motivation behind phd

The Savvy Scientist

Experiences of a London PhD student and beyond

PhD Motivation: How to Stay Driven From Cover Letter to Completion

Graphic of scientist writing on a whiteboard with a laptop in front of them. A thought bubble contains a graduation cap showing that they are maintaining PhD motivation

PhDs can be a long slog and it’s easy to lose touch with why you set out to do one in the first place. If you’re falling out of love with your PhD why not try these tips to help boost your motivation.

Note – This post, and its predecessor about PhD Burnout , were inspired by a reader who asked for suggestions on tackling PhD fatigue. I love hearing from readers of the blog, so if you have any ideas for posts which you, or others, could find useful please do let me know! Just pop a note in the comments section below or drop me a message .

This post is part of my PhD mindset series, you can check out the full series below:

PhD Burnout: Managing Energy, Stress, Anxiety & Your Mental Health
PhD Motivation: How to Stay Driven From Cover Letter to Completion (this part!)
How to Stop Procrastinating and Start Studying

Focus on the Big Picture

If you’re struggling with motivation during your PhD it can be helpful to consider what originally motivated you to pursue one. One way you may find it useful to capture these thoughts is through a vision board or spider diagram.

Try listing out each of the following:

What you hope to achieve during your PhD (both personally and professionally)
How you picture your life and career post-PhD

The vision board for the PhD itself will help you make the most of your time now, while your post PhD vision board will serve as a reminder of where you are going.

This can be a great way to increase your motivation and identify opportunities within your PhD that may help you to realise your long term vision.

Here is an example one I created about life after the PhD which could serve as some motivation during the PhD:

Brainstorm showing ideas for life post PhD: including moving to Germany, living alone, work/life balance etc

Set Short Term Goals

Depending on how far along you are in your PhD, reaching the finishing line may seem like a herculean task. Rather than risking getting overwhelmed, focus on making regular progress by setting achievable short term goals.

What are some examples of short term goals? Well let’s start by highlighting a few potential milestones during a PhD:

Completing your first set of experiments
Writing your first paper
Drafting your thesis
Passing your viva

Try to break down these large tasks into sub-tasks and set yourself short term goals. Importantly, make sure that the goals are actually realistically achievable! Although it is great to push yourself, if you set goals that are too lofty you risk demotivating yourself further! Small and consistent progress is what we’re aiming for.

Breaking tasks down will allow you to recognise your progress and how far you’ve come. While recognising what you’ve already accomplished with your PhD will help provide the motivation to achieve even more.

So for instance breaking down the first of those example milestones, completing your first set of experiments, could be broken down into much smaller short term goals:

Breaking down goal 1: Completing your first set of experiments

Read five relevant papers to get ideas from other studies. Which techniques did they use? What further work did they recommend?
Speak with my supervisor about first potential experiments. What is achievable in the lab? Do we need to order any consumables?
Get inducted into the lab if necessary and get trained on key equipment.
If relevant, shadow someone else in the lab to understand certain processes.
Give it a go: conduct a few preliminary experiments.
Build on these first experiments and suddenly you’ve become a self-sufficient researcher. Good job!

You may personally choose to set goals monthly, weekly or even set yourself one task to achieve each day. Try different lengths and see what works best for you.

Now as a postdoc I personally have an ongoing document which I always keep open with goals and tasks for me to complete which I add to as I have new thoughts and conversations. Every day I set myself a short list of tasks I set to complete myself to work towards these bigger goals and projects. Without this not only would I lack focus but also motivation.

Recognise What You’ve Already Achieved

As mentioned above it can feel like you haven’t achieved much when the big picture PhD goals still seem far away.

Sometimes we can get motivation from realising how much we already have to be proud of. I know what it is like to be in a downbeat part of your PhD and it can be tough to appreciate your successes but this is exactly the time when we need harness positive and motivational thoughts!

Let’s play a quick game. Set a timer on your phone for 2 minutes and write down a few things about your PhD you’re already proud of. Don’t worry, I’m not expecting a list of potential Nobel prize winning discoveries.

Here are some ideas:

Coming up with some ideas for experiments
Learning a new research technique
Facing a personal fear – such as public speaking

If you’re in the early stages, remind yourself that pushing yourself to apply for the PhD is an achievement and getting accepted into a PhD programme is no mean feat. Go you!

Reward Your Accomplishments

Along with setting short term academic goals it’s important to reward yourself once they’re completed. Depending on what length goal you set, the reward may be as simple as taking a break and indulging in something unproductive, taking an afternoon off to relax or treating yourself to your favourite meal.

It can be tempting to skip this step but celebrating when you complete tasks is really important. This will help to get you in the right mindset for progressing towards the next goal. Celebrating achievements is also a great way to instill better habits and we’ll cover more on this next.

Build Better Habits

Mastering self discipline and consistency is one of the best ways to maximise your potential both during your PhD and beyond. If this is something you struggle with then now is the perfect time to try making improvements in a very low risk environment. Here is some great advice on this subject by an incredibly successful guy:

Making these improvements through small actions can make surprisingly big differences. To illustrate this: a person who improved by 1% each day would be 37 times better after a year!

Consistently improving 1% each and every day isn’t likely, but the cumulative effect of working on yourself by building better habits is undeniable.

It typically takes 40 days to master a habit, so start small and once you have your first habit ingrained you can start on the next. Realising success will empower you to master harder challenges too and also provide you with the confidence to know that you can achieve what you set your mind to.

Some ideas for areas you may wish to develop better habits for are:

Work schedule
Healthy eating

Habit Building Tips

Start small and focus on just turning up – When building new habits it is much more important to be consistent than to set lofty goals.
Gamify it – In 2020 I decided to start using Duolingo to learn Spanish. Not only is the format on Duolingo very engaging, so is the “streak” of uninterrupted days you use the app for. It is surprising how powerful motivation can become to keep the streak going. In fact, as of writing this post I’ve just passed 600 uninterrupted days on Duolingo! I now try to apply similar concepts in other parts of my life.
Don’t beat yourself up if you slip up – It’s natural to make mistakes but it’s what you do afterwards that counts. If you slip up with your habit fight the urge to give it up. Instead move on and work to get back.
Be accountable – Tell others about your goals and if you know another PhD student struggling with the same issue why not team up together to try and improve.

I’d also highly recommend giving the below video from Kurzgesagt a watch to learn more about how to build positive habits.

Prioritise Self-Care

PhDs are a marathon not a sprint and in order to make it to the end it’s vital to take care of yourself along the way. Exercising, socialising, eating healthily and prioritising mental health will all put you in the best position to keep your energy levels high.

PhD Burnout is a very real thing and the last thing you want is to lose all passion for research entirely. Check out my post here on PhD Burnout to learn the warning signs and how to intervene before things go to far.

Make sure to take time each week to recharge and don’t prioritise your research to the detriment of all else. It isn’t worth sacrificing your own health for your research. Make the most of opportunities during your PhD and find things you’re passionate about and look forward to.

I personally found it helpful to treat my PhD like a full-time job which meant having weekends and weekday evenings off. There were exceptions to this of course but in general it meant that I had a good work/life balance and didn’t feel desperate for the PhD to end.

Everyone will have different ways of structuring their time, but recognise that YOU are a priority and your life shouldn’t go on hold until your PhD is complete.

Define Success Differently

Reframe what you see as success. Instead of defining success by the achievement of a long term goal instead define success by the consistent actions taken to progress towards it.

For instance, if you’re nearing the end of your PhD then completing your PhD thesis may be months away. But, if you commit to working on your thesis for at least one hour a day (and achieve it) you’re already on a successful path.

I’d suggest giving the intro to this newsletter by Andrew Ng a read to learn more about process goals versus outcome goals.

Avoid Comparisons to Other PhD Students

We all know this one but it can be easy to forget. Looking at what others have achieved can sometimes be motivating, but it can also leave you feeling inferior.

No two PhD journeys will ever be the same so all you can do is aim to achieve the “best” version of your own journey.

Top Tips to Boost PhD Motivation

Focus on the big picture
Set achievable short term goals
Recognise what you’ve already achieved
Reward your accomplishments
Build better habits
Prioritise self-care
Define success differently
Avoid comparisons to other PhD students

I hope you found these suggestions on how to boost PhD motivation helpful. Do you have any advice of your own to share? Let me know in the comments section below.

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The PhD Experience

Call for Contributions

Inspiration, motivation and the PhD: What are your 3 reasons?

Ellie Ralph |

When starting your PhD, as a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed student, you are full of motivation and passion for your research. However, we have all probably also been at the point when you have little to no motivation for continuing with your PhD and are contemplating if any of it is really ‘worth it’ anymore. The biggest piece of advice I can give in this circumstance is to remember the reason why you started. To help with this personally, I wrote a list of 3 of the top reasons why I am doing my PhD. I recommend to new PhD students to do this task at the start, but you can do this at any point in your PhD and use it as a tool to refer back to during those low points. Below I share my personal list of reasons, but it may help to spark motivation in others too:

My Grandpa – As a child, I was not a high-achiever in school and always felt like education wasn’t for me. It wasn’t until I started university and really found my passion that I started to enjoy learning again. Growing up, my Grandpa was always the person to express to me the importance of staying in school and achieving good grades. He always pushed for me to do my best, regardless of the result. In 2020, my Grandpa passed away. In the hospital when he was sick, he would tell the nurses and doctors that I was a professor (I wish!), and always talk of how proud he was of me and my achievements. He was always the first person I would call with any academic-related good news. I still find myself wanting to call him now, but I use this as a motivation tool, and like to think that I am making him proud.
My travel experience – My area of research mostly impacts people within Lebanon. I have been lucky enough to travel to Lebanon numerous times, for both work and personal travel, and have had direct contact with people that my research may one day impact. There is nothing that compares to travelling to the country your research is about, especially experiencing it in a ‘non-work-related way. I have also had some personal experiences with both Lebanese and Syrian nationals alike in the UK, and the experiences have always relit that spark within me to keep going.
Impact – This is one area in which I think everyone could add it to their list of 3. We have to remember that no matter how small our impact on the world may be, we are still making one. With your PhD, you are making a contribution to the wider sphere of knowledge. My support worker at university changed my perspective on this – that no matter how small your drop in the ocean may be, it is still a drop that wasn’t there before. Further to this, you don’t truly know the impact of your work, and you may be helping change the lives of people you will never meet.

