend to characterize good research questions are as follows:

specific and concrete – investigation goals and (expected results) have to be clear and focused

original – investigating aspects/ entities/ relationships that have not been researched before

highly important /impactful for the community/ society/ a professional field.

highly relevant for potential readers/ reviewers

trending – emerging disciplines/ topics spark more interest due to their novelty and yet unexplored potential

Choosing an appropriate topic influences various components of the research process, including the research question and methodology, ultimately affecting the quality and relevance of the findings.

College Research Paper Topics

  • The bias in the selection of the college internships and scholarships
  • The problems of reverse discrimination in post-college employment
  • Should multicultural education concepts be implemented at a greater depth?
  • The drug and alcohol abuse on college campuses
  • Does social media help students to find appropriate information and learn?
  • The psychological disorders and the support groups in modern colleges
  • Should people with ADHD and Autism be separated from the other students?
  • The art of college political campaigns
  • Pros and cons of religious colleges
  • Should college athletes be paid and provided with additional advantages?
  • The Influence of Social Media on College Students' Academic Performance and Well-being
  • Evaluating the Effectiveness of Online Learning Platforms in Higher Education
  • The Role of College Education in Fostering Entrepreneurial Skills
  • The Impact of Student Loan Debt on Career Choices Among Graduates
  • Analyzing the Shift in College Admissions Criteria in the Post-COVID Era

Health Research Paper Topics

  • The challenges of deafness and communication difficulties among special needs students
  • The concept of global health security
  • The ways to decrease household air pollution
  • How the information about infectious diseases is distributed online
  • Should people be allowed to know more about climate change issues?
  • The privacy factor and the personal health issues
  • The role of fitness ads in exercising practices
  • The healthy food standards are not always unbiased
  • The role of social media in the medical care system
  • The psychological aspect in the perception of allergies
  • The Long-term Effects of COVID-19 on Respiratory Health
  • Mental Health Outcomes of Prolonged Social Media Use Among Adolescents
  • The Efficacy of Plant-based Diets in Preventing Chronic Diseases
  • The Role of Telemedicine in Improving Accessibility to Healthcare
  • Analyzing the Impact of Sleep Quality on Daily Cognitive Functioning

Research Paper Topics on Medicine

  • Is life-sustaining therapy needed when it’s futile?
  • The role of placebo treatment
  • How to avoid animal testing?
  • Pros and contras of medical marijuana
  • Is being a vegetarian useful for child’s health?
  • How obesity affects our health?
  • Vaccines for kids: their usefulness or damage
  • Should prescription drugs be advertised directly to consumers?
  • Do doctors turn their patients into drug addicts?
  • Advancements in Gene Editing: Ethical Implications and Future Prospects
  • The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Diagnostic Medicine
  • Personalized Medicine: Tailoring Drug Therapies to Genetic Profiles
  • The Impact of Microbiome Diversity on Human Health
  • Stem Cell Therapy: Current Applications and Ethical Considerations
  • The Challenges and Successes of Vaccine Development in the 21st Century

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Education Research Paper Topics

  • How can standardized tests improve education?
  • Does college graduates make more money?
  • Should education be cheaper?
  • How will modern technologies change the way of teaching in the future?
  • The creation of particular learning methods for blind children
  • Social networking and school
  • Metal detectors at schools
  • The effects of contemporary teaching methods
  • The role of technology in lesson planning
  • How to manage bullies and take actions against bullying at education institutions?
  • The Effects of Bilingual Education on Cognitive Development in Children
  • Evaluating the Long-term Impact of Early Childhood Education Programs
  • The Role of Technology in Enhancing Special Education
  • Standardized Testing: Measuring Intelligence or Memorization?
  • The Influence of Teacher-Student Relationships on Academic Achievement
Read also: 150+ Best Sociology Research Topics

Environmental Research Paper Topics

  • How to reduce global warming?
  • How to stop wasting paper and save trees?
  • Can overpopulation be managed?
  • Should more films about environmental issues be produced?
  • Human impacts on forests
  • Underground effects of earthquakes
  • How to elaborate the optimal adaptation of buildings threatened by hurricanes?
  • Is it possible to predict hurricane impacts?
  • Is nuclear power safe for humans?
  • How dangerous is GMO food?
  • Assessing the Impact of Urban Sprawl on Local Ecosystems
  • The Effectiveness of Plastic Ban Policies on Ocean Health
  • Carbon Capture Technology: Viability and Potential in Mitigating Climate Change
  • The Role of Indigenous Knowledge in Biodiversity Conservation
  • Analyzing the Environmental Consequences of Fast Fashion

Research Topics on Entertainment and Sport

  • Are social networks good for our society?
  • Do violent video games make kids angry and cruel?
  • Is it necessary to forbid using animals for entertainment?
  • Do beauty contests set the non-achievable beauty standards?
  • Are newspapers going to be replaced by online sources of information?
  • How gaming consoles influence the youth?
  • Should women be allowed to compete against men?
  • What television programs should be banned?
  • How tv shows impose fake moral standards?
  • Can the use of social media, such as Facebook, lower teens’ self-esteem?
  • The Psychological Impact of Competitive Sports on Young Athletes
  • The Influence of Celebrity Endorsements on Consumer Behavior
  • E-Sports: The Rise of Competitive Gaming and Its Recognition as a Legitimate Sport
  • The Role of Sports in Promoting Intercultural Dialogue and Understanding
  • The Economic Impact of Major Sporting Events on Host Cities

Research Paper Topics on Media and Communication

  • Should the media programming of ads aimed at children be made illegal?
  • The role of mediation in the media
  • Should bloggers be considered as journalists?
  • The ethical side of modern news reports
  • The freedom of speech online
  • The copyright law restrictions and the vague concepts
  • The importance of psychology and communicative skills in journalism
  • The role of gender in interpersonal communication
  • The modern standards of nonverbal communication
  • The negative influence of Instagram and body image distortion
  • The Evolution of News Consumption: Impact of Social Media on Traditional Media
  • The Role of Media in Shaping Public Opinion During Political Campaigns
  • The Ethics of Surveillance and Privacy in Digital Communication
  • The Effects of Smartphone Usage on Face-to-Face Communication Skills
  • Virtual Reality: The Future of Immersive Journalism

Research Paper Topics on Politics

  • Should the drinking age be lowered?
  • Should adults have the right to carry a concealed handgun?
  • More gun control laws should be enacted
  • How can the international community prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons?
  • How can ethnic killings be stopped?
  • Current prospect for peace between Israel and the Palestinians
  • What world would be like without wars?
  • How to avoid workforce reduction?
  • Should the death penalty be allowed?
  • Is socialism possible?
  • The Influence of Social Media on Political Mobilization and Public Protests
  • Campaign Finance Reform: The Effects on Political Representation and Elections
  • The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Shaping Global Policy
  • The Impact of Populism on Traditional Political Party Systems
  • Cybersecurity in Elections: Protecting the Integrity of Democracy

Psychology Research Paper Topics

  • Is autism a disease or a development idiosyncrasy?
  • How to forecast and shape behavioral patterns?
  • How to manage child violence?
  • How to deal with a mental breakdown?
  • The impact of classical music on the work of the brain
  • How insomnia affects our health?
  • How bad dreams influence our mood?
  • Is stress really harmful?
  • How depression impacts the immune system?
  • Intellectually gifted people: how is it possible?
  • The Psychological Effects of Social Isolation in the Digital Age
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy vs. Mindfulness: Comparative Outcomes in Treating Anxiety
  • The Role of Resilience in Recovery from Trauma
  • The Impact of Parenting Styles on Child Personality Development
  • Neuroplasticity: How Learning and Experience Shape Brain Function

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Science & Technology Research Paper Ideas

  • How is light being used to treat cancer and other diseases?
  • What is the current evidence that Mars has had water and maybe life?
  • Can nanomedicine potentially extend the human lifespan?
  • What is the future of computing and artificial intelligence?
  • The role cryogenics may play in future
  • Can alternative energy effectively replace fossil fuels?
  • Is it beneficial for wild animals to have interactions with people?
  • What evidence do we have that CMB is the result of the big bang?
  • How will self-driving cars change the way people live?
  • Can using system like bitcoin help protect identity theft?
  • The Potential of CRISPR and Gene Therapy in Curing Genetic Diseases
  • Nanotechnology in Medicine: The Next Frontier for Drug Delivery Systems
  • The Role of Quantum Computing in the Future of Cybersecurity
  • The Ethical Implications of Humanoid Robots in Society
  • Renewable Energy Technologies: Assessing the Efficiency and Sustainability of Solar Power Solutions

Research Topics Ideas on Culture

  • A new comprehension of past events
  • The origin of racial discrimination
  • The roots of antisemitism
  • The impact of advertisements and commercials on modern art
  • The most remarkable cultural achievements of the 20th century and their influence on our society
  • Cultural revolutions throughout history
  • How pop culture trends influence youth?
  • Should pregnant celebrities be exposed on magazine’s covers?
  • Why was Greek cultural influence so important for the ancient Mediterranean world?
  • Why was the Victorian period a time of cultural change?
  • Cultural Impact on Climate Change Response: A Comparative Study
  • The Preservation of Folklore and Oral Traditions in the Digital Age
  • Cross-Cultural Communication: Overcoming Language and Ethical Barriers
  • The Influence of Globalization on Indigenous Cultures
  • Cultural Diplomacy and Its Role in International Relations

Research Paper Topics on Math

  • The influence of algorithms
  • Is it possible to build a winning monopoly strategy?
  • Why is 'x' the unknown?
  • How math changed the world?
  • What's the solution to the McDonald's math problem?
  • How do math geniuses understand extremely hard math concepts so quickly?
  • Should high school math contests be banned?
  • What is the relationship between music and math?
  • Are math formulas ever used in real life?
  • What are some of the most confusing math problems ever?
  • The Role of Mathematics in Cryptography and Cybersecurity
  • Mathematical Models in Predicting Pandemic Outcomes: A Case Study of COVID-19
  • The Application of Game Theory in Economic and Social Decision Making
  • Chaos Theory and Its Implications in Weather Forecasting and Climate Science
  • The Impact of Big Data on the Evolution of Statistical Methods and Theories

Research Paper Topics on Business

  • How do dirty business tactics work?
  • Can business be started without money?
  • Notorious business leaders
  • Entrepreneurship and family business
  • Ethical decision making in everyday work situations
  • What are the most effective strategies for promoting a small business?
  • Is it worth it to expand the business into a new region or country?
  • How to build a successful startup
  • The role of international business and sustainable development
  • The impact of climate change on international business strategies
  • Corporate Social Responsibility: Measuring the Impact on Business Performance
  • The Gig Economy: Challenges and Opportunities for the Modern Workforce
  • Innovative Business Models in the Age of Sustainable Development
  • The Influence of Organizational Culture on Employee Productivity and Satisfaction
  • The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Shaping Consumer Behavior and Marketing Strategies

Research Paper Topics For Middle School

  • Is going vegan the healthiest choice for you?
  • Is the greenhouse effect artificial or natural?
  • The causes, effects, and consequences of earthquakes
  • How much computer games can one play without getting addicted
  • Princess Diana and her dynasty
  • Why is competition so critical for humans?
  • How did poetry evolve?
  • Methods used by ancient sailors to navigate the globe
  • Gender roles in children’s books and cartoons
  • Who is the greatest general who has lived on the planet?
  • The Science Behind Video Games: How Gaming Affects Reflexes and Learning
  • The History and Cultural Significance of a Popular Holiday
  • The Impact of Recycling Programs in Schools
  • Animal Habitats: How Urban Development Affects Local Wildlife
  • The Role of Social Media in Modern Communication Among Teens

High School Research Paper Ideas

  • The ways to address drug addiction cases in high school
  • The physical vs digital communications
  • The body image and the K-Pop culture
  • The importance of school volunteering and social work
  • The changes to the academic process due to Covid-19
  • The legacy of the Trail of Tears
  • The role of motivation in becoming a better student
  • The role of books in print and the libraries
  • The ways to improve school safety
  • The role of parental involvement in school work
  • Exploring the Psychological Effects of Social Media on Teen Self-Esteem
  • The Physics of Sports: Analyzing the Science Behind Athletic Performance
  • Climate Change and Its Effects on Local Ecosystems
  • The Evolution of Language in the Digital Age
  • The Rise of Cryptocurrency: Economic Education and the Future of Money

History Research Paper Topics

  • What were the impacts of World War II on the rights of women?
  • What factors initiated the WWII
  • Is liberalism the most optimal solution?
  • What were the consequences of women suffrage movements
  • What was the impact of Martin Luther King’s protest against the Catholic church
  • What is the most effective military strategy of all time
  • How has Asian art influenced contemporary art
  • How have different monetary systems affected the development of humanity
  • What is the correlation between the Roman and Greek culture?
  • Aztec empire and its architecture
  • The Role of Women in World War II and Its Impact on Gender Roles
  • The Influence of the Silk Road on the Cultural Exchange between East and West
  • The Effects of the Cold War on Space Exploration Competition
  • The Historical Accuracy of Popular Historical Films: A Case Study
  • The Impact of the Printing Press on the Renaissance and European Society

Art Research Paper Ideas

  • The reasons why digital museums must be present and made available
  • The peculiarities of the Flemish artists
  • Should Japanese anime be considered as a separate art form?
  • The role of Photoshop and similar digital solutions in the perception of modern art
  • The history of photography and the artistic expression forms
  • The challenges of the modern artists during social distancing times
  • The Middle Eastern perception of color and the light
  • Ancient Rome's role in the creation of the sculptures
  • Should the artists be allowed to represent their works in public parks?
  • The importance of art education in middle schools
  • The Evolution of Street Art and Its Acceptance into Mainstream Art Culture
  • The Influence of Digital Media on Traditional Painting Techniques
  • The Role of Patronage in the Development of Renaissance Art
  • The Psychological Impact of Color in Abstract Art
  • Cultural Representation and Diversity in Modern Art Museums

Literature Research Paper Topics

  • The American dream literature
  • How does harry potter reflects the ideal of the time
  • Can you show a new aspect of prose based on the independent investigation
  • The prose of women suffrage movements
  • The dawn of literature on modern society
  • Why do authors use metaphors and similes
  • Evaluate and discuss the allegory of 2 random novels
  • What factors are helpful in allowing you to identify the genre of a novel you are reading
  • Is fanfiction considered an independent literature
  • Romance and sex in Renaissance
  • Fiction as an instrument of propaganda
  • The Representation of Gender Roles in Victorian Literature
  • Postcolonial Voices: How Literature Has Shaped National Identity
  • The Journey Motif in Classic American Road Novels
  • Dystopian Visions: What Modern Dystopian Literature Tells Us About Today's Society

Law Research Paper Topics

  • How is the Islamic law perceived around the globe
  • Is ECOLEX a pathway to environmental law
  • Why is it critical to learn the GATT documents?
  • What does the European patent office do?
  • Mass communication law
  • Impact of women’s authority in different countries on the planet
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of the international criminal law court tools
  • Detailed analysis and report of the comparative criminal procedure
  • Exciting outtakes from the inter-American human rights library
  • Does the US copyright office really help writers defend their businesses?
  • The Impact of International Law on Human Rights Practices in Developing Countries
  • Cyber Law: The Challenges of Regulating Online Behavior and Privacy
  • Intellectual Property Rights in the Digital Age: Balancing Innovation and Protection
  • The Effectiveness of Rehabilitation in Juvenile Justice Systems
  • Comparative Analysis of Gun Control Legislation and Its Impact on Violent Crime Rates

Religion Research Paper Topics

  • The Role of Religion in Modern Secular Societies
  • Interfaith Dialogue: Benefits and Challenges in a Pluralistic Society
  • The Influence of Religious Beliefs on Ethical Decision-Making in Business
  • Religion and Politics: An Analysis of Their Intersections in Contemporary World Affairs
  • The Impact of Religious Education on Tolerance and Cultural Understanding
  • The Evolution of Religious Practices and Their Adaptation in the Digital Age
  • The Psychological Effects of Religious Rituals and Traditions
  • Comparative Study of Creation Myths Across Different Cultures
  • The Role of Women in Organized Religions: A Historical Perspective
  • Secularization: The Decline of Religious Influence in Western Societies
  • Religious Extremism: Understanding the Causes and Seeking Solutions
  • The Impact of Pilgrimage on Religious and Spiritual Life
  • Religious Symbols in Public Spaces: Freedom of Expression or a Call for Regulation?
  • The Relationship Between Religion and Morality in Contemporary Ethical Debates
  • The Effects of Globalization on Indigenous Religions and Spiritual Practices

Argumentative Research Paper Topics

  • Should education be made free for everyone?
  • The influencers and bloggers cannot be considered as a job
  • The role of military service is the way towards maturity
  • Should Internet access be limited during college lectures?
  • The death penalty service is not an ethical solution
  • Fashion industry creates a bad influence on young people
  • The Fairplay concept should be rewarded financially
  • Should tobacco be made illegal indoors?
  • Religious differences often become the cause of wars
  • The majority of mobile applications represent the invasion of privacy
  • Universal Basic Income: Economic Savior or Road to Dependency?
  • Mandatory Vaccinations: Public Health Requirement or Personal Choice Infringement?
  • The Death Penalty: A Necessary Deterrent or a Violation of Human Rights?
  • Climate Change Policies: Economic Hindrance or Long-term Investment?
  • Animal Testing in Medical Research: Ethical Consideration or Scientific Necessity?

These are the 200+ topics on various subjects, which you might find useful when creating your own. In case you need help aside from creating topics, you can also order the original research on Politics, Media & Communication, to do my Math homework , Law, and even Nursing papers for sale on nursing essay writing service Edubirdie.

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How to Choose a Good Research Paper Topic?

While it may seem challenging to come up with a good research paper topic as you try your best to narrow things down, the trick is to choose something that influences you because you know it well and can support your arguments with relevant evidence. When you write a research paper, the subject should be well-structured and relevant to your thesis statement. Always take time to research the list of sources to compose your topic sentences as well to make them relate to your thesis part. It’s always best to check a good research paper introduction example before you start working on the paper and choosing your topic, or contact our essay writing service for help. Conducting preliminary research is essential at this stage to gauge the availability of information and the feasibility of potential topics. Here are the steps to consider:

Start With Observing Your Interests.

If you are confused with a variety of interesting topics for writing a creative essay, it’s better to decide what interests you the most. Don’t stick to easy research paper topics just to complete the task fast. If you are allowed to freely choose what to write an essay about, use the opportunity to create something unique. Write down the list of your interests and break down every idea into small certain topics. When you have a list in front of your eyes, it will be easier to make up your mind and start considering a particular issue.

Then you should examine what aspect of the topic is preferable for you to outline in your research paper. A list will save you here again. Use pros/cons template to include all the arguments and objections to the issues.

Come Up With an Argumentative Research Question.

The most challenging part of choosing a competitive research paper topic is finding an aspect that poses some importance for your course and the subject per se. While it may seem that it is sufficient to make a general statement, your argumentation should include a clear research question. Consider asking yourself why you have chosen a particular topic and how your research will make it clearer or provide innovative solutions.

Study Available Research Topic Ideas.

Since we have already mentioned the dangers of choosing something too broad, it is vital to narrow things down and brainstorm the list of possible research paper ideas that deal with the same subject. In other words, you can write down at least five different subjects and see whether you can find sufficient information to support them with the sources or statistical data. Remember the importance of your topic’s wording!

Compose Strong Thesis Statement.

It must be done at the same time as you choose your research paper topic because these two concepts must be interconnected. Engaging with the writing process, including refining the topic, conducting thorough research, and developing a strong thesis statement, directly influences the overall effectiveness and enjoyment of crafting academic work. Make sure that you have the list of sources prepared in advance to incorporate relevant information in your body paragraphs. As always, they must be the supporting evidence for your thesis statement’s idea and the research purpose.

