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PhD: An uncommon guide to research, writing & PhD life
“I started my PhD in September 2003, but it wasn’t long before I realised that it’s much easier to get onto a PhD programme than it is to complete one…”If the aim of a PhD is to develop the skills of a professional academic researcher, how should you go about it? Using the principles of skill development as a foundation, this book provides a unique approach to the most common challenges of PhD research, to know the literature in your fieldDeveloping your research ideasBecoming a better academic writerCoping with the stress and unpredictability of researchPublications and presentationsWriting, submitting and defending your thesis
212 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 10, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
November 21, 2020
Sometimes, the only person who can advise you is the one who has experienced what you are going through. People who can understand your struggles are usually the ones who have gone through similar experiences. For this reason, I found the advice in this book pretty reliable and meaningful. The author shares, in a clear and honest manner, his anxiety and restlessness over his personal writing and research hurdles which I can relate to as a PhD student.
Some key points I took from the book:
- It is much easier to get into a PhD program than it is to complete one.
- The challenge is not to read everything but to intelligently select what to read.
- To become better at anything, you have to set the difficulty of your practice at an appropriate level relative to your skill.
- Try the "write first, edit later" approach only if you have the skill.
- Don't be a perfectionist, but don't be careless either.
- Use your conscious effort to organize your thoughts
- Always work on the way of your expression in writing.
- Going online every time your progress stops is a habit of avoiding thinking; take a walk or get away from your computer or phone instead.
- Don't leave gaps for later. This is a real thing, not a dress rehearsal. It's a case of now or never.
- The aim is not to show how much you know nor how much you have read. The aim is to communicate your research as clearly as you can.
Some key points I took from the book:
- It is much easier to get into a PhD program than it is to complete one.
- The challenge is not to read everything but to intelligently select what to read.
- To become better at anything, you have to set the difficulty of your practice at an appropriate level relative to your skill.
- Try the "write first, edit later" approach only if you have the skill.
- Don't be a perfectionist, but don't be careless either.
- Use your conscious effort to organize your thoughts
- Always work on the way of your expression in writing.
- Going online every time your progress stops is a habit of avoiding thinking; take a walk or get away from your computer or phone instead.
- Don't leave gaps for later. This is a real thing, not a dress rehearsal. It's a case of now or never.
- The aim is not to show how much you know nor how much you have read. The aim is to communicate your research as clearly as you can.
July 5, 2021
A useful book, with plenty of fresh ideas for people writing a PHD. The book is easy to read and understand, good book structure, well written, no editorial errors. Only negative the book cover is a bit plain and could be improved, despite this, the book is very useful for PHD students.
May 24, 2017
An excellent book for Phd students to know about the life of PhD's. Great ideas and management skills. The most inspiring thing for me is the concept of life beyond PhD, presented in a very nice way. It really opens the doors for those who look at PhD as everything - which is not true.
February 22, 2026
An excellent resource that should be part of any research student, to be read well before as well as during the journey. Adaptable to various disciplines, well structured and free of useless frills. Definitely a keeper.
The author has a YouTube channel to compliment the book, and that is also a valuable resource.
The author has a YouTube channel to compliment the book, and that is also a valuable resource.
October 5, 2024
I didn't find this guide to be particularly "uncommon". To me it felt like your average guide.
April 17, 2021
Such a great little book, filled with helpful and practical advice. It's helped ease up my anxiety and I'll definitely return to it many times for the next few months.
November 8, 2020
A Different Viewpoint of Making a Successful PhD Experience
This book really is an uncommon guide to the PhD. I really liked that the author was giving suggestions based on their own experience, rather than trying to formulate some mould for a PhD that would fit all PhD experiences like other books I’ve read. It felt like I was sitting with a friend and they were telling me about their PhD experience and what they would recommend. Definitely a worthwhile read!
This book really is an uncommon guide to the PhD. I really liked that the author was giving suggestions based on their own experience, rather than trying to formulate some mould for a PhD that would fit all PhD experiences like other books I’ve read. It felt like I was sitting with a friend and they were telling me about their PhD experience and what they would recommend. Definitely a worthwhile read!
