Topic selection takes the top spot among the various challenges students face when writing their essays. This article will highlight some engineering topics you ought to consider and highlight some crucial steps for writing the best engineering paper.  

What is an engineering paper? 

An engineering paper is an informative essay written to analyze developments in technology. These papers analyze an issue using the existing research as proof of the topic, therefore, criticizing or improving upon the existing research. 

These papers are great for students as they help them develop research skills and hone their critical thinking skills to investigate an issue and argue out their opinions based on the existing academic research. 

How to write an engineering research paper

The approach taken when writing an engineering research paper has a big impact on the quality of the finished product. We recommend that you follow the following guidelines for the best results: 

• Choose a credible subject

Choose a topic for your essay that captures your interest and provides you with a wide range of references to support your arguments. Moreover, make sure your topic is focused on a single issue to avoid utilizing overly complex arguments that can be challenging to accommodate inside the word limit. 

• Do a thorough research

After deciding on your topic and thesis statement, read a range of publications to determine the angles from which you might tackle your problem. When performing research, jot down the key points from each source so that you can utilize them to build an outline. 

• Create a plan

Before you begin writing, we suggest you prepare a plan for the many points you intend to provide in your paper. Your outline will help you identify any inconsistencies in your arguments and steer clear of concepts that can divert attention from your primary claims. 

• Write and revise

Compose the first draft of your paper, then edit it multiple times to make sure it complies with the standards established by your professor. If you have a tight deadline, you can consider hiring an editor to help you finish your paper on time without losing the quality of your writing. 

Engineering research paper topic ideas

Interesting engineering topics

1. Human immortality via genetic engineering
2. The concept of a motorized automatic wheelchair that can also be used as a bed
3. The boundary between hardware and software in cloud computing
4. Can biomedical implants be used to replace human organs?
5. Why our computers of today will require more RAM
6. Using genetic engineering to address human inadequacies
7. Designing structures and buildings that can resist seismic waves

Mechanical engineering research topics

8. How may the price of huge heat exchangers be reduced with a modern composite replacement?
9. How does mechanical engineering affect the medical industry?
10. How might new mechanical theories help businesses enhance their manufacturing processes?
11. Examining how the characteristics of sporting shoes affect both running efficiency and injury
12. Ceramic-coated pistons and liners for single-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engines have been developed and tested
13. Investigation of mixing and combustion in scramjet engine combustion chambers through experimentation
14. Fueling a C, I engine with hydrogen and biodiesel

Research topics in software engineering

15. Software-defined networking and virtualization
16. Math software for high school students with disabilities
17. Software intellectual property rights and venture capitalist access
18. Development of business software and its application
19. The function of open-source database server software
20. Software project management’s relation to ethics
21. How computer software can be used as a teaching instrument
22. Software tools for enhancing underground mine access layouts

Genetic engineering research paper topics

23. The methods used to study DNA and RNA at the molecular level
24. Describe how genetics plays a part in the fight against Alzheimer’s illness
25. Talk about the ethics of developing human organs
26. Should parents be able to purchase children that are genetically perfect?
27. Should researchers be required to share the advantages and costs of their genetic engineering work?
28. Thorough evaluation of George W. Bush’s cloning speech from 2001
29. Eliminating sickle cell anemia through genetic modification

Controversial topics in engineering

30. Will humans eventually be replaced by artificial intelligence?
31. The application of nanotechnology to enhance elderly people’ mental and physical health
32. What will people do if robots and computers take over jobs?
33. Does technology have a negative impact on our social lives that is getting worse?
34. Should government organizations look into a suspect using social media platforms?
35. Are genetically modified foods superior to organic foods?
36. Human immortality via genetic engineering
37. Is disaster planning pointless in underdeveloped countries?

Software engineering research topics

38. What are the advantages of data mining technology for businesses?
39. Voting systems based on fingerprints—are they the future?
40. Do chatbots have a detrimental effect on customer service?
41. Are fingerprint-based cash dispensers secure to use?
42. The significance of computerized devices in the healthcare industry
43. A comparison of legacy storage models versus cloud storage
44. Wearable technology’s contribution to better healthcare
45. The impact of advanced technology on the environment

This post will highlight a variety of advice that should be helpful if you want to master your abstract. The objective of an abstract, its format, the distinctions between an abstract and an introduction, and finally the practical procedures for crafting a precise abstract for your work will all be highlighted in this article. 

What is an abstract in APA?

The dissertation abstract is a succinct summary of a lengthy academic document that highlights the objectives and findings of your research while also offering readers an overview of the main concepts in your work

The abstract is the first section of your research paper that readers will encounter, and as a result, it will have the greatest impact on how they perceive your work. This section should explain the goal of your research, the methodology you used, and the consequences of your findings.

