💪 How to Write the Contributions of a Study in a Research Paper: A Step-by-Step Guide 🎓

Summary

This video offers a comprehensive guide on writing the contributions of your research, focusing on aligning them with research objectives and identified gaps. Key steps include conducting a thorough literature review, highlighting theoretical, practical, and methodological contributions, and using cautious language when discussing existing research. Theoretical contributions involve confirmation, further explanation, and extension of theories, while practical contributions emphasize real-world impact and relevance to Sustainable Development Goals. Methodological contributions introduce new methods or datasets, complementing theoretical insights. Overall, the video aims to enhance your ability to articulate the significance of your study.

Takeaways

• 📚 Contributions should align closely with your research objectives and identified gaps in the literature.
• 🔍 Conduct a comprehensive literature review to establish a solid understanding of existing knowledge.
• ⚠️ Be cautious in claiming to have reviewed all literature; use phrases like 'to the best of the researcher's knowledge' when stating gaps.
• 🔗 Theoretical contributions can include confirmation of theories, further explanation of relationships, and integration of multiple theories.
• 🔁 Confirmation/replication involves testing established theories in new contexts to validate their applicability.
• 💡 Further explanation can be achieved by including mediator or moderator variables to understand underlying mechanisms.
• 📈 Practical contributions focus on the real-world impact of your research and how it addresses societal needs.
• 🌍 Linking your research to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can enhance the significance of your practical contributions.
• 🧪 Methodological contributions should not substitute theoretical contributions and may involve using new methods or data sets.
• 🔄 Always frame methodological contributions as leading to new empirical and theoretical insights to demonstrate their value.

Q & A

What is the purpose of writing the contributions of your study?

The contributions of your study aim to demonstrate what your research adds to the existing body of knowledge, aligning with your research objectives and identified gaps.

When should the contributions of research be reported in a thesis or dissertation?

The contributions are typically reported in Chapter 1, after conducting a comprehensive literature review.

Why is a literature review important before stating research contributions?

A literature review is crucial because it helps you understand the current body of knowledge, allowing you to identify gaps and claim what your study adds to the field.

What statements should researchers use when discussing literature gaps?

Researchers should use cautious statements like 'to the best of the researcher's knowledge' to acknowledge that some relevant studies may have been missed.

What are the three main groups of theoretical contributions in quantitative studies?

The three main groups are confirmation or replication, further explanation, and extension or integration of theories.

How can a researcher justify conducting a replication study?

A researcher can justify a replication study by explaining the unique aspects of the new context that may lead to different results, rather than simply summarizing the context.

What should researchers do if there are contradictory results in past studies?

Researchers can investigate these contradictions to provide clarity about the relationships between constructs, possibly introducing new variables or examining specific conditions.

What constitutes practical contributions in research?

Practical contributions relate to the real-world impact of your research, addressing significant problems or needs in society, policy-making, or the community.

How can researchers frame their practical contributions using Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

Researchers can link their work to specific SDGs by explaining how their research may help achieve goals like reducing poverty, promoting gender equality, or improving health and well-being.

What are methodological contributions, and how do they relate to theoretical contributions?

Methodological contributions involve using new methods or designs to address empirical challenges, but they are complementary to theoretical contributions and should not substitute them.