Picking a research topic.

Valmont

I'm starting a masters in research this September and I'm currently trying to decide what area of my subject (psychology) to try and construct a project around. I have a solid idea of the general area I would like to pursue but I'm looking at the faculty page and I don't see that my area of interest lines up well with theirs. Is it that important to have a supervisor who is proficient and well versed in your subject area? I'm confident enough to take on this project without too much help but I don't want to alienate all potential supervisors before I start. I could easily change my line of investigation as my undergraduate project was close to the college's main research area but I would prefer to do my own thing at this stage.

Any advice is much appreciated.

2Scoops

That's a toughie! If you work on something outside your supervisor's area of interest, they will be next to useless as 'mentors.' That said, if they have a strong grasp of the scientific research process and can still educate you on how to write, analyze data etc. it won't be a complete loss. It will probably just make for an underwhelming masters experience. :pac:

JohnMearsheimer

Hey Valmont. I did my masters in international relations, not psychology so I'm probably not comparing like with like here.....I was in a similar situation to you as I wanted to do my masters in an area that fell outside the research interests of the lecturers in my department. I did my research on Chinese foreign policy towards Africa and my supervisor's area of interest was Italian foreign policy. I didn't find it a hinderence and my supervisor was still able to make helpful suggestions. If what I wrote was rubbish he would come out and tell me.

You should pick a topic that you are comfortable with and interested in as it will be you putting in the work at the end of the day. If you pick a research topic that you are not really interested in you may also have an underwhelming experience. Your supervisor will guide you through the research process, not do it for you. Doing a masters should help you broaden your horizons and you may also broaden the horizons of your supervisor. Some supervisors may even welcome the opportunity to learn more about an area of their subject they are not too familiar with.

p.pete

I'm in a similar position having just started my PhD post-psychology degree. My supervisor is from the AI area and the research should be using cognitive architectures (specifically Soar) but he's fairly relaxed about what I do. I'm trying to research areas that interest me to come up with direction, and I'm fairly sure whatever I pick he's not too likely to be hot on the psychology side of things. The application of the project into cognitive architecture is where I expect help, and I feel a supervisor should be most useful for the scientific process and if there's specific techniques involved. After that it's your work not theirs!

JohnMearsheimer

p.pete wrote: »

I'm in a similar position having just started my PhD post-psychology degree. My supervisor is from the AI area and the research should be using cognitive architectures (specifically Soar) but he's fairly relaxed about what I do. I'm trying to research areas that interest me to come up with direction, and I'm fairly sure whatever I pick he's not too likely to be hot on the psychology side of things. The application of the project into cognitive architecture is where I expect help, and I feel a supervisor should be most useful for the scientific process and if there's specific techniques involved. After that it's your work not theirs!

Are you in Cardiff Uni p.pete?

p.pete

Portsmouth, just finished a degree in Cardiff though (thus my location). Well actually at this very moment I am in Cardiff yes, but in the morning I'll be in Portsmouth

JohnMearsheimer

Small world . I spent 2 years doing my masters at Cardiff Uni (2007-2009). If you were based in the psychology building on Park Place I was only just across the road from you in the European Studies building. So you're off to Portsmouth now? I do miss Cardiff every now and then, its a nice city but 2 years there was enough for me.