How do I know, my Ph.D. process is getting into trouble?

1. How do I know, my Ph.D. process is getting into trouble? by Attila Ondi April 16, 2002

2. Typical Ph.D. process (1/2) • Deciding to get a Ph.D. • Getting into school • Choosing courses • Making your “Plan” • Finding your Advisor • Choosing a Topic

3. Typical Ph.D. process (2/2) • Picking a Committee • Taking the Breadth Exam • Taking the Depth Exam • Writing your Proposal • Working on your Dissertation Topic • Defending your Dissertation

4. Useful Tips (1/2) • Stress Management • Time Management • Avoid Perfectionism • Avoid Procrastination • Study Techniques

5. Useful Tips (2/2) • Research • Organization aids, tools • Bonus: Publishing • Bonus: Network of helpful people

6. Typical Ph.D. process Deciding to get a Ph.D. Getting into school We have already passed these 

7. Typical Ph.D. process Choosing courses • Two directions: • The more related to your dissertation topic, the better • As broad as possible • Pay attention to the breadth exam as well • Talk to students/faculty to find the “best” ones • Seek out good professors • Find courses that interest you

8. Typical Ph.D. process Problems around courses What can go wrong? • Choosing a course which is not what you wanted • Selecting all demanding courses in one semester • “Spread yourself too thin” • Too many commitments in addition to courses • Course vs. work • Getting bad marks

9. Typical Ph.D. process Making your “Plan” Plan your progress well before • You can prepare yourself • But don’t stick yourself very rigidly to it • Courses can “disappear” • New, interesting courses • Your point of view can change • An example

10. Typical Ph.D. process Finding your Advisor (1/3) • Look for an Advisor • with whom you have a common interest of dissertation topic • with whom you can agree about your “Plan” • you like • you would like to work with • who has time to help you • [S]he will help with your research

11. Typical Ph.D. process Finding your Advisor (2/3) • You can change your Advisor as many times as you want but you have to persuade your new Advisor • and remember: you have at most 7 years to finish your Ph.D. studies

12. Typical Ph.D. process Finding your Advisor (3/3) • Most Ph.D. students switch Advisors at least once • possible causes: • somebody else is doing the same topic • they find the topic too broad/narrow • a problem that cannot be solved • Advisor doesn’t want (or incapable) to continue

13. Typical Ph.D. process Problems around your Advisor What can go wrong? • You can’t get along with your Advisor • Your Advisor • doesn’t have enough time for you • changes his/her research interests • requests too much work form you • You rely too much on your Advisor to do the work that is your responsibility • Your Advisor is not available for some period of time – regularly

14. Typical Ph.D. process Choosing a Topic Find a topic that • interests you • Talk with others to pick up ideas • Explore topics – ideas can came to others • is not yet developed may require some research • nobody is working on it at the University • broad enough for a Ph.D. Dissertation • but not too broad ask others and your Advisor

15. Typical Ph.D. process Problems around your Topic (1/2) • What can go wrong? • You don’t know the research area to identify the research problems • Choosing a Topic that is beyond your ability to resolve May be the result of improper knowledge in that area • Your Topic is too narrow/broad • Discuss it with your Advisor • Read specific journals, magazines – they are narrow enough

16. Typical Ph.D. process Problems around your Topic (2/2) • What can go wrong? (cont.) • Your Advisor doesn’t give enough/good guidance for the directions • You talk to the same people all the time – always similar kind of ideas • Depending on you and your Advisor – you may need some pressure for results • …

17. Typical Ph.D. process Pick a Committee (1/2) • What is the committee for? • Helps you in your research • Examiners of your Depth exam • Decide if you pass or fail in the main points • proposal • breadth/depth exam • defending your Dissertation

18. Typical Ph.D. process Pick a Committee (2/2) • How is the committee composed of? • Your Advisor (most likely, or someone from the department who is familiar with your topic) • 2 other professors from the department, who are somewhat related to your topic • One independent (outsider to the CS department) – again: related to your topic

19. Typical Ph.D. process Problems around the Committee What can go wrong? • A committee member • leaves the University • goes for sabbatical • Personality conflicts • A committee member is too concerned about insignificant details

