I need some real research help!
July 19, 2010 7:09 PM Subscribe
I'm starting to look for a person to help me all the way through a real, honest-to goodness research project. The subject area is public management. Where can I look for a patron, what will I likely find, and are there any red flags of which I would beware?
Here's my situation: I was in a masters program that was treated as a terminal degree - basically the post-grad version of a professional degree. I left before completing the program, and now I'm coming back. Since my time gone, the thing has been turned into a pre-doctoral program, and all things considered I meet all the requirements for graduation other than a research project worth three credit hours. Problem is, I have no idea how to do a real-world research project and the (all-new) program directors all tell me that I can just suck it up and take a survey of research course to figure out how. That’s all well and good, but that course is only offered in the Spring and would cost a huge chunk of money. I say nuts to that, I can probably find someone to coach me through the project. So I'm trying to solicit bids to become my part-time patron.
I'm looking for someone who will make themselves available to me for around one hour per week, or maybe sooner at the person's convenience if I happen to finish quicker. These sessions will consist of this person reviewing all the things I've done for the week, going over what needs to be improved, and then giving me a GTD-style action-item list of things to do for the next session. I'm not looking for anyone to do any research for me or write a single word toward the finished project. I want to do this thing legitimately and ethically. I just someone to break this thing down into actionable, comprehensible tasks and make sure I'm going in the right direction.
The first thing that popped into my head was to look for an academic coach, though I had only a vague concept of what such a person would do. It turns out that these people are extremely expensive and have very little idea about specific subjects (or even general subjects). I don’t have a ton of money and it seems like hiring one of these people wouldn’t help much at all. My second thought was to find a doctoral student or someone with experience in this field who wouldn’t mind making some extra scratch for helping someone out. Trouble is, I can’t find a place to ask! That’s where you guys maybe come in; just putting up fliers won’t be productive. Where do I even begin to look for a person who knows his/her stuff about research in the soft sciences? How do I know that the person is on the level?
Some preemptive answers to some questions:
- I’ve already asked for the help of the professors in this program. None are willing to help unless I enroll in the research methods course mentioned above, not even informally.
- This research will be focused on issues in public organizations including city governments, governmental organizations, and quasi-governmental organizations.
- In my asking around, I came across several outfits who offered to do the research, writing, and analysis for me. That is NOT what I am looking for, and those are surprisingly easier to find than some simple help.
- This question is anonymous because of the above. A lot of folks have solicited me with shady offers so far. I set up an email specifically for this endeavor at publicmanagementproject@gmail.com if anyone wants to ask me questions or contact me directly.
Thanks a lot, folks!
Here's my situation: I was in a masters program that was treated as a terminal degree - basically the post-grad version of a professional degree. I left before completing the program, and now I'm coming back. Since my time gone, the thing has been turned into a pre-doctoral program, and all things considered I meet all the requirements for graduation other than a research project worth three credit hours. Problem is, I have no idea how to do a real-world research project and the (all-new) program directors all tell me that I can just suck it up and take a survey of research course to figure out how. That’s all well and good, but that course is only offered in the Spring and would cost a huge chunk of money. I say nuts to that, I can probably find someone to coach me through the project. So I'm trying to solicit bids to become my part-time patron.
I'm looking for someone who will make themselves available to me for around one hour per week, or maybe sooner at the person's convenience if I happen to finish quicker. These sessions will consist of this person reviewing all the things I've done for the week, going over what needs to be improved, and then giving me a GTD-style action-item list of things to do for the next session. I'm not looking for anyone to do any research for me or write a single word toward the finished project. I want to do this thing legitimately and ethically. I just someone to break this thing down into actionable, comprehensible tasks and make sure I'm going in the right direction.
The first thing that popped into my head was to look for an academic coach, though I had only a vague concept of what such a person would do. It turns out that these people are extremely expensive and have very little idea about specific subjects (or even general subjects). I don’t have a ton of money and it seems like hiring one of these people wouldn’t help much at all. My second thought was to find a doctoral student or someone with experience in this field who wouldn’t mind making some extra scratch for helping someone out. Trouble is, I can’t find a place to ask! That’s where you guys maybe come in; just putting up fliers won’t be productive. Where do I even begin to look for a person who knows his/her stuff about research in the soft sciences? How do I know that the person is on the level?
Some preemptive answers to some questions:
- I’ve already asked for the help of the professors in this program. None are willing to help unless I enroll in the research methods course mentioned above, not even informally.
- This research will be focused on issues in public organizations including city governments, governmental organizations, and quasi-governmental organizations.
- In my asking around, I came across several outfits who offered to do the research, writing, and analysis for me. That is NOT what I am looking for, and those are surprisingly easier to find than some simple help.
- This question is anonymous because of the above. A lot of folks have solicited me with shady offers so far. I set up an email specifically for this endeavor at publicmanagementproject@gmail.com if anyone wants to ask me questions or contact me directly.
Thanks a lot, folks!
What's your purpose in doing this research project? For the experience? For the credential? A little bit more detail would help.
No one reputable is going to have the inclination to see you through a project like this. You need institutional affiliation. That's what gives you access to professionals who can mentor you. Even if I wanted to I could not as a professor devote time to a student who wasn't paying tuition.
Your best bet is to finish the program and get your degree at your school, if you can, under the old requirements, even if it is expensive. You've put in all that work and money, a little more is probably worth it for the degree.
If that is not possible, or if you're really just doing this for personal satisfaction, take courses at a community college in your area of interest. Those courses will cost a lot less and you will learn a lot.
I've never heard of an academic coach but it sounds very sketchy. What you're proposing is like trying to get some other professional service/training/guidance without paying for it. It's not just not going to work out. Sorry.
posted by vincele at 8:04 PM on July 19, 2010
No one reputable is going to have the inclination to see you through a project like this. You need institutional affiliation. That's what gives you access to professionals who can mentor you. Even if I wanted to I could not as a professor devote time to a student who wasn't paying tuition.
Your best bet is to finish the program and get your degree at your school, if you can, under the old requirements, even if it is expensive. You've put in all that work and money, a little more is probably worth it for the degree.
If that is not possible, or if you're really just doing this for personal satisfaction, take courses at a community college in your area of interest. Those courses will cost a lot less and you will learn a lot.
I've never heard of an academic coach but it sounds very sketchy. What you're proposing is like trying to get some other professional service/training/guidance without paying for it. It's not just not going to work out. Sorry.
posted by vincele at 8:04 PM on July 19, 2010
I think this already exists as a dissertation committee.
Normally when someone begins a PhD dissertation s/he forms a dissertation committee of school faculty. One faculty member agrees to chair the committee and takes on the role of a coach. Often this person would have experience related to what you want to accomplish.
Maybe you could ask a professor or two to be your unofficial committee.
posted by jander03 at 8:54 AM on July 20, 2010
Normally when someone begins a PhD dissertation s/he forms a dissertation committee of school faculty. One faculty member agrees to chair the committee and takes on the role of a coach. Often this person would have experience related to what you want to accomplish.
Maybe you could ask a professor or two to be your unofficial committee.
posted by jander03 at 8:54 AM on July 20, 2010
Edit: Sorry, didn't read the your professors aren't on board. I would keep asking around, or just walk in to office hours and start asking questions.
posted by jander03 at 8:55 AM on July 20, 2010
posted by jander03 at 8:55 AM on July 20, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by msk1985 at 7:48 PM on July 19, 2010