Guide for Topic Selection - Qualitative & Quantitative Research

From interviews to questionnaires and public polls, you’ve probably stumbled upon many methods of data collection for research. These sources can be then used for distinguishing and sorting them out into qualitative and quantitative analysis. As primary data collectors, you’ll be expected to gather various sources and gather as much information relevant to your topic, as possible.

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research- How do they differ?

When you’re conducting researches, they generally fall into two major categories; qualitative and quantities. Depending on the nature of your research, Synopsis writing service providers suggest that you may have to use any one of those or a mixture. These are highly valuable and give greater value to your content, as they act as references and factual basis.

Quantitative research- Numerical analysis and data!

This is a type of educational research in which the researcher decides what to study, ask certain questions, collects numerical data from participants, analyses these numbers using statistics and conducts the inquiry in an unbiased and objective manner. You may check out this blog to get further insight into this.

Qualitative research-Analysis of themes and inquires!

This is a type of educational research in which the researchers relies on the views of participants, asks broad, general questions, collects data consisting largely of words from participants, describes and analyzes these words for themes and conducts the inquiry in a subjective, biased manner.  

What’s the best way to choose a topic for your research?

Choosing a single topic for your research is never easy. You’ll come up with a wide spectrum of topics that might feel like the best choice, but then your professor's requirements may cause you to rethink your entire decision and come up with something else. For various reasons, OBU thesis writing service bloggers suggest that you may find that selecting a topic is much more difficult than collecting the data for it. Once you've chosen the topic, you may then start working on your research proposal. You may read my blog to get a better understanding of how to write a research proposal.

To make your lives easier, I’ve listed down some points that you may consider to make the process of topic selection much easier:

• Examining the scope of the study
• Interest evaluation with student requirement
• Critical Review of Existing Literature
• Identifying the Research Gaps
• Determining Possible Value-addition From Your Side
• Deciding the Topic Statement
• Finalizing scope of the topic

1. Examining the scope of the study

I want you to remember that whatever topic you wish to choose for your research, it has to have a good scope of study in present times. In order to reduce the possibility of doing entire research on a topic that holds no importance, you must first find its scope and relevance in current times.

2. Interest evaluation with student requirement

The process of putting in the time and energy in your research work can be extremely tedious to any students. Imagine working so hard, yet, not being to receive a good score in your research. Well, this can definitely be the case if you don't comply with the requirements put forward by your professor.

Now, since the research is quite lengthy, the topic chosen should be such that it interests you. For this purpose, ACCA thesis writing service bloggers believe that it would be best for you to choose such a topic that only comes under the criteria set by the professor but also drives your interest.

It's important for the dissertation topic to hold an interesting aspect for you because, in the end, you'll have to construct an extensive document on that topic. Thus, this is one of the basic things that need prior- consideration.

3. Critical Review of Existing Literature

  The past literature of the topic is critically analyzed and researched upon with an eagle’s eye. This gives a clearer idea of how the research was conducted and the sources that were used. This allows the following:

• Identifies gaps in current knowledge so the topic can be crafted accordingly
• A reinvention of research that’s already been conducted on a certain topic
• Sets the background on what has already been explored on the topic so far
• Increases the breadth of knowledge to assist in topic-selection
• Adds intellectual context to your work; positioning your research topic accordingly
• Provides you with opposing viewpoints, so you can get a wider perspective when selecting the topic

4. Identifying the Research Gaps

If I were to give you some words of wisdom, I'd suggest you know that each topic chosen must be checked for significant research gaps so that new topics can be generated on their basis. This will most definitely allow your research to have an upper hand among other researches with similar topics.

Highlighting the purpose of your research, a good topic will show that not all research papers are perfect and that they all lack chunks from here and there. Therefore, as suggested by top dissertation writing services, you look deep into the research gaps of previous gaps in the similar subject domain, you'll get an idea of the exact point that needs to be tackled.

5. Determining Possible Value-addition From Your Side

It’s important to recognize the possible value additions your topic has to the potential to fill. You may take the academic community in considerations and think of how your topic can add possible value-additions to them.

This will also encourage you to go to the depths of various topics of previously researched papers. It also allows you to evaluate previously researched papers and look into what exactly you can change in them, in order to make it extremely unique.

6. Deciding the Topic Statement

Now, let's talk about the next step, which would be to think up a catchy topic statement. It should be such that it gives a clear understanding of what to expect in the content:

• It should also say something original about the topic that gives a clear understanding of what the reader can expect in the content.
• It must be limited enough so that the paper develops in depth and does not feel unnecessarily stretched.
• The topic statement must also be unified so that the paper does not go off-track from the topic since a good topic sentence can improve the dissertation's readability and understanding.

7. Finalizing scope of the topic

This is related to the end result of the topic-selection phase and should answer some questions such if the topic that you've decided to choose to have any aims and objectives? You may also ask yourself questions like does it fill any previous research gaps for does it have any of its own. According to article publication writing help, you may also give suggestions for other relevant researchers regarding the topic that you’ve chosen.

What is the main concern of students during topic selection phase?

Imagine hurriedly choosing a dissertation topic and once you’re done, you come to the realization that it has absolutely no academic relevance in the field of study? The thought of this is enough to give me the chills. The topic selection surely brings along great responsibilities in terms of crucially selecting the BEST once and so, it’s integral that you ask yourself the following questions, before moving any further:

• What if it’s already been adequately researched?
•  Is the topic worthy of further investigation?
• How original does it have to be?
•  Is it even manageable in scope?

To ease these confusions, you must know the extent to which it has been researched, or if it is important to the field, you must first immerse yourself in the literature base.

It goes without question that it would not be worthwhile to conduct another study about a problem that has been sufficiently observed unless, however, you want to conduct a meta-analysis, or literature synthesis to further explain previous findings. 

Why go through all the Hassle with the topic selection? 

Let me tell you one thing: it's not as easy as it looks. As a matter of fact, it's one of the most crucial steps in writing research.

You must have heard all the hype about choosing the best topic for your research work. The reason for this is simply because it signifies if all the research that you’ve done or will be conducting is even worth all the hassle. Thus, if you overcome this challenge and surpass the hurdle, you will easily be able to work on your research paper extensively.

It’s true that the first major challenge in the dissertation process lies in choosing a dissertation topic. Your choice determines how long it will take you to complete your study and thus, it holds great significance. For most doctoral students, it is an agonizing decision, mainly related to the uncertainty that surrounds it, which causes many students to seek help with research.

To remove all possibilities of choosing an inappropriate and insignificant topic, it’s important for you to follow expert guidelines from people who have prior-knowledge regarding the entire process involved.

So, the question remains, Why all the hassle?

• A well-constructed and phrased topic tells exactly what the reader needs to know about your research work
• It helps to catch the attention of the reader to develop an interest in your research paper
• Choosing the right topic shows that you’ve done all prior-research regarding the subject-domain

Conclusion:

The topic that you choose for your quantitative and qualitative research must be thoroughly thought of, before going onto the writing phase. You may find yourself in a state of confusion and anxiety when it comes to this tedious task. Following the steps provided above can greatly assist you in making this selection process much easy and efficient!