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110+ Exceptional Education Research Topics Ideas

Letters that make up the words of education

Topics for education research usually comprise school research topics, research problems in education, qualitative research topics in education, and concept paper topics about education to mention a few.

If you’re looking for research titles about education,  you’re reading the right post! This article contains 110 of the best education research topics that will come in handy when you need to choose one for your research. From sample research topics in education, to research titles examples for high school students about education – we have it all.

Educational Research Topics

Research title examples for college students, quantitative research titles about education, topics related to education for thesis, research titles about school issues, ph.d. research titles in education, elementary education research topics, research title examples about online class, research titles about modular learning, examples of research questions in education, special education research titles.

The best research titles about education must be done through the detailed process of exploring previous works and improving personal knowledge.

Here are some good research topics in education to consider.

What Are Good Research Topics Related to Education?

  • The role of Covid-19 in reinvigorating online learning
  • The growth of cognitive abilities through leisure experiences
  • The merits of group study in education
  • Merits and demerits of traditional learning methods
  • The impact of homework on traditional and modern education
  • Student underdevelopment as a result of larger class volumes
  • Advantages of digital textbooks in learning
  • The struggle of older generations in computer education
  • The standards of learning  in the various academic levels
  • Bullying and its effects on educational and mental health
  • Exceptional education tutors: Is the need for higher pay justifiable?

The following examples of research titles about education for college students are ideal for a project that will take a long duration to complete. Here are some education topics for research that you can consider for your degree.

  • Modern classroom difficulties of students and teachers
  • Strategies to reform the learning difficulties within schools
  • The rising cost of tuition and its burden on middle-class parents
  • The concept of creativity among public schools and how it can be harnessed
  • Major difficulties experienced in academic staff training
  • Evaluating the learning cultures of college students
  • Use of scientific development techniques in student learning
  • Research of skill development in high school and college students
  • Modern grading methods in underdeveloped institutions
  • Dissertations and the difficulties surrounding their completion
  • Integration of new gender categories in personalized learning

These research topics about education require a direct quantitative analysis and study of major ideas and arguments. They often contain general statistics and figures to back up regular research. Some of such research topics in education include:

  • The relationship between poor education and increased academic fees
  • Creating a social link between homeschool and traditional schoolgoers
  • The relationship between teacher satisfaction and student performance
  • The divide between public and private school performance
  • The merits of parental involvement in students’ cognitive growth.
  • A study on child welfare and its impact on educational development
  • The relationship between academic performance and economic growth
  • Urbanization in rural areas and its contribution to institutional growth
  • The relationship between students and professors in dissertation writing
  • The link between debt accumulation and student loans
  • Boarding schools and regular schools: The role these two school types play in cognitive development

Educational-related topics used for a thesis normally require a wide aspect of study and enough educational materials.  Here are some education research topics you can use for write my thesis .

  • The difficulties of bilingual education in private universities
  • Homework and its impact on learning processes in college education
  • Dissertation topic selection: Key aspects and research obligations
  • Social media research topics and their educational functions
  • A detailed educational review of student learning via virtual reality techniques
  • Ethnicities in universities and their participation in group activities
  • The modern approach to self-studying for college students
  • Developing time management skills in modern education
  • Guidelines for teacher development in advanced educational institutions
  • The need for religious education in boarding schools
  • A measure of cognitive development using digital learning methods

A research title about school issues focuses on activities surrounding the school environment and its effects on students, teachers, parents, and education in general. Below are some sample research titles in education, relating to school issues.

  • Learning English in bilingual schools
  • A study of teachers’ role as parent figures on school grounds
  • Addressing the increased use of illegal substances and their effects in schools
  • The benefits of after-class activities for foreign students
  • Assessing student and teacher relationships
  • A study of the best methods to implement safety rules in school
  • Major obstacles in meeting school schedules using boarding students as a case study
  • The need for counseling in public and private schools: Which is greater?
  • Academic volunteering in understaffed public schools
  • Modern techniques for curbing school violence among college students
  • The advantages and disadvantages of teacher unions in schools

As you create your proposed list of research topics in education, consider scientific journals for referencing purposes. Here are some Ph.D. research titles for education.

  • The modern methods of academic research writing
  • The role of colleges in advanced mental care
  • The merits and demerits of Ph.D. studies in Europe and Africa
  • Interpersonal relationships between students and professors in advanced institutions
  • A review of community colleges: merits and demerits
  • Assessing racism in academic ethnic minorities
  • The psychological changes of students in higher education
  • The questionable standards of student loan provisions
  • The merits of personalized teaching techniques in colleges
  • The wage gap between private and public university teachers
  • Teacher responsibilities in private universities versus public universities

The research topics in elementary education in 2023 are very different from the elementary education research topics from five or ten years ago. This creates interesting grounds for different research titles for elementary education.

Here are some elementary education title research ideas.

  • Assessing quick computer literacy among elementary school pupils.
  • The role of video games in childhood brain development
  • Male vs female role models in early education periods
  • The advantages of digital textbooks in elementary schools
  • The impact of modern curriculums on elementary education
  • Lack of proper school grooming is a cause of violence.
  • Should elementary school children be taught about LGBTQ?
  • A review of the need for sexual education in elementary schools
  • The effects of emotional dependence in early childhood learners.
  • The need for constant technology supervision of elementary school students
  • Advantages of computer-guided education in elementary schools

Here are some research title examples for students taking online classes.

  • The academic difficulties experienced by online students.
  • A study of decreased attention in online classes
  • The upsides and downsides of online education
  • The rising fees of online and traditional education in universities
  • A detailed study on the necessity of college internships
  • The need to provide college scholarships based on environmental achievements
  • How online education terminates university fraternities and sororities.
  • The role of academic supervisors in career selection
  • Why interactive assignments improved learning capabilities during the pandemic
  • Merits of education in online learning environments
  • Why online lessons are the least effective for some college students

The modular learning approach focuses primarily on learning outcomes. Here are some examples of research titles about modular learning.

  • Modular learning and the role of teachers in its execution
  • Teaching techniques of religious institutions
  • Potential risks of accelerated learning
  • Modular learning on students’ future performances
  • The general overview of modular learning amongst students
  • The modern Advantages and disadvantages of inclusive classes
  • Observing student developments in modular learning
  • Music therapy for fostering modular learning techniques
  • The creation of a personalized curriculum for students.
  • Applications of modular learning both in home-schooling?
  • The benefits of modular learning towards creating a more holistic educational system

These research title examples about education answer important questions and they can also be argumentative essay topics .

Here are some titles of research about education questions.

  • What impacts do learning approaches provide for students?
  • How can schools manage their increasing gender differences?
  • What fosters the provision of learning needs?
  • What are the best educational recruitment methods?
  • How can cognitive development improve education?
  • How can you assess the moral growth of institutions?
  • What are the primary causes of educational differences in geographical locations?
  • How can institutions address increasing mental health needs?
  • Why is early intervention essential in students with mental health setbacks?
  • What are the characteristics of mental health deterioration among students?
  • What techniques are acceptable in regulating the violence of students in institutions

Some of the research title examples about education include:

  • How do schools create more personalized learning methods?
  • Evaluating mental health setbacks during education
  • The impact of modern technology on special education
  • The cognitive improvements via specialized learning in dyslexic children
  • The psychological link between dyslexia and bullying in high school
  • Impact of social isolation in special education classes
  • The difficulties in providing specialized learning environments
  • A study of orphan students with disabilities and their aptitudes for learning
  • How special classes improve the self-esteem of disabled students.
  • How to use modern teaching techniques in unique learning environments.
  • A study of the application of digital games to autistic learning

Final words about education research topics

We have provided some reliable examples of a research topic about education you can use for write my thesis . You can use these research titles in education to cultivate your ideas, create inspiration, or for online research. Remember always to select a topic that you’re naturally passionate about and do diligent research, and reach out to our professional writing services if you need any help.

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113 Great Research Paper Topics

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General Education

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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?

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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?

body_highschoolsc

  • 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 ?

main_lincoln

  • 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?

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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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Want to know the fastest and easiest ways to convert between Fahrenheit and Celsius? We've got you covered! Check out our guide to the best ways to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit (or vice versa).

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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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primary school research paper ideas

Bell Ringers

Independent research projects in upper elementary, independent research projects in upper elementary ela.

Every year, I plan to give my students more choice, voice, and independent project work. Of course, we also have to deal with state testing and loads of other requirements. However, giving your students independent research projects not only helps them demonstrate learning and mastery of standards, it also gives them some choices and ability to share their own unique voice! Here are some independent research projects in upper elementary ELA that your 4th through 6th graders will love!

Genius Hour

You may have heard of Genius Hour or Passion Projects. Genius Hour is considered project-based learning, and it starts with a question. Students choose their own research question about anything really, and they study it at least an hour a week. After reading/researching about their question, their final project can be something as simple as an explanatory slideshow or building their own dollhouse. The possibilities are endless.

Genius Hour can require some scaffolding at the beginning. For example, you may ask your students to research a question related to a certain topic. If you’re reading Watsons Go to Birmingham, for example, they may ask a question surrounding the Civil Rights Movement or the 1960s. The topics can be open-ended to give the students some choice but still have an overarching theme.

Once students get practice researching and coming up with their own final project, they can choose a Genius Hour topic about anything. Some example questions may include:

  • How do I promote healthy eating in elementary school?
  • How do I prepare for middle school?
  • What is the best place to take a family vacation, and how can I plan one for my family?
  • How do you start a small business as a student?

Genius Hour gives students choice and voice in the classroom, and you’ll love learning about their passions!

Author Studies

primary school research paper ideas

This is one of my favorite projects to use for upper elementary ELA students! I first implemented this project with fifth graders after state testing. This is the perfect time of year for an independent study, and it reinforces reading, writing, and research concepts used throughout the school year!

This project includes almost everything you need for your students to complete a research project on the author of their choosing . It sets them up to brainstorm, research, take notes, plan, and then complete a research paper on their selected authors. I have also made sure to leave some of the note-taking more generic so that you and your students can use as little or as many pages as they need.

Start by giving students the included list of possible authors to research or let them choose their own. This author may already be a favorite or one they want to know more about! Once the author is chosen, your job is to facilitate. Remind them of resources to use for research, note-taking skills and options, and let them learn and explore!

The author study resource includes everything your students need to get started. You’ll have the author examples, note sheets, rubrics, and an example research paper to help guide your instruction and student learning!

Differentiate by having students work in groups to research an author together or study different authors within the same genre. This is also a great way to culminate literature circles by having students research the author they read!

These independent research projects in upper elementary ELA are some of my favorites to provide choice while differentiating for all learners. What research projects have you tried in your ELA classroom?

primary school research paper ideas

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101 research paper topics.

  • Why do we sleep ?
  • How do GPS systems work?
  • Who was the first person to reach the North Pole ?
  • Did anybody ever escape Alcatraz ?
  • What was life like for a gladiator ?
  • What are the effects of prolonged steroid use on the human body?
  • What happened during the Salem witch trials ?
  • Are there any effective means of repelling insects ?
  • How did trains and railroads change life in America?
  • What may have occurred during the Roswell  UFO incident of 1947?
  • How is bulletproof clothing made?
  • What Olympic events were practiced in ancient Greece?
  • What are the major theories explaining the disappearance of the dinosaurs ?
  • How was the skateboard invented and how has it changed over the years?
  • How did the long bow contribute to English military dominance?
  • What caused the stock market crash of 2008?
  • How did Cleopatra come to power in Egypt what did she do during her reign?
  • How has airport security intensified since September 11 th , 2001?
  • What is life like inside of a beehive ?
  • Where did hip hop originate and who were its founders?
  • What makes the platypus a unique and interesting mammal?
  • How does tobacco use affect the human body?
  • How do computer viruses spread and in what ways do they affect computers?
  • What is daily life like for a Buddhist monk ?
  • What are the origins of the conflict in Darfur ?
  • How did gunpowder change warfare?
  • In what ways do Wal-Mart stores affect local economies?
  • How were cats and dogs domesticated and for what purposes?
  • What do historians know about ninjas ?
  • How has the music industry been affected by the internet and digital downloading?
  • What were the circumstances surrounding the death of Osama Bin Laden ?
  • What was the women’s suffrage movement and how did it change America?
  • What efforts are being taken to protect endangered wildlife ?
  • How much does the war on drugs cost Americans each year?
  • How is text messaging affecting teen literacy?
  • Are humans still evolving ?
  • What technologies are available to home owners to help them conserve energy ?
  • How have oil spills affected the planet and what steps are being taken to prevent them?
  • What was the Magna Carta and how did it change England?
  • What is the curse of the pharaohs?
  • Why was Socrates executed?
  • What nonlethal weapons are used by police to subdue rioters?
  • How does the prison population in America compare to other nations?
  • How did ancient sailors navigate the globe?
  • Can gamblers ever acquire a statistical advantage over the house in casino games?
  • What is alchemy and how has it been attempted?
  • How are black holes formed?
  • How was the assassination of Abraham Lincoln plotted and executed?
  • Do the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks?
  • How do submarines work?
  • Do lie detector tests accurately determine truthful statements?
  • How did Cold War tension affect the US and the world?
  • What happened to the lost settlers at Roanoke ?
  • How does a hybrid car save energy?
  • What ingredients can be found inside of a hotdog ?
  • How did Julius Caesar affect Rome?
  • What are some common sleep disorders and how are they treated?
  • How did the Freedom Riders change society?
  • How is internet censorship used in China and around the world?
  • What was the code of the Bushido and how did it affect samurai warriors ?
  • What are the risks of artificial tanning or prolonged exposure to the sun?
  • What programs are available to help war veterans get back into society?
  • What steps are involved in creating a movie or television show?
  • How have the film and music industries dealt with piracy ?
  • How did Joan of Arc change history?
  • What responsibilities do secret service agents have?
  • How does a shark hunt?
  • What dangers and hardships did Lewis and Clark face when exploring the Midwest?
  • Has the Patriot Act prevented or stopped terrorist acts in America?
  • Do states that allow citizens to carry guns have higher or lower crime rates?
  • How are the Great Depression and the Great Recession similar and different?
  • What are the dangers of scuba diving and underwater exploration?
  • How does the human brain store and retrieve memories ?
  • What was the Manhattan Project and what impact did it have on the world?
  • How does stealth technology shield aircraft from radar?
  • What causes tornadoes ?
  • Why did Martin Luther protest against the Catholic Church?
  • How does a search engine work?
  • What are the current capabilities and future goals of genetic engineers ?
  • How did the Roman Empire fall?
  • What obstacles faced scientists in breaking the sound barrier ?
  • How did the black plague affect Europe?
  • What happened to Amelia Earhart ?
  • What are the dangers and hazards of using nuclear power ?
  • How did Genghis Khan conquer Persia?
  • What architectural marvels were found in Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire ?
  • From where does spam email come and can we stop it?
  • How does night vision work?
  • How did journalists influence US war efforts in Vietnam ?
  • What are the benefits and hazards of medical marijuana ?
  • What causes desert mirages and how do they affect wanderers?
  • What was the cultural significance of the first moon landing ?
  • What are sinkholes and how are they formed?
  • Have any psychics ever solved crimes or prevented them from occurring?
  • Who is Vlad the Impaler and what is his connection to Count Dracula ?
  • What are the risks of climate change and global warming ?
  • What treatments are available to people infected with HIV and are they effective?
  • Who was a greater inventor, Leonardo di Vinci or Thomas Edison ?
  • How are the Chinese and American economies similar and different?
  • Why was communism unsuccessful in so many countries?
  • In what ways do video games affect children and teenagers?

This is an image of a young woman in a library. She is sitting at a desk with a pile of books and looking toward the ceiling. She appears to be in deep thought.

923 Comments

I like using this website when I assist kids with learning as a lot of these topics are quickly covered in the school systems. Thankyou

Mackenah Nicole Molina

Wow! I always have trouble deiciding what to do a research project on but this list has totally solved that. Now my only problem is choosing what idea on this list I should do first!

Most of these my teacher rejected because apparently ‘these aren’t grade level topics, and I doubt they interest you”

I’m sorry to hear that. Sounds like you will have a potentially valuable character-building experience in the short-term.

Edwin Augusto Galindo Cuba

THIS SITE IS AWESOME, THERE ARE LOTS OF TOPICS TO LEARN AND MASTER OUR SKILLS!

research kid

I need one about animals, please. I have been challenged to a animal research project, Due Friday. I have no clue what to research! somebody help, thanks for reading!

You can do one on bats

For international studies you can do Defense and Security.

This was very helpful.

Research on Ben Franklin? I think THAT will get a real charge out of everyone (hehehehegetit)

Mandy Maher

“Is it possible to colonize Mars?”

maddy burney

these are silly topics

thx for making this real.

more gaming questions!!!!!!

Is it still considered stealing if you don’t get caught?

Yes, yes it is still considered stealing.

I need topics on memes

Mary Nnamani

Please I need project topics on Language Literature

Marcella Vallarino

I would appreciate a list of survey questions for middle school grades 6-8

I need a research topics about public sector management

I NEED FIVE EXAMPLES EACH ON QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH (EDUCATION, HEALTH, TECHNOLOGY, ECONOMY AND ENGINEERING)

publish research that are interesting please……

hey can you do one on the burmiueda triangle

Anybody know video games effect kids,and,teens. There Fun!!

they’re

I need a topic about woman history if any of u can find 1 please that would be great!

You could research about the history of the astronauts, and of human past (WWI, WWII, etc.)

so about women? Manitoba Women Win the Right to Vote in Municipal Elections, The First Women, January 23, 1849: Elizabeth Blackwell becomes the first woman to graduate from medical school and become a doctor in the United States, Rosa Parks Civil Rights Equal Pay. I have way more. so if you need more just ask.

communism is good

what are you a communist?!?!

Did FDR know about the upcoming attack on Pearl Harbor on 07 DEC 1941.

do you know how babies are born

Christine Singu

kindly assist with a research topic in the field of accounting or auditing

need more about US army

Please can yiu give me a topic in education

I think one should be how can music/Video games can affect the life for people

or How Do Video Games Affect Teenagers?

zimbabwe leader

I think a good topic is supporting the confederate flag!

Need a research topic within the context of students union government and dues payments

do more weird ones plz

joyce alcantara

Hi pls po can you give me a topic relate for humanities pls thank u.

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Research Topics in Education: Frontiers of Learning

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Table of contents

  • 0.1 Key Points:
  • 1.1 Reflect on the Education System
  • 1.2 Follow Your Passion
  • 1.3 Latest Trends
  • 1.4 Career Plans
  • 1.5 Seek Inspiration from Existing Research
  • 2 Higher Education Research Paper Topics
  • 3 Early Childhood Education Research Topics
  • 4 Child Development Educational Research Topics
  • 5 Educational Research Topics for High School
  • 6 Educational Research Topics for College Students
  • 7 Provocative Education Research Topics
  • 8 Research Titles about Academic Performance
  • 9 Education-Related Topics for Dissertations & Theses
  • 10 Research Title about School Issues
  • 11 Research Topics about Education Systems
  • 12 Special Education Research Paper Topics
  • 13 Educational Psychology Research Topics
  • 14 Persuasive Research Paper Topics on Education
  • 15 Education Policy Research Topics
  • 16 Research Paper Topics about Education Systems
  • 17 Educational Leadership Research Topics
  • 18 Conclusion

Do you feel like you have to search your brain for hours to develop an interesting academic research topic for your next large research paper? Put away your search! This article explores many research topics and ideas that will make your study time seem more like an exciting expedition. Let’s dive in and explore the exciting field of academic study in education research together!

