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Research Project – Definition, Writing Guide and Ideas

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Research Project

Definition :

Research Project is a planned and systematic investigation into a specific area of interest or problem, with the goal of generating new knowledge, insights, or solutions. It typically involves identifying a research question or hypothesis, designing a study to test it, collecting and analyzing data, and drawing conclusions based on the findings.

Types of Research Project

Types of Research Projects are as follows:

Basic Research

This type of research focuses on advancing knowledge and understanding of a subject area or phenomenon, without any specific application or practical use in mind. The primary goal is to expand scientific or theoretical knowledge in a particular field.

Applied Research

Applied research is aimed at solving practical problems or addressing specific issues. This type of research seeks to develop solutions or improve existing products, services or processes.

Action Research

Action research is conducted by practitioners and aimed at solving specific problems or improving practices in a particular context. It involves collaboration between researchers and practitioners, and often involves iterative cycles of data collection and analysis, with the goal of improving practices.

Quantitative Research

This type of research uses numerical data to investigate relationships between variables or to test hypotheses. It typically involves large-scale data collection through surveys, experiments, or secondary data analysis.

Qualitative Research

Qualitative research focuses on understanding and interpreting phenomena from the perspective of the people involved. It involves collecting and analyzing data in the form of text, images, or other non-numerical forms.

Mixed Methods Research

Mixed methods research combines elements of both quantitative and qualitative research, using multiple data sources and methods to gain a more comprehensive understanding of a phenomenon.

Longitudinal Research

This type of research involves studying a group of individuals or phenomena over an extended period of time, often years or decades. It is useful for understanding changes and developments over time.

Case Study Research

Case study research involves in-depth investigation of a particular case or phenomenon, often within a specific context. It is useful for understanding complex phenomena in their real-life settings.

Participatory Research

Participatory research involves active involvement of the people or communities being studied in the research process. It emphasizes collaboration, empowerment, and the co-production of knowledge.

Research Project Methodology

Research Project Methodology refers to the process of conducting research in an organized and systematic manner to answer a specific research question or to test a hypothesis. A well-designed research project methodology ensures that the research is rigorous, valid, and reliable, and that the findings are meaningful and can be used to inform decision-making.

There are several steps involved in research project methodology, which are described below:

Define the Research Question

The first step in any research project is to clearly define the research question or problem. This involves identifying the purpose of the research, the scope of the research, and the key variables that will be studied.

Develop a Research Plan

Once the research question has been defined, the next step is to develop a research plan. This plan outlines the methodology that will be used to collect and analyze data, including the research design, sampling strategy, data collection methods, and data analysis techniques.

Collect Data

The data collection phase involves gathering information through various methods, such as surveys, interviews, observations, experiments, or secondary data analysis. The data collected should be relevant to the research question and should be of sufficient quantity and quality to enable meaningful analysis.

Analyze Data

Once the data has been collected, it is analyzed using appropriate statistical techniques or other methods. The analysis should be guided by the research question and should aim to identify patterns, trends, relationships, or other insights that can inform the research findings.

Interpret and Report Findings

The final step in the research project methodology is to interpret the findings and report them in a clear and concise manner. This involves summarizing the results, discussing their implications, and drawing conclusions that can be used to inform decision-making.

Research Project Writing Guide

Here are some guidelines to help you in writing a successful research project:

Choose a topic: Choose a topic that you are interested in and that is relevant to your field of study. It is important to choose a topic that is specific and focused enough to allow for in-depth research and analysis.
Conduct a literature review : Conduct a thorough review of the existing research on your topic. This will help you to identify gaps in the literature and to develop a research question or hypothesis.
Develop a research question or hypothesis : Based on your literature review, develop a clear research question or hypothesis that you will investigate in your study.
Design your study: Choose an appropriate research design and methodology to answer your research question or test your hypothesis. This may include choosing a sample, selecting measures or instruments, and determining data collection methods.
Collect data: Collect data using your chosen methods and instruments. Be sure to follow ethical guidelines and obtain informed consent from participants if necessary.
Analyze data: Analyze your data using appropriate statistical or qualitative methods. Be sure to clearly report your findings and provide interpretations based on your research question or hypothesis.
Discuss your findings : Discuss your findings in the context of the existing literature and your research question or hypothesis. Identify any limitations or implications of your study and suggest directions for future research.
Write your project: Write your research project in a clear and organized manner, following the appropriate format and style guidelines for your field of study. Be sure to include an introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion.
Revise and edit: Revise and edit your project for clarity, coherence, and accuracy. Be sure to proofread for spelling, grammar, and formatting errors.
Cite your sources: Cite your sources accurately and appropriately using the appropriate citation style for your field of study.

Examples of Research Projects

Some Examples of Research Projects are as follows:

Investigating the effects of a new medication on patients with a particular disease or condition.
Exploring the impact of exercise on mental health and well-being.
Studying the effectiveness of a new teaching method in improving student learning outcomes.
Examining the impact of social media on political participation and engagement.
Investigating the efficacy of a new therapy for a specific mental health disorder.
Exploring the use of renewable energy sources in reducing carbon emissions and mitigating climate change.
Studying the effects of a new agricultural technique on crop yields and environmental sustainability.
Investigating the effectiveness of a new technology in improving business productivity and efficiency.
Examining the impact of a new public policy on social inequality and access to resources.
Exploring the factors that influence consumer behavior in a specific market.

Characteristics of Research Project

Here are some of the characteristics that are often associated with research projects:

Clear objective: A research project is designed to answer a specific question or solve a particular problem. The objective of the research should be clearly defined from the outset.
Systematic approach: A research project is typically carried out using a structured and systematic approach that involves careful planning, data collection, analysis, and interpretation.
Rigorous methodology: A research project should employ a rigorous methodology that is appropriate for the research question being investigated. This may involve the use of statistical analysis, surveys, experiments, or other methods.
Data collection : A research project involves collecting data from a variety of sources, including primary sources (such as surveys or experiments) and secondary sources (such as published literature or databases).
Analysis and interpretation : Once the data has been collected, it needs to be analyzed and interpreted. This involves using statistical techniques or other methods to identify patterns or relationships in the data.
Conclusion and implications : A research project should lead to a clear conclusion that answers the research question. It should also identify the implications of the findings for future research or practice.
Communication: The results of the research project should be communicated clearly and effectively, using appropriate language and visual aids, to a range of audiences, including peers, stakeholders, and the wider public.

Importance of Research Project

Research projects are an essential part of the process of generating new knowledge and advancing our understanding of various fields of study. Here are some of the key reasons why research projects are important:

Advancing knowledge : Research projects are designed to generate new knowledge and insights into particular topics or questions. This knowledge can be used to inform policies, practices, and decision-making processes across a range of fields.
Solving problems: Research projects can help to identify solutions to real-world problems by providing a better understanding of the causes and effects of particular issues.
Developing new technologies: Research projects can lead to the development of new technologies or products that can improve people’s lives or address societal challenges.
Improving health outcomes: Research projects can contribute to improving health outcomes by identifying new treatments, diagnostic tools, or preventive strategies.
Enhancing education: Research projects can enhance education by providing new insights into teaching and learning methods, curriculum development, and student learning outcomes.
Informing public policy : Research projects can inform public policy by providing evidence-based recommendations and guidance on issues related to health, education, environment, social justice, and other areas.
Enhancing professional development : Research projects can enhance the professional development of researchers by providing opportunities to develop new skills, collaborate with colleagues, and share knowledge with others.

Research Project Ideas

Following are some Research Project Ideas:

Field: Psychology

Investigating the impact of social support on coping strategies among individuals with chronic illnesses.
Exploring the relationship between childhood trauma and adult attachment styles.
Examining the effects of exercise on cognitive function and brain health in older adults.
Investigating the impact of sleep deprivation on decision making and risk-taking behavior.
Exploring the relationship between personality traits and leadership styles in the workplace.
Examining the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for treating anxiety disorders.
Investigating the relationship between social comparison and body dissatisfaction in young women.
Exploring the impact of parenting styles on children’s emotional regulation and behavior.
Investigating the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for treating depression.
Examining the relationship between childhood adversity and later-life health outcomes.

Field: Economics

Analyzing the impact of trade agreements on economic growth in developing countries.
Examining the effects of tax policy on income distribution and poverty reduction.
Investigating the relationship between foreign aid and economic development in low-income countries.
Exploring the impact of globalization on labor markets and job displacement.
Analyzing the impact of minimum wage laws on employment and income levels.
Investigating the effectiveness of monetary policy in managing inflation and unemployment.
Examining the relationship between economic freedom and entrepreneurship.
Analyzing the impact of income inequality on social mobility and economic opportunity.
Investigating the role of education in economic development.
Examining the effectiveness of different healthcare financing systems in promoting health equity.

Field: Sociology

Investigating the impact of social media on political polarization and civic engagement.
Examining the effects of neighborhood characteristics on health outcomes.
Analyzing the impact of immigration policies on social integration and cultural diversity.
Investigating the relationship between social support and mental health outcomes in older adults.
Exploring the impact of income inequality on social cohesion and trust.
Analyzing the effects of gender and race discrimination on career advancement and pay equity.
Investigating the relationship between social networks and health behaviors.
Examining the effectiveness of community-based interventions for reducing crime and violence.
Analyzing the impact of social class on cultural consumption and taste.
Investigating the relationship between religious affiliation and social attitudes.

Field: Computer Science

Developing an algorithm for detecting fake news on social media.
Investigating the effectiveness of different machine learning algorithms for image recognition.
Developing a natural language processing tool for sentiment analysis of customer reviews.
Analyzing the security implications of blockchain technology for online transactions.
Investigating the effectiveness of different recommendation algorithms for personalized advertising.
Developing an artificial intelligence chatbot for mental health counseling.
Investigating the effectiveness of different algorithms for optimizing online advertising campaigns.
Developing a machine learning model for predicting consumer behavior in online marketplaces.
Analyzing the privacy implications of different data sharing policies for online platforms.
Investigating the effectiveness of different algorithms for predicting stock market trends.

Field: Education

Investigating the impact of teacher-student relationships on academic achievement.
Analyzing the effectiveness of different pedagogical approaches for promoting student engagement and motivation.
Examining the effects of school choice policies on academic achievement and social mobility.
Investigating the impact of technology on learning outcomes and academic achievement.
Analyzing the effects of school funding disparities on educational equity and achievement gaps.
Investigating the relationship between school climate and student mental health outcomes.
Examining the effectiveness of different teaching strategies for promoting critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Investigating the impact of social-emotional learning programs on student behavior and academic achievement.
Analyzing the effects of standardized testing on student motivation and academic achievement.

Field: Environmental Science

Investigating the impact of climate change on species distribution and biodiversity.
Analyzing the effectiveness of different renewable energy technologies in reducing carbon emissions.
Examining the impact of air pollution on human health outcomes.
Investigating the relationship between urbanization and deforestation in developing countries.
Analyzing the effects of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems and biodiversity.
Investigating the impact of land use change on soil fertility and ecosystem services.
Analyzing the effectiveness of different conservation policies and programs for protecting endangered species and habitats.
Investigating the relationship between climate change and water resources in arid regions.
Examining the impact of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems and biodiversity.
Investigating the effects of different agricultural practices on soil health and nutrient cycling.

Field: Linguistics

Analyzing the impact of language diversity on social integration and cultural identity.
Investigating the relationship between language and cognition in bilingual individuals.
Examining the effects of language contact and language change on linguistic diversity.
Investigating the role of language in shaping cultural norms and values.
Analyzing the effectiveness of different language teaching methodologies for second language acquisition.
Investigating the relationship between language proficiency and academic achievement.
Examining the impact of language policy on language use and language attitudes.
Investigating the role of language in shaping gender and social identities.
Analyzing the effects of dialect contact on language variation and change.
Investigating the relationship between language and emotion expression.

Field: Political Science

Analyzing the impact of electoral systems on women’s political representation.
Investigating the relationship between political ideology and attitudes towards immigration.
Examining the effects of political polarization on democratic institutions and political stability.
Investigating the impact of social media on political participation and civic engagement.
Analyzing the effects of authoritarianism on human rights and civil liberties.
Investigating the relationship between public opinion and foreign policy decisions.
Examining the impact of international organizations on global governance and cooperation.
Investigating the effectiveness of different conflict resolution strategies in resolving ethnic and religious conflicts.
Analyzing the effects of corruption on economic development and political stability.
Investigating the role of international law in regulating global governance and human rights.

Field: Medicine

Investigating the impact of lifestyle factors on chronic disease risk and prevention.
Examining the effectiveness of different treatment approaches for mental health disorders.
Investigating the relationship between genetics and disease susceptibility.
Analyzing the effects of social determinants of health on health outcomes and health disparities.
Investigating the impact of different healthcare delivery models on patient outcomes and cost effectiveness.
Examining the effectiveness of different prevention and treatment strategies for infectious diseases.
Investigating the relationship between healthcare provider communication skills and patient satisfaction and outcomes.
Analyzing the effects of medical error and patient safety on healthcare quality and outcomes.
Investigating the impact of different pharmaceutical pricing policies on access to essential medicines.
Examining the effectiveness of different rehabilitation approaches for improving function and quality of life in individuals with disabilities.

Field: Anthropology

Analyzing the impact of colonialism on indigenous cultures and identities.
Investigating the relationship between cultural practices and health outcomes in different populations.
Examining the effects of globalization on cultural diversity and cultural exchange.
Investigating the role of language in cultural transmission and preservation.
Analyzing the effects of cultural contact on cultural change and adaptation.
Investigating the impact of different migration policies on immigrant integration and acculturation.
Examining the role of gender and sexuality in cultural norms and values.
Investigating the impact of cultural heritage preservation on tourism and economic development.
Analyzing the effects of cultural revitalization movements on indigenous communities.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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How to do a research project for your academic study

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Writing a research report is part of most university degrees, so it is essential you know what one is and how to write one. This guide on how to do a research project for your university degree shows you what to do at each stage, taking you from planning to finishing the project.

What is a research project?

The big question is: what is a research project? A research project for students is an extended essay that presents a question or statement for analysis and evaluation. During a research project, you will present your own ideas and research on a subject alongside analysing existing knowledge.

How to write a research report

The next section covers the research project steps necessary to producing a research paper.

Developing a research question or statement

Research project topics will vary depending on the course you study. The best research project ideas develop from areas you already have an interest in and where you have existing knowledge.

The area of study needs to be specific as it will be much easier to cover fully. If your topic is too broad, you are at risk of not having an in-depth project. You can, however, also make your topic too narrow and there will not be enough research to be done. To make sure you don’t run into either of these problems, it’s a great idea to create sub-topics and questions to ensure you are able to complete suitable research.

A research project example question would be: How will modern technologies change the way of teaching in the future?

Finding and evaluating sources

Secondary research is a large part of your research project as it makes up the literature review section. It is essential to use credible sources as failing to do so may decrease the validity of your research project.

Examples of secondary research include:

Peer-reviewed journals
Scholarly articles
Newspapers

Great places to find your sources are the University library and Google Scholar. Both will give you many opportunities to find the credible sources you need. However, you need to make sure you are evaluating whether they are fit for purpose before including them in your research project as you do not want to include out of date information.

When evaluating sources, you need to ask yourself:

Is the information provided by an expert?
How well does the source answer the research question?
What does the source contribute to its field?
Is the source valid? e.g. does it contain bias and is the information up-to-date?

It is important to ensure that you have a variety of sources in order to avoid bias. A successful research paper will present more than one point of view and the best way to do this is to not rely too heavily on just one author or publication.

Conducting research

For a research project, you will need to conduct primary research. This is the original research you will gather to further develop your research project. The most common types of primary research are interviews and surveys as these allow for many and varied results.

Examples of primary research include:

Interviews and surveys
Focus groups
Experiments
Research diaries

If you are looking to study in the UK and have an interest in bettering your research skills, The University of Sheffield is a world top 100 research university which will provide great research opportunities and resources for your project.

Research report format

Now that you understand the basics of how to write a research project, you now need to look at what goes into each section. The research project format is just as important as the research itself. Without a clear structure you will not be able to present your findings concisely.

A research paper is made up of seven sections: introduction, literature review, methodology, findings and results, discussion, conclusion, and references. You need to make sure you are including a list of correctly cited references to avoid accusations of plagiarism.

Introduction

The introduction is where you will present your hypothesis and provide context for why you are doing the project. Here you will include relevant background information, present your research aims and explain why the research is important.

Literature review

The literature review is where you will analyse and evaluate existing research within your subject area. This section is where your secondary research will be presented. A literature review is an integral part of your research project as it brings validity to your research aims.

What to include when writing your literature review:

A description of the publications
A summary of the main points
An evaluation on the contribution to the area of study
Potential flaws and gaps in the research

Methodology

The research paper methodology outlines the process of your data collection. This is where you will present your primary research. The aim of the methodology section is to answer two questions:

Why did you select the research methods you used?
How do these methods contribute towards your research hypothesis?

In this section you will not be writing about your findings, but the ways in which you are going to try and achieve them. You need to state whether your methodology will be qualitative, quantitative, or mixed.

Qualitative – first hand observations such as interviews, focus groups, case studies and questionnaires. The data collected will generally be non-numerical.
Quantitative – research that deals in numbers and logic. The data collected will focus on statistics and numerical patterns.
Mixed – includes both quantitative and qualitative research.

The methodology section should always be written in the past tense, even if you have already started your data collection.

Findings and results

In this section you will present the findings and results of your primary research. Here you will give a concise and factual summary of your findings using tables and graphs where appropriate.

Discussion

The discussion section is where you will talk about your findings in detail. Here you need to relate your results to your hypothesis, explaining what you found out and the significance of the research.

It is a good idea to talk about any areas with disappointing or surprising results and address the limitations within the research project. This will balance your project and steer you away from bias.

Some questions to consider when writing your discussion:

To what extent was the hypothesis supported?
Was your research method appropriate?
Was there unexpected data that affected your results?
To what extent was your research validated by other sources?

Conclusion

The conclusion is where you will bring your research project to a close. In this section you will not only be restating your research aims and how you achieved them, but also discussing the wider significance of your research project. You will talk about the successes and failures of the project, and how you would approach further study.

It is essential you do not bring any new ideas into your conclusion; this section is used only to summarise what you have already stated in the project.

References

As a research project is your own ideas blended with information and research from existing knowledge, you must include a list of correctly cited references. Creating a list of references will allow the reader to easily evaluate the quality of your secondary research whilst also saving you from potential plagiarism accusations.

The way in which you cite your sources will vary depending on the university standard.

If you are an international student looking to study a degree in the UK , The University of Sheffield International College has a range of pathway programmes to prepare you for university study. Undertaking a Research Project is one of the core modules for the Pre-Masters programme at The University of Sheffield International College.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best topic for research .

It’s a good idea to choose a topic you have existing knowledge on, or one that you are interested in. This will make the research process easier; as you have an idea of where and what to look for in your sources, as well as more enjoyable as it’s a topic you want to know more about.

What should a research project include?

There are seven main sections to a research project, these are:

Introduction – the aims of the project and what you hope to achieve
Literature review – evaluating and reviewing existing knowledge on the topic
Methodology – the methods you will use for your primary research
Findings and results – presenting the data from your primary research
Discussion – summarising and analysing your research and what you have found out
Conclusion – how the project went (successes and failures), areas for future study
List of references – correctly cited sources that have been used throughout the project.

How long is a research project?

The length of a research project will depend on the level study and the nature of the subject. There is no one length for research papers, however the average dissertation style essay can be anywhere from 4,000 to 15,000+ words.

The Why: Explaining the significance of your research

In the first four articles of this series, we examined The What: Defining a research project , The Where: Constructing an effective writing environment , The When: Setting realistic timeframes for your research , and The Who: Finding key sources in the existing literature . In this article, we will explore the fifth, and final, W of academic writing, The Why: Explaining the significance of your research.

Q1: When considering the significance of your research, what is the general contribution you make?

According to the Unite for Sight online module titled “ The Importance of Research ”:

“The purpose of research is to inform action. Thus, your study should seek to contextualize its findings within the larger body of research. Research must always be of high quality in order to produce knowledge that is applicable outside of the research setting. Furthermore, the results of your study may have implications for policy and future project implementation.”

In response to this TweetChat question, Twitter user @aemidr shared that the “dissemination of the research outcomes” is their contribution. Petra Boynton expressed a contribution of “easy to follow resources other people can use to help improve their health/wellbeing”.

Eric Schmieder said, “In general, I try to expand the application of technology to improve the efficiency of business processes through my research and personal use and development of technology solutions.” While Janet Salmons offered the response, “ I am a metaresearcher , that is, I research emerging qualitative methods & write about them. I hope contribution helps student & experienced researchers try new approaches.”

Despite the different contributions each of these participants noted as the significance of their individual research efforts, there is a significance to each. In addition to the importance stated through the above examples, Leann Zarah offered 7 Reasons Why Research Is Important , as follows:

A Tool for Building Knowledge and for Facilitating Learning
Means to Understand Various Issues and Increase Public Awareness
An Aid to Business Success
A Way to Prove Lies and to Support Truths
Means to Find, Gauge, and Seize Opportunities
A Seed to Love Reading, Writing, Analyzing, and Sharing Valuable Information
Nourishment and Exercise for the Mind

Q1a: What is the specific significance of your research to yourself or other individuals?

The first of “ 3 Important Things to Consider When Selecting Your Research Topic ”, as written by Stephen Fiedler is to “choose something that interests you”. By doing so, you are more likely to stay motivated and persevere through inevitable challenges.

As mentioned earlier, for Salmons her interests lie in emerging methods and new approaches to research. As Salmons pointed out in the TweetChat, “Conventional methods may not be adequate in a globally-connected world – using online methods expands potential participation.”

For @aemidr, “specific significance of my research is on health and safety from the environment and lifestyle”. In contrast, Schmieder said “my ongoing research allows me to be a better educator, to be more efficient in my own business practices, and to feel comfortable engaging with new technology”.

Regardless of discipline, a personal statement can help identify for yourself and others your suitability for specific research. Some things to include in the statement are:

Your reasons for choosing your topic of research
The aspects of your topic of research that interest you most
Any work experience, placement or voluntary work you have undertaken, particularly if it is relevant to your subject. Include the skills and abilities you have gained from these activities
How your choice of research fits in with your future career plans

Q2: Why is it important to communicate the value of your research?

According to Salmons, “If you research and no one knows about it or can use what you discover, it is just an intellectual exercise. If we want the public to support & fund research, we must show why it’s important!” She has written for the SAGE MethodSpace blog on the subject Write with Purpose, Publish for Impact building a collection of articles from both the MethodSpace blog and TAA’s blog, Abstract .

Peter J. Stogios shares with us benefits to both the scientist and the public in his article, “ Why Sharing Your Research with the Public is as Necessary as Doing the Research Itself ”. Unsure where to start? Stogios states, “There are many ways scientists can communicate more directly with the public. These include writing a personal blog, updating their lab’s or personal website to be less technical and more accessible to non-scientists, popular science forums and message boards, and engaging with your institution’s research communication office. Most organizations publish newsletters or create websites showcasing the work being done, and act as intermediaries between the researchers and the media. Scientists can and should interact more with these communicators.”

Schmieder stated during the TweetChat that the importance of communicating the value of your research is “primarily to help others understand why you do what you do, but also for funding purposes, application of your results by others, and increased personal value and validation”.

In her article, “ Explaining Your Research to the Public: Why It Matters, How to Do It! ”, Sharon Page-Medrich conveys the importance, stating “UC Berkeley’s 30,000+ undergraduate and 11,000+ graduate students generate or contribute to diverse research in the natural and physical sciences, social sciences and humanities, and many professional fields. Such research and its applications are fundamental to saving lives, restoring healthy environments, making art and preserving culture, and raising standards of living. Yet the average person-in-the-street may not see the connection between students’ investigations and these larger outcomes.”

Q2a: To whom is it most difficult to explain that value?

Although important, it’s not always easy to share our research efforts with others. Erin Bedford sets the scene as she tells us “ How to (Not) Talk about Your Research ”. “It’s happened to the best of us. First, the question: ‘so, what is your research on?’ Then, the blank stare as you try to explain. And finally, the uninterested but polite nod and smile.”

Schmieder acknowledges that these polite people who care enough to ask, but often are the hardest to explain things to are “family and friends who don’t share the same interests or understanding of the subject matter.” It’s not that they don’t care about the efforts, it’s that the level to which a researcher’s investment and understanding is different from those asking about their work.

When faced with less-than-supportive reactions from friends, Noelle Sterne shares some ways to retain your perspective and friendship in her TAA blog article, “ Friends – How to deal with their negative responses to your academic projects ”.

Q3: What methods have you used to explain your research to others (both inside and outside of your discipline)?

Schmieder stated, “I have done webinars, professional development seminars, blog articles, and online courses” in an effort to communicate research to others. The Edinburg Napier University LibGuides guide to Sharing Your Research includes some of these in their list of resources as well adding considerations of online presence, saving time / online efficiency, copyright, and compliance to the discussion.

Michaela Panter states in her article, “ Sharing Your Findings with a General Audience ”, that “tips and guidelines for conveying your research to a general audience are increasingly widespread, yet scientists remain wary of doing so.” She notes, however, that “effectively sharing your research with a general audience can positively affect funding for your work” and “engaging the general public can further the impact of your research”.

