CHAPTER 2

FORMULATING AND
CLARIFYING THE RESEARCH
TOPIC
Chew Boon Cheong

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 Generating Research Ideas
1. Subject-to-topic analysis
2. Scanning the media
3. Using a Relevance Tree
4. Using Brainstorming
5. Looking at past research projects
6. Searching the literature
7. Talking to others

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1. Subject-to-topic Analysis
From the subjects taken along the program, select the
most interested subject (or one at which you are good).
Based on topics available, conduct a research project.
Hence, you are able to focus on an area for research-
idea generation.

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2. Scanning the Media
Obtain current trends and information from social
media.

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3. Using a Relevance Tree
You start with a broad concept which will generate topics
further. Each of these topics forms a separate branch from
which you can generate further for more detailed sub-
branches.

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 4. Using Brainstorming
Defining the research idea precisely.
Asking for suggestions that relate to the research idea.
Recording suggestions:
No suggestion should be criticised or evaluated before all
suggestions have been considered.
All suggestions (as many as possible) must be recorded and
considered in the next stage.
Reviewing all suggestions.
Analysing suggestions and deciding which one appeals
to you most as a research idea.

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 5. Looking at Past Research Projects
From past research project titles, choose titles in which
you are highly interested.
Recommendation for further research will drive you
to idea-generation.

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 6. Searching the Literature
If you have a clear idea of an interesting topic,
searching the literature helps to generate a specific
research idea.
Source: Journals, articles, books.

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 7. Talk to Others
Communication with experts, potential supervisor(s),
colleagues, friends and industrial practitioners.

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 Refining and Evaluating the
Research
Refine
Idea
research
Generate and Objective
research evaluate expand and
idea the hypothesi
research s
Internal evaluation idea
External evaluation

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Exhibit 1: Attributes of a Good Research
Topic (internal evaluan)
Capability Appropriateness (external evaluation)
Is the topic something which really
fascinates you?
Do you have, or can you develop, within
the project time frame, the necessary
research skills to undertake the topic?
Is the research topic achievable within the
available time?
Will the topic still be current when you
finish your project?
Is the topic achievable within the financial
resources that are likely to be available?
Are you reasonably certain of being able to Does the topic match your career goals?
gain access to data you are likely to require
for this topic?
Does the topic fit the specification and
meet the standards set by the examining
institution?
Does your topic contain issues that have a
clear link to theory?
Are you able to state your research
question(s) and objective(s) clearly?
Will your proposed research be able to
provide fresh insights into this topic?
Does your topic relate clearly to the idea
you have been given (by an organisation or
by your supervisor)?
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Source:
| Saunders et al., (201
 Activities that Lead to Idea Refinement and Evaluation

1. The Delphi technique

2. Conduct a SWOT Analysis
3. Comply with the institutions requirements
4. Thinking about the future

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 1. The Delphi Technique
Brief with a group of members and come up with three
specific research ideas based on the general research
idea
Create an unedited and a non-attributable form and
distribute them to all members of the group
Comment on the specific research ideas
Continue to cycle until a consensus is reached
The research idea is refined, with a good title

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 2. Conduct a SWOT Analysis

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT)

analysis
To evaluate both the internal factors and external factors that will
influence the research idea
(a) Strengths: You have the capacity to conduct a good research
project from this particular subject.
(b) Weaknesses: You do not know anyone from the organisation.
This will place a barrier to access to the organisation.
(c) Opportunities: Your research topic will help with your future
career advancement since it will lead to the development of
expertise as you complete it.
(d)Threats: Your research topic might invade the privacy of the
respondents/organisations in your study. This will cause you to
face rejection of the data collection.
* Demonstrate your strengths and maximise the opportunities for
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your research outcomes; minimiseyour weaknesses
| and threats.
3. Comply with the institutions
requirements
The research project is part of a program of study
The research quality must be able to meet the
examining body's requirements
theoretically grounded
conduct an evaluation
availability of the related literature
accessibility to the necessary referencing materials

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 4. Thinking about the future

A project in the same field will provide you with an

opportunity to display clearly your depth of knowledge
and your enthusiasm.
Accessed organisation(s) and respondents for data
collection in your research project potentially could be
valuable resources for your future job-searching

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 Summary
Techniques are essential to generating research ideas. Refine
and evaluate your research idea in order to construct a solid
topic which will navigate your research journey in a clear
direction.
On the other hand, you may be given a research idea/topic by
your supervisor. In this situation, the point of argument is the
freedom of your research. Even if you are given an idea/topic,
you may think that you still need to refine the research
idea/topic and evaluate it to make it feasible. Therefore, some
of the techniques are relevant.

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