Project Type: Study

Literature Review. In-depth research in the library or on the internet should provide you with the background information you need to formulate a research question.

Research Question. After reflecting on your new background information, you need to formulate an open-ended question that will be answered at the end of your study. Good questions are specific and simple. By keeping it that way, you are preventing your study from taking too long or from being too complicated.  

Determine how the Study will be Conducted. What kind of data (information) are you looking for? Primary data is information you collect yourself. Methods for collecting primary data include: questionnaires, surveys, interviews, and observations. Secondary data is information that someone else has collected. Sources for collecting secondary data may include: books, magazines, journals, newspapers, internet, etc... You need to decide which way is the best to collect the data to answer your question and make a plan of action.

Gather Relevant Data. Having now determined the type of data you need (primary or secondary) and the plan for collecting it, you need to implement your plan to collect all your data.  

Data Analysis. At this stage, you have gathered a lot of information and need to simplify it into general categories. Initially, you may have 10-20 different categories. Keep in mind that you are trying to answer your initial question. Look at all the data several times and try to see if there are any relationships between the categories. Eventually, you may end up with 5-6 distinct categories of information.

Search for New Understanding. After spending a lot of time looking at the data and the different categories, you will be able to detect some patterns, relationships, and discoveries. You need to write down what you see in your log book. These are the claims you are making as a result of your study.