can i really do a phd?
TRANSCRIPT
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APEX BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS
Can I really do a PhD?Things to consider before I start
H.C Sikazwe-Newcastle upon Tyne, 2013
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Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 4
2.0 The Psychology of the PhD candidate ............................................................................................. 7
2.1 Critical thinking skills. ................................................................................................................ 8
2.2 Communication, presentation and writing skills........................................................................... 9
2.3 Self-knowledge. .......................................................................................................................... 9
2.0 Choice of University degrees ........................................................................................................ 11
2.1 Types of degrees ....................................................................................................................... 11
2.1.1 Bachelors Degree ............................................................................................................. 11
2.1.2 Masters degree ................................................................................................................. 12
2.1.3 MPhil degree in contrast to PhD ........................................................................................ 12
3.0 The Doctorate or PhD ................................................................................................................... 13
3.1 The Basics ................................................................................................................................ 15
3.2 Mastering a Subject................................................................................................................... 16
3.3 Extending Knowledge ............................................................................................................... 17
3.4 Relationship to Products............................................................................................................ 17
3.5 Research Activities ................................................................................................................... 18
3.6 The PhD Individual ................................................................................................................... 18
3.6.1 Intelligence: ...................................................................................................................... 18
3.6.2 Time: ................................................................................................................................ 18
3.6.3 Creativity: ......................................................................................................................... 19
3.6.4 Intense curiosity: ............................................................................................................... 19
3.6.5 Adaptability: ..................................................................................................................... 19
3.6.6 Self-motivation: ................................................................................................................ 19
3.6.7 Competitiveness: ............................................................................................................... 20
3.6.8 Maturity: ........................................................................................................................... 204.0 What does it take to do a PhD? ..................................................................................................... 20
4.1 Time Management .................................................................................................................... 20
4.2 Tutors/Supervisors .................................................................................................................... 22
4.3 Use the Libraries ....................................................................................................................... 23
4.4 Other PhD Students................................................................................................................... 24
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4.5 Undergraduate lessons .............................................................................................................. 24
5.0 The write-up ................................................................................................................................. 26
6.0 Conclusion and a few warnings: .................................................................................................... 27
6.1 Prestigious in itself .................................................................................................................... 276.2 A guarantee of respect for all the students opinions .................................................................. 27
6.3 A goal in itself .......................................................................................................................... 27
6.4 A job guarantee ......................................................................................................................... 27
6.5 A practical way to impress family or friends.............................................................................. 28
6.6 An occasion to test how smart one is ......................................................................................... 28
6.7 The only research topic they will ever pursue ............................................................................ 28
6.8 Easier than entering the work force ........................................................................................... 29
6.9 Some sincere warnings .............................................................................................................. 29
6.9.1 Be aware of Problems with supervisors.............................................................................. 29
6.9.2 Lack of communication ..................................................................................................... 30
6.9.3 Identify were training or help is required ........................................................................... 30
6.9.4 Absent supervisors ............................................................................................................ 30
6.9.5 Overbearing supervisors .................................................................................................... 31
6.9.6 Changing supervisors ........................................................................................................ 31
6.9.7 Loss of motivation ............................................................................................................. 31
6.9.8 "Second year blues"........................................................................................................... 32
6.9.9 Calling it a day .................................................................................................................. 32
7.0 Final thoughts ............................................................................................................................... 32
9.0 Remarks and thanks ...................................................................................................................... 33
10.0 Bibliography and references .......................................................................................................... 34
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1.0 Introduction
A PhD is coveted by almost everyone who has personal desire to be recognised as an academically
accomplished individual and can become an obsession if one is not careful to first stop and think
clearly. This simple insight into what it takes to accomplish a PhD is a compilation from several
institutions listed on the last paragraph in this paper. We have taken time to amalgamate thoughts
coming from these institutions and the write up is not meant to be an academic guide but a
supplement to individual institutions in which students are enrolled to attain this achievement.
It might seem that getting a PhD is a matter of producing one big deliverable: the thesis. It's true that
this is what a student submits and if it's not up to the required standard the student does not get a
PhD award. It's much more appropriate, however, to think of a PhD as a journey, and not a
destination, and in fact only part of a journey as there is a lot do after the viva voce is done. After
getting their PhD award, many grandaunts get a research position within industry or academia, or a
lectureship role in society. All of these require a range of skills and abilities; not just technical
knowledge, but initiative, independence, people skills, communication skills and so on. By the time
the final presentation is made, students are expected to possess all of these values, especially since
these are the attributes employers look for.
Many individuals start off thinking the program is as simple as writing a good paper that responds
to a research question or hypotheses presented at the beginning of the program and only to later
realise that they had not actually spelt out their originality from the onset. It can be extremely
demoralising and people have been known to seek medical and psychological assistance after being
on the program for about two years with little progress in terms of vision and conciseness.
Students sometimes start a PhD thinking that they'll solve a substantial problem and have the last
word on it. This is not likely, to say the least. It's nevertheless much more realistic for candidates to
expect their work to add modestly to the body of knowledge on a subject, building on what was done
before and being built on by later work. In a normal situation, this is all that's required or expected.
So the scope of a students contribution is expected to be modest, and so too is its impact.
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Here are some provoking questions: Have you ever thought about how many people are likely to
ever read these theses? In most cases it will be less than ten people. Why? You may ask. The answer
is simple, these works are practically boring and not from the natural world of normal individuals
on the omnibus. How relevant will ones PhD thesis do you think will it be in ten or twenty years?
Maybe never. In most cases it will only be of historical interest, if that (although foundational and
theoretical work tends to have more staying power). So, given the modest scope and impact of most
PhDs, what is their value? Why even bother?
It's that by the time a student completes the PhD research, the student should have become a
competent, independent, mature researcher. This is a personal achievement and rarely a societal
achievement. The PhD is for the student primarily and secondarily for a few stake holders who
rarely even bother to read the massive work. At best, most PhD work are basic reference books rather
than informative works! On the other hand, having a PhD means that the individual can be expected
to carry out good quality research on their own and that they have all the associated skills that come
with independence research thinkers. The thesis is just the tangible evidence that the individual has
acquired these abilities. The PhD is just basically part ofan individualsjourney as he or she drags
industry to believe that the work they have done is credible and needed for enhancing the particular
industry to have more value in knowledge. This is partly why students must pass a viva, and do so
without input from their advisor, peers, supervisor or even their mentor. There are specific things
that have to be taken into consideration when embarking on the PhD journey and we have tried to
simplify the description of the PhD in the simplest manner through:
(a)The candidate(b)State of mind(c)Choices of degree(d)
PhD issues
(e)Problems and help that is availableThis simple write-up requires that the candidate must consult with their institutions specific
criterion for the procedure that is required to be followed and this work must be viewed as an
independent evaluation from several initiations dictates and that only the most salient parts are
covered. It should not be used as an instructive piece of work but rather as check button when things
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seem to be spiralling out of control. The write-up is not exhaustive but we request that it should be
used with absolute clarity that their institutions program dictates take pre-eminence. Finally the
student must understand why they are embarking on the PhD to even bother to read this work. Since
most students have a wrong notion of why a PhD is done, we have taken time to simplify the vital
reasoning of why students should embark on a journey of this magnitude. We think the overall aims
in doing a PhD should be:
(a)To become a competent, independent, mature and well-rounded researcher who is preparedto pursue an academic or scientific career away from normal life,
(b)to do good research that will attract industry experts in the chosen field,(c) to enjoy it as it is only the student who will eat the pudding until the research is over,(d)to help others do the same by inspiring the onlookers when they see the enthusiasm.
