Writing a research
The research process
• 1) Identify broad problem area
• 2) look for information / consider the nature of information that needs to
be gathered
• 3) literature review
• 4) define the problem statement (it has to be clear and precise/meaningful
from a managerial and academic perspective) / ask if its relevant (a
problem that really and currently exists or something you believe needs to
improve). It also needs to be feasible!
• 5) write your research proposal
• 6) Managerial implications (how do you think your research will benefit the
organization, in what sense)
Introductory paragraphs
The primary goal of the introductory paragraphs is to catch the
attention of the readers and to get them "turned on" about the
subject. It sets the stage for the paper and puts your topic in
perspective.
The introduction often contains dramatic and general statements about
the need for the study. It uses dramatic illustrations or quotes to set
the tone. When writing the introduction, put yourself in your reader's
position - would you continue reading?
Statement of the Problem
• The statement of the problem is the focal point of your research. It is
just one sentence (with several paragraphs of elaboration).
3) Purpose
• The purpose is a single statement or paragraph that explains what the
study intends to accomplish. A few typical statements are:
The goal of this study is to...
... overcome the difficulty with ...
... discover what ...
... understand the causes or effects of ...
... refine our current understanding of ...
... provide a new interpretation of ...
... understand what makes ___ successful or unsuccessful
4) Research Questions and/or Hypotheses and/or
Null Hypotheses
• Lists the research questions (although it is equally acceptable to
present the hypotheses or null hypotheses). No elaboration is
included in this section. An example would be:
The research questions for this study will be:
1. What are the attitudes of...
2. Is there a significant difference between...
3. Is there a significant relationship between...
the structure is as follows:
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•
•
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•
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Title page
Table of content
Abstract
Introduction
Literature Review (covers different themes, subthemes reviewed in the literature)
Research Methodology (philosophy, design and approach, data collection
methods, brief on data analysis, ethical considerations, research challenges)
• Analysis, discussion and findings
• Conclusion (achievement of the aim and answering the research questions)
• List of references
1. The standard format of a research paper has major sections and subtitles. List and briefly explain the functionality of
each of these sections?
1.
2.
3.
o
Title: make the simplest statement about the content of your article
Abstract: An abstract summarizes, in one paragraph (usually)
Introduction, which describes where the paper's research question fits into current science
Establish the context of the work being reported. This is accomplished by discussing the relevant primary research literature
(with citations) and summarizing our current understanding of the problem you are investigating.
o State the purpose of the work in the form of the hypothesis, question, or problem you investigated; and,
o Briefly explain your rationale and approach and, whenever possible, the possible outcomes your study can reveal.
4. Literature Review
5. Methodology, which translates the research question into a detailed recipe of operations
6. Results and Analysis, which is an orderly compilation of the data observed after following the research recipe
7. Discussion and Conclusion: which consolidates the data and connects it to the data of other researchers Conclusion, which
gives the one or two scientific points to which the entire paper leads
8. References
1. What must a good abstract include to make it useful to someone to read your research paper?
An abstract summarizes, in one paragraph (usually), the major aspects of the entire paper in the following prescribed
sequence:
•
the question(s) you investigated (or purpose), (from Introduction) state the purpose very clearly in the first or
second sentence.
•
the experimental design and methods used, (from Methods)
o
clearly expresses the basic design of the study.
o
Name or briefly describe the basic methodology used without going into excessive detail-be sure to indicate the
key techniques used.
•
the major findings including key quantitative results, or trends (from Results)
o
report those results which answer the questions you were asking
o
identify trends, relative change or differences, etc.
•
a brief summary of your interpretations and conclusions. (from Discussion)
o clearly state the implications of the answers your results gave you.