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

What makes you a perfect PhD student? The academic system requires that you jump through certain hoops and that you also satisfy the career aspirations and goals of your supervisor. In this video I will share some tips on what makes an ideal PhD student! So you can be as successful as possible!
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▼ ▽ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - introduction
0:40 - what supervisors want
2:11 - long hours in the lab
5:20 - inquisitive mind with own ideas
6:46 - self driven and solution focused
9:35 - academic papers
12:02 - great writing skills and communication skills
14:42 - outro
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[@sanskrutisharma6790]

Andy's supervisor watching this video be like :o

[@jinlu4]

Omg yes to the communications video please! I never know what I'm even talking about, much less how to get it across to my audience 😅

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

Hi Andy, I have explicitly taught science communication in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j57WlaaKe9Rnfrs Would love to see how you may agree with my sharing!

[@nhudodoan485]

I completely agree with you, although I'm not a PhD student. These "techniques" are applied in my workplace. They're actually "people skills" and PhD supervisors are quite similar to bosses in workplaces.

[@swicheroo1]

A lot has to do with the stage in career of a doctoral advisor (and also the rank of the program). My advisor was a founding figure in my field. And she was the ranking scholar in one of the two departments that more or less defined my specialty. She was also deep into her career arc. And didn't need to prove anything more. So, yes she was invested in getting the best students. And of course, she wanted to plant those students at all the major universities across the country. But she was into fostering students, too. The model your describing maybe describes someone who is hungrier, perhaps early career or perhaps is ambitious to make a move up the ladder to a better university.

[@petersonjr8015]

I’m a PhD student myself and I can say you are 1000% on point!

[@jwest2743]

Great info about the whole academic culture and how to navigate the phd process. I'm just starting the journey. Thank you!

[@rev.mathewskariah9871]

Hi Andy, thank you for the wonderful video and the hacks. The challenge to come up with solution to the problems that we face is indeed a great idea. Looking for great videos like these.

[@MrPoposiado]

Really good. great insights, valuable but honest. Loving this channel.

[@vabriga1]

Andy, your videos are like talking to your (good) friend who really wants to help you cross bridges he has already crossed. Thank you, man. Keep on rocking.

[@andreeabirta1849]

I find the information in this video useful first of all because it gives me a clearer picture of things and secondly everything is presented honestly. Thanks and keep up the good work!

[@siyuyan6779]

Hey, Andy! I love your subtitle which is useful for me to improve my listening ability about academic expression!

[@michalmefli]

Great content Andy! Keep up with your mission.

[@zewetirmekonnen950]

Love your passion to help. Great adice! Thank you mate!

[@noahthomas2406]

Hey Andy, great video! Have you ever thought about getting people on the channel that have done non-STEM PhD’s? I want to pursue a History degree, and though I find your channel really helpful, not everything translates! I’m sure there’s a lot of people who watch this channel who are in/want to get into very diverse programs.

[@DrAndyStapleton]

Yes I have! I have a few non-STEM PhD friends! I'll be doing it in the future for sure!

[@mariannepfly1906]

I am from STEM, BSC. and MSc. and then worked in industry and now (at 36) I’m doing a (human) geography PhD...got the opportunity through my work, so when I watch your videos I totally get it with what you describe, but now I’m in unknown territory being in Arts trying to grasp it all. Love your videos, thanks! :)

[@XBox360Quest]

@@DrAndyStapleton Yes, I'm starting my PhD this Fall, and I will really appreciate it if you have some talk show-type of videos :)

[@nicolemusselman4246]

@@DrAndyStapleton YES! Please. I am a PhD. student in the humanities with a two year old and would love to hear from others.

[@charlenemakk6790]

@@nicolemusselman4246 i am about to start with a 1 year old. Any tips?

[@cilek095]

Thank you so much for all your amazing content. Recently found your channel and just love your videos thank you !

[@rnguyen9368]

Your first two tips cracked me up! They were like next level "fake it til you make it" 🤣

[@mariannepfly1906]

Love this, esp the bit about not having a solution so being their toy to play with 😁😂

[@mrr8702]

1st year PhD student here, I'm glad I found your channel its been very helpful so far :) Thank you.

