Qualities of A Good Researcher
In the time that I have spent doing research, hearing thoughts of seasoned researchers, and receiving critical feedback from my advisor I have came to realize a number of capabilities of a high quality researcher. It is of utmost importance to be conscious and adopt as quickly as possible to excel not only as a graduate student and an independent researcher, but also as a thoughtful human being. I present a non-exhaustive unordered list of the qualities that a good researcher shall have
Consistency - In my research journey, I have observed myself to procrastinate the most when I am confused or facing a roadblock. It is of utmost importance to overcome this and my solution to this is to do something. I personally like to read papers to overcome roadblocks and/or have a discussion with my advisor about my confusions.
Structurally Formulating a Problem - In order to formulate a problem, a broader study needs to be conducted - comprising of papers, formal specifications and research talks - and organized (perhaps in a written document) to highlight the key hypothesis, assumptions and specific research questions that need to be answered.
Designing High Quality Experiments - In order to gain insights for the research questions, one must be able to design targeted experiments to collect data that can help answer research questions. In an ideal case, the designer must be aware of anything that might introduce noise in the data, however as an early researcher it can be difficult to develop this sense, especially if the research is conducted on a new topic that you do not have a lot of experience with.
Drawing Meaningful Analysis - Once the data has been collected, it is significantly crucial to appropriately analyze meaningful conclusions from the data and answer the research questions. An experiment may not always answer the research questions, and could require further experimentation. Do Not Hesitate to Repeat Experiments!
Presentation - It is of utmost importance to covey ideas as a researcher. A good researcher discusses his/her ideas with other people which can help raise new questions. It of utmost importance to convey your ideas in a clear structured manner. I have devised a scheme to present insights to my colleagues and supervisor, where I present the research question, experiment, a glimpse of data, and drawn conclusions that answer the research question in sequence. In order to be clear, you must be slow and clear. Do Not Hesitate to take Pauses!