The selection of a doctoral thesis is crucial because it defines the research on which your studies will be based. As a result, because you will be living with it for a long time, it is important that it be a topic that interests you and keeps you interested in the long run.
If you are looking for ideas for your doctoral thesis, we recommend some sources of inspiration that can help you generate ideas on interesting topics that you can spin with your ideal topic.
1.- READ. And, while it may seem obvious, devoting time to reading Popular Science works, not just in your area of interest, is extremely beneficial. Stay informed by using Google alerts or newsletters, for example, which allow you to receive information on a regular basis. Fundamentally, set aside a daily or weekly reading time to categorize the information that is of interest to you.
2.- SOCIAL NETWORKS. Twitter and LinkedIn, for example, are very appealing networks for following other scientists or laboratories in order to learn and discover their work. These networks will keep you up to date on current issues in your field and may serve as inspiration for your doctoral research.
3.- PODCASTS. This tool is fantastic because it allows you to use times that we often consider dead, such as when we drive or cook dinner, to feed the intellect on topics of interest. Nowadays, there are so many podcasts and listening tools available that the only difficult part is deciding which ones to listen to. Choose about 5 programs as favorites and keep up with their information. It will be extremely beneficial.
And, whether or not you already have a clear idea of the topic, it is critical that you create a thesis work plan to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Here are some pointers that will undoubtedly come in handy:
1.- HAVE DISCIPLINE. Doctoral work, like everything else in life, necessarily requires consistency. Make a writing schedule for yourself and stick to it. Changes should not be made. Make a habit of blocking this time, which will allow you to move forward steadily.
2. WRITE DAILY. In addition to the preceding point, it is critical that you set aside time each day to work on the text of your thesis. In fact, it works very well to set a daily goal, which can be measured in time (2 hours) or words (400).
3. CREATE A TRACKING METHOD. If there is one thing you have learned for certain, it is that you must measure results, and your degree project is no exception, so do not forget to track your progress, for example, using an Excel spreadsheet with your daily actions. Set milestones with dates to allow for small victories that will motivate you along the way.
4. TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE TIMES OF YOUR TUTORS. Remember that you must not only consider your availability, but also that of your tutors, so it is critical to establish partial delivery dates that take into account your tutors' availability to read your thesis and also allow for time for corrections.
5. DEFINE DEADLINES. Working backward from the final date of your work, create a calendar that allows you to define the work times, readings, and revisions, and that will allow you to reach the final date established for the delivery of the final work.
If you are looking for places to get inspired, we recommend looking at LinkedIn, where there are over 3,600 groups dedicated to Ph.D. topics and where you'll almost certainly find information that will be useful to you. Furthermore, we recommend three podcasts that you might find interesting, where you can listen to reflections on the life of a PhD student:
● How to PhD
● The PhD Life Raft Podcast
● Hello PhD