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- There are some strong reasons why a researcher must articulate the assumptions underlying a research problem. I will point out two of these reasons here, but you may have thought of more, and you can discuss them with your tutors. First, the researcher's assumptions will guide the selection of research questions and the formation of hypotheses, as well as the interpretation of the data. Clearly stating the assumptions will assist someone who is reading the finished research in evaluating the merits of the study, and the conclusions that can be drawn from it. Secondly, the assumptions to some extent can be incorporated into the study design to promote the validity of the conclusions drawn from the study. That is, readers will be more likely to find a study's conclusion to be convincing if they know that the researcher has explicitly addressed and taken into account his or her own assumptions.
- A vast range of topics are possible grounds for scientific research. Choosing one really depends on your own interests and discipline. Typically, you can identify a research problem based
on your observations, on previous studies that you have read about in the literature, or as a follow-up study to one of your own projects. When reviewing the appropriateness of your topic,
ask yourself if it is:
- interesting;
- researchable and measureable (that is you can measure, collect and analyse data on your topic);
- significant; and
- manageable.
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