Associate Professor Wu Taiyi from the Institute of Communication at Yang-Ming Jiaotong University talks about communication research and academic dialogue
[
](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicNsyzo12E1NjnQ8D34U1v8aVx3Tp-rReYfgNf8OxwVQNjN7mn6dUViqZsGioLI997ctjvJf7VG32Ixnwh GM9cCB77rXlxTm2euwmnOBTDnWNNVj4Quowg3nHVvZnQLGdGsVNPkiS7MUEygVFsV2E1vbSBF sfBzT8sPY9GFAtvdjN6eMsr7VMQihnLmrx-/s1280/%E5%90%B3%E6%B3%B0%E6%AF%85.jpg)
The “Academic Exchange Workshop” in the 112th academic year is organized by [Shih Hsin University Doctoral Program in Communication] (https://www.facebook.com/PPCS.SHU/posts/pfbid02rLuCQ3Vz8wDZtLa594sMK75suAY83gwvZJU7Cv8wtE8DqjoRkCb434bJDPEK4o zbl), Innovative Communication and Data Intelligence Laboratory starts a new communication series. On November 3, with the theme of “Communication and Persuasion in the Digital Era”, Professor [Tai-yi Wu] (https://ics.nycu.edu.tw/fulltime/武太伊-associate professor/) from the Institute of Communication at National Yang-Ming University was invited to talk in detail about persuasion and communication intertwined with communication theory and social media.
Associate Professor Wu Taiyi from the Institute of Communication at Yangming Jiaotong University mentioned that regarding research, graduate students may have already done research in the master’s class, so they are not starting from scratch. So, this sounds better, but it may be that the past experience of the master’s class was not too pleasant, or it may have been a long time since graduation. Therefore, everyone’s situation may be different, or maybe you were not originally in the field of communication, so now you have to switch to a more social science-oriented field, so it may be different from your original background.
As someone who has been through it, Associate Professor Wu said: “You may be a little hesitant and a little scared, and often it is more difficult because you have to read the literature. Frankly speaking, it is because it is in English. If you are reading Chinese literature, you may not be so painful. But because you have to read the original text, many students will find it very difficult.”
He still remembers that when he was studying in the past, he had to read at least three original texts a week for a course. I wonder if [Teacher Qin](https://speech.shu.edu.tw/faculty lineup/Qin Lili/) still has such a rule? Associate Professor Wu said with a smile that it was really hard to recall those early years.
“I had to read each of the three courses in the master’s class at least three times a week: I would wake up in the morning, start reading after breakfast, and then read until lunch. After lunch, I would continue reading, and then have dinner. Then, I would continue reading… That’s right, I would read after three meals.”
Associate Professor Wu recalled that back then, there was no such convenient translation software. There were only standard translators, and there was no powerful translation software. Unlike now, some students actually use Google Translate directly, or let ChatGPT help summarize and organize their reading notes.
He earnestly suggested that doctoral students should read more original texts, because it is not enough to understand them, but also to exercise their language skills, and to be brave enough to publish papers and submit manuscripts… No matter whether they really want to work in the academic circle in the future, at least they have to follow the academic path in the past few years.
[
](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYD4khJT9Hj_n27azK7jwFLQSQ9dLCnH4L2YEs-2NorWCcK1kRbj4d6Y3h8KMs2voD_qxVxQ_7jM 4IOpQw-l5iHr6XmPV2x3HEfvCvxx-B3KBFPPigbVANLOvQHF5BdNVNSWMXapWS14BMPCMGIp6lYu99XqXNxKoXZURCU92W22sX5R30bQs4LSSL-dr4/s4032/IMG_6998%202.HEIC)
“What’s more, if you have the opportunity to publish abroad in the future, your experience will be different. For example, if you have the opportunity to go to Budapest to attend a seminar, of course you have to go and play! No one attended the seminar and stayed at the venue for three days. Of course you can go and have fun and think about how great it is. Many American scholars are like this. They are motivated to do it because they can go and have fun. Research! Of course, you can do this. Think carefully about where we are going to participate in the seminar, so you have the motivation to do research. Okay? Speaking of research, I dare not say that this is the best way, because I am also representing myself. “Associate Professor Wu advises everyone to do research.
For example, because he likes to read online messages, he did an academic research related to messages. Everyone has different preferences, but if you can turn this preference into research, it will be a motivation to keep you going.
