A research topic is the subject matter or issue of interest when conducting any study. Finding a suitable research topic is very important and can be very challenging. Selecting a topic is an ongoing process in which the researcher engages with the existing literature to find an issue or knowledge gap. Having a great research topic plus conducting relevant research contributes highly to writing a quality paper. A suitable topic is easy to manage using the available resources and it also meets your lecturer’s requirements.
What is a research topic?
A research topic is a subject or issue that forms the basics of a research paper. It is a well-defined subject that the researcher is interested in. Although you can paraphrase your research topic as a question, it is not a must for it to be in the form of a question. A research topic can be paraphrased as a research question and a hypothesis.
Steps to follow when choosing a good research topic
The best research topics come from pure natural inspiration. What is inspiration? Inspiration is a subconscious thought that “fires the soul”. You can get inspiration at any time or place. What happens if you can’t get inspiration? Since all brilliant research topics have a few things in common, the following tips will help you come up with a great topic for your research paper.
- Brainstorm for ideas.
- Read general background information
- Focus on your topic
- Be flexible
- Define your topic as a focused research question
- Research and skim more about your topic.
- Formulate a thesis statement
Factors to consider when choosing a good research topic
The outcome of a research project depends highly on the choice of the research topic and that’s why you are supposed to be very careful when choosing a doable and justifiable topic. Consider the factors below when choosing a good research topic.
- A topic you are curious about.
- A topic that you find interesting
- A manageable topic.
- A significant topic
- A challenging topic
- Avoid topics that are over-exhausted.
- Availability of sources
Common mistakes to avoid when choosing a good research topic.
Avoid the following mistakes if you want to come up with a good research topic.
- Selecting a research topic directly from the discussion of a recent paper.
- Allowing your supervisor to select a research topic for you.
- Underestimating complexity, timelines, and required budget.
- Sticking with your original research question or topic no matter what.
Finding a great topic does not guarantee a great research paper and thus you need to learn how to convert a topic into an amazing piece of writing. All the information in this blog post will guide you on how to come up with a research topic that will impress your instructor and earn you a better grade.
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