Friday, May 10, 2019

Nine Habits for Successful Ph.D. Scholar


Nine Habits for Successful Ph.D. Scholar

1. Discover - Discover boundaries of your area of research, expand out of comfort zone, take book knowledge to field works and see whether the out-of-date printed words are valid or not.
2.  Be Active - Visit your supervisor and other faculty members from time to time in office hours and develop a healthy relationship with them. Don't forget, like most cases you might become a colleague to them in a just a few years.
3. Plan- Own a planner in which you can manage your time and energy. Write down the amount of time you wish to dedicate to a particular chapter, when to meet supervisor, when to take field trips, where to conduct interviews, when to visit libraries, etc. In order to keep your goals in place, think about the end of your university days and a degree in hand. (Click to read The Best Planners of 2019)
4. Meet Supervisor's Expectations - professors expect students to keep up with the past and current knowledge. When meeting supervisor if you fumble and lack materials to show your progress, it just puts them off and with time you will lose their trust over you and your ability to complete PhD.
 Therefore, be enthusiastic about what you have read till date, show the design of your tentative chapters and assignments, and argue on what an author wrote in a book.
5.  Accept Minor Failures- Despite being obedient and studious, there will be times when words of your supervisor will hurt and discourage you. You have been so used to success and doing well, that getting criticism on your work may put you off. At that time, sit with your advisors, friends or anyone and ask for help. If you don't change your work pattern and thinking you will be making the same mistakes your supervisor pointed out. You must incorporate supervisor's priorities and take their knowledge into consideration before building an argument.
6. Visit Libraries - Libraries are sources of books that are hard to find if sought outside. Plus, they offer you an atmosphere to study. Moreover, libraries are modernized nowadays and other than books provide the facility of computers and other technologies. Several journals and research databases that need subscriptions are already taken care by universities and you are free to access and download any number of articles. If you tried googling those articles, you will have to face a pay wall.
7. Enrich Your self - Take advantage of the activities that are going on in the university. Surround yourself with influential people. Enroll yourself in off-campus voluntary job or camp. PhD doesn't entail peeking into books and notes at all times. Go for the on-campus theater or movie shows, political demonstrations, dance programs, literary festivals, etc.  Enjoy your PhD years and time at university.
8. Budgeting - PhD can be expensive and so each scholar must think about budgeting and means to secure a financial aid. While, some scholars work from home and do not need to pay for hostel and food rents, others are leaving their home towns and pay for all kinds of expenses that come with staying away from home. In order to self-support you may have to take up a part-time job. There are a lot of costs related to PhD, such as, university and tuition fees; library memberships; laptop; frequent spending on photocopy, binding and printouts; bills on house and food rents; emergencies like medical; and everyday means of commute. So, spend your money carefully and look critically at where your money is being wasted. Make smarter choices. However, budgeting doesn't mean sucking all the fun out from campus life. Keep a budget for malls, movies, parties, shopping, etc. One of the best sources of financial aid is taking grants, scholarships and fellowships from concerned organizations. From time to time government and non-government schemes come out for PhD scholars that not only covers monthly expenses, but also takes care of books, stationery, travel and field trips. Therefore, seek information about scholarships and money grants, and just when you know you are eligible for it, apply!
9. Live on-Campus- living on-campus is much more comfortable and cheaper than living off-campus. The university happens to provide hostels and canteen facilities in much subsidised rates than you can ever find outside. Also, do not forget the easy access to classmates, professors, departments and library that you can have with living on-campus. Imagine saving so much on daily commute from your house to university. Moreover, you are also sitting in the hub of all activities that goes on in the campus. You will be far more involved in university and gain a much better experience.
So, these are the 9 essential habits that make you enjoy and attain a much better time while you are doing PhD.
PhD requires you to think broadly. Grow Intellectually. And develop habits that help you learn and inculcate research skills, and problem solving ability from different perspectives.
Therefore, throughout your PhD years, engage yourself with different think tanks, people and peers.
These connections will help you in future.