If the above reasons are hazy and are not clearly in the mind of a student, it is clearly possible that
the student will struggle and most likely fail to realise the dream of achieving the coveted PhD award
and might simply waste time and cause untold misery to not only those around the student, but those
supervising the work.
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2.0 The Psychology of the PhD candidate
Its easy to stereotype the PhD experience.New research students enter the PhD journey determined
to make an outstanding contribution to their chosen subject. By the time they are in the final lap or
stages of thesis-writing for the degree, they are determined and almost in a hurry to get it and forget
it mood.Its normal to note that during the intervening years the students enthusiasm would have
dampened by the demands of having to concentrate on a specific topic and conduct routine and
laborious repetitive tasks in an atmosphere where nobody seems either to understand or to even care
about their work. How sad this period is for candidates especially if their supervisor has given up on
them and it is too late to start all over again as the deadline closes in like a hangmans noose around
a condemned victim. It is during this time that the student is required to possess specific resilient
qualities that the candidate should have been cautioned to authenticate before starting the journey.
These students come into the university or college knowing precisely who they are: successful and
intelligent holders of well-earned qualifications pre-doctorate qualifications. The PhD journey has a
way of perforating this initial faade. It is not long before the student lose their initial confidence
and begin to question their own self-image and academic abilities.
This is the result of contacts (no matter how sporadic or from what distance) with the rigorous
academic discourse they are confronted with. Such contacts could come from
(a)Members of staff like aggressive supervisors and departmental affront to weak start-ups,(b)Fellow Postgraduates who are further into their research than the first-year PhD students,(c)Reading papers published in journals or presented at conferences in the field in question.
These challenge the assumptions and conceptions that the young graduates had accepted as
inviolable. In some cases, or lets say from this period of self-doubt and questioning, the successful
postgraduates emerge with a new identity as competent professionals, able to argue their viewpoint
with anybody regardless of status, confident of their own knowledge but also aware of its boundaries.
This is the birth of a new person with marked difference from the beginner who was filled with the
lack of confidence and academic wilderness originally exhibited.
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This new identity permits the student to ask for information when they are aware that they don't
know something and to express a lack of understanding when this is necessary, instead of pretending
that there is no difficulty for fear of being thought stupid or ignorant. To arrive at this point is what
being a PhD postgraduate research student really is all about.
It is important that we look firstly at some specific qualities that are vital for survival along the
journey and being devoid of would definitely result in failure and despair. Working toward the
following more specific objectives/attributes will help the student to develop into a well-rounded
researcher and though broad in nature are nevertheless exhaustive:
2.1 Critical thinking skills.
Critical thinking1 is the most important aspect of the PhD journey. This comes first in the list as it's
simply essential for a researcher. Critical thinking requires awareness of meta-information. (Meta
information is simply small segments of information about information. The main function of meta
information is to provide some broad details about the focus and content of a larger body of more
comprehensive information. Within the context of the emerging field of knowledge management, the
perimeters for qualifying a particular segment as meta information has become fairly well defined.)
It's not enough to be able to quote claim X. A student needs meta-information about X such as: How
well the student understand it? What evidence is there for and against it? How reliable is the
evidence? How well does the student understand the evidence? What alternative claims are there?
How relevant is it to the students work? In short the student must have a critical attitude toward
knowledge and how it is created. Learning isn't so much a process of adding information as critically
integrating it with the students current understanding. If the student were to add information
uncritically the work would end up with lots of contradictory statements with few links between
them and little understanding to provide coherence.
In contrast, critically integrating information involves iteratively revisiting assumptions and revising
the acquired understanding in the light of any new information. This leads to changes in opinions,
modification of old assumptions, and creation of new connections between ideas on a regular basis.
1http://www.criticalreading.com/critical_thinking.htm
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This is how deeper understanding is achieved, and where the insights and progress needed for PhD
study arise. Writing, presenting and teaching about a subject are surprisingly good ways to stimulate
this revision and integration. Much more could be said on the subject but suffice it to say critical
thinking is the foundation of the scientific method and that the opposite, inversely being rigid,
dogmatic, and fundamentalist thinking will get the student nowhere.
2.2 Communication, presentation and writing skills.
According to Wikipedia, Communication is a process that allows organisms to exchange information
by several methods. This exchange requires feedback. The word communication is also used in the
context where little or no feedback is expected such as broadcasting, or where the feedback may be
delayed as the sender or receiver use different methods, technologies, timing and means for
feedback. Communication is also seen as the articulation of sending a message, whether it be verbal
or nonverbal, so long as a being transmits a thought provoking idea, gesture, action, etc.
By the end ofthe students PhD, the student should be able to publish and present ideas in different
formats, be it in conference and journal papers, grant proposals, tutorials, hand-outs, newspaper
articles and this to be availed to different audiences ranging from specialists, undergraduates,
researchers from other fields, business people, the media, the public and mostly to the experts in the
field of study. It's hard to overstate the importance of being able to communicate well. For one thing,
good communication involves organising ideas into coherent arguments, and this is a prerequisite
for effective research in the first place. That is, the ability to construct coherent arguments underlies
both the ability to research well and to communicate well. How information is actually arranged in
the students mind and communicated to audience happens to be part of the PhD journey. If the
student is not able to articulate the research thoughts to an audience, failure is imminent.
2.3 Self-knowledge.
Self-knowledge is a component of the self, or more accurately, the self-concept. It is the knowledge
of one's self and one's properties and the desire to seek such knowledge that guide the development
of the self-concept (Sikazwe, 2011). Sikazwe writes that Self-knowledge informs us of our mental
representations of ourselves, which contain attributes that we uniquely pair with ourselves, and
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theories on whether these attributes are stable, or dynamic. The self-concept is thought to have three
primary aspects:
(a)The Cognitive Self2(b)The Affective Self(c)The Executive Self (ability to direct ones life)
It is important to understand that ultimately the success of a PhD depends entirely on one working
independently and managing oneself and time effectively. This can be quite a change from any
earlier studies that students could have been exposed to, where one was generally given small
objectives on a regular basis, told what to read and so on.
To work independently demands the student to be aware of their strengths and weaknesses. Its
incumbent on the student to know what motivates them and how to motivate themselves when they
are down and feeling out. Understanding ones learning style is key to having a hold of what works
well for any of lifes endeavours according to Keefe, (1979). The student need to be fully aware of
their learning style3 and habits; whether, for example, their instinct is for a broad-but-shallow or
narrow-but-deep understanding, and whether they have difficulty deviating from their instinct (as
many people do).
