CHOOSING A RESEARCH TOPIC

MBA –SEMINER
RESEARCH PROPOSAL WRITING

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Conception of an idea
There can be no
writing if there
is no idea!

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 Conception of the idea
 sources of Ideas:
1. From reading anything written on the subject
of interest- literature review
2. While listening critically to public speech ,
conversation etc
3. While participating in a situation - practice
4. While looking at objects and events -
observation
5. Theory
6. National/local research priorities
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 Steps in topic selection 1
1) Identify what interests, puzzles or intrigues
you in an area of study
 E.g. A doctor may be puzzled as to why
despite awareness creation on malaria
prevention, malaria prevalence was still high
in a certain district

 An educationist may be interested in why

drop out rate is high despite provision of free
primary education by the government etc.
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 Steps in topic selection 2
2) Identify key words for the topic

e.g. for the doctor, awareness creation vs.

malaria prevention.

for the educationist: high drop out rate vs.

provision of free primary education

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 Steps in topic selection 3
3) Define the topic
• Analyze the key words to guide what to study
e.g malaria awareness creation and its impact
on malaria prevention
• Enables the study to be focused

4) Formulate the topic

• Read widely
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Qualities of a good research topic 1
1. Researchable
2. Expresses a relation between two or more
variables
3. Captivates researcher’s interest
4. Makes a contribution to knowledge
5. Provocative
6. Clear and focused
7. Easy to formulate research instruments

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Qualities of a good research topic 2
 Narrow your idea to a researchable topic.
 The topic should include three elements:
1. The variables included in the study.
2. The type of relationship among the variables
3. The population to which the results may be
applied.

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 Avoid…. 1
• A topic that is too wide e.g. The effects of
drought; Truancy in schools

• A topic that is too complex e.g research that

requires large samples or have too many
variables e.g. consumer reaction to price
increases

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 Avoid….2
• Poor timing e.g. impact of free primary
education can only be felt after eight years.
•
• Limited accessibility to materials and
respondents e.g. a study based on spread of
STDs

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 Title selection
 Title is a ‘heading’, ‘label’ or ‘tag’
 It is a ‘mini abstract’
 Portrays a quick summary of the study

e.g. THE INFLUENCE OF QUALITY OF

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES ON ACADEMIC
PERFORMANCE OF DISTANCE LEARNING
STUDENTS: THE CASE OF UNIVERSITY OF
NAIROBI
 A title is formulated after identifying a topic
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 Steps in title selection 1
1. Identify the keywords

• Reflect on the key issues by finding out which

are the dependent and independent variables
e.g.

• Dependent variable: Academic performance

• Independent variables: Quality of instructional
resources

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 Steps in title selection 2
3. Formulate the title e.g. “The effect of hours of
study on students’ grades….”
Use terms such as “The impact of ….; The
influence of …..etc.”
4. Evaluate the title – ensure it is clear and specific
e.g. “ An assessment of the factors influencing
the academic performance of distance learning
students at the University of Nairobi”
OR “The relationship between types of learner
support services and student performance”

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 Qualities of an effective title 1
• Brief and specific – 12 – 18 words

• Reflect the objectives and focus of the study

• Clear and unambiguous

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 Qualities of an effective title 2
• Reflect a relationship between independent
and dependent variables

• Researchable – measurable

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