Saturday, 12 May 2012

Choosing a Topic for A Dissertation

Choosing a topic for a dissertation or thesis is the first and the most critical step while starting graduate or postdoctoral education. It will be fair to say that this step determines the acceptance or rejection of a student's dissertation. A few tips may come in handy for selecting a thesis or dissertation topic.
First of all, a student should keep his mind open and be receptive to a wide variety of ideas. Reading the published work of other researchers in the field of interest helps to channelize the thought process of students. At the same time, the literature review forms a major part of the discussion section of the thesis.
When a student undertakes a thorough literature review, then he or she can identify the loopholes in the literature or areas which need to be further explored. This can serve as helpful hints to students regarding the area of study they can work on.
Another useful tip for selection of a research topic is to have discussions with the faculty members or the student's mentor regarding the same. The professors have more knowledge and experience than the student. They are also familiar with the scope of the research which is conducted at the university. Hence, brainstorming sessions with them can prove to be very helpful for students.
When it comes to selecting a research topic, there are a few general guidelines to keep in mind. For instance, the topic should be simple and concise. It should have a defined scope rather than being too broad-spectrum. It should be original and not copied from some other thesis. Plagiarism is strictly prohibited in universities. Even if the concept put forward by the student is not completely new, it should be a new approach to look at the same topic.
Many students complain that they suffer from a writer's block due to last minute anxiety. This is the reason why one should practice academic writing every day. During the stage of formulation of a research proposal, the student should write down all the ideas which strike their mind. This helps organize the random thoughts and develop a proper flow of ideas in the dissertation.
Selecting a research topic wisely is equivalent to the dissertation writing process being half completed. We, at Dissertation India, provide assistance to students at every stage of the dissertation writing procedure, from the topic selection to the final submission

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