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What is Research Topic – Ideas and Examples

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A research topic is a specific subject or issue that a researcher chooses to study, analyze, and explore through systematic investigation. The selection of a research topic is the foundation of the research process, shaping the study’s focus, scope, and direction. Choosing a relevant and meaningful topic is essential for producing valuable insights and contributing to the field. This guide explains what a research topic is, provides ideas for finding one, and offers examples across various disciplines.

Research Topic

A research topic is a precise question, concept, or area of inquiry chosen by a researcher to investigate. It guides the study’s objectives, methods, and analysis, shaping every stage of the research process. A well-chosen research topic is clear, specific, and manageable, helping the researcher address a focused question or hypothesis.

Characteristics of a Good Research Topic :

• Relevance : The topic should be meaningful and contribute to the field of study.
• Clarity : The topic should be clearly defined, making it easy to understand the research focus.
• Manageability : The scope should be narrow enough to allow in-depth analysis within the researcher’s time and resource constraints.
• Interest : The researcher should have a genuine interest in the topic, as this can drive motivation and engagement.
• Originality : A good topic often addresses gaps in existing knowledge or offers a fresh perspective on known issues.

How to Choose a Research Topic

• Identify Your Interests : Begin by listing areas within your field that genuinely interest you. This will keep you motivated throughout the research process.
• Review Literature : Reading current research articles can reveal gaps or unanswered questions that you may want to address.
• Consider Relevance : Think about practical applications or current trends within the field. Relevant topics are often tied to real-world issues, making the research impactful.
• Discuss with Mentors : Talking to advisors or professors can help you refine your ideas and identify feasible topics.
• Define the Scope : Ensure that the topic is neither too broad nor too narrow. A focused topic will help you conduct detailed research within a manageable timeframe.

Research Topic Ideas and Examples

1. social sciences.

• Impact of Social Media on Mental Health : This topic explores the connection between social media usage and mental well-being, focusing on aspects like self-esteem, anxiety, and depression.
• Gender Equality in the Workplace : Investigates the progress and challenges of achieving gender parity in different industries and job roles.
• Effects of Remote Learning on Student Performance : Examines how online education affects student engagement, motivation, and academic success.

2. Healthcare and Medicine

• Effects of Diet on Mental Health : This topic studies the correlation between dietary habits and psychological health, particularly depression and anxiety.
• Telemedicine and Patient Satisfaction : Explores how telemedicine impacts patient access to healthcare and overall satisfaction with medical services.
• Vaccination Hesitancy Among Parents : Investigates the factors influencing parents’ reluctance to vaccinate their children and strategies to improve vaccine acceptance.

3. Environmental Science

• Impact of Plastic Pollution on Marine Life : Studies how plastic waste in oceans affects marine ecosystems and biodiversity.
• Renewable Energy Adoption in Urban Areas : Examines the challenges and benefits of implementing renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, in urban environments.
• Deforestation and Climate Change : Explores how deforestation contributes to climate change, focusing on policies and strategies to promote reforestation.

4. Education

• Effectiveness of Virtual Reality in Education : Investigates whether VR technology enhances learning outcomes, particularly in science and engineering fields.
• Bilingual Education and Cognitive Development : Studies the impact of bilingual education programs on children’s cognitive skills and academic performance.
• Challenges of Inclusive Education for Students with Disabilities : Examines the effectiveness of inclusive education policies in supporting students with special needs.

5. Business and Economics

• Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) on Brand Loyalty : Explores how CSR activities influence customer loyalty and brand perception.
• Effects of Artificial Intelligence on Employment : Analyzes how AI and automation affect job opportunities and workforce dynamics.
• Consumer Behavior in Online Shopping : Studies the factors influencing consumers’ decisions when purchasing goods online, such as website design, reviews, and convenience.

6. Psychology

• Impact of Mindfulness on Stress Management : Examines whether mindfulness practices effectively reduce stress and improve overall well-being.
• Role of Parental Influence on Adolescent Behavior : Studies how parenting styles affect teenagers’ behavior and academic performance.
• Effect of Music Therapy on Depression : Investigates the effectiveness of music therapy as a complementary treatment for patients with depressive disorders.

7. Political Science

• Factors Influencing Voter Turnout in Elections : Studies the sociopolitical factors that affect voter turnout, focusing on age, socioeconomic status, and education.
• Impact of Social Media on Political Polarization : Examines how social media platforms contribute to political division and polarization among different groups.
• Challenges of Implementing Democracy in Developing Nations : Explores the factors that hinder democratic processes in developing countries, such as corruption and lack of resources.

8. Technology and Engineering

• Cybersecurity Risks in Remote Work : Investigates the cybersecurity challenges posed by remote work and strategies to protect sensitive information.
• Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare : Studies how AI is used in diagnostics, treatment planning, and patient monitoring in healthcare.
• Impact of Blockchain on Financial Transactions : Explores how blockchain technology is changing the landscape of finance, focusing on security, speed, and transparency.

Examples of Research Topics and How to Narrow Them Down

• Narrowed Topic : “The Effects of Social Media Usage on Adolescent Self-Esteem”
• Explanation : The narrower topic focuses specifically on adolescents, making it more manageable and targeted.
• Narrowed Topic : “The Role of Renewable Energy Policies in Reducing Urban Air Pollution”
• Explanation : This version narrows the focus to urban settings and air pollution, making it a more specific and researchable topic.
• Narrowed Topic : “The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives on Millennial Consumer Trust in Tech Companies”
• Explanation : Narrowing down to a specific consumer group (Millennials) and industry (Tech) refines the topic for detailed research.

Tips for Choosing a Research Topic

• Stay Updated : Follow news, academic journals, and professional networks to keep up with emerging trends and current issues in your field.
• Think About Practical Impact : Consider how your research topic might contribute to solving real-world problems or influencing policy.
• Balance Personal Interest and Relevance : While personal interest is essential, ensure your topic is also relevant to your field and valuable to others.
• Evaluate the Availability of Resources : Make sure there is enough research material and data available for your topic.
• Consider Scope and Time : Ensure that your topic is feasible within your time frame and fits the scale of your study, whether it’s for a class assignment, thesis, or professional research.

