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Think before start selecting a Topic

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Do you have an Idea?

select a topic

Select a topic

The student typically begins with an idea related to something he or she has noticed in the real world; then the student goes to the research literature to learn what other research has been done on this topic.

Through this review of the literature, the student discovers controversies related to the topic, difficulties previous researchers have faced dealing with the topic, various methodologies used in exploring the subject, and related areas that must be incorporated.

It is a process that alternates between what the student knows about the topic based on real-world experience with the phenomenon and what the student learns from the research literature.

Questions to ask one’s self while selecting a topic are:

What do I really want to know? 
What do I see in my daily life that really puzzles me? 
What am I curious about? 
What do I think about a lot of the time? 
Is there some phenomenon that theory doesn’t adequately explain?

Researchable questions of any study may take the form of:

What is this phenomenon?
How is this phenomenon different from some other?
What are the characteristics of this phenomenon?
What causes this?
How is this related to that?
How did this happen?
Why does this happen?
How often does this happen?
Who is typically involved?
What is the best way to do this?
What is the solution to the problem?


Sometimes students become interested in a general topic, but without a question to provide focus, the topic remains overly broad and general. Students who feel compelled to use a particular instrument (test) are advised to study the instrument itself in a way that will add to the technical data regarding the instrument. These students are advised to spend time observing this group and asking themselves what puzzles them about the group or what they really wish to explain about the behaviour of this group.
A situation I find that is often problematic is when a student has worked in a particular area and has considerable knowledge that has come from their experience. These ideas are not problematic except when they are accompanied by a general loss of objectivity.
The student has moved from the intellectual stance of “I want to find out” to “I know and I want everyone else to know, too.” Because there can be an ego investment in the topic, the student may feel personally attacked when provided with objective feedback from the committee. Students who have difficulty regaining objectivity and personal distance from a particular topic are advised to carefully weigh the potential consequences of their choice. Another category of topics can prove to be problematic for students are those areas which are connected to personal issues that have been associated with personal feelings or experiences.
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