Choose a FINER topic: Feasible, Interesting, Novel, Ethical, and Relevant...emphasis on feasible. I had to scrap my dissertation topic halfway through my PhD. In order to graduate on time, I picked the narrowest thing possible that still interested me and helped my research agenda. I'm much happier because my dissertation is now just my day job. The juicy stuff will be done post-PhD, and I won't be burnt out on the topic :D
Hey Andrew... I've watched several of your videos now and found this one to be the most informative and relevant for me right now. I've worked as a software developer for about 15 years now and in the IT industry for about another 10 years on top of that, at the ripe old age of 51 I have decided to go to uni to do a bachelor's degree in IT and perhaps a PhD after that. Thanks for your insights and advice, I will continue to watch and follow what you do.
"When you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail." This is so accurate to many research labs, mostly due to a lack of new funding for instrumentation. Congrats on 5K sub, Andy. Way to go! You've been answering many important questions for new PhD students. I wish I had your videos when I started mine back in 2009.
Thank you Andrew. What you have done is very helpful for me throughout my ups and downs of the Phd journey. May God bless you for what you have putting out so far. Peace, love, and light
I would add another one (maybe not applicable to everyone): Make sure there is actually enough funding available to cover all the research costs for the specific project you want to do, before starting. Hoping to raise extra funds after you have already started with field work is a recipe for disaster. If you are working already and can collect data about an issue or subject that interests you as part of your job, collect as much of the data already (all of it, if possible), before registering for a PhD. Then it is only the analysis and writing up that needs to be done during the PhD. I wish I had done this when I had the opportunity.
So cool that you did a PhD in the RE field! I recently started to work in renewables and I know for sure that I want to do a PhD. I just don't know what topic I would like to focus on yet...most likely something related to islands. I also got to speak with someone from my organization who was leaving to do a PhD and his advice (based on his experience) was to spend some time working in the field and I might discover the problem I want to solve. So I'm currently just keeping my eyes and mind open and learning as much as I can. Thanks for these tips that will help inform my decision!
Hi, i have been pondering a PhD idea for months and it never occurred to me to consider HOW I would actually conduct the research - in a lab, pondering questions, or interacting with people. Do I want to be interacting with people or be in a lab? Thank you SO much for reminding me that I need to consider this while choosing a topic. I don't want to be stuck in a lab by myself... which is exactly where my current idea would have led me. I'll revise my idea. Bless you for bringing this up and essentially giving me a much needed slap in the face.
Finally….I was searching for someone who explain clearly and in specific domain until I came cross your videos and I have the same specialisations as you energetic physics and I want do phd in photovoltaic (perovskites) … thanks a lot 🥺
I think I was doing the same mistake until I realised that phd needs a market. So I suddenly changed it. As soon as I changed it I found good places to take my topic too, literature and found a lot of people working on my topic. It kind of made me confident that I am on the right track.
I'm still a bit confused. At the moment i'm searching for a supervisor where i can do my master thesis. I did my bachelor thesis on a really interesting topic. I really enjoyed it to read all the literature but the methods in the lab were really boring. The whole group were just doing the same experiment over and over again searching for different proteins. For my masterthesis i found a really nice supervisor. He is really suportive and all his phd students said that they really like him as a supervisor. His group uses multiple methods in the lab but the topic is boring. One of the phd students told me that it is better to choose a master/phd position by the method and the group. He siaid the topic is not so important. I'm more interested in working on basic medical research but the group works with plants. The methods are fine and the research question is interesting. But i don't know if i can find the motivation to read all the literature about plants.
My name is Dr Tanya L Mayfield CNM PhD and I have a PhD in Epidemiology position of the Department of Public Health in Washington DC. I can use my skills as a Certified Cashier at the Panera bread restaurant and practice in Epidemiology and keep the building clean and no, issues too. I hope that my career degree does make you think well too. Practice your research study skills and ask yourself if this is the right career for you and be happy 😊! Thanks 🙏👍. Have a great day! Yours truly, Mustard.