Key Points:

  • An education research topic is crucial because they shape education’s future.
  • When picking a study subject, consider the education system, your passion, and previous research topic ideas.

How to Choose Research Topics in Education?

The sheer number of potential research topics in education might be bewildering. However, here are three helpful hints that will guide you through the best education research topics and lead you to the ideal subject for your research paper.

Reflect on the Education System

Start by thinking about what you find interesting about the education system as it is right now. Look at educational systems, instructional methods, or the perspectives of “college students” to hone down on a specific subset of your study population.

Follow Your Passion

Pick an education research topic that speaks to you. The subject of education is vast, so it’s essential to zero in on a topic that genuinely interests you. Choosing a subject, you’re enthusiastic about will keep you engaged through the research process.

Latest Trends

This field does change a lot every single day, so you will want to represent something new and interesting for the readers. Hearing about something you know already is not fun or appealing.

This is a common thing in higher education and especially in health and physical education. Educational institutions are moving forward more than anything else. To keep up with these advancements and be in trends, many institutions are turning to higher education marketing agencies to help them stay competitive and attract the right students for internships in the future. So, use the latest dissertation topics in education we will cover below.

Career Plans

Higher education can be more beneficial than you realize. But your dissertation can be more important as well. Regardless of your academic performance, foreign language complications, or even distance learning, you can choose the topic that you will master later on.

Seek Inspiration from Existing Research

Avoid starting from scratch regarding research topics in education. You can find ideas from various types of research papers , articles, and academic books. In addition, brainstorming with advisors, teachers, or other researchers may help you hone down on the best research paper topics on education.

Higher Education Research Paper Topics

Education research topics can open you up to learning more about the fascinating field of higher education. But writing a thorough research paper takes time, so if you buy research papers , you can concentrate on other essential tasks and hasten your study. However, here is a sample list of potential research projects on higher education.

  • How Online Learning Has Changed the Accessibility Of Higher Education.
  • Examining The Efficacy of Project-Based Learning in Higher Education.
  • Increasing Equality In Student Learning Results Across Socioeconomic Lines.
  • The Transformative Potential of Virtual and Augmented Reality In Higher Education.
  • Understanding How High School and College Instructors Set Their Students Up for Success.
  • The Efficacy of Peer Mentorship Programs in Improving Success In Higher Education.
  • Enhancing Student Learning Via Optimized Classroom Layout.
  • The Usage of Online Resources in Creating Practical College Education Lessons.
  • Analyzing The Efficiency Of Blended Learning In Higher Education.
  • What Role Does Physical Education Play in Students’ Success?
  • A Comparative Look at Public and Private Schools’ Academic Success.
  • Investigating Ways to Improve The Brain-Teaching Method At Colleges and Universities.
  • Discussion On The College Education Losing Its Value In The Labor Market.
  • Examining The Variables That Impact Academic Performance In Higher Education.
  • Assessing The Impact of Scholarships and Grants On Student Outcomes.

Early Childhood Education Research Topics

For those who want to learn more about early childhood education research topics, the following list of potential study subjects could be helpful. Here are 15 potential study topics to assist you in wading through the waters of early childhood education:

  • Understanding The Role of How Community Affect Child Development.
  • Is Brain Teaching Method Effective?: Realizing Its Full Potential In Early Childhood Education.
  • The Connection Between A Child’s Future Career And Their Playtime in The Sandbox.
  • Improving Early Childhood Education Via Special Education Teachers’ Inclusive Practices.
  • Looking At How Games Affect Child Development And Other Methods Of Mind Nurturing.
  • The Importance Of Sex Education Beyond the Alphabet for Young Children.
  • How To Educate Deaf Children In Early Childhood Settings.
  • Analyzing How School Uniforms Affect Students’ Attitudes Towards Dressing to Succeed or Blending In.
  • Examining The Impact Of Public Schools On Young Children’s Development.
  • How Grade Retention Affect Children Development: The Ripple Effect.
  • Investigating The Connection Between Child Development And The Whole Brain Teaching Method.
  •  Examining The Effectiveness of Prenatal Involvement On Child Development.
  • Opening The Door to A Child’s Cognitive Abilities: Methods for Boosting Early Education.
  • Investigating How a Child’s Interaction Actions Shape Their Environment.
  • The Significance Promoting Acceptance of Children with Disabilities.

Child Development Educational Research Topics

Education research paper topics on the subject of child development include a vast and ever-evolving field of study. Below is a collection of “research paper topics” on Child Development that you may use to help spark ideas for papers on related education research topics.

  • Using Digital Resources to Foster Primary School Children’s Growth and Learning.
  • The Importance Of Parental Involvement In A Child’s Education and Development.
  • The Importance Of Cooperative Learning In Creating Future-Ready Students.
  • Identifying And Addressing Barriers To Sex Education In Elementary Schools.
  • Benefits Of Mixed Sex Education For Primary School Children.
  • Educating Children via Bilingual Education In The National Education System.
  • Using “Blended Learning Methods to Help Children Benefit, Grow and Thrive.
  • The Impact Of Parental Involvement On the Academic Performance of Primary School Students.
  • Significance Of Using Classroom Management Strategies To Provide Primary School Students With A Secure and Welcoming Learning Environment.
  • Methods For Identifying and Caring for Gifted Primary School Students.
  • Advancing Primary School’s Focus on Students’ Social and Emotional Development.
  • The Contribution of Inquiry-Based Instruction to The Development of Critical Thinking Abilities Among Primary School Students.
  • Supporting Primary School Students Educational Needs and Tackling Learning Disabilities.
  • Importance Of Resilience Training for The Enhancement of Primary School Students’ Mental Health and Well-Being.
  • Significance Of Developing a Primary School Pupil-Centered Good Sex Education Program.

Educational Research Topics for High School

Explore the educational system from a variety of angles with education research paper topics for high school students. In your quest for preparing students for the future, we’ve compiled a sample list of education topics for your consideration.

  • What Impact Do Charter Schools Have on Academic Results?
  • The Importance of Helping High School Seniors Develop Their Social Skills.
  • High School Student’s Perceptions of Practical versus Theoretical Education.
  • Analyzing the Positive Effects of Boarding Schools on High School Students.
  • Positive outcomes for students with learning disabilities who are integrated into regular classrooms.
  • Significance of High School Inclusive Classes: Promoting Equality and Cooperation.
  • The Connection Between Emotional Health and Academic Success.
  • Realizing the Scope of Students’ Emotional and Behavioral Disorders.
  • The Growing Popularity of Online Learning and the Difficulties and Benefits It Presents to High Schools.
  • High School Adequate Yearly Progress Evaluation: A Study of Its Impact.
  • Exploring the High School Experiences of Twice Exceptional Students.
  • Significance of Improving Student Motivation via Project-Based Learning in the High School Classroom.
  • The Influence of Teacher-Student Relationships on High School Learning.
  • Importance of Reducing Educational Inequity by Closing the Digital Gap for High School Students.
  • The Impact of Extracurriculars on Teens’ Personal Growth While in High School.

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Educational Research Topics for College Students

The term college students is intentionally broad, as are the potential study areas it suggests. You may always contact research paper writing service when faced with obstacles. Here are a few examples of great research projects in the field of education:

  • Examining the Value of Peer Mentoring in College.
  • Analyzing the Impact of Class Size on Learning.
  • Analyzing the Effects of Reading Recovery Program on Academic Success in College.
  • Considering the Role of Classroom Dynamics in Influencing College Students’ Motivation.
  • Studying the Phenomenon of Foreign Language Learning Disability among International Students.
  • How Career Counseling Can Influence the Lives of Recent College Graduates.
  • Analyzing the Effects of Online Education on Student Motivation.
  • Analyzing Blended Learning’s Impact on Higher Education.
  • Examining How Digital Tools Can Improve Educational Outcomes.
  • The Importance of Establishing a Successful Study Routine.
  • Examining the Impact of Lack of Sleep on Cognitive Development.
  • Examining the Role of Student-Faculty Interaction in Determining Course Completion and Graduation.
  • Examining the Positive Effects of Participatory Instruction in College and University.
  • Analyzing the Impact of Feedback on Student Development.
  • Evaluating the Success of Multicultural Programs in College.

Provocative Education Research Topics

In the dynamic field of education, provocative education seeks to challenge conventional teaching methods and explore innovative approaches. Each topic represents a facet of provocative education, aiming to stimulate critical thinking, promote progressive perspectives, and explore the potential of holistic learning approaches. These topics not only question existing educational norms but also encourage a deeper, more reflective engagement with learning itself.

  • Challenging Traditional Education Models: A Radical Approach
  • Implementing Socratic Methods in Modern Classrooms
  • The Role of Controversial Topics in Stimulating Critical Thinking
  • Debating Gender Education: Beyond Binary Constraints
  • Teaching about Political Activism in Schools: Pros and Cons
  • Rethinking Sex Education: A Progressive Perspective
  • Critical Pedagogy: Empowering Students through Education
  • Holistic Education: Integrating Emotional and Intellectual Learning
  • The Impact of Digital Media Literacy in Shaping Young Minds
  • Exploring Taboo Subjects in Education: Necessity or Risk?
  • The Ethics of Teaching Religion in Public Schools
  • Incorporating Environmental Activism into School Curriculums
  • Questioning Authority: Encouraging Dissent in Educational Settings
  • Cultural Sensitivity Training in Education: Overstepping Boundaries?
  • Evaluating the Effectiveness of Provocative Teaching Methods

Research Titles about Academic Performance

Academic performance is a critical indicator of educational success and a key focus for educators, students, and researchers. We explore various factors that influence and shape students’ academic achievements. From the impact of psychological factors and teaching methodologies to the role of technology and socio-economic status, these topics aim to offer a broad perspective on what affects academic performance.

  • The Correlation Between Student Mental Health and Academic Performance.
  • Effects of Differentiated Instruction Strategies on Student Achievement.
  • The Role of Parental Involvement in Enhancing Children’s Academic Outcomes.
  • Impact of Classroom Environment on Students’ Academic Performance.
  • Analyzing the Relationship Between Nutrition and Student Learning Capabilities.
  • Technology in Education: Its Influence on Academic Success.
  • The Effect of Extracurricular Activities on Academic Achievement.
  • Socio-Economic Status and Its Impact on Student Educational Performance.
  • Bilingual Education and Its Effects on Academic Proficiency.
  • Teacher-Student Relationships and Their Influence on Academic Performance.
  • The Impact of Homework on Learning Outcomes and Student Well-being.
  • The Role of Peer Influence and Social Dynamics in Academic Achievement.
  • Assessing the Effects of School Leadership on Student Academic Performance.
  • Standardized Testing: Benefits and Drawbacks in Measuring Academic Progress.
  • Learning Styles and Their Effect on Student Performance in Different Subjects.

Education-Related Topics for Dissertations & Theses

Many educational research subjects are open for investigation in dissertations and theses since education is a broad and multifaceted profession. Finding dissertation topic ideas in education may be challenging, but the results might have far-reaching benefits. Here is a list of some potential subjects for your next education research paper:

  • Exploring The Impact Of Vocational Education On Career Readiness.
  •  Enhancing Student Outcomes Through Teacher Training and Development.
  • College Students’ Ability to Handle Stress and Succeed in The Classroom.
  • The Negative Impact of Poverty on Learning.
  • Diversity’s Importance in The Classroom.
  • Trauma’s Detrimental Consequences on Education.
  • Students’ Altered Conduct Because Of Online Social Networks.
  • Video Games as A Teaching Tool.
  • COVID-19’s Effect on Learning.
  • Future Of Education Technology’s Importance.
  • Examining How Stereotypes Affect STEM Participation and Career Paths.
  • Proof That Distance Learning Works.
  • Investigating The Advantages and Difficulties of Bilingual Education in Schools.
  • The Impact of Outdoor Learning on Students’ Health and Academic Performance.
  • Understanding the Impact of Emotional Intelligence on the Classroom.

Research Title about School Issues

Exploring the multifaceted challenges within school environments is crucial for developing effective educational strategies. From addressing mental health concerns and bullying to navigating technological integration and curriculum reforms, the following topics aim to highlight key areas of concern and potential research avenues.

  • Evaluating the Impact of Cyberbullying on Student Well-being in Schools.
  • The Role of School Leadership in Fostering Inclusive Education.
  • Challenges and Opportunities of Implementing E-Learning Systems in Schools.
  • Investigating the Effects of Standardized Testing on Student Learning.
  • Addressing Mental Health Issues in the School Curriculum.
  • The Influence of Socioeconomic Status on Educational Attainment in Schools.
  • Strategies for Effective Classroom Management and Student Engagement.
  • Assessing the Impact of Parental Involvement on Student Academic Success.
  • Exploring the Effectiveness of Anti-Bullying Policies in Schools.
  • Technology Integration in the Classroom: Benefits and Challenges.
  • The Relationship Between School Climate and Student Achievement.
  • Curriculum Reforms: Balancing Academic Rigor and Student Interests.
  • Teacher Training and Professional Development: Meeting Contemporary Educational Demands.
  • The Role of Extracurricular Activities in Student Development and School Culture.
  • Analyzing the Gender Gap in STEM Education in Schools.

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Research Topics about Education Systems

To provide the optimal learning environment for kids, teachers must know what strategies work and which do not. The following is an example of a list of topics for a research paper in Education specialization:

  • Evaluating the Impact of Varying Homework Policies on Student Achievement and Parents’ Schedules.
  • Examining How Different Policies Affect Student Access and Success in School.
  • The Importance of School Counseling Services for Students’ Emotional Well-Being.
  • Analyzing Pros and Cons of Customized Instructional Methods.
  • Investigating the Impact of a Variety of Early Literacy Instruction Methods
  • Examining the Impact of Peer Response on Student Writing.
  • Looking at How School Administration Can Improve Classroom Instruction
  • Researching Standardized Testing’s Fair Judging System.
  • Examining the Effects of Continuing Education on Classroom Practices
  • The Impact of Early Morning School Start Times on Teens’ Sleep Habits and Academic Performance.
  • Exploring the Role that Teachers’ Cultural Competence Plays in Their Students’ Academic Success.
  • Investigating How Experiential Learning Can Improve Science Instruction
  • Using Technology to Reduce the Achievement Gap in Underserved Academic Areas.
  • Understanding the Role of School Discipline Policies in Shaping Student Behavior and Learning Outcomes.
  • Analysis of the Association Between School Climate and Bullying.

Special Education Research Paper Topics

Researchers may use the research paper writing process for these themes to learn more about and find solutions to the difficulties disabled students confront in the classroom. Here are some sample Special Education research topic ideas below:

  • The Effect Of Inclusive Education On The Academic Performance Of Students With Disabilities.
  • Assistive Technology And Its Use In Helping Students With Impairments.
  • Methods That Work To Help Students With Special Needs Improve Their Social Skills In The Classroom.
  • Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Early Intervention Programs For Kids Diagnosed With Learning Disorders.
  • Resolving Issues Experienced By Families Raising Children With Special Needs.
  • The Value Of Individualized Education Programs (Ieps) For Students With Special Needs.
  • Investigating How Well Co-Teaching Works For Kids With Special Needs.
  • Teacher-Student Interactions And Their Impact On Learning In Special Education.
  • Improving Dyslexic Kids’ Ability To Understand What They Read.
  • Examining The Efficacy Of Positive Behavior Supports For Students With Special Needs In Inclusive Classrooms.
  • Planned And Supported Progression From Secondary School To Postsecondary Life For Students With Impairments.
  • The Influence Of All-Inclusive Pe Courses On Kinetic Education.
  • Exploring Methods To Help Kids With Special Needs Develop The Ability To Speak Out For Themselves.
  • Examining The Potential Of Mindfulness Practices In Inclusive Classrooms For Students With Special Needs.
  • Understanding The Need For Cultural Sensitivity While Providing Services To Students With Special Needs.

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Educational Psychology Research Topics

Research topics in educational psychology inform our approach to teaching and learning. Here are some examples of educational psychology research topics and ideas:

  • Exploring Strategies For Supporting Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd).
  • Multicultural Education Presents Unique Difficulties For Kids With Personality Disorders.
  • Differences In Learning Challenges Between Young Students And Older Students.
  • The Growth Of Psychology In Education.
  • Trends In Contemporary Pedagogical Research.
  • The Impact Of Gender Norms At School On Students’ Ability To Study.
  • Methods For Inspiring Students To Learn.
  • The Role Of Educational Psychology In Aiding Autistic Youngsters.
  • Integration Of Physiology Into The Classroom.
  • The Impact Of Theories Of Intelligence On The Education Of Adults.
  • The Adverse Effects Of Alcohol Use On Students’ Ability To Study.
  • Applying Theories Of Intelligence To The Task Of Goal Projection.
  • Interactions With Peers And The Pressures Of The Classroom.
  • Student Achievement Varies By Race And Ethnicity.
  • Effects Of Alcohol On Students’ Social Abilities In A School Setting.

Persuasive Research Paper Topics on Education

Education, a cornerstone of society, offers a vast landscape for persuasive research. Persuasive research paper topics in education are curated to cover a broad spectrum of issues, from the efficacy of standardized testing to the impact of technological advancements in classrooms. Each topic is designed to engage, challenge, and potentially shift the reader’s perspective on critical educational matters.

  • The Need for Comprehensive Sex Education in Schools to Promote Health and Safety.
  • Why Arts and Music Education is Essential for Holistic Student Development.
  • The Effectiveness of Standardized Testing in Measuring Student Learning.
  • The Impact of Technology and Digital Tools on Modern Learning Processes.
  • The Role of Physical Education in Improving Students’ Mental Health.
  • Charter Schools vs. Public Schools: Evaluating Educational Outcomes.
  • The Importance of Multicultural Education in Promoting Diversity and Tolerance.
  • Should Homework be Abolished in Primary Education?
  • The Benefits of Bilingual Education in Cognitive and Social Development.
  • The Case for and Against School Uniforms: Impact on Student Identity and Equality.
  • The Necessity of Financial Literacy Courses in High School Curriculums.
  • Distance Learning: Pros and Cons in the Context of the Recent Global Pandemic.
  • The Impact of Teacher-Student Ratios on Learning Outcomes.
  • Addressing the Digital Divide: Equal Access to Technology in Education.
  • The Role of Parental Involvement in a Child’s Educational Success.

Education Policy Research Topics

Education policy forms the backbone of educational systems, shaping the experiences and outcomes for learners and educators alike. Research in this domain is crucial for understanding and improving the frameworks that govern educational institutions.

  • The Impact of Education Policies on Equal Access to Quality Education.
  • Analyzing the Effects of Standardized Testing Policies on Curriculum Design.
  • The Role of Government Funding in Public Education: Pros and Cons.
  • Education Policy Reforms: Lessons Learned from International Education Systems.
  • The Influence of Teacher Training Policies on Classroom Effectiveness.
  • School Choice and Education Policy: Assessing the Impact on Student Diversity.
  • Evaluating the Efficacy of Early Childhood Education Policies.
  • The Intersection of Education Policy and Technology in Modern Classrooms.
  • Policies for Special Education: Ensuring Adequate Support and Resources.
  • The Role of Education Policy in Addressing Socioeconomic Disparities.
  • Higher Education Policies and Their Impact on University Governance.
  • The Effectiveness of Language Education Policies in Multilingual Societies.
  • Assessing the Impact of School Safety Policies on Student Well-being.
  • Education Policy and Mental Health Services in Schools: A Critical Analysis.
  • The Future of Online Education Policies Post-Pandemic.

Research Paper Topics about Education Systems

The study of education systems offers a window into the diverse methodologies, challenges, and successes of teaching and learning across different cultures and contexts. Research in this area is vital for understanding how various educational structures impact student outcomes and societal progress.

