Second Year Postgraduate Research Degree
What is the second year of a PhD all about?
This year is about taking your research further - using the tools and techniques you learned in the first year to collect your data and develop your hypotheses.
You may find that through this year you end up with masses of data/critical commentaries - don't panic! Organise yourself and break down your work into manageable chunks. Set yourself milestones and deadlines and don't forget to reward yourself when you reach them!
You may also find that you are in the mid-doctorate doldrums - don't panic! Organise yourself and break down your work into manageable chunks. That way you can keep tasks ticking over and make headway even if you don't feel that you are.
The key to this year is reviewing, planning, organising your work and keeping in touch with support networks. Don't avoid your Supervisor (even if you feel there is little to report); find out aout events run by your Faculty or LUGrad, where you can take advice from other students and enjoy a free lunch and don't forget that the real world of research has moments of mass information, glitches and disorganisation!
- Carry out your Development Needs Analysis
- Regularly meet with your Supervisors
- Book faculty/department training
- Attend department/faculty seminars
- IT Training
- Teaching and Demonstrating support
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CARRY OUT YOUR DEVELOPMENT NEEDS ANALYSIS IN MyPGR
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Your DNA may look different this year when you audit yourself, as you will have gained some research experience and be more aware of the skills you may need to develop to carry out your research in the coming year. Have a look at what has changed since you started your PhD and how you have developed as a researcher. Think carefully about what tools/techniques/methodologies you may need and discuss with your Supervisors.
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MEET WITH SUPERVISORS - SUPPORT & ADVICE |
Keep meeting your Supervisors regularly and use your DNA to discuss relevant training or courses you might need. Review the work you have done so far and draft a completion timetable. Think about conference attendance and presenting your work to a wider audience.
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BOOK RELEVANT FACULTY/DEPARTMENT TRAINING |
Using your DNA and outcomes of your Supervisions, book any relevant faculty and departmental training that you feel may help you in this second year of research.
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| DEPARTMENT SEMINAR |
Attendance at Departmental seminars is often required of Postgraduate research students. Find out when the seminars are and book them into your calendar. You may be expected to give a departmental seminar this year or next so its a good idea to see how your colleagues do it as well as finding out about their research.
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IT & STATISTICAL TRAINING
maths postgraduate consultancy
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Information Service Systems (ISS) run IT Training courses for both students and staff ranging from using Endnote and specific software to creating conference posters. Have a look and see what might be useful to you this year.
You may need advice on Statistical methods and analysis - as a PGR you can receive free statistical advice through the Centre for Applied Statistics.
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TEACHING AND DEMONSTRATING
University training to support teaching www.lancs.ac.uk/celt/celtweb/atp
Researchers in Residence programme |
There may be opportunities for you to teach within your Department this year. Find out when the courses supporting teaching and demonstrating are on so you can book ahead and plan your research around them.
Outside of University, if you are Research Council/Wellcome Trust funded, you can go into schools and share your research through the Researchers In Residence programme. |