Explore the world of doctoral research and academia with insights, tips, and guidance for prospective and current PhD students. Navigate the challenges and rewards of the doctoral journey.

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The PhD Place

How to Use SciSpace Library to Organise and Understand Your Research

The SciSpace Library is built to help you organise research papers, pull out what matters, and actually understand the papers you are working with. It turns a mess of PDFs into something searchable, interactive, and manageable without the constant back-and-forth between tabs, folders, and notes. In this blog post, we will introduce SciSpace Library and outline the various ways in which you can use it and its key features.

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COVID-19
Jim Hulbert

Travelling, Working, And Returning To Academia

A former history MA graduate, Jim Hulbert, recounts how he went from traveling to working, and returning to academia. After some years of working, he decided to pursue a PhD, a journey that was jumpstarted during the COVID-19 pandemic when he was furloughed from work.

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Bereavement
Kathryn Zacharek

Coping with Bereavement During a PhD: Grow Around the Grief

Grief is a lesser-discussed topic in academia, but processing grief due to the loss of a loved one compounds the challenges of doing a PhD. In this thought-provoking article, Kathryn Zacharek shares her experience of navigating a PhD during bereavement, where she took time out, leaned on her support networks, and researched ways to let her life ‘grow around the grief’.

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Experiences
Apurba Biswas

The Journey to Authenticity in Academia

‘If a PhD is to be an ordeal – and indeed, it is – then let it be an ordeal wherein you find meaning in something that is true to yourself’. This article explores the feelings of imposter syndrome and the pressures to follow academic trends at the start of your PhD journey, disconnecting you from your true interests. A translation project helped the author realise the value of embracing his authentic self and focusing on what truly resonates with him. By shifting to linguistics and translation studies, the author found fulfilment and meaning in his research.

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Academic Careers
Suzanne O'Regan

15 Years in Academia: 10 Things I’d Do Differently If Starting My PhD Again

This article reflects on the author’s 15-year academic journey, detailing the lessons learned from disorganised PhD student to effective work habits as a postdoc and assistant professor, and applying these lessons to their current role at Paperpile. Suzanne offers practical advice on academic writing, productivity, and professional development, emphasizing the importance of daily writing practice, systematic note-taking, reflection, goal setting, and the use of digital tools like reference managers. She shares these insights to help current PhD students avoid similar pitfalls and develop productive habits early in their academic careers.

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COVID-19
Daniel Walker

What Do I Know Three Years On?

In “What Do I Know Three Years On?” Daniel Walker reflects on his PhD journey and offers advice to those embarking on a similar path. He emphasizes the importance of perspective, self-awareness, and remaining humble, and shares a reflection exercise that helps maintain focus and motivation.

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