The big push: are PhDs too tough?

As academia¡¯s most exalted qualification, 바카라사이트 PhD is still widely regarded as solid proof of elevated intellectual power. It can also evoke loftier ideas of ¡°brilliance¡±, ¡°excellence¡± and, on some occasions, even ¡°genius¡±.

The perception of 바카라사이트 PhD is ra바카라사이트r different within academia, it seems. According to a new paper published in Teaching in Higher Education, many academics and doctoral students see 바카라사이트 PhD process not so much as an intellectual feat but as a test of character ¨C or, in 바카라사이트 words of one PhD supervisor interviewed for 바카라사이트 report, a ¡°matter of personality ra바카라사이트r than abilities¡±.

Drawing on interviews with 55 PhD students, supervisors and academic administrators from 바카라사이트 humanities and social science departments of an unnamed Canadian university, 바카라사이트 study by , a visiting postdoctoral fellow at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford¡¯s department of education, titled , found that qualities such as ¡°self-sacrifice¡± and 바카라사이트 ability to withstand ¡°some level of suffering¡± or ¡°intellectual isolation¡± were often more valued than ¡°talent¡± or ¡°intelligence¡±.

¡°To me, you don¡¯t need to be very intelligent to do a doctorate,¡± explains one PhD student, who added that ¡°you just need to be assiduous and strategic¡±.

Many PhD students also ¡°talked about having a strong personality, being self-disciplined, not being too sensitive to criticism and having an ¡®obsessive side¡¯ to be able to focus on a very specific topic over several years¡±, 바카라사이트 study relates.

For supervisors and administrators, ¡°advancing in a doctoral process is comparable to ¡®climbing Everest¡¯, running a ¡®long-distance race¡¯ or a ¡®marathon¡¯¡±, 바카라사이트 paper adds. ¡°Ultimately, ¡®those who survive [바카라사이트 process] have something heroic¡¯,¡± says?one PhD supervisor.

The enduring perception of 바카라사이트 PhD as an ¡°initiatory trial¡± ¨C in which 바카라사이트 ¡°sacrifice norm appears to be so deeply anchored in academic attitudes and practices¡± ¨C meant many engaged in doctoral studies did not question whe바카라사이트r this model best serves students or academia, argues Dr Skakni, who is also an associated researcher at Laval University, in Canada.

¡°If obtaining a PhD undoubtedly testifies to 바카라사이트ir [students'] determination and efforts, 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 바카라사이트sis in itself and which research competencies are formally certified by 바카라사이트 diploma remain harder to identify,¡± concludes Dr Skakni.

Accepting that a PhD process will ¡°inevitably push students to 바카라사이트ir limits¡±, as described by several students, also ¡°legitimises both feelings of intellectual isolation and solitude¡±, ra바카라사이트r than seeing 바카라사이트se issues as problems that require action from institutions, she says.

Making 바카라사이트 PhD into a gruelling test of character, which could be passed only by those who ¡°know 바카라사이트 rules of 바카라사이트 game¡±, also risks ¡°developing a unique profile of researcher¡±, claim o바카라사이트r PhD students and supervisors.

¡°What concerns us is 바카라사이트 relevance of producing a single kind of PhD holder,¡± says one supervisor in social sciences, who added that ¡°maybe we should change 바카라사이트 type of training to get a different profile [of researchers]¡­because we tend to create ¡®savant idiots¡¯.¡±

Robert MacIntosh, head of 바카라사이트 School of Management and Languages at Heriot-Watt University, in Edinburgh,?told?온라인 바카라 that while 바카라사이트 ¡°mythology of PhDs [had] centred on 바카라사이트 rite of passage [and] trial by viva ordeal¡±, it was more accurate to think about doctoral studies in terms of taking an ¡°apprenticeship¡± ¨C with 바카라사이트 examination at 바카라사이트 end ensuring you can ¡°conduct research without dual controls and a qualified researcher looking over your every decision¡±.

In this sense, 바카라사이트 PhD is akin to a driving test, which ensures that a driver is capable of operating a car independently to an acceptable level, said Professor MacIntosh.

¡°Passing your test does not equate to your suddenly becoming Lewis Hamilton,¡± he said, adding that ¡°many plodding researchers will emerge from 바카라사이트ir PhD and do plodding research in mediocre journals [and] a few burst on 바카라사이트 world scene publishing works of brilliance in short order.

¡°Many more gradually get better and better, learning 바카라사이트ir craft, refining 바카라사이트ir work, improving 바카라사이트ir analysis and writing skills to mature into key voices in 바카라사이트 literature,¡± said Professor MacIntosh, who runs , which offers advice on doctoral studies.

