phd journey reflection

Posted on October 3, 2020
In About innovation ecosystems

PhD reflections – What worked, what I would do differently

I hunkered down to complete my PhD around the time that COVID-19 hit in Australia. My initial thought was that lockdown would be a perfect opportunity to finish the thesis. I was mistaken.

The pandemic proved an ‘all hands on deck’ moment for anyone involved in economic and community development work. I found myself busier than ever even as I read stories about people learning to bake bread and being bored in lockdown

COVID-19 also became the dominant distraction. A PhD is already an exercise in disciplined procrastination avoidance. The pandemic combined with a pervasive media cycle has proven virulent in consuming any available attention.

So my 2020 PhD completion plan of two weeks became four, then a two month plan extended to six. We are now in October, the chapters have gone through multiple supervisor reviews, and I am in the final revision and submission process. Between external reviewers and admin, I am looking at a March 2021 completion date.

Now that I am coming up for air, I wanted to take a moment to reflect and learn before my own revisionist history gets the better of me. Writing provides benchmarks in our lives. Reading my original PhD post from 2016 , I smile at who I was, my optimistic two-year prediction, and who I thought I might be when I finished.

I share so that perhaps others may learn for their future journey, that those who have been down the path might reflect and compare, and those who are considering the PhD path may learn as careers and professions continue to be disrupted. Like any personal narrative, take and apply what adds value, leave the rest. Below are some brief reflections on what I found helpful and what I would do different.

The PhD process

Some people do a PhD through coursework, others through submitting multiple journal submissions, still others with one main thesis. I did one thesis, but I recommend submitting articles as you go. PhDs will also be different based on the domain – medicine, business, sociology, psychology, manufacturing, etc. The steps below are based on my own experience at the cross-section of business and community.

STEP 1: Apply

The first step is to apply . I have heard of people having a few attempts as they find the right fit with their question, one or more supervisors with interest and capacity to support the topic, and a primary university in which they will be based. Universities are also often looking for people to research a particular field and scholarships are available if your interests align with desired outcomes.

I was was working as a community manager in an innovation hub in 2016 when I started asking questions about the impact the hub was having on the wider community. This aligned with a focus area for the local university (University of Southern Queensland) and availability of supervisors including one who with a focus on social enterprise and another who was developing an innovation program for women in regional and rural communities. I later added another supervisor from the Queensland University of Technology who specialised in regional innovation-related entrepreneurship and data.

STEP 2: Proposal

The second stage of a PhD is to refine the question and develop the research proposal . This involves a review of research that has gone before and conversations with your supervisor to focus your question.

I was too broad in so many areas, asking about the role of the innovation hub, ways to measure the impact, innovation hub sustainability, regional comparisons and statistical data, and all this across all of Australia with global comparisons. I developed a software platform to measure innovation hub impact, mapped the ecosystem across Australia, and planned to physically interview every innovation ecosystem in Australia. I was grossly over-ambitious.

I am grateful for the feedback of those who helped me focus my attention. This process of refinement is natural and not unexpected. In startup terms, this is similar to the process of customer validation. Like many startups, there is a risk of trying to solve to many problems, addressing issues that aren’t really an issue, and not identifying the gap where others have not already addressed the issue or opportunity.

STEP 3: Confirmation

The third stage is presenting the research proposal and being confirmed . This is like pitching your idea.

I was humbled to present my proposal for confirmation to a panel that included leaders whose work inspired me to pursue my topic. I remember the chuckles as I shared my plan for a national driving tour over 10 months. I am glad I took their feedback on board to limit the scope to Queensland. Otherwise I might still be on the road.

Through the proposal and confirmation process, I also met the tribe of like-minded researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners who were interested in similar outcomes. This process was valuable to connect with many who I now call colleagues, mentors, advisors, and friends.

STEP 4: Research

The fourth stage is conducting the research . This may be collecting new data from surveys, interviews, or workshops, or collating existing data sets in new ways. My research involved driving across Queensland for almost three months conducting over 180 interviews, as well as fly-in visits to centres in each state and territory.

A key take away was to do one thing and do it well. My intent was to focus on research outcomes while at the same time promoting regional innovation and supporting local leaders through sharing stories. After over 60 days of AirBNBs, going through two drones, five hard drives of data, two laptops, and navigating a summer of record heat and fires, my priority focused exclusively on capturing the stories and data. I still have the content for a potential documentary, but the research became a priority.

STEP 5: Analysis and writing

Once you have the data, it is time to analyse and write up the results. I found this a process of learning how to write as much as writing itself. My document ballooned to over 250,000 words before settling on the current 120,000 words over nine chapters.

Written and read is better than perfect. I held on to my work for too long before getting it reviewed and in front of my supervisors early and often. I ended up with significant rewrites having followed a few literature rabbit trails and mixing method with theory. Earlier reviews would have minimised the rework.

The writing also did not flow like I thought it would. I would stare at the screen for days with only one or two pages to show for it. Then re-reading a week later, I would move entire lines of thought to the appendix as they were not contributing to the original question.

I ended up taking breaks and engaging regions to break the blocks. It was necessary to reconnect with the original passion that inspired my journey in the first place.

STEP 6: Review, submission, and defence

I am now in the final stage of review and submission and expect to defend my position with external reviewers by early 2021. Given the past reviews and refinement, I am fairly confident in the next steps. I will keep you updated as I go.

Four reflections

The PhD process is one of ups and downs. There are Twitter communities dedicated to the journey at #phdlife and #phdchat . Anyone doing a PhD will quickly stumble across the disturbingly accurate Piled higher and Deeper comic strip . These streams of thought have been very helpful to normalise my experience versus to my own preconceived view of my PhD journey.

The tweets below remind me I am not alone in my thinking…

What I thought:

I’m done writing, my thesis is awesome, after a brief review I should be done in two weeks!

The reality:

I can write, I’ve done a Masters, and have you seen my blog posts?

I’ll drive around and collect data across Australia, film and edit a documentary, make a significant contribution to literature, and build a software business in on the side.

I could go on, but you get the idea. Part of my desire to write this post is to now contribute for those in the midst of the PhD to know that what they are experiencing is OK. With that in mind, here are some top of mind reflections.

Reflection 1: A lot of life happens in a PhD

My first reflection is an acknowledgment that life happens around a PhD. A full-time PhD is scheduled at three years. My own journey will clock in at five years and includes a leave of absence and three extensions. A lot of life happens in five years.

From when I started my PhD to now, I:

created three businesses,
was contracted or employed in seven positions,
completed regional consultancy engagements across Australia,
toured North America,
visited every state and territory in Australia,
divorced, and
re-married.

Not to mention the pandemic.

Who I am now is different than who I was. I have had successes, made mistakes, and learned lessons along the way.

Through it all the PhD has been a constant. My starting question has not changed, but the personal and global context in which the question is asked has. The PhD has been a constant interaction between self and the environment.

Rather than detract, these changes and challenges have made the process all the richer. It has allowed me to explore personal, organisation, and community resilience in the midst of disruption.

A PhD is a marathon. Marathons are about the journey, not the finish line.

Reflection 2: The guilt

My second reflection is about something I read a lot about in PhD conversations – the guilt. At some point, my life became a constant state of either working on the thesis or not working on the thesis. Everything else – sleep, family, eating, work – was framed as a decision to not work on the thesis. You would think this would be motivating to finish the thesis, but the self-imposed pressure inhibited creativity and the words stopped flowing.

I also found it difficult to justify writing the thesis with so many immediate needs to be addressed, particularly in the middle of a pandemic. Social media feeds became a vicious cycle of procrastination and guilt. The inner monologue was that others were making a difference while I stared at the screen willing my paragraphs to rewrite themselves.

A few perspectives helped with this process. First, everyone is in different stages and seasons in life. I have had times of building companies and communities, working in agencies, and studying. This was a season of study. It was just taking a bit longer than I expected.

Second, I kept reminding myself of the reason I started the journey in the first place. I believe the challenges we face are complex and systemic. These challenges require solutions that have rigour and address systemic and embedded barriers. I believe my research is contributing to this solution.

Finally, the guilt is a feeling that passes. The way out is the way through, appreciating what the guilt was saying, applying what is mine to own, leaving what is not, and continuing with the work regardless. Once I was able to observe the guilt for what it was, I was able to lean into it and continue writing.

Reflection 3: This is not your life’s work

The third reflection is that the PhD is only the beginning. When I started the PhD process, I felt it would be the pinnacle of academic achievement and the consolidation of my experiences. One of my supervisors gave me great advice – the PhD is not my life’s work, but a starting point. This was confronting and humbling to realise that what I thought was the finish line is actually the starting block.

Every day of research is an awareness of how little I know and how much there is to learn. The PhD will not be a culmination of knowledge but joining a group of those on a life journey of sharing knowledge with others.

Reflection 4: The support of others

My last reflection (for now) is the value of support from others. I started the PhD as a solo effort. It was not until much later that I leaned more on my supervisors and colleagues for input, feedback, and support. Having been a mentor and coach for others, I found it difficult to raise my hand and ask for help or even be aware that help was needed.

I would not be where I am if not for the last six months of weekly submissions and daily catch ups with a few people who have provided advice or simply a sanity check. I am very grateful and look forward to returning the favour for others. If I were to do it again, I would get this routine in earlier.

Which brings me to where to from here. I am working through the backlog of projects and reports queued up as I worked on the thesis. I am fortunate to have two Research Fellow roles that allow me to apply my research, and there are about six papers to be delivered off the back of my thesis. There is also ongoing regional work and mapping to be done across Australia through the Universities as well as my not-for-profit Startup Status .

One of the things I am most looking forward to is the ability to be a supervisor for others on the PhD journey. I am keen to pass on lessons and walk with others so they can go even further and faster.

I am also excited about making my research operational. I expect I will turn my thesis into a book and integrate the models into platforms so leaders in the field can benefit more broadly. Finally, I look forward to reconnecting with everyone I interviewed and repay them for the time they so graciously provided.

Thanks to those who have been on the journey with me. I look forward to continuing the conversation.

University | A to Z | Departments

York Graduate Research School
Support and wellbeing
How to Thrive and Survive your PhD

Reflection and the PhD journey

About the York Graduate Research School
Contact YGRS
YGRS newsletter
Academic progression
Research integrity
PGR Buddy Scheme
PGR Mentor Scheme
Finding your ‘work groove’
Supervisors and support
Bumps in the road
Skills development
Life outside your PhD
Helpful resources and apps
Distance PGRs
Researcher development
Public engagement opportunities
PGR feedback
Research funding
Policy, forms and documents

It is good to keep a record of how your project evolves, decisions you’re making, and things that are interesting but outside the scope of your research. This will help you reflect as you work on your PhD, and you can look back on how far you’ve come, both academically and personally.

Allow for thinking time even when you don’t consider it to be 'work' because although you might not be 'producing', you are creating ideas and connections in your head that will contribute day by day. - Lauren, Year 3

Write regularly (anything) and don't worry about perfection - it will help to develop your writing and also come in useful later on. - Caroline, Year 3

As well as all my academic notes and thesis chapters, I’ve kept a record of personal and academic reflections. This has helped me to see how far I’ve travelled in my thinking about my project and how I’ve grown as an academic and personally as I’ve developed skills and navigated the challenges of the PhD experience. Reflecting has also helped me put things in perspective and calm down when I’ve been experiencing interpersonal or writing frustration. - Clare, Year 3

It is highly unlikely that you will know what your storyline is when you start your PhD. You will have a better idea about it by the time you start writing your discussion. In practice, this means that during your first years you will read, review and write material that will be helpful for developing your knowledge and conducting your research, but it might not be useful for the final version of your thesis. Getting into the habit of writing paragraphs and arguments during your whole PhD will make it easier to write chapters when you finally get down to it. Also, it will be useful to keep track of your reading and your interpretations of it. – Ana, Year 4

I may have a BA and an MA is the area of my PhD, but I was not expected to know everything when I started. I'm here to research and learn, and have conclusions at the end of my PhD, not the beginning. - Victoria, Year 2

In many cases, a PhD is not just about your chosen subject but about how you develop as a researcher. Constantly reflecting on how you are positioned in relation to your research is a vital part of this process. Remember that you are ‘in’ your research at every single stage of your PhD - how you interact with research participants, how you collect, interpret and analyse data and how your own biases, opinions and life experience may show through your work. It is helpful to keep a research journal to work through these issues, consistently discuss your work with colleagues, and read up on methodology and reflexivity in research.

- Jamie, Year 4

University of York , Heslington , York , YO10 5DD , UK Tel: work +44 (0) 1904 320000 | Fax: fax +44 (0)1904 323433

A place to get informed and inspired

My Ph.D. Journey: A Reflection on What it has Taught Me.

What’s the first word that comes to your mind after hearing Ph.D.?

Maybe the highest degree, intelligent people, long years, hard journey, etc.

In fact, even in my Master’s, I did not have a good idea about Ph.D. which is very unlikely (I was not even interested to be honest).

People who think to pursue a Ph.D. plan it way before. By the time they do their postgraduate studies, they make up their mind about Ph.D.

Nonetheless, on 10th August 2022, I defended my Ph.D. thesis.

If someone would have told me 7-8 years back that I would get a doctorate degree one day, I definitely would not have believed him.

People say (especially the so-called internet gurus) to have 5 or 10-year plans in life.

For me, I never believed in 10-year plans.

How do I know what kind of person I will be after 10 years, what would be my aspirations, beliefs, or mindset?

The philosophy of ‘ enjoy this day and make decisions with your heart ‘ has served me well.

When I look back and think about why did even I decided to pursue Ph.D., I find not much rationale behind it, rather I just liked a research group and I plunged into it not worrying too much about the future.

To understand my statement, you have to know a little background about me.

I did my Master’s (in Chemistry) at a state University (not considered a top-tier institute in India).

IITs (Indian Institute of Technology), IISERs (Indian Institute of Science Education and Research), etc. are considered as most prestigious institutes in India to pursue Science at the highest level.

So, I was never really serious about a Ph.D. (until the last few months of master’s).

But I guess things do not always happen to you because you worked hard for it but also because it was meant to happen to you.

Sometimes the universe just conspires to make things happen in your life. For me, Ph.D. is perhaps one of these things.

So here I am, overcoming the journey of five years of Ph.D. wanna share my experience and lessons that might help you if you stumble upon a similar journey in life.

Below are some of the topics that I am going elaborate on from my experience.

1. What Prompted me to do a Ph.D. and why you should do it or should not do it

2. expectations going into the phd, 3. challenges i faced through the journey, 4. three most useful skills to navigate successfully through phd, 5. three important life lessons i learned during my phd, 6. conclusion, what prompted me to do a ph.d. and why you should do it or should not do it.

I remember it was the last semester of my master’s and all my friends had a discussion with me about the future

Questions like “ So what are you going to do next? What kind of job are you looking for? Are you thinking about PhD ?’ were part of regular discussions.

When I joined my master’s, I began with a perception that doing a decent job is the best thing after my post-graduation.

By the time, I was in my last semester, I started enjoying the subject to some extent and perhaps wanted to explore more. It was then perhaps I started thinking Ph.D. as an option (of course some of my teachers did encourage me).

When you are in a normal state University in India, there is an environment of fear about Ph.D. which is not entirely wrong.

You don’t want to explore a field where your investment/return ratio is poor.

A Ph.D. requires long 5-6 years with a lot of hurdles in between. After investing so many precious years of life, if you think the returns are way poorer then it is natural to get scared.

I still preferred to pursue the doctorate not because I was confident about returns but because I just wanted to explore the subject a bit more.

To be frank, I got scared a lot of times while in my Ph.D. about my future.

‘ What would I do after my Ph.D.? Will I be skilled enough to become valuable in the market? Can I lead a life of my choice after Ph.D.?’ used to roam in my mind sometimes.

However, the one thing which glued me to the doctorate program is my fascination to explore the subject of my choice.

So when people ask me why should I do a Ph.D.? My answers are-

Because you love your subject and wish to explore more
You find research fascinating/interesting
You wanna become a leader/expert in your subject area
You want to pursue a research-related career

Then why should I not do a PhD.?

You are obsessed to get Dr. before your name
You wish to become famous
You think Ph.D. could increase your earning potential
You think you are intelligent so you must pursue PhD

Expectations going into the PhD

It’s important to keep your focus on the process and not the outcome in any aspect of life. Ph.D. is also not an exception.

Some people join Ph.D. with a high expectation of becoming a well-known persona from the beginning. Nothing wrong with that but carrying a high expectation could create extra pressure on you.

A Ph.D. is a journey, not any milestone. In 4-6 years of this journey, a lot of things will change and so are your expectations.

At the end of your Ph.D., you may not like something that you used to like at the start.

My aims from the beginning were clear. Instead of thinking about what I want to become, I think in terms of what kind of life I wish you live and what sort of career will allow me to do that.

I tried my best to focus on skills would make me a valuable candidate.

Ph.D. is perhaps the best time to prepare yourself before entering the hard world. Utilize it to hone your skills instead of wandering about how much you would earn after your Ph.D.

It is wise to think step by step and focus on getting the most out of the experience (learning/research in Ph.D.) instead of being obsessed about a specific outcome that might change and add unnecessary pressure.

Challenges I faced through the journey

Accepting the new norms of life

Until my Ph.D., I was accustomed to the normal routine of 9-5 life (like most people). Go to college/University, take some classes, then return in the evening.

The work life of Ph.D. changed the routine. There is no 9-5 concept. You work as long as you want. In fact, make your own routine perhaps.

The beginning was a little tough and I assume that happens to most people. Adjusting to new life and trying to keep up with the requirements of Ph.D. life seems a little overwhelming in the beginning days.

Nonetheless, as I( or anyone) got used to new requirements, everything became normal. It’s important that you don’t start judging too much in the starting days. Things could seem difficult, unclear, or messy but it does get better with time.

