Original PhD Blog

Writing a PhD dissertation proposal is the first step in your academic journey of becoming a PhD-educated professional. However, writing a doctorate proposal is also one of the most challenging parts of any PhD programme. This is because a poorly executed proposal can negate prior years of hard work. We have put together some handy tips that can guide you through the process of writing a PhD dissertation proposal.

1. The purpose of a proposal

The main aim of a PhD dissertation proposal is to make it easier for you to research, complete, and deliver your doctorate thesis. It is also an effective tool to demonstrate to your supervisor what PhD topic you are interested in and how you are planning to undertake your research. Think of your proposal as a road map that lays out an adaptable and testable model for your thesis.

2. Develop a catchy working title

The title of your proposal will directly communicate your PhD statement to the reader, and should reflect the research problem you are going to deal with, the context of your study, and its potential outcomes. At the same time, your PhD proposal title should immediately grab the reader’s attention and shape your study to fit.

3. Put your study in the context

Writing a PhD dissertation proposal is a chance to demonstrate the supervisor your understanding of a niche topic in your field of study and make a contribution to it. To achieve this goal, you should carefully evaluate existing research and enrich the broader understanding of your study. You should explicitly state the practicality of your empirical findings as it is one of the core criteria of a good doctorate thesis.

4. Research methods

You should also demonstrate that your proposed PhD thesis is feasible and you are competent enough to conduct the research. At this stage, you need to design a research methodology that will allow for achieving your objectives. Justify each methodological choice and show how it will add to the achievement of the main aim.

5. Contributions

Unlike Bachelors or Masters’ dissertations, PhD theses usually make contributions to research and knowledge. Make sure your proposal tells the reader what will make your doctorate dissertation unique.

6. Provide a clear research plan

You should indicate how you are planning to undertake the study by providing measurable milestones and timelines. Remember that a PhD dissertation normally takes 3 to 5 years of study.

By following these tips, you can write a high-quality PhD dissertation proposal and ensure it clearly explains your research intentions. Remember that your PhD proposal is not a binding document, as the study you end up pursuing may be completely different from that in your current proposal. This is so because you may submit it multiple times before it gets an approval of the supervisor.

If you are looking for help in writing a PhD dissertation proposal, we are here to help. As professional PhD-educated academics with considerable experience at major British universities, we have assisted hundreds of students with their doctorate proposals. By using our PhD Title & Proposal service, you will be provided with guidance and assistance in identifying the most recent trends in your field and finding the existing gaps in the literature.

We guarantee that we will deliver your PhD dissertation proposal on time if not earlier. By selecting our company, you will get a personal academic service fully tailored to your requirements as well the guidelines of your university.

Contact us today to see how our specialists can assist you in writing your PhD dissertation proposal.

In today’s world, dealing with stress and anxiety is part of life. Students who are in University are particularly susceptible to anxiety for several reasons. Firstly, moving into University is vastly different from school. Secondly, many students tend to move cities or countries in order to enrol into the University of their choice. In both these cases, students are likely to deal with anticipatory anxiety. This form of anxiety occurs when you are waiting for something to happen. It can also happen when there is a major change in your life. But not all students know how to deal with such anxiety. This article will help you in coping with University anxiety.

Coping with Anxiety and Stress

Anxiety can prove to be a major hurdle in the life of students. It can lead to underperformance at University, health, and wellness issues, as well as the fear of failure. Therefore, it is important for students to understand how to deal with University-related anxiety and stress. The first and foremost way of dealing with this anxiety is to try and enjoy the situation you are in. Heading to University could mean a major change for many students, but it is also something to look forward to. Often, students tend to take things too seriously. This can be due to the fact that they have negative expectations towards joining or re-joining college. In order to deal with this, students should change their mindset and try to be more positive. Positivity is something that could help you to a great extent in terms of getting rid of anxiety.

