7 Useful Tips On Finding and Choosing The Perfect Final Year Project Topic

Writing a final year project is often a challenging experience for most undergraduate final year students. The excitement that you’re about to graduate and start your career can be watered down by the realization that you need to carry out an independent research that contributes to the existing body of knowledge, so choosing the perfect final year project topic is very important.

Completing your final year project is an important milestone in your career. An excellent research project will not only earn you a distinction which would significantly boost your CGPA, it can also serve as a solid foundation to build on for further postgraduate studies. However, a successful final year project begins with one crucial step, which is finding and choosing the perfect final year project topic.

You need to choose a topic that is significant to the research world in your field of study and one that also motivates you personally to give your best. We understand that choosing the best final year project topic can be quite challenging, hence, we’ve made a list of 7 useful tips/steps that you can follow to choose the perfect topic for your research project.

Here! Let’s look at 7 useful tips on finding and choosing the perfect final year project topic:

1. Get project topic ideas

This is the first step you need to take. Project topic ideas will give you an overview of areas you may want to further explore. To find great ideas for your final year project topic, you need to consider these important factors:

• Your project supervisor: Your project supervisor may either assign a topic to you or give you the freedom of choice to decide the topic you want to research on. In any case, your project topic should be within the area of specialty of your supervisor, as he/she will be providing you with the guidance you need to successfully complete your project.

Hence, your supervisor’s niche of interest can give ideas on topics you can research on. You can search for the various publications that your supervisor has authored or co-authored to give you further insight into his/her research work. Then you can choose a personal area of interest within your supervisor’s niche and create your topic around it.

• Online research compilers: Several quality research findings are frequently published on the internet. So, checking out relevant web pages and online forums is a great way to get valuable ideas for your final year project topic. Check out research that has already been done in your specific area of interest. You may even discover other interesting aspects within your interest area that you could research on

2. Ensure that you’ve sufficient information and resources available

Beyond choosing a project topic in your area of interest, you need to make sure that there are sufficient literature resources that can support your research work. Avoid choosing a topic where no significant previous research has been carried out. You need sufficient academic research to support your literature review and discussion. Without this, you won’t be able to produce quality work.

3. Choose a topic that is relevant to your field of study

A major reason for the final year project is to give students an opportunity to contribute to the existing body of knowledge. Hence, you need to find out current problems or issues in your field of study that your research will address. What are the gaps in knowledge that your research seeks to fill? What previous research work will your study be improving, and who will be the beneficiaries of your research work?

4. Consider the prospects for further postgraduate studies

If you’ve a career goal of pursuing further postgraduate studies, you should choose your final year project topic carefully. Your research project should be one that you can build upon for future postgraduate research. Also, consider choosing a project topic in an area of high interest to other researchers, where you’re likely to get scholarships for further studies. It’s also a great idea to form your project topic in such a way that you can write several research papers from your project. Hence, your research should cover a number of similar important areas.

5. Decide if you’ve the financial capacity to carry out the research

Although there may be several academic resources available for your proposed project topic, you may need to pay to access this information. Also, if your project involves carrying out laboratory experiments, you will likely need to pay for some specimens, reagents, and chemicals. You need to carefully consider these factors so you don’t choose a project topic that’s too expensive for you to fund.

6. Consider the stipulated time frame for your final year project

You will typically be required to carry out your research and submit your project within a specified time frame. So, although you may be interested in a project topic, you need to be sure that the research work isn’t too elaborate, and you’ll be able to complete it before your project deadline. Also, ensure that you have sufficient background knowledge about your topic, and it aligns as much as possible with your strengths and abilities, so you won’t become demotivated and unable to complete your research.

7. Frame your project topic properly 

When framing your project topic, make sure it isn’t too broad, as that’ll make it difficult for you to create the research question. It shouldn’t also be too narrow, else it’ll limit the academic resources available to support your research. So, frame your topic such that it can easily be narrowed down to a specific research question but also sufficiently broad so you have adequate information about it. Also, it’s important for your project topic to be quite catchy, and attention-grabbing. While you may not think this is significant, it could influence the possibility of your research project going global.

Having considered these 7 useful tips, you’re now prepared to find and choose the perfect topic for your final year project. Remember that your project topic should be relevant, interesting, economical, provide a good foundation for further studies, and be easy to complete within the required time frame. All the best!

About Author

Ofure Odibeli 

Ofure Odibeli is a freelance writer and editor who has worked across a range of digital and traditional media platforms. As a versatile writer, her projects have cut across several niches, including public health, education, history, health and wellness, real estate, international relations, and lifestyle. Her specialties are writing and editing, content marketing, and creative services. She currently works as a freelance writer on Upwork, an Editorial Consultant for the African Women’s Collaborative for Healthy Food Systems, and a writer for MotivationAfrica. Ofure is available for editing and writing projects, as well as private consultation. Contact Ofure at ofureodibeli@gmail.com

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