Selecting a research topic is a critical step that influences the direction and quality of your study. By choosing a topic that is focused, relevant, and feasible, researchers can conduct meaningful investigations that contribute valuable insights to their field. From healthcare to business, and environmental science to education, the examples and tips provided here serve as inspiration for finding a topic that aligns with both academic and practical goals.

• Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches . Sage Publications.
• Booth, W. C., Colomb, G. G., & Williams, J. M. (2016). The Craft of Research . University of Chicago Press.
• Neuman, W. L. (2014). Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches . Pearson.
• Bryman, A. (2016). Social Research Methods . Oxford University Press.
• Kumar, R. (2019). Research Methodology: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners . Sage Publications.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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• Research Topic, Definition of
• By: Xun Liu
• In: The SAGE Encyclopedia of Communication Research Methods
• Chapter DOI: https:// doi. org/10.4135/9781483381411.n510
• Subject: Communication Research Methods (general)
• Show page numbers Hide page numbers

A research topic is a subject or issue that a researcher is interested in when conducting research. A well-defined research topic is the starting point of every successful research project. Choosing a topic is an ongoing process by which researchers explore, define, and refine their ideas. There are four steps for defining a research topic, each of which is discussed in turn in this entry.

Step 1: Getting Ideas

Often the most difficult part of the research process is selecting a topic. Students may encounter [Page 1463] two problems: too many ideas or no idea at all. On one hand, some students might have lots of ideas. They are interested in online gaming, video sharing, interpersonal conflict, advertising effects, and the representation of women by mass media. They do not know which idea to pick. On the other hand, some students might be struggling with finding a topic and really scared of the project. No matter which scenario one is in, hone always starts by reviewing the assignment and making sure that he or she understands the requirements and purpose of the assignment. The purpose of the research project should be understood: Is the research for a class assignment or are for publication? A topic for a class assignment will be different from a topic for a peer-reviewed journal submission.

In addition to the purpose of the research, one also needs to consider the requirements for the research and the time one has to complete the research. The requirements for the assignment reveals a lot about what kinds of ideas will make a good topic. Considerations include how long the paper needs to be, how many references are appropriate, and how much time is allotted. For example, if a professor assigned a few months for students to work on a research paper, he or she may expect more than if two weeks are assigned.

The requirements of the assignment may also specify whether the project shall be focused on a specific area of communication and tie to the class materials or whether students can choose any topic. Communication is a broad discipline. There are different subject areas, for example, interpersonal communication, intercultural and international communication, group communication, health communication, technology and communication, instructional communication, language and symbolic codes, mass communication, organizational communication, and public communication. Each subject area favors different issues and topics. An example would be technology: communication is concerned with technology-mediated communication and how people use this type of communication tool to fulfill their entertainment or information needs. Topics like how different demographic groups use technology and its impact are interesting in this subject area.

After the directions of the assignment are clarified, one can start to explore different ideas for the project. For some people, getting the topic ideas for a project can be a daunting task whereas some people think getting research topic ideas is the easier part of a research project. There are several ways to help generating ideas for the research. One way is to talk to professors and classmates or colleagues. Professors may have suggestions and provide some examples. Classmates and colleagues may share what they are working on and provide brainstorming ideas. Other methods include reviewing course materials to see what have been covered in the class and talking to a librarian. News in traditional media or social media can be helpful too, as current events may pique one’s interests. Last but not least, everyday experience such as what has been experienced in everyday communication scenarios, can be a good starting point for developing a research idea: Why does my professor not check Facebook messages? Why do my boyfriend and I always argue on the same simple issues? Why do my friends only text me and not call me anymore? All these experiences can develop into interesting research projects.

Step 2: Choose a Topic

After getting some ideas, the next step is choosing a topic. An idea is usually very general whereas a research topic is more focused. A good research topic is interesting, manageable, and valuable. When choosing a topic, one should select a topic that interests him or her personally. Working on a research project is usually a long and tedious process, so interests in the topic and curiosity to find an answer can provide motivations and make the research process fun. One should also choose a topic that one can relate to. For example, a student was interested in autism because her little brother was diagnosed and she wanted to find more about it to help him. Another student wrote about student athletes’ academic struggles on campus because he was a student athlete.

It is also important to make sure that the scope of the topic is manageable. On one hand, a topic like global warming or the history of the Internet is not likely to encourage a thorough research project because the topic is too broad and cannot be analyzed in depth within a few. On the other hand, a topic like the use of new public speaking tool for a class of 12 seventh-grade students in Central California might not inspire interests [Page 1464] because the topic is too narrow and the findings might not be useful for other contexts.

In addition, the topic should have values and add something new to the discipline. Jason S. Wrench and colleagues indicated that a valuable topic can fill a “gap.” He and his co-authors further identified five types of gaps in their communication research methods textbook. The first type of gap is information missing in a specific context. An example would be that many researchers studied the impact of note taking in class on student learning, but taking notes with laptops and iPads are relevantly new. It is a new context to revisit older research findings. The second type of gap is about samples. For example, one can find many studies on teenagers’ video games playing behavior, but few studies examined toddlers’ play of video games (yes, toddlers start to play video games). This new sample or population can bring new insight on the impacts of video games. The third type of gap is the need of new update information. Robert Kraut, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, found in his 1998 study that the use of the Internet can increase depression. In his 2002 follow-up study, the connection between Internet use and depression disappeared. After a dozen years, revisiting this topic is important to test whether there is still correlation between Internet use and depression. The fourth type of research gap is conceptual gaps—a concept that has not been studied. Personal experiences, observations, and literature review may lead to development of new concepts. For example, a father of student commented that now, due to smartphone use, people text a lot, but these texts do not really mean a lot. He called this phenomenon “communication inflation.” Communication inflation is an interesting and fresh idea, may probably be a new concept for communication. However, before claiming it is a new concept, it is important to review the literature to double-check that the supposed new concept is actually new. The last gap is theoretical gaps. Testing a theory in a new context, a new population, adding new concepts to a theory, or developing new theories are valuable to the communication discipline.