If these are affects you desire, consider CES’s “ Six ways to share your research findings ”, as follows:

Know your audience and define your goal
Collaborate with others
Make a plan
Embrace plain language writing
Layer and link, and
Evaluate your work

Q4: What are some places you can share your research and its significance beyond your writing?

Beyond traditional journal article publication efforts, there are many opportunities to share your research with a larger community. Schmieder listed several options during the TweetChat event, specifically, “conference presentations, social media, blogs, professional networks and organizations, podcasts, and online courses”.

Elsevier’s resource, “ Sharing and promoting your article ” provides advice on sharing your article in the following ten places:

At a conference
For classroom teaching purposes
For grant applications
With my colleagues
On a preprint server
On my personal blog or website
On my institutional repository
On a subject repository (or other non-commercial repository)
On Scholarly Communication Network (SCN), such as Mendeley or Scholar Universe
Social Media, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter

Nature Publishing Group’s “ tips for promoting your research ” include nine ways to get started:

Share your work with your social networks
Update your professional profile
Utilize research-sharing platforms
Create a Google Scholar profile – or review and enhance your existing one
Highlight key and topical points in a blog post
Make your research outputs shareable and discoverable
Register for a unique ORCID author identifier
Encourage readership within your institution

Finally, Sheffield Solutions produced a top ten list of actions you can take to help share and disseminate your work more widely online, as follows:

Create an ORCID ID
Upload to Sheffield’s MyPublications system
Make your work Open Access
Create a Google Scholar profile
Join an academic social network
Connect through Twitter
Blog about your research
Upload to Slideshare or ORDA
Track your research

Q5: How is the significance of your study conveyed in your writing efforts?

Schmieder stated, “Significance is conveyed through the introduction, the structure of the study, and the implications for further research sections of articles”. According to The Writing Center at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “A thesis statement tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion”.

In their online Tips & Tools resource on Thesis Statements , they share the following six questions to ask to help determine if your thesis is strong:

Do I answer the question?
Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose?
Is my thesis statement specific enough?
Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test?
Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering?
Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test?

Some journals, such as Elsevier’s Acta Biomaterialia, now require a statement of significance with manuscript submissions. According to the announcement linked above, “these statements will address the novelty aspect and the significance of the work with respect to the existing literature and more generally to the society.” and “by highlighting the scientific merit of your research, these statements will help make your work more visible to our readership.”

Q5a: How does the significance influence the structure of your writing?

According to Jeff Hume-Pratuch in the Academic Coaching & Writing (ACW) article, “ Using APA Style in Academic Writing: Precision and Clarity ”, “The need for precision and clarity of expression is one of the distinguishing marks of academic writing.” As a result, Hume-Pratuch advises that you “choose your words wisely so that they do not come between your idea and the audience.” To do so, he suggests avoiding ambiguous expressions, approximate language, and euphemisms and jargon in your writing.

Schmieder shared in the TweetChat that “the impact of the writing is affected by the target audience for the research and can influence word choice, organization of ideas, and elements included in the narrative”.

Discussing the organization of ideas, Patrick A. Regoniel offers “ Two Tips in Writing the Significance of the Study ” claiming that by referring to the statement of the problem and writing from general to specific contribution, you can “prevent your mind from wandering wildly or aimlessly as you explore the significance of your study”.

Q6: What are some ways you can improve your ability to explain your research to others?

For both Schmieder and Salmons, practice is key. Schmieder suggested, “Practice simplifying the concepts. Focus on why rather than what. Share research in areas where they are active and comfortable”. Salmons added, “answer ‘so what’ and ‘who cares’ questions. Practice creating a sentence. For my study of the collaborative process: ‘Learning to collaborate is important for team success in professional life’ works better than ‘a phenomenological study of instructors’ perceptions’”.

In a guest blog post for Scientific American titled “ Effective Communication, Better Science ”, Mónica I. Feliú-Mójer claimed “to be a successful scientist, you must be an effective communicator.” In support of the goal of being an effective communicator, a list of training opportunities and other resources are included in the article.

Along the same lines, The University of Melbourne shared the following list of resources, workshops, and programs in their online resource on academic writing and communication skills :

Speaking and Presenting : Resources for presenting your research, using PowerPoint to your advantage, presenting at conferences and helpful videos on presenting effectively
Research Impact Library Advisory Service (RILAS): Helps you to determine the impact of your publications and other research outputs for academic promotions and grant applications
Three Minute Thesis Competition (3MT): Research communication competition that requires you to deliver a compelling oration on your thesis topic and its significance in just three minutes or less.
Visualise your Thesis Competition : A dynamic and engaging audio-visual “elevator pitch” (e-Poster) to communicate your research to a broad non-specialist audience in 60 seconds.

As we complete this series exploration of the five W’s of academic writing, we hope that you are adequately prepared to apply them to your own research efforts of defining a research project, constructing an effective writing environment, setting realistic timeframes for your research, finding key sources in the existing literature, and last, but not least, explaining the significance of your research.

11.1 The Purpose of Research Writing

Learning objectives.

Identify reasons to research writing projects.
Outline the steps of the research writing process.

Why was the Great Wall of China built? What have scientists learned about the possibility of life on Mars? What roles did women play in the American Revolution? How does the human brain create, store, and retrieve memories? Who invented the game of football, and how has it changed over the years?

You may know the answers to these questions off the top of your head. If you are like most people, however, you find answers to tough questions like these by searching the Internet, visiting the library, or asking others for information. To put it simply, you perform research.

Whether you are a scientist, an artist, a paralegal, or a parent, you probably perform research in your everyday life. When your boss, your instructor, or a family member asks you a question that you do not know the answer to, you locate relevant information, analyze your findings, and share your results. Locating, analyzing, and sharing information are key steps in the research process, and in this chapter, you will learn more about each step. By developing your research writing skills, you will prepare yourself to answer any question no matter how challenging.

Reasons for Research

When you perform research, you are essentially trying to solve a mystery—you want to know how something works or why something happened. In other words, you want to answer a question that you (and other people) have about the world. This is one of the most basic reasons for performing research.

But the research process does not end when you have solved your mystery. Imagine what would happen if a detective collected enough evidence to solve a criminal case, but she never shared her solution with the authorities. Presenting what you have learned from research can be just as important as performing the research. Research results can be presented in a variety of ways, but one of the most popular—and effective—presentation forms is the research paper . A research paper presents an original thesis, or purpose statement, about a topic and develops that thesis with information gathered from a variety of sources.

If you are curious about the possibility of life on Mars, for example, you might choose to research the topic. What will you do, though, when your research is complete? You will need a way to put your thoughts together in a logical, coherent manner. You may want to use the facts you have learned to create a narrative or to support an argument. And you may want to show the results of your research to your friends, your teachers, or even the editors of magazines and journals. Writing a research paper is an ideal way to organize thoughts, craft narratives or make arguments based on research, and share your newfound knowledge with the world.

Write a paragraph about a time when you used research in your everyday life. Did you look for the cheapest way to travel from Houston to Denver? Did you search for a way to remove gum from the bottom of your shoe? In your paragraph, explain what you wanted to research, how you performed the research, and what you learned as a result.

Research Writing and the Academic Paper

No matter what field of study you are interested in, you will most likely be asked to write a research paper during your academic career. For example, a student in an art history course might write a research paper about an artist’s work. Similarly, a student in a psychology course might write a research paper about current findings in childhood development.

Having to write a research paper may feel intimidating at first. After all, researching and writing a long paper requires a lot of time, effort, and organization. However, writing a research paper can also be a great opportunity to explore a topic that is particularly interesting to you. The research process allows you to gain expertise on a topic of your choice, and the writing process helps you remember what you have learned and understand it on a deeper level.

Research Writing at Work

Knowing how to write a good research paper is a valuable skill that will serve you well throughout your career. Whether you are developing a new product, studying the best way to perform a procedure, or learning about challenges and opportunities in your field of employment, you will use research techniques to guide your exploration. You may even need to create a written report of your findings. And because effective communication is essential to any company, employers seek to hire people who can write clearly and professionally.

Writing at Work

Take a few minutes to think about each of the following careers. How might each of these professionals use researching and research writing skills on the job?

Medical laboratory technician
Small business owner
Information technology professional
Freelance magazine writer

A medical laboratory technician or information technology professional might do research to learn about the latest technological developments in either of these fields. A small business owner might conduct research to learn about the latest trends in his or her industry. A freelance magazine writer may need to research a given topic to write an informed, up-to-date article.

Think about the job of your dreams. How might you use research writing skills to perform that job? Create a list of ways in which strong researching, organizing, writing, and critical thinking skills could help you succeed at your dream job. How might these skills help you obtain that job?

Steps of the Research Writing Process

How does a research paper grow from a folder of brainstormed notes to a polished final draft? No two projects are identical, but most projects follow a series of six basic steps.

These are the steps in the research writing process:

Choose a topic.
Plan and schedule time to research and write.
Conduct research.
Organize research and ideas.
Draft your paper.
Revise and edit your paper.

Each of these steps will be discussed in more detail later in this chapter. For now, though, we will take a brief look at what each step involves.

Step 1: Choosing a Topic

As you may recall from Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” , to narrow the focus of your topic, you may try freewriting exercises, such as brainstorming. You may also need to ask a specific research question —a broad, open-ended question that will guide your research—as well as propose a possible answer, or a working thesis . You may use your research question and your working thesis to create a research proposal . In a research proposal, you present your main research question, any related subquestions you plan to explore, and your working thesis.

Step 2: Planning and Scheduling

Before you start researching your topic, take time to plan your researching and writing schedule. Research projects can take days, weeks, or even months to complete. Creating a schedule is a good way to ensure that you do not end up being overwhelmed by all the work you have to do as the deadline approaches.

During this step of the process, it is also a good idea to plan the resources and organizational tools you will use to keep yourself on track throughout the project. Flowcharts, calendars, and checklists can all help you stick to your schedule. See Chapter 11 “Writing from Research: What Will I Learn?” , Section 11.2 “Steps in Developing a Research Proposal” for an example of a research schedule.

Step 3: Conducting Research

When going about your research, you will likely use a variety of sources—anything from books and periodicals to video presentations and in-person interviews.

Your sources will include both primary sources and secondary sources . Primary sources provide firsthand information or raw data. For example, surveys, in-person interviews, and historical documents are primary sources. Secondary sources, such as biographies, literary reviews, or magazine articles, include some analysis or interpretation of the information presented. As you conduct research, you will take detailed, careful notes about your discoveries. You will also evaluate the reliability of each source you find.

Step 4: Organizing Research and the Writer’s Ideas

When your research is complete, you will organize your findings and decide which sources to cite in your paper. You will also have an opportunity to evaluate the evidence you have collected and determine whether it supports your thesis, or the focus of your paper. You may decide to adjust your thesis or conduct additional research to ensure that your thesis is well supported.

Remember, your working thesis is not set in stone. You can and should change your working thesis throughout the research writing process if the evidence you find does not support your original thesis. Never try to force evidence to fit your argument. For example, your working thesis is “Mars cannot support life-forms.” Yet, a week into researching your topic, you find an article in the New York Times detailing new findings of bacteria under the Martian surface. Instead of trying to argue that bacteria are not life forms, you might instead alter your thesis to “Mars cannot support complex life-forms.”

Step 5: Drafting Your Paper

Now you are ready to combine your research findings with your critical analysis of the results in a rough draft. You will incorporate source materials into your paper and discuss each source thoughtfully in relation to your thesis or purpose statement.

When you cite your reference sources, it is important to pay close attention to standard conventions for citing sources in order to avoid plagiarism , or the practice of using someone else’s words without acknowledging the source. Later in this chapter, you will learn how to incorporate sources in your paper and avoid some of the most common pitfalls of attributing information.

Step 6: Revising and Editing Your Paper

In the final step of the research writing process, you will revise and polish your paper. You might reorganize your paper’s structure or revise for unity and cohesion, ensuring that each element in your paper flows into the next logically and naturally. You will also make sure that your paper uses an appropriate and consistent tone.

Once you feel confident in the strength of your writing, you will edit your paper for proper spelling, grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and formatting. When you complete this final step, you will have transformed a simple idea or question into a thoroughly researched and well-written paper you can be proud of!

Review the steps of the research writing process. Then answer the questions on your own sheet of paper.

In which steps of the research writing process are you allowed to change your thesis?
In step 2, which types of information should you include in your project schedule?
What might happen if you eliminated step 4 from the research writing process?

Key Takeaways

People undertake research projects throughout their academic and professional careers in order to answer specific questions, share their findings with others, increase their understanding of challenging topics, and strengthen their researching, writing, and analytical skills.
The research writing process generally comprises six steps: choosing a topic, scheduling and planning time for research and writing, conducting research, organizing research and ideas, drafting a paper, and revising and editing the paper.

Illustration of an aerial view of a man at a desk with papers in a question mark shape, coffee, biscuits and office supplies on a yellow background.

Illustration by James Round

How to plan a research project

Whether for a paper or a thesis, define your question, review the work of others – and leave yourself open to discovery.

by Brooke Harrington + BIO

is professor of sociology at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. Her research has won international awards both for scholarly quality and impact on public life. She has published dozens of articles and three books, most recently the bestseller Capital without Borders (2016), now translated into five languages.

Edited by Sam Haselby

Need to know

‘When curiosity turns to serious matters, it’s called research.’ – From Aphorisms (1880-1905) by Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach

Planning research projects is a time-honoured intellectual exercise: one that requires both creativity and sharp analytical skills. The purpose of this Guide is to make the process systematic and easy to understand. While there is a great deal of freedom and discovery involved – from the topics you choose, to the data and methods you apply – there are also some norms and constraints that obtain, no matter what your academic level or field of study. For those in high school through to doctoral students, and from art history to archaeology, research planning involves broadly similar steps, including: formulating a question, developing an argument or predictions based on previous research, then selecting the information needed to answer your question.

Some of this might sound self-evident but, as you’ll find, research requires a different way of approaching and using information than most of us are accustomed to in everyday life. That is why I include orienting yourself to knowledge-creation as an initial step in the process. This is a crucial and underappreciated phase in education, akin to making the transition from salaried employment to entrepreneurship: suddenly, you’re on your own, and that requires a new way of thinking about your work.

What follows is a distillation of what I’ve learned about this process over 27 years as a professional social scientist. It reflects the skills that my own professors imparted in the sociology doctoral programme at Harvard, as well as what I learned later on as a research supervisor for Ivy League PhD and MA students, and then as the author of award-winning scholarly books and articles. It can be adapted to the demands of both short projects (such as course term papers) and long ones, such as a thesis.

At its simplest, research planning involves the four distinct steps outlined below: orienting yourself to knowledge-creation; defining your research question; reviewing previous research on your question; and then choosing relevant data to formulate your own answers. Because the focus of this Guide is on planning a research project, as opposed to conducting a research project, this section won’t delve into the details of data-collection or analysis; those steps happen after you plan the project. In addition, the topic is vast: year-long doctoral courses are devoted to data and analysis. Instead, the fourth part of this section will outline some basic strategies you could use in planning a data-selection and analysis process appropriate to your research question.

Step 1: Orient yourself

Planning and conducting research requires you to make a transition, from thinking like a consumer of information to thinking like a producer of information. That sounds simple, but it’s actually a complex task. As a practical matter, this means putting aside the mindset of a student, which treats knowledge as something created by other people. As students, we are often passive receivers of knowledge: asked to do a specified set of readings, then graded on how well we reproduce what we’ve read.

Researchers, however, must take on an active role as knowledge producers . Doing research requires more of you than reading and absorbing what other people have written: you have to engage in a dialogue with it. That includes arguing with previous knowledge and perhaps trying to show that ideas we have accepted as given are actually wrong or incomplete. For example, rather than simply taking in the claims of an author you read, you’ll need to draw out the implications of those claims: if what the author is saying is true, what else does that suggest must be true? What predictions could you make based on the author’s claims?

In other words, rather than treating a reading as a source of truth – even if it comes from a revered source, such as Plato or Marie Curie – this orientation step asks you to treat the claims you read as provisional and subject to interrogation. That is one of the great pieces of wisdom that science and philosophy can teach us: that the biggest advances in human understanding have been made not by being correct about trivial things, but by being wrong in an interesting way . For example, Albert Einstein was wrong about quantum mechanics, but his arguments about it with his fellow physicist Niels Bohr have led to some of the biggest breakthroughs in science, even a century later.

Step 2: Define your research question

Students often give this step cursory attention, but experienced researchers know that formulating a good question is sometimes the most difficult part of the research planning process. That is because the precise language of the question frames the rest of the project. It’s therefore important to pose the question carefully, in a way that’s both possible to answer and likely to yield interesting results. Of course, you must choose a question that interests you, but that’s only the beginning of what’s likely to be an iterative process: most researchers come back to this step repeatedly, modifying their questions in light of previous research, resource limitations and other considerations.

Researchers face limits in terms of time and money. They, like everyone else, have to pose research questions that they can plausibly answer given the constraints they face. For example, it would be inadvisable to frame a project around the question ‘What are the roots of the Arab-Israeli conflict?’ if you have only a week to develop an answer and no background on that topic. That’s not to limit your imagination: you can come up with any question you’d like. But it typically does require some creativity to frame a question that you can answer well – that is, by investigating thoroughly and providing new insights – within the limits you face.

In addition to being interesting to you, and feasible within your resource constraints, the third and most important characteristic of a ‘good’ research topic is whether it allows you to create new knowledge. It might turn out that your question has already been asked and answered to your satisfaction: if so, you’ll find out in the next step of this process. On the other hand, you might come up with a research question that hasn’t been addressed previously. Before you get too excited about breaking uncharted ground, consider this: a lot of potentially researchable questions haven’t been studied for good reason ; they might have answers that are trivial or of very limited interest. This could include questions such as ‘Why does the area of a circle equal π r²?’ or ‘Did winter conditions affect Napoleon’s plans to invade Russia?’ Of course, you might be able to make the argument that a seemingly trivial question is actually vitally important, but you must be prepared to back that up with convincing evidence. The exercise in the ‘Learn More’ section below will help you think through some of these issues.

Finally, scholarly research questions must in some way lead to new and distinctive insights. For example, lots of people have studied gender roles in sports teams; what can you ask that hasn’t been asked before? Reinventing the wheel is the number-one no-no in this endeavour. That’s why the next step is so important: reviewing previous research on your topic. Depending on what you find in that step, you might need to revise your research question; iterating between your question and the existing literature is a normal process. But don’t worry: it doesn’t go on forever. In fact, the iterations taper off – and your research question stabilises – as you develop a firm grasp of the current state of knowledge on your topic.

Step 3: Review previous research

In academic research, from articles to books, it’s common to find a section called a ‘literature review’. The purpose of that section is to describe the state of the art in knowledge on the research question that a project has posed. It demonstrates that researchers have thoroughly and systematically reviewed the relevant findings of previous studies on their topic, and that they have something novel to contribute.

Your own research project should include something like this, even if it’s a high-school term paper. In the research planning process, you’ll want to list at least half a dozen bullet points stating the major findings on your topic by other people. In relation to those findings, you should be able to specify where your project could provide new and necessary insights. There are two basic rhetorical positions one can take in framing the novelty-plus-importance argument required of academic research:

Position 1 requires you to build on or extend a set of existing ideas; that means saying something like: ‘Person A has argued that X is true about gender; this implies Y, which has not yet been tested. My project will test Y, and if I find evidence to support it, that will change the way we understand gender.’
Position 2 is to argue that there is a gap in existing knowledge, either because previous research has reached conflicting conclusions or has failed to consider something important. For example, one could say that research on middle schoolers and gender has been limited by being conducted primarily in coeducational environments, and that findings might differ dramatically if research were conducted in more schools where the student body was all-male or all-female.

Your overall goal in this step of the process is to show that your research will be part of a larger conversation: that is, how your project flows from what’s already known, and how it advances, extends or challenges that existing body of knowledge. That will be the contribution of your project, and it constitutes the motivation for your research.

Two things are worth mentioning about your search for sources of relevant previous research. First, you needn’t look only at studies on your precise topic. For example, if you want to study gender-identity formation in schools, you shouldn’t restrict yourself to studies of schools; the empirical setting (schools) is secondary to the larger social process that interests you (how people form gender identity). That process occurs in many different settings, so cast a wide net. Second, be sure to use legitimate sources – meaning publications that have been through some sort of vetting process, whether that involves peer review (as with academic journal articles you might find via Google Scholar) or editorial review (as you’d find in well-known mass media publications, such as The Economist or The Washington Post ). What you’ll want to avoid is using unvetted sources such as personal blogs or Wikipedia. Why? Because anybody can write anything in those forums, and there is no way to know – unless you’re already an expert – if the claims you find there are accurate. Often, they’re not.

Step 4: Choose your data and methods

Whatever your research question is, eventually you’ll need to consider which data source and analytical strategy are most likely to provide the answers you’re seeking. One starting point is to consider whether your question would be best addressed by qualitative data (such as interviews, observations or historical records), quantitative data (such as surveys or census records) or some combination of both. Your ideas about data sources will, in turn, suggest options for analytical methods.

You might need to collect your own data, or you might find everything you need readily available in an existing dataset someone else has created. A great place to start is with a research librarian: university libraries always have them and, at public universities, those librarians can work with the public, including people who aren’t affiliated with the university. If you don’t happen to have a public university and its library close at hand, an ordinary public library can still be a good place to start: the librarians are often well versed in accessing data sources that might be relevant to your study, such as the census, or historical archives, or the Survey of Consumer Finances.

Because your task at this point is to plan research, rather than conduct it, the purpose of this step is not to commit you irrevocably to a course of action. Instead, your goal here is to think through a feasible approach to answering your research question. You’ll need to find out, for example, whether the data you want exist; if not, do you have a realistic chance of gathering the data yourself, or would it be better to modify your research question? In terms of analysis, would your strategy require you to apply statistical methods? If so, do you have those skills? If not, do you have time to learn them, or money to hire a research assistant to run the analysis for you?

Please be aware that qualitative methods in particular are not the casual undertaking they might appear to be. Many people make the mistake of thinking that only quantitative data and methods are scientific and systematic, while qualitative methods are just a fancy way of saying: ‘I talked to some people, read some old newspapers, and drew my own conclusions.’ Nothing could be further from the truth. In the final section of this guide, you’ll find some links to resources that will provide more insight on standards and procedures governing qualitative research, but suffice it to say: there are rules about what constitutes legitimate evidence and valid analytical procedure for qualitative data, just as there are for quantitative data.

Circle back and consider revising your initial plans

As you work through these four steps in planning your project, it’s perfectly normal to circle back and revise. Research planning is rarely a linear process. It’s also common for new and unexpected avenues to suggest themselves. As the sociologist Thorstein Veblen wrote in 1908 : ‘The outcome of any serious research can only be to make two questions grow where only one grew before.’ That’s as true of research planning as it is of a completed project. Try to enjoy the horizons that open up for you in this process, rather than becoming overwhelmed; the four steps, along with the two exercises that follow, will help you focus your plan and make it manageable.

Key points – How to plan a research project

Planning a research project is essential no matter your academic level or field of study. There is no one ‘best’ way to design research, but there are certain guidelines that can be helpfully applied across disciplines.
Orient yourself to knowledge-creation. Make the shift from being a consumer of information to being a producer of information.
Define your research question. Your question frames the rest of your project, sets the scope, and determines the kinds of answers you can find.
Review previous research on your question. Survey the existing body of relevant knowledge to ensure that your research will be part of a larger conversation.
Choose your data and methods. For instance, will you be collecting qualitative data, via interviews, or numerical data, via surveys?
Circle back and consider revising your initial plans. Expect your research question in particular to undergo multiple rounds of refinement as you learn more about your topic.

Good research questions tend to beget more questions. This can be frustrating for those who want to get down to business right away. Try to make room for the unexpected: this is usually how knowledge advances. Many of the most significant discoveries in human history have been made by people who were looking for something else entirely. There are ways to structure your research planning process without over-constraining yourself; the two exercises below are a start, and you can find further methods in the Links and Books section.

The following exercise provides a structured process for advancing your research project planning. After completing it, you’ll be able to do the following:

describe clearly and concisely the question you’ve chosen to study
summarise the state of the art in knowledge about the question, and where your project could contribute new insight
identify the best strategy for gathering and analysing relevant data

In other words, the following provides a systematic means to establish the building blocks of your research project.

Exercise 1: Definition of research question and sources

This exercise prompts you to select and clarify your general interest area, develop a research question, and investigate sources of information. The annotated bibliography will also help you refine your research question so that you can begin the second assignment, a description of the phenomenon you wish to study.

Jot down a few bullet points in response to these two questions, with the understanding that you’ll probably go back and modify your answers as you begin reading other studies relevant to your topic:

What will be the general topic of your paper?
What will be the specific topic of your paper?

b) Research question(s)

Use the following guidelines to frame a research question – or questions – that will drive your analysis. As with Part 1 above, you’ll probably find it necessary to change or refine your research question(s) as you complete future assignments.

Your question should be phrased so that it can’t be answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
Your question should have more than one plausible answer.
Your question should draw relationships between two or more concepts; framing the question in terms of How? or What? often works better than asking Why ?

c) Annotated bibliography

Most or all of your background information should come from two sources: scholarly books and journals, or reputable mass media sources. You might be able to access journal articles electronically through your library, using search engines such as JSTOR and Google Scholar. This can save you a great deal of time compared with going to the library in person to search periodicals. General news sources, such as those accessible through LexisNexis, are acceptable, but should be cited sparingly, since they don’t carry the same level of credibility as scholarly sources. As discussed above, unvetted sources such as blogs and Wikipedia should be avoided, because the quality of the information they provide is unreliable and often misleading.

