The A-Z of the PhD Trajectory: A Practical Guide for a Successful Journey

393 Pages·2018·7.09 MB·english

by  Eva O. L. Lantsoght

Springer Texts in Education
Eva O. L. Lantsoght
The A-Z of
the PhD
Trajectory
A Practical Guide for a Successful
Journey
Springer Texts in Education
More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/13812
Eva O. L. Lantsoght
The A-Z of the PhD
Trajectory
A Practical Guide for a Successful Journey
Eva O. L. Lantsoght
Universidad San Francisco de Quito
Quito, Ecuador
Delft University of Technology
Delft, The Netherlands
ISSN 2366-7672 ISSN 2366-7680 (electronic)
Springer Texts in Education
ISBN 978-3-319-77424-4 ISBN 978-3-319-77425-1 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77425-1
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018943625
© Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018
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To Adeline
Contents
Part I The Steps of the PhD Trajectory
1 Introduction ............................................................................................. 3
1.1 What Can You Find in this Book? ................................................ 3
1.2 Who Can Benefit from this Book? ............................................... 4
1.3 Using this Textbook for a Class or Series of Workshops ............. 5
References ................................................................................................. 6
2 Getting Started with a PhD .................................................................... 7
2.1 I ntroduction and Learning Goals ................................................. 7
2.2 F amiliarizing Yourself with Your New Workplace
and Your New City ....................................................................... 8
2.2.1 Sorting Out Your Paperwork ........................................... 8
2.2.2 Getting Settled in Your New Workplace ......................... 8
2.2.3 Exploring Your New Institution ...................................... 9
2.2.4 Exploring Your New City ............................................... 10
2.3 Discussing Mutual Expectations with Your Promotor ................. 11
2.4 S tart Documenting Your Journey ................................................. 13
2.4.1 Setting Up a Research Journal and a Lab Book ............. 13
2.4.2 Log Your Activities ......................................................... 13
2.4.3 How to Start Writing Early on ........................................ 15
2.4.4 Figure Out Your Data Storage Protocol .......................... 16
2.5 Make a Rough Outline of Your Days/Weeks ............................... 19
2.5.1 Plan the Outline of Your Days ........................................ 19
2.5.2 Eat, Move, Sleep ............................................................. 21
2.5.3 Determine Your Non-negotiable Self-Care Activities .... 22
2.5.4 On Creating Nurturing Morning Routines ..................... 23
2.5.5 On Rolling with the Punches of Academia .................... 23
2.6 S ummary ...................................................................................... 24
Further Reading and References ............................................................... 25
vii
viii Contents
3 Planning Your Time ................................................................................ 27
3.1 Introduction and Learning Goals ................................................. 27
3.2 Planning Your PhD ....................................................................... 28
3.2.1 Determining Your Milestones ......................................... 28
3.2.2 Setting Yourself Up for Success per Semester ................ 30
3.2.3 Your Weekly Template .................................................... 32
3.2.4 Defining Your Ideal Day ................................................. 35
3.2.5 Applying the Weekly Template ...................................... 37
3.2.6 On Rigidity in Schedules ................................................ 38
3.2.7 On Learning How to Take Your Self-Imposed
Deadlines Seriously ........................................................ 39
3.2.8 When Procrastination Hijacks Your Planning................. 40
3.2.9 Tools for Assisting Your Planning .................................. 41
3.3 Managing Your Time and Research ............................................. 44
3.3.1 Project Management Basics ........................................... 44
3.3.2 Tracking Your Time ........................................................ 46
3.3.3 Prioritizing ...................................................................... 46
3.3.4 Using Lists Effectively ................................................... 48
3.4 Self-Care and Taking Time to Take Care of Yourself .................. 49
3.4.1 Planning Self-Care, Sleep, Movement, and Food ........... 49
3.4.2 How to Break Out of Unhealthy Patterns ....................... 50
3.4.3 Reward Yourself for Sticking to Your Plan ..................... 52
3.5 Summary ...................................................................................... 52
Further Reading and References ............................................................... 53
4 Developing Your Literature Review ...................................................... 55
4.1 Introduction and Learning Goals ................................................. 55
4.2 Browsing the Academic Literature .............................................. 56
4.2.1 How to Find References ................................................. 56
4.2.2 On Reading Broadly and Deeply .................................... 59
4.3 Processing References .................................................................. 61
4.3.1 Storing References .......................................................... 61
4.3.2 Engaging with the Literature .......................................... 62
4.4 Finalizing Your Literature Review ............................................... 65
4.4.1 When Have You Read Enough? ...................................... 65
4.4.2 Bringing Everything Together ........................................ 66
4.4.3 Keeping Track of the Literature After Finishing
the Literature Review ..................................................... 69
4.5 The Next Step: Turning Your Literature Review
into a Dissertation Chapter and Journal Paper ............................. 71
4.5.1 Turning Your Literature Review into 
a Dissertation Chapter .................................................... 71
4.5.2 Turning Your Literature Review into a Journal Paper .... 72
4.6 Summary ...................................................................................... 73
Further Reading and References ............................................................... 73
Contents ix
5 Formulating Your Research Question ................................................... 75
5.1 Introduction and Learning Goals ................................................. 75
5.2 From Literature Review to Research Question ............................ 76
5.2.1 Identifying Gaps in the Knowledge ................................ 76