How quickly you get comfortable depends on whether you could adjust to the culture/people of the lab you are working with. If you find the lab culture too toxic, leave it. Working in a toxic lab for long will harm almost every aspect of your life.

The supervisor and peers play a crucial role in Ph.D. Thus it is important that you chose the lab and supervisor wisely.

One dimensional life

I was always interested in pursuing things that I like. Curiosity is something that drives my life. I am a great admirer of Leonardo Da Vinci. I always believed that it is the indomitable curiosity of Da Vinci that enable him to lead a great life.

In the beginning years of my Ph.D., I felt locked in a certain situation. I was only supposed to reach the lab in the morning and work there till night. And this is pretty normal in Ph.D. people work long hours in the lab.

I had no problem with long hours but I find it difficult to not pursue even a small hobby during my Ph.D. The general perception of people also perhaps says that just focus on Ph.D. while in Ph.D., nothing else.

For me, it was becoming difficult to follow that philosophy. I wanted something else as well in my life, even if it was something small. I wanted to get out of my one-dimensional life which consist of just doing research in a small lab.

That’s when I started to write on the internet. I have been always a bookworm. But never really took writing seriously. Although, I had a knack for writing personal diaries in my childhood.

Eventually, I started enjoying my writing, I established my own blog and then my own newsletter.

Writing is perhaps my biggest self-discovery in my PhD journey.

I met so many interesting people, and heard so much from people just because of my writing.

Of course, good writing is a must-have skill in Ph.D. so in that way, my writing did help me in my Ph.D. as well.

Feelin g stuck at times

My Ph.D. journey has not been smooth always (perhaps like most people). Perhaps most Ph.D. student goes through this feeling of being stuck during their Ph.D.

At times, I felt stuck on specific research projects because things were not improving, other times I felt stuck just because the future did not seem exciting.

This is where you actually need a good support system. You need a few people around you who can make you feel stronger.

This is why the supervisor and peers in the lab are so important. You must not be lonely in your Ph.D. journey. There must be some people with whom you can share your frustrations, your insecurities. Does not matter whether those people are from the lab or out of the lab.

Keeping your body and mind in the right shape also plays a significant role to deal with tough situations in Ph.D.

While feeling stuck, remember that everything is just a phase and it takes long years to finish a Ph.D. so that you learn the value of perseverance and resilience.

If you succeed every time in Ph.D. and there is almost no failure, then you have not earned a good Ph.D.

Three most useful skills to navigate successfully through Ph.D.

Persuasion in general is a great skill to possess. But in Ph.D., it becomes necessary to have it. While in Ph.D. you have to deal with people from different backgrounds, whether it is your supervisor, your peers, your committee members or other people, you have to convince different people at different times.

It is critical that you know how to persuade people in your presentations, through your writing, or in general while having normal conversations.

If you could understand people and talk in their language, chances are your Ph.D. will go smoothly without many hiccups.

Learn the art of Persuasion.

2. Look at the broader picture

It’s important that you don’t get stuck in the day-to-day problems in Ph.D.

Your research may not improve, You might have a bad day with one of your lab mates, or something else.

It’s important to see the broader picture while in your Ph.D. Do not do anything foolish based on a silly incident that might affect your future. Keep your eyes and mind on the big picture.

Similarly, don’t get carried away by the failure or success of your lab mates or peers. You need to trust yourself and keep on doing what you feel is good for you.

Don’t start copying others just because something (a research work or strategy) has worked for them. Remember your Ph.D. is supposed to be original in every aspect.

For that to happen, you have to be original first. Develop a research vision. Read the problems associated with your field and how can you contribute to solving those.

Chose your projects wisely and stick to them. Sooner or later you will get the rewards.

3. Perseverance

When someone enrolls in a Ph.D. program, he/she is supposed to generate original knowledge which is not been reported before.

This means one needs to try and see numerous things to know what works and what does not.

My experience is that Ph.D. is more about failures than success.

At the end of a Ph.D., one should be able to tell more about what does not work than what work.

Learning the art of failure and having the perseverance to deal with failure is perhaps the most important skill one must develop during Ph.D.

In the face of uncertainty, in the face of rejection, and in the face of frustration, perseverance is your protector.

Three important life lessons I learned during my PhD

Ph.D. presents the opportunity to self-discover yourself

The ultimate joy in life is when you discover something in yourself.

Being in a Ph.D. is a unique time that accelerates your chances of discovering yourself.

Why I am saying that?

You have to think harder, you are supposed to do a lot of brainstorming, you will fail a lot, you will be frustrated at times, you will see success, failure everything in a quick time in a Ph.D.

In normal routine life, you don’t see these many things going on in your life. But a Ph.D. in a way forces you to think harder about your research and about your life.

This means you are expected to better understand yourself. About what you like, what you don’t like, what kind of skills you possess, what you need to improve, etc.

In a nutshell, You perhaps would know yourself better after doing a Ph.D.

For me, I realized what kind of life I wish to live, and what are the things that make me happy (so I will pursue them lifelong).

I discovered interesting people in my Ph.D. whom I wish to remain in touch with, I discovered my interest in writing, I discovered my style of work, etc.

It’s not just about getting the degree, it’s also about your personal development so that you could live a fulfilled life.

2 . Good communication is the most underrated skill

You could improve your life so much if only you could have good communication ability.

When you talk, it is not just about getting the message transferred to the other person. It’s also about how you make the other person feel.

“It’s not what you say but it’s how you make them feel that people remember”

Unfortunately, people do not talk much about having clear and crisp communication abilities. The general belief is that some people are naturally good in conversations and some are not.

That’s really a myth.

The ability to talk effectively could be developed with some effort.

You can’t overlook your communication ability in a Ph.D. or in life.

Everything good that would happen to you is because somebody will present you with opportunities. And if you cannot make others feel good through effective conversations, chances are you will not get many opportunities.

3. Embrace Uncertainty

Most people do not like uncertainty. It makes people uncomfortable.

Our brain craves patterns in everything. We feel in control when we could predict what’s gonna happen next. However, life does not often present us with predictability.

In the face of uncertainty, we feel scared.

If anything, Ph.D. is all about facing uncertainty. You don’t know what will happen to your research project, you are not sure what you will be doing after Ph.D., you don’t know how life will throw challenges while in PhD., etc.

In the hindsight, when I look back I think uncertainty can give you scope for growth in life. If you are certain about everything in life, then there is hardly any scope for growth.

More than success or failure what’s more important is whether you can accept it wholeheartedly and move forward.

In the end, both success or failure is temporary. True growth or development comes after your acceptance of the situation.

Be humble when you succeed and be strong when you fail. As the saying goes-

“This too shall pass”

Embrace uncertainty, because if you can then whether you succeed or fail but you will surely grow in life.

I think a Ph.D. is like a training ground where you prepare yourself for the challenges life is going to throw. If you love what you do in your Ph.D. then nothing is better than this.

Immerse yourself in the research that you always find interesting, discover new knowledge, and enjoy your time in your Ph.D.

At the same time, remember Ph.D. is a part of your life (maybe an important one), not your whole life. Take care of your body, mind, and soul. Pursue a hobby if you have one, be a part of a community, and talk to your parents, all these will eventually help you to increase the quality of your Ph.D. as well as your life.

I certainly had a rich experience in my Ph.D. and wish you all the best in your journey.

To know about my research visit jayabratadas.com

You could always get in touch with me. To read more of my writings, you could subscribe to my newsletter.

Einstein’s ‘Theory of Happiness’.

Generalist Vs Specialist: Which one you should become?

My Learnings About Money: An Account of Personal Finance

Rashmi Semwal

Truly beautiful and inspiring.

Thank you, Rashmi.

My PhD Journey: Reflections and Lessons Learnt

Women in Leadership: What Makes an Effective Leader?
Applying Human Governance in teaching
The flipped classroom: To flip or not to flip?
Commemorating inaugural MSMEs Day on 27 June
High value products and energy production through metabolic engineering
Magnetic-based materials a new innovation in waste water treatment
The use of online media in Malaysian national elections
Challenges and feasibility of the scaled-up production of nanomedicines
‘Light of Borneo’ project brings relief to villagers
Nanomedicine – A cure for Type 2 diabetes?
When a consumer becomes a net producer of electricity
Flexpatriate rotational assignees in the energy industry
Turbulence phenomenon and its potential as a renewable energy source
Modelling and process control research
Curtin Sarawak’s Programming Nation Club and the teaching of programming
High involvement work processes
The Malaysian economy
Understanding and managing flood hazards in Malaysia
Reflective practice and traditional lecture styles
Cutting-edge research at Curtin Sarawak
Corporate governance and theoretical development
Publication scams
Powering offshore platforms with renewable energy
Curtin Sarawak exploring wind energy as potential energy source for Malaysia
Is there love in learning?
Why undertake higher degree by research?
Reflections: Making a difference in students’ learning
Good government and the policy sciences
Landslides do not kill, unsafe slopes do
The prosperous Malaysian palm oil industry
Impact of business environment on management accounting practice
Practical C++ programming projects
Vehicle aerodynamics: Drag reduction through surface dimples
Financial Crises
Mariculture farm on offshore oil and gas platforms
Green banking practices
Revisiting Vision 2020: Has the vision gone myopic?
Country risk analysis
The Ringgit is depreciating but should we lose trust in it?
Developing business research studies at Curtin Sarawak
Education – A signal in the job market
This Global Handwashing Day, say NO to antiseptic soaps!
The multi-directional wheel robot
Teaching strategies and students’ learning approaches
Massive open online courses
Are we environmentally friendly??
What will you accomplish in five years at university?
The influence of HSE management in Malaysia’s oil and gas industry
Web spam and its counter measures
Planning a green city
The effect of truancy on future generations
Play games to save the world
Hornbills in Miri
PISA, TIMSS and higher education: The missing link
A Lesson in Urban Ecology: The benefits of trees in urbanised areas
Frameworks for the teaching and learning of second language students
Smart Technology: Are we smarter than the environment?
Industrial biotechnology research at Curtin Sarawak
Job satisfaction and organisational commitment: Implications for the banking industry
The role of multi-agent systems in our lives
The student as an individual ‘being’
GST in perspective
Entrepreneurship and Leadership Styles
Sustainable development: A case study of Miri City using the Low Carbon Cities Framework (LCCF)
The need to evaluate bank performance
The Herzberg Theory
World Heritage: The ‘Best of the Best’ on planet Earth
Nuclear energy: A viable energy option for Malaysia?
The big money circus
Malaysia as an international hub for higher education: Too much or not enough?
The Service Quality (SERVQUAL) technique
Keeping EVA and MVA in the equation when measuring investment performance
Our planet is at risk and the past could hold the key to the future
A.I.: No longer alone
Power and Managers’ Roles
‘Humanitarian competition’ a great motivator for students
English: Whose language and Why?
Service quality and the higher education industry
Is your university employer friendly?
Why study economics?
Evaluative criteria for selection of private universities and colleges in Malaysia
Human Resources Management for the future: The importance of universities being caring employers
Defect or cooperate? What would your winning strategy be?
If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu
Why we all need to be financially astute
Europe needn’t fear higher education investors
The Idea of the University: Philosophical or Economic?
Network your brain: The Net beyond Facebook
Karstification of the Subis limestone in Niah hills
Reflections: Curtin Sarawak’s achievements in Electrical Power Engineering over the last three years
What does the future of computers technology hold in store?
Is Optimus Prime A.I.?
Teaching philosophy and the student’s learning approach
Is the world to witness another looming crisis?
Sewerage system monitoring based on Wireless Sensor Network
Organisational misbehaviour: Should management intervene?
Extent of Corporate Voluntary Disclosure: The nexus of research and teaching
The influence of human resource management practices on employees’ attitudes and behaviour
Curtin Sarawak geology students are now working underground!
Integrity essential to maintaining high standards in education
Management intervention in workplace romances
Lead, manage and motivate others as a business development manager
Are your skills, knowledge and experience still relevant? A skills gap analysis can get you back on track.
Rock paper scissors. Skills beat paper.
Helping students improve their English and academic standards
The wealth of online education
The future of democratic elections lie in Fault Tolerance Automatic Voting Machines (FTAVM)
Documenting the exploits of our unsung heroes, the Sarawakian guerrillas of the ‘Z’ Special Unit, for perpetuity
From chili sauce to body armour
Search engines the key to the World Wide Web
Business Law classes go high-tech
A novel green technology in the making
Good project management makes a difference
Making it big in the world of finance
Cracking the salt challenge
Connecting Ironman and engineering
Consider tourism, event management
Evolving and transforming the way we live
The world’s an oyster for accountants
Staying competitive in the accounting world
Helping people deal with their money

by Tan Kim Lim

Earning a PhD can be seen as a daunting task to many. The three to four year journey may seem like aeons. Having gone through the journey myself, I realised that one does not need to spend the full three or four years. With good support, determination and by staying focused, you can finish your PhD in a shorter time and make it quite an enjoyable journey.

Now that I am on the tail-end of my PhD journey, I can reflect on all that I have been through and the many lessons that I have learnt. It is also an opportunity for me to express my sincerest appreciation to all those who have supported me in one way or another throughout my journey.

It is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration

I can totally relate to what Thomas Edison said about achieving success: “Genius is 1 per cent inspiration and 99 per cent perspiration.” He also said, “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”

Indeed, the journey to a PhD may not be as smooth as one would expect. There will be twists and turns as well as unexpected obstacles. It will make you perspire, and sometimes, push you to depths of despair.

It is therefore very much a matter of being passionate about what you are doing. When you have a passion for the topic you are researching, it is no longer a chore and instead can be quite enjoyable, knowing that you are working towards a significant goal.

I have also found comfort in what Professor Shih Choon Fong, Founding President of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, once said, “Perspiration is more than working hard, it is working relentlessly and passionately.” What has kept me going is the ability to stay focused, and at the same time, keep reminding myself why I wanted to pursue a PhD. Setting milestone objectives that are measurable and following them closely also helps me make sure I stay on track.

Having understanding supervisors

A PhD is a huge undertaking where you attempt to push the boundaries of knowledge and commitment over a period of few years. You may think the world revolves around you, but the truth is life goes on regardless. The demands of everyday life are always present. For mature students with family commitments like me, your presence is needed at home and your children will often demand your undivided attention.

At such times, having supervisors that can empathise with you and your situation is key. I am lucky to have very good supervisors. Their support has been critical in helping me to balance my commitments. They understand my role as a son, son-in-law, husband and father. This is especially important when I need to make urgent trips home, or am unable to get back to the university on time. The ability to work well with them and share your struggles outside of the academic realm allow them to support you better in times of need.

The encouragement of peers

Even with understanding supervisors, a journey towards a PhD can still be a lonely process. I would be lying if I said otherwise. Faced with never-ending reading and writing, there will be times where you would seriously doubt your capabilities or harbour thoughts of quitting.

Fortunately, I have a group of peers that constantly motivate each other. We communicate frequently, texting one another to ask how everyone is doing and checking on one another’s progress. It might seem insignificant to some, but simple words from my peers like “How are you?”, “Hang in there!” and “Do not give up!” have constantly reminded me that I am not alone on this journey.

The importance of support systems

Doing a PhD is not just about being a keyboard warrior. It is about exposing yourself to the larger ecosystem of research that allows you to establish networks and keep abreast of the latest developments.

When I started searching for the right institution to pursue my PhD, one of my key criteria was good support systems. I made a good choice in Curtin Malaysia as it has supported me in attending conferences and training, as well as provided scholarships and consumable allowances to manage my out-of-pocket expenses arising from research. Such support demonstrates the university’s commitment to establishing a conducive environment for students to pursue postgraduate research with peace of mind.

Concluding thoughts – If I can turn back time, would I do a PhD again? The answer is a resounding yes! Though it has been challenging, it has been a fruitful and interesting journey. I was not born smart; it was my hard work that brought me to where I am today. I am glad I chose this path. My PhD journey has made me more resilient and optimistic about the future.

Tan Kim Lim is a Singaporean pursuing his PhD with the Faculty of Business at Curtin University Malaysia. His research interest is in work engagement, meaningful work and job burnout. Kim Lim can be contacted at [email protected].

Information for...

Future students
International students
Current students
Employment opportunities
News and Events

Address CDT 250, 98009 Miri Sarawak, Malaysia
Tel +60 85 63 0100 (GMT +8)
Fax +60 85 63 0288

Curtin University is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

CRICOS Provider Code: 00301J Curtin University, Malaysia Is owned and managed by Curtin (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd 199801008086 (464213-M). Ministry of Education Registration Number : KPT/JPT/DFT/US/Y02 DULN003(Q).

Page last modified: Wednesday 3 July 2019

Privacy statement
Accessibility
Personal Data Protection Notice

Student News

News, information, and events for your student life.

On the other side: Reflections from my PhD journey

A PhD can seem endless when you first begin, and even more so as you near the end, working to finalise things. Though rest assured, there is life on the other side of the struggle. Having gone through the stressful, frustrating, interesting and sometimes fun journey that is doing a PhD, allow me to reflect on the path walked and how it feels being…’done’.

I can still remember how I felt starting my PhD. The 3- to 4-year path the lay ahead seemed like aeons. Of course, the fact that home was half-way across the world didn’t help matters either. I came in with a plan in mind and questions that needed answering. Bright-eyed and bushy tailed, I thought I was ready, and I was.

My first year was simultaneously slow and fast – you know the feeling. Doing the literature review was a pain in the neck – literally. Though it helped answer some questions, posed new questions and gave me a starting direction, even though I was working on a topic I had proposed. I call the first year the fun, breezy year , and it was. It was the time period during which I got accustomed to how things were done and got into the groove of things. I took up a sport, which I continued throughout my PhD (it came in handy from my third year onwards as an outlet). I made friends, some of which are still in my life.

Before I knew it, I was in my second year. At this time, I had a better handle on things in terms of what I was doing, and meant to be doing, with regards to my research. This was when the ‘real’ work actually began for me. My second year went by faster then the first, though there was still a work-life balance. This was my time of exploration and experimentation, trying out different ways of doing things and carving out my own way. Ah, good times… Well, that was until third year came around.

