Find Great Topics to Elevate Your High School Research

In this blog post, we explain the importance of high school research projects for college admissions.

Multi-Step Process

A multi-step process is probably the best way to chart your own path to a unique and engaging research topic.

Personal Essay Tips

If you’re exploring topics for a personal essay for college applications, be sure to check out Crimson Education’s Free Topic & Idea Generator.

Research-Focused Extracurriculars

Do you want to learn more about research-focused extracurriculars for high schoolers, with added guidance and learning in the form of research mentorships, internship placements, proposal writing competitions, or summer research intensives? If so, reach out to a Crimson Education Advisor for more information.

Expert Perspective

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 that can really transform a good research topic into a great one.

Interdisciplinary Research

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.

Relevance and Consequence

You should always consider if there are ways to shape your research topic to make your research project more relevant and consequential.

Research Topic Examples

As an illustration, look at the two pairs of research topics below.

Personal Benefits vs. Social Impact

Compare the topics in each pair. Does A) or B) have more relevance or urgency in your opinion? Why?

Librarian Assistance

As you review the examples below, you can evaluate them on your own by asking yourself:

Research Resources

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:

Government Websites

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:

Highly Reputable News Organizations

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.

International Organizations

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.

YouTube Educational Channels

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.

Research Topic Selection

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 research topic align with your interests? If so, it will be more engaging and meaningful.