A research topic is the subject matter or issue of interest to carry out the research.
Every researcher must write and publish scientific articles in journals regularly. This directly affects his/her career and further professional development. Though beginning scholars are under pressure to publish their articles in journals fast, they often struggle with certain issues, like identifying a good research topic.
To find a good and effective research topic is a necessary condition for article publication and academic impact. But it can be quite challenging, especially for young scholars.
First of all, a good research topic must have specific features. They are the following:
- Complete – the topic is finished and provides all aspects of the research;
- Concise – the title should preferably be short and laconic, expressing what needs to be written without unnecessary words. It is recommended that the topic should comprise 10-15 words.
- Concrete – the investigation is based on sure facts or existing things rather than guesses or theories;
- Important – the research has a great influence on the scientific community, society, or professional field;
- Informative – the research provides lots of useful information;
- Original – the research is special and interesting for academic circles, and the topic has not been studied before;
- Relevant – the investigation is intended for certain readers or reviewers;
- Specific – the research objectives are clear and focused;
- Trending – the research touches upon novel or unexplored aspects in the field.
- Urgent – the research concerns significant aspects in the field and needs academic attention immediately;
- Verifiable – the research uses the data that is qualitative or quantitative data or both.
To evaluate a good research topic, one should answer four questions.
1) Is the topic interesting?
It is better to choose the topic you are interested in. you will be more motivated to investigate the problem, and the research process will be more enjoyable.
Your research should meet your field. For example, if you are interested in education, do not choose a topic connected to legislation or engineering.
However, some topics may be integrated and sound like:
Legislation Framework for the Education System in Eastern European Countries.
Challenges of Training Tomorrow’s Engineers Using Cloud Technologies.
2) Are all the necessary sources available?
A researcher may choose a great and relevant topic, but if the information on the topic is limited, the study cannot be complete. At least your topic should have some theoretical context in the literature.
It is impossible to make a conclusion or suggest recommendations if you do not have enough sources.
A lack of information will cause limited facts and implausible results.
Before choosing a new topic, conduct a preliminary search and study the key terms and concepts in scientific literature.
And vice versa, do not get caught up in an over-researched topic. But on the other hand, sometimes a young scholar may be interested in a topic that has many articles about it, and writing a manuscript seems so easy.
In such a case, it may happen that there won’t be much left to research. So you will have to repeat the conclusions, even if it is unintentional.
Here are some examples of research topics you would rather to avoid:
Foreign Language Teaching (it is too wide and does not suggest a new strategy).
Education, Politics, and Environment Protection (it is difficult to understand the links between the phenomena).
If you want to paraphrase these topics, they may sound the following:
The Integration of Technology into Foreign Language Teaching. OR Mobile Technologies in Foreign Language Teaching
Political Dimensions of Environmental Education of Future Ecologists. OR Political Trends in Environmental Education: Turkish Case Study.
3) Is the research topic manageable?
A great research project demands lots of time and resources, including financial funds. Never offer a topic that demands a dozen of years to complete. It is recommended to think of ideas that need a month or two.
At the same time, long proposals require a huge budget. If you cannot afford it, try to change the topic to feel comfortable.
Pay attention to the practical value of your research. Compare the resources it needs and the value it will bring. If the ration is suitable, start working. If the resources exceed, think about other projects to complete.
For example, here is an example of the topic:
History of Physical Education (it is quite wide and demands a long chronological analysis).
If you are still interested in physical education and want to delve into the subject, the following topic will be more suitable:
The Overview of Physical Education in Europe in the late XXth century.
4) Does the research topic meet journal instructions?
Journals provide guidelines for the manuscripts they accept. It may concern the topic as well.
Study the journal’s aim and scope. Look through the journal archive and read the titles of the articles that have been published. Your topic must cover the interest of the journal.
For example, the topic “The analysis of modern trends in the training of future translators” may not suit the journal. But the topic “Translation of Education-Related Terms from French to French” is more appropriate for the journal.
After you have chosen a topic, do not be afraid to change it if you have better ideas.
