How to conduct your research

July 12, 2012
Matsuoka Zemi
GSAPS, Waseda University

  How to make presentations
      Members of our Research Seminar (“Zemi”) are required to make three presentations. These are as follows; a) Text Book Chapter Review b) Recommended Book Review, c) Research Presentation.

   Masters students must learn how to set up a research question, choose a suitable methodology and identify applicable data sources. This is achieved through the creating and delivering presentations to peers who ask critical questions and provide their comments, followed by expert feedback from the professor.

Book Review & Text Book Chapter Reviews
   Students in their first semester focus on summarizing content. They show the extent of their understanding and seek to broaden their knowledge by raising questions for discussion. This leads them to particular areas of further research interest.

   Students in their second semester consider their Research Question. They do this by identifying areas in which to broaden understanding that arise from textbook chapter reviews and recommended book reviews. By identifying areas in which to gain additional knowledge, they will be led further suitable books and theses, will provide the base which allows them to make their Research Presentation.

   Students in their 3rd semester focus on setting up Research Questions and choosing Method and Data. For that, they seek out and offer academic critiques of additional related books and theses.

Research Presentation
   Zemi members are required to read 3 or 5 previous studies (academic journal papers) thoroughly in order to make suitable presentations. It is through these studies that they will be able to decide upon suitable Research Question, Methodology and Data.

Research proposal examples

○ MA
　Research Prop Sofyan Lury (Dec. 16, 2009): Effect of a Carbon Tax on Economy

○ PhD