Managing Your PhD

1. PART 1 - GETTING STARTED Managing Your PhD Matthiesen & Binder, 2009 Dr C Wilson 2009

2. Introductions Why am I here? Why are you here? Activity - Get to know the people you will be working with Who you are & the area of your research Why you decided to do a PhD Where you hope it will take you Dr C Wilson 2009

3. What is a PhD? • A PhD is about making an original contribution to knowledge • You don’t need to re-invent the wheel to make a contribution to knowledge • A PhD is primarily a research training exercise Dr C Wilson 2009

4. The Doctorate • Year 1: You will be encouraged to attend some training In addition the formative stage of the doctoral process is to: • Begin your literature review • Develop or refine your research • Year 2: Normally dedicated to conducting field or laboratory research, including data collection and analysis. Writing of research papers • Year 3: Consolidate your research, write your thesis, defend your work Dr C Wilson 2009

5. Your Research Choose a partner Describe Briefly : The context of your research (literature and background) The aim of your research (what you will add) The methodology Just 5 minutes each Dr C Wilson 2009

6. Your Motivations… • Advance knowledge • Undertake international level research • Develop Personal Knowledge and Expertise • Develop Research Skills • Acquire advance qualifications for career development Important to know why youare doing research Dr C Wilson 2009

7. How to Get a PhD The only way to succeed at PhD level, is to take responsibility for your own learning, and your own progress from the outset • Nag yourself everyday • Set yourself goals • Build in a structure • Give yourself treats • Discipline Yourself • Send yourself to bed • Do NOT be too proud to ask for help • Eat Your greens Ref: Self Parenting – Peggy Foster Dr C Wilson 2009

8. How Not to Get a PhD Over or Under estimating what is required Not having a thesis Taking a new job before finishing Dr C Wilson 2009

9. The PhD - Getting Started Health Check • Physical / Financial • Keep Physically active – helps stimulate mental activity, increases energy levels and has a positive effect on motivation • Financial difficulties - seek help and advice early on • Social / Relation • Avoid social isolation • Social support is good – interpersonal relationships are often critical to academic success • Emotional / Psychological • A doctorate is an emotional rollercoaster • Ask for help • Maintain a work – life balance Matthiesen & Binder, 2009 Dr C Wilson 2009

10. Set Objectives! Set targets and deadlines Clearly express what you need to do Helps clarify the tasks to be done Help motivate yourself Assess progress against the plan Know when you have achieved the objective Dr C Wilson 2009

11. Setting SMART Objectives A PhD is: Complex, Iterative and Confusing Agree with your supervisor goals which are: Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Time Bound Dr C Wilson 2009

12. SMART Activity In pairs discuss what you are aiming to achieve in your research in the next 6 months Spend some time turning these into SMART objectives Check with your partner – are these really SMART? Take your notes to your next supervisors meeting and discuss Dr C Wilson 2009

13. Some Survival Suggestions • Plan Your time – Remember it’s a Marathon not a Sprint! • Annual year plan • monthly and weekly plans: prepare and revise • A daily ‘to do’ list • keep a diary and use it daily • Define your research project within 6 months • Set a realistic scope for the project • Complete a literature review in 3 months • Learn to be independent • Stay abreast of new journal releases • Maintain contact with your supervisor (weekly or two weekly) Dr C Wilson 2009

14. Planning Your PhD Identify your project constraints Identify your scope - Remember - Know the limitations Make use of Project tools Get an experienced researcher or your supervisor to check your plan Dr C Wilson, 2009

15. Activity: Mind Map – Your Research • For your research topic: • Set out a mind map which includes the key information surrounding you and your project • Include any questions or areas of uncertainty • Identify any risks • Compare your approach to the person next to you and see if their mind map adds any ideas to yours Dr C Wilson, 2009

