http://cass.jsc.nasa.gov/jove/chren.html (Einblicke ins Internet, 10/1995)
Grand Valley State University
Frank asked me to write about some of the lessons I've learned regarding how to do research. What follows are tips and suggestions that seem to be working well for me. Based on some of my conversations at the retreat in Cocoa Beach, however, many of you are doing splendidly and know most of this already. Anyway, here goes!
JOVE has changed how I select research topics. I now look at the "significance" of the topic, as indicated by the number of recent journal papers, the number of grants fueling the work and the age of the topic. A topic that is "hot" is very attractive because the odds of funding are greater. Topic age is important because in mature ones easy questions have already been answered; the remaining ones tend to be more difficult. Of course, "recycling" (applying recent, new results to old topics) can be profitable, although funding might still be problematic. Also, I guess a "hot" topic is whatever the granting officer at Agency X or Company Y wants to fund at the moment, so it pays to probe extensively.
Another change is that I've stopped trying to generate revolutionary ideas and have started to focus on evolutionary, solid ideas that have "guaranteed" payoffs (publications) and won't cost me several semesters to develop. The odds of coming up with something revolutionary are minuscule; small ideas are much more plentiful.
JOVE has taught me that industry is a huge source of funding. However, "customer driven" is the operative phrase here. I've learned that industry backing is much easier to get when you let them define their needs and allow them to have significant input early on in the investigation. A book I've found very helpful is Get Funded! A Practical Guide for Scholars Seeking Research Support from Business, by D. Schumacher. Also, mailing a "white paper" on an idea of yours to several companies blindly (the "shotgun" approach) will not be successful. Use the phone to identify an interested company official with enough background to understand the idea and with MONEY. Then mail it to him only if you are convinced that he is not just "fishing." Needless to say, protect your idea using the university patent procedure. My experience is that nondisclosure agreements turn some companies off.
Another important lesson is the importance of networking and reading the literature, which I consider to include the major and not-so-major journals in your area. Respected and sustained research is rarely done in isolation in my research field, electrical engineering. Regular and thorough reading of the literature generates new topics and ideas. Conferences are necessary for comimg up with new ideas, making contacts, defending your ideas and gauging how well-respected your work is. I've found that they are more time consuming and tiring than journal papers. Furthermore, contrary to the opinions of some, they do not necessarily reach a wider audience than a journal article. In electrical engineering, certain journals are pitched to a more general and larger readership. These are excellent vehicles for publicity, although they don't seem to count as much when it comes to academic reputation. Incidentally, meeting editors at conferences is a must. You might also consider volunteering to review papers in order to acquire some reputation and to have advance knowledge of any new developments. I've learned that editors are desperate for prompt, competent reviewers and such volunteer work gets you noticed and appreciated. Furthermore, your papers get faster review if you are better known. If you publish in a hot area, though, review time should be short anyway because the reviewers are curious about what others are doing, the topic is fresh in their minds and reviewers are easier to find.
That covers most of the important lessons that I've learned. I hope that in some small way I've helped improve your chances of getting a paper accepted or receiving a grant. Good luck!