Step 3: Making It a Research Question

Once a general topic is chosen, the next step is to narrow the topic to formulate a specific research question. Developing a specific research question helps keep the research focused and channel one’s energies into a productive purpose. A good research question identifies a theme that will help one to navigate available research and provide the guidance on how to add or eliminate literature. A good research question is a question that is clear, concise, and can be answered. Questions that are too complicated, fuzzy, or not possible to answer should be avoided. The best research questions are simple and clear ones that add new knowledge to the discipline. Table 1 includes some examples of how to turn a research topic into research questions.

After deciding on the research question, one can start to identify key concepts and terms of the research question. A helpful approach is to first underline the important terms in the research question and then try to identity two or three key concepts represented by these terms. Identifying a [Page 1465] few synonymous terms related to the key terms can also be helpful.

Step 4: Refining the Research Question

Once a research question and key concepts have been identified, the next step is to refine the research question. During this step, one searches previous studies to see whether the question is too board or too narrow, or whether it has already been answered. This search of the literature helps one assess the status of published research and information about the research question and provides an overview of the research question. If the research question is too broad, there will be a large amount of previous studies. If the research question is too narrow, there will be little information to review. One may also find that the research question has already been answered and there is little need to duplicate the efforts. At this point, the research question should be refined to make the question clear, interesting, and worth investigation.

See also Publishing Journal Articles ; Research Ethics and Social Values ; Research, Inspiration for ; Research Ideas, Sources of ; Research Project, Planning of ; Research Proposal ; Research Question Formulation

Further Readings

Allen, M., Titsworth, S., & Hunt, S. K. (2009). Quantitative research in communication. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

Wrench, J. S., Thomas-Maddox, C., Richmond, V. P., & McCroskey, J. C. (2008). Quantitative research methods for communication: A hands-on approach . New York, NY: Oxford University Press

• Research Reports, Subjective

Researcher–Participant Relationships

• Authoring: Telling a Research Story
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• Research Project, Planning of
• Research Question Formulation
• Research, Inspiration for
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• Conversation Analysis
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• Intercoder Reliability Coefficients, Comparison of
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• Intercoder Reliability Techniques: Holsti Method
• Intercoder Reliability Techniques: Krippendorf Alpha
• Intercoder Reliability Techniques: Percent Agreement
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• Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR)
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• Factor Analysis: Confirmatory
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• Validity, Face and Content
• Validity, Halo Effect
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• Variables, Conceptualization
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• Z Transformation
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• Critical Race Theory
• Cultural Studies and Communication
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• Ethnographic Interview
• Ethnography
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• Fantasy Theme Analysis
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• Queer Methods
• Queer Theory
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• Respondent Interviews
• Rhetoric as Epistemic
• Rhetoric, Aristotle’s: Ethos
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• Rhetoric, Isocrates’
• Rhetorical Artifact
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• Second Wave Feminism
• Snowball Subject Recruitment
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• t -Test, Independent Samples
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• Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA)
• Analysis of Ranks
• Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)
• Bonferroni Correction
• Decomposing Sums of Squares
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• Post Hoc Tests: Least Significant Difference
• Post Hoc Tests: Scheffe Test
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• Post Hoc Tests: Tukey Honestly Significance Difference Test
• Repeated Measures
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• Quasi-Experimental Design
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• Research Proposal
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• Solomon Four-Group Design
• Stimulus Pre-test
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• Two-Group Random Assignment Pretest–Posttest Design
• Variables, Control
• Variables, Dependent
• Variables, Independent
• Variables, Latent
• Variables, Marker
• Variables, Mediating Types
• Variables, Moderating Types
• Within-Subjects Design
• Analysis of Residuals
• Bivariate Statistics
• Bootstrapping
• Confidence Interval
• Conjoint Analysis
• Contrast Analysis
• Correlation, Pearson
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• Correlation, Spearman
• Covariance/Variance Matrix
• Cramér’s V
• Discriminant Analysis
• Kendall’s Tau
• Kruskal-Wallis Test
• Linear Regression
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• Multicollinearity
• Multiple Regression
• Multiple Regression: Block Analysis
• Multiple Regression: Covariates in Multiple Regression
• Multiple Regression: Multiple R
• Multiple Regression: Standardized Regression Coefficient
• Partial Correlation
• Phi Coefficient
• Semi-Partial r
• Simple Bivariate Correlation
• Categorization
• Cluster Analysis
• Data Transformation
• Errors of Measurement
• Errors of Measurement: Attenuation
• Errors of Measurement: Ceiling and Floor Effects
• Errors of Measurement: Dichotomization of a Continuous Variable
• Errors of Measurement: Range Restriction
• Errors of Measurement: Regression Toward the Mean
• Frequency Distributions
• Heterogeneity of Variance
• Heteroskedasticity
• Homogeneity of Variance
• Hypothesis Testing, Logic of
• Intraclass Correlation
• Mean, Arithmetic
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• Measures of Central Tendency
• Mortality in Sample
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• Relationships Between Variables
• Sensitivity Analysis
• Significance Test
• Simple Descriptive Statistics
• Standard Deviation and Variance
• Standard Error
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• Statistical Power Analysis
• Type I error
• Type II error
• Univariate Statistics
• Variables, Categorical
• Variables, Continuous
• Variables, Defining
• Variables, Interaction of
• Autoregressive, Integrative, Moving Average (ARIMA) Models
• Binomial Effect Size Display
• Cloze Procedure
• Cross Validation
• Cross-Lagged Panel Analysis
• Curvilinear Relationship
• Effect Sizes
• Hierarchical Linear Modeling
• Lag Sequential Analysis
• Log-Linear Analysis
• Logistic Analysis
• Margin of Error
• Markov Analysis
• Maximum Likelihood Estimation
• Meta-Analysis: Estimation of Average Effect
• Meta-Analysis: Fixed Effects Analysis
• Meta-Analysis: Literature Search Issues
• Meta-Analysis: Model Testing
• Meta-Analysis: Random Effects Analysis
• Meta-Analysis: Statistical Conversion to Common Metric
• Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA)
• Multivariate Statistics
• Ordinary Least Squares
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• Acculturation
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How to Identify and Develop a Topic: .

