As a PhD candidate and student at the end of your academic learning, choosing a dissertation topic and then researching and writing it might seem like an impossible task.
You could also look at it as the last dance before you begin a full-time life of research.
Generally, for those pursuing doctorates, there is a single-minded topic that they are interested in with regards to academia. If you are battling with choosing a research topic for dissertation, then imagine what your future professional life could hold.
One of the biggest questions with regards to writing your dissertation is, how do you choose a dissertation topic?
This is a question that stymies many students because the challenge of finding an unexplored niche is real.
So how do you choose a dissertation topic? Keep reading to find out.
Reasons Why Students Need to Write a Dissertation
Firstly, you need not be a doctoral candidate to be faced with the challenge of how to write a dissertation research question. Your university may require that you write a thesis for an undergraduate degree too.
Perhaps you have to write a capstone project or research paper being awarded a degree.
Of course if you do not intend to pursue your studies beyond a three to four-year course, you may not have to face this ordeal at all.
If, however, you intend to progress through the educational ranks then you will certainly find yourself faced with the challenge of how to write a dissertation research question.
Regardless of the type of thesis that is required of you, remember that it is all practice for academic writing that will serve you well into the future.
Once you are past the challenge of choosing a topic for dissertation, prepare to experience the drive and passion that goes with researching, analysing and writing an academic paper.
As you begin to see critical information from differing perspectives, rather than through the lens of personal experiences, you will prove that you are more than just an exam writer.
Writing a thesis or dissertation shows that you have intellectual capability, motivation to work independently and reasoning.
These are highly prized characteristics in the world of both academia and life.
From choosing a dissertation topic to writing your last word, your journey is bound to be fraught with stress, endless coffee and a lack of sleep. However, if you intend to follow an academic career this is the price to pay for the sense of accomplishment on the other side.
Your first step is choosing a research topic for a dissertation.
Find out more about dissertation writing.
How Do You Choose a Dissertation Topic that is Good?
In the film Dark Matter, the protagonist uses dark matter in choosing a research topic for a dissertation. His supervisor rejects the proposal on the grounds that it is too broad and counsels him to consider choosing a dissertation topic that is less complicated and more focused.
The film, which is based on a true story, depicts the competitive spirit that prevails in academic writing as well as the tough process that goes into how to write a dissertation research question.
There is little doubt that the topic of dark matter is a fascinating topic, so much so that even Stephen Hawking entertained the idea. Even so, it is a broad subject that requires an overwhelming amount of research, let alone choosing a dissertation topic on an aspect of it not yet expounded upon.
All of this makes dark matter less than desirable when it comes to choosing a research topic for a dissertation.
There are a few tips for choosing a topic for dissertation. Firstly, find out how to write a dissertation research question that is clear-cut and engaging. For example, analysing cancel culture, a social phenomenon that is relevant to our times may be too broad a focus, however researching the effect of cancel culture on western politics could work well.
Also, one of the first things to consider when asking how do you choose a dissertation topic is to ensure that there is enough recent research material. You could be enthralled by medieval poetry, however if you cannot find literature on the topic that is under 10 years old, your research proposal may be rejected.
When choosing a topic for dissertation, take into account whether it is suitable for research and methodology type writing.
These simple tips are integral when considering how to write a dissertation research question.
So how do you choose a dissertation topic where the arguments and questions that it raises are of a high quality?
The first rule to choosing a topic for dissertation is to resist the urge to choose a broad subject that would potentially contain more arguments. Maintaining a narrow focus between good quality arguments and questions is the ideal.
Also, when your topic has a good theory that requires specific terminology it can be more clearly narrated. Considering this point when choosing a research topic for a dissertation is another tip not to be ignored.
Understand the Dissertation Process
Most institutions have slightly varied dissertation guidelines from formatting, to word counts and citing rules. Save yourself time by checking out your university’s unique guidelines before you undertake your dissertation research.
After that, once you know which fieldwork options and methods of analysis are open to you, you could begin your ideation process.
Besides your institutions document guidelines, make sure you fully research all the steps to dissertation writing in general. For example, before exploring ideas and possibly needing to backtrack and discard work, make sure that you fully understand the concepts of qualitative, quantitative and mixed research methods first.
Do Your Research
Unless your research topic is relatively new, for example the ethics of artificial intelligence, you should have a body of prior research on which to draw. This is key in helping you with choosing a research topic for a dissertation.
Narrow your reading to reputable journals and notice how the writers formulated both their questions and their answers.
Ask yourself if those topics are well-justified or not. Consider whether they managed to break new ground or simply prove an already established hypothesis. Notice whether their research method was based on applied or academic literature.
An important part of your dissertation is knowing how to write a thorough literature review.
You will notice the acronym FRIN (Further Research is Needed) at the end of certain journal articles. This provides an essential clue to the gaps that are open for new theories in that field. These unanswered questions might just be the answer that you are dying to give.
Good advice is narrow your choice down to three to five topics for discussion with your supervisor. Be prepared to offer a logical defence for each one.
At this point, it is the job of your supervisor to present contrasting thoughts and ideas which could result in a vigorous debate. At this point, you may find that you need to refine your ideas around your proposed topics, explore different avenues, or even discard them altogether.
Once your choices have been narrowed down, advance into the associated literature and begin the process of writing.
Final Tips: Choosing a Dissertation Topic
Be careful to take note of these final tips for how to write an excellent dissertation.
- Be careful to only select topics that interest you and your career goals.
- Your topic ideas do not have to be unique from your search’s outset.
- Strive to keep your foundational statement simple, even if your topic is far-reaching.
- Establish achievable research goals.
- Trust your dissertation adviser or supervisor.
- Stick with your choice even when difficult.
- Present impartial findings regardless of how much you favour or dislike your topic.
Finally, remember that from an academic perspective, going with your gut is unwise. Doing so means that you will ignore previous research and favour a personal interest.
Personal interest should be taken into consideration but it certainly does not have to be your primary concern.
Take the time to conduct a thorough research analysis as well as learn how to present your findings.
Unless you have a natural talent for picking out and expounding on undiscovered theories, all of these steps should help you in choosing a topic for dissertation and ultimately achieving your PhD.
Good luck, happy writing!
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