Elaborating a research project is mandatory for many students. For researchers, it is only the first stage of a long journey. Despite this, many academics find it difficult to organize and structure their ideas. In this publication, we will clarify the steps for building a research project and the main elements that make up its structure. Check it out:
What is a research project?
The research project is a document that gathers several ideas and reflections of a student about a job. Through it, it is possible to enroll in selection processes or apply to be guided by a specific professional. It is, then, the detailed planning of an academic research proposal, which can be adapted and modified as many times as necessary, based on new information and questions regarding the chosen theme.
Before everything, the problem
To make a proposal for scientific investigation, it is necessary for the academic to know, clearly, what the problem he is proposing to solve. This is because the objectives, the methodological procedures, the authors and the structure of the study must always focus on solving this problem.
Imagine, for example, that your theme is “teaching the English language”. So a possible problem would be “how can using electronic games help teach English to 8-year-olds?”.
After this delimitation, it is time to think about the questions it generates. For example: what will… ?; “How is such a thing characterized?”; “What sense does it have …?”; “Why does this process happen?”; “What differences are there between …?”; “What are the diversified forms and variations of such a communication process?”. In this way, you will have a set of questions capable of guiding the structuring of your research project, and it will be easier to understand which topics will go to the proposal and which will be left out.
How structuring a research project
The proposal structure is quite variable, but there is a pattern that meets the standards of the Brazilian Technical Standards Association (ABNT).
Cover
The cover is an optional external element in a research project. However, using it makes work look more organized and professional. It contains information such as the name of the institution to which it will be submitted, the name of the authors, the title, the city and the year of delivery.
Cover page
On the cover page, information such as the name of the authors, title, type of study, name of the institution to which it will be submitted, name of the supervisor, co-advisor and coordinator (if any), and at the bottom of the page, place and year of submission.
Summary
This field shows the divisions, chapters and sections of the work, as well as numbers the pages where each element is located.
Introduction
The introduction starts the textual part of the project and presents the theme, the problem and the initial hypotheses. It is important to clarify that the problem of scientific research needs to be a question, and the hypotheses are testable theories and assumptions that seek to solve it.
Objectives
The objectives must be clear and described with verbs in the infinitive, to determine an action. Typically, studies contain a general objective, which is broader and represents the main goal of the work, and specific ones.
Justification
In this field, the researcher must make clear the importance of research in the theoretical, methodological and empirical fields. For that, it can include facts that determine the choice of the study theme and justify the choice of the references used.
Theoretical referential
Here, it is necessary to demonstrate what you have read about the topic and include sources of books, searches on the internet or other relevant and reliable sources of information.
Methodology
It is necessary to explain which scientific methods will be followed in the research: clarify whether it will be bibliographic, exploratory, descriptive, etc. And, still, what are the possible resources that will be used for the execution of the proposal.
Schedule
Make a table setting deadlines for the activities proposed in the project.
References
In this field, all the research sources used are presented in alphabetical order during the elaboration of the project.
Scientific research is not the same
As mentioned earlier, the structure of a project can vary according to the needs of the proposal. Then, depending on the situation, you can also use elements such as lists of illustrations, tables, abbreviations, acronyms, symbols, glossary, appendix, annexes and indexes. But stay tuned, as each selection process indicates the type of project you are looking for, so always read the notice before making any application.
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