Tweaking Basic Topic Ideas

• One way to come up with crazy research topic ideas is to tweak ordinary topics. For example, instead of writing a paper about the history of the Civil War, you can make the topic crazy by writing a paper about the most disgusting food of the Civil War, or the strangest facts about the Civil War. Another example could be taking a basic research topic such as volcanoes and putting a unique twist on the subject by writing about the best ways to mimic volcanic explosions (like putting Mentos in soda or overboiling a pot of beans).
  
  

Using Your Interests to Inspire Crazy Topics

• A great way to come up with crazy research paper topic ideas is to look at the things you love most. Love fried food? How about a research paper about the most unusual fried foods in the world? Or do you love shoes? How about a research paper about the worst shoe designs in history?
  
  

Playing "What If" to Come Up With Crazy Topic Ideas

• Asking "what if" questions can help inspire crazy research topic ideas. For example, asking what would life be like if cell phones didn't exist could lead to a research paper about what influence cell phones have on society. Another example could be asking "what if football didn't exist," which could lead to a research paper about the economic and social impact of football.
  
  

Looking at What's Hot or Trendy

• Sometimes looking at the headlines can lead to crazy research paper topic ideas. For example, recent headlines about the actor Charlie Sheen's crazy behavior can lead to the question: does fame make people crazy? Fashion trends can lead to research topics such as "What's All the Buzz About Scarves," or "Historical Inspiration for Modern Day Spanx."