How to PhD- sharing the essential PhD skills we wish we had known!

Ever wondered how groundbreaking research grabs headlines? If you think it's all about luck or fame, think again! This episode dives into the strategic side of getting your PhD research out of academic journals and into the wider world. With practical insights and tips, we'll guide you through the process of working with the media to amplify your work's impact. First, we discuss the growing importance of media engagement for academics, especially with the increasing emphasis on reach and societal impact. From understanding what makes a compelling press release to crafting one that catches a journalist's eye, we break down the essentials. We'll share why press releases are your gateway to media attention, how to structure them effectively, and the key phrases that make your findings stand out—all while avoiding overblown claims. And once the media bites? We've got you covered. Whether it's a live interview, radio spot, or a TV appearance, we'll walk you through how to prepare, handle questions, and keep your nerves in check. Tune in for actionable advice that ensures you're ready to shine when your research meets the spotlight.

In this episode, we dive into the concept of impact in research—what it is, why it's crucial, and how you can plan for it even at the PhD stage. We explore how impact goes beyond simple dissemination or public engagement, aiming for real change in society, the economy, culture, policy, health, and beyond. Our conversation covers practical ways to identify beneficiaries and stakeholders, the significance of short-, medium-, and long-term impact planning, and the essential components of reach and significance in assessing impact. We discuss how early planning for impact can enhance both your academic career and industry prospects, guiding you to align your research with meaningful, measurable goals. Finally, we offer tips on preparing project bids with impact in mind and building valuable relationships that can help carry your research into the real world. Don't miss this episode if you're ready to take your research impact to the next level!

In this episode, we explore why a strong narrative is the backbone of a successful PhD. It's not just about compiling studies or chapters; it's about weaving them into a story that's engaging and easy to follow. We discuss how to build a compelling pitch that answers essential questions and captivates your audience.   You'll also hear tips for refining your PhD story, from visualising your work with simple tools to structuring your thesis in a way that flows naturally. Finally, we share advice on embracing storytelling to enhance your research's impact, making it memorable and meaningful.   Tune in to discover how to transform your PhD journey into a narrative that resonates!

Get ready for the best season yet! Season 3 is almost here, and we're taking your PhD journey to new heights. From building a standout PhD narrative to navigating tricky co-worker dynamics, this season is packed with insights that will help you create impactful research and get the recognition you deserve. Stay tuned for expert tips on balancing work and study, mastering the art of media attention, and much more. Launching late September/early October— we'll see you soon!

This week, hosts Arun and Julia share personal experiences and practical guidance on handling criticism effectively. They emphasize the universality of criticism and the need to recognize its emotional impact, advising listeners to step away and regain perspective when it stings. The episode provides insights on embracing feedback by considering the reviewer's perspective, depersonalizing criticism, and maintaining professionalism in responses. Additionally, Arun and Julia stress the importance of seeking feedback from trusted sources who have their best interests at heart, equipping listeners with valuable strategies for transforming criticism into a tool for personal and professional growth.

In Season 2 Episode 8, hosts Arun and Julia discuss the critical issue of plagiarism, shedding light on its various forms and offering valuable tips on how to avoid it. They emphasize that plagiarism involves taking someone else's work or ideas and presenting them as one's own. Arun and Julia caution against the serious consequences of plagiarism, citing examples of individuals who have faced academic and professional repercussions for this unethical practice. They highlight the importance of proper referencing, paraphrasing, and the use of multiple sources to avoid plagiarism. The hosts then delve into practical advice for avoiding plagiarism, focusing on mastering the art of paraphrasing. They share strategies such as using quotation marks and references when copying text for later paraphrasing and suggest speaking aloud to facilitate rephrasing. They stress the importance of seeking assistance from colleagues when needed. Arun provides a step-by-step guide to paraphrasing, emphasizing the need to change word order, form, and use synonyms while preserving the original meaning. They also discuss the importance of indicating direct quotes, maintaining author names and page numbers, and the judicious use of direct quotes. The episode goes on to stress the significance of using a range of sources to enrich one's academic work. Arun and Julia advocate for synthesizing ideas from various sources rather than merely listing them. They offer practical tools and techniques to expand one's source list and effectively manage references. The hosts also touch upon the ethical issue of self-plagiarism, emphasizing the importance of indicating previous dissemination of work. Lastly, they offer insights on plagiarism checkers, advising listeners to rely on their writing skills while cautioning against free services that may compromise data privacy.   Links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe-writing-centre/reference-effectively-avoid-plagiarism/paraphrasing   and http://typeset.io

