TEN MYTHS ABOUT CHOOSING A CAREER

Most people think they know everything about choosing a career. So many think they know the right way to go about picking an occupation, but they often wind up choosing a career that is unsatisfying.

With in-depth research, we have come up with ten myths of choosing a career along with resources that can help you make an informed decision.

#1 Choosing a career is simple

Choosing a career is an involved process and you should give it the time it deserves. Career planning is a multi-step process that involves learning enough about yourself and the occupations which you are considering in order to make an informed decision.

#2 A career counselor can tell me what occupation to pick

A career counselor, or any other career development professional, can't tell you what career is best for you. He or she can provide you with guidance in choosing a career and can help facilitate your decision.

#3 I can't make a living from my hobby

When choosing a career, it makes perfect sense to choose one that is related to what you enjoy doing in your spare time, if you so desire. In addition people tend to become very skilled in their hobbies, even though most of the skill is gained informally.

#4 I should choose a career from a "Best Careers" list

Year-in, year-out , especially during milestone years, i.e. the beginning of a new decade, there are numerous articles and books that list what "the experts" predict will be "hot jobs." It can't hurt to look at those lists to see if any of the careers on it appeal to you, but you shouldn't use the list to dictate your choice. While the predictions are often based on valid data, sometimes things change. Way too often what is hot this year won't be hot a few years from now. In addition, you need to take into account your interests, values, and skills when choosing a career. Just because the outlook for an occupation is good, it doesn't mean that occupation is right for you.

#5 Making a lot of money will make me happy

While salary is important, it isn't the only factor you should look at when choosing a career. Countless surveys have shown that money doesn't necessarily lead to job satisfaction. For many people enjoying what they do at work is much more important. However, you should consider earnings, among other things, when evaluating an occupation.

#6 Once I choose a career I'll be stuck in it forever

This is the popular believe of so many people and I will like to let you know that this is not true. If you are not satisfied in your career for any reason, you can always change it. You'll be in good company. Many people change careers several times over the course of their lifetimes.

#7 If I change careers my skills will go to waste

Your skills are yours to keep. You can take them from one job to another. You may not use them in the exact same way, but they won't go to waste.

#8 If my best friend (or sister, uncle, or neighbor) is happy in a particular field, I will be too

Everyone is different and what works for one person won't necessarily work for another, even if that other person is someone with whom you have a lot in common. If someone you know has a career that interests you, look into it, but be aware of the fact that it may not necessarily be a good fit for you.

#9 All I have to do is pick an occupation... Things will fall into place after that

Choosing an career is a great start, but there's a lot more to do after that. A Career Action Plan is a road map that takes you from choosing a career to becoming employed in that occupation to reaching your long-term career goals.

#10 There's very little I can do to learn about an occupation without actually working in it

While first hand experience is great, there are other ways to explore an occupation. You can read about it either in print resources or online. You can also interview those working in that field.

HOW TO WRITE A RESEARCH QUESTION

What is a research question?

A research question is a clear, focused, concise, complex and arguable question around which you center your research. You should ask a question about an issue that you are genuinely curious about.

According to Wikipedia, a research question is the methodological point of departure of scholarly research in both the natural sciences and humanities. The research will answer any question posed.

Why is a research question important to the research process?

The research question is one of the first methodological steps the investigator has to take when undertaking research. The research question must be accurately and clearly defined.

Choosing a research question is the central element of both quantitative and qualitative research and in some cases it may precede construction of the conceptual framework of study. In all cases, it makes the theoretical assumptions in the framework more explicit, most of all it indicates what the researcher wants to know most and first.

Research questions help writers focus their research by providing a path through the research and writing process. The ability of research question(s) to be specific in nature helps writers to avoid the “all-about” paper and work toward supporting a specific, arguable thesis.

Steps to developing a research question:

· Choose an interesting general topic. Even directed academic research should focus on a topic in which the writer is at least somewhat personally invested. Writers should choose a broad topic about which they genuinely would like to know more.

· Do some preliminary research on your general topic. Do a few quick searches in current periodicals and journals on your topic to see what’s already been done and to help you narrow your focus. What questions does this early research raise?

· Consider your audience. For most college papers, your audience will be academic, but always keep your audience in mind when narrowing your topic and developing your question. Would that particular audience be interested in this question?

· Start asking questions. Taking into consideration all of the above, start asking yourself open-ended “how” and “why” questions about your general topic. For example, “How did the slave trade evolve in the 1850s in the American South?” or “Why were slave narratives effective tools in working toward the abolishment of slavery?”

