How to choose a research topic

RIMC Research Capacity Enhancement Workshops Series : “Achieving Research Impact”

How to choose a research topic

• Stuff to consider:• What are the pressing problems in your

domain?• Reflect on your life experiences • Assess your personal values• What do you get passionate about?• What’s your dream job?

If this isn’t in it…

This won’t help

More things to consider

• What ?– interests you– funders are looking for– is hot in your field– you’re doing now– will please your superiors– will advance your career– Is practical within your circumstances– can have some impact– methodologies are suitable for you– access you have to research centres

• Who ?– you like to work with– Is available to assist you

• Where ?– the funding comes from– you want to publish

Once you have selected a field of interest;

• Read up the background• Conduct a literature review;

– Identify the key researchers– The material that they cite will be a good

starting point• Identify gaps in the knowledge

– Many published papers suggest further research

– Look for an unoccupied niche– Keep several ideas going at first– Attend conferences/seminars– Consider cross-boundary enquiries

• Make a short list of ideas• Frame them into questions• Expect them to change• Brainstorm with friends & colleagues• Seek advice• Should be

– Focused and manageable– Capable of delivering your learning needs

“ I feel ‘The Poetry of Quantum Mechanics in the Age of Professional Wrestling’ is just a bit contrived

Identifying research with impact potential

Match the gaps in the literature with:• What’s in the news• What’s being debated; nationally & internationally

What is the relationship between the topic of research and the impact it can have?

Your researchtopic Its impact

A solvable problem with a policy component to the

solution

Common errors • Too broad• Too narrow• Unanswerable• Irrelevant• Infeasible • Unfundable• Unpublishable• Already done• No potential for impact

Current topics for ICT4D research

• Formulating technology policies• Achieving sustainability• Rolling out technology applications• Scaling up from pilot projects to

national programmes• Conducting evaluations and impact

assessments• Promoting technology convergence

and synergies• Formulating pro-poor approaches• Devising demand-driven methods.

Hot topics in ICT4D

• Macro-level issues– Impact on poverty

• Evaluation– Evidential rather then anecdotal– Longitudinal

• Digital Divide– Non-users– Under-served groups

• Sustainability• Impact• Technologies– Mobile applications– Technology synergies

International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development (ICTD2012) new technologies project assessments policy analyses impact studies theoretical contributions social issues around ICT and

development