Your thesis, your future

Chris Barlow, Fisheries Research Program Manager, ACIAR

Chris Barlow is the Fisheries RPM at ACIAR and recently shared his pearls of wisdom with the 2016 John Allwright Fellows during their training workshop in Canberra. Chris previously featured in an episode of “10 minutes with”, where he talked about his career in International Ag R4D.

Today’s advice from Chris covers three areas: Writing a thesis – What to do AND what not to do, and building a career beyond your studies.

Writing a thesis – what to DO

1. Start now

• Do not plan to write the whole thing or even the majority of it in the final 6 months. Delaying is a recipe for disaster

2. Plan

• Start with the Table of Contents and work chapter by chapter
• Look for easy wins
• Chapters do not have to be written sequentially
• Make a timeline – and stick to it
• Diligence – completing a thesis is as much an exercise in planning and perseverance as it is in academic performance

3. Constant communication with Supervisor

• Don’t be shy; be pro-active
• Try to impress your Supervisors with your application to the job at hand – your supervisors will likely be important for your future employment, whether it be on their team or as a referee

4. Write up each Chapter as you go

• Make a folder, and add sections as you write them
• Each section does not have to be a completed chapter – it could be just materials and methods, or the introduction for a chapter
• There is great satisfaction in seeing the thesis grow

5. English is important

• Poor grammar and style will distract reviewers from the content of your thesis
• Seek assistance – if necessary employ an English editor

Writing a thesis – what NOT to do

6. Don’t mess around at the start

• Avoid excessive planning and reviewing, as that can, unwittingly, become an impediment to progress
• Beware of displacement activity – anything that is unnecessarily detracting from your time and attention to the task at hand (aka procrastinating)

7. Don’t lose focus

• Constancy; keep on task
• Don’t delay assignments and the like
• Meet your milestones

8. Don’t let part-time work come before study

• A few extra dollars through part-time work is OK, and may in fact be beneficial as it gives you an outside interest (in addition to the cash)
• But it must not be to the detriment of your study, in terms of time or mental energy

9. Don’t leave thesis writing to the end

• Like point 1, START NOW

10. NEVER Plagiarise

• With programs like Turnitin, any unreferenced copying will be detected and you will be burnt
• Referencing the work of others is not only the correct thing to do, it also demonstrates a broad knowledge of the topic and relevant literature

Building a brilliant career

After completing your thesis you will continue on your journey in building a brilliant career.

1. Be a great LISTENER

• Always take the time to listen to what your colleagues have to say, and never be dismissive
• When people are talking with you, engage in the moment – make eye contact, and be respectful
• And act when necessary

2. VALUE THE STAFF around you

• Working life revolves around teams.  Everyone has a part to play, and each person should be valued for that
• Let everyone know they are an essential element in whatever has been achieved.
• Share the glory – it is a team effort

3. As a scientist, you must PUBLISH

• There is no compromise in a research career, you need to maintain a regular pipeline of academic publications

4. You WORK FOR your organisation

• Always remember that you work for the organisation that pays you
• Be positive in making your contribution to the organisation and its goals

5. COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

• When pushing through the many hardships and frustrations of writing a thesis and later pursuing your career, remember your good fortune.  You are intelligent, you have been given the opportunity to study and see the world, and you are productively employed and contributing to your country.  Count your blessings!

 

In summary: 

 

Chris Barlow contemplating, after another hard day on the water