Wow your videos are amazing. I am always with a pen and notebook taking down points. I have chosen you channel to educate on every phd aspect a potential candidate should be aware about, prepare myself mentally before proceeding to apply. I am thrilled by so much insight in your videos. You mentioned in after reading the literature review and identifying gaps and if someone answers my question I should cross it off. I didn't understand that. Are these questions not meant to be answered? Thank you🎉
Great insights! Totally love watching your contents, Andy. Mind me asking if you take any professional consultations? If yes, how do you suggest to reach out to you? I’m a PhD student who’s currently working on topic that bridges out between the UK and Malaysia. Please advice 🙌🏻
Hi Andy, I've been rapidly watching all your videos; the content is fantastic! A tangential question I have to the "how to choose a PhD topic" question is "when to choose a PhD topic?" Specifically I finished my undergrad in 2018 and have since been working in industry. I'm planning to pursue PhD programs starting in Fall 2022, but I'm not really sure how the timeline shakes out. I imagine I need a general topic prior to applying to programs, but it's not clear how narrowed down that needs to be by the time I start or by the time I apply even.
Hi, can you please suggest any book(s)/article(s)/video(s) which help us to learn how to write a research article(s)? Of course, learning about research methodologies, data analyses, etc., are important; however, not knowing how to write/present the literature review, findings, discussions, etc., is even more important. P.S. Thanks for your hard work in developing such informative videos for us.
Thank you, Andy, for your helpful videos. Can you make a video about whether you should be doing your PhD tasks in parallel or in Series? I will present my case, I am now about to start 4th semester (two semesters a year - 1.5 years have already passed) of my PhD in Robotics. I have 4 different subtopics i.e. Mechanical Design, Dynamic Modeling, Control, and Machine Vision. For almost all of the stuff that I would be doing, I need to take online courses to learn how to do and to learn its fundamentals (e.g. Computer Vision, as my background is Mechanical). So, I need to 1) Learn from Online Courses, 2) Read Papers, 3) Do Research Work, 4) Write Research Paper/Revise Paper, 5) Write Review Paper, 6)Learning Language for Future Prospects. It will be helpful if you can make 2 videos, guiding on: 1. Shall I be doing these in parallel? Or in Series? 2. If I don't have fundamentals, shall I take a relevant online course (going a little bit in an organized manner)? Or shall I just start working and then find resources about whatever difficulty I face (a bit in disorderly manner)?
The issue I had was not my topic but my methodology. Without going into details my data collection methodology was very time consuming. My doctoral committee told me it was going to take too much of my time and they feared I'd burn out and not complete the study. I didn't listen them and did it anyway. They were right, it was time consuming and I was sick and tired but I completed the study. I'd do it again even though it was very time consuming.
What am I doing here? I am a master's student, watching these videos. Don't know whether I would opt job sector or PhD, but this guy makes me hook on to his videos. What's happening to me? P.s. I love to research on the field of cybersecurity defensive side. Advices would be appreciated.
Hi Andy! just found your channel recently and I love it. I'm posting in this video to ask two simple questions wrt to my plan in pursuing a PhD. My questions are: is it possible to apply for PhD in which the topic that I am currently working is different with my previous background? however, it is related to my daily job. If it is possible, what should I prepare? hopefully I will get a reply from you.
Exactly. I'm always searching for topics related to electronics and finding some holy moly crap type topics interesting which aligned with arts faculty 😒
Hello. Quick question. Are you not supposed to come up with the topic at the moment of applying? But then you have to write a proposal once you are in the program? How does that work?
Nice information sir 🙏. I need one clarification. I did my ug in civil and pg degree in coastal Engineering. Can i choose PhD topic in some different streams like environment or transportation? Pls do reply
Yes you can. As long as you are able to find a PhD supervisor that is happy that you can get up to speed in a different stream you can do a PhD in a different stream.
Hi Andy thank you very much. Im thinking about doing a phd and your videos have been really helpful to get an idea about it. However im trying to figure out what kind of career options i would have in my field after a phd focused on immersive storytelling and I don't have a connection in my circles who is familiar with this aspect. Do you have any advice on how i can go about finding this out.
I find this useful. I have my topic but also realized I am currently doing the same topic at work and maybe a portion of the PhD idea. Should I hold my pursuing my PhD or use this opportunity to kill two birds with one stone?
I was just considering changing my master program from medical physics to solar energy. I also want to do a Ph.D so this video was very relevant. Is all the solar energy research like that, in the glowbox 😢
How about on line degree for masters in anthro,MPH, MD, residency in adult psych, fellowship in child who is bored easily? Likes med anthro, philosophy,language.
The first part advice I cannot, my PhD idea is a critique of the lag of theoretical framework within suicidology that exist and can be utilised in a non-individualistic cultural setting. There are no people to talk to for multiple reasons.
