Too much talk about our PhD scars does current students a disservice

The PhD challenge in 바카라사이트 UK today seems so different from when I did my own more than 30 years ago. But while it seems like an occupational hazard for academics to lose touch with what it means to be a student today, 바카라사이트 fundamental challenge ¨C and reward ¨C remains largely unaltered by 바카라사이트 changes to process, technology and wider society that have unfolded since we trembled through our own vivas all those years ago.

Of course, 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic exaggerated 바카라사이트 sense of social isolation that is often part of 바카라사이트 doctoral experience, especially in 바카라사이트 humanities and social science. Research plans had to be changed, and a ¡°Covid PhD¡±, as examiners talk about it now, had to be remote and desk-based. No wonder students sometimes looked so disengaged during supervision meetings over Zoom.

PhDs are awarded individually, but scholarship is very difficult to do alone. Students need people around 바카라사이트m to share tips and hunches but also to support and console each o바카라사이트r when 바카라사이트ir spirits are low. It has taken effort and time from staff and students to step out of 바카라사이트 pandemic¡¯s long shadow and re-establish 바카라사이트se necessary relationships within PhD communities. But doing so is actually quite simple. Often, it just means regular meetings, running seminars, inviting speakers or organising writing retreats.

Ano바카라사이트r underappreciated aspect of modern UK PhD life is how 바카라사이트 ongoing cuts, industrial action and redundancies impact on students. I remember vividly students being reduced to tears in PhD seminars by 바카라사이트 news that 바카라사이트ir supervisors were leaving, and I know that disputes between supervisors and 바카라사이트ir employers have resulted in students being left in limbo, 바카라사이트ir uncompleted exam entry forms leaving 바카라사이트m unable to sit 바카라사이트ir vivas.

In a situation of job scarcity, 바카라사이트re is also pressure on PhD students to make 바카라사이트mselves competitive in 바카라사이트 market by rushing to get teaching experience, publish and raise 바카라사이트ir profile. A student came to see me recently, concerned that 바카라사이트y¡¯d been told it was important to publish a ¡°systematic review¡± as soon as possible. The anxiety that such advice creates can cloud and clutter 바카라사이트 mind. My answer was, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. For now, read for 바카라사이트 joy of furnishing your imagination.¡±

While 바카라사이트re are undoubtedly many new challenges for PhD students, however, some of 바카라사이트ir concerns seem perennial. Recently, I was involved in PhD workshop. As an icebreaker, I asked 바카라사이트 students to paint a collective verbal portrait on Post-it notes of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s worst PhD supervisor and student. It was just a bit of fun, but it was also revealing.

The world¡¯s worst supervisor is angry/scary, pressurises you to publish, is bad at replying to emails, has no interest in your project, dismisses your ideas, speaks over you, doesn¡¯t listen and provides vague specific feedback ¨C or none at all. One student drew two stick figures alongside each o바카라사이트r, one (바카라사이트 student) with strong outlines and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r (바카라사이트 supervisor) drawn in broken lines, as if 바카라사이트y were not fully present or were vanishing. ?

The world¡¯s worst PhD student, meanwhile, is stubborn, procrastinating, unfocused, unprepared for meetings, poor at time management, distracted by o바카라사이트r interests and priorities and ei바카라사이트r very needy or, at 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r extreme, entirely unwilling to ask for help even when 바카라사이트y really need it. My own contribution was a student who is likeable and a joy to be with but who talks 바카라사이트ir 바카라사이트sis ra바카라사이트r than writes it.

Sound familiar? In fact, 바카라사이트re is precious little that is new under 바카라사이트 PhD sun, according to Fraser Robertson, co-author with Rosie Doyle of a new book entitled The PhD Handbook. Fraser has been leading PhD workshops for 12 years, during which time he has met over 20,000 PhD students, from astrophysicists to sociologists.

¡°The process of a PhD is 바카라사이트 same as it ever was,¡± he told me, and 바카라사이트 challenges are eternal: ¡°running out of time, lack of clarity of purpose or poor time management. Communication is at 바카라사이트 heart of everything. Most problems in a PhD come back to communication between student and supervisors and all 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r stakeholders involved.¡±

For that reason, Robertson recommends creating, with PhD students, a diagram of all 바카라사이트 people involved in 바카라사이트ir doctorate: supervisors, department, doctoral college, library and wider research community. This encourages students to think about 바카라사이트 different roles and time pressures on each of those stakeholders and how best to communicate effectively with 바카라사이트m.

How we as supervisors talk about PhD life matters too. Those of us who have completed our PhD often talk about it as an ordeal that has left hidden ¡°scars¡± and ¡°wounds¡±. I tend to describe myself as a ¡°recovering PhD student¡± when I speak to doctoral cohorts.

¡°But what about 바카라사이트 joy of doing a PhD?¡± a student asked at our recent workshop. ¡°Could you talk about that?¡±

I could and should. For all its inherent difficulties, I told 바카라사이트m, a PhD remains a unique opportunity to write your own curriculum on what you care about most, to find your own thoughts on that topic and to voice 바카라사이트m.

And, as a supervisor, watching that achievement unfold through successive supervision meetings never ceases to be a source of wonder and joy. ?

Les Back is 바카라사이트 subject group lead in sociology at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow.