(May 2005)
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Have you decided yet what your thesis topic will be? Are you having trouble choosing a topic? Choosing the topic may be the most difficult part of your thesis.
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Here are five tips to help you get started.
1. Do you already have a special interest in some broad area related to language or language teaching/learning? If so, look for something in that area. Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening, Vocabulary, Strategies, Culture, etc
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2. As you read your textbooks or journal articles, is some topic mentioned that attracts your interest? If so, look for something related to that.
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3. As you read someone else's thesis or a journal article or a chapter in a book, does the author mention some area that needs further study? This could be an ideal topic for your thesis.
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4. AFTER you have got the idea for a topic, talk to one or more of your professors to see what they think. The more specific / detailed you can be about what you want to do, the easier it will for professors to judge whether it is appropriate for a thesis. Some topics may be interesting, but they may be difficult to turn into a research study.
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5. AFTER you have done steps 1 through 4, if you still cannot come up with a topic, talk to your professors and ask for suggestions. It is better if YOU choose the topic.
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Choose something interesting to you, but do not waste months looking for a topic: Choose something and get to work.
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REMEMBER: BEFORE you can decide on a topic, you must do at least some background literature search to make sure no one else has already done the topic that you want to do. Check out the library's reference search engines.
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1. If someone else has already done it, you must modify your study to explore some new aspect of the topic OR choose a completely new topic.
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2. If the research questions you ask about your topic can be answered by anyone with half a brain, then your research questions are not good ones.
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