No Topic Assigned
You’re a freshman in Writing 150, and your professor just assigned the final research paper. One catch: no topic was assigned. You stare at a blank document. You feel...stuck. What now?
Choose your path:
(Click the option you want to explore.)
Think about your personal interests
Ask your professor or friends for ideas
Procrastinate and hope inspiration strikes later
Follow Your Curiosity
You grab a notebook and brainstorm your interests. You jot down:
- Travel
- Health & Wellness
- Entrepreneurship
Now you have a direction-but how do you focus it into a focused, researchable topic?
Try a different approach
Go Back:
Start background research on your favorite interest
Next:
Ask Around
You talk with your professor and friends. They ask: “What do you actually care about?” You realize you haven’t really explored your own interests yet. Maybe that’s the next step.
Reflect on your interests and values
Next:
Try a different approach
Go Back:
The Waiting Game
Days go by. You scroll through memes. You nap. You feel vaguely guilty. The deadline gets closer. Still no topic. You feel the stress building. Maybe it’s time to try a new tactic.
Reconsider another approach.
Zoom In on the Possibilities
You begin reading about your general interests on Google and Wikipedia. You explore:
- Budget travel tips on Wikipedia
- The science of social wellness in an NIH Article
- Social entrepreneurship initiatives in Stanford Social Innovation Review
One article leads to another, and soon, you’ve identified three compelling directions...
Traveling on a budget as a student
How friendships impact mental health
Startups that aim to improve social wellbeing
Choose the topic that intrigues you most.
Traveling Cheap & Smart
You wonder: Could budget travel actually improve a student’s mental health? Could it address student stress and burnout?
You jot down a possible research question: How does budget travel affect the wellness of college students?
Begin outlining your research approach
Explore another topic
Go Back:
Next:
The Wellness of Connection
You start thinking connections might be key - Could strong relationships be as important as exercise or diet?
A research idea forms: What role do social relationships play in student wellness?
Begin outlining your research approach
Explore another topic
Go Back:
Next:
Purpose-Driven Business
You get excited reading about companies that solve social problems. You find stories of student-led nonprofits and startups that help communities.
Possible research question: What is the role of social entrepreneurship in promoting social wellness?
Begin outlining your research approach
Explore another topic
Go Back:
Next:
You Have a Topic! Now What?
You picked a topic you actually care about–great job! Now it’s time to:
- Refine your research question
- Gather credible sources
- Create an outline
- Draft, revise, and shine
You started stuck, but by following your curiosity, you’ve got a strong start.
Start Over
No Topic Assigned_MB_6/15/25
Online Learning
Created on May 28, 2025
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Transcript
No Topic Assigned
You’re a freshman in Writing 150, and your professor just assigned the final research paper. One catch: no topic was assigned. You stare at a blank document. You feel...stuck. What now?
Choose your path:
(Click the option you want to explore.)
Think about your personal interests
Ask your professor or friends for ideas
Procrastinate and hope inspiration strikes later
Follow Your Curiosity
You grab a notebook and brainstorm your interests. You jot down:
- Travel
- Health & Wellness
- Entrepreneurship
Now you have a direction-but how do you focus it into a focused, researchable topic?Try a different approach
Go Back:
Start background research on your favorite interest
Next:
Ask Around
You talk with your professor and friends. They ask: “What do you actually care about?” You realize you haven’t really explored your own interests yet. Maybe that’s the next step.
Reflect on your interests and values
Next:
Try a different approach
Go Back:
The Waiting Game
Days go by. You scroll through memes. You nap. You feel vaguely guilty. The deadline gets closer. Still no topic. You feel the stress building. Maybe it’s time to try a new tactic.
Reconsider another approach.
Zoom In on the Possibilities
You begin reading about your general interests on Google and Wikipedia. You explore:
- Budget travel tips on Wikipedia
- The science of social wellness in an NIH Article
- Social entrepreneurship initiatives in Stanford Social Innovation Review
One article leads to another, and soon, you’ve identified three compelling directions...Traveling on a budget as a student
How friendships impact mental health
Startups that aim to improve social wellbeing
Choose the topic that intrigues you most.
Traveling Cheap & Smart
You wonder: Could budget travel actually improve a student’s mental health? Could it address student stress and burnout?
You jot down a possible research question: How does budget travel affect the wellness of college students?
Begin outlining your research approach
Explore another topic
Go Back:
Next:
The Wellness of Connection
You start thinking connections might be key - Could strong relationships be as important as exercise or diet?
A research idea forms: What role do social relationships play in student wellness?
Begin outlining your research approach
Explore another topic
Go Back:
Next:
Purpose-Driven Business
You get excited reading about companies that solve social problems. You find stories of student-led nonprofits and startups that help communities.
Possible research question: What is the role of social entrepreneurship in promoting social wellness?
Begin outlining your research approach
Explore another topic
Go Back:
Next:
You Have a Topic! Now What?
You picked a topic you actually care about–great job! Now it’s time to:
- Refine your research question
- Gather credible sources
- Create an outline
- Draft, revise, and shine
You started stuck, but by following your curiosity, you’ve got a strong start.Start Over