The pragmatic road to a PhD

Normally, towards the end of the year, like this time of the year, people plan to do all sorts of things in the following year. People make resolutions to fulfil their aspirations and dreams, and the beginning of each year is considered the right time to start doing something – buying that dream car or house, or getting married or changing a job.

One of the major things that I have witnessed people wanting to do is to improve their higher education – from first degree to doctoral studies. The trend is that people are literally scrambling for doctoral degrees as if obtaining a PhD will solve all the economic challenges that are bedevilling our society today.

Well, there is nothing wrong in pursuing doctoral studies, but I want to give some advice and warning to those who are contemplating to embark on this fulfilling academic journey.

From the onset, let me say that studying for a doctoral degree is not as easy as most people think; it requires academic rigour and stamina. As I will explain in this article, many people who jumped into the PhD bandwagon without academic grit have hopelessly and ashamedly either fell on the wayside or taken more than a decade to complete their studies, if they completed at all. Some students have actually committed suicide after failing to complete their doctoral studies.

In this case, the students failed to live with the shame of not obtaining their doctoral degrees in the end. They felt society would despise them as failures in life. They felt worthless, having that guilty conscience of failing to deliver a PhD in the end. My intention is not to intimidate or discourage anyone from pursuing their PhD dreams, but to say nothing but the truth before people waste their time and resources by venturing into the unknown.

So you want to study for a doctoral degree next year? Ask yourself whether you really need such a qualification in life. Does your work require you to possess a PhD? Do you want to have a PhD just for prestige or status? What does it mean to have a PhD? How does a PhD transform your character and thinking? Are you really ready to commence doctoral studies? Do you have quality time to devote to your studies? What knowledge do you want to contribute to your area of specialisation? Answers to these and other related questions should guide you in deciding whether or not to start your PhD studies.

Experience has proved that doctoral studies need concentration and focus, which many students lack. It is common for some students to fail to take off after registering for the doctoral studies in our local universities. This is mainly because most of our doctoral studies do not have coursework modules in the beginning. The doctoral studies are mainly by research only, where students submit a thesis or dissertation on an approved research topic after a minimum of three or four years, depending on the regulations of the institutions.

Since a doctoral study is an independent study in which a student must make a significant contribution to knowledge, the student bears most of the responsibilities for the successful completion of his or her research. While the student’s promoters or supervisors play a crucial role in the process, they do not dictate what the student should do. Neither are they supposed to write sections for their student; their major role is to provide guidance and supervision to the student.

One of the misconceptions students have about supervisors is that the mentors must assist them in the actual research and writing of the thesis or dissertation. For my students to understand my role as a PhD supervisor, I always give them the example of supervisors at a road construction site. At the site, you see workers engaged in various construction activities while supervisors move around checking on how the work is on and whether the set standards are being met.

In other words, supervisors do not do the work construction workers do but advise them on how to do it correctly in cases where they miss the point. Likewise, doctoral students must conduct researches for themselves and not expect supervisors to assist them in doing so. I have heard students complaining that their supervisors are lazy and do not assist them in conducting research. This expectation further delays such students in completing their studies because they realise too late that no one can conduct research for them. Related to this, supervisors do not read for students.

Experience has shown that in order to write an excellent PhD proposal, not the whole thesis or dissertation, a student must read more than one hundred journal articles and books on his or her research area. This is not a mean feat. There are not many students who read this much, but those who religiously follow this rule often finish their doctoral studies in record time. The latter are always a pleasure to supervise.

What has also negatively affected PhD students in their studies is procrastination, saying “I will do it tomorrow” and taking no action. Before students know it, they find that they are in their second, third and final year without having completed their studies. It is true that time flies, and it flies fast. There is a need to have a high level of discipline and strict adherence to timelines to meet set goals. Students must always be able to deal decisively with events that distract them from concentrating on their studies. Remember that the time you spend with friends and relatives at parties, weddings and other social functions will never be recovered.

Some universities in the region require doctoral students to publish a certain number of articles in renowned peer- reviewed journals before they are awarded a PhD. By meeting this requirement, the student will be demonstrating his or her study is contributing to the body of knowledge in the area of specialisation. Other universities only grant you a PhD after publishing a book on your findings. Publishing in academia is a frustrating and sluggish exercise; most students fail to meet this requirement. In the end, they fail to complete their doctoral studies.

Let me end by advising you to think carefully before you start a PhD. It is a fact that it is difficult and the sad reality is that PhD is not for everyone. It is also a fact that a PhD causes depression, anxiety and stress. Conversely, if well-executed, a PhD is a fulfilling undertaking!