Preface to the third edition | p. xv |
Becoming a postgraduate | p. 1 |
The nature of postgraduate education | p. 1 |
The psychology of being a postgraduate | p. 4 |
The aims of this book | p. 4 |
Action summary | p. 5 |
Getting into the system | p. 6 |
Choosing the institution and field of study | p. 6 |
Distance supervision? | p. 8 |
Choosing your work context | p. 10 |
Selecting your supervisor | p. 11 |
Becoming a research student | p. 13 |
Myths and realities of the system | p. 14 |
The 'ivory tower' | p. 14 |
Personal relationships | p. 14 |
Teamworking | p. 15 |
'Scientific method' | p. 16 |
Action summary | p. 18 |
The nature of the PhD qualification | p. 19 |
The meaning of a doctorate | p. 19 |
Becoming a fully professional researcher | p. 21 |
Differences between the MPhil and the PhD | p. 23 |
Aims of students | p. 24 |
Aims of supervisors | p. 26 |
Aims of examiners | p. 28 |
Aims of universities and research councils | p. 29 |
Mismatches and problems | p. 31 |
Action summary | p. 32 |
How not to get a PhD | p. 33 |
Not wanting a PhD | p. 33 |
Not understanding the nature of a PhD by overestimating what is required | p. 35 |
Not understanding the nature of a PhD by underestimating what is required | p. 38 |
Not having a supervisor who knows what a PhD requires | p. 39 |
Losing contact with your supervisor | p. 40 |
Not having a thesis | p. 42 |
Taking a new job before finishing | p. 43 |
Action summary | p. 44 |
How to do research | p. 46 |
Characteristics of research | p. 46 |
Intelligence-gathering--the 'what' questions | p. 47 |
Research--the 'why' questions | p. 47 |
Characteristics of good research | p. 48 |
Research is based on an open system of thought | p. 48 |
Researchers examine data critically | p. 49 |
Researchers generalize and specify the limits on their generalizations | p. 49 |
Basic types of research | p. 50 |
Exploratory research | p. 50 |
Testing-out research | p. 50 |
Problem-solving research | p. 51 |
Which type of research for the PhD? | p. 51 |
The craft of doing research | p. 53 |
Self-help and peer support groups | p. 54 |
Electronic peer groups | p. 56 |
Action summary | p. 57 |
The form of a PhD thesis | p. 58 |
Understanding the PhD form | p. 58 |
Background theory | p. 59 |
Focal theory | p. 60 |
Data theory | p. 61 |
Contribution | p. 61 |
The concept of originality | p. 63 |
Detailed structure and choice of chapter headings | p. 65 |
Writing the thesis | p. 66 |
Action summary | p. 72 |
The PhD process | p. 74 |
Psychological aspects | p. 75 |
Enthusiasm | p. 75 |
Isolation | p. 75 |
Increasing interest in work | p. 77 |
Transfer of dependence from the supervisor to the work | p. 77 |
Boredom | p. 79 |
Frustration | p. 80 |
A job to be finished | p. 81 |
Euphoria | p. 83 |
Others 'getting in first' | p. 83 |
Practical aspects | p. 85 |
Time management | p. 85 |
The duration of the process | p. 87 |
The stages of the process | p. 89 |
Redefining long-term and short-term goals | p. 91 |
The importance of deadlines | p. 93 |
To publish or not to publish prior to submission? | p. 95 |
Teaching whilst studying for a PhD | p. 97 |
Casual teaching | p. 97 |
Teaching assistantships | p. 98 |
Action summary | p. 98 |
How to manage your supervisor | p. 100 |
What supervisors expect of their doctoral students | p. 100 |
Supervisors expect their students to be independent | p. 100 |
Supervisors expect their students to produce written work that is not just a first draft | p. 102 |
Supervisors expect to have regular meetings with their research students | p. 103 |
Supervisors expect their research students to be honest when reporting on their progress | p. 104 |
Supervisors expect their students to follow the advice that they give, when it has been given at the request of the postgraduate | p. 105 |
Supervisors expect their students to be excited about their work, able to surprise them and fun to be with! | p. 105 |
The need to educate your supervisor | p. 107 |
How to reduce the communication barrier | p. 109 |
Improving tutorials | p. 110 |
Changing supervisors | p. 113 |
Joint supervision | p. 116 |
Inappropriate personal relationships in supervision | p. 118 |
Action summary | p. 119 |
