How to Choose your Dissertation Topic

How to Choose your Dissertation Topic

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•What is a good dissertation topic?

•How should you look for such a topic?

• Frame a Research Topic yourself!

•What are the attributes of a good dissertation topic?

• The possible pitfalls

In this Guide

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A Note:

•Most UK university students need to complete a Dissertation

•A successful Dissertation can mean the difference between a diploma and a degree

•An academic Dissertation needs to start with a relevant topic

Why do you need a Dissertation Topic?

A good dissertation topic needs to be:

What is a Good Dissertation Topic

Academically Relevant

What does it mean?

Your topic should be:

•Worthy of academic research

•Not been done before

• Should make a valid contribution to the existing body of knowledge

Academically Relevant Dissertation Topic

In a Nutshell

Your Research

Existing body of

knowledge

i.e. Your topic needs to have roots in the existing literature,

while contributing to the existing body of knowledge…Confused?

•Step 1: Identify your interest area

•Step 2: Narrow your Search

•Step 3: Read

How should you look for such a topic

•Which subjects do you like? E.g. Services Marketing

•A sector that you have worked in / are interested in? E.g. Banking

•An industry where data collection is easy? E.g. IT industry because you / someone you know works in it

Step 1: Identifying your Interest Area

•Refer to your present and past course material E.g. Services Marketing module guide or core textbook

• Identify a sub-Subject that you are interested in E.g. What interests you in Services Marketing, may be Relationship Marketing or perhaps, Service Quality

•Combine everything Bring together the sub-Subject area and the industry / sector where you want to do your research and you have a broad research idea, e.g. Service Quality in Banking

Step 2: Narrow it Down

•Head to Google Scholar scholar.google.com

• Type in your broad Research Idea E.g. “Service quality”+Banking

•Read the first few Focus on aim, methodology and scope for future research (found at the end)

• Look at the recent research in the field By selecting ‘Since 2009’ from the left and read the first few articles with a focus on aim, methodology and scope for future research (found at the end)

Step 3: READ

Did you find a Research Topic yet?

No! Continue to Read

• Frame a Broad Idea I want to study Service Quality in Hotel Industry

• Determine the scope of Research I want to study Luxury Hotels in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

• Identify the Relevant Issues Think what could be relevant issues for a hotel, customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, repurchase intention.

• Frame a Broad Research Topic E.g. impact of good service on loyalty. Once you reach this stage, you will need to read further

Frame a Research Topic yourself

Identifying the Relevant Issues and Framing a Broad Research Topic can be made easy by reading relevant journal articles. Refer to Slide 11 – Step 3: READ

• FEASIBLE

•RELEVANT

•ACADEMICALLY RIGOROUS

•VIABLE

•CONTEMPORARY

Attributes of a good Research Topic

Is your research doable or is it something that is not

logical?

FEASIBLE

Is your research relevant to academia, managers or

perhaps, both?

RELEVANT

ACADEMICALLY RIGOROUS

Your Research

Existing body of

knowledge

i.e. Your topic needs to have roots in the existing literature,

while contributing to the existing body of knowledge…

Is your research achievable within the time frame

available?

VIABLE

Is your topic / research relevant in today’s context?

CONTEMPORARY

•Don’t commit yourself Be prepared to change, modify or completely reject the initial idea

•Read, read, read There is no alternative. You can read smartly though, see Slide 11 – Step 3: READ

•Don’t suffer in Silence Talk to your supervisor, colleagues or us and you will find a way, if you get stuck

Avoid the Pitfalls

•What’s a good dissertation topic

•How to look for a good dissertation topic

•What are the key attributes of a good topic

•How to frame a research topic yourself

•How to avoid the common pitfalls

By this time, you know

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Finally