The time from when I began my third year to when I submitted my thesis is a bit of a blur. It went by very quickly and was a stressful period. As I have come to realise, having spoken to colleagues (snippets here and here ); towards the end of one’s PhD is the time when anything that can go wrong will most likely go wrong – Murphy’s law. There were a lot of setbacks and delays during this time, though I also managed to get a lot of work done. Admittedly, the work-life balance did slip a bit. From my experience, the third year is the time when you actually know what you have to do and want to do. Though it’s also when you’re most pressed for time. This was the point I realised that 3-4 years was a relatively short period of time to do ‘ground breaking research’.

Anywho… I managed to get my thesis written and completed through a combination of starting early and, in my case, working over the December break. Thesis writing seemed tedious at the time, that was until I had to do the corrections. Nonetheless, I also survived that, and I am now on the other side. So, how does it feel like? I’m glad you asked…

For me, it’s more a feeling of relief. I am enjoying not having to worry about deadlines, attending meetings or equipment/prototypes malfunctioning. However, it has been a bit tough to completely ‘switch off’ and do nothing. The ‘struggle’ has been in making an overnight transition from working towards deadlines and having daily objectives to doing nothing, or at least far less. I know, ‘first world problems’.

I haven’t been kicking back and relaxing as much as I thought I would be. Though whatever work I have been doing has been done on my own time, and that has been nice. And I have had a day or two of really doing nothing (cue the Bruno Mars song ).

So, what does the next step for me look like? Another good question. Firstly, I plan to continue taking some time off to relax and detox from the PhD journey. I want to get a bit bored and do other things that interest me which I didn’t have the time to do. After which, I plan to go it my own way.

Closing thoughts – if I had a time machine, would I do the PhD again? Yes. It has been a challenging but interesting journey. I have learnt and grown during this time and I walk away better equipped to create a career that will fulfil me. Though on a side note, if I had a time machine I would be a ‘time explorer’.

Would I do anything differently? That’s a catch 22 scenario. The temptation is to say yes. If so, I would do certain things earlier. But in actuality, I wouldn’t do anything differently. Every path I’ve taken has led to my learning and brought me to where I am today. I am glad I chose to undertake the challenge of pursuing a doctoral degree. Some of my takeaways from this journey is that I am more resilient and determined than I thought I was. I’ve also come to realise that there more you know, there more you realise how little you know.

Navigating your PhD: Tips for Major Milestones by Professor Peter Green

While the PhD journey can be transformative, it can also be convoluted and confusing, with each and every student journey different from the next. Stage 2, Confirmation, Examination, and navigating complex processes such as ethics are just some of the major milestones that every PhD student has to face, yet is often accompanied with limited clarity and high uncertainty.

In January, we kicked off CFE’s first webinar as a part of the HDR in Conversation series; content for HDR students, curated by HDR students. Through this we seek to provide advice, tools, and resources to empower students’ research journeys. For this webinar, Professor Peter Green from the School of Accountancy shed light on the holistic PhD process, and gave tips and tricks for major milestones based on his extensive supervisory experience. Here are just some of the key takeaways from his presentation;

1. The Dimensions of High-Quality Research

High quality research should be purposive, have clearly defined goals, have a replicable procedure, have a clear objective, complete and honest reporting procedures, appropriate analytical techniques, and conclusions limited to those justified by the data.

2. Shedding Light on Stage 2

As indicated by Professor Green, Stage 2 is pertinent only to the QUT PhD journey. This added step seeks to identify your overarching research question, clearly specifying the phenomenon of interest. Here PhD students also answer why their research is important, and what unique contributions can they make to theory, practice, and/or method.

3. Tackling Confirmation

The confirmation report needs to identify what work is to be done, why the work is significant, what about the work is original and represents contribution to knowledge, when the work will be completed (including indicative research outcomes), and how the work is to be done. For the presentation component, Professor Green highly recommends students do a ‘dry run’ before the day.

4. Collecting Data

The collection of data is frequently where PhD students most likely experience frustration due to delays in the process as the elements of this stage are often out of the individual’s control. This can surround delays in the ethical clearance process, promoting the study, and acquiring sufficient participant groups and representation. Professor Green’s tip here is to start this stage as early as possible, however only collect data once ethical clearance has been acquired (which you should start early too).

5. Publish Along the Way

If you choose to do your PhD by publication, great! This is a great way to make claims in the literature, and finish your PhD already being published, benefitting your academic CV. If you choose to do by a traditional thesis, you can still publish! For instance, your literature can be used to inform a critical literature review for publishing.

6. The Key to Success is Persistence

The PhD journey is a long one, and according to Professor Green, the most successful students are those who apply consistent attention, effort and motivation throughout their whole experience. Indeed, a common undergraduate approach of doing immense work only when work is due is not suitable for the PhD journey. Read, read, read, and write, write, write.

7. Your Thesis, Your Choice

Remember that your PhD is your thesis, so the decisions you make are your choice. While the there is a differentiation in authority and experience between a student and a supervisor, at the end of the day it is yours. However, be open to suggestions and opportunities to expand and grow.

To watch the seminar, click here . Password: NavigatingPhD2021!

Traversing the Doctorate pp 339–353 Cite as

Staying on Track: A Targeted Approach to Managing the Ph.D. Journey

Joanne Doyle 10
First Online: 24 September 2019

604 Accesses

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Education Research Methods ((PSERM))

The doctoral journey is an exciting and challenging experience for students as they progress towards the goal of making a contribution to the body of knowledge. For some students, the journey is a haphazard and chaotic experience, more akin to intrepid discovery than planned adventure. For others, the journey is a logical sequence of carefully coordinated activities. This chapter explores a project management approach to undertaking doctoral research whereby the student identifies targets, sets goals and monitors progress. Such an approach provides a foundation for the key research activities of reviewing literature, collecting data, analysing results and producing the thesis. Throughout the chapter, the author shares personal reflections as a doctoral candidate, supplemented by discussions with other Higher Degree Research students, to emphasise the value of using project management techniques to facilitate the process of achieving a Ph.D. The framework presented here may assist students who are embarking on doctoral research, and those who are currently on the Ph.D. journey, more effectively to focus effort and manage resources. The aim of the chapter is to share strategies so that candidates travelling the doctoral pathway can reach their destination within time, cost and quality (including scope) constraints.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution .

Buying options

Available as PDF
Read on any device
Instant download
Own it forever
Available as EPUB and PDF
Compact, lightweight edition
Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
Free shipping worldwide - see info
Durable hardcover edition

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Amran, N. N., & Ibrahim, R. (2012). Academic rites of passage: Reflection on a PhD journey. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 59, 528–534.

Article Google Scholar

Anon. (2014, January 14). The valley of shit vs the pit of despair (and why it’s important to know the difference) . Retrieved from http://oncirculation.com/2014/01/14/the-valley-of-shit-vs-the-pit-of-despair/ .

Australian Qualifications Framework Council. (2013). Australian Qualifications Framework . South Australia: Australian Qualifications Framework Council.

Google Scholar

Bell, J., & Waters, S. (2014). Doing your research project: A guide for first-time researchers (6th ed.). Berkshire, UK: McGraw-Hill Education.

Bendemra, H. (2013, October 29). Doing a PhD can be a lonely business but it doesn’t have to be . Retrieved from http://theconversation.com/doing-a-phd-can-be-a-lonely-business-but-it-doesnt-have-to-be-19192 .

Bexley, E. (2014, May 21). Raising the cost of a PhD . Retrieved 11 February 2015, from http://theconversation.com/raising-the-cost-of-a-phd-26912 .

Boice, R. (2000). Advice for new faculty members: Nihil nimus . Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Bolker, J. (1998). Writing your dissertation in fifteen minutes a day: A guide to starting, revising, and finishing your doctoral thesis . New York, USA: Holt Paperbacks.

Brabazon, T. (2010, January 28). How not to write a PhD thesis . Retrieved 4 May 2015, from http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/how-not-to-write-a-phd-thesis/410208.article .

Cheruvelil, K. S., Soranno, P. A., Weathers, K. C., Hanson, P. C., Goring, S. J., Filstrup, C. T., & Read, E. K. (2014). Creating and maintaining high-performing collaborative research teams: The importance of diversity and interpersonal skills. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 12 (1), 31–38.

Cothran, H. M., & Wysocki, A. F. (2010). Developing SMART goals for your organization . Florida: University of Florida.

Crawford, L. (2003, November 27–30). PhD journey: Some shared experiences . Paper presented at the Adult Learning Australia Annual Conference, Sydney.

Creedy, J. (2007). A PhD thesis without tears. Australian Economic Review, 40 (4), 463–470.

Dalcher, D. (2015). Going beyond the waterfall: Managing scope effectively across the project life cycle. Project Management Journal, 46 (1), e2–e2.

Dunleavy, P. (2003). Authoring a PhD: How to plan, draft, write and finish a doctoral thesis or dissertation . Hampshire, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.

Garner, J., Porter, A. L., Borrego, M., Tran, E., & Teutonico, R. (2013). Facilitating social and natural science cross-disciplinarity: Assessing the human and social dynamics program. Research Evaluation, 22 (2), 134–144.

Giezen, M. (2012). Keeping it simple? A case study into the advantages and disadvantages of reducing complexity in mega project planning. International Journal of Project Management, 30 (7), 781–790.

Goward, P. A., Holley, K., & McCulloch, A. (2015). Stories from my PhD journey: Rewriting my methodology chapter. International Journal for Researcher Development, 6 (1), 93–104.

Hill, E. M. (2014). In pursuit of the PhD. Student Motivation and Quality of Life in Higher Education , 10.

Horta, H., Cattaneo, M. & Meoli, M. (2019). The impact of Ph.D. funding on time to Ph.D. completion. Research Evaluation , rvz002, https://doi.org/10.1093/rev/rvz002 .

Jiranek, V. (2010). Potential predictors of timely completion among dissertation research students at an Australian faculty of sciences. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 5, 1–13.

Kerzner, H. R. (2013). Project management: A systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling . New Jersey, USA: Wiley.

Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F. (2014). Project management: The managerial process (6th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Education.

Macfarlane, B. (2017). The paradox of collaboration: A moral continuum. Higher Education Research & Development, 36 (3), 472–485.

Mason, S. (2018). Publications in the doctoral thesis: Challenges for doctoral candidates, supervisors, examiners and administrators. Higher Education Research & Development, 37 (6), 1231–1244.

Müller, R., Rolstadås, A., Tommelein, I., Morten Schiefloe, P., & Ballard, G. (2014). Understanding project success through analysis of project management approach. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 7 (4), 638–660.

Papke-Shields, K. E., Beise, C., & Quan, J. (2010). Do project managers practice what they preach, and does it matter to project success? International Journal of Project Management, 28 (7), 650–662.

Park, C. (2005). New variant PhD: The changing nature of the doctorate in the UK. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 27 (2), 189–207.

Percy, A. (2014, March 26). Studying a PhD: Don’t suffer in silence. Higher Education Network. Retrieved 12 May 2015, from http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2014/mar/25/studying-phd-dont-suffer-in-silence-seek-support .

Perry, C. (2013). Efficient and effective research: A toolkit for research students and developing researchers . Adelaide: AIB Publications.

Phillips, E., & Pugh, D. (2010). How to get a PhD: A handbook for students and their supervisors (5th ed.). Berkshire, UK: McGraw-Hill International.

Polonsky, M. J., & Waller, D. S. (2018). Designing and managing a research project: A business student’s guide (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications.

Project Management Institute. (2008). Project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (4th ed.). Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute Inc.

Sinclair, J., Cuthbert, D., & Barnacle, R. (2014). The entrepreneurial subjectivity of successful researchers. Higher Education Research & Development, 33 (5), 1007–1019.

Spronken-Smith, R. (2018). Reforming doctoral education: There is a better way . UC Berkeley Research and Occasional Papers Series.

Spronken-Smith, R., Cameron, C., & Quigg, R. (2018). Factors contributing to high PhD completion rates: A case study in a research-intensive university in New Zealand. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 43 (1), 94–109.

Stanley, P. (2014). Writing the PhD journey(s): An autoethnography of zine-writing, angst, embodiment, and backpacker travels. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 44 (2), 373–395.

Strzepek, K. (2012, February 25). Stop! Imposter! Retrieved from http://oncirculation.com/2012/02/25/stop-imposter/ .

Walliman, N. (2011). Your research project: Designing and planning your work (3rd ed.). London, UK: SAGE Publications.

Winckler, G., & Fieder, M. (2012). The contribution of research universities in solving ‘grand challenges’. Global Sustainability and the Responsibilities , 179.

Young, T. L. (2013). Successful project management (2nd ed.). London, UK: Kogan Page Limited.

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD, Australia

Joanne Doyle

You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joanne Doyle .

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

School of Psychology and Counselling, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD, Australia

Tanya M. Machin

Department of Psychology, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain

Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD, Australia

Patrick Alan Danaher

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

About this chapter

Cite this chapter.

Doyle, J. (2019). Staying on Track: A Targeted Approach to Managing the Ph.D. Journey. In: Machin, T.M., Clarà, M., Danaher, P.A. (eds) Traversing the Doctorate. Palgrave Studies in Education Research Methods. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-23731-8_19

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-23731-8_19

Published : 24 September 2019

Publisher Name : Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

Print ISBN : 978-3-030-23730-1

Online ISBN : 978-3-030-23731-8

eBook Packages : Education Education (R0)

Share this chapter

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Find a journal
Track your research

DSBS Fieldnotes

Demystifying the doctorate: reflections on our phd journeys.

Editorial Note: In this piece, Fellows in the BRIDGES Program reflect on their PhD journeys; the challenges and learning they have encountered thus far, along with the additional challenge of Covid-19 (narrated by Jennifer Githaiga)

Early in 2020 a cohort of doctoral and postdoctoral fellows joined the ‘Building Research in Inter-Disciplinary Gender and HIV through the Social Sciences’ (BRIDGES) Program, a 5-year NIH funded (D43) program, housed in the University of Cape Town’s Division of Social and Behavioural Sciences [DSBS], School of Public Health and Family Medicine. The Program seeks to expand the pool of early-career social science researchers working on gender and HIV in South Africa by recruiting and intensively training and mentoring PhD and postdoctoral research fellows.

In the course of the year, fellows grappled with questions around the nature of a doctorate including time commitments and length of the program, whether or not proposed research topics were ‘PhD-worthy’, juggling the PhD with the rest of life, including the unexpected COVID-19. Part of the process entailed the dawning realisation that the concept of a standard, homogenous ‘PhD experience’ – even within a Program such as BRIDGES – is an illusion worth demystifying. As depicted in the following reflections, each one’s PhD journey is a unique one laden with twists and turns that stretch beyond the academic experience.

Tsidiso Tolla experienced a range of emotions as she worked through her first year: “I finally registered for my PhD this year. Early in the year, there was a lot of self-doubt. I felt I was not PhD worthy, that my ideas were not PhD worthy. For the first few months I struggled with my research question. This was a short-lived struggle; by the end of March, I had a solid research question, which my supervisors liked and approved, and I started reading and writing, preparing for my proposal. While this process was going well, at some point I found myself struggling with the idea of doing this (PhD) for the next two – three years. I think what made it difficult was hearing a lot of stories about how difficult a PhD is and how this is going to be your life for the next few years. At some point I was overwhelmed by the idea of devoting myself to a PhD for so long. I wanted to get it over and done with already. I was impatient and that led to some anxieties. Despite my anxieties, I knew I wanted a PhD and I also got to understand that there is no easier way or a shortcut to attaining one. Looking back, I think that going through the process and allowing myself to embrace all sorts of feelings (anxiety, self-doubt and wanting to quit) showed me that a PhD is not only about getting the degree. Maybe it is too early for me to say this, but a PhD is a journey that teaches one a lot about themselves and academia and I am glad that I got to understand this earlier in the process.”

Namhla Sicwebu , who resumed her PhD in 2020 after one year leave of absence, reflected on preparedness and motivation: “A month after obtaining my master’s in Public Health degree, I was advised to apply for the 2018 PhD program in my department. In response, I sought advice from a friend about her experience as a PhD student, and while I was still unsure about the merits of undertaking such a momentous task, I eventually signed up. I mean, my PhD was fully funded, and at the time, it made no sense to turn down such a wonderful opportunity. While I knew that the PhD journey will not be a walk in the park, I was unprepared for how difficult and lonely it will be. I honestly struggled from the onset. The doubts and fears that every PhD student eventually faces presented themselves early in my journey. As an undergraduate student, and later, a master’s student, I relied heavily on my supervisors and peers. Suddenly, I was expected to take ownership of my academic life and I felt ill-prepared. This sudden challenge was compounded by a few issues that I also faced in my personal life. After a massive internal battle that raged on for months, and after many discussions with trusted friends and prayers, I decided to take a one-year sabbatical from my studies. It was not an easy choice as I knew that I would be disappointing a lot of people, however, I realised that I was feeling suffocated and barely made any progress. I knew that I needed a break to gain some perspective and to establish what I want out of life. It had become increasingly clear to me that I had embarked on the PhD journey without establishing my research interests or goals for my life…When I decided to return to my studies in 2020, I felt ready and hungry for the opportunity. I realised where my research interests lie and had a strong team around me that I knew would help me achieve my goals. While it has not been easy, and I still struggle with things such as time management among other challenges, I have been able to preserve and to meet my goals as I steadily work towards my life purpose.”

