Matrix method

This book is just great.....
It makes sense, why things do not make sense....
If you are a visual person (how would you know? please refer to my learning style post), matrix method would be really helpful...
If you are a global person (again, please refer to learning style post)... matrix method would be the answer...
I don't feel like summarizing about it now, because I want to apply it straight away....
But wait... somebody has written a great summary... click here

Powerpoint presentation
Article on matrix method

Its not too late

I am almost towards the end of my first year of phd.... how come I still cannot make sense of my literature review? I have a system that looks ok... (I got this from one of the research methods book). Somehow, something was missing. As I was browsing in Amazon.com, I found this book. I read one of the comments... and I decided to order it. Now this book is in my hands, I am half way through... and yes I think it was worth it. I found the missing bits.... thats probably why I couldn't make sense of my lit review...

Ok, I am going to continue reading this... will summarize later.

Organizing my literature review

One of the most daunting task that I have been avoiding is doing the literature review. I remember during those times when I conducted a lit review for my masters thesis, I was so disorganised. I couldn't remember what I had read and I didn't know where I had kept the articles. At that time, we didn't use endnote.

I am determined that for my Phd, I would do a better job. . At least spending less time to just look for things.

Yesterday, I got a few tips from Suraya & Aini.
They suggested that I put my notes in a table using excel, dividing it into columns (year, author, title, theme, etc).
Then keep the ref in endnote.
Then draw a mindmap.
There are 2 free mindmap softwares on the web (Freemind and can't remember the other one).
But... Aini now ends up doing it on paper.
One student even had it on mahjong paper.

I thought those tips are useful.
Thanks Suraya & Aini.

Ooops...
also found important links fom academic skills unit:
Literature search
Reading strategies
Note taking
Courseworks