Surviving the rigours and hurdles of PhD

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Mushafau Adebayo Oke Institute of Biological Sciences Department of MicrobiologyFaculty of Science Faculty of Life SciencesUniversity of Malaya, Malaysia. University of Ilorin, Nigeria.

NiSCUM Integrated WorkshopIPS Auditorium, University of Malaya

June 16, 2016.

Intense study Highest academic degree

What is PhD?

Doctorate of Philosophy

For research/academic positionsAn independent journey

A good PhD extends the boundaries of knowledge…

http://www.slideshare.net/EnricoDeAngelis/2014-11-03-abc-ph-d-program-polimi-kickoff

Typical challenges and pressuresFamily pressure

Extraneous pressuresFinancial pressure

?DISTRACTIONS

Typical challenges and pressuresInnate/personal pressures

Procrastination

Isolation/loneliness

Lack of motivation

Lack of self-confidence

Perfectionism

Pessimism Fear of failure

Avoiding risks

Typical challenges and pressuresAcademic pressures

Stress

Lack of focus/direction

Quest for novelty/originality

Pressure to publish (UM)

Lack of experience and requisite skills

Difficult supervisors

When PhD pressures are managed wrongly…

marital problems psychological problems

plagiarism

Violence and fatalities

Surviving your PhD… Essential skills

Prayer Time management

• Define your goals from the start• Identify tasks needed to accomplish them• Make short-term and long-term plans

– PhD calendar snake, Gantt chart• Identify your creative/productive time and guard it ruthlessly• To-do-list: long-term, short-term• Prioritize: Eisenhower’s method• Be flexible and realistic

Information management• Categorize different aspects of your research• Create folders accordingly• Track latest relevant papers using Google alerts, Science Direct

alerts, Researchgate• Save them in appropriate folders• Use reference management software: Endnote, Mendeley, etc.• Back up your raw data: cloud storages, external HDD, hard

copy…do so regularly• Work directly from cloud

Work-life balance• Achieved when neither affects the other• Dedicate time for family: calls, visit, attention• Don’t encroach on work/family time• Communicate your problems with your family• Pay attention to your health, take a break when necessary• Give room for leisure

Self-discipline• Avoid distractions, do the right thing at the right time• Punish yourself when you derail, reward yourself when you

achieve• Stay focused

Manage your supervisor• Build a healthy relationship• Define your expectations for/from each other• Communicate the expectations• Understand your supervisor: study his CV, his publications, ask

his postdocs, ex-students, senior students… how to with relate him/her

• Avoid communication gap• Arrange for meetings in advance and prepare his/her mind• Be considerate• Be respectful• Study institutional regulations on supervisor-student

responsibilities.

Acquire necessary skills• Attend workshops, trainings and seminars (IPS workshops)• Learn essential software related to your work: SPSS, Endnote,

Turnitin, NVivo, Matlab, etc.• Learn writing and presentation skills

Deal with financial problems early• Scholarships, sponsorship, research assistantship• Part-time jobs?

Networking Rigorous literature review

• Plan to write a review article if possible

Qualities of a good PhD student IntelligenceCreativityHard workGood expression abilityEnduranceDeterminationTenacity Honesty and Integrity

Characteristics of a good PhD topic

Must add to knowledgeNovelty, originalityShould be manageable and achievable

• time, resourcesShould interest youStudent capability

• topic that aligns with your strengths• move out of your comfort zone though

existing knowledge

Who is a good PhD supervisor?Has good grasp of your research, knowledgeable in

your fieldWell-connected in govt., industry and academiaSomeone you are comfortable working withCan give good advice and guidance on the topicMakes time for youResponds in a timely manner for submissionsGives good feedback on your writing Inspires and motivates you

Hurdles to scale at University of Malaya

Proposal defense/colloquiumConferences/seminarsLanguage course (Bahasa Melayu)2 ISI publications OR in faculty-approved journalsCandidature defense3 months noticeThesis submissionViva

Lessons from my personal PhD experience

Publish earlyResolve supervisor issues earlyDecide what will go into your thesis, sift out ‘irrelevants’Be prepared to take risksDon’t be discouraged by journal rejections, learn from

themDon’t hide your ignoranceBe realistic about your goals, acknowledge your limitsSeek help from outside when necesary

Recommended readings1. Phillips, E., & Pugh, D. (2010). How to get a PhD: A handbook

for students and their supervisors. McGraw-Hill Education (UK).

2. Wallace, M., & Wray, A. (2011). Critical reading and writing for postgraduates. Sage publications.

3. Ridley, D. (2012). The literature review: A step-by-step guide for students. Sage.

4. Golding, C., Sharmini, S., & Lazarovitch, A. (2014). What examiners do: what thesis students should know. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 39(5), 563-576.

5. Mullins, G., & Kiley, M. (2002). 'It's a PhD, not a Nobel Prize': How experienced examiners assess research theses. Studies in Higher Education, 27(4), 369-386.