To create an annotated bibliography, provide the following information for at least 10 sources relevant to your specific topic, using the format suggested below.

Name of author(s):

Publication date:

Title of book, chapter, or article:

If a chapter or article, title of journal or book where they appear:

Brief description of this work, including main findings and methods ( c 75 words):

Summary of how this work contributes to your project ( c 75 words):

Brief description of the implications of this work ( c 25 words):

Identify any gap or controversy in knowledge this work points up, and how your project could address those problems ( c 50 words):

Exercise 2: Towards an analysis

Develop a short statement ( c 250 words) about the kind of data that would be useful to address your research question, and how you’d analyse it. Some questions to consider in writing this statement include:

What are the central concepts or variables in your project? Offer a brief definition of each.
Do any data sources exist on those concepts or variables, or would you need to collect data?
Of the analytical strategies you could apply to that data, which would be the most appropriate to answer your question? Which would be the most feasible for you? Consider at least two methods, noting their advantages or disadvantages for your project.

Links & books

One of the best texts ever written about planning and executing research comes from a source that might be unexpected: a 60-year-old work on urban planning by a self-trained scholar. The classic book The Death and Life of Great American Cities (1961) by Jane Jacobs (available complete and free of charge via this link ) is worth reading in its entirety just for the pleasure of it. But the final 20 pages – a concluding chapter titled ‘The Kind of Problem a City Is’ – are really about the process of thinking through and investigating a problem. Highly recommended as a window into the craft of research.

Jacobs’s text references an essay on advancing human knowledge by the mathematician Warren Weaver. At the time, Weaver was director of the Rockefeller Foundation, in charge of funding basic research in the natural and medical sciences. Although the essay is titled ‘A Quarter Century in the Natural Sciences’ (1960) and appears at first blush to be merely a summation of one man’s career, it turns out to be something much bigger and more interesting: a meditation on the history of human beings seeking answers to big questions about the world. Weaver goes back to the 17th century to trace the origins of systematic research thinking, with enthusiasm and vivid anecdotes that make the process come alive. The essay is worth reading in its entirety, and is available free of charge via this link .

For those seeking a more in-depth, professional-level discussion of the logic of research design, the political scientist Harvey Starr provides insight in a compact format in the article ‘Cumulation from Proper Specification: Theory, Logic, Research Design, and “Nice” Laws’ (2005). Starr reviews the ‘research triad’, consisting of the interlinked considerations of formulating a question, selecting relevant theories and applying appropriate methods. The full text of the article, published in the scholarly journal Conflict Management and Peace Science , is available, free of charge, via this link .

Finally, the book Getting What You Came For (1992) by Robert Peters is not only an outstanding guide for anyone contemplating graduate school – from the application process onward – but it also includes several excellent chapters on planning and executing research, applicable across a wide variety of subject areas. It was an invaluable resource for me 25 years ago, and it remains in print with good reason; I recommend it to all my students, particularly Chapter 16 (‘The Thesis Topic: Finding It’), Chapter 17 (‘The Thesis Proposal’) and Chapter 18 (‘The Thesis: Writing It’).

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Consciousness

How to think about consciousness

What is it like to be you? Dive into the philosophical puzzle of consciousness and see yourself and the world in new ways

by Amy Kind

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Spirituality and religion

How to find new spiritual practices

Even if religion isn’t for you, there’s a world of rituals and tools to lift yourself up and connect to something greater

by Morgan Shipley

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Emerging therapies

How to look after your emotional health

Find out which of your emotional needs you’ve been neglecting and use tips from human givens therapy to address them

by Denise Winn

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Six Reasons Why Research is Important

Everyone conducts research in some form or another from a young age, whether news, books, or browsing the Internet. Internet users come across thoughts, ideas, or perspectives - the curiosity that drives the desire to explore. However, when research is essential to make practical decisions, the nature of the study alters - it all depends on its application and purpose. For instance, skilled research offered as a research paper service has a definite objective, and it is focused and organized. Professional research helps derive inferences and conclusions from solving problems. visit the HB tool services for the amazing research tools that will help to solve your problems regarding the research on any project.

What is the Importance of Research?

The primary goal of the research is to guide action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to the growth of knowledge in data analysis. This article discusses the importance of research and the multiple reasons why it is beneficial to everyone, not just students and scientists.

On the other hand, research is important in business decision-making because it can assist in making better decisions when combined with their experience and intuition.

Reasons for the Importance of Research

Acquire Knowledge Effectively
Research helps in problem-solving
Provides the latest information
Builds credibility
Helps in business success
Discover and Seize opportunities

1- Acquire Knowledge Efficiently through Research

The most apparent reason to conduct research is to understand more. Even if you think you know everything there is to know about a subject, there is always more to learn. Research helps you expand on any prior knowledge you have of the subject. The research process creates new opportunities for learning and progress.

2- Research Helps in Problem-solving

Problem-solving can be divided into several components, which require knowledge and analysis, for example, identification of issues, cause identification, identifying potential solutions, decision to take action, monitoring and evaluation of activity and outcomes.

You may just require additional knowledge to formulate an informed strategy and make an informed decision. When you know you've gathered reliable data, you'll be a lot more confident in your answer.

3- Research Provides the Latest Information

Research enables you to seek out the most up-to-date facts. There is always new knowledge and discoveries in various sectors, particularly scientific ones. Staying updated keeps you from falling behind and providing inaccurate or incomplete information. You'll be better prepared to discuss a topic and build on ideas if you have the most up-to-date information. With the help of tools and certifications such as CIRS , you may learn internet research skills quickly and easily. Internet research can provide instant, global access to information.

4- Research Builds Credibility

Research provides a solid basis for formulating thoughts and views. You can speak confidently about something you know to be true. It's much more difficult for someone to find flaws in your arguments after you've finished your tasks. In your study, you should prioritize the most reputable sources. Your research should focus on the most reliable sources. You won't be credible if your "research" comprises non-experts' opinions. People are more inclined to pay attention if your research is excellent.

5- Research Helps in Business Success

R&D might also help you gain a competitive advantage. Finding ways to make things run more smoothly and differentiate a company's products from those of its competitors can help to increase a company's market worth.

6- Research Discover and Seize Opportunities

People can maximize their potential and achieve their goals through various opportunities provided by research. These include getting jobs, scholarships, educational subsidies, projects, commercial collaboration, and budgeted travel. Research is essential for anyone looking for work or a change of environment. Unemployed people will have a better chance of finding potential employers through job advertisements or agencies.

How to Improve Your Research Skills

Start with the big picture and work your way down.

It might be hard to figure out where to start when you start researching. There's nothing wrong with a simple internet search to get you started. Online resources like Google and Wikipedia are a great way to get a general idea of a subject, even though they aren't always correct. They usually give a basic overview with a short history and any important points.

Identify Reliable Source

Not every source is reliable, so it's critical that you can tell the difference between the good ones and the bad ones. To find a reliable source, use your analytical and critical thinking skills and ask yourself the following questions: Is this source consistent with other sources I've discovered? Is the author a subject matter expert? Is there a conflict of interest in the author's point of view on this topic?

Validate Information from Various Sources

Take in new information.

The purpose of research is to find answers to your questions, not back up what you already assume. Only looking for confirmation is a minimal way to research because it forces you to pick and choose what information you get and stops you from getting the most accurate picture of the subject. When you do research, keep an open mind to learn as much as possible.

Facilitates Learning Process

Learning new things and implementing them in daily life can be frustrating. Finding relevant and credible information requires specialized training and web search skills due to the sheer enormity of the Internet and the rapid growth of indexed web pages. On the other hand, short courses and Certifications like CIRS make the research process more accessible. CIRS Certification offers complete knowledge from beginner to expert level. You can become a Certified Professional Researcher and get a high-paying job, but you'll also be much more efficient and skilled at filtering out reliable data. You can learn more about becoming a Certified Professional Researcher.

Stay Organized

You'll see a lot of different material during the process of gathering data, from web pages to PDFs to videos. You must keep all of this information organized in some way so that you don't lose anything or forget to mention something properly. There are many ways to keep your research project organized, but here are a few of the most common: Learning Management Software , Bookmarks in your browser, index cards, and a bibliography that you can add to as you go are all excellent tools for writing.

Make Use of the library's Resources

If you still have questions about researching, don't worry—even if you're not a student performing academic or course-related research, there are many resources available to assist you. Many high school and university libraries, in reality, provide resources not only for staff and students but also for the general public. Look for research guidelines or access to specific databases on the library's website. Association of Internet Research Specialists enjoys sharing informational content such as research-related articles , research papers , specialized search engines list compiled from various sources, and contributions from our members and in-house experts.

of Conducting Research

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10 Reasons Why Research is Important

No matter what career field you’re in or how high up you are, there’s always more to learn . The same applies to your personal life. No matter how many experiences you have or how diverse your social circle, there are things you don’t know. Research unlocks the unknowns, lets you explore the world from different perspectives, and fuels a deeper understanding. In some areas, research is an essential part of success. In others, it may not be absolutely necessary, but it has many benefits. Here are ten reasons why research is important:

#1. Research expands your knowledge base

#2. research gives you the latest information.

Research encourages you to find the most recent information available . In certain fields, especially scientific ones, there’s always new information and discoveries being made. Staying updated prevents you from falling behind and giving info that’s inaccurate or doesn’t paint the whole picture. With the latest info, you’ll be better equipped to talk about a subject and build on ideas.

#3. Research helps you know what you’re up against

In business, you’ll have competition. Researching your competitors and what they’re up to helps you formulate your plans and strategies. You can figure out what sets you apart. In other types of research, like medicine, your research might identify diseases, classify symptoms, and come up with ways to tackle them. Even if your “enemy” isn’t an actual person or competitor, there’s always some kind of antagonist force or problem that research can help you deal with.

#4. Research builds your credibility

People will take what you have to say more seriously when they can tell you’re informed. Doing research gives you a solid foundation on which you can build your ideas and opinions. You can speak with confidence about what you know is accurate. When you’ve done the research, it’s much harder for someone to poke holes in what you’re saying. Your research should be focused on the best sources. If your “research” consists of opinions from non-experts, you won’t be very credible. When your research is good, though, people are more likely to pay attention.

#5. Research helps you narrow your scope

When you’re circling a topic for the first time, you might not be exactly sure where to start. Most of the time, the amount of work ahead of you is overwhelming. Whether you’re writing a paper or formulating a business plan, it’s important to narrow the scope at some point. Research helps you identify the most unique and/or important themes. You can choose the themes that fit best with the project and its goals.

#6. Research teaches you better discernment

Doing a lot of research helps you sift through low-quality and high-quality information. The more research you do on a topic, the better you’ll get at discerning what’s accurate and what’s not. You’ll also get better at discerning the gray areas where information may be technically correct but used to draw questionable conclusions.

#7. Research introduces you to new ideas

You may already have opinions and ideas about a topic when you start researching. The more you research, the more viewpoints you’ll come across. This encourages you to entertain new ideas and perhaps take a closer look at yours. You might change your mind about something or, at least, figure out how to position your ideas as the best ones.

#8. Research helps with problem-solving

Whether it’s a personal or professional problem, it helps to look outside yourself for help. Depending on what the issue is, your research can focus on what others have done before. You might just need more information, so you can make an informed plan of attack and an informed decision. When you know you’ve collected good information, you’ll feel much more confident in your solution.

#9. Research helps you reach people

Research is used to help raise awareness of issues like climate change , racial discrimination, gender inequality , and more. Without hard facts, it’s very difficult to prove that climate change is getting worse or that gender inequality isn’t progressing as quickly as it should. The public needs to know what the facts are, so they have a clear idea of what “getting worse” or “not progressing” actually means. Research also entails going beyond the raw data and sharing real-life stories that have a more personal impact on people.

#10. Research encourages curiosity

Having curiosity and a love of learning take you far in life. Research opens you up to different opinions and new ideas. It also builds discerning and analytical skills. The research process rewards curiosity. When you’re committed to learning, you’re always in a place of growth. Curiosity is also good for your health. Studies show curiosity is associated with higher levels of positivity, better satisfaction with life, and lower anxiety.

Aims and Objectives – A Guide for Academic Writing
Doing a PhD

One of the most important aspects of a thesis, dissertation or research paper is the correct formulation of the aims and objectives. This is because your aims and objectives will establish the scope, depth and direction that your research will ultimately take. An effective set of aims and objectives will give your research focus and your reader clarity, with your aims indicating what is to be achieved, and your objectives indicating how it will be achieved.

Introduction

There is no getting away from the importance of the aims and objectives in determining the success of your research project. Unfortunately, however, it is an aspect that many students struggle with, and ultimately end up doing poorly. Given their importance, if you suspect that there is even the smallest possibility that you belong to this group of students, we strongly recommend you read this page in full.

This page describes what research aims and objectives are, how they differ from each other, how to write them correctly, and the common mistakes students make and how to avoid them. An example of a good aim and objectives from a past thesis has also been deconstructed to help your understanding.

What Are Aims and Objectives?

Research aims.

A research aim describes the main goal or the overarching purpose of your research project.

In doing so, it acts as a focal point for your research and provides your readers with clarity as to what your study is all about. Because of this, research aims are almost always located within its own subsection under the introduction section of a research document, regardless of whether it’s a thesis , a dissertation, or a research paper .

A research aim is usually formulated as a broad statement of the main goal of the research and can range in length from a single sentence to a short paragraph. Although the exact format may vary according to preference, they should all describe why your research is needed (i.e. the context), what it sets out to accomplish (the actual aim) and, briefly, how it intends to accomplish it (overview of your objectives).

To give an example, we have extracted the following research aim from a real PhD thesis:

Example of a Research Aim

The role of diametrical cup deformation as a factor to unsatisfactory implant performance has not been widely reported. The aim of this thesis was to gain an understanding of the diametrical deformation behaviour of acetabular cups and shells following impaction into the reamed acetabulum. The influence of a range of factors on deformation was investigated to ascertain if cup and shell deformation may be high enough to potentially contribute to early failure and high wear rates in metal-on-metal implants.

Note: Extracted with permission from thesis titled “T he Impact And Deformation Of Press-Fit Metal Acetabular Components ” produced by Dr H Hothi of previously Queen Mary University of London.

Research Objectives

Where a research aim specifies what your study will answer, research objectives specify how your study will answer it.

They divide your research aim into several smaller parts, each of which represents a key section of your research project. As a result, almost all research objectives take the form of a numbered list, with each item usually receiving its own chapter in a dissertation or thesis.

Following the example of the research aim shared above, here are it’s real research objectives as an example:

Example of a Research Objective

Develop finite element models using explicit dynamics to mimic mallet blows during cup/shell insertion, initially using simplified experimentally validated foam models to represent the acetabulum.
Investigate the number, velocity and position of impacts needed to insert a cup.
Determine the relationship between the size of interference between the cup and cavity and deformation for different cup types.
Investigate the influence of non-uniform cup support and varying the orientation of the component in the cavity on deformation.
Examine the influence of errors during reaming of the acetabulum which introduce ovality to the cavity.
Determine the relationship between changes in the geometry of the component and deformation for different cup designs.
Develop three dimensional pelvis models with non-uniform bone material properties from a range of patients with varying bone quality.
Use the key parameters that influence deformation, as identified in the foam models to determine the range of deformations that may occur clinically using the anatomic models and if these deformations are clinically significant.

It’s worth noting that researchers sometimes use research questions instead of research objectives, or in other cases both. From a high-level perspective, research questions and research objectives make the same statements, but just in different formats.

Taking the first three research objectives as an example, they can be restructured into research questions as follows:

Restructuring Research Objectives as Research Questions

Can finite element models using simplified experimentally validated foam models to represent the acetabulum together with explicit dynamics be used to mimic mallet blows during cup/shell insertion?
What is the number, velocity and position of impacts needed to insert a cup?
What is the relationship between the size of interference between the cup and cavity and deformation for different cup types?

Difference Between Aims and Objectives

Hopefully the above explanations make clear the differences between aims and objectives, but to clarify:

The research aim focus on what the research project is intended to achieve; research objectives focus on how the aim will be achieved.
Research aims are relatively broad; research objectives are specific.
Research aims focus on a project’s long-term outcomes; research objectives focus on its immediate, short-term outcomes.
A research aim can be written in a single sentence or short paragraph; research objectives should be written as a numbered list.

How to Write Aims and Objectives

Before we discuss how to write a clear set of research aims and objectives, we should make it clear that there is no single way they must be written. Each researcher will approach their aims and objectives slightly differently, and often your supervisor will influence the formulation of yours on the basis of their own preferences.

Regardless, there are some basic principles that you should observe for good practice; these principles are described below.

Your aim should be made up of three parts that answer the below questions:

Why is this research required?
What is this research about?
How are you going to do it?

The easiest way to achieve this would be to address each question in its own sentence, although it does not matter whether you combine them or write multiple sentences for each, the key is to address each one.

The first question, why , provides context to your research project, the second question, what , describes the aim of your research, and the last question, how , acts as an introduction to your objectives which will immediately follow.

Scroll through the image set below to see the ‘why, what and how’ associated with our research aim example.

Note: Your research aims need not be limited to one. Some individuals per to define one broad ‘overarching aim’ of a project and then adopt two or three specific research aims for their thesis or dissertation. Remember, however, that in order for your assessors to consider your research project complete, you will need to prove you have fulfilled all of the aims you set out to achieve. Therefore, while having more than one research aim is not necessarily disadvantageous, consider whether a single overarching one will do.

Research Objectives

Each of your research objectives should be SMART :

Specific – is there any ambiguity in the action you are going to undertake, or is it focused and well-defined?
Measurable – how will you measure progress and determine when you have achieved the action?
Achievable – do you have the support, resources and facilities required to carry out the action?
Relevant – is the action essential to the achievement of your research aim?
Timebound – can you realistically complete the action in the available time alongside your other research tasks?

In addition to being SMART, your research objectives should start with a verb that helps communicate your intent. Common research verbs include:

Table of Research Verbs to Use in Aims and Objectives

Table showing common research verbs which should ideally be used at the start of a research aim or objective.
(Understanding and organising information)	(Solving problems using information)	(reaching conclusion from evidence)	(Breaking down into components)	(Judging merit)
Review Identify Explore Discover Discuss Summarise Describe	Interpret Apply Demonstrate Establish Determine Estimate Calculate Relate	Analyse Compare Inspect Examine Verify Select Test Arrange	Propose Design Formulate Collect Construct Prepare Undertake Assemble	Appraise Evaluate Compare Assess Recommend Conclude Select

Last, format your objectives into a numbered list. This is because when you write your thesis or dissertation, you will at times need to make reference to a specific research objective; structuring your research objectives in a numbered list will provide a clear way of doing this.

To bring all this together, let’s compare the first research objective in the previous example with the above guidance:

Checking Research Objective Example Against Recommended Approach

Research Objective:

1. Develop finite element models using explicit dynamics to mimic mallet blows during cup/shell insertion, initially using simplified experimentally validated foam models to represent the acetabulum.

Checking Against Recommended Approach:

Q: Is it specific? A: Yes, it is clear what the student intends to do (produce a finite element model), why they intend to do it (mimic cup/shell blows) and their parameters have been well-defined ( using simplified experimentally validated foam models to represent the acetabulum ).

Q: Is it measurable? A: Yes, it is clear that the research objective will be achieved once the finite element model is complete.

Q: Is it achievable? A: Yes, provided the student has access to a computer lab, modelling software and laboratory data.

Q: Is it relevant? A: Yes, mimicking impacts to a cup/shell is fundamental to the overall aim of understanding how they deform when impacted upon.

Q: Is it timebound? A: Yes, it is possible to create a limited-scope finite element model in a relatively short time, especially if you already have experience in modelling.

Q: Does it start with a verb? A: Yes, it starts with ‘develop’, which makes the intent of the objective immediately clear.

Q: Is it a numbered list? A: Yes, it is the first research objective in a list of eight.

Mistakes in Writing Research Aims and Objectives

1. making your research aim too broad.

Having a research aim too broad becomes very difficult to achieve. Normally, this occurs when a student develops their research aim before they have a good understanding of what they want to research. Remember that at the end of your project and during your viva defence , you will have to prove that you have achieved your research aims; if they are too broad, this will be an almost impossible task. In the early stages of your research project, your priority should be to narrow your study to a specific area. A good way to do this is to take the time to study existing literature, question their current approaches, findings and limitations, and consider whether there are any recurring gaps that could be investigated .

Note: Achieving a set of aims does not necessarily mean proving or disproving a theory or hypothesis, even if your research aim was to, but having done enough work to provide a useful and original insight into the principles that underlie your research aim.

2. Making Your Research Objectives Too Ambitious

Be realistic about what you can achieve in the time you have available. It is natural to want to set ambitious research objectives that require sophisticated data collection and analysis, but only completing this with six months before the end of your PhD registration period is not a worthwhile trade-off.

3. Formulating Repetitive Research Objectives

Each research objective should have its own purpose and distinct measurable outcome. To this effect, a common mistake is to form research objectives which have large amounts of overlap. This makes it difficult to determine when an objective is truly complete, and also presents challenges in estimating the duration of objectives when creating your project timeline. It also makes it difficult to structure your thesis into unique chapters, making it more challenging for you to write and for your audience to read.

Fortunately, this oversight can be easily avoided by using SMART objectives.

Hopefully, you now have a good idea of how to create an effective set of aims and objectives for your research project, whether it be a thesis, dissertation or research paper. While it may be tempting to dive directly into your research, spending time on getting your aims and objectives right will give your research clear direction. This won’t only reduce the likelihood of problems arising later down the line, but will also lead to a more thorough and coherent research project.

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What Is the Importance of Research? 5 Reasons Why Research is Critical

by Logan Bessant | Nov 16, 2021 | Science

Most of us appreciate that research is a crucial part of medical advancement. But what exactly is the importance of research? In short, it is critical in the development of new medicines as well as ensuring that existing treatments are used to their full potential.

Research can bridge knowledge gaps and change the way healthcare practitioners work by providing solutions to previously unknown questions.

In this post, we’ll discuss the importance of research and its impact on medical breakthroughs.

The Importance Of Health Research

The purpose of studying is to gather information and evidence, inform actions, and contribute to the overall knowledge of a certain field. None of this is possible without research.

Understanding how to conduct research and the importance of it may seem like a very simple idea to some, but in reality, it’s more than conducting a quick browser search and reading a few chapters in a textbook.

No matter what career field you are in, there is always more to learn. Even for people who hold a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in their field of study, there is always some sort of unknown that can be researched. Delving into this unlocks the unknowns, letting you explore the world from different perspectives and fueling a deeper understanding of how the universe works.

To make things a little more specific, this concept can be clearly applied in any healthcare scenario. Health research has an incredibly high value to society as it provides important information about disease trends and risk factors, outcomes of treatments, patterns of care, and health care costs and use. All of these factors as well as many more are usually researched through a clinical trial.

What Is The Importance Of Clinical Research?

Clinical trials are a type of research that provides information about a new test or treatment. They are usually carried out to find out what, or if, there are any effects of these procedures or drugs on the human body.

All legitimate clinical trials are carefully designed, reviewed and completed, and need to be approved by professionals before they can begin. They also play a vital part in the advancement of medical research including:

Providing new and good information on which types of drugs are more effective.
Bringing new treatments such as medicines, vaccines and devices into the field.
Testing the safety and efficacy of a new drug before it is brought to market and used in clinical practice.
Giving the opportunity for more effective treatments to benefit millions of lives both now and in the future.
Enhancing health, lengthening life, and reducing the burdens of illness and disability.

This all plays back to clinical research as it opens doors to advancing prevention, as well as providing treatments and cures for diseases and disabilities. Clinical trial volunteer participants are essential to this progress which further supports the need for the importance of research to be well-known amongst healthcare professionals, students and the general public.

The image shows a researchers hand holding a magnifying glass to signify the importance of research.

Five Reasons Why Research is Critical

Research is vital for almost everyone irrespective of their career field. From doctors to lawyers to students to scientists, research is the key to better work.

Increases quality of life

Research is the backbone of any major scientific or medical breakthrough. None of the advanced treatments or life-saving discoveries used to treat patients today would be available if it wasn’t for the detailed and intricate work carried out by scientists, doctors and healthcare professionals over the past decade.

This improves quality of life because it can help us find out important facts connected to the researched subject. For example, universities across the globe are now studying a wide variety of things from how technology can help breed healthier livestock, to how dance can provide long-term benefits to people living with Parkinson’s.

For both of these studies, quality of life is improved. Farmers can use technology to breed healthier livestock which in turn provides them with a better turnover, and people who suffer from Parkinson’s disease can find a way to reduce their symptoms and ease their stress.

Research is a catalyst for solving the world’s most pressing issues. Even though the complexity of these issues evolves over time, they always provide a glimmer of hope to improving lives and making processes simpler.

Builds up credibility

People are willing to listen and trust someone with new information on one condition – it’s backed up. And that’s exactly where research comes in. Conducting studies on new and unfamiliar subjects, and achieving the desired or expected outcome, can help people accept the unknown.

However, this goes without saying that your research should be focused on the best sources. It is easy for people to poke holes in your findings if your studies have not been carried out correctly, or there is no reliable data to back them up.

