Psychology Term Paper Writing Guide + 120 Research Ideas

How to Write a Psychology Term Paper
1. Choose the Topic
2. Study the Sources
3. Craft the Thesis Statement
4. Outline the Psychology Term Paper
5. Draft the Paper
6. Edit and Proofread the Term Paper
Bonus Tips for Writing a Term Paper
Psychology Term Paper Topic Choice
How to Choose Psychology Term Paper Topics
Psychology Term Paper Topics on Substance Abuse
Cultural Psychology Term Paper Topics
Social Psychology Term Paper Topics
Psychology Term Paper Topics Under Human Development
Abnormal Psychology Term Paper Topics
Cognitive Psychology Research Topics
Educational Psychology
Sports Psychology
Final Thoughts

Most college students take Psychology classes for two reasons: to better understand themselves or to better understand others. But between gleaning useful bits of information from your reading and getting insightful answers from professors, you’re saddled with endless writing assignments. And while you’re probably already used to essays, writing a psychology term paper takes more time, patience, and effort. While you apply what you’ve already learned to stave off an anxiety attack, check out our detailed guide, complete with an extensive list of great topics. After you’re done reading, you’ll be able to start your project with confidence.

How to Write a Psychology Term Paper

Dividing a complex subject into small, digestible pieces is a cornerstone of solving any problem, including Psychology and writing. So, to make your Psychology term paper less intimidating, we’ve split the task into six steps.

1. Choose the Topic

You may come up with half a dozen psychology term paper ideas off the top of your head. But are you sure they are the best fit for your class and assignment? After all, term papers usually make for a significant part of the class grade, and making the wrong choice early on you may lose points and drag down your GPA. If you want to be sure your term paper scores high, use our guide for choosing the topic and check out our list of study ideas.

2. Study the Sources

Research is a significant part of the prewriting process. Focus on credible academic sources, not Wikipedia, Youtube, or Google search results. Instead, use PsycInfo, Google Scholar, PubMed, ResearchGate, Scopus, and other academic databases to find references for your psychology term paper. Check the assignment requirements to learn how many sources you need to find, and add a couple of extra for good measure. And remember that each reference you use should be:

• Relevant - no older than five or ten years.
• Credible - written by an expert in the field and published in a respected peer-reviewed journal.
• Objective - free of subjective assessments, bias, or conflict of interest.

3. Craft the Thesis Statement

You need to create the dreaded thesis statement before you move any further with your research, as it is the core idea of your paper, the guide you will follow throughout your term paper writing. Your thesis statement should be one or two sentences long, and it can take on the form of a question. It should emphasize the problem and your solution, as well as outline the major points of the term paper. 

While you should always keep the thesis statement in mind when writing, do not be too rigid. Your draft thesis can change as you develop your argumentation and find new facts to support it. So don’t be afraid to edit the thesis as long as your paper remains cohesive and flows logically. 

4. Outline the Psychology Term Paper

An outline is another critical step of the prewriting process. It helps you organize your research notes and expedite the writing process. So don’t skip this step even though it seems like a waste of time at first glance.

Unfortunately, there is no universal psychology term paper outline. The only three elements most outlines share are the introduction, conclusion, and reference list. You can organize the body of the paper as you see fit. For example, research papers benefit from the traditional combination of methodology, results, and discussion. Literature-based argumentative pieces and overviews can be organized thematically or chronologically. If you’re unsure how best to structure your paper, draft a preliminary outline and ask your TA or professor for feedback.

5. Draft the Paper

Surprisingly, the writing part of the psychology term paper assignment takes the least amount of time. If you do the preliminary work of research and planning right, filling in the blanks should be easy and fast. 

We suggest splitting the writing time into short daily bursts 60 to 90 minutes long. That should be enough time to fill a few pages while your mind is still fresh. And you don’t have to go from start to finish in order. You can fill the sections as the inspiration strikes you, but remember to leave enough time for editing the first draft. The introduction and abstract (if necessary) are always easier to write at the very end when the rest of the paper is ready.

6. Edit and Proofread the Term Paper

The post-writing routine is non-negotiable. First, you need a break from writing. But once you’re feeling refreshed, go back to your draft and reread it with a critical eye out for inconsistencies, redundancies, weak evidence, and inconsistent flow. You may need to delete some passages and replace them with new information to improve your chances of a good grade. 

Proofreading and formatting make your paper look polished and professional, so skipping these steps is inadvisable. If you cannot get a professional editor to catch mistakes, use Grammarly or similar software to eliminate errors and typos. After you’re happy with the paper’s contents, review the APA formatting guidelines and make sure your paper meets the requirements. Pay special attention to in-text citations and bibliography, as improper citation may result in unintended plagiarism. 

