research topics in 2023

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Top scientific breakthroughs and emerging trends for 2023

CAS Science Team

January 31, 2023

*Updated in January 2024*: 

While the article below was created at the end of 2022, it still has critical insight and emerging trends for the future of scientific R&D.  For the latest trends and breakthroughs, the scientists and experts at CAS recently published a new review on the landscape of scientific trends to watch in 2024: from AI, to emerging materials, our on-going battle against the undruggable proteins, sustainability trends, and more. Additionally, CAS teamed up with experts from  Lawrence Livermore National Lab ,  Oak Ridge National Lab , and  The Ohio State University , to reveal the top trends to watch in the year ahead.  If you weren't able to join us for the webinar, see the recording here  for the expert's take on the year ahead.  

As published in 2022:

The pace of innovation never slows, and the impact of these scientific breakthroughs will redefine the way we live, work, and connect with the world around us. From space exploration at the largest scale to diagnostics at the single-cell level, these breakthroughs will inspire innovators to push the boundaries of what is possible. 

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A new era of space exploration

Need to be reminded of how incredibly vast our universe is? The first ever photos from the James Webb Space Telescope are awe-inspiring. While this is the most technically advanced and powerful telescope ever created, the learnings about our universe will lead to future missions and exploration for generations ahead. Recently, the newest mission to the moon was launched as NASA’s Artemis Program which will pave the way for a future mission to Mars. This new era of space exploration will drive technological advancements in fields beyond astronautics and stimulate progress in real-world applications like materials, food science , agriculture, and even cosmetics.

A milestone in AI predictions

For decades, the scientific community has chased a greater understanding of relationships between protein functions and 3D structures. In July 2022, Deep Mind revealed that the folded 3D structure of a protein molecule can be predicted from its linear amino-acid sequence using AlphaFold2 , RoseTTAFold , and trRosettaX-Single algorithms. The algorithms’ predictions reduced the number of human proteins with unknown structural data from 4,800 to just 29. While there will always be challenges with AI, the ability to predict protein structures has implications across all life sciences. Key challenges in the future include modeling proteins with intrinsic disordered properties and those that change structures by post-translational modifications or to environmental conditions. Beyond protein modeling, AI advancements continue to reshape workflows and expand discovery capabilities across many industries and disciplines .

Developing trends in synthetic biology

Synthetic biology has the potential to redefine synthetic pathways by using engineered biological systems (i.e., microorganisms, for which a large part of the genome or the entire genome has been designed or engineered) to manufacture a range of biomolecules and materials, such as therapeutics, flavors, fabrics, food, and fuels. For example, insulin could be produced without pig pancreas, leather without cows, and spider silk without spiders. The potential in life sciences alone is unbelievable, but when applied to manufacturing industries, synthetic biology could minimize future supply chain challenges, increase efficiency, and create new opportunities for biopolymers or alternative materials with more sustainable approaches. Today, teams use AI-based metabolic modeling, CRISPR tools, and synthetic genetic circuits to control metabolism, manipulate gene expression, and build pathways for bioproduction. As this discipline begins to cross over into multiple industries, the latest developments and emerging trends for metabolic control and engineering challenges are showcased in a 2022 Journal of Biotechnology article .

Single-cell metabolomics set to soar

While much progress has been made in genetic sequencing and mapping, genomics only tells us what a cell is capable of. To have a better understanding of cellular functions, proteomic and metabolomic approaches offer different angles for revealing molecular profiles and cellular pathways. Single-cell metabolomics gives a snapshot of the cellular metabolism within a biological system. The challenge is that metabolomes change rapidly, and sample preparation is critical to understand cell function. Collectively, a series of recent advancements in single-cell metabolomics (from open-sourced techniques, advanced AI algorithms, sample preparations, and new forms of mass spectrometry) demonstrates the ability to run detailed mass spectral analyses. This allows researchers to determine the metabolite population on a cell-by-cell basis, which would unlock enormous potential for diagnostics. In the future, this could lead to the ability to detect even a single cancerous cell in an organism. Combined with new biomarker detection methods , wearable medical devices and AI- assisted data analysis, this array of technologies will improve diagnosis and lives.

New catalysts enable greener fertilizer production

Every year, billions of people depend on fertilizers for the ongoing production of food, and reducing the carbon footprint and expenses in fertilizer production would reshape the impact agriculture has on emissions. The Haber-Bosch process for fertilizer production converts nitrogen and hydrogen to ammonia. To reduce energy requirements, researchers from Tokyo Tech have developed a noble-metal-free nitride catalyst containing a catalytically active transition metal (Ni) on a lanthanum nitride support that is stable in the presence of moisture. Since the catalyst doesn't contain ruthenium, it presents an inexpensive option for reducing the carbon footprint of ammonia production. The La-Al-N support, along with the active metals, such as nickel and cobalt (Ni, Co), produced NH3 at rates similar to conventional metal nitride catalysts. Learn more about sustainable fertilizer production in our latest article .

Advancements in RNA medicine

While the application of mRNA in COVID-19 vaccines garnered lots of attention, the real revolution of RNA technology is just beginning. Recently, a new multivalent nucleoside-modified mRNA flu vaccine was developed. This vaccine has the potential to build immune protection against any of the 20 known subtypes of influenza virus and protect against future outbreaks. Many rare genetic diseases are the next target for mRNA therapies, as they are often missing a vital protein and could be cured by replacing a healthy protein through mRNA therapy. In addition to mRNA therapies, the clinical pipeline has many RNA therapeutic candidates for multiple forms of cancers, and blood and lung diseases. RNA is highly targeted, versatile, and easily customized, which makes it applicable to a wide range of diseases. Learn more about the crowded clinical pipeline and the emerging trends in RNA technologies in our latest CAS Insight Report.

Rapid skeletal transformation

Within synthetic chemistry, the challenge of safely exchanging a single atom in a molecular framework or inserting and deleting single atoms from a molecular skeleton has been formidable. While many methods have been developed to functionalize molecules with peripheral substituents (such as C-H activation), one of the first methods to perform single-atom modifications on the skeletons of organic compounds was developed by Mark Levin’s group at the University of Chicago . This enables selective cleaving of the N–N bond of pyrazole and indazole cores to afford pyrimidines and quinazolines. Further development of skeletal editing methods would enable rapid diversification of commercially available molecules, which could lead to much faster discoveries of functional molecules and ideal drug candidates.

Advancing limb regeneration

Limb loss is projected to affect over 3.6 million individuals per year by 2050. For the longest time, scientists believed the single biggest key to limb regeneration is the presence of nerves. However, work done by Dr. Muneoka and his team demonstrated the importance of mechanical load to digit regeneration in mammals and that the absence of a nerve does not inhibit regeneration. The advancement of limb regeneration was also achieved by researchers at Tufts University who have used acute multidrug delivery , via a wearable bioreactor, to successfully enable long-term limb regeneration in frogs. This early success could potentially lead to larger, more complex tissue re-engineering advances for humans, eventually benefiting military veterans, diabetics, and others impacted by amputation and trauma.

Nuclear fusion generates more net energy with ignition

Nuclear fusion is the process that powers the sun and stars. For decades, the idea of replicating nuclear fusion on earth as a source of energy, in theory, could fulfill all the planet's future energy needs. The goal is to force light atoms to collide so forcefully that they fuse and release more energy than consumed. However, overcoming the electrical repulsion between the positive nuclei requires high temperatures and pressures. Once overcome, fusion releases large amounts of energy, which should also drive the fusion of nearby nuclei. Previous attempts to initiate fusion used strong magnetic fields and powerful lasers but had been unable to generate more energy than they consumed.

Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s ignition facility reported that the team was able to initiate nuclear fusion, which created 3.15 megajoules of energy from the 2.05 megajoule laser used. While this is a monumental breakthrough, the reality of a functioning nuclear fusion plant powering our grid may still be decades in the making. There are significant implementation hurdles (scalability, plant safety, energy required to generate the laser, wasted by-products, etc.) that must be addressed before this comes to fruition. However, the breakthrough of igniting nuclear fusion is a major milestone that will pave the way for future progress to be built upon this achievement.

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Research in 2023

• Welcome to Harvard
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A Year of Discoveries

We look back on the scholarship, breakthroughs, innovations, and awards from the Harvard community in 2023.

As a nation, we are collectively waking up to the importance of caregiving, to its value, for the present and for future generations.” Claudia Goldin, professor of economics and the winner of the 2023 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences   From her book “ Career and Family: Women’s Century-long Journey Toward Equity ” Learn more about her work

Alleviating depression with yoga

In a trial of adults with moderate-to-severe depression, those who participated in heated yoga sessions experienced significantly greater reductions in symptoms.

Upgrading quantum computing

Harvard researchers created the first demonstration of a large-scale algorithm execution on an error-corrected quantum computer, a major leap in the new field.

Exploring connections between oral health and cancer treatments

A team of researchers highlighted the potential to improve cancer treatment outcomes and decrease related adverse events by treating periodontitis.

The head-scratching mystery of the itch

For the first time, scientists showed that bacteria can cause itches by activating nerve cells in the skin.

Explore the findings

Healing muscle injuries

Researchers found that combining mechanotherapy, like massage, with anti-inflammatory treatment significantly improved healing in aged muscles.

Exploring the fate of Earth

For the first time, astronomers observed a star consuming a planet, bolstering the theory that Earth will meet the same fate—in about 5 billion years.

Learning to listen to whales

Visiting researcher David Gruber and his colleagues are using state-of-the-art robotics and machine learning to listen to and translate sperm whale communication.

Our research represents the first empirical attempt to characterize the relationships between charisma and facial features.” Shunyuan Zhang, assistant professor Harvard Business School Read more about the research

Considering the genetics of musical ability

A study by a Harvard Graduate School of Education alum was the first to uncover neurobiological predispositions for musical talent in infancy.

Reimagining how we stay cool

A Harvard collaboration has led to the development of a prototype for a more efficient and eco-friendly air conditioner.

Investigating life expectancy

Researchers found the difference between how long American men and women live increased to 5.8 years in 2021, the largest it’s been since 1996.

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Clinical Research Trends & Insights for 2023

In our 2023 preview, 14 experts from WCG share the important shifts, trends, regulations, and priorities that will inform clinical trial development this year and beyond.

After the disruptions to the clinical research field in 2020 and 2021, many looked forward to 2022 as a year of “getting back to normal.” Instead, we found that many pandemic-associated changes have forced us to look at a lot of issues through a new lens.

Certainly, “decentralized trials” dominated our conversations, and considerations of the importance of proactive efforts to facilitate the inclusion of historically underrepresented populations in research is finally being recognized. Both biopharma sponsors and clinical sites are finding their footing again, allowing them to renegotiate some old practices from new perspectives (e.g., investigator oversight responsibilities in decentralized trials, how much of site monitoring really needs to be on-site).

Our clinical trials continued to evolve in response to new therapeutic advances, with more protocols incorporating complex design elements, earlier evaluations of efficacy, and an increasing number of platform studies to move potential drug candidates to decisions more quickly.

2023 looks like it will be just as exciting. In this report, WCG experts from a variety of areas talk about what they’re watching, expecting, and looking forward to in 2023. We’re exploring study design, study conduct, new proposed regulations and guidance, and even at the types of therapeutic agents moving into clinical investigation. 

Thank you for joining us as we look ahead to the next exciting year!

Explore Insights:

Perspectives on clinical research sites in 2023, redesigning the clinical research landscape, diversity strategies and empowering sites to support them, the fda’s recent notice of proposed rulemaking (nprm) and guidance, diversifying clinical research by providing research participants payments, clinical trial technology integration now and into the future, interoperability required for the future of clinical trials, quality by design and slowing down to speed up, the emerging use of adjudication in oncology for determining patient eligibility, mrna: not just for vaccines.

Current Trends in Neurodevelopmental and Rare Pediatric Disease

Neuroscience Research Trends to Pay Attention to in 2023

Epilepsy treatments and research: where we started and where we are heading, watch our 2023 trends & insights webinar.

Hear our online panel of clinical trial experts discuss the future of clinical trials, and answer questions from your peers.

This engaging discussion is facilitated by Jill Johnston, Chief Innovation Officer of WCG.

Sandra Smith, RN, MSN, AOCN

Senior Vice President, Clinical Solutions & Strategic Partnerships, WCG

To combat the tumultuous conditions of the industry, research organizations have been forced to look internally to identify operational efficiencies over the last two years, and institutional reconfiguration will continue to evolve in 2023. Centralization of research services, embedding enabling technologies, and establishing research partnerships – both with service providers and with sponsors – will remain key themes in addressing site capacity challenges. Many non-institutional research sites will aggregate into networks to achieve higher operational performance.

Human capital remains critical, and the skillset for research expertise will continue to be in high demand in 2023. Sites are reporting fewer vacant positions, but turnover will persist, and training the newly hired, less experienced research personnel will remain critical. Sponsor-supported staffing augmentation solutions will be key to trial conduct for many organizations.

Oncology will endure as a dominant therapeutic area in clinical research in 2023. Approximately 50 percent of all clinical trials started in 2022 1 were in oncology, with more than 1M patients (about the population of Delaware) needed to complete those open trials 2 . Increasing trial complexity will challenge sites with narrow inclusion/exclusion criteria, multiple study arms (i.e., 19-20 percent increase in four to five arm trials in oncology) 3 , and an increasing number of amendments per clinical trial (i.e., 57 percent increase since 2017) 4 .

Declining average rates of enrollment per site 5 and the need for increased enrollment diversity will accelerate sponsor interest in opening trials at community-based sites and in supporting new investigators/sites. Rapid trial activation, bringing trial access to new participant populations, and utilization of decentralized trial components, will be critical components for trial success.

References:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5 WCG Knowledge Base TM , 2022

Jamie Harper, MHA

Director of Site Engagement and Relations, WCG

In 2023, clinical trial access and improving participant diversity will remain key concerns within the clinical research and healthcare community. Compounded by the number of physician investigators continuing to decrease, the industry will be tasked with developing solutions to ensure scientific medical advancements continue while supporting these diverse populations. Identifying and supporting new physician investigators at research sites, especially those ingrained into the community setting, is critical to offsetting these concerns and accelerating advancements.

Redesigning the clinical trial landscape to mitigate these challenges and create an environment that allows engaged community physicians to provide clinical trial access to the communities they serve is a must. By engaging community sites and physicians who may not have previously considered clinical research as an option, it presents a path toward addressing the concerns of clinical trial access and participant diversity. However, this pathway will require the clinical research industry to provide support for the tools and mentorship needed to successfully conduct compliant clinical trials.

The new environment will require evolution of the current collaborations between sponsors, clinical research organizations (CROs), third-party clinical research vendors, and experienced physician investigators. This collaboration’s success will depend on a shared focus to cultivating a redesigned clinical research landscape through inclusion.

Katherine Cornish, PhD, PMP

Former Associate Director, Patient Advocacy & Clinical Trial Diversity, WCG

As the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) moves closer to finalizing the current draft guidance on establishing diversity plans 1 to improve clinical trial participation of underrepresented racial and ethnic populations, it becomes imperative to ensure that the strategies outlined in these plans are translated to the site level in intentional and actionable ways.

Sponsors must empower their sites by providing pragmatic strategies that site staff can use to effectively identify, engage, enroll, and retain underrepresented populations. This should be done through the creation of site-focused diversity plans that tie into the overarching diversity plan. Key partnerships with advocacy groups, community-based organizations, and other similar entities outlined in diversity plans at a national level should be translated to individual sites locally. Sponsors must also provide the necessary support to ensure these strategies can be enacted by their sites.

Additionally, these strategies must be identified, documented, and mobilized early in the trial lifecycle; they must be thought about proactively rather than as rescue methods. Sponsors should reach out to the FDA to discuss their diversity plans as early as possible – certainly prior to study start. Thinking about these approaches early on can also ensure that the necessary support is preemptively budgeted at the site level, allowing sites to initiate local advocacy and community engagement efforts from the start. This ensures that sites are prepared and ready when recruitment begins and can enact their action plans from first patient to last visit.

• https://www.fda.gov/media/157635/download

Dave Borasky, MPH, CIP

Vice President, IRB Compliance WCG IRB

The year 2022 ended with two interesting developments for Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) and industry on the FDA front. First, the FDA published two Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRMs) 1,2 that  are intended to bring greater harmony between the FDA regulations for human subjects research, and the Common Rule regulations that apply to U.S. federally funded research that is not subject to FDA regulation. While this harmonization is expected – it was mandated by the 21st Century Cures Act – it was not clear when the NPRMs would be issued. Harmonization on issues of informed consent requirements and the use of a single IRB for multisite trials will improve the review and implementation of clinical research in 2023 and beyond.

The second late-year offering from the FDA was the draft guidance Ethical Considerations for Clinical Investigations of Medical Products Involving Children . Through this guidance, the FDA has finally provided clear direction on the expectation that IRBs use component analysis when reviewing research with children that includes multiple research-related interventions or procedures. Component analysis, which has the IRB assess each study procedure (and each study arm), considering the risks and benefits, is often confusing to sponsors. The guidance also provides direction on the FDA’s thinking on what constitutes a “minor increase over minimal risk” (21 CFR 56.102(i)), which is not defined in the regulation, but represents an important threshold for reviewing research involving children, particularly in the context of component analysis.

• https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/09/28/2022-21088/protection-of-human-subjects-and-institutional-review-boards
• https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/09/28/2022-21089/institutional-review-boards-cooperative-research

Kelly Fitzgerald, PhD

IRB Executive Chair and Vice President, IBC Affairs WCG IRB

Payment to research participants is a critical aspect of diversifying clinical research participation. There will be a continued increase in awareness of this issue in 2023. IRBs are often seen as a barrier to paying participants, and that may have been true in the past, but the thinking on this topic has evolved significantly in the last few years, informed in part by the recognition of the importance of research participants as partners rather than as research “subjects. ”1

IRBs are tasked with ensuring that research-recruiting and consenting processes do not exert undue influence on participants, and high payments may be seen by IRB members as unduly influential 2 . Some people believe that payments could incentivize someone to participate in activities they would otherwise choose not to do, particularly people with low incomes. However, when an IRB insists on lower payments, participants who have less free time, less available income, or more burdensome lives are less likely to participate, and the study ends up with a participant population that does not match society because those people who can bear the financial burdens of research participation will participate.

The clinical research world now recognizes that payments can incentivize without being unduly influential. While there is a perception that IRBs will not approve high payments for participants, this is changing. During the last 24 months, out of approximately 10,000 IRB reviews, only 13 reviews resulted in the IRB specifically requiring modifications to the payment plan (see table), and no records included a request to decrease the proposed payments to participants.

IRB members reflect the values and norms of their communities, and the events of the last few years have led to the awareness of the importance, both scientifically and ethically, of diverse representation in clinical trials. To improve in this area, there must be support for higher payments for research participation and a reliance on mechanisms other than limiting payment to ensure participants are recruited ethically. In 2023, there needs to be more discussions around accurately assessing participant costs for research participation and providing just compensation for their service 3 . 

• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2022. Improving Representation in Clinical Trials and Research: Building Research Equity for Women and Underrepresented Groups. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/26479.
• Payment and Reimbursement to Research Subjects, FDA, Jan 2018.
• Largent EA, Lynch HF. Paying Research Participants: The Outsized Influence of “Undue Influence”. IRB. 2017 Jul-Aug;39(4):1-9. PMID: 29038611; PMCID: PMC5640154.

Sonia Abrol

Senior Vice President, Product and Strategy, WCG Velos

The COVID-19 pandemic made many stakeholders in clinical research reassess their technology infrastructure. To sustain and accelerate research, they prioritized taking various research management workflows online to vendor managed systems, ensuring centralized, easy, and secure access to data. As sites and sponsors expanded their technology portfolio, sites are now carrying a bigger technology burden. They are supporting the costs of multiple site technologies and then putting additional time and effort into entering data in both site and sponsor systems. Approximately 90 percent of data needed by sponsors now lives in one or more site systems 1 . 

Additionally, the uptick in adoption of innovative technologies for helping with decentralized trials, patient recruitment, patient retention, and engagement has produced new data silos for sites and sponsors. As a result, clinical research stakeholders are recognizing the need for more interoperability and workflow-driven integrations.

In 2023, sites and sponsors will continue to make technology integration one of their top priorities as they select the right solutions, enhance their technology infrastructure, and budget for such investments. Sites starting their journeys toward integrated ecosystems may begin with key multi-level integrations between their e-regulatory/e-Binder, EHR/EMR, CTMS, IRB and Financial systems. Those that are already ahead of the curve will continue to expand and develop new integration workflows by connecting one silo at a time.

In parallel, technology vendors will continue to work toward offering more open systems and actively defining their own integration roadmaps to help sites and sponsors gain operational efficiencies and reduce the technology burden on users.

Also, it will be interesting to see what the gained momentum in collaboration among sites, sponsors, and vendors will bring in 2023. As these consortia and partnerships come together to help define data exchange standards, map best workflows among site systems and site-sponsor systems and prioritize implementation of cost-effective and standard technology integrations, we will see remarkable growth and acceleration in conducting clinical research and drug development.

