The topic you choose for your essay or literature review has major implications for the essay you will write. This guide has some tips and suggestions to help you select an interesting topic.
Sometimes you will be given the subject area to write on. In such cases your options are limited to what you have been provided. In cases where a topic has not been given you have to start with choosing a subject area.
To make the process easier, you first need to define the purpose of the essay you intend to write. Do you intend to describe something or compare things? Or do you want to narrate a story? When you answer such questions, then your purpose is clear and you can now proceed to choosing a subject area.
If you are not sure what subject area to underpin your essay, you can look into relevant literature and sources for ideas, and think about what interests you. Put down the ideas that cross your mind. You can now evaluate the subject areas by picking each and thinking about whether it is interesting. Out of all the options you have you will definitely find one that interests you more than the rest.
There are several subject areas on which you can base your essay. These include politics, environment, education, economy, governance, health matters, culture, sports, technology, etc.
Once you have a subject area with which you feel comfortable, you can now try to formulate a topic. Consider the type of information you want to communicate in the essay. Are you planning to write general overview or delve into detailed analyses? Your choice of the topic has a bearing on the nature of the essay you are going to write. Put sufficient effort into this task to ensure you select an a topic that is interesting.
Below is a list of subjects and topics to help you in your selection. Feel free to go beyond this simple list as involves a limited number of suggestions.
Biology and other life sciences
