1

ART OF WRITING AND PRESENTING A RESEARCH PAPER IN YOGA

FOREWORD
It has become very much mandatory in the academic research to publish some
research papers and present some research papers in the reputed journals and national or
international seminars. Particularly the research studies in yoga have not yet gained a
considerable momentum because the very discipline of Yoga is at the cross roads. On one
hand the discipline of Yoga is considered as a part of culture and Hindu philosophy and also
on the other hand yoga is considered to be a part of psychology and a solution for so many
problems. The gap between the two dimensions, the culture and philosophy on one side
and psychology and solution for social problems has not been logically filled up. Besides the
western intrusion into the yoga ideology since the 19th century has laid foundations for
empirical studies and proving the conclusions made in the classical yoga texts through
mechanical, electronic and statistical devises. This quantification has resulted in treating
yoga as purely applied subject and it has totally relegated and forgotten the classical
ideology of realization or Kaivalya. The pioneers for this methodology can be seen in Svami
Kuvalayananda the founder of Kaivalyadham, Svami Satyanamda sarasvati, the founder of
Bihar School of Yoga, and many more yoga experts who wanted to move away from the
time tested practices and give yoga more a color of experimentation and also pragmatism.
Those pioneers have aimed at the removal of the bias in yoga being called as myth and tacit
and such a situation heralded a new era of confusion. Adding fuel to the fire the application
of yoga for therapeutic purposes has become a fashion of the day and the Yoga therapy has
emerged as a substitute for the existing modalities and Naturopathy and yoga have wedded
together for providing the alternative therapy through yoga. But the conspicuous situation is
that the pioneers of yoga therapy do not want to lose the hold on the texts of yoga and
practices suggested there in. At the same time they want to quantify the results of a yoga
practice and so that the frequency, intensity, result, and variations are adopted in different
mechanical modules.

This is a fluid situation wherein the research in yoga itself has become a challenge to
the senior professors in yoga. In such a situation the amateur researchers who got enrolled
for Ph D and M Phil programs in yoga and who are not having any type of knowledge on
research methodology, source studies and field studies are insisted to produce the research
papers. For writing the research paper in yoga they must know basically all the details of the
theory and practice of the yoga system to which they belong to and they must be in a
position to establish their yoga system. Then they must know about the research method
which can be adopted to their respective yoga systems and take initiative to write a
research paper.

The major problem after writing the research paper is presentation. Now the
research communicative system has totally been mechanized, electronicised and digitalized.
2

The presentation techniques found in the corporate sector are being adopted in academic
line without any infrastructural and technical abilities. They are asked to make power point
presentation without the skill of the subject, language and communication abilities. The
presentation has become a farce that the slides are presented and read by the research
scholars and they do not have any skill of communication. Adapting the vernacular
languages like Tamil in medium of instruction has also reduced command over English and
other universal methods.

Keeping the above situations into consideration, an attempt is made here with to
provide instruction to the amateur research scholars who got themselves enrolled for Ph D
and M Phil programs in yoga and to provide some methods to write a research paper and to
present it in a forum or seminar.

This subject is very much limited to yoga and yogic studies and no particular light is
shed only on a single system of yoga. More over care has been taken more to generalize the
method of writing and presenting a research paper than simply sticking on to a specific pro-
forma. Care has been taken to inculcate interest in the research students to write a research
paper than simply dumping the material. It has become essential to deal with the raw
concepts in the most colloquial terms also because most of the students of yoga are not in a
position to understand the scientific connotation of a practice or theory or term or concept
because most of the books on yoga were written in Sanskrit and classical styles of
vernaculars. The present university students are not well versed either in English or Sanskrit
or in classical vernaculars.

Another great problem to be encountered is very much related with the nature of
research. Most of the researchers are part-time researchers and they are blindly prone for
experimental studies. They do not have necessary time, library potential, source analysis
and management methods and lab facilities. In such a situation the probability of truth in
their findings is far from the pragmatic and empirical ideals.

The last but not the least is that they are not properly devoting attention,
observation and interpretation. In such a situation most of the research works have become
the result of the cut and paste method and they are all sufficiently cooked up. The
information technology and its advancement is adding another dimension through the
internet facility and they are simply downloading the material that has been recorded and
digitalized through electronic medium. It is suicidal to the very research itself and it is also
contributing for the loss of originality and creativity in research.

The purpose of this work is to orient the mindset of the researchers for making their
potentials favourably for writing a research paper and presenting it in a forum with more
originality, tenacity, confidence and commitment.