Chantal Fowler reflected on her unexpected health and family-related challenges as a first year PhD fellow, and growth that resulted in the process: “One of my mentors encourages me to see challenges as ‘gifts’ from the universe, and to always ask: ‘how can this gift help me to grow today?’, rather than buckling under the negativity that it brings. Well, 2020 saw fit to bless me with endless ‘gifts’ from three surgeries in three months, to having to take full financial reasonability for both my kids again as a result of COVID’s impact on their father. It was only after my PhD proposal was accepted for review that I realised what a bad case of imposter syndrome I had been dealing with all year. I honestly did not expect to finish it, much less to have it approved on the first presentation. For a few days after my proposal was accepted my old imposter friend’s admonishing played out over and over in my head, making me doubt myself, even in the face of contrary evidence. But I had done it and I had made it. I realised that throughout the year, I was not striving to succeed, but to grow in wisdom and life experience. And to count that life experience, no matter how harsh and painful, as an opportunity to know myself better. I had silenced my imposter’s voice with a choice to embrace whatever may come and to take from it anything that would make me a more real and honest human being, even if failure were to be my teacher.”

The BRIDGES Program ‘cohort’ plan to provide an interactive and supportive environment was, in some ways, thwarted by COVID-19 and the subsequent lock-down in South Africa. Face-to-face interactions and physical meetings on campus were replaced by virtual meetings as everyone was mandated to ‘stay-at-home’, save for essential service providers. The lock-down took a toll on fellows’ PhD journeys:

For Laing de Villiers , “2020 changed my approach and process to my PhD work dramatically. Instead of being full-time based in Cape Town, where I saw myself for the next two years grafting hard on getting my PhD completed, I moved out to a family-owned space in the Overberg region, close to Stanford. I became more involved with things on this side which drew my attention slightly off the work of PhD. I also found the shift in having to move from physical platforms of meeting to more electronic platforms very hard to keep myself accountable to my PhD and my fellowship (part of the BRDIGES Program). I felt more isolated and this further created tension of ‘falling behind’ and not communicating openly about my needs as student and fellow on the program… As 2020 showed us, things change drastically almost overnight, and so allow yourself to be adaptable to these changes to find the optimum space to still work effectively on your studies. Most importantly, we should remember that we are all in this together, supervisors, fellows, and peers and that we can rely on one another for feedback support or even just a quick check-in to keep the PhD project moving forward. The hard work of the PhD is that in and amongst the professional, personal, emotional, and other parts of our lives, we still need to find time to do the work of the PhD.”

Shehani Perera : “COVID-19 defined the first year of my (and everyone else’s) PhD journey. I expected to create a functional work-life balance (like they say you should in all the PhD-advice guides). I thought I would be in the library, three times a week, reading and writing and thinking. I thought I would be able to create an open, creative social space on campus; one where we would experiment with our ideas and thoughts and get together over tea to argue over non-sensical things. But then ‘work-from-home’ happened. And now? It has meant that the dinner table often serves multiple purposes: a desk, filing cabinet, Zoom meeting space, a café where you can eat amongst papers and books… and many of those early PhD-conversations I thought I’d have, have had to take place in my own mind or with my poor friends and family who probably all think they know way too many details about my topic by now. BUT it has not all been so bleak! Thanks to BRIDGES, I have achieved many of the universal PhD-milestones you hear about during those first few orientation weeks. I have settled on ONE research question (yes, this is totally possible even for those of us with idiosyncratic and numerous interests!), wrote up a proposal, defended it, and sent it in (somewhat late) for ethics approval - all done in a hurried and frantic manner, of course…”

Indeed, each one’s PhD journey is a unique one that is not be underestimated as is likely to put to test the candidate in totality rather than solely at an academic level. The implication is the need for some consideration of support systems that consider the PhD experience in a more broadly encompassing manner.

As Carmen Späth , a BRIDGES postdoctoral research fellow, aptly notes: “Through their PhD studies, fellows are tasked with telling a unique story, a process that is affected by various factors that may shape how this story is told and produced (when possible). People differ, and the PhD experience may be shaped by a myriad of individual and external demands affecting the mental, physical, and social welfare of fellows. Some fellows have the personal, social, and economic resources to cope with these demands and have an overall positive PhD-experience. Yet, it is common to hear about PhD fellows experiencing anxiety and depression, while also feeling isolated and ‘alone’ when encountering academic issues. In terms of managing these academic challenges, perhaps it would be beneficial for PhD programs to encourage individual mentoring that may benefit fellows (it is not necessarily easy to inform an academic supervisor about the reasons why you are not making progress). Mentors understand the challenges of the academic world, and they can reinforce to fellows that it is not unusual for ‘normal’ life to interfere with PhD progress. Again, people differ, and it is not a given that fellows would be comfortable to share their thoughts and experiences with their mentors, however it may very well be beneficial for some and in this case, it may be worth considering. Perhaps PhD programs that consider the holistic welfare of fellows from the time they initiate their studies may be beneficial for enabling them to cross the bridge from ideas towards making a significant knowledge-contribution. Among other aspects, the addition of certain academic courses and individual mentoring may be some important additions to more traditional [dissertation only] PhD programs.”

As a faculty member and BRIDGES program manager, I have been privileged to walk closely with our BRIDGES Fellows and had a rare opportunity to witness the unique unfolding of each one’s journey, while often reflecting on my own positionality in the process. As our Fellows reflected on the past year, I too reflected on the year and what motivated me to join the BRIDGES Team in the first place. In my motivation letter - as I applied to join BRIDGES - I was clear that “I am enthusiastic about being part of the BRIDGES Program as we have a common interest in transforming scholarship in Africa”. In my rather long-winded letter, I proposed that such transformation entails two key aspects. Firstly, a shift from degree-driven ‘solely academic’ programs to ones that incorporate a mentoring component, adding that “mentoring implies grooming students to become leading scholars by motivating them to be the very best they can be.” Secondly, transformation suggests a radical shift from exclusive scholarship, where top ranks in academia are reserved for the few ‘crème de la crème’ scholars and where expertise is ‘contained’ within disciplines with little room or time for collaborative inter-disciplinary work. “In this regard, inclusivity challenges status quo as mentors challenges their ‘mentees’ to ‘dare to dream’, as we lead by example.” One year later, renditions of BRIDGES Fellows’ journeys resound the chorus of hope, possibility and perhaps, transformation in progress.

Author Biographies

Tsidiso Tolla holds Master of Public Health degree from the University of Cape Town and has been based at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), Human and Social Development Unit, for the last three years. Her doctoral research examines the role of romantic relationships on adolescent boys’ sexual and reproductive health.

Namhla Sicwebu is a social scientist with a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Cape Town. Her doctoral research is an ethnography of adolescent food practice in urban households of Cape Town.

Chantal Fowler is a clinical psychologist in private practice with a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and Community Counselling from Stellenbosch University. Her doctoral research explores Theory of Change in intervention design and implementation based on the perspectives and experiences of role-players in a combination HIV intervention program for Adolescent Girls and Young Women in South Africa.

Laing de Villiers , a part time research administrator for BRIDGES, obtained his master’s degree in Psychology from Stellenbosch University where he is currently a PhD candidate. His doctoral research, based on the South African section of the HPTN071 (PopART) trial, explores gender identity among transgender and gender diverse people in the Western Cape, South Africa, and implications for HIV and Health Services.

Shehani Perera is a registered Social Worker with a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Cape Town. Her doctoral research is a qualitative study of providers’ and female patients’ perceptions and experiences of assisted partner notification.

Carmen Späth is a postdoctoral research fellow with a PhD in Psychology from Stellenbosch University. Her postdoctoral research explores the role of social support in the lives of youth who experience symptoms of depression, are living with HIV, and who reside in scarce-resource contexts.

Jennifer Githaiga is a faculty member in the Division of Social and Behavioural Sciences in the School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town and manages the Bridges Program.

Adventures of a PhD candidate

Reflections on the thesis journey

3 Other Methods for Taking Notes in your PhD

Welcome to 2022! We are now roughly six weeks in and I thought I would welcome the new year by providing you with a video recording of a workshop I ran last year in April (I always seem to be a little late to the party on this blog!).

In this video I discuss:

1. Things to consider about note-taking

2. The Cornell Method

3. The Index card method/Zettelkasten

4. Literature review matrix

As always, you can read how I take notes here on my blog ( Nvivo for a literature review: How and why and The way I take notes for my PhD ).

Here are the main considerations you should know prior to choosing a note taking method:

– Choose a method and stick with it

– Reflect on what has worked in the past (or not worked!)

– Your notes are information about a source that you will use to write your chapters and good note taking makes this process easier

– Avoid plagiarism by writing summaries rather than direct quotes

– It doesn’t matter which method you choose, as long as you are thinking critically about the references

How do you take notes? Leave me a comment below!

Six things you should know about the final year of the PhD journey!

If you look for advice about the PhD process it largely seems to be ‘what I wished I’d know at the start’ or ‘what I wish I knew before starting my PhD’ etc. I thought I would go a little differently and list what I wish I had known about the final year .

What follows is a list of my reflections on the final year of my PhD. When reading, remember I am in Australia so we usually have a 2-4 year program and no comprehensive exams/vivas. We find a supervisor, get into the program and work on our project straight away. Our examination process does not include a viva, we await reports from two examiners unknown to us.

Before we get into the list, I will also caution that this list is more of a reflection, and offers next to no solutions. It is more of a cautionary tale.

Things I wish I had known about the final year:

Editing and responding to feedback takes time. You will get frustrated as your supervisors send back your draft with more feedback. At times, it will feel as if you cannot get it right. But you will. You will get through it, you have made it this far and there is no turning back now.
Close editing takes a lot of time and energy. As part of the final two weeks prior to submission, I checked the finer details of my thesis . I was surprised at how exhausted I was after checking my references and I encourage you to allocate double the time you think you will need. It will take longer than you think!
You may restructure your thesis and this is okay. I submitted my thesis in June 2021, but I completely restructured my thesis three months prior (in March) and before that, I had restructured it in October 2020. Being strongly committed to one way of reporting your data or organising your front chapters may stifle your creativity. I was suprisingly upset at the thought of having to re-structure my thesis; however, once I restructured in March, I immediately saw a clearer vision for my thesis and it helped make a cohesive narrative.
Any sense of organisation will probably go out the window. I am an extremely organised person. I have multiple back ups , neat file structures, I make lists, set weekly goals , follow set ways of organising my readings etc etc. But in the last year of my PhD, I felt I was increasingly losing my ability to keep things organised. At one point, I accidentally started making substantial changes in an old version of my thesis draft. Luckily I realised before I got too far.
The day you submit, you will feel bone-tired and a little strange. Somebody told me that when they submitted they were too tired to enjoy themselves and that it was a strange feeling which wasn’t quite the jubilation you might expect. I smiled and commiserated, all the while thinking this wouldn’t happen to me! Spoiler alert: I was in bed at 8pm the night I submitted my thesis.
When you get your results, you may be scared to open the email . I received the email with my results at 9:37am on a random Thursday in July. I remember staring at the email, knowing the results were in there waiting for me to see – but I found myself unable to open them. I spent at least a few minutes staring at the attachment and promptly burst into tears.
You will feel a rollercoaster of emotions. In the last year of my PhD, I felt a range of emotions and my poor supervisors saw me cry in many meetings. Looking back, I think a lot of the emotions were about my own commitment to what I had written and being scared to change how it was written or structured (it all seemed too daunting).

Now, having written this list, I know those of you who are approaching your final year are probably thinking the same thing, ‘Yeah, but that won’t happen to me’. I sincerely hope it does not happen to you, but if it does, don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Can’t afford a thesis editor/proofreader? Here are my suggestions

I cannot write this post without addressing one question: where have I been? I last wrote a post on this blog in December 2020 (it is now September 2021!). In that time, I have finished, submitted and passed my PhD! I am now Dr Smithers. In the last six months of my PhD I worked full time while trying to finish writing/editing chapters. I do not recommend this. Naturally, I couldn’t keep up with everything and this blog was left alone for a while.

Although I was working full time, I could not afford a thesis editor to review my manuscript. I was fairly confident with my writing, but scoured the internet for a list of things to ‘check’ before submission. Unfortunately, I could not find any that were comprehensive enough for me to feel confident I had achieved a sufficient level of ‘polish’. I kept a list of things I looked for in this final stage, and I am publishing it here in the hopes it can help you. I should also acknowledge I reached out to Twitter to look for advice, you can read the thread here:

Does anyone have a list for the final proofreading of a thesis? I am thinking of things like checking its vs it's, or other really detailed things I should check for. @AcademicChatter #phdchat #phdlife — Dr Kate Smithers (@thekatsmithers) May 5, 2021

When reading this list, ensure you have an appropriate style guide (such as APA) or your institution’s thesis formatting guidelines to help you.

Things to consider when proofreading your thesis

Consistency of heading capitalisatio n. Check you have capitalised words consistently in your headings. A style guide may assist with this, or you may be allowed to choose how headings are capitalised.
Use of its vs it’s. I searched my document and triple checked every usage of its vs it’s to ensure I hadn’t made an error.

Indentation of paragraphs . Ensure you have consistently indented/not indented the first line (depending on preference). If you are not indenting the first line, check the consistency of line breaks after each paragraph.

Confirm spelling of ALL names in reference list . To do this, I opened Endnote and selected the option to only see references from my thesis document. I then manually opened every PDF to check the spelling of every author. It took some time, but I did find two spelling errors so it was worth it. This is especially important in Australia, where you don’t know who your examiners will be. You really don’t want to spell their name wrong throughout the document. Once you are done, remember to update the citations in your Word document.
Consistency of terms . This one will be quite unique to your thesis document, but try to check all of the terms you have used across different chapters. For example, I checked whether I used fieldnote vs field note, tourism personnel vs tourism worker etc. I also checked school pseudonym’s capitalisation (Matopo School vs Matopo school)
Use of possessive apostrophes . Double check your use of apostrophes, make sure you have them were they are needed.
Consistency of research questions . My research questions changed a little as I progressed through the writing process and I had them in three places in my thesis. Make sure they are the most up-to-date version.
Formatting of block quotes. Did you know in APA style, for a block quote the full stop goes before the reference (as opposed to an inline quote, where it goes after)? Make sure your full stops are consistent and check your capitalisation of the first word. To ensure consistent formatting of the quote, use a style and apply it to all block quotes. If you use styles, an easy way to find your block quotes is to search by formatting:

Conduct a final continuity check. Read each introduction and conclusion, do they outline the chapter clearly and correctly? Within chapters, if you refer to another Chapter (Ie. In Chapter 8…) ensure the Chapter number is correct. Do your paragraphs flow? A way to check this is to only read the first and last sentence. Is there a cohesive narrative?
Ensure you meet all requirements set by your Graduate Office. Triple check the submission requirements. Some universities are very explicit in regards to font choice, title pages, page numbering etc. Ensure you meet all of the formatting requirements.
Print your thesis and read it line-by-line . I printed my thesis and used a ruler to read line-by-line. This stopped me from skipping ahead or skim reading and allowed me to check more closely for mistakes.

If you are at the stage where you need this sort of list, I wish you all the best with your thesis examination. Although some of these items may seem silly, I believe that a more polished thesis will help your examiner focus on the content of your thesis rather than the spelling errors. Research supports this with Holbrook et al. stating, “compared to high-quality theses, low-quality theses attracted substantially more comment regarding editorial errors (1% and 8%, respectively)” and Goulding et al. identifying “once examiners notice sloppy presentation and have become suspicious of the quality of the thesis, they tend to read more critically, searching for faults”.

Did you use a proof reader? Do you have any other tips to add to this list? Leave a comment and let me know!

Why it is important to have an identity outside of your PhD: Work-life balance is important!

Often there is a myth perpetuated about doing a PhD, and that myth is that you must eat, sleep and breathe your thesis. This usually means working long hours and on weekends. But is this productive? I argue it isn’t.

As I have moved through my PhD journey I have reflected many times on the value of my PhD and how at times, this PhD became linked to my identity. Throughout my PhD I have tried to create a seperate and productive life outside of my PhD. This has meant taking on teaching work, ensuring I have a work-life balance and time away from my PhD.

I have tried to create a work-life balance by not working on weekends, something I haven’t always achieved. I also endeavour to do all my work in my university office space (something unravelled by COVID-19).

Subscribing to the eat-sleep-breathe-your-thesis discourse can lead to burnout and increased frustration in yourself and your PhD. See, if you put all of your self-worth and value as a person into your PhD, when you receive criticism or something goes wrong it can be catastrophic for your sense of self.

There are also some other factors why I believe your PhD should not become part of your identity and why work-life balance is important:

You are more than your research. You are not the sum of your achievements and publications. You are a person, who has value beyond what reviewer 2 says.
You will move on from this project. Some people will probably continue on their research trajectory in a very similar vein to their PhD. But with the job market, the reality is you will end up working on somebody else’s project, or in whatever project could provide you with funding. If you tie your identity solely to your PhD project, without developing a love for the research process, you will find yourself with a level of unease when you need to work on someone else’s project.
You will finish your PhD. It is very common to hear of students who complete their PhD and take months to physically and emotionally recover from the process. If you invest so much time and energy into your PhD (and no other elements of your life), when you submit you will feel empty and lost. This is just inevitable – you will have to grieve the loss of this part of yourself.

Working all of the time can lead to burnout and it isn’t sustainable. Further, if your sense of identity is linked to your 24/7 work-life, once that work-life is gone you will have nothing left.

I think that the old adage of a 24/7 PhD is unsustainable. You can’t work non-stop on deep intellectual work for 3-5 years without a break, it is impossible. You need to have time away from your thesis to see the mistakes in your own work and the value in your work.

The current culture of academia is toxic. It encourages hyper-productivity and unsustainable workloads. There have been movements recently, such as the Slow Professor movement, which aim to slow the process of academia down by meaningfully engaging with research and research outputs. Many rightly argue that the slow professor movement is a movement which few have the privilege to take up. There are opportunities for resistance against the toxic work culture of academia.

I think the next generation of scholars can work against the culture of toxic academia by undertaking small resistances. One of these resistances could be not working on the weekends. The other resistances could be undertaking hobbies and activities outside of your PhD, activities which enable you to forge an identity which is not linked to academia. If the next generation work together to say no to a toxic culture, we can begin to make changes.

