Includes index.
Starting out. Do not think about why you are applying ; Ignore the market ; Stay at the same university ; Follow the money blindly ; Do an unfunded PhD ; Do an interdisciplinary PhD ; Believe advertised completion times ; Ignore the information the university provides you ; Expect the money to take care of itself
Supervisors . Go it alone and stay quiet ; Choose the coolest supervisor ; Have co-supervisors ; Do not clarify the supervisor's (or your own) expectations ; Avoid your supervisor and committee ; Stay in a bad relationship ; Expect people to hold your hand
Managing your program. Concentrate only on your thesis ; Expect to write the perfect comprehensive exam ; Select a topic for entirely strategic reasons ; Do not teach, or teach a ton of courses ; Do not seek teaching instruction ; Move away from the university before finishing your degree ; Postpone those tedious approval processes ; Organize everything only in your head ; Do not attend conferences, or attend droves of conferences
Your work and social life. Concentrate solely on school ; Expect friends and family to understand ; Socialize only with your clique ; Get a job!
Writing. Write only your PhD thesis ; Postpone publishing ; Cover everything ; Do not position yourself ; Write only to deadlines ; Abuse your audience
Your attitude and actions. Expect to be judged only on your work ; Have a thin skin ; Be inconsiderate ; Become "that" student ; Never compromise ; Gossip ; Say whatever pops into your head on social media
Delicate matters. Assume that the university is more inclusive than other institutions ; Rush into a legal battle ; Get romantically involved with faculty ; Cheat and plagiarize
Am I done yet?: on finishing. Skip job talks ; Expect to land a job in a specific university ; Expect people to hire you to teach your thesis ; Turn down opportunities to participate in job searches ; Neglect other people's theses ; Get an unknown external examiner ; Do not understand the endgame ; Be blase about your defense ; Do not plan for your job interview ; Persevere at all costs ; Consider a non-academic career a form of failure ; Final thoughts.
OBNB doesn't sell books, but you may be able to find a copy at one of these websites:
57 ways to screw up in grad school : perverse professional lessons for graduate students by Kevin D. Haggerty. ISBN 9780226280905. Published by The University of Chicago Press in 2015. Publication and catalogue information, links to buy online and reader comments.
