A Successful Graduate Student
by
Salih Duffuaa
Professor of Industrial Engineering and
Operations Research
Outline
• Definition of a successful graduate
student.
• Nature of graduate School/ studies
• Measures of success
• Elements of success as a student
• Tips to be successful in research
• Concluding remarks.
Successful Graduate Student
• Complete his program in time with a high GPA.
• Complete his program in time with high GPA and
publish from his thesis.
• Complete his program in time with high GPA and
publish from his thesis in first tear journals.
• Complete his program in time with high GPA and
publish from his thesis in first tear journals and
conduct his departmental duties very well.
• Complete his program in time with high GPA ,
publish from his thesis in first tear journals,
conduct his departmental duties very well and
help his colleagues
Graduate School Versus Undergraduate
The Undergraduate
The Graduate
• Student
• From apprentice to expert
• Breadth over depth
• Depth over breadth
• Recipient of knowledge
• Analyzer and creator of
knowledge
• Externally directed
• Self-directed
Source of this slide is : University of British Columbia Web Site.
What is the Purpose of
Graduate Study?
The primary purposes of research-oriented, thesisbased Master’s programs (e.g., MS, MA & MSc) are:
• To understand thoroughly and think critically about what is
known in a particular academic field
• To learn how to conduct research in that field (and perhaps
prepare for PhD study)
• To begin affiliating with the academic community of the field
Source of this slide is : University of British Columbia Web Site.
What is the Purpose of
Graduate Study?
The primary purposes of professional Masters
programs (e.g., MEd, MEng) are:
• To understand thoroughly and think critically about what is
known in a particular professional field
• To master skills (including research / experimentation) that are
necessary for advanced practice in a particular professional field
• To enhance affiliation with the professional community of the
field
Source of this slide is : University of British Columbia Web Site.
What is the Purpose of
Graduate Study?
The primary purposes of Doctoral study (e.g., PhD)
are:
• To master the knowledge of a specific academic field – and
become prepared to teach that knowledge at the university level
• To make an original contribution, through research, to the
knowledge within a specific field (i.e. “create new knowledge”)
• To establish oneself as an expert and leader within the
academic community of the field
Source of this slide: University of British Columbia Web Site.
Graduate School (GS)
•
Different than undergraduate. How? Personnel
characteristics expectation
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Maturity
Responsible
Independence
Motivation
Graduate School (GS)
•
Different than undergraduate. How? Personnel
characteristics expectation
•
•
•
•
•
discipline
Enthusiasm
Perseverance
Imagination
Creativity
Graduate School
•
Different than undergraduate in learning outcomes. How?
• Level of learning ( Blooms Taxonomy)
• Knowledge: arrange, define, duplicate, label, list, memorize,
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•
•
•
•
name, order, recognize, relate, recall, repeat, reproduce state.
Comprehension: classify, describe, discuss, explain, express,
identify, indicate, locate, recognize, report, restate, review,
select, translate,
Application: apply, choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ,
illustrate, interpret, operate, practice, schedule, sketch, solve,
use, write.
Analysis: analyze, appraise, calculate, categorize, compare,
contrast, criticize, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish,
examine, experiment, question, test.
Synthesis: arrange, assemble, collect, compose, construct,
create, design, develop, formulate, manage, organize, plan,
prepare, propose, set up, write.
Evaluation: appraise, argue, assess, attach, choose compare,
defend estimate, judge, predict, rate, core, select, support,
value, evaluate.
Graduate School
•
Different than undergraduate. How? Outcomes:
• Level of learning ( Blooms Taxonomy)
• Knowledge: arrange, define, duplicate, label, list, memorize,
•
•
•
•
•
name, order, recognize, relate, recall, repeat, reproduce state.
Comprehension: classify, describe, discuss, explain, express,
identify, indicate, locate, recognize, report, restate, review,
select, translate,
Application: apply, choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ,
illustrate, interpret, operate, practice, schedule, sketch, solve,
use, write.
Analysis: analyze, appraise, calculate, categorize, compare,
contrast, criticize, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish,
examine, experiment, question, test.
Synthesis: arrange, assemble, collect, compose, construct,
create, design, develop, formulate, manage, organize, plan,
prepare, propose, set up, write.
Evaluation: appraise, argue, assess, attach, choose compare,
defend estimate, judge, predict, rate, core, select, support,
value, evaluate.
Graduate School
• Different than undergraduate. How?
Research component:
• Thesis
• Learn the research process.
• May contribute to knowledge
• Dissertation
• Perfect the research process
• Contribute to and advance knowledge
Measures of success in GS
• For Graduate School
• % of graduate students to total student population.
• Graduate student per faculty
• Success rate
• Completion rate
• Publication rate
• Graduate student satisfaction rate .
• For Students
• Degree cycle time.
• GPA.
• Number of publication during study period.
• Job opportunities.
