SELECTING A RESEARCH TOPIC: A FRAMEWORK FOR DOCTORAL STUDENTS

An Academic presentation byDr. Nancy Agens, Head, Technical Operations, Phdassistance Group www.phdassistance.com Email: info@phdassistance.com

Introduction

Don ’t know Where to Start

Framework to Select a Research Topic for Doctoral

Student Conclusion

Outline

TODAY'S DISCUSSION

A Doctor of Philosophy is the highest university degree in the academic domain all around the world.

Research says that one of the important reasons for failure and dropout is poor dissertation topic selection.

The PhD Dissertation Topic Selection is the basis of the entire research work.

So it is essential to select a good topic for the dissertation.

This article clearly elaborates the structural framework for Doctoral Dissertation Topic Selection.

Introduction

How to Choose a Good Research Topic

This is the first hurdle for a PhD Scholar and it is completely fine even if you're facing the same situation.

In the due course of the learning process, the scholar gets a broad perspective, clear idea and better understanding about the subject.

This will eventually lead to the scholar to select a best dissertation topic for his/her research work.

If the scholar is working independently without a mentor, scholars can utilize the PhD Topic Consultation Service on the online for guidance and feedback.

Don’t know Where to Start?

Research Process

This is the first phase in selecting a research topic for your research work.

The research scholar brainstorms the general research topics of genuine interest to him/her.

Generally, it takes 3 to 5 years to complete a phd degree so it is advisable to select a topic of scholar’s interest.

This phase is more oriented towards thinking, recalling, understanding and finding your area of interest.

Framework to Select a Research Topic for Doctoral Student

Contd..

1. Brainstorm Research Topics in your Field of Interest

Brainstorming: When reading or studying about a topic of your interest, always have a pen in your hand and take down the key points simultaneously.

T hink out of the box: Revolutionary ideas arise only when the scholar thinks from a different perspective.

Discussion with your partner: Your understanding and confidence level will increase if you share your ideas with your partner.

Ask “WHY”: Before selecting something, always ask why?

Preliminary Literature Review is carried out to find the feasibility of the selected PhD dissertation topics & thesis ideas.This phase gives a clear-cut idea and bigger picture about the selected topic.

ACCESSIBILITY AND AVAILABILITY OF SOURCES:

These two factors play a vital role in developing goodresearch work.

It is important to check the availability of sources and accessibility to the available source to proceed forward with the selected topic.

Contd..

2.Preliminary Literature Review

NARROW DOWN YOUR TOPIC:

The scholar should narrow down the topic and focus on a specific area for his/herresearch work.

FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM STATEMENTS:

The scholar should figure out a problem statement for the selected topic or theexisting gaps in the previous research works.

This phase is purely created to formulate research questions for the generated problem statements in the previous phase.

The scholar can also use the online dissertation topic selection service forums for Dissertation Topic Selection Guidance.

Here is a list of guidelines to followed while developing aresearch question:

Make sure that your question is valid and answerable.

Ensure that your question is clear, simple and manageable.

Contd..

3.Develop Your Research Quest ions

Ensure that your question is worth answering.

Make sure that your question demands an answer about the missing gaps of previous research work.

Devise a question in such a way that it demands an answer addressing the idea to overcome the listed problem statement.

Don't develop a hypothetical question.

Formulating your ideas into a theory for the problem statement is the next phase in the selection of the research topic.

The scholar cannot solve the problems unless he/sheapproaches it strategically.

Break down the problem statement into smaller pieces.

Magnify and solve the smaller problems.

Integrate the solved piece and create a theory.

4.Formulate Your Theory for the Problem Statement

This is the final phase where the scholar collectively presents the entire data about the selected topic to his/her mentor.

Your mentor might exactly know the advantages, disadvantages, feasibility and other facts & information about the selected topic which you’re unaware of.

So, it is highly recommendable to seek dissertation topic selection assistance from your mentor.

5.Consult with Your Mentor

As quoted by the famous American humorist Mark Twain, “good decisions come from experience.

Experience comes from bad decisions,” similarly a good topic can be selected only out of experience and continuous iteration.

This article conclusive illustrates the framework to select a research topic for doctoral students.

Conclusion

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