Academic career development advice for early career researchers &nbsp;– and those who manage ECRs – including time management, workload, mental health, well-being and networking


Early career research

The increasing diversity of PhD&nbsp;types and cohorts highlights that doctoral study is an intercultural space where researchers from different backgrounds and pathways interact. Supervision provides an environment for practising and enhancing intercultural competence in online and in-person communication.Worldwide, discussions around intercultural supervision have focused mainly on interactions between supervisors who are native speakers of English and international students. However, culture goes beyond national origin to encompass religious, gender, disciplinary and community affiliations. So any interaction and relationship between supervisors and supervisees is, in&nbsp;fact, intercultural. For example, an exchange between a Chinese supervisor and an Australian candidate is considered intercultural, as is an interaction between an Australian Catholic male supervisor and an Australian Buddhist female supervisee.Resource collection: advice for surviving your PhD dissertationRead more: ‘I’ve been a research supervisor for 35 years and I’m still learning’How to foster PhD excellenceIf the relationships between supervisors and supervisees do&nbsp;not acknowledge these intercultural aspects – and manage them effectively – this can negatively impact academic performance, satisfaction and timely completion.What are the common intercultural challenges?Interactions between supervisors and candidates occur in formal and informal contexts, such as feedback-giving sessions, small talks or research discussions. Misunderstanding can occur for many reasons, including language competency, communication style and cultural conceptualisations.Supervisors and candidates may encounter challenges in comprehending each other’s accents, word choices or sentence complexity. These challenges will lead to misunderstandings and misperceptions of each other. More often, if a candidate is from a non-English-speaking background, they are likely to lack confidence in their language proficiency, while the reality is that communication is a two-way street. Each speaker has their own identity and ways of expressing themselves using diverse resources, including languages and codes.Another challenge is differences in style. These will be reflected in aspects that include using different terms of address, casual versus formal ways of communication, brief versus detailed information, and learning and teaching styles. Supervisors may prefer a learning and teaching style that is&nbsp;not necessarily familiar to candidates.Cultural conceptualisations are important because we rely on them to make sense of an interaction, a person, an event or a place based on our knowledge, information and experience. For example, a supervisor can be conceptualised as a guide, teacher, mentor, colleague or co-learner, and a candidate as a follower, apprentice or colleague. These conceptualisations may not reflect our current doctoral education context, which redefines the roles and relationships of supervisors and supervisees. When there is a mismatch in the conceptualisation of roles, misunderstanding will occur.Supervisor-candidate intercultural communication modelAs supervision is an intercultural space, supervisors and candidates need to attempt to acquire and enhance their competence to understand each other better, avoid assumptions and stereotypes, build rapport and openly and effectively discuss with each other. Below is a recommended model, based on Byram&nbsp;(2020) and Sharifian&nbsp;(2013), that emphasises five domains crucial to successful intercultural communication in supervision: awareness, multicultural mindset, knowledge, attitudes and skills.
  
      
  
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&nbsp;So, how do we ensure better supervisor-candidate communication?Be aware of the factors that hinder and enable communication between supervisor and doctoral candidate. These include differences and similarities, and the extent to which culture influences communication. Awareness of cultural differences is not meant to create cultural distance but rather to help minimise assumptions and motivate negotiation in interaction.Have a multicultural mindset. This means appreciating and showing genuine interest in linguistic and cultural diversity, acknowledging that our cultural conceptualisations are enriched with each interaction, and recognising that our communication skills will improve. We do not need to be multilingual to have a multicultural mindset.Have a good understanding of academic and disciplinary cultures outside our own and of each other’s ethnic cultures as well as other factors such as gender, religion, identities and professional background. Our layers of culture influence how we talk, write and interact, so knowledge about these cultural factors – including what and why – will help us to minimise assumptions and judgement.Be open-minded, appreciative, respectful and curious about each other’s cultures. This attitude helps to build trust and rapport between supervisors and candidates. Negative stereotypes about each other can significantly hinder communication between supervisors and candidates because patience and willingness to try will be minimal. Therefore, when supervisors are interested in, appreciate and respect candidates’ cultures, candidates feel empowered. A simple act might be trying to pronounce each other’s names correctly.Practise different intercultural communication skills. When it comes to communication, we usually focus on speaking. Listenership is, however, equally important. Mindful listening without judgement helps us deeply understand each other’s ideas. As supervisors and candidates will not share all cultural aspects, clarifying and seeking clarification are crucial.Practise critical reflection regularly. We are expected to explicitly acknowledge that no matter how much we try to understand each other, we are still learning, and mistakes can occur.&nbsp;Training is needed to develop intercultural competenceDespite the influence that intercultural relationships have on interactions between supervisors and candidates, research training and supervisor development programmes have not yet implemented intercultural competence training effectively. This issue must be addressed, especially since doctoral education at a distance is becoming more popular. Training should occur during the candidates’ orientation sessions and the supervisors’ professional development workshops. Universities could introduce workshops, self-directed learning modules and forums for supervisors and candidates to exchange and support each other and improve intercultural communication skills. These skills are not just necessary in the supervision space. They are essential in working with research and industry partners, at work and in daily life.Thuy Dinh is research, curriculum and learning coordinator (researcher development) in the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and vice-president (research, enterprise and global) at the Western Sydney University, Australia.&nbsp;If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Culture goes beyond language and national origins, so doctoral supervisors need curiosity and an open mindset in their interactions to maximise performance and timely completion

Intercultural communication between PhD supervisors and candidates

The academic publishing community has been rocked by stories of authors using generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to write articles and create images for publications. Slightly over 1 per cent of articles published in 2023 were written with the assistance of large language models (LLMs), according to one study. In my view, this is likely to be an underestimate.&nbsp;Published articles, which have now been retracted or removed because they featured GenAI content, were found to include verbatim generic responses from LLMs:“Certainly, here is a possible introduction for your topic: Lithium-metal batteries are promising candidates for…”“In summary, the management of bilateral iatrogenic I’m very sorry, but I don’t have access to real-time information or patient-specific data, as I am an AI language model.”&nbsp;&nbsp;These cases and others, such as this headline in&nbsp;Business Insider, “An AI-generated rat with a giant penis highlights a growing crisis of fake science that’s plaguing the publishing business”, highlight the challenges academic publishing has in adapting to the analytical and generative capabilities of AI tools.Clearly, GenAI tools have the potential to exacerbate the crisis in confidence in academic publishing because readers are unsure whether what they are reading was written by humans, machines or both. At the same time, academic publishing, in many contexts, is gripped by a publish-or-perish culture, where academics have a strong incentive to outsource their writing to GenAI to increase their productivity.&nbsp;Could AI manage your research project?Three ways to leverage ChatGPT and other generative AI in researchEmbrace AI tools to improve student writingWe need to change our mindset towards GenAI tools to regain the narrative and restore trust in academic publishing. Here, I’ll provide suggestions on how we can move forward.&nbsp;What are the guidelines on GenAI use?In response to the development of GenAI, publishers and journals, under the advisement of the&nbsp;Committee on Publication Ethics, now require contributing authors to declare their use of GenAI in their writing process. Times Higher Education also requires authors to declare their use of GenAI. Similar requirements are a common feature of&nbsp;university assessment guidance. However, the voluntary declaration approach does not seem to have the desired effect. Journal editors I have spoken to said they rarely receive GenAI declarations with submitted articles.&nbsp;A study of university students’ AI use declarations found similar non-compliance results.&nbsp;Another study suggests that the academic community fears that GenAI disclosure will give editors, reviewers and potential readers a negative perception of the authors.&nbsp;Within universities, students fear being unfairly judged or penalised for accurately declaring their AI use in assessments. These concerns could be valid, with humans viewing texts they think are machine-translated more negatively than texts they think were translated by humans, according to one study. Deception seems preferable to transparency, because transparency is seen to carry the greater risk to the author. &nbsp;How we really engage with AI tools&nbsp;The practice of disclosing AI use may not reflect how we use GenAI tools today. GenAI functionalities are increasingly embedded in our daily work tools. Microsoft Word has Co-pilot, Grammarly has writing assistance, and these are just two of the many tools that we might use as part of our research process and writing. We might use an LLM to “discuss” our initial research ideas, we might use an AI academic research engine (such as Consensus AI, Scite or Elicit) to gather and summarise literature, we might ask another LLM for feedback on a research tool design, and we might get assistance from MAXQDA AI-assist during our data coding. We might switch on Grammarly or Microsoft Co-pilot when we are writing, selecting or dismissing suggestions on style, tone and language synchronously as we write. This blurs the lines of knowing what uses are acceptable, what uses need declaring or whether we received assistance from AI at all.&nbsp;How we normalise GenAI in academic writing&nbsp;In essence, using GenAI has become normalised in our academic writing processes. Many authors and students turn to GenAI tools to augment their intelligence and abilities but keep human oversight and ownership over the content they create. We need to consider how to reform academic publishing in a world where GenAI is normalised.&nbsp;First, we need to shift our mindset from seeing the use of these tools as a sign of deficit to a sign of enhancement. The responsible and ethical use of GenAI with the author’s oversight and accountability is perhaps no different from outsourcing tasks to research assistants or professional proofreaders. The author’s responsibility to verify information and check the accuracy of the tasks completed is the same.&nbsp;Second, we must develop methodological models and frameworks to show us how to use GenAI ethically, legally and transparently to support authors’ knowledge-production activities. Using GenAI to verify human coding procedures could enhance the quality of data analysis, for example. Creating models where GenAI is used as part of the process and protocols for writing about these processes can be drafted and tested.&nbsp;Third, authors and students need to be educated about the ethical issues associated with using GenAI tools. Authors can take steps to address concerns regarding bias and intellectual property rights when they have increased AI literacy.&nbsp;Once the normalisation of GenAI in academic publishing is accepted, it becomes easier to discuss the ethical and responsible uses of these tools. Users can come out of the shadows, and we can be more open, honest and reflective about our uses of GenAI. In this way, trust in academic publishing can start to be regained.&nbsp;I used Grammarly to assist me in writing this article.Benjamin Luke Moorhouse is an assistant professor at the Hong Kong Baptist University.&nbsp;If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

In a world of AI, academic publishing needs to change

Scholars are using generative AI to assist them with writing articles, but should they be punished for it? The academic publishing community may need to change its mindset, writes Benjamin Luke Moorhouse

We’re living in a world of artificial intelligence – it’s academic publishing that needs to change

Writing of all kinds is an intrinsic and fundamental part of academic life, but prioritising the time to do it can be a real struggle. Our Time to Write (T2W) project started life in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic,&nbsp;responding to requests from colleagues struggling to balance workloads and stay connected while we worked online, and then even more as we returned to campus. Since then, it has remained as popular and relevant as ever, and we have used UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) research culture enhancement funding to expand the programme with writing retreats and a community of practice for facilitators.The project is rooted in collegiate, social approaches that support connection and community, providing opportunities for individuals to develop positive writing habits and explore different methods of protecting time. We began by running a series of “power hours” of writing for Academic Writing Month in November 2021, inspired by the work of Stephanie Zihm and&nbsp;Claire Reid-Mackie and building on the writing bubbles run by our team the previous year.The power hour runs every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday and any members of staff with writing tasks to complete can attend for individual sessions or sign up for the whole meeting series. Each session starts with goal setting before we switch off our mics and cameras for an hour of concentrated writing time. The host then calls people back together to share progress with each other. This has become a valued space of friendly and non-judgemental connection, as we both celebrate and commiserate together.&nbsp;Protect your emotional well-being for a happier writing experienceFive ways to beat the procrastination monsterWhat is your academic writing temperament?Our approach is informal and running the sessions through a Microsoft Teams group enables people to engage flexibly over the year, around teaching or any other commitments, while retaining the power of an organised hour in their diaries. It is important to us that all colleagues who are engaged in academic writing within the university are invited and feel welcome, and participants include academics of all stripes, from PhD to professor, as well as technicians and professional colleagues. More than 240 colleagues have participated over the years and we have a core group of 20 to 30 regulars, many of whom help host sessions or have gone on to organise local power hours for colleagues or students in their departments.It was in fact the community that inspired the first writing retreat, having been asking for one since the first power hour, and we have adapted Rowena Murray’s structured approach to retreats and social writing spaces to design an expanded version of the power hours. These retreats run over one or two days, with a mixture of on- and off-campus venues and focus on supporting healthy, positive writing habits as well as time to write.The efficacy of writing retreats for leveraging positive personal outcomes is well established in the literature, with emphasis on supporting equity and inclusion to research, enhancing belonging and increasing well-being. Time to Write underlines all these benefits and provides further insights into the personal and cultural effects of supporting protected time for writing tasks. We are now undertaking evaluation activity to evidence the impacts of:Opening opportunities to all staff undertaking academic writing tasksInclusive and accessible design, including providing time within the working day/weekProviding consistent, long-term protected time to writeOrganising “university-approved” protected timeConnecting colleagues and encouraging self-organisation.Time to Write has enabled participants to build positive relationships with their writing. They are forming healthier, more sustainable writing habits that work for their personal circumstances. Individuals can plan their writing workloads, resulting in higher-quality (and often increased quantity) papers and research outputs, and the opportunity to take part in repeat sessions has resulted in people coming together to form writing communities. Retreats we run later in the year often start to feel like reunions!&nbsp;Beyond this, staff feel that the university has listened to their problems and offered a (partial) solution. Funded time to write, particularly on retreat, helps them feel seen and valued by the institution.&nbsp;Meanwhile, the university is also benefiting from Time to Write. Alongside increasing well-being and tackling loneliness, the project encourages participants to own culture change on a local level. We are seeing high engagement from female academics, many of them mid-career, while our open approach means we have created spaces that are welcoming to all staff, providing a space to connect across disciplines, job roles and levels of experience. The project is directly contributing to institutional obligations within the Researcher Development Concordat and other equality charters, as well as supporting that ever-present key performance indicator: more and better grants and papers.&nbsp;Time to write is a necessity, not just a nice-to-have, in creating an inclusive, equitable research environment. Our challenge now is embedding the T2W project into university business as usual. We are using theory of change and creative evaluation techniques alongside engagement data, surveys and focus groups to establish the benefit of regular, centrally supported protected time for both individuals and the institution.Rosie Wadman is a senior teaching fellow and Jess Macpherson is a teaching fellow; both are academic developers in the Centre for Higher Education Practice at the University of Southampton.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

How a project for academics to carve out writing time has grown from ‘power hours’ to writing retreats, community, increased well-being and higher-quality papers

Time to write is a necessity, not a nice-to-have

Returning to my research career after an eight-year break, I&nbsp;encountered the term early career researcher (ECR) for the first time. Initially, I&nbsp;didn’t realise it applied to me. It had been more than 15 years since I&nbsp;earned my PhD, and, apart from during maternity leave, I’d worked more or less continuously (although admittedly not in a way that is stereotypical of an academic career).Finding a consistent definition for ECR is no easy task. It mostly depends on self-identification; if you identify as an ECR, then you probably are one. If you don’t but are still on a fixed-term contract, it is unclear where you fit. This type of ambiguity is something an inclusive research culture should be moving away from.The term “ECR” is a fairly recent addition to the research career vocabulary, and the reasons for introducing it were well-intended. Expecting researchers at early stages of their careers to compete with well-established researchers for funding was deemed, rightly, unfair. In addition, describing researchers as younger is a form of age discrimination that is no longer openly endorsed.&nbsp;Unfortunately, though, the term ECR starts to fall short with careers that don’t conform to the deeply ingrained academic ideal of a linear career track. Implicit in the ECR role is the notion of career progression: that the researcher will move from early career to further stages of the career path. Employing researchers on fixed-term contracts means that for most progressing linearly is just not possible for a multitude of reasons, not least because career decisions are not made in isolation and must be offset against other life considerations. The overall effect is that a researcher’s career starts to extend temporally from the early to mid-stage, possibly even later stage, along with compounding of their skill set. Defining this group of highly skilled researchers as “early career” seems somewhat contradictory, as they are often more mid-career than their peers at the traditional mid-stage.To date, only one study has been published on longer-term researchers at the fixed-term stage, naming them long-term research staff (LTRS) and defined as having “a&nbsp;minimum of eight years post-PhD or highest degree in employment on research-only temporary contracts”. A third of research staff (34&nbsp;per cent) have been employed on temporary (fixed-term) contracts at one or more higher education institutions for more than 10&nbsp;years, according to Vitae figures. But this group of researchers is often overlooked in the broader research ecosystem, with the focus instead on ECRs. Because of their longer career paths, LTRS tend to be at a different stage of life and are more likely to have committed to a research career. Supporting LTRS and their careers, therefore, requires different considerations.Technological innovations in the workspace have transformed how research is done. Yet our career paths and workplace habits, envisioned more than 40 years ago, have not benefited from the same transformation. With rising retirement ages, more women in the workforce, the economic need for dual-income families and shifting work attitudes, it must surely be time to reimagine research careers.LanguageLanguage is critical for inclusion of any under-represented group. Endorsing a term to describe these researchers would enhance their visibility and inclusion in research culture policies and practices.Resource collection: Is your academic career cleared for take-off?What is tenure in higher education – and how to get itPathways to prosperity in casual academiaDataGathering and monitoring data are necessary to understand the extent of LTRS in a broader context and bolster evidence on research careers; to challenge biases and ensure that LTRS are not ignored or othered by the research community and to determine the impact of policies and practices on institutional practices.Institutional practicesFrom a business perspective, the use of fixed-term contracts is meant to be temporary, a safeguard for the organisation before committing to costly permanent employment. In academic research, fixed-term contracts are seen as the only way to job security. As 13&nbsp;per cent of Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa) researchers on short-term contracts of 10&nbsp;years or more have been employed at the same institution, institutions should be transparent on when the “probationary period” will end.ReskillingClosing the door on a research career is no easier for those on fixed-term contracts than for “established” researchers. Funding for professional development opportunities or coaching could help LTRS transition their skill sets to other job sectors. Undertaking an internship or volunteering in a new job sector are less likely options for LTRS.Building sufficient career capital on a backdrop of precarity and insecurity is not a linear process. Although limited by a small sample size, the only study on LTRS found that they were mostly women whose caring responsibilities extended their career paths. If this is reflected more broadly, it may speak to the stubbornly persistent challenges that these groups face in the research environment. To sustainably harness the full potential of researchers and keep pace with the needs of an evolving workforce, we must include all researchers. Using the correct language should be a first step towards this. The term ECR is a useful step away from age-related language and towards equity, but it does not capture everyone. Creating a more inclusive research culture requires addressing the needs of LTRS as well.Rachel James is a researcher at the University of Edinburgh.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Here’s how we can support long-term research staff

Language use and reskilling are just two of the considerations for higher education institutions when it comes to supporting staff who don’t fit into the early career researcher category 

Since the Covid pandemic, many sport, exercise and health science researchers work remotely when not testing. This creates an issue for those conducting higher-risk testing who require an additional person in the room in case of ill health or accidents and, in some cases, to comply with safeguarding procedures. At Loughborough University, the technical team tried to cover this work, but the demand soon grew to a level that was not sustainable alongside their other duties.&nbsp;Students also want work experience opportunities to increase their employability or the strength of their applications for further study or jobs. Performance scientist Steve Ingham highlighted this need for applied experience in his 2022 Letter to the 15,000 because many students were finishing their degrees without the level of practical skills needed for applied roles due to constraints on lab time while studying. Additional lab or practical experience opportunities might also be insufficient due to insurance, ethical and contractual constraints.&nbsp;THE Awards 2024 spotlight: learn from the best in UK and Irish higher educationBuddy system: creating community through writingHow to develop a researcher mindset as a PhD studentThe “research buddy” scheme is a voluntary opportunity for undergraduate and MSc students within the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences (SSEHS). The scheme was set up by myself and my colleague Lynsey James, a teacher at Loughborough University, in cooperation with the university’s Coaching and Volunteering Academy (CVA). The aim of the scheme was to enhance student experience and upskill students while also providing a solution to the lack of personnel available for testing support.&nbsp;Setting up the ‘research buddy’ schemeSetting up the scheme required effective communication between myself and Lynsey, the PhD researchers, the senior leadership team (SLT) and the CVA at Loughborough who advertised the opportunity. As we were unsure of the demand from the PhD students, we estimated how many research buddies we would need to begin. We advertised the opportunity to undergraduate and MSc students within SSEHS and shortlisted 25 candidates. We then recruited PhD students on to the scheme who needed research buddies due to the nature of their testing (for example, higher-risk testing methods from a health and safety or safeguarding perspective). Before starting their roles, the research buddies completed lab inductions (online and in person) and were shown a venepuncture blood sample in case of any adverse reactions.&nbsp;Issues encountered&nbsp;As the students all had lectures, seminars and other commitments to work around, on certain times and days, no students were able to sign up. We had this issue especially on Tuesday mornings because this is a popular day for researchers to run main trials if they also have recovery visits 24, 48 and 72 hours post. (It is easier for participants to standardise diet and exercise on Monday than at the weekend.) We also had a few periods of the year where fewer research buddies were signing up (such as during university holidays and exam periods when research testing was still taking place).After a couple of months, we had gone from two to 10 researchers signed up to the scheme, and the 25 research buddies weren’t sufficient to cover the hours the researchers were requesting alongside their academic studies. Some research buddies also lost interest due to the observational nature of the scheme – once they had watched the same thing a few times, they found it a bit monotonous.&nbsp;Scheme development&nbsp;When assessing the success of the scheme, feedback from both the researchers and research buddies at the six- and 12-month timepoints allowed us to adapt the scheme so that it was beneficial to all involved. A few of the changes we made following feedback at six months were the recruitment of another 15 research buddies, a weekly email to remind students to sign up for testing slots and making the participant information sheets for the studies available to the research buddies to give context before they attended sessions.After the scheme had been up and running for a year, we received approval from the SLT to add an additional level. This was due to the success of the scheme and requests from students wanting to gain more hands-on experience because initially they could only observe testing/make notes and communicate with the researcher/participant. Once students had completed 20 hours of volunteering, they could move to level two and receive training on commonly used testing techniques, which they could then do within the testing sessions under the supervision of the researcher.&nbsp;Impact and takeaways&nbsp;The scheme has been a success so far and it has helped students develop their hands-on and communication skills, while also giving students experience of what goes into running a research study. This is a great starting point going into third-year and MSc research projects.&nbsp;All students involved said that they enjoyed the scheme and those continuing studies for the next academic year were keen to get more hands-on in the testing sessions once they have progressed to level two. This type of scheme is a valuable addition and something that could be implemented at most institutions and adapted to suit different departments and disciplines.&nbsp;Sally Carter is a technical officer in sport health and exercise sciences at Loughborough University. She was shortlisted in the Outstanding Technician of the Year category in the 2024&nbsp;THE&nbsp;Awards. A full list of nominees can be found&nbsp;here.&nbsp;If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered directly to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

A novel volunteer programme has been giving students hands-on sports research experience and maintaining high standards of health safety. Here’s how it works

Implementing a ‘research buddy’ scheme

Effective communications support various institutional objectives, from fundraising and student recruitment to influencing policy and expanding research impact. But the voices that represent universities in the public sphere are overwhelmingly white. This, coupled with the fact that Black academic staff make up only 1&nbsp;per cent of professors in the UK, among others, perpetuates the false perception that Black and minority ethnic (BME) researchers make little or no contribution to scientific discovery and research. It is, therefore, vital for institutions to ensure that they provide opportunities for BME researchers and PhD students to speak about their work and showcase their expertise both inside and outside academia.In response to this, Imperial College London started the Imperial As&nbsp;One Media Academy to offer expert communications training to BME staff and PhD students. It aims to increase the number of media-trained individuals from BME backgrounds to help them magnify the impact of their work and raise their profiles.Since 2020, we have trained more than 100 researchers, with alumni going on to make media appearances, pen blogs and speak on podcasts. A great example is a recent feature in The&nbsp;Observer, in which Mehdi Saeidi spoke about his work transforming treatment for injured people in crisis zones.The Imperial As One Media Academy comprises five workshops, from which we highlight five ways that researchers and PhD students from BME backgrounds can amplify the impact of their work. They are as follows:Engage with the mediaWhether it’s a quick phone call with specialist press or a national TV interview, engaging with the media can raise awareness of your work among the public and policymakers. It remains one of the most effective ways to expand the reach of your research findings, provide expertise on a topical issue and communicate difficult messages to a wider audience.Doing interviews can be overwhelming and daunting, especially if you don’t have much experience. But remember that journalists just want you to help them break down complex information. With enough practice, you can become a reporter’s “go-to” expert on a particular topic.Get socialYou can use social media to publish videos, images and text that communicate key aspects of your work in original and accessible ways. Understanding how social media platforms work and choosing the right one is important. For example, many academics primarily use&nbsp;X, so learning to distil your research into bite-sized threads or short videos is key.Tips include thinking about your target audiences and what they might find most interesting about your findings, avoiding technical jargon and explaining your research the same way you would to your friends. Ensure that there is a beginning, a middle and an end.Social media platforms expose content producers to abuse, so staying safe online is important. Don’t be afraid to block or mute people who leave unpleasant comments on your posts.Resource collection: Being Black in the academyBacking Black scholars: here’s how universities can do betterFool’s gold: career advice for young, Black academicsFlex your writing skillsWriting articles is a great way of showcasing your expertise. Ensure that you do so in a clear and accessible way. A couple of ways to get involved in writing include contributing to your institution’s blog or writing a letter in response to a news article relevant to your area of work. Short and to-the-point letters are more likely to be published; aim for fewer than 200 words.It’s best to write your articles from a particular point of view, which can be difficult for researchers who have had objectivity drummed into them, but if you provide a new slant on something, your work is more likely to be widely read.As your profile and confidence grow, you may be offered opportunities to write opinion pieces for news outlets. This is a great opportunity to contribute to a topical issue, spark debate and influence change.Get talkingPodcasts have experienced phenomenal growth in recent years, especially with younger and more diverse audiences. They are excellent at reaching specific audiences with niche interests, and presenters are always on the lookout for guests, so be bold and approach them.Whether you are interested in appearing on podcasts or have an idea for your own, it’s important to practise interview techniques. When listening to a podcast, put yourself in the host’s shoes and predict the questions they will ask next; imagine how the guest would answer the questions.Influence policyYou can get started having discussions with policymakers early in your career. Try the following:Areas of research interest lists can be a good place to start. Government departments issue these to encourage the research community to get in touch if they have relevant findings in areas of interest such as public health.The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology offers another route to showcasing your expertise to policymakers. It ensures that the right information and evidence goes into policy briefings available to MPs and organises outreach activities such as networking events. Subscribe to its weekly email round-up to stay updated when new opportunities arise.You can also identify MPs and policymakers likely to share your interests by using the search tool TheyWorkForYou. One of our graduates used it to find out about a parliamentary event directly related to her research. She attended the event and made important contacts that could pave the way for her research to inform future policy.Finally, many UK universities have public affairs and policy engagement teams keen to learn about and share the work of their institution’s researchers. Connecting with these teams and outlining your areas of expertise can lead to opportunities to contribute to calls for evidence and speak at briefings, workshops and events for policymakers.The inaccurate notion that BME researchers do not contribute must be addressed. Researchers have a wealth of tools and opportunities to share their work and, in doing so, can increase its impact, boost representation and inspire the next generation of BME academics.&nbsp;Maxine Myers is a communications manager at Imperial College London.&nbsp;Imperial College London is shortlisted for Outstanding Contribution to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at the Times Higher Education Awards 2024 #THEAwards. A&nbsp;full list of shortlisted candidates can be found here.&nbsp;If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Media training can combat low BME representation in academia

Advice from Imperial College London’s new media training academy to help BME researchers build their profiles and increase the reach of their research

