For many students, volunteering with a nonprofit, government agency, or community service organization can provide great insight, guidance, and inspiration for their project. For some, what starts out as an internship, volunteer position, or part-time job leads to inspiration for a research project; conversely, some students may start with an idea that becomes actualized through engaging in a community service organization.
Involvement with an outside organization is an opportunity to witness the real-life applications of a research topic. It also allows the complexities of an issue to more fully present themselves, versus information collected from dry sources. The variety of research opportunities available in community service organizations is endless. Some examples of possible research topics linked to community service are as follows: