As a PhD student, I thought the best supervisors had the most papers or the biggest lab

As a supervisor, I realise that's absolutely not true

4 ways to actually find a good PhD supervisor

#AcademicTwitter 1. They deliver hard truths effectively

Every student makes mistakes. Every project hits walls.
But not every supervisor deals with these issues

Good supervisors do not shy away from hard conversations. They focus on telling truths that empower, not embarrass

As a PhD student, all I focused on was getting a PhD.

As a PhD supervisor, I focus on training students on the long-term process that leads to getting a PhD.

Here's some examples🧵 The student wants to publish alot

Instead of chasing papers, I recommend we work to become the kind of researcher that has a writing system: read thoroughly, develop writing habits, seek feedback and maintain consistency.

Good papers start with good writing systems

⚠️MEGA THREAD ALERT ⚠️

A step-by-step guide to #AcademicTwitter

- how to write a bio
- who to follow
- how to find new research
- how to tweet your research
- why Twitter isn't a waste of time

Bookmark this 🧵!

@AcademicChatter @PhDVoice @OpenAcademics @ThePhDPlace Step 1: You join Twitter
Step 2: You read this thread on how to writing an amazing #AcademicTwitter bio

https://twitter.com/LNivisonSmith/status/1557479521355325440?t=xYK7GhXx75TqssdGIog7Dg&s=19

5 Excel hacks that save hours of research time

(spoiler alert, no.5 is a game changer 🙀)

@AcademicChatter
@msexcel Separate data using flash fill (Ctrl+E)

This function detects patterns in data between columns and automatically fills. Useful for separating survey responses, data strings, people's names, it goes on

https://twitter.com/Office/status/1143927011884371969?t=JEd6AIeX2JBbpWQWs2ndig&s=19

Is the paper you need stuck behind a paywall?

Five websites every researcher should know to access any research paper for free

@AcademicChatter
@OpenAcademics 1. @SciHubUpdated

Online library created from downloading papers through institute logins to Scihub's own server.

✅️Pros
▫️Claims to have 99% all papers

❌️Cons
▫️questionable legality
▫️blocked in some countries
▫️no papers added since 2021

Grants 😞
Manuscripts 😣
Course evaluations 😫

Rejection is everywhere in academia.

But we keep it quiet.
Only stories of success get told.

So heres a story on rejection:
"The potato, the egg and tea bag"

@AcademicChatter A young man comes to his father.

"Father, life is hard. I'm struggling all the time. Just as I solve one problem, another follows"

The father nods. "Come with me."
He takes man to the kitchen and fills 3 pots with boiling water.

Are you 'Excited to share my new paper!'

Harsh truth:
Most people don't care

5 tips on how to tweet about your new paper to get real engagement

@OpenAcademics @PhD_Genie @PhDVoice @AcademicChatter Firstly, a disclaimer.

I'm not saying your new paper is bad

On the contrary, it got accepted so it brings new knowledge to your field

It deserves to be read.
This thread gives you tips to achieve that with Twitter

Want advice on how to improve your academic writing?

Try listening to non-academics

5 writing threads from non-academics that are 🔥🔥🔥

@AcademicChatter @PhDVoice @PhD_Genie @PostdocVoice @ThePhDPlace #acwri How to instantly up your writing 📝

Fav tip:
Never use a complex word when a simple one will do

https://twitter.com/WrongsToWrite/status/1508453283106598918?t=XA0UOQ3-eDzqRul0hPW9CA&s=19

I've visited the profiles of all my 9000+ followers and learned one important thing

No one teaches academics how to write a Twitter bio

5 simple ways to improve your bio so your first impression counts 👀

🧵

@AcademicChatter @OpenAcademics 1. Don't write a CV

Many bios are lists of academic positions and acronyms

Its not a great way to get a 'feel' for who you are

Your profile should say
▫️ Who you are
▫️ What you do
▫️ How to engage with you

It should introduce you like a handshake, not a CV.

I've spent years trying to figure out how to be a great academic writer

It comes down to one thing

A story for every academic who wants the cheat code to better writing 🧵

@AcademicChatter @CouragePhD @hapyresearchers @ThePhDPlace @thephdstory #acwri A photography professor walks into his new class.

He decides to do an experiment

He divides the class in two groups: quantity and quality

Academia is considered structured, logical, analytical, rigid....

It's also full of paradoxes 🔄

4 paradoxes to overcome to level up your academic career 🧵

@AcademicChatter @OpenAcademics @PhD_Genie @ThePhDPlace Saying no CREATES opportunity 🍀

Saying yes to everything maxs out your time/energy quickly. Then when a real opportunity comes, you cannot take advantage of it. Say no to some things leads to saying yes to the right thing.

4 months ago I started writing threads with a simple goal

Help someone like me in academia 💞

10M views & 8K followers later, pretty sure I'm kicking this goal 🤯

So for my new friends, here are my top 8 threads and how they can help you 🤗 For those who are new to #AcademicTwitter 🙋‍♀️

https://twitter.com/LNivisonSmith/status/1539731495174021120?t=zBmnbNbfI-EAkkSSuTI-yQ&s=19

During my PhD, I got alot of unhelpful advice

Now I'm a PhD supervisor, I know 💯 what I needed to hear

4 things every PhD student should know 🧵

#phdchat @thoughtsofaphd @PhD_Genie @thephdstory @HaPhDsupervisor @Dissertating 1. You're judging yourself way harder than others

People around you may be master writers, thinkers, communicators, teachers

But this was not always the case

There's no secret, no shortcut, no hidden talent. For most, its years of practice.

You can do the same

Did you just join #AcademicTwitter ?

Congratulations! 👏🏿 Did tou know there are 385,000 other academics here? 🤯

Here's 7 academic accounts to follow 👌 Hugh Kearns @ithinkwellHugh

Strategies and frameworks for increasing research productivity

https://twitter.com/ithinkwellHugh/status/1502245461146710020?t=Q8pAeRUrf2QQVMNiqqTVcA&s=19

I read alot about grant writing & one critical section is rarely discussed

Career disruption statements

7 ways to help reviewers understand career disruptions to review fairly
🧵

@AcademicMomLife @Momademia
@AcademicChatter Note, I believe most reviewers want to assess grants fairly.

This 🧵is about writing clearly to help reviewers do this.

Its not magic bullet.
But telling our stories clearly is a small step to a system that acknowledges everyone's opportunity.

Five simple ways to stop procrastinating

👇🧵 Find your zone

Schedule specific tasks when specific energy is high.

https://twitter.com/tanoseihito/status/1526884129261793280?t=-TbeVEp6jfViaCiQoigr9Q&s=19

Manuscript drafts 📝
Peer reviews 📑
Emails 📧

Academia is notorious for being late

How to stick to a writing deadline
A thread🧵

@AcademicChatter @PhD_Genie @OpenAcademics 1. Make it hyper-specific

It's hard to meet a deadline if you don't know what or when it is. Define the exact time and deliverable

❌️ I'll finish the manuscript before next term

✅️ I'll complete a first draft of the manuscript introduction by Friday morning

Need some Monday motivation?

7 visuals to get you started 👇

https://twitter.com/OzolinsJanis/status/1508038198622048263?t=y7S8Y3_qOjJT8ygBK3TNng&s=19

The thread 🧵 no-one asked for....
Met Gala outfits as eye diseases

Hailey Bieber as pterygium Madelaine Petsch as
Optic nerve Coloboma

Every journal has a textbox asking peer reviewers for "Confidential comments to the editor"

What should you write here?

A thread 🧵

@AcademicChatter Issues with scope/format

Editors check papers fit the journal requirements before sending out to peer review.

If you think the paper is outside scope or a type not published by the journal, notify the editor so they can closely rereview

Grants 💰
Job applications 📝
Award nominations 🏅

They can all hinge on a great recommendation letter

But no one tells you how to write one

Writing a winning recommendation letter, a thread 🧵

@AcademicChatter @OpenAcademics Confirm you're appropriate

Recommendations reflect your relationship with the applicant. Before you write, make sure they know your view this

❌️ I’ll write you a letter

✅️ I'll write you a letter but it will only comment on your clinical work. Is that ok?