Research Topic

Research topic

• Capability: is it feasible?
• ✔ Is the topic something with which you are really fascinated?
• ✔ Do you have, or can you develop within the project time frame, the necessary research
skills to undertake the topic?
• ✔ Is the research topic achievable within the available time?
• ✔ Will the topic still be current when you finish your project?
• ✔ Is the topic achievable within the financial resources that are likely to be available?
• ✔ Are you reasonably certain of being able to gain access to data you are likely to require
for this topic?
Research Topic

• Appropriateness: is it worthwhile?
• ✔ Does the topic fit the specifications and meet the standards set by the examining institution?
• ✔ Does your topic contain issues that have a clear link to theory?
• ✔ Are you able to state your research question(s), aim and objectives clearly?
• ✔ Will your proposed research be able to provide fresh insights into this topic?
• ✔ Does your topic relate clearly to the idea you have been given (perhaps by an organisation)?
• ✔ Are the findings for this topic likely to be symmetrical: that is, of similar value whatever the outcome?
• ✔ Does the topic match your career goals?
 Research Ideas

OBSERVING REAL RELEVANCE TREE BRAIN STORMING PRELIMINARY

IDEAS RESEARCH
Problem Statement

Research Problem

Research Objectives

Research Questions

Research Hypothesis
Converting research problem into Research Problem
Problem Statement
• the problem statement is unambiguous, specific, and
focused, and that the problem is addressed from a specific
academic perspective. No amount of good research can find
solutions to the situation if the critical issue or the problem to
be studied is not clearly pinpointed.
Research Objectives
The purpose or objective of the study thus explains why the
study is being done. The statement of the research objective(s)
should be brief, but nonetheless communicate clearly the focus
of the project.
Research Questions
• The research question(s) specify what you want to
learn about the topic. They guide and structure the
process of collecting and analyzing information to
help you to attain the purpose of your study. In
other words, research questions are the translation
of the problem of the organization into a specific
need for information.
Table 2.2
Examples of research ideas and resulting general focus
research questions
Table 2.3
Examples of research questions and related research aims
(1 of 2)
Table 2.3
Examples of research questions and related research aims
(2 of 2)
an academic perspective, research is relevant if:
(1) nothing is known about a topic,
(2) much is known about the topic, but the knowledge is scattered and
not integrated,
(3) much research on the topic is available, but the results are (partly)
contradictory, or
(4) established relationships do not hold in certain situations.