• WCG Knowledge Base TM , 2022

Rahul Bafna

Former Chief Product Officer, WCG

The use of healthcare technology at the consumer level has exploded over the past decade. This started with the broad availability and adoption of wearable devices, taking advantage of smaller sensors, better batteries, and always-on connectivity. Over this same time period, there has been a ton of investment in healthcare technology for clinicians – the HITECH Act of 2009 was designed to accelerate medical product development. Many of these advancements in technology have the potential to be transformative in the realm of clinical trials, which for decades have suffered from low patient participation, unrepresentative study populations, heavy operational burden, and long timelines. The key to making these advancements work in real-world settings is the seamless interoperability of patient data. 

As an example, patient-trial matching is one of the most time-consuming operations of running a trial. Multiple software platforms exist that can match eligible patients – based on the clinical record stored in one or more EHRs and lab systems – to the various inclusion and exclusion criteria of trials. But for this matching to happen, these solutions need access to those clinical records in a standardized format. Once found, matches need to be pushed back into the physician’s daily workflow – often the EHR – to drive patient conversations, consent and enrollment. Once enrolled, technology can simplify or even automate the data collection necessary for some types of studies. This will be critical for enabling decentralized trials (DCT).

DCTs will allow more patients to participate, potentially from underserved communities who would benefit from trial designs that require fewer or no site visits. The use of technology can also enable more frequent collection of study data, and any data collected in novel systems will need to be pushed back to a unified source, such as an EHR or EDC. 

Making sense of clinical data from multiple sources – whether for clinical trials or routine care – requires that data to be collected, retained, transformed, transmitted, standardized, and made available to researchers and clinicians at the right time and in the correct format. Interoperability between all these systems is critical to driving innovation and bringing new treatments to patients. For several years now, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) has been leading the charge to improve the interoperability of patient clinical data through regulation – mandating specific data standards that enable data to be exported in standardized formats. The 21st Century Cures Act, which includes interoperability standards not only for accessing clinical data but also for enabling new workflows and within platforms like EHRs, will continue to drive advancement in 2023. 

Cristin MacDonald, PhD

VP Client Delivery, WCG Avoca

The year 2023 should be seen as an opportunity for everyone in the clinical research industry to embrace the concept of “slowing down to speed up.” While the concept of Quality by Design is not new, the newly finalized ICH E8 guidance, EU CTR, along with the upcoming ICH E6 R3 and FDA’s Diversity guidance are all examples of the regulators prioritizing efficiency in clinical trial execution by forcing quality into the forefront of study design.

Whether it is by requiring that sponsors show their diversity strategies in advance of launching a pivotal trial, or by subjecting sponsors to regulatory holds for failed submissions, it is time to spend more resources early in study planning. It is time to slow down, think ahead, and ensure quality is built in study design.

Gone are the days of rushing to a first subject in timeframe and reactive protocol amendments that have negative time and budget impacts. Entirely new benchmarks need to be established that encourage study teams to invest the appropriate time and effort in study planning and reward those who demonstrate rapid study completion with minimal amendments by leveraging the proper resourcing up front.

Shaena Kauffman

Executive Director, Operations EAC, WCG

One of the most interesting trends over the past year has been the increased use of Endpoint Adjudication Committees (EACs) to determine patient eligibility, especially in oncology clinical trials. This trend will likely continue in 2023. Adjudication of inclusion criteria, or eligibility adjudication, has been used in clinical trials where inclusion criteria are subjective. The independent assessment by an EAC gives regulators and scientists confidence in the comparability of clinical trial subjects. Previously, this type of adjudication has been applied to areas such as progressive neurological disease or heart failure, where medical expertise is required, or eligibility is subjective. However, there is a rising trend in using EACs to confirm oncology disease progression to demonstrate a consistent evaluation for patient eligibility and provide real-time feedback to the Investigator study sites.

In the area of disease progression, adjudication has the potential to mitigate variability and increase the strength of the clinical trial results.  In addition to bolstering the clinical trial data against the regulatory and scientific rigors, EAC members can serve as a resource to investigator study sites that may need access to experts to assess some of the more complex patient eligibility criteria. Of course, the most significant benefits are that adjudication of inclusion criteria reduces protocol deviations and enforces scientific rigor through a pre-randomization, standardized, objective assessment. The use of eligibility EACs will continue to expand in 2023 as sponsors and sites report the benefits.

Daniel Kavanagh , PhD

Senior Scientific Advisor, Gene Therapy, WCG

Reflecting a new emphasis on cell and gene therapy (CGT) for 2023, the FDA recently announced a new “Super Office,” the Office of Therapeutic Products (OTP), to replace the former Office of Tissues and Advanced Therapies. Included in the announcement are plans to increase hiring and issue more CGT guidance documents in the coming year.

The year 2022 saw many new advances in cell and gene therapy, including FDA approvals for new products and supplemental indications for genetically modified cellular therapies and vectored gene therapies. In 2023, one area to watch closely is that of “vectorless” mRNA therapeutics. Synthetic mRNA is a powerful tool that can program cells for new therapeutic functions. When combined with rapidly developing nanoparticle technologies, mRNA therapeutics may be targeted to a wide array of cell types and tissues. One potential application of gene transfer technology is to bypass the complex in-vitro manufacturing process currently required for biologics and turn the body’s own cells into temporary factories to produce antibodies, enzymes, or vaccine antigens. Many such approaches in development rely on mRNA.

Currently approved gene therapies tend to produce long-lasting or permanent changes in cellular programming and may induce immune responses that prevent re-dosing. For these reasons, many gene therapies are designed for “one-and-done” curative administration. This offers new hope to patients and their families, but also presents challenges for safety, commercialization, and reimbursement. In contrast, mRNA molecules are normally short-lived and exert transient effects on cell biology. Thus, for some applications, mRNA is an important alternative to DNA-based therapies, with potential advantages for safety, re-dosing, and commercialization.

Current Trends in Neuro-developmental and Rare Pediatric Disease

Scott Hunter, PhD

Senior Scientific Expert, Neurodevelopment Disorders, WCG

In 2023, there will continue to be an emphasis on developing new outcome measures that can be used across rare pediatric and Central Nervous System (CNS) diseases. This has been an area of shared concern among caregivers regarding challenges observed with their impacted children that affect both individual and family engagement and quality of life. Moving from broader cognitive measures that are often experienced as less sensitive, focus has moved more to communication (specifically receptive and expressive language skills in areas including Fragile-X, Angelman, Rett, Autism Spectrum Disorders) and motor control (e.g., Rett, Angelman, Fragile-X).

Seeking greater sensitivity with scales developed, foundation and patient advocacy partners are developing mechanisms to build disorder-specific scales to address key areas of caregiver and patient concern, while also collaborating across indications to support better measurement design. The goal of this is to amplify acceptance by the FDA of caregiver and clinician report measures (ClinROs and patient reported outcomes, or PROs) in the rare disease space.

We will move toward using wearables and engaging more directly with samples collected from these technologies that can be expert reviewed and rated. Collecting simultaneous biological and behavioral outcomes through direct movement assessment, recording of communication efforts, and video monitoring of responses, provides significant multipoint data that can be aggregated in tandem with use of performance measurements in rare and neurodevelopmental disease.

Mark G. A. Opler, PhD, MPH

Chief Research Officer, WCG Endpoint Solutions

The last five years have brought a remarkable burst of innovation in neuroscience drug development. From the approval of the first, rapid-acting agent to treat depression, to the past year’s massive surge of activity in the study of psychedelic compounds, to the ongoing, exploratory use of wearables and other technology-oriented methods for data collection, there has been a tremendous degree of change. In the coming year, we’ll see some of these exciting yet unproven innovations begin to demonstrate their promise in a more substantive way with enduring, real-world impacts. 

A few of the most important trends to watch include: 

• Late-Stage Studies of Psychedelics and Cannabinoids:  The first large-scale, Phase III industry-sponsored studies of psilocybin by Compass Pathways should help prove the viability of the psychedelics movement in neuroscience. The published results of the Compass Phase II program, if confirmed in Phase III, would solidify this while also clarifying the direction that this exciting new class of treatments is likely to take in years to come. 
• Development of Wearables and “Digital Biomarkers ”: Although regulatory agencies have held off on explicitly approving the use of novel endpoints related to wearable devices or similar device-rated digital biomarkers, the proliferation of these tools as exploratory endpoints is creating a growing wealth of data. As the evidence base for them continues to grow, standardization and adoption will almost certainly follow.

Mike Cioffi

Senior Vice President, Clinical Solutions and Strategic Partnerships, WCG

Currently, there are more than 30 antiseizure medications (ASMs) available to clinicians to treat patients. But even with such a significant amount of treatment options, there are still over 30 percent of individuals who do not respond to common ASMs and are addressed as “drug-resistant.” 1 This will drive innovation in both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions aimed at improving symptoms and quality of life for patients along with their caregivers.

Research is ongoing in many areas, and we will see important advances in the field in the coming years. An increased application of technologies to aid in epilepsy management is likely. Smartwatches that can detect imminent seizures and alert caregivers to the location of the patient, and apps that can inform clinicians with real-time information on their patients’ status and seizure counts are all on the horizon.

Precision medicine has begun to take a more prominent role as we understand more about the pathogenesis of epilepsies. Significant advancement has been made in identifying the genetics of epilepsies, and the discovery of gene mutations responsible for a large portion of patients with developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) 2 . 

Additionally, the search for biomarkers to guide drug development is moving at a fast pace and will potentially allow clinicians to improve diagnostic accuracy, predict response to ASMs, and improve outcomes for patients.

While there are certainly limitations to current technologies and biomarker identification, and despite precision medicine being further researched, this multidisciplinary approach will redefine our ability to improve the treatment and management of epilepsy in the future.

• Kalilani L, Sun X, Pelgrims B, Noack-Rink M, Villanueva V. The epidemiology of drug-resistant epilepsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.  Epilepsia.  (2018) 59:2179–93. doi: 10.1111/epi.14596
• Perucca P, Bahlo M, Berkovic SF. The genetics of epilepsy. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet. 2020;21(1):205–30

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The 10 Most Significant Education Studies of 2023

Following our annual tussle with hundreds of studies of merit, we’ve pared them down to 10 you shouldn’t miss—from what AI can (and can’t) do to the neuroscience of brain synchrony.

For those of us hoping for a quiet, back-to-normal kind of year, the research coming out of 2023 might disappoint. A rising tide of teenage mental health issues sent researchers scurrying for answers, and the sudden ascendance of AI posed a new threat to codes of academic conduct and caused some educators to forecast the end of teaching as we know it (we’re here to dispel that myth).

There was plenty of good news in the mix—and fascinating news, too. Neuroscientists continued to push the envelope on mapping the human brain, using cutting-edge technology to get a sneak peek at the “brain synchrony” between students and teachers as they learn about complex topics, and a comprehensive review of social and emotional learning confirmed, once again, that there’s no substitute for caring, welcoming school environments.

Finally, we did our due diligence and unearthed classroom strategies that can make a big difference for students, from the use of math picture books to a better, more humane way to incorporate tests and games of knowledge into your classroom activities.

1. AI MAY CUT AN EDUCATOR’S PLANNING TIME DRAMATICALLY

In case anyone thought the jury was still out on the Turing test, which proposes a hypothetical threshold at which humans and machines respond indistinguishably to a prompt— more evidence recently came in, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to tell who’s testing who.

Researchers from the University of North Carolina set a “deep neural” AI model to work on a college-level anatomy and physiology textbook, after first training the software to recognize important information. The AI took stock, pondered in its fashion, and then dutifully produced 2,191 test questions tied to learning standards, which a panel of teachers judged to be “on par with human-generated questions in terms of their relevance to the learning objectives.” Remarkably, the instructors also said they’d consider adopting the machine-generated questions for their courses.

That’s spooky, but not without its silver linings. Test creation is time-consuming for teachers, and one knowledgeable educator who took AI for a test drive says that it performs well on other tasks like planning lessons, writing instructions, and even composing emails to parents. New AI-powered tools like Diffit, Curipod, and MagicSchool.ai, meanwhile, are starting to sound like revolutionary teaching aids.

Concern that the end of human teaching is one software release away is premature: Studies we’ve reviewed suggest that AI still requires a lot of fine-tuning, and in July of 2023 , researchers concluded that without human intervention, AI is atrocious at mathematics, performing poorly on open-ended problems and routinely flubbing even simple math calculations. To be useful, it turns out, AI may need us more than we need it.

2. A FASCINATING GUIDE TO BETTER QUIZZING

No one likes tests—except the three authors of a 2023 study , apparently. The trio, who have experience as teachers and researchers, sing the praises of virtually every kind of test, quiz, and knowledge game, asserting that such assessments should be frequent, low-stakes, highly engaging, and even communal. Their rationale: When properly designed and stripped of dread, tests and quizzes dramatically improve “long-term retention and the creation of more robust retrieval routes for future access,” a well-established phenomenon known as the testing effect .

The study is a fascinating, granular look at the mechanics of testing and its impacts on learning. Here are some of the highlights:

Mix it up: To maximize student engagement, quiz students frequently—but don’t let the format get stale. In their analysis, the authors endorse testing formats as varied as multiple choice, cued-recall tests, clickers, fill-in-the-blank, short answer, and contests of knowledge.

Be competitive: When designing multiple-choice or true-false tests, opt for “competitive alternatives” in your answers. For example, when asking “What is the hottest terrestrial planet?,” proffer Venus , Mars , and Mercury instead of Venus , Uranus , and Saturn —because “Uranus and Saturn aren’t terrestrial planets.” Competitive alternatives require students to scrutinize all options, the authors hypothesize, leading them to retrieve and consider more learned material.

Pretest: Quizzing students on material they haven’t yet learned improves long-term performance “even if [students] are not able to answer any of those questions correctly,” according to the researchers. Notably, pretesting can also lead to “a reduction in mind wandering” during subsequent lessons.

Get communal: Asking students to take tests in groups can improve retention and motivation while reducing anxiety. Consider focusing on specific rather than open-ended questions, the authors caution, since students can sometimes “recall and remember information less accurately” when working together.

Pass it on: Teach students to self-test by “summarizing the main points from a lecture… without looking at any notes,” or by meeting in “small study groups where the students practice testing one another—an activity that many students already report doing.”

3. HOW TONE OF VOICE CHANGES CLASSROOM CULTURE

Like the proverbial canary in the coal mine, subtle shifts in a teacher’s tone of voice—a sharp rise in volume or a sudden barrage of repeated instructions born of frustration—can be the first sign that something’s awry in the classroom, disturbing a fragile equilibrium and leading students to clam up or act out, a study published late in 2022 suggests.

Researchers observed as teens and preteens listened to instructions given by teachers—“I’m waiting for people to quiet down” or “It’s time to tidy up all of your belongings,” for example—delivered in warm, neutral, or controlling tones. While the effect was unintended, an authoritative tone often came off as confrontational, undermining students’ sense of competence and discouraging them from confiding in teachers. Warm, supportive tones, on the other hand, contributed to a classroom environment that reinforced learning across multiple social and academic dimensions like sense of belonging, autonomy, and enjoyment of the class. 

It takes years to find the right tonal balance, says experienced middle school teacher Kristine Napper. “Neither high expectations nor kind hearts can do the job alone,” she coaches . Instead, teachers should strive for a warm, supportive tone and then draw on that “wellspring of trust to hold students to high standards of deep engagement with course content.”

4. BRAINS THAT FIRE TOGETHER WIRE TOGETHER

In 2021, we reported that as students progressed through a computer science course, the learning material left neural fingerprints that mirrored brain activity in other students, the teacher, and experts in the field. “Students who failed to grasp the material,” we wrote, “exhibited neural signatures that were outliers; they were drifting.” But the brain patterns of students who performed well on a later test aligned strongly with other top performing students—and with the teacher and experts, too.

Intriguingly, even abstract concepts—those that lack any physical attributes—appeared to trigger similar mental representations in students’ minds, attesting to the remarkable cognitive flexibility underlying human communication and knowledge sharing.

A 2023 study using electroencephalography (EEG) largely confirms those findings. High school science teachers taught groups of young adults fitted with electrodes about science topics such as bipedalism, habitats, and lipids. Researchers found that stronger “brain synchrony” between peers—and between students and teachers—predicted better academic performance on follow-up tests, both immediately and a full week later.

Together, these studies underscore the importance of scholarly expertise and direct instruction, but also hint at the downstream power of peer-to-peer and social learning. As knowledge passes from teachers to learners to greater and lesser degrees—some students grasp material quickly, others more slowly—an opportunity to distribute the work of learning emerges. When advanced students are paired with struggling peers, assisted by nudges from the teacher, groups of students might eventually converge around an accurate, common understanding of the material.

5. IN SUM, MATH PICTURE BOOKS WORK

The old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words—and two are worth two thousand—might be expressed, mathematically, as a simple multiplication formula. But can reading math picture books really multiply learning?

A 2023 review of 16 studies concluded that math books like Are We There Yet, Daddy? and Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi improved student engagement and attitudes toward math; strengthened kids’ grasp of math representations like graphs or physical models; and boosted performance on tasks like counting to 20, understanding place value, and calculating diameters. In early childhood, in particular, math picture books worked wonders—one study found that young students “tend to anticipate and guess what will happen next, resulting in high engagement, aroused interest in understanding the problems, and curiosity in finding solutions”—but even middle school students seemed mesmerized by math read-alouds.

Importantly, math picture books weren’t a substitute for procedural fluency or mathematical practice. Typically, the authors noted, teachers bracketed math units with picture books, introducing a mathematical concept “in order to prepare [students] for the upcoming practice and activities,” or, alternatively, used them to review material at the end of the lesson.

6. TO IMPROVE STUDENT WRITING, REDUCE FEEDBACK (AND PUT THE ONUS ON KIDS)

It’s hard to move the needle on student writing. Hours of close reading followed by the addition of dozens of edifying margin notes can swallow teacher weekends whole, but there’s no guarantee students know how to use the feedback productively.

In fact, without guidance, revisions tend to be superficial, a new study suggests—students might correct typos and grammatical mistakes, for example, or make cursory adjustments to a few ideas, but leave it at that. A promising, time-saving alternative is to deploy rubrics, mentor texts, and other clarifying writing guidelines.

In the study, high school students were graded on the clarity, sophistication, and thoroughness of their essays before being split into groups to test the effectiveness of various revision strategies. Students who consulted rubrics that spelled out the elements of an excellent essay—a clear central thesis, support for the claim, and cohesive overall structure, for example—improved their performance by a half-letter grade while kids who read mentor texts boosted scores by a third of a letter grade.

Rubrics and mentor texts are reusable, “increase teachers’ efficient use of time,” and “enhance self-feedback” in a way that can lead to better, more confident writers down the line, the new research suggests.

7. A NEW THEORY ABOUT THE TEEN MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS

Parents, teachers, and medical professionals are wringing their hands over the alarming, decades-long rise in teenage mental health issues, including depression, feelings of “ persistent hopelessness ,” and drug addiction.

The root causes remain elusive—cell phones and social media are prime suspects—but a sprawling 2023 study offers another explanation that’s gaining traction: After scouring surveys, data sets, and cultural artifacts, researchers theorized that a primary cause is “a decline over decades in opportunities for children and teens to play, roam, and engage in other activities independent of direct oversight and control by adults.”

Scholarly reviews of historical articles, books, and advice columns on child rearing depict an era when young children “walked or biked to school alone,” and contributed to their “family’s well being” and “community life” through meaningful chores and jobs. If that all feels vaguely mythical, data collected over the last 50 years reveals a correlation: frank admissions by parents that their children play outdoors independently less than they did, and significant drops in the number of kids who walk, bike, or bus to school alone or are allowed to cross busy roads by themselves. In the U.S., for example, a government survey showed that 48 percent of K–8 students walked to school in 1969, but by 2009 only 13 percent did.

Risky play and unsupervised outdoor activities, meanwhile, which might “protect against the development of phobias” and reduce “future anxiety by increasing the person’s confidence that they can deal effectively with emergencies,” are often frowned upon. That last point is crucial, because dozens of studies suggest that happiness in childhood, and then later in adolescence, is driven by internal feelings of “autonomy, competence, and relatedness”—and independent play, purposeful work, and important roles in classrooms and families are vital, early forms of practice.

Whatever the causes, young children seem to sense that something’s off. In one 2017 study , kindergartners who viewed images of fun activities routinely struck pictures that included adults from the category of play, rejecting the role of grown-ups in a domain they clearly saw as their own.

8. DIRECT INSTRUCTION AND INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING ARE COMPLEMENTARY

It’s an often-fiery but ultimately dubious debate: Should teachers employ direct instruction, or opt for inquiry-based learning?

At its core, direct instruction often conveys information “by lecturing and by giving a leading role to the teacher,” researchers explain in a 2023 study examining the evidence supporting both approaches. Critics typically focus solely on its passive qualities, a straw-man argument that ignores activities such as note-taking, practice quizzes, and classroom discussions. Opponents of inquiry-based learning, meanwhile, characterize it as chaotic, akin to sending students on a wild goose chase and asking them to discover the laws of physics on their own—though it can actually unlock “deep learning processes such as elaboration, self-explanation, and metacognitive strategies,“ the researchers say.

