ENGAGED IN RESEARCH: THE RESEARCH PROCESS
The aim of this portal is to provide UJ Sciences Researchers and Postgraduate students with assistance in their first steps of writing their Theses & Dissertations, from the Literature Review to the Citing and Referencing.
Visit the Sciences Librarian Research Support website for information on Library services & resources in support to your research needs!
The Resources for this subject have been selected by Pavlinka Kovatcheva, Subject Librarian, Sciences at APK Campus, Level 1,
Tel: 011 559-2621, e-mail: pkovatcheva@uj.ac.za
ENGAGED IN RESEARCH: THE RESEARCH PROCESS
Getting started in Science!
Research is an investigation or enquiry into a topic, with the aim to discover, revise or interpret facts. The end result of your research should enhance existing knowledge of your chosen subject area and often provides more questions for you or other researchers to investigate further.
The foundation of all research, regardless of discipline and activity, is the Scientific Method and following it is often a matter of common sense.
The Scientific Method can be summarised by six steps:
- Identifying a research topic and question
- Formulating your hypothesis
- Testing your hypothesis
- Collecting and analysing data
- Drawing your conclusions
- Communicating your findings
I'm following the structure of the freely available guidelines from Engaged in Research website (UK). It is an interactive research resources for BioSciences & Environmental Sciences students.
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STEP 1: IDENTIFYING A RESEARCH TOPIC AND QUESTION
Identifying a Research Topic
Most research starts by thinking about a topic you're interested in. In many instances, you may not be given much of a choice about your research topic, particularly if you’re preparing coursework (essays, posters, oral presentations, etc) or if you’re conducting an experiment as part of your studies.
"Engaged in Research: Step 1" website will give the right directions (examples for research topics; identifying research questions; choosing research question; if you're having problems selecting a topic, etc.)
Depending on your Department/Supervisor requirements, you may be expected to come up with your own research topic for your dissertation. Some students may have a specific interest and a clear idea of what they’re going to research.
To help you select a research topic and to ensure that your research will be unique for South Africa, you need to search through the available current and completed research done in SA.
UJ Theses & Dissertations search
The UJ Library has print & electronic copies of past dissertations and looking through a good thesis will not only give you an idea about the types of research you can be involved with, but also help you see what's expected of you.
UJDigispace
2002 - current; Electronic Theses & Dissertations; UJ Institutional Repositories; Full-text; Open access
UJLink (Library Catalogue)
Print copies for completed UJ Theses & Dissertations. When searching, the result will be with this shelf code: AA10 (Geography); AG10 (Geology), etc.
To learn more on how to search these resources go to the Sciences Librarian Theses & Dissertations Support website.
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Current & Completed Research in South Africa
To ensure that the proposed topic/title for your research is not a duplicate of previous or current research, a search has to be carried on Nexus Database.
Nexus database “Current and Completed Research Projects” includes South African dissertations and theses. It provides information on all fields of science since 1919. A limited number of records contain links to the full-text.
Direct access to NEXUS:
- For access, click on Nexus Database.
- Select “Current and Completed Research Projects”.
- You will be asked for User ID and Password. Ask your Subject Librarian for access or make an appointment.
Access to NEXUS through Africa-Wide:Nipad database
Go to the Sciences Librarian Portal for more Sciences resources and subject information.
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Identifying Research Questions
The research question is the specific aspect of the topic you're interested in. Have a look at these examples:
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Having Problem identifying Research Topic or Question?
If you’re having difficultly choosing a research topic or question, here are a few ideas to get you started. Listen to the Podcasts on how to choose a research topic.
- What Motivates you?
- What subjects do you enjoy?
- What research is going on in your Department?
- Do you have a career preference?
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Before you begin your Research
When you are thinking about your research question, there are a few things you should bear in mind - it should be original, interesting and achievable. Read MORE...
Originality is the Key!
An important aspect of scientific research is to know what has been done before in your research area. This will give you the best chance of contributing something original to your area of study. One way of doing this is to conduct a literature review, which will help you identify the types of work that had been done before, as well as identifying areas for possible future research.
Does the Research interest you?
Research can be one of the most rewarding things you will ever do – but only if you choose a research topic and question that interests you.
If, however, you choose a topic because you think it will be easy, because it has been in the news recently, or because someone else suggested it’d be good, your time and effort could be wasted.
Your research also has to interest others – including the people who’ll be reading and/or assessing your work!
Is your Research achievable?
