Choosing The Topic For Your Dissertation!

Before thinking about topics for your dissertation project, make sure you are clear in your own mind about what a dissertation really is. You are well-known with the principles of essay writing which is the most common form of academic writing, but a dissertation is surely differ from a standard essay.

So how do you choose a dissertation topic for your writing project in the first place? You will probably already have an idea about the kind of topic or subject that appeals to you. Finding a good dissertation topic is a bit like a treasure hunt – you pick up an interesting dissertation idea, perhaps from something you have read or discussed in class or observed, and follow it up through published texts such as books, journals, articles and websites by following up references, until you fix on a prickly part which you feel needs to be addressed. Keep the following points in mind while choosing topic for your dissertation writing:

• Is the topic of academic significance, and not inconsequential? You need to have a genuine interest in this.

• Is the topic really manageable in the time available? It is a common mistake to imagine that you can cover more than is actually possible, so don’t over estimate yourself here. Make sure to consult with your supervisor on this.

• Clear your own standpoint – your own take on the dissertation topics. How do your own attitudes, values and beliefs affect your research? No one can be entirely objective – be honest about your own interests and values.

• As soon as possible, write down your thesis – the proposition that you are investigating. Keep this to hand whenever you are analyzing evidence or writing out your argument, so that you do not fall into the trap of simply collecting facts rather than unfolding a clear argument relating to a narrowly defined issue.