Updated October 2026

TL;DR:

English research can cover novels, poems, speeches, slang, and the history of the language. This guide gives you 35 research ideas, plus two tables: one that sorts ideas by interest and one that sorts them by how much time you have and what kind of evidence you'll use. If you want to turn one idea into a full paper with one-on-one guidance from a PhD mentor, you can apply to the Lumiere Research Scholar Program.

Choosing an English research topic can be difficult when the subject covers everything from literature to everyday language. To help you narrow it down, this guide lists 35 ideas across literature, poetry and drama, linguistics, rhetoric, and popular culture. You could compare literary works, examine how people use language, or analyze how writers build persuasive arguments. Each idea includes a research question and suggestions for finding evidence, with most projects relying on books and freely available sources. Once you have chosen a topic, our guide on how to write a research paper in high school can help you plan your paper.

Why is English a strong field for a research project?

English connects to history, psychology, technology, law, and journalism. A question about a novel can lead to politics, and a question about slang can lead to computer science. That range lets you choose a project that matches what you already enjoy.

You can also work with the tools you have. You might read closely, count patterns in a set of speeches, compare translations, or record interviews. Many projects only need a library card and a notebook.

How do you shrink a huge topic into one question?

"Shakespeare" is a subject. "How do Hamlet, Othello, and Macbeth differ in what causes their downfall?" is a question you can answer. To move from one to the other, pick one text, one period, or one comparison, then ask what you could read, count, or compare.

If you can name the passages or sources you would study, the question is ready. For more on the early steps, see our guide to research project ideas for high school students.

What should you check before you start?

Cite every source and mark every quotation. Quote short passages and paraphrase the rest, and do not copy whole poems, song lyrics, or chapters into your paper. If you use AI tools at any stage, follow your school's rules and say how you used them.

If you interview or survey people, tell them how you will use their answers, keep names out of your paper, and get a parent or guardian's consent if they are under 18. Check claims about authors and history in reliable sources, not in summaries.

Finally, write your question and your plan for gathering evidence in a few sentences before you begin. When you're ready to share your results, our guide on how to publish a research paper in high school explains the next steps.

Which English research topic fits your interests?

Start with the part of English you enjoy most. This table groups the ideas below by interest, so you can find a topic that matches what you want to study.

Classic and modern literature

These topics let you analyze books and plays that have shaped how people write and read. You can focus on one author or compare several, and you'll learn how stories reflect the time they were written.

1. The tragic hero in Shakespeare's plays

Compare how Hamlet, Othello, and Macbeth change over the course of each play and what pushes each one toward his death. Look at their flaws, their choices, and the pressures around them.

Research question: What patterns link the downfall of Hamlet, Othello, and Macbeth, and how do their causes differ?

What you'll need: The three plays, a few scholarly essays, and note cards for tracking key scenes.

A good fit if you like: Drama, character study, and close reading.

2. Symbolism in The Great Gatsby

Choose one symbol from F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, such as the green light, the valley of ashes, or the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg, and follow it through the book. Connect it to wealth, class, and the American Dream in the 1920s.

Research question: How does one recurring symbol in The Great Gatsby shape the novel's view of the American Dream?

What you'll need: The novel, marked passages, three or four scholarly sources, and background on the 1920s.

A good fit if you like: Symbols, close reading, and American history.

3. How war shapes fiction

Compare how authors portray conflict. Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls covers the Spanish Civil War, Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front covers trench warfare in World War I, and Anthony Doerr's All the Light We Cannot See covers life under Nazi occupation.

Research question: How do three authors use setting and point of view to portray the experience of war?

What you'll need: The three novels, historical background on each conflict, and a comparison chart.

A good fit if you like: History, comparing books, and point of view.

4. Dystopian fiction and surveillance

Read Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, and George Orwell's 1984 and ask what each author feared. Then connect their warnings to today's debates about data tracking and technology.

Research question: Which fears in three dystopian novels match current debates about surveillance and technology?

What you'll need: The novels, news and policy reports on data privacy, and a comparison table.

A good fit if you like: Technology, current events, and big ideas.

5. Mythology in modern fantasy

Examine how J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Rick Riordan's books on Greek, Roman, and Egyptian myths, and J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series use older myths. Trace which stories they borrow and what they change.

Research question: How do modern fantasy authors adapt older myths for new readers?

What you'll need: The books, a reference on the original myths, and a side-by-side comparison.

A good fit if you like: Fantasy, mythology, and finding hidden sources.