Dr. KASIBHATTA. SATYAMURTY

3

1. DEFINITION AND FEATURES OF RESEARCH PAPER

The research paper can be defined a mini essay or essay related with the appraisal of
any limbs of yoga system or concepts or practices or the methods of application with a
critical, analytical, systematic and interpretative approach.

This is basically an essay or mini essay. It is not a book or part of the book. But it
looks like a book with all the modalities of a research work. Only the scale, size and
organization of the work will be changing.

It is related with the appraisal. Appraisal literally means, “Assessment of the quality
of or value of”. Here in this case the appraisal does not mean a quantification of value but it
is a scaling based on intellectual and application values of a theory or practice which is
basically related with yoga.

Limbs of yoga system do differ from one yoga system to another yoga system. Yama,
Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi are said to be the
eight limbs of the Ashtangayoga developed by Patanajali. Asanas, Mudra, Bandha, Kriya,
Pranayama and Kriyas are the limbs in Hathayoga. Hearing, Memorising, Concentrating and
Silence are major limbs in Rajayoga. Physical Exercises, Kayakalpa, Intrrospection and
Meditation are the limbs in simplified KUndalini yoga developed by YOgiraj Vethathiri
Maharishi. Thus the limbs in the system of yoga will be varying and it is the duty of the
researcher to appraise the theory, function and practices related to each limb absolutely,
dependently and inter-dependently. This can be taken to be the appraisal of the limbs.

Concepts literally mean, “An abstract idea”. For instance Isvara and Kaivalya are
concepts in Patanjali yoga. Purusha and Prakruti are concepts related with Samkhya
philosophy. Limit and Method, Initiation, Purification, Introspection, Genetic centre, peace,
mind, magnetism and Brahmam are the concepts found in Simplified Kundalini yoga. Arul,
Siva, and Paramukti are concepts found in Arul yoga. These are all basically intellectual
images and they throw a more light on the intellectual personality of a thought. It will be
generally functioning as the key to open the so-called yoga practice. Without the concepts
one cannot probe into the framing and functioning of a practice. That is why the appraisal of
a concept is found essential.

Practice literally means “the action rather than the theory of doing something”.
Particularly in case of yoga, the practice is the thought ventilated through the motor organs
to achieve certain state of or status of consciousness. All yoga practices are the movements
made through the physical and physiological processes and they have some set purpose to
be achieved. If the purpose is not achieved through the practices it will be futile exercises
4

only. The researcher must aim at how the practice can be supportive of a theoretical
dimension and also how it will be like a bridge to reach some quantifiable and verifiable
purpose.

The methods of application are very much related with how the practices can be
reached to the common public and provide some tangible solutions. Unless the practice
gives a valid and verifiable result on believable ground the utilitarian purpose of the practice
will be ignored. Now a days in the very much scientific and empirical approach to the
knowledge of any branch, yoga systems or its branches can be understood as applicable as
valid tools in regular life provided they give a specific acceptable and agreeable result. The
research paper can also throw a light on the methods of application.

The research paper depends on the approach what it has at the disposal. It can be
classified as critical approach, analytical approach, systematic approach and interpretative
approach.

Critical literally means,”expressing disapproving comments; assessing literary or

artistic work, having a decisive importance “. Hence in the critical approach the concept or
practice or method of application are assessed of their approval or otherwise through the
standard methods of verification. In the same way the critical methods clearly and decisively
speak of the importance.

Analytical literally means, “Anything related with the detailed examination or study”.
But in the case of yoga concept or practice or method of application the analytical
perspective is a probe into the cause and effect relationship to a thought or thought
converted into an action or action converted into the practice. The causation is to be very
much probed and the researcher has to high light what challenges might have resulted in a
response in the form of a thought described as concept; or the concept converted into or
ventilated into an action or an action skillfully adopted into the practice. This will be
basically dealing with the bridging from the cause and effect as challenge and response and
resulting in orienting the body-mind set up for the achievement of something.

Interpret literally means, “explain the meaning; and understanding as meaning”.

Interpretative approach in the research method is basically related with attributing a
thought or practice or method of application for a particular cause or as a medium for
achieving certain result may be verifiable and quantifiable or otherwise. Critical approach,
analytical approach and interpretative approach are very much dependent upon the
perspective what the researcher has for yoga and its method.

