1. Make sure you want to do a PhD, rather than something else. PhDs vary greatly from country to country. An excellent introduction to the UK PhD is Philips and Pugh, “How to get a PhD: A handbook for students and supervisors”. Available from lots of places, but you can buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Get-Phd-Handbook-Supervisors-dp-0335264123/dp/0335264123/ref=dp_ob_title_bk I can’t recommend this book highly enough.
2. Think about a topic you are prepared to spend vast amounts of mental and emotional energy on for years. This can come from a lot of places, but if you aren’t in love with your project going in, you are going to find Year 2 grim. You might want to have a look at what other people wrote their PhDs on (and indeed read some). EThOS is a fantastic database, and includes large numbers of downloadable theses so you can see what they look like in your discipline. Interested in Manx music? You’ll find three theses here: ethos.bl.uk
3. Think about where you want to do it. Often, would-be students start with their dream supervisor and go from there. If you don’t know enough about your topic to see who this would be, you need to learn more about your topic first. Lots of academics will be happy to talk about your ideas when they are in their field, and you show you had a particular reason for talking to them (do not email an entire Department of academics …). If they aren’t, or if their website says they will only talk about your ideas if you submit a formal pitch in a particular format, that is useful information in itself.
4. Think about where you want to do it. Found your dream supervisor? Great. What if they turn out to be a nightmare, or die while supervising you, or leave? Make sure there is expertise in depth too: a named research cluster or Master’s level programme in the broader field is often a good indicator of multiple scholars working in the field.
5. Think about how you are going to pay for it. This can be a major problem for good students, and I’ve worked with one who knew exactly what his PhD was going to be, and then worked for two years to secure the funding for it (this story had a happy ending!). For Manx students, the IOMG commendably supports PhD study. More info here: https://www.gov.im/categories/education-training-and-careers/student-awards/eligibility-for-grantsloans/
6. Think about what you are going to do after the PhD before you start it. Some would-be students see it as the natural progression from excellent undergraduate and Master’s study. It’s quite different, and like Master’s level study does not automatically mean your future career will be enhanced. Think about this as specifically as you can – it really varies from sector to sector. But not every PhD is part of a career plan – post-retirement PhDs are a thing!
Peter Edge's Law Blog. 