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Research Topic, Definition of
By: Xun Liu
In: The SAGE Encyclopedia of Communication Research Methods
Chapter DOI: https:// doi. org/10.4135/9781483381411.n510
Subject: Communication and Media Studies , Sociology
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A research topic is a subject or issue that a researcher is interested in when conducting research. A well-defined research topic is the starting point of every successful research project. Choosing a topic is an ongoing process by which researchers explore, define, and refine their ideas. There are four steps for defining a research topic, each of which is discussed in turn in this entry.

Step 1: Getting Ideas

Often the most difficult part of the research process is selecting a topic. Students may encounter [Page 1463] two problems: too many ideas or no idea at all. On one hand, some students might have lots of ideas. They are interested in online gaming, video sharing, interpersonal conflict, advertising effects, and the representation of women by mass media. They do not know which idea to pick. On the other hand, some students might be struggling with finding a topic and really scared of the project. No matter which scenario one is in, hone always starts by reviewing the assignment and making sure that he or she understands the requirements and purpose of the assignment. The purpose of the research project should be understood: Is the research for a class assignment or are for publication? A topic for a class assignment will be different from a topic for a peer-reviewed journal submission.

In addition to the purpose of the research, one also needs to consider the requirements for the research and the time one has to complete the research. The requirements for the assignment reveals a lot about what kinds of ideas will make a good topic. Considerations include how long the paper needs to be, how many references are appropriate, and how much time is allotted. For example, if a professor assigned a few months for students to work on a research paper, he or she may expect more than if two weeks are assigned.

The requirements of the assignment may also specify whether the project shall be focused on a specific area of communication and tie to the class materials or whether students can choose any topic. Communication is a broad discipline. There are different subject areas, for example, interpersonal communication, intercultural and international communication, group communication, health communication, technology and communication, instructional communication, language and symbolic codes, mass communication, organizational communication, and public communication. Each subject area favors different issues and topics. An example would be technology: communication is concerned with technology-mediated communication and how people use this type of communication tool to fulfill their entertainment or information needs. Topics like how different demographic groups use technology and its impact are interesting in this subject area.

After the directions of the assignment are clarified, one can start to explore different ideas for the project. For some people, getting the topic ideas for a project can be a daunting task whereas some people think getting research topic ideas is the easier part of a research project. There are several ways to help generating ideas for the research. One way is to talk to professors and classmates or colleagues. Professors may have suggestions and provide some examples. Classmates and colleagues may share what they are working on and provide brainstorming ideas. Other methods include reviewing course materials to see what have been covered in the class and talking to a librarian. News in traditional media or social media can be helpful too, as current events may pique one’s interests. Last but not least, everyday experience such as what has been experienced in everyday communication scenarios, can be a good starting point for developing a research idea: Why does my professor not check Facebook messages? Why do my boyfriend and I always argue on the same simple issues? Why do my friends only text me and not call me anymore? All these experiences can develop into interesting research projects.

Step 2: Choose a Topic

After getting some ideas, the next step is choosing a topic. An idea is usually very general whereas a research topic is more focused. A good research topic is interesting, manageable, and valuable. When choosing a topic, one should select a topic that interests him or her personally. Working on a research project is usually a long and tedious process, so interests in the topic and curiosity to find an answer can provide motivations and make the research process fun. One should also choose a topic that one can relate to. For example, a student was interested in autism because her little brother was diagnosed and she wanted to find more about it to help him. Another student wrote about student athletes’ academic struggles on campus because he was a student athlete.

It is also important to make sure that the scope of the topic is manageable. On one hand, a topic like global warming or the history of the Internet is not likely to encourage a thorough research project because the topic is too broad and cannot be analyzed in depth within a few. On the other hand, a topic like the use of new public speaking tool for a class of 12 seventh-grade students in Central California might not inspire interests [Page 1464] because the topic is too narrow and the findings might not be useful for other contexts.

In addition, the topic should have values and add something new to the discipline. Jason S. Wrench and colleagues indicated that a valuable topic can fill a “gap.” He and his co-authors further identified five types of gaps in their communication research methods textbook. The first type of gap is information missing in a specific context. An example would be that many researchers studied the impact of note taking in class on student learning, but taking notes with laptops and iPads are relevantly new. It is a new context to revisit older research findings. The second type of gap is about samples. For example, one can find many studies on teenagers’ video games playing behavior, but few studies examined toddlers’ play of video games (yes, toddlers start to play video games). This new sample or population can bring new insight on the impacts of video games. The third type of gap is the need of new update information. Robert Kraut, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, found in his 1998 study that the use of the Internet can increase depression. In his 2002 follow-up study, the connection between Internet use and depression disappeared. After a dozen years, revisiting this topic is important to test whether there is still correlation between Internet use and depression. The fourth type of research gap is conceptual gaps—a concept that has not been studied. Personal experiences, observations, and literature review may lead to development of new concepts. For example, a father of student commented that now, due to smartphone use, people text a lot, but these texts do not really mean a lot. He called this phenomenon “communication inflation.” Communication inflation is an interesting and fresh idea, may probably be a new concept for communication. However, before claiming it is a new concept, it is important to review the literature to double-check that the supposed new concept is actually new. The last gap is theoretical gaps. Testing a theory in a new context, a new population, adding new concepts to a theory, or developing new theories are valuable to the communication discipline.

