Solo Session: The Rule of Three in PhD

Hello students and graduates, welcome to PhD Lounge, the podcast of late night talks in which PhDs have a drink and talk about their research topics. When we research, write, and speak our dissertations to our supervisors, the rule of three is the magical element to deliver what we know about. It helps researchers to write and say things that are clear, effective, and memorable. No wonder why we rely so much on this rule to express ourselves, whether in casual situations, meetings with our supervisors or in business conferences. As PhDs, we structure our dissertation into three parts, introduction, main body, and conclusion. However, we are aware of and use this traditional structure to present our work to anyone. Therefore, what are the characteristics in the rule of three for PhDs can be clear, effective and memorable Number one is strategy. While it is an obvious rule for PhDs, it is still important to talk about it because this is the starting point to begin your research. Having a strategy of how you plan, manage and deliver your topic from your first year of your doctoral studies and keep it consistent will help you to survive the next years of your dissertation projects. It is also recommended that your strategy must be adaptable and balanced, as you will have challenges and uncertainties throughout your PhD journey, as well as identical to the research interests of your supervisor. Number 2 is management. Even though it applies to diverse contexts within the academic regulations of universities in general, it is rather personal to every candidate. Realistically, you will have to prioritize what aspects of your research can be done first, dealing with the hardest tasks including case studies, lab tests, or conference attendants to the easiest ones such as administration and plan your schedule for the next day. These and other tasks take time, require attention, and have setbacks when you meet your supervisors. And #3 is communication. I don't mean this characteristic in the context of speaking at a conference or supervision meetings, even though this is what you as a PhD candidate will do. Rather, it is sharing your research to a wider audience. From my personal experience, I've had conversations with undergraduates and masters asking me about what it's like to do a PhD dissertation or advice to make an application for this degree. If you're having these types of conversations, try to treat them as if you're chatting with them at the coffee shop, using plain and simple language to describe your research and your experience. Students enjoy hearing about your doctoral journey if you use a clear language to share your struggles and how you overcame them and what first steps you advise in case those undergraduates or masters would apply for a PhD. So the rule of three is applied to anything and we subconsciously live with it. For PhDs, we draw our own journeys with our rules of three, but these ones are universal and can work when you have a strategy that is clear, effective management and memorable communication. Thank you all for tuning in, it has been a pleasure.