I hope that sharing my experiences helps you to think of the reasons why you started, which may be the same reasons to keep going. It is normal to go through periods of low motivation and the crisis of ‘what am I doing?!’, but it is important to have a place you can refer back to when you’re feeling this way. Please feel free to share your 3 reasons in the comments below.

Photo by Colton Duke on Unsplash

Ellie Ralph is the Vice Chair for Pubs & Publications. She is a second year PhD student at Keele University in Politics and International Relations, exploring Lebanese local NGO management of the Syrian refugee crisis. You can find her on Twitter here.

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April 12, 2021

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Writing an Effective Personal Statement for PhD Graduate Programs

Personal statements should be a reflection of your academic skills, success, and goals.

By Kaela Singleton Doctoral Candidate in Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience

A personal statement is one of the most important components of any doctoral graduate school application. This post will guide you with some general steps to get you started with generating a personal statement that is concise, reflects your academic success, and emphasizes your goals for graduate school. The individual graduate programs will provide writing prompts that detail exactly what you should address in your statement, so be sure you touch on everything that they want you to cover!

Before you start writing

Update your CV: Having a complete list of your accomplishments will make it easier to include and exclude information from your personal statement. Your CV can be used as a timeline of your achievements, and therefore an outline to how your past experiences have prepared you for graduate school. For guidance on CV writing, see 7 Tips for Writing a Successful CV.
Research Graduate Schools of Interest: Gain insight into the coursework, faculty, and student life for each program you are considering. Using the program website, generate a list of qualities that appeal to you about each school you’re applying to. Emphasize how and why these qualities contribute to your decision to apply to this program. This list should include research and faculty members that interest you as well as any other pros (i.e. location, cohort size, post-graduate jobs etc.)
Create a team of editors: Your personal statement will be read by faculty members and graduate students studying different topics within the program. Therefore, your personal statement should be compelling to a broad audience. Ask peers, mentors and advisors from various disciplines well in advance to edit and provide feedback on your statement.

Now start writing

Introduction.

The goal is to engage your reader with a quick synopsis of who you are, what you want out of graduate school, and your qualifications to join this specific program.

Introduce yourself and identify your academic interests: Provide a brief introduction of yourself and your academic interests. If you have a personal anecdote that explains how you became interested in science and research, start there. These “narrative hook” anecdotes engage the reader and set up a great platform to describe the motivation behind your experiences. Then go into your academic interests, which can be a couple of sentences broadly stating your research interests.
Emphasize your skills and overall goals: Use both your research on the program and CV to highlight how your skill set will complement and grow from participation in this program. Speak in broad terms, showcasing how your goals align with the overall mission of the program.

THE BODY PARAGRAPHS

The goal is to expand on the points you mentioned within the introduction. Provide concrete examples of how past and present experiences led you to writing this application.

Explain how you became interested in your particular scientific field: Highlight key moments that encouraged you to apply to graduate school. This can be the very start of your interests in the field or from skills and knowledge that you gained from internships, research experiences, or coursework and class discussions.
Describe your prior research experiences and importantly what you learned from each experience: Provide a past experience where you used and developed a new skill that is pertinent to your ability to conduct research. Be sure to explain how this skill will be useful for your future in graduate school. It is critical to discuss what you learned from experience and to be as specific and concise as possible. For example: I worked with Dr. A at institution B. My work focused on C. The project entailed D, E and F techniques. From this experience, I learned G. This taught me F about my decision to attend graduate school.

In the conclusion paragraph, you should discuss what you learned about the graduate school program that you are applying for. Highlight specific faculty members or courses listed that excite you, and re-emphasize your goals.

Summarize your qualifications and experiences: Bring everything together here. Emphasize the skills you currently have and how joining this program will aide in continuing your success.
Personalize: In this final paragraph, include specific faculty and program qualities that appeal to you as an applicant. Show that you have researched specific faculty or courses that will aide in your future training. Also be sure to discuss your career goals.
Edit: Proofread and edit. Send your statement out to friends, faculty advisors, and people outside of your discipline.

Personal statements should tell your story and be compelling across fields. Remember that a PhD program trains you to build and utilize scientific skills to advance research. You won’t want to try to convince the reader that you’ll cure cancer or discover the flu vaccine. Instead, focus on persuading readers that graduate training is right for you, and that the accompanying enrichment of your research skillset will help you reach your academic and professional goals.

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How to Write a PhD Motivation Letter

Applying to a PhD

A PhD motivation letter is a document that describes your personal motivation and competence for a particular research project. It is usually submitted together with your academic CV to provide admissions staff with more information about you as an individual, to help them decide whether or not you are the ideal candidate for a research project.

A motivation letter has many similarities to a cover letter and a personal statement, and institutions will not ask you to submit all of these. However, it is a unique document and you should treat it as such. In the context of supporting a PhD application, the difference is nuanced; all three documents outline your suitability for PhD study. However, compared to a cover letter and personal statement, a motivation letter places more emphasis on your motivation for wanting to pursue the particular PhD position you are applying for.

Academic cover letters are more common in UK universities, while motivation letters are more common abroad.

A motivation letter can play a key part in the application process . It allows the admission committee to review a group of PhD applicants with similar academic backgrounds and select the ideal candidate based on their motivations for applying.

For admission staff, academic qualifications alone are not enough to indicate whether a student will be successful in their doctorate. In this sense, a motivational letter will allow them to judge your passion for the field of study, commitment to research and suitability for the programme, all of which better enables them to evaluate your potential.

How Should I Structure My Motivation Letter?

A strong motivation letter for PhD applications will include:

A concise introduction stating which programme you are applying for,
Your academic background and professional work experience,
Any key skills you possess and what makes you the ideal candidate,
Your interest and motivation for applying,
Concluding remarks and thanks.

This is a simplistic breakdown of what can be a very complicated document.

However, writing to the above structure will ensure you keep your letter of motivation concise and relevant to the position you are applying for. Remember, the aim of your letter is to show your enthusiasm and that you’re committed and well suited for the programme.

To help you write a motivation letter for a PhD application, we have outlined what to include in the start, main body, and closing sections.

How to Start a Motivation Letter

Introduction: Start with a brief introduction in which you clearly state your intention to apply for a particular programme. Think of this as describing what the document is to a stranger.

Education: State what you have studied and where. Your higher education will be your most important educational experience, so focus on this. Highlight any relevant modules you undertook as part of your studies that are relevant to the programme you are applying for. You should also mention how your studies have influenced your decision to pursue a PhD project, especially if it is in the same field you are currently applying to.

Work experience: Next summarise your professional work experience. Remember, you will likely be asked to submit your academic CV along with your motivation letter, so keep this section brief to avoid any unnecessary repetition. Include any other relevant experiences, such as teaching roles, non-academic experience, or charity work which demonstrates skills or shows your suitability for the research project and in becoming a PhD student.

Key skills: Outline your key skills. Remember the admissions committee is considering your suitability for the specific programme you are applying for, so mention skills relevant to the PhD course.

Motivation for applying: Show your enthusiasm and passion for the subject, and describe your long-term aspirations. Start with how you first became interested in the field, and how your interest has grown since. You should also mention anything else you have done which helps demonstrate your interest in your proposed research topic, for example:

Have you attended any workshops or seminars?
Do you have any research experience?
Have you taught yourself any aspects of the subject?
Have you read any literature within the research area?

Finally, describe what has convinced you to dedicate the next 3-4 years (assuming you are to study full time) of your life to research.

How to End a Motivation Letter

Concluding the motivation letter is where most people struggle. Typically, people can easily describe their academic background and why they want to study, but convincing the reader they are the best candidate for the PhD programme is often more challenging.

The concluding remarks of your motivation letter should highlight the impacts of your proposed research, in particular: the new contributions it will make to your field, the benefits it will have on society and how it fits in with your aspirations.

With this, conclude with your career goals. For example, do you want to pursue an academic career or become a researcher for a private organisation? Doing so will show you have put a lot of thought into your decision.

Remember, admissions into a PhD degree is very competitive, and supervisors invest a lot of time into mentoring their students. Therefore, supervisors naturally favour those who show the most dedication. Your conclusion should remind the reader that you are not only passionate about the research project, but that the university will benefit from having you.

Finally, thank the reader for considering your application.

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Motivation Letter Format

There are some basic rules to follow when writing a successful motivation letter. These will mimic the standard format for report writing that the supervisor will be familiar with:

Use a sans serif font (e.g. Arial or Times New Roman),
Use a standard font size (e.g. 12pt) and black font colour,
Keep your writing professional throughout and avoid the use of informal language,
Write in the first person,
Address your motivation letter to a named person such as the project supervisor, however, this could also be the person in charge of research admissions,
Structure your letter into paragraphs using the guidance above, such as introduction, academic history, motivation for research, and concluding remarks.

How Long Should a Motivation Letter Be?

A good rule of thumb for PhD motivation letters is to keep it to around one side of A4. A little longer than one page is acceptable, but two pages is generally considered too long. This equates to approximately 400-600 words.

Things to Avoid when Writing Your Motivational Letter

Your motivational letter will only be one of the several documents you’ll be asked to submit as part of your PhD application. You will almost certainly be asked to submit an Academic CV as well. Therefore, be careful not to duplicate any of the information.

It is acceptable to repeat the key points, such as what and where you have studied. However, while your CV should outline your academic background, your motivation letter should bring context to it by explaining why you have studied what you have, and where you hope to go with it. The simplest way to do this is to refer to the information in your CV and explain how it has led you to become interested in research.

