Undergraduate research Graduate research
The process of reading and understanding information; the
outcome trains the student’s mind using the stock of knowledge
and acquired information
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The process of examining existing knowledge, applying
methodologies (survey, experiment), and analyzing the results in
order to prove a hypothesis or answer a problematic question
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Based on data from reliable sources
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The research contributes to the discovery of new facts or set up
certain theories which help in the scientific advancement, as well
as social and economic growth
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A theoretical activity
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In addition to the theoretical part, the research incorporates field
work (questionnaires, laboratory experiments or personal
observations)
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Research exclusivity
- It affects the career of the student both in professional life, and in post graduate studies.
- It represents novelty in terms of content and features the student’s individuality.
Research process
A project/thesis represents a qualitative advancement in educational achievements, thus it should:
- Build on previous research;
- Employ the learning outcomes assimilated by the student;
- The results intend to form a new path or open the way to future research.
A graduate project/thesis
- Tackles a specific and detailed topic.
- Manifests clarity and integrity in terms of finding and gathering information.
- Provides answers to the research questions.
- Offers clear, precise, and accurate analysis of gathered data.
Project/thesis preparation steps
Before writing the project/thesis, start by asking :
- What is the purpose of this work?
- What do you need?
- Who is your audience?
- What are the sources of information available?
The following shall be considered:
- Content (narrow topic and manageable hypotheses)
- Size (in balance with the studied topic)
Presentation and format
- Proper organization of ideas
- Academic integrity and copyright
- Work content:
- Abstract
- Problem statement and hypotheses
- Literature review
- Methodology and analysis
- Conclusion (recommendations and limitations)
- Accurate citations (in-text and references)
Research quality assurance
To ensure research quality standards, the project/thesis is subject to:
- Continuous follow-up by the student;
- Supervision and training by a field expert (i.e. supervisor);
- External jury/committee.
Distribution of roles
- The university : prepares and escorts the student logistically.
- The student : applies the knowledge acquired to produce an original research study.
- Academic community : oversees and boosts research productivity and employ the results in social and economic development.
Dissemination and implementation
The academic work shall be disseminated to the public; therefore, it is supposed to:
- Be published in the case of a thesis;
- Be technically implemented in the case of a project;
- Be applicable in the community if it has a social interface.
As a result, it is greatly recommended to ensure high quality in terms of content and format.
Conclusion
- An undergraduate study is reading, explaining, clarifying, and criticizing a specific subject based on existing knowledge in order to publish an analytical paper or article.
- A graduate research is the systematic investigation of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. It includes the examination and assessment of previous studies, the application of methods (theoretical and field work), and the analysis of results.