Thus the research paper can be understood as an essay dealing with a yoga system
or limb of a yoga system, or concept or practice or application method with critical,
analytical and interpretative approach.
5

FEATURES OF A GOOD RESEARCH PAPER:

The following can be detailed as the features of a good research paper.

1. Specificity:
Specific literally means, clearly defined or identified; precise and clear”. One must be
very clear in locating, identifying and diagnosing any subject or problem related with the
theory or practice, or method of application very precisely and pin-pointedly. It indicates to
the fact that how best the researcher is viewing or perceiving very particularly. The
specificity also requires the discriminative skill with which the researcher can distinguish
some unwanted or un-necessary areas and concentrates on a particular area for the study.
Thus specificity commands the cognitive, locative and discriminative skills that are needed
to the scholar. Cognition is identifying a problem or unit. Location is finding out the point of
action or thought in a given network of a system. Discrimination is very much related with
the separation and non-localization of other facts, aspects, dimensions, practices and
methods of application.

2. Clarity:
Clarity literally means clearness. When you are writing the research you must be
clear in your purpose, target, and attempt there for. There must be no confusion in
planning, methodology and working process including expression. Clarity always confirms
the serene and meditative situation when one is planning to write a research paper and how
he is executing the same work.

3. Role of Hypothesis:
Hypothesis can be understood as a statement or a set of statements which can be
proved or disproved or revised in the process of study. Hypothesis is like a key for the study
and it is the door way for a long stepping out in research pursuit. A point is essential for
drawing a figure. In the same way hypothesis is like a point where you want to start, unify
your thoughts, orient your thoughts and start your operation of writing a paper. As
hypothesis is inevitable in a research work of higher volume, the same is also essential even
in a small research paper.

4. Defining of sources:
The next step you have to take to hypothesis is how you are going to define your
sources. Definition of sources, discrimination of sources and criticism of sources is a very big
subject by itself. But the student of research must be clear enough in defining his sources.
He must select the primary sources, secondary sources, peripheral sources, survey based
sources, and laboratory based sources and the like. He must be clear and specific on what
type of sources he is depending on to prove or disprove his hypothesis.
6

5. Methodological significance:
After identifying the sources and hypothesis one has to establish on what method
the researcher is going to deal with the sources. Method of study is basically logical
formulae and it is very much related to make the sources valid or otherwise.

6. Critical perspective:
After having the methodology defined the researcher must be clear about the
criticism. Is he positively criticizing or comparatively criticizing or negating the sources.

7. Interpretative approach:
Then the researcher must be clear about the interpretation model what he is
following. Is he following causal model, or cause and effect model or systemic model or
intra system study and the like? He must be very clear about the parameters and the
variables that he is adopting for his interpretation.

8. Application value:
The good research paper must be throwing a light on the application value of the
present study. It will be functioning like a torch bearer for the successive group of scholars
and to base their studies on our attempts.

9. View finding potential:

The research paper must present a view of its own on the creativity, comprehension
and critical appraisal

2. FUNCTIONS OF A GOOD RESEARCH PAPER

Function literally means “a purpose or natural activity of a person or thing” and also
“work or operate”. When the research paper is prepared or presented the paper must have
certain functions to be fulfilled. Otherwise it will be a mere academic exercise with dumping
of some data. The important functions of the good research paper can be detailed in the
following way:

1. Highlighting the problem:

The research must high light all the dimensions of the problem which is chosen for
study. Those dimensions include the causative dimensions, the functional dimensions and
refractive dimensions. Causative dimensions are totally dealing with the causes for a
problem. The functional dimensions deal with how the problem functions in a conditioned
scenario. The refractive dimensions deal with the impact of the problem on individuals and
social groups who are having like-mindedness or otherwise also. The refractive dimension
7

may give rise to an alternative intellectual imagery or an alternative physical practice which
is very much to be adopted.

2. Ventilating the method:

The research is not a study on free style. It is a conditioned study. It is conditioned by
hypothesis, logic, method, sources and different social and allied functions of any system in
yoga. A co-ordination between the hypothesis, logic, method and sources is always
essential. The researcher must ventilate himself of his method through the research paper.
The method may be different from one study to another study. But the study must be
methodical. That is why the research paper must ventilate the method. It helps to verify,
check, revise and correct the findings of study. Any study which is not verifiable, or liable for
checking or revision or correction can be understood as tacit study or absolute study. In the
mundane world of academic appreciation with more discretion and empiricist tendency the
scope for tacit factors and absolute factors is very less and rather not present. In such a
situation the verification of the study is very important and it can be done only through the
ventilation of the method.