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Basic Fundamentals of Research


basic fundamentals of research
Meaning of Research:
            Research is not an existing bag of technique. Research is not a fishing expedition or an encyclopedic gathering of assorted facts. Research is purposeful investigation. It provides a structure of decision making. There are three part involved in any investigation: (1) The implicit question posed. (2) The explicit answer proposed. (3) Collection, analysis, and interpretation of the information leading from the question to the answer. This third part is the defense that justifies the recommendation and is viewed as research.
            The Advance Learner’s Dictionary of Current English lays down the meaning of research as “A careful investigation or inquiry specially through search for new facts in any branch of knowledge”
            Redman and Mory define research as “systematized effort to gain new knowledge.”
            Research in common parlance refers to a search for knowledge. One can also define research as a scientific search for pertinent information on a specific topic. In fact, research is an art of scientific investigation.
            Research is an academic activity and as such the term should be used in a technical sense. According to Clifford Woody research comprises defining and redefining problem, formulating hypothesis or suggested solutions; collecting, organizing and evaluating data; making deductions and reaching conclusions; and last carefully testing the conclusions to determine whether they fit the formulating hypothesis.
CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEARCH:
1.      Research is process
2.      Research is scientific process
3.      Research is systematic process
4.      Research is search for knowledge
5.      Research is movement
6.      Research is an academic activity
7.      Research is helpful in decision making
8.      Research is a search for new fact
9.      Research is voyage of discovery
1.  Research is systematic method of finding solution of a problem.

NEED OF RESEARCH:
            The purpose of research is to discover answer the questions through the application of scientific procedures. The main aim of research is to find out the truth which is hidden and which has not been discovered as yet. Though each research study has its own specific purpose, we may think for research need by following points.
1.      To get a research degree along with its consequential benefits.
2.      To face the challenge in solving the unsolved problems. i.e., concern over practical problems initiates research;
3.      To get intellectual joy of doing some creative work.
4.      To provided service to  the society
5.      To get respectability.
6.      To overcome the problem arises in any area
7.      To provided services to the nation
            However, this is not an exhaustive list of factors motivating people to undertake research studies. Many more factors such as directives of government, employment conditions, curiosity about new things, desire to understand casual relationships, social thinking and awakening, and the like may as well motivate (or at times compel) people to perform research operations.

TYPES OF RESEARCH:

1.    
1. Applied Research: Applied research aims at finding a solution for an immediate problem facing a society or an industrial/business organization. Research aimed at certain conclusions (say, a solution) facing a concrete social or business problem is an example of applied research. Research to identify social economic or political trends that may affect a particular institution or the copy research (research to find out whether certain communications will be read and understood) or the marketing research or evaluation research are examples of applied research. Thus, the central aim of applied research is to discover a solution for some pressing practical problem. This research is also known as action research.

