how to start a phd journey

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• CAREER COLUMN
• 06 November 2018

Twenty things I wish I’d known when I started my PhD

• Lucy A. Taylor 0

Lucy A. Taylor earned her zoology PhD from the University of Oxford, UK. She is now a postdoctoral researcher at Save the Elephants in Nairobi, Kenya, and a visiting researcher in the Department of Zoology at Oxford.

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Starting a PhD can be tough. Looking back, there are many things I wish I’d known at the beginning. Here, I have curated a list of advice from current PhD students and postdoctoral researchers from the Department of Zoology at my institution, the University of Oxford, UK, to aid new graduate students.

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-07332-x

This is an article from the Nature Careers Community, a place for Nature readers to share their professional experiences and advice. Guest posts are encouraged. You can get in touch with the editor at [email protected].

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10 stages of the PhD journey: advice from many experts

Designing, executing and writing up a PhD study takes a large chunk of your time and energy. Here is an overview of each stage of the PhD journey, along with links to excellent articles that will help you along the way. Some of the advice offered here may be specific to a discipline, country or university, or may be heavily dependent upon some author’s experience and background. Nevertheless, you are likely to find most of this advice and instruction helpful.

It is important to seriously consider why you are undertaking a PhD and what you hope to achieve by completing a PhD. Completing a PhD can be extremely useful even for those who may not continue doing research later on.

2. Write a research proposal 

You might be offered a PhD project where the research proposal is already planned or you might need to devise a research proposal yourself, either before or after you have chosen a supervisor. This proposal and confirmation of candidature will need to be approved by your university’s research committee.

3. Choose a PhD supervisor

Some students have one key supervisor with one or two additional supervisors, while it is not unusual for some students to have three or four. It is important to remember that your supervisor may have many students under their direction, so their time may be strictly limited. At Monash University, research supervisors receive accreditation training .

4. Design your project budget

An essential project management skill when conducting research is the ability to effectively design and manage research budgets. If you need to request finances through a grant application, ensure you thoroughly investigate the necessary guidelines.

5. Start writing in the early stages of your project

Don’t wait until you have collected and analysed your data before you start writing. Most universities encourage students to write about their project while they are conducting their research. Project proposals can be rewritten and methods sections developed as data is collected and analysed. Literature reviews can be updated and conference talks and posters can be prepared even before you have started to collect data. 

6. Consider the structure and the format of your thesis

Exactly how to structure and format your thesis will vary greatly depending upon your project, your discipline, your department and your university and your discipline. Always refer to your university’s guidelines for thesis format requirements. For example:

How to find completed PhD theses

It is always a good idea to check other PhD theses that are similar to your topic, have been completed recently and have been produced by your university department. You can gain a wealth of ideas about structure, size and overall thesis design.

And on this page, there are other useful inks:

*   Australian & New Zealand Universities – Institutional Repository Contacts

How to write a literature review

Reviewing the literature is important to assist your knowledge and understanding of your topic and integral to establishing your position in the academic landscape. Writing good literature reviews is crucial to show your examiners how well you know the literature and how well you are able to explain the importance of your project. It is a common requirement that you write a separate chapter as a stand-alone literature review. However, for those theses that are predominantly composed of complete published papers, there might not be a requirement for a separate review section.

7. Get feedback on your writing

In addition to your supervisor, seek feedback on different aspects of your writing from appropriate advisors: accuracy, clarity and brevity. Increasingly, projects are written for a variety of aim to get academic audiences so ensure that your writing is clear and succinct.

*   Getting Feedback – University of North Carolina (USA)

8. Learn how to publish peer-review papers

Increasingly, students are expected to submit a large proportion of their thesis as published papers. Not every PhD project can be easily prepared as separate papers; however, remember to look at recently submitted theses within your discipline and within your department to see how people have completed their thesis.

9. Submit your thesis

The process of submitting your thesis may include preparing additional tasks and preparation of paperwork (i.e. the Originality Statement).

10. Understand the examination process

Usually there are three examiners. However, the process of thesis examination will vary widely according to discipline and university. Broadly speaking, your examiners will recommend that your thesis be accepted without alteration, accepted with minor alteration, accepted providing major changes are made or rejected. Usually your supervisor will choose who your examiners are and you may have the opportunity to choose one of your examiners.

If there are any problems...

Most problems with your project are surmountable and remember that your supervisors and your university are there to help you. If things go drastically wrong at any time, it is essential that you seek assistance as early as possible. There are people within your university administration who are there to help you. To help dealing with problems, document any issues as they arise. It is essential for you to have excellent time-management and record-keeping skills.

and remember...

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Wharton Stories

7 resources to help phd students succeed on their doctoral journey.

It takes a village and a variety of skills to succeed in the doctoral world. Here are a few of the many resources Wharton Doctoral Programs offers to help.

Like most of our doctoral students, perhaps you’re preparing to go into academia after completing your PhD. Being a professor and researcher today often involves opportunities to share your research with a larger audience than a classroom of students. The doctoral journey is meant to prepare you with the wide array of skills you’ll need to be effective whether you’re in front of the classroom or a conference stage.

That includes the polish to present and speak publicly with ease, the writing and communication skills to craft your dissertation and journal articles, the analytical know-how to research thoroughly and gather meaningful data, and the ability to teach — colleagues, pupils, or the general public, whatever the case may be. And, if you have family, you’ll need support in getting them through this journey with you.

Wharton Doctoral Programs offers a wide range of resources to help you thrive in the PhD program and prepare you for life beyond it. Here are a few of the top Wharton resources our students have highlighted as most beneficial:

1. 5 Slides 5 Minutes

Researchers often have the opportunity to share their work with a larger audience through social media and mass media outlets — but it requires nuanced communication skills. How do you take complex findings and communicate them to a general audience concisely without oversimplifying the message?

That’s the focus of 5 Slides 5 Minutes. Launched in 2014, this low-stakes, high-potential event enables PhD students to present an abstract to students, faculty, and staff to practice engaging non-experts in their research topic. Students receive an invitation to participate via email from the Doctoral Programs Office.

After students present, they can work with Wharton Communications Program to review their presentation and get tips on how to improve their communication skills. Wharton’s renowned faculty also share valuable insights with students about these presentations.

“We focus on individuals. We help them convey their research content most effectively given their style and personality,” said Lisa Warshaw, Director of the Wharton Communications Program.

2. Dissertation Boot Camp

The name might sound intimidating, but some students think of Dissertation Boot Camp as a two-week writers’ retreat. Hosted twice a year by the Graduate Student Center, it’s designed for students who have dissertation status but haven’t presented their proposal yet.

The camp offers an environment and support for intense, focused writing time as well as a review on the steps, deadlines, and University policies. Limited to 20 students, the small group gives writers a chance to make connections with others who are going through the dissertation process and provides participants with the structure and motivation to overcome typical roadblocks along the way.

3. Wharton Communications Program

The Wharton Communication Program helps Wharton PhD students become more effective communicators and thus better presenters, public speakers, and writers — all critical skills in academia. All doctoral students are provided with access to on-site, one-on-one writing coaching during the academic year.

Wharton PhD students are required to attend two workshops: First-Year Communications Workshop in the fall and First-Year Writing Workshop in the spring. The skills-based approach adopted in the workshops helps students develop their personal style and strengthen their confidence as communicators.

Through multiple practice opportunities, video recording of speeches, and rigorous feedback, the program provides students with a thorough foundation in communication theory and for doctoral students, focuses on research presentations and job talks.

4. Teacher Development Program Workshop

Offered in conjunction with the Center for Teaching and Learning , the Teacher Development Program is a four-session course. It gives doctoral students a foundation in core teaching practices to support their teaching at Penn.

By helping with presentation skills and academic job placement, the workshop prepares students to become faculty in the future. Ian Petrie , Senior Associate Director, Center for Teaching and Learning described the workshop as “a collective, collaborative program.” Each week features “microteaching” demonstrations, where participants conduct a brief lesson and get feedback from their peers and the directors.

The intent is that faculty and graduate students will engage and learn from each other to master fundamental teaching methods. “Every PhD student can leave the program having gained some new tools for teaching,” Petrie said. This exchange happens when doctoral students observe “talented colleagues from other departments to get a glimpse of how they teach.”

Students also have the opportunity to enroll in the CTL Teaching Certificate program to hone teaching skills and grasp a commitment to developing as teachers.

“I’d like everyone to come out of the experience feeling more confident about their skills as an instructor or presenter,” Petrie said. “Anything I can do to support doctoral students in achieving their goals is extremely gratifying.”

5. Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS)

With more than 50,000 corporate, academic, and government users, Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS) is the global gold standard in data management, research analytics, and thought leadership. Researchers at more than 450 institutions in 36 countries across the globe depend upon this award-winning research platform and business intelligence tool — and researchers are doing the work to grow it right here on Wharton’s campus.

“The fact that the people who create the data, research analytics, and tools are here is super important,” said Prof. Cathy Schrand, Vice Dean of Wharton Doctoral Programs. “I’ve had early access to WRDS before it even became available to other subscribers. Top universities all over the world that have subscriptions to WRDS may only have access to certain elements of it, but we have access to all of it and it’s here on site which does provide an advantage.” The platform allows researchers to access more than 350 terabytes of data in one location that spans across multiple disciplines, including accounting, banking, economics, ESG (environmental, social, and governance), finance, health care, insurance, marketing, and statistics. “WRDS is by far the most important source of datasets for academic researchers. As a Wharton PhD student, you automatically get unrestricted access to every one of these databases,” said Itamar Drechsler, associate professor of finance at Wharton and NYU’s Stern School of Business, who has experience on both sides of the classroom – he earned his PhD from Wharton in 2009.

6. Wharton Behavioral Lab

A shared resource for all Wharton faculty, the Wharton Behavioral Laboratory (WBL) provides a variety of services that support data collection for behavioral research on business-related topics. The primary goal is to enhance the research productivity of Wharton faculty by minimizing the operational costs, both time and money, of conducting research. With two locations — one in Steinberg Hall Dietrich Hall and another in Jon Huntsman Hall, doctoral students can gather original data through lab experiments and panels, instead of using secondary data created by others. Each year, the lab collects about 23,000 subject hours of data. Research from WBL can consistently be found in national and international publications such as the Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the Journal of Neuroscience, Psychology, and Economics, and the Journal of Business Ethics .

7. Support for Families

For some PhD students, attending Wharton means relocating their families to a new city. To help students and their families ease the transition to PhD life, the Wharton Doctoral Program Office hosts the Maternity/Paternity Workshop , an annual event that talks about the resources available to PhD students with families.

Here are a couple of the key resources they highlight in the workshop:

• The Doctoral Programs Office allows eligible students to apply for up to one year of additional school-level funding beyond their allotted funded year. Furthermore, students are eligible for up to eight weeks of time-off for childbirth and adoption and have the option of taking unpaid Family Leave of Absence.
• At Penn, the Family Resource Center provides additional resources and facilities, such as a children’s playroom and two private lactation rooms, which cater to the needs of students with families. The Center also has two grant programs for PhD students to help offset the cost of childcare and family expenses, and health insurance for dependents.
• Wharton Doctoral Partners & Families is a student-run online resource created to communicate the resources at Penn and Philadelphia to partners and families. Its mission is to empower members to transition and settle into their new lives.

Posted: November 6, 2018

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A Guide to Your First Week as A PhD Student

• By Zebastian D.
• November 23, 2019

It will typically take you at least three years to complete your PhD, which equates to 156 weeks! In this time you’ll have many ups, some downs and hopefully some fun too! Within the first few months, you’ll be getting your teeth into your project and your days will be filled with paper reading sessions, experiments, meetings with colleagues and collaborators and many more things. But how should you spend your first week as a PhD student? Here’s my guide to help you get started on your journey:

1. Make Your Workspace Your Own

Whilst your work environment will depend on your chosen university and research group, you will need to set up a comfortable workspace for yourself. This might be at a dedicated desk space alongside other students in the group or an office space at home. Either way, make sure you spend some time making your space a place where you want to work; find a comfortable chair that’s ergonomic and will be gentle on your back after hours of writing. A lamp with a soft light for focused work is a great tool as is a calendar for planning your days, weeks and months.

2. Get All the Forms Sorted

Before starting your PhD and in the early stages, you’re likely to receive many pieces of paperwork that need to be processed. These may range from ensuring the university has your correct bank details for making stipend payments, to getting your email address and university logins established. These have to be done so try to prioritise this paperwork in your first week.

3. Make Sure Your Access Cards Work

After registering with the university, you’ll receive your student ID card. Make sure that this card allows you access to all the buildings across the university that you will need to use, including the library and any labs you’ll be working in. Additionally, find out what the department’s rules are for building access out of normal office hours and ensure your card will work at these times. You’ll likely have some downtime during your first week as a PhD student, try to use this time to explore as much of your new working environment as possible.

4. Get to Know the Admin Staff

You’ll get to know your supervisor(s) very well over the course of your PhD but also make friends with the admin staff in your department. They’ll often be able to help you navigate the complex paperwork questions that will come your way and also how best to make use of the resources available to you as a student.

5. Start Reading Papers

You may still be waiting to have your first proper meeting with your supervisor(s), where you’ll discuss and craft the direction of your research project so you need to approach this meeting with some background knowledge fresh in your mind. A simple search on ResearchGate , Google Scholar or PubMed can help you find some relevant papers to read. It’s also a good idea to be familiar with your supervisor’s recent publications.

6. Meet Your Supervisor(s)

During your first week as a PhD student, it would be ideal to set up a meeting with your supervisor(s). Some supervisors prefer planned meetings scheduled in the diary regularly whilst others will leave it to you to reach out to them as and when needed. Early within your PhD you are unlikely to know their preference, which is even more of a reason to meet them during your first week so you can establish a clear means and frequency of communication.

7. Get to Know Others in Your Research Group

A PhD is a large body of independent work, but that doesn’t mean that you should spend three years in isolation! You’ll likely be surrounded by other students at various stages in their PhD journeys and it can be a substantial help to have colleagues to bounce ideas off of, or just to vent to! You’ll all be going through similar experiences – remind each other to enjoy life outside of research too!

Once you are ready to start your work, check out my tips for new PhD students to make sure you continue to use your time effectively and set yourself up for a successful programme.

The answer is simple: there is no age limit for doing a PhD; in fact, the oldest known person to have gained a PhD in the UK was 95 years old.

PhD stress is real. Learn how to combat it with these 5 tips.

This post gives you the best questions to ask at a PhD interview, to help you work out if your potential supervisor and lab is a good fit for you.

Join thousands of other students and stay up to date with the latest PhD programmes, funding opportunities and advice.

Browse PhDs Now

An academic transcript gives a breakdown of each module you studied for your degree and the mark that you were awarded.

The scope of the study is defined at the start of the study. It is used by researchers to set the boundaries and limitations within which the research study will be performed.

Dr Roberts gained her PhD from Duke University in 2014 in the field of biomedical engineering. She now runs her own business named Personal Finance for PhDs.

Henry is in the first year of his PhD in the Cronin Group at the University of Glasgow. His research is based on the automation, optimisation, discovery and design of ontologies for robotic chemistry.

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A quick summary of the different phases of your PhD, and signposting to development support. Includes our PhD Planner to download.

Download our PhD planner

For a concise overview of different stages of a PhD, you may want to view our PhD planner.

This guide includes quick tips from other Postgraduate Researchers, plus quick checklists suitable to different stages of your PhD.

This can be downloaded from this site, collected from your School postgraduate office, or obtained directly from the IAD

Download our PhD planner (PDF)

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Think about the support you need

Whatever stage you are at, it is important to spend time thinking about what support you need, and seek out the appropriate support, from your supervisor, School / Research Institute, from us, and from appropriate external bodies.

Get the right help at the right time

We have gathered information and advice by PhD stage to help you make the right choices for you, whatever stage you are at:

Starting out: tips on what support you need from your supervisor and school, setting your initial research programme milestones, assessing what skills you need to succeed, and finding the best training to help you at this stage.

Starting out on your PhD

Keeping on track : tips on getting setting new milestones, assessing what skills you need now, and recommendations for internal and external training and support to help you at this important stage.

Keeping on track with your PhD

Nearing completion : tips on setting those final important milestones, writing up and submitting, planning the skills you need now and for your next career steps, and recommendations for internal and external training and support to help you at this stage.

Nearing completion of your PhD

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A smooth PhD journey: Advice from a PhD student

10 January 2019

Doing a PhD can often be a journey filled with many successes and hardships. PhD student Pingping gives us her tips on how to resolve common issues both effectively and efficiently.

As a final year PhD student, I know how hard it can be at times. I’ve experienced and witnessed the many hardships but I’ve also seen the benefits of conducting my own research in a supportive environment. Common issues that PhD students may encounter include academic writing, procrastination, upgrades, viva preparation and corrections. Here are some tips to avoid common troubles and achieve success in your research.

A smooth journey

If you’re planning to conduct empirical research during the course of your PhD, I would recommend getting in touch with potential subjects of study within the first few months of your PhD journey. Doing so will allow you to recruit people/objects early and have peace of mind that you will be able to use them later to collect data. It will also give you time to sort out logistics such as visas and travel if you need to go abroad to conduct research. Don’t get caught out. Plan early and be prepared!

Some things are unpredictable, such as your supervisor retiring or moving to a different institution before you finish your PhD. To minimise disruption, there are ways that you can help to prepare yourself in the case that this occurs. Building good relationships with other academics and supervisors in your chosen area can make it easier to find a replacement supervisor who would be able to support you effectively.

PhD programmes are independent journeys of study, so as much as your supervisor is there to help and guide you through, try not to be too dependent on their creativity and ideas as this may make it difficult if you need to switch supervisors.

In the worst case scenario, you may need to interrupt your studies before resuming again with your new supervisor. You should prepare yourself for this option, as it can often mean that your PhD will take a little longer than initially planned. Interruptions can also be given for personal reasons too – so just remember to enjoy your PhD and take a break if you need to.

Writing and procrastination

I would highly recommend writing little and often rather than waiting until the last minute. Keeping up the habit of writing regularly will help you to navigate new avenues for your research and think of new ideas.

It is also a good idea to set up fortnightly meetings with your supervisor. This way, you will be motivated to keep writing so that you have something to discuss during the meeting. At the end of each meeting, be sure to confirm a date and time for the next meeting. For me, these meetings are really useful, as the frequent deadlines I set myself have allowed me to stay on track with my write-up.

Organised ‘Shut up and Write!’ groups can be a great way to focus yourself and minimise distractions. All you need to do is get a few of your PhD friends together, book out a room, set out a schedule for writing and breaks and then simply enjoy the silence and write. The community feel has really helped me avoid distractions and work more effectively.

The UCL Research Student Log has a timeline to help you keep track of important deadlines. Make good use of the log as it will help you with time management. Try to keep on top of things and not delay your PhD journey too much. The more you hold off and delay, the more lassitude you will have and the more nervous you will become.

It’s very important to keep fresh, curious and active during your PhD. Remember that as hard as PhDs are, it’s also important to have fun too!

Pingping Huang, PhD student at the Institute of Education

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How the PhD Program Works

Program Overview

Completing your doctorate at Wharton requires 5 years of full-time study. The first 2 years in the program prepare you for admission to candidacy by taking courses, qualifying exams, and starting research projects. In the last few years, you are primarily conducting research full-time including writing and defending your doctoral dissertation.

Admission to candidacy.

You begin by taking courses required for your program of study. All programs requires a preliminary exam, which may be either oral or written.

Some programs may have further requirements, such as an additional exam or research paper. If you enter with a master’s degree or other transfer credit, you may satisfy the formal course requirements more quickly.

Beginning the Wharton PhD Curriculum How the first two years of the Wharton program helped students discover their interests, learn the tools of the profession, and fuel their passion for teaching.

The Doctoral Dissertation

Upon successful completion of coursework and passing a preliminary examination, you are admitted to candidacy for the dissertation phase of your studies.

Your doctoral dissertation should contain original research that meets standards for published scholarship in your field. You are expected to be an expert in the topic you choose to research.

You are admitted to candidacy for the dissertation phase of your studies upon successful completion of coursework and passing a preliminary examination, but you can start thinking about and working on research of relevance at any time.

The dissertation process culminates with a “defense,” in which you defend the proposal orally before your dissertation committee.

While working on your dissertation, you interact extensively with Wharton faculty. Together with interested faculty, you create your own research community that includes your dissertation advisor and dissertation committee.

