On 11/18/08, wangari njuguna wrote:

Dear Wanabidii,

I would like to request your assistance.

I am very much interested in becoming a researcher and a good writer, but the way to go about it is hazy.

Is there a school where by one learns how to be a researcher or what usually happens?

I know research is not all about copy and paste (which i ws accustomed to in school) and that is why i am intrested in this particular area.

I am particularly interested in humanitarian issues having undertaken Internationa Human Rights Law, Humanitarian Law, Public Intenational Law, Women in the Legal Process, Family Law, Law of Succession in the course of my on going Law Degree and i have a Diploma in Criminology and Social order.

I am lost and so i am requesting for positive criticism and counsel, i dont know on how to go forward with all these good subjects.

I am not keen on becoming a practising Advocate and i am most defiantely going to the School of Law but i dont know how to get started to fulfill my dream of being an accomplished researcher.

Please provide me with your insights on this as i dont and din’t have anyone in Campus to assist me or guide me towards achieving my goal.

Kind regards,
WN

– – – – – – – – – – –

On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 3:19 PM, joseph nyongesa wrote:

Some positive vibrations
1. Improtant things are not taught.
2. Look inside yourself and start there. There is no new thing to reasearch about but there is a creative presentation of the same stuff – same old themes. Human nature has not changed.

– – – – – – – – – – –

As a scholar, my attention was partucualrly drawn to the claim by Joseph Nyongesa that “There is no new thing to reasearch about but there is a creative presentation of the same stuff – same old themes”. That’s ridiculous and I guess it’s all about the fact that Nyongesa is very ignorant about research. The thrust of any research undertaking of discovery of new ideas of solving what may even be common problems or human and other issues of finding out something new.

For one to an accomplished researcher, you need to study further in order to acquire the requisite skills. With an undergrad degree, you can still be a researcher but only at a basic level.

That aside, one needs to read widely ad critically. Acquire as much skills about the issues you are interested in researching and the techniques and methods other accomplished researcher have used or are using..find out about which ones have been successful and which ones have not been so successful and why…in order to avoid repeating the same mistakes others have made before.

Read widely and focus on your vision. You have agreat future and can accomplish alot if you remain focused on your goal…

Best wishes.
George

– – –
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:01:29 +0400 [07:01:29 AM CST]
From: George Odhiambo To: bidiiafrika@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: EDUCATED BUT NOT WISE

– – – – – – – – – – –

An individual who aspires to a career doing research will have come to recognize that “Libraries are your friends”. The on-line search engines to help find on-topic info resources greatly help as well. During the practice of doing research upon your chosen topics, you will find that published materials going back years, decades, or more, contain nuggets which can favorably contribute to your current study projects.

This is true regarding physical sciences & engineering topics. It seems likely to hold as well in the disciplines cited as personal interests by the student whose question opened this thread.

– – awm – – Tue.18Nov.2008