Original PhD Blog

If you are pursuing a career in science, or completing a PhD that requires published journals, then publishing papers becomes a crucial step in sharing your results and establishing yourself in the scientific community. However, getting your paper accepted by a reputable journal is no small endeavour.

Studies suggest that the majority of published papers may have been initially rejected! Getting published can be especially challenging if are aiming at a Q1 or a Q2 journal. Those are journals occupying the top (Q1) or second (Q2) quartile of a journal impact index – and their requirements for accepting manuscripts are quite strict.

It is therefore vital to understand why your PhD research paper can be rejected by a journal. This article will help you by reviewing the most common reasons for a journal to reject your manuscript. 

In general, the major reasons for a PhD manuscript being rejected can be grouped into two categories: editorial reasons, and technical reasons.

Editorial reasons are issues related to journal-specific guidelines, formatting, ethics, and overall coherence of your paper. Technical reasons mainly stem from the quality of your methodology – in particular, this includes sampling and the use of statistical techniques. Let’s discuss editorial reasons for a rejected manuscript first.

Editorial reasons for your PhD Manuscript rejection

Poor alignment with the journal’s scope

One of the most common reasons for getting your research paper rejected by a journal is that the manuscript doesn’t fall within the journal’s scope. Every journal has a certain audience. Your paper should be of interest to this audience for the publisher to consider accepting your paper. You can familiarise yourself with the journal’s scope by reading about the journal, its aims, and the type of articles that the journal is currently looking for. 

Your PhD manuscript must align with the journal’s scope so that the paper isn’t rejected at an early screening stage. Be sure to do ample research about your field and where similar papers are typically published! Matching the impact and quality of your research to the journal’s scope will increase the chance of acceptance of your manuscript.

Insufficient impact

It is possible that the reviewers will not find your paper to be making a sufficient advance for the journal. This can happen if the research topic you have chosen isn’t of great enough significance for the journal considering its scope and aims. For example, if your manuscript is a part of a series of articles, then the journal may find the findings from your paper incremental and of insufficient impact. Another potential issue is that your study is too ambitious. In this case, a journal may find your manuscript to lack focus or to be difficult to interpret. 

If someone has already presented findings similar to your results, editors may consider your manuscript to lack originality. One way to increase your manuscript’s chance of acceptance here is to clearly explain to the editors why your paper is important and relevant to the journal. Moreover, make sure to show the editors that you are aware of ongoing research in your field by having a state-of-the-art overview covering relevant developments.

Violating research ethics

Ignoring research ethics is another reason why your manuscript could be rejected by a journal. You are required to have all necessary ethics and regulatory permissions. Make sure you have considered the rights of all individuals involved in your study. For instance, participants may have the right to decide what should happen to any data that has been gathered as a part of the study. This could include personal data, images, and what the participants have said during interviews. You should be particularly careful with identifying details such as biometrical characteristics, names, and dates of birth. 

If you want your manuscript to be accepted by a Q1 or a Q2 journal, you should be ready to provide the required permission related to informed consent. If you employ a case study design, you should make sure that participants have consented not only to participate in a study but also to have their data published in a journal. Consult with your institution’s review board on what kind of permissions may be needed for your paper to get accepted by a reputable journal. 

Ignoring structure and formatting requirements

Another common reason for your PhD manuscript being rejected by a journal is failing to follow the journal’s requirements on structure and formatting. You can usually find detailed submission requirements and guidelines on the journal’s homepage. This may include guidelines on the overall section structure, abstract, title, list of authors, references, figures, tables, and submission format, among others. Make sure to use the journal’s template if it is provided on the journal’s website. 

Some journals may have more specific requirements for certain aspects of your manuscript. One example is accessibility, with possible requirements including descriptive captions for figures, the use of patterns instead of or in addition to colours, and a minimum contrast ratio for figure lettering. 

If you are submitting your manuscript to a journal that shares a publisher with other journals, make sure that you use the structure and formatting guidelines that are specific to the individual journal of your choice. The requirements can differ across journals even if they belong to the same publisher. 

Lack of up-to-date references 

Among the reasons for your manuscript to get rejected from a Q1 or a Q2 journal is the lack of adequate referencing. If too many of your references are old, the journal may get the impression that you have not done sufficient research on your topic. Failing to keep up to date with recent developments in the field may lead to a poorly formulated research question.

Journals are more likely to accept manuscripts that show awareness of existing unsolved problems. A related problem may involve having too many self-citations. Overall, you should make sure that your manuscript does not give an impression of a poorly researched study lacking relevance. One way you can address this is by looking at recent relevant literature reviews and surveys published in the journal.

Poor language quality 

If your manuscript exhibits poor language quality, it will likely be rejected by a Q1 or a Q2 journal. You must express your thoughts and reasoning in a clearly understood manner. You should aim to present your results logically and efficiently. Using fluent and polished scientific English will be more likely to give the journal a favourable impression of your paper. Scientific writing may require specialised writing skills that might not have been well-emphasised in research training. To make sure that your manuscript uses well-written English, it may be valuable to consider employing professional language PhD editing and proofreading services.

Poor presentation of results 

Another common reason for having your PhD manuscript rejected is difficult-to-follow logic or poorly presented data. You should aim to make your arguments and data analysis well-structured and logical and to link them to the conclusions of your study. If the editors find your conclusions to be poorly justified by the rest of the manuscript, your paper will likely be rejected. Likewise, ignoring relevant literature may also lead to the journal turning down your submission.  

You can increase your manuscript’s chance of acceptance by checking that you provide answers to all formulated research questions. Make sure to explain and discuss your findings in a wider context. Another way to improve the presentation is to make the paper more concise by utilising tables, figures, and supplementary materials.

Violation of publication ethics

One of the major reasons for a Q1 or a Q2 journal to reject your manuscript is a violation of ethical standards in academic publication. You should always avoid plagiarism and fabrication – if the editors suspect fraud, they will almost surely reject your submission. Typically, simultaneous submission to multiple journals is not allowed.

If your manuscript is currently under review in one journal, you should wait until you get a response to submit the paper to another journal. If you disagree with the reviewers’ response, it is best to act respectfully and not turn down their suggestions. Ignoring feedback will likely result in rejection. Make sure you obtain permission to use figures that have been published elsewhere.

With the recent developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) such as Large Language Models (LLMs), it is important to understand their place in academic work. At the moment, you should expect that Q1 and Q2 journals would not view LLMs as satisfying their authorship criteria. If you do decide to use LLMs, you should properly document this in your methodology. Journals also expect you to disclose any interests that are directly or indirectly related to your manuscript. This includes employment, financial, and non-financial interests that may have influenced the submitted work. 

Technical reasons why your PhD manuscript was rejected

Technical reasons for rejection are related to your methodology. How well you plan your experiments and apply statistical methods to analyse data will decide whether your manuscript is suitable for publishing in Q1 and Q2 journals. Technical problems with statistical analyses can be subtle. As a general rule, if you have doubts about the validity of your analyses, you should seek advice from your colleagues or professional PhD writing help.

Incomplete data 

One technical reason for journals to reject your manuscript is incomplete data. Most often this takes the form of a too-small of sample size. It is possible that the design of your experiment does not produce sufficient statistical power to yield useful results. In this case, you should either adjust your methodology or prepare for the likely rejection of your submission from top journals. Another problem related to incomplete data is the lack of, or poor, controls. Failing to control for relevant confounding variables may lead to a spurious relationship. This may greatly reduce the internal validity of your results, and therefore increase the chance of rejection of your submission.

Poor analysis 

Another potential reason for your manuscript being rejected from a Q1 or a Q2 journal is the poor quality of statistical analyses. Using inappropriate statistical tests, or failing to mention statistics altogether, greatly reduces the chance of acceptance. Other notable flaws include poor internal validity, lack of clear comparison metrics and identification of control groups, and low conformity with recognised statistical methods. If you are unsure whether your application of statistical techniques is valid, you should consult with your peers or employ the services of professional statisticians like Original PhD.

Inappropriate methodology 

If the statistical techniques you are using are outdated, the editors may reject your submission. Newer methods can provide more statistical power and higher robustness, allowing for higher validity of the analysis. As such, you should always aim to employ a methodology that would make adequate use of state-of-the-art techniques from your field. 

You should also ensure that your methodology is properly aligned with your research questions. If your experimental design or statistical tools are not relevant to the aims of your study, your submission will likely be rejected. It can be helpful to extensively research relevant literature to understand what kind of analyses are typically used to tackle similar research questions. 

Weak research motive 

A weak research motive could also become grounds for your manuscript’s rejection from a Q1 or a Q2 journal. If your hypothesis is not formulated or is not scientifically valid, likely, your submission will not be accepted. Likewise, you should make sure that your data answers the research questions that you have posed, as otherwise, the editors will likely reject your paper. Demonstrating critical reflection on your methodology may improve your manuscript’s acceptance chance. 

How to improve the chances of Q1 and Q2 journals accepting your manuscript?

In this article, we reviewed the most common reasons for Q1 and Q2 journals to reject PhD manuscript submissions. How can you improve your chances? The main advice is to closely follow all guidelines that are listed on the journal’s webpage. If you are overwhelmed by the requirements or are unsure about whether you meet them (which is especially relevant for technical reasons and statistical analyses), you should consider consulting your colleagues or employing professional writing services.

A PhD in chemistry is one of the best higher education options for candidates looking to develop expertise in understanding the behaviour of different chemicals, their applications and their interactions. The rigorous nature of a PhD allows students to engage in independent studies, conduct different experiments and enhance their skills. It also equips students with time management, leadership, critical thinking, problem-solving and other skills needed to establish a career within and outside academia.

Several leading universities offer a PhD in chemistry to students who are passionate about this field. However, due to the comprehensive nature of the subject, students can now choose between different specialised subjects such as organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, polymer chemistry or physical chemistry. Getting a specialisation in chemistry not only allows students to get an in-depth understanding of the subject but also teaches them how to apply these principles in real-life scenarios.

If you are planning to pursue a PhD in chemistry, this guide will help you understand more about this field. From the basics of chemistry to the career options that you can choose after successfully completing your PhD research and PhD thesis writing in chemistry.

What is a PhD in chemistry?

Chemistry is a branch of natural science that focuses on the properties of various substances. It tells us about the changes that take place within a substance and their reactions in different phases. Compared to other branches of science, such as physics, which focuses on a quantitative approach, chemistry focuses more on qualitative methods. It helps students understand the significance of both natural and man-made chemicals and their applications in the physical world. However, getting a PhD in chemistry is not as easy as expected. It takes years of hard work, persistence, discipline and commitment to successfully complete chemistry research. Once completed, it can help shape the career of the researchers.

Different specialisations in chemistry

As the field of chemistry is significantly vast, it allows students to choose between different specialisations based on their passions and career interests. Some of the common specialisations in chemistry are as follows:

• Organic chemistry

It focuses on studying the composition of organic compounds and materials that contain carbon compounds. Pursuing a PhD in organic chemistry will help you conduct research to understand the physical and chemical properties, synthesis, mechanisms and design of new organic molecules.

• Inorganic chemistry

Inorganic chemistry involves the study of inorganic materials that do not contain carbon compounds. Examples of inorganic compounds include metals and minerals. Conducting research in inorganic chemistry will help you uncover the coordination between different compounds, understand their formation and learn more about their different characteristics.

• Physical chemistry

The study of microscopic and macroscopic phenomena in various chemicals is known as physical chemistry. It also involves the application of various principles and practices of physics, such as force, energy, motion, time, chemical equilibrium, statistical mechanics and quantum chemistry. With the help of physical concepts, researchers can investigate the different physical properties and behaviours of complex chemical systems.

•  Analytical Chemistry

This field of chemistry concentrates on the techniques and methods used to analyse and characterise substances based on their chemical properties. Analytical chemistry involves the use of various instruments to distinguish between different substances. It also focuses on finding ways to improve experimental design and create new measurement tools for science, medicine and engineering applications.

• Biochemistry

Biochemistry explores the chemical processes present within and linked to living organisms. It is a sub-discipline of both chemistry and biology and can be used to conduct research in areas such as protein structure, metabolic pathways and enzymology. The skills gained while pursuing a PhD in biochemistry can be applied in agriculture to investigate soil and fertilisers and improve crop cultivation and storage.

• Environmental chemistry

Environmental chemistry involves the study of chemical and biochemical occurrences that can be observed in natural places. It allows researchers to study the sources, reactions and effects of different chemicals in air, soil and water. While environmental chemistry greatly depends on analytical chemistry, it also involves the study of the atmosphere and other elements present in the environment.

