Welcome to the Degree Doctor blog – where we keep it real about PhD life.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, behind, or like everyone else has it figured out but you – you’re in the right place.
Here you'll find honest advice, practical tips, and a whole lot of reassurance to help you stay calm, focused, and on track.
Click on the categories below to find blogs on specific topics or just scroll on down and have a look at the most recent posts!
Let’s make this PhD journey a bit less stressful (and a lot more doable).
How do you actually read a piece of academic literature?
You’ve got a book, a book chapter or a journal article to read for your assignment or dissertation. But how do you actually read it? How can you do so in a way that will save time and help you squeeze as much out of it as possible? In this blogpost, I explain my three-step process.
“How can I find more literature?” Citation Searching & Bibliographic Mining
Okay, so, you’ve started your dissertation literature review. But, where do you go from here, how do you find more stuff? How do you do this properly, systematically, in a way that maximizes your chances of finding super useful stuff?
“I get so tired in the afternoon!” Try drinking more water
In this blogpost, I write about the importance of staying hydrated, and share some of my tips for doing so. Since I started drinking more water, I’m way more productive!
Preparing an assignment is like making a good chilli…
In this blog, I explain why preparing a fabulous assignment is like cooking a delicious chilli. Learn to step away, and let it simmer!
The Pareto Principle
The Pareto Principle states that 80% of our results come from just 20% of our work. Eek! What are we doing for the rest of the time?! In this blogpost, I share a recent “Pareto moment”.
Shh! The benefits of working in silence
In this post, I consider the advantages of zoning out from the world every once in a while and working in silence. Can quietening the space around us enable us to channel our brilliance? Some studies suggest it certainly can!