How to Make a Line Graph

INTRODUCTION.

Line graphs provide a visual representation of the relationship between variables and how that relationship changes. For example, you might make a line graph to show how an animal's growth rate varies over time, or how a city's average high temperature varies from month to month. You can also graph more than one data set on the same line graph, as long as it relates the same two variables. So how do you make a line graph? Just follow these steps to find out.

EditPart 1 of 2: Labeling the Graph

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   Draw a large cross in the middle of your graph paper. This represents the two axes -- one vertical, one horizontal. The vertical axis is designated the Y-axis and the horizontal as the X-axis. The place where the lines cross is called the origin.
   • The areas below the X-axis and to the left of the Y-axis represent negative numbers. If your data set doesn't include negative numbers, you can omit those portions of the graph.
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   Label each axis with the variable it represents. To continue the temperature-time example from the introduction, you would label the x-axis as months during the year, and the y-axis as temperature.
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   Identify the range of data you have to include for each variable. To continue the temperature-time example, you'd select a range that was large enough to include the highest and lowest temperatures you plan to graph. If the range isn't very high, you can have a larger scale, spreading it out more so that it fills up the graph instead of just covering 10% of it.
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   Decide how many units every line on the graph represents for each of your variables. You might designate a scale of 10 degrees Fahrenheit (12.22 degrees Celsius) per line to measure temperature along the Y-axis, and a scale of one month per line to measure time along the X-axis.
   • Label several of the lines along each axis with the scale measurements. You don't need to label every line, but you should space the labeled line at regular intervals along the axis.

EditPart 2 of 2: Plotting Your Data

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   Plot your data on the graph. For example: If the high temperature in your hometown was 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.44 degrees Celsius) in January, locate the "January" line on the X-axis and the "40 degrees" line on the Y-axis. Trace both lines to the point where they intersect. Place a dot on the intersection. Repeat for all of your other data until you've plotted each point on the graph.
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   Connect the left-most dot and the dot to its right with a straight line. Continue connecting the dots, one by one, working from left to right. Make sure that it looks like you're connecting the points with straight lines only, so that the graph does not look curved. Once you've connected all of the points, you will have successfully graphed all of the data.
3. 3
   Repeat the process if you're graphing multiple data sets. If you're graphing multiple data sets on the graph, use a distinctive color of pen, or style of line, for the first data set. Place an example of the color/line style off to the side of the graph and label it with the name of the information being displayed. For example: "High Temperatures."
   • Repeat steps 1 and 2 for the next data set, using a different-color pen or a different style of line for each data set.
   • Place an example of the second line color/style in the margin and label it, too. For example, you could use a red pen to graph high temperatures, then use a blue pen to graph low temperatures over the same period on the same graph. Continue repeating steps 1 and 2 for each remaining data set you want to include on the graph.
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   Write the graph's title at the top of the page. For example: Average Monthly High and Low Temperatures in Seattle, 2009. You should do this last after you know how much space all of the graphs will take up on the page.
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Edit Video

Edit Things You'll Need

• Graph paper
• Pen or pencil
• Ruler

How to Become a Lifelong Learner

Edited by Dvortygirl, RMunsonNJ, Wdt3223, Tipsy and 18 others

Abraham Lincoln said, "I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday." This opens the premise that learning is a daily adventure that one carries and explores throughout life. Learning doesn't stop just because school does. People who are truly effective generally did not get that way by sitting still, they apply themselves to constant learning and competing against themselves to grow and learn day by day. Making a commitment to yourself to learn something new every day, you will not only enjoy what you discover, but you will be able to apply your knowledge and become a teacher to future generations.