February 4, 2020
Good advice written in a fresh and sometimes entertaining style. Easy to read, easy to understand, and easy to apply. When entering the dark wintery days of the most challenging part of Ph.D. study, it`s encouraging to read this author`s own tale about his struggles and eventual success. This book is not long but it is practical.
April 24, 2016
Hayton put everything on very easy to digest and clear context. This guide very fit for who would like to go into academia.
May 13, 2016
points out a few good things, and hints at other things that should be investigated more thoroughly, but worth the cash.
May 14, 2020
This book was an insightful read about the journey of PhD life. It contains the author's own experience and good tips for those interested or currently in PhD program.
May 15, 2020
A good guide for new PhD students
October 25, 2020
Great book. It offers a lot of actionable tips and demystifies some complex processes in easy and accessible language.
May 11, 2023
As I'm writing up my dissertation, this book came in handy on how to approach the elusive task of writing up. The author has very strong views on how to best tackle writing up, some of which is pretty different from the other advice out there. This was useful for me as it gave me the perfect amount of confidence to start in the introduction chapter - a thing that everyone else seems to think as the worst place to start. But it's working out pretty well for me so far!
Other than that the book is a bit too obtuse for me. The writing style lacks any embellishments which makes some of the statements a bit extreme. The author says that some scenarios are nightmarish - like not having started analysis when you are coming to the writing up period - which I thought was pretty insensitive. PhDs are complex. If you haven't gotten started on analysis yet, I'm sure there are a multitude of reasons for that, ranging from obstacles in terms of health, circumstance, or just that the method and experimental design have taken years to put together. It's fine, if your supervisor is not freaked out, I don't think it is fair of James Hayton to turn you into a trembling ball of panic either.
Another thing that really annoyed me at times was how some parts desperately needed a bit more nuance. In the end, the author talks about viva preparation and in response to a subheading 'Is there a way to predict what the examiners will ask?' Hayton simply responds 'No.' (and then moves on to contradicting that answer by explaining that you can direct examiner questions by the things you say in the thesis). I think this is a bit simplistic, but somewhat also just untrue - there's a reason why things like Viva cards and Viva preparation materials exist: they are based on the idea that most examiner questions can actually be predicted, at least on the non-subject relevant, abstract level. They will ask you about theory, method, experimental procedure, results, and discussion. When a highly structured, official document is the basis of a discussion in the viva, it isn't super difficult to predict what will be asked. It would have been better to spend time pointing out how unexpected questions are likely to also pop up and how important it is to consider each question asked fully, without trying to overly prepare by memorising answers etc.
Similarly, the book recommendations at the end are very hollow. The author just exclaims 'everyone should read this book!' without explaining why. I need a bit more convincing to pick up a nonfiction that I know nothing about, when I could instead be reading genuinely enjoyable fiction. And let's be frank - it's not like there is a lot of time left over to do leisure reading when you are doing a PhD. And my PhD is on leisure reading.
Overall, I found this is a pretty useful resource. It would have been nice to have from the beginning of mt PhD, as it lays out the entire doctoral journey in a realistic, manageable way. The author's struggles are very similar to what I have gone through, and this book would have made all that a bit less lonely. But in parts, the text is too extreme. I can see how the author's clear prose lend itself well to thesis writing, but it didn't grasp me in the form of a nonfictional book.
Other than that the book is a bit too obtuse for me. The writing style lacks any embellishments which makes some of the statements a bit extreme. The author says that some scenarios are nightmarish - like not having started analysis when you are coming to the writing up period - which I thought was pretty insensitive. PhDs are complex. If you haven't gotten started on analysis yet, I'm sure there are a multitude of reasons for that, ranging from obstacles in terms of health, circumstance, or just that the method and experimental design have taken years to put together. It's fine, if your supervisor is not freaked out, I don't think it is fair of James Hayton to turn you into a trembling ball of panic either.
Another thing that really annoyed me at times was how some parts desperately needed a bit more nuance. In the end, the author talks about viva preparation and in response to a subheading 'Is there a way to predict what the examiners will ask?' Hayton simply responds 'No.' (and then moves on to contradicting that answer by explaining that you can direct examiner questions by the things you say in the thesis). I think this is a bit simplistic, but somewhat also just untrue - there's a reason why things like Viva cards and Viva preparation materials exist: they are based on the idea that most examiner questions can actually be predicted, at least on the non-subject relevant, abstract level. They will ask you about theory, method, experimental procedure, results, and discussion. When a highly structured, official document is the basis of a discussion in the viva, it isn't super difficult to predict what will be asked. It would have been better to spend time pointing out how unexpected questions are likely to also pop up and how important it is to consider each question asked fully, without trying to overly prepare by memorising answers etc.
