Introduction to PhD Research
At some point in your life, you have almost definitely been exposed to research. Advertisements that tell you the percentage of customers that prefer a certain brand are a result of research, just like scientific articles that discuss the Big Bang. Although they involve different processes and different approaches, they are all the end-product of investigation.
That brings us to the essential question of ‘What is research?’
The word research can be used as either a noun or a verb, but the simplest definition is ‘to search for something.’ It could involve a search for answers to a research question, a quest for new knowledge or just trying to understand what studies have already been conducted. Information for research studies are collected in different ways, using questionnaires, interviews, literature reviews and so on. The information or data that is collected by researchers usually is put together and analysed using various techniques. This analysis allows researchers to interpret their findings and form conclusions.
Your research study does not necessarily need to break new boundaries. Some work is intimidatingly brilliant, such as the recent investigations on the nature of gravitational waves. But some studies are deceptively simple. For example, one scientist decided to prove that cracking your knuckles does not cause arthritis.
Selecting a research topic is not always the easiest task, but we have a section with some tips for your research here.
Once you have a research topic ready, it is important to plan how you will carry out your research. The systematic process involved in conducting research is known as research methodology. It involves assessing the information you want to find out, the resources that are available to you and the style of research that you are most comfortable with. Research methodology comprises of logical steps to reach an answer and entails a combination of specific philosophies, approaches and strategies. Choosing the appropriate methodology is crucial to ensuring that your study is successful.
While it might sound very challenging to select the methodology that is right for you, the following series of posts will break down the concept of methodology to the bare essentials, so you can choose the steps which are right for you. In this series, we will talk about research philosophies, approaches, strategies and different research instruments that are often used. We will also touch on the concepts of sampling and the factors that are involved.
Do you have any questions about conducting research projects and studies? For any support and guidance, please feel free to contact us at +91 9731988227.