GETTING WHAT YOU CAME FOR

The Smart Students Guide to Earning A Masters or Ph.D.

Peters, RL, 1997, the Noonday Press, 399 p.

Chapter 1. This Book Can Help (And You Probably Need It) Note to Readers of the Second Edition 3

150,000 doctoral students and 1,000,000 master students in USA (1997). The average full-time doctoral student to finish is 6.8 years and only half can do. Blend politics, scientific, psychology and planning. US$ 17,000 21,000 annually for tuition, fees and living expenses.

Chapter 2. What Is Graduate School Like?

The Professional Image Is It Worth Going ?

6 7

Grad School is a ritual humiliation in which novice academics are initiated into their respective discipline. Student waste time floundering, waiting in vain for someone to tell them what to do. Stress is a big problem (1st year doctoral student = 313 points, where 100 points = spouse had just died).

Chapter 3. Do You Need To Go ?

Do You Need a Ph.D. ? 9 Do You Need a Masters? 17 Deciding Between Masters and Ph.D. Programs 20

Will you graduate ? even 1/5 of students who attain candidacy fail to finish. Factors : Married, On schedule, In the sciences, Financially Secure, Have clarity of purpose, Have a good relationship with your adviser

Chapter 4. Should You Work First?

Reasons to Work First? Do You Have to Work First ? How Long Can You Postpone ?

23 26 26

Recharge your batteries wait for higher motivation Learn the skills that you did not get in the college Develop confidence Investigate field that interests you Develop your own (self) motivation

Chapter 5. Choosing A School: The Thesis Adviser

What is a Thesis Adviser ? 28 The Ph.D. as Protg 29 Bad Advisers 30 Attributes of a Good Advisor 31 Differences Between Advisor-Student relationships In the Sciences and Humanities 33 Evaluating Potential Thesis Advisers 34

Choose an adviser with whom you can maintain an excellent personal and professional relationship Adviser should train you to think : how to approach problems, plan experiments, carry out research, etc.

The Ideal Adviser: 1. Help on first step in campus 2. Help to find thesis topic 3. Help to choose thesis committee 4. Read your thesis draft and edit as necessary 5. Give moral support against detractors 6. Let you co-author papers with him 7. Help you to publish your first paper 8. Cheer for you as you defend thesis in oral exam 9. Be a mentor, part confidant and part parent 10. Bring you spiritual and temporal guide
In USA: He is from Harvard He is one of Theodore Vlasinskys student

Chapter 6. Choosing A School: Secondary Aspects

Prestige of the Department Emphasis of the Department Attrition Policy Time to Completion Placement Success Emotional Quality of the Department Logistical Resources Teaching Requirements Financial Support Extra Year Support Language Requirements Social Climate - For 48 50 51 51 52 52 53 53 54 55 55 56

Ph.D.s there is high correlation between departmental prestige and job quality. - Strength and emphasis of the research is one of the variable to choose department/school.

Chapter 7. Application and Admission

The Admission Committee What Are Committees Looking For? How Does The Committee Weigh Your Credentials? Where Can You Get In ? Maximizing Your Chances The Application Process Deciding Among Offers

57 59 60 63 64 66 70

Chapter 8. Improving Your Credentials for Admission

Grades Honors Graduate Record Examination Other Standardized Tests Recommendations Essays/Autobiographical Statement Publications

73 75 75 78 79 84 87

Chapter 9. Financial Aid

The Financial Aid Process Applying for Need-Based Funds How Schools Asses Need Types of Aid Departmental Aid Federal Loans Private Loans Loan Consolidation Federal Work-Study Miscellaneous Sources A Summary of Tips 90 92 94 101 102 103 105 105 107 110

107

Chapter 10. The Masters Degree : History and Hurdles

A Diversity of Degrees Terminal Versus Non-terminal Masters Degrees Professional Versus Academic Masters The Ideal Masters Program Structure of Programs Residence Requirement Course Work Masters Exams Thesis Self-set Requirements Part-Time Option 111 112 113 114 114 115 115 115 115 116 116