  • Comparative Analysis of Eastern and Western Education Systems.
  • The Impact of Finland’s Education System on Global Educational Practices.
  • Exploring the Successes and Challenges of Montessori Education Systems.
  • The Role of Technology in Transforming Modern Education Systems.
  • Assessment of Inclusive Education Systems and Their Effectiveness.
  • Vocational Education Systems and Their Impact on the Workforce.
  • The Influence of Socioeconomic Factors on Education System Outcomes.
  • Education Systems in Developing Countries: Challenges and Opportunities.
  • The Evolution of Online Education Systems and Their Future Trajectory.
  • Analyzing the Effectiveness of Bilingual Education Systems.
  • Home Schooling vs. Traditional Schooling Systems: A Comparative Study.
  • The Role of Government Policies in Shaping National Education Systems.
  • Education Systems and Mental Health Support for Students.
  • The Integration of Environmental Education in Global Education Systems.
  • Assessing the Impact of Cultural Values on Education Systems.

Educational Leadership Research Topics

Topics in educational leadership research are crucial for the development of educational systems globally. In regards to research education topics on leadership, below are a few examples:

  • The Power of Educational Leadership in World Transformation.
  • How Multidisciplinary Groups Contribute to The Smooth Operation of Middle Schools.
  • The Importance of Women in Educational Administration.
  • Exploring Social Structure in Academic Institutions.
  • Exploring Solutions to Institutional Racism at Top Schools.
  • The Role That Top-Performing School Administrations May Play in Improving Underperforming Institutions.
  • How the Rise of New Technologies Has Influenced School Administration.
  • How can ineffective administration contribute to failing grades?
  • Compassionate strategies for teaching kids with dyslexia.
  • Understanding the Role of Discrimination in Educational Leadership Assessing Current Educational Leadership Practices.
  • An Analysis of the Impact Subordinate Workers Have on Educational Leadership.
  • How Can We Combine Student and Administrative Leadership?
  • Innovative Solutions to Educational Leadership Challenges.
  • Maintaining a Healthy Connection Between Students, Parents, and Educators.
  • Characteristics of Transformational Leadership in Higher Education and the Role of Distance Learning Programs.

Education research subjects are essential because of their impact on the future of education. They help us understand diverse student needs, research cutting-edge teaching techniques, and solve teacher concerns. Technology’s impact on the classroom and ways for promoting student engagement keep education fluid and adaptive. To unleash education’s full potential and foster a generation of lifelong learners, we must embrace the joy of research.

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500 Good Research Paper Topics

Bonus Material: Essential essay checklist

Writing a research paper for a class and not sure how to start?

One of the most important steps to creating a great paper is finding a good topic! 

Here’s a hand-drafted list from a Princeton grad who has helped professors at Harvard and Yale edit their papers for publication and taught college writing at the University of Notre Dame and .

What’s more, we give you some foolproof formulas for creating your own paper topic to fit the requirements of your class.

Using these simple formulas, we’ve helped hundreds of students turn a B- paper topic into an A+ paper topic.

Keep reading for our list of 500 vetted research paper topics and our magic formulas for creating your own topic!

Of course, if you want help learning to write research papers tailored to your individual needs, check out our one-on-one writing coaching or academic writing workshop . Set up a free consultation to see how we can help you learn to write A+ papers!

Jump to paper topics in:

European & Mediterranean History

African history, asian history, history of the pre-columbian americas.

  • Latin American History

History of Science

Politics & public policy, education & education policy, political theory, science policy.

  • Health Sciences & Psychology

Download the essential essay checklist

What is a research paper?

In order to write a good research paper, it’s important to know what it is! 

In general, we can divide academic writing into three broad categories:

  • Analytical: analyze the tools an author uses to make their point
  • Research: delve deeply into a research topic and share your findings
  • Persuasive : argue a specific and nuanced position backed by evidence

What’s the difference between an analytical paper and a research paper? For an analytical paper, it’s okay to just use one or two sources (a book, poem, work of art, piece of music, etc.) and examine them in detail. For a research paper, however, the expectation is that you do, well . . . research .

student writing research paper

The depth of research that you’re expected to do will depend on your age and the type of class you’re taking.

In elementary or middle school, a “research paper” might mean finding information from a few general books or encyclopedias in your school library. 

In high school, your teachers might expect you to start using information from academic articles and more specific books. You might use encyclopedias and general works as a starting point, but you’ll be expected to go beyond them and do more work to synthesize information from different perspectives or different types of sources. You may also be expected to do “primary research,” where you study the source material yourself, instead of synthesizing what other people have written about the source material.

In college, you’ll be required to use academic journals and scholarly books, and your professors will now expect that you be more critical of these secondary sources, noticing the methodology and perspectives of whatever articles and books you’re using. 

In more advanced college courses, you’ll be expected to do more exhaustive surveys of the existing literature on a topic. You’ll need to conduct primary research that makes an original contribution to the field—the kind that could be published in a journal article itself.

For a walkthrough of the 12 essential steps to writing a good paper, check out our step-by-step guide .

student writing research paper

Working on a research paper? Grab our free checklist to make sure your essay has everything it needs to earn an A grade.

Get the essential essay checklist

What makes a good research paper topic?

One of the most important features of a research paper topic is that it has a clear, narrow focus. 

For example, your teacher may assign you to write a research paper related to the US Revolutionary War. Does that mean that your topic should be “the US Revolutionary War”? 

Definitely not! There’s no way to craft a good paper with in-depth research with such a broad topic. (Unless you’re in elementary or middle school, in which case it’s okay to have a more general topic for your research paper.)

Instead, you need to find a more specific topic within this broader one. There are endless ways that you can make this narrower! Some ideas generated from this one broader topic might be:

  • Causes of the US Revolutionary War
  • Changes in military strategy during the Revolutionary War
  • The experiences of Loyalists to England who remained in the American colonies during the Revolutionary War
  • How the Revolutionary War was pivotal for the career of Alexander Hamilton
  • The role of alliances with France during the US Revolutionary War
  • The experiences of people of color during the Revolutionary War
  • How George Washington’s previous military career paved the way for his leadership in the Revolutionary War
  • The main types of weaponry during the Revolutionary War
  • Changes in clothing and fashion over the courses of the Revolutionary War
  • How Valley Forge was a key moment in the Revolutionary War
  • How women contributed to the Revolutionary War
  • What happened in Amherst, Massachusetts during the Revolutionary War
  • Field medicine during the Revolutionary War
  • How the Battle of Saratoga was a turning point in the Revolutionary War
  • How different opinions about the Revolutionary War were reflected in poetry written during that time
  • Debates over abolition during the Revolutionary War
  • The importance of supply chains during the Revolutionary War
  • Reactions to the US Revolutionary war in Europe
  • How the US Revolutionary war impacted political theory in England and France
  • Similarities and differences between the US Revolutionary War and the French Revolution
  • Famous paintings inspired by the US Revolutionary War
  • Different ways that the US Revolutionary War has been depicted in modern contemporary culture
  • The appropriation of the “Boston Tea Party” by US politicians in the 2010s

This list could go on forever!

good research paper topics about the US Revolution

In fact, any of these topics could become even more specific. For example, check out the evolution of this topic:

  • Economic causes of the Revolutionary war
  • The way that tax policies helped lead to the Revolutionary War
  • How tax laws enacted 1763–1775 helped lead to the Revolutionary War
  • How the tax-free status of the British East India Company helped lead to the Revolutionary War
  • How the 1773 tax-free status of the British East India Company helped lead to the Revolutionary War, as reflected in letters written 1767–1775
  • How the 1773 tax-free status of the British East India Company helped lead to the Revolutionary War, as reflected in letters written by members of the Sons of Liberty 1767–1775

As you advance in your educational career, you’ll need to make your topic more and more specific. Steps 1–3 of this topic might be okay in high school, but for a college research paper steps 4–7 would be more appropriate!

As you craft your research paper topic, you should also keep in mind the availability of research materials on your subject. There are millions of topics that would make interesting research papers, but for which you yourself might not be able to investigate with the primary and secondary sources to which you have access.

Access to research materials might look like:

  • To the best of our knowledge, the sources exist somewhere
  • The source isn’t behind a paywall (or you or your school can pay for it)
  • Your school or local library has a copy of the source
  • Your school or local library can order a copy of the source for you
  • The source is in a language that you speak
  • The source has been published already (there’s tons of amazing research that hasn’t been published yet, a frustrating problem!)
  • You can access the archive, museum, or database where the primary source is held—this might mean online access or travel! To access a source in an archive or museum you’ll often need permission, which often requires a letter of support from your school.

If you’re not sure about access to source materials, talk to a librarian! They’re professionals for this question.

Finally, pick a research topic that interests you! Given that there are unlimited research topics in the world and many ways to adapt a broad topic, there should absolutely be a way to modify a research topic to fit your interests.

student writing research paper

Want help learning to write an amazing research paper? Work one-on-one with an experienced Ivy-League tutor to improve your writing skills or sign up for our bestselling academic writing workshop .

Insider tips to generate your own research paper topic

Use these formulas to generate your own research paper topics:

  • How did X change over a period of time (year, decade, century)?
  • What is the impact (or consequences) of X?
  • What led to X?
  • What is the role of X in Y?
  • How did X influence Y?
  • How did X become Y?
  • How was X different from Y?
  • How is X an example of Y?
  • How did X affect Y?
  • What were some reactions to X?
  • What are the most effective policies to produce X result?
  • What are some risks of X?
  • How is our current understanding of X incorrect? (advanced)
  • What happens if we look at X through the lens of Y theory or perspective? (advanced)

A good research paper topic often starts with the question words—why, how, what, who, and where. Remember to make it as specific as possible!

student writing research paper

Good research paper topics

These research paper topics have been vetted by a Princeton grad and academic book editor!

  • How did European rivalries (British vs French) impact North American history?
  • What was the role of British and French alliances with indigneous tribes during the Seven Years’ War?
  • Reactions to the 1754 Albany Congress among North American intellectual figures
  • How the Albany Plan served as a model for future attempts at union among the North American colonies
  • How did different religious identities (Calvinist, Catholic, etc.) play a role in the aftermath of the Seven Years’ War?
  • What were the consequences of the 1763 Treaty of Paris?
  • How did the Seven Years’ War impact British debt and colonial economics?
  • What were some causes of the US Revolutionary War?
  • How did military strategy change during the Revolutionary War?
  • What were the experiences of Loyalists to England who remained in the American colonies during the Revolutionary War?
  • How was the Revolutionary War pivotal for the career of Alexander Hamilton?
  • What was the role of alliances with France during the US Revolutionary War?
  • What were the experiences of people of color during the Revolutionary War?
  • How did George Washington’s previous military career pave the way for his leadership in the Revolutionary War?
  • What were the main types of weaponry during the Revolutionary War? How did that affect the options for military strategies?
  • How did clothing and fashion change over the courses of the Revolutionary War?
  • How was Valley Forge a key moment in the Revolutionary War?
  • How did women contribute to the Revolutionary War?
  • What happened in Amherst, Massachusetts (or any other specific location) during the Revolutionary War?
  • What was field medicine like during the Revolutionary War? 
  • How was the Battle of Saratoga a turning point in the Revolutionary War?
  • How were different opinions about the Revolutionary War reflected in poetry written during that time?
  • What were the debates over abolition during the Revolutionary War?
  • What was the role of supply chains during the Revolutionary War?
  • What were reactions to the US Revolutionary war like in Europe? What does that tell us about politics in England, France, the Netherlands, etc?
  • How did the US Revolutionary war impact political theory in England and France?
  • What are similarities and differences between the US Revolutionary War and the French Revolution?
  • What are some famous paintings inspired by the US Revolutionary War? What do differences between these paintings tell us about how the artists who created them saw the war?
  • What are some different ways that the US Revolutionary War has been depicted in modern contemporary culture? What does that tell us?
  • How was the story of the “Boston Tea Party” appropriated by US politicians in the 2010s, and why?
  • What was the difference between the Federalists and the Jeffersonians?
  • How did the 1797 XYZ Affair lead to the Quasi-War with France?
  • How were loans from European countries and companies (France, Spain, Dutch bankers) key to the early US?
  • What were reactions to the Constitutional Convention of 1787?
  • Why did the US remain neutral during the French Revolution?
  • How did the Alien and Sedition acts contribute to the election of Thomas Jefferson as president?
  • What was the US’s reaction to the Haitian revolution? Why did the US not recognize Haitian independence until 1862?
  • What were the reactions to John Jay’s Treaty of 1794?
  • How have the remarks made by George Washington in his Farewell Address inspired isolationist policies?
  • How did interpretations of the Monroe Doctrine change over the decades since its creation? 
  • How did the Roosevelt Corollary and Lodge Corollary change and expand the Monroe Doctrine?
  • How did the presence of US companies like the United Fruit Company affect US military interventions in Latin America? 
  • How was the Monroe Doctrine invoked in the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962? 
  • How was US culture shaped by the Cold War?
  • How did ecology play a role in the rise of Ancient Egypt?
  • How did water management technologies impact Ancient Egypt?
  • How did bureaucracies function in Ancient Egypt?
  • How did Egyptian art influence Ancient Greek art?
  • Who could be a citizen in Athens in the 5th century BCE? What does this tell us about classical Athenian society?
  • What was the impact of the Peloponnesian War?
  • What was the impact of Alexander the Great’s attempt to create an empire?
  • How does the way that Alexander the Great is represented in art demonstrate conceptions about the relationship between the human and the divine?
  • Was there a conception of race in the ancient world? How were these ideas different from our own modern conceptions of race?
  • What was the role of debt slavery in the Roman republic? How were these policies ended, and what is the significance of the end of debt slavery? What kinds of slavery remained?
  • To what degree does the movie Gladiator accurately the Roman Empire in 176–192 CE?
  • What was the role of slavery in managing the large latifundia ?
  • How and why did the emperor Constantine I adopt Christianity?
  • How did patterns of urbanism in the latter Roman empire change? What does this tell us about challenges being faced at that time?
  • What do reactions to the Byzantine empress Theodora tell us about ideas of gender in 6th-century Byzantium?
  • How did scientific advancements in Islamic Spain influence the rest of Europe?
  • What was the relationship between Muslim, Christian, and Jewish populations in Islamic Spain? How does this compare to the experience of Muslim and Jewish populations in Christian Spain?
  • How did medieval troubadour poetry represent a new idea of romantic relationships?
  • What are similarities and differences between medieval troubadour poetry and lyric poetry in Ancient Greece? 
  • What do letters between women and popes tell us about gender, power, and religion in medieval Europe?
  • In what ways was Hildegard of Bingen groundbreaking for her time?
  • Who produced beer in medieval England, and what does this tell us about society?
  • How did the adoption of hops affect the production and distribution of beer?
  • How did beer production allow some women a way to be financially independent?
  • How was clothing used to mark religious and cultural identities in 15th- and 16th-century Spain?
  • How did print culture change relationships and courting in Georgian England?
  • How did churches function as social gathering spaces in Georgian England?
  • To what degree is Netflix’s Bridgerton series historically accurate?
  • How did ideas of love change in the 18th century? How did philosophy play a role in this?
  • When were Valentine cards first commercially available? What does that show us about cultural ideas of love and courtship?
  • What were the consequences of the desertification of the Sahara?
  • How did trade links on the Red Sea influence Nubian culture?
  • How did Carthage build power in Northern Africa around 600–500 BCE?
  • What was the impact of the Mercenary War (241–238 BCE) in Carthage?
  • How did the Roman province of Africa play a key role in financing the Roman Empire?
  • What were the consequences of the Donatist division in the 300s in Northern Africa?
  • What was the impact of the large-scale movement of Bedouins from the Arabian peninsula into the Maghreb?
  • How was Mande society organized in the Mali Empire? 
  • What was the role of the book trade in Timbuktu? What does this tell us about culture and learning in the Mali Empire?
  • How did Aksum use trade to build wealth and power? 
  • What do Nok terracotta sculptures tell us about Nok culture?
  • How did the Luba Empire create a centralized political system? How did the idea of spiritual kins ( balopwe ) play a role in this system?
  • How did tax collection work in the Lunda empire?
  • What does it mean to say that the Ajuran Empire was a hydraulic empire? How did control over water resources allow the Ajuran Empire to build and consolidate power?
  • What is the significance of diplomatic ties between the Somai Ajuran Empire and Ming dynasty China? 
  • How did the tribute system in the Kingdom of Kongo help to stimulate interregional trade?
  • What was the impact of the introduction of maize and cassava to the Kingdom of Kongo?
  • How did women wield influence in the Kingdom of Benin?
  • How did the Industrial Revolution in Europe help lead to the Scramble for Africa 1878–1898?
  • What were the consequences of the Second Boer War?
  • What happened in the Year of Africa (1960)?
  • How did the Han dynasty consolidate power in frontier regions? 
  • How and why did the Han dynasty nationalize the private salt and iron industries in 117 BCE?
  • What are the earliest records of papermaking, and what is the significance of this invention?
  • What was the role of Daoist religious societies in rebellions at the end of the Han dynasty (Yellow Turban Rebellion, Five Pecks of Rice Rebellion)?
  • What do tomb paintings tell us about ancient Chinese society?
  • What was the impact of the Sui dynasty’s standardization and re-unification of the coinage?
  • What was the role of standardized testing in Sui dynasty and Tang dynasty China?
  • Why is the Tang dynasty often regarded as a golden age of cosmopolitan culture in Chinese history?
  • What was the role of slavery in imperial China? 
  • How did the rise of jiedushi (regional military governments) undermine the civil-service system? What were the consequences of this?
  • How did Tang dynasty China exert power over Japan and Korea?
  • What was the Three Departments and Six Ministries system in imperial China and how did it work?
  • What does the appearance of Inca, Maya, and Aztec goods in North America (Utah, Canada) and the appearance of goods from the Great Lakes region in Maya and Aztec ruins tell us about trade in the Pre-Columbian Americas?
  • How did celebration of maize play a central role in Mesoamerican cultures?
  • How did the Aztec empire use relationships with client city-states to establish power? How did the Aztec empire use taxation to exert power?
  • How did the luxury good trade impact Aztec political power? 
  • How did the building of roads play a key role in the Aztec empire?
  • How and why has archaeology played a pivotal role in expanding our understanding of the pre-Columbian Americas?
  • What are some common misconceptions about the Americas in the year 1491? Why do these misconceptions exist?

