Is Your Topic Feasible?
Topic Development
For some students, choosing a topic for their dissertation comes organically, or it may have even been part of the reason they pursued their PhD in the first place. However, for others, it can be a bit more of a struggle. This can be for a number of reasons. Perhaps you had something in mind at your workplace, but then changed jobs so the population of interest is no longer available for you to sample. Perhaps you discover that a study you had your heart set on involves a vulnerable population and, as a result, the IRB has denied your request to do this study [yes, they can and will do that in certain circumstances].
In order to discover a study topic that is not only feasible but also reasonable, justifiable, and necessary, you may find it helpful to ask yourself the following questions:
What is the specific problem? This pertains more to being able to identify the variables of you chosen topic so that you can devise research questions. This is also an important moment to pause and dig through the literature to ensure that you can identify support for the existence of this problem as a gap in the literature with other [recent] research studies.
What theory can I use to explore this study? Whether you choose to do a qualitative or quantitative study, you will need a theory to ground it.
What methodological approach can I use? Is there an instrument out there that is valid and reliable that you can use to assess your variables? If not, and you are studying perceptions or lived experiences, you may have a qualitative study on your hands.
Who is going to participate in this study? And, more importantly, how will you access them? Can you access them?
Once you are in a place where you can confidently and completely answer each of these questions, you have a solid, defendable dissertation topic. Congrats! Now, you just need to figure out your title – in 12 words or less. Good luck!
Get Your Dissertation Approved
We work with graduate students every day and know what it takes to get your research approved.
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Feasibility Study
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Updated August 08, 2021
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Full BioAmy is an ACA and the CEO and founder of OnPoint Learning, a financial training company delivering training to financial professionals. She has nearly two decades of experience in the financial industry and as a financial instructor for industry professionals and individuals.
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Table of Contents
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Table of Contents
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What Is a Feasibility Study?
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Understanding a Feasibility Study
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Benefits of a Feasibility Study
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Tools for Conducting a Study
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Examples of a Feasibility Study
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Feasibility Study FAQs
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The Bottom Line
How to Define a Research Problem | Ideas and Examples
Published on April 15, 2019 by Shona McCombes. Revised on January 8, 2020.
A research problem is a specific issue, difficulty, contradiction, or gap in knowledge that you will aim to address in your research. You might look for practical problems aimed at contributing to change, or theoretical problems aimed at expanding knowledge.
Bear in mind that some research will do both of these things, but usually the research problem focuses on one or the other. The type of research problem you choose depends on your broad topic of interest and the type of research you want to do.
This article helps you identify and refine a research problem. When writing your research proposal or introduction, you will have to formulate it as a problem statement and/or research questions.