Why this book might be useful for you, too
Shall we admit that some lecturers, even some professors, can be unsure about aspects of the research process, or struggle with organisation and time management?
Part of the background research for this book included interviews with 20 practitioners, eight of whom also worked in academia. They were candid about their difficulties in advising students about research methods, and in managing their own research and juggling it with all their other professional and personal commitments. Several told me, off the record, that they thought my book would be helpful for academics as well as students, and they wished they could read it already.
The good news is, you can!
The book may be particularly helpful for people supervising Masters' students doing dissertations or theses. When you are supervising the research training of any student, you need to be knowledgeable about research methods and competent in the theory, if not the practice, of time management and organisational skills. This book can help in several ways:
- It gives a good grounding in research methods, so is a useful resource for anyone who may be shaky in one or more aspects of the research process.
- It offers advice on managing the process through planning, organisation and time management, so can be helpful for students who have difficulty with one or more of these skills.
- It is full of practical tips, making it immediately applicable.
- It contains numerous quotes from people who have been through the process, which can help students to find and keep a sense of proportion about the problems they are facing.