Manage your PhD supervisor

The relationship between PhD students and their supervisor is one of the fundamental determinants of success in the PhD. This post emphasises that you have a role in taking the initiative to manage the academic relationship with your supervisor, and suggests some practical actions.

Guide to Peer Review

Click Here: Guide to Peer Review in Ecology and Evolution

The British Ecological Society has produced a guide for those wishing to learn more about peer review. Although intended for ecology researchers, it is relevant to researchers across a much wider variety of disciplines.

"This booklet is intended as a guide for early career researchers, who have little or no experience of reviewing journal articles but are interested in learning more about what is involved. It provides a succinct overview of the many aspects of reviewing, from hands-on practical advice about the actual review process to explaining less tangible aspects, such as reviewer ethics."

Writing: it is never too early to start (Part 1)!

[A typical scene: Year 1 of PhD]

Writing the thesis?  That’s for the last year of my PhD, and I’ll put it off as long as possible.  Start writing in first year? But what could I be writing before I have my data?

[Fast forward three years]

Dear supervisor, the company just called and I have the job, but they need me to start in 3 weeks.  I know the timing isn’t ideal but at least all my experimental work is done, and I am fully committed to getting a start on the thesis in the weeks before I go to work, and then will get into the discipline of writing every weekend for at least a day, and two evenings minimum during the week…..

[fast forward three years]

Dear anyone, HELP!!!  Yours insanely, the unwritten thesis.