How do you decide a theme for your thesis? What are the first steps that must be taken?

Your Major Background. Good and interesting research topics usually come from your major. Think about the courses you enjoyed most and earned A's in. During college, did you find any theories you truly understood? Any methodologies you really wanted to work on or study more deeply?

Articles in magazines, newspapers, online news sources, and blogs often provide us with ideas for research. As you read and absorb information from these media, you can also identify gaps that could be explored further. Ask yourself some critical questions to filter out irrelevant topics.

Reading the latest journal articles in your field
These articles typically summarize previous research and highlight current trends and research priorities.

This is very important because it helps balance what you want to do with what others have already studied. If you only focus on what interests you personally without knowing what others in your field have done, your research may not contribute much.

Another powerful method is to type this magic phrase into your search engine:
“Current Study in ….”
Replace the dots with your field of study. For example: Current Study in Psychology, Current Study in Tourism, etc. You will surely discover trending topics that I'm 100% certain have not yet been researched in Indonesia.

Also, pay attention to publication dates. Students are usually advised to read recent papers or those published within the last five years, as recommended research should be up-to-date. If the journal article you’re reading is too old, it’s possible that other students have already researched the area you're interested in making your efforts potentially redundant.