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The PhD journey: A great but challenging experience

In August last year, I was awarded my PhD degree in education (Science Education) from the University of York. Since finishing my doctoral studies, I have been reflecting on what I did and should have done better. I considered it would be a good idea to write down some of my observations that might be helpful for all those who have just started their PhD journey.  

A PhD is an exceptional experience, especially if you are an international student who may cross the pond to start this journey, leaving behind family and friends. Despite this, I can assure you that you will learn so much about cultural differences, diversity, and inclusion. The University of York has been a wonderful place to start this journey, giving all the students the tools and network to Thrive and Survive the PhD. 

I would like to start by describing the PhD as a learning curve. It is a process where you go through many experiences, such as learning to manage your time, work, and social life. Therefore, it is essential to remember that the PhD is an enjoyable time in your life, although it could be challenging. 

A piece of advice that I would like to share with you are:

Keeping calm and carrying on:  During this journey, you could have good days to celebrate events and make friends. Also, some challenging days where you can learn from them and move on. The University of York has colleges and groups (GSA, Thrive and Survive you PhD) to help you and offer support during this journey. Indeed, doing a PhD is a constant learning process where you will uncover more about yourself. 

Managing your supervisor:  Your supervisor will have a significant role during this journey because they represent a support source to collaborative in your project, challenge your ideas, and provide explanations to the current problems. It would help if you started to discuss a plan to work during the PhD as soon as possible to get the most support from your supervisor because someday, you will become an expert in your field. Hence, I would encourage everybody to find how you can get the most out of them. 

Managing yourself and enhance opportunities:  During the PhD, you learn so much about yourself and ways to enjoy and cope with challenges. It is relevant to focus on what motivates you to carry on with your work. There is always a lure to do some other things rather than concentrate on writing your thesis chapters; However, you learn to prioritise and enhance opportunities. As a postgraduate of the University of York, you can have plenty of opportunities to gain experience, such as teaching, volunteering, becoming involved in different projects, and mentoring other students. So, I would encourage you to try a few out; You will enjoy and help your future career decisions.

During your PhD, you will spend a lot of time talking about your investigation, getting lots of ideas and suggestions, making lots of changes, and creating new social and work networks. Sometimes you will understand and accept the input of others, and seldom you will disagree. It is essential to be open to comments and feedback without leaving your internal voice in your research. I genuinely think that no other role that I could have taken on in the last four years would have challenged me as much and given me as significantly satisfaction at the same time. 

How to thrive and survive in your PhD

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The PhD journey: A guide to applying, starting and succeeding

To postgraduates, a PhD may seem like an ideal opportunity to improve research skills prior to future work. However, the application process is a competitive and often challenging experience. This article seeks to de-mystify some of the common questions surrounding PhD applications and provide some hints and tips for potential applicants.

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Being the highest degree programme in education globally, a PhD degree programme has the highest requirements which the candidate has to fulfil. Therefore, studying towards a PhD may be a very demanding, tiring and tedious experience for many candidates. One factor which contributes to a PhD being that challenging is that it is research-based and candidates are supposed to conduct it independently, with some guidance from research supervisors. In addition to that, some candidates may not have enough information on what is expected of them and, therefore, may not know how to approach it. This article is a reflection on a PhD journey and focuses on how the different aspects of a PhD research can be approached by PhD students based on personal experience with a PhD journey

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This paper provides an overview of my ongoing doctoral study at Canterbury Christ Church University. It first presents a brief summary of my motivation and underlying antecedents which have fed into the problems and processes of my study. It then presents the objectives, methodology and processes of the study. Finally, four major issues and challenges that I have encountered in the course of my study are discussed.

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Over the last decade, there has been a 25% rise in the number of students applying for doctoral-level study across the UK (Universities UK, 2017). Prior to committing to a PhD, applicants must make an informed decision as to whether working towards a PhD is valuable for them in terms of personal and professional development. By answering some of the most frequent questions asked by PhD applicants, this article aims to de-mystify common myths associated with doctoral-level study.

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This book can serve as a useful and easily accessible course of self-guidance for both supervisees and supervisors during doctoral studies programmes. It can also, independently and reliably, guide those individuals who are thinking of beginning the journey towards achieving a PhD or doctoral degree and are seeking advice about whether and, if yes, how they should proceed. For those who do embark on PhD studies, this book can become a virtual supervisor for them. They can become responsibly aware of the complete PhD journey before starting.

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The paper seeks to propose the adoption of an alternative metaphor to that of the “journey”, currently the most pervasive characterisation for the student’s experience of doctoral education. The paper adopts a conceptual and rhetorical approach. and offers a critique of the journey metaphor as a characterisation of the student’s doctoral experience and proposes instead the metaphor of the Quest, a cultural and literary form found in most societies. It argues that the six elements of the Quest identified by W.H. Auden resonate with the contemporary doctoral experience and emphasise the uncertainty involved in research rather than the linearity implied by the journey metaphor. The paper argues that the quest metaphor offers a cross-cultural basis for both staff and student development activities through which sense can be made of the research experience, student concerns can be surfaced, and potentially difficult issues raised for discussion in an unthreatening way. The paper is the first to apply the quest as a metaphor for the student’s doctoral experience and offers a new way of interrogating that experience which will be of use to those involved in supporting research students.

The Qualitative Report

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It is fairly uncommon for a PhD student to conduct a study that looks at PhD education, and this paper discusses the challenges and advantages of my experience as a PhD student in conducting a PhD research about the PhD. This PhD research project was not an action research or self-reflective of my own educational journey. In this paper, I identify the challenges concerning my position as both a PhD student and a researcher exploring the educational processes of the PhD, and illustrate the ways I adopted to overcome these challenges. I also point out that having addressed these challenges; there are advantages due to the concurrent position of being a PhD student and a researcher that contributed to the development of new knowledge in the field of PhD education.

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Doing PhDs is about confidence. It is important to believe in ourselves. Believe that we can do it under any circumstances. Confidence is more than an attitude. It is compassionate and understanding, not arrogant. Confidence is about knowing our route and exactly where we are going. Grieves and euphoria is part of PhD’s process. It comes from acting with integrity and humility; desire and passion; strong sense of purpose and strong commitment to take responsibility. Success in PhDs is about 6Ps; 3Hs; and 6Ds. Knowing our route will lead to euphoria and successful experiences behind us.

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The paper examines the PhD literature review and makes recommendations for how to produce a literature review which assists in the generation of original, and defensible, research questions. Firstly, the contributions of the literature review as both a process and a product are examined. Guidance is then provided regarding the scope and structure of the literature review. The paper goes on to consider the specific requirements of PhD level study vis-a-vis lower-level academic endeavour. The requirements for depth, rigour and originality are highlighted using Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Learning Objectives and Anderson and Krathwohl’s revised taxonomy. Critical Thinking is proposed as a structured approach to enabling the generation of original research questions and for enhancing the defensibility of the choice of research these research questions. The author’s own research is used to illustrate how the overall conceptual framework can be disaggregated and each discrete section critically justified.

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PhDLife Blog

Sharing PhD experiences across the University of Warwick and beyond

Anticipating what’s to come: My PhD journey begins

You’ve finished your degree and summer is over: your PhD is about to start. but you have a summer ahead before you PhD starts. Emily shares her anticipations and thoughts as her PhD journey comes ever closer.  

By Emily Alger

I’ve graduated from Warwick and very soon I’ll start my PhD. I’ve had two months of internships and holidays to pass the time of summer, as well as relaxing, reminiscing, and preparing for what is to come.

A PhD was certainly not something I had planned upon when I first arrived at Warwick in first year. I was expecting Warwick to give me the degree I needed to kickstart my career, not further education. However, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed my degree and research. I found an incredibly supportive environment at the Institute of Cancer Research during a summer placement last year and soon after I accepted a PhD offer to carry on my work after graduation.

After many miss-fires and failed internships, I have found a next step I am genuinely excited about. I no longer need other people’s opinions to decide whether it is the “right” next move, I know it is. That’s not something I have felt for a long time.

Regardless, of how confident I feel, three years is a long time. When you start a PhD you do jump into an experience you can’t even begin to anticipate. It’s a lot of change, and independence, compared to an undergraduate degree. As I start the wait before my PhD starts, I thought I would share my own thoughts and techniques I plan on using and remembering when I start.

Fight or flight

I find in general, as I start new environments, my “Fight or flight response” is triggered. The comfort of what I know is incredibly attractive when you’re faced with a new office or meeting new people – there’s a safety in the known. That being said, it is true that every friend was once a stranger, and each home was once just a place. I often call university a “home” off the cuff, or more generally even call a hotel room a “home” when I’m on holiday. I think of it as a place I feel safe with people I know and love. As much as I now regard university as a home, it once felt very different – a huge campus and flatmates I barely knew. I do feel nervous to start a new life as a PhD student when I imagine arriving on my own in October. That being said, I need to remember that I felt nervous as a Fresher when I came to Warwick, time will pass and I’m sure one day it’ll feel like my home.

Imposter Syndrome

I’m sure everyone can relate to a feeling out-of-their-depth at university or that the degree was made for “cleverer” people. I have come to acknowledge that in the most general sense, everyone finds their degree challenging. The best in your class didn’t get that title on intelligence alone, but by being driven and hard working too.

As you start a PhD, you’re no longer competing for a certain grade on your work but you start becoming a name in your field. You often communicate your research within papers or at conferences – now you’re no longer one of fifty students completing a coursework, you’re one of one presenting your personal research. It may be easy to compare your work with others but it’ll be important to always acknowledge the effort you have put into your own work, and the impact it will have on the research community. You need to focus on your own personal growth and learn from everyone else. At university, exams almost felt like competitions. A PhD is no competition. You’re all there to learn from each other’s mistakes, building research and developing fields together.

There will be bad days

I have never talked to a PhD student who found their research “smooth sailing”. Unlike university, where exam questions are made to have an answer, I don’t think research is as simple. People are developing fields and research because currently there is no answer. I’m sure along my own journey there will be days where I’m stuck for ideas and not sure where to go or what path to take. As Kenneth Boulding, American Economist, once said “Nothing fails like success because we don’t learn from it. We learn only from failure.”

I realise now that three years is a long time, I’m excited for the growth I am about to embark on, both personally and academically. I know it will be a challenge, but I am certain that it’s a challenge I’m ready for.

