How To Get a PhD. A handbook for students and their supervisors. How to Get a PhD is the essential handbook for doctoral students!

Transcription

1 How to Get a PhD is the essential handbook for doctoral students! How To Get a PhD Since the first edition of this innovative book, thousands of doctoral students have gained their doctorates by following the spot-on advice it gives. Across all faculties and disciplines, it remains the book of choice for both students and their supervisors, establishing it as a worldwide bestseller. This practical book guides students through all they need to know to approach the research, write and defend their ideas and ultimately produce a unique and robust academic thesis. It also gives supervisors and examiners invaluable tips on their role in the process. A handbook for students and their supervisors With vignettes from doctoral candidates, the book demonstrates how problems con be approached and overcome. Thoroughly updated to include new technologies and different forms of doctorate, new content includes coverage on: Estelle M. Phillips and Derek S. Pugh The specifics of writing your PhD Studying for a professional doctorate Equal opportunities for non-troditionol students and for students from minority groups A self-evaluation questionnaire on doctoral supervisory practice (to complement the existing questionnaire on student progress) DR ESTELLE M. PHILLIPS has enjoyed a long career as an academic and independent educational consultant. She has published widely on various aspects of the PhD process and has spoken at universities on four continents about the skills required to complete and supervise a PhD. PROFESSOR DEREK S. PUGH is Emeritus Professor of International Management of the Open University Business School, UK. He has published 17 boob and over 100 papers in his field and has considerable experience in the design of doctoral programmes and the successful supervision and examination of PhD students. His personal website is: wvw.derekpugh.com to g'5= The McGraw-Hill Companies

2 CONTENTS Preface to the fifth edition xv 1 On becoming a research student 1 Action summary 1 The nature of doctoral education 2 The psychology of being a research student 4 The aims of this book 5 2 Getting into the system 7 Action summary 7 Choosing the institution and held of study 8 Eligibility 10 Grants and research support 12 The scientific research programme 13 Distance supervision? 14 Choosing your work context 15 Selecting your supervisor 16 Starting out as a research student 18 Myths and realities of the system 19 The 'ivory tower' 19 Personal relationships 19 Teamworliing 20 3 The nature of the PhD qualification Action summary Thp meanlncr nf a dnrtnratp ^

3 viii HOWTO GETA PhD Becoming a fully professional researcher 24 What can 1 expect to be taught during my PhD studies? 29 Differences between the MPhil and the PhD 29 Aims of students 30 Aims of supervisors 32 Aims of examiners 33 Aims of universities and research councils 34 Mismatches and problems 35 4 How not to get a PhD, 38 Action summary 38 NotwantingaPhD 39 Not understanding the nature of a PhD by overestimating what is required 40 Not understanding the nature of a PhD by underestimating what is required 43 Not having a supervisor who knows what a PhD requires 44 Losing contact with your supervisor 46 Not being in a research environment 47 Not having a thesis 48 Taking a new job before finishing 50 5 How to do research 53 Action summary 53 Characteristics of research 54 Intelligence- or information-gathering - the 'what' questions 54 Research - the 'why' questions 55 Characteristics of good research 55 Research is based on an open system of thought 55 Researchers examine data critically 56 Researchers generalize and specify the limits on their generalizations 56 Hypothetico-deductive method 57 Basic types of research 5 8 Exploratory research 59 Testing-out research 59 Problem-solving research 59 Which type of research for the PhD? 59 The craft of doing research 61 6 The form of a PhD thesis 63 Action summary 63 Understanding the PhD form 64 RprVarrinnrl tvjprtr\r f\a CONTENTS ix Focal theory 55 Data theory 55 Contribution Detailed structure and choice of chapter headings 67 The concept of originality 69 7 Writing your PhD 71 Action summary 71 What to write 72 When to write 73 How to write 74 Getting started on writing 74 Writing as a process of rewriting 75 Different types of writer 75 The writing process cycle 75 The content and style of the thesis 77 Content 77 Style 78 Alternative styles 73 Writing conference papers and journal articles 80 8 The PhD process 83 Action summary 83 Psychological aspects 84 Enthusiasm 84 Isolation 85 Increasing interest in work 87 Transfer of dependence from the supervisors to the work 87 Boredom 89 Frustration 89 A jol) to be finished 90 Euphoria 92 Others 'getting in first' 92 Project management 93 Time management 93 Dealing with stress 95 Task management 95 The stages of the process 93 Redefining long-term and short-term goals loo The importance of deadlines 102 Self-help and peer-support groups (buddy systems) 104 Internet groups io5 Teaching while studying for a PhD 106