PS. Sorry for the long break in between posts! Leave a comment below telling me what you think of this post, or what you would like to see in future posts!

Resources you can use as a PhD student

I have recently come into two new roles that focus on student support (NUPSA Vice President and Student Peer Advisor). In both these roles, I have realised that many students do not know the wealth of knowledge which is available to them on both the university campus and online.

This list is compiled with my own specific university experience in mind. If you are in another country (not Australia) you may not have these resources. But I encourage you to reach out to your university and see if they have these available. I have used every single one of them at some point in my PhD.

Here are some places you might want to look for support:

Twitter: Twitter can be useful to follow people in your discipline or the hashtag #phd #phdlife. You could also search via hashtags such as #litreview for whatever stage you are up to!
Raul Pacheco-Vega website : An immensely helpful resource about note-taking, writing and everything in between ( link here )
Books : See if your library has how-to guides for PhDs. These are so useful, despite being written usually for a multi-discipline audience ( check this list out for some titles )
Library services : My university has a Senior Librarian for each Faculty. They can help with searching databases and show you anything you may have missed (such as using Boolean terms!!) and also run handy workshops on referencing.
Graduate studies services : This is the place to find out the rules and regulations of your degree. For example, do you know the process for submitting your PhD? The required length? Any specific formatting styles required? Any regular reporting you need to do? These are all good things to know prior to your submission date. My university also offer workshops which are run through our Graduate Research Office.
Supervisors: Draw on your supervisors. They are usually a wealth of knowledge and are there to support you. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, even if it is about support services at your institution. They will (hopefully) know the available resources for students at your university. Also, remember that you can set the agenda for your meetings with your supervisors. This is your PhD, let your supervisors know how they can help you make the most of it!
Form your own support group: This is a suggestion which is in most PhD “how-to” books. Find 3 like-minded friends and meet once a week (or less frequently if needed). My friends and I met once a week for two hours. During this time we would work in 25-minute sessions, with 5-minute breaks. Each week we shared our goals for the week, and if we had achieved our goals for the previous week. This kept us all on track, and we weren’t judgemental if someone didn’t reach their goals.
Learning Support resources : does your university have a service for English-language support? My university has a service which runs grammar workshops, presentation workshops, literature review workshops etc. They also run a one-on-one consultation service. Pretty cool!
International office resources : If you are an international student I suggest you find out if your university has a department dedicated to supporting you. It may be the office you applied for your degree through. Either way, they can usually help you with settling in, paperwork and access to resources.
Blogs: If you are reading this, you probably already have this one sorted. But the most useful blog I have found in my PhD is run by Associate Professor Inger Mewburn, called the Thesis whisperer
Other students : through formal mentorships or informal chats, just be careful not to rely too much on them as they are students too. At my university, we have a formal Student Peer Advisor role in which students can book 30-minute slots (FOR FREE!) to get one-on-one guidance from a student in their last year.
Youtube: I don’t use this one too much. But I have found it very valuable for learning how to use NVIVO . Watching a video on how to use a program is very handy, as you can watch every mouse click and pause the video if needed. A good channel for general PhD advice is Tara Brabazon .
Workshops offered by your Faculty/School/University : Watch your university inbox for information about workshops run by different people within your institution. These are usually very relevant, particularly in the first year of your degree. Remember a workshop will help you with networking, learning new skills and thinking of new ideas. I don’t think a workshop is ever a waste of time as usually, I leave with new skills and a fresh outlook on my project.
Counselling: Don’t under-estimate the need to ensure you have good mental health. If you are struggling, make use of your university counselling service.
Student clubs: A great way to meet people!
Careers service: As you approach the end of your degree you may be beginning to become concerned about what you will do after your degree. The careers service at your university can usually help you with job searches, CV writing and how to write applications. If your university has this, I strongly suggest you see how they can help you!
Your School/Faculty Office : At my university, we have an administrative team who are dedicated to just the School of Education. They are the people who arranged access to my desk , showed me what forms I needed for my fieldwork, and are generally just super helpful for anything I need assistance with. Find out who these people are in your School/Faculty and how they may be able to help you!

This is just a simple list to give you some idea of what may be available at your university. Please share anything in the comments that I may have missed!

An update on NVIVO for the literature review

I recently made a YouTube video about my experiences with Nvivo for the literature review. I realised when I was making this video that I needed to update my post a little about NVIVO. This is for a few reasons:

NVIVO 12 looks different to NVIVO 11 for Mac. In fact, now NVIVO 12 looks very similar to NVIVO for Windows.
I am further into my PhD so have more perspective on its use
I now have a Youtube Video where I explain in more depth!

What are my thoughts on NVIVO now?

I still love it. It has been invaluable for me during the writing and updating of my literature review and in writing my data chapters. Why has it been useful?

In a similar way to people who use multiple word documents for interesting quotes or useful quotes, I have been able to quickly identify quotes that I might want to use or articles I want to re-visit as they are similar to my findings.

At a glance, I am also able to find papers that I have forgotten about due to my use of the file classification sheet.

Some updates on NVIVO:

In my first post, I don’t think I went in-depth enough about what I might code. In my YouTube video , I discuss my coding by showing an article I have coded. Here are some of the things I code for:

Definitions of contested terms : I use these definitions to choose who I might reference when I mention a term for the first time as it allows me to see the many perspectives on the issue and choose the author I agree with most.
Quotes which use a term/theory I am confused about : As a PhD student sometimes there might be a topic in your field or a term which provides you with a lot of confusion and trouble. I used NVIVO to code instances of terms I was unsure about, which allowed me to understand how people talk about the issue and what keywords are in the field/theory.
Description of my method : I found this useful as describing a method can feel very hard and difficult. How do you describe what you have done in a clear way? This allowed me to review some of the key terms that people use and the general format of writing about my method.
Quotes I love : This one is pretty self-explanatory, I code quotes which I think are really interesting and useful

It is best to code for things which will be of use in the future. Don’t just code every sentence, as you will have too many things coded and this won’t be any good when it comes time to write your thesis. It is a learning curve to know what you want to code and what things may be of importance later. If you aren’t sure here are some tips:

Try to think by chapter, what sort of things would you want for your literature review? What sort of things would you want for a data chapter? You may want different types of coding for your different chapters
Think about the areas of the field that cause you trouble in your writing – code examples of the way that people write about these things. When you come to your own writing on that section you can review how people write about it and see the different terms and ways of writing.
Be afraid to make mistakes. I have some nodes which I have only coded something to once. I made the node thinking it would be important, and then never used it again!
Be adventurous and just begin! Once you have coded a few articles you may realise the things you want to code. Remember this is your project, your thesis, and you can decide what to code!

If you are interested, here is my Youtube video:

Visual tools in your PhD

Often, PhD students imagine their journey to be linear and then it ends up with pitfalls and successes:

This post is about when you get into the dips, or as I call them, pits of despair. Sometimes when you are in a lull you don’t know how you got there, or how to get out. This can be spurred by external issues (see How I avoided a PhD meltdown ) or issues directly related to your project.

I have found when I am in the pits related to my PhD visualising helps. This only really works when it is an issue related to my PhD. Some issues I have had are:

being overwhelmed by the data, where do I start?
a document I am editing isn’t working, but I can’t figure out why
my brain feels like mush and nothing seems to be clicking
I feel like an imposter who knows nothing

This post explains some tools for visualising that may help you see clearly. I am a visual person, so for me I believe this really helps me to understand where I should go next. If you are overwhelmed by external things, I am not sure that visualising will work.

I will briefly explain mind maps/diagrams, visual editing, drawing and visual data coding.

Mind maps/Diagrams

I have used mind-maps and diagrams at every stage of my PhD. They allow me to think in a way that is not linear and see how ideas interconnect. Some examples:

Above I have two examples of the way that I visualised the connections between my data. I have blocked out some of the ones in the mindmap above, but you can see that I have 4 main ideas which I have coloured coded and tried to see connections between all of them. When I made this diagram I was very confused by my data and how to represent the complexities of what I found. I am still unsure, but this helped me to see the main ideas that were connected and the ideas that I thought were the most important.

Nvivo also has a really cool tool where you can link your Nvivo codes to the mindmap:

Screen Shot 2019-11-02 at 12.43.40 pm.png

Unfortunately, I do not have many more examples, as often my mind-maps are on paper and after my computer died last year I lost all of my old photographs which contained most of my mindmaps.

Visual editing

At times I recognise that my writing is disjointed but I can’t see how. At times like this, sometimes a critical friend or your supervisors can assist; however, I think that figuring it out yourself might increase your own writing skills and editing abilities. I have three tricks I use for visual editing: cutting the document up, highlighting and post-it notes.

1. Cut the document up

This is a great tool for looking at your own writing in a different way and identifying how paragraphs/sentences might work in a different order:

I print my document (one-sided) and cut out all paragraphs (you can also do this at the sentence level). Put all introductory paragraphs to the side, particularly ones that explain the structure of the writing.
I mix them up remaining sentences and walk away (make a cup of tea or have lunch)
Re-arrange the sentences/paragraphs in an order that you think makes sense, trying to forget how you had it structured previously.
Open a new document and copy all the paragraphs in the new order. Keep your old document just in case.
Assess if you need to change linking sentences, topic sentences and change if required
Read the whole document and decide if you like the new structure better (maybe also assess what changed – just as a learning tool for yourself)

2. Use highlighters/the highlight function

I use this strategy when I feel that a paragraph is clunky. When I say clunky, sometimes this means that there are two paragraphs which appear to be organised well but are actually a mismatch of two different topics. For this, I use the highlight function in Microsoft Word. I identify the topics that I think the paragraphs have and use a coloured highlighter for each. For example in this picture, I have yellow for ‘othering’ practises, pink for the commodification of culture and green for claims to authenticity:

It immediately became clear to me when I did this that the first paragraph was a jumble of topics. This was for my confirmation document last year and I had received feedback from my supervisors that this section did not read well. This helped me to understand why. Please also note, that this is a very early draft of this document, so please use it for understanding the technique, not the content.

3. Use post-it notes for structural editing

This tool I use for larger chunks of text which have multiple paragraphs and are too large to organise in the ‘cutting up’ method. Its very simple, I identify all of my section headings and write them on a post-it note. I re-arrange the post-it notes into themes or in an order that I believe works. This takes time and I play around with it until I feel the order is right.

This is a technique that I wish I was skilled in. My lovely friend Kieran has kindly offered to provide me with an example of the way he uses drawing in his PhD.

67558315_2546541022044538_6109845008695689216_n

Kieran accompanied this image with a short description of how it helps him:

“Drawings and the archetypes and metaphors really help me personify the major actors or agents in the ontology of my study. With this big drawing in my mind, I can elucidate more freely without reading from notes. It is being added to all the time of course as I find new actors, agents and metaphors in the landscape of my ontology.”

I have added it into my plan for the next few months, to try and visualise my PhD and some of the interconnections between concepts. Definitely cool and a great technique to understand connections between things!

Visual data coding

For somebody who is a big Nvivo fan (for example Nvivo for a literature review: How and why and My adventures in transcription! ) I actually did not use Nvivo much for my data analysis. This is because Nvivo for me is a data storage system, it does not analyse my data for me.

Here, I will briefly describe some of my initial steps of data organisation and coding:

Read all of my transcripts without writing anything or coding
Wrote some notes down (see image above under mind maps) and tried to see connections

Screen Shot 2019-11-02 at 12.39.28 pm.png

The step is happening now, I am writing and connecting more of my theory to data (very exciting) – maybe I’ll have a post on that soon!

I hope this post has helped you. There are many other ways I used visual methods in my work, but these seem the most translatable. For organisation using visual tools please see my post on How I plan in my PhD/Organise my desk .

Please share your thoughts, tips and tricks in the comment section!

How I plan in my PhD/Organise my desk

In this post I thought I would share how I plan my days/weeks in my PhD. This process evolved over time for me, and is the culmination of workshops/googling/other blogs.

Gantt chart

Personally, I actually hate Gantt charts! Yes, I do think they are good for long term planning. Yet, a lot of people have them and don’t actually do anything with them! Usually every candidate tends to have a gantt chart, but doesn’t actually use it to make smaller, achievable chunks. So I use mine to plan my weeks.

Long term weekly planning

I use the ‘focus’ to determine my weekly tasks.

Weekly Planning

Every Friday afternoon I have time allocated to plan my week and to clean my desk. On this Friday afternoon I plan the next week. I usually put in my commitments first (I use outlook to track meetings and appointments), schedule time for reading and then look at my focus for the week and add tasks to achieve that. Here is what it looks like (note: all names are pseudonyms) :

So my weekly planning is also daily planning, as I have allocated segments for each day. I have a set lunch break, and try to follow the 15 minute breaks in the middle segments. I’ve found that a large part of having success with this method is being strict with yourself. You have allocated these times for you to work, so work! Don’t pick up your phone unless it is in your allocated break. The same goes for Youtube, Twitter, Facebook etc. I treat my PhD like a full time job so I try to only work 8am-5pm, Monday-Friday. This doesn’t always happen, but I have found that it has given me less stress, and I value my time at my desk more. If you don’t set yourself hours it is easy to be unproductive as you can see the whole morning, day, then night stretch before you. If you know you only have until 5pm, you want to use all your time as productively as you can!

You also need to know what works for you, and when. For example, don’t schedule reading time in the morning if you know you hate reading in the morning! Try and be realistic about the tasks you can achieve, so you are setting yourself realistic goals. I have also found I am much better now at assessing how long a task will take, as I have practise at scheduling my time.

For those interested as to why I have ‘code article’ on my planning, this is because I use Nvivo for my literature review . Unfortunately when I had a computer malfunction, I lost some of my Nvivo file, so when I say ‘code article’ it really just means quickly grab the key quotes and fix them up in my Nvivo file.

Random things that pop up

One thing I found when I first started my PhD was that I had an ever growing to do list, and I had many suggestions from my supervisors of who to read, things to search for etc. I found the easiest solution for this was a visual to do list. I use post-it notes (cheap ones do not work – they fall off the wall) and have three columns, ‘to do’ ‘in progress’ and ‘done’.

Sorry for the dreadful picture – my iPhone was trying to be arty by ‘focusing’ on one side and blurring the other. This list is different to my ‘monthly’ planning list. It is usually things that aren’t urgent, but I want to be able to remember for the future. I only have 1-3 items in the ‘in progress’ section at a time. This allows me to truly focus on the task at hand.

My desk as a whole

This is my desk overall. As you can see it isn’t super tidy, but I do like to keep some sort of order to it. To the right, I have my Gantt chart and my weekly tasks on the divider between my desk and the person next to me. The trays are for my printed articles, spare paper for notes, my de-identified transcripts, and papers that need to be filed on Friday. On the left, I have all of my printed articles sorted by subject. I keep most of my stationery in the drawers.

Below the magazine holders, I have folders. These are mainly filled with readings for courses I have taught and notes from workshops I have attended.

My calendar

I use my electronic calendar in Outlook as a way of managing my meetings and appointments. I do not schedule my tasks in the electronic calendar. It is only a tool to manage appointments/meetings. I have found this to be the most effective method for me, as I always generally have my phone with me. Paper planners (for me), always get left behind and I have a dreadful memory, so need something that I can quickly refer to.

Electronic organisation

People often ask me how I organise my files. For me this is simple.

I have a folder for each potential chapter in my thesis, and organise drafts in here by date. Within each folder is a folder for feedback from my supervisors. Every time I open a document to write/edit, I ‘save as’ with a new date, to help track versions and eliminate any problems with file corruption (as I can always open the last saved file if a file corrupts)
I have a folder for meeting notes. You should be planning your meeting with your supervisors, and I usually print an agenda prior to the meeting. I keep these here.
I have a folder for ‘planning’. This includes my Gantt chart and my weekly lists.
My PDFs are all organised in Nvivo, and I have a copy in Endnote. I simply save PDFs to my downloads – I do not need to organise them in another way on my computer.
All my files are saved to my OneDrive. Except my Nvivo and Endnote files. The Nvivo file is constantly editing as you work in it, and cloud storage doesn’t like this. I save a back up to my cloud storage every time I close Nvivo. Endnote files will corrupt if they are saved on cloud/or USB storage. I use the ‘endnote’ online service to backup my Endnote.
My notes and annotated bibliography are all in Scrivener ( see this post: The way I take notes for my PhD) .

For more tips, check out this tweet:

Going to be organising a workshop for PhD students about organisation skills/tricks/tips and goal setting. I know @raulpacheco has fantastic stuff. Does anyone have any tips/ organisational tools I can share beyond my own tips and things I do? #phd #phdchat — Dr Kate Smithers (@thekatsmithers) May 2, 2019

I hope this has helped you in some way! What are your tools for planning/organising?

My adventures in transcription!

I like to consider myself quite prepared and organised, but when I suddenly had interviews that needed transcribing, I realised I didn’t know much about it at all. I then undertook a magical journey of finding the right way of transcribing, that worked for me. I have detailed it here for those who are looking to read more about alternate methods of transcription.

Attempt 1: Using voice-to-text, speaking the interview out loud

I had read online that voice-to-text options are the way to go for transcribing. I did a quick google and found otter.ai which is a voice-to-text transcriber. Otter.AI is good if you want to record the conversation and have it transcribe for you. Sounds almost too good to be true right?

Right. Unfortunately I had also read that with voice-to-text they don’t quite understand accents that aren’t American. I’m Australian and speak extraordinarily fast. My interview participants speak English as a Second Language (or third, or fourth) so they also have an accent that isn’t American. I knew that this option would probably not work for me, but I had a way around it. I had read the simplest way to work around the accent problem is to put headphones in, listen to the recording on your phone, and speak it out loud to your computer. Quickly edit the mistakes and boom you are done! The site suggested it would only take around 2 hours for a 1 hour interview.