Latin American History (post-1492)

  • How and why did the Spanish appropriate Aztec sites of significance (e.g. Mexico City at the site of Tenochtitlan)?
  • What were reactions among Latin American intellectuals (e.g. Luis María Drago, Alejandro Álvarez and Baltasar Brum) to the Monroe Doctrine?
  • How was the US’s involvement in the Venezuela Crisis of 1902–1903 a pivotal turning point in the relationship between the US and Latin American countries?
  • What were the effects of the US’s involvement in the Cuban War for Independence?
  • How did the Roosevelt Corollary of 1904 benefit the US?
  • How did Simon Bolivar’s time in Europe affect his ideas about Latin American independence?
  • How did 19th century academic societies play a role in the advancement of scientific discoveries? Who was excluded from these societies?
  • How was music connected to the sciences in medieval thinking?
  • When was the concept of zero first used, and how was it instrumental for advancements in math?
  • What role did Islamic Spain play in the spread of scientific advancements in medieval Europe?
  • What role has translation between languages played in the development of sciences?
  • Why were Galileo’s ideas about astronomy controversial at the time?
  • What was the connection between art and advancements in human anatomy?
  • Why were Darwin’s ideas about natural selection controversial at the time?
  • To what degree does the film Master and Commander accurately depict the voyages of Charles Darwin?
  • How did the discovery of quinine and other medical innovations help to facilitate the European colonization of Africa?
  • How and why was the internet invented?
  • Does Virgil’s Aeneid celebrate the new Roman Empire or subvert it?
  • Why was the poet Ovid exiled from Rome?
  • What are the pagan influences in Beowulf ? What are the Christian elements in Beowulf ? What does that tell us about late Anglo-Saxon England?
  • How does Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales reflect gender roles in late medieval England?
  • How does Dante’s Inferno draw on book IV of Virgil’s Aeneid ? 
  • How are gender roles presented and subverted in Shakespeare’s plays?
  • To what degree did Henry David Thoreau live out the ideals he described in Walden in his own life?
  • How did the serialized publication of novels affect the way that they were written?
  • Does Dickens’ novel A Tale of Two Cities accurately portray the French Revolution?
  • How did 18th-century novels propagate the idea of marrying for love?
  • What did contemporary readers think about Jane Austen and her novels?
  • To what degree do Jane Austen’s novels reflect economic realities for women in Regency England? What do they leave out?
  • How did Lord Byron’s personal life affect his poetry?
  • What do we know about the romantic life of Emily Dickinson?
  • What were the religious movements that influenced the writer George Eliot, and how do those influences appear in her novels?
  • In what ways were Walt Whitman’s writings new or different?
  • How did British poets react to the horrors of Word War I?
  • What do Tolkien’s letters reveal about the ways in which the two world wars influenced his writings?
  • How did the friendship between CS Lewis and Tolkien affect their respective writings?
  • What are the arguments for and against Catalonian independence from Spain?
  • What are the arguments for and against Scottish independence from the United Kingdom?
  • What are some risks of contact sports, especially for children?
  • What are the most effective policies for combating childhood obesity?
  • What are the most effective policies for reducing gun violence?
  • Which countries have the longest life expectancy and why?
  • What are some differences between the healthcare system in the US and in European countries? Which country has the most similar system to the US?
  • What policies for parental leave exist in different countries? What are some effects of these policies?
  • Has the drinking age in the US always been 21? What have been some different policies, and what were some consequences of them?
  • What is the debate around museum artifacts like the Elgin Marbles in London or the Benin Bronzes in Berlin?
  • How have politicians attempted to control population growth in different countries, either directly or indirectly? What have been some effects of these policies?
  • Which countries have the most gender parity reflected in national governments? How have they accomplished this?
  • How has public funding of K-12 education changed since the 1930s in the US? 
  • How has public funding of higher education changed in the US?
  • What is early childhood education like in different countries?
  • What are some effects of free or reduced-cost meals in schools?
  • How does access to menstrual products affect education outcomes for girls in different countries?
  • What was the impact of Rousseau’s writings on education?
  • How did Plato’s ideal forms of government reflect contemporary Athenian concerns about the unruly masses ( demos )?
  • How did Aristotle justify slavery?
  • How has wealth inequality increased in recent decades?
  • How is inflation calculated, and what are the implications of this methodology?
  • How have genetically-engineered crops changed the way that the planet feeds itself?
  • How has animal testing changed since 2000?
  • How is animal testing regulated differently in different countries?

Health Sciences and Psychology

  • How do different societies reflect the natural circadian rhythms of the human body?
  • How does secondhand smoke affect the human body?
  • How does lack of sleep affect the body?
  • How does stress affect the body?
  • What are some ways to reduce stress?
  • How have cancer treatments changed in the past 30 years?
  • Why is it hard to find a “cure” for cancer?
  • How has the Human Genome Project changed medical science?
  • How were the Covid vaccines developed so quickly? What is the difference between the various Covid vaccines that have been developed?

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Emily graduated  summa cum laude  from Princeton University and holds an MA from the University of Notre Dame. She was a National Merit Scholar and has won numerous academic prizes and fellowships. A veteran of the publishing industry, she has helped professors at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton revise their books and articles. Over the last decade, Emily has successfully mentored hundreds of students in all aspects of the college admissions process, including the SAT, ACT, and college application essay. 

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Primary School Education Research Paper

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Sample Primary School Education Research Paper. Browse other  research paper examples and check the list of research paper topics for more inspiration. If you need a research paper written according to all the academic standards, you can always turn to our experienced writers for help. This is how your paper can get an A! Feel free to contact our research paper writing service for professional assistance. We offer high-quality assignments for reasonable rates.

1. Introduction

The primary grades are the first few grades of elementary school, in which students aged approximately 5–8 are socialized into the student role and taught basic tool skills. Evolving views on what constitutes appropriate curriculum and instruction during these grades have been influenced by developments in theory and research on the needs, interests, capabilities, and other characteristics of children in this age range. Emphasis has shifted from maturation of generic stages of cognitive development to learning of domain-specific knowledge networks, so that readiness to learn is now seen as dependent more on relevant prior knowledge and experience than on age or developmental level.

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Get 10% off with 24start discount code, 2. from generic developmental stages to domain-specific learning.

The term ‘primary school education’ refers typically to the first two or three grades of elementary school, in which curriculum and instruction emphasize basic literacy and numeracy skills. These grades also emphasize socialization into the student role: teaching children to pay attention to lessons and to work persistently on assignments; to follow prescribed conventions for participating in whole-class activities (e.g., raise hand and wait to be called on); to collaborate productively with peers in pairs and small groups; and to take good care of personal possessions and classroom equipment. In many countries, formal schooling in the primary grades is preceded by a transitional year (called kindergarten in the USA). It is a year in which students are oriented to school routines, engaged in activities that feature artwork and other multisensory representations that call for listening, speaking, counting, building vocabulary, making visual discriminations, exercising fine motor skills, or in other ways developing readiness for the more formal academic learning emphasized in subsequent grades.

At all levels of schooling, curriculum development involves negotiating a reasonable balance among four general approaches: (a) equipping students with knowledge that is lasting, important, and fundamental to the human experience (emphasizing but not limited to the academic disciplines), (b) following the natural course of child development by matching content to students’ interests and learning needs at each grade level, (c) meeting society’s needs by preparing students to assume adult work roles and citizenship responsibilities, and (d) combating social injustice and promoting social change by addressing social policy issues (Kliebard 1994). The principle of meeting children’s developmental needs and interests has special relevance for the primary grades because substantial cognitive development occurs during these years. Children aged five–eight (especially five–six) are often considered to be not merely less knowledgeable, but qualitatively different in several respects from older children and adults. Philosophers traditionally have maintained that children reach the age of reason at about age seven, when developments in their understanding of cause-and-effect relationships, reciprocity and the Golden Rule, and other key concepts and principles enable them to distinguish right from wrong and engage in principled moral reasoning. Researchers studying children’s cognitive development speak of a Developmental shift that occurs between ages five and seven as children become less like animals and infants and more like older children and adults in their performance on a broad range of perceptual and cognitive tasks (Sameroff and Haith 1996).

Jean Piaget (1983) described children aged two– seven as egocentric in purview and unstable in their cognitive structures and thought patterns. Within his comprehensive stage theory of cognitive development, such children were labeled as preoperational because they had not yet acquired reversibility of thinking, conservation, classification, seriation, and other concrete operations that stabilize older children’s cognitive structures, and enable them to engage in systematic reasoning. Piaget’s work implied that progression from the preoperational to the concrete operational stage was determined primarily by maturation and thus not open to significant acceleration through educational interventions. Consequently, primary schooling models influenced by his ideas tended to emphasize play, exploration, discovery learning, and sensorimotor activities over more formally academic and verbally mediated instruction. Ideas drawn from Arnold Gesell, Maria Montressori, and others who emphasized developmental stages or the presumed special needs and characteristics of young children similarly led to early childhood and primary-grade education models that emphasize short and varied activities, hands-on learning, concrete and integrated topical units rather than systematic treatment of disciplinary content, and attempts to be responsive to children’s learning initiatives rather than to move them through preplanned curricula in lock-step fashion. Contemporary notions of developmentally appropriate practice continue this tradition (NAEYC 1991), as do the British Infant School model and the Italian Reggio Emilia model.

In recent years, the predominant theoretical emphasis in developmental psychology has shifted from the stage theory of Piaget to the sociocultural learning theory of Lev Vygotsky (1978), and research on children’s cognition has shifted emphasis from general developmental stages to domain and situation- specific learning. Findings indicate that many aspects of cultural learning, including much of what is taught in elementary school, can be acquired through instruction, in which teachers provide modeling and explanations for students and coach and ‘scaffold’ their learning efforts. Instead of emphasizing limitations in cognitive capacity, pending the unfolding of genetically programmed maturation of internal structures, contemporary thinking emphasizes connecting with and building on students’ prior knowledge in the domain. Instruction focuses on the zone of proximal Development: the range of knowledge and skills that students are not yet ready to learn on their own but can learn with help from teachers (Tharp and Gallimore 1988).

A related notion is that instead of being organized into hierarchical levels, knowledge is organized within networks structured around key ideas. This implies that, instead of having to begin with the lowest cognitive level (knowledge) and proceed systematically through successively higher levels (comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation), instruction can begin anywhere in the network and develop understandings from there. Initial possibilities will be limited by the extent of learners’ prior knowledge in the domain, but in principle, learners can accomplish any domain-related learning goals if they experience whatever instruction and learning opportunities may be required (without having to wait for supposed maturation of cognitive structures to occur).

Studies of children’s domain-specific knowledge have verified that children’s knowledge and learning capacities in many areas are much more advanced than previously suspected, although children find certain concepts difficult to grasp and certain misconceptions are commonly developed (e.g., that the sun rotates around the earth instead of vice-versa). It appears that Piaget’s notions about children’s learning capacities were too pessimistic and that his stage concepts are more applicable to developments in children’s mathematical and scientific thinking than to developments in their thinking about issues addressed in the humanities and social sciences. Children are able to understand historical and literary content that is encoded within narrative structures built around the goals and motives of central characters, as well as cultural comparisons or other social science content that focuses on food, clothing, shelter, transportation, or other cultural universals with which they have had personal experience (Downey and Levstik 1991).

Research supports the following generalizations about difficulty level of curriculum content: (a) difficulty increases with the number of items that must be addressed simultaneously (it is harder to compare or interpret three things than two things); (b) abstract content is more difficult than more concrete content; (c) fine distinctions are more difficult than gross ones; (d) learning from print alone is more difficult than learning from multiple media; (e) it is easier to develop skills in thinking about matters that students see as closely related to their own lives than about other matters; and (f ) providing structure, cues, and props makes thinking easier (Fair 1977)

In summary, much of what Piaget claimed about stage-related limitations in children’s cognitive capacities is incorrect or limited to certain knowledge domains. However, Piaget was correct in suggesting that young children are qualitatively different from older children and adults in certain respects, so that it is not possible (or at least, not cost effective) to teach them some of the more abstract and complex aspects of each school subject. Primary-grade children appear to be ready for certain forms of systematic instruction that go well beyond what usually are described as ‘developmentally appropriate practices,’ but not yet ready for discipline-based courses that emphasize abstract content organized conceptually.

3. Curriculum And Instruction In The Primary Grades

Children show the capacity for operational thinking at five or six, but usually do not become functionally operational (use operational thinking most of the time) until a year or two later. Thus, in effect, the preoperational period extends until second or third grade for most students. Preoperational students are ready to learn about familiar experiences and observable phenomena, especially through exploration and manipulation of concrete objects. They also learn basic literacy and mathematics skills and those aspects of content area knowledge that can be linked to their experience base. Instruction in basic skills should connect with knowledge about language, print, counting, and numbers that children develop through their preschool experiences. These tool skills should be taught in an integrated way that stresses explanations for meaningful understanding and opportunities for authentic applications (Adams 1990, Hiebert and Carpenter 1992, Hooper and DeFrain 1980). Execution of basic skills should gradually become automatized, but these skills should be learned as strategies, so that procedural knowledge (about what to do and how to do it) is developed in connection with related propositional knowledge (about the nature and purposes of the skill) and conditional knowledge (about when and why to use it).

Primary-grade students require demonstration and explanation of skills, guided practice with feedback, and frequent opportunities to develop mastery through application. Good demonstrations and visual aids provide concrete models for children to watch or imitate, so that they do not have to struggle to follow purely verbal instruction. Complex tasks are broken into subtasks that children can master in sequences that gradually connect until the ultimate task is learned. When they work on their own, they may need cues, reminders, or other learning scaffolds that will help them overcome their limited attention spans and difficulty in following spoken or written directions. Models of completed tasks can be placed in learning centers and worksheets can include features such as spacing and lines to keep things separate; boxes or arrows to indicate where responses should be placed or where to go next; and division of assignments into modular units that can be presented, reviewed, and discussed separately.

Teaching in subject areas other than basic skills should either emphasize familiar content or make the strange familiar by using concrete props or other media. Actual objects are best, but substitutes such as videos or photos are also useful. Because young children have limited experience and major gaps in their vocabularies, they may need such props to enable them to understand what the teacher is talking about. They are most likely to have difficulty when content is organized around the conceptual structures used in the academic disciplines rather than around their own emerging knowledge structures. Children tend to learn specifics first and build up abstract generalizations only gradually as they accumulate experience; they have trouble following the logical patterns (flowing from general rules to specific examples) that adults find helpful. They are predisposed to learn in various domains, and although they are inexperienced, they reason facilely with the knowledge they have (Bransford et al. 1999). However, it is important to focus instruction on familiar and observable events, or at least events that are easily assimilated into the students’ existing schemes. For example, children have an intuitive sense of the past and an interest in people that can provide a basis for instruction in history and social studies. However, such instruction has to reach the operative level rooted in students’ concrete experiences, e.g., by having them investigate their own family histories, explore the geography of the neighborhood, or examine photos and artifacts from another culture. If the instruction stays at a purely figurative level (associating tipis with Native Americans, sombreros with Mexicans, etc.), it will have little meaning or potential for inclusion in networks of knowledge structured around powerful ideas (and will engender stereotypes, rather than layered understandings).

There has been noteworthy cross-national variation in the age at which children begin school and in the scope of the primary-grade curriculum. As more has been learned about children’s knowledge and learning capacities, the trend has been towards earlier school initiation and more demanding curricula. Kindergarten classes in the USA, for example, now feature less sensorimotor play and more verbally mediated instruction than in the past. Even so, primary-grade teachers tend to be nurturant individuals who are oriented more toward teaching children than teaching subject matter, and who are concerned about supporting their students’ personal development and adjustment to school, along with meeting their academic learning needs. Subject matter specialization usually does not begin until at least the fourth grade, so primary-grade teachers tend to be generalists who stay with their home-room class all day and teach all subjects.

Some schools even use looping arrangements that keep intact classes together for two consecutive years with the same teacher, as part of a larger effort to provide emotionally safe and supportive classroom environments for young learners. The children often work in learning centers or sit together on a rug instead of always sitting at desks or in chairs. Teacher aides, adult volunteers, or older students often assist the teacher by working with individuals or small groups. Assessment is mostly informal, without emphasis on tests or grades. Curricula often present an idealistic and optimistic view of the world, sanitized to eliminate disturbing or depressing content, in an effort to ‘preserve childhood innocence’ by delaying confrontation with threatening realities. In general, most primary education approaches focus on orienting young children to school and equipping them with basic knowledge and skills, but within a relatively informal and highly supportive learning community. This ethos has persisted through developments from penpals to KIDSNET; from mathematics flash cards to number lines and manipulables; from penmanship drills to authentic writing and publishing; from fixed desks to flexibly arrangeable children’s chairs and tables, etc., apparently because it is well-suited to the educational needs and capacities of young students.

Bibliography:

  • Adams M 1990 Beginning to Read: Thinking and Learning about Print. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA
  • Bransford J, Brown A, Cocking R (eds.) 1999 How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School. National Academy Press, Washington, DC
  • Downey M, Levstik L 1991 Teaching and learning history. In: Shaver J (ed.) Handbook of Research on Social Studies Teaching and Learning. Macmillan, New York, pp. 400–10
  • Fair J 1977 Skills in thinking. In: Kurfman D (ed.) Forty-seventh Yearbook: Developing Decision-making Skills. National Council for the Social Studies, Arlington, VA, pp. 29–68
  • Hiebert J, Carpenter T 1992 Learning and teaching with understanding. In: Grouws D A (ed.) Handbook of Research on Mathematics Teaching and Learning. Macmillan, New York, pp. 65–97
  • Hooper F, DeFrain J 1980 On delineating distinctly Piagetian contributions to education. Genetic Psychology Monographs 101: 151–81
  • Kliebard H 1994 The Struggle for the American Curriculum 1893–1958, 2nd edn. Routledge, New York
  • National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) 1991 Guidelines for appropriate curriculum content and assessment in programs serving children ages three through eight. Young Children 46(3): 21–38
  • Piaget J 1983 Piaget’s theory. In: Mussen P (ed.) Handbook of Child Psychology, 4th edn. Wiley, New York, Vol. 1, pp. 703–32
  • Sameroff A, Haith M 1996 The Fi e to Se en Year Shift: The Age of Reason and Responsibility. University of Chicago Press, Chicago
  • Tharp R, Gallimore R 1988 Rousing Minds to Life: Teaching, Learning, and Schooling in Social Context. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK
  • Vygotsky L 1978 In: Cole M, John-Steiner V, Scribner S, Souberman E (eds.) Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press, Cambridge

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130 Interesting Persuasive Essay Topics for Kids and Teens

Use your words to sway the reader.

Persuasive Essay Topics: Should we allow little kids to play competitive sports?

Persuasive writing is one of those skills that can help students succeed in real life. Learn the basics of this valuable skill, then use our big roundup of persuasive essay topics for practice.

What is persuasive writing?

In a persuasive essay, the writer uses a combination of facts and emotion to sway a reader to adopt their own point of view or take a specific action. Here are the general steps to writing persuasively:

  • State your position: Clearly and succinctly, state your desired opinion or outcome up front. This could be the point of view you want the reader to adopt (“Pineapple has no place on a pizza.”) or the action you want them to take (“All adults should educate themselves and vote in every election.”).
  • Provide evidence and support: Use facts to support your point of view, citing sources whenever you can. Explain how those facts back up your position, using logic and reason.
  • Anticipate counterarguments: It’s important to know your audience so you can anticipate any counterarguments they might make and try to overcome them.
  • Use emotional appeals: Persuasive essays are similar to argumentative essays, but they incorporate more emotion rather than sticking to facts and logic. For instance, you might try to anger, scare, or create a sense of pride in your reader so they’ll be more likely to agree with you.
  • Make a call to action: Finish strong with the specific action you’d like the reader to take, whether it’s voting responsibly or never putting pineapple on a pizza again.

Help students understand what strong persuasive writing looks like by exploring well-known examples of persuasive essays, speeches, ads, and more . Then, use the topics here to give them practice writing persuasively on their own.

School and Education Persuasive Essay Topics

Life and ethics persuasive essay topics, science and technology persuasive essay topics, sports and entertainment persuasive essay topics, just for fun persuasive essay topics.

Persuasive Essay Topics: Do you think homework should be required, optional, or not given at all?

  • Do you think homework should be required, optional, or not given at all?
  • Students should/should not be able to use their phones during the school day.
  • Should schools have dress codes?
  • All students should wear school uniforms.
  • If I could change one school rule, it would be …
  • Is year-round school a good idea?
  • Should we stop giving final exams?
  • Is it better to be good at academics or good at sports?

Is it better to be good at academics or good at sports?

  • Which is better, private schools or public schools?
  • Should every student have to participate in athletics?
  • Should schools teach life skills like financial responsibility?
  • Does your school handle bullying well?
  • Do you think schools should ban junk food from their cafeterias?
  • Should students be required to volunteer in their communities?
  • What is the most important school subject?
  • Are letter grades helpful, or should we replace them with something else?

