Title: Planning and Managing your PhD
1Planning and Managing your PhD
4pm 3rd Floor Room 318
Dr. Mark Matthews Student Learning
Development http//student-learning.tcd.ie
2Practice makes perfect
3Your PhD
- Your first piece of significant academic work
- Contribution to new knowledge
- AND a learning process for you
4Getting Started
- Find out what you are expected to do by
- Attending departmental orientation and technical
programs - Course handbooks
- GSO guidelines
- Books and websites
- Read excellent theses
- Attend Conferences
5SWOT Analysis
66 Most Common Problems
- Poor planning
- Methodological difficulties
- Writing
- Isolation
- Personal Problems
- Supervision
- Brown Atkins, 1990
7What are your challenges?
- Write down your top 3 challenges to completing
your PhD in time and in one piece.
8Challenge 1 Poor Planning
9Set Goals
- Goals
- Increase motivation
- Keep you on track
- Increase Productivity
- Long / Medium / Short
- Write Goals then Specific Actions
10Self-Management
- Scheduling Actions
- Free your mind
- If your system works, you trust it to remind you
- Ask for Help
11Scheduling Get a diary
- Practical
- Check daily
- Dates, meetings,
- lectures, timetable
12To-do list
- Make a list of all upcoming
- tasks
- If it can be done in 2 mins
- do it now
- Otherwise add it to your
- list
- Order by importance
13Managing yourself
- Questions
- When am I going to work?
- Where will I work?
- How will I know if Im on the right track?
- What can I do to tackle challenges?
- Avoid anxiety
- Get a management system
- External deadlines Rewards
14Challenge 2 Methodological
15Subject-Skills
- What skills do you need?
- Department specific
- Course Handbook
- Department Seminars
- Ask Supervisor
- Ask Postgrad
- Contact GSU
- Self-directed
16Other Needs
- Information Support Services
- Planning thesis production using MS Word
- Using Endnote
- SPSS
- Student Learning Development
- Monday, November 29 400pm
- Thesis Writing Process for Postgraduates
- Thursday, December 2nd, 4pm-6pm
- Thesis Writing Process (Repeat)
- Thursday, December 9th, 1000am
- Systematic approaches to literature review
17Challenge 3 Writing
18Managing your writing
- Focused Tasks
- Structure
- Academic Writing
- Research Journal
19Thesis types
Find out the structure for your discipline
20Ask the person next to you
- How do you manage your writing?
- Do you have a clear research question?
21Start writing
- Chapters (one file each)
- Chapter 1. Introduction and overview
- Chapter 2. Literature review
- Chapter 3. Research question
- Chapter 4. Methodology
- Chapter 5. Results
- Chapter 6. Discussion
- Chapter 7. Summary and conclusions
- References/bibliography
- Formalities (one file)
- Cover Page
- Key words
- Abstract
- List of Tables and Figures
- Ethics statement
- Statement of original authorship
- Acknowledgements
- Table of contents
22What is my thesis about?
- Research Statement (25-30 words)
- Get feedback early and often
- Discuss with supervisor
- Reach agreement as early as possible
23SPSE
- How would you describe the current situation?
- What is the key problem your PhD addresses?
- What did you do to address this problem?
(solution) - How did you evaluate this solution? (evaluation)
24Challenge 4 Isolation
25Get Involved
- Volunteer
- Volunteer Fair Edmund Burke Theatre from 6-8pm
on Thursday 25th - of November.
- Get involved in social events
- Get involved in a society http//www.trinitysoci
eties.ie/ - Join the gym http//www.tcd.ie/Sport/
- Join one of the 50 sports clubs
http//www.ducac.tcdlife.ie/
26Academic Isolation
- Get your material reviewed by peers (seminars,
conferences, publish) - Make contact with people doing similar research
(network)
27Challenge 5 Stress
28 When stressed, try to come back to what you know.
When bored look for the novel.
29Maintain Balance
- Exercise
- Balance
- Establish a Routine
30Need more help?
- I need advice on dealing with stress
- Student Counselling Service Ph018961407
email student-counselling_at_tcd.ie - I need general advice on being a post-graduate
- Postgraduate Advisory Service
http//www.tcd.ie/Senior_Tutor/postgraduate/ - Graduates Student Union http//www.gsu.tcd.ie/n
ode/ - Student Learning Development http//student-lear
ning.tcd.ie
31Challenge 6 Supervisor
32 Your Supervisor
- What you want to do
- What your supervisor wants you to do
- How to contact your supervisor?
- Know supervisors strengths/weaknesses
- Set task targets with your supervisor
- Make maximum use of resources
33Managing the Process
Agree a plan of supervisions
Prepare for supervision
Submit work for supervisor to read
Six monthly review of progress
Annual review of progress
Source www.vitae.co.uk
346 Most Common Problems
- Poor planning
- Methodological difficulties
- Writing
- Isolation
- Personal Problems
- Supervision
-
35What can you do now?
- Make a plan
- Establish a routine / rhythm
- Start writing now
- Read one book on writing
- Read one thesis
- Set long-term / short-term goals
36Further help
How to Get a PhD A Handbook for Students and
Their Supervisors by Estelle Phillips D.S.
Pugh How to Write a Thesis (Paperback) by
Rowena Murray
37Student Learning Development
Thank you for your time Visit our website at
http//student-learning.tcd.ie