Edit Steps

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   Learn how you learn. Determine your own preferred learning style or styles. Note what learning techniques are most efficient for you and use them as much as is practical, such as viewing online tutorials on websites like YouTube if you're more of a visual learner.
   • Most people learn through multiple methods but favor one or two. Use your preferences to your advantage.
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   Learn where your talents and interests lie. Try many different things so that you don't box yourself into believing you're only good at a few things. It's probable that you're good at many things but you won't know until you've tried.
   • Be wary of past memories that tell you to stay away from certain things. This can soon inhibit you from trying a lot of new things if taken to an extreme. As you grow you develop more experience, coordination, responsiveness, and confidence that one experience can't teach, but you can apply to re-learning an old experience. For example, if you had a bad experience riding a horse when younger, not getting back on a horse when you're older and calmer might mean you miss out on a trek of a lifetime. Or, you might have hated certain sports, tastes or activities when younger because of your lack of experience, strength or maturity. All these things change as you mature, develop, and adjust to new environments. Be careful not to let past experiences like these cut off opportunities for you now.
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   Look at learning as an exploration and opportunity, not a chore. Don't just force yourself to learn things because they're important or necessary. Instead, learn things that you need to learn alongside things you love to learn. Follow your heart, as well as your sense of duty. Do you remember the 8th grade history that you hated so much, with all those names and dates that seemed to mean nothing? The point was to bring you to learn details now that will knit chunks of information together later. It was a chore then, but it makes sense, now.
   • Even when you're learning the things you have to, such as on-the-job knowledge, seek to go beyond what you're being asked to learn. Look at the history, case studies, different applications, etc., to make your learning experience much more well-rounded.
4. 4
   Learn the basics. It can be a grind at times, but you'll be able to remember, connect and figure out all kinds of complicated things through relatively few, simple building blocks if you learn some math and natural-science concepts.^[1] You can look up precise formulas and trivia again later, but the concepts will do the most good and save a lot of time in repeated look-ups if mostly learned by heart.^[2] Try some free OpenCourseWare, TED Talks or iTunes University for comprehensive presentations from famous professors and experts in their fields.
   • Mix learning the basics with more fun learning, like intellectual hobbies and games. Don't space them out so far that you forget what came before in a sequence; a half-class or class every day or two might be a good pace. Check into DIY U for a list of colleges and institutions that offer low cost or free courses.
   • If you find complex math very unintuitive in isolation, you can look it up as you learn things that use it. Without seeing the applications, it's hard to distinguish the concepts you need from the computational tricks most people don't.
   • Read books by people who experienced difficulties with the basics of math, science or other subjects but have still managed to find workarounds without giving up. Their ways of learning might help you to improve your own.
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   Read, read, read. Make friends with your local library and new and used book sellers. Reading is a portal into other worlds and into the minds of your fellow human beings. Through reading you will never stop learning and being amazed by the incredible creativity, intelligence and yes, even banality, of the human species. Wise people read lots of books, all the time; it's as simple as that. And reading will help you to learn the discoveries and mistakes of others who have gone before you; reading is, in effect, a shortcut so that you don't have to learn things the hard way.
   • Read all sorts of books. Just because you're usually a mystery fan doesn't mean you shouldn't try nonfiction now and then. Don't limit yourself.
   • Recognize the educational value in whatever you read. Nonfiction, of course, teaches about its subject. Fiction, freed from that constraint, can teach more about good writing, storytelling, vocabulary, and human nature generally. Indeed, fiction will tell you a great deal about the mores, morals, thinking and habits of the time during which it was written, and it is also said that fiction readers are more empathetic than those who avoid it because it teaches us about interacting in the social world.^[3]
   • Newspapers, magazines, manuals, and comic books are all reading. As are websites, blogs, reviews and other online sources of information.
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   Broaden your definition of learning. Take a look at the Theory of Multiple Intelligences if you don't know it yet. Consider how you might fit in, and where you can improve.
   • Refine your existing skills. Are you already good at fly fishing? Computers? Teaching? Playing saxophone? Hone these skills and take them to the next level.
   • Try new things, both inside and outside your preferred skill areas.
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   Do things outside your vocation. As an adult, your experience may be your best teacher. Whether you work for pay or volunteer your time, focus on a project or tinker with whatever grabs your attention, try lots of things and notice the results. Apply the results to other things in your life, to expand the value of what you've learned. You never know when an opportune discovery might arise as a result of your observations and innovative approaches.
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   Create. Not all learning comes from outside you. In fact, some of the most powerful learning happens when you are creating or formulating something for yourself. Creation, like intelligence, can be artistic or scientific; physical or intellectual; social or solitary. Try different media and methods and refine the ones you like the most.
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   Observe. Look more closely at your world, and examine both the usual and the unusual. Also, look at the world from different levels. Chances are you already respond differently to the news of a friend than to the news of a country, for example.
   • Respond to what you observe, and notice and examine your own response.
   • Be mindful; if you find that it's difficult to observe things for long enough, consider meditating. This will help you to learn to see things you haven't noticed since you were a young child.
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    Take classes, both formal and informal. No matter how dedicated an autodidact you are, some subjects are best learned with the aid of a teacher. Remember that a teacher may be found in a classroom, but also in an office, a neighbor's garage, a store, a restaurant, or a taxi cab. The teacher may also be a mentor or a guide of some sort in your life, such as a life coach or counselor.
    • Several of the world's best universities provide videos and materials for their courses free over the Internet as the "Open CourseWare" project^[4]. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is an exceptional contributor, with hundreds of courses.^[5] You can also use iTunes University, which can be viewed via your computer or your portable electronic devices.
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    Ask questions. Asking the right questions can be more important than having the answers. It can also turn just about anybody into a teacher. Be sure to listen closely and understand the response.
    • Sometimes a response is difficult to understand. Feel free to take notes, ask more questions and to break down the response into smaller components to try and make sense of it. Return to your preferred learning style––if something is easier drawn in pictures, then draw it out to help make better sense of it.
    • Keep a journal or notebook to record what you learn and what questions you still have. Questions can teach as much as, or more than, answers. A journal or notebook can also record your progress.
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    Evaluate and reflect on what you learn. Does it make sense? Is it true? Who said so? How was it determined? Can it be verified? Is an argument or piece of advice logical, valuable, applicable?
    • Read How to develop critical thinking skills and How to improve critical thinking skills for more ideas on ways to evaluate what you're learning.
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    Apply what you learn. This is the best way to test it and it will help you learn it more completely and retain it longer. It will also help you to discover flaws and strengths in your learning, which is how we progress the sum of human knowledge. Who knows what you may be about to discover, uncover or link together?
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    Teach others. Teaching is a wonderful way to learn a subject better and improve your own understanding of it. If you're not a teacher or tutor, you can write about your knowledge in a wiki, where you and other contributors will know you can return to see something even better, or forum, or simply volunteer an answer when somebody asks.
    • Joseph Joubert once said that "To teach is to learn twice." In teaching others how to learn things, you will find that you learn even more than the students. Not only will you need to have a good grasp of your materials, you will need to respond to the querying minds of your students and extend your understanding beyond what you have considered it to be up to the point of each question asked of you.
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Edit Tips

