Forensic Science Research Paper Topics

Forensic science uses the scientific method to investigate crime scenes and determine perpetrators. A college student who is majoring in forensic science is required to do many papers and research projects for each course in the forensic science curriculum. Determining the topic of the research paper depends on the class and the requirements of the professor.

A research paper could cover the use of psychology in the investigation of crimes. Profiling is the study of criminal behavior and the most common characteristics of a person who would commit a certain type of crime such as age, race and psychological personality. Concentrate on case studies of convicted criminals.

A common topic for a forensic research paper is the history of forensic science and how it became a law enforcement tool used to investigate crimes. Include the first type of forensic science used to investigate crimes, the first time it was allowed to be used in a courtroom as evidence against a suspect and the growth of forensic science over the years.

A forensic research paper can review the use of debris and other material found at a crime scenes — such as carpet fibers, animal hair and other small fragments of material. — to determine the perpetrator, location of the crime scene and even the whereabouts of the perpetrator. Analyzing a completed criminal investigation that found crime scene debris and materials to determine a perpetrator and convict a suspect can be the main topic of the research paper.

Forensic entomology uses insects that invade and feed on decomposing remains to assist the investigation of a crime. This research paper can be broken down to cover the three different areas of forensic entomology. Medicolegal area of forensic entomology studies the type of insects which feed on human remains. The urban area of forensic entomology studies the insects which infest different environments of man such as city insects and insects found in the country. The third area of forensic entomology that can be covered in the research paper is the use of stored product pests. This last area is the study of insects that infest food products.