• Medicinal chemistry

Medicinal or pharmaceutical chemistry is an interdisciplinary field that involves the study of chemistry along with medical or pharmacy. It focuses more on the design and development of pharmaceutical drugs for therapeutic use. A PhD in medicinal chemistry will teach you the skills needed to identify organic chemical compounds that can be used for treating various health concerns. 

Some of the common branches of chemistry are listed above. Several universities offer interdisciplinary courses that allow students to combine chemistry with other subject areas. Based on your goals, you can select a specialisation that aligns with your preferences.

Duration of a PhD in chemistry

Similar to any other PhD programme, a PhD in chemistry can take 4 to 6 years to complete. In the case of a part-time PhD programme, this duration can range from 6 to 8 years. Some of the different factors that influence the duration of a PhD research project include the country and institution where the programme is pursued, the specific requirements of the programme, the nature of the research, the availability of resources and the individual progress of the student. While pursuing a PhD in chemistry, you can expect to spend the initial 1 to 2 years on coursework and examinations. The other years will be dedicated to original research and dissertation writing.

Eligibility criteria

The rigorous nature of a PhD in chemistry requires students to be committed to research and development. You will have to spend multiple years conducting independent research with little support from your PhD supervisor. Additionally, you will have to be prepared to manage your coursework, research and dissertation writing while working as a teaching assistant and attending multiple academic events. Being passionate about the subject area can motivate you to successfully complete your PhD without giving up in between.

In addition to this, the eligibility criteria of universities might differ from each other. For example, the requirements for applying for a PhD at an international university might differ from those of a university in your native country. Similarly, these requirements may vary based on the specialisation you choose. However, some of the common requirements for enrolling in a PhD chemistry programme include a bachelor’s degree in science or chemistry, a master’s degree in chemistry and a competitive GPA.

Students planning to pursue their research abroad also need to present scores from English Language Proficiency Tests such as IELTS, TOEFL or PTE. In addition to this, you will have to submit a research proposal, letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose and a curriculum vitae. Many universities require students to submit proof of funds to show how they will support their education and other expenses while living abroad.

Application process

After understanding the different fields of chemistry and the documents required, the next step is to understand the application process. The application process for enrolling in a PhD programme in chemistry typically involves several steps and you may need a PhD application service to help.

Additionally, the specific requirements and procedures may also vary among institutions. Thus, it is essential to carefully review the guidelines provided by the university and the specific chemistry department before starting the process. The guidelines will also tell you about the application deadlines and important dates associated with your research programme. At the time of researching for PhD programmes, you may find some advertised programmes are funded by the university while others need external funding. To apply for the advertised position, you can send your application along with your curriculum vitae. Once your application gets approved, the university will provide details about the next steps.

To make it easier for you, here is a checklist of the common steps involved in the application of a PhD programme:

• Research potential programmes and universities.
• Check the admission requirements.
• Prepare a list of the required documents.
• Take the necessary standardised tests, such as the GRE or GMAT.
• Take English language proficiency tests such as IELTS, TOEFL or PTE.
• Get letters of recommendation from professors or colleagues who can tell you about your research capabilities.
• Write a statement of purpose outlining your research goals, interests and reasons for pursuing a PhD from a specific institution.
• Create a curriculum vitae that highlights your academic achievement, research experience, relevant skills and publications.
• Explore various funding options and secure funding for your research.
• Fill out the online application form with accurate details.
• Submit your application along with the mentioned fees and documents.
• Provide supporting documents, such as academic transcripts and test scores.

Choose your potential supervisor

Although several students pay a lot of attention to choosing their PhD specialisation and university, very few focus on their supervisor. A PhD supervisor plays an important role in the research journey of PhD candidates. They will not only guide you throughout your PhD programme but also offer advice and feedback to shape your research and career trajectory. Thus, it is important to carefully choose a research supervisor who can understand your research goals and career aspirations. A good rapport with the supervisor will keep you motivated throughout your research.

To know more about your supervisor, you can read their existing publications or get in touch with them on digital platforms such as LinkedIn. A supervisor with a strong and consistent record of publications in reputable journals can have a positive impact on your research. You can also speak to current and former PhD students to learn about their experience with the supervisor. They can provide valuable insights into the supervisor’s mentoring work style and communication expectations.

Prepare for your PhD interview

Once your application is accepted by the university, you might receive a confirmation for the interview. As this can be a significant step in the application process, it is essential to prepare thoroughly to make a positive impression. For example, start by familiarising yourself with the PhD programme and its structure. This will help you seek clarification for any doubts regarding the programme. Similarly, be prepared to discuss your academic and research background, as well as your motivations for pursuing a PhD in chemistry.

If you are applying for a specific research project, then be prepared to discuss how your skills and background align with the project objectives. Clearly articulating your ideas will demonstrate your good communication skills. You can also use some examples to demonstrate your contributions and accomplishments in previous academic programmes or job roles. Remember to stay updated with the latest developments in your field of study. This will show your willingness to pursue continuous learning and development.

Career options for PhD chemistry researchers

As chemistry is a comprehensive field of science, researchers completing a PhD in chemistry can find themselves working in both academic and non-academic positions. For example, completing a PhD in chemistry will prepare you to pursue a job role as a professor or postdoctoral researcher at a university. You can also work with government organisations and be a part of projects dedicated to the safety and well-being of society or the environment. In addition to this, chemistry researchers can be ideal candidates for managerial job positions in manufacturing units, pharmaceutical companies, food and beverage industries, the energy sector and agricultural companies. A PhD will also help you accumulate entrepreneurial skills that can be applied to independent research or innovation.

Final Thoughts for Pursuing a PhD in Chemistry

Pursuing a PhD in chemistry can be an ideal path for students to establish a career in the field of research and innovation. It allows students to develop a comprehensive understanding of the different concepts, methodologies and techniques involved in their respective fields. As a PhD researchers, students also get an opportunity to develop skills that can be applied in research as well as in real-time applications. It will enhance your communication skills and leadership skills and help you develop a proactive approach to interdisciplinary areas. While there are multiple advantages to pursuing a PhD in chemistry, students must carefully evaluate their passion for the field before enrolling in the programme. Choosing a research programme that aligns with your interests and goals can help you establish a strong foundation for your career. 

The decision to enter a PhD programme is a huge decision anyone can make. It may give a great boost to a professional career or open the doors to the academic world. What can be said for sure is that your life won’t be the same after making such a decision.

A PhD gives you opportunities to conduct research in a field that is interesting for you and you can typically choose a topic of your own. Along with that, PhD programmes are heavily formalised, and there are clear and strict requirements to be met at each step of the way to a PhD degree.

The following step-by-step guide will help you prepare an excellent PhD application as well as be prepared for any possible ‘surprises’ that might arise.

1. Define the field

First of all, you need to determine in which field you are going to apply. While many smaller universities offer only one common PhD programme regardless of what field you choose, larger universities do make a distinction. So, the requirements for applying for a PhD in Arts, Economics, or STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) disciplines will be different.

The differences will capture not only the field but also the format of a PhD project. In many technical and engineering disciplines, you may be offered a predesigned project on a topic that will be an essential part of a larger topic explored by a university. Another option may be an offer to join a project team where you will have your own area of responsibility. These formats imply that you will have less freedom in determining the area of research and its goals as they may be determined by the Administration or Heads of research. On the flip side, these options will provide you with a clear understanding of what you will have to do in your PhD research.

Meanwhile, if you apply for a PhD programme in spheres such as Economics or Arts, you will have less certainty on what your research should be focused on. In other words, you get to determine the field of research and suggest the topic. The Commission will consider whether the suggested topic is worth being explored within a PhD programme.

2. Choose an appropriate university

The choice of an appropriate university is also very important. If you merely want to attain a PhD degree, but do not know the topic of your research, your choice should be based on points such as affordability of a PhD programme and its specifics, location, reputation and common requirements to PhD applicants.

Some universities often have specific directions of research and offer PhD students and applicants ready-to-explore research topics in line with that common direction. This can be quite convenient for those who do not wish to suggest or face difficulties with formulating their own topics for research. On the one hand, this makes the first step easier for PhD applicants as they are built into the existing research framework. On the other hand, the requirements in this format will be stricter as you will have less freedom for independent suggestions in the research.

For social and art-connected disciplines, more freedom will be available for a researcher. You’ll be able to suggest your own topic, develop a research design to explore it and choose particular methods to attain your study goals.

Anyway, you should take the choice of university seriously, after all, you’ll be working with this university and supervisors for the next 3-5 years during your project. If you choose to change university during your project, this can mean you’ll have to start your project again.

3. Make the first draft of a PhD proposal

A PhD proposal is a document where you outline the ideas of your future PhD research. It is worth noting that at this stage this will only be the first draft that may be amended several times or rewritten in the future. The aim of preparing a proposal before submitting documents to particular PhD programmes is to demonstrate that you are aware of what a PhD study is and what your research will look like during the programme. If you do not have such a draft, it will be difficult for you to show the universities and tutors that you are worth becoming a PhD student.

In this draft, you do not need to demonstrate any research done so far. However, it should contain your preliminary topic of future research where you have identified a previously unexamined gap in the field. Your PhD proposal should also include a brief literature review that demonstrates the current state of affairs in the field and a description of methods you are going to use to solve your scientific problem. In a nutshell, you need to explain how you are going to conduct your future research and why.

4. Find and contact a suitable supervisor

It is equally important not only to choose an appropriate university but also a suitable tutor as well. A tutor or PhD supervisor is a person with whom you will communicate very often in the coming years and on whom the success of your training depends to a large extent. All tutors are qualified and experienced, but personal contact and compatibility between you and them will also play a role. Two main criteria should be key when choosing a tutor, namely their sphere of interests and personal traits.

In terms of personality, it is feasible to look for a tutor who would enhance your strong skills and mitigate weak points. If you are self-organised, you will likely need a punctual tutor as well. If you are gushing with ideas, you need a tutor who would not shut up this fountain but would rather channel them appropriately.

The tutor’s professional interests are also important. A tutor who can be very attractive as a person may not be qualified enough in the narrow field you wish to choose. Accordingly, their help may be less productive.

For predesigned PhD projects, available tutors will be listed. In most cases, this will be the head of the entire research programme within which your PhD dissertation will be written. If you do not participate in a predesigned project but suggest a research topic on your own, then you will also have to look for the most appropriate tutor. To make a list of potential candidates, check the research fields and research interests on the websites of universities. This will be a good starting point. Contact several potential tutors to inquire about details before submitting the documents. You need to gain their consent to work with you and make sure that student vacancies are available. 

5. Explore the PhD programme requirements in a particular university

The next two points are the key ones in the entire process of applying for a PhD programme. The previous points connected with determining the field of the research and a topic, and the choice of a university and a tutor are preliminary although they are also important. The following three points reveal the formal details to check when applying for a PhD programme.

An important thing is to decide whether you apply for a full-time or a part-time programme. A full-time option implies that your main occupation for the period of the programme will be your university. In this case, do not think that the PhD study is for free time while you may spend your most of your time on other activities. It is fraught with a severe failure in a PhD programme as it will require you to spend a lot of time on it. Typically, a programme will consist of coursework which is similar to the study at a bachelor’s or master’s level but with a deeper immersion into taught disciplines and a research part when you conduct an independent PhD research. In addition, some universities require PhD students to read lectures for undergraduate students. The length of such study is between 3 and 6 years in different universities.

A part-time option implies that you will have to spend about half of your working time in a university or dedicate it to equivalent activities. A drawback of this variant is that it lasts twice as long as the full-time study and may take up to 8 years.

Depending on the country, university requirements may differ significantly. In particular, PhD study in UK universities often does not imply coursework but is mostly focused on conducting your research and writing your PhD thesis. Meanwhile, US universities, especially the largest and most prestigious ones, are stricter in terms of requirements for coursework and dissertation writing. You will spend the first 2-3 years on the coursework, and only after finishing it and passing all exams may you be granted permission to start the PhD research. However, the dissertation requirements are more lenient than in the UK. Australian universities are something in between US and UK universities. In most cases, you will have to both undertake the coursework and write a dissertation, but the coursework requirements are less strict than in the US whereas dissertation requirements are less strict than in the UK.

