PhD survey
Прислали мне сегодня вопросник для аспирантов, типа кто-то делает проект об успешности аспирантов, и количестве впавших в депрессию. :)
Questions:
1) Has your conception of what a PhD involves changed in the past 12 months?
No.
2) Can you tell me about any high points or highlights that you have had in your PhD in the past 12 months? How were you feeling about the PhD and about yourself then? Are these times reflected in your Journey Tracking Graph?
I have completed my first chapter in February 2012 and my lab work in May 2012. I was feeling thankful to God. These are not necessarily reflected in the graph.
3) Can you tell me about any low points or challenges that you have had in your PhD in the past 12 months? How were you feeling about the PhD and about yourself then? Are these times reflected in your Journey Tracking Graph?
I have realised that my supervisor is not interested in my project anymore in September 2011, and I ran out of scholarship and started to struggle with money in September-December 2011, neither could I order any more reagents to complete my lab work due to low lab budget. I was feeling quite mad at my supervisor for his attitude and for his bad lab management. These are not necessarily reflected in the graph.
4) What was your experience of the monthly Journey Tracking Survey process?
It was boring, but sometimes it helped me to look back and think about my progress. I hope my responses helped someone else to complete their project.
5) What do you now consider to be the most difficult or challenging aspect of doing a PhD? Can you tell me what you do, or what you did, to try to manage this?
Lack of encouragement and/or interest. I usually speak to my friends or my ex-supervisor to avoid this.
6) How would you describe what you are doing and what you have done in order to keep going with your PhD in the last 12 months?
I had a deadline, and that kept me going. Apart from this - it's quite hard to say what actually is helping me to keep going.
7) How would you now describe what it’s like to do a PhD? (You can use a metaphor or analogy if you like)
It's fun if you're lucky. It's a mess if you're unlucky.
8) What do you now consider to be the personal characteristics you need to successfully complete a PhD?
Patient, unemotional, dedicated.
9) Have you noticed any changes in yourself in the past 12 months? (‘changes in yourself’ can be in any context at all, e.g. personal, academic, social, etc.) If so, what have you noticed and how do you feel about it?
I have grown spiritually, thanks to my PhD (some experiments would never work without a prayer). I have gained more skills and knowledge as I had to start teaching due to lack of money. Socially nothing changed.
10) Is there anything you have learnt or realised about yourself since starting a PhD?
I realised that I can think scientifically, and I am quite advantaged in this compared to my colleagues.
11) What would you have most liked to have been told about the experience of doing a PhD? When would you have liked to have been told this?
That I have done a really good job. I would like to hear that when I submit my thesis. (я запуталась в этих временных оборотах)
12) Can you describe any experiences in your doctoral research where you have needed to deal with intellectual uncertainty? If so, what did you do?
What is 'intellectual uncertainty'? A question that no one knows the answer for? We deal with these questions every day and we try to stay open-minded about them, accepting any possibilities.
13) Have you experienced any changes in your perception or understanding of the nature of knowledge since starting the PhD?
Yes. The more you learn, the less you know. The most educated professor would tell you that he knows so little compared to what is out there.
14) What do you consider to be the most important thing you have learned during your experience of doing a PhD?
That fresh cells from bone marrow can treat hyperoxia in 8 weeks, and that there is a God.
15) Is there anything else you would like to tell me about your experience of doing a PhD?
No. Thanks, Janene!
Questions:
1) Has your conception of what a PhD involves changed in the past 12 months?
No.
2) Can you tell me about any high points or highlights that you have had in your PhD in the past 12 months? How were you feeling about the PhD and about yourself then? Are these times reflected in your Journey Tracking Graph?
I have completed my first chapter in February 2012 and my lab work in May 2012. I was feeling thankful to God. These are not necessarily reflected in the graph.
3) Can you tell me about any low points or challenges that you have had in your PhD in the past 12 months? How were you feeling about the PhD and about yourself then? Are these times reflected in your Journey Tracking Graph?
I have realised that my supervisor is not interested in my project anymore in September 2011, and I ran out of scholarship and started to struggle with money in September-December 2011, neither could I order any more reagents to complete my lab work due to low lab budget. I was feeling quite mad at my supervisor for his attitude and for his bad lab management. These are not necessarily reflected in the graph.
4) What was your experience of the monthly Journey Tracking Survey process?
It was boring, but sometimes it helped me to look back and think about my progress. I hope my responses helped someone else to complete their project.
5) What do you now consider to be the most difficult or challenging aspect of doing a PhD? Can you tell me what you do, or what you did, to try to manage this?
Lack of encouragement and/or interest. I usually speak to my friends or my ex-supervisor to avoid this.
6) How would you describe what you are doing and what you have done in order to keep going with your PhD in the last 12 months?
I had a deadline, and that kept me going. Apart from this - it's quite hard to say what actually is helping me to keep going.
7) How would you now describe what it’s like to do a PhD? (You can use a metaphor or analogy if you like)
It's fun if you're lucky. It's a mess if you're unlucky.
8) What do you now consider to be the personal characteristics you need to successfully complete a PhD?
Patient, unemotional, dedicated.
9) Have you noticed any changes in yourself in the past 12 months? (‘changes in yourself’ can be in any context at all, e.g. personal, academic, social, etc.) If so, what have you noticed and how do you feel about it?
I have grown spiritually, thanks to my PhD (some experiments would never work without a prayer). I have gained more skills and knowledge as I had to start teaching due to lack of money. Socially nothing changed.
10) Is there anything you have learnt or realised about yourself since starting a PhD?
I realised that I can think scientifically, and I am quite advantaged in this compared to my colleagues.
11) What would you have most liked to have been told about the experience of doing a PhD? When would you have liked to have been told this?
That I have done a really good job. I would like to hear that when I submit my thesis. (я запуталась в этих временных оборотах)
12) Can you describe any experiences in your doctoral research where you have needed to deal with intellectual uncertainty? If so, what did you do?
What is 'intellectual uncertainty'? A question that no one knows the answer for? We deal with these questions every day and we try to stay open-minded about them, accepting any possibilities.
13) Have you experienced any changes in your perception or understanding of the nature of knowledge since starting the PhD?
Yes. The more you learn, the less you know. The most educated professor would tell you that he knows so little compared to what is out there.
14) What do you consider to be the most important thing you have learned during your experience of doing a PhD?
That fresh cells from bone marrow can treat hyperoxia in 8 weeks, and that there is a God.
15) Is there anything else you would like to tell me about your experience of doing a PhD?
No. Thanks, Janene!