Getting Started
Basic steps: choose a project -> sub-topic -> research question
Choosing the Project
NCIL furthers research in a diverse range of topics employing neurocognitive imaging with interdisciplinary teams! As an incoming honors student, you might have already had a topic in mind, yet, it is highly recommended to take the time and chat around with folks to learn about various projects: soak in the information, ask your questions (no question is silly), and read on the literature, if interested!
The best way to go about this includes attending lab meetings, retreats, volunteering, participating in Basecamp chats, and expressing your interest for further opportunities. That being said, do remain mindful of folks' time constraints (and your own)!
Also, be patient with yourself. Depending on your previous experience with the lab and topics, there could be a larger learning curve ahead- you'll do great!! :)
Defining Your Sub-Topic
So now you know your project- you know your primary collaborators, the topic in mind, and are excited to get to the next step!
This is the part where your glasses come handy: read, read, and read the literature! The best research furthers the field and builds upon the work of others- but you cannot further a field without knowing the current cotext! There's a lot of ways to search for articles (Google Scholar, NovaNet, etc.) and you can feel free to use whichever method you prefer. However, make sure to include papers withn the last 5 years. Additionally, keep an eye out for the references! Many of the outstanding papers have been referenced in the introduction (and often in multiple papers)- this is a sign to check it out! Dedicate some time to take highlights, maybe a couple of notes, and let the ideas flow!
After reading a large range of papers (this will take some time), reflect on the material read and see if you have any additional questions or ideas inspired by what we currently know (and DONT know) about the topic!
Once you have a few ideas, try to chat it out with a few folks and gain their perspective. Here are a good questions to ask both others and yourself:
Is this advancing the field (is it actually helpful)?
Is this practical, given the alloted time and my experience?
How could this be improved? How could someone challenge this (am I making any incorrect assumptions)?
This will most-likely take a few chats, revisions, and independant thinking sessions to figure out- you got this!
Isolating the Research Question
Now it's just a matter of refinement.
What is your independant variable (what are you manipulating)?
It's critical to remain strategic with this, and will take a lot of refinement.
Play around with it and continue the discussions with your teammates and supervisor. You might end up changing the topic after discovering something more interesting or fruitful, or you might stick with it! You will likely have a summer to get this sorted- use the time wisely and you will hopefully have an answer by fall :)
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