STEPS IN CONDUCTING A RESEARCH

Irrespective of the category of a research study, the steps followed in conducting it are the
same. These steps are -

Selecting and Defining Problem: This marks the beginning of a research study and is the
most difficult and important step. This involves - (i) identifying and stating the problem in specific
terms; (il) identifying the variables in the problem situation and defining them adequately; (iii)
generating tentative guesses (hypotheses) about the relation of the variables or in other words
the solution of the problem, or writing explicitly the questions (research questions) for which
answers are sought; and (iv) evaluating the problem for its research ability. To achieve this, you
review the literature related to the problem to know what other researchers have done and
discovered and to identify the possible methodology for conducting the research.

Describing Methodology of Research: You need to state the purpose of the study and to
define the problem clearly. This guides you in deciding the methodology of research which
involves: (a) identifying the method of research; (b) specifying the subjects of study; (c) selecting
an adequate representative sample of subjects; (d) selecting/constructing valid and reliable
instruments for measuring the variables in the problem; (e) selecting a research design and
describing the procedure to be employed for conducting the research study.

Collecting Data: This step involves conducting the study as per the designed procedure
(manipulating the experimental variables in the case of an experimental method), administering
instruments for measuring variables and/or gathering information through observation. It also
involves tabulating the data thus collected for the purpose of analysis.

Analyzing and Interpreting Results: The results of the study are generated at this stage. The
data are summarized, in other words analyzed to provide information for testing the hypotheses.
Appropriate statistical methods of analysis are used to test the hypotheses. You can perform the
analysis manually, by using a hand calculator or a computer as per the demands of the problem,
and the available facilities. After completing the analysis results are tied together or
summarized. The results are interpreted in the light of the hypotheses and/or the research
problem. These are then discussed in relation to: the existing body of knowledge, consistencies
and inconsistencies with the results of other research studies, and then the conclusions are
drawn. This is followed by writing the research report.

PHASES OF RESEARCH
The work on the research can be divided up into three phases, the planning phase, the project
phase and the documentation phase.
Planning Phase: One of the keys to developing successful research is the careful planning of it
from the outset. The mechanism for project planning is a proposal. The function of a proposal is
to answer four questions: (a) what will be done? (b) why is it an important thing to do? (c) what
are the objectives and scope of the work? and (d) how will it be done?
The following is a sample outline of a typical proposal-

1. Introduction - including a statement of the problem to be studied - why is it an important thing

to do?
2. Objectives of the work (a clear, concise statement).
3. Scope and limits of the project.
4. Preliminary survey of related work and literature.
5. Proposed procedure (may be a series of steps, task flow diagram, etc., including a schedule
for when the tasks will be done.
•Sources of data to be used.
7. Anticipated results (ie., what questions will the project answer, or what problems will be
solved; what benefits will result when the work is completed?).
8. Schedule of work by task.
9. Preliminary outline of the research report.

Project Phase: The actual work on the project is called the project phase. It is a good idea to
keep a diary or project log during the phase. It is a point where look back at what has been done
and a look forward at what remains to be done. It is also useful to write up rough statements of
what has been done occasionally to help later in the documentation phase.

Documentation Phase: The documentation phase or the preparation of the research should
occur continually during the project. The proposal and progress reports written during the
project phase can form the basis for much of the final document. The following is a general
outline for a research report. Of course, it is possible to deviate from this outline as the needs of
the project dictate.

Beginning Material: i.e. title page, abstract, key word list, table of contents, list of figures and
tables, acknowledgements

Chapter 1: introduction - statement of the problem, hypotheses, why it is important, objectives of

the work, scope of the work

Chapter 2: Background and Literature Review - discuss related work and indicate how it relates
to report

Chapter 3: Procedure - describe the procedure used in project, data used, and how it was
obtained
Chapter 4: Results - indicate what happened and interpret what it means
Chapter 5: Conclusions and Recommendations - summarize conclusions and what they mean
(i.e., answer the question, "So what?"). What changes and further work do you recommend?

Invariably every research begins with a question or a problem of some sort. The aim of research
is to know 'something more' about 'something' or to discover answers to meaningful questions
through the application of scientific procedures. Legal research is not an exception to this
general precept of research. However, undertaking and executing legal research, as a
systematic inquiry, is a complex process. It involves a three-stage process. Each one of them
warrants skill. The processes are research planning (Planning Phase), research implementation
(Project Phase), and presenting of research findings (Documentation Phase).

