Building confidence about the academic journey

Abstract

While many research students may think they know the skills they need to develop to complete a doctoral degree, these may be entirely focused on the mechanical part of the process. For example, the need to read, research, gather information, conduct experiments or complete field work and write a thesis to defend the findings or thesis are all necessary for the journey. Yet many students may not be aware of the less tangible skills and knowledge that a research student must acquire, in terms of an awareness of, and adherence to, an academic culture. This chapter looks at the research journey as a master/apprentice model where both skills and culture are imparted to the student. Various tests must be passed along the way to prove the student has acquired the necessary academic proficiency to become a master or scholar. But they also must display the professional attributes, behaviour and codes of conduct required to become an academic. By recasting and explaining the steps of the research process, with its mandatory milestones in these terms, this chapter demystifies the process and explains the transformative steps and transferable skills that are required to achieve a doctorate. How, and where, to acquire these is also included.