Introduction to ResearchDoing a PhD in 2 days

Professor Stuart Hyde

Director of Postgraduate Research

Original Thinking Applied

Day 3…

You have started to get to know each other and know each others names…

You will have met supervisors, other Faculty and other students…

You have started to develop networks…

Developing networks is a skill that you need to develop or enhance during your research career.

Structure

• What is a PhD?

• What is Research?

• What Skills do I have? What Skills do I need?

• Academic Writing

• Time Management – Tips for Success

• Good Academic Practice

• Key Stages of your MPhil / PhD

• My Thesis and Viva

What is a PhD?

• The University Ordinances define a doctoral degree in the following way:

“The Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is awarded by the University in recognition of the successful completion of a period of supervised research and training, the results of which show convincing evidence of the capacity of the candidate to pursue research and scholarship and make an original contribution and substantial addition to knowledge. The results of this research shall then be embodied in a thesis or other appropriate form and must contain material of a standard appropriate for peer-reviewed publication.”

What is a PhD?

• In MBS the PhD is a 3 year programme of research & training.

• At the end of the programme a student may apply for an extension [if he/she has mitigating circumstances] or entry into the submission pending period [which is for a period of up to 12 months].

• Candidates for the degree of PhD shall normally be registered for a continuous period of not less than 3 years & no more than 4 years full-time study.

What is a PhD?

• By the end of the PhD…• You should have the skills of an independent

researcher.• In depth knowledge and understanding

Think CriticallyThink Critically

Choose, argue and justify

Choose, argue and justify

Analyse and

Evaluate

Analyse and

Evaluate

In depth knowledge and understandingIn depth knowledge and understanding

ExpertiseExpertise

What is Research?

Questions

• What steps do you need to take to successfully complete your research project?

• What do you need to have in place get started on your research project?

What do you need to successfully start your research

• Identified a gap

• Hypothesis, aims, objectives

• Research proposal

• Design

• Expectations, managing relationships

• Project planning, resources

• Ethical approval

• Participants

Challenges of managing your relationship with your supervisor

Relationship with Supervisor

Things you need to know about your supervisors:

•They are experts in their field•They have chosen to work with you•They will help you plan and provide feedback on your work•They will be busy with other things, as well as your supervision

So you will need to manage your relationship…

Relationship with Supervisor• Develop the relationship • Manage your supervisor

• Agree the type of supervision you want• Agree what is important

• Objectives (long and short term) • Academic requirements

• Manage your supervisor • Minute meetings • Set time scales • agree actions

• Always understand what you have to do• Regulations (copy in your hand book and on the web) • Deadlines

• Seek advice/help from elsewhere if you need it! • Don’t rely on your supervisor but make use of the whole of

the university (and else where)

Relationship with Supervisor

What Skills do I Need?

Some Research Skills

• Objectivity (open-mindedness) & flexibility • Critical thinking & problem solving • Project management skills

• Database management (e.g. record keeping)

• Time management (e.g. meeting deadlines)

• Self-discipline, motivation & commitment to learning • Communication skills

• Analytical reading (e.g. critical literature review)

• Academic writing (e.g. clear & concise dissertation)

• Effective presentations (e.g. adaptable to various audiences)

• Career management (e.g. knowing transferable skills)

Researcher Development Plan• Skills audit – Think about the skills you already

have, and the skills you need.

• Think about when you need to acquire skills and plan your development throughout the life of your programme.

• Not everything needs to be done now – or is appropriate now

• https://www.vitae.ac.uk/

Researcher Development

Effective Academic Writing

Developing critical thinking and good writing styles

• Learning how to develop an argument throughout a thesis

• Ensuring argument is organised • Well expressed • Informed by theory and backed by

appropriate evidence

Do you relate to any of these? • I spend time thinking about writing • I am too busy to devote enough

time to writing • I am no good at writing

Your Aim: To be aware that you are not alone. To make writing an enjoyable & intrinsic part of your academic life.

