A Beginners Guide to Research

There are things known and things unknown and in between are the doors – Jim Morrison

When you begin your research work you have the key to that door, you have knowledge of certain things and there are certainly other things that you will discover on the way. Research helps unravel the unknown.

What is the purpose of your Research?

Research may look like a daunting task at the very beginning. The secret is to segregate the work in an effective manner and take it one at a time. There may be various reasons why you want to research hence the initial step is to introspect the reasons for why you are researching. What is it that drives you? Is it for a college project? Is it part of your PhD?

Are you wondering how this is relevant? This is very important because, research is a very long process and in the end, it always comes down to why you are doing what you’re doing. When your objective is crystal clear, nothing can deter you from achieving your goal.

When your objective is crystal clear, nothing can deter you from achieving your goal – Tweet that

Broaden your Perspective:

Be ready to revamp your lifestyle to accommodate research. You will have to do a lot of reading, attending conferences and reaching out to experts in the field. Attending conferences and listening to subject matter experts gives you a different perspective altogether and ideas for your work.

Reading articles, books, blogs about everything that is relevant to your research helps you get a broader perspective. Along this journey, you will meet new people and you will build a community of likeminded people, Try to make the best of your network to get a good research experience.

Broaden your Perspective by reading, attending conferences and reaching out to subject matter experts – Tweet that

Make an early start:

Keeping track of your learnings is very important. Do not wait until the end to start writing your thesis or paper. Start writing from Day 1 and as days pass keep updating your work. This way you can ensure that your thesis gets strengthened.

Planning is of utmost importance for timely completion of your research. You can refer the article on Organising time to aid you in the planning process. First-hand planning helps you see the mammoth task in a much clearer and concise manner.

Always be prepared for the hurdles that come along the way. Let’s not be naïve, you’ll face difficulties and you need to always have a backup plan. With all these points in mind, let’s get researching!