3. Creatiive appraisal:
Any research work is not of simply scissors and paste modality. The creativity makes
the researcher to probe into thought, action, result, sources and conditions for a thought,
action and result and for the formation of the sources also. It requires a close observation,
synthesis of variable factors, understanding the homogenous factors, balancing the
heterogeneous factors and all this requires a basic mental ability called creative appraisal.
The research paper one presents must be a litmus test for the creative appraisal of the
causes, facts, factors, forces and results involved there in any yoga system or practice.

4. Orientation for experimentation and training:

An intellectual image at the mind level, in a network of thought with oscillating and
gig-jag condition can be called concept. All the concepts are basically said to be abstract and
unconditioned. When a concept is reduced to the conditioned level in a finite stage and
verified of its function, course and result in a motor system it is experimentation.
Experiment is very much conditioned activity to understand the concepts through the
visible, tangible and quantifiable media. Once the experiment is brought to the public
qualified by heterogeneous factors, and engulfed by socio-psychological plurality, the
experiment turns into a practice. The practice orients the individual or groups of individuals
from the function of action and forces to the function of point. At this level practice unifies
the diversified and diversifying factors for the personal wellbeing and social wellbeing too.
Once a practice is found to be valid, the instructor of the practice must be equipped with
the propagation of the practice. At this level practice turns into training. Once proved very
much utilitarian in training, the benefits of the same practice must be provided to a wider,
8

varying and larger public comprising all walks of life. This includes the extension activity.
Concept is the seed level and extension is the fruit level. Any research paper must be
functionally orienting different stages of concept-experimentation,-practice-training and
extension.

3. TYPES OF RESEARCH PAPERS

The research papers which are generally produced can be categorized into the
following major types.

1. Theme oriented papers:

These will be concentrating on a particular theme like Asana, Pranayama, Isvara, Brahmam
and the like they will be providing a wider survey on the subject by different writes at
different times.

2. Review oriented papers:

These papers deal with a single writer and try to provide a total review of a system or
concept or practice.

3. Affirmation oriented papers:

Affirm literally means state firmly or publicly. When a statement or observation is made by a
previous writer about the concept or practice or method of application or training, the
researcher finds out supporting material from different sources and he affirms a statement
or concept or practice or method of application.

4. Negation oriented papers:

The purpose of this paper is to negate. Negate literally means stop or undo the effect of. But
in case of research, negation deals with disproving a fact or concept or practice or method
of application. The researcher totally concentrates in condemning the previous writers and
it is called in traditional logical methodology as khamdana and purva paksha. Khamdana
means to contradict and purvapaksha to declare invalid.

5. Interpretation oriented papers:

The key for this paper is interpretation. The facts are already established by some
previous writers. But they can be understood differently and variedly due to so many logical
reasons. Interpretation is based on the perspective of the individual scholar towards a
subject.
9

6. Analogy oriented papers:

The key for these papers is analogy. Analogy literally means comparison or partial
similarity. For instance the concept of peace is there and nonviolence is there in yoga
method. How they are understood by different writers and commentators in different times
and how their arguments can be justified on the logical grounds and also the practical
grounds.

7. Analysis oriented papers:

The key for this paper is analysis. Analysis is literally to mean a detailed examination
or study. But in the case of yoga when the analysis is made the study centers around the
concept, the causative thought for the concept, the assimilative thought for that concept,
the confirmative or affirmative thought for that concept, the interrogative thought for that
concept. In the same way these processes of causation, assimilation, affirmation,
confirmation, and interrogation are also found for a limb of yoga or practice of yoga, or
training in yoga or method of application in yoga.

8. Application oriented papers:

The key for this paper is application. How a concept or limb or practice or method
are applied in the day to day lives. The application oriented papers generally bank on the
method of study limited to some conditions, variables and a segment of population. The
application oriented papers generally take the help of survey methods, and statistical
methods.

9. Investigation oriented papers:

The key for this paper is investigation. They investigate into the function and result
of a practice. The investigation oriented papers concentrate more on the causes for positive
results and also causes for negative results. They investigate the validity of a hypothesis, the
validity of a function of a practice and also the reliability of the result. In all the papers the
perspective to the subject is very important. Without a perspective nobody can interpret or
affirm or negate or apply or analyse or investigate. What is the perspective?

