Research Skills Involved in the Research Process - Essay Example

Being in a position to provide information in great detail on a particular topic is a vital skill to a researcher. Research skills involve taking a look at your competitors and being able to see why they perform well, as well as being able to produce a written report regarding how better your department could perform. In the world of work, researching is all about ceasing from doing your daily activities the same way and searching for better ways to improve. Some instances of research skills one may need include report writing, critical thinking, analyzing plenty of information from various sources and searching for information away from the internet. A successful research relies on a set of well-articulated skills from the beginning through each aspect of the research process to the end. The researcher delves into available knowledge, identifies issues that are yet to address and utilizes his research skills to address emerging questions objectively.

There is no lack of advice in books on the way a person can approach their research. It is worth spending some time having a review of the suggestions and information contained in the books. Such information includes documented knowledge in a given field of interest from the work of previous researchers. With this type of information, a researcher can demonstrate their skills by identifying knowledge gaps and aligning the objectives of their current and future research to address identified issues. Conducting a successful research involves defining a goal and practical research necessity which relates to your area of profession. The next step is initial planning which targets the critical knowledge gaps identified using different methodologies and research design. Denicolo & Reeves (2013) argue that the research method that one might use will vary with whatever they intend to measure. Initial ideas usually tend to change as you involve yourself more and more in the research process. Due to this, it is worth to keep some informal notes regarding your progress. A personal diary can be used in this case to keep accurate records of the prime issues.

It is essential that the researcher has one or maybe several ideas of a particular area of interest that they would like to research on. There is, however, a need for more work to improve the information, identify relationships and explore patterns to create a better understanding of their direction and strength (OECD, 2011). It is equally vital to find out the extent to which each topic has been written about to assist you in making the final selection. As such, discussing the ideas about probable issues and their associated problems is a necessary part of planning a research process. Examining ideas not only enables the researcher to perceive the critical facets of their research, but also possible loopholes that undermine the integrity of the process and achievement of objectives. After your initial analysis, it is a better practice to provide a short and concise research proposal. Finally, you should explain why your study was approached the way you did, what will be demonstrated by your results, and justify the approach you used with a reasoned argument based on research evidence.

Reference

Denicolo, P, Reeves, J. (2013). Developing Transferable Skills: Enhancing Your Research and Employment Potential. London, LDN: SAGE.

OECD (2011). Skills Used for Innovation and Research. Paris, PAR: OECD Publishing.