How to survive in a predominantly British, white, male, full-time academic environment | p. 121 |
Part-time students | p. 121 |
Overseas students | p. 123 |
Ethnic minorities | p. 129 |
Racial harassment | p. 131 |
Women students | p. 132 |
Difficulties concerning legitimacy of topics and methodology | p. 133 |
Problems of communication, debate and feedback | p. 134 |
Scarcity of academic role models | p. 135 |
Sexual harassment and exploitation | p. 137 |
Gay and lesbian students | p. 140 |
Heterosexist harassment | p. 140 |
Mature students | p. 141 |
Students with disabilities | p. 143 |
Harassment of people with a disability | p. 143 |
Action summary | p. 144 |
The formal procedures | p. 147 |
Registration | p. 147 |
Grants and research support | p. 149 |
Upgrading to doctoral student status | p. 150 |
The examination system | p. 150 |
Giving notice of submission | p. 150 |
The appointment of examiners | p. 151 |
Submitting the thesis | p. 151 |
The oral examination--the 'viva' | p. 152 |
Preparing for the viva | p. 153 |
The results of the examination | p. 155 |
The appeals procedures | p. 158 |
Litigation | p. 159 |
Action summary | p. 160 |
How to supervise and examine | p. 161 |
What students expect of their supervisors | p. 161 |
Students expect to be supervised | p. 162 |
Students expect supervisors to read their work well in advance | p. 164 |
Students expect their supervisors to be available when needed | p. 165 |
Students expect their supervisors to be friendly, open and supportive | p. 166 |
Students expect their supervisors to be constructively critical | p. 167 |
Students expect their supervisors to have a good knowledge of the research area | p. 168 |
Students expect their supervisors to structure the tutorial so that it is relatively easy to exchange ideas | p. 169 |
Students expect their supervisors to have sufficient interest in their research to put more information in the students' path | p. 171 |
Students expect supervisors to be sufficently involved in their success to help them get a good job at the end of it all! | p. 171 |
Establishing a role model | p. 172 |
Teaching the craft of research | p. 173 |
Giving effective feedback | p. 173 |
Introducing a structured 'weaning' programme | p. 179 |
Maintaining a helpful 'psychological contract' | p. 182 |
Encouraging students' academic role development | p. 184 |
Supervising your research assistant | p. 185 |
Outcomes of good supervision | p. 186 |
How to examine | p. 186 |
The oral examination | p. 189 |
Action summary | p. 191 |
Institutional responsibilities | p. 192 |
University responsibilities | p. 193 |
Providing support to students | p. 193 |
A structured induction procedure | p. 193 |
Facilities for departments to support doctoral research activity | p. 195 |
A handbook for university research degree students | p. 195 |
Language support where necessary | p. 196 |
Providing resources for supervisors | p. 197 |
The training of supervisors | p. 197 |
Teaching credit for doctoral supervision | p. 198 |
Faculty/departmental doctoral research tutor | p. 198 |
Providing appropriate regulations | p. 199 |
Registration | p. 199 |
Monitoring of students' progress | p. 200 |
Upgrading from MPhil to PhD registration | p. 200 |
Appointment of external examiners | p. 201 |
Providing a forum for review of the PhD | p. 201 |
The PhD as a series of projects | p. 202 |
Intellectual copyright and appropriate recognition for doctoral students' work | p. 202 |
The PhD in a practice-based discipline | p. 205 |
Departmental responsibilities | p. 206 |
Establishing a departmental research tutor | p. 206 |
Improving the selection of students into the department | p. 209 |
Selection of supervisors | p. 210 |
Developing guidelines on appropriate supervisory behaviour | p. 211 |
Support groups for research students | p. 212 |
Considering and, if appropriate, establishing a doctoral programme | p. 213 |
The American doctoral programme | p. 214 |
The scientific research programme | p. 215 |
The doctoral cohort system | p. 217 |
Conclusion | p. 218 |
Action summary | p. 218 |
References | p. 220 |
Index | p. 223 |
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