4. PERSPECTIVES IN YOGA
Perspective literally means, “A way of seeing something; understanding of the
relative importance of the things”. For instance there is a wooden table. For somebody it is
a unit of wood. But for somebody it is unit of craft. But for somebody it is indicative of a
cultural heritage and for somebody it is serving some utility and for somebody it is one of
the artifacts made by man with wood. In this way the same wooden table draws different
10

types of observations. The statements highlighting the observations can be understood as

perspective. In the same yoga, the systems of yoga, the concepts in yoga, the tradition of
yoga, the training in yoga, the method of application in yoga also receive the attention in
different ways and the same is called as differentiating perspectives. The object is one and
the function is one but the way it is located, identified, discriminated and assessed and
concluded are totally different from one group of observers to the other group of observers.
How yoga can be perceived? Is a vital question. This perception and perspective direct the
orientation of the subject, its understanding, analysis and interpretation. The following are
the major perspectives related with yoga.

1. Social perspective:
Any ideology or invention by the human kind and human mind is due to a social need
and social impulse. As man is a social being and associated with the society from the womb
to the tomb the societal factors guide, help, command, control and associate with the man
at every stage and at every step of thought to action and action to living. Yoga is also not an
exception to the social idiom. The society paves different ideas and ideologies into different
groups of acquired action with a social back up. Without the backdrop and back up of the
society, no individual attempts. The social purpose is prima facie and it shall be taken as the
basic for any academic or concept oriented or thought oriented and action oriented effort.
This is what is called social perspective. Man is suffering from fear, old age and death. He
gets everything, enjoys everything and loses everything in this triple and crippled condition
of fear, old age and death. From the beggar to the king, from the ignorant to the scholar,
everybody is not an exception to this. This is the social truth that has been persuading the
human mind to find out an alternative or corrective or modification to the stream of fear,
old age and death. There evolved the system of yoga. This is the biological truth functioning
as a social backdrop and promoting for certain inventions like yoga. Interpreting everything
in yoga as very much caused by and related to societal factors is called social perspective.

2. Cultural perspective:
According to Kroeber a famous Cultural Anthropologist, “culture is an intervening
variable between the nature and human organism”. It intervenes between a natural and
social identity. Life is natural and living is social. The intervening variable between the life
and living can be seen in culture. The culture is ideological culture when it is inherited as an
ideology or concept. It is traditional culture when it is handed down as a tradition and
custom from the predecessors to the successors. It is a religious culture when it is handed
down as a form of belief and a network of actions related with the belief. It is lingual culture
when it is related to the voice culture and noise-culture as a careful and care-taken medium
for communicating abstract and absolute facts in finite medium with phonemic and
phonetic aspects. All languages are a part of the lingual culture. It is a material culture when
different masses like wood, antler, bone, mud, stone and metal are used for the
11

convenience in human living. A tree cannot be made used of. But the branch can be used as
fuel and wood can be used as to make out an artifact. Anything that is handed down from
the predecessors to the successors in the form of a concept or communication or belief or
practice or artifact can be called culture. Yoga is compendium of practices evolved due to so
many ideas and ideologies. Yogic tradition is varying and wide spread and it is having
different practices. They were all unified, institutionalized and regularized for the benefit of
the posterity in what we are calling as yoga. In some yoga action plays a major role; in some
yoga body plays a major role, in some yoga the emotions play a major role; in some yoga the
thoughts play a major role, in some yoga the consciousness plays a major role, in some yoga
the energy plays a major role, in some yoga the direct experience plays a major role and in
some yoga bliss plays a major role. Thus different systems of yoga with allied practices have
been handed over from the predecessors to the successors. They may discharge some social
function. But being a heritage yoga is basically cultural. Hence cultural perspective is
inevitable in yoga studies.

3. Philosophical perspective:
Knowledge is difference from intelligence and wisdom. Knowledge, wisdom and
intelligence appear to be one but they are totally different. What the sense organs receive is
knowledge. It is the repercussion to the five fine elements called the pressure, sound, light,
taste and smell. Any living being has the capacity of knowledge. The deposited knowledge
can be retrieved as per the need of the hour. It leads to locative, cognitive and
discriminative skills. The skillful knowledge can be called intelligence. All people are
intelligent in one way or the other. They fail in no way using their knowledge for the best of
their intentions. Wisdom is something beyond the sensory perception but intimately
connected with the consciousness. The philosophical perspective is an orientation towards
a query about the origin, presence, existence, decay, death and decomposition of the living
and non-living mass. This is an enquiry from the manifestation to the trans-phenomenal
level. This is crossing the limits of the form, mass, force, energy and something beyond. All
are present in the human body. When such perspective is adopted to understand yoga as a
medium to distinguish the interrelation between the form, mass, force, energy and
something beyond it is a philosophical enquiry. The perspective is philosophical perspective.
When one becomes many it is creation and self-transformation. If human attempt is made
to make many into one; form into trans-phenomenon, then it is yoga. Thus yoga speaks for
the philosophical perspective and the scope for philosophical perspective can be found in
the articulated function of the energy, force and mass as a trio. That is why in the classical
method yoga is found to be a limb of our system of Hindu philosophy.