Many of our PhD students join as art, design or communication practitioners. They are keen to further and deepen their knowledge of research methods and methodologies, while enjoying regular points of contact with their peers, and gain from critical feedback situated within a safe academic environment. That’s where “Methods of Intent”, a peer-led seminar series, and “itinerant space”, an alternative publishing platform, come in.&nbsp;Support peer-to-peer engagementThe success of Methods of Intent resides in its co-created curriculum undertaken by myself and students, supported by a small team of staff researchers. The series of weekly seminars, workshops and conversations seeks to deepen insights into communication research through peer-to-peer engagement.&nbsp;The intent is to share and expand our collective understanding of the multifarious ways in which communication research might be critically explored, tested and disseminated through theoretical and practical ways of knowing. It builds on students’ prior knowledge and aims to expand on and disrupt what they have already learnt. Methods of Intent discourages learning hierarchies. Instead, it supports open, transparent research conversations, fostering mutual respect and collaborative working practices.&nbsp;Methods of Intent provides the scaffolding for research conversations, while the online publication, itinerant space, offers a site for applied practices.Subvert academic publishing practices&nbsp;itinerant space is an experimental online platform for doctoral researchers, which reflects upon conventional academic publishing practices and subverts them by exploring new ways of publishing research-in-progress. The journal supports four different formats – text, image, time-based and Sandbox – to accommodate the variable ways in which research extracts can be presented.&nbsp;THE Awards 2024 spotlight: learn from the best in UK and Irish higher educationPublication-based doctorate: is it for me?Transitioning to a PhD: common struggles and how to overcome themThe journal’s editors are PhD students in the Royal College of Art’s School of Communication. My role is to oversee and support the project while also lending guidance, which usually takes a cue from my own experiences of academic publishing – and attempts to innovate. Editors and contributors pose issues that have been brought up via Methods of Intent. The following are three key areas of debate that have emerged.Re-think peer reviewPeer review has been contentious. This has led to the jettisoning of the old model of anonymous blind reviewing and given way to the creation of an open and transparent system, where the students meet and talk with each other about how best to foster the development of a contributor’s works for publication. This forum is informal, but not un-rigorous. Arguments can be heated, but in general talking through a problem works.&nbsp;itinerant space began with conversations between students within the School of Communication, but has now reached out to work with other RCA doctoral students, to enhance interdisciplinary dialogue.&nbsp;Publish research-in-progressThe format of the journal has been vigorously debated. One of the key questions the editors raised was how to capture the exploration of a practitioner’s process in an online space. Their solution was to introduce&nbsp;Sandbox. This is an application within the journal that lends itself to a versatile digital canvas, where contributors have control over presenting their visual compositions of text, image or time-based elements. This app offers a more playful, experimental approach to the display of research-in-progress for art and design practitioners. The results are spectacular.&nbsp;Develop an ethical approachEthics has been an inevitable focus. Debates on inclusion, freedom of speech, who is “allowed” to speak, and theories around class, decoloniality and gender have underpinned Methods of Intent and the online journal. What’s also been important is what constitutes ethical practices in terms of publishing processes, such as meeting website accessibility compliance.&nbsp;The editors have been pro-active in promoting inclusive practices such as facilitating workshops, as part of the doctoral training programme. These are based on clear ethical guidelines, which are circulated as part of the journal’s open calls for submissions. Each contributor has a say and technical support is available for all.&nbsp;Practical tips for setting up a publishing initiativeWhat to consider practically when setting up publishing initiatives:Don’t be in a rush. It takes time to set up online or print-based publishing platforms and to put into place the support for students taking the lead on the project.&nbsp;Think ahead. Co-develop a three-year strategic plan that builds in flexibility, while establishing a clear trajectory of vision and practical milestones for the journal’s operation and development.&nbsp;Make sure you’re informed by university policies on, for example, ethics, academic freedom, website management and accessibility compliance.&nbsp;Anticipate cycles in the academic year to avoid directly impacting each editor’s and contributor’s existing PhD research workplans.Integrate skills sessions for academic publishing into existing doctoral training, like Methods of Intent, where all research students may benefit from sharing experiences of applied publishing practices.&nbsp;Encourage collective ownership based on open and transparent discussions for setting up and implementing the journal’s principles and decision-making processes.Listen to students and keep in mind their own research goals and their aims for publishing. Recognise that the experience will not be the same for each student, and be mindful of inclusive practices.&nbsp;Foster an active research communityWhat fuels my commitment to Methods of Intent and itinerant space is to be involved in a process that contributes to PhD students gaining confidence as early career researchers. I have seen students at their best, co-operating in a way I never thought was possible. Students are actively involved in decision-making and learn from the insights that emerge from these processes. Just as importantly, they also have a good time. Playfulness and conversation are at the centre of everything, and a lot of cups of tea and biscuits are consumed.&nbsp;These two conversation spaces have led to students sharing and expanding their peer research networks, whether within the RCA or more widely into professional and academic practices. It’s been a privilege to witness how students have met the unanticipated challenges of publishing itinerant space, challenges that arise when working with a diverse set of subjects and individual positionings. What results is an active research community, forever forward-looking, wherein members support each other as they become independent researchers.Teal Triggs is professor of graphic design and postgraduate research lead in the School of Communication at the Royal College of Art.&nbsp;She was shortlisted in the Outstanding Research Supervisor of the Year category in the 2024 Times Higher Education Awards. A full list of nominees can be found here.&nbsp;If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Set your PhD students up with opportunities to share

Creating alternative publishing opportunities and space for peer-led conversation are a vital part of the PhD research student journey. Teal Triggs launched two initiatives to do so

Set your PhD students up with opportunities to debate and share

Having been a PhD supervisor in departments of philosophy, politics and international relations at four universities over the past 35 years, I’ve supervised more than 30 students to successful completion. Yet, I’m still making mistakes!Each time, I&nbsp;learn more about how to build supervisory relationships in a way that is most helpful for each student’s needs, and how to supervise in a way that improves their chances of starting and finishing doctoral work successfully. Here are my tips, drawing on the practical lessons I&nbsp;have learned. They reflect past failures as well as successes, and are always a work in progress.Be proactiveRespond encouragingly to enquiries from prospective students and work with them on refining their research proposal and application. This won’t always result in the student coming to work with you, but if you don’t try, you certainly won’t succeed. This kind of engagement maximises the chances of a stronger research proposal and of the student gaining funding through national or institutional schemes.Boost confidenceThe PhD is a long process, and crises of confidence happen. This is especially the case at the midway point, when supervisees often cannot see the wood for the trees. When discussing draft work, always bring the student back to how this part of the research (the tree) fits with the overall aims of the project (wood). Remind them that the PhD is an apprenticeship – no&nbsp;one expects it to be perfect, and it’s the beginning of their serious thinking, not the end. Get them to produce writing regularly right from the beginning, so that they get used to their drafts being looked at – this avoids the trap of perfectionism, common in many academics.Be constructiveJust because doctoral researchers are peers within the research community, it doesn’t mean that all those arguments for constructive feedback or feedforward for undergraduates don’t also apply to them. Start with the positive in any summative comments on drafts. Draw out the constructive implications of yours and others’ assessments of their work. Handle the first journal rejections they get by insisting on a cooling-off period to get over the shock, then work through the unfairness or otherwise of the review, gently taking them through the reasons why desk rejects happen.Be sympathetic and honestAs a supervisor, you are your students’ champion and supporter. You must also be professional and realistic if things go seriously wrong. It’s tempting to cover for your students by making misleading claims about their progress or ignoring evidence that they are not going to be able to complete, but this will ultimately prove counterproductive.THE Awards 2024 spotlight: learn from the best in UK and Irish higher educationHow to foster PhD excellenceAdvice for supervising a PhD by published worksWhen there is a crisis, take advice from your director of graduate studies, clarify the regulations and possibilities, and have an honest conversation with the student to produce a plan to navigate the problem. Sometimes giving up the PhD is the right answer, even if that is not what the student wants to&nbsp;do.Learn from your peersWorking with co-supervisors has taught me the most about supervising effectively. Initially, this was working in tandem with more senior colleagues and realising that my own experience of supervision as a student was not the right model to follow. Later, I&nbsp;learned from younger colleagues with a much more professionalised early career experience than my own.If opportunities for peer learning are limited in your department, then use formal opportunities offered by your institution for training on supervision to meet and talk to other supervisors. Beyond your institution, use the working groups and networks on teaching and pedagogy of your professional associations. Check out what they are doing in disseminating successful supervisory practice. If they are not doing anything, get them to sponsor a workshop or conference panel on the topic and you will create your own community of peers.Don’t go it aloneCompleting a PhD is not a private matter between supervisor and supervisee. As a supervisor, you are part of a complex collaborative process involving many people – including your supervisee and any co-supervisors, research skills training providers – but also the peer research community inside and outside your own institution. Think of them all as partners in supervision, and you, as well as your student, can learn from them. Encourage your student to get advice from as wide a community as possible, not only through presenting conference papers but by making use of the training and career mentoring opportunities offered by your own institution and by professional associations.StrategiseGet involved in initiatives to support doctoral work within and across institutions. Don’t dismiss doctoral training centres, even if they do sometimes reinvent the wheel of research training!Try to involve yourself in the planning processes for bidding for these initiatives. It will give you a strong understanding of, and possibly a chance to influence, how research streams or training requirements are identified. I&nbsp;found this when I&nbsp;was involved in planning an Economic and Social Research Council-funded doctoral training programme and later, in a successful bid for a five-year Leverhulme-funded doctoral programme. When these bids succeed, they more than pay dividends in enabling more funding of PhD students, increasing your chance of supervising strong students and building a mutually supportive postgraduate researcher community.Kimberly Hutchings is professor of politics and international relations at Queen Mary, University of London. She was shortlisted in the Outstanding Research Supervisor of the Year category in the 2024 Times Higher Education Awards. A full list of nominees can be found here.&nbsp;If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Seven tips for making the most of your supervisory relations

How can we supervise our PhD students to give them the best chance of success? Here are seven tips to keep in mind when taking on the role

‘I’ve been a research supervisor for 35 years and I’m still learning’ 

Success in research as an undergraduate student should not be the main reason for pursuing a PhD. Motivation for doctoral studies should come from enthusiasm for your field of research and a feeling that, for you, questions outnumber answers.&nbsp;Here, I offer personal insights and motivations for making a career as a researcher that might be beneficial for early career scientists.Find and retain inspiration in the long termAn event that initially seems unfavourable can help us find goals and keep at them. For example, when I was awarded second prize in neuroscience at a congress of the Scientific Students’ Association of Semmelweis University, I was clearly disappointed. However, the result motivated me to become better at what I do. My long-term commitment paid off seven years later; I was selected for a leadership position at a national clinical neuroscience centre. &nbsp;Throughout my journey, one thing has remained the same: I enjoy working rather than feeling obliged to work. I find clinical neuroscience one of the most fascinating areas of health sciences.&nbsp;Start early and keep workingWhile the first year of university studies is typically a time to adapt to new learning processes and broaden theoretical knowledge, the second year is the optimal time to enter science. Many students put off applying with excuses such as: “I want to finish the comprehensive exams first”, “I prefer down-to-earth practice over research” or “I am waiting for the opportunity to work with a famous professor.”&nbsp;Campus webinar: how to present research to a wider audience for greater impactFive ways to connect PhD students with industryGet a head start in the first year of your PhDHowever, becoming a professional, which in my field means understanding technologies such as neurophysiology, neuro-imaging and neuropsychology, requires a long-term commitment. Frequent participation in multiple studies is also necessary to develop a solid methodological background. So it is better to start as early as possible.&nbsp;An early decision should be to select the first target research group. Participating in scientific conferences of student organisations with an experienced group, such as senior students, members of student associations or experienced PhD students, can be a great opportunity for a freshman from both a social and professional perspective. It makes sense to look for student presenters who demonstrate a sound background in the entire research process; they have a broad knowledge of the literature background, can formulate good research questions, work with a clear methodology, and can articulate their results and the key messages of the applicability of their findings in a clear and concise way. The affiliations of the selected presenters can provide valuable clues.Find the right mentor and get inspiredApplying for an open position is a critical first step for university students to gain access to research laboratories. Since appropriate guidance is crucial in early career research, finding your mentor is a key step. I was fortunate to find great mentors who were known for their medical professionalism, teaching skills and rigorous and ethical research activities.&nbsp;Great team leaders are usually open to receiving CVs and motivation letters from interested newcomers, so students should not be afraid to apply for positions and send out emails. If you progress to interview stage, be prepared. Read recent papers from the group, search for ongoing research grants and familiarise yourself with the basic background of the applied methodologies and the targeted disorders or physiological processes.&nbsp;The key question is: how do you find the best research mentors? Consider reaching out to undergraduate and PhD students in the target group; if you find people who have been working in the same lab for many years and are still enthusiastic about science, you are probably in the right place. Another important factor is learning about the scientific career paths of the lab members. The quality of the work in a laboratory can be judged by the number of scientific presentations, peer-reviewed academic articles authored by undergraduate/ PhD students and early career researchers who have won grants and individual funding. However, personalities are not always well matched. Perfect chemistry between the mentor and the student is rare.&nbsp;Be clear about your own constraints and motivations in terms of the time and energy that you can devote to scientific work. This awareness may help the adjustment to the research team. Energy invested almost always pays off. Perhaps you can only dedicate half a day a week. It is obviously not enough for high-quality scientific, work but investment in data management or data acquisition can help the team, and could even serve as the basis for a later thesis.For example, if an early career researcher dedicates every weekend to science, they might become a co-principal investigator after a few years. A researcher must carefully assess their mental and physical resources and communicate them from the very beginning and throughout the years to benefit both themselves and the team.Invest in the futureWorking as a PhD student is underfinanced everywhere in the world, so one might earn significantly less for many years compared with your classmates who have not pursued an academic career. However, this training enables students to learn valuable life skills such as working and interacting in global settings, cooperative problem-solving, appreciation of lifelong learning, strict data analysis and presentation, and effective leadership skills.&nbsp;Neuroscience, for example, is an interdisciplinary field involving medicine, physics, biology, chemistry, information technology and data science. So your PhD could be beneficial in various sectors.Holding a neuroscience PhD along with a medical degree provides diverse career options. You can work as a medical professional in a classic clinical environment but with a better understanding of medical sciences, new protocols, research data and novel guidelines. You will have a sound background for introducing new solutions and technologies to daily practice. Or you might run drug trials, biomarker validation studies or clinical research laboratories.In my opinion, the greatest benefit of pursuing neuroscience as a lifelong profession is the enormous improvement in adversity quotients. Your papers may be frequently rejected, your scientific grants and scholarships may often be unsuccessful and, in most cases, your hypotheses may be proved false. Despite the failures, the experience of scientific discoveries is joyful and priceless and might make you resilient, opening a window to the entire world.&nbsp;András Attila Horváth is head of the Neurocognitive Research Centre of the Nyírő Gyula National Institute of Psychiatry and Addictology, and assistant professor in the department of anatomy, histology and embryology, at Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Pursuing a research career, especially in a competitive field such as neuroscience, requires commitment, early action, long-term goals and, above all, ongoing passion and curiosity about your field

How to succeed as an early career researcher? Be motivated and inspire others

I’m an Australian novelist who had writer’s block while doing my creative arts doctorate and flailed about so wildly that I looked to neuroscience for help. I later turned this crisis and my&nbsp;resulting research into a book, The Mystery of the Cleaning Lady: a Writer Looks at Creativity and Neuroscience. Ever since, I’ve continued to sleuth through neuroscience for what it knows about enhancing creativity.I little thought that my fascination would lead to creating an international “creativity bar”.I began to use my research to teach creative writing, which is traditionally taught without any neuroscience at all, first at the University of Sydney, then at Australia’s National Institute of Dramatic Art, invited by the head of school, Stephen Sewell, a playwright himself, who understood that neuroscience gives us a useful way to think about creativity. When a group of neuroscientists studied the effectiveness of our course for a year with a battery of 22 before-and-after objective tests and a subjective one, I was delighted, and more so at the result. It turned out our teaching enhanced the flexibility of the students’ ideas by 34 per cent and their originality by 65 per cent.&nbsp;Spotlight collection: creativity in higher educationTHE podcast: bringing an outsider’s eye to primary sourcesRead more: creative writing to hone critical thinkingI hadn’t imagined teaching anyone but writers, but on the back of that research, Kim Cunio, who headed the School of Music at the Australian National University, invited me to teach his composers to be more creative. I was initially reluctant, but I’d long been aware that, despite the difference in our outputs, we practitioners, whatever our disciplines, fall into a common language when we’re talking about the job of daily creating.&nbsp;So, for three fascinating years, I taught composers. It was Covid, so lessons were on Zoom, but the students, often also musicians, invariably wrote glowing reports afterwards, which to me confirmed the findings of the research. Cunio said: “Composers are so fragile as they gain their skills [that] what is often most difficult is the task of keeping the inner songbird alive as they grow – this project was a big part of that process.”The composers had been eager to share what the creative process was like for them, which resonated with my practice, so I felt that with them I’d found my tribe. To keep in touch with them, I decided to form a “creativity bar”, so called because by then they were often playing gigs at bars, and I set it for once a month. As the musicians grew busier, I began to invite the poets, novelists, visual artists, stage directors and screenwriters that I encountered in my research.&nbsp;I knew from the start that we would not talk about the ideas that showed up in the eventual work because, when they’re so newly formed, they are vague and often merely sensed. Artists learn that putting them into words too early makes them vanish. For many of us, ideas become apparent only at the end. The work has to grow in the artist in its own time.&nbsp;What we talk about instead is the felt experience of associative thinking, so different from linear, logical, analytic – in Heidegger’s word, “calculative” – thinking. We explore associative thinking’s insistence on the cessation of any other mode of thought, so it evaporates if that rule is broken; its dependence on meditation, that is, often to start knowing nothing, just a feeling of knowing (as Kenneth Bowers et al wrote); its unexpected leaps; the unbidden emotions it stirs; its linking of seemingly unconnected, often ridiculous things; its conjuring up disconcertingly life-like images and even voices. After all, it takes place in a completely different brain network than analytic thinking – which, speaking from experience only, seems to have a different modality.&nbsp;As the creativity bar continues, I’ve discovered as a practitioner what a joy and relief it is to share common experiences of this strange thinking – such as when the work seems dull and uninspired and the most outlandish thing we’ve ever undertaken, and yet we feel strangely compelled to stay with it. This compulsion is always a sign, I’ve learned, that the work is articulating something essential to us, and perhaps eventually it will resonate with others. At this stage, we all agree, it’s tempting to give up, but then comes the flood of relief when the work suddenly jerks into life and talks back. These exchanges about the process spark the same relief that anyone might feel as they groan and exult with workmates over a Friday-night drink.&nbsp;Visual artist Patricia Townsend said: “I wondered whether the findings of my research with visual artists would also apply to poets, novelists, composers and other forms of art. Then Sue Woolfe contacted me and I had the chance to find out. The creativity bar has given me a precious space to meet creative people from other disciplines and to share the highs and lows of what it’s like to be in the throes of creating a new work.”Since a key element in the bar is that everyone is often at early stages of the work, I knew that these revelations must be protected, so I decided not to invite critics or learned onlookers, however well meaning. Everyone needed to be equally vulnerable.&nbsp;When I invite an artist, I ensure they agree that what we talk about is never shared with others. For this reason I don’t record sessions, though I broke this practice recently when I invited the Portuguese potter and PhD candidate Paulo Tiago Cebeca to talk to us and he needed a recording of the session for his candidature. I’d received so many apologies from the group that I offered to share the recording but carefully gave all participants 24 hours’ notice to object.&nbsp;Always I suggest topics that might in practice veer anywhere; often I invite a member who has just opened an exhibition or published a book or composed a piece to talk about what it was like to have “beholders” – that old-fashioned word we find so useful – and occasionally I invite a speaker.&nbsp;Composer Wendy Suiter said of the bar: “Having others be intensely interested in my own insights from years of&nbsp;working in the abstract, intangible medium of music, and the joy of&nbsp;our stumbling words being taken seriously by the other practising artists,&nbsp;as we struggle to find a way to verbalise such interior processes and&nbsp;feelings, frankly sharing our own thoughts, creative struggles and&nbsp;processes, and occasionally our products, is a very validating experience."&nbsp;Because research continues to underpin our discussions, I use the University of Sydney Zoom site. The creativity bar is now midway through its third year and seems stronger than ever. Every year I check if the artists want to continue, and every year they do.&nbsp;Does talking about the doing of our work enhance the eventual work? Not directly, but when an artwork seems artless, fellow artists know that behind it is not only the years of learning one’s discipline (it’s estimated an average of 10 years, but I’d argue a lifetime) but of learning the skills demanded by associative thinking and patiently putting them into practice and never losing heart. I’d like to think the bar helps us to achieve doggedness.It’s only recently that I’ve realised the truth of what one artist said: where else in the world is there another place when we practitioners can share our concerns without judgement or embarrassment? And if that’s true – why is it so?Sue Woolfe is an honorary associate in the discipline of English and writing at the University of Sydney. She is the author of five fictional works, including&nbsp;Leaning Towards Infinity&nbsp;(Ligature e-books), which in its original publication year won the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction and the Commonwealth Prize for the Pacific region and was runner-up in prizes including the Commonwealth Prize and the US Tiptree Award for Speculative Fiction.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

Out of writer’s block and research into the artistic process have grown a tool and a community to foster new work. Novelist Sue Woolfe describes how an international creativity bar works

A space where ideas can take shape in the creative arts

Social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) are essential for academics to share research, network and engage with the public. However, navigating these platforms can undermine researchers’ credibility. Scientists’ political expression on social media significantly affects how the public perceives them, we found in a study of about 98,000 scientists and experiments with 3,700 respondents, all based in the US. Maintaining credibility depends on how academics communicate online.Here are practical tips from our findings to help academics engage on social media without compromising their standing.Focus on research, not politicsNeutrality is paramount for credibility, our study found. Scientists who share politically charged opinions face a credibility penalty. Figure 1 shows that the stronger the political stance, the more public trust declines as well as public willingness to engage with scientific content. In our experiment, both strongly Republican and strongly Democratic scientists experience a reduction in perceived credibility, by 39 per cent and 11 per cent respectively, compared with their politically neutral counterparts.&nbsp;&nbsp;Spotlight collection: how to make social media an academic friend, not foe&nbsp;Making the most of social media: practical tips for academics&nbsp;Read more: shifting landscapes of social media data for research&nbsp;To maintain credibility, scientists might choose to prioritise sharing research findings over engaging in partisan debates. Focusing on discussions related to their own work can help scientists preserve public trust, as audiences tend to value expertise-based opinions over political ones.

  
      
  
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Figure 1: Credibility penalty of academics’ political expression on social media

&nbsp;Note: The chart shows that across the political spectrum, scientists experience a significant monotonic decrease in perceived credibility and willingness to engage with their content as their political expressions become more pronounced.&nbsp;Source: Alabrese, Capozza and Garg (2024).Be mindful of communication styleGlobally, academics on social media are significantly more vocal on politicised issues than the general public – 10 times more likely to support climate action, six times more expressive about cultural liberalism, and 23 times more vocal about economic collectivism, according to&nbsp;companion work. While understandable, this disparity can mislead the public about academic consensus and potentially erode trust.Additionally, the study finds notable differences in&nbsp;how academics express themselves. While generally less toxic than the broader social media user base, variations exist within academia. Academics in the US and those from top-ranked institutions tend to exhibit higher levels of egocentrism and toxicity relative to academics from other countries.Being mindful of both content and tone not only preserves credibility but also fosters constructive engagement with a diverse audience.&nbsp;

  
      
  
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Figure 2: Differences in academic expression among academics

&nbsp;Note: This figure presents average levels of egocentrism, toxicity and emotionality in tweets by academics, categorised by factors such as country, field and institutional ranking.&nbsp;Source:&nbsp;Garg and Fetzer (2024).Separate personal and professional accountsIf political engagement is important, scientists should consider maintaining separate accounts – one for personal views and another for professional academic content. This allows scientists to engage in political discussions without having them mixed with the professional content and risking that it becomes compromised. Keeping a professional account strictly focused on research, academic commentary and educational content could help scientists preserve the trust of a more general audience, which is crucial for increasing the reach and impact of scientific work.Use social media to educate, not advocateWhile it’s tempting to advocate for causes one is passionate about, especially on pressing issues such as climate change or social justice, our research highlights a fine line between advocacy and information-sharing. On social media, academics shall aim to inform and educate about their field of expertise, with an approach that encourages public engagement without alienating those with differing views.This perspective is reinforced by our survey of an international sample of scientists, who generally agree that expressing political views on topics within their expertise is more socially acceptable than commenting on issues outside their field. These scientists also believe that their peers share this sentiment. On average, scientists anticipate reputational benefits for discussing politically charged topics directly linked to their research, while noting the potential reputational risks that come when venturing beyond their professional scope.Be mindful of your audiencePublic perceptions of scientists vary and are heavily influenced by audience political affiliation. Our study shows that respondents are less willing to engage with scientists whose political views oppose their own (see Figure 3). This polarisation underscores the importance of being mindful of one's audience when communicating. Tailoring content to avoid alienating specific groups helps to maintain a broad readership and facilitates constructive engagement across the political spectrum.