World literature and diverse voices

Books from around the world show how history and culture shape stories. These topics ask you to compare perspectives and notice what changes across languages and places.

6. The new wave of postcolonial literature

Investigate how writing from formerly colonized countries influences the literary world today. Look at the themes that make these books resonate with readers everywhere. You could use works by Salman Rushdie, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Amitav Ghosh, Mohsin Hamid, and Chinua Achebe.

Research question: Which themes appear across postcolonial novels, and why do they speak to readers beyond one country?

What you'll need: Two or three novels, interviews or essays by the authors, and scholarly articles.

A good fit if you like: World history, identity, and comparing authors.

7. Satire and social critique

Use George Orwell's Animal Farm to study how a story can criticize a political system without naming it. Then ask how a similar book might target systems today.

Research question: How does Orwell use allegory to criticize political power, and how could the same method be used today?

What you'll need: The novel, history of the Soviet Union, and examples of modern satire.

A good fit if you like: Politics, humor, and allegory.

8. How translators shape meaning

Pick a novel with several English translations, such as Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, and compare two translations of the same passage. Note where word choices change the tone.

Research question: How do word choices in two English translations change the tone of one passage?

What you'll need: Two translations of the same novel, the chosen passage, and a table of differences.

A good fit if you like: Languages, word choice, and small details.

9. Identity in immigrant fiction

Compare how Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah portray names, language, and belonging for immigrants.

Research question: How do two novels portray naming, language, and belonging for immigrants?

What you'll need: Both novels, author essays or interviews, and notes on key scenes.

A good fit if you like: Identity, family stories, and culture.

10. Storytelling in Native American literature

Look at how N. Scott Momaday's House Made of Dawn and Louise Erdrich's novels bring oral storytelling traditions into written books. Focus on structure and voice.

Research question: How do Native American authors use oral storytelling traditions in written novels?

What you'll need: The novels, scholarly articles, and background on oral traditions from tribal or academic sources.

A good fit if you like: Storytelling, structure, and cultural history.

Poetry and drama

Poems and plays are meant to be heard and seen. These topics let you study sound, rhythm, performance, and how a text changes when it moves to a stage or screen.

11. Jazz and the Harlem Renaissance in Langston Hughes's poetry

Explore how Hughes brings the rhythms of jazz into his poems. Look at repetition, line breaks, and sound.

Research question: How does Langston Hughes use rhythm and repetition to bring jazz into poetry?

What you'll need: A collection of his poems, jazz recordings from the period, and essays on the Harlem Renaissance.

A good fit if you like: Music, poetry, and sound.

12. Nature in Romantic and contemporary poetry

Compare how Romantic poets such as William Wordsworth and John Keats describe nature with how a contemporary poet such as Mary Oliver does.

Research question: How has the way poets describe nature changed from the Romantic period to today?

What you'll need: Poems from each period, essays on Romanticism, and a table of images and themes.

A good fit if you like: Poetry, the environment, and comparing time periods.

13. Spoken word and protest

Study how performance adds meaning to protest poetry, from slam poets to Amanda Gorman's inaugural poem. Look at pacing, repetition, and delivery.

Research question: How do performance choices such as pacing and repetition add meaning to protest poetry?

What you'll need: Video recordings, public transcripts, and notes on delivery.

A good fit if you like: Performance, social issues, and public speaking.

14. The Crucible and McCarthyism

Arthur Miller used the Salem witch trials to comment on accusations and fear during the McCarthy era. Study how the play connects the two.

Research question: How does Miller use the Salem witch trials to comment on fear and accusation in the 1950s?

What you'll need: The play, history sources on Salem and the McCarthy hearings, and Miller's own essays.

A good fit if you like: Drama, US history, and political allegory.

15. Shakespeare on stage and screen

Compare two film versions of the same play, such as Franco Zeffirelli's and Baz Luhrmann's versions of Romeo and Juliet. Look at setting, costume, and cuts to the script.

Research question: How do two film adaptations of the same play change its themes through setting and costume?

What you'll need: Both films, the play text, and published reviews.

A good fit if you like: Film, theater, and comparing versions.

English language and linguistics

If you've ever wondered why English works the way it does, these topics are for you. Language is tied to culture, so you can study how class, religion, gender norms, and geography have shaped modern English. A foundation in linguistics helps if you plan a career in communication, journalism, teaching, translation, or AI.

16. Accents and dialects

Focus on one English-speaking region, such as Scotland, and compare how pronunciation varies. You can also review how pronunciation there has changed over time.

