Doing what matters: how to select a compelling research topic

Nathan A. Bowling and Moses Rivera

Chapter 3 in How to Conduct and Publish High-Quality Research in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, 2025, pp 30-41 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: The best research papers always deal with compelling topics—topics that address a question of pressing theoretical or practical importance. In the current chapter, we begin by describing various types of compelling research topics. This is important, because understanding what kinds of research topics are compelling can aid researchers in selecting topics, and in refining and framing their work. We then describe sources of compelling research topics, and we offer actionable suggestions for how researchers can evaluate whether or not a given research idea is compelling. With some effort, researchers can develop the skills and habits needed to identify compelling topics—and refine them in a way that maximizes their scientific impact.

Keywords: Research topics; Idea generation; Academic writing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781035307739
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