much ado about a phd
DESCRIPTION
Workshop delivered at the Institute of Learning Innovation. Topics covered include: Answering questions about your thesis, organising your time, structuring your thesis chapters, ensuring your thesis is consistent, and taking the final steps.TRANSCRIPT
Much Ado About a PhD
Brenda Cecilia Padilla Rodríguez
March 12, 2014March 12, 2014
Looking back
PhD Research Day 2
Discussion: Topics not covered
Results: Info not
contemplated in research questions
Literature Review: From descriptive to
analytical
Topics we will cover
• Answering questions about your thesis
• Organising your time
• Structuring your thesis chapters
• Ensuring your thesis is consistent
• Taking the final steps
PhD Research Day 3
Answering Mock Viva questions!
• Randomly select at least two questions from any sections you like.
• Work with a colleague and take turns to answer the questions you selected.
• Provide feedback to your colleague. How adequate were their answers?
• Make it more interesting! Choose the questions for your colleague and viceversa!
PhD Research Day 4http://tinyurl.com/oma4n9w
Organising your time
• Create objectives for the next 3-6 months.
• Follow the SMART methodology!o Specifico Measurableo Attainableo Relevanto Time-bound
• Share your objectives with a colleague. • Check their objectives. Are they SMART?
PhD Research Day 5
Structuring your thesis chapters
PhD Research Day 6
• What thesis chapter are you currently writing?
• Share with your team members the outline you are following in your chapter.o What topics are you covering in this chapter?o What headings and subheadings are you
using?
• Compare and contrast your outline with that of others.o Do you need to change anything?
Structuring your thesis chapters
• Introductiono Contexto Justificationo Contribution to knowledge
• Literature Reviewo Search strategyo Key concepts o Limitations of your
framework
• Methodologyo Research designo Participantso Data sourceso Procedureo Ethics
• Resultso Use your research questions
as guidance!
• Discussiono Use your research questions
as guidance! (It helps keeping things consistent)
o Beyond the research questions
• Conclusionso Contribution to knowledgeo Conclusionso Limitationso Recommendations for
practice (Implications)o Future research
PhD Research Day 7
Ensuring your thesis is consistent
METHODOLOGYHow will you answer this
question?What instruments will you
use?Who will provide the data?
FINDINGSWhat is the answer
of this question according to your
data?
CONCLUSIONSAfter comparing
your findings with the literature, what can you conclude?
RQ1
RQ2
RQ3
PhD Research Day 8
Try it!!
Taking the final steps
PhD Research Day 9
Plan your time. It is important!
Taking the final steps
• How do I know I have really finished?o You have reached your deadline!o You have finished and edited your thesis a couple of
times, and you are starting to change things from white to black and back to white.
PhD Research Day 10
Should I write “student” or “learner” in this
sentence?
Remember…
Finishing your thesis is not finishing your thesis…
Remember…
It is simply deciding that you will stop making
changes.
Thank you!
PhD Research Day 13