For students finding suitable research topics is the first hurdle when it comes to academic research. As is the practice in some universities you may be asked to come up with suitable research topics you’d want to work on for your project/thesis/dissertation.
Starting that search can be confusing. However if you understand the process it can be easier to find a good topic.
Research is not done in isolation as all academic research will somehow be related to either what has been worked on before or challenges faced in the real world.
So here are some tips on how to find new and relevant research topics;
- Browse around online research libraries and databases: There are lots of websites now where thousands of research papers are archived. Searching around them can be a start to getting relevant research topics. You might even come across suitable ones that you can change a little to get brand new topics. Some of the ones you should check out are Academia, Afribary, Researchgate etc. For instance Afribary.com has a research topic list you can check or you can go straight to checking the relevant discipline for the many research works that have been published.
- Look for problems in your field that are current: One of the basic reasons for research is to find solutions to problems or at least get more factual information about issues and challenges. Following this one way to get hold of good research topics is to be aware of trending issues and challenges in your field. For instance a bit of study and thinking will show an International relations student a few relevant areas/topics they can research on; Trade Issues between the US and Europe, The rise of nationalist tendencies, Brexit, ISIS and its spread in Africa, Boko Haram and other terrorist organisations in Africa etc. If you can study and be aware of issues in your area of study you most certainly will come up with good research topics
- Use Social Media Strategically: For the purposes of this article we are lumping forums, Q & A sites and the usual suspects – Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin etc together. These social platforms enable you ask questions and get good responses from hundreds or even thousands of people who may know more than you do. Use them well and you’d have more than enough research topics to work on.
Looking for research topics and materials? Visit Afribary today