Deciding on a topic to study

Assuming you have a choice, this important decision should be researched carefully. Make appointments to visit possible supervisors and ask them for advice on topics that you find interesting. Use library texts and research papers to obtain further background information. Perhaps the most important criterion is whether the topic will sustain your interest over the whole period of the project. Other things to look for include:

  • Opportunities to learn new skills. Ideally, you should attempt to gain experience and skills that you might be able to 'sell' to a potential employer.
  • Ease of obtaining valid results. An ideal project provides a means to obtain 'guaranteed' data for your report, but also the chance to extend knowledge by doing genuinely novel research.
  • Assistance. What help will be available to you during the project? A busy lab with many research students might provide a supportive environment should your potential supervisor be too busy to meet you often; on the other hand, a smaller lab may provide the opportunity for more personal interaction with your supervisor.
  • Impact. It is not outside the bounds of possibility for undergraduate work to contribute to research papers. Your prospective supervisor can alert you to such opportunities.
  • Success. You are doing a research project and it may not always provide a positive result. Negative results are just as useful.