INSSciMethod

Research Using The Scientific Method

Narrow your research question

Perform background research

Start with a question

Identify research method(s) & search for sources

Report your findings

Analyze data & draw conclusions

6. Report your findings

Research is cyclical. Based on your findings, you might need to refine your hypothesis or research question. Finally, decide on how you would like to communicate your findings. This could be through methods such as a research paper, conference presentation, or sharing on social media. For more information, see Writing a Research Paper and Communicating Your Research.

1. Start with a question

Start with something that you have observed or are curious about. For example, a question related to human behaviour such as social media usage patterns.

2. Perform background research

Unobtrusive methods rely heavily on existing data. Look for existing studies on your topic and what methodologies were used. This can help refine your question and identify potential unobtrusive data sources. For more information, see Search Strategies.

4. Identify research method(s) and search for sources

Once you have determined your research question or hypothesis, you will need to decide on the best research method(s) to use and search for data sources that match the research method(s) you have selected.For more information, see Unobtrusive Research Methods and Research Data Sources.

5. Analyze data and draw conclusions

Once you have your data, analyze it objectively to see if it anwers your research questions or supports your hypothesis. Quantitative data can be analyzed statistically, while qualitative data might involve identifying themes or patterns.

3. Narrow your research question

Based on your background research, define the research question or hypothesis that you will answer in your project. Try to make your research focus clear and narrow enough so that you are able to effectively research the topic within the timeframe that you have.