• Sleep, exercise, and eat properly. Your overall health will influence how much you can effectively learn.
• Have fun. Fun is a very important part of learning, especially as an adult. It is a big part of your motivation to continue.
• Do what works best for you. Life isn't a dress rehearsal, so make the most of it.
• Test yourself. Read college notes, take CLEP tests, challenge or audit college courses, etc.
• Learn something for its own sake. Just because it's there. Explore freely. Learn trivia, expand into self directed course learning.
• Keep an open mind. Some of the greatest scientific, mathematical, artistic, and other advances came from questioning conventional wisdom and being open to unusual results and new, different ways of doing things. And don't presume that because you're not an expert or that it's "not your area", that you don't have a contribution. Learned, enthused and observant outsiders can often see connections, gaps and new ways forward that those deeply embedded in their profession, expertise or trade miss.
• Leave your perfectionism behind. Experiment, make mistakes, and ask silly questions. If you wait until you know it all, you'll be waiting a long time.
• Another good way to learn is to find people that are either learning the same things you are, or already know them. Just being around those people and conversing with them will put you much farther ahead compared to studying in isolation.

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Edit Warnings

• If you get good at learning and find that you know more than most people around you, be careful that you don't turn into a know-it-all.

How to Create a Study Schedule

Edited by AliSajid, KommaH, Maluniu, Nicole Willson and 25 others

Before throwing yourself into studying, you should make a study schedule. Creating and following a study schedule can help you concentrate, better retain course material, and effectively manage your time.

