As a new generation of African Americans completes college, an increasing number of students are aspiring to the Ph.D. as a stepping stone to a career in the academy and to fully participate in shaping our society. Most African Americans are conscious that they are the first in their families to embark on this journey. They are aware they will meet barriers and prejudice, are likely to face isolation and frustration, and find few sources of support along the way.This book, by twenty-four Black scholars who “have been there,” offers a guide to aspiring doctoral students to the formal process and to the personal, emotional and intellectual challenges they are likely to face. The authors come from a wide range of disciplines – from computing, education and literature to science and sociology. Although their experiences and backgrounds are as varied as they are as individuals, their richly diverse chapters cohere into a rounded guide to the issues for those who follow in their footsteps.From questioning the reader about his or her reasons for pursuing a doctorate, offering advice on financial issues, the choice of university and doctoral program, and relocation, through the process and timetable of application, interviews, acceptance and rejection, the authors go on to describe their own journeys and the lessons they have learned.These men and women write candidly about their experiences, the strategies they used to maintain their motivation, make the transition from HBCUs to PWIs, balance family and work, make the right choices and keep focussed on priorities. They discuss how to work effectively with advisors and mentors, make all-important connections with teachers and build professional and personal support networks. They recount how they dealt with tokenism, established credibility, handled racism, maintained their values and culture, and persuaded supervisors to legitimize their research interests in African American issues. This is both an inspirational and practical book for every African American considering pursuit of a doctoral degree.

This co-edited book provides doctoral candidates with a practical, cross-discipline handbook for successfully navigating the doctoral process – from initial program selection to the final dissertation defense and preparing for the faculty interview. Invited chapters from established higher education experts cover topics ranging from university and program selection, preparing for comprehensive exams and dissertation research, self-care and self-management strategies, and recommendations for maintaining personal and professional support systems. Each chapter includes strategies for success and practical tips, including how to create a study guide for the comprehensive examination, how to create a professional support group, how to talk to your family about the doctoral process, how to select and work with a chair and committee, how to identify an appropriate research design, how to navigate the IRB process, and how to master the research and writing process.

The Thinking Tools is a self-help book for preparing doctoral students towards navigating a 3-year PhD journey. It will help new doctoral candidates who just realized how overwhelming things are once the journey started. It also enlightens those doctoral students who are thinking about quitting the journey because the end never seems to be in sight. Based on the author’s ethnography study, the book points out key misconceptions at different research design phases, which are detrimental to postgraduates from developing countries due to differences in their learning cultures. The book includes several unconventional tips such as for fast critical writing and avoidance of research methodology thinking until after completion of rigorous literature review. The Thinking Tools book is a systematic compilation of selected simple tools for helping graduate students develop their understanding about the complex doctoral study. Kicking off with an emotional problem identification, the author introduces the innovative RQ Constructs formulae for developing novel inquiries. She details how this inquiry concept helps visualise the critical linkages among key research methodology components to ensure a doctoral qualification. The tools have proven to accelerate critical thinking competency if followed well by the doctoral students with some guidance from their supervisors.

A unique take on how to survive and thrive in the process your PhD, this is a book that stands out from the crowd of traditional PhD guides. Compiled by a leading UK researcher, and written in a highly personal one-to-one manner, How to Get Your PhD showcases the thoughts of diverse and distinguished minds hailing from the UK, EU, and beyond, spanning both academia and industry. With over 150 bitesize nuggets of actionable advice, it offers more detailed contributions covering topics such as career planning, professional development, diversity and inclusion in science, and the nature of risk in research. How to Get Your PhD: A Handbook for the Journey is as readable for people considering a PhD as it is for those in the middle of one: aiming to clarify the highs and lows that come when training in the profession of research, while providing tips & tricks for the journey. This concise yet complete guide allows students to "dip in" and read just what they need, rather than adding to the mountain of reading material they already have.

This textbook is a guide to success during the PhD trajectory. The first part of this book takes the reader through all steps of the PhD trajectory, and the second part contains a unique glossary of terms and explanation relevant for PhD candidates. Written in the accessible language of the PhD Talk blogs, the book contains a great deal of practical advice for carrying out research, and presenting one’s work. It includes tips and advice from current and former PhD candidates, thus representing a broad range of opinions. The book includes exercises that help PhD candidates get their work kick-started. It covers all steps of a doctoral journey in STEM: getting started in a program, planning the work, the literature review, the research question, experimental work, writing, presenting, online tools, presenting at one’s first conference, writing the first journal paper, writing and defending the thesis, and the career after the PhD. Since a PhD trajectory is a deeply personal journey, this book suggests methods PhD candidates can try out, and teaches them how to figure out for themselves which proposed methods work for them, and how to find their own way of doing things.

