Returning in its 3rd edition, this bestselling book on the process of PhD research provides friendly, engaging, and realistic advice on how to complete your doctorate. Updated throughout, the book will guide you through the basics as well as covering aspects that other books don't usually mention, including:
• What a PhD is really about and how to do one well
• How to decipher what your supervisor actually means by terms like 'good referencing' and 'clean research question'
• How to design, report and defend your research
The authors offer an accessible, down-to-earth, and insightful account of the whole PhD process. Their advice addresses how to avoid some of the pitfalls en route to a successful submission. Key features:
• Thinking about your career from the outset of your PhD (rather than at the end)
• Tips for “sniffing” a paper to make your reading quicker and more efficient
• Understanding cultural differences in research
• Networking for research success
• Sensible guidelines for using social media in your research
• Guidance on project management – especially important for part-time students
The Unwritten Rules of PhD Research is essential reading for anyone considering a PhD, embarking on one, or stuck in the middle and unsure where to turn. It will tell you things many students wish someone had told them before they started.
Author(s): Marian Petre, Gordon Rugg
Edition: 3
Publisher: Open International Publishing | McGraw-Hill Education
Year: 2020
Language: English
Commentary: TruePDF | Full TOC
Pages: 274
Tags: Doctor Of Philosophy Degree: Great Britain; Doctor Of Philosophy Degree; Academic Writing; Dissertations; Academic: Authorship
Cover
Half Title
Title
Copyright
Contents
Preface to the first edition
What's new in this edition ?
Acknowledgements
1 | So, what is a PhD?
How to get the best from this book
What is a PhD ?
Cabinet-making - the PhD as a 'master piece'
Cabinet-making skills
Instrumental and expressive behaviour
Necessary skills
Criteria for a PhD: some reassurance
2 | The many shapes of the PhD
Phases
Waypoints
Different models of study
Different models of supervision
Different models of theses
The student contract
3 | PhDs as master pieces
The dissertation (and viva) as master piece
Independence does not mean isolation
How skills are embodied in the research programme and dissertation
Developing and documenting skills
How to become an international researcher
4 | Supervision and project management
The role of the supervisor
The role of the student, or managing expectations
Getting the most from supervisory meetings
Effective debate
Establishing a good relationship
Prevention is better than cure
Cardinal rules
Strategies for when things go wrong
Project management
5 | Networks and networking
Building a network
Tools for networking
First contact – cold calls
Social media
Opportunities via social media
People you should remember to include in your network
6 | Reading and sense-making
Why read?
The need to read critically
Finding the right references: where do I start?
Review articles
Not all resources are created equal
Online searching
Other sources of information
‘Sniffing’ a paper
When have I read enough?
Organising the literature
Using material from the literature
Keeping an annotated bibliography
Enjoy reading
7 | Paper types
Data-driven papers
Methods papers
Theoretical papers
Consciousness-raising papers
Agenda-setting papers
Review papers
Position papers
Paper types: conclusion
8 | Research design
Designing empirical studies: three key steps
Methodology
Types of research and research focus: machetesand magnifying glasses
Ethics
Tales of horror and how to avoid them
The three ignoble truths (with apologies to the three noble truths)
9 | Critical thinking
Research as a discourse
The nature of critical thinking
The role of theory
Style, epistemology and rigour
More about evidence
Giving structure to thinking
10 | Writing structure and style
Finding the plot
Structural components of a dissertation
Academic style: an example
Academic style: sending signals
Avoiding the wrong signals
Dissertation FAQs
Academic style: summary
11 | The process of writing
Removing distractions
Getting started on writing
Surprising yourself
Finding a focus
Keeping going
Obstacles
Allow time for reflection, review and housekeeping
12 | Writing for publication
Different forms of writing
Journal papers as an example
The submission and review process
Authorship agreements
13 | Presentations
Content
Form
First Impressions
Other handy tips
14 | Conferences
The conference process: a novice’s perspective
The organisers’ viewpoint
Miscellaneous good advice
Getting the most out of networking at a conference
15 | The viva
Stories of nasty surprises
Behind the scenes
The day of the viva
Preparing yourself
Handling revisions
The viva: hints, lists and things to remember
16 | Sabotage and salvation: Or, developing habits for success
Reputations
Destructive habits
Time, sensible planning and useful displacement activities
Constructive habits
Professional etiquette: respecting working relationships
17 | What next?
Career goals
Academia or elsewhere ?
Academic career types
Various other things
Identifing opportunities
Writing a CV
Applications and cover letters
Job interviews
18 | Closing thoughts
Some useful terms
Some further reading
Index