As Peter Flach4 of Bristol University says: Doing a PhD is about the things you're not good at. In
other words, if a student is good at maths, maths shouldn't cause the student any real problems. But
if one is bad at time management, or don't work well when they are stressed, or have trouble
explaining their thoughts, then they will have to deal with these problems before considering the
extremely stressful and sometimes emotionally debilitating PhD Journey.
A PhD journey is very good at uncovering any weaknesses an individual has. Incidentally, or moregenerally, a PhD is also about what the supervisor and department and so on are not good at and as
2http://www.buzzle.com/articles/cognitive-behavioral-theory.html 3http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/styles.html 4http://www.cs.bris.ac.uk/~flach/
http://c/Users/Apex%20Business/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft/Apex%20consultants%20docs/affective_assessment_v5.0.dochttp://c/Users/Apex%20Business/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft/Apex%20consultants%20docs/affective_assessment_v5.0.dochttp://c/Users/Apex%20Business/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft/Apex%20consultants%20docs/affective_assessment_v5.0.dochttp://www.buzzle.com/articles/cognitive-behavioral-theory.htmlhttp://www.buzzle.com/articles/cognitive-behavioral-theory.htmlhttp://www.buzzle.com/articles/cognitive-behavioral-theory.htmlhttp://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/styles.htmlhttp://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/styles.htmlhttp://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/styles.htmlhttp://www.cs.bris.ac.uk/~flach/http://www.cs.bris.ac.uk/~flach/http://www.cs.bris.ac.uk/~flach/http://www.cs.bris.ac.uk/~flach/http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/styles.htmlhttp://www.buzzle.com/articles/cognitive-behavioral-theory.htmlhttp://c/Users/Apex%20Business/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft/Apex%20consultants%20docs/affective_assessment_v5.0.doc -
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such the onus is on the candidate to have self-awareness to be able to complete the process of
acquiring the PhD award independently.
2.0 Choice ofUniversity degrees
We all know the benefits that a college education can bring, but for many individuals, financial,
family or geographical constraints often make this impossible to achieve. That is why it is important
for a student to choose the best degree to embark on when an opportunity arises. In some cases, the
candidate could be chasing the next promotion, or want to gain an extra qualification without having
to leave their job and might want to take time out to study for it. For all these reasons, and many
more, an increasing number of people are choosing to learn or embark on University degrees due to
their rewarding trophy and the type of degree chosen affect the realization of individual dreams.
Students have to be certain of what degree program they desire to undertake and degrees offered by
different providers will vary enormously, so it is important for the student to do their research, just
as you would for any university or college they chose to do it from. Most importantly, it is vital that
the institution the student choose is properly accredited. This ensures that prospective employers
would recognize the degree and guarantees that the tutors/supervisors and resources available meet
certain specific international standards. Its also important that the student shouldcheck the schoolsrecord for past graduates and current students, as this can give a good indication of its quality.
2.1 Types of degrees
There are different types of digress offered by Universities and the most common ones are the ones
listed below. The first degree that a University student undertakes is basically a bachelors degree,
followed by a masters degree and finally ends with either an MPhil or a PhD in that order. Some
students embark using a different route but the arrangement universally recognized is as indicated
here with the specific distinctions.
2.1.1 Bachelors Degree
A bachelor's degree traditionally meant that the recipient had obtained a general education
specializing at this level is a relatively recent nineteenth-century development and it has become
fashionable for students to simply receive this degree and settle into professional life without adding
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any further education. Most students end at this level and do not see the reason to proceed to do any
further studies as these degrees have become industry standard for most employees.
2.1.2 Masters degree
Primarily, a Masters degree is a licence to practise ones professional field. This is essential for
providing credence to employers that one is properly qualified to carry out the demands of their
chosen field or area of experts. Originally this meant to practise theology, that is, to take a living in
the Church, but now there are master's degrees across a whole range of disciplines: business
administration, soil biology, computing, and applied linguistics and so on. The degree marks the
possession of advanced knowledge in a specialist field.
2.1.3 MPhil degree in contrast to PhD
The MPhil is a less advanced qualification than the PhD in which the student is expected to master
a content area and can be completed in two years' full-time study. The MPhil dissertation is normally
shorter than the PhD thesis. It is often used as a training course in advanced research work, and can
be a preliminary stage for the PhD where it is necessary to learn the fundamentals of research and
acquire new techniques, although more and more the newly introduced MRes is being used for this
purpose. The MPhil is also a legitimate higher degree qualification in its own right and is considered
as a mini PhD as it carries similar accolades of rigorous research etiquette and a lot of independent
work. As with the PhD, it is not possible to spell out in bureaucratic detail what is required to obtain
the MPhil in your subject now. You need to read successful dissertations in order to discover the
standards expected. Here, but only in very general terms, are some ways in which the MPhil has
been held to differ from the PhD.
A candidate for an MPhil must undertake an investigation but, compared to the PhD, the work may
be limited in scope and the degree of originality. Invariably, more emphasis is put on original work
in the PhD and the PhD thesis involves greater depth than an MPhil dissertation. Greater synthesis
and critical ability and also a more detailed investigation of any practical illustrations are expected
from doctoral candidates.
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The MPhil can be limited to the replication of research already published. It is also acceptable for
secondary sources to be used extensively. This means that for an MPhil it is legitimate to quote some
authority quoting some-body else, for example, Sikazwe gives several definitions of originality
(Smith and Owen, 2005). This would not be acceptable for a PhD thesis where the candidate for
the degree would be expected to have read and evaluated Sikazwe in the original publication.
In addition, although a full summary of literature is required, it does not have to be an evaluative
review as in the PhD. The difference here is in the breadth and depth of the review as well as in the
amount of critical appreciation that is expected. In a high quality MPhil, evidence is required of the
ability to test ideas; understand appropriate techniques; make use of published work and source
material; and show familiarity with different theories and empirical studies. Each university will
have its own regulations concerning the MPhil degree and you must study carefully those which
apply to you.
3.0 The Doctorate5 or PhDA doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that, in most countries, qualifies the holder
to teach at the university level in the specific field of his or her degree, or to work in a specific
profession. The research doctorate, or the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and its equivalent titles,
represents the highest academic qualification.
A doctor's degree historically was a licence to teach, meaning to teach in a university as a member
of a faculty. Nowadays this does not mean that becoming a lecturer is the only reason for taking a
doctorate, since the degree has much wider career connotations outside academia and many of those
with doctorates do not have academic teaching posts. The concept stems, though, from the need for
a faculty member to be an authority, in full command of the subject right up to the boundaries of
current knowledge, and able to extend them. As the highest degree that can be awarded, it proclaims
that the recipient is worthy of being listened to as an equalby the appropriate university faculty.
