Why I decided to do a PhD

When I first started this blog back in 2011, I wrote a post about how I'd come to the decision to do a PhD.  There are a lot of posts from those early days that might be useful to new PhD students.  However, sometimes I think that a little experience, a little time and the benefit of hindsight can bring a new perspective on past decisions, and while the reasons I cited in that post still stand, I think there are some I didn't mention or didn't even realise I'd considered.

Some of you may think this post is a little strange.  I wasn't hugely motivated by grand sentiment; instead my motivations had smaller beginnings.  When you put them together, they become a stronger and more cohesive foundation.  But sometimes I think it's important to highlight the little things, because sometimes it's the little things that get you through.  I also think that you can feel a little inferior if you don't have a 'big' reason to do a PhD.  If that applies to you, I hope this post makes you feel a little better.

First of all, I think my personality had a lot to do with it.  From a very young age I was very driven by academic achievement.  Gold stars were my be all and end all.  I am also a completionist - I like to get all of something.  In gaming terms, that would be all the achievements for a game.  But in 'Real Life' terms, over the years that included colouring in, badges at Brownies or Guides, exam grades, Pokémon...  I get this buzz of fulfillment from completing something and from growing a collection of achievements.  In some ways, I think this contributes to my 'need' to do a PhD.  I won't feel properly fulfilled until I have reached that pinnacle of academic qualification, until I have 'collected them all'.  

I'd also add that this slightly (cough) neurotic tendency is helpful when it comes to the more mundane side of research.  The desire to see something finished or completed is helpful when faced with a mind-bending counterbalancing problem or 350 image files needing coded.  My brain is wired to give me a sense of reward just for finishing the task.

Another reason I decided to do a PhD is because I liked the idea of being a professional scientist.  I had this vision of myself in a personalised office pacing about spouting ideas and having eureka moments left, right and centre.  The thought of seeing my name printed on something I'd written almost produced a wriggle of glee.  In reality, my PhD is nothing like this.  I do have an office, granted, which I have decorated, but there's no pacing, no spouting of ideas.  I've learned that ideas grow slowly.  You have to nurture them.  Tend to them.  And also that the customary attire is jeans rather than lab coat.

When I really think about it though, I think my main reason for wanting to do a PhD is because I needed a sense of purpose.  I wanted to be something.  Now, I'll make it clear I don't think you should wander blindly into a PhD because you want to do something with your life but you're not sure what.  I fitted a lot of the requirements of someone wanting to do a PhD academically, and there were a lot of practical reasons why it worked for me (which I discussed in the linked post, so won't go into here).

What I mean though is that when I started out, I didn't really know what being a PhD student was like or the realities of academic life.  I felt like I wanted to be someone reasonably clever, who learned things and researched things and taught things.  In a nutshell, that's still what I want to do, but I have a clearer sense of what that means for me.

I decided to do a PhD so I could learn reach my academic potential.  So that I could be 'Dr Katy' and a scientist and researcher by trade.  I decided to do a PhD so I could teach people, so I could be paid to ask questions about the world and discover new things about it.  I think a quote by John Green says it best:

I decided to do a PhD so I could be a nerd forever.  I could get excited about small things, which can translate into bigger and more meaningful things.  That's the sort of person I am - the sort that gets excited about little things.  Gold stars and badge collecting.  For me, that's what a PhD is.  It's the chance to learn how to professionally get excited about these things.  And at the end of the day, that's all I need.

5 things I wish I'd known before I started my PhD

Today's post comes from Dr Juliet Wakefield, a post-doctoral research in Social Psychology at the University of Dundee.  She completed her PhD in 2011 (also at the University of Dundee) - her thesis examined the social psychology of help-seeking and help-receiving.  Juliet has kindly agreed to write a piece for this blog about the things she wishes she had known before she started her PhD.  I think this is a must read for anyone doing or thinking about a PhD, Masters or even undergraduate dissertation.

The first thing to mention is that, obviously, no two PhD journeys are the same.  My specific experience of doing a Social Psychology PhD at a Scottish university (and the things I learned during that experience) are likely to be very different to somebody doing a PhD in a different discipline or at a different institution.  However, I have tried to cover quite general issues in the list below, so I hope that at least some of the five points will be relevant to most PhD students.  With that in mind, let's start the list.