6. Form a pack of documents

The PhD application implies that you prepare a set of documents. The exact list of required documents depends on the university you are applying to, but the most common documents include:

– PhD proposal

Remember that you’ve already prepared a PhD proposal? Not only you will send it to potential tutors, but it will be a part of your official allocation package as well. This document will explain what you are going to explore and how you will do it. It is a good idea to check what exactly you should include in the proposal for applying to UK and US universities as requirements may differ. In UK universities you will likely need a more detailed proposal as it will already be an initial plan of working on the dissertation, and amendments will be insignificant. Meanwhile, US universities will require a shorter proposal as you will attend the coursework and the initial proposal will change significantly and will turn into a prospectus after passing the coursework exams and by the time you start working on the dissertation itself.

– Transcript

This document reveals in detail what courses you attended at the bachelor’s and master’s levels and what marks you had in the corresponding disciplines. If the language of the transcript differs from the language of the university you are applying to, you will need an official translation as well.

– CV

A CV (curriculum vitae – Latin) is a document that reflects the main events in your life from the viewpoint of education and professional experience. What CV readers want to know is your educational background – level of education (bachelor’s or master’s degree), exact universities or colleges you studied in and the sphere of education; relevant working experience; non-educational study activities such as charity, participation in social projects etc.; knowledge of languages; technical skills such as programming skills, ability to work with specific analytical software, ability to work with complex equipment, design skills etc.

– Statement of purpose

This document is sometimes thought to be the same as the research proposal, but this is not the case. The statement of purpose is a kind of cover letter that describes why you are applying to a particular PhD programme and why you should be admitted. You can also explain some key points of your CV which you think will present you beneficially in the eyes of the commission. The size of the statement of purpose should be 1 sheet maximum (about 400-500 words).

– Language exam certificates

If you apply for a PhD programme in a foreign university, you may be required to provide language exam certificates that would ensure that you can understand the language of future education at a decent level. These are international exam certificates such as ILETS, TOEFL and others. The required level of language skills will vary across universities.

– Personal statement

This document is not always required by universities. Accordingly, the requirements for what has to be written in this statement also vary across universities substantially. The purpose of this statement is to disclose some sides of your life that were not disclosed in other documents.

Additionally, you can provide other documents that would represent you beneficially. These may include academic awards such as certificates of specialised scientific Olympiads, documents confirming your participation in conferences and other public events, or a list of relevant publications etc. Such documents may provide you with additional advantages for admission other things being equal. 

7. Check funding opportunities

Another important thing to check is the payment conditions, namely the cost of PHD study and the terms of payment. The cost of a PhD programme will also vary significantly across countries and universities.

What you should also check is the availability of options that would provide you with an education grant. The cost of a PhD programme is quite high and you may lack the finance to pay for this education. However, you should check whether you meet the requirements and can apply for an educational grant. This would make the PhD education more affordable for you.

Hopefully this guide has helped you prepare a complete and thorough PhD application for your future education. Don’t forget to contact Original PhD if you need any PhD assignment help or assistance with your application for PhD research!

If there is a single word characterising the modern environment, it is ‘uncertainty’. We live in a world torn apart by political conflicts, economic declines, and global pandemics. Over the previous decade, more and more people have suffered from chronic anxiety since they simply do not understand how to live in an environment where they have no solid elements to rely on. The advancement of modern technologies is making hundreds of job positions obsolete while any long-term projects may not survive long enough or retain their relevance by the time of their completion.

For PhD students, the degree of uncertainty can be even higher. Increasing academic pressures, the absence of a sufficient number of positions in academia, unclear employment perspectives, lack of funding opportunities, and skyrocketing costs of living make it difficult to remain calm and maintain mental health.

The problem is that things are unlikely to change for the best in the next 3-4 years of your PhD project. If you are willing to undertake it, developing higher levels of endurance and mental resilience may be the only viable strategy that you have. Luckily, expert psychologists have developed multiple exercises and strategies in this sphere to help people in stressful situations cope with them.

Unfortunately, these methods require time and effort in the same way as your physical endurance. You cannot become a world-class athlete overnight. To build your body’s resilience, you have to lift weights starting with the smallest ones and progress to the point when you can withstand extreme amounts of physical stress without breaking a sweat. The following five expert techniques will help you build similar capabilities for your mental health and protect yourself from any adverse factors hindering your PhD progress.

1. View Your Failures as Temporary Limits to your PHD

Imagine a professional athlete brutally criticising oneself for not being able to lift a certain weight during a regular gym session. While this looks weird, this is the exact type of behaviour adhered to by many people willing to develop greater resilience. They blame themselves for every small failure such as the inability to complete a small task, eating too much due to stress, or emotionally reacting to yet another stressor in their life.

The main problem with this strategy is the fact that failures are diagnostic tests crucial for finding your actual limits. The aforementioned athlete keeps lifting weights until they feel tired or they find their current maximum strength. This ‘failure’ actually doesn’t mean anything in the grand scheme of things. They can break this barrier tomorrow after a good night’s sleep or work on raising it higher over the course of several months.

The same is true for your academic failures or any other type of failure in life. This time, you were not ready for the challenge. So what? You now have the time and knowledge to better prepare for such future challenges. Resilience is something built in a matter of weeks and months rather than minutes and hours. By simply repeating your daily exercises, you will gradually develop the strength you need to lift a certain weight. Unfortunately, life is not similar to a gym, which is why you can sometimes encounter challenges that are well beyond your level of preparedness. Accept this fact and do not view it as a sign that your training routine is wrong or ineffective. Give yourself the time necessary to become an athlete in dealing with stress.

2. Find Your Locus

The theory of internal and external locus of control is an extremely important concept that helps you avoid the ‘excessive weight’ challenges discussed earlier. Put simply, there are things in life that fall within your sphere of influence and the ones that cannot be influenced at all. You can prepare for an academic test if you start working in advance and have sufficient time and resources. You cannot prepare for the death of your close relative. You also cannot prepare for an academic test if you have to spend the previous week helping your family members organise the funeral. Many people fail to diversify between these two scenarios and completely ignore the role of resources and external factors that are beyond their reasonable control. Uncertainty is something that can hit unexpectedly, leaving you helpless and stressed. 

The best way to avoid burnout and frustration is to develop an in-depth understanding of the locus of control. Think about your circumstances as a shopping list. You have a certain amount of money. You also have some things you want to buy. In the ideal scenario, the situation will develop to your benefit and will help you acquire everything that you want. However, you cannot control whether specific stores will stock the items you desire in the required amounts. You also cannot fully control emergencies such as the need to visit a dentist if you suddenly have intense tooth pain. Such force majeure circumstances will simply mean that you will have to delay your shopping for later. 

If you do not accept the risk of such uncertainties and expect everything to go exactly as planned, you expose yourself to stressors you cannot control. Since you have no power over all emergencies, you need to learn how to live in a turbulent world where nothing is 100% guaranteed. The best way to acquire this valuable skill is to write worst-case scenarios for every part of your life. This exercise will demonstrate that even the worst force majeure issues can be overcome with academic delay requests, external support, and some amount of money. You simply have to accept the things you cannot change and keep progressing towards your goals without having any hard feelings. After all, you cannot stop the rain ruining your Sunday plans but you can take your umbrella and try to make do with what you have.

3. Learn to Meditate

For those who struggle with accepting the uncertainty in the way described above, there are specialised techniques in this sphere developed over centuries by both ancient and modern practitioners. Traditional mediation may not be fully applicable to present-day realities, which is why we would advise paying attention to mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) programmes instead. They were designed by university scientists focused on the practical aspects of relaxation and concentration techniques rather than the religious components of such practices. This results in techniques that have been tested to work for the majority of academic professionals and can be applied by any person in the same way as physical resilience training exercises.

While traditional MBSR courses are usually run in an offline format and usually require a supervisor, these techniques can also be learned from free online courses. You will need 30-40 minutes per day to get a basic understanding of these exercises and learn how to make them properly. They progress from seated meditation sessions to movement practices that can be performed at a nearby park during your regular walks. Mindfulness skills teach you how to focus on being ‘here and now’ instead of thinking about your hardships and the increasing environmental uncertainty. As a result, you learn how to fully concentrate on simply making the next small step such as completing your literature review section or writing 10 application letters to several scientific conferences.

This approach is highly similar to both traditional relaxation techniques and therapy methods including logotherapy originally designed by a Nazi death camp survivor. If they were good enough to retain their mental health in a living hell, they are probably good enough to survive your PhD project. Start small and give yourself enough time during the initial period to understand mindfulness exercises. Over time, you will develop Superman relaxation skills by practising these techniques properly over and over again. In several months, most students are able to ‘flush’ their stress via these embedded instruments in a matter of several seconds and instantly restore their concentration and tranquillity.

4. Stop Doomscrolling

The world has become a terrible place to live during the past several years. Large-scale lockdowns, political tensions, and economic issues affect all countries to a certain degree. With that being said, our ancestors probably lived much happier due to not being able to learn all bad news instantly via social media. Doomscrolling is one of the genuine XXI century problems that is becoming worse with every coming year. Most social media platforms and news agencies try to shower you with bad news to make you feel less certain about your future. Our natural reaction is to learn more about our environment to increase our odds of survival. However, doomscrolling does not help us achieve this goal and only makes us more restless.

In terms of your locus of control, the majority of news is the things you cannot influence with the resources you possess. Learning about inflation will not help you earn more as opposed to progressing with your PhD thesis to get a better job in the industry. Hence, you need to revise your priorities regularly and ask yourself whether the information you are reading helps you succeed. This exercise is a tough one since casual newsfeed browsing has become a deeply interiorised habit for most of us. However, doomscrolling elimination is something that must be done to build resilience. When you think of it, there is no use lifting weights at a gym to become more resilient while also compulsively beating yourself with a baseball bat. This activity does not increase your strength but increases the risks of injury.

5. Kill Your Ego

The last recommendation may sound like something esoteric rather than a practical advice. However, killing your ego may be the key to gaining inhuman levels of resilience in any sphere of your life. As we grow up, we learn to value ourselves and build our expectations of what we deserve. We expect to become perfect in everything we do. We want to achieve 100% of our planned goals. We are truly committed to completing our PhD projects in 3 years rather than 5-6 years. This is exactly why the aforementioned interruptions caused by external factors shatter our fragile egos to pieces. We cannot tolerate the horror of imperfection. With humility quickly becoming a swear word, we as humans are killing our resilience with the attempts to succeed beyond our wildest expectations.

The opposite way implies reminding oneself that you are completely generic. You are not unique and there are thousands of people who are as great as you. The trick here is the fact that you stop treating your problems and failures as something terrifying. If your non-unique path has already been completed by thousands of people, this means that you can learn from their experiences. This is a deeply liberating thought allowing you to stop unconsciously competing against your unrealistic expectations of self. Remind yourself that you are a regular PhD student who excels at some areas but falls short in other ones. As a regular human, you are prone to failures but you can learn from them and become better day after day. This humble mindset helps you communicate with others without pride while also using the small-steps approach to reach your goals. Focusing on the effort rather than the desired results is really the fastest way to ‘getting there’ in any sphere.

Use these tools to Survive your PhD Studies

These 5 techniques for dealing with uncertainty combine mindset adjustments with practical skills acquisition. Similar to strength training and martial arts, you need to work on these instruments in order to truly make them your own. If you practise these skills for several months, you may increase your resilience to the degree allowing you to substantially improve your quality of life.

However, true results from their application can be obtained after working in these areas for several years. By the time you complete your PhD project, you can simultaneously become a real Zen master capable of achieving your goals without excessive anxiety and stress. This capability is something that is worth the effort since it can be extremely useful for all areas of your life beyond your thesis.

What is a thesis and how it differs from a dissertation?

If you’re a candidate in a university planning to write a comprehensive paper and stumbled upon under which category to post the paper – A Dissertation or A Thesis, then you’re not alone. Both dissertation writing and thesis writing are more often than not used interchangeably in various countries. According to Brian Allison, the terms dissertation and thesis are used synonymously; however, the differentiating elements are the guidelines by respective universities providing the course.

Similarities

In order to understand the differences, you must comprehend the similarities first. Both forms are structured in a similar manner including an introduction, literature review, body text, conclusions and recommendations, limitations, bibliography and appendix. Despite the similarities, there are various subtle differences between a dissertation writing and thesis writing.

Differences

The key difference is the prefixes for thesis writing and dissertation writing. For instance, usually dissertation is prefix with Masters or a respective post graduate degree. On the other hand, a thesis is usually prefixed with PhD/MPhil/DPhil. It is vital to understand that a dissertation and thesis have differentiated statements. A PhD thesis requires a candidate to build a hypothesis, define anticipated results, delineate expectations, conduct a primary research, and utilize an existing theory whereas a Master’s/Post Graduate dissertation requires a candidate to explain an argument or statement based on existing research.

