How to Select a Research Topic


HOW TO SELECT A RESEARCH TOPIC
By Adnan Hussain
}  WHAT IS RESEARCH TOPIC
·         A concept, subject or issue that can be studied or investigated through research
·         It may be unanswered or unsolved questions, a query or statement of inquiry
·         A successful Research Project starts with a good topic but how can one decide what to pick?
WHAT CONSTITUTES A RESEARCH TOPIC
  • It may sound strange, but the first step when doing research isn’t choosing a direct topic. You aren’t going to say, “Okay, my topic is … Birds….. Or Human Language…. Let’s start searching”
  • Rather, from an initial, and perhaps very general, research topic area, you’re going to formulate a research question, or set of questions, that you can then investigate further.
  • You have to see what information is available to you, and then start honing in on a manageable topic from there.
  • Thus, the first step is not to choose a direct topic, and then do research. The first step is to research, more specifically, what your topic even is.
IMPORTANT STEPS
·         Pick a (manageable) idea/topic of interest
·         Try to pick a broad idea / topic that you find interesting. This will ensure the research process as engaging and fun as possible.
  • Be flexible
  • Understand that choosing a research topic is a cyclical process. No topic should be set in tone. Be prepared to change/reshape your topic as you search for information, read about your topic, and learn more
}  SEARCH FOR INFORMATION ON TOPIC
  • After searching information from resources, such as scholarly articles and books, in the library catalogue and relevant databases. If one find a lot of work already done. Then Topic should be narrowed down.
Example
  • You search a database about your topic and result comes as….

  • If you find too much information, your topic might be too broad. To make your topic more specific and narrow, try to zero in on a single aspect of your topic.
  • Narrow your topic and search again
Example
  • If you cannot find enough information resources, your topic might be too specific. To broaden your topic, consider removing some of your criteria from your research topic.
Example
  • Instead of investigating the use of “Instagram by university students at funerals”, you might broaden your topic to the “Use of Instagram at funerals”
  • Narrow it down to an effective research topic once you have learn a little more
  • There are many things that can help you to select a topic such as newspapers, magzine, Library database, conversation with friend or discussion with your supervisor/instructor.
FIVE W…
  • After reviewing and choosing a broad topic, we have to analyze it under five “W’s” questions
  • Who: which group have interest in the topic.
  • What: What are the most important issues at stake? What are the different factors involved?
  • Where is the topic relevant?
  • When did the situation, event or problem started?
  • Why: Why it happened. Why it is significant?
  • Once you answer the who, what, where, when and  why, now you have a good idea of an effective, narrowed version of your  topic.
ATTRIBUTES OF A GOOD RESEARCH TOPIC
  • Feasible
  • Are you interested in topic
  • Do you have necessary research skills?
  • Can you complete your research within available time?
  • Will research be current when you finish the research
ATTRIBUTES OF A GOOD RESEARCH TOPIC
  • Availability of necessary tools and equipment
  • Do you have sufficient financial and other resources ?
  • Will you be able to get access to relevant data?
  • Ensure that you have access to the information needed to answer the question or test the hypothesis.
  • Determine the availability of and access to literature and information, needed to complete research, technical and computing skills, etc. required
  •  Ensure that you can make a good thesis/dissertation statement/question/a research hypothesis about the problem as you need to be able to convince others of the novelty of the topic.
LIMITS
  • The title should not be too long (normally not more than 10 words) but should provide as much information about the study as possible.
  • The title should preferably not be in a question form; it must define the research clearly, and must be clear and precise.
  • The title should not contain technical terms, or jargon. The use of acronyms should be limited.


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