Just want to pick your brains!

jovichick123

Hiya all,

I am currently in the process of picking my dissertation topic for next year and I am having huge problems choosing.

I am doing an English Literature degree and have (kinda) settled on the idea of discussing Magic Realism in the writing of Roald Dahl.

How did everyone else pick their topic (not just for English Literature)? I am just worried that as it is such a long piece of writing and constitutes 1/6 of the final degree grading, I don't want to pick a topic and run out of steam halfway through.

I am also interested in whetehr you knew exactly what you were going to argue at the time of picking your topic, I thought I'd have the summer to research before having to choose, thereby allowing me the time to find an angle to argue!

Thanks,

Sarah xx

dmg24

My degree was in Law, and to be honest I picked the area that I most enjoyed, and found a prevalent issue in the news (the rights of the child). It was far too vague and I got in a right mess!

Roald Dahl and Magic Realism sounds fascinating, and something I would really enjoy reading! x

melancholly

do you get a supervisor for the dissertation? if so, then work out who you want and speak to them. they can make things easier when you're stuck with something or just take no interest (sad, but sometimes true), so pick wisely!!

crazy_guy

My dissertation topic for my law degree was on corporate crime which geniunely interested me and i had plenty to talk about on it - plus i couldnt think of anything else

outlaw777

I'm doing marketing and my dissertation was on music piracy.

ames123_2

I do history and knew I wanted to do something medieval. I was told to have a look through a general book on the period and see what I liked.
I don't know about you but we can change our mind up until until about the third week into the term in September/October.

freebie_junkie

im doing mine right now, my degree is creative writing and writing for stage screen and radio and i chose to do a creative not a theory diss. mines on performance poetry, im doing 10 poems, performing them and a 2000 word refelctive commentary about the process of writing and performing poetry. i didnt have to make any decisions until semester 2 as at our uni your diss is just one of your 6 modules for 3rd year and doesnt count towards your degree any more than any other one.

lellie

I wouldn't worry about running out of steam - I chose a topic that originally I thought would be sparse and then realised I probably could have done a phd on it in the end..

Mine was on Neurasthenia (19th century condition) and modernity (I'm a history student but this was history of medicine).

aurora_borealis_2

I chose the notion of the 'other' in post-colonial literature because I enjoyed the novels.
A touch of the magicals in that genre too

Ytaya

I found a supervisor who does research in the area I was interested in (coastal geomorphology!) and pestered him for a semester until he came up with some projects he'd be willing to supervise I ended up doing a side project attached to his own research project.

Dunno if this would work for you. Our uni's system is to identify the general subject area you want to research, find a supervisor who works in that area and then hash out a specific topic between you.

celyn90

My first written dissertation was on metal mediated aryl-aryl bond formation (chemistry) I chose it because I enjoyed the lectures. My other two were more guided as you chose a supervisor and then discussed your project with them (needed to be guided more as they had to have a practical component). I'd pick something you enjoy more than anything as it makes a big difference and do some research beforehand so you know what your letting yourself in for. Your title does sound fascinating, his books are brilliant!