4. Psychological Perspective:
Swami Kuvalayanamda (1883-1966) asserts “the physical side is only a minor aspect
of yoga which is chiefly mental and spiritual”. Sri Aurobindo, Master C.V.V and many adepts
12

in yoga have thrown light on the role and place of consciousness in yoga system. The place
for mental identities and consciousness as the key for the divinity has become the
foundation for the psychological perspective. The ephemeral, peripheral and transient
mental images shall be deliberately and functionally removed from the plane of
consciousness and yoga is the medium in that process. Even Vethathiri maharishi the
founder of Simplified Kundalini yoga, who is seeking for the cent per cent purification of the
genetic centre is the responsibility of the human being, also banks from emotional level to
the conscious level; from the reason to the wisdom and he merges with the psychological
perspective. The influence of mental philosophy or psychology developed in the modern
schools of Freud and others have gave a fillip to consider yoga also as psychology. Thus the
psychological perspective has found a good place in research and articulating the systems,
practices and methods of application of yoga.

5. Health Perspective:
Health is generally referred to as,”the state of being free from illness; mental or
physical condition”. According to some body, health does not mean the total absence of
illness. Health can be understood as a condition of bio-magnetic equilibrium in coordinating
the functions of the physical body, astral body and causal body. World Health Organization
classifies the health as the physical health, mental health, social health and spiritual health.
The condition of the loss of equilibrium in the mass while harnessing the force and energy
may be called health. Nowadays yoga has become an index for good health; a channel for
healthy life and a medium for healthy behavior. As such understanding yoga, its concepts,
practices, training methods and extension activities as the means for good health has
become an academic model. There developed the health perspective.

6. Fitness and Personality Perspective:

Even though appearing to be separate from health perspective, one more corollary
can be seen in the fitness and personality perspective. This is a narrowed down and
professionalized range in yoga application. Fitness is very much referred to in colloquial
terms as, “of a suitable quality, standard or type,” particularly used in the context of good
health. In the same way Personality is understood to be, “the qualities that form a person’s
character”. Hence the Fitness and Personality perspective is to refer to the variables and
constants related to one’s own capacity to immunity and also ability to raise to the occasion
and to respond properly, effectively, efficiently, and timely to the varieties of challenges.
The challenges may be physical, or mental or psychological. Thus fitness and perspective
limits down the system, method and practices and application of yoga only the physio-
psychological ability and promotion of immunity and stress free life. Any how this dimension
is also chosen to be an important one in understanding, analyzing, interpreting and
comparing the systems, concepts, practices, methods and patterns of application of yoga.
13

7. Spiritual perspective:
Spiritualism is a very wider word. It is understood to be something “of the human
spirit, of religion and religious belief”. To be very specific Yoga is not a religion and it has
nothing to do with any religious motivations. Any how different religions have made use
different techniques of yoga a part of their counseling, practices and modus operandi. But
yoga stresses at the highest level of a direct experience of the cosmic truth being in
transcendental way. It speaks something mystic, mysterious, tacit and quite far away from
the finite and sensible experiences. To the common man and a layman a yogic experience
may be a surprise and beyond imagination. But any how yoga is still valid even in this
scientific age for the spiritual experience that it is providing to the adherents. Thus spiritual
perspective has become another dimension in viewing, understanding and appraising the
traditions, the concepts, the practices, the training and the application in yoga.

8. Holistic perspective:
This is to mean, treating the whole as one unit. Yoga is understood with holistic
perspective and it has distinctive approaches.

All these perspectives help to locate, narrate, describe, understand, criticize and
appreciate the sources in yoga.

5. SCENARIO OF SOURCES
In the preparation of a research paper it is very much important about knowing the
sources. Without proper knowledge of the sources, the researcher fails to have a
perspective. What are the sources?