Similarly, the book recommendations at the end are very hollow. The author just exclaims 'everyone should read this book!' without explaining why. I need a bit more convincing to pick up a nonfiction that I know nothing about, when I could instead be reading genuinely enjoyable fiction. And let's be frank - it's not like there is a lot of time left over to do leisure reading when you are doing a PhD. And my PhD is on leisure reading.
Overall, I found this is a pretty useful resource. It would have been nice to have from the beginning of mt PhD, as it lays out the entire doctoral journey in a realistic, manageable way. The author's struggles are very similar to what I have gone through, and this book would have made all that a bit less lonely. But in parts, the text is too extreme. I can see how the author's clear prose lend itself well to thesis writing, but it didn't grasp me in the form of a nonfictional book.
July 7, 2021
Honestly, every Ph.D. aspirant must read this book by James Hayton; or at-least the first half of the book. This book helped me in developing a Ph.D mindset. The mindset that is not very obvious for people who come from industry, or who have not closely seen ways of an academic person. I have read this book and a few chapters time and again to keep myself motivated and clear the fog that clouds my judgement.
A few highlights:
Revisit the basics; the gaps in your fundamental knowledge will halt your development. The learning curve will plateau and you will stop improving even though you are still practicing.
Ambitions gives you direction and purpose, but any ambition worth pursuing will not be immediately achievable. It takes time, persistence and patience to develop the required skills.
Instead of thinking if a Ph.D. as the pinnacle if the education system, its better to think if it as the bottom layer of the professional academic system. Ph.D. is a period of training; you are a beginner and need to develop the skills or a professional researcher.
Under high level of stress, you can only perform to the level of skill already established through practice. If your skill level is high, then sometimes added stress can help you to perform …, but you cannot improve your skill level under extreme stress.
Regular interaction with other academics is absolutely essential. The collective expertise allows for cross fertilisation of ideas, leading to innovations that would be impossible for any individual to think of alone.
The challenge then is not to read them all (research papers), but to intelligently select what to read.
Different things will be useful to you at different times. It is only by deciding not to take note of everything that you can focus your attention on the details that are useful to you right now.
You need to be at your best when things go wrong, and engage with the problem with energy and enthusiasm, rather than getting frustrated and shrinking away from it.
The confidence to try! Confidence does not come from knowing exactly how things will work out; it comes fro accepting the uncertainty and doing it to the best of your ability regardless of the outcome.
Although writing is important, far more important is the quality of your research. The aim should be to communicate clearly enough to be judged on your research, not your writing.
Self-criticism is needed, provided it is specific and actionable.
Repetition is an important element of skill development, but repetition of poor practice only reinforces poor techniques.
There are two distinct working modes requiring opposite ways of thinking and behaving, the productive and the creative. Creative is necessary to come up with original ideas, to explore new avenues of research and to solve problems as they arise. Productivity is necessary to turn those creative ideas into some useful output.
Give sleep the priority it deserves.
To stay productive day after day, avoid working to exhaustion.
Luck only provides you with an opportunity — and an opportunity requires skill to recognise and exploit.
A few highlights:
Revisit the basics; the gaps in your fundamental knowledge will halt your development. The learning curve will plateau and you will stop improving even though you are still practicing.
Ambitions gives you direction and purpose, but any ambition worth pursuing will not be immediately achievable. It takes time, persistence and patience to develop the required skills.
Instead of thinking if a Ph.D. as the pinnacle if the education system, its better to think if it as the bottom layer of the professional academic system. Ph.D. is a period of training; you are a beginner and need to develop the skills or a professional researcher.
Under high level of stress, you can only perform to the level of skill already established through practice. If your skill level is high, then sometimes added stress can help you to perform …, but you cannot improve your skill level under extreme stress.
Regular interaction with other academics is absolutely essential. The collective expertise allows for cross fertilisation of ideas, leading to innovations that would be impossible for any individual to think of alone.
