English Research Paper Topics & Ideas

The subject of English is connected to the study of language. In particular, it concerns the practical constituent of learning, which is the use of English. However, it does not emphasize the theoretical issues as linguistics does. Thus, English is connected to other subjects and spheres of knowledge because they give the necessary topics to discuss, speculate, and research to improve the command of English.

In such a way, the topics that are the concern of research in English may be connected to any subject. However, the topics will be limited by the depth of the subject learning to satisfy the goals of learning English; the research papers do not have to concern specific details of the study but remain superficial.

Topics and Ideas for English Research Paper

Here are some examples of topics for the English research paper:

1. Is it Better to Live in the City or Village?
   In this research paper, the issue of living environment will be investigated. The issue concerns urbanization, which was a popular trend in the 20th century and remains as such nowadays. The research will concern the advantages and disadvantages of city and village concerning the environment, employment, and infrastructure.
2. Pagan Origins of the Christmas Festival
   This research paper will concern the history of Christmas and its connection to pagan festivals, such as Yule, celebrated by Germanic peoples, Koliada, celebrated by Slavic peoples, and Modranicht, celebrated by Anglo-Saxon peoples. The research will concern the rituals, such as the Christmas tree, which was derived from the Yule log, symbolic items, such as mistletoe, and the timing of the holidays, which is always the date in proximity to the 20th of December.  Thus, this particular topic is a part of the broader one that is Christian assimilation of pagan cultures.
3. What is the Best Eco-Friendly Vehicle for the Majority of the Population?
   This research topic will concern the issues of environment and different means of transportation. First, it would be crucial to establish the needs of the majority of the population. Second, various Eco-friendly means of transport, such as a bicycle, hybrid car, and electric car will be compared in their ability to satisfy the needs mentioned above. Finally, the means of transportation will be compared in regards to the waste they produce, as well as the upstream waste level.
4. In What Ways Did the Trains Influence the History of the US?
   This research topic will concern the period of time beginning from the construction of the first railroad until modern times. Special attention will be paid to the time frames from the 18th until the 19th century when the railroads served as the number one means of transportation across the country. Moreover, since building railroads required many person-hours, such work was often executed by African-American slaves, who were constantly used as a source of cheap labor. Furthermore, trains were utilized in the Civil War, which was the bloodiest conflict on the territory of the US. Thus, this paper will concern the way railroads influenced the events from US history.
5. Are Wars Becoming More Humane?
   With technological progress, the way wars are waged has changed drastically. With modern medicine, namely the invention of antibiotics, anesthesia, and advanced surgery, soldiers do not die from contaminated wounds anymore or have their limbs cut while being completely conscious. Concerning the issue of rights, fewer civilians are affected by war now owing to the Geneva Convention (IV) on Civilians, 1949. Furthermore, with modern technologies, drones may scout territories. Thus, this paper will investigate the issue of war, and how it becomes more humane with modern technologies and advancements.
6. What If the Nazi Won WWII?
   This research topic will study a hypothetical problem of alternate history. The purpose of the paper is to propose a plausible scenario of major historical events after World War II, in which Nazi Germany defeated the Allies. Thus, it is possible either to propose a possible scenario or to analyze the work of fiction literature that is set in such a world.
7. Is It Possible to Build Communism?
   In this research essay, the doctrine of Communism will be investigated. The central aim of the topic is to find contradictions and unreachable goals in the ideology mentioned above. Thus, the purpose of the essay is to prove or disprove the possibility of establishing Communism in a state.
8. What are the Origins of Fascism?
   The ideology of Fascism is often misinterpreted due to its use in the Mussolini’s totalitarian regime. Moreover, Giovanni Gentile, the philosopher who came up with the idea of fascism conceived it as a form of democracy. Thus, the concept of Fascism is always misinterpreted, and this paper will study the emergence of fascist ideas, and how they changed in time.
9. Are Freudian Explanations of Psychic Illnesses Correct?
