Choosing a Dissertation Topic to Write On
According to professor John Komlos, your dissertation “should be the crowing achievement of your graduate education and will influence the direction of your career for many years to come”. This statement alone should tell how you important your dissertation is, which in turn reflects on the significance of good topic selection.
If your topic isn’t appropriate, in terms of scope and value, all the hard work you will be doing over the coming months will go to waste. Which is why your focus should first be on topic selection so that you can define a path for yourself.
We know dissertation topic selection can be tough, which is why we have compiled this guide to help you in the process.
Instructions
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1
Important considerations in topic selection
Let's start with the most important considerations in topic selection. As a student, when you are evaluating your options, you should be asking the following questions:
-Is your topic interesting and different?
-Will it be a valuable addition to the existing body of literature on the subject?
-Is there a good supervisor to help you with your chosen topic?
-Will a dissertation on the topic help you in your career?
-Will the topic be relevant 5-7 years from now?
-Can you continue working on the topic for more than a couple of months?
Answering these questions will be helpful whenever you are considering a topic. Basically, you have to think ahead and plan accordingly. -
2
Find out your departmental requirements
Another good move is to contact your related department at the university and find out their requirements and expectations. Your topic selection also depends on the discipline you are studying. If you are in sciences for instance, you might have to pick from topics which have funding, so your options might be limited by the research groups you can become part of.
If you will be working alone on your dissertation, you are likely to have more flexibility in terms of selection. Similarly, there are different schedules and norms for different departments and it is recommended that you find out how things work in your department. -
3
Consider your own style
Your own work style, likes and dislikes are also important considerations in this regard. Think of the topics that excite you most and drive you to work without feeling taxed.
Since your dissertation will be consuming a major chunk of your time, you might as well be doing something you love.
Similarly, you should consider your own limitations. Time constraints for instance, should be considered, and it is recommended that you pick a narrow and well defined topic if you are short on time.
However, choosing a topic that you are passionate also has its pitfalls. If you are obsessed about an issue, you might fall in the perfectionist trap, unable to finish your dissertation in time.
Ideally, you should balance your approach to topic selection keeping all these factors in mind. -
4
Look at it practically
You can't simply a choose a topic because it appeals to your passions either. There are practical considerations involved, which will benefit you in the long run. For instance, you might want to check which topics have the most funding grants and choose one from them, even if it's not exactly close to your heart.
Another issue you should consider is that of real world research. You might love a topic, but when you go into the field for research, it might force you to go places you can't or gather data that is hard to collect.
You need to think practically and choose a topic which you can easily manage, both in terms of writing and researching. -
5
Keep your career in mind
Your dissertation will have an impact on your job hunt and consequently the career track you take. Think whether the topic you are choosing is truly the path you wish you take, and more importantly, will it still be viable path in the future?
That being said, you shouldn't blindly hop on to any topic that is projected to do well in the future. In an ideal situation, your topic should be something you are interested in and something that is also marketable in terms of your career.