Research question: How do accents differ across one English-speaking region, and how has pronunciation changed historically?

What you'll need: Published phonetic studies, recordings, and a chart of sound differences.

A good fit if you like: Sounds, regional identity, and listening closely.

17. Metaphors and how we think

Explore how everyday metaphors link daily experiences with abstract ideas. George Lakoff and Mark Johnson's book Metaphors We Live By is a classic starting point.

Research question: How do common metaphors such as "time is money" shape the way speakers think about abstract ideas?

What you'll need: Published linguistics studies, a collection of metaphors from news or speech, and a coding sheet.

A good fit if you like: Psychology, language, and patterns.

18. English as a global language

Investigate the political and economic conditions that made English the world's common language.

Research question: Which historical and economic conditions led English to become the world's lingua franca?

What you'll need: Histories of the British Empire and the United States, language-use statistics, and a timeline.

A good fit if you like: Global history, economics, and language.

19. The influence of other languages on English

Examine the use of Latin and French in English vocabulary. Focus on the Norman Conquest under William the Conqueror and how it changed which words people used.

Research question: How did the Norman Conquest change English vocabulary?

What you'll need: An etymology dictionary, histories of the Norman period, and a list of word pairs with French and Old English roots.

A good fit if you like: Word origins, medieval history, and sorting data.

20. The impact of social media on language

Focus on English and examine how TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms spread slang words that become part of everyday vocabulary.

Research question: How do social media trends help new slang words spread into everyday English?

What you'll need: Public posts or published word lists, news coverage, and a tracker of when each word appeared.

A good fit if you like: Social media, trends, and tracking change.

Language, society, and technology

Language changes with the people who use it and the tools they use. These topics connect English to history, communities, and technology.

21. How words change meaning

Follow words like "nice" and "awful," whose meanings have shifted over the centuries. Explain what social changes may have driven those shifts.

Research question: What social changes explain how the meanings of two words shifted over time?

What you'll need: Historical dictionaries, old texts that use each word, and a timeline.

A good fit if you like: Word histories, detective work, and history.

22. How words enter the dictionary

Compare how major dictionaries decide which new words to add.

Research question: What criteria do dictionary editors use to add slang or new terms?

What you'll need: Editorial pages from dictionaries, lists of recent additions, and news coverage.

A good fit if you like: Language rules, current slang, and process questions.

23. Code-switching in bilingual communities

Study when and why bilingual speakers switch between English and another language, such as Spanish, within one conversation.

Research question: When and why do bilingual speakers switch between English and another language in conversation?

What you'll need: Published linguistics studies, short interviews with consent, and a notes sheet for patterns.

A good fit if you like: Languages, people, and fieldwork.

24. AI and English dialects

Look at how language tools handle different dialects of English. Review published studies on dialect bias, then test a few sentences yourself.

Research question: How do language tools respond to different dialects of English?

What you'll need: Published studies, a small set of test sentences, and a scoring sheet.

A good fit if you like: AI, fairness, and experiments.

25. From Old English to modern English

Compare a passage of Beowulf in Old English with a modern translation such as Seamus Heaney's, then compare a passage from Chaucer's Middle English.

Research question: Which changes in spelling, grammar, and vocabulary show how English developed over time?

What you'll need: Passages with translations, a historical grammar overview, and a comparison chart.

A good fit if you like: Medieval texts, puzzles, and history.

Writing and rhetoric

Researching rhetoric sharpens how you speak and write. These topics cover how speakers and writers persuade people, how style changes the message, and what reporting choices do to readers.

26. Using storytelling to make persuasive arguments

Explain how storytelling techniques in advertisements, political speeches, and written commentaries make themes more relatable.

Research question: How do storytelling techniques make persuasive arguments easier for audiences to accept?

What you'll need: A set of ads, speeches, and opinion pieces, and a chart of storytelling techniques.

A good fit if you like: Marketing, stories, and persuasion.

27. Emotional appeals (pathos) in political speeches

Study famous speeches by politicians and activists to see how pathos, or emotional appeal, influences audiences. Examples include Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" and Malala Yousafzai's address to the United Nations.

Research question: How do speakers use emotional appeals to persuade the general public?

What you'll need: Transcripts and video of speeches, a guide to rhetorical terms, and a tally of techniques.

A good fit if you like: History, public speaking, and politics.

28. Tone and voice in persuasive writing

Compare journalism, opinion pieces, and literature to see how tone changes the message.

