Finding a research topic and Originaity

Pre-College Topics High School Life
1

<p>I'm in high school and am having a lot of trouble finding a research topic. Whenever I get any good ideas, I look them up online and I usually find papers already dealing with the topic/idea I want to research. I just can't find anything original. It seems like what a lot of people do is they find papers and change some variables in the papers and change the topic a little bit and then do research on it. Is this what most people do? It just seems pretty difficult to come up with original research topics, especially as a high schooler. Can anyone comment on their experiences with finding a research topic or other people's and give me some advice?</p>

2

<p>Can you be more specific? What’s the prompt? I might be able to help you out. I’ve done this sort of thing a few times. :)</p>

3

<p>Well, pretty much all research topics have been done before, regardless if you look it up to get ideas. The trick is to successfully make it unique.</p>

<p>But yeah, be more specific and we can give better advice.</p>

4

<p>What field are you looking into?</p>

5

<p>I think I want my topic to deal with nanotechnology. I haven’t really made up my mind regarding which focus of nanotechnology yet, but most of what I have looked up so far has involved carbon nanotubes or nanoparticles. I keep changing my mind as to what I want to research so I haven’t really decided entirely on the field I want to research yet.</p>

6

<p>You can go to the website of any uni that has a nanotech department. Look at profs’ CVs (often posted online) to see their current research or current grants. Here’s an example (you have to dig deep into the links and sometimes do further searches of the individual names to learn what they are working on): [Members</a> by Department : Smalley Institute](<a href=“http://cnst.rice.edu/content.aspx?id=238]Members”>http://cnst.rice.edu/content.aspx?id=238)
This can give you a sense of what’s ‘hot’ in your field right now and where you might find resources for your own work.</p>

7

<p>First pick your topic and then write a research question.
Here’s some ideas if you need any:

  1. Nanotechnology in the weapons industry (bioterrorism)
  2. Medicine
  3. Food
  4. Cancer</p>
8

<p>Thanks everyone for you advice! I’ll keep looking into it.</p>

9

<p>if only there were a website that had ideas for research projects that hadn’t been performed yet…</p>