16. Supervision – Your Role • Turn up to appointments and be well prepared. • Take responsibility for your own time • Do the research and agreed research tasks within agreed timescale, show enthusiasm • Write regularly and share drafts, learn your methodology • Be truthful. Be direct if you have anxieties about supervision (Delamont et al 2000) • Keep a research log and keep it up to date • Maintain a relationship with your supervisor and accept supervisory guidance Dr C Wilson 2009

17. Supervisor(s)’ roles • Offer regular supervision to student – show enthusiasm • Read work in advance of meetings (with reasonable notice) • Comment on work, in writing where appropriate • Offer guidance with encouragement (doesn’t mean doing the work for the student!) • Support involvement in research activities Dr C Wilson 2009

18. Managing your relationship with supervisor(s) • Schedule meetings – agree on how often and how long • Agree at the end of each meeting an agenda for the next • Agree a means of communication between meetings • Agree how records of meetings will be kept • Try and get your supervisor(s) to be explicit about what they are offering to do, and what they expect from you both in broad terms and on the occasion of each formal meeting • 2 supervisors: always ensure that everyone included in all communications Dr C Wilson 2009

19. Develop a Network Seek out other students Training /seminars Coffee room In your office Talk to other researchers Share problems and worries Ask advice Share ideas, references and tips Support each other Dr C Wilson 2009

20. Next Step - Refining your research question • What is the purpose of the research? • Does it fulfill the requirements of a PhD thesis? • Is your topic practical/feasible and what are the constraints? (ownership of data) • Is it sensibly scoped?(too wide or too narrow) • Consider its political or ethical acceptability • Is it interesting to you? • Will It be interesting to others? Dr C Wilson 2009

21. Research Ethics Personal integrity Part of a professional community Who might be potentially interested in or affected by my research? What are the implications for anyone who is involved in my research What are the implications for me? Quality of research worthy of publication Reproducibility If your work has the impact you hope it will, at some point someone will want to repeat it and develop it Dr C Wilson 2009

22. Next Step – Literature Review • Set yourself deadlines and milestones • Use the Abstract - it allows you to browse. If it looks interesting, read it. If not, dump it. • Check the references - helps you to position the article • Before you tackle the ‘superbook’ remember that articles may give a neat summary of theory • If you are finding a book difficult, read some reviews of it – these might help you find a ‘way in’ • Record all the details of the article • Avoid Plagiarism - Make it clear in your notes whether you have “lifted” from the text, or summarised in your own words Dr C Wilson 2009

23. Impact on You… Early stages of research are often repetition When you try to repeat someone’s work make critical judgements about the accuracy/validity of their descriptions Ensure your records will enable someone to repeat your work Dr C Wilson 2009

24. Practical tips Keep a journal – maintain it on ‘daily’ basis Keep a ‘card system’ for references – helps you cross reference Record everything relevant to your research – Summarise data and record initial thoughts, leave space for notes to be added at a later stage Write up methodology or data into paper / thesis format Note ideas for future work and explain reasoning Identify any points needing discussion or clarification Have an open mind and question everything Every now and then look up and see the big holistic picture! No Backup - No Sympathy!! Dr C Wilson 2009

25. Attitude and Realistic Expectations Consider yourself as a research professionalin training, rather than a student Strive for respect as a valued research colleague through a mature approach Remember that a PhD is a 3 year project and a path to your next career stage Dr C Wilson 2009

26. How to Keep Going! • Keep checking your goals as you go along. What did you intend to do this week, this term, this year? Are you keeping up? If not, can you accelerate your progress? Or do you need to revisit your goals. • Remember you can share your plans for project managing your PhD with your supervisor(s) Dr C Wilson 2009

27. References How to Get a PhD: A Handbook for Students and Their Supervisors Estelle Phillips, Derek S. Pugh (2005) Open University Press How to Write a thesis Rowena Murray(2003) Open University Press How to Survive Your Viva: Defending a Thesis in an Oral Examination Rowena Murray(2003) Open University Press Dr C Wilson 2009