How to make a #PhDThought in 3 steps!

Step 1:

Think about the quality of the video.

• The video must be around 30 seconds - 1 minute.
• The video must be landscape.
• There must be no branded products or music.
• Film the video in a quiet place without people talking around you. If there is background noise such as wind or vehicles, please do not make the video outside.
• You should speak clearly and be fully visible in the video.
• The video should be steady by being propped up or on a tripod, rather than hand-held.
• The camera should be at eye level, and you should look at the camera when you talk.
• The scene should be well lit - with the lighting in front of you.
• Your video must follow the additional guidance on our 'Create' page.

This is an opportunity for you to present your thoughts - don't let a poorly filmed video take away from the importance of what you have to say.

Step 2: 

Think about what you're going to say. Try to make your comments personal and important to you. You will need to say your name, where you study, and your research topic. You will then need to answer one of these questions in clear language.

An example script might be:
'My name is... and I am a second year PhD student at the University of... I study the effects of... and my favourite thing about doing a PhD is that I am able to research my passions, to inspire the next generation of researchers, and to make a difference.

Remember that your video needs to be understandable for a wide audience. This means that you should not use specialist language, and ensure that your video is clear in its message.

Current questions - please respond to one of these questions in your video.

1. 'What is your favourite thing about doing a PhD?' (my favourite thing about doing a PhD is)
2. What are your tips for tackling procrastination? (my tip for procrastination is)
3. Tips for PhD Mums (my advice for other Mums doing a PhD is)
4. Why did you decide to do a PhD? - PhD supervisors only (my tip for PhD supervision meetings is)

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Step 3:

Congratulations! You have filmed your video - we can't wait to see it! Thank you for contributing to our mission of Tackling Student Isolation by sharing advice and research stories!

Please send your video with the video release form  (at the bottom of our guidance page) to Contact@ThePhDPlace.com. You may wish to use an online Drive or WeTransfer to get this done!

Don't forget to fill in all parts of the form, including the date by which you can discontinue participation, and your name at the beginning.