There may be constraints that prevent you from studying your preferred research topic or question. Before you start your research it is important to think about time, budget, facilities, ethical considerations, etc.
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Literature Review
Reviewing literature, the end product of which is often a written document known as a literature review, is an essential part of research. This is where you read around your research topic, using both primary and secondary sources. The aim of a literature review is to understand the background theory and to find all of the important research (or the vast majority at least!) that has been conducted on your topic.
Why do we Review Literature?
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to ensure you have a thorough understanding of the topic
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to identify potential areas for research
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to identify similar work done within the area
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identifying knowledge gaps that demand further investigation
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to compare previous findings
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to critique existing findings and suggest further studies.
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What is Literature Review?
A literature review is a written document that provides background information on your subject area and details previous research that is relevant. A good literature review is far more than an account of who researched what and when.
Listen to Podcast: What makes a good Literature Review? (Dr. A. Wilby, Environmental Sciences)
More useful links to learn about Literature Review:
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Where to Look for information?
You are preparing a literature review, but where do you start to find the relevant information about your subject?
UJ Library >>>>>>>>> Sciences Librarian Portal
WELCOME TO THE SCIENCES LIBRARIAN PORTAL!
YOUR ONE STOP TO SCIENCES RESOURCES!
Make use of both Secondary & Primary Literature sources available through the Library!
Secondary Literature Sources
If you're relatively new to the chosen subject area, secondary literature (books, websites, journal reviews) can give you a gentle introduction and provide basic information to get you started.
- Books and textbooks are an excellent source of background information:
- Print Books: UJLink (Library Catalogue)
- Electronic Books: Visit the Sciences Online Books & References Collections
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Journal Reviews - Although scientific journals are generally classed as primary literature, they may also contain review articles on a subject which are 'technically' classed as secondary sources of information. Review articles discuss previous research on a particular topic, but don't present new results.
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Primary Literature Sorces
Researchers rely on peer-reviewed primary literature (scientific papers, conference proceedings and dissertations) more than secondary literature.
Make use of the Bibliographic & Full-text Databases available through the Sciences Librarian Portal or the Library website to find academic, peer-reviewed papers the Sciences Subject Portals.
TOP SCIENCES RESOURCES:
ISI Science Citation Index >> ScienceDirect >> SpringerLink >> WileyInterscience >>
American Chemical Society >> Royal Society of Chemistry >> Chemical Abstracts Online >> JSTOR >>
Institute of Physics >> APS Prola >> Engineering Village2 >> IEEE Xplore >>
ACM (Association of Computing Machinery) >> MathSciNet >> Energy Citation Index >> BioOne >>
Biological & Agricultural Index >> GreenFile >> CABI Databases >> Parasitology Database >>
Water Resources Worldwide >> Africa-Wide: Nipad >> SA E-Publications
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Judging the Reability of Sources
It's important to make sure the literature you read and references contain accurate information. MORE...
- Scientific Journals
- Conference Proceedings
- Dissertations
- Books
- Internet
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Starting Your Literature Review
There are several important aspects of a literature review that you should consider.
Starting Your Literature Review
Acknowledging Sources: Citing & Referencing/Avoid Plagiarism
From the start of your University career, particularly when you produce written work and presentations, you will be expected to acknowledge any sources eg., books, papers, web sites, etc., that you have used in the production of your work.
When you acknowledge someone else's work/ideas in the body of the text, an abbreviated acknowledgement, known as a citation, is used. At the end of your work you should produce a list of all the work you have cited. This is called a reference list. Find out MORE...
The above links will help you learn more about Citing and Referencing. The websites are interactive, you can test your knowledge by answering the questions.
Also use this interactive tutorial You Quote It, You Note It! to learn how to cite and reference to avoid Plagiarism. More on Plagiarism.
Also visit the Library Research Suppot website and the instructions for citing and referencing.
The use of RefWork is recommended for you to manage better your references.
QUICK QUIZ: Test your understanding of literature reviews by answering these short questions
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STEP 2: FORMULATING YOUR HYPOTHESIS
Generating and testing hypotheses is a fundamental aspect of scientific research. But what is a hypothesis? A hypothesis is an educated ‘guess’ at what the results of a piece of research will be. Read MORE...
STEP 3: TESTING YOUR HYPOTHESIS
You’ve formulated your hypothesis - so what's next? You now need to test your hypothesis and this is done by collecting data and analysing the results. Statistical tests determine the probability that a null hypothesis is true.