Elements of Success in GS
• Understand requirements and expectations:
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•
•
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Degree requirements.
Load requirements.
Graduation requirements.
Develop you degree plan early on first semester
• Who can help
( Graduate Advisor, chairman, faculty members,
senior colleagues, university web)
Elements of Success in GS
•
Identify available resources:
•
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Laboratories .
Other departments offering
Library.
Faculty interest.
• Who can help
( Graduate Advisor, chairman, faculty members, senior
colleagues)
Elements of Success in GS
•
Be Visible:
• Department seminar .
• Department activities.
• Be available at and after working hours in the department .
•
Hard work
• Nothing replace this quality.
•
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•
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Read more
Know more
Do assignment on time
Excite your professors ( Below expectation, as expected, more
than expected).
Elements of Success in GS
•
Be Tolerant:
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Be a good team player by tolerating colleagues .
Do not be sensitive to faculty behavior.
Tolerate additional assignment by the department.
Living and office conditions.
• Attend seminars and conferences
• Departmental and related departments.
• Local, regional and international conferences.
Elements of Success in GS
•
Be proactive:
•
•
•
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Identify your area of interest
Seek a professor early as a mentor or advisor .
Seek additional work as a research assistant on projects
Start preparing for your thesis early ( Use summers).
Offer your help to the chairman.
Present your work
• Who can help
( Graduate Advisor, chairman, faculty members, senior
colleagues)
Develop Expertise
• Take essential courses in the area (most likely
core courses).
• Support them by elective courses that develop
your expertise.
• Have a coherent program.
• Do not take the easy path.
Success in research
• The research component in graduate study is the
major difference between graduate and
undergraduate.
• It is crucial to click into research by understanding
the research process and bringing your brain power
( imagination intelligence, etc.
• At the beginning stages the role of the advisor is
crucial.
Be Observant
• Keenly observe department norms and how
people interact and work together for daily
activities, departmental functions, as well as
seminars you participate in.
• In your seminars, observe the types of questions
asked and how senior graduate students (and
other faculty that may be attending the seminar)
approach issues.
• Note items of special interest that may be good
research topics for that seminar or for later
research projects.
Success in Research
•
Understanding the research process
• Learn it early in graduate courses through term
papers.
• Formulation of answerable questions and achievable
extensions.
• Perseverance
•
Start early on:
• Second semester or first summer
• Learn library and search skills.
• Write review papers
Success in Research
• Selection of the advisor
• Expertise
• Chemistry
• Interest
• Selection of the thesis/dissertation topic
• Clear objectives
• Realistic objectives : Answerable questions.
• See sample proposals
( Who can help: Graduate Advisor, Mentors, etc)
Success in Research: Sources of
Thesis/Proposals
Keep a research/ideas journal
• Keep this focused on topics of most interest to you
from seminars, discussions, and readings; the seeds of
your dissertation and further research might be in
here; keep your journal with you wherever you go.
• Sources of thesis or dissertation: Review papers,
Extension of term papers in courses, Department
thesis and dissertations.
Managing the Research Process
Managing the process
• Know the graduate school rules, regulations, deadlines
and forms
• Set weekly/monthly goals/ targets
• Meet weekly with the advisor
• Get feedback early on by discussing your work with the
advisor and presenting it to the committee early on
Writing and Presentation Skills
Develop your communication skills
• Take English writing course.
• Have a writing colleague
• Sharpen your presentation skills
Success in Research
• Bring a professional approach to your studies and
interactions
• Take workshops through the college of
Graduate Studies’ Professional Development
Initiative.
• Learn about research ethics and scholarly
integrity
• Attend conference
Success in Research
• Join a research team group or project. Currently
KFUPM has Research Groups.
• Networking: One of the most important skills you
should be learning in graduate school is how to
"network.'' Breaking into the research community
requires attending conferences, meeting established
researchers, and making yourself known.
•
Success in Research
• Seek balance and support in your life:
• Remember that you have friends and family
outside grad school
• Seek out the many resources at KFUPM that
can help you through the tough times
• Remember that this will be among the most
inspiring and satisfying times in your life
• And, because your mother isn’t here: “Get
enough sleep, make time for physical exercise,
and eat your healthy food.
Further Readings
• http://unlmcnair.wordpress.com/2009/06/06/how-tobe-a-successful-graduate-student-by-william-bauer/.
• http://www.cs.ucdavis.edu/~martel/293/
• http://www.cs.indiana.edu/how.2b/how.2b.html.
How to be a good graduate student byMarie
desJardins e-mail: marie@erg.sri.com.
• http://hegis.umn.edu/res.htm
• http://hegis.umn.edu/res_gradstudent.htm
• http://www.siop.org/tip/april08/13tiptopics.aspx.
• http://www.utexas.edu/ogs/publications/toolkit.pdf:
Tools for success.
Discussion and Questions