Opinnot > Guides > T-110_Seminars > topic_description.html
A research topic in general: a research topic is often also called either "research question" or "research problem". It defines a specific angle or viewpoint to a research subject (often called "research area", sometimes even "research project"). A topic answers the question: what are we trying to find out? What is the specific question that needs an answer or what is the specific problem that needs a solution. In the seminar, a topic is the "work order" a prospective tutor writes and presents for the prospective student authors. It defines the goal(s) for the literature study a student will do.
Name, define and describe as practically, simply and specifically as you can what you want to find out. What is the specific question that needs an answer or what is the specific problem that needs a solution. What does the student need to get done?
Describe briefly the background of the (group of) topic(s), the "big picture" to which this topic belongs. What is the context of the topic? What research area or or which larger research question/problem is this topic a part of? What use might the findings from researching this topic have? Why is this area/subject important to study (here a personal viewpoint may be motivated, but you can also leave that for your topic presentation)? Define any necessary central terms, if the research area is very new or for other reasons likely to be unknown to many students. Keep this description on a general level and avoid using expressions that look like explicit research questions or problems.
The title should be descriptive of the topic and specific enough to indicate what kind of contribution is sought. As any good title, the title should be optimally long (6-15 words) and grammatically correct. The topic title will most likely be used as the tentative title of the article that the chosen student will write, so make reasonably sure that the topic title is up to this, too.
In the "target" part of the topic, you describe the work to be done by the student. This description should be written in as concrete a format as possible. Use direct instructions, questions or problem statements.
In the "requires" part of the topic, you describe what the student should already know and/or be able to do, before starting her or his NetSec work, to get the work done. This description may be a simple list. Please be specific here: ask for such knowledge and experience that is really relevant for the topic.
Here, give 2-4 (preferably no more, no less) relevant and valid sources where the student can start looking for information. NOTE! Do not give all possible sources: leave some for the student to find her/himself.
Concerning the validity the sources, strive to a relatively high overall validity or, if possible, a representative variation of validity. In other words, if most information about your subject is found in peer-reviewed sources (conference proceedings and journals), make sure there are enough of them among the initial literature you give. However, if your topic is such that real information about it is best found in the "shadier" corners of the WWW, let your initial literature list reflect this reality.
An approximate general validity order of sources could be something like this
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