4 X HOW TO GET A PhD CONTENTS xi 9 How to manage your supervisors 108 Action summary 108 The supervisory team 109 Advantages of supervisory teams 109 Tiie supervisory team's limitations (orwhien it does not work and what you can do about it) 110 What supervisors expect of their doctoral students 112 Supervisors expect their students to be independent 113 Supervisors expect their students to produce written work that is not just a first draft 114 Supervisors expect to have regular meetings with their research students 115 Supervisors expect their research students to be honest when reporting on their progress 116 Supervisors expect their students to follow the advice that they give, especially when it has been given at the student's request 116 Supeiyisors expect their students to be excited about their work, able to surprise them and fun to be with! 117 The need to educate your supervisors 118 How to reduce the communication barrier 120 Improving tutorials 121 Changing supervisors 123 Inappropriate personal relationships in supervision Equal opportunities for non-traditional research students (i.e. women - with some comments for men - international, mature and part-time students) 127 Gender issues among research students 128 Women students 128 Action summary for women students. 128 Difficulties concerning legitimacy of topics and methodology 129 Problems of communication, debate and feedback 130 Scarcity of academic role models 131 Sexual harassment and exploitation 132 Male students 134 Action summary for male students 134 Men's groups 134 International students 135 Action summary for international stiidents 135 Settling in to Britain 137 Expressing yourself in academic English 138 The culture of British doctoral education 139 Mature students 141 Legislation against ageist discrimination 142 Part-time students 144 Action summary for part-time stiidents 144 Time management 145 Outside demands 146 Conclusion Equal opportunities for minority group research students (i.e. ethnic minority students, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students, students with chronic medical conditions and disabled students) 148 Ethnic minorities 149 Action summary for ethnic minorities 149 Racial harassment 150 Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students 151 Action summary for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students 151 Heterosexist harassment 153 Students with a chronic medical condition 154 Action summary for students with a chronic medical condition 154 Students with disabilities 155 Action summary for students with disabilities 155 Disability legislation 155 Harassment of people with a disability IS6 Conclusion The examination system 158 Action summary 158 Giving notice of submission 159 The appointment of examiners 159 Submitting the thesis 16O What do examiners look for? I6I The oral examination - the'viva' 162 Preparing for the viva 164 The results of the examination 16 7 The appeals procedures 159 Litigation How to get a professional doctorate (ProfD) 172 Action summary 172 Getting into the system 174 The nature of the ProfD qualification 174 The form of the ProfD 175 Writing your ProfD 177 Ttip Prnfn nrnrpcc 1-7-7

5 xii H HOW TO CET A PhD How not to get a ProfD 177 The ProfD cohort 178 How to manage your supervisors 179 The ProfD examination 179 Conclusion How to supervise and examine 181 Action summary 181 What students expect of their supervisors 183 Students expect to be supervised 183 Students expect supervisors to read tiieir worl< well in advance 184 Students expect their supervisors to be available when needed 185 Students expect their supervisors to be friendly, open and supportive 186 Students expect their supervisors to be consti'uctively critical 187 Stiidents expect their supervisors to have a good knowledge of the research area 188 Students expect their supervisors to sti'ucture the tutorial so that it is relatively easy to exchange ideas 189 Students expect their supervisors to have sufficient interest in their research to put more information in the students' path 190 Students expect supervisors to be sufficiently involved in their success to help them get a good job at the end of it all! 191 Establishing a role model 191 Teaching the craft of research 192 Giving effective feedback 192 Introducing a sti'uctiired 'weaning'programme 198 Maintaining a helpful 'psychological contiact' 200 Encouraging stiidents' academic role development 202 Supervising at a distance 203 Supervising your research assistant 203 Working in a team of supervisors 204 Supervising non-traditional students 206 Supeiyising women students 206 Supervising male students 207 Supeiyising international students 207 Supervising mature students 210 Supeiyising part-time students 211 Problems of access 211 Organizing work 212 Supervising minority group students 212 Supervising ethnic minority students 212 Supeiyising gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students 213 Supeiyising stiidents with chronic medical conditions 214 Eoilensv and its treatment ''i'^ CONTENTS xiii Diabetes and its treatment 215 Supportive supervision 216 Supeiyising students with a disability 217 Conclusion 218 Training for supervision 218 How to examine 219 The oral examination 222 Outcomes of good supervision Institutional responsibilities 225 Action summary 225 University responsibilities 226 A university-wide graduate school or research institute for doctoral students 226 Support for students 227 Facilities for departments to support doctoral research activity 227 A handbook for university research degree students 228 English language support where necessary 228 Support for non-traditional students 229 Resources for supervisors 229 Teaching credit for doctoral supervision 229 Faculty/departmental doctoral research tutor 230 Providing appropriate regulations 230 Selection of doctoral students 230 Upgrading and monitoring of students' progress 231 Appointment of external examiners 232 Intellectual copyright and appropriate recognition for doctoral students' work 233 Departmental responsibilities 235 The departmental research tiitor 235 Improving the selection of students into the department 23 7 Selection of supeiyisors 238 Guidelines on appropriate supervisory behaviour 239 Support groups for research students 239 A departmental doctoral programme 240 Conclusion 241 Appendix 1: Self-evaluation questionnaire on research student progress 243 Appendix 2: Self-evaluation questionnaire and topics for discussion on doctoral supervisory practice 247 References 251 T*, A