This way once you have done completed your research, you can speak with confidence about your findings within your field of study.

Drives progress forward

It is with thanks to scientific research that many diseases once thought incurable, now have treatments. For example, before the 1930s, anyone who contracted a bacterial infection had a high probability of death. There simply was no treatment for even the mildest of infections as, at the time, it was thought that nothing could kill bacteria in the gut.

When antibiotics were discovered and researched in 1928, it was considered one of the biggest breakthroughs in the medical field. This goes to show how much research drives progress forward, and how it is also responsible for the evolution of technology .

Today vaccines, diagnoses and treatments can all be simplified with the progression of medical research, making us question just what research can achieve in the future.

Engages curiosity

The acts of searching for information and thinking critically serve as food for the brain, allowing our inherent creativity and logic to remain active. Aside from the fact that this curiosity plays such a huge part within research, it is also proven that exercising our minds can reduce anxiety and our chances of developing mental illnesses in the future.

Without our natural thirst and our constant need to ask ‘why?’ and ‘how?’ many important theories would not have been put forward and life-changing discoveries would not have been made. The best part is that the research process itself rewards this curiosity.

Research opens you up to different opinions and new ideas which can take a proposed question and turn into a real-life concept. It also builds discerning and analytical skills which are always beneficial in many career fields – not just scientific ones.

Increases awareness

The main goal of any research study is to increase awareness, whether it’s contemplating new concepts with peers from work or attracting the attention of the general public surrounding a certain issue.

Around the globe, research is used to help raise awareness of issues like climate change, racial discrimination, and gender inequality. Without consistent and reliable studies to back up these issues, it would be hard to convenience people that there is a problem that needs to be solved in the first place.

The problem is that social media has become a place where fake news spreads like a wildfire, and with so many incorrect facts out there it can be hard to know who to trust. Assessing the integrity of the news source and checking for similar news on legitimate media outlets can help prove right from wrong.

This can pinpoint fake research articles and raises awareness of just how important fact-checking can be.

The Importance Of Research To Students

It is not a hidden fact that research can be mentally draining, which is why most students avoid it like the plague. But the matter of fact is that no matter which career path you choose to go down, research will inevitably be a part of it.

But why is research so important to students ? The truth is without research, any intellectual growth is pretty much impossible. It acts as a knowledge-building tool that can guide you up to the different levels of learning. Even if you are an expert in your field, there is always more to uncover, or if you are studying an entirely new topic, research can help you build a unique perspective about it.

For example, if you are looking into a topic for the first time, it might be confusing knowing where to begin. Most of the time you have an overwhelming amount of information to sort through whether that be reading through scientific journals online or getting through a pile of textbooks. Research helps to narrow down to the most important points you need so you are able to find what you need to succeed quickly and easily.

It can also open up great doors in the working world. Employers, especially those in the scientific and medical fields, are always looking for skilled people to hire. Undertaking research and completing studies within your academic phase can show just how multi-skilled you are and give you the resources to tackle any tasks given to you in the workplace.

The Importance Of Research Methodology

There are many different types of research that can be done, each one with its unique methodology and features that have been designed to use in specific settings.

When showing your research to others, they will want to be guaranteed that your proposed inquiry needs asking, and that your methodology is equipt to answer your inquiry and will convey the results you’re looking for.

That’s why it’s so important to choose the right methodology for your study. Knowing what the different types of research are and what each of them focuses on can allow you to plan your project to better utilise the most appropriate methodologies and techniques available. Here are some of the most common types:

Theoretical Research: This attempts to answer a question based on the unknown. This could include studying phenomena or ideas whose conclusions may not have any immediate real-world application. Commonly used in physics and astronomy applications.
Applied Research: Mainly for development purposes, this seeks to solve a practical problem that draws on theory to generate practical scientific knowledge. Commonly used in STEM and medical fields.
Exploratory Research: Used to investigate a problem that is not clearly defined, this type of research can be used to establish cause-and-effect relationships. It can be applied in a wide range of fields from business to literature.
Correlational Research: This identifies the relationship between two or more variables to see if and how they interact with each other. Very commonly used in psychological and statistical applications.

The Importance Of Qualitative Research

This type of research is most commonly used in scientific and social applications. It collects, compares and interprets information to specifically address the “how” and “why” research questions.

Qualitative research allows you to ask questions that cannot be easily put into numbers to understand human experience because you’re not limited by survey instruments with a fixed set of possible responses.

Information can be gathered in numerous ways including interviews, focus groups and ethnographic research which is then all reported in the language of the informant instead of statistical analyses.

This type of research is important because they do not usually require a hypothesis to be carried out. Instead, it is an open-ended research approach that can be adapted and changed while the study is ongoing. This enhances the quality of the data and insights generated and creates a much more unique set of data to analyse.

The Process Of Scientific Research

No matter the type of research completed, it will be shared and read by others. Whether this is with colleagues at work, peers at university, or whilst it’s being reviewed and repeated during secondary analysis.

A reliable procedure is necessary in order to obtain the best information which is why it’s important to have a plan. Here are the six basic steps that apply in any research process.

Observation and asking questions: Seeing a phenomenon and asking yourself ‘How, What, When, Who, Which, Why, or Where?’. It is best that these questions are measurable and answerable through experimentation.
Gathering information: Doing some background research to learn what is already known about the topic, and what you need to find out.
Forming a hypothesis: Constructing a tentative statement to study.
Testing the hypothesis: Conducting an experiment to test the accuracy of your statement. This is a way to gather data about your predictions and should be easy to repeat.
Making conclusions: Analysing the data from the experiment(s) and drawing conclusions about whether they support or contradict your hypothesis.
Reporting: Presenting your findings in a clear way to communicate with others. This could include making a video, writing a report or giving a presentation to illustrate your findings.

Although most scientists and researchers use this method, it may be tweaked between one study and another. Skipping or repeating steps is common within, however the core principles of the research process still apply.

By clearly explaining the steps and procedures used throughout the study, other researchers can then replicate the results. This is especially beneficial for peer reviews that try to replicate the results to ensure that the study is sound.

What Is The Importance Of Research In Everyday Life?

Conducting a research study and comparing it to how important it is in everyday life are two very different things.

Carrying out research allows you to gain a deeper understanding of science and medicine by developing research questions and letting your curiosity blossom. You can experience what it is like to work in a lab and learn about the whole reasoning behind the scientific process. But how does that impact everyday life?

Simply put, it allows us to disprove lies and support truths. This can help society to develop a confident attitude and not believe everything as easily, especially with the rise of fake news.

Research is the best and reliable way to understand and act on the complexities of various issues that we as humans are facing. From technology to healthcare to defence to climate change, carrying out studies is the only safe and reliable way to face our future.

Not only does research sharpen our brains, but also helps us to understand various issues of life in a much larger manner, always leaving us questioning everything and fuelling our need for answers.

Logan Bessant is a dedicated science educator and the founder of Science Resource Online, launched in 2020. With a background in science education and a passion for accessible learning, Logan has built a platform that offers free, high-quality educational resources to learners of all ages and backgrounds.

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The role of research at universities: why it matters.

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Teaching and learning, research and discovery, synthesis and creativity, understanding and engagement, service and outreach. There are many “core elements” to the mission of a great university. Teaching would seem the most obvious, but for those outside of the university, “research” (taken to include scientific research, scholarship more broadly, as well as creative activity) may be the least well understood. This creates misunderstanding of how universities invest resources, especially those deriving from undergraduate tuition and state (or other public) support, and the misperception that those resources are being diverted away from what is believed should be the core (and sole) focus, teaching. This has led to a loss of trust, confidence, and willingness to continue to invest or otherwise support (especially our public) universities.

Why are universities engaged in the conduct of research? Who pays? Who benefits? And why does it all matter? Good questions. Let’s get to some straightforward answers. Because the academic research enterprise really is not that difficult to explain, and its impacts are profound.

So let’s demystify university-based research. And in doing so, hopefully we can begin building both better understanding and a better relationship between the public and higher education, both of which are essential to the future of US higher education.

Why are universities engaged in the conduct of research?

Universities engage in research as part of their missions around learning and discovery. This, in turn, contributes directly and indirectly to their primary mission of teaching. Universities and many colleges (the exception being those dedicated exclusively to undergraduate teaching) have as part of their mission the pursuit of scholarship. This can come in the form of fundamental or applied research (both are most common in the STEM fields, broadly defined), research-based scholarship or what often is called “scholarly activity” (most common in the social sciences and humanities), or creative activity (most common in the arts). Increasingly, these simple categorizations are being blurred, for all good reasons and to the good of the discovery of new knowledge and greater understanding of complex (transdisciplinary) challenges and the creation of increasingly interrelated fields needed to address them.

It goes without saying that the advancement of knowledge (discovery, innovation, creation) is essential to any civilization. Our nation’s research universities represent some of the most concentrated communities of scholars, facilities, and collective expertise engaged in these activities. But more importantly, this is where higher education is delivered, where students develop breadth and depth of knowledge in foundational and advanced subjects, where the skills for knowledge acquisition and understanding (including contextualization, interpretation, and inference) are honed, and where students are educated, trained, and otherwise prepared for successful careers. Part of that training and preparation derives from exposure to faculty who are engaged at the leading-edge of their fields, through their research and scholarly work. The best faculty, the teacher-scholars, seamlessly weave their teaching and research efforts together, to their mutual benefit, and in a way that excites and engages their students. In this way, the next generation of scholars (academic or otherwise) is trained, research and discovery continue to advance inter-generationally, and the cycle is perpetuated.

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University research can be expensive, particularly in laboratory-intensive fields. But the responsibility for much (indeed most) of the cost of conducting research falls to the faculty member. Faculty who are engaged in research write grants for funding (e.g., from federal and state agencies, foundations, and private companies) to support their work and the work of their students and staff. In some cases, the universities do need to invest heavily in equipment, facilities, and personnel to support select research activities. But they do so judiciously, with an eye toward both their mission, their strategic priorities, and their available resources.

Medical research, and medical education more broadly, is expensive and often requires substantial institutional investment beyond what can be covered by clinical operations or externally funded research. But universities with medical schools/medical centers have determined that the value to their educational and training missions as well as to their communities justifies the investment. And most would agree that university-based medical centers are of significant value to their communities, often providing best-in-class treatment and care in midsize and smaller communities at a level more often seen in larger metropolitan areas.

Research in the STEM fields (broadly defined) can also be expensive. Scientific (including medical) and engineering research often involves specialized facilities or pieces of equipment, advanced computing capabilities, materials requiring controlled handling and storage, and so forth. But much of this work is funded, in large part, by federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, US Department of Energy, US Department of Agriculture, and many others.

Research in the social sciences is often (not always) less expensive, requiring smaller amount of grant funding. As mentioned previously, however, it is now becoming common to have physical, natural, and social scientist teams pursuing large grant funding. This is an exciting and very promising trend for many reasons, not the least of which is the nature of the complex problems being studied.

Research in the arts and humanities typically requires the least amount of funding as it rarely requires the expensive items listed previously. Funding from such organizations as the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and private foundations may be able to support significant scholarship and creation of new knowledge or works through much more modest grants than would be required in the natural or physical sciences, for example.

Philanthropy may also be directed toward the support of research and scholarly activity at universities. Support from individual donors, family foundations, private or corporate foundations may be directed to support students, faculty, labs or other facilities, research programs, galleries, centers, and institutes.

Who benefits?

Students, both undergraduate and graduate, benefit from studying in an environment rich with research and discovery. Besides what the faculty can bring back to the classroom, there are opportunities to engage with faculty as part of their research teams and even conduct independent research under their supervision, often for credit. There are opportunities to learn about and learn on state-of-the-art equipment, in state-of-the-art laboratories, and from those working on the leading edge in a discipline. There are opportunities to co-author, present at conferences, make important connections, and explore post-graduate pathways.

The broader university benefits from active research programs. Research on timely and important topics attracts attention, which in turn leads to greater institutional visibility and reputation. As a university becomes known for its research in certain fields, they become magnets for students, faculty, grants, media coverage, and even philanthropy. Strength in research helps to define a university’s “brand” in the national and international marketplace, impacting everything from student recruitment, to faculty retention, to attracting new investments.

The community, region, and state benefits from the research activity of the university. This is especially true for public research universities. Research also contributes directly to economic development, clinical, commercial, and business opportunities. Resources brought into the university through grants and contracts support faculty, staff, and student salaries, often adding additional jobs, contributing directly to the tax base. Research universities, through their expertise, reputation, and facilities, can attract new businesses into their communities or states. They can also launch and incubate startup companies, or license and sell their technologies to other companies. Research universities often host meeting and conferences which creates revenue for local hotels, restaurants, event centers, and more. And as mentioned previously, university medical centers provide high-quality medical care, often in midsize communities that wouldn’t otherwise have such outstanding services and state-of-the-art facilities.

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And finally, why does this all matter?

Research is essential to advancing society, strengthening the economy, driving innovation, and addressing the vexing and challenging problems we face as a people, place, and planet. It’s through research, scholarship, and discovery that we learn about our history and ourselves, understand the present context in which we live, and plan for and secure our future.

Research universities are vibrant, exciting, and inspiring places to learn and to work. They offer opportunities for students that few other institutions can match – whether small liberal arts colleges, mid-size teaching universities, or community colleges – and while not right for every learner or every educator, they are right for many, if not most. The advantages simply cannot be ignored. Neither can the importance or the need for these institutions. They need not be for everyone, and everyone need not find their way to study or work at our research universities, and we stipulate that there are many outstanding options to meet and support different learning styles and provide different environments for teaching and learning. But it’s critically important that we continue to support, protect, and respect research universities for all they do for their students, their communities and states, our standing in the global scientific community, our economy, and our nation.

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The value of a good research plan

A research plan is a guiding framework that can make or break the efficiency and success of your research project. Oftentimes teams avoid them because they’ve earned a reputation as a dry or actionless document — however, this doesn’t have to be the case.

In this article, we’ll go over the most important aspects of a good research plan and show you how they can be visual and actionable with monday.com Work OS.

Don’t miss more quality content!

Why is the research plan pivotal to a research project.

A research plan is pivotal to a research project because it identifies and helps define your focus, method, and goals while also outlining the research project from start to finish.

This type of plan is often necessary to:

Apply for grants or internal company funding.
Discover possible research partners or business partners.
Take your research from an idea into reality.

It will also control the entire journey of the research project through every stage by defining crucial research questions and the hypothesis (theory) that you’ll strive to prove or disprove.

What goes into a research plan?

The contents of a thorough research plan should include a hypothesis, methodology, and more. There is some variation between academic and commercial research, but these are common elements:

Hypothesis: the problem you are trying to solve and the basis for a theoretical solution. For example, if I reduce my intake of calories, I’ll lose weight.
Research questions: research questions help guide your investigation into particular issues. If you were looking into the potential impact of outsourcing production, you might ask something like: how would outsourcing impact our production costs?
Research method: the method you’ll use to get the data for your research. For example, a case study, survey, interviews, a clinical trial, or user tests.
Definitions: a glossary for the research plan, explaining the terminology that you use throughout the document.
Conceptual frameworks: a conceptual framework helps illustrate what you think you’ll discover with your research. In a sense, it’s a visual representation of a more complex hypothesis.

For commercial plans, there will also likely be a budget and timeline estimate, as well as concrete hypothetical benefits for the company (such as how much money the project should save you).

OK, so you’ve got a handle on the building blocks of a research plan, but how should you actually write it?

How do you write a research plan on monday.com?

The first, and perhaps most crucial part of having a good research plan is having the right medium for creating and sharing it. Using a pre-defined template can also make it much easier to get started.

On monday.com, you can choose from several templates like the Project Proposal Template or better yet the Research Power Tools Template to manage all aspects of your project including important communication with internal and external stakeholders and teammates.

Use your template to:

Create workdocs
Upload assets
Provide feedback
Assign task owners
Automate communication

The next step in writing a research plan is choosing the topic. To pick the right topic, focus on these factors:

What are the priorities of the potential funder/employer, such as the company or institution?
Are there any relevant recent studies with results you can build on and explore with further research?
Can you creatively adapt your experience — whether post-grad or professional — to make you the natural candidate? They don’t just need to believe in the research project, but also in your ability to manage it successfully.

Do your research, no pun intended. Once you’ve got the topic, you need to work on fleshing out the core ideas with the building blocks we mentioned above.

Get specific with your research questions and goals. Don’t go with, “how can we revolutionize our HR practices?” Instead use, “what is the economic and environmental impact of only accepting digital CVs?”
Use clear language aimed at gatekeepers. If it’s a CTO (Chief Technology Officer) or a lab committee, you can use well-known technical terms. If they aren’t technical experts, adjust accordingly.
Include preliminary data or highlight similar studies. For companies, showing that a similar approach helped a competitor is a better argument than an empty assertion.

The recommended length of the plan depends on who you’re sending it to and their expectations. If possible, look at successful examples or directly ask your potential employers about their preferences. Not only do you need the right idea, but you also need to present it in the right way for your research project to have a fighting chance.

What is a good research plan?

A good research plan is one that gets accepted and funded to start doing the research.

If you want to plan a pivotal study, it’s not enough to consider the problem in a vacuum. You also need to evaluate how you can best communicate the value of your project to the gatekeepers.

Consider the entirety of your current situation and what that means for your project.

For example, inputs like funding, staff, IP, and how the scale of the project lines up with your company’s research budget. Or how it aligns with the goals of a University program. If the primary goal of the research is to impact a company or government agency directly, you should consider these stages of research engagement.

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Inputs: anything from funding and staff to company IP that you need to both run the project and implement any results. Does this line up with the budget?
Activities: case studies, trials, surveys, the actual research.
Outputs: the final reports, any publications, and raw data.
Outcome: how will it directly impact the company, organization, or larger society?
Impacts: what are the indirect benefits or downsides?

In an internal research proposal, you can outline these aspects in separate sections. That allows different execs or managers to focus on the details that matter most to them. You must also work to engage stakeholders and make sure that they understand the importance of your project.

Frequently asked questions

What are the 5 purposes of research.

The 2 primary purposes of research are to gather information or test an existing theory. When broken down further, you can see 5 more specific purposes:

Exploratory research is an early-stage inquiry that explores a topic for further study down the line, like exploring the deep ocean with a submersible vehicle.
Descriptive research aims to explore and describe a specific substance, person, or phenomenon.
Explanatory research is about figuring out the causal relationship, why something happens.
Predictive research is all about trying to predict what might happen in specific situations based on the properties of the research object.
Meta-research looks for overarching insights from multiple sources and tests the validity of common hypotheses.

What is a research work plan?

A research work plan is another name for a research plan, which is a critical component of any research proposal. Universities, labs, and companies use them to evaluate research projects before they decide to accept them.

As a researcher, it’s essential when targeting a funding opportunity of any kind.

What are the methods of research?

There are many research methods ranging from a simple online survey to a high-budget clinical study. Here are some examples of popular data collection methods:

Clinical trials
Experiments
Case studies
Observations

Which one is right for your plan depends on your hypothesis, goals, industry regulations, and more.

Create a dynamic research plan

If you want to turn your research project into a reality, you need to go beyond the academic and into management mode.

With a template from monday.com, you can plan out a research project from start to finish. Including goals and objectives, budget estimates, milestones, and more.

Send this article to someone who’d like it.

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Methodology

What Is a Research Design | Types, Guide & Examples

What Is a Research Design | Types, Guide & Examples

Published on June 7, 2021 by Shona McCombes . Revised on September 5, 2024 by Pritha Bhandari.

A research design is a strategy for answering your research question using empirical data. Creating a research design means making decisions about:

Your overall research objectives and approach
Whether you’ll rely on primary research or secondary research
Your sampling methods or criteria for selecting subjects
Your data collection methods
The procedures you’ll follow to collect data
Your data analysis methods

A well-planned research design helps ensure that your methods match your research objectives and that you use the right kind of analysis for your data.

You might have to write up a research design as a standalone assignment, or it might be part of a larger research proposal or other project. In either case, you should carefully consider which methods are most appropriate and feasible for answering your question.

Step 1: consider your aims and approach, step 2: choose a type of research design, step 3: identify your population and sampling method, step 4: choose your data collection methods, step 5: plan your data collection procedures, step 6: decide on your data analysis strategies, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research design.

Introduction

Before you can start designing your research, you should already have a clear idea of the research question you want to investigate.

There are many different ways you could go about answering this question. Your research design choices should be driven by your aims and priorities—start by thinking carefully about what you want to achieve.

The first choice you need to make is whether you’ll take a qualitative or quantitative approach.

Qualitative approach	Quantitative approach
	and describe frequencies, averages, and correlations about relationships between variables

Qualitative research designs tend to be more flexible and inductive , allowing you to adjust your approach based on what you find throughout the research process.

Quantitative research designs tend to be more fixed and deductive , with variables and hypotheses clearly defined in advance of data collection.

It’s also possible to use a mixed-methods design that integrates aspects of both approaches. By combining qualitative and quantitative insights, you can gain a more complete picture of the problem you’re studying and strengthen the credibility of your conclusions.

Practical and ethical considerations when designing research

As well as scientific considerations, you need to think practically when designing your research. If your research involves people or animals, you also need to consider research ethics .

How much time do you have to collect data and write up the research?
Will you be able to gain access to the data you need (e.g., by travelling to a specific location or contacting specific people)?
Do you have the necessary research skills (e.g., statistical analysis or interview techniques)?
Will you need ethical approval ?

At each stage of the research design process, make sure that your choices are practically feasible.

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Within both qualitative and quantitative approaches, there are several types of research design to choose from. Each type provides a framework for the overall shape of your research.

Types of quantitative research designs

Quantitative designs can be split into four main types.

Experimental and quasi-experimental designs allow you to test cause-and-effect relationships
Descriptive and correlational designs allow you to measure variables and describe relationships between them.

Type of design	Purpose and characteristics
Experimental	relationships effect on a
Quasi-experimental	)
Correlational
Descriptive

With descriptive and correlational designs, you can get a clear picture of characteristics, trends and relationships as they exist in the real world. However, you can’t draw conclusions about cause and effect (because correlation doesn’t imply causation ).

Experiments are the strongest way to test cause-and-effect relationships without the risk of other variables influencing the results. However, their controlled conditions may not always reflect how things work in the real world. They’re often also more difficult and expensive to implement.

Types of qualitative research designs

Qualitative designs are less strictly defined. This approach is about gaining a rich, detailed understanding of a specific context or phenomenon, and you can often be more creative and flexible in designing your research.

The table below shows some common types of qualitative design. They often have similar approaches in terms of data collection, but focus on different aspects when analyzing the data.

Type of design	Purpose and characteristics


Grounded theory
Phenomenology

Your research design should clearly define who or what your research will focus on, and how you’ll go about choosing your participants or subjects.

In research, a population is the entire group that you want to draw conclusions about, while a sample is the smaller group of individuals you’ll actually collect data from.

Defining the population

A population can be made up of anything you want to study—plants, animals, organizations, texts, countries, etc. In the social sciences, it most often refers to a group of people.

For example, will you focus on people from a specific demographic, region or background? Are you interested in people with a certain job or medical condition, or users of a particular product?

The more precisely you define your population, the easier it will be to gather a representative sample.

Sampling methods

Even with a narrowly defined population, it’s rarely possible to collect data from every individual. Instead, you’ll collect data from a sample.

To select a sample, there are two main approaches: probability sampling and non-probability sampling . The sampling method you use affects how confidently you can generalize your results to the population as a whole.

Probability sampling	Non-probability sampling

Probability sampling is the most statistically valid option, but it’s often difficult to achieve unless you’re dealing with a very small and accessible population.

For practical reasons, many studies use non-probability sampling, but it’s important to be aware of the limitations and carefully consider potential biases. You should always make an effort to gather a sample that’s as representative as possible of the population.

Case selection in qualitative research

In some types of qualitative designs, sampling may not be relevant.

For example, in an ethnography or a case study , your aim is to deeply understand a specific context, not to generalize to a population. Instead of sampling, you may simply aim to collect as much data as possible about the context you are studying.

In these types of design, you still have to carefully consider your choice of case or community. You should have a clear rationale for why this particular case is suitable for answering your research question .

For example, you might choose a case study that reveals an unusual or neglected aspect of your research problem, or you might choose several very similar or very different cases in order to compare them.

Data collection methods are ways of directly measuring variables and gathering information. They allow you to gain first-hand knowledge and original insights into your research problem.

You can choose just one data collection method, or use several methods in the same study.

Survey methods

Surveys allow you to collect data about opinions, behaviors, experiences, and characteristics by asking people directly. There are two main survey methods to choose from: questionnaires and interviews .

Questionnaires	Interviews
	)

Observation methods

Observational studies allow you to collect data unobtrusively, observing characteristics, behaviors or social interactions without relying on self-reporting.

Observations may be conducted in real time, taking notes as you observe, or you might make audiovisual recordings for later analysis. They can be qualitative or quantitative.

Quantitative observation

Other methods of data collection

There are many other ways you might collect data depending on your field and topic.

Field	Examples of data collection methods
Media & communication	Collecting a sample of texts (e.g., speeches, articles, or social media posts) for data on cultural norms and narratives
Psychology	Using technologies like neuroimaging, eye-tracking, or computer-based tasks to collect data on things like attention, emotional response, or reaction time
Education	Using tests or assignments to collect data on knowledge and skills
Physical sciences	Using scientific instruments to collect data on things like weight, blood pressure, or chemical composition

If you’re not sure which methods will work best for your research design, try reading some papers in your field to see what kinds of data collection methods they used.

