Think Tank - Session 2
Navigating the Research Journey: From Subject Selection to
Crafting a Compelling Introduction
By Mariem El Kady (Egypt TG’24) & Hadil El Basri (Morroco TG’24)
Introduction
The research process involves two crucial early steps: subject
choice and problem definition
This presentation will guide you through these important initial
stages, as well as provide an overview of the first part of
scientific writing - the introduction, literature review, and
materials and methods
Choosing a Research Subject
Identify your research interests and areas of passion
Explore the existing literature to identify gaps and opportunities
for new contributions
Align your subject choice with your personal goals and
academic/professional aspirations
Defining the Research Problem
Clearly articulate the Explain the Outline the potential
significance and contributions your
specific research
relevance of the research can make to the
problem or question you
problem field
aim to address
Conducting a Literature Review
The literature review is essential for understanding the current state of
research in your field
Develop a comprehensive search strategy to find relevant scholarly
sources
Critically analyze and synthesize the existing literature
Structure the literature review in a logical and cohesive manner (e.g.,
chronological, thematic)
Identify key themes, trends, and debates within the existing research
Highlight gaps in the literature and opportunities for further
investigation
Thorough documentation of your research methods
is crucial for ensuring transparency and
Materials and reproducibility
Methods Select appropriate research methodologies and
techniques based on your research objectives
Address potential limitations, sources of bias, and
ethical considerations
Provide detailed explanations of your data collection
and analysis procedures
Justify the chosen methods and techniques, and
explain how they align with your research goals
Acknowledge any limitations or assumptions
inherent in your chosen approach
Crafting an Effective
Introduction
The introduction sets the stage for your research and should be
well-structured and compelling
Provide relevant background information to contextualize your
study
Clearly state your research objectives, hypotheses, and the
potential contributions of your work
Examples
"Smith et al. (2020) conducted a longitudinal
Examples of study examining the relationship between social
media use and adolescent mental health. The
Successful authors found that increased time spent on
social media was significantly correlated with
Literature higher rates of depression and anxiety among
Reviews their sample. In contrast, Doe et al. (2018)
reported no significant association between
social media use and mental health outcomes in
their cross-sectional survey of college students.
These conflicting findings highlight the need for
further research to clarify the complex
relationship between digital technology use and
adolescent wellbeing."
"There have been many studies on the effects of
Examples of social media on mental health. Some
researchers have found negative impacts, while
unsuccessful others have not. It is an important topic that
requires more investigation."
Literature
Reviews Disjointed, with no clear
organizational structure
Superficial summaries of studies
without critical analysis
Failure to identify gaps in the
existing research
Effective Materials and Methods Sections
"For this randomized controlled trial, participants were randomly assigned to
either a mindfulness meditation intervention group or a wait-list control group.
The meditation group completed 20-minute mindfulness exercises daily for 8
weeks, while the control group maintained their usual routines. Depressive
symptoms were assessed at baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks using the Patient
Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). The study protocol was approved by the
University Institutional Review Board, and all participants provided informed
consent."
Example of a Problematic Materials and Methods Section:
Vague or incomplete descriptions of methods
Lack of justification for selected techniques
Failure to address potential limitations or ethical concerns
Thank You
