The webinar “Make research a habit”, organised by UTAR Faculty of Accountancy and Management on 17 January 2023 via Microsoft Teams, featured Assoc Prof Sr Dr Choong Weng Wai from the Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying of the University of Technology Malaysia, as the speaker.

Dr Choong started his session by explaining how one can be perceived as a successful researcher. He mentioned that one must possess unique research; the ability to publish papers in high-impact journals; gain recognition at both local and international levels; be constantly promoted at the workplace and have a high level of satisfaction.

There are a few habits that will help one to succeed as a researcher. Firstly, Dr Choong mentioned for researchers to succeed in their research field, they must have a habit of not only reading but also understanding as well, especially of the latest article related to their field. This is crucial as it will help researchers to be more knowledgeable and stay up to date. Secondly, he added that researchers should make time to write daily even if they are caught up with long working hours and workload. He suggested they do it before they start their work each day or at the end of the day. “Half an hour to an hour is generally good enough as the idea is to only keep one committed to his or her research,” he said.

He also said that every small task matters. “Every task whether it is big or small should be done correctly and appropriately as it contributes to the overall success of the research,” he explained. Fourthly, Dr Choong added that habits such as sharing and helping others, and genuinely celebrating others’ success are vital. He further emphasised that one should take the opportunity to talk and ask others about how they achieved their success. The fifth habit is to stay focused. “Lo-fi music and study-with-me type of videos helped me a lot to stay focused in my research,” he added. On top of that, the sixth habit is to stay close and keep in touch with other researchers too. “Most of the time, researchers tend to feel alone, but they shouldn’t be,” he said and added, “Build network connections and always feel free to email others if there is any question that you would like to be answered.”

He added, “A good habit to succeed as a researcher is to not to feel satisfied with just a single progress. Always strive to be the best and seek opinions from others.” Lastly, Dr Choong stated that the most important habit is to assess whether the research that is being carried out is beneficial or impactful towards the real-world scenario. “The number of publications or output should not always be the priority for the researchers as it is less important,” he emphasised.

Other than that, he also gave out 10 tips and explained how he found them helpful while conducting his research.

Dr Choong concluded by thanking everyone who participated in the webinar. “I want to see you at the top; to become the next famous researcher in Malaysia and so on. All the best!” he enthused.