Another aspect of University can be moving away from your family or your comfort zone. This can be another source of anxiety. When you join University, for the first few months, you are likely to feel the impact of separation anxiety. The best way to deal with this is to prepare your mind beforehand. However, in many cases, it is hard for students to anticipate it, and they tend to suffer. Even if you are not mentally prepared for University, things can still work out. In order to get rid of separation anxiety, you could take the help of your new friends and classmates. The best way to get over separation from your family is to form new bonds with the people you see around you. If you are not able to find good friends, another way could be to bond with your favourite tutors. This way, you are not likely to feel separation anxiety too much.

Yet another form of anxiety that could impact you as a University student could be the consistent flow of projects and tests. In most Universities, the number of assignments that are allocated to students is much higher than what they are used to in school. This change could have a negative impact on their motivation levels and could lead to anxiety. In order to deal with this form of anxiety, there are a couple of steps that can be taken by a student. One way is to interact with someone who has gone through University already. The experiences of others can prove to be of great help because they can allow you to plan for what is to come. Another way to deal with this anxiety is to be well prepared. It is a known fact that most students going into University are not prepared for what is coming up. This is the root cause of University-related anxiety among such students. The best way to deal with it is to have prior discussions about University life with your parents. You could also look up the internet and try to set expectations in your mind regarding the workflow. This would help you to a great extent and make sure that you deal with University in a better manner.

Additionally, you could also look to develop a hobby that helps you in getting away from the anxiety and stress of University life. This way, you will be able to relax and unwind while enjoying yourself to the fullest. One of the best ways is to engage yourself in learning a new musical instrument, language or skill. Such hobbies can help your mind in relaxing, and you also learn something new. You also get a sense of accomplishment since you are able to do something that you could not do before. This is a great way to overcome the anxiety and stress that is associated with University life.

If none of the above methods work for you, then you may wish to seek counselling. Counselling is a common method that could help you in dealing with your anxiety and to prevent panic attacks. In today’s world, several types of psychology professionals are available at your disposal. They can help you in overcoming your college anxiety by showing you the bigger picture. Counsellors tend to build trust with students by listening to their problems in great detail. Then they analyse these problems and provide the best possible solutions. These solutions can range from a change in attitude to the prescription of medication. Psychologists are experts in assessing your situation and helping you in formulating a comprehensive plan to deal with your issues. Students around the world are taking their help in order to overcome their anxiety and succeed in University. Seeking professional help can prove to be the best decision of your life.             

Conclusion

Thus, to sum up, anxiety is something that any student can face. It can arise in various forms and can have a negative impact on your performance in University. There are several methods that you could adopt in order to overcome it. You could mentally prepare yourself for what is coming up by dwelling on the experiences of others. You could also form new friendships and bonds with the people that you have around in University. Finally, if none of these things work, you could seek professional help and get rid of your anxiety.

Enrolling for a PhD requires a big commitment from your side. This is because, in order to complete your research successfully, you will need to put in a lot of effort. Typically, PhD researchers study topics that have not been researched before, meaning that they need to be dedicated to their research and manage their time diligently. This is where some students or researchers can start having second thoughts. Many researchers start thinking about quitting when things are not going well. But is giving up half way through really worth it? This article will help you in making the decision.

Why You Should Keep Going

When you begin to doubt your capabilities, you need to refocus on the potential benefits that could be attained from the PhD. This refocusing exercise will help in refreshing your mind and remembering why you started your PhD journey in the first place. There are several benefits of attaining a PhD, and it can help your career massively in the long run. According to estimates, nearly 86% of PhD graduates are employed in either full-time or part-time work. This is a highly significant number, indicating that PhD graduates are very employable, and the degree will therefore prove to be beneficial. In addition, it is also estimated that the remaining 14% of graduates are also likely to be self-employed or studying further. A PhD is a very versatile qualification because it allows you to choose various forms of employment. You could either choose to work for someone else or become an entrepreneur. In addition, you could also become a professor at a university. Thus, attaining a PhD opens up a lot of options for you. Leaving your research unfinished may lead to regrets and therefore you will find that most people would advise for you to keep going, even when you face challenges.

