How to Select a Research Topic?

BEING NERVOUS IS A GOOD THING
Whether you’re selecting a topic for a doctoral thesis that will occupy the next several years of your life, or selecting a topic for a research paper, being nervous about the importance of the choice you’re about to make is a good thing – it will force you to give the decision the attention it deserves.

START WITH YOU
Before you leap into potential research topics, it’s critical that you give some thought to yourself and your unique characteristics as an academic researcher – especially if you are looking for your doctoral thesis topic:

• Are you passionate about any specific topic areas?
• What excites you/bores you about research?
• Have you developed a preferred research methodology yet – qualitative/quantitative – bearing in mind that the topic should drive the methodology, not the other way around.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WITH THE RESEARCH?
Many researchers approach a project as simply a stand-alone event that must be managed without any further thought as to what they might do with the results of that research in the future. Are you just looking to complete the degree and get on with your life? Perhaps you’re just meeting a ‘publish or perish’ obligation and plan to move into a more interesting area of research in the future? Or, you may have more specific goals in mind:

• Contribute to the body of knowledge on the subject
• Directly challenge accepted standards
• Produce something topical
• Build a career in the field

A FEASIBLE SEARCH STRATEGY
Eurekamoments where the perfect topic pops into your head do happen occasionally, but most research results from a methodical search strategy to identify a topic that meets a clearly defined set of criteria. If you approach it as a process in pursuit of a successful outcome, it becomes easier to identify specific points to bear in mind:

• Don’t expect a topic to suddenly appear like magic from a journal article. Even when one catches your eye, you would be better served reading additional articles (preferably with opposing viewpoints) before making a decision.
• Start with your past academic work – is there something there that can be expanded/developed?
• Does your institution have any ongoing projects that you could work on?
• Does your supervisor have any suggestions?
• Have you included research conference/journal papers that are outside of your research niche in your search?
• ?Ask your departmental librarian for a research consultation.
• ?Make a short-list first, and then narrow it down from there.

YOU WILL FIND A TOPIC
It is common to feel overwhelmed at the outset. From your perspective, there are too many choices with too little time available. Investing time in developing a research strategy is more about smart use of that time, making sure that you don’t waste weeks of your life buried in endless journal searches. Take it step-by-step and the right topic will make itself known in the end. Don’t forget that being able to articulatewhyyou did the research is just as important as documentinghowyou did it.

Related Posts:

• What You Must Do When You Submit Your Article To A Journal
• Homophones: Words That Sound Alike But Mean Different Things

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