Research planning requires the necessary sub-skills for: fact collection, legal analysis, legal
knowledge, problem identification, legal analysis, fact analysis, further fact collection,
identification of avenues of research, and generation of key (search) words. Research
implementation, as the second-stage processes, involves the skills pertaining to: identification of
problems for resolution, identification of relevant research source materials, location of the
source materials, effective use of the source materials, analysis of research findings, application
of findings to the identified problem(s), and identification of further problem(s). While the
third-stage process, i.e. presentation of research findings, requires the skills necessary for:
identification of the (research) recipients' needs, selection of appropriate format or framework,
use of clear and succinct language, and use of appropriate language-style (informatory,
advisory, recommendatory, or demanding). A cumulative reading of these three-stage processes
of research and of their components leads to the following major processes that, like any other
research, involve legal research.

They may be presented in a flowchart as under -

Identification and Formulation of a Research Problem

Review of Literature
Formulation of a Hypothesis (Where feasible)
Research Design
Collection of Data
Analysis of Data
Interpretation of Data
Research Report

Selecting a Research Topic:

Choosing an interesting research topic is your first challenge. Here are some tips:
• Choose a topic that you are interested in! The research process is more relevant if you care
about your topic.
• Narrow your topic to something manageable,
If your topic is too broad, you will find too much information and not be able to focus.
Background reading can help you choose and limit the scope of your topic.
• Review the guidelines on topic selection outlined in your assignment. Ask your professor or TA
for suggestions.
• Refer to lecture notes and required texts to refresh your knowledge of the course and
assignment
• Talk about research ideas with a friend. S/he may be able to help focus your topic by
discussing issues that didn't occur to you at first.
• Think of the who, what, when, where and why questions:

WHY did you choose the topic? What interests you about it? Do you have an opinion about the
issues involved?

WHO are the information providers on this topic? Who might publish information about it? Who
is affected by the topic? Do you know of organizations or institutions affiliated with the topic?

WHAT are the major questions for this topic? Is there a debate about the topic? Are there a
range of issues and viewpoints to consider?

WHERE is your topic important: at the local, national or international level? Are there specific
places affected by the topic?

WHEN is/was your topic important? Is it a current event or an historical issue? Do you want to
compare your topic by time periods?

• Narrow your topic's scope

Too much information? Make your results list more manageable. Less, but more relevant,
information is key. Here are some options to consider when narrowing the scope of your paper:

Theoretical approach: Limit your topic to a particular approach to the issue. For example, if your
topic concerns cloning, examine the theories surrounding the high rate of failures in animal
cloning.

Aspect or sub-area: Consider only one piece of the subject. For example, if your topic is human
cloning, investigate government regulation of cloning.

Time: Limit the time span you examine. For example, on a topic in genetics, contrast public
attitudes in the 1950's versus the 1990's.

Population group: Limit by age, sex, race, occupation, species or ethnic group. For example, on
a topic in genetics, examine specific traits as they affect women over 40 years of age

Geographical location: A geographic analysis can provide a useful means to examine an issue.
For example, if your topic concerns cloning, investigate cloning practices in Europe or the
Middle East.
What to look for
Background information can help you prepare for further research by explaining all the issues
related to your topic, especially when you're investigating a field that's unfamiliar to you. Tips:

Check for background information in: dictionaries, handbooks and encyclopedias.

Look for facts in: statistical guides, almanacs, biographical sources, or handbooks.

Collect keywords or important terms, concepts and author names to use when searching
databases.

Start thinking in broad terms, then narrow down your topic.

Look at bibliographies to guide you to other sources of information (books, articles, etc.)

A research problem is a definite or clear expression [statement] about an area of concern, a

condition to be improved upon, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling question that exists in
scholarly literature, in theory, or within existing practice that points to a need for meaningful
understanding and deliberate investigation. A research problem does not state how to do
something, offer a vague or broad proposition, or present a value question.

Importance of…

The purpose of a problem statement is to:

Introduce the reader to the importance of the topic being studied. The reader is oriented to the
significance of the study.

Anchors the research questions, hypotheses, or assumptions to follow. It offers a concise

statement about the purpose of your paper.

Place the topic into a particular context that defines the parameters of what is to be investigated.

Provide the framework for reporting the results and indicate what is probably necessary to
conduct the study and explain how the findings will present this information.

SO WHAT?

In the social sciences, the research problem establishes the means by which you must answer
the "So What?" question. This declarative question refers to a research problem surviving the
relevancy test [the quality of a measurement procedure that provides repeatability and
accuracy].
Note that answering the "So What?" question requires a commitment on your part to not only
show that you have reviewed the literature, but that you have thoroughly considered the
significance of the research problem and its implications applied to creating new knowledge and
understanding or informing practice.

