The RESEARCH FRAMEWORK

The best way to learn about how to undertake research is to work with and learn from other members of the research community. Just reading about the projects will hopefully spark ideas, highlight different approaches, and clarify understanding.

As you read, questions may come to mind and you may start to make links between the projects. Simply note these down somewhere. Recognise instances where you feel there are gaps and reflect on how you would address this if you were in the shoes of the person undertaking the research. This will be good learning in relation to how you describe and share your work in the future. The process of reading and enjoying the work is important. However, to gain the most from the materials a more active approach to exploring and interrogating the descriptors is required.

As you read the case studies, refer back to the framework and reflect on the questions it asks.

ORIGINALITY

The extent to which the research enquiry introduced a new way of thinking about something or its distinctivEness.

Context:

What was the issue or focus?
What was happening Socially? (social context)
What was happening Politically? (political context)
What was happening Economically? (economic context)

The Knowledge Gap:

What was the situation?
Why did this matter?
Who did this matter to?
What were the consequences of doing nothing?
Where did the novelty sit?
What were the specific conditions that made this context unique?
What was already known?

Position:

What were the perspectives and roles of the disciplines?
How did this relate to the researchers personal philosophy, values, motivations, interests?
What were the conditions that enabled the research to come together?

RIGOUR

The thoughTful and systematic way the question was addressed through the research enquiry.

Research Question:

What was the investigation trying to establish?
What was the intention of the enquiry?
What questions was the researcher trying to answer?

Method:

How were the methods chosen?
How were the methods used?
Why were these methods appropriate to the research enquiry?
Time
Access
Money
Knowledge/Resources/Mentorship/Leadership

Insight:

What was discovered?
What was discovered that was/wasn’t expected?
How was this different to what was previously known?
What new insights were identified?
What does this mean for the project?

SIGNIFICANCE

The extent to which the work changes thinking or practIce .

Implications:

What are the implications of what you have discovered for your research community, discipline, for society as a whole?
How has your enquiry helped to fill a gap in knowledge?
How might your research affect the way we think about that topic?

Dissemination:

How was the result shared?
Who was the result shared with (includes output and process)?

Impact:

What did the work lead to?
What did people do with the learning?
How did the outcome of the enquiry lead to change?