Common Obstacles

1. The belief that reading one more article will solve all research questions and leave you free to write.

Common Obstacles

If you write continually you will be aware of what you don’t know and begin to read articles to answer specific questions

Common Obstacles

2. The belief that doing one more project will solve all your worries and leave you free to write.

Common Obstacles

3. The belief that you can only write when you feel ready and the conditions and environment are perfect

Write little and often

• Try to write everyday – the more regularly you write the easier it will become.

• What counts as writing?

• It’s not: • Editing • Formatting • Surfing the net • Emails • Referencing • Photocopying

Two Hour Golden Rule

If you are having difficulty writing ignore academic writing style

Chapter Titles

Literature Review = What I read

Methodology = What I did

Results = What I found

Discussion = What I reckon

Just Write…

Draft, Edit, Revise

‘Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. They need to start somewhere.

Start by getting something – anything - down on paper. The first draft is the down draft – you just get it down.

The second draft is the up draft – you fix it up’

Academic style: essentials

• Formal • Clear • Brief • Avoids jargon and abbreviations, where possible • Simple sentences • Logical progression • Not open to any misinterpretation • Cautious

Avoiding misinterpretation

• Ambiguity can be introduced by • poor punctuation • overly long sentences • too many qualifiers • double negatives • compound nouns

Abstract Challenge

• Write 3 sentences that summarise your proposed research…

Academic Phrasebank

• Examples of phraseology to use when: • Introducing Work • Referring to the Literature • Being Critical • Describing Methods • Reporting Results • Discussing Findings • Writing Conclusions

http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/

Shut up & Write!

Time Management and Project Management

What do Time Management and Project Management Mean to You?

• Become less stressed • Gain more personal job satisfaction • Produce better results – quality rather

than quantity • Have more time to think • Have more leisure time

How many days work are available to do a PhD in Three years?

days21st September 2015 – 30th September 2018 1105 Less weekends (157x2) 791 Less Holidays (3x6x5) 701 Less 5% for illness/accidents 666 Less 10 days family events/ religious festivals, hospital and school visits etc 656 Tutorial/demonstrators work (3x25) 581

Conclusion: a full time postgraduate has around 580-650 working days to do a 3 year PhD

How Much Does It Cost?

• Have a think about all the various costs of doing a PhD…• Fees, Accommodation, other living

expenses (food, heat, light, phone…), personal equipment

• Loss of income

Effective Planning

• Determine a method of action planning that works for you

• Project management software • Key events schedule • Activities plan • Gantt Chart • Combined Milestones and Gantt Chart

• Remember to review and reflect your plan at key times during your period of study

Tips For Success

• Set realistic goals – long & short term.• Work on key tasks everyday – Focus on

important rather than urgent.• Break tasks down.• Start with important tasks that you don’t

want to do.• Group similar activities together• Allow for the unexpected – don’t fill every

minute.

Manage Your Time Effectively

Set yourself tasks and goals and stick to themAvoid distractions (email and the internet)!

Tips for success

• Schedule planning time • Write a daily ‘to do’ list • Estimate time per task (and add to it) • Set up effective systems for managing

people and emails • Use your prime time

• Don’t procrastinate – start somewhere

The Motivation Fairy

The Motivation Fairy

She doesn’t exist!!!

Developing good academic practice

Developing good academic practice

• Why good academic practice matters (ethics & avoiding malpractice)

• Plagiarism• Self-plagiarism• Collusion• Falsification/ fabrication

Developing good academic practice

The 4 Principles of Good Scientific Practice

1.A commitment to the truth

2.A commitment to the use of scientific knowledge and its applications to promote the social good

3.A concern for the well-being of human and Animal subjects, indeed for life itself

4. Respect for persons

Developing good academic practice

Your research

Thinking about your research What are the ethical issues you need to consider?

Discuss with the person next to you

Developing good academic practice

Ethics

Mark Healy will discuss Ethics on February 2nd

Everyone should attend.

As a minimum everyone needs to complete the ethical statement in eProg

Why good academic practice matters

• Developing research skills (what you need to be able to do to be a professional researcher)

• Meeting accepted academic norms. Eg: integrity in use of sources; using your own words; distinguishing between your own ideas and those of others; using others’ words and ideas appropriately

• Staying out of trouble

Plagiarism (1): what is it?

• Plagiarism is the presentation of the ideas, work or words of other people without proper, clear and unambiguous acknowledgement. 

