The research workspace blog
Methodology explained, proposals demystified, AI research tools compared honestly, and funding routes for African researchers — written by the team building PaceReseacher.
What Is Research? A Clear Definition, Meaning, and Purpose
A plain-English definition of research: what it means, what makes an activity count as research, the core characteristics, and the steps of the research process — with examples.
6 min readWhat Is Plagiarism in Research? Types, Examples & How to Avoid It
A clear 2026 guide to plagiarism in research: the main types (verbatim, paraphrasing, patchwork, self-plagiarism, salami slicing), real examples, and how to avoid it.
5 min readUniversity of Ghana (Legon) Thesis & Dissertation Format Guide
A practical guide to University of Ghana Legon thesis and dissertation formatting: font, margins, page numbering, footnotes, structure, and submission requirements.
3 min readTypes of Research Explained: Basic, Applied, and Everything Between
A clear guide to the main types of research — basic vs applied, qualitative vs quantitative, exploratory, descriptive, and explanatory — with examples and how to choose.
5 min readThesis & Research Resources for Ghanaian Students (2026 Guide)
A practical 2026 guide to writing your thesis in Ghana: KNUST and University of Ghana format rules, research proposals, finding literature, and tools that help.
4 min readSampling Techniques in Research: Probability and Non-Probability Methods
A clear guide to sampling techniques — random, systematic, stratified, cluster, purposive, convenience, snowball and quota sampling — with definitions, examples and when to use each.
5 min readResearch Paradigms and Philosophy: Positivism, Interpretivism & the Research Onion
Understand research philosophy and paradigms — positivism, interpretivism, pragmatism, ontology and epistemology — and how the research onion turns them into a study design.
5 min readResearch Methodology Explained: Design, Methods, and Approach
A complete guide to research methodology — what it is, how it differs from methods, the key decisions (design, approach, sampling, analysis), and how to write the chapter.
5 min readResearch Institutions in Ghana: The Complete Guide (2026)
A guide to the major research institutions and centres in Ghana — CSIR, Noguchi Memorial Institute, universities and think tanks — what they do and how to engage with them.
5 min readResearch Fellowships and Funding for African Researchers (2026 Guide)
A practical guide to research fellowships and funding for African researchers — Ghana's National Research Fund, Humboldt, the ERC, UKRI and more, with eligibility and how to apply.
5 min readTypes of Research Design: Descriptive, Correlational, Experimental & More
A practical guide to research design types — descriptive, correlational, experimental, exploratory, cross-sectional and longitudinal — with examples and how to choose.
5 min readQualitative vs Quantitative Research: Differences, Examples & When to Use Each
Understand the difference between qualitative and quantitative research — their data, methods, analysis, strengths, and how to choose (or combine) them for your study.
5 min readPublishing in the Ghana Medical Journal: A Practical Submission Guide
How to publish in the Ghana Medical Journal — what it accepts, its open-access model, the submission process, formatting basics, and how to prepare a competitive manuscript.
5 min readPaceReseacher vs SciSpace: A Fair Comparison for Researchers
PaceReseacher vs SciSpace compared honestly — chat-with-PDF and research utilities vs a writing workspace with real inline citations, plus pricing and when to use each.
4 min readPaceReseacher vs Elicit: Which AI Research Tool Do You Actually Need?
A fair, up-to-date comparison of PaceReseacher and Elicit — what each does, pricing, strengths, and why they solve different halves of the research workflow.
5 min readPaceReseacher vs Consensus: Evidence Synthesis vs Writing Your Paper
PaceReseacher vs Consensus compared honestly — the Consensus Meter and evidence synthesis vs a writing workspace with real inline citations, with pricing and use cases.
4 min readNoguchi Memorial Institute: How to Collaborate and Publish Your Research
A guide to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) — what it does, its 2026 collaborations, and how researchers can engage, train, and publish biomedical work.
4 min readKNUST Thesis Format & Research Proposal Guide (2026)
A practical guide to KNUST's thesis format and research proposal requirements: structure, preliminary pages, the paper-based chapter option, and proposal essentials.
4 min readHow to Write a Research Proposal: Structure, Steps, and a Full Example
A step-by-step guide to writing a research proposal — the exact sections, what each one must contain, common mistakes, and a sample outline you can follow.
6 min readHow to Write a Problem Statement in Research (With Examples)
Learn how to write a clear statement of the problem in research — what it is, the structure that works, a fill-in formula, and worked examples you can model.
5 min readHow to Write a Literature Review: A Step-by-Step Guide
Learn how to write a literature review that does real work — searching, evaluating, synthesizing themes, and identifying the gap — with structure, examples and tips.
5 min readHow to Apply to the Ghana National Research Fund (GNRF) in 2026
A practical guide to the Ghana National Research Fund — what it is, what it funds, who is eligible, and how to prepare a competitive application now that the GNRF is operational.
5 min readGoogle Scholar Login, Alerts & Finding a Research Topic: A Practical Guide
Get more from Google Scholar in 2026: how to set up your profile and login, use alerts and your library, and use Scholar to find a research topic and spot gaps.
4 min readGemini for Research: Does Google's AI Have the Same Citation Problem?
Can you trust Google Gemini for research citations in 2026? Why Gemini still fabricates references in chat, how Deep Research changes things, and how to use it safely.
5 min readCSIR Ghana: Funding, Collaboration and How to Work With Its Institutes
A guide to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Ghana — its 13 institutes including the Food Research Institute, and how researchers can collaborate and access funding.
5 min readConceptual vs Theoretical Framework: The Difference, Explained Simply
Confused about conceptual vs theoretical frameworks in research? This guide explains the difference, shows how each is built, and gives clear examples for your proposal.
5 min readChatGPT for Research: The Fake-Citation Problem (and How to Avoid It)
Can you trust ChatGPT for research citations? A 2026 look at why ChatGPT fabricates references, what the data shows, how Deep Research changes things, and how to stay safe.
5 min readBeyond Google Scholar: Better Ways to Search the Literature in 2026
Google Scholar is the default, but it has real limits. A 2026 guide to its blind spots and the best alternatives — Semantic Scholar, OpenAlex, BASE, and AI research tools.
6 min readThe Best AI Tools for Research in 2026 (Honest Comparison)
An honest, up-to-date guide to the best AI tools for research in 2026 — Elicit, SciSpace, Consensus and PaceReseacher — what each does well, pricing, and which to use when.
6 min read