21/10/2020
The Research Process..
A paper is the outcome of three different processes: research, writing and publication. Although this paper focuses on the writing process, it is important to understand the processes that you need to follow before and after writing. A good paper is the outcome of well-conducted research, careful writing and successful publication processes.
The research process is, in most cases, the implementation of a previously designed research plan.The research process is divided into three phases, each one comprising several steps.
Phase one, choosing and defining, is theoretical or conceptual and based on a literature review. In this phase, you choose and define the fundamentals of your research: topic, research problem, objectives, hypotheses and methods. Much search, brainstorming and adaptation may be necessary during this phase. Regardless, you should not go on to the next phase – for instance, collecting data – before making the right decisions regarding research problem, objectives, hypotheses and methods.
Phase two, assessing and analysing data, is empirical, as well as analytical, and it deals with data collection, processing, analysis and interpretation. Hypotheses are tested, and conclusions are drawn in order to address the research problem and objectives of the study.
Phase three deals with ‘communicating’ your research. This is the time to communicate your findings to the research community. There are several ways of doing this, including writing a report, making a presentation in a conference or writing a paper.