You may be starting your PhD this October at Warwick. PhD Life is a great place to start, reading experiences from fellow students on their research journeys, to top tips to get you started. Have a read of Pierre’s things I wish I’d known post or take a look at how Rupika found her first term when she started her PhD last year.

Are you starting a PhD this term? How are you feeling? Or are you a returning researcher? What advice can you give to our newest members of the PhD community? Let us know in the comments below, by tweeting us @researchex or by emailing us at [email protected]

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Improve Mental Health · Achieve Performance Goals

Starting your Academic/PhD Journey? Here's a Comprehensive Guide

A comprehensive guide on how to start and succeed in your academic/PhD journey, from choosing a topic to preparing for the future.

Dr Dev Roychowdhury

Introduction.

Imagine that you are a young researcher who has just been accepted into a prestigious PhD programme in psychology or behavioural sciences. You are excited, nervous, and curious about what lies ahead. You have a passion for your field of study, and you want to make a positive impact on the world through your research. You have a lot of questions, such as:

• How do I choose a good research topic and supervisor?
• How do I plan and manage my time and resources effectively?
• How do I cope with the challenges and pressures of academic life?
• How do I communicate and collaborate with other researchers and stakeholders?
• How do I balance my personal and professional development?

If you are in this situation, or a similar one, then this article is for you. In this article, I will share some advice and tips that I have learned from my own experience and from other successful academics and PhD students. I will cover the following aspects of the academic/PhD journey:

• Choosing a research topic and supervisor
• Planning and conducting research
• Writing and publishing research papers
• Presenting and disseminating research findings
• Networking and collaborating with others
• Developing transferable skills and competencies
• Maintaining physical and mental well-being
• Preparing for the future

My goal is to help you navigate the academic/PhD journey with confidence, enthusiasm, and resilience. I hope that by reading this article, you will gain some insights and inspiration that will help you achieve your academic and personal goals.

One of the first and most important decisions that you will make as a PhD student is choosing a research topic and supervisor. This decision will have a significant impact on your motivation, satisfaction, and success throughout your PhD journey. Therefore, it is essential that you choose a research topic and supervisor that match your interests, skills, and aspirations.

Choosing a research topic

A good research topic is one that is:

• Original : It addresses a gap or problem in the existing literature or practice, and contributes new knowledge or insights to the field.
• Relevant : It aligns with the current trends and needs of the field, and has potential implications or applications for theory, policy, or practice.
• Feasible : It can be completed within the time and resource constraints of the PhD programme, and with the available data and methods.
• Interesting : It sparks your curiosity and passion, and keeps you motivated and engaged throughout the PhD journey.

To choose a good research topic, you can follow these steps:

• Explore : Read widely and critically in your field of interest, and identify the key concepts, theories, methods, and debates. Look for gaps, challenges, or inconsistencies in the literature, and think of possible ways to address them. You can also consult your peers, mentors, or experts for suggestions or feedback.
• Narrow : Once you have a broad area of interest, narrow it down to a specific research question or hypothesis that you want to investigate. You can use the SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) to refine your research question or hypothesis. You can also use the PICO framework (Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome) to define the scope and focus of your research question or hypothesis.
• Originality : How does your research question or hypothesis differ from or extend the existing literature or practice? What is the novelty or significance of your research question or hypothesis?
• Relevance : How does your research question or hypothesis align with the current trends and needs of the field? What are the potential implications or applications of your research question or hypothesis for theory, policy, or practice?
• Feasibility : How can you answer or test your research question or hypothesis within the time and resource constraints of the PhD programme? What data and methods will you use to answer or test your research question or hypothesis? Are they available and appropriate for your research question or hypothesis?
• Interest : How does your research question or hypothesis relate to your personal or professional goals? How does your research question or hypothesis spark your curiosity and passion? How will your research question or hypothesis keep you motivated and engaged throughout the PhD journey?
• Adjust : Based on your evaluation, adjust your research question or hypothesis as needed. You may need to modify, refine, or expand your research question or hypothesis to make it more original, relevant, feasible, or interesting. You may also need to revise your research question or hypothesis as you progress in your research, as you may encounter new data, methods, or findings that challenge or change your initial assumptions or expectations.

Choosing a supervisor

A good supervisor is one who is:

• Expert : They have extensive knowledge and experience in your field of interest, and can provide you with guidance, feedback, and support throughout your research.
• Available : They have enough time and resources to supervise you, and can meet with you regularly and respond to your queries promptly.
• Compatible : They have a similar research style and philosophy as you, and can communicate and collaborate with you effectively and respectfully.
• Mentor : They have a genuine interest and concern for your academic and personal development, and can help you grow as a researcher and as a person.

To choose a good supervisor, you can follow these steps:

• Research : Browse the websites and profiles of the potential supervisors in your department or institution, and learn about their research interests, publications, projects, and students. You can also read some of their papers or books, and see if their research topics, methods, and findings appeal to you. You can also ask your peers, mentors, or experts for recommendations or referrals.
• Contact : Once you have a shortlist of potential supervisors, contact them via email or phone, and introduce yourself and your research interests. You can also attach your CV, research proposal, or sample work, and ask them if they are interested and available to supervise you. You can also request a meeting or a chat with them, either online or in person, to discuss your research further.
• Expertise : How well do they know your field of interest? How much guidance, feedback, and support can they provide you throughout your research?
• Availability : How much time and resources do they have to supervise you? How often and how quickly can they meet with you and respond to your queries?
• Compatibility : How well do they match your research style and philosophy? How well can they communicate and collaborate with you effectively and respectfully?
• Mentorship : How much interest and concern do they have for your academic and personal development? How much can they help you grow as a researcher and as a person?
• Select : Based on your comparison, select the supervisor that best suits your interests, skills, and aspirations. You may need to consider other factors, such as the reputation, ranking, or funding of the department or institution, or the availability of other supervisors or collaborators. You may also need to negotiate or compromise with the supervisor on some aspects of your research, such as the research topic, methods, or timeline.

Once you have chosen a research topic and supervisor, the next step is to plan and conduct your research. This involves designing, implementing, and evaluating your research methods and procedures, and collecting, analysing, and interpreting your research data and results. This is the core and most challenging part of the academic/PhD journey, as it requires a lot of creativity, rigour, and perseverance.

Planning your research

A good research plan is one that is:

• Clear : It specifies the aims, objectives, questions, or hypotheses of your research, and the rationale, significance, and scope of your research.
• Systematic : It outlines the steps, stages, or phases of your research, and the methods, techniques, or tools that you will use to conduct your research.
• Realistic : It considers the time, resource, and ethical constraints of your research, and the potential risks, limitations, or challenges of your research.
• Flexible : It allows for adjustments, revisions, or modifications of your research, as you may encounter new data, methods, or findings that challenge or change your initial assumptions or expectations.

To plan your research, you can follow these steps:

• Review : Review the literature and practice in your field of interest, and identify the key concepts, theories, methods, and debates. Look for gaps, challenges, or inconsistencies in the literature or practice, and think of possible ways to address them. You can also consult your supervisor, mentors, or peers for suggestions or feedback.
• Design : Design your research methods and procedures, and specify the data sources, sampling strategies, measurement instruments, data collection techniques, data analysis methods, and data interpretation approaches that you will use to answer or test your research question or hypothesis. You can also design your research ethics and quality criteria, and specify the ethical principles, standards, and procedures that you will follow to ensure the integrity, validity, and reliability of your research.
• Schedule : Schedule your research activities and tasks, and estimate the time and resources that you will need to complete each of them. You can also set your research milestones and deliverables, and specify the expected outcomes and outputs of your research. You can use tools such as Gantt charts, calendars, or timelines to visualise and monitor your research progress.
• Clear : Does your research plan specify the aims, objectives, questions, or hypotheses of your research, and the rationale, significance, and scope of your research?
• Systematic : Does your research plan outline the steps, stages, or phases of your research, and the methods, techniques, or tools that you will use to conduct your research?
• Realistic : Does your research plan consider the time, resource, and ethical constraints of your research, and the potential risks, limitations, or challenges of your research?
• Flexible : Does your research plan allow for adjustments, revisions, or modifications of your research, as you may encounter new data, methods, or findings that challenge or change your initial assumptions or expectations?
• Adjust : Based on your evaluation, adjust your research plan as needed. You may need to modify, refine, or expand your research methods and procedures, or your research ethics and quality criteria, to make them more clear, systematic, realistic, or flexible. You may also need to revise your research schedule, milestones, or deliverables, to make them more achievable, relevant, or time-bound. You may also need to consult your supervisor, mentors, or peers for feedback or approval of your research plan.

Conducting your research

A good research project is one that is:

• Creative : It generates new knowledge or insights that address the gap or problem in the existing literature or practice, and contribute to the advancement of the field.
• Rigorous : It follows the research methods and procedures that are appropriate and robust for answering or testing the research question or hypothesis, and ensures the accuracy, consistency, and completeness of the research data and results.
• Ethical : It adheres to the research ethics and quality criteria that are relevant and valid for ensuring the integrity, validity, and reliability of the research, and respects the rights, dignity, and welfare of the research participants and stakeholders.
• Reflective : It monitors and evaluates the research process and outcomes, and identifies the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the research, and the lessons learned and implications for future research.

To conduct your research, you can follow these steps:

• Collect : Collect your research data from the data sources that you have identified and selected, using the data collection techniques that you have designed and implemented. You can use tools such as surveys, interviews, observations, experiments, or documents to collect your research data. You can also use tools such as databases, spreadsheets, or software to store, organise, and manage your research data.
• Analyse : Analyse your research data using the data analysis methods that you have designed and implemented. You can use tools such as statistics, graphs, tables, or models to analyse your research data. You can also use tools such as software, algorithms, or frameworks to process, transform, or visualise your research data.
• Interpret : Interpret your research results using the data interpretation approaches that you have designed and implemented. You can use tools such as narratives, themes, patterns, or theories to interpret your research results. You can also use tools such as logic, evidence, or arguments to explain, justify, or critique your research results.
• Creative : Does your research conduct generate new knowledge or insights that address the gap or problem in the existing literature or practice, and contribute to the advancement of the field?
• Rigorous : Does your research conduct follow the research methods and procedures that are appropriate and robust for answering or testing the research question or hypothesis, and ensure the accuracy, consistency, and completeness of the research data and results?
• Ethical : Does your research project adhere to the research ethics and quality criteria that are relevant and valid for ensuring the integrity, validity, and reliability of the research, and respect the rights, dignity, and welfare of the research participants and stakeholders?
• Reflective : Does your research project monitor and evaluate the research process and outcomes, and identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the research, and the lessons learned and implications for future research?
• Adjust : Based on your evaluation, adjust your research conduct as needed. You may need to modify, refine, or expand your research data collection, analysis, or interpretation, or your research ethics and quality criteria, to make them more creative, rigorous, ethical, or reflective. You will also need to consult your supervisor, mentors, or peers for feedback or approval of your research project.

