The Importance of the Proper Way in Which to Write a Research Paper - Essay Example

The importance of the proper way in which to write a research paper It is very important to think about the research approach before starting the research process, as the approach affects how research questions are formulated, and how data collection takes place. The conclusion may or may not be different. Generally, there are four categories of research approaches: logical theoretical research, quantitative or experimental research, qualitative or observational research, and participatory action research.

Let’s take an example. If we have to evaluate whether a variable relates to a given situation, we conduct the qualitative research, which is base on observation. Experiments and surveys are conducted, with the use of interviews and questionnaires, to seek answers to the research questions and come to conclusion. For example, in the research with research question: how coffee intake affects sleep, the researcher will follow the qualitative approach, going to participants of the study, and conducting interviews, questionnaires, and surveys, to know how caffeine intake is related to sleep.

He will not use the quantitative approach, which is best used for hard scientific evaluations, like those in physics, and is based on empirical data that can be used for statistical analysis. Hence, when the aim is to gather general information about a subject matter, like why something happens or what people think about it, qualitative research is used; but, when the researcher has to go for numerical evidence, he uses quantitative approach. The research question also gets modified with each kind of study.

The comparison of above mentioned approaches illustrates that it is very important for the researcher to think about the research approach before starting the research, as every approach undergoes entirely different steps. Research questions get modified, even if conclusions remain the same.