5http://www.wikidoc.org/index.php/Doctorate
http://www.wikidoc.org/index.php/Doctoratehttp://www.wikidoc.org/index.php/Doctoratehttp://www.wikidoc.org/index.php/Doctoratehttp://www.wikidoc.org/index.php/Doctorate -
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Traditionally the doctorates of British universities have been named for particular faculty, for
example: DD (Divinity), MD (Medicine), LLD (law), DMus (Music), DSc (Science), DLitt (Letters,
i.e. Arts). These so called higher doctorates are awarded as a recognition of a substantial
contribution to the discipline by published work.
In British universities Doctor of Philosophy degree is a comparatively recent concept an early
twentieth-century import from the United States. Some universities abbreviate the title to DPhil (e.g.,
Oxford, Sussex, York) but most use the designation PhD. Whatever the abbreviation, the degree is
the same. It represents a more restricted achievement than the higher doctorates since it envisages a
limited amount of academic work (three years or so), but it still embodies the concept that the holder
of the PhD is in command of the field of study and can make a worthwhile contribution to it.
There are a number of exceptions to these descriptions of the meaning of the degree titles, since
British universities pride themselves on their independence6. Traditionally, once an institution had
become a university there were no laws that specified which degrees could be awarded, by which
institutions, to whom and on what basis, as was the case in Continental Europe. This has now
changed, as the Government has decided to designate certain Higher Education Colleges as
`Teaching Universities', without giving them the right to award research degrees.
Historically this independence has allowed, for example, the arts faculties of traditional Scottish
universities to use the MA title for their first degree, but the science faculties use BSc. Traditionally
there was no extra examination for an MA degree at Oxford and Cambridge, only a requirement to
continue attendance at a college for a further two years. Nowadays this has been reduced to paying
a registration fee after two years and obtaining the degree without attendance. In medicine the
practice is even stranger: general medical practitioners are given the honorary title of Doctor
although they do not have a doctorate from their universities. Indeed, on the basis of their university
course they are credited with two bachelor's degrees, although having a licence to practise they
exemplify the concept of a master's degree.
6http://www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers/1248/Types-of-doctoral-degrees.html
http://www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers/1248/Types-of-doctoral-degrees.htmlhttp://www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers/1248/Types-of-doctoral-degrees.htmlhttp://www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers/1248/Types-of-doctoral-degrees.htmlhttp://www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers/1248/Types-of-doctoral-degrees.html -
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3.1 The Basics
A Doctor of Philosophy degree, abbreviated PhD, is the highest academic degree anyone can earn.
Considering that earning a PhD requires extended study and intense intellectual effort, less than one
percent of the population attains the degree. Society shows respect for a person who holds a PhD by
addressing them with the title Doctor'.
At a sordidly practical level, the PhD suggests that the individual is good enough at research to be
appointable to a university post. A PhD is highly advisable for a career as an academic, or helpful
for a career as a researcher in industry. PhDs are recognized around the world and tend to have pretty
good quality control, MD a PhD from one country will be recognized in another without too much
snobbery. Still at the practical level, if one has a PhD, they usually go onto a higher pay scale.
There are other views of a PhD, as well. It can be viewed as an initiation rite, in which one undergo
an ordeal and, if one comes through the ordeal in a creditable manner, they are admitted to
membership of the academic clan. Continuing the analogy, having a PhD will not be enough to make
one a Clan elder, but it will mark the transition to full adulthood. When one gets a PhD, one is
immediately treated differently. Respect and awe from peers, family and friends becomes
acceptable.
More realistically, a PhD is a demonstration of research competence. There are certain things that
one actually demonstrates through their dissertation:
(a)Mastery of the subject(b)Research insight(c)Respect for the discipline(d)Capacity for independent research(e)Ability to communicate results and relate them to the broader discourse
To earn a PhD, one must accomplish two cardinal things. In a nutshell, the student must:
(a)Master a specific subject completely. Second,(b)One must extend the body of knowledge about that subject.
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These two aspects of the PhD are so important that if they are missed out, the PhD journey is
completely botched and would never meet the standards of a credible thesis with acceptable
international University standards. It is important to have a look at the implication of these two
aspects in a more detailed manner.
3.2 Mastering a Subject
This is key to the program. Understanding this aspect of the program makes or breaks the
PhD journey. To master a subject, a student searches the published literature to find and
read everything that has been written about the subject. In scientific disciplines, a student
begins by studying general reference works such as text books. Eventually, the student
must also search scholarly journals, the publications that scientists use to exchange
information and record reports of their scientific investigations. A lot of secondary
information must be collated and used to master the subject field. The student is expected
to use data which the student personally reads without using quotations from other
authors who have quoted other writers. The data must all be data that has been specifically
handled by the student and should never be in the third party position.
Each university establishes general guidelines that a student must follow to earn a PhD
degree, and each college or department within a university sets specific standards by
which it measures mastery of a subject. Usually, in preparing for PhD work in a given
field, a student must earn both a Bachelor's and Master's degree (or their equivalent) in
that field or in a closely related field. To demonstrate complete mastery of the subject, a
student may be required to complete additional graduate-level courses, maintain a high
grade average, or take a battery of special examinations. In many institutions, students
must do all three.
The examinations given as part of a PhD curriculum assess expert knowledge, they are
created and evaluated by a committee of experts, each of whom holds a PhD degree.
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3.3 Extending Knowledge
The essence of a PhD, the aspect that distinguishes PhD study from other academic work, can be
summarized in a single word: research, research, and then more research. To extend knowledge,
one must explore, research, investigate, and contemplate and then research. The scientific
community uses the term research to mean capture the idea first.
In scientific disciplines, research often implies experimentation, but research is more than mere
experiments it means a deeper
(a) interpretation and(b)Deep understanding of research field and its implications on the society.
PhD researchers must look fornew abstractions, new approaches, new algorithms, new principles,
or new mechanisms, new ideas, new solutions, new information application, new models, new
systems and anything absolutely unique and never used or applied before in the field of study sought
for by the research student. The student must conduct independent research parameters that have
never been used or encountered by any other research work elsewhere in the entire universe.
The research must be used as astop-gap and should be the missing piece/model/solution etc that the
field of study could be missing. This addition of knowledge to the knowledge bankis what makes
the PhD exercise absolutely different from any other degree that a student can get involved in. To
complete a PhD, the student must present results from their research to the faculty/institution in a
lengthy, formal document called a dissertation, more popularly referred to as a thesis. The student
must then submit their dissertation to the faculty and defend their work in an oral examination called
a viva voce. The ability to communicate the research is key to the research quality and purpose.
3.4 Relationship to Products
In some cases, the results of scientific research can be used to develop new products or improve
those that exist. However, scientists do not use commercial success or potential commercial profits
as a measure of their work; they conduct investigations to further human understanding and the body
of knowledge humans have compiled. Often, the commercial benefits of scientific research are much
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greater in the long-term than in the short-term.
3.5 Research Activities
Using computer Science research systems as an example of PhD exercise, we can include suchdiverse activities as designing and building new computer systems, proving mathematical theorems,
writing computer software, measuring the performance of a computer system, using analytical tools
to assess a design, or studying the errors programmers make as they build a large software system.
