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No matter how organised we are, the best laid plans can sometimes still go awry. Encountering various problems with data, during both data collection and analysis, is quite common among PhD students but no matter how frustrating it can seem, there is usually a way around these issues.

Imagine the horror of sitting in a conference and seeing another researcher present a paper that sounds almost exactly like your PhD research. Or, you pick up a journal article only to discover that it discusses very similar results to yours and has tested a hypothesis and asked research questions that sound exceptionally familiar...

Although the nature of PhD research and study is very different from other taught degrees, and our individual progress and results vary widely, it is still common for PhD students to compare the progress and results of their work with others.

For many PhD candidates, the doctoral thesis will be the largest piece of work they will have produced. It can therefore be difficult to ascertain exactly how much work you need to do for it. PhD students often ask, for example, how much data is sufficient for a thesis or how much they need to read and include in their writing.

Almost everyone is dealing with new ways of working during the current pandemic and lockdown. While some enjoy more time at home, many PhD students, researchers and even established academics are facing diverse practical challenges in terms of carrying out research in isolation, or with very limited resources. 

Going into lockdown is a tough enough challenge for most people, but all the more so for PhD students and researchers who have to pause or drastically amend their fieldwork or lab work. 

Reforming research and publication methods

Nature proposes a new type of research paper to encourage researchers to strive for reliable and reproducible results rather than simply acceptance and publication in high-impact journals.