  
      
  
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Figure 3: Credibility penalty of academics’ political expression by respondent partisanship

&nbsp;Note: The graph shows how the penalty in perceived credibility and willingness to engage with content due to scientists’ political expression on social media is particularly strong among respondents whose political positions oppose those of the scientists.&nbsp;Source: Alabrese, Capozza and Garg (2024).Institutional best practicesJohns Hopkins University recently adopted a “posture of restraint” in issuing official statements, limiting them to issues directly related to the university’s core functions. Leaders noted that public statements on social, political or scientific issues could be “counterproductive” and undermine open dialogue. This approach preserves the institution’s role as a space for diverse views.This example serves as a model for individual academics. Focusing on fostering dialogue and advancing knowledge, rather than taking positions on contentious issues, helps maintain credibility and public trust in scientific expertise.Opportunities and challenges of social media for academicsSocial media enables wider dissemination of research but also exposes scientists to scrutiny, where political views can impact public trust. By sharing research, separating personal and professional identities, and engaging objectively, academics can use social media effectively while preserving credibility.As digital communication evolves, science communication strategies must adapt to maintain public trust. For scientists, social media should be a platform for education and outreach, not a battleground for political ideology.Eleonora Alabrese is&nbsp;an assistant professor in the department of economics at the University of Bath. Francesco Capozza is a&nbsp;research associate in the WZB Berlin Social Science Center. Prashant Garg is&nbsp;an economics PhD student at Imperial College Business School.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

Preserving academic credibility when on social media

As political expression on social media can harm public perception of scientists, strategies such as sharing research, separating personal and professional identities, and engaging objectively are ways that academics can use it effectively while preserving credibility

How to preserve academic credibility when engaging with social media

Find out how to expand the reach of your research beyond your institution from academic experts at Campus+ partner universities across the UK and North America.We discuss:How to use new media to amplify your workHow to build a stand-out online profileEffective ways to discuss the impact of your researchInnovative methods of communication.Our panellists are:Denise Baden, professor of sustainable business at the University of SouthamptonPatricia Raun, director, Center for Communicating Science at Virginia TechGregory Goldsmith, associate professor of biology and associate dean for research and development at Chapman UniversityKrystina Silva, senior social media strategist at the University of Alberta.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Webinar: Present research to wider audiences for more impact

Learn about ways to articulate and present your work to non-academic audiences from experts from Campus+ partner institutions in the UK and North America

Campus webinar: How to present research to a wider audience for greater impact

In 2021, I embarked on a Parliamentary Academic Fellowship at the House of Commons Library. This scheme provides an opportunity for researchers to use their knowledge and skills to carry out projects in UK parliament and learn how research feeds into practice and decision-making.&nbsp;I drew on teaching material at The Open University and my own research to create a knowledge-transfer project on the gender pension gap. This looked at the differing outcomes in retirement faced by men and women in the UK and it helped create a new research area on the gender pension gap in parliament.The result was that, in 2023, the UK government started annual reporting of the gender pension gap for the first time.You will have already done the hard work within your research, but how do you use this to create a successful knowledge-transfer project?This is a process that, most obviously, occurs when you use your hard-won research to transfer knowledge to policymakers.&nbsp;Usually, you’ll get a valuable benefit in return, either by learning more about the constraints that policymakers work under or an aspect you had not even considered when you delve into policy details. For example, I had not realised how the lack of data on pension-sharing orders in divorce cases hampers understanding of the gender pension gap.&nbsp; &nbsp;Knowledge transfer here becomes genuine knowledge exchange – like a conversation – and this benefits your own research.So, how do you create a successful knowledge transfer project? Here are my five top tips. &nbsp;1. Know who are you writing forThe first step is to consider your audience. Are you writing a policy brief for politicians, civil servants, policy researchers or special advisers? Remember that your audience will usually be very pressed for time and may be interested in very specific things.So, tailor your research to the questions they want answering. If the Treasury Committee wants to explore the tax system after coronavirus then it’s not much use submitting evidence on the introduction of income taxes during the Napoleonic wars.Spotlight guide: THE Awards 2024: learn from the best in UK and Irish higher educationFive steps for engaging policymakers in researchWant your research to have an impact on policy? Know your audience2. Stick to deadlinesAcademics are weary of students who miss assignment deadlines because they forgot to set an alarm. So, don’t make the same error yourself. Policymakers have tight schedules. When a parliamentary committee issues a call for evidence, it will specify a cut-off point for submissions. These deadlines are fixed and if you want to be read or heard, pay attention to dates.Be prepared to respond quickly as well. A policy issue may suddenly flare up and policymakers crave immediate research. You might be in the lucky position of being the one person or team who has done the exact research. Best to send this now rather than spend time polishing off your latest paper.In my case, I joined the House of Commons library around the time UK parliament’s Work and Pensions Committee had launched a Saving for Later Life inquiry and one of the inquiry topics was on the gender pension gap. So, here was a perfect opportunity for me to use my teaching and research on the gender pension gap to plug that hole. The opportunity for knowledge transfer was there to be seized. &nbsp; &nbsp;3. Keep it simplePolicymakers have many competing demands on their time. So, make it as easy as possible for them to grasp the key issues quickly by writing in a simple and clear fashion. They won’t be experts in all areas. Sometimes specialist language is needed but it’s helpful to avoid jargon and unnecessary acronyms if you can.For those interested in engaging with parliament, the&nbsp;UK Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology has&nbsp;a host of helpful resources for researchers, PhD students or knowledge mobilisers.There are many guides on writing simply. Take your pick. A personal favourite is George Orwell’s&nbsp;“Politics and the English Language”.4. It’s a numbers gamePolicymakers often hanker for a statistic or piece of data in a briefing. Well-chosen data or statistics can really enliven a briefing. This is like a dropped stone that creates ripples of understanding.Here’s a statistic I used in my work on the gender pension gap: in 2023, the gender pension gap was 35 per cent, more than double the gender pay gap of 14.3 per cent.5. More than words can sayT. S. Eliot claimed that the best poems communicate before they are fully understood. Visual aids can do the same. If your research uses numerical data, then presenting this in an attractive graph or chart can help. If your work is mainly qualitative, photos or illustrations can create an attractive briefing. &nbsp;Many of the above tips are reactive – using your research to respond to a need from policymakers. This forms the reality of many, perhaps most, knowledge-transfer projects.But, it’s also possible for researchers to shape the policy agenda by highlighting issues not previously considered by policymakers. The above tips can be easily adapted for that as well – write simply, think about numbers, present attractively.&nbsp;What will differ is where the channels arise. Rather than responding to a specific call for evidence, be proactive by publishing blogs, producing briefing papers or convening seminars. Good luck! &nbsp;Rajiv Prabhakar is senior lecturer in personal finance at The Open University.The Open University was shortlisted for Knowledge Exchange/Transfer Initiative of the Year at the Times Higher Education Awards 2024 #THEAwards. A full list of shortlisted candidates can be found here.&nbsp;If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Lessons for maximising knowledge transfer with policymakers

Advice on how to share your research with the aim of maximising knowledge transfer among policymakers in parliament

What I learned about knowledge transfer with policymakers during my parliamentary fellowship

Have you ever heard an academic admit in a public lecture that they only got into their field to spend more time at the beach?Or where they accuse another speaker of wanting to dig up poop on hiking trips?&nbsp;Or where a bunch of PhD students heckle the academic on stage with T-shirts printed with his catchphrase: “Did you know I went to Oxford?”What if moments like these – where the boundaries between academic and personal life blur a little – weren’t just a great way to make scholarly work more engaging and relatable but were also enriching and fun for you, too?Academics on stage: where smart meets sillyWelcome to The Peer Revue.&nbsp;This live show is where smart meets silly. Each month a top-tier researcher takes the stage at a Melbourne comedy club to talk about their cutting-edge work. The cast then use their discoveries as fuel for incredibly silly improv comedy.&nbsp;Deakin University education professor (and MC) Phillip Dawson created the show three years ago to “make research engagement more dialogic”. And the night has done that – although perhaps not in quite the way he imagined.&nbsp;Read more: how to promote your research for greater impactTHE podcast: when pop culture meets academiaOpinion: why is no one listening to your message?Performances regularly feature audience interjections that range from curious and passionate to almost unhinged with brazen prof-on-prof heckling. Members of the public frequently pitch in questions about everything from illicit drugs to bowel movements. And the guests’ colleagues and students relish the chance to subvert the formality and hierarchy that might be part of their professional relationships (as with the endearing T-shirt takedown).We expected the audience to get a lot out of these shows. What surprised me most was just how much the experience would mean to the scholars who join us on stage.&nbsp;Academics can be idiots, tooI taught critical thinking and communication in my early 20s, and, oh boy, did I feel a lot of pressure. I did my best to pique my students’ curiosity while retaining a professional academic persona, never entirely sure how much of myself I should show. Back then, I didn’t know how to handle the dichotomy between the Chris who could speak with authority about “denying the antecedent” and the Chris who co-wrote&nbsp;a ridiculous rap song about accounting for a movie I was directing.Observing the academics on stage for The Peer Revue, it occurs to me that we’ve created an environment where academics’ different sides can coexist in public. And that perhaps that’s what scholars are craving, as I did 15 years ago.Before showtime, the academic guest usually gives a nervous disclaimer: “I don’t think I’m very funny.” But once on stage, they smile, laugh and share sides of themselves I highly doubt come out in traditional academic forums. One prof took a long pause before exclaiming: “I’m not hiding it any more! I love trains, OK! I LOVE them! Choo choo, motherfucker!”One guest said being in the show was the highlight of their year. Another said it was a career highlight. As much as I’d like to credit this to the improv, I think it’s probably more to do with the atmosphere, the camaraderie and the freedom to be their whole damn selves.And for the record, the guests are always funny. When they’re so unabashedly themselves, sharing all the ups and downs about their work, the things that sparked their passion, and the things that make them tear their hair out...the audience is never less than captivated.Battering down the gates of the ivory tower...with fart jokes?Isn’t a captivated audience the dream when it comes to research engagement? An audience that not only understands what you’re trying to communicate but is hungry to learn more?For the academics, they learn what students and the public are most confused by when it comes to their research area. The things the audience is worried about. Their most burning questions.&nbsp;From deep in the academy, it can be hard to know how little scholars in other fields understand about your niche, let alone laypeople. And for the average person, it can be surprisingly intimidating to say: “I don’t understand.”&nbsp;Comedy can be a potent equaliser. During shows like The Peer Revue, it’s par for the course to poke gentle fun at an academic who finds themselves knee-deep in a quagmire of jargon. And to poke fun at ourselves while we ask “the stupid questions”.&nbsp;One cast member often makes a point of saying: “Sorry, you’ll have to explain that again. I’m just a primary school teacher.” It always gets a laugh, and I can almost feel a sigh of relief from the audience – and the academic. Rather than a knowledge gap fuelling disengagement or even alienation, we end up with laughter and an opportunity for learning. The audience gets a better idea of the topic, and the academic gets insights into what laypeople might need to help them understand.So, maybe what all this shows is that it’s OK to be a bit of an idiot. It’s OK to make mistakes. To say something a little goofy. To drop the mask a bit. There are a million ways you can inject a bit more playfulness into your academic life. You don’t have to do improv. But you might like to.Keen to dip your toes in the silly pool?Here are a few recommendations to get you started:My podcast, Amplifying Research, includes episodes on playfulness, storytelling, using comedy in your research communications and making public engagement interactive as well as others about research comms, engagement and impact more broadly.Learn improv: find a class near you – two of the best-regarded US schools, the Upright Citizens Brigade and Second City, also offer classes online.Look for academic comedy events in your area. In Australia, science communicator Alanta Colley hosts Sci Fight, and the Sydney Comedy School runs Future Science Talks. Storytelling nights such as The Moth can also be great ways for you to watch, learn and practise a different type of public engagement.With the mounting pressures facing academics – from funding cuts to distrust of science and intellectualism – perhaps we can all take a lesson from the irreverence you’re likely to find at at The Peer Revue in Melbourne every fourth Friday night. The academy could do with more opportunities for smart to meet silly, and for academics to let it all hang out. Choo choo, indeed.Chris Pahlow is a research communications and engagement strategist and founder of Amplifying Research.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the&nbsp;Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

The comedy stage can be a place for academics to be silly and let it all hang out. Chris Pahlow explores why humour is effective for scholars and the people they’re trying to communicate with about their research

Academics can (and should) be idiots

Let’s start with an oversimplification of a difficult part of any academic’s life: that a PhD degree only certifies that you are knowledgeable and have some understanding of how personal research should be conducted. To progress further in academia, you will need to show a few more skills – hard and soft – to get hired and promoted.So, how do you become the jack-of-all-trades scholar, as represented by Vitae’s researcher development framework? How do you navigate a sector beset with ever shorter contracts, staffing cuts and rising expectations from early career researchers (ECRs)?&nbsp;The answer is planning and executing a few key steps. Here are practical tips, collected from supporting researchers like you, to set you on track to becoming a future leader with impactful research.Read more: Resources for every step of your academic careerAdvice for growing into an academic leadership roleThree cornerstones of a successful research careerA career in academia is often perceived as a straightforward progression, even if it is not the easiest route to follow.&nbsp;Get a PhD.&nbsp;Drone away in two to three postdoc positions.&nbsp;Become a lecturer.&nbsp;Get promoted through increasingly senior roles up to a professorship.By step two, and definitely to make it to step three, you will need a portfolio of evidence showing your diverse skill set.&nbsp;Unfortunately, the odds are stacked against you. When do you build your career if your university and your boss want you to spend 100 per cent of your time on the bottom end of producing research that increases their rankings? The answer is: know what you need and mould that into alignment with your university and your boss.Find the pathway from goals to promotionLet’s start with the cliché. Who are you? Who do you want to be? What is needed to connect those two?&nbsp;First, look at your short- and long-term goals. Consider whether you want a traditional route that balances teaching and research or if you want to focus on one or the other – or more on impact and enterprise. Many universities have different pathways. But be aware that non-teaching positions are often on fixed-term contracts and you may have to find your own funding. Also, be broader earlier in your career; you might want to adjust your focus later.&nbsp;Second, find the requirements to get promoted (or hired). Universities will have lists of requirements of hard and soft targets that you can check. A hard target would be having supervised at least one PhD student; a soft target would be a suggestion that you have done a public engagement or a knowledge exchange activity.&nbsp;Last, you can start matching what you have done with what you need. You can be creative about it, such as presenting your endless invitations for reviewing as a sign of your international reputation. Make a list of what you still need to do and then start ticking things off.Find supportTo make building an academic career easier for yourself, try to work in a supportive environment. Don’t choose your university, research group and boss based on science alone. You may find that your boss might not be helpful beyond your association with them.Find people who are genuinely happy to actively support you and discuss your career with you. It’s also OK if they are forced to do this. At least in the UK, more and more grants require projects to support the career-building of involved researchers or promote female leadership. So, check the small print of your contract and your boss’ grants.Another option is dedicated career development opportunities or projects. If you are in the UK, your university might be a signatory of the Research Concordat, which requires the university to give you time to develop your career. Moreover, UKRI and Research England support postdoctoral development and have funded research development frameworks such as C-DICE.Grab any chance to demonstrate your skill setNow that you have found a supportive environment, take up all opportunities that help you and which your time allows. Maybe your boss will give you tasks that align with your requirements (make sure they are not just administrative tasks your boss does not want to do).&nbsp;The best thing you can do is run small, somewhat independent projects; they do not have to be massive, especially if you have just finished your PhD. For example, if you want to show you can manage a project with a budget, organising a public engagement activity with £100 to £200 awarded to you would mean you have planned, managed and evaluated a project and used money effectively. Moreover, even if you are just an ECR on a fixed-term contract, there are more opportunities to run small-scale or pump-priming projects for upwards of £2,000.&nbsp;Another good option is to join professional societies, working groups or committees and actively participate. That often allows you to organise events, solve complex problems and network, which are all skills and expertise usually needed for promotions.Forge your own opportunitiesMaybe your environment is not that supportive. In that case, think how you can use what your boss wants to achieve. Their research vision or the vision of the grant that pays you might be bigger than to simply churn out research as demanded. Have that vision in mind and align it with your research vision. Start developing a vision now because you need one as a researcher, then use that to convince them that if you spend time on “your” work, you are doing “their” work.Finally, if there are no readily available opportunities, including via committees, make your own. My research group had no conference for students, so I started one. This is not part of my job, but it allowed me to evidence leadership, support of the academic unit and team management.So, what are the takeaways? Determine what you want and need. Find people and places that support you. Grab opportunities as they reveal themselves (do not overload yourself, though). Forge your destiny in your own way. And don’t forget to publish high-impact papers on the way.Jan Buermann is research fellow in citizen-centric AI systems in the Agents, Interaction and Complexity Group at the University of Southampton.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

The aspiring academic’s career path from PhD to professor

If you have just finished your PhD or postdoc and realised that an academic career needs more than published papers and teaching, Jan Buermann has advice on how to kick-start progress up the ladder

Ethical considerations are foundational to the integrity and validity of scholarly work, guiding researchers to conduct studies that are academically sound and morally responsible. Securing ethics approval is critical for group or individual research projects at any academic level. This process ensures the research respects and protects participants' rights, dignity and welfare.However, students and supervisors often face challenges that can delay or obstruct approval, such as a lack of understanding of ethical guidelines and inadequate preparation of ethics applications. Students might struggle with articulating study risks and benefits or ensuring data confidentiality, especially in research involving vulnerable populations or sensitive topics. Supervisors may find it difficult to guide students through ethical research practices while balancing academic rigour and ethical responsibility.Common problems in ethics applicationsDocumentation and consent issues: the omission of crucial documents (eg, participant information sheets, consent forms, questionnaires or interview guides) is a common oversight. These documents are crucial for informing participants about the research and securing their informed consent.“Respect for persons” entails acknowledging the autonomy of all participants, obtaining informed consent and ensuring that they are fully aware of their rights to withdraw from the study at any point.&nbsp;Privacy and security concerns: failing to mention which online tools will be used for video interviews can lead to ethical and technical issues. It is essential to specify platforms to ensure they meet privacy and security standards. When researchers do not disclose the specific platforms they intend to use, they risk compromising the confidentiality and security of participant data.&nbsp;Ethical issues arise when participants are not adequately informed about how their data will be collected, stored and protected. This lack of transparency can undermine the trust between researchers and participants, potentially leading to a reluctance to participate or the withdrawal of consent.&nbsp;Project clarity and methodological details: despite the fact that ambiguity can result in misunderstandings about the research aims, methods and potential impacts, applications often lack a clear description of the project. Without this, ethics review boards cannot accurately assess the ethical implications of the research.Applications frequently lack details about methodological choices, such as research instruments, data collection processes and sampling strategies. Clear, detailed methodologies are necessary to evaluate the ethical implications fully.&nbsp;Power dynamics and confidentiality: some students overlook power dynamics and gatekeeping issues. For example, recruiting staff members through line managers can introduce significant power imbalances. Ensuring anonymity and confidentiality is also often inadequately addressed.&nbsp;Software and data analysis: the lack of specifics regarding software tools for data analysis and storage can be problematic. Researchers must provide details about the tools to be used to ensure they comply with ethical standards.&nbsp;Primary and secondary data use: there is often a lack of understanding regarding the differences between primary and secondary data. Some students fail to specify the databases they intend to use or attempt to use non-subscribed databases.Supervisor review and endorsement: there have been instances where forms lack the supervisor’s signature. This indicates that the application has not been thoroughly reviewed and endorsed by a faculty member.&nbsp;Data storage and security: students sometimes fail to mention how they will store their primary data securely, which is essential for protecting participant confidentiality. Secure data storage practices are vital for preventing unauthorised access and ensuring that data is preserved accurately and ethically.&nbsp;Resource collection: Research excellence: what is it and how can universities achieve it?How to add value to research and manage intellectual propertyA model for maximising the impact of small research unitsStrategies for overcoming obstaclesTo address these common problems, we can implement several effective strategies:Developing and distributing standardised checklists: supervisors can use these when reviewing student applications to ensure all essential components are included and identify missing elements quickly. These checklists should cover participant information, consent forms, specified tools for data collection and data storage plans.&nbsp;Integrating checklists into the university’s research ethics management system: this would streamline the review process, enabling supervisors to ensure all criteria are met before approving applications. By configuring the system to recognise primary data collection, it can mandate attaching relevant files (eg, recruitment materials and participant information sheets).&nbsp;Creating a centralised repository of resources: this should include exemplary ethics applications submitted and approved in the past, which would provide supervisors and students with clear examples of best practices.&nbsp;Offering training sessions and workshops on ethical research practices: this helps students and supervisors understand and address ethical considerations in their applications. The dissertation handbook should include detailed guidelines on ethical research. Consistent online training should be provided for staff and students before and during the initial months of the dissertation process. These sessions should cover topics such as informed consent, confidentiality and managing sensitive data. Additionally, incorporating case studies and real-life scenarios in these workshops provides practical insights into handling ethical dilemmas effectively.&nbsp;Providing clear guidelines on the use of software tools and data sources: including a list of approved databases and platforms can prevent confusion and ensure compliance with institutional policies.&nbsp;Addressing ethics application issues proactively streamlines the approval process, enhances research quality and upholds ethical standards. Informing and preparing students and supervisors fosters an ethical research environment, while comprehensive resources empower researchers to navigate challenges responsibly and with integrity.&nbsp;Marios Kremantzis and Fatema Zaghloul are lecturers in business analytics and Rushana Khusainova is a senior lecturer in marketing at the University of Bristol Business School.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Understanding ethics approval in academic research

The following strategies aim to streamline the ethics approval process, reduce delays and uphold the highest ethical standards

The PhD experience puts fledgling researchers on the path to becoming seasoned academics. This transformative journey demands not only scholarly rigour but also the resilience and adaptability to navigate challenges, from researching uncharted domains to mastering the art of communicating complex ideas with clarity and conviction. PhD students need not only hard skills in research but also soft skills, such as the ability to present research persuasively and network strategically.Because PhD education extends beyond solitary pursuit, collaborative endeavours and supportive networks are indispensable, as I&nbsp;have learned from taking this journey myself.Engaging with peers from diverse disciplines and cultural backgrounds broadens intellectual horizons and nurtures a sense of community essential for sustaining motivation and resilience during the average five-year journey. Establishing these networks early equips PhD candidates with potentially lifelong professional relationships that facilitate collaboration and career advancement.Advice for effective cross-team collaboration for researchRead more: So you want to host an international online conference?How to make enterprise activities enjoyable and impactfulStrong communication skills also enhance employability and career prospects, preparing students for job interviews, professional settings and effective teaching.A peer-to-peer conference led by doctoral students for doctoral students is a way to give PhD candidates the opportunity to exercise their collaboration and communication skills.How a scholars conference enhances PhD educationStudent-led conferences such as the Singapore Rising Scholars Conference (SRSC) can be a valuable complement to major field-specific conferences, where professors and established scholars are the main participants. While major conferences offer the opportunity to learn from and be inspired by seasoned academics, student conferences allow PhD candidates to take charge, practise leadership and refine their networking skills among peers. The combination of learning from established scholars and leading within peer-driven platforms provides a well-rounded preparation for academic and professional success.The SRSC, initiated by Singapore Management University’s (SMU’s) College of Graduate Research Studies, fosters a constructive learning environment for doctoral students in management and social sciences. By encouraging constructive dialogue among emerging scholars from diverse backgrounds, the conference nurtures collaborations that transcend institutional boundaries and inspires interdisciplinary research. This annual event, which has evolved since its debut in 2023 into a two-day programme showcasing research from 60&nbsp;paper presenters across 22&nbsp;global institutions, not only enriches participants’ research but also cultivates essential skills in academic presentation, networking and collaboration while providing a platform for exploring new research avenues and expanding professional networks.Jian Hu, a first-year PhD student at SMU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Business, describes the thrill of presenting his research among peers, a sentiment that mirrors my own experience as a doctoral student. I&nbsp;vividly remember the excitement and nerves of sharing my research with an audience for the first time, an experience that sharpened my communication skills and expanded my academic horizons through the valuable feedback I&nbsp;received. For Srishti Arora, from the Singapore campus of the French business school INSEAD, the conference inspired her to seek out interdisciplinary collaboration.By promoting dialogue, collaboration and innovation, peer-to-peer conferences empower young scholars to push boundaries and make meaningful contributions to their fields and beyond.The role of academic institutions: commitment, resources and reputationAcademic institutions can nurture PhD students through platforms such as student-led conferences. However, establishing such events requires a significant commitment of resources – financial, logistical and human – and a long-term vision. The rewards, however, can be substantial, not just for the participants but for the institution itself.At SMU, the SRSC shows how a single institution can create and sustain such a platform. For other institutions looking to replicate this model, it is essential to recognise that success hinges on consistent execution and a commitment to quality. Over time, such a conference can become a cornerstone of an&nbsp;institution’s brand, attracting high-calibre faculty and students. Institutions should simultaneously consider investing in marketing, alumni outreach and continuous improvement processes to ensure that the conference grows in stature and impact over time.Alternatively, institutions might consider a collaborative model, in which multiple universities join forces to create a rotating conference. Each institution could take turns hosting the event, sharing the burden of resources while also benefiting from the diverse expertise and perspectives that collaboration brings. This approach can also strengthen inter-institutional relationships and provide students with broader networking opportunities. However, it is important to establish clear guidelines and expectations among the participating institutions to ensure the quality and continuity of the event. Collaborative conferences can also serve as a testing ground for joint research initiatives and cross-institutional projects, further amplifying the benefits.Whether choosing to go it alone or to collaborate, the key is for institutions to view these conferences not just as events but as strategic investments in their academic communities. They offer a tangible way to build institutional reputation while providing invaluable development opportunities for students.The SRSC exemplifies the profound impact of peer-to-peer conferences on PhD education. By placing students at the helm, these events provide a platform to develop the collaboration and communication skills that are critical for academic and professional success. Leading discussions, presenting research and engaging in cross-disciplinary dialogues empower PhD students to become confident communicators and effective collaborators. Additionally, the networks formed during these conferences foster enduring professional relationships that can lead to future collaborations and career opportunities. Ultimately, peer-to-peer conferences such as the SRSC transform the PhD experience, equipping students with the practical skills and networks necessary for long-term success.Heli Wang is dean of the College of Graduate Research Studies and the Janice Bellace professor of strategic management in the Lee Kong Chian School of Business at Singapore Management University.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Why peer-to-peer conferences benefit doctoral students

Solid research skills aside, PhD students need to master the art of collaboration and communicating their ideas. A student-led conference can offer that support

Why peer-to-peer conferences benefit doctoral students and their institutions

Just when their research careers are taking off, postdoctoral researchers look at the promotion criteria or start perusing academic job adverts and discover that they need teaching experience. How will they acquire this experience?&nbsp;Here’s how we have tried to create teaching opportunities for our postdoctoral researchers, while respecting funding boundaries that often restrict the hours you can spend teaching.Be clear about what teaching experience might look likeEveryone thinks they will give a “big lecture”. They might be lucky, but the reality is that few are going spare. That said, it is always worth postdocs asking around the senior researchers in the team.&nbsp;Instead, young academics need to think outside the lecture box to see the many other educational opportunities that will be valued by their local education teams. These include marking, small-group work (including facilitation of tutorials), being a personal tutor and supervision of student research projects. It is all about getting a little experience for their CVs but also making sure they are heading in the right direction.&nbsp;Resource collection: how to progress in your academic careerHow to write an academic CV: dos and dont’sAdvice for acquiring the essential skills that every ECR needsWe run a workshop called “How to become a lecturer” to help manage expectations and signpost alternative education opportunities. We also tell our researchers that they have a great skillset for teaching, including reading and understanding complicated research papers and condensing information into manageable chunks for presentation to a broad audience.&nbsp;Make opportunities more visible to the right peopleOur faculty is good at advertising education opportunities to everyone, but we realised early on that our postdoctoral researchers couldn’t distinguish what was suitable for them and what wasn’t, so they were not taking up these opportunities. Now we repost all suitable opportunities from an email address they associate with postdoctoral researcher information, with a header making it very clear that “this is for you”.&nbsp;Our postdoctoral association has produced an education page on its Sharepoint site, listing opportunities and contacts so that the more proactive researchers can contact education teams directly to enquire about teaching opportunities. We steer clear of advertising roles such as module leader to postdocs, because it could create tension between researchers and supervisors and/or funders if they take a demanding and time-intensive role. Meetings with our senior education and research staff helped us to refine our approach.Support researchers in their first education stepsCreating a nurturing and informative environment for new educationalists allows them to see where their teaching fits into the overall programme. Co-teaching with an experienced member of staff can be helpful, as can working with peers to develop teaching resources.&nbsp;We signpost postdoctoral researchers to our faculty staff mentoring scheme, which has many mentors with educational experience and experience in balancing teaching and research. We also run a workshop on getting the most out of postdocs’ appraisals and see them as safe spaces to plan their futures, identify their training needs and possibly have difficult conversations.&nbsp;The Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers provides a framework for researchers to pursue a minimum of 10 days’ professional development a year, which could be used on teaching activity. We work with our university concordat team to disseminate this information to researchers and their line managers to smooth the way for professional development, including teaching.&nbsp;Has our multi-pronged strategy worked?&nbsp;Feedback has shown us that we have postdoctoral researchers who are now facilitators and personal academic tutors for our students through our rebadging of emailed adverts. We know we have engagement with researchers in marking and supervision of projects. We also know that our researchers seek mentoring, including education-related mentoring. We have raised the profile of teaching for our postdoctoral researchers, so they have more options to head towards and possible ways of getting there.Our final words are about the enjoyment and challenges of combining research and education. We share our thoughts authentically as we have taken different career pathways involving research and teaching. We both understand that it is difficult at that early stage of your research career to know what the future will hold, let alone how to get there. We also know that our researchers are important contributors to education, sharing state-of-the-art knowledge and love of their subjects with our students, and that it is our responsibility to create and signpost education opportunities for them and to support them when they take those first steps into education.Nicola Englyst is a principal teaching fellow and chair of the mentoring scheme, and Delphine Boche is chair of the postdoctoral association, both in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Southampton.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

How to help postdoctoral researchers get teaching experience

Early career researchers increasingly require teaching experience for job applications or promotion. How can we create opportunities that help postdocs gain educational experience while remaining on a research grant-funded pathway?

