What makes you a perfect PhD student? 5 hacks for smart students!

Andy Stapleton

14 Dec 202015:24

EducationalLearning

32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRIn this video, the speaker shares tips on how to appear as an ideal PhD student and impress supervisors. They discuss strategies like being visible in the lab, timing emails to appear hardworking, cultivating an inquisitive mind, being self-driven, contributing to research papers, and developing strong communication skills. The speaker emphasizes the importance of making the supervisor look good, collaborating with peers, and enhancing one's research and writing capabilities. These insights aim to help PhD students navigate the academic system effectively and succeed in their careers.

Takeaways

🎓 Supervisors choose PhD students to further their own careers, so being a good PhD student often involves making your supervisor look good.
🕒 Showing up early and staying late in the lab can create a perception of dedication, which is valued by supervisors.
📧 Delaying email sends to late hours can give the impression that you are working late, even if you are not physically in the lab.
💡 Developing an inquisitive mind and reading literature outside your field can help you come up with innovative ideas and appear more inquisitive to your supervisor.
🚀 Being self-driven is crucial, especially with supervisors who are not overly involved in your day-to-day work. Consistently presenting problems and solutions can demonstrate your initiative.
📚 Publishing papers is a key aspect of academia, and early collaborations can help you get your name on publications, even if your contribution is minimal.
🔍 Reading widely and exploring techniques from other fields can help you incorporate new ideas into your research, making you appear more innovative.
🤝 Being solution-focused and bringing potential solutions to your supervisor can help you stand out as a proactive and capable researcher.
📈 The academic system rewards productivity, particularly in terms of publishing papers and securing grants, so focusing on these areas can make you an ideal PhD student.
🗣️ Strong communication skills are a secret weapon in academia, even though they are not directly rewarded. Being able to confidently represent your work to others is highly valued.
🔑 Developing good writing and communication skills is essential, as they can help you stand out and represent your supervisor effectively at conferences and other academic events.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video script provided?
-The video script focuses on discussing the characteristics and strategies that can make someone appear to be an ideal PhD student, including some potentially unethical 'hacks' to impress academic supervisors.
Why do academic supervisors choose PhD students?
-Academic supervisors choose PhD students to further their own careers, as they need them to test and validate their ideas, and to contribute to their success through citations and paperwork.
What is one of the 'hacks' mentioned in the script to appear dedicated to one's PhD work?
-One of the 'hacks' mentioned is to arrive at the lab just before the supervisor does, to create the impression of being dedicated and hardworking.
What is the purpose of delaying email sends until late hours?
-Delaying email sends until late hours is a trick to give the impression that the student is working late, which can be beneficial in the eyes of the academic supervisors.
Why is having an inquisitive mind important for a PhD student?
-An inquisitive mind is important because it allows the student to come up with their own ideas and to explore literature beyond their immediate field, which can lead to innovative research.
What does the script suggest about the value of self-driven PhD students?
-The script suggests that self-driven PhD students are valued because they maintain consistency in their research and writing, and can come up with solutions to problems, which can help further the supervisor's career.
How does the script describe the role of peer-reviewed academic papers in academia?
-The script describes peer-reviewed academic papers as the currency of academia, where producing papers is crucial for both the student's and the supervisor's career advancement.
What is the term used in the script to describe the practice of including many names on an academic paper?
-The term used is 'cheesing,' where the first author does the work, the last author is the supervisor, and everyone in the middle is considered part of the 'cheese' in the academic sandwich.
Why is good writing and communication skills important for a PhD student according to the script?
-Good writing and communication skills are important because they give confidence to the audience and are a secret weapon that can help a student stand out, even though they are not directly rewarded for these skills in academia.
What is the advice given in the script regarding communication skills for PhD students?
-The advice given is to spend time honing communication skills, even if it's uncomfortable, because it can be beneficial for representing the supervisor well at conferences and for the student's overall career.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 The Art of Appearing as an Ideal PhD Student

The speaker introduces the video's theme, which is about the strategies and 'hacks' that can make a PhD student appear ideal in the eyes of the academic system. They discuss the reality of academia being a pyramid scheme where PhD students are hired to further the careers of their supervisors. The speaker promises to share tips on how to make oneself seem like the perfect candidate for a PhD program, including some borderline unethical tactics that they personally used during their own academic journey.

05:00

🕒 Demonstrating Dedication Through Timing and Email Tricks

This paragraph delves into the importance of appearing dedicated to one's PhD work, particularly by being in the lab at the right times to impress supervisors. The speaker shares personal tactics such as arriving just before the supervisor and delaying email sends to late hours to create the illusion of working long hours. They emphasize that while it's not necessary to work until midnight, these tricks can help establish a reputation for hard work and commitment early in one's PhD career.

10:01

🧠 Cultivating an Inquisitive Mind and Self-Driven Approach

The speaker highlights the value of having an inquisitive mind and being self-driven in PhD studies. They suggest setting aside time to explore literature outside one's field to generate innovative ideas and to appear proactive. Furthermore, they discuss the importance of being able to present problems and solutions to supervisors, which not only demonstrates self-reliance but also helps in maintaining focus and avoiding being led astray by the supervisor's potentially impractical ideas.

15:02

📝 The Currency of Academia: Papers and Publications

The paragraph focuses on the significance of academic papers in the world of PhD studies. The speaker shares a trick for early career PhD students to get their names on papers by collaborating with peers and offering to use their techniques on others' research. They also touch on the later stages of a PhD, where the emphasis is on driving papers and understanding the symbiotic relationship between one's own career and that of the supervisor, which often revolves around publications and grants.

