Starting and Handling a Research Project

India is ranked at 12th position among the top 20 productive countries in the world in science and technology, as seen from world publications output data for 1997-07 by publishing 3, 22,956 papers. In which Indian share for 1997-07 was 2.11%. India has been able to publish only 100 high-cited papers in science and technology in 11 years (1997 to 2007). 

The bulk of Indian research output is being published in medium to low quality journals. For example, top 25 Indian journals together accounted for 14.18% share in the total cumulative publications output by the country during 1997-07. And top 25 foreign journals account for a smaller share, just 7.08% of the country output for 1997-07 (B.M. Gupta & S.M. Dhawan, 2008). The country seriously needs to improve quality of research output so that we are able to publish more and more in top quality journals. 

Thus anyone can seriously realize the need of some substantial work which must also be in accordance with the national need. To produce some pleasant result, some basic principals are to be followed, which for the sake of explanation can be divided as follows: 

1- Selection of Problem 

2-Introduction to Problem 

3-Protocol design 

4-Discussion and Interpretation of results 

5-Conclusion 

Selection of Problem 

The whole quality of research will ultimately depend on the problem you have selected to work. Today if you ask the students who have qualified NET/JRF that on which topic would you like to work, in the most of the cases, you would have answer, “Sir as you wish”. This simply means that they have wasted a decade while they were studying graduations. This is further adorned by our great education and examination system. In fact this is only issue at which a guide doen’t helps and one should not, otherwise, inbreeding of ideas will takes place not crossbreeding. 

To obtain a proper problem, students have to do a real brain storming and do a lot of research in search of a problem. This is what we call as research, ‘search of a particular problem’. The suitable problem regarding the career of a student can also be categorized in to two groups, i.e. classical and applied. If you wish to join the corporate sector you should think accordingly otherwise you can go for the traditional research. In this context it is also important to note that it not a compulsion that you have to continue your research in the field of your study. Due to encouragement from the system for interdisciplinary work you have a liberty to fabricate your problem in the desired field. 

But when you think you have got your problem on which you are intended to work just ask a simple question to yourself. What answer you have if a common man asks you ‘what benefit I can get from your work? If you have a satisfactory answer, you must proceed for it otherwise, you should try again. Completion of problem selection is half done in your task. after finalization of topics on which work is to done, start your work now.

Introduction to Problem: 

Status of Work 

Internet is a great tool to work out that what all have been completed and from where you have to start. This may be turning point for your work. Before, you start contacting them you have to have a conceit idea about your work and conduct some practical work as much as you can do. Keep in mind that any work without enough home work rarely culminates in a successfully. You feel free to contact the workers to whom you think suitable and beneficial. Find out the contact detail of workers with the help of google and mailed them without hesitation as much as you can do. 

Protocol Fabrication 

Fabrication of protocol is the last tough step where your proper attention will give you a wonderful result. It is not advisable to follow the exact protocol of previous worker. You should keep followings three points in mind before the fabrication of your working protocols. 

1-See what all works have been done so far? 

2-What are their findings? 

3-What you could like to do if you would be at their place? 

This is the question which will alone help you to get your own protocol. Moreover, if you have fabricated problems in practical classes it would be easier to you to work out your own protocol. This protocol if not been used so far than you can publish this protocol in ‘short communications’. 

Discussion and Conclusion 

The only thing I would like to mention here is to write appropriate discussion, just mention the facts of other workers and those of yours' point wise and sum up them. This will also have the conclusion.