RIVERS STATE UNIVERSITY,

NKPOLU – OROWORUKWO, P.M.B. 5080

PORT HARCOURT, RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA.

ASSIGNMENT ON RESEARCH METHODS

NAME: MITEE BARIELBA BATOM

LEVEL: MSC 1
DEPARTMENT: P.G. ARCHITECTURE
MAT NO: PG.2021/00360
COURSE TITLE: RESEARCH METHODS
DATE: JANUARY 2023.

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1. ABSTRACT
What is an Abstract?
An abstract is one of the most important parts of any academic or professional paper
(Atanassova et al., 2016). This concise text functions as a synopsis of a paper’s content. It
is designed to very briefly summarize the key details contained in a paper without
providing too much detail (Hartley, 2008).
An abstract is a self-contained, short, and definitive summary that describes the full
contribution or content of an academic publication. Generally considered as the first
section of a scholarly article, an abstract is considered as “a standalone genre” (Gillaerts
& Van de Velde, 2010 cited in Ngai et al. 2018).
Parts of an abstract vary according to discipline. On the one hand, abstracts of social
science or scientific research may contain the scope, purpose, results, and contents of the
work. On the other hand, an abstract of a humanities paper may include the problem or
hypothesis, background, and conclusion of the complete research report.
However, it should be noted that an abstract is not a review. Moreover, although it
contains the key terms and frameworks found in the main paper, the abstract should be
regarded as an original text rather than merely an extracted content.
B. Goals
While there are many different types of abstracts in terms of an author’s field, discipline,
or purpose, all of them typically serve these primary objectives:
 An abstract helps readers decide if they should read the whole article. Readers first read
abstracts to know if an article interests them or is related to a subject important to them.
Instead of checking numerous written materials, readers depend on abstracts to quickly
determine if an article is relevant to them or not.
 It presents the nature or level of technicality of an article. Readers use abstracts to help
them measure the complexity or sophistication of a report or article. If the abstract is too
simple or too technical, readers will readily know whether to read the entire article or not.
 An abstract enables supervisors to evaluate theses or dissertations without being too
overwhelmed by intricate details. While many research supervisors and thesis advisers
prefer reading simple executive summaries, some of them still need to be updated on
technical developments. Due to their busy schedules, many of them rely mainly on
abstracts to know the work status of their thesis advisees or research subordinates.
 It helps to screen newly submitted papers and to decide on the initial outcomes for
reviewing. Journal editors and conference organizers use abstracts in deciding whether to
proceed to the review stage or just give the authors an initial reject.
 An abstract allows readers and researchers to easily remember core findings on a research
topic. Even after reading an entire text, readers usually store copies of abstracts to remind

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 them which particular studies support certain findings. Since abstracts have full
bibliographic citations, they facilitate scholarly writing and referencing. You can always
use a citation generator to save time in adding these to abstracts.
 It supports article indexing for quick access and cross-referencing. In the past, librarians
and researchers had been using abstracts to easily find information. Today, with the bulk
of easily accessible online indexes and virtual libraries, researchers can quickly scan
through hundreds of abstracts to identify articles and materials relevant to their research.
Further, abstract-based cross-referencing helps researchers discover new research areas
and topics that are previously unknown when they began their research.
C. Purpose
Abstracts show the key elements of a longer written work in a concise, yet authoritative
way. The main objective of an abstract is to offer potential readers the chance to assess if
an article or report is relevant to their specific needs or not. Because they contain the gist
of a research article or report, abstracts have proven to be very helpful in providing
essential information to a wide range of users.
When to write abstracts?
Students, researchers, authors, and other individuals prepare abstracts to meet the
requirements when:
 submitting articles to journals
 applying for research grants
 writing a proposal for a conference paper
 completing an undergraduate/M.A. thesis or Ph.D. dissertation
 writing a proposal for a book chapter
 submitting a book proposal
 writing a patent
Abstracts are also a common inclusion in research papers, so even students pursuing
the easiest college majors usually experience writing abstracts at least once. Usually, the
author of the whole paper or article (or proposed work) prepares the abstract. For articles,
book chapters, and other documents written by several authors, the first author typically
writes the abstract in collaboration with other contributors.
The last decade saw an explosion in the volume of scientific papers, with an estimate of
over 50 million scholarly articles in existence as of 2009 (Jinha, 2010). One
approximation indicates that a new scholarly article is published every 20 seconds
(Munroe, 2013).
PubMed, currently comprised of over 26 million papers, has a growth rate of around
1,370 new articles per day, while Thomson Reuters ISI Web of Science indexes over 90
million papers (Saggion & Ronzano, 2017).
As this pace is predicted to be sustained or even further increase, abstracts continue to
grow in importance, as they help simplify an otherwise cumbersome research process.