Evaluate your question.

· Is your research question clear? With so much research available on any given topic, research questions must be as clear as possible in order to be effective in helping the writer direct his or her research.

· Is your research question focused? Research questions must be specific enough to be well covered in the space available. (See flip side for examples of focused vs. unfocused research questions.)

· Is your research question complex? Research questions should not be answerable with a simple “yes” or “no” or by easily-found facts. They should, instead, require both research and analysis on the part of the writer.

Sample Research Questions

Unclear: Why are social networking sites harmful?

Clear: How are online users experiencing or addressing privacy issues on such social networking sites as Twitter and Facebook?

The unclear version of this question doesn’t specify which social networking sites or suggest what kind of harm the sites are causing. It also assumes that this “harm” is proven and/or accepted. The clearer version specifies sites (Twitter and Facebook), the type of harm (privacy issues), and who the issue is harming (users). A strong research question should never leave room for ambiguity or interpretation.

Unfocused: What is the effect on the environment from global warming?

Focused: How is glacial melting affecting penguins in the Arctic Circle?

The unfocused research question is so broad that it couldn’t be adequately answered in a book-length piece, let alone a standard college-level paper. The focused version narrows down to a specific cause (glacial melting), a specific place (the Arctic Circle), and a specific group that is affected (penguins). When in doubt, make a research question as narrow and focused as possible.

Too simple: How are doctors addressing diabetes in Nigeria?

Appropriately Complex: What are common traits of those suffering from diabetes in Nigeria, and how can these commonalities be used to aid the medical community in prevention of the disease?

The simple version of this question can be looked up online and answered in a few factual sentences; it leaves no room for analysis. The more complex version is written in two parts; it is thought provoking and requires both significant investigation and evaluation from the writer. As a general rule of thumb, if a quick Google search can answer a research question, it’s likely not very effective.

HAPPY WRITING

How To Write A Project/Research Hypothesis

HOW TO WRITE A PROJECT/RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

It has been discovered that, one of the challenging parts of designing and writing up any research paper is how to write a hypothesis.

The entire experiment and research revolves around the research hypothesis : the alternative hypothesis(H1) and the null hypothesis (H0), so making a mistake here could ruin the whole design.

Needless to say, it can all be a little intimidating, and many students find this to be the most difficult stage of the scientific method.

In fact, it is not as difficult as it looks, and if you have followed the steps of the scientific process and found an area of research and potential research problem, then you may already have a few ideas.

It is just about making sure that you are asking the right questions and wording your hypothesis statements correctly.

THE THREE-STEP PROCESS

Often, it is still quite difficult to isolate a testable hypothesis after all of the research and study. The best way is to adopt a three-step hypothesis; this will help you to narrow things down, and is the most foolproof guide to how to write a hypothesis.

Step one is to think of a general hypothesis, including everything that you have observed and reviewed during the information gathering stage of any research design. This stage is often called developing the research problem.

AN EXAMPLE OF HOW TO WRITE A HYPOTHESIS

A worker on a fish-farm notices that his trout seem to have more fish lice in the summer, when the water levels are low, and wants to find out why. His research leads him to believe that the amount of oxygen is the reason – fish that are oxygen stressed tend to be more susceptible to disease and parasites.

FIRST: He proposes a general hypothesis.

“Water levels affect the amount of lice suffered by rainbow trout.”

SECOND: This is a good general hypothesis, but it gives no guide to how to design the research or experiment. The hypothesis must be refined to give a little direction.

“Rainbow trout suffer more lice when water levels are low.”

LASTLY: Now there is some directionality, but the hypothesis is not really testable, so the final stage is to design an experiment around which research can be designed, a testable hypothesis.

“Rainbow trout suffer more lice in low water conditions because there is less oxygen in the water.”

This is a testable hypothesis – he has established variables, and by measuring the amount of oxygen in the water, eliminating other controlled variables, such as temperature, he can see if there is a correlation against the number of lice on the fish.

This is an example of how a gradual focusing of research helps to define how to write a hypothesis.

THE NEXT PHASE – WHAT TO DO WITH THE HYPOTHESIS

Once you have your hypothesis, the next stage is to design the experiment, allowing a statistical analysis of data, and allowing you to test your hypothesis.

The statistical analysis will allow you to reject either the null or the alternative hypothesis. If the alternative is rejected, then you need to go back and refine the initial hypothesis or design a completely new research program.

This is part of the scientific process, striving for greater accuracy and developing ever more refined hypotheses.