In the latest episode of "How to PhD," hosts Arun and Julia discuss practical strategies for graduate students to supplement their income during their doctoral studies. As the cost of living continues to rise, finding additional sources of cash becomes crucial. Arun and Julia, who were fortunate to have fully funded positions during their own doctorates, share their insights and suggestions for both on-campus and off-campus opportunities. Within the university, they recommend exploring traditional routes such as teaching assistantships, offering lectures or seminars, and even research assistant roles. They also highlight the potential to earn extra income through exam marking, lab demonstrations, and invigilation work. Beyond the campus, Arun and Julia discuss part-time employment, freelancing options like proofreading and tutoring, and joining recognized panel services as a field expert. They stress the importance of considering the impact of these income-generating activities on one's CV and future career goals, as well as being diligent about payment methods and time commitments. The episode offers a comprehensive guide for graduate students seeking ways to make extra money during their PhD studies. Arun and Julia's advice spans opportunities within and outside the university, with a strong emphasis on balancing these activities with academic responsibilities and career aspirations. As always, please do leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Thank you for listening!!

Welcome back to "How to PhD," Season 2, Episode 6! In this episode, Arun and Julia are your guides on a journey to boost and maintain your writing motivation. Writing is at the core of every PhD, but staying motivated can often feel like an uphill battle. Arun and Julia share their own experiences and dive deep into valuable insights and strategies to reignite your passion for writing. Discover how to visualize and track your progress effectively with word counts, goal setting, personal writing journals, calendars, and more. Learn how your surroundings and the people around you can either hinder or elevate your motivation and productivity. Find out how writing groups and feedback can keep you in the writing zone. Plus, unlock the power of free writing to conquer writer's block and unleash your creativity. Join Arun and Julia in this episode as they empower you with practical tools and techniques to maintain your writing motivation and make steady progress on your PhD journey. Don't forget to treat yourself for your achievements and take breaks to recharge. If you enjoy "How to PhD," please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, visit our website at howtophd.show, and consider supporting us through Buy Me a Coffee. Spread the knowledge by sharing this episode with fellow PhD students who could benefit from these valuable insights. Thanks for tuning in!

In Season 2, Episode 5 of "How to PhD," hosts Arun and Julia address the daunting issue of dealing with intimidating supervisors during your PhD. They dive into why supervisors can be intimidating and provide actionable strategies to manage these relationships effectively. Their advice includes depersonalizing the situation, understanding your supervisor's perspective, and maintaining open communication. Arun and Julia emphasize the importance of concise communication, getting to know your supervisor's preferences, and seeking opportunities to impress. They also stress the need to set boundaries to maintain a healthy work-life balance. If you're navigating intimidating supervisors in your academic journey, this episode offers valuable insights to help you thrive. Share it with others who might benefit and consider supporting "How to PhD."

We're back! This week we're delving into the world of procrastination. But importantly, we talk about techniques that actually address the root-cause of procrastination! Join us as we give you the tools you need to kick the habit and make the most of your time

We've talked a lot about publishing in journals, but this week, we're diving in deep and going into all of the little secrets of journal publications. Learn all metrics, authorship and even maximising your citations!

Keywords are often an afterthought, but actually can be incredibly useful in ensuring your work gets the biggest reach possible. This episode, we don our SEO keyword optimisation hats and share some smart little tricks to choose the best keywords for your journal paper!

We're back! Maintaining productivity and being consistent is one of the cornerstones of a successful PhD. This week, we share some simple changes you can make if you feel you're not making the most of your time. It's not about working harder, but more focussed!

A very brief update on the show and when we'll return! Thank you to the entire How to PhD community for continuing to listen to the show! It means so much to us and we can't wait to come back!

Often we think of knowledge gaps as the key thing to aim for in a PhD, but actually there are many more types of gaps that can be just as powerful and useful! Tune in to learn about the many types of research gaps and a very simple tool to help you identify which ones you'd like to pursue!

Balancing spending time on journal papers vs writing your thesis chapters is a tricky one. This week, we have everything you need to know on how to find that balance between the two and what you need to prioritise during your PhD!

Never get replies to emails? Find that your supervisors don't actually answer your questions? A lot of these problems can be traced back to how you write your emails.  This week, we're going to be talking about some super simple things you can start doing straight away to optimise your email writing and hopefully get much more responses!

Public involvement and engagement are two really powerful techniques to help justify your work. Think about times you couldn't find the literature to justify what you're doing... or if you feel you're not sure what your work is going to do for the world... these techniques can help solve those!  Tune in to find out exactly why you should run them and how!

