HINTS; Thinking about your topic - Subject Selection

In most cases, researchers must confront the issue of subject selection, although in some where a title is given the emphasis will be on which aspects within that area should be pursued.

Selection of a dissertation research project will usually be confined within the boundaries of particular disciplines even then the possibilities are vast.

It is usally a good idea to get into the mindset that your research will be fluid and potentially change over the time you spend completing it. Therefore your initial subject selection might also change over time.

As your research progresses you may find yourself constantly focusing and refining your ideas. How much this happens will depend on the nature of the discipline and the appropriate research methods.

You might find it handy to narrow your topic area down by constructing a set of lists:

List 1: Topics of interest
List 2: Personal strengths and weaknesses
List 3: Topics of current interest in practice
List 4: Access to data
List 5: Research limitations.

Ultimately you have to make the call on something that will keep you interested for the duration of the project, will hopefully play to your strengths and have suitable access to current materials!

Hints: Thinking about a topic for your dissertation

This can be one of the most difficult tasks for any researcher, to select a topic and then to focus and refine that subject area to produce a viable proposal.

One of the common mistakes is to set targets which are just too ambitious and not achievable in terms of either the extent of the research or in the level of information which the researcher hopes to uncover and analyse.

Most new researchers are surprised by how little scope can be achieved by a research project in order to get enough depth of research and rigour of investigation of the topic. Clear and early restriction of the study will ensure adequate depth.

You should also consider at an early stage the resources available to you.
These include the number of hours you are willing to put aside each day / week / month to do your studies.

Research is not an easy option. Research is hard work but often the most rewarding form of study. The satisfaction and sense of achievement derived from a project completed well can be enormous; the efforts are well worthwhile and provide the researchers with expertise and insights for future work.

Real world research

ROBSON, C.
2011
Real world research.
3rd ed.
Hoboken, N.J Wiley ; Chichester :
978-1-405-18240-9




Suggested reading
Chapter 10: Surveys and questionnaires p 236-277
Chapter 11: Interviews and focus groups p278-301

Writing a Built Environment Dissertation: Practical Guidance and Examples

FARRELL, Peter
2011
Writing a Built Environment Dissertation: Practical Guidance and Examples
Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell
978-1-4051-9851-6

Research Methods for Science

MARDER, Michael P.
2011
Research Methods for Science
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-14584-8



Suggested reading
Chapter 2: Overview of experimental analysis and design
Chapter 3: Statistics

Research Methods: The Basics

WALLIMAN, N
2011
Research Methods: The Basics
Abingdon: Routledge
ISBN 978-0-415-48994-2



Start here:
Chapter 3 p 29- 41 structuring the research project
Chapter 4 p 42-51 research ethics