...HAPPY WRITING

Study Abroad Tips

Useful tips to get you started about your time studying abroad - budget, safety, shopping, and more! From the experts who've been through it all.

Get an International Student ID Card (ISIC)!

• This little card is only US$22 but it will save you $100s all over the world. For starters, use it to get foreign currency at the airport COMMISSION FREE! That's pretty much like gold. ISIC will also save you money on sightseeing, restaurants, museum admission, movies, and more! Use it online at Target.com and Apple Store, too!

Set a Weekly Budget

• You'll open a bank account locally. Whether you plan to live off your debit card or want to mostly use cash, decide a set amount of money to spend the first few weeks. That will help you get used to the value of the foreign currency compared to what you're used to spending at home. Then you can adjust accordingly and will have a good handle on budgeting for the time you're there.

Bus/Subway Passes

• Consider buying a monthly bus or subway (Underground, Metro) pass! Most public transportation, especially in Europe, is highly efficient and you'll love it. Otherwise, just walk. Just remember that cabs can get really expensive if that's all you're taking.

Protect Your Stuff

• Keep your passport and other important documents safely hidden. You're staying put for a while so you don't need to carry this stuff around. Also, study abroad students will have an ID of some sort from the university they're going to. Between that and your ISIC, you're covered.

Toiletries

• Take travel-size bottles of shampoo, etc with you but plan to buy the big stuff after you arrive. Hauling full bottles of shampoo, conditioner, soap, face soap, and hair product can really weigh your bags down.

Souvenirs

• Do not buy all of your souvenirs when you first get there. You'll be in the country for a while and have plenty of time to shop. Plus, you'll want to buy souvenirs while you travel.

Ask Around

• Talk to other people in your program and get tips from them on what to do. They might know the cheapest place to get your laundry done, eat good food, use the Internet, etc.

JOURNAL!

• Keep a daily journal to note what all you're doing. Even if it's something as simple as "Studied at the library then hit Theo's for a kebab take-away. Got double the sauce. Delicious!" You'll really get a kick out reading your journal years later.

Bring Pictures

• Bring pictures of family and friends that you can look at whenever you get homesick. It will happen occasionally and having pictures to look at will help it pass.

Guidebooks

• Guidebooks are always a good way to learn about any country you plan on living in or visiting.

The Challenges Of Masters Project Writing

The Challenges Of Masters Project Writing

The challenges of masters thesis/project writing is in the details of organization. Once you get the basic outline down, however, everything else – your research, graphs, examples, anecdotes, surveys and studies – will all fall into place. Make sure you double check this list with your institution to be sure that the two match. Some or all of them may or may not apply.

The Sections

Proposal

3-30 pages long.
Detail the goal of your masters thesis.
Show that the problem is important enough to write a masters thesis on.
Summarize previous research in the field.
Tell the methods you plan to use.
Explain how the results are likely to make an original contribution to the field.
Expected time frame of completion.

Title page

Your name should appear exactly as it is registered with the school.
The date on this page must be the date that the degree in conferred.
This page is assigned Roman numeral “i,” although the number should not appear on the page.

Signature page

Your name should appear exactly as it is registered with the school.
Duplicate signature pages may be copies, but the committee signatures must be original.
The number of signature lines should equal the number of committee members
Your major and degree listed must be those to which you were admitted by the school.
Not numbered or counted.

Approval Sheet

Your name must appear in the same form as it is registered with the school.
Duplicate approval sheets may be copies, but the committee signatures must be original.
Number of signature lines should equal the number of committee members.
Major and degree listed must be those to which you were admitted by the school.
Not numbered or counted.

Statement of Permission to Use

Allows the library at your university to provide academic copies of your masters thesis without securing further permission.

Preface

Academic tone.
Thanks those who have helped you obtain your degree.
List permissions to quote copyrighted material and acknowledgments for grants and special funding.
List month and year of submission to the supervising committee at the bottom of the page.
First page on which Roman numerals appear.

Acknowledgements page

Personal statement may be included.
Thank those who have helped you obtain the degree.
May list permissions to quote copyrighted material and acknowledgments for grants and special funding.
Month and year of submission to the supervising committee included at the bottom of the page.

Dedication page

Dedication of masters thesis to an individual or group of people.
Should not exceed two or three paragraphs.

Table of Contents

List exact organization of your thesis.
Include absolutely everything that is in your thesis.
Page numbers for Bibliography and Appendix are those on the separation sheet preceding each.
Don’t include pages with Roman numerals. Start with page 1.

