Finding a topic

If you are still at the very beginning of finding a topic for your academic paper, think about which subjects from your studies you would like to explore further, which professional direction you want to take, or which issues you care about. You can also use techniques such as Freewriting or Clustering. As soon as topics emerge that genuinely interest you, you should proceed more systematically to be able to decide on one of them.

To do so, you can use the following questions. Try to answer the questions in the table below for each topic that interests you. At this stage of your academic work, it is normal that you cannot answer all questions yet.

You will quickly notice:

• What genuinely interests you
• What is feasible
• What you need to narrow down further
• Where you still need to research

Even if you have already made your choice, you should still use these questions.

Your answers will form an exposé – essentially the travel route for your paper. You can change the route along the way, but those who set off without any plan rarely arrive on time or at the right destination.

Registering your paper

When registering your paper, you must also provide the title. The title of your paper appears on your degree certificate and will therefore accompany you for the rest of your life. It should be easy to understand and not too awkward or too long.

Avoid company or product names as well as abbreviations, that are not widely known, in the title.

After registration, only editorial changes are still possible. The changes must not be so substantial that they appear to be a change of topic. Further changes are only approved by examination boards in exceptional cases.

Narrowing down your topic

To phrase your topic precisely and to work on it thoroughly, you should narrow it down.

Elevator pitch: Imagine you meet an important person in the elevator. You have three minutes to present your current project as convincingly as possible.

Formulating your topic

When narrowing down and formulating your topic, you should repeatedly ask yourself the following questions:

• What belongs to my topic, and what does not?
• Which considerations go too far when working on the topic?
• Which details can I leave out?

Frequently asked questions

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The chapters of the results section are structured according to content logic: In the discussion section, you interpret your results with reference to the research question and reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of your approach.

Finally, you summarize your work, identify implications, and, if applicable, provide an outlook.

When you work with literature, it is important that you go beyond the literature and, based on your systematic research, develop independent analyses and draw conclusions. For example, you could derive new research needs from the literature, develop an improved definition, create your own model, or formulate practical recommendations.

Other academic papers you will write in Social Science include developing concepts as well as empirical papers of qualitative or quantitative orientation.

Frequently asked questions

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This belongs in the introduction

The introduction should lead to your topic. As a starting point, present the initial situation, for example by naming a current research problem to which your investigations relate, or by giving a specific case study that illustrates a problem. The introduction clarifies the aim of your paper and shows your approach.

Think about why it is relevant for you to address precisely this research question.

An important role is also played by the framework conditions under which your research takes place:

• Which test facilities are available to you?
• When and how can you use certain facilities?
• Special delivery and related waiting times for materials used should also be included in this section.

The introduction can already briefly describe the methodological approach or reconstruct the current state of research. In such a case, it may be advisable to divide the introduction into further sections.

The length of the introduction is usually at least one page. However, it should not be longer than three to four pages. The aim of the introduction is to spark the reader’s interest.

The writing style should be generally understandable, i.e., technical terms should be used sparingly, and mathematical formulas should be (largely) avoided. People who have not studied your field should also be able to understand what you have been working on for half a year after reading the introduction.

Common mistakes in the introduction

Avoid these common mistakes in your introduction:

• The objective of the paper is not mentioned in the introduction.
• The introduction makes it clear that the topic is too broad, without clarifying that only a partial aspect is being addressed.
• The introduction consists of too many elements that do not fit together.
• The introduction contains elements that belong in the main body of the paper. The introduction should only introduce the content that will be discussed in detail in the main body.
• The technical context and the relevance of the question are not evident.
• The introduction only explains the further structure of the paper –  this is already visible in the table of contents.
• The introduction lacks motivation: Why was this paper written with exactly this objective?
• If you wrote your paper in cooperation with a company: The company is presented in too much detail, and the company description reads like an advertisement.

Example of an introduction

The introduction is a mandatory part of The Structure of a Thesis in Engineering and Natural Sciences.

Frequently asked questions

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