The Rigors of Research
Sigh. Term papers. They can send the most stalwart student into a low-grade frenzy. As a non-traditional student (NTS in blog-o-speak) who just spent three joyous weeks with my beautiful grandchildren smack in mid-semester, that means a temporary post-grandchildren state of pre-hypertension (in the 120–139/80–89 range, if you’re wondering) combined with a last-minute scramble for data.
In graduate school, as profs are fond of saying – or writing, in distance learning – they don’t tell you what to study. You bring them your work. Meaning you imagine it and then go get it. With so little direction, you’d think they wouldn’t be too picky about what you bring back, but think again. They not only eye it in exquisite critical detail, but they PUBLICLY POST IT!
What a rare and humbling way to spotlight your own failings. In my class, for example, I heard – read, in distance learning – that some students landed grants to do their research. And gauging from their well-written, publicly posted papers, all of the others must write amicus curiae (friend of the court) briefs for the U.S. Supreme Court in their spare time, even as academic journals vie for their works. By contrast, my paper sounds more and more like my grocery list.
But hope springs eternal, even if energy doesn’t, and these are my suggestions for doing research articles.
• Start early. If you get three months to do it, there’s a reason for that.
• Forget books about writing research papers. That’s amateur stuff. You likely need professional level academic research help.
• Learn the language of research methods, such as meta-analyses, cross-sectional, qualitative and quantitative. Then move into the advanced language. Make flashcards, if necessary.
• Learn theories and statistics, quick.
• Practice succinct e-mail. In distance ed, you can’t question a prof during a lecture, when the topic is fresh. Instead, give your e-mail questions context: “HELP! Doing research paper. I see that research methods are not ‘Internet versus the library,’ but something else. Please define.” And the prof will respond soothingly, “This is graduate school. You tell me. And don’t worry. You’re doing fine.”
• Before undertaking any exercise program, see your doctor. Trust me, this is an exercise program.