In this presentation we will be talking about the benefits of lifting the lid on the doctoral research journey

This paper comes out of our experience of organising and running a student-led conference held at the University of Bath on 28^th June 2012. The conference theme, Research Journeys, emerged over a period of time out of formal and informal conversations between a peer group of researchers. We felt that we were all talking about similar problems and that a formal space to explore them would be valuable.

The advantages of focusing on the process of doing doctoral research and the learning that takes place through this is also supported in the literature, for example, Delamont et al. (2000), Pearson and Brew (2002), Nickel et al. (2010). It is important to uncover the learning process because it reveals the complexities, challenges and uncertainties which students encounter during their doctoral research project. Often students are not encouraged to reveal or discuss these difficulties openly. However, as Chiang (2003) points out, this leaves many PhD students feeling isolated and dissatisfied. Delamont et al. (2000) also discuss the uncertainties many students experience when engaging with the knowledge production process at doctoral level. This is often due to the marked contrast with undergraduate study where knowledge structures are presented as relatively safe and secure.

However, despite recognition of the need to explore the doctoral research journey, there is relatively little research or published discussion of doctoral experiences. This presentation will therefore briefly explore examples of methodological dilemmas encountered by students during the process of doing doctoral research. These are taken from contributions from our forthcoming Research Journeys book. They include ethical, analytical, theoretical and personal challenges.

We will then discuss the importance of revealing this typically hidden process. The implications of this work fall broadly into two categories. The first is to support current and prospective students on their journeys. Our experience is that sharing and openly engaging with the challenges that arise during the process of research helps students to become comfortable with inevitable periods of discomfort.  This contributes positively to the successful conclusion of the project and the strength of the final product.

A second category of implications concerns the potential learning, which accrues from the process of doing doctoral research. This includes two learning pathways: 1) reflective accounts of individual encounters with specific issues can contribute to the advancement of knowledge relating to methodological debates, for example, how to share your findings without compromising the identity of participants 2) engagement with the research process can aide personal learning. For example, what a researcher learns about how to work independently and manage large amounts of data.

Traditionally, doing a PhD is about producing a thesis.  However, as we show, a focus on the research journey challenges this assumption by legitimising different types of knowledge generated in the process of completing the thesis as well as the thesis itself (Nikel et al., 2010). 

Chiang, K-H., 2003. Learning experiences of doctoral students in UK universities. Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 23(1/2), pp.4-32. Delamont, S., Atkinson, P., and Parry, O., 2000. The doctoral experience: success and failure in graduate school. Falmer Press: London Nikel, J., Teamey, K., Hwang, S., Alberto, P., with Reid, A., and Hart, P., 2010. Understanding others, understanding ourselves. Engaging in constructive dialogue about process in Doctoral study in (Environmental) Education. In R.B. Stevenson and J. Dillon, eds. Engaging Environmental Education: Learning culture and agency. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers. Pearson, M., and Brew, A., 2002. Research training and supervision development. Studies in Higher Education, 27(2), pp.135-150.