{"id":218,"date":"2015-11-02T11:14:58","date_gmt":"2015-11-02T11:14:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/temp.smartfantasyandscifi.com\/blog\/?p=218"},"modified":"2016-03-10T18:15:43","modified_gmt":"2016-03-10T18:15:43","slug":"go-to-talks-at-your-university","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microsites.ncl.ac.uk\/fmspgrstudentguidelines\/2015\/11\/02\/go-to-talks-at-your-university\/","title":{"rendered":"Go to Talks at Your University"},"content":{"rendered":"

When you first start out in research, going to presentations about people\u2019s lab results is like listening to an alien trying to communicate by spraying you with its scent glands\u2026 though hopefully less odorous. The fastest way to make it more intelligible is to listen to more talks.<\/p>\n

They will give you a much broader view of science than your fairly narrow scale project. You may find alternative techniques; phenomena that affect your work; materials that are better than the ones you use; and new directions your project could take.<\/p>\n

It is a mistake to think you only need to focus on your project. Even if it works ok for your degree, changing topic afterward will be much harder.<\/p>\nGet Practical Tips<\/span>

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  1. Unless you can write very fast, don\u2019t focus on getting every last detail down on paper. You would do better to actually listen and try to understand.<\/li>\n
  2. Take note of the person\u2019s name; broadly what they study; things relevant to your own work; and most crucially anything they mentioned that you didn\u2019t understand.<\/li>\n
  3. Look up a couple of things you didn\u2019t understand after every talk, and make sure you don\u2019t come out as ignorant as you went in.<\/li>\n
  4. Think about potential links you could make with your own work, as this is how many great discoveries are made.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n\u00a0<\/b>
    \nRead Personal Perspective<\/span>