Guidelines to Help Students Choose a Dissertation Topic

Selecting a title for a dissertation is a tall order; since the dissertation is an essential piece of work that takes many credit hours for either postgraduate or undergraduate degree courses, therefore take time to choose wisely. Whether you are a student attempting to narrow down ideas to a title, or planning for a future course, or whatever your academic journey is, then this article has top tips that will help you choose an excellent topic for your dissertation.

  • Select an interesting topic

A research or dissertation project will take weeks or even months to finish. Therefore, choose a topic that is fun and interesting to you. You will most likely get a topic that fits your area of study or get inspired by a unit in your course. Your dissertation’s motivating factor lies with the passion you have for the subject area of your study.

  • Select something different

Selecting a unique title for your dissertation or project allows you to conduct your research and arrive at concrete conclusions. However, it isn’t easy to find a unique area for your research, but you can approach a researched area from a different perspective. Alternatively, you can develop a distinct idea from small topics that have not been researched before.

  • Do not be vague

A research or dissertation project should be an academic work. Each sentence contributes to the construction of argument or research, and the entire document should follow the laid down structure. Going for a broad idea will make it challenging to explore the topic to its logical conclusion within the allowable word count. It will further make it difficult to arrive at a concrete conclusion.

  • Avoid being narrow

Whereas your supervisor may advise you to be brief, the dissertation must meet the recommended word count. Pay attention to a narrow or too small topic that implies that you scuffle to expound your arguments and even draw grounded conclusions. Besides, when you are drafting your proposal, do not select a research question that needs a yes or no answer.

  • Research

Research your topic to ensure that you settle on the right theme for your dissertation or research project. Plan for the time you will need before submitting your proposal for the various topics of interest. By so doing, you will get to know if there are adequate resources to expound your ideas and buttress your position.

  • Be objective

It is common for young researchers to fall in love with a subject or topic early in the research and get blinded not to notice its weakness. So, be realistic about the scope and promise of your idea. If you organize your schedule well, you get plenty of time to spot another topic and finish the final draft on time.

  • Seek advice from your supervisor

Your supervisor is your guide and mentor throughout the writing process of your dissertation. They will help you whenever you run into problems and provide any form of advice, be it big or small. Once you have a concept for a project or dissertation you intend to carry out, plan some time to meet your supervisor for advice on how to proceed or how to start afresh if the idea is not viable.

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