10 tips for those thinking of undertaking doctoral studies

1. Undertaking a part-time LIS PhD
10 tips in 20 minutes
Dr Hazel Hall, Emeritus Professor, Edinburgh Napier University
h.hall@napier.ac.uk @hazelh
Slides presented at Routes and experiences of doing an LIS PhD
18th November 2022

2. http://hazelhall.org
Experience of part-time PhDs
• Own completion 2004
• Completions of others: ~50% p/t
• Examinations: ~50% p/t
• ‘Classic’ and ‘other’ routes

3. ‘Travel’ advice
 Tips for those thinking about taking this route (2)
 Tips for those seeking a starting point (3)
 Tips for the journey itself (5)

4. TIPS 1-2: THINKING ABOUT DOING A PART-TIME PHD

5. Tip 1: Only pursue the part-time PhD route if you can
answer yes to the following questions
 Can you work independently?
 Are you resilient, e.g. can you handle criticism,
overcome failure, embrace uncertainty?
 Do you enjoy reading and writing?
 Can you commit to up to six years to part-time study?

6. Summer vacation 2001

7. Christmas vacation 2003

8. Tip 2: Consider a Masters in Social Research
Methods first
 Tests commitment to further study
 Provides foundational knowledge that you would
otherwise need to gain on your own at PhD stage
 Gives a head start on PhD topic e.g. dissertation
 Adds to existing qualifications

9. University of Edinburgh LSE

10. TIPS 3-5: STARTING OUT

11. Tip 3: Choose your supervisors wisely
 Someone famous may have little time for you
 Someone established may retire before you complete
 Someone mid-career may change jobs before you
complete
 Someone junior may not have sufficient experience
 The team needs experience, expertise, stability, with a
DoS who will review your work closely

13. Tip 4: Negotiate employer support
 Payment of tuition fees
 Payment of conference fees
 Study leave – to complete research, attend events
 Often most easily achieved if you register for your PhD
within your own (academic) institution

14. Tip 5: Select your topic with care
 Is there a genuine gap in knowledge to fill?
 Do you have an enduring passion for the topic?
 Does your supervision team share your passion?
 Is the topic suitable for part-time study?
 If the topic relates to your current role, what happens if
you change jobs or are made redundant?

15. This academic librarian researched public libraries
in a longitudinal study with employer support

16. TIPS 5-10: EN ROUTE

17. Tip 6: Keep records (a)
 To stay on track - especially when there are breaks
 To gain realistic estimate of working rate and time to
completion
 To avoid repeating unnecessary work

19. Tip 6: Keep records (b)
 To test out your ideas/thinking – privately, or publicly

20. https://lyndseyjenkinsdotorg.wordpress.com/

21. Tip 7: Present and publish as you go
 To develop your academic writing skills
 To access feedback from beyond the supervision team
 To create files for later writing of thesis chapters
 To widen your network
 To establish yourself as a name in the field
 To generate enthusiasm for writing the big, final
paper(s) at the end

23. Tip 8: Embrace feedback and accept criticism
 From supervision team at supervision meetings, e.g.
on draft thesis chapters
 From internal colleagues, e.g. presenting at research
group seminars on on-going work
 From wider community, e.g. conference papers,
journal articles, contributions to doctoral fora

25. Tip 9: Ensure that your thesis makes obvious
 That you have made a contribution to knowledge
 That your work will interest academic peers
 That you have completed your apprenticeship as a
researcher

26. Tip 10: Back up everything
 Different media
 Different places
 Different people

27. Undertaking a part-time LIS PhD
10 tips in 20 minutes
Dr Hazel Hall, Emeritus Professor, Edinburgh Napier University
h.hall@napier.ac.uk @hazelh
Slides presented at Routes and experiences of doing an LIS PhD
18th November 2022