Tips for choosing a topic for humanities research paper

Before we give you our suggestions for topics for humanities research, let’s share how you can choose a great topic. Perhaps, after reading this, you won’t need our ideas because you’d have come up with a few yourself. So, what makes a great topic, and how can you choose a topic that’ll make writing a humanities paper a breeze?

• Choose a topic you can talk about; don’t choose a topic to impress your professors. Students often select complex topics they have little to no understanding of, believing it’ll impress their supervisors and professors. It would have, except that they end up fumbling; when asked questions, they’re unable to provide answers. So, choose a topic you can talk confidently about and answer questions on – even if it’s simple.
• There are many branches of humanities; choose a topic, not a branch, and be specific. Choose a topic you can talk about in detail, and considering the broadness of humanities studies, you’ll need to break sections into sections. So, choose a humanities research topic that won’t be too cumbersome for you to write.
• Choose a humanities research topic you are interested in and that people will be interested in reading.
• Don’t be afraid to discard topics you feel you can’t write on; we recommend having several on hand. It may happen that you chose a topic but couldn’t find enough information; you will need to select another.
• Read articles, lecture notes, and journals, and check online for ideas on humanities research topics. The more you read, the clearer you see the knowledge gap, and the more ideas will flow.

Humanities research topics for a distinction-worthy paper

Below, we’ve listed some topics in humanities, both general and in some selected areas. You can choose a topic from this list or let it serve as an inspiration for a topic of interest.

Best-rated humanities paper topics

1. The roadmap to greater human flourishing
2. Contemporary music
3. Political commentary
4. Applying Socrates to the western democracy in the 21st century
5. The development of US democracy vs. the Bible
6. The enlightenment age
7. Medicine and theology

Easy humanities research paper topics

8. Why study humanities?
9. The concept of Social Darwinism
10. Dissemination of ideas in the printing press
11. Racism
12. Humans and violence
13. Religion: human and animal sacrifices
14. The education experience and gender

Impressive humanities topics ideas

15. The tension and disparities between religion and science
16. How photography shapes public opinion
17. Analyzing the different branches of anthropology
18. The relationship of the various aspects of the social sciences with humanities
19. Human archaeology: what roles do architecture, biofacts, and ecofacts play?
20. The origin of human biology in classical Greek

Interesting humanities topics

21. Physical sciences in the scholarly arena
22. Contemporary conceptions of humanities studies
23. Does breaking down humanities into other majors have any impact?
24. Viewing how the world works through sociology
25. The factors affecting young adults in the 21st century
26. Why is child abuse still pertinent in the 21st century?
27. People’s reaction toward social policies

Latest topics in humanities

28. The role of video games in societal violence
29. Fashion: a distraction in society?
30. Body images that appeal to emotions
31. Social issues affecting college students
32. What part of statistical data concerns the population?
33. Addressing the gender divide in society
34. The cultural construct of the feminine and masculine identity
35. Artists in times of war

Medical humanities research topics for a great paper

36. Humanistic and ethical dimensions of medicine
37. Is medicine related to humanities: how?
38. Doctor-patient relationships: influencing factors
39. Patient-doctor confidentiality: when to jump the line
40. Limited medical resources’ impact on medical care access

Conclusion

If you’ve got a paper to write soon but are blank on humanities project ideas, you can use any of these. Feel free to ask for help from your colleagues, neighbors, and even your instructor; there’s a good chance they know something you don’t. Remember, choosing the best topic is not about impressing your professor; it’s about you being able to do justice to it.

How long should a methods section be?

The methods section of a research paper is its longest section, amounting to about 29.7% of the total word count. The length of your paper’s methodology section depends on the quantity of data you used, among other things. There is no exact number regarding how long a methods section should be, but it typically ranges from five to ten. Also, the standards of the field you’re writing the research paper on can factor in the methods section length.

Your methods section should explain your methodological approach, describe your data collection methods, your analysis methods, and evaluate and justify your choices. The methods section is a heavy part of the marking scheme of research papers, typically carrying about one-third of the marks.

