Desk Research - Developing Good Projects

Summary

The lecture outlines the research process with four critical objectives: discussing the research process, establishing the purpose of the literature review, providing recommendations for desk research, and presenting a model for research-based documentation. It emphasizes the importance of inductive reasoning, starting with a knowledge gap and moving towards theory. The lecture also highlights the significance of literature reviews in generating ideas, avoiding redundant efforts, synthesizing knowledge, and establishing research credibility. Effective literature reviews should be focused, well-structured, and use credible sources. The lecture concludes by stressing the need for thorough research before writing to ensure quality and efficiency.

Takeaways

• 🔍 The research process involves producing new knowledge or insights, representing a balance between established truths and new possibilities.
• 📚 The literature review serves multiple purposes, including generating ideas and research questions, providing examples of well-executed research, avoiding redundancy, synthesizing known information, establishing credibility, and developing a study argument.
• 🧐 Inductive reasoning, moving from specific observations to general rules, is a primary approach to knowledge acquisition and is integral to the research process.
• 🔑 Desk research is crucial for identifying knowledge gaps and formulating informed research questions, which is the first step in conducting a literature review.
• 📈 The importance of theory in applied fields cannot be understated; it acts as a playbook, providing a starting point for understanding and navigating real-world phenomena.
• 🤔 Literature reviews should be focused and coherent, avoiding a 'kitchen sink' approach where every piece of information is included without clear direction.
• 📝 Effective literature reviews synthesize and analyze information, providing context and building an argument about the state of knowledge in a field, rather than merely summarizing.
• 🔍 High-quality sources, such as peer-reviewed journals, are paramount for literature reviews, ensuring the credibility and cutting-edge nature of the information.
• ✍️ Writing a good argument involves a clear structure with a claim, explanation, evidence, analysis of the evidence, and a conclusion that ties everything together.
• 📘 The process of conducting literature reviews and desk research is inductive, building upon previous work to identify gaps and produce new insights.
• 📚 The importance of starting with a thorough literature review before beginning to write cannot be overstressed, as it provides the necessary foundation and direction for research.

Q & A

What are the four critical objectives of the lecture on the research process?

The four critical objectives are to discuss the research process, establish the purpose of the literature review, provide recommendations for desk research, and provide a model for research-based documentation.

What is the primary purpose of conducting research?

The primary purpose of research is to produce new knowledge or new insights into topics or problems.

What is the definition of inductive reasoning and how does it relate to the research process?

Inductive reasoning is one of the two primary approaches to knowledge acquisition where we move from specific observations to general rules. It begins with a knowledge gap, leads to new observations for pattern detection and analysis, and then draws tentative conclusions to produce theory.

Can you provide an example from the script that illustrates inductive reasoning in everyday life?

An example given is catching a bus into the city center. One begins by figuring out which bus to take and when it arrives, conducts background research, tests the information by actually catching the bus, observes any discrepancies, and adjusts their morning schedule based on the observed pattern.

How does the process of inductive reasoning translate into a formal piece of research?

In formal research, the process begins with identifying knowledge gaps in a field of study through desk research. Then, informed research questions are asked, data is gathered to identify patterns, and over time, patterns are spotted and a theory is built.

Why is it important to start a research project with a literature review or desk research?

Starting with a literature review helps generate ideas and research questions, provides examples of well-executed research, avoids reinventing the wheel, synthesizes known information about the topic, adds credibility to the research, and helps develop an argument for the study.

What are some common problems that literature reviews often have according to the speaker's experience?

Common problems include lack of a clear focus, feeling like a book report, lack of a coherent narrative, failure to support fact-based assertions with citations, difficulty separating fact from opinion, poor structure and development, and not reflecting the most current research.

What are the best practices for collecting, organizing, and writing up desk research into a literature review?

Best practices include providing a summary and analysis of the state of the field, focusing on source quality, using primary and secondary sources, avoiding generic Google searches, applying tests of source quality such as recency and sufficiency, and ensuring the literature review is well-structured and effectively developed.

What are the three tests of source quality that should be considered when conducting a literature review?

The three tests of source quality are recency (is the source recent enough to reflect the latest knowledge), sufficiency (is there enough credible data reported to support the conclusions), and credibility of the researcher (do they have the expertise and background to comment on or research the subject).

What is the recommended structure for an argument developed by the Greeks, and why is it effective?

The recommended structure for an argument consists of a claim, explanation of the claim, support or evidence, explanation of the support, and a conclusion. This structure is effective because it provides a systematic way to present information that is persuasive, credible, and clear.

Can you explain the importance of starting research before beginning to write in academic work?

Starting research before writing is crucial because it allows for a deep understanding of the topic and ensures that the writing is informed and relevant. It prevents the common mistake of trying to fit research into a pre-written paper, which can lead to a disjointed and less credible argument.