A note on the reading skills for the dissertation literature review task: for MBA and Housing Studies students

A note on the reading skills for the dissertation literature review task: for MBA and Housing Studies students (information from perplexity.ai)

My question 1: "Reading lots of academic references, notably quickly, for doing dissertation literature review does not make the researcher wiser. If this is the case, for a 4-month MBA and Housing Studies dissertation project, what advices would you give on literature review that make the student-researcher wiser?"

The reply: "For a 4-month MBA and Housing Studies dissertation project, where rapid reading of many academic references might not necessarily translate to deeper wisdom or insight, the approach to the literature review should focus on quality, critical thinking, and integration rather than quantity. Here are tailored advice to make the student-researcher wiser through the literature review process:

1. Prioritize Key and High-Quality Sources
   Instead of reading everything, identify seminal, recent, and highly cited works that are directly relevant to your research questions. Quality over quantity ensures deeper understanding and relevance.

2. Focus on Critical Evaluation, Not Just Summary
   Engage actively with each source by questioning the methodology, conclusions, assumptions, and gaps. Compare differing viewpoints and consider implications for your own research.

3. Synthesize and Thematize the Literature
   Organize findings around themes, debates, or conceptual frameworks rather than listing studies one by one. This helps build a coherent narrative that reflects the complexity of your field and reveals deeper insight.

4. Reflect on How Literature Informs Your Research
   Use the review to identify gaps or contradictions that justify your study. Consider how existing theories apply to the specific context of housing studies and the MBA perspective.

5. Balance Breadth and Depth
   Cover a broad range of relevant topics but dive deep into a select few that are most pertinent. This balance creates a rich understanding without being superficial.

6. Use Conceptual Frameworks or Models
   Employ frameworks to structure the review. This not only aids comprehension but also sharpens your analytical skills and supports your empirical work.

7. Discuss Literature With Peers and Mentors
   Sharing insights and debating interpretations enhance critical thinking and can highlight perspectives you might miss alone.

8. Keep a Research Journal or Annotated Bibliography
   Writing reflective notes helps internalize knowledge and track evolving thoughts, moving from passive reading to active knowledge construction.

9. Apply Cross-Disciplinary Insights
   Since MBA and housing involve multiple disciplines (business, economics, sociology, urban planning), leveraging insights from different angles can enrich your understanding and innovation.

10. Maintain a Critical but Open Mindset
    Wisdom comes from recognizing the limitations of existing knowledge and staying open to new ideas that challenge conventional wisdom.

This approach, emphasizing reflection, synthesis, and critical engagement over sheer volume, will make the literature review process more insightful and ultimately make you a wiser researcher."

My question 2: "How to study academic books as part of the dissertation literature review task? It takes long time to study books while there is a tight time-constraint for doing a 4-month dissertation project."

The reply: "To efficiently study academic books for a dissertation literature review within a tight 4-month timeframe, here are practical strategies to maximize your understanding while managing time effectively:

1. Set Clear Objectives for Each Book
   Before reading, identify what you need from the book—key theories, conceptual frameworks, case studies or specific chapters relevant to your dissertation topic. This focus prevents unnecessary reading.

2. Scan and Skim Strategically
   Quickly review the table of contents, introduction, conclusion, and chapter summaries to gauge each book's relevance. Skim through chapters to identify sections most pertinent to your research.

3. Prioritize Chapters or Sections
   Concentrate on chapters that directly relate to your research questions or conceptual framework. Not all parts of the book will be equally important for your review.

4. Use Active Reading Techniques
   Highlight key points, write margin notes, or summarize sections in your own words as you read. This active engagement enhances retention and critical understanding without reading every single word.

5. Leverage Book Reviews and Summaries
   Read expert reviews or summaries of the book to grasp main arguments and critiques quickly. This can guide which parts of the book to focus on.

6. Integrate with Other Literature
   Connect insights from the book with journal articles and other sources you have reviewed. This contextualizes the knowledge and helps you build your argument.

7. Set Time Limits Per Reading Session
   Allocate fixed time slots for book reading to avoid getting bogged down. Use techniques like the Pomodoro method to maintain focus.

8. Use Annotated Bibliographies and Reference Management Tools
   Keep detailed notes and organize references for quick retrieval when writing your review.

9. Prioritize Books That Offer Unique Insights
   Given time constraints, focus on books that provide comprehensive theories or data not found in articles. For overlapping content, journal articles might be more concise.

10. Seek Condensed Versions or Extracts
    Sometimes parts of academic books are available as articles or chapters published separately—these can save time if available.

By strategically targeting key parts of academic books and integrating this with your broader literature review practices, you can efficiently extract valuable knowledge within a limited timeframe without compromising the depth of your dissertation literature review."

My question 3: "Describe the advices from four famous western philosophers about how to effectively read books to make the learner wiser."

The reply: "Here are advice from four famous Western philosophers on how to read books effectively to become wiser:

1. Socrates
   Socrates emphasized the importance of self-knowledge and critical reflection in learning. His approach to reading and acquiring wisdom was to question what you read and constantly examine your life and beliefs. He famously said, "The unexamined life is not worth living," encouraging deep reflection rather than passive reading. According to him, reading should provoke self-questioning and stimulate dialogue with ideas to truly gain wisdom.

2. René Descartes
   Descartes advised that wisdom through reading comes from doubt and critical thinking. He encouraged readers to question everything they read, not take any knowledge for granted, and seek certainty through rigorous reasoning. His principle "Doubt is the origin of wisdom" reflects the importance of analytical engagement with texts, making reading an active intellectual process rather than passive consumption.

3. Aristotle
   Aristotle advocated for learning through practical application and habit formation. In relation to reading, he believed that knowledge alone is not enough; it must be applied and internalized by practice. Aristotle’s virtue ethics suggests that cultivating intellectual virtues, such as prudence and understanding, requires continuous effort with reading serving as a tool to develop good intellectual habits and judgment.

4. Friedrich Nietzsche
   Nietzsche emphasized the individuality of the reader and the transformative power of reading. He saw reading as a way to challenge existing values and create one's own identity. He encouraged readers to be active creators of meaning rather than passive receivers, to critically engage and reinterpret texts for personal growth and self-realization.

Together, these philosophers advise that to effectively read and become wiser, one should engage critically and reflectively (Socrates, Descartes), apply knowledge practically (Aristotle), and use reading as a tool for personal transformation and meaning-making (Nietzsche). This active, questioning, and integrative approach to reading cultivates deeper wisdom beyond mere accumulation of information."

A collection of blog notes on using chatgpt for research purpose.