Reflection Day

 Misc  1 Response »
Nov 202015
 

Today is my day for deep reflection on things and events that have happened since I started on my PhD journey on 1st October 2013. Time has stood still in many ways for me…

If anyone do browse this supposedly private blog, did you notice the word ‘deep’?

I’ve heard of the expression; ‘you’re/I’m in deep trouble’. Lately, I noticed the word ‘deep’ has been used in the context of research and also in industry as in: ‘deep AI’, ‘deep analytics’, and also the ‘dark deep web’. I’m sure ‘deep’ (noun, adj) can be used in many ways in various context as well.

How does one reflect in mind-body-spirit the deep and rich tapestry of living in the now, in the concept of space and time?

That sure will be an unsolvable PhD research question, ‘sure’ as in mathematically 100% surely unsolvable.

My deep reflection takes me back to my current situation – I’m in deep trouble with my PhD research question :-) .

I also realised that I work best or deliver optimally or creatively when I’m left alone (into deep space and time) to get on with it – so to speak.

Well…when I do emerge out from the deep, things or events have stood still. When I’m in the ‘deep’ nothing else matters, just finding the way into the deep is the first challenging step.

Shifting in and out from the deep and back into the wider world of chaos, and joining a webinar soon…
Perhaps I should say ‘deepinar’ ?!

The Problem

 Month-by-month  No Responses »
Jul 032014
 

The Problem is ‘the problem’.

What is the problem space of my research? More concretely, what exactly is my research question?

I started pondering this question back in early January 2014 and now it is early July 2014.
What is my problem in getting to my research question?

Well, for the past 2 months I got interrupted and distracted (yet again!) by having to find new supervisors. My Cass supervisor left Cass Business School, and my main supervisor in Computer Science department in the School of Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering (newly combined school) left City at the end of June. It has been quite a frustrating experience in many ways. I now know why students move with their supervisors, if they have the choice. I don’t have the choice (I am funded by the Computer Science department) so it boils down to finding supervisors that want to supervisor me, and also interested in my topic of interests.

Hopefully I don’t have to go through another drama involving change of supervisors, as I don’t want to have to change my research topic and interests. My problem space involves not just finding my research question but how to remain in the research space I want to work on. Doing a PhD research is dealing and coping with change, nothing new or profound. The biggest problem is I am losing time, and this is probably my biggest challenge as I can’t turn back the clock.

Back to now…

What is my research question?

I am aware that a thesis or research outcome has to have ‘depth and substance’. I started off early this year planning on doing a multidisciplinary research. Now I am struggling to find a way to do this, partly because of the change of supervisors, and mostly because multidisciplinary research across schools just don’t work. The University just don’t have the structure to facilitate or encourage multidisciplinary research. Having gone through the process of finding supervisors from different schools highlighted the sad state of affairs. So, I have no choice but to change focus by removing aspects of my research interests.

I am still particularly drawn to social technical issues, issues involving technology and law especially matters with data protection and privacy in the context of organisation business environment. For my research space, technology falls into my solution space not in my problem space.

My problem space is organisations in cyberspace and their relationships in cyberspace and the issues with data loss and data breach.

Research Question

 How To  No Responses »
Dec 102013
 

I wonder whether nobel prize winners or nobel laureates got to the podium (or the awards) by asking or framing research questions for their proposals/submissions/ideas/inventions etc.
Perhaps they do in their own unique unconscious ways, and not in any research-based fashion or following conventional thoughts or methods. The million $/£ question can’t possibly start with research question(s). Could it?

It seems to me the more I read (journals/literature off course!) the more I get into a state of oblivion.

So, what questions constitute (excellent) research questions?

I will have to learn to dream that million $/£ research question :-)

Not sure how I will use the ‘tons’ of information packed into this 65 pages of slides on Research Models and Methodologies. Posting it here just in case I need it.