My research

Let me introduce myself to you. My name is Z.N. I am an assistant at the chair of entrepreneurship and business at the Krasnoyarsk State Agrarian University. I am interested in problems of economics and my scientific interest is……………..

I study at the post-graduate course and now I am taking candidate exams. I have been working on my problem for 2 years. My scientific supervisor is……..

My scientific problem is not deeply studied now, but it is very important for our Russian economy. I am conducting research now. Research in general is defined as the systematic gathering, recording and analyzing of data. The five basic steps in research are:

- defining the problem;

- collecting secondary data;

- collecting primary data;

- compiling and collating the data;

- analyzing and interpreting the results.

I have already defined my problem. It is... Now, I am collecting secondary data. It is information easily obtained through examination of company records or through library research. I have already studied the books on my problem, such as … by … They give different views on my problem.

The next step for me is collecting primary data. There are three basic methods for collecting primary data.

- observation method;

- experimental method;

- survey method.

Experimental method is the basic approach used in science. Before introducing the results of my research into economy, it is necessary to test them in a limited location.

Survey method is also very important.

The next stage will be compiling and collating the data. I plan to process my data using the electronic data processing equipment. There is special software which can be used now, for example...

The final step is interpreting the results. It involves using the data after it has been analyzed. It is very important as it exerts great influence on management decision relating to the original problem.

There are different ways of scientific material development:

- the first way is material development by listing. Here the author gives arguments, ideas and facts proving or rejecting the given statement.

- the second way is material development by examples. It is the example of method of listing, but here the examples are illustrated by tables, graphs, schemes and photos;

- the third way is material development by comparison. There are 2 ways of comparison. In the first case you alternate the examples relating to the phenomenon A with the examples relating to the phenomenon B. In the second case, first, you analyze all the examples relating to the phenomenon A, then – to the phenomenon B.

- the fourth way is material development by contrast. It is realized by collating heterogeneous aspects or qualities of two objects or phenomena, which differ greatly.

- the fifth way is material development by definition. It is used to introduce new terms, descriptions or concepts.

- the sixth way is material development by space and time. It is used with the equipment, connected with the analysis of changing space and time relations.

- the seventh way is material development by process description. It is used for describing steps of scientific experiments.

- the eighth way is material development by cause and effect.

- the ninth way is material development by generalization. Here first we analyze the examples proving the author’s idea and then draw the generalized conclusion.

Topical Vocabulary

chair – кафедра

entrepreneurship – предпринимательство

scientific supervisor – научный руководитель

to conduct research – проводить научное исследование

to compile data – собирать данные (материал)

to collate data – сопоставлять данные

survey – обзор

to process data – обрабатывать данные

to exert great influence – оказывать большое влияние

to alternate – чередовать

heterogeneous – разнородный

to interpret results – объяснять, комментировать результаты

to draw a conclusion – делать вывод

ПРИМЕРНЫЕ ОТВЕТЫ

Possible exam answers

Вопрос №1. What's the purpose of your present study?

Ответ: The purpose of my present study is to investigate the problems of enterprise financial condition and the problems of ownership relations because the subject of my research is enterprise financial condition as the form of ownership relations realization.

Вопрос №2. What are the aims and tasks of your science?

Ответ: My science is economics. Economics is the study of how people choose to allocate scarce resources to satisfy their unlimited wants. So, the aim of my science is studying the ways of allocating scarce resources for satisfaction of people's needs. The main problem in economics is the question of allocating scarce resources between competing users. So, the tasks of my science are to find out what, how and for whom to produce.

Вопрос №3. What are the aims of science in general?

Ответ: Science in general is the system of knowledge about different phenomena of objective reality and laws of their development. The tasks of science are to observe, to describe, to explain and to forecast the phenomena in definite fields. 2 main features of science are the ability to prove and the ability to systematize.

Вопрос №4. What's the purpose of the English course?

Ответ: The purpose of my English course is to get skills of reading scientific literature in the original for using new information in my research and future work. For many years science in Russia and abroad developed in own ways. There are different approaches to one and the same problem. So, to understand everything in detail it is necessary to know foreign languages.

Вопрос №5. What's your aim in attending this course?

Ответ: My aim in attending this course is to improve my level of English as it is very important for my future research. I am going to analyze the enterprises and their financial condition not only in Russia but also abroad.

Вопрос №6. Are there any difficulties in your research?

Ответ: Any research can be defined as the systematic gathering, recording and analyzing the data. The five basic steps in any research are:

• defining the problem;

• collecting secondary data;

• collecting primary data;

• compiling and collating the data;

• analyzing and interpreting the results.

It is a long and complex process, I have just started my research, so I am collecting secondary data now and it's rather difficult to compare Russian and foreign relations of ownership and to understand the ways of ownership relation realization.

Вопрос №7. Is there any solution to your problem?

Ответ: I think that there is the solution of my problem, but I should work hard to find it - I should read much literature, use different methods of research, such as observation method, balance method, graph method, average figures methods, experiment method, modeling and others.