How to identify and develop a topic.

It is difficult to define a topic with much specificity before starting your research. But until you define your topic, you won't know where to begin your search for information and you won't know what to look for. With a well-defined topic, you can focus your search strategies to find lots of relevant information without also finding a lot of useless stuff.

Selecting a topic to research is not a one-step task. Identifying and developing your topic is an ongoing process that does not end until you have finished your research project. Start with an idea you are interested in. Find and read some background information to get a better understanding of the topic, then use what you have learned to search for more specific information. Refine (broaden, narrow, refocus, or change) your topic, and try another search.  

Find a Topic

If you weren't assigned a specific topic and can't think of one:

• talk with your class instructor (who is, after all, the reason you are doing this project in the first place)
• find something interesting in the course reading assignments
• look at the entries and index of a subject encyclopedia
• ask a librarian to help you figure out a topic  

Narrow Your Topic

The initial idea for a research topic is often too broad. If your first searches for resources are so general that you find more information than you can click a mouse at or deal with in a reasonable amount of time (i.e. before the research project is due), focus on one of the following:

• a specific period of time
• a specific geographic location
• specific individuals or groups
• a specific aspect of the subject
• the viewpoint of a specific discipline  

Make it a Question

It is often helpful to state your topic in the form of a question. Treat the research project as an attempt to find a specific answer for a specific question.  

List Main Concepts

Pull out ideas and key terms that describe your topic. You can get a better idea of these by looking up your topic in an encyclopedia or other appropriate reference work. This will give you a better understanding of your topic, which will help you figure out what sources you will need and where you will need to look to find them.  

Analyze Your Topic

Where should you look for information? From what subject or discipline perspective are you looking at this topic? Do you need scholarly or popular sources? Will you need books, articles, sound recordings, primary sources, etc.?  

Select Appropriate Tools

Which tools do you need to find the type of information you want, (e.g. the library catalog for books, subject specific indexes for journal articles, etc.) See the library's guide to How to Find and Evaluate Sources for more.  

Initial Results

After you do an initial search, you can tell some things just from the number and type of sources you find. If you get a million or so hits, you probably need to narrow your topic. If you get only a few, broaden it. If the hits seem to be irrelevant to your topic, search using different terms. Do another search and see if you get what seems to be an appropriate amount of appropriate sources. Keep refining your search until you are satisfied with your results. Then go read them.  

After reading through some of the sources you find, you will get a better understanding of the topic you are researching. With this better understanding, you can revise your initial topic and its corresponding question for which you are so diligently seeking an answer. You can also refine your search strategy: the databases you search in, the keywords or subject terms you search for, etc. Go back and try another search using your revisions. Repeat as necessary until you have done enough research to know what to ask and how to answer it.

• Last Updated: Oct 20, 2020 8:13 PM
• URL: https://libguides.wesleyan.edu/topic

A Quick Guide to Selecting an Excellent Research Topic and Project Title

Selection of an appropriate research topic poses a challenge for both research students and early career researchers in the Global South. However, this is basically the first step in the research process. A compelling research topic must be sufficiently narrow and focused to be interesting, yet broad enough to find adequate information. The choice of research topic (i.e., good or bad) significantly affects the progress of one's study . Therefore, researchers must opt for an authentic and genuine research topic. 

In this regard, certain categories should be avoided when selecting a research topic , including overly broad or universal topics, topics that have been exhaustively researched, those associated with controversy or religion, topics linked to politics, and those with a narrow scope. An unsuitable research topic can result in a lack of researcher interest, superficial exploration, limited access to relevant literature, ethical challenges, and/or compromised data gathering. This can be field-specific and an issue that may be controversial in one area can be a valid research topic in another discipline.

Research Topic versus Research Title

Research topic and research title are related concepts; they are sometimes used interchangeably by students but they each have a distinct meaning and scope. A research topic is the broader concept of a proposed study. It provides a focus for exploration, such as ‘climate change disclosure’, ‘mental accounting’, ‘corporate governance’, or ‘psychological stress’. A research topic can span a wide range of disciplines and may emerge from an area of interest, thus enabling the researcher to become acquainted with the subject area and gain a sense of its scope and complexities. 

A research topic is the broader concept of a proposed study, ... On the other hand, a research title is a specific, concise, and often catchy phrase that describes the focus and purpose of the research study.

On the other hand, a research title is a specific, concise, and often catchy phrase  that describes the focus and purpose of the research study. It is mostly a combination of topic, context, and contribution. The research title is narrow in scope compared to the research topic and provides a glimpse of what a study is all about. For instance, let us consider the phrase, “The effect of financial stress on the academic performance of University of Ghana students. Here, the research topic (financial stress), sub-theme (academic performance), context (University of Ghana) and the unit of analysis (individuals – students) are each individually identifiable.

Things to Consider in Choosing a Research Topic and Title

There are six general aspects to consider in choosing a research topic and title. These include the research gap, policy relevance, data availability, clarity of relationships, researcher interest, and subject area focus.

