Your final step is putting together all the feedback, fine-tuning your focus, and settling on a topic that excites you and sets you up for success. This is an iterative process—don't expect to get it perfect on the first try.
Use Feedback Systematically: Review all the suggestions you've received. Which ones make your project stronger? How can you combine different perspectives?
Adjust Your Scope: If still too broad, narrow further. If too narrow to yield enough material, expand thoughtfully.
Return to the Literature: As your topic changes, you may need additional searches to confirm your focus and make sure you haven't missed important existing work.
Sharpen Your Questions: Make each research question as specific and answerable as possible. Remove any unclear language.
Think About Practical Steps: Consider how your refined topic will affect your methodology, data collection, and analysis.
Before committing, make sure your topic meets these criteria:
Personally Engaging: You're genuinely excited to spend significant time exploring this area
Appropriately Focused: Specific enough to be manageable, broad enough to be meaningful
Clearly Defined: Your research questions are precise and answerable
Realistically Feasible: You can complete the project within your constraints
Academically Valuable: Your research will contribute something worthwhile to the field
Supervisor-Approved: You have clear approval from your professor or advisor
Ethically Sound: You've addressed any ethical considerations properly
Initial: "Does daily Instagram use correlate with body dissatisfaction levels among female university students aged 18-22?"
Refined: "How does social comparison theory explain the relationship between daily Instagram use and body dissatisfaction among female university students, comparing individualistic versus collectivistic cultural contexts?" Improvement: Adds theoretical framework and comparative element for deeper analysis.
Initial: "What is the efficacy of a 12-week mindfulness program in reducing stress among healthcare professionals?"
Refined: "What is the impact of a 12-week online mindfulness-based stress reduction program on burnout symptoms and sleep quality among emergency room nurses in metropolitan hospitals?" Improvement: Specifies delivery method, target population, and measurable outcomes for feasibility.
Initial: "How can we improve prosthetic limb control for amputees?"
Refined: "What is the accuracy and user satisfaction of EMG-based pattern recognition algorithms for controlling multi-degree-of-freedom prosthetic hands in below-elbow amputees during standardized grasping tasks?" Improvement: Specifies control method, outcome measures, target population, and testing conditions.
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