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Dr.App RESOURCES PAGE

Here is a selection of further sources of support and information for research students and supervisors.  The links are to external organisations: Dr.App and Angel Productions are not responsible for their content.  If you know other resources we should consider for listing here, please email steve@angelproductions.co.uk

Blogs:

ThesisWhisperer.com is a blog about doctoral study edited by Associate Professor Inger Mewburn, director of researcher development at The Australian National University.  See the ‘Recommended’ and ‘Resources’ pages.

https://patthomson.net/, a blog for doctoral researchers, early career researchers and supervisors, by Pat Thomson, Professor of Education, University of Nottingham.

https://www.petafreestone.com/words-on-writing/  Writing tips from the founder of ‘Thesis Boot Camp’.

Discussion forums:

https://www.postgraduateforum.com, online discussion forum about PhDs.

Websites etc:

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/advice/nine-things-know-doing-phd has helpful advice for people considering a PhD.

http://www.missendencentre.co.uk/links.html  The Missenden Centre links include hundreds of PhD diaries by real (anonymised) students.

https://www.vitae.ac.uk/  Vitae supports the professional development of researchers.  Their site includes articles and resources for people considering a doctorate, and to develop researchers and supervisors.

http://www.ukcge.ac.uk/   The UK Council for Graduate Education.  Their site includes downloadable publications (more likely to be of interest to supervisors than students).

https://www.oiahe.org.uk/  Office of the Independent Adjudicator, the independent student complaints scheme for England and Wales.

Thinking of quitting?

Two articles worth reading if you are considering quitting your PhD:

https://www.natureindex.com/news-blog/three-questions-to-ask-yourself-before-quitting-your-phd

and https://theconversation.com/1-in-5-phd-students-could-drop-out-here-are-some-tips-for-how-to-keep-going-131902

Books about writing a thesis

(see also the blogs listed above):

Firth, Connell and Freestone, Your PhD Survival Guide. Routledge.

Murray, How to Write a Thesis. Open University Press.

Kamler and Thomson, Helping Doctoral Students Write. Routledge.

Preparing for your viva

There is a useful list of questions frequently asked in viva examinations here (thanks to Dr Ivan Newman).

And two recommended books:

Rowena Murray and Lynne Pearce, How to Examine a Thesis. Open University Press

Penny Tinkler and Carolyn Jackson, The Doctoral Examination Process. Open University Press

Financial support

https://www.blackbullion.com/ has a lot of content to build students’ financial skills and provide access to support funds, scholarships and grants. Some is free and some is behind a paywall which you can access if your university is one of the 60 who subscribe. Blackbullion’s annual report on Student Money and Wellbeing can be downloaded here.

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