US Masters degree began in 17th century as fund raising devices, Univ. of Michigan started to award the first earned degree in 1859. Confusing and poorly standardized MBA, MCE, MA in physics, MA in history, etc. + 300,000 masters degrees at more than 1,000 institutions are given each year in US. Terminal Master programs are not designed to feed into Ph.D. program Professional or vocational/temporary masters program MBA, M.Ed.,

Non-terminal Master degrees are earned as a first step toward the Ph.D. Academic masters program MA or M.Sc. in biology, in art history The average masters thesis takes a year or less to research and complete in US. The masters program should teach the student to think at a higher integrative and creative level than the bachelors course work + practicum + thesis or research project or internship or comprehensive exam at the end of program (elective!) Thesis at the end of masters program is assigned to enter PhD program.

Chapter 11. The Doctorate : History and Hurdles

Formal Stages of Advancement Self-set Requirements Residence Requirements Course Work Minors Qualifying Exams Teaching Requirements Language Requirements Miscellaneous Requirements Thesis Proposal Thesis Thesis Defense 119 120 120 121 121 122 122 122 123 123 123 123

Why Ph.D. is called a doctor of philosophy in the field doesnt have anything to do with philosophy (metaphysics, epistemology , etc) lover of wisdom. 1st doctoral program was established at John Hopkins Univ. in 1876 in USA. In 1964 14,000 PhD per year and in 1994 41,000 Ph.D per year in USA Graduate student (since master level) masters exam doctoral student Qualifying exam doctoral candidate (e.g. dissertator, promovendus) Ph.D 1st year (course work) preparation for qualifying exam Course work, minors, language requirements, exams, proposal Ph.D candidate

Chapter 12. Managing Yourself

Things to Do Right Away Set Up Your Office for Action Set Up Your Computer Make Daily Progress Set Up A Structure: The Calendar System Monthly Thesis Progress Report More on PIMs File System Develop Good Study Habits Make Contracts Join A Graduate Student Support Group Join NAGPS Manage Your Finances 125 125 126 127 127 131 131 134 137 137 138 139 139

 1st year = weeding process to exclude undeserving (= critical, need a fast start). Set up an office command centre with file cabinets, schedules, white board, etc. Have a good computer: internet, good I/O devices, tape recorder, Set up calendar system: weekly, monthly and yearly schedules, important deadlines. Keep an hourly log daily progress: to do list, organizer/reminder, tasks, etc

 Set up filing system: notes (papers, discussion), ideas (proposal, paper topics, thesis), conferences, seminars, etc Set up regular meeting with advisers: Make contracts and schedules w/ advisers Join grad student group: Professional association, volunteer group, student club Start searching thesis topics as soon as you are registered !!

Chapter 13. Playing Politics: Building A Reputation

Start your Job Search Playing Politics Make Contact Image Building

on Day One

Keep A Good Attitude Be Kind to Support Staff Dont Be Timid Correspondence Conferences Committees Papers

141 141 142 142 144 145 146 146 146 148 148

 Meet

the advisers regularly, befriend and familiar a professional image in front of advisers to gain respect and good judgment: be businesslike, punctual, respectful, dress neatly, work on time, appear serious.

Cultivate

Never

say bad things about advisers, administrative workers, secretaries but try to be friendly and be kind with other grad students and be kind to support staff.

Go

to conferences as many as you can, present your papers, meet people and professionals, expand network, help to organize conferences.

 PhD

student should at least publish 2 papers in professional or peer-reviewed journals before graduation Thesis can be virtually be a collection of previously published papers. Even before you start the thesis, while still searching for a thesis topic you may find a publishable result from your research after consulting the advisers. Try not to get grandiose when writing your papers, they should be modest and sharply focused on results.

