A PhD 'Warrant of Fitness' has been developed to assist candidates to take stock mid-way through their PhD to see if they are on track for completion:
| Tick | Indicator | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Topic sorted: you know what your topic is and you have a research question(s) | ||
| 2 | Your research is where it should be (e.g. literature review underway, theoretical framework and/or methods are sorted, ethics has been approved, data are being collected & analysed etc.) | ||
| 3 | A working Supervisory Agreement is in place | ||
| 4 | You have been confirmed (or if not, you know what you need to do) | ||
| 5 | Communication with your supervisor(s) is good and progress meetings are honest and open | ||
| 6 | You have an outline of your thesis chapters and a REALISTIC timeline for completion | ||
| 7 | You have done a presentation of your research | ||
| 8 | International conference – plan that “freebie” | ||
| 9 | You are thinking about possible careers after your PhD and the skills needed, and are seeking out relevant professional development opportunities | ||
| 10 | You are starting to establish professional networks | ||
| 11 | Writing is on track and you have a sense of your findings and the implications | ||
| 12 | Publications: you have published or have a plan to publish | ||
| 13 | Thesis formatting and referencing are under control | ||
| (14) | For internationals – you know about the rules re visas/ deferral/ scholarships/writing up from home |