One of my missions in this workshop is to encourage and help
the audiences (researchers & interesting people) to organize and write a
research article properly substantially and accurately. Since the area-based
research is a new breed of its kind, just comes into existence sometimes around
a decade ago. My audiences are really eager and wanted me to share my skills
& experiences in writing so that they’re going to get their research
articles published in the Journal where in return having their ranks’ promoted
etc..
Ok, the main theme of this is exactly the “How to”, surely
this is not a difficult thing to talk about but actually the most difficult one
in term of implementation!
The first highly important keyword of this is the “SKILL.”
and another one that often comes along is the “PRACTICE.”
Skill implies qualifications acquired through regular
practice and trial until they become innate-like or implicitly yours.
Before getting into the practical scheme, let’s take a look
briefly at some area-based research characteristics & factors needed for
writing the article in my opinion, actually!
#####
Some important
characteristics of Area-based Research (in my opinion):-
Area-based research or formerly known in the name of
Community-based research or CBR and what The Thailand Research Fund (TRF) now
calls Area-based Collaborative research or ABC research. Having several differences
in some crucial aspects from “Area Studies” initiated by the United States
after World War II, ABC research has one interesting and the most important task
different from Area Studies’: that’s for the well being and sustainability of
community and indigenous people while Area Studies is to serve political &
governmental stability. Even though most of their methodologies are almost the
same except the one that’s emerged to be the most important for Area-based research
methodology: Participatory Action Research (PAR), specified the role and
genuine participation of community as the prerequisite of all its research
activities; and the using of Knowledge Management (KM) technology to extract
& exchange knowledge between researchers & people in communities and
then finally comes up with new knowledge and problems solving procedures
suitable for use in the community.
Therefore, in performing area-based research work (in my
opinion), a researcher has to acquire some special skills somewhat
different from what have usually belonged to conventional researcher, such as
(a) ability to observe & keep records all movements and acknowledgement of
the research population and people in the community amid the involvement in
research activities according to research design and scope; (b) ability to play
the roles as a facilitator / catalyst who can persuade or encourage people to
think, learn and make up their minds to solve their own problems; (c) ability
to apply technical knowledge through KM process; and (d) ability to classify,
analyze all recorded data and information, most of them are qualitative, and
synchronize research findings according to specified research theoretical framework;
to mention a few.
#####
Some relevant factors needed for writing area-based
research article
In writing area-based research article for publishing in a
research journal, the following diagram is a preliminary idea about some
relevant factors that lead to create a substantial research article, digest it
and give it a trial:-
RELEVANT FACTORS NEEDED FOR WRITING
AN AREA-BASED RESEARCH ARTICLE:
IN
PUT
Required
Skills & Practice:
1.
Critical Thinking
2. Complicated Reasoning.
3. Systematic Thinking
4. Answering these questions:
- What is the article about?
-What difference is the article’s topic & content
from others?
- In what context is this article’s topic: locally,
regionally and even globally?
- What are important elements of the article?
- What are roles & functions of the research
findings: technically, practically for both communities & local government.
- What are the likely impacts & trends of the findings?
- What should
& could be done next?
5. Keep in mind the journal’s requirement:
-The
journal’s 9-criteria.
6. Keep in mind basic area-based research
methodologies:
- Community participatory action research.
- Utility
or applicability of the research findings.
**
PROCESS
Procedure:
1. Using documentations & complete final report of
research results as basic references for the article.
2. Organizing the article’s outline according to the
journal’s requirement criteria.
3. Start writing substantially the following issues:
-Abstract:
Within ¾ pages, state briefly the research objectives, methodology, data
collecting & analyzing techniques, including research area and community /
local informant participated, and most importantly the research results.
-Introduction:
Within 2-2.5 pages, state the significances of research topic / question in
relation to its social context, environment, and community; including the
technical aspects and their applicable perspectives; the objectives &
expected results of this research work.
-Research methodology: Within ½ page, state what kind of this research,
where it takes place, who participates in it, including tools used for carrying
out the tasks like for gathering and analyzing data.
-Research procedure: Within ½ -1 page, state how the research work had been executed and
accomplished from step 1 to the final step where expected results occur.
- Research findings: Within 2-3 pages, state all the research findings attained in accordance
with the stated objectives.
- Utilization of the findings: Within ½ or 1 page, describe how and by whom the
research findings have been in use.
- Findings’ debate: with ½ to 1 page, state conditions and relevancies to research
framework & methodology of the findings, including further research
questions and recommendations.
4. Review the article thoroughly at least 1-2 times:
what should be done at this phase are: adding what’s been missing, correcting
what’re wrongly stated, polishing where the sentences are not concurrent &
smooth etc.
**
OUT
PUT
Finished
Product:
Interesting Research Article ready to be submitted for
Publishing
**
OUT
COME
Product
launched:
Research Article being published in Area-based
Development Journal
**