Another major difference is in the structure of research incorporated in the writings. For a thesis, a candidate has to conduct an original research whereas for a dissertation, she/he can use an existing research dataset. Moreover, a thesis research is conducted under the guidance of a University guide or supervisors, who help with PhD thesis. The degree of engagement of a supervisor in case of a thesis is relatively more than that of a dissertation.

According to the Royal Literary Fund, any research writing comprising of around 20,000 words is called a dissertation whereas around 80,000 is called a thesis. Similarly, some universities also considered number of pages to differentiate between a dissertation and thesis writing.

How to create a PhD thesis

Although the differences between the dissertation and the thesis terms are quite subtle, for this article, let’s assume that a thesis writing is considered for an authentic research work in order to attain a PhD whereas a dissertation writing is considered for a research work to complete a Post graduate degree or a Master’s degree. So, what does it take to write a PhD thesis? There is no simple answer to this question because thesis writing involves so many tasks and requires so much time, dedication, commitment, and engagement from a student. In this article, we will not provide a step-by-step PhD thesis writing guide. Instead, we will cover some of the most important aspects and details of this process, as well as some external factors you should consider, to get a better understanding of what a doctoral thesis is and how to approach it.

1. Keep it concise

A PhD thesis consists of many structural elements and each element is a task within itself because it has its own goal and requires a particular approach to writing. Take a dissertation abstract, for example. This brief section summarises the key ideas and findings of your study. Frequently, it is also the only part of it read by other academic practitioners. The key problem with PhD abstracts is the need to condense hundreds of pages in one or two paragraphs of text.

When your word count is limited, you may want to focus on your key findings rather than the theories explored at the literature review level. Preferably, you should also mention your aims and research questions and how they were answered by your analysis results. Try to select 4-5 main points throughout your abstract to not diffuse the attention of your readers. Every university may have its own requirements regarding the word count and contents of your dissertation abstract. In order not to lose precious time, consult with your tutor and study all available information to make sure that you do not violate any of them.

Being clear and concise is also a key to a successful PhD thesis as a whole since you are not the only person who will read your work. You should avoid unnecessary words and sentences to help your reader get a better understanding of what you are trying to say in your PhD thesis. Waffling on about your topic would not help in reaching your audience, which could have a strong negative impact on your final mark. So, here are some tips for being concise in writing a PhD thesis.

Be aware of long sentences

A useful rule of thumb is that you should not write long sentences because they make it more difficult for the reader to understand your argument. While there is no rule on how long a sentence in a PhD thesis should be, it is helpful to mix shorter sentences and longer ones. Just remember that if your sentence is too long, your points are likely to get lost. Be aware of sentences that use too many clauses, as well as fragments that do not have a subject.

Make sure your structure is easy to follow

The structure is what helps you communicate your argument to the reader. When writing a PhD thesis, sticking to the ‘rule of three’ structure would significantly benefit the quality of your writing. This structure implies that each paragraph should have a clear introduction, main body, and conclusion. In the opening sentence, introduce the reader to the subject and focus of your paragraph. The ‘main body’ sentences provide the core argument and set out reasoning, develop implications, or elaborate thematic points. Finally, the concluding sentence pulls the paragraph argument together, adding value to the whole thesis.

Avoid redundancies and repetitions

Redundancies occur when you express the same idea twice so make sure you avoid redundant sentences and phrases when writing your PhD thesis. Many phrases in PhD writing are commonplace but in most cases, they are redundant either partially or entirely. Adverbs and adjectives are part of this problem and are often used in the place of evidence, so make sure you get rid of them when writing your PhD thesis as well. Replace as many of these words as you can with data, quotes, quantities, or dates to achieve concise writing.

Do not use low-value phrases

Some writers have the temptation to use wordy phrases as a means of making their writing sound more formal. However, experienced PhD writers know that there is no place for low-value phrases in a thesis as they can make sentences sound heavy. You should also avoid unnecessary prepositional phrases, which add a description to a noun by using a preposition.

Proofread and check for errors

You would be surprised how much proofreading can add to the clarity of your writing, making it concise and crisp. Not only proofreading allows for detecting grammatical mistakes and errors. It also helps in finding and dealing with all the issues mentioned above. Are there any sentences that are hard to follow? Are there irrelevant words and repetition? Are these adjectives and adverbs necessary? Draw up a checklist of these issues to make sure you are concise in your writing.

2. Always be to the point

As previously noted, every section and chapter of a PhD thesis is unique and requires a particular approach to its writing, content-wise. For instance, the introduction chapter is one of the most important parts of your thesis after choosing the right topic. This chapter introduces the topic to the readers in a manner that they are able to get an idea of what is to come. The introduction chapter is also important in terms of justifying your research and formulating your research questions.

When it comes to writing a thesis introduction chapter, you need to build the background to the topic in an appropriate manner. The best strategy is to begin with information regarding the topic and then build up towards the main statement. This helps the readers in getting a grip on the topic and also allows them to understand the context in which the study is being conducted. You also need to describe the reasons behind undertaking the research. If you are able to provide a compelling rationale, you will be able to engage your readers in a better manner. Further, you should also formulate a set of aims and objectives for your study.

If the introduction chapter creates a base for you to build upon, the conclusion chapter summarises the outcomes of your thesis and provides major theoretical and practical implications. In its most basic form, the conclusion section is a rehash of the ideas that you have gradually introduced throughout your thesis. There’s no single answer to the question of how to compose a decent concluding chapter. However, one suggestion is to avoid anything new. Go through your thesis and search for any instances in which your PhD refers to notable research gaps or a lack of empirical knowledge. A good conclusion for a dissertation should re-visit these major arguments and detail how each of these gaps has been addressed by the findings.

3. Establish your PhD writing routine

Having a writing routine is perhaps the most important thing you must have to become a productive PhD writer. Since all students are different in how they approach the writing process, there are no hard and fast rules of how to arrange an effective PhD writing routine that would fit all. Luckily, you can always ask for a piece of advice from professional PhD writing services. Their highly experienced writers know exactly how to write a PhD thesis. The good news is that you can use their experience in creating your own routine to make the writing process easier and more fun. To create a successful PhD thesis, you will need to:

Determine the most effective time of day

First things first. To make sure you can achieve your writing goals, you need to select the most creative and productive time of day. Some students prefer to work in the morning whereas others are more productive at night, so it is up to you to decide on the best period of the day to allocate time to your writing sessions.

Set achievable writing objectives

When writing a PhD thesis, it is important to set a daily target and stick to this amount of work. It should be noted, however, that setting achievable goals is key to your sanity and emotional wellbeing. For example, if you set a goal of writing 2,000 words per day but end up producing only around 1,000 words, it is most likely that you will feel bad about it. Try to keep your expectations as realistic as possible to make sure the writing process is fun and engaging.

Create a writing space

Creating a dedicated, comfortable writing space is crucial when it comes to establishing a PhD writing routine. This can be anything from a comfortable desk and chair to a full home office. Whatever your writing space is, you must feel comfortable in it and isolated from other people in a good way.

Eliminate all the noise

Once you have established your writing time and writing space, it is time to make sure you are not distracted by anything while writing your PhD thesis and achieving your daily writing goals. Put aside your smartphone (or even turn it off) and do not access social media while writing your text. Sometimes it is worth turning off the internet to avoid the temptation to spend some time checking news headlines or watching YouTube videos. Remember that during your most effective time of day, you should concentrate and dedicate your attention exclusively to writing.

Avoid writer’s fatigue

Working to exhaustion could be beneficial but only in the short term. Remember that wiring a PhD thesis is a long run so you do not want to find yourself in a situation where you face an impasse and just keep procrastinating. Make frequent breaks while writing, complete a guided meditation, exercise, read books – do whatever it takes to give yourself some rest. Taking a short nap can also eliminate brain fog and provide you with the energy needed to accomplish your daily writing goals.

Once your PhD writing routine is established, you should stick to it, though some changes to your schedule are totally possible and are likely to occur at some point. Thesis writing is not easy by any means but by sticking to your routine, you can become an effective writer and achieve your writing goals.

4. Use technology to your advantage

From managing a number of activities to researching and compiling your entire research with thorough analysis can at times make you feel miserable. With so much to achieve in a short period of time, any help with PhD thesis can come as a blessing for PhD students. If you feel pushing yourself towards keeping up with everything, go through the below list of top 6 apps that can actually help you with your PhD thesis and make your life easier.

Researcher

A free journal finding mobile app, Researcher helps students to read new journal papers each day. Being one of the most popular research apps, Researcher is used by approximately 3 million researchers and scientists around the world. It offers research journals in 10 major research areas such as Business and Management, Economics and Finance, Engineering and Computer Science, etc.

Mendeley

Another free app exclusively crafted for researchers, Mendeley can be used as a PDF reader and reference manager. This app will help you to organise your research and writings in an appropriate manner which you can further use for your PhD dissertation writing. Additionally, you can use this app for generating references, bibliographies and citations in different journal formats.

Dropbox

Dropbox is a great app to store all your files in one place. It can be safely synced to all your devices and just by signing in you can access your entire work from any place. It also allows PhD researchers to make a creative collaboration space from where you can easily share a big file with anyone.

Google Keep

As a PhD scholar, you might have to deal with a number of things. This might make it difficult for you to remember things or recall any important thing later. To make this simple you can use Google Keep which can help you to quickly capture your thoughts and get a reminder for it later. Apart from taking quick notes, you can even use this app to record a voice memo, take handwritten notes or capture important results using the camera.

Trello

An efficient project management app, Trello helps PhD students to create different projects and assign various stages within the project. For example, for PhD proposal writing, you can make different chapters for your PhD dissertation and assign an individual card to each section. You can add your comments, due dates and even attachments to these Trello cards to see your progress at a glance. By doing this, you can easily track the progress of each section and even share your progress with your PhD supervisor.

Plagiarism Checker

As you cannot risk your PhD thesis for any sort of duplicity, it is better to run your entire PhD thesis writing through a plagiarism checker. This app works in conjunction with different search engine apps and can detect any kind of duplicate content in your paper. Thus, it will save you from losing any marks and modifying any duplicate content before submitting your final PhD dissertation.

5. Have a backup plan

Unexpected family complications, caring responsibilities, career changes or sickness can easily put you off the track. The main idea behind ‘Plan B’ scenario analysis is not to prevent the possibility of such risks. A good backup plan should simply help you mitigate their impact and get you back on track as soon as possible no matter what. Let us consider the 5 best tips for creating a Plan B scenario when writing your thesis.

Build up a financial cushion

As trite as it may sound, an emergency fund is still one of the best risk mitigation instruments ever. If possible, reserve the sum that will keep you going without external income for at least 6 months prior to starting your thesis. Double this sum if you have a family and/or children. Keep in mind that your PhD project is very similar to a small child. It will be demanding most of your personal time for the following 3 years and you will not be able to ‘put it on pause’ for long.

Learn all the rules

Any survivor knows that survival powers come from seeing the outcomes of your plans as a spectrum rather than 1-2 convenient options. Have you ever wondered what happens when you skip one of your mortgage payments? How about failing a semester exam in high school? If the mere thought of these outcomes makes you shiver inside, now is the right time to overcome your fears and start learning more about these Plan B options. Before you start writing your PhD proposal, you need to find information about all extensions, counselling support, remote learning options, emergency funding, and other instruments that can help you survive any hindrance associated with PhD thesis writing.

Put on your stoic face

The ancient Greek practice of stoicism means staying calm under stress, accepting any life scenario, and stopping one’s desires through the frugal practices of Voluntary Discomfort. Stoics would voluntarily expose themselves to various forms of discomfort just to see that a hard life is not something worth fearing. This also teaches you to better appreciate the things you already have. Facing temporary problems will inevitably put you through some hardships such as extra work, poor living conditions or tight budgeting. Approaching these challenges with a stoic face may be a good way to not let them ruin your life and sense of self-worth.

Have an emergency team ready

If your car loses control on a wet road, the best time to act is right away. Proper emergency response will only help if you apply it while you are still in your lane rather than lying wheels up in a roadside ditch after getting hit by an oncoming truck. Even if you are not planning to use PhD services for your thesis writing needs, have a contact of a reliable PhD writing services agency you can trust. In most situations, it only takes several failed submissions combined with the lack of proper university support to transform a perfectly controlled PhD project eligible for academic extensions into a highly problematic PhD project requiring extensive salvage work to proceed with. A good agency offering PhD writing services will keep you safe from harm by helping you to avoid missed deadlines in the first place.

