Approaches to Research

There are 2 approaches for taking up and carrying out a research work in any field irrespective of any factors related to it:

(1) Top Down Approach - 

It starts from a broader perspective where you have no idea on what to do and at later stages narrows down to a problem definition. 

• Select your domain
• Select your area of study
• Select the topic that interests you
• Get updated information on whats happening around the topic
• Prefer a particular concept
• Dig more on what research aspects are available on the concept
• Think of a problem 

And continues the next stages of a research work (as it is on a thesis contents page).

Until you reach the last stage, you really don't know what to do. Once you trace it out, you start finding how to do.

(2) Bottom Up Approach - 

It starts from a single problem / task that runs in your mind often or you come across then and there. Some problems wont have a definite solution, while the others don't have solutions that are possible in many ways. Your problem is the central idea  and you keep building around where this problem comes, which part of the field it affects and where you stand on the domain.

• You have devised a problem / question / idea to solve something
• Dig the research aspects of the so framed idea
• Access the concept behind the idea from lots of resources
• Get updates on which topic these things are related
• Find the topic that covers your idea
• Find the area your topic is listed
• Finally you get to know your research domain

And starts from the first stage of a research work.

The first stage clearly says what to do and not how to do, but when you get to know where this problem is actually residing, you start finding how to do.

Both approaches have produced successful scholars in their own ways.

Top downs are mostly taken by people who have the need of completing a research work in a stipulated time.

Bottom ups are mostly taken by people who know what the field is in need of, but are often not aware that they have to do research works to solve the need.

Whether you go up or come down, Interests and Efforts can alone take you to the place where you want to be, let the destination be any - completion of work or solution to the need!!!