I'm a bit new to the web and blogging but I can't say the same about academic research. I did my masters research for four years which makes me a veteran (super duper senior ) and an authority in this area. I hope this post can help some of you research wannabees to avoid the mistakes that I have made during the entire process of getting my research degree. To start, we need to define what is this thing called research. My own definition of research is "to search for new ideas that can solve problems in existing processes or methodology in order to make it better". These ideas need to be rigorously tested either by some mathematical means or from analysis done on sample data. To do research, you need to identify a problem that has not been solved before, find ways to solve it, and finally solve it. Seems easy right? I wish! It it was easy, then I wouldn't have spent the past four years of my life solving a problem that not many people care about and has low commercial value in Sabah. I suppose my work might be useful in Denmark but here, people don't really care about noise in classroom and how it can be detrimental to your academic performance. I have outlined 5 things that I would have done if I were to do research again. Here goes:
1. I will pick my supervisors carefully. I did not go wrong here. In fact, my supervisors were splendid. But perhaps, I should have been more forceful with my ideas and not just naively follow any suggestions given. I learned a lot from them but learning comes with a price. The delays I faced during research can be attributed to some of the ideas and suggestions by them. Fortunately, they were kind enough to sign my progress report so that I can continue to the next semester. Some of my friends were not so fortunate. A lot of them dropped out due to intense politicking from supervisors and faculties.
2. I will make sure that I have enough money to pay my school fees. I had a problem with this. Besides research, I had to think of other ways to support myself so that I can eat and also pay my fees. Doing research is not cheap.
3. I will live away from my family. Lets face it, research is hard work! Your job is to think and a family environment might not be the best place to do some thinking. Your parents will always find ways to make you do some work and you cannot use the excuse "i'm busy" when all day long you just spend time sitting in front of your computer staring at a blank page. Then there are weekly parties, singing and dancing. How can you do work? Doing research requires you to be a monk. In order to do that, you need to be among a group of monks as well (research students) who understand the things that you are going through.
4. I will start doing my thesis early. This is the part that I regret the most. I'm a last minute person and I paid very dearly for starting late. Writing thesis is not something you do casually like blogging. Each word must be weighted carefully to ensure no room for error and attack from the examiner. Every statement written can be used for you or against you. Please take my advise seriously.
5. I will start collecting data immediately. Data is the most crucial component in research. Without it, your research is nothing. You have nothing to say about. Data gives your research life and by analyzing it, you tend to find meaningful patterns that may help in your conclusion. I started collecting data quite late (in my second and third year) and thats why I am still here waiting for my viva.
1. I will pick my supervisors carefully. I did not go wrong here. In fact, my supervisors were splendid. But perhaps, I should have been more forceful with my ideas and not just naively follow any suggestions given. I learned a lot from them but learning comes with a price. The delays I faced during research can be attributed to some of the ideas and suggestions by them. Fortunately, they were kind enough to sign my progress report so that I can continue to the next semester. Some of my friends were not so fortunate. A lot of them dropped out due to intense politicking from supervisors and faculties.
2. I will make sure that I have enough money to pay my school fees. I had a problem with this. Besides research, I had to think of other ways to support myself so that I can eat and also pay my fees. Doing research is not cheap.
3. I will live away from my family. Lets face it, research is hard work! Your job is to think and a family environment might not be the best place to do some thinking. Your parents will always find ways to make you do some work and you cannot use the excuse "i'm busy" when all day long you just spend time sitting in front of your computer staring at a blank page. Then there are weekly parties, singing and dancing. How can you do work? Doing research requires you to be a monk. In order to do that, you need to be among a group of monks as well (research students) who understand the things that you are going through.
4. I will start doing my thesis early. This is the part that I regret the most. I'm a last minute person and I paid very dearly for starting late. Writing thesis is not something you do casually like blogging. Each word must be weighted carefully to ensure no room for error and attack from the examiner. Every statement written can be used for you or against you. Please take my advise seriously.
5. I will start collecting data immediately. Data is the most crucial component in research. Without it, your research is nothing. You have nothing to say about. Data gives your research life and by analyzing it, you tend to find meaningful patterns that may help in your conclusion. I started collecting data quite late (in my second and third year) and thats why I am still here waiting for my viva.
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