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Category Archives: starting the PhD
PhD – plan B
Before I came into higher education I had a brief stint as a civil service strategic planner. I got pretty interested in the process of scenario planning – that’s where you develop a narrative about something that could happen in … Continue reading
Posted in academic writing, completion, PhD, Plan B, scenario planning, starting the PhD
Tagged PhD plan B, scenario planning
8 Comments
grow your own writing practice
You often hear writing described as a skill. And a skill is the capacity to do something well, to use expertise built up through practice. Skills are often seen as merely technical, but a skill requires specialist knowledge and often … Continue reading
Posted in artisan, connoisseur, PhD, practice, reading, routine, starting the PhD
Tagged academic writing, artisan, coonoisseur, Pat Thomson, starting the PhD, writing skills
5 Comments
starting the PhD – learning new vocabulary
Scholarly work often involves learning new words. You know this right? Sometimes it even seems that in order to be considered a scholar you have to speak in words no one else can understand. Well that’s the stereotype. But let’s … Continue reading
Posted in academic writing, English language, language, starting the PhD, syntax, vocabulary, word bank
Tagged lexicon, Pat Thomson, research, syntax, terminology, vocabulary
5 Comments
refining your research topic – starting the phd
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
starting the PhD – digging in to the reading
Most people begin their PhDs by reading. That’s because planned research needs to build on what’s already out there, using what’s been done in order to spell out the expected contribution to knowledge. There are various ways to start getting … Continue reading
Posted in academic writing, literature review, reading, starting the PhD
Tagged digging in, literature work, Pat Thgomson, reading, starting the PhD
2 Comments
putting the search into research – starting the phd
Getting through a doctorate requires a finely honed information practice. You have to become pretty good at summarising, synthesising and categorising ‘stuff’ – otherwise known as ‘the literatures’. But you also have to keep track of what you’ve read, and … Continue reading
managing the PhD – keeping a journal
The PhD is often stressful and trying. Nevertheless, most people do get through it. Many PhDers keep a journal to help work through the difficulties, challenges and worries that they experience. Writing about the everyday can of course just be … Continue reading
Posted in journal, journaling, PhD, reflection, reflection on learning, starting the PhD, Uncategorized
Tagged journaling, managing the PhD, Pat Thomson, reflection
6 Comments
starting the phd – selling up and leaving home
Many doctoral researchers choose to leave home to do their research in other countries. They do so for many reasons, and there are many different stories to tell about their experiences. This is only one, by Louisa Penfold. It first … Continue reading
Posted in Louisa Penfold, moving away from home, starting the PhD
Tagged Louisa Penfold, moving countries, starting the PhD
1 Comment
starting the PhD – tech matters
These days, researchers are very dependent on their hardware and software. If you are just starting on a PhD, there are some tech matters that it’s good to sort out now. Many of these are hidden costs associated with doing doctoral research. … Continue reading