• presenting the words or ideas or others as if they are your own

• Intentionally or unintentionally

• NB/ could be written or electronic words, diagrams, computer programmes etc

Plagiarism: clarifications (and celebrity cases)

• Intentional or unintentional (claiming ignorance is not a defence – Raj Persaud)

• Paraphrasing without proper attribution is not acceptable

• Sticking too closely to the original words (without quotes) is not acceptable

• Simply having the sources in your list of references, or having some citations in your paragraph, is not sufficient; you need to be clear about where and how you have used that source in your text

• It’s serious eg Durham Business School Dean

German defence minister resigns in PhD plagiarism row (Guardian 1st March 2011)

• ‘The 39-year-old baron, often tipped to be a future chancellor, has handed in his notice to Merkel after almost two weeks of frontpage stories about the authenticity of his PhD thesis. He is now expected to retreat to his castle in Bavaria to plot his next move. "It is the most painful step I've ever had to take," Guttenberg said at a press conference in Berlin. "I was always prepared to fight but I have reached the limits of my powers.“

• Last week the University of Bayreuth stripped Guttenberg of his doctorate after he admitted substantially copying (inadvertently, he said) from other sources. He blamed the errors on his busy schedule: when he finished his thesis in 2006, he was juggling his duties as an MP and raising two daughters with his TV presenter wife, the equally blue-blooded Countess Stephanie von Bismarck. The admission led to him being dubbed the minister for cut-and-paste, or Baron zu Googleberg.’

Why does it happen?

• Careless practices (cut and paste; poor note taking; poor systems)

• Inadequate understanding (eg of paraphrasing)

• Concerns about being ‘original’ enough

• Lack of confidence about ability to put things into own words (‘I can’t say it so well...’)

Plagiarism: how to avoid it (developing good practice in using sources)

• Understand how to present the ideas, words and works of others

• When is a citation needed?• Direct quotation• Paraphrases or summaries of others’ ideas• Borrowed ideas, diagrams, data etc (even if

you use the data to construct your own charts)• Facts that are not common knowledge (that are

dervied from somewhere)• Arguable assertions

Plagiarism: how to avoid it (developing good practice in using sources)

• When is a citation not needed?• Common knowledge (unless you have a direct

quotation)• Facts available from a variety of sources• Your own ideas, discoveries, words etc

• Citation of sources• Quotes go in quotation marks, include page numbers

in citation• Full referencing of sources: Harvard method most

common

Paraphrasing

• Rewriting an author’s ideas in your own words• Cite the source and fully rewrite• Avoid too much reliance on paraphrasing (it

won’t make a good piece of work)• Consider:

Students frequently overuse direct quotation in taking notes, and as a result they overuse quotations in the final [research] paper. Probably only about 10% of your final manuscript should appear as directly quoted matter. Therefore, you should strive to limit the amount of exact transcribing of source materials while taking notes. Lester, James D. Writing Research Papers. 2nd ed. (1976): 46-47.

Paraphrasing

Is the following acceptable?

Students often use too many direct quotations when they take notes, resulting in too many of them in the final research paper. In fact, probably only about 10% of the final copy should consist of directly quoted material. So it is important to limit the amount of source material copied while taking notes.

See Purdue Online Writing Lab: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/

How to avoid plagiarism when paraphrasing

• Rather than try to rewrite the text by taking out some words, using synonyms or reversing sentence order:

• think about what the key points are• write them down in your own words• turn them into sentences without looking at

the original• cite the source explicitly (not just at the end of

the sentence)• check against original

See example from plagiarism.org

Plagiarism: how to avoid it (developing good practice in using sources)

• Develop good reading habits • Take notes as you read• Distinguish in your notes between your

summary and any direct quotation• Note the source in full (for web sources - URL

and date accessed)• Avoid cutting & pasting material electronically

into files (or your own work) if you won’t be able to tell later on whose text it is

Plagiarism: policy & consequences

• MBS uses Turnitin (detection software) on all RTP assessments, end of year review documents etc.

