I have difficulty not to run out of time towards the end of my research (A15).
I have difficulty not to get stuck while writing (A15). I have difficulty not to understand the different stages of doing research (A15).
Research projects are very difficult to manage. It is important to be aware of the phases that a research project could go through, before you start a research project.
There are at least sixteen known steps to be taken in research projects. The table below gives you an overview, with brief explanations. You can systematically check during the research process what phase of the process you are in and what you could do.
Researchers should take the following general rules into consideration if they want to ‘survive’ a research project:
1. Needs - Specify your research needs/problems, or those of your client
2. Aim - Specify your research aims: a) Personal (A4); topical. Formulate a problem definition and an initial research question. What outcome and impact do you want the research to have?
3. Time - Specify the time available for the research project: a) In weeks/days/hours; b) What other obligations do you have during the project? Consider lay-out and language style (who is your audience?). Designate an editor.
4. Feasibility - Make a feasibility study of the topic and planned methodology (A6). Is it ‘researchable’ considering available resources and your own capacity/time? Revise the initial question (A11). Decide upon method(s). Remain with this.
5. Question - Develop a question hierarchy: a logical sequence of research (sub)questions, which also contribute to the contents of your research report. Specify the concrete end product of your research (A10).
6. Linkages - Link each (sub)question to a preferred method. Write a rough introduction.
7. Labour Division - If you work in a group: what would be a useful division of labour for the remaining steps? Create sufficient overlap in your labour division.
8. Budgets - Specify the ‘budgets’ available:
[] Time budget. Set clear deadlines. Specify time modules;
[] Page budget. Clarify the importance of each part in your end product;
[] Social budget. What networks (of informants) are you in?
[] Financial budget. In case of a commercial product; if this budget is not approved, you will probably have to stop the project.
[] Energy budget. Make clear what your ambition is and how much energy you (and your group members) would like to put in the project
9. Theory - Finish the conceptual/theoretical part as soon as possible. The main content of your feasibility study has dealt with this already. Elaborate on paper, do not keep it in your head! This Elaboration will probably trigger further specifications of your research question and the concepts used when collecting data.
10. Data - Only now do you come to the part where you collect primary data, do interviews and so forth. Specify a further labour division if you are part of a group.
11. Analysis - Write down the results of your empirical search. Analyse and interpret them.
12. Conclusion - Always repeat your research question(s), form conclusions
13. Summary - Write an ‘executive summary’, this should be approximately one page long.
14. Preface - Write your preface and rewrite your introduction. Reveal all of the analytical and methodological choices which you have made!
15. Lay-out - Finalise the lay-out of your report.
16. Letter - Send a well written letter to the person/organisation who commissioned the research project (also teachers), in which you explain the status of the report.
