Choosing-a-research-topic

ChoosingaresearchtopicDrLiWenzhongFacultyofInternationalStudies,HNUJuly2010Choosingatopic:pavethewayLookaround:observewhatisoutthere–Somephenomenonthatisunique,incongruent,orunexpected–Aneventanditsconsequences–Aphenomenonanditsrelationswithotherphenomena–Causesofanevent–DifferencesbetweentwoentitiesChoosingatopic:pavethewayReadingforunderstanding–Theories,theorization,approaches,account–Concept,conceptualization–Casestudies,reports,findings–Facts,dataChoosingatopic:pavethewayReadingforcriticism–Reported“facts”thatarecontradictory:ToeachotherToyourownintuitionandexperienceThecurrentsituationorcontext–Findingsthatareconflicting–Misuseoftheories,concepts,andmethodologyChoosingatopic:pavethewayReadingliteratureisaprocessinwhichone:–Exercisesbelievingordoubtinggamesinturnwhenexaminingwhathasbeendone–Organizestheories,ideas,conceptsandvariablesintherelatedstudies–Identifiesthecontributionsmadebyotherpeople–Picksholesinthepreviousresearch:Whatisthebetterwayofdoingtheresearch?Whatcanbeadded?Whatisinvalidconcerningthefindingsandthedata,andinterpretationsandthefindingsChoosingatopic:pavethewayProblemswithliteraturereading–Notetakingandretrieval:“Ican’trememberwhere.”–Uncriticalreading:“Theyhavedoneeverythingandgoodenough.”–Ill-informed:“Ican’tfindanythingrelevant.”–Readingquality:“IfinditmorecomfortablewiththingsinChinese.”Choosingatopic:pavethewayBrainstorming:otherpeoplecanhavebetterideas–Discussityoursupervisor–Talkitwithyourcolleagues–Discussitwithotherpeopleviaemail–PostyourquestionsonthespecializedBBS–BuildawebpageorwebblogforyourtopicChoosingatopic:pavethewayDiscussiondilemma:–“Idon’tknowwhoseideastofollow.”–“Mysupervisorseemsnotlikemyideas.Ihavetogiveitup.”–“Someoneelsehasalsochosenthetopic.”Choosingatopic:getstartedAskyourselfquestions:–DoIhaveastronginterestinit?–Isitanimportanttopictodoaresearchon?–Isitmanageableintermsofscope,time,money,andcapacity?–DoIhaveadequateaccesstothenecessaryresources?–DoIreallyhavequestionstoanswerforsuchatopic?Choosingatopic:getstartedInterestingbutnotsignificantorviceversaManageabilityproblem:–Antandelephantdilemma–FishinthedeepwaterfrustrationAvailabilityofresourcesChoosingatopic:focusitIsthetopictoobigortoosmall?Isthewordingtoovagueortoospecific?DoesitcapturewhatIamgoingtodofortheresearch?Isthetitleself-evident?Choosingatopic:evaluateatopicIdentifyitsscopePredictitsresearchquestionsCheckitspopulationExamineitsmethodologyThinkofabettertitle