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 to be more critical in your PhD discussion chapter
How do you write a critical discussion chapter in your PhD?
You’ve slogged through the data. You’ve coded. You’ve themed. You’ve stared at your transcripts so long they now haunt your dreams. And now… it’s time to write the discussion chapter.
PhD Supervisors - 10 things you need to know before you choose yours
Shopping for a PhD supervisor? Here are 10 things you need to consider before making a decision.
How to stop procrastinating over your PhD and get that thing finished!
Planned to start at 0800? Now it’s 1114 and you’re like, “Urgh, might as well not bother!”. Keep reading, let’s get you back on track.
Poster presentations at academic conferences - how to design a poster that doesn’t give people eye strain or bore the pants off them
Conference posters, yep, we need to talk about them! Let’s stop the churn of garbage in font size 8 and actually design conference posters people want to read and engage with!
How to write an abstract for an academic conference (without crying into your laptop)
Avoiding writing that conference abstract? Don’t worry, we’ll get it done in no time!
Critical theory for beginners: what it is, why it matters, and how to use it in your PhD
Critical theory - it’s not as complex as you might think it is…
Semi-Structured Interviews: A beginner’s guide for qualitative PhD research
What are semi-structured interviews? How do they differ from structured or unstructured interviews? Keep reading!
How to write up your Braun and Clarke Reflexive Thematic Analysis (without losing your mind)
Struggling to write up your Braun and Clarke reflexive thematic analysis? Keep reading!
Conceptual frameworks in qualitative research
Do you need a conceptual framework as a qualitative researcher? Let’s break it down!
Postmodernism for beginners - a simple explanation
Need a no-nonsense explanation of postmodernism? Look no further!
Ontology, epistemology, and paradigms - What are they, and how much should you write about them in your PhD thesis?
Ontology, epistemology, paradigms, urgh! Understanding them is one thing, knowing how and where to write about them in your thesis ia another!
PhD social science research paradigms made super simple
Research paradigms - they’re actually fairly straightforward. Here’s a useful way of thinking about them…
I haven’t finished my PhD yet, should I apply for a full-time academic job?
Should you apply for a full-time academic job when you’re still doing your PhD?
PhD Annual Review coming up? Here’s how to not be a hot mess express!
Is it that time of year again?! Here’s how to get through it without losing your mind and perhaps even enjoy it!
Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis for Beginners
What’s IPA all about, and should you consider it for your analysis?
Mixed methods research designs for beginners
Scratching your head about mixed methods? Not for much longer, keep reading…
PhD literature review structure, how to tidy it up!
Can’t bear to look at your literature review because it’s such a mess?! You’re in the right place, keep reading…
Method vs Methodology
Aren’t method and methodology exactly the same thing? Does it make a difference which one you use in your thesis?
How to find a research gap
Ahh, the elusive research gap! But, what is a research gap and how do you identify one?