20. Typical Ph.D. process Taking the Breadth Exam • Same as Master’s, but: • 8 topic (4 subject area, pick 2 from each) • each at least 85% • If you don’t pass - second time: your last chance on that test • At most 4 “sitting” • Each test lasts 1.5 hours • You’re not required to take the corresponding courses, but that’s no excuse

21. Typical Ph.D. process Taking the Depth Exam It’s about to show that you understand • the materials in your area • what is related to your research • know the current ideas to be able to come up with new (or better) ideas you need to be able to identify the weaknesses/flaws in the current work of your field

22. Typical Ph.D. process Writing your Proposal (1/2) • The Proposal allows others to • Evaluate the worth of the study • Make suggestions for improvement • It contains (these parts must be consistent) • Purpose (and justification) of the study • Step-by-step plan for the study • Research questions, hypotheses • Definitions

23. Typical Ph.D. process Writing your Proposal (2/2) • It contains (cont.) • Sample • Instrumentation • Procedural details • Internal validity • Data analysis • (Budget of expected costs)

24. Typical Ph.D. process Problems around your Proposal What can go wrong? • You promise more than you can deliver • It’s not detailed enough • Your interests shifts to another direction (but still in the same topic)

25. Typical Ph.D. process Work on your Dissertation Topic • Be creative! • Work closely with people of similar interests • Writing your Dissertation • How to write a PhD Thesis • Writing or presenting your Thesis or Dissertation

26. Typical Ph.D. process Defending your Dissertation It’s about to show that you are able to: • write detailed technical paper about a certain topic of your interest • defend your ideas against others • talk about your chosen topic

27. Typical Ph.D. process Problems around the Defense What can go wrong? • The scientific level of your Dissertation is not high enough • Discuss with others • You are not familiar enough with the topic of your paper • How can it be? It’s your topic of research… • Your language skills are not on the top • Practice talking as much as possible • Practice holding presentations whenever you can

28. Useful Tips Possible Trouble #1 • You are pushed down by great stress • Solution: Stress Management

29. Useful Tips Stress Management (1/8) • Causes of stress • excessive workload • uncomfortable physical environment • not enough sleep • ill health • prolonged physical activity • financial difficulties • bad self image (“I’m too fat/dumb/ugly/…”)

30. Useful Tips Stress Management (2/8) • Causes of stress (cont.) • a change in your living/working patterns • new flatmates • moving house • new job • living/working/studying in an environment that is not of your culture • living/working/studying using a second language

31. Useful Tips Stress Management (3/8) • Causes of stress (cont.) • Hostile or uncomfortable emotional environments (e.g.: restructuring, redundancy) • break-up of a relationship • death or loss of a relative, friend or relation

32. Useful Tips Stress Management (4/8) • Signs of stress • difficulties with sleep • loss of appetite • anxiety • irritability, hostility • feeling of helplessness • stomach aches • exhaustion

33. Useful Tips Stress Management (5/8) • Signs of stress (cont.) • loss of concentration • chest pains • poor job/academic performance • headaches • withdrawal from others • sadness/depression

34. Useful Tips Stress Management (6/8) • What to do about it? • Reduce stress in your life • Make sure you get enough exercise, sleep and nutrition • Take time out each day for rest and recreation for your social activities • Establish supportive relationships/friends

35. Useful Tips Stress Management (7/8) • What to do about it? (cont.) • If you find yourself starting to get stressed out • Take control by conscious relaxing – through physical exercise, breathing exercises or activities you enjoy • Be creative in your approach to tasks • Use some friends and take a team approach to problem solving • Talk with others about your anxieties and concerns • Don’t be afraid of asking for help • Accept your failures and move on no mistake, no progress

36. Useful Tips Stress Management (8/8) • What to do about it? (cont.) • If you find yourself starting to get stressed out • Be encouraging and supportive of yourself. • Try to keep things in perspective If a situation is getting on top of you, step back, adjust your goals and take action: “I may not have time to research all I need but I’ll do what I can and get this task finished on time, and without penalty.” • Try looking at your situation as if it were someone else’s Think about the advice you would give them, and follow it yourself.

