The primary objective of any research project is to make a significant contribution to your field of study. That objective, however, is constantly defeated if the final output gets a low grade from your supervisor or external examiner. Many students fail not because of lack of effort, but because they do not fully grasp the grading standards used in assessing research work.

To help you succeed, listed below are the key areas your research will be evaluated onβ€"either in writing or while presenting at your defense. These topics can be grouped under five broad questions:

1. What Did You Do?

This is your project title. You should be thoroughly familiar with it and able to describe it. Your title ought to be concise, specific, and relevant to your research. Avoid very lengthy titles. Remember that everything you do must follow from this central topic, so it must be carefully considered.

2. Why Did You Do It?

This section deals with the justification and relevance of your investigation. You must:

  • Clearly explain why your research is important.
  • Identify the beneficiaries (e.g., a particular sector, group, or area of study).
  • Demonstrate the knowledge gap your research aims to fill.
    An effective justification is one of the strongest arguments for your research, especially when you are defending your work.

3. How Did You Do It?

This is about your methodology, and it needs to be well explained and stated. You should be ready to answer the following:

  • What is your population?
  • What is your sample size?
  • What sampling strategy did you use, and why?
  • What type of data did you collect (primary, secondary, or both)?
  • What data collection tools did you use (e.g., questionnaire, interviews, observation)?
  • What data collection methods were used (e.g., self-completion questionnaires, experiments)?
  • What is the scope of your research?
  • What hypotheses did you formulate?
  • How did you measure your variables?
  • What measurement tools did you use, and why?
  • Be prepared for technical questions at your defense, such as:
  • What are the strengths and weaknesses of questionnaires, interviews, or telephone surveys?
  • What are the strengths and weaknesses of case studies?
  • What is the difference between probabilistic and non-probabilistic methods of sampling?
  • What are Type I and Type II errors?
  • What is the difference between a descriptive hypothesis and an analytical hypothesis?

You should also be able to say how many and what kind of hypotheses you tested and what statistical techniques you used, i.e.:

  • Chi-square
  • T-test
  • Z-test
  • ANOVA
  • Linear or multiple regression
  • Spearman Rank correlation

Explain to us why you used a particular tool, how you applied it, and be able to accurately interpret your findings.

4. What Did You Get?

Here you present your key findings. Be specific:

  • Are your findings consistent or inconsistent with literature that was previously reviewed?
  • State out your key findings in simple language.
  • Discuss the implications of your findings.
  • Present your conclusions and recommendations logically.

5. What Did You Contribute to Knowledge?

Here, you have to prove the originality of your work. Your contribution could be:

  • Presenting a new model
  • Modifying an existing theory
  • Confirming or rejecting an existing theory
  • Presenting new findings or perspectives on an existing problem
  • In either case, your research has to add to the existing fund of knowledge in your field of work.

Final Thoughts

Understanding and being prepared for these areas will go a long way in enhancing your ability to write and defend a model research project. By proper planning, exhaustive analysis, and proper justification, you can do a great deal to get an excellent grade.