Enrollment 101 tips and tricks

Given the fact that the admission period is knocking on the door, it is time to brush up on your essay writing skills and start thinking about a subject that tickles your fancy. Since we have passed with flying colours the admission exam, here are some tips for succeeding in the admission phase with the essay writing part:

• choose a topic that is familiar to you. By choosing a familiar topic you ensure the ease of access to the subject and have a better understanding of the processes that constitutes the studied phenomena.
• try to approach the subject parting from the broader context. Take a few moments and ask yourself “what is the context of the problem”, “why is it important”.
• scan the relevant literature and try to see what are the main current theories, try to establish if there is consensus among scholars on this matter, if so what does it involves, observe which type of specific research questions are frequently pursued.
• define your research question (RQ). Here you should think about how your research question fits in with the broader context of the problem and also with the scientific literature. You should consider some of this questions when defining your RQ : “what problem raised in the literature or observed by you will it try to explain”, “what theories does it support or disconfirm”, “how does your RQ will advance the knowledge on the subject”
• operationalizing the RQ. When speaking about operationalizing the RQ you should consider some of this questions: “what will you measure”, “what causes that phenomena”, “how can you measure it”.
• choosing a methodology. Consider what methods deliver the best results to the matter at hand and try to make a sketch of the method that you intend to use and the instruments that will accompany it.
• impact and limitations. Think of how would your research be useful and what exactly will improve, but do not forget to take into account also the limitations of your research.
• references and academic writing. Writing a research paper implies getting involved in the “academic discussion” on the subject by not only listening to what other scholars have to say but also by having a say yourself. Quoting and referencing have two dimensions, the first is that you trace the information to its rightful owner and the second is that you pay your respects to that scholar for his/her contribution to the scientific community. In order to be included in the “academic discussion” you must use the proper way of referencing the informations.
• be concise. Remember this paper should not pass the 8000 characters count. It is important to as concise as you can.

If you still have problems with your paper or you feel stuck leave me a comment and I’ll do my best in helping with your problem.