Guidelines for Graduate Study

Science Question Selection

1. Visit and read the literature in our field.

1.1. Focus on or Identify

1.1.1. Science questions addressed

1.1.2. Research methods used

1.1.3. Applications or Conclusions stemming from the results.

1.2. Uncover and trace the references cited

1.2.1. Find good articles in the citations of a good article

2. Determine your research topic or science question of interest.

2.1. Make it falsifiable so that it can be tested and proved incorrect.

2.2. Other considerations:

2.2.1. Recall question types addressed in the literature you have read.

2.2.2. Strive for new, imaginative, and creative ideas.

2.2.3. Exchange ideas with me, peers, or other faculty.

2.2.4. Consider scientific application versus scientific discovery, or moving to the specific versus the general.

3. Research Support

3.1. Look for professional or financial support with your research.

3.1.1. Identify professional opportunities, such as conferences or symposia.

3.1.2. Identify financial support. Check ESF sources or the Internet for listings.

4. Papers and Written Communication

4.1. Students should produce memorandum and a first draft paper that update their research advisor on the research topic; I may have lost the global picture of your research during the intensive independent work conducted from the time of topic refinement through completion.

4.2. Students should expect iterative revisions with their advisor to improve the focus and content of their research paper.

5. Execution of the Work

5.1. Maximize cooperation with research support personnel

5.2. Identify data sources (literature review, other professionals, government or agency websites, etc.)

5.3. Collect the data using politeness, speed and persistence

5.4. Analyze the data