5.2.2 Self-Assessing Your Research Question ......................... 78
5.2.3 Creative Thinking ........................................................... 78
5.2.4 Convincing Your Supervisor of Your Research
Question .......................................................................... 82
5.3 Putting Your Research Question to Action ................................... 82
5.3.1 From Research Question to Subquestions ...................... 82
5.3.2 F rom Research Subquestions to Dissertation Chapters .. 84
5.3.3 From Research Subquestions to Actions and Planning .. 85
5.4 Summary ...................................................................................... 87
Further Reading and References ............................................................... 87
6 Preparing and Executing Experiments ................................................. 89
6.1 Introduction and Learning Goals ................................................. 89
6.2 Towards Your First Test Setup ...................................................... 90
6.2.1 Using the Literature Review to Define
What You Want to Test ................................................... 90
6.2.2 Designing Experimental Setups ..................................... 91
6.2.3 Planning and Logistics for Your First Test ..................... 92
6.3 Managing a Series of Experiments .............................................. 94
6.3.1 The Importance of Your Lab Book ................................. 94
6.3.2 Project Management Essentials ...................................... 97
6.4 Thriving in the Lab ....................................................................... 99
6.4.1 Making Friends ............................................................... 99
6.4.2 Staying Calm in the Face of Adversity ........................... 101
6.4.3 Processing Your Data ...................................................... 102
6.5 Reporting Experiments................................................................. 103
6.5.1 Developing Your Experimental Report ........................... 103
6.5.2 From Experimental Report to Dissertation Chapter ....... 104
6.5.3 From Experimental Report to Journal Paper .................. 105
6.6 Summary ...................................................................................... 106
Further Reading and References ............................................................... 107
7 Honing Your Academic Writing Skills .................................................. 109
7.1 Introduction and Learning Goals ................................................. 109
7.2 Structuring Writing ...................................................................... 110
7.2.1 Determining What You Need to Convey ......................... 110
7.2.2 Outlining Your Writing ................................................... 111
7.2.3 Planning Your Writing .................................................... 113
7.3 Finding Your Voice ....................................................................... 117
7.3.1 Writing Styles and Document Types .............................. 117
7.3.2 Finding Your Voice Through Blogging ........................... 118
7.3.3 Practicing Writing to Develop Your Voice ...................... 119
7.3.4 On Expertise and Authority ............................................ 123
x Contents
7.4 Tips for Non-native Speakers of English ..................................... 125
7.4.1 Typical Pitfalls for Non-native Speakers ........................ 125
7.4.2 Improving Your (Technical) English............................... 126
7.4.3 Finding Your Voice in a Foreign Language .................... 127
7.5 Tips for Productive Academic Writing ......................................... 128
7.5.1 Best Practices for Productive Academic Writing ........... 128
7.5.2 Dealing with Writer’s Block ........................................... 132
7.5.3 Fitting Writing into Your Schedule ................................. 133
7.6 Summary ...................................................................................... 134
Further Reading and References ............................................................... 135
8 Presenting Your Work ............................................................................. 137
8.1 Introduction and Learning Goals ................................................. 137
8.2 Preparing for a Presentation ......................................................... 138
8.2.1 Planning Towards a Presentation .................................... 138
8.2.2 Selecting Your Tools ....................................................... 140
8.3 Types of Presentations .................................................................. 140
8.3.1 Lectern Presentations ...................................................... 140
8.3.2 Poster Presentations ........................................................ 145
8.3.3 Presentations Without Slides .......................................... 148
8.4 Tips for Non-native English Speakers and for Presenting
in Different Languages ................................................................. 149
8.4.1 Improving Your Presenting Skills
in Technical English ....................................................... 149
8.4.2 Presenting in Another Language .................................... 150
8.5 Best Practices for Successful Presentations ................................. 151
8.5.1 How to Gain Confidence in Presenting .......................... 151
8.5.2 Presentation Aftermath ................................................... 152
8.6 Summary ...................................................................................... 154
Further Reading and References ............................................................... 154
9 Communicating Science in the Twenty- First Century ........................ 157
9.1 Introduction and Learning Goals ................................................. 157
9.2 Blogging as a Researcher ............................................................. 158
9.2.1 Single-Author Blogs ....................................................... 158
9.2.2 Guest Posting .................................................................. 161
9.2.3 Multi-author Blogs ......................................................... 162
9.2.4 Benefits of Blogging ....................................................... 163
9.2.5 Barriers to Blogging ....................................................... 164
9.3 Twitter for Researchers ................................................................ 165
9.3.1 How to Engage with an Audience .................................. 165
9.3.2 Curating Content Through Storify .................................. 169
9.4 Online Branding for Scientists ..................................................... 170
9.5 Summary ...................................................................................... 173
Further Reading and References ............................................................... 173