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If you had to think of a single word to describe the entire dissertation writing process, it would have to be intimidating. Most PhD candidates expect to encounter the greatest obstacles when writing a discussion chapter, since it’s the heart of the entire project. There is something you need to know: the process is challenging before you even approach the writing stages.

In order to make this journey successful, you have to get ready for all obstacles it imposes: a limited budget, endless working hours, fear of public speaking, the need for impeccable discipline, indisputable belief in this academic mission, and the need for thorough research through confusing academic and scientific data.

Now that you’ve come to the point of research, we’ll assume that you already completed the stages of topic selection and planning. Nevertheless, you need to conduct preliminary research throughout those stages too, so we’ll start from the beginning and we’ll tell you exactly how you can master the process of research that will drive you towards a complete dissertation.

We have interviewed Mary Delaney, a writing expert at a dissertation writing service EduGeeksClub and here are her recommendations on how to conduct a research for a PhD dissertation effectively.

Preliminary Research during Topic Selection

When you’re choosing a topic for your dissertation, you have to keep in mind that if you decide to change your mind later, you would have to start the entire process all over again. You are about to devote a few years of your life on this topic, so you have to conduct preliminary research to make sure the choice leaves you with enough space for real research and discussion.

Here are a few research strategies that will help you make a choice you won’t regret:

• Talk to your mentor or a favorite professor about the topics you have in mind. They might suggest a different focus, since they have been through many PhD papers before and they know where the candidates usually got stuck.

• Read several papers that offer empirical data. Then, pick the ones that are close to your interest and think how you can use that data within the few possible topics.

• Read literature reviews from your area of interest. Think how you can connect a few of those reviews in a single topic that would expand the base of research that has already been done in your discipline.

• Do not pick a topic you’re emotionally attached to. If, for example, you pick a topic that revolves around anxiety for your dissertation in psychology, you’ll have difficulties approaching it from an unbiased point of view if you’re suffering from this condition.

• You will read plenty of literature through this preliminary research stage, so take your time to go through it. Take notes and return to them when you’re done with the reading process. Then, narrow down your interests and pick a topic that can build upon that initial base of resources you have.

Main Types of Research

Depending on your approach towards the resources you collect, your research can be qualitative or quantitative, or a combination of both. Qualitative data is needed when you want to find out why, and quantitative data helps you explain how. If, for example, you’re examining the social trends in Britain under Thatcherism, you’ll need quantitative data to showcase the extent of her influence, but you’ll also need qualitative data to show how her ruling influenced the British society.

Based on the source of your information, the research can be primary or secondary. For primary research, you collect your own data through interviews, observation of focus groups, experiments, and other methods. Secondary research, on the other hand, is based on collecting, analyzing, and comparing existing data.

Choosing the Research Methods

Different topics and areas of interest call for different research methods. These are some of the common types of research studies that PhD candidates conduct:

• Observational research – the type of research that’s based on collecting data from case studies and other types of research that has been already done in the relevant discipline. Then, the author observes and records that research, producing a qualitative report analysis that makes the topic clearer. This type of research can also be based on original surveys and case studies.

• Real experiments – this type of research is often necessary for dissertations from the areas of psychology, medicine, biology, chemistry, and other disciplines that impose the need for the author to clarify how a certain variable affects the matter of interest while all other variables remain constant.

• Quasi-experiments – they are based on naturally formed groups, such as old or teenage population, where the researcher cannot impose complete control over the variables. If, for example, you’re researching the way exposure to asbestos affects the lung capacity of teenage vs. old population, you will have to consider their exposure to other pollutants, smoking habits, and genetics of the participants. Due to the fact that you cannot control all those factors, this will be a quasi-experiment and its results will leave space for discussion.

• Correlational research – this type of research is focused on the relationship between two or more quantitative variables from a single group of subject. The data can be collected through observational research, testing, surveys and questionnaires, numerical responses, and other methods. This type of research is very common for PhD dissertations, and it can encompass all previously-listed types of research.

The research methods you choose are entirely based upon the topic and focus of your project. However, it is very important to make a plan for research and decide exactly how you are going to collect the needed data. You can always update your plan and include additional methods as you make progress, but you will need to decide on the main research method before you start collecting and analyzing resources.

Attacking the Library

Regardless of the fact that you have access to tons of information through the Internet, the library still remains the main focus of a researcher. Once you’re certain that you know what you’re looking for, you’ll need to find relevant studies, research, journals, case studies and experiments, as well as commercial and noncommercial tests.

Libraries contain a huge database of resources, which PhD candidates often neglect. You can easily search through the database of your library, so use different keywords related to your topic.

Organizing Focus Groups

Since PhD dissertations are more complex than all other academic papers required throughout education, they are not based solely on collecting data and analyzing/comparing the results. Most topics impose the need for the researcher to form focus groups, get data from interviews, and discuss the data in the project.

It is very important for you to choose the sample carefully. The focus group needs to be small, but it still has to be a representative sample, which will offer results valid for an extended group of people. Instead of interviewing all members of the group individually, you need to create an environment that inspires the members to freely express their views and discuss the issues.

Communicate with Your Mentor throughout the Process

Schedule regular meetings with your mentor and make sure to provide brief updates regarding the development of the research. Thanks to the knowledge and experience of your mentor, you’ll get advice that will help you determine the relevance and importance of certain resources. You’ll also get tips on how to direct your research methods and handle the focus group.

The mentor can also connect you with other experts, who will give you valuable data for your dissertations.

Organization is the key to success!

The process of research will be lengthy, complex, and very busy. You need to keep record of all ideas or questions you have, and you need to keep track of the references, so you can follow up at a certain source after you analyze many others.

Remember: no matter how complex the research process seems, you’ll have to wrap it up at one point or another. Stick to your timetable and make sure to start writing as soon as you have a solid base of data. The more you keep digging, the more information you’ll find. If you extend the research process for too long, you’ll never feel confident enough to start writing. That’s why you need to stay on track, keeping in mind that you can always conduct additional research if you encounter new issues during the writing process.