Research paper abstract format

The commonly adopted abstract format is the IMRAD format which stands for the introduction, methods, results, and discussion. 

• Introduction

The goal of your research should be stated in the introduction, along with the research questions that your work attempts to address. This section, which should be written in the present or past simple tense, should also emphasize how pertinent your research question is to the subject.

• Methods

This area needs to be a showcase for the overall strategy you employed in your research. The methods section should not go into specifics like the benefits and drawbacks of the approaches because it is typically presented in the present simple tense. 

• Results

Only the most significant conclusions from your paper should be highlighted in the results portion of your abstract. Like the previous section, this one should be written in the past simple tense and avoid becoming sidetracked by irrelevant study results. 

• Discussion

The discussion should highlight your research’s findings and take notice of any significant research constraints. 

The difference between the abstract and the introduction of a research paper

The introduction and abstract have quite different purposes, even though both are designed to introduce the reader to the topic. First of all, with only 200 words compared to the introduction’s 15% of the entire word count, the abstract is far shorter. 

Also, the introduction delves further into the background knowledge of a topic to support the research questions you plan to address. In contrast, the abstract does not discuss the research gaps that call for your investigation; it only emphasizes the methodology, the thesis statement, and the main research questions.

Also, the abstract comes first, immediately following the title page, whereas the introduction comes after your literature review section.

How to write a dissertation abstract

Due to their lack of knowledge of the steps required in producing an abstract, many students produce abstracts of poor quality. Many students either write the abstracts too early, skipping through the article’s important arguments, or duplicate a piece of their paper and use it as the abstract.

We advise following the steps below when writing your scientific study abstract:

1. Examine the faculty’s policies

Take the time to educate yourself with the numerous guidelines supported by your faculty before beginning to write your abstract. Several of these recommendations concern the length of your abstract and the tenses you should utilize.

2. Making a reverse outline

Create a reverse outline of your paper when you’ve finished writing it, highlighting all the important concepts in each chapter. The reverse outline makes it simple for you to assess your research paper and highlights the key points for your abstract.

3. Creating an abstract outline

After gathering the main concepts from each chapter, arrange them in the areas of the abstract that the IMRAD system has designated. 

4. Writing and revising a dissertation 

Write your abstract, then read it over to make sure it follows all the instructions from your faculty. 

Final take

We hope that this article has answered any questions you had regarding the APA format abstract. We however suggest that you access an example of a research paper abstract to better acquaint yourself with the steps of writing an outstanding abstract.

Also, feel free to engage our team of experts for assistance with any challenging concepts you could encounter when going about your research paper.

Read on for some tips on how to present a case study and share some interesting case studies to guide you in topic selection. 

What is a case study?

A case study is a thorough examination of a specific person, event, process, or phenomenon. These investigations describe, assess, and comprehend numerous facets of a study problem using a variety of research approaches. These essays are typical of the college level and frequently investigate the consequences of a phenomenon. 

How to write a case study

Your approach to writing the case study greatly dictates the quality of your paper and your writing experience. Some of the steps we suggest you follow when writing a case study include:

• Select a case study

The initial step in writing your case study is to select a topic. Ideally, your topic should pique your interest and offer fresh insight into the phenomenon in the discussion. This will allow your paper to provide new solutions to a problem and give new directions for future research, enabling your tutor to gauge how well-versed you are with a topic. 

• Build a theoretical framework

After selecting your topic, analyze various existing sources on the topic to highlight the gaps that warrant your analysis. This section will help the reader to understand the basis of your arguments and also serve as a transition into various arguments presented within your paper. 

• Conduct extensive research

Next, search for secondary materials to support various claims within your paper. Avoid making unfounded claims as these can compromise the reception of your ideas, giving your paper a feel of an opinionated essay as opposed to an academic piece. 

• Outline your arguments

Finally, prepare an outline of your arguments to adhere to your main line of arguments. The outline will also allow you to gauge the completeness of your paper, allowing you to clarify various arguments before you venture into writing your essay. 

Case study topics

Good case study topics

1. Military actions and the process of getting over PTSD 
2. The appropriate way to plant trees in urban areas
3. Is education at a summer camp worthwhile? 
4. The risks of commercials on kids’ television
5. How can learning-disabled kids be inspired? 
6. The disadvantages of using ineffective examination methods
7. Is it feasible to save endangered species today? 
8. Does marketing have a place for instant innovation? 

Interesting case study topics

9. The causes behind TikTok’s popularity
10. Hazards of online marketing
11. Peculiarities of Japanese market research
12. Steve Jobs’ approach to marketing
13. The controversy around the Anti-Discrimination Act
14. The ethical implications of free speech
15. Should self-defense techniques be taught to nurses? 

