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In a competitive college admissions landscape, research accomplishments can help make you stand out, both academically and in terms of extracurriculars. But to achieve these goals, you need to start with a unique and engaging research topic. In this blog post we explain the importance of high school research projects for college admissions, share expert tips for finding your own compelling research topics, and offer you lots of examples of great research topics in different subject areas.
Academic knowledge is driven by inquiry, and virtually all inquiry prompts us to engage in research that advances learning or solves problems. Not only will you need research skills to excel in college, but engaging in high-quality research projects while you’re still in high school can do a lot more than just get you a better grade.
For example, engaging in original research that aligns with your personal passions is a great way to spotlight you curiosity and motivation. And, if you tailor your research project to dovetail with other scholars’ interests, or with a compelling practical application or area of public interest, you’re already spotlighting for admissions officers your ability to apply learning to real life problem solving and public service.
Finally, because a sophisticated research project hones core academic skills, boosts subject-matter learning dramatically, and showcases your academic drive and motivation, an extracurricular research project can go a long way in elevating your college admissions profile!
To get the most of a research project, it’s crucial to start with a unique and compelling research topic.
With a research topic that’s relevant and engaging, you’ll get more for the time and effort you’ll be investing in your research project.
Here’s just some of the benefits you can get from a well-designed research project with an interesting and relevant research topic:
With research projects offering so many benefits for high school students, it’s crucial to remember that all winning research starts with a winning research topic!
So let’s get started!
Researching something you’re passionate about that’s original, relevant, and compelling is key to turning your research effort into something that really helps you grow and stand out academically.
But, if you aren’t going to settle for an overly cliche or general research topic, how do you find one that’s truly engaging and also right for your interests?
Using a thorough and tested multi-step process is probably the best way to chart your own path to a unique and engaging research topic.
TIP: If you’re exploring topics for a PERSONAL ESSAY for college applications, be sure to check out Crimson Education’s Free Topic & Idea Generator.
Or, do you want to learn more about research-focused extracurriculars for high schoolers, with added guidance and learning in the form research mentorships, internship placements, proposal writing competitions, or summer research intensives? If so, reach out to a Crimson Education Advisor for more information.
TIP: Many professionals find it gratifying to talk about their work with an interested young scholar, so don’t be afraid to ask someone in the field for input — it’s a great way to get an expert perspective can really transform a good research topic into a great one.
We’ve covered a lot of ground already, but maybe you’re still wondering, okay, what does a good research topic look like?
As you review the examples below, you can evaluate them on your own by asking yourself:
Another great way to pick a research topic is to explore interdisciplinary areas of research. In fact, many engaging research topics are going to naturally encompass different disciplines.
Here are some examples of topics that bridge two or more disciplines:
You should always consider if there are ways to shape your research topic to make your research project more relevant and consequential.
As an illustration, look at the two pairs of research topics below.
Compare the topics in each pair. Does A) or B) have more relevance or urgency in your opinion? Why?
A) What are the personal benefits of participating in team sports?
B) How can we use access to team sports programs in high schools to address today’s teen mental health crisis?
A) How can we use insights from linguistics to promote nonviolence and conflict resolution?
B) How can we use insights from linguistics to reduce extreme political polarization?
If your research topic address a clear “need,” “challenge” or “problem,” your audience is likely to find the topic more engaging and relevant.
If you’re not sure if you have a good topic, use the simple rubric below and see how your topic stacks up.
Compelling interest and social relevance. Does your research topic set you up to shed light on an important academic or scientific question? Does it illuminate a controversial and consequential social issue? Will it help solve a consequential problem? If so, you have a topic that will help you stay motivated and be more engaging for your audience.
Personally fulfilling. Whatever research topic you choose, it needs to be a research topic that relates to your own learning interests and passions, otherwise it’s hard to imagine that you’ll get the results you hoped for.
Important academic considerations. A good essay topic will offer valuable benefits for your academic growth and college journey: enhancing and accelerating your learning in one or more disciplines you enjoy studying and boosting your overall academic profile.
