The Complete Researcher A Practical Guide for Graduate Students and Early Career Professionals

by Hook, Joshua N.; Davis, Don E.; Van Tongeren, Daryl R.

• ISBN13: 9781433839054
• ISBN10: 1433839059
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2023-09-12
• Publisher: American Psychological Association

Summary

Learning how to do research well is not easy, and for newer scholars the process can feel overwhelming. Using clear and supportive language, this book is designed to help graduate students and early career professionals in psychology develop skills to effectively work through the research process.
 
Chapters cover the essential character traits and skills that are necessary to become an effective researcher, walk through the main steps for completing a research project from start to finish, and discuss considerations when building a career and research program.

Rather than the nitty-gritty of research methods, authors Joshua N. Hook, Don E. Davis, and Daryl R. Van Tongeren focus on the big picture of what is required in research. Chapters in the first section address overarching principles—the personal growth, attributes, and habits that are important to develop to become a successful researcher. The second section illustrates the key steps in completing a research project from start to finish, from formulating an idea for a project, to completing a literature review, collecting data, analyzing data, and writing up the results. The third section discusses developing a research program and transitioning from graduate student to professional—topics such as collaborating with others in research and mentoring students. This section is full of practical advice the authors learned from mentors and from personal experience.  

Written for people with a broad range of career goals, and with the mentoring relationship in mind, the book helps mentors and students form productive relationships that feel mutually beneficial and rewarding. Each chapter aims to help students and professionals along their research journey, and teaches them not just how to survive the process, but thrive.

Author Biography

Joshua N. Hook, PhD, received his doctorate in counseling psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a professor of psychology at the University of North Texas, and he is a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of Texas. His professional interests include humility, religion/spirituality, and multicultural counseling. Dr. Hook has published more than 300 journal articles and book chapters, has received several grants from the John Templeton Foundation for his research and received the early career awards from two divisions of the American Psychological Association (APA).
 
Don (Donnie) Davis Jr., PhD, is an associate professor of psychology at Georgia State University. He received his doctorate from Virginia Commonwealth University, completed his predoctoral internship at Clemson University, and is currently licensed in Georgia. A member of the Ken Matheny Center for the Study of Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, Dr. Davis has worked on more than 30 grants. His research and clinical interests are in positive psychology, with a focus on humility and related virtues. He has published more than 275 articles and chapters, and has written several books. He is associate editor of The Journal of Positive Psychology.
 
Daryl Van Tongeren, PhD, is an associate professor of psychology at Hope College. A social psychologist, he has published more than 200 articles and chapters on topics such as meaning in life, humility, religion, relationships, and well-being. This is his third book. Dr. Van Tongeren’s research has been covered by numerous national media outlets. His work has been supported by grants from the John Templeton Foundation, and he was won national and international awards for his research. He is an associate editor for The Journal of Positive Psychology and a consulting editor for Psychology of Religion and Spirituality and The Journal of Social Psychology.

Table of Contents

Dedication
Foreword
Preface
Introduction: How This Book Can Help Build Research and Leadership Skills
Part I. Principles: Building Yourself Into a Successful Researcher
Chapter 1: Finding and Sustaining Motivation: Connecting Your Values to the Research Process
Chapter 2: Building Community as You Build Your Research Career
Chapter 3: Building Expertise in Research
Chapter 4: Setting Goals for Your Research
Chapter 5: Developing Good Habits for Successful Research
Chapter 6: Cultivating Positive Beliefs to Foster Research Success
Chapter 7: Nurturing the Mind-Body Connection to Support Productivity
Chapter 8: Navigating Adversity During the Research Process
Part II. Plan: The Research Project From Start to Finish
Chapter 9: Choosing a Topic for Your Research Project
Chapter 10: Conducting a Literature Review
Chapter 11: Designing Your Research Project
Chapter 12: Planning the Method Section
Chapter 13: Preparing for the Proposal Meeting
Chapter 14: Planning for and Conducting Data Collection
Chapter 15: Analyzing Data and Writing Your Results
Chapter 16: Crafting the Discussion
Chapter 17: Writing the Abstract
Chapter 18: Making a Conference Presentation
Chapter 19: Preparing Your Research Project for Publication
Part III. Program: Developing Leadership Skills and Jumpstarting Your Research Career 
Chapter 20: Stepping Into Leadership in Your Research Career
Chapter 21: Developing a Research Program
Chapter 22: Collaborating With Others in Research
Chapter 23: Making the Transition from Graduate Student to Professor
Chapter 24: Mentoring Students
Chapter 25: Balancing Cohesion and Inclusion in Teams
Chapter 26: Conclusion: Final Thoughts on Growing as a Researcher
Appendix A: Sample Timeline
References
Index
About the Authors