Where do you do reading for your research?

[nehs]

I need to come up with a proposal for a master's level thesis and I have some topics in mind but no structure. I have asked my grad advisor to point me to some journals. She will get back the following week.

In the meanwhile, I was thinking what I could do to find soem articles or some thing at all. I'm in the Computer Science field, if that matters.

Also, how long did you take to come up with ideas? I probably have 2 months to put forth the proposal.

Thank You.

[rising_star]

This really depends. I get my inspiration for research from all sorts of things and have several pages of alternate dissertation/thesis ideas that I discarded or decided not to pursue right now.

Honestly, though, you don't need your advisor's help to find computer science journals. Figure out what you're interested in (in a broad sense) and start reading about it.

[NinjaMermaid]

My favorite thing to do is type in keywords to our online library Articles + resource. Even though all my research is already planned and in the works I still find some of the best papers this way.

[nehs]

This really depends. I get my inspiration for research from all sorts of things and have several pages of alternate dissertation/thesis ideas that I discarded or decided not to pursue right now.

Honestly, though, you don't need your advisor's help to find computer science journals. Figure out what you're interested in (in a broad sense) and start reading about it.

rising_star : Yes, I have a few broad ideas in my mind but I'm not able to find much in any journals! I might have to keep looking.

[nehs]

My favorite thing to do is type in keywords to our online library Articles + resource. Even though all my research is already planned and in the works I still find some of the best papers this way.

NinjaMermaid: Thank You so much! I tyed this added resource to the keyword list and I can already see much better results. does the word resource make so much difference

[msafiri]

Definitely keep looking! Use keyword searches in journal databases and use them smartly. If that fails, browse the Table of Contents of the major computer science journals and those in your subfield. You'll find something if you look!

[Nanomaterials]

A good way to develop ideas is to read some up-to-date (maybe at most 10 years) Ph.D thesis in your field. They often give a survey of the topic or questions relating to your field. Your school libraries has access to databases on thesis.

Edited February 1, 2012 by Nanomaterials

[Behavioral]

A good way to develop ideas is to read some up-to-date (maybe at most 10 years) Ph.D thesis in your field. They often give a survey of the topic or questions relating to your field. Your school libraries has access to databases on thesis.

This is actually one of the better suggestions here. I've read dissertations as reviews of bodies of literature, but I haven't used that strategy since early undergrad.