Both sides misrepresent what teachers actually do in classrooms. Instructional models are “often combined in practice,” the researchers note, and inquiry-based learning is usually supported with direct instruction. Teachers might begin a lesson by leading a review of key concepts, for example, and then ask students to apply what they’re learning in unfamiliar contexts. 

Let the debate rage on. Teachers already know that factual fluency and the need to struggle, flail, and even hit dead-ends are integral to learning. Teaching is fluid and complex and spools out in real time; it resists every effort to reduce it to a single strategy or program that works for all kids, in all contexts.

9. A TRULY MASSIVE REVIEW FINDS VALUE IN SEL—AGAIN

It’s déjà vu all over again. The researcher Joseph Durlak, who put social and emotional learning on the map with his 2011 study that concluded that SEL programs boosted academic performance by an impressive 11 percentile points, was back at it in 2023—working with an ambitious new team, led by Yale professor Christina Cipriano, on a similar mission.

The group just published a comprehensive meta-analysis that surveyed a whopping 424 studies involving over half a million K–12 students, scrutinizing school-based SEL programs and strategies such as mindfulness, interpersonal skills, classroom management, and emotional intelligence. The findings: Students who participated in such programs experienced “improved academic achievement, school climate, school functioning, social emotional skills, attitudes, and prosocial and civic behaviors,” the researchers concluded.

Intriguingly, SEL remained a powerful driver of better cultures and student outcomes into the middle and high school years, a reminder that there’s no cutoff point for building relationships, teaching empathy, and making schools inclusive and welcoming.

While politicians continue to stoke controversy on the topic, there’s actually widespread support for SEL, as long as it’s connected to better academic outcomes. A 2021 Thomas B. Fordham Institute survey revealed that parents reacted negatively to classroom instruction labeled “social and emotional learning,” but were favorably disposed when a single clause was added—calling it “social-emotional & academic learning” turned the tide and secured parental buy-in.

10. MORE EVIDENCE FOR MOVING PAST “FINDING THE MAIN IDEA”

In the United States, the teaching of reading comprehension has ping-ponged between skills-based and knowledge-based approaches. In 2019, things appeared to come to a head: While reading programs continued to emphasize transferable skills like “finding the main idea” or “making inferences,” the author Natalie Wexler published The Knowledge Gap , an influential takedown of skills-based methods, and a large 2020 study from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute concurred, noting that “exposing kids to rich content in civics, history, and law” taught reading more effectively than skills-based approaches.

Now a pair of new, high-quality studies—featuring leading researchers and encompassing more than 5,000 students in 39 schools—appears to put the finishing touches on a decades-long effort to push background knowledge to the forefront of reading instruction.

In a Harvard study , 3,000 elementary students participated in a yearlong literacy program focused on the “knowledge rich” domains of social studies and science, exploring the methods used to study past events, for example, or investigating how animals evolve to survive in different habitats. Compared to their counterparts in business-as-usual classes, the “knowledge based” readers scored 18 percent higher on general reading comprehension. Background knowledge acts like a scaffold, the researchers explained, helping students “connect new learning to a general schema and transfer their knowledge to related topics.” In the other study , a team of researchers, including leading experts David Grissmer, Daniel Willingham, and Chris Hulleman, examined the impact of the “Core Knowledge” program on 2,310 students in nine lottery-based Colorado charter schools from kindergarten to sixth grade. The approach improved reading scores by 16 percentile points, and if implemented nationally, the researchers calculated, might catapult U.S. students from 15th to fifth place on international reading tests.

The pendulum is swinging, but the researchers caution against overreach: There appear to be “two separate but complementary cognitive processes involved in development and learning: ‘skill building’ and ‘knowledge accumulation,’” they clarified. We may have the balance out of whack, but to develop proficient readers, you need both.

Trends and Topics in Educational Technology, 2023 Edition

• Column: Guest Editors’ Notes
• Published: 05 April 2023
• Volume 67 , pages 583–591, ( 2023 )

Cite this article

• Bohdana Allman 1 ,
• Royce Kimmons 1 ,
• Joshua Rosenberg 2 &
• Monalisa Dash 3  

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Introduction

In this editorial, we present trends and popular topics in educational technology for the year 2022. We used a similar public internet data mining approach (Kimmons & Veletsianos, 2018 ) to previous years (Kimmons, 2020 ; Kimmons et al., 2021 ; Kimmons & Rosenberg, 2022 ), extracting and analyzing data from three large data sources: the Scopus research article database, the Twitter #EdTech affinity group, and K-12 school and district Facebook pages. This year, we also added information related to Open Educational Resources (OER), specifically data from an edtech-focused open publishing platform, EdTech Books. Our analysis provides a snapshot of educational technology trends in 2022 from four different perspectives, affording insights into what is of interest in the field as institutions, educators, learners, and researchers adjust to the post-pandemic ‘normal’ and adopt educational technologies, resources, and practices at a more mature level.

What Were Trending Topics in EdTech Journals in 2022?

Research topics in the field of educational technology in 2022 were, with a few exceptions, noticeably consistent with those of previous years (see Table  1 ; Kimmons et al., 2021 ; Kimmons & Rosenberg, 2022 ). We compiled the titles of 2699 articles from top educational technology journals ( n  = 16) identified by Google Scholar and retrieved their abstracts from Scopus. Following this, we looked at the number of times each keyword and bigram (two-word phrase) appeared in the titles and abstracts of the papers to see which words were most frequently referenced. Generic word stems like “learn,” “student,” “education,” and “teach,” modalities like “online” and “digital,” and methods-related terms like “study” and “review” were the most frequently occurring words in titles. Analysis of bigrams showed recurring references to (a) educational settings, like “higher education,” (b) specific modalities like “online learning,” “virtual reality,” and “augmented reality,” and (c) methods, like “systematic review,” “meta-analysis,” and “case study.” Moreover, references to “COVID-19” understandably dropped from 2021 to 2022, while references to “online learning” continued to grow. This may imply that interest in online learning has continued and even grown beyond the pandemic. Appearance of “during+COVID” in the top 15 bigrams in EdTech article titles in 2022 suggested that researchers and practitioners were still reporting on educational practices during the pandemic.

To aid in making sense of the results, we further manually categorized keywords and bigrams into the four information types suggested by the data (contexts, methods, modalities, and topics). Context included terms related to the research settings. Methods included terms referring to research methods in the article. Modalities included terms referring to the technical modality featured in the study. Topics included terms referring to the intervention, objective, or theoretical goal of the study. The most common keywords and bigrams for each type may be found in Table  2 . Contextual bigrams like “higher education” (3.9%) and “COVID-19” (3.6%) were among the most popular bigrams used in educational technology journal article titles in 2022. When we looked specifically at the educational level, we found that references to “higher+education” (3.9%) continued to be considerably higher than to “K-12” (1.2%). The abstract analysis of context bigrams paralleled the title bigram analysis.

A closer analysis of methods mentioned in the titles suggested that the terms “systematic review” (3.1%), “case study” (2.2%), and “meta-analysis” (2%) remained the top three methods mentioned in the journal article titles, just like in previous years., followed by “literature review” (1.5%) and “systematic literature” (1.1%; see Table 2 for details). Rather than assuming that these methods were more prevalent, we recognized that researchers commonly mention these particular methods in their titles, whereas other methods are generally mentioned only in the abstract or in the body of an article. Bigram analyses of abstracts confirmed this notion, suggesting a broader coverage of distinct research approaches, such as “mixed method,” “quasi-experimental,” “randomly assigned,” “pre-post,” “systematic review,” and “meta-analysis.” Amongst the methods, bigrams “mixed method” and “quasi-experimental” occupied the leading position in journal abstracts, each carrying an equal percentage of 4.6%, whereas “systematic review” and “meta-analysis” scored 2.3% and 1.8%, respectively. These results suggested that in 2022 EdTech articles with primary data sources were published more frequently than articles using secondary data sources, although secondary data methods were more frequently mentioned in the article titles. Moreover, quantitative components (e.g., “test,” “experiment,” and “survey”) were found more frequently than qualitative components (e.g., “interview” and “qualitative”) in the 2022 EdTech journal article abstracts. Finally, several specific methods that frequently appeared in the article abstracts included “structure equation,” “thematic analysis,” “equation modeling,” “network analysis,” “data mining,” and “cluster analysis.”

When we looked at modality types, we saw that, similarly to 2021, “online learning” (3.5%) and “virtual reality” (2.7%) were the most referenced modalities mentioned in EdTech journal titles (Table 2 ). In abstracts, the occurrence of “virtual reality,” “online learning,” and “online courses” were far more common than “emergency remote” learning, clearly indicating a post-pandemic adoption of online technologies and an end of pandemic-related emergency remote learning research. Finally, the analysis of topics revealed that “computational thinking” (2.8%) and “learning environments” (2.8%) were the most-referenced bigrams in journal titles (Table 2 ). In the abstracts, the keyword “science” was used 33.9% and “language” 14.6% implying research focus in these content areas. Another noteworthy trend in the topic analysis of article abstracts was the popularity of terms related to Open Educational Resources (OER), specifically, the frequent use of terms such as “creative commons” and “cc license.”

What Were the Trending #EdTech Topics and Tools on Twitter in 2022?

We also continued to analyze trending #EdTech topics on Twitter (cf., Kimmons et al., 2021 ; Kimmons & Rosenberg, 2022 ). In 2022, #EdTech continued to be popular, and its analysis provided a window into relevant conversations, resources, and ideas that researchers and practitioners shared. We collected all English-language original tweets using the hashtag #EdTech for 2022. This included 478,269 original tweets (ignoring retweets) posted by 35,789 authors, which was 39,856 average monthly tweets. This indicated a 10.43% growth in #edtech original tweets (45,191) and average tweets (3766) from 2021, whereas the number of authors declined by 12.21% (4978; cf. Table  3 ).

The increase in total tweets indicated continuous popularity of the #edtech affinity space in general. The growth in tweets despite declining authorship suggested that the loyal authors increased their activity. Decreases in authorship could be connected to the general Twitter struggle to keep its most active users (Dang, 2022 ), but it could also be connected to uncertainties brought on by changes in Twitter ownership. Some users might have become more hesitant tweeters, fearing and anticipating changes in the platform’s nature and culture. Others may have abandoned the platform completely for more deeply-rooted reasons (Sweney, 2022 ). In the future, changes in Twitter ownership may even impact this report. Shifts in the platform’s business model may make data collection less feasible and analyzed information may become less useful.

We also looked at the most popular #EdTech co-occurring hashtags in two categories: audience and topics (see Table  4 ). #edchat remained the most popular co-occurring hashtag in the audience category. Other top hashtags from 2021 representing audience, such as #edutwitter, #teachers, #edtechchat, #students, #highered, and #k12, remained in the top 10 but slightly changed ranking. Interestingly, many top co-occurring hashtags (#edchat, #highered, #k12, #school, #highereducation) experienced at least a 15% reduction in the number of tweets and at least a 20% decrease in authorship. Another noteworthy trend is the appearance of more specialized, audience-related hashtags, such as #homeschool, #homeschooling, #suptchat, and #iste, in the top 50. Such differentiation in hashtag usage may reflect evolving users’ needs and desires (Kimmons & Veletsianos, 2016 ; Veletsianos, 2017 ).

The most popular topic by number of tweets in 2022 was #byjus, a hashtag associated with an educational technology company from India. In spite of its popularity (108,794 or 22.75% of all #edtech tweets), the low diversity score (0.62%) indicated that this hashtag was used by relatively few accounts at high frequencies, likely a result of focused marketing campaigns. This points to the fact that the Twitter space, and #edtech space in particular, can be unduly influenced by corporate influences and marketing. To keep these outliers from our dataset, we determined popularity first through sorting by number of users, then we sorted the top 200 by number of tweets.

We saw similar trends in co-occurring topics. The top ten topics slightly changed order but remained popular overall. The top two hashtags, #education and #learning, remained top ranking, but both experienced a significant loss of total tweets and number of authors. Other top hashtags, such as #technology, #stem, #teaching, and #innovation, had both fewer tweets and fewer authors. The exception was #ai, which had 2908 (25.7%) more tweets despite 484 (22.9%) fewer authors. This may not be a surprising trend as #ai has been gaining popularity in recent years. Other hashtags, such as #artificialintelligence, #machinelearning, #ML, and #mlearning, also appeared in the list. We can probably anticipate a sharp rise in this subgroup’s activity, including #chatGTP and related hashtags, in the #EdTech space in 2023.

As with the audience co-occurring hashtags, there was a clear pattern of emerging specialized topic-related hashtags that modified previously popular ones. For example, the popular term #stem evolved to include #steam, #stemeducation, #stemed, and #womeninstem appearing in the top 100. This differentiation and increased related hashtag usage could be one reason for decreased tweet count for top hashtags in 2022: greater specialization yields lower numbers in the general tags. Users gravitated to related, more specialized hashtags to create more focused dialogic spaces. Additionally, looking at the overall trends in both the audience and topic co-occurring hashtags, we noticed that diversity (#dei, #inclusion, #diversity, #quality, #equity), women (#womenintech, #womeninstem, #womenempowerment), and English language learning (#esl, #tefl, #efl, #elt, #tesol) became increasingly important in the #EdTech space. This specific type of differentiation may reflect the rising importance of these issues to the audience.

Another important trend in the #EdTech space this year was related to COVID-19 hashtags. In 2020, the most popular co-occurring hashtags after #education and #edchat were #remotelearning, #onlinelearning, #elearning, and #distancelearning, making up 11.47% (15,114 tweets by 4600 authors). These hashtags remained very popular in 2021, and together with #virtuallearning, #blendedlearning, #onlineeducation, and #digitallearning made up 16.10% (69,737 tweets by 10,611 authors) of #EdTech, while dropping to a mere 9% (43,034 tweets by 5910 authors) in 2022 (see Fig.  1 ). Clearly, conversations on Twitter paralleled a shift in perspective as we transitioned from the pandemic years. Of note, #elearning and #onlinelearning remained relatively popular (31,029 tweets or 72.1% of the 2022 subset). These two hashtags are more general and may represent the post-pandemic transition into accepting online learning environments and digital courseware (Seaman & Seaman, 2022a ). On the other hand, #remotelearning and #distancelearning, hashtags closely tied to COVID-19 emergency learning, significantly decreased in usage (76.6% and 69.2%, respectively) in 2022.

COVID-19 Related Tweets in the #EdTech Affinity Space

Our #EdTech tweet analysis also examined attached external links. We found that 454,258 (95.0%) tweets included either an external link or an embedded media item (e.g., an image). Similarly, as in the past, prominent external links included news sites ( edsurge.com , edtechmagazine.com , eschoolnews.com ), specifically those connected to India ( timesofindia.indiatimes.com , financialexpress.com , and indiaeducationadiary.com ). Multimedia resources ( youtube.com ), file-sharing platforms ( drive.google.com ), and other social media ( linkedin.com ) links were also among the most common external links. Noteworthy among the top shared external links is the increased popularity of links to learning resource sites, such as oodlu.org , shakeuplearning.com , ilearn2.co.uk , and freetech4teachers.com .

What Were Trending Topics among School and School District Facebook Groups in 2022?

To understand which technologies were shared on school and district Facebook pages, we examined the domain names for all the hyperlinks posted by 16,309 publicly accessible pages. To carry out this analysis, we searched the homepages of all of the schools and school districts in the U.S. for links to Facebook pages. We then uploaded the links to Facebook pages we found to the CrowdTangle platform Footnote 1 to access publicly available posts for 2020–2022 and identified the domains of websites linked within schools’ and districts’ posts; more information on the data collection approach is provided in Rosenberg et al. ( 2022 ). The ten most-shared domains broken down by year (2020, 2021, and 2022) are presented in Table  5 . The n represents the number of schools or districts sharing one or more links to these domains, and the percentage is the proportion of pages sharing one or more links that year. Thus, 9705 is the frequency with which links to YouTube were shared in 2020, and the percentage indicates that 60% of schools and districts with publicly accessible Facebook pages posted one or more links to YouTube over the year.

Looking across the years, we found that domains shared were largely consistent, with Google services—YouTube, Google Docs, and Google Drive—being the most shared in 2020, 2021, and 2022. We note that a greater proportion of districts shared links to YouTube in 2020 than in 2021 and 2022, possibly due to fewer activities being recorded and shared during the months following the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically, late 2019 and early 2020. After Google services, links to Zoom were commonly shared the fourth-most across all three years, though the number of districts sharing Zoom links decreased from 26% in 2020 and 21% in 2021 to 11% in 2022—like fewer links to YouTube, a suggestion that districts were carrying out fewer activities remotely. Links to the CDC were the eighth-most shared in 2020, but such links were not in the top ten in 2021 and 2022. Apart from these, the domains shared were similar in makeup and frequency across years, showing the importance of tools for carrying out digital work and productivity as well as tools to facilitate event sign-ups (SignUpGenius), school-parent communication (Smore), and book and sports ticket sales (Scholastic and GoFan).

What Were Trends in EdTech Open Educational Resources (OER) in 2022?

In addition to Scopus and social media trends, we also examined an EdTech-focused Open Educational Resource (OER) platform EdTech Books ( https://edtechbooks.org ). OER are “teaching, learning, and research materials that reside in the public domain or have been released under an open license that permits their free use and re-purposing by others” (Creative Commons, 2020 ). OER can take various forms and sizes, including textbooks, lessons, courses, learning activities, assessments, technologies, syllabi, images, presentations, videos, and graphics. Being ‘open’ means that OER are freely accessible to anyone with internet access and can be retained, reused, redistributed, revised, and remixed as needed (Wiley, n.d. ), providing significant opportunities for improving “the quality and affordability of education for learners everywhere” (Wiley & Hilton, 2018 , p. 144). Research has repeatedly shown that OER quality is comparable to commercial resources (Clinton & Khan, 2019 ; Kimmons, 2015 ), and their adoption does not negatively impact student learning (Hilton, 2016 ; Hilton, 2019 ) while saving students money (Clinton, 2018 ; Hilton, 2016 ; Ikahihifo et al., 2017 ) and providing a variety of other benefits (Kimmons, 2016 ).

Though a shift to OER over the years has been slower than many would like (Seaman & Seaman, 2022b ), and research on adoption patterns is problematized by an absence of central controlling agencies and systems, the field of educational technology may be somewhat ahead of the curve when compared to many other fields (cf., Rosenberg, 2023 ). The emergence of OER platforms like EdTech Books, Pressbooks, and LibreTexts supports this notion. For this year’s OER analysis, we selected EdTech Books as the authors are most familiar with this platform and have ready access to data. We believe that as an EdTech-focused platform, EdTech Books analytics may provide valuable insights into user behavior and how OER are developed, adopted, and used in our field.

In 2022, ETB provided free OER to more than 1.4 million users worldwide. A perusal of the most popular books or journal issues (Table  6 ), chapters (Table  7 ), and search terms revealed that readers seemed to be drawn to these resources when they were seeking information on broad theoretical aspects of educational technology (e.g., cognitivism, constructivism, sociocultural theory), technology-specific guidance (e.g., how to use Blooket, MySQL, or Photopea), or research and evaluation materials (e.g., sampling procedures or survey design), and analysis of end-of-chapter quality assurance ratings (similar to e-commerce five-star reviews) revealed that readers generally found the provided OER to be “High Quality” (3.0 = “Moderate Quality,” 4.0 = “High Quality,” 5.0 = “Very High Quality”).

Some of these works were peer-reviewed, while others were not. Some chapters and books were authored by professional scholars, while others were authored by students as part of open pedagogical learning projects (cf. Casey et al., 2023 ). Notably, some of the most-used and highest-quality OER in EdTech Books were authored by students or were published without peer review. This trend suggests the need to rethink peer reviews as a sole indicator of quality (Woodward et al., 2017 ; Kimmons, 2015 ), potentially including triangulation of data points, such as quality assurance ratings, citations and dissemination rates, times remixed, accessibility, usefulness, and prestige of adopting organizations.

Additionally, one of the stated goals of EdTech Books (and OER more broadly) is to improve access to learning opportunities for people all over the world. Analysis of readers’ country of origin and device type (Fig. 2 ) revealed that EdTech Books resources were heavily used throughout the world and accessed on a variety of devices. The top users of the site were the United States (33.8%), the Philippines (16.6%), and India (6.7%), with each other country accounting for 2.7% or less of total traffic. Moreover, more than one-third of users accessed resources on mobile devices, underscoring the importance of mobile-first design when creating OER because, in many countries, mobile devices with limited internet access are the norm for online-enabled learning.

Most Common Countries and Device Types of ETB Users for 2022

Summary and Discussion

The analysis of 2022 edtech-related data from Scopus, Twitter, Facebook, and EdTech Books provided triangulated snapshots of the state of the educational technology field in 2022. Additionally, comparisons of the 2022 data trends to trends from previous years afforded additional insights into developments, directions, and shifts as the EdTech field responds to past and current events. We observed several noteworthy patterns, such as the general stability of trends in the field, specific post-pandemic shifts, the maturation of specialized topics, and emerging areas of interest. We hope that researchers and practitioners find the overall trends useful and those focusing on specific areas find the more detailed analyses of topics and terms helpful.

