Importance of Dissertation Topic
To write a dissertation is arguably the most challenging task in a student’s life. Yet, it plays an essential role in his academic life. The topic does most work in a dissertation. In simple words, it is your study’s central idea or ideas. It explains everything to your reader in just a few words. The topper of UOL told us that the dissertation topic is the first introduction of your thesis. It grabs your reader’s attention in such a way that he won’t go to any other source. Thus, students must show utmost care while selecting a topic.Step-by-Step Guide
Students must choose a doable dissertation topic; I said this before. Still, I haven’t explained how students can select the topic. What are the strategies, tips, and tricks that can help students? Now is the time to explain this all. Thus, stick to this article until the last, and I assure you that you’ll come up with a great dissertation topic. However, the description of such tips and tricks is as follows;Check the University’s Requirements
It may sound weird to you checking the requirements of the university. But most of the time, everything hides in there. You should explore any handout or guide provided by your university or professor. Those guidelines contain every information that you will be looking for. Everything will be there, from word count to deadlines and restrictions to permissions. Many universities provide students with topics to select from in those handouts. It actually happened in the case of UOL’s topper. Thus, it is extremely necessary not to neglect any part of the guideline.Review Previous Dissertations
Reviewing the previous dissertations can be the most beneficial thing in selecting your topic. There will be much material unless you are undertaking an entirely new course. Previous students of the institution must have gone through the same research process. Reading and analysing their dissertations will be a potential source for new ideas. Moreover, you can also make use of online and university’s libraries. Many students spend a lot of their time there in the quest for new ideas and finding research gaps. One more thing, don’t ever forget to go through the reference list of a previous dissertation or an article. The reference list can provide you with more leads to dissertation defense.Engage in Discussions
In searching for an outstanding dissertation topic, students should go beyond books. Engaging with teachers and university professors can be fruitful in such cases. The university professors have tons of knowledge about the field and recent research. They already know what’s hidden for you. You should engage in discussions with your supervisor or any other professor. The fellow students and senior students can also provide you with a great deal of help, especially the seniors.Start the Ideation Process
Now that you understand everything mentioned above, you can start the ideation process. You have explored the previous dissertations, looked through the books and discussed the professors. By this time of selecting a dissertation topic, you must have knowledge of what has been done in your field and what has to be done. This knowledge will assist you in your ideation. You might have noticed that I am using the word ideation again and again. Ideation is the process of imagining after gathering all the possible sources.Narrow Down
Here the ideation process will end, and the next phase of evaluation will start. By this stage, you should have a healthy list of dissertation topics. One important thing to remember is to stay away from those topics and clear your mind of everything. It is necessary because you have already come a long way. You certainly need to give rest to your brain. After getting some distance from your topic, sit again with the complete list of topics. This seating will provide you with an opportunity to think objectively. It’s time to perform a reality check.Look at your topics and cross away from the unnecessary topics. After resting, indeed, there will be some topics that you don’t want to consider anymore. In this way, narrow down every dissertation topic, and you’ll only come up with good ones.
Make the Decision
The decision is the last step, as told by the UOL’s topper. He further added that once a topic is decided, stick to it. It’s time to choose a topic that you feel confident about. Once decided, don’t doubt your selection. Doubting your selection will give birth to more doubts, more and more doubts about dissertation ideas. This is something not a single student would want to happen at this stage of selecting a dissertation topic. You’ve planned and thought everything, double-checked feasibility, and are now ready to begin. You’ve decided on a research topic. Now is the time to trust your decision-making process and stick to it. Now is the time to start working on your research proposal!Conclusion
Selecting a dissertation topic is one of the most crucial decisions you make in your academic life. You can’t bear the consequences of making a single mistake in it. Thus, follows the steps mentioned above and rock.