To develop an outstanding research topic, the following steps should be taken:
Dear Olufemi Oladipo ,
I'm not sure if you were posing this indirectly as a question. I think you have a good understanding of this process but I would emphasize a couple of additional issues:
- Read - good topic ideas take reading to know what the big and specific questions are in a certain research area and that you have identified a gap.
- Data - a topic idea cannot work unless you can access sufficient data to answer your specific question. This could take the form of primary data that you analyse yourself, secondary data other people have collected and you analyse yourself (such as in finance), and secondary data that other people have already analysed (but you then perform a qualitative or meta analysis of their findings).
A couple of observations on your steps:
- Step 3 - the level of specificity should make the proposed research viable (i.e. something which can be achieved with the time and resources available)
- Step 6 - IV and DV language is only applicable to quantitative studies. It also assumes that you are able to measure everything in a valid way, which is not always the case. In view of this, it might be better to use the word concept or construct rather than variable, certainly in the formative stages of a research project.
Peter Samuels Thank you so much for your wonderful contributions.
Best Regards
Better to focus on latest issues of a couple of top journals only. For instance, to develop a good topic on management just read academy of management executive and academy of management journal for 2021 issues.
Irfan Saleem What you mentioned is good but one should not focus 'just' to premier journals. At times, even good research regarding very novel idea or phenomenon, does not get published in these premier journals because of lack of concrete theory, existing knowledge sometimes, unpolished writing styles or publishing inexperience on part of authors. Such authors often resort to other good journals in the field. So, a better approach will be to go for other top journals as well. For instance, when we talk about management, it will be better to go for all the management journals listed under A and B category in ABDC (Australian Business Deans Council) list.
Hi Olufemi,
I find "review" papers that appear from time to time in journals helpful for summarising past and pointing to possible directions for future research. Here is one example addressing the field of knowledge management:
Article The KM Times They Are A-Changin’
Meliha
I think narrowing your research topic down to your area of specialty and strength is pivotal.
Dear Olufemi Oladipo,
Yes, you have pointed out the key issues of designing and developing outstanding research topics. I would also add the following issues: A thorough analysis of the literature of scientific publications on a specific issue, formulation of the language of the problem, formulation of a research thesis relating to the key directions of research development in a specific issue, indication of key research questions resulting from the formulated research thesis, discussion at conferences and on-line scientific portals (e.g. on the Research Gate portal) with other researchers and scientists conducting research in a specific issue, the use of the latest possible research concepts and methods adequate to the specificity of a given issue and the most modern research and analytical instruments, publication of research results in a reputable, recognizable, an online scientific journal focused on the field or scientific discipline in which the research was carried out and, after publication, the publication of the article in the form of an open dos on various online databases for the indexation of publications and scientific papers, etc.
Best wishes,
Dariusz Prokopowicz
First of all, skills and competences are needed.
"Brainstorming" may be superfluous, especially when the researcher has all the skills and knowledge to tackle the topic.
The rest comes by itself.
Agreed but I have a question. If I do not get adequate research materials and still I want to work on it, what can I do in this regard?
@ Safi Ullah
You need to get adequate research material so as to enhance the quality of the article. Unless you want to go to a virgin area.
Thanks
Olufemi Oladipo , Nicely narrated,
we can add the following
rigorous review, identify research gaps
Pertaining to the point 4 you itemised, the researcher should look for trending issues related to the topic in the newspapers. Research article and books in the academic journals may not be enough.
As other colleagues have said, rigorous scientific review of literatures has to be conducted. When you think of a research area, it is imperative for a good researcher to have the understanding of how the work is being done in that area, the nature of data used, the kind of results obtained. All these will informed you of how you can start your contribution. Also, it will serve as a guide in conducting an evidence based research.
Kudirat Oyewumi Jimoh Thank you so much for your wonderful contributions. I really appreciate it.
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