Research gap : The need to address existing research gaps in selected research areas is pertinent in the process of selecting a research topic and title. Research gaps are reasonable voids that exist in the research literature and which are deemed appropriate to study or contribute knowledge to. The existing  literature serves as the primary source for identifying gaps , specifically journal articles and industry research reports from renowned institutions. Students are required to explore the relevant literature, including review articles in the subject area of interest. 

By delving into the existing body of knowledge, one can identify contradictory issues or gaps in earlier findings. This approach is highly recommended for the selection of one's research topics and title, since academic research progresses by embracing opportunities for new insight to contribute to the existing body of knowledge.

Policy relevance : Selecting a research topic and title requires thoughtful consideration of the policy relevance of the chosen issues , recognizing their current significance in national or global discussions. Social science researchers, policy analysts, and decision makers have historically been dedicated to enhancing the integration of research and policy. 

It is vital for students to explore topics that align with both academic discourse and policy making , ensuring meaningful contributions to societal advancement by providing insights into historical, current, and future aspects within a specific social context, aiming to guide and inform policy decisions. One's choice of research topic when aligned with current policy needs enhances one's impact, bridging academic inquiry with real-world problem-solving and addressing complex societal challenges.

Data availability : Research inherently relies on data. Without data, the research process cannot be completed. Students and researchers should consider the availability of data in the selection of a research topic and title in both qualitative and quantitative contexts. Inaccurate data and data sources have the potential to lead a proposition and/or hypothesis astray, possibly resulting in a misleading analysis or inaccurate findings, or both. Researchers often face constraints tied to data access or unavailability of archival or quantitative information in emerging research areas, which in turn may affect the depth and scope of their investigation.

This context, however, triggers the qualitative–quantitative debate in research. Researchers may resort to a qualitative approach to understand a phenomenon where data becomes scarce. Although secondary data sources can save time and money, it is imperative for researchers to verify the accessibility, reliability, and completeness of their data.

Clarity of Relationships : In the process of selecting a research topic and a title, students must probe into the clarity of the relationships within their chosen concept areas. The process extends beyond mere combination of concepts; instead, it requires thoughtful exploration involving hypothesis development. The significance lies in the formulation of an hypothesis that can be tested by means of applying appropriate research methodologies. 

This approach ensures that the selected topic is not only conceptually cohesive but also lends itself to empirical investigation, allowing for the establishment of relationships through systematic inquiry. By emphasizing hypothesis building, researchers pave the way for empirical exploration, enabling them to uncover meaningful insights and contribute to the advancement of knowledge within their chosen field. 

Personal Interest : The choice of research topic can be positively influenced by the researcher’s values, beliefs, and interests. Achieving a successful outcome is facilitated by your enthusiasm and dedication. Students must consider the following question: "What are the topics that I am most curious about, like reading about or discussing, or have personal experience with?" 

Selecting a topic that is aligned with one's personal interest serves as a source of motivation. The research journey, which can be extensive and challenging, becomes more enjoyable and fulfilling when driven by personal interest. The trend not only enhances the researcher’s understanding of the subject matter but also positively influences the overall quality of the research. For the sake of objectivity, the researcher should not use his/her personal experience as the basis of their conclusions but rely on objective data.

Subject Area Focus : In the process of selecting a research topic and title, a critical consideration is the connection to the relevant discipline. Knowledge creation predominantly operates within the framework of specific subject areas (even in interdisciplinary contexts), and it is essential to ensure that the chosen topic aligns with the disciplinary context. 

This involves addressing potential concerns where some may argue that the selected topic is not inherently connected to the field. For instance, in accounting seminar presentations, the panel can ask, "How relevant to accounting is your topic?" In this case, the researcher has to explain how their new study will contribute to the knowledge base pertaining to the discipline of accounting. Students should anticipate and address any skepticism regarding the disciplinary relevance of their chosen topic. By establishing clear connections and demonstrating thow their research contributes to or engages with the discipline, the researcher strengthens the scholarly foundations of their research project.

My Personal Experience

Generating my research topic and title was an  iterative process and driven by my personal interests , the interests of my supervisors, the availability and sources of my data, current trends, and existing gaps in the literature. Initially, I limited my focus to the research areas of my supervisors and generated several research topics and titles. Upon numerous discussions, we realized that those areas were not so interesting, because a lot had already been done in this specific field. The unavailability of data was also a concern. Thus, little could be done using a quantitative approach, since most public sectors, especially hospitals, do not disclose their annual financial statements. 

This triggered the need to search for other areas of recent interest, some of which were proposed by my supervisors. Nonetheless, I embarked on a wide search by reading most current literature review papers in the proposed areas, with the aim of finding recommendations on future studies and identifying gaps in issues, methodology, theory, and context. I also read conference papers and exposure drafts of related organizational bodies, which addressed more pertinent issues. I thus gained clarity as to the most appropriate research topic and titles I am now using for my research projects, since I was exposed to the nuances of the areas of interest to me. I believe that this iterative process is also relevant for other social science and non-social science fields.

Conclusions and Insights

The most difficult aspect of doing research is getting started. However, choosing a topic is itself research. Students must define the scope of their research to link identified research gaps to their research topic. Upon establishing the overall purpose of their study, the research title can be adjusted to align seamlessly with the research objective and intentions.

Recommendation for students or mentees:

• Students should participate in conferences and seminars to gather insights as to current and future research needs. Engage with presenters for valuable suggestions on potential areas for future research. 
• Students must establish an academic network within and beyond their university. Collaborate with supervisors and experts for topic ideas. This could be done in the form of journal clubs, such as the various AuthorAID Journal Clubs .
• Students must prioritize searching for information from websites that are credible and reliable. This should also include the following of global, regional, and national affairs sites. 

Recommendations for supervisors or mentors:

• Supervisors should guide students in choosing research topics that align with the degree requirements and the current state of knowledge. They should also outline the project scope in initial supervisory meetings.
• Supervisors should recommend research topics that can be successfully completed within the allocated time with research outputs in the forms of journal articles, policy briefs, or white papers.

