#phdlife

[as-told-by-sura]

[alexistudies]

january 25th, 2024

stumbled across a cute coffee shop not too far from where my PI is staying! it was adorable and the cappuccino I had was delightful.

i'm back in arizona already and with all the clouds, its giving major portland vibes HAHA.

plans today

watch stats lecture from 1/23

find some matlab tutorials so i can make some progress on this neural engineering homework

draft outline for a letter of recommendation from a professor for my NIH diversity supplement

keeping the bar low since i'm tired from my trip lol.

[research-and-survive]

23 March 2024

(6/100 days of productivity)

Today was just a relaxing Saturday with a friend, nice lunch and dessert and a walk by the beach 🥰

We all need these days to recharge after the working week!

[phdguides]

7 important tips and advice every PhD student should know

PhD is considered the highest level of qualification and is not for the faint of heart. The difficulties and frustrations are real. You are constantly looking for motivation to keep up with your hectic schedule.

We understand your situation, and to assist you, we have compiled a list of seven essential tips and advice that will come in handy during your PhD journey.

These tips and advice are backed by scholars and industry experts based on their experience, and if you are in the early stages of your PhD, you will be astounded by the information.

So, without further ado, let’s get started:

Read a lot

Read, read, and read some more. This will be a very useful step in creating a research roadmap. Read as many research papers as you can on your chosen topic.

It will provide you with in-depth knowledge of your subject, what previous researchers have done, and how you can begin your own research. By reading other people’s work, you can learn what has already been done and avoid duplicating existing research.

Aside from reading old papers, remember to keep an eye out for new developments also in your field. All of this reading will help you gain a thorough understanding of your chosen subject.

Write more

When you’re reading this much, you should also be writing. Write down your progress, new discoveries, and any other important information you believe is relevant.

It is always preferable to begin writing as soon as possible. Because it will ultimately assist you in writing your thesis. Writing on a regular basis will help you hone your writing skills.

It may appear to be a daunting task, but with practice, you will notice that the quality of your research paper will improve and you will take less time to complete it.

You don’t have to write every day, but try to write at least three times a week, if not more.

Be positive

PhD research is a long and time-consuming process in which you must constantly work on finding new solutions in your field. As a result, if your research paper is not accepted or people do not support your idea, you may become demotivated.

However, keep in mind that these are all part of the process. You will not always be successful. So it’s okay if you don’t achieve your goals sometimes. Concentrate on the good things you have.

Divert your attention to topics that interest you, surround yourself with positive people, take short breaks, and engage in activities that you enjoy.

PhD may appear to be a difficult journey but believe in yourself because you will succeed and your efforts will be rewarded.

Don’t isolate yourself.

PhD candidates frequently become so engrossed in their work that they completely isolate themselves from the rest of the world. They worked hard all hours of the day and night, but the feeling of missing out never left them.

However, stressing yourself may harm your health, which is ultimately detrimental to your research. So take some time to unwind. Connect with others who share your interests and have a productive discussion about your topic.

It will provide you with new perspectives and allow you to connect with people in your field.

Do an internship

An internship can provide you with valuable insight and a deeper understanding of how research is conducted in other environments and what tools are used.

An internship can help you learn a lot. You can broaden your network with other researchers and learn a lot of details. It can be a fantastic way to gain a thorough understanding of your topic.

Reach out to people.

Building a network is critical regardless of what you do. A valuable network can provide you with endless possibilities. Don’t waste the opportunity to meet a lot of influential people and industry experts during your PhD.

Create a strong network for yourself. Reach out to people and have a good conversation with them. Make the most of your opportunity, as a worthwhile network can help you not only in your career but also in your life after your PhD.

Appreciate your small wins

Many students lose interest or productivity halfway through their PhD studies. It can happen because they have unrealistic expectations of themselves.

You don’t have to make the same mistakes in your PhD. Set attainable goals. Appreciate your small victories because they are also significant. You must accept the fact that you will not always be successful. You will have failures, but they will be temporary, and with consistency, you will be able to achieve your goals.

As a result, it is critical to keep yourself motivated and productive by focusing on your progress.

Conclusion

 Pursuing a PhD is a little challenging, but if you believe in yourself, you can achieve your doctorate dream.  The only thing that matters is that you need to stay consistent and focused. Read a lot and try every possible method to learn about new discoveries in your field. Take advice from experts in the field, and your fellow researchers and stay motivated.

https://phdguides.org/guides/

https://phdguides.org/7-important-tips-and-advice-every-phd-student-should-know/

[phdingifs]

Me, trying to write like a normal person after years of grad school training...

[everythingaboutbiotech]

Choosing advisor is the most important decision in your academic life.

[codswallopia]

186 days until submission (perhaps)

Excited that Four Calendar Café got a remaster. but I wish apple music got it thing together 'cuz the new version of the album is split into two

[yellowmanula]

Getting into a doctoral school feels like child’s play compared to starting the procedure for arranging an international delegation trip 😂

[moderngothicbooks]

Not with a bang but with a tight hat 👩🏻‍🎓

[moltes-musings]

PhD day 787 | Starting to analyse my interviews. Feeling a little frustrated at the guest researcher stay, the host university isn't facilitating much. So far I've met one person in the department.

[as-told-by-sura]

April 23, 2024

[volchiitza]

may 21, 2021 1/100 days of productivity

finished writing + editing a draft of the proposal

worked on the presentation

this time maybe i’ll finally finish the productivity challenge

[stutee]

Yesterday was a good day but also a bit stressful because I am really worried about my PhD now. There is some issue related to my research question/problem/hypotheses and I had to discuss with my supervisor yesterday. She has asked me to meet her today after work and I am a bit worried. I hope we find something or sort it out.

[research-and-survive]

15 April 2024

(29/100 days of productivity)

What a shit day🙃 I already had more than enough things to do today, since last week I was at the conference and I have a meeting with my supervisor tomorrow, but the I discovered an error in some code I am using that is not mine and now I have to redo so many things and it takes so much time and is 7:30pm and I have no idea when I’ll finish but I just want go home

[phdguides]

How to stand out in your PhD interview – 6 important topics you must prepare

You are not required to appear for an interview at every university; however, some universities do require this process.  If you got an invitation for the interview you don’t need to be panicked about it.

Consider the interview as an opportunity to learn more about your field from an expert while also demonstrating your potential to the committee.

Do your homework before attending such an interview. Maintain a conversational tone to avoid being monotonous for both you and the interviewer. Even though no one can predict what questions you will be asked in your interview, we have compiled a list of important topics for you to study before your interview.

Let’s take a quick look at the most important topics:

The goal of your PhD

Discuss your PhD goals and aspirations in depth. What do you hope to achieve in the short and long term, how do you intend to contribute in your chosen field, and so on? You have an excellent opportunity to discuss your PhD goals with an expert in your field; do not waste it.  Make the most of this opportunity by having a good discussion about your PhD goals with the expert in your field.

Your area of research interest

Discuss your research interests in addition to your PhD goal. Why did you select this particular research topic? What are your plans for conducting additional research in your field, both specifically and broadly? How will your research benefit the community? What is the challenging and exciting part of it? Remember that you must demonstrate your knowledge of your research while also gaining valuable insight from a subject matter expert.

Significant issues in your field

Discuss the issues you discover while conducting research in your field. While discussing, provide references from relevant books and articles. Keep your viewpoints intelligently with viable solutions, and most importantly, be honest. If you haven’t read about it, don’t pretend to read every fact or reference mentioned by the interviewer. Instead, admit that you were unaware of it and express an interest in learning how it relates to your work. This will portray you as someone eager to learn more.

Your PhD resume

Carefully examine your CV. The interviewer may inquire about the experience that qualified you for a doctorate, such as research experience, internship experience, or any other significant experience in your field. As a result, plan your response ahead of time. Furthermore, if you have taken a gap year to learn a skill relevant to your PhD studies, make sure to include it in your resume and prepare an explanation for why you learned that skill.

Mentoring experiences

If your PhD degree requires you to be a teacher or mentor to students, the interviewer may ask a question about that. As a result, be prepared to answer questions about your mentoring experience. The interviewer might ask you questions like, “What inspired you to become a teacher?” How you can help students with their studies, and so on.

 Question about the PhD programme

Make the interview more conversational. Demonstrate an interest in learning new things about your field from an expert. Ask the interviewer relevant questions about your field on occasion. Do not ask basic questions that are already available on websites or about things you are already familiar with. As I previously stated, this is an opportunity to gain insights from an expert, so don’t squander it. You can ask detailed questions about your department that you don’t know but are curious about.

Conclusion

An interview is a great way for a PhD student to interact with an expert and learn more about their field. You must take full advantage of it and prepare thoroughly for all basic and detailed questions. As an interviewer can ask anything, you should be fully prepared to answer any question.

https://phdguides.org/guides/

[phdingifs]

Tenured profs, way past their retirement age, clinging to the ivory towers...