   Sigmund Freud was a founder of psychoanalysis movement in psychology. His central theories are the Oedipus complex and the idea of libido. Although the theories of Freud were refuted later, and now are considered outdated, the task of this paper is to prove their relevance at the moment of their development.
10. What Were the Chances of Confederates to Win the Civil War?
    At the beginning of the Civil War, each side was reassured in its dominance over the other. The North was industrialized, it had more railroads, and it blocked the seashores with its naval forces. However, the war took place in the South where the Confederates were familiar with the territory, and the Northerners lacked their railroads. Thus, this paper will analyze the pre-war situation and estimate the chances of the South to win the Civil War.
11. Does Professional Sports Improve Health?
    According to common opinion, sport always positively influences people’s health. However, some professional sports do more harm than good and may ruin a person’s health. This research will concentrate on problems that are caused by different kinds of professional sports.
12. When Would It Be Possible to Colonize Mars?
    In the 20th century, the idea of Mars’ colonization was a subject of science fiction. Nowadays, with enthusiasts, such as Elon Musk, humanity develops plans and project of the colonization. Thus, this paper will investigate the issue of colonization of Mars and will predict the possible date of implementation of the project.
13. Why Is Google Spying on Users?
    The users of Google often notice that the service proposes possible answers for the mail, which means that their messages are being read. Moreover, if a person searches for a certain thing on the Internet, later, Google uses this information in the personalized advertisements. Thus, there is a possibility that Google spies on its users and the goal of this paper is to prove or disprove the fact of espionage.
14. Do Violent Video Games Cause Violence?
    Violent video games were always a concern for the parents and psychologists. There is a common opinion that states that violent video games cause violence in children. However, another opinion claims that a disbarred attorney, Jack Thompson, who campaigned against video games, caused notoriety of video games. Thus, this paper will analyze psychological articles on the influence of video games on people.
15. Gun Laws
    American tradition to carry and use weapons is decided to be the reason for aggression and cases of school and public area shootings. To fix the problem, gun laws that restrict the use or the possibility to purchase weapon exist. Thus, this paper will investigate the expediency of laws that restrict or forbid the use or possibility to purchase guns.
16. What Are the Most Possible Future Forms of Government?
    Some of the corporate giants, such as Google or Amazon, are currently richer than the countries of the third world. Hence, there is a possibility that due to their wealth, these companies will become competitive political powers in the future. Thus, this paper will investigate the possibility of corporations ruling the world in the future.
17. Is Handwriting Necessary in the Digital Age?
    As typing written information becomes more popular with the more broad use of digital technologies, the necessity of handwriting decreases. However, numerous studies concern the educational and developmental benefits of handwriting. Thus, this research will investigate the necessity of handwriting in schools.
18. What Is the Best Weapon for Citizens’ Self-defense?
    Due to the risen concern towards gun laws in the US, it is necessary to find the substitution for the firearms that are used as the means of self-defense. Thus, this paper will compare different means of self-defense, such as gas can, electroshock weapon, or traumatic guns.
19. Is It Necessary to Read Fiction Literature?
    Reading fiction literature is always compared to entertainment, but its benefits are often omitted. However, the benefits of reading fiction are approved by numerous studies and concern the development of empathy and learning the experience of other people’s lives. Thus, this research will study the benefits of reading fiction literature.
20. Brexit
    The Government of the United Kingdom has repeatedly raised the issue of leaving the European Union. The defenders of Brexit explained this option by mentioning its benefits for the country. Thus, this paper will study the benefits and the drawbacks of Brexit.

Conclusion

To sum up, the above examples of topics for the English research paper give the opportunity to learn new information and enrich the vocabulary without the unnecessary in-depth study of the interconnected subjects. Thus, working on a research topic in English is an interesting task, which does not require in-depth research. Moreover, the variety of topics can satisfy the interests of every student who has got such a task.