2.2 Quiz: Classifying Sample Research Topics by Characteristics

 Quiz: Categories of Topics or Papers

See whether you can classify the following 30 topics into one or more of these 17 categories. Note that every topic can have multiple characteristics. For example, a paper on "The Public Perception of the US Supreme Court and How to Improve It" could be i) contemporary and current; ii) analytical, iii) empirical, iv) policy oriented, and v) of current interest. It is not very important that you catch all possible classifications, which may also be somewhat subjective and may depend on how a topic is executed. What is important is that you catch the most important characteristics of a potential topic (for example, whether it will be analytical, which is good, or descriptive, which is not good; or whether it requires empirical research, which is time consuming...) and what they may tell you about the suitability of the topic for your research and writing project.

1. Historic
2. Contemporary but completed
3. Contemporary and current
4. Narrow
5. Broad
6. Descriptive
7. Analytical
8. Monodisciplinary
9. Multi- or interdisciplinary
10. Comparative law
11. Foreign law
12. Empirical
13. Policy oriented
14. Academic
15. Practice oriented
16. Current interest
17. Currently in flux

Classify each of the different topics below into one or more types or categories.