From Voice Notes to Research Proposal: How to Craft Research Topics with Ease

Introduction:

Step 1: Documenting Ideas Through Dictation
To kickstart the process, create a document that enables dictation software, such as Word in Office 365. Dictating allows for a natural flow of thoughts without the fatigue associated with typing. It streamlines the process, making it easier to generate ideas effortlessly. I also recommend doing this in the evening as we are usually more creative than in the daytime. While dictating, answer the following questions.

• Does my bachelor’s thesis suggest avenues for more in-depth exploration or related questions?
• How have the research questions from my bachelor’s studies evolved, and can they lead to new inquiries?
• Can my work experiences provide insights into areas that need further investigation?
• Where do I possess specialised knowledge that could contribute to existing research gaps?
• What topics do people seek my advice on, indicating potential research interests?
• Which subjects have consistently inspired me, and can they form the basis of research questions?
• Is there a correlation between where I spend a disproportionate amount of money and potential research areas?
• Does my preference for quantitative or qualitative studies guide the type of research questions I should pursue?
• What everyday problems do I want to solve, and can they be addressed through research?
• How can I leverage my network to explore specific research topics and gather valuable insights?
• Which research papers have left a lasting impact on me, suggesting areas for further exploration?
• Where do I perceive gaps in scientific literature, and are there areas where scientists disagree that warrant investigation?

Step 2: Refine ideas using Chat-GPT
Define the role, task and format that Chat-GPT (or your favourite other LLM) has to provide. Alter and use the following prompt:

I want you to act as a university professor in …. who helps me guide through my research project. The scope and limitations of the project as provided by the university are as follows…. Using the information below (your dictated answers), provide me with 10 possible research topics that combine my interests, skills, the project scope and its limitations.

Step 3
Keep adding information, opportunities and limitations to the answers that Chat-GPT provides. After defining a scope. Ask Chat GPT to come up with potential research questions. Use this information to study potential research topics.

Update 05-2025

Google Gemini appears to be the leading large language model (LLM) at the moment. However, for creative work, I prefer Claude. It has a more human-like tone and generates more imaginative ideas.

After answering this question, I recommend saving your responses in a project. This way, whenever you need to write something new, you can use your previous input to help brainstorm a new topic.