Abstract, conclusion, section headings and any diagrams - this lets you start thinking about whatever is in the paper and how it all fits together as you’re reading it. Allows you to focus on the important parts too and spend less time and n what isn’t important - or allows you to see the parts they haven’t thought about and where a gap in the literature might lie before you begin reading properly.
Familiarize with the common methodologies and fundamental theories of your field/ topic first with books or reviews, build a pattern in your head especially how they derive the analysis then you read these “supplemental” papers, not as deep and make sure you get the gist from the abstract, conclusion and discussion. Took me grueling years to practice this but its worth it
"Asking the silly questions" is exactly why I've built my RU-vid channel and called it "PhD Coffee Time". It's collectively all my retrospective answers to my "silly questions" Also a 10th year academic here, it often takes a 15 min coffee break with the right person to be a lot more efficient at how PhD is supposed to be done. Congrats on the new podcast! You have the voice of the podcast. Great looking progress bar, Andy :)
While this may not be the same thing, I learned that I needed to balance physical and mental work. If the code on my web page wasn't working, it was time to do dishes, laundry or rake leaves. This allowed me to give my brain a little rest, but the solution would come to me once I stepped away from my problem. I am currently working on a historical website in memory of my late husband and building a small museum as a legacy to my family members who are no longer with us.
7:49 one of my Bachelor's supervisors was like that. I was explaining all my work and all my doubts and he started to fall sleep, but he always knew what I was talking about and was always able to answer all my questions. It was impressive to see. In addition, his dreams are always super geometric and psycodelic, he usually programs what he dreams and it's awesome.
I am starting my journey in 2 months. I wanted to watch this video expecting it would all say something academically such as reading papers or going into conferences and things like that. I didn't expect all of the tips are about our mental, physical and social readiness. Great wholesome content Andy as always!
Thanks for these videos. I have been watching them all. I have just started a PhD. I am not in it for a career as I am 61. I am doing it for my own interest and with the hope of turning it into a book later. However, I have been out of academia for many many years. I am worrying about simple things like how to read and take notes. It sounds stupid but you did say!!. How to keep track of all the notes and be able to find them and use them in the right place within the PhD. How broadly to read? As I am just started I guess I am working towards a literature review, something I have never done. Its causing my anxiety already in terms of the points mentioned above, and keeping track of everything. Thanks a lot
this is so inspiring to read! well done for going for what you want! I personally like to handwrite notes and then label notebooks (i remember things better when related to particular episodes or memories- so i'll include something non-academic in my notes too like doodles, shopping lists, swear words etc). have you considered using a digital notepad- you can digitize handwritten notes which would make it easier to organize.
I'm 43 and currently thinking of applying for the year 23/24. I'm a single mom as well, and that is terrifying me. I'm so ready to get back to being a student but so many things have changed since i got my masters degree. I'm not doing it for a job or anything but it's because i've always been a fan of doing research, for every single topic i come across. I wish you'd tell us how you're doing, maybe knowing more about your experience would make it easier for the rest of us to keep going? Good luck!
Nikolay Strigul of WSU kindly helped my study partner and I learn how to find sources and to prepare an annotated bibliography. He’s a gem 💎 for dummies.
this is great! im currently trying to look for phds after a 10 year break from academia and it gets really overwhelming sometimes- but your videos really help to calm me down and put things into perspective. thanks so much for these!
I think I have to mention your name in my thesis for helping. You are exactly what I was looking for an education channel like "college info geek but for Phd"
Never be afraid to ask a question. There's no reason, first of all, but in many cases you're not the only one who isn't in the know. You do those silently suffering people a favor, as well.
I hope you mean to ask questions AFTER having done one's research, so as not to be disrespectful of the time of fellow researchers! In all honesty, in this day & age with such easy access to info, not all questions are worth asking, if one can easily find the answer with a bit of proper research!
I really appreciate your videos. Even your presence is calming lol. I've started applying to PhD programs for Fall 2021 but slammed on the brakes because I felt like there were some things that weren't in order in my underlying life process. Some of which may be resolved other stuff maybe can't and the process of discerning the difference is agonizing. Long story short, I'm taking this decision very seriously, and I want to do my best to start off as strong as possible so I appreciate your perspective.
I enjoyed this video and I will definitely apply them in my journey (starting my PhD this Fall)! It's very rare to find youtube contents on PhD life. Thank you for this!
Hello Andy! I am not PhD student but it is really help full program for me ... at this moment I am really interested and getting your lectures that is no one give me. Thank you!!
Hello sir....i really wanted a video on this information as I'm starting my PhD next month...this video should be really helpful to me..thank you so much for all the great content you put up...keep going..great work...💪
Hey Dr. Stapleton! Is it possible to do a video with guest on doing Phd's in other countries (culture differences and academia culture in different countries)??
@@DrAndyStapleton I really appreciate it. Every time I feel down or something I go in RU-vid your videos popup n I just watch n cheer up ha. Keep them videos coming 💯
After working for one year as an EE in the early 70's I decided to get into grad school. My grades were not spectacular and I was offered a teaching assistantship. This basically meant I was not doing any research related work. I was in charge of overseeing several EE undergraduate laboratory classes. After three semesters I realized I hit a brick wall in terms of understanding the math and EE material put in from of me. I completed a fairly simply MS project, graduated and went back to work. It was a very deflating experience in my educational and career path. I remember that getting accepted and getting in opened the door to theoretically "going all the way." I felt like a failure. It didn't help to have ADHD as well. I did actually get paid for the assistantship plus free tuition.
