Research Process

Research Process
Formulate problem
Survey literature
Develop hypothesis
Prepare research design
Collect data
Analyze data
Test hypothesis
Interpret and generalize
Prepare report
 The Scientific Method
The Outcome is Recognised
as a Major contribution
to the field

Prior
knowledge An idea
Submit
Report,
Thesis,
Journal
Discovery or
Conference
Paper

Independent
Independentverification:
verification:
literature,
literature, experiment, Assessors
numerical
numericalmodel,
model,
analytical
analytical model,etc
model, etc
 Research problem
Statement about an area of concern, a condition to
be improved upon, a difficulty to be eliminated,
a troubling question that exists in scholarly
literature, in theory or practice that points to the
need for meaningful understanding
anddeliberate investigation
 Qualities of good research
Grounded in theoretical framework
Builds on but also offers something new to
previous research
Has potential to suggest direction to future
research
Is a purpose that the researcher is sincerely
interested in
Addresses directly or indirectly some real problem
in the world
Takes ethical issues into consideration
Study
Effort of spending time and attention to gain
knowledge
 A Einstein & L Infeld

“Formulation of a research problem is far more

often essential than its solutions, which may be
merely a matter of mathematical or analytical
skill. To raise new questions, new possibilities, to
regard old problems from a new angle requires
creative imagination and marks real advance in
science.”
 Research problem
Statement about an area of concern, a condition to
be improved upon, a difficulty to be eliminated,
a troubling question that exists in scholarly
literature, in theory or practice that points to the
need for meaningful understanding
anddeliberate investigation
 Qualities of good research
Grounded in theoretical framework
Builds on but also offers something new to
previous research
Has potential to suggest direction to future
research
Is a purpose that the researcher is sincerely
interested in
Addresses directly or indirectly some real problem
in the world
Takes ethical issues into consideration
 Research Topic

• Specific sponsored research

• Look at other work, find significant gaps,
disagreements / problems/ conflicting
interpretations & then reflect, refine and
come up with a proposal
• May take weeks or months
• Can be frustrating, difficult and demoralizing
experience
• Look for: viable, do-able, sustainable, original,
acceptable
 Tips for selection

• Avoid over-researched topic

• Avoid controversial topic
• Avoid too narrow & too vague problems
• Ensure feasibility
• Consider own strengths & weaknesses,
background, costs involved, time factor
• Do preliminary study
 Thesis

Be on a specified & approved topic

Constitute substantial piece of scholarship
Be the work of the candidate
Make original contribution to knowledge
In principle, worthy of publication
 Innovation / Creativity / Intellectual Discovery
Assume the problem is solved & calculate backwards
Assume a solution is impossible and try to prove why

• Analogy • Subtract
Similarity between your problem & one with drop complicating features
known solution • Particularize
• By parts look for special case with narrower set of
Break into series of sub-problems amenable conditions
to solution • Stretch / contract
• By random guess change the range of variables
Brainstorming • Invert
• Generalize look at the problem from opposite viewpoint
If problem is baffling, generalize • Restructure
redefine problem
• Add
an auxiliary sub-problem to a difficult problem
 Organize yourself
• Manage time
• Working conditions
• Necessary equipment
• Reference material database
• Regular review
• Acknowledge existence of problem
• Seek help
• Enjoy supportive & productive relationship with supervisor
• Supervisor: unable to help, unable to find time, unwilling to
help, disagreement between co-supervisors
• You may feel lost, adrift, isolated and lonely
• Mid-thesis crisis
 Ethics
Principles of Good human behavior
Unethical to conduct research which is badly planned & poorly
executed
Do not distort facts for political advantage
Avoid fraud
- hoaxing (cheating)
- forging (faking / falsifying)
- trimming (sprucing)
- cooking (fabricating)
- obfuscation (complicating intentionally)