Dissertation discussion

• I will respond to your questionnaires and interview requests whenever possible. I've welcomed the chance to answer questions on the effects of the recession on the PR industry from a New York University student and on the ideal curriculum for a PR degree from a Leeds Met student in the last week.
• I will not give anyone a topic to research. I can give general suggestions (see below) but your dissertation is your one chance to pick a subject to study. Don't give it up, least of all to a stranger.  

Good dissertation topics have the following characteristics:

• There is an existing body of (academic) literature for you to read. 
• It is a subject that allows you to contribute your own original research. 
• It probably involves an element of novelty and change.  

Let's take an example. A student took the 'glass ceiling' as her starting point (well-established body of literature) but chose to ask about the barriers to entry for young men onto PR degree courses (involves change, very researchable).

Or another. I've not yet supervised a study into the use of Twitter in media relations (readily researchable, very topical). There's no academic literature though, so is this a show-stopper? Not at all, because there's literature on communications and public relations theory, social media, media relations practice and much non-academic chatter about Twitter.