My #PhDBookstack: Doing a PhD
New series starting!
On the first Saturday of every month, I will be doing a My #PhDBookstack newsletter. That is, I will be sharing categories of books and blog posts and journal articles and any kind of resource I find useful for us. Why Bookstack then? Well, books are life! : ) And we do need them, a lot of them, for our PhDs : )
Are you thinking of doing a PhD? That is a great decision – you are really going to enjoy it. It’s hard, but the things you will learn and the people you will meet and learn from and with, are all amazing.
There are many great books and blog posts out there which have a lot of tips for before the PhD, when you are applying, and during the PhD – about your relationship with your supervisor(s), study tips, how to publish, how to be a good and ethical academic and so on; and also what you can do after the PhD. The lists will be constantly updated.
Recommended Reading:
Blog posts:
Writing a lot – starting the PhD and finishing it by Pat Thompson
Starting the PhD – 25 things to consider by Pat Thompson
Setting goals – starting the PhD by Pat Thompson
From help to humour – the PhD blogs you should be reading by the University of Manchester
A Happy PhD – generally this blog is so amazing and positive, and can help you throughout your whole PhD experience
Book List:
How to Get a PhD: A Handbook for Students and their Supervisors, by Estelle M. Phillips and Derek S. Pugh. I have dived into this one so many times, and it is a really useful handbook before you get into a program and also during the PhD. So many great tips!
PhDone: A Professional Dissertation Editor's Guide to Writing Your Doctoral Thesis and Earning Your PhD, by Dr Allen Roda and Dr Lauren Saunders, with Kevin Anderson. I was very fortunate to receive and advance copy from the authors and wow! What a book. They share a lot of their personal experiences or those of their students and the people they have worked with, and you really find yourself in this book. One of the best, if not the best I have ever read about doing your PhD.
How to be an Academic: The Thesis Whisperer Reveals All, by Professor Inger Mewburn. Her blog The Thesis Whisperer is also great. She shares all her experiences during her PhD and during her work as an academic in Australia, so if you want to work in academia, they are both great reads. This book makes you sit up, pay attention, recognise your strengths, but also laugh. This is a definite must-have.
Inger tells it like it is, and both the book and the blog can be a bit sweary, to give you a heads up.
Authoring a PhD: How to Plan, Draft, Write and Finish a Doctoral Dissertation, by Patrick Dunleavy.
My copy has a really wrinkly cover because of the multiple times I have taken the book with me, in my bag, in my backpack, in cafes, on the train. I have annotated it so much, highlighted it – in other words, you REALLY need this book. It is so well-written.
Are you already doing a PhD? Are you thinking of doing one? Share your experiences – and blog post or book recommendations – in the comments below.
Good luck in your PhD – I love it!