We're back again, this time with Julia's PhD story. It's different in many ways and so many things to takeaway from the experience- tune in to find out!

This week we're going into each year of our PhD journeys to show you the reality of what a PhD is. Often, all we see is that final success from people on Twitter, but actually, most PhD candidates face the same problems and challenges. We'll be talking in depth about all the challenges Arun faced AND crucially, how to overcome them!

We're back with part 2. In this second half of our collaborative episode with Prof. Sebastian Kernbach, we talk about identify the things in your life that give you energy, how to achieve a resilient mindset, managing perfectionism and how to utilise positive psychology! It's a packed episode- we hope you enjoy it!

Here's part 1 of our first ever collaborative episode! We're so happy to welcome Prof. Sebastian Kernbach to our show! Sebastian is an expert in life design, resilience, design thinking, visual thinking, and positive psychology.  In this episode we dive into the concepts of successful intelligence and energy competence to help you be a productive and creative researcher! Part 2 will be out on Wednesday! Stay tuned!!

So often supervisor relations can go awry, but this is usually down to some simple things that are being missed. Often, a lot of these issues stem from the meetings themselves. We took a look around twitter, social media and listened to our own One-to-One students to list down the most common errors made, and everything you need to know about overcoming them!

Is it better late than never? Apologies for missing a week, but we're back! This week, we dive into some of the most common mistakes we've seen in PhDs and provide you with the essential tips to avoid these pitfalls!

It's perhaps one of the last things you want to be thinking about when you're in the run up to your PhD submission, but it's good to give this some thought. Thankfully, our tips will have to ready for that process so you can rest easy knowing you have one less thing to think about in the final run up to submission!

We'll be honest, the CV or Resume was the last thing we were worried about when we were doing our PhDs. But doing some very simple, practical things can set you up very nicely for when you need to create that document. In this episode, we've got some really important tips for that document, and it's never too early to start working on these!!

Lockdowns and quarantine rules meant we had to slightly adjust our recording schedule- but we're back (albeit with a slightly makeshift studio!). A special episode to round off the year dedicated to helping you relax and unwind this holiday season. We're back on the 17th January!    So all that's left to say is if you celebrate Christmas- then Merry Christmas!! Otherwise, have a wonderful holiday season and a very happy new year! 

We're not huge fans of the word 'networking', but it is an important thing to learn during your PhD. But you don't have to be the loudest voice or super extroverted to network! No, all you need is to put yourself and your work out there for people to see, and there are many ways to do this.  Here's a guide to all things networking and building your research profile- from your two, relatively introverted, hosts! 

"Being a supervisor?? Wait, but aren't I the one being supervised?" Yes! But don't pass up any opportunities to engage with supervising other Bachelor/Masters students during your PhD! There's so much value in being able to apply what you know from your own PhD experience in teaching and guiding the next generation! In this episode, we'll cover all of the essentials to do with how to be a supervisor. 

Research proposals can be extremely daunting and it's easy to get lost in the process. Fortunately, we've been there before and we've got an episode packed with practical guidance on writing your own research proposals- both for a future PhD and for those that come after!

PhDs are difficult things! But don't confuse difficulty with progress. Just because you might be facing challenges does not mean you're not doing well- quite the opposite in fact! In this episode, we talk about the 5 key challenges we faced in our PhDs and how we went about dealing with them.

Posters are often only thought of in a conference context, but actually they can be so useful at all stages of your PhD. They put you in the right mindset for thinking about your work in a concise and effective way and are a brilliant thing to create before say, a viva or presentation.    This week, we'll give you all the details on how to create a poster, from the first key questions to ask yourself all the way to actually designing and transporting your poster!

Have you ever felt lost conducting a literature review? How do you know you've covered enough of the literature? That's exactly what systematic reviews aim to solve by giving you a super structured process to follow. In this episode, we're diving it why you might want to consider systematic reviews and crucially- how do you actually do one! It's time consuming, but it's not too confusing once you know how!

This is one of the big things in the academic world, but unfortunately there's very little guidance on what exactly it is and how you can get involved. In this episode, we'll take you through everything you need to know about peer review and why it's something that can be very helpful for you!

We're back after our break and we're wrapping up our two-part episode on interview studies. This time we're tackling the practical things you need to consider when actually running your interview studies. 