How to Write an Abstract

A. Step-by-Step Guide

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 A comprehensive, chronological abstract writing process that can be used for most
academic and technical requirements is provided:
1. Complete your paper first. Although abstracts are placed at the beginning of your article,
it is actually the last part that you need to write. Once you have finished writing your
paper, you can then use it as a guide to preparing your abstract.
2. Keep it short. In general, an abstract should be around 150 to 250 words, written in a
single paragraph. The exact number varies per institution, journal, publisher, funding
agency, etc. You should verify the required word-count to ensure you are submitting an
abstract within the acceptable length. Different scholarly styles have different abstract
length requirements.
3. Structure of the abstract in the same order as your paper. Frame your abstract the way
your article is written. As such, start with a concise summary of the Introduction, follow
by synopses of the Method, Results, and Conclusion.
4. Get ideas on how other abstracts in peer-reviewed journals and apply them to your
abstract. Observe the key points that the authors selected to use in their abstracts to be
published in venues you want to consider. Emulate their style and apply those suitable to
your own paper. You can also look for the best word cloud generator online so you can
get a visualization of the most common words and concepts in these abstracts.
5. Prepare a rough draft of your abstract. Much as you should observe brevity, you must be
careful not to make your abstract very short where the key points are lost. Try to write a
few sentences condensing every major section of your article. Once you have prepared a
rough draft, you can then carefully edit and rewrite each sentence for clarity and length.
6. Ask a colleague to examine the abstract. Having new sets of eyes to check your abstract
can offer new perspectives you’ve never seen before. It can also help you detect new
errors and better ways to frame your sentences.
III. How Long Should an Abstract Be?
The lengths of abstract differ by institution, publisher, and discipline requirements,
although most commonly range from 100 to 500 words. Placing “Abstract” as a section
title also varies per discipline and organization.

For abstracts following the APA (2014) style, abstracts should be between 150 and 250
words. The exact word-count, however, still differ from one journal, the publication style
followed, or organization to the next (Brown, 2019). If you are writing the abstract as an
academic requirement, check with your instructor for specific details.

Scientific articles such as lab reports and technical documents also require abstracts. In
these instances, the abstract must include every major section of your paper, i.e.,
introduction, hypothesis, methods, results, and discussion.

As in most cases, abstracts are written last and placed at the beginning of an article or
report. To ensure you are following the publication rules, consult the style manual of the
institution or publication.

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 2. INTRODUCTION
What is Research Paper Introduction?
Introduction in the research paper is the first paragraph that provides a detailed background of
the topic it could also be referred to as the formal presentation of the topic or subject.

The introduction is often the most important chapter of your paper because it lays out what you
want to accomplish and how. The introduction should have a broad view of the topic,
establishing how it relates broadly with other topics in its field. It’s also an opportunity for you to
state why this research matters by explaining both background information as well as stating
hypotheses or questions that will be answered through your study (or at least addressed).
It should provide an overview of what approach you will take with your methodology before
providing some brief details as to how this study could yield results that can contribute value to
society.

