New book offers tips for doctoral study

A gap in the market inspired Massey Professor Margaret Walshaw to write a book for people contemplating doctoral studies.

Professor Walshaw, who is the professional doctorate programme co-ordinator for the College of Education, has spent the past 12 months writing Getting to Grips with Doctoral Research.

The book is a guide for people considering doctoral studies in the social sciences and education. It covers many areas of doctoral studies including what is involved including proposal writing and defending the thesis and how to set yourself up for success.

“I felt there was a gap in the market for a user friendly book that covered getting started,” she says.

“There are very few [doctoral] study skills books that doctoral students, who might be working on their projects or even contemplating doing the doctorate would find reader-friendly. A text that gives people a sense of what’s involved, what the challenges are and what are the long-term rewards.”

She says many people find the idea of doctoral studies daunting and are unsure whether they are academic enough to complete it.

“It’s not hiding the fact that it’s going to be a difficult process. It’s making it quite clear that there will be challenges along the way. I think a lot of people feel intimidated by the prospect even if they’ve been invited into the programme. All of these little concerns are addressed quite early on in the book.”

Professor Walshaw says people considering doctoral studies need to have passion for what they do to succeed.

“Just because somebody has the appropriate grades in their masters doesn’t necessarily mean they will be successful in doctoral study. They do really have to have a passion about what they are investigating as it’s got to sustain them through about four years of study. It’s [book] about making sure doctoral study the right thing for them.”

But all the hard work involved in studying for a doctorate will eventually pay off, she says, with students in a much stronger position for employment in their particular area of study.

Her book is part of a research skills series published by Palgrave MacMillan and goes on sale in New Zealand at the end of November. It is already being sold in the United Kingdom, USA and Australia.