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10 stages of the PhD journey: advice from many experts

Designing, executing and writing up a PhD study takes a large chunk of your time and energy. Here is an overview of each stage of the PhD journey, along with links to excellent articles that will help you along the way. Some of the advice offered here may be specific to a discipline, country or university, or may be heavily dependent upon some author’s experience and background. Nevertheless, you are likely to find most of this advice and instruction helpful.

1. Consider what you hope to achieve by completing a PhD

It is important to seriously consider why you are undertaking a PhD and what you hope to achieve by completing a PhD. Completing a PhD can be extremely useful even for those who may not continue doing research later on.

* 9 things you should consider before embarking on a PhD by Andy Greenspon

* Familiarise yourself with the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research

* A successful PhD student will be expected to possess key research skills and knowledge as listed here: Researcher graduate qualities for the PhD by the University of Sydney.

2. Write a research proposal

You might be offered a PhD project where the research proposal is already planned or you might need to devise a research proposal yourself, either before or after you have chosen a supervisor. This proposal and confirmation of candidature will need to be approved by your university’s research committee.

* How to write a research proposal for a strong PhD application by the University of Sydney

* What is confirmation? – University of Melbourne

3. Choose a PhD supervisor

Some students have one key supervisor with one or two additional supervisors, while it is not unusual for some students to have three or four. It is important to remember that your supervisor may have many students under their direction, so their time may be strictly limited. At many Australian universities supervisors need to be accredited.

* How to Choose a Supervisor (UQ)

* You and your supervisors by the University of South Australia

4. Design your project budget

An essential project management skill when conducting research is the ability to effectively design and manage research budgets. If you need to request finances through a grant application, ensure you thoroughly investigate the necessary guidelines.

* Developing a Budget for Your Research Application by Western Sydney University

* How to make a simple research budget by Jonathan O’Donnell

5. Start writing in the early stages of your project

Don’t wait until you have collected and analysed your data before you start writing. Most universities encourage students to write about their project while they are conducting their research. Project proposals can be rewritten and methods sections developed as data is collected and analysed. Literature reviews can be updated and conference talks and posters can be prepared even before you have started to collect data.

6. Consider the structure and the format of your thesis

Exactly how to structure and format your thesis will vary greatly depending upon your project, your discipline, your department and your university and your discipline. Always refer to your university’s guidelines for thesis format requirements. For example:

* Formatting your thesis' by the Edith Cowan University

* Structuring your thesis by the University of Queensland

* Thesis Format Guide (PDF) by the University of New South Wales

How to find completed PhD theses

It is always a good idea to check other PhD theses that are similar to your topic, have been completed recently and have been produced by your university department. You can gain a wealth of ideas about structure, size and overall thesis design.

* Discover Our Theses Collection by Macquarie University

* Australasian digital thesis program by Trove

How to write a literature review

Reviewing the literature is important to assist your knowledge and understanding of your topic and integral to establishing your position in the academic landscape. Writing good literature reviews is crucial to show your examiners how well you know the literature and how well you are able to explain the importance of your project. It is a common requirement that you write a separate chapter as a stand-alone literature review. However, for those theses that are predominantly composed of complete published papers, there might not be a requirement for a separate review section.

* How to write a literature review by the UNSW

* Writing a publishable literature review paper – four options by Pat Thomson

7. Get feedback on your writing

In addition to your supervisor, seek feedback on different aspects of your writing from appropriate advisors: accuracy, clarity and brevity. Increasingly, projects are written for a variety of aim to get academic audiences so ensure that your writing is clear and succinct.

* Getting Feedback – University of North Carolina (USA)

8. Learn how to publish peer-review papers

Increasingly, students are expected to submit a large proportion of their thesis as published papers. Not every PhD project can be easily prepared as separate papers; however, remember to look at recently submitted theses within your discipline and within your department to see how people have completed their thesis.

* What is a ‘thesis by publication’? by the University of Newcastle

* Six Misconceptions about the Three-Paper Route by PhD Life

9. Submit your thesis

The process of submitting your thesis may include preparing additional tasks and preparation of paperwork (i.e. the Originality Statement).