Edit Steps

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   Assess your current schedule. Creating a healthy balance between your studies, social life and sleep is important. You can tailor your study schedule to fit your needs and learning style. Do you need to allot time on weekend afternoons because you work nights the same days? Could you listen to an audio recording of a lecture on your MP3 player while sweating at the gym?
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   List all the subjects you need to study. If you have a study guide or a textbook with review sections, use it to narrow down what you list. Once you have your list, rank the subjects by how confident you feel about them. You can note them with least, moderately or mostly. By doing this, you can focus more time and energy on problem areas.
3. 3
   Pull out your calendar/planner. Write down important dates or events that you cannot change (e.g. midterm, final exam day, your grandmother’s 99th birthday). Now, you can check if there are times or days of the week you can always study during. For example, you may be free 3-4 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday. If possible, try to schedule your studying then, because a regular, set routine can help you get into a studying mindset and into one more quickly.
   
   
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   Schedule study sessions in 20- or 30-minute blocks. Shorter time blocks are easier to find and to schedule than than 1-hour or longer times. By doing 20 and 30-minute limits, you automatically create breaks. This way, you can rest your tired eyes, stretch your legs and maybe get a healthy snack.
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   Write down which subject you are studying in each session. This will help keep you on track, create checkpoints for the material, and allow you to organize your textbooks and study materials ahead of time. If you have questions or concerns about a specific subject, you have a record of what you studied and when. If you request help from someone, you can give them context.
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   Stick to the schedule. There's no point in making a study schedule if you don't stick to it, but it can be hard to start. Try to get into the habit of looking at your calendar/planner on a regular, preferably daily, basis. This will help keep you away from the "out of sight, out of mind" trap. Once you’ve established a routine, you may start mentally associating certain acts, such as the the opening of a textbook or sitting down at a desk, with a study mode. By quickly getting to your studying mindset, you can more easily ignore distractions and focus on the material you are reviewing.
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   Finished.
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Know another method for How to Create a Study Schedule? Add it here...

1. Add Method

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Edit Tips

• Plan day by day schedules if you are a beginner in time management and stick to that system for a week, then plan for whole weeks, this helps to pass the stage of procrastinating.
• If you finish something ahead of schedule, go back and note which subjects you feel better about and which you still have questions on. Accordingly, you can adjust what you plan to study and review later on.
• Did you miss a study session? Reschedule ASAP. You don't want to lose your study stride.
• Be honest with yourself ,put in your schedule what you can do and not what you wish to do.
• Set an alarm on your phone or computer when you study
• consult your teachers about the relative importance of different chapters.
• Avoid procrastinating (delaying) work as much as possible.
• Try to not use technology during your free time or you'll be tempted.
• Don't wait till the last minute. Study regularly in order to only review things you aren't sure about before an exam.
• Use the production line strategy , for example: you want to get your tools for studying, is it faster to go and prepare some papers then go and get the pencil, then the book , then ... / or it is faster to get them all in one go?
• Merge things together, if you are making some aerobex, you can hear a self study audio record, you can even record things you want to revise in your exams and listen to them.

Show fewer tips

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Edit Things You'll Need

• A calendar or dayplanner. Now, because you are creating one for yourself, you should try to look for one that fits your daily life. For example:
  

  • If you use a computer or mobile device, consider using an organizer app such as Google Calendar or Jorte Calendar.
  • Use a traditional planner if you prefer writing things down.
  • If you work at an office, buy a desk planner.

How to Learn Quickly when Reading

Pre-Reading the TextFamiliarizing Yourself with the TextHighlighting What MattersDigesting the Reading Matter

Edited by Lois Wade, Adelaide, Flickety, Dr Mel and 3 others

Many people have experienced frustration because they can either read quickly without necessarily digesting information in depth or they can study carefully as they read, in order to learn something (and therefore read much more slowly). These two actions are not, however, as mutually exclusive as you might have first imagined. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of what you read the first time through.