One of the main outputs and outcomes of your research is writing and publishing research papers. This involves communicating and disseminating your research findings and implications to the academic and professional community, and to the wider public. This is also one of the most rewarding and challenging parts of the academic/PhD journey, as it requires a lot of skills, strategies, and perseverance.

Writing research papers

A good research paper is one that is:

• Clear : It conveys the main message and purpose of your research, and the key points and arguments that support your research.
• Coherent : It organises the information and ideas in your research in a logical and consistent manner, and connects them with appropriate transitions and signposts.
• Concise : It expresses the information and ideas in your research in a precise and succinct manner, and avoids unnecessary or redundant words or details.
• Correct : It follows the rules and conventions of the language, style, and format of your research, and avoids errors or mistakes in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or citation.

To write a good research paper, you can follow these steps:

• Plan : Plan your research paper, and decide on the topic, audience, purpose, and scope of your research paper. You can also decide on the type, genre, and structure of your research paper, and the sections, headings, and subheadings that you will use to organise your research paper. You can also decide on the tone, voice, and perspective of your research paper, and the level of formality, complexity, and specificity that you will use to communicate your research paper.
• Draft : Draft your research paper, and write the content and information that you want to include in each section of your research paper. You can use tools such as outlines, notes, or diagrams to plan and organise your content and information. You can also use tools such as sources, references, or quotations to support and illustrate your content and information. You can also use tools such as examples, explanations, or definitions to clarify and elaborate your content and information.
• Clear : Does your research paper convey the main message and purpose of your research, and the key points and arguments that support your research?
• Coherent : Does your research paper organise the information and ideas in your research in a logical and consistent manner, and connect them with appropriate transitions and signposts?
• Concise : Does your research paper express the information and ideas in your research in a precise and succinct manner, and avoid unnecessary or redundant words or details?
• Correct : Does your research paper follow the rules and conventions of the language, style, and format of your research, and avoid errors or mistakes in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or citation?
• Edit : Edit your research paper, and improve the clarity, coherence, conciseness, and correctness of your research paper. You may need to add, delete, move, or change the content and information in your research paper, or the way you present and organise them. You may also need to consult your supervisor, mentors, or peers for feedback or suggestions on how to improve your research paper.

Publishing research papers

A good research publication is one that is:

• Original : It presents new knowledge or insights that address the gap or problem in the existing literature or practice, and contribute to the advancement of the field.

To publish a good research paper, you can follow these steps:

• Select : Select a suitable journal or conference for your research paper, and learn about its aims, scope, audience, and requirements.
• Submit : Submit your research paper to the journal or conference that you have selected, and follow its submission guidelines and procedures. You can also write a cover letter or an abstract that summarises the main message and purpose of your research paper, and highlights its originality, relevance, rigour, and ethics. You can also acknowledge the contributions and support of your supervisor, mentors, peers, or funders in your research paper.
• Review : Review the feedback or comments that you receive from the journal or conference editors or reviewers, and respond to them politely and professionally. You can also revise your research paper based on the feedback or comments, and address the issues or concerns that they raise. You may need to resubmit your research paper for further review or approval, or you may need to appeal or withdraw your research paper if it is rejected or not accepted.
• Publish : Publish your research paper in the journal or conference that you have submitted to, and follow its publication guidelines and procedures. You can also check the quality and accuracy of your research paper before it is published, and request for corrections or changes if needed. You can also promote and share your research paper with your academic and professional network, and with the wider public, using various platforms and channels.

Another important output and outcome of your research is presenting and disseminating your research findings and implications to the academic and professional community, and to the wider public. This involves communicating and engaging with your research audience and stakeholders, and demonstrating the value and impact of your research. This is also one of the most enjoyable and challenging parts of the academic/PhD journey, as it requires a lot of skills, strategies, and confidence.

Presenting research findings

A good research presentation is one that is:

• Compelling : It captures the attention and interest of your research audience and stakeholders, and persuades them to accept or act on your research findings and implications.

To present a good research presentation, you can follow these steps:

• Plan : Plan your research presentation, and decide on the topic, audience, purpose, and scope of your research presentation. You can also decide on the type, genre, and structure of your research presentation, and the sections, headings, and subheadings that you will use to organise your research presentation. You can also decide on the tone, voice, and perspective of your research presentation, and the level of formality, complexity, and specificity that you will use to communicate your research presentation.
• Prepare : Prepare your research presentation, and write the content and information that you want to include in each section of your research presentation. You can use tools such as outlines, notes, or diagrams to plan and organise your content and information. You can also use tools such as sources, references, or quotations to support and illustrate your content and information. You can also use tools such as examples, explanations, or definitions to clarify and elaborate your content and information. You can also prepare your research slides, handouts, or posters, and use tools such as images, graphs, tables, or videos to visualise and enhance your content and information.
• Practice : Practice your research presentation, and rehearse the delivery and performance of your research presentation. You can use tools such as timers, recorders, or mirrors to monitor and improve your delivery and performance. You can also use tools such as cues, prompts, or notes to remind and guide you during your delivery and performance. You can also practice your research presentation in front of your supervisor, mentors, peers, or friends, and ask for feedback or suggestions on how to improve your research presentation.
• Present : Present your research presentation, and communicate and engage with your research audience and stakeholders. You can use tools such as gestures, eye contact, or voice to convey your confidence and enthusiasm, and to establish rapport and trust with your research audience and stakeholders. You can also use tools such as questions, comments, or discussions to interact and exchange ideas with your research audience and stakeholders. You can also use tools such as summaries, conclusions, or recommendations to reinforce and emphasise your main message and purpose, and to persuade your research audience and stakeholders to accept or act on your research findings and implications.

Disseminating research findings

A good research dissemination is one that is:

• Targeted : It identifies and reaches the intended research audience and stakeholders, and considers their needs, interests, and preferences.
• Tailored : It adapts and customises the content and format of the research findings and implications, and makes them accessible, understandable, and usable for the research audience and stakeholders.
• Timely : It delivers and shares the research findings and implications at the right time and place, and responds to the current trends and needs of the field and the society.
• Tracked : It monitors and evaluates the reach and impact of the research dissemination, and collects and analyses the feedback or outcomes of the research dissemination.

To disseminate a good research presentation, you can follow these steps:

• Identify : Identify your research audience and stakeholders, and learn about their needs, interests, and preferences. You can also identify the goals, objectives, and outcomes of your research dissemination, and what you want to achieve or accomplish with your research dissemination.
• Select : Select the appropriate platforms and channels for your research dissemination, and learn about their features, advantages, and disadvantages. You can also select the suitable media and formats for your research dissemination, and learn about their requirements, standards, and guidelines.
• Adapt : Adapt your research findings and implications for your research dissemination, and make them accessible, understandable, and usable for your research audience and stakeholders. You can also adapt your research language and style for your research dissemination, and make them appropriate, consistent, and effective for your research audience and stakeholders.
• Deliver : Deliver your research dissemination, and communicate and engage with your research audience and stakeholders. You can also promote and share your research dissemination with your academic and professional network, and with the wider public, using various platforms and channels.
• Evaluate : Evaluate your research dissemination, and monitor and measure the reach and impact of your research dissemination. You can also collect and analyse the feedback or outcomes of your research dissemination, and identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of your research dissemination, and the lessons learned and implications for future research endeavours.

Another essential aspect of the academic/PhD journey is networking and collaborating with others. This involves building and maintaining relationships with your supervisor, mentors, peers, colleagues, and other researchers and professionals in your field and beyond. This is also one of the most beneficial and rewarding parts of the academic/PhD journey, as it can provide you with opportunities, resources, support, and feedback that can enhance your research and career.

Networking with others

A good research network is one that is:

• Diverse : It consists of people from different backgrounds, disciplines, institutions, and sectors, and offers a variety of perspectives, experiences, and expertise.
• Relevant : It aligns with your research interests, goals, and aspirations, and provides you with valuable information, insights, and opportunities.
• Reciprocal : It is based on mutual respect, trust, and support, and involves sharing, exchanging, and contributing to each other’s research and development.
• Active : It is maintained and nurtured through regular and meaningful communication and interaction, and involves initiating, participating, and following up on various activities and events.

To network with others, you can follow these steps:

• Identify : Identify the potential people that you want to network with, and learn about their research interests, projects, publications, and achievements. You can also identify the goals, objectives, and outcomes of your networking, and what you want to achieve or accomplish with your networking.
• Connect : Connect with the potential people that you want to network with, and introduce yourself and your research interests, projects, publications, and achievements. You can also express your interest and appreciation for their research interests, projects, publications, and achievements, and invite them to connect with you. You can use various platforms and channels to connect with them, such as email, phone, social media, or online platforms.
• Engage : Engage with the people that you have networked with, and communicate and interact with them regularly and meaningfully. You can also share, exchange, and contribute to each other’s research interests, projects, publications, and achievements, and provide or seek information, insights, or opportunities. You can also participate or initiate various activities and events to engage with them, such as seminars, workshops, conferences, webinars, podcasts, or blogs.
• Maintain : Maintain your research network, and nurture and strengthen your relationships with the people that you have networked with. You can also acknowledge and appreciate their contributions and support to your research and development, and provide or seek feedback or suggestions on how to improve your research and development. You can also follow up on the activities and events that you have participated or initiated, and update them on your research progress and outcomes.

Collaborating with others

A good research collaboration is one that is:

• Complementary : It brings together people with different but compatible skills, knowledge, and resources, and leverages their strengths and potentials to achieve a common goal or outcome.
• Synergistic : It creates a positive and productive environment and culture, and fosters creativity, innovation, and excellence in the research process and outcomes.
• Respectful : It respects the diversity, autonomy, and dignity of the collaborators, and involves mutual trust, honesty, and accountability in the research process and outcomes.
• Impactful : It generates and disseminates research findings and implications that are relevant, useful, and beneficial for the collaborators, the field, and the society.

