Things about a PhD nobody told you about

Great talk on aspects of a Ph.D. noone talk about.

(My notes on what was said below)

Things about a PhD nobody told you about | Laura Valadez-Martinez | TEDxLoughboroughU

This talk guides postgraduate students and those thinking of doing a PhD through the vicissitudes of the doctoral process. In a friendly and down-to-earth way, the speaker illustrates issues that many doctoral students face.

There are 740 000 students enrolled in a phd in Europe. 2/1000 are in a phd program. (see below for statistics)

 

7 things nobody told me about:

  1. “I am stuck”.
    1. There are many ways to get stuck. there is the clasic writers block. But for a Ph.D., also “I have no ideas”, getting stuck on methodology, stuck in the literature, on how to how to analyze the results. And others.
  2. “I need to think”. Everything takes time. Not just read, but also make sense of it, think about what you read.
    1. There is ALWAYS more, more literature, more methods, more books,. Many doors to open, and each door, leads to a new set of doors.
    2. No, you need to learn how to leave things out. To focus. On concentrate.
    3. MUCH you read, many results, needs to stay in the drawer.
    4. Need to have A LOT you are willing to leave out! And you need to really know this stuff.. that you leave it.
  3. “I have no motivation”. It is hard. And you need to WORK.
    1. “Inspiration does exist; but it needs to find you working” Pablo Picasso
    2. You need to celebrate the small parts. Each little part is a way to the goal, it is progress.
    3. Find other domains for short victories
  4. “I forgot what I did”
    1. Easy to forget what you found, a great article, because of other deadlines.
    2. Write a research diary, where you also take notes on WHY you made the choices you made. Where you justify them.
    3. Write notes in your syntax! It will help you find mistakes and replicate your analysis
  5. “I am not sure this is relevant!” who cares about what I am researching???
    1. HAVE FAITH! Be self assured!
    2. Do not rely on other peoples references, read the original!
    3. Go to conferences, so as to know you are on the right track.
  6. “I feel lonely”
    1. Be connected. Talk to your collegues, talk about other things as well.
    2. Discuss with your supervisor.
    3. Connect to family, friends.
      1. Learn to present your findings, your 100 000 words, in a sentence.
    4. “what is the right way?”
      1. There is no right way. Find what works for you. Take advice from others, but find your own way!

Tertiary education statistics

Data extracted in June 2017. Most recent data: Further Eurostat information, Main tables and Database. Planned article update: June 2018. This article presents statistics on tertiary education ( ISCED levels 5-8) in the European Union (EU) and forms part of an online publication on education and training in the EU.

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