WRITING A RESEARCH

PAPER
Dr.C.S.RANGARAJAN

Normally in a research essay, the title of

the paper, as far as it is feasible, must be
self-explanatory.
Assuming that an article is entitled as
'Displaced Workers', we just know from
the title that the paper is about ‘Displaced
Workers’. We know nothing whether it
relates to employees in public
employment (services) or in industry, or in
agriculture etc. Further, we get no idea
whether the paper is based empirical
evidences, or just a review of existing
theories, or something based on
information obtained from official sources.

2. Even though there is no canonically

correct definition, students are free to
define concepts they prefer (Parsons).
However, every research work has a vital
task of defining the concept or concepts
used in the analysis-whether the concept
is used in terms of existing statutes or in
terms of sociological relevance and
implications. It is to be emphasized that
these conceptual clarifications, and the
operationalisation of the concepts need to
suit the context or framework into which
the analysis is fitted involving various
theoretical issues and the problems
scrutinized through the review of
literature. Review of literature, after all, is
an impressive testimonial to human
creativity. For Whitehead (1965) Review of
literature opens up the doors for new
possible interpretations. Therefore what
gets studies clearly depends upon the
support, which review provides for.
Besides becoming a source of support,
review help systematize the course and
content of research. Research is both
retrospective as well as prospective, in the
sense that it helps to demonstrate the
interconnections between the past and the
present in order to be able to look into the
future. In that way research is
‘retrodiction’. (Worsley et al 1970)
meaning that looking backward at past
events and making sense of them help
estimate the nature of the future. Review
serves as a stimulant in that it helps not
only to define, but redefine the research
work. The divergent perceptual
frameworks holds that ‘ it is a sign of
maturity for a science to forget its
ancestors’.However, sociology as a
science can develop if it is able to point to
a genuine accumulation of empirically
validated results (Coser et al 1965)

Further, if possible, what are the

theoretical positions taken by researchers
hitherto, and what justifications are given
to hold such theoretical positions need to
be dealt with in order to provide the
reader an idea as to your own position vis-
à-vis the existing theoretical stances.

3.A research paper becomes a fruitful

piece of discovery and personal
enlightenment if a very well thought out
analysis is made before writing is taken
up. In other words, the logical sequence of
discussion and argumentation must be
very clearly thought out beforehand. This
will enhance the logical consistency in the
entire paper. Otherwise the paper will
contain lots of randomized thoughts and
intrusion of unmatched ideas, and ideas
whose inner logic have not been fully
worked out. In this regard, the use of sub-
headings is a very good practice.

4.Normally, at the outset of the paper, it is

better to state clearly not only the scope
of the paper, but also the objectives with
which the writing of the paper is taken up.

5.Indiscriminate mix-up of concepts needs

to be avoided. For example, if you are
working on ‘Displaced Workers’, use of
different concepts like displacement,
retrenchment, termination,
unemployment, under-employment and so
on without mentioning the context in
which these concepts are used may make
one to feel that they all mean the same
thing. A retrenched person becomes an
unemployed person. On the contrary, all
unemployed are not retrenched persons.
Similarly displacement of a worker may be
meaningless without the context in which
displacement takes place. A person may
be displaced when he is shifted from one
work place to another, or when there is
reduction in his responsibility or status.
But in retrenchment, there may not be
such uncertainty when it does not lead to
a dispute. It is a settled fact. Hence. even
the title of the paper is likely to suffer
from a weak conceptualization.

6. A research paper may therefore be

written with any of the following aims:-
a) A historical narrative of a social fact in
the course of which the manifestation of
the different aspects of the social reality
are traced systematically over time.

b) A review of existing theoretical

formulations in order to highlight some of
the shortcomings of such formulations
projecting a need for reorientation and
redefinition of these formulations, or
providing justification for a new line of
inquiry.

c) Discovering a causal chain though a

systematic accounting of antecedent
factors that invariably end up with well-
foreseen outcomes.

d) A description of a social event, or an

aspect of social reality considering the
linkages and interrelationships.

Note: I am indebted to Dr
K.Chandrasekariah, Professor of sociology,
Karnatak,Dharwad University for his
inputs.