While pursuing a PhD, there are several phases when you feel demotivated and begin to consider your options. This may be due to lack of time, feeling overwhelmed, or being unhappy with the results that you have been obtaining. In such cases, you should look to find motivations that can drive you towards your goal of completin+g the PhD. For instance, along with a PhD comes the honour of being able to contribute to human knowledge. This is a key motivating factor that could inspire you to continue your degree. In case you are reconsidering your options and are unsure of what to do, you need to remember why you chose to pursue a PhD in the first place. This will make you realise the key motivation that you originally had. It can also help you in finding a purpose. If you are able to contribute to humanity and play your part in building a better society, it could prove to be a major achievement. By focusing on such goals, you can ensure that you continue your efforts towards graduating. This way, you will continue to remain on track and ultimately achieve your goals.

Reasons for Quitting

On the other hand, there are times when you simply cannot continue pursuing your PhD. This situation arises when you begin to feel that even after years of efforts, you have not made any progress. Such a state of affairs can prove to be extremely disheartening, and as a result you may find that you do not have any motivation for conducting your research and are simply forcing yourself to continue. In such a critical scenario, it can be a wise decision to move on. This is because our physical and mental well-being is of paramount importance. It should be placed above all other factors. If continuing your research makes you miserable, it is simply not worth it. Also, pressuring yourself to continue unnecessarily can cause permanent damage to your aspirations in life. Rather than allowing this to happen, it is always better to realise when is the right time to move on. Thus, if you feel that you have given it all you had and are still not achieving any results, it may be a mature decision on your part to quit.

Another aspect that you need to consider is the financial requirements of a PhD. Attaining such a degree does not come cheap. You have to make a lot of investments in your research, especially if the university is not providing you with sufficient funding. If you begin to feel that you have invested a majority of your funds towards your PhD and are still unable to make any progress, it may be a good decision to quit. Often, researchers tend to continue investing funds towards their PhD in the hope of recouping those investments in the future. However, they are not always able to perform to the best of their abilities after completing their PhD. In such cases, they begin to feel regretful about the investments that they have made towards the degree. Therefore, it is always advisable to cut your losses and move on when you feel that you will not be able to complete the PhD without raising additional funding. Rather than borrowing funds and ending up with even more debt, it is better to know when to quit.

Conclusion

Thus, to sum up, it is clear that attaining a PhD can be good for your career. However, this often comes at a cost. One has to invest a lot of time and put in dedicated efforts in order to attain a PhD. If you begin to lose motivation, it is always advisable to think about the reasons why you enrolled in the first place. This could help you in getting back on track. However, if you are unable to motivate yourself despite repeated efforts, it is advisable to quit. No degree is worth it if it begins to cause actual damage to your physical and mental well-being. If you are struggling with your PhD but are not ready to quit, we provide a PhD thesis writing service that can help you get back on track.

It is difficult to make the decision to go back into education especially after a period of time working or in a career. If you’re over the age of 45 and you’ve made the brave choice to give education another chance there are a few things you should know about tertiary education in 2019.  Re-entering the academic arena as a person over the age of 45 has both benefits and disadvantages, and we have listed the most common examples below.

You will stand out in class

This will probably go without saying, but I will say it anyway. You are going to be noticed by your fellow classmates, and while it shouldn’t really bother you by now it is an important point to remember. One of the most noticeable ways that mature students stand out from their younger peers is that the lecturers can often relate more closely to the older classmates. There are a good number of students who will blend into the group of teenagers, but you being older will mean you are easily identifiable to both the class and lecturers alike.  Communication with lecturers via email is often a lot easier and more specific when you are a mature student, mainly because the teacher is bound to know who you are but also because they will address you in a different manner.

Your age is an advantage and a disadvantage

While I doubt making friends was your primary aim when becoming a mature student, it is important to realise that being older than your classmates does alienate you a little bit. This is not to say that they mean to alienate you, nor does it mean that you can’t bridge the gap by taking the time to talk to them but to begin with you will be naturally more distant to them than people their own age.

Being older means that you tend to know your strengths and weaknesses, and will have an easier time planning out work. People tend to get more pragmatic as they age, so while you will probably witness your teenage classmates struggling with their social life and deadlines, you will have it under control.

