Warm-up
I. Overview
Academic research is inquiry or investigation that makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline, in which most things are learnt by the technique of trial and error as well as by the suggestions from the more experienced around. Academic research is a pivotal part of a postgraduate's academic performance. To make clear the numerous methods of conducting academic research will make the exercise more successful. It is of necessity for the students to appreciate that the subject and design of their research are what determines the methodologies they opt to employ. Consequently, the selected methodologies will often impact the data analysis and collection process. This article is clearly intended as a guide in postgraduate study with a broad spectrum of disciplines explored. More specifically, the research process, a four-part journey, is discussed in details to convey exact information on the research in certain fields.
II. Lead-in Questions
1. How many steps do you think a successful research journey will take?
2. Is designing research projects a daunting task for you?
3. How do you understand the connection and difference between the four parts mentioned in the passage?
Section A
The Research Journey: Four Steps to Success
by Tom Bourner and Sue Greener
Research can seem daunting to those who are new to it. This article has two aims: to provide an overview of the research journey from start to finish; and to demystify the business of research.
Most research projects take quite a long time to complete. Research degrees, for example, usually take at least three years of full-time research. Completing a part-time research degree usually takes correspondingly longer. At the start, research can seem like an ill-defined mishmash of activities littered with hidden pitfalls. When you are in the middle of your research, it is sometimes difficult to see the woods for the trees. In this article, I suggest a map for keeping in perspective your research project as a whole. The map is designed to give you an overview of the whole research process as though you were in a helicopter looking down on it so that you can keep it in view from beginning to end.