[@trianglebook3616]

I'm doing my PhD in art history, there's no lab but the library is it's equivalent, I find your videos to be extremely helpful I wish I had seen them in my first year I'm currently in the middle of my program it's 4 years. And Yes, there's no summer vacation

[@philipz.v2425]

also the tricks to be liked by your profs during undergrad and employment :) thanks for sharing

[@aminulislamapu4929]

Great... I appreciate your efforts

[@shreyamukherjee4784]

After listening to this I feel my supervisor is a saint 🙏❤️

[@amirmostaghimi7943]

Thank you for the awesome content.

[@troyt3530]

Very useful tips. Thanks

[@TresPreguntas]

Good career advice as well, thanks

[@fereidoonmarefat9653]

it was amazing. thank you

[@muhammadsabirinhadis7157]

Amazing Video, Some cases can be applied use your advice and the others not. But overall, it's good advice for starting as PhD. Student. Keep it up. Thank you.

[@user-pf5mi6mt1m]

nice tricks, actually i applied some of it and it was really helpful

[@aditisiddharth6472]

great tips Andy! Im in the process of applying for my DPhil and so your videos are really handy!

[@DrAndyStapleton]

Best of luck! A pleasure to be helping out!

[@muhammadfarooq6213]

Wow! It has been a month in PhD for me. Being in the lab before supervisor arrives the best trick and the most pleasing one for supervisor. Thanks Bro

[@khadidjaesperanza7078]

Hi Farooq, how are you doing with your PhD? And how is it like?

[@shreyadas5065]

Good video again. I like the idea that you should always go to the supervisor with a problem and also a solution. It just shows that the PhD student wants to be independent. That shows also that the supervisor can trust the student with a new problem in the future. I would like to suggest that maybe it is a good idea to do a detailed video about effective communication to explain the research work. I am myself a good presenter, but we all can benefit from some tips.

[@bhagyashrijoshi1482]

Very helpful tips...communication skills need to be strong.

[@marikawood846]

I feel so grateful to have found your channel. I am currently finishing an undergrad and considering a PhD in chemistry. There is so much to consider and your videos continue to help me feel much more prepared for the choices I need to make. Thank you for your insights!

[@prapanthebachelorette6803]

Hey, me too 😊

[@daesoolee1083]

Agreed. Good public speaking skills make audience simply focus on what you're talking about. (instead of staring at their phones)

[@tyrusenelson1988]

I just applied to all my grad schools this cycle, and found your channel immediately after! I was wondering how do you think publishing would work for Humanities PhD like Sociology?

[@blahHPsor]

Invaluable knowledge

[@ritac9769]

I would love a video about conferences! Do you wait for your advisor to force you to go to one? Should you find them on your own and pay for your own way? Are big conferences better or small ones? Are they even worth your time? What does a conference talk look like compared to a seminar talk compared to a lab meeting talk? Having only attended one small conference before grad school this is a big black box for me!

[@milankaur6626]

I second this!

[@maryr94]

If you think you'd benefit from attending or presenting at a conference then you could bring the topic up with your supervisor. You can Google conferences on your area of research but your supervisor, or someone else in your research team, might have a better idea about which ones will be suitable for your research. The size of the conference isn't so much a factor in what's a "good" conference. It's more about the topics that are being presented and whether or not they are relevant to your area of research. 😊

[@milankaur6626]

@@maryr94 thanks! One more question - so if we do poster presentations at conferences, 1. What does it entail? 2. Can we mention that we presented a poster for future benefits like c.v. 3. What is the difference between regular presenting a research/ abstract compared to poster?

[@maryr94]

@@milankaur6626 so in a conference, generally there are talks going on in rooms. These would be seminars/key note speakers or else people presenting their abstract/conference paper. Then there is a room full of posters where people can go around and look at the posters in their own time. You stand by your poster and explain your work to people who come by and you answer any of their questions. To prep for this, you will design your poster, which should be a summary of your work, showcasing your results. For a presentation on an abstract, you will prepare and give a presentation. Usually around 10 minutes. You will be allocated to a particular session of other presenters who are presenting on a similar topic. Either at the end of your presentation or else at the end of the session, there will be a few minutes for questions and answers. For this you will need to prepare your presentation and some conferences may require that you prepare an accompanying conference paper. 😊

[@maryr94]

@@milankaur6626 also yes you can mention conference presentations in your CV 😊

[@drgjenkins4361]

And best thing I found - plan small amounts and promise small amounts of work to be delivered. Then, when you inevitably complete more - you've got that bonus work 'up your sleave'

[@safrizal513]

great video, thanks

[@mitchellreynolds4896]

Great video! A lot of these tips/hacks are useful for industry too. For the delayed email send, the supervisor could respond back to you quickly asking a simple clarifying question to see if you're really working late.

