"A breath of fresh air - I wish someone had told me this beforehand."
PhD student, UK

"If you are contemplating a PhD, buy the book and read it straight through to get the larger picture; then re-read each section in greater detail as you tackle each stage of your work.

I did the basic research for my PhD in about twelve months, then spent two years writing up the results - and producing possibly too much. It succeeded, but I think I might have made a better job of it if I had read a book like this first. But they didn't exist in those days." Mantex

This book looks at things the other books don?t tell you about doing a PhD - what it?s really like and how to come through it with a happy ending! It covers all the things you wish someone had told you before you started:

• What a PhD is really about, and how to do one well


• The "unwritten rules" of research and of academic writing


• What your supervisor actually means by terms like "good referencing" and "clean research question"


• How to write like a skilled researcher


• How academic careers really work

An ideal resource if someone you care about (including yourself!) is undergoing or considering a PhD. This book turns lost, clueless students back into people who know what they are doing, and who can enjoy life again.