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• Purposes of the graduate degree
• Starting out
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Defining the research topic

• Improving reading and writing skills
• Developing Transferable Skills
• Presenting at seminars and conferences
• Publishing during graduate studies
• Comprehensive exams
• Dissertation and thesis exams
• Practical advice
• Ideas for reflection

Conceptualizing your research topic

Conceptualizing a research topic entails formulating a “defensible and researchable” research question . Conducting a literature search as one of the first steps in a graduate degree is often quite helpful as published peer-reviewed research articles are key to identify knowledge gaps in current literature. Thus, students can design and phrase their research projects to aim to address these research gaps.

Elements of a good research topic

• Interesting: topic represents an area of deep interest for the researcher
• Original : for PhD students, the topic can produce an original contribution to knowledge
• Manageable: research question could be answered within the degree’s recommended time frame (see time limitation ).

At McGill, PhD students are usually expected to have a sufficiently defined research topic by the time of the comprehensive exam .

Seminar presentations can help with topic definition and project planning

Many experienced supervisors and successful PhD students suggest that preparing a research proposal for presentation at a seminar within six months of commencement helps with focusing on the topic. Here are some suggested questions:

• What is it that you want to find answers for?
• Why is it important that this be researched?
• What impact will this research have?
• How will you go about researching this?

Read critically to identify gaps in the field and understand different research methods

Critical reading involves developing an understanding of the knowledge and gaps in the field and being able to critique different research methods, methodologies and epistemologies.

Try concept mapping to visualize and organize links between ideas

Concept mapping: a practical strategy for students and researchers starting a project. It helps to identify areas of importance as well as possibilities for the exploration and analysis of such areas.

Concept maps are helpful as a means of focusing discussion on the topic or research question because they offer a visual approach to creating relationships among concepts . More information about concept mapping can be found at the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition's page on Constructing your first concept map .

• A concept map showing the main components of a concept map , from Novak & Canas (2008) .

If the student makes a concept map, this can form the basis of different discussions between the student and supervisor.

How important is motivation for topic selection?

Most graduate students have a general idea about what they would like to research. Depending on supervisors and disciplines, a student may be "given" a specific research topic or a list of topics to choose from or be asked to generate a topic based on her or his prior knowledge and experience. In either situation, it is a good idea to talk with others – supervisors, students, colleagues, peers, even friends and family – about possible choices, since a research topic is something most students will commit to for the rest of their degree.

Point to reflect on

• What questions, topics or methodologies are you passionate about? Why are you passionate about them (e.g., personal interest or curiosity, potential applications to help others or the environment)?
• Is it possible to answer your desired question within the time frame of a graduate degree? If not, is it possible to choose a portion of this topic to investigate during your graduate studies?
• Do you get more motivated from knowing exactly what you’re going to do, or from the excitement of unexpected discoveries or research trajectories? How can you select a topic and plan your project to better suit your sources of motivation See  Staying motivated  for additional resources

Steps to refine the research focus

• Identify the boundaries of the research areas and the gaps in the field .
• Make a list of possible research ideas within a topic.
• Discuss these ideas with others (e.g., peers, colleagues, professors, mentors). This can provide opportunities for receiving advice based on past experiences, additional ideas, or opportunities for collaboration.
• Reduce the list to two ideas : a first choice and a backup. Having a backup is useful in the event that the first choice is found to be inappropriate for the time restriction, require unattainable resources, or be otherwise not feasible.
• Brainstorm as many ideas, questions, possible problems, and any other thoughts relevant to the first choice.
• Narrow down these ideas into a more precise focus by considering feasibility (e.g., time, requires resources), interest, and significance. The resulting idea should complete the sentence “The purpose of this project is…”
• Refer back to the brainstorming and remove anything not relevant to the purpose statement. Add any new relevant ideas. Use these ideas as well as the purpose statement to create a list of researchable questions . Be sure to define key terms and consider required resources, including the characteristics of the participants if applicable.
• Create a project outline. Consider what information or data will be needed and how it can be obtained.

Adapted from Wisker (2005, p. 83) and Bell & Waters (2014)

Bell, J., & Waters, S. (2014). Doing your research project: A guide for first-time researchers . New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

Novak, J. D., & Cañas, A. J. (2008). The theory underlying concept maps and how to construct and use them. Institute for Human and Machine Cognition . Retrieved from http://cmap.ihmc.us/docs/theory-of-concept-maps

Wisker, G. (2005). The good supervisor: Supervising postgraduate and undergraduate research for doctoral theses and dissertations . Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 International License . Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, McGill University .

Department and University Information

Graduate and postdoctoral studies.

Writing Research Papers

• Information Literacy Goals
• Why Write Research Papers?
• Inquiry Process
• Research Topic / Question
• Developing Research Questions & Search Terms
• Source Types - Part 1
• Source Types - Part 2
• Finding Sources - OneSearch & Databases
• Evaluating Information
• Synthesis / Writing
• Citing Sources & Bibliographies

Topic vs. Research Question

A research topic is a subject that you are interested in investigating. For instance, Bees is a Topic.

A  research question  drives your investigation. It is something that you want to know  about  your topic; something you will explore and try to answer. For example, "How do bees work together as a community?" is a research question. 

Using the 5Ws to Develop a Research Question

Concept Mapping Your Topic

Concept mapping can be a great way to brainstorm ideas and make connections between them. The following worksheets can be helpful to you in this process. But first, check out this tutorial on how use concept mapping to generate a great list of questions: https://uclalibrary.github.io/research-tips/questions/ .