All these steps are taken by a researcher who chooses the activities appropriate to answer each
question that arises in a research investigation, and because new questions arise as an investigation
proceeds, research activities vary from project to project and over time in a single project. A
researcher must be prepared to use a variety of approaches and tools and innovation is key to the
method applied. This means there is no PhD that is ever going to be a standard for others to use.
3.6 The PhD Individual
It is important at this juncture to scrutinize the individual taking this course of life. There are specific
qualities that the student need to have and it is paramount to list in principle the criterion that the
individual should possess to embark on this tedious and tenuous journey to obtain the PhD
achievement.
It is difficult for an individual to assess their own capabilities. The following guidelines and
questions may be of help to anyone considering this gruesome journey:
3.6.1 Intelligence:
The students level of intelligence starts at the lower academic times w hen students were pursuing
undergraduate studies. There are questions to be asked like whilst in college and graduate courses,
like, was the student closer to the top of their class or the bottom? How well did they do on the
formal or other standardized tests within institutions? The answer should be self-telling.
3.6.2 Time:
The student must ask themselves if they are ready or prepared to tackle a project larger than any that
they have ever undertaken before. They must commit to multiple years of hard work. Are they
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willing to reduce or forego other activities in life? No life at all for long spells of time spent alone
doing things they do not actually enjoy doing nor does anyone seem concerned that they are doing
it in the first place? These are simple issues but when the practical work begins, is the students time
ready to be sacrificed for the PhD journey?
3.6.3 Creativity:
Research discoveries often arise when one looks at old facts in a new way. Does the student shine
brighter than all? Do they shine when solving problems? Do they like doing brain teasers' and
similar puzzles? Are they good at solving them? In school, did they find advanced mathematics
enjoyable or difficult? Just how creative is the student? Does their imagination go wild? How often?
3.6.4 Intense curiosity:
Have the student always been compelled to understand the world around them and to find out how
things work? A natural curiosity makes research easier. Did the student fulfill minimum
requirements or explore further on their own? Just how nosey is the student regarding things
around them and how they function, operate, inter-mingle or even exist? How much do they want to
know how the wheels are turning regarding things around them?
3.6.5 Adaptability:
Most students are actually unprepared for PhD study. They find it unexpectedly different than course
work. When they suddenly get thrust into a world in which no one knows the answers, students most
times flounder. Can the student adapt to new ways of thinking? Is innovation natural? Can they
tolerate searching for answers even when no one knows the precise questions in the first place? How
strange is their attitude when faced with new information that conflicts with their original thinking?
3.6.6 Self-motivation:
By the time a student finishes an undergraduate education, they would have become accustomed to
receiving grades for each course each semester. In a PhD program, work is not divided neatly into
separate courses, supervisors do not partition tasks into little assignments, and the student does not
receive a grade for each small step. Is the student self-motivated enough to keep working toward a
goal without day-to-day encouragement? Or knowing whether what they are doing is incremental?
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3.6.7 Competitiveness:
When the student choose to enroll in a PhD program, they are poised to compete with others who
are also at the top. More important, once they graduate, their peers will include some of the brightest
people in the world. They will be measured and judged in comparison to them. Are they willing to
compete at the PhD level? Do they have what it takes to behave objectively discarding emotions?
3.6.8 Maturity:
Compared to coursework, which is carefully planned by a teacher, PhD study has less structure. The
student has more freedom to set their own goals, determine their daily schedule, and follow
interesting ideas that lead them where no one has been before. Are they prepared to accept the
responsibility that accompanies the additional freedoms? The students success or failure in PhDresearch depends on the level of maturity of one uses unfettered freedom. Lets look at what is really
involved in carrying out the PhD and the demands it has on the individual.
4.0 What does it take to do a PhD?
As mentioned in the introduction, it is a truth that it is universally acknowledged that a PhD student
in their first yearwill spend most of that year sitting in a library wondering what on earth they should
be doing. They will then spend the next two or more years wishing they had put that wasted first
year to better use. Unfortunately nobody ever warns students about this. In fact the Wasted First
Year is just one of many PhD hazards that nobody ever warns students about. This is then followed
by loneliness, poverty, and helpless tutors/supervisors who think that it is their responsibility to
ensure that the student suffer as much as they did. To avoid the period draining a student during this
period, here are a few survival tips;
4.1 Time Management
Time management is vital for the PhD student. Time management is the act or process of planning
and exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities, especially to
increase effectiveness, efficiency or productivity. Time management may be aided by a range of
skills, tools, and techniques used to manage time when accomplishing specific tasks, projects and
goals complying with a due date. Initially, time management referred to just business or work
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activities, but eventually the term broadened to include personal activities as well. A time
management system is a designed combination of processes, tools, techniques, and methods. Time
management is usually a necessity in any project development as it determines the project
completion time and scope.
From the outset, students may well be given a well-designed and clear timetable/plan of their project,
carefully listing by which time certain activities should have been completed. If all falls according
to such plan, then that student is extremely fortunate. Such a student is extremely lucky. Or, some
students maybe sharp and clever enough to carry out the most articulate work in providing
background Research, brainstorm, draft chapters, collect data and even have a draft of what they
wish their thesis to be framed like. Confidence and motivation might be swinging high and there
could be no foreseeable problems and this could make the student to relax and lose motivation.
Unfortunately, the PhD life is all about self-motivation. Those people who lack sufficient self-
motivation will not be able to establish a good work routine, and will soon find themselves sleeping
until noon, miserable and/or depressed, devoid of all social skills, and quite possibly with an
addiction to tea/coffee, chocolate and day-time television.
It is imperative that the student treats each day like a day job. The student must set strict working
hours and study activities, and if possible to work hard and complete tasks in the time allotted like a
good employee. It is important thatstudents must have skills and abilities to
(a) set priorities and manage their time to meet deadlines,(b)set and achieve goals, (Smart goals)(c)effectively organize their daily actions,(d)make smarter decisions faster,(e)uncover better options to achieve work,(f) work with the supervisor and those that can provide help(g)prevent burnout,
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Personal goal setting7 is so important in personal time management during the PhD journey that
students need to know how to implement this prior to embarking on the project. From the time PhD
journey starts, the student need to have a strict management perspective. Their life should be seen
as a sequence of big and small choices and decisions that have an impact on the outcome of the PhD
program. It is those choices that students must really manage, not the flow of time. Personal goal
setting is the wisdom that comes out of a lot of practical experience and psychology research to help
the student direct their conscious and subconscious decisions towards success, building up their
motivation to achieve personal or academic success.
4.2 Tutors/Supervisors
A supervisor plays multi-disciplinary role at working with a PhD student. A good supervisor is hard
to come by and anyone who gets a good supervisor is really fortunate. There are 3 main types of
supervisors.
(a)The Let you Get On With it and Come to me when you have something supervisors.(b)The Breathing Down Your Neck supervisors and(c)The I Never Had Any Help or Support and so neither will you supervisor.