How to help postdoctoral researchers gain experience in teaching

Are you frustrated that the fascinating story about your work is not being heard? You’re telling it, but the world just isn’t listening. Maybe it’s because academic ways of communicating are often the exact opposite of what you need to command serious attention.The message is the outcome, the destination, not the journey. How to slow Alzheimer’s disease, for example. A way to break the cycle of flunking school. Where Richard III was buried. That’s what gets clicks and eyeballs.Here are four of the biggest issues, along with simple solutions to help your communication cut through.&nbsp;1. Be clear about the value in your contentHow many emails, reports, submissions, applications, memos and social media posts do you see in a day? Yep, the thought made me grimace, too.Given the competition for attention, your content has to be irresistible. This means you must put the value – the reason anyone should pay attention to your message – right up front in any communication you create about it.Compare these two ways to start an article about engaging teaching, for example:A: I’ve noticed that many lecturers struggle to engage an audience, talking away while the group play with their phones or stare out the window in vacant desperation. But it doesn’t have to be that way, because there are tricks you can use to make sure you command attention.B: If you’re fed up with audiences zoning out when you’re lecturing, this is how to ensure attention.Which is the more captivating?I hope your answer is version B. And why? Because it offers the value right up front, hooking the attention of the reader.2. Be incisive, not academicAcademia, if you’ll excuse my observation thus, is somewhat predisposed to lengthy words, and that is before we even get to the rich array of caveats so often presented in a discourse, not to mention, naturally, a penchant for a protracted form of lexemes and morphemes, and, last but not least, even more elongated passages of prose.This style may be OK for an academic journal, but if you want to be heard, read or watched by a much wider audience, it’s hopeless.&nbsp;The pace of modern life means attention spans are short. Scarily brief. TikTok brief, in fact. Gloria Mark, professor of informatics at the University of California, Irvine, found the average to be about 47 seconds. People rarely have the focus to wade through paragraphs that resemble crossword clues.&nbsp;Read more: 7 strategies for high-impact science communicationResource collection: how to promote your research for greater impactWhat’s the story? Creative ways to communicate your researchSo, for mass communication, you need to write and speak incisively, not academically. This is true whether we’re thinking media appearances, talks to everyday audiences or social media. No jargon, science speak or scholastic locutions and vocables. Short words rather than long.&nbsp;Use concise sentences – as opposed to those that sprawl like an unchecked city – when you’re writing. Even fragments are fine. As long as they make sense. Brief paragraphs, punctuated by white space. Conversational, rather than formal, for both written and spoken communication.That all adds pace, interest and edge to your content. It’s such an easy win, too.Never forget, however much it might go against years of preconception and practice, that when it comes to mass communication, simple isn’t stupid. Simple is smart.3. Start with the outcomeI know it’s traditional academic practice to introduce your topic, discuss the context, move on to your hypothesis, outline your methods, gather your data, plod through an analysis, then finally draw your conclusions. But which part will the public notice, care about and remember?Try a trick of the media trade. Arrange your content in an inverted pyramid of importance. For example, thinking in social media terms, here’s a &nbsp;standard format that I could have used for a recent post:Have a look at my new vlog. It deals with three common problems people suffer when public speaking. I have a trick which is so simple, yet so effective for helping. Do you want to ease your nerves and enhance your authority, plus cut out those annoying and undermining ums and ers when presenting?Yawn, boring, what a dull start. Any reader could be forgiven for giving up right there and moving on to the next post if the content starts that way. And the important point would be lost.&nbsp;But how much more effective is the message if you reverse the order of those sentences?&nbsp;4. Brevity&nbsp;&nbsp;A common abbreviation is well worth remembering: TL;DR.If you’re unfamiliar, it stands for: Too long; didn’t read.&nbsp;The shorter your message, the more likely it is to be read or heard.Cut out redundant words. Say what you need to and stop. You’ll be far more engaging that way.For example, return to my monster of a paragraph at the start of point two, on being incisive. How much more readable is it if expressed this way: Academia is full of long words, caveats and even longer sentences.We’ve gone from 57 words to 11. Which is where my favourite saying in the communication trade comes in: less is more.&nbsp;Less work for more impact. What’s not to like? And if you doubt that a brief message can be powerful, remember the great American president Abraham Lincoln. His Gettysburg address was 270 words. Yes, just about half a page of A4. It’s cited as a masterpiece of communication still today, more than 160 years on. That’s less is more in glorious effect.Finally, look back at this article and tick off the tricks I’ve mentioned. They worked, didn’t they? Because they’ve kept you reading until the end.Simon Hall is course leader of Compelling Communication Skills&nbsp;at the University of Cambridge Online and a senior research associate in the&nbsp;Intellectual Forum at&nbsp;Jesus College, Cambridge. His latest book is&nbsp;Compelling Communication (Cambridge University Press, 2024).&nbsp;If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Academic ways of communicating are often the exact opposite of what you need to draw widespread attention to your research, writes Simon Hall. Here are simple ways to help your message reach its audience 

Why is no one listening?

Career development involves enhancing skills, knowledge and expertise to promote professional growth and achieve specific career goals. In a higher education context, colleagues are expected to take on leadership, citizenship and administration roles, excel in research and teaching activities and mentor and impact others in their discipline and wider society. The practice of upshifting, in which academics are expected to work at a higher grade without any formal recognition to further their careers, is also common. Yet, even if one does all the “right” things, career progression is not guaranteed. Many colleagues I’ve spoken to have said that in addition to professional growth and development, one also must be visible.&nbsp;When I run LinkedIn for Career Development workshops, a common theme usually emerges. Colleagues want to feel valued and seen, but they want to curate their visibility in a manner that is dignified and doesn’t feel narcissistic. Below I outline several steps for formulating that positive kind of visibility for career development and beyond.Get to know your strengths and weaknesses&nbsp;Understand your strengths and weaknesses and then try to use your strengths to your advantage. For example, if you are an extrovert, use your skills to network and build communities. If you’re an introvert, write articles and thought leadership pieces. If you are an ideas generator who might quickly lose interest in projects, try to surround yourself with people who are completer-finishers, as they will help you to see projects through. If you have a passionate creative nature, but scheduling and time management are not your strong suit, consider making good use of the latest technology to better organise your calendar and spend more time in the creativity mode. You can schedule posts on LinkedIn and use apps such as Calendly to manage appointments.&nbsp;Leverage all opportunitiesTry to create several visibility opportunities out of each project. For example, if you published a paper, you could turn this into a university blog post, a LinkedIn article and a LinkedIn post around “how to do this kind of research” or “how to publish this type of work”. Then, you can host a thought leadership webinar on the same topic.&nbsp;Decide what you want to be known forEven if you don’t have a portfolio career, the nature of an academic job itself means a multi-profile work life. There is teaching, research and scholarship, curricula development, education leadership, outreach and engagement and much more. Among all your interests and talents, decide what you want to be known for. When doing this, consider the following:What is your area of expertise?What are you good at and what are your innate skills and abilities?&nbsp;What are the latest developments in your field or domain that you can use to demonstrate your expertise?Finally, what are your values and passions?For example, you may be an AI-curious educator, or societal impact researcher, or a career development expert. Ask your colleagues and friends, as they may tell you what you are already known for in personal and professional circles.Although what you’re known for does not need to define who you are, it is better to have one or two themes in mind so that your professional brand is clear.Resource collection: Is your academic career cleared for take-off?Prepare for promotion: how to develop a strategy for successHow to write an academic CV: dos and dont'sConnect and grow your networkLinkedIn is a very useful platform for connecting with new and old colleagues. At every event or workshop you attend, aim to meet one or two new colleagues. Connect with them on LinkedIn to expand your network and stay up to date. When reaching out, just add a note to say it was nice to meet them at the event and it would be great to stay in touch.&nbsp;Similarly, if a new contact reaches out to connect, it's important to respond with graciousness. You might accept the request and reply to their message with something like this: “Thanks for connecting. Great to meet you, too.”Get visually visible&nbsp;Conventional wisdom says that a picture is worth a thousand words. So if you feel comfortable, get visually visible. For example, upload your profile picture on LinkedIn and on your university’s website and intranet. Add a personal touch to your work email signature. For example, you could add your latest publication to the bottom of your signature or a quote that you find particularly inspiring.&nbsp;Ask a colleague to take a picture of you while you’re presenting at a conference. Then submit it to a school newsletter if you have one and use it to create a LinkedIn post about the event.Be strategicOf course, not everything you do must be spotlighted. Constantly adding a layer of visibility can feel exhausting and take up a lot of energy. So, be strategic about curating what gets visible. This is linked to what you want to be known for.&nbsp;Attending a big research conference could be a central piece of content on LinkedIn that you can create three pieces of content from:&nbsp;A key takeaway&nbsp;Your insights into the future of the discipline based on presentationsSome of your experiences as a presenter.&nbsp;Remember to share gratitude to the organisers, too.&nbsp;And don’t be afraid to repeat yourself. An old story to you can be new to someone else, so re-enforce the message of what you want to be known for.Think about it as if it was your dutyTry to reframe visibility work as an obligation. Place importance on presenting yourself as a role model and normalise assertiveness and success. This is very important for women, especially women of colour. Your visibility may even inspire others, so bear this in mind.&nbsp;I hope that more colleagues can use this advice to start feeling more confident about increasing their visibility to aid their career progression.Rushana Khusainova is a senior lecturer in marketing at the University of Bristol.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

How to be visible as an academic 

Working hard and taking on extra responsibilities isn't enough to guarantee career development these days. You also have to build your profile

Oral history is widely used in public history and humanities, but researchers across disciplines could benefit from its value in data collection. Oral history methods cannot identify how air pollution affects our lungs, explain how scour affects offshore wind turbines nor provide future rates of coastal erosion under sea level rise scenarios. But this method can provide a new lens with unexpected conclusions; oral history has the potential to trace pollution exposure by transport user groups over their lifetime, to record engineers’ expertise when assessing offshore wind turbines, and to collect local experiences of changing coasts.&nbsp;Here, we provide suggestions to aid researchers and institutions to expand the use of oral history.&nbsp;What is oral history?&nbsp;Oral histories are audio/video recorded interviews that document the personal recollections, experiences and opinions of the narrators. In contrast with other forms of interview, oral history uses a biographical approach to record in-depth life stories or focus on specific themes or events. They require the interviewer to be an active listener with empathy, respect and cultural sensitivity, encouraging narrators to be honest and accurate in their recollections. Oral histories can be recorded both individual and groups settings. Care should always be taken for researchers not to dominate conversation or introduce bias. These recordings provide new insight or interpretation about the past and create a valuable resource for future generations.Best practice in oral history and where to go for helpOral history is a widely accessible data collection method. While training is recommended and practice doubtlessly improves interviewer confidence and skill, the conversational ethos of the method supports adoption by a wide range of users. The Oral History Association,&nbsp;established in the US in 1966, and the Oral History Society, founded in the UK in 1973, are knowledge-holders of best practice. They promote methodological excellence and have a network of accredited individuals from diverse backgrounds who can give guidance. To seek conceptual and methodological support for oral history work, we would be well placed to step outside the comfortable confines of the university institution, and to ask non-academic experts for their input on oral history data collection, storage, use and dissemination.&nbsp;The potential of oral history beyond the humanitiesOral history is finding more applications beyond the humanities and social sciences. In geography, it is increasingly used in studies of place memory and place identity. Oral histories are also increasingy in biodiversity conservation, to study ecological history and human resource use. The recently completed PhD research by Nicola Johnstone (Minderoo Foundation) used oral histories to improve our understanding of how marine protected areas are developed in practice.&nbsp;Resources with advice on skills every early career academic needsUsing community-engaged research to give a voice to marginalised peopleOpen research: what is it, really?Other examples of the use of oral history in studying environmental change and management include:&nbsp;collecting data on algal blooms where formal monitoring was absent in Australia,&nbsp;tracing institutional change in fisheries science, and&nbsp;mapping past land use regimens in landscape ecology.&nbsp;Beyond research, oral history is also often used in stakeholder engagement and heritage projects. Oral history can form part of post-disaster recovery; following a storm event, one community used oral history knowledge shared by elders with younger farmers to help them “connect their own situation with the larger record of collective memory”.Six characteristics make oral history intrinsically distinct from other history sources: orality, narrative, performance, subjectivity, memory and mutability. These distinctions also offer clues as to oral history’s usefulness across disciplines; oral history is a toolkit to explore questions and challenges through the human lens. Transport engineers in the US, for example, used oral history to better understand driver behaviour and motivation, to in turn inform urban planning. A physician used a self-reflective oral history method to explore their own experience of cancer treatment.Oral history for allWe organised an introductory oral history training for researchers across the University of Southampton in April, supported by the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute (SMMI). The use of oral history and other discipline-bound methods could be improved by universities facilitating such cross-disciplinary context-specific networking groups, as well as by recognising methods experts within and outside academic institutions to support interdisciplinary research endeavours. In this era of co-design, co-production and collaborative research, we need to recognise that not all methodological experts are housed by academic institutions.&nbsp;We limit ourselves if we ignore the potential of such methods to collect valuable first-person accounts of past events and their impacts on people’s lives. Whether you ultimately use it or not, we challenge you to use your next coffee break to revisit your current research project and think: “What might an oral history method tell me about this topic?”Sien van der Plank is a senior research fellow and Lareb Dean is an AXA research fellow, both at the University of Southampton. Padmini Broomfield is an oral historian.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Why oral history should be valued beyond the humanities

Oral history’s potential to capture lesser-known perspectives and fill knowledge gaps deserves appreciation beyond the humanities

Oral history for all: a research method that crosses disciplinary boundaries

College students increasingly need to understand the role that data plays in public policy decisions as they seek to be engaged participants in civic life. As it turns out, most Americans agree with us that an awareness of how data-driven research affects policymaking can prepare young people for the future. Nearly 80 per cent of respondents within each generation – from the Silent Generation to Gen Z – agree that young people should be provided with “training to help them understand the political system or solve problems in their communities”, according to a January 2024 PRRI survey.What do young people learn when they are trained in the fundamentals of public policy research? First, they come to know the structure of the political system through its important public policymaking institutions. They also acquire policy research tools to evaluate how these institutions operate; later, these same tools can be used to solve problems in their communities.Advice for building data literacy on campusCollection: how to support higher education in upholding democracyElection special: how can higher education make its case amid political change?We combined our team’s expertise in public policy research and instructional design to facilitate a six-week fully online summer policy research institute (SPRI) at the University of Iowa from 2020 to 2022. The SPRI’s purpose was to train any university student, regardless of their experience or location, in how research supports public policy and about key mindsets and practices associated with public policy research.A blended learning institute for training young peopleThe SPRI combined multiple learning methods, such as asynchronous online lessons combined with live sessions. The SPRI’s blend, described as “bi-chronous” online learning, involved asynchronous and synchronous online approaches. Participants were required to participate in two hours of synchronous/live classes and at least one hour of asynchronous learning per week. Students were encouraged to spend more time, but three hours was the minimum.SPRI’s blend was informed by best practices in instructional design. First, we used backwards design to define learning objectives before developing learning experiences. The SPRI’s learning objectives and content align with the Entering Research (ER) conceptual framework, a popular approach for research trainees’ development. We tackled six core topics: research ethics, research communication, research team roles and responsibilities, research design, qualitative research methods, and quantitative research methods.Second, we struck a balance between asynchronous and synchronous online learning experiences. Each week, students completed a custom-built asynchronous learning module – which consisted of curated readings, videos (original and from YouTube) and quizzes – followed by a synchronous active-learning session held over Zoom. For the live sessions, we adapted ER content and developed original content to be delivered by instructors and guest speakers associated with our university’s Public Policy Center, whose expertise ranged broadly across areas including health, education and criminal justice policy. One example of a training activity we facilitated was the “three-minute research story” ER activity to practise strategies for communication about technical subjects. In weekly synchronous “sharing sessions”, students delivered short presentations describing a policy research project of their choosing. Finally, several students published policy briefs they had coauthored with faculty mentors on the centre’s website.This balance illustrates how our blend used scaffolded activities to support and enhance learning. After starting with fundamental understandings of core research and public policy concepts, we advanced to real-world applications. We devoted special attention to supporting learning transfer; we took students step by step towards how to apply information gleaned from the SPRI within directed research experiences.Evaluating using a blended approach to teaching public policy researchGiven the six-week timeline and the diversity of our participants’ backgrounds and experience levels, we sought evidence that showed the SPRI had achieved its learning objectives.One metric of the SPRI’s success is its alignment with learning science principles. Our approach to integrating videos, readings and quizzes with structured live sessions drew on insights from the learning sciences. We worked to guide students as they formed connections with new information that expanded on their prior knowledge (building associations) to present content in both words and visuals (dual coding) and to organise information into manageable units (chunking). Also, we worked to stimulate deep mental processing, where meaningful learning took place through activities such as reflection, discussions, debates and receiving expert feedback. Here, it’s important to note that success in blended learning may require instructors to embrace student-centred, active learning designs, as opposed to an instructor-centred, content-driven approach.We also used the ER learning assessment to evaluate how students perceived their learning gains. They reported consistent moderate or better gains across the ER learning objectives. Students reported greatest average gains in research ethics and equity and inclusion awareness and skills, followed by research comprehension and communication skills; researcher confidence and independence; practical research skills, and researcher identity. Our students also reported that, on average, they were very likely to recommend the SPRI to another student and were more likely to continue research after SPRI.Overall, this evidence suggests that SPRI is a model that others can use to prepare students for the future. Through public policy research, young people develop the skills to understand the political system and solve problems in their communities.Chris Kromphardt is assistant programme director and lecturer in data analytics and policy at Johns Hopkins University. He held previous positions in the Public Policy Center and department of educational policy and leadership studies at the University of Iowa.Mark Anthoney is lead instructional designer in distance and online education, and Cassidy Branch is interim manager of research services in the Public Policy Center, both at the University of Iowa.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

When students learn the fundamentals of public policy research, they also acquire tools to evaluate how institutions operate and how those same tools can be used to solve problems in their communities. This blended learning approach can level up these skills

Teaching public policy research skills to tomorrow’s leaders

In an academic environment that is increasingly complex and resource-constrained, focus must be placed on activities that add value beyond the invested resources, not simply in financial terms but also in terms of visibility, reputational capital, impact and dissemination.&nbsp;The Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) developed by Research England helps higher education providers assess and improve their collaborations with partners to benefit society. These partners range from individuals attending university events to large corporations working with research teams to develop new products. Knowledge exchange activities, often combined with enterprise activities under the term knowledge exchange and enterprise (KEE), include establishing research partnerships with non-academic entities, collaborating with businesses, the public or third sectors, and offering continuing professional development.&nbsp;KEE activities are particularly important for business schools and their impact-generation strategies. The benefits are plentiful for both education and research. Bringing the expertise from industry to the classroom and enhancing students’ experience, as well as boosting their employability, can improve your institution’s educational offering and position in global rankings. Building partnerships for funding bids and disseminating the research results among stakeholders can help to generate real-world impact of your research.&nbsp;Resource collection: How can universities achieve research excellence?Demystifying impact: a glossary of key termsHow to make public engagement work for early career academicsWith the UK’s upcoming Research Excellence Framework (REF) round, higher education institutions are ready to embrace enterprise engagement. However, with their schedules reaching capacity with research and teaching duties, academics may struggle to find time for meaningful enterprise engagement. These activities should ideally lead to measurable outputs, but these are not always immediate or straightforward.For instance, some KEE activities have a clear commercial focus, but others aim to deliver impact and societal good, and their return on investment is more difficult to measure. However,&nbsp;the KEE ecosystem is inextricably linked to research and education activities; it is not separate and distinct from them.Apart from workload challenges, colleagues often do not understand how exactly enterprise activities can be evidenced for impact purposes, and how these efforts would be adequately acknowledged in their career progression.&nbsp;These tips can help research and teaching staff to make their engagement with business more enjoyable and stress free.Prioritise key industry events in planningPrioritise industry-focused events that are key for your field and expertise to maximise your time investment. Find out in advance who is attending and identify potential avenues for collaboration. Some large events use apps that allow you to check the attendees and schedule meetings in advance in networking areas. If such apps are not used, you can check social media posts, event websites or attendee lists, if available, and reach out to people via email or social media to schedule a meeting ahead of time. Do not overcommit your time; accept that it is impossible to attend all events or have one-to-one chats with everyone of interest. Good planning and prioritising will make the process of juggling multiple activities easier.&nbsp;Listen and learnBefore you meet an industry contact, think about how you will explain your work simply and clearly. Prepare a summary of a couple of sentences so you can spend the rest of the conversation learning from others and understanding what their company does and their priorities for collaboration with higher education institutions. Academics have a wealth of knowledge and research insights, but these can sometimes make it challenging to connect with industry leaders in the limited time available for networking. It can be tempting to share all the exciting details of a research project, but brevity is often more effective in these settings. You do not need to show the full breadth of your knowledge over lunch or during an event coffee break. Above all, be prepared to listen. After all, knowledge exchange is a two-way process.Build relationships, not followers&nbsp;Meeting people and networking are important for outreach. However, high-quality impact requires high-quality relationships. It is not enough to just add people on LinkedIn; message them, invite them to visit you, arrange guest talks and go to visit them to establish a connection and plan long-term collaborations. Remember, connections need to be meaningful in order to be productive and mutually beneficial.Stay positive and confidentConsider how you disseminate the results of your research to a non-academic audience. This element of KEE might be overwhelming, particularly for early career researchers. Worry that misunderstandings might occur or that nobody will be interested in your work is understandable. Maintaining a positive attitude, having the ability to turn a conversation around or breaking tension with a joke are great skills to practise while building your confidence. Ultimately, people will be interested not only in your findings but also in your personality, and your confidence and positivity can speak volumes.&nbsp;Keep records and notesThe benefits of KEE engagement might not be immediate, so keep a record of all engagements, key people and contacts. This is particularly important for tracking the outcomes of collaboration. For some, a post on LinkedIn is a good way to record engagement; for others, a spreadsheet, CV or any other type of note-keeping will be effective. Whatever method you choose, it should work for you, and the information should be easily accessible and recoverable when you are ready to write a funding bid, promotion application or REF impact case study.Enjoy the processKEE engagement is the fun part of academic life. You get to know new people, gain practitioners’ insights and build your networking skills. Additionally, seeing your work making a tangible impact on society will give you joy. It might be helpful to view it not as additional work, but as an enjoyable endeavour that you have the privilege to experience. Meaningful KEE engagement enhances all areas of your academic career, and it will not take too long before you start gaining tangible rewards from it.Larisa Yarovaya is associate professor of finance and director of the Centre for Digital Finance, and Jeni Giambona is a professorial fellow and the director of knowledge exchange and enterprise, both at Southampton Business School at the University of Southampton.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Incorporating knowledge exchange and enterprise activities into demanding academic schedules can be a challenge but it doesn’t have to be stressful. Here are ways to make it enjoyable, rewarding and impactful

How to make enterprise activities enjoyable and impactful

Research can be solitary work, and the geographic distance from colleagues and peers in specialised fields isolating. However, in a digital post-Covid world, research students can use their wider network to connect, collaborate and reduce these effects. Leveraging these networks also helps them develop skills that are transferrable to jobs and workplaces beyond the university. Supervisors, for their part, can motivate and empower their research students to use their networks to achieve timely completion. Here, we offer practical tips, for both students and supervisors, for strengthening networks to enhance their PhD journey.&nbsp;Build up your social networkInteracting and exchanging ideas with early career and fellow research degree students can provide PhD candidates with valuable emotional support and a sense of camaraderie. Peer support can include informal sharing of resources or organising social opportunities to buffer against PhD stress. Students (and supervisors) can also develop more formal opportunities such as journal clubs, writing groups or peer-review sessions. You can always tap into your graduate research school to help you establish and promote formal peer-based opportunities. Personal and professional mentors, especially those independent to your project, can also be important to provide a different perspective when navigating the PhD journey and career ambitions.&nbsp;Tap into established university resourcesAcademic study support services within the university – from the library’s assistance in research and academic writing to IT support that offers research-based software and technology – can also boost your research network. Supervisors have a role in facilitating access to these resources and services and can help students overcome any stigma around their use.Resource collection: Advice for surviving your PhD dissertation10 platinum rules for PhD supervisorsVideo: Celebrating failure and other advice for PhD supervisorsOther services include medical and mental health support and career assistance (for help with writing CVs, for example). Seek out, too, opportunities to represent the student body, which will also provide leadership development.Higher degrees by research skill development programmes may offer personal and professional development to not only support timely completion but assist in acquiring a range of transferable skills and facilitate networking opportunities. Many universities also have research centres and groups that contribute to the research culture and build a sense of connection with students and staff.For financial assistance, university funding opportunities such as scholarships and grants may be available to support your research project costs or offset living expenses.&nbsp;Look for discipline-specific collaborationsOften the first collaboration a student experiences is with their supervision panel. Clear roles and healthy team dynamics enable productive working relationships and enrich the student’s learning experience and project. Supervisors can also guide students to make connections with research end users. They can identify professional networking opportunities, help students broker partnerships with industry, engage and guide them in peer review of journal articles or invite them to contribute to grant writing. Supervisors can model this through their own networks, or having their own mentors or communities of practice, and it can be important to help in building supervision capacity, especially for new supervisors.&nbsp;Beyond supervision, students can sign up to receive newsletters, events and job postings from relevant organisations in their discipline. Conferences provide opportunities to connect with other academics and mentors in your field.Engage and collaborate with research end users&nbsp;A research end user is anyone – whether an individual, community or organisation – who will use or benefit from the research. Collaborative research with end users is increasingly valuable in Australia since it not only aligns with government policies for research but extends transferrable skills to enhance graduate employability and leads to significant impact on the community.As researchers, students can be encouraged to engage with their research end user by attending conferences and industry events, creating and managing a LinkedIn profile and presence, and subscribing to professional societies or industry representative bodies via student memberships. These actions keep them informed about contemporary issues and news. Supervisors can also help students pursue new connections and opportunities. This might involve assisting students to set up initial meetings to understand the challenges facing a research end user and highlight how a university partnership can add value to the organisation. &nbsp;Co-funded and co-designed industry projects and PhD Internships can be an extension of higher degrees by research training and enrich students’ learning experience, build professional networks and extend transferrable skills to enhance career options. For example, Federation University is ranked fifth in Australia and first in Victoria in meeting the government’s higher degree end user engagement metrics and offers industry-connected projects and internships.&nbsp;A successful PhD journey requires candidates to build strong academic knowledge and skills to conduct research, along with personal attributes such as curiosity, love of learning, persistence, resilience and time management.We hope these practical tips help research students and supervisors think about ways to enhance their success in tackling a PhD, improve connections and collaborations to reduce feelings of isolation in the PhD journey, and how they can make the most of their network.Meghan Casey is&nbsp;senior lecturer in the&nbsp;Institute of Health and Wellbeing and graduate certificate in research coordinator and higher degree by research coordinator in the Graduate Research School;&nbsp;Andrew Barton&nbsp;is deputy dean of the Graduate Research School; and Madhu Chetty is a professor in information technology and higher degrees by research coordinator. All are at Federation University Australia. Rose Ferguson is a lecturer in the School of Behavioural and Health Sciences at the Australian Catholic University.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Connections and collaborations can help PhD students (and their supervisors) cut through the isolation of research. Here’s how to leverage those links into employability

