PLANNING YOUR
RESEARCH
Prepared by: Jonah Lee I. Bas, MSCE
INTRODUCTION
Cognitive Skills
Role of Supervisor
Writing Skills
Information and Technology Skills
COGNITIVE SKILLS
Students embarking on a
research project are expected to
have gained sufficient knowledge
in their field of study.
ROLE OF THE SUPERVISOR
While carrying out the research project,
the student will be working under a
supervisor whose role is to advise the
student on the technical content of the
research project and to assess the
performance of the student.
WRITING SKILLS
To complete a research project
successfully, students also need
good language and technical
writing skills.
IT SKILLS
Research projects require the
use of a certain degree of office
productivity software.
CHOOSING A
RESEARCH PROJECT
Which field in
my discipline
appeals to me?
1
What type of
research work
would I like to
conduct?
What are the
resources
available to me
for carrying out
the project?
How much do I
already know
about the
research topic?
4
3
2
BASIC CONSIDERATIONS
RESEARCHING
A TOPIC
Keywords
Sources of Information
Types of Information
“
There are some things which cannot be learned quickly, and
time, which is all we have, must be paid for their acquiring.
Ernest Hemingway
Death in the Afternoon, 1932
The best way to learn about a
topic is to read other
researchers’ publications.
KEYWORDS
To search for relevant
information in any sources, you
will first need to identify the
keywords that define your
project.
SOURCES OF
INFORMATION
The Internet is the most popular source of
information. Be systematic when searching for
information on the Internet and record your searches.
A more reliable way of seeking information on your
topic is to use library resources. Books and published
theses are excellent publications to start your
research on a topic. Besides hardcopy publications,
libraries subscribe to electronic databases as well.
TYPES OF INFORMATION
1
How relevant is the information to your research topic?
2
If the information is relevant, what is its significance?
3
If the information is related to research method, is the
research method clearly explained?
TYPES OF INFORMATION
4
If the information is related to materials and methods, what
were the materials and methods used?
5
If the information is related to results and discussions, how
did the author analyse and interpret the data?
6
How does the information contribute to your understanding of
the research topic? What are the strengths and limitations of
the information?
WRITING A
RESEARCH PROJECT
PROPOSAL
“
Imagination is more important than knowledge. For
knowledge is limited to all that we now know and
understand, while imagination embraces the entire world,
and all there ever will be to know and understand.
Albert Einstein
Proposals in engineering and the
technical sciences require not just
knowledge of the field but also
imagination to apply that
knowledge to solve problems.
STRUCTURE OF A RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Title
Here are three guidelines for writing an effective title:
1. Indicate clearly the content and focus of the research project.
2. Make it clear and concise. The primary function of a title is to provide a
precise summary of the paper’s content so avoid unnecessary details. A
good title should be no more than 15 to 20 words.
3. Make it descriptive; include keywords that describe the proposal.
STRUCTURE OF A RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Theoretical Background
Possible format :
• Introduce the area of research
• Review key research papers
• Identify any gap in knowledge or questions that needs to be answered
• Your hypotheses or research objectives
• Scope of your research project
STRUCTURE OF A RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Significance and Contribution
Include in the proposal a paragraph or two on the importance of your
research and state how it will contribute to knowledge and
understanding of certain issues. Relate the expected outcomes of your
research to the objectives stated in the Introduction, so that the
significance of your study and the contribution to knowledge is apparent.
STRUCTURE OF A RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Methodology
Include a description and rationale for the methods of data collection and analysis,
and the materials used. Typically, this section uses subheadings and is written using
the future tense.
In deciding on the subheadings to use, think of the kind of research you are proposing:
• Experimental—equipment, materials, method
• Modelling—assumptions, mathematical tools, method
• Computational—inputs, computational tools, method
STRUCTURE OF A RESEARCH PROPOSAL
List of References
List all the sources cited in your research proposal by using a referencing
format appropriate to your institution or department. Do not list
references that are not referred to in your proposal.
TIPS ON WRITING
1
2
Follow the
three C’s
rule: CLEAR,
CONCISE,
COHERENT.
Revise and
edit your
writing
thoroughly.
3
4
Use
transitions.
Avoid overly
hesitant or
tentative
language.
MAINTAIN INTEREST IN YOUR RESEARCH
a
Read in-depth in your topic
b
Meet your supervisor regularly
c
Switch among your research activities
d
Work regular hours
e
Have a support group
f
Schedule breaks
“
He who fails to plan is planning to fail.
Benjamin Franklin
END OF TOPIC