How to Survive Your PhD is your insider's guide to avoiding mistakes, choosing the right program, working with professors, and just how a person actually writes a 200-page paper When you're getting your PhD, you never know what surprises to expect. But now, you can be prepared! How to Survive Your PhD is your step-by-step guide to the right way to tackle every part of the doctoral process. Getting your PhD is not an easy process, and the decisions you make before and during your doctoral work can mean the different between having a PhD in four years or eight, Jason Karp has been there – and made the mistakes – and he shows you just what to avoid, what you should be doing, and how to make the best use of your time and resources. Plus insider tips on: Choosing Your School Dealing with Finances Picking the Right Academic Advisor Researching the Dissertation Managing Your Time The Exams Tricks of the Trade The Defense And so much more

What if you had a guidebook that you could turn to at each stage of your academic journey to help you navigate through the process of getting a PhD in Biblical Studies and succeeding in the academic world? This book is precisely intended to fill that need. From theory to practice, you will find discussions and answers to the most pertinent and pressing questions that prospective and current doctoral students are faced with: How do I choose a program? How can I gain admission into an elite program? How do I choose a research topic? Alongside the "big" questions about the process, there are also a host of smaller matters: How do I publish an article? What conferences are out there in my field? Where do I start looking for a job? How do I get teaching experience? How do I write a syllabus? This guidebook tackles all of these questions and many more in three parts: Prepare focuses on getting into a PhD program; Succeed guides you through the doctoral program, especially the writing of the dissertation; and Advance treats issues that relate to success in the academic world such as conference participation, publishing, employment, and best practices in teaching. PRAISE FOR THE FIRST EDITION "Gupta has kindly provided me a book version of an academic mentor. In a time when many professors are busy, Gupta walks the extra mile and makes himself present not only in person to those near him, but also in writing for those like me. I can't thank him enough!" --Natan B. de Carvalho, College Student "Dr. Gupta's book offered indispensable advice for me as I applied for PhD programs, completed my thesis, and applied for (and secured) tenure-track jobs. I am grateful for his service to the guild!" --Madison N. Pierce, Assistant Professor in New Testament, TEDS "Having started seminary about a year after the first edition appeared, I was able to use Gupta's abundance of clear-headed advice to build a path to doctoral study. I can see, as a student in a first-tier PhD program, that this journey would not have been possible had I not been able to learn the many unspoken rules Gupta outlines in this invaluable book." --Jonathan Groce, New Testament PhD student at Emory University "This book should be required for anyone even slightly interested in biblical higher education. I've enjoyed it so much that I've bought it three times, having given it away to two students." --Ryan Lytton, Director of Academic Services and Adjunct Professor at Life Pacific University-Virginia "This book has proven immensely helpful as I navigated the PhD application process. Providing useful benchmarks and invaluable suggestions, Gupta's sage advice prepared me for success." --Benjamin Castaneda, PhD student at the University of St. Andrews "The world of academic biblical studies can be difficult to navigate, especially for ethnic minorities. This book has prepared me well by making an opaque process clear and straightforward. I recommend it to anyone considering this path." --Daniel K. Eng, PhD candidate, University of Cambridge "I wanted to thank you for the invaluable guidance your book provided as I made decisions concerning my academic future. I have just completed my M.A. in Classical Studies at Villanova and was accepted into graduate programs at both Edinburgh and Oxford. Every step of the way your text provided clear and specific recommendations. It was a true blessing." --Ken Tully, Adjunct Faculty at Villanova "Prepare, Succeed, Advance is a tremendously helpful reference tool. As an academic advisor, I will make this the first resource I recommend to colleagues who may not have the advantage of personal experience in a PhD program. As a student, I will regularly return to Gupta's work for counsel on the next stage of academic life. Doctoral students should rejoice at having such a sure guide to academic success and commend Gupta for his contribution." --Samuel Emadi, review in JETS 56/1 (2013) 139-141, (140-141) "This guide is indispensable to anyone thinking about a PhD." --Abram K-J, "Should I get a PhD?" Words on the Word blog, July 9 2012 "Nijay Gupta's Prepare, Succeed, Advance: A Guidebook for Getting a PhD in Biblical Studies and Beyond is just that, a guidebook. It does not claim to provide a formula on how the entire process works. At the same time, it is more than that in the sense that Gupta's honesty, attention to detail, and measured optimism throughout the entire book give his voice a level of credibility and warmth that prospective students will find invaluable as they begin their own individual paths toward academia." --Michael Suh, PhD, Emory, review in RBL: October 2014 "Prepare, Succeed, Advance has so many helpful points that my highlighter almost gave out. If you have even the tiniest desire to pursue a PhD in Biblical Studies, get a few pencils, two highlighters, and a copy of this book. You won't be sorry." --Andrew Kelley, PhD, Edinburgh "When I started to investigate what a PhD in Biblical Studies entailed I was lost. What do schools look for? What programs are better for what field? So many questions, and so little (quality) answers. When I found Dr. Gupta's book I found both a map and compass. His book laid out the road ahead--including avenues to avoid, and boulevards to explore in more detail. Following Dr. Gupta's candid advice I have received offers to study at a couple of UK PhD programs. I think I owe Dr. Gupta some money! Buy this book--you will not be disappointed!" --Joshua Morris