Secondary data

If you don’t have the time or resources to collect data from the population you’re interested in, you can also choose to use secondary data that other researchers already collected—for example, datasets from government surveys or previous studies on your topic.

With this raw data, you can do your own analysis to answer new research questions that weren’t addressed by the original study.

Using secondary data can expand the scope of your research, as you may be able to access much larger and more varied samples than you could collect yourself.

However, it also means you don’t have any control over which variables to measure or how to measure them, so the conclusions you can draw may be limited.

As well as deciding on your methods, you need to plan exactly how you’ll use these methods to collect data that’s consistent, accurate, and unbiased.

Planning systematic procedures is especially important in quantitative research, where you need to precisely define your variables and ensure your measurements are high in reliability and validity.

Operationalization

Some variables, like height or age, are easily measured. But often you’ll be dealing with more abstract concepts, like satisfaction, anxiety, or competence. Operationalization means turning these fuzzy ideas into measurable indicators.

If you’re using observations , which events or actions will you count?

If you’re using surveys , which questions will you ask and what range of responses will be offered?

You may also choose to use or adapt existing materials designed to measure the concept you’re interested in—for example, questionnaires or inventories whose reliability and validity has already been established.

Reliability and validity

Reliability means your results can be consistently reproduced, while validity means that you’re actually measuring the concept you’re interested in.

Reliability	Validity
	) )

For valid and reliable results, your measurement materials should be thoroughly researched and carefully designed. Plan your procedures to make sure you carry out the same steps in the same way for each participant.

If you’re developing a new questionnaire or other instrument to measure a specific concept, running a pilot study allows you to check its validity and reliability in advance.

Sampling procedures

As well as choosing an appropriate sampling method , you need a concrete plan for how you’ll actually contact and recruit your selected sample.

That means making decisions about things like:

How many participants do you need for an adequate sample size?
What inclusion and exclusion criteria will you use to identify eligible participants?
How will you contact your sample—by mail, online, by phone, or in person?

If you’re using a probability sampling method , it’s important that everyone who is randomly selected actually participates in the study. How will you ensure a high response rate?

If you’re using a non-probability method , how will you avoid research bias and ensure a representative sample?

Data management

It’s also important to create a data management plan for organizing and storing your data.

Will you need to transcribe interviews or perform data entry for observations? You should anonymize and safeguard any sensitive data, and make sure it’s backed up regularly.

Keeping your data well-organized will save time when it comes to analyzing it. It can also help other researchers validate and add to your findings (high replicability ).

On its own, raw data can’t answer your research question. The last step of designing your research is planning how you’ll analyze the data.

Quantitative data analysis

In quantitative research, you’ll most likely use some form of statistical analysis . With statistics, you can summarize your sample data, make estimates, and test hypotheses.

Using descriptive statistics , you can summarize your sample data in terms of:

The distribution of the data (e.g., the frequency of each score on a test)
The central tendency of the data (e.g., the mean to describe the average score)
The variability of the data (e.g., the standard deviation to describe how spread out the scores are)

The specific calculations you can do depend on the level of measurement of your variables.

Using inferential statistics , you can:

Make estimates about the population based on your sample data.
Test hypotheses about a relationship between variables.

Regression and correlation tests look for associations between two or more variables, while comparison tests (such as t tests and ANOVAs ) look for differences in the outcomes of different groups.

Your choice of statistical test depends on various aspects of your research design, including the types of variables you’re dealing with and the distribution of your data.

Qualitative data analysis

In qualitative research, your data will usually be very dense with information and ideas. Instead of summing it up in numbers, you’ll need to comb through the data in detail, interpret its meanings, identify patterns, and extract the parts that are most relevant to your research question.

Two of the most common approaches to doing this are thematic analysis and discourse analysis .

Approach	Characteristics
Thematic analysis
Discourse analysis

There are many other ways of analyzing qualitative data depending on the aims of your research. To get a sense of potential approaches, try reading some qualitative research papers in your field.

If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Simple random sampling
Stratified sampling
Cluster sampling
Likert scales
Reproducibility

Statistics

Null hypothesis
Statistical power
Probability distribution
Effect size
Poisson distribution

Research bias

Optimism bias
Cognitive bias
Implicit bias
Hawthorne effect
Anchoring bias
Explicit bias

A research design is a strategy for answering your research question . It defines your overall approach and determines how you will collect and analyze data.

A well-planned research design helps ensure that your methods match your research aims, that you collect high-quality data, and that you use the right kind of analysis to answer your questions, utilizing credible sources . This allows you to draw valid , trustworthy conclusions.

Quantitative research designs can be divided into two main categories:

Correlational and descriptive designs are used to investigate characteristics, averages, trends, and associations between variables.
Experimental and quasi-experimental designs are used to test causal relationships .

Qualitative research designs tend to be more flexible. Common types of qualitative design include case study , ethnography , and grounded theory designs.

The priorities of a research design can vary depending on the field, but you usually have to specify:

Your research questions and/or hypotheses
Your overall approach (e.g., qualitative or quantitative )
The type of design you’re using (e.g., a survey , experiment , or case study )
Your data collection methods (e.g., questionnaires , observations)
Your data collection procedures (e.g., operationalization , timing and data management)
Your data analysis methods (e.g., statistical tests or thematic analysis )

A sample is a subset of individuals from a larger population . Sampling means selecting the group that you will actually collect data from in your research. For example, if you are researching the opinions of students in your university, you could survey a sample of 100 students.

In statistics, sampling allows you to test a hypothesis about the characteristics of a population.

Operationalization means turning abstract conceptual ideas into measurable observations.

For example, the concept of social anxiety isn’t directly observable, but it can be operationally defined in terms of self-rating scores, behavioral avoidance of crowded places, or physical anxiety symptoms in social situations.

Before collecting data , it’s important to consider how you will operationalize the variables that you want to measure.

A research project is an academic, scientific, or professional undertaking to answer a research question . Research projects can take many forms, such as qualitative or quantitative , descriptive , longitudinal , experimental , or correlational . What kind of research approach you choose will depend on your topic.

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Published: 11 September 2024

“They feel shame sometime, but that is why we need to talk to them…we need to tell them how important it is not to feel shame”: Hepatitis B related shame and improving hepatitis B care in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the Top End of the Northern Territory, according to the Aboriginal health workforce

Richard P. Sullivan 1 , 2 ,
Sarah Mariyalawuy Bukulatjpi 3 ,
Paula Binks 1 ,
Kelly Hosking 1 , 4 ,
Patricia Nundhirribala 5 ,
Emily Vintour-Cesar 1 ,
Melita McKinnon 1 ,
George Gurruwiwi 1 ,
Anna Green 6 , 7 ,
Joshua S. Davis 1 , 8 &
Jane Davies 1 , 9

Archives of Public Health volume 82 , Article number: 151 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

Metrics details

The Aboriginal health workforce has unique insights given their healthcare experience and interactions with their communities. The aims of this project were to explore their perceptions of hepatitis B related shame and ways to improve hepatitis B care in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities of Northern Territory’s Top End, Australia.

We conducted a qualitative study with guidance from the Menzies School of Health Research Infectious Diseases Indigenous Reference Group. The Aboriginal health workforce was asked to participate in semi-structured interviews exploring hepatitis B related shame and ways to improve hepatitis B care. Qualitative data were evaluated using reflexive thematic analysis.

There were fifteen semi-structured interviews with participants representing eight different communities. The experience of shame was reported by the Aboriginal health workforce to be common for individuals diagnosed with hepatitis B and comprised feelings of fear related to transmitting the virus, to being isolated, and to being at fault. Shame was mediated by poor health literacy, communication, the lack of culturally safe spaces and was perpetuated by intersecting stereotypes. Improvements in care can be achieved by utilising the Aboriginal health workforce more effectively, improving communication and the availability of culturally safe spaces, emphasising community connection, and reframing hepatitis B as a chronic condition.

Conclusions

Hepatitis B related shame was an important issue and impactful in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the Top End of the Northern Territory. There were many facets to shame in these communities and it was mediated by several factors. The Aboriginal health workforce has emphasised several pathways to improve care and diminish the impact of shame, such as improving communication and the availability of culturally safe spaces.

Peer Review reports


• There is limited exploration of hepatitis B related stigma and shame in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
• Hepatitis B related shame was common and impactful in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the Top End of the Northern Territory, according to the Aboriginal health workforce.
• Pathways to reduce hepatitis B related shame in these communities, according to the Aboriginal health workforce, included improving communication, utilising the Aboriginal health workforce more effectively and creating more culturally safe spaces.

Hepatitis B related stigma creates barriers to accessing healthcare and perpetuates poor health outcomes [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are disproportionally affected by hepatitis B in the Northern Territory, with prevalence estimated up to 6.1% [ 4 , 5 ]. Hepatitis B can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, with poor outcomes noted in this population [ 6 ]. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are a priority group according to Australia’s national hepatitis B strategy, and reducing hepatitis B stigma is a goal of this same strategy [ 7 ]. Hepatitis B related stigma is common in many populations, but there has been limited exploration of hepatitis B shame or stigma in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, with only one study in this region describing a fatalistic view of the condition [ 1 , 3 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ].

Stigma is characterised by the co-occurrence of labelling, stereotyping, alienation, discrimination and a loss of status in a situation where power is exercised [ 14 ]. Shame is not considered synonymous with stigma, but reflects a cultural identity disruption with a loss of connection with community and family [ 15 ]. Morgan and colleagues illustrated the importance of shame in Aboriginal communities [ 16 ]:

It is a powerful emotion resulting from the loss of the extended self , and it profoundly affects Aboriginal health and health care outcomes (p. 598) .

It has therefore been suggested that stigma related research involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people requires a broader scope, which incorporates the notion of shame [ 15 ].

The impact of hepatitis B stigma has been shown to contribute to delays in diagnosis and accessing healthcare in different communities, including in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people [ 1 , 10 , 17 ]. Exploring this in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the Top End of the Northern Territory would assist in defining hepatitis B stigma and shame and may also suggest pathways to reduce its impact on healthcare access.

The Aboriginal health workforce has unique insights given their interaction with individuals throughout their communities. These roles have been defined as involving health promotion, clinical service and cultural brokerage [ 18 ]. We defined the Aboriginal health workforce to include both individuals from local communities who are employed in healthcare but also community workers within third sector agencies, such as research institutes, who work in health care promotion and community-based health research. This workforce has insights into both the care that is provided, and the experience that individuals go through when diagnosed with hepatitis B. They are well placed to inform how communities and individuals are affected by barriers to care, including shame, and how hepatitis B related care may be improved in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the Top End of the Northern Territory.

The aims of this project were to explore the perceptions of hepatitis B related shame among the Aboriginal health workforce in communities of the Northern Territory’s Top End and to determine possible opportunities to improve hepatitis B care in this context.

Our team includes Aboriginal members (SMB, PN, GG), who have diverse and extensive experiences in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, research, and community leadership. They represent different language and cultural groups and have roles as a senior Aboriginal Health Practitioner, Aboriginal Community Workers, and Community Researchers. The non-Indigenous members of the team (RPS, PB, KH, EVC, MM, AG, JSD, JD) include nurses, doctors, PhD candidates, senior researchers, and hepatitis B program managers. Our team ascribes to the principles of pragmatism and participatory health research, and this project was nested within the long-term collaborations and relationships built over many years during clinical viral hepatitis and Hep B PAST program delivery [ 19 , 20 , 21 ]. Emphasis has been on building relationships and practices, which invite reflexivity, adhere to cultural safety principles, establish shared knowledge, and analyse collaboratively [ 22 , 23 , 24 ].

This project was inclusive by calling for volunteers from a variety of communities to provide holistic representation. This was performed by inviting participants from the Aboriginal health workforce attending a hepatitis B course, which was open to all communities, and at outreach hepatitis B clinics, which operates in 18 different communities [ 25 ]. While every community is unique, establishing common themes was intended to produce reciprocal benefits to all communities in an equitable fashion by sharing findings that are not currently available, but necessary to improve hepatitis B services in this region. Part of this process is feeding back findings of the study to the Menzies School of Health Research Infectious Diseases Indigenous Reference Group and to Northern Territory health policy makers.

Aboriginal researchers and the Menzies School of Health Research Infectious Diseases Indigenous Reference Group were involved in developing and feeding back on this project methodology, co-designing the process to interview the Aboriginal health workforce rather than people living with hepatitis B, and developing the questions for the semi-structured interviews. The Aboriginal health workforce have an in depth understanding of these issues, and have developed expertise in this area through their experience, a key principle of participatory research [ 22 ]. As an exploratory study, both Aboriginal and non-Indigenous members of the research team envisaged that interviewing these experts would be the best first step to gain an understanding of a sensitive issue and how it may impact healthcare delivery.

Settings and participants

Members of the Aboriginal health workforce attending the hepatitis B training courses were asked to participate in semi-structured interviews [ 25 , 26 ]. There were two hepatitis B courses based in Darwin, Northern Territory, including one in May 2022 and one in October 2023. Interviews with those consenting were done in person, or via teleconference. We also approached the Aboriginal health workforce working in hepatitis B to participate during clinical outreach visits. Those individuals were initially approached in person and if interested were then emailed to confirm consent to participate. These interviews were completed via teleconference. These individuals were already known to the clinical services delivering hepatitis B care. Participation was completely voluntary.

Data collection procedure

After a detailed informed consent discussion, each consenting participant was interviewed in a semi structured way by two investigators (RPS, KH). The questions were designed to examine the attitudes to hepatitis B in general, so not to assume that stigma and shame were or were not present (see Table 1 ). The gender of the interviewer and interviewee was offered to match. Interviews were recorded and an accredited interpreter was offered, when required, in a language preferred by the participant.

We included participants from a variety of communities in Northern Territory’s Top End but no reference to the community’s name were made by the interviewers during the interview and if they were inadvertently mentioned, any identifiable information was removed from the transcript. All interviews were transcribed in a de-identified fashion using a professional transcribing service and the original recording stored on the password protected Menzies School of Health Research server. Written consents were stored in a locked cupboard at the Menzies School of Health Research and were only accessible by the Menzies hepatitis B team.

The Human Research Ethics Committee of Northern Territory Health and Menzies School of Health Research approved this study (HREC 2021–4037). The ownership of Aboriginal knowledge and cultural heritage is retained by the interviewees.

Data analysis

Qualitative data were processed using a reflexive thematic analysis approach to generate themes [ 27 ]. As an exploratory study, this was intended to be a first research cycle on hepatitis B shame with a view to implement pathways to improve hepatitis B care, as guided by the interviewed experts. One investigator (RPS) familiarised themselves with the data in the interview transcripts, coded each interview through an inductive approach fitting with the exploratory nature of the study, and then grouped the codes into broader initial themes. Aboriginal (GG, SMB, PN) and non-Indigenous team members (RPS, PB), then worked in partnership to collectively revise and define the themes and ensured the themes were consistent with the stated aims of the research and represented a culturally safe exploration of the data.

A total of twenty-four participants were invited to participate during the two hepatitis B courses, and eleven participated in interviews. An additional four participants were interviewed following clinical outreach visits. Therefore, fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted, and comprised twelve female and three male participants, and eight different communities. There were eleven Aboriginal Health Practitioners, and four individuals involved in health promotion, administration and community-based health research. Interviews took place from May 2022 to October 2023, a prolonged period due to the availability of the investigators and the timing of the hepatitis B training courses. One interview recording failed and so contemporaneous notes were used in this case in lieu of the recording. Interviews ranged from 16 to 48 min.

The three themes identified were as follows:

The Aboriginal health workforce understood hepatitis B shame was common and mediated by poor health literacy, communication, and a lack of culturally safe spaces.

The Aboriginal health workforce understood that the experience of hepatitis B shame was multifaceted, impactful, and perpetuated by intersecting stereotypes.

The Aboriginal health workforce suggested pathways to improve hepatitis B care and reduce the impact of shame: utilise the Aboriginal health workforce more effectively, improve communication and culturally safe spaces, emphasise community connection and reframe hepatitis B as a chronic condition.

Hepatitis B related shame was reported to be pervasive and common in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the Top End of the Northern Territory by participants. This was often portrayed in the context of health literacy of the condition compared to other chronic conditions such as diabetes.

“[Shame] is more than a common thing because they did knew (sic) and heard a story about diabetes in the past and also heart disease and then only never knew or never heard about hepatitis B” (Participant 5) . “Oh , like out here , community , many people with hepatitis B that like – many people patient may feel shame” (Participant 8) .

The Aboriginal health workforce reported that such lack of hepatitis B health literacy mediated the experience of shame as it led to misconceptions of transmission routes, with many in community misattributing its acquisition as being predominantly sexual in nature.

“ I think it’s got to do with having sex…that’s more a shame job” (Participant 11) “And people are being , like , hepatitis , automatically think it’s from sex…So , most people will just think of it as a sexually transmitted infection” (Participant 12) .

One participant commented on ways in which hepatitis B was transmitted and alluded that the various forms of transmission were not understood more broadly in their community and ensuring people understood that there were more routes of transmission than just sexual modes could reduce shame.

“So , as long as they understand that the – other ways – maybe there wouldn’t be so much shame.” (Participant 6) .

The Aboriginal health workforce reported different levels of health literacy surrounding hepatitis B among health care workers further contributed to confusion about hepatitis B in communities.

“What I find really challenging is different doctors have different ideas about hepatitis B , and about pathology , and that’s what causes so much confusion” (Participant 6) .

Poor health communication was also reported as contributing to shame by the Aboriginal health workforce as it caused people to feel frightened. This was founded in the inability to communicate in Aboriginal languages and in a culturally appropriate fashion. Aside from language, the way information was communicated, including through stories and visual arts, was also emphasised as lacking.

“You have to give them like a clear picture…Not a medical term…Cause then they feel if you give them information in a medical term , then they feel frightened or ashamed , then they don’t come to the clinic to have their checks.” (Participant 13) .

The Aboriginal health workforce reported that the lack of gender appropriate health care directly led to experiences of shame and highlighted its importance in delivering culturally safe health care interactions. A barrier to providing such gender appropriate health care was the lack of male staff in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in this region.

“If it’s a woman , they’re not going to talk to a man…it’s another cultural thing. They’re not going to go to the clinic if there’s all females…And I think it’s a lot of shame around seeing a female , or a male and , yeah…Maybe have a like- where you have a Men’s Day or a Women’s Day” (Participant 12) . “Need more male , male , male. We need male. A lot of us are women.” (Participant 14) .

It was also noted by the Aboriginal health workforce that clinic visibility and the need to visit a clinic for care perpetuated feelings of shame. Indeed, poor health care utilisation was directly linked to concern about confidentiality from attending a clinic. This was a particular focus in smaller communities.

“Yeah , there’s a lot of shame to go to the clinic and things like that ‘cause being in a small community , a lot of people talk…they don’t want to be seen going to the clinic.” (Participant 12) . “Cause if you are in the clinic with the doctor and the nurse , they might feel frightened or shame…It’s best to go out and give the story outside. Then they feel comfortable.” (Participant 13) .

The Aboriginal health workforce understood that the experience of hepatitis B related shame was multifaceted, impactful, and perpetuated by intersecting stereotypes.

The experience of hepatitis B related shame was understood by the Aboriginal health workforce to be multifaceted for individuals experiencing it. Their perception was that those living with hepatitis B had feelings of being at fault, of fear relating to transmission and of isolation from the community. The feelings of being at fault was illustrated in the following quotes:

“They feel shame , worry and they feel confused. You know? And they – to them , they would feel – they would think that “What did I do wrong?” (Participant 14) . “And how it’s passed on and it’s no one’s fault or anything like that. Just reassure them…” (Participant 12) .

The Aboriginal health workforce relayed that the fear of transmitting to others was also a common experience for those living with hepatitis B. This was again related to misconceived transmission routes including misattribution that hepatitis B could be passed on by sharing food and drink. The Aboriginal health workforce reported that community responsibility was of paramount importance in Aboriginal communities, and therefore a fear of transmitting to others was incredibly burdensome for the individual.

“I guess people can feel a bit isolated if they do have it , in a way…so they feel , “well , I can’t eat dinner at the table…I have to have one cup to myself….I know with my mob in our community , we don’t want to pass it on , safe to say , our elders…they would probably feel there’s a lot of weight on the shoulders , and they might just try to run away from it…” (Participant 15) .

In addition, there was an association with the clinic and diagnosis of a disease, and this created a barrier to accessing care.

“They’ve got that disease and they think they – they don’t want to go there , and they think they might get infect…like pass the infection to…some people think that if they come to the clinic , they might get diagnosed with other disease…” (Participant 13) .

The Aboriginal health workforce reported that isolation and the loss of community connection was a central component of hepatitis B related shame, as detailed in this quote:

“Encourage them to come and they see that they are not alone…And we can go through the same direction….to help and support” (Participant 13) .

The Aboriginal health workforce noted that hepatitis B related shame had a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of individuals, was important to address, and emphasised it as a barrier to accessing healthcare. In the following two quotes, the participants emphasised the need to reduce shame and illustrated how shame stops people coming forward for care.

“It’s very shame…Reduce the worry. Reduce those feelings.” (Participant 2) . “…shame and stigma…Just really getting rid of that in a way , because I think that’s what stops people” (Participant 15) .

Intersecting stereotypes and discrimination experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as well as healthcare related stigma, was also noted by the Aboriginal health workforce as an issue facing those living with hepatitis B.

“There’s no point in having a lot of knowledge then the health care basically , excuse me , treat you like shit.” (Participant 4) . “Like it’s not that they don’t care about their health , there’s just like other things. Family obligations and things like that.” (Participant 12) . “And a lot of stigmas I’ve had to break with my own work colleagues is that they can do it…just a bit more compassion – that’s all. Can go a long way with our mob.” (Participant 15) . “The staff can make you feel like an alien in your own place…” (Participant 10) .

As these quotes illustrated, the intersecting stereotypes were grounded in a lack of cultural safety and awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and cultural obligations by healthcare providers. There was also a notable lack of flexibility in the delivery of health care in these contexts, and this perpetuated a disconnect between the priorities of the healthcare services and the needs of the community.

“Non-Aboriginal people don’t understand that Aboriginal people are busy – even though they don’t have a job between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm – they just can’t come to the clinic. You know , they have other things on like their cultural commitments…” (Participant 10) .

The Aboriginal health workforce noted a variety of ways to improve hepatitis B care and reduce the impact of shame. Central to this was the importance in improving health literacy. For instance, participants noted that the loss of connection, which results from a hepatitis B diagnosis, may be improved through education.

“But I feel like if they had the right education , and the right information , then they could confide in someone…then they’d want to protect their family; and they’d want to protect their community because they are very community oriented.” (Participant 15) .

The difficulties with medical communication and the way health communication needed to be tailored for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people was highlighted and could improve understanding. The Aboriginal health workforce highlighted the need to use people’s first language, as well as storytelling and use of visual arts.

“Language is the most important thing , so do it in our languages as well , you know…” (Participant 11) . “Bring flip charts; visual , it’s got to be visual for people to fully understand or talk metaphorically.” (Participant 6) .

One participant, when explaining the importance of storytelling, explained that the story that hepatitis B was an ancient disease and came to Australia over fifty one thousand years ago, as demonstrated by genotypic analysis, was an important one to tell [ 28 ].

“That story will help people understand and then we’ll tell them that story about this. It’s not new. It’s been here before. It’s been here long time ago.” (Participant 14) .

Central to ensuring more effective communication was to use the Aboriginal health workforce more effectively as this will ensure those living with hepatitis B understand the healthcare information provided. This was reported to go beyond language, emphasising the need to involve the workforce to ensure the information is presented in the correct way. Part of this was ensuring the collaboration between the non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal workforce, as illustrated in the following quotes.

“…we have to be there as well so patient , and the doctor , and the Aboriginal health worker has to be there as well for the translation because that is the main thing…” (Participant 13) . “Keeping us in the loop and then we can share that information with our patients. And we can break down the information and share it in a way that we know they will understand.” (Participant 6) . “They wanted to learn more and find out and questioned me more. I have to go through the pictures , and the language , same time because some people – some clients , they are really confused what is the hepatitis B means. Yeah. I have to go through the steps you know…” (Participant 5) . “Particularly your health practitions (sic) – Aboriginal – will be there as well , and Balanda (non-Aboriginal person). Working together.” (Participant 2) .

As discussed, the loss of connection to family and community was a key aspect in the experience of shame, that care provided needed to address this, and this was reported as a central role for the Aboriginal health workforce. The importance to emphasise to individuals that they were not isolated and to support them in their own environment was noted.

“So , if they’ve got shame , we need to go to their house and sit with them; talk to them as a group. As a family… ” (Participant 13) .

Despite this, there was noted to be poor utilisation and engagement of the skills and expertise of the Aboriginal health workforce in some clinics at the present time. A contributing factor to this was related to workforce shortage in these communities, requiring existing Aboriginal health workforce to take on multiple roles.

“Utilise us AHPs (Aboriginal Health Practitioners) and us AHWs (Aboriginal Health Workers) more…Too many times we get used as drivers. But we feel the obligation to do that because there is nobody else there to do it , so some days you should. And I’m a receptionist. Like , I’m wearing all these hats in one day… Um – we don’t get utilised. Our skills aren’t being used. We – our voices aren’t being heard when we try and speak up for people.” (Participant 6) .

