Choosing Dissertation topic -5 easy steps toward selecting a good Dissertation topic
Choosing dissertation topic could sometimes be a challenge for undergraduate, Masters/MBA and PhD students. Knowing how best to go about selecting a dissertation topic will increase the chances of the supervisor accepting the topic.
A dissertation, often regarded as a ‘final year project’ is simply a long piece of academic writing which is solely based on original research. It is often carried out by University students in their final year at the University. A dissertation is a very vital piece in a student’s academic puzzle, this is so because it could either turn a student’s CGPA completely or run it into the ground.
For most students, the entire process revolving around dissertation topic selections and the entire writing process can be really difficult. This is often due to a number of reasons, such as;
- The inability of the student to fully understand the dissertation topic and its requirements.
- The inability of the student to fully connect with the topic on an intellectual level, in order to produce good results.
- The inability of the student to conduct proper or adequate research relating to the subject matter of the dissertation.
- The inability of the student to understand referencing styles as well as how to structure and properly compose a dissertation.
Judging from these number of difficulties, it is clear that the selection of a good dissertation is just as important as writing the dissertation. Nonetheless, it is important for the student to pick a topic which will be researchable, interesting and slightly challenging. Hence, the five tips or methods which a student can use to select a good dissertation include;
Select a Topic which piques your interest:
Writing a dissertation is synonymous with writing a low-budget academic textbook. The problems revolving around the subject matter of the research have to be in-depth and well-articulated enough to impress your project supervisors and examiners. As a result of this, it is only fair that the construct of such a dissertation will take weeks or even months to write.
Recommended: Project writing chapter one format
Hence, in order to develop and maintain an unceasing passion for the research which is being conducted, it is important to pick a topic which holds your interest. The topic or area of interest in this context ought to be directly related to your field of study. Therefore, before picking out a dissertation topic, a student ought to provide answers to the following questions;
- ‘What aspect or area in my field of study do I consider to be most interesting?’. For instance, there are different fields of study in Law like arbitration, criminal law, commercial law, labour law and so on. All these fields, either elective or otherwise have been taught during the five-year duration of the study. Hence, the first thing to consider while choosing a dissertation topic will be the area or aspect of Law which you think is the most interesting.
- ‘Is the aspect of study directly related to my career path or the career I wish to pursue in the future?’. This aspect is also important because, during the course of conducting the research, the student will learn new things about that particular subject matter. If the subject matter of the research is directly related to the proposed career path, the student is bound to learn new things which will stick.
Go for something Unique:
It is important to pick a dissertation topic that is unique or slightly different from the previous project topics which you may have stumbled on in the past. This is so because it will give you room to conduct your research and deduce your own conclusions freely without thinking that the previous research is way better or less detailed than yours. In addition to that, in most cases, the uniqueness of the research topic may also attract more marks or a good impression from your project supervisor.
In order to select a unique dissertation topic, it is important to be as creative as possible. After selecting an area of interest in your designated field of study, think of a topic under that field which is scarcely discussed or researched. Similarly, you can associate a topic in that particular area with a trending issue or event.
Another interesting way to pick a dissertation topic is by going through assessment tests or writing up assignments which may have been issued to you at one point in time or another during the study of a particular subject in your field.
Ensure that the selected topic is researchable
Oftentimes, students tend to select a topic which may end up being ‘too’ unique. In such scenarios, the available or past materials which may be available for the research will be quite little, thus making the research difficult to write.
One of the core things that supervisors or examiners look at in a dissertation is the number of citations or scholarly articles that the student may have consulted while carrying out the research. Hence, when selecting a dissertation topic, it is important to adhere to the following tips:
- Write down a list of topics which you may consider to be unique enough and interesting to you.
- Take out time to research these topics individually and gauge the number of scholarly articles(like journals, dissertations, textbooks, surveys, questionnaires and so on) which may be related to the subject matter of your research.
- Select the topic which has more scholarly articles. This way, there will always be something to refer to for inspiration or information when you get stuck while writing the project or dissertation.
Use the internet wisely
The internet can also be a strong source of help during the entire process of picking out an ideal dissertation topic and writing the dissertation. This is so because of a number of reasons, such as;
- The internet provides a number of tools which can be used for paraphrasing, referencing and so on. Similarly, YouTube videos can also instruct the student on how to write and structure a dissertation efficiently.
- Alternatively, different academic writing agencies, like WritersKing Ltd, can give provide the student with unique and interesting topics which can be used for a dissertation.
The bottom line is, while choosing a dissertation topic, it is important to use the google search engine as a strong source of research and inspiration for dissertation topics and even the entire dissertation writing process.
Pay close attention to your Project Supervisor
All final-year students get assigned to project supervisors before the commencement of the entire dissertation writing and topic selection process. Most times, these supervisors may appear to be tough or they may make a dish out instructions or recommendations which may seem impossible to you at that point in time.
Regardless of all that, it is always important to pay close attention to the instructions and recommendations which may be given to you by your project supervisor. This is so because these supervisors have been in the business long before you. This means that they know how to navigate the entire dissertation writing process easily.
Hence, if your supervisor makes a strong recommendation regarding a particular topic or aspect in your field of study, consider it and take it seriously. Similarly, when given instruction, carry it out effectively. Be assured that all these will produce results which will help you during the dissertation writing process.