Plan for contingencies

Finally, the best way to implement the earlier suggested recommendations is to balance your PhD expenses right from the start. Many students make the mistake of overestimating their academic capabilities and personal resources. While working 24/7 may seem like a fantastic idea to write your PhD thesis faster during the first months, a PhD is a marathon rather than a sprint. You will inevitably face various challenges and disappointments as well as long-term periods of frustration. These unexpected costs and hindrances should be planned from the onset if you want to ‘get there’ no matter what. Try to take the minimal possible workload during your first PhD year, save a lot of money and work on creating multiple ‘backup options’ to survive any contingency. This way, you will naturally build up your strength as an ‘academic athlete’ and will speed up afterwards in a much safer way without straining yourself.

Thesis writing can be really daunting as doctoral students need to have certain things, including dedication, inspiration, and creativity to accomplish such a challenging task. Sometimes, due to the pressure of completing a PhD, students may feel overwhelmed or face so-called writer’s block. If you find yourself in such a situation, don’t be hesitant to seek for PhD thesis writing help. Original PhD provides a wide range of PhD writing services, starting from PhD application assistance to editing and correction services. We have a team of professional PhD-educated researchers and writers who will help you overcome the challenges you are facing and help you create a winning PhD thesis.

The trajectory of a PhD course is a steep but steady learning curve. You have likely already received some advice on your first steps as a PhD student such as reading research papers, properly communicating with the supervisor, and developing good research habits. However, such advice often lacks some crucial details that may not be immediately apparent to a new PhD student. This guide is meant to be a comprehensive overview of things to know as a PhD student to help you on your academic journey.

What to Expect in Your First Month as a PhD Student

Correct planning and preparations during the first month of the PhD course put you in the driver seat for the rest of the course. Following are the key elements you could experience during the first month as a PhD student:

Orientation and Paperwork

During the first week itself, you’ll be surrounded by stacks of administrative related papers. You may be engrossed to fill in various forms and documents including submission of personal details, address information, and so on. Some meetings will be related to your course, funding, or conference opportunities, while others will be about non-course stuff like where the college library is or how to enroll in the university’s journal database. Thus, be prepared for loads of administrative and menial tasks during the first month of your PhD!

Introduction with the Supervisor(s)

The essence of first month of a PhD course is encapsulated by the meeting with your guide or supervisor. It will be the vital stage of your PhD process wherein the supervisor will meet you, perhaps along with the supervisory team or colleagues. This period will be a great time to develop a strong professional and personal bond with the supervisor as you’ll be going to work together for the next few years.

Reading, Reading and Reading

During the first month, you may be asked by your supervisor(s) to read variety of research papers from a domain of your choice. Moreover, they may even ask you to build a short literature review of the findings of the research papers you’ve read. Use this time to develop a habit of reading research papers. This will hone your thought process during the first month of your PhD.

Registering for courses and going through course work

Different PhD courses follow different patterns of course work. For some, there may be a broad curriculum of courses wherein you’ll have to register before a deadline. For others, there may be various professional but voluntary courses and workshops to enhance different skillset. You’ll have to go through the mandatory course work and select amongst the optional ones according to your liking.

What Kind of Support Should New PhD Students Expect from Their PhD Supervisor?

Preparation of a great PhD dissertation depends a lot upon quality of interaction between a PhD student and the supervisor. But what exactly should a student expect in terms of supervision? And what are the elements that lie (or not) in the ambit of supervision? Well, this section of the guide clears the air on what kind of support you should expect from your PhD Supervisor.

Expect expert advice

Firstly, you can expect the supervisor to provide you competent and expert advice on your topic of research. For instance, in case you’re opting for a research topic or an approach which has been commonly used before, then they should caution you regarding its usage. You can also expect your PhD supervisor to give you suggestions on the sources of material, websites to visit for research, and provide general consultations on your literature review.

Expect dedicated one-on-one time

Secondly, a PhD candidate can expect some dedicated one-on-one time for meetings and dialogue with the supervisor on a regular basis. Now, regular is a nebulous term, it can be referred to daily, weekly, or every fortnight, depending upon the prior discussions between the student and the supervisor.

Expect productive feedback

Thirdly, a PhD student should expect consistent and regular feedback from the supervisor on the developments of the PhD thesis writing. The feedback regime is vital during the early stages of the research to ensure that the PhD student is on the right trajectory.

Expect to be the first line of contact

Fourthly, you can expect your supervisor to serve as a mediation and representation hub of the University for you. A supervisor will act as a point of contact in terms of your engagement with the University. They will be responsible for your direction on writing the PhD thesis, your specialized development, monitoring your growth, and even observing your behavior regarding the ethical guidelines of the university. Hence, they will be your first line of contact in case any issues or developments regarding the course happens. You can expect at least a rudimentary form of support in case of concerns.

Limitations to supervision

Having said that, there are certain practices you should not expect from a PhD supervisor. Your supervisor is a point of contact that helps you regarding your research and you need to comprehend the difference between help and teach. Moreover, you should not expect your supervisor to be authoritative regarding your PhD research like a teacher. You should also be responsible on your own regarding meetings, progress, and seeking input.

5 Well-Being Challenges Faced by PhD Students

PhD thesis writing is a daunting and lengthy process. In this section of the guide for new PhD students we have a look at some of the biggest challenges that PhD students face – and suggest potential solutions!

1. Mental health issues

PhD students have to cope with considerable pressure posed by looming deadlines and a huge amount of personal investment. Because of considerable stress created by these challenges, PhD students are reported to have high levels of mental health issues, including depression, the feeling of isolation, insomnia, anxiety, and eating disorders. For this reason, decompression through meditation, communication with peers, arts, reading, or anything else is one of the most effective ways of how PhD students can maintain their mental well-being.

2. Funding

Since PhD takes at least three years, many students rely on external funding, which can become a source of concern. For example, the bank could reduce funding while still in the middle of the PhD programme, adding to a student’s stress level and increasing the risk of mental disorder. In this situation, approaching supervisors for advice is probably the best option you can take to find a solution.

3. Conflict with the supervisor

Finding a good supervisor is another challenge that many PhD students face when writing their theses. Supervisors may not be properly engaged and involved in your study, resulting in poor support and participation. Some supervisors can be frequently unavailable or extremely bossy while ignoring their mentoring role. To deal with such situations, you could try to meet your supervisors more frequently or ask them to take a step back.

4. Time management

Since writing a PhD thesis is a complex process that involves multiple tasks, there is always something to do to make your study closer to completion. That is why every academic, let alone a PhD student, must learn when to take advantage of new learning opportunities and when to say ‘no’ to an extra task. Moreover, many PhD students have plenty of commitments and responsibilities besides their PhD thesis, making it more challenging for them to allocate enough time in their day to fulfil the required tasks. Procrastination is another reason why some students experience certain issues with their time management. To deal with these issues, ‘outsourcing’ tasks to PhD writing services could be a good idea.

5. Work-life balance

This challenge is closely linked to the challenge of time management since a student’s inability to complete their tasks in time often leads to working late, leaving less time for family, friends, and hobbies. Again, using PhD services could reduce the negative impact of an incredibly lop-sided schedule on students and help them enjoy a healthy social life instead of working on their PhD thesis every evening or weekend. In the end, feeling happy and enjoying writing your PhD is key to success so it should be valued.

6 Easy Mistakes to Avoid When Completing Your PhD

Sometimes, failing a PhD is not the result of making big mistakes, but rather making small mistakes that mount up over time. Below are six easy mistakes to avoid when completing your PhD.

1. Being Complacent

Clearing the entrance process and getting enrolled in a PhD program is merely the tip of the iceberg. Thus, becoming complacent and proceeding with a relaxed attitude will be one of the biggest mistakes you can make. With a period of at least 3 – 5 years for a PhD, it’s easy to fall into the trap of feeling like you have the time to procrastinate. However, we would suggest that the earlier you start the process, the less arduous will the writing be. Irrespective of the content, you should start early with notes, bullet points, initial research, and so on.

2. Incorrect formatting and structuring

The structuring and formatting of a thesis is very important, but often overlooked. It can be a difficult and time-consuming exercise to conduct for your thesis. In addition, a majority of candidates leave the formatting and structuring until the end of the project, and thus, the end result is full of mistakes due to hasty, last minute work. Therefore, formatting and structuring of your thesis should be done on consistent basis, so that it isn’t completed in a rush.

3. Avoiding over-commitment

PhD Students often want to get it right on the first try, which makes them likely to over emphasise on the research proposal. Due to the concerns of selection and rejection of the proposal, students spend too many resources, time and effort than required on particular sections. Thus, excluding other vital areas of the project. It should be noted that over emphasising on selective sections may be counterproductive for your PhD thesis writing.

4. Not keeping up to date with changes

A PhD is lengthy, monotonous and sometimes extremely boring, and this can make candidates feel lost. The majority of PhD students make the mistake of not checking with the changes in administration or updates in PhD regulations. Notably, various new scholarships, new information regarding re-enrolling, submission dates, etc. are published on the Universities’ website every now and then. Therefore, PhD candidates should be checking emails, the University’s website, and communicating with the administration on a regular basis.

5. Not keeping a record of information

The process of writing a PhD thesis entails generation of research ideas, assessment of key empirical studies and new leads. For instance, you went to a research seminar and gathered vital ideas for research during the deliberations. You won’t be able to recall all the great ideas unless you’ve noted them down. Therefore, keeping ideas and relevant information in one place makes it easy for you to recollect and access the information at a time later on.

6. Lack of Planning

It is pivotal to understand that writing a PhD thesis and the process associated with it, is extremely lengthy and convoluted. With multiple sections and a variety of priorities, setting up different milestones and planning based on different periods can work wonders in making your PhD journey less complicated. Moreover, the technique also works as an opportunity to reflect on your progress.

How to easily make friends as a new PhD student

As PhD is a demanding course, many PhD students detach themselves from the outside world to be able to meet the demanding targets of the study. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to end your social life – take this as an opportunity to get out of your comfort zone and reach new people! If all these things sound nerve-wracking to you, here are some simple tips which will help you easily make new friends as a PhD student.

Be confident

We all feel intimidated to go to a completely new environment where we hardly know anyone. However, being confident while approaching new people can make the entire process of making new friends much simpler. There are chances that your fellow PhD colleagues will be equally as nervous as you are. So try to break the ice and start a conversation with your course-mates. Also, greet your fellow students with a smile, it will make the people around you feel more comfortable.

Attend university events

To bring the students together, many universities host a number of events at the beginning of each academic year. As these events help you meet and get familiar to different people from your and other fields, do not miss attending any such events. Such events also set an ideal platform for students to meet like-minded PhD scholars.

Be open to new friendships

While you might not be able to find someone similar to your old best friends with whom you can share every secret of yours, there are high chances that PhD course will introduce you to some compatible course mates. Having a few friends on campus will make you feel more comfortable. You can occasionally meet each other and even discuss the progress of your PhD thesis writing. By this way, you can get some help with your PhD thesis and genuine feedback on your PhD dissertation.

Be a part of different communities

By the time you undertake a PhD course, you become much matured and a little bit older from your initial university days. Instead of hanging out with Bachelors students, be an active part of different communities. Whether it is an exercise class, a book club, a social volunteer group or a part-time job, based on your interests try to be a part of societies which have like-minded people. Mix up with real adults and look beyond your student perspective to make friends with your peers.

Can You Really Juggle a PhD and a Full or Part-Time Job as a new PhD Student?

Many students wish to continue their work while pursuing a PhD – but are dreaded with the thought of squeezing any additional commitments in an already demanding PhD research and PhD thesis writing. Below are some tried and tested tips which will help you balance your PhD and a part-time or full-time job.

Plan in advance

As working while pursuing a PhD can be overwhelming, make sure to plan your schedule in advance. Take a calendar and mark all the important dates and list all your deadlines for submitting your PhD proposal or PhD dissertation. Make checklists, to-do lists and planners to ensure that you do not miss out anything important. On your work front, plan for your busier days in advance and make small but reasonable tweaks in your PhD schedule.

Do not stress yourself

Having PhD and job responsibilities can be stressful. The job can at times put a constraint on your PhD thesis, but do not let your job create any additional stress or pressure. Avoid working extra shifts to ensure that you can give adequate time to your PhD as well. As many workplaces enthusiastically promote continuous learning, do not hesitate to share your PhD schedule with your manager. Try working for flexible hours or get some time off for your PhD research or PhD writing.

Be more efficient

To make your workload easier while undertaking your studies, try to find ways to make yourself more efficient at work and university. Avoid doing things which do not have any significant impact on your final output. Ignore any unessential tasks and leverage your resources better to make the most out of your limited time. For example, you can take professional PhD assignment help from industry experts who can help you with PhD dissertation writing while you give the required time to your job and your personal life.

Stay on track

Taking on a full-time job will give you a very limited time to spend on your PhD assignments. So, use every single opportunity and do not leave any stone un-turned. Never delay your PhD assignments until you are confident that you will cover up the lost time. Keep yourself focused and always stay on track to avoid submitting an average PhD thesis due to time constraints. Don’t forget to spend some of your free time on quality activities to boost your mental and physical health.

Things to know as a PhD student 

New PhD students often find themselves overwhelmed during the first few months of their PhD course. It can be easy to get lost or to start doubting yourself. Below we provide answers to the top questions asked by new PhD students that haven’t been covered by the guide above – but are still important to get you on the right track with your PhD journey!

How difficult is it to write a PhD thesis?

Writing a PhD thesis is for the most part a question of persistence. Show up to your courses and meetings, keep your supervisor updated, read research papers, and work on your thesis little by little. Don’t give up – as long as you keep working, you’ll get there! It can be very helpful to check your University library and read PhD theses of previous graduate students: this way you’ll have a better understanding of what you are expected to produce.

Is it normal to struggle as a new PhD student?

It is not unusual for new PhD students to get impostor syndrome during the first months of a PhD course. A good remedy is talking to your peers – it is very easy to feel like you are the only one who is struggling, but you’ll quickly realize that almost everyone is struggling with something! Make it a habit to discuss courses and general progress with other PhD students – not only it will help you get a better handle on some of the material, but it will also be good for your mental health.

Is it ok if seek expert advice or consult others in my University or online?

As a researcher, you are expected to be independent. But independence is not the same as isolation! Being independent means that you have the skills, knowledge, and critical thinking to conduct research and initiate discourse. You shouldn’t shut yourself away from interaction with the research community, as communication is a necessary part of a PhD course. So don’t be afraid to ask (potentially stupid) questions – it is likely that you won’t be the first person to ask them!

How do I know if I’m on the right track with my research?

Develop a habit of getting as much feedback on your research as frequently as possible. While your supervisor is the most obvious choice for this, you can also try other experts at your University, professors at conferences, other PhD students, or PhD writing services.

What to do if I don’t feel like my research would make a significant contribution?

When hearing the phrase ‘significant contribution’, new PhD students often think of some breakthrough experiments or new theories. In the context of a PhD course, ‘significant’ does not necessarily mean ‘revolutionary’. Don’t expect your research to change the whole discipline – instead, pick an area where you feel like you can contribute by participating in the research discourse. You can view your PhD thesis as a rite of passage in which you want to demonstrate to the research community that you can conduct research on your own and add to existing knowledge.

How do I know if I’m up-to-date on the literature?

Use online resources and platforms to keep track of new research papers. For example, you can sign up for alerts (e.g. on Google or on websites of specific journals) so that you can stay on top of new research. Set up several alerts with different parameters such as keywords or authors to get information on new studies as soon as they are published. You can also talk to senior PhD students in your field to make sure you haven’t missed anything relevant.

How do I keep up with the deadlines?

Make sure you are applying for conferences and publications! They provide external deadlines that can help you stay on track with your research. In addition, avoid hiding from your supervisor – a common mistake that new PhD students make is not communicating enough. Keep your supervisor informed about the current state of your research project, your concerns and interests, outside opinions and feedback, decisions, and life circumstances that affect your thesis.

How much free time will I have as a new PhD student?

You should treat your PhD as a job. Depending on the program, you can expect to commit up to 40 hours a week towards coursework and research. However, don’t forget to set aside some time for yourself to avoid burning out!

Completing a PhD provides you with so many opportunities that can significantly improve your professional and personal life. If you want to work in academia as a researcher or lecturer, you will likely need a PhD. If your goal is individual development and you are looking for a new challenge, a PhD can be a great option. If you are looking for new job opportunities outside academia, getting a PhD will significantly improve your chances of getting a high-paid job.

While all these prospects and opportunities are existing, completing a PhD is commonly viewed as the most challenging task a person undertakes in their academic career. Successfully completing a PhD requires unparalleled time, energy, and even money. Earning a PhD degree entails a candidate to put a comprehensively researched, theoretically profound and explicitly detailed thesis in front of a University’s PhD committee. Thus, the idea of putting forward a weak PhD thesis can be a daunting thought. Writing a PhD thesis is a difficult procedure, but the benefits are numerous. These include getting lucrative jobs in diverse fields; including professors, researchers and top ranked professionals.

Why seek help from a PhD writing service

Let’s face it: the older we get, the more responsibilities and duties we have. We need to be high-performing employees, action-oriented business owners, and carrying parents. We need to devote almost all our time to these activities. On top of that, we need to secure some time for ourselves to maintain sanity and mental well-being.

Pursuing a PhD is far different than completing a graduate or a post-graduate course. No matter how good you must be in your academics during your graduation or post-graduation, once enrolled for a PhD you will be competing with a wide number of experts. For the successful completion of a PhD, a student is expected to invest maximum time and energy while making sure all deadlines are met on time. One of the major hurdles in completing the PhD is writing the PhD thesis. As the decision to get PhD is one of the biggest and most important decisions of a student’s life, the complete PhD journey might not appear as a fairy-tale to many.

With so much at stake, some students may seek to outsource their PhD thesis writing to a professional. For some students, putting their research and writing together may be challenging and daunting while a professional writing service can take this burden from their shoulders. For others, getting help from a PhD writing service facilitates the achievement of a more comfortable work-life balance, so they could devote their time and attention to other important things and areas of their lives. Finally, some students may want to further develop their academic writing skills. By getting help from an expert writer who has years of experience in writing PhD papers, this goal can be easily achieved.

Although it comes at a cost, outsourcing PhD writing can save students a lot of time and effort. During the 3 – 5 years required for completing a PhD, you would be required to write, re-write and edit up to 150,000 words. Therefore, a PhD thesis writing service may act as an affordable, quicker, and easier option for your paper.

For making your PhD dissertation captivating, you must not leave any stone unturned. As even a small mistake in your PhD thesis writing can have a significant impact on your academia you will have to take the extra efforts to make sure you stay ahead in the race and do not miss out on even the smallest of the things. With the increase in the peer pressure, several PhD students find it difficult to manage their time, do not feel confident enough to make the proper use of their overall knowledge or are not able to take out enough time to work on their PhD dissertation writing. With so many things to do in a short time, PhD students often seek professional help at this stage.

It is important to understand that merely submitting a PhD thesis to the committee is not enough. Thesis writing services provide an opportunity to create an excellent research thesis that stands out from the crowd. A candidate’s academic achievements would have been the deciding factor in getting the student onto the PhD course, but the right guidance and experience from a professional writing service can improve a student’s performance and success on the PhD course.

What benefits can a PhD writing service offer

Professional PhD writing services include assisting in writing the entire thesis, or individual sections or chapters, and proofreading and editing. Their team of accomplished researchers will have a speciality in strong writing skills and analytical abilities. The services actually polish your PhD thesis to a near perfection. Even editing and proofreading can be difficult at the PhD level, and sometimes you need a fresh pair of eyes to identify mistakes and suggest amendments.

There are many reasons to hire a professional PhD writing service. Some of the guarantees the best PhD writing services provide include:

High-quality research

Many PhD students are good academic writers who can find relevant information on a particular topic. However, their skills are not an exact match for professional academic writers who have years of experience in their respective fields. These individuals are subject matter and industry experts, so their experience and knowledge are unparalleled. By getting PhD writing help from professional writers and researchers, you can expect a high-quality piece of writing based on thorough and deep research.

Well-designed research methodology

Students often struggle to come up with a research methodology that clearly articulates their worldview, as well as the procedures and methods of data collection and analysis. If the student selects a wrong methodological approach or is not confident about the selected methodology, they might need to rework the thesis. Any major change to the design of your thesis inevitably leads to the wastage of time and money while adding to fatigue and emotional exhaustion. Good PhD writing services offer a well-rounded methodology design tailored to the specific needs of a student. Custom PhD dissertation methodology writing service not only saves you important resources but also ensures that your thesis has legitimacy and provides scientifically sound results.

Full support and guidance

If you hire a good PhD writing service, you can expect considerable assistance in various aspects of the thesis writing process, starting from topic selection to formatting issues. Some organisations even provide tutoring services if students feel like their university supervisor is not involved enough in their research. By using this service, you can get a better understanding of various aspects of your thesis, which is always good for your viva and final grade.

Edit and improvement

Another guarantee that a good PhD writing service provides relates to a revision policy. Reputable agencies provide some editing if a student receives feedback from their supervisor or tutor. Such companies offer students the ability to ask for free amendments to the assignment within a set timeframe in case they are not satisfied with the original work. This is a great addition because thesis writing is an iterative process and you will submit your thesis for review multiple times throughout your PhD journey. And every time you will get various comments referring to the content of your thesis and its technical aspects. In this case, you will be provided with free editing to make sure your thesis develops and evolves in the right direction.

Plagiarism-free content

Good PhD writing services guarantee their works are completely free from plagiarism. The issue of plagiarism in academia is crucial because a high level of similarity can result in the rejection of your thesis. That is why, if you consider hiring a PhD writing service, make sure it is reputable and trustworthy to get a unique piece of writing. Read PhD writing service reviews from previous customers, check if the service guarantees a high-quality paper, provides free revisions and follows strict deadlines to decide whether it is suitable for your needs.

Should you get professional PhD writing help?

While there are a lot of arguments for seeking a professional PhD help, taking or not taking this help greatly depends on an individual’s choices. Completing a PhD successfully needs completely different studying tactics. Consequently, working out harder and making the most out of every opportunity might not be of great help. Hence, it becomes extremely important for students to either take professional help and complete their unique PhD at the earliest or keep on borrowing ideas from other experts and make failed attempts in writing their PhD dissertation.

Furthermore, taking a professional help for your PhD will not make you less eligible for your doctorate. It will only help you by providing you continuous support to climb up your career ladder. As the PhD students are the ones who select their PhD subject, the dissertation topic, the methodology to be used and the analysis to be made, they have the complete control of their PhD dissertation. The professional services act only as a support system to make sure you do not miss out on other important events while giving your entire time in PhD thesis writing. Additionally, many of these service providers will assign you a professional PhD scholar who holds expertise in your field of study. These scholars will act as your mentors at every stage and provide you critical feedback along with constructive criticism to ensure that your entire work remains innovative and flawless.

How PhD writing services work

Once you have decided you need some help with writing your PhD and selected an agency, you need to place an order. In most cases, the service will ask you to provide all the details about your thesis, including the subject area, required word count, formatting requirements, confirmed topic (if you already have one), and any other information that is relevant and might be useful (e.g., a list of relevant literature sources you would like to include in the thesis). You should also clearly communicate your expectations and other requirements, such as the structure of your thesis and what exactly you are expecting it to be content-wise.

Once you have provided all the details and information, the customer support team will check whether your order is ready to be assigned to a writer. The best PhD writing services will not give your order to a random writer. Instead, they will select the most suitable expert who has the skills and experience in your field or subject matter to ensure the highest quality possible. Moreover, these agencies select only those experts who have a PhD degree, so they know exactly what a PhD thesis is about and how it should be written. After all these preparations, an assigned PhD-educated expert will start working on your thesis.

Red flags to watch out for

While hiring a PhD writing service can help you produce a high-quality, professionally-looking, plagiarism-free thesis, it is essential to know the risks involved. Here, are some of the most important things you should be cautious about to avoid agencies with poor quality.

Native English writers

Good PhD writing services always have native writers to make sure your requirements are fully met and the quality of your thesis is exceptional. Experts from a local area provide reliable references to writing books and articles, complete your task punctually, and have a linguistic advantage over non-native writers. You should avoid services that do not explicitly state that their writers are native speakers.

Money-back policy

Reputable PhD agencies provide professionally written theses, so they are certain of the quality of their work. That is why having a money-back guarantee is a prerogative of the best PhD writing services in the industry. Check if there is a money-back policy on the selected service’s website. If not, consider finding an alternative agency.

