Paper topic list

Not sure about your topic? Peruse this list of good ideas, then choose one that meets the following guidelines:

• Has complexity. Either multiple sides to cover fairly, or at least multiple options to compare.
• You can find academic sources on the topic.
• Clear and manageable focus - narrow enough to allow you to go into some depth.
• Be sure to ask a question that will guide your research.

how we teach & learn

origin of the earth

how technology changed theater

how does religion affect happiness

how has the constitution evolved

how do ipods affect child development

teen pregnancy

birthing methods

effects of smoking

eating disorders

coaching methods/psychology: positive reinforcement

motivation

warm up or stretch first

how children learn

human growth hormone

e-sports

business of video games

3d technology

religion: mormon fundamentalism

teaching math effectively

mysterious new years animal die offs

fitness - calorie counting

bigfoot - ratifying evidence

nanotubes

college habits started in elementary school

hollywood vs real police tactics

herbal vs other types of tea

books vs ebooks

cancer prevention

texting and driving

prayer in public schools

juvenile discipline

electronic cigarettes addiciton

prescription drug prices

housing markets/bailout

credit card fraud

tuition costs

abortion

poverty

environment

rights of man: just life and liberty?

rome: from republic to empire

tea parties

free market

net neutrality

alternative/eastern medicine

quality of life

softball

what is biotechnology

superstition

bob marley

charter vs public schools

nursing homes vs home health care

fast food and obesity

pc slang: 'retard'

universal health care

causes of ms

illegal immigration

minimum wage

global warming

methane

legalize marijuana

snowboarders not allowed at some resorts

steroids

immunizations & autism

treatment of those with criminal record

social media impact on families

media and desensitization of youth

787 vs a380

t-notes why and how

world resource limitations

addiction

athleticism: men vs. women

breast cancer prevention

teacher tenure vs. athlete tenure

bridge over utah lake

environmental careers

recycling nuclear waste

land use/planning

logging

environmental justice

animation

weather science

catastrophies

disney/pixar

grading differences between teachers

space exploration

parental strategies: food as reward?

US economy

drugs and the brain

secondary ed in utah

title ix

bcs 

does college prepare grads for real world

formative causes of violent crime

financial pitfalls for youth

aviation safety/technology

need for space exploration

gun safety & regulation - does limitation create safety

wilderness survival

stem cell research

america's food systems - regulation

harry potter vs twilight (see vampiresvampires.com)

teen pregnancy

electric cars

nuclear power

taxation of electricity as auto fuel

trucks as personal transportation

trucks improved safety designs

treatment of special needs kids

underage drinking

cyber bullying

college grading

food stamps

obama admin: where do we go from here

chinese influence on us economy

new healthcare laws

flattening of the world

specialized/accelerated education

world harmony re: religious tolerance

challenge the way you think

drugs/antidepressants in utah

racism & education

drug addiction rehab through endorphins

How to tell if an article is academic

1. May have a really long title
2. Multiple authors
3. Credentialed authors
4. "Boring" format - no flashy color and graphics 
5. Has an abstract
6. Formal style
7. Published in professional journal
8. Longer than a few pages (make sure yours is at least 5 pages)
9. Little if any detectable bias
10. Uses other academic articles as sources

MLA & APA format for Research History paper

Both formats:

• Double spaced
• Times New Roman 12 point font
• 1" margins
• Header at .5"

MLA: 

• Header: last name, page number, flush right. Only page number on first page.
• Title block: your name, my name, English 2020, date
• Paper title centered

Example:

Janie Doe

Shaun Roundy

English 2020

January 5, 2011

The Origins of Pig Latin: Nonsensical Fun or Political Subterfuge?

Paper starts here.

APA: 

• First-page header:
  Running head: MY PAPER TITLE                        1
• Other-pages header:
  MY PAPER TITLE                                               2
• Cover page, in upper half, centered: paper title (up to 2 lines), your name, Utah Valley University

Example: 

Running head: ORIGINS OF PIG LATIN                                             1

The Origins of Pig Latin: Nonsensical Fun or Political Subterfuge?

Janie Doe

Utah Valley University

Paper starts on next page.

How to make a great topic for 2020

Keep in mind that your final paper should show complexity, as in showing opposing viewpoints and treating all sides fairly. Show the ups and downs of whatever options you discuss. That's how you can stay away from the "report" which (in my personal definition) can be information that only has one answer.
Examples:
"How does electricity work?" - um, it's pretty well accepted so unless there's a viable new theory, avoid or modify this research question.
"How does nuclear power compare to coal power?" - better, but it's pretty common knowledge by now, so this paper wouldn't contribute much new knowledge.
"How do nuclear and other power sources compare economically?" - much better. You're making it more complex now with additional sides to compare, and by getting more specific (economical aspect), you can probably get into more depth, and that has some complexity, too - upfront costs, operational costs, and future costs.
"What are the newest energy-producing technologies?" - potentially great. I know a guy with a machine that creates more electricity than it uses. There's fascinating stuff out there. Or maybe you could mention advances in solar technology that makes it more affordable and tell how that changes the playing field. On the other hand, this could also result in a list of energy sources and not get into any interesting depth.

I hope that helps! We'll keep working on this as we go along.

Week 1: topics list/paragraph/question

For Friday/Tuesday (depending on which section you're in), bring:
A. 5 topics to pick from to research this semester (get a step ahead by writing these topics as questions).
B. 1 paragraph explaining the basic idea of your favorite of the 5 topic choices.
C. 1 research question stating what you'd like to learn in your research.

Example:
1. Is dark chocolate really that good for you?
2. Which wild plants are edible in Utah?
3. Does energy medicine really work?
4. What really makes people happy?
5. Which alternate source of energy is most promising?

Paragraph on #3: people spend a lot of money on "alternate" therapies like acupuncture, massage, reiki, and other modalities. Do they work? Do they work on some things and not others, or in some instances and not others? Many of these come from Eastern medicine which has been practiced for thousands of years, so there must be something to it, but has it been tested? Has it been proven?

Research Question: Does energy medicine work? If so, how?

Note that topic idea #2 would result in a list of plants. This is more like a report where answers can be gathered from a single source rather than an exploration where some new knowledge will be created by your paper. Also there's pretty much only one side to this question. Either something is edible or it's not. It's hard to show complexity in this issue. If you really want to write about edible plants in Utah, try widening the scope to ask something like which wild plants can be used for medicinal purposes, do they have any down sides, and such.