Starting Ph.D: Preparing your first year

You are embarking on a journey that will involve spending four or more years expanding your research agendas and learning how to address them effectively. While this can be stressful and overwhelming, having a strong support system and using your time strategically will make the experience more manageable. 

Time will fly by, and before you know it, you'll find yourself successfully navigating your Ph.D. program! Here are four tips for preparing for the first year of your Ph.D. program that I shared with my students:

1. Establish your system (e.g., utilizing a reference manager, such as Zotero); discover the most effective methods for working and writing (time management techniques (set writing blocks); time management ‘Forest’)

2. Think about how you want to establish your unique academic brand. (Think about how you want to position yourself; for instance, I would describe myself as a "data-driven misinformation researcher." Also, familiarize yourself with leading figures in your field, connect with them on social media, ResearchGate, academia.edu, etc., and keep track of their publications through Google Scholar.)

3. Start publishing early (Develop your class papers!) —don't let your class paper languish; instead, develop it into a research paper. Present your work at conferences. In our field, some of the major conferences include NCA (regional), AEJMC (regional), and ICA (international). Ideally, your dissertation shouldn't be your first publication.

4. Have some fun! PhD can be stressful, but there’s nothing more important than yourself. Make sure to take enough breaks and celebrate every little milestone. Don't hesitate to reach out to others, such as colleagues or professors, when you have any problems or concerns.