Don’t try to include everything. A motivation letter should be short, so focus on the information most relevant to the programme and which best illustrates your passion for it. Remember, the academic committee will need to be critical in order to do their jobs effectively , so they will likely interpret an unnecessarily long letter as in indication that you have poor written skills and cannot communicate effectively.

You must be able to back up all of your statements with evidence, so don’t fabricate experiences or overstate your skills. This isn’t only unethical but is likely to be picked up by your proposed PhD supervisor or the admissions committee.

Whilst it is good to show you have an understanding of the field, don’t try to impress the reader with excessive use of technical terms or abbreviations.

PhD Motivation Letter Samples – A Word of Caution

There are many templates and samples of motivation letters for PhDs available online. A word of caution regarding these – although they can prove to be a great source of inspiration, you should refrain from using them as a template for your own motivation letter.

While there are no rules against them, supervisors will likely have seen a similar letter submitted to them in the past. This will not only prevent your application from standing out, but it will also reflect poorly on you by suggesting that you have put minimal effort into your application.

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How to Stay Motivated During Your PhD Programme

Motivation is a tricky thing. Even if you are committed to your goals, it can be acting as a roller coaster at times due to accumulating stress or losing faith in the result. With PhD thesis writing , such terms as ‘second-year blues’ as well as statistics of academic dropouts and mental health issues strongly suggest that staying on track may be much more difficult than you might think. The best solution here is to understand the existence of motivation problems, accept their inevitability, and plan your journey in a way minimising them. In this article, we will discuss a number of ways to stay motivated during your PhD programme.

1. Start Small

As noted by multiple experts, a PhD programme is a marathon rather than a sprint. If you choose to follow the same mentality used by Undergraduate and Master’s students, this will lead to inevitable burnout down the road. The infamous second-year blues usually occur because practitioners take more obligations than they can possibly meet. Unfortunately, this approach is actively promoted in academia:

Most supervisors expect you to invest all your spare time and resources into your PhD project.
Other students discuss the importance of ‘giving it all that you have’ during your first year.
Everyone is certain that ‘sacrificing something’ is the key to getting good things in life.

Surprisingly, the optimal strategy for staying motivated and productive throughout your PhD programme is the direct opposite of this approach. Do not be mistaken, you will definitely have some ‘crunch’ periods caused by unexpected circumstances while writing your thesis. However, going slow and steady is the best long-term strategy to follow most of the time due to the following reasons:

Motivation stems from overall satisfaction and good physical and mental health.
Balancing your work and social life is a good way of achieving this state.
The duration of your PhD project implies that you will not have time to recuperate.

The last thought is especially important. The length of your PhD project means that you will have to maintain your current productivity levels for several years without any breaks. If you intend to end a marathon successfully, you may choose to not exhaust yourself in the beginning.

2. Be Humble

If you have ever been to a gym, you have probably seen people coming to do some weightlifting exercises for the first time. In many cases, they use too much weight to ‘not look wimpy’. Unfortunately, this decision effectively ruins their technique and future progress. Any personal trainer will tell you to start with the smallest weights possible and add more as you progress. In line with the previous recommendation, this means that your PhD journey should proceed in accordance with the following routine:

Start with a minimal daily workload and experiment with several daily and weekly schedules.
Proceed with this arrangement and always maintain a leeway for emergencies.
Increase your daily/weekly workload if you feel that you can successfully maintain optimal work/life balance with the previous ‘setting’ for several weeks at a time.

While trying to ‘lift as much weight as you can’ may look ‘cool’ at first glance, this is simply not sustainable in a marathon setting. If you feel that you cannot manage your current workload while staying motivated and productive, this is a clear sign that you need to negotiate a more reasonable schedule with your supervisor. No athlete will continue lifting excessive weight after feeling chronic pain in their body. However, many PhD students see this as a viable long-term strategy for avoiding the necessary PhD programme extensions and end up losing more time due to stress accumulation and burnout.

Staying humble can also be compared with speeding up in your car. Most vehicles cannot start running at 100 miles per hour in a single second. You need to start slow and gradually ‘change gears’ while also observing the road situation. In many cases, you simply cannot proceed at the desired speed due to unexpected turns, pedestrians, and other obstacles. Driving slowly is always preferable to crashing your car and making a very long stop in your academic journey as a result.

3. Have a Plan

Progressing in small steps means that you should carefully plan each one of them to maximise your outputs. Motivation stems from measurable and manageable tasks that you complete successfully. Here are some ideas on how you can maintain it:

Set small and manageable tasks for each day (e.g. reading 5 articles or writing 300 words of your thesis);
If a task cannot be quantified, set it as ‘working on … for … minutes’;
Focus on the formal completion of the task rather than specific outputs or deliverables;
Keep track of your progress over time.

Keeping a diary is a must for staying motivated and productive during your PhD programme. Make sure to record the completion of individual tasks and your overall progress. This allows you to remind yourself about the substantial results you have already achieved in moments of doubt. A lack of such a diary leaves you one-on-one with your fears of underperforming and pushes you into the dreadful ‘sprinter’s mentality’ leading to burnout and academic failures.

Additionally, try to record non-quantifiable tasks as ‘time spent working on it’ instead of results. If you are looking for quality references in a particular field, you have no control over the actual existence of recent peer-reviewed articles in it. Hence, ending an hour of work with no quantitative results should still be recorded as progress and not a failure if you are willing to stay motivated and maintain an internal locus of control.

4. Stay Focused on the Bigger Picture

When you decided to enter a PhD programme, you were motivated by some long-term goals. They could include better employment perspectives, your in-depth interest in a certain field or your willingness to build a career in academia. Losing track of these objectives is one of the main reasons leading to poor productivity and low motivation. While your daily routine is probably filled with smaller tasks as suggested earlier, sticking a printed list of your long-term goals on your fridge may be a good way of reminding yourself why you are doing this in the first place.

In some cases, this ‘bigger picture’ needs to be adjusted over time. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many PhD journeys and has substantially decreased the number of positions available in academia. If a certain student saw their long-term goal as a career in this sphere, this inevitably decreases their motivation at the moment. Effectively, their actions and progress are leading them nowhere according to the opinions of multiple experts and practitioners that they read.

If you find yourself involved in a disruptive trend like this one, you may need to make some hard decisions and reconsider your overall direction. The same is true for problems with a certain supervisor or not making progress with your initial topic. Biologically speaking, the loss of motivation is a physiological sign of not achieving your goals and losing interest in them. Reconsidering your objectives can be a better option than ignoring this increasing resistance.

5. Talk with Others

Networking is a powerful instrument for getting relevant information and minimising the amount of wasted effort. Make sure to ask a lot of questions during your meetings with your supervisor. This way, you can clarify their expectations and make sure that all your activities are rewarded with favourable outcomes afterwards. Not getting positive reinforcement for your efforts is a very short road to the loss of motivation.

Similarly, peer communication opens new opportunities for being productive and making better decisions. This can include writing articles with other PhD students, exchanging valuable information about your thesis-writing activities, and sharing your feelings and insights about your academic journeys. In many cases, this knowledge will help you set realistic goals and expectations and avoid a feeling of lagging behind your peers.

A good strategy here is to start up accounts on several popular online PhD forums. As opposed to social media, you can stay more or less anonymous, which protects you from your supervisor or your peers discovering your questions to community members. Such forums usually have hundreds of persons who lived through their PhD programmes and can share their stories or confirm your doubts. This will provide additional ‘reality checks’ for your ambitious plans and help you set realistic goals.

Staying motivated and focused for 3+ years of PhD writing is a challenging task. As stated earlier, some motivation problems in this sphere may stem from incorrect strategic choices made early on. Try to obtain multiple opinions and seek PhD help before you start your PhD programme. This way, you will know that you are working with a promising topic and a high-quality long-term plan for completing your PhD dissertation. If you feel like you are losing your overall direction and your supervisor is not providing sufficient help and support, contacting a reputable PhD writing service may be a good idea to get things under control. They can help ease the workload and help you stay motivated during your PhD programme.

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How to Write a Personal Statement for a PhD Program Application

Personal statement guidelines, general guidelines to keep in mind:.

One size does not fit all : Tailor your personal statement to each program and department you are applying to. Do your research to learn what is unique about each of your choices and highlight how this particular program stands out.
Yes, it’s personal : Showcase your unique strengths and accomplishments. Explain what influenced your personal decisions to pursue the program. Ask yourself, could this be applied to your friend or neighbor? If so, you need to be more specific and provide examples. Saying that you are a “good scientist” isn’t enough. Provide examples of your previous research experience, projects you’ve completed, and what technical skills you learned. Explain how you overcame any challenges along the way.
Set aside enough time : Although personal statements are generally short in length (approx. 700 words; 1-2 pages), give yourself ample time to write a strong, well-written statement. It takes more time than you think to develop a final draft for submission.
Focus on your spelling, grammar, and vocabulary : It’s important to present a well-written statement with good grammar and vocabulary. Write concrete, succinct sentences that flow well. Avoid flowery language. Visit the Writing Center for additional review and feedback.
Proofread one more time: Check your grammar and spelling again before submitting your final draft. Ask a friend, professor, or advisor to proofread your final draft one more time before sending it in.

YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT SHOULD ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

Why do you want to complete further research in this field? Write down a list of reasons as to why you are interested in pursuing further study in the field. When did you become interested in the field and what knowledge have you gained so far? Describe how your previous work provided the foundation and for further study.
Why have you chosen to apply to this particular university ? Does the institution have a particular curriculum, special research facilities/equipment, or interesting research that appeal to you?
What are your strengths ? Demonstrate how you stand out from other candidates. Highlight relevant projects, dissertations thesis or essays that demonstrate your academic skills and creativity. Include IT skills, research techniques, awards, or relevant traveling/ study abroad experience.
What are your transferable skills? Be sure to emphasize transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, and time management skills. Give examples of how you have demonstrated each of these with specific examples.
How does this program align with your career goals? It’s okay if you don’t know the exact career path you plan to take after completing your PhD. Provide an idea of the direction you would like to take. This demonstrates commitment and dedication to the program.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

For examples of successful personal statements, visit the Online Writing Lab (OWL) .