Step 3: Making It a Research Question

Once a general topic is chosen, the next step is to narrow the topic to formulate a specific research question. Developing a specific research question helps keep the research focused and channel one’s energies into a productive purpose. A good research question identifies a theme that will help one to navigate available research and provide the guidance on how to add or eliminate literature. A good research question is a question that is clear, concise, and can be answered. Questions that are too complicated, fuzzy, or not possible to answer should be avoided. The best research questions are simple and clear ones that add new knowledge to the discipline. Table 1 includes some examples of how to turn a research topic into research questions.

After deciding on the research question, one can start to identify key concepts and terms of the research question. A helpful approach is to first underline the important terms in the research question and then try to identity two or three key concepts represented by these terms. Identifying a [Page 1465] few synonymous terms related to the key terms can also be helpful.

Step 4: Refining the Research Question

Once a research question and key concepts have been identified, the next step is to refine the research question. During this step, one searches previous studies to see whether the question is too board or too narrow, or whether it has already been answered. This search of the literature helps one assess the status of published research and information about the research question and provides an overview of the research question. If the research question is too broad, there will be a large amount of previous studies. If the research question is too narrow, there will be little information to review. One may also find that the research question has already been answered and there is little need to duplicate the efforts. At this point, the research question should be refined to make the question clear, interesting, and worth investigation.

See also Publishing Journal Articles ; Research Ethics and Social Values ; Research, Inspiration for ; Research Ideas, Sources of ; Research Project, Planning of ; Research Proposal ; Research Question Formulation

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Purdue Online Writing Lab College of Liberal Arts

Choosing a Topic

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

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The first step of any research paper is for the student to understand the assignment. If this is not done, the student will often travel down many dead-end roads, wasting a great deal of time along the way. Do not hesitate to approach the instructor with questions if there is any confusion. A clear understanding of the assignment will allow you to focus on other aspects of the process, such as choosing a topic and identifying your audience.

A student will often encounter one of two situations when it comes to choosing a topic for a research paper. The first situation occurs when the instructor provides a list of topics from which the student may choose. These topics have been deemed worthy by the instructor; therefore, the student should be confident in the topic he chooses from the list. Many first-time researchers appreciate such an arrangement by the instructor because it eliminates the stress of having to decide upon a topic on their own.

However, the student may also find the topics that have been provided to be limiting; moreover, it is not uncommon for the student to have a topic in mind that does not fit with any of those provided. If this is the case, it is always beneficial to approach the instructor with one's ideas. Be respectful, and ask the instructor if the topic you have in mind would be a possible research option for the assignment. Remember, as a first-time researcher, your knowledge of the process is quite limited; the instructor is experienced, and may have very precise reasons for choosing the topics she has offered to the class. Trust that she has the best interests of the class in mind. If she likes the topic, great! If not, do not take it personally and choose the topic from the list that seems most interesting to you.

The second situation occurs when the instructor simply hands out an assignment sheet that covers the logistics of the research paper, but leaves the choice of topic up to the student. Typically, assignments in which students are given the opportunity to choose the topic require the topic to be relevant to some aspect of the course; so, keep this in mind as you begin a course in which you know there will be a research paper near the end. That way, you can be on the lookout for a topic that may interest you. Do not be anxious on account of a perceived lack of authority or knowledge about the topic chosen. Instead, realize that it takes practice to become an experienced researcher in any field.

For a discussion of Evaluating Sources, see Evaluating Sources of Information .

Methods for choosing a topic

Thinking early leads to starting early. If the student begins thinking about possible topics when the assignment is given, she has already begun the arduous, yet rewarding, task of planning and organization. Once she has made the assignment a priority in her mind, she may begin to have ideas throughout the day. Brainstorming is often a successful way for students to get some of these ideas down on paper. Seeing one's ideas in writing is often an impetus for the writing process. Though brainstorming is particularly effective when a topic has been chosen, it can also benefit the student who is unable to narrow a topic. It consists of a timed writing session during which the student jots down—often in list or bulleted form—any ideas that come to his mind. At the end of the timed period, the student will peruse his list for patterns of consistency. If it appears that something seems to be standing out in his mind more than others, it may be wise to pursue this as a topic possibility.

It is important for the student to keep in mind that an initial topic that you come up with may not be the exact topic about which you end up writing. Research topics are often fluid, and dictated more by the student's ongoing research than by the original chosen topic. Such fluidity is common in research, and should be embraced as one of its many characteristics.