To collaborate with others, you can follow these steps:

• Identify : Identify the potential collaborators that you want to collaborate with, and learn about their skills, knowledge, and resources that are relevant and useful for your research. You can also identify the goals, objectives, and outcomes of your collaboration, and what you want to achieve or accomplish with your collaboration.
• Agree : Agree with the potential collaborators that you want to collaborate with, and establish the terms and conditions of your collaboration, such as the roles, responsibilities, expectations, and contributions of each collaborator, and the timeline, budget, and deliverables of the collaboration. You can also agree on the communication and coordination mechanisms and tools that you will use to facilitate your collaboration, such as meetings, emails, chats, or online platforms.
• Implement : Implement your collaboration, and execute the tasks and activities that you have agreed to do with your collaborators, and follow the terms and conditions of your collaboration. You can also communicate and coordinate with your collaborators regularly and effectively, and update them on your progress and challenges. You can also provide or seek support, feedback, or suggestions from your collaborators, and resolve any issues or conflicts that may arise during your collaboration.
• Evaluate : Evaluate your collaboration, and monitor and measure the process and outcomes of your collaboration, and compare them with the goals, objectives, and outcomes of your collaboration. You can also collect and analyse the feedback or outcomes of your collaboration, and identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of your collaboration, and the lessons learned and implications for future collaboration. You can also acknowledge and appreciate the contributions and support of your collaborators, and celebrate and share your achievements and successes.

Another vital aspect of the academic/PhD journey is developing transferable skills and competencies that can enhance your research and career. These are skills and competencies that are not specific to your field or discipline, but are applicable and useful in various contexts and situations, such as academic, professional, or personal. These are also skills and competencies that can help you adapt and thrive in the changing and competitive world.

Some examples of transferable skills and competencies are:

• Critical thinking : The ability to analyse, evaluate, and synthesise information and ideas from various sources and perspectives, and to apply logic, evidence, and arguments to support or challenge claims or conclusions.
• Creative thinking : The ability to generate, explore, and implement novel and original ideas and solutions for various problems or opportunities, and to apply imagination, intuition, and divergent thinking to enhance innovation and excellence.
• Communication : The ability to express, exchange, and interpret information and ideas effectively and appropriately, using various modes, media, and formats, and to adapt to the needs, interests, and preferences of various audiences and stakeholders.
• Collaboration : The ability to work with others towards a common goal or outcome, and to share, contribute, and coordinate resources, tasks, and responsibilities, and to respect, trust, and support each other’s diversity, autonomy, and dignity.
• Information literacy : The ability to access, evaluate, and use information from various sources and formats, and to apply ethical and legal principles and standards to ensure the integrity, validity, and reliability of information.
• Digital literacy : The ability to use, create, and communicate information and ideas using various digital technologies and platforms, and to apply digital skills, strategies, and ethics to enhance learning and productivity.
• Research literacy : The ability to design, conduct, and disseminate research that is original, relevant, rigorous, and ethical, and to apply research methods, techniques, and tools that are appropriate and robust for answering or testing research questions or hypotheses.
• Project management : The ability to plan, implement, and evaluate projects that are clear, systematic, realistic, and flexible, and to manage time, resources, and risks effectively and efficiently.
• Leadership : The ability to inspire, influence, and empower others to achieve a shared vision or mission, and to demonstrate integrity, accountability, and responsibility in the process.
• Self-management : The ability to monitor, regulate, and improve one’s own learning and performance, and to set and pursue personal and professional goals, and to demonstrate resilience, perseverance, and self-efficacy in the process.

To develop transferable skills and competencies, you can follow these steps:

• Identify : Identify the transferable skills and competencies that are relevant and useful for your research and career, and learn about their definitions, components, and indicators. You can also identify your strengths and weaknesses in these transferable skills and competencies, and assess your current level and progress.
• Learn : Learn about the transferable skills and competencies that you want to develop, and acquire the knowledge, understanding, and awareness in this domain. You can also learn about the strategies, techniques, and resources that can help you develop these skills, and the examples, models, or mentors that can inspire you to develop these abilities.
• Practice : Practice the transferable skills and competencies that you want to develop, and apply the knowledge, understanding, and awareness of these in various contexts and situations, such as academic, professional, or personal. You can also practice the strategies, techniques, and resources that can help you develop these capabilities, and seek or create opportunities, challenges, or projects that can help you develop these transferable skills and competencies.
• Reflect : Reflect on the transferable skills and competencies that you have developed, and evaluate the process and outcomes of your development, and compare them with your goals and expectations. You can also reflect on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of your development, and the lessons learned and implications for future development. You can also seek or receive feedback or suggestions from your supervisor, mentors, peers, or colleagues on how to improve your development.
• Improve : Improve your transferable skills and competencies, and enhance the knowledge, understanding, and awareness of these transferable skills and competencies. You can also improve the strategies, techniques, and resources that can help you develop these capabilities, and address the issues or concerns that may hinder your development. You can also celebrate and share your achievements and successes in developing these transferable skills and competencies.

Another crucial aspect of the academic/PhD journey is maintaining physical and mental well-being. This involves taking care of your health, happiness, and balance in your life, and coping with the stress, pressure, and challenges that you may face during your research and career. This is also one of the most neglected and difficult parts of the academic/PhD journey, as it requires a lot of awareness, self-care, and support.

Maintaining physical well-being

A good physical well-being is one that is:

• Healthy : It involves eating a balanced and nutritious diet, drinking enough water, and avoiding or limiting alcohol, tobacco, or drugs.
• Active : It involves doing regular and moderate physical activities, such as walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming, and avoiding or reducing sedentary behaviours, such as sitting, lying, or watching TV.
• Restful : It involves getting enough and quality sleep, and following a consistent and regular sleep schedule, and avoiding or minimising caffeine, screen time, or noise before bedtime.
• Safe : It involves protecting yourself from injuries, illnesses, or infections, and following the health and safety guidelines and regulations, and seeking or receiving medical attention or treatment when needed.

To maintain your physical well-being, you can follow these steps:

• Assess : Assess your physical well-being, and learn about your body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and other health indicators. You can also assess your physical activity level, sleep quality, and health risks or issues. You can use tools such as scales, monitors, trackers, or apps to measure and monitor your physical well-being.
• Plan : Plan your physical well-being, and set realistic and specific goals and objectives for improving or maintaining your physical well-being. You can also plan your diet, exercise, sleep, and health routines and habits, and the strategies, techniques, and resources that you will use to achieve your goals and objectives. You can use tools such as calendars, planners, or journals to plan and organise your physical well-being.
• Implement : Implement your physical well-being, and follow your diet, exercise, sleep, and health routines and habits, and the strategies, techniques, and resources that you have planned to use. You can also track and record your physical well-being, and the progress and outcomes of your implementation. You can use tools such as logs, charts, or graphs to visualise and document your physical well-being.
• Evaluate : Evaluate your physical well-being, and compare your physical well-being, and the progress and outcomes of your implementation, with your goals and objectives. You can also evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of your physical well-being, and the lessons learned and implications for future physical well-being. You can also seek or receive feedback or suggestions from your supervisor, mentors, peers, or health professionals on how to improve your physical well-being.
• Improve : Improve your physical well-being, and enhance your diet, exercise, sleep, and health routines and habits, and the strategies, techniques, and resources that you use. You can also address the issues or concerns that may hinder your physical well-being, and seek or receive support, guidance, or assistance when needed. You can also celebrate and share your achievements and successes in improving or maintaining your physical well-being.

Maintaining mental well-being

A good mental well-being is one that is:

• Positive : It involves having an optimistic and hopeful attitude, and focusing on the strengths and opportunities rather than the weaknesses and threats.
• Resilient : It involves having a strong and flexible mindset, and coping with the stress, pressure, and challenges that you may face during your research and career.
• Balanced : It involves having a harmonious and satisfying life, and managing your time, energy, and emotions effectively and efficiently.
• Supported : It involves having a supportive and caring network, and seeking or receiving help, advice, or encouragement from your supervisor, mentors, peers, friends, family, or counsellors when needed.

To maintain your mental well-being, you can follow these steps:

• Assess : Assess your mental well-being, and learn about your mood, stress level, self-esteem, motivation, and other psychological indicators. You can also assess your coping skills, life satisfaction, and mental health risks or issues. You can use tools such as scales, questionnaires, tests, or apps to measure and monitor your mental well-being.
• Plan : Plan your mental well-being, and set realistic and specific goals and objectives for improving or maintaining your mental well-being. You can also plan your positive, resilient, balanced, and supported routines and habits, and the strategies, techniques, and resources that you will use to achieve your goals and objectives. You can use tools such as calendars, planners, or journals to plan and organise your mental well-being.
• Implement : Implement your mental well-being, and follow your positive, resilient, balanced, and supported routines and habits, and the strategies, techniques, and resources that you have planned to use. You can also track and record your mental well-being, and the progress and outcomes of your implementation. You can use tools such as logs, charts, or graphs to visualise and document your mental well-being.
• Evaluate : Evaluate and compare your mental well-being and the progress and outcomes of your implementation, with your goals and objectives. You can also evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of your mental well-being, and the lessons learned and implications for future mental well-being. You can also seek or receive feedback or suggestions from your supervisor, mentors, peers, or mental health professionals on how to improve your mental well-being.
• Improve : Improve your mental well-being based on your planning and implementation. You can also address the issues or concerns that may hinder your mental well-being, and seek or receive support, guidance, or assistance when needed. You can also celebrate and share your achievements and successes in improving or maintaining your mental well-being.

The final and most important aspect of the academic/PhD journey is preparing for the future. This involves planning and pursuing your career and life goals, and exploring and exploiting the opportunities and possibilities that your research and skills can offer. This is also one of the most exciting and uncertain parts of the academic/PhD journey, as it requires a lot of vision, ambition, and courage.

Preparing for the academic career

An academic career is one that is:

• Research-oriented : It involves conducting, leading, and supervising research that is original, relevant, rigorous, and ethical, and that contributes to the advancement of the field and the society.
• Teaching-oriented : It involves teaching, mentoring, and inspiring students and learners at various levels and stages, and that fosters their academic and personal development and success.
• Service-oriented : It involves serving, contributing, and participating in the academic and professional community, and that supports and enhances its quality, reputation, and impact.

