The Research Process:
Conducting an Academic Investigation

It is impossible to separate the conduct of a research investigation from the exercise of writing up the report.  This section focuses on the strategies and skills that go into conducting an academic research investigation. All kinds of methodological questions are involved in decisions about the organisation of your report. If you have not planned your research project well, this will become evident in your report - and the criticisms will only come when people read your report. We look at the following key areas of research design and planning:

• Purpose of the Investigation: Differences between reports and essays
• Posing Questions and Defining Problems
• Primary and Secondary research
• Methods and Results : what they have in common
• Conducting a questionnaire survey
• Collaborative investigation and writing