Chapter 14. Masters Comprehensive and Ph.D. Qualifying Examination

Masters Exam 152 Ph.D. Qualifying Exams 153 Scoping Out Masters and Doctoral Exams 155 Preparing for the Exam 156 Taking the Exam 157 If You Fail 158

Usually there is a single (oral and written) comprehensive exam at the end of master course. Develop a list of possible exam questions from many sources (previous exam, senior, text books, hand-out, etc) discuss with the advisor Terminal Master program = easier, Master program leading to PhD program (nonterminal) = difficult. PhD Qualifying exams are large and terrifying to certify that student is qualified to be PhD candidate.

Examiners (committees) may ask and go beyond your field and courses. One professor said that he regularly asked his student in the prelim exam an obscure or even self-contradictory question. What he wanted was an honest statement that the students didnt know the answer followed by thoughtful analysis of the question and EXPLANATION of how to do the research necessary to find the answer of questions.

Start early to find out what will be covered on the exam, review exams from previous years, ask older grad students about their experience, find out who will be on the exams committee, ask the advice from professors. The best defense against nervousness is to know the material Ph.D candidates : Publish academic papers, Go to conferences, Get on committees.

Chapter 15. Choosing and Managing Your Thesis Committee

What Does The Committee Do ? 159 What Does Your Committee Expect of You ?
160 What Should You Expect from Your Committee ? 161 Choose Your Committee Carefully 161 Manage Your Committee 165 Solving Problems with Your Committee 170 Disappearances 172

 The formal obligations of thesis committee are to

approve your thesis proposal and to judge the quality of your thesis and its defense. ( high degree control) The committees expectations of you : 1. Develop the ability to do independent work 2. Keep contact with them and make regular & constant progress 3. Be honest about progress 4. Be responsive to their advice (they should know that youve done what they asked to) 5. Develop professionalism, personal maturity, strong work ethic, proactive, creative. 6. Remain friendly and cheerful.

 You can expect your thesis committee to : 1.Thoughtful guidance and timely fulfillment of

obligations 2.Consistent orders and keep & respect each others dignity. The adviser the chairperson committee; other committee members you may choose or be chosen by the faculty ?? The ideal student should be invisible, detectable only a few times a year when he quietly slides a thesis chapter under his advisers door and then scurries away

 Keep the lines of communication open between

you and committee member Present your thesis to the adviser/committee as you go along (piece by piece is better than a bundle of complete thesis at once to avoid a whole revision) Beware of the conflict between you and the committee or between committee members Be assertive (dont be afraid to ask for something good from the committee) Be careful of replacing or even losing an adviser (dead or leave non tenure)

Chapter 16. The Thesis Topic : Finding it !!

When Should You Start Looking What Is A Thesis, Anyway ? Why Its Scary: The Myth of the Perfect Thesis Two Ways to Find a Thesis Dont Worry If Nothing Interests You Get Perspective by reading Theses and Articles Phone Research Start Research Project Use Your Professors Start A Topic File Criteria for Evaluating Potential Thesis Topics Start Writing Immediately

176 177 178 180 181 181 182 183 184 184 184 189

1. 2. 3.

Dreaming in a vacuum hoping a sudden burst of magical insight or mystically appear superficial thinking and ideas. Ideas are generated by intellectual cross-fertilization and the process of problem solving (PBL / Problem Base Learning is good and appropriate) To find a topic you must ( core strategy = process of intellectual exploration): Dive deeply into research, Discuss the ideas with as many people as possible Write about the subject as many as you can Start to find thesis topic as soon as you begin school ( even better before you enroll)

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

PhD thesis is expected to be an original contribution knowledge Original is the potential to do at least one of the following : Uncover new facts or principles Suggest relationships that were previously unrecognized Challenge existing truths or assumptions Afford new insights into little-understood phenomena Suggest new interpretations of known facts that can alter mans perception of the world around him Rather than thesis topic think thesis question Begin w/ major (or wide & basic) question then develop subordinate (or subsidiary & minor) question that will help the answer

Choosing a thesis topic is a lot like choosing a mate there are thousands upon thousands of thesis topics with which you can live happily ever after Instead of thinking yourself must become Einstein, think yourself as apprentice, learning techniques and ways of thinking from your advisers or professors. Right now your goal is to learn how to do research from someone who is very good at it and then to demonstrate this knowledge with a good and acceptable thesis 2 ways to find a topic thesis : be provided (immediate blessing) & by yourself (need time)

