Exploring and Understanding Uncertainty: Dealing With Doubts About Your Thesis
9th Jul 2021 - 13th Jul 2021
Please click here to register.
Uncertainty is an inevitable characteristic of a PhD life, which can be highly disarming. In our sessions, over a period of 3 days, we propose to explore uncertainties that PhD candidates experience during their 3.5 years of study, to promote a healthy academic practice.
Led by Dr Siv Jansson and supported by Dr Ksenija Kuzmina and Dr Sharon Prendeville, this course will help you to explore three areas of uncertainties: claiming your academic space, argumentation and letting go.
The course is made up of 3 sessions, all to take place on Zoom. Each session will have 2 hours of group work + 1 hour of one-to-one meetings with Dr Siv Jansson and is capped at 20 students. You can sign up for individual sessions or the whole course. One-to-one meetings are only available for the attendees of the sessions. Please indicate if you are interested in a one-to-one session at the point of registration.
Session 1: Claiming Your Academic Space (9th of July)
This session will look at the uncertainties that arise from questioning the value of what you say in the thesis, and the contribution to knowledge that you are making. It will focus on developing your sense of having the right to have a voice and to claim your space in the academic world. This helps with building your confidence as researcher.
Session 2: Argumentation (12th of July)
This session will address uncertainty about setting up your argument and thesis direction. It will explore how to develop and convey your argument clearly, how to express yourself appropriately in the thesis and how to keep focussed on thesis development throughout; it will also help you to identify necessary support for different stages of writing.
Session 3: Letting Go (13th of July)
This session addresses uncertainty about parting with your ideas during the PhD and letting go of your thesis; if you feel that ‘doing’ the thesis has defined you for several years, how do you finally let it go?
Dr Siv Jansson is an experienced lecturer (over 20 years) with a background in literary study. In 2016, she was invited as a Literary Advisor on the BBC drama, 'To Walk Invisible'. Dr Jansson also researches academic writing, she has taught academic skills workshops and provided one-to-one student support to students at all levels of study.