The Research Student's Guide to Success [Paperback]

Pat Cryer (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0335206867 | ISBN-13: 978-0335206865 | Publication Date: November 2000 | Edition: 2

"...{The first edition of Professor Cryer's book was} absolutely outstanding, in four main respects. First, it is comprehensive in its scope, covering everything from applying to undertaking a research degree. Second, it is applicable to PhDs across the board. Third, the book is exceptionally well written and highly readable. Finally, at each stage Pat Cryer has included questions and exercises to enable readers to reflect on their practice, check out whether they are on track and, if not, discover how they might return themselves to it. Overall, Pat Cryer has made a major contribution to the field and produced a quite exceptional book. It ought to be compulsory reading for intending or actual postgraduates and for academic staff teaching research training programmes." Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education

"...the Research Student's Guide to Success certainly does what it promises on the cover and every research student should find it a very valuable companion." Journal of Graduate Education

The second edition of this Open University set book is, like the first edition, for postgraduate research students wherever the language of instruction is English. Irrespective of their field of study, it will make their research programmes and day-to-day lives more productive and enjoyable. The book is easy to dip into and is in conversational style. Interest and realism are added through anecdotes, extracts from the literature and pithy quotations.

The second edition is a complete revision of the original. New emphases include: the needs of the growing number of part time postgraduates; a wider understanding of the term 'research student' to embrace all postgraduate students undertaking research, whether for traditional PhDs and MPhils or within programmes such as professional doctorates, 'taught' masters degrees, diplomas and certificates; information technology as a day-to-day tool. There are also two new chapters: one on options for postgraduate study and research and the other on skills development and employment issues.

There is a foreword by Professor Sir Martin Harris, Chair of the National UK Review of Postgraduate Education.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...this sensibly-priced book is written in clear, jargon-free language and will be immediately accessible to novice research students." - Nursing Times Research "I'drecommend a student to read it cover to cover at least three times inthe course of a PhD - when you are planning to start research, a few monthsafter enrolment and towards the end and to keep it as part of your essential library...Highly recommended. Buy it." - Exchanges "...contains lots of good practical advice...should help to give the research student more self-confidence in undertaking aresearch degree." - Studies in Higher Education "This book is a perfect introduction to these starting points and the additional ways of working that need to be developed in order to succeed as a researcher...Pat Cryer has provoked me to many thoughts and revisions of my understanding and expectations of researchin a productive, knowledgeable, straight forward style." - New Academic "Dr. Cryer's book is absolutely outstanding, in four main respects. First, it is comprehensive in its scope, covering everything from applying to undertaking a research degree. Second, it is applicableto PhDs across the board. Third, the book is exceptionally well-written and highly readable. Finally, at each stage Dr. Cryer has included questions and exercises to enable readers to reflect on their practice, check out whether they are on track and,if not, discover how they might return themselves to it. Overall, Dr. Cryer hasmade a major contribution to the field and produced a quite exceptional book. It ought tobe compulsory reading for intending or actual postgraduates and for academic staff teaching research training programmes." - Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education "One of the most pleasing aspects of this book is that it attempts to inform the reader about the processes involved in research degrees while recognizing the vital fact that given the diversity of students and supervisors there is no single method or 'right' way"- The Chair of the National Postgraduate Committee (1993 - 1995) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Pat Cryer is Visiting Professor for the Development of Graduate Education at the University of Manchester. She convenes a national network of academics on Postgraduate Issues for the Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE) and is the initiator and editor of a series of Guides on postgraduate issues for academics published jointly by SRHE and the Times Higher Education Supplement. She has given numerous presentations on postgraduate matters in the UK, Australia, Austria, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden and Thailand.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Open University Press; 2 edition (November 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0335206867
• ISBN-13: 978-0335206865
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,350,108 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)