1.  It doesn't have to be perfect

During my PhD I always had this image in my head that my thesis was going to be the best and most perfect thing I would ever do - that all my experiments had to be designed perfectly, that my methodology and statistical techniques had to be selected with flawless logic and that even the tiniest typo could not be tolerated.  In reality, this image is very far from the truth, and the sooner you accept that, the calmer you will feel.

The whole point of a PhD is that the process is a training exercise: a rather intense 3-4 year period in which you learn and develop in many different ways.  So just as a first year undergraduate's thinking and writing is expected to evolve and improve over the course of a degree, so a postgraduate is expected to show evidence of learning and development over the course of a PhD.

This is a rather long-winded way of reaching a simple point: your PhD does not have to be perfect.  In fact, it's often better to show you can readily identify your mistakes, acknowledge them and ultimately learn from them.  For instance, some of my early experiments had some definite design weaknesses, which stressed me out greatly.  However, over time, I learned not to focus on these weaknesses,  Instead, I acknowledged them in the experiment's Discussion, and explored how I could develop my next experiment in a way that would address these weaknesses.  This meant that I could keep myself calm whilst showing my advances in thinking and reasoning - a double bonus.  Let go of the concept of perfecting during your PhD and you will almost certainly see your stress levels decline.

2.  A minimum of one major thing will happen in your personal life during your PhD

You may have heard this before, but it does seem to be a scarily accurate prediction: the majority of people I know have experienced at least one major event (positive and/or negative) during their PhD.  You may have heard of the Social Readjustment Rating Scale, which rates (out of 100) the extent to which each of a number of important events (such as bereavement or marriage) impacts upon our lives.  

However when you are already facing the challenges of a PhD, even pretty 'minor' events, such as a change is residence (rated 20) or trouble with the in-laws (rated 29) can feel hugely stressful.  This highlights a key issue that all PhD students should think about from day one: the importance of having access to support and help if it is needed.  If you are lucky then you will have a supportive supervisor who will provide you with social/emotional assistance as well as academic guidance, but there are many other sources that you can turn to for help - friends, family, other members of your institution, counsellors, therapists and so on.  

The key thing I learned here (mainly because it was my PhD topic) is that it's important to identify when you have a problem and to ask for help when you need it.  It's probably one of the best things you can do to help improve your chances of having a positive PhD experience.

Talking about the Social Readjustment Rating Scale, I was quite surprised to find that completing my PhD scored close to 100 for me.  Finishing your PhD can be a rather traumatic experience (I imagine it is something like watching a child leave home for the first time) and 'Post Thesis Depression' is pretty common - I certainly experienced it.  I'm not writing this to worry you, it just means that it is important to have sources of support available to you at all stages of your PhD, from day one until after your viva.  It will make things so much more manageable if you have at least one person you trust who can share the highs and the lows with you. 

3. Stop comparing your PhD journey with the journeys of others

This is not an easy task, but it is important to keep trying.  Like many PhD students, I wasted a lot of time comparing myself with others, and feeling the inevitable guilt that is the product of such comparisons.  When I went home and other students’ office lights were still on, I worried that I wasn’t working hard enough, or that I wasn’t working for long enough.  I worried that I wasn’t reading the right things, or going to the right conferences, or learning the right statistical techniques. While it is important to try to improve yourself and your skills, you should not be motivated by feelings of guilt or inadequacy.  Every person’s PhD journey is different, so comparing the specifics within them usually makes as much sense as comparing apples and oranges.  Focus on trying to become more confident within your own journey, rather than seeking reassurance by comparing yourself with others.

4. Make the most of opportunities which arise

Rather than comparing yourself with others, the best way to feel more confident about your PhD journey is to take advantage of any opportunities that come your way.  Go on training courses and attend conferences and workshops (if you have the time and money, of course).  Not only will they widen your skills and your experience, they will allow you to meet new people and see the widely different PhD journeys that exist around the world.  My supervisor encouraged me to start presenting my work at conferences from early on in my PhD, and he also encouraged me to start writing up my research for publication as soon as possible.  Taking advantage of these opportunities has given me more confidence to present my work to others, and has led to me having two journal articles based on my thesis data accepted for publication.  Of course, you should not feel guilty if time or financial constraints mean that pursuing a particular opportunity is not possible, but it is definitely worth trying to take advantage of at least a few.   

