Academic research is often approached with apprehension by students and new researchers.
The secret for success in research projects and endeavors lies in open minds, hard work and willingness to learn. Students and new researchers must just find out what they need to do and then go ahead and do it ! Nelson Mandela said, " It always seems impossible until it is done".
Research is any attempt to gain greater understanding and increase the existing knowledge base of a given endeavor or field. Research can take many forms (for example formal or informal) and use many different methods or forms (qualitative, quantitative or mixed). For me, anytime there is curiosity and someone asks a question and in turn seeks to find an answer, research is being conducted.
Research can be defined as a diligent and systematic inquiry or investigation into a subject, in order to discover or revise facts, theories, application, relations, or a combination of these aspects (Monette et al., 1986). In addition, Grinnell (1993, p.5) sees it as ‘a structured inquiry that utilizes acceptable scientific methodology to solve problems and creates new knowledge that is generally applicable.’
To be more specific about social research, Mouton and Marais (1990:41) see it as research endeavor in which a collaboration of human activities where social reality is studied objectively, with the aim of gaining a valid understanding of it. Bouma and Ling (2004) see social research as a discipline, science and a process. A discipline involves collection, weighing and evaluation of evidence; science is about producing acceptable description of some aspect of how the universe works. The process involves the use of acceptable methods and procedures.
On the basis of these definitions, therefore, major characteristics of research include:
· a diligent and a structured inquiry;
· a process that utilizes a systematic and accepted scientific methods;
· an examination of: phenomena, facts, theory, application or relations; and
· that it is aimed at solving problems and creating new knowledge.
Research projects are undertaken for numerous reasons. These reasons include the following as listed and also their various combinations:
· idea testing;
· hypotheses testing;
· theory testing;
· development of steps (for a proposal, process, model, program or policy);
· challenge to beliefs or practices; and
· problems solving.
For students and future social science researchers, useful research products and relevant data can be found through the websites of reputable and authoritative institutions such as, government departments, institutions and bodies (for example, StatsSA, HSRC, MRC and universities).
NB!!! IN THE SEARCH BOX, THERE ARE DOCUMENTS OF VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS THAT CAN BE
USED. BUT THE SOURCES /AUTHORS MUST BE DULY ACKNOWLEDGED!!
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