Five Terrible Mistakes PhD and Masters Students Make Every Year- Let's Edit Article- My Review
Dear LinkedIn Network, especially students perusing their Masters or PhDs- a succinct article by Let's Edit details out the top 5 mistakes Masters and PhD students make and I wanted to share this because throughout last year I either encountered these far too often or navigated them with success. My hot takes on the top 5:
1. They leave things to the last minute: This defined my MBA career and I have so much regret about it. I often told myself "I work best under pressure" but the reality is, working last minute can prevent you from doing the VITAL steps that ensure a pristine assignment you can be proud to put your name on, like referencing and proofreading.
2. Just Because They Have a Good Command of the English Language, Students Think They Don’t Need an Editor: Lol, been there done that! Being an avid reader/writer, I was of the belief that I don't need the writing center. I was WRONG. The first time I finally caved and went to the writing center- mostly for validation (:P) I realized how woefully my writing skills were lacking. Academic writing is NOT the same as blog writing. Use your writing center! It's free!
3. Students try to look for the cheapest editor: I personally fell prey to this by not even going to an editor because I was hella poor. But I paid dearly in HOURS on hours of self editing and tough love from my supervisor- bless him- he is way nicer than many other supervisors, I suspect. In retrospect- finish early and get a good editor to look over your work- your Masters and PhD work will be PUBLISHED on public domain- you don't want your kids, and maybe potential employers, reading your grammar errors.
4. They don't put in the effort to get along with their supervisor: Before you even consider signing up a supervisor and then ghosting them until a week before your dissertation is due, remember- they are doing this under no obligation! They are not your keeper. However, they are an EXCELLENT resource, with years of academic writing under their belt- for free. Where else do you get that in the world? During my tenure as an MBA student I heard endless complaints about supervisors not caring enough- well that's not their job- it's yours. So foster that relationship, meet with them as often as possible and send them as many edits as you would like. Get to know their schedules so you aren't inconveniencing them while getting the max out of them as an invaluable resource. I personally visited my supervisor even when it was not necessarily dissertation related and the personal catch-ups would inevitably result in some valuable nuggets of information for my dissertation. Invite them to dinner, get to know their family. Do it all! There is no limit to good relationship building. And then who knows, if your dissertation is crunching to the last minute, your supervisor might not mind taking their own weekend to give you feedback. Don't expect the same from someone you haven't bothered visiting all year.
5. They sometimes forget to show their appreciation: Your MBA journey is not a solo trip. Whether you know it or not, your family, friends, network and maybe even coworkers, have been a part of your ups and downs. Don't forget that, and don't forget to acknowledge their sacrifices and help. This is something I believe I did well, and in the end it all pays off when you've done your bit not to be a stranger for a year- whether it's the need to crash on a buddy's couch after for a few months or approaching someone who you interviewed for your dissertation for a job. Relationships are like plants, they need love, water and sunshine :)
I hope you all found this helpful- reach out to me or the Let's Edit team if you need help! I'm always here as a free resource to answer any of your questions!
#mba #mbalife #bschool #dissertation #masters #schoolofbusiness