How to get a PhD : a handbook for students and their supervisors

 Content: Preface   Chapter 1 - On becoming a research student  The nature of doctoral education  The psychology of being a research student  The aims of this book  Action summary  Chapter 2 - Getting into the system  Choosing the institution and field of study  The scientific research programme  Eligibility    Grants and research support     Distance supervision?  Choosing your work context  Selecting your supervisor  Starting out as a research student  Myths and realities of the system  The 'ivory tower'  Personal relationships  Teamworking  Action summary  Chapter 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  Chapter 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  Chapter 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  Hypothetico-deductive method  Basic types of research  Exploratory research  Testing-out research  Problem-solving research  Which type of research for the PhD?  The craft of doing research  Action summary       Chapter 6 - The form of a PhD thesis  Understanding the PhD form  Background theory  Focal theory  Data theory  Contribution  Detailed structure and choice of chapter headings  The concept of originality  Writing the thesis  writing as a process of re-writing  different types of writers  getting down to it  the thesis itself        Alternative thesis styles  To publish or not to publish prior to submission?  Action summary  Chapter 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  Self-help and peer support groups  Internet groups       Teaching whilst studying for a PhD  casual teaching  teaching assistantships  Action summary  Chapter 8 - How to manage your supervisors  The supervisory team  The supervisory team's limitations  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 supervisors  How to reduce the communication barrier  Improving tutorials  Changing supervisors  Inappropriate personal relationships in supervision  Action summary  Chapter 9 - How to survive in a predominantly British, white, male, full-time,  heterosexual academic environment  Part-time students  Overseas students  Settling in to Britain  Expressing yourself in English  The culture of British doctoral education  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, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gender students  Heterosexist harassment  Mature students  Students with disabilities  disability legislation   Harassment of people with a disability  Action summary   Chapter 10 - the examination system  Upgrading to doctoral student status  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  Chapter 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 sufficiently 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 non-traditional students  Part-time students  problems of access  organizing work  Overseas students  Ethnic minorities  Women students  Gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gender students  Mature students  Disabled  students  Supervising your research assistant   Outcomes of good supervision  Training for supervision  How to examine  The oral examination Action summary  Chapter 12 - Institutional responsibilities  University responsibilities  A university-wide research school for doctoral students  Participation in a regional hub  Support for students   Facilities for departments to support doctoral research activity  A university-wide structured induction procedure  A handbook for university research degree students  English language support where necessary  Support for non-traditional students  Resources for supervisors  the training of supervisors  teaching credit for doctoral supervision  Faculty/departmental doctoral research tutor  Providing appropriate regulations  selection of doctoral students  Monitoring of students' progress  Upgrading from MPhil to PhD registration  Appointment of external examiners  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  Professional doctorates   Departmental responsibilities  the departmental research tutor  improving the selection of students into the department  Selection of supervisors  Guidelines on appropriate supervisory behaviour  Support groups for research students  A departmental doctoral programme  The doctoral cohort system  Action summary  Conclusion  Appendix  References  Index