Вопрос №8. Do you sometimes try new methods?

Ответ: I think I'll try some new methods in future. I hope to find some new methods when I read foreign literature.

Вопрос №9. Do you often deal with complicated problems?

Ответ: I have just started my research, I am collecting secondary data now and so far I haven't dealt with very complex problems.

Вопрос №10. Do you discuss your results with your supervisor?

Ответ: My scientific supervisor is... He is a professor of this University. As we have just defined the subject of my research there are not many results received to discuss.

Вопрос №11. Are your results published?

Ответ: My results are not published yet, but the results of my diploma project which I defended two years ago in Krasnoyarsk State Agrarian University are installed in production in Krasnoyarsk Joint Stock Company Dairy Plant № 1.

Вопрос №12. Is your problem studied anywhere else?

Ответ: My problem is studied abroad, for example in Deakin University of Australia. Some years ago the scientists of Deakin University organized special seminar on market development problems. And some lectures were given on the problems of ownership in Australia. This problem is also studied in Moscow Financial Academy, which is located in Leningradsky Avenue.

Вопрос №13. Are additional investigations required to solve this problem?

Ответ: Some additional investigations are required to solve my problem. I must study and analyze balance sheets of foreign companies, compare them with balance sheets in Russian. I must also study laws and regulations defining the structure of relations between companies with different forms of ownership.

Вопрос №14. Are outstanding results often reported in literature?

Ответ: I don’ think that outstanding results are often reported in literature because today it is rather difficult to get outstanding results. But almost every week we can get some information about new discoveries in different fields of science - in medicine, chemistry, genetics etc.

Вопрос №15. Are theories always built up on experimental work?

Ответ: I think that all theories must be built up on experimental work as only practice can prove the right to exist for any theory.

Вопрос №16. Are all scientific theories taken for granted?

Ответ: No, not all scientific theories are taken for granted. Very often after a long period of investigation some theories proved to be wrong. And some theories, which were denied, became true.

Вопрос №17. Are statistical methods widely used in your field?

Ответ: Some statistical methods are used in my field. They are: observation method, method of grouping, average figures method, method of indexes, balance method, graph method, etc.

Вопрос №18. Are all observations in your research made directly?

Ответ: Not all observations in my research are made directly, as it is very difficult to observe some phenomena.

Вопрос №19. Whose works are best known in your field of research?

Ответ: Many scientists work on the problems of ownership relations and problems of financial condition of the enterprises. But best known are names of… And their works…

Вопрос №20. How is data evaluation usually made?

Ответ: Data evaluation can be made manually or by means of a computer. There are special computer programs for calculating electronically. This way provides a rather fast way of calculating. But if the analysis is being done manually, it is time-consuming and very expensive.

Вопрос №21. At what stage of your research will final conclusions be made?

Ответ: Final conclusion of my research will be made at the stage of compiling and collating the data and interpreting the results. These are the last stages of any research.

Вопрос №22. How often are international conferences held in your field?

Ответ: I don't know if international conferences are often held in my field. But I hope they are held rather often.

Вопрос №23. Did you publish any papers last year?
Ответ: I didn’t publish any papers last year./ Yes, I did. I published two articles last year.

Вопрос №24. Did you obtain good results?

Ответ: I didn’t obtain good results as I have just started my research.

Вопрос №25. Why do you prefer this field of science to any other?

Ответ: I prefer economics to any other field of science as Russia is in a very difficult condition now – inflation, decline in production, and disparity of prices – all that influences the life of people in the country so I think it is necessary to work out theories which can improve the situation. So I plan to work out recommendations for improving the structure of ownership relations.

Вопрос №26. What new questions were raised at the last meting with your supervisor?

Ответ: My supervisor is Lyachin V.I., the professor of this University. During our last meeting we were discussing the questions of taking candidate exams in English and philosophy and my plan of research.

Вопрос №27. How much time was devoted to the discussion of each problem?

Ответ: About 30 minutes were devoted to the discussion of every question.

Вопрос №28. What problems were considered most pressing?

Ответ: Most people consider the questions of collecting secondary data most pressing. This information is easily obtained through the analysis of documents, balance sheets and cash flow statements.

Вопрос №29. What results were presented and discussed at the meeting?

Ответ: No results were represented at our last meeting as now I am collecting secondary data and getting ready for my candidate exams.

Вопрос №30. What new ideas were suggested and considered?

Ответ: Some new ideas were suggested and considered. For example, the idea of solving different conflicts among owners.

Вопрос №31. What points were particularly emphasized?

Ответ: Some points were particularly emphasized – for instance special attention should be given to different types of proprietorship, existing in Russia and abroad.

Вопрос №32. What plan was finally adopted?

Ответ: The plan of my research was finally adopted: we had already defined my problem of research so I have to study different books, articles, balance sheets, statements and records, compare Russian and foreign materials, analyze laws regulating relations of ownership.

Вопрос №33. Did you think of becoming a scientist in your childhood?