The third variety are the most dangerous and should be avoided at all costs. Unfortunately, in most
cases the student will not notice that their tutor has such a sadistic mentality until they have been
working with them for months or even years. The best thing to do is to establish good communication
and warm relationship from the very beginning. If it is clear that your supervisor is incapable of
listening to the student, the student should immediately request for a change of supervisor before it
gets too late to change. The situation is unlikely to improve. Find another tutor/institution, and work
with somebody who you can relate to.
In a perfect world, the supervisor should be a friend and one who has mutual respect with the
students work and should possible act or assist
7http://www.goal-setting-guide.com/personal-goal-setting/
http://www.goal-setting-guide.com/personal-goal-setting/http://www.goal-setting-guide.com/personal-goal-setting/http://www.goal-setting-guide.com/personal-goal-setting/http://www.goal-setting-guide.com/personal-goal-setting/ -
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As a Planner or advisor when a student is stuck. A supervisor must push the student to workaccording to the students abilities.
As a Guide and Leader - A PhD supervisor acts as a mentor and possible provide a beaconof guidance to the student. In fact, he plays a role of inspiring to the student.
As a Mediator - A Supervisor is called a linking pin between the institution and the student.He is the spokesperson of the institution as well as the student and must constantly play this
role.
As an Inspector - An important role of the supervisor is to enforce discipline in the PhDstudent and must not hesitate to mention to the student when the student seems to be
struggling with discipline issues. . For this, the work includes checking progress of work
against the time schedule, recording the work performances at regular intervals and reportingthe deviations if any in subsequent meetings with the student. He can also frame rules and
regulations which have to be followed by the student during their work. Such a supervisor is
rare and can be priceless when the chips are down.
As a Counsellor - A supervisor plays the role of a counsellor to the students personalproblems. He has to perform this role in order to build good relations and co-operation from
the student. This can be done not only by listening to the grievances but also handling the
grievances and satisfying the student when the student is down and almost out.
4.3 Use the Libraries
Libraries8 are full of strange people, often with the most bizarre study habits. It is assumed that as a
post-graduate student, the student will be aware of how to use a library. This may be true as far as
the finding and borrowing of books, but library etiquette is a world in itself. Things which may have
never bothered a student in the past can quickly build into extremely irritating things if you are not
prepared. These may include first years studying in noisy groups, people who clear their throats
at frequent intervals, and girls roaming the library aisle wearing high-heeled shoes. So, a student
needs to try to find a quiet section, or, if absolute silence makes the student uncomfortable, to find a
busy spot. Make sure there is plenty of natural light, as with airplanes, the window seats go first so
there's another reason to get in there early. The student needs to know the importance of taking
8http://www.usg.edu/galileo/skills/unit03/libraries03_02.phtml
http://www.usg.edu/galileo/skills/unit03/libraries03_02.phtmlhttp://www.usg.edu/galileo/skills/unit03/libraries03_02.phtmlhttp://www.usg.edu/galileo/skills/unit03/libraries03_02.phtmlhttp://www.usg.edu/galileo/skills/unit03/libraries03_02.phtml -
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breaks to stretch the legs and clear out the brain, avoid library fines like the plague and never ever
leave their laptop unattended.
The student needs to know the library systems of indexing, storage, borrowing, location and
versioning of the library books and information out there in the library. It is important that the student
gets to know when the periodicals, journals and newspaper editions are available for easy and quick
access. The use of electronic borrowing systems becomes something the student must familiarise
with and use extensively. This knowledge is not easy if the student is not akin to the use of computer
etiquette and the advantages of being up to date with new library systems that are ever changing
rapidly. The use of CD rums and audio systems in local or institutions library needs to be known.
4.4 Other PhD Students
It is important for a student on a PhD to be careful of the impact of other PhD students in the
department as they can either build or destroy the motivation that is hard earned. There is nothing
more irritating than having another PhD student in the department who seems to have it all worked
out. They are making steady progress and can't see what all the fuss is about. Possibly more
annoying are the students who whinge constantly about their workload or make a point of telling
other students that they have been working since the sun came up. These type of students need to be
avoided because they are disingenuous. The PhD student must never fall into the trap of comparing
their situation with those of others. No two PhD's are ever the same. A little competition can be a
motivator, but in general the student must endeavour to mingle with students who have a positive or
helpful attitude. If that is not possible, then the student should find a PhD blog or try to meet with
other PhD students at University events where the intention to meet is to provide positive help for
one another. It is important to remember that in undergraduate education a most work, in academic
terms, is organized for the student and this is different at PhD level.
4.5 Undergraduate lessons
Looking back at undergraduate time might help the student to see that although they were required
to do a considerable amount of work, for example, syllabuses were laid down, textbooks were
specified, practical sessions were designed, and the examinations were organized to cover a set range
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of topics in questions of a known form, and so on. Yet at PhD, all is left to the student to master all
these different skills and planning for the PhD journey to be completed in the stipulated time.
During the undergraduate period, the student could quite reasonably have complained if asked about
an extraneous subject, But no one told me that I was supposed to learn that topic or methodology
or theory or historical period. For the most part the students were following an academic course
set by the institutions. In doctoral education, the students have to take responsibility for managing
their own learning and for getting themselves the PhD.
Fortunately, there are frameworks around to help the student like the supervisor(s), other academics
in the department, fellow students and the resources provided by the institution. These frameworks
will even try to guide or even tell the student, in their opinion, what the student need to do to obtain
the PhD degree. It cannot be overemphasised that ultimately, the responsibility for determining what
is required, as well as for carrying it out, remains firmly with the student.
The student will not be traversing a set course laid out by others but will be expected to initiate
discussions, ask for the help that is need, argue about what route the course should be taking, and so
on. The student is under self-management, so it is no use sitting around waiting for somebody to tell
them what to do next or, worse, complaining that nobody is telling them what to do next. Supervisors
will have only a general interest in the results of the student's research, and will act more as role
models than as apprentice-masters. The danger to watch for in this culture is the neglect of the
student for long periods of weeks, months, even years. It must be remembered that students need the
regular support of supervisors if they are to develop sufficiently to achieve the PhD degree.
The student must find institutions that are encouraging team supervision rather than only one
supervisor. In recent years universities have found that it is not in a student's best interest to rely on
only on one supervisor for each student. Having one supervisor can be a trap for disaster especially
if there is a fallout during the process (This is very common!).Supervisory teams with two or three
members are being established in many departments, with a lead (or main) supervisor and one or
two associate supervisors. This team must contain a subject specialist and someone responsible for
pastoral support. The team system can allow for new supervisors to learn how to supervise more
effectively under the guidance of an experienced member of the department. Others involved in
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supervision, perhaps at times of upgrading or controversy, might be the departmental head and the
research tutor.
5.0 The write-up
Here are tips on how to achieve a better write-up culture. The best way to write the proposal and
dissertation is to block out times during the day specifically reserved for writing. It is practically not
possible for a student to write something this large and yet casually involved by writing fifteen
minutes here and another thirty minutes there.
