Topic selection
Choosing the right topic is very important. It is good to think about it properly, because it is difficult to change it later.
At the beginning of the paper, it is recommended to do a little preliminary research right away and to clarify what you are writing about, why and for whom:
- What is the topic of the thesis? What are you going to write about?
- What are the research questions? What do you want to research, what do you want to learn?
- What is the objective? Will it bring anything new or interesting to the reader?
- Who is your target audience? Who will you be writing for?
Research questions
Clearly formulated research questions will help define and specify the topic.
At this stage, it is a good idea not to underestimate the importance of researching sources of information (see What is information retrieval?) to see if there are enough appropriate and up-to-date sources on the topic.
Brainstorming
In preparation for writing, it is a good idea to write down all the information you know about the topic, the different opinions and questions related to the topic, and what possible solutions to your problem might be. All this will help you to clarify:
- What you already know.
- What you need to check, what you are not sure about.
- What you still need to find out.
For example, mind maps can be a good tool for brainstorming.