Starting Your PhDGraduate Training Unit

Dr. Jen Winter

Why have you chosen to do a PhD?

“In the first few months, you may feel like a fraud. This is normal.”

PhD in Maths, completed summer 2008

What is a PhD?

Scholarship

ApprenticeshipTraining

Scholarship

3-4 years

Original Piece of Research

Meaningful addition to knowledge

Publishable Quality

“Remember that a science thesis is just a collection of figures showing data. The text merely describes the data (results), why it’s important (discussion), and what you need to know to understand it (introduction).”

PhD in Biology, completed Winter 2007

“It’s only a PhD.”

PhD in Comp.sci., completed Spring 2007

Apprenticeship

Responsibility/ Integrity

Independence

The PhD is the process of producing a researcher as well

as a piece of research

What are the Skills and Qualities of a good

researcher?

Training

Competent in research skills

Employability skills

Challenging your personal and interpersonal management skills

as well as your intellect

A: research skills and techniques B: research environment C: research management D: personal effectiveness E: communication skills F: team-working and networking skills G: career management

Joint Statement of Skills

Your Supervisor and

You

“Getting on with your supervisor is infinitely important. (My dad told me this, but I didn’t listen. I wish I had...)”

MPhil in Maths, completed summer 2007

What do you want from your Supervisor?

What do you think they want from you?

“Formal supervisory meetings, at which substantial discussion of research progress and plans takes place, should be held at least twice a term […]A meeting with the supervisor, if requested by the student, will take place within one week, as far as practicable.”

University Policy on Research Degree Programmes

How do you prepare for a meeting with your

supervisor?• Submit drafts in lots of time for your supervisor to read them

• Summarise your progress since your last meeting so that you have it clear in your mind

• Make a list of any questions that have been hounding you

• Make a list of anything you need from your supervisor before you can continue

• Send this agenda to your supervisor in advance if at all possible

In the Meeting• Review you progress and update your supervisor on new developments• Explore any problems, interpretations, issues and results• Clarify your next steps and identify tasks to be completed either by you or your supervisor• Set Goals to be completed by the next meeting• Set a date for the next meeting

It is considered good practice for the student to draw up a record of formal supervisory meetings for approval by the supervisor. This should include the date of the meeting and a summary of the content of the meeting and of future actions to be performed.

University Policy on Research Degree Programmes

“Don’t rely on your supervisor to push you. Learn to push yourself.”

PhD in Philosophy, completed 2002

Note-taking

“Write up your research as you go. Nothing is worse than trying to decipher 3 year old notes.”

PhD in Maths, completed summer 2008

Ways to Organise the Mass of Information

Chronologically by publication

date

Thematically

Chronologically by when you accessed it

By Chapter of your thesis

Alphabetically by 1st Author

Project Planning

“Plan to finish in 4 years, and if you finish early treat it as a bonus.”

PhD in Comp.sci. Completed Winter 2008.“Start the ground running with the intention to finish in three years.”

PhD in Biology. Completed Winter 2007.

What are you going to do with your time as a PhD student?

0-6 months: survey literature and learn to use relevant tools

6-12 months: deepen understanding of the 'problem' and devise solutions

12-18 months (halfway!): engrossed in research

18-24 months: begin to wind up data collection

24-30 months: complete solution and review recent literature

30-36 months: written thesis, ready for viva

One Way to Get it Done

Recommended by Vitae

“There will be times when it will be considered ‘normal’ not having any progress for a month, but not having any progress for six months may be a worry.”

PhD in Comp.Sci. 4th year

Slumps

“The PhD is a very lonely process. There will be no one but you who knows a lot about this subject and sometimes even your supervisor will look at you with ‘blank’ eyes when you are explaining what you did last week. Make sure you love tackling problems alone.”

PhD in Comp.sci. 4th year

“Post-It of the Week” on a blog by a current PhD student.

www.zoeadokierski.blogspot.com

Sources of Support

“Socialise with people from your department and college. Join societies and practice some sport. Focusing only on your PhD burns you down. If you do it, by the end of your first year you will be sick of your PhD, depressed and tired.”PhD in Comp.sci. Completed Summer 2008

So, who have you got on your side?

• Friends• Family • Partners• Supervisor• Thesis Advisory Panel• Chair of Graduate Schools Board• Graduate Schools Office• Graduate Students’ Association• Graduate Administrator• Counselling Service• Graduate Training Unit• Each Other!!