Make a Successful start in Your Research - Additional Answers
What is your opinion about doing an industry-funded phd (researching a topic assigned from a company
Helen Kara: Never easy to complete a PhD unless you’re passionate about the topic you’re researching. Fine if it’s assigned from a company, but...
Dec 08, 2014How did you manage your time to ensure you could teach, do research, publish...
Shailesh Appukuttan: First, remember PhD is not the end, it is the beginning; so if you drop everything else during a PhD, when you finish it, it may...
Dec 08, 2014I'm at an early stage and my thesis questions seem to be a moving target!
Shailesh Appukuttan: Sounds like you are on the right track. It shows that you are learning from your wider reading. Having said that it is quite normal...
Dec 08, 2014Any key tips for a part-time researcher?
Helen Kara: Be organised. Work out how many hours a week you need to put in, and put them in.
Dec 08, 2014How do you begin to plan your research methodology?
Helen Kara: Read some (good, readable) methods texts. Think about your research question - the methodology should flow from the question. What are the...
Dec 08, 2014I find talking to researchers difficult as it seems that they seem to think differently...
Helen Kara: Learn the language. Like many professions, research has a specialised and technical language. There’s a useful online glossary here http://www.policypress.co.uk/resources/kara/glossary.asp...
Dec 08, 2014Is it a good idea to use different methods in your research?
...Can it be considering to dilute efforts and time instead of going deeper into your research? Helen Kara: Many researchers now are doing this - it’s...
Dec 08, 2014What is the first thing to do to come up with a Research Question?
Helen Kara: Think about what you are most interested in, and build a research question from that.
Dec 08, 2014What if nobody responds to your interview request?
Helen Kara: Essential. Your methodology should always flow from your research questions, not vice versa. You may refine your questions as you go, but...
Dec 08, 2014Does a distance-learning PhD degree have any worth?
Helen Kara: Depends who you do it with. I did my PhD by distance learning with the Open University in the UK which is a long-standing and reputable institution....
Dec 08, 2014