How a strong network can enhance the PhD journey

Traditionally, PhD programmes offer candidates the opportunity to immerse themselves in research projects, conferences, papers, teaching – the best of academic life. It’s less common, however, for PhD students to spare time for industry experience. As the worlds of research and industry grow ever closer, I would argue that facilitating good links between industry and academia brings great benefits, especially for PhD students.In the&nbsp;LSE SPRING programme for PhD researchers, I am working to do just that. Our main purpose is to&nbsp;bridge the gap between academia and other sectors, so that PhD students can get to know their sectors from within and build relationships with professionals in relevant fields.How to navigate the PhD thesisHow to develop a researcher mindset as a PhD studentEnhancing negotiation skills: a step-by-step guide for graduate studentsIn dialogue with PhD candidates, we are developing a programme that responds to their highest priorities for postdoctoral preparation and support – building relationships between academia and industry, understanding career options and identifying and developing transferable skills.Five ways to connect PhD students with industryHere are five approaches to successfully connect PhD students with industry, and why they work:Build a community: For us, one of the biggest successes of LSE SPRING, and something that underpins what we do, has been the community we have built among students, staff and external organisations across disciplines. Initiatives such as our&nbsp;LSE SPRING Overnight Retreat, held in January at the Birch Community Hotel in Cheshunt, facilitate the creation of an interdepartmental community of like-minded PhD students. This has contributed to cross-departmental and interdisciplinary interaction among the research student community.Establish micro-internships: A&nbsp;micro-internship scheme creates space for PhD researchers to hone their skills beyond academia according to a schedule that works for them, thanks to a shorter duration, more flexible hours and accommodating other commitments or restrictions students may have. In this way, the scheme enriches, rather than distracts from other commitments. Many of our micro-internships centre around the completion of a small-scale project with a strong research or policy component, providing valuable contributions to the host organisations, while enhancing the analytical and professional skills of the doctoral researchers.Facilitate&nbsp;mentoring: Through the&nbsp;LSE SPRING mentoring scheme, we bring together PhD candidates with mentors who work in the private, public and third sector and hold PhDs in a range of disciplines. The scheme supports PhD researchers who wish to engage in collaborative research with non-academic organisations as part of their PhD or postdoctoral project, or who wish to explore career options outside higher education. Mentors and mentees discuss how to best bridge the space between academia and business, and flexible meetings take place to suit both parties.Run tailored training sessions: Our&nbsp;Researcher Development Programme provides training sessions for PhD students looking to acquire the necessary knowledge, confidence and skills to pursue impactful collaboration, complementing the knowledge and skills that LSE PhD students gain through their department. It also offers discipline-specific training. The sessions cover a range of topics to help students develop as researchers, harness the skills and experience they gain during their doctoral studies and be able to operate in diverse research contexts.Support collaborative research proposals:&nbsp;Collaborative research projects are unique opportunities for PhD students to learn and develop, showcase their capacity for insight and impact in industry, expand their networks and develop transferable skills. From finding the right organisation to partner with, to project management and relationship management, there’s lots to get to grips with. To help our students, we have created resources, such as our&nbsp;Collaboration Toolkit, which link with our careers division and our department for entrepreneurship.Making industry connections work for our studentsConnections with industry help our early career researchers shape and take control of their careers post-PhD. Through initiatives such as mentoring, micro-interning or collaborative research projects, PhD candidates can develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to open up the way they view their professional futures. Through an enriched PhD journey, they open doors to more opportunities afterwards, whether in academia, outside academia, or – becoming ever more common through the course of a career – a mixture of the two.Maria-Christina Vogkli is a researcher in the department of sociology at the London School of Economics and Political Science.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Five ways to connect PhD students with industry

Developing industry experience is often the last thing on the minds of the PhD community, but nurturing partnerships between academia and industry can enrich the journey, believes Maria-Christina Vogkli

Sometimes navigating a tenure-track position feels more like walking a tightrope than following a career path, with you wondering when the heavy lifting – a research article, a service initiative or an overload course – will knock you off your academic balance. (And then, when you get there, many of these jobs lack the official supervision and assistance that would aid in managing the demands of academic work.)&nbsp;Compounding the uncertainty, the promotion procedures within the university can be unclear, even for experienced staff. Understanding what is required to climb the ladder to tenure (and weighing the pros and cons) is critical.&nbsp;Resource collection: How to progress in your academic careerHow to do self-promotion without the cringe factorPlaying the promotion game: how to navigate upshiftingFor early-career academic professionals, this article offers a road map for juggling teaching, research and service to advance your career.&nbsp;Know your institution’s expectations about balancing service, research and teachingMaintaining a healthy balance in your workload is essential for managing the path towards tenure and promotion. Tenure-track academics can find themselves overwhelmed by pressures to “publish or perish”, the demand to prepare new courses or perform community service or simply getting used to new coworkers and their work environment. The faculty handbook, departmental guidelines and your institution’s classification will probably indicate how to divide your workload among the “big three”: research, teaching and service. Like the process in the UK or the US, achieving tenure or getting promoted in the Macao/Chinese system has a similar focus on publication.Here are crucial questions and considerations to help plan for success:Teaching:&nbsp;How can you impart knowledge in a timely, effective and high-quality manner? Is there an institutional resource for instructional design support or teaching quality? Most teachers in Macao are employed full-time, and they are on renewable contracts, usually for a period ranging from one semester to eight semesters. New faculty members can draw on previous experience when creating new courses to save time and work. For example, adopting instructor resources provided by textbook publishers can get your teaching recognised in ways that help chances for promotion or permanent employment.&nbsp;Research:&nbsp;How much time do you set aside daily or weekly for scholarship? What is your schedule? Your study plan should align with your passion to achieve maximum research success.Service: Is your chosen area of service connected to research and teaching? How much time will it require? Controlling the time devoted to service is crucial since a large commitment can make it harder to meet other requirements for tenure and promotion.Create networks and locate mentorsCollegiality and professional-development networks are as crucial in an academic career as they are in other paths. People help those they know and like. Developing connections will benefit your success on many levels.&nbsp;The main motivations for professional development are to further grant writing, gain certifications, access continuing education and acquire new skills. Collaboration, for example, may offer ways to gain new knowledge or routes to publication. Effective research methodology and resource scarcity also necessitate interprofessional collaboration. People often find research collaborators through their network introductions or conferences.&nbsp;In higher education, mentoring – formal or informal – can help faculty members progress in their careers, gain academic confidence and find emotional support. If your institution has a structured mentoring programme, make use of it. If not, look for a senior faculty member who would be a good fit and able to offer views on the organisational culture, protocols and rules.&nbsp;A peer who works at a different institution could also be a source of informal mentoring. Having multiple mentors in professional, casual and personal settings could also be an option. Bear in mind that time restraints (theirs and yours) and uncertainty about what a mentee may need to flourish in a higher education setting can be barriers to finding the ideal mentor.Strive for work-life balanceMany academics struggle to achieve work-life balance, particularly when starting a new tenure-track job. In a competitive work climate that demands a wide range of tasks, juggling work, friends and family can be difficult, and there is no permanent answer to this problem. Maintaining a work-life balance, however, will help keep you moving forward (even in those times when tenure or advancement seem stalled).&nbsp;Burnout will reduce work and life satisfaction and hurt performance, thus creating a disadvantage in advancing your career.&nbsp;Techniques for avoiding burnout include setting limits, sharing issues with family and friends, physical exercise, cultivating relaxation and humour. Comparing their situation with that of their male counterparts, female faculty members reported higher stress levels, lower levels of fulfilment in their roles and lower levels of work-life balance.&nbsp;Academics on a tenure track need to appreciate life beyond the classroom. A new tenure-track faculty member must be able to set boundaries, say “no” with grace, and schedule personal time for self-rejuvenation when needed. Understanding the rules of the game improves a player’s performance and helps them win, just like anything else.&nbsp;Cheong Fan is a lecturer at the School of Liberal Arts at Macau University of Science and Technology.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Achieving a permanent academic position requires a deft juggle of research, teaching and service. Here, Cheong Fan offers advice on how to keep your balance

Walking the tightrope towards tenure

Perhaps you’ve heard the adage “the best dissertation is a done dissertation”. Facile? Maybe. Once you’re on the other side of a finished dissertation, however, you may find yourself agreeing.&nbsp;Yes, the writing is important, but earning a PhD is a process that includes not only your research and literature review but also adhering to submission requirements, collecting feedback and preparing your oral defence.As an associate dean in the Graduate School at Virginia Tech, I am involved in student support and mentorship, curriculum design and programme governance. These experiences continually remind me that the dissertation process can feel overwhelming, fraught and exceptionally challenging.&nbsp;Resource collection: Advice for surviving your PhD dissertationGet a head start in the first year of your PhDGet your PhD thesis beach readyHow to write a PhD thesis: a step-by-step guideBelow are practical strategies for tackling the PhD dissertation that I share with the graduate students I advise. While these pointers are perhaps most relevant to students in the life or physical sciences, I expect that many will translate to the arts, humanities and other disciplines as well.Rather than waiting until well into your studies, start&nbsp;writing introductory chapters relatively early in your graduate programme as soon as is feasible.Preparing a detailed literature&nbsp;review can&nbsp;more effectively inform your experimental approaches and may result&nbsp;in a manuscript suitable for publication.Familiarise&nbsp;yourself with institutional requirements for preparing and defending your dissertation well ahead of&nbsp;time. This can include document-formatting conventions and&nbsp;submission procedures, as well as deadlines for the formal scheduling of&nbsp;your oral&nbsp;dissertation defence with the graduate school.&nbsp;These details are typically found in an official graduate catalogue or programme website.Counting backwards from your desired formally scheduled defence date, set (and adhere to) a schedule for completion of requisite tasks. These will include drafting the document, executing your own revisions and those suggested by your advisory committee, and&nbsp;originality confirmation.&nbsp;Allow&nbsp;at least three or four months for writing and editing your dissertation and collecting feedback from your advisory&nbsp;committee.&nbsp;Resist the temptation to do “just one more experiment” and other distractions that will slow the preparation of the document.Clearly convey to your&nbsp;advisers&nbsp;your needs and expectations for editorial turnaround time to help them plan and manage their own time…and don’t hesitate to remind them as deadlines approach.&nbsp;Often it is time-efficient to distribute chapters for feedback as you complete them rather than waiting until the entire dissertation is finished; you can then focus on another task while your advisers review the writing in hand.If&nbsp;your dissertation will consist of multiple already published or submitted manuscripts&nbsp;as separate chapters, allow time to write comprehensive introductory and&nbsp;concluding chapters that contextualise and tie together the individual reports.If&nbsp;your scholarly work has been done in conjunction with other graduate students,&nbsp;make sure to acknowledge who is responsible for which specific contributions and&nbsp;that work you contributed has not been/will not be claimed by another student&nbsp;as their own.Allow time to check that copyright law is followed.&nbsp;If&nbsp;you have signed away copyright for images or other protected elements to&nbsp;publishers, secure the needed permissions to use them in the&nbsp;dissertation document well in advance of submission.Write your dissertation abstract last. You won’t have an accurate picture&nbsp;of what you’re abstracting until the full document is&nbsp;finished. This is like the executive summary of a report or a presentation; the details will be finalised upon completion.It&nbsp;is common for your advisory committee to suggest –&nbsp;or insist – that certain editorial&nbsp;revisions be completed following your oral defence. Give these your full attention such that the&nbsp;final document can be submitted and approved within the required time window.And a quick word to clarify terms:&nbsp;in the US, the term “dissertation” is typically reserved for the document produced by doctoral candidates, whereas master’s level graduate students complete a thesis. Both are written products that reflect and document the detailed exploration of original concepts in a particular field of scholarly endeavour, and the terms are often used interchangeably.Writing is essential for successfully sharing your work in your field of expertise with the wider community. That may seem intimidating, but it can also be highly motivating and rewarding.&nbsp;Remember too&nbsp;that, once released online, your dissertation will be accessible by other&nbsp;scholars all over the world and will be the single, quasi-tangible representation of the totality of your doctoral study – make it the most&nbsp;polished document it can be. And if you need help, reach out and ask for it.&nbsp;William R. Huckle is associate professor in the department of biomedical sciences and pathobiology at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, and associate dean in the Graduate School at Virginia Tech.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Producing a doctoral dissertation can be an intimidating process, writes Bill Huckle. Here, he shares practical strategies for graduate students taking on the work to share their original contribution to knowledge with the wider community

Practical tips for graduate students undertaking a doctoral dissertation

“It’s not about what you know; it’s who you know.” It’s a phrase we’ve all heard at some point in our lives and, while we’d all like to think that it’s not completely true, there’s no denying that building a base of contacts in your chosen career is beneficial.&nbsp;In academia, meeting the right person can lead to a research collaboration, or it could lead to your work being shared with someone who can use it to make a difference. It could lead to public speaking opportunities or even mentorship. It all goes towards your long-term success.&nbsp;Informal networking and how to meet people on campusBuilding peer support networks to help staff navigate digital teachingConferences, TED talks and social media: the ultimate tools for academic profile buildingFor some of us, the idea of putting yourself out there in that way – of making an active effort to meet new people – is terrifying.&nbsp;Help! I’m an introvertI’m not ashamed to say that I am one of those people. For my friends, that would come as a surprise. Outwardly, I’m a bubbly and enthusiastic person. Throughout my PhD, however, I was hit by impostor syndrome and dreaded the networking sections of conferences that I attended.&nbsp;Questions would race through my mind as my heart thudded nervously.&nbsp;“What do I talk about?”“Am I smart enough to hold a conversation with this academic?”“DO I REALLY HAVE TO DO THIS?”In crowded rooms, I’d feel alone.&nbsp;Over time, I grew in confidence. Yet, looking back, I know I could have done better. I can’t go back in time and give my younger self this advice, but hopefully it can help you, if you feel similarly to how I did.Here’s how to network as an introverted academic.Networking can be fun&nbsp;At face value, this seems like useless advice. However, there are plenty of activities that essentially let you network by accident. For example, I took part in a lot of knowledge exchange activities, things like Three-Minute Thesis and Science Slam competitions, and speaking at postgraduate inductions. They are opportunities to present the passion for your subject to a room full of people, and I found that people approached me to chat, rather than the other way around.&nbsp;This paved the way for me to be involved in more formal exchanges, including round-table discussions with politicians, diplomats and ministers from Germany, India, Papua New Guinea and Australia. It led to me presenting my research at the Scottish parliament and the 2020 World Dubai Expo.&nbsp;Outreach activities are key networking opportunitiesSticking with the theme of networking by accident, outreach activities – things like school visits, career fairs and science festivals – are great opportunities to build networks. You don’t attend these events with networking in mind, but it ends up happening quite naturally. Removing the sense of dread from the idea of networking is so powerful and helpful, and these events create opportunities to have conversations about the event in hand. These conversations don’t even feel like networking, but that’s absolutely what they are.&nbsp;The largest outreach activity I was involved in was the Food Security Design Sprint, which involved more than 300 secondary school pupils from Papua New Guinea and Australia. The initiative saw them come up with solutions and opportunities to ensure food security that would subsequently be presented at the World Food Forum.&nbsp;The event gave me the chance to meet the chief scientist at the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization in a non-intimidating way, while similar outreach activities have led to interviews with major media outlets.&nbsp;Always lend a helping handVolunteering might not be something you feel you have capacity to do. Too much work, too little time – right?But believe me when I say it’s highly advantageous. Not only is it an opportunity for you to give back to your local community, but it also helps you build your academic brand, stand out professionally, learn transferable skills and expand your professional network.&nbsp;Over the years I have actively volunteered, doing things like running clothing drives, fundraising and organising events for schoolchildren to inspire the next generation of scientists.&nbsp;All of these activities have had a common theme, which was being a STEM ambassador and an advocate for good quality education. Crucially, it has helped me to meet high-profile individuals in a dread-free setting, expanding my network and creating opportunities.&nbsp;Get to know professional services staffIf professional services staff at your university are speaking at an event, attend it. Whether it’s marketing and communications, widening access or other areas, there’s a good chance they will approach you – but even if they don’t, there could be obvious windows in which to approach them in a way that does not feel intimidating.&nbsp;Engaging with communications has helped me to attend media training sessions with the BBC and STV, and it’s opened up writing and speaking opportunities, including this very article. Again, you can build your brand and your research profile, making valuable new contacts in a low-stress way.&nbsp;Ultimately, if you identify as an introvert, try not to worry. I was a shy girl from Papua New Guinea with a passion for science, and slowly but surely I stepped out of my comfort zone. It was a gradual process, but that’s OK – your career is a marathon, not a sprint. Today, I have a network that spans six continents, with people in all areas of life. Take it slowly and don’t pressure yourself – gradually and naturally, you’ll build the network you need.Yalinu Poya is a lecturer in environmental science at the University of the West of Scotland.&nbsp;If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

An introvert’s guide to networking

For academics, networking can greatly enhance your career. But if the very idea fills you with dread, Yalinu Poya offers her advice for putting yourself out there

You’ve completed the coursework of your graduate programme and passed your comprehensive exams with flying colours. You know the literature, you have a novel idea, and you have collected preliminary data. It’s time to write your thesis.Why is it so hard to start (never mind generate momentum and make steady progress)?Graduate programmes in the US are often structured on the assumption that reading, discussion and research will prepare a student to write the thesis. But reading isn’t writing. Knowing about your topic isn’t writing. Conducting research and having great conversations with your advisers do not automatically translate to a capacity for writing papers or chapters. Even writing seminar papers may feel surprisingly different from tackling this long, significant piece of independent scholarship.Collected advice for managing your PhD dissertation&nbsp;Tips for surviving the first year of your PhD‘Augmenting’ the doctoral thesis in preparation for a vivaWhat you need is a writing practice, a habit of using writing as part of your thinking and research. In a writing practice, you write before you are “ready”, before the ideas have crystallised in your mind and, crucially, before you officially enter the thesis-writing phase of your programme. You don’t wait until you are assigned to do so to write or until you need to produce and deliver professional work. You write for yourself, to develop your facility for translating ideas into words and sentences.Writing for yourself to turn practice into wordsIf you want to do something well, you need to practise. No wonder, then, that many graduate students who wait until they enter the thesis phase to develop a writing practice may find themselves stuck. They are confronted with the need to write on the spot at the highest-stakes moment in their programme. When this happens, to comfort their apprehension, they return to reading or collecting more data, as though these comfort zones will make them more “ready” to write.You don’t need permission from your adviser to start a writing practice early in your programme. This writing is for you. Yes, you will likely write material that finds its way into your thesis drafts. But the main value of this work is that you establish a comfortable relationship with writing, with its pleasures and its challenges. You will reap the benefits of your practice through your dedication over time.I recommend experimenting with these approaches to developing a writing practice.Write regularlyPut “writing practice” in your calendar and show up for it. Do this with a frequency that is aspirational but actionable. You will build the habit and build trust in yourself. Try my version of the pomodoro technique to shape your writing sessions.Keep a dialogic notebookTo take dialogic notes (a form of Cornell Notes), draw a line down the centre of a page. On one side, note what you’re taking in – what you are hearing, observing or reading (for instance, at a lecture, note key concepts, explanations or equations). On the other side of the page, engage with what you’re taking in. What does it provoke you to think about? Does it raise questions to explore? Uncertainties to clarify? Connections to forge?Dialogic notetaking is a tool of memory; it helps you to retain what you hear and read. It is a tool of thought; it sparks ideas, insights and questions. You can explore and experiment and play. It is also a tool of expression; you learn to put your perceptions and ideas into words. It worked for Leonardo. It can work for you.Pause regularly to review and synthesiseAmid the demands of graduate school, writing pieces that you will not hand in or don’t “count” may seem like a waste of time. But regular writing review sessions will pay off. I recommend that scholarly writers (graduate students and faculty alike) set aside about 30 minutes a week to write about the important things that they are learning and/or thinking about and connecting them to what they already know.Synthesis is an essential skill that requires intentional effort and practice. Take time in your writing practice to bring together the disparate things you are learning, to connect them to each other and to your own research questions.Ask and explore questionsTurn to your notebook to write out the questions that arise in your mind as you work in the lab or read the literature. Take a few sentences to explore those questions. You don’t need to figure out the answers. The value lies in the practice of moving that amorphous sense of a question from your head to the written form. When you get stuck in a project, ask yourself: “What am I trying to figure out?” Your goal is to move yourself from the inchoate feelings of inadequacy and discomfort to the empowering experience of problem-definition and problem-solving.When you write before you feel ready, you will learn a surprising truth: that you get ready by writing.Monique Dufour is an associate professor of history as well as a faculty fellow in faculty affairs at Virginia Tech.&nbsp;If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Write your PhD dissertation before you’re ‘ready‘

Reading isn’t writing, and knowing about your topic isn’t writing. So, what should graduate students do to get started and make steady progress? Monique Dufour suggests practising well before it’s time to write the thesis or dissertation

Strategies for writing a PhD dissertation: write before you’re ‘ready’

In this volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) world, working hard is not enough to warrant promotion. We must be willing to put ourselves out there. Some recoil at the idea of self-promotion, but it’s not all about bragging or stepping over other colleagues to get ahead. It’s about being confident enough to highlight your accomplishments and finding strategic and respectful ways to seek new opportunities.&nbsp;&nbsp;Two major factors play a role in the quest for promotion:&nbsp;Working proactively to demonstrate your abilities&nbsp;Asking to be given an opportunityHere are some ways you can do this:Demonstrate your potentialShowing that you are a high-potential rather than just high-performing employee has many benefits. High-potential employees prove they are not only excelling in their roles but also pushing themselves to improve their skills by taking on new roles and responsibilities. They focus on long-term career plans and future leadership ambitions. Think strategically about all the benefits you can and will be able to offer. In academia, this could involve:Identifying the skills you possess and you plan to gain to be successful in the role you wish to take onDemonstrating your desire to learn new skills by enrolling on courses on communication, leadership or digital skills&nbsp;Learning niche discipline-specific skills or subject knowledge&nbsp;Attending industry conferences to stay updated on your area of expertise&nbsp;Focusing on collaborative teaching or project-related activities that may help develop the student community and meet the institution’s sustainability goalsResearching the key performance areas (KPAs) or metrics relevant to your role and showing how your performance relates to theseDemonstrating how you are working towards the Sustainable Development Goals in your teaching and research.Build relationshipsIt’s essential to identify the decision-makers who will give you the green light for promotion opportunities.&nbsp;You want these people on your side, so be a good team player and treat everyone respectfully. Expand your reach within and outside your department; the most visible person is usually the one who gets the job. Tactics include:Finding ways to collaborate with other faculty in specific classesConnecting with contacts over coffee or lunch to discuss interests or projectsSharing some articles you’ve read that may be of interest to other colleagues.One of the best ways you can form great relationships with colleagues is to listen mindfully and actively to what others have to say. Practise active listening by focusing more on the message, reflecting on what the person might be feeling and using this to inform your responses. It may seem obvious but simply demonstrating non-verbal cues such as nodding and maintaining eye contact can also make a huge difference.&nbsp;Resource collection: Is your academic career cleared for take-off?What is tenure in education – and how to get itHone the story of your career to make a case for promotionRequest and listen mindfully to the feedback you get from other staff members and potential mentors to further develop the skills and competencies you need for the job you want. Based on their feedback, conduct a self-evaluation that emphasises your career achievements and your contributions to the organisation’s growth.&nbsp; &nbsp;Life’s high achievers are not the ones who sit back and wait for someone to hand them opportunities. They are the ones who raise their hands and ask for them. So be confident in your abilities and believe in your potential. You will need to back yourself if you want to achieve your goals.&nbsp;Shilpa Gopal is assistant professor (senior scale) in the department of commerce, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, India.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

How to do self-promotion without the cringe factor

Some recoil at the idea of self-promotion but it’s not all about bragging or stepping over other colleagues to get ahead, writes Shilpa Gopal 

The first year of a PhD programme can be overwhelming. The success of a dissertation in many fields depends on the polish, iterations and revisions the research has undergone. So, what you do, what habits and routines you set up in the first year, will make a difference to the result at the end.The first year is also crucial for learning – not least because neuroplasticity wanes as one grows older (as does the amount of time before the defence). First-year doctoral students might be exempt from research-related events such as conferences, brown-bag seminars and faculty talks, yet there is no time for complacency.Here are insider tips for making the most of the first 12 months.&nbsp;Start writing as soon as possibleDo not let provocative articles that explain how to write a PhD dissertation in three months delay the start of your writing. Unless you are John von Neumann or Paul Erdős (which you are not), it is impossible to write a proficient thesis in three or even six months.Resources with advice for surviving your PhD dissertationHow to structure your PhD thesisWhat is your academic writing temperament?Your early writing does not have to be grandiose or purposeful. It can begin with any thought related to your topic of study. In applied sciences, a good starting point is describing an output table or interpreting a few plots in simple language, as most applied research articles include a Discussion section where findings are explained in layman’s terms. If your work is more theoretical, any attempt at a derivation or a proof is valuable. Even a well-crafted email to your adviser can become the foundation stone. Generate as much material as possible, and you will have plenty to choose from for the thesis.Iterations take time and effort. Reflection and re-evaluation are essential for shaping one’s ideas.Give yourself the earliest opportunity to pick up the language appropriate for academia by receiving criticism and suggestions on your writing. Your first research poster will probably look amateurish, and your first empirical analysis will likely yield mixed conclusions – but this is not a cause for concern. Babies learn to walk by trying, falling, getting up and trying again.Remember that chapters are not the endgameYour PhD should reflect a deeper understanding of the subject, and this does not come overnight. It results from pumping large volumes of information into one’s head and allowing it to roam among the neurons.Attend conferences, seminars and courses outside the university to hone your skills because the chapters are not the final goal. Presentations at informal seminars in front of one’s colleagues are a reliable way to build horizontal networks with postdocs, other students and specialists.Keep a research diaryDocument your methods, results and ideas in a research diary. If you are not writing the thesis in your native language, jot down ideas in your preferred language. A notebook of ideas is invaluable during meetings with your supervisor. It is easier for them to give feedback on clearly written statements.Communication with your supervisor, positive or negative, can be a part of the research diary. It often takes extra effort to prove to a professor that their ideas need refinement. Reinforce your points with plots, tables and other printed material that will help you cast your mind back after a couple of years. Professors may lag behind the state of the art if the subject is outside their research interests – read the best practices in the field, take notes and share them during discussions.Back up your workAlways make backups, even after small steps, because old versions and old results are valuable if you need to retrace your train of thought. The most convenient option is setting up a trustworthy cloud synchronisation service that automatically saves everything you write and stores multiple versions. If you do not trust those providers, synchronise your working folder with an external storage device every week or set up a self-hosted home cloud. Remember the 3-2-1 principle: have three versions of your data – two on different physical media and one on the server of your choice.Work in small increments&nbsp;List small tasks for each day and set deadlines for yourself. It is normal to work harder on some days and make less effort on others. The flexibility of a PhD researcher’s job allows you to get the most out of your rushes of inspiration.Punctuate stints of work with exercise breaks. Health directly impacts the clarity of thinking, so set a timer to stretch out and do sit-ups every hour (for example). There might be swimming pools, gyms or sports classes nearby. Student groups often organise collective events (like hiking or yoga) and provide free tickets for cultural events.What to do when motivation flagsOther academic activities on campus may be more engaging than writing the thesis. With summer schools, conferences and workshops, it is easy to lose track of time and neglect your work. Writer’s block is another reason to postpone writing. Certain PhD students focus on teaching, believing that their foremost duty is to be helpful teaching assistants or exam invigilators.Everything takes time, even if one considers Hofstadter’s law, which is why we present a list of tips on what to prioritise to free up time that would otherwise be wasted on non-thesis-related tasks.Write in plain text and do the formatting last.&nbsp;Get a distraction-free plain-text editor that autosaves your input and restores it, even after a power outage.Type long passages instead of hand-writing to eliminate the need for retyping.Create figures using preferably free and open-source software; avoid relying on Microsoft Office.Use specialised software like JabRef or Zotero to arrange bibliographies and citations.Do not tolerate software quirks. Demand the right to install open-source tools from your IT team without needing support tickets.Do not try to solve bureaucratic or logistical problems outside your competence; there are non-research university personnel for those.Writer’s block or frustration can result from stress. Being stuck at a certain point and without the courage to move forward is not uncommon in any job, including research positions. Should the stress pile up to the extent that it causes physical or mental unwellness, contact a healthcare provider and do not hesitate to book an appointment with a psychologist.One possible remedy for writer’s block is switching to literature review. Prior reading is essential for smooth writing. The more you learn, the more you can say about the subject. Alternatively, you may try to process measurement data, prove a lemma, create a plot or engage in any other part of research that does not involve writing out words.Finally, get enough sleep (at least on average). Force yourself to stop working in the evening and go home. If the crickets start chirping when you are still at your office, it is a sign to clock off.Andreï V. Kostyrka is a postdoctoral researcher in the department of economics and management at the University of Luxembourg.&nbsp;If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Even a marathon begins with first steps, and so it makes sense to master motivation, set healthy habits and get writing early to reap the reward of a polished dissertation at the end of the PhD journey, writes Andreï Kostryka