The Purdue OWL also offers a number of other resources on choosing and developing a topic:

Understanding Writing Assignments
Starting the Writing Process
Invention Slide Presentation

Selecting a Research Topic: Overview

Refine your topic
Background information & facts
Writing help

Here are some resources to refer to when selecting a topic and preparing to write a paper:

MIT Writing and Communication Center "Providing free professional advice about all types of writing and speaking to all members of the MIT community."
Search Our Collections Find books about writing. Search by subject for: english language grammar; report writing handbooks; technical writing handbooks
Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation Online version of the book that provides examples and tips on grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and other writing rules.
Select a topic

Choosing an interesting research topic is your first challenge. Here are some tips:

Choose a topic that you are interested in! The research process is more relevant if you care about your topic.
If your topic is too broad, you will find too much information and not be able to focus.
Background reading can help you choose and limit the scope of your topic.
Review the guidelines on topic selection outlined in your assignment. Ask your professor or TA for suggestions.
Refer to lecture notes and required texts to refresh your knowledge of the course and assignment.
Talk about research ideas with a friend. S/he may be able to help focus your topic by discussing issues that didn't occur to you at first.
WHY did you choose the topic? What interests you about it? Do you have an opinion about the issues involved?
WHO are the information providers on this topic? Who might publish information about it? Who is affected by the topic? Do you know of organizations or institutions affiliated with the topic?
WHAT are the major questions for this topic? Is there a debate about the topic? Are there a range of issues and viewpoints to consider?
WHERE is your topic important: at the local, national or international level? Are there specific places affected by the topic?
WHEN is/was your topic important? Is it a current event or an historical issue? Do you want to compare your topic by time periods?

Broaden your topic
Information Navigator home
Sources for facts - general
Sources for facts - specific subjects

Start here for help

Ask Us Ask a question, make an appointment, give feedback, or visit us.

Next: Refine your topic >>
Last Updated: Jul 30, 2021 2:50 PM
URL: https://libguides.mit.edu/select-topic

Creating a Successful Research Topic Statement (PSY)

In this tutorial, we will identify what makes for a successful research topic.

Most research topics start out as a general and often vague idea that a researcher has an interest in investigating.

Inexperienced researchers, including most doctoral learners, frequently think of topics that are quite interesting, but not narrowly enough focused for a dissertation.

This tutorial will guide you through a set of steps designed to help you come up with a topic, first of all, and secondly to focus it more tightly so that you can begin a meaningful and successful search of the existing literature to discover whether your topic is actually researchable.

This tutorial's primary objective is to prepare you to create a successful research topic that may become the topic of your dissertation. To do that, we'll work through the following issues:

First, what are the characteristics of a well-formed research topic?
Second, how are research topics evaluated?
Third, how can the key concepts and the population be narrowed and focused so that they are researchable?
Fourth, how can the relationship among concepts be named so that the appropriate methodological literature can be accessed in the literature review?

Obviously, in Track 1 you are at the beginning of your studies toward the doctorate, and perhaps your dissertation is far from your thoughts. We are starting the process now, however, because our experience has been that when learners wait to start searching for their topics, it often creates a serious problem for them when they actually start the dissertation. That problem can take many forms, but the most common one is that they have not had sufficient time (and training) in exhaustively searching the relevant literature to discover whether the topic they are interested in is even viable—and without a good topic statement, a good literature search is impossible. So let's begin.

What Is a Research Topic?

A research topic is an area of interest to a researcher that is first of all, researchable. It is focused narrowly enough that its key concepts are quite plain and well integrated. It is a topic or subject that can be found in the existing literature of the researcher's field, which shows that it is of some interest or importance to that field, and has some important characteristics.

Characteristics of a Well-formed Research Topic

The first mark of a well-formed topic is that it clearly states the key concepts to be investigated. Sometimes, only one concept is named—those studies often turn out to be qualitative, but not always. More often, two or more key concepts are named. Next, it identifies the relationship or relationships among those concepts that the researcher intends to explore. Obviously, if only one concept was named, there won't be a relationship, but in that case a word like "describes" or "experiences" will give a clue to the kind of information desired. Third, a research topic specifies the population of interest to be investigated. Finally, a research topic is just a phrase. That is, it is not a full sentence with a verb. However, the well-formed topic statement will embed the actual topic in a complete sentence. Let's look at some examples.

Some Examples of Topic Statements

Here are a few topic statements that eventually lead to successful dissertations:

Elementary age students' needs for family-based counseling services.
Indigenous people's responses to encounters with law enforcement.
Impact of mother's death on daughters in poor, middle class, and wealthy families.
The relationship between assignment strategies to prevent burnout used by managers of first responders and the occurrence of burnout.
Employees' productivity as a function of their managers' management styles.
Strategies used by mainstream classroom teachers to manage children with behavior problems who do not receive special education.

You can see immediately that all six examples, taken from the four schools in Capella University, are phrases, not complete sentences. So far, so good. The first mark of a successful topic statement is that it identifies the key concepts to be investigated, right? Let's see how the examples do that.

Evaluating the Form of the Examples: Key Concepts

In the first example, we seem to have two key concepts: "needs" and "family-based counseling services." Are they stated clearly? Probably not clearly enough: what is meant by "needs" and "family-based counseling services" is not immediately transparent. This topic will need some work, but most topics start out this way.