The only problem is that Otter.Ai works from being able to distinguish between two voices to create the transcript. So what I ended up with was a jumble of text that was a mix of both my text, and the interviewees text. Here is an example in which there are two speakers, with their text jumbled (I ask a question, then the participant responds, and I ask a follow up question):

Result: less typing but 10-12 hours (1 of speaking the interview out loud, roughly 10 editing)

Attempt 2: Letting Otter.AI have free reign of the recording

After my first attempt, I decided to letter Otter.AI just have complete control of the transcription. My second interview I wanted to transcribe had a much more British accent and I was hoping that Otter would be able to pick it up. Turns out Otter liked that participants accent, but it still didn’t like mine at all. This was quicker in the editing phase, as it could recognise that we were two different speakers. It was also quicker as I didn’t need to speak the interview out loud, automatically cutting an hour of editing time. However, it still had problems when my participant spoke too quickly or whenever I spoke. To give you an example:

So here I have put white boxes over identifying features (names of people and companies) I have put a clear box of mistakes that would require editing. I have also added two red annotations that I added which shows how Otter didn’t always keep text together (a small, but time consuming issue to fix).

One frustrating thing about otter is that when you click on a word to edit it, it automatically starts playing the recording from that word. I hated this, sometimes I wanted to edit a word without having to fumble around and hit pause.

Result: no typing beyond editing, but 7-8 hours of work.

Attempt 3: Heading back to Nvivo

By now I had also realised a fundamental flaw in Otter.AI. It requires the internet . This is fine for those who are in a country where there is stable internet and electricity, but we have had two scheduled power outages in the last month (lasting all day), and random ones in between (lasting from 1 hour-8 hours). In one of these power outages I realised, I am importing my interviews into NVivo anyway, why not have a go at using it?

I began transcribing in NVivo and it was honestly a breeze. I can choose the speed that the interview plays back (Otter.Ai can do this too) and it is a much simpler interface. I could control when the audio played, could use my keyboard to go back and forth (using the shortcuts my Mac has). I can also use the keyboard to create new transcript lines, meaning I don’t need to pause the audio if I can type quick enough to keep up.

I typed the whole interview in 5 hours. This includes time taken to wander around the house, stare aimlessly into the fridge, and check social media. So considering that professional transcription time is roughly 4 hours for every 1 hour, I’m pretty happy with NVivo. I type quickly and used keyboard shortcuts, so if you are a slower typer this might not be for you.

Result: 5 hours transcription time, no internet required, but lots of typing.

My transcription tips

Try many methods, don’t just settle for the first one you try, or the one recommended to you.
Learn the keyboard shortcuts for your program.
Put your phone in another room so you aren’t tempted to pick it up and get distracted.
Just do it! It is a pain, and can be quite boring but it won’t happen if you don’t do it!
Enjoy the time of listening to your interview again.
Buy a transcription pedal (something I haven’t done, but everyone recommends them).
Don’t be sad if you don’t have funding for transcription. Being sad won’t make your transcription magically happen (I say this because I did spend a few days wishing the transcription fairy would visit).

Hope this has helped, even if it gives you some potential ideas for transcription. Comment below if you have questions, or you can always connect with me on Twitter.

The way I take notes for my PhD

In high school I was really bad at taking notes and studying. So much so that I barely got into a university degree! In my undergraduate I slowly learnt tricks for studying and remembering all the things I had to do. But when you begin a PhD, it is quite honestly a whole new ball game. The things you read you will need to be able to find, and remember in two or three years time!

Everybody has a different process, but I thought I would outline mine in this blog post. I’ll begin with a confession; the thought of PDFs in folders has always scared me. To me, the idea of knowing what a file is by the way I name it and being able to find the things I have highlighted a year later seemed (and still seems) impossible. I honestly do not know how people just use PDFs on their computer to remember all of the things they have read (hats off to those who can do that!). In the beginning of my PhD I printed every article I read, so I could file it manually ( my inspiration here ). I still think this is the best method for me, but I have had to adapt it due to overseas fieldwork (can’t exactly drag printed articles around the world with me).

Below I detail the steps I take when reading an article/book/whatever for my PhD.

Manually enter the article into EndNote

I know some (most?) PhD students import database searches into their EndNote libraries and work from there. But I have two issues from this:

You have to check the references to ensure authors don’t have different name versions (otherwise in documents your EndNote will automatically treat them like two authors who have the same last name and first initial).
How do you know what you have read? Or where to start reading?

I manually enter the details to avoid this. In the beginning I used the EndNote keyword feature to help find articles I had entered, but now I do not do this (as I use Nvivo and it is easier to find things and it is a bit redundant with the way I file articles). In my endnote I simply add all necessary bibliographical information and attach the PDF (my back up in case of catastrophic tech failure). I also use the endnote online to sync my library to the cloud.

Add an annotated bibliography entry to my scrivener

This annotated bibliography is whatever I am thinking/feeling at the time. Some entries are more detailed than others. See the example below:

I have blocked the first two entries APA reference as I am quite critical in my entry of them (not quite ready to have such a strong academic voice just yet). You will notice how all four of the entries are quite different with what they identify and talk about. I don’t follow a set pattern for these, it is quite literally my thoughts. For most it is a summary of what the article said and my thoughts. This is a good way to begin to think critically about all of the things you read.

Add some writing to my scrivener file

This part has helped me to actually start writing. Since the beginning of my PhD I have always added sentences to my Scrivener file to match the article I am reading. For example:

Screen Shot 2019-01-29 at 2.30.31 pm.png

This is my scrivener file for my whole PhD. On the left side you can see I have folders set up and each of these contains sub-folders and text within. The top ones are actual chapter drafts that I have begun working on and the ones filed under ‘research’ are things I have randomly written that I am unsure if I will need/what chapter they will be in. The text in this screen here is an example of where I have begun to write about postcolonialism and education. Notice how I have written sentences about what Matereke argues, but also included a quote I think might be relevant. When I begin to write this section later, I can use these as starting points to construct an argument that flows (and actual paragraphs). I will also know what authors I have read who are related to this area. My other files generally have more writing in them than this, but I chose a small example in case someone wants to read the text (to see what I mean)! Let me know if you want more detail on using Scrivener for a PhD!

Code the article in Nvivo

I have already discussed this in my blogpost: Nvivo for a literature review: How and why . I use Nvivo to help me sort my PDFS and find quotes that I like, or in general sentences that I think are really eloquent and helpful at understanding a concept. For example:

A quick glance at my code for ‘colonialism’ allows me to see some ways of writing about colonialism and allows me to remember the key words that are used when discussing this concept (‘civilising mission’ ‘racialised hierachies’ etc).

In conclusion…

I hope this blog has helped you understand the way I take notes, as I have managed to transform from a person who was completely analog with note taking (in undergraduate) to able to work digitally. Not only do I work digitally, I always know where my readings are, how to find something quickly and I don’t start writing with a blank page!

If you are just beginning your PhD, don’t be afraid to find the system that works for you by experimenting with a jigsaw of other people’s methods!

Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
Subscribe Subscribed
Report this content
View site in Reader
Manage subscriptions
Collapse this bar

“Oh, the places you’ll go!” Reflecting on my PhD journey

Oh, the places you’ll go!

Starting out

Nearing the end of my undergraduate study, I was working on a small research essay and was having some trouble figuring out the direction it should take. It was in a unit on refugee law, which I was very interested in, but couldn’t quite decide what the essay should focus on. Then, by chance, I came across some articles that looked at communication and language-related challenges in refugee visa application processes.

And that was it: I was hooked. The process of preparing and writing that essay was so engaging that I knew I just had to stay doing this kind of thing. I was determined to become a researcher, and I even had an idea of what type of research I’d like to do.

Following the great experience I had on that essay and finishing up my law degree, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to work on a ground-breaking research project for the next three years, with Professors Mary Crock, Ben Saul and Ron McCallum, at Sydney Law School. With these three professors, I acquired so many new skills crucial to young academics: preparing and amending a large ethics application; organizing and then actually conducting international fieldwork across three different continents; writing journal articles and book chapters; presenting at the UN; and, finally, publishing a book !

During the three years I worked on the project full time, I also managed to fit in a Master of Applied Linguistics and practical legal training to be admitted as a solicitor.

I had managed to continue pursuing my interest in refugee application processes during my Master and when I was looking into my next steps, knew I’d found my dream supervisor when I met Professor Ingrid Piller. So as I wrapped up my work at Sydney Law School and received my offer of a place and scholarship for a PhD at Macquarie University’s Linguistics Department, I felt like I had a decent chance at everything coming together okay.

Navigating hurdles

Yet, the next four years held plenty of difficulties. They began almost immediately, in the form of data collection challenges. I wanted to continue my focus on asylum interviews and therefore wanted to get a hold of audio data from immigration interviews or appeals. Staying within ethical constraints for participant recruitment this proved near impossible, even with the help of some very supportive practitioners. Effectively it meant greatly redesigning my research, more or less on the go.

I also faced other challenges in the form of recurring health-related issues that were both physically and mentally draining and also entailed sometimes frustrating experiences navigating university bureaucracy. Finally, about half-way into my candidature, I took on another (more than?) full-time role when I became a parent for the first time.

These events and issues all created potential roadblocks that challenged the way I approached my work. This has made me reflect on what made the PhD a successful and positive experience for me, despite these challenges.

The Language-on-the-Move team was behind me all the way

Support and guidance

I believe that the most important factor in surviving and thriving in the PhD was having great support networks and guidance. Professor Piller’s development of regular reading groups and other activities for her (past, present and sometimes future) PhD candidates not only creates structure and shares knowledge to help them complete their candidature successfully. It also helps establish a social network of peers who are able to offer support to each other in everything from sharing useful research and navigating bureaucracy to offering a hug and reassurance when it’s needed. I had recently graduated mentors I could look to for guidance and motivation, and in turn I could reinforce my own learning and leadership skills by assisting those junior to me.

Follow your passion, flexibly

Doing a PhD is not a small undertaking. What really helped me keep going is that I was researching in an area and regarding a topic that I am truly passionate about. I love reading, writing, thinking and talking about my topic and sociolinguistics more generally, and this keeps me motivated and engaged even when things aren’t always going the way I planned.

At the same time, the many challenges that can crop up mean that it’s important to keep an open mind and be flexible. While I was able to keep focusing on the research questions that interested me, with support and guidance, I adjusted my approach to overcome some of the initial issues I had with my data collection. In the end, this led me to do something completely new, focusing on credibility as a central issue: something which apparently had never before been done in a sociolinguistic study on asylum procedures. I was also able to expand my focus and include media and political discourse.

My parental responsibilities led to a pretty large change in my lifestyle, and being flexible about the hours and location for my work (with the support of equally flexible and open-minded supervisors and employers) meant that I could find the new best fit for my day-to-day research and writing, and remain productive and ultimately meet my deadlines.

Do what works for you

Beyond choosing where and when to work, deciding how to structure and write my thesis was influenced by what I felt would work best for me and my project. I opted to do my PhD “by publication”. This involves preparing a number of academic papers, which more or less constitute the chapters of your thesis when you put it all together at the end. I felt drawn towards this option as I had already had experience writing journal articles in my role as a research assistant. I felt comfortable and familiar with the process of submitting articles and having them reviewed. It also meant that I had smaller targets, rather than being concerned with a mammoth thesis looming at the end of three years. It was reassuring in that it created extra opportunities to seek expert feedback on my writing and research. Finally, thinking beyond the PhD, it allowed me to publish: an ever-important activity for anyone aspiring to a career in academia. All four papers from my thesis have now been published or are about to be published – papers one and two about half-way through my candidature, and three and four were accepted just after my thesis examination, and will come out shortly.

Preparing for life beyond the PhD

My PhD was definitely a well-rounded journey. The various challenges and experiences I had have encouraged me to think of the PhD a little differently to how I did when I started. It’s quite easy to get caught up in being concerned about achievement. Yes, PhD candidature does have certain requirements that need to be fulfilled: you need to conduct research and ultimately produce a final product, usually in the form of a written thesis. But the PhD is not a big test, and as junior researchers we are not expected to know everything and be able to do it all. In fact, the PhD is about creating the opportunity for us to learn how to become researchers. The ups and downs, responding to challenges, seeking support, assisting others, reading, writing, navigating bureaucracy, all these are part of our learning. When all this works well and we successfully complete our PhD, we are still not all-knowing researchers. However, the experience will hopefully mean that we emerge better equipped to walk out into the world (whether academic or elsewhere) and navigate the challenges and opportunities that await us.

Previous Post Intercultural communication at work: Poles in China

Next post eating, othering and bonding, related posts, history of modern linguistics.

Becoming a world-ready researcher at Macquarie University

Language on the Move Reading Challenge 2024

Author Laura Smith-Khan

Laura is a Chancellor's Research Fellow in the Law Faculty at the University of Technology Sydney, and 2022 winner of the Max Crawford Medal from the Australian Academy of the Humanities, Australia’s most prestigious award for achievement and promise in the humanities. She is co-founder and co-convenor of the Law and Linguistics Interdisciplinary Researchers Network. Laura’s current project explores communication between migration lawyers and their clients, and how law, policy, and educational experiences help to shape their beliefs and practices. Prior to that, her doctoral research, with supervision in both linguistics and law, focused on credibility in Australian refugee visa decision making and in public discourse on refugees. Laura is admitted as a lawyer in NSW and has also conducted fieldwork with refugees across four continents, focusing on the human rights of refugees with disabilities. She loves learning new languages and speaking about anything language or communication related.

Join the discussion 5 Comments

So many fantastic things we’ve already shared since these comments! 😄❤️

Thanks Alex. It is such a privilege to be in your company and I’m equally excited to see the places we will go 🙂

Thanks Laura for sharing us your interesting PhD journey.. Reading this inspires me to begin my PhD adventure with determination, ambition, and patience.

Thanks, Samar! Based on what I’ve already seen of your great work, I’m sure you’ll do a wonderful job and am looking forward to seeing the outcome 🙂

Congratulations, Laura! Both your work and your work ethic are inspiring. Lovely photo, too, of you, Hanna and Ingrid on the Double Dissertation Submission Day! Looking forward to our current and as-yet-unknown collaborations!

UNTERSTÜTZT VON / SUPPORTED BY

NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTION

Be the first to know. Sign up now to stay updated on our news and latest posts.

Email Address

COVID-19 Crisis Communication
Intercultural Communication
Japanese on the Move
Next Generation Literacies
PhD Hall of Fame
Research blog
Language on the Move 2023
Language on the Move 2022
Language on the Move 2021
Language on the Move 2020
Language on the Move 2019
Language on the Move 2018
Language on the Move 2017
Language on the Move 2016
Language on the Move 2015
Language on the Move 2014
Language on the Move 2013
Language on the Move 2012
Language on the Move 2011
Language on the Move 2010
Language on the Move 2009
Translators
Web developer

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

We're Hiring!
Help Center

Reflections of my PhD Journey

Related Papers

Barbara Holmes

It all comes down to this: we have an amazing team of faculty working with us who are present, supportive, intelligent, and motivated to help us succeed. They designed this program with those objectives in mind. We are in good hands, and any questions we have will be answered, so long as we ask them. Having the support system of our faculty, along with the tools we need to be successful, are major parts of the battle, already won. The rest is up to us. - A. Brooke Boultonhttps://openriver.winona.edu/educationeddbooks/1000/thumbnail.jp

Recommended Citation Holmes, Barbara; Boulton, Brooke; Boysen, Bryan; Perry, Carson L.; Bailey, Donavan; Durnen, Amanda; Mollner, Joe; De La Fosse, Kara; Sinning, Meghan W.; Guillaume, Nichelle; Breuninger, Richard; Jones, Sam; and Webber, Susan, "Doctoral Student Perspectives on Motivation and Persistence: Eye-Opening Insights Into the Ideas and Thoughts That Today's Doctoral Students Have About Finishing the Doctoral Degree" (2019). Education Doctorate Books. 1. https://openriver.winona.edu/educationeddbooks/1

How to Keep your Doctorate on Track

Emily Morrison

Sofie Kobayashi

Emmanuel Sibomana

Being the highest degree programme in education globally, a PhD degree programme has the highest requirements which the candidate has to fulfil. Therefore, studying towards a PhD may be a very demanding, tiring and tedious experience for many candidates. One factor which contributes to a PhD being that challenging is that it is research-based and candidates are supposed to conduct it independently, with some guidance from research supervisors. In addition to that, some candidates may not have enough information on what is expected of them and, therefore, may not know how to approach it. This article is a reflection on a PhD journey and focuses on how the different aspects of a PhD research can be approached by PhD students based on personal experience with a PhD journey

Proceedings of the SRHE Annual Research Conference 2013

Ana Vitoria Baptista

Brock Education …

Jason Brent Ellis

While a large group of students enroll in graduate studies in Canada every year, more than half do not reach degree completion (Elgar, 2003; Baird, 1990). This article highlights recent graduates’ experiences of their doctoral studies, including the dissertation process. A questionnaire was applied to 15 institutions of higher education, representing all regions of Canada. A total of 53 questionnaires were returned and analyzed. Findings indicated that doctoral students found several challenges to program completion including funding, interactions with faculty, and the writing of the dissertation. Participants also noted that the Canadian Academy provided them with quality experiences, if not at times, rocky ones. An overview is provided of structures and processes that supported and hindered students’ doctoral studies as outlined by Gardner’s (2009) conceptual framework of doctoral student identity development.

Patty Witkowsky

International Journal of Doctoral Studies

Anna Sverdlik

Aim/Purpose: Research on students in higher education contexts to date has focused primarily on the experiences undergraduates, largely overlooking topics relevant to doctoral students’ mental, physiological, motivational, and social experiences. Existing research on doctoral students has consistently found mental and physical health concerns and high attrition rates among these students, but a comprehensive understanding of these students’ experiences is still lacking. Background: The present review paper aims to offer deep insight into the issues affecting doctoral students by reviewing and critically analyzing recent literature on the doctoral experience. An extensive review of recent literature uncovered factors that can be readily categorized as external and internal to the doctoral student; external factors include supervision, personal/social lives, the department and socialization, and financial support opportunities, while internal factors motivation, writing skills, self-r...

