Starting and Finishing a PhD (in 3 years, give or take)

Starting and Finishing a PhD (in 3 years, give or take) (Almost) Dr Melissa Weinberg

What is a PhD? • Permanent Head Damage • Potential Heavy Drinker • Pretty Heavily Depressed • Papa Has Dough • Pretty Horrible Dissertation • Patiently Hoping for a Degree • Pretty Huge D…

What is a PhD • PhD • Philosophiae Doctor (doctor of philosophy) • Philosophy = from the Greek ‘love of wisdom’ • The 1st Doctor of Philosophy was awarded in Paris in 1150. It acquired its modern status as an advanced research degree in the early 19th century. • The first woman to receive a PhD in Psychology was Margaret Floy Washburn in 1894. It was on the influence of visual imagery on judgments of tactual distance and direction. • Around the world, it’s also referred to as DPhil, or DrPhil

Wikipedia says… • “PhD students are often motivated to pursue the PhD by the desire for further education beyond the undergraduate level, scientific and humanistic curiosity, the desire to contribute to the academic community, service to others, or personal development. The motivation may include increased salary, but in many cases this is not the result.”

Dr Phil’s Life strategies • Formula for success: • Have a vision • Make a strategy • Find a passion • Live the truth • Be flexible • Take risks • Create a strong nucleus • Take action • Set priorities • Take care of yourself

Life strategies – Formula for Success • Have a vision • “Champions get what they want because they know what they want. They have a vision that keeps them motivated and efficiently on track. They see it, feel it, and experience it in their minds and hearts.” • Research proposal • You won’t always know what you’re doing until you’re doing it • BUT, have a general idea • Aim for a first study and see what happens from there.

Formula for success • Make a strategy • “People who consistently win have a clear and thoughtful strategy. They know what they need to do and when they need to do it. They write it down so they stay on course and avoid any alternative that does not get them closer to the finish line.” • Set yourself goals • Set yourself deadlines • One step at a time

Formula for success • Find a passion • “Are you excited to get up in the morning? People with a passion are, and they're energized about what they are doing. You need to live and breathe what it is that you want, and be passionately invested in both the journey and the goal.” • Love your research • Have an emotional investment in your research • Nobody cares about your PhD as much as you have to • The motivation to complete the PhD has to come from YOU

Formula for success • Live the truth • “People who consistently win have no room in their lives for denial, fantasy or fiction. They are self-critical rather than self-deluding, and they hold themselves to high but realistic standards. They deal with the truth, since they recognize that nothing else will make their vision obtainable.” • Be self-critical – and be able to accept criticism from others. • Don’t be delusional – you are not God, you’re a PhD student. • DO hold yourself to high but realistic standards. • Set high expectations of yourself

Formula for success • Be flexible • “Even the best-laid plans sometimes must be altered and changed. Be open to input and consider any potentially viable alternative. Be willing to be wrong and be willing to start over.” • Your studies will not work out how you plan them to. • Don’t plan too far ahead. • The key to a good PhD is a good story – the twists and turns that arise make it interesting.

Formula for success • Take risks • “Be willing to plunge into the unknown if necessary, and leave behind the safe, unchallenging, and familiar existence in order to have more.” • Back yourself and your ideas • Follow your instinct • Challenge yourself

Formula for success • Create a strong nucleus • “Surround yourself with a group of people who want you to succeed. They will move with you toward your goal. Choose and bond with people who have skills, talents and abilities that you do not.” • Find a good working area, it may be by yourself… • Use people who have information that you don’t! • Make friends with people who can help you • Hope that there might be something you can help them with also…

Formula for success • Take action • “Do it! People who succeed don't just sit and think about what they want to do. They take meaningful, purposeful, directional action consistently and persistently. Every step they take puts them toward the outcome they're looking for.” • Read, write, work. • Aim to get one study done each year • The only way to make progress is to get results • GET SOME DATA

Formula for success • Set priorities • “People who are consistent winners manage their challenges in hierarchical fashion. They commit to managing their time in such a way that does not allow them to keep grinding along on priority number two or three if priority number one needs their attention.” • PhD = your priority. • Teaching and other research work is additional. • You are a PhD student first.

Formula for success • Take care of yourself • “People who consistently win are consciously committed to self-management. They are the most important resource they have in achieving their goals. They actively manage their mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health.” • Take breaks when you need them • Get clarity • Perspective • Go to the gym

Final tips (from Dr Mel this time) • Get the most out of your PhD experience • Conferences • Be selective in what extra work you take on • Timing – things take time • Finishing up • Examination process

Conferences • Presenting • Networking • Learning • Experience

Be selective • Research work • Teaching • Conference facilitations • Don’t say YES to everything • Other universities

Timing • Things take longer than you expect. • Do the things that you can control. • Allow time for things that you cannot control • Eg. Getting surveys online, data collection, printing, etc.

Finishing up • Formatting • APA • 1.5/double spaced • Headings • Style • Table of contents • Tables • References • Every supervisor is different

When you think you’re close to finishing… • http://www.deakin.edu.au/current-students/research/examinations-procedures.php • At least 8 weeks prior to your intended submission… • Notification of intention to submit • At least 4 weeks prior to your intended submission… • Nomination of examiners form • Give your supervisor a list of potential examiners to invite, hope that 4 of them say yes.

Forms and stuff • Thesis title page • Candidate declaration form • Submission of thesis form (not bound) • When it’s all done and printed, take it to a bindery! • Whiteslaw bindery 802-804 Glenhuntly Rd Caulfield South

Examination Procedure • What the hell do I do with it now? • You send (or deliver) 3 copies of your bound thesis to the Examinations Officer at the Waurn Ponds campus. • You wait… at least 3 months • Receive notification that examiners reports are available

Examination Procedure • Recommendations: • Having examined the above thesis, I recommend that the degree: • Be awarded • Be awarded provided that the passages and textual errors identified in my report are corrected to the satisfaction of the Head of School • Be not yet awarded but that the candidate be permitted to revise the thesis in response to my report and present it for re-examination. • Not be awarded but an appropriate degree of Master be awarded • Not be awarded but an appropriate degree of Master be awarded provided that the textual errors identified in my report are corrected to the satisfaction of the Head of School • Not be awarded and the candidate not be permitted to resubmit the thesis for the degree

Examination Procedures • Depending on the outcome, you may have to: • Write a response to the examiners which addresses each of their points in a polite and appreciative manner. Have it signed by the Head of School and returned to the Examinations Officer • Revise your thesis according to the examiners’ comments and resubmit to the Examinations Officer to be returned to your nominated examiners. • Graciously accept a Masters Degree • Give up 

Summary – Final thoughts • Be motivated. Heed Dr Phil’s advice. • Get the most that you can out of the experience. • You will get out what you put in. • Be cynical – it helps. • It ain’t over til it’s over.

Starting and Finishing a PhD (in 3 years, give or take)