Co-author papers with your adviser closely ally your work w/ advisers research Dont worry if nothing interests you it develops from immersion & activities Get perspective by reading, criticizing, evaluating many theses, articles & papers find similar topic & methods. In doing research, serendipity (kebetulan) will play a big role

Make thesis idea files your ideas and their action plans, notes in advising process, relevant journal/paper, critics of other thesis or similar topics Criteria for evaluating potential thesis topics :

1.

2. 3. 4. 5.

Does sufficient background information exist ? Is the topic narrow enough ? Is it hot ? Has it been done already ? Is it tractable ? Is it fundable How long will it take to do your research ?

Start writing immediately after you start evaluating 3 or 4 thesis topics Use pre-proposal outlines as tools for sharpening the topic search ( explicitly ask the research questions and make the action plan) Use your written pre-proposal / outline as a tool to discuss w/ advisers

Chapter 17. The Thesis Proposal

What Is a Thesis Proposal 191 A Cautionary Tale 177 Uses of a Thesis Proposal 193 Typical Proposal Structure 195 Detailed Discussion of Proposal Outline 198 Tackling the Proposal Process 204

 Ph.D. thesis proposal describes in detail on what, why, how and when (schedule) about plan to do research. The proposal is at once : 1. a research plan, 2. an evaluation tool, 3. a trial run at writing thesis, 4. a contract with yourself, advisers or department, 5. a sales pitch/point. Is it possible to tell from this proposal precisely what I plan to do ??

 A proposal = a working document that is likely to be changed The Introduction : what youll do and why, general to specific (beginning with an overview of the general problem and ending up with the specific research question that you will answer) The proposal writing process has several stages & involves interaction with advisers Pre-proposal proposal proposal defense (less stressful then Qualifying Exam)

Chapter 18. The Thesis : Writing it

Structure 208 Overview of the Thesis Writing Process 214 Getting the Darn Thing Written 218 Back Up Everything Twice The Most Important Advice in this Book 234 Computer Help 235

Writing thesis ? lonesome, unsanitary, maddening, going crazy Blind men describing an elephant too many models enough to develop your ideas Reasonable writing rate for PhD candidates is 3 pages per day (weekend = off) Early draft get on committees final draft Write thesis/dissertation/ideas as much as possible as early as possible as soon as you can Make course paper = thesis research published or presentation

It is hard for committee to fail a thesis that has been largely validated by peer review and publication in a journal peer review is sometimes more generous than your committee ?? Just bind up your papers, and you have already done your thesis The biggest problem most writers face is remaining motivated ABD = All but dissertation the uncompleted dissertation hangs over the candidate like a black cloud, interfacing with his career, his domestic life even his peace of mind

 1. 2. 3. 4.

5. 6.

How to get started to write ? Be comfortable, Be in place where no distraction at all Talk about your ideas to anyone who will listen crystallize the ideas Keep to a regular schedule of moderate but constant progress Find critical time to keep writing in mind (late night, early morning) keep boiling point to generate ideas and exploratory writing Write down all and any kind of ideas onto your list Dont try to be a brilliant just hack the stuff out be yourself, be smooth

Large writing projects require consistent, well-organized effort and a system of selfimposed incentives to overcome procrastination and writing blocks, to organize your work clearly and to sustain progress. ??What I am really trying to say here? ??What is the first thing Id tell someone about this issue? Einstein : Say it in English, make it as simple as possible but not more so

Start your paragraphs with topic sentences to start the paragraph with a statement that guides the reader in understanding what follows (deductive process) Dont try to handle too many ideas at once in a sentence or too many topics in a paragraph Signpost with transitional phrases : however, nevertheless, for example, moreover, admittedly, specifically, etc Avoid passive construction, avoid adverbs (very, extremely, seriously), delete double negatives read it loud when finished