Let's try another: Indigenous people’s responses to encounters with law enforcement. Here, there seem to be two key concepts: "responses" and "encounters with law enforcement." These concepts are quite broad and will have to be narrowed considerably to support a researchable topic, but they provide a good start.

Let's do one more: Employees' productivity as a function of their managers' management styles.

Here, there are two key concepts, right? Productivity and management styles.

Evaluating the Form of Topics: Relationship(s) among the Key Concepts

The second mark of a successful topic is that it identifies any relationship to be investigated between or among the key concepts. Let's look at the third example to see about this.

This topic meets our criterion of being a phrase. It seems to state at least two concepts (but with multiple levels): "death" and "socio-economic status of daughters." What about the relationship? Well, it is captured in that word "impact."

An "impact" in research jargon means the effect that one concept—death—has on another concept, in this case, the daughters. One can, in fact, replace the word impact with the word effect without changing the meaning at all. So the topic is proposing a cause-and-effect kind of relationship.

Let's look at another example: The relationship between assignment strategies to prevent burnout used by managers of first responders and the occurrence of burnout

This seems complicated, but it really isn't. First, let's check the key concepts: "Assignment strategies to prevent burnout" would seem to be one key concept, and "occurrence of burnout" would be the other. These are reasonably clear, or probably would be to someone in the human resources or management worlds. No doubt they will be further clarified as the researcher works on the topic's wording. But what about the relationship? It is in the word "relationship," obviously. And in research jargon, a "relationship" between A and B is a particular kind of relationship, called a correlation.

Now, play with the other topics to see if you can identify the relationship—if any.

Evaluating the Form of Topics: Target Population

The third sign of a successful topic is that it names the target population, the group of people or organizations or groups that the researcher is interested in. Let's evaluate some of our examples on this point.

Elementary age students' needs for family-based counseling services : The population here is stated: Students of elementary school age.
Indigenous people's responses to encounters with law enforcement: Here as well, the population is indigenous people.
Impact of mother's death on daughters in poor, middle class, and wealthy families: The population is daughters in three socio-economic groups.
The relationship between assignment strategies to prevent burnout used by managers of first responders and the occurrence of burnout: You determine who the population is in this one.

Is It Managers or Is It First Responders?

The population is managers of first responders. Or is it? The awkward wording of the topic makes this a bit hard to digest. The burnout occurs in the first responders, so maybe they are the population. But the first responders' managers are the ones using the management strategies, so are they the population?

Well, the two key concepts are management strategies (used by managers) and rate of burnout (in first responders), so the researcher will have to get information from both groups of people, so both are the target population: first responders and their managers.

Take a minute and try to figure out the rest of our examples.

Summing Up the Characteristics of a Successful Topic

We've seen in action the three chief marks of a successful research topic.

The topic states the key concepts to be investigated.
It states what relationship between or among the concepts will be explored. Remember, if there is only one concept (which often is the case in qualitative studies), there won't be a relationship. But if there are two or more key concepts, look for the relationship between or among them.
The successful topic names the population of interest for the study.

A well-formed research topic will have these characteristics, but simply having them is not sufficient. The elements also need to be well-focused and narrowed down to a point where the research becomes feasible. Let's take a look at a simple method for doing this.

Narrowing the Focus

Take a look at this grid. You'll see that one of our topics has been broken out into the first column. The population is first—indigenous people—followed by two concepts: responses and law enforcement. Now look at the central column, labeled "Narrower term." Notice how the very broad population has been narrowed. Similarly, "law enforcement" has been narrowed to police (there are many other types of law enforcement, such as FBI, Homeland Security, TSA, Customs and Immigration, sheriff's departments, and so on). Similarly, there are many kinds of behaviors and experiences that could be considered "responses," but the researcher is most interested in emotional responses. Now move to the third column. Can you see how each term is being narrowed yet again?

If we restated the topic now, after having narrowed it down a bit, it would look like this: Cherokee Indians' tolerance for stress when meeting traffic officers.

Let's work through another example, this time using the topic "Employees' productivity as a function of their managers' management styles."

You can see the key terms lined up in the first column. The other two columns are blank.

What would you ask yourself, if this were your topic, in order to narrow this down?

Questions to Ask for Narrowing a Topic

There are many questions you can ask yourself when you are narrowing your topic. A good opener is "So what do I really want to know about the concept?"

Another quite good question is to ask about your real interest or passion is about the concept or the population.

You can also find helpful terms by performing controlled vocabulary searches in library databases. You can find a nice tutorial on that method of searching in the Capella library at but whatever you ask yourself, keep your focus on what you truly most want to know and care about regarding the concept.

Now, let's get back to our example.

When the researcher asked herself what sort of employees and managers she was actually interested in, she realized it was service employees and managers. The more she pondered, and was helped by a quick check of the literature in her specialization, she realized that she was most interested in call center personnel. Then she tackled productivity . From her courses in management measurement, she knew that one way to think about productivity was days at work. But that seemed too dependent on factors outside the manager-employee relationship. She wanted a more fine-grained way to look at productivity, so she narrowed it to a specific measure, calls completed times minutes per call.

