Regardless of the university, course and program we choose, we will be required to perform research at different intensity and methods. There are some guidelines that we need to consider. Some of them can be quite relaxed, while others are quite stringent. It is important for students to define the proper starting point to make sure that they can proceed well with the research.
- Find good advisors: Before we get started, it is important to determine the most appropriate mentor and advisors that can assist us. We will gain the most from their professional experience. As an example, they could suggest a schedule for us to gather data, review, analyze and write. They could determine the most timely, realistic, achievable and measurable goals. We shouldn’t be afraid to ask them for help during each process of the research. It’s important for us to stay on track. So, we should try to keep notepad or journal, preferably on both electronic and paper-based. It has been shown quite frequently that people who define their goals are more likely to gain their goals.
- Choose the most appropriate topic: In many cases, we have the freedom on choosing a topic within a specified limit. In this case, we should determine topics that we are passionate about. As an example, we should make sure that we are fully motivated for specific purposes. It should also be easy for us to gather appropriate data for our research. We should also make sure that there are enough online resources that can support our research before we choose a topic. Many students can complete their research more quickly by choosing topics with plenty of resources, both offline and online. If we think that it is difficult to find data for specific topic, then we may need to choose a different topic. In this case, we should consider all the background information before we choose the right topic.
- Gather data appropriately: There are specific data gathering techniques that we can choose. The best approach is often the simplest. In general, we could survey, gather analyze and review. This will make sure that we get the most appropriate and accurate data for our requirements. As an example, students may need to get data from plenty of books and it is important to speed up the process. They should review the table of contents and go directly to the most promising chapters. It is important not to use too many highlighting, because it can be quite distracting.
- Write appropriately: Finally, we should be able to condense our research results and write a nice report or paper. When writing about specific topic, we should be able to narrow down our focus. A good paper should be laser focused on specific topics and it is important to consult our advisors before we start writing. As a researcher, students should have the final say on the topic that they choose to write about. It is also important to have proper writing skills, such as creating good introduction, body and conclusion; as well as making good relationships between them.
