Authoring a PhD

Read this book on how to do your PhD by Patrick Dunleavey, a Political Scientist from the LSE, this weekend. I expected more from it. He comes across as a mix of easy-going and stuffy - a bit bad-tempered when it comes to certain grammatical and stylistic hobbyhorses that a lot of academics who have no training in linguistics or language studies seem to latch on to. For instance, he doesn't like reification (society demands...) and using first sentences to refer back to previous paragraphs, but gives no justification other than subjective personal preference. It's a bit like, make sure you do this, this and this, otherwise you'll fail your PhD and be committing professional suicide - but don't worry if it all goes tits up because nobody really cares about your obscure little project. I found it quite interesting that he broke most of his own structural and stylistic rules in this book.

Still, there were some useful hints, tips and advice and I'm going to try and summarise them here:

1. Keep audience in mind, write to widest possible audience on a 'need-to-know' basis.
2. Be self-aware and critical.
3. Situate thesis in wider scolarly context.
4. Avoid tribalist language.
5. Instruct and inspire in central research question. Situate thesis around problematique, intellectual problem or central paradox, not just a gap:

i) a goal that can tell us how to judge (why Taiwan self-determ?...because of policy elite discourse)
ii)initial state - existing literature (materialist, idealist, constructivist on identity and Cross-Strait rels)
iii)set of operations to change initial state (mat-const, CDA, interp).
iv) constraints - certain operations inadmissible (security questions?).
v) Outcome.
(Nozick, 1993)

6. What is the thesis for? Identify the problem. Novel research and contribution. New facts and exercise of independent critical power (UoL).
7. Redundancy in research plan, marshal significant theoretical/ thematic arguments in ordered, coherent way w/ distinctive perspective.
8. Literature review. Set limited time frame for completion. 4/5 months max. Don't be over picky or fussy but correct sloppy research as u go. Avoid random sequence of authors. Use thematic approach, mental categories etc, not snapshot & description. Avoid super-extended trawl as displacement activity. Secondary research seen as lightweight. Avoid over-long LR using many angles - use two or three angles. Get down to original thinking and research - the core.
9. Keep an eye on rival PhDs.
10.Dedicated thinking time - hard, dialectical tearing of mental muscles. Purposefully develop own ideas. Disciplined and discrete. Brainstorm, select, organise, sequence ideas - boxes, tables, mind-maps. Jot down thoughts in diary. Montaigne's 7 +/- 2.
11. Have a conceptual/ theoretical framework that engages with value-added - not an exonomous cog.
12.Arrange chapters logically, organised and cumulative in research with research timetable.
i) The whole and the core.
ii)Opening out and focusing down.
iii)Four patterns of explanation.
13.Word limits!!! 80% of 80,000 words. 20% for notes and appendices. 10,000 words X 8 chapters. Lead-in, core, lead-out. So, 5/8 is new research core, value-added.
14. Don't end-load with legacy chapter.
15. Brand and cue core for readers. Highlight, set up and frame core materials in thesis. What do readers need to know in order to appreciate core chapters? Give reader a foretaste.

• thesis title
• abstract
• chapter headings
• contents page
• preface
• introduction

16. Rolling thesis synopsis, chapter plan and contents page. Synopsis of each chapter, storyline of thesis, summary of substantive arguments, conclusions, hoped for results, ongoing ready-reference. Use this as frontispiece for all submitted work.
17. Research-methods appendix.
18. Core stuff within 50-60 pages of the start.
19. Deductive v inductive.
20. periodised historical/ narrative accounts; systematic accounts; causal analysis. Avoid canned-fruit cocktail.
21.Divide chapters into consistent sections. Major heading every 2-3K words. First order and second order. Same way for each chapter.
22.Literary, understated feel, linguistic signposting, not numeric.
23.Avoid retrospection in topic sentences - don't use topic sentence to wrap previous paragraph, don't repeat title, avoid low-energy, formulaic phrasing. INSTEAD: empirical info, interesting story, quote etc.
24.Two paragraph headed conclusions at end of each chapter. Chapter intro not headed.
25.'Fog index'. Value-added v accessibility: structure, coherence, cohesion, readability, reader expectations, authenticity, feel of field, content, parsimony, originality, iteration, 'say it once, say it right'.
26.Paragraphs: topic - body -wrap. Equal length, unit of thought. Ditch short ones. Merge and cut.
27.Avoid 'Smith (1998) says...' formulaic and derivative.
28.Refs at end of sentences only?
29.40 w max for sentence. 20 w ideal.
30.Each sentence must build argument.
31.Methods NOT methodology.
32.Write in past tence - redundancy and time lapse.
33. Avoid reification (e.g. society demands...) and archetypal singulars (the bureaucrat, the Arab).
34.Don't use footnotes with just a Harvard ref there.
35.One-stop look-up facility. Always use page references.
36.Don't overreference.
37.Full-name American style referencing.
38.Learn Endnotes.
39.Plan writing sessions carefully: Just sit down and do it. Print, edit, revise, upgrade, remodel.

• write semblence of argument at chapter length
• stockpile, reassess, upgrade, tighten, review, shape up, show friends
• go public, get comments, supervisors, GRTS.
• Other conferences, EATS etc.

40.Text remodelling using pen and paper:

• write out chapter headings and subheadings in full
• searching and fearless one line summary of each paragraph - argumentative core
• number all para summaries

41.Series of basic checks for:

• structure
• clear argument
• evenly divided sections
• developmental feel
• analytical/ critical style
• alternative schema for each chapter
• 'chop and stick'
• print out, gap f/ topic and wrap sentences and fill in
• evaluate - sequence 1 or 2?
• remodel chapter and check

42. Pragmatic writing slots: take away other commitments and see what's left. Don't surf web.

• 30 mins pre-writing: review notes, organise bits from last session, type in idea below existing text and delete as u go.
• 2 - 3 hours actual writing to rack up hundreds of words. Avoid coffee breaks.
• 30 mins post-writing: finish in controlled way. Gather mats for next day's session. type notes under existing text.

43. 80,000 words = 500 words X 160 sessions. 2000 words a day = 80 days.
44. Theoretical v empirical thesis title.
45.Abstract - 300 words.
46. Chap 1. Set out stall. Define theoretical frame and themes from central question.
47. Body chapters: Each conclusion picks up on 2 themes in chapter 1 in variable geometry way. Each chapter has distinct job.
48. Conclusion. What has been achieved? How has discussion moved forward? Compare across chapters, pull together into higher order issues - consider further research needs.
49.Time bombs: Chinese! poor research strat, style and structure, evidencing, quotes, referencing, partial bibliography entries. version control. web entries.
50.Get on conference circuit!!!