Proofreading department

Having a proofreading department is another feature that can tell you whether it is ok to order writing services from a particular organisation. The absence of this department makes the essays, reports, and dissertations unacceptable for use as high-quality, legitimate documents.

Suspiciously cheap writing services

Getting a high-quality PhD thesis from a reputable agency can cost you a lot of money because you work with the best professionals in the industry. But you should always remember that low-cost services are likely to employ non-native authors, so you risk getting a thesis with syntactical, stylistic, and grammatical problems.

How to find the right PhD writing service for you

There are two major issues faced by students that are writing their PhD Thesis. Firstly, many students struggle with the topic and the research questions. Secondly, several students are unable to meet the requirements in terms of deadlines set by themselves. In both cases, PhD writing services can come to the rescue of students. Such services can help students in achieving high grades while also ensuring that the timelines are met. But choosing the right PhD writing service can be a complicated task. Here are the best features of a high-quality PhD writing service you should focus on when selecting an agency:

Professional Writers

There are certain PhD writing service providers that hire extremely good quality writers. Students should prefer such companies. In order to check the quality of the writers, you could visit the website of multiple service providers and compare the educational background and the skill sets of the writers. High-quality PhD writing service providers have writers that are not only qualified, but they also have the ability to assess any kind of topic and write accordingly. If you want further confirmation, certain PhD writing service providers also allow you to communicate with their writers. This could give you a better idea of their competencies.

Pricing Policies

The pricing policies of high-quality PhD writing services are also a key consideration. Students need to check the pricing policies of the PhD writing service providers before making their decision. High-quality service providers do not overcharge students. They price their offerings at reasonable rates, while also offering discounts in case multiple orders are placed by a student.

Immaculate Customer Service

High-quality PhD writing service providers have immaculate customer service representatives that are ready to help the students at any time. Such companies are able to address queries related to pricing, timelines, additional work, and referencing. This is an important factor because the best companies in the business are able to distinguish themselves from the rest by providing instantaneous customer support. The responsiveness of the customer service after an assignment has been delivered is also crucial. High-quality PhD writing services are able to address the concerns of the students even after the work has been delivered. This is because such companies value customer relationships above all other factors.

Get PhD help from the best in the industry

With a number of agencies offering professional PhD help in the form of PhD writing, thesis writing, dissertation writing etc., choosing the right agency will help you gain success in your academia. So, stop feeling miserable and understand that great things can be only achieved with great mentoring. Also, believe in yourself as coming such a long way makes you eligible to get your much-deserved PhD.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the pressure of completing your PhD, don’t be hesitant to seek help. There are a number of benefits that come with using thesis writing services. This exercise not only assists with both your time and motivation, it can also boost the chances of success due to having a professional, academic writer being your guide.

Original PhD is a professional PhD Writing Service with a team of expert PhD supervisors and experienced writers. We have many years of experience in various fields, including business, international relations, marketing, management, finance, and economics. Our service portfolio includes all sorts of PhD writing services, starting from PhD application assistance and creating thesis topics to writing collaborative chapters and PhD editing. We provide a wide range of guarantees, so you can be absolutely sure of the work quality you get.

When applying to a PhD program, students face a large number of requirements and procedures, and it can be challenging to plot the course for applying to a program all by yourself. This guide aims to be a comprehensive description of what you can expect from the PhD application process, and how you can make your application stronger and more likely to succeed.

1. What are the general steps for applying for a PhD?

The PhD application process can seem rather complex, but in general it involves four steps outlined below.

Step 1: Find research projects that interest you

What kind of research do you want to do? Have you decided on the research area? The PhD application process essentially requires you to convince others that you can do research and that you are interested in the program’s research subfield, so make sure you are confident about your research interests. Ask advice from your peers, other graduate students, and supervisors at your university about suitable PhD programs based on your interests. Online aggregator platforms provide a great way for you to find appropriate programs based on certain criteria (discipline, location, fee, etc.).

Step 2: Contact potential supervisors

Check the website of the PhD program/faculty you are interested in for staff profiles. Send the supervisors an email with your CV so that they can gauge your interest and academic strength. It can be helpful to look into what the supervisors (and their PhD students) have been researching for the past few years – not only you will have a better idea of what to expect in your own research, but you can also use this information to leave a better impression on the recruitment panel! You are not expected to read through all of their publications, but a general familiarity with the research area can help you write a stronger cover letter and be better prepared for the application interview.

Step 3: Make sure you meet all requirements

Before you submit a formal application for a PhD program, make sure that you meet all the requirements that are stated on the program’s page. The basic criteria involve academic eligibility such as a Master’s degree in a relevant subject. International students should be especially mindful of additional paperwork and eligibility criteria. For example, studying abroad will likely require you to get a visa, and to apply for a visa you might need a proof of sufficient funds and a proof of meeting language requirements. Language requirements can be tricky since obtaining a certificate of competence comes with registration deadlines.

Step 4: Submit a formal application

Check the official website of the faculty, department, or university you are applying to for an online application form. Be sure to closely follow all the requirements stated, as they may differ across PhD programs and universities. Expect to prepare some supporting documentation such as academic qualifications, an academic CV, a cover letter or a personal statement, a research proposal, and references from academic referees. Don’t forget to upload your previously published studies or information on conferences you’ve participated in. It is ok to submit multiple PhD applications to different PhD programs and universities at once – just make sure that you adjust your supporting documents accordingly.

2. How to Choose the Right PhD Program for You?

The choice of a PhD programme is both an important step in your academic career and the best opportunity to learn more about the subject of your interest. Unfortunately, many students underestimate the seriousness of this step and find themselves frustrated later on. Our PhD writing editors have provided some tips on how to choose the right PhD programme for you.

2.1 Choose the Right Area

Imagine choosing an employer for a full-time position where you cannot change the employment terms later or terminate your contract within the following three years. Would you be highly considerate in your choices? Unfortunately, many students do not exhibit the same level of seriousness when they engage in PhD thesis writing that usually requires 40+ hours of work on a weekly basis. You must be 100% certain that your topic of choice will remain as interesting to you in several years as it is now.

2.2 Take Your Time

As any serious choice in life, finding the best PhD programme may require time and consideration. Taking an academic break after your Master’s degree to evaluate your credentials, appraise several university options, and find the best supervisor for your project may actually save you a lot of time and money in the long-term perspective. No one is going to blame you if you choose to work for several years before writing your PhD to get industry experience and find the topic for you are really passionate about. This may be especially important if you seek to pursue a self-funded project or fail to obtain a scholarship for your PhD.

2.3 Seek Guidance

Do you usually consult your competent friends or hired experts before you make critical decisions such as purchasing an apartment or a vehicle? We would suggest taking a similar approach to your PhD project. If you feel even the slightest hesitation in your programme-related choices, eliminate all the doubts before you start with your PhD thesis. Visit the universities you are considering, talk to several supervisors or seek some PhD writing support. In the words of Sun Tzu, victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.

2.4 Plan the Funding

The availability of a scholarship may be even more critical for choosing a PhD programme than selecting a good supervisor and an effective research topic. Combining full-time work with writing your PhD is next to impossible for most of the students due to substantial workloads associated with dissertation writing. Hence, you need to be 100% certain that the university of your choice provides sufficient scholarship that will allow you to work without distractions and complete your PhD project within the allocated period of time.

2.5 Use online platforms to find suitable PhD programs

Manually checking websites for each faculty and department of each university can be very time-consuming. Use aggregator platforms to quickly find appropriate PhD programs and filter them based on your preferences and requirements such as discipline, sub-field specialty, location, tuition fee, and duration. You can also look for student opinions from online discussions on how well the program can be customized, how organized is the research, or ‘soft criteria’ such as cost of living and social life around the campus.

3. How to Write a PhD Application?

A good PhD application could be the deciding factor in attaining a PhD degree at the university you want. To help you out, we have created a short PhD application guide telling you all you need to know on how to write a PhD application.

3.1 Learn the Individual University Requirements 

Each university is different in how they handle PhD applications. Some require you to submit hard copies of applications for PhD admissions. Others focus on online admissions through their own custom systems. The important thing is not to get discouraged but instead compile a brief list of the universities you want to apply to and the key differences in how these institutions handle the application process.

3.2 Write a Proposal in Advance

The majority of applications for PhD admissions require you to submit supporting documents such as reference letters or proposals. To keep things simple, you should ideally write your proposal before starting the application process. While each university has unique requirements for proposals, being prepared in advance should save you a lot of time. Based on the university you’re applying to, you might want to make slight changes in your proposal such as modifying the timeline of the study.

3.3 Compile a List of References

When wondering how to fill a PhD application form, it’s easy to overlook the significance of references. Fact is, references could either make or break your application. You should list at least 2-3 academics who know you personally and who would want to provide a positive characteristic of you. Before submitting the application, inform these references of your project to give your colleagues time to prepare for inquiries.

3.4 Review Your Previous Research and Research Training

Most thorough PhD application forms also include fields on your prior academic research and research training. To write a good application for PhD admission, you should list your major academic milestones such as previous theses or any published research papers. Even if an application does not require you to mention this, you could always integrate such achievements into your CV or other sections of the application when asked about your research interests.

3.5 Choose a Method for Financing Your PhD

One of the key points of any PhD application is the question of financing. When you’re searching for information on how to write a PhD application, take at least 15 minutes to look up the scholarship or studentship programmes offered by your university of choice. Another suggestion is to contact the university and ask what means of financing are available. You might also want to create a custom financing plan by combining a scholarship and your own funds. In this case, you would need to clearly describe this in the application.

We hope that our guide on how to fill a PhD application form will help you in attaining a PhD position at the university of your choosing. If you’ve already attained such a position, then congratulations, and don’t forget that you can hire our PhD thesis writers to help you with any stage of the research project.

4. What makes a strong PhD application?

It is not unusual to have dozens of applicants for a single PhD program position. As such, you should avoid some common pitfalls that students do when applying for PhD programmes. But what makes a strong PhD application? Here are the major characteristics of prospective PhD students that are valued by professors.

4.1 Evidence of your potential as a researcher

Remember that the primary goal of PhD programs is to develop researchers. Your PhD application should contain concrete evidence of your research potential. First of all, you should highlight your research publications, if any, as these will directly illustrate your ability to do research. However, any other evidence of independent research, scholarship, or creativity can be helpful here! Don’t be afraid to use your research statement to discuss your research experience and interests in detail. Your goal here is to make a compelling argument of why you want to be a PhD student, and how you are capable to be a productive researcher – so avoid talking about inspiration or coursework.

4.2 Interest in the PhD program you apply to

Having research potential is only part of how supervisors evaluate your PhD application. Even if you demonstrate your capability to do research, what is at least as important is whether your research interests align with those of the PhD program you apply to. Use your research statement to convince supervisors that you are actively interested in their research area, and to explain why you would fit into their research group. What can be particularly helpful is showing that you’ve looked into the recent publications of the group. Contacting the supervisor and expressing interest in their previous studies before submitting a formal PhD application can be a big boost to your case. 

4.3 Strong recommendation letters

You can expect almost every PhD applicant to send a recommendation letter – or several. However, it is not uncommon for academic referees to use templates for these letters, and some supervisors appreciate more personalized references. What you can do to make your application stronger is to ensure that your recommendation letters provide details about your research potential. Avoid letters that just repeat information about your academic performance. Aim at around three strong recommendation letters – don’t forget that it’s perfectly fine to ask references from junior faculty.

4.4 No red flags

Finally, a strong PhD application won’t have any weaknesses or red flags. For example, did you have low grades in classes related to your proposed research area? Have you missed some important classes? Are your test scores too low? Do your recommendation letters seem overly careful or outright negative? Don’t forget to check your supporting documents such as research statement and academic CV for spelling and grammar mistakes, or seek support in writing PhD applications to make sure that all apparent weaknesses are addressed. Remember: your goal here is to demonstrate that you are serious about research, and are well prepared for it.

5. Choosing between an MBA and PhD in Finance: Top 10 Things to Consider

Having an advanced degree has become a necessity in the professional arena today. However, it is not always easy to decide which degree to pursue. We illustrate how you can reason about a PhD program choice for the case of Finance. On the one hand, Finance students could opt for an MBA in Finance, which could help their careers in blossoming, but on the other side is the option of enrolling a PhD course in Finance. Both have their own sets of benefits, but there are various factors that need to be kept in mind before choosing one or the other. So here are the top 10 things to consider while choosing between an MBA in Finance and a PhD.