The Aboriginal health workforce also reported that increasing public health information visibility would improve education on transmission routes in general, and would reduce the misattribution of transmission routes, an important mediator of hepatitis B related shame.

“I think we definitely need more information up in public areas about hepatitis and you know – you can be vaccinated against hepatitis. Hepatitis can’t be transmitted through kissing , smoking and sharing cups.” (Participant 10) .

The engagement of community and consultation with community leaders was central in ensuring such health messaging was delivered appropriately. One participant noted:

“…definitely asking your community leaders – or who’s running the community , of course , about how is best we can get this message across , and just having them involved in like , say trainings and things as well…Listening to the community…that’s how you go somewhere…” (Participant 15) .

The Aboriginal health workforce reported that moving health care and health promotion into the community space and out of the clinic was a way in which care could be provided in a more comfortable and culturally safe area and reduce the occurrence and impact of shame. Gender specific health promotion was also noted to be needed in areas outside the clinic, and the need for more men to help in this area was emphasised.

“But to encourage people to come in for a check-up – that’s my biggest battle out there all the time. And in their language. And in a different environment outside of the clinic would be good. Like um – in an environment which they feel more comfortable in. And – so it’s not so sterile. So , you can just sit and yarn and bring food.” (Participant 6) . “Specially like if , through the fields where the people are. Go there. Go to the field where the people is , you know… I need a volunteer up there. We need more men up there to educate. Specially in the fields” (Participant 2) .

Lastly, notwithstanding the need to address stigma related to sexually transmitted infections, the Aboriginal health workforce reported hepatitis B related shame could be reduced by contextualising hepatitis B with other chronic conditions, such as diabetes. This would mean it was part of any general health check and not specifically related to a sexual health check.

“Whoever comes in , it’s not just for the hepatitis stuff , it’s for any health check-up , and then give them clear understanding.” (Participant 13) .

There is limited information surrounding hepatitis B stigma, including in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities [ 2 , 29 ]. To our knowledge, this is the first study which has examined the experience of hepatitis B related shame in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in northern Australia, and has expanded on the knowledge gained from the only other Australian study of healthcare related hepatitis B stigma in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities [ 1 ]. Thematic analysis of the interviews has demonstrated that the experience of hepatitis B shame was impactful and related to feelings of fear of transmitting the virus to others, of being isolated, and of being at fault. The Aboriginal health workforce saw this issue as important to address and could improve hepatitis B care in this region.

Participants emphasised poor health literacy as a mediator of hepatitis B shame, and the lack of hepatitis B health literacy has been shown in other studies in northern Australia [ 13 , 30 ]. For instance, there are many ways in which hepatitis B may be transmitted and is most often in early childhood in these communities [ 31 ]. Regardless, emphasis on its sexual transmission has led to feelings of shame regarding its acquisition, which has also been demonstrated with sexually transmitted infections in general [ 32 ]. This appeared to be mediated by health literacy regarding acquisition and should be seen as an important focus for future public health education. Reframing of hepatitis B as a chronic infection, rather than a sexually transmitted infection, and embedding it within general health promotion campaigns, could be another suggestion for future policy development.

A study of young Aboriginal people found that being seen at a clinic for sexual health was perceived to lead to stigma and reputational damage, and the visibility of the clinic, appointment procedures and waiting times contributed significantly to this [ 33 ]. This issue was highlighted by the Aboriginal health workforce as being an issue for individuals seeking hepatitis B care in the Top End of the Northern Territory, with barriers including concerns about confidentiality and lack of gender specific spaces. These themes also emerged in qualitative studies exploring barriers to sexually transmitted infection testing [ 34 , 35 ]. The creation of the “one stop liver shop” emphasised liver health rather than hepatitis B to diminish the impact of this issue [ 36 ]. The interviews demonstrated that care on country was important, and could facilitate culturally safe healthcare, leading to improved healthcare engagement. Avenues to operationalise such care could include investment in point of care testing, which would enable community delivered healthcare and has been shown to be effective for a variety of infections [ 37 , 38 ].

The Aboriginal health workforce participants highlighted the central importance of communication in improving hepatitis B care and reducing the impact of shame. Inadequate communication has been shown to be pervasive in this region in relation to chronic disease care [ 39 ]. Central to this was language gaps in healthcare interactions, with the consistent use of interpreters previously shown to improve patient trajectories and self-discharge rates in hospitals [ 40 ]. It was similarly highlighted by the interviewees that communication in peoples’ first language would improve hepatitis B care. This may be difficult in some remote communities due to workforce shortages, with it previously shown that hospital interpreters were less likely to be used for Aboriginal minority languages [ 41 ]. A hepatitis B culturally appropriate app has been developed to try and overcome some of these challenges. This has only recently been translated into several languages, however the impact of this on health literacy and shame is not yet known and will be an important area for further investigation [ 19 , 42 , 43 ].

The different health literacy among healthcare providers had created confusion among people living with hepatitis B and the Aboriginal health workforce. Such differing hepatitis B knowledge is known to be a general issue among healthcare providers [ 1 , 44 ]. Improving healthcare provider literacy may improve stigma, as seen in a study in New South Wales [ 1 ]. The benefit of specialised hepatitis B care delivered in partnership with community has been realised in this region with the “one stop liver shop” improving the cascade of care to high levels [ 36 ]. The consultation paper for the fourth national hepatitis B strategy has concluded that building a comprehensive hepatitis B specific community and health workforce capacity has meant the Top End of Northern Territory is now leading in attaining national hepatitis B targets despite isolation challenges [ 45 ]. Current specific hepatitis B courses for the Aboriginal health workforce aim to continue to build and maintain this capacity and success and ensures consistency in hepatitis B related education [ 25 , 26 , 46 ].

Overcoming the disruption of connection to community was noted by participants to be extremely important while providing care for someone living with hepatitis B. The social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people has been observed to be related to the connection of community, mind, body, country, and culture [ 47 , 48 , 49 ]. Placing emphasis on wellness and connection, rather than illness and reducing symptoms has been emphasised as central to effective clinical practice, and is mediated through the development of meaningful relationships [ 48 ]. Such patient centred approach was noted to be an effective avenue for reduction in stigma and empowered other stigma reduction programmes [ 50 ]. This requires the retention and involvement of Aboriginal health workforce in healthcare delivery as involvement of this workforce delivers culturally safe care, improves outcomes and counters stigma [ 1 , 51 ]. It was noted by participants that Aboriginal health workforce skills were not being effectively utilised, often being used in other roles such as transport and administration due to workforce gaps. This is a common issue with recent declines in Aboriginal Health Practitioner staff, with the discriminatory rules and managerial practices for the Aboriginal workforce highlighted as key concerns in other studies [ 52 , 53 ]. These concerns should guide wider health policy as there is an immediate need to increase and support this critically important workforce. Indeed, an increased Aboriginal health workforce is a specific goal of the Australia Health Practitioner Regulation Agency’s national strategy for cultural safety, and the interviews in this study have echoed the need to achieve this goal [ 23 ].

Strengths and limitations

The strength of this study included a semi structured style of interviewing which allowed exploration of individual and community experiences from each participant’s perspective. We consulted Aboriginal investigators and the Menzies Infectious Diseases Indigenous Reference Group to ensure the research had the right methodology, and the collective knowledge we draw from this research will help inform how hepatitis B care is delivered in future.

Limitations include lack of involvement of people living with hepatitis B. While the perceptions we have presented may not be reflective of the actual experience of people living with hepatitis B themselves, we think the interviews of the Aboriginal health workforce has provided unique knowledge of the community, the feelings individuals experienced in being diagnosed with hepatitis B, and what care was available. Further study could examine these areas by interviewing those living with hepatitis B, after close coordination and consultation with the communities involved.

The inclusion of eight communities in the region, while numerous, is also not representative of all communities. While every community is unique, establishing common themes was intended to produce reciprocal benefits for all communities. This was summarised by one interviewee:

“We don’t share – we don’t talk about what’s going really well; and one community , “You might want to try that here , it might work well for you”. You know? It would be good to have that” (Participant 6) .

General learnings drawn from these interviews would always only be intended to be applied in specific consultation with individual communities, respecting their individual identities.

The experience of hepatitis B related shame is impactful in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the Top End of the Northern Territory. There are many components to hepatitis B related shame in these communities, and numerous factors contribute and perpetuate the experience. The Aboriginal health workforce has emphasised several pathways which would improve hepatitis B care and reduce the impact of shame, including improving communication and working more effectively with the Aboriginal health workforce and local communities.

Data availability

No datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Ms. Karen Black for transcribing the interviews for this study.

This work was supported by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (fellowships to JSD (No. 1160331) and JD (No. 1123427). Funders played no role in the study design, the analysis, or the decision to publish.

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Richard P. Sullivan, Paula Binks, Kelly Hosking, Emily Vintour-Cesar, Melita McKinnon, George Gurruwiwi, Joshua S. Davis & Jane Davies

Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, St George and Sutherland Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine and Health, Sydney, New South Wales (NSW), Australia

Richard P. Sullivan

Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation, Darwin, NT, Australia

Sarah Mariyalawuy Bukulatjpi

Population and Primary Health Care, Top End Health Service, Northern Territory Government, Darwin, NT, Australia

Kelly Hosking

Northern Territory Health, Darwin, NT, Australia

Patricia Nundhirribala

University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia

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RPS performed study concept and design, literature search, acquisition of data, performed analysis and interpretation of data and first draft writing, and revision of manuscript. SMB performed community education and liaison, analysis and interpretation of data and writing and revision of manuscript. PB performed study concept and design, literature search, project management, acquisition of data, and writing and revision of manuscript. KH performed study concept and design, literature search, acquisition of data and writing and revision of manuscript. PN performed community education and liaison, analysis and interpretation of data and writing and revision of manuscript. EVC performed project management, acquisition of data, and writing and revision of manuscript. MM performed project management and writing and revision of manuscript. GG performed community education and liaison, analysis and interpretation of data and writing and revision of manuscript. AG performed analysis, and interpretation of data, and writing and revision of manuscript. JSD performed study concept and design, analysis, and interpretation of data, and writing and revision of manuscript. JD performed study concept and design, analysis, and interpretation of data, and writing and revision of manuscript. All authors approved the final manuscript.

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Sullivan, R., Bukulatjpi, S.M., Binks, P. et al. “They feel shame sometime, but that is why we need to talk to them…we need to tell them how important it is not to feel shame”: Hepatitis B related shame and improving hepatitis B care in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the Top End of the Northern Territory, according to the Aboriginal health workforce. Arch Public Health 82 , 151 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-024-01389-z

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v.81; 2022 Sep

Undergraduate students' involvement in research: Values, benefits, barriers and recommendations

Yusuff Adebayo Adebisi

a Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

b Global Health Focus, Abuja, Nigeria

Developing, maintaining, and sustaining undergraduate research initiatives can benefit academic institutions, faculty mentors, and students. As the world evolves, more research is required to advance knowledge and innovation in all fields. This implies that students must be prepared for today's knowledge-driven world. Research in the medical and health sciences has stalled in many developing countries, where a dual burden of communicable and noncommunicable diseases is prevalent. In this article, I discuss the values and benefits of undergraduate healthcare students participating in research and scientific publishing, as well as the challenges they face. I also make recommendations to encourage undergraduates to get involved in research. The potential of undergraduate research has not yet been fully realized. Undergraduate research's main objectives are to teach students how to do research and to help them acquire skills that they can use beyond the academic environment. Undergraduate research will complement rather than conflict with university education and should go beyond the mandatory terminal year thesis and must cover the entire course of their studies. The key to successful undergraduate research participation is for students to see and understand the importance of rigor, academic integrity, and responsible research conduct. This means academic institutions should carefully plan research programs, activities, and courses for students. Building capacity in research has a long-term impact on valuable learning outcomes as undergraduate students prepare for professional service. Stakeholders and educational authorities must invest in strengthening undergraduate involvement in research.

1. Introduction

As the world evolves, the need for research grows, and it remains a factor of key importance in creating a knowledge-driven economy and supporting development initiatives as well as driving innovations across all fields [ 1 ]. It is becoming more and more important to increase undergraduate student involvement in research [ 2 ]. Academic institutions, faculty mentors, and students can all benefit from developing, maintaining, and sustaining undergraduate research initiatives. By integrating research into their academic courses and giving them a strong academic foundation, students can strengthen their autonomous critical thinking abilities as well as their oral and written communication skills, among others. As students are ready for professional service, the research process affects important learning goals that have a lasting impact. All students should be prepared for the contemporary knowledge-driven world because, today, doing research is not just for academics but also for individuals and institutions interested in knowledge creation and advancement.

The advancement and innovation of all fields, including the health sciences and related areas, depends on research [ 3 ]. Society can benefit greatly from health-related research [ 4 ], which can provide vital insights into disease trends and risk factors, treatment outcomes or public health interventions, care patterns, costs and usage of healthcare services, and more. By doing research to find solutions to problems that are currently unknown, we can close knowledge gaps and change the way healthcare professionals work as well as how we respond to public health issues. With the increase in health concerns ravaging the world [ [5] , [6] , [7] ], it is clear that research is indispensable – whether it be tackling diseases of poverty, performing clinical trials, responding to the rise of chronic diseases, improving access to medicines, increasing vaccines uptake, containing local epidemics, developing innovation in treatment plans, or ensuring that marginalized populations have access to HIV care treatments, among others. This suggests that there is a pressing need to advance knowledge creation and utilization, and that gathering local, grassroots data at all levels of healthcare is important.

Research in the medical and health sciences has seen a downturn in many developing countries [ 8 ], where a double burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases is highly prevalent. The development of undergraduate health sciences students' research capacity is a key intervention to address this issue. With the support of faculties, it is possible for undergraduate students to learn about and participate actively in research. In this article, I discuss the values and benefits of undergraduate healthcare students' involvement in research and scientific publishing, as well as the challenges they face. I also provide recommendations to advance undergraduates’ involvement in research.

2. Values and benefits of undergraduate research

Involving undergraduate students in research should go beyond the mandatory terminal year thesis and must cover the entire course of their studies. There are myriads of benefits to involving (healthcare) students in research and scientific publishing at the undergraduate level. Research is a methodical process of investigation that includes data collection and analysis, the recording of significant information, and subsequent analysis and interpretation of that information in accordance with the protocols defined by specific academic and professional disciplines [ 9 ]. This implies that conducting research is an important way to improve students’ ability to think critically and solve problems, both of which are essential throughout their career as healthcare professionals. Critical thinking abilities have been linked to better patient outcomes, higher patient care quality, and improved safety outcomes [ 10 ]. While problem-solving focuses on identifying and resolving issues, critical thinking entails asking insightful questions and critiquing solutions. Early exposure of healthcare students to the value of research is a critical strategy for increasing their interest in and attitude toward it. Table 1 highlights the achievements of some students that engaged in research as undergraduates.

Examples of students that got involved in research as undergraduate and their achievements.

Name	Achievement
Adeola Bamisaiye	She contributed to a research effort to advance knowledge on AMR surveillance in Nigeria, as a pharmacy student.
Niel Stensen	He was a medical student when he discovered the parotid duct in sheep.
Joseph Black	He discovered fixed air, now called CO , as a medical student.
Alaka Hassan Olayemi	A microbiology student contributing to research effort in the field of antimicrobial resistance and one health.
Jay Mclean	He discovered Heparin, as a medical student.
Adriana Viola Miranda	She is a medical student contributing to research efforts in using digital technology to advance public health, earning her several awards.
Lorenzo Bellini	He was only 19 years when he published his discovery of the kidney tubules.
Melody Okereke	He developed the first framework for Nigerian industrial pharmacists to combat substandard and counterfeit medicine in his third year in pharmacy school.
Aminat Olaitan Adebayo	While still an undergraduate, she is actively contributing to research efforts to advance the field of planetary health.
Yusuff Adebayo Adebisi	He was the first undergraduate healthcare student to publish more than 50 research articles on global public health issues in peer-reviewed journals, while attending pharmacy school, earning him the prestigious Diana Award and many other global accolades.
Isaac Olushola Ogunkola	One of the leading young researchers advancing research and innovation in the field of harm reduction, health justice and drug policy.
Charles Herbert Best	His contribution to medicine nearly won him a Nobel Prize.
Goodness Ogeyi Odey	She was a recipient of the prestigious Diana Award because of her involvement in research geared towards advancing health equity.
Esther Ejiroghene Ajari	She is one of the leading undergraduate students championing research and innovation in the advancement of menstrual health equity.

The elements required for professional competency in the health fields are covered in healthcare student curricula. This includes understanding of the fundamental theories and literature in the field of study, as well as knowledge of the terminology or technical language specific to health sciences. Incorporating research methodology and the hypothesis-driven scientific process can help to build on this foundation while also stimulating independent critical thinking. By involving undergraduate students in research, they can build trust in the scientific process. Besides that, independent thinking can give an undergraduate student the confidence to draw their own conclusions based on available evidence. No doubt that undergraduate students who took part in research projects will have greater thought independence, a stronger intrinsic motivation to learn, and a more active role in their learning. As a result, as undergraduates prepare for their respective professions, the research process has a very positive impact on their practice.

Students who participate in research may have the chance to develop the advanced writing abilities needed for science publishing and communication [ 11 ]. Even though healthcare students write a lot throughout their time in college, many still struggle to write in a way that is considered acceptable. This is due to the fact that students frequently plagiarize in writing assignments since there is usually little to no formal training on academic writing, and some institutions pay less attention to this. It has also become more challenging for students to express themselves in their own words during academic assessments as a result of the encouragement to memorize academic information verbatim by some teachers. Writing is difficult, but it is a skill that can be honed. Improving students' writing skills is much easier if proper attention is paid to strengthening their capacity for and involvement in the academic research process. This will be useful to them throughout their career, whether they choose to be academic or not.

Investing in academic writing skills among students, particularly in developing countries, is critical for improving scientific outputs on health issues confronting the region. It is not enough to know how to conduct research; academic writing is also important. Additionally, it is crucial for academic institutions to encourage students to present their research work at scientific conferences, which are frequently restricted to postgraduate students. This gives them the chance to collaborate more frequently with faculty members while also giving them another learning opportunity and boosting their confidence and presentation skills. Students who make significant contributions to the intellectual aspect of a research should not be relegated to acknowledgement section of the paper but should be included as co-authors. Furthermore, students should not be denied first authorship because of power dynamics. This will definitely improve students’ attitude towards research.

Through research, students can observe how the theories and concepts they have learned are applied. The active learning aspect of research allows students to connect with their own interests, which is not possible in a passive learning setting. If a research culture and thought process are instilled in healthcare students as they progress through the academic institution in a more systematic, logical, and integrated manner, it will be easier for them to understand what they are learning and will promote active participation in class. This is due to the fact that students who conduct research will be able to understand the research process and how scientists think and work on problems; learn about different lab techniques (as needed); develop skills in data analysis and interpretation; and be able to integrate theory and practice. Further, undergraduates should be involved in research as early as possible because it allows them to identify, develop, and nurture their interests while being open-minded to other areas. This will make choosing and transitioning into research area of choice much easier for them as they pursue postgraduate studies. Because of the high-level of interest and fundamental knowledge gained through undergraduate research participation, it will be possible to increase the enthusiasm, completion rates, and quality of academic research at the postgraduate level. Besides that, undergraduate research allows students to decide whether or not they want to pursue a career in research.

Due to the opportunity for students to pursue their individual interests, research experiences have been linked to a boost in students' motivation to learn [ 12 ]. This means undergraduates will have the chance to take more control over their own learning experiences and have their intellectual curiosity piqued by research. Student-faculty research mentoring relationships frequently develop over time. In contrast to what is possible in the classroom, students form a distinct type of interaction with their research mentor. Most of the time, the interaction is more intense and lasts longer. It frequently serves as the foundation for lifelong friendships and career guidance. When students are looking for jobs or graduate schools, faculty research mentors are an excellent source of recommendations and advice. Additionally, students gain experience working in a research team, which typically involves group work, stronger relationships with colleagues and faculty members, and the development of communication skills. All of which are qualities that employers are increasingly looking for. The key to successful undergraduate research participation is for students to see and understand the importance of rigor, academic integrity, and responsible research conduct. This means academic institutions should carefully plan research programs, activities, and courses for students.

One of the most significant benefits of student research participation is the possibility of publishing articles in peer-reviewed journals. This will also give students early exposure to the process and concept of scientific publishing. Students who submit their manuscript to a reputable journal for publication can also benefit from peer review, which allows them to improve their paper and learn more from the reviewers’ comments. Also, undergraduate students who are exposed to the scientific publishing process early on will be less likely to become victims of predatory journals. Students with publishing experience may be inspired and motivated to pursue a career in research. Having publication allows students to improve their resumes and graduate school applications. Publishing counts as research experience and demonstrates that undergraduate students who have published are enthusiastic about research. As an active learning process, research requires students to frame questions, devise a strategy for testing their hypotheses, analyze data, and write clearly to report their findings, among other things. The research experiences, skills, and knowledge students acquire at the undergraduate level will better prepare them for many of their future endeavors, including careers and postgraduate study. In addition to exposing students to conducting original/primary research, it is important to engage them in secondary research activities including writing reviews, correspondence, commentary, viewpoints, book chapters, and more. Secondary research improves students' writing abilities and thought processes, enables the construction of intelligent arguments, enhances their capacity to use scientific databases to find evidence, and teaches them how to engage in constructive criticism, among others.

While the benefits of undergraduate research to students have been highlighted in the preceding paragraphs, academic institutions can also benefit from engaging undergraduates in research [ 13 ]. Teams conducting research benefit from the enthusiasm and energy of curious undergraduate students. They frequently keep asking for more tasks to complete since they are eager to learn. Undergraduate students often pose inquiries that can be quite perceptive and, perhaps rather unintentionally, alter the way advisors approach research problems and better improve the quality of scientific output from such institutions. In contrast to how faculty research mentors interact with graduate students and other senior team members, undergraduate researchers need responses to inquiries in unique ways, which usually facilitate an opportunity for multidirectional intense learning.

Furthermore, undergraduate students' contributions to peer-reviewed publications and local, regional, national, or international research presentations at conferences and other scientific gatherings will benefit the university or institution's visibility in the scientific community and attract more funding. Students can actively contribute to scientific knowledge provided they are motivated and have the necessary research knowledge and abilities. I serve as a practical example. At the undergraduate level, I published more than 50 articles (including both primary and secondary research) in peer-reviewed journals on a diverse range of public health issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic. While still an undergraduate, I received research and travel grants and presented scientific papers both locally and internationally. This captured the attention of the media, and many undergraduates are now inspired to participate in research more than ever. With the right support systems in place, undergraduates' contributions to scientific literature can be valuable, benefiting not only the student but also the academic institution and society. Imagine a university where students receive the assistance they require to develop their capacity for scientific publishing and research. Such an institution would contribute more to science and knowledge creation, raising their profile in the process. Undergraduate research initiatives are an untapped gold mine if they are nurtured, funded, and supported adequately.

3. Barriers and challenges facing involvement of undergraduate students in research

Healthcare undergraduates interested in research face a number of challenges that have been documented in academic literature. In this section, I conducted a rapid unsystematic review of primary studies and used Table 2 to summarize the challenges and barriers facing undergraduate research identified in randomly selected academic papers.

Barriers and challenges facing healthcare students’ involvement in research.

Study	Country of study	Identified barriers and challenges
Kiyimba B et al. (2022) [ ]	Uganda	Participants cited a lack of funds, mentorship and guidance, and collaboration opportunities as major barriers to their participation in research. The majority of the study respondents identified design research studies and manuscript writing as the most difficult steps in the research process.
Assar A et al. (2022) [ ]	Six Arab Countries (Egypt, Algeria, Sudan, Jordan, Syria and Palestine)	The top ten perceived barriers towards research practice in the entire sample were lack of access to lab equipment for research, priority of education over research, lack of time because of educational tasks, generally poor attention given to researchers, lack of fund, poor collaboration between different academic departments and research centers, Insufficient research skills, lack of suitable research space, lack of faculty input and lack of familiarity with research studies.
Ferdoush J et al. (2022) [ ]	Bangladesh	Majority of the respondents reported that inadequate time and priorities, insufficient guidance, inadequate familiarities with research methodology and statistical analysis were the barriers of research.
Mugabo E et al. (2021) [ ]	Rwanda	The most significant barrier to research participation was students' belief that they lacked knowledge of research processes. Other significant barriers included a lack of mentors, a lack of funds, and undergraduate students believing they are unqualified to conduct research.
Alsaleem SA et al. (2021) [ ]	Kingdom of Saudi Arabia	Lack of time, skills, funding, facilities, and limited access to medical journals and related databases were the significant barriers found.
Kanmounye US et al. (2020) [ ]	Cameroon	Barriers to research included lack of funding, obsolete patient information management systems, and limited understanding of biostatistics.
Awofeso OM et al. (2020) [ ]	Nigeria	Reported barriers included lack of funding for research, lack of research and biostatistics curriculum, inadequate training in research methodology, insufficient time allocation to undergraduate research, lack of professional supervisors and proper mentoring, and lack of equipped laboratory facilities to conduct research.
El Achi D et al. (2020) [ ]	Lebanon	Students found the lack of mentoring and guidance to be the main barrier in conducting medical research.
Kumar J et al. (2019) [ ]	Pakistan	Lack of knowledge as a barrier was identified by students. The second most common barrier identified by the students was lack of time, followed by lack of mentoring as the third most common barrier.
Chellaiyan VG et al. (2019) [ ]	India	Difficulty in choosing topic, difficulty in collecting data, and allocation of time amidst academic activities were considered as a barrier
Pallamparthy S et al. (2019) [ ]	India	Barriers identified were lack of awareness, interest, funds, time, and difficulty in follow-up of patients.
Dadipoor S et al. (2019) [ ]	Iran	The two most common personal barriers were a lack of research technique expertise and poor research skills. Access to information sources was the most pervasive organizational barrier, but it was also the least common. The findings revealed that during their studies, research students encountered more personal challenges than organizational constraints.
Kyaw Soe HH et al. (2018) [ ]	Malaysia	The majorly cited barriers were the lack of time, lack of knowledge and skills, lack of funding and facilities, and lack of rewards.
Noorelahi MM et al. (2015) [ ]	Saudi Arabia	The most important obstacle predictors implicated in not conducting research among all the studied subjects were inadequate facility for research, lack of interest by faculty or guide, and unavailability of the samples or patients.
Memarpour M et al. (2015) [ ]	Iran	Inadequate financial support was cited as the main barrier, followed by a preference for academic instruction over research, limited time and lack of research skills and knowledge.

