Tips to be followed after selecting research topic for phd students

The ability to develop a good research topic is an important skill. An instructor may assign you a specific topic, but most often instructors require you to select your own topic of interest. When deciding on a topic, there are a few things that you will need to do:

1. Brainstorm for thoughts

2. Choose a theme that will empower you to peruse and comprehend the research writing

3. Ensure that the theme is sensible and that material is accessible

4. Make a rundown of keywords

5. Be adaptable

6. Define your theme as an engaged research question

7. Research and read more about your theme

8. Formulate a thesis articulation

Step 1: Brainstorm for thoughts:

Choose a topic that interests you. Use the following questions to help generate topic ideas.

• Do you have a strong opinion on a current social or political controversy
• Did you read or see a news story recently that has piqued your interest or made you angry or anxious?
• Do you have a personal issue, problem or interest that you would like to know more about?
• Do you have a research paper due for a class this semester?
• Is there an aspect of a class that you are interested in learning more about?

Step 2: Choose a theme that will empower you to peruse and comprehend the Research writing:

·         Read a general encyclopedia article on the top two or three topics you are considering. Reading a broad summary enables you to get an overview of the topic and see how your idea relates to broader, narrower, and related issues. It also provides a great source for finding words commonly used to describe the topic. These keywords may be very useful to your later research. If you can’t find an article on your topic, try using broader terms and ask for help from a librarian

Step 3: Ensure that the theme is sensible and that material is accessible:

Keep it manageable: A topic will be very difficult to research if it is too broad or narrow. One way to narrow a broad topic such as "the environment" is to limit your topic. Some common ways to limit a topic are:

• by geographical area
• by culture

Step 4: Make a rundown of keywords:

Keep track of the words that are used to describe your topic.

• Look for words that best describe your topic
• Look for them in when reading encyclopedia articles and background and general information
• Find broader and narrower terms, synonyms, key concepts for key words to widen your search capabilities
• Make note of these words and use them later when searching databases and catalogs

Step 5: Be adaptable It is common to modify your topic during the research process. You can never be sure of what you may find. You may find too much and need to narrow your focus, or too little and need to broaden your focus. This is a normal part of the research process. When researching, you may not wish to change your topic, but you may decide that some other aspect of the topic is more interesting or manageable. 

Step 6: Define your theme as an engaged research question:

You will often begin with a word, develop a more focused interest in an aspect of something relating to that word, and then begin to have questions about the topic. 

Step 7: Research and read more about your theme:

Use the key words you have gathered to research in the catalog, article databases, and Internet search engines. Find more information to help you answer your research question.

Step 8: Formulate a thesis articulation:

your topic as a thesis statement. This may be the answer to your research question and/or a way to clearly state the purpose of your research. Your thesis statement will usually be one or two sentences that states precisely what is to be answered, proven, or what you will inform your audience about your topic. The development of a thesis assumes there is sufficient evidence to support the thesis statement.