CHOOSING A TOPIC:Choosing a topic is often the most difficult part of the dissertation or thesis writing process.
Try to:
1. Develop a topic that has interested you throughout your graduate or undergraduate career.
2. Think about the top three issues you want to study, and then turn them into questions.
3. Review papers you have written for classes, looking for a pattern of interest.
4. Look at class notes; faculty members may have pointed out potential research topics or commented on unanswered questions in the field.
5. Talk with faculty members or advisors about possible topics.
6. Conduct research on a broad topic to discover gaps in the literature.
7. Keep the following cautions in mind:
A. Get feedback on a potential topic from your advisor; your topic may not interest others in the field as much as it interests you.
B. Do an extensive search to discover why your topic has not been studied before.
Is it original? Or may be there is something wrong with your rationale.
Thesis/Dissertation Title:
Remember that the title will be read by hundreds or thousands of readers while only few will read the abstract or the full text of the thesis/dissertation. It is the title that will appear in abstracting or indexing publications the most. Thus, every word in the title is to be properly chosen and written in the correct syntax and order. A good title contains the fewest number of words that adequately describe the content of the thesis/dissertation. The words to be chosen are those that are both understandable and retrievable.
The following basic rules need to be observed when writing your thesis/dissertation title:
1. Use specific, familiar and short words.
2. Make your title as understandable and as retrievable as possible.
3. Use correct syntax (word order) to avoid misunderstanding.
4. Avoid the use of unnecessary words that do not add anything to the title.
5. Do not include abbreviations, or chemical formulas in your title.
6. Let your title be concise and descriptive.
7. Think of an informative but catchy title.