EditMethod 1 of 4: Pre-Reading the Text

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   Pre-read the text. Give yourself a minute or two to just look things over and think about what it is that you need to absorb from the text. Identify the basics first:
   • Is it a list of facts? An understanding of a concept? A sequence of events?
   • What sort of learning will you need to be doing?
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2. 
   2
   Direct your reading with questions about the content you're about to read. Especially if you are reading something that was assigned in a class, good questions to consider include:
   • Why am I being asked to read this? What is the purpose of the assignment?
   • How does this assignment fit in with the rest of what we have been doing? It is the main idea? Or, is it just an example or sideline to the main idea?
   • What am I supposed to be getting out of this? (Ideas, background information, procedures, overview?)
   • What level of detail am I going to need to retain? (Do I just need to get the big picture, or will the over all idea be sufficient?)

   Write down your answers to remind you as you read.

   

EditMethod 2 of 4: Familiarizing Yourself with the Text

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   Think about what you already know about the text. This includes considering the context in which it was written, or is used. Sample questions might include:
   • Who wrote it? What do I know about this person?
   • When was it written? What do I know about that time?
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   Figure out what is in the book, how it is arranged, and where the important stuff is. Sample strategies include:
   • Scan TOC (Table of Contents)
   • Scan chapters and headings
   • Look at pictures and graphs
   • Read the introduction and conclusion
   • Scan introductory sections.
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   Think about what you already know about the topic. You may not need to read more.

EditMethod 3 of 4: Highlighting What Matters

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   Use multiple methods of marking the text. Marking the text serves as a way of anchoring what you've learned––you can find the ideas again quickly and it will also remind you of the initial thoughts you had when reading these marked portions. Methods of highlighting will depend on what you're reading, for example, if it's your own book or the library's or if it's printed on paper or read on screen in PDF format, etc.
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   Try the highlighter and pen reading system if it's your own book or paper. If you read this way, you will always have questions and comments on the reading for class discussion and your teacher will think you are a conscientious, engaged student. The method works as follows:
   • Find 2 highlighters and a pen.
   • The first highlighter is for key points and things you want to remember. (Be judicious—only highlight a few items per page.)
   • The second highlighter is for things you don’t understand, questions, and places you disagree.
   • The pen is to write comments in the text. (Writing comments keeps your learning active and helps you remember the content you read.)

EditMethod 4 of 4: Digesting the Reading Matter

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   Reflect on what you have read. Don’t immediately switch gears when you finish reading. (Switching gears immediately is the surest way to erase everything you just read from your short term memory.) You will process better and remember more if you take a few minutes to reflect on what you read.
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   Try using two or more of the following strategies:
   • Reflect on your pre-reading (fit it into the course goals).
   • Write a summary. Some sample questions (choose 3):
     • What is this writer’s purpose? Who is the audience?
     • What are the main points/topics covered?
     • What reasons and evidence support these main points?
     • How is it relevant to this course? Context.
     • What am I supposed to learn from this?
     • How and how strongly do I react to this? Why?
   • Question the material. What do I think is wrong/right? Why? What reasons do I have for my beliefs?
3. 3
   Review the reading material within 24 hours to process it again. This helps move the material from short-term to long-term memory.
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Edit Tips

Many PDF readers will allow you to highlight in different colors and to underline or write notes, so the above highlighter and pen method can be adapted for screen reading too

How to Find the Most Profitable Master's Degrees

Consider All the OptionsMost Profitable Master’s Degrees

Edited by Maniac, Silvie the cat, BR, June and 4 others

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, earning a master’s degree will boost your income by as much as 20%.^[1] However, all master’s degrees are not created equal. More education doesn’t always translate to more money. It is worth your while to investigate the employment opportunities and career projections for your field of interest. A master’s degree can cost between $20,000 and $50,000,^[2]and you may not recoup the cost over your lifetime earnings, depending on what age you are when you earn your graduate degree.

EditMethod 1 of 2: Consider All the Options

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   Research, research, research. Jobs and new career opportunities are in a state of constant flux. You need to keep abreast of changes in the job market; especially changes in technology that could open up new career fields—and graduate degrees in those fields that previously did not exist. Some universities have dozens of new graduate degree programs that didn’t exist