I'm going to keep this short and somewhat sweet, seeing as this is my first post and I consequently have not decided on what to write about first!
It is my hope that I can use my experiences as a research student to help others, as I feel there is often very little information out there for postgraduates - especially in the UK. Additionally, the little information that is out there is often confusing and aimed at postdoctorate researchers.
My experience so far has taught me nothing if not to look for every resource possible, and persue all avenues for enquiry. Research seems daunting to beginners - but it need not be so. It is not the black hole of time and sanity it is so often made out to be - rather, if done properly, research is a tool for furthering your own knowledge and (hopefully) that of others. I am very lucky to have a brilliant supervisor with lots of research experience who does everything he can to help and advise me.
And so follows my first tip be picky about your supervisor! It may seem like you're stuck with the most availble option - but you're not. Correspond with academics in your field who have great research careers behind them, they will be invaluable when it comes to grant applications and relevant contacts. If you feel confident in what you plan to study, write to people even if their specific area of study isnt directly related to yours. During the course of your research both you AND your supervisor will be learning new things and that means you dont have to work with someone who has the best credentials in the field - it is quite possible they could be horrendous to work with, fail to correspond well with you, or have a career based on review rather than research.
I'll also be posting blogs relevant to my discipline - namely Biological Anthropology. Usually, when asked what it is I study, my response heralds a puzzled reaction. In my opinion this is a huge shame, as BioAnth has given so much over the last century. Most people know something about BioAnth without actualy being aware that they do. People interested in human evolution, primatology, egyptology, archaeology and population surveys (among many other things) should invest in a basic working knowledge of BioAnth principles. All these fields owe much of their foundations to BioAnth, and would be poorer without input from Biological Anthropologists.
That'll do me for today, I'll plan my blog posts much more thoroughly in the future!
It is my hope that I can use my experiences as a research student to help others, as I feel there is often very little information out there for postgraduates - especially in the UK. Additionally, the little information that is out there is often confusing and aimed at postdoctorate researchers.
My experience so far has taught me nothing if not to look for every resource possible, and persue all avenues for enquiry. Research seems daunting to beginners - but it need not be so. It is not the black hole of time and sanity it is so often made out to be - rather, if done properly, research is a tool for furthering your own knowledge and (hopefully) that of others. I am very lucky to have a brilliant supervisor with lots of research experience who does everything he can to help and advise me.
And so follows my first tip be picky about your supervisor! It may seem like you're stuck with the most availble option - but you're not. Correspond with academics in your field who have great research careers behind them, they will be invaluable when it comes to grant applications and relevant contacts. If you feel confident in what you plan to study, write to people even if their specific area of study isnt directly related to yours. During the course of your research both you AND your supervisor will be learning new things and that means you dont have to work with someone who has the best credentials in the field - it is quite possible they could be horrendous to work with, fail to correspond well with you, or have a career based on review rather than research.
I'll also be posting blogs relevant to my discipline - namely Biological Anthropology. Usually, when asked what it is I study, my response heralds a puzzled reaction. In my opinion this is a huge shame, as BioAnth has given so much over the last century. Most people know something about BioAnth without actualy being aware that they do. People interested in human evolution, primatology, egyptology, archaeology and population surveys (among many other things) should invest in a basic working knowledge of BioAnth principles. All these fields owe much of their foundations to BioAnth, and would be poorer without input from Biological Anthropologists.
That'll do me for today, I'll plan my blog posts much more thoroughly in the future!
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