[@inessanchezgomez9592]

Great video! Thanks for the tips. I am just finishing my PhD and I couldn't agree more with all of those hacks.

[@oluwatosinobaseki4087]

Congratulations

[@garrettsager804]

easily the best video yet, awesome job!

[@DrAndyStapleton]

Glad you think so!

[@wayde5545]

Yes very good video

[@jameslennard4062]

This channel is fantastic mate. Thanks so much for sharing all of your wisdom dude. It's nice to have a feeling of 'a real human being has been through the journey I'm currently on and made it out okay'. Love from Sheffield.

[@ramitdas2604]

Problem +solution .. yet to get there..but I totes understand the wild ideas n being down that rabbit hole

[@r__9_1____a34]

Thanks champ! Appreciate it

[@DrAndyStapleton]

Any time!

[@drgjenkins4361]

Hmmmm. I'd preface all of this with: different supervisors want different things - so suss out early on what makes them tick. My supervisor was not keen on lengthy lab hours because he prioritised reading / ensure time wasn't wasted measuring for the sake of it

[@wiktoriarajewicz3775]

This was super helpful, thanks! I just got accepted for a really fascinating PhD position. How do you deal with the fear that you're too stupid to complete it? The imposter syndrome is whooping my ass 😂

[@ursii1998]

You wouldnt be there if you didnt deserve it. Simple as that. Good luck!

[@prapanthebachelorette6803]

Relatable 😂

[@sarveshswamy9708]

very true... random and wild ideas....

[@Maria-fl6gw]

Yes please to a video on communication. I can't even sleep before I have to give a presentation

[@francishunt562]

The more you do it, the easier it gets.

[@demaskatorr]

Very, very true ...

[@k0185123]

Hello Andy, many thanks for your video. I really have learnt a lot from it. I am an international PhD student and English is not my native language. So do you have any suggestions on learning writing and communication skills for international PhD students? Thanks a lot!

[@user-jp6xb6ju2k]

your channel makes me feel a little less stressed about doing a PhD , Thank you

[@swordsimkid23]

I'm not anyone special, infact I doubt I'll ever reach these levels. But I will keep this in mind in my own studies. I especially like the idea of reaching out of the knowledge bubble

[@rocioelizabethbanosrodrigu4522]

Hi! Thanks a lot for your videos Could you do one about get scholarships? Some tips for get the financial support, thanks!

[@dangkhoatrannguyen6734]

Hi Dr. Stapleton, I hope you see this comment. I enjoyed your video a lot. But I wonder if you can do a video on how to prepare and apply for a PhD while in the industry. I'm graduating from my Master and thinking of going into the industry for a few years, to better prepare my self and explore what's out there before starting the PhD. Thank you.

[@dr.emilyacevedo812]

What I did was I set up a day and time each week with my chair to review reviews and feedback requested by the 2nd committee member and if we thought it didn't make sense we would meet through Zoom to have her clarify them. Many times I would have many changes and after I while I became overwhelm and what help me was to walk away from the dissertation and come back when I was fully rested and I had a fresh perspective and could continue working. I also set up a schedule for reading, highlighting, and writing for the week. Each day I made sure I follow the schedule. The last thing I took self care days to have a spa day, meet with friends or just be by myself.

[@andreafasolini8087]

Nice advices. The first one is useful but it can be a trap. If they think you are always working they will always consider you available and contact you at any time with any request. It is important to invest your time in the work but also understanding which are your limits and when to say no! It is our right to say have enough and that we are tired or stressed. Of course there is a balance that anyone has

[@andreafasolini8087]

The one about proposing solution is the real core of PhD. Otherwise you just become a robot that needs to execute

[@DSScully]

Or they'll accuse you of sleeping in the lab

[@tapashyarasaily1373]

I❤️ur channel...need this rt now

[@erwincarlogonzales]

This content is really great Andy. If you could make a tutorial/strategy on how to pump out as much papers as possible as a PhD student that would be really cool

[@chrisogonas]

hehehe very lovely and useful tips!