Doing research is indeed a very hard work and the process is boring. You are likely to be frustrated by it. Especially when you are a beginner, you may often feel that you have a great topic, but the teacher thinks it is not feasible, or thinks that everyone has done it… You will have a lot of setbacks, but if you are doing something that interests you, for example, if you like sports, you do a sports-related communication research; or if you like watching movies, you do a movie-related communication research. Or maybe you like to buy things online, you can also do research related to online shopping.
Your own interests and hobbies can support you. When you feel desperate, at least it is a force that supports you to go on. Associate Professor Wu Taiyi said with a smile that one of his students once said: “Teacher, I want to do this research on online gaming.” Then after finally completing the research, he said: “Teacher, I will never play games again!”
Well, so that’s good too. For example, you can do a study related to procrastination, and after completing it, you will stop procrastinating! I’m afraid you haven’t been able to solve this problem even after three years, just because you are still procrastinating…
Therefore, Associate Professor Wu suggests that everyone should find a topic that interests them. Of course, mentoring professors are also very, very important. It is very important to find a teacher with whom you feel comfortable: someone who can criticize you without making you feel hurt; or a teacher who will not cause you a lot of psychological and physical distress.
[
](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3ZrO8p9BT-EaAZyKCMGcMd-jQIuha7GkSEA2QX8GZKvSMY1v5SXyxJVZJwTRRmZiGLjEZhynwkUNVuVs4Unk2dqL3Ua KMIoWSnHLW1uOqJF7KCb_aJF6AOTMTyB9eGj9O16ClrzLOaiK9tscPs-T8YDRrwzj-t_6jBM5_Y-KX -k2hWeI-3FhGGhfUCBR/s2048/398771701_846416020604970_8624429852811745301_n.jpg)
Associate Professor Wu said: “You need to feel comfortable with your advisor or the person who guides you in the academic field. The reason why you need to be able to make stupid mistakes in front of him is because you will definitely make a lot of stupid mistakes.”
He reminded all doctoral students that mistakes are inevitable in the process of academic research. Only if you make a lot of stupid mistakes will you remember that you made them, and then you won’t make them again. Many students dare not take the initiative to ask the teacher questions, but instead ask other people, because the students hope to show a good image in front of the teacher and not be discovered by the teacher that they are a very stupid person. Many people hope to show themselves as a prepared person in front of the teacher, so that they can immediately answer any questions the teacher asks.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with this mentality. But thinking about it from another perspective, if we can make mistakes comfortably in front of the teacher, it means that we can learn more.
Associate Professor Wu took the course “Research on Communication Theory” as an example and encouraged everyone to read more original documents and understand from the source: How did these scholars come up with this theory in the first place? What structure is being developed later?
A lot of knowledge cannot be explained clearly in just one textbook. Only by reading more different documents and books, clarifying the ins and outs of the theory, and then slowly absorbing it yourself, will you suddenly realize it!
Many times, as long as you think about why beginners would come up with such opinions, you can think about the logic and structure of the theory. Some theories are based on experimental methods, so they are always comparing two different situations, and then what is the difference?
[
](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjktnD_BqUcHAwAxCH_eYPaeplDk8EjkgQ2szcixqBlxMGJNZCXx4Men2CfW4_IzornqaWvoUai mLQwnItvGleLwhtRahKq7EEKuK9qDcaavsDV-fEP1xzsJG9W6IxyX59pmAmGPh1ty_De Z5tD7xv2N5XH0RCniMMjut8kt5ZQ2Z48V4XwMgZt1iG5qNc8/s4032/IMG_7024.HEIC)
There are also theories such as “[Uses and Gratifications](https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/Uses and Gratifications Research)”, which sometimes cannot be asked with a simple questionnaire design. So, when it comes to “uses and gratifications,” the person must have a way to express what his motivations are? What does this sentence mean? Because “Uses and Gratifications” is self-reported in the form of a questionnaire, it must have such a premise. Do we think the user knows what his motivations are? Otherwise, “use and satisfaction” will not work.
“When we know these things, we will understand the theory better. Then you will be more comfortable with the theory, how to master it, and how to apply it. At that time, what kind of research you are going to do, or how to apply it in that situation, will more naturally push you to do your research design. But the premise is that in the process of reading it, you may have to endure some pain and torture first.”
Associate Professor Wu mentioned that every doctoral program will face the difficulty of qualifying exams. He still remembers being asked by the teacher after passing the qualification examination: “How do you feel?” I felt very happy! What does happiness mean? Pain first and then happiness. Pain first, then happiness. Learning is often like this. We have to have pain first.
The reason why you are happy is because you have suffered. Therefore, the period of studying for a doctoral degree is a time that will make you happy, and I hope that everyone can reach that happy state one day.
