Abstract:
This workshop aims at helping participants to do the best research they can for their PhD and other work for publication. The workshop will be structured around the three important questions that readers and reviewers of theses and articles ask:

1. Is it new? What does the research contribute to knowledge? What did I learn from this research that was not known before? Is it worth knowing?

2.Is it true? Why should I believe what the author claims?

3. Is it a good story? Does the researcher make his argument well? Is it clear and understandable?

To address each of these questions the workshop will have three components:

1. How to choose a good topic and place it against existing literature.

2. How to choose an acceptable research method and evaluate and justify your work. This component will involve some discussion of how the “scientific method” applies to Information Technology research.

3. How to structure theses and papers so your story is presented well.

Interactive discussion and group exercises will comprise an important part of the workshop.

Bio:
Shirley Gregor is the ANU Endowed Chair in Information Systems at the Australian National University, Canberra, where she heads the National Centre for Information Systems Research. Professor Gregor’s current research interests include the adoption and strategic use of information and communications technologies, intelligent systems, human-computer interface issues and the philosophy of technology. Dr Gregor’s publications include 4 edited books, 15 book chapters and over 100 papers in conferences and journals such as MIS Quarterly, Journal of the Association of Information Systems, International Journal of Electronic Commerce, International Journal of Human Computer Studies, European Journal of Information Systems and Information Technology & People.

Professor Gregor was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honour’s list in June 2005 for services as an educator and researcher in the field of information systems and in the development of applications for electronic commerce in the agribusiness sector. Also in 2005 she was elected as a Fellow of the Australian Computer Society. She is currently a Senior Editor for MIS Quarterly.