Hello everyone, a warm welcome to all of our new listeners and of course all of you who have been with us since the early days.  It's been a long time since we spoke! Firstly, we want to apologise to all of you listening here for not updating you all on what's happening with the show. We had sent a message out on Twitter and Instagram, but of course, not all of you have access to or use those platforms- and we just didn't realise that, so that's why we're posting this message today.  As I'm sure you noticed, we haven't posted an episode in a couple of weeks.  We had to pause the show for a few weeks. Last month in August, our baby son passed away and it's been a really difficult time for us. So we took time off work and really focussed on our wellbeing and grieving.  But we're now doing much better and we're ready to get the show going again. In the meantime, the show has continued to grow and we're so excited. We've grown to over 1000 followers on Twitter- so thank you!! So stay tuned- we'll have an episode out in the next week or two. In the meantime, good luck to everyone who's just started their PhDs! We'll be here to support and get you all through what will be some of the most exciting years of your life! In the meantime, if you have any questions, you can email us at contact@howtophd.show, or follow us on twitter and instagram @howtophdshow, for all of the latest updates.   Take care and we'll see you all very soon!

Interview studies can give you a huge amount of valuable data- if done correctly! In this first part of a two-part episode, Arun & Julia give you all the details on why you might want to consider doing an interview study and how you go about preparing to do one! In part 2 next week, we'll talk about how you actually run the study and how to go about analysing your data!

It's so important, not only for your PhD, but for life in general to be able to distinguish good research from bad research. Doing so will allow you to ensure you reference and talk about papers of a good quality. We're going to give you 3 essential tips to help you in being a regular Sherlock Holmes of the good research world!

Pro tip! Don't just read papers like a book! Reading papers is more of an art form than you think. If you know what to look for, you can save yourself a lot of time and focus on just the bits most relevant to you. In this episode, we're going to give you the full rundown of exactly how to do this, as well as some useful tools to make the whole job easier!

COVID has changed conferences for now, but the tips in this episode are still valid! We remember our first conferences were pretty daunting experiences. There's a lot of new terminology you might not of heard before and you might feel overwhelmed at the number of different sessions in a short space of time. Don't worry! This episode has got you covered. We're going to take you through the conference basics: the types of sessions that are worth your time, how to network, how to use social media, how to master your time and the best way you can prepare for the conference experience!

This is the worst case scenario right? The thing no PhD candidate ever wants to think about, but might end up worrying about it every day! This episode is here to put an end to that kind of thinking. We're going to give you the SIX KEY THINGS you need to demonstrate to not fail your PhD... and you'll see that actually, you're almost definitely hitting all the requirements to NOT fail! This episode will give you the reassurance and confidence that you are most certainly on track!

This can be so hard during your PhD. But in this episode, we'll take you through things you can do to try and organise your life and make time for all the important aspects of your life. We'll discuss how to prioritise your jobs and roles, how to take your leave and how to work from home- it's a big one!!

Does this sound like a long long way off? In this week's episode, we're going to be showing you why it's never too early to start thinking about life after the PhD. There are things you can do right now, that are going to really help you and take the stress off when it comes to the final months. We'll also give you a rundown of the practical things you need to know when it comes to searching for and applying for jobs

This can be incredibly daunting- especially if your work is novel and there isn't a whole lot of literature out there. We talk about how you can find your research question using different, 'novel' sources and exactly how you can write your own great research question!

Corrections and rejections from journals can be extremely demotivating and can be a major stressor for many PhD candidates. Don't worry, this week we're going to show you why this shouldn't be the case and exactly how you should go about responding to all of the many types of responses you could get. 

It's a process that's we're still learning something new about every time. But with these tips, we'll give you five essential and practical tips to submit your paper in its best possible form, to its ideal journal! 

Ethics... you might see a lot of people worry about this, or at least complain about it! But actually the process is really important to the research process. Understanding why we do it and what actually is in an ethics application can be really powerful- and this week we'll give you the complete practical rundown on how you can apply for ethics. By the end of this episode, you'll have no worries understanding and applying for your next ethical approval!

We share some essential tips for managing the actual viva itself, including some useful examples from our own viva experience!

We'll show you why the viva, or defence, is something you don't need to fear! Using our tips, you can be ready and prepped- both mentally and practically!

It's our fifth and final episode of our Mental Health Awareness Week 2021 series! It's great to be ambitious, but setting unrealistic expectations of yourself in your head can lead to disappointment and imposter syndrome. Let's set better goals using a technique we've used so many times over!

The fourth of our Mental Health Awareness Week 2021 series! “You have to work weekends!”, “There's no time for anything else!”. Heard this before? We're here to rethink those myths and show how you can in fact live a balanced, healthy life with time for yourself and your wellbeing.