Points to consider while selecting a topic for dissertation help

Dissertation writing is a common requirement that is required to be fulfilled by each and every major student pursuing higher degrees like PhD. It is a long piece of work that requires significant amount of effort and time in order to achieve success. It is therefore important to pay adequate importance while writing a dissertation. Dissertation writing itself is also challenging as it needs subject specific knowledge, time and effort to complete it with perfection. Despite having its importance and challenges associated with it, the first step that needs to be taken carefully is with respect to topic selection.

The success of a dissertation largely depends on its topic selection, as there are many factors that needs to be considered to ensure a highly relevant topic is selected. But lack of proper guidance and adequate support from professor along with low researching abilities and subject specific knowledge, it becomes highly challenging for students to select the most appropriate topic they want to study. Here are 5 expert backed tips to help you in selecting a dissertation topic that stands out and gives you the best possible opportunity to succeed.

Tip 1: Choose a topic that is truly researchable

Imagine you have selected a topic and it does not have enough data available to carry out the research, or a topic that is already answered by past scholars, and there is not much scope left to further study. This would definitely create an obstacle for you to succeed in your dissertation. A good topic is the foundation of doing quality research. You can consider the following basic questions to identify if the topic is suitable:

1) is the topic going to contribute new findings to the subject area you are studying?

2) is there enough information available to carry out the research?

3) will it allow critical analysis rather than providing a description only?

4) are there enough case studies available and possible to collect real data?

Considering these questions will help you to select a topic that you can justify by doing your research.

Pro tips: It is important to consider a narrow topic rather than selecting a very broad one. As for example, employee motivation is a broad topic, and u can consider “the role of compensation strategy in driving positive efforts and productivity on the part of employees” can be a specific one and help you address your research goal.

Tip 2: Go for originality and new findings

Your goal should always be to contribute new findings to the area under study. It is worthless to select a topic that is already answered. It is therefore always good to select a topic that hasn’t already been overdone. You can consider asking the below mentioned questions to yourself before identifying whether the selected topic is good to study:

1) is there a knowledge gap in the existing literature?

2) can I explore new findings by doing research on the selected topic?

3) will the researchers in the future utilise my study as a base to carry out their research.

Pro tip: Perform an in-depth analysis of the existing literature to learn what others have studied and what gaps are existent which you can fulfil from your study.

“A well-chosen dissertation topic is half the battle won.”

Tip 3: Stay within your field of study

One of the common mistakes that is identified among students is they select the topic that does not align with their degree. This is one of the major blunders and it will not allow you to pass in your dissertation. A topic should be selected from the subject you are studying. For example, if you are pursuing masters in marketing, your dissertation should not be about “analysing the financial performance of a company”. It is completely unrelated to your subject, and even make it difficult for the professor to guide you. It is therefore important to stick to your academic focus area as it ensures coherence and academic relevance.

Tip 4: Get early feedback from your supervisor

It is always good to remain in touch with your supervisor from the beginning of starting your dissertation. Dissertation is usually a long piece of work that requires approx. 10000+ words for undergraduate and 50000+ words for postgraduate level students, it is quite impossible to make changes after a significant amount of work is already completed. Imagine you have written 40-50% of your dissertation, and you realise that the topic is not good to go. This would not only frustrate you, but also de-motivate you from doing it again from scratch. Your lecturer must have reviewed many dissertations and they are the good point of contact to get guidance with topics selection. It is always good to consider:

1) preparing a short research proposal or outline so that any issues with the topic would be identified at the beginning.

2) you should always be open to make changes to your idea based on the feedback you receive from your lecturer.

This strategy will not only save your time and effort but also help you avoid dead-ends.

Tip 5: Plan for adequate resources and time

It is important to give consideration to resources and time available to complete the dissertation when selecting a topic. This is mainly because even a most interesting topic can fall apart if you do not have:

1) access to relevant data in carrying out the research.

2) enough time to perform the interviews/surveys to do the research

3) enough literature available to base your foundation

It is therefore important to make sure that the topic is practical for your deadline and the resources available with you.

Bonus Tip: Even with dissertation help – Your topic matters

Even if you are planning to write your own dissertation or considering professionals help for your dissertation, it is important for you to consider your topic seriously. A wrong selection of topic would not only cost you time and effort, but also poses financial risk in terms of re-enrolment to the course. It is therefore important to follow the above specified points to remain on safer side with topic selection.

Still need help refining a topic idea? Contact our dissertation writing experts for free consultation. We provide help to students with their dissertation starting from topic selection to finalizing it.