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Selecting the perfect and unique essay topic can often feel like trying to search for a needle in a haystack, right? Believe us, you’re not the only one if you’ve found yourself staring at the blinking cursor on the blank page, wondering where even to start.
So, what to do about that? Do you cut the search short and be complacent about it?
Well, here comes the kicker – the topic you select is the key to a winning essay! It forms the very foundation of your essay and the first thing your readers will interact with. So, you HAVE to get it right!
Remember, choosing a unique and intriguing topic isn’t just about checking a box for the essay writing task. It’s about evoking the interest and curiosity of your readers. The topics you choose should be interesting and catchy as well as creative and informative. It must make your readers want to start going through the whole paper to find out how you weaved your idea with words and the ways you developed an argument effectively.
This post will walk you through certain strategies to keep in mind while choosing the perfect essay topic.
Fasten your seatbelts. Let’s take off!
Know half the battle of turning in an excellent and flawless essay is won when you choose the right essay topic. Undeniably, the creative process is not easy. To aid you, here we will walk you through certain sure-fire tips and techniques to brainstorm unique ideas that will enable you to secure the much-coveted rank in your class –
You have probably been given certain directions or assignment guidelines to come up with at least a broad topic. Go through these guidelines diligently. Try to comprehend the theme, format, or length that your professors expect you to adhere to while crafting your essay.
Let’s say your educator asks you to craft a brilliant argumentative essay on the theme of ‘social issues.’ In that case, you can come up with topics like ‘Do you think climate change is a hoax or a real threat?’ or ‘Is universal healthcare a privilege or a basic right?’ However, if you decide to choose a topic like ‘The history and emergence of social media,’ you would be veering off the objective of your assignment.
Now, if you have a subject matter or topic in mind that doesn’t adhere to the specified guidelines, do not shy away from seeking approval from your educator. Like, if you want to explore ‘How does social media truly contribute to activism?’ but this topic doesn’t adhere to your specified them, make sure to speak with your educator. Try to explain how the subject aligns with the course material and goals of the assignment. Doing this will also help your teacher understand that you are engaged in the course material and may help you score brownie points.
Know that your readers can tell if you’re interested in your topic. Your enthusiasm will show through your writing. Try to find an angle that will make a subject intriguing to you. In fact, a majority of your readers will make up their minds whether or not to go through your essay based on the topic. Irrespective of how exceptionally you presented your ideas or arguments in the essay, a boring topic will always be a huge turn-off from the very beginning.
Furthermore, when you’re truly and passionately interested in a topic, higher chances are you will invest more time and effort into conducting adequate research or writing on it.
For instance, you love cooking. So, you might choose to write an essay on a topic like ‘Healthy street foods in the US’ or ‘How to master the art of poaching an egg perfectly?’ Your passion for the subject will reflect in your essay, making it not only fun to write but also more captivating for your readers. Again, you’re not interested in sports. So, if you choose to write your essay on the topic ‘Significance of sports in school education’ or ‘The history of sports,’ you might find yourself disengaged and eventually turn in a less compelling paper.
One of the best ways to come up with an interesting and compelling essay topic is to brainstorm a list of potential essay ideas. Brainstorming is a powerful technique that helps in generating unique ideas and narrowing down the choices. Take about 10-15 minutes and write down the subjects that intrigue you. You can jot down anything and everything that sparks your curiosity. The key is to determine what theme or topic will keep you interested and motivated throughout the writing process. Then, look at your list and choose your top four favorite themes.
Here are certain creative brainstorming techniques you can follow to organize your thoughts and come up with a topic that simply feels right –
You can possess some idea about a fascinating or intriguing topic you’ve chosen, but you will likely need to cite countless reliable resources and expert data. Ensure that it’s available. To do this successfully, evaluate the kind and the number of resources you will need to cite. Go through academic journals, books, library databases, and reliable websites to see if adequate information exists on the topic.
If you find the topic is somewhat new to you and there aren’t enough reliable sources to glean from, you may want to take a distinct route.
As much as essays are challenging to write, they can often be difficult to read, too. They can often drone on and on or just don’t get into any intriguing detail. This occurs mostly when a student chooses a broad essay topic.
Higher chances are your paper won’t be teaching anyone much if it is excessively general. You also won’t find that it is intriguing to delve deep into. Here’s a rule of thumb to follow – If you find that you have chosen an essay topic on which you can go saying things on and on for pages and are having a hard time bringing the essay to a close, your topic is definitely too broad. In such a scenario, try to narrow in on a subject matter that’s a bit more specific.
Example – You have chosen to write about ‘Climate Change’. This is definitely a broad topic. You could narrow down this topic to ‘The impact of climate change in the Antarctic Circle.’ This refined topic allows for an in-depth investigation of specific difficulties faced by the Antarctic Circle and also enables you to offer informative case studies. This helps you write an interesting essay filled with evidence and is information-rich.
An ‘essay topic’ is a broad subject or general discussion area that your essay tends to cover. On the other hand, an ‘essay title’ indicates a concise phrase that can specifically explain the key focus or the argument of the paper.
