PhD Research - PhD Thesis Bangalore

Google Books as a Source to Search for Free Books for PhD?

Going to the library ain’t easy. Or rather, it is very difficult. Firstly, you got to go there physically fighting out all the hurdles of commuting, weather, health, time and many others. To add to it you have to move along with your entire Jing bang of laptop, notes, books so that the time you spent there actually becomes productive. Hours spent in the library on daily basis can actually get depressing and may even challenge the smile of the most optimistic and cheerful of persons. For decades all together, this has been the only alternative with researchers and however mundane the task be, they have had to be doing this to be able to do their research. Blessed are those who are researchers of today’s time. They needn’t physically move out to the library for research. Rather the library has come to their door step. Google books give access to a whole lot of books online. It is simple easy and free. I suppose, it does not give access to the most latest of stuff, but for a dissertation sufficient content can be extracted from the net. Sometimes, Google Books does not give access to full books but eve getting to read few pages can help to solve the purpose you need to derive from the book.

I wonder, how many of the new scholars would understand the benefit of this wonderful advantage of Google Books which allows you to search for this specific content within the book so you need not hunt the entire book looking for a particular paragraph. Google does that for you and helps you to save your time and energy for other mundane tasks associated with PhD.

The present generation researchers, in my opinion should be indebted to technology, specifically Google for giving the simple techniques through which they can decorate their thesis with relevant citations without having to face the ordeal of visiting a library day after day.

Does a Doctoral Researcher Imagine Beyond the Possible?

Most of the research scholar’s time is gobbled up by none other than Google. All these year of research life that I have experienced, my initial years dealt with overactive imagination bouts where I attempted to create the most impressive of the literature review. This was what I call as a lot of archival research … Continue reading “Does a Doctoral Researcher Imagine Beyond the Possible?”

Most of the research scholar’s time is gobbled up by none other than Google. All these year of research life that I have experienced, my initial years dealt with overactive imagination bouts where I attempted to create the most impressive of the literature review. This was what I call as a lot of archival research and now when I am at a mature stage of my thesis writing, I can really say that my search revolves around means and ways to garnish my thesis or season it with salt and pepper.

Oh Well, I have been able to show so much creativity and write with such creative instinct perhaps because now I am a deep rooted researcher who can really think and imagine beyond the impossible. I have, at multiple occasions, tried to personify my thesis and my role as a researcher in varied ways. At my best imaginative phases, my daily task is not any different than being a shepherd. When the spring is here, the pastures are full of sheep. That’s my data, my work that I have reared and got ready over the time. My job now is to get them into an alignment and take them out the gate, as so planned…!!

This is my PhD picture and I have many such pictures I have imagined over the time that I can share. At you r creative and imaginative best, what is your picture?

Who Is a Perfect Advisor?

It Is Very Difficult to Define a Perfect Advisor. However, Very Informally I Can Categorize Advisors into Two Categories: The One who manages more: How can I define an over ambitious advisor. Perhaps someone who is young, highly enthusiastic and has the energy and the inclination to simultaneously contribute towards each and every effort and … Continue reading “Who Is a Perfect Advisor?”

It Is Very Difficult to Define a Perfect Advisor. However, Very Informally I Can Categorize Advisors into Two Categories:

The One who manages more: How can I define an over ambitious advisor. Perhaps someone who is young, highly enthusiastic and has the energy and the inclination to simultaneously contribute towards each and every effort and work that you do. He has the capacity to work extra hours and be involved whole heartedly in all your endeavours. The downside if having an advisor like this is that like the way he works insane hours, his expectations from you also remain the same. With an advisor like this, he may want publish early and so pressurize you also to work towards early publication. With an advisor like this, you would surely graduate with an outstanding profile.

The one who manages less: An advisor who falls in this category is older and has a lot of commitments that go beyond his work periphery. He may have obligations that could be family related social or even administrative within the university. This kind of advisor would give you your space and time to work without actually showing up your presence on everyday basis. With the experience that he has earned over the years, he has the belief that a PhD is all about self-discovery and a researcher is always motivated and self-disciplined to excel.

There are more categories of advisors that could be extremes on either side of the continuum or a combination category of advisors. However, I am sure you would be able place your advisor in either of these two categories and it is very difficult to conclude who would be a perfect manager. As a scholar, it depends what matches with your style of working. For me, I think I would work better with a more active one, though at the same time I hold a lot of respect for the under mangers.

You need to be cautious of your physical and mental health when you work with the first category because the kind of pressure it would create can overwhelm you

Dilemma Between Whether to Do or Not to Do Online Research?

Online research is being used widely, across the globe; however, I have been in dilemma about its application and use, particularly in comparison to offline research which is more personalised. In my recent tryst with online research, I found something amiss and that was the completeness that comes with a personal interaction. It may be a conservative perspective, but I have always been of the belief that an unthreatening environment and the research methods are two essential requisites of any good research, particularly when I talk of qualitative research. The difference between online and offline research is same as the difference between a virtual meeting and meeting in flesh and blood. Given a choice we would always prefer to have an offline meeting with the ones we want to , vis a vis a virtual one.

One of the key challenges of online research is to keep the respondent engaged and involved without being able to accurately decipher the signals that the tone and body language can give. In an offline interview, a lot can be achieved and controlled by the means of posture and eye contact. This lack of control is not just in the case of behaviour and engagement but also spreads over to the research environment. The lighting, seating arrangement, air circulation and other such factors become completely out of control of the researcher when the interview or interaction is being done in an online mode. Qualitative research is not just understanding the respondent but also taking cues from his or her environment and deciphering information from the cues that the environment offers. In the light of my arguments presented above, the efficacy of the online research can be in question. Though it is convenient and at times the only solution but its use should only be limited to where I feel offline research cannot be reached. A judicious and wise use of online research is acceptable but I disagree with it becoming a replacement for offline research tool.

Are You in the Procrastination Club?

Are you a member of the procrastination club? If you are reading this blog, I believe you are. I find people in that time of the year, all in the same boat, running around frantically for grants, fellowship, publications , event organising, essays. A great amount of stress is found floating around in the research community. I find almost all research scholars admitting it, cracking jokes about it and what not. By and large, no qualms about admitting that we all procrastinate in our doctoral journey. I wanted to research within my research that why does this word associate itself so prudently with research scholars.

I found that as scholars, most of them found themselves doing things that were not related to my research but refused to embrace the fact that we did so only because we wanted to do it. There is nobody who forces us to do this, like how nobody has forced us to do this PhD. Does procrastination have an effect on research? Well, that is another grave question of concern. To answer this , again I would say that there are largely two kinds pf people doing research. The one kind of people have a very methodical approach to research and create great and inspiring pieces of work with gradual and consistent approach towards work. The other categories of people need to have some pressure upon them in order to work. Their energy levels shoot up just before the deadline. I am the procrastinating type and I work like this. Performance under pressure. Does that actually mean that if I procrastinate, I only think of my PhD when under pressure and otherwise I lack focus. When I talk of myself, it may not be true. Yes, my way is to procrastinate working but my brain does not stop thinking of my PhD while I am involved into work beyond my desk.

I can keep going on and on defending the procrastinating approach but that would make this post lengthy and beyond the designated word limit. But I would surely want to trigger the thoughts through this blog that do you procrastinate? Are you guilty of doing so? Do you work around trying to combat the approach? Well friends, this is life and allow yourself some fun, allow yourself a life.