Communication Studies: Find a Topic
Find a Topic
Choosing a topic can be the hardest part of the process! This PCC Library guide can help: Paper Topic Ideas
Another option is to browse news articles, editorials and blogs for ideas. See what catches your interest on a news site; keep track of what interests you as you watch youtube videos or check social media. Discover your topic by noticing what you find interesting. Places to browse:
- Science DailyRead the latest in science research about health, the environment, space exploration and more.
- United Nations "Global Issues"Overview of issues that transcend national boundaries, with links to additional resources.
- Google NewsUp-to-date news articles about current events.
- Pew Research Center "Politics & Policy"Nonpartisan research and analysis of current politics.
- Pew Research Center Internet & TechnologyReports on current internet and technology issues.
- Pew Research Center Family & RelationshipsReports on current issues around family and relationships
Find Articles with EBSCO
Find articles in this search of Academic Search Premier and MasterFILE Premier
Turning an Interest into a Research Question
In this video, you’ll learn how to turn something you find interesting into a researchable question for a college research project.
Current Issues with Pro/Con
Opposing Viewpoints in Context
Articles with different points of view on current social, political, environmental and cultural issues in the United States. View the Opposing Viewpoints handout [pdf].
procon.org
A non-profit web site with a selection of points of view on current issues.
Recent topics in the news (Christian Science Monitor)
- ‘Freedom Season’ uplifts the struggle for dignity and citizenshipThis link opens in a new windowMay 21, 2025Historian Peniel Joseph’s “Freedom Season” raises up the work of Black activists seeking a more just society in the pivotal year of 1963.
- Team of economic rivals? The eclectic adviser mix steering Trump’s trade policy.This link opens in a new windowMay 21, 2025Trump economic advisers range from mainstream allies to fiercely devoted friends to MAGA stalwarts. All share a strong loyalty to the president – even when it means defending controversial policies.
- For the few right whales left, technology and teamwork are showing promiseThis link opens in a new windowMay 21, 2025North Atlantic right whales are critically endangered. But cooperation from towns, businesses, fishers, and ecologists to use new technology could create conditions in which the whale population can stabilize.
- George Floyd’s family lawyer thinks the path to justice is ‘more daunting than ever’This link opens in a new windowMay 21, 2025Five years ago, the murder of George Floyd by police sparked a nationwide protest movement. Today, Ben Crump, the lawyer who represented Mr. Floyd’s family, says it’s “more daunting than ever to hold police accountable.”
- Goals of Israel’s renewed Gaza offensive are unclear, even to IsraelisThis link opens in a new windowMay 20, 2025Israel’s military operation in Gaza is facing increased opposition, abroad and at home. Yet even within the Netanyahu government, it’s unclear if the assault is focused on conquering territory or affecting negotiations.
- Compassion tempers a war’s impactThis link opens in a new windowMay 20, 2025A civil war in Sudan has triggered community-led support for people displaced by fighting. This civilian response is rooted in a tradition of Islamic spiritual struggle and a “call to mobilize.”
- How Indigenous groups in Brazil are using virtual reality to reclaim their storiesThis link opens in a new windowMay 20, 2025Can ancient traditions and new technology coexist? Members of the Indigenous Guarani Kaiowá group in Brazil say yes, creating a virtual reality museum.
- Trump strong-arms House Republicans. They’re not ready to cave (yet).This link opens in a new windowMay 20, 2025President Trump’s second-term legacy rests on whether he can persuade enough Republican lawmakers to support his priorities. He has more to do to close the deal.
This work by PCC Library is licensed by Portland Community College under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.- Last Updated: May 19, 2025 4:17 PM
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