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Choosing a
Great Dissertation Topic: Part 1
A Guide for Developing
Dissertation Topics & Ideas

Choosing a dissertation
topic is one of the most crucial decisions you will make as a
doctoral candidate. When choosing a dissertation topic, the
first thing to consider is that you are not simply choosing a
dissertation topic from a list of dissertations, but that you
are creating a unique proposal that builds on the contemporary
topics and current research in your field. Choosing a
dissertation topic is not easy, but if you take time to read
over some of the tips we outline below, you will be on the
fast track to having your dissertation proposal
approved.

The
Dissertation Proposal

Before you start your dissertation, you must first complete
the dissertation proposal. Choosing a dissertation topic is
the first step towards completing the proposal. The
dissertation proposal is the groundwork for the rest of your
study. Thinking about the dissertation proposal is important
when choosing a topic, because the proposal is like a
miniature dissertation in itself. It proves that you have
developed an adequate dissertation topic for which you have
conducted enough research.

It is
important when choosing a dissertation topic to keep in mind
that the proposal must be precise enough to outline what you
want to do for the dissertation. When choosing a dissertation
topic, it is important to think about the proposal and about
what kinds of questions you will be asking in your
dissertation. It is also important to think about the
relevance of your dissertation topic in your area of
study.

Keeping in mind the
requirements for both your dissertation proposal and the rest
of the dissertation chapters, there are some general things to
consider when deciding on a topic. We will guide you through
the dissertation topic development process step by step,
outlining and discussing the primary problems to consider when
deciding on a topic. The primary problems to consider when
choosing a dissertation topic are:

Is my dissertation topic interesting to me?

Is everyone in my dissertation committee on board with my
topic?

Is my dissertation topic based on work in which I have a
solid background?

Is my dissertation topic manageable?

Is my dissertation topic original?

What academic abilities do I have to improve upon in order
to complete my dissertation?

How much interest do I have in my dissertation
topic?

Before you start working on your dissertation proposal,
take time to thoroughly consider the following tips when
choosing a dissertation topic.
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Tip
#1: Is my dissertation topic interesting to me?

This is perhaps the most important advice for completing your
dissertation. Many dissertation candidates have gotten bogged
down because they choose a great dissertation topic,
demonstrate doctoral-level ability and get their topic
approved, but later loose interest in their topic. If your
dissertation topic is not that interesting at the beginning of
the dissertation process, think about how interesting your
dissertation will be a year from now! Choosing an interesting
dissertation topic requires some forethought.

A
good way to determine whether your dissertation topic will
hold your interest is to look over the topics you have covered
in your academic career prior to the commencement of the
dissertation process. What are the topics that continually
raise burning questions that could be used to create a
dissertation? Try to imagine a dissertation that you wish had
your name on it. What is the title of that dissertation?
Thinking through these issues when choosing a dissertation
topic will help you decide on a topic that truly interests
you.  Request
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Tip
#2: Is my dissertation topic based on work in which I have a
solid background?
In
many ways, the dissertation represents not only the
culmination of your academic career, but will also provide
direction about the areas of research you may want to pursue
in the future. When choosing a dissertation topic and
developing your proposal, you may come across a number of
potential dissertation topics. Sometimes, just before choosing
a dissertation topic, doctoral candidates have the desire to
change their topic based on new ideas they have studied in
preparation for the dissertation proposal. This can lead to a
lot of confusion and bog down both the process of choosing a
topic and preparing the dissertation proposal.

In
another scenario, dissertation candidates may be influenced by
an advisor to pursue a dissertation topic that they are not
well prepared for. If you pursue a dissertation topic that you
know well, you have already completed half of your research.
You have compiled many of the topics and references you will
use in your dissertation and are familiar with the topics in
the field of study. This prior work may facilitate the writing
of the dissertation proposal and help you in preparing for
your dissertation defense. However, you must balance what is
best for getting your dissertation completed efficiently, with
your level of interest. If you are bored with a research topic
that you have investigated thoroughly, it may be better to
pursue a different topic that will sustain your interest
throughout the dissertation proposal and writing
process.
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Tip
#3: Is my topic a manageable dissertation?
It is
important that the dissertation topic you choose is focused
enough to finish your dissertation on time, but rich enough
that your dissertation is appropriate in length. To decide if
you have chosen a manageable dissertation topic, you want to
choose both a dissertation topic that explores a narrowly
focused topic and a topic that has enough depth and
complexity. Many doctoral candidates start out with a
dissertation topic that is too large to cover for a
dissertation. There are several ways to narrow the scope of
your dissertation topic. For example, if you decide you want
to study “aggression” for your dissertation, you may want to
ask yourself what kind of aggression study would generate the
best dissertation material. Good dissertation topics focus on
specific phenomena. Will your dissertation topic focus on
aggressive driving? Will your dissertation topic focus on
aggression and alcohol use, etc.

