When your research paper doesn't have a 'Story'?

How many times has your paper been rejected by Reviewer 2, with comments like, "Your research question is not compelling enough!" or "I do not see what your study adds to the literature?" or "There is no STORY in your paper."

We've all been there. The devil called the 'research gap' lurks between the introduction, literature review, and hypotheses. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the effort that goes into academic research. But the obsessive focus on 'gap-spotting' has made scholarship feel...dull!

The Academy of Management has even criticized "gap-spotting" as a practice due to its resulting lack of uniqueness and failure to challenge conventions. Interesting research is one that 'problematizes' phenomena.

'Problematization' - or the art of transmuting real-life problems in abstract terms - has the power to surprise and captivate the audience.

For example, a friend of mine recently quipped, "You know, I think work-life balance is a choice. People like me are ready to trade money for peace!"

This comment sparked a thought: "If I had to problematize this issue, how would I go about it?"

After a few days of racking my grey cells, these were my hypotheses:

H1: Individuals who prioritize peace/well-being over monetary compensation are more likely to report a higher work-life balance.

H2: The choice of work-life balance is negatively correlated with the importance placed on monetary compensation.

H3: The relationship between the choice of work-life balance and peace/well-being is moderated by individual values and priorities.

Problematization reveals the deeper puzzles and complexity because we understand and relate to the context. The better we understand the context, the better our stories!

The Problem of Problematization

The biggest problem of 'problematization' is to take a phenomenon and conceive it in abstract terms. The journey from 'I think work-life balance is a choice' to 'H1: Individuals who prioritize peace/well-being over monetary compensation are more likely to report a higher work-life balance' was TEDIOUS!

I personally struggled with this art for a long time (and still do) and I see most other people struggle with it. Until now!

With AI in the picture, things have started to change. If you have the right tools and workflow, you can unleash the 'problematizer' in you like never before. AI lets us identify new, unique topics and, more importantly, problematize and conceptualize them with relative ease!

For instance, after much trial and error, I was able to devise a workflow that has helped me. Here's how I do it:

Step 1: Generating an idea (in case you don’t have one)

• Head to TextFX by Google. It's a free copywriting AI tool that's built for ideation. Scroll down and press ‘Launch’.

• Click the POV button. In the 'Enter a topic' field, enter the name of a topic/construct/concept that interests you. ( I am entering 'work engagement').

• Hit Run.

• You will see some very unique perspectives on the topic.

• Now, just look at number 10, 'Work engagement is a myth perpetuated by HR departments....' Isn't that an interesting take on engagement?

Step 2: Problematization and operationalization

• To problematize and conceptualize this as a workable operational model, head over to ChatGPT and copy this prompt:

“Prompt: Assume you're a pioneering academic researcher in the field of organizational behavior. The user will give you information or a description of a problem or phenomenon. You will use 'Abstract Reasoning' to formulate conceptual models and hypotheses based on the phenomena that can be tested. Abstract reasoning refers to the cognitive ability to conceptualize and understand patterns, relationships, or complexities that are not grounded in concrete or physical attributes. It involves thinking beyond the literal, tangible aspects and extracting deeper meanings, relations, or principles. You will also use abstract reasoning to determine how the abstracted version of the phenomena can be captured in an academic study - that is, what are the possible independent variables, dependent variables, mediators, and moderators that can be used to test the developed hypotheses? Think deeply and step-by-step and show each step of your thinking while developing the conceptual model and hypotheses. You can ask clarifying questions to the user if required to understand the user's needs better.”

• Next, copy the problematization from TextFX. It should look something like this:

• Hit Enter. This is what ChatGPT's output would look like:

• It will even give you the methods that you need to use!

• Yay! Within a few minutes, we have a complete conceptualization of a study - complete with hypotheses, constructs, and methods to be used. How cool is that!

Now, I must say that the constructs that GPT uses may not exist, or the definition may be incorrect. However, what comes over is the 'starting pang' - that part where you have an idea but feel directionless! It gets you started! Even if you get a construct like 'HR messaging', you now know communication and messaging is the 'thing' that you were looking for and can work your way back.

Had you been designing your own study, just think of how many days' worth of work you saved using AI and proper prompting! Isn't it amazing?

So go ahead. Give it a shot! Try different constructs, develop some great research, and stay tuned to Precise Words to learn more such tips and tricks.

On that note, I have a request. I spend a considerable amount of time making content like this so that Indian researchers can conduct high-quality research and teaching. If you find the content of this newsletter useful, please consider sharing it with your friends and spreading the word.

Till next time!