Transcript Survival Strategies for Graduate Research

Survival Strategies for
Graduate Research
Fran Shaver and Bill Reimer
Concordia University
Workshop 1 – Graduate Research
Excursions in Sociology & Anthropology
6th Annual Conference
SAGSA, Concordia University
March 24, 2007
Options

Developing & completing a research
topic

Planning, implementing your
graduate career

Finding, integrating, participating in
research projects
End
Developing / Completing
Research Topics
Bill Reimer
March 24, 2007
http://reimer.concordia.ca
Start with YOUR interest

A passion


A frustration


Jobs, a friend, a disease, a course
An enduring question


Environment, cars, clothes, war, money
Love, peace, poverty, prejudice
An impending challenge

Graduation, travel, marriage, rents
Brainstorming the Issues
Repress the critic
 Write down your thoughts

Start a research log
 Leave room for future organization

Work with others
 Work toward questions

Reorganizing the Issues

Nesting the questions



Look for small steps to answering the big questions
Revise where necessary
How can we revitalize rural Canada?


How can we increase employment?
How get better access to services?
• How far is the nearest doctor?
• Who has the greatest need for medical services?

How is population changing?
• What are the patterns of in-migration and out-migration
to and from rural Canada?

Who makes the decisions about the future of rural
Canada?
• Whose interests are served by those decisions?
Think strategically
In order to answer the big question,
what little questions do I have to
answer?
 Which little questions can I answer
by March?
 Which little questions are most
critical to answer?

Think for Yourself


Avoid rhetorical questions
Choose questions meaningful to YOU





Will it help you decide your career?
Will it help you choose a strategy for righting
a wrong?
Will it help a friend?
Will it help you avoid a problem?
Will it contribute to answering your big
questions?
Answer the Question –
Doesn’t have to be right
 Helps clarify the question
 Helps clarify strategies for answering
it
 Clarifies biases

Biases are acceptable – Now
Provide the motivation for research
 Inspire new insights
 Focus attention

BUT – They must be considered as
part of your research design
Being wrong is acceptable
We learn more from being wrong than
we do from being right
Being right is “maybe”,
Being wrong is “for sure”
We “Support”, we don’t “Prove”
Developing / Completing
Research Topics
Bill Reimer
Teaching / Tips & tools
http://reimer.concordia.ca
Return
End
Planning your graduate
career
Key Skills & Strategies
Fran Shaver and Bill Reimer
Concordia University
Key Skills
Raising the right questions
 Answering those questions
 Getting the information
 Critically analyzing information
 Communicating

Raising the right questions
Use the literature / find out how
others asked the questions
 Explore a variety of frameworks


How to build rural capacity?
• Economists: capacity to generate jobs
• Sociologists: capacity to work together
• Psychologists: capacity to learn

Most research  better questions
Answering those questions
Research design & methodology
 Explore a wide variety of options



Options = real choices
Different types of questions require
different approaches

Analytic, normative, empirical
Getting the information

Learn many approaches / techniques
Interviewing
 Observing
 Document analysis
 Library
 Internet
 Census
 Surveys

Critical analysis
 Fundamental
to learning
 Learn a wide range of tools
 Qualitative
dichotomy
 Critical
vs quantitative a false
skills vital
 Marketable
feature of your training
Communicating

Multiple venues
 Written
•Academic
•Contracts (public & private)
•Popular
 Oral
multimedia
 Commentary
 Policy development
Key Strategies
 Work
with others
 Explore your environment
 Expand your options
 Apply your knowledge
Work with others
 Reading
circles
 Brainstorming
 Thesis support groups
 Ask if you have a question
Explore your environment
 Who
is working on similar topics
 Where is it being done
 Check out professors’ writings
Expand your options
 Maintain
your curiosity
 Explore new approaches
 Explore new tools
 Explore new methods
Apply your knowledge
 To
your research
 To your personal situation
 Showing
interest  positive
response
 Working together is more
productive
Planning your graduate
career
Fran Shaver and Bill Reimer
Teaching / Tips & Tools
http://reimer.concordia.ca
Return
End
Participating in Research
Projects
Fran Shaver and Bill Reimer
March 24, 2007
http://reimer.concordia.ca
Research your environment

Using web & department materials
Identify faculty interests, publications,
research projects
 Read their publications & websites
 Speak to your colleagues

Meet the professor
 Indicate
your interests & status
 Listen
 Offer
assistance
 Request permission to meet team
Find your angle



Relate your interests to faculty interests
Be flexible
Be imaginative





Theoretical links?
Methodological links & skills?
Experiential links?
Strategic links?
Prepare an appropriate CV
Meet the team
 Volunteer
 Be
candid about your comfort
level
 Decide
Be professional
 Do
your research
 Prepare clear materials
 Meet dates, times, and deadlines
 Contact early if problems arise
 Be clear about your wishes
Participating in research
projects
Fran Shaver and Bill Reimer
Teaching / Tips & Tools
http://reimer.concordia.ca
Return
End
Survival Strategies for
Graduate Research
Fran Shaver and Bill Reimer
Concordia University
Teaching / Tips & Tools
http://reimer.concordia.ca