Find the perfect thesis topic – 8 useful tips

Here are our tips for finding the perfect thesis topic for you. Imagine, the deadline of handing in a thesis contract comes closer and you must have an idea of what you’re going to write about. But how do you find a perfect thesis topic? The thought of spending 4-5 months working on the same thesis might be a bit overwhelming. It might even terrify you a bit. You might feel the pressure from all the expectations coming from your university, peers, teachers, parents, and even yourself.

Or else, you’re just continually postponing to give any of it a single thought. Because there is a tiny procrastinator hidden in you. However, it might be wise to start the process early to settle on your thesis writing. Sometimes time runs faster than the speed of light!

Don’t be afraid, we’ll stand by you. For you to settle on the perfect thesis topic tailor-made for you, we have listed 8 tips you can take into consideration. Also, here you can find good examples of Master’s and Bachelor’s thesis topics.

8 useful tips on finding the perfect topic for your thesis

Go through previous assignments and notes

One of the common requirements, which is applied by all universities, is that you’ve to pick a topic within the scope of your academic profile.

If you have kept notes, books, papers, projects, business cases, or academic journals from previous courses go through these. Let them guide you. What interests you? Have you stumbled over a theory that you find interesting? Can you disprove or prove it? Look into that. Or have you worked on something in class, which you would like to explore further?

Go through your notes for inspiration. Photo by Fausto Bottini.

Talk to your peers

Your fellow peers are in the exact same boat as you and they are also considering thesis topics. Explore your opportunities through interaction. Get ideas on the table, say thoughts out loud, and talk about your interests. Perhaps the conversations will get you closer to what you want or you will discover what really interests you. Passionate students and topics are the way to go. Discussing and getting feedback from your peers might also be helpful if you’re writing your thesis alone.

Get inspiration from your job or internship

Do you currently hold a position or work as an intern within a company, organization, institution, or anything similar? If yes, you’ve probably got insights into how your workplace operates, what works, and what doesn’t. You’ve most likely signed an employment contract where you are subject to a rule of Confidentiality, which you obviously ought to maintain.

However, you’re still allowed to get inspiration for your thesis from your job. If there is a specific phenomenon or problem prevalent, you can explore if these are prevalent in other places as well. Try to build a business case, leaving out your workplace in the research, if necessary.

Ready to continue your reading on the guide to finding the perfect thesis topic?

Be inspired by your workplace. Photo by Fausto Bottini.

Go to work-shops or events about thesis writing

If possible, explore if your university is arranging any events about thesis writing or the like. Maybe you’re familiar with specific student organizations or you’re a member of a labor union. Use them, visit their websites, and explore if they host any events. Become Dora the Explorer and it will enable you to find the perfect thesis topic.

Go through your university’s thesis database

Some universities keep a database of previous students’ theses. The database can be a great source of inspiration since you can get insights into other students’ work. However, the scope of the theses uploaded might be rather broad. Since there obviously are a lot of different programs at your university. Nevertheless, it’s an opportunity to look into what other students have been writing about. Moreover, how they have structured their theses.

Talk to other students for inspiration. Photo by Fausto Bottini.

Consolidate with lecturers & former students

If you think your university’s thesis database is being too fussy and not very targeted towards your program, consider reaching out to former university students of your program. You’ve most certainly had some tutors at the beginning of your studies, which you can ask for advice. They might even hook you up with other students from their year, who can guide you as well. Hence, you can get inspiration from them and see examples of thesis topics relevant to your program. If lucky, you might find a perfect thesis topic yourself.

You can also check out our blog post where former students give their best thesis writing tips.

Go to your university’s library or a public library for inspiration

Your university might have a library where they keep books, magazines, periodicals, journals, and other relevant reading material. You can go through that for inspiration. If your university’s library is limited, go search for public ones. In Copenhagen, you can for instance go to the Copenhagen Main Library (Hovedbiblioteket), The Royal Library (Det Kongelige Bibliotek), or the many other libraries.

The library at the IT University of Copenhagen. Photo by Fausto Bottini.

Take inspiration from society and the news

What is going on in society right now? Are there any interesting trends within your academic sphere or the potential future industry you might end up working in? Look up companies and organizations and get inspired by their work. Additionally, read newspapers or look into online platforms such as LinkedIn or Twitter and see what’s shaking. You might stumble over an interesting topic or two that you could adapt to your academic profile. And even narrow it down to a thesis topic relevant for you.

We hope that this guide to finding the perfect thesis topic will help you on your path! Once you’ve found one, you can read our guide to writing a good thesis topic. Hence, you’re ready to upload your thesis topic on Excelerate to find a company for a thesis collaboration.