At this juncture one can start with a hypothesis that all sources are facts and all facts
are not sources. Then invariably one has to find out the difference between the facts and
sources.

Fact is literally told to be, “a thing known to be true”. Anything which is perceivable,
sensible, and verifiable of its presence, nature and function can be called a fact. On the
other hand the source is understood to be, “a place, person or thing from which something
originates”. It is also understood to be “a person, book etc. providing information”. Here the
question naturally comes to a researcher is that, does he want only information or fact?
Information may be not suitable, pseudo, false, fabricated and not related to the subject
whatever he is dealing with. But a fact must be valid of its truth, specific of its function,
constituent of its nature and it can be checked, verified, revised, reorganized and
interpreted. All facts are information but all information is not fact. In the days of the
communication technology and electronic revolution so much information is abundant but
it is not providing the facts that are needed to the researcher. Facts are having the
following qualities.
14

Qualities of Facts:
1. All facts are vouchers of truth.

2. The facts are contemporary to the truth or the event.

3. The facts are not fabricated.

4. All facts are similar but never identical.

In such a situation the books or persons or places who provide un-molested

information can be called the sources.

Difference between Sources and Facts:

Sources provide the facts. Facts are not the sources.

Sources are not made by the researcher. Facts are declared of their validity by the
researcher.

The sources may be of different types. But the facts are of homogeneous nature.

Sources represent plurality of human activity. Facts represent validity of knowledge.

Types of Sources:
The sources in general can be classified as the following:

1. Library sources:
The books and journals that are available in a library are the published sources. They
are already subjected to discussion and revision and present a conclusive state in the
content. Hence the library sources are considered to be valid or useful sources to the
researcher.

2. Laboratory sources:
The quantified observations of a concept in the network of functioning in the finite
conditions with identified frequency, verifiable function and results and observable nature
can be called the laboratory sources. These sources are also manmade. They are self-
attested and standing fool proof. The laboratory sources can be considered as a medium to
attest the concepts and convert the concepts into actions which in turn can become a
practice. The laboratory sources are all primary sources. They are to be interpreted in the
light of a network and in the spirit of a concept and also in the path of a perspective. The
network, concept and perspective will make laboratory sources live sources of knowledge
and they function as primary sources. Some mass examined through a compound
15

microscope and some forms and compositions analyzed through some chemical and
physical means can be taken as an example for the laboratory sources.

3. Survey based sources:

When the data is to be collected from wider geographical and demographic scenario,
the only method is to get the information through survey and convert the information as
valid facts for study. Survey literally means, “Record the features of an area to produce a
map”, “question a group to find out their opinions” and also, “general examination or
description”. Any survey involves the defined area of study, the defined group of people or
population and a defined concept or result or causes of results and actions to be probed
into. Any type of heterogeneity will not give a fruitful result through the survey. When the
survey is conducted through heterogeneous population then the parameters and variables
should be constant. The researcher must be clear in his efforts because he has to induce the
people to inform, get the information through a questionnaire and finally has to conclude
and interpret the commonalities and peculiarities in the answers. In the methods of survey
statistical devises are very much used in order to get the mean value, mode value, co-
efficient value and the like. The diagrammatic methods like bar diagrams, pie diagrams,
histograms are also followed in order to provide a visual effect to the constants and
variables in the study.

Nature of Good Sources:

1. Contemporaneity:
The sources which are recording the contemporary facts are very much valid
sources. For instance the autobiography of Vethathiri maharishi records so many social and
cultural factors which carved him out into a practitioner of yogi subsequently to become
Yogiraj and also Thathuvagnani. In that way those facts are very important and fond self-
attested. In the same way the yoga texts like Yoga sutra of Patanajli record many un-
institutionalized facts of yoga which are regularized by Patanajli. In that way those sources
have contemporaneity and it is very much important.

2. Logic and Method:

The sources must present the fact in a logic and method. When the logic and method
are found to be in the sources the knowledge indicated through the facts can be scientific in
nature.

3. Ideology:
The sources must be adhering to an ideology. Ideology literally means, “A system of ideas
forming the basis to a theory”. A theory without ideology cannot be useful for practical
appreciation hence the sources must be adhering to an ideology also.
16

4. Perspective:
. The sources must pave path for a perspective or at least they must have their own
perspective of presenting the facts. Then the researcher can understand the sources
through a process of appraisal and then he can draw some valid conclusion after integrating
his study.

