I've just had official confirmation of my place on my MSc course after getting my degree results and after a bit of general panic and cold-feet, I am really looking forward to it now. Its at the same university as my undergraduate degree and the majority of the staff will be the same - I got a First so hopefully they have some faith in my ability. I want to do a PhD straight afterwards all being well and am deciding whether to apply to other places or stay there, however at the moment staying is quite appealing because the university stands out within the field and I feel quite settled there.

I ultimately want to have an academic career and so I am starting to think about publishing (if this is possible during a Masters), although at the moment I am feeling quite naive about it and not really sure where to start. I know I won't be able to do much before actually starting but what can I be doing now to give myself the best chance? I have done a bit of reading (from suggestions) and put quite a lot of thought into what I might want to research for my MSc dissertation and possible PhD, but its hard without speaking to the tutors and I don't think I should really email them during the holidays when they're probably busy sorting the course out.

I have enjoyed my time off but I'm getting to the stage now where I just want to start, but at the same time I'm worried about starting. I know I'll be thrown into the deep end at the beginning and I want to prepare myself for the leap between undergraduate and postgraduate study. I'm quite bored now actually and want to get back into the habit of working again, it feels like I've been off for much longer than 2 1/2 months!

Any advice appreciated, Natassia x

Dear Natassia :-)

You sound a lot like me! And hence, in this, I am extending some of what I would tell myself to you :-) like you, I did back to back degrees after I left school, without any gap in between except when waiting for results, and I did my MSc in sept 2008 and started my phD in oct 2008, same uni, same supervisor as MSc.

On reading: Hmm, a good idea is start with the reading list really, the lists are made with care and do grasp the issues well. Learning how to read effectively is a skill, and you'll get what works for you pretty soon.

But most important is writing. People have different styles. Some write for thesis deadlines, others (like me) have the bad although useful habit of writing prolifically (!), even if some of it is crap. If I read something, I must write or else i cannot think;. Some make notes from the reading i.e. copy out bits and pieces and store for later, which is useful for this build up. Others, like me, never use direct quotes and whatever they read survive in their own writing in a synthetic way...i.e. writing *about* what you read.. so largely your own thoughts...

Write, write and write. Do not leave it for later. The later never comes. try this? Read a piece you like in your area, preferably an 'overview' piece, like a lit review. Then, write about it... another tip..whenever you read, always try to locate yourself in relation to it... very soon you will see yourself in the context of the voices who speak in your field...you need to know where you will find yourself...

I think, a one yr Masters is the best time to figure a little bit of this out, to lay a base for the PhD.

Next: If you dont want a yr off between MSc and PhD, start hunting for suprvisors/topics pretty soon. That gives you time to re/work on applications for funding. I did this, and hence I started my PhD a month before my MSc results were declared (!)


Last note: Sometimes, the most enthusiastic of people need to be restrained. I belong to this category, and you might too :-) ON the matter of publications. Wait. It is early. Some do publish during their masters. It is is no way necessary. Not at all. What you want is your first publication to be something which you will not look at cringe (too much) 10 yrs down the line. Obviously you will cringe a little, for you will have grown, but not too much.

Take this yr ahead to position yourself and your research agenda and hit the PhD ground running; Publications, will follow. Take the year ahead to write, write and write. Keep your written work stored in versions. It is like chiseling a lump of clay, as I am reminded...you write a draft and work to chisel it till one day, its done.

The year ahead is for these tasks. All the rest will, and must follow.

Take it from someone, who as I said, thinks a lot like you.

best, bug

Natassia,

Like you, I'm starting my MSc in about a month or so. Unlike you, I'm going to a different University which I am quite aprehensive about. I would have quite happily stayed at the same University but the course I wanted to do was simply not available there.

I was fortunate enough to recieve funding from the department to pursue my MSc. However, this has left me a little nervous because when I applied I had to show my suitability to stay on and do further research, as well as outlining some of my ideas which I could take forward into a PhD. I'm quite scared that, with such an award being given to me, I won't meet the expectations of those who have shown faith in me. I'm normally the type of person who takes pressure like water on a ducks back, but for the first time in years I am really, really scared of this course. Despite this fear, I'm going to give it my all.

In terms of advice on publishing, I think you should hold fire. By all means keep your ideas and work. I have ideas about things that I would like to write about someday but I feel that with a few more years under my belt I will be better equipped to do those ideas proper justice. But thats me, go with your gut instinct I say.

Craig

======= Date Modified 23 Aug 2009 18:59:00 =======
Hi Natassia!