The challenge then is not to read them all (research papers), but to intelligently select what to read.
Different things will be useful to you at different times. It is only by deciding not to take note of everything that you can focus your attention on the details that are useful to you right now.
You need to be at your best when things go wrong, and engage with the problem with energy and enthusiasm, rather than getting frustrated and shrinking away from it.
The confidence to try! Confidence does not come from knowing exactly how things will work out; it comes fro accepting the uncertainty and doing it to the best of your ability regardless of the outcome.
Although writing is important, far more important is the quality of your research. The aim should be to communicate clearly enough to be judged on your research, not your writing.
Self-criticism is needed, provided it is specific and actionable.
Repetition is an important element of skill development, but repetition of poor practice only reinforces poor techniques.
There are two distinct working modes requiring opposite ways of thinking and behaving, the productive and the creative. Creative is necessary to come up with original ideas, to explore new avenues of research and to solve problems as they arise. Productivity is necessary to turn those creative ideas into some useful output.
Give sleep the priority it deserves.
To stay productive day after day, avoid working to exhaustion.
Luck only provides you with an opportunity — and an opportunity requires skill to recognise and exploit.
August 29, 2026
Well I kind of finished the book in 2025, but I wanted to rate ot after my public defense which was back in March.
I kept this book as a companion .. while one can definitwly get some of the tips in the book from supervisors, postdocs .. the book definitely still helped me in some moments of anxiety or when I needed to remember thar I am not alone in this and that others pass through it .. or to be reminded of advice that tend to be forgotten midst the mess orthe overwhelm ..
I definitely admire James' style (what I would call voice) .. I also checked some of his youtube videos
Off the top of my head .. without checking my annotations in the book .. I mention some of the advice in the end about thesis writing .. I rememeber his advice on not jumping between the thesis chapters when writing and try to get a readable draft off every chapter .. I got the same advice from my supervisor .. I followed it and I found it really usefull .. this definitely means that you have to go over the thesis at least one more time to keep the story flow ..
I also loved thw advice about the fact that you do not have to show off everything you know .. expertise shows in between the lines .. and writing everything would make the reader lose the storyline ..
Thanks James :)
I kept this book as a companion .. while one can definitwly get some of the tips in the book from supervisors, postdocs .. the book definitely still helped me in some moments of anxiety or when I needed to remember thar I am not alone in this and that others pass through it .. or to be reminded of advice that tend to be forgotten midst the mess orthe overwhelm ..
I definitely admire James' style (what I would call voice) .. I also checked some of his youtube videos
Off the top of my head .. without checking my annotations in the book .. I mention some of the advice in the end about thesis writing .. I rememeber his advice on not jumping between the thesis chapters when writing and try to get a readable draft off every chapter .. I got the same advice from my supervisor .. I followed it and I found it really usefull .. this definitely means that you have to go over the thesis at least one more time to keep the story flow ..
I also loved thw advice about the fact that you do not have to show off everything you know .. expertise shows in between the lines .. and writing everything would make the reader lose the storyline ..
Thanks James :)
Want to Read
July 10, 2023In "PhD" by James Hayton, readers are given valuable insights into what it takes to succeed in a PhD program. Hayton emphasizes the importance of developing research skills and taking the initiative to make one's own decisions about work. He also encourages readers to be patient, persistent, and confident in the face of uncertainty and failure. Hayton's advice is practical and actionable, with tips on how to approach reading research papers, how to break down tasks into manageable stages, and how to handle unexpected problems. This book is a must-read for anyone pursuing a PhD program or interested in the world of academic research.
As Hayton wisely notes, "Confidence does not come from knowing exactly how things will work out; it comes from accepting the uncertainty and doing it to the best of your ability regardless of the outcome."
As Hayton wisely notes, "Confidence does not come from knowing exactly how things will work out; it comes from accepting the uncertainty and doing it to the best of your ability regardless of the outcome."
September 4, 2022
This book was recommended by a Professor in his training class on thesis writing. The book was published in 2015, so most of the writing is still relevant to the current PhD context, except, for sure, there is none on how to survive PhD in pandemic times.
I would recommend this book, especially for those doing their PhD, probably in 2nd year onwards, where you may at least make sense of James's writing.