Ответ: Yes, I did. I thought of becoming a scientist in my childhood as my mother and my uncle are teachers and my husband is interested in physics. All of them wanted me to become a scientist. They believed in my talent and intellect.

Вопрос №34. Did you write your first research paper at the institute/university?

Ответ: Yes, I did. I wrote 2 articles at the University, and I also wrote and defended my diploma project.

Вопрос № 35. Whose works laid the foundation for your field?

Ответ: My field of research is… There are a lot of outstanding scientists in my field of research. But the works of … laid the foundation in this field of research.

Вопрос № 36. Whose ideas had a profound influence on the development of your field?

Ответ: My science is…It has been in existence for a very long period of time since…

There are a lot of outstanding specialists in this field, but the works of…had a profound influence on the development in this field.

Вопрос № 37. When did you first think of becoming a scientist?

Ответ: I thought of becoming a scientist when I was a student of Krasnoyarsk State Agrarian University. I took part in many scientific and research conferences and worked a lot with books, magazines and journals. I understood that it was interesting for me and I decided to continue my research experiencein the post-graduate course.

Вопрос № 38. When did you write your first research paper?

Ответ: I wrote my first research paper when I was a student. It was an article devoted to the problems of… and I wrote it for the student scientific conference in 2005.

Вопрос № 39. Where did you write that paper?

Ответ: I studied in Krasnoyarsk State Agrarian University and wrote this article there.

Вопрос № 40. What subject did you take for your thesis?

Ответ: The subject of my research is… and I am going to defend my thesis in 3 years. This subject is of great importance today because the solution of this problem will help our economy develop successfully.

Вопрос № 41. When did you do your first independent research?

Ответ: I did my first independent research when I studied at the University. But I can’t say that it was absolutely independent because my scientific supervisor helped me greatly.

Вопрос № 42. How long will it take you to write your thesis?

Ответ: I think it will take me about 3 years to write my thesis. I have just started collecting secondary data because it is information easily obtained through examination of the company records and library research. I am taking candidate exams this spring and I am going to write some articles with the results of my research next year.

Вопрос № 43. Why did you choose this particular subject for your thesis?

Ответ: I studied this problem while writing my diploma paper and I understood its importance for Russian economy. So, I would like to make my contribution into the solution of this problem.

Вопрос № 44. What contribution will you make by your research to that particular branch or subject?

Ответ: I studied this problem while writing my diploma paper and I understood its importance for Russian economy. So, I would like to make my contribution into the solution of this problem. My contribution will be the elaboration of the…

Вопрос № 45. What outstanding discoveries were made in a given field in the last century?

Ответ: I know such outstanding discoveries in my field of research as…

Вопрос № 46. What important discoveries were made in the nineties?

Ответ: In the nineties some very important discoveries in my field of research were made. They are…..

Вопрос № 47. What are you going to do in the near future?

Ответ: There are a lot of plans for the near future. First of all I am going to defend my thesis. After that I am planning to buy a car, to take a trip to any foreign country because I have improved my English greatly and I am going to start my own business - maybe a private research center.

Вопрос № 48. What problems are you going to take up next?

Ответ: Next I am going to take up a problem of instilling the results of my research not only in the limited location, but in all Krasnoyarsk region and maybe whole Russia.

Вопрос № 49. What are your plans for the coming year?

Ответ: I am planning to buy a car, to take a trip to any foreign country because I have improved my English greatly and I am going to start my own business - maybe a private research center.

Вопрос № 50. What will your thesis contain?

Ответ: My thesis will contain the following parts: introduction, body of the paper, consisting of 2 or 3 chapters, conclusions, some new ideas and recommendations for improving the condition of agriculture, list of references, appendix.

Вопрос № 51. How many sections will your thesis have?

Ответ: It will have the following parts: introduction, body of the paper, consisting of 2 or 3 chapters, conclusions, some new ideas and recommendations for improving the condition of agriculture, list of references, appendix.

Вопрос № 52. What problems will be considered in your thesis?

Ответ: The problems of agricultural condition perfection will be considered in my thesis.

Вопрос № 53. What results will be reported?

Ответ: The results of my research and the results of my ideas implementation will be reported in my thesis.

Вопрос № 54. What questions will be considered in detail?

Ответ: Innovation questions will be considered in detail.

Вопрос № 55. What questions will only be outlined?

Ответ: All the rest questions will be outlined.

Вопрос № 56. What techniques will be discussed?

Ответ: The techniques used in my research and the techniques of my ideas implementation will be discussed in my thesis.

Вопрос № 57. Whose works will be mentioned in the text?

Ответ: The works of founders of my branch and of the greatest specialists in my field of research will be mentioned in my thesis.

Вопрос № 58. What references will be given?

Ответ: The references to the outstanding books will be given in my thesis.

Вопрос № 59. What sort of figures will be given in the text?

Ответ: Different results of my research in the form of figures will be given in my thesis.

Вопрос № 60. How are you going to conclude your thesis?

Ответ: I am going to give the results of my research and the interpretation of these results at the end of my thesis.

Вопрос № 61. Where will the figure captions be given?