One-to-one academic writing coaching for PhD students with James Hayton
My approach to PhD coaching
Although every client is different, there are 3 main elements every time I coach somebody...
My approach to writing feedback
A lot of PhD supervisors only give writing feedback once you have a complete draft. I do things a bit differently...
How it works
Coaching packages are tailor made to your individual needs. The descriptions below are to give you an idea of the kind of approach taken at different stages of your PhD.
Just starting
For students in the early stages of a PhD. That is if you are;
Developing your research idea
Writing your proposal
Starting your research
Writing your first literature review
The aim is to get you off to the best possible start, establishing good habits now that will make life much easier later. I’ll help you adapt to the academic environment and show you how some of your old habits might need to change.
We start by taking stock of your existing skills and resources, then refining your research ideas and putting together a plan of action (avoiding the most common mistakes and saving you a lot of time in later years).
If you have to write a proposal and/or literature review, I’ll show you how to structure your writing to make it easy to write and enjoyable to read.
Stuck in the middle
For those experiencing “the dip” in the middle stages of a PhD. You’ve got some experience, but now the project is growing and the scale of the job is starting to sink in.
Everything you do is creating more work
You’re juggling a lot of tasks and competing demands
The stress is starting to affect you and your life outside your PhD
Pressure is building from your supervisors
Time is flying by but you aren't finishing anything
This programme aims to “tidy up” your project, simplifying and prioritizing the work and establishing good habits. We also want to strengthen your research skills before the big push to the finish line.
The first step is to take stock of your existing work and the number of different things you’re trying to do. Then we simplify, focus on one aspect of your work and work towards simple, completeable goals.
Generally, the priority here is research over writing but we can also look at your writing habits in preparation for writing your thesis.
The final push
For those in the final year and looking towards completion; it’s all about finishing your research and writing.
Some students get stuck in an endless cycle of drafts. If you’re on draft number 17, something is going wrong!
Typical situations might be;
You’ve written a lot, but nothing is finished and submittable
There’s no end to the amount of new material to add to your thesis
It’s getting harder to write
You’re still unsure about much of the content
OR
You’ve got the results but don’t know how to put it together
You wanted to be done a year ago but there’s no hard deadline and so many other things to do
You’re terrified of what the examiner might think
Coaching in the final stages of a PhD tends to be a bit more intensive, simply because there’s less time to sort things out. With that said, there are some simple ways to make the final months much easier.
As with the other programmes, we start with a detailed assessment of what you have so far, as well as an assessment of your writing style. Then it’s all about prioritising, making clear decisions and getting things finished one by one.
Pricing
10-session package: €1950
Sessions last up to 1 hour and must be used within 12 months of purchase.
Price shown includes VAT (21%) and also covers preparation time for sessions.
Don’t wait until it’s too late!
The positive effects of good practices multiply over time. The earlier you seek help, the easier it will be to make changes and the more effective those changes will be.
The later you seek help, the fewer options you have.
PhD coaching application form
If you’re interested in coaching, please fill in the form below! Submitting an enquiry doesn’t commit you to anything and all messages are treated as confidential.