🗣️ The Secret Weapon of Communication Skills

In this paragraph, the speaker discusses the often-overlooked importance of communication skills for PhD students. They argue that while academics may not be directly rewarded for their communication abilities, being able to convey information effectively is a secret weapon that can lead to success in academia. The speaker shares their personal experience of how strong communication skills contributed to their academic achievements and encourages PhD students to invest time in developing this skill, despite the discomfort it may initially cause.

🌟 Becoming the Ideal PhD Student: A Summary of Strategies

The final paragraph wraps up the video by summarizing the strategies discussed for becoming an ideal PhD student. The speaker invites viewers to share their thoughts and additional tips in the comments and encourages them to subscribe and share the video to help grow the channel. They express their desire to support as many people as possible through their PhD journey and make their academic work beneficial.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡PhD student

A PhD student is an individual engaged in academic research under the guidance of a supervisor, typically aiming to contribute new knowledge to their field of study by completing a thesis. In the video, the term is central to the discussion, as the speaker shares strategies to excel in this role. The video emphasizes the importance of making a PhD supervisor's career look good, which indirectly benefits the student.

💡Supervisor

A supervisor in the context of academia is a senior researcher or faculty member who oversees the work of a PhD student, providing guidance and support. The video highlights that supervisors often choose PhD students to further their own career and academic reputation. It suggests that being a good PhD student involves making the supervisor look good by contributing to their research and publications.

💡Academic system

The academic system refers to the structured environment of higher education and research, where individuals progress through ranks based on their contributions, such as publications and grants. The video implies that the academic system can be manipulated to some extent, with the speaker sharing 'hacks' to appear more successful within this system.

💡Work ethic

Work ethic is the degree of dedication and diligence one shows towards their work. In the video, the speaker mentions that showing a strong work ethic, such as being in the lab early or late, can create a positive impression on supervisors. This is used as a strategy to appear more committed and productive.

💡Inquisitive mind

An inquisitive mind refers to a curious and questioning attitude, often associated with a desire to explore new ideas and knowledge. The video suggests that having an inquisitive mind and coming up with one's own ideas can make a PhD student stand out. The speaker advises reading literature outside one's field to generate innovative ideas.

💡Self-driven

Being self-driven means having the ability to motivate oneself and take initiative in one's work. The video emphasizes the importance of being self-driven in a PhD program, especially when the supervisor is not overly involved. The speaker suggests that presenting problems along with potential solutions can demonstrate self-driven behavior.

💡Peer-reviewed papers

Peer-reviewed papers are scholarly articles that have been evaluated by experts in the field before being published. They are a key measure of academic success. The video discusses the importance of publishing papers in academia and suggests strategies for getting one's name on papers, even if the contribution is minimal.

💡Communication skills

Communication skills refer to the ability to convey information effectively and persuasively, both in writing and verbally. The video highlights that while communication skills are not directly rewarded in academia, they are crucial for success. The speaker shares that being able to communicate well can give confidence to an audience and is a 'secret weapon' in academia.

💡Collaboration

Collaboration in the academic context involves working together with others on research projects, often leading to co-authorship on papers. The video suggests that early on in a PhD, collaborating with others and offering to use one's techniques on their projects can lead to getting one's name on papers, which is beneficial for both parties.

💡Grants

Grants are financial awards given to support research, often competitive and awarded based on the merit of the proposed work. The video implies that securing grants is a critical aspect of an academic career, alongside publishing papers. It suggests that being able to contribute to grant applications can further a PhD student's reputation.

💡Ethical hacks

Ethical hacks, as used in the video, refer to strategies or tactics that may push the boundaries of conventional expectations but are not technically unethical. The speaker shares 'hacks' to appear more dedicated and productive, such as timing email sends or being in the lab at strategic times, to create a positive impression on supervisors.

Highlights

The importance of appearing as a dedicated PhD student to supervisors for career advancement.

The concept of academics being part of a 'pyramid scheme' to further their own careers through PhD students.

Tips on how to make a PhD supervisor believe you are highly dedicated, including arriving early and using email tricks.

The strategy of being in the lab before the supervisor arrives to create a perception of dedication.

Using delayed email sends to give the impression of working late hours.

The value of having an inquisitive mind and reading literature outside of one's field to generate innovative ideas.

The necessity of being self-driven in a PhD, especially when dealing with supervisors who are not micromanagers.

The approach of always presenting problems to supervisors with potential solutions to appear self-driven.

The role of peer-reviewed papers as the currency of academia and the importance of getting one's name on them.

Early career strategies for getting involved in papers through collaborations and technique sharing.

The later career focus on driving papers and the academic game of 'cheesing' in author lists.

The often overlooked importance of great writing and communication skills for PhD students.

How strong communication skills can give confidence to an audience and represent supervisors well.

The idea that communication skills are a 'secret weapon' for an academic career despite not being directly rewarded.

The suggestion to work on communication skills even if it's uncomfortable to do so, for long-term career benefits.

An invitation for viewers to share additional tips on becoming an ideal PhD student in the comments.

A reminder for viewers to subscribe and share the video to support the channel's growth and mission.

Transcripts

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What makes you a perfect PhD student? 5 *hacks* for smart students!