To survive the "So What" question, problem statements should possess the following attributes:

Clarity and precision [a well-written statement does not make sweeping generalizations and
irresponsible pronouncements; it also does include unspecific determinates like "very" or
"giant"],
Demonstrate a researchable topic or issue [i.e., feasibility of conducting the study is based upon
access to information that can be effectively acquired, gathered, interpreted, synthesized, and
understood], Identification of what would be studied, while avoiding the use of value-laden
words and terms,

Identification of an overarching question or small set of questions accompanied by key factors

or variables, Identification of key concepts and terms, Articulation of the study's conceptual
boundaries or parameters or limitations, Some generalizability in regards to applicability and
bringing results into general use, Conveyance of the study's importance, benefits, and
justification [i.e., regardless of the type of research, it is important to demonstrate that the
research is not trivial], Does not have unnecessary jargon or overly complex sentence
constructions; and,

Conveyance of more than the mere gathering of descriptive data providing only a snapshot of
the issue or phenomenon under investigation.

There are four general conceptualizations of a research problem in the social sciences:

Casuist Research Problem - this type of problem relates to the determination of right and
wrong in questions of conduct or conscience by analyzing moral dilemmas through the
application of general rules and the careful distinction of special cases.
Difference Research Problem - typically asks the question,
"Is there a difference between two
or more groups or treatments?" This type of problem statement is used when the researcher
compares or contrasts two or more phenomena. This is a common approach to defining a
problem in the clinical social sciences or behavioral sciences.
Descriptive Research Problem - typically asks the question, "what is...?" with the underlying
purpose to describe the significance of a situation, state, or existence of a specific phenomenon.
This problem is often associated with revealing hidden or understudied issues.
Relational Research Problem - suggests a relationship of some sort between two or more
variables to be investigated. The underlying purpose is to investigate specific qualities or
characteristics that may be connected in some way.

A problem statement in the social sciences should contain:

A lead-in that helps ensure the reader will maintain interest over the study, A declaration of
originality le.g., mentioning a knowledge void or a lack of clarity about a topic that will be
revealed in the literature review of prior research],

An indication of the central focus of the study [establishing the boundaries of analysis], and
An explanation of the study's significance or the benefits to be derived from investigating the
research problem.

NOTE: A statement describing the research problem of your paper should not be viewed as a
thesis statement that you may be familiar with from high school. Given the content listed above,
a description of the research problem is usually a short paragraph in length.

Sources of Problems for Investigation

The identification of a problem to study can be challenging, not because there's a lack of issues
that could be investigated, but due to the challenge of formulating an academically relevant and
researchable problem which is unique and does not simply duplicate the work of others. To
facilitate how you might select a problem from which to build a research study, consider these
sources of inspiration:

Deductions from Theory

This relates to deductions made from social philosophy or generalizations embodied in life and
in society that the researcher is familiar with. These deductions from human behavior are then
placed within an empirical frame of reference through research. From a theory, the researcher
can formulate a research problem or hypothesis stating the expected findings in certain
empirical situations. The research asks the question: "What relationship between variables will
be observed if theory aptly summarizes the state of affairs?" One can then design and carry out
a systematic investigation to assess whether empirical data confirm or reject the hypothesis,
and hence, the theory.

Interdisciplinary Perspectives
Identifying a problem that forms the basis for a research study can come from academic
movements and scholarship originating in disciplines outside of your primary area of study. This
can be an intellectually stimulating exercise. A review of pertinent literature should include
examining research from related disciplines that can reveal new avenues of exploration and
analysis. An interdisciplinary approach to selecting a research problem offers an opportunity to
construct a more comprehensive understanding of a very complex issue that any single
discipline may be able to provide.

Interviewing Practitioners
The identification of research problems about particular topics can arise from formal interviews
or informal discussions with practitioners who provide insight into new directions for future
research and how to make research findings more relevant to practice. Discussions with experts
in the field, such as, teachers, social workers, health care providers, lawyers, business leaders,
etc., offers the chance to identify practical, "real world" problems that may be understudied or
ignored within academic circles. This approach also provides some practical knowledge which
may help in the process of designing and conducting your study.

Personal Experience
Don't undervalue your everyday experiences or encounters as worthwhile problems for
investigation. Think critically about your own experiences and/or frustrations with an issue facing
society or related to your community, your neighborhood, your family, or your personal life. This
can be derived, for example, from deliberate observations of certain relationships for which
there is no clear explanation or witnessing an event that appears harmful to a person or group
or that is out of the ordinary.

Relevant Literature
The selection of a research problem can be derived from a thorough review of pertinent
research associated with your overall area of interest. This may reveal where gaps exist in
understanding a topic or where an issue has been understudied. Research may be conducted
to: 1) fill such gaps in knowledge; 2) evaluate if the methodologies employed in prior studies can
be adapted to solve other problems; or, 3) determine if a similar study could be conducted in a
different subject area or applied in a different context or to different study sample (ie., different
setting or different group of people]. Also, authors frequently conclude their studies by noting
implications for further research; read the conclusion of pertinent studies because statements
about further research can be a valuable source for identifying new problems to investigate. The
fact that a researcher has identified a topic worthy of further exploration validates the fact it is
worth pursuing.