To prepare for an academic career, you can follow these steps:

• Explore : Explore the academic career options and opportunities that are available and suitable for you, and learn about their requirements, expectations, and benefits. You can also explore the academic institutions and organisations that are relevant and attractive for you, and learn about their missions, visions, and values. You can also explore the academic fields and disciplines that are interesting and promising for you, and learn about their trends, needs, and challenges.
• Develop : Develop the academic skills and competencies that are essential and desirable for an academic career, and that can enhance your research, teaching, and service performance and potential. You can also develop your academic portfolio and profile that can showcase your research, teaching, and service achievements and successes. You can also develop your academic network and collaboration that can provide you with information, insights, and opportunities for an academic career.
• Apply : Apply for the academic career positions and roles that are relevant and suitable for you that can match your interests, skills, and aspirations. You can also apply for the academic grants and funding that are available and appropriate for you that can support your research, teaching, and service activities and projects. You can also apply for the academic awards and recognition that are attainable and valuable for you which can acknowledge and appreciate your research, teaching, and service contributions and impact.
• Succeed : Succeed in your academic career, and achieve your academic career goals and objectives that can fulfil your academic and personal potential and satisfaction. You can also succeed in your academic research, teaching, and service that can generate and disseminate new knowledge and insights, and that can benefit the field and the society. You can also succeed in your academic development and growth that can enhance your academic skills and competencies, and that can prepare you for future academic career challenges and opportunities.

Preparing for the non-academic career

A non-academic career is one that is:

• Industry-oriented : It involves working, leading, and managing in various industries and sectors that applies and utilises your research and skills to solve real-world problems or create value-added products or services.
• Policy-oriented : It involves working, leading, and influencing in various policy and decision-making bodies and organisations that applies and utilises your research and skills to inform, shape, or evaluate policies or programmes that affect the field and the society.
• Society-oriented : It involves working, leading, and engaging in various social and community initiatives and organisations that applies and utilises your research and skills to support, empower, or advocate for various social or community causes.

To prepare for a non-academic career, you can follow these steps:

• Explore : Explore the non-academic career options and opportunities that are available and suitable for you, and learn about their requirements, expectations, and benefits. You can also explore the industries, sectors, bodies, organisations, and initiatives that are relevant and attractive for you, and learn about their missions, visions, and values. You can also explore the fields and disciplines that are interesting and promising for you, and learn about their trends, needs, and challenges.
• Develop : Develop the non-academic skills and competencies that are essential and desirable for a non-academic career, and that can enhance your industry, policy, or society performance and potential. You can also develop your non-academic portfolio and profile that can showcase your industry, policy, or society achievements and successes. You can also develop your non-academic network and collaboration, and that can provide you with information, insights, and opportunities for a non-academic career.
• Apply : Apply for the non-academic career positions and roles that are relevant and suitable for you, and that can match your interests, skills, and aspirations. You can also apply for the non-academic grants and funding that are available and appropriate for you, and that can support your industry, policy, or society activities and projects. You can also apply for non-academic awards and recognition that are attainable and valuable for you, and that can acknowledge and appreciate your industry, policy, or society contributions and impact.
• Succeed : Succeed in your non-academic career, and achieve your non-academic career goals and objectives that can fulfil your non-academic and personal potential and satisfaction. You can also succeed in your industry, policy, or society that can apply and utilise your research and skills to solve real-world problems or create value-added products or services, or to inform, shape, or evaluate policies or programmes that affect the field and the society, or to support, empower, or advocate for various social or community causes. You can also succeed in your non-academic development and growth, and that can enhance your non-academic skills and competencies, and that can prepare you for future non-academic career challenges and opportunities.

In this article, I have shared some advice and tips that I have learned from my own experience and from other successful academics and PhD students. I have covered the following aspects of the academic/PhD journey:

My goal is to help you navigate the academic/PhD journey with confidence, enthusiasm, and resilience. I hope that by reading this article, you have gained crucial insights and inspiration that will help you achieve your academic and personal goals.

Please note that this article is not exhaustive or definitive, and it may not cover all the aspects or issues that you may encounter or face during your academic/PhD journey, as it is based on my own understanding, experience, and interpretation. Therefore, I encourage you to seek and consult other sources of information and guidance, such as your supervisor, mentors, peers, or experts, and to explore and discover your own strategies and solutions that work best for you.

Finally, I congratulate you for embarking on this exciting and rewarding journey, and I wish you all the best and success in your research and career.

Thank you for reading this article, and I hope you enjoyed it. I would love to know more about your academic journey. Comment below and let's share our experiences.

If you need assistance with anything I have mentioned in this article, please feel free to contact me.

I would love to hear from you.

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PhD diary: Where do I begin?

Difficulties in beginning a project may not be a unique problem among writers, says charlie pullen, but trialling new ways of learning may help to get the creative juices flowing .

Charlie Pullen

“And where will you begin?”

This question, which my two supervisors asked me at the beginning of the month, filled me with dread. It’s a good question, but I had no idea how to answer it. And instead of trying to decide for myself, I would rather they had told me where they thought I should begin. Where do you start a research project that will last three or four years and will culminate in a thesis of something like 90,000 words?

Beginning, I must admit, is something I struggle with (as I sit down to write this post, I find myself doing just about anything to avoid typing). However, I am comforted by something Jacqueline Rose, a well-known literary scholar, once said: every time she begins to write, she feels as if this will be the time she cannot do it. Every other time and every other book or article she wrote was different, she said. This time, which is every time she started something new, beginning seemed impossible.

PhD diary: Preparing for a PhD

In my experience as a student, this feeling of defeat from the outset is something I recognise. Not only the anxiety and bewilderment that comes with starting a university course, but continuously in just about every essay and assessment you work on.

No matter how much I research and prepare, there’s always some feeling of being confounded at the start of writing. And if Jacqueline Rose's experience is anything to go by, it would seem that the difficulty of starting doesn’t get better with experience or time. 

But there are things that I think I can do to try to minimise this difficulty. The first is to change some of my working and studying habits. We are used to hearing teachers and educational consultants say that all of us work in different ways and that no way is right or wrong. When it comes down to it, however, I think some ways are clearly better – ie, more productive and healthier than others.

A PhD has a formal phase that you pass into at the end called a write-up. This is the time when you finalise the written product of your research. The name would suggest, and this may make more sense for students in disciplines outside the humanities, that this is when you actually start writing.

In reality, most students will and should be writing all the way through, from the beginning, as they research and investigate their topic. In the case of English, this means that you read and write at the same time.

This is not in my nature: I would sooner read about my topic interminably before eventually trying to write it all up. Yet, I am making a conscious decision to go against this habit, to write as I read from the beginning of my PhD. I obviously haven’t invented this way of working, but to me it makes perfect sense: you have plenty of draft material to play with; there is actual work that proves (to yourself) you are making progress; and in writing you can test out ideas and make sense of your research and reading.

8 habits to help you get through your PhD Pursuing a PhD in neuroscience Women in STEM: undertaking PhD research in cancer Why study a PhD in English literature?

Writing is a way of experimenting with your research; it doesn’t have to be the finished product, but it can often lead you to surprising ways of thinking about your work. This is the second thing I’m trying to do more of – experimenting. 

In the first stages I will be pushing myself towards new or unexpected things to explore. I’m aiming to be promiscuous in my research by having a go with lots of different ideas and then dropping most of them later. I want to be open-minded, exploratory and not make any decisions about my research too soon.

And, finally, I want to be as much of a generalist as possible. A PhD project addresses a specialist and particular branch of a subject, and the person studying it is, or will become, an expert in that field. I don’t want my PhD to be the only thing I do or know about, so I’m making an effort to read and watch things that are in no way related to my research.

In the past week, for instance, I’ve read a novel from a different period than my research, I’ve gone to see a public lecture by a geographer and I’ve been to the opera for the first time. I’ve enjoyed all of them. I’m happy to learn new things, even (or especially) when they’re not useful for my PhD.

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Tress Academic

#24: New to the PhD? – 5 tips for a great start!

September 17, 2019 by Tress Academic

New to the PhD? Looking forward to an exciting time in your life? Bet you are! But maybe you’re also feeling a bit anxious for how to get this major undertaking started off right? Do you wonder what things you should be aware of? We’ve got it for you right here: Our 5 essential tips for new PhDs!

Have you started your PhD recently – or are just about to getting started and looking for a way to get off on the right foot? You’ll share this feeling with many other PhDs who start with the beginning of a new academic year. We recently came across the following post in a Facebook group that says what you’re all thinking:

“Hi everyone! I am working on my doctorate in Educational Leadership at Georgia State University, and I just began last week. What tips do you have for someone just starting their journey?”

As academic career consultants, who’ve been advising PhD students for more than a decade, this is the one question that makes us bubble over with suggestions. We could literally give you tons of tips and a quote like this makes us want to pass on all the wisdom we’ve ever gathered about PhD students to you. 

With that said, you would likely be overwhelmed and not get much out of an outpouring of advice. So instead, we thought we’d distill a few solid  tips that will be really useful right from the start and also essential to your success in the long run.

At the beginning of a PhD education, you have a lot of choices and many decisions to make. Your ‘room-to-manoeuver’ is quite large. But later on, this narrows and you become more fixed in every aspect of your project. So it is essential that you put everything surrounding your PhD on the right track now – to get off to a good start and reap the benefits in the long run!

1. Be wary – time flies 

If you are right at the beginning, and you’re in a structured graduate programme, you’ve likely got 3-4 years (or more depending on your funding and country) of PhD time ahead of you. 

Quite understandably, this may seem like an eternity to you. It may seem like you have years of endless freedom ahead of you to work on a topic that you find captivating and thrilling. Right now, your calendar may be nearly empty and your task-list short. The pressure is lowest right at the beginning, so you don’t perceive any urgency to quickly crack-down on your project ideas. But be aware that one PhD student after another gets caught in the trap of losing too much time in the early months, time they can’t make up for later on. This is the no. 1 regret of PhD students nearing the end: they did not take the time seriously enough at the beginning.