Objectives of writing a research paper introduction

 The main objective of the introduction part of a research paper is to make the reader
familiar with the content and purpose of writing a research paper. As a Research paper
introduction is the first section of a research paper that has a great effect on the reader’s
mind. Therefore, you should edit and proofread the introduction after writing it.
 One of the main objectives of the introduction is to give a description of the problem that
will be addressed. In this section, the researcher might discuss the nature of the research,
the purpose of the research, the significance of the research problem, and the research
question(s) to be addressed.
 Another objective of the introduction section in the research paper is to capture the
attention of the reader. It is the paragraph in a research paper that makes the reader
familiar with the subject by providing an overview of the topic, the length of an
introduction is completely based on the types of research papers is being written.
 For example, Globalization is a phenomenon that has bought drastic changes in
industries. It has changed the way marketing has been done by firms.

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Elements of introduction in the research paper
Different elements of introduction in the research paper are:

1. Topic sentence
It provides the reader with a basic idea about the research paper. You are required to use
expressive words for your topic sentence in a research paper, as this will help you in grabbing the
attention of the reader. The topic sentences should relate to the information contained in the
paragraph.

2. Thesis statement
It is the most important part of the introduction section of the research paper. This section in the
research paper provides the reader with a basic idea about the topic. The thesis statement that
you have design should be cohesive and clear. Reviewing and refining the thesis statement again
is considered to be one of the best strategies for ensuring clarity. While writing the thesis
statement as a part of the introduction, you need to make sure that it is narrow, specific, and
focused.

3. Supporting sentences
In the main body section of the research paper, you need to include at least five arguments. You
should include the only relevant argument in the research paper. Supporting sentences might
include a reason for selecting a specific topic for investigation, the importance of research. It
might also include other important information about the research such as research questions,
aims, and objectives, etc.

4. Conclusion sentences
It mainly includes restatements of the main idea of the research. You, in order to write a
concluding sentence, will be required to again write the topic sentence. But in this section, the
topic sentence should be in different words. While writing conclusive sentences you will again
need to emphasize the key idea of research. But you have to provide additional information along
with the key idea. You should use both expressive and impressive words while writing
conclusive sentences.

3. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

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The statement of purpose is the topic of the research paper in some required detail. It is the
problem
or purpose statement around which the whole research paper revolves. The statement of purpose
keep
you stick to a specific dimension and research only about the topic.
4. AIM
A research aim describes the main goal or the overarching purpose of your research project.
In doing so, it acts as a focal point for your research and provides your readers with clarity as to
what
your study is all about. Because of this, research aims are almost always located within its own
subsection under the introduction section of a research document, regardless of whether it’s a
thesis, a
dissertation, or a research paper. A research aim is usually formulated as a broad statement of the
main
goal of the research and can range in length from a single sentence to a short paragraph.
Your research aims are the answer to the question, ‘What are you doing?’
1. You need to clearly describe what your intentions are and what you hope to achieve. These are
your
aims.
2. Your aims may be to test theory in a new empirical setting, derive new theory entirely,
construct a
new data-set, replicate an existing study, question existing orthodoxy, and so on. Whatever they
are,
clearly articulate them and do so early. Definitely include them in your introduction and, if
you’re smart,
you’ll write them in your abstract.
3. Be very explicit. In the opening paragraphs, say, in simple terms, ‘the aim of this thesis is
to…’
4. Think of your aims then as a statement of intent. They are a promise to the reader that you are
going
to do something. You use the next two hundred pages or so to follow through on that promise. If
you