Then she took on management styl e. Knowing that there are many types, her first attempt at focusing this term was authoritarian style. That didn't satisfy her, and when she looked again at her topic, she realized that that word "function" was important. It implied to her that she was really interested in knowing how different management styles related to different degrees of productivity. At first, she put together a list of known management styles, but that felt intimidating. She decided to narrow it down to just two: authoritarian vs. flexible management style.

After all this, her topic now looked like this: Productivity as measured by calls completed times minutes per call in call center employees supervised by authoritarian managers compared to productivity in call center employees supervised by flexible managers.

She knew the wording was clunky and would need to be crafted better, but she had a much more focused topic. So far, we've been looking at two things about good research topics: what they should contain (concepts, relationships, and population), and how to narrow each element. In these narrowing exercises, we've focused on the concepts and the population. Now, let's turn our attention to the relationship . This is a very important element, because it offers an important clue about the nature of the study that might ensue.

Evaluating the Relationship Named in the Topic

Research asks all kinds of questions, and the relationship named in the research topic clues us into what kind of question the ensuing study will likely ask. Here are some questions you might ask in order to choose the right word to describe the relationship you're looking for.

What do you envision really doing?

Looking at comparisons between variables or groups of people?
Looking at relationships between two or more concepts?
Looking at effects of one or more concept on another concept or group?
Looking at outcomes of some process or treatment or condition?
Looking at experiences?
Developing a theory to explain some phenomenon?

For each of these (and there are other sorts of questions you can ask yourself), specific words can specify the relationship. Let's look at them.

If your topic compares two or more things compared with or some similar phrase indicates the relationship you want to know about. For instance, student retention rates in large urban school districts compared with small rural districts.

If your interest is about relationships between two or more concepts, try using words like relationship, in relation to, or other similar constructions. Here's an example: the frequency of church attendance in relation to socioeconomic status.

Suppose your interest is to see if one thing has an effect on something else. In that case, you can use that word, effect, or other words such as influence, impact, cause, predict, and the like. For example, the influence of tax policy on employment patterns in Midwestern communities.

An outcome is another version of a cause-and-effect relationship, specifically when you are interested in the final condition after some kind of process. For instance, the outcome of a training program. That word is excellent to use for the relationship, as in the outcome of training program A as measured by employee comprehension of corporate policies.

Are you interested in describing a certain experience, such as falling in love or being laid off work or having a baby or starting a new company? Having experiences is a very subjective thing, and the actual experience is a single thing—not one of a few variables. So there is no relationship to specify in such a topic, but the only way to learn about people's experiences is to ask them to describe them. So, words like descriptions of, accounts of, reports of, and the like can be very helpful. For instance, men's descriptions of their spiritual transformations when recovering from alcoholism.

Okay, we've covered the basics of how to craft a well-formed research topic. We've seen the marks of a good topic. They are:

The key concepts are clearly stated and well-focused so that they can be profitably found in the literature.
Second, the relationship, if any, between or among them is clearly stated. Even if there is no relationship, what you're really looking for (descriptions? accounts? reports?) can be seen in the wording.
Third, the people you want to study, your population, is clearly stated and narrowed down to a workable point. You have all these points covered in a single phrase, and if after narrowing it down that phrase is awkward, you will work on crafting it into a more graceful form.

In a minute, you'll get to work crafting your own research topic, but first I want to show you why we emphasize the importance of narrowing and focusing the key concepts, relationships, and populations.

What Do You Do With the Research Topic?

The research topic is step 1 in the sequential process of research design. Once you have your topic in hand, step 2 is to take it to the library and begin searching for existing research and theory on the topic. Here's where your key concepts need to be well-defined and narrowly focused. You will be looking for all the existing research on those key concepts when you start.

At first, you'll investigate each of your key concepts individually, to find out what the existing literature has to say about them in and of themselves. Later, after you have developed a good working knowledge of the background concepts, you'll dig deeper into research linking the key concepts together.

At the third level, you'll follow the "breadcrumbs" all the way back to the earliest studies on your topic so that you will, ultimately, master that literature fully.

So your topic statement is the foundation. It organizes your various literature reviews. Searching on the key concepts (translated into various key words) will help you organize the content of your study.

Searching on the existing methodological literature about the relationship named in your topic will prepare you for your methodological decisions in later steps of research design.

There is an old Chinese proverb found in the I Ching and many other places: “Patience in the beginning brings success.” If you are careful and attentive, and work patiently to write your research topic, then rewrite it, then rewrite it again and again, you will have a solid foundation on which to start building your literature review. The topic is your beginning.

Remain patient and steady, and you will succeed.

Doc. reference: phd_t1_u04s1_mpsuccess.html

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How To Choose A Research Topic

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Expert Reviewer: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | April 2024

Overview: The “Big 5” Key Criteria

Topic originality or novelty
Value and significance
Access to data and equipment
Time limitations and implications
Ethical requirements and constraints

Criterion #1: Originality & Novelty

As we’ve discussed extensively on this blog, originality in a research topic is essential. In other words, you need a clear research gap . The uniqueness of your topic determines its contribution to the field and its potential to stand out in the academic community. So, for each of your prospective topics, ask yourself the following questions:

What research gap and research problem am I filling?
Does my topic offer new insights?
Am I combining existing ideas in a unique way?
Am I taking a unique methodological approach?