Once you’ve selected a research topic, you’ll obviously need to gather information from various sources and synthesize it into a coherent set of claims, findings, or arguments.
Here's a list of basic research tools and resources that you might find useful:
Libraries, especially academic libraries, are the researcher’s paradise.
If there’s a drawback to libraries, it’s not a lack of resources, but the challenge of finding your way to what’s most useful and relevant!
Fortunately, most libraries come with librarians who are trained to help researchers find the right resources, so don’t be afraid to ask for help!
Books: Useful for in-depth information, background information, historical context.
TIP: Don’t worry about how “long” a book is — use the table of contents and indexes to navigate to the information you need.
Academic Journals: Get scholarly articles useful for gathering more specialized and more up-to-date information about your topic.
Magazines and Newspapers: Good resources for getting interesting quotes from experts in a current events context or for exploring diverse public perspectives and viewpoints.
Online Platforms and Databases: Although some of these, such as Google Scholar are free and easy to access from any computer and internet browser, it’s often easier to get free access to many others with the help of a school or public library acting as an intermediary. Also, there are so many digital resources and databases, that we recommend getting assistance in this area from a trained librarian.
Reference Librarians: Last but not at all least, take advantage of librarians! They are not a direct research source of course, but may help you navigate quickly to the most useful research resources for your particular topic.
TIP: In many larger libraries, the librarians specially trained to help patrons with research are commonly referred to as reference librarians.
Most young scholars today are already well acquainted with internet searches and search engines, with Google and Bing among the most popular.
Here’s a few tips for upping your internet search prowess:
There are a number of .edu websites operated by reputable sources that provide access to a range of educational content for students at different grade levels. Here are just a few examples:
There are also lots of government (.gov ) websites offering useful information for researchers. An upside of .gov websites is they are among the most objective and reliable sources of information, appropriate for academic research. Examples in the US include:
Websites operated by large, well-established, and highly reputable organizations are also typically good sources of information for researchers.
Examples could be highly reputable news organizations, such as US News and World Report, The BBC, Time Magazine, or The New York Times. Most of these news outlets also have searchable online resources.
Alternately, large international organizations, such as the United Nations or the World Health Organization, or the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation can also be reliable sources of information.
Easy to overlook as research resources are any number of educational videos, podcasts, and documentary films.
YouTube educational channels such as CrashCourse and TED-Ed are two examples.
Likewise, ordinary streaming services may also list informative, high-quality documentaries.
In this post, we've explored a wide array of strategies and considerations for choosing a compelling research topic. From brainstorming and exploratory research to defining and refining your topic with guidance from mentors and professionals, the journey to selecting the right topic is as important as the research itself!
The Power of a Good Topic: Remember, an intriguing and relevant topic will not only captivate your audience but keep you motivated to the finish line.
Aligning with Your Interests: Does your topic resonate with your personal learning interests and goals? This alignment is crucial for achieving fulfilling and meaningful outcomes.
Practical Considerations: Consider how your chosen topic can enhance your understanding and passion in your field of study, especially in the context of your future academic and career goals.
Finally, don't underestimate the value of the resources and tools available for research exploration.
From online search to electronic databases and journals, to librarians themselves, these tools are pivotal in helping you refine your research interests and embark on a successful research project.
Interested in exploring more options for pre-college research experiences? Want information about more advanced research mentorships, competitions, internships, or initiatives? Connecting with a Crimson Education Advisor is the best way to find opportunities like these, both online and around the world, based on your individual interests and preferences.
These opportunities can take you well beyond ordinary classroom research assignments, connecting you with like-minded peers for group projects, with schools hosting summer research intensives or fun and prestigious research competitions, or with university mentors…
We’ve helped thousands of students just like you elevate their extracurriculars with opportunities like these! Contact a friendly Crimson Education Advisor today and find out what you can do…
Finally, stay tuned for future blogs that explore extracurriculars, interesting future careers, diverse majors, and insights for boosting your university admissions strategy!
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