One of the most influential scientists in history, Albert Einstein, coined the quote, “The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know.” As researchers, this quote is integral to never become too much of an expert to continue to learn.  This is especially true today, as the field of academics changes at such a breakneck, never before seen pace thanks to the Digital Era and the technological innovations that have come with it.

The importance of methodology as a researcher is quickly understood, but so, too, is the flexibility that must come with it. Even the most seasoned scientists are vulnerable to changes and obstacles that get in their way and must be open to adapting and learning new things. Technology is forever changing the field of research and scholars must actively seek out skill development in their field in order to stay up-to-date with methodologies that could be time-saving or essential in their future research.

Skills Necessary in Research

Part of the formal education required in the journey to becoming a researcher includes specific cultivation of skills that are necessary regardless of the field the academic individual is planning on entering. However, these skills must remain flexible, in practice, and always adaptive as the landscape of research changes.

Some of the most integral skills a researcher must have include:

●      The ability to analyze an area within a context and identify a research need inside that field

●      The knowledge of available resources and the ability to track down, read and evaluate those resources for information pertinent to the research being compiled

●      The underlying knowledge of all of the potential methods and procedures that could be used in order to approach the research topic and the understanding of each of these methods and procedures well enough to know which one to choose for any particular research being conducted

●      Knowledge of reading and creating research models, traditional steps in a process, and the approaches to synthesizing and applying the information to come up with an outcome

●      Full confidence in compiling data and turning it into comprehensive text in order to write an in-depth research report, including references, bibliographies, and publishable text optimized for the field of science it is intended for

All of these skills are necessary prior to graduation but just because a researcher graduates with knowledge doesn’t mean they no longer have to work to ascertain the most relevant information. These skills are continually evolving, and the researcher must stay abreast of the changes.

Evolving Techniques Through Digital Era Innovations

The Digital Era has brought with it significant innovations that have changed the academic landscape for anyone who hasn’t graduated within the last few years. Even experts in their field find themselves flummoxed with the newest requirements for optimization of their research in order to get it published.

When it comes to electronic adaptations, researchers have to institute new skill development as part of their active continuing education. They must develop their research skills to the point where they are not only staying up-to-date on the most relevant practices, but they are looking ahead at how they can use those practices in their research and also predict what may be on the horizon.

These changes include tracking down continuing education in areas such as:

●      Innovative equipment that could make the work more efficient and streamlined in a research area

●      Changes in how journals and magazines are accessed in order to keep up with the most relevant information in your field

●      Learning about the differences in publication with open access platforms

●      Working on staying current with the ever-evolving changes in optimizing your paper for electronic searches

●      Keeping updated on the changes in how a scholar’s impact is judged based on the frameworks and guidelines that determine the rating based on factors such as citation indicators

All of these areas are ways that researchers can actively institute new skill development beyond the lab. They are integral to a scholar’s reputation and making a wide impact on their work. While it’s important to become an expert using the methodologies you’re comfortable with, it’s also essential to remain flexible and willing to change based on innovations you are regularly learning about through your active skill development processes.

Add Impactio as Part of Your Skill Development Strategy

With Impactio, skill development and staying abreast of the current changing trends is an automatic process. Impactio is an all-in-one platform designed for academic experts that lets you follow your published work and citation indicators in the most up-to-date ways to help you see the powerful impact your research has made. It’s everything you need to stay confident in your methodologies and relevant skill development and more in one simple to use program.