By t he end of t he l esson, t he

s t ude nt s a r e e xpe c t e d t o:
• l oc a t e t he di f f e r e nt s our c es
of pr obl ems of r e s e a r ch t opi c
• e nume r a t e c r i t e r i a i n
s e l e c t i ng a r e s e ar ch t opi c
• de s i gn a nd pr e s e nt a good
t i t l e f or a r e s e ar ch t opi c
• de mons t r at e s ki l l s i n
i de nt i f yi ng, s e l e c t i ng or
f or mul a t i ng a pr obl e m
Resear ch Topi c
• An i nt el l ect ual st i mul us cal l i ng f or an
answer i n t he f or m of sci ent i f i c
i nqui r y
• Gener al quest i ons about r el at i ons among
var i abl es, or char act er i st i cs of t he
phenomenon whi ch a r esear cher needs t o
under t ake ( Bi r i on et al . , 2005, p. 7)
Sour ces of Resear ch Topi cs or Pr obl ems
• Pr ev ai l i ng t heor i es or phi l os ophy
• Obs er v at i ons and/ or i nt ui t i ons
• Pr obl ems f r om di f f er ent s ubj ec t s t hat i nt er es t s a
s t udent - r es ear cher mos t
• Fi el ds of i nt er es t or s pec i al i zat i on or ev ent f r om
r el at ed f i el ds
• Ex i s t i ng pr obl ems t hat t he r es ear c her may want t o
s ol v e
 Sour ces of Resear ch Topi cs or Pr obl ems
6. Ex i s t i ng needs of t he c ommuni t y or s oc i et y
7. Repet i t i on or ex t ens i on of i nv es t i gat i ons al r eady
c onduc t ed ( Angel es , 1996, p. 86)
8. Rel at ed s t udi es and l i t er at ur e
9. Adv i c e of aut hor i t i es or ex per t s f r om f undi ng
agenc i es
10. Of f s hoot s of f r i endl y c onv er s at i ons
 Ti t l e Pr oposal
• Pr epar e f i v e ( 5) t opi c s f or y our t i t l e pr opos al
( i dent i f y t he Wor k i ng Ti t l e, Obj ec t i v e/ Pur pose,
Res ear c h Ques t i ons, and Cont r i but i on t o t he Fi el d)
• You ar e gi v en 15 mi nut es t o pr es ent al l of t he 5
t opi c s . Af t er whi c h, t he adv i s er wi l l s ugges t on
what r es ear c h t he gr oup s houl d wor k i n.
• Al l of t he member s s houl d hav e t hei r par t i n t he
pr es ent at i on.