Research Project: Social Relevance, Definitions, and Background
Assessing Social Relevance in Research
To assess the potential social relevance of your research, consider these questions:
- Why is this investigation important, and what do we hope to discover?
- What is the demand for this research?
- Why is this problem significant, and what is your specific interest in it?
- Which social agents are involved in the problem, and who benefits directly or indirectly from this research?
- What negative consequences might arise from a lack of empirical knowledge about this problem?
- Does this research have relevance to specific public policies?
- Is there existing socially relevant evidence related to this problem?
- Is this a subject with extensive or limited existing information, and what type of information is available?
Conceptual Definitions in Research
In theses, degree projects, or practicums, defining concepts is a foundational step that later informs the theoretical framework. This initial work is crucial for subsequent stages.
Researchers may have a clear understanding of a concept, but this understanding may not be evident to others. For example, using terms like “camels” to refer to drug trafficking. In the sciences, social concepts often reflect diverse ideological positions, worldviews, and social conflicts.
Defining concepts is particularly important from a quantitative perspective. Concepts serve as the basis for variables. The definition of concepts in a project should aim towards operational variables. This process requires precision, especially when concepts originate from abstract theoretical reflections. If you cannot precisely define a concept, empirical research may be impossible, or further preliminary work is needed to clarify the subject of study.
This section is significantly enhanced when multiple definitions of the same concept are available, as they are linked to different methodological designs. Methodologically, a concept is not an abstract entity but is connected to an approximation of social reality. Each research concept aligns with a specific methodological design. The existing literature can be strategically helpful in studying the linkage with our project. Specifically, we should examine whether the conclusions align with established theories and whether our social group’s situation matches those described by these theoretical approaches. Part of the research aims to determine if our social group experiences the conditions described by different theoretical approaches.
Empirical Background in Research
The primary functions of this section are threefold:
- Strengthen the argument for the social relevance of the research object. If institutions are concerned about the issue, conducting research, and providing information, it underscores the issue’s importance.
- Demonstrate the relevance or seriousness of the social phenomenon using data, such as the number of people affected, reviews, and opinion polls.
- Inform the reader or evaluator that the researcher already possesses knowledge of the proposed field of study.
It is important to incorporate existing results from relevant official studies.
The three main sources of reference are:
- Results from institutional statistical sources.
- Studies conducted by researchers, with findings presented in monographs, reports, articles, etc.
- Data from your own earlier research, media sources, and so on.
Simply citing a source or author without providing the results is insufficient. You must include data that better connects with your target and, if necessary, discuss its validity.