Tips for getting a PhD
Feb. 4th, 2013 08:42 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fjmI'm going to put this up on my web site. What have I missed? Got wrong? Etc.
Tips on getting your PhD (works for humanities, can be extrapolated for sciences).
1. Pick a doable topic.
2. Make sure you like your supervisor, you are going to spend a long time with them.
3. Make sure your supervisor has a reputation for reading work in a timely fashion, and introducing graduates to other people.
4. Read all the dedicated material.
5. Start following odd links to things that don’t seem to be related—think about how you can apply them “metaphorically”.
6. Think of your thesis as a diamond shape: you start with a narrow idea, let it widen, and widen, and widen, and then you sit down and narrow it down.
7. Try to write something every day, even if it’s only a paragraph along the lines of “today I thought about x, here’s why it doesn’t work”.
8. Focus on questions, rather than answers: what questions does your data throw up?
9. When you start writing up, the rule of three is very handy: Every chapter in three sections; every section in three parts; every argument at least three pieces of evidence.
10. Your writing style should always consist of: Argument, evidence, analysis. Check each paragraph to make sure that all three components are there (preferably in that order).
There are times when you will feel overwhelmed: if this doesn’t happen, you aren’t reading widely enough/producing enough data.
There are times when you will feel bored: if this doesn’t happen, you lack rigour.
There are times when you will feel “What is the point of this?”: if you don’t you probably aren't human.
Always try to have a more compact project on the side for moments when you can’t face the thesis, it will help you to remember you really do enjoy academic work, and will keep you a practiced writer when your thesis is in the research stage.
Tips on getting your PhD (works for humanities, can be extrapolated for sciences).
1. Pick a doable topic.
2. Make sure you like your supervisor, you are going to spend a long time with them.
3. Make sure your supervisor has a reputation for reading work in a timely fashion, and introducing graduates to other people.
4. Read all the dedicated material.
5. Start following odd links to things that don’t seem to be related—think about how you can apply them “metaphorically”.
6. Think of your thesis as a diamond shape: you start with a narrow idea, let it widen, and widen, and widen, and then you sit down and narrow it down.
7. Try to write something every day, even if it’s only a paragraph along the lines of “today I thought about x, here’s why it doesn’t work”.
8. Focus on questions, rather than answers: what questions does your data throw up?
9. When you start writing up, the rule of three is very handy: Every chapter in three sections; every section in three parts; every argument at least three pieces of evidence.
10. Your writing style should always consist of: Argument, evidence, analysis. Check each paragraph to make sure that all three components are there (preferably in that order).
There are times when you will feel overwhelmed: if this doesn’t happen, you aren’t reading widely enough/producing enough data.
There are times when you will feel bored: if this doesn’t happen, you lack rigour.
There are times when you will feel “What is the point of this?”: if you don’t you probably aren't human.
Always try to have a more compact project on the side for moments when you can’t face the thesis, it will help you to remember you really do enjoy academic work, and will keep you a practiced writer when your thesis is in the research stage.
no subject
Date: 2013-02-04 10:16 am (UTC)a. A job - you will have a regular working pattern and stick to it.
b. A project 'which can be completed within three years'. That's in the criteria for a PhD - it's not supposed to be a magnum opus. You could probably write 5 different versions of this thing. Pick one and be okay about the things it leaves out.
Also:
a. Have a clear idea of how you can pay for it
b. Start writing as soon as you can. You may throw out everything you write in the first year and a half, but words on paper is a lot easier of a place to start from than blank page of doom. (YMMV on this one, I guess some people have a different working pattern, but my experience is that the NaNoWriMo approach to writing a PhD is really effective.)
no subject
Date: 2013-02-09 09:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-02-04 11:18 am (UTC)Tabulate your references VERY CAREFULLY. If you don't have suitable software, find some method that works for you. From the start, keep your references in the approved style (Harvard? Was for me!)
Line up a proof-reader and get them started as soon as possible.
Don't forget to budget for getting the thing printed!