You
can also limit the target population of your dissertation. For
example, if your dissertation focuses on men’s issues,
depending on the topic of the dissertation, you might limit
the participants studied in order to narrow the scope of your
dissertation. Then, instead of studying all men for your
dissertation topic, your topic might focus on white middle
aged men who live in the Midwest. Therefore, your dissertation
topic, instead of being about "aggression" in "men" becomes a
dissertation on, aggression and alcohol use among white middle
aged Midwestern men. Of course, this dissertation topic could
get even narrower, but in the beginning of your dissertation
topic search, it is good to make sure you leave room to
grow.

The
above example is focused on dissertation topics within the
social sciences, but similar rules apply to dissertations in
other fields. Your dissertation may be in a field that studies
animals. If so, think through the primary characteristics of
your population in relation to your dissertation topic to help
you limit your topic. For each new set of vagaries involved in
your dissertation topic search, go through the same limiting
process to create a succinct dissertation proposal.

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Tip
#4: Is my dissertation topic original?

Another major obstacle in choosing a dissertation topic is
coming up with a dissertation topic that is unique. In some
ways, dissertations represent the vanguard of new research in
a given field. A review of dissertation candidates’
dissertations in your field of study will give you a good idea
of new paradigms and areas for future research. Therefore,
there is some pressure on doctoral students to develop
original dissertation topics that contribute to their field of
study. This can make many doctoral candidates nervous and
overwhelm them when choosing a dissertation topic. A few
simple pointers can help you choose an original topic.

Keep
your dissertation topic in mind when reading academic articles
that are relevant to your topic. Look for problems in academic
research and ask yourself if you have an interest in this area
of research. In addition, many articles and other
dissertations will have a section called "limitations". This
section can help you develop your dissertation topic. When
choosing a dissertation topic, read articles and dissertations
in your field of interest and think about these "limitations"
as a possible dissertation. Also, in looking for a
dissertation topic, it is useful to look over recently
defended dissertations in your field, especially the
dissertations from students of your academic institution. By
reading other dissertation topics, you can find topics that
interest you. Some of these dissertations may raise questions
that you could answer in your own dissertation.

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Tip
#5: What academic abilities do I have to improve upon in order
to complete my dissertation? How much interest do I have in my
dissertation topic?

Regarding the uniqueness of your dissertation topic, another
question you might ask yourself is, "does my dissertation
topic fit with my current academic abilities?" Often
dissertation candidates who are working on their dissertation
topics come to understand their strengths and weaknesses as a
scholar. Your dissertation is a time when you must face your
limitations and work towards improving your academic
abilities.

Dissertation topics that address more personal issues often
sustain your interest longer, and represent dissertation
topics that you are already familiar with. However, extremely
personal or emotionally charged dissertation topics run the
risk of turning your dissertation into a soapbox to air your
personal demons. This is an important dynamic to balance when
choosing your dissertation topic. However, different fields
and dissertation topics have their standards, and dissertation
advisors and consultants often help keep you on track.
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Tip
#6: Is everyone on my dissertation committee on board with my
topic?
Many
dissertation candidates have trouble finishing their
dissertation because they have chosen a dissertation topic
that is not in line with the expectations of all of their
committee members. Dissertation committees, which are often
made up of three or more professors, often have disagreements
over the direction of the topic. The dissertation candidate
often gets caught in the crossfire. Thus, part of choosing an
appropriate dissertation topic (if you want your dissertation
proposal to be approved) is making sure that the topic you
choose is in line with the interests of your dissertation
committee members.

The
most important person involved in helping you choose a
dissertation topic is your primary advisor. He or she should
be the primary advocate for your dissertation topic. The best
way to make sure your committee is on board with your
dissertation topic is to read over their past work, current
research and other dissertations they have sponsored. In
addition, it is sometimes advantageous to pick dissertation
committee members from a pool of professors who have liked
your past work.
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