Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

The A-Z of the PhD Trajectory pp 7–25Cite as

Getting Started with a PhD

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

  • 193k Accesses

Part of the book series: Springer Texts in Education ((SPTE))

Abstract

In this chapter, a number of first skills that can be useful for a beginning PhD student are revised. A first topic is “familiarizing yourself with your new workplace and your new city”. You will receive tips on how to get settled in your new workplace, and which procedures you need to review with Human Resources and immigration offices. We provide advice on getting to know fellow researchers in other research groups, through lunch lectures and intersectional activities. A next topic is “discussing your mutual expectations with your promotor.” While ideally most PhD students have had a chance to discuss the project and what support their host university can offer, the beginning of your PhD would be a good time to discuss your mutual expectations in more detail. A next topic, called “start documenting your journey”, deals with developing a research journal, a lab book, a log of activities and other documentation that can serve you later on. In this chapter, we will focus on learning how to document work. Following this discussion, comes the topic “figure out your data storage protocol”. A schedule for making backups is also discussed. With a last topic “make a rough outline of your days/weeks”, we will give some first tools for finding a work-life balance, as well as the first concepts of planning and working in harmony with our natural circadian rhythms.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Meetings between peers. For more information, refer to the glossary in Part II.

  2. 2.

    Admittedly, that sounds as if doing a PhD means you will not have a life. But what I meant is that, once you live a certain amount of time in a city, you simply feel less inclined to go do all the touristy things. So go ahead and have fun while you still see your new city with fresh eyes.

  3. 3.

    Also called: advisor, supervisor.

  4. 4.

    Also called: thesis.

  5. 5.

    Also called: co-supervisor, co-advisor. In the Dutch context, the co-promotor can be your daily supervisor (assistant or associate professor). Until 2018, the promotor had to be a full professor in order to be legally allowed to graduate doctoral candidates, and it is still common practice that the promotor is a full professor. The co-promotor does not have to fulfil this requirement.

  6. 6.

    For us STEM-folks who love tech gadgets (guilty as charged), it’s tempting to download all the planning and list apps and try out everything. You’ll spend more time playing around with the apps than reaping the benefits of these tools.

  7. 7.

    On a Windows machine.

  8. 8.

    It depends on your institution how important these documents are. Some places use your plan as a contract you have to fulfil, others use it as a tool for your planning, and others don’t use it at all.

  9. 9.

    Annual evaluations are typical for universities where PhD candidates are hired as employees.

  10. 10.

    Whenever you need a reminder of why your work matters, which can be important when you are slogging through endless data.

  11. 11.

    Note that cloud folders are not infallible. I’ve had to have my Dropbox repaired/restored twice, and the syncing process after restauration can take a lot of time. For me, it meant limited access to my cloud drive for about a week.

  12. 12.

    Store them at different locations! You don’t want your laptop and all backup drives to get stolen from your car together.

  13. 13.

    Backup your experimental results after each experiment.

  14. 14.

    If you have small children, it may be difficult to exercise at a time that is best for your body. Remember: any workout is better than nothing at all.

  15. 15.

    Again, if you are constrained because of the limitations of childcare, see what you can do. I’m currently exploring home workouts in the evening when my baby sleeps.

  16. 16.

    Even if you are a parent, try to fork out a bit of time for yourself. If you are a single parent, this may be even harder – but remember that a less-stressed mom or dad is more fun for the little ones.

  17. 17.

    As I am wrapping up this book, my routine is different because I have a 5-month old baby. I take time every morning to give her a baby massage, which helps us to relax and connect before I got to work.

  18. 18.

    This limit is different for every person.

  19. 19.

    I’m not giving you a template to fill in here, because I want you to try it out for real right away. Do you use apple devices, then use iCal. If you are on Google and Android – then use Google Calendar. If you don’t like tech gadgets that much, you can make a timesheet in Excel or a Google Drive spreadsheet.

Further Reading and References

  1. University of Leicester. (2016). Formal meetings with your supervisors. http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/gradschool/zone/early-stage/supervisory-meetings

  2. Noordam, B., & Gosling, P. (2006). Mastering your PhD: Running in place. http://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2006/11/mastering-your-phd-running-place

  3. Lantsoght, E. (2013). Five best practices for getting started with research. http://phdtalk.blogspot.com/2013/05/five-best-practices-for-getting-started.html

  4. Lantsoght, E. (2014). PhD Talk for AcademicTransfer: Getting started with working in a research lab. http://phdtalk.blogspot.com/2014/01/phd-talk-for-academictransfer-getting.html

  5. Vanderkam, L. (2010). 168 hours: You have more time than you think. Portofolio.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Rath, T. (2013). Eat move sleep: How small choices lead to big changes. Missionday.

    Google Scholar 

  7. American Heart Association. (2014). American Heart Association recommendations for physical activity in adults. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/PhysicalActivity/FitnessBasics/American-Heart-Association-Recommendations-for-Physical-Activity-in-Adults_UCM_307976_Article.jsp#.V-GJVa0rjVI

  8. Lantsoght, E. (2013). Silver linings: Creating nurturing morning routines. http://phdtalk.blogspot.com/2013/09/silver-linings-creating-nurturing.html

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador

    Eva O. L. Lantsoght

  2. Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands

    Eva O. L. Lantsoght

Authors
  1. Eva O. L. Lantsoght
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Lantsoght, E.O.L. (2018). Getting Started with a PhD. In: The A-Z of the PhD Trajectory. Springer Texts in Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77425-1_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77425-1_2

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-77424-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-77425-1

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation