Tutors:Maureen McLachlan & Joanne Duval What is Research? Tutors:Maureen McLachlan & Joanne Duval

What is Research? What is research? Take a few minutes to write down in your own words what you think research is all about. Consider….. What you think the purpose of it is, why is done? How is it done, what is involved? What skills do you think researchers need? What sort of people carryout research? Types of research that you have heard about

This is the image that often comes to mind when people think about research, and sometimes it has been associated with unpleasant and unusual things.

However…. in every day terms, the essential nature of research is simply to create new knowledge - in whatever field and this can be undertaken by anyone, not necessarily by academic scientists in a laboratory using complicated formulae. You don’t have to be me to do research!

Things to Consider! The most important thing is that it is undertaken ethically according to certain scientific rules or what is called the research process. Why follow a process? For research to have any value it must be able to withstand being questioned from different perspectives.

Why Conduct Research? Why bother to do research – it’s all about common sense anyway. Or is it? Knowledge produced through research is generally valued more highly than, and can be contrasted with a common-sense approach or opinion-based understanding of the world.

Common sense can be based on hearsay, unquestioned, ‘taken for granted’ assumptions. Opinions reflect personal prejudices, preferences and ideals.

Reasons for Doing Research To test and support claims and theories, for example which drugs work best, which diets are more effective To show the effects of change, for example the impact of new laws or social policies To predict and explore future trends and possibilities, for example the obesity rates in young children To provide a link between theory, education and practice, for example to create and use further knowledge, provide opportunities for on-going learning and to turn knowledge into action.

Aims/Objectives Research can be done on anything – but it must have a purpose and be of some value. Its no good reinventing the wheel……

Following a Research Process As we have already established research can be defined or explained as : ‘ an attempt to increase the sum of what is known, usually referred to as “a body of knowledge”, by the discovery of new facts or relationships through a process of systematic scientific enquiry, the research process’ (Macleod Clark and Hockey, 1989).

The key is …….. To choose a topic that you find interesting and that can be researched in the time allowed. Plan in plenty of time- don’t leave things to the last minute. Structure it logically, follow each of the steps and complete one section at a time. Be prepared to go over it and make alterations – research often ‘evolves’ and changes, but don’t let it run away from you. If this happens it will effect your motivation and the results.

Be ethical in all you do, the most important part of research is the people who take part in it – not getting the results you want. Remember there are no wrong or right answers – providing you follow the process correctly it doesn’t matter at this stage about the results you get, they will all mean or reveal something. The skill is in interpreting and explaining them clearly.

you may even get that Nobel Prize one day! Do not be over ambitious; keep your research as simple and as straightforward as possible. At this stage there are no Nobel Prize winners required -you just have to show you can and have followed a logical process. Do not try to prove or disprove anything – remember you are finding out. That way you will remain unbiased.

Identifying a research topic or area of interest Basically you need to have a bright idea However, don’t just give in to impulse. Do a lot of thinking about different topics It might take a lot of time without making any apparent progress

Where will my ideas come from? Talk to friends, colleagues about topics you enjoy and which interest you. Consider things you have studied or learnt about that were exciting or interesting. Consider topics that are ethically justifiable – be sure it won’t harm or cause offence to anyone. Consider methods you’ve seen and would like to try such as interviews, a questionnaire, and case studies.

Consider things you have read or heard about that you believe aren’t true or you’re not sure about. Consider a research article, topics or evidence that you have read, which sounded intriguing and has inspired you to know more. Consider topics that you are most likely to gain information on. For example, topics that are realistic and you are able to research within the confines of a small-scale study.

Consider topics that you can research in an unbiased way Consider topics that you can research in an unbiased way. These are ones where you do not have a particular ‘axe to grind’ or will provoke strong emotional reactions, where you do not have a very strong moral standpoint or they are very personal to you. Ensure you will be able to remain open minded and objective.