To objectively evaluate the originality of each of your topic candidates, rate them on these aspects. This process will not only help in choosing a topic that stands out, but also one that can capture the interest of your audience and possibly contribute significantly to the field of study – which brings us to our next criterion.

Criterion #2: Value & Significance

Next, you’ll need to assess the value and significance of each prospective topic. To do this, you’ll need to ask some hard questions.

Why is it important to explore these research questions?
Who stands to benefit from this study?
How will they benefit, specifically?

By clearly understanding and outlining the significance of each potential topic, you’ll not only be justifying your final choice – you’ll essentially be laying the groundwork for a persuasive research proposal , which is equally important.

Criterion #3: Access to Data & Equipment

Naturally, access to relevant data and equipment is crucial for the success of your research project. So, for each of your prospective topic ideas, you’ll need to evaluate whether you have the necessary resources to collect data and conduct your study.

Here are some questions to ask for each potential topic:

Will I be able to access the sample of interest (e.g., people, animals, etc.)?
Do I have (or can I get) access to the required equipment, at the time that I need it?
Are there costs associated with any of this? If so, what are they?

Keep in mind that getting access to certain types of data may also require special permissions and legalities, especially if your topic involves vulnerable groups (patients, youths, etc.). You may also need to adhere to specific data protection laws, depending on the country. So, be sure to evaluate these aspects thoroughly for each topic. Overlooking any of these can lead to significant complications down the line.

Free Webinar: How To Find A Dissertation Research Topic

Criterion #4: Time Requirements & Implications

Naturally, having a realistic timeline for each potential research idea is crucial. So, consider the scope of each potential topic and estimate how long each phase of the research will take — from literature review to data collection and analysis, to writing and revisions. Underestimating the time needed for a research project is extremely common , so it’s important to include buffer time for unforeseen delays.

Remember, efficient time management is not just about the duration but also about the timing . For example, if your research involves fieldwork, there may specific times of the year when this is most doable (or not doable at all). So, be sure to consider both time and timing for each of your prospective topics.

Criterion #5: Ethical Compliance

Failing to adhere to your university’s research ethics policy is a surefire way to get your proposal rejected . So, you’ll need to evaluate each topic for potential ethical issues, especially if your research involves human subjects, sensitive data, or has any potential environmental impact.

Remember that ethical compliance is not just a formality – it’s a responsibility to ensure the integrity and social responsibility of your research. Topics that pose significant ethical challenges are typically the first to be rejected, so you need to take this seriously. It’s also useful to keep in mind that some topics are more “ethically sensitive” than others , which usually means that they’ll require multiple levels of approval. Ideally, you want to avoid this additional admin, so mark down any prospective topics that fall into an ethical “grey zone”.

If you’re unsure about the details of your university’s ethics policy, ask for a copy or speak directly to your course coordinator. Don’t make any assumptions when it comes to research ethics!

Key Takeaways

In this post, we’ve explored how to choose a research topic using a systematic approach. To recap, the “Big 5” assessment criteria include:

Topic originality and novelty
Time requirements
Ethical compliance

Be sure to grab a copy of our free research topic evaluator sheet here to fast-track your topic selection process. If you need hands-on help finding and refining a high-quality research topic for your dissertation or thesis, you can also check out our private coaching service .

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How to Choose and Develop a Research Topic: Ideas and Examples

Discover strategies for choosing and developing a compelling research topic. Generate ideas, refine your topic, and conduct effective research.

Kate Windsor

Jun 26, 2024

How to Choose and Develop a Research Topic: Ideas and Examples

Selecting the right research paper topic is a crucial step in the research process. A well-chosen topic can lay the foundation for a successful research project, while a poorly chosen one can lead to frustration and wasted effort. Choosing an interesting research topic can be challenging, especially for those new to the research field.

This article aims to provide guidance and inspiration for researchers seeking to choose and develop a compelling research topic and/or topics to write.

Understanding the Characteristics of a Good Research Topic

A good research topic should possess several key characteristics:

1. Originality and novelty: The topic should contribute new knowledge or insights to the field, rather than simply rehashing existing research. 2. Feasibility and relevance: The topic should be feasible to research within the given timeframe and resources, and relevant to the researcher’s field of study. 3. Significance and impact: The topic should have the potential to make a significant impact on the field and contribute to the advancement of knowledge.

Strategies for Generating Research Topic Ideas

Generating research topic ideas or thinking of topics to write a research on can be a daunting task, but there are several strategies that can help:

Brainstorming Techniques

1. Mind mapping: Create a visual representation of your ideas and how they connect to each other. 2. Freewriting: Write down your thoughts and ideas without censoring yourself, and then review what you’ve written to identify potential topics. 3. Questioning: Ask yourself questions about your field of study, such as “What are the current gaps in knowledge?” or “What are the most pressing issues facing the field?”.

