Fulfilling the Potential of Your Doctoral Experience

Working across a range of disciplines (Psychology, Health & Social Care and Pharmacy), Pam Denicolo, a Professor Emerita from the University of Reading,  a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, and an Honorary Member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, has wide-ranging experience both of using a range of research approaches and methods and of teaching how to use them well to a broad range of students and professionals world-wide. She has served on executive boards and committees of national and international learned societies and organisations devoted to research and teaching. She continues to publish widely student support materials, books, and journal articles on research because she remains passionately committed to mentoring and coaching newer researchers and academics.Dr Julie Reeves is a Researcher Developer/Senior Teaching Fellow at the University of Southampton, and a Co-Investigator with a GCRF funded project, BRECcIA, leading the Capacity development work package. She has been involved in researcher development since 2002, working with the Civic Education Project in Belarus and Ukraine, and then as the Skills Training Manager, Faculty of Humanities, University of Manchester.  She was a key researcher and contributor to the Vitae ‘Researcher Development Statement and Framework’ and is a Vitae Researcher Developer Senior Fellow.  She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development, a co-convenor of the Postgraduate Issues Network within the Society for Research into Higher Education, and currently facilitates the South East Researcher Developers network.  She is a co-editor of the SAGE Success in Research series with Pam Denicolo, Dawn Duke and Alison Yeung.  Dr Dawn Duke is Head of Programmes for the Africa Research Excellence Fund, a charity supporting the professional development of early career researchers in Africa. She has a PhD in neuroscience and years of experience teaching undergraduates and postgraduates research design, methodology and statistics.

In contrast to many other books on the doctoral experience this one is not a survival guide to the doctorate--it′s an enjoyment guide. Full of advice and activities, the book guides you pro-actively through the doctoral journey with an emphasis on personal development and with an eye to the future.

• Prologue: Who will benefit from the book and whyPart I: Engaging with the processChapter 1: What is the point of a doctorate in the 21st century?Chapter 2: How can you make a good start?Chapter 3: How can you develop your role as an evolving researcher?Part II: Success is in the detailChapter 4: What makes a good research story?Chapter 5: What are the potential resources and opportunities and how can they best be utilised?Chapter 6: How can relationships be developed to gain constructive feedback and support?Chapter 7: How can you prepare for successful formal reviews during the doctorate?Chapter 8: What are the criteria and how can you prepare to do well in the final assessment?Part III: Progressing with confidenceChapter 9: What is impact and how can it enhance future opportunities?Chapter 10: How can you make the most of your experience at a personal level?Chapter 11: How can you make the most of your experience for your professional career?Chapter 12: What are the key features for transitioning into a new role?Appendix I: Non-verbal communication: a quick guide to some important signalsAppendix II: A sample Gantt chartAppendix III: Summary diagram of the Researcher Development FrameworkAppendix IV: Advice on final assessment A & BAppendix V: Policy Information about ImpactAppendix VI: Authors’ Doctoral ExperiencesGlossary