This document provides guidance for research methods and writing research papers. It discusses key aspects of developing a research concept such as identifying a research question and hypotheses. It also covers making a project implementation plan with goals, activities, and impact assessment. Additionally, it addresses best practices for writing different sections of a research paper like the introduction, literature review, methodology, and conclusion. Tools and resources are presented for various stages of research from idea development to publishing, including for reference management, plagiarism checking, and communicating research. The overall document serves as a comprehensive guide for graduate students and researchers.

1. Research Methods and Research
Paper Writing
Guide and Tools for PG and Doctoral
Students
S.K. Soam
Head of Division (Information and Communication Management)
National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM)
Hyderabad, Telangana, India
sudhir.soam@icar.gov.in

2. What we Discuss Today?
Part A: Research
Management
Methods
Part B: Improving
Quality of Research
Paper and its
Communication
Idea
Write
Research
Paper
Do Research

3. A-1: Research Concept
• Rationale
– Why do we plan
• Know the depth
– USPTO/ Web of Science/ EBASCO etc.
• Research question (s)
– Variable and universe
• Hypotheses
– Relationship with RQ
• Justification
– Outcome-Impact relationship

4. Research Concept Writer
https://naarm.org.in/dwrp/

5. A-2: Make a Project
Implementation Plan
• Goal
• Outcome
• Purpose
• Outputs
• Activities
• Inputs
• Budget
• Impact
• Monitoring &
Evaluation
• Assumptions
• Risks

6. Project Logframe Writer
https://naarm.org.in/logframe/

7. A-3: Whether your Research
Project is Best Option?
• Did you see other options too?
• Have you evaluated these options?
• If yes, against which parameters?
• Have you talked to peer group?
• Do you have any process of point-by-
point analysis?

8. AHP Analyser
https://naarm.org.in/ahp/

9. Part B: Crucial Elements of a
Research Paper

10. B-1: Enhance your Knowledge
The Shodhganga@INFLIBNET Centre provides a platform for research
students to deposit their Ph.D. theses and make it available to the
entire scholarly community in open access.

11. Searching International
Theses
• EThOS- eThesis Online Services - https://ethos.bl.uk/
• EBSCO Open Dissertations- https://biblioboard.com/opendissertations/
• Open Access Theses and Dissertations - https://oatd.org/
• Global Electronic theses and dissertations - http://search.ndltd.org/

12. National Digital Library of India
https://ndl.iitkgp.ac.in/

13. Consortium for e-Resources in
Agriculture (popularly known as CeRA)

14. B-2: Citation and Reference
Management
Four major citation styles:
• American Psychological Association (APA)
• Modern Language Association (MLA)
• Chicago Notes and Bibliography
• Chicago Author-Date
Need a tool for reference management and for
collaborating and sharing your work:
• Mendeley
• Zotero
• EndNote
• RefWorks

15. Mendeley Desktop

16. B-3: Title
Look from your own point of view
 Higher citation- searchability
 Access retrieval weightage of title- key words
 English language- use of colon (:), no acronyms, use of
verb/adverb/adjective etc
Look from potential reader point of view
 Predict content- of subject, scope etc
 Get reflection- of method, results, variables, hypotheses etc
 Satisfy and arouse- curiosity and interest
Avoid……
 Unnecessary words, jargons, acronyms
 Starting with: A study of…, An examination…., An
investigation…, etc
 Culture specific humour, puns etc
• Lengthy statement- 8-12 words

17. What Kind of Title?
Declarative (state main finding and conclusion): Introduction of
corn hybrids ‘A’ and ‘B’ enhances the income of farmers in Bihar
Descriptive (Introduce subject but not of conclusion):
Comparative analysis of corn hybrids ‘A’ and ‘B’ vis-à-vis changes
in income pattern of famers in Bihar
Interrogative (introduce subject as question): Does introduction
of corn hybrids ‘A’ and ‘B’ enhance the income of farmers in Bihar

18. Abstract
• Normally 10% principle, never > 300 words
• Stand at its own- no literature review
• Indexation / arouse interest
• Why research has been taken?
• How research has been done?
• What is the domain of research?
• What are broad findings?
• Impactful language- active voice, Direct
speech

19. Conclusion
• Where it all begin?
• Brief results/ findings
• Why findings are important?
• What is the impact of this study?
• How do you inspire others to take up
this work further?- gaps, additional
knowledge required for broader impact
etc

20. B-4: Journal Suggester
Taylor & Francis Journal Suggester -
https://authorservices.taylorandfrancis.com/
Springer Nature Journal Suggester -
https://journalsuggester.springer.com/
Wiley Journal Finder –
https://journalfinder.wiley.com/
Elsevier Journal Finder –
https://journalfinder.elsevier.com/

21. Impact factor of Journals &
Journal Citation Reports
The impact factor (IF) is a measure of the frequency with which the
average article in a journal has been cited in a particular year. It is used to
measure the importance or rank of a journal by calculating the times it's
articles are cited.
Journal Citation Reports are available at
• Journal Citation Reports (Web of Science)
• SCImago Journal Rank (SJR)

22. B-5: Plagiarism Check
Plagiarism is the representation of another author's language, thoughts,
ideas, or expressions as one's own original work.
UGC Providing URKUND plagiarism detection to all Universities / institutions
including private universities free of cost from September 1, 2019
Some of the commercial plagiarism
tools
• Ithenticate
• CopyScape.
• Grammarly.
• ProWritingAid.
• Plagiarism Checker X.
• Plagscan.
• Unicheck.
• Quetext

23. B-6: Spell Checking & Language
Editing
The following tools are used for language editing and
spell check while writing research papers
• Microsoft Word
• Grammarly
• Ginger
• Share with your peer group

24. B-7: How do I communicate myself?
ORCID/ ResearchGate/OER Commons
ORCID provides a persistent digital identifier (an ORCID iD) that you own
and control, and that distinguishes you from every other researcher.
https://orcid.org/

25. Thanks very much
sudhir.soam@icar.gov.in