5.1 Career Choice

The first and foremost consideration for you has to be the field which you want to enter. If your interest lies in the world of academia, then a PhD would be much more appropriate. For example, if you wish to move into core academic research, then a PhD would be the way forward. On the other hand, if you are looking at the business side of things, then an MBA would suit you much better. Ultimately, it should be your choice of career that should determine your course of study. 

5.2 Timeframe

Most MBA Finance degrees are limited to a two year timeframe. On the other hand, a PhD might require you to invest a significantly longer period of time. Additionally, the possible effort required for a PhD is often much more compared to an MBA in Finance. Merely choosing your topic can be a tricky aspect of a PhD, while MBA courses are much better defined in terms of their modules. A PhD degree is also dependent on your thesis being accepted, while this is not the case in an MBA in Finance where the rules are much more lenient. 

5.3 Cost Involved

Another aspect that needs to be considered in comparing the two has to be the cost involved. While an MBA in Finance is expensive in itself, obtaining a PhD degree can prove to be much more expensive without university grants. Such grants are not available to students in every case. Without the grants, the investment required for a PhD can be too much to bear for individuals who are not from a wealthy background. 

5.4 Practical Experiences

An MBA in Finance would teach you a lot about the corporate world. This includes the ability to handle tricky situations in the workplace, the ability to adhere to tight deadlines, as well as the soft skills that are needed in order to get work done from others. All such skills are invaluable for your career in the long run. On the other hand, if you wish to focus on the theoretical, then a PhD would be a more suitable avenue for you to pursue. 

5.5 Ability to Switch

Furthermore, an MBA in Finance also gives you the ability to switch fields and industries at a later stage in your career. This is because there are so many spheres of work within Finance, such as investment, taxation, research, treasury, etc. On the other hand, a PhD might restrict your options in terms of switching from one field to another. This holds especially true when your research is limited to a particular field of study. It becomes quite hard to venture outside that particular field. 

5.6 Wage Factor

If you are looking to make more money in the future, the prospects are brighter for an MBA in Finance. This is because the theoretical research of a PhD limits your ability to grow professionally. By pursuing an MBA degree in Finance, you have the option of becoming a successful entrepreneur or to join a multinational organisation where the wages can be lucrative. On the other hand, if you are pursuing a PhD then the wages in that particular field can be limited. 

5.7 Location

Almost all full-time MBA Finance courses require you to attend classes throughout the duration of the degree. This means that there is little chance of you working remotely in order to achieve your degree. Whereas during a PhD, your physical presence is not required on campus on a daily basis. You could visit the campus occasionally and continue your research elsewhere. 

5.8 Collaboration

In terms of collaborating with others, an MBA in Finance will provide you with more opportunities. This is due to the fact that there are numerous group projects during an MBA degree. Throughout these projects, you have to communicate, deal with your team-mates and create synergies with them. This is not possible during a PhD since in most cases you are working alone on projects. Also, working on a PhD alone can require you to collect a lot of market data individually, whereas an MBA in Finance allows you to work in groups. 

5.9 Enrolment Criteria

The enrolment criteria for an MBA in Finance is usually much more relaxed compared to a PhD. For pursuing a PhD, you need to be enrolled on a post-graduate degree, which is not necessary for an MBA. Further, most MBA colleges around the world will take international students based on your entrance test scores. For you to enroll onto a PhD programme, you need to have a consistent academic performance throughout and also have degrees in relevant subjects all the way through your career. 

5.10 Mental Strength

Enrolling in a PhD degree can be extremely challenging for you in terms of mental strength. This is because the degree can be extremely taxing and can include numerous revisions of your work. There are multiple cases wherein a student even has to tear up his/her entire body of work and start afresh. Such drawbacks can be extremely hard to deal with. On the other hand, an MBA in Finance is not that tough on you. In fact, there are various MBA degrees which have special modules to lighten up the burden on their students. This ensures that the fun factor remains alive.

6. Quick tips to remember about applying for a PhD

Applying to PhD programs requires you to keep track of quite a few details, and it is easy to overlook some simple ways of making the application process more likely to succeed. Below a few quick tips to remember when you apply for a PhD program.

6.1 Read up on the research related to your PhD program of choice

PhD programs are there to develop researchers. It is your goal as a PhD applicant to convince supervisors and recruitment panels that you have capabilities of a researcher, and that you are genuinely interested in the field. Look into the scientific activities and recent papers of research groups you are applying to! Use this information to support your case when contacting supervisors, writing the research statement, and preparing for the application interview. Look up review papers on topics related to the PhD program of your choice and familiarize yourself with the fundamentals so that you can at least ask basic questions about them.

6.2 Apply for multiple PhD programs

Competition for PhD program positions can be high, and there is nothing wrong with applying for several PhD programs at different universities at once. This should increase your chances of getting into a program if your preferred option doesn’t go through. However, avoid using the exact same proposal and research statement for different applications! Try to tailor each set of supporting documents to individual PhD programs. Remember that you should convince professors why you are interested in their expertise, and you will be at a disadvantage if you don’t personalize each application.

6.3 Use online resources to help you with the PhD application

There is a large number of online resources available that can help you with the process of applying to a PhD program. Aggregator platforms greatly simplify the process of searching for a suitable PhD program. Both PhD students and professors share their experiences and opinions on discussion forums, and you can use them to make better informed decisions and improve your PhD application. You can use also use discussion forums or professional PhD writing services to help you with writing the supporting documents for your PhD application.

6.4 Prepare for your PhD application interview

Your PhD interview is a major part of applying to a PhD program. The interview is your chance to talk to your prospective supervisor, discuss your research ideas, and show that you are interested in the research area. Make sure to demonstrate your potential as an academic researcher by asking questions about the group’s recent studies and explaining how you and your research interests fit into the group.

Presentation skills are crucial for all PhD students. Most universities expect you to present your intermediary doctoral dissertation results at least once per semester throughout your academic year. Additionally, the capability to impress your reviewers can largely determine the outcomes of your seminal presentation and affect your final grading. Unfortunately, most PhD students rarely get proper guidance from their universities and supervisors on how they can improve the quality and readability of their papers for this purpose. The following recommendations provided by our PhD thesis writing experts have helped many of our clients to really connect with their readers and get good reviews of their projects.

What Do Reviewers Usually Look at?

Any reviewer has to identify the main strengths and weaknesses of the reviewed thesis. While well-written works rarely fail, any doctoral dissertation has its limitations that are subject to comments and criticisms. In a way, the process of their identification is similar to peer review in academic journals where staff members appraise both the novelty of the publication and the quality of its presentation. Let us look at some factors that frequently determine whether your readers’ reactions will be positive or negative:

1. The reviewers rarely have a lot of time to thoroughly read through all parts of your thesis several times.
2. This means that you must ensure that they can easily understand why your PhD project creates new knowledge in your area of interest.
3. A reviewer needs to promptly identify the key limitations encountered by your project and the methodological instruments you utilised to overcome these limitations when addressing your research objectives.
4. Many students excessively focus on reviewing the research of others in all sections of their works, which makes it difficult for readers to understand the relevance of their project and understand its uniqueness and novelty.

What Are the Most Common Problems with Seminal Presentations?

As a professional agency providing phd writing services for several decades, we are well aware of the fact that thesis writing needs to be focused on the reader rather than the writer. This means that under the hood processes such as data collection and processing, a review of prior studies, and other elements necessary for completing your doctoral dissertation are only interesting to you as the author. At the same time, your readers expect to get a quality draft that presents the results of all these activities in a coherent format as an output of all aforementioned activities described in the past tense. This requires the capability to:

1. Distance yourself from your writing process and describe its results in the same impartial manner you would write a review of your fellow student’s work.
2. Summarise the findings in the way highlighting their novelty and minimising the visibility of potentially weak areas of your research project.
3. Avoid the intention to excessively focus on some parts of your draft you like best and see a ‘larger picture’ of individual sections as chapters of a book that should be interesting to read and present the main overarching argument.
4. Perform multiple thesis revisions to see your work ‘with fresh eyes’ and be brave enough to implement substantial amendments in order to produce a high-quality text.

While these actions seem easy to perform, many of our clients order our PhD services after attempting to improve their drafts for weeks and even months to no avail. There is a good reason why even professional writers like Stephen King have editors who enjoy the absolute right to revise their manuscripts as they see fit. Good editing work is always performed from the position of the reader. Most authors can never avoid the bias of being overly attached to their drafts, which makes it difficult for them to remove or re-write some large sections of text that do not contribute to the resulting quality of presentation.

How Can Students Improve the Quality of Their Presentations?

From a practical standpoint, the aforementioned aspects imply the need to:

1. Clearly explain why your contribution to your area of research is sufficient to award you with a PhD degree.
2. Substantiate the suitability and relevance of your dissertation topic, research aim, objectives, and questions.
3. Outline all methodological choices and activities while also comparing them against your predecessors to show how you have addressed their deficiencies and have closed the earlier identified research gaps.
4. Structure your overall argument across all PhD dissertation chapters to achieve a good flow ensuring full understanding at first reading.
5. Find the optimal balance between criticisms and presentation of findings.

The last point may be seen as a relatively complex concept since most students are told by their universities to be ‘critical’ and avoid ‘being descriptive’ in their writing. While this recommendation should not be completely discarded as overly generic, many practitioners take it too literally and forget to actually discuss their results and their novelty rather than criticise the findings of their predecessors. To avoid this pitfall, try to maintain a healthy balance between these two approaches in your dissertation. Discuss your results first in your Introduction and Findings sections and then compare them with earlier studies you revised in your Literature Review. Feel free to contact us if you need any further PhD thesis help and assistance and our experienced writers will do their best to make your thesis look more professional and appealing.

As a PhD thesis writer, you are exposed to a variety of risks and contingencies hindering your academic journey or compromising your future success. On the one hand, your research topic must be novel and original to ensure that no similar studies are published within the 3-6 years of your doctoral programme. To make the right choices in this sphere at a proposal level, you need to be extremely competent in PhD thesis writing and perform an extensive analysis of secondary literature in the selected sphere. On the other hand, the latest industry developments may bring fresh ideas and allow you to enrich your doctoral dissertation in ways you could not expect during your first PhD year. These considerations inform the need to use several methods of monitoring the most significant trends in your field at all phases of your project. Here are the three best sources of information you can use for this purpose.

1. Online Libraries

Such libraries as ProQuest or the British Library EThOS platform allow you to monitor newly published secondary studies as well as doctoral research studies. Make it a habit to check 4-5 resources for new information on a monthly basis. In addition to the increasing general awareness in your sphere, this will inform you of other researchers investigating similar topics. Considering the need to publish PhD research studies, this knowledge may be helpful for finding new co-authors, reviewers or advisors in your professional sphere. At the same time, these activities can also be invaluable for improving the overall quality of your work by adding new references to your Literature Review and other sections and keeping your analysis of secondary literature up-to-date.

2. Professional Communities

If your phd is based on the analysis of practical problems in a certain industry, it may be beneficial to you to join a number of online communities in it or even seek part-time employment in this sphere. The world of academia is a fantastic place for learning more about the theoretical and methodological foundation of your project. However, practical experience may not be fully substituted by academic research. Join at least 5 online communities in your sphere and start building a network of professional contacts. If you help others with their problems while also openly discussing your own sphere of interest in research, chances are people will gladly share valuable information about the latest developments in your industry of interest or provide some emerging research opportunities.

3. Academic Conferences

Academic conferences are generally considered one of the best places for researchers to meet, discuss the latest developments in their field, and present the intermediary results of their projects in progress. These factors make this information source one of the best ones for PhD students. On the one hand, you can present your research publications and get valuable comments and suggestions regarding the improvement of your thesis. On the other hand, you can learn more about the new trends in your sphere of interest as well as other projects that may compromise the novelty of your findings.

How Can We Help You?

As a long-term provider of PhD writing services, we frequently become the fourth best source of information about the latest developments in most academic fields. With hundreds of successfully completed projects under our belt, we may be some of the best-informed people in academia in relation to the most interesting fields of study as well as the industry trends worth investigating in the following 3-5 years. In most cases, we will offer our clients a choice of multiple topics and research questions to choose from. This ensures that they will pursue the problems that they are personally interested in while also feeling certain that these issues have good originality and research potential. If you need any help in PhD thesis writing that goes beyond mere information search, you can always contact us and we will do our best to make sure you achieve success in your academic journey.