factors to consider when choosing a research topic pdf

How To Choose A Research Topic

Step-By-Step Tutorial With Examples + Free Topic Evaluator

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Expert Reviewer: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | April 2024

Choosing the right research topic is likely the  most important decision you’ll make on your dissertation or thesis journey. To make the right choice, you need to take a systematic approach and evaluate each of your candidate ideas across a consistent set of criteria. In this tutorial, we’ll unpack five essential criteria that will help you evaluate your prospective research ideas and choose a winner.

Overview: The “Big 5” Key Criteria

• Topic originality or novelty
• Value and significance
• Access to data and equipment
• Time limitations and implications
• Ethical requirements and constraints

Criterion #1: Originality & Novelty

As we’ve discussed extensively on this blog, originality in a research topic is essential. In other words, you need a clear research gap . The uniqueness of your topic determines its contribution to the field and its potential to stand out in the academic community. So, for each of your prospective topics, ask yourself the following questions:

• What research gap and research problem am I filling?
• Does my topic offer new insights?
• Am I combining existing ideas in a unique way?
• Am I taking a unique methodological approach?

To objectively evaluate the originality of each of your topic candidates, rate them on these aspects. This process will not only help in choosing a topic that stands out, but also one that can capture the interest of your audience and possibly contribute significantly to the field of study – which brings us to our next criterion.

Criterion #2: Value & Significance

Next, you’ll need to assess the value and significance of each prospective topic. To do this, you’ll need to ask some hard questions.

• Why is it important to explore these research questions?
• Who stands to benefit from this study?
• How will they benefit, specifically?

By clearly understanding and outlining the significance of each potential topic, you’ll not only be justifying your final choice – you’ll essentially be laying the groundwork for a persuasive research proposal , which is equally important.

Criterion #3: Access to Data & Equipment

Naturally, access to relevant data and equipment is crucial for the success of your research project. So, for each of your prospective topic ideas, you’ll need to evaluate whether you have the necessary resources to collect data and conduct your study.

Here are some questions to ask for each potential topic:

• Will I be able to access the sample of interest (e.g., people, animals, etc.)?
• Do I have (or can I get) access to the required equipment, at the time that I need it?
• Are there costs associated with any of this? If so, what are they?

Keep in mind that getting access to certain types of data may also require special permissions and legalities, especially if your topic involves vulnerable groups (patients, youths, etc.). You may also need to adhere to specific data protection laws, depending on the country. So, be sure to evaluate these aspects thoroughly for each topic. Overlooking any of these can lead to significant complications down the line.

Criterion #4: Time Requirements & Implications

Naturally, having a realistic timeline for each potential research idea is crucial. So, consider the scope of each potential topic and estimate how long each phase of the research will take — from literature review to data collection and analysis, to writing and revisions. Underestimating the time needed for a research project is extremely common , so it’s important to include buffer time for unforeseen delays.

Remember, efficient time management is not just about the duration but also about the timing . For example, if your research involves fieldwork, there may specific times of the year when this is most doable (or not doable at all).  So, be sure to consider both time and timing for each of your prospective topics.

Criterion #5: Ethical Compliance

Failing to adhere to your university’s research ethics policy is a surefire way to get your proposal rejected . So, you’ll need to evaluate each topic for potential ethical issues, especially if your research involves human subjects, sensitive data, or has any potential environmental impact.

Remember that ethical compliance is not just a formality – it’s a responsibility to ensure the integrity and social responsibility of your research. Topics that pose significant ethical challenges are typically the first to be rejected, so you need to take this seriously. It’s also useful to keep in mind that some topics are more “ethically sensitive” than others , which usually means that they’ll require multiple levels of approval. Ideally, you want to avoid this additional admin, so mark down any prospective topics that fall into an ethical “grey zone”.

If you’re unsure about the details of your university’s ethics policy, ask for a copy or speak directly to your course coordinator. Don’t make any assumptions when it comes to research ethics!

Key Takeaways

In this post, we’ve explored how to choose a research topic using a systematic approach. To recap, the “Big 5” assessment criteria include:

• Topic originality and novelty
• Time requirements
• Ethical compliance

Be sure to grab a copy of our free research topic evaluator sheet here to fast-track your topic selection process. If you need hands-on help finding and refining a high-quality research topic for your dissertation or thesis, you can also check out our private coaching service .

