NiSCUM Integrated Workshop IPS Auditorium, University of Malaya June 16, 2016.

1. Surviving the rigours and
hurdles of PhD
Mushafau Adebayo Oke
Institute of Biological Sciences Department of Microbiology
Faculty of Science Faculty of Life Sciences
University of Malaya, Malaysia. University of Ilorin, Nigeria.
NiSCUM Integrated Workshop
IPS Auditorium, University of Malaya
June 16, 2016.
by

2. Intense study Highest academic degree
What is PhD?
Doctorate of Philosophy
For research/academic positionsAn independent journey
A good PhD extends the boundaries of knowledge…

3. http://www.slideshare.net/EnricoDeAngelis/2014-11-03-abc-ph-d-program-polimi-kickoff

4. Typical challenges and pressures
Family pressure
Extraneous pressures
Financial pressure

5. Typical challenges and pressures
Innate/personal pressures
 Procrastination
 Isolation/loneliness
 Lack of motivation
 Lack of self-confidence Perfectionism
 Pessimism Fear of failure
 Avoiding risks

6. Typical challenges and pressures
Academic pressures
 Stress
 Lack of focus/direction
 Quest for novelty/originality
 Pressure to publish (UM)
 Lack of experience and requisite skills
 Difficult supervisors

7. When PhD pressures are managed wrongly…
marital problems psychological problems plagiarism
Violence and fatalities

8. Surviving your PhD… Essential skills
 Prayer
 Time management
• Define your goals from the start
• Identify tasks needed to accomplish them
• Make short-term and long-term plans
– PhD calendar snake, Gantt chart
• Identify your creative/productive time and guard it ruthlessly
• To-do-list: long-term, short-term
• Prioritize: Eisenhower’s method
• Be flexible and realistic

9. Surviving your PhD… Essential skills
 Information management
• Categorize different aspects of your research
• Create folders accordingly
• Track latest relevant papers using Google alerts, Science Direct alerts,
Researchgate
• Save them in appropriate folders
• Use reference management software: Endnote, Mendeley, etc.
• Back up your raw data: cloud storages, external HDD, hard copy…do so
regularly
• Work directly from cloud

10. Surviving your PhD… Essential skills
 Work-life balance
• Achieved when neither affects the other
• Dedicate time for family: calls, visit, attention
• Don’t encroach on work/family time
• Communicate your problems with your family
• Pay attention to your health, take a break when necessary
• Give room for leisure
 Self-discipline
• Avoid distractions, do the right thing at the right time
• Punish yourself when you derail, reward yourself when you achieve
• Stay focused

11. Surviving your PhD… Essential skills
 Manage your supervisor
• Build a healthy relationship
• Define your expectations for/from each other
• Communicate the expectations
• Understand your supervisor: study his CV, his publications, ask his
postdocs, ex-students, senior students… how to with relate him/her
• Avoid communication gap
• Arrange for meetings in advance and prepare his/her mind
• Be considerate
• Be respectful
• Study institutional regulations on supervisor-student responsibilities.

12. Surviving your PhD… Essential skills
 Acquire necessary skills
• Attend workshops, trainings and seminars (IPS workshops)
• Learn essential software related to your work: SPSS, Endnote, Turnitin,
NVivo, Matlab, etc.
• Learn writing and presentation skills
 Deal with financial problems early
• Scholarships, sponsorship, research assistantship
• Part-time jobs?
 Networking
 Rigorous literature review
• Plan to write a review article if possible

13. Qualities of a good PhD student
 Intelligence
 Creativity
 Hard work
 Good expression ability
 Endurance
 Determination
 Tenacity
 Honesty and Integrity

14. Characteristics of a good PhD topic
 Must add to knowledge
 Novelty, originality
 Should be manageable and achievable
• time, resources
 Should interest you
 Student capability
• topic that aligns with your strengths
• move out of your comfort zone though

15. Who is a good PhD supervisor?
 Has good grasp of your research, knowledgeable in your field
 Well-connected in govt., industry and academia
 Someone you are comfortable working with
 Can give good advice and guidance on the topic
 Makes time for you
 Responds in a timely manner for submissions
 Gives good feedback on your writing
 Inspires and motivates you

16. Hurdles to scale at University of Malaya
 Proposal defense/colloquium
 Conferences/seminars
 Language course (Bahasa Melayu)
 2 ISI publications OR in faculty-approved journals
 Candidature defense
 3 months notice
 Thesis submission
 Viva

17. Lessons from my personal PhD experience
 Publish early
 Resolve supervisor issues early
 Decide what will go into your thesis, sift out ‘irrelevants’
 Be prepared to take risks
 Don’t be discouraged by journal rejections, learn from them
 Don’t hide your ignorance
 Be realistic about your goals, acknowledge your limits
 Seek help from outside when necesary

18. Recommended readings
1. Phillips, E., & Pugh, D. (2010). How to get a PhD: A handbook for students
and their supervisors. McGraw-Hill Education (UK).
2. Wallace, M., & Wray, A. (2011). Critical reading and writing for
postgraduates. Sage publications.
3. Ridley, D. (2012). The literature review: A step-by-step guide for students.
Sage.
4. Golding, C., Sharmini, S., & Lazarovitch, A. (2014). What examiners do:
what thesis students should know. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher
Education, 39(5), 563-576.
5. Mullins, G., & Kiley, M. (2002). 'It's a PhD, not a Nobel Prize': How
experienced examiners assess research theses. Studies in Higher
Education, 27(4), 369-386.

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