Research Seekers: A Journey of Research

Those who possess passion and strive for something can attain reality; these individuals are known as research seekers. Can I know the truth? This is not a question, but rather the entirety of life that surrounds it; knowledge is the truth, truth is the knowledge, and research seekers never cease their pursuit of reality and truth. We are the research seekers if we have decided our path is to find the truth, so research seekers always keep themselves on the way of learning. Research seekers possess the power of knowledge, exercising self-control over their surroundings and harnessing nature for both individual and collective benefits.

Source of Thinking for Research Seekers

Seeing is believing, and observation plays a major role in research. In science, the five senses are the source of knowledge. The one sense involved is considered the weakest knowledge. The type of qualitative research is crucial for research seekers to enhance their knowledge and skills. The term “case” holds significant importance in qualitative studies, as it refers to the process of collecting observations and new pieces of evidence during the understanding stage(Collins et al., 2024) . The concept of grounded theory (Oktay, 2012) makes it more important to understand the gathering of knowledge through the process of coding and then developing the concept.

Research seekers gain knowledge through Self-thinking

Thinking plays a crucial role in learning. We refer to mental activities such as wishing, envisioning a new idea or thought, planning, reading, writing, and philosophical ideas as thinking elements. The role of higher-order thinking is to make thinking more powerful; critical thinking is considered high-order thinking, and creativity is involved in high-order thinking. Undoubtedly, the human mind retains ideas, but they require refinement through knowledge.

Observation leads, research seekers to develop problem statements

Now come to the point: if I have a problem or a problem comes at the workplace, it is important for me to understand the problem. So, as we explained earlier, the researcher uses his five senses to understand the phenomena of the problem, and the second is self-thinking.

At this phase, the researchers have gained a deep understanding of the problem and are now prepared to write about it based on observation and self-reflection. We can explain that the problem statement is the statement that is ready for further investigation in order to reach the final factual decision that requires a systematic approach. The systematic approach involves taking steps to investigate the problem in a way that leads to research and ultimately, a conclusion.

Now Objectives and Research Questions Are Clear

When I am clear about my problem, I am capable of explaining the objective of my research; these are named research objectives. This is good for me, and so the objectives are the desired aims that give me a clear way to reach my desired destination. When I am clear on my objectives, the next step is to be in a position to write the questions. These questions need a pattern, and as we work through them, we reach the answer. The pattern and way will be the systematic way.Therefore, once I have a clear understanding of my problem, I can define the research objectives and research questions.

Research Seekers Collect Relevant Information Case

The world is brimming with knowledge; if I were to assert that the universe itself possesses knowledge, we would have reached a level known as discovery. The research seekers are those who remain in search; the problem may not be new for me. This type of problem may happen, and I must read the case. What were the views and arguments presented in that particular case that were similar to mine? Academically, we refer to this term as the study of the literature review; we call the previous (published date) the literature review, which is also known as the secondary data. Kolaski, Logan, and Ioannidis (2024) recommend a wide range of methods and tools for developing and evaluating evidence syntheses. Relevant information gives me more in-depth knowledge to understand the problem, and I become more confident in the relevancy of information about the problem. So I am in a position to make an action plan for further investigation.

Research seekers Action plan

Now is the time to take action. We call action the practical or research seeker’s involvement. The research seeker may go to the laboratory, do a survey, or perform both, depending on the problem. If the research seekers are looking for problems related to social phenomena, they may conduct a survey, and if they are looking for medical issues related to the human body, they may use a laboratory. The researchers used a design (blue print) to explain the action plan: what will be the approach, what will be the strategies, what will be the tools for the collection of information and data, and what will be the tools for analysis. The research seekers employed a design known as the research design.

The Stage of Data Analysis and Data Interpretation

The accuracy of information or data collection plays a crucial role in data analysis and interpretation. Improper data collection can lead to unreliable and inaccurate results, which in turn cannot provide answers to problem statements. The analysis of data in the social science category involves various perspectives, a descriptive nature, and an inferential type, all of which are influenced by the methods used in data collection. The other is the world of science, which has different tools in different sciences. The most important thing is that if the collected data is more accurate and improved, the results will be better.

Now Research Seekers Reaches to Conclusion

This is why it’s crucial for researchers to be able to determine that the initial problem has undergone various stages, culminating in a decision. After a period of thought or research, one forms a final decision or judgement, also known as a conclusion (Britannica Dictionary). This conclusion has paved the way for me to acquire new knowledge, enabling me to explore and articulate my existing knowledge, thereby bolstering my confidence and motivation.

This is the basic knowledge about research for the beginner who wants to become a researcher. The words of Nelson Mandela say, “Education is the most powerful weapon.” Education brings change to the research seekers. The universe is full of knowledge; we just need to understand and explore the level of knowledge in order to become knowledge seekers. I hope you all will one day be good research seekers.

I am grateful to all

Regards

Dr. Abid Hussain Nawaz

Post Doc, Ph.D. MPhil

References

¹Collins, C., Neely, M. T., & Khan, S. (2024). “Which Cases Do I Need?” Constructing Cases and Observations in Qualitative Research. Annual Review of Sociology, 50.

²Oktay, J. S. (2012). Grounded theory. Oxford University Press.

³Kolaski, K., Logan, L. R., & Ioannidis, J. P. (2024). Guidance to best tools and practices for systematic reviews. British Journal of Pharmacology, 181(1), 180-210.