First, we found that the overall patterns across the platforms remained similar to previous years. The emphasis remained on “e-learning” and “online learning” in Scopus and on Twitter and Facebook. We continued to see a keen interest in emergent technologies, such as artificial intelligence and virtual/augmented reality, in Scopus data and on Twitter. It is possible that these topics are not as frequently mentioned on school and district Facebook pages because they serve a different communication function than Twitter and Scopus (schools-to-families vs. scholars-to-scholars). Rather than exchanging the latest technology ideas and tips among researchers and practitioners, school and district Facebook pages serve as a day-to-day communication tool and an information hub between schools (teachers and administrators) and families (students and parents). As in previous years, the school and school district Facebook page analysis and the Twitter external link analysis highlighted the continuous predominance of digital services by a single tech company: Google. Indeed, tools such as YouTube, Google Docs, and Google Drive have been widely adopted and have become intrinsic to any technology-related activities.

Second, not surprisingly, the analysis revealed a strong post-pandemic shift across the data on all three platforms: Scopus, Twitter, and Facebook. The Twitter data analysis suggested a sharp decline in COVID-19-related terms usage, including technology terms like “remote teaching.” Facebook data clearly indicated a shift from remote learning (a decline in remote technology use) to in-person activities (an increase in sports and events). Despite this shift, we saw increased references to online and hybrid learning across all three platforms, suggesting more ubiquitous use of these technologies and practices within existing educational systems as a supplement rather than a wholesale replacement (e.g., Seaman & Seaman, 2022a , b ). Additionally, the appearance of “COVID-19,” “online learning,” and “during COVID” bigrams in Scopus data suggested that researchers are still reporting on EdTech activities during the pandemic.

Third, among other trends, Twitter data analysis suggested the maturation and specialization of topics reflective of evolving users’ needs and desires. Many popular hashtags remained at the top in 2022. However, the number of their tweets dropped, and new, yet related hashtags noticeably appeared at the top. For example, #stem evolved to include #steam, #stemeducation, #stemed, and #womeninstem. Such development suggests users’ understanding of hashtag functionality and responsiveness to the dynamic social media landscape. As hashtags become popular and mature, they may lose their differentiating power, and users start coining related hashtags to create more specialized spaces. As a related trend, we saw the emergence of diversity, women, and English language learning hashtags on Twitter this year, possibly suggesting that these issues are becoming increasingly important to the EdTech community.

In response to the commentaries from previous editorials, this year’s analysis indicates that many technology-related changes initiated during the pandemic may influence longer-term shifts, such as the increased interest in and normalization of online and blended learning. In addition, our OER analysis suggests that there is an appetite for resources to support both theoretical and practical work in educational technology and that the quality of resources available to professionals at all levels may be indicated by a variety of emergent methods beyond historic reliance on peer review and expertise (e.g., consider the widespread use and perceived quality of student-generated OER). As educational technology professionals grapple with this new reality in a world that increasingly requires focused guidance for our professionals worldwide, we should continue to move the field in directions that are responsive to the needs of a global educational technology community, in terms of topics, resources, contexts, formats, and accessibility.

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Allman, B., Kimmons, R., Rosenberg, J. et al. Trends and Topics in Educational Technology, 2023 Edition. TechTrends 67 , 583–591 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-023-00840-2

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54 Most Interesting Technology Research Topics for 2023

May 30, 2023

Scrambling to find technology research topics for the assignment that’s due sooner than you thought? Take a scroll down these 54 interesting technology essay topics in 10 different categories, including controversial technology topics, and some example research questions for each.

Social technology research topics

Whether you have active profiles on every social media platform, you’ve taken a social media break, or you generally try to limit your engagement as much as possible, you probably understand how pervasive social technologies have become in today’s culture. Social technology will especially appeal to those looking for widely discussed, mainstream technology essay topics.

• How do viewers respond to virtual influencers vs human influencers? Is one more effective or ethical over the other?
• Across social media platforms, when and where is mob mentality most prevalent? How do the nuances of mob mentality shift depending on the platform or topic?
• Portable devices like cell phones, laptops, and tablets have certainly made daily life easier in some ways. But how have they made daily life more difficult?
• How does access to social media affect developing brains? And what about mature brains?
• Can dating apps alter how users perceive and interact with people in real life?
• Studies have proven “doomscrolling” to negatively impact mental health—could there ever be any positive impacts?

Cryptocurrency and blockchain technology research topics

Following cryptocurrency and blockchain technology has been a rollercoaster the last few years. And since Bitcoin’s conception in 2009, cryptocurrency has consistently showed up on many lists of controversial technology topics.

• Is it ethical for celebrities or influential people to promote cryptocurrencies or cryptographic assets like NFTs ?
• What are the environmental impacts of mining cryptocurrencies? Could those impacts ever change?
• How does cryptocurrency impact financial security and financial health?
• Could the privacy cryptocurrency offers ever be worth the added security risks?
• How might cryptocurrency regulations and impacts continue to evolve?
• Created to enable cryptocurrency, blockchain has since proven useful in several other industries. What new uses could blockchain have?

Artificial intelligence technology research topics

We started 2023 with M3GAN’s box office success, and now we’re fascinated (or horrified) with ChatGPT , voice cloning , and deepfakes . While people have discussed artificial intelligence for ages, recent advances have really pushed this topic to the front of our minds. Those searching for controversial technology topics should pay close attention to this one.

• OpenAI –the company behind ChatGPT–has shown commitment to safe, moderated AI tools that they hope will provide positive benefits to society. Sam Altman, their CEO, recently testified before a US Senate He described what AI makes possible and called for more regulation in the industry. But even with companies like OpenAI displaying efforts to produce safe AI and advocating for regulations, can AI ever have a purely positive impact? Are certain pitfalls unavoidable?
• In a similar vein, can AI ever actually be ethically or safely produced? Will there always be certain risks?
• How might AI tools impact society across future generations?
• Countless movies and television shows explore the idea of AI going wrong, going back all the way to 1927’s Metropolis . What has a greater impact on public perception—representations in media or industry developments? And can public perception impact industry developments and their effectiveness?

Beauty and anti-aging technology 

Throughout human history, people in many cultures have gone to extreme lengths to capture and maintain a youthful beauty. But technology has taken the pursuit of beauty and youth to another level. For those seeking technology essay topics that are both timely and timeless, this one’s a gold mine.

• With augmented reality technology, companies like Perfect allow app users to virtually try on makeup, hair color, hair accessories, and hand or wrist accessories. Could virtual try-ons lead to a somewhat less wasteful beauty industry? What downsides should we consider?
• Users of the Perfect app can also receive virtual diagnoses for skin care issues and virtually “beautify” themselves with smoothed skin, erased blemishes, whitened teeth, brightened under-eye circles, and reshaped facial structures. How could advancements in beauty and anti-aging technology affect self-perception and mental health?
• What are the best alternatives to animal testing within the beauty and anti-aging industry?
• Is anti-aging purely a cosmetic pursuit? Could anti-aging technology provide other benefits?
• Could people actually find a “cure” to aging? And could a cure to aging lead to longer lifespans?
• How might longer human lifespans affect the Earth?

Geoengineering technology research topics

An umbrella term, geoengineering refers to large-scale technologies that can alter the earth and its climate. Typically, these types of technologies aim to combat climate change. Those searching for controversial technology topics should consider looking into this one.

• What benefits can solar geoengineering provide? Can they outweigh the severe risks?
• Compare solar geoengineering methods like mirrors in space, stratospheric aerosol injection, marine cloud brightening, and other proposed methods. How have these methods evolved? How might they continue to evolve?
• Which direct air capture methods are most sustainable?
• How can technology contribute to reforestation efforts?
• What are the best uses for biochar? And how can biochar help or harm the earth?
• Out of all the carbon geoengineering methods that exist or have been proposed, which should we focus on the most?

Creative and performing arts technology topics

While tensions often arise between artists and technology, they’ve also maintained a symbiotic relationship in many ways. It’s complicated. But of course, that’s what makes it interesting. Here’s another option for those searching for timely and timeless technology essay topics.

• How has the relationship between art and technology evolved over time?
• How has technology impacted the ways people create art? And how has technology impacted the ways people engage with art?
• Technology has made creating and viewing art widely accessible. Does this increased accessibility change the value of art? And do we value physical art more than digital art?
• Does technology complement storytelling in the performing arts? Or does technology hinder storytelling in the performing arts?
• Which current issues in the creative or performing arts could potentially be solved with technology?

Cellular agriculture technology research topics

And another route for those drawn to controversial technology topics: cellular agriculture. You’ve probably heard about popular plant-based meat options from brands like Impossible and Beyond Meat . While products made with cellular agriculture also don’t require the raising and slaughtering of livestock, they are not plant-based. Cellular agriculture allows for the production of animal-sourced foods and materials made from cultured animal cells.

• Many consumers have a proven bias against plant-based meats. Will that same bias extend to cultured meat, despite cultured meat coming from actual animal cells?
• Which issues can arise from patenting genes?
• Does the animal agriculture industry provide any benefits that cellular agriculture may have trouble replicating?
• How might products made with cellular agriculture become more affordable?
• Could cellular agriculture conflict with the notion of a “ circular bioeconomy ?” And should we strive for a circular bioeconomy? Can we create a sustainable relationship between technology, capitalism, and the environment, with or without cellular agriculture?

Transportation technology research topics

For decades, we’ve expected flying cars to carry us into a techno-utopia, where everything’s shiny, digital, and easy. We’ve heard promises of super fast trains that can zap us across the country or even across the world. We’ve imagined spring breaks on the moon, jet packs, and teleportation. Who wouldn’t love the option to go anywhere, anytime, super quickly? Transportation technology is another great option for those seeking widely discussed, mainstream technology essay topics.

• Once upon a time, Lady Gaga was set to perform in space as a promotion for Virgin Galactic . While Virgin Galactic never actually launched the iconic musician/actor, soon, they hope to launch their first commercial flight full of civilians–who paid $450,000 a pop–on a 90-minute trip into the stars. And if you think that’s pricey, SpaceX launched three businessmen into space for $55 million in April, 2022 (though with meals included, this is actually a total steal). So should we be launching people into space just for fun? What are the impacts of space tourism?
• Could technology improve the way hazardous materials get transported?
• How can the 5.9 GHz Safety Band affect drivers?
• Which might be safer: self-driving cars or self-flying airplanes?
• Compare hyperloop and maglev Which is better and why?
• Can technology improve safety for cyclists?

Gaming technology topics

A recent study involving over 2000 children found links between video game play and enhanced cognitive abilities. While many different studies have found the impacts of video games to be positive or neutral, we still don’t fully understand the impact of every type of video game on every type of brain. Regardless, most people have opinions on video gaming. So this one’s for those seeking widely discussed, mainstream, and controversial technology topics.

• Are different types or genres of video games more cognitively beneficial than others? Or are certain gaming consoles more cognitively beneficial than others?
• How do the impacts of video games differ from other types of games, such as board games or puzzles?
• What ethical challenges and safety risks come with virtual reality gaming?
• How does a player perceive reality during a virtual reality game compared to during other types of video games?
• Can neurodivergent brains benefit from video games in different ways than neurotypical brains?

Medical technology 

Advancements in healthcare have the power to change and save lives. In the last ten years, countless new medical technologies have been developed, and in the next ten years, countless more will likely emerge. Always relevant and often controversial, this final technology research topic could interest anyone.

• Which ethical issues might arise from editing genes using CRISPR-Cas9 technology? And should this technology continue to be illegal in the United States?
• How has telemedicine impacted patients and the healthcare they receive?
• Can neurotechnology devices potentially affect a user’s agency, identity, privacy, and/or cognitive liberty?
• How could the use of medical 3-D printing continue to evolve?
• Are patients more likely to skip digital therapeutics than in-person therapeutic methods? And can the increased screen-time required by digital therapeutics impact mental health

What do you do next?

Now that you’ve picked from this list of technology essay topics, you can do a deep dive and immerse yourself in new ideas, new information, and new perspectives. And of course, now that these topics have motivated you to change the world, look into the best computer science schools , the top feeders to tech and Silicon Valley , the best summer programs for STEM students , and the best biomedical engineering schools .

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A List of 580 Interesting Research Topics [2024 Edition]

In school and college, you will be required to write research papers. Yes — papers in the plural. And that’s the first reason you may want to turn to Custom Writing and seek help with research projects.

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• 🔝 Top 10 Research Topics

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🔝 Top 10 Research Topics for 2024

• Maintaining social bonds via music
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• Cosmological simulations and machine learning
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• Technology-enhanced education in the post-COVID era
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• Whether you are given a broad-spectrum subject area
• How much freedom you are given to branch out and select a topic

Hopefully, you have been given some freedom of choice regarding academic paper topics. However, if you do have some choice in the matter, you might be speculating about how to narrow it down.

You are in luck!

There are a number of ways to effectively comb through the abundance of research paper topics and discover one that will work well for you. Here are some suggestions:

• Ask your professor. Chances are your professor has some fabulous research paper ideas. You can also inquire with other university staff and graduate students for ideas. These people know your discipline well, which can work to your advantage.
• Browse through scientific journals and research papers , but be sure to adhere to the most recent research possible. You will definitely find interesting ideas in published papers that would make great research paper topics.
• Investigate other professional and government publications for research project ideas. Again, keep to the most recent publications within the last three to five years, if possible.
• Browse through your library catalog to uncover the most interesting areas of study in your field.
• Take notes everywhere you go! It doesn’t matter if you are in class listening to your professor, traveling, reading a magazine, or watching TV. Research paper ideas are absolutely everywhere! Write things down whenever you come across something unique and interesting, and you just might find a topic to pursue.

When it comes down to it, deciding on one of the many academic essay topics is the most substantial step of the process.

Once you have that narrowed down, you can focus your research and write a remarkable paper. Now, we want to give you some help. What follows is an extensive list of the most interesting research topics to get you started.

Get an originally-written paper according to your instructions!

Now that you have a good idea of how to search for college research paper topics, you are ready for some suggestions. You might like one of them right off the bat, or you might be inspired by a particular topic and write something related to it.

Want to know the best part?

By the time you are finished reading this academic topics list, you will feel much more equipped for writing your research paper. For even better result, have a brainstorming session with a research topic generator to introduce a bigger variety of options.

💻 IT Research Paper Topics

Perhaps some of the best college research topics these days are in the IT field. Explore one of these interesting ideas in your paper:

• Has big data changed our lives for the better? Big data is a trendy study subject. Large IT companies use it for purposes such as advertising and logistics. However, it has also raised substantial privacy concerns over non-consensual data gathering. Are the benefits companies get by collecting your data worth them learning everything about you?
• Neural networks are algorithms that can learn to solve problems. Both their name and method of learning are derived from how the human brain works. Can neural networks lead to the creation of a true AI? If so, how soon?
• The current state of cryptography and how it may develop. The entire Internet’s security relies on a relatively small number of ciphers. If they were to be broken, the potential damage would be immeasurable. How likely is that to happen? What challenges are we likely to face in the future?
• The pros and cons of transitioning to cloud technologies. Cloud services are very convenient for various purposes. They might not work as fast as physical devices, but they are portable, cheap, and very convenient. Should humanity switch entirely to cloud services?
• What issues does automation raise, and how can they be solved? Robots don’t get tired and work very precisely. That’s why automation is great for business. Many manufacturing companies rely on robots heavily in their production. However, robots in the workplace mean fewer jobs for humans. When most blue-collar positions disappear, what will humanity do?
• Should we keep using multi-factor authentication?
• Are big tech companies monopolistic in their behaviors?
• Is remote work the future of office jobs employment?
• The pros and cons of software ownership vs. subscription models.
• Explore the evolution of wireless communication standards and their implications.
• Describe the Internet of things and its effects on security .
• The issues of IPv4 and the adoption of IPv6.
• How do computers manage to generate random numbers?
• The infrastructure and contingencies of the World Wide Web .
• Are computers entirely unbiased in their treatment of people?
• Procedures to enhance IT security
• New methodologies and challenges to IT management in health
• Interrelation, patterns, and existing theories on behavior and IT
• Common services center vs. community multimedia center: selecting the correct variety of IT service
• Racial and gender issues in the IT domain
• Innovative theories regarding computer imitation of a human being
• The impact of digitization of medical records on the IT domain

🏺 Topics for your Research Project on History

Human history is full of exciting events, and despite what you might believe, not all of them have been explored. There are many incredible history research topics, such as:

• The history of the Chinese Empire over the millennia. The Chinese Empire is rarely discussed in history classes as much as its Western counterparts. However, it existed for over two millennia, only falling in 1912. Many curious events happened in that time that merit discussion.
• The Ottoman Empire and the Barbary slave trade. The word “barbarian” comes from the Barbary Coast in Africa. It was infamous for its pirates, who raided European vessels for loot and slaves. Only ending in the 19th century, this phenomenon can make for an interesting case study.
• The rise and fall of Ancient Greek city-states. Ancient Greece is often viewed as mostly monolithic and united against threats. In fact, it was comprised of numerous city-states that fought as much as they cooperated. Research the region’s fascinating and nuanced history.
• The effects of the printing press on the world . The printing press was invented in 1440 AD by Johannes Gutenberg. Before it, each copy of a book had to be written by hand. It limited the literature’s availability dramatically. What effects did mass production of books have on Europe and the world?
• The fracturing of Christianity: causes and effects. Since its inception, Christianity has gone through multiple schisms. Some of them were remarkably violent. As a result, there are now three main Christian churches and a multitude of lesser ones. Explore what caused believers to split apart into Orthodox Christians, Catholics, and Protestants.
• The underlying causes of the World War I.
• Provide a detailed history of the Hundred Years’ War and its results.
• Holy Roman Empire: from successor to the Romans to a Nazi symbol.
• Liberalism in national politics: emergence and evolution.
• The history of the world as a series of conquests.
• Were the Crusades motivated purely by religious devotion?
• Why did Texas secede from Mexico to the United States?
• Apartheid in South Africa and its heritage.
• Centers of scientific activity throughout history.
• How did China’s geography influence its history?
• Palestine and the Golan Heights
• Premises, progression, and consequences of the cold war
• The most remarkable revolutions in history
• Has Slavery transformed the development of the western world?
• Could damage from the bubonic plague have been diminished?
• Strange medieval family laws and their influence on society
• Life in London in the 15th century
• Religious cults in ancient societies

🧠 Psychology Research Paper Topics

Psychology has to offer plenty of interesting ideas for you to research. Just look through the discoveries made over the past decades, and you can understand that the human mind holds as many mysteries as the deep ocean.

It is why we would like to suggest a list of great experimental research topics in psychology. The science of human behavior is even more exciting when you can try your theories on practice.

If you still can’t decide on the topic for your research paper or thesis, just look through this collection of compelling proposals to give yourself an inspirational boost.

• What is the correlation between personality and taste in literature? It’s obvious that people with similar interests get in groups. Does it mean that they have similar personalities, though?
• Conformity in college and high school: a scientific approach. Check how your course mates tend to agree with others and don’t forget to write it down!
• Do men and women have different short-term memory mechanisms? It’s quite easy to conduct an experiment, but be careful approaching it in terms of gender issues.
• Optical illusions from the perspective of people with creativity skills. What if people who tend to be artistic and creative can see something in the common optical illusions that others can’t?
• The gut feeling: how do you feel when others stare at you? Some studies showed that you are more likely to wake up in the night because someone is staring at you. It’s creepy, though…
• Tricking the taste buds: how does smell affect the taste? How much can the smell of an onion confuse your sense of taste while you are eating an apple?
• What is the Stroop Effect, and how does age influence it? Check whether the age of the participants influences their ability to name the colors.
• Does having a symmetrical face make us seem more attractive? It is very rare that someone has perfectly identical left and right sides of the face. But how noticeable is it?
• Analyze the capacity of the short-term memory of your peers. The easiest way is to measure it by memorizing words and comparing the numbers later.
• Do people eat more popcorn when watching movies of a specific genre? Chewing something is almost a must-do in the cinema. But what type of movies triggers this behavior more than others?
• What signs of social media addiction are noticeable in public? Spend some time in the local coffee shop, watching people on their phones, and note any signs of addiction they show.
• The psychological effects of having breakfast: learning performance. Check if your course mates who have breakfast are more successful in learning than those who don’t.
• Music vs. body: how does your body respond? Measure different biomarkers while listening to different types of music. Maybe you’ll find perfect motivational beats!
• What color should your room be to improve your learning outcome? Blue is more calming than red, which is often used in sports halls. But what about boosting your learning abilities?
• Favorite color as a result of childhood attraction. Try to trace the childhood memories of your friends. Maybe their favorite color is pink because they had pink walls in their room.
• Biomarkers and colors: what is the correlation? Check how seeing different colors can stimulate specific responses from the body, for example, in heart rate.
• Colors and mood: can the color of your bedsheets make your day? The first thing you see in the morning is quite important. How would a specific color affect your mood?
• What is the correlation between stress levels and procrastination? There is a relation for sure, but does procrastination cause stress or the other way around?
• How much can we trust the long-term memory ? Ask people to tell you about some random event from their past. Then, ask them to do the same later. Do the stories match?
• Negative influences of sleep deprivation on social behavior. Track some students’ behavior when they don’t get enough sleep and see how it affects their relationship with others.
• The origin of phobias and fears: engaging the monster within
• Dreams : are they messages from within?
• Mechanisms of thinking: it’s all in your head
• Factors that influence behavior and character
• Mechanisms of aggravating habits
• The function of short- and long-term memory

• Why people yearn for their past
• What entices people to amass the most preposterous things?
• Is autism a disease or a natural variation of the norm?
• The impact and outcomes of social networks and mental health
• How memory works: recalling the essential
• How depression impacts the immune system

• A phenomenon-oriented approach to the study of depression
• How to manage post-traumatic stress disorder in children
• Depression as a cause of celiac disease
• Fighting depression with techniques to relieve anxiety
• The consequences of depression and relationship problems
• Eating behaviors in different cultures
• How behavioral patterns develop
• How to forecast and shape behavioral patterns
• Differences and similarities in the behavioral patterns of diverse cultures
• Is there a genetic link to optimism that can shape behaviors and attitudes?
• The causes and consequences of insomnia
• How to combat child violence

• How defense mechanisms and behavioral patterns work
• How bilingualism works: the secret of processing mechanisms
• How fear-related beliefs fit into the cognition process
• Following the cognitive process involved in anxiety disorders
• How to fight emotional distress
• Unusual mental health cases and cognition deviations
• Applying psychological approaches to ethical reality
• How motivation plays a role in human development
• The shared elements of self-affiliation and self-determination
• An examination of the causes and results of drug and alcohol abuse
• New ideas regarding the peculiarities of rational and social development
• How practicing a healthy lifestyle cures disease and promotes wellness
• Conflict solution in parent-child relationships
• Evaluating the challenges of preterm development in children
• How to battle cognitive deficit in Parkinson’s disease
• Is attention deficit disorder a neuropsychological problem?
• Examining the process of making decisions and taking risks
• The impact of music genres on how the brain works
• How to fight childhood disorders
• Shattering long-standing myths about ADHD
• Intellectually gifted people: how is it possible?