Graduate School

How to Answer, “Why Do You Want to Do a PhD?”

When applying for graduate school, your “why do you want to do a PhD?” answer to this common question will be something you want to prepare in advance: doctorate admissions can be pretty competitive, which is why acing your interview is key to securing that acceptance. If you are wondering how to get into grad school , preparing yourself early can allow for enough time to perfect all aspects of your application.

This article includes helpful samples of answers to this notorious interview question, explores why it is asked, and provides some tips for planning out your future response. We also cover the benefits of graduate school interview preparation for improving your chances of getting into your dream PhD program and achieving your goals.

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

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Article Contents 10 min read

“why do you want to do a phd” sample answers.

Sample Answer 1 (academic/career/literary research focus)

I am interested in a PhD at your institution because I wish to further my literary research and become a professor at the university level. My plan is to be a top scholar of 19th-century and Victorian literature. I first became acquainted with the period during my bachelor’s degree when one of my favorite professors encouraged me to study the portrayal of gender and sexuality in works of that period, specifically through the writings of the Brontë sisters. I became fascinated with how concepts of masculinity, femininity, and androgyny interact in their writing and how they subvert conventions of the gothic genre to represent female rage against oppression by men. That interest led to the completion of my master’s degree at McGill University, where I wrote a major research paper on the subject. Something I want to further discuss in my published work is how this concept transforms as it appears in novels of the 20 th -century and contemporary literature. The ultimate goal is to further ingratiate myself within current scholarship in the field. I also know the value of a good teacher, and I want to be able to inspire a future generation of students, just as my professors inspired me.

Want to learn top tips for your grad school interview? Watch this video:

Sample Answer 2 (personal growth/curiosity focus)

Planning out my future was not always easy for me. Growing up, I did not have a clue where to start. I was a few semesters into my undergraduate degree before I figured out what I actually wanted to study. I then left my economics and finance majors behind and started a psychology program, which is when I originally became interested in the impact of social media on mental health, whether it be positive or negative. Social media was steadily growing in popularity at the time and is now a staple in our personal and professional lives. It has been an interesting experience to watch this shift occur right in front of my eyes as I completed my bachelor’s and eventually my master’s degree. I never had to look very hard to find what to focus my attention on because there were always new studies coming out about the effects of smartphones and social media apps. This is a field that is frequently changing and presenting new developments. For me, there is something really fascinating about that aspect of our digital world. I want to do this doctorate degree as a culmination of my education in this area now that it feels like I have finally found my calling.

This question, like the “tell me about yourself” PhD interview question , may be frustrating to encounter, as it can be considered broad or redundant. However, when a graduate program director asks this question, they want to get down to the nitty-gritty of who you are and why you are here in front of them. Another way of wording this question would be: What is your motivation for applying to graduate school? Not many people wake up one day and randomly apply to a PhD program on a whim. Therefore, the department you are applying to wants to find out more aspects of your personality and reasoning beyond the contents of your graduate school resume or grad school career goals statement . They want to see what kind of student, instructor, professor, scholar, or colleague you will be. Graduate programs are usually not very large, so they want a sense of who they will be working with for the next few years.

Of course, you can touch upon your past experiences studying or otherwise if it is relevant to what you are currently pursuing, but the overall purpose of your interview is to give them more information about you than what they already know. Answering this question illustrates how concise you can be and how you speak about yourself or your interests. It tests your self-awareness as you are planning to take on an advanced degree at the doctorate level. Your response will also depend on whatever program or field you are applying to. Someone applying for a doctoral program in the sciences may have different components to bring up in their answer than a psychology or humanities applicant.

Even after applying to graduate school, you may still be wondering should you pursue a master’s or PhD , but this could be because you have not yet narrowed down your reasons for doing one. When constructing your response, you will need to reflect on your personal reasons for going forward with a PhD. You want your answers in your interview to be genuine and truly reflective of your interests in their program. It is possible that your reasoning stems from a combination of multiple different places. Here are some of the more common reasons that PhD applicants pursue further education that may resonate with your story:

1. Boosting Academic and Career Prospects

You may have an interest in further developing your career opportunities, whether they are inside or outside of academia. To become a lecturer or a professor at the university level, a doctoral degree is usually required for most disciplines. Many people want to take that extra step to build upon their master’s degree and become a notable expert in their field. Completing a PhD can be the catalyst for learning how to find a job in academia . Feeling the desire to explore that possibility or strive toward that path is a perfectly acceptable reason for completing a PhD. Even if you do not have aspirations to become a professor, a PhD could lead to viable options outside of academia. A doctorate degree could simply be about opening as many doors as possible, which is necessary to succeed in any job market.

2. Achieving Personal Development

Many potential PhD applicants want to fulfill a personal goal when completing their degree. It is your degree after all, so it is normal for your reasons to lead back to you and your wishes. Nobody is expecting you to be completing this degree for anyone else. It may be a life-changing experience for you as a whole, even if it is not directly linked to your studies. There are other aspects to going to school that are not immediately apparent. A PhD program is also a way to learn new skills, meet new people, and move to a new place, perhaps. You will have the opportunity to expand your network and give yourself every opportunity to succeed. Ask yourself: what can you accomplish personally with this PhD that you cannot without it? Your eventual response in an interview could mention specific resolutions that come with acquiring your doctorate degree. A PhD can act as validation for the years of study you have behind you or can give you a greater sense of pride in your academic abilities.

3. Fulfilling Curiosity

When you apply to a doctoral program, you have probably thought about specific subjects you want to consider. While you can wait to figure out exactly how to find a PhD topic until after you get accepted, you should already have a basic idea of what you want to pursue and be ready to discuss it when asked about it in an interview. When you apply to an advanced degree, you are not expected to know everything, even though it may seem so. Where you find inspiration to learn is key to your motivations as you embark on this new journey. Each individual applicant comes in the door with their own story and rationale for pursuing a PhD. You could be inspired by a particular scholar, era, or world issue. Give your interviewer the larger picture as to why a PhD is necessary for you. Whatever you are curious about will make you stand out from other applicants who have similar backgrounds. Making sure to explain that these objectives require a PhD is also very important to proving your candidacy to a program director.

4. Advancing Research

Springboarding off of curiosity, research is how scientific innovation is published to the masses. It is the physical manifestation of your curiosity and transforms an idea into reality. Students often use graduate education as a means to publicize their work. Many ground-breaking studies begin within university walls. A PhD could be the vehicle that helps you pursue worthwhile research that can ultimately have a greater impact on your field of study as well as the world at large. Before you apply, you should ideally jot down some research questions or objectives you plan to explore, either during or after completing your PhD. Writing a research interest statement could also help in this regard. These interests could wholly motivate you to pursue a PhD first and foremost. For instance, if your wish is to positively effect the environment and develop research that could combat climate change, the resources of an academic institution can help further develop that goal.

5. Training Before Further Education

In certain cases, a PhD could add layers to a student’s training before attempting another educational pursuit, such as medical school. For instance, prospective medical students often ask themselves, “Do I need a graduate degree to gain admission to medical school?” because they want to strengthen their application with a doctorate degree in the sciences or another relevant field. A PhD before medical school could also result in an impressive research resume for the applicant and provide them further motivation for becoming a doctor. There are also programs that combine both degrees, such as MD-PhD programs , that focus primarily on research and scientific innovation rather than clinical work. Many prospective medical students apply to PhD programs to explore every option at their disposal and create a solid foundation of research before officially applying to medical school.

Interview questions may need the most thought in terms of how you respond to them. Some of the most common and difficult graduate school interview questions are often the simplest in scope. Here are a few tips for how to structure and create a proper answer as to why you want to do a PhD:

1. Research, Research, Research

Research is not only what your PhD will lead to but also a crucial portion of preparing for it. Learn everything you can about the programs you are applying to, what academic opportunities they might lead to, and what careers they lend themselves to. It is also never too early to look into some thesis writing services for when you may eventually need them. Researching programs will give you a better grasp on why you are applying to a specific school when you are eventually asked the question. With less information about the school or its program, there is less of a chance you will be able to fully articulate why you should further your studies there.

2. Brainstorm Your Response

The first thing to do is to brainstorm all the reasons you want to complete a doctorate degree. Get a piece of paper or blank document and start to take note of everything that comes to mind. These can be specific reasons, potential research topics, programs you are interested in, the city you will move to, or anything else that could motivate you to complete your PhD. You could also use what you may have already written for a PhD motivation letter as a base for what you want to touch upon. Once complete, parse through what is most important for your response and discard the rest.

3. Have a Beginning, Middle, and End

In terms of structure, you will want to create a mini narrative that captures the interviewer’s interest. It should be detailed and unique to you without being overblown. Make sure that your answer flows, is concise, and does not go over two minutes, as you could risk losing the interviewer’s attention. You might want to mention your prior studies or academic research first, then what sparked your interest in doing a PhD, and then perhaps end with a little tidbit as to why you are attracted to that school’s program specifically.

4. Use Bullet Points

While you should always be thinking about how to structure your response to achieve the best result, it is important to avoid memorizing a script or simply listing the items on your CV for graduate school . This could wind up making you sound robotic and rehearsed, which may leave a lukewarm impression on an admissions officer or interviewer. It is a little tedious to consider, but you want the response to flow logically without seeming too prepared. Planning out your answer in bullet points will allow you to stick to what information you want to convey while still answering the question in a natural way.

Self-reflection is important when applying to any academic program. A question that requires you to dig deep, such as “Why do you want to do a PhD?” may cause anxiety. PhD interviews in particular can be intimidating if you are not ready or feel lost about where to start preparing. Thankfully, there are resources for you to receive aid should you need it. Reading tips for applying to graduate school will get you into the right mindset to begin preparing for your PhD. It could also inspire you to put more effort into perfecting your application.

