Article S9.1 Embarking on the Doctoral Journey Panel Discussion: Jashua Rajesh Modapothala, Miin Huui Lee, Kwang Sing Ngui, Praveen Balakrishnan Nair, Anand Agrawal, D. P. Dash, Ismail Ait-Saadi, Md. Taher Billal Khalifa, Sudarsan Jayasingh, Hou Hong Ng, Rodney Lim (Moderator) School of Business and Design, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, Malaysia rlim[at]swinburne.edu.my Note. This is a report on the panel discussion held at Swinburne Sarawak on March 10, 2011. The panellists shared their experiences and thoughts on the doctoral journey with the purpose of informing and supporting their colleagues who are aspiring to pursue a PhD. The discussion suggested that the process of doing research and writing a thesis can be a valuable experience. The following topics were covered: sources of motivation for enrolling in a PhD programme, writing a research proposal, selecting a supervisor, collecting data, managing time, joining a support group, and interpreting the value of a PhD. Sources of Motivation Different sources of motivation were explored: (a) inquisitive nature from childhood, (b) desire to add the “Dr” prefix to one’s name, (c) parents’ expectation, (d) family environment (many family members possessing doctoral degrees), and (e) demands of the academic profession. A belief that research work can contribute to meaningful social change can also be a source of motivation for some. Starting the Journey A first step in the doctoral journey is to find a topic of interest. The topic of interest has a critical role in ensuring steady progress. Choosing a topic ought to be one’s own decision. Leaving it to the supervisor can sometimes result in a topic that fails to sustain one’s interest over the long haul of the doctoral journey. Identifying a potential supervisor and writing a research proposal come next. Often a considerable time is spent in writing a research proposal. However, a proposal prepared with much effort may need to be altered completely to suit the supervisor’s research orientation. A common tip for this stage is to avoid proposals which are over-ambitious. Such proposals need to be funnelled down to reduce their scope, so that the work can be completed within the typical timeframe of a doctoral programme, that is, around 3-4 years. Reading widely within a broad domain helps in developing a good research proposal. Sometimes a supervisor may guide the student to an appropriate domain. An effective supervisor ought to be empathetic and facilitate the student in setting priorities and making progress. Another equally important decision at the beginning is the choice of the institution. It is important to find a reputed university/institution where to enrol for a PhD. A PhD is a lifelong label and the institution from where one acquires it matters in the academic world. Challenges Along the Way At a personal level, a PhD student may face the challenge of balancing the research work with family life and other commitments. Working mothers in full-time employment find it particularly difficult if they have to balance the research work with many other demands on their time. Obviously, managing time effectively is of critical importance if one intends to accomplish the PhD within a reasonable timeframe. One challenge arises when the main coordinating supervisor becomes unavailable and one has to find a new one. This can be stressful. When a new supervisor is found, the nature and direction of one’s research work may have to be adjusted to the new supervisor’s research inclinations. Communication between the supervisor and the research student can be another area of concern, especially when one is an off-campus student, doing a PhD in the distance mode. When a supervisor does not respond to telephone calls or e-mails, one’s progress is likely to be hampered. Along the way, one learns research frameworks and methods; one builds conceptual skills, for both analysis and synthesis. Above all, one develops an open mind to take criticisms positively and use them constructively to serve as inputs towards self-development. Data collection can pose a set of challenges. If a survey method is used, then a specific challenge would be achieving a reasonably high “response rate.” Understanding the strengths and limitation of different methods of data collection and using appropriate methods is important for the researcher. Data analysis and interpretation are challenges that come next. One needs to develop specific skills to complete these tasks successfully. Being a part of a peer support group can help in coping with stress and learning from each other. Such support groups can be found within institutions, academic societies, professional bodies, and also in the virtual world. Examples of virtual support groups: Doctoral_Education (for business/management) and PhD-Design (for design). Reaching There and Moving on . . . Often, the doctoral journey is not smooth. One can expect obstacles and uncertainties as one tries to pursue the highest academic degree. No matter how long it may take, there is usually a great feeling of achievement when it is completed successfully. Besides, it is also an experience through which one rediscovers oneself, one’s limitations, and hidden potentials. Doing a PhD can be a process of development which shapes one’s identity as an open-minded inquirer, whose source of confidence is not only in what one knows but also in the courage and capacity to inquire into what one does not know. After acquiring a PhD, one still continues the journey of research. In this journey, one is helped by one’s training in research thinking and research tools. Moreover, one is supported by the awareness that the book of inquiry is never complete . . . there are still new pages to be added. Reported by Sabrina C. J. Sim, Vie Ming Tan, Anand Agrawal, and D. P. Dash. [March 14, 2011] Copyleft Xavier Institute of Management, Xavier Square, Bhubaneswar 751013, India Research World (ISSN 0974-2379) http://www1.ximb.ac.in/RW.nsf/pages/Home |
