Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
some sort of destructive analysis, your search for a suitable collection will be more difficult.
Keep in mind that destructive analysis requests will be strongly scrutinized by the curator of
the collection, and therefore you must ensure it is absolutely necessary for data collection and
moreover, necessary to answer a question of importance. Whether or not your plans include
destructive analysis, contact the curator of the collection first to ascertain their interest in
having you conduct your project on their collection and follow their protocol for writing
a research proposal carefully. This will require that you organize your methodology before
collecting any data. You may need to provide a letter of recommendation from your advisor
or other committee member as well.
Funding
Although you may not need funding, it may behoove you to apply for funding from
a notable institution, such as the National Science Foundation or National Institutes of Health
(in the United States). Any grant on your curriculum vitae (CV) demonstrates a productive
research portfolio. Having a grant from a renowned institution, however small, is a bright
feather for your cap (and CV). This will be important as you apply for jobs in the future. If
your project is costly (e.g., DNA or stable isotopes analysis), applying for and receiving fund-
ing will be essential. Refer to DiGangi (Chapter 17), this volume, for information on funding
organizations.
The Importance of Remaining Flexible
Every research endeavor requires a high degree of creativity and flexibility so unavoidable
setbacks can be dealt with successfully. These can be among the most useful skills you will
learn for your research career. Research can be derailed for a variety of reasons: conflicts
break out in regions of interest, access to collections can be tenable, having multiple advisors
can become tumultuous, and money can dry up. Just remember that a good research project
is a COMPLETED research project that includes the signatures of your committee members.
Be flexible with your research question and be ready to switch directions or collections as
need be.
Creativity with your logistics can ultimately save you a lot of time. For example, if you had
planned to travel for your project and the collection will no longer be available (or you no
longer have funding), perhaps there is a collection containing individuals from the same pop-
ulation located closer to home, or perhaps you can ask the same research question of
a different population in a local collection, negating the need to rework the entire project
from scratch. See Hammerl (Chapter 10), this volume, for a case study example of the impor-
tance of flexibility with research questions.
Being a Professional StudentdWhen does it End?
Another thing to think about will be your timeline for completion. Many Master's degree
programs have a set timeline within which students must finish, usually ranging from one to
three years; but PhD programs in many cases seem to be endless. It will be up to you to
decide how long you want to be a student beyond the period of mandatory residency set
