The Need to get it Right when Choosing a Thesis Topic
Thesis topic defines the kind of research endeavor a researcher is to engage in. It is therefore of paramount importance to get your thesis topic right. This is because the thesis topic is essential in a number of ways:
a) First, the thesis topic determines the path to be followed by the research. It defines the respective steps the research project will follow and the type and nature of the research to be conducted.
b) The thesis topic influences the possibility of securing relevant funding for your research project. It is important to note that the thesis topic has the power to influence the potential funders on the worthiness of the research project. A poor thesis topic will always struggle to secure funding.
c) The thesis topic has a major influence on the research results and research validity. A good research topic will produce reliable results that in turn validate the research; the opposite is true.
Key Features of a Good Thesis Topic
A good thesis topic constitutes certain attributes. These attributes include:
a) Its context must fall within existing research. A good thesis statement should be formed in consideration of the existing research. This is important in understanding approaches utilized by previous researchers, ensuring that the topic has not been explored, and justifying the essence of your research.
b) Originality is another key feature of a good thesis topic. Considering that is challenging to generate a completely new idea, novelty can be achieved through application of a new methodology, seeking specific outcomes, or identifying questions that have not been answered on a specific subject.
c) Equally, a good thesis topic must demonstrate competence. In this, a good thesis topic should consider the relevant resources and skills required in the research project.
Steps of Choosing a Thesis Topic
The process of choosing a thesis topic could be defined by three main steps, that is, idea generation, testing, and elimination and refinement.
a) Idea generation may start by examining existing ideas to identify different variations on the theme in question. This opens the door for more novel ideas on subjects that have not been covered.
b) Testing the thesis topic is essential in examining the viability of the research. This should seek to find out whether it is possible to conduct the research, how the research will be conducted, and what is needed to make the research a success. Testing may be done through evaluation of relevant literature, experiments and investigations, and consulting experts.
c) Elimination and refinement entails examining the practicability of research ideas. In this, ideas that are impractical should be discarded while adjustments should be done on ideas with minor challenges.
