How to get a Ph.D. : a handbook for students and their supervisors /
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| Author / Creator: | Phillips, Estelle, 1928- |
|---|---|
| Edition: | 2nd. ed., rev. and updated. |
| Imprint: | Buckingham [England] ; Philadelphia : Open University Press, 1994. |
| Description: | xiv, 203 p. ; 22 cm. |
| Language: | English |
| Subject: | |
| Format: | Print Book |
| URL for this record: | http://pi.lib.uchicago.edu/1001/cat/bib/1576828 |
Table of Contents:
- Preface to the third edition
- 1. Becoming a postgraduate
- The nature of postgraduate education
- The psychology of being a postgraduate
- The aims of this book
- Action summary
- 2. Getting into the system
- Choosing the institution and field of study
- Distance supervision?
- Choosing your work context
- Selecting your supervisor
- Becoming a research student
- Myths and realities of the system
- The 'ivory tower'
- Personal relationships
- Teamworking
- 'Scientific method'
- Action summary
- 3. The nature of the PhD qualification
- The meaning of a doctorate
- Becoming a fully professional researcher
- Differences between the MPhil and the PhD
- Aims of students
- Aims of supervisors
- Aims of examiners
- Aims of universities and research councils
- Mismatches and problems
- Action summary
- 4. How not to get a PhD
- Not wanting a PhD
- Not understanding the nature of a PhD by overestimating what is required
- Not understanding the nature of a PhD by underestimating what is required
- Not having a supervisor who knows what a PhD requires
- Losing contact with your supervisor
- Not having a thesis
- Taking a new job before finishing
- Action summary
- 5. How to do research
- Characteristics of research
- Intelligence-gathering--the 'what' questions
- Research--the 'why' questions
- Characteristics of good research
- Research is based on an open system of thought
- Researchers examine data critically
- Researchers generalize and specify the limits on their generalizations
- Basic types of research
- Exploratory research
- Testing-out research
- Problem-solving research
- Which type of research for the PhD?
- The craft of doing research
- Self-help and peer support groups
- Electronic peer groups
- Action summary
- 6. The form of a PhD thesis
- Understanding the PhD form
- Background theory
- Focal theory
- Data theory
- Contribution
- The concept of originality
- Detailed structure and choice of chapter headings
- Writing the thesis
- Action summary
- 7. The PhD process
- Psychological aspects
- Enthusiasm
- Isolation
- Increasing interest in work
- Transfer of dependence from the supervisor to the work
- Boredom
- Frustration
- A job to be finished
- Euphoria
- Others 'getting in first'
- Practical aspects
- Time management
- The duration of the process
- The stages of the process
- Redefining long-term and short-term goals
- The importance of deadlines
- To publish or not to publish prior to submission?
- Teaching whilst studying for a PhD
- Casual teaching
- Teaching assistantships
- Action summary
- 8. How to manage your supervisor
- What supervisors expect of their doctoral students
- Supervisors expect their students to be independent
- Supervisors expect their students to produce written work that is not just a first draft
- Supervisors expect to have regular meetings with their research students
- Supervisors expect their research students to be honest when reporting on their progress
- Supervisors expect their students to follow the advice that they give, when it has been given at the request of the postgraduate
- Supervisors expect their students to be excited about their work, able to surprise them and fun to be with!
- The need to educate your supervisor
- How to reduce the communication barrier
- Improving tutorials
- Changing supervisors
- Joint supervision
- Inappropriate personal relationships in supervision
- Action summary
- 9. How to survive in a predominantly British, white, male, full-time academic environment
- Part-time students
- Overseas students
- Ethnic minorities
- Racial harassment
- Women students
- Difficulties concerning legitimacy of topics and methodology
- Problems of communication, debate and feedback
- Scarcity of academic role models
- Sexual harassment and exploitation
- Gay and lesbian students
- Heterosexist harassment
- Mature students
- Students with disabilities
- Harassment of people with a disability
- Action summary
- 10. The formal procedures
- Registration
- Grants and research support
- Upgrading to doctoral student status
- The examination system
- Giving notice of submission
- The appointment of examiners
- Submitting the thesis
- The oral examination--the 'viva'
- Preparing for the viva
- The results of the examination
- The appeals procedures
- Litigation
- Action summary
- 11. How to supervise and examine
- What students expect of their supervisors
- Students expect to be supervised
- Students expect supervisors to read their work well in advance
- Students expect their supervisors to be available when needed
- Students expect their supervisors to be friendly, open and supportive
- Students expect their supervisors to be constructively critical
- Students expect their supervisors to have a good knowledge of the research area
- Students expect their supervisors to structure the tutorial so that it is relatively easy to exchange ideas
- Students expect their supervisors to have sufficient interest in their research to put more information in the students' path
- Students expect supervisors to be sufficently involved in their success to help them get a good job at the end of it all!
- Establishing a role model
- Teaching the craft of research
- Giving effective feedback
- Introducing a structured 'weaning' programme
- Maintaining a helpful 'psychological contract'
- Encouraging students' academic role development
- Supervising your research assistant
- Outcomes of good supervision
- How to examine
- The oral examination
- Action summary
- 12. Institutional responsibilities
- University responsibilities
- Providing support to students
- A structured induction procedure
- Facilities for departments to support doctoral research activity
- A handbook for university research degree students
- Language support where necessary
- Providing resources for supervisors
- The training of supervisors
- Teaching credit for doctoral supervision
- Faculty/departmental doctoral research tutor
- Providing appropriate regulations
- Registration
- Monitoring of students' progress
- Upgrading from MPhil to PhD registration
- Appointment of external examiners
- Providing a forum for review of the PhD
- The PhD as a series of projects
- Intellectual copyright and appropriate recognition for doctoral students' work
- The PhD in a practice-based discipline
- Departmental responsibilities
- Establishing a departmental research tutor
- Improving the selection of students into the department
- Selection of supervisors
- Developing guidelines on appropriate supervisory behaviour
- Support groups for research students
- Considering and, if appropriate, establishing a doctoral programme
- The American doctoral programme
- The scientific research programme
- The doctoral cohort system
- Conclusion
- Action summary
- References
- Index