Essential Tools and Techniques Research
As a university lecturer (Northern University Bangladesh), I’m involved not only in teaching but also in research. I’m quite drawn to research, though I don’t consider myself a top-tier researcher. This article is a humble attempt to share what I’ve personally learned while working on my master’s thesis and a few research papers. I believe it will be useful for those in academia who, like me, enjoy research.
✅ Grammar and Proofreading Tools
First, let’s talk about grammatical mistakes in theses or research papers. Microsoft Word usually catches the basic errors. However, to make your writing even cleaner, two websites can be very helpful:
Between the two, ProWritingAid is slightly more advanced. You’ll get a better sense of its strengths when you try it.
✅ Diagramming & Visual Aids
Often, while working on theses or papers, you’ll need to create flowcharts, diagrams, wireframes, simple models, or infographics. Two effective tools for this are:
- Microsoft PowerPoint: Very effective and allows saving as image files.
- EdrawMax
Unlike PowerPoint, EdrawMax provides a vast library of templates and charts that you can simply pick and edit—saving you time and effort.
✅ Research Discovery & Referencing
Anyone involved in research must be familiar with Google Scholar. It’s not only useful for reading existing papers but also for referencing your own work. Google Scholar supports the four most popular citation formats. It also has an Advanced Search feature to help you find relevant papers quickly. You can search “Advanced Search in Google Scholar” on YouTube to see tutorials.
For reference management, two excellent tools are:
✅ Avoiding Predatory Journals
New researchers must check whether a journal is predatory before submitting their work. Predatory journals publish papers very quickly in exchange for money, often without proper peer review. This can damage your academic reputation.
To verify a journal:
- Check where it’s indexed. Reliable indices include Web of Science and Scopus.
- See the “Indexed In” section of the journal’s website.
- Visit Beall’s List – https://beallslist.net – a helpful resource for identifying potentially predatory journals.
✅ How to Find a Good Journal for Your Paper
Every journal has its own specific scope. Before submitting, carefully read the “Aims & Scope” section of the journal. You can also use journal suggesters to find suitable journals for your paper. Some of the best ones are:
- Elsevier Journal Finder
- Springer Journal Suggester
- IEEE Journal Finder
- Journal Guide – https://www.journalguide.com
- Web of Science Manuscript Matcher – https://mjl.clarivate.com/home
✅ Find Journals Based on Your Field
To search for journals in your research area and evaluate their quality, you can use:
- Scopus Indexed Journals
https://www.scopus.com/sources.uri - Web of Science Master Journal List
https://mjl.clarivate.com/home - Scimago Journal & Country Rank
https://www.scimagojr.com
Just type your research topic in the search bar—for example, “Physics & Astronomy” or “Nanotechnology”—and browse the available journals.
Finding Mentorship and Collaboration Opportunities: ResearchBuddy.tech
For many new researchers, finding the right supervisor, research group, or collaboration partner can be one of the most challenging parts of beginning their research journey. Traditional academic networking often lacks accessibility, especially for undergraduate and master’s level students.
ResearchBuddy.tech (Link: https://researchbuddy.tech) is a promising platform developed to address these challenges. It helps connect researchers with supervisors based on research interests, enables the creation of virtual research labs, and offers tools for document sharing, internal communication, and meeting scheduling. One of its standout features is a built-in AI assistant that supports users in summarizing research papers and improving academic writing. Additionally, the platform includes a repository of research articles and information about funding or project opportunities. For novice researchers looking to build networks and access structured collaboration, ResearchBuddy can be a useful and accessible tool.
Final Word:
If you’re a beginner in research, don’t worry about becoming a top scholar overnight. Focus on building good habits: writing clearly, citing properly, submitting to quality journals, and learning continuously. These tools and techniques are your companions on that journey.
May Allah grant you barakah in your research journey.
Responses