People often pursue PhDs because they have aspirations to become university professors and a doctoral thesis is a prerequisite for an academic position. However, not all people who complete doctoral inquiries desire to join academia. A doctoral scholarly inquiry also offers an opportunity to develop analytical and writing skills that are essential for professional careers in various fields.
The purpose of a scholarly inquiry goes beyond adding to a particular scientific discourse. Many students also experience immense personal growth. One of the greatest skills attained throughout the duration of a PhD program is confidence. The ability to think critically about problems and to question surroundings offers an opportunity to expand belief in your own intellectual capacity and increase your willingness to ask "why." Furthermore, your self-confidence is improved by having completed a research inquiry that is largely self-directed.
A scholarly doctoral inquiry helps students develop a skill set beyond analytical and writing skills. By completing a PhD, students are introduced to a wide-range of skills, including technological applications, creative talents and increased attention to detail. Most people view a doctoral scholarly inquiry as a narrow inquiry into a very specific topic. However, it cultivates abilities that have a much broader sphere of influence.
Without scholarly inquiry, solutions we take for granted would not have been discovered. For example, Marie Curie's doctoral study contributed to her Noble Prize winning research on radioactive materials. Other doctoral inquiries serve as initial research into unresolved problems. For example, Naomi Klein's PhD dissertation, "No Logo," exposed the global problem of child labor and sweatshops.
Klein's PhD encouraged other scholars to begin to look into how big brands manufactured their products. Although doctoral studies can be limited in scope, they often encourage others to begin where the dissertation ends and to expand upon the research presented. This is part of the dialectic of scholarly inquiry; one study encourages another and the subsequent inquiry encourages another, until a discourse emerges about the subject. This is why the NRC focuses on PhD programs, i.e., it expands scholarly inquest and helps contribute to knowledge.
The acquisition and advancement of knowledge is perhaps the most important aspect of a scholarly inquiry. Doctoral candidates participate in a scientific discourse by adding to scientific knowledge about a subject. Knowledge can be expanded, shared and discussed because scientists can build upon what other scholars have already presented. The growth of a scholarly community increases a nation's ability to compete in a global community where knowledge is a commodity.