How to Become an Independent Scholar & Researcher

What if I'm 15? I'm still in highschool (junior year) and I want to be involved in research. I know that I'm young and usually young voices don't really have a say in anything.

I cant wait to do this. Currently I have no time between work and college (ima get that degree if it's the last thing I do), but im just so excited to do more research on my own. Im almost done this this semester but I just keep thing about that im gonna learn next. The world is full of endless opportunities and the only thing that can hold us back is time, and ourselves.

one of my ideas was to write a book report on each book I read but ive been arguing with myself if i am even qualified to write about psychology/religion/spirtuality seeing as I dont have my degree in either although do have a special instrest in both of them. I'd just be posting them on medium
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As a part-time published independent scholar here is my advice:
1. Academia is a loop, and often closed off to independent researchers and scholars. Academics, including at the graduate level, are interested in connecting with individuals who can further their academic careers, and not someone who is not in already established academic circles.
2. So, enroll in a degree program, including online, for both Bachelors and Masters degrees if you want a career in academia. You don’t have to be brilliant, but you must be capable of getting through the course work and/or writing a thesis. Getting a PhD is even more helpful.
3. Unfortunately or fortunately, this state of affairs prevents academics at any level being able or willing to write for the general public or niche publications. And this is where the independent scholar can shine. You can publish your research. So I advise you to develop your writing skills. Publish your stuff even if you are not paid, and add it to your resume. Ensure that your work is accurate and credible. Shorter pieces are sometimes more acceptable than longer articles or essays. Check with the publication.
4. By all means join scholarly organizations and attend seminars and conferences. You may meet a professor or journal editor who needs your skills. Go for the knowledge you will gain. But choose carefully. You may end up wasting your time and money.
5. Develop your research skills as well as your writing skills. Learn what research materials are available through your local library and libraries and institutions around the world.
6. When you travel visit libraries, museums and other institutions. Some of them have independent scholar programs as well as lectures and performances. Whenever I travel, whether it is New York City, Venice or anywhere else, I visit as many museums as possible. I cannot overstate the value of exploring these institutions for the independent scholar.

Thank you. ❤

I know things that no one else wants to talk about and if you don't have a PhD no one wants to listen

I sometimes feel constricted within academia. Thank you

“Researcher”=published? Weird.

love this

I wonder if your methods are also applicable for STEM fields, I’m an engineer and I’ve always wanted to do research but I don’t see doing a phd as a good ROI for my field. What I struggle with is knowing how to structure it and find the latest literature.

In my mind I've always thought of personal /independent research as an archaeology expedition. You can learn the techniques of research from a textbook(s) all you want but it's the effort (+ time and money) of digging for the evidence that really makes you the good researcher. I was given a research task into genealogy (and I'm not a professional genealogist) of a historical person that lasted for a period of one year; but after digging for a year heading down deadends or hitting rich veins, I could see it'd keep me busy for a decade at least. This is the same sort of thing that happens to archaeologists and presumably a lot of researchers too I bet.

esse vídeo é incrível! sou brasileira e meu algoritmo felizmente recomendou um assunto que eu gostaria muito de entender melhor, mas jamais teria elaborado com essas palavras sozinha!!! Obrigadaaaa

I have a question, does your course also touch on applied research with communities such as schools?

I love learning but without that piece of paper, its ultimately just entertainment and doesn't help find a career in the field you want.

Also, if you know what paper you want to read, you can usually just go directly to the author and they're generally happy to just send it to you. (Their email will be on university website). Usually they are allowed to give it to someone directly, and all the university journals/databases are super crappy and academics and librarians hate them because they charge insane amounts for universities to be able to access the information that they themselves created in the first place.

just a comment about the first part of the video about debt and stuff: being from brazil and seeing that, in europe and north america you guys pay for universities while in here, we have public (really public as in free, no pay -- besides our taxes to the government) universities. we have federal AND state public universities and what i find most interesting is that the paid universities are the ones that do less research since the government gives a lot of money to university research (and basically all the professors at the public universities, any field the professor might be, is a researcher). but, on the other hand, the basic/elementary free/public education here in brazil is not the best, so the majority of public university students come from paid schools.
just sharing my reality :) amazing and suuuuper helpful video!! thx so much for sharing your knowledge with us!!

Thanks for the tips :)

I wish I lived in a society where my independent research was an asset, not a liability.

Pues bueno video a pesar de ser traducido, gracias 🙏

I am looking for ways to channel my inner researcher. I never got a BA but I love learning new things. I could use structures and procedures.

great video! that is kinda why i started my channel, just as a way to show what i've been reading and learning. on the topic of access, if you are an active wikipedia user, you can get access to a lot of databases usually only open to those in academia which is very cool.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH THIS VIDEO WAS MADE FOR ME. I literally just started my independent researcher journey and omg so many things to think about 😭.

My goal is to become a scholar-practitioner in my field. The basis of everything is my current MBA thesis that I want to take much further over the next couple of years. So excited.

Happy to know that I do most of these things already. Will definitely think about joining Accepted

Right now I'm preloading mathematics for college. I want to get to about the level of doing probability and statistics before I go. I want to be a Nuclear engineer with a dual major in chemistry so I soon will also be studying chemistry and physics. MIT is free for anyone whose household makes less than 200k per year so I want to be able to go there before I transfer to a school with Nuclear Engineering. I have all of the math books I should need to get there for now and a whole course planned out for myself. Really I'm just trying to get the skill of learning down before I go so I can ensure that I succeed.

Thank you, this information also adjusted how I view and interact with my undergraduate studies

lemme tell ya, as someone in college, you are probably getting a better education doing this.

and some of us don't have the qualifications to further our education (disabilities and many others) but would still continue. this is such a help fuff video. thank you.

Omg! I am so glad I stumbled onto this video and your channel! I just subscribed!

This video really resonated with me as I am a life long learner and considered going back to school. I never thought about the concept of being an independent scholar! 🤯 Now my wheels are turning and you gave so many amazing tips on how to get started! Amazing video!

❤❤

Is it too late to join the researchers course, I’m assuming so? Or is there a spring cohort?

independent library science researchers are required...like my..🤓

Just what I was looking for! Subbed!

now this video is something which has directions and answers to the questions which I myself haven't stated, this is like an answer to my question which is in the head engraved

This is a great content for any aspiring scientists. Thanks a lot.

As a professional academic, I fully support this.
Fantastic information contained here, love this video!
Knowledge and research should be available for all, and this is a natural extension of what universities were originally intended as...

One word of caution for independent scholars attempting to publish, many journals will discount you simply without an "academic email address", but don't let this discourage you, keep pushing your work out there and possibly try and link up with (collaborate) with friendly academics.

immediately subbed!

Do I actually need a group while conducting a research? Because I saw in papers that many people write one research paper and publish it but is it really possible to write a paper by my own and publish it? 😢