My thesis committe questions were focused on

the specific assays (experimental questions,

how I could have designed a specific
experiment differently to get a better result,
what other experiments could I have done) and
what direction I would move the project if I
were to continue to work on it. This last
question is particularly important. Think about
what the next publication would be. What is
your next hypothesis based on the work you
completed as a graduate student.

Types of Questions
There are three basic types of questions that
research projects can address:

Descriptive.When a study is designed primarily

to describe what is going on or what exists.
Public opinion polls that seek only to describe
the proportion of people who hold various
opinions are primarily descriptive in nature. For
instance, if we want to know what percent of
the population would vote for a Democratic or a
Republican in the next presidential election, we
are simply interested in describing something.
Relational.When a study is designed to look at
the relationships between two or more
variables. A public opinion poll that compares
what proportion of males and females say they
would vote for a Democratic or a Republican
candidate in the next presidential election is
essentially studying the relationship between
gender and voting preference.
Causal.When a study is designed to determine
whether one or more variables (e.g., a program
or treatment variable) causes or affects one or
more outcome variables. If we did a public
opinion poll to try to determine whether a
recent political advertising campaign changed
voter preferences, we would essentially be
studying whether the campaign (cause)
changed the proportion of voters who would
vote Democratic or Republican (effect).

The three question types can be viewed as

cumulative. That is, a relational study assumes
that you can first describe (by measuring or
observing) each of the variables you are trying
to relate. And, a causal study assumes that you
can describe both the cause and effect variables
and that you can show that they are related to
each other. Causal studies are probably the
most demanding of the three.
Social Topics for Research Papers
Social Topics for Research Papers Writing a
paper about the homeless can be an engaging
exploration of social ills.
Social issues have always been an integral part
of the human condition. They result from
frictions that are usually created by differences
within cultures. Differences in opinion, religious
belief, financial status and even appearance
have all led to social ills. However, in regard to
effective topics for research papers, not all
social issues are created equal. A research
paper's topic should be evocative, engaging and
somewhat controversial.
Other People Are Reading
A List of Research Paper Topics A List of
Research Paper Topics Research Paper Topics
for Social Issues Research Paper Topics for
Social Issues
Common Social Issues
There is no doubt that some social issues make
more engaging topics for research papers than
others. However, it is beneficial to know the
most common social issues. These include
abortion, drug use and abuse, capital
punishment, homelessness, homosexuality and
immigration. What makes one social issue more
relevant or appealing to write about than
another is a subjective matter. However, the
above topics have all caused widespread
discussion and debate.

Recurring Social Issues

Certain social problems rear their heads with
predictable regularity. From culture to culture,

and age to age, this sub-set of human dramas

simply won't go away. Issues such as these
range from whether prostitution should be
illegal, to whether homosexuals should be
allowed to openly serve in the military. These
recurring social issues make superb topics for
research papers because they are likely to
resonate with a great many people.
Homelessness is a social issue that directly
affects a relatively small sub-set of the
population, but the argument can be made that
it affects everyone in one way or another.
According to the United Nations, over 100
million people worldwide are homeless as of
2011. This social issue is a prime example of a
problem that will resonate with a large
audience. Further, there is a great deal of
research already done on this topic. Far from
making it difficult to find a unique angle to write
about, this data will allow you to quickly
determine what has already been done to
excess.
Mental Illness and Hospitalization
Another good example of a topic that provokes
an emotional response from readers is that of
mental illness. A great many of the mentally ill
feel as if their disease is merely a small
annoyance, and that they are not truly ill. This
creates a situation in which it is tempting for
them to stop taking their medications. Hence,
many mentally ill people who repeatedly refuse
to take medication are hospitalized. This is the
sort of hot-button topic that is both engaging
and relevant, and therefore makes for an
interesting topic for a research paper.