The research process

Research is an activity that produces statements about reality in a systematic and structured way, on the basis of gathered information and observations1.

Each research process can be divided into steps:

         

  1. What do you want to know?
    Each day as Einstein came home from school, his mother asked him: “Did you ask any good questions in school?” The question is the starting point of all research. What do you want to learn? In scientific research, the question should also be new: a question that has not been answered before.

  2. What is already known?
    In order to find out if your question is new, you carry out a literature search. You also search relevant public data archives, where available. You adapt the research question to the state of the art.

  3. How will you measure/investigate?
    Which research methods and techniques are you going to use to find an answer to your question? The word method is derived from the Greek words "meta hodos", which mean "along which way". In quantitative research, you use instruments to gather data.

  4. How do you analyse the measured data?
    When you have gathered your research data, you first ask yourself if they are complete and accurate. Very often additional processing is required to convert the raw data into a form which allows you to draw conclusions. Think of charts, graphs, or tables which clearly indicate which units are plotted.

  5. How do you interpret the measured data?
    What is the significance of the research data for the research question?

  6. How are you going to share (report) your (conclusions about the) measured data?
    How are you going to share your conclusions? In a scientific article, on a poster, a conference? And will you share the underlying research data as well?


The results of scientific research should meet three conditions:

  • You are certain about what you are measuring (reliability)
  • Someone else can measure what you have measured (verifiability)
  • You have no direct interest in any particular outcome of your research (objectivity)

In the VSNU’s Code of Conduct for Scholarly Work2 (principles for good scientific education and research) these conditions are divided into precision, reliability, verifiability, impartiality and independence.

In order to check research for reliability, verifiability and objectivity, it is important that research results (research data, articles) are public. In scientific research, other interests than science alone exert their influence, such as publicity and bringing in research grants.

Peer review is intended as a measure of the quality of research results3. Independent researchers within a particular research field give their opinion about reliability, reproducibility and objectivity. Datasets can also be subjected to peer review. DANS has organised a pilot project at the end of 2010 among users of datasets from DANS EASY4, who were asked to assess a dataset they had downloaded. Pilots like that can eventually lead to a technical infrastructure which includes the assessment of the quality of datasets as standard.

 

1. Plooij, F. (2011). Onderzoek doen. Pearson Education.
2. VSNU. (2004). Nederlandse Gedragscode Wetenschapsbeoefening. Retrieved 8-12-2011 from http://www.vsnu.nl/Media-item/Nederlandse-Gedragscode-Wetenschapsbeoefening.html
3. Voor een bibliotheekperspectief op het onderzoeksproces van ontwerp tot publicatie, kun je de volgende publicatie lezen:
Hengl, T., Gould, M. & Gerritsma, W. (2011). The Unofficial Guide for Authors. Retrieved 8-12-2011 from http://ia600700.us.archive.org/26/items/TheUnofficialGuideForAuthors/UG4A_book_v0.pdf
4. DANS. (2011). Data Reviews. Peer reviewed research data. Retrieved 8-12-2011 from http://www.dans.knaw.nl/sites/default/files/file/publicaties/Data_Reviews_peer_reviewed_research_data_DEF.pdf

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