Researching Text

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Researching Text

• Why Study Other Peoples Work?
• Interest
• Demonstrate knowledge
• Background
• Analysis
• State of the Field
• Only available source
• Justify a positionadvocacy!
• Justify a requestfunding!

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Steps in Research Process
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Analysis

• Deepening Your Reading
• Analysing Different Levels
• The source itself
• As it relates to other sources
• As it relates to your knowledge experience

4
Analysis

• Critical Analysis Challenging Dominant Forms of
  Knowledge
• Traditional Western Research
• Objective
• Value-free
• Rigorous methodology to remove the researcher
  from the research

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Analysis

• Critical Analysis
• Critical Feminist Challenge
• Objective research silences the oppressed
• Value-free No such thing!
• Rigorous methodology to remove the researcher
  from the research Hides the biases
  perspectives we all have
• Uncovering such biases influences help our
  understanding of the knowledge presented

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Analysis

• Critical Analysis
• Critical Feminist Research
• Marginalized have an important perspective
• Testing received wisdom against our own knowledge
  can identify gaps
• Knowledge continuum from community to experts
  scientists
• Recognizing roles of many forms of knowledge
• Understanding where experience fits

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Analysis

• Critiquing the Literature revisiting the source
  questions
• Author Who wrote it?
• Theoretical perspective
• Institutional contextUN agency, university,
  activist organization?
• Date How old is the source data? Are dangerous
  conclusions being made with inaccurate
  information?

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Analysis

• Critiquing the Literature revisiting the source
  questions
• Source
• Academic
• NGO
• Government
• Activist
• How is knowledge shaped by these different
  perspectives

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Analysis

• Deepening Your Understanding
• Contradictions? Why?
• Different perspectives
• Whose knowledge is not represented at all
• What are you really learning from this?
• New ideas
• New approaches or tools
• Challenging your thinking
• Confirming your suspicions!

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Organizing Findings

• Writing up the results
• Stop collecting resources, focus on what you have
  and work on a draft
• Revisit your methodology to guide you
• Focus on addressing the research questions. It is
  easy to get off track at this stage.

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Organizing Findings

• Writing up the results
• Ensure you clearly cite all information and ideas
  that you got from others.
• Plagiarism A Greek word meaning,
• One who snatches a baby from its parent
• or in its modern usage
• the kidnapper not only steals
• someone elses brainchild, but then
• pretends to be its proud parent
• (Avery in Simpson, 2002, p.33)

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Organizing Findings

• Writing up the results
• Writers Block, hints for getting unstuck
• Talk to a friend / cohort, often discussing the
  issues first can make them easier to write down
  clearly.
• Dont try to write a First Final draft.
  Focusing on correct grammar, organization and
  formatting for a first draft can stifle ideas and
  creativity.
• Take a break and do something different to
  refresh your mind.

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Organizing Findings

• Writing up the results
• Plan enough time to get the work done properly.
  You may have to share the work with an advisor or
  colleagues for feedback, so allow for delays
• Ask someone to read over your final report, to
  help you identify areas that are not clear.

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Organizing Findings

• Writing Your Recommendations
• In your conclusion, avoid quoting other sources,
  focus on your knowledge and understanding that
  has grown out of the research.
• Avoid simply repeating what you already knew
  before your research began
• Do not introduce new topics. However, you can
  identify areas that require further research
• Avoid lengthy repetitions of your analysis, stick
  to the main themes

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Organizing Findings

• Writing Your Recommendations
• Planning for results What do you want your
  research to achieve?
• Develop practical and achievable goals
• Avoid vague or abstract recommendations
• Consider the implications of your
  recommendations. You may have developed a strong
  vision for change, but how will others receive
  your message?

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Organizing Findings

• Editing, the final polish
• If it is a major report, seek the help of an
  editor or proofreader. A poorly written document
  will lack credibility.
• Focus, focus, focus!
• Make sure your final document achieves your
  goals, and that your message is consistent
  throughout.
• It can be hard to cut ideas that really interests
  you but are beyond the scope of your report. Keep
  it on file for future reference.
• Dont forget your bibliography. If you kept good
  notes, this will be easy to do! ?

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Recommendations Use

• Your voice in development research
• Research representing the marginalized rarely
  gets out (OLaughlin)
• Information tends to stay where it is generated
  (Woodfield)
• Make sure your hard work has an impact by
  developing a dissemination strategy from the
  outset

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Recommendations Use

• Developing a Strategy
• What do you want to share or achieve?
• Who do you want to influence or educate?
• What feedback do you seek?
• What resources do you have?
• Who is responsible for the information?
• To whom are you accountable?

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Recommendations Use

• Your voice in development research
• Research representing the marginalized rarely
  gets out (OLaughlin)
• Information tends to stay where it is generated
  (Woodfield)
• Make sure your hard work has an impact by
  developing a communication strategy from the
  outset

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Recommendations Use

• The end???
• Input from stakeholders
• Response from audience
• Implementing the recommendations
• Learning from the implementation
• Further research ideas