Summary of "Writing the Master's Dissertation Title"

Writing a master’s dissertation title (Andrew Bell)

At master’s level you must set your own research question and use academically appropriate language. Simple, lower-level question forms (e.g., “What is…”, “How do…”, simple lists or descriptions) are inadequate.
The verb in the title is critical. Use higher-order verbs from Bloom’s taxonomy (compare, evaluate, judge, justify, investigate, analyze, critique) to signal advanced academic work.
Scope must be balanced: neither too broad nor too narrow.
- Too broad: whole fields (e.g., “project management”) or very large sectors without focus.
- Too narrow: tiny single-case contexts with no meaningful comparison or insufficient data (e.g., a two-person company).
Feasibility matters: you must be able to collect data. A plausible, focused title that you cannot access data for is not a good title.
Title length and format: keep it to one sentence (no more than two lines on screen/printed); avoid long titles.
Avoid acronyms — write out full terms (for example, “total quality management” rather than “TQM”).
Avoid bias in wording — don’t frame the title as assuming failure or success (avoid “reasons for failure”, “problems”, or celebratory claims of “success”). Use neutral phrasing such as “investigation into …” so the research can determine outcomes.
Demonstrate domain expertise by focusing the title on a specific context (company, country, industry comparison) rather than an overly general topic.

Use a high-level academic verb and a focused, feasible scope — the title should signal advanced analysis without presupposing outcomes.

Start with a clear research area or topic.
Choose a high-level academic verb from Bloom’s taxonomy (examples: compare, evaluate, analyse, investigate, justify, critique).
Narrow the topic to an appropriate scope:
- Specify context: industry, country, company, or a comparison (e.g., automotive vs. telecommunications; Company A vs. Company B).
- Avoid single tiny cases unless you have a compelling reason and access to rich data.
Check feasibility:
- Confirm access to data/sources before finalizing the title.
- If data cannot be collected, refine scope or choose a different setting.
Draft the title as one sentence and ensure it fits within two lines when typed/printed.
Write out full terms; do not use acronyms in the title.
Remove biased language:
- Replace words that assume a negative/positive outcome (failure, problems, success) with neutral terms (investigate, examine, explore, assess).
Review and refine to ensure the title signals technical expertise and academic-level analysis.

Poorly scoped:
- “Review of project management” (too broad)
- “Review of project management in the automotive industry” (still broad)
Too specific / impractical:
- “Application of resource management in a small two-person company.”
Potentially acceptable (contingent on access to data):
- “Review of risk management practices in Toyota.”
Neutral example (good phrasing because it does not presuppose outcomes):
- “Investigation into Tesla’s product development life cycles”