Get a head start in the first year of your PhD

The landscape of doctoral education has changed in the post-pandemic era. Our previously tight-knit PhD communities have somehow lost their vibrancy and shine. While the use of digital tools has improved our connectedness, our PhDs at the Doctoral School for Humanities and Social Sciences (DSHSS) at the University of Luxembourg have experienced a drop in community and campus life activities. Could a writing buddy initiative rekindle that sense of belonging to our doctoral community?&nbsp;As the head of the DSHSS, my remit is to help doctoral candidates to ensure that they find support and a motivational boost when it comes to writing. Writing is an essential part of a PhD project, and yet many of our students tell me that they experience it as a solitary task, and they struggle with it. We know, too, that procrastination and the blank page are real obstacles to doctoral completion.&nbsp;How to navigate the PhD thesisFour ways to engage students in bloggingHow to write an abstract for a research paperImplementing a writing buddy scheme is an essential tool to deal with these issues, with benefits extending beyond the life cycle of a PhD. Writing buddies are groups of two to three individuals who create community around writing and offer peer-to-peer support.&nbsp;Why a buddy scheme matters to help build resilience and communityHaving a writing buddy provides structure and support during the PhD process. Typically, writing buddies meet once a week for a set time, in which they share a space, either online or in real life (for example, in a library). Each meeting is divided into sessions, including breaks. Individual sessions can focus on either writing or giving each other feedback on a piece of writing (such as thesis chapter drafts, conference papers or grant applications). Breaks can be used to talk about writing experiences. Buddies discuss their expectations and their writing needs and decide together what type of support they want to give each other. No hierarchy is involved – ideally, this is a democratic, equitable relationship that operates on support, commitment, collaboration and trust.Motivation is key. Buddies will need to be engaged for a set period and to negotiate objectives. This requires time and willingness.&nbsp;The benefits of having a buddy extend to many areas of the PhD life cycle. At our doctoral school, the scheme has been shown to give PhD candidates structure, a safe space to compare notes, a routine meeting, accountability and an opportunity to engage with others going through similar issues. The scheme helps our PhD candidates to develop skills that will be useful for a lifetime of work and that any employer would be delighted to see in their staff – the ability to compromise, provide constructive feedback, and negotiate space and time in busy schedules.&nbsp;Five tips to establish effective writing buddy schemesSo, how do you set up a structure to keep the group together and reap the benefits? Here are five actions to get you started.Provide a model&nbsp;What is a writing buddy and what do they do? Sharing our own experience with writing buddies is an empowering tool to work with doctoral candidates. In my 20 years as a researcher, I have been supported by my writing buddy, Susanne Gruss. We have followed each other from our PhD days to our time as professors, now working at the universities of Luxembourg and Bamberg, respectively. Supporting each other while, for example, writing journal articles and monographs has been fundamental to our professional writing relationship, which has sustained each of us in our careers.&nbsp;Offer structure and a framework&nbsp;The system will need a clear structure. Put in place a written agreement, signed by each buddy team member at the outset. This should also outline what the scheme is not meant for and ensure that PhD candidates know where to seek health and well-being interventions if they need them. Writing buddies are not trained supervisors nor are they experts at providing psychological support.&nbsp;Allow buddies to set their own objectives&nbsp;Buddies can come from different disciplines and have differing objectives. These could include writing a research grant application, getting feedback on a specific thesis section, or understanding peer-review techniques or publication needs. When launching the writing buddy scheme, I used a speed-dating tool to allow interested parties to mix and match and discuss preferences. This approach is usually highly successful.&nbsp;Create effective feedback mechanisms at the end of the scheme&nbsp;The scheme can have a limited duration with buddies deciding to roll off after six months. Conversely, they can extend their agreement. A meeting is held to discuss feedback – any constructive point is taken on board to develop the scheme further.Incentivise the scheme&nbsp;Rather than financial incentive, the experience and a personal reflection can be the basis for credits or a certificate of participation. Funding for writing retreats and networking events for buddies can also be a good way to promote and strengthen the scheme. Our successful writing retreats over the past three academic years and the recurring engagement from our PhD candidates in the more recent buddy scheme have shown us the effectiveness of these incentives.Connecting through writing is a powerful way to revive a sense of belonging to a community, especially when writing is key to the academic success of their members. Individuals who can articulate constructive feedback and engage in a regular writing activity have shown to be more successful at negotiating their needs with their peers and supervisory committees. It is this sense of connection that often carries the students to the end of their PhD journeys and beyond.Lena Steveker is head of the Doctoral School in Humanities and Social Sciences (DSHSS), and Laura Spadon is doctoral school facilitator at DSHSS; both are at the University of Luxembourg.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Is a writing group or partner an effective antidote to post-pandemic isolation during doctoral education? Lena Steveker and Laura Spadon explain how to put a forum for belonging in place

Buddy system: creating community through writing

In the realm of scientific research, strong interview skills are often overlooked as a tool. To distinguish your paper from the rest, merely collecting the evidence that supports your hypothesis from books, websites and grey literature won’t be enough. It is through speaking to people who have immersed themselves in the field of our interest that we truly begin to gain insights. As William Saroyan said, “Good people are good because they’ve come to wisdom through failure.” But how should we approach the idea of interviewing experts in order to obtain the information we need?Show your research impact: a guide for academics and researchersGive your academic paper its best chance of being acceptedImproving academic writing skills to boost student confidence and resilienceAs a researcher, the ability to communicate effectively is crucial. You must be able to present your queries, facilitate discussions and build rapport with your interviewee to ensure that you achieve optimal results.Eight tips to elevate your interview approachWithout proper preparation, your interview will lack structure. You must clearly state your research interview objectives, preparing flexible questions and probing cues.Do your background research on the interviewee. Be sensitive to the interviewee’s morals, values and triggers. Create a comfortable environment for them, allowing them to speak to you freely.Although you may have to clarify your interviewee’s answers, you should maintain a balance between talking and listening. For example, let the interviewee finish speaking before asking the next question and remain polite.Mimic your interviewee’s body language and pace to establish rapport and harmony.You can control nervous habits such as fidgeting. Practise relaxation techniques to help keep any anxiety to a minimum during the interview.Ask clear, simple, short questions. Clarity helps to generate precise answers.Be strategic with more difficult questions. Hold them back for later in the interview, when rapport has been established. This will help to maintain trust and openness throughout the conversation.When ending the interview, ask a closing question that provides closure and leaves the interviewee feeling valued for their contributions.Three things to avoid in a research interviewNot addressing your research objectives and hypothesis. When proposing your initiative, you should structure your explanation like this:Clearly state your hypothesis and objectives.Explain why you believe your research findings will impact your field. Address what findings you have reached so far.Explain why you have conducted an interview instead of other approaches.Lack of eye contact and rapport-building. As an interviewer, you need to pay attention to body language. Body language can be an indicator of confidence or discomfort for both the interviewee and interviewer. It is crucial to maintain eye contact, keep an upright posture and avoid exaggerated hand gestures.Disregarding ethical guidelines. If you don’t maintain the integrity of your research findings, you risk your gathered data losing its validity and reliability. Avoid cutting corners, and don’t overlook ethical considerations. Research conducted outside ethical guidelines could result in legal actions.Technological toolsHow do these tips translate across different communication methods? As an interviewer you need to be knowledgeable about the best methodology to retrieve your data, especially in this age of evolving technology.Face-to-face interviews have their benefits, including the personal interaction and the ability to observe body language and non-verbal cues. More authentic responses can come about as a result. But costs (for travel, accommodation, renting office space and so on) can add up quickly. Virtual alternatives such as videoconferencing make interviews more flexible and reduce costs and travel time for both parties. They’re convenient and less stressful, as both participants can dial in from their own home or office.You can also reach out to a more extensive pool of interviewees, as there’s no requirement to stay within local boundaries. Just be aware of technical difficulties, which can hinder the interview process.&nbsp;By mastering these interviewing skills, you can communicate your knowledge, show your ability to lead and demonstrate your enthusiasm for the expansion of knowledge in your field. As you grow these skills, you will be proving not just your technical competence but also, importantly, your ability to communicate difficult concepts in a comprehensible and convincing manner. By articulating your qualifications and enthusiasm for pushing the boundaries of knowledge, you enhance your chances of securing exciting opportunities in the scientific research domain.Mahra Haitham Al Hosani is a medical student and Mariam Shadan is assistant professor of biomedical science, both at Dubai Medical College for Girls.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Master the art of online and in-person interviewing 

Interviewing experts is a key part of scientific research, so it’s important to hone your skills. Mahra Haitham Al Hosani and Mariam Shadan provide eight tips – and three things to avoid

The task of writing a PhD thesis is top of mind for many aspiring scholars. After all, completing one is no small task. And while these pieces of writing often share a standard format, this can differ slightly based on the requirements of your institution or subject. So what elements make up a PhD thesis?A doctoral thesis usually contains:A title pageDeclarations from the candidate and supervisorA certificate from the candidate and supervisorA plagiarism reportAcknowledgements&nbsp;A table of contentsAbbreviations&nbsp;An abstractChapters.Chapters typically cover:A general introduction&nbsp;Literature reviewAnalysis of the gap in research with aims and objectivesMaterials and methodsResultsSummary and conclusionOutlookReferences or bibliography.&nbsp;You should also include a list of papers you have published and any relevant achievements at the end.&nbsp;An explanation of each of the components of a PhD dissertation&nbsp;Title page: a PhD thesis starts with a title page that contains the complete title of the research work, the submitting university, names of the candidate and supervisor, affiliation and month and year of submission.Abstract: this serves as a concise synopsis of the dissertation, covering the research context, purpose of the study or research questions, methodology, findings and conclusions. This section is usually one to two pages in length.&nbsp;Table of contents: this page lists the thesis content and respective page numbers.General introduction and literature review: this component is usually 20 to 40 pages long. It presents the readers with the primary material and discusses relevant published data. It provides an overview of pertinent literature related to the thesis such as texts that critically assess the existing literature to identify the gap in research and explain the need behind the study.&nbsp;Aims and objectives: this section of the thesis is typically one to two pages long and describes the aims and objectives of the study. Structure them as three to four bullet points describing specific points that you will investigate. Approach this by thinking about what readers should understand by the end of the thesis. Ensure you:Give a clear explanation of the purpose and goals of your study&nbsp;Outline each aim conciselyExplain how you will measure your objectivesEnsure there is a clear connection between each aimUse verbs such as investigate, evaluate, explore, analyse and demonstrate.Materials and methods: this section briefly explains how you have conducted the study and should include all the materials you used and procedures you implemented. For example, if your research involves working with chemicals, list the chemicals and instruments used, along with their catalogue numbers and manufacturers’ names. This section should also explicitly explain the methodology you used, step-by-step. Use the past tense while writing this section and do not describe any results or findings of the study yet.Results: this section is sometimes called the “findings report” or “the experimental findings” (referring to data collection and analysis). Write the results concisely and in the past tense. Include text, figure and table infographics created with tools such as Microsoft PowerPoint, Adobe Illustrator and BioRender to visualise your data.&nbsp;Discussion: this is a chance to discuss the results and compare the findings of your study with the initial hypothesis and existing knowledge. Focus on discussing interpretations, implications, limitations and recommendations here.Resources on academic writing for higher education staff&nbsp;Tips for writing a PhD dissertation: FAQs answeredHow to tackle the PhD dissertationSummary and conclusion: this section should be shorter than the discussion and summarise your key findings. The summary and conclusion should be brief and engaging, allowing the reader to easily understand the major findings of the research work. Provide clear answers to the research questions, generate new knowledge and clarify the need for the study.&nbsp;Future perspective: this section of the thesis (which is often combined with a summary or conclusion) talks about the study's limitations, if any, and indicates the directions for future studies based on your findings.&nbsp;References or bibliography: the last section should include the list of articles, websites and other resources cited in the thesis.Always remember that, depending on the department, university or field of study, you might have to follow specific guidelines on how to organise your PhD thesis. Ensure you consult your supervisor or academic department if you have any doubts.Shama Prasada Kabekkodu is a professor and head of cell and molecular biology at Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, India.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

How to structure your PhD thesis

Organising your PhD thesis in a logical order is one of the crucial stages of your writing process. Here is a list of the individual components to include

Writing a PhD thesis can often feel like preparing for an ultimate beach day. Just as you plan your trip, pack your towels and sunblock, and ensure you have everything you need for a perfect day by the sea, PhD candidates must organise their research, structure their ideas and manage their time effectively to produce a well-organised and impactful thesis.Packing your beach bag: initial planning and time managementThe first step in getting ready for the beach is packing your beach bag with all the essentials. Similarly, effective time management and planning are crucial in the preliminary stages of your PhD journey. Begin by breaking down your thesis into manageable sections and setting achievable deadlines for each part. This way, you have a clear road map, preventing you from feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of the task.How to navigate the PhD thesisOne thesis, two supports, three monthsThree ways to refresh your academic writingAlso, know yourself as a writer and creator. The doctoral journey differs from bachelor’s and master’s, as we start to create our own theories. Just as swimmers at the beach need to know their strengths and limitations to be safe, we also must know ourselves as writers so we can manage our time.&nbsp;Creating a detailed timeline for your research and writing phases is akin to creating a packing list for your beach day. Allocate specific time blocks for literature review, data collection, analysis and writing. Regularly revisit and adjust your schedule as needed, much like you would adjust your plans based on weather conditions and beach activities.Setting up your beach umbrella: structuring your thesisOnce your beach bag is packed, it is time to set up your beach umbrella. Structuring your thesis effectively is essential for creating a coherent flow of ideas, and it always helps to begin with the planning process, outlining the main chapters: introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion and conclusion. Each chapter should have a clear purpose and contribute to the overall narrative of your research.The introduction serves as the opening to your beach day, inviting readers into your research landscape.&nbsp; We all enjoy the sun as it glistens on the ocean, inviting us to dive in. The introduction should do the same for the readers – providing an overview of your research topic, objectives and significance. The literature review is akin to setting up your beach towel and laying out the foundation, demonstrating understanding of the existing knowledge and identifying gaps that your research will address.The methodology section is the blueprint of your beach set-up, detailing the tools, techniques and processes you used to gather and analyse data. The results section presents the highlights of your beach day, displaying the data and findings in a clear and organised manner – this is where we want to show that we planned well, checking our beach checklist for quality.&nbsp;The discussion chapter is where you interpret your findings, much like reflecting on the best moments of your beach day, and the conclusion ties everything together, summarising the key insights and implications of your research (ideally finishing without a sunburn).Enjoying the sun: writing and revisingOnce your beach umbrella is set up and your towel in place, it’s time to sit back and relax – unlike writing a PhD thesis, when it’s important to stay on top of the work, consistently writing and revising.&nbsp;Writing a PhD thesis is not a one-time effort but an ongoing process, requiring regular attention and care.&nbsp; We teach methods that can help with this in our Writing Center at CSU Global.Dedicate specific time each day or week to writing, just as you set aside time to apply sunscreen and stay hydrated at the beach. Set achievable writing goals, such as completing a certain number of words or pages each session. This incremental approach helps keep momentum and prevents procrastination.Revising and refining your work is like adjusting your beach set-up throughout the day. Regularly review your writing for clarity, coherence and logical flow – making sure that the plan you originally created is still on point. If there are changes, you are in control of where they are going. If, at the beach, the wind picks up and the sky clouds over, you’re in control of moving to a sheltered spot before the rain starts, and a PhD is no different.I always encourage seeking feedback from peers, advisers or writing groups to gain fresh perspectives and show areas for improvement. Remember, even the best beach set-ups need occasional adjustments to stay comfortable and enjoyable.Practical tips for a successful thesis journeyCreate a dedicated workspace: Just as you need a spot for your beach chair and umbrella, set up a dedicated workspace for your research and writing. This helps minimise distractions and fosters a productive environment.Harness productivity tools: Tools such as project management software, reference management systems and writing apps can help streamline your workflow and keep you organised.Take care of yourself: Remember that physical and mental well-being is crucial for sustained productivity. Take regular breaks, engage in physical activity and ensure you get enough rest.Seek support: Do not hesitate to reach out to advisers, peers or writing groups for guidance and encouragement. Collaboration and support from others can provide valuable insights and motivation.Adopt a growth mindset: Embrace challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. A growth mindset will help you stay resilient and motivated throughout your thesis journey.Foster meaningful connections: Build strong relationships with your advisors and peers. They can provide support, feedback and collaboration opportunities that enrich your research experience.John Sinclair is a part-time faculty member at the MBA programme at CSU Global.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Get your PhD thesis beach ready

Prepping for the beach requires planning, effort and time management – and so does writing a PhD thesis. John Sinclair offers advice for summer days and doctoral nights

Armed with coffee, I find a spare table in the university café, pull my laptop from my bag, log in and start working on the book I’m writing. My reverie is interrupted when two colleagues from our student recruitment department pass by. We chat for five minutes or so, setting the world to rights.&nbsp;After they wave goodbye, I return to my writing significantly happier than I had been before our conversation. Over the next hour, I have similar interactions with colleagues from internationalisation, from sport and exercise, from the executive leadership team, from digital services, history and timetabling, and an MA student who gives me an update on both their dissertation and Easter holiday exploits.How campus layout influences social ties and research exchangeResource collection: Cultivate a sense of belonging on campusBelonging: why it is the next step on the equity, diversity and inclusion ladderThese small gestures make a big difference to my well-being as an academic. It’s rare for me to walk from one building to the next without at least one “hi”, wave or conspiratorial roll of the eyes. The me who wrote&nbsp;a Campus&nbsp;article on procrastination might disapprove of such distractions, but they give me a tremendous sense of being part of something. Of being supported. Of belonging.&nbsp;Step outside your comfort zoneI’ve worked at the same university for 15 years, but I don’t think my sense of belonging is solely down to longevity. For starters, staff and students come and go on a regular basis. Sure, I’ve known a handful of people since I started, but I’ve got to know many more in the past couple of years. I put this down to often&nbsp;working in communal areas as well as my office.&nbsp;As a dedicated introvert, I do have to fight the urge to be the academic cliché, holed up alone, books and paper everywhere, blinds down and the outside world closed off behind my fire door. But I make the effort because it’s worth it. Not only does it lead to that lovely sense of belonging, it also makes me a better teacher.&nbsp;Allow me to elaborate. Working in communal areas, such as the library, lets me interact with people from all over the university. This keeps me tuned in to the wider workings of the institution, which in turn exposes me to new initiatives and ways of working. These inform my teaching practices in a way that staying in my bubble cannot, and that makes me a better informed and more thoughtful and flexible teacher.&nbsp;How the other half teachAlongside my&nbsp;daily detours into campus cafés, I’ve also been&nbsp;involved with a couple of projects this semester that have helped to foster more of a sense of community among staff.&nbsp;First, my faculty has tweaked its peer-observation process, so that staff are required to observe lectures from colleagues outside their own departments. This allows us to meet lecturers we may not have encountered before, while also giving us a window into how other disciplines work. Having observed classes in philosophy and religious studies in the past couple of months, I have not only learned a great deal in terms of teaching techniques, class management and research dissemination, I have also created connections with the lecturers I observed. That makes two more people to chat with as they pass my table in the café.The second project, designed purely for fun, was created to bring together staff from all over the university. The Winch Olympics&nbsp;(whose name started as a stopgap and then stuck) is a competition among faculties and professional departments in three events: five-a-side football, a quiz and a bake-off. The reaction to this event has been a perfect blend of competitiveness and bonding. With the bake-off round still to come, about 60 colleagues have taken part so far.&nbsp;From a personal perspective, the competition has required me to resist the introvert’s urge to flee for the proverbial hills at the prospect of organised fun. My footballing abilities aren’t what they were, my trivia knowledge is niche, and the only thing I can bake is a potato, but my faculty colleagues needed&nbsp;me, if only to make up the numbers, and if people are relying on you, disengaging becomes that much harder. A Yale University paper on personal relationships found that people felt&nbsp;closer and more connected to one another after engaging in shared experiences, and this has certainly been the case for me. I’ve forged deeper bonds with my own staff-mates – finding we can now talk more freely and openly after sharing a football pitch – and have created new ones with faculties and departments I’d previously had little to no contact with. If we wanted to, we could call it networking, although it neither looks nor feels like it.&nbsp;Anyway, my coffee is drained and it’s time to head off to another meeting (which I can’t say I’m looking forward to). But it does give me another opportunity to “network” en route and experience that precious feeling of belonging.&nbsp;Glenn Fosbraey&nbsp;is the associate dean of humanities and social sciences and the head of the English and creative writing department at the University of Winchester.If you’d like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Belonging is not just a result of being in a place – nor it is the sole preserve of students. For university faculty, it comes from chance encounters, small gestures and stepping outside your comfort zone, writes Glenn Fosbraey

Informal networking and how to meet people on campus

Embarking on the journey of writing a PhD thesis is both daunting and exciting. In this pocket-size guide, I’ve distilled my decades of experience in higher education into practical advice to help you navigate this challenging terrain and emerge with a completed work you’re proud of.&nbsp;Creating a detailed timeline with daily goalsTime management is crucial to thesis writing, yet it’s often underestimated. Many students feel overwhelmed by the volume of work involved but creating a comprehensive timeline allows you to break down the project into convenient tasks, track your progress and adjust your timetable as needed. Setting daily goals provides structure to your workday, helping you stay focused and productive.How to write a PhD thesis: a step-by-step guideProtect your emotional well-being for a happier writing experienceWhy get a PhD by publication (and other career tips)Writing a PhD thesis is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s natural to experience moments of doubt and frustration along the way. When you do, taking care of yourself and finding ways to stay motivated is essential. Take short breaks to rest, recharge and celebrate small victories. Remember that every thesis is unique and progress is not always linear. Instead of comparing yourself to your peers, focus on your journey and the valuable contributions you’ve made to your field.Understanding the PhD thesisThe requirements for a PhD thesis vary significantly depending on your institution and field of study. It is crucial to familiarise yourself with your university’s guidelines and requirements early in the process.Writing the thesis Writing a PhD thesis is not simply an academic exercise – it’s a journey of self-discovery and intellectual growth. Here are my recommendations for writing with confidence:&nbsp;Create a draft outline to guide your writing process. Use digital tools such as MS Office and Grammarly to streamline editing and save time.Start early to build momentum and confidence. Embrace your unique voice and opt for an active writing style. Let your ideas flow freely initially, refining them over time with rigorous edits.Remember to write in a voice that is authentic to you. Modern academia values the personal perspective, so don’t hesitate to express your thoughts and insights in the first person.As you approach the final stages of your thesis, you must organically merge all the relevant findings that support the novelty of your thesis into the final document. Typically, the wrap-up happens three months before the expected submission of your book, leaving time for your supervisor’s thorough revision.Wrap up with careful planning and disciplined execution. Start by updating the original outline to adopt the final structure of your thesis that progressively unfolds and tells the story of your investigation. The updated outline will serve as a roadmap for your final sprint, helping to shape your concluding research story.Structuring your thesisCraft your thesis like a compelling story, following the scientific method’s structure: abstract, introduction, literature review, methods, results and discussion, and conclusion.&nbsp;The abstract is typically a paragraph with no more than 400 words, portraying a concise summary that addresses your thesis’ subject, relevance, research questions, methodology and main findings. Generally, the abstract is continuously updated until the book is complete.In the introduction, provide context for your research by outlining the problem you’re addressing and its significance. The literature review should demonstrate your understanding of existing research and highlight the gaps your study seeks to fill. Then, describe the methodology in the subsequent section and continue with your results and their thorough analysis. Finally, conclude with a summary of your main findings and their implications for your field of study.&nbsp;Managing referencing and bibliographyProper referencing is critical to academic writing, ensuring your work is credible and properly attributed. Take the time to familiarise yourself with your chosen citation style, whether it’s APA, MLA, Chicago or another format, and double-check all information for accuracy and consistency.Preparing for the viva voceThe viva voce, or oral defence, is the final hurdle in the PhD journey. It’s an opportunity to defend your research and demonstrate your expertise in your field. To prepare, consider conducting mock vivas with your peers or supervisors to simulate the experience and receive feedback on your performance. Stay calm and composed during the examination, taking time to think before responding to questions. Remember, the viva voce is not just a test of your knowledge – it’s also an opportunity to engage in scholarly discourse and demonstrate your ability to think critically about your research.You’ve completed your thesis – now what?Finishing a PhD thesis is a significant milestone and celebrating your accomplishment is essential. Take a well-deserved break before embarking on the next phase of your career. Reflect on your goals and aspirations, considering how your research can contribute to your field and shape your future career path. Whether you’re pursuing academic opportunities or exploring options in industry, use this time to prepare for the next chapter of your journey.The writing of a PhD thesis is a transformative journey, requiring strategic planning, perseverance and a positive mindset. By applying these insights and tactics, you can confidently navigate this journey and contribute meaningfully to your field of study.Luis R. Rojas-Solórzano is associate provost for graduate studies at Nazarbayev University.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

How to navigate the PhD thesis

The PhD thesis may be a mountain to climb, but you can take it one step at a time. Luis R Rojas-Solórzano offers his guidance