What Makes a Good Research Statement?

A good problem statement begins by introducing the broad area in which your research is
centered, gradually leading the reader to the more specific issues you are investigating. The
statement need not be lengthy, but a good research problem should incorporate the following
features:

1. Compelling Topic
The problem chosen should be one that motivates you to address it but simple curiosity is not a
good enough reason to pursue a research study because this does not indicate significance.
The problem that you choose to explore must be important to you, but it must also be viewed as
important by your readers and to a larger academic and/or social community that could be
impacted by the results of your study.

2. Supports Multiple Perspectives

The problem must be phrased in a way that avoids dichotomies and instead supports the
generation and exploration of multiple perspectives. A general rule of thumb in the social
sciences is that a good research problem is one that would generate a variety of viewpoints
from a composite audience made up of reasonable people.
3. Researchability
This isn't a real word but it represents an important aspect of creating a good research
statement.
It seems a bit obvious, but you don't want to find yourself in the midst of investigating a complex
research project and realize that you don't have enough prior research to draw from for your
analysis. There's nothing inherently wrong with original research, but you must choose research
problems that can be supported, in some way, by the resources available to you. If you are not
sure if something is researchable, don't assume that it isn't if you don't find information right
away-seek help from a librarian!

NOTE: Do not confuse a research problem with a research topic. A topic is something to read
and obtain information about, whereas a problem is something to be solved or framed as a
question raised for inquiry, consideration, or solution, or explained as a source of perplexity,
distress, or vexation. In short, a research topic is something to be understood; a research
problem is something that needs to be investigated.

Asking Analytical Questions about the Research Problem

Research problems in the social and behavioral sciences are often analyzed around critical
questions that must be investigated. These questions can be explicitly listed in the introduction
"This study addresses three research questions about women's psychological recovery from
domestic abuse in multi-generational home settings..."], or, the questions are implied in the text
as specific areas of study related to the research problem. Explicitly listing your research
questions at the end of your introduction can help in designing a clear roadmap of what you plan
to address in your study, whereas, implicitly integrating them into the text of the introduction
allows you to create a more compelling narrative around the key issues under investigation.
Either approach is appropriate.

The number of questions you attempt to address should be based on the complexity of the
problem you are investigating and what areas of inquiry you find most critical to study. Practical
considerations, such as, the length of the paper you are writing or the availability of resources to
analyze the issue can also factor in how many questions to ask. In general, however, there
should be no more than four research questions underpinning a single research problem.

Given this, well-developed analytical questions can focus on any of the following:

Highlights a genuine dilemma, area of ambiguity, or point of confusion about a topic open to
interpretation by your readers;
Yields an answer that is unexpected and not obvious rather than inevitable and self-evident;
Provokes meaningful thought or discussion;
Raises the visibility of the key ideas or concepts that may be understudied or hidden;
Suggests the need for complex analysis or argument rather than a basic description or
summary; and
Offers a specific path of inquiry that avoids eliciting generalizations about the problem.
NOTE: Questions of how and why concerning a research problem often require more analysis
than questions about who, what, where, and when. You should still ask yourself these latter
questions, however. Thinking introspectively about the who, what, where, and when of a
research problem can help ensure that you have thoroughly considered all aspects of the
problem under investigation and helps define the scope of the study in relation to the problem

Mistakes to Avoid
Beware of circular reasoning! Do not state the research problem as simply the absence of the
thing you are suggesting. For example, if you propose the following, "The problem in this
community is that there is no hospital," this only leads to a research problem where:

The need is for a hospital

The objective is to create a hospital
The method is to plan for building a hospital, and The evaluation is to measure if there is a
hospital or not.

This is an example of a research problem that falls under the "So What?" test. In this example,
the problem does not reveal the relevance of why you are investigating the fact there is no
hospital in the community [e.g., perhaps there's a hospital in the community ten miles away]; it
does not elucidate the significance of why one should study the fact there is no hospital in the
community [e.g., that hospital in the community ten miles away has no emergency room]; the
research problem does not offer an intellectual pathway towards adding new knowledge or
clarifying prior knowledge [e.g., the county in which there is no hospital already conducted a
study about the need for a hospital,
but it was conducted ten years ago; and, the problem does not offer
meaningful outcomes that lead to recommendations that can be generalized for other situations
or that could suggest areas for further research [eg., the challenges of building a new hospital
serves as a case study for other communities].