Bonus Tips for Writing a Term Paper

You have a clear roadmap leading you from a blank page to a finished term paper. But before you set out on your writing journey, we’ll share a few practical tips that will accelerate your post-writing routine:

• Use neutral, non-discriminatory language to avoid disrespect and prejudice towards the subjects of your research or the audience.
• Avoid jargon and overuse of thesaurus to keep your writing clear and concise without confusing the readers with multisyllabic monstrosities.
• Use the same verb tense consistently throughout the paper. Past tense is preferable for the finished research, and future tense is appropriate when discussing further research opportunities.
• Limit the number of lengthy direct quotes to ensure the bulk of the paper represents your analysis.
• Avoid first-person writing as it is not appropriate for research and term papers based on literature reviews. Leave personal opinions and feelings for personal statements or narrative pieces.
• Skip endnotes and footnotes to meet the APA style requirements. Instead, add all pertinent information in the body of the text and leave out the rest.
• Visualize large data sets to make them easier to digest for the readers. Include tables, charts, diagrams, or graphs where appropriate, but make sure they are of high resolution and formatted correctly.
• Order a term paper online if you feel unable to cope with the task due to circumstances. If it is the case, you can rely on our professional help.

Now that we’ve gone over how to write a psychology term paper, let’s discuss choosing the topic, as it’s the crucial first step on your way to a finished assignment.

Psychology Term Paper Topic Choice

How to Choose Psychology Term Paper Topics

Free choice of psychology term paper subjects may be a curse rather than a blessing if you don’t know where to start. To expedite the selection process, follow our straightforward 3-step algorithm:

1. Find the subject that makes you want to learn more. You can stumble upon a good idea while browsing the reading list, reading psychology forums, or popular journals. You should be curious and excited about the topic, as it will make your term much more enjoyable.

2. Narrow and alter the initial idea to fit your assignment. Substance abuse is too broad a topic to cover in a dissertation, let alone a term paper; besides, it may not fit your class syllabus. Identifying early signs of performance-enhancing substance abuse among college students may be a better fit for your educational psychology class.

3. Get feedback from your TA or professor before you start working on the topic. Getting written approval via email or message is vital to save time. If you are not sure your idea fits the class or assignment, keep a couple of backup options at the ready in case the professor does not approve your initial suggestion.

With these tips in mind, consider our list of 100+ psychology research topics for college students. We categorized them by discipline to help you find the perfect idea for any class and professor.

Psychology Term Paper Topics on Substance Abuse

1. The effect of sexual violence on substance abuse among women
2. Genetic factors affecting psychological traits related to substance abuse
3. Innovative substance abuse interventions among adolescents
4. Childhood neglect and abuse as a factor of substance abuse and psychological disorders among adults
5. The relationship between psychological flexibility and substance abuse risk
6. Religious connotations of substance abuse recovery
7. Co-occurring psychological issues among victims of domestic violence diagnosed with substance abuse
8. Psychological development aspects connected to substance abuse
9. Psychological capital’s effect on mental health and substance abuse risk
10. Effective interventions for mothers with substance abuse disorders
11. Developing community substance abuse prevention activities
12. The relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse
13. The effect of substance abuse on academic performance among high school and college students
14. Eating disorders and substance abuse comorbidity analysis
15. The correlation between substance abuse and criminal behavior in adolescents

Cultural Psychology Term Paper Topics

1. Measurement strategies in cross-cultural psychology
2. The combination of social and cultural psychology in identity formation
3. The framework of relationships among variable classes in cross-cultural psychology
4. Analysis of social relationships across cultures
5. Social structure relevance to cultural psychology
6. An evolutionary perspective of religion’s social and cognitive landscape
7. Self-regulation and attachments in children across different cultures
8. The role of narrative practices in creating identities and cultures
9. The influence of culture on people’s motivations
10. The major psychopathology issues related to culture
11. The effect of cultural differences on international negotiations
12. The cross-cultural psychological perspective of international students
13. The perception of leadership across different cultures
14. The cross-cultural analysis of dispute processing
15. The basics of acculturation psychology analysis

Social Psychology Term Paper Topics

1. The social psychology of conflict resolution
2. A review of systematic biases in attribution theory of social psychology
3. The place of instincts in the structure of a human mind
4. The analysis of sentiments making up complex emotions
5. Reproductive and parental instincts as the primary motivators of human behavior
6. The linguistic aspects of human emotions
7. Comparative analysis of the three theories of motivation and action
8. The development of self-awareness and individuality in early childhood
9. The relationship between sexual identity and self-esteem
10. Changes in personal self-control induced by institutions
11. Comparative analysis of the theories of deviant behavior
12. Comparing the social worlds of the children and the elderly
13. Analyzing social consequences of death
14. The evolution of the theories of sexuality
15. The development of social interaction rituals