I did an MSc last year (I seem to remember that we are vaguely in the same field- are you doing something psychology related?!) and am just coming to the end of my 1st year PhD. I think the main thing for you to do is to concentrate on getting a good MSc result (preferably a distinction, which I am sure you will be capable of seeing as though you have a first!) and to get moving on your PhD application(s). I don't know how flexible your course is on your MSc dissertation, but it is helpful (although not essential) to do it on something along similar lines to what you would like to do your PhD on. I don't necessarily mean exactly the same topic, but maybe within the same population or field, or using similar methodology or something. My PhD is focusing on the same population (people with dementia) as my MSc was and this was good preparation for the PhD. The other thing is that the MSc is a good time to approach people about supervising your PhD. If your MSc is in the same area as your proposed PhD project and you impress your supervisor, they may well be happy to take you on for a PhD and help out with applying for funding and so on. It's best to get moving on this quickly- I would say you could start approaching people about supervising your PhD right at the beginning of your MSc. I did this and it gave us plenty of time to get a few applications for funding in etc before everyone else beat us to it. Finally, I wouldn't stress too much about publishing your MSc stuff. Yes, it's nice to do that, and looks good, but it really isn't necessary at MSc level- the PhD is a good time to stress about publications! And finally, don't stress! MScs are hard work and I'm sure you'll be busy, but you will be perfectly capable of doing well so try to enjoy it! Good luck, KB

======= Date Modified 24 Aug 2009 15:35:32 =======
Thanks everyone, PhDbug - yes I am quite similar to your description actually! The writing advice is really useful and I'm going to get hold of some shorter journal articles today and see what I can do. I'm quite concerned about losing the ability to write over the holidays, as well as not being able to write to Masters level, so I need the practice. I know different people work in different ways, but how did/do you go about doing this writing? During my undergrad dissertation I kept a written diary type thing of my research which I found quite helpful, and also I did quite a lot of free writing for chapters/essays before building them up - out of interest what works for you?



KB - Yes we are in similar fields but I think you're more 'clinical' than me, I'm doing my MSc in Psychosocial studies which is an emerging discipline, sort of at the interface between psychology and sociology. So its all qualitative methodology, and influenced by psychoanalytic theory. I think it would definitely be possible to do a similar type of research for MSc and PhD as I guess the PhD could be a sort of continuation of the MSc. I say this because during my MSc interview the professor asked me how I would make my undergrad dissertation into something of MSc length and standard, and in a way he made it sound as if it would be something I could actually do. I wouldn't do it as personally I want to research other areas, but I can't see how researching something similar would be a problem, my department does seem quite relaxed as well. I do know who I want to supervise me but I'm scared to ask them...but it has to be done sooner rather than later.



Thanks, Natassia x



Ps. Craig, you'll be fine I'm sure and well done for getting the funding, they obviously have faith in you - good luck!

Hi Natassia,

I can't really offer much advice, but I just wanted to say that I'm feeling very similar to you right now! I've enjoyed having the summer off and I'm looking forward to starting my MA, but I'm also terrified of the prospect that it's going to be completely different to undergrad.

However, I did want to reiterate what Keenbean said about having some link between your Masters diss and PhD. As I've got ESRC 1+3 funding, I have already developed my research proposal for my PhD and know what area I want to focus on (although this will probably change slightly). I was interested as to whether my MA should link to my PhD proposal, or whether it should be completely different. Anyway, I emailed the MA course leader, and he said that my MA should definitely in some way be linked to my PhD. I presume that this advice will differ in different universities, but I guess it would help you prepare for the PhD stage if your MA diss is linked to it, as you'll have basic knowledge of the subject area already.

Oh, and don't be afraid to email your tutors during the holidays! I've been emailing the course leader regularly over the summer regarding the course, particularly about my MA diss, and I've had nothing but positive feedback from him.

Finally, Craig (I can't remember your username sorry)- you are also in a very similar situation to me. I'm going to do my MA at a different uni than my undergrad degree which I'm really worried about. I would have loved to stay at my old uni, however they were unable to offer me even half of the funding I'm going to get from the other uni, and my new uni has a much better reputation for research etc, so I didn't really have a choice. So as well as understanding how you're feeling about going to a new university, I also completely understand the worry associated with having funding and trying to prove that you deserve it and can live up to everyones expectations. But I guess we both know deep down that we're capable of proving that we deserve it, otherwise we wouldn't have been given funding. And going to a new uni is also very exciting!

I think it kind of goes for all of us, yes we're worrying now and yes the prospect of studying at a higher level is daunting, but this is what we want to do!

button