Finding A Topic

History is full of different events and people from around the world, so finding a topic for your NHD project is not an easy task. However, I am here to make this process a little less intimidating! In this article, I have outlined 5 key tips and guidelines for selecting a great NHD topic. Let's start your brainstorming journey!

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1. Look at your annual theme for help

Looking at the annual theme for your project can narrow down the scope of events or people that should be your primary focus. Although themes are generally broad, you should still be thinking about how the time period, place, context, and significance play into deciding on a topic.

If you need extra inspiration, you can find a whole list of past NHD themes on the NHD website (you will soon see that some themes repeat in more than one year...in this case, you should look at the past winners of the repeat year as a resource of tying the theme to a topic). To find the complete list of past themes click here.

2. Don't live too much in the present

Picking an event that happened a few months ago or even 1 or 2 years in the past is far too recent for your NHD project. For example, focusing your project on COVID-19 will result in too many "unknown factors" (after all, there is still no established cure yet). Instead, doing a project on the Spanish Flu of 1918 is more reliable because there are more answers available. Just wait a couple of hundred years and a documentary on COVID-19 will be a great choice!

You want to be able to apply the historic situation to modern day...which is hard to do with a topic occurring recently. Additionally, stating the historic significance of a recent event wouldn't have as powerful of an effect compared to events from longer ago. After all, the competition is called National History Day not National "It Happened A Year Ago" Day.

3. Think of an event that changed the course of History

When looking at topics, focus on events that had an effect on people of that time period (either changed the way they thought, how they acted, their outlooks, etc). Also, don't feel limited to just American History...the whole world is your oyster! Activists, leaders, wars, and discoveries all changed history and the way we live today.

4. Choose a time period & Google events

If you are feeling really stuck and can't seem to find a topic that draws your attention, pick a time period, and Google your way through it. Looking at timelines and reading books can give you the historical background to choose a person of interest.

Even if you don't end up finding a topic of interest with this approach, at least you will have learned a little something new about History.

Overall, make sure you research a topic that appeals to you (in the end, you are going to be spending a long time studying this person/event).

5. Last but not least, don't be too broad

While being ambitious and excited to learn history isn't a bad thing, producing a project with so many different elements is. For example, if you decide that World War 2 interests you, I would recommend choosing one or two aspects of the War that relate to one another--in other words, do not talk about the ENTIRE War.

It is very important to have a focused approach on your project (aka having a thesis statement)! Otherwise, your project will become too unstructured and probably very overwhelming.

I believe in you! Don't feel too pressured about choosing the "perfect" topic. Half of the project is also about how well you execute the information at hand.

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