Hi pals. I’m requesting you all to assist me in making the most important decision of my academic career. I have done my graduation, and masters in political science. But now the discipline of international relations has become my research interest. It is outside my majors, but I want to explore and study this field […]
Continue reading Pursuing Doctoral Research Outside Your Majors
Hi. I’m having issues with my advisor with my publishing of my research paper. He is saying that I should submit it to any journal of low level because he thinks they would easily publish my research paper without any hassle. But I want to publish in a good journal having a good impact factor. […]
Continue reading Where to publish my manuscript?
Hi. I am to take admission in PhD in the UK. Many universities there grants the admission through personal interviews and have the statement of purpose as the mandatory requirement. After preparing my SOP and CV, targeted for various universities in the UK such as Warwick, Leicester and Nottingham Universities, etc. I wonder how the […]
Continue reading What’s involved in PhD interview?
The points that i will mention are some of the common questions asked during an interview from a PhD candidate by an interviewer. The most common question asked are; tell us about yourself, what influenced you to to do a PhD, according to you what are your strengths and weaknesses. After knowing this much, they will move towards the technical questions, such as details about your previous projects, why do you want work on the specified projects. Prepare answers for these questions well, i assure you will get through your interview. All the best pal!
Hi! Here is a list of some really basic questions –
Why did you intend to do a PhD?
Where do you see yourself after doing PhD? What are your future plans after doing PhD?
Why did you choose this research field?
Why do you feel that you are the right candidate for this PhD project?
Why did you choose this university for PhD?
Well, it is very important for the students who are planning to apply for PhD program to understand that, candidates who are enrolled for the PhD program are selected on basis of their performance in the interview. Yes, PhD interview is just like a job interview. Some keys points to be kept in mind, these are- Before the interview do not get panic or anxious and consider this is your only shot and you have to crack it by hook or by crook. When you know, you have done all the research and study then there is no need to worry. Be patient and confident during the interview, do not stammer or hesitate in between, and give it your best shot.I can ensure that it will be useful. Best of luck.
Sometimes, they would also expect you to ask counter questions. In such cases, you can ask them questions regarding funding arrangements. Or some other questions like – Will the phd programme include any training & skills session?Will you get an opportunity to teach at the end of the project?Just be firm and confident clear all your doubts.
Just a few days ago, I read a blog by a student from Walden University sharing his experience of being a research student. He scared the hell out of me saying that thesis defense is probably one of the toughest and challenging tasks if compared to other milestones in research. And every 10 out 50 […]
Continue reading What exactly happens during a thesis defense?
Without scaring you any further, I would clearly confirm that yes thesis defense is actually the toughest challenges during our research. Here in UK (I pursued my PhD in law from University of Southampton ), we usually have two vivas – one with an internal examiner and another with an external one. I am not sure whether the same format is followed in other universities or not. So, make sure you are well acquainted with the format of thesis defense in your university. It usually lasts between 30 mins to 45 mins. Do not over exceed this time limit. As your panel would have already read your thesis by this time, they wouldn’t be interested in a word by word reading session of your thesis. They would basically want a concise overview. You will have to justify your research and result findings in a Thesis Defense. No need to act defensive. Maintain a calm and neutral composure – Be confident and not arrogant. Good Luck! You would Do Well!
It happens to every PhD student. When I was at your place, I was guided well by my seniors. Before appearing for the defense, make sure you have read your thesis word by word thoroughly. Keep yourself well informed with all the aspects of your research. Prepare in advance for potential questions your panel might ask and come up with up convincing answers or counter questions. Your slide presentation should work perfectly without any glaring errors. Do have appropriate illustrations. Speak well because your panel would judge you on that too. Avoid any grammatical mistakes and speak in a formal tone – no slangs permitted. At the end, note down all the comments suggestions of your panel and revise your thesis accordingly. If research life is your vocation, thesis defense is not a big issue. So, make research your passion and you would automatically do well. Hope I answered well!
I won’t lie to you. Thesis defense is actually a difficult task. It totally depends on your performance, how confidently you present your presentation and how thoroughly you are versed with your concepts. Just keep the following points in your mind while presenting, do not panic, go through your research work properly, do not give the external reviewers a chance to point out questions that you will not be able to answer. I hope you will do well and all the best.
Hi, hope you are doing well. I’ll keep my suggestion small and simple. Thesis defense is a nerve wracking task and take a lot of time to prepare it, but it is not an impossible one. Different universities have different ways of conducting it and accordingly the rules are designed. But one thing is common, you are given 30-45 minutes of time to present your whole research work and followed by question and answer round, where all the professors from different departments and external professors asks questions about your work.And if you are not able to answer it, then you are in trouble. But this situation will arise when you are not fully prepared. I would suggest, make your presentation interesting with graphics and present it with full enthusiasm. Nobody will dare to give you low marks. All the best pal.
Hey guys! I am currently writing down my thesis statement but I am unable to articulate myself. I have written and discarded my draft for over 10 times. My research area is Euthanasia. Is it that my research topic is slightly controversial that I am unable to write a convincing thesis statement? I am unable […]
Continue reading Thesis Statement Writing Help!
If he is telling you that your thesis statement is not precise or crisp, it is possible that you might
be giving too many details of what exactly you mean. Please check if your thesis statement is not
merely a detailed chain of the research idea or problem you will deal with throughout the rest of
your paper. Examine the difference between these two thesis statements:
In this paper, I would like to discuss the relationship between the moral fables and early
childhood.
Moral fables narrated to the minds of young children play a significant role in shaping their
mindset during the childhood which further keeps on evolving until the teen age. Can you spot the crispest one? Instead of only making the statements in the introduction of your thesis, it would be more compelling if the idea you are dealing with is mentioned much before. For clarification of any doubt, you may contact me at [email protected]. I would readily help you out.
Agreed with Manette. You must avoid making simple statements using generic language. You must explain what you intend in apt words. You should never assume that this thing is obvious for the reader to understand your intentions. So, ensure that the choice of words and sentence structure clearly reflects the essence of your thesis.
Firstly, i would like to tell you, the topic that you have selected is good. It is unique and not so many people prefer to work on such area of research because it can sometimes be controversial and hard to defend. Since this will not be a problem with you because, you must have thoroughly gone through and well researched about your topic. This is definitely a plus point for you. One thing to be kept in mind while writing a thesis statement is, it should be clearly understandable by the readers. Do not include too many loops, keep it straightforward and crisp.
What I have understood from your question is, you are a bit skeptical about your topic that you have selected. That is why you are facing troubles in preparing your first proper draft of your thesis. In my suggestion, take a break of a day. Give time to your brain to freshen up and then start it afresh. I think, this technique will help you in jotting down your thesis statement. No need to panic. I hope you will do well.
Hi all! Can someone help me understand the scientific use of tenses. I am currently writing a research paper on female genital mutilation and unluckily grammar hasn’t been one of my areas of interest. And, my professor keeps on suggesting me to use the tenses in a scientific way.
Continue reading Scientific uses of tenses
As far as i know there are no strict rules when it comes to scientific use of tenses. Just keep these four tenses in your mind i.e simple past, simple present, present perfect and past perfect. You just need guidance in positioning these tenses at right places in your research study. You can take help from https://www.regentediting.com/services/. They provide high quality editing services. All the best. Keep writing.
It depends upon whether you are writing a fact, idea, event in the past, present or future, or simply sharing the opinion. I don’t think there is any hard and fast rule in scientific writing, and it is just that you need to be clear and to the point while writing.So, if you are stating universal facts or general statements, you should write in simple present tense. Past tense can be used for the recent research studies done, conclusions or theories were drawn. Also, present perfect can be used if unclear about the time of any occurrence or event. Not to forget, you must use simple past tense with the passive voice, and for conclusion section, present perfect tense can be used.
You may choose to glance this book. It focuses on the scientific writing in the medical field. http://catalog.lib.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/recordID/1001254095 Thought it to be helpful for you. Good luck and write well!
Use of correct tenses while writing your thesis is important and use of English language at right place can be very confusing. The situation gets significantly more tangled when you need to choose which tense to use while composing a scientific research paper. In scientific writing, use of tenses relies on the section of the paper being written. I will highlights some secret to using tenses in scientific writing which my professor told me. Use simple present tense for defining the objective of the study, review of literature, and results of past research. Simple past tense to explain existing research on the topic and to describe your actions i.e how you did it or why you did it. In the end, in your discussion section, use past tense to summarize findings, present tense to present results and conclusion and finally use future tense to make recommendations for future research aspects. I hope i was able to answer your query. Best of luck.
I’m final year undergraduate student of Psychology and wish to get admission for pursuing doctoral research at Walden University. My interest lies in advanced research in the discipline of psychopathology. I have already begun searching for the Walden uni culture and processes. In one of the uni blogs I read, that one must start writing […]
Continue reading How to write statement of purpose for Walden University?
Your choice in the selection of university is great. Walden university is known for its reputation and good quality of education. Thus, they select the best candidates for the doctoral program. They do not compromise with the quality of the content. The first and the foremost thing you need to focus on is that your statement of purpose should be straightforward and crisp. It should cover all the aspects including why you want to pursue that particular subject, create links between topics, take help from your professors, go through Walden university catalog. Mention all possible reasons why you want to join their university. All the best!
Statement of purpose is the deciding factor whether you will get the university of your choice or not. So, it is utmost important to spend good quality of time working on it. You need to prepare your statement of purpose in such a way that it stands out among the rest of the applications. I am outlining some of the points that you need to keep in mind while preparing your statement of purpose. A ‘hook’ that demonstrates your field of interest for which you are passionate about, academic background description, mention about your professors. Special features of the doctoral program which attract you, finally proofread and copy edit. Take help from your professors and friends. I hope, i was able to answer your query.
Walden is one of the most reputed institutes to pursue PhD. And therefore, its benchmarks for accepting candidates for PhD programs are also higher. While reviewing a statement of purpose, they are usually on a lookout for competent researchers, especially those who are driven by self- motivation. As far as the content is concerned, you need to maintain continuity and focus. Write in an active voice and avoid passive voice as much as you can. And also the ending needs to be reassuring. Do mention how you are looking forward to join the University for your Research. Also, have a look at this sop. I hope it can help you. http://www.msinus.com/content/statement-purpose-ms-thesis-cs-1414/ Good Luck!
As I can see from your topic, you are trying to do advanced research on mental health and behavioral issues. Now your Statement of Purpose needs to make you stand apart. You need to convince the admissions committee how your academic interest in psychopathology has motivated you to pursue research in this particular area. Check out Walden University’s faculty on its website and find out the tentative names of professors belonging to your area of research. You can also mention them in your sop, if you wish. It would show your interest in the doctoral program and the uni and definitely encourage your admission committee to accept it.
I just started with my Ph.D this february. Unluckily, my supervisor ditched me and moved to the States. I don’t care, however. He was hardly of any help. No matter how much effort I used to put, I always got a poor feedback. I don’t regret poor feedback but if I’m doing something wrong, then […]
Continue reading Mentors and Supervisors
As you said, your previous supervisor criticised all your efforts, it’s better if you choose someone who gives you constructive criticism. Someone who helps you in rectifying errors. I guess that’s the most important thing. Rest it’s up to you because no matter what you’ll have to show patience with your supervisor. There’s no way of escaping it!’
I had the same problem. I still can’t imagine how I survived with him for 5 years. Unfortunately, I wasn’t lucky like you to get rid of him but fortunately I did manage to get done with my PhD. All credit goes to http://www.thesisclinic.co.uk/ to assist me all the way till the end. I think you should choose someone who is passionate about your research topic and is willing to go out of his way to help you out.
Shortlist some supervisors. Then ask some candidates who have been supervised by him previously. Ask them about their supervisors. What were their experiences? Were they helpful/crazy etc etc? This is the best way to make out who’s going to be worth it. Good Luck!
Hello Friends. I have been feeling demotivated lately. I am in my second year of PhD and have just decided my methods for conducting my research (I am not sure if I am lagging behind or not). My supervisor is okay, he doesn’t bother himself much. I am someone who always works on the edge, […]
Continue reading Second Year PhD Blues
I can understand that you are a person who loves challenges and is confident to handle situations but Ph. D. is not a game, it’s a life changing opportunity which can turn you from a waitress to a highly renowned academician. It’s your second year and you have just decided your methods. I don’t want to scare you but it’s a piece of advice that you need to gear up and not drag it further. Try to hold yourself and spend more time in completing your research work. You can attend some conferences or try to write a journal paper maybe? That will be a bit different and an added point to your research.
I think that feeling demotivated is the most normal thing in a PhD. I get these waves of laziness and boredom that I can’t concentrate on anything. What I do is “let it be”! I go to the gym, eat lots of hamburgers and chill out at my place. Then when I feel energized, I sit on my favourite spot and carry out my work. The key to this second year PhD blues is – not thinking about it. Don’t think that something is wrong with you and it’ll be okay when this thing turns out its course.