Exploring Personal Interests and Experiences

Your personal interests and experiences can be a rich source of inspiration for research topics. Consider what you are passionate about and how it intersects with your field of study for your research paper ideas. Choose a topic that interests you.

Keeping Up with Current Trends and Developments

1. Reading academic journals and publications: Stay up-to-date with the latest research in your field by regularly reading academic journals and publications. 2. Attending conferences and seminars: Attend conferences and seminars to learn about current trends and developments in your field, and to network with other researchers.

Seeking Inspiration from AI for Research

AI for research can be a valuable tool for generating research topic ideas. AI algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data and identify patterns and trends that may not be immediately apparent to human researchers.

Easily pronounces technical words in any field

Narrowing Down and Refining Your Research Topic

Once you have generated some potential research topics, the next step is to narrow down and refine your topic:

1. Identifying a broad area of interest: Start by identifying a broad area of interest within your field of study. 2. Conducting preliminary research: Conduct preliminary research to gain a better understanding of the existing research in your area of interest. 3. Formulating a specific research question: Formulate a specific research question that addresses a gap in the existing research or explores a new angle on a familiar topic. This research question will serve as the basis for your thesis or thesis statement. 4. Considering the scope and feasibility of the topic: Consider the scope and feasibility of your topic, taking into account the timeframe and resources available to you. 5. Ensuring the topic aligns with the requirements of your research paper or scientific paper: Make sure your topic aligns with the requirements of your research paper or scientific paper, such as word count, formatting, and citation style.

Narrowing Down and Refining Your Research Topic

Developing Your Research Topic

Once you have narrowed down and refined your research topic, the next step is to develop it further:

Conducting a Literature Review

1. Identifying key sources and references: Identify the key sources and references in your field of study that are relevant to your research topic. 2. Synthesizing and analyzing existing research: Synthesize and analyze the existing research to identify gaps in knowledge and potential areas for further exploration.

Formulating Hypotheses or Research Objectives

Formulate hypotheses or research objectives based on your analysis of the existing research and your own insights and observations.

Defining Key Concepts and Variables

Define the key concepts and variables that are central to your research topic, and operationalize them in a way that is measurable and testable.

Outlining the Research Methodology

Outline the research methodology you will use to investigate your research topic, including data collection methods, sampling strategies, and data analysis techniques.

Tips on How to Write Faster and Efficiently

Writing a research paper can be a time-consuming process, but there are several tips and strategies that can help you write faster and more efficiently:

1. Break your writing into manageable chunks and set achievable goals for each writing session. 2. Use outlines and mind maps to organize your thoughts and ideas before you start writing. 3. Minimize distractions by finding a quiet workspace and turning off notifications on your devices. 4. Take regular breaks to recharge and avoid burnout. 5. Utilize writing tools and software, such as Grammarly or Scrivener , to streamline your writing process and improve the quality of your work.

Research Topic Ideas and Examples

Here are some examples of research topics in various fields of study:

Social Sciences

1. The impact of social media on interpersonal relationships 2. The role of education in reducing income inequality

Natural Sciences

1. Exploring the potential of renewable energy sources 2. Investigating the effects of climate change on biodiversity

1. Analyzing the influence of popular culture on literature 2. Examining the evolution of language in the digital age

Business and Economics

1. The impact of remote work on employee productivity and job satisfaction 2. Investigating the role of corporate social responsibility in consumer decision-making

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing a Research Topic

When choosing a research topic, there are several common mistakes to avoid:

1. Choosing a topic that is too broad or too narrow : A topic that is too broad may lack focus and depth, while a topic that is too narrow may limit the potential impact and significance of the research. 2. Failing to consider the relevance and significance of the topic: A topic that is not relevant or significant to the field may not be worth researching, even if it is personally interesting to the researcher. 3. Neglecting to conduct sufficient preliminary research : Failing to conduct sufficient preliminary research can lead to a lack of understanding of the existing research in the field, and may result in a topic that has already been thoroughly explored by other researchers. This can lead to wasted time and effort, as well as a lack of originality in the research. 4. Ignoring the importance of a well-crafted research paper title : A well-crafted research paper title can help to attract readers and convey the significance of the research. Ignoring the importance of the title can lead to a lack of engagement with the research. A strong title should be concise, informative, and engaging, accurately reflecting the content and purpose of the research.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing a Research Topic

Choosing and developing a research topic is a crucial step in the research process, and one that requires careful consideration and planning. By understanding the characteristics of a good research topic, employing strategies for generating ideas, narrowing down and refining your topic, and developing it further through a literature review and research methodology, you can set yourself up for success in your research endeavors.

While the process of topic selection can be challenging, it is also an opportunity to explore your passions and interests, and to contribute new knowledge and insights to your field of study. By investing time and effort in selecting a compelling and feasible research topic, you can lay the foundation for a good research paper and a successful and impactful research project.