Standard structure of APA methods section

The APA writing style has its designated structure for each section of a research paper. For the methods section, you must concisely report how you carried out your study. If you’re in the natural or social sciences, this is the writing style you will follow – assuming you weren’t told. Below is the standard order in which your methods section in APA style should be:

• The main heading, “Methods,” should be capitalized, boldfaced, and centered, with subheadings in the title case, boldfaced, and left-aligned. You can use the subheadings of “Participants,” “Procedures,” and “Materials” to section your methodology in APA. They aren’t mandatory, but they help organize the section with subheadings your readers can make sense of.
• Start the section by reporting sample characteristics, sample size, and sampling procedures. You can use “subjects,” “participants,” or “respondents” for people, but only use “subject” in animal research.
• Next, list the materials – tools, and techniques used in measuring relevant variables; provide a thorough, complete picture of the techniques.
• After the materials, report all the procedures you applied to administer the study, plan data analysis, and process the acquired data.

How to write a methodology section

Writing a research paper methodology is pretty straightforward, provided you have all the information it’ll contain. So, in these four simple steps, here’s how to write methods section of a research paper:

• Step 1: Start with the introduction of your general approach to the research and, depending on your discipline, the underpinning assumptions.
• Step 2: After introducing your methodological approach, provide full detail of the method using either quantitative or qualitative data collection methods. In the quantitative type of methodology, describe your methods in detail to make replicating your study by another researcher possible. Qualitative methods are more flexible and subjective, but you should reflect on your approach and explain your choices.
• Step 3: Explain how you processed and analyzed the data you collected in the course of the study without giving too many details. If you did quantitative research, your data analysis would typically be based on numbers. So, you’ll include how you prepared the data before analysis, the software you used in analyzing, and the statistical tests used. However, your analysis is based on language, images, and observation for qualitative studies.
• Step 4: Finally, justify your methodological choices; this is especially important if you didn’t take the most standard approach in the study. Explain why you couldn’t use other methods and how your approach contributes to new knowledge.

Conclusion

Now that you understand how important the methods section of a research paper is, you know it requires much attention. While writing methodology seems easy, it can be tricky; it is easy to miss important details. However, with what we’ve shared, you should be able to write a standard, professional research paper methodology.

How to write pros and cons research paper outline

Writing a pros and cons paper starts with thorough research, where you flesh out your pros and cons into a list. Once you’ve done that, the next thing is to outline them; start by sorting one first before the other. Below is a typical pros and cons research paper outline:

• Introduction: the introduction will contain your thesis, usually in the last paragraph; this is a direct statement of your paper’s central points.
• Paragraphs: the body paragraph of your paper will clearly outline the pros and cons of the issue you’re writing about. Let each argument occupy one paragraph, stay charitable to each side, and summarize the most substantial points fairly, even if you disagree.
• Conclusion: the conclusion section summarizes your points and outlines any further questions your paper may have raised. You will also need to note if there’s a need for more research on the issue you’ve raised.

How to choose the right pro con topic to write on

Below are some tips on choosing the best from the many pros and cons topics to base your research on. With these tips, you can write a solid and engaging essay for which your teacher will be inclined to award an “A”.

• Choose a topic that genuinely interests you by thinking about the things you like – sports, technology, nature, anything.
• Choose a topic with an equal level of good and bad sides, a theme on which you can build an award-winning essay.
• Go for controversial writing prompts, but this means you need to choose a topic with enough supporting evidence.
• Discuss your idea with someone; they could be your colleague, senior, parents, or even your teacher.

Pros and Cons Topics List

If you’re short on ideas for your pro-con research paper, here are thirty-five great topics to choose from.

Good pros and cons topics

1. Is homework a good idea for preschoolers?
2. Obtaining a master’s degree: a step toward a better future or a waste of time?
3. Is moving into campus hostels a good or bad idea?
4. Disadvantages and Advantages of High Tuition
5. Is it advisable to take a gap year before entering college?
6. Motivating students to get an education: yes or no?
7. Merits and demerits of digital education

Pro con controversial topics

8. Legalizing assisted suicide
9. An outright ban on junk foods
10. Merits and demerits of co-ed schools
11. Censoring song lyrics
12. Movement for the abolishment of exams
13. Should children own phones?
14. Why the monarchy should be abolished

Pros and cons debate topics on technology

15. Is social media popularity a blessing or a curse?
16. Online dating: has it done more harm than good?
17. iPhone is a better smartphone than android
18. What is the point of becoming a technician?
19. Addiction to cell phones: enumerating the dangers
20. E-books vs. physical books: which has made life easier?
21. Technology advancement: a blessing or a curse?

Pros and cons ideas for health research paper topics

22. The pros and cons of wearing
23. Does hospice provide a home or despair for those already dying?
24. Studying at medical university: is it worth it?
25. The upsides and downsides of alternative medicine
26. Is dieting a good option for people looking to lose weight?
27. Should people become vegetarians?
28. Benefits and dangers of modern vaccines

Pros and cons topics for students

29. Benefits and dangers of giving gifts to strangers
30. Parents punishing their children for misbehaving
31. Should you help people even when you don’t have much?
32. Is the provision of free apartments for homeless people a viable solution?
33. The positive and negative sides to living in a third world country
34. Why you shouldn’t have children when you’re poor
35. Boldness regardless of the circumstances: stupid or noble?

Conclusion

One of the major keys to writing a great argumentative research paper is knowing how to choose the right topic. Your writing skills will improve impressively once you can learn how to choose pros and cons essay topics.

Despite the similarities between MLA and APA, there are subtle but distinct differences between both referencing styles. Let’s show you the differences between MLA and APA and how to tell them apart in papers.

What is the difference between MLA and APA?

The major difference between MLA and APA is their formatting style; both are formatted a bit differently. The Modern Language Association (MLA) is used in arts and humanities for breaking down citing paintings and literature. On the other hand, the American Psychological Association (APA) style is designed for technical works in social sciences. The APA format makes citing technical reports and journals pretty straightforward.

• Citation page

The most obvious difference between both writing styles is the citation page title, where MLA formats have a Works Cited Page for APA’s References.

• Author attribution

Additionally, each style formats its attribution of authors a bit differently; it is also unique for multiple authors. For example, in MLA, the author is written as Last Name, First Name (Stephen, Thomas), or Gillespie Sampson and Paula Lerner for two authors. For three authors, MLA writes as Gillespie, Thomas, et al. In APA format, on the other hand, you only write the author’s last name, then the first and middle initials. A single author in APA format is written as Henry, J., while multiple authors are written in three different categories. For papers with only two authors, you’ll list the names and separate them with an “&.”

You’ll list all the names for less than twenty authors, separating them with commas and an “&” before the last. If there are more than twenty authors, the APA format lists the first nineteen authors, separating them by commas, followed by an ellipsis (…), and then the last author.

• Capitalization

The capitalization is also different, where MLA uses header capitalization for every capitalized major word in the title. For example, Paula, Lerner. Chaos: Gazing Intently at the Start. SunCity, 2019. On the other hand, APA only capitalizes the first word in book titles – as in Paula, L. (2019). Chaos: gazing intently at the stars. SunCity.

• Other Differences

The period in both MLA and APA formats is different. Where MLA puts a period at the end of all works cited, APA doesn’t if there’s a URL or DOI. Also, MLA puts the publication date at or near the citation end, while APA puts it after the author’s name.

When should I use MLA or APA?

Before deciding when to use MLA or APA, you want to check your assignment for instructions on the formatting style. If your instructor didn’t specify, you could choose anyone, remembering what subjects each style is used for. So, the field of science you’re conducting the research in determines which referencing format to choose. Meanwhile, if there are no instructions and the subject doesn’t inform the choice of citation format, choose whatever works with your content.

APA vs. MLA examples: How is APA different from MLA

Below are two practical examples of articles written in MLA and APA formats – for a practical explanation.

APA: Jonathan, K., and Fredrick O. (2001). Cognitive tools for homeschooling children in the United States. American Psychology, 42(5), 123-130. DOI: 21.12007 / tox.42765

MLA: Jonathan, Kendall and Fredrick Omar. “Cognitive Tools for Homeschooling Children in the United States.” American Psychology, vol. 42, no. 5, 8 October 2001, pp. 123-130. University of Columbia Online Library, DOI: 21.12007 / tox.42765. Accessed 17 May 2022.

Do colleges use MLA or APA?

Both MLA and APA are used in colleges, howbeit in different departments. For example, humanities and literature papers use the MLA format, while science and technical papers use the APA. MLA format is used for departments such as History, Literature, Arts, Law and Politics, Language, Philosophy, Religion, and Theater. Meanwhile, social sciences such as Education, Psychology, Criminology, Nursing, Business, and Sociology use the APA format.

Conclusion

Now, you know the differences between MLA and APA formatting styles and how to write them. Students ask one common question: “Is MLA or APA easier?” Both formatting styles are easy once you know the writing techniques, although APA contains lesser details.