• Hard to get a zero score (not the point).• Cases of suspected plagiarism referred to

School Academic Malpractice Officer• Penalties can include zero marks (see

programme handbooks for full details)• Plagiarism in a thesis referred to the University

(dire consequences)

Self-plagiarism

What is it? includes the submission, in whole or in part, of a student’s own work, where, for example, such work may have been previously submitted for a different assessment or award

What is included?•Reproducing part of masters dissertation in PhD (whether RTP assessments, reports, thesis)? [Avoid – but it shouldn’t be something you want or need to do]•Using the same material in more than one assignment on the RTP? [a few sentences that outline your project is fine; but not a whole or substantial part of an essay]•Using work from the RTP assignments in end of year review docs; or end of year review docs in thesis? [OK, but you will probably want to revise early documents for later use. Your ideas will have developed]

Collusion

What is it? Collusion occurs when a student or students collaborate inappropriately or illicitly with another student or students with the intention of improving the mark or grade of an individual or group. 

Avoiding it Unless clearly stated, all assessed work should be done on an individual basis (make your own choice of which question to answer, do not share plans or drafts)

Penalties as per plagiarism

Falsification/ fabrication

What is it? Fabrication or falsification of data or results by individuals or groups is the presentation or inclusion in assignments of figures or data unsupported by verifiable or documented programmes of research; this may or may not additionally involve instances of plagiarism and/or of collusion.

Avoiding it•Don’t avoid problems about your data; discuss with your supervisor and others•Be prepared to change your assumptions, research plan or questions•Demonstrate integrity in reporting your results

Academic malpractice: useful advice for understanding good use of sources

Programme Handbooks, supervisors, PGR coordinators, PGR manager (if in doubt, ask)

On Harvard style referencing: http://jrulskills.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/guide-to-citing-references-jh.pdf

Sources on avoiding plagiarism:http://www.tlso.manchester.ac.uk/plagiarism/http://library.ualberta.ca/guides/plagiarismhttp://www.cite.auckland.ac.nz/index.phphttp://www.plagiarism.org/

The structure of your PhD

The structure of your PhD

• What is eProg? • Online record of your studies• Progress: record and track key

milestones from registration to examination

• In addition to set milestones you can keep a record of your supervisory meetings, store documents, link to publications etc.

eProg

• How do I access it?

• Access via My Manchester

Progression

The structure of your PhD

• Every year: • Expectations• Researcher Development• January (Mid-year) Review• Annual Review

• Year 1: • Introductory Planning Meeting• Research Training Programme• Ethical Declaration• Application for Fieldwork ?• Doctoral Conference

The structure of your PhD

• Year 2: • Application for Fieldwork if not completed.

• Fieldwork / Data collection

• Further training?

• External conferences

• Application for Alternative Format Thesis?

• TA Work

• Year 3: • Data analysis

• TA Work

• External conferences

• Employment / Job market

• Notice of Submission

January review

• What’s the purpose?: to review progress in first 6 months of year; to identify key decisions and planning necessary prior to end of year review; formative i.e. opportunity for reflection, planning, reviewing and setting targets

• When?: January! You will be reminded.

• Who?: both supervisors attend

January review

• What happens?before – submission of progress report (at least one week in advance) – make sure you cover the areas specified in the review formduring – discussion of progress and any issues identified by student or supervisor; completion of form after – opportunity to add comments and post on eProg Review form – student & supervisors agree content of report: summary of progress to date and recommendations

• What are the outcomes? Progress to next review, addressing the action points and recommendations of the interim review.

• Make sure you understand nature of and basis for the recommendations and the next stage of work in preparation for first year review

Mid year review

• What should you be getting out of it?• discussion with both supervisors (everyone in

agreement)

• feedback on developing arguments and ideas

• identify problems or major choices and discuss possibilities

• avoiding deadends and timewasting

• looking ahead; thinking about research design issues, pilot project (if relevant)

• getting motivated

PGR Handbook

Faculty of Humanities

Doctoral Research Support Allowance (DRSA)

• Each student [other than RCUK funded who have different arrangements] have access to a support allowance of up to £2,000 to support their research activity over 3 years.

• There are also additional funds which can be applied for to cover fieldwork and conferences.

• Discuss all plans for expenditure and claims with Madonna Fyne in the PGR Office.