Click here to read more: Testing Your Hypothesis
QUICK QUIZ: Test your understanding of the scientific method and hypothesis by answering these short questions
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STEP 4: COLLECTING AND ANALYSING DATA
Planning Your Research
Once you have formed your hypothesis and conducted a literature review, you'll hopefully have a good idea of the type of research you'd like to do.
The next step is to spend some time planning your research, taking into account the following:
- The Type of Research involved
- The Type of Resources you may need
- The Design of your Experiment
- How are you going to Collect your data?
- Thinking ahead, possible problems that might occur
- How to do the research in the time you have
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Different Research Methods
There are three main types of research:
- Experimental, typically conducted in a laboratory or field situation and culminating in the collection and analysis of quantitative data
- Observational: often conducted in a lab or field situation, culminating in the collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data
- Opinion-based: often completed by individuals or as part of a group discussion, culminating in the collection and analysis of qualitative data.
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What will I need?
When you have got a clear idea of what research you are going to do and how you are going to do it, it's a good idea to spend a few minutes noting down what you'll need to help you carry out your research. Think about what equipment, facilities and raw material you may need. When you have got your list, the next step is to make sure you'll have access to everything you will need.
The first thing is to talk with your supervisor to agree a list of things you will need access to - your supervisor will have a lot of experience so it's worth making sure you both know the resource implications of your planned research right from the start.
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Keeping a Record
The ultimate output from your research is likely to be a written assignment, report or other form of publication. Whatever the format of the document, it is likely to contain a Materials and Methods (Lab Reports) section, which details what you did and how you did it. It's important that this section gives enough detail to allow fellow researchers to replicate your work and your results should they wish to do so in future.
Read MORE...
- The Ultimate Test: Ultimately, your materials and methods section should allow a researcher to replicate your research and obtain similar results. This can only be achieved, however, if you keep in-depth records to start with.
- Missing Information: There are several key points of information that are missing from materials and methods like: plant material, spacing, etc.
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Designing your Experiment
How well your research is designed will affect the reliability of your data. There are a number of reasons why it's important to get your experimental design right before you begin your research. Find out MORE...
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How are you going to Collect your data
Once you have confirmed your experimental design, it's worth spending some time thinking about how you're going to collect and manage your data. This is largely dependant on whether your data are primary or secondary. Read MORE...
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Anticipate problems
Although you may not be able to account for every eventuality, especially if you're working with humans, animals or plants, or you are working out in the field, you can still anticipate problems and therefore have a contingency plan to fall back on. Find out MORE...
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How to Manage your Time
Time management can not only help you plan your coursework and help you to balance your University commitments with your part-time work and social life, but it can also help you make the most of your time for research.
QUICK QUIZ: Test your understanding of planning your research by answering these short questions
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STEP 5 : DRAWING YOUR CONCLUSIONS
STEP 6: COMMUNICATING YOUR FINDINGS
BOOKS FOR YOUR RESEARCH
Search UJLink for books to help you get started with your research. These books have been selected as a starting point:
SOUTH AFRICAN BOOKS
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ENGAGED IN RESEARCH BOOKS
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THE RESEARCH WRITING BOOKS
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DEVELOPING QUESTIONNAIRE BOOKS
BASIC STATISTICS BOOKS
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RESEARCH TOOLS
SURVEY/QUESTIONNAIRE
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UJ Statkon
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UJ Statkon Resources (Questionnaire Design; example Questionnaire)
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Survey Monkey: Intelligent survey software, SurveyMonkey has a single purpose: to enablet anyone to create professional online surveys quickly and easily.
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SOFTWARE
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STATISTICAL TEXTBOOK
CITING & REFERENCING
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Zotero - Is a free, easy-to-use Firefox extension to help you collect, manage, and cite your research sources. It lives right where you do your work — in the web browser itself.
- CiteULike - CiteULike is a free service to help you to store, organise and share the scholarly papers you are reading. When you see a paper on the web that interests you, you can click one button and have it added to your personal library. CiteULike automatically extracts the citation details, so there's no need to type them in yourself. It all works from within your web browser so there's no need to install any software. Because your library is stored on the server, you can access it from any computer with an Internet connection
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THESAURUS SOFTWARE
DOCUMENT PREPARATION
- LaTex LaTeX is a high-quality typesetting system; it includes features designed for the production of technical and scientific documentation. LaTeX is the de facto standard for the communication and publication of scientific documents. LaTeX is available as free software.
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