149 Letter from Dan Huang
Dear women scholars of the future,
I was pondering what to write for you as I did not know what you wanted to hear from me.
“Why not ask them?”
—A voice then came out of my mind.
—A voice that always pushes me to find answers for a research question.
I happened to get an opportunity to talk to different young Chinese students in the tourism domain after giving a guest lecture to more than 100 students. They were eager to hear from female scholars and asked me many questions. The following questions that were frequently asked will be answered in this letter.
- When did you decide to take the academic path? How did you know that you are suitable or good at a research/academic career?
- How did you pick up a research topic?
1. About the start of the academic path
I decided to take the academic path during my third year of study for a master’s degree. (It usually takes three years to finish a master’s degree in China). Many young students have a sense of uncertainty and confusion about their future. They do not know how to set achievable goals as they have few ideas about who they want to, or will, be. I was one of them during my undergraduate time. In spite of this, I didn’t stop learning, especially English.
At the beginning of my master’s study, I still did not have a clear goal for my future. I happened to read a book called “The Paradox of Choice” by Barry Schwartz. I was very excited as this book challenges many taken-for-granted understandings of how things work and brings new insights into people’s psychology by presenting evidence-based arguments. Most of its augments are based on previous experimental studies. I was attracted by such a scientific way to understand the world. I then started to do some research but failed several times and I had not decided to take research as a career. However, I did not give up and finally wrote my first English-language paper. At that time, I felt a sense of achievement and enjoyment. Then, I decided to continue my study as a PhD student. After that, I arose every day feeling replenished and with a clear mission. Thus, it is better to try to do some research with experienced researchers to see if you are suitable.
2. About choosing a research topic
Many students give up their research halfway due to inappropriate research topics. Choosing a research topic determines other steps of conducting a scientific study, suggesting the importance of choosing the right topic. I summarised an approach called Vipo (value, interests, practice, and originality) based on my own experiences for selecting a research topic.
Value
When choosing a research topic, students should think about the value that their research will deliver. Practical and theoretical contributions are considered valuable in scientific studies. Additionally, I think the value to the researcher themselves is also of importance when considering a topic. A researcher can cultivate an interest, broaden their horizon, and make frie