Picking a Dissertation Topic?

Was wondering if anyone is able to give advice or just describe their experiences with picking their dissertation topic.

I'm not going to lie I'm feeling really fed up because I finally finished second year which has been the most challenging and stressful time of my life, to then having had received 20+ emails in the past week about dissertations. I knew it was coming but I just feel like I want a break from university but nope it's on to the next thing.

I've been assigned a supervisor after picking a broad research area which aligned with my supervisor's research interests. However I don't know a whole lot about the area just that I've enjoyed it when it's come up in my modules previously. However, I don't know how I'm supposed to choose a specific tiny area within this broad area to write a dissertation on?

I can see other students who have the same supervisor as me are emailing about how they want to do X, Y and Z and then there's me feeling completely lost and confused. I tried reading a review paper that my supervisor told us all to read and it just went completely over my head.

Anyone else feeling this way?

Presumably this is a stem subject?
Have you looked at the rules on dissertations or course description?

Its normally just a long essay and you pick an area of interest, then go away research it and write it. Surely there must be some areas that interest you that you think you can find out more about then display your writing/ research talents? Juts pick an aspect or ask an interesting question which other people might eb interested in hearing your views on and the answer to.

If your mind is blank then do some research with a view to identifying an area of sufficient interest and potential.

Yeah it's Biology. I have an area I'm interested in but it seems quite broad whereas when I looked at last year's poster presentations their dissertations were on specific pathways/topics. I have to attend a meeting with my supervisor (first time meeting her ever) and I'll be attending saying "yeah I find this area interesting but have no idea what to do within that broad topic" and I don't want her impression of me to be lazy and disinterested.

Yeah it's Biology. I have an area I'm interested in but it seems quite broad whereas when I looked at last year's poster presentations their dissertations were on specific pathways/topics. I have to attend a meeting with my supervisor (first time meeting her ever) and I'll be attending saying "yeah I find this area interesting but have no idea what to do within that broad topic" and I don't want her impression of me to be lazy and disinterested.

The problem is you lack ideas because you havent done enough research or put enough thought into it. Youve had all year. Read the trade press and look at your areas of interest plus some of the topics and debates surrounding them. It doesnt have to be unique, but the scope of your investigation should be interesting and be manageable within the limits of the dissertation. What areas are you going to investigate and how? You are looking for something that can showcase your abilities.

Usually your first meeting with the supervisor is like that, and they'll probably expect it to an extent. Look at some of the SPECIFIC research papers/projects your supervisor is working on/has worked on in the past. Is there scope for extended work on that, at your undergrad level? Make notes of where this may be possible, and note which areas seem like they'll be beyond the scope of an undergraduate dissertation as well.

Your supervisor will likely have some projects in mind anyway, but they will be very receptive to ideas and appreciate you spending time and thought on it. The latter case mentioned above of topics beyond the scope of UG work is relevant so you can, if necessary, move away from any suggestions they make that might be problematic because of this.

This is not uncommon; we all want to project our best self but it's important to not give false impressions and end up in a project which is way beyond your abilities, and potentially any UGs abilities. This is particularly relevant if your supervisor previously was at a very high tier university e.g. MIT, Oxbridge, Grandes Ecoles; certainly at MIT, CalTech the GEs etc abroad, as a lot of what would be undergrad/UG masters level work there is actually closer to PhD level work at most other places, even respectable RG unis.

Yeah that's correct that I haven't put much thought into it because it was only introduced to us around a month ago and since then we've all had exams. My supervisor has recommended some review papers to read so I'll do that after this bank holiday weekend and I guess make a mindmap of ideas. I'm doing a literature review as well rather than an experiment or questionnaire-type of dissertation.


I guess a problem I have is that I don't really know what is expected for an undergraduate versus what is beyond our abilities and expectations.

Yeah that's correct that I haven't put much thought into it because it was only introduced to us around a month ago and since then we've all had exams. My supervisor has recommended some review papers to read so I'll do that after this bank holiday weekend and I guess make a mindmap of ideas. I'm doing a literature review as well rather than an experiment or questionnaire-type of dissertation.


I guess a problem I have is that I don't really know what is expected for an undergraduate versus what is beyond our abilities and expectations.