Finding a Final Year Project Topic in Biological Sciences

Finding a Final Year Project Topic in Biological Sciences

Finding a final year project topic can be tasking and time consuming. Often times, students are clueless on where to start and without guidance, they may end up choosing the wrong topic. A lot of thought has to be put into finding the right final year topic that fits into your area of specialization and can be done with skills you already have. Doing a final year project is a requirement that has to be met to get a degree and it usually has a lot of credits attached. Biological sciences require research and experiments, so a student might have to decide on a topic that is feasible.

To choose a good project topic and make the entire experience pleasurable, here are some steps to consider:

Look for research areas that you are interested in: The biggest mistake students make is looking for a topic that they are not interested in. This is bad as they end up doing it half-heartedly and not get full marks for the project or eventually stop half way and switch to something else. The best project topics are the ones you have interest in and you enjoy working on, it ends up seeming less like work because you actually enjoy it.

Look for an interesting topic: Finding a project topic that you are interested in is one thing, but finding something interesting is another. Being able to find an interesting topic (which is worth taking a second look at) may earn you about 10% of the overall grade. Think of it as catching the attention of your supervisor.

Look for something that solve issues in your immediate environment: This is going to help you especially as a science student; science is discovery, problems arise every day that need solutions and there are others that already have solutions but need easier ways to go about them. Example, if you specialize in microbiology; specifically food microbiology, you can work on using microorganisms as a means of long-lasting food preservation. This helps to not only solve a problem in your immediate environment but also apply your knowledge in school. This sort of topic would most likely be approved by your supervisor because of the benefits.

Look for something that is cost effective: When choosing your project topic for biological sciences, bear in mind that you may have to carry out experiments during your research and this may cost money. Try to choose what would be cost effective for you. Example; a student deciding to work on cancer research has to take into account that it would cost a lot of money and be prepared for it.

Availability of resources: There is this popular saying ‘There is nothing new under the sun’. Whatever you are deciding to work on has most likely been worked on by somebody else. Try to find out what has been done previously, look for sources; Books, journals, articles that will help you in the course of your research. Get access to other projects relating to your field of research that has been worked on in your department but don’t duplicate.

Specialization of your supervisor: You have to consider the area of specialization of your supervisor, what they are interested in and what they can relate to if you want your project topic getting approved. If your supervisor isn’t familiar with the area of research you choose it might end up being a problem for you as he wouldn’t be able to guide you properly and it might end up affecting your grade.

No matter what, ensure that the work is significant, shows your ability to identify your deep interest in the topic and the primary reason why the topic interests you. Don’t forget to review what others have done to solve the problem that you are trying to solve and do not blindly duplicate the work done by others. You must also be able to clearly explain the reasons on why you chose the procedure that you used to solve the problem and its underlying basis.

In the end what project topic you choose should have a reflection of you.