AI case study topics

16. What effects has deep learning had on the development of AI research? 
17. How far has robotic AI come in the previous ten years? 
18. What impact might AI have on how we use the internet? 
19. How does machine learning differ from artificial intelligence? 
20. How can artificial intelligence improve safety in our neighborhoods? 
21. How well does predictive text perform in online searches? 
22. Does AI produce more issues than it solves? 

Biology case study topics

23. Abortion’s biological insights
24. Does homosexuality have a genetic basis? 
25. The impact of cloning on medicine
26. Genetic mutations: contributing factors
27. Bacterial DNA blockers and resistance mechanisms
28. Human DNA modifications
29. The role of hormones in depression

Case study topics in education

30. The Montessori schools’ instructional strategies
31. AI-based educational systems: Benefits and Disadvantages
32. The adjustments made to instruction throughout COVID-19
33. The development of cognitive skills through leisure activities
34. Bullying’s consequences on academic performance and mental health
35. Analyzing college students’ learning environments
36. Advantages of parental participation in children’s cognitive development

Political case study topics

37. Examine Kanye West’s bid for president
38. Analyze President Trump’s response to a crisis
39. The part played by America in rebuilding post-World War Two Europe
40. How does poverty impact rural areas in the US?
41. Socialism in Africa throughout the 1950s and 1960s
42. The significance of Hispanic voting
43. Talk about the place of gender in contemporary Africa

Sociology case study topics

44. The issues caused by domestic abuse
45. Does a degree from abroad guarantee a good career?
46. Efficiency and leadership in the workplace
47. Effects of excessive social media use
48. Eating disorders and sexual abuse: a causal link?
49. Examine the Darfur genocide
50. Social media’s impact on youth

If you are unsure of the steps to follow when creating a thesis outline, this article will highlight the thesis paper outline and share some tips for a quality PhD thesis outline.

Thesis outline structure

The thesis paper comprises the:

1. Abstract

This section of a thesis paper is crucial since it conveys the main idea of your paper’s theme to the reader. Typically, the abstract is one to two pages long and highlights the purpose of your research, your thesis statement, your research technique, and its major conclusions. 

2. The introduction

The introduction should highlight your paper’s background information, thesis, and main arguments while also demonstrating the significance of your study. The methods utilized to research the problem at hand should also be highlighted in this section, along with the implications of your main findings. 

3. Literature review

The literature review analyzes your sources, pointing out their strengths and weaknesses while making links between them. This chapter should ideally demonstrate the gap in the literature, highlight the constraints of your study, and assist you in expanding on the issue that your study is trying to solve. 

4. Methods

The requirements for data collection are presented in the methods chapter along with a justification of your methodology and sampling process. Likewise, include your paper’s difficulties and alternative mitigations. 

5. Results

This chapter is 4 to 7 pages long and contains graphs and charts that allow the reader to compare and analyze the findings of your research. This part should explain how your hypothesis connects to the findings and provide a summary that the reader may use to understand the scope of the experiment and your interpretation of the findings. 

6. Discussion

The discussion should compare your findings to those of earlier research on your subject and support various assertions with reliable sources. In addition, this part should analyze numerous surprising findings and explore the implications for future study in your subject. Analyze numerous objections to your position at the end and demonstrate how your findings reject or support them. 

7. Conclusion

The last section of your essay is the conclusion, which takes two to three pages. Discuss your significant findings and illustrate how they connect to the issues raised in the introduction above. Provide a list of your study’s limitations and suggestions for further research that may be done to expand your inquiry. You could also point out potential solutions to the issues your research examined.

How to create a thesis outline

Among the most important pointers for your outline are: 

1. Research the topic in depth

Before beginning to create an outline, decide on your thesis and assess the topics you have at your disposal. This can help you comprehend your arguments more clearly, which will make it easier for you to create them. 

Make a note of the key ideas that might apply to your project while you perform your research. If you can, use an outliner to help you better link the ideas in your paper. You can also use mind maps to connect your ideas and ensure smooth transitions between arguments. 

2. Sort your ideas into categories

After conducting research, group ideas into relevant subsections to create a more convincing case. This will help you to evaluate the coherence of thoughts in each section and deplete the arguments for each part before starting to compose your thesis. 

Based on the categories you’ve created, narrow your topic down to relevant areas. For longer papers, you might use these sections of your paper whereas shorter texts could be divided into paragraphs. 

3. Organize ideas in each subsection

For a stronger argument, address each paragraph independently and organize your ideas from broad to specific. Your paragraphs should begin with a topic sentence, a claim that is backed up by information and arguments, and a conclusion. 

Final take

Writing a thesis outline is not rocket science. The tips in this article should come in handy to help you write an outline that allows you to properly analyze various arguments within your essay. Also, be keen to check a sample thesis outline to better familiarize yourself with how ideas are expressed within each section of your paper.