How to select a topic for research, do's and don'ts, guidelines

1. Selection of Topic for Research
Dr. Aloysius H. Sequeira
Professor
School of Management,
NITK, Surathkal
email: aloysiushs@gmail.com

2. Defining research
• Research is an art of investigation of new and
innovative aspects of any branch of
knowledge.
• It comprises of defining and redefining
problems, formulating hypothesis, suggest
solutions or solution approaches , collecting
and analyzing data , deriving, experimenting ,
and eventually validating the hypothesis or
deducing new conclusions.
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3. Defining Research
• Research is also defined as search for
knowledge through objective and systematic
method of finding solution to a problem or
developing foundational theories.
• Research is intended to fill research gaps or
solve problems.
• Research can be also revalidating existing
knowledge.
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4. What is Research
• Culture-research is a culture to be practiced
through continued quest for innovation
• Attitude-needs hard work, dedication,
perseverance and an appropriate attitude
• Knowledge gaps- research should attempt to
fill existing knowledge gaps, create new
knowledge and validate existing knowledge.
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5. Motivation for Research
• Intellectual satisfaction of doing something
innovative and creative
• Meaningful and long-lasting contributions
towards advancement of mankind and society
• Enjoy the challenges of solving unsolved problems
• Attain higher level of understanding of
fundamental concepts as well as practical
significances
• Degrees , financial benefits and respect comes
along the way
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6. Summing up…. Research
• “Research” cannot be only taught , it also
requires practice.
• It does not follow “On-off model”, work once
and then relax .
• Continuous nourishment is essential
• There is no “one-size-fits-all” model, different
disciplines need different methodologies.
• Research dictates its own pace and direction –
should not be imposed
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7. Essential 6 Components of
Research.
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8. Essential 6 Components of Research
1. Identifying Topic
2. Defining Problem
3. Solution + 4.Validations( sometimes back and
forth to show the correctness to the world)
5. Writing
6. Presenting
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9. Important 6 Guidelines for Topic
Selection
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10. Selecting a Topic for Research-
Important 6 Guidelines
1. Realize your expertise and limitations
Expertise what you are good at
Limitation what you are not good at
• What you are interested not interested
• Are you willing to learn new areas
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11. 2. Focus on your breadth of knowledge
2. Focus on your breadth of knowledge first, not
the depth ; because depth is your goal.
• You may not have deep knowledge on your
topic
• Once you select the topic make your breadth
of knowledge strong
• Fundamentals should be clear.
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12. 3. Be specific about your topic but
flexible about the scope
E.g. I want to work on large scale systems..
I want to work on transmission losses..
I want to work on pollution …
• Don’t be copycats in selecting topics or areas
• Don’t put yourself in a box
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13. 4.Do not set rigid barriers regarding
the topic
• Keep flexibility in barriers
• Keep scope for expansion
• Accommodate new ideas
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14. 5. The topic may not be discipline
specific
• Problems are many times not discipline specific
but interdisciplinary
E.g. Imagine building a bridge across a river or
Tsunami - these are not only specific to Civil
engineering discipline alone.
Eg. Imagine Tsunami anticipation -not just one
discipline but many disciplines may be involved.
• These involve interdisciplinary thinking and
interaction.
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15. 6. Be prepared to revisit the topic
selection if needed.
• Keep the scope to change topic
• New topic may emerge while you do literature
search
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16. Expanding knowledge
• It is desirable to expand your breadth of
knowledge on the selected topic
• Read the fundamentals on the topic to build
up the foundation for your research
• Feel open about broadening the scope of the
topic as you build up on it.
• Be prepared to revisit the topic selection if
needed
• It will pay off in long run.
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17. Building foundation
• You should have or build a very strong
background and foundation on the broad area
of your topic
• You need to have some ideas about the state
of art
• You Should like and enjoy the topic
• New topics (hype)vs. old topics( validated)
• Need to envision the future prospects of your
intended topic
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18. Example 1 –Electrical Power Engineering.
1.Area/discipline: Electrical power
2.Topic : Power transmission losses
3.Problem: Underground cables insulation
4.Insulation classifications- cost ,
maintenance ,losses , heating , water resistance
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19. Example 2 -Networking
1. Area: Computer networks
2. Topic: Wireless networks
3. Problem: Cellular networks
4. Performance, reliability, security
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20. General guidelines in example 1 &2
• When you go down from level 1 to level 4 ,be
more flexible
• Be rigid at level 1 and flexible at level 3 and 4
• You may change topic if you find new
challenging ideas. In such a case, move up
from 4 to 3 to 2 and pick a new topic to
change.
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21. Topic Selection Approach
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22. Criteria for considering Potential
Topics
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23. Some general Criteria for considering
Potential Topics
1. It needs to hold your interest for a long time.
It takes longer than you anticipate to write an
acceptable thesis.
2. It must be manageable in size. Most students
begin with a topic that is too large. Remember
you can’t do it all. Your goal is to add a small but
significant piece to the knowledge base.
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24. Some general Criteria for considering
Potential Topics
3. It must have the potential to make an original
and significant contribution to knowledge. Can
you find a hole, a gap, a missing piece in the
knowledge base that you can fill and that would
be useful to theory or practice?
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25. Some general Criteria for considering
Potential Topics
4. It must be doable within your time frame and
budget. Given your current situation, is it a
feasible topic to undertake?
5. It has to have obtainable data. You must be
able to collect data for the study from an
appropriate sample size in a reasonable period
of time.
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26. Some general Criteria for considering
Potential Topics
6. It has not already been sufficiently
researched. There is no value to conducting one
more study about a topic that has been
researched over and over again.
7. It should be acceptable to your advisor and
committee members.
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27. Summary: Topic selection
• Focus on your breadth of knowledge first, not the
depth ; because depth is your goal .
• Be specific about your topic but flexible about the
scope
• Don’t put yourself in a box
• Do not set rigid barriers regarding the topic
• The topic may not be discipline specific
• Be prepared to revisit the topic selection if needed
• Once you select the topic make your breadth of
knowledge strong – fundamentals be clear.
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28. Final Advice
• Spend more time on formulating the problem
rather than jumping into any problem.
• Select broad topic and not too specific.
• Choose the topic jointly with
supervisor/guide.
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29. References
• Donald Cooper, Pamela Schindler, Business Research
Methods: 12th Edition, McGraw-Hill Higher Education,
2013
• Earl Babbie, The Basic of Social Research, 7th Edition,
Wadsworth- Thomson Learning, 2018
• John W. Creswell and J. David Creswell, Research Design:
Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Approaches, 5th
Edition, Sage Publication, 2018.
• Trochim, Donnelly, Arora Kanika, “Research
Methods: The Essential Knowledge Base”, Cengage
Learning, 2015
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nv7MOoHMM2k
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IJscfF_irU
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