(a)Novelists and playwrights dont write that way, and neither should any student. The studentmust make specific appointments with themselves to simply sit and write. The student must
never wait for inspiration. Most of the time, writing is work, and good writing takes time; so
the student must never rely on inspiration to get through their proposal and dissertation.
(b)Its always helpful to have some paper and a pencil handy so that the student can write thingsdown as they think about them.
(c)The student must never rely on their memory because they may easily forget later.(d)Students must watch out for momentary inspirations that come surging and sometimes, those
moments of inspiration come when the student is actually in front of their computer, working
on their manuscript. Those are the best moments when the words fly out of their head faster
than they can type them, and the manuscript seems to just write itself. Admittedly, such
moments are rare and must be celebrated.
(e)The student must not let things (or other people) become distractions. Admittedly, this ishard to do at times.
(f) The student must develop a habit of writing and if possible must force themselves to write,preferably at the same time every day.
(g)Developing writing skills become easier as the student train themselves to turn on theirwriting skills on a regular basis. The more the student writes, the better they become at it.
(h)The student must treat the dissertation as would a regular job.(i) Finally, the student must think of themselves as a writer. Take note, keeping ideas in the head
doesnt make one a writer; writing does.
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6.0 Conclusion and a few warnings:
It is absolutely strange to discover that students sometimes enroll in a PhD program for all the wrong
reasons. There are a few misconceptions about the PhD that need to be thrashed with any student
who wants to embark on this journey. Students who start off on all the wrong footing find that after
a while, the requirements on the journey begin to overwhelm them. That is why it is pivotal that
before starting off, the student should realize that a PhD is not necessarily:
6.1 Prestigious in itself
Almost everyone who has obtained a PhD is proud of their efforts and the result. However, they
soon come to understand that once they graduate, they work among a group of fellow achievers who
each hold a PhD degree and as such not so special anymore and the achievement loses its glitter.
One supervisor once chided an arrogant group of graduate students by saying, I don't see why you
think it's such a great accomplishment, all my friends have a PhD!''.
6.2 A guarantee of respect for all the students opinions
Many students believe that once they earn a PhD, people will automatically respect all their opinions.
They soon learn, however, that few people assume a PhD in one specific subject automatically makes
them an authority on others. It is especially true in the science communicate; respect must be earned.After graduating, the work of gaining respect then begins and not on graduation day.
6.3 A goal in itself
A PhD degree simply prepares one for research. If all a student wants is a certificate to hang on the
wall, there are much easier ways to obtain one. After the student graduates, they now have occasion
to compare their record of accomplishment to those of other students. They soon realize that what
counts is the research work accumulated after a graduation is achieved together with their formal
education path. More work and conduct after graduation makes the achievement worth the while.
6.4 A job guarantee
When an economy slows down like the global recession that the world economies experienced,
everyone suffered including PhD holders. In fact, some companies reduce research before they
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reduce production, making PhDs especially vulnerable. Furthermore, once a person earns a PhD,
many Organisations will not hire such a person for a non-research position. As in most professions,
continued employment depends on continued performance and not on academic achievements.
6.5 A practical way to impress family or friends
Immediate family and friends may be proud and excited when a student enrolls in a PhD program.
After all, they imagine that they will soon be able to boast about their family member or close friend
the doctor and obtain personal status through that. However, a desire to impress family members
and close friends is seriously insufficient motivation for the effort required to obtain the
achievement. There should be more that motivates the student than prestige.
6.6 An occasion to test how smart one is
This is a wrong motivation to start the PhD journey. Unless the student make a total commitment,
they will fail. The student should be conscious that they will need to work long hours, face many
disappointments, stretch their mental capabilities, and learn to find order among apparently chaotic
facts. Unless they have adopted the long-range goal of becoming a researcher, the day-to-day
demands will wear the student down. Standards peculiarly will seem unnecessary high; rigor will
seem unwarranted, and if the student only consider the PhD journey simply a test, they will
eventually walk away and feel totally devastated with disappointed with themselves.
6.7 The only research topic they will ever pursue
Many students make the mistake of viewing their PhD topic as a research area for life. They assume
each researcher only works in one area, always pursues the same topic within that area, and always
uses the same tools and approaches. Experienced researchers know that new questions arise
constantly, and that old questions can become less interesting as time passes or new facts and
information series are discovered. The best researchers change topics and areas of expertise
constantly. It keeps them fresh and stimulates thinking. It is important to keep options open and plan
to move on when the horizon changes. The student should prepare for change in life persuasion and
must keep researching and finding out new and effective application of new found information. The
work does not end on graduation but it is simply the beginning of a life of constant changing faade.
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6.8 Easier than entering the work force
The student will soon find that the path to successful completion of a PhD becomes much steeper
after they begin work. The faculty impose constraints on the students study, and do not permit
unproductive students to remain in the program and they soon find themselves kicked out and
back to being part of the workforce they try to run away from. This journey is actually for the best
from the academic and professional life who want to change the world.
6.9 Some sincere warnings
It is now appropriate to discuss some specific issues that confront students when they start on the
PhD journey. Before starting on the PhD journey, a PhD student should ALWAYS begin by talking
to someone who has done it and accomplished. This should be done the earlier the better!
Top of the list is talking to the supervisor (s) who will definitely have proven themselves already. If
the student does not feel confident speaking to supervisors directly, it would help putting everything
in writing. Not only will it be documented but it may be easier to orderthe students thoughts and
to put points across without duress. Alternatively, if the student does not approach the supervisor, it
would be good to raise any issues at the formal initial meeting with supervisor.
The PhD program director; or head or manager of graduate school would be the next best person to
discuss the initial thrust of the PhD proposal. Most institutions or universities often have support
services designed to help the student such as the counselling, student unions, chaplaincy, career
advisers, research development advisers and international officers.
6.9.1 Be aware of Problems with supervisors
The student who comes out as being proud and I already know what I want to do and do not stand
in my way attitude will always have problems with any supervisor. PhD students can be proactive
in the supervision process but must strictly keep cordial and respectful relationships with the
supervisor otherwise the journey is botched even before it commences.
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6.9.2 Lack of communication
Often the root of disagreement and difficulties between a supervisor and a PhD student is a lack of
communication. The supervisor-supervisee relationship is one of the pillars on which PhDs are built.
This relationship will evolve over time so the dynamic will change. An experienced supervisor
knows more about the studentsproject and its context than the student does and should be allowed
to guide the student in the first steps. By the time the student will be half way on the journey, the
experienced supervisor will allow an exchange of ideas and debating of results. By the third year the
student should be the expert, with nobody but really himself knowing more about the research. This
require good communication and if it is missing, it is a recipe for disaster. Ideally expectations from
both sides should have been discussed at the outset but it is never too late to address it if the student
finds his expectations are not met or if they feel somewhat disappointed by the supervisor.
