Selecting A Dissertation Topic: A Comprehensive Tutorial

Choosing the topic for your thesis is a very important step to take. If you think about the scope of the question, it can even get intimidating. Your dissertation is the work you will be associated with further in life. Not only will it affect your grades, but also your future career. Therefore, it is crucial to come up with the one that represents you the best. The guide below will help you select the best dissertation topic possible:

  • Pick something interesting.
  • Choosing a subject or an aspect you’re personally involved in is beneficial to you in more than one way. First, doing this will make the whole writing and researching process for you more enjoyable. As a result, you will be able to come up with a really strong paper faster. Then, you won’t have to worry about being stuck with a boring topic for the rest of your academic career.

  • Pick something original.
  • One of the main requirements of a really good thesis is its novelty. You have to make sure you’re making a good contribution to the subject area you’re researching. Your dissertation has to be useful to other scholars too. If you want to work on a subject that had already been discussed, make sure you’re viewing it from an unusual perspective.

  • Pick something researchable.
  • A dissertation is a book-length paper, so you have to make sure there is enough data on the subject you’ve chosen. What is more, your thesis will have to be based on a certain number of credible sources. Therefore, it can be a good idea to do some research on a couple of topics before picking one.

  • Pick something you’re competent in.
  • In order to choose proper sources for your thesis subject, you have to possess the necessary background knowledge in the field. If you were satisfied with your course papers previously, you can take the topics you’ve researched and expand them. You won’t have to spend too much time on the preparation too since you know the gist of what you are to do.

  • Pick something you can complete in time.
  • Usually, you will have a certain time frame to your dissertation. Therefore, keep in mind your deadlines and your writing abilities. You can only write so much per day, and sometimes you will get stuck for days without a single passage. Avoid picking a subject that is too complicated, or needs a lot of time to research.