The References section is considered to be one of the most critical sections of a research document. This section uses a standardized bibliographic format to list significant links through which the paper is tied into the web-like archives of science. Doctoral students and researchers often tend to commit mistakes while framing the ‘References’ section of their research document.

While citing references in a research document, the doctoral student/researcher needs to pay special attention to a few most important points. The very first point that needs special attention is to cite only the original sources. You should make it a point to do some extra library work using the extensive bibliographic search power of the Internet. As you hunt for connected scientific papers, remember to look for contrasting as well as supportive reports. Make it a point to cite only the sources that relate directly to your particular region of study, so that your bibliographic list is deep but not overly broad. Avoid citing review articles and general books. The best use of broad reference articles is as a way for you to identify the major original scientific reports, which you should then read and cite.

You should never cite incomplete sources such as abstracts because these often contain preliminary information and early speculation based on incomplete data. Also, avoid citing “personal communications”. However, if you feel that this form of information is essential to your report, list the full name and address of the source and the date you received the information and provide the journal with written permission from the source. While citing references in your paper, you may use any of the two citation formats viz. the first one in which the complete bibliographic format is used in the References section at the end of the paper and the second one in which a brief citation format is used in the body of the text. I am sure by keeping these points in mind; you will surely be able to come up with a brilliant piece of research work.

Delivering a manuscript is as important as creating it. You need to be well aware about all the important aspects that need to be taken care of while delivering your research paper. A minor carelessness can lead to unpleasant consequences. If proper measures are not taken, then your research paper might lose its significance and cost you serious money in last-minute corrections.

One of the simplest means of delivering a manuscript correctly is reading what your contract says you’ve already agreed to do. This means that whatever is in the agreement is a part of a legal obligation. You might be provided with different instructions on how you need to deliver your manuscript. You may be invited to supply your manuscript exclusively on disk or in the form of a hard copy. Although environmental concerns might restrict you from delivering the hard copy of your manuscript, it is actually one of the best means of portraying the exclusive features of your research document.

Your contract might probably instruct you to deliver two or three copies of the manuscript. You can count on two hard copies and one electronic copy. The hard copies should be clear and identical. If you have to make any changes by hand, be sure to make them on all copies. You’ll also need to alert your editor that these changes are not on the electronic version. Better still, make all your corrections before printing; failing that, make them before photocopying the hard copy. You should never forget to number your manuscript with page 1 and continuing through to the end. Never begin at page 1 for each new chapter in your manuscript. While framing the electronic version of your research paper, do remove all multiple hard returns, multiple tabs, tabs before hard returns, spaces before and after tabs, spaces before and after hard returns etc. Don’t submit your entire manuscript as a single document. Save each chapter as a separate file. Save your table of contents, preface, after-word, bibliography and any appendixes as separate files. Last, but definitely not the least, label your memory stick or disk with your name, the date and the word-processing program prior to delivering the soft-copy of your manuscript.

Prior to starting off with your dissertation, it is very important for you to choose a perfect dissertation topic. A large number of doctoral students and researchers believe it to be one of the most challenging tasks and tend to face a number of hassles. This post of mine would make you familiar with the main mistakes that graduate students tend to commit while choosing a suitable topic for their dissertation.

The very first mistake that is being made by the doctoral students is trying to please everyone. Although a research paper is being framed keeping in mind the sole aim of impressing the review committee, but overdoing it can lead to negative effects. In the wake of impressing your reviewers, you might tend to lose track of what you want to do and why. It’s always better to choose a specific topic, gather ideas for the same and use the same while framing up the dissertation. Second mistake that students make is to choose an overly ambitious topic. This is a topic which involves a large number of variables, making it difficult to research, difficult to write and difficult to find any meaningful outcomes. So, it is always better to choose a topic that can be completed comfortably.     

Choosing a dissertation topic can become easier if proper planning is being done. Often doctoral students and researchers allow their topic to grow bigger as time goes on. This is a very big mistake and results into the creation of a bad dissertation. It is wise to keep the boundaries on your topic and assess it periodically so as to check whether or not it is growing bigger over time. Students might also be involved in planning their topic without a proper strategy in mind. It is very important to find a balance between the topic and being very specific about how and when you will collect the data or develop the gathered information for your research project. As a research student, I too faced these problems initially, but with due course of time, I became familiar with the various things that one needs to keep in mind in order to ensure that his/her dissertation is up to the mark. I truly hope that this post of mine would have surely helped you in gathering information about the dissertation topics and what all you need to keep in mind while choosing one.