How to Choose the Topic for Your Dissertation

After spending several years in school, choosing the topic for your dissertation might feel like an impassable gulf. You will be spending several months or even a couple of years on the research project so you need to pay attention and choose the topic carefully. Part of the reason for such stress is that sometimes your topic might be a condition of your future employment, so you have to choose something that is appealing to a potential hiring committee.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Choose a topic that you love. This is a very important aspect of your choice because you will spend a lot of time with the project and thus it would be better to spend all those hours researching something enjoyable. The arguments and the overall quality of the dissertation will be superior if you feel a true passion for your work.

2. Think about choosing a topic that the advisor is knowledgeable about and interested in. It is always a better idea to change the advisor rather than changing your favorite topic.

3. Choose a topic that will help you in your future career path. For example, if you are hoping for an academic career, you should choose a topic that might easily be modified into a book or some journal articles. If you consider working as a teacher, choose a topic that will be suitable for use in the classroom.

4. Try to choose a topic that establishes a sort of a niche in the field. You can do some research in order to find out what the existing literature on the subject is. Build your thesis upon the existing theories and try to expand them.

5. Finally, avoid choosing a controversial topic. Think carefully about it because it might hurt the academicians' sensitivities and affect your future career.

Resources

• Student Investors Blog