How to Narrow a Dissertation Topic Without Losing Its Value

Before narrowing your topic, identify the central problem you want to investigate. Ask what specific issue, relationship, behaviour, process, or gap in knowledge interests you most.

Write your research problem in one or two sentences. Then remove details that do not directly contribute to answering it.

For example, instead of studying “the impact of technology on education,” you could examine how a particular form of digital learning affects university students' engagement in a specific educational context.

The narrower version provides a clearer direction while retaining the wider academic significance of the original subject.

Define Your Target Population

One effective way to narrow a dissertation topic is to identify a specific population. Instead of studying everyone affected by an issue, determine which group is most relevant to your research question.

You could focus on:

·         Undergraduate students.

·         Postgraduate students.

·         Employees in a specific industry.

·         Small business owners.

·         Healthcare professionals.