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Estelle M. Phillips and Derek S. Pugh

Summarized by Chaky (2012)

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Objective of this presentation

• To provide a summary and key points

• Structure of the presentation

Before getting PhD Starting PhD During PhD

Writing and presenting

thesis

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BEFORE GETTING PHD

Before getting PhD Starting PhD During PhD

Writing and presenting

thesis

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1. Ask yourself clearly

• Why do you want a PhD?• What is your long term goal?

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2. Learn the nature of PhD

• Under your own management• Self-doubt• Isolation (working alone)• Boredom• Great dedication, not brilliance• PhD same as work• Intrinsic rewards– Inner satisfaction rather than external

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3. People who likely to failed

1. Overestimate what is required2. Underestimate what is required3. Supervisor does not know what a PhD requires4. Losing contact with supervisor5. Working in bad environment6. Write bad thesis7. Take a part-time job (or new job) before finish

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4. Decides

• Choose university or research institute• Choose supervisor based on– Your research interests– Experiences– Publications– Working style!– Read their homepage or publications carefully before

interview!• Sometimes you cannot choose!– Think carefully of your motivation of PhD

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STARTING PHD

Before getting PhD Starting PhD During PhD

Writing and presenting

thesis

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Starting PhD

• Maintain good relationship• Understand what your supervisor expects from your

PhD• Learn the techniques, methodology, writing style– Perform literature review

• Set up small project/experiment– Discuss– Understand your professor working culture– Learn about the experimental process

• Read other’s PhD thesis

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Expectation of supervisors

• Supervisor expects student to1. Be independent2. Produce good written work, even the first draft3. Have regular meetings4. Be honest5. Follow their advices6. Provide work that is fun to read!7. Educate supervisors

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Choosing research topic

• Characteristics of good research– Raise good question– Have feasible solution in mind and expected

results (this is not cheating)– Examine data deeply– Specify limitations clearly– Contribution• original

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What is original?1. Major piece of new information2. Continue previous work3. Carry out original work designed by supervisor4. Provide original methodology, technique, observation, or result, in an

unoriginal but hot topics of research5. Testing someone else’s idea6. Doing empirical work that no one did before7. Doing synthesis that no one work before8. Provide new interpretation using same data9. Doing something in different countries10. Use a technique and apply in another areas11. Using multi-disciplinary methodologies12. Looking at new areas in your discipline13. Extending knowledge in a already-well known area

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DURING PHD

Before getting PhD Starting PhD During PhD

Writing and presenting

thesis

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Good management• Set short term goals and long term goals• Set deadlines!• Time management

– Use calendar• Stress management

– Talk to others• Task management

– List up task for each goal.• Discuss with your supervisor frequently

– Appoint via email– Maintain supervisor interest in your work– Supervisor should know what are you doing now

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WRITING AND PRESENTING THESIS

Before getting PhD Starting PhD During PhD

Writing and presenting

thesis

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Writing thesis

• Four important elements include– Background– Research statement– Methodology and results– Contribution

• Getting feedback from supervisor and rewriting is the key

• Write in any order you feel comfortable• Write frequently. That’s how your brain thinks.

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Bad thesis

• Inadequate four important elements• Too long• Bad headings• Inadequate figures/graphs/pictures• Too difficult to read– Too technical – Too mathematical– Best: anyone can read and enjoy.

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Oral examination

Criteria: – Originality– Know well of your field– Communicate effectively– Know the fundamental research methodology and

techniques– Publications– Can supervises other

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SUMMARY

Before getting PhD Starting PhD During PhD

Writing and presenting

thesis

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Key points: How to get a PhD?

1. Concentrate 2. Communicate effectively3. Get feedback and act accordingly4. Be flexible5. Good management6. Working under a suiting environment

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APPENDIX

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HOW TO SUPERVISE

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Expectation of students

• Students expect their supervisor to– Advise them accordingly– Given adequate time– Read their work– Be friendly, open, and supportive– Be constructively critical– Have good research knowledge– Show interest in their work– Help them get a good job after PhD

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Characteristics of good supervisors• Role model• Teaching the techniques and methodology• Give effective feedback

– Provide criticism when needed– Underline that criticism is to make progress– Give good news first– Balance between appreciation and criticism– Give criticism impersonally

• No personal emotions; provide objective criticism

– Provide feedback clearly– Pay attention to what your students say– After the discussion, let the supervisor or your student repeat what has been discussed and

what needs to be done• Provides early direction

– Read your student’s work and his/her ideas carefully– Lead the student in the right direction

• Understand your student psychologically and technically– Weakness and strength