How to Choose Your Thesis Topic - Guide

If you're reading this article right now, you're probably where I was a few years ago: you have no idea what topic to choose for your thesis. Maybe you should have submitted your topic proposal weeks ago, or you're just starting to think about it, but that perfect "good topic" just won't come to mind.

Don't worry, that's completely normal. Most college students experience exactly the same thing. The good news is that topic selection isn't rocket science – there are some proven methods that will help you find a topic that not only brings a good grade but also one that won't make you want to bang your head against a wall while researching it.

In this guide, I'll walk you through the entire topic selection process, show you the most common mistakes, and give you concrete tips for different fields of study.

Why is Topic Selection So Important?

Before we dive into the how, let's talk about why it's worth spending serious time on this. Many students tend to underestimate the importance of topic selection – "it'll work out somehow, the important thing is to have a topic."

Unfortunately, this attitude almost always backfires. Here's why:

Consequences of a Bad Topic

Loss of Motivation: If you choose a topic that doesn't actually interest you, after 3-4 months of continuous work you're guaranteed to burn out. A thesis isn't a homework assignment you can knock out over a weekend – it requires long-term commitment.

Lack of Sources: With topics that are too specific or too new, you might find there simply isn't enough literature to write your thesis. This usually becomes apparent when it's too late to change.

Overcommitment: If your topic is too complex or too broad, you won't be able to cover it with adequate depth in the time available.

Advisor Problems: If your advisor doesn't understand your topic, they won't be able to provide meaningful help.

Golden Rule #1: Be Interested in the Topic!

I know this sounds cliche, but it really is the most important rule. And it's not about "loving the topic" – it's about being at least curious about it.

Think about it: over the next few months you'll spend a lot of time on this topic. You'll read about it, think about it, write about it. If you're already sighing with boredom when you think about the topic, it'll only get worse as you write the thesis.

How Do You Know a Topic DOESN'T Interest You?

There are some telltale signs to watch for:

• You constantly procrastinate getting started. If everything else seems more important (even cleaning), that's a bad sign.
• You can't spontaneously formulate questions about the topic. If a topic interests you, questions automatically come to mind. If not, it means you're not really engaged.
• Others' enthusiasm irritates you. If someone talks about the topic and you're bored rather than curious, that's a warning sign.
• You only chose it because it seemed "easy." "Easy" topics are usually boring, and it's hard to write a good thesis on a boring topic.

How to Find What Really Interests You?

Try this exercise: take out a blank piece of paper and write down 10 things that caught your attention in the past year. These could be:

• Articles you read of your own accord
• Podcasts or YouTube videos you watched
• Conversations you actively participated in
• Problems you thought a lot about
• Things you enjoy explaining to others

Now look through this list and think: can any of these be connected to your field? If yes, you already have a starting point.

Golden Rule #2: Don't Make the Topic Too Broad

This is the second most common mistake I see. Students tend to choose topics that could fill books, not 40-60 page theses.

Why is this a problem? Because the point of a thesis is to thoroughly explore a specific question. If your topic is too broad, you'll either only be able to address it superficially, or you'll realize halfway through writing that everything you planned won't fit.

How to Recognize a Topic That's Too Broad?

A topic is probably too broad if:

• An entire course or subject is built around it
• It returns thousands of results on Google Scholar
• You can't explain in one or two sentences exactly what you'll be examining
• Your advisor says: "This needs to be narrowed down"

Methods for Narrowing Your Topic

There are several techniques for how you can narrow down your topic:

1. Geographic Limitation

Instead of examining something globally, focus on a country, region, or even a city.

2. Time Limitation

Choose a specific time period to examine.

3. Target Audience Definition

Precisely define who your research applies to.

4. Selecting a Specific Aspect

Choose a specific angle from which to approach the topic.

Golden Rule #3: Accessible Literature Must Exist

You can choose the most interesting topic – if there aren't enough sources for it, your thesis will fail. A thesis is not an opinion piece: you need to build your argument on scholarly sources.

How Many Sources Do You Need?

This varies by university and field, but as a general guideline:

• Undergraduate (BA/BSc) thesis: minimum 15-25 sources
• Graduate (MA/MSc) thesis: minimum 30-50 sources

Importantly, these shouldn't just be websites! At least 60-70% of sources should be scholarly publications (journal articles, books, conference papers).

Where to Check Source Availability?

Before finalizing your topic, do a quick search:

Google Scholar (scholar.google.com)

Enter your topic keywords and see how many relevant results come up. If after 10-15 minutes of searching you can't find at least 10-15 relevant articles, that's a problem.

University Library Databases

Most universities provide access to paid databases (JSTOR, Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCO). Definitely use these, as you'll find much more quality sources than on the open internet.

Hungarian Scientific Works Archive (MTMT)

If you choose a Hungarian topic, you'll find Hungarian researchers' publications here.

ResearchGate

Many researchers upload their articles here, so you can access for free what would otherwise be behind a paywall.

