University of Algiers 2 Study Skills course

Faculty of Foreign Languages Second Year ‘Licence’

Department of English Language & Literature Dr. Zerouali Amina Asmaa

Research Process: Introduction to the Research Terminology

1. Definition:
The research process is a set of ordered steps a researcher takes to ensure that all parts of an
investigation are completed to a high standard. Following the research process allows the
researcher to cover all angles and ensure that the information they gather is reliable and
effectively presented. Once a researcher has completed all the research process steps, they can
write up their findings appropriately.
2. Research Process Steps:
It is known that the research process is about ensuring research is completed effectively and
appropriately. But how can you make sure you don't forget any important aspects of the research
process?
The key steps to think about are as follows:
1. Identify the purpose or research question
2. Design a research plan
3. Collect the required data
4. Interpret the collected data
5. Present the research findings
By following these five ordered research process steps, you'll ensure your research is complete.
3. Research Writing Process:
In this section, we'll delve deeper into each step of the research writing process listed above.
We'll also look at some tips for how to approach writing your research project.
3.1. Identify Your Purpose:
Before researching a topic, you need to know what information you want to find out. There's
no point simply Googling "Ernest Hemingway", for instance; when what you're specifically
interested in is the effects of the narrative perspective used in his novel For Whom the Bell
Tolls.

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Identifying your brief or devising a research question is vital to ensure you are looking for the
right information and not being too broad. This will also help you find information that is
relevant and helpful for your investigation.
A research question is a targeted and specific question that sets the basis for your research.
How has the development of technology impacted our language use?
3.2. Design a Research Plan:
It's now time to design your research plan. Before you begin your research, you'll need to
consider the type of research you'll undertake, i.e., qualitative or quantitative, and whether you'll
create new research (primary) or conduct research by analyzing the research of others
(secondary). You must also decide what types of sources you might use. We'll also discuss
ethical research processes.
3.2.1. Research Types:
There are two key types of research: Qualitative and Quantitative:
a. Qualitative research is concerned with investigating opinions, values, or characteristics
that cannot be counted or quantified. Qualitative research is generally holistic in approach
and provides more descriptive data using:
• Observations
• Focus groups
• Questionnaires (with open-ended questions)
• Interviews
• Literature reviews
b. Quantitative research is concerned with statistics, facts, and values that can be counted or
quantified. Quantitative data is often numerical and often used to map correlations and
patterns or make predictions using:
• Surveys
• Polls
• Scientific experimentation
• Questionnaires (with closed-ended questions)
Research methods are not only qualitative or quantitative but also primary or secondary.
c. Primary research is research that you, yourself, conduct. This could include conducting a
survey or questionnaire or carrying out an observation on a participant group. Primary
research produces information that can add to the existing resources on that topic.
d. Secondary research is when you conduct research by analyzing the research of others -
this is sometimes called "desk-based" research. A literature review is an example of
secondary research.

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 3.2.2. Sources:
You’ll need to consider what sources you will use in your research. The majority of research
projects will require you to use a combination of primary sources and secondary sources:
a. Primary sources are directly linked to an event or topic – for example, photographs,
artifacts, diaries, or journals. Primary sources are directly connected to an event/situation,
so they’re less likely to be biased.
b. Secondary sources are interpretations of events or topics – for example, textbooks, journal
articles, and research papers. Secondary sources add context to primary sources.

3.2.3. Ethical Considerations of Research:

Regardless of the type of research you conduct, you’ll need to ensure your research is carried
out ethically. Here are some considerations you should take into account :
• Consent: If you involve participants in your research (such as conducting an interview
or observation), you’ll need their consent to participate in your study. You must also
ensure their identifying information is kept confidential.
• Intent: You must make the intent of your research clear. Participants should have the
chance to make informed decisions about their input, and readers of your research
should not be misled about its purpose.
• Relevance: Your research methods should be necessary and relevant. There is no point
wasting time and resources conducting research that does not further your study.
• Bias: When researching, you should remain impartial and should look for secondary
resources that are impartial too. Using materials that are biased can lead to skewed
results and unsubstantiated arguments.
• Referencing: ALWAYS reference your research to avoid plagiarism and give proper
credit to the original writers of your secondary sources. You should use the proper in-
text citations and should include a bibliography or reference list at the end of your paper.
3.3. Collect the Required Data:
The data collection process can be split into two sub-categories.
Firstly, you must collect secondary research data by conducting your own research based on
primary and secondary sources that already exist. These existing sources could include journal
articles, news articles, textbooks, and literary works.
In some cases, your data collection may end here, and you could move on to interpreting your
findings. However, you may need to conduct primary research as well.
Your primary research could include conducting surveys, interviews, or questionnaires, among
other qualitative and quantitative research methods. When conducting primary research, you
must remain ethical and keep clear records of your data for analysis.

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 3.4. Interpret the Collected Data:
To interpret your findings, you should organize them so that the data relates to a certain point
or argument. By doing this, you’ll be able to see how your collected data supports, disproves
or influences the research question or hypothesis made in the beginning.
Your evidence might show something different from what your research question or hypothesis
suggested – that’s ok.
You can analyze the data to see what conclusions can be drawn. In other words, explore the
data you collected to understand what it means or suggests.
Suppose you were investigating the impact of social media on language use. In that case, you
might have conducted a range of surveys and questionnaires to gain data on how your
participants use language via social media. These surveys and questionnaires are your primary
sources. You might also have researched the effects of social media on language use using
secondary sources such as existing articles and research papers on the subject. By collating this
collected data, you could pick out patterns across your participant group (such as people using
more acronyms such as LOL and BRB when instant messaging). You could then use your
secondary research to suggest reasons for these patterns.
3.5. Present Findings:
It’s finally time to create your final report or presentation on your findings. Whether your
project is an essay or a visual presentation, you need to carefully consider how to portray your
results and conclusion so that they are easy to follow.
Think about what you want your reader or audience to understand from the research and how
the data you collected supports this. Make sure your conclusion is decisive and backed up with
appropriate evidence.
A good way to ensure you have supported your argument or investigation sufficiently is to use
the PEEL method in each paragraph:
• Point: Make the point, or state the argument you want to discuss.
• Evidence: Provide evidence to support your argument or point.
• Explanation: Explain how and why the evidence backs up what you are saying.
• Link: Provide a link to your next paragraph, where you make your next point.
An effective way of presenting visual data is with charts and graphs.
For example, out of 100 participants, 40 said they use more acronyms on social media than
when using other forms of written communication.

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 4. Referencing:
References and citations are so important. You must reference and cite your work correctly and
fully. Some standard referencing formats include MLA, Chicago, and APA, but you should
check with your teacher which one to use.
Referencing is essential as it gives credit to the people who have written the secondary resources
you use in your research and acknowledges when you've used an idea that isn't your own. It
also contextualizes your work and shows how extensive your research has been. Finally,
referencing will stop you from being pulled up for plagiarism.