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What Factors Are Important To Consider When Choosing A PhD Dissertation Topic?
Although it depends on the nature of your study domain and the research areas available, some general factors must be considered while selecting the topic for your dissertation. It’s crucial to take the following factors into account while choosing a PhD dissertation topic:- The specifications of your institution and department
- Your knowledge and the potential interest areas
- The relevance of the dissertation topic to science and society
- Access to information and resources
- The time allocated to you for completing your dissertation.
What Are The Tips You Should Follow When Choosing A PhD Dissertation Topic?
It would be best to consider the following helpful tips when selecting a PhD dissertation topic to write your custom papers.- Reviewing the institute’s requirements
- Choosing a broad field of research
- Skimming through the top related articles and papers
- Narrowing down to a niche
- Considering the type of research, you will conduct
- Assessing the practical relevance of the topic you choose
- Getting the dissertation topic approved by your supervisor
Reviewing The Institute Requirements
Checking the prerequisites for your programme is the first step. The following check questions determine the range of what you can research:- Does the word count have a minimum and maximum?
- What time is the deadline?
- Should the research be professional or academic?
- Are there any methodological requirements? Do you have to use a certain kind of source or undertake fieldwork?
Choosing A Broad Field Of Research
Consider your areas of interest within the subject you are studying first. Examples of broad concepts are:- Literature from the 20th century
- Economic background
- Health care laws
Skimming Through The Top Related Articles And Papers
Look through a few recent issues of the best journals in your field to gain a more detailed feel of the current level of research on your potential topic. You should pay close attention to the publications that have received the most citations. You can also search Google Scholar, subject-specific databases, and the resources at your university library for ideas.List the ideas that attract you as you read and shortlist a few potential subjects. Consider how the topics of any previous papers you’ve written, such as a third-year or conference paper, might be expanded into a dissertation.Narrowing Down To A Niche
It’s time to begin limiting the alternatives for your chosen topic after conducting some preliminary research. It may be a gradual process that becomes increasingly detailed as you proceed. You could focus it, for instance, by doing it in the following manner:- Literature from the 20th century
- Irish literature from the 20th century
- Irish poetry after the war
- European economic history
- History of German labour unions
- Healthcare laws’ stance on reproductive health
- Rights to abortion in South America
Considering The Type Of Research You Will Conduct
There are many types of research, so it’s a good idea to start thinking about how you’ll approach your topic. Will you primarily concentrate on the following:- Collecting original data (for example, experimental or field research)?
- Existing data analysis (e.g., national statistics, public records, or archives)?
- Interpreting cultural objects (novels, movies, or paintings)?
- Comparing academic approaches (for example, theories, methods, or interpretations)?
Assessing The Practical Relevance Of the Topic You Choose
It’s important that your topic interests you, but it should also be academically, socially, or practically relevant to your field.- Academic relevance denotes the research’s ability to fill a knowledge gap or contribute to a scholarly debate in your field.
- The term “social relevance” refers to the research’s ability to advance our understanding of society and inform social change.
- The term “practical relevance” refers to how the research can solve specific problems or improve real-world processes.