Table of Contents
Introduction
So, you are finally admitted to your desired doctoral program. Now, what is next? The next thing is to complete your PhD on time and with high grades. Although achieving this milestone requires herculean effort, you can do it by having set a PhD timeline. A PhD degree usually takes 3 to 4 years to complete in the UK. In some other countries, it can take 5 to 6 years to complete. Well, it is a pretty long period.
Anyways, the point is that you must have a timeline ready to ensure that your PhD degree finishes on time. For this purpose, you need to read this guideline from start to end. In this guide, I will talk about the importance of having a PhD timeline and will actually structure a timeline for a 3-4 years PhD degree program. In the end, there will be a mention of tips to finish your thesis quickly. So, let’s get started by answering the question below:
Why is it necessary to craft a PhD timeline?
A doctoral degree comprises many phases. Taking courses, researching, and then dissertation writing are the three major phases of a PhD degree. So, to ensure the completion of these phases on time, you need to have a timeline. Moreover, having a timeline saves the students from the nightmares of last-minute submissions, editing, proofreading, and other things. It is because you have already set a time for each upcoming submission.
A PhD timeline for 3-4 years degree program
As discussed earlier, normally, a PhD degree takes a time of 3-4 years in the UK. Hence, I am going to craft a realistic PhD timeline for you based on this time frame. A brief description of the components of each component is as follows:
First three (3) months of your degree
During the first three months of your PhD program, you do activities like taking part in the orientation ceremony and interacting with your supervisor. Along with this, you also need to make a research plan with your supervisor. It is not a full-fledged research plan. On the other hand, it is just about choosing a particular research area. You may discuss the initial research questions to be addressed in the research.
Next three (3) months
Once you have selected a research area, do the literature searches in the next three months. Try to be more specific and define your research topic. In these months, do not cut off from your professor or supervisor. You must meet him regularly and keep him informed about the research progress all the time. Keep interacting with other research fellows.
Months 7-18
These months are crucial for research. Also, these are the months when students mostly get off track and lose motivation. Do not forget that you have to complete your degree on time. Therefore, keep working on your research topic and try to find new areas. Besides this, take professional courses on presentation, career planning, and leadership.
Months 18-24
As per this PhD timeline, during these 6 months, you must prepare the research proposal you need to present to the supervisor. Also, remember that you may be required to present your research proposal to the university research committee. So, be prepared for that intense questions and answer questions.
Months 24-36
From the 24th month onwards, work on your original and approved research topic. It does not mean that you have a new topic. It means that from now on, you need to do the research extensively and do the experiments to collect the required data for your research problem. Do not focus on anything else other than your topic.
Months 36-48
This period is dedicated to thesis submission. In this last year, you have to write your PhD thesis and submit it on time. Many students think one year is enough and they can enjoy a bit before working on their thesis. Such students are wrong because one year passes in the blink of an eye. So, start working early so that you can finish it on time.
Tips for completing your PhD thesis quickly
Completing a thesis on time is undoubtedly a very difficult task to achieve. You can only do this if you work with a PhD writer or work after having a complete guide. Hence, a brief description of the top tips is as follows:
- Planning and Writing. The first and most important tip is to plan the thesis and then write it. Jumping into the writing without having a clear plan only brings you problems. A solid plan containing a time window for each task does not let you get off track. So, Make a plan.
- Ensure reading all the requirements. The next thing is to ensure that you have read each and every requirement of your university. It is necessary because if you do not read them, your dissertation is not going to get approved—a total waste of precious time.
- Use the project management tool. The next tip is to use a project management tool. Such tools give you an idea of the next section of your thesis that you need to work on. Also, it tells you how well you are following your schedule. Use them and finish your thesis project.
- Write daily. Writing daily is the most important of all the tips I mentioned. It does not matter whether you write one or two pages. The thing that matters the most is writing daily with breaks in between. I know that many students do not like writing at all. If you are one of them, consider PhD dissertation writing services.
- Do not get a full-time job. It has been seen that most PhD students work sideways to earn their livelihood. There is nothing in working alongside your studies. The bad thing is getting a full-time job when you are a PhD student. You cannot complete your thesis on time. Therefore, do not ever get a full-time job.
Conclusion
Having a PhD timeline is necessary to save yourself from the troubles of dissertation writing. You can manage each part of your degree from start to end. Also, with the help of the tips mentioned above, you will be able to finish your thesis on time. Hence, follow all the guidelines above and rock your PhD degree and thesis.