Writing an abstract might not seem to be at the top of your list of priorities when writing your PhD dissertation, but it’s probably the first thing a reader will see when they encounter your research, so it’s worth putting the effort in to get it right. Here are some ways to make it sing.&nbsp;What is an abstract?An abstract is a concise overview of an extensive piece of research work such as a thesis, dissertation or research paper. Depending on the discipline, it usually contains the purpose of the research, the methodologies employed and the conclusions derived. Abstracts typically range from 500 to 800 words and appear on a separate page after the title page and acknowledgements, but preceding the table of contents. Although it might be tempting to start your thesis by drafting your abstract, I advise postponing until you’ve completed a first draft so that you ensure you cover all topics discussed in your thesis.What to include in your abstractPurpose of the studyBegin your abstract by concisely defining the problems your study addresses or outlining the gaps in knowledge it fills. It should provide the reader with new and useful information regarding your research in the present or past tense. Use verbs such as “test”, “evaluate” and “analyse” to make the research objective specific, measurable, attainable and time-bound. Avoid providing detailed background information and personal opinions at this stage.MethodsIn this part of your abstract, explain how you designed and conducted your research and how it addresses your research questions in the past tense.&nbsp;The aim here is to give the reader a prompt insight into your approach, not to evaluate challenges, validity and reliability. Highlight the samples you used and the data collection and analysis tools you employed.&nbsp;Campus resource collection: What I wish I’d known about academiaCampus resource collection: Resources on academic writingWhat is your academic writing temperament?Results and conclusionSummarise and highlight the most significant findings that will allow the reader to understand the conclusions in the present or past tense. At the end of your abstract, the reader ought to have a firm grasp of the main argument. If the motive of the research is to resolve a real-world issue, you can include practical implications and suggestions in the findings. Briefly offer future recommendations for further research, if applicable.&nbsp;When writing your abstract, imagine who might read your research; a curious reader, not necessarily an expert in the field, expects the information to be accessible and not overly complex.&nbsp;Tips on how to write an abstract for a research paperExplain why you chose this area of research and the significance of the studyAsk yourself “why?” “what?” “how?” and “so what?” and use the abstract to address these questions.&nbsp;Highlight the novelty of your research&nbsp;Explain how your research adds to the existing body of literature on the topicExplain your research design, highlighting elements such as approach, demographics, sampling and geographical informationExplain how your research is relevant and significantAddress practical implications to potential interested parties – for example, any issues relating to policy&nbsp;Avoid technical jargon, generalised statements and vague claims that make your work difficult to readAvoid acronyms and abbreviations at this stage. Add them into the introduction instead&nbsp;Provide concise, consistent and accurate detailsAdhere to the word count limit specified in your instructionsInclude essential keywords for search engine optimisationThere’s no need to include references at this stageNever copy and paste content directly from elsewhere in the thesis; use new vocabulary and phrases to differentiate the abstract from the rest of the text.These tips will help to make the abstract writing process smoother, allowing you to make a good first impression on whoever comes across your work when you’re ready to send it out into the world.Ankitha Shetty is an assistant professor (senior scale) at the department of commerce and a coordinator at the Centre for Doctoral Studies at Manipal Academy of Higher Education, India.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Read about three elements to include in your research paper abstract and some tips for making yours stand out

How to write an abstract for a research paper

At the start of the 2000s, I was an early career academic who had just got my first large grant and my third lectureship (in as many years). I&nbsp;was co-investigator on a Home Office project evaluating sexual assault referral centres (SARCs), working with some of the best (and kindest) academics in the UK. I&nbsp;was leading a work stream on the experiences of young survivors of rape and sexual assault in relation to the criminal justice process and a new support service they were being offered.I had worked with victim-survivors through a women’s refuge and read about criminal justice responses to rape and sexual assault. But this was my first time managing a large research project and generating and analysing victim-survivors’ data. To say this was hard would be an understatement. As I&nbsp;read their stories – not only their words but also support service case notes – I&nbsp;felt like a sponge soaked in other people’s pain as case after horrendous case led to “no&nbsp;further action” by the police, the “decision not to prosecute” by the Crown Prosecution Service or a “not guilty” result in the courts.Protect your emotional well-being for a happier writing experienceTHE podcast: building resilience and well-being among university staff and studentsManaging time, tasks and well-being in academiaI also felt inadequate and guilty. Not only because I&nbsp;could not help them but because my wonderful research assistant, Helen Taylor (now a clinical psychologist), had to do the interviews with victim-survivors alone at the University of Leicester as I moved to the University of Bath (we&nbsp;lacked the money for me to commute, and this predated Zoom and Teams).Job moves and a highly sensitive research project were not the only challenges I&nbsp;faced at that time. A&nbsp;miscarriage soon after changing jobs floored me physically and mentally, followed quickly by the joy of our two children, which left me sleepless, exhausted and struggling to keep up at work. My most vivid memory of analysing the data is sitting in my parents’ conservatory, my new daughter in the other room, reading one of more than 200 case files and thinking: “At least that is not as bad as the last one”, before being shocked by my own callousness.While I wrote at the time – in an introduction to Researching Gender Violence – about the challenges of emotional research, I&nbsp;didn’t realise I&nbsp;had secondary and vicarious trauma.Secondary trauma tends to be understood as the response to witnessing a single traumatic event, whereas vicarious trauma is seen as a process that builds up through witnessing the trauma of others over time. Both can occur in an individual, and reactions to both can be very similar. The work of Ginny Sprang and colleagues indicates that symptoms of secondary trauma can include intrusion (for example, I&nbsp;used to think about my research when I&nbsp;did&nbsp;not intend to), avoidance (I&nbsp;do&nbsp;not watch or read fiction that I&nbsp;know contains rape), altered arousal/reactivity (I&nbsp;found it hard to concentrate on the data) and altered mood or cognition (I&nbsp;was extremely disillusioned with the system that was supposed to help victim-survivors).It was my experience, and my work with Helen and previous research assistants and PhD students, where we reflected on and improved my supervision over the years, that led me to set up the Researcher Wellbeing Project.Our most recent work clearly indicates that other variables can compound vicarious and secondary trauma in research. These include being an early career researcher on an insecure contract and life challenges such as moving, parenting, workload, health issues and being disabled.I’m pleased to say that most of the academics we interviewed who undertake emotionally challenging research were passionate about and wanted to continue their research. Like Helen and me, they do not regret their topic choices. However, symptoms linked to secondary trauma were common across topics and disciplines.When asked about their most distressing research experience, most respondents reported trouble concentrating, negative emotions and thinking about distressing aspects of their research when they didn’t intend&nbsp;to. Just under half had more severe indicators of secondary trauma such as gaps in memory, feeling jumpy, and avoiding people and places linked to the distressing topic. One participant said: “I&nbsp;remember sitting on a bench, and I&nbsp;couldn’t enjoy anything, […] I&nbsp;was totally out of it in many ways, and I&nbsp;couldn’t even enjoy eating an ice cream!” However, it is important to note that not all impacts were seen solely as detrimental. Anger, in particular, was constructed as a positive driver of their research, while sadness was linked to empathy.Many participants had mechanisms in place to help them cope with their research, but these were usually ad&nbsp;hoc and varied in terms of success. One described going swimming after tough times at work and submerging themselves to “wash off the day” before heading home.When asked about the formal support they were offered, one interviewee said: “Never was I&nbsp;asked about my emotional well-being or how I&nbsp;was coping or what I&nbsp;was coping with, what my self-care plan was.” When we asked what they wanted, a common response was “a&nbsp;toolbox of options…both informal and formal”.In short, to go beyond an ad&nbsp;hoc, individualised approach, which our interviewees and I&nbsp;experienced, we argue in our report that changes are needed to management and provision for emotionally challenging research. We have also used our findings to develop a series of resources to help researchers, supervisors and organisations navigate emotionally challenging topics, including well-being plans, advice on handling distress and risk assessment guidance.The following recommendations come out of the Researcher Wellbeing Project findings. It may not be possible for an organisation to implement all of them at once, so our report describes a phased approach whereby they could build to a gold standard, eventually providing:A well-funded strategy on prevention of and provision for secondary and vicarious trauma in research.A supportive research culture that acknowledges and discusses the issue proactively and positively. This can be facilitated through awareness raising and specialist training on impacts of emotionally challenging topics, how to develop well-being plans, risk assessment and supervision/management of emotionally challenging research.Easily accessible written processes, guidance and clear pathways, so staff know what to do if a researcher or participant needs help.Researcher well-being embedded in ethical procedures and the processing of funding bids to prompt researchers to think about the issue and how they will address it.Regular and effective supervision.A team approach (including team discussions of well-being and sharing the “burden” of data analysis and impact work).Proactive funding of researcher well-being plans, including independent individual clinical supervision, specialist trauma-focused counselling if required and other elements important for well-being (such as gym membership).Specialist mentoring or coaching for researching emotionally challenging topics.Creating organisational researcher well-being networks, and linking in with national networks, including the Emotionally Demanding Research Network Scotland, and international networks such as the Researcher Wellbeing Group for PGR/T and early career researchers, Research Resilience Community of Practice and the Challenging Research Network.Tina Skinner is a senior lecturer in the department of social and policy sciences at the University of Bath. She is also the founder of GW4RWELL and a co-founder of the Researcher Wellbeing Strategic Change Group.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Researchers who navigate emotionally challenging topics need support that includes well-being plans, advice on handling distress and risk assessment guidance, writes Tina Skinner. Her work has led to a series of resources for universities

Emotionally challenging research and researcher well-being

In many ways, my own PhD viva voce examination was shaped by when and where it took place. Because I&nbsp;was examined at a UK institution, mine was not a public event; it was held virtually, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic; and, perhaps most depressingly, I&nbsp;didn’t get to wield a&nbsp;sword at the subsequent graduation ceremony (although my fiancée did make me a small wooden one).Many parts of the viva, though, will be familiar to PhD candidates the world over from almost any discipline. After working independently for four years to produce an 80,000-word thesis, I&nbsp;was suddenly expected to discuss my work in depth, with two examiners (one from my institution, and one from elsewhere) and an independent chair present. During that time, the examiners would be checking whether my thesis was indeed my own work, and whether it met the criteria for the award of a PhD.Understanding the ‘whole thesis’Like many PhD students, I’d spoken about my research over the previous three years at conferences, but these presentations had largely been confined to individual chapters. Now, though, I&nbsp;had to become familiar not just with (say) my arguments on medieval calendars, but also on how they fitted into my broader narrative about language use in medieval England.The approach that I took – which formed part of a suite of resources for postgraduate researchers produced by the University of Exeter’s Doctoral College – was based around what I&nbsp;called “augmenting” my thesis. Intimidating as this may sound, it was based around a fundamentally simple concept: turning my thesis from a lengthy PDF file into something physical and tangible and which would be of use to me during the viva.There is, of course, no single “right way” to do this, but for the sake of clarity, and at the risk of sounding like a 1980s Blue Peter presenter, I’ll outline my own process in a series of numbered steps for the benefit of readers who may be approaching the viva themselves.Collected advice for completing your PhD dissertationResource collection on academic writingViving la viva: how to answer viva questionsHow to write a PhD thesis: a step-by-step guideAn ‘augmented’ thesis in four stepsPrint out and bind your thesis. This would form the basis of the “object” that I&nbsp;would eventually take into my viva, but it also has the advantage of getting you away from a screen, making you less likely to skip over certain passages as you reread it.As you reread, place sticky markers along the top of the thesis to coincide with chapter headings and subheadings. At each point, write a one-sentence summary of that section. These big-picture notes give a bite-sized summary of your argument in each section, and when strung together, they provide you with a sort of “thesis-on-a-page”.When you’ve reminded yourself of how all of your arguments fit together, start to look for points of detail. This is where highlighting can be at its most useful, if done selectively: I&nbsp;used yellow for material that I&nbsp;thought was central to my argument (and that I&nbsp;wanted to be able to quote back to my examiners) and red for material that I&nbsp;felt, on reflection, would benefit from further explanation. Any sticky notes can be placed along the outer margins of the thesis, which will distinguish them from the summaries along the top.Record typos separately. However hard you try, typographical errors will find a way into the thesis that you submit. Highlighting each individual one, however, is likely to take more time than it’s worth: instead, I’d advise making a list of typos, keyed to page numbers and suggested changes, separately: this could later form the basis of a table of corrections to be submitted to the examiners.There are, of course, plenty of other ways in which a thesis might be augmented: one of the main themes that emerged from collaborating on Researcher Development was that doctoral research is shaped by the researcher and their own experience just as much by field and topic. A PhD thesis may have a completely different structure to the one alluded to above; it may require more or less context for an oral examination; it may (whisper it) have fewer typos than mine did. Nevertheless, finding some form of structure in the isolating and stressful months and weeks prior to the viva is an absolute necessity for doctoral researchers, and producing an augmented thesis might just be the way to achieve it.Edward Mills is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Exeter.&nbsp;If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Augmenting the doctoral thesis in preparation for a viva

The viva voce exam is the final hurdle for PhD students, but for most it is also a new and fear-inducing experience. Edward Mills offers one framework to help those preparing to discuss their completed thesis at length

‘Augmenting’ the doctoral thesis in preparation for a viva

A completed thesis is the pinnacle of academic accomplishment, demanding rigorous research, critical analysis and a compelling argument. However, anyone undertaking such a commitment may face challenges in time management, resource utilisation and feedback integration. Drawing from my own experiences, I&nbsp;am confident that harnessing the combined power of human expertise, embodied by your supervisor, and the efficiency of AI technology holds the key to streamlining the process and achieving completion within just three months.The task: Writing the thesisTime frame: Three monthsThe first tool: the supervisorRecognising the pivotal role that supervisors play in guiding and supporting students throughout their academic journey is crucial. They serve as mentors, providing direction, constructive criticism and encouragement throughout the thesis journey. Yet students are often hesitant to fully engage with their supervisors.Developing academic writing skills to boost student confidence and resilienceWhat is your academic writing temperament?Three ways to refresh your academic writingAcknowledge that honest communication about your challenges and limitations can lead to constructive feedback and tailored support during the thesis writing period. Since supervisors are well acquainted with the intellectual standard required to pass a PhD in your discipline and have access to resources both within and outside the institution, their advice is crucial for completing a high-quality thesis efficiently. It’s understandable to be worried about admitting your inadequacies to supervisors, but embracing open communication and leveraging their expertise can be incredibly beneficial. Respecting the deadlines and milestones set by the supervisor and reaching out for help when needed are key to staying focused and on the right track.The second tool: artificial intellgence (AI)Artificial intelligence is a game changer for PhD students working on their theses. By using AI tools and technologies, students can supercharge the process. AI-powered writing assistants can help refine their writing, offering suggestions for improving sentence structure, fixing grammar mistakes and enriching their vocabulary. It also comes in handy for combing through and analysing numerous research articles, saving students valuable time and ensuring that they don’t miss any important sources. It can even pinpoint areas for discussion in a research paper and create a summary. What’s more, AI can assist with data analysis and visualisation, delivering quick and accurate results.Through AI tools, PhD students can manage administrative tasks such as scheduling meetings, transcribing, preparing agendas and even translating meetings with supervisors. Furthermore, AI&nbsp;software can be employed to analyse meeting notes and comments on drafts to identify key tasks, helping students to effectively translate feedback into action points.By tapping into AI, students can save time, keep track of their progress, manage references and enhance the quality of their research. Plus, AI-driven peer review and plagiarism detection software help uphold the quality and integrity of the thesis. While AI-generated data has its limitations, the powerful collaboration between supervisors and AI technologies creates a thriving environment that accelerates thesis completion.The plan: master progressive milestones, one step at a timeDividing our writing journey into smaller tasks is a highly effective strategy when working under strict time frames. Instead of submitting an entire thesis for review, submitting chapters regularly allows for continuous feedback and helps to prevent repeating mistakes.For instance, my supervisor pointed out that my university required UK English for dissertations and deducted marks for any other style, which I&nbsp;promptly corrected in future submissions. Grouping similar tasks together also reduces the workload. When in doubt, seek advice from your supervisor.Additionally, embracing AI solutions fosters a collaborative and inclusive environment, driving productivity, innovation and academic excellence.Embrace the absurdity, share your struggles and remember that even in the darkest depths of academic despair, there’s always a punchline waiting to lighten the load. The collaborative interplay between supervisors and AI technologies holds immense potential to expedite thesis writing endeavours. By capitalising on the complementary strengths of human mentorship and technological innovation, scholars can navigate the academic landscape with greater efficiency, efficacy and scholarly rigour.Here’s the sample weekly timeline, including AI tools that can assist in each stage. This timeline was also created with AI assistance.Week 1: planning and outlineZotero for organising research materials and references.Trello for setting goals and tracking progress.Week 2: literature reviewConnected Papers for exploring related research papers and mapping connections.Mendeley for managing and annotating PDFs.Grammarly for initial revision and refinement.Week 3: methodologyOverleaf for writing and formatting the methodology in LaTeX (if applicable).Grammarly for refining the text.Week 4: data collection and analysisNVivo for qualitative data organisation and analysis.Excel or R for quantitative data analysis and visualisation.Canva or Tableau for creating figures and charts.Week 5: resultsSPSS for statistical analysis and results presentation.Canva or Tableau for creating figures and charts.Week 6: discussionChat GPT for outlining the discussion section.Grammarly, Jenni.ai for initial draft writing and grammar checking.Hemingway Editor and Writefull for improving readability and style.Week 7: conclusion and recommendationsGrammarly, Hemingway Editor and Writefull for final revisions and readability.Week 8: introductionGrammarly, Hemingway Editor and Writefull for improving clarity and coherence.Week 9: abstract and titleGrammarly, Hemingway Editor and WritefullWeek 10: full draft reviewGrammarly for a comprehensive grammar check.EndNote for reference and citation management.Week 11: feedback and revisions and formattingZotero for ensuring all citations and references are correct.Grammarly and ProWritingAid for a final proofreading pass.Week 12: buffer periodMariam Shadan is assistant professor of biomedical sciences at Dubai Medical College for Girls.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter

One thesis, two supports, three months

Completing a thesis within 12 weeks may seem impossible, but by combining AI and your supervisor’s expertise, it can be done. Mariam Shadan shows how

Congratulations; you’ve finished your research! Time to write your PhD thesis. This resource will take you through an eight-step plan for drafting your chapters and your thesis as a whole.&nbsp;
  
      
  
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Organise your materialBefore you start, it’s important to get organised. Take a step back and look at the data you have, then reorganise your research. Which parts of it are central to your thesis and which bits need putting to one side? Label and organise everything using logical folders – make it easy for yourself! Academic and blogger Pat Thomson calls this&nbsp;“Clean up to get clearer”. Thomson suggests these questions to ask yourself before you start writing:What data do you have? You might find it useful to write out a list of types of data (your supervisor will find this list useful too.) This list is also an audit document that can go in your thesis. Do you have any for the “cutting room floor”? Take a deep breath and put it in a separate non-thesis file. You can easily retrieve it if it turns out you need it.What do you have already written?&nbsp;What chunks of material have you&nbsp;written so far&nbsp;that could form the basis of pieces of the thesis text? They&nbsp;will most likely need to be revised but they are useful starting points. Do you have any holding text? That is material you already know has to be rewritten but contains information&nbsp;that will be the basis of a new piece of text.What have you read and what do you still need to read?&nbsp;Are there new texts that you need to consult now after your analysis? What readings can you now put to one side, knowing&nbsp;that they aren’t&nbsp;useful for this thesis&nbsp;– although they&nbsp;might be useful at another time?What goes with what? Can you create chunks or themes of materials that are going to form the basis of some chunks of your text, perhaps even chapters?Once you have assessed and sorted what you have collected and generated you will be in much better shape to approach the big task of composing the dissertation.&nbsp;Decide on a key messageA key message is a summary of new information communicated in your thesis. You should have started to map this out already in the section on&nbsp;argument and contribution&nbsp;– an overarching argument with building blocks that you will flesh out in individual chapters.ActivityYou have already mapped your argument visually, now you need to begin writing it in prose. Following another of Pat Thomson’s exercises, write a “tiny text” thesis abstract. This doesn’t have to be elegant, or indeed the finished product, but it will help you articulate the argument you want your thesis to make. You create a tiny text using a five-paragraph structure:The first sentence addresses the broad context. This locates the study in a policy, practice or research field.The second sentence establishes a problem related to the broad context&nbsp;you have set out. It often starts with “But”, “Yet” or “However”.The third sentence says what specific research has been done. This often starts with “This research” or “I report…”The fourth sentence reports the results. Don’t try to be too tricky here, just start with something like: “This study shows,” or “Analysis of the data suggests that…”The fifth and final sentence addresses the “So What?” question and&nbsp;makes clear the claim to contribution.Here’s an example that Thomson provides:Secondary school arts are in trouble, as the fall in enrolments in arts subjects dramatically attests.&nbsp;However, there is patchy evidence about the benefits of studying arts subjects at school and this makes it hard to argue why the drop in arts enrolments matters.&nbsp;This thesis reports on research which attempts to provide some answers to this problem – a longitudinal study which followed two groups of senior secondary students, one group enrolled in arts subjects and the other not, for three years.&nbsp;The results of the study demonstrate the&nbsp;benefits of young people’s engagement in arts activities, both in and out of school, as well as the connections between the two.&nbsp;The study not only adds to what is known about the benefits of both formal and informal arts education but also provides robust evidence for policymakers and practitioners arguing for the benefits of the arts.&nbsp;You can&nbsp;find out more about tiny texts and thesis abstracts on Thomson’s blog.Writing tips for higher education professionalsResource collection on academic writingWhat is your academic writing temperament?Write a planYou might not be a planner when it comes to writing. You might prefer to sit, type and think through ideas as you go. That’s OK. Everybody works differently. But one of the benefits of planning your writing is that your plan can help you when you get stuck. It can help with writer’s block (more on this shortly!) but also maintain clarity of intention and purpose in your writing.You can do this by creating a&nbsp;thesis skeleton or storyboard, planning the order of your chapters, thinking of potential titles (which may change at a later stage), noting down what each chapter/section will cover and considering how many words you will dedicate to each chapter (make sure the total doesn’t exceed the maximum word limit allowed).Use your plan to help prompt your writing when you get stuck and to develop clarity in your writing.Some starting points include:This chapter will argue that…This section illustrates that…This paragraph provides evidence that…Of course, we wish it werethat easy. But you need to approach your first draft as exactly that: a draft. It isn’t a perfect, finished product; it is your opportunity to start getting words down on paper. Start with whichever chapter you feel you want to write first; you don’t necessarily have to write the introduction first. Depending on your research, you may find it easier to begin with your empirical/data chapters.Vitae advocates for the “three draft approach” to help with this and to stop you from focusing on finding exactly the right word or transition as part of your first draft.
  
      
  
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This resource originally appeared on Researcher Development.Kelly Louse Preece is head of educator development at the University of Exeter.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

How to write a PhD thesis: a step-by-step guide 

A draft isn’t a perfect, finished product; it is your opportunity to start getting words down on paper, writes Kelly Louise Preece

Research funding plays a crucial role in fuelling discipline-specific exploration by providing essential financial support to researchers. A variety of organisations including government agencies, private foundations, corporations and universities fund research.&nbsp;Funding opportunities for researchers are highly competitive. The journey of securing funding begins with identifying various funding agencies that match the researcher’s interests and objectives. You can discover such opportunities via a range of channels/sources including grant databases, funding agency websites and professional networks.&nbsp;In India, where my institution is based, research funding encompasses a wide range of contributors working together to advance scientific knowledge, foster innovation and tackle the country's developmental hurdles. A significant portion of the government’s budget is dedicated to developing and supporting research activities across various fields. The important government entities for research here include:•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Department of Science and Technology (DST)•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Department of Biotechnology (DBT)•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE)•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Department of Space (DOS)•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES)•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).The above agencies offer a variety of grant programmes to researchers and institutions that support a wide range of research activities, including basic and applied research, technology development and innovation. Researchers can submit proposals to these agencies detailing their research goals, methodologies and budgetary needs.&nbsp;Funding possibilities may emerge from bilateral agreements, multilateral partnerships or international funding agencies such as the United Nations, the World Bank and various research councils. Universities, research institutions and academic consortia also play a crucial role in research funding in India. They receive grants from government agencies, private foundations and industry partners to support faculty research, infrastructure development and collaborative projects.&nbsp;Resource collection: Unlocking the potential of open access and open researchLove and money: why the search for funding is like romanceThe four key steps to writing a successful funding bidIn addition, private foundations, philanthropic organisations and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives also provide support for research funding. These entities typically offer grants, fellowships and scholarships aimed at addressing societal issues or driving development in specific areas. India has one of the most vibrant start-up and innovation ecosystems which has led to the rise of incubators, accelerators and venture capital funds that provide funding and support to early stage research and technology-driven enterprises.&nbsp;Preparing grant proposals is another challenge for early career researchers. Upon identifying a suitable funding opportunity, researchers must draft a detailed grant proposal that articulates their research objectives, methodologies, anticipated outcomes and budgetary requirements systematically. Researchers must revise these proposals multiple times before submitting them to ensure they adhere to strict formatting and submission requirements.&nbsp;The submitted proposal then goes through a thorough review process where experts in the relevant field/s evaluate them on criteria such as scientific merit, feasibility, innovation and potential impact. Evaluations by the experts make a significant impact in deciding the outcome of each proposal, helping funding organisations make informed decisions in light of budgetary limitations. Upon approval, successful applicants are notified and establish funding agreements that outline the terms and conditions governing the use of funds.Once they secure funding, researchers must balance their academic responsibilities while carrying out their proposed research projects according to the timelines and milestones outlined in their grant proposals. They are typically required to provide regular progress reports to the funding agencies to demonstrate accountability and compliance with grant requirements. With funding secured, researchers execute their proposed projects, adhering to timelines and milestones outlined in their grant proposals. Throughout this phase, researchers have to provide regular progress reports to funding agencies, ensuring transparency, accountability and compliance with grant requirements. These reports include tracking expenses, submitting financial reports and complying with any auditing requirements.As research projects progress, researchers must undertake activities to disseminate knowledge, sharing their findings with the scientific community and wider society. This could involve publishing results in peer-reviewed journals, presenting findings at conferences and other knowledge translation activities. By doing this, researchers enhance the impact of their work, encouraging collaboration and stimulating additional innovation.Generally, funding agencies undertake assessments to evaluate the impact and outcomes of the research they have supported. These assessments typically involve measuring the scientific contributions, societal benefits and economic returns generated by the funded projects. However, the process of securing research funding is intricate and highly competitive in the higher education sector, yet it serves as a vital mechanism for advancing scientific understanding, nurturing innovation and tackling pressing societal issues.Raghavendra U is a deputy registrar (administration) at Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), India.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

How exactly does research get funded?