* Prerequisites for Submission by Melbourne University

* How do I submit my thesis? by UWA

10. Understand the examination process

Usually there are three examiners. However, the process of thesis examination will vary widely according to discipline and university. Broadly speaking, your examiners will recommend that your thesis be accepted without alteration, accepted with minor alteration, accepted providing major changes are made or rejected. Usually your supervisor will choose who your examiners are and you may have the opportunity to choose one of your examiners.

* HDR Thesis Submission and Examination Procedure by James Cook University

* Thesis examination by Victoria University

An oral examination for a PhD is necessary in some Australia universities.

* Guidelines for the oral defence of the thesis by James Cook University

If there are any problems...

Most problems with your project are surmountable and remember that your supervisors and your university are there to help you. If things go drastically wrong at any time, it is essential that you seek assistance as early as possible. There are people within your university administration who are there to help you. To help dealing with problems, document any issues as they arise. It is essential for you to have excellent time-management and record-keeping skills.

* Resolving Issues by the University of Melbourne

* Student Complaints Resolution Procedure by the University of Adelaide

* Download the University Complaints Handling Guidelines: Australian Best Practices (April-2016)

and remember...

* Be aware of, and develop, sound project management skills including risk management protocols to identify alternative actions in unforeseen circumstances.

* Keep records and extra copies of everything: for example, data, thesis drafts, email, meeting agendas, fieldwork notes. Ensure you have excellent electronic version control of your documents and extra backups of all your data and work.

* Ensure you develop and maintain a support network of friends and colleagues who may give important advice and help you deal with any obstacles.

* Get plenty of exercise, rest and sleep.

Any suggestions or comments please email admin@writingclearscience.com.au

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10 reasons (from ChatGPT) why science writers should not use AI to write their papers

I have written a few blogposts about the problems with using AI for writing. This time I asked ChatGPT to list 10 reasons why science writers should not use AI to write their papers. I thought it would be interesting to see how/if AI criticises itself. The following is verbatim:

My prompt: Can you give me 10 reasons why science writers should not use AI to write their papers?

"Yes. If your audience is scientists, it's important to make nuanced arguments. AI is a useful tool for some tasks, but there are strong reasons not to rely on it to write a research paper. Here are ten reasons you could use in a workshop, article or discussion.

1. AI cannot take responsibility for the research
AI did not conduct the experiments, collect the data or make the scientific decisions. The authors are responsible for every claim in the paper, regardless of who or what drafted the text.

2. AI can invent information
Large language models sometimes generate incorrect facts, citations, statistical interpretations or methodological details that sound convincing. These errors can be difficult to detect, particularly outside the author's area of expertise.

3. AI can weaken scientific thinking
Writing is part of the research process. As scientists write, they clarify their arguments, identify gaps in their reasoning and refine their interpretation of the results. Outsourcing the writing can also outsource some of this thinking.

4. AI often produces generic writing
Scientific papers need to communicate the novelty and significance of the work. AI tends to produce safe, conventional language that can obscure what is genuinely original about the research.

5. The writing may no longer reflect the authors' understanding
A paper should represent what the authors know and can defend. If AI introduces concepts, interpretations or terminology the authors do not fully understand, they may struggle to answer reviewers' questions or explain their conclusions.

6. AI can introduce subtle inaccuracies
Even when the overall text appears correct, AI may change the meaning of a sentence, oversimplify complex ideas or overstate the certainty of findings. These changes can alter the scientific message.

7. Confidential information may be exposed
Depending on the AI system and its settings, uploading unpublished data, grant applications, patient information or confidential manuscripts may conflict with institutional policies, journal requirements or privacy regulations.

8. Journal and institutional policies are still evolving

Many publishers and research organisations have specific guidelines about the disclosure and acceptable use of AI. Using AI inappropriately could create ethical or compliance issues.

9. Scientists need to develop their own writing skills
Clear writing is an essential research skill. It influences publication success, grant applications, collaboration and career progression. Relying heavily on AI may slow the development of these skills, particularly for early-career researchers.