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don’t make the promise, the reader won’t understand your follow-through. Simple as that.
Because they serve as the starting point of the study, there needs to be a flow from your aims
through
your objectives (more on this below) to your research questions and contribution and then into
the
study itself. If you have completed your research and found that you answered a different
question (not
that uncommon), make sure your original aims are still valid. If they aren’t, refine them.
If you struggle to explain in simple terms what your research is about and why it matters, you
may need
to refine your aims and objectives to make them more concise.
When writing up your aims, there are a number of things to bear in mind.
1. Avoid listing too many. Your PhD isn’t as long as you think it is and you won’t have time or
room for
more than around two or three.
2. When you write them up, be very specific. Don’t leave things so vague that the reader is left
unsure or
unclear on what you aim to achieve.
3. Make sure there is a logical flow between each of your aims. They should make sense together
and
should each be separate components which, when added together, are bigger than the sum of
their
parts.
5. OBJECTIVES
Where a research aim specifies what your study will answer, research objectives specify how
your study
will answer it.They divide your research aim into several smaller parts, each of which represents
a key
section of your research project. As a result, almost all research objectives take the form of a
numbered
list, with each item usually receiving its own chapter in a dissertation or thesis.
Research objectives

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Your aims answer the question, ‘What are you doing?’ The objectives are the answer to the
question,
‘How are you doing it?’
Research objectives refer to the goals or steps that you will take to achieve your aims.
When you write them, make sure they are SMART.
1. Specific: talk in a precise and clear way about what you are going to do.
2. Measurable: how will you know when you have achieved your aim?
3. Achievable: make sure that you aren’t overly ambitious.
4. Realistic: recognise the time and resource constraints that come with doing a PhD and don’t
attempt to do too much.
5. Time constrained: determine when each objective needs to be completed.
You need to be as explicit as possible here. Leave the reader in no doubt about what you will do
to
achieve your aims. Step by step. Leave no ambiguity. At the same time, be careful not to repeat
your
methods chapter here. Just hint at your methods by presenting the headlines. You’ll have plenty
of
space in your methods discussion to flesh out the detail.
Elsewhere in the thesis you will necessarily have to talk in a complex language and juggle
complex ideas.
Here you don’t. You can write in clear, plain sentences.
6. JUSTIFICATION
The justification for the project is to try to explain why a solution to the problem described in the
research needs to be implemented. The rationale must be correctly addressed so that the entire
research project can be strong. In an investigation one must justify virtually everything that is
done.

7. LITEERATURE REVIEW
A literature review is a comprehensive summary of previous research on a topic. The literature
review surveys scholarly articles, books, and other sources relevant to a particular area of
research. The review should enumerate, describe, summarize, objectively evaluate and clarify
this previous research. It should give a theoretical base for the research and help you (the author)

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determine the nature of your research. The literature review acknowledges the work of previous
researchers, and in so doing, assures the reader that your work has been well conceived. It is
assumed that by mentioning a previous work in the field of study, that the author has read,
evaluated, and assimiliated that work into the work at hand.
A literature review creates a "landscape" for the reader, giving her or him a full understanding of
the developments in the field. This landscape informs the reader that the author has indeed
assimilated all (or the vast majority of) previous, significant works in the field into her or his
research.
"In writing the literature review, the purpose is to convey to the reader what knowledge and
ideas have been established on a topic, and what their strengths and weaknesses are. The
literature review must be defined by a guiding concept (eg. your research objective, the problem
or issue you are discussing, or your argumentative thesis). It is not just a descriptive list of the
material available, or a set of summaries.

In general, the literature review should:

 provide a context for the research

 identify seminal works and scholars in the field
 acknowledge existing theories, points of view, hypotheses, etc. in the field of research
 justify the research
 clear up misconceptions about previous research
 ensure the research has not been done before (or if it is repeated, that it is marked as a
"replication study")
 show where the research fits into the existing body of knowledge
 enable the researcher to learn from previous theory on the subject
 illustrate how the subject has been previously studied
 highlight flaws in previous research
 outline gaps in previous research
 show that the work is adding to the understanding and knowledge of the field
 help refine the topic, refocus the topic, or even contribute to the topic's evolution

8. METHODOLOGY
Research methodology is a way of explaining how a researcher intends to carry out their
research. It's a logical, systematic plan to resolve a research problem. A methodology details a
researcher's approach to the research to ensure reliable, valid results that address their aims and
objectives. It encompasses what data they're going to collect and where from, as well as how it's
being collected and analyzed.
A research methodology gives research legitimacy and provides scientifically sound findings. It
also provides a detailed plan that helps to keep researchers on track, making the process smooth,
effective and manageable. A researcher's methodology allows the reader to understand the
approach and methods used to reach conclusions.

