On author, research and publication : A critical look
- Part 1 -

Dr Longjam Krishnamangol *

Library at Manipur University (MU), Canchipur in October 2014 :: Pix - Lamdamba Oinam

"But apart from the contemporary mood, the ideas of economists and political philosophers, both when they are right and when they are wrong, are more powerful than is commonly understood. Indeed the world is ruled by little else" – (John Maynard Keynes, The General Theory, 1936 : 383)

The writer or author of a book follows certain rules or principles in writing the book And the books are of different kinds and their objectives/perspectives, methodologies, levels etc. are also different. It is well known that the book explores knowledge or new facts in any branch of discipline or subject. It can be writings on a specified topic/title or in any branch of knowledge.

The writing of a book depends on the interest of the writer or author on a particular field of knowledge, which represents reality or the facts. In writing a book, there can be judgments or observations, which need to fulfill the conditions or the reasons of their validity. And, it may also be pointed out that the theories of knowledge explain the various types of knowledge in different forms whether it is in the field of science, arts, literature, humanities etc.

Thus there has been continuous increase in the stock of knowledge in the form of books, journals, reports, research papers and other publications or documentations since the "industrial revolution" (a term not commonly used now) that took place in England and Britain in the middle of the eighteenth century. In fact, the books are selected for the purpose of study at different levels of educational institutions starting from pre or lower levels upto university or its equivalent levels. And at the higher level education, they are supplemented by other forms of publications, journals, research paper etc.

In the case of research works or research studies, there are certain rules for investigating into the research problems and finding solution to them (ie the research problems). In fact, the research rules are followed in the universities for conducting the research on a particular "topic or field of study." Thus, without going into the details of the research system which are already known, we may now briefly focus on the purposes and the objectives of the social science research works conducted in the universities.

However, it can be pointed out that it would not be possible to bring out all the essential aspects of research in this short article. It is also not the purpose of the present article to go into the details of the research works or research studies, which are the specialised fields of university and college Professors. In fact, no one can go beyond the university rules.

And, no researcher can violate the research rules or the PhD degree rules prescribed for the research scholars or PhD students. It is only after completing all formalities prescribed in the PhD rules, the research scholar is declared to have been awarded PhD degree in the concerned subject.

Now, it is well known that PhD degree is essential for the senior students and post degree holders for teaching profession at the college and university levels. The degree is also essential for other teachers who have already joined the higher educational institutions. Although there are many highly competent and qualified teachers at the time of entry into the profession of teaching line, PhD degree holders are basically attracted for teaching profession in the colleges and universities and the said degree is again essential for promotion to the higher post or higher designation in colleges and universities.

The PhD degree holders are also essential in important Government and other departments for efficient administration and policy making of the Government as they have acquired the skills of research and investigation.

It may however be noted that there exists high profile and a number of political leaders, scholars, intellectuals, policy makers, political leaders and experts, public leaders, educated persons of different levels, technical degree holders etc. who have immensely contributed in different fields of knowledge/disciplines or subjects. And their writings and literature built up over a long period of centuries have immensely contributed to the development of knowledge and also to discovery of new facts of knowledge.

And, the PhD research scholars/students also depend on a large number of high quality published works or on rare literature or publications written by scholars, intellectuals and renown writers Thus, a researcher for PhD degree used various information or data, literature/materials available in book forms, journals, reports etc.

The researcher also collected information/data from both published and unpublished sources for use in his or her inquiry into the research problems and finding solution to the research problems under investigation. Thus, the scholar has also conducted field works for supplementing and comparing his or her studies with the official or other data in the analysis of the research works.

Thus, the scholar faces a lot of challenges in his or her research efforts for obtaining a PhD degree. In fact, there are a number of technical aspects of the study of the problem, which, as we already have pointed out, would not be covered in this limited article.

However, at this stage of analysis it would be interesting to note the following essential points for understanding why a scholar pursues for the PhD degree and how it is different from a book.

As already pointed out, the research work for obtaining PhD degree is done in the universities under a qualified research guide or a research supervisor. In a sense, it is a search for or investigation into knowledge in any field which remains unexplored or undiscovered and seeks to find out solution to the research problems under study. Thus, in writing a PhD thesis, the research scholar undergoes a scientific and systematic search for information and knowledge on a specific topic selected under university research rules.

Generally, the research scholar or the research student makes a critical review or make a theoretical review of the existing literature relating to the relevant theories, policies and empirical expe- riences in order to make a scientific and systematic search for knowledge. In fact, the research study may combine all the analytical aspects of relevant theories and policies in the context of empirical experiences (ie what actually happens in the field of the study).

Thus, the research work can be combination of both theories and policies with a view of finding solution to the problems. In fact, all research studies are combination of both theories and policies. And, in a sense, it is a combination of both theories and applied aspects in the study of the research topic. Thus, the research scholar has to do a lot of hard work before arriving at the realistic conclusions.

However, there is a joy in the process of investigation with the discovery of new facts or already unknown facts in a particular branch of discipline or subjects. Thus, the systematic research finds out or unfolds a series of useful knowledge which are useful for the society at large. In fact, the concept of research emphasises on the careful investigation or inquiry into the field of a particular discipline or subject specially through systematic search for discovery of new facts or unknown facts in the search for knowledge in the particular field of study or knowledge.

Thus, research efforts are systematically made or undertaken for discovering new knowledge or gaining new knowledge or unknown knowledge. In research, there is the need for defining and redefining the research problems, formulating research objectives, hypothesis or the hypotheses, research methodo- logies and collecting, pro-cessing and using of relevant data.

Finally, research conclusions or solutions to the research problems can be drawn based on the data - base of the research study. The hypotheses should also be tested based on the data-base of the thesis. And, the various methods of investigation can also be clearly shown in the thesis or the research study . The scholar or the researcher can verify the knowledge and check the construction of theories based on the data or information used in the thesis.

Thus, the writing of a thesis is a practice done within a given period of time and there is also tension in the research period due to the non-availability of data and information. However, in the search for knowledge under investigation or study, there is also pleasure in the analysis of the study and finding solution to the problems. It is also very interesting to formulate a theory and reach conclusions or solutions to the problems.

Sometimes, certain genalisations are also essential to potray a full picture of the research problems. Thus, the purpose of the research problems is to enunciate, analyse the research problems, construct the theories and gensalise the facts in the pursuit of the study, and reach or draw conclusions in the form of solutions to the research problems. In fact, there are different types of research which cannot be dealt with here due to limited space.

To be continued....