Expert Session on “Research Begins with a Question: Crafting the Right Dissertation Topic” at NLUT, delivered by Dr. Praveen Tripathi.

The National Law University, Tripura organized an expert session on the theme “Research Begins with a Question: Crafting the Right Dissertation Topic” on 22^nd August 2025 at the LL.M. Classroom, New Campus. The resource person for the session was Dr. Praveen Tripathi, Registrar and Associate Professor, Dharamshastra National Law University, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. The session witnessed enthusiastic participation from both LL.M. students and undergraduate students of the University.

Dr. Praveen Tripathi commenced his lecture by underlining the central idea that every meaningful research endeavor originates with a well-formulated question. He elaborated on the process of identifying and refining a research topic by beginning with a broad subject area of personal academic interest and then systematically narrowing it down to a specific and researchable problem.

In his discourse, Dr. Praveen Tripathi emphasized several key aspects that a researcher must carefully consider while formulating a dissertation topic. He highlighted the importance of beginning with a broad subject area and then moving towards identifying the major concepts within it. From there, the topic should be gradually narrowed down by examining whether it ought to be confined to a specific geographical context or restricted to a particular time period. He also stressed the need to define the core concepts and terms with greater precision so as to enhance analytical clarity. Further, a well-formulated research topic should indicate the methodology to be adopted in studying the relevant data and must also reflect the ultimate goal or objective of the research.

To provide practical insight, Dr. Praveen Tripathi engaged the students in an interactive exercise. He asked them to first identify their favourite subject area in law, then break it down into core concepts, and finally, using the guiding questions he discussed, refine these into specific, researchable dissertation topics. This activity enabled the students to critically reflect on their academic interests and translate them into viable research questions. The session proved highly beneficial for postgraduate as well as undergraduate students, as it offered clarity on the fundamental step of academic research- formulating the right question. It also encouraged participants to approach research with analytical precision and methodological clarity. The session was coordinated by Dr. Jayanta Dhar, Assistant Professor, NLUT, and Mr. Nehru, Ph.D. Scholar (Full-time).