Again, the topic is an overarching theme, whereas the title is a focused summary of your particular take on that theme.
For instance, if you choose your essay topic to be ‘The impacts of urbanization on the wildlife of Africa,’ your title could be ‘Urbanization: A Silent but Deathly Threat to Wildlife Habitats of Africa.’ This essay title not only explains what the topic wants to assert but also indicates the argument or ideas you will present in the essay.
Remember, the nature of your essay topic will hugely impact the length of your essay. Certain subjects or topics require in-depth discussion, while others demand a more concise approach. Hence, before you select a topic for your essay, it is important to comprehend how your chosen theme aligns with the length or word count specified by your professors in assignment guidelines.
For instance, you are asked to write an essay of 750 words, and you come up with a topic like ‘The Impacts of Climate Change.’ You will strive to cover the subject in detail in such a short word count. However, when you choose a more focused and narrow topic like ‘The Ways Climate Change is Impacting the Population of the Elephants’, you can investigate the subject within the specified word limit extensively. This also enables you to offer depth to your topic or theme without overwhelming your readers with excessive information.
Now, once you have become sure your essay topic is meaningful, make sure to investigate its appeal to you. Based on the complexity and length of your paper, you could end up being immersed in this topic for quite some time. So, make sure to understand – “Does this essay topic hold enough interest for you to go through it and conduct in-depth research on it?” Or, “Will you be simply tempted to cut the corners and skim the surface to go it over with as soon as possible?”
Your interest (or a lack of it) will come through in your essay. So, draw inspiration from your hobbies or experiences. You can also take ideas from your observations to find a personal story or moment that connects with the theme of your paper. When you share your own perspective, it adds genuineness and depth to your essay, making it more engaging and relatable to your readers.
For instance, you love playing video games. You can choose to write your essay on “How video games lead to cognitive development in children?” Your passion, interest, and firsthand knowledge of playing video games can help you write an essay filled with personal anecdotes and critical insights that resonate with your readers strongly. It will also enable you to turn the table in your favor with an engaging and impactful essay.
Now, we know your educator might be against this. However, this strategy to choose the perfect essay topic is worth giving a shot, provided you can carry out this step with complete honesty. Revisit the themes for the essays you have previously written to explore fresh perspectives or ideas associated with a theme. This will also help you develop and update the knowledge you have.
For instance, if you wrote an essay last term about ‘The Benefits of Social Media,’ you could revisit it and reframe it to focus on ‘Is social media doing more harm than good to the society of the modern era?’ Hence, you are approaching the theme from a completely new angle and putting forth new arguments and insights while writing the essay. This will make your papers more fresh and captivating.
Finally, remember to stay flexible when researching to finalize your essay topic. Always stay prepared for your initial topic ideas to evolve. As you delve deep into your subject matter, you may get to unravel new perspectives or angles that evoke your interest.
Do not think twice to refine or even change your topic as you unravel new information. When you demonstrate the desire to adapt, it can result in a strong and coherent paper.
For instance, if you have chosen a topic like ‘The role played by technology in education,’ you can find compelling information about ways virtual reality is transforming the classroom experience. This new angle or perspective could enable you to craft a compelling paper that demonstrates the modern and latest advancements in educational technology.
DO’S | DON’TS |
Decide which type of essay you are going to write before you begin selecting a topic. | Shy away from changing your subject matter or topic when it appears a little challenging to write about. |
Always choose a topic on which you access ample resources. Finalize the topic, look for resources, and then only when you find resources start writing. If there are little or no sources, start looking for another theme or subject matter. | Be lazy and not try to narrow the topic down. Even if the subject matter looks quite specific, evaluate if it can be narrowed down even more. |
Brainstorm a potential list of ideas by using different creative techniques. It is an effective method that can help you feel like you can come up with any theme or subject matter. | Try to look smart or scholarly by selecting strange or rare topics. |
Before committing to your essay topic, make sure to test it. You can do this by crafting a brief outline or paragraph. These can help you gauge your interest and make sure you have adequate resources to turn in an outstanding paper. | Forget to evaluate your target audience and what truly matters to them. Selecting a topic that resonates with your targeted group of readers encourages an instant connection, improving the impact of the essay. |
Wrapping Up,
The whole point of an essay is to communicate the opinions or perspectives of the writer on a certain topic or subject matter. Often, irrespective of how strong your research or writing skills are, your essay may fall short of expectations. The topic you’ve chosen can be one of those causes.
The significance of choosing an intriguing and compelling topic in writing a winning essay cannot be overstated. It demands careful consideration, planning, and deliberation. By implementing the strategies outlined above and keeping these considerations in mind, you can opt to select a topic that not only meets the needs of your assignment but also enables you to convey your thoughts effectively. Take your time not to rush this vital process – only if your deadline allows it.
If you find yourself stuck or overwhelmed by the innumerable ideas swirling in your head, consider seeking guidance from MyAssignjmentHelp.com. Whether you need assistance with the selection of a unique topic or unmatched support throughout the writing process, you can fall back on our 5000+ PhD and Master-holder stalwarts. They can make all things fall into place. Get in touch right away!
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