Ways to Make Online Research Easier

Research is one of the most essential aspects of today’s era in every field. If you are not able to conduct a research process effectively, then there is no chance that you can know new ways to execute anything. No matter if you are in medical science profession or financial industry, you have to keep yourself updated with industrial trends and for that you need to be good at research. It is not hidden from anyone that research is a time consuming process, and one has to have a lot of patience to get desired results. But still if a person uses some smart ways and tricks, then he can not only get desired results in a limited period, but also makes overall research process easier. Below are few such ways which you can use to make online research easier-

1. Start Early

Perfection takes time; hence try to learn most of the beneficial things during school days or at university level. You should pay attention to various research related assignments, projects and activities during college life so that you don’t find it difficult at a later stage when it matters the most.

2. Be a technology savvy person

If you are not in love with technology, then conducting online research might be a tough task for you. Hence learn web tools and techniques and fall in love with technology. Try to spend more time online with complete focus, so that as and when you are required to conduct online research, you don’t find it difficult. There are several books and websites which contain important information about various tools that can make your research process easier, read that information from such websites and books.

3. List out important resources

In a research process, one thing that plays an important role is the resource of data. If you don’t use a reliable source to extract data, then your efforts may go in vain. So make sure you know reliable sources or websites to extract data.  Government websites are considered as the most trustworthy source for this purpose, therefore if you want to conduct online research then try to use information that is available on websites of government entities, newspapers, magazines and press releases of company. Avoid using blogs for this purpose, as information available there may not be 100% true and reliable.

You can make a list of such websites that end up with .edu or .gov as they can be safer resources in comparison to other websites. These are government websites; thus, you can trust on the data given there. When it comes to other domains, then .com and .org are quite well known, but make sure you cross check with the information given over there. If you find lots of ads on the websites, then there are chances of not 100% reliable information. So better you consult with your research guide before using any such information.

4. Stay focused and concentrate on your research

Whenever you find any keyword or definition on Google, then better you take more than 5-6 links into consideration to avoid any chance of a mistake. You can use more than one resource to understand any formula or illustration.

5. Know your audience and then start the research 

It is always important to be clear about your audience. If you don’t even know who is your audience, then it may be difficult for you to conclude your research, finalize your problem statement and find out a solution for that. Hence try to figure out that who will be affected by your research. If you find it difficult to reach on a certain point, then better you take help of your research guide.

6. Use advanced software to extract data

After the initial steps of data collection and literature review, the next step is data analysis and interpretation. It is not wrong to say that actual research starts from analysis part. Hence make sure that you use the latest software for extracting data from the resource website. Excel may not be sufficient to provide you exact answers in high-level research procedures. So don’t mind using SPSS, GRTL, etc. for analysis and extraction work.

7. Time limit 

Time is the most important factor in any research work, hence before even you start your research, decide how much time you will devote to it. Break up your time with each research step i.e. introduction, literature review, data collection, analysis, interpretation, findings, conclusion, etc. If you devote time to each step of research in a pre-specified way, then chances are there that can finish it on time without any hassle. Also, it will keep you in line so that you will be able to evaluate as where you stand and how long you have to go in how much time.

8. Use Right Formatting

Research guides and universities don’t use the same format of research. Some research guides prefer to use APA while other use MLA format. Few universities use Harvard Style of research also, hence learn the one style which your university or research guide wants. Please note that one mistake can cost you entire research and can also affect your grades, so pay attention to formatting style to avoid any such problem.

9. Don’t hesitate in taking tips from your guide or any other senior person

Research is something in which the more you learn, the better you become. So you won’t become good in just one day, it will take some time and you should be willing to learn all the time to get better and better. If you find it difficult to step advance on the next step, then ask your guide to help you. In case he is not reachable, then ask any of your friend or classmate who is good in research to help you out.

10.Always refer past work

Before the start of your research work, it is better to refer past work done by someone else on the same or related topic. It will make road easier for you.