Top 10 Tips to Choose an Essay Topic

Writing a great paper or essay is only possible if you choose the right topic. Writing essays is a common task. If you choose the right topic it will make it easier to write your paper. Essays are required for college applications and scholarships, as well as research papers from middle school and high school, and work at universities. These are some suggestions to help you select a topic for your essay or research paper. Also, check out our other articles for help with essay papers.

1. Choose something that interests and motivates you.

You can show your reader that you are passionate about your topic through your writing. You don’t have much choice in the subject, so try to find an angle to make it more interesting. You will not get top marks if your paper bores the reader. A paper that is a little weak in some ways, or one that was written the night before in an hour, can be given an A or selected for the top because it shows passion and enthusiasm in writing.

2. Pick something that you are familiar with.

Instead of trying to tackle a large project, choose something that you are already familiar with. Because you already know a lot about the topic, it will make writing faster and easier. This means that you will need to do less research and put in less effort, so it will be easier and faster to write the paper.

3. If you already have an idea of what you want to write, narrow down your topic. 

No matter what your topic, think about whether you can adequately explore it and make your point in the limited space that you have. It can seem overwhelming to have to fill in pages with 5, 10, or 20 blanks. But the vast majority of topics are too large to be covered in a few pages. The first idea you have will almost always prove to be too large. You can refine it until you are satisfied with its size. If you are writing a book of 1,000 pages, then ‘the plays by Shakespeare is not something you would want to tackle. A topic that might be interesting is ‘Comparisons between strong female characters in Shakespeare’s comedies. It is possible to refine your research further by choosing 3 characters to contrast.

4. Find an engaging way to approach a topic. 

This will help you keep your writing organized, provide structure, and help you to define your thesis. Instead of writing about slavery, you could narrow your topic to a specific country, state, time period, or element of slavery. Next, refine. It’s not a topic. It is too large. You need to find an angle. For example, “The life of South Carolina women enslaved on South Carolina’s sea island rice plantations in the early 1800s was very different from other forms of slavery.” This is an approach that examines one aspect or part of slavery. It is therefore a sensible topic. Another example is baseball. This is not a topic. It could be interesting to discuss a specific player’s practice philosophy and how it contributed to his success.

5. Get started researching. 

You may have an idea of the topic you wish to write about, but don’t know how to get it across. You can search the internet or in the news for information about the topic. Seek out images online of the topic to see what you can find. You may find the angle that you are looking for.

6. Brainstorm.

Make a list or list of your ideas. Write some words or phrases that bring back memories of great leaders. You can brainstorm some topics. Flip through a dictionary to find interesting words and ideas. Keep writing down any ideas or words that come to your mind. Continue this process until you have a long list. Take a break, then come back to the list and see if you have any ideas or suggestions. Start brainstorming your idea on a new piece of paper if it does. It’s best to do it immediately, while you are still energetic so that the ideas flow.

7. Take a look at what is right in front of your face.

What are you most passionate about? Are you a member of a sports team? A hobby? A goal? A certain game? Many times, whatever you do in your spare moments could be combined into an essay topic. If you play civilization-building games, research the real history behind one of the civilizations. You might be able to research the history of a band or an artist you like. There are many ways to take things that you use every day and turn them into essays or research papers. Be creative and think outside the box.

8. Ask your teacher or advisor for advice.

Are you stuck on a particular angle? You can search the topic to see what others have written about it. Ask your teacher, parent, mentor, or friend for help in choosing the right topic. They will be grateful that you asked and likely have some great suggestions.

9. Re-use a topic. 

Consider whether there is a topic that you have written about before that could be re-used for this essay. You might be able to use parts of the work you have done before or even re-use it. It may be possible to look at a similar topic or a different aspect. If you have written a paper on the history and popularity of soccer, one section could be about that topic. This method is not recommended. This could not work if teachers talk to one another. It might work if the essay was written in another school or for a different college class. It is possible to rewrite the essay from a different angle on the topic. Copy and paste the essay if it is a piece such as “my views on leadership” for a college scholarship application or scholarship.

10. It’s the last moment! What should I do? 

You don’t have to find something that thrills or you can just choose one and start. Start with the most basic idea you have and go from there. You can relax and it will all be over in no time. If you are required to submit an essay and thesis statement by the deadline, don’t worry. Just go with what you think is best but continue searching for a better idea. Most professors will allow you to change your topic if you find something better. Even if you have already written some, if you come across a brilliant idea, don’t be afraid to take notes and start again. The essay topic will almost come to you if it interests you.