37. Useful Tips Possible Trouble #2 • You find yourself far behind schedule • Solution: Time Management

38. Useful Tips Time Management (1/8) • Why people manage time poorly? • Poor time management is often due to underlying attitudes or beliefs • “I like leaving things till the last minute because I work best under pressure.” • “I only work best when I’m inspired.” • Good work need time for preparation and research, and the time at completion to assess and improve it

39. Useful Tips Time Management (2/8) • Why people manage time poorly? (cont.) • But don’t be a perfectionist good work requires good ‘down’ time as well, when you can replenish your resources • Trying to do everything for everybody often means you badly short-change yourself Often it’s simply a case of saying ‘No’. • If you hate rigid timetables – make them more flexible to allow things taking longer and for unexpected interruptions

40. Useful Tips Time Management (3/8) • Effective time management • It often requires a change in the way you think about and approach things • Writing a bunch of lists and timetables won’t help if you don’t implement them • So • STOP and assess your situation • be clear about what you want from it • then take definite steps to achieve those goals

41. Useful Tips Time Management (4/8) • Effective time management (cont.) • The key is planning • plan your whole year (or Term 1) • make sure to take all your needs into account • break your goals into small and achievable steps • create a list from these steps that you can tick off • prioritize these steps (e.g.: high, medium, low) • concentrate on the high priorities • review your priorities regularly • only adjust the flexible things, not the fixed (like lectures, work-time)

42. Useful Tips Time Management (5/8) • Possible time wasters • Internal • Procrastination • Unclear objectives • Failure to set up priorities • Crisis management • Failure to plan • Lack of self-discipline • Over committing

43. Useful Tips Time Management (6/8) • Possible time wasters (cont.) • Externals • Telephone interruptions • Visitors • Socializing • Lack of information • Communication breakdown

44. Useful Tips Time Management (7/8) • Helpful hints • Use pockets of time Ten minutes is great to review some notes or brainstorm ideas • Effective time is more important than quantity of time Early morning is often a good time to work: you are refreshed and no-one is about to distract you • When planning, be aware of your strengths and weaknesses

45. Useful Tips Time Management (8/8) • Helpful hints (cont.) • Find ways around the things that distracts you • If you’re distracted by the phone • get an answering-machine • ask someone to take a message • go where there are no phones, such as the library • If people distracts you define non-interruption times • close your door and put a sign on it • be firm about interruptions say: ‘No’ or ‘Can we meet in an hour?’ • Keep your workspace uncluttered and work-oriented

46. Useful Tips Possible Trouble #3 • Perfectionism • Solution: Change your behavior

47. Useful Tips Avoid Perfectionism (1/4) • The warning signs • All-or-nothing attitudes • “I have to be top of the class, otherwise what’s the point” • “Anything less than A is embarrassing.” • A sense of powerlessness “I spend far too many hours on a project and even hand it in late… because it just has to be perfect.” • A sense of failure “I have to work so hard that I don’t enjoy what I do and feel constantly guilty if I relax.”

48. Useful Tips Avoid Perfectionism (2/4) • The warning signs (cont.) • A lack of growth “If someone takes issue with what I say in a meeting or tutorial, I won’t say anything after that.” • The need for approval • Being overcritical “If (s)he doesn’t turn up on time, (s)he doesn’t respect me enough.”

49. Useful Tips Avoid Perfectionism (3/4) • What to do about it? • Recognize your perfectionist behavior • Acknowledge it • Challenge it • Set realistic goals • Value the process as much as the result • Keep things in perspective Learn to distinguish which tasks are important and give the greatest return. Put effort into those tasks and be prepared to cut corners with the others

50. Useful Tips Avoid Perfectionism (4/4) • What to do about it? (cont.) • Acknowledge and learn form your mistakes • Remember: no mistakes, no progress. • Value people’s comments and criticism and learn from them • Be a self-supporter • “I’ll do this the best I can in these circumstances.” • “I know this isn’t the perfect answer to this exam question but I can at least say something which will get me marks.”