The rapid review of the fifteen (15) original studies in Table 2 revealed the major barriers and challenges limiting undergraduate student involvement in research across different countries. The findings of the reviewed studies were clearly similar. The key barriers and challenges to undergraduate involvement in research can be divided into three categories: a significant lack of knowledge and skills to participate in research; little to no faculty support, mentorship, funding and motivation for undergraduates to participate in research; and structural barriers limiting student involvement in research such as lack of time due to the loaded curriculum, dearth of research facilities as well as lack of major plans and strategies for undergraduate research.

4. Recommendations

There is an urgent need for stakeholders all over the world to look into the issues and devise tailored strategies to increase the involvement of (healthcare) students in research. Here are my eight (8) recommendations to advance the involvement of undergraduate students in research:

1. Research methods and processes should be taught to students as early as their second year of college. Even though some universities only cover research methodologies in the final year, it is essential to include more content on scientific writing and research methods as a mandatory course throughout the whole academic program. Undergraduate teaching curricula and approaches should promote inquiry-based learning. All professional classes' academic curricula might include regular discussions of new advances in the medical and health sciences, and the academic departments might be tasked with organizing these conversations. Long-term, this practice would foster a research aptitude in undergraduate students since opportunity like these would stimulate their minds.
2. As part of academic program, students should be evaluated for their interest in research and assigned suitable researchers to serve as their research mentors. Faculty research mentors must also be compensated. Lecturers do not receive credit for mentoring students for publications or research projects. Credit points should be awarded for each peer-reviewed publication attributed to such mentorship to encourage faculty-student research collaboration and motivate them to serve as research mentors for undergraduates. Mandatory structured mentorship programs are desperately needed.
3. During the undergraduate program, students should have the opportunity to participate in more research trainings, internships, and placements locally and internationally. This will contribute significantly to students' research skills and experience.
4. Students should be encouraged to publish at least two papers, either primary or secondary research, in peer-reviewed journals before graduation. Besides that, the final year thesis must be published and must be on a topic with the potential to make or drive impact.
5. Encourage undergraduate students to participate in scientific meetings, conferences, and seminars and to present their research, project, ideas or innovation in such gathering. Funding should be provided for undergraduate research conferences so that students can share their work, learn from the experiences of others, and improve institutional collaboration. This is a worthwhile investment towards advancing knowledge creation and utilization.
6. Existing undergraduate journals (e.g., International Journal of Medical Students), student research capacity building initiatives (e.g., Global Health Focus), undergraduate research funding initiatives, and other efforts aimed at promoting student involvement in research should be supported in order to provide more opportunities for students to participate in research.
7. A platform should be established to celebrate, provide incentives, and awards to undergraduates who contribute to the advancement of scientific knowledge. More students will be inspired to participate in research as a result of this. Funding (e.g., travel grant, research grant, etc.) should be made more accessible to students that have demonstrated remarkable passion for knowledge creation.
8. More research should be conducted across academic institutions to better understand the local barriers that prevent undergraduates from participating in research.

5. Conclusion

Undergraduate research is a treasure trove that has yet to be fully tapped. The primary goal of undergraduate research is to teach students how to conduct research and to develop necessary skills that can be applied outside of the academic setting. Bolstering undergraduate research will complement, rather than conflict with, university education. There is an urgent need to develop global and local initiatives as well as strengthen current initiatives to further encourage undergraduate students to participate in research and scientific publishing.

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Declaration of competing interest

Trends in climate adaptation solutions for mountain regions

Original Article
Open access
Published: 10 September 2024
Volume 29 , article number 74 , ( 2024 )

Cite this article

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Veruska Muccione ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-9773-3125 1 , 2 , 3 ,
Julia Aguilera Rodriguez 2 ,
Anna Scolobig 2 , 4 ,
Rosie Witton 5 ,
Johanna Zwahlen 6 ,
Alex Mackey 6 ,
Julia Barrott 5 ,
Otto Simonett 6 ,
Markus Stoffel 2 &
Simon K. Allen 2 , 3

This study addresses the critical need for documented adaptation progress in mountain regions by reviewing recently implemented or ongoing adaptation solutions collected from the Adaptation at Altitude Solutions Portal (A@A Solution Portal). Using a data driven approach, the research explores the characteristics, feasibility, and transformative potential of these solutions. Findings reveal a predominant focus on addressing droughts and floods, aligning with the IPCC’s emphasis on water-related impacts in mountains. Notably, watershed management practices emerge as popular solutions, showcasing their capacity to address multiple concerns beyond climate impacts. Education and awareness, along with land use practices, dominate the types of solutions, reflecting their positive impact on project acceptability and low associated risk of maladaptation. Agricultural land and forests are the main ecosystems where solutions are reported, with an evident association with education and awareness and land use change solutions. Most SDGs and Sendai targets are found to be addressed by the solutions emphasising the importance of documenting project experiences as way to bridge previously reported gaps between policy frameworks and on-the-ground implementation. Despite community involvement being high in many of the solutions, challenges such as gender inequality persists. While solutions often demonstrate local relevance and depth of change, upscaling remains challenging, with limited evidence of mainstreaming and replication. Sustainability criteria are moderately met, incorporating inclusive decision-making but with uncertainty regarding long-term plans. Furthermore, findings underscore the significance of co-developing and maintaining adaptation solution portals, illustrating how this approach enriches our understanding of adaptation progress in mountains. Moreover, this research contributes to broadening the scope of systematic adaptation assessments by providing a nuanced perspective that integrates local needs and diverse knowledge systems. In essence, this study makes a valuable contribution to the evolving landscape of adaptation research, emphasizing the importance of practical insights and collaborative efforts to address the complex challenges posed by climate-related impacts and corresponding adaptation efforts.

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1 Introduction

Climate change is having a significant impact on mountain ecosystems, which are home to a quarter of the world’s population and a source of freshwater for billions of people (Adler et al. 2022 ). Mountain communities are highly dependent on natural resources for their livelihoods, and changes in the mountain environment can have significant social, economic, and cultural impacts (Huss et al. 2017 ; Mengistu et al. 2020 ; Schmeller et al. 2022 ; Reader et al. 2023a ). Alongside climate and environmental change, demographic change, land use change and urbanisation also create numerous disruptions, in particular when settlements and infrastructures appear in hazard-prone areas (Viviroli et al. 2020 ; Thornton et al. 2022 ). Therefore, adapting to climate change in mountains is essential to ensure the well-being of mountain and lowland communities, as well as the long-term sustainability of mountain ecosystems (McDowell et al. 2019b ; Adler et al. 2022 ).

Evidence from mountain specific research confirms that climate adaptation is taking place in many mountain countries, often as a reaction to realised impacts, and sporadically as part of coordinated strategies and plans (McDowell et al. 2019b ; Adler et al. 2022 ). The status quo of mountain adaptation is that of small adjustments to existing risk management strategies with limited scope and extent. Yet, as risks become ever more complex and pervasive, the need to move from small adjustments to substantial innovation and systemic changes, is becoming more pressing (Colloff et al. 2017 ; Klein et al. 2019 ; Palomo et al. 2021 ; McDowell et al. 2021 ). Indeed, in terms of the hallmark approaches taken to adaptation, those of incremental and transformational adaptation, are perhaps the two most prominent (Kates et al. 2012 ). Although, as many authors have noted, there is no fixed definition for transformative adaptation and its interpretation differs among different users and contexts (Fedele et al. 2019 ), its relevance and necessity are nevertheless widely recognized (Klein et al. 2019 ; Bentz et al. 2022 ). Such importance appears to lie in the need to move from business-as-usual or traditional incremental strategies to systemic commitments that better address the complex challenges linked to climate change risks through a shift in paradigms and values (Lonsdale et al. 2015 ). Lately, the success of adaptation, whether transformative or incremental, has become strongly interrelated to its effectiveness in reducing climate risks (Owen 2020 ; Chausson et al. 2020 ), with the feasibility of adaptation as an indication of potential barriers, limits or maladaptation (Singh et al. 2020 ; Thomas et al. 2021 ).

In the pursuit of achieving a synthetic picture of the overall landscape of adaptation, its characteristics, effectiveness and transformative potential, numerous systematic reviews and meta-analyses have emerged in the past decade (McDowell et al. 2014 , 2019b ; Berrang-Ford et al. 2015 , 2019 ; Berrang-Ford, Sietsma, et al., 2021 ). Berrang-Ford et al. 2021a combined traditional review methods with machine learning to take stock of empirical adaptation globally. Meanwhile, other reviews have focused on specific sub-topics within the adaptation literature, such as health (Berrang-Ford et al. 2021b ), equity (Araos et al. 2021 ), adaptation limits (Thomas et al. 2021 ), and government adaptation (Berrang-Ford et al. 2019 ). Systematic reviews of adaptation also exist for specific topological regions, including the Arctic (Canosa et al. 2020 ) and mountain areas (McDowell et al. 2014 , 2019b ; Terzi et al. 2019 ; Vij et al. 2021 ).

These reviews have proved extremely valuable to tracking adaptation progress, and some have played a key role in global assessments such as the IPCC (Berrang-Ford et al. 2021a ; Adler et al. 2022 ; O’Neill et al. 2022 ). Notwithstanding, they predominantly assess adaptation if evidence is reported in the academic literature. Technical and logistical challenges have been identified when attempting at systematically assessing adaptation practice from the grey literature in ways that are comparable and on pair with the academic evidence (Berrang-Ford et al. 2021a ). This is often because adaptation projects carried out in the public, NGO and private sectors are seldomly reported in peer-reviewed literature (McDowell et al. 2019b ; Berrang-Ford et al. 2021a ; Vij et al. 2021 ). In response, a number of portals have been developed over the years to track adaptation on the ground, such as Climate-Adapt of the European Environment Agency (Mattern and Jol 2018 ; Dubo et al. 2022 ), the Climate Change Knowledge Portal of the World Bank, and the Dutch adaptation web portal (Laudien et al. 2019 ). Facts and figures from these portals are starting to gain recognition by the scientific literature, and their usefulness is increasingly acknowledged (Laudien et al. 2019 ; Dubo et al. 2022 ; Jevne et al. 2023 ).

This study responds to the urgent need of shedding light on adaptation practice in mountains by compiling wide ranging facts and figures from a dedicated portal on adaptation solutions in mountain regions. It seeks to produce a comprehensive inventory of adaptation efforts taking place in mountains as part of realised and ongoing projects. The focus is placed on implemented adaptation solutions, where solutions are referred to as actual measures, approaches, or processes designed to adjust natural or human systems to current or anticipated climate-related impacts in ways that reduce climate risks and increase resilience (Haasnoot et al. 2020 ). Solutions were collected from the Adaptation at Altitude Solutions Portal (hereafter A@A Solution portal) (Adaptation at Altitude 2021 ), which was co-designed by scientists and practitioners in response to the increased needs of a more practice-oriented science of adaptation that takes into account local necessities and different knowledge systems (Muccione et al. 2019 ). We assessed 88 adaptation solutions initially featured in the A@A Solution portal, implemented across various mountain regions and countries by different organizations and project developers. We explored their characteristics, feasibility and transformative potential. By highlighting the importance of co-developing and maintaining an adaptation solution portal, we demonstrate how such an approach enriches our understanding of adaptation progress in mountains and contribute to broaden the landscape of systematic assessments ofadaptation.

2 Methods and data

The methodological approach used in this study was designed in the context of Adaptation at Altitude (hereafter A@A), launched in 2020. A@A aims to enhance the resilience and adaptive capacities of mountain communities (Adaptation at Altitude 2021 ). The programme addresses four main challenges of adaptation in mountains, namely: (1) data information and monitoring; (2) regional science-policy exchange and collaborative action; (3) knowledge generation and sharing; and (4) policy mainstreaming. To address challenge three, “knowledge generation and sharing”, an online survey was designed to systematically collect relevant information from mountain adaptation projects with the ultimate goal of building a live portal of adaptation solutions in mountains. To this end, the A@A Solution Portal collects, in one place, relevant information concerning numerous adaptation projects and their implementers around the world. The portal allows the sharing and exploring of past or ongoing tried-and-tested adaptation solutions in mountain regions. A schematic view on the methodological approach used in this study is given in Fig. 1 and explained in the next sub-sections.

Schematic overview of the methodological approach used in the paper from survey design to assessment of the solutions

2.1 Survey design

The survey employed to populate the A@A solution portal was co-designed by the partner institutions of the programme and informed by a preparatory phase that included a user needs assessment, as well as a review of existing on-line climate adaptation platforms. The user needs assessment involved eleven semi-structured interviews and one on-line workshop with international actors engaged in the funding, evaluation, planning, management and/or implementation of climate adaptation activities in mountain regions. These stakeholders included representatives from A@A partners, the World Bank, Business for Nature, and lead authors of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report (AR6). More detailed information on the project and its partners can be found on the A@A website (Adaptation at Altitude 2021 ). The user needs consultation was done bottom-up and allowed participants to define the type of information most valuable to practitioners and developers of adaptation projects, as well technical gaps or shortcomings of existing platforms. In parallel, the review of on-line platforms providing climate adaptation solutions was also conducted. This review consisted of three main phases: screening, in-depth analysis of selected platforms, and gaps identification. From the 55 platforms screened, 20 were selected for in-depth analysis. This analysis revealed that more than half of the platforms (54%) showcase climate change adaptation (CCA) solutions primarily at the local scale, followed by mixed (23%, this category includes local, regional, national, international and global), national (15%) and regional (8%) level solutions. None of the analysed platforms specifically focussed on mountain regions, nor considered a comprehensive range of factors that enable or limit transformative potential. The results of the preparatory phase are described in (Scolobig A. et al. 2020 ). The final product of the preparatory phase was a survey with multiple choices and open-ended questions that served to populate the solution portal. The survey was co-developed in an iterative process involving A@A partners in eight review rounds. Along with the descriptive information, the survey collected significant supporting documentation, and the contact details of some of the principal actors involved in the planning and/or implementation processes.

An overview of the main information collected through the survey is given in Table 1 , while a copy of the survey can be found in the supplementary material. Project implementers fill in the survey through an electronic template. This process benefitted from the extensive media efforts of the A@A team that promoted the survey and ultimately the solution portal on websites of the partner institutions, Facebook, X (former Twitter) and LinkedIn, as well as in workshops, seminars, and conferences, mainly under the umbrella of the A@A programme. In addition to project implementers directly responding to the survey, the A@A team also actively collected information from project resources available online, in all cases iterating with project implementers to ensure accuracy of the information entered into the portal. Training resources for filling in the survey, such as a step-by-step guide, an example of a filled-in survey, and the inclusion of sample responses into the questionnaire were made available through the A@A website. To secure consistency and high quality of information, all completed surveys undergo a quality control evaluation, performed by the project team before the corresponding adaptation solution is published on the portal. At the time of writing this article, the A@A Solution Portal consisted of 88 solutions.

2.2 Analytical framework of the survey

For the purpose of this study, we assessed the (1) general characteristics of the solutions, namely location, climate impact addressed, type of mountain ecosystem, sectors where the solution was implemented and type of solution, (2) their feasibility and effectiveness, and (3) their transformation potential. To measure feasibility, we followed a concept developed by Singh et al. 2020 where feasibility is understood as the potential for an adaptation solution to be implemented. We measured the contribution made to the implementation of the solutions in terms of knowledge, technology, political/legal, institutional and socio-cultural factors, to which we refer as “capacities”. Such list of factors was agreed upon using existing literature (Singh et al. 2020 ) and supplemented by the user needs consultations. The analogy of feasibility with capacity is related to the concept of adaptive capacity in adaptation science, which is the ability of a systems to prepare for, or respond to potential damages, and to take advantage of new opportunities by making the appropriate adjustments. The definition of each category is provided in Table 1 . We measured each category using a qualitative scoring from 0 (not present) and 1 (very low), to 5 (very high). To capture effectiveness, we focused on the outcomes of adaptation (Singh et al. 2020 ), both as risk reduction benefits and as more extensive benefits derived from adaptation as improvement in environmental, economic or socio-political conditions (Remling and Persson 2015 ; Sharifi 2021 ).

Regarding the transformation potential of adaptation solutions, this was measured using the four key dimensions for transformations developed by the World Bank (World Bank Group 2016 ). This choice is justified by the need to focus on an approach coming from an applied or practical perspective. In a nutshell, we measured four dimensions:

Relevance – does the solution address a major constraint or problem of critical importance to sustainable development in mountain regions?

Depth of change – does the solution cause or support fundamental change in a governance system or behaviour?

Scalability of change – could the solution be feasibly scaled-up and duplicated in other mountain regions?

Sustainability – does the solution demonstrate financial, economic, and environmental sustainability?

One key difference from more academic approaches such as those that measure transformations as speed (how fast adaptation is being implemented), scope (breadth of the measures in terms of both sectorial and spatial extent), and depth (represents the novelty of adaptation actions) (Termeer et al. 2017 ; Berrang-Ford et al. 2021a ), is that we allocated a greater emphasis on the potential for scaling up, rather than on the initial scale of the solution. This enabled the inclusion of small-scale solutions (e.g., community-based approaches) that may be only in the pilot phase but offer large potential for future replication and mainstreaming. An overview on the characteristics assessed, as well as proxies to measure feasibility, effectiveness and transformation (or transformative potential) is given in Table 1 .

For the data analysis, the information included in the solution portal was downloaded from the A@A Portal website and saved in an excel sheet. The dataset was subjected to a series of pre-processing steps to ensure its suitability for subsequent analysis. The dataset was structured into a Pandas dataframe object. The dataframe serves as a two-dimensional, size-mutable, and heterogeneous tabular data structure, providing a convenient and intuitive way to perform data manipulation and analysis (Pandas 2024 ). To facilitate analysis of categorical variables, we applied one-hot encoding, converting categorical attributes into a binary representation. Such transformation is essential for preparing categorical data for certain types of analysis that require numerical input. To analyse the solution description text, we first utilize the spaCy ( https://spacy.io/ ), which is an open-source natural language processing library specifically crafted for extracting information from text corpora. Subsequently, the term-frequency times inverse document frequency (TF-IDF) technique is employed to reducing the influence of frequently occurring words that lack informative value within the corpus (Leskovec 2014 ). TF-IDF serve diverse purposes, including facilitating the visualization of words via word clouds.

The capacities were scored on a five-point scale going from very low to very high. The score for each solution and its capacities was assessed by a minimum of 2 project members to check for consistencies and discussions were held until agreement was reached on the final score. The score was also triangulated with the qualitative description of the text on the corresponding capacity, which is also stored in the solution database.

At the time of analysis, the solution portal contained 88 discrete adaptation solutions. New solutions are being uploaded to the A@A Portal on an ongoing basis. The final dataset with the 88 solutions can be found in the supplementary material and the notebooks needed to reproduce all analysis and figures are available through the https://github.com/vmuccion/Adaptation-Altitude .

3.1 General characteristics of solutions

The first entry in the database alongside the unique title, is a description of the solution. Figure 2 displays a word cloud illustrating the prevalence of the words extracted from the description text. Notably, “water” is highlighted as the most prevalent word, followed by other key words such as “community”, “land”, “local”, and “capacity”. This pattern indicated a prevalence of community and local based measures, with water being the dominant aspect, not only in terms of sector, but also concerning the typology of solutions.

World cloud of most frequent single words obtained from the summary description of the solutions

The geographical distribution of solutions in Fig. 3 (top panel) shows that there is a considerable tendency in the portal towards specific regions such as North and Southwestern South America, East Africa, and the Hindukush Himalaya (HKH) region. Moreover, there is a handful of solutions in Europe and the Caucasus, but so far, none from North America or Oceania. This is because the solution portal was mainly an effort to collect solutions from the Global South, expressed through the stakeholder needs consultation. However, efforts are underway to have a more balanced geographical coverage that includes additional regions. When it comes to the impacts addressed (Fig. 3 bottom panel), a diversity can be observed in the majority of continents, except in Europe.

Top figure shows a choropleth map of the solutions per country. The bottom figure shows the proportion of climate impacts addressed per continent. Only continents having at least one solution or more are shown

The general characteristics of the solutions are shown in Fig. 4 . Across all solutions, drought emerges as the most common climate impact addressed (63), followed by flood (39), and almost in equal proportion, landslides, altered growing seasons, and heat stress. Wildfire is addressed by only 5 solutions. In addition to these main impacts, the portal retains information on secondary impacts as well. The open nature of this question resulted in greater diversity in terms of reported impacts. In this case, water stress is the most common secondary impact, followed by land degradation, and glacier lake outburst flood. Other secondary impacts include erosion, snow scarcity, and unseasonal frost. The distribution of solution types shows that education and awareness, as well as land use practice, are the most common solution types, followed by monitoring and engineering strategies. Finance solutions are the least common. The sectorial distribution is dominated by agriculture and water, reflecting the emphasis on addressing drought and flood. A similar distribution is seen amongst other sectors, namely human health and well-being, natural hazards, plans and policy, ecosystem, and biodiversity. Tourism and transport are the least covered sectors. Finally, there is a more proportional distribution in the ecosystem types, with a prevalence of agricultural land, forest and high alpine. Urban solutions represent the lowest percentage.

Summary of the main characteristics across all solutions, from top to bottom clockwise, in orange the number of solutions per climate impact addressed, in blue the number of solutions per mountain ecosystem type, in green the number of solutions per solution type and finally in pink the number of solutions per sector

To gain deeper insights into adaptation efforts—particularly the nature, location, and methodologies of implemented solutions—we analyzed the co-occurrence of selected pairs of characteristics. As depicted in Fig. 5 , this analysis focuses on the relationships between solution types and climate impacts (left panel), as well as between solution types and ecosystems (right panel). Notably, education and awareness initiatives, along with land use practices, emerge as the predominant strategies employed to address a wide array of impacts. This includes adapting to the effects of droughts and floods, which constitute the primary climate impacts documented within our portal. Our observations reveal that solutions emphasizing education and awareness are frequently implemented in response to these challenges, complemented by the adoption of land use practices and engineering solutions. However, wildfire mitigation efforts are relatively limited, represented by only five documented solutions, thus revealing a lack of discernible co-occurrence patterns. Moreover, when examining the ecosystems wherein these solutions are enacted, it becomes evident that education and awareness types, alongside land use practices, are prevalent across diverse ecosystem types, spanning from agricultural lands to lakes and rivers. Conversely, fewer solutions are observed in ecosystems such as meadows, peatlands, and urban mountain areas, resulting in a lack of notable co-occurrence patterns within these contexts.

The heatmap on the left side represents co-occurrence between solution types and climate impact addressed; the heatmap on the right side represents co-occurrence between solution types and ecosystem types. The numbers within each cell represent the observation counts in ascending order from light blue to dark blue

3.2 Feasibility and effectiveness

Presented here are the feasibility results assessed through the lenses of five capacity categories, scored on a qualitative scale ranging from very low to very high, as shown in Fig. 6 . As can be observed, many of the solutions exhibit very high capacity in all the categories. Knowledge capacities ensure that adaptation is informed from the outset by diverse knowledge types, including scientific, evidence based, and indigenous knowledge. Overall, political/legal and technology capacities were evaluated by solution providers as less crucial than knowledge, institutional, and socio-cultural capacities in enabling the implementation of the solutions. In contrast, providers gave high evaluations to the role played by socio-cultural and institutional capacities. However, it should be noted that approximately one quarter of solutions do not report results on one or more capacities. This gap in reporting complicates the determination of whether a specific capacity is relevant for that solution or not.

The figure shows the number of self-assessed solutions with respect to the five dimensions of capacity on a qualitative scale going from very low to very high. NA means that the dimension was either not assessed or was not relevant

In order to understand the effectiveness of solutions in delivering positive changes ex-post, we explored various categories of benefits. All solutions have benefits associated to them. Our observations indicate that the majority of solutions have resulted in environmental benefits (33), followed by climate risk reduction (32). Other key benefits include social (13), economic (6), and technological (1) benefits. No solution indicates political benefits (Fig. 7 ).

