If you are interested in French military history and you apply to study with a historian specializing in Chinese literature, you will probably not be accepted as a student. Even if you are accepted, your advisor will be of little use in your PhD career because they will not have the background you need to investigate and think carefully about the topic you’re interested in. It’s often difficult to find out what you really want to research before you’ve had at least some graduate school education. It might help if you get your Master’s degree first. If you are having a hard time coming up with a good research topic, make a list of less-specific topics you’re interested in, then think of ways to gradually zero in on your area of specialty. For instance, you might go from history, to U. S. history, to history of the Civil War, to the history of medical service during the Civil War. You could then look specifically for a medical historian or a Civil War historian as your advisor.
This step is especially useful if you’re limiting yourself to a certain geographical region or a particular school (in order to, for instance, stay close to your family). If you’re unsure of what universities to check, look for relevant faculty positions. Do an online search for your topic followed by “PhD. ” Look for professor biographies and CVs in the search results.
Ask, for instance, “I was thinking about conducting research on the Roman roots of English architecture. Do you have any recommendations for books, questions, or scholars to pursue regarding this topic?” If the professor responds enthusiastically to your proposal, you’re in business. If they do not, they might suggest alternate topics that you might be interested in exploring. If possible, meet the faculty member face-to-face to ask your questions and discuss your ideas. Professors are generally happy to dispense advice.
If you aren’t enrolled at a university, you can usually access their database of scholarly publications with a guest pass. Don’t pretend to have read a potential advisor’s publications if you have not. Be sure to distinguish between actual research papers and research or book reviews. A good advisor will publish a steady stream of original research, along with some reviews as well.
If the graduate students don’t have their email listed, you could look them up on social media and shoot them a message. Alternately, or in addition to the above, you could contact previous students who have gone on to an academic career of their own. Professors sometimes mention in their brief online biographies who they studied with. Keep in mind that students are human beings and have their own biases. An advisor that seemed impossible to one student can seem perfect for another.
If you’ve already met the potential advisor to discuss research topics, you could reflect on that meeting to judge their character, too. Meeting the potential advisor is also a good idea because it lets you find out more about the school. You can often find out only so much online. You could ask questions about the other faculty, graduate students, funding opportunities and grants, and campus life.
location (Where will you have to move to?) expense (How expensive is your PhD tuition? Does the school offer a stipend?) long-term opportunities (Does the school offer research grants and funds?) necessary commitment (How many hours are you expected to put in? How long is the PhD expected to take?)
Avoid judging someone’s character based off email interaction. Be sure to meet with them in person to determine if you will work well together. You might get more independence if you’re working with a highly esteemed professor, someone who is at the top of their field. Advisors that are well-established in a given field are usually comfortable with this kind of relationship. [7] X Research source Don’t select an advisor simply because they are a renowned expert in their field.
You do not need to enunciate these expectations to your advisor explicitly, but you should keep them in mind as you proceed in your PhD career. If your advisor does not meet your expectations, they might be thinking more of their own career than about their role as a mentor. However, it might also be a simple case of misunderstanding your needs and expectations. Academics are busy and imperfect people, like everyone else. Talk to your advisor about how you wish they would help you more in whatever area you feel they are lacking. If your advisor continues to fail you, you might want to look for another advisor. Don’t be afraid to switch advisors.
Always be polite and professional in conversation with your advisor. Schedule meetings ahead of time and call to cancel if you can’t make it. Solicit his or her advice on your research projects and coursework. During meetings pertaining to your research project, take notes. Know what your advisor expects of you and ask questions if you are confused or need guidance.
Alternately, you could think about switching from a PhD to a Master’s degree if you are too deep into your research project and just want to end it. [8] X Research source If your advisor becomes ill or dies, or moves on to a different university (and you are unable to follow), you might have no choice but to go with plan B.
