Scientific novelty is a compulsory element of a dissertation introduction, alongside the relevance of the topic, the aim and the objectives of the study. This section sets out what has been done for the first time and how the results obtained differ from existing scientific solutions.
What is scientific novelty in research?
Scientific novelty is a characteristic that shows the author's personal contribution to science and answers the question of what exactly has been done for the first time. Unlike the relevance of the topic, which justifies why the study needs to be carried out now, and practical significance, which shows where the results can be applied, scientific novelty records a specific increase in scientific knowledge – a new concept, method, model or solution to a problem.
The scope and nature of the novelty required depend on the qualification level of the work: for a candidate's dissertation, it is sufficient to solve a problem that is significant for the relevant field of science, whereas a doctoral dissertation requires a more substantial contribution – the development of a new scientific direction or fundamentally new results.
Where scientific novelty belongs in a dissertation introduction
Scientific novelty is placed in the introduction after the object and subject of the study and comes before the theoretical and practical significance of the work. In practice, the formulation usually consists of several separate points, each recording one specific new result, rather than a single general paragraph.
The criteria and requirements for dissertations in the Kyrgyz Republic are set out in the regulation on the Procedure for Awarding Academic Degrees, approved by the Higher Attestation Commission under the Ministry of Science, Higher Education and Innovation of the Kyrgyz Republic: a dissertation must contain a set of new scientific results, and the author's personal contribution must be indicated separately.
How to correctly formulate the scientific novelty of a study?
The formulation is built on comparing the result obtained with existing scientific solutions on the same topic. A general statement about the significance of the work, without specifying exactly what has been done for the first time and in comparison with what, cannot be considered a formulation of novelty.
When drafting each point, it is useful to follow this sequence of steps:
- Study the extent to which the problem has already been addressed and identify which questions have already been resolved by other authors.
- Formulate exactly which specific result has been obtained for the first time and how it differs from existing solutions.
- Begin the formulation with a precise verb that reflects the nature of the result obtained.
- Relate each point of novelty to the objectives of the study stated in the introduction.
- Indicate the specific parameters by which the new result differs from the results of other authors working on a similar topic.
Formulations of scientific novelty typically begin with one of the following verbs:
- proposed for the first time
- developed
- substantiated
- identified
- clarified
- supplemented
The choice of verb depends on the nature of the result: “developed” is suitable for new methods and models, “clarified” and “supplemented” for developing already known scientific propositions, and “identified” for new patterns or relationships.
Common mistakes when formulating scientific novelty
The most common mistake is a general formulation that does not make clear exactly what the author has done and how it differs from what is already known. Related mistakes with similar consequences include:
- confusing scientific novelty with the relevance of the topic or the practical significance of the work
- retelling the literature review instead of presenting the author's own result
- failing to compare the results with the work of other authors on a similar topic
- an excessive number of novelty points that are not supported by the content of the dissertation
The formulation cannot go beyond the content of the work – each point of novelty must be based on a result that is presented and substantiated in the text of the dissertation.
A precise formulation of scientific novelty shows the dissertation council and reviewers exactly what contribution the author is making to science, and makes the defence easier. A clear distinction between novelty, relevance and practical significance reduces the likelihood of comments at the preliminary review stage of the dissertation.
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