Chapter 19. The Thesis Defense

What Is the Thesis Defense? Can You Fail ? Preparing for The Event Surviving the Event 237 239 241 245

 For several days before the defense, I felt like I was sleepwalking through a nightmare. I was so afraid that I couldnt focus on preparing. I couldnt conceive of what the ordeal would be like, I couldnt imagine the questions that would be asked and worst of all, I couldnt visualize myself answering them. During the defense, I was sweating, blanked out from time to time and talked nonstop to others. I felt I was stupid. I ended up passing with some minor revisions but it was an awful experience. I was on very good terms with my committee, I knew they thought my thesis was great, and Id really prepared my presentation well. So I gave my talk, they asked interesting questions and then we all had a spirited discussion for about an hour. All in all, it was more like giving a seminar than taking an exam.

 Prepare your committee : 1. Make allies with advisers and committee members 2. Schedule your defense far in advance, prepare an abstract early 3. Distribute your thesis early meet with each committee member after they have read it 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Prepare yourself : Talk to other students about their experience Observe the defenses of other students Ask your committee members for tips Read up on the latest literature Make a list of possible questions Prepare your formal presentation carefully Practice your formal presentation repeatedly Familiarize yourself with the exam room Read your dissertation carefully and keep every important detail in your mind

Keep your perspective defense is not an openbook exam but you wrote the book

If you get in trouble in defense : 1. You shouldnt come across as arrogant but dont cowed 2. Dont panic and show nervousness 3. Dont be afraid to say you dont know 4. Defense isnt really about what you know and you dont know it is about whether you can conduct yourself as a professional 5. Demonstrate that you are confidence and skillful 6. You can seek refuge to the ultimate source of authority your main adviser

Chapter 20. Oral Presentations : The Key to Being A Star

Speaking Well Under Pressure Is Essential
to Your Career Train Yourself in Public Speaking Writing a Presentation Software to Help Your Presentation Preparing to Give the Speech During the Performance 248 251 253 256 259 261

 Painful, annoyed & bored to see some badly organized

and poorly presented lecture Strong presentation makes people respect the speaker brilliant work and skill In oral presentation, audience is easily swayed by good visual aids, tricks of rhetoric, emotion, and the force of your personality. Gravitas (= weight and worth; Roman) good speaker, professional reputation Poor communication skill rejecting of a job applicant Public speaking is a skill that need a long term training and practice a learned skill Know your audience well Extra care with beginning and ending of presentation Use examples and analogies wherever possible Use simple words and short sentences

Coping with Stress 267 Coping with discouragement and depression 177 I was very depressed in grad school largely because I hate it. It was hard, boring work. I couldnt find a good thesis topic. I got no exercise to shape up my body. I sat in a chair for 10 hours a day. Then my wife left me because she felt boring and unhappy. THEN I asked myself why I was killing myself for a degree that wouldnt even get me a job. Increase human contact Act undepressed, avoid negative thoughts Get moving on your progress of research

Chapter 21. Dealing with Stress and Depression

Chapter 22. The Social Milieu

Relation to Your Fellow Students Building Relationships with Faculty Relationship Stresses

279 284

282

Chapter 23. Swimming with The Mainstream: Returning Students, Women, Minorities and Foreign Students

Returning Students Special Problems Faced by Women Minority Students Foreign Students

290 292 300 307

Chapter 24. Bringing It All Together : the Job

You Need a Clear Vision of Your Future Career

319

How to Develop a Clear Vision of Your Future Career Step 1 : Evaluate Your Skills and Affinites Step 2 : Research Your Career Possibilities Step 3 : Talk With People in the Field Step 4 : Earning Knowledge and Experience On the Hunt : Getting Serious About Getting A Job Informational Interviews Revisited The Formal Job Interview Other Methods of Finding Jobs Salary Negotiation Resumes and Cover Letter Computer Help 10 Keys to Success in Job Hunting : A Review

322 323 324 327 333 334 338 342 345 349 350 355 357

Terima Kasih Hatur Nuhun Matur Nuwun Thank you very much Syukron Danki well