5b

Recording 5B

So you have graduated from university and decided to continue studying towards a Master’s or PhD. At some stage during the next few years will need to consider your thesis.

One of the greatest difficulties faced by postgraduate students is choosing a topic to base the dissertation on. Writing a thesis can be very daunting, but the task is much more straightforward if the topic you select is appropriate for you. So, what can you do to solve this problem?

Well, there are several things to keep in mind. Firstly, you need to do your research so that you’re very familiar with all the current literature. On top of this, you also need to be sure that you have a broad knowledge of your area of specialization.

If you do this, it will help you with the next important point in choosing a good subject for your research, which is to ascertain what is relevant in your research area.

This will be crucial in helping you to narrow your choices down. From the very beginning, it really is vital to set clear limits and to have a very fixed plan in terms of the scope of your research.

It can be even more helpful to analyse existing research and ask yourself if there are any controversies. Perhaps there is a theory that you may want to challenge and this could be the focus of your study.

A further and very important factor to take into account is your own financial resources. If these are limited then you need to avoid choosing a study that would involve costly equipment or surveys.

However, if this is the case, you needn’t despair or abandon your ideas altogether, Instead make inquiries into funding from external agencies such as your local government.

You may even find that local industries are willing to support your research by providing a grant.

It’s always worth looking around to see just what is possible. And finally, be sure to make good use of your tutor, especially when it comes to making sure that your findings are accurate.