Number of solutions reporting some type of benefits after implementation

3.3 Transformative potential

The last segment of the analysis focuses on the assessment of the transformative potential of solutions whereby transformation is assessed according to the indicators described in SM Fig. 1 . The file used to assess the transformative potential is uploaded as supplementary dataset. Figure 8 summarises the results, depicting the number of solutions addressing specific criteria measured by corresponding sets of indicators. As it can be observed, relevance is prevalent across almost all the solutions, except for a handful which either address only one sector or report no specific climate impacts. The depth of change also shows a similar behaviour, with most solutions showing evidence of innovation within their own context and addressing multiple SDGs and Sendai Targets. Further details on specific SDGs and Sendai Target, as well as on their relationship, is provided later in this section. Sustainability is reported in more than two thirds of the solutions, while only a few solutions provide evidence on the scalability of change. While we acknowledge the importance of tailoring adaptation solutions to local environmental, cultural, social and institutional contexts, under transformative adaptation there is an expectation to see learnings and a pathway forward as to how the basic fundamentals of the solution could be transferred to another community, village, district, country or region. Evidence of mainstreaming into wider policies and plans is reported in less than one third of the solutions, and approximately half of them offer evidence of overcoming barriers and successful replication.

Number of solutions for each indicator of transformative potential. A score of 1 is given for each of the indicators being present and 0 when there is no evidence of such. Indicators corresponding to the same dimension of transformations are grouped by colour to facilitate observations. The dimension is shown on top of each group of indicators

In line with the survey design and scope of the study, this analysis includes a review of the principal contributions that the solutions provided to the SDGs (United Nations, 2022). Likewise, the survey also sought to investigate evidence of supporting at least one of the 7 global targets set under the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. Observations indicate that most solutions address at least one SDG, while 18 solutions do not address any of the Sendai targets. Overall, all SDGs, except “life under water” (Fig. 9 ), and all of the Sendai targets (Fig. 10 ) are addressed by the solutions. Some solutions address more than one SDG or Sendai target. As it could be expected given its relevance on the matter of climate adaptation, the most common SDG addressed is Goal 13 (Climate Action), followed by Goal 15 (Life on Land), and Goal 1 (No Poverty). Goals 4 (Quality Education), 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), and 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) are the least frequent. In the case of Sendai Targets, target B, “Substantially reduce the number of affected people globally by 2030”, is addressed by almost 2/3 of the solutions. Target A, “Substantially reduce global disaster mortality by 2030”, is the least addressed target.

The figure shows the number of solutions addressing each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Details on the SDGs are provided on the right side of the figure

The figure shows the number of solutions addressing each of the 7 Sendai Targets. Details on the targets are provided on the right side of the figure

4 Discussions and conclusions

Documented adaptation efforts which are measurable and comparable are critical to track progress on the status of implementation (Magnan and Chalastani 2019 , Nalau 2021 ). Therefore, it is essential to assess adaptation experiences by systematically collecting and analysing information on implementation that is happening on the ground (McDowell 2019 ). To respond to this need and as testimony of increasing adaptation efforts, several adaptation portals have appeared in the past few years. These portals facilitate organized tracking of adaptation progress and are well suited for further analysis and assessments (Cebrián-Piqueras 2023 ). In this study, we analysed and assessed the recently implemented or ongoing adaptation solutions in mountain regions, that were collected from the Adaptation at Altitude Solution’s Portal.

The initial survey employed to populate the portal, was co-designed with a bottom-up process by experts and practitioners, this with the aim to capture the elements of adaptation which matter to both groups.

Our research results illustrate that drought (63) is largely the most targeted climate impact, followed by flood (39). This finding is corroborated by systematic reviews, and research articles consistently highlights drought as the primary climate impact targeted for adaptation, followed by flood, in mountain regions (Dubo et al. 2022 ; Wyss et al. 2022 ). Furthermore, the latest IPCC report also indicates that drought and flood pose key risks with the potential for severe consequences for mountain people and livelihoods and highlighted the significance and urgency of addressing water-related hazards in mountains (Adler et al. 2022 ). The prevalence and importance of water for mountains and adaptation are visible in the key words analysis of solutions summary description in Fig. 2 . Interestingly, it is observed that many of the solutions addressing water-related impacts prioritize the integration of watershed management practices. These practices have demonstrated their capacity to effectively tackle multiple concerns beyond climate impacts, including the improvement of water quality (Shin et al. 2023 ), the promotion of aquifer recharge (Bigdeli Nalbandan et al. 2023 ), and the enhancement of the natural linkages between upstream and downstream areas through transdisciplinary planning process (Cheng et al. 2017 ).

When examining the type of solutions, there is a prevalence of education and awareness focused solutions, followed by land use practices. These solutions although implemented to address the majority of climate impacts, appear to be commonly implemented to respond to impacts from floods and droughts (see Fig. 5 ). Evidence indicates that the implementation of this type of solutions is often accompanied by improvements in project acceptability and reduced risk of maladaptation (Nalau and Cobb 2022 ). This positive outcome is attributed to the fact that awareness is, in most cases, the result of community involvement (Oliver et al. 2023 ). The solutions showcased on the A@A Solutions Portal reveal a high involvement of local community groups and populations in project activities, well beyond the classical initial consultations. Remarkably, about 75% of solutions show inclusive decision making (see Fig. 8 ). However, despite the pivotal role of community participation, the exercise often faces a number of challenges and requires careful handling to prevent the reinforcement of social issues, such as gender inequality and class-based hierarchies (Nalau and Cobb 2022 ; Singh 2020 ).

Agriculture land and forests emerge as the main mountain ecosystems wherein solutions are reported, with agriculture and water being the main sectors within which solutions are mostly implemented. This further reflects the importance of tackling water-related impacts and risks for the management of critical sectors, given that mountains boast some of the highest proportions of water availability globally, as well as water withdrawal (Reader et al. 2023b ). The type of solutions implemented in these mountain ecosystems point at a prevalence of education and awareness and land use practices since, as already mentioned, these are by far the most used solutions. It is not surprising that land use practices are highly present in forest and agricultural land areas. However, while the dataset highlights a significant contribution of education and awareness as adaptation solutions in almost every typology of ecosystem, it paradoxically reveals a low impact on Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) regarding quality education (Fig. 7 ). This discrepancy may stem from the underreporting of capacity-building and awareness-raising activities under the broad category of education. Additionally, it prompts consideration of whether the targets outlined in SDG 4 are perceived as exclusively related to conventional curriculum-based education, potentially overlooking non-traditional forms of educational initiatives such as those related to awareness raising or building capacity. McKenzie et al. ( 2024 ) have argued that indeed it is currently difficult to track progress on SDG4 in relation to climate change due to a lack of quality and appropriate indicators. Despite this discrepancy, the overall picture remains positive, with many Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Sendai targets being addressed laterally within the solution portal, with only a few exceptions (Fig. 7 ). This observation aligns with the significant synergies underscored in the IPCC WG2 Cross-Chapter paper on Mountains (Adler et al. 2022 ). Based on the findings of our research, we have identified that several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Sendai targets are indeed addressed within the solution portal. This evidence counters previously highlighted gaps that acknowledged the limited evidence of implementation of international agendas in addressing disaster risk reduction and adaptation in mountainous regions (Adler et al. 2022 ; Alcántara-Ayala et al. 2022 ). By tracking evidence collected from empirical adaptation, we underscore here the imperative for sustained efforts to bridge the disparity between policy frameworks and their practical implementation on the ground.

Nuanced concepts such as feasibility, effectiveness, and transformative potential, were assessed by means of proxy indicators. In the case of feasibility, we examined the score of five main categories of capacity that were present in the project survey and that are analogous to the characterisation of feasibility according to existing literature (Singh et al. 2020 ). Although the results in Fig. 6 would point at high to very high capacity for many categories, we recognise that there is a high proportion of solutions which do not provide such information and cannot be assessed. There are nonetheless some noticeable patterns as for example, the fact that knowledge capacities score very high for more than half of solutions, whereas technological capacities show a more heterogeneous picture as enablers of solution implementation. This could be due to technology in mountain areas, being used in diverse ways, such as the development of high-resolution models that incorporate climate and socio-economic impacts on natural ecosystems, and on significant resources such as hydrological components (Immerzeel et al. 2020 ). At the same time, adaptation initiatives may rely on the formulation of structural and physical components (e.g., hard adaptation), addressing agriculture and food security, water management, and infrastructure, for example, through the creation of reservoirs and modern irrigation systems, water conservation techniques, and hazard management technologies such as early warning systems (Adler et al. 2022 ). However, in contrast, solutions which focus on education and awareness raising do not rely upon strong technical capacities from the onset, but rather aim to build these capacities through the lifetime of the project. A more pessimistic explanation for the medium to low scores could be the lack of appropriate technological know-how and technology transfer where it is most needed (Wang et al. 2020 ). This though would be at odds with the high score in the knowledge capacities, which can be reasonably associated with technological knowhow, among other dimensions of knowledge. The effectiveness also scores low in technical and political benefits, which might again indicate a persistence in the low technologic and political scores even after solutions are implemented. This last assertion would confirm the findings in McDowell et al. 2021 ; which cite limited technological know-how and political willingness as hindrances to the full realization of adaptation solutions in mountainous areas. In general, we can infer that solutions are being effective in reducing risks and improving environmental conditions and are benefitting from high knowledge capacities to enable implementation. Nevertheless, solutions do not seem to spur technological or political improvements, or such improvements are not relevant to the project scope, which suggests possible missed opportunities for important co-benefits. Analogous studies which performed systematic assessments of the adaptation literature in mountain regions have reported also environmental co-benefits but limited political or institutional positive spill over (Aggarwal et al. 2022 ).

To get a sense of the transformative potential of solutions, we explored transformations through the lenses of four criteria, namely relevance, depth of change, scalability of change, and sustainability. We see from the results in Fig. 8 that solutions are being implemented where they are most relevant, and that almost all of them cause or support fundamental change (depth of change). As most solutions are local or sub-national (see Fig. 3 ), it is plausible to infer that such depth of change happens more at the community level. However, the fact that upscaling is difficult to achieve poses questions concerning the identification of the enabling factors that eventually lead to upscaling. This is also supported by the finding that only a handful of solutions provide evidence of mainstreaming and replication. Berrang-Ford et al. ( 2021a ) confirmed this trend of limited scope of solutions in their global stocktake of human adaptation. Indeed, they reported that globally, adaptation solutions generally have a limited geographical extent and low levels of mainstreaming (Berrang-Ford et al. 2021a ). In part, this comes down to the typical short duration of adaptation projects (4–5 years) where mainstreaming becomes something of an afterthought towards the end of the project cycle rather than a goal in itself. Nonetheless, the reported success of the mountain solutions in terms of depth of change at local or sub-national level bodes well for future mainstreaming and upscaling, even if this is not occurring as rapidly as would be desired.

In essence, we can say that while the criteria of relevance and, to a geographically limited extent, depth of change, have largely been met, solutions had difficulties in demonstrating that their contribution to deliver large-scale impact by introducing new measures into the local policy frameworks or by replicating their actions in other locations. Research on social innovation identifies different types of upscaling that may be instrumental also for climate adaptation (Moore et al. 2015 ), namely, scale up (impacting laws and policies), scale out (increasing number of people or communities impacted by the solution), and scale deep (impacting cultural values and beliefs). Given the longer time frames needed, designing project with a second phase dedicated to mainstreaming and upscaling efforts would significantly increase the transformative potential of adaptation solutions in mountain regions.

The sustainability criteria are moderately met for our analysed solutions, and it is encouraging to see that inclusive decision-making processes and future proofing are being embedded in many of them. It is less clear though, whether long term plans are being integrated, and again, this is something that confirms the limited scalability and mainstreaming potential of solutions. Limited scalability, mainstreaming, and long-term planning could be all explained by an observed tendency in climate project decision making to leave planning and discussion around scaling up or replication until very late stages or following the closure of interventions (Jain and Bardhan 2023 ). Furthermore, the gap in the implementation of adaptation mainstreaming seems closely related to the lack of political commitment and mandate at the higher governmental levels (Runhaar et al. 2018 ).

Far from being all encompassing, the A@A Solution Portal misses yet the showcasing of other important mountain regions, possibly because of a bias in the initial scope of the survey and solicitation efforts, which were mainly geared towards international development and cooperation. Fortunately, efforts are underway to have a more geographically balanced display of solutions that will enhance learning between mountain regions in the global south and north. It is worth pointing out that the portal collected information not only from the project developers and implementers but also triangulated this information with project evaluation reports, which are usually developed by independent evaluation bodies and consultants. Typical mid-term or final project reports are normally based on a mix of interviews conducted with those involved in project implementation and projected beneficiaries. To minimise bias in reporting, the information was thoroughly screened for quality control by the independent team members from the A@A project. For example, project reports only seldomly involve any longer-term monitoring and evaluation of the solutions. Hence, effort was made during the quality control to ensure that statements around the foreseen long-term success and sustainability of the solutions was well-supported with concrete evidence that financial and technical plans were in place. Obvious difficulties exist for reaching out to an independent and representative sample of stakeholders, particularly ensuring representation of the most vulnerable or marginalised members of the communities. Therefore, the implementation of adaptation project design should from the beginning include more regular external evaluations and broader stakeholder engagement, whose views would equally constitute the body of independent evidence for ex-post project assessment (Wamsler et al. 2020 ; Oliver et al. 2023 ). In absence of such independent information, it is often difficult to get a sense of the progress for those who are the direct beneficiaries of these solutions and therefore such views cannot fully by captured in the remit of this solution portal. The second phase of the A@A project will attempt to fill this gap for selected solutions, by undertaking focus group meetings and interviews with benefactors and other stakeholders to gain ground level insights on the long-term effectiveness of the implemented solutions.

Another challenge of adaptation is the persistent lack of integration of concepts and terminology across different strains of literature, whether adaptation, vulnerability, or impact driven (Berrang-Ford et al. 2021a ). This has been identified as a persistent barrier to adaptation assessment. To this end we invoke here for a common adaptation taxonomy. Currently absent, such a taxonomy would require consensus within the broadest community, offering scholars and practitioners a detailed and common description of benefits, ecosystems, sectors, solutions, capacities, as well as other critical concepts. The survey conducted within this study presents intriguing entry points for such a taxonomy specific to mountain regions. For instance, it identifies solutions and their characteristics in mountains, including sectors, ecosystems, and solution types. Yet, further work is necessary to achieve a robust consensus.

Data availability

Data and Jupyter notebooks for the analysis are all accessible through the following GitHub repository https://github.com/vmuccion/Adaptation-Altitude .

Code Availability

The notebooks are accessible through GitHub: https://github.com/vmuccion/Adaptation-Altitude .

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This research has been supported by the Adaptation at Altitude project, which is a project financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

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VM developed the concept for the paper and wrote every section of the manuscript. She did extensive data pre-processing and most of the data analysis. SKA had the initial ideas for such a paper and contributed in developing the methodology to assess the transformative potential together with JA. AS and JA were actively involved in the development of the methodology for the data collection and quality control. RW and JB hosted the portal database and provided VM with the raw dataset from the Adaptation at Altitude website. RW maintained the Adaptation at Altitude Portal together with JZ, OS, and SKA. Everyone contributed to edit and revise the paper. Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to [email protected].

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Muccione, V., Aguilera Rodriguez, J., Scolobig, A. et al. Trends in climate adaptation solutions for mountain regions. Mitig Adapt Strateg Glob Change 29 , 74 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11027-024-10168-8

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The critical steps for successful research: The research proposal and scientific writing: (A report on the pre-conference workshop held in conjunction with the 64th annual conference of the Indian Pharmaceutical Congress-2012)
INTRODUCTION. Creativity and critical thinking are of particular importance in scientific research. Basically, research is original investigation undertaken to gain knowledge and understand concepts in major subject areas of specialization, and includes the generation of ideas and information leading to new or substantially improved scientific insights with relevance to the needs of society.
Research Project
Importance of Research Project. Research projects are an essential part of the process of generating new knowledge and advancing our understanding of various fields of study. Here are some of the key reasons why research projects are important: Advancing knowledge: Research projects are designed to generate new knowledge and insights into ...
7 Reasons Why Research Is Important
Why Research Is Necessary and Valuable in Our Daily Lives. It's a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning. It's a means to understand issues and increase public awareness. It helps us succeed in business. It allows us to disprove lies and support truths. It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
A Beginner's Guide to Starting the Research Process
Step 4: Create a research design. The research design is a practical framework for answering your research questions. It involves making decisions about the type of data you need, the methods you'll use to collect and analyze it, and the location and timescale of your research. There are often many possible paths you can take to answering ...
How to do a research project for your academic study
The research project format is just as important as the research itself. Without a clear structure you will not be able to present your findings concisely. A research paper is made up of seven sections: introduction, literature review, methodology, findings and results, discussion, conclusion, and references.
The Why: Explaining the significance of your research
In the first four articles of this series, we examined The What: Defining a research project, The Where: Constructing an effective writing environment, The When: Setting realistic timeframes for your research, and The Who: Finding key sources in the existing literature. In this article, we will explore the fifth, and final, W of academic writing, The Why: Explaining the significance of your ...
How to Write a Research Proposal
Research proposal examples. Writing a research proposal can be quite challenging, but a good starting point could be to look at some examples. We've included a few for you below. Example research proposal #1: "A Conceptual Framework for Scheduling Constraint Management".
11.1 The Purpose of Research Writing
Step 4: Organizing Research and the Writer's Ideas. When your research is complete, you will organize your findings and decide which sources to cite in your paper. You will also have an opportunity to evaluate the evidence you have collected and determine whether it supports your thesis, or the focus of your paper.
What is a research project?
A research project is an academic, scientific, or professional undertaking to answer a research question. Research projects can take many forms, such as qualitative or quantitative, descriptive, longitudinal, experimental, or correlational. What kind of research approach you choose will depend on your topic.
Undergraduate Research: Importance, Benefits, and Challenges
The students learn research methodology and develop their research projects in one semester, while data is collected, analyzed, and presented during the second semester. The capstone assignments for the research projects include a journal-style manuscript, a poster presentation, and an oral presentation given to the faculty and staff of the ...
Why does research matter?
Abstract. A working knowledge of research - both how it is done, and how it can be used - is important for everyone involved in direct patient care and the planning & delivery of eye programmes. A research coordinator collecting data from a health extension worker. ethiopia. The mention of 'research' can be off-putting and may seem ...
How to plan a research project
Planning research projects is a time-honoured intellectual exercise: one that requires both creativity and sharp analytical skills. ... That is because the precise language of the question frames the rest of the project. It's therefore important to pose the question carefully, in a way that's both possible to answer and likely to yield ...
Six Reasons Why Research is Important
2- Research Helps in Problem-solving. The goal of the research is to broaden our understanding. Research gives us the information and knowledge to solve problems and make decisions. To differentiate between research that attempts to advance our knowledge and research that seeks to apply pre-existing information to real-world situations.
10 Reasons Why Research is Important
Research unlocks the unknowns, lets you explore the world from different perspectives, and fuels a deeper understanding. In some areas, research is an essential part of success. In others, it may not be absolutely necessary, but it has many benefits. Here are ten reasons why research is important: #1. Research expands your knowledge base.
Aims and Objectives
Summary. One of the most important aspects of a thesis, dissertation or research paper is the correct formulation of the aims and objectives. This is because your aims and objectives will establish the scope, depth and direction that your research will ultimately take. An effective set of aims and objectives will give your research focus and ...
PDF Why research is important
Why research is important 3 concepts or constructs. A piece of research is embedded in a frame-work or way of seeing the world. Second, research involves the application of a method, which has been designed to achieve knowledge that is as valid and truthful as possible. 4 The products of research are propositions or statements. There is a
What Is the Importance of Research? 5 Reasons Why Research is Critical
Builds up credibility. People are willing to listen and trust someone with new information on one condition - it's backed up. And that's exactly where research comes in. Conducting studies on new and unfamiliar subjects, and achieving the desired or expected outcome, can help people accept the unknown.
Research Objectives
Why are research objectives important? Research objectives are important because they: Establish the scope and depth of your project: This helps you avoid unnecessary research. It also means that your research methods and conclusions can easily be evaluated.; Contribute to your research design: When you know what your objectives are, you have a clearer idea of what methods are most appropriate ...
The Role Of Research At Universities: Why It Matters
The broader university benefits from active research programs. Research on timely and important topics attracts attention, which in turn leads to greater institutional visibility and reputation ...
The value of a good research plan
A research plan is pivotal to a research project because it identifies and helps define your focus, method, and goals while also outlining the research project from start to finish. This type of plan is often necessary to: Apply for grants or internal company funding. Discover possible research partners or business partners.
8 student benefits of a research-intensive university
"Research experience can help make students more competitive for graduate or professional schools by preparing them for graduate thesis or capstone projects," Rawlinson said. "Ultimately, involvement in research makes students more well-rounded learners." 3. The chance to learn from the faculty who generate the science that informs practice
To scope or not to scope? The benefits and challenges of integrating
In our experience, incorporating a scoping study phase in a rapid study or evaluation is important for various reasons: 1) it allows "testing" of the theoretical approach used to guide the study; 2) it can help develop focused and relevant research questions; 3) it helps inform a study design that is feasible in a short timeframe; 4) it allows ...
Enhancing Research Skills: Impact of Asking Good Questions
Section 1: Research as Inquiry and Scholarship as Conversation Reflect on the importance of asking good questions in research in your own words (5-7 sentences). Asking good questions in research encourage abnormal thinking. Meaning, it allows you to think outside the box. Asking good questions prompt more questions to arise in the process.
Ten simple rules for innovative dissemination of research
Rule 6: Go live. In-person dissemination does not just have to be at stuffy conferences. With research moving beyond the walls of universities, there are several types of places for more participatory events. Next to classic scientific conferences, different types of events addressing wider audiences have emerged.
A Machine Learning Approach to Well-Being in Late Childhood ...
The premise for this article is the importance of measuring and monitoring children's and adolescents' SWB and the consequent need to have accurate and manageable measures of how children and adolescents perceive their life conditions, considered a prerequisite for having good data and implementing efficient and accountability-based public policies targeted at these age groups (see Ben ...
What Is a Research Design
A research design is a strategy for answering your research question using empirical data. Creating a research design means making decisions about: Your overall research objectives and approach. Whether you'll rely on primary research or secondary research. Your sampling methods or criteria for selecting subjects. Your data collection methods.
"They feel shame sometime, but that is why we need to talk to them…we
Hepatitis B related shame was an important issue and impactful in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the Top End of the Northern Territory. ... Our team ascribes to the principles of pragmatism and participatory health research, and this project was nested within the long-term collaborations and relationships built over many ...
GRANTS Q&As for Reviewers
In general, SC's merit review criteria are established as the following in descending order of importance (weight), unless otherwise specified in the solicitation (Notice of Funding Opportunity or DOE Laboratory Call): Scientific and/or Technical Merit of the Project; Appropriateness of the Proposed Method or Approach; Competency of Applicant ...
Undergraduate students' involvement in research: Values, benefits
1. Introduction. As the world evolves, the need for research grows, and it remains a factor of key importance in creating a knowledge-driven economy and supporting development initiatives as well as driving innovations across all fields [].It is becoming more and more important to increase undergraduate student involvement in research [].Academic institutions, faculty mentors, and students can ...
Trends in climate adaptation solutions for mountain regions
This study addresses the critical need for documented adaptation progress in mountain regions by reviewing recently implemented or ongoing adaptation solutions collected from the Adaptation at Altitude Solutions Portal (A@A Solution Portal). Using a data driven approach, the research explores the characteristics, feasibility, and transformative potential of these solutions. Findings reveal a ...

Research Project – Definition, Writing Guide and Ideas

Research Project

Types of Research Project

Basic Research

Applied Research

Action Research

Quantitative Research

Qualitative Research

Mixed Methods Research

Longitudinal Research

Case Study Research

Participatory Research

Research Project Methodology

Define the Research Question

Develop a Research Plan

Collect Data

Analyze Data

Interpret and Report Findings

Research Project Writing Guide

Examples of Research Projects

Characteristics of Research Project

Importance of Research Project

Research Project Ideas

Field: Psychology

Field: Economics

Field: Sociology

Field: Computer Science

Field: Education

Field: Environmental Science

Field: Linguistics

Field: Political Science

Field: Medicine

Field: Anthropology

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

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How to do a research project for your academic study

What is a research project?

How to write a research report

Developing a research question or statement

Finding and evaluating sources

Conducting research

Research report format

Introduction

Literature review

Methodology

Findings and results

Discussion

Conclusion

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a research project include?

How long is a research project?

The Why: Explaining the significance of your research

Q1: When considering the significance of your research, what is the general contribution you make?

Q1a: What is the specific significance of your research to yourself or other individuals?

Q2: Why is it important to communicate the value of your research?

Q2a: To whom is it most difficult to explain that value?

Q3: What methods have you used to explain your research to others (both inside and outside of your discipline)?

Q4: What are some places you can share your research and its significance beyond your writing?

Q5: How is the significance of your study conveyed in your writing efforts?

Q5a: How does the significance influence the structure of your writing?

Q6: What are some ways you can improve your ability to explain your research to others?

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11.1 The Purpose of Research Writing

Reasons for Research

Research Writing and the Academic Paper

Research Writing at Work

Writing at Work

Steps of the Research Writing Process

Step 1: Choosing a Topic

Step 2: Planning and Scheduling

Step 3: Conducting Research

Step 4: Organizing Research and the Writer’s Ideas