The Marketing Review

joelle vanhamme

RELATED PAPERS

Michel Cuvillier

Regular and Chaotic Dynamics

Laura Gardini

The Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis

Gaurav Amin

SPRINTER: Jurnal Ilmu Olahraga

Prayogi Eka Winasto

BIO Web of Conferences

Alidza Fauzi

Language and Cognition

Olga Capirci

Alerta, Revista científica del Instituto Nacional de Salud

PRORAD El Salvador

The Journal of Ecclesiastical History

Zhivannah Cole

Blood Advances

Alexander Pozhitkov

Egyptian Spine Journal

Alaa ElNaggar

Chemistry – A European Journal

Jean-francois Halet

IEEE Access

Performance Research

MATERNIDADES EXCÉNTRICAS Y FAMILIAS AL MARGEN DE LA NORMA EN EL MEDITERRÁNEO ANTIGUO. Granada, Comares Ed.

Almudena Domínguez Arranz

European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology

Peter Friedland

Revista Ibero-Americana de Ciências Ambientais

emeli gomes

The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation

Zeeshan Hussain

Africa Review

Nana Oppong

IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing

Ahmed Sultan

Engineering

Essam Almuhsin

Biomaterials

Rohidas Arote

Matthew Dasey

Brazilian Journal of Geology

maria carolina maziviero

Sanctum Domine: Jurnal Teologi

Timotius Timotius

Reflections on my (Machine Learning) PhD Journey

December 31, 2020

2020 has been an incredibly challenging year, and on a personal note, has marked an important milestone — graduating with my PhD in computer science from Cornell University. This has been a six year journey, where my personal growth as a machine learning researcher (from thrills of first discoveries to the laborious grind through publication rejections to identifying a broader research vision) also took place against the backdrop of the rapid growth and change of the entire field ( 2014 NeurIPS : ~2k attendees, 2020 NeurIPS : ~20k attendees).

With this year coming to an end, I’ve put together some of my reflections and lessons learned from my (Machine Learning) PhD experiences. I discuss topics including expectations going in, common challenges during the PhD (and some strategies for helping with them), keeping up with papers, the community nature of research and developing a research vision. I hope that these topics are helpful in navigating the PhD and research in Machine Learning!

Expectations going into the PhD

Feeling completely stuck, feeling overwhelmed with keeping up with ml progress, feeling isolated, three useful personal skills, keeping notes on papers and ideas, the importance of community, developing a research vision.

In the post title, I’ve referred to the PhD as a “journey”, an aspect often underappreciated, particularly if one is coming straight out of undergrad (which was my experience). A typical Machine Learning PhD is going to be ~5-6 years of relatively unstructured time, and during this, not only will you learn research skills and knowledge about the field, but you’ll also develop personal preferences on how interesting specific problems are, the aesthetics of different subfields, and even perspectives on the type of work being done across academia/industry/policy/nonprofits.

These evolving personal preferences will influence the type of research you decide to work on, and even the post-PhD career path you pick. But particularly at the start of the PhD, it’s hard to predict how these personal perspectives will evolve. In my case, I started my PhD fully assuming I’d stay in industry, part way through began seriously considering academia, and at the end made the very difficult decision to turn down academic offers and stay on in industry. So going into the PhD program, it’s often helpful to take it step by step, and focus on getting the most out of the experience (learning/research/community participation), instead of a very specific desired outcome (which is prone to change, and may also add unnecessary pressure.)

Common Challenges through the Journey

Doing a PhD can be an immensely rewarding experience, and, particularly in Machine Learning, offers the chance to contribute to fundamental scientific understanding as well as impactful technology deployment. I’ve been grateful to my PhD for providing many opportunities to experience both of these! However, the duration and unstructured nature of the PhD can also make it challenging. My journey definitely consisted of ups and downs, and at various times I’ve struggled with feeling isolated, completely stuck, and even overwhelmed by trying to keep up with the rapid pace of progress. Looking back, and through discussion with peers, I now know these low points can unfortunately be quite common. But because these experiences are shared across many people, there can also be strategies for working through them. Below I discuss some of these experiences and strategies.

One very common challenge is feeling completely stuck, either on a specific project or with regards to the research process on the whole.

If the challenge is a specific project, where you’ve pushed hard and it’s still not quite working, then some strategies that might help are

Making a write up : Collect any partial experimental results, mathematical insights, jotted notes on motivation, etc and take time to put together a write up. This can help with providing a picture of where things stand and where the important gaps are.
Pivot : if there’s a specific part of the project that’s not working, is there the possibility to reframe the question (possibly taking inspiration from related work) to make it more tractable?
Forming connections : are there links between what the current project focuses on and other areas of study? Can that connection be explored in this project? This can both help progress and in making the project relevant to a broader community.
Feedback on writeup : It might also be helpful to get feedback on the project write up from peers, collaborators and friends in the research community. They may be able to offer new perspectives or suggest improvements.
Workshop submission : it can also be useful to make a workshop submission. This also provides a chance to help collect together all the research results and get useful feedback. (For some time now, I’ve gained the most out of the workshops at machine learning conferences, due to being able to discuss/get feedback on ongoing directions and meeting other researchers working on the same area.)
Wrap up and move on : Occasionally, there may be a project which sounded promising in the beginning, but has been difficult to make work, and is also inherently challenging to reframe or form connections to other areas. In this (difficult) situation, it may make most sense to wrap up the project quickly and move on. If you have partial results, it’s likely worthwhile to create a final writeup of those and share, so one option is to do this, get confirmation from collaborators and final feedback, and keep it as an arXiv preprint or workshop paper.

If the feeling of being stuck originates from the research process more broadly, one important point I’ve realised is that gaining research maturity can often be very hard to measure, especially when evaluating yourself! Midway through my PhD, I started working on some healthcare applications, and was only making slow headway on learning about the area/writing papers. This had me feeling stuck and somewhat frustrated at my slowdown in research progress. But when I re-read some papers that I’d first come across at the start of my PhD, the depth and context with which I could understand their results was strikingly different from earlier on.

Critical aspects of research maturity — understanding the broader context of results, being able to form connections between different areas, quickly narrowing in on novel key contributions in your subfield — don’t immediately translate to tangible outputs (more papers). But they’re central for becoming an independent researcher with a rich research vision — arguably the main research goal of the PhD. And if you’re reading papers, learning about the field, and working on research directions yourself, (and maybe even teaching/mentoring) most likely you’re making progress on all of these important aspects!

Machine Learning is a vibrant, fast-paced field. But the flipside of this is drowning in the flood of new papers, new preprints, new blogposts, new implementations, new frameworks, etc, etc. (Fun statistic: NeurIPS this past year had ~10k submissions and ~2k accepted papers — no wonder we’re feeling overwhelmed!)

My strategy in dealing with this has been

Have a number of go-to links to find references to related papers. For me, this has been a combination of (i) subscribing to the arxiv stat.ML cs.LG mailing lists, arXiv-sanity , Twitter, (occasionally) reddit/MachineLearning , paperswithcode and perusing Semantic Scholar / Google Scholar .
Keep a reading list of papers If I come across an interesting paper but don’t have time to read it then (often the case), I make a note of it and try to return to it later.
Have a paper reading strategy If a paper is very close to research directions I’m actively working on, I’ll read it in detail, otherwise I’ll skim the abstract to get a high level picture.
Occasionally read up on different areas Occasionally (maybe once per year), I’ll look into a few interesting areas I’m not working on, and read several papers in each to get a sense of what is being worked on.

It’s also helpful to remember that (i) everyone feels overwhelmed with the rate of publishing and (ii) many papers may rely on the same underlying idea, and often being familiar with the idea is enough for keeping up with the field.

Another common challenge in the PhD is struggling with feelings of isolation. In the first couple of years of my PhD, some projects required that I kept laser focus on very narrow, specific questions, which were also highly laborious and (felt) never-ending. During those times, it was hard not to feel completely cut-off from other researchers and the broader field, and I’m very grateful for all the support and guidance from my PhD advisor in pushing through that situation.

More broadly, this scenario can be common especially earlier on during the PhD, where you might simultaneously be learning how to see through a research project from start to finish, and at the same time have less context and connections to the broader research field/community. Maintaining connections to the field/community can be very helpful in making sure you don’t feel isolated. Some ways to do this could be: (i) setting up collaborations with (senior) students/postdocs (ii) getting feedback on your work in progress – this might be your advisor/lab, but could also be other peers/mentors working in the field (iii) actively participating in the broader community, whether that’s through simply attending conferences, mentoring or organizing workshops.

Having discussed some of the common challenges faced in the PhD and ways to help address them, the rest of this post will overview some useful considerations for research progress.

In particular, I’ll begin by discussing three personal skills I found to be very helpful throughout the PhD: initiative, focus and perseverance. This is of course drawing on my personal experiences, and there are varying opinions on useful personal skills! But for me, coming out of undergrad, a key difference I noticed in the PhD program was the need to take initiative — whether that meant reading important relevant papers, doing rapid preliminary studies of the feasibility of different approaches, talking to peers doing related research, or even attending and being an active participant in conferences. Because the PhD broadly consists of unstructured time, being productive largely relies on your initiative for learning and conducting research.

Two other skills that I’ve found very helpful are focus and perseverance. When getting started with a new research direction, focus is very helpful to peruse related work, distill the key points, quickly learn from initial exploration and determine the main project directions. Perseverance on the other hand is very useful (especially) for wrapping up the research project: there’s often a long tail of edits/additions for the paper to be submission ready, and post-submission, further edits to respond to peer-review and paper rejections. It can be hard to muster the motivation to make all of these edits (especially when preparing the paper for yet another resubmission, and having newer, more interesting projects also going on), but the variability of the peer-review process often means it’s worth persevering through.

Through my PhD, there are two documents, one started in my first year, and the other in my third year, that I’ve continuously kept updated. The first keeps track of papers that I’ve read – every time I read a new paper, I add it into the doc, along with a short summary of my takeaways. The document is now over fifty pages (which maybe means I should switch to Mendeley or Paperpile), and has been a very useful way to quickly flick back to papers I’ve read years earlier and get key points. The other document keeps track of research ideas. Everytime I have a promising new idea, I make a note of it. Over time, this has helped inform my research directions and highlight key themes.

One important property of (Machine Learning) research that took me time to realise is that research is fundamentally a community endeavor. The problems that we aim to tackle are incredibly difficult, and progress relies on the cycle of you building off of others’ ideas and others building off of your ideas. This is a crucial factor to keep in mind when exploring research directions. What is the community excited about, and why? Are there shortcomings or gaps? Are there natural next steps to study? Taking the time to discuss these questions and others with peers in the community is vital to developing well-informed, germane research questions. And if you identify an exciting, new research direction of interest to the field, it’s often useful to build a community around that direction — this can happen through initiating collaborations, disseminating key open questions and organizing workshops. From very early on in my PhD, I was interested in understanding the key empirical phenomena exhibited by our modern deep learning systems. But working on this topic then was very challenging. The field was evolving rapidly, making the focus of any kind of analysis a moving target, and significantly adding to the challenge of building a new community around this topic. So publishing my first deep learning analysis papers was pretty difficult, and definitely an act of perseverance! But since then, it’s been wonderful to witness and contribute to the growth of this exciting research area!

While I described earlier that when getting started with the PhD, it may be better to take things one step at a time and focus on the experience instead of a specific goal, from the research maturity perspective, the PhD does have a specific goal: to make you an independent researcher, with a rich (articulable) research vision.

In current Machine Learning research, with the deluge of papers, it’s easy to feel stressed about the need to continuously churn out publications. But while paper writing is an important skill, I think the crucial test of research maturity is being able to have knowledgeable perspectives on your field which help identify key research questions, connected by overarching themes — a research vision.

Having a well developed research vision is enormously motivating. As an analogy, it’s a little like completing a “paint by numbers” kit: instead of just seeing the color of each individual square, you suddenly appreciate the full picture.

So how does one develop a research vision?

As a first note, from my PhD journey, I think it’s hard to develop a full-fledged research vision without some years of research experience. In my first couple of years of PhD, I remember reading papers and watching talks of senior researchers, and being frustrated that I couldn’t identify/articulate interesting research questions nearly as well. In the years since then, the compounding effects of all the papers I’ve read, projects worked on, seminars attended, have significantly improved my ability to do this. (There is of course room to improve! Going forwards, this ability will continue to develop, as I gain more context and understanding of larger subfields.)

Being more specific about the stages that led to a (better developed) research vision: it started off with exploration, with my first few projects giving me diverse exposures and helping me understand what I found intrinsically interesting. From there, there were natural followup projects to study, which finally also led to some related questions on applications/deployment. All of this started coming together under the broad theme of Machine Learning Design and Human-AI interaction at Deployment, and, as research visions are good at doing, also inspired new questions. (I am deeply grateful to my PhD advisor for his insights, guidance and encouragement through all of this!)

As a final point, I want to emphasise that the years of experience really do have a compounding effect. As you work on research projects, it becomes easier to identify the salient ideas in research papers, this informs your personal perspectives and promising questions for next projects, working on these next projects makes it easier to absorb/give talks, which then circles back to help with identifying new interesting research directions, which eventually coalesce to form a broader vision.

In summary, doing a PhD can be very fulfilling. It is however a journey, and has its ups and downs, personal discoveries, and evolution of (research) perspectives. I’m very grateful for the many rich experiences during my PhD, and hope this post might be helpful for others on the journey!

Reflections on My PhD Journey (Part One): The Calling

By: Brian Chilton, PhD | October 16, 2022

Brian Chilton offers a series of three reflections on his PhD journey. The first entry looks at the divine calling needed when studying advance theological studies and when entering programs at this level.

On September 23, 2022, my PhD journey came to an end. For it was on Friday, September 23 rd that I successfully defended my dissertation and completed a program that took me five years to complete. My degree was officially conferred on Thursday, September 29 th . Now, I officially carry the title “doctor.” However, this journey was not easy. It is not for the faint of heart. One estimate asserts that only 1.2% of the population of the United States holds a PhD. There is a reason for this—the workload is intense. One of my colleagues conservatively estimated that we read somewhere around 40,000 pages and had written something around 1,000 pages in the program.

Despite the difficulties, I have truly been blessed to have been part of this program. I have gained several friends from the classes that I have taken, many of whom have joined the Bellator Christi team. As I reflect on this journey, I will write a three-part series on these reflections describing the joys, the miracles, and lessons learned through this phase of my life. The second reflection will look at the duration of the program and the dedication and persistence required. The third reflection will peer into an unexpected side of doctoral work that I never anticipated prior to the dissertation phase, and that is that one can expect tremendous spiritual warfare to ensue during the scope of the program.

My desire is that these reflections will prove beneficial for anyone who is contemplating whether a PhD program is right for them. But even if you do not feel led to pursue a PhD, these insights may be helpful for you as you engage in any major ministry that requires a great deal of work and perseverance. This first submission will investigate the calling that went into my PhD work.

Reflection on the Calling That Was Required

My first interaction with the program was with Dr. Leo Percer. He was the chair of the program when I started and served as my dissertation chair. Dr. Percer wisely told us that if we enter the program for any other reason outside of being divinely called, then we were doing it for the wrong reasons. I have often thought about Dr. Percer’s words because God made it clear to me that he had called me to this program. This calling must not be about a desire to be called a “doctor.” This desire must not be about a sense of prestige. Rather, this calling must emanate from God’s revelation to an individual that he wants him or her to pursue this level of academic research as part of a larger ministerial task.

Reflection on the Calling That Was Revealed

The beginning of my journey was auspicious. I had applied to various programs for teaching positions thinking that a Master of Divinity was all that was required. However, a school told me that they were only accepting resumes from candidates who had obtained a PhD (or a Doctor in Philosophy). I thought to myself, “I do not know if I have the intellect or patience to earn a PhD.” Oddly enough, I started the application process but stopped midway. I saved my progress and prayed about whether I should apply or not. I prayed that if God wanted me to earn a PhD, then he needed to show me.

The next day, a representative from Liberty University contacted me. He said, “Mr. Chilton, our records show that you began to apply to the PhD program but never finished. Can I help you in any way?” After speaking with him, I felt a bit more comfortable applying. Because I did not think that I would be accepted, then what was the harm? I prayed that if it was God’s will for me to enter this program, then I needed to be accepted on the first attempt. I then submitted the required 30-page paper and took the Miller’s Analogy Test at Appalachian State University, still thinking that I would not be accepted.

After a few weeks of not hearing any response pro or con, I decided to contact the university. To my surprise, the lady on the phone said, “I am checking your records Mr. Chilton, and I am proud to announce that you were accepted into the PhD program today!” Talk about a jaw-dropping moment. The Lord positively answered each time I asked if it was his will for me to begin PhD studies. Each time I offered an excuse as to why I could not, he offered a response as to why I could.

Reflection on the Calling That Was Rescued

Not only did God call me to the program, but God also wondrously interjected himself through life events to ensure that I would be able to finish. One such example occurred toward the end of the classroom portion of the program. I had two classes remaining before moving on to the comprehension exams. To worsen the situation, Bibliology was one of the classes I needed to take. This class brought a great deal of anxiety as Bibliology was known for being one of the toughest classes in the entire program.

Unlike many things in life, this class lived up to the hype. The workload was intense, and the grading was extremely rigid. The prestigious Dr. John Morrison taught the class. Dr. Morrison was known for being a tremendous man of God, but he also had the reputation for being extremely tough when it came to grading. In my estimation, Dr. Morrison is a certified genius. I learned more in his class than most I have ever taken. I grew a great appreciation for Dr. Morrison after taking his class. Though I made an A- in his class, I was prouder of my A- in Bibliology than any A+ I had received in other class. Dr. Morrison retired shortly after I took his course. I was honored to have been part of the last class he taught. I have the greatest respect for him.