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Having a sound research methodology in place provides the following benefits:
 Other researchers who want to replicate the research have enough information to do so.
 Researchers who receive criticism can refer to the methodology and explain their
approach.
 It can help provide researchers with a specific plan to follow throughout their research.
 The methodology design process helps researchers select the correct methods for the
objectives.
 It allows researchers to document what they intend to achieve with the research from the
outset.
Types of research methodology
When designing a research methodology, a researcher has several decisions to make. One of the
most important is which data methodology to use, qualitative, quantitative or a combination of
the two. No matter the type of research, the data gathered will be as numbers or descriptions, and
researchers can choose to focus on collecting words, numbers or both.
Qualitative
Qualitative research involves collecting and analyzing written or spoken words and textual data.
It may also focus on body language or visual elements and help to create a detailed description of
a researcher's observations. Researchers usually gather qualitative data through interviews,
observation and focus groups using a few carefully chosen participants.
This research methodology is subjective and more time-consuming than using quantitative data.
Researchers often use a qualitative methodology when the aims and objectives of the research
are exploratory. For example, when they perform research to understand human perceptions
regarding an event, person or product.
Quantitative
Researchers usually use a quantitative methodology when the objective of the research is to
confirm something. It focuses on collecting, testing and measuring numerical data, usually from
a large sample of participants. They then analyze the data using statistical analysis and
comparisons. Popular methods used to gather quantitative data are:
 Surveys
 Questionnaires
 Test
 Databases
 Organizational records

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This research methodology is objective and is often quicker as researchers use software
programs when analyzing the data. An example of how researchers could use a quantitative
methodology is to measure the relationship between two variables or test a set of hypotheses.
Mixed-method
This contemporary research methodology combines quantitative and qualitative approaches to
provide additional perspectives, create a richer picture and present multiple findings. The
quantitative methodology provides definitive facts and figures, while the qualitative provides a
human aspect. This methodology can produce interesting results as it presents exact data while
also being exploratory.

9. CONCLUSION
The conclusion is the part of the research paper that brings everything together in a logical
manner. As the last part of a research paper, a conclusion provides a clear interpretation of the
results of your research in a way that stresses the significance of your study. A conclusion must
be more extensive and encompassing compared to a particular finding and, in the same vein,
various findings may be integrated into a single conclusion (Baron, 2008).
A conclusion is the final paragraph of a research paper and serves to help the reader understand
why your research should matter to them. The conclusion of a conclusion should:
 Restate your topic and why it is important
 Restate your thesis/claim
 Address opposing viewpoints and explain why readers should align with your position
 Include a call for action or overview of future research possibilities

10. REFERENCE
Referencing is one of the most important aspects of any academic research and poor or lack of
referencing will not only diminish your marks, but such practices may also be perceived as
plagiarism by your university and disciplinary actions may follow that may even result in
expulsion from the course.
What Should Referencing Do in a Research Paper?
It is necessary to explain where one’s sources come from. Referencing serves as signs pointing to
any kind of information you use. When it comes to citing - it is a means to show the readers that
some information from your paperwork comes not from you.
The end has the same look in all formats, except the issue date. When citing in a research
paper, remember the following standards:

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1. The cover page and the reference page are not counted;
2. In total you will have ten or twelve pages;
3. Cite eight different sources as a minimum. They should be dated from 2002 or later;
4. Include articles of which five are scholarly reviewed;
5. As footnotes are forbidden you need to apply APA citing to cite sources ;
6. Remember to reread the work before handing it in to check it for errors. Headings are to
be used according to the requirements.

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