an ideal topic will: be theoretically and personally interesting be of value to your client offer...
TRANSCRIPT
POSSIBLE TOPICS
THE IDEAL TOPIC
An ideal topic will: be theoretically and personally
interesting be of value to your client offer developmental opportunities help advance your future career allow you to obtain a good mark for
your dissertation
BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR GOALS
Where would you like to be in your career in the next five years?
What skills would help you achieve this? What experience would help? What knowledge and expertise would
accelerate your progress? What contacts might it be useful to develop? What would help raise your profile? What project areas might serve any of
these?
UNDERSTAND YOUR CLIENT /ORGANISATION
What might your client want from the research?
What might your client not want? What might your research cost your
client? Are there any potential risks for your
client? What might be the benefits?
UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT
What other stakeholders are involved? What are their likely views? What changes might take place? What threats are there to success? Are there likely to be difficult issues of
confidentiality of any data? Does the organisation have its own
ethics approval process?
CONSIDER SEVERAL TOPICS
Many potential topics are less promising than they initially look.
Some are more promising. Considering several topics may result
in a better choice than your original. It gives you a fall-back position. Ideas from one possible topic can
enrich your thinking about another.
ORGANISATION TOPICS
Consider Inefficiencies Team working Training Missed opportunites
NON-ORGANISATION PROJECTS
Consider Current interest Current debates Legislation changes International aspects