Unfortunately, before taking the Bibliology and Natural Theology intensives, I faced a set of troublesome circumstances that nearly derailed my attempt to finish. The handwriting had been on the wall for a while that it was time for me to leave my appointed ministry. However, leaving posed a series of difficulties.

We faced a housing problem as we had moved into a parsonage and had sold our previous home. If we moved, where would we live? If we left, where would I work? Furthermore, how would I be able to finish the two remaining classes if I worked a public job? Would I find a place of employment that would work with me to finish? At this time, COVID had struck, and the weeklong in-person intensives had been temporarily moved online. How would I find a job where I could find the needed time off to finish these last two classes?

God managed a housing problem.

In both circumstances, God showed up at the right moment to provide a means for me to finish strong. God showed up in two mighty ways. First, God managed the housing situation a year ahead of time. God’s Spirit began to divinely impress on my heart the need to build a house very soon. I communicated this urgent need to my wife. At first, she was hesitant. But then, God began moving on her heart. She eventually agreed that God was leading us to build. So, we looked at various house plans, but nothing seemed to meet our needs.

Eventually, we learned of a building company located near where my wife grew up. We looked at their website. We tussled over several models, but we eventually agreed on a model called Diamond Creek. One thing led to another. Before we knew it, God stepped in to allow us to build our dream home and provided a safety net for when we left our place of ministry. We no longer faced the threat of homelessness, which is one of the reasons why I advise ministers against staying in parsonages.

Even in the building process, God intervened at various periods to allow the project to continue. But you can imagine the level of stress I faced at this time. Not only was I forced to face the problems of finishing the program and the ensuing troubles within my occupation at the time, but I also now faced the pressing need to keep my family housed and protected. A lot was riding on this building project. It wasn’t until the house was nearly finished that we learned that we needed to get an agreement signed by a neighbor so that we could get power. Thankfully, that worked out well.

Then, we also needed to dig a well to get water. A well can make or break a building project. God led us to a certain area—an area that was met with great suspicion by our project supervisor. The location provided an abundance of water, something like 100 gallons of water a minute! Plus, the well came in under budget! This was just one of the numerous ways that God blessed us during this project.

God managed an occupational problem.

Second, God interceded in another amazing fashion—he provided a way for me to finish the program even while changing positions. What I am about to say is not to disgrace anyone, and neither is it meant to disparage. At the place where I had been serving, some people tried to make life difficult for me. And that is not to say that I handled everything well either. The entire experience granted many life lessons. All being said, I was in a bad place in my personal life. To add to the complexities of the issue, I was not sure that I had either the mental or spiritual reserves to continue in the program. My plight became so dire that I had to take anxiety medication for the first time in my life.

As I reflect on the events of my past, God is helping me to heal from past wounds. I had been involved in an awfully tough situation, but this was far from the first time. As I previously noted, the handwriting was on the wall, and it was time for me to move on from my position. Even though I was hurt deeply, I don’t think that anyone involved in the scenario was a bad person. Sometimes, certain pastors don’t fit within the culture of certain churches, and that’s okay. That’s why God allows different churches to exist and calls different pastors to serve them. I have forgiven the parties involved as I move onward, as I hope they have forgiven me for any bad decisions on my part.

Even still, I had a few classes remaining. I realized I needed to leave and had no clue as to where I would work. That’s when God stepped interceded yet again. I learned from a dear friend of mine about a position in chaplaincy. I submitted an application and waited to hear back from them. The then-supervisor of family services contacted me about a week after applying. I told her about my need to finish the two last classes of my PhD program and about my need to take off those weeks so that I could attend the sessions. I thought for sure that my request would have eliminated me from consideration.

However, it didn’t. She hired me with the understanding that I would be off those two weeks. During that time, I was able to complete the classes and had a wonderful time doing so. How God intervened is nothing short of miraculous. He provided for the right people to be in the right places at the right times to bring me to the finish line. For that reason, I no longer believe in coincidences, but rather I believe in divine appointments.

As I reflect on my past, I also reflect on my future. I must confess that I am more confused than ever as to what God wants me to do moving forward. Nevertheless, God was faithful to me and my family at several junctures while in the PhD program. And if God delivered us as he did, then God must have something important for us ahead. God’s calling was exemplified as he made a way even when I thought it was nearly impossible. But is that not just like God?

Mary was like the rest of us as she thought a virgin could never conceive a child. But the angel Gabriel reminded her, “For nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37, CSB). The Israelites thought it was impossible for God to divide the Red Sea to allow them to pass. Yet they walked on dry land because of God’s display of power. No matter what God calls you to do, trust in his sovereign direction. Because, as the old saying goes, “If God brings you to it, he will bring you through it.” But such a calling also requires a great deal of perseverance. That will be the subject of the next reflection.

About the Author

Brian G. Chilton earned a Ph.D. in the Theology and Apologetics program at Liberty University. He is the host of The Bellator Christi Podcast and the founder of Bellator Christi. Brian received his Master of Divinity in Theology from Liberty University (with high distinction); his Bachelor of Science in Religious Studies and Philosophy from Gardner-Webb University (with honors); earned a Certificate in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, and plans to purse philosophical studies in the near future. He is also enrolled in Clinical Pastoral Education to better learn how to empower those around him. Brian is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Evangelical Philosophical Society.

Brian has served in pastoral ministry for nearly 20 years and currently serves as a clinical hospice chaplain and interim pastoral work. Additionally, he serves as an editor for the Eleutheria Journal . At the prompting of the Lord, Brian established Bellator Christi Ministries in 2012. The ministry is aimed to provide readily available resources in theology, apologetics, biblical studies, and philosophy to those who want to know what Christianity teaches and why it should be believed. In 2019, Brian published his first book entitled the Layman’s Manual on Christian Apologetics. After finishing his Ph.D., Brian intends to publish more books. His areas of expertise include early Christology, early NT creeds, near-death experiences, biblical reliability, the blend of divine sovereignty and human freedom, and the need for empathy.

https://www.amazon.com/Laymans-Manual-Christian-Apologetics-Essentials/dp/1532697104

How can we make PhD training fit for the modern world? Broaden its philosophical foundations

Ganesh Alagarasan 0

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Tirupati, India.

You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

You have highlighted how PhD training assessment has stagnated, despite evolving educational methodologies (see Nature 613 , 414 (2023) and Nature 627 , 244; 2024 ). In particular, you note the mismatch between the current PhD journey and the multifaceted demands of modern research and societal challenges.

Access options

Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals

Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription

24,99 € / 30 days

cancel any time

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

185,98 € per year

only 3,65 € per issue

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Nature 628 , 36 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-00969-x

Competing Interests

The author declares no competing interests.

See more letters to the editor

Research management
Scientific community

Ready or not, AI is coming to science education — and students have opinions

Career Feature 08 APR 24

After the genocide: what scientists are learning from Rwanda

News Feature 05 APR 24

The neuroscientist formerly known as Prince’s audio engineer

Career Feature 14 MAR 24

Brazil’s postgraduate funding model is about rectifying past inequalities

Correspondence 09 APR 24

Declining postdoc numbers threaten the future of US life science

How we landed job interviews for professorships straight out of our PhD programmes

Career Column 08 APR 24

How two PhD students overcame the odds to snag tenure-track jobs

Adopt universal standards for study adaptation to boost health, education and social-science research

Correspondence 02 APR 24

Husbandry Technician I

Memphis, Tennessee

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (St. Jude)

Lead Researcher – Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy

Researcher in the center for in vivo imaging and therapy, scientist or lead researcher (protein engineering, hematology, shengdar q. tsai lab), lead or senior researcher - flow cytometry.

Quick links

Explore articles by subject
Guide to authors
Editorial policies

IMAGES

PPT
What is a PhD Journey? Or the Eternal Pursuit of Knowledge
The PhD Journey
A PhD Journey by Samantha Saville
PHd journey
PhDProject

VIDEO

Blessings Unleashed
My PhD Journey
Journey & Reflection
P2 journey reflection
Day in the Life
THE PhD JOURNEY

COMMENTS

PhD reflections
Reflection 1: A lot of life happens in a PhD. My first reflection is an acknowledgment that life happens around a PhD. A full-time PhD is scheduled at three years. My own journey will clock in at five years and includes a leave of absence and three extensions. A lot of life happens in five years.
Reflection and the PhD journey
Reflection and the PhD journey. It is good to keep a record of how your project evolves, decisions you're making, and things that are interesting but outside the scope of your research. This will help you reflect as you work on your PhD, and you can look back on how far you've come, both academically and personally. ...
My Ph.D. Journey: A Reflection on What it has Taught Me
Nothing wrong with that but carrying a high expectation could create extra pressure on you. A Ph.D. is a journey, not any milestone. In 4-6 years of this journey, a lot of things will change and so are your expectations. At the end of your Ph.D., you may not like something that you used to like at the start.
Navigating the doctorate: a reflection on the journey of 'becoming' a
2. Conceptual framework. This paper adopts a reflective-narrative framework to explore the writing of my doctoral thesis. Narrative inquiry is a way of thinking about and studying experience by following a recursive and reflexive process (D.J. Clandinin & Huber, Citation 2010).It is "sensitive to … subtle textures of thought and feeling" (Webster & Mertova, Citation 2007: 7) in an ...
My PhD Journey: Reflections and Lessons Learnt
by Tan Kim Lim Earning a PhD can be seen as a daunting task to many. The three to four year journey may seem like aeons. Having gone through the journey myself, I realised that one does not need to spend the full three or four years. With good support, determination and by staying focused, […]
On the other side: Reflections from my PhD journey
Reading Time: 4 minutes. A PhD can seem endless when you first begin, and even more so as you near the end, working to finalise things. Though rest assured, there is life on the other side of the struggle. Having gone through the stressful, frustrating, interesting and sometimes fun journey that is doing a PhD, allow me to reflect on the path ...
Full article: A 'doctoral compass': strategic reflection, self
Since the PhD is a long journey, ... Authentic reflection, perhaps in conjunction with the supervisor, is intended to lead to honest deliberation, indicating where doctoral scholars need to improve (perhaps significantly). Such self-assessment then prompts calibration in terms of purposefully harnessing formal and hidden curricula. Benefits and ...
A Reflection: How to Navigate your PhD
7. Your Thesis, Your Choice. Remember that your PhD is your thesis, so the decisions you make are your choice. While the there is a differentiation in authority and experience between a student and a supervisor, at the end of the day it is yours. However, be open to suggestions and opportunities to expand and grow.
My three-year PhD research journey: reflections on learning
This paper is my analysis and reflection of more than three years of experience as a doctoral student. I maintained a reflective diary throughout the research journey as it enabled me not only to learn, recognise and reflect the effect of my own experience as a researcher on the research process (Jootun et al., 2009; Rice and Ezzy, 1999), but also to gain a better understanding of dynamics of ...
Staying on Track: A Targeted Approach to Managing the Ph.D. Journey
Throughout the chapter, the author shares personal reflections as a doctoral candidate, supplemented by discussions with other Higher Degree Research students, to emphasise the value of using project management techniques to facilitate the process of achieving a Ph.D. ... PhD journey: Some shared experiences. Paper presented at the Adult ...
Academic Rites of Passage: Reflection on a PhD Journey
In this paper, rites of passage refer to a certain combination of stages that mark the development, directions and phases in an academicâ€™s journey. Our focus is on the PhD process which we regard as a journey from a junior position towards senior status, or that of a scholar. This paper aims to highlight and analyse PhD candidatesâ ...
Demystifying The Doctorate: Reflections On Our PhD Journeys
Part of the process entailed the dawning realisation that the concept of a standard, homogenous 'PhD experience' - even within a Program such as BRIDGES - is an illusion worth demystifying. As depicted in the following reflections, each one's PhD journey is a unique one laden with twists and turns that stretch beyond the academic ...
(PDF) How To Get Through A PhD Journey: A Personal Reflection And
This article is a reflection on a PhD journey and focuses on how the different aspects of a PhD research can be approached by PhD students based on personal experience with a PhD journey. Key words: PhD, research, research problem, academic writing, voice, supervisor, feedback. Introduction Given that it leads to the highest degree in education ...
(PDF) PhD: what is it and where to start? Personal reflections of a
Abstract. A PhD starts with a passion in a subject area, which may occur through reading literature, or professional or personal experience. This journey is one that is taken over years, with ...
Adventures of a PhD candidate
As I have moved through my PhD journey I have reflected many times on the value of my PhD and how at times, this PhD became linked to my identity. Throughout my PhD I have tried to create a seperate and productive life outside of my PhD. This has meant taking on teaching work, ensuring I have a work-life balance and time away from my PhD.
A Tale of Grit: Personal Reflections from my PhD Journey
This is therefore a reflection on my DPhil journey. It is a tale of grit and perseverance. A tale of joy, success and celebration. But also, a tale of sorrow, tears and regrets. The short lesson ...
"Oh, the places you'll go!" Reflecting on my PhD journey
Smith-Khan, L. (2018). Contesting credibility in Australian refugee visa decision making and public discourse. (PhD), Macquarie University. Available through our PhD Hall of Fame or directly here. Smith-Khan, L. (in press, a). Communicative resources and credibility in public discourse on refugees. Language in Society.
Reflections on navigating the PhD journey as a social work practitioner
Practitioners who undertake PhDs find themselves in a unique research position. They have a dual role of being a researcher, a doctoral candidate and also a practitioner. This paper describes my reflections on the journey of doing a PhD as an experienced social work practitioner. First, I describe my study which designed, developed and ...
(PDF) Reflections of my PhD Journey
This article is a reflection on a PhD journey and focuses on how the different aspects of a PhD research can be approached by PhD students based on personal experience with a PhD journey. Download Free PDF. View PDF. Proceedings of the SRHE Annual Research Conference 2013.
Navigating the doctorate: a reflection on the journey of 'becoming' a
journey of 'becoming' a PhD in applied language sciences Mark Nartey1* ABSTRACT: ... Against this backdrop, I offer a personal reflection on my quest to obtain a PhD in applied linguistics. 2. Conceptual framework This paper adopts a reflective-narrative framework to explore the writing of my doctoral thesis. Narrative inquiry is a way of ...
Reflections on my (Machine Learning) PhD Journey
Reflections on my (Machine Learning) PhD Journey. December 31, 2020. 2020 has been an incredibly challenging year, and on a personal note, has marked an important milestone — graduating with my PhD in computer science from Cornell University. This has been a six year journey, where my personal growth as a machine learning researcher (from ...
Reflections on My PhD Journey (Part One): The Calling
Brian Chilton offers a series of three reflections on his PhD journey. The first entry looks at the divine calling needed when studying advance theological studies and when entering programs at this level. On September 23, 2022, my PhD journey came to an end. For it was on Friday, September 23 rd that I successfully defended my dissertation and ...
How To Get Through A PhD Journey: A Personal Reflection And Experience
them and, therefore, may not know how to approach it. This article is a reflection on a PhD journey and focuses on how the different aspects of a PhD research can be approached by PhD students based on personal experience with a PhD journey. Key words: PhD, research, research problem, academic writing, voice, supervisor, feedback. Introduction
How can we make PhD training fit for the modern world? Broaden its
02 April 2024. How can we make PhD training fit for the modern world? Broaden its philosophical foundations. By. Ganesh Alagarasan. You have highlighted how PhD training assessment has stagnated ...

PhD reflections – What worked, what I would do differently

The PhD process

STEP 1: Apply

STEP 2: Proposal

STEP 3: Confirmation

STEP 4: Research

STEP 5: Analysis and writing

STEP 6: Review, submission, and defence

Four reflections

Reflection 1: A lot of life happens in a PhD

Reflection 2: The guilt

Reflection 3: This is not your life’s work

Reflection 4: The support of others

Reflection and the PhD journey

My Ph.D. Journey: A Reflection on What it has Taught Me.

1. What Prompted me to do a Ph.D. and why you should do it or should not do it

Expectations going into the PhD

Challenges I faced through the journey

Three most useful skills to navigate successfully through Ph.D.

Three important life lessons I learned during my PhD

You May Also Like

Einstein’s ‘Theory of Happiness’.

Generalist Vs Specialist: Which one you should become?

My Learnings About Money: An Account of Personal Finance

Rashmi Semwal

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

My PhD Journey: Reflections and Lessons Learnt

Information for...

Quick Links

On the other side: Reflections from my PhD journey

Share this:

Navigating your PhD: Tips for Major Milestones by Professor Peter Green

1. The Dimensions of High-Quality Research

2. Shedding Light on Stage 2

3. Tackling Confirmation

4. Collecting Data

5. Publish Along the Way

6. The Key to Success is Persistence

7. Your Thesis, Your Choice

Staying on Track: A Targeted Approach to Managing the Ph.D. Journey

Buying options

Author information

Corresponding author

Editor information

Rights and permissions

Copyright information

About this chapter

Download citation

Share this chapter

DSBS Fieldnotes

Author Biographies

Adventures of a PhD candidate

3 Other Methods for Taking Notes in your PhD

Six things you should know about the final year of the PhD journey!

Can’t afford a thesis editor/proofreader? Here are my suggestions

Why it is important to have an identity outside of your PhD: Work-life balance is important!

Resources you can use as a PhD student

An update on NVIVO for the literature review

Visual tools in your PhD

Mind maps/Diagrams

Visual editing

1. Cut the document up

2. Use highlighters/the highlight function

3. Use post-it notes for structural editing

Visual data coding

How I plan in my PhD/Organise my desk

My adventures in transcription!

The way I take notes for my PhD

“Oh, the places you’ll go!” Reflecting on my PhD journey

Starting out

Navigating hurdles

Support and guidance

Follow your passion, flexibly

Do what works for you

Preparing for life beyond the PhD

Related content

Previous Post Intercultural communication at work: Poles in China

Becoming a world-ready researcher at Macquarie University

Language on the Move Reading Challenge 2024

Author Laura Smith-Khan