Much Ado About a PhD

Brenda Cecilia Padilla Rodríguez

March 12, 2014March 12, 2014

Looking back

PhD Research Day 2

Discussion: Topics not covered

Results: Info not

contemplated in research questions

Literature Review: From descriptive to

analytical

Topics we will cover

• Answering questions about your thesis

• Organising your time

• Structuring your thesis chapters

• Ensuring your thesis is consistent

• Taking the final steps

PhD Research Day 3

Answering Mock Viva questions!

• Randomly select at least two questions from any sections you like.

• Work with a colleague and take turns to answer the questions you selected.

• Provide feedback to your colleague. How adequate were their answers?

• Make it more interesting! Choose the questions for your colleague and viceversa!

PhD Research Day 4http://tinyurl.com/oma4n9w

Organising your time

• Create objectives for the next 3-6 months.

• Follow the SMART methodology!o Specifico Measurableo Attainableo Relevanto Time-bound

• Share your objectives with a colleague. • Check their objectives. Are they SMART?

PhD Research Day 5

Structuring your thesis chapters

PhD Research Day 6

• What thesis chapter are you currently writing?

• Share with your team members the outline you are following in your chapter.o What topics are you covering in this chapter?o What headings and subheadings are you

using?

• Compare and contrast your outline with that of others.o Do you need to change anything?

Structuring your thesis chapters

• Introductiono Contexto Justificationo Contribution to knowledge

• Literature Reviewo Search strategyo Key concepts o Limitations of your

framework

• Methodologyo Research designo Participantso Data sourceso Procedureo Ethics

• Resultso Use your research questions

as guidance!

• Discussiono Use your research questions

as guidance! (It helps keeping things consistent)

o Beyond the research questions

• Conclusionso Contribution to knowledgeo Conclusionso Limitationso Recommendations for

practice (Implications)o Future research

PhD Research Day 7

Ensuring your thesis is consistent

  METHODOLOGYHow will you answer this

question?What instruments will you

use?Who will provide the data?

FINDINGSWhat is the answer

of this question according to your

data?

CONCLUSIONSAfter comparing

your findings with the literature, what can you conclude?

RQ1

RQ2

RQ3

PhD Research Day 8

Try it!!

Taking the final steps

PhD Research Day 9

Plan your time. It is important!

Taking the final steps

• How do I know I have really finished?o You have reached your deadline!o You have finished and edited your thesis a couple of

times, and you are starting to change things from white to black and back to white.

PhD Research Day 10

Should I write “student” or “learner” in this

sentence?

Remember…

Finishing your thesis is not finishing your thesis…

Remember…

It is simply deciding that you will stop making

changes.

Thank you!

PhD Research Day 13