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Getting guidance on research

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  • 18-01-2011 3:34am
    #1
    digiology
    Registered Users Posts: 180 ✭✭


    Hi all,


    I'm trying to begin a PhD in experimental psychology (auditory cognition specifically) and am researching independently in the mean time. Now besides the fact that I have limited access to papers (not being a student), I have nobody to guide me (both in my thinking and research).

    How does one typically get guidance? Surely there are many informed people in the field that would take my money in exchange for advice! Its a shame there seems to be no service out there for hiring academics for their time.

    P.S. Please PM me if you are one of those people : )


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    #2
    Focalbhach
    Registered Users Posts: 459 ✭✭Focalbhach


    I suppose it depends on what sort of guidance you're looking for. Are you talking about broad ideas of methods or research topics, or detailed feedback on whatever your independent work is?

    Have you identified any potential supervisors for the PhD you're planning? If so, it could be worth your while dropping them an email explaining your intentions and that you're trying to keep your hand in research in the meantime. Your independent research will - presumably - be something that they might be interested to hear about, and I find that many academics are happy enough to offer advice to people with genuine questions.

    If you're looking for more detailed discussions it could be a bit trickier. I'd suspect that the people who you'd be looking to talk to mightn't have the time (or need the pocket money) to meet you on top of any fee-paying students they're already supervising. You might be able to get a postgrad student or a young-career researcher to give up a few hours privately for pay, but then they mightn't have the expertise you're looking for.

    Is the guidance you're looking for specific to your topic, or more general (e.g. how to go about designing an experiment / write a paper)?

    Might also be worth your while taking a look in the Researcher forum next door.


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