The systematic process of research:

• Scientific research involves a systematic process. This process is used in all scientific research regardless of the research method.
• The scientific research process is a multiple-step process where the steps are interlinked with the other steps in the process.
• The eight steps of the research process as they apply to conducting a study:

Step 1: identify the problem.

The first step in the process is to identify a problem or choose a topic.

Step 2: Review the Literature about the problem.

The second step in the process is to do a back ground research i.e. real literature about your topic from library or internet to help you find the best way to do things and ensure you don’t repeat mistake from the past.

Step 3: State the objectives and significance of study.

An objective refers to the intension of the research. It should spell out what the research is supposed to accomplish. Significance refers to the relevance of study in terms of academic contribution and practical use (how it is beneficial to; target population, Ministry, hospital, NGO etc.).

Step 4: Develop the hypothesis/ question:

Hypothesis is an educated guess about how things work. ―if……{I do this} _____ then______ {this}_______ will happen.”

Step 5: Develop the methodology.

Having decided what you want to study about, the next question is how are you going to conduct your study? What procedure will you adopt to obtain answers to research question? What kind of data do you need to collect? How will you carry out the tasks needed to complete the different components of research process? What should you do and what should you not do in the process of undertaking the study? (Basically answers to these questions constitute the core of a research design).

Step 6: Conduct study and collect data.

Step 7: Analyze data.

Summarize data and make conclusion

Step 8: Report writing and Dissemination.

The last step is communicating your results (dissemination of report).

Students should not confuse the above steps of systematic research process with the steps followed when writing a research proposal or a report. .