SciTech School of Advanced Learners

Step 3: Understanding the problem Identifying and understanding the problem addressed through the research, is a key step that has to be completed at the beginning of any research. Following the 'background information search' which was done in the step 2 of the flow chart  given in the  previous article , the research question is developed as the step 3. This is known as the 'problem statement'. Without a proper understanding on the problem at hand, the expected outcomes can never be reached. In some cases, the problem is not apparent; which means a direct problem cannot be identified. However, the need of the research is possible to be understood. As an example, the topic 'a review on the construction technologies of ancient Rome and Egypt', doesn't have a clear problem to be mentioned. Although, the requirement of conducting this study is to compare the two technologies and identify their similarities, differences, advantages, disadvantages, etc. Henc...

What is referencing  In academic writing such as research theses or project reports, the need to collect information from external sources may emerge. In such cases, the composers extract data, theories, ideas, illustrations, experimental results, research findings etc. in order to support their work. These information are accessed through well-recognized sources and it is required to properly acknowledge them by mentioning the references in the document itself. As there are internationally accepted standards for referencing, it is important to understand the correct procedure. This article provides guidance on how referencing should be done especially in research related academic matters. Referencing can done by quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing or copying. Correctly indicating the references helps the authors to claim the originality of their work. It also proves that the authors have done investigations pertaining to the study and supports their arguments. The readers can ...

Every undergraduate who follows a bachelor's degree has to do a research or a project in their final year of study. As it is the first time the students are experiencing a course module which requires the student discover new knowledge through a research, most of them finds it difficult to conduct the study properly in order to obtain the intended objectives. This series of articles on 'Undergraduate Research Project' will cover the basics of a research. There are several steps involved in a research which are common to all levels: B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. and even post-doctoral studies. The following figure is an illustration of the flow of a research. Flow of a research Step 1 & 2: Selection of a topic & Understanding the background The very first step of a research is selecting a topic. Usually at the undergraduate level, research topics are given to the students by the institution. Every topic has a supervisor who will guide the student throughout t...