Research Process Template

This blog is intended as a place for me to organize data, collect my thoughts, do research, and record the results. But since research is an art unlike any other, there comes a demand for structure and organization. That's why I'm going to break down the process into smaller, more manageable parts. That way, I can set a goal for myself each week and hopefully do my best to reach it. It will be challenging, and I have to remind myself not to rush it, but I'd like to think I can do it consistently with enough determination. Here are the steps for research I'll (mostly) be following.

• Identify the Topic or Point of Research: Decide who or what it is I want to learn more about. This can be as vague or specific as I like, but it should be noted that the direction should not be too narrow or too broad. Finding a happy medium will probably yield best results.

• Find and Review Related Literature: At this step in the process, I will be collecting sources. I will evaluate their credibility, and will collect all the information about the sources into one place. Sources can be internet articles, books, magazines, television shows, podcasts, and the like. Five sources is the goal.

• Collect Data: This is probably the most taxing part of the research process. I'll need to extract and collect data from each of my sources about my topic. The information can be general information, or can address specific questions. I will need this data and other information to back up my analysis, and I should be able to cite specific sources to accompany facts, especially of the statistic kind. It might also be a good idea to collect photos to accompany the information.

• Analyze and Interpret Data - Present Possible Theories and Opinions: This is when I'll need to sort through all the information and data I've collected and explain what I've learned in a cohesive and easy to understand manner. This is a great time to present my thoughts and opinions about my topic to the reader. My writing shouldn't be pure opinion, but I should present facts to back up what I think and why. 

• Evaluate Research and Report: This is when I evaluate the effectiveness of my research. I decide whether I found the answers to the questions I had, and whether further research is necessary or not. I can evaluate my sources and do a final report on the entirety of what I found. I can also let through my strongest and most fact based opinions and finish up my final product of my research.

This is just a rough guide, but I will probably try to follow it pretty closely, simply because it is easy enough to understand and to go through. The research process will probably be a trial and error to some degree, so patience is a key thing to have when looking for answers. If all goes smoothly, I can crank out a topic of research in a month. Though there may be times it will take longer, this is generally my goal. I hope you enjoy seeing me search for information!

I'll also show you a sweet dream next night...

Mistress Lenore