Be Realistic

Be realistic (by Trish Alexander (UP and Unisa))

1. It's not really enough to want a doctorate. It's not even enough that you need a doctorate to progress in your chosen career.
   1. Not every Masters graduate has the required characteristics or the very practical necessary circumstances to make a success of doing a PhD. Decide for yourself what you think those personal characteristics and necessary circumstances are. Then write a very honest , thoughtful essay for yourself checking your own chance of success.
2. Seriously studying a recommended PhD thesis on a similar topic or a thesis recommended by your supervisor is a good idea before you really get going (ditto with a Masters thesis if this is what you are doing). It gives you a much better idea of what you are letting yourself in for.
3. The first half of the study period is mostly reading. You have to read - a lot.
4. Regular, formal, substantial contact (as in once every one to two months) preferably face-to-face will get you rolling and finishing within 4 years.
5. The 10 good pages written a week rule (not just rough notes) throughout the second half of the dissertation is also essential. There is no point in seeing your supervisor if you have a) not really thought about the previous discussion b) tried to use that discussion in your work, c) have something new to show.
   1. Remember that your supervisor will lose touch with what your thesis is supposed to be about if he / she does not see you for months; might start contradicting earlier, but now forgotten advice; be way less useful.
6. Organisation and systematic work is a proven necessary (but not sufficient) critical success factor.
7. It is unlikely that a part time student will complete a Ph D in under 4 years. Nasty disagreements between supervisor and student can occur when the student declares that the dissertation is complete and the supervisor disagrees emphatically.
8. If there is any way at all that you can get a substantial block of study leave where you really work on the thesis full time - do so.
9. If you have not finished by six years down the line this may be a lost cause. Have the grace to accept that before you start. Understand that your supervisor may fire you at that point so do not let things get to this sad stage.
10. This project is big and will without any doubt require sacrifices - from you, your loved ones and probably from your employer. A good support system is important. Do not think you can multitask and plan a baby for this period, change and upgrade your job, build a house, etc. Get real. If you make these choices and reach the 6 year cut off with a half-finished thesis that is entirely your problem and no one else's.

SAICSIT M&D Symposium 2103

In October 2013 James Gain (UCT) and Ian Sanders (Unisa) acted as mentors in the Computer Science stream of M&D Symposium at the annual SAICSIT Conference. In their "keynote" address at the end of the day. They discussed the points in the powerpoint presentation below.