10. Good scientific writing requires judgement
Choosing what to include, what to omit, how to organise evidence and how strongly to interpret results all require expert judgement. AI can imitate these decisions but cannot replace the scientific expertise behind them.

A balanced perspective
Rather than saying scientists should never use AI, a more defensible position is:
- Don't use AI to generate the scientific content, interpretation or conclusions of your paper.
- Do consider using AI for low-risk tasks such as brainstorming titles, checking grammar, suggesting alternative wording, summarising your own notes, or identifying awkward sentences—provided you verify every suggestion and comply with your journal's policies.

This distinction encourages scientists to retain ownership of the intellectual work while using AI as an editing or productivity aid rather than a substitute for scientific writing."

While I agree that it's ok to use AI for 'low risk tasks', I do not include summarising in this category. Whatever you use AI for, consider it the first author or a co-author if you use it's exact wording or summary points.

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How to write when you don’t feel like it

There are many obstacles that can prevent us from being productive and efficient writers, especially procrastination. Even if there is a looming deadline and we are well aware of what needs to be written, sometimes we simply don’t feel like writing. And if we don’t feel like writing, procrastination can creep in, and we might put off writing until the last minute and then produce something that is substandard or incomplete.

Here are four ways to set you on the path of writing, even when you don’t feel like it.

1. Write intensively for short blocks of time

Set a timer and commit to writing for only 30 minutes. Thirty minutes of writing might seem achievable when you don’t feel like writing. Tell yourself that after the 30 minutes is up, as a reward, you will allow yourself to do whatever you want for one hour. Commit to only write for 30 minutes and make sure that you don’t do anything else during that period: no re-reading what you wrote previously, no stopping to google something, no telephone, no talking. Just write. If you find this too hard, start with ten minutes.

If you are normally a productive writer, 30 minutes might not seem like a long time, yet 30 minutes writing is much better than not writing at all. We can write a lot within short time periods if we don’t allow ourselves to get distracted, especially with other work tasks.

Avoid setting the timer for too long a period. Avoid setting unrealistic goals for yourself as you will feel unproductive and unsatisfied if you don’t meet them.

When you set a timer, try placing it out of reach so you have to get up from your computer to turn it off. After 30 minutes, stand up and walk around, print out what you have written so you have physical evidence of your productivity. You may find that you want to reset the timer for another 30 minutes and keep going. Ultimately, you may find that setting these short writing sessions allows you to break through the barrier of just getting started.

2. Don’t switch between writing tasks during a designated writing session

During your writing sessions, only compete one type of writing. Switching between different writing tasks will sap your energy more quickly than completing one task. If you are getting your thoughts down, just write freely and don’t switch to editing or proofreading halfway through. If you are rewriting a section of your document, don’t switch to writing new material on a related topic.

3. Take a break from the computer: print your document out and use a pen

We spend a large proportion of our time in front of a computer for all sorts of work activities, especially writing. Periodically take a break from writing on a computer, even if it is for a short time. Try printing out the latest draft of your document and take it to a café or a lounge chair with a pen and a notebook. Edit your draft by hand and use a notebook to write fresh material. You might find that the change in environment allows you to relax yet you can still work on your document.

I always print my document out whenever I complete a draft so that I can see how my writing looks on paper and then plan what writing I will do for the next draft. With a paper printout, I can see my whole document at a glance, without having to scroll through a digital version on a computer screen. Moving to a lounge, or a comfortable environment, gives me a break from staring at a computer screen and sitting on an office chair.

4. Find a friend to write with

Writing is usually a solitary activity but you might it more enjoyable if you organise writing sessions with a friend or colleague. Try taking your laptops to a park or a café and set up 30-minute writing sessions followed by 30 minutes social chat. You could also read and give feedback on each other’s work.

And remember…

Avoid creating unrealistic expectations that create stress and reduce our work satisfaction. It is unrealistic to expect that we can be super-productive writing machines that can write anything, anywhere and at any time. Aim to write in intensive pre-organised, short blocks of time in an environment that is as comfortable and distraction-free as possible.

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