5. You may not see the big picture until late in the day

My final point encapsulates a few issues.  First, I had quite intense anxiety early in my PhD regarding the sheer scale of the task - I could not comprehend how I was going to be able to write so much.  Seeing the length of other people’s theses (comparing myself with others again) made me almost shiver with dread.  Related to this was a strong sense of not being able to see the wood for the trees: I was reading all these papers and running all these experiments, but I never really got a sense of what the bigger picture was, and how it all added up.  These two concerns were definitely related for me, and did not resolve themselves until quite late in the day. 

The truth (for me at least) was that it was the process of writing itself, which allowed me to see the big picture of my thesis: how things linked together, how the thread of logic ran through the chapters, and what the overall implications of my work were.  I found that the more I wrote, the better my sense of the bigger picture became, and in turn, the more I could write about that bigger picture.  Suddenly I had a better understanding of what the theory-based chapters that opened my thesis needed to say so that the reader would understand the context and relevance of my own studies.  I had written the Method sections for my experiments as I had run each one (which I would definitely recommend doing), but suddenly I had a better sense of how these different experiments linked together and how to convey their relevance to the reader. Ultimately, writing up your thesis can be frustrating and rewarding in equal measure, but don’t be alarmed if you do not get a good sense of your thesis (and ‘what it all means’) until quite a late stage.

I hope you found at least some of these tips useful. Doing a PhD has definitely been the best experience of my life so far, but like any experience, it takes time to find your feet and work out the best way to deal with the challenges and issues that will inevitably arise during this intense process. It is better to think of a PhD as a marathon rather than a sprint: you need to look at ways to increase your strength and your stamina, so that you still have the resources to allow you to pick yourself up and get back on track if (or, more likely, when) you fall over. Anyway, all that is left to say is best wishes and good luck, and that you will deserve a massive party once it is all done!

Is a PhD the right choice for you?

We're at that time of year again when all the PhD vacancies are sprouting up and you might - if you're not a PhD student already - be thinking about applying for a post.  Over the next two weeks, Not Just Another PhD will have a series of posts about PhDs and deciding whether they're the right choice for you.  It's a big decision after all!

Our original artwork today is by Debbie Malcolm.

So, you're nearly finished your undergraduate degree or maybe a Masters, and you're thinking about taking your academic studies further.  The pinnacle of academic achievement - the PhD.  But then, the thing is, there tends to be a lot of mysticism around PhDs.  What are they?  What do they involve?  What do you really need to be considering before you apply or accept a position?

There are a huge number of answers to those questions and if you're already a PhD student, you might feel I'm missing some out (in which case please share your thoughts in the comments!) but I'm going to do my best to cover the biggies.

What's a PhD Anyway?

You couldn't ever describe the ins and outs of everything involved in what exactly a PhD is in a short section, so I'll do my best to summarise.  And also, please note my experience is from a science-based PhD so it's a little different than an Arts one.  

For a sciencey PhD in a UK institution, you are normally given four years to complete your work.  At the end of those four years you submit a thesis (also referred to as a dissertation) which is between 80,000 - 100,000 words in length.  Essentially you're producing a book with a series of chapters.  You start with an introductory chapter (your literature review) then perhaps a methodology chapter if you are using complex equipment.  You'll follow this up with experimental chapters that are in the same format as journal articles, just longer, before finishing with a discussion chapter, references and appendices.

Handing in your thesis isn't quite the end though.  You need to complete an oral defence - a viva - of your work.  Format varies slightly country to country, but in the UK you have an internal examiner, who is an expert in the area, or related area, from within your department (but not your supervisor) and an external examiner.  You'll also have a convener present, who keeps things running smoothely.  You need to pass this oral defence and make any changes they suggest before you can graduate and officially be called "Doctor".