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Choose a Research Topic: Choose a Research Topic

This guide will help you understand how to develop your topic ideas into a manageable research topic.

Terms in this Guide

Information Literacy: The set of skills needed to find, retrieve, analyze, and use information.
Research Process: It is a process of multiple deliberate steps in conducting the research work where each step is interlinked with other steps such as starting with a broad topic question to focus on an aspect of it to narrow the research focus to all the way to find and evaluate the reliability of that information. The most important thing to realize is that this is not a linear process.

Step 1: Choose a Broad Research Topic

Research is a long process. Try to choose a broad topic that is interesting to you and that fits the assignment parameters set by the professor.

Read through background information in an encyclopedia, dictionary, or database to learn about aspects of the topic that might interest you.

If you are unsure of what topic to start with, review the sources below for ideas.

A complete one-stop source for information on social issues. Access viewpoint articles, topic overviews, statistics, primary documents, links to websites, and full-text magazine and newspaper articles.

Step 2: Narrow & Focus Your Topic

If you are getting too many search results, then it is time to limit your topic to a particular approach to the issue!

Consider writing about one of these aspects of your broad topic:

Theme (a particular opinion, focus, or point of view)
Timeframe (period, date)
Place (city, state, region, country, continent)

Step 3. Write a Topic Statement

Now turn your narrow topic into a topic statement by writing it out as a short sentence. This is known as a thesis or topic statement. It expresses the subject and purpose of your paper.

Step 4. Evaluate your Topic Statement

Ask yourself the following questions to evaluate the quality of your topic statement:

Is this statement interesting enough to spark my own thoughts and opinions?
What type of information will I need to support the topic statement?
Is the scope of this topic statement reasonable? Or does it need to be focused even further?
What sources will have the type of information that I need to answer the research question?
Can I access these sources? If yes, where can I get the material I need? (textbook, library book, online databases, personal interviews?)
If yes, it's time to start your project!
If not, you may need guidance. Talk to your professor, librarian, and/or a Writing, Reading & Language Center tutor if you are unsure.

Research Cycle

Watch this tutorial and practice using the activities / answering questions.

MC Library's How to Begin Your Research Tutorial

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Check these resources below to learn more about how to develop a manageable research topic and select appropriate source types.

Identify Different Types of Information Sources by Niyati Pandya Last Updated Nov 5, 2024 1513 views this year

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Last Updated: Dec 3, 2024 9:10 AM
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COMMENTS

What is Research Topic
A research topic is a specific subject or issue that a researcher chooses to study, analyze, and explore through systematic investigation. Learn how to select a relevant, clear, manageable, and original topic, and see examples across various disciplines.
1000+ Research Topics & Research Title Examples For Students
Find potential research topics and ideas for various areas of interest, such as AI, business, education, health, and more. Learn how to choose a good research topic, find quality sources, and evaluate your research gap.
PDF DEVELOPING A RESEARCH TOPIC
DEVELOPING A RESEARCH TOPIC Every good research project has a well-defined topic. Selecting and developing a topic is an ongoing process by which you define and refine your ideas. You can then focus your research strategies to find relevant and appropriate information. Before you begin the research process, be sure that you understand the ...
Research Topic, Definition of
A research topic is a subject or issue that a researcher is interested in when conducting research. A well-defined research topic is the starting point of every successful research project. Choosing a topic is an ongoing process by which researchers explore, define, and refine their ideas. ...
Choosing a Topic
Research topics are often fluid, and dictated more by the student's ongoing research than by the original chosen topic. Such fluidity is common in research, and should be embraced as one of its many characteristics. The Purdue OWL also offers a number of other resources on choosing and developing a topic:
Overview
The research process is more relevant if you care about your topic. Narrow your topic to something manageable. If your topic is too broad, you will find too much information and not be able to focus. Background reading can help you choose and limit the scope of your topic. Review the guidelines on topic selection outlined in your assignment.
Creating a Successful Research Topic Statement (PSY)
A research topic is an area of interest to a researcher that is first of all, researchable. It is focused narrowly enough that its key concepts are quite plain and well integrated. It is a topic or subject that can be found in the existing literature of the researcher's field, which shows that it is of some interest or importance to that field ...
How To Choose A Research Topic
Criterion #5: Ethical Compliance. Failing to adhere to your university's research ethics policy is a surefire way to get your proposal rejected.So, you'll need to evaluate each topic for potential ethical issues, especially if your research involves human subjects, sensitive data, or has any potential environmental impact.
How to Choose and Develop a Research Topic: Ideas and Examples
Generating research topic ideas or thinking of topics to write a research on can be a daunting task, but there are several strategies that can help: Brainstorming Techniques. 1. Mind mapping: Create a visual representation of your ideas and how they connect to each other. 2. Freewriting: Write down your thoughts and ideas without censoring ...
Choose a Research Topic: Choose a Research Topic
Research Process: It is a process of multiple deliberate steps in conducting the research work where each step is interlinked with other steps such as starting with a broad topic question to focus on an aspect of it to narrow the research focus to all the way to find and evaluate the reliability of that information. The most important thing to ...