List of Tables, Charts, Figures

Include if there are five or more tables, charts, and/or figures.
A List of Plates must be included if plates are used.
Separate lists for tables, charts, figures, and/or plates.
Every title must be different.
Each title must have the exact wording that appears on the corresponding table, chart, figure, personal injury lawyer New York , and/or plate.

List of Symbols and Abbreviations

Include if you use symbols and/or abbreviations that have meanings outside of common knowledge.

Abstract

Concise statement of content and significance.
Continuous summary, not disconnected notes.
Short statement about the area of investigation.
Brief discussion of methods and procedures used.
Brief summary of findings.
Brief summary of conclusions.

Synopsis

Brief outline or general overview of the main points of the argument or theory behind your thesis.

Executive Summary

Summarize the dissertation or thesis in a clear, concise, persuasive manner.
Write this last.

Introduction – Statement of the Problem

Identify the topic and explain why it is important.
Don’t overestimate the reader’s familiarity with the topic.
Make it interesting.
Show rationale in the form of a problem statement that explains what issue or controversy needs resolving.
Make a prediction about the probable resolution.

Hypothesis – Rationale

Identify the problem and its importance.
Asserts that your research will help solve the problem.
Explain, defend, and/or prove that the current literature and findings are inadequate, outdated, and/or wrong.

Literature Review

Summary of the recognized facts and information in academic literature about a given subject.
Summarize each piece of literature in a few sentences and identify the approach taken.
Evaluate author’s approach and contextualize.
Explain why each piece of literature was chosen.

Methodology - Statistical Analysis, Data Collection, Subject Population

Varies depending on subject matter, type of experiment conducted, and requirements.
Most require a detailed explanation of the subject population, procedures, timelines, objectives, limitations, instruments, data collection, ethical considerations, tools, and statistical analysis.

Conclusion – Results, Discussion, Recommendations

Explain in detail what has been learned, explained, decided, proven.
Reveal the ways in which the masters thesis might have significance in the field.
Answer questions that are logically raised.
Put masters thesis in a larger context, create a call for action, issue a warning or hypothesis, raise a question, or relate an anecdote.
Summary, if used, should be brief.
Show the importance or implications of the research.
May propose the natural next step to take.
Should not end with a quote or statement that could begin another paper.

Endnotes

Footnotes can be placed at the bottom of the page, the end of the chapter, within the text, or at the end of the thesis.
Listed with their corresponding superscript number
Written with the first line indented.

Bibliography, References, Works Cited

The bibliography lists books, articles, or other works consulted in preparing the paper.
Included even if endnotes or footnotes are used.
Arrangement of each entry is determined by the chosen style (MLA, APA, Harvard, Turabian, Chicago, etc.).
In the Works Cited section, all sources should be listed in alphabetical order.

Appendices

Materials that are peripheral but relevant should be placed in appendices.
Paginate with letters – A, B, C, etc.
If there is only one appendix, it is called Appendix. If not, then Appendix A.
List appendices in the Table of Contents.

HAPPY WRITING

How To Write an Undergraduate Project Proposal

Writing a graduate thesis/project proposal is one of the final tasks in completing a undergraduate degree and requires a great deal of research and time to complete. With a little planning, a lot of hard work, and a few simple steps, you can write a graduate thesis proposal that will impress your thesis committee.


INSTRUCTION

1 Lay out your topic clearly. Many students make the common mistake of writing a proposal is if they are writing the thesis itself. However, you should think of the proposal as a formulaic document meant to clearly demonstrate your problem and research knowledge.

2 Treat your proposal as a survey of the literature that pertains to your topic. You should propose how you will use scholarly work in your field to back up your thesis.

3 Examine the ways in which your topic lends to ongoing scholarship in your field. If a thesis topic is not relevant, your committee is likely to reject it.

4 Create a road map to your thesis in your proposal. It's a good idea to lay your proposal out chapter by chapter as it will unfold in your thesis. While it might feel bland and artless, it's easy to read and your committee can judge how prepared you are for the thesis writing process.

5 Realize that the proposal is just that--a proposal. Your committee understands that changes may take place when you write your actual thesis. By keeping that fact in mind, it can help alleviate some of the stress that accompanies writing a thesis proposal.

HAPPY WRITING!!!

WELCOME

On behalf of the Editor-in-Chief and the entire staff of Projectaiders, we welcome you to PROJECTAIDERS EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE.

This educational research centre is establish to help students and researchers all over the world in making their research/project work/thesis stress-free.

We are out here to help and not to fraud the public. Hence, we promise our prospective clients, truthfulness.