Ph.D. work is not like undergrad or masters studies, in both of the later you have a fairly proscribed list of requirements and when you meet all of those requirements you are done.  With Ph.D. work the phases are more amorphous...slippery...and often damn elusive.  So how do you flourish in this environment?  You have to own your own work and drive your own degree.

I've seen many Ph.D. students flounder, both since I became one myself and previously, because they were looking for the known comforts of a requirement list and someone to hand hold them through the process...either actually or metaphysically.  Sorry folks that is not how it works. 

In my opinion Ph.D. studies are a bit like being forced on to a tightrope in heavy fog and without training.  You can see the rope a few feet ahead of you but you don't know how long it is or where it ends.  You know there is a chasm under you, and falling will kill your prospects, but you never know with any give faltering step how close you are to that wrong move that will send you tumbling.  How do you survive and get to the end of the process in one piece?  You have to own your own work and drive your own degree.  Even if you do the best job in the world when selecting your advisory committee, and mine has been unbelievably supportive I will owe them the world shortly, you are the one that really cares if you finish.  

To survive and flourish you need to:

• Know all the rules for your program. That means both the written and unwritten ones.  Pay lots of attention to the unwritten ones...they are undoubtedly tougher to fulfill and most likely to trip you up.
• Expect that you will have pitfalls and will make mistakes as you move through.
• When things go wrong figure out how to correct the problem simply, easily, inexpensively, and by saving as much face for everyone involved as possible.  That said don't be afraid to scream a few time, just choice these points as carefully as you can.  While this is a popularity contest one thing is foresure no one likes a doormat.   Though you do need to remember there may be repercussions but that goes with owning your actions
• Keep an eye open for ways to better position yourself within and outside your department, and across your profession. 
• Learn where you can expect your department to help you and, most importantly, where you are on your own.
• Start thinking like a junior faculty member.  More on this in a later post.

At the end of every one of these sentences you should add "Don't wait for someone else to tell you to do this or what to do."  They are all busy...doing their research and teaching and often walking on their own tenure & promotion tightrope.  Talk to them, seek their guidance but it's up to you to select what you will do...there are so rarely hard and fast right answers in this process.  In truth if you don't have a high tolerance for ambiguity then the academic life may not be the best place for you.

There are two great ways to build the relationships you will need so that you can gather the required information to make your decisions.  In chronological order - first make friends among the group of more senior students in your program.  These are likely to be third and fourth year students who are still taking classes - i.e. who are around the building on a nearly daily basis - but get to know a few of those who are out of classes, candidates, and those dissertating.  All of them can help give you information that you won't find in the manuals.  Don't be afraid to send a fellow student an email and ask to meet with them for say lunch or coffee so you can discuss their experiences in the program.  Always remember that most students will probably not give you the whole story in an email - on one wants written evidence - so always invite them to join you for a face-to-face discussion.

Second choice your advisory committee carefully.  Like 1B* said in the snip I posted under Advice for first year PhD students: 

Select your advisor carefully. Finding a match is so hard! Yet finding an advisor that fits you can make or break your experience in graduate school. I'd take the first year and purposefully interview faculty and "audition" them for this role in your academic career. I would look for someone who is has some background in the work your interested in doing (obviously), but I think personality traits and interaction style is even more important than an academic match. I wanted someone who would be willing to talk with me about work-life balance issues, who would engage in helping me develop as a person, not just as a scholar, who would be able to give me feedback in constructive ways that also felt supportive and encouraging. I wanted to believe my advisor actually liked me and believed in me. I also think a junior faculty member could be as good of an advisor as a senior faculty member, but it's hard to say... some people prefer the senior folks as advisors because they tend to be better connected in the field (and can introduce you) and perhaps more effective as giving feedback with writing because they're more experienced at both writing and giving feedback.

Your advisory committee can be very helpful in giving you advise when you ask.  While good advisory committee members may take the initiative to talk to you about issues before you are faced with them, often they will - and should be - responding to your questions and concerns.  As silly as it sounds to say this, you need to talk to them.  If they aren't open to those interactions or you aren't comfortable going to them then replace them on the committee...yes you can do that and you should if you need to.

Like I said in the beginning the ball is in your court.  It's your degree and you have to police everything related to the process.  But you aren't alone...not at all.  Look around you.  There are lots of other people dealing with the same ambiguity...first years, second years, third years, etc....and tenure-track faculty (though their road is different then ours).  All of us are in this together but separately...remember that.  The people I have seen struggle the hardest in Ph.D. studies are those that feel totally alone...and many of us have been in that dark place at some time during the process.  Remember first that you are not alone and second if you can't remember that please take advantage of the universities assistance through their health services.  Ph.D. work is supposed to be hard...but not depressing.

Oh and take if from me...there is light ahead if you keep carefully walking that tightrope and keep your eye on where you think the prize will be.  I'm starting to see rays of it breaking through now...stay on the path and it's there for you too. 

Don't be like the lady in the graphic and try to hide behind dark (or worse rose-colored) glasses, that is a sure way to the bottom of the chasm my friends.

Posted by prolurkr at August 21, 2005 10:29 AM

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