How to become a good researcher: Tips to keep in mind

As creatively stimulating as it may be, academic research is also an extremely meticulous process. Immense hard work, critical analysis of data as well as incredible patience go into making a well-rounded, detailed research work. “A good researcher has to be innovative. It cannot definitely be a collation of information that you picked up from other sources. I believe in trying to introduce new concepts,” says Anuj Kumar, assistant professor, Apeejay School of Management (ASM). Assistant professor Anuj Kumar has been deemed the “Best Researcher” of the year 2021-22 at ASM. He was awarded a certificate by ASM director Dr Alka Munjal and dean Kamal Kishore, for publishing the maximum number of research papers during the time period in Scopus, Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC) as well as Web of Science Journals.

Collaboration with other researchers

Assistant professor Kumar is an editor and reviewer of Scopus and ABDC. Recently, he also received a South African patent grant. According to him, a good researcher has to work in collaboration with others to bring in a fresh perspective. “Universities in the West have already recognised this. Collaborations can expedite research. In India, however, there are people who are not keen on sharing their research or being open to discussion,” he says. “I always share my research and collaborate with fellow experts. Not only in my work, but I have also helped more than 70 researchers in their publications all over India.” Case studies hold equal importance, adds the professor, who published three case studies between 2021-22.

Support from institution

What keeps a researcher going is the wholehearted support of their institution and the administration. Talking about his experience, assistant professor Kumar emphasises, “The top leadership including the director and the dean, along with deputy director Dr Etinder Pal Singh at ASM, were very supportive and that matters a lot to enable good research.”

Anuj Kumar has more than 250 citations on Google Scholar. He also bagged a project that was co-funded by the Institute of Professional studies and research (IPSR).

How to create a unique research paper

“For instance, my specialisation is in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). When it comes to research, I always try to integrate SMEs with technology. You cannot limit yourself to a specific domain but go beyond to perform cross-sectional research. You have to look at the given problem at hand from different aspects and perspectives,” Anuj Kumar further advises.

Equally crucial for research is thorough reading to know about the latest developments in your particular field. “Only when you are a good reader can you become a good writer,” he stresses. “Reading gives you an exact idea about the existing literature on a topic and helps identify the gap where you can contribute through your research.”