Ph D Process. Julie Dugdale
Download as PPT, PDF1 like687 views
The document summarizes key aspects of pursuing a PhD, including: 1) The goals of PhD research are to research an interesting area and develop research skills, but also serve as training to learn how to conduct research. 2) Developing a research and publication strategy is important, including establishing a network and taking on increasing levels of responsibility over time. 3) Creating a long-term research plan and portfolio is recommended, while also being opportunistic, with the goal of building a program of research with a central theme. 4) Choosing an appropriate research methodology depends on the research question being addressed. Pursuing a PhD takes perseverance given the challenges and time commitment required.
Ph D Process. Julie Dugdale
- 1. The PhD Process: laying the foundation for the rest of your career Julie Dugdale MAGMA-LIG Multi-agent systems group – Grenoble Informatics Laboratory, France dugdale@imag.fr http://membres-lig.imag.fr/dugdale/index.php ISCRAM PhD Colloquium. Gotenburg, May 10th 2009
- 2. Objectives The goals of PhD research Research and publication strategy Four Stages of Professional Development Establish Your Network How To Develop a Research Strategy Research Methodology Publishing (Simon) The highs and lows of PhD Research An interactive discussion session
- 3. The Goals of PhD Research To research an area that interests us But also.. A form of training in how to do research Develop the ‘scientific mind’ Critical analysis of our work and others How to know when to stop (when our results are good enough for publication) Apply a methodology, How to write! etc. How to obtain funding for our work Others? PhD: A requirement for a career that we want to pursue
- 4. Research and Publication Strategy Many of these slides are based on: “ A Strategy for Becoming a World-class Scholar in Information Systems ” Gordon B. Davis. Honeywell Professor of MIS, Carlston School of Management, University of Minnesota “ A research and publication strategy that has a high probability of success in turning a young academic into a respected world-class scholar (and achieving promotion and tenure).”
- 5. Four Stages of Professional Development A process of making yourself increasingly ‘more valuable’ to others Apprentice : technical competence, supervised, but little initiative or risk-taking Colleague : evidence of individual competence and initiative; building network Mentor : uses network; helps apprentices and colleagues Sponsor : uses large network to help; problem solver for organising and managing projects Dalton, Thompson & Price (1977)
- 6. Four Stages of Professional Development A process of making yourself increasingly more valuable to others Apprentice : technical competence , but little initiative or risk-taking Colleague : evidence of individual competence and initiative ; building network Mentor : uses network; helps apprentices and colleagues Sponsor : uses large network to help; problem solver on projects Dalton, Thompson & Price (1977)
- 7. Development strategy for a researcher The following slide suggests: Actively build a network of colleagues (next slide) Look for and take opportunities for independent work Take on a role of mentoring Build competence in project management Reporting, deliverables, communication mechanisms with partners, organisation of finance, etc.
- 8. Establish Your Network Same university, different departments Take the initiative to find people with same interests Develop local collaborations Invited talks, share papers, joint supervision of Masters students, etc. Local and regional faculty members in IS Attend workshops, conferences, the importance of coffee-break discussions! become active in Workgroups, coordinate activities, managing discussion email groups, reviewing conf. papers, aim program committees for confs. editing, etc. Global faculty members in IS Organise workshops, special sessions, study leaves,... Get yourself known! Be Proactive!
- 9. How To Develop a Research Strategy The Gordon Davis approach encourages detailed planning. But, are you a ‘planner’? Maybe explicit or implicit planning? Planning Advantages: reflection, a sense of direction and establish priorities Planning disadvantages: Too constrained, miss something, no accidentally ‘falling’ into interesting areas? According to Gordon Davis: a ten-year plan is reasonable last 3 of Ph.D., 5 in 1st position, 2 beyond (depends on country) Plan may be structured around a broad topic of interest (exact topics emerge over the period)
- 10. How To Develop a Research Strategy A good personal research strategy rests on 7 ideas: Identify research needs in field, and Match them against personal interests and preferences . Constrain choices based on personal competence and Personal comparative advantage . Plan personal research portfolio including Considering cumulative effect of research. Be ready for opportunistic action .
- 11. 1. Identify Research Needs Research needs or research questions can come from articles and discussions, See various taxonomies to help selecting an area of focus Review papers as a means of assessing SOTA. SOTA paper can be a way of defining an area
- 12. 2.& 3. Match against Personal Interests and Preferences, Strengths Theorize-synthesize distill existing ideas into a theory or framework Design marshall data to test ideas and theories Manage organize the activities associated with a study Report explain project and contribution Discover your talents: Research Needs Personal Interests Strengths/ Competences
- 13. 4. ID Comparative Advantage Each researcher has some skills, expertise, or access to data to provide a comparative advantage Comparative advantages can be exploited
- 14. 5. Plan Research Portfolio Davis applies the idea of an investment portfolio to developing a set of research projects . Factors to be considered for including a project in your ‘portfolio’: Completion risk: Can it be finished? Output risk: How long will it take? Performance risk: Can you do it well? Contribution risk: Will it represent a contribution? Publication risk: Can you publish it? Funding risk: Can you get it funded?
- 15. 6. Consider Cumulative Effect Research should ideally not be a set of random projects with no central core What is the thrust of this work? Projects should build upon one another
- 16. 7. Be Ready for Opportunistic Action Planning shouldn’t prevent opportunistic action Opportunities come in unexpected ways and unexpected times Having some slack in the system. Saying ‘ yes ’ and saying ‘no’ to opportunities.
- 17. Decide on a Research Methodology The question comes first! Then decide how you want to answer it: unsupported speculation library research case study survey field study field experiment laboratory experiment mathematical or computational modeling
- 18. That’s the theory, ..but the practicality of doing research/PhD is a lot harder.. “ Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration .” T. A. Edison (1847–1931) “ People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents.” A. Carnegie (1835–1919) Psychological highs and lows Research time is being eaten away by other commitments (teaching, administration, etc) Etc.
- 19. Questions