Research question: How do different tones in news, opinion, and literary writing change the message a reader receives?

What you'll need: Matching topics from three sources, notes on tone, and a comparison table.

A good fit if you like: Writing style, journalism, and comparing sources.

29. Comparing persuasive speeches and writing by gender

Ask how style and tone differ when men and women speak about a similar topic. Use a large enough set of speeches that you don't generalize from one or two examples.

Research question: What differences, if any, appear in the style and literary devices used in speeches by men and women on the same topic?

What you'll need: At least 10 speeches on one topic, a list of rhetorical devices, and a coding sheet.

A good fit if you like: Gender studies, data, and careful comparison.

30. Analyzing news reporting styles

Run a comparative analysis of objective and subjective reporting, looking at the rhetorical strategies each uses and their effect on readers.

Research question: How do objective and subjective news reports use language differently to influence readers?

What you'll need: Several news stories on the same event from different outlets, a coding sheet, and media literacy sources.

A good fit if you like: News, media, and spotting bias.

Media and popular culture

You don't have to study centuries-old books to do serious English research. Comics, albums, online stories, and games all use storytelling techniques you can analyze.

31. Storytelling in hip-hop albums

Study how one album tells a story through structure, characters, and perspective. Kendrick Lamar's good kid, m.A.A.d city is one example. Analyze how the story is built, and quote only short lines with citations.

Research question: How does one hip-hop album use narrative structure, characters, and perspective to tell a story?

What you'll need: The album, published interviews, critical reviews, and a track-by-track outline.

A good fit if you like: Music, storytelling, and structure.

32. Graphic novels and how images tell stories

Compare Art Spiegelman's Maus and Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis, which both use drawings to tell stories of war and its aftermath.

Research question: How do the images and text in two graphic novels work together to tell stories of war?

What you'll need: Both books, scholarly articles on comics, and annotated page samples.

A good fit if you like: Art, history, and reading images.

33. Banned and challenged books

Look at the books that people try to remove from schools and libraries, using the American Library Association's annual lists, and examine which themes come up most often.

Research question: Which themes appear most often in challenged books in US schools, and how have they changed over time?

What you'll need: The American Library Association's yearly lists, news reports, and a spreadsheet of titles and themes.

A good fit if you like: Free speech, data, and current events.

34. Fan fiction and what readers want

Study how fan fiction writers change characters or endings from original stories. Use stories from a public archive such as Archive of Our Own, and cite them rather than copying them.

Research question: How do fan fiction writers change original stories, and what does that suggest about what readers want?

What you'll need: A small sample of stories from a public archive, a coding sheet, and articles on fan communities.

A good fit if you like: Online communities, writing, and patterns.

35. Storytelling in video games

Compare how one narrative game tells its story with how a novel or film does. Look at choice, pacing, and what the player controls.

Research question: How does interactive storytelling in one game differ from the way a novel tells a story?

What you'll need: The game or recorded playthroughs, a book or film for comparison, and game studies articles.

A good fit if you like: Gaming, storytelling, and design.

Which idea fits your time and evidence?

Some projects take a few weeks of reading, and others need interviews or a data set. Use this table to match an idea to your schedule and the kind of evidence you'll use.

If you want more projects in related fields, see our other research ideas guides, 15 research project ideas for high school students, and psychology research opportunities for high school students.

If you want to work on an English question with a mentor, the Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a selective online program for high school students, founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. You choose a topic and work one-on-one with a PhD mentor to finish a research paper.

Students from low-income backgrounds can also look at the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a nonprofit research program.

What students often wonder before starting an English research project

1. Can I write about a book that isn't a classic?

Yes. Recent novels, graphic novels, poems, and speeches all work. Choose a text with enough published reviews or clear patterns to analyze so your question doesn't stall.

2. Do I need to collect my own data?

No. You can work from texts as well. Close reading of books and speeches is a full research method, and language topics can use published word lists and recordings. Interviews or surveys are optional extras that you can add if you want them.

3. Do I have to write a full paper, or can I present my findings another way?

A paper is the most common format, but you can also give a talk, make a poster, or record a short audio piece. Decide the format early, so you collect the evidence you'll need to present it well.

4. Can one of these ideas become a paper I could submit to a journal?

Yes, if your question is narrow and you can show how you gathered and checked your evidence. If you want a mentor to guide you from the first question to a finished paper, you can apply to the Lumiere Research Scholar Program.