🎓 Research Paper Topics on Education

Research project ideas around education are always changing. This has resulted in a wide range of research topics, such as:

• Computers in classrooms: useful tool or obstacle to equality ? Computers have proved to be capable of improving many aspects of our lives. For instance, they allow children to interact with content instead of just consuming it. However, computers further the disparities between those who can and cannot afford one. Explore these factors in your research paper.
• A review of potential methods for solving America’s education crisis. The US invests a substantial portion of its budget into education. However, the system’s equality is average at best. You can study proposals on how we may change its design for the better. Choose the most promising ones, or suggest one of your own.
• Individualized vs. group learning : which is better suited for current reality? Every child’s learning should be tailored to their specific situation. Unfortunately, there are far more children than teachers. Answer these questions: is group learning the only available option despite its drawbacks? Can we reduce its shortcomings by blending the models?
• Are standardized tests helpful or damaging to children’s education ? Standardized tests are convenient from a bureaucratic standpoint. They convert children’s learning into numbers that are easy to work with. But the practice is often criticized for prioritizing memorization over understanding. Should standardized tests be abandoned?
• How should the education system approach children with special needs ? Special needs children have experienced a broad range of treatment throughout history. What are the current ideas on how to teach them? What are their special needs in an educational context, and how can schools satisfy them?
• Are the world’s best education systems based on similar foundations?
• How can schools help children maintain their mental health ?
• What does equality of opportunity mean in the context of the school?
• Review how the essential qualities of a teacher evolved since 2000.
• Should every school student aim for higher education
• What traits define an excellent teacher, and can they be cultivated?
• Is homeschooling a viable alternative to public schools ?
• The school choice debate in the US: arguments for and against.
• Authoritative sources: what qualities make information available on the Internet valid?
• Is cheating on tests an expression of an educational failure?
• Where theory encounters reality in gender issues
• Test anxiety with regard to contemporary methods of teaching
• The effects of contemporary teaching methods
• The mental process behind human learning
• The interpretation of IQ test results
• Should children be rebuked when they misbehave?
• How to prevent bullying and harassment in schools

• The creation of particular learning methods for blind children
• Positives and negatives of contemporary methods of teaching and state-of-the-art innovations
• The function of technology in lesson planning
• Is there a one-size-fits-all strategy for education?

📺 Cultural Research Topics for Papers

Perhaps there is nothing more complex than human culture and how people have interacted with each other throughout history. For this reason, these cultural topics might be of interest to you:

• Harlem Renaissance: how a single neighborhood created modern African American culture . In the 1920s, numerous African Americans moved to the Harlem neighborhood of New York. Influenced by the ideas of thinkers such as W. E. B. Du Bois , they built the foundations of Black culture and art. How did this happen? 
• Is third-wave feminism still a movement for equality ? First-wave feminism gave women equal rights with men. Then the second wave started the fight with discrimination. However, third-wave feminism claims that the second wave failed, especially with regards to matters such as race and ethnicity. Are its claims valid, and what does it work to achieve? 
• Is the Western way of thinking the only correct one? Non-Western civilizations lay claim to different schools of thought that emphasize different viewpoints. Should Westerners adopt aspects of non-Western philosophical thought? 
• Are the factors that informed the Constitution still relevant? The Constitution was created in a different time than now. Some of its provisions, notably the Second Amendment, have been challenged repeatedly in recent years. Explore if the ideas of the Founding Fathers still apply today. 
• Should the postmodern school of art be considered art? Postmodern art is challenging to define in plain terms. Many people are confused when a seemingly random series of brush strokes sells for millions of dollars. Think of how such artworks fit into the history of art movements. 
• The impact of advertisements and commercials on how people comprehend the world 
• The implicit messages of mass media : what you see is what you get 
• How the most remarkable cultural achievements of the 20 th century influenced contemporary art 
• The repetition of cultural tendencies: the Greeks did it first 
• Social roles adults endorse to children via toys 
• Social models mass media bestows on teenagers and adults 
• Eating habits in dissimilar cultures 
• The origin of racial discrimination
• The segmentation and integration of humans 
• The impact of AIDS on mankind 
• A new comprehension of past events 
• Unearthing a common language: divorce prevention and family therapy  
• Painting a portrait of the average American family 
• The roots of antisemitism and how it manifests today 
• A case against cruelty to living beings 
• An examination of the current job market and unemployment

🗣️ Argumentative Essay Topics

It is easy to find unique argumentative research paper topics. After all, we live in a crazy world in which all kinds of interesting things happen. Here are some suggestions:

• Is the Electoral College a better system than the popular vote? The United States uses the unique Electoral College system for its presidential elections. Over the centuries, calls have been made to change it to the popular vote approach. So far, these attempts have been fruitless. In this debate, whose position has more merit?
• Should the continued expansion of the government be reversed? Starting small, governments around the world took on more and more functions. As a result, they now guarantee the operation of many services. They also collect massive taxes and demonstrate bureaucratic inefficiencies. Is there a valid argument for privatizing most public services?
• Should the US continue acting as the world’s peacekeeper? The US’s military is present in many areas around the world. Usually, they take the form of military bases and peacekeeping forces. However, its efforts often fail, with Iraq as a recent example. Should the nation continue spending its resources abroad?
• Does the public or private healthcare produce better results for the cost? The US’s healthcare system is often criticized for its massive costs and underwhelming quality. There have been calls to both make it more private and more public. Which of the two approaches ensures a more affordable, efficient system?
• Is teenage gender transition ethical? Recently, medical professionals in the US have started transitioning teenagers with gender dysphoria . Yet, some of them de-transition later. Should the practice continue regardless?
• Political commitment and television
• Should marijuana be legalized?
• Can people of different races ever understand each other
• Abusive relationships: where to draw the line on what relationships should Be allowed to exist
• Are there realistic limitations on abortion ?
• The many guises of violence in society
• The impact of women on world history

• Are social interactions possible without lies?
• Dealing with overpopulation: can it be accomplished ethically ?
• Torture: is it ever acceptable?
• The ethics of using animals in research
• Human dependence on computers : beneficial or harmful
• Post-9/11 security measures: an invasion of privacy or good sense

Science is always bursting with new and exciting topics as we delve deeper into the mysteries of the universe and technology. Here are a few topic suggestions:

• The potential of space resources and the technologies for extracting them. Space contains a vast quantity of resources, many of which are rare or expensive on Earth. Plans to use them have been arising for a long time. Can we implement any of them in the near future, and do they justify the costs? 
• Recent promising developments in cancer treatment and their validity. Cancer is a significant concern for humanity largely because it cannot be treated without harming the body. However, ideas such as targeted medications and imitations of whale biology have promised an end to this problem. Research them and assess their validity. 
• Large-scale recycling methods and their effectiveness in reducing waste . Most of the resources humanity uses are still on the planet in the form of waste. Some, such as fossil fuels, cannot be recovered, while metals and many others can. Is it possible to address resource scarcity through large-scale recycling? Is it economically viable? 
• Advantages and disadvantages of proposed thorium nuclear reactor designs. Thorium has been touted as the solution to the problems of uranium-based atomic reactors. It’s not as dangerous and produces less waste. Is it indeed superior, or should its issues prevent its use? 
• Potential benefits and issues of genetic modification . Genetic modification is broadly used but also criticized by many. It has its benefits, but critics argue that overreliance may lead to unexplored side effects. Are there reasons to believe these claims? 
• What cloning has in store for humanity: altering the personality 
• How nanotechnology will impact modern science  
• Will uranium isotopes precipitate the next scientific revolution? 
• How psychoactive drugs influence the central nervous system 
• Deafness and using echolocation 
• The role of erythropoietin and calcitriol in the human body 
• The process of feeling pain: treatment and pain relievers of the future 
• Is nuclear energy too hazardous to use? 
• Nuclear weapons: a responsibility for which no country is prepared 
• People’s impact on climate change : the cost of a technological breakthrough 
• Key issues and potential solutions for toxic waste disposal 
• Are the effects of global warming reversible ? 
• The future of NASA  
• Endangered species : causes and concerns
• Black mold: the bathroom invasion 

Just like science, health care is always changing, particularly as technology advances. With new discoveries in disease research and new technology being developed every day, the following topics are great examples of what you can write about in your paper:

• Race and ethnicity-based differences in normal health indicators . People of different races and ethnicities tend to have varying normal health indicators. For example, African Americans tend to have a higher blood pressure than average. What causes such differences? Why do medical workers need to understand them?
• The effects of the Affordable Care Act on American healthcare. The Affordable Care Act, colloquially known as Obamacare, was introduced to improve health insurance’s affordability for disadvantaged people. However, the costs of insurance have grown since through premiums. Did Obamacare cause this increase, or did it happen independently?
• Strategies for prevention of obesity and associated heart disease risks. Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States. Obesity, which is also prevalent in the nation, is associated with the condition. How can the healthcare system reduce the rates of obesity and associated heart disease?
• For- or non-profit hospitals: which offer superior treatment? Both for- and non-profit hospitals are private entities. The former operate as businesses, while the latter only seek to cover their costs. Is the former’s drive to compete and lower prices preferable to the latter’s not charging a profit margin?
• Mental health in the United States: issues and proposed solutions. Mental healthcare is a complicated topic. Many conditions are difficult to diagnose, and some are associated with stigma . Conflicts of interest often arise among psychiatrists, incentivizing them to diagnose fake conditions. How can mental health be improved in the US?
• Should medicine be more focused on the prevention of illnesses or their treatment?
• Is it possible to eliminate a disease forever?
• The development of prosthetics: current technologies and promising ideas
• Barriers to the adoption of electronic health systems and how to overcome them.
• Sedentary behavior and sports: what are the health outcomes?
• Psychological treatment for adolescents: how to address their needs.
• Caring for seniors: current problems and potential solutions.
• US nursing shortage: causes and potential effects on the nation’s health.
• The effects of circumcision on the health of newborn infants.
• Analyze the experiences of children with autism in school and at home.
• Should image scan radiation be reduced to a minimum level?
• Health care and insurance: concerns and problems
• The most likely outcomes of recent health care reform
• Old theories and new methods of sports injury rehabilitation
• A look at celebrities who have battled cancer
• A comparison of conventional and alternative cancer treatments
• How clean needle programs benefit society
• The need for education on nutrition in school
• The impact of diet on health

👔 Business Research Paper Topics to Write About

Business is a broad field, so there are plenty of topics you can write about, such as:

• Best contemporary practice in green supply chain management for businesses. Green supply chain management aims to overturn the stereotype of polluting factories. Companies that adopt it seek to generate as little waste as possible and require their suppliers to do the same. What policies do researchers currently recommend for this purpose? 
• Corporate social responsibility : theoretical framework and practical implementations. Corporate social responsibility is an approach where a company seeks to give back to the community where it works. It’s a popular concept, often discussed in business schools. But how does it translate into practice? 
• The effects of different office arrangements on the productivity of employees . Offices have evolved substantially over the 20th century. Cubicles replaced isolated rooms, and today open offices are popular. Is there a meaningful difference between these different arrangements? Are the changes improvements or lateral movements? 
• Remote work and its effects on the operations of businesses. Remote work is more popular than ever. It seems convenient for workers, but some companies worry that they will stop being productive without oversight. Are their concerns reasonable? 
• A cross-cultural comparison of leadership styles . In the West, a number of leadership style theories have crystallized that are considered best. However, other regions use distinct approaches that work for them. They’re also not rushing to change to the Western model. Do Western styles work best everywhere, or are they limited to the appropriate mindset? 
• Social media marketing strategies and the determinants of success. 
• Compare the functions of administration and management. 
• Prevention of organizational misconduct: barriers and strategies. 
• Review the latest developments in performance management theory and practice. 
• What is the future of e-commerce business environments ? 
• Innovation in the workplace: current thought and generation methods. 
• How does outsourcing influence business performance? 
• Describe the effects of kaizen and total quality management on performance. 
• Discuss economic viability in corporations that operate at a loss. 
• Overtime work, employee well-being , and company performance. 
• Deliberating in the secrets of effective leadership
• How time management influences the prosperity of a company 
• How to resolve a conflict between staff and management 
• The function of diversity in the workplace of the 21 st century  
• Management by walking around: effective or fruitless? 
• Should businesses be regulated: pros and cons 
• Social media and word-of-mouth in the digital age 
• How the digital age has transformed small businesses 
• How mobile technology is altering the workplace 
• The future of the franchise
• How the millennial employee is transforming the workplace 

📚 Literature Research Paper Topics

Sometimes, there is no surrogate for a great paper on literature, and with the changing world, there are always innovative ways to observe literature, even the classics. Here are a few topic suggestions:

• The depiction of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby . Jay Gatsby first appears as an example of the American Dream. Starting poor, he becomes wealthy and popular in the city. However, he does not achieve his desires and stays unhappy. You can research how the novel criticizes the concept while also reinforcing its idea.
• The evolution of Japanese literature in the Meiji Era. The Meiji Era began after the end of Japanese isolationism. Due to encountering new cultures, its art evolved rapidly. Writers such as Akutagawa Ryunosuke and Dazai Osamu created unique works. From what context did they emerge?
• The traits of 20th century dystopian works . The worlds of Aldous Huxley, Ray Bradbury, George Orwell, and others are bleak. However, they are all substantially different. Can you distinguish unifying themes in the stories that these writers tell?
• How does literature reflect contemporary social issues? Writers often try to draw attention to problems of their time. Dickens wrote about the exploitation of the poor, and Langston Hughes discussed racial discrimination. Can this trend be traced across most literature?
• Classic vs. modern poetry. Classical poetry follows a variety of rules, such as rhymes and stanza organization. Contemporary poets often reject these constraints and create works that are closer to prose in form. What caused this change?
• Study the Four Great Works of Chinese Literature as cultural reflections.
• Examine the influence of romantic tendencies on Walther Scott’s works.
• What issues are raised in contemporary African literature?
• Analyze Milton’s interpretation of Biblical myth in Paradise Lost .
• What characterizes the depiction of war in Heller’s Catch-22 ?
• Discuss real and fake loyalty in King Lear .
• How was grotesque used in 19th century American Gothic fiction?
• The Old Man and the Sea : Hemingway’s depiction of the unconquerable spirit.
• How were gender issues depicted in 19th and 20th-century feminist literature?
• Compare the themes of The Iliad and The Odyssey.
• The innovative era: poets of the 21 st century
• A dissection of the most illustrious novels in history
• The hunger games: over and above pulp fiction
• The future of copyright
• An examination of racism in novels from the 1960s and 1970s
• The perception of exile in literature
• Culture and literature: which affects which?
• An examination of homosexuality in literature

🗳️ Political Research Topics

The world of politics is ever-changing. Understanding the complex mechanisms that regulate our lives is challenging. That’s why a research paper is a great way to clarify the matter. Whether you’re interested in global or local affairs, this section has got you covered.

• What is the origin and purpose of powers separation in government? Most modern governments are separated into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. Thus they limit each other to avoid government overreach. How was this system founded, and how does it work?
• The structure of the legislation approval process in the US. Every bill has to be approved by the Congress, the Senate, and the President. What factors can hinder the process?
• A comparison between the two-party system and multi-party nations. The US is often critiqued for its two-party system by nations that have numerous parties. With that said, a common counterargument is that American parties made of people with diverse views. How do the political climates of the US and multi-party democracies differ in practice?
• The purpose and effectiveness of term limits for government positions. Some government positions, such as that of the President, are limited to a specific number of years. At the same time, jobs in the Congress and Senate are not. Discuss the purpose of term limits and say if they’re effective.
• Pros and cons of globalism as a political philosophy. The concept of globalism requires worldwide bodies that supersede governments. It looks past nations and ignores their interest in favor of global benefits. Is this approach valid, or are there problems with it?
• How does the European Union membership affect its countries?
• Review the evolution of China’s political system in the 20th-21st centuries.
• The threat of terrorism in a world without ISIS.
• Discuss the issue of mass incarceration in the United States.
• What were the causes of the Soviet Union’s collapse ?
• Write about violations of human rights worldwide and their causes.
• Examine the critiques of capitalism .
• What are the political aims of the Black Lives Matter movement ?
• Review the methods for effectively combating governmental corruption.
• The issues of democracy and how to overcome them.
• The American policy of intervention
• The future of the European union
• Causes of world hunger
• Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction
• The Justice system and juvenile criminals
• Afghanistan—success or stalemate?
• Was media coverage of SARS adequate
• The new world war: fighting terrorism
• Same-sex marriage: are laws keeping up with changing attitudes?
• BREXIT: good or bad?

Who says you can’t combine academia and entertainment? Great conclusions can come from fun research. The most important thing is to ask the right questions. Check out the following prompts and get inspired:

• Parallel universes, their origins, and potential organizations. Numerous authors have imagined parallel universes. Even some quantum physics theories assert their existence. Are parallel universes slightly different versions of our world, or are they entirely distinct?
• The theories and paradoxes of various time travel mechanisms. Time travel is a popular science fiction trope. It’s also associated with multiple contradictions, such as the grandfather paradox . How do science fiction authors try to overcome these problems?
• The attempts to create the theory of everything. Physicists are trying to develop an approach that would explain everything in the universe. It doesn’t exist yet, as general relativity and quantum physics often contradict each other.
• What are the possibilities and problems of interstellar travel? Without a method to travel much faster than light, expansion beyond the Solar System is impossible. If it becomes feasible, what possibilities can it offer?
• The history of the moon landing conspiracy theory. The moon landing conspiracy theory asserts that the Apollo 11 mission didn’t occur, and the evidence was filmed on Earth. It tries to find various flaws in this evidence and use them to prove its illegitimacy. How did it emerge, and does it still exist?
• Are people who claim to have extrasensory perception frauds?
• Research stories of the supernatural based on facts.
• What is the origin of the modern Santa Claus?
• If an afterlife exists, what form does it take?
• Does meditation have benefits for physical and mental health?
• Did Nostradamus’s prophecies come to pass?
• Why do some people believe the Earth is flat?
• Does Murphy’s Law always work?
• Examine 19th-century occultism and its prominent leaders.
• Alchemy and the quest for the Philosopher’s Stone.
• How people are affected by the death of a game character
• Challenges faced by people creating their own cartoon
• Beloved comic strip characters and their influence on society
• An examination of UFOs: fact or fiction
• What if aliens do exist: the impact on humanity
• Is there a differentiation between déjà vu and precognition?
• The existence of spirits and how to communicate with them
• Theories regarding the Bermuda triangle
• Investigating alternative cosmology theories
• Does fortune telling have a scientific basis?
• Law of attraction: fact or fiction?
• Men and women’s brain: what’s the difference?