6. DOCUMENTATION IN RESEARCH PAPER

Document literally means “a piece of written, printed or electronic matter providing
information or evidence”. Documentation is the process in which the collected information
is recorded source wise.

The researcher generally collects some information from the library sources. He also
collects some information through cross references through discussions. He can also collect
some information through the un-published sources also. He can also collect information
through the survey and other allied methods. When he is presenting the information in the
draft of the research paper he has to take care to provide where from the material has been
collected. That provision is called as documentation.

The following principles are to be followed in the documentation.

1. Citations from the printed books:

When the information is taken from the printed books or journals which can be
called academic medium but not mass medium, he must provide it as a citation, if he wants
to make use in detail. In such a cases the citation must be having the details of the
publication, place of publication and date of publication and the references to the pages
also.

2. Reference from the printed books:

When he is referring to the printed material but not citing in detail, he can give the
publication details as in the printed books.

3. Unpublished material:
When he is making use of the unpublished material like manuscripts he must give
the details of the library where from he has obtained and also he must give the accession
number, call number given to the manuscript in such libraries. For instance if he is making
use of the library material from Sarasvati mahal Library of Tanjavur, particularly regarding
manuscripts he must give the date of accession and number of accession.
17

4. Material from mass media:

When he is utilizing the information from mass media like newspapers, network, he must
cite the details of recording that material and in a foot note he has to provide how the
information from mass medium can scientifically valid and academically bona fide. The
genuineness of the information must be provided.

5. Seriation:
When he is providing a series of information on the same topic from different
writers and different books, the documentation is to be made from the latest books or
publications to the earliest books. For instance he is making a survey on the concept like
Isvara or Brahmam. Then he has to provide the different views on the same subject from the
known dates to the un-known dates. If he wants to analyze the changes in the
interpretation he has to follow the earliest books first and then to be identified in the latter
publications. It is due to the methodological sequence.

7. PRESENTATION OF THE PAPER

After undergoing all the process and completing the draft the question of
presentation comes. Presentation of a paper is very important because the research scholar
must express himself with the subject he is dealing deliberately. It may be a seminar or work
shop or orientation program or any informal meeting the researcher must be carefully
presenting himself, his self and also his ideas in a systematic way. Many of the amateur
research scholars feel shy and worried for the presentation. Presentation of the paper is
something like a loud thinking of his own ideas before an audience. The following aspects
are to be taken care of in the case presentation of a paper.

1. Etiquette and Appearance:

The researcher must present himself in the most agreeable and acceptable dress
code and also the appearance. He must face the audience as if he is very much known to
them. Any type of fear and shyness will not help him to harness his vitalities to present his
subject. He must be confident enough and bloomed with enthusiasm to face the audience.

2. Good Body language:

He must not be vivacious in his presentation. He must articulate his body language
and physiognomy in such a way that he will be welcome by one and all. He must feel homely
and make the audience also homely in any session where ever he is presenting.
18

3. Good Communication Skills:

He must have satisfactory rather fair communication skills. He must make use the language
as a vital medium to expose his thought. He must choose such a language and euphemism
not to cause any guilt of the opinion.

4. Skill of disintegration:
The researcher must have the skill to disintegrate his subject into facts, figures,
diagrams and concepts individually and present a plural structure. It is like showing each
brick before keeping all the bricks for a construction. This disintegration skill always attracts
the audience because they can know the method of the scholar just in the disintegration.

5. Skill of integration:
He must be integrating all his points immediately on a logical method. It shall be like
drawing a caricature through some assemblage of points and lines. It is justifying the
originality of an individual as researcher.

6. Adherence to time:
The time limit given for the paper is very much important. He must be specific in
accepting the boundary of time and presenting himself. The sticking on to time makes a
researcher to precise his thoughts and integrate his picture in the time capsule.

7. Use of Visual aids:

The researcher must be careful enough to use the visual aids. They include the
charts, slides, models and animation figures also. Now a days in the power point
presentation method they are all made a part of the components and no special care must
be taken.

8. Intonation:
The most important thing is the intonation. His voice must be deliberate to present
his confidence, assertive to give the facts, palatable not to cause pain or hurt anybody and it
must be integrating of the voice, thought, word and action.

9. Common sense and Colloquial sense:

One must be understanding the colloquial sense where he is presenting and he must
be having a common sense to provide the material in a touching manner.

The presentation of a research paper is like heralding victory for an academic

achievement. It is the foundation for academic career, laurels for professional etiquette and
symbolism for commonsense and commitment to the path of success.