How to Choose a Research Topic
Four tests every topic should pass before you commit months of your life to it.
· 5 min read
Choosing badly at the start is the single most expensive mistake in a research project. Run any candidate topic through these four tests first.
1. Can it be researched?
Can you actually reach the people or data you need, within your timeframe and budget? If access is uncertain, the topic is a risk.
2. Is there literature?
You need enough existing work to build a review, but a genuine gap to fill. No literature at all usually means the question is unworkable, not original.
3. Does it fit your programme?
The topic must sit within your discipline and your supervisor's area. A brilliant question nobody on faculty can supervise will stall.
4. Will you still care in six months?
Motivation matters more than people admit. Pick something connected to the work you want to do next.