[@janswanton3631]

All of your advice is spot on. I certainly used all those tricks in my career, especially being the first in the office every morning and being ahead on briefing. But in these strange times, I'm about to start a PhD where I have never met and probably never will meet my supervisor, will never physically go to the University where I'm registered and certainly will never meet anyone else involved until a Zoom viva! My biggest headache is how I am going to get hold of books without having to buy them (my local library, currently shut, charges £15 per British Library loan!). Really would welcome practical advice on how to succeed at a PhD (Arts not Science) in this Covid world, please! Love your videos. They make a lot of sense!

[@MegaLovelyA]

Are you not able to find free versions of these books online?

[@janswanton3631]

@@MegaLovelyA Lolol! No. Although they are non-fiction, they aren't 'academic' in the sense of being deemed 'worthy' of being on line. But thanks for the thought!

[@MegaLovelyA]

@@janswanton3631 A lot of books are on archive.org and some other websites though, even non academic books!

[@janswanton3631]

@@MegaLovelyA Thanks for the tip. But, sadly none of the books I am looking for are there. I need books on the Monterey Pop Festival. There are several, but I can't find them on line. Any ideas?

[@MegaLovelyA]

@@janswanton3631 I know about b-ok.org/ and gen.lib.rus.ec . That's all

[@svendkorsgaard9599]

Hi Andy, can you please give some guidance to how we can begin improving our communication skills?

[@williamwaters4506]

Speaking for myself, the main personality trait you need is persistence. It was like working my way through a battle field having to fight through one battle after another. My approach was to not focus on the end but on each step: complete the course work, write a proposal, collect data etc. To me it was no different than a job where my end goal was retirement. I accomplished both.

[@ycz1931]

The email thing, ive been doing it opposite for 8 yrs in my career...coz I didn't want to bother anyone out of office hour, so even if I sent it around midnight, I set the timer as 9AM next morning, now I dont know how to feel lol

[@funkygenesis]

You're just super considerate. Don't beat yourself about it.

[@ycz1931]

@@funkygenesis awww thx

[@Zoki4444]

#6: glasses. Glasses make you look smart!

[@gulnazlaghari2530]

Haha, why you said 🤔

[@TheGbelcher]

The delaying emails trick works best for someone who you don’t think will respond right away. 😉

[@user-qy8zi8hq4v]

Thank you I'm about to start my PhD career

[@bikashhandique8797]

All the best!

[@user-qy8zi8hq4v]

Lol I am in my 3rd year now

[@matildefranzanti5297]

Hi Andy, I want to ask you something and I hope you'll take the time to answer.. I'd really appreciate that! Next year I will be abroad with an international mobility programme and I need to start my thesis. I also have been told from the receiving institution that probably If I want to do some research stuff I need to follow one of their professors: I already have my professor, and I really admire him and want to stick with him also, but I think that researching in another university could also be a great experience. Do you think that he will benefit of this sort of collaboration? Or do you think that he will like the idea? Do you have some tips on how to manage this situation in order to have the best results? I thank you so much in advance just for taking the time to read this

[@king0vdarkness]

interesting... for developing comms skills, debating society... I guess? any other ideas?

[@davefromdevon]

I find streaming on twitch great for developing communication skills, it makes you less conscious about speaking to potentially many many people 🙂

[@workonyou171]

accually I love your channel, and I really want you to give me an advice about what I'm living in my PhD, I'm feeling so tired I don't know why, I can't concentrate in nothing! and it's my final year and I need my energy! how can I overcome that?

[@DrAndyStapleton]

Thanks for your question. It's hard to know why you can't concentrate and you feel so tired. Tiredness and lack of motivation can be the early signs of depression. Taking a bit of time to properly sleep, eat healthily, and revitalise yourself with activities that energise you could be a way to get yourself out of your lull. If it continues for any more time I would recommend speaking to a health professional.

[@patriciamora2100]

Make the communication video please...now! I mean it

[@ratnanirupama3368]

Yeah please provide tips for PhD students from other disciplines such as humanities as well

[@ladianaify]

what you say in this video is something l get informally from my supervisors and fellow postdocs at the institute - and everything you say is correct, unfortunately, and l wish someone told me this from the very beginning. just a tiny thing: in my case supervisors don't like emails at 10 pm, though. They find it as an alarming sign of the lack of control over your personal-worklife balance.

[@yoloswaginator]

Yuo there seems to be a sort of bifurcation the longer you stay in academia, either you build up a strong rest ethic or you become consumed by your job.

