November 21, 2008

Pae's notes:

• Student 1: pre-candidacy outline:

• When coming to SI, he was not part of research team. His funding is from general fund and he was supposed to work with his advisor. His previous research does not count for pre-candidacy project. His study plan is to make sure that his courses will be useful for your particular paper, such as STS courses.
• You can get a research grant from Rackham which you can get one for pre-candidate and another one for candidate.
• Proposal is a commitment for you to do something. It’s a good exercise to think about what you want to do and use it for funding proposal as well.

Student 2:

• She participates in a project of her advisor (Prof. Yan Chen). She uses the project to be her pre-candidacy paper.
• In 2006 she did an experiment and turned in her project proposal.
• In 2007 she collected all the data and wrote the result part. She also presented the paper in a experimental economic association. After that, she revised her paper with her advisor and submitted the paper. Then, she could start thinking about the pre-lim exam.
• Her advice is that just go step-by-step.

• Advice: meeting the program requirement is what makes your advisor happy.
• The proposal is not written in stone. So you can change your research interest, your data, and thereby changing the proposal. But you should let Stephanie know that you are changing although it is good to stay with the proposal.
• If you are planning to do an experiment, need IRB approval or exemption, IRB is a thing that you should learn about it early on because it can delay your research process.
• You should plan on your coursework that will be useful for your research. For example, at science and technology research at public policy school, qualitative method at SI, etc. You could use the paper turned in for class as your proposal. The point is to show your understand what are the steps of doing the research project. The scale of the project should be enough to show your advisor and the committee that you are ready to go on your research.
• The second readers usually are in SI. The first reader is more familiar with your research. The second reader is kind of validation for your paper. Do not make grand expectation on your readers.
• The project gives us an opportunity to learn through the process of the university, e.g. IRB approval, grant searching.

Xingxing's notes:

Senior students overview:

• submitted her pre-candidate paper to a conference.
• took courses useful for his pre-candidate paper. He also got the pre-candidate research grant from the Rackham (and the proposal was helpful).
• suggested to pick up a topic that you are interested in.
  

General discussion:

• It's possible to extend one more semester if teaching.
• It's very important to talk to your adviser (and make him/her happy): SI requirements vs. adviser's requirements.
• Your results need not to be perfect.
• You do not need a large amount of data for your paper.
• If you get your paper published, it'll be considered as the 2nd reader.
• It's okay if your paper is different from your proposal.
• Also, take a look at the job market when looking for a topic.
  
• Data collection is time-consuming! Don't put it to the last minute!
• IRB also takes time - it's good to know in early stage!
• You should take control of your pre-candidate project.
• Try to work with courses you take, especially research methods courses.
• The point of the pre-candidate paper is to show evidence that you understand how to do research and then you are ready for field-prelim.
• It's a measurement of whether you are growing in the program or not. It's doesn't have to be right or wrong.
• Choose your second reader based on what you do.
• The second reader is for validation purpose; he/she need not to be someone outside SI.
• The second reader may or may not invest a lot on your project - if you learn something from him/her, that's already a success.
• Communicate with your adviser and leave enough time for him/her to read your paper (also, remind him/her to send it on time).
• Enjoy the pre-candidate paper as a test-bed (your dissertation will be ultimately important in you career!)

Joanna's Notes
October 16, 2009
Student Panel: Ricky Punzalan and Daniel Zhou

The pre-candidacy paper experience is largely determined by the relationship you have with your adviser. If your paper topic relates to research that you are doing with your adviser, the advantage is that your adviser will be interested in your work and will help push you to meet the deadlines. For the students who choose their topic, find something that really interests you. Advisers have different styles and expectations; learn to negotiate with your adviser.

Remember that the pre-candidacy paper is a first-year paper. Don't take it too seriously. It is "an exercise of sorts." Consider it a good training experience through which you can learn the research process and have opportunities to publish and present your work. It is not necessarily encouraged to take courses specifically for this paper, except in the case of methods courses.

Taking classes with professors is a good way to help identify your second reader. During a course, you will most likely write a paper for the professor that allows her/him to become familiar with your writing and areas of interest. In some cases, you will be able to incorporate part of your class paper into your pre-candidacy paper. This can be a very natural progression.

The literature review is the key component to the pre-candidacy paper. Don't put it off -- doing the lit review will help you identify the gaps and, thus, where you can make a contribution.

Take advantage of campus resources:

• Rackham Research Grant (travel much?)
  
• Sweetland Writing Center (writing therapy)
• CSCAR (Center for Statistical Consultation and Research, your new BFF)