Guest Post by Dr Anandan Pillai The long doctoral research journey for a scholar is usually a blend of excitement, inquisitiveness, and challenges. However, one who emerges through this would eventually become a successful researcher and be ready to tackle any future research problems in an industry profile or as an academician. Basis my own …
Category Archive: Doctoral Lifeboat
May
27
It’s only the beginning! Glimpses into the First Year of Your PhD
So you have got admission into the Doctoral Programme you dreamt about? Enter into the dreaded first year or ‘coursework’ as we call it. The first year is the stepping stone of your PhD. It is the year of the coursework or the year where you will learn the fundamentals of what a research programme …
May
18
Collecting Data: A humbling and enriching experience
Collecting data is the most important part of a thesis. This is where theory is tested, and myths shattered. Data collection is of two kinds: Secondary and Primary. While Secondary data collection involves reading reports, journal articles, books, etc, primary data collection is where you get your hands dirty. It means you have to go …
May
13
Beginning Your Research Journey! Handy lessons on Reviewing the Literature
Guest Post by Dr. Sudhir Rana Learning is an on-going process. We learn through experiences, either ours or someone else. We believe in reading and sharing our experiences, experiments, findings through various sources of literature, such as – Books, research papers, newspapers, blogs etc. Academic literature review is different from other literature sources such as …
May
01
Social Life of Ph.D Scholar. Yes, they have one too!
Often as a PhD, Scholar, our social lives go for a toss with tight submission deadlines and busy schedules. We are a rare breed of nerds who are looked at with awe but no one really wants to follow in our footsteps. Once a friend told me how he went on a ramble about his …
Apr
22
Financial woes. How to sustain yourself financially while doing a PhD
After doing Masters, we are expected to join the workforce and become financially independent. Doctoral students, on the contrary, choose a path of delayed career growth with limited financial means. For those who have joined a PhD Programme, they have to deal with the disappointment of having to curb their expenses. For those with families …
Apr
15
Writing a SoP or Research Proposal. Show passion, not perfection!
So, you meet all the criteria for that PhD position you have been eyeing. The last and the most important thing left on the checklist is a Statement of Proposal or a Research Proposal. How do you write one having had no prior experience? Well, let me first start with what is a Statement of …
Apr
08
Ah! That Conference Inviting you? Make the best out of a research conference
Confused about attending that big conference next week? Research Conferences are a big opportunity to not only present your work to the larger research community but also to network with peers and collaborate. You can present your work and get feedback to improvise from experts in your research area. Another benefit of attending a conference …
Apr
01
Five things to know before applying for Doctoral Program – Guide to making PhD easy
Research is driven by a thirst for knowledge and an inquisitive mind. Choosing the right doctoral programme is crucial for it takes anywhere between 3 to 5 years of one’s life. Applicants are often curious about many things. What are the most important things to look out in a Doctoral programme? In the first post …