Persuasive Essay Topics: Are letter grades helpful, or should we replace them with something else?

  • Is it ever OK to cheat on homework or a test?
  • What are the ideal starting and ending hours for a school day?
  • Should students get to grade their teachers?
  • Do you think college should be free for anyone who wants to attend?
  • Should schools be allowed to ban some books from their libraries?
  • Which is better, book smarts or street smarts?
  • Is attending college worth the time and effort?

Which is better, book smarts or street smarts?

  • Should all students have to learn a foreign language?
  • Are single-gender schools better or worse for students?
  • Schools should reduce or eliminate standardized testing.
  • Is it OK to eat animals?
  • What animal makes the best pet?
  • Visit an animal shelter, choose an animal that needs a home, and write an essay persuading someone to adopt that animal.
  • Why is it important to vote?
  • Wealthy people should pay a higher tax rate.
  • If you find money on the ground, should you try to find the person who lost it, or is it yours to keep?

If you find money on the ground, should you try to find the person who lost it, or is it yours to keep?

  • Who faces more peer pressure, girls or boys?
  • Should all Americans be required to vote?
  • Is it better to be kind or truthful?
  • Which is better, giving or receiving?
  • Should free speech have any limitations?
  • Is it OK to keep animals in zoos?
  • Should we change the minimum driving age in the United States?

Should we change the minimum driving age in the United States?

  • Which is more important, happiness or success?
  • Is democracy the best form of government?
  • Is social media helpful or harmful?
  • Should parents be punished for their children’s mistakes or crimes?
  • Should kids have set bedtimes or just go to bed when they’re sleepy?
  • Do you think the government should find a way to provide free universal health care for everyone?

Do you think the government should find a way to provide free health care for everyone?

  • Is it better to save your allowance or spend it?
  • Is capital punishment ever ethical or justified?
  • Should we ban plastic bags and bottles?
  • Which is better, living in the city or in the country?
  • Immigration benefits the United States.
  • A border wall between Mexico and the United States is essential for reducing crime rates.
  • Should the United States have stronger gun regulations?
  • If I could make a new law, it would be …
  • Is Pluto a planet?
  • Should human cloning be legal?
  • Should vaccines be mandatory?
  • Do the risks of nuclear power outweigh the risks?
  • Is it right for countries to still maintain nuclear weapon arsenals?

Is it right for countries to still maintain nuclear weapon arsenals?

  • Should testing on animals be made illegal?
  • Will expanded use of artificial intelligence be good for humanity?
  • Should all people have free internet access in their homes?
  • Is there intelligent life on other planets?
  • Does technology create more jobs than it eliminates?
  • Should parents use their children’s cell phones to track where they are?
  • Should scientists try to develop a way for people to live forever?

Should scientists try to develop a way for people to live forever?

  • What’s the best type of smartphone: Android or iPhone?
  • Which is better, Macs or PCs?
  • Do people rely too much on technology in the modern world?
  • Should cryptocurrencies replace cash?
  • Should there be a minimum age requirement to own a smartphone?
  • All people have a responsibility to help combat climate change.
  • Is it important to keep spending money on space exploration, or should we use the money for other things?

Is it important to keep spending money on space exploration, or should we use the money for other things?

  • Should kids under 13 be allowed to use social media sites?
  • Should we ban cigarette smoking and vaping entirely?
  • Is it better to be an animal that lives in the water or on land?
  • Are humans responsible for an increase in climate change?
  • Should all communities be legally required to recycle?
  • Should kids be allowed to watch TV on school nights?
  • Which is better, paper books or e-books?
  • Is the current movie rating system (G, PG, PG-13, etc.) effective?
  • Are video games better than board games?
  • Sports teams should have to pay to build their own arenas or stadiums rather than relying on the community.
  • Movie theater tickets are too expensive.
  • Should we allow little kids to play competitive sports?

Should we allow little kids to play competitive sports?

  • Youth sports have become too competitive.
  • Which is better, reading books or watching TV?
  • Are celebrities obligated to be positive role models for their fans?
  • Does playing violent video games make people more violent in real life?
  • Video games need more inclusive and diverse characters.
  • Are graphic novels just as valuable as traditional fiction books?
  • Women’s sports deserve equal funding and coverage as men’s sports.
  • Should everyone play on the same sports teams, regardless of gender?
  • Choose a book that’s been made into a movie. Which was better, the movie or the book?

Choose a book that's been made into a movie. Which was better, the movie or the book?

  • Who is the world’s best athlete, present or past?
  • Are professional athletes/musicians/actors overpaid?
  • Is hosting the Olympics a waste of a country’s money and resources?
  • College athletes should be allowed to accept a salary for playing.
  • Which is better, fiction or nonfiction?
  • The best music genre is …
  • What is one book that everyone should read?
  • What new sport should be added to the Olympics?

What new sport should be added to the Olympics?

  • What’s the best video game system?
  • Does playing video games make you smarter?
  • Should high school athletes be required to maintain a minimum GPA to continue playing?
  • Contact sports like boxing and football are too dangerous.
  • Does reality TV actually depict real life?
  • Should all neighborhoods have free parks and playgrounds?
  • Are awards like the Grammys and Oscars biased and in need of reform?
  • What’s the best holiday?
  • The very best food of all time is …
  • Which make better pets, dogs or cats?
  • Which is better, artificial Christmas trees or real ones?

Which is better, artificial Christmas trees or real ones?

  • What’s the best season of the year?
  • Should you put ketchup on a hot dog?
  • Is a taco a sandwich?
  • Does fruit count as dessert?
  • Everyone should eat dessert first.
  • Should people have to go to school or work on their birthday?
  • Are clowns scary or funny?
  • Which is more dangerous, werewolves or vampires?

Which is more dangerous, werewolves or vampires?

  • The best pizza topping is …
  • What would be the best superpower to have?
  • Should everyone make their bed every day?
  • Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
  • Should you put pineapple on a pizza?
  • Should you eat macaroni and cheese with a spoon or a fork?

Should you eat macaroni and cheese with a spoon or a fork?

  • Describe the world’s best ice cream sundae.
  • Is Monday the worst day of the week?
  • Would you rather travel back in time or forward in time?
  • Is it better to be too hot or too cold?
  • Are there aliens living among us here on Earth?

What are your favorite persuasive essay topics for students? Come exchange ideas in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, check out the big list of essay topics for high school ., you might also like.

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

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27 Real Primary Research Examples

27 Real Primary Research Examples

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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primary research examples definition

Primary research is a type of academic research that involves collecting new and original data to conduct a study.

Examples of primary research include studies that collect data through interviews, questionnaires, original text analysis, observation, surveys, focus groups, case studies, and ethnography.

It is the opposite of secondary research which involves looking at existing data to identify trends or new insights. Both secondary and primary research are legitimate forms of academic research.

Primary Research Examples

1. interviews.

Interviews involve approaching relevant people and asking them questions to gather their thoughts and opinions on a topic. This can take the form of structured, semi-strutured, and unstructured interviews.

Structured interviews generally do not involve back-and-forth discussion between the researcher and the research participant, while semi-structured and unstructured interviews involve the interviewer asking follow-up questions to dig deeper and elicit more insights.

Nurses’ experiences of deaths in hospital (Costello, 2006)Interviews of nurses about the circumstances of patients’ deaths revealed nurses felt patients’ deaths were more satisfactorily managed when they had greater organizational control, but nurses tended to worry more about the workplace organization than the patients’ experiences as they died.
General practitioners’ engagement in end-of-life care (Deckx, 2016)The study conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 Australian GPs to examine their approach to end-of-life care. GPs were found to be cognizant of their patients approaching end-of-life care, and adjusted care plans accordingly. However, in certain cases, this was not made explicit through discussion.
Older Persons’ Views on Important Values in Swedish Home Care Service (Olsen et al., 2022)Semi-structured interviews of 16 people aged 74–90 who received home care service explored which values they would like to see fro home care services. They found that elders primarily wanted two things: to be supported as autonomous people, and as relational beings.

2. Questionnaires and Surveys

Questionnaires are text-based interviews where a set of questions are written down by the researchers and sent to the research participants. The participants fill out the questionnaires and return them to the researcher.

The researcher then anonymizes the data and analyzes it by looking for trends and patterns across the dataset. They may do this manually or use research tools to find similarities and differences in the responses of the research participants.

A simple questionnaire can take the form of a Likert scale which involves asking a research participant to circle their opinion on a set of pre-determined responses (e.g. ‘Very Likely, Likely, Unlikely, Very Unlikely’). Other questionnaires require participants to write detailed paragraphs responding to questions which can then be analyzed.

One benefit of surveys over interviews is that it’s easier to gather large datasets.

Nurses’ Experiences with Web-Based Learning (Atack & Rankin, 2022)Questionnaires were given to nurses following an online education module to gather feedback on their experiences of online learning. Results showed both successes and challenges from learning online.
Teacher perceptions of using mobile phones in the classroom: Age matters! (O’Bannon & Thomas, 2014)A 50-item survey of 1095 teachers was used to examine teachers’ perceptions of the use of phones in the classroom. The survey results showed that teachers over 50 tended to have significantly less support for phones in the classroom than teachers under 50.
Parents’ Perceptions of Their Involvement in Schooling (Erdener & Knoeppel, 2018)742 parents took questionnaire surveys to assess their levels of involvement in their children’s education. Parents’ education, income and age were gathered in the survey. The study found that family income is the most influential factor affecting parental involvement in education.

3. Control Group Analysis

Control group analyses involve separating research participants into two groups: the control group and the experimental group.

An intervention is applied to the experimental group. Researchers then observe the results and compare them to the control group to find out the effects of the intervention.

This sort of research is very common in medical research. For example, a new pill on the market might be used on two groups of sick patients to see whether the pill was effective in improving one group’s condition. If so, it may receive approval to go into the market.

Comparison of Weight-Loss Diets with Different Compositions of Fat, Protein, and Carbohydrates (Sacks et al., 2009)In this study, 811 overweight adults were assigned to one of four diets that varied in the percentages of fat, protein, and carbohydrates they contained. By the end of the two-year study, the participants assigned to the different diets had similar weight loss, with an average of 4 kg lost.
Effect of Low-Fat vs Low-Carbohydrate Diet on 12-Month Weight Loss in Overweight Adults (Gardner et al., 2018)In this study, researchers randomized 609 overweight adults into two groups and assigned them to either a high-fat, low-carbohydrate (HLF) diet or a high-carbohydrate, low-fat (HLC) diet. The researchers found that the participants in both groups had similar weight loss after 12 months, with no significant difference between the two groups. This suggests that the HLF and HLC diets had similar effects on weight loss.
Calorie Restriction with or without Time-Restricted Eating in Weight Loss (Liu et al., 2022)The researchers randomly assigned 139 patients with obesity to time-restricted eating or daily calorie restriction alone. At 12 months, the time-restriction group had a mean weight loss of 8kg and the daily-calorie-restriction group had a mean weight loss of −6.3 kg. However, the researchers found that this was not a significant enough difference to find value in one method over the other.

4. Observation Studies

Observational studies involve the researchers entering a research setting and recording their naturalistic observations of what they see. These observations can then form the basis of a thesis.

Longer-term observation studies where the researcher is embedded in a community are called ethnographic studies.

Tools for observation studies include simple pen-and-paper written vignettes about a topic, recording with the consent of research participants, or using field measuring devices.

Observational studies in fields like anthropology can lead to rich and detailed explanations of complex phenomena through a process called thick description . However, they’re inherently qualitative, subjective , and small-case studies that often make it difficult to make future predictions or hard scientific findings.

Another research limitation is that the presence of the researcher can sometimes affect the behavior of the people or animals being observed.

Putting “structure within the space”: Spatially un/responsive pedagogic practices (Saltmarsh et al., 2014)The researchers observed interactions between students, teachers, and resources in an open learning classroom. Findings indicated that the layout of the classroom had a genuine impact on pedagogical practices, but factors such as teaching philosophies and student learning preferences also played a role in the spaces.
Musical expression: an observational study of instrumental teaching (Karlsson & Juslin, 2008)Music lessons among a cohort of five teachers were filmed, transcribed, and thematized. Results demonstrated that the music lessons tended to be teacher-centered and lacked clear goals. This small-scale study may have been beneficial in a qualitative and contextualized way, but not useful in providing generalized knowledge for furthering research into musical pedagogy.
Writing instruction in first grade: an observational study (Coker et al., 2016)Daylong observations in 50 first-grade classrooms found that explicit writing classes were taught for less than an average of 30 minutes per day. However, a high degree of variability in instructional methods and time demonstrated that first-grade writing instruction is inconsistently applied across schools which may cause high variations in the quality of writing instruction in US schools.

Go Deeper: 15 Ethnography Examples

5. Focus Groups

Focus groups are similar to interviews, but involve small groups of research participants interacting with the interviewer and, sometimes, one another.

Focus group research is common, for example, in political research, where political parties commission independent research organizations to collect data about the electorate’s perceptions of the candidates. This can help inform them of how to more effectively position the candidate in advertising and press stops.

The biggest benefit of focus group studies is that they can gather qualitative information from a wider range of research participants than one-to-one interviews. However, the downside is that research participants tend to influence each others’ responses.

Understanding Weight Stigmatization: A Focus Group Study (Cossrow, Jeffery & McGuire, 2001)In a series of focus groups, research participants discussed their experiences with weight stigmatization and shared personal stories of being treated poorly because of their weight. The women in the focus groups reported a greater number and variety of negative experiences than the men.
Maternal Feeding Practices and Childhood Obesity (Baughcum et al, 1998)This study was designed to identify maternal beliefs about child feeding that are associated with childhood obesity. The focus groups with mothers found that the mothers considered weight to be a direct measure of child health and parent confidence, which according to the resesarchers is too simplistic a perception, meaning physicians should be more careful in their language when working with mothers.
Exploring university students’ perceptions of plagiarism: a focus group study (Gullifer & Tyson, 2010)Focus groups with university students about their knowledge and understanding of plagiarism found six themes: confusion, fear, , perceived seriousness, academic consequences and resentment.

See More: Examples of Focus Groups

6. Online Surveys

Online surveys are similar in purpose to offline questionnaires and surveys, but have unique benefits and limitations.

Like offline surveys and questionnaires, they can be in the form of written responses, multiple choice, and Likert scales.

However, they have some key benefits including: capacity to cast a wide net, ease of snowball sampling, and ease of finding participants.

These strengths also present some potential weaknesses: poorly designed online surveys may be corrupted if the sample is not sufficiently vetted and only distributed to non-representative sample sets (of course, this can be offset, depending on the study design).

EU Kids Online 2020 (Smahel et al, 2020)A survey of children’s internet use (aged 9–16) across 19 European nations. 25,101 children conducted online surveys. Findings showed girls accessed the internet using smartphones more than boys.
Use of Smartphone Apps, Social Media, and Web-Based Resources to Support Mental Health and Well-Being (Stawarz, Preist & Coyle, 2019)A survey of 81 people who use technology to support their mental health, finding that participants found mental health apps to be useful but not sufficient to replace face-to-face therapy.
Student Perceptions on the Importance of Engagement Strategies in the Online Learning Environment (Martin & Bollinger, 2018)155 students conducted an online survey with 38 items on it that assessed perceptions of engagement starategies used in online classes. It found that email reminders and regular announcements were the most effective engagement strategies.

7. Action Research

Action research involves practitioners conducting just-in-time research in an authentic setting to improve their own practice. The researcher is an active participant who studies the effects of interventions.

It sits in contrast to other forms of primary research in this list, which are mostly conducted by researchers who attempt to detach themselves from the subject of study. Action research, on the other hand, involves a researcher who is also a participant.

Action research is most commonly used in classrooms, where teachers take the role of researchers to improve their own teaching and learning practices. However, action research can be used in other fields as well, particularly healthcare and social work.

Instructional technology adoption in higher education (Groves & Zemel, 2000)The practitioner-researschers looked at how they and their teaching assistants used technology in their teaching. The results showed that in order to incorporate technology in their teaching, they needed more accessible hardware, training, and discipline-specific media that was easy to use.
An action research project: Student perspectives on small-group learning in chemistry (Towns, Kreke & Fields 2000)The authors used action research cycles – where they taught lessons, gathered evidence, reflected, created new and improved lessons based on their findings, and repeated the process. Their focus was on improving small-group learning.
Task-based language learning and teaching: An action-research study (Calvert & Sheen, 2014)This action research study involved a teacher who developed and implemented a language learning task for adult refugees in an English program. The teacher critically reflected on and modified the task to better suit the needs of her students.

Go Deeper: 21 Action Research Examples

8. Discourse and Textual Analysis

Discourse and textual analyses are studies of language and text. They could involve, for example, the collection of a selection of newspaper articles published within a defined timeframe to identify the ideological leanings of the newspapers.

This sort of analysis can also explore the language use of media to study how media constructs stereotypes. The quintessential example is the study of gender identities is Disney texts, which has historically shown how Disney texts promote and normalize gender roles that children could internalize.

Textual analysis is often confused as a type of secondary research. However, as long as the texts are primary sources examined from scratch, it should be considered primary research and not the analysis of an existing dataset.

The Chronic Responsibility: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Danish Chronic Care Policies (Ravn, Frederiksen & Beedholm, 2015)The authors examined Danish chronic care policy documents with a focus on how they categorize and pathologize vulnerable patients.
House price inflation in the news: a critical discourse analysis of newspaper coverage in the UK (Munro, 2018)The study looks at how newspapers report on housing price rises in the UK. It shows how language like “natural” and “healthy” normalizes ever-rising housing prices and aims to dispel alternative discourses around ensuring access to the housing market for the working class.
Critical discourse analysis in political communication research: a case study of rightwing populist discourse in Australia (Sengul, 2019)This author highlights the role of political speech in constructing a singular national identity that attempts to delineate in-groups and out-groups that marginalize people within a multicultural nation.

Go Deeper: 21 Discourse Analysis Examples

9. Multimodal, Visual, and Semiotic Analysis

Discourse and textual analyses traditionally focused on words and written text. But with the increasing presence of visual texts in our lives, scholars had to come up with primary research studies that involved the analysis of multimodal texts .

This led to studies such as semiotics and multimodal discourse analysis. This is still considered primary research because it involves the direct analysis of primary data (such as pictures, posters, and movies).

While these studies tend to borrow significantly from written text analysis, they include methods such as social semiotic to explore how signs and symbols garner meaning in social contexts. This enables scholars to examine, for example, children’s drawings through to famous artworks.

Exploring children’s perceptions of scientists through drawings and interviews (Samaras, Bonoti & Christidou, 2012)These researchers analyzed children’s drawings of scientists and examined the presence of ‘indicators’ of stereotypes such as lab coats, eyeglasses, facial hair, research symbols, and so on. The study found the drawings were somewhat traditionally gendered. Follow-up interviews showed the children had less gender normative views of scientists, showing how mixed-methods research can be valuable for elucidating deeper insights.
Elitism for sale: Promoting the elite school online in the competitive educational marketplace (Drew, 2013)A multimodal analysis of elite school websites, demonstrating how they use visual and audible markers of elitism, wealth, tradition, and exclusivity to market their products. Examples include anachronistic uniforms and low-angle shots of sandstone buildings that signify opulence and social status that can be bought through attendance in the institutions.
A social semiotic analysis of gender power in Nigeria’s newspaper political cartoons (Felicia, 2021)A study of political cartoons in Norwegian newspapers that requires visual and semiotic analysis to gather meaning from the original text. The study collects a corpus of cartoons then contextualizes the cultural symbology to find that framing, salience in images, and visual metaphors create and reproduce Nigerian metanarratives of gender.