👥 Sociology Research Paper Topics

As an additional interest for studies, a sociology research paper can be written with the purpose of learning this or that aspect of society’s life. You may use personal experience or continue the research started by other authors. Interesting research projects in this area can be based on the following topics:

• Problems of the marriage and family: a divorce research paper . This article can study the relationship in different families and problems that can arise.
• Observance of public behavior standards as the feature of the civilized society. You can describe modern social ideals.
• Comparison of sociological laws in different historical epochs. In your paper, study the attitudes towards various social phenomena.
• The influence of personality on public development and progress. You can describe the power of the personality and what one person can do to contribute to social development.
• Opportunities for searching optimal criteria for the personality socialization . Such a paper aims at revealing the ways of how people can uncover their potential.
• The society’s attitude to global problems : a global warming research paper and the impact of this phenomenon on people’s way of life. Describe this well-known ecological problem in your paper.
• Cultural formation of the personality in the context of modern public reality. This type of work can be connected with describing the ways of people’s cultural development.
• Attempts to socialize adolescents and people with deviant behavior . A research paper on this relevant topic should describe how people who are prone to criminal behavior can correct their way of life.
• Ways of improving the microclimate in the work collective and creating conditions for comfortable work. The theme aims at finding optimal techniques to improve relationships among employees.
• Equality problems in society. A paper on this topic should uncover modern problems connected with inequality and various forms of racism.
• Explore the causes of poverty in disadvantaged communities around the US.
• Review the health and education outcomes of children raised in single-parent families.
• What are the effects of social media on users’ mental health?
• Look into the presence of gender stereotypes in popular culture.
• What are the effects of mass immigration on communities and nations?
• Study the effects of lockdown-related social isolation on mental health.
• Is the Internet an adequate replacement for face-to-face communication ?
• Research the causes of bullying and potential strategies for its prevention.
• What’s the status of LGBT communities in nations around the world?
• The effects of juvenile convictions on one’s life prospects.
• Write about the American population’s views on the dangers of pollution .
• Explore the stigma and social acceptance issues associated with transgender status.
• How does cyberbullying affect one’s health ?
• Review the Internet’s influence on education .
• Assess the rationale of policies that restrict citizen reproduction.
• Research your community’s views on the concept of privacy.
• Health and education outcomes of children raised in same-sex families.
• Explore intergenerational differences in views on social topics.
• How do views on freedom of speech vary among people of different social categories?
• Make a case study on the prevalence of workplace gender discrimination in your community.

It is essential to remember that a good research paper on the subject of sociology will be appreciated by readers if you study a specific social phenomenon in detail, carry out statistical analysis, and perform a number of important procedures. The purpose of a research paper in this field is to cover current public issues, reveal important aspects of various problems, and, if possible, offer optimal solutions. This science requires concrete and well-grounded answers. Any deviations and ambiguous arguments can be regarded as an author’s incompetent attempt to investigate a complex topic.

With all of these topics at your disposal, you might still be feeling a little overwhelmed. However, they are divided into categories to make choosing one easier. It might also be helpful to look at some great research paper samples .

Composing a research proposal can sometimes be a part of a big study. If you not only want to describe a specific problem or to convey an idea to your readers, but also expect to promote your personal theory and receive the approval of a respected scientific community, it’s necessary to choose a topic which allows you to present your own ideas. Different types of writing can be included in this category: an analytical research paper, work on identifying the best ways and techniques for a particular topic, etc. The preparation of research proposal articles has some nuances, and the following topics can be studied:

• The way to conduct optimal trade relationships. Review appropriate techniques and offer specific methods to improve the situation in a particular company.
• The advantages of electronic management systems. This theme will be connected with describing the merits of modern ways of managing specific spheres of production.
• Useful innovations in modern life . Research paper subjects can be different: medicine, sociology, business, etc.
• The best management techniques: methods of control . A paper on this topic should describe the behavioral features of successful managers.
• The implementation of nursing theories in practice. The research paper proposal should have an appropriate scientific basis and describe corresponding medical issues.
• Best practice in the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis.
• What challenges are associated with the nationwide adoption of the DNP standard?
• Research current developments in palliative care for senior patients.
• Are there differences in leadership and management styles between genders?
• Assess the effects of tutoring on the educational attainment of school children.
• Compare the preferred management styles in different cultures.
• How do different states’ populations view the legalization of marijuana?
• Write about the underlying causes of Ancient Rome’s fall.
• Challenges in the adoption of electronic health records in medical facilities.
• What are the potential vulnerabilities of the AES-256 encryption standard?
• Research the link between loyalty to a company and career growth .
• How did Dante’s Inferno influence Christian depictions of Hell?
• A case study of Singaporean government and its economic policies.
• Review the financial environment and economic growth of Hong Kong .
• Causes and implications of the human waste issues in San Francisco.
• Assess the prevalence of smoking in the United States.
• Study the beneficial effects of early childhood musical education on later development.
• The philosophical and political underpinnings of the French Revolution .
• What are the effects of successful social media marketing campaigns on videogame sales?
• How did Confucian writings influence Chinese political thought?

The video below provides detailed instructions on how to write a research proposal. It is crucial to follow these rules so that the article to be up-to-date and properly formatted. Any attempts to bring something new are generally welcome; however, it is important not to forget about established rules.

👩‍⚕️ Nursing Research Paper Topics

A nursing research paper is an academic article that has specific format requirements. Citation rules in particular are very important, for example, an APA research paper format . In order to write a perfect paper and conduct high-quality research, follow the formatting rules and use any of these topics:

• Nursing techniques to care for patients in intensive care units. The summary of your research paper can include a description of the best practical methods.
• How do you implement nursing theories ? Your paper can consist of the enumeration of specific nursing theories and the ways of their implementation in practice.
• Patients’ education and useful materials. The theme aims at discovering the best educational materials that would be suitable for patients.
• Ideas on how to achieve a better quality of nursing care . You can offer various interpretations of this topic in your research paper.
• Experienced researchers’ opinions on improving the state of nursing in hospitals. Use the ideas of different authors and don’t forget to follow the citation rules.

• Patient-oriented type of care and its advantages. This scientific research essay can reveal the merits of a specific nursing approach.
• Potential risks for nurses in the workplace. Both a junior research paper and a senior research paper of this theme should competently describe all possible dangers that medical employees can face.
• Care for people of different social backgrounds. If this research paper is written in English, it should uncover the ways how to care for people speaking other languages and having different cultural and social levels of development.
• Do nurses need additional stimuli to improve their qualifications? You can write many interesting research papers on this topic, and all of them can include lists of possible bonuses and incentives for nurses.
• The necessity for nurses’ additional education. A paper on this topic can describe subjects suitable for nursing education.
• How do you promote healthy eating practices in disadvantaged communities through educational programs?
• Research ways of providing preventative care for veterans affected by PTSD.
• Review the strategies of organizing nurse shifts to maximize the quality of care in understaffed conditions.
• Study cases of patient violence toward nurses in the intensive care unit.
• Preventing pressure ulcers in immobile patients.
• Ways of implementing quality improvement in nursing units .
• What cultural competencies and challenges are typically encountered in nursing care?
• Review the methods for controlling delirium in the intensive care unit .
• Propose adjustments in sexual education to spread awareness of STD risks in same-sex relationships.
• Suggest interventions to prevent falls in patients staying at home.
• What are the issues of advanced practice nursing in different countries?
• Strategies for remaining productive under pressure as a nurse.
• Research alternatives to prescribing patients with infections antibiotics that bypass resistance.
• How to design effective interventions for child obesity rates reduction.
• Explore using exercise to maintain the physical well-being of hospital patients.
• What interventions can reduce alcoholism rates in your community?
• Analyze the implementation of evidence-based practice in nursing facilities.
• Ethical standards and issues that arise in the nursing profession.
• Review the methods of providing holistic care to patients.
• The dangers associated with telemedicine in medical-surgical nursing.

The compliance with the specific research project ideas will allow you to write a high-quality paper and will give you the opportunity to conduct research at a high level. Having completed the document, you can summarize and identify its crucial points. Following the rules of formatting is an integral part of working on any academic text.

🎨 Research Project Topics on Art

In the process of writing research articles, it is necessary to adhere to a certain topic. You can choose any theme you want. A research paper will be successful if you stick to your topic and provide a real search for optimal ways of solving a particular issue. There are a few suggestions that can be helpful in the process of writing. If we talk about such an interesting sphere as the world of art, themes can be as follows.

• How is ideology reflected in architecture? Naturally, ideologies are largely represented in media, but they also influence architecture in many ways. You can study this topic at several points in time.
• How does photography represent reality? In this paper, you can discuss if photography reflects reality, interprets it, or constructs it.
• The significance of linear perspective . If you draw a linear perspective on a flat surface, you will create the illusion of depth. Discuss how this magic trick works in your paper!
• Art and the unconscious mind. It’s an excellent topic that lets you explore psychology. Try to answer the questions of how the unconscious mind influences the creation and perception of art.
• The evolution of horror movies . This film research paper topic covers everything from silent films to modern horror movies. You can discuss the influence of film noir on the genre, literary works that influenced it, the concept of “suspense,” and so on.
• Physiological aesthetics in Surrealism. It is a known fact that Surrealists were inspired by psychoanalysis and dream imagery. You can explore this topic in a paper or use it for a presentation!
• Deconstruction in architecture. The philosophical movement of deconstructivism influenced many spheres of life and art, including architecture. It allowed the creation of seemingly nonsensical forms and environments.
• Sociology of fine art. This is a relatively new branch of sociology, which deals with arts and social structures of their production. It also includes political trends that influence art, consumerism, and other social phenomena.
• Jewelry as sculpture. This topic lets you explore fantastic avant-garde jewelry and how contemporary artists such as Jeff Koons use it to create sculptures.
• The discourse of Modernist painting in the 1950s. This topic covers experimental and abstract paintings of artists who rejected the realistic approach. Mention political agendas that influenced modernism in the ’50th.
• Abstract Expressionism. Here you can discuss postwar artists such as Rothko and Pollock , as well as their predecessors Ernst and Kandinsky.
• Andy Warhol’s influence on art. This art research paper topic covers not only pop art, but also films, music, aphorisms, the concept of “superstars,” and other aspects of Andy Warhol’s influence.
• The art of street photography. Street photography is usually spontaneous, which helps to create realistic and powerful imagery. Write about the art of photographing urban landscapes and the most influential candid photographers.
• The history of animation. Techniques preceding animation have existed long before the invention of cinematography. Puppetry, shadow play, magic lantern – all these things relate to animation in one way or another.
• Are video games art? This idea seemed impossible in the past, but now many video games are considered art for their use of imagery, music, and compelling narrative.
• Art as a form of protest. This includes protests against tradition or political causes. You may also talk about the role of art in bringing about a change in society.
• Renaissance sculpture. This topic is just as interesting as the Renaissance painting. During that period, the art of sculpture had reached its peak. Sculptors of the Renaissance were influenced by Ancient Greek sculptures , as well as by Humanism.
• Relationship between architecture and environment. Here you can discuss eco-friendly or “ green” architecture .
• Modern ceramics as an art form. In the last decade, ceramics became a very popular art form. From prehistoric pottery to intricate porcelain forms – ceramics is a great medium that can often be compared to sculpture.
• Science fiction in cinema. The earliest science fiction films were created back in the late 19th century by Georges Melies. In 1927, Fritz Lang’s silent film Metropolis revolutionized science fiction cinema. Explore it in your research paper!
• The peculiarities of Da Vinci’s masterpieces. The paper will reflect the talent of the great European master and describe his Best Works.

• The trends of art in Medieval Europe. The topic should uncover modern trends in the art of the Middle Ages and include the description of some styles; it can the article of any format, even a 10-page research paper. The main thing is to fully reveal all the distinctive features of that epoch.
• The history of European Art in the 20th century . The research can be devoted to some trends in the previous century.
• The most outstanding artists in the world’s history. The paper should tell about the most famous artists of all the epochs.
• Why do people appreciate art? This article can include your own ideas concerning the subject.
• How do artists reflect their talent today? Your task is to try to study the methods that modern artists use to attract the audience.
• Skills that a professional artist should possess. The aim of this article is to study some skills that should be necessary for the work of the artist. Regardless of whether you write research papers for sale or not, you should try to express not only well-known ideas but also your personal point of view.
• Is it possible to develop artistic talent? Try to express your ideas concerning the opportunity for mastering proper skills.
• The benefits of cooperation with other artists. This topic touches upon probable advantages that artists can gain when cooperating with their colleagues.
• Themes that are the best for the canvas. You can develop a number of research abstract topics on this theme and convey the best motives to paint that seem the most successful for you.
• The absence of inspiration. The theme should reveal what authors should do to develop their inspiration.
• Chronological order of art development in the world. It is a rather accurate paper that should mention the most significant stages of art development.
• Do people appreciate the work of artists? You could try to study the audience’s attitude toward artists’ work.
• The methods to attract young people to art. The topic is connected with a social issue and aims at popularizing art in masses.
• Do artists need additional knowledge? This theme implies for describing the necessity of education among all the professions, including artists and other creative posts.

🎼 Music Research Topics

Every culture has its distinct music. For many people, music is an integral part of everyday life. Film and theater productions use it to steer our emotions. When writing about music, you can choose from an endless number of ideas to research. Here are some examples:

• Music as a ritual. Back in prehistoric times, music was considered to be a powerful ritualistic practice. Some mythologies even include stories about gods introducing the art of music to humans.
• Early polyphony in Christian Europe. The earliest choral music was mostly performed in a single melodic line. See how it changed when more melodic lines were added.
• Indian ethnomusicology . This interesting music research topic is concerned with the peculiarities of Indian music culture. You can include the discussion of how Indian music influenced psychedelic rock in the ’60s.
• Jazz performance and improvisation. The element of spontaneity is very important in jazz performance, and improvisation is its key component.
• Medieval troubadours and their legacy. Troubadours were poets who sang their own music and played instruments. Their performances differed greatly from the traditional church music of that time.
• Ecomusicology of North America. This research topic allows you to discover the ways in which American landscape and nature influenced music, including Native American music, folk music, and modern songwriters.
• Baroque music . During the Baroque era, many important features of modern music were introduced. You can choose this topic if you like grandiose, dramatic, or playful classical music.
• The classical period in music. This period followed the after the Baroque and was very different from it. You can recognize it by simple structures and minimalistic arrangements. Many of the world’s greatest composers, such as Mozart and Beethoven, lived during the Classical era.
• Classical music of the 20th century. Over the course of the previous century, the music styles were changing like never before. Still, classical music survived, while also transforming itself in accordance with times.
• Music therapy for children. In this exciting music research topic, you can discover how music is used to help children with developmental dyspraxia, autism, ADHD, and other disorders.
• Music and sound in film. Discover for yourself the art of scoring – from improvised piano arrangements of early movies to modern stereo surround sound.
• The history of Italian opera. The Italian language played a key role in the formation of classical singing techniques. This includes opera – an art form that unites music and singing with storytelling.
• The 20th-century music industry. This topic is centered on various ways of recording and selling music. Vinyl records, wax cylinders, cassette tapes, and CDs – 20th-century technology allowed turning music into a business.
• The birth of pop music. The history of popular music begins in the 1950s. The term refers to the songs appealing to a large audience, as opposed to classical or jazz music. You can discuss the elements of early pop music that made it so accessible.
• The ideology and aesthetics of punk rock. Punk rock was enormously influential in the 1970th. Its philosophy of anti-conformity appealed to young people of post-war Britain and the USA.
• The musicology of electronic music. This exciting topic covers the earliest repetitive devices such as Hammond organ, early experimentations with electronics, the first use of computers and synthesizers in songwriting, and more!
• Sampling in electronic music: context and aesthetics. Sampling is a very interesting technique that allows using audio fragments in different contexts. It can be used for aesthetic or political reasons, or as a cultural commentary.
• What is a sound sculpture? A combination of an art object and music, sound sculptures are exciting to research. You can use this topic for presentation and demonstrate sound sculptures in action!
• Dadaism and music. Dadaist ideas of randomness and paradox influenced art as well as music. Discuss the noise compositions and avant-garde sonic experiments that influenced the latter half of the 20th century.
• Robotic musical instruments. You may think that robots playing music is a relatively new idea, but in fact, they date back to ancient times.

✍️ Creative Writing Research Topics

There are more rules to creative writing than one might think. For example, narratives should be coherent, and world-building has to follow certain logic. Analyzing these peculiarities brings you one step closer to becoming a better writer.

• The role of reality within the psychological thriller genre. Psychological thrillers often aim at distorting or questioning reality. Study the ways in which this idea manifests in different narratives.
• Graphic novels and their peculiarities. In modern times comic books are no longer considered to be just for entertainment, and graphic novel format is used to produce award-winning narratives.
• Writing about the past: historical research and archaeology. When your narrative takes place in the distant past, you need to do extensive research to represent the time period properly. One way to do it is to turn to archaeology.
• What is the role of landscape in supernatural narratives? Supernatural narratives rely on the atmosphere to evoke the feeling of uncanny. The setting and landscape are especially important to the writes of the supernatural genre.
• How to write engaging crime fiction? This topic includes the ways of building suspense, the use of “red herrings,” complex character development, and other tips.
• Digital storytelling. Here you can explore how to present your narrative in interactive digital form. It can be a video game, a visual novel, or a walking simulator.
• Writing about the future. When you write about the past, you already know the characteristics of an epoch. But how do you invent the attributes of the future? Discuss it in your paper!
• The influence of the author’s personal life on their writing. People often want to learn more about their favorite writers in the hope to understand their work better. But is there really such a connection between one’s personal and creative lives?
• The role of diaries in creative writing . Almost all writers keep diaries. Sometimes the diaries are published and used in research or literary analysis. But how do authors themselves use their diary entries?
• Creative writing for children. This excellent creative writing research topic deals with the ways of teaching children how to create their own narratives. You can discuss why writing is beneficial for children and how you can encourage them to be creative.
• The art of teaching poetry . Poetry is one of the most exciting art forms that never gets old. However, not everybody appreciates poetry right away. See how you can change it!
• What is the role of nature in romantic literature? Romantic artists and writers took lots of inspiration from nature, using it as a metaphor for one’s life and feelings.
• The role of authorial intent. Some readers think that it’s essential to know what the author wanted to say in their literary work. Others believe that it’s one’s personal interpretation that matters the most.
• A persona in poetry. The lyrical subject is someone who narrates a poem. Some people see it as the manifestation of the author, and others as a fictitious character. And what do you think?
• Degrees of realism in fiction . When writing a work of fiction, some writers use excessive descriptions, while others keep things relatively minimalistic. Discuss the positive and negative sides of these approaches.
• Forms of structure in films and novels: a comparison. Here you can compare different forms of narrative structures used in cinema and literature, such as linear and non-linear narratives, the use of flashbacks, and so on.
• How to write a comedy. Comics say that making people laugh is much harder than to make them cry. Discuss what makes a literary work funny, and how one can write effective comedy.
• The recontextualization of Hamlet . Recontextualization is a process by which something (e.g., a character) is taken from one context and introduced into another context. You can explore this notion through different recontextualizations of Shakespeare’s character Hamlet.
• Writing a dystopia . See what techniques you can use when writing a narrative set in a bleak society.
• Monomyth in literature. This exciting topic deals with the concept of “hero’s journey,” which serves as a basis for nearly all myths as well as countless works of fiction.

🎈 Other Research Paper Topics

You still haven’t found what you were looking for? This section might have what you need! Here you’ll find all kinds of topics. From psychology over physics to sociology, we compiled the most engaging ideas for you.

• American teenagers–can they be called new species?
• William Shakespeare : was this man the author of famous plays and sonnets?
• Do you have any ideas about the field circles?
• Black magic. Does it exist?
• Censorship and its role in forming a society
• The phenomenon of the penny press in the USA
• Symbolism in literature
• Alcatraz and its famous fugitives
• Major sources of stress
• Government grants–how do they work?
• Election falsification: is it commonly used, and what are its main techniques?
• Genetic engineering and your point of view on it
• Stem cell research
• What is a black hole
• Loch Ness monster and your attitude towards this mystery
• Joan of Arc –did she manage to escape the fires of Inquisition?
• Do some research on techniques of brainwashing
• Who invented the radio ?
• There is a belief that American astronauts didn’t step on the Moon. Did they?
• American international policy
• Unique people who changed the world
• Genius ideas that made their inventors famous and wealthy
• Is education a necessary factor to become successful in today’s world?
• Differences between the high school systems in the USA and Japan
• Schindler’s list : the importance of moral roles over wealth
• Educational programs’ impact on professional careers
• Why do college students from all over the world come to the USA to pursue further education?
• Examples of crop circles: Fake or real?
• Humanity’s technological achievements in 2020

• The importance of outlines in books and articles 
• Web-designers seem to be using the same template in their works 
• Exciting inventions of humankind in the nearest future 
• Modern students do not know how to do their homework without access to the Internet 
• The original cover page of the Holy Bible  
• The development of the MLA style 
• The cradle of psychology 
• Controversial policies of the USA and the USSR
• How abortion affects a woman’s organism 
• What did Homer write about his lifestyle?  
• Famous people in the world’s history that did not exist 
• Would people have become what they are today without science? 
• Parts of the world that will always remain uninhabited 
• Philosophical questions that humanity cannot answer for centuries 
• Medical stereotypes around the world 
• Will global warming ruin America’s economic system? 
• The USA government should be thankful for the mass immigration 
• The majority of scientific works are useless 
• Things to research in the sphere of modern gadgets 
• Should sociology make people happier? 
• The lack of pure water sources on Earth 
• The environment’s effect on human health
• Humanity’s steps towards eco-friendly products, cities, and vehicles 
• Sherlock Holmes’ analytical mind and deduction skills 
• Should parents teach their children how to make the world better for other people? 
• Is business the only way to become wealthy in Third World countries? 
• Analysis of William Shakespeare’s literary language 
• Does a title tell everything about a book’s context? 
• The Great Wall: A legendary monument or China’s income source? 
• Should families report to the police that their relatives are guilty of something? 
• The first websites, available on the World Wide Web 
• New challenges to the society introduced by social media
• If you created your government, what would you do for your citizens? 
• What career options are prevalent in modern societies? 
• Chemistry in people’s everyday life 
• Is there any person on Earth, whose life is considered to be easy? 
• Is bribery acceptable for criminal justice? 
• The most popular sports in Britain 
• The population biology of India 
• Basic nursing knowledge of everyday life 
• Renaissance literature in France 
• Think of a technology that would make our atmosphere cleaner 
• Development of different animals after forty days on Noah’s Ark. 
• What will the food be like in a hundred years? 
• Socialization of children with autism 
• The medieval art of Scandinavian people 
• Different ways to save Earth’s environment from pollution 
• Depression in adolescents: reasons and outcomes 
• The importance of computer science in today’s world 
• Coca-Cola marketing strategies  

• Express your opinion on people’s purpose in life on Earth
• How do early childhood memories and experiences influence our lives?
• The history of video games era
• Regulation of bullying in schools by law
• Drugs industry in California, New Mexico, and Texas
• The most prevalent economic issues in Greece after joining the EU
• China’s rapid growth: is it going to become the first country in the world?
• Global dangers that influence our planet’s ecology
• Significant changes in the American media since the 1970s
• What makes medicine an interesting subject to study?
• The main factors to consider while conducting qualitative research

There are so many resources out there that will help you choose a topic and write an outstanding paper. This video gives you a bunch of topics for research papers, which means you now have even more from which to choose!