Other Information

• Printing credit : You are provided with £120 of printing credit each academic year.

• In year 1 your are based in the 1st year PhD hub [Room 3.1 in Crawford House].

• From year 2 you are allocated shared office space.

Special Permissions

• Applications for Extensions and Interruption from students can only be considered if they have mitigating circumstances and must be supported by their supervisors. You need to provide a detailed statement explaining the circumstances, provide any documentary evidence and confirm your current and predicted progress [work plan].

• All applicants will meet with the PGR Director or Divisional Coordinators to discuss the application prior to the PGR Director approving/rejecting or referring the application.

Support for You and Your Supervisors

In addition to myself and the PGR Coordinator Helen McManamon

Each Division has a Coordinator: [Also PhD advisor]A&F : Marie DutordoirIMP : Ronnie RamloganMSM : Emma BanisterPMO : Leo McCann

Each Division has a designated PGR team member:A&F : Mark Falzon x50784IMP : Rachel Sinnot x56591MSM : Paul Greenham x61290PMO : Leo Tarasov x56416

Representation – Student Reps

• It is important that your voice is heard and that your views are represented.

• Each division has a student rep for each year of the programme.

• Student reps are expected to solicit the views and opinions of their colleagues and raise and discuss issues at regular meetings.

• One Rep is nominated to attend PGRC.

• Being an active Rep is vital to a successful programme.

Problems?

• Discuss with your supervisors• Raise issues with the PGR Office• Speak to your student rep• Speak to your Divisional Coordinator

• Speak to Helen or myself

Thesis and Viva

• Recall the University Ordinances:

“The Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is awarded by the University in recognition of the successful completion of a period of supervised research and training, the results of which show convincing evidence of the capacity of the candidate to pursue research and scholarship and make an original contribution and substantial addition to knowledge. The results of this research shall then be embodied in a thesis or other appropriate form and must contain material of a standard appropriate for peer-reviewed publication.”

Thesis and Viva

• First: Notice of Submission [You]

• Next: Nomination of Examiners [Supervisors]

• Then: Submission of Thesis [2 soft copies, electronic copy]

• 6-8 weeks later : Viva

• Internal examiner from MBS

• External examiner

What can happen in the Viva?

• Each viva is different just as each supervisor/ research project is different

• You maybe asked specific questions related to your thesis to begin with or they may start by assessing your knowledge

• Who may be there?

• How long can I expect to be in the viva for?

What are the possible outcomes?

MPhil •Viva usually not required •Recommendations – internal and external examiners

• Award – no corrections • Award – subject to minor corrections • Reject – can submit a revised thesis • Reject – resubmission not permitted

•Cost £200 for resubmission and £300 if a oral examine is required

What are the possible outcomes?

PhD •A viva is required and you are judged on your thesis and viva performance •Recommendations – internal and external examiners

• Award – A1 no corrections, A2 minor corrections • Refer – B1 resubmission, B2 oral exam required, B3

more research and oral exam • Reject – C1 awarded MPhil, C2 MPhil with minor

corrections, C3 resubmission for Masters, C4 no resubmission allowed

•Resubmission charges – oral exam £400, without £250

Questions?

Questions

1. In one sentence, what is your thesis? 2. What is original about your work? 3. How did your research question arise? 4. What inspired you to tackle this research problem? 5. In hindsight what would you have changed about your work? 6. Provide me with a brief ‘abstract’ of your thesis 7. What is the key contribution of your thesis to increased scientific knowledge? 8. What have you done that merits a PhD? 9. How would you describe your methodology and why did you decide to use this? 10. Given the rate of development in your research area, how long term do you see

your contribution as relevant? 11. What are the most recent major developments in your area? 12. How could your work be improved? 13. What are the strongest and the weakest points of your work? 14. Why is the problem you have tackled worth researching? 15. From your experience of research, what have you learned about research? 16. Generally, what sections of your thesis do you think are publishable and in which

journals do you intend to publish?

Guides

How to Get a PhD: A Handbook for Students and Their Supervisors Estelle Phillips, Derek S. Pugh (2005) Open University Press

How to Write a Thesis, Rowena Murray(2011) Open University Press