Meanwhile, seeking graduate school application help from a professional is a sure-fire way to alleviate the stress associated with pursuing a doctoral degree. There is no shame in asking for a helping hand as you make important decisions about your academic future. You can only succeed if you give yourself the room to do so.

Interviewers tend to ask this question to get to know more about your personality and motivations when applying to their program. It is also a way to further explore what your interests are and how you express yourself when talking about them.

One of the most important things to remember when answering this question is to be genuine and focus on accurately articulating what your true motivations are. Surely, you applied to the PhD program for multiple reasons, so try and relay those to the interviewer as clearly as you can.

Yes and no. Your response to this question will be similar to what is already in your statement of purpose. Your statement is also an assessment of your writing skills, especially depending on the program you are applying to. Do not differentiate too much until it is a completely different answer. This could make your response come off as disingenuous.

The answer to this question should ideally be about a minute or 90 seconds long. A response under a minute is probably a little too short. Two minutes is the absolute maximum length. You could risk losing the attention of the interviewer if it surpasses that timeframe. Moreover, this will not be the only question you will have to answer, so show respect for the interviewer’s time by keeping your responses brief and to the point.

Be careful not to neglect your particular motivation for applying by going off topic. You also do not have to touch on every single accomplishment on your CV unless they are relevant. Mentioning your master’s degree or other larger accomplishments could be worthwhile, but be sure to think about the future and why specifically you want to complete a PhD.

PhD interview and postdoc interview questions can touch on many different topics. You will surely encounter both personal questions as well as field-related ones. These will make up a large chunk of what will be discussed during the interview.

You can, but unless they are well-versed in graduate school admissions, their feedback might not be as useful to you. To truly see an improvement in your interview skills, you should receive feedback that is tailored and personalized to you from someone who is aware of what graduate school interviewers are looking for, such as a grad school advisor .

Your best bet is a grad school advisor who is an admissions expert specifically trained to help students navigate the complex process of applying to graduate school programs. Advisors who are especially knowledgeable about doctorate programs can also be called PhD consultants . These individuals can help you with all aspects of graduate school applications, including interview preparation, editing application documents, and more.

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Your 10 Step Guide to a More Motivated PhD

If there is a job in the world that requires one of the highest levels of motivation, I would say it is doing a PhD. Pushing yourself out of bed daily to enter the lab ain’t an easy task, especially when your results are dodgy or you have unluckily found that your lab-mates or project colleagues are not the kind of people you really gel with. Anything from a tough project, elusive results to not-so-helpful colleagues can bring your motivation down. But I have always believed that when the going gets tough, the tough gets going!

So on that Mantra, here I am, a PhD student, thinking about what can help me get a successful PhD after all these years of slogging and more importantly – how do I keep myself motivated all the time in the midst of clonings that did not work, proteins that would not express or simply people that are not the friendliest? Here is a list of things for mortals like me that could help:

1. Create Your Personalized Mentor Team

You might join a team in a lab that is awesome and you are completely satisfied with the guidance and support. But there is also a chance that you might join a lab where you are not guided the way you want or need to be. Do not stick around feeling miserable – this is your project so take control! I believe that for success in any team, it is crucial that we work with like-minded positive people. However, if they are not in the team, look further afield to find them and go talk to them.

2. Learn How to Take Criticism and Advice

For improvement in any area of life or work, we must be open to constructive criticism . So when you encounter people who want to help you do better by correcting your flaws, you must take their advice and criticism positively. It will go a long way in helping you develop into a budding scientist and not just a run-of-the-mill graduate. It is better if these mentors come from a similar field but they could also be scientists or postdocs from neighboring labs or other institutes. It never hurts to have some honest assessment and support during your PhD.

3. Make a 3 Month Plan of Your Goals

Sometimes during research, we get so lost in the minor experiments that we lose track of the major goals of our project. I must confess it happened to me. To help you get away from the distraction, make a list of the major things you need to achieve within a particular time frame, say 3 months and try to get them done. After 3 months, go to you supervisor and discuss your progress and hurdles. It shows that you are motivated and concerned about the project and for sure your Prof. will appreciate that!

4. Learn When to Let Go

This is one of the most painful, yet most important lessons. If you get stuck with a zombie project, and all it does is suck the energy out of you and gives you no happiness [by the way happiness often equals results in a PhD 😉 ]. STOP. Working on projects with dead ends is uninspiring. Trust your gut feelings and your results and stop wasting your time. It will only make you feel miserable and demotivated.

If this happens go ahead and talk to your PI or the professor, taking the results, your theory or whatever you need to support your point and discuss it with them. I have seen many a bright minds struggle through insane projects that won’t work and getting supremely frustrated along the way. I know it is not an easy task telling a Professor “Your idea isn’t going to work” but if you can explain it well with constructive points that are backed up with evidence you may well get the point across and get a more interesting topic to work on!

Better still, go prepared with new ideas and data on how to improve the current project or an alternative that you might want to work on instead.

5. Develop a Healthy Professional Relationship with Your Colleagues

Finding supportive colleagues at work is like finding the surprise chocolate chips inside a frosted vanilla cake. They lift us up when we are having a stressful time and can also help with experiments and provide motivating suggestions. Try to recognize which are the ones you click with and then make sure you take some time out for a coffee or tea break with them or just grab a beer together. Make it a point to stay connected with them. Interesting scientific discussions with them can be insightful and random talks can be heartening. Moreover, even on not so good work days, you’d still want to get up and meet these lovely people at work.

6. Learn to Work with the Difficult Colleagues

In life, so in research dear folks, we come across people that, for one reason or another, we don’t get on with. If you are extremely unlucky, you will come across difficult people who no one really likes in the team but the divine plan has chosen you to work with them in that particular project. You might even be unlucky enough to encounter people who try to hinder your work rather than help or even steal ideas, reagents and protocols.

Now you may scream and curse all you want at the Gods of Science but that does not help. Yes harsh stuff but this happens too in the world of science. Don’t be quiet. Communicate and communicate immediately. First talk to the colleague in question and please do that nicely. Put your points across and see if you can work out a solution together; maybe he or she still is open to change and if that works then problem solved! If that doesn’t and the problem keeps on rising, talk to the team leader. Do not sit there pondering ‘why me?’ Strategize, make a plan and take action to improve things for yourself.

7. Be Punctual

Well, you might think just how being punctual helps you stay motivated but I tell you folks it really does. Getting into a good routine will keep you focused and motivated. In fact it’s a sign that you are motivated already to be at work on time and raring to go and do out of the world experiments!

8. Read the Literature

My parents are both science professors and the one piece of advice that I constantly and unfailingly get from them is: Read THE PAPERS ! And honestly despite this I often groan thinking about the idea, but it is the crux of research. I mean how would we ever “re-search” something when we haven’t looked it up in the first place? Hmmm? Right? So you must do your reading. It will make you feel confident and knowledgeable and gives you cool new ideas for your thesis!

9. Take Time off from Work for Your Passions !

It may sound like life advice rather than motivation advice but for a creative mind it is the most needed stimulant! Travel, play an instrument, learn a new language or just chill with your friends!! But please do take time out for your life, the things you love to do and for your loved ones. Do not let the degree take control of your whole life! A nice vacation is also a great motivation to come back to work with recharged batteries.

10. Read Bitesize Bio!

We’ve got a wealth of information to help you when it comes to getting through your PhD in one piece including: How To Start Your PhD The Right Way , Coping With a Quarter Life Crisis , advice on if you should switch labs , and for when you make it to the end Top 10 Tips for Viva Success .

So dear fellow brethren, I’d be happy if even one of these tips helps you guys get closer to that title before your names. And now I must scoot to my lab to work on my own. All the best! And if you have any tips yourself, why not leave them for us in the comments section below?

13 Comments

Hi Shoa, this article is very much helpful for phd student. I have one question from you. If there is no one to check your problem what you are are doing whether you are right or wrong then in this case how can we do our phd?? In this situation we demotivate. please suggest how to make myself self motivated.

I enjoyed the article. I have comment/question regarding taking a break. I took a week long break from my Phd, planned a nice trip with my hubby. I was expecting I would be back to lab with charged battery but I came back to lab feeling not so motivated to work. A week long of vacation made me feel I was wasting time in lab rather than enjoying the life, the nature’s beauty and having a fun life. I am currently confused am I not ready for PhD or is this just a vacation hangover?

Dear Sofi, first of all I am so sorry for the delayed response. I had not checked my comment section, and somehow need to get a notification. So, I get what you are going through. And I hope by now, 😉 that feeling has subsided. It is natural to miss the fun and relaxing vacation days my dear. But it is so crucial you took them! You know, otherwise we end up having what we call a BREAKDOWN..or BURNOUT. Trust me, that missing vacay feeling will last a few days, but once you are back in the lab for a few days, you will be back into Science mode. It is definitely, as you put, a hangover, which is good for our souls. Hang in there. Regards.

Thanks, Shoa. This article is something which has all the answers/pieces of advice that I need right now.

Glad to know Shagufta. Thank you for the encouraging inputs. Regards.

How to keep yourself motivated in the middle of your PhD

Doctoral studies are akin to a roller coaster ride with lots of high intensity ups and humdrum downs. It is, therefore, easy to lose your motivation to continue and start questioning your decision to start the endeavour in the first place.

But, as thousands before us will attest, it is worth the grind to finish your doctoral studies. Since I am halfway through my own PhD journey, I thought I should share some tips for how to keep yourself motivated during the course of your PhD.

1. Don’t lose track of the big picture

It is important for you to remember why you started the program in the first place. Your passion for a particular research topic, the implications of your research, being interested in a particular gap in the common knowledge, whatever was your key motivation; it needs to be kept in mind throughout the PhD.

