Before fully committing to your topic, get feedback from others. Fresh perspectives can spot problems you've missed, suggest improvements, and help you avoid common mistakes.
Your Professor or Supervisor: The most important feedback source. They understand course requirements, have field expertise, and can guide you toward success.
Academic Advisors: Provide broader perspective on how your research fits into your overall academic path.
Writing Center: Illinois Tech's Writing Center can help you articulate your research ideas clearly and develop well-structured research proposals. They're particularly helpful for ensuring your research questions are clear and well-written.
Classmates and Peers: Offer fresh viewpoints and help you explain your ideas clearly to non-expert audiences.
Research Librarians: Information experts who can suggest resources and search strategies you might have missed.
Come Prepared: Have your topic, questions, and reasoning clearly organized. Stay Open: Treat criticism as helpful guidance, not personal attacks. Ask Follow-up Questions: If something isn't clear, dig deeper for understanding. Take Notes: Write down all suggestions, especially from your supervisor.
Student: "I want to research social media marketing effects on sales." Professor: "That's very broad. Which platforms? Which industries? What kind of effects? Consider something like 'How does TikTok influencer marketing affect Gen Z purchasing decisions for sustainable fashion brands?'"
Student: "I'm interested in curing cancer." Professor: "That's admirable but not feasible for a student project. How about 'Investigating the efficacy of a specific immunotherapy on particular cancer cell lines in laboratory conditions' or 'A systematic review of recent advances in early detection biomarkers for pancreatic cancer?'"
The goal is refining your ideas into something both compelling and achievable.
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