CS700 & IS700

Selected Topics: Research Methods

Today Agenda:

• Review of previous Lectures

• Stages of the Research Process
– Research Approaches
– Research Methods vs Methodology
– Research Process
• Selecting a Research Topic
 Choosing a Research Topic

• The First step in a research process is to find a topic.

– Specific aspect of a general subject

• The choice of a research topic:

– Not usually made after a systematic investigation.
– A sequence of circumstances and actions involving both
conscious efforts and luck.
 Five Important Activities
• The early stages of any research project
should include the following 5 activities:
1. Budgeting time
2. Following and developing interests
3. Letting ideas brew
4. Asking the right questions
5. Making a commitment
 Budgeting Time

• Plan from the beginning.

• Make list of activities.
• Estimate time for each task.
• Remember that if you exceed your planned time at one stage,
you will have less time for other tasks.
• Revise your budgeting time periodically (monthly, weekly,
every few days).
• Coordinate your research project with your other
responsibilities.
• Schedule the writing
 Following Interests
• Subjects you would like to explore.
• Build on what you know.
• Subjects you want to know and to learn about.
• What you ought to know.
• Before you commit yourself make three lists:
1. Subjects that you already know something about.
2. New subjects that you would like to explore.
3. Items on the first two lists that are appropriate for
you (specialization, work, career, …).
 Letting Ideas Brew
• Take the time to think about ideas.
• Discuss your ideas with as many people as
possible.
• Live with your ideas for a while, let them brew.
 Asking Questions
• Explore possibilities by asking questions.
• Ask other people (friends, instructors, …)
• Look up items in your list in general references.
• A general subject area is broken into a number of particular topics
(identify).
• Choose your topic if there is one thing in particular you want to
know about.
• Look at the list of questions you have made about possible topics
and see if there is one that you would most like to be able to
answer.
• Ask yourself which is the most important, the most relevant to your
studies, the most challenging, or the most suited to your resources.
 Making a Commitment
• After you have selected a topic, do a little background
reading.
• Talk to your advisor or supervisor.
• Be ready to make a commitment.
• Remember that you will live with a research topic for
a certain time. Be sure that you have sincere interests
in the subject.
• If OK, proceed and make a commitment.
• You are now ready to begin your research by focusing
on a limited, manageable topic.