• Be aware of the fact that your PhD clock starts ticking from the very first day. What may help you is to have a calendar in your office or phone  with a countdown to your hand-in date (or end of contract if that is more appropriate in your case). This way you’re reminded every single day that time is your scarcest resource.
• Do not spend the first weeks hanging around without any direction. Instead make up your mind very quickly for what the focus of your PhD will be. Zoom in to that, develop a project goal and start working on it. 
• If you are not clear on your topic or your project goals – then to develop this is the most important work for you to do right now. 
• For further advice, read our SMART ACADADEMICS blog post no. 2: So you want to finish your PhD on time? and download our free expert guide “5 Reasons Why PhD Students Delay and How to Avoid” .

2. Gear up your work-ethics

Some of you have just completed a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree and likely finished it with stellar marks – otherwise you wouldn’t be working on your PhD now. Others may not be coming straight from university, but have had a few years of professional work experience under their belts. All of you have beaten a tough competition to earn a grant, get a scholarship and make it through the job interviews.

Careful: don’t fall into the trap of thinking ‘Hey, I made it, I can relax now’ or  think that the skill-set or mindset that brought you here will make you successful in the coming years! 

This is a new game and the rules are different. The level of ambition and complexity of a PhD project is not comparable to a Masters programme or anything you’ve experienced in the corporate world. A PhD is not meant to be an easy journey, and not everyone finishes in the end. How successful you are in your PhD depends as much on your attitude and work-ethics as on everything else.

Tips: 

• Don’t think this will be easy! Approach your PhD with the right attitude: respectfully and seriously . A PhD is an unwieldy beast and you’ve got to master it in the end. You can do it, and you should be confident that you’ll be successful in the end. But you should also acknowledge that it will take all your energy, strengths and effort to do so. 
• Step-up your work ethics, not just one, but 2-3 gears: Gone are the days of excessive partying, late-night outs and long lie-ins (keep that for the weekend). Instead, from your very first day onwards, try to be as focused and efficient as possible. Work hard and concentrate on the most important tasks every single day that will bring you ahead quickly. 
• Make important decisions early on and move forward with your project rather than postponing out of fear of making the wrong decisions.
• Establish a good working routine: Get up early and work on your most important tasks during the morning while your energy level is still high and you’ll find it easier to focus. 
• For more tips on strengthening your work ethic and efficiency read our SMART ACADEMICS blog post no. 4: “How to make time for research”   and download our free expert guide: “How to boost your productivity as a researcher” .

3. Read, read, read

You’ve got a steep learning curve ahead of you. In just a few weeks (ideally) you have to make a quantum leap to familiarise yourself with the most significant scholarly discourses and current trends in your field.

There’s no way around it. If you don’t know what’s going on in your field, you: 

• won’t know what others have already done (probably resulting in a duplicate of a project)
• won’t know what the most significant and crucial questions are right now – so you can’t judge the relevance and importance of your own project ideas
• won’t know what approaches and methods are standard in your field, so you won’t have a blueprint to approach your own ideas.

This is like becoming fluent in a foreign language: If you’ve never been through the foundations of its grammar, you’ll never be able to speak it without mistakes. 

Towards the end of your PhD, as you become an expert, you’ll need a solid foundation (and keep it updated) so you can challenge existing beliefs and customs, and you can develop a new way of thinking. That is the point where science really get’s interesting and you’ll be able to make a significant contribution to your field. 

The literature you could potentially read today is virtually unlimited, but your time is . If you try to get started all on your own you’ll likely get confused, lost or overwhelmed. 

• Here’s a shortcut that works wonders: Ask your supervisors, plus a few colleagues and post-docs around you for the five to ten most relevant published papers in your field. Mention that you want to get an overview and that you want to use their suggestions to get a head-start. 
• Start with reading those papers or books that everyone has on their list and then make your way through the rest. 
• It’ll be really hard at the beginning, and you’ll find it difficult to understand at times but don’t worry, this is normal, just keep going, because it will get easier the more you read! Don’t hesitate to get back to those who suggested a paper to you and ask them to explain a particular aspect or section that does not make sense to you. You’re right at the start of your PhD, so you’ve got a right to ask.
• Get used to making notes or short excerpts right after you finished a paper – jot down the overall  thoughts and results that are presented. This will later help you develop your writing skills. Over time you’ll gradually move on to spend more time writing than reading. For more great tips on writing see our SMART ACADEMICS blog post no. 5: How to get started with writing papers? and download our free expert guide “5 Strategies to Avoid Initial Paper Rejection”  
• Read every single day and make it a primary activity. Decide on a time-span (e.g. 1-2 hours at a time) and one clear task (e.g. to read one particular chapter in a book or one paper). Stop afterwards and turn to something else. Identify places and times during your workday when you read best and make it a habit: Read in the morning when you commute to your institute, or read before starting your lab work, read in the canteen before lunch, or hide in the library in the afternoon, where you’re completely undisturbed. Find out what works best for you and stick with that!

4. Shed your “I’ll-go-it-alone-attitude”

You’ve taken on a difficult project and not every PhD makes it to the finish line. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to think that you can or have to do this on your own. PhDs often seem to think that those around them expect them to know everything. That is wrong.

PhD students who adapt an ‘I’ll-go-it-alone’-attitude, often isolate themselves. That has consequences, both social and intellectual:

• They concoct their projects in their own chamber, without much exchange with peers which may lead them to develop far-fetched ideas that are not in line with mainstream trends in their discipline, marginalising themselves. They may have flaws built into their research methods that go uncovered for a long time and are difficult to rectify later on. 
• They do not search for or receive regular feedback. So when they finally have to present their ideas or work, they often get much harsher criticism. Since they’re not used to being critiqued,  and because the problems might be serious at this point, it will hurt even more.  

• Resist any temptation to isolate yourself, but try instead to develop a broad network for support. Expose yourself to scholarly debate and scrutiny right from the start of your PhD. Simply put yourself out there at the beginning – you’ve got nothing to lose. 
• It’s too early, I can’t discuss my ideas
• I can’t show my work yet
• I’m not ready
• I’m not smart enough, or I don’t know enough to participate
• The feedback you’ll receive on each occasion will help you to grow. Every little remark from colleagues will help you to reflect on your work and improve it. The quality of your PhD will tremendously benefit from this. It’ll also prevent you from making bigger mistakes or going off on a direction that is not worthwhile. 
• supervisors
• graduate school coordinators
• PhD students, who started together with you
• more advanced PhD students & postdocs
• senior colleagues in your work-group or institute
• international scholars or teachers that you get to know over time as you attend scientific events. 

5. Grow thick skin

Academia is not an environment for the faint-hearted, but an extremely competitive surrounding, where everyone has to fight for their space, jobs, funding or a better place in rankings. After months of hard work, your papers can still be rejected, your proposal goes unfunded, and your best ideas dismantled by your colleagues. You’ll discover that you’ve made a huge mistake in your data-collection that renders weeks of work useless and you’ve no idea how to make up for that! It is also  normal that even the nicest team or cosiest workplace can feel hostile at times. Especially because this is your project and your work, every rejection, setback or failure hits you personally! 

You’ll have your ego bruised more than once, and likely a few setbacks that may feel like more than you can handle. There will be days when you don’t want to show up at the institute anymore, and moments  you’ll be tempted to quit. Those that are overly sensitive often struggle in an academic environment and mental health issues among PhD students is a well-documented and rampant problem. For more information, see “Being a PhD student shouldn’t be bad for your health”  Nature (vol. 569, p. 307) . 

• You can’t avoid every disaster during a PhD, but developing the ability to pick yourself up again after a major setback is a must. Getting your act together and moving on is part of the journey and those who master it will be the successful ones in the end.
• Try to keep things in perspective – you may have been criticised, or failed, were wrong or forgot something, but instead of dwelling on that (and increasing your misery) look on the ‘bright side of life’! Ask yourself positive questions, like what have you achieved recently, what went well, what you succeeded with? 
• Don’t build your entire personality of ‘who you are’ into this PhD. This is your job right now and a big part of your life, but never let it become the entire you! 
• Find a way to disengage. Literally unplugging and not thinking about your PhD, your team, your institute for a time helps! Make sure you have other activities to look forward to in the evenings and on the weekends. Coming back the next morning or at the start of a new week relaxed and with a fresh mindset will help to avoid mistakes, as well as not take things too  seriously when they occur.   
• Support from your network (see point 4.) but also friends, family and loved ones works wonders! They’ll keep up your motivation and show you that there is a life beyond the PhD. 

Conclusion:

We’re really not trying to scare you, but as they say “truth hurts”. There are a lot of common mistakes we see people making at the beginning of their PhD that can snowball into a lot of stress, wasted time and missed opportunities! We do not want your PhD experience to be anything like this – we thought we’d better give you some tough love now! It is essential to start your PhD off on the right foot and avoid the traps that so often befall young researchers with seemingly endless time on their hands. We hope you can learn from our five tips to keep your work on track, your motivation high and your attitude solid. A PhD can be a beautiful thing. Most importantly, we urge you not to forget to….

…enjoy the ride!

This should actually be the sixth point on our list. When we think back to our PhD years, we remember it as a very happy time in our lives! Most days, we were thrilled to come to the institute, and see what  exciting experience lay in store! It’s a time of discovery, where you make connections socially and intellectually at your own institute, but also at national or international scientific events. The highs of this time by far outweighed the lows we had to endure! It will all be worth it in the end when you’re holding your doctor’s degree in hand!

Do you have any personal tips for new PhDs? What advice would you give to PhD students who just started? Share your ideas with us on Facebook or drop us a note at [email protected] . 

Related resources:

• Smart Academics Blog #2: So you want to finish your PhD on time?
• Smart Academics Blog #4: How to make time for research?  
• Smart Academics Blog #5: How to get started with writing papers?
• Smart Academics Blog #46: What makes PhD students succeed?
• Smart Academics Blog #47: Plan your project – save your PhD!
• Smart Academics Blog #112: PhD project-planning quick-start
• Expert guide “5 reasons why PhD students delay & how-to avoid”
• Expert guide: “How to boost your productivity as a researcher”
• Expert guide “5 Strategies to Avoid Initial Paper Rejection”
• TRESS ACADEMIC course: Completing your PhD successfully on time
• Nature (2019): “Being a PhD student shouldn’t be bad for your health”. Vol. 569, p. 307.  

More information: 

Do you want to complete your PhD successfully? If so, please sign up to receive our free guides.  

(c) 2019 Tress Academic

Photographs by Jon Tyson, Dollar Gill & Franck at unsplash.com

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