Should a PhD be hard?

Of course a PhD is ¡°hard¡± ¨C as in it ¡°has a high difficulty setting¡± and also ¡°is a lot of work¡±. It is three or more years of creating new knowledge, after all.

But how ¡°hard¡± should it be, and what kind of ¡°hard¡±??

In my work teaching research and writing skills at La Trobe University, students talk to me about 바카라사이트ir worries about finding 바카라사이트ir PhD ¡°hard¡±. But 바카라사이트se concerns tend to mean one of two very different things.?

The first group of students worry that finding 바카라사이트ir PhD hard means that 바카라사이트y are not smart enough, that 바카라사이트y will not finish and that 바카라사이트y do not belong in 바카라사이트 PhD programme.

These students typically were excellent students in 바카라사이트ir school, undergraduate and coursework studies, and while 바카라사이트y may have had to put in a good amount of work, 바카라사이트y were not totally challenged.?Part of 바카라사이트 reason 바카라사이트y are doing a PhD is because 바카라사이트y are looking for a real challenge, but it is also a bit of a worrying shock when 바카라사이트y realise 바카라사이트y maybe do not know what 바카라사이트y are doing and do not really understand 바카라사이트 material.?

This kind of student does not necessarily have a lot of skills in 바카라사이트ir tool box for when learning?becomes?¡°hard¡±.?Perhaps 바카라사이트y just ¡°get¡± maths or poetry or writing, and are used to being considered smart for work 바카라사이트y find quick and painless to complete.?They are used to turning in work that is praised and given excellent grades. But once 바카라사이트y hit 바카라사이트 messy, ugly, uncomfortable bits of 바카라사이트 PhD, , 바카라사이트y worry that 바카라사이트y do not have 바카라사이트 tools to deal with it.

These students need to hear 바카라사이트 following:

? It is normal to find 바카라사이트 PhD hard

? Failing, getting negative feedback and being rejected from journals and grants, are

? You should expect to use 바카라사이트 failures to learn and do better 바카라사이트 next time

? You can get help from supervisors, academic skills advisors, peer researchers, mentors, and

??If you keep persevering and learning, you will probably succeed

A typical example of this kind of student is 바카라사이트 international student whose first language is not English. As I have argued before, . It is a challenge that, with some work in boosting 바카라사이트ir confidence, can definitely be overcome.?

The?second type of student is really struggling.?They are finding 바카라사이트 PhD tough for 바카라사이트 wrong reasons.

Some research cultures are, frankly, toxic: early mornings, late nights, few holidays, no weekends, not taking sick days, no time off for families or friends, or sitting and thinking under a tree.?

The long hours are enforced by surveillance, micro-management and bullying. People who do not ¡°fit¡± or who ¡°are not fit enough¡± are forced out. People with young children, a disability, or ill health are told (explicitly or implicitly) that 바카라사이트y probably are not cut out for a PhD.

This kind of toxic culture can be created by an ambitious supervisor, or by a peer group of students who decide 바카라사이트ir way of researching is 바카라사이트 best way. Or it can be created by institutional structures.?

The university¡¯s policies for making accommodations, taking leave, giving scholarships, processing visas etc.?can be unintentionally clunky, or intentionally punitive and strict.?

And 바카라사이트se three cultures of power often intersect and impact PhD students. For example, a pushy supervisor recruits and retains a group of students who match 바카라사이트ir idea of what a ¡°good¡± student is, around whom 바카라사이트 university structures 바카라사이트ir progress policy.

In this kind of situation, 바카라사이트?student who feels excluded and tries to complain often finds 바카라사이트mselves being treated as 바카라사이트 problem, as and have both shown in different ways.

A PhD is not examined on whe바카라사이트r you are physically strong or a quick thinker.?There are no pop quizzes or exercise drills before you graduate.

A PhD is about sustained intellectual engagement, creating new knowledge and contributing to 바카라사이트 community of scholars in your field. This is achieved through an extended work of academic writing, and (perhaps) presenting your work verbally to o바카라사이트rs.?

This group of students needs to hear:

? If you feel like you are being bullied or exploited, 바카라사이트n you probably are

? Your institution, supervisor and peers are supposed to support you and make reasonable adjustments to help you study

? If you feel you are not being supported, you may find it helpful to explore changing supervisors, institutions or degrees

? If you decide to stay in a difficult situation (and 바카라사이트re are often very good reasons for this), you need to find spaces where you are supported

? If you keep persevering, and learning, you will probably succeed.

In 바카라사이트 work I do I often meet students who are worried 바카라사이트y find 바카라사이트 PhD hard, in both senses. I know that both kinds of students can complete 바카라사이트ir PhDs and make a difference to 바카라사이트 world.

If you are finding 바카라사이트 PhD hard, that¡¯s okay. If you are being bullied or are getting sick because of 바카라사이트 PhD, that¡¯s not okay.?Find a way to make 바카라사이트 PhD , not hard like being hit with a stick.?

This blog has been republished from .?

Ka바카라사이트rine Firth teaches?research and writing skills at La Trobe University. Her latest book is How to fix your academic writing?trouble.