You can print out this statement and paste it on your office or bedroom wall or write it down on a board that you see. You can also have a placard made for your room’s door. Sometimes, I revisit a PowerPoint presentation that I made for my interview stating my objectives.

2. Have clear sub-objectives

Since a PhD is essentially a 4/5 years long thesis, it is important to split it into small feasible work packages or research questions. This practice is not just for getting your proposal approved, but also for yourself. Looking at short-term, practical goals during your PhD helps you focus on one particular issue at a time and keeps you engaged.

I am currently working on my penultimate research question. This occupies the majority of my mind’s bandwidth and keeps me away from motivational crises.

3. Talk to peers

This seems like an obvious tip but sometimes, we find ourselves isolated from our peers and other PhDs. ‘They wouldn’t know what I am dealing with’ is often the erroneous assumption that most of us make at some time or other. It is important to fight the urge to struggle in isolation and share with your peers your questions about remaining motivated.

4. Talking with your supervisors

Sometimes, when you really feel uninspired or uninterested in something that you are doing, it is helpful to talk to your supervisors. They know what it is to do a PhD. They also know your research topic thoroughly. Therefore, they can help you keep yourself motivated and inspired.

Personally, I find the annual assessment meetings to be the best time to discuss such issues, but you can also do this in between.

5. Take intermittent breaks

When you feel unmotivated, you should take as many breaks, within reason, as you need. This helps you take a step away from the daily grind and look at the big picture. This also helps you shift focus from ‘what am I doing’ to ‘what do I want to do, really’.

I have been guilty of not taking breaks when I am doing something intense and that has caused me to question my own motivations.

6. Find new perspectives

Sometimes, you might feel that the initial motivation for undertaking a PhD program is lost or you thought it was something else. In that case, you don’t have to get demotivated. You can find new perspectives. Listen to other people and their stories, look at biographical accounts of researchers where they talk about their struggles, or find new people to network with who can provide you with a new angle of approaching your work.

Personally, I find myself having renewed enthusiasm when I read other PhDs’ blogs about their struggles and motivations and how they overcame the hurdles.

7. Think of the future

I think of the possibilities and opportunities that will potentially open up when I am done with my PhD. This prospective thinking also keeps me motivated to keep working. The best thing about such thinking is that we don’t know anything for sure and hence can dream of several things that can happen.

I hope I have provided you with some possible ways to keep yourself motivated. A doctoral program should not just be a struggle but a challenging journey that you are motivated to undertake willingly.

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Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education

ISSN : 2398-4686

Article publication date: 16 November 2018

Issue publication date: 16 November 2018

This study aims to examine how PhD students with diverse profiles, intentions and expectations manage to navigate their doctoral paths within the same academic context under similar institutional conditions. Drawing on Giddens’ theory of structuration, this study explores how their primary reasons, motives and motivations for engaging in doctoral studies influence what they perceive as facilitating or constraining to progress, their strategies to face the challenges they encounter and their expectations regarding supervision.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a qualitative design, the analysis was conducted on a data subset from an instrumental case study (Stake, 2013) about PhD students’ persistence and progression. The focus is placed on semi-structured interviews carried out with 36 PhD students from six faculties in humanities and social sciences fields at a large Canadian university.

The analysis reveals three distinct scenarios regarding how these PhD students navigate their doctoral paths: the quest for the self; the intellectual quest; and the professional quest. Depending on their quest type, the nature and intensity of PhD students’ concerns and challenges, as well as their strategies and the support they expected, differed.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the discussion about PhD students’ challenges and persistence by offering a unique portrait of how diverse students’ profiles, intentions and expectations can concretely shape a doctoral experience.

Higher education
PhD experience
Doctoral education
Doctoral student learning
Doctoral students
Doctoral candidates
Doctoral experience
Doctoral trajectories
Higher education environment

Skakni, I. (2018), "Reasons, motives and motivations for completing a PhD: a typology of doctoral studies as a quest", Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education , Vol. 9 No. 2, pp. 197-212. https://doi.org/10.1108/SGPE-D-18-00004

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Congratulations, Doctor; academic work is NOT your only option. If you’ve just completed your PhD, the grass may be greener outside the university gates. In this post, we offer advice and guidance for those thinking of leaving academic after a PhD. The Dream of a...

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Working With a Not-So-Great PhD Supervisor

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How to deal with unexpected PhD supervisor feedback

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How to Stop Procrastinating and Complete Your PhD Thesis: 10 Strategies to Consider

“I’ll do it tomorrow…..” Stop saying and start doing with these strategies on how to stop procrastinating your PhD thesis.

80 things I wish I knew when I was doing my PhD

Often, the difference between unnecessary worry and successfully muddling through is having someone on your side who can tell you that what you’re feeling is normal and reassure you with good, practical advice that speaks to the core of you. That is the goal of this article.

Impressing the Examiners: How to Prepare for Your PhD Viva

Completing your PhD thesis is a huge moment, but there’s still another hurdle to clear. Read on to learn how to prepare for your PhD viva.

What to do if you lack motivation in your PhD

Motivation is elusive. Some days you have it and others you don’t. Well, having fluctuations in your motivation is normal and to be expected. If you took ten PhD students, how many do you think would say they’re highly motivated all the time? Not many, I imagine.

10 Things You Can Prioritise If You’re A Self-Isolating PhD Student

Whilst being based from home and self-isolating will undoubtedly have a big impact on how you work, it doesn’t mean your PhD comes to a stop. There are other things you can work on once you re-prioritise your workload and shift your projects around.

What you should know if you are self-isolating during your PhD

This post has been published in direct response to recent calls by governments around the world to encourage more people to work from home. We wanted to create a resource that talked specifically to PhD students in order to advise them on steps they could take to ease the transition to home-working. Towards the end of these guidelines are specifically tips for those who currently teach as part of their PhD workload.

5 Things New PhD Students Should Know

Noting can ever fully prepare you for the intellectual, physical and emotional assault that comes with doing a PhD. Everyone does a PhD for very personal reasons, and everyone finds them challenging in unique and varied ways. What for one person may seem like a death-blow may to others be nothing more than a minor inconvenience. However, in this post I want to discuss the six things that every new PhD student should know. They’re things that I learnt the hard way during my PhD, and which I’ve seen time and time again in my career as an academic, PhD thesis proofreader and PhD coach.

What makes a good PhD supervisor? Top tips for managing the student-supervisor relationship.

We explain what makes a good PhD supervisor, what they should and shouldn’t be doing, and how to make the most of your supervision meetings.

39 PhD Mindfulness Exercises To De-Stress Your PhD

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Five tips to improve your PhD thesis

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How to deal with post-viva PhD thesis corrections

We like to think that the viva is the end of the doctoral process; the final step in the long journey to a PhD. But, for most, it isn’t the final hurdle. The outcome of the viva in most cases is another three to sixth months work to deal with corrections.

People like me will never do things like that: PhD imposter syndrome and academic anxiety

To those who think they’re not good enough I say two things. First, good enough for what? To be an academic? Well, you are one. You’re a trainee. Second, you’re not good enough yet. There’s a big distinction.

Writing your PhD begins with writing fieldnotes

For anyone writing ethnography – or doing any participant observation at all – writing a thesis begins in earnest in the field, with notes: an absolute heap of them.

7 Ways To Beat PhD Writer’s Block

Then the deadline grows shorter. You start to worry, “I’m so far behind. Can I ever catch up? I’m a good student. So why haven’t I been more productive?”

A Handy PhD Submission Checklist

Your work isn’t finished when you’ve written your thesis and had it proofread. There is still a surprising amount of administrative work to do before you are ready to submit. Don’t underestimate the amount of time it will take to turn your finished text into a final, bound copy.

Explore Other PhD Knowledge Base Collections

Eight collections of free resources to help you along the phd journey.

Mastering your theory and literature review chapters

How to structure and write every chapter of the PhD

How to stay motivated and productive

Techniques to improve your writing and fluency

Advice on maintaining good mental health

Resources designed for non-native English speakers

Explore our back-catalogue of motivational advice

Each week we send out a short, motivational email to over 4,000 students. Here you can sign up and access the archive.

A free one-page PhD structure template

How to Answer “Why Did You Pursue a PhD?” in an Interview

Why do employers ask about your PhD pursuit?

How to answer the question.

Highlight your passions and interests. Explain what sparked your interest in your field of study and how your PhD program allowed you to explore and deepen your knowledge in this area. Emphasize your enthusiasm and curiosity, as these are traits that are often valued by employers.
Discuss the specific skills and knowledge you gained. Talk about the courses you took, the research projects you worked on, and the presentations you made, and how they have prepared you for the job you are applying for. Use specific examples to illustrate the skills and knowledge you gained, and how you have applied them in the past or how you plan to apply them in the future.
Emphasize your commitment to learning and professional development. A PhD demonstrates a commitment to learning and professional development, and employers often look for candidates who are eager to continue learning and growing in their careers. Talk about your goals for the future and how you plan to stay up-to-date in your field.

How to prepare for the question

Reflect on your personal motivations. Why did you decide to pursue a PhD? What sparked your interest in your field of study? What were your goals for the future?
Think about the skills and knowledge you gained. What courses did you take? What research projects did you work on? What presentations did you make? How have these experiences prepared you for the job you are applying for?
Consider your future goals and how a PhD will help you achieve them. Do you have specific goals for your career or for your personal development? How do you plan to stay up-to-date in your field?

Common Mistakes

Focusing too much on the prestige of a PhD. While a PhD may be a prestigious degree, it's important to focus on your personal motivations and goals rather than the prestige of the degree itself. Employers are more interested in your passion for your field of study and your commitment to learning and professional development.
Not connecting your PhD to the job you are applying for. It's important to show how your PhD program has prepared you for the role you are applying for. Talk about the specific skills and knowledge you gained and how they are applicable to the job.
Not demonstrating enthusiasm or passion. A PhD is a significant undertaking, and employers often look for candidates who are passionate about their field of study. Make sure to highlight your enthusiasm and curiosity when discussing your PhD pursuit.
Not discussing your future goals. Employers often want to know that you are committed to learning and growing in your career. Be sure to discuss your future goals and how your PhD will help you achieve them.

