HABIT 1: BE PROACTIVE Ask around about what has been studied before - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

HABIT 1: BE PROACTIVE Ask around about what has been studied before in your area or topic of interest . Do a horizon and literature scan of previous studies done . A good literature search around the topic of your interest is a prelude to good and relevant research .

HABIT 2 : BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND Often when embarking on a research project or intervention study we may be caught up in the process of writing up the research proposal , various logistics of conducting the research but often forget to cater to the evaluation or implementation of the research into the real world context . In research , to begin with the end in mind adds a more holistic real – world perspective .

HABIT 3 : PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST Do some reading and attend some workshops to get your fundamentals right . Focus on understanding the differences between various types of research including quantitative and qualitative . However , don ’ t let the inertia deter you from research . Everyone has to start somewhere . Time and experience will help you hone your research skills .

HABIT 4 : THINK WIN-WIN Sometimes it ’ s difficult to carry out research alone . Think win - win and collaborate with other researchers , as the diverse talents and strengths of different researchers may lead to improved outcomes especially when the research is on complex areas / topics , requiring diverse expertise . This , so long as there is good communication , clarity of roles and acknowledgement of the contribution of each of the researchers .

HABIT 5 : SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND , THEN BE UNDERSTOOD When embarking on any research , we must acknowledge and be transparent about our viewpoints and biases . This is known as the researcher ’ s ‘ reflexivity ’ - in qualitative lingo . Once we are able to reflect and understand ourselves better and document it , our observations and conclusions in qualitative studies , can contribute to richer and robust contextual research .

HABIT 6 : SYNERGISE To synergise is to be able to work in harmony with clarity of roles within research projects which are carried out by a team of people / researchers . It calls for respect and communication between team members and not taking each other for granted .

HABIT 7: SHARPEN THE SAW To be a good researcher we must understand the ethical principles , the approaches , the methodology , the purpose of the research , the process as well as holistic research approaches . Sharpening the saw , aka , ‘ continuous professional development even in research ’ is a continuous process as there is no end to , formal or informal learning , to be better at what we do !