What If There Are Few Hungarian Sources?

Don't worry if Hungarian language sources are limited – this is the case with many topics. Most universities accept (and even expect) the use of foreign language sources, especially English.

What's important: if your topic specifically relates to a Hungarian phenomenon (e.g., Hungarian companies, Hungarian consumers), then at least the empirical part needs to be examined in a Hungarian context.

Golden Rule #4: Be Realistic

This rule is about assessing your own abilities and resources. Not to undervalue yourself, but to avoid committing to something you can't deliver.

Questions You Must Ask Yourself

Do you have sufficient background knowledge?

If the topic builds on an area where you don't have the foundation, it will require a lot of extra work. Not impossible, but factor it in.

Is the necessary data accessible?

If you're planning quantitative research, where will you get the data? If you'd use surveys, can you reach enough respondents? If you'd conduct interviews, will people be willing to talk to you?

Do you have the technical skills for it?

If the research requires special software (SPSS, R, Python) or methods you're unfamiliar with, can you learn them in time?

Does it fit within the timeframe?

The average thesis has 3-6 months available. For a very complex topic, this may not be enough.

Topic Ideas by Field of Study

Now let's look at concrete ideas for different fields. These aren't finished topics, but rather starting points you can launch from.

Business/Economics (economics, finance, marketing)

• The impact of sustainability reports on investor decisions
• Measuring influencer marketing ROI for SMEs
• Generational differences in banking services usage
• Optimizing e-commerce conversion rates from a UX perspective
• ESG investment performance in the Hungarian market
• Employee loyalty in the remote work era
• Perception of crypto investments among Hungarian millennials

IT and Engineering

• Mobile app development to solve a specific problem
• Analyzing the cost-effectiveness of cloud-based solutions
• Cybersecurity at SMEs: risks and solutions
• Chatbot development for customer service purposes
• IoT sensor network design for a specific application
• Computer vision applications in quality control
• Comparison of web application performance optimization techniques

Human Sciences (HR, psychology, sociology)

• Effectiveness of workplace wellbeing programs
• Examining the effectiveness of recruitment channels
• Burnout prevention methods in healthcare
• The impact of remote work on team dynamics
• Managing generational conflicts in the workplace
• The role of employer branding in talent acquisition
• Improving onboarding processes

Tourism and Hospitality

• Sustainable tourism opportunities in a Hungarian region
• Gastro-tourism development opportunities
• The impact of online reviews on accommodation choices
• Tourism destination image building on social media
• Changes in post-COVID travel habits
• Applying the experience economy in hospitality

Law and Public Administration

• GDPR implementation challenges at Hungarian companies
• E-government development and obstacles
• Alternative dispute resolution benefits and limitations
• Labor law issues in the gig economy
• Handling data protection incidents

Topic Selection Step by Step

Now that you know the principles, let's see how to apply them in practice.

Step 1: Brainstorming (1-2 days)

Write down at least 10 topics that interest you. Don't filter yet, just collect! Review your courses, internships, the news – anything can inspire.

Step 2: Initial Filtering (1 day)

From the 10 topics, select the 3-4 that seem most realistic. Use the 4 golden rules as filters.

Step 3: Source Research (2-3 days)

For the remaining 3-4 topics, conduct thorough source research. For each one, spend at least 30-45 minutes searching for literature. Take notes on what you find!

Step 4: Advisor Consultation

With your top 1-2 topics, approach your potential advisor. Ask their opinion: is it feasible, does it contain something new, does it fit their area of expertise?

Step 5: Decision and Refinement

After the advisor consultation, decide on the final topic and precisely formulate your research questions.

The Most Common Topic Selection Mistakes

Finally, let's look at what mistakes most students make – and how you can avoid them.

Mistake #1: "My advisor will tell me what to write"

Your advisor helps and guides, but the topic is yours. If you don't have your own idea and motivation, it will show in the thesis.

Mistake #2: "No one has written about this topic yet"

This isn't necessarily a good thing. If no one has written about a topic, there's usually a reason: either there aren't enough sources, or it's not relevant.

Mistake #3: "My friend wrote this topic and got an A"

What worked for someone else may not work for you. Your knowledge, interests, and abilities are different.

Mistake #4: "This is an easy topic, I'll write it quickly"

There's no such thing as an "easy" thesis topic. What seems simple at first usually gets complicated during research.

Mistake #5: Procrastinating the decision until the last minute

Topic selection isn't a decision to be made in haste. Take time for it, because it will determine your next several months.

Summary: The Recipe for a Good Topic

Choosing a thesis topic is the first and one of the most important steps. If you choose well, the thesis writing process will be much smoother.

If you follow these rules and the process described above, you're on the right path to finding the perfect topic. And remember: the topic isn't final from the first moment. During collaboration with your advisor, you can still refine and clarify it.

Good luck with your topic selection! If you get stuck, check out our other articles where you can read about the next steps in thesis writing.