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Mastering Your PhD: Survival and Success in the Doctoral Years and Beyond » (1st Edition)

Book cover image of Mastering Your PhD: Survival and Success in the Doctoral Years and Beyond by Patricia Gosling

Authors: Patricia Gosling, Lambertus D. Noordam
ISBN-13: 9783540333876, ISBN-10: 3540333878
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Springer-Verlag New York, LLC
Date Published: July 2006
Edition: 1st Edition

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Author Biography: Patricia Gosling

Prof. Dr. Bart Noordam (1964) obtained his PhD degree in Physics (cum laude) at the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. After a brief stint as a Postdoc in the USA, he headed up a research group at the FOM-Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics (AMOLF) in Amsterdam. There he studied the ultra-fast interactions between light and atoms. Prof. Noordam has supervised 9 PhD students and published over 120 scientific papers. He interrupted his academic career for two years to work as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, and returned to AMOLF in the fall of 2002 as director of the institute. Bart Noordam gives short courses for graduate students to get the most out of their PhD. The enthusiast response over a training course he gave for EURODOC triggered the ideas behind this book (EURODOC is the European convention of the representatives of the national PhD student unions).

Patricia Gosling (1963) obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry and English Literature from Northwestern University, USA. After a 3-year period working as a research assistant in neurophysiology at Stanford University, she re-located to the Netherlands where she received her PhD in Organic Chemistry at the University of Nijmegen. From 1996-2002 she ran her own communications company, with a focus on scientific journalism and teaching writing and presentation skills to graduate students of Environmental Science. From 2003-2004 she was employed as a medical writer with Excerpta Medica (a division of Elsevier). She has also translated and edited numerous books and documents for the industrial and academic communities. A US native, Dr. Gosling has lived and worked in the Netherlands, Morocco, and France. Currently employed as Research Manager at the European Neuromuscular Centre in the Netherlands, she is the author of two guidebooks (Ethnic Amsterdam, Vassallucci, 2002 and The Lovers’ Guide to Amsterdam, Vassallucci, 2003). Fluent in Dutch and French and an enthusiastic student of Arabic, Dr. Gosling has chosen to follow a non-traditional post-PhD career path that has proved to be both eclectic and rewarding.

Book Synopsis

"Mastering your PhD" helps guide PhD students through their graduate student days. Filled with practical advice on getting started, communicating with your supervisor, staying the course, and planning for the future, this book is a handy guide for graduate students who need that extra bit of help getting started and making it through. Every year, thousands of students around the world embark on the long and difficult journey toward a PhD. Some of these students will make it through their program with flying colors. Others will experience difficulty getting to the end: some will sink and some will manage to swim – barely. The doctoral years can be daunting. While mainly directed to PhD students in the sciences, the book's scope is broad enough to encompass the obstacles and hurdles that almost all PhD students face at some point in their doctoral training. Who should read this book? Students of the physical and life sciences, computer science, math, and medicine thinking about entering a PhD program, doctoral students at the beginning of their research and any graduate student who is feeling frustrated and stuck. It’s never too early or too late!

"A must for any student in natural science who is doing or is considering doing a PhD. Also, I strongly recommend PhD supervisors to read this book – they will learn a lot."

Henrik Stapelfeldt, Professor of Chemistry, Arhus Denmark

"At last, a book about graduate study that paints the big picture and that recognizes PhD work as a real job involving many of the same relationship and business issues that will be important to students throughout their careers. Outstanding!"

Lou Bloomfield, Professor of Physics, University of Virginia, USA

Table of Contents

Ch. 1Introduction1
Ch. 2Getting started : starting off on the right foot7
Ch. 3Setting goals and objectives : who says you can't plan science?11
Ch. 4How to think like a scientist : coming to grips with the scientific method21
Ch. 5Good experimental design : the key to scientific success27
Ch. 6Charting your progress month by month : staying on track so you don't get lost in the research jungle37
Ch. 7Dealing with setbacks : coping with the frustrations of the research life43
Ch. 8The art of good communication : how to communicate with others to maximize your success51
Ch. 9The art of good communication, part 2 : presentation skills and group meetings keep them hanging on the edge of their seats65
Ch. 10Searching the scientific literature : getting comfortable in the library75
Ch. 11Your first international conference : getting out and about in the world of scientific meetings81
Ch. 12From data to manuscript : writing scientific papers that shine : tips for writing up your research into concise and readable articles91
Ch. 13Celebrate your success : isn't it time to pat yourself on the back for a job well done?101
Ch. 14How to cope with your annual evaluation : putting yourself and your work in the best possible light105
Ch. 15The final year : countdown to your thesis defence : it's all in the planning113
Ch. 16Putting it all together : a PhD ... so what's next? : getting a jump start on career planning123
Ch. 17Writing your doctoral thesis with style : breaking it down into manageable pieces135
Ch. 18The final act : defending your thesis with panache : how to pull off a memorable these defence145
Ch. 19Lessons learned : final thoughts at the end of the journey151

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