The Practical Requirements

As with everything these days, entry to PhD programmes are getting more competitive.  You will need a 1st or usually a high band 2:1 (which is one consisting of some As and the rest Bs), but all universities are different and will state their requirements clearly in the advertisement.  All is not lost though if you get a 2:2.  In that case, I'd recommend enrolling in a Masters first to demonstrate your capabilities.

Some universities might also look for research experience, so if see if you can get some voluntary research experience - it's a great boost to your CV.  If your department doesn't have an existing research apprenticeship scheme, email lecturers and see if there's anything you can do to help.  It might just be coding, data entry or something similar, but I can tell you from experience that these things make a huge difference.

Other Considerations

A PhD is different from any other type of qualification you'll have undertaken before.  Your end-of-first-year assessment and final hand in aside, you have very little in the way of concrete deadlines.  The free-form work style can be very unnerving for some people, so you need to think about whether you'd be able to work well under those conditions.

You need to think about finances too.  There are a lot of organisations and charities you can apply to for funding, and your potential supervisor will advise you on ones appropriate to your situation.  I have known some people who were so determined to do a PhD they took out a loan to finance their fees and living costs.  Unless you have a very stable financial background, I would not recommend this.  Go get some more experience, sign up for a Masters if you want, but I think it's too big an investment in this day and age.  But that's just my two cents.

Other questions might involve more thought, and not just on your part.  Are you able to move to do a PhD?  Do you have family, a partner or children who might also be affected by this?  More importantly - are you willing to move?  The answer doesn't necessarily have to be yes.  If, for example, your partner has a career where you live, you might not want to throw that away for you to pursue a PhD.  That doesn't rule out a PhD for you, but it might limit your options.  It's all things you need to think about.

A final note...

So far, despite all its hardships, doing my PhD has been one of the best things I've ever done in my life.  I love it (even when I hate it).  But I'm not going to lie to you, PhDs are really, really hard.  There are times when you feel so lonely and isolated and frustrated and angry at it all it drives you crazy.  I wouldn't want anyone to sign up thinking it'll all be sunshine and rainbows because sadly that's not the case.

I'm not trying to put a downer on your excitement.  I remember how exciting it was when I was applying for PhDs!  I just think it's important to make this decision in an informed way. I still think that it's one of the most rewarding things a person can do.  If you want a career in research or academia, it's a perfect choice for you.  There are so many positives - what you'll learn about your subject and about yourself, chances to travel for conferences, friends you'll make, people you'll meet, things you'll do.  And as long as you know it's the right decision for you that will, ultimately, get you through anything.

There's already a lot of advice on this blog (and more to come!) and others like it about how to cope with difficulties you'll encounter along the way.  What you need to think about now is getting started.  And if you decide a PhD is for you, welcome aboard.  It's a crazy journey, but it's a fun one.

Not Just Another PhD is changing!

There are changes abound folks!

When I started writing this blog, I thought I'd be lucky to make 100 hits, never mind over 7000.  I can't thank you - my lovely internet reader people - enough for coming along and having a gander at whatever I choose to put up here.

But, there are some things I can do to thank you.

First of all, there will probably be some site changes going on around here over the next wee while.  (Including a change in domain name most likely).  I'll keep you updated as we go, but I can't guarantee when it'll all happen because I'm still looking for someone to help me out with the work.

Second of all, I'm going to be posting more regularly.  At least once a week for sure.  I'm also taking suggestions for anything you might like me to write about - you'll find a 'Contact Me' page addition in the next couple of days complete with Kontactr form.  Any feedback you want to give would be fantastic.  

Finally, and most excitingly, I'm going to be turning the blog into a book!  As a fledgling academic, I greatly enjoy collecting books - especially ones that tell me how to be a better PhD student.  But I always felt that, for me, there was something missing in the market.  And that's the hole I'm hoping to plug a little.  Obviously, since I'm not finished my PhD yet, there's later chapters that will need to wait to be finished, but I wanted to let you know what's happening here in NJAP land.

I'm also going to be putting in some effort at building the profile of the blog and how useful it is to everyone else (as opposed to random rantings on my part).  That means opening it up to guest posts too.  Again, if there's something you'd like to write for the blog, please just get in touch.

In the mean time, hang in there.  PhD-blog fodder is coming.

And thank you again, because you guys are awesome.