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Selecting a Research Topic: Overview

• Refine your topic
• Background information & facts
• Writing help

Here are some resources to refer to when selecting a topic and preparing to write a paper:

• MIT Writing and Communication Center "Providing free professional advice about all types of writing and speaking to all members of the MIT community."
• Search Our Collections Find books about writing. Search by subject for: english language grammar; report writing handbooks; technical writing handbooks
• Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation Online version of the book that provides examples and tips on grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and other writing rules.
• Select a topic

Choosing an interesting research topic is your first challenge. Here are some tips:

• Choose a topic that you are interested in! The research process is more relevant if you care about your topic.
• If your topic is too broad, you will find too much information and not be able to focus.
• Background reading can help you choose and limit the scope of your topic. 
• Review the guidelines on topic selection outlined in your assignment.  Ask your professor or TA for suggestions.
• Refer to lecture notes and required texts to refresh your knowledge of the course and assignment.
• Talk about research ideas with a friend.  S/he may be able to help focus your topic by discussing issues that didn't occur to you at first.
• WHY did you choose the topic?  What interests you about it?  Do you have an opinion about the issues involved?
• WHO are the information providers on this topic?  Who might publish information about it?  Who is affected by the topic?  Do you know of organizations or institutions affiliated with the topic?
• WHAT are the major questions for this topic?  Is there a debate about the topic?  Are there a range of issues and viewpoints to consider?
• WHERE is your topic important: at the local, national or international level?  Are there specific places affected by the topic?
• WHEN is/was your topic important?  Is it a current event or an historical issue?  Do you want to compare your topic by time periods?

Table of contents

• Broaden your topic
• Information Navigator home
• Sources for facts - general
• Sources for facts - specific subjects

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• Last Updated: Jul 30, 2021 2:50 PM
• URL: https://libguides.mit.edu/select-topic

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2.3 Choosing a Research Topic

Many researchers assume that choosing a topic is a linear process; however, in reality, it is more complex, and the research idea may need to be refined before the topic is finally chosen. Watch the video below that explains the process of choosing a research topic.

Choosing a research idea video by Bunmi Malau-Aduli and Faith Alele, used under a CC BY NC ND 4.0 licence

Techniques for finding and choosing a research topic

There are two main approaches to finding and choosing a research topic– rational (logical) and creative (intuitive). 2,3 The creative approach requires techniques such as brainstorming, keeping a record of the ideas, using relevance trees and exploring personal preferences. 3,4 The rational approach, on the other hand, involves techniques such as reviewing the literature to identify knowledge gaps, discussing the ideas with subject experts, peers or stakeholders, using past project titles, scanning the media and identifying one’s strengths and interests. 3,4 It is also imperative to engage in critical reflection throughout the process to ensure that the topic is relevant. As a result of this process, the topic may not only be refined but may change substantially. It is important to note that diverse techniques can be used simultaneously or iteratively to decide on a research topic. 3 Figure 2.2 portrays the different techniques.

Attributes of a good research topic

As a researcher, it is important to ensure that your chosen research topic is of obvious value and benefit, financially viable and within your capabilities and interests. 5 As indicated in Table 2.1, ways of assessing your capability include deciding if the topic is achievable within the time frame, whether the project will be current at completion and whether you have access to the required data. 4 Furthermore, there is a need for the topic to be linked to theory, emphasising the role and importance of literature. 4 This implies that the topic should be set in the context of existing literature, i.e. reading and identifying research already undertaken on that topic to guide the decision-making process about the topic selection. Also, the literature aids the refinement of research ideas and prevents research that repeats what has already been done. 6 The proposed research should provide fresh insight into the topic, the aims and objectives should be clear, 7 and the findings should be of similar value irrespective of the outcome (symmetrical). 4 Finally, the research topic should match the researcher’s career goals. 4 While this may not be the case in all instances, it is important to give it considerable thought, especially for those undertaking a dissertation. A checklist of the attributes of a good research topic is listed in Table 2.1 and serves as a guide when choosing a topic.

Table 2.1 Attributes of a good research topic. Adapted from Saunders, et al. 2003 3

Refining the research topic/idea

Remember that a research idea can be generated using rational and/or creative techniques. However, at the onset, the developed idea may be too broad or too specific and may need to be refined. Refining a research idea involves the steps outlined in Figure 2.3. First, a research topic is picked, and the topic is tested by reading the literature. If the topic is too broad, it needs to be made more focused, and if it is too specific, it needs to be broadened. The literature search and discussion with subject experts could be useful in refining the topic. 2

A useful way of refining the research idea/topic is to use a concept map based on the findings from the literature or discussions to identify contextual factors or areas related to the topic. 3 Let us return to our previous example of obesity as your research topic which was depicted in the video. A concept map that utilised the 5Ws and H (who, what, where, when, why and how) questions is presented in Figure 2.4 to facilitate in-depth analysis and refinement of the research topic. It is important to note that concept maps can be complex as each theme can be branched into further subthemes.

The refined topic can be further tested by searching the literature to ensure that the idea is novel and has not been previously answered. The Delphi technique is an alternative technique that could also be used to refine the topic and generate possible research questions. 8 The Delphi technique entails selecting a more focused research idea via contributions from a group of people who are either working on or interested in the research topic. 8 The Delphi consists of four distinct phases. In the first phase, participants can provide whatever information they deem pertinent, which explores the topic under investigation. The second stage is ascertaining how the entire group perceives the topic/idea. 8 The third step is utilised to investigate any substantial disputes and identify the root causes of any identified differences. A final assessment of all the information acquired is done in the fourth step. 8

An Introduction to Research Methods for Undergraduate Health Profession Students Copyright © 2023 by Faith Alele and Bunmi Malau-Aduli is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.