Choosing one's Dissertation topic can be tricky. This slideshow presents a comprehensive step-by-step guide for Dissertation students, who are still looking for their topic. This useful resource can help you identify a Research topic, which is Feasible, viable, contemporary and academically relevant. What should you research, whether your topic is viable or not, is your topic academically grounded? There are many questions and far too few answers. Students are generally left alone at the beginning of their Dissertation. This is also the most crucial time when students are most vulnerable to making mistakes. Once you have chosen the wrong topic, your entire research may seem doomed. Even if you are fortunate enough to correct your mistake down the line, you may have wasted precious time. Use this guide to identify the topic for your dissertation. If you feel stuck, feel free to email us at query@solidfundamentals.co.uk and our mentors will be happy to help you.

1. How to Choose your
Dissertation Topic
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2. In this Guide
• What is a good dissertation topic?
• How should you look for such a topic?
• Frame a Research Topic yourself!
• What are the attributes of a good
dissertation topic?
• The possible pitfalls

3. A Note:
A write up of this Presentation is available at:
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If you have any questions, contact us at
query@solidfundamentals.co.uk
and we will be happy to answer your questions

4. Why do you need a Dissertation Topic?
• Most UK university students need to
complete a Dissertation
• A successful Dissertation can mean the
difference between a diploma and a
degree
• An academic Dissertation needs to start
with a relevant topic

5. What is a Good Dissertation Topic
A good dissertation topic needs to be:
Academically Relevant
What does it mean?

6. Academically Relevant Dissertation Topic
Your topic should be:
• Worthy of academic research
• Not been done before
• Should make a valid contribution to the
existing body of knowledge

7. In a Nutshell
i.e. Your topic needs to have roots in the existing literature,
while contributing to the existing body of knowledge…
Confused?

8. How should you look for such a topic
•Step 1: Identify your interest area
•Step 2: Narrow your Search
•Step 3: Read

9. Step 1: Identifying your Interest Area
• Which subjects do you like? E.g. Services Marketing
• A sector that you have worked in / are
interested in? E.g. Banking
• An industry where data collection is easy?
E.g. IT industry because you / someone you know works in it

10. Step 2: Narrow it Down
• Refer to your present and past course
material E.g. Services Marketing module guide or core textbook
• Identify a sub-Subject that you are
interested in E.g. What interests you in Services Marketing, may
be Relationship Marketing or perhaps, Service Quality
• Combine everything Bring together the sub-Subject area
and the industry / sector where you want to do your research and you
have a broad research idea, e.g. Service Quality in Banking

11. Step 3: READ
• Head to Google Scholar scholar.google.com
• Type in your broad Research Idea E.g. “Service
quality”+Banking
• Read the first few Focus on aim, methodology and scope
for future research (found at the end)
• Look at the recent research in the field By
selecting „Since 2009‟ from the left and read the first few articles with a
focus on aim, methodology and scope for future research (found at
the end)

12. Did you find a Research
Topic yet?
No! Continue to Read

13. Frame a Research Topic yourself
• Frame a Broad Idea I want to study Service Quality in Hotel
Industry
• Determine the scope of Research I want to study
Luxury Hotels in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Identify the Relevant Issues Think what could be relevant
issues for a hotel, customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, repurchase
intention.
• Frame a Broad Research Topic E.g. impact of good
service on loyalty. Once you reach this stage, you will need to read further
Identifying the Relevant Issues and Framing a Broad Research Topic can be made
easy by reading relevant journal articles. Refer to Slide 11 – Step 3: READ

14. Attributes of a good Research Topic
• FEASIBLE
• RELEVANT
• ACADEMICALLY RIGOROUS
• VIABLE
• CONTEMPORARY

15. FEASIBLE
Is your research doable or is it
something that is not logical?

16. RELEVANT
Is your research relevant to
academia, managers or
perhaps, both?

17. ACADEMICALLY RIGOROUS
i.e. Your topic needs to have roots in the existing literature,
while contributing to the existing body of knowledge…

18. VIABLE
Is your research achievable
within the time frame
available?

19. CONTEMPORARY
Is your topic / research
relevant in today‟s context?

20. Avoid the Pitfalls
• Don‟t commit yourself Be prepared to change,
modify or completely reject the initial idea
• Read, read, read There is no alternative. You can
read smartly though, see Slide 11 – Step 3: READ
• Don‟t suffer in Silence Talk to your supervisor,
colleagues or us and you will find a way, if you get stuck

21. By this time, you know
• What‟s a good dissertation topic
• How to look for a good dissertation topic
• What are the key attributes of a good topic
• How to frame a research topic yourself
• How to avoid the common pitfalls

22. Finally
• For any questions:
query@solidfundamentals.co.uk
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