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Doing Postgraduate Research |
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Stephen Potter
Doing Postgraduate Research, produced by staff of the Open University, is intended as a study pack and guide for research and masters students.
The book offers a structured overview of what may be generally found in most academic research projects and is designed to help develop a learning process alongside practical activities. The generic orientation in a task-based format attempts to provide research training irrespective of the project application area, providing for the student an opportunity to consider additional research problems outside of his or her specific domain. After an 'Introduction' describing research project structures and areas for support, Doing Postgraduate Research is divided into seven further chapters.
'Getting Going' provides an overview of the initial thinking, planning and discussion essential to a submission for PhD registration.
'Planning and Organising a Research Project' centres on the development of subject focus and a research plan. These are shown as a series of tasks with examples (e.g., a research plan) of how the project may be structured and managed together with links to additional useful texts.
'The Writing Process' provides examples of written style together with an introduction to the compliances required in university thesis submission.
'Undertaking a Topic Review' illustrates a process by which the student needs to organise information sources with methodologies and writing styles. These ‘how-to’ aspects include an introduction to literature review.
'Using Computers in Research' shows the application of information technology in projects, including examples of bibliographical software, databases and presentation software. A guide to web-based searching shows the relationship between library-based activities and searching via independent search engines.
'Responsibilities, Rights and Ethics', describes the student’s position in relation to responsibilities in academic research together with data protection, health and safety, copyright and ethical issues.
The final chapter considers the end of the process for most students, 'The Examination Process and the Viva'. This shows the purpose and constituents of the examinations process and the preparation required by the student.
The book provides both activities and examples in most chapters that would be useful to students new to the University Research Degree environment. Generally the book is presented in an easy-going style which serves to introduce the PhD, as such, it is perhaps less valuable for masters programmes. To many experienced supervisors, the book would allow the student to make a start and begin to understand the commitment they are about to make, although the particular practice in each university will soon take over from the book.
A good introductory text for perspective PhD students and a useful resource for research trainers who wish to provide an initial overview to a varied audience.
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