Preparation Advice Before You Go For Your PhD
We often don't consider those who have spent years pondering the mysteries which make our lives better and often more meaningful. We are talking about those who have received a PhD degree. Only 1% of the world's population is able to own this honor and yet so little time is given to conveying our thanks to them. Here is a little advice to those seeking a PhD degree. You may have had your sights set on that degree from day one, or maybe just as you are finishing your degree, you may be feeling an interest towards research and the opportunities a PhD degree offers. Whatever the case, a little preparation will aid you on your quest. Get some research experience before you actually embark on your PhD degree. Talk to your professors about this. Though you may get the occasional old codger, they generally love helping students. It is, after all, their job! They could do any one of the following: 1. Send you to someone else who will be able to help you. Or, guide you to the right resources. 2. Give you advice on how to plan a research project on your own. An independent research project looks good on resumes and PhD degree applications. 3. Tell you about opportunities for research that they have prepared for the student, themselves. In this case, you'll probably have a chance to be mentored and get to know other students in the field. You will also have a better chance of getting a recommendation for your PhD degree application. Once you've prepared yourself and are well on your way to earning that coveted piece of paper and the respect that goes with it, how can you help yourself stay focused? That Occam's Razor, your dissertation, which you are working towards, is actually years away. 1. One way to remain focused on your PhD degree is to create a symbol of what you trying to achieve. It can be a word, a quote, a phrase, or an object. If the chosen symbol is an object, keep it on your desk and look at it often to remind you of your PhD degree which you are working towards. 2. Break up your large project into smaller achievable goals with self-appointed dead-lines and consequences. For example, you could have researched how people perceived death in the Middle Ages in a month and have written up your findings on the subject a week afterwards. This could contribute to your final goal of presenting a dissertation on perception of life and death in the Middle Ages. 3. Make sure that your goals have a concrete basis. You don't want to be left floundering when there's a destination beyond the ocean that you're seeking. Having concrete goals keeps you focused in the times which your research seems to be leading you into a dead end. Keep away from insignificant subjects when working on your PhD degree. Recognizing these wonderful and talented individuals is just one step. Actually participating in bringing ideas together to make a PhD degree is another. With preparation and guidance from the right sources you can make it through the last major educational hoop and claim your own PhD degree! |