6.9.3 Identify were training or help is required
The student must share concerns with supervisor about where the project is and where it is going.
The student should ask about techniques, resources and recommended reading which could help.
The student will be surprised what effective communication can achieve. Students normally find
that the supervisor had no idea that the student was struggling. Nevertheless the student should be
realistic with the demands and expectations, supervisors are busy academics and researchers, often
juggling teaching, research, pastoral or administrative roles.
6.9.4 Absent supervisors
Having stated the importance of communication, how do students reach out to a supervisor who just
isn't there? This problem is one of the most common problem that PhD students face when on the
journey. The first step is to try and find out, without being indiscrete, why the supervisor is not
available: do they have research commitments abroad? Are they involved in senior-level work with
the institution, the Government, public organisations or industry? Are they part-time? The best way
to solve this problem is to arrange a formal meeting to discuss scheduled contact times which would
mutually appeal to both the student and the supervisor. With the advent of technology, meetings do
not have to be face-to-face. Other forms could be arranged exploring the possibilities of online
meeting like teleconference or phone support that could be available through the university.
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6.9.5 Overbearing supervisors
An Overbearing supervisors, who constantly looks over a students shoulder can be as much a
problem as absent supervisors. The student should communicate firmly with such a supervisor to let
them know that meeting too frequently was counterproductive and the student explain to the
supervisor that the student has the skills and the enthusiasm to take the project forward. If it doesn't
work and becomes unbearable, the student should try to work from home or at the library to get
some space whenever possible.
6.9.6 Changing supervisors
There are many reasons why the student may consider a change in the supervisor and most
universities have a process in place for this. If the students research has changed in scopeconsiderably, it is perfectly reasonable to consider having an additional supervisor or to change
completely. It is a very positive thing to seek the right expertise and guidance for any PhD. However,
it is prudent to discuss any drastic changes with the current supervisor, especially if the reasons are
any of the issues discussed above so they are aware of what went wrong. Considering that one of the
main skills PhD students develop is self-reliance, being able to work without constant supervision,
a skill which employers value, being without a supervisor for short spells could prove positive
whilst arranging a replacement supervisor. Depending on the stage of the PhD, a change of
supervisor may prove to be disruptive rather than a benefit.
6.9.7 Loss of motivation
Motivation will not always be up there where a student want it to be. The student needs enthusiasm,
optimism and dedication to do a PhD. A PhD is a long project, probably more than one would have
expected. As with all things, motivation will have highs and lows unless the student finds ways to
keep things varied, interesting, realistic and rewarding. Its good to always bear in mind that the PhD
is primarily the students own project and as such the fuel to complete must always intrinsically
come from within the students own fighting spirit. Qualities that the student needs to develop as a
PhD student are determination and a desire to succeed under whatever cost.
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6.9.8 "Second year blues"
This is a well-known phenomenon. Following the initial high of being a PhD student and the
enthusiasm of taking forward the accepted research project, the motivation and morale may take a
sudden slump causing the student to experience what has commonly come to be referred to as
second-year blues. Most students with their PhD achievement will attest to this weird phenomenon
and will advise that this eventually goes away by the time the third year write-up period begins. This
should be discussed with the supervisor and must not be ignored because it is the time that most
students lose time resulting in rushing through the last year, with devastating consequences.
6.9.9 Calling it a day
With regular occurrence students embark on a doctorate and then later decide it is not for them.There is nothing wrong with that. In the end, a PhD is for the student so one should not continue
with the PhD worrying about disappointing someone out there. Students who make such decision
have subsequent successful careers and lives because it equally shows their ability to know when
they are beaten and making alternative paths for their lives. The decision must not be irrational
brought on by one incident and consider everything to be not worth the while. Extensive
consultations must be done with the supervisor, fellow students, other researchers, a counsellor or a
career adviser.
7.0 Final thoughts
There are some things that can be done to provide a variation to the PhD journey so that it does not
become a chore. Here are some tips to make a students worka lot more enjoyable:
(a)The PhD students should give guest lectures in the institution and area of study on a spacedout period. A PhD student should know more about their area than their advisor by the time
they finish, and undergraduates benefit when this feeds into the department's teaching.
(b)The Student should conduct a seminar on his work maybe twice during the entire PhD period.This should be on the students own research and can be an invaluable opportunity to get
feedback. Using undergraduate students can be exciting as they probably will offer extremely
important feedback from a virgin mind that is not yet corrupted with too much theory work.
(c)Reviewing papers for conferences and journals can become an exciting leisure time that the
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student can enjoy as a process to look at how others articulate their thoughts. This can be an
excellent way to develop the students critical thinking, capacity.
9.0 Remarks and thanks
This work contained herein would not have been technically possible had we not used a lot
of information contained on the listed institutions websites below where research and student
participation in commended PhD research is carried out. These institutions have set the pace
and others follow. Being pace setters makes these Institutions to be highly recognized for
providing some of the most highly respected research solutions to not only the academic
world but also the general UK economic sector. We would like to thank the following
institutions:
University of Sunderland (http://www.sunderland.ac.uk/) Newcastle University (http://www.ncl.ac.uk/) Northumbria University (http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/) University of Glasgow (http://www.gla.ac.uk/) University of Bristol (http://bristol.ac.uk/)
http://www.sunderland.ac.uk/http://www.sunderland.ac.uk/http://www.sunderland.ac.uk/http://www.ncl.ac.uk/http://www.ncl.ac.uk/http://www.ncl.ac.uk/http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/http://www.gla.ac.uk/http://www.gla.ac.uk/http://www.gla.ac.uk/http://bristol.ac.uk/http://bristol.ac.uk/http://bristol.ac.uk/http://bristol.ac.uk/http://www.gla.ac.uk/http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/http://www.ncl.ac.uk/http://www.sunderland.ac.uk/ -
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10.0 Bibliography and references
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Campbell, B. W. (1989).A study of the relationship between teachers and students learning styles
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Dunn, R., Beaudry, J. S., & Klavas, A. (1989). Survey of research on learning styles. Educational
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Gallup, G. G., Jr. (1979). Self-recognition in chimpanzees and man: A developmental and
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Gash, S. (1999). Effective Literature Searching for Students (second edition). Aldershot: Gower.
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http://www.geteducated.com/career-center/detail/what-is-a-doctorate-degree
http://www.mcgraw-hill.co.uk/openup/chapters/0335213448.pdf
http://www.niso.org/publications/press/UnderstandingMetadata.pdf
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/postgraduate_qualifications_doctorates.htm
http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-PhD
Kanfer, R. & Ackerman, P.L. (1989). Motivation and cognitive abilities: an integrative/ aptitude-
treatment interaction approach to skill acquisition. Journal of Applied Psychology Monograph, 74,
657-90.
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Keefe, J. W. (1979). Learning style: An overview. NASSP's Student learning styles: Diagnosing
and proscribing programs (pp. 1-17). Reston, VA. National Association of Secondary School
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Sikazwe, H., C (2011).Psychoanalytical theories and opposing views Science or Philosophy,
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