Research Paper Plan And Status.docx

Research plan When applying for doctoral degree studies, a research plan must be enclosed with the application. Prepare the research plan carefully, because it measures the skills and competencies of the applicant for the doctoral education. Please note, that the research plan is an independent document by the applicant, but he Professor who has agreed as to be your supervisor will give you good advice. The actual guidance will start after you have been admitted and registered to the university. The research plan must cover the entire licentiate thesis or doctoral dissertation. If the research topic and materials change substantially, a new plan must be made. If the changes are significant, approval must be sought from the faculty. The research plan is usually drafted in Finnish or English and must include a list of references. Examples of research plan Example 1: The research plan should contain 

starting points and theoretical basis of the research, previous research

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aims of the research, research tasks and questions, ethical issues

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research methods and data, administration of data

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working plan, working plan for part of the tasks

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schedule and funding plan

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publication plan

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evaluation of opportunities to exploit the results of the research, societal significance of the research results

The extent of the plan is about 10 pages. Example 2: (from UEF DS Curricula, autumn term 2012) 1. Title of the research and the name and contact information of the postgraduate student 2. Background 1. a short summary of the background to the research with necessary sources (including the theoretical and methodological basis) 2. a description of earlier research related to the topic

3. a description of what remains unknown about the research topic and an explanation of the research's relevance on a national and/or international scale 3. Aims 1. the research hypotheses 2. the aims of the research clearly defined and presented 4. Materials and methods 1. a description of the research methods and materials used, and the grounds for choosing the particular methods 2. a description of how the materials will be handled and used (also after the research has been completed) 3. a working plan, a plan for different stages of the work 5. Schedule and funding plans 1. a description and a schedule for the different stages of the work 2. the funding plan and funding sources of the research 6. The ethical aspects of the research 1. the ethical aspects of the research (e.g. whether the research requires statements from ethics sommittees or statutory research permits; possible permits should be attached to the research plan) 7. Publication Plan 1. the means and mode of publishing and/or presenting the research results 8. Applications of research results 1. an estimation of the applications and the social significance of the research results 9. References 1. a list of the research field's principal literature used for the research 10. the names of the persons and units participating in the research project 11. The supervisor(s) signature(s)

Choose a Topic Pick a topic which interests and challenges you. Focus on a limited aspect. Obtain teacher approval for your topic. Re-read your assignment sheet carefully to be certain you know what is expected. Select a subject you can manage. Avoid subjects that are too technical, learned, or specialized. Avoid topics that have only a very narrow range of source materials.

Find Information Use search engines and other search tools as a starting point. Pay attention to domain name extensions (if it ends with edu or org) Be selective of com (commercial) sites. Be wary of personal home pages - their quality varies greatly. Check out public and university libraries, businesses, government agencies. Contact knowledgeable people in your community. Write down full bibliographical information.

Your Thesis

Write your thesis statement down in one sentence. Find arguments to support and defend this belief.

Outline Think through your topic carefully and organize it logically Include in your outline an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Make the first outline tentative. In the introductions, state your thesis and the purpose of your research. State how you plan to approach your topic. Explain briefly the major points you plan to cover. In the body, present your arguments to support your thesis statement. In the conclusion, restate or reword your thesis and summarize your arguments.

Draft Thesis statement is concise and clear. Arguments are presented in a logical sequence. All sources are properly cited. Your intentions and points are clear in the essay. Read your paper for grammatical errors. Correct all errors that you can spot. Get someone else to read it over. Research paper: What is the topic? Why is it significant? What background material is relevant? What is my thesis or purpose statement? What organizational plan will best support my purpose? WRITING THE INTRODUCTION In the introduction you will need to do the following things:

You will need to look at the following types of sources:

Sentence level concerns: sentence structure, word choices, punctuation, spelling.

Documentation: consistent use of one system, citation of all material not considered common knowledge, appropriate use of endnotes or footnotes, accuracy of list of works cited.

library catalog, periodical indexes, bibliographies, suggestions from your instructor primary vs. secondary sources journals, books, other documents GROUPING, SEQUENCING, AND DOCUMENTING INFORMATION The following systems will help keep you organized:

DISCOVERING, NARROWING, AND FOCUSING A RESEARCHABLE TOPIC Try to find a topic that truly interests you

Try writing your way to a topic Talk with your course instructor and classmates about your topic Pose your topic as a question to be answered or a problem to be solved FINDING, SELECTING, AND READING SOURCES

a system for noting sources on bibliography cards a system for organizing material according to its relative importance a system for taking notes WRITING AN OUTLINE AND A PROSPECTUS FOR YOURSELF Consider the following questions:

present relevant background or contextual material define terms or concepts when necessary explain the focus of the paper and your specific purpose reveal your plan of organization WRITING THE BODY Use your outline and prospectus as flexible guides Build your essay around points you want to make (i.e., don’t let your sources organize your paper) Integrate your sources into your discussion Summarize, analyze, explain, and evaluate published work rather than merely reporting it Move up and down the “ladder of abstraction” from generalization to varying levels of detail back to generalization WRITING THE CONCLUSION If the argument or point of your paper is complex, you may need to summarize the argument for your reader.

If prior to your conclusion you have not yet explained the significance of your findings or if you are proceeding inductively, use the end of your paper to add your points up, to explain their significance. Move from a detailed to a general level of consideration that returns the topic to the context provided by the introduction. Perhaps suggest what about this topic needs further research. REVISING THE FINAL DRAFT Check overall organization: logical flow of introduction, coherence and depth of discussion in body, effectiveness of conclusion. Paragraph level concerns: topic sentences, sequence of ideas within paragraphs, use of details to support generalizations, summary sentences where necessary, use of transitions within and between paragraphs.