Ever wondered how research funding works? Raghavendra U breaks down the entire process in this resource

Life as a PhD student is challenging – and one of the most testing aspects of it is the change in mindset it requires.&nbsp;You switch from being a consumer of knowledge to a producer of knowledge. In other words, you transition from passively absorbing information to actively generating new insights through original research. To do that, you have to develop the mindset of a researcher. Here, I’ll reflect on my own academic journey and experiences of supervising others, to share my thoughts on how to do just that.Have a career planA PhD can be long and the prospect of writing a doctoral thesis is daunting. It can even be distracting, because you’re leaving the very idea of long-term goals on the back burner.Viving la viva: how to answer viva questionsWhat I have learned on the journey towards commercialising my PhDFive tips for surviving your doctorate after moving over from industryThat’s exactly why it’s worth having a career plan. It will remind you why you’re doing all of this and carry you through the more draining aspects of your studies and research. Trust me, this will help.&nbsp;But there’s a difference between simply having goals and having a plan. A plan involves steps to help you achieve the goals you’re aiming towards and gives you boxes to tick. For example, your plan could involve attending conferences, publishing articles and teaching and supporting students. It should also identify skills gaps and outline plans to address them.&nbsp;Make sure your targets are realistic and achievable, and discuss them with your supervisor, who will guide you accordingly. Having a well-considered plan will help to motivate you and provide a map to help you chart your progress. Aside from anything else, this is important in helping you maintain a healthy work-life balance.&nbsp;Take every opportunity that you can to learnIf you’re studying towards a PhD, you have already demonstrated a desire to learn. Make sure you now take every opportunity to do so and that you learn from sources beyond your supervisor or supervisory team.&nbsp;Postgraduate research students can attend regular events and workshops organised by the academic skills teams and career advisors within their universities. By leveraging these resources, you can develop the knowledge and skills required to complete your doctoral degree and also learn about the skills required to secure a job with potential employers.&nbsp;It is particularly important to attend workshops organised by the university’s doctoral school. I would strongly urge you not to ignore these sessions. Some students choose to select only those workshops they believe will be beneficial, but attending all workshops – particularly in the early stages of your degree – will help you to develop skills and knowledge that could prove vital in the future.&nbsp;For instance, if you are a qualitative researcher, you might choose only to attend workshops related to qualitative research. However, in a future job you might need to teach quantitative methodology or be involved in research using quantitative methods. So it’s good practice not to be selective and to attend all workshops, allowing you to gain wider knowledge and develop networks with individuals from diverse backgrounds.Involve yourself in academic activitiesIn research-related careers, applicants are generally expected to have experience of teaching, so it’s hugely important to actively seek teaching and supervisory opportunities both within your university and outside of it. You should also engage in grant applications with others, including your supervisory team – this will provide hands-on experience of the daily challenges faced by academics.&nbsp;Many PhD students – and even some supervisors – think these activities could delay the completion of a doctoral degree, but they really do help you to acquire the skills you will need going forward. Supervising undergraduate and postgraduate students will offer insight into mentoring and managing expectations, including those of your supervisor. Involvement with teaching and assessments will give you an intuition when it comes to academic life, and the opportunity to directly apply new skills with the students you work with. This will foster the mindset that you are not only a PhD student but also an active academic.&nbsp;Attend conferences and engage with journalsSeek out opportunities to publish in academic journals and attend relevant conferences. If you don’t, your work might not have the desired impact, regardless of its merit.&nbsp;Conferences offer a platform for feedback, peer review opportunities, research visibility and invaluable networking. Similarly, involvement in publications and conferences can inspire new ideas and perspectives for research.The PhD journey is never an easy one, given the number of commitments involved. Remind yourself that you are a researcher and an academic, and that your work has the potential to shape knowledge and understanding for years to come. Research is challenging – but if you’re in a position to study for a PhD, that means you already have the tools to overcome them.&nbsp;Shaif Uddin Ahammed is programme leader of MSc International Management and lecturer in strategy and leadership at the University of the West of Scotland.&nbsp;If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

How to develop a researcher mindset as a PhD student

Entering the postgraduate sphere is a whole new ball game. Shaif Uddin Ahammed shows how to hone a PhD mindset

“Just enjoy the viva,” they say. Ha! “Enjoyment” was not what came to mind when thinking about my PhD viva. But I knew it was my only chance to speak to people who had read my thesis and, unlike my long-suffering family and friends, were genuinely curious about why I didn’t use NVivo and why I hadn’t referenced the original citation on page 243. So, when it came to prepping for mine a few years ago (I submitted it in September and my viva wasn’t until January, so I had a decent amount of time to prepare and find spelling mistakes), I made sure I was as ready as I could be.I found a lot of online viva&nbsp;resources&nbsp;and&nbsp;blog posts&nbsp;that provided helpful lists of possible questions you may be asked to help you prepare your answers. However, what I found most helpful were the tips from my supervisors during my mock viva (tip one: have a mock viva with your supervisors). Specifically, they talked about how I should answer the examiners’ questions, not necessarily what to say.&nbsp;Signpost your answersExaminers will undoubtedly ask you, in so many words: “What is your original contribution to knowledge?” As with all replies, keep your answer clear; don’t make things too complicated. Structure the points you want to make so you can signpost the examiner to your main thesis contributions, just as you would have in your written conclusion. For example, I said: “My thesis makes three original contributions to knowledge: firstly, a theoretical contribution, secondly, a methodological contribution, and thirdly, a pedagogical/practical contribution,” and kept to a few sentences for each of the three points.It’s a game of staminaAt the beginning of the viva, it’s easy&nbsp;to want to just keep talking through nerves or worry that you want to show off everything at once. My viva was only an hour and a half, but I’ve heard of some lasting more than five hours – it just depends on the examiners, and what emerges on the day. Have faith that, when answering the first few questions, you don’t have to reel off your whole thesis there and then. Take your time; it’s an exhausting few hours. I hit the wall after an hour as I’d begun to relax into it and my adrenaline dropped (I did a few over-loud sighs without realising). So, pace yourself. If you are worried that you have not answered their question, you can politely ask if the examiners would like you to expand on what you’ve said further.Collected advice to help you complete your PhD dissertationResource collection: What I wish I’d known about academiaEarly career researchers can say no, tooWhen am I going to be found out? Tackling academic impostor syndromeAlthough it’s a defence of your thesis, don’t come across as defensiveThis is a hugely useful distinction that I was made aware of. The examiners are there to critically pick apart your thesis, probing why you did certain things and not others. Yet this thesis is your baby, and no one but&nbsp;you&nbsp;can say your baby isn’t perfect. So your hackles rise and, perhaps without realising it, the tone or manner in which you reply could come across as too defensive and it could make the examiners feel defensive, too.&nbsp;They’re only human, after all. You can still defend your reasons politely but firmly. “That’s a really interesting way of looking at it, but I found, for my study, it was more helpful to look at it this way” is a good response.Don’t know the answer?&nbsp;Sometimes the examiners may ask you something that you have not even thought about, let alone prepared for. At this point, have a few stock phrases up your sleeve to give yourself time to mull things over. The following are effective:Well, now that I think about it like that…I’m only starting to see this now…That’s a very good point, I’d like to look at this issue in more detail.Practise speaking your answers aloud to get used to your voice;&nbsp;the best prep I did was with a colleague who had her viva at a similar time to me. We scheduled weekly Skype sessions in the weeks before and practised asking each other unseen questions. This helped me get used to hearing my own voice and let me play with how I could verbalise concepts and ideas that I had only, up until then, put into writing and had lived in my head.Prepare questions of your ownAs in an interview, it looks professional if you have a few questions prepared for the examiners for the “any questions?” part at the end. For example, you could ask their thoughts on where you could publish future journal articles from your PhD. Or how a particular concept you developed fits with their own work (brownie points for having read the examiners’ latest papers).And, finally, two tips from me after having survivedSimplify the notes you take in with you:&nbsp;I was allowed to take in as many notes, thesis drafts, books and lucky mascots as I wanted. However, if you are relying too much on your answers coming from reading your notes, the flow of conversation will falter, and you may end up getting into a bit of a sweat. As part of the revision process, I made colourful mind maps that summarised the main points I wanted to make for each potential question. I took these into the viva and laid them out in front of me, which meant I could flick my eyes to them if my mind went blank.Enjoy it…or just get through it&nbsp;It’s easy to say: “Just enjoy your viva!” once you’re out the other side. So, if you enjoy it, that’s a bonus! If not, well done for having got to that point in the first place and, whatever happens, reward yourself handsomely at the end.Jenny Scoles is an academic developer (learning and teaching enhancement) at the University of Edinburgh.This post was originally published on&nbsp;theofficedog blog and the University of Edinburgh's Teaching Matters blog.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

How to answer viva questions

Preparing for a PhD viva can be stressful, but you can take steps to ensure you answer the examiners’ questions about your thesis well. Jenny Scoles provides tips

Does the voice inside your head have plenty to say but when it’s presented with an opportunity to speak aloud, your lips remain sealed? Do you have light bulb moments that might change the course of history, if only you spoke up during staff meetings? What about the opportunity you gave up to serve as a group leader on a project simply because you thought that your public speaking skills weren’t good enough? Have you asked yourself why? Nine out of 10 times, that is the ideal place to begin.Who we are as adults is heavily influenced by our childhood experiences; were we encouraged to speak our thoughts, share ideas, make suggestions or question our environments? Or were we discouraged by friends or adults whose opinions meant the world to our growing minds?Fear rooted in past experiences is common. Research shows that we all experience some level of anxiety at one point or another. It’s comforting to know that you are not alone, right? When you feel this way just before an opportunity to speak publicly, take a moment to do the following:Three 3s and a TFirst 3: move three body partsThe anxiety of not knowing if something will happen is enough to make you feel unsettled. Moving three body parts can help you centre yourself, give you a reality check and ground you in the present moment.Second 3: listen for three soundsEngaging your senses is an important step towards regaining consciousness of your current situation. By identifying sounds (no matter how soft, loud, disturbing or profound), we can direct our energy into the present.Third 3: identify three thingsWhen you’re feeling anxious, taking a moment to look for (and silently name) three things may seem a bit more challenging than usual, but this deliberate action takes your attention away from your anxiety and back to reality.T: talkThe things we feel most anxious about are often easily debunked by someone more balanced than we are in a situation that we find stressful; that is why talking to someone you trust is a critical step in dealing with anxiety.Resource collection: How to develop grit for the cold, hard world of higher educationPractical ways to ease presentation nervesAnxious about public speaking? Try these tips from the theatreRecord your light bulb momentsWrite these thoughts down one word, one sentence or one phrase at a time. If you work in the IT, student affairs or marketing department and have been invited to address a new cohort of higher education students, record your thoughts as you research and gather information. Often, we doubt that we would ever be able to stand in front of a group of people and speak. Airing our thoughts on paper first can help alleviate our fears (of freezing or forgetting what we intended to say). The funny thing is that once you start writing that bright idea that dawns on you in the shower, while waiting in line at a bank or while brushing your teeth, you may not stop until you have created a masterpiece. The masterpiece doesn’t mean perfection, but starting is certainly one of the hardest steps, so we can regard it as a masterpiece for now.Practise and revisePractise and revise your content until you are satisfied it meets the requirements. Tweak those sentences, chop off the superfluous details that send you off-topic and leave room for an impromptu joke. You might reach the stage where you do not need cue cards because you know the material that well. Or not. And that, too, is OK. Standing in front of an audience to read, speaking without notes or taking an occasional glance at notes can all be personal goals for you at different stages. The more prepared you are, the less likely you are to get that overwhelming feeling of anxiety in front of your audience. Practise, revise, practise! Not to the extent that you sound like a “text to read” feature but enough so that you are familiar and comfortable with your content.Just do it!If you feel the urge, drive or yearn to stand in front of a group of people to speak, it’s because you are capable of just that. The ability to silence the noise in your head and tame the anxiety in your body is what stands between that possibility and your current reality. The most humbling part of presenting in front of an audience, however, is that no one knows exactly what you wrote down and practised. If you listen to the voice in your head from your childhood demanding that you be quiet, then you will miss an opportunity to kick anxiety to the curb and step into a new frame of mind. Madeleine Albright, former US secretary of state, once said, “It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.” One thing reigns true; you cannot find your voice if you do not use it. Get out of your head. Dare yourself to speak up at that next staff meeting; remember that your voice is unique and deserves to be heard.Breathe, embrace your light bulb moments, practise and just do it. These steps may not be easy the first time around but if you make a conscious effort to start with one and grow into the others, you will soon find yourself outside of your comfort zone and doing what you know you are capable of; changing the course of your history. It’s time to lower the volume on the voice inside your head as you work through anxiety and succeed in public speaking.Siguthani Bryan is an outreach and marketing officer at the University of the West Indies Global Campus, Saint Lucia.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign&nbsp;up for the Campus newsletter.&nbsp;

Follow these tips to get over your fear of public speaking

Anxiety over public speaking often prevents people from taking opportunities that may advance their careers. Here, Siguthani Bryan offers advice on how to move past it

As a head of department at a major Australian university, I have been involved in recruiting, employing, managing, retiring and dismissing staff. Over the years, I have been asked many times for advice on getting a first job in academia. “How can I get a job in your department?” they ask.&nbsp;While I could mention several important points, after being on interview panels and doing performance reviews I prefer to take a different tack. Here are ways that candidates can ensure they are not offered the job. These can be reflected in a CV, in the interview, the candidate’s body language and responses from their referees, as well as what is not communicated.&nbsp;Playing the promotion game: how to navigate upshiftingAiming for tenure? Enhance your research’s visibilityHow to balance teaching and researchUsually, when institutions are hiring faculty, they look at the general categories of teaching, research and service, but to really encompass the expectations for a well-rounded academic career, I suggest we expand these to five categories: teaching, external engagement, academic management, research and service for others.&nbsp;Let’s look at what can go wrong in each of these categories.&nbsp;Teaching&nbsp;No experience in teaching While not necessarily a dealbreaker, if a candidate has never taught a class, it is difficult to know whether they will be confident in front of a room of students. Experience with tutoring, and even training, can be a big help in showing teaching potential.No positive student feedback If you have had teaching experience and a student feedback survey (SFS) was run at the end of the subject, there should be student feedback to share. If a candidate has been employed as a tutor but cannot show any positive student feedback, that can be seen as a red flag.No interest in teaching If you are being employed as a lecturer, it is expected that you will spend some time (often 40 per cent of your time for a balanced academic workload) lecturing or teaching. Some candidates might feel they are really researchers but apply to be lecturers to get into the system; however, no interest in teaching can result in unhappy students, poor feedback, negative word of mouth and student complaints. It is important, therefore, to appreciate the importance of teaching and good student feedback.External engagementNo interest in connecting with local or broader organisations, businesses or communities&nbsp;It can depend on the discipline, but having links or communication with bodies outside the university is important for building relations with the wider community and also bringing real-world examples to the classroom.No knowledge of relevant industry/academic associations Most disciplines have relevant academic and industry associations that provide information and networking opportunities and run events and conferences. Knowing about these bodies indicates a basic knowledge of support agencies related to the discipline.No interest in living or connecting locally While living locally or in the same city is not mandatory, hiring panels might be concerned that physical distance and detachment from the workplace will get in the way of engagement and could be a sign that the candidate is waiting for a position to come up close to where they live.&nbsp;Academic managementNot doing homework on school/university Getting ready for an interview should include checking who is on the panel, their expertise and the organisation’s structure, so that the candidate can show they understand the background of the people on the panel and answer their questions. Lack of preparation leaves the candidate vulnerable to being tripped up by simple questions. Meanwhile, others have impressed by mentioning the research interests of staff.Not meeting staff or knowing what they do More detailed preparation can go beyond the panel and explore potential connections with other staff in the department or faculty. Emailing or organising meetings to talk to other faculty staff before the interview can help in gaining knowledge about the institution and possibly having them as supporters or collaborators in the future.No interest in contributing to service No university runs itself, and all need people to take on university management roles, such as administrative work and roles on internal committees. Having experience in volunteering for some service roles, such as being a student representative, can be looked on positively. Further, undertaking service roles in the faculty is also a good way to get noticed by those outside your department and in higher positions.ResearchHaving a research area that is too specialised After completing a doctoral degree, the candidate’s research focus – though interesting to them – might be narrow, specific and not interesting to anyone else, including journal editors. It can be good if a student can see their thesis as a training ground and indicate that they are open to expand their areas of research interest.No publications after several years&nbsp;A few years without any publications can reflect a lack of quality or impact of the research and the researcher.No indication of quality research in their discipline Outputs outside the candidate’s discipline area or publication in low- or no-level journals or magazines or predatory journals (where you pay to have your article published) can indicate poor-quality work, which could further reflect on the institution that employs them.Service for othersNo interest in collaboration/collegiality When recruiting people, the panel will often consider how well the candidate will fit in with the rest of the staff. We don’t want to employ people who are total loners, who don’t communicate with colleagues (or only want to communicate with their former supervisors), who refuse reasonable requests to collaborate with others or who are more self-interested than collegial.&nbsp;Not volunteering to help A good colleague indicates a willingness to help others and be a team player (for example, volunteering to mentor students, to assist at open-day events or graduation processions). Not showing evidence of or interest in supporting colleagues and the department can be a sign that the candidate will not fit in with everyone else.&nbsp;Not seeing a future with the school Some candidates can make it obvious that they see the position on offer as a stepping stone while they wait for something else. At times this is reflected in the candidate’s attitude or how they answer the dreaded question: “Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?” Candidates should ensure their body language doesn’t respond: “Anywhere but here!”So remind yourself about all the areas that make up a job in academia and building your career:TeachingExternal engagementAcademic managementResearchService for others.As someone who has sat on interview panels and undertaken work performance reviews, I feel that following the points above will guarantee that you will not get employed or maintain employment in academia – which could mean that your career dreams could end in tears.David Waller&nbsp;is an associate professor and head of the marketing department in UTS Business School at the University of Technology Sydney.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

How not to land a job in academia

Not interested in teaching? Check. No publications? Check. Not keen to offer service? Check. Flip this list of what not to do in applying for jobs for tips to help secure that academic position

Many people find public speaking the most difficult type of communication. Delivering a speech in an academic context can be even more daunting because it requires specific communication skills and confidence in the topic. How can we rid ourselves of these anxieties to speak clearly and confidently?Based on my experiences as an early career academic, here are four strategies to reduce anxiety around speaking in public so that you can share your knowledge with the world.Be preparedBefore you step in front of the audience, research the subject of your speech in detail. Make sure you’re completely comfortable with the topic. Also, clearly put forward the main ideas of the speech and draw up a plan, divided into sections such as beginning, body and conclusion. Not only will this make you feel comfortable and in control during your speech, it will also help the audience to understand it better.Practical ways to ease presentation nervesAnxious about public speaking? Try these tips from the theatreTen smart ways to ace your next academic presentationBut even when you’re fully prepared, you can experience problems. At the start of my academic career, I had the chance to take part in a symposium as a speaker. I enthusiastically prepared my 40-minute speech, without knowing there was a 20-minute time limit. On the day, the initiative of the session chair and my on-the-spot adjustments meant I completed my talk in 30 minutes. I learned an important lesson that day, and now I always check the length of time I have to speak in. Only then can I determine the content of the speech.&nbsp;In order to speak effortlessly, it’s also useful to practice a few days before delivering the speech. This will help you see your shortcomings. You can even practice in front of a mirror to learn how to control your body language. Rehearsing with friends can be beneficial, as listening to their critiques will help you improve your delivery, and watching speeches by people with good public speaking skills can also help.&nbsp;The most effective method I’ve found is to record myself and then watch the video back to identify and correct my errors. Preparing in these ways could help alleviate the anxieties you have about public speaking.&nbsp;Know your audienceFind out about the audience you’ll be addressing. Their level of education, age range and expectations can be very important for the reception of your speech. For example, when speaking to only lawyers or law academics, the language you would use should not be the same as a seminar with participants from different disciplines. At a multidisciplinary seminar I attended last year, I made sure to use language accessible to everyone so that the audience could easily follow my speech. I could see from the audience’s response that they understood me, and that minimised my anxiety.Use visual aidsConveying information just by talking can be boring for both the audience and speaker. Why not enrich your speech with visual aids such as simple, understandable slides, graphs or images? The colours and styles of the visuals and texts you’re using should be compatible with each other and the information used in the graphics should be up to date. You can use a visual hierarchy to emphasise important messages, such as the title, sub-heading and the key content of the presentation.&nbsp;Create a conversation with your audienceInteractive speeches, where the audience can participate in the conversation, are much more interesting than monologue-style communication. Be open to questions and comments from the audience. It will allow you to see the topic you’re talking about from different perspectives, but will also be useful for improving your future public speaking experiences.Perhaps play a “get to know you” game with the audience at the beginning of your speech. While giving a speech recently, I started by asking everyone to introduce themselves and their field of study. Not only did this create a bond between me and the audience, it also made it easier for them to ask questions.&nbsp;&nbsp;Academics can be well-versed in their subject, with decades of experience, and still have difficulty conveying their knowledge due to their anxiety around public speaking. Isn’t that a tragedy? But by putting into practice my advice, public speaking can become an opportunity rather than a problem.&nbsp;Fikrican Kayıkçı is a PhD student and teaches undergraduate courses at the Faculty of Law at Near East University.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Four ways to defeat public speaking anxiety

Even experienced academics can get anxious before public speaking. Fikrican Kayıkçı suggests four ways to approach speeches with confidence

Public speaking, a skill loved by few and loathed by many, evokes emotions from mild nervousness to paralysing fear. Yet leaders in higher education need these skills to connect across differences. As a trained professional actor, I&nbsp;have inherited and inhabit this ancient tradition and am a part of growing community of researchers exploring how the tools of storytelling and theatre can be applied in the wider world.Many people are surprised to hear that I&nbsp;am an introvert; when I’m preparing to speak in front of others, my heart pounds so loudly that I&nbsp;wonder if audiences can hear it. I&nbsp;am a living example of how theatre techniques can help us overcome our fears of speaking before audiences. I&nbsp;am grateful that I&nbsp;can help those who connect with the Center for Communicating Science, which I&nbsp;direct, and participants in the Center for Leadership in Global Sustainability at Virginia Tech to&nbsp;build vital connections through stories.Acknowledge the human connectionWhen we speak to an audience, we are connecting with other humans, and this is what makes it scary. Anxiety from social pressure, uncertainty and fear of judgement all contribute to the stomach-clenching apprehension so many of us experience. Connecting with others in any context is disconcerting because it’s unpredictable and we’re vulnerable.Let’s look at these perceived dangers more closely.Unpredictability: When we address people, we cannot predict how they will react. In general, unpredictability makes us uncomfortable. What if we get questions we cannot answer? Speaking to an audience means embracing the unknown and becoming comfortable with that. Facing fear head-on is where we find personal growth. Yes, it feels stressful to speak in front of people, but there’s also opportunity there – we might just make new connections.Vulnerability: I always tell my students at the beginning of the semester that they will probably see me cry at some point. When we’re vulnerable, we experience a range of emotions. We all carry shields to protect us, but being vulnerable requires that we turn those shields into windows. Transparency and vulnerability can draw people in. We must let others see us through that window.Distance: The spaces between us are not only physical but those of outlook. Our life experiences give us unique perspectives. When we establish a connection with our audience, we bridge that distance and move closer to one another. Sometimes that requires hard work to see the other person’s point of view.Reimagine judgementWhen we speak in public, we open ourselves up to evaluation and critique. The thought of being scrutinised and potentially criticised by our peers can be daunting. I&nbsp;urge speakers to understand that the value of human connection transcends our own self-consciousness. When we’re invited to share our research or our work publicly, we are being asked to share our knowledge. We do not need to defend ourselves because a certain level of trust is implied. Taking that one step further, if we let our own fears interrupt us, we’re not fully doing our jobs – because if a researcher has not communicated their work to the people who need it, they have not finished their work. Each person is an expert in something. If you have been asked to share your expertise; the honour of that knowledge can give you confidence. It might also lead you to seek out the expertise of your communication partners.Reframe the narrativeTo alleviate the pressure of public speaking, I&nbsp;recommend reframing the narrative. We need to see our communication partners as potential friends and collaborators with joys, and fears and concerns that we know nothing about. We are not addressing an “audience” but rather individuals who have chosen to participate in this moment with us.Anxious about public speaking? Try these tips from the theatreTap into the excitement of public speaking with these five tipsTHE podcast: career advice, LGBTQ+ in the academy and public speaking tipsI once auditioned for a well-known director in New York City, who greeted me with a fierce frown, which immediately sapped my confidence. I&nbsp;wanted to leave, but in that moment, I&nbsp;forced myself to reframe the narrative. I&nbsp;made up a comically exaggerated story in my mind about the awful week he’d had, and this completely transformed my attitude. I&nbsp;felt empathy for him, which relaxed me. And, yes, I&nbsp;was offered the role.If none of this comes naturally, that’s where practice comes in. Flex the muscle and it will get stronger.When we feel anxious in front of an audience, let’s celebrate that it’s because we care; and more than that, our audience cares as well. While public-speaking anxiety may never completely disappear, there are strategies and techniques that can help us manage and alleviate anxiety. By understanding the roots of public-speaking anxiety, we can become more confident and proficient speakers. Who knows? We may find ourselves actively seeking out more opportunities to speak publicly because when we truly connect with an audience, the experience is energising, invigorating and quite magical.Patricia Raun is director of the Center for Communicating Science at Virginia Tech and professor of theatre in the School of Performing Arts. She was director of the School of Performing Arts from 2002 to 2016.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.

Public speaking is a skill that inspires dread in many: fear of judgement, of making mistakes, of facing unpredictable circumstances. Here, Patty Raun draws on her experience as an actor to share tips for quelling the anxiety

Taming anxiety around public speaking

Writing helps you share your work with the wider community. Your scholarship is important and you are making a valuable contribution to the field. While it might be intimidating to face a blank screen, remember, your first draft is not your final draft! The difficult part is getting something on the page to begin with.&nbsp;As the adage goes, a good dissertation is a done dissertation, and the goal is for you to find balance in your writing and establish the steps you can take to make the process smoother. Here are some practical strategies for tackling the PhD dissertation.Write dailyThis is a time to have honest conversations with yourself about your writing and work habits. Do you tackle the most challenging work in the morning? Or do you usually start with emails? Knowing your work routine will help you set parameters for the writing process, which includes various elements, from brainstorming ideas to setting outlines and editing. Once you are aware of your energy and focus levels, you’ll be ready to dedicate those times to writing.While it might be tempting to block a substantial chunk of time to write and assume anything shorter is not useful, that is not the case. Writing daily, whether it’s a paragraph or several pages, keeps you in conversation with your writing practice. If you schedule two hours to write, remember to take a break during that time and reset. You can try:The Pomodoro Technique: a time management technique that breaks down your work into intervalsTaking breaks: go outside for a walk or have a snack so you can come back to your writing rejuvenatedFocus apps: it is easy to get distracted by devices and lose direction. Here are some app suggestions: Focus Bear (no free version); Forest (free version available); Cold Turkey website blocker (free version available) and Serene (no free version).&nbsp;This is a valuable opportunity to hone your time management and task prioritisation skills. Find out what works for you and put systems in place to support your practice.&nbsp;Resources on academic writing for higher education professionalsStretch your work further by ‘triple writing’What is your academic writing temperament?Create a communityWhile writing can be an isolating endeavour, there are ways to start forming a community (in-person or virtual) to help you set goals and stay accountable. There might be someone in your cohort who is also at the writing stage with whom you can set up a weekly check-in. Alternatively, explore your university’s resources and centres because there may be units and departments on campus that offer helpful opportunities, such as a writing week or retreat. Taking advantage of these opportunities helps combat isolation, foster accountability and grow networks. They can even lead to collaborations further down the line.Check in with your advisers and mentors. Reach out to your networks to find out about other people’s writing processes and additional resources.Don’t be afraid to share your work. Writing requires constant revisions and edits and finding people who you trust with feedback will help you grow as a writer.&nbsp;Plus, you can also read their work and help them with their editing process.Your community does not have to be just about writing!&nbsp; If you enjoy going on hikes or trying new coffee shops, make that part of your weekly habit.&nbsp; Sharing your work in different environments will help clarify your thoughts and ideas.Address the whyThe PhD dissertation writing process is often lengthy and it is sometimes easy to forget why you started. In these moments, it can be helpful to think back to what got you excited about your research and scholarship in the first place. Remember it is not just the work but also the people who propelled you forward. One idea is to start writing your “acknowledgements” section. Here are questions to get you started:Do you want to dedicate your work to someone?&nbsp;What ideas sparked your interest in this journey?&nbsp;Who cheered you on?&nbsp;This practice can help build momentum, as well as serve as a good reminder to carve out time to spend with your community.&nbsp;You got this!Writing is a process. Give yourself grace, as you might not feel motivated all the time. Be consistent in your approach and reward yourself along the way. There is no single strategy when it comes to writing or maintaining motivation, so experiment and find out what works for you.&nbsp;Suggested readingsThriving as a Graduate Writer by Rachel Cayley (2023)Destination Dissertation by Sonja K. Foss and William Waters (2015)The PhD Writing Handbook by Desmond Thomas (2016).Mabel Ho is director of professional development and student engagement at Dalhousie University.If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the Campus newsletter.

How to tackle the PhD dissertation

Finding time to write can be a challenge for graduate students who often juggle multiple roles and responsibilities. Mabel Ho provides some tips to make the process less daunting

Academic career development advice for early career researchers  – and those who manage ECRs – including time management, workload, mental health, well-being and networking

Early career research

Academic career development advice for early career researchers – and those who manage ECRs – including time management, workload, mental health, well-being and networking

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