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How to Choose a Good Research Project Topic

How to Choose a Good Research Project Topic

 

To begin with, by definition, a research or project topic can be defined as a subject that a research project intends or sets out to explore or discuss in details.

There is no doubt that, choosing a project topic is one of the most difficult part of research process. The choice of your project or research topic is the very first step to writing presentable and successful of undergraduate project, dissertation or thesis.

Notably, when choosing a project topic, many important factors to consider includes; the area of interest, the availability of related research material, the relevance of the propose choosen project material and possibility of having access to the required data for conducting the study.

While choosing a project topic, another important factor to consider is the scope or delimitation of the research work you intends to carry out. (This can be known by some researchers as the case study area).

Importantly, for your project topic to be researchable, make sure it contains an independent variable and dependent variable.

Generally, a variable in research simply refers to a person, place, thing, or phenomenon that you are trying to measure in some way. The best way to understand the difference between a dependent and independent variable is that the meaning of each is implied by what the words tell us about the variable you are using.

Independent and Dependent Variables

Dependent variable is the variable that depends on other factors that are measured. These variables are expected to change as a result of an experimental manipulation of the independent variable or variables. It is the presumed effect. Whereas, independent variable is the variable that is stable and unaffected by the other variables you are trying to measure. It refers to the condition of an experiment that is systematically manipulated by the investigator. It is the presumed cause.

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What to know about Independent and Dependent Variables in your project topics

  • The independent variable is varied and has a presumed cause on another variable, the dependent variable. In an experiment, it is the manipulated variable. It is the variable under the control of the experimenter. In a non-experimental study, it is the variable that as a logical effect on the dependent variable.
  • The dependent variable’s effect alter concomitantly with changes or variations in the independent variable.
  • An active variable is manipulated. Manipulations mean that the experimenter has control over how the values change.
  • An attribute variable is measured and cannot be manipulated. A variable that cannot be manipulated is one where the experimenter has no control over the values of the variable.

 

  • A continuous variable is capable of taking on an ordered set of values within a certain range. Between two values there are an infinite number of other values. These variables reflect at least a rant order.
  • Categorical variables belong to a kind of measurement where objects are assigned to a subclass or subset. The subclasses are distinct and non-overlapping. All objects put into the same category are considered to have the same characteristic(s).
  • Latent variables are un-observable entities. They are assumed to underlie observed variables.
  • Intervening variables are constructs that account for internal unobservable psychological processes that account for behaviour. It cannot be seen but is inferred from behaviour.

How to Choose a Good Research Project Topic

 

PROCESS OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND REPORT WRITING

In this article I will examine the various processes that can be utilized for a variable educational research. It also examines research report as a plan of what you as a researcher want to do in carrying out a research project. It helps you to have a proper perspective of what is involved in executing a particular study

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Any scientific research involves a number of processes or steps that are executed in a systematic manner. Educational research as a scientific investigation involves sequential; logical steps of execution. The logical steps you take when carrying out educational; research processes include:

  • identifying a researchable problem area, or need worth investigating;
  • reviewing or related literature to the research topic;
  • Designing a study to collect pertinent data: This is by stating the underlying assumptions, which will govern the interpretations of results;

 

  • Collecting pertinent data for answering the research questions and testing the hypotheses;
  • Selecting the subjects using appropriate sampling procedures: This is by analyzing the data collected using appropriate statistics, to answer the research questions and testing the hypotheses of the study;
  • Drawing necessary inferences or conclusions based on the results of the analysis;
  • Specify the data collection procedure that is questionnaires, test construction and administration, interview and observations;
  • Select the data analysis methodology (this could be through manual or computer);
  • Evaluate results, draw conclusions, and make recommendations.

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