You will need to be computer literate

The majority of people whether they be older or younger are coming to terms with basic computer literacy. However, it is important to remember that not everyone knows their way around a computer. If you are over 45 and you are thinking of heading back to university it is important to realise that you will be required to have at least a general understanding of how to use a computer. Word processing has taken over from the hand written essays of yesteryear and you will need to learn how to appropriately type up an essay using in a word processing document. Becoming familiar with basic university requirements with regards to how to appropriately process assignments is essential. The best advice when it comes to learning how to use a computer is to be diligent, keep an open mind and remind yourself that you’ve learn new things in the past. If you are still struggling it is always worth asking a classmate or a younger relative to show you the ropes, or give you tips on how to best use a computer.

You will learn from your young peers too

Should you be given the opportunity to work in a group then you might find yourself learning a thing or two off of your younger classmates. Attitudes and perspectives change from generation to generation and by interacting with classmates you will be introduced to a different way of thinking about specific information. By being introduced to new perspectives you will find yourself questioning a lot of opinions that you have formed over the years, and whether or not they might have been misguided. 

When thinking about students most people envisage the transition from teenage years to early adulthood, of partying and late nights in the library. However there is a portion of students who are choosing to undertake studies later in life.

Becoming a mature student has the ability to elevate your CV beyond its previous iteration, and adding a degree to your experience means that in many cases you can progress further in your career, or even change your career path entirely.

Here are the ways that becoming a mature student could help change your career.

Change your perspective

Depending on your age it might have been a long time since you were in formal education. This can present itself as a challenge for many people; the good thing about challenges is that it helps you to change perspectives and adapt to new information. The proof of the ability to be flexible and have attitudes that transition based on experience is a key career skill. Small changes in your own perspective can make you view many different things in a new light. When you are introduced to and overcome different challenges it gives you a confidence to tackle greater challenges. Small successes promote the desire to achieve greater success.

Gives you the chance to learn new skills

Over the past 20 to 30 years there has been a huge change in what are considered to be ‘desirable skills’ since the advent of the World Wide Web in 1989 and the exponential growth in the importance of computer literacy.  As a mature student you may or may not be as i.t savvy as the younger people on the course, so you will be presented with the opportunity of using computers for academic research.

If you have never studied within higher education before then you will learn the importance behind effectively conducting your own research. You will also more than likely be required at times to work as part of a team, and to deliver presentations in front of an audience.

Add to your CV

It goes without saying that having a new degree will give you the opportunity to add to your CV, and that you will be able to list the new skills that you have learnt and mastered throughout the duration of the course. What is also important to remember is that you will have made new contacts, namely your lecturers, who can provide you with fresh references regarding your academic performance. Good references from lecturers are always desirable, and proving the adage ‘you can’t teach old dogs new tricks’ wrong goes a long way to letting people know that you’re hard working and versatile.

Change your career path entirely

Adding a degree, or indeed a second degree to your CV has the potential to help move you from one profession to another. One writer claimed that during their degree they developed a new understanding of what it was they wanted to be doing, and that thankfully by the end of the course their qualification was an official recognition of the skills they needed to make the transition. Many mature students undertake degrees in order to retrain for vocational roles, such as teachers or nurses, so it makes sense that taking a step in the direction of your desired career can start with gaining a new qualification.

Undertaking a degree as a mature student might not have been something that you have considered before but it can be an interesting and progressive way of changing your personal circumstances. There are many different services that provide help and financial advice for mature students looking for some assistance, so if studying later on in life is something you’re considering it’s a good idea to do a bit of research in this area as well. Good luck.

A PhD is a degree that can not only boost your career ambitions but also help in improving your overall profile. Achieving such a degree involves the completion of several important tasks. One of the fundamental tasks is to choose the right topic for your PhD thesis. Without the right topic, you simply cannot expect fruitful results. The topic that you choose needs to be different from the existing research in your field of study, and at the same time, it should be realistic in terms of data availability as well as the research scope. This guide will help you in understanding how to choose the right topic for your PhD thesis, and at the same time make a clear distinction between PhD topics and Masters Dissertation topics.  

Think about what interests you

In order to arrive at the topic, it is important to conduct a thorough study of previous academic research in the field that interests you. This can help you in gaining knowledge and at the same time help in shortlisting a few broad areas of interest that have gaps in research.

Consider your Masters’ Dissertation

It is often a good idea to choose a field for your PhD study related to the field of your Masters’ thesis. For instance, if you wrote a Masters Dissertation in Physics you may look into related but more advanced areas in Applied Physics to choose as a potential area for your PhD research. Previous research can also often be very helpful in giving you new ideas for a topic of research.  

Research previous studies

Students are often worried about choosing the right PhD topic since they know it could have a great impact on their future career. The criteria for assessment of the PhD thesis can differ across programmes. However, one common factor is that the work should be original and not similar to previous research. Thus, the most important factor is that your topic and the field of study should be uniquely different and contribute to knowledge. This will also ensure that your PhD thesis will make a significant contribution to the reputation of the university you are applying to. It is often helpful to scan through limitations of previous empirical studies to find out what others failed to account for or research. Then, you need to assess if you have sufficient resources to fill in the existing gap.

Formulate a strong question

If you formulate your PhD topic in the form of a research question, it will raise the probability of being accepted. However, you need to note that not all questions are equally strong. When you formulate your research question, make sure it cannot be answered with yes or no answers. Thus, the questions that start with “Are” or “Is” are usually weak questions. Strong questions will begin with words such as “How”, “To what extent” and “What”. Also, keep in mind that if you already know or can guess the answer to your question, it is most likely a weak question.  

Check the availability of data and scope of research

Your PhD topic, while being challenging, must be researchable, and this depends greatly on data availability and the scope of research. Many times, students choose topics or even write proposals that are unrealistic to accomplish. In these cases, proposals will be rejected by universities. So, before you formulate your final topic, check all the available data at your disposal, make a list of all possible variables you can realistically access and then start looking for connections between the variables to come up with the final topic for your thesis.    

Ensure flexibility in your topic

While your PhD topic should not be broad, it must have sufficient flexibility to be adjusted if your research encounters obstacles. For example, if you have chosen a specific phenomenon to be studied in the context of a specific country, you may want to consider formulating your research topic in the context of a region of this country. In this case, if your research meets a dead end or insufficient data for the country, you would have sufficient flexibility to compensate for this by looking at other countries in the region you mentioned in your research topic.  

Check with the experts

Before submitting your PhD proposal with the topic you have developed, it is a good idea to talk to experts. People with experience such as professors, senior students, and professional writers will provide a fresh look at your topic and share their expertise. They will also be able to notice inconsistencies and weaknesses in your topic. This will allow you to make timely changes and increase your chances of being accepted. 

How unique and original is your proposed topic?

A PhD is a unique degree in the sense that it is extremely comprehensive. When you choose a topic, a PhD thesis usually covers all aspects related to this particular topic and involves thorough research. On the other hand, a Masters Dissertation is often associated with more narrow research, and it is not expected to bring as much originality and contribution to knowledge as PhD thesis. During your PhD, you will be expected to do independent research, and this is often spread out over a longer period of time. This time is needed to include as many relevant details as possible in your thesis.

PhD thesis vs. Masters Dissertation

On the other hand, a Masters Dissertation is usually submitted in the last semester of your degree and the research is not as deep as in PhD. In terms of the topic, many Masters’ dissertations are written on topics that are not 100% unique. For example, Masters’ dissertations could explore an existing topic in new contexts with new methods, and this will be considered a contribution. However, this is not enough for a PhD topic as more originality is required.  

Final Note

To sum up, choosing the right topic for your PhD can be a really tricky task. It needs to be carried out with great care since this can often impact your career in the long run. In order to arrive at the right topic all the steps discussed above need to be taken into account. This will ensure that you arrive at the right topic and achieve success in your quest for a PhD.