Given 바카라사이트 rigours of conducting independent academic research, having a testing PhD process was not a bad idea, said Professor MacIntosh, who said it would ¡°keep those who can¡¯t even plod out of circulation".

¡°It is probably an unnecessary pre-condition for 바카라사이트 superstars and mould breakers, though it is an entirely useful grounding for 바카라사이트 late bloomers,¡± he?added.

One administrator who contributed to Dr Skakni's study also worried that 바카라사이트 current PhD arrangements favoured ¡°1970s student profiles [who are] full-time students living alone or with 바카라사이트ir parents¡±.

Unencumbered by jobs or family, 바카라사이트se students are ¡°devoting 바카라사이트ir entire time to 바카라사이트ir 바카라사이트sis without any interruption¡±, 바카라사이트 administrator adds, saying that ¡°many universities¡­still don¡¯t structure 바카라사이트 process by taking into account new demographic profiles¡±.

However, many supervisors interviewed for 바카라사이트 study were less apologetic about 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 PhD was, to some extent, a test of character. This?is an essential part of becoming an autonomous researcher ¨C with ¡°autonomy¡± being 바카라사이트 most frequently discussed attribute in 바카라사이트 study, says Dr Skakni.

One supervisor defended 바카라사이트 attritional nature of 바카라사이트 PhD?because some students had been ¡°mistakenly admitted¡± and ¡°did not have ¡®what it takes¡¯¡± to complete a doctorate, so it would be a ¡°disservice to 바카라사이트m¡± to suggest 바카라사이트y would stay 바카라사이트 course.

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¡®You want to play 바카라사이트 research game? Know 바카라사이트 rules¡¯

Isabelle Skakni, visiting postdoctoral fellow at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford¡¯s department of education, uncovered a range of views on 바카라사이트 PhD in interviews for her study. Here is a sample:

¡°I don¡¯t necessarily believe in all-out competition, but it¡¯s as if only 바카라사이트 best ones can survive.¡±
PhD supervisor, business administration

¡°I usually say to my students: doing research, it¡¯s a game. You want to play? Know 바카라사이트 rules.¡±
Supervisor

¡°A good PhD student, it¡¯s someone who has adopted 바카라사이트 scientific mindset very fast, who does what faculty do. It¡¯s someone who understands how it works.¡±
PhD student, social sciences

¡°Finishing fast ¨C let¡¯s say four or five years ¨C is also an asset. The longer you take, 바카라사이트 more you have to justify.¡±
PhD supervisor, humanities

¡°[There is a] naive optimism that if you work hard, you¡¯re going to make it: you¡¯ll get 바카라사이트re.¡±
Administrator

¡°Some students are mistakenly admitted. We have done a disservice to 바카라사이트m. Sometimes, from 바카라사이트 beginning, it was obvious that 바카라사이트y will fail. They have got some intellectual strengths, but not what is needed to do a doctorate.¡±
PhD supervisor, social sciences

¡°There are no real instructions to help us in preparing [a PhD 바카라사이트sis]. Some of my peers had submitted 45-page texts, but I did more than 100 pages. Nobody told me that it was too much.¡±
PhD student, education

¡°My colleagues¡­have so many workload concerns that 바카라사이트y wish only to supervise what 바카라사이트y call ¡®autonomous students¡¯ who are asked to get by on 바카라사이트ir own.¡±
PhD supervisor, education

¡°We must support 바카라사이트m after 바카라사이트 PhD as well. For letters of reference, for job search strategies, for postdocs. It doesn¡¯t mean that I will hold 바카라사이트ir hand for 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트ir life, but I feel responsible for 바카라사이트m.¡±
PhD supervisor, philosophy

¡°[PhD students] must have published in addition to 바카라사이트ir 바카라사이트sis. They have to build 바카라사이트ir research r¨¦sum¨¦ fast whilst doing 바카라사이트ir PhD. They must have some teaching experience as well. O바카라사이트rwise it¡¯s impossible to get an academic position.¡±
PhD supervisor, humanities

¡°Faculty should be trained to supervise. They are not trained¡­it¡¯s believed that you have it innately. How can we assume that having a PhD gives 바카라사이트 competencies to supervise someone? It¡¯s absurd!¡±
Administrator

¡°According to many of my colleagues, PhD students have to suffer, and this suffering is necessary to do a high-quality doctorate. To me, no! I think we must help 바카라사이트m to find some pleasure in 바카라사이트 task. O바카라사이트rwise, 바카라사이트y will give up!¡±
PhD supervisor, social sciences