• Example of a Concept Map
• Concept Map Activity

Sources to Help You Explore Your Topics Related to Contemporary or Controversial Issues

Anyone with a valid CUNY email address can sign up for free access to the NYTimes.com website and apps. It also means that you can cancel your personal subscription to NYTimes.com! (But first read the Restrictions section below to make sure you want to cancel.) How to Register for Your Free Academic Pass: Go to nytimes.com/passes Click Register to create a NYTimes.com account using your cuny.edu email address. If you already have a NYTimes account (free or paid) associated with your CUNY email, you need to unlink your CUNY email from that account before signing up for your Academic Pass. Log in to NYTimes.com, click your Username in the top right corner, select My Account, and replace your CUNY address with a non-CUNY one. You can then use your CUNY address to register for your pass. At the bottom of the Welcome page, click Continue. You will be prompted to check your email. Watch for the confirmation message, which should arrive within 15 minutes. Click the link in the confirmation email. This will simultaneously verify your eligibility and grant your Academic Pass, which will provide access to NYTimes.com for 52 weeks. If you don't get the confirmation email, check your spam filter. If you still do not receive it, send an email from your CUNY email account to [email protected]. Ongoing Use : Once you have activated your Academic Pass, you should have full access for 52 weeks (364 days) with no further action on your part. If you see a message that you are reaching the limit of free articles on the site, youre probably not logged in. Simply log back in. Renewal: As people who have signed up reach their one-year anniversary, their passes will expire, and they will start seeing the article counter again. Then, after accessing 10 articles, they will be prompted to subscribe or log in. When this happens to you, just go to https://nytimes.com/passes and sign in as an existing subscriber to enjoy another free year of access to the digital New York Times.  Apps: Your Academic Pass includes access to the NYTimes apps. Once you have registered your Academic Pass, you can access nytimes.com on most web-capable devices. Canceling a Personal Subscription: To cancel your personal subscription, call NYTimes customer service at 1-800-NYTIMES or, if you subscribed through iTunes, follow these instructions. There may be other things you have to do, depending on the device you have been using to read the NYTimes. If you had an annual subscription, you will receive a refund for the unused portion of the year. If you had a monthly subscription, you will not receive a refund for the month in which you cancel.

• << Previous: Inquiry Process
• Next: Developing Research Questions & Search Terms >>
• Last Updated: Oct 9, 2024 1:13 PM
• URL: https://libguides.lehman.edu/writing-research

How to Research

Define a topic.

• Library Resources
• Web Resources
• Evaluate for Quality
• Research Tips & Search Strategies
• Academic Integrity
• Citation Styles
• Annotated Bibliography

• Understand assignment requirements .
• Select a topic for their research paper.
• Formulate a research question.
• Narrow or broaden a research question.
• Determine keywords and brainstorm search terms .

   If you are unsure about what is expected about your assignment, consult with your instructor.

Step 1: Understand Your Assignment

Understand your assignment.

Before setting out to complete an assignment, get to know what is required. Parts of the assignment description students should look for include:

• Due date. Plan out an adequate amount of time to learn about your assignment, conduct research, create citations, and write.
• Length. The length of an assignment will give you an idea of how much research you will need to do.
• Citation Style. It will give you an idea of how to format your assignment (e.g., single-spaced, double-spaced, font, etc.) and create references (e.g., APA Style). If this information is not present in your assignment description, check your course outline.
• Sources. This includes the number of sources and types of sources you will need to complete the assignment sufficiently (e.g., scholarly sources).

Assignment descriptions also provide useful context or background information that will help you with identifying a topic.

Source: Niagara College Libraries + Learning Commons Information Skills Online Handbook

Step 2: Select a Research Topic

• a) Topic Selection
• b) Background Research
• c) Research Question
• d) Assess Your Topic

Select a Topic

Carefully read over your assignment description.

• Have you been provided with options for topics or do you need to come up with your own topic?
• Is there something that is happening in the news that interests you?
• Is there something you have learned about in your studies that you would like to explore further?
• If you have any questions, ask your professor for clarification.

When selecting your topic, ask yourself these questions:

• WHY did you choose the topic? What interests you about it? Do you have an opinion about the issues involved?
• WHO  are the information providers on this topic? Who might publish information about it? Who is affected by the topic? Do you know of organizations or institutions affiliated with the topic?
• WHAT are the major questions for this topic? Is there a debate about the topic? Are there a range of issues and viewpoints to consider?
• WHERE is your topic important: at the local, national, or international level? Are there specific places affected by the topic?
• WHEN is/was your topic important? Is it a current event or an historical issue? Do you want to compare your topic by time periods?

Content reproduced from  MIT.edu   under a  Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License

Background Research

Start researching your topic.

This process helps give you some background information about your topic prior to formulating your research question.

• Review your lecture notes and/or course readings for background information.
• You can use Wikipedia for your preliminary research - it often provides a concise overview of the topic with helpful links to open access (freely accessible) journal articles and resources. Do not cite Wikipedia articles in your final paper; however, sources cited on Wikipedia pages are free game (use our evaluation criteria before you cite!).
• Library subscribed  databases .
• A reputable encyclopedia: Encyclopedia Britannica or Funk and Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia .
• A major article on the topic.
• Library research guides .
• Books (and eBooks) on the subject.

Develop a Research Question

Once a topic has been selected and you have performed some background research, you can start developing a research question. 

Why Create a Research Question?

Research questions "help writers focus their research by providing a path through the research and writing process. The specificity of a well-developed research question helps writers avoid the 'all-about' paper and work toward supporting a specific, arguable thesis" (The Writing Center) .

Creating a Research Question

A good research question will require you to analyze an issue or problem. Developing a research question that asks about how or why tends to be more useful than a research question that asks what or describe questions (Monash University) .

You have already asked yourself the 5Ws in step a (Why, Who, What, Where, and When), next ask yourself:

• Is my research question clear and focused? Does your research question clearly state what you intend to research?
• Is my research question complex? Your question should not be able to be answered with a 'yes' or a 'no', but it also should not be too difficult to answer.
• Is my research question researchable? Are there enough resources available to answer your research question?

Sample Research Questions

Sample Research Questions from Indiana University Library

Assess Your Topic

Narrow your topic.