Often, primary research is a more highly-regarded type of research than secondary research because it involves gathering new data.

However, secondary research should not be discounted: the synthesis, categorization, and critique of an existing corpus of research can reveal excellent new insights and help to consolidate academic knowledge and even challenge longstanding assumptions .

References for the mentioned studies (APA Style)

Atack, L., & Rankin, J. (2002). A descriptive study of registered nurses’ experiences with web‐based learning. Journal of Advanced Nursing , 40 (4), 457-465.

Baughcum, A. E., Burklow, K. A., Deeks, C. M., Powers, S. W., & Whitaker, R. C. (1998). Maternal feeding practices and childhood obesity: a focus group study of low-income mothers. Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine , 152 (10), 1010-1014.

Calvert, M., & Sheen, Y. (2015). Task-based language learning and teaching: An action-research study. Language Teaching Research , 19 (2), 226-244.

Coker, D. L., Farley-Ripple, E., Jackson, A. F., Wen, H., MacArthur, C. A., & Jennings, A. S. (2016). Writing instruction in first grade: An observational study. Reading and Writing , 29 (5), 793-832.

Cossrow, N. H., Jeffery, R. W., & McGuire, M. T. (2001). Understanding weight stigmatization: A focus group study. Journal of nutrition education , 33 (4), 208-214.

Costello, J. (2006). Dying well: nurses’ experiences of ‘good and bad’deaths in hospital. Journal of advanced nursing , 54 (5), 594-601.

Deckx, L., Mitchell, G., Rosenberg, J., Kelly, M., Carmont, S. A., & Yates, P. (2019). General practitioners’ engagement in end-of-life care: a semi-structured interview study. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care .

Drew, C. (2013). Elitism for sale: Promoting the elite school online in the competitive educational marketplace. Australian Journal of Education , 57 (2), 174-184.

Erdener, M. A., & Knoeppel, R. C. (2018). Parents’ Perceptions of Their Involvement in Schooling. International Journal of Research in Education and Science , 4 (1), 1-13.

Felicia, O. (2021). A social semiotic analysis of gender power in Nigeria’s newspaper political cartoons. Social Semiotics , 31 (2), 266-281.

Gardner, C. D., Trepanowski, J. F., Del Gobbo, L. C., Hauser, M. E., Rigdon, J., Ioannidis, J. P., … & King, A. C. (2018). Effect of low-fat vs low-carbohydrate diet on 12-month weight loss in overweight adults and the association with genotype pattern or insulin secretion: the DIETFITS randomized clinical trial. Jama , 319 (7), 667-679.

Groves, M. M., & Zemel, P. C. (2000). Instructional technology adoption in higher education: An action research case study. International Journal of Instructional Media , 27 (1), 57.

Gullifer, J., & Tyson, G. A. (2010). Exploring university students’ perceptions of plagiarism: A focus group study. Studies in Higher Education , 35 (4), 463-481.

Karlsson, J., & Juslin, P. N. (2008). Musical expression: An observational study of instrumental teaching. Psychology of music , 36 (3), 309-334.

Liu, D., Huang, Y., Huang, C., Yang, S., Wei, X., Zhang, P., … & Zhang, H. (2022). Calorie restriction with or without time-restricted eating in weight loss. New England Journal of Medicine , 386 (16), 1495-1504.

Martin, F., & Bolliger, D. U. (2018). Engagement matters: Student perceptions on the importance of engagement strategies in the online learning environment. Online Learning , 22 (1), 205-222.

Munro, M. (2018). House price inflation in the news: a critical discourse analysis of newspaper coverage in the UK. Housing Studies , 33 (7), 1085-1105.

O’bannon, B. W., & Thomas, K. (2014). Teacher perceptions of using mobile phones in the classroom: Age matters!. Computers & Education , 74 , 15-25.

Olsen, M., Udo, C., Dahlberg, L., & Boström, A. M. (2022). Older Persons’ Views on Important Values in Swedish Home Care Service: A Semi-Structured Interview Study. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare , 15 , 967.

Ravn, I. M., Frederiksen, K., & Beedholm, K. (2016). The chronic responsibility: a critical discourse analysis of Danish chronic care policies. Qualitative Health Research , 26 (4), 545-554.

Sacks, F. M., Bray, G. A., Carey, V. J., Smith, S. R., Ryan, D. H., Anton, S. D., … & Williamson, D. A. (2009). Comparison of weight-loss diets with different compositions of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. New England Journal of Medicine , 360 (9), 859-873.

Saltmarsh, S., Chapman, A., Campbell, M., & Drew, C. (2015). Putting “structure within the space”: Spatially un/responsive pedagogic practices in open-plan learning environments. Educational Review , 67 (3), 315-327.

Samaras, G., Bonoti, F., & Christidou, V. (2012). Exploring children’s perceptions of scientists through drawings and interviews. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences , 46 , 1541-1546.

Sengul, K. (2019). Critical discourse analysis in political communication research: a case study of right-wing populist discourse in Australia. Communication Research and Practice , 5 (4), 376-392.

Smahel, D., Machackova, H., Mascheroni, G., Dedkova, L., Staksrud, E., Ólafsson, K., … & Hasebrink, U. (2020). EU Kids Online 2020: Survey results from 19 countries.

Stawarz, K., Preist, C., & Coyle, D. (2019). Use of smartphone apps, social media, and web-based resources to support mental health and well-being: online survey. JMIR mental health , 6 (7), e12546.Towns, M. H., Kreke, K., & Fields, A. (2000). An action research project: Student perspectives on small-group learning in chemistry. Journal of Chemical Education , 77 (1), 111.

Chris

  • Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 10 Reasons you’re Perpetually Single
  • Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 20 Montessori Toddler Bedrooms (Design Inspiration)
  • Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 21 Montessori Homeschool Setups
  • Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 101 Hidden Talents Examples

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Kathleen Morris Blog Primary Tech | Helping teachers create digitally literate global learners

  • Research Skills

How to Teach Online Research Skills to Students in 5 Steps (Free Posters)

5 simple steps to teaching Google search tips and internet research skills for students. These tips on how to research effectively are summarized in a free research skills poster and ebook for your classroom. | Kathleen Morris Primary Tech

Please note, this post was updated in 2020 and I no longer update this website.

How often does this scenario play out in your classroom?

You want your students to go online and do some research for some sort of project, essay, story or presentation. Time ticks away, students are busy searching and clicking, but are they finding the useful and accurate information they need for their project?

We’re very fortunate that many classrooms are now well equipped with devices and the internet, so accessing the wealth of information online should be easier than ever, however, there are many obstacles.

Students (and teachers) need to navigate:

  • What search terms to put into Google or other search engines
  • What search results to click on and read through (while avoiding inappropriate or irrelevant sites or advertisements)
  • How to determine what information is credible, relevant and student friendly 
  • How to process, synthesize, evaluate , and present the information
  • How to compare a range of sources to evaluate their reliability and relevancy
  • How to cite sources correctly

Phew! No wonder things often don’t turn out as expected when you tell your students to just “google” their topic. On top of these difficulties some students face other obstacles including: low literacy skills, limited internet access, language barriers, learning difficulties and disabilities.

All of the skills involved in online research can be said to come under the term of information literacy, which tends to fall under a broader umbrella term of digital literacy.

Being literate in this way is an essential life skill.

This post offers tips and suggestions on how to approach this big topic. You’ll learn a 5 step method to break down the research process into manageable chunks in the classroom. Scroll down to find a handy poster for your classroom too.

How to Teach Information Literacy and Online Research Skills

The topic of researching and filtering information can be broken down in so many ways but I believe the best approach involves:

  • Starting young and building on skills
  • Embedding explicit teaching and mini-lessons regularly (check out my 50 mini-lesson ideas here !)
  • Providing lots of opportunity for practice and feedback
  • Teachers seeking to improve their own skills — these free courses from Google might help
  • Working with your librarian if you have one

💡 While teaching research skills is something that should be worked on throughout the year, I also like the idea of starting the year off strongly with a “Research Day” which is something 7th grade teacher Dan Gallagher wrote about . Dan and his colleagues had their students spend a day rotating around different activities to learn more about researching online. Something to think about!

Google or a Kid-friendly Search Engine?

If you teach young students you might be wondering what the best starting place is.

I’ve only ever used Google with students but I know many teachers like to start with search engines designed for children. If you’ve tried these search engines, I’d love you to add your thoughts in a comment.

💡 If you’re not using a kid-friendly search engine, definitely make sure SafeSearch is activated on Google or Bing. It’s not foolproof but it helps.

Two search engines designed for children that look particularly useful include:

These sites are powered by Google SafeSearch with some extra filtering/moderating.

KidzSearch contains additional features like videos and image sections to browse. While not necessarily a bad thing, I prefer the simple interface of Kiddle for beginners.

Read more about child-friendly search engines

This article from Naked Security provides a helpful overview of using child-friendly search engines like Kiddle.

To summarise their findings, search-engines like Kiddle can be useful but are not perfect.

For younger children who need to be online but are far too young to be left to their own devices, and for parents and educators that want little ones to easily avoid age-inappropriate content, these search engines are quite a handy tool. For older children, however, the results in these search engines may be too restrictive to be useful, and will likely only frustrate children to use other means.

Remember, these sorts of tools are not a replacement for education and supervision.

Maybe start with no search engine?

Another possible starting point for researching with young students is avoiding a search engine altogether.

Students could head straight to a site they’ve used before (or choose from a small number of teacher suggested sites). There’s a lot to be learned just from finding, filtering, and using information found on various websites.

Five Steps to Teaching Students How to Research Online and Filter Information

This five-step model might be a useful starting point for your students to consider every time they embark on some research.

Let’s break down each step. You can find a summary poster at the end.

Students first need to take a moment to consider what information they’re actually looking for in their searches.

It can be a worthwhile exercise to add this extra step in between giving a student a task (or choice of tasks) and sending them off to research.

You could have a class discussion or small group conferences on brainstorming keywords , considering synonyms or alternative phrases , generating questions etc. Mindmapping might help too.

2016 research by Morrison showed that 80% of students rarely or never made a list of possible search words. This may be a fairly easy habit to start with.

Time spent defining the task can lead to a more effective and streamlined research process.

Set task, clarify, then start research

It sounds simple but students need to know that the quality of the search terms they put in the Google search box will determine the quality of their results.

There are a LOT of tips and tricks for Googling but I think it’s best to have students first master the basics of doing a proper Google search.

I recommend consolidating these basics:

  • Type in some simple search terms using only the important keywords
  • If the initial results aren’t what you want, alter the search terms and get more specific  (get clues from the initial search results e.g. you might see synonyms that would work or get ideas from the “People Also Ask” section)
  • Use quotation marks if you want your keywords in an exact order, e.g. “raining cats and dogs”
  • use your best guess with spelling (Google will often understand)
  • don’t worry about punctuation
  • understand that everyone’s results will be different , even if they use the same search terms (depending on browser history, location etc.)

📌 Get a free PDF of this poster here. 

How to Google: A Basic Guide for Students by Kathleen Morris (free poster)

Links to learn more about Google searches

There’s lots you can learn about Google searches.

I highly recommend you take a look at  20 Instant Google Searches your Students Need to Know by Eric Curts to learn about “instant searches”.

Med Kharbach has also shared a simple visual with 12 search tips which would be really handy once students master the basics too.

The Google Search Education website is an amazing resource with lessons for beginner/intermediate/advanced plus slideshows and videos. It’s also home to the  A Google A Day classroom challenges. The questions help older students learn about choosing keywords, deconstructing questions, and altering keywords.

primary school research paper ideas

Useful videos about Google searches

How search works.

This easy to understand video  from Code.org to explains more about how search works.

How Does Google Know Everything About Me?

You might like to share this video with older students that explains how Google knows what you’re typing or thinking. Despite this algorithm, Google can’t necessarily know what you’re looking for if you’re not clear with your search terms.

What about when the answer comes up in Google instantly?

If you’ve been using Google for a while, you know they are tweaking the search formula so that more and more, an answer will show up within the Google search result itself. You won’t even need to click through to any websites.

For example, here I’ve asked when the Titanic sunk. I don’t need to go to any websites to find out. The answer is right there in front of me.

Google search about the Titanic

While instant searches and featured snippets are great and mean you can “get an answer” without leaving Google, students often don’t have the background knowledge to know if a result is incorrect or not. So double checking is always a good idea.

As students get older, they’ll be able to know when they can trust an answer and when double checking is needed.

Type in a subject like cats and you’ll be presented with information about the animals, sports teams, the musical along with a lot of advertising. There are a lot of topics where some background knowledge helps. And that can only be developed with time and age.

Entering quality search terms is one thing but knowing what to click on is another.

You might like to encourage students to look beyond the first few results. Let students know that Google’s PageRank algorithm is complex (as per the video above), and many websites use Search Engine Optimisation to improve the visibility of their pages in search results. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the most useful or relevant sites for you.

As pointed out in this article by Scientific American ,

Skilled searchers know that the ranking of results from a search engine is not a statement about objective truth, but about the best matching of the search query, term frequency, and the connectedness of web pages. Whether or not those results answer the searchers’ questions is still up for them to determine.

Point out the anatomy of a Google search result and ensure students know what all the components mean. This could be as part of a whole class discussion, or students could create their own annotations.

Anatomy of a google search result

An important habit to get into is looking at the green URL and specifically the domain . Use some intuition to decide whether it seems reliable. Does the URL look like a well-known site? Is it a forum or opinion site? Is it an educational or government institution? Domains that include .gov or .edu might be more reliable sources.

When looking through possible results, you may want to teach students to open sites in new tabs, leaving their search results in a tab for easy access later (e.g. right-click on the title and click “Open link in new tab” or press Control/Command and click the link).

Searchers are often not skilled at identifying advertising within search results. A famous 2016 Stanford University study revealed that 82% of middle-schoolers couldn’t distinguish between an ad labelled “sponsored content” and a real news story.

Time spent identifying advertising within search results could help students become much more savvy searchers. Looking for the words “ad” and “sponsored” is a great place to start.

Teach students how to look for advertisements in Google search results

4) Evaluate

Once you click on a link and land on a site, how do you know if it offers the information you need?

Students need to know how to search for the specific information they’re after on a website. Teach students how to look for the search box on a webpage or use Control F (Command F on Mac) to bring up a search box that can scan the page.

Ensure students understand that you cannot believe everything you read . This might involve checking multiple sources. You might set up class guidelines that ask students to cross check their information on two or three different sites before assuming it’s accurate.

I’ve written a post all about teaching students how to evaluate websites . It includes this flowchart which you’re welcome to download and use in your classroom.

How to evaluate websites flowchart Kathleen Morris

So your students navigated the obstacles of searching and finding information on quality websites. They’ve found what they need! Hooray.

Many students will instinctively want to copy and paste the information they find for their own work.

We need to inform students about plagiarism  and copyright infringement while giving them the skills they need to avoid this.

  • Students need to know that plagiarism is taking someone’s work and presenting it as your own. You could have a class discussion about the ethics and legalities of this.
  • Students also need to be assured that they can use information from other sources and they should. They just need to say who wrote it, where it was from and so on.

All students can benefit from learning about plagiarism, copyright, how to write information in their own words, and how to acknowledge the source. However, the formality of this process will depend on your students’ age and your curriculum guidelines.

Give students lots of practice writing information in their own words. Younger students can benefit from simply putting stories or recounts in their own words. Older students could investigate the difference between paraphrasing and summarising .

There are some free online tools that summarise information for you. These aren’t perfect and aren’t a replacement from learning the skill but they could be handy for students to try out and evaluate. For example, students could try writing their own summary and then comparing it to a computer summary. I like the tool SMMRY as you can enter text or a URL of an article. Eric Curts shares a list of 7 summary tools in this blog post .

Students also need a lot of practice using quotation marks and citing sources .

The internet can offer a confusing web of information at times. Students need to be shown how to look for the primary source of information. For example, if they find information on Wikipedia, they need to cite from the bibliography at the bottom of the Wikipedia article, not Wikipedia itself.

There are many ways you can teach citation:

  • I like Kathy Schrock’s PDF document which demonstrates how you can progressively teach citation from grades 1 to 6 (and beyond). It gives some clear examples that you could adapt for your own classroom use.

Staying organised!

You might also like to set up a system for students to organise their information while they’re searching. There are many apps and online tools to curate, annotate, and bookmark information, however, you could just set up a simple system like a Google Doc or Spreadsheet.

Getting started with Wakelet Kathleen Morris -- free curation tool

The format and function is simple and clear. This means students don’t have to put much thought into using and designing their collections. Instead, they can focus on the important curation process.

Bring These Ideas to Life With Mini-Lessons!

We know how important it is for students to have solid research skills. But how can you fit teaching research skills into a jam-packed curriculum? The answer may be … mini-lessons !

Whether you teach primary or secondary students, I’ve compiled 50 ideas for mini-lessons.

Try one a day or one a week and by the end of the school year, you might just be amazed at how independent your students are becoming with researching.

Become an Internet Search Master with This Google Slides Presentation

In early 2019, I was contacted by Noah King who is a teacher in Northern California.

Noah was teaching his students about my 5 step process outlined in this post and put together a Google Slides Presentation with elaboration and examples.

You’re welcome to use and adapt the Google Slides Presentation yourself. Find out exactly how to do this in this post.

The Presentation was designed for students around 10-11 years old but I think it could easily be adapted for different age groups.

Recap: How To Do Online Research

Despite many students being confident users of technology, they need to be taught how to find information online that’s relevant, factual, student-friendly, and safe.

Keep these six steps in mind whenever you need to do some online research:

  • Clarify : What information are you looking for? Consider keywords, questions, synonyms, alternative phrases etc.
  • Search : What are the best words you can type into the search engine to get the highest quality results?
  • Delve : What search results should you click on and explore further?
  • Evaluate : Once you click on a link and land on a site, how do you know if it offers the information you need?
  • Cite : How can you write information in your own words (paraphrase or summarise), use direct quotes, and cite sources?
  • Staying organised : How can you keep the valuable information you find online organised as you go through the research process?

Don’t forget to ask for help!

Lastly, remember to get help when you need it. If you’re lucky enough to have a teacher-librarian at your school, use them! They’re a wonderful resource.

If not, consult with other staff members, librarians at your local library, or members of your professional learning network. There are lots of people out there who are willing and able to help with research. You just need to ask!

Being able to research effectively is an essential skill for everyone . It’s only becoming more important as our world becomes increasingly information-saturated. Therefore, it’s definitely worth investing some classroom time in this topic.

Developing research skills doesn’t necessarily require a large chunk of time either. Integration is key and remember to fit in your mini-lessons . Model your own searches explicitly and talk out loud as you look things up.

When you’re modelling your research, go to some weak or fake websites and ask students to justify whether they think the site would be useful and reliable. Eric Curts has an excellent article where he shares four fake sites to help teach students about website evaluation. This would be a great place to start!

Introduce students to librarians ; they are a wonderful resource and often underutilised. It pays for students to know how they can collaborate with librarians for personalised help.

Finally, consider investing a little time in brushing up on research skills yourself . Everyone thinks they can “google” but many don’t realise they could do it even better (myself included!).

You Might Also Enjoy

Teaching Digital Citizenship: 10 Internet Safety Tips for Students

Free Images, Copyright, And Creative Commons:  A Guide For Teachers And Students

8 Ways Teachers And Schools Can Communicate With Parents

How To Evaluate Websites: A Guide For Teachers And Students

5 simple steps to teaching Google search tips and internet research skills for students. This 2019 post and free eBook shows how to research effectively for kids in primary school, middle school and high school. These tips are summarized in a free research skills poster for your classroom.