Read more: Sociology term paper topics and writing guide

Psychology Term Paper Topics Under Human Development

1. The economic and psychological aspects of inequalities in human development
2. Understanding human development through self-determination and basic needs satisfaction
3. Family ecology as a significant factor in human development
4. The factors promoting the development of universal human values
5. The relationship between social and developmental changes
6. An overview of the bioecological model of human development
7. The current state of the nature-nurture controversy
8. The effect of social status in the classroom on a child’s development 
9. Universal psychological needs driving human development 
10. The correlation between family stability and childhood development
11. The cultural aspects of human development
12. The connection between the sense of time and human development
13. Developing resilience metrics within the context of human development psychology
14. The causes for internalizing problems among adolescents
15. Career as a means of self-determination for adults

Abnormal Psychology Term Paper Topics

1. The effect of current cultural norms on defining abnormality
2. Biochemical imbalances as the causes of abnormality
3. The shortcomings of abnormality assessment tools
4. Biological, sociocultural, and psychological causes of eating disorders
5. Traumas leading to post-traumatic stress disorder
6. Comparative analysis of social anxiety and panic disorders
7. Biological, socioeconomic, and psychological causes of substance abuse disorder
8. Common characteristics and early warning signs of depressive disorders
9. Suicide prevention interventions among adolescents and adults
10. Common and distinctive characteristics of eating disorders
11. Contributing factors to gender dysphoria
12. Gender-related differences regarding substance abuse disorders
13. The correlation between psychological disorders and physical health
14. Online interventions to improve health-related behavior
15. The problems of the insanity defense against severe crimes accusations

Cognitive Psychology Research Topics

1. Verbal and visual-spatial differences between men and women
2. Automatic versus controlled decision-making processes
3. Selective encoding and the misinformation effect of witness testimony
4. The differences between remembering meaning and remembering details
5. Organizing recall in incidental versus intentional learning
6. The relationship between genetics and the development of automatic processes
7. Analytic versus holistic face perception processing
8. Implications of artificial intelligence development for cognitive psychology
9. The differences between egocentric and allocentric space representations
10. Practical applications of cognitive psychology in advertising and marketing
11. The differences in achieving expertise between humans and machines
12. Educational implications of the skill acquisition theories
13. The development of judgment and decision-making in adolescents
14. Analyzing the relationship between language and thought
15. The effectiveness of psychometric studies in cognition

Educational Psychology

1. Cognitive, social, and moral development during school years
2. Accommodating the diversity of learning and thinking styles in the classroom
3. Preventing class management problems by focusing students on learning
4. Effective verbal and nonverbal communication modes in the classroom
5. Instructional strategies for promoting critical and creative thinking and problem-solving
6. The effectiveness of self and peer assessment for achieving learning objectives
7. The unresolved issues of standardized tests
8. Ethnic and cultural considerations for diverse classrooms
9. The effect of gender perception and development on learning outcomes
10. The evolution of teaching and learning mathematics over the last century
11. The differences between bilingualism and second language acquisition
12. Developing effective methods for teacher evaluation
13. Digital technologies transforming learning and teaching
14. The relationship between children’s social needs and effective learning
15. Effective methods for addressing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Sports Psychology

1. Empowering athletes’ decision-making through performance profiling
2. The relationship between biomechanics and psychology in sports performance
3. Healthy and unhealthy motivational dynamics in professional sports relationships
4. Instruction, modeling, and questioning as the cornerstones of maximizing training
5. Arousal control as a means of improving an athlete’s performance
6. Minimizing the period of optimum concentration for improved performance
7. Addressing different types of negative thinking in athletes
8. The impact of mental rehearsal on athlete’s performance
9. The effectiveness of the Profile of Mood States (POMS) in gauging an athlete’s emotional state during training and competition
10. Motivation metrics and maximization possibilities
11. The effectiveness of verbal versus written self-talk strategies for athletes
12. The prevalence of routines and superstitions among professional athletes
13. Psychological interventions for athletes after loss or injury
14. Analyzing the widespread mental health issues among professional athletes
15. The effects of self-image, self-esteem, and self-vulnerability on athlete’s self-awareness

Final Thoughts

Once you choose the perfect idea among our 100+ psychology term paper topics, it’s time for research, outlining, and writing. But if you have waited too long to start working on your paper, submitting it on time for maximum points may seem impossible. If you’re after top grades and a boost to your GPA, let our college term paper writing service help. We’ll match you with an experienced Psychology major and deliver a flawless term paper within a few short days. All you have to do is place the order.