• If your topic is too broad, there will be too many resources for you to sift through.
• Limit your topic to a particular approach to the issue.
• Consider only one piece, or sub-area, of the subject.
• Limit the time span you examine.
• Limit by age, sex, race, occupation, species, or ethnic group.
• Limit by geographical location.

Content reproduced/adapted from  MIT.edu   under a  Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License

Broaden Your Topic

• Broadening the scope of your topic by generalizing what you are looking for.
• Adjusting your topic to something that has been extensively written about if your topic is very new.
• Broadening the scope of language used in search terms. A great way to accomplish this is to include commonly used words (keywords) from your background research. Also, consider using a thesaurus to find synonyms to represent your topic.

Content reproduced/adapted from    under a  Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License

Step 3: Create Keywords, Search Terms, & Thesis

• a) Determine Keywords
• b) Brainstorming Search Terms
• c) Searching
• d) Reassess Research Question

Determining Keywords

It will be easier to find information if you define your topic and identify the key concepts.

Step A) Take a look at your research question and ask yourself, what are the main concepts? These main concepts will become your keywords. 

The research question:

Keywords that describe this topic could include:

From this example, we have highlighted just the key words:

• Today's youth 
• Parents 
• "Better life" (this concept is a bit tricky. You will need to determine what you mean by "better life", such as economic status, healthcare, area of the world, etc.)

We have left out all other words and punctuation (do, have, a, than, their, ?) from our key words.

Brainstorming Search Terms 

Step B) Think of all the words, or synonyms , you can use to describe these keywords. By definition, synonyms are words that have a similar meaning and are interchangeable. To make this process easier, use a thesaurus to find synonyms.

To show this process, we have mapped out several synonyms and related terms to our three main terms we pulled from our research question. Related terms are a little different from synonyms as they do not always mean the exact same thing as the keywords, but are useful for broadening the scope of your search. We have also broken several terms into narrower and broad terms.

Synonyms & Related Terms

• Today's youth = teenagers = adolescents = young adults = Generation Z
• Parents = caregivers = mother = father
• "Better Life" = education = healthcare = finances = socioeconomic status = technology

Narrower Terms

• Education level < Education 
• Financial well-being < Finances

Broad Terms

• Finances > Debt
• Wealth > Income

Step C) Now that we have identified our main keywords, synonyms and related terms, as well as narrower and broad terms, we can start our background research by  searching on the web or in  library databases for resources related to our topic.

Often, a simple Google search will help you define your topic further.

Typing in our research question:  Do today's youth have a better life than their parents?  into the search bar of Google, we come across a very helpful resource put out by Pew Research Center .

[click on above image of a Google search to be sent to the Google results page]

Using resources such as the report from Pew Research Center, we can flesh out more of our research question with new knowledge of the factors that make life different between generations, including education level, income and wealth, housing, etc.

Reassess Research Question & Formulate Thesis

Step D)  Research is an ever-evolving, iterative process. After searching, you may find information that informs your research question and/or resulting search terms. At this point, you may wish to revisit the first two steps: Determining Keywords and Brainstorming Search Terms.

Alternatively, you may also choose to adapt your research question  into a thesis to fit this new information.

Example: 

Our original research question was: 

Based on some of our introductory research we conducted in Step C, it may be more valuable to narrow our research question to focus on a more specific topic, such as access to education. We can rework our research question into a thesis to reflect these changes:

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• Last Updated: Dec 18, 2024 12:01 PM
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Education Studies Research

• 1. Planning Research
• 2. Reading Research

How do I select my research topic?

How do i refine my research topic.

• 4. Completing a Literature Review
• 5. Determining Research Frameworks and Methods
• 6. Conducting Research
• 7. Writing Research
• 8. Publishing Research
• Key Considerations
• Additional Support
• Reflect on personal, academic, and professional interests 
• Review course material and readings
• Consult course instructors 
• Conduct literature reviews 
• Explore current trends 
• Consider timeframe for project

Broadening and narrowing the research inquiry Theoretical concept

• Does your research use specific theories? 
• Does your research consider specific theorists? 

Methodology

• Is your research quantitative or qualitative? 
• Are you conducting empirical research? 
• Is this a case study? A comparative case study? 

Disciplinary perspectives (learn more about disciplinary perspective with a podcast episode on disciplines  in research) 

• Are you using frameworks and methods from a single discipline? Multiple disciplines? 
• Is your work interdisciplinary? Transdisciplinary? Multidisciplinary? 

Impact or outcome

• What are you trying to measure? Evaluate? Assess? 
• How you can measure the impacts or outcomes? 
• Is there a set period that you've used to limit your search results? 
• Are there any particular moments or events or timeframes that are significant to your inquiry? 

Geography 

• Is this inquiry set in a particular place? 
• What is the geographic scope of your research? 

Population 

• What communities are you interested in? 
• Why are these communities of interest? 

Industry or sector

• Are there specific industries or sectors you are examining? 
• Why are you examining these particular areas? Can you broaden or narrow these areas further? 
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• URL: https://guides.library.utoronto.ca/educationresearch

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Research Paper Basics

• The Research Process
• 1. Develop a Topic
• Databases vs. Search Engines
• Database Tutorials
• Types of Publications
• Types of Sources
• Peer Review
• Writing Guides
• Literature Reviews
• Annotated Bibliographies
• Reserve a Room
• Share Your Work
• Finding Images
• Library Technology

Links for Choosing a Topic

• Choosing a Topic Purdue OWL
• Research Tips San Diego State University
• Select a Research Topic Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Search Terms Worksheet

• Generating Search Terms Use this form to generate a list of search terms for your research.

North Carolina State University. (2014). Picking your topic is research! [Video]. YouTube.  https://youtu.be/Q0B3Gjlu-1o?si=uxS1lKaYtj3XrGjk

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• Last Updated: Dec 18, 2024 2:13 PM
• URL: https://libguides.ccga.edu/researchbasics

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