The basic principles every PhD student needs to know

If you like this video, check out my writing course: phd.academy/the-writing-course

I respect everything that Dr. James Hayton said in this video ..Ultimately to get through a PhD in my opinion you have to be really organised, always remember that a PhD is a crafting process .. when I started my PhD I was informed by a retired Professor "you never write a thesis you craft one" ... The other bit of advice I would give before beginning a PhD ...know your area reasonably well, have an understanding of the research literature because it will help with the literature search chapter, form close ties with other PhD students on the course, plan your work, write small amount of writing everyday and gradually build up ..keep on good terms with your supervisors (absolute must!) and exercise and maintain a healthy diet. Finally take your time ...before you begin tell yourself this is going to take time and eventually I will get to the end ! Good luck to all those who have started a PhD, thinking about doing one or at completion ... take care!

0:00 Too Much Stress Is BAD, STIFLING 3:05 Why Act To Obtain a PH.D? • To become an Independent Researcher • To Culminate My Education 5:23 • To Avoid Major Life Decisions 6:03 It’s Completely Different - NO SYLLABUS • Not Well Established Knowledge, basically dealing with Argued Ideas 7:08 • 1 Exam, Pass or Fail Be The Best In The Field What it means 8:09 Being great, and adapting 8:49 It’s the entry qualification into the world of academia (arguable) Produce Publicatable Work What PH.D’s Do 10:14 1. Practice 2. Read 11:42 Repetition doesn’t make you better. The way you repeat is important. ‘12:29 Weightlifting • works for a while, reach a plateau 13:43 Weight and Tactics 14:20 Getting Greater; Perfecting Technique, Psychology, then going to the edge 16:04 Go Back and Re-Learn The Fundamentals 17:41 • Read faster? • Read more? NO, Find The Fundamentals 18:47 Common Concepts (Academic Papers are not written in order to teach somebody) 21:28 Get the major core ideas, then start reading papers Dealing With Failure 22:25 I WANT RESULTS NOW 1. Develop Techniques [Process, Practice, Refine, Repeat 🔂 ] 25:24 2. Ask For Help 26:54 THINGS WILL GO WRONG 😑 Respond To It Right 30:20 “What Was The Point?… I can’t take this anymore.” 31:55 One Last Try, One Final BEST CAREFUL METICULOUS SHOT 36:49 Exciting stuff has Uncertainty Q&A 39:33 Supervisors 41:10 Openness about What You Don’t Know 41:43 Feedback early better than late 42:30 People Tend To Be Consistent* [In Script Writing and Academic Writing] 44:05 Imposter: Pretending to be something else (Hiding weaknesses doesn’t fix weaknesses) 45:42 Own up to it 52:10 Basic Writing Skill 53:30 Focus, Structure, Problem —> Solution Technique spawns variations Limited to xyz circumstanc

I recently graduated. Throughout my four year PhD journey, I listened, read and attended James's podcasts, blogs and a course. It was of immense help to have "him" as a resource.

This speech should be shown to all academics. Both supervisors and PhD students could take useful notes from it. A big thank you from a PhD student point of view, your speech is appreciated.

Thanks a lot for this amazing video. After almost 6 months of a PhD I just left the institute. It was a mutual agreement between me and my supervisor. All the hardships and stress that you described in the video, I experienced. Just a nightmare. Especially when you come from a 3world with different educational systems to universities in the first world countries. All in all I can say one of the most important lessons that I learned after that time was that do not internalize failure feelings on your whole identity and self esteem. Because I did that and it makes you insane. Every time after not knowing something and of course wonder faces of colleagues and my supervisor, I felt stupid. And over time even if I knew something the mental picture that I had from myself (being the stupidest person and most incompetent PhD ever) didn't allow me to perform well. So, a vicious cycle began. Then you ask yourself maybe I am indeed incompetent and stupid. And it is like hell. Maybe my work environment was toxic and me was not ready for this amount of work and proficiency or maybe because I was not ready it seemed so bad or both. I don't know really. I don't know yet if PhD is not really my thing, or now because I had that bad experience it seems like that.

The flip at 8:56 is brilliant! Thank you so much for this lecture, Dr. Hayton.

I am glad to hear about the feeling of inadequacy with regards to basic knowledge from undergraduate years. I always feel the need to acquaint myself with the research process all over again especially the statistical aspect. Thank you for an enlightening presentation.

Skills are your safety net, not isolation. That has changed my life - brilliant advice.

i wish i had this lecture at my disposal when i started my PhD back in 2012 would have made a difference. Good information.

"The choice is who you work with at any stage of your career is more than important than what you do " -- This is so true. My supervisor changed my life and made my MSc Degree experience an enjoyable one. Now, he just offered me a position to continue to work with him for my Ph.D. I haven't even graduated yet from MSc. Thank you Dr. James Hayton

This is extremly insightful for new PhD students. Every single word of what you said is a 100% true. Kudos

Wow. This is such an important one to watch. Working on my proposal right now. Thanks Dr. Hayton!

Just finished my second masters degree at TCD and contemplating a PhD. Great advice .... saw several reflections of this during my research on my thesis.

Thank you for an extremely valuable insight. It really helps my journey in this marathon.

Literally the best video out of dozens I've watched about PhD, thank you so much! You helped me decide effortlessly, truly a life changing video

This is very insightful. I will approach my PhD in different mindset altogether.

I loved my PhD. Although looking at the current PhDs i cosupervise/work with it does appear to be more like kicking it and throwing it over the word count to then begin the sloggiest game of pong with the publishers until it finally gets through and then they throw it into a draw for it to never see the light of day again as some revenge for the last 3.5-4 years of a hermit lifestyle, than crafting a principia of your expertise. Ive always told everybody who has struggled with their phd or have been thinking about a phd, all phds are apprenticeships, you then become a "crew member" with your post docs and then you become an academic and work your way up.

This has been really helpful and informative. Let me now try to put these principles into practice. Thanks again

Your speech is so logically organized, it’s amazing! We can see this topic is really your calling, thank you for sharing.