Dissertation ideas

[solitaire]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently a 2nd year studying criminology and criminal justice.  Its come to the time now where I need to start thinking about what id like to do for my research.

I want to pick a topic that hasn't really been researched.  Has anyone got any advice/ideas on what I could do my dissertation on?  I was thinking around wrongful convictions and confessions but I'm not quite sure where to take it.

Thank you in advance for your advice.

[fuzzylogician]

Finding a research topic is one of the most difficult tasks facing any researcher. No one here would just give you a good idea, not to mention that we have no idea what your precise interests and training are and what resources you have available. You should discuss these questions with an advisor in your department. I doubt that anyone will just give you a topic (in fact, I hope no one does this), but they would be able to help guide you toward one. You might want to start by setting up a meeting, but before you do, spend some time doing some preliminary thinking: what classes did you find particularly interesting? What papers in your readings? Was there any particular problem that caught your eye in your readings or class discussions -- even one that was solved could lead you to formulate a related question. Look at the programs for recent conferences in your field -- what are people presenting on? What are recent publications in the relevant journals? Do this, and come to your professor with some ideas in mind. They can be entirely half-baked, but you'll get much better advising if you can answer some of the questions I listed and come with some vague idea in mind than if you just come in (like you did here) and just say "I don't know what to do, help me find a topic". 

[AP]

In order to do something that hasn't been researched, you need to read as much and broadly as you can to find the 'gap' in the literature. You have already read significantly in your coursework so you can, at the very least, begin by discarding topics that you find uninteresting. [A professor once told me that the dissertation topic stays with you for a long time, so you might as well pick something you are unquestionably interested in]. Finally, go from the general to the particular, don't expect to find a research topic out of thin air. Identify the major trends in your field and the major methodologies. Then cross them with your own interests, for example, big data or inner city justice. Add your conversations with your advisor. As you continue to read, you'll trim your project. 

[Sigaba]

22 hours ago, solitaire said:

I want to pick a topic that hasn't really been researched. 

In the strongest possible terms, I urge you not to take this approach for your dissertation topic. If you go where no established expert has gone before, you may find yourself without enough tethering points to ground your research and to help phrase your findings. (Or so I've heard...)

Instead, I recommend that you pick a topic that advances an ongoing debate in a slightly different direction that may lead to a new area of research down the line when your skills are more developed.

Compare taking temperature readings of a large body of water on a different part of the shoreline during a different time of the day than others have used versus taking temperature readings at the bottom of the deepest part of the large body of water during the coldest days of the year. (Glub, glub, glub. Or so I've heard.)

[solitaire]

8 hours ago, AP said:

In order to do something that hasn't been researched, you need to read as much and broadly as you can to find the 'gap' in the literature. You have already read significantly in your coursework so you can, at the very least, begin by discarding topics that you find uninteresting. [A professor once told me that the dissertation topic stays with you for a long time, so you might as well pick something you are unquestionably interested in]. Finally, go from the general to the particular, don't expect to find a research topic out of thin air. Identify the major trends in your field and the major methodologies. Then cross them with your own interests, for example, big data or inner city justice. Add your conversations with your advisor. As you continue to read, you'll trim your project. 

Hi,

Thank you so much for the great advice.  Much appreciated

[solitaire]

1 hour ago, Sigaba said:

In the strongest possible terms, I urge you not to take this approach for your dissertation topic. If you go where no established expert has gone before, you may find yourself without enough tethering points to ground your research and to help phrase your findings. (Or so I've heard...)

Instead, I recommend that you pick a topic that advances an ongoing debate in a slightly different direction that may lead to a new area of research down the line when your skills are more developed.

Compare taking temperature readings of a large body of water on a different part of the shoreline during a different time of the day than others have used versus taking temperature readings at the bottom of the deepest part of the large body of water during the coldest days of the year. (Glub, glub, glub. Or so I've heard.)

Thank you so much for your advice.  I understand what your saying, and I think you've made a very good point.  Thank you.

Much appreciated

[solitaire]

15 hours ago, fuzzylogician said:

Finding a research topic is one of the most difficult tasks facing any researcher. No one here would just give you a good idea, not to mention that we have no idea what your precise interests and training are and what resources you have available. You should discuss these questions with an advisor in your department. I doubt that anyone will just give you a topic (in fact, I hope no one does this), but they would be able to help guide you toward one. You might want to start by setting up a meeting, but before you do, spend some time doing some preliminary thinking: what classes did you find particularly interesting? What papers in your readings? Was there any particular problem that caught your eye in your readings or class discussions -- even one that was solved could lead you to formulate a related question. Look at the programs for recent conferences in your field -- what are people presenting on? What are recent publications in the relevant journals? Do this, and come to your professor with some ideas in mind. They can be entirely half-baked, but you'll get much better advising if you can answer some of the questions I listed and come with some vague idea in mind than if you just come in (like you did here) and just say "I don't know what to do, help me find a topic". 

Sorry if I've offended you, I not after someone giving me an idea to do, its advice I'm after on deciding upon a research topic.

The questions you've put will be very useful thank you