How to choose a research topic RIMC Research

How to choose a research topic RIMC Research Capacity Enhancement Workshops Series : “Achieving Research Impact”

How to choose a research topic This won’t help If this isn’t in it… • Stuff to consider: • What are the pressing problems in your domain? • Reflect on your life experiences • Assess your personal values • What do you get passionate about? • What’s your dream job?

• What ? More things to consider – – – – – interests you funders are looking for is hot in your field you’re doing now will please your superiors will advance your career Is practical within your circumstances can have some impact methodologies are suitable for you access you have to research centres • Who ? – you like to work with – Is available to assist you • Where ? – the funding comes from – you want to publish

• • Once you have selected a field of interest; “ I feel ‘The Poetry of Quantum Mechanics in the Age of Professional Wrestling’ is just a bit contrived Read up the background Conduct a literature review; – Identify the key researchers – The material that they cite will be a good starting point • Identify gaps in the knowledge • • • – Many published papers suggest further research – Look for an unoccupied niche – Keep several ideas going at first – Attend conferences/seminars – Consider cross-boundary enquiries Make a short list of ideas Frame them into questions Expect them to change Brainstorm with friends & colleagues Seek advice Should be – Focused and manageable – Capable of delivering your learning needs

Identifying research with impact potential Match the gaps in the literature with: • What’s in the news • What’s being debated; nationally & internationally What is the relationship between the topic of research and the impact it can have? Your research topic A solvable problem with a policy component to the solution Its impact

Common errors • • • Too broad Too narrow Unanswerable Irrelevant Infeasible Unfundable Unpublishable Already done No potential for impact

Current topics for ICT 4 D research • • Formulating technology policies Achieving sustainability Rolling out technology applications Scaling up from pilot projects to national programmes Conducting evaluations and impact assessments Promoting technology convergence and synergies Formulating pro-poor approaches Devising demand-driven methods.

• Macro-level issues – Impact on poverty Hot topics in ICT 4 D • Evaluation – Evidential rather then anecdotal – Longitudinal International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development (ICTD 2012) § § § new technologies project assessments policy analyses impact studies theoretical contributions social issues around ICT and development • Digital Divide – Non-users – Under-served groups • • • Sustainability Impact Technologies – Mobile applications – Technology synergies