I love how he writes the book, most about his PhD experiences in a storytelling style. As a PhD student myself, I can somehow relate to his instances and eventually find solutions to my challenges.
Congrats James, on your 'Pass with no changes' PhD! This book inspires me to do better in my PhD work.
I would recommend this book, especially for those doing their PhD, probably in 2nd year onwards, where you may at least make sense of James's writing.
I love how he writes the book, most about his PhD experiences in a storytelling style. As a PhD student myself, I can somehow relate to his instances and eventually find solutions to my challenges.
Congrats James, on your 'Pass with no changes' PhD! This book inspires me to do better in my PhD work.
October 9, 2022
This was a great book to help people working on their PhD to put the process in perspective. Dr. Hayton provides useful advice and examples on how students could effectively work towards their PhD program (aka make genuine progress during the writing portion). I think a great point made though is that the PhD is not the one great achievement out of a person's life, but one of many possibilities. As a result, if a person does or does not get their PhD, it is not the end of the world. There are many other opportunities in life.
December 12, 2021
A summmarized, effective manifesto for young researchers (or PhD students) who long for veteran experiences. While the book doesn't cover or (originally try to) everything in multitude of fields, there are useful pieces one can gain in this short read. Personally I admire the last chapters on 'before and after viva/ defense': stressing that the research works are experiments and journeys in themselves.
September 26, 2026
This book is antithetical to the title. It is a very common guide to a PhD. There is nothing written in this book that is not absolutely known, confirmed and argued in the literature.
Once more, a data set of one - the author - is used to make generalized arguments and points.
Very basic. Very simple. This is not doctoral studies research. It is a book written about a former doctoral student about what they 'think' about the PhD.
Once more, a data set of one - the author - is used to make generalized arguments and points.
Very basic. Very simple. This is not doctoral studies research. It is a book written about a former doctoral student about what they 'think' about the PhD.
May 1, 2023
James Hayton's book is a good guide for anyone studying at PhD level.
For me, the three key takeaways are:
1) There is life beyond the university and the PhD
2) Failure will not be fatal, assuming one applies 70% of this book's guides failure would be highly unlikely anyway
3) Be prepared to fail in your experiments and the first months, probably the first twelve months. After all, you are studying in a way you have not studied before at a level you have not studied at before.
For me, the three key takeaways are:
1) There is life beyond the university and the PhD
2) Failure will not be fatal, assuming one applies 70% of this book's guides failure would be highly unlikely anyway
3) Be prepared to fail in your experiments and the first months, probably the first twelve months. After all, you are studying in a way you have not studied before at a level you have not studied at before.
May 19, 2022
I needed something like this far more than I care to admit. If you're a struggling PhD student -- and really, there seems to be a redundancy to this turn of phrase -- you will enjoy the commiseration and advice from someone who's been through similar. A step at a time till you're through the slog.
December 5, 2025
very useful
I am starting my PhD next year and I feel very good about going into it after reading this book. I will be the first one in my family to ever get this far and it’s pretty nerve wracking but this book made me feel good and reassuring about my decision to go for it
I am starting my PhD next year and I feel very good about going into it after reading this book. I will be the first one in my family to ever get this far and it’s pretty nerve wracking but this book made me feel good and reassuring about my decision to go for it
January 8, 2023
Easy to read with some practical tips a long the way!
February 25, 2023
Easy to read and gives solid hints. Writing routines are always subjective, but the author's system seems very well-thought-out and seems to work too well.
June 6, 2025
Fantastic!
August 24, 2022
Una lectura muy recomendable para cualquiera que esté haciendo o quiera hacer un doctorado.
El hecho de que el autor hable de su propia experiencia, así como su honestidad y capacidad de ir al grano con los consejos que da lo convierten en un libro muy útil y cercano, aplicable al día a día y que puede servir como guía si estás atascado en alguna parte concreta.
El hecho de que el autor hable de su propia experiencia, así como su honestidad y capacidad de ir al grano con los consejos que da lo convierten en un libro muy útil y cercano, aplicable al día a día y que puede servir como guía si estás atascado en alguna parte concreta.
March 23, 2021
Libro muy útil para encarar el proceso de escritura y defensa de una tesis doctoral. el autor acompaña con ejemplos propios cada una de las fases del doctorado y los problemas a los que tuvo que enfrentarse.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews