PhD training

1. PhD training Mark Lee mhl@aber.ac.uk room E46a

2. Topics • What is a PhD ? • The research environment • How you should work • What is good research • The nature of a thesis • What else? - you make suggestions for discussion

3. What is a PhD ?

4. Basic questions • Why do I want a PhD? • What is a PhD? • What do I have to do? • How do I start? • How do I optimise success? • Any good advice?

5. Why do a PhD? Good and bad reasons • To be called ‘Doctor’ (oh, no) • To satisfy examiners & get ‘meal ticket’ (No!) • To make “Original Contribution” (no) • To learn research methods (ok) • To become a professional researcher (yes!)

6. Professional researcher It’s all about training to become a: professional researcher. Using good incremental research rather than aiming for ‘paradigm shift’ breakthroughs. The result is NOT just the ‘deliverable’ of the thesis, but the process of learning HOW to produce a thesis. The development of the individual is important, as well as the scientific result.

7. Selection of Topic Commitment - must believe in it. Significance - not unimportant or irrelevant. Good questions - but not too wide/open. Originality - identifiable Links/context - to other groups or workers.

8. Skills Gained • Initiative to manage research • Understanding of the process (scientific method) • Mastering techniques • Managing resources • Collaboration • Managing time • Critical evaluation • Communication

9. Let’s look at the University Regulations BSc - General knowledge of subject MSc - Advanced knowledge of subject PhD - Authority on subject

10. Phd regulations “… a scheme of further study and research, the results of which are judged to constitute an original contribution to learning and to give evidence of systematic study and of ability to relate the results of such study to the general body of knowledge in the subject.”

11. The research environment

12. Supervisors • Expertise in problem area • Direction - project/programme • Guidance - on standards, feedback, constructive criticism, networks • Regular meetings - 1 hour per week (average) • Monitoring - the management of project stages • Advice - on preparation for seminars, papers, etc • Facilities - arranging as required

13. Research Students Documents Record everything - keep a scientific notebook and diary Systematic filing of papers Literature survey - keep notes on papers Project plans - dates and milestones Drafts of papers for conference/seminar Written progress reports and reviews Initiative Feedback to supervisor on needs, preferences Early raising of problems, delays Self-monitor against plan

14. Research Post-Graduate Tutor • Admissions selector • Monitor progress - informal reports • Organise reviews, probation, reports • Advise on individual cases/issues • Receive complaints, suggestions, requests • Representative - facilities, services, etc

15. Obligations • Attend dept research meetings • Attend other meetings as requested • Keep dept/supervisor well informed • Be ready to present summary of research • Help with small ad hoc duties (e.g show visitors round department, demonstrate equipment, etc)

16. Research life

17. Information Newsletters from communities Websites key labs, news, events Literature searching tools Communities local, regional, national, Int. Contacts networking

18. Communities (examples) • In department 4 groups • UK (AISB, BiroNet) • European (Euron) • International (IEEE) • Professional (IET, BCS)

19. Events • Meetings • Networks • Groups • Exhibitions • Conferences • Initiatives • Workshops

20. Your Responsibility You have considerable freedom but also a fundamental responsibility: • To do the work. • To find out what you need to know/do. • To manage your time • To reflect on progress i.e. you assume “ownership”

21. Advice • PLANNING - make overall plan and task plans. • MONITOR tasks against milestones and deadlines. • THINK about time management. • KEEP UP task oriented meetings and plans. • WRITE FREQUENTLY. Prepare documents, notes, papers, chapters, drafts, diary. Study and improve your English. • IDENTIFY your needs and ask for support.

22. Scientific research

23. Stages in a research project • Problem identification - the importance of work on this topic and a defined contribution • Literature survey - context and related work • The research question - and its implications. Criteria for achieving an answer. • Method - how the question is to be answered • Experiments - and their design • Results - to be achieved • Evaluation - what do the results show • Conclusion - what has the work answered? what is left?, what is raised? Summary of the contribution.

24. Skills - (what researchers do) • Reading • Writing • Planning • Designing • Experimenting • Analysing/evaluating

25. PhD Research is: • Not ‘building systems’ • Not ‘fact finding’ or descriptive, e.g. market research. This only says ‘what’ happens. • But explanation-based, giving reasons or theories that say ‘why’ things happen.

26. Research should: • be OPEN • be CRITICAL • form GENERALISATIONS

27. The thesis

28. Thesis Structure • Background theory • Focal theory • Data theory • Contribution

29. Chapters/Tasks Comments Introduction state problems/hypotheses Review literature & bibliography Design experiments Implementation present methods/results Analysis presentation of data Evaluation limitations, consequences, relation to literature and original hypotheses

30. Chapters/Tasks Comments Introduction * state problems/hypotheses Review literature & bibliography Design experiments Implementation present methods/results Analysis * presentation of data Evaluation limitations, consequences, relation to literature and original hypotheses * these take more time than you think!

31. Missing tasks Specify tasks planning, special skills Writing a learning process

32. Missing tasks Specify tasks planning, special skills Writing * a learning process * these take more time than you think!

33. Problem areas • Total disorganisation • Not committed to topic • Not committed to science • Displacement activities • No thesis in the work • Never write • Inadequate supervision • Take a job before completing

34. Useful materials

35. Standard books • “How to get a PhD”, by E. M. Phillips and D. S. Pugh, Open University Press, 3rd edition, 2000, ISBN 0 335 20550X (paperback) £15.99. Library data Location: Hugh Owen Library: Effective Study Collection Classmark:STUDY LB2386.P5 Number of Items: 3 Status: Copy no.1 On loan - Due on 27/03/ • UWA Postgraduate Handbook, (contains EPSRC guidelines), free!

36. Public speaking “Speaking technically : a handbook for scientists, engineers, and physicians on how to improve technical presentations” by Sinclair Goodlad, Imperial College Press, London. 1996, £8. Location: Hugh Owen Library Effective Study Collection (Level F) Classmark: STUDY T10.5.G6

37. Writing (1) “Enjoy Writing Your Science Thesis or Dissertation”, by Daniel Holtom & Elizabeth Fisher (Imperial College), Jul 1999, ISBN 978-1-86094-207-5(pbk), £14 Location: Physical Sciences Library Classmark: T11.H7 Number of Items: 1 Status: Available

38. Writing (2) “How to run a paper mill : writing tech nical papers and getting them published”, by John Woodwark, Winchester, Information Geometers, 1992. Location: Physical Sciences Library Classmark: T11.W9 Number of Items: 1 Status: Available

39. Writing (3) “Writing successfully in science”, by Maeve O’Connor, Harper Collins Academic, London, 1991 (various printings), £17.60 Location: Physical Sciences Library Classmark: T11.O1 Number of Items: 1 Status: Available