Sample Answers

"I pursued a PhD because I have always been fascinated by the human brain and how it works. I was drawn to the opportunity to delve deeper into the field of psychology and gain a greater understanding of the complexities of the mind. My PhD program allowed me to take a range of courses and work on research projects that have helped me develop a strong foundation in the field. I am now excited to apply this knowledge and these skills to a career in research or academia."
"I pursued a PhD because I wanted to make a meaningful contribution to the field of computer science. I have always been passionate about solving complex problems and developing innovative solutions, and I saw a PhD as an opportunity to delve deeper into these areas. My program allowed me to work on a range of research projects and gain expertise in areas such as machine learning and data analytics. I am now excited to bring these skills to a career in industry or academia, where I can continue to push the boundaries of what is possible with technology."
"I pursued a PhD because I wanted to become a subject matter expert in my field and contribute to the body of knowledge in my area of study. My PhD program allowed me to delve deeply into the history, theory, and practice of education, and I am now excited to bring this knowledge to a career in academia or research. I am particularly interested in using my skills and knowledge to develop innovative approaches to teaching and learning, and I believe that a PhD has prepared me well for this goal."

Why Would You Want to Do a PhD?

Student perspectives on the value of a graduate degree

May 16, 2018 | Richard Z.

If you are reading this blog post, there is a good chance that you are thinking about a PhD, possibly at MIT. But MIT or not, almost every doctoral program would ask you why you are interested in their program and how it fits into your career goal. A typical answer would be:

I am interested in your PhD program because I want to do research in my area. My career goal is to become a professor at a university or research institute.

Indeed, doctoral degrees are by default the training programs for academics. You would presumably spend five years or so learning how to become a capable researcher in your academic field before applying for postdocs and eventually assistant professorships.

Things may not be so simple. The latest Doctoral Exit Survey by the MIT Career Services reveals that close to 50% of the PhD graduates in 2017 do not work in research institutes or universities immediately after graduation. Instead, they work across private and public sectors.

The “mismatch” between the program’s design to train academics and the non-academic careers pursued by many PhD graduates calls for us to revisit to the question: why on earth would you want to do a PhD? To that end, I interviewed a group of prospective, current, and graduated PhDs. The following themes popped up

Intellectual Curiosity If you are doing a PhD, you probably enjoy the subject of your program so much that you are willing to spend five or six years on it. Indeed, intellectual curiosity is common to most PhD students that I spoke with. Often it comes with little consideration to specific career choices. On this topic, Dr. F. shared his thoughts

“When I was considering my options after undergrad, the idea of getting an advanced degree and learning a topic at a deep level is very attractive to me,” said Dr. F., who got his PhD in atomic physics at MIT.

However, I asked if he had any postgraduate careers in mind when starting his PhD.

“I did not have a clear plan for what I wanted to do after graduation,” Dr. F. admitted, “But I did think that the jobs that I could pursue with an advanced degree were much more interesting than the ones with only a bachelor’s.”

After having worked at the MIT Lincoln Labs for a decade, Dr. F is now a CEO and founder of a company.

“I feel that with my PhD degree, I’ve got not only the technical tools but also enough confidence to analyze and solve the problems and deal with the unknown in my daily job.”

Non-Academic Careers It is a myth that a PhD degree only prepares you to succeed in academia. Since a doctoral program helps you develop a field specialty, it is not hard to imagine people who use their PhD training to sharpen their skills in order to work in industry. Abbas Shikari is no exception. A master’s student in mechanical engineering at MIT, he plans to extend his current program to a PhD. During our interview, he said it loud and clear,

“I would like to be a software architect for autonomous vehicles, and a PhD would help me achieve the depth of knowledge necessary to becoming a strong contributor to the field of robotics and self-driving cars.”

Formerly a supply chain manager at Fitbit, Abbas nonetheless grew unhappy with the business path that the position put him on.

“My daily job involved lots of email exchanges and small managerial tasks, and I found them quite boring,” said Abbas, “after speaking with the Fitbit engineers, I found robotics to be very interesting and technically challenging.”

“Robotics and autonomous vehicles are about to get into every aspect of our lives. I want to ride the next wave of the robotics, maturing the industry and making it more accessible to everyone. To do that I need acquire sufficient technical skills, and a PhD is my best bet.”

Feeling like the Only Choice Sometimes, pursuing a PhD can seem to be the only available choice after undergrad.

Clubs is a current PhD student at Harvard Medical School. Already featured in my previous article , she happily accepted my second interview, this time on why she pursued PhD.

“Graduate school was kind of a choice by default for me,” said Clubs, “I did not really explore different career options in undergrad. So close to graduation, I didn’t know what kind of jobs were out there for me.”

“I also didn’t feel the urge to join the workforce after my bachelor’s study, maybe because I was young and naïve,” said Clubs jokingly. “At the same time, all of my friends were studying for the GRE and applying for US graduate school. So I just followed suit. Later I got into Harvard, which was the best outcome I could have hoped for.”

During her time at Harvard, Clubs actively tried out different careers, including venture capital, biotech, and management consulting. Currently, she is interning in Shanghai at the Boston Consulting Group, one of the world’s premium consultancy firms.

“The flexibility of my PhD program leaves me lots of room for other stuff, and I did take the luxury of time to figure out exactly what I want to do with my life.”

So why do you want to pursue a PhD? I should note that I am not issuing personal judgments on anything or anyone above. After all, everyone has his or her own personal reason to pursue a doctoral degree as well as a unique expectation out of the program experience. What I’d like to mention is: it is one thing to convince the admission committees that you are a good PhD candidate, but it’s another to convince yourself that starting a doctoral program represents your best professional, intellectual, and personal interest.

So why do you want to pursue a PhD?

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5 Reasons to Study a PhD

21 st February 2020

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A PhD is both financially draining and incredibly challenging. Lasting for 3 – 4 years (depending upon your subject matter) the percentage of students who start their qualification and either fail or drop out is significantly higher than any other postgraduate course.

However, there are plenty of reasons to study a PhD that outweigh those potential downsides. Here's five of them...

1) Make a Contribution Towards Your Chosen Field

Many students who pursue a PhD, do so because they are passionate about a specific subject, and want to use their research time to make important discoveries within that field.

One of the great things about your PhD is that you will be able to conduct your own research. If your thesis and your findings are strong and relevant, other experts within your chosen area of academia will reference your work and your discoveries when teaching future students.

2) Long-term Career Goals

Some students who pursue a PhD, do so in order to pursue their long-term degree goals. For those looking to pursue a career in academia, then a PhD is an essential qualification which will allow them to both continue their research, and to teach University students. Those wishing to pursue a career within this field should try and gain teaching practice throughout their PhD by giving lectures and seminars to first year undergraduates.

Many PhD graduates who are lucky enough to be sponsored to do their course go on to find employment with the companies that funded them. Similarly, the analytical and research skills learnt on a PhD course are highly transferable to other industries.

3) Improving and Challenging Knowledge

Some minds are just curious and for these people, studying for a PhD will feel like a natural next step. Unlike undergraduate and Master’s qualifications, the PhD program will be less structured and so students will be encouraged to research topics that are of specific interest to them.

4) Enjoyment of the Subject Matter

Again, many students study for a PhD simply because they are passionate about the subject and want to explore that passion.

Although contact hours are minimal, the PhD is a very intense course and you will be living and breathing your research and thesis for at least 3 years - so make sure you enjoy it before you commit.

5) Demonstration of Intellectual Potential

One thing a PhD course will do is separate the good academics from the fantastic ones. It not only demonstrates an individual’s ability to conduct independent research, but also showcases their in-depth knowledge in a specific subject area. Within the world of academia this is essential.

NEXT: Search for PhD courses

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The best answers to “Why do you want to do a PhD?”

If you are interviewing for a PhD position, chances are high that you will be asked about your motivation to do a PhD. And sometimes, simple questions are the hardest to answer. Therefore, it is smart to prepare an excellent response to this question in advance.

Creating your unique answer to “Why do you want to do a PhD?”

Reasons to do a PhD are as diverse as PhD topics and PhD programmes: there is no one-size-fits-all approach.

While this diversity is a good thing, the lack of clarity on what a good answer to the question “Why do you want to do a PhD?” constitutes, makes it particularly daunting.

And indeed, this question should not be taken lightly:

A convincing response during a PhD application interview increases your chance of securing the position: it clarifies your ambition and can leave a memorable impression.

To impress your interviewers with an answer, preparation is key. The first step is to reflect on your personal ‘why’:

Write down everything that comes to your mind. Your notes could include words like “ curiosity” , and short sentences such as “ to be able to become a professor in the future” but also honest reflections such as “ I want to be able to call myself Dr”.

The next step is to sort your notes, select the answers you want to highlight, and frame your response.

The following categories are some of the best to frame your unique answer to the question:

scientific curiosity
societal or environmental ambitions
self-development
(academic) career prospects.

You may also like: The best answers to “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”

Doing a PhD to satisfy your scientific curiosity

Curiosity is one of the key qualities of successful postgraduate students . Hence, answers to “Why do you want to do a PhD?” that centre around ambitions to satisfy your scientific curiosity are usually appreciated during PhD interviews.

There are different ways to emphasise your scientific curiosity. For instance, you could explain how a specific topic caught your interest. For example by reading the work of a specific scholar, following a course, or listening to a talk.

You could also mention previous research that you did (for instance in a bachelor’s or master’s thesis), which aroused your curiosity to dig deeper and find out more.

For all answers framed by scientific curiosity, make sure to highlight a lack of knowledge and open questions that you would like to answer by doing a PhD. And don’t just say “ I find it interesting “. Be concrete!

