Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Mastering Your PhD

Survival and Success in the Doctoral Years and Beyond

  • Book
  • © 2011

Overview

Authors:
  1. Patricia Gosling

    1. European Neuromuscular Centre, Baarn, Netherlands

    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

  2. Lambertus D. Noordam

    1. Physics (AMOLF), FOM Institute for Atomic & Molecular, Amsterdam, Netherlands

    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

  • Packed with highly-valuable insights for doing or considering a PhD, especially in natural sciences

  • Enriched and expanded with new chapters on choosing the right team, interpersonal relations, group dynamics, and a hospitable work environment

  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this book

Log in via an institution
eBook USD 29.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access

Licence this eBook for your library

Institutional subscriptions

Table of contents (24 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xii
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Choosing a Research Group: Pluses and Pitfalls

    • Patricia Gosling, Bart Noordam
    Pages 1-10

  3. Getting Started

    • Patricia Gosling, Bart Noordam
    Pages 11-15

  4. Setting Goals and Objectives

    • Patricia Gosling, Bart Noordam
    Pages 17-26

  5. How to Think Like a Scientist

    • Patricia Gosling, Bart Noordam
    Pages 27-34

  6. Designing Good Experiments

    • Patricia Gosling, Bart Noordam
    Pages 35-44

  7. Charting Your Progress Month by Month

    • Patricia Gosling, Bart Noordam
    Pages 45-51

  8. Dealing with Setbacks

    • Patricia Gosling, Bart Noordam
    Pages 53-60

  9. Mentors, Leadership, and Community

    • Patricia Gosling, Bart Noordam
    Pages 61-66

  10. How to Get Along with Your Lab Mates, et al.

    • Patricia Gosling, Bart Noordam
    Pages 67-83

  11. Group Dynamics: Dealing with Difficult Colleagues

    • Patricia Gosling, Bart Noordam
    Pages 85-90

  12. The Art of Good Communication

    • Patricia Gosling, Bart Noordam
    Pages 91-103

  13. Mastering Presentations and Group Meetings

    • Patricia Gosling, Bart Noordam
    Pages 105-118

  14. Searching the Scientific Literature

    • Patricia Gosling, Bart Noordam
    Pages 119-124

  15. Your First International Conference

    • Patricia Gosling, Bart Noordam
    Pages 125-135

  16. From Data to Manuscript: Writing Scientific Papers That Shine

    • Patricia Gosling, Bart Noordam
    Pages 137-147

  17. Celebrate Your Success

    • Patricia Gosling, Bart Noordam
    Pages 149-153

  18. How to Make the Best of Your Annual Evaluation

    • Patricia Gosling, Bart Noordam
    Pages 155-163

  19. The Final Year: Countdown to Your Thesis Defence

    • Patricia Gosling, Bart Noordam
    Pages 165-176

  20. Writing Your Doctoral Thesis with Style

    • Patricia Gosling, Bart Noordam
    Pages 177-188
Back to top

Keywords

About this book

"Mastering Your PhD: Survival and Success in the Doctoral Years and Beyond" helps guide PhD students through their graduate student years. Filled with practical advice on getting started, communicating with your supervisor, staying the course, and planning for the future, this book is a handy guide for graduate students who need that extra bit of help getting started and making it through. While mainly directed at PhD students in the sciences, the book's scope is broad enough to encompass the obstacles and hurdles that almost all PhD students face during their doctoral training. Who should read this book? Students of the physical and life sciences, computer science, math, and medicine who are thinking about entering a PhD program; doctoral students at the beginning of their research; and any graduate student who is feeling frustrated and stuck. It's never too early -- or too late! This second edition contains a variety of new material, including additional chapters on how to communicate better with your supervisor, dealing with difficult people, how to find a mentor, and new chapters on your next career step, once you have your coveted doctoral degree in hand.

Reviews

Some book reviews on 1st edition: "A must for any student in natural sciences that is doing or is considering doing a PhD. Also, I strongly recommend PhD supervisors to read this book -- they will learn a lot." Henrik Stapelfeldt, Professor of Chemistry, Arhus Denmark "At last, a book about graduate study that paints the big picture and that recognizes PhD work as a real job involving many of the same relationship and business issues that will be important to students throughout their careers. Outstanding!" Lou Bloomfield, Professor of Physics, University of Virginia, USA "Mastering Your PhD is a wonderful book and a pleasure to read. It helps PhD students prepare for the road ahead and provides a wealth of handy tips!" Aletta Wubben, Trainer and coach for scientists, The Netherlands

Authors and Affiliations

  • European Neuromuscular Centre, Baarn, Netherlands

    Patricia Gosling

  • Physics (AMOLF), FOM Institute for Atomic & Molecular, Amsterdam, Netherlands

    Lambertus D. Noordam

About the authors

Dr. Patricia Gosling has worked in several science-related fields since earning her PhD in Organic Chemistry, including medical publishing and medical communications. She currently works in the Scientific Affairs department of a leading biotechnology company. Prof. Dr. Bart Noordam is Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Amsterdam. As Professor of Physics he supervised several PhD students. He has also worked for McKinsey & Compnany, a Regional Audit Organization, and in the semiconductor industry.

Bibliographic Information

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Back to top

Search

Navigation