How to Get a PhD - 4th edition A Handbook for Students and their Supervisors

by Phillips, Estelle; Pugh, Derek.S.

• ISBN13: 9780335216840
• ISBN10: 0335216846
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-06-01
• Publisher: Open University Press

Summary

This is a handbook for Ph.D. students, providing a practical,realistic understanding of the processes of doing researchfor a doctorate.New to this edition: a section on increasingly popular professionaldoctorates such as Ed.D., D.B.A., and D.Eng; materialfor supervisors of overseas, part-time, and mature students;and a diagnostic questionnaire for students to monitor progress.

Author Biography

Estelle M. Phillips is an independent educational consultant based in the United Kingdom.

Derek S. Pugh is emeritus professor of international management at the Open University Business School, United Kingdom.

Table of Contents

Preface to the fourth edition	xiii
1 On becoming a research student	1	(6)
The nature of doctoral education	2	(2)
The psychology of being a research student	4	(1)
The aims of this book	5	(1)
Action summary	5	(2)
2 Getting into the system	7	(13)
Choosing the institution and field of study	7	(2)
The scientific research programme	9	(1)
Eligibility	10	(1)
Grants and research support	11	(1)
Distance supervision?	12	(1)
Choosing your work context	13	(1)
Selecting your supervisor	14	(2)
Starting out as a research student	16	(1)
Myths and realities of the system	17	(2)
The 'ivory tower'	17	(1)
Personal relationships	17	(1)
Teamworking	18	(1)
Action summary	19	(1)
3 The nature of the PhD qualification	20	(13)
The meaning of a doctorate	20	(2)
Becoming a fully professional researcher	22	(2)
Differences between the MPhil and the PhD	24	(1)
Aims of students	25	(1)
Aims of supervisors	26	(2)
Aims of examiners	28	(1)
Aims of universities and research councils	29	(1)
Mismatches and problems	30	(1)
Action summary	31	(2)
4 How not to get a PhD	33	(13)
Not wanting a PhD	33	(2)
Not understanding the nature of a PhD by overestimating what is required	35	(2)
Not understanding the nature of a PhD by underestimating what is required	37	(2)
Not having a supervisor who knows what a PhD requires	39	(1)
Losing contact with your supervisor	40	(1)
Not having a thesis	41	(2)
Taking a new job before finishing	43	(1)
Action summary	44	(2)
5 How to do research	46	(10)
Characteristics of research	46	(1)
Intelligence-gathering — the 'what' questions	47	(1)
Research — the 'why' questions	48	(1)
Characteristics of good research	48	(2)
Research is based on an open system of thought	48	(1)
Researchers examine data critically	49	(1)
Researchers generalize and specify the limits on their generalizations	49	(1)
Hypothetico—deductive method	50	(1)
Basic types of research	51	(1)
Exploratory research	51	(1)
Testing-out research	52	(1)
Problem-solving research	52	(1)
Which type of research for the PhD?	52	(2)
The craft of doing research	54	(1)
Action summary	55	(1)
6 The form of a PhD thesis	56	(15)
Understanding the PhD form	56	(1)
Background theory	57	(1)
Focal theory	58	(1)
Data theory	58	(1)
Contribution	59	(1)
Detailed structure and choice of chapter headings	60	(1)
The concept of originality	61	(2)
Writing the thesis	63	(4)
Writing as a process of rewriting	63	(1)
Different types of writers	64	(1)
Getting down to it	65	(1)
The thesis itself	66	(1)
Alternative thesis styles	67	(1)
To publish or not to publish prior to submission?	68	(2)
Action summary	70	(1)
7 The PhD process	71	(23)
Psychological aspects	71	(8)
Enthusiasm	71	(1)
Isolation	72	(1)
Increasing interest in work	73	(1)
Transfer of dependence from the supervisor to the work	74	(2)
Boredom	76	(1)
Frustration	76	(1)
A job to be finished	77	(1)
Euphoria	78	(1)
Others 'getting in first'	79	(1)
Practical aspects	80	(6)
Time management	80	(2)
The duration of the process	82	(1)
The stages of the process	82	(4)
Redefining long-term and short-term goals	86	(1)
The importance of deadlines	87	(2)
Self-help and peer support groups	89	(1)
Internet groups	90	(1)
Teaching while studying for a PhD	91	(2)
Casual teaching	91	(1)
Teaching assistantships	92	(1)
Action summary	93	(1)
8 How to manage your supervisors	94	(18)
The supervisory team	94	(1)
The supervisory team's limitations	95	(2)
What supervisors expect of their doctoral students	97	(6)
Supervisors expect their students to be independent	97	(1)
Supervisors expect their students to produce written work that is not just a first draft	98	(1)
Supervisors expect to have regular meetings with their research students	99	(1)
Supervisors expect their research students to be honest when reporting on their progress	100	(1)
Supervisors expect their students to follow the advice that they give, especially when it has been given at the request of the postgraduate	101	(1)
Supervisors expect their students to be excited about their work, able to surprise them and fun to be with!	101	(2)
The need to educate your supervisors	103	(2)
How to reduce the communication barrier	105	(3)
Improving tutorials	105	(3)
Changing supervisors	108	(2)
Inappropriate personal relationships in supervision	110	(1)
Action summary	111	(1)
9 How to survive in a predominantly British, white, male, full-time, heterosexual academic environment	112	(23)
Part-time students	112	(2)
Overseas students	114	(5)
Settling in to Britain	115	(1)
Expressing yourself in English	116	(1)
The culture of British doctoral education	117	(2)
Ethnic minorities	119	(2)
Racial harassment	120	(1)
Women students	121	(6)
Difficulties concerning legitimacy of topics and methodology	122	(1)
Problems of communication, debate and feedback	123	(1)
Scarcity of academic role models	124	(1)
Sexual harassment and exploitation	125	(2)
Gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gender students	127	(2)
Heterosexist harassment	128	(1)
Mature students	129	(1)
Students with disabilities	130	(1)
Disability legislation	130	(1)
Harassment of people with a disability	131	(1)
Action summary	131	(4)
10 The examination system	135	(10)
Upgrading to doctoral student status	135	(1)
Giving notice of submission	136	(1)
The appointment of examiners	136	(1)
Submitting the thesis	136	(1)
The oral examination – the 'viva'	137	(1)
Preparing for the viva	138	(2)
The results of the examination	140	(2)
The appeals procedures	142	(2)
Litigation	144	(1)
Action summary	144	(1)
11 How to supervise and examine	145	(36)
What students expect of their supervisors	145	(9)
Students expect to be supervised	145	(2)
Students expect supervisors to read their work well in advance	147	(1)
Students expect their supervisors to be available when needed	148	(1)
Students expect their supervisors to be friendly, open and supportive	149	(1)
Students expect their supervisors to be constructively critical	150	(1)
Students expect their supervisors to have a good knowledge of the research area	151	(1)
Students expect their supervisors to structure the tutorial so that it is relatively easy to exchange ideas	151	(2)
Students expect their supervisors to have sufficient interest in their research to put more information in the students' path	153	(1)
Students expect supervisors to be sufficiently involved in their success to help them get a good job at the end of it all!	153	(1)
Establishing a role model	154	(1)
Teaching the craft of research	154	(8)
Giving effective feedback	155	(5)
Introducing a structured 'weaning' programme	160	(2)
Maintaining a helpful 'psychological contract'	162	(2)
Encouraging students' academic role development	164	(1)
Supervising non-traditional students	165	(8)
Part-time students	165	(1)
Problems of access	165	(1)
Organizing work	166	(1)
Overseas students	166	(3)
Ethnic minorities	169	(1)
Women students	170	(1)
Gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gender students	171	(1)
Mature students	172	(1)
Disabled students	173	(1)
Supervising your research assistant	173	(1)
Outcomes of good supervision	174	(1)
Training for supervision	175	(1)
How to examine	175	(4)
The oral examination	178	(1)
Action summary	179	(2)
12 Institutional responsibilities	181	(26)
University responsibilities	183	(1)
A university-wide graduate school for doctoral students	183	(1)
Participation in a regional hub	183	(1)
Support for students	184	(3)
Facilities for departments to support doctoral research activity	184	(1)
A university-wide structured induction procedure	185	(1)
A handbook for university research degree students	186	(1)
English language support where necessary	186	(1)
Support for non-traditional students	187	(1)
Resources for supervisors	187	(2)
The training of supervisors	187	(1)
Teaching credit for doctoral supervision	188	(1)
Faculty/departmental doctoral research tutor	189	(1)
Providing appropriate regulations	189	(1)
Selection of doctoral students	189	(1)
Monitoring of students' progress	190	(1)
Upgrading from MPhil to PhD registration	191	(1)
Appointment of external examiners	192	(1)
A forum for review of the PhD	192	(6)
The PhD as a series of projects	192	(1)
Intellectual copyright and appropriate recognition for doctoral students' work	193	(2)
The PhD in a practice-based discipline	195	(1)
Professional doctorates	196	(2)
Departmental responsibilities	198	(4)
The departmental research tutor	198	(2)
Improving the selection of students into the department	200	(1)
Selection of supervisors	201	(1)
Guidelines on appropriate supervisory behaviour	202	(1)
Support groups for research students	203	(1)
A departmental doctoral programme	204	(1)
The doctoral cohort system	205	(1)
Action summary	206	(1)
Conclusion	206	(1)
Appendix	207	(4)
References	211	(4)
Index	215