3. Fundamental (Basic Research): Fundamental research is mainly concerned with generalizations and with the formulation of a theory.  “Gathering knowledge for knowledge’s sake is termed ‘pure’ or ‘basic’ research.” Research concerning some natural phenomenon or relating to pure mathematics are examples of fundamental research. Similarly, research studies, concerning human behavior carried on with a view to make generalization about human behavior, are also examples of fundamental research. Basic research is directed towards finding information that has broad base of application and thus, adds to the already existing organized body of scientific knowledge.
3. Quantitative Research: Quantitative research is based on the measurement of quantity or amount. It is applicable to phenomena that can be expressed in terms of quantity. It involves the generation of data in quantitative form which can be subjected to rigorous quantitative analysis in a formal and rigid fashion. This research is also known as inferential, experimental and simulation research.
4. Qualitative Research: Qualitative research is concerned with qualitative phenomenon i.e., phenomena relating to or involving qualitative or kind. For instance, when we are interested in investigating the reasons for human behavior (i.e., why people think or do certain things,), we quite often talk of ‘motivation Research’, an important type of qualitative research. This type of research is aims at discovering the underlying motives and desires, using in depth interviews for the purpose. Other techniques of such research are worked association tests, sentence completion tests, story completion tests and similar other projective techniques. Attitude or opinion research i.e., research designed to find out how people feel or what they think about a particular subject or institution is also qualitative research. Qualitative research is specially important in the behavioral sciences where the aim is to discover the underlying motives of human behavior. Through such research we can analyze the various factors which motivate people to behave in a particular manner or which make people like or dislike a particular thing. It may be stated, however, that to apply qualitative research in practice is relatively a difficult job and therefore, while doing research, one should seek guidance from experienced psychologists.
5. Conceptual Research: Conceptual research is that related to some abstract idea(s) or theory. It is generally used by philosophers and thinkers to develop new concepts or to reinterpret existing ones.
6.  Empirical Research: Empirical research relies on experience or observation alone, often without due regard for system and theory. It is data based research, coming up with conclusions which are capable of being verified by observation or experiment. We can also call it as experimental type of research. In such a research it is necessary to get at facts firsthand, at their source, and actively to go about doing certain things to stimulate the production of desired information. In such research, the researcher must first provide himself with a working hypothesis or guess as to the probable results. He then works to get enough facts (data) to prove or disprove his hypothesis. He then sets up experimental designs which he thinks will manipulate the persons or the material concerned so as to bring forth the desired information. Such research thus characterized by the experimenter’s control over the variables under study and his deliberate manipulation of one of them to study its effect. An empirical study is today considered to be the most powerful support possible for a given hypothesis.
7. Exploratory Research: Many times a decision maker is grappling with broad and poorly defined problems. Attempts to secure better definitions by analytic thinking may be the wrong approach and may even be counter productive – counter productive in the sense that this approach may lead to a definitive answer to the wrong question. Exploratory research uses a less formal approach. It pursues several possibilities simultaneously, and in a sense it is not quite sure of its objective. Exploratory research is designed to provide a background, to familiarize and, as the word implies, just “explore” the general subject. A part of exploratory research is the investigation of relationships among variables without knowing why they are studied. It borders on an idle curiosity approach, different from it only in that the investigator thinks there may be a payoff in application somewhere in the forest of questions. The typical approaches in exploratory research are (1) The literature survey, (2) The experience survey, and (3) The analysis of “insights-stimulating” examples.
8. Conclusive research: Exploratory research gives rise to several hypotheses which will have to be tested for drawing definite conclusions. These conclusions when tested for validity lay the structure for decision making. Conclusive research is used for this purpose of testing the hypotheses generated by exploratory research. Conclusive research can be classified as either descriptive or experimental (analytical) research.
9. Descriptive Research: Descriptive research includes surveys and fact finding enquiries of different kinds. The major purpose of descriptive research is description of the state of affairs as it exists at present. In social science and business research we quite often use the term ex post facto research for descriptive research studies. The main characteristic of this method is that the researcher has no control over the variables; he can only report what has happened or what is happening. Most ex post facto research projects are used for descriptive studies in which the researcher seeks to measure such items as, for example, frequency of shopping, preferences of people, or similar data. Ex post facto studies also include attempts by researchers to discover causes even when they cannot control the variables. The methods of research utilized in descriptive research are survey methods of all kinds, including comparative and co relational methods.
10.  Analytical Research: In this kind of research the researcher has to use facts or information already available, and analyze these to make a critical evaluation of the material. This research is based on secondary data. Analytical Research is also known as Experimental Research. Experimentation will refer to that process of research in which one or more variables are manipulated under conditions which permit the collection of data which show the effects. Experiments will create artificial situation so that the researcher can obtain the particular data needed and can measure the accurately. Experiments are artificial in the sense that the situations are usually created for testing purposes. This artificiality is the essence of the experimental method, since it gives researchers more control over the factors they are studying. If they can control the factors which are present in a given situation, they can obtain more conclusive evidence of cause and effect relationships between any two of them. Thus the ability to set up a situation for the express purpose of observing and recording accurately the effect on one factor when another is deliberately changed permits researchers to accept or reject hypothesis beyond reasonable doubt. It the objective is to validate in a resounding manner the cause and effect relationship among variables, and then undoubtedly experiments are much more effective than descriptive techniques.
11. Action Research: Applied research is action research, applied research aims at finding a solution for an immediate problem facing a society or an industrial/business organization.
12. Survey Research: Descriptive research is survey research.
13. Library Research: A research based on historical records and analysis of documents is known as Library Research. Recording of notes, content analysis, tape and film listening and analysis, statistical compilations and manipulation, reference and abstract guides, content analysis etc. are the techniques used in this kind of research.
14. Laboratory research: Laboratory research may be known as field research or simulation research, depending upon the environment in which it is to be carried out. Research can as be understood as clinical or diagnostic research. Such research follows case study methods or in-depth approaches to reach the basic causal relations. Such studies are usually go deep into the causes of things or events that interest us, using very small samples and very deep probing data gathering devices.

FACTORS HINDERING RESEARCH

  1.  The lack of a scientific training in the methodology of research
  2.  Insufficient interaction
  3.  Business units faith in researcher
  4. Duplication of work
  5. Code of conduct
  6. Time limit
  7. Library management and functioning is not satisfactory
  8. Libraries are not up-to-date
  9. Non availability of data from government on time
  10. Problem of conceptualization                                                                

Communication


WHAT IS COMMUNICATION?
            Communication is the process of exchange the ideas from one person to the other person.
PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION



TYPES (METHOD) OF COMMUNICATION
  • Verbal Communication
  • Non Verbal Communication
What is Verbal Communication?
            Verbal means the communication in which words are used. Communication by asking something by use of language to present something is verbal communication. Talking of two or more person, exchange of information, group discussions etc. are example of verbal communication. Verbal communication can be divided into two parts.
·         Oral communication
·         Written communication
Oral communication:
            Oral communication is a part of verbal communication in this communication one person delivered and other person received the massage or information by speaking. Like lectures, speech, etc. in this type of communication the speech of a speaker should be clear.

Written Communication:
            Written communication is also a part of verbal communication. In this  communication one person delivered and other person received the massage or information by writing or reading respectively. The writer must have the knowledge of the particular language. Spelling mistake and grammatical mistake create a wrong impression in readers mind.

What is Non Verbal Communication?

            Non verbal communication is a part of type of communication in which the speech from the both side is not compulsory. It is a one way of communication in this communication facial expressions and sign etc playing vital role. There are two type of non verbal communication.
  • Visual
  • Audio
Visual
            In this communication we can see and get the message which is to be conveyed to us we can’t put our ideas directly for example while watching T.V. news we have to just watch it and if we are not like it or dislike it our expressions can’t be seen by the person who is communicating to us.

Audio
            Audio communication is the communication which helps us to ger message through our hearing sense we can get the idea of the message only when we hear it is not compulsory to see to get any message for understanding for example radio gives us message without watching or any visual clip.

OBJECTIVE OF COMMUNICATION:
            Good communication should aim at making the organization aware about the goals that are to be achieved. It is normally achieved that most employees even trained do not communicate well. “Improving communication improves your chance for success in business.
The following are the objectives of communication.

1.      Information:
            The basic of communication is to inform. Information is meant to bring about change for the better in business and in general life information is required. To understand the given information is very important become misunderstanding may create wrong decisions.
2.      Advise:
Advise is a form of information which is normally given elderly  people to young people. Teachers also provide advice to the student advice means opinion given as offered as to an action to be taken advice means a form of communication which is assumed at bringing about change.
3.      Suggestion:
Suggestion means to suggest. A good suggestion calls for decision.  A suggestion may be accepted or rejected suggestion many ideas putting a belief into the mind of receiver. The process is consciously as unconsciously alone everyday by all of us and we react to it suggestion is the positive way of putting forward a new idea strongly.
4.      Education:
A systematic and well planed form of communication is education. It is through communication that education is achieved most of the training process in organization is done with the help of educating workers and employees. All the human beings are directly as indirectly involved in the process of education. Education is given with the help of several firms like books, written material audio –visual methods lectures, seminar, case studies of other etc.
5.      Warning:
When the message to do a certain work is a communicated in the form of request but it does not earn the desired result, at time instead of taking the esteem step of removing the employee from work. Av formal warning is given to him. This should work well and the desired result can be obtained. A warning can be in written or oral form.
6.      Knowledge:
Knowledge is the base for the organization. With the help of knowledge further activities are planned.  Knowledge with the top level management, middle level of management and the bottom level management work in their groups. The chain of information is nothing but the process of communication.
7.      Counseling:
Counseling is another important objective of communication counseling is offered to a person for the benefit of the organization. The person who gives counseling is a man of grater skill of or knowledge. Advice has a personal touch where as counseling is almost professional.
8.      Request:  
A request is a polite way of passing a communication. It is a pleasant way of telling some one to do the work. Normally the work is done with interest when it is in the tone of request. When the work is assigned for the first time it is normally done with request. Request how ever is the way of getting work done with minimum, problems.
9.      Appeal:
An appeal is normally in the tone of a request. The organization cannot progress without the co-operation of its work force and in order to do the work smoothly it is very much necessary. It helps to present the some thing in pleasant tone, which can be taken positively by the employee.
10.  Report:
A report can be written form about the activities done about a meeting held in the organization. It is the most formal kind of communication. A report helps to compare the actual work with the planned work. It is also a legally important for the organization.
11.  Complaints:
A complaint is the grievance of the employee in the organization. When suggestion comes fail then complaints arises. The complaint can be written or oral. Normally when immediate action is supposed, the complaints are done orally every organization should take proper case to listen to the complaints of the employees and try to bring solution instantly in order to save the atmosphere of the organization.

PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION
                                    OR
7C’s THEORY
1)       CLARITY
2)       CONCISENESS
3)       COURTESY
4)       CORECTNESS
5)       CONCERETENESS
6)       COMPLETENESS
7)       CONSIDERATION

LAYOUT OF A LETTER

HEADING
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------



PERSONAL ADDRESS
-------------------------------
-------------------------------
-------------------------------
-------------------------------

DATE:          

INSIDE ADDRESS
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------

SALUTATION

                        ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BODY OF LETTER --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

COMPLEMENTORY CLOSE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



           SIGNATURE
-----------------

   (FULL NAME)
1. Heading (Letter Head)
            Heading is a regular part of a letter. It is an important part of a business letter. It contains the name of the writers firm and also the address of the firm too. It also includes necessary details like telephone numbers, email address and mobile numbers too.
            It is to be written at the top of the letter. It should be written artistically to attract the people. Letter head should be written in simple colors there should not be too gaudy colors.
This is known as the head of the letter or crown of the letter. A good and attractive letter head create a good impression in reader’s mind.
            Following are some example of letter head.

NATIONAL PROTIN AND SOLVENT LTD.
Plot No. 447,448,450,452 to 455,
Dediyasan GIDC, Phase-II
Modhera Road, Mehsana-384002
Phone (02762) 246145                                                                 email: www.npasl@yahoo.com

 
(1)









PHON: 02765 222456                                                                  MO. 9424315606
AMRUT POLYMERS
NEAR SIDDHESHWARY TEMPLE
MEHSANA HIGHWAY
VISNAGAR

 
(2)









2. Personal Address:
            Personal address is a regular part of business letter. This shows the address of the writer. It is compulsory to write the address if it is not printed in the letter head. We can avoid writing personal address if it is mentioned in the heading (Letter head).
            It also includes telephone number and other necessary details of writers apart from address of the writer.
            Generally personal address would be writing on write hand side of the letter.
3. Date:
            The date is a third important part of a business letter. It is a regular part of a business letter. It shows the date on which the letter is written and posted.
            It is just written below the letter head or below the personal address some times if personal address to written.
            It is always written on the write hand side corner.
            The date can be written in two ways:
  • The British way – DD MM YY – ex. 19th July, 2010.
  • The American way- MM DD YY ex. July 19 2010

It is advisable to use full stop and comma while writing the date in British style.
The date should never be mentioned as 1.1.2010, it create wrong impression of a writer in reader’s mind.
The name of months never be short end like January as Jan. and February as Feb.
4. inside Address:
            The inside address is  a  regular part of a business letter. It is written below the date line on the left hand side. It contains the name and address of the receiver. It is useful when a window envelope is used.
            There are two styles of writing inside address:
  • British style
Mrs. Mahi Chaudhary
                                    Anand Bhavan,
                                 Vaghodiya Road,
                                       Baroda (S.G).
  • American Style
Mrs. Mahi Chaudhary
Anand Bhavan,
Vaghodiya Road,
Baroda (S.G)
Mr., Mrs., Miss/Ms, Dr., Prof., are courtesy letters which are used before the recipient’s name
5. Salutation:
            It is regular part of a business letter. It is a littler courtly expressed before giving a message to a receiver or reader. It is to be placed two or three spaces below the inside address on the left had side. In a regular routine we are also exchanging some courteous word to each other just like hai hello.
            Salutation is always followed by a comma or a column ( : ).
            If it is singular then the salutation must singular for example
                        Dear Sir,
                        Dear Madam,
                        My dear sir, 
            If it is plural then the salutation must be plural fro example’
                        Dear Sirs,
                        Dear Madams,
                        Dear Gentlemen,

6. Body of the Letter
            ‘The Body’ is the main part of the business letter. It is known as the heart of a letter. Its place is two spaces below the salutation. It appears between salutation and complementary close.
            Body has a vital role in business letter In this part we have to includes the whole thing which we want to convey to the party.
  • There should be normal margin on both the sides.
  • There are mainly three paragraphs in the body part.
    • Introductory paragraph
    • Middle paragraph
    • Concluding paragraph

  • In the introductory paragraph we have to write formally for example.
    • In response to your letter……………
    • I offer to your offer dated…………

·         The starting of the letter should be impressive.
·         The middle paragraph the whole thin is to be written. The main purpose of the letter writing should be included in this paragraph. This is the main paragraph in body. Because after reading this paragraph the reader can get an idea about the letter.
·         In the concluding paragraph the conclusion of a letter is compulsory. This is also called an ending paragraph. It should be concluded with the words like thanking you, and waiting for your early reply, etc.