There is no doubt that writing a research paper is a daunting task.

If you feel you need help, even if you have managed to choose a topic, you can always hire a custom writing service to help you produce a fabulous research paper of which you will be proud and will guarantee you a good mark.

Whether you choose to write it on your own or get some help, we wish you luck writing your paper!

🤔 Research Topics FAQ

There are literally thousands of topics to choose from. “Biomarkers and colors: what is the correlation?” is a great topic on psychology. Should businesses be regulated: pros and cons is an exciting business research topic. Finally, Art as a form of protest is an art research topic worth exploring.

The first option is to ask your professor. Then you can browse through scientific journals and take a look at your library catalog. The final option for those who search for a creative idea is to take notes everywhere. Write things down while traveling, watching TV, and reading.

The Big Bang theory, Dwarf galaxies, and Supernova Astronomy are just a few of numerous astronomy research topics. Genetically modified organisms, Neurobiology of sleep, and Rainforest conservation are exciting research biology research topics. Artificial intelligence, Computer modeling, and Voice recognition are trendy computer science topics.

There are numerous exciting topics in various education research areas. Some of them are: Ability grouping, Computer literacy, Early childhood education, Multiculturalism, Parental involvement, Sex education, Violence in schools, and Virtual classrooms.

You might also be interested in:

• 280 Good Nursing Research Topics & Questions
• 226 Research Topics on Criminal Justice & Criminology
• 204 Research Topics on Technology & Computer Science
• 178 Best Research Titles about Cookery & Food
• 497 Interesting History Topics to Research
• 180 Best Education Research Topics & Ideas
• 110+ Micro- & Macroeconomics Research Topics
• 417 Business Research Topics for ABM Students
• 190+ Research Topics on Psychology & Communication
• 512 Research Topics on HumSS
• 281 Best Health & Medical Research Topics
• 501 Research Questions & Titles about Science
• Good Research Topics, Titles and Ideas for Your Paper

🔗 References

• APA Sample Paper
• Painting Movements in the 20th Century Topic
• The Discovery Themes Initiative at The Ohio State University
• Quantitative Research in Education
• Quantitative Research Works, Indiana University
• Organizing Academic Research Papers: Choosing a Title
• Research Topics, The University of Arizona
• Research Topic Ideas, University of Michigan-Flint
• National Archives—Research by Topic
• Jet Propulsion Laboratory—Research Topics List
• Global Health Research Topics
• National Institute of Justice—Topics
• National Institute of Standards and Technology—Topics
• Research Topics at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Research & Development
• National Institutes of Health—A to Z Topics Index
• Evaluating Print Sources
• Working With Sources
• Developing a Thesis
• Psychiatry: Medscape
• Information Technology: NIST
• Topics: History.com
• Research Programs: National Center for Education Research
• Recent Computer and Education Articles: Elsevier
• Basic Guide to Cross-Cultural Research: Yale University
• Cultural Anthropology: Britannica
• Top Physical and Tech News: Science Daily
• Health Topics: National Institute of Mental Health
• PhDs in Business & Management: Five Hot Research Topics: Top Universities
• Research and Focus Areas in Business and Government: Victoria University of Wellington
• Modern Literature: University of Portsmouth
• Research Areas: Political Science: Florida University
• Sociology Research Areas: Cornell University
• Focus Areas: Nursing Research: Mayo Clinic
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200 Best Ideas for Research Paper Topics in 2023

The discussion you have started should be provoking and intriguing. If your statement is unique and interesting, you will definitely get a high grade and respect from your professors.

Writing a research paper may seem challenging, even though it is a substantial part of everyday student life. You are required to write at least one research paper in a semester for the majority of your subjects.

Do not underestimate research projects. They will demand a lot of time and effort from you. At the same time, do not let your research paper give you anxiety or hurt your overall studies.

To minimize worries and stress while working on the research paper, you must be confident in your topic. There are times when you are assigned the topic, but more frequently, you will have to create one yourself.

The discussion you start should be thought-provoking and intriguing. If your content is unique and interesting, you will definitely get a high grade and respect from your professors.

How to Select the Best Research Paper Topic?

When choosing your research paper topic, you need to make sure it is neither boring nor overdone. An interesting and innovative topic will intrigue your readers and motivate them to read the entire piece. But if you don’t know how to create a topic on your own, use the help of our editors.

Here are some things to consider when selecting an appropriate topic:

The Field Of  Your Interest

It’s no secret that you will not be able to write a good insightful research paper if you are not interested in the subject overall, or in the topic in general. On the other hand, if the topic is linked to the field of your interest, you can consider yourself lucky.

Passion and interest in a topic will make it easier to explore the theme and write about it. If you enjoy science, you should be able to talk non-stop about it. The same goes for writing about it.

A Topic Should Be Clear

You need to be sure to understand everything clearly when you choose an essay topic . Do not hesitate to ask questions if there are some unclear points. The more you understand, the simpler it is for you to write a successful research paper. You need to show the readers that you’re a master of the topic and not a confused newbie who does not know what you’re talking about.

Be Precise And Specific

You need to completely understand that you are not writing a descriptive essay. A research paper is an accurate and thorough work, which is based on facts. You cannot waterdown your text. Your statement should be supported with examples or references to other reputable research and academic work.

Be Innovative

How innovative can you be when discussing The French Revolution or Pearl Harbor? However, an innovative approach can give you the edge among other students. A topic should address the matter from a different and surprising perspective. With a deep investigation, you may even find the little known facts that can blow your readers’ minds. This approach will intrigue your readers and will make you research paper stand out..

Visit Edusson Samples   to brainstorm possible research paper topics and find relevant paper examples. It is 1000+ papers database. Besides samples, you can find excellent writing tools such as Plagiarism Checker, Title Page Maker and many more.

Ideas for Research Paper Topics

Without a good topic, writing a research paper can be a student’s worst nightmare. So, how do you come up with one? There are dozens of ways to brainstorm, such as discussing with classmates, reading topic prompts, sample papers, magazines, journals, blogs, or books.

Research Paper Topic by Category

Here are some examples of topics you may choose:

Argumentative Research Paper Topics

You have to present facts to demonstrate a clear understanding of the topic. Your introduction and concluding paragraph must be equally strong. Take a look at the following argumentative research topics examples:

• Are athletes good role models?
• Is the minimum wage too high?
• Homelessness: Who is to blame?
• Do we need shorter working weeks?
• What is the ideal age of consuming alcohol?

Persuasive Research Paper Topics

As a speaker or writer, it is your responsibility to persuade the reader about an issue. Persuasive writing, therefore, should move people and shake their emotions. If, for example, you want to convince people coffee is good for their bodies, then you must do it artistically, and convincingly.

Take a look at these examples of persuasive research topics:

• Using animals to conduct research experiments is wrong.
• Parents should monitor the websites their children visit.
• Domestic gender violence is on the rise.
• Children’s exposure to media: Do parental controls work?
• There are many cybercrimes today, and they are going to increase.
• America should adopt a policy of non-involvement in global conflicts.

Controversial Topics for Research Paper

There are people who like to court controversy whenever they say or do something, more so in public. A good example here is an activist. Whether it is advocacy for gay rights or same-sex marriage, writing on issues like these can be painstakingly difficult. So, you need a strong topic right from the beginning. Controversial topics for a research paper like the following will most certainly get you moving in the right direction:

• Gay partners and child adoption.
• Surrogate mothers and societal worldview.
• Violence in media content.
• STEM subjects should be mandatory.
• Sex education in middle school.
• Should homework be abolished?

Are you having a hard time looking for a comprehensive research paper topic? Try to find the best one by using our topic generation tool.

Best Research Paper Topics 2023

Maybe you have picked a research topic from the above categories for your paper. However, a good college student knows you need a plan B. So here are some other great topics.

• Is college education in line with the job market?
• Should colleges be faith-based institutions?
• Should universities have special accommodation facilities for the disabled?
• How has the institution of marriage changed in the postmodern world?
• Is there a difference between a man’s and a woman’s heart?
• What are the possible health benefits of childbearing and parenting?
• Exploring unfair child labor in the workplace.
• The significance of ethics to business and how to control bad behavior.
• How is cross-border BPO affecting the gross domestic product in your country?
• Which companies will make it to the top 5 best in the next decade?
• Terrorism and how it affects businesses.
• Are universities becoming business-driven?
• Causes of data rape and how to prevent it.
• Should licensed gun holders be allowed to carry their weapons to school?
• Ex-convicts and job searching. Is it difficult finding employment?
•  Should colleges pay student-athletes and how should they do it?
• What should be the basis of workplace promotion: seniority, degree, or performance evaluation?
• The significance of search engine optimization on businesses today.
• Should women be allowed into extreme sports?
• Is feminism changing American society?

Research Paper Topics By Level of Education

Notably, topic difficulty or complexity varies with the level of education. A graduate student will write a high school essay with great ease, while the reverse will result in a lot of difficulties on the part of the student.

In this post, we also help you choose topics based on your academic level while keeping in mind that research paper writing lends credence to student performance.

The research paper topics can often be overwhelming, and to make the process easier and more reliable, many students look for APA format paper writing services . The services are beneficial and provide access to professional knowledge in writing a research paper and ensure that all guidelines are followed.

High School Research Paper Topics

If you are a student in high school, here is a list of topics that you may consider:

• Should the government legalize the use of smartphones in high school classrooms?
• Leadership training in high school.
• Are secondary schools doing enough in harnessing the debating skills of students?
• Explore Plato’s philosophy of mathematics.

College Research Paper Topics

Next, here are some college research paper topics to choose from. They include the following:

• Explore the design and construction of thermal plants around the globe.
• Analyze how the free software movement is positively transforming the world.
• Analyze cognitive development in children.
• How does the government assess the health care needs of communities?
• Pre-election and the effects on voter conduct.
• Discuss how to plan for college tuition.
• How does menstruation affect young girls?
• Substance abuse among college students and its effects on their performance and behavior.
• What brings about societal stereotypes?
• Factual evidence that AIDS originated from monkeys.

Research Paper Topics By Subject

Another way of choosing the best research paper topic is based on the subject, whether you are a college or high school student. Whether it is in biology, physics, science, literature, history, or psychology, this approach works at all levels of education. Research papers are quite challenging for the average student to write, so it’s no wonder why many students may want to look into options for high school essays for money . A great topic for your research paper should be something engaging that captures the reader’s attention and encourages them to continue reading.

Research Paper Topics on Technology

• Cybersecurity: Can we really be safe?
• How can technology help in preventing terrorist attacks?
• How close did we get to Artificial Intelligence?
• What technological innovations promise to change the third decade of the 21st century?
• How do regular people influence technological progress?
• What technologies does NASA use to explore Mars?
• How did Bill Gates and Steve Jobs change the world?
• How did cloud technologies change data storing?
• Can virtual reality substitute for an actual reality?
• What is the future of the internet?

Research Paper Topics on Environment

• How did climate change in the last 30 years?
• Why some believe that global warming is a hoax?
• What are the best ways to reduce global warming?
• How does global warming alter wildlife?
• Ocean pollution: Unseen tragedies.
• Effective ways of reducing air pollution.
• How can alternative types of energy help to preserve the Earth’s natural resources?
• Endangered species – How can we preserve them?
• Recycling. What did you do to make the world a better place?
• Drinking water for all – How can we achieve it?

Research Paper Topics on Legal Issues

• How do torrenting sites influence creativity and copyright?
• Should marijuana be legalized at the national level?
• How did the legalization of same-sex marriage influence the USA?
• Are punishments for sex crimes fair?
• Should there be a law preventing cyber-bullying?
• Where is the line between artistic photos and pornography?
• How does a new adoption law in Russia refuse orphans their chance for happiness?
• Various laws on abortion around the world.
• How do prostitution laws differ around the world?

Topics on Business

• How can one turn a business idea into a successful startup?
• How can creative marketing increase your sales?
• Does taxation aim to kill small businesses?
• Effective time-management for big and small teams.
• Is multitasking a productive method of work?
• Sexual harassment in the working environment.
• How benefits can make your employees happy.
• How do big corporations regularly break the law and get away with it?
• What are the various minimum wages around the world? Should The Universal Declaration of Human Rights control them?
• What were the most successful businesses in the first two decades of the 21st century?

Topics on World Politics

• How did Angela Merkel change Europe?
• Impeachment against Donald Trump: Will it happen?
• The consequences of Brexit for European values.
• Is Vladimir Putin sponsoring global terrorism?
• How can world politicians unite against the threat that Russia poses?
• Can North and South Korea unite again?
• How can we eliminate dictatorial regimes in the 21st century?
• Conflicts in Africa.
• Do refugees pose any threat to the hosting country?
• How can the world unite to fight racism?

Topics on Religion

• Is Christianity at its dusk?
• Can any religion justify crimes against humanity?
• The most popular new age religions.
• Sexual abuse in the church.
• Should religious beliefs influence health matters?
• How do various religions oppress women?
• The political context of the global religions throughout time.
• How does agnosticism balance between atheism and various religions?
• Are we witnessing a new religion forming?
• Myths of creation through global religions.

Topics on Health

• The effects of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana on a human body.
• Vaccination in the 21st century.
• The most controversial issues of birth control.
• Alzheimer’s: ways of prevention.
• Euthanasia – An assisted suicide?
• How can research help cure AIDS?
• Are there effective ways to prevent cancer?
• How do fats positively affect the human body and the mind?
• Anorexia and obesity – Two sides to one story.
• The importance of mental health.

Topics on Social Issues

• How does social media influence interpersonal communication?
• How can team sports affect social abilities?
• LGBT tolerance around the world.
• Global citizenship: Pros and cons.
• How to deal with social anxiety.
• How can one defend privacy issues on Facebook and other social media?
• How to stop bullying in schools.
• Discrimination of black women in modern-day America.
• Ethnicities that created the USA.
• Gender stereotypes in the workplace.

Topics on Education

• How to achieve literacy for all.
• Is it worth accumulating a huge debt to achieve higher education in the USA?
• How can the government make a teacher’s profession become more appealing?
• How can we modernize education to make it more appealing?
• How do dress codes in schools discriminate against women?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of homeschooling?
• Is the present educational system capable of creating geniuses?
• The importance of multilingual education.
• Guns in school. How to achieve a safe environment.
• Do grades do justice to students’ knowledge?

Topics on Popular Culture

• The best music projects of 2020.
• How do reality shows influence teenagers?
• Do celebrities form a specific cast in today’s world?
• How much do people depend on heroes? Marvel and DC Cinematic Universes.
• How do American and Japanese popular cultures intertwine with each other?
• Sexism and ageism in modern Hollywood.
• Do shows like American Idol, the Voice, and X-factor really aim to find and develop talents?
• The female role in the world according to Beyonce’s Lemonade.
• How did YouTube change popular culture?
• The meaning of the Harry Potter Book Series in promoting reading.

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Easy Research Paper Topics

Women’s issues.

• Are birth control pills good or bad?
• Are married women with children happier than single women who did not give birth to a child?
• Are there health benefits to having children?
• Breast cancer rates are increasing among women in the US. What factors contribute to these rates?
• Do women with higher testosterone levels have an athletic advantage compared to women whose testosterone levels are not high?
• Has the feminist movement been a help to women or not?
• Has the modern-day feminist movement lost its track?
• How are cultural expectations of women different in Muslim vs. Western nations?
• How common is domestic abuse, or child abuse?
• How do the female hormones protect women from heart disease?
• How does the education of women change society?
• How has feminism changed America? The world?
• How has marriage changed?
• How is heart health different for men and women?
• How has society’s expectations for women to get married and have kids haven’t changed for centuries, even today?
• How to help girls from unprivileged towns and neighborhoods get educated?
• Should women participate in extreme sports?
• What are the most important health risks for women to be aware of?
• What is a maid? Is there an acceptable or unacceptable definition for this job?
• What is female genital mutilation and how is it connected with AIDS in Africa?
• What is the effect of birth control and pregnancy on the mental health of a woman?
• What is the history of marriage?
• Why do a vast majority of women refuse to report their husbands for domestic abuse? What can be done to help them?
• Why do people marry?
• Women in politics: why do a small percentage of them succeed?
• Are athletes overpaid? Do footballers deserve multi-million contracts? How their salaries influence their performance?
• Can anyone compete in a marathon? Should everyone try it at least once? Necessary measures to take in order to compete in this kind of race
• Choose a sport and the best athlete that has ever played it. Justify why is that person the greatest of all times
• Has Title 9 hurt men’s athletics? Should there be changes?
• Have Olympic Games improved or worsened through history?
• How money influences the football world today
• How much does the crowd at sports events influence the game? Does the roar of the fans or their chants really cause the team to win or lose?
• How successful has Title 9 been in changing access to sports for women?
• Is there a sport that should be added to the Olympic Games?
• Research the history of a sport of your choice. How has the game changed throughout history?
• Should college athletes get paid? If so, how should that be done?
• Should male and female athletes be paid equally?
• Should players form unions to protect their rights?
• The impact of the Olympic Games on the economy of the hosting nation?
• What do people learn from playing competitive sports?
• What does the public think about female athletes?
• Why do all children need to play competitive sports in school? How would regular sports activity benefit their health and school performance?
• Why do so many young people get injured while playing sports? Is it accidental and unavoidable or is there a way to prevent injuries? Choose between talking about sports in general or discussing some specific sport of your choice.

Criminal justice

• African-American men are more likely to spend time in prison in the United States than any other group.  What is the underlying cause of this negative trend? What can be done to stop it?
• After every terrorist attack, it turns out police received reports about the potential danger. Why do they always ignore these calls?
• Are prison sentences for rapes effective? Do convicted rapists recommit their crimes later?
• Criminal activities are widely prevalent in news shows, reality TV, television shows, and movies. Does the constant exposure to crime on TV promote these activities and give people ideas?
• The death sentence has a long history, but did it help decrease crime rates across the US?
• Do convicted criminals abandon their ways and turn into law-abiding citizens?
• Do organizations like Prison Fellowship, which attempt to reform prisoners through faith, produce long-term results in changed lives?
• Do some people have a genetic predisposition to commit a crime? If so, should government approve genetic testing on criminals?
• Does non-dangerous “hazing” add to the rituals and community of an organization? Describe pros and cons of having new members participate in initiation traditions.
• How can prisoners help rehabilitate prisoners?
• How difficult is it to ex-convicts to find a job?
• How does Trump’s victory at the presidential election affect the judicial system in the United States today?
• How should the background of the criminal (psychosis, intelligence, family environment, genetic predispositions) affect the decision in a criminal case?
• Is Mandatory Minimum sentencing a good idea? Does it aid crime prevention?
• Many prisoners re-commit crimes because they find it difficult to cope with “real world” after spending years in prison. What can be done to help them adapt to the new reality after leaving prison?
• The number of DUI arrests increases constantly. What can be done about this problem?
• On-campus violence: causes and solutions
• Online bullying is a common occurrence nowadays. Should cyber-bullies face criminal prosecution?
• Out of fear of potential mistake, prisoners on a death row in many states are still waiting for their executions. Does the possibility of wrong death outweigh the need for justice? Is there justice for family members of victims?
• Police brutality: causes and potential solutions
• Rates of teens engaging in criminal activities keep increasing. How did media contribute to this negative trend?
• Should all states have equal laws? Would it prevent some criminals from committing their unlawful deeds?
• Should DUI laws be the same across all states?
• Should girls and women who falsely accuse someone of raping them face criminal prosecution?
• Should people convicted of a DUI be able to attend classes to prevent having their driver’s license revoked?
• Should schools allow people with licenses to carry concealed weapons?
• Should some crimes require a mandatory death sentence?
• Should terrorist suspects be tried in American courts?
• Some states have already legalized marijuana. How did cannabis use affect crime rates in these states? Did they go up or down?
• Teen gangs and socioeconomic status of households: are they related?
• The Innocence Project has released more than 300 convicted criminals based primarily on DNA evidence. Many states give no compensation to those released. Should the compensation be mandatory?
• The use of art, music, or theater therapy is a common method of rehabilitating prisoners. How effective are these approaches?
• What are the causes of acquaintance rape? How can it be prevented?
• What does the general public think about death penalty?
• What is the underlying cause (or more of them) behind re-committing crimes?
• Why do some people become serial killers? Are there any signs in their behavior to look for?
• Why is police brutal when arresting black suspects?
• Are older children more successful?
• Child labor is a sad reality in third-world countries. Do we contribute to child labor by purchasing products from companies who employ children in their factories?
• Do small businesses have a chance to succeed in the competitive market today?
• How do blogs help revolutionize businesses?
• How did the NAFTA agreement affect business in the United States?
• How does birth order affect people in a work environment?
• How has terrorism affected businesses?
• How important is branding for a business?
• Importance of ethics in business: what are the consequences of unethical behavior?
• Past, present, and future of search engine optimization (SEO)?
• Should companies promote employees based on seniority, college degrees or evaluations of performance?
• Should employees be allowed more flexible leave time for caring for children and elderly parents?
• What is the best way to grow jobs and reduce the unemployment rate?