Not a fan of self-help books but I read the "7 Habits of Successful Ppl". The most helpful part is the four quadrants of a square: Urgent, Not Urgent, Important, Not important. The order is: Urgent, Important, Not Urgent, Not important. This REALLY HELPS. It gives a sense of satisfaction that your work is effective and keeps the stress and guilt down to a low level.
I just came across your video because I‘m planning to hand in a proposal next year. I think most of the things you mention often also fit for a masters degree. Two years ago I started stuying again after working in the field I found interesting and I think it really set me ahead compared to other students. Experience is so important and valuable!
I just started following your chanel and I am finding the content really helpful. As someone who is on the look out for a proper PhD opportunity am really struggling with the "asking silly questions " part. I hope you would speak about it.
Thank you....you are the first one who said that its not possible to know everythingggg, just bcoz I got into Ph.D...I always fail to understand how can a person know everything before starting Ph.D !!!
Hi Andy, I think that your former lecturer was not actually falling asleep, but was deeply focusing on your speech because human beings have better concentration when closing their eyes without shutting off their minds.
If you've done an MSc, then you know how navigate a research paper. However, I found that you should research the intended research school and board for integrity. Because I found that some schools, tell you that they are not interested, the research done before, or just reject you proposal, be ause they were remancing an investor with you research and gave it to them. Or, they had taken you proposal and gave it in parts to others. But they keep you in what they think that you will buy as an excuse and they would do what they want.
Depends on the program, but most programs (at least in my experience) is first two years are primarily coursework while essentially thinking about/brainstorming/starting research, etc., while the last few years are fully devoted to research and dissertation while taking one course a semester (full-time graduate coursework is three courses).
Hello sir, thank you for your videos. I have recently started watching your videos and it taught me a lot. I was wondering if you could make a video on how to apply for a PhD and what are the tips and tricks that one might take to place oneself into their desired PhD program.
Love this - I struggle with the variety of literature reviews. Mine always come out as narrative scoping - would like to hear your lit review pro tips!
hki cgh it is a type of literature review that basically incorporates all types of primary literature (regardless of methodological quality) - Arksey and OMalley is most common!
Could you do the statistics/data analysis parts of a paper? How to read them. Also types of data analysis. Just a list of the most common and when to use them.
Hi, AJ. Im doing my Masters now, just finnished first year courses. I have good grades, all A's and B's, I feel like i've not deserved these grades as I've not been working hard at all to achive them. I've litteraly been skipping classes and not doing anything to learn the material, only studying for like a week for the exams. I really want to do a PhD in Applied Maths but since i've been watching your videos it feels like Im not going to finnish a phd. It seems very hard and you need alot of disiplin to achive a phd, which I don't have at the moment.
Thank Dr. ANDY, WHENEVER I HERE THE NOTIFICATION OF A NEW VIEDIO I BELUVE THAT MY DAY WILL BE GOD, I LIKE WHEN YOU SAID "TALK TO YOUR YOUNG CHILDREN," SINCE I AM A MOM OF 2 LOVELY KIDS AND I STARTED MY PHD PROGRAM 4 MONTHS AGO WITH A PHENOMENAL SUPERVISOR, I REALISED THAT BEING A MOM AS WELL AS PHD STUDENT IS REALLY DIFFICULT, COULD U PLEASE ADVISE ME SIR CONCERNING THIS ISSUE THX ALOT
A little tangential, but maybe useful to some. I had a M.S. and a family when i started my Ph.D. program years ago. Money was very tight and I wanted to comlete the Ph.D. ASAP for the sake of my family. I identified a problem I wanted to work on almost immediately and got an OK from my supervisor to pursue it. According to Department policy one did not start dissertation research until after passing qualifying exams after 18 months into the program. I thought that with a high GRE score and my TA work that I would likely have me well prepared for Quals, so I devoted quite a bit of time in my first year to doing a great deal of the research instead of most of my time studying for Quals. I also took both language exams on the same day and just passed both. The result of all this is that I was able to complete my research and submit a disertation in 2 1/2 years. Some of the faculty were surprised but the work was solid and quite publishable and I was able to leave after defending my dissertation. It set some sort of record, but I was able to survive a potentially debilitating experience. The first year in the program was trumatic personally as we were living on a wage that was truly pathetic even though I was head TA for a freshman survey course. Mt wife had a breakdown due the awful economic stress and being at home with the children while I was never there. She was able to recover and I was able to borrow a small sum of money to improve things at home. I am a serious person, but the challenge took on the feeling of a game that I could and had to win. I had descended into some kind of dark underworld but emerged into the sunshine with a bloody scalp as my trophy.
I did my PhD here in the USA , it took 7 years with all the nonsense they make you do here. After working thanklessly as a bloody adjunct I decided to pursue my real dream and train as pilot. Ive never been happier.
