The importance of correct grammar in a research paper
Recently, we had a customer who faced a grave problem with his research. His supervisor kept demanding corrections and he had no clue why. He had all the right data but his supervisor’s displeasure became so apparent that he decided that perhaps he wasn’t cut out for a PhD after all. Never mind all the time, money and effort he invested in the research. He approached us as a last resort before giving up on his research paper. He sent us his document for proofreading. We took a look at his document and told him what he needed to know: it was unsalvageable. The reason -Inappropriate grammar.
He is not alone. Many research scholars underestimate the importance of correct grammar in their write-up, not realising what a pleasurable read it makes for. It is a common misconception that having the right data and representing it correctly can lead a person to success. However in fact, they don’t. The right use of punctuation and simple yet sophisticated vocabulary will engage your readers deeply in the content because it creates a good flow. Consider the following example:
Say No to Drugs From The Delhi Police.
Oops! The one missing comma turned Delhi Police into drug dealers.
Imagine how many mistakes a research paper of about 100 pages is vulnerable to. When your supervisor devotes his/her precious time to read your paper, such grammatical errors can be a put-off. After over 15 years of formal education, the least a research scholar can do is exhibit the very foundation of the English language in a correct manner. No matter how significant the results of your primary research, it is invaluable if not aided by correct grammar. Therefore do not undervalue the attention needed for expressing your research data correctly, if you want positive feedback from your supervisor.
I am a management graduate with specialisation in Marketing and Finance. I have over 12 years' experience in research and analysis. This includes fundamental and applied research in the domains of management and social sciences. I am well versed with academic research principles. Over the years i have developed a mastery in different types of data analysis on different applications like SPSS, Amos, and NVIVO. My expertise lies in inferring the findings and creating actionable strategies based on them.
Over the past decade I have also built a profile as a researcher on Project Guru's Knowledge Tank division. I have penned over 200 articles that have earned me 400+ citations so far. My Google Scholar profile can be accessed here.
I now consult university faculty through Faculty Development Programs (FDPs) on the latest developments in the field of research. I also guide individual researchers on how they can commercialise their inventions or research findings. Other developments im actively involved in at Project Guru include strengthening the "Publish" division as a bridge between industry and academia by bringing together experienced research persons, learners, and practitioners to collaboratively work on a common goal.
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