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Voters’ views of Trump and Biden differ sharply by religion

The U.S. electorate continues to be sharply divided along religious lines.

The latest Pew Research Center survey finds that most registered voters who are White Christians would vote for Republican Donald Trump over Democrat Joe Biden if the 2024 presidential election were held today. More than half of White Christians think Trump was a “great” or “good” president and don’t think he broke the law in an effort to change the outcome of the 2020 election.

In stark contrast, most registered voters who are Black Protestants or religious “nones” – those who self-identify as atheists, agnostics or “nothing in particular” – would vote for Biden over Trump. Large numbers in these groups also say Trump was a “terrible” president and that he broke the law trying to overturn the 2020 election results.

Pew Research Center conducted this analysis to highlight religious differences in U.S. voters’ views about the 2024 presidential election. For this analysis, we surveyed 8,709 adults – including 7,166 registered voters – from April 8 to 14, 2024. Everyone who took part in this survey is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories.  Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

Here are the  questions used for this report , along with responses, and the  survey methodology . Here are details about sample sizes and margins of error for groups analyzed in this report.

Religion and the 2024 presidential election

While most White Christian voters say they would vote for Trump over Biden if the election were held today, there are some differences by religious tradition. Trump draws support from:  

• 81% of White evangelical Protestant voters
• 61% of White Catholics
• 57% of White Protestants who are not evangelical

By contrast, 77% of Black Protestant voters say they would vote for Biden over Trump. Most religious “nones” also say this, including:

• 87% of atheist voters
• 82% of agnostics
• 57% of those whose religion is “nothing in particular” 

These presidential preferences reflect the partisan leanings of U.S. religious groups . White Christians have been trending in a Republican direction for quite some time, while Black Protestants and religious “nones” have long been strongly Democratic.

The Center’s new survey includes responses from Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and people from many other religious backgrounds, as well as adherents of smaller Christian groups like Hispanic Protestants and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (widely known as Mormons). However, the survey does not include enough respondents from these smaller religious categories to be able to report on them separately.

Church attendance and voting preferences in 2024

Among Christians, support for Trump is somewhat higher among regular church attenders than non-churchgoers. Overall, 62% of Christian voters who say they go to church at least once or twice a month support Trump over Biden. Among Christians who go to church less often, 55% would vote for Trump if the election were today.

Among White evangelical Protestant voters, 84% of regular churchgoers say they would vote for Trump, compared with 77% of White evangelicals who don’t go to church regularly.

White nonevangelical Protestants are the only Christian group in which support for Trump is significantly stronger among nonattenders than among regular churchgoers.

Voters’ views of Biden and Trump as presidents

About three-quarters of White evangelical Protestant voters say Trump was a “great” (37%) or “good” (37%) president. Roughly half of White Catholics and White nonevangelical Protestants share this view.

When it comes to Biden, atheists and Black Protestants rate the current president’s performance most favorably. Roughly half of voters in each of these groups say Biden is a great or good president.

Overall, Trump gets higher marks on these questions than Biden. This is because Trump supporters are more inclined to say he was a great or good president than Biden supporters are to say the same about him.

Views of whether Trump broke the law in effort to change 2020 election outcome

People in the religious groups that are most supportive of Biden tend to think Trump broke the law in an effort to change the outcome of the 2020 election. Most atheists (83%) say this, as do 70% of Black Protestants and 63% of agnostics.

By contrast, just 16% of White evangelical Protestants say Trump broke the law trying to change the 2020 election outcome. Another 15% of White evangelicals say they think Trump did something wrong but did not break the law, while the largest share by far (47%) say Trump did nothing wrong.

Note: Here are the  questions used for this report , along with responses, and the  survey methodology .

• Donald Trump
• Election 2024
• Religion & Politics

Gregory A. Smith is an associate director of research at Pew Research Center .

In Tight Presidential Race, Voters Are Broadly Critical of Both Biden and Trump

Changing partisan coalitions in a politically divided nation, about 1 in 4 americans have unfavorable views of both biden and trump, 2024 presidential primary season was one of the shortest in the modern political era, americans more upbeat on the economy; biden’s job rating remains very low, most popular.

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Nebraska on-farm research network releases 2023 research results publication.

The Nebraska On-Farm Research Network (NOFRN) is placing research results into producers’ hands through its 2023 Research Results book — a publication that highlights findings from approximately 80 on-farm research studies conducted in Nebraska during the 2023 growing season.

"The research results in this book equip producers with the tools to harness local insights, enabling them to make well-informed decisions that optimize both productivity and profitability on their own operation" said Taylor Lexow, NOFRN Project Coordinator.

Studies in the 2023 Research Results book cover various topics, including crop production, fertility and soil management, non-traditional products, cover crops, crop protection and equipment. The 2023 publication, along with publications from previous years, is now available on the NOFRN’s website.

With planting season upon us, now is the time to dig deeper into agricultural practices and determine what best fits the needs of every operation. Download a copy of the 2023 Research Results book today from the NOFRN site .

For more information about the 2023 Research Results book or the NOFRN, please contact Taylor Lexow at 402-245-2222 .

About the NOFRN

The Nebraska On-Farm Research Network (NOFRN) is a program of Nebraska Extension that partners with farmers to evaluate agricultural practices and provide innovative solutions that impact farm productivity, profitability and sustainability. It is supported by the Nebraska Corn Board, the Nebraska Corn Growers Association, the Nebraska Soybean Checkoff and the Nebraska Dry Bean Commission. To learn more about the NOFRN, visit its website .

2023 Research Results Book

Online Master of Science in Agronomy

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Collection  06 March 2024

Physics Top 100 of 2023

This collection highlights the most downloaded* physics research papers published by Scientific Reports in 2023. Featuring authors from around the world, these papers highlight valuable research from an international community.

You can also view the journal's overall Top 100 or the Top 100 within various subject areas . *Data obtained from SN Insights, which is based on Digital Science’s Dimensions.

Geometric and physical interpretation of the action principle

• Gabriele Carcassi
• Christine A. Aidala

Hidden chamber discovery in the underground Hellenistic necropolis of Neapolis by muography

• Valeri Tioukov
• Kunihiro Morishima
• Giovanni De Lellis

Synthesis of prebiotic organics from CO 2 by catalysis with meteoritic and volcanic particles

• Sophia Peters
• Dmitry A. Semenov
• Oliver Trapp

Alpha radiation from polymetallic nodules and potential health risks from deep-sea mining

• Jessica B. Volz
• Walter Geibert
• Sabine Kasten

Geomagnetic disturbance associated with increased vagrancy in migratory landbirds

• Benjamin A. Tonelli
• Casey Youngflesh
• Morgan W. Tingley

Distribution of energy in the ideal gas that lacks equipartition

• Dmitry M. Naplekov
• Vladimir V. Yanovsky

Quantization of events in the event-universe and the emergence of quantum mechanics

• Felix Benninger
• Andrei Khrennikov

Proposal for a Lorenz qubit

• Michael R. Geller

Coherent control of light-induced torque on four-level tripod atom systems

• Ali Mehdinejad

Variational quantum non-orthogonal optimization

• Pablo Bermejo

Graphene oxide classification and standardization

• Katarzyna Z. Donato
• A. H. Castro Neto

Semiconductivity induced by spin–orbit coupling in Pb 9 Cu(PO 4 ) 6 O

• Jianrong Ye

The influence of solar-modulated regional circulations and galactic cosmic rays on global cloud distribution

• Vinay Kumar
• Surendra K. Dhaka
• Shigeo Yoden

Revisiting self-interference in Young’s double-slit experiments

• Sangbae Kim
• Byoung S. Ham

Improvements in 2D p-type WSe 2 transistors towards ultimate CMOS scaling

• Naim Hossain Patoary
• Ivan Sanchez Esqueda

DNA sequencing at the picogram level to investigate life on Mars and Earth

• Jyothi Basapathi Raghavendra
• Maria-Paz Zorzano
• Javier Martin-Torres

Entanglement detection with artificial neural networks

• Uman Khalid
• Hyundong Shin

Epoxidized graphene grid for highly efficient high-resolution cryoEM structural analysis

• Junso Fujita
• Fumiaki Makino
• Tsuyoshi Inoue

Physically informed machine-learning algorithms for the identification of two-dimensional atomic crystals

• Laura Zichi

A quadratic time-dependent quantum harmonic oscillator

• E. García Herrera
• B. M. Rodríguez-Lara

Time domain double slit interference of electron produced by XUV synchrotron radiation

• T. Kaneyasu
• Y. Hikosaka

Observing cosmic-ray extensive air showers with a silicon imaging detector

• Satoshi Kawanomoto
• Michitaro Koike
• Tsuyoshi Terai

A robophysical model of spacetime dynamics

• Shengkai Li
• Hussain N. Gynai
• Daniel I. Goldman

DFT-aided machine learning-based discovery of magnetism in Fe-based bimetallic chalcogenides

• Dharmendra Pant
• Suresh Pokharel
• Ranjit Pati

Quantum-aided secure deep neural network inference on real quantum computers

• Julie McCann

Practical overview of image classification with tensor-network quantum circuits

• Diego Guala
• Shaoming Zhang
• Juan Miguel Arrazola

Long distance entanglement and high-dimensional quantum teleportation in the Fermi–Hubbard model

• Sanaa Abaach
• Zakaria Mzaouali
• Morad El Baz

Nuclear shell-model simulation in digital quantum computers

• A. Pérez-Obiol
• A. M. Romero
• B. Juliá-Díaz

Investigation of interfacial strength in nacre-mimicking tungsten heavy alloys for nuclear fusion applications

• J. V. Haag IV
• M. Murayama

Characterization of interaction phenomena of electromagnetic waves with metamaterials via microwave near-field visualization technique

• Zhirayr Baghdasaryan
• Arsen Babajanyan

Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, tunneling magnetoresistance and spin-transfer torque effect in magnetic tunnel junctions with Nb layers

• Pravin Khanal
• Wei-Gang Wang

Quantum AI simulator using a hybrid CPU–FPGA approach

• Teppei Suzuki
• Tsubasa Miyazaki
• Takahiro Otsuka

Externally-triggerable optical pump-probe scanning tunneling microscopy with a time resolution of tens-picosecond

• Katsuya Iwaya
• Munenori Yokota
• Hidemi Shigekawa

Forty thousand kilometers under quantum protection

• N. S. Kirsanov
• V. A. Pastushenko
• V. M. Vinokur

Quantum causality emerging in a delayed-choice quantum Cheshire Cat experiment with neutrons

• Richard Wagner
• Wenzel Kersten
• Yuji Hasegawa

Additional flight delays and magnetospheric–ionospheric disturbances during solar storms

Quantum face recognition protocol with ghost imaging

• Vahid Salari
• Dilip Paneru
• Ebrahim Karimi

Variational quantum approximate support vector machine with inference transfer

• Siheon Park
• Daniel K. Park
• June-Koo Kevin Rhee

A novel method for extracting metals from asteroids using non-aqueous deep eutectic solvents

• Rodolfo Marin Rivera
• Philip Bird
• Andrew P. Abbott

Heterostrain and temperature-tuned twist between graphene/ h -BN bilayers

Observations of the delayed-choice quantum eraser using coherent photons

Study the charging process of moving quantum batteries inside cavity

• Maryam Hadipour
• Soroush Haseli
• Maryam Rashidi

Imaging and identification of single nanoplastic particles and agglomerates

• Ambika Shorny
• Fritz Steiner
• Sarah M. Skoff

A solvable model for symmetry-breaking phase transitions

• Shatrughna Kumar
• Boris A. Malomed

CMOS-compatible ising machines built using bistable latches coupled through ferroelectric transistor arrays

• Antik Mallick
• Zijian Zhao
• Nikhil Shukla

Improving Josephson junction reproducibility for superconducting quantum circuits: junction area fluctuation

• Anastasiya A. Pishchimova
• Nikita S. Smirnov
• Ilya A. Rodionov

CryoFIB milling large tissue samples for cryo-electron tomography

Optimization of shadow evaporation and oxidation for reproducible quantum Josephson junction circuits

• Dmitry O. Moskalev
• Evgeniy V. Zikiy

Efficient noise mitigation technique for quantum computing

• Mohamad Hussein Naim
• Fadi Kurdahi

Genetic algorithm optimization of broadband operation in a noise-like pulse fiber laser

• Coraline Lapre
• Fanchao Meng
• John M. Dudley

Entanglement and quantum correlation measures for quantum multipartite mixed states

• Arthur Vesperini
• Ghofrane Bel-Hadj-Aissa
• Roberto Franzosi

Highly efficient graphene terahertz modulator with tunable electromagnetically induced transparency-like transmission

• Myunghwan Kim
• Seong-Han Kim
• Chul-Sik Kee

Quantum neural network cost function concentration dependency on the parametrization expressivity

• Lucas Friedrich
• Jonas Maziero

Dephasing by optical phonons in GaN defect single-photon emitters

• Farhan Rana

Effects of Ni/Co doping on structural and electronic properties of 122 and 112 families of Eu based iron pnictides

• Joanna Stępień
• Damian Rybicki
• Danilo Oliveira De Souza

Exploring the evidence of Middle Amazonian aquifer sedimentary outburst residues in a Martian chaotic terrain

• J. Alexis P. Rodriguez
• Mary Beth Wilhelm
• Denise Buckner

A universal variational quantum eigensolver for non-Hermitian systems

• Huanfeng Zhao
• Tzu-Chieh Wei

Large area MoS 2 thin film growth by direct sulfurization

• Kai-Yao Yang
• Hong-Thai Nguyen
• Hsiang-Chen Wang

Utilizing photonic band gap in triangular silicon carbide structures for efficient quantum nanophotonic hardware

• Pranta Saha
• Sridhar Majety
• Marina Radulaski

Impact of deoxygenation/reoxygenation processes on the superconducting properties of commercial coated conductors

• Pablo Cayado
• Marco Bonura
• Carmine Senatore

3D metamaterial ultra-wideband absorber for curved surface

• Mahdi Norouzi
• Saughar Jarchi
• Gholamhosein Moloudian

A fully fiber-integrated ion trap for portable quantum technologies

• Xavier Fernandez-Gonzalvo
• Matthias Keller

Microscopic-scale magnetic recording of brain neuronal electrical activity using a diamond quantum sensor

• Nikolaj Winther Hansen
• James Luke Webb
• Ulrik Lund Andersen

Observation of plasma inflows in laser-produced Sn plasma and their contribution to extreme-ultraviolet light output enhancement

• Kentaro Tomita
• Katsunobu Nishihara

Spin-flip-driven anomalous Hall effect and anisotropic magnetoresistance in a layered Ising antiferromagnet

• Dong Gun Oh
• Jong Hyuk Kim
• Young Jai Choi

Survivability of the lichen Xanthoria parietina in simulated Martian environmental conditions

• Christian Lorenz
• Elisabetta Bianchi
• Mickaël Baqué

Fluorescence and phosphorescence lifetime imaging reveals a significant cell nuclear viscosity and refractive index changes upon DNA damage

• Ellen Clancy
• Siva Ramadurai
• Stanley W. Botchway

Entropy defect in thermodynamics

• George Livadiotis
• David J. McComas

Design and optimization of broadband metamaterial absorber based on manganese for visible applications

• Shimaa I. Sayed
• K. R. Mahmoud
• Roaa I. Mubarak

A reconfigurable graphene patch antenna inverse design at terahertz frequencies

• Mohammad Mashayekhi
• Pooria Kabiri
• Mohammad Soleimani

Precision dual-comb spectroscopy using wavelength-converted frequency combs with low repetition rates

• Yohei Sugiyama
• Tsubasa Kashimura
• Feng-Lei Hong

Study comparing the tribological behavior of propylene glycol and water dispersed with graphene nanopowder

• A. Haribabu
• Raviteja Surakasi
• Sasan Zahmatkesh

Tunable growth of one-dimensional graphitic materials: graphene nanoribbons, carbon nanotubes, and nanoribbon/nanotube junctions

In-situ atomic level observation of the strain response of graphene lattice

• Jz-Yuan Juo
• Bong Gyu Shin
• Soon Jung Jung

Control of magnetic states and spin interactions in bilayer CrCl 3 with strain and electric fields: an ab initio study

• Ali Ebrahimian
• Anna Dyrdał
• Alireza Qaiumzadeh

Ultrathin acoustic metamaterial as super absorber for broadband low-frequency underwater sound

• Xindong Zhou
• Xiaochen Wang
• Fengxian Xin

Speed limit of quantum metrology

• Yusef Maleki
• Bahram Ahansaz
• Alireza Maleki

Spin Seebeck effect mediated reversal of vortex-Nernst effect in superconductor-ferromagnet bilayers

• Himanshu Sharma
• Zhenchao Wen
• Masaki Mizuguchi

Frequency-domain interferometry for the determination of time delay between two extreme-ultraviolet wave packets generated by a tandem undulator

Sustainable colonization of Mars using shape optimized structures and in situ concrete

• Omid Karimzade Soureshjani
• Ali Massumi
• Gholamreza Nouri

New insights into APCVD grown monolayer MoS 2 using time-domain terahertz spectroscopy

• Saloni Sharma
• Pooja Chauhan
• Bipin Kumar Gupta

Testing entanglement of annihilation photons

• Alexander Ivashkin
• Dzhonrid Abdurashitov
• Igor Tkachev

Characterisation of a single photon event camera for quantum imaging

• Victor Vidyapin
• Yingwen Zhang
• Benjamin Sussman

Automatic detection of multilayer hexagonal boron nitride in optical images using deep learning-based computer vision

• Fereshteh Ramezani
• Sheikh Parvez
• Bradley M. Whitaker

Taking advantage of noise in quantum reservoir computing

Higher-order topological corner state in a reconfigurable breathing kagome lattice consisting of magnetically coupled LC resonators

• Kenichi Yatsugi
• Shrinathan Esakimuthu Pandarakone
• Hideo Iizuka

Impact of the South Atlantic Anomaly on radiation exposure at flight altitudes during solar minimum

• Matthias M. Meier
• Thomas Berger
• Michael Wirtz

Initial results of the meteorological data from the first 325 sols of the Tianwen-1 mission

• Chunsheng Jiang

Stacked SiGe nanosheets p-FET for Sub-3 nm logic applications

• Chun-Lin Chu
• Shu-Han Hsu
• Szu-Hung Chen

Direct evidence of terahertz emission arising from anomalous Hall effect

• Venkatesh Mottamchetty
• Rahul Gupta

Thermodynamic determination of the equilibrium first-order phase-transition line hidden by hysteresis in a phase diagram

• Keisuke Matsuura
• Yo Nishizawa
• Fumitaka Kagawa

Panoramic dental tomosynthesis imaging by use of CBCT projection data

• Taejin Kwon
• Seungryong Cho

Magnetic field and nuclear spin influence on the DNA synthesis rate

• Sergey V. Stovbun
• Dmitry V. Zlenko
• Anatoly L. Buchachenko

Comparison of cubesat and microsat catastrophic failures in function of radiation and debris impact risk

• Isabel Lopez-Calle
• Alexander I. Franco

2D tunable all-solid-state random laser in the visible

• Bhupesh Kumar
• Patrick Sebbah

Highly sensitive label-free biosensor: graphene/CaF 2 multilayer for gas, cancer, virus, and diabetes detection with enhanced quality factor and figure of merit

• Behnam Jafari
• Elnaz Gholizadeh
• Saeed Golmohammadi

Highly nonlinear optic nucleic acid thin-solid film to generate short pulse laser

• Marjan Ghasemi
• Pulak Chandra Debnath
• Kyunghwan Oh

Trapping and manipulating skyrmions in two-dimensional films by surface acoustic waves

• Yu Miyazaki
• Tomoyuki Yokouchi
• Yuki Shiomi

Direct observation of electric field-induced magnetism in a molecular magnet

• M. Lewkowitz
• Ali Sirusi Arvij

[ 18 F]Tosyl fluoride as a versatile [ 18 F]fluoride source for the preparation of 18 F-labeled radiopharmaceuticals

• John A. Katzenellenbogen

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