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  • Knowledge Base

Methodology

  • Primary Research | Definition, Types, & Examples

Primary Research | Definition, Types, & Examples

Published on January 14, 2023 by Tegan George . Revised on January 12, 2024.

Primary research is a research method that relies on direct data collection , rather than relying on data that’s already been collected by someone else. In other words, primary research is any type of research that you undertake yourself, firsthand, while using data that has already been collected is called secondary research .

Primary research is often used in qualitative research , particularly in survey methodology, questionnaires, focus groups, and various types of interviews . While quantitative primary research does exist, it’s not as common.

Table of contents

When to use primary research, types of primary research, examples of primary research, advantages and disadvantages of primary research, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions.

Primary research is any research that you conduct yourself. It can be as simple as a 2-question survey, or as in-depth as a years-long longitudinal study . The only key is that data must be collected firsthand by you.

Primary research is often used to supplement or strengthen existing secondary research. It is usually exploratory in nature, concerned with examining a research question where no preexisting knowledge exists. It is also sometimes called original research for this reason.

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Primary research can take many forms, but the most common types are:

  • Surveys and questionnaires
  • Observational studies
  • Interviews and focus groups

Surveys and questionnaires collect information about a group of people by asking them questions and analyzing the results. They are a solid choice if your research topic seeks to investigate something about the characteristics, preferences, opinions, or beliefs of a group of people.

Surveys and questionnaires can take place online, in person, or through the mail. It is best to have a combination of open-ended and closed-ended questions, and how the questions are phrased matters. Be sure to avoid leading questions, and ask any related questions in groups, starting with the most basic ones first.

Observational studies are an easy and popular way to answer a research question based purely on what you, the researcher, observes. If there are practical or ethical concerns that prevent you from conducting a traditional experiment , observational studies are often a good stopgap.

There are three types of observational studies: cross-sectional studies , cohort studies, and case-control studies. If you decide to conduct observational research, you can choose the one that’s best for you. All three are quite straightforward and easy to design—just beware of confounding variables and observer bias creeping into your analysis.

Similarly to surveys and questionnaires, interviews and focus groups also rely on asking questions to collect information about a group of people. However, how this is done is slightly different. Instead of sending your questions out into the world, interviews and focus groups involve two or more people—one of whom is you, the interviewer, who asks the questions.

There are 3 main types of interviews:

  • Structured interviews ask predetermined questions in a predetermined order.
  • Unstructured interviews are more flexible and free-flowing, proceeding based on the interviewee’s previous answers.
  • Semi-structured interviews fall in between, asking a mix of predetermined questions and off-the-cuff questions.

While interviews are a rich source of information, they can also be deceptively challenging to do well. Be careful of interviewer bias creeping into your process. This is best mitigated by avoiding double-barreled questions and paying close attention to your tone and delivery while asking questions.

Alternatively, a focus group is a group interview, led by a moderator. Focus groups can provide more nuanced interactions than individual interviews, but their small sample size means that external validity is low.

Primary Research and Secondary Research

Primary research can often be quite simple to pursue yourself. Here are a few examples of different research methods you can use to explore different topics.

Primary research is a great choice for many research projects, but it has distinct advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of primary research

Advantages include:

  • The ability to conduct really tailored, thorough research, down to the “nitty-gritty” of your topic . You decide what you want to study or observe and how to go about doing that.
  • You maintain control over the quality of the data collected, and can ensure firsthand that it is objective, reliable , and valid .
  • The ensuing results are yours, for you to disseminate as you see fit. You maintain proprietary control over what you find out, allowing you to share your findings with like-minded individuals or those conducting related research that interests you for replication or discussion purposes.

Disadvantages of primary research

Disadvantages include:

  • In order to be done well, primary research can be very expensive and time consuming. If you are constrained in terms of time or funding, it can be very difficult to conduct your own high-quality primary research.
  • Primary research is often insufficient as a standalone research method, requiring secondary research to bolster it.
  • Primary research can be prone to various types of research bias . Bias can manifest on the part of the researcher as observer bias , Pygmalion effect , or demand characteristics . It can occur on the part of participants as a Hawthorne effect or social desirability bias .

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If you want to know more about statistics , methodology , or research bias , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

  • Chi square goodness of fit test
  • Degrees of freedom
  • Null hypothesis
  • Discourse analysis
  • Control groups
  • Mixed methods research
  • Non-probability sampling
  • Quantitative research
  • Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Research bias

  • Rosenthal effect
  • Implicit bias
  • Cognitive bias
  • Selection bias
  • Negativity bias
  • Status quo bias

The 3 main types of primary research are:

Exploratory research aims to explore the main aspects of an under-researched problem, while explanatory research aims to explain the causes and consequences of a well-defined problem.

There are several methods you can use to decrease the impact of confounding variables on your research: restriction, matching, statistical control and randomization.

In restriction , you restrict your sample by only including certain subjects that have the same values of potential confounding variables.

In matching , you match each of the subjects in your treatment group with a counterpart in the comparison group. The matched subjects have the same values on any potential confounding variables, and only differ in the independent variable .

In statistical control , you include potential confounders as variables in your regression .

In randomization , you randomly assign the treatment (or independent variable) in your study to a sufficiently large number of subjects, which allows you to control for all potential confounding variables.

A questionnaire is a data collection tool or instrument, while a survey is an overarching research method that involves collecting and analyzing data from people using questionnaires.

When conducting research, collecting original data has significant advantages:

  • You can tailor data collection to your specific research aims (e.g. understanding the needs of your consumers or user testing your website)
  • You can control and standardize the process for high reliability and validity (e.g. choosing appropriate measurements and sampling methods )

However, there are also some drawbacks: data collection can be time-consuming, labor-intensive and expensive. In some cases, it’s more efficient to use secondary data that has already been collected by someone else, but the data might be less reliable.

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Feasibility testing of the health4life weight loss intervention for primary school educators living with overweight/obesity employed at public schools in low-income settings in cape town and south africa: a mixed methods study  †.

primary school research paper ideas

1. Introduction

2. materials and methods, 3.1. sub-study 1, 3.1.1. reach of the intervention, 3.1.2. baseline profile of completers for the intervention and control groups, 3.1.3. change from baseline to 16-week follow-up in secondary outcome variables.

Indicator Baseline16-Week Follow-UpFollow-Up—Baseline
ControlInterventionControlInterventionControlIntervention
AnthropometryMedian (IQR)
n = 43
Median (IQR)
n = 42
Median (IQR)
n = 43
Median (IQR)
n = 42
Median (IQR)
n = 43
Median (IQR)
n = 42
Height (m)1.64 (1.48–1.95)1.60 (1.43–1.74)
Weight (kg)86.8 (72.5–148.7)93.8 (64.7–146.4)87.5 (72.6–147.0)93.5 (64.0–145.4)−0.50 (−13.35–6.00)
p = 0.299
−0.51 (−3.82–3.78)
p = 0.093
BMI kg/m 32.2 (27.1–54.3)34.9 (27.6–54.1)32.4 (26.9–54.6)34.9 (27.6–54.3)−0.19 (−4.50–2.63)
p = 0.320
−0.21 (−1.70–1.49)
p = 0.086
MET minutes ≥600/week16 (48.5)11 (30.6)15 (45.5)13 (36.1)

= 33

= 36

= 33

= 36

= 33

= 36
Total MET min/week300.0 (0.0–11,280.0)0.0 (0.0–8400)240.0 (0.0–19,200.0)340.0 (0.0–18,840.0)0.0 (−8400.0–8400.0)0.0 (−8400.0–18,840.0)
Moderate recreational MET min/week0.0 (0.0–1920.0) 0.0 (0.0–1440.0) 0.0 (−600.0–840.0)
= 0.003
Sedentary time min/day240.0 (60.0–900.0)180.0 (20.0–840.0) 0.0 (−540.0–330.0)0.0 (−360.0–360.0)
= 0.043

= 43

= 42

= 43

= 42

= 43

= 42
Low fat food items/day
< 0.01

= 0.002
Sugary food items/day1.7 (0.0–4.9) 1.5 (0.0–4.0) −0.2 (−3.0–2.6)
= 0.010
Vegetable items/day
= 0.043

= 0.002
Fat added to food/day1.0 (0.0–4.0) 0.7 (0.0–4.7) −0.2 (−2.8–3.4)
= 0.011
Sugar added to food/day1.0 (0.0–4.2) 0.4 (0.0–8.0) −0.2 (−4.2–6.0)
< 0.01

3.2. Sub-Study 2

3.2.1. wellness day, 3.2.2. weight loss intervention in the school setting, 3.2.3. barriers, 3.2.4. facilitators, 3.2.5. health goals of educators, 3.2.6. principals’ perceptions on educator wellness, 3.2.7. educators’ critique of manual and text messages, 3.2.8. frequency of contact, 3.2.9. delivery of online intervention, 3.3. summary of feasibility outcome measures, 4. discussion, 5. conclusions and recommendations, supplementary materials, author contributions, institutional review board statement, informed consent statement, data availability statement, acknowledgments, conflicts of interest.

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Click here to enlarge figure

Feasibility ElementsDefinition for the Present Study
Reach (primary outcome)Number of educators who (1) attended the wellness day, (2) were living with overweight or obesity and opted to participate in the intervention, and (3) completed the intervention.
Acceptability (primary outcome)Degree to which educators and principals were happy with (1) a weight loss intervention within the school setting, (2) the wellness day at the school, (3) the content of the Health4LIFE intervention manual and text messages, (4) the mode of delivery and (5) the frequency of contact.
Applicability (primary outcome)Degree to which the Health4LIFE intervention can be implemented within a school setting
Implementation integrity (primary outcome)Was the intervention implemented as planned
Signal of effect (secondary outcome)Potential impact of the intervention on target outcomes. Of note is that feasibility studies are not powered to test these outcomes [ ].
Beliefs Regarding Fruit and Vegetable Intake (6 Beliefs)
Intervention Group
1 *Physical activity: Behaviours and facilitators
** Healthy lifestyle: Health benefits
1 *** Healthy lifestyle: Behaviours and facilitators
2Healthy food choices: Behaviour and facilitator2** Healthy lifestyle: Health benefits
3Healthy food choices: Barriers3** Healthy lifestyle: Barriers
1 *Healthy food choices: Health benefits and behaviours1 *Healthy food choices: Health benefits
2** Healthy lifestyle: Behaviours and facilitators2Physical activity: Health benefit, behaviours and facilitators
3** Healthy lifestyle: Behaviour and facilitator3Healthy food choices: Behaviours and facilitators
Wellness Day

(Educator 6) .” (Educator 3)

” (Principal 2)

.” (Educator 4) .” (Educator 1)
.” (Principal 2) .” (Principal 3)

.” (Educator 1) .” (Educator 2)

.” (Principal 1) ” (Principal 4)

” (Educator 3) .” (Educator 3) ” (Educator 1) .” (Educator 5) ” (Educator 3)
” (Principal 3) .” (Principal 3)
(after the wellness day)
” (Educator 2) .” (Educator 6)
.” (Principal 2) .” (Principal 2)

” (Educator 3) ”. (Educator 5)

” (Educator 1) .” (Educator 2)

.” (Principal 4)

” (Educator 1) .” (Educator 2)
Feasibility Outcome MeasuresIndicatorsFindings
Reach (quantitative and qualitative data)
(Primary outcome)
Recruitment statistics Two cycles of a random selection of 24 schools per cycle were needed to achieve the target of 20 participating schools because of the reluctance of principals to consent to the research.
Principals’ opinions * Principals mentioned the following potential barriers to participation: interruption of teaching time; prior commitments of educators which cannot be rescheduled; an already full school programme and the need to apply to the DoBE for deviations from the normal school day.
Attendance of wellness day and recruitment statistics The wellness day worked well to recruit the target number required for the purpose of this study.
Gender representation Only 20% of educators recruited into the study were male, but this is in line with the percentage of male educators employed across the schools.
Retention statistics The workplace-based intervention worked well to retain educators with a 38% total drop-out rate.
Three schools did not allow for a follow-up visit as it was not convenient for them, and this accounted for 59% of the drop-out rate.
Schools that allowed baseline and follow-up visits had good retention rates of 80%.
Comparison of study completers with study drop-outs African black educators were more likely to drop out.
Educators who had attempted weight loss before were more likely to drop out (intervention group).
Acceptability (qualitative data)
(Primary outcome)
Educator ** and principal * critique of a wellness day to recruit educators into the intervention Principals and educators perceived the wellness day to be an acceptable strategy to recruit volunteers and create awareness of the intervention.
Educator ** and principal * critique of a weight loss intervention within a school setting Principals and educators perceived the school setting to be acceptable for implementation of a weight loss intervention for educators.
Educator ** health goals (primary outcome)Educators mentioned that a healthy lifestyle and weight loss was still a goal for them.
Principal * critique of a weight loss intervention Principals were accepting of implementing a weight loss intervention for educators, acknowledged the importance of educator wellness and mentioned that it was their perception that educators were also positive about the possibility of implementing a weight loss intervention in the school setting.
Educator ** critique of the intervention content Educators perceived the information provided in the manual and text messages to be acceptable. Recommendations to improve the manual included considering providing it in other languages, improving the structure of the manual and adding more information to the eating plan and physical activity sections. Educators also indicated they would like to select their preferred time to receive text messages.
Educator ** critique of mode of intervention delivery Educators perceived the intervention delivery (wellness day, hard copy manual to facilitate dietary pattern and physical activity for health and weight loss and text messages) to be acceptable.
Educator ** and principal * critique of frequency of contact during the intervention period Educators and principals felt that only one point of in-person contact during the 16-week intervention period was not acceptable.
Applicability (qualitative data)
(Primary outcome)
Principal * critique of the implementation of the intervention within their school Principals perceived that the implementation of a weight loss intervention within a school setting that has a full academic calendar could be challenging.
Principals mentioned that support from the DoBE and flexibility when researchers arrange visits would facilitate implementing the intervention.
Educator ** critique of the implementation of the intervention Educators mentioned that an intervention could be perceived as another task for them to add to their already full schedules.
Educator ** and principal * critique of frequency of contact during the intervention period (primary outcome)Educators and principals mentioned that despite the challenges associated with an intervention within the school setting, they would prefer frequent health visits, even during the fourth school term.
Implementation integrity (quantitative and qualitative data)
(Primary outcome)
Recruitment statistics at the wellness day Eligible educators were identified at the wellness days, and 40.1% of those who attended agreed to participate in the intervention.
Educator ** critique of engagement with intervention manual and text messages Educators mentioned that they engaged with the manual and the text messages. Completing the self-monitoring activities was reported to be a challenge.
Lost to follow-up (drop-out) statistics The 16-week follow-up visit was not possible at three schools as a suitable time could not be arranged, resulting in 31 educators lost to follow-up.
Measures implemented to ensure text messages were sent as intendedA service provider was sourced to send out the text messages over the 16 weeks. The PhD candidate was included on the recipient list to ensure that messages were received as intended.
Signal of effect (quantitative data)
(Secondary outcome)
Changes in secondary outcomes (weight, diet, physical activity, beliefs, readiness to change,)A trend towards weight loss within the intervention-, but not in the control group, was evident.
Significant positive lifestyle changes within the intervention-, but not in the control group (decreased intake of sugary food items, decreased frequency of adding fat and sugar to food, increased physical activity and decreased sedentary time).
Shifts in belief patterns regarding healthy lifestyle behaviours and facilitators that reflect the intervention content, but not in the control group.
Significant positive changes in readiness to change within the intervention- but not control group for the behaviours “increase fruit intake” and “decrease sugar intake” (movement to attempting change currently or attempting to maintain change from contemplation of change).
The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.

Share and Cite

Hoosen, F.; Faber, M.; Nel, J.H.; Steyn, N.P.; Senekal, M. Feasibility Testing of the Health4LIFE Weight Loss Intervention for Primary School Educators Living with Overweight/Obesity Employed at Public Schools in Low-Income Settings in Cape Town and South Africa: A Mixed Methods Study. Nutrients 2024 , 16 , 3062. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16183062

Hoosen F, Faber M, Nel JH, Steyn NP, Senekal M. Feasibility Testing of the Health4LIFE Weight Loss Intervention for Primary School Educators Living with Overweight/Obesity Employed at Public Schools in Low-Income Settings in Cape Town and South Africa: A Mixed Methods Study. Nutrients . 2024; 16(18):3062. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16183062

Hoosen, Fatima, Mieke Faber, Johanna H. Nel, Nelia P. Steyn, and Marjanne Senekal. 2024. "Feasibility Testing of the Health4LIFE Weight Loss Intervention for Primary School Educators Living with Overweight/Obesity Employed at Public Schools in Low-Income Settings in Cape Town and South Africa: A Mixed Methods Study" Nutrients 16, no. 18: 3062. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16183062

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    100 Thought-Provoking Argumentative Writing Prompts for Kids and Teens. Practice making well-reasoned arguments using research and facts. Writing a strong argumentative essay teaches students to make a case for their own point of view without relying on emotion or passion. These argumentative essay topics provide options for kids of all ages ...

  15. Primary School Education Research Paper

    Feel free to contact our research paper writing service for professional assistance. We offer high-quality assignments for reasonable rates. 1. Introduction. The primary grades are the first few grades of elementary school, in which students aged approximately 5-8 are socialized into the student role and taught basic tool skills.

  16. 130 Interesting Persuasive Essay Topics for Kids and Teens

    130 Interesting Persuasive Essay Topics for Kids and Teens. Use your words to sway the reader. By Jill Staake, B.S., Secondary ELA Education. Sep 26, 2023. Persuasive writing is one of those skills that can help students succeed in real life. Learn the basics of this valuable skill, then use our big roundup of persuasive essay topics for practice.

  17. 27 Real Primary Research Examples (2024)

    Primary Research Examples. 1. Interviews. Interviews involve approaching relevant people and asking them questions to gather their thoughts and opinions on a topic. This can take the form of structured, semi-strutured, and unstructured interviews. Structured interviews generally do not involve back-and-forth discussion between the researcher ...

  18. 10 Good Research Topics for Kids

    Ancient Civilizations. Last but certainly not least is Ancient Civilizations! This is a really good research topic for kids because there are so many ancient civilizations to choose from. Some examples of ancient civilizations are the Greeks, Incas, Aztecs, Egyptians, Maya, Persian, Roman, and Chinese.

  19. How to Teach Online Research Skills to Students

    5 simple steps to teaching Google search tips and internet research skills for students. This updated 2020 post and free eBook shows how to research effectively online for kids in primary school, middle school and high school. These tips are summarized in a free online research skills poster for your classroom.

  20. Elementary School Science Projects (699 results)

    Our elementary school projects are written and tested by scientists and are specifically created for use by students in the elementary school grades. Students can choose to follow the science experiment as written or put their own spin on the project. For a personalized list of science projects, elementary schoolers can use the Science Buddies ...

  21. Small-Scale Research in Primary Schools: A Reader for Learning and

    Small-scale Research in Primary Schools provides guidance and inspiration for students and practitioners undertaking practical investigations and workplace enquiry in the primary school.

  22. Primary Research

    Primary Research | Definition, Types, & Examples. Published on January 14, 2023 by Tegan George.Revised on January 12, 2024. Primary research is a research method that relies on direct data collection, rather than relying on data that's already been collected by someone else.In other words, primary research is any type of research that you undertake yourself, firsthand, while using data that ...

  23. Feasibility Testing of the Health4LIFE Weight Loss Intervention for

    Given the high prevalence of overweight and obesity amongst educators, this study investigated the feasibility of the 16-week Health4LIFE weight loss intervention for primary school educators living with overweight/obesity in low-income settings in Cape Town, South Africa. The research comprised two sub-studies, a pilot randomised controlled trial testing the intervention (10 intervention, n ...