Becoming a researcher
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Becoming a researcher
The Personal Development Portfolio (PDP) provides the framework to help you expand your academic, professional and career development; build and sustain a personal learning network; articulate your professional goals; and reflect on your skills through various strategies and assessments.
Conducting research and exploring a research topic means dealing with the unknown. Collis and Hussey (2013) make a good point for students in the early stages of their research, maintaining that, apart from gaining a reasonable understanding of your topic, you also need specific skills to overcome the difficulties related to your research.
Reflect on the readings you have encountered in the first 4 weeks of this module. (all files have been uploaded)
Write a critically reflective paper (550 words) considering the following:
- How has the information that you have discussed in class, researched and read helped you to understand the practice of academic research and the type of research skills that you have developed over your previous modules?
- Have your ideas and views of academic research changed?
- How has your understanding of academic research and your own ability to conduct research developed?
- How will you apply what you have learnt so far when conducting future research?
SAMPLE ANSWER
RM PDP W4
Introduction
In this paper, the purpose is to reflect on the readings that I have encountered on the first four weeks of this modules. I will reflect based on four essential issues. Foremost, I will determine the manner in which the information that I have discussed in class, researched and read has assisted me in understanding the practice of academic research and the form of research skills that I have developed over the previous modules. The second objective will be on the way in which my ideas and views of academic research have changed. Thirdly, I will seek to document how my understanding of academic research and my own ability to carry out an inquiry has developed. Ultimately, I will attempt to inform the audience on how I will apply what I have learnt so far when conducting future research.
Learning Points
The information that has been discussed in the class, researched, and read has allowed me to gain an optimal understanding of the academic research practice. For instance, from Saini and Budhwar’s (2008) study and that by Şendoğdu, Kocabacak, and Güven (2013), I learned that a research topic that one seeks to investigate must be precise and directive. As such, it should show the reader what the intention of the study is and the potential interaction between the variables. From the article by Fan and Yan (2009), I learned that when carrying out research, it is of central importance for an inquirer to provide future research directions on the research issue under question. The essence is not only to build the knowledge produced but also to try and answer any question that has been left unanswered. In addition to this, I learned that the ability of a researcher to open up areas needing further research portrays that an investigator is not only willing but also ready to support continued research.
The information also helped me to understand that the research process is a systematic procedure. As such, it requires one to identify the research topic, state the reason for the interest in that subject, clarify the objectives to guide a research process, and devise the research questions. Besides, the research practice necessitates a person to explore what the previous studies that have been carried out on a similar topic, and establish a comprehensive research methodology to gain the necessary data for analysis (University of Liverpool, School of Management, 2016). The research process, as well, entails reporting the results, offering recommendations, and opening up avenues for future studies. While each part of the research process is fundamental, emphasis should be laid on the research methods. As a matter of fact, the nature of the methods tends to determine how meaningful the findings will be. Part of the focus should be the research paradigm; a researcher has to be overly keen to select the most suitable study model.
My ideas and views regarding academic research have changed significantly. Previously, I thought that an academic research process was merely meant to fulfill the university demands. As such, I believed that it was only a means for securing one’s higher education success. Nonetheless, I am now aware that an academic research process might have larger implications for the society. As such, it may assist in solving some of the pertinent problems that continue to confront the society. In the light of this, it is integral to take an academic research seriously and put greater effort in facilitating the underlying procedures.
Development Points
In feel that I need to know more about the application of the mixed methods that are used in research. While the module oriented me to these methods, I was not able to understand how they could be applied hand in hand. Developing this knowledge is of central importance. I understood that it is through the use of mixed methods that a researcher can be allowed to present robust and more meaningful findings. Hence, I think that I should make concerted efforts to understand the application of the mixed methods of research.
Conclusion
To conclude, my understanding of academic research and my ability to carry out research has developed tremendously. I am now well aware of the various processes involved and how to interact with them more productively. For example, I now have knowledge of where one can derive problems for research from. As such, the existing societal status quo and the existing literature can help a person to pinpoint an issue that requires investigations to develop a suitable cause as the study by Chang, Yu, and Lu (2015) portrays. Into the future, I will apply what I have learned to carry out research in a more efficient way. For example, rather than seeking for broad topics and objectives, I will be much more specific. This will allow me to focus my future inquiries. Moreover, I will seek for ways through which I can ensure that my study initiatives are credible and reliable, free from bias. In this way, I will become a trustworthy source of knowledge regardless of how complex an issue might seem (University of Liverpool, School of Management, 2016).
Bibliography
Chang, Y.T., Yu, H. and Lu, H.P., 2015. Persuasive messages, popularity cohesion, and message diffusion in social media marketing. Journal of Business Research, 68(4), pp.777-782.
Fan, W. and Yan, Z., 2010. Factors affecting response rates of the web survey: A systematic review. Computers in human behavior, 26(2), pp.132-139.
Saini, D.S. and Budhwar, P.S., 2008. Managing the human resource in Indian SMEs: The role of indigenous realities. Journal of World Business, 43(4), pp.417-434.
Şendoğdu, A.A., Kocabacak, A. and Güven, Ş., 2013. The relationship between human resource management practices and organizational commitment: A field study. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 99, pp.818-827.
University of Liverpool, School of Management, 2016. Key Concept: Research Methods. Laureate Education, Inc., Baltimore, MD.
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