[@2triangles]

“You end up being a toy to their wild ideas” 😂 This is actually fantastic advice for real jobs too.

[@XBox360Quest]

All of this amazing content for freeeeeee?!!!!!!!! I would have paid for it!

[@starsharp3500]

I'd love for you to make a video expanding on the idea of making a power-point for every paper you read. A SUPER practice that 100000% sense. Show us how you put it to action, examples and its usefulness. I know it worked.

[@DrAndyStapleton]

I will add it to the list of videos that I want to produce! Thank you so much for your support of my channel.

[@dr.emilyacevedo812]

My PhD experience was very different. I worked at home or at my job when the day was over. I had scheduled meetings with my chair and I met with on a regular basis. My studies were online and I enjoy not having to meet in a physical space.

[@deusvult1268]

How were you able to have a job next to the PhD? Also, where can you find an online PhD?

[@DrJoySmithMaxwell]

Communication skills are definitely underrated in the PhD realm!

[@survivalofthebitches971]

Haha the Email one is funny

[@alextremo0205]

I think it is essential to bear in mind the motivation for following the tips: the why of it. If you do them just to "look" good instead of actually being good, then I don't think it would be for the right reason. "Papers are the currency of academia" is a sad summary of what it sometimes feels like being in academia. This should be different, and not just "this is the way it is." And about communication, I totally agree. It is a crucial skill to improve. Especially in academia, the concepts begin to be abstract and overly specific, so successfully conveying your message is really important. Great to see a video on this. :)

[@karenk2409]

My observations: Work Ethic. Imagine that! And: those of you working for a PhD with small children have my absolute admiration.

[@NarvekarSamidha]

Hi, I am almost completing my 2nd year of my PhD, and I feel stuck, I don't feel like reading anymore or working, although I really want to. Is it something others go through?

[@lockwooddanny]

I love your videos Andy but I think email delaying should be used to do the opposite of that, to send emails in actual normal hours, otherwise this completely perpetuates a system of overworking and burn out in others, definitely unethical in my opinion.

[@thespiritofhegel3487]

My tip on doing a PhD. Do it on Hegelian philosophy applied in an analysis of James Joyce's 'Finnegans Wake'. That's what I'm doing. No one knows what you are on about. Even your supervisors

[@philozoraptor6808]

Inquisite mind part is actually basic attribute every good scientist should have, it should be bare minimum but unfortunatelly it is rare in my experience.

[@sandyseven6028]

Hello Which topic did you choose for your Ph.D.?

[@samridhisharma9717]

Can you be my supervisor?😜 it"ll be a blessing for me 😭🙏

[@zapwatt]

I dated a PhD student and it was a real eye opener. I don't think very highly of them or their culture after seeing what I have.

[@maysha7836]

"communication skills is a secret weapon!!"

[@1UniverseGames]

Can you please help me to do research that I could publish

[@trinhmr5716]

As for me, I do not care a lot about the time, if you can finish your work earlier than others, you can come back first as long as you have Q.1 ISI paper for your supervisor, that is enough!!!

[@aditisiddharth6472]

My DPhil is not going to be lab based. So there goes point no 1...

[@Mountaineer170]

I wish I knew these in my first year, not the last month of it 🤣

[@ZapGwalla]

Do PhD students get holidays?

[@chrisdonnell7200]

These aren't "hacks" so much as just like, basic aspects of being a good PhD student. Love these secret unethical hacks such as "don't show up late", "read up on papers related to your field", "learn to communicate"...

[@francishunt562]

Agreed, just common sense mostly.

[@baqirhemraj7639]

It is natural that a student might have self-doubt about his/her ability to write a PhD thesis but one has to persist.

[@xaharxeruji3441]

The first 5 minutes is the funniest content so far.... hehehe

[@TheRacingWind]

why am I watching this, I haven't even been accepted to an MA program yet

[@danielconiff8178]

Bro I haven't even been accepted to a four year undergrad program yet

[@marlynsanchezh.2019]

I haven't even finished undergrad! xd

[@TheRacingWind]

my comment is no longer accurate, I got accepted to my top MA program last Tuesday 🥳

[@rayyann00r]

Congratulations, Hope you the best

[@harenterberge2632]

Some supervisors fon't want you to have own ideas, that just gets in the way of you working testing their ideas.