Guidelines in Choosing a Research Topic

Some pointers to keep in mind in selecting a

research topic (Babbie 2013):

1. Interest in the Subject Matter

- may be caused by your rich background
knowledge about the topic and by its novelty.
 Guidelines in Choosing a Research Topic

2. Availability of Information

- check the availability of reading materials

on your chosen topic
- how updated and authoritative the
materials are
 Guidelines in Choosing a Research Topic

3. Timeliness and relevance of the topic

- the topic is relevant if it yields results that

are instrumental in societal improvement.
- timely if it is related to the present.
 Guidelines in Choosing a Research Topic

4. Limitations on the subject

- it makes you link your choosing with course

requirements.
- decide on one topic to finish your course
 Guidelines in Choosing a Research Topic

5. Personal Resources

- assess your research abilities in terms of your

financial standing, health condition, mental
capacity, needed facilities, and time allotment
to complete your research.
 Research Topics to be Avoided

1. Controversial Topics

- topics that depend greatly on the writer's

opinion
 Research Topics to be Avoided

2. Highly technical subjects

- for a beginner, researching on topics that

require advanced study, technical knowledge,
and vast experience is a very difficult task.
 Research Topics to be Avoided

3. Hard-to-investigate subjects

- there are no available reading materials

about the subject or such materials are not
up-to-date.
 Research Topics to be Avoided

4. Too broad subjects

- prevent you from giving a concentrated or

an in-depth analysis of the subject matter of
the paper.
 Research Topics to be Avoided

5. Too narrow subjects

- subjects are so limited or specific

 Research Topics to be Avoided

6. Vague subjects

- choosing topics like these will prevent you

from having a clear focus on your paper.
Evaluation
Directions: In a one-fourth sheet of paper, write a
research title by considering the different guidelines.
You will be graded based on the following criteria:

Content - 5
Timeliness - 5
Relevance - 5
Quality - 5
20
Reflection
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always
remember, you have within you the strength, the
patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to
change the world.”

- Harriet Tubman