CA

1. Enhancing Research Skills
Problem Domains and Critical Analysis
School of Computer Science 27 October 2015

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Research Projects
• In academic research, students are expected to
build on existing research and replicate, apply or
extend that research
• Research requires critical analysis of the
relevant literature, especially that describing
similar or closely related research
• Requires knowledge of the ‘Problem Domain’

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Problem Domain

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First Steps to good research
• Scoping a research project
– Identify the problem domain
– Assess your position within it
– Identify the resources available to you
– Be clear about your interests
• Research projects are typically time
constrained and consequently cannot
involve open-ended exploratory research
• You need to know when to stop!

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Your position within the
research
• You are (probably) already experts in your
field
• What are the implications of this on your
research question(s)?
• What are the implications of this on your
research methods?
• To what extent can bias be minimised?

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Application of Bias
• Yes Prime Minister
• Written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn
• This episode first transmitted January 9th
1986
• A questionnaire about conscription and
national service

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Criticality
• In order to be critical you do not
necessarily need to disagree
• You need to be thinking critically
– What?
– How?
– When?
– But perhaps most importantly - Why?

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A general rule set for critical
writing - 1
• What is the focus of my paper?
– What are the current issues in the field?
– What are the questions that need addressing?
– Is there a perceived problem?
– Have recent changes impacted upon the
problem domain?
– Is there general consensus?
– Would ‘Blue Sky Thinking’ help?

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A general rule set for critical
writing - 2
• What is my position?
– Do I concur with the general consensus?
– If so what am I bringing to the debate?
– If not how can I convince people that my
opinion is worth promoting?
– How do I remove my (natural and expected)
bias?

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A general rule set for critical
writing - 3
• How do I present my point of view?
– Criticality demands that you try to persuade
others that your opinion is worth considering
– Reasoning is the key aspect here
– Well informed readers will spot flaws in your
reasoning therefore discussions need to be
balanced
– ‘Have an argument with yourself’
– Avoid “I think” (avoid first person at all times)

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A general rule set for critical
writing - 4
• What evidence can I provide?
– Research reputable sources
– Consider the validity / currency dichotomy
when conducting research
– Good critical writing requires even better
critical reading
– Often useful to question the methods of the
people you read – look for strengths and
weaknesses

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A general rule set for critical
writing - 5
• Write balanced conclusions
– Conclusions should be representative of the
research you have presented
– They should also be tempered by the
limitations of the methods you adopted – ‘why
might my findings be flawed?’
– Conclusions might not be conclusive – open
ended findings are fine but remember to offer
suggestions for further research

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A general rule set for critical
writing - 6
• Structure is all
– Identify the research question (Literature Review)
– Consider the methods to give a ‘best fit’
(Methodology)
– Present evidence to support / refute your position
(Findings)
– Summarise your argument (Conclusions)
– Acknowledge your limitations (Reflection)
• At all stages question ‘Why’?

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General problems with research
• Mismatch between question and method
• Findings not supportive of method
• Conclusions out of line with discussions
• Research too limited (missing out key
research)
• Findings not timely enough (the problem
domain has moved on)
• Overriding all this is normally Ethics