Selecting a Research Topic: A Framework for Doctoral Students - Phdassistance.com

SELECTING A
RESEARCH TOPIC: A
FRAMEWORK FOR
DOCTORAL STUDENTS
An Academic presentation by
Dr. Nancy Agens, Head, Technical
Operations, Phdassistance
Group www.phdassistance.com
Email: info@phdassistance.com

Introduction
Don’t know Where to Start
Framework to Select a Research Topic for Doctoral Student
Conclusion
Outline
TODAY'S DISCUSSION

A Doctor of Philosophy is the highest university degree in
the academic domain all around the world.
Research says that one of the important reasons for failure
and dropout is poor dissertation topic selection.
The PhD Dissertation Topic Selection is the basis of the
entire research work.
So it is essential to select a good topic for the dissertation.
This article clearly elaborates the structural framework for
Doctoral Dissertation Topic Selection.
Introduction

How to Choose
a Good
Research Topic

This is the first hurdle for a PhD Scholar and it is
completely fine even if you're facing the same situation.
In the due course of the learning process, the scholar
gets a broad perspective, clear idea and better
understanding about the subject.
This will eventually lead to the scholar to select a best
dissertation topic for his/her research work.
If the scholar is working independently without a mentor,
scholars can utilize the PhD Topic Consultation
Service on the online for guidance and feedback.
Don’t know
Where to
Start?

This is the first phase in selecting a research topic for your
research work.
The research scholar brainstorms the general research
topics of genuine interest to him/her.
Generally, it takes 3 to 5 years to complete a phd degree so
it is advisable to select a topic of scholar’s interest.
This phase is more oriented towards thinking, recalling,
understanding and finding your area of interest.
Framework to
Select a
Research Topic
for Doctoral
Student
Contd..
1. Brainstorm
Research Topics
in your Field of
Interest

Brainstorming: When reading or studying about a
topic of your interest, always have a pen in your
hand and take down the key points simultaneously.
Think out of the box: Revolutionary ideas arise
only when the scholar thinks from a different
perspective.
Discussion with your partner: Your
understanding and confidence level will increase if
you share your ideas with your partner.
Ask “WHY”: Before selecting something, always
ask why?

Preliminary Literature Review is carried out to find the feasibility
of the selected PhD dissertation topics & thesis ideas.
This phase gives a clear-cut idea and bigger picture about the
selected topic.
ACCESSIBILITY AND AVAILABILITY OF SOURCES:
These two factors play a vital role in developing good
research work.
It is important to check the availability of sources and
accessibility to the available source to proceed forward with
the selected topic.
Contd..
2. Preliminary
Literature
Review

NARROW DOWN YOUR TOPIC:
The scholar should narrow down the topic and focus on a specific area for his/her
research work.
FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM STATEMENTS:
The scholar should figure out a problem statement for the selected topic or the
existing gaps in the previous research works.

This phase is purely created to formulate research questions for
the generated problem statements in the previous phase.
The scholar can also use the online dissertation topic selection
service forums for Dissertation Topic Selection Guidance.
Here is a list of guidelines to followed while developing a
research question:
Make sure that your question is valid and answerable.
Ensure that your question is clear, simple and manageable.
Contd..
3. Develop
Your
Research
Questions

Ensure that your question is worth answering.
Make sure that your question demands an answer about the missing gaps of
previous research work.
Devise a question in such a way that it demands an answer addressing the
idea to overcome the listed problem statement.
Don't develop a hypothetical question.

Formulating your ideas into a theory for the problem statement
is the next phase in the selection of the research topic.
The scholar cannot solve the problems unless he/she
approaches it strategically.
Break down the problem statement into smaller pieces.
Magnify and solve the smaller problems.
Integrate the solved piece and create a theory.
4. Formulate
Your
Theory for
the
Problem
Statement

This is the final phase where the scholar collectively
presents the entire data about the selected topic to
his/her mentor.
Your mentor might exactly know the advantages,
disadvantages, feasibility and other facts & information
about the selected topic which you’re unaware of.
So, it is highly recommendable to seek dissertation
topic selection assistance from your mentor.
5. Consult
with
Your
Mentor

As quoted by the famous American humorist Mark Twain,
“good decisions come from experience.
Experience comes from bad decisions,” similarly a good
topic can be selected only out of experience and
continuous iteration.
This article conclusive illustrates the framework to select a
research topic for doctoral students.
Conclusion

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Selecting a Research Topic: A Framework for Doctoral Students - Phdassistance.com

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