Things I Wish I'd Known Before Starting A PhD

TL;DR

Starting a PhD? Here are essential tips: review papers, take detailed notes, stay organized, start writing thesis early.

Transcript

everyone and welcome back to my channel if you are new here my name is Amina I came across a blog post by someone who recently graduated from PhD from the University of Oxford and she discussed 20 things that she wishes she hadn't known before starting on her PhD and I looked through them and I wasn't nodding my head kind of violently throughout wh... Read More

Key Insights

• 👨‍🔬 Reviewing papers helps understand the field and research trends.
• 🥡 Taking detailed notes from the beginning is crucial for organization.
• 🏛️ Starting to write the thesis early builds a routine and reduces stress.
• 😷 Being honest about understanding and asking questions is essential for learning.
• 🌸 Backup data regularly to avoid loss.
• 🌱 Accept that things do not always go as planned in a PhD journey.
• 🈷️ The bulk of results for the thesis are often acquired in the last six months to a year.

Questions & Answers

Q: How can reviewing papers help when starting a PhD?

Reviewing papers helps to understand your field, see research trends, and fit your research into the broader scope.

Q: Why is it important to take detailed notes from the beginning?

Detailed notes help you stay organized, recall important points later, and pass on information easily to supervisors.

Q: Why should you start writing your thesis early?

Starting early helps build a routine, reduces stress, and allows you to collate information effectively for your final dissertation.

Q: How can being honest benefit a PhD student?

Being honest about your understanding or lack thereof helps in learning, seeking help, and avoiding mistakes due to assumptions.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Review papers to understand your field.

• Take detailed notes from day one to stay organized.

• Start writing your thesis early to build a routine.