How to Choose a Research Project

Have you ever experienced “decision paralysis” when trying to come up with a research idea? It’s common to feel overwhelmed or simply struggle to find a topic that genuinely interests you.

When it comes to participating in a competition, picking a research topic is sometimes harder than doing the research or experiments.

Having done my fair share of research projects over the years, I found that the secret to picking any topic is starting with a question. Your topic doesn’t need to come from a personal experience, or some touching story, it just needs to evoke YOUR interest to keep the project interesting and fun.

So, here are my ways of getting those questions churning to help you come up with your research topic:

1. Start with your interests

You can explore any topic from countless angles. For example, if you love Manga:

• Research Question: What is the most impactful Japanese manga, and how did its author influence American society?
• Research Question: Which ink bases perform best on specific paper types, and how does this affect manga art?
• Research Question: Would bamboo actually make a functional mouthguard? (bonus points if you understand the reference)

2. Observe your surroundings

Look at an object nearby—like a computer mouse—and ask as many questions about that thing as you can:

• Research Question: Why does a mousepad work with a laser while a wooden desk does not?
• Research Question: How can I extend the battery life of a wireless mouse?
• Research Question: When were computer mice invented, and why did they beat out joysticks?
• Research Question: Now that mice are wireless, is the name still accurate?

3. How do you get from this to that?

Take two random objects and try to connect them. What thoughts come to mind?

Example: Connecting headphones and a box of tissues — Observation: Headphones go on my ears, and tissues go on my nose.

• Research Question: Why do colds cause ear congestion?
• Research Question: Why do my ears plug under pressure and why does plugging my nose and blowing out equalize it?
• Research Question: Why did cardboard boxes become the standard for packaging products like tissues and headphones?

Write down every question that comes to mind. Writing them down allows you to analyze them more clearly. Don’t dismiss the "ridiculous" ones—reframing or building on them often leads to the best research topics.

Evaluating Your Topic Ideas

Now that you have several ideas, ask yourself these questions about your topic:

• What do I need for this research, and where do I go for the resources?
• What is the deeper connection here? Why might this be important? Why might someone else be interested in learning about this?
• What are the steps I need to take to answer this?

The most important topic is the one that evokes interest in you. Don’t be afraid to explore a topic that might be out of the ordinary—we all want to hear about new, different ideas. So, grab a notebook, look around you, and start asking. Your next great project is waiting for you to wonder about it!