Thank you for your replies, I really appreciate that. Thank god I am not alone, but still don’t know what to do. My head can’t seem to let it go, or gear up, as a matter of fact. Also, my professor is a real pain and keeps bothering me with asking for updates, which is a no-show. So, what should I do, go to a psychiatrist?
P.S. To top it all, my supervisor rejected the methods which I had decided to work on.
Hi Jorja! I think more than a psychiatrist you need a consultant who will better help you in your drenched situation. You are already occupied with lots of work and there’s no point in being further depressed. As your supervisor has already rejected your methods there is no point in wasting more time .I’ll suggest you to check out with some educational consultants who can help you out with your research. You can check out with http://ukdissertations.in/writing.html
I took their help in preparing my research paper and I must say that their subject experts will help you to gain conceptual clarity and further resort all your worries.
Thank you Jillian for providing me with the link of PhD consultants. I checked their reviews and testimonials, which are mostly good, so I have left a query on their website. Lets see how that goes. But, for the time being, can you tell me more about them? Their process and charges? Their turn-around time?
Hi Jorja! Like all other PhD consultant services they have customized rates which entirely depends upon the kind of work which you want them to do. As for my case, I had the requirement of scientific editing of my paper and they charged me reasonably. It basically depends upon the word count, your research area and deadline as well. As far as the quality of work is concerned, I found them comparatively better than the other available services but you can still hunt for some more. I would say that the best part of their services is on time delivery of work and I suggest you clear all your doubts by contacting them.
Hey, I wanted to post that I have been in contact with the consultants. The subject matter experts are helping me in finalising the research methods. They presented me with a draft that I showed to my supervisor, who is still not okay with it. So, I have sent the draft for further corrections to the consultants. They seem determined to help me out. I’ll keep updating the progress. Thanks Jorja, for your help.
So this is surely an update, a wonderful one actually. Finally after two corrections, the methods are accepted, and the work is in progress. I am really in love with the idea for seeking help with the consultants. And I am going to work with them now and hope that it goes the right way down.
My guide is a big FLIRT! There is no decent way to put it, but he is a complete pervert, scanning me from head to toe every time I seek his guidance! I am doing my master’s in MBA and I am currently in first year. The problem is that the old bloke is way […]
Continue reading What to do when your mentor ‘miss-treats’ you?
I am so sorry to hear this! I am really disgusted with the way he’s treating you. Stop thinking about quitting, you are not at fault! And your right, no legal action can be taken but something needs to be done. The administration won’t listen to you but you can take help from your friends? Networking sites? Your family?
Hey EdenBrockman, I am sorry for the situation you are in but you need to be strong. My supervisor wasn’t a flirt but yeah, he was rude and overbearing. The best way to treat men like them is to show them there place! You said that your guide has friends in the administration, but I am sure that not all are on his side? Have you tried talking to the principal? If you don’t want any big drama then just go to the principal, tell your problem and simply switch your guide. That is the most easy way out!
I haven’t told about this to anyone. I don’t live with my family and don’t want to bother them. No, I haven’t talked to the principal and I am afraid in doing so, what if it back fires again? I’ll lose all my marks. And even if I am able to get through the principal, what if my next guide is even worse? Or a friend of the previous one?
You need to take a step girl. As you are already thinking about quitting, why not take a chance? If it won’t work, you can quit but what if it works?
manette 3:13 am on September 29, 2017 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I am expecting you must be having more than one mentor. So, you can do one thing. If you are unable to persuade the current one then you can try and convince the other one. There is a high probability that the other mentor would agree with you.
HarryStewart HarryStewart 5:43 am on October 3, 2017 Permalink | Log in to Reply
In my opinion, you should listen to what your advisor has to say. He is senior to you and has more experience than you in this field. Go with his advice, and this is just the beginning, later in your academic and professional career, your research paper will get published in reputed journals.
Maya Verma 11:53 am on October 4, 2017 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Well, this seems to be a serious problem. What you can do from your end is, try to put strong points in front of your advisor for the second time. Make all efforts to convince him that the research paper is strong enough to be published in a good journal. Present it well, so that it gets approved this time. Best of luck.
Tia Ross 7:34 am on October 7, 2017 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi! Can you just go through the following link! It has a lot of advice regarding how you can deal with your supervisor’s advice regarding publishing research papers. Here it is – https://www.smartsciencecareer.com/best-publication-strategy-in-science/. Hope it will help you.