Doing a PhD because of your societal or environmental ambitions

Many people connect their answers to “Why do you want to do a PhD?” to societal or environmental ambitions. And for a reason: These answers can be very powerful!

Societal ambitions could be, for instance, to eradicate a specific infectious disease, combat child poverty or increase female participation in the labour market. Environmental ambitions could be, for instance, to reduce CO2 emissions, tackle plastic pollution or protect an endangered species.

When you are preparing your unique response, and want to connect it to societal or environmental ambitions, make sure to provide some details and make it personal.

You can, for instance, tell a short personal story about why you find something important. Did you have a life-changing experience? Or do you maybe know someone who has been affected by a societal shortcoming?

Doing a PhD for self-development

If you are motivated to do a PhD because of societal or environmental ambitions, good for you. But if you don’t, there is also no need to worry!

You don’t need to have ambitions to save the world or win a Nobel prize as a prerequisite to doing a PhD. There is nothing wrong with answering the question “Why do you want to do a PhD?” by focusing on yourself.

On the contrary, openness and a drive to improve yourself and learn new skills are highly valued by PhD supervisors. Thus, self-development can be another good framework for your answer.

You can emphasise your ambition for self-development by mentioning specific things you want to learn, or skills you want to acquire or improve. Create a short backstory with a rationale. In that way, your interviewers will easily understand what you want to develop and why you think a PhD programme is a right place to do so.

Doing a PhD to improve your (academic) career prospects

Another legitimate reason for wanting to do a PhD is your professional goals. These goals can involve a career within academia, or outside of academia. (Both have valid advantages and disadvantages .)

Ambitions to work within academia are more straightforward to explain. For example, in most cases, you simply need a PhD to secure a lecturer position or professorship.

If you don’t have ambitions to climb the academic ladder, but still think that doing a PhD will improve your career prospects, please go ahead! Just make sure to sufficiently substantiate your reasons, as your interviewer may not be familiar with, for instance, certain job requirements outside of academia.

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Key quotes to motivate and drive academic success

How to select a journal for publication as a phd student, related articles.

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Establishing an all-round academic profile

10 reasons NOT to do a master’s degree

Stress levels: PhD versus non-academic full-time job

COMMENTS

PhD Motivation: How to Stay Driven From Cover Letter to Completion
While recognising what you've already accomplished with your PhD will help provide the motivation to achieve even more. So for instance breaking down the first of those example milestones, completing your first set of experiments, could be broken down into much smaller short term goals: Breaking down goal 1: Completing your first set of ...
Inspiration, motivation and the PhD: What are your 3 reasons?
Impact - This is one area in which I think everyone could add it to their list of 3. We have to remember that no matter how small our impact on the world may be, we are still making one. With your PhD, you are making a contribution to the wider sphere of knowledge. My support worker at university changed my perspective on this - that no ...
Why Do a PhD?
Written by Ben Taylor. One of the key reasons why you might want to do a PhD is to research a niche subject area that you are passionate about and to make a meaningful contribution to your field. The PhD journey will help you to develop many transferable skills that can be applied in your project and help you achieve your future career, whether ...
7 Ways To Successfully Keep Your Motivation During Your PhD
5. Drink water. In addition to eating regularly, drinking an adequate amount of water is essential to maintaining your motivation. The amount of water your body needs to function is often underestimated. PhD candidates and postdocs tend to choose drinks with caffeine, rather than water.
Writing an Effective Personal Statement for PhD Graduate Programs
These "narrative hook" anecdotes engage the reader and set up a great platform to describe the motivation behind your experiences. Then go into your academic interests, which can be a couple of sentences broadly stating your research interests. ... Remember that a PhD program trains you to build and utilize scientific skills to advance ...
How to Write a PhD Motivation Letter
A strong motivation letter for PhD applications will include: A concise introduction stating which programme you are applying for, Your academic background and professional work experience, Any key skills you possess and what makes you the ideal candidate, Your interest and motivation for applying, Concluding remarks and thanks.
Reasons, motives and motivations for completing a PhD: a typology of
Naidoo, D. (2015), " Under standing non-traditional PhD st udents ' habitus - im plications for PhD programmes " , Teach ing in Higher Education , Vol. 20 No. 3, pp. 340-351.
How to Stay Motivated During Your PhD
Motivation is a tricky thing. Even if you are committed to your goals, it can be acting as a roller coaster at times due to accumulating stress or losing faith in the result. With PhD thesis writing , such terms as 'second-year blues' as well as statistics of academic dropouts and mental health issues strongly suggest that staying on track ...
Personal Statements for PhD Study
A PhD personal statement should be 400-500 words, fitting on one side of an A4 sheet of paper. Your university may set a specific word count or maximum length, so make sure to check the application details. Either way, you should aim to be disciplined and concise. There are two reasons for this:
How to Write a Personal Statement for a PhD Program Application
Set aside enough time: Although personal statements are generally short in length (approx. 700 words; 1-2 pages), give yourself ample time to write a strong, well-written statement. It takes more time than you think to develop a final draft for submission. Focus on your spelling, grammar, and vocabulary: It's important to present a well ...
How to Answer, "Why Do You Want to Do a PhD?"
Here are a few tips for how to structure and create a proper answer as to why you want to do a PhD: 1. Research, Research, Research. Research is not only what your PhD will lead to but also a crucial portion of preparing for it. Learn everything you can about the programs you are applying to, what academic opportunities they might lead to, and ...
Your 10 Step Guide to a More Motivated PhD
1. Create Your Personalized Mentor Team. You might join a team in a lab that is awesome and you are completely satisfied with the guidance and support. But there is also a chance that you might join a lab where you are not guided the way you want or need to be. Do not stick around feeling miserable - this is your project so take control!
How to keep yourself motivated in the middle of your PhD
Since I am halfway through my own PhD journey, I thought I should share some tips for how to keep yourself motivated during the course of your PhD. 1. Don't lose track of the big picture. It is important for you to remember why you started the program in the first place. Your passion for a particular research topic, the implications of your ...
Reasons, motives and motivations for completing a PhD: a typology of
This study aims to examine how PhD students with diverse profiles, intentions and expectations manage to navigate their doctoral paths within the same academic context under similar institutional conditions. Drawing on Giddens' theory of structuration, this study explores how their primary reasons, motives and motivations for engaging in ...
motivational-techniques-to-help-you-complete-your-doctorate
You can log-in and utilize resources whenever you need, which can help you keep going whenever you encounter a difficult patch. Earning your doctorate can be extremely rewarding. With online learning and the right motivation techniques, you can help make sure you reap those rewards. Walden University is an accredited institution offering PhD ...
How to Write a Successful PhD Motivation Letter
Any letter of motivation should include a brief introduction specifying the programme you would like to apply for. First, state a clear career objective of your future project and the reasons for choosing this particular PhD programme. Provide the information about your previous academic and professional experience.
How to stay motivated during your PhD
There is still a surprising amount of administrative work to do before you are ready to submit. Don't underestimate the amount of time it will take to turn your finished text into a final, bound copy. In these free resources, we discuss the emotional challenges of doing a PhD and offer tips to help you stay engaged and motivated.
How to Write a PhD Motivation Letter with Samples and Expert Tips
1. Don't Forget About the Formatting. PhD admission requirements differ between the many programs out there, so be cognizant of how they ask you to format your paper. If the requirements state a two-page limit, then write two pages. The same goes for other criteria like font size, paragraph spacing, and word length.
How to Answer "Why Did You Pursue a PhD?" in an Interview
Employers often ask about your pursuit of a PhD in a job interview as a way to understand your motivations and goals, as well as your commitment to learning and professional development. They may also be interested in the specific skills and knowledge you gained during your PhD program, and how they may be applicable to the job you are applying ...
Why Would You Want to Do a PhD?
A typical answer would be: I am interested in your PhD program because I want to do research in my area. My career goal is to become a professor at a university or research institute. Indeed, doctoral degrees are by default the training programs for academics. You would presumably spend five years or so learning how to become a capable ...
5 Reasons to Study a PhD
3) Improving and Challenging Knowledge. Some minds are just curious and for these people, studying for a PhD will feel like a natural next step. Unlike undergraduate and Master's qualifications, the PhD program will be less structured and so students will be encouraged to research topics that are of specific interest to them.
The best answers to "Why do you want to do a PhD?"
Doing a PhD to improve your (academic) career prospects. Another legitimate reason for wanting to do a PhD is your professional goals. These goals can involve a career within academia, or outside of academia. (Both have valid advantages and disadvantages .)
7 valid reasons why to do a PhD in 2023?
Reason to do a PhD #3: Motivation and career satisfaction; Reason to do a PhD #4: You've got a big research idea that can change the world; Reason to do a PhD #5: A personal motivation to become a professor; Reason to do a PhD #6: An interesting project with full PhD funding ; Reason to do a PhD #7: You want to change the world

PhD Motivation: How to Stay Driven From Cover Letter to Completion

Focus on the Big Picture

Set Short Term Goals

Recognise What You’ve Already Achieved

Reward Your Accomplishments

Build Better Habits

Habit Building Tips

Prioritise Self-Care

Define Success Differently

Avoid Comparisons to Other PhD Students

Top Tips to Boost PhD Motivation

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Inspiration, motivation and the PhD: What are your 3 reasons?

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Writing an Effective Personal Statement for PhD Graduate Programs

Before you start writing

Now start writing

THE BODY PARAGRAPHS

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How to Stay Motivated During Your PhD Programme

1. Start Small

2. Be Humble

3. Have a Plan

4. Stay Focused on the Bigger Picture

5. Talk with Others

How to Write a Personal Statement for a PhD Program Application

YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT SHOULD ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

How to Answer, “Why Do You Want to Do a PhD?”

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How to keep yourself motivated in the middle of your PhD

1. Don’t lose track of the big picture

2. Have clear sub-objectives

3. Talk to peers

4. Talking with your supervisors

5. Take intermittent breaks

6. Find new perspectives

7. Think of the future

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