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--At the outset it is important to mention that this write-up is based on my own experience as a doctoral research scholar. Secondly, unless you are mentally strong and have a high emotional intelligence quotient and are willing to put in extra effort, it can be a humongous challenge to complete the doctoral program.
Let us begin with the positive aspects of doctoral research. Enrolling in a doctoral program makes you more tolerant and patient in terms of adapting yourself to change. You become open to accepting opinions of others that are seemingly in conflict with yours.
Selecting a topic that can be an interesting avenue for research is the foremost challenge. In research parlance this is called as "statement of the problem". The next step involves conducting an extensive review of literature to identify the research gap. This is by far the most challenging phase in a doctoral scholar's life. Those who are not used to reading may find it difficult to go through mounds and mounds of research work in one's area of interest.
A good doctoral program coursework demands that you pore through as many as 300-350 research papers to get into the nuances of the subject matter of interest. The number of papers that you need to refer to is only indicative and the quantum can vary depending on the subject. As one gets used to reading research papers and making notes, a sense of bonding and belonging emerges with other researchers who have been publishing papers in one's area of interest.
Literature review is a very important step in doctoral research and unless one has done an exhaustive review of previously published work, one cannot hope to achieve the desired degree of clarity in the subject area of interest. Depending on the subject and the time allocated by the researcher in reviewing the literature, it may take anywhere between 18-24 months to complete the review.
One of the important tasks of the guide is to ask the research scholar to narrow down on the topic to improve the effectiveness of the research efforts. Otherwise it is easy to get lost with the amount of information overload that stares at a research scholar.
Today there are a plethora of websites like Google Scholar, Ebsco, Proquest, Knimbus etc from where it is possible to source good research papers from peer reviewed journals. A regular visit to the library may not be necessary anymore. However one has to exercise caution in terms of filtering out what is relevant and what is not.
As a scholar reads more and more, he starts getting hands-on experience about sifting the wheat from the chaff. This is an intellectually stimulating experience. The sheer enhancement in one's knowledge curve as a result of the extensive reading is something that is not only satisfying for the individual but it can also be strategically rewarding.
Now it is time to talk about the anxious moments as a doctoral research scholar. Unless and until you arrive at your research gap, the journey as a research scholar can be extremely taxing. One has to accept that it is a lonely journey with sporadic interventions from the guide. But when one is able to arrive at the conceptual model it gives immense satisfaction.
One also needs to be fortunate to work under the tutelage of a guide who can maintain a semblance of balance between being a hard task master and being genteel and understanding in his approach. A guide with an indefatigable academic focus along with a research bent of mind can be an invaluable asset to a research scholar.
Often the relationship between a scholar and his guide blooms over a period of time until the guide becomes more of a mentor to the scholar. The relationship between the guide and the scholar can be enduring as they can collaborate in the future to write good quality research papers.
Completion of the doctoral dissertation is only the beginning of a long and mutually rewarding life-long relationship between the guide and the research scholar. However, a guide who is easily distracted can cause collateral harm to the scholar as the research work will prod on endlessly. A scholar has to be guarded against being led into a rabbit hole. Earning quality time from the guide is important too because creative discussions need freedom from unnecessary interferences.
The next tense moments in doctoral research are in the form of learning modern statistical tools and techniques. One also needs to get accustomed to using software packages like SPSS & R. If the course work is rigorous then half the battle is won. Scholars can also teach subjects like – Business Research Methods & Marketing Research – for graduate and post graduate students as this will enable them to keep in touch with the subject.
A successful doctoral program involves two crucial aspects - identifying the appropriate research gap – a virgin area - that has not been attended to by other scholars. This will lead to arriving at the research question. The other critical element is collection of data, analyzing it and interpreting the same to meet the research objective. Those accustomed to writing research papers and those who have a flair for writing will find it easier to write the thesis as compared to others for whom writing is an anathema.
There are so many highs and lows in a research scholar's life. It is impossible to document all of them here. Uncertainty hounds you at every stage. Maintaining a balance between work and life is another pain point. Maintaining a harmonious relation with the guide so that he reads your updates and reports regularly is important too. Needless to add, a guide often acts as a catalyst to precipitate the efforts of a doctoral research scholar.
Last but not the least, there is one piece of unsolicited advice that I would like to proffer. A research effort needs to be suffused with passion, commitment, enthusiasm and perseverance. There are no short cuts to success. One has to labour through it all. The entire experience as a scholar can be something like a roller coaster ride. But one has to flow with the tide. Talking to those individuals who have successfully gone through the rigors of a doctoral program can be energizing. They can be your best cheerleaders.
Avoiding the distractions in the form of social media is important if one wants to complete the research work in a time bound manner. Prioritization is the key. Trying to achieve perfection as a scholar can be akin to walking on a dangerous path that can lead to nowhere. More than perfection, it is excellence that one should aim for. Setting realistic and achievable goals is important and equally important is paying attention to details.
VENKATESH GANAPATHYBSc. BSc(Tech). MBA. Diploma in SCM. Fellowship(Insurance) PhD(pursuing).
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