Category Archives: doctoral research

route recalculation – starting the phd

Posted on August 29, 2022 by pat thomson

Expectations are a funny thing. Particularly when it comes to the doctorate. On the one hand you want to anticipate the smoothest and most interesting route through the PhD. But focusing only on the dream doctorate can leave you shocked … Continue reading →

Posted in doctoral research, emotional research, research agenda, research as process, research design, research methods, research plan | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

research as creative practice

Posted on March 9, 2020 by pat thomson

Health warning – this is a tiny rant about one of my pet peeves, research “training”. It also draws on my own research in creativity and education. My starting point – Research is a creative process. The connection between research … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, courses, creativity, doctoral education, doctoral pedagogies, doctoral research, methods, research methods, research training | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

refining your research topic – starting the phd

Posted on November 27, 2017 by pat thomson

Where do research topics come from? The research topic you have at the start of your PhD may come from work you did in your Masters. It may come from a professional or policy context, perhaps your own professional work … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, doctoral research, doctoral researcher, research design, research proposal, research question, research warrant, starting the PhD | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

a doctorate at a distance – take two

Posted on April 13, 2017 by pat thomson

Thinking back on my own doctorate by distance I can see that there were some key things that helped in the process. Of course, what worked for me won’t necessarily work for you – we are different people, and there … Continue reading →

Posted in doctoral research by distance, office, PhD by distance, supervisor, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

a doctorate at a distance – take one

Posted on March 30, 2017 by pat thomson

I did my PhD by distance education. This wasn’t terribly common at the time I did it – but it wasn’t all that unusual in universities that specialised in catering for remote, working or part-time students. However, the doctorate at a distance is … Continue reading →

Posted in doctoral research by distance, PhD, PhD by distance, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

why do doctoral researchers blog?

Posted on December 10, 2015 by pat thomson

Today Inger Mewburn, Thesis Whisperer, and I presented the first cut from the survey we did – with your help – on PhD blogging. As yet, we don’t know whether we are going end up with a book chapter, or one or … Continue reading →

Posted in academic blogging, doctoral experience, doctoral research | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

starting the PhD – don’t panic

Posted on October 19, 2015 by pat thomson

I was sitting in my office the other day talking with a beginning PhDer. A nearly-finished doctor popped her head around the door. I asked her what advice she would give someone just starting out on their doctorate, and her … Continue reading →

Posted in data, doctoral research, literature review, panic, questions, research question, thesis | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

reflecting on PhD learning

Posted on December 11, 2014 by pat thomson

Some supervisors ask the doctoral researchers they work with to formally reflect on their learning. A what-am-I-learning conversation might be a regular part of supervision. Reflection is also often self initiated – ongoing thoughts are recorded in a doctoral researcher journal … Continue reading →

Posted in doctoral research, text work/identity work, thesis, viva | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

should doctoral researchers blog?

Posted on September 15, 2014 by pat thomson

I often get asked about the pros and cons of doctoral researchers blogging, and I know other colleagues do too. There isn’t a right or wrong answer to the question of course, it’s always an “It depends”. But here’s a … Continue reading →

Posted in academic blogging, doctoral research, networking, plagiarism, publications | Tagged , , , , , | 27 Comments

handing in the PhD – yes, it’s a checklist!!

Posted on August 28, 2014 by pat thomson

There’s nothing quite like the countdown to handing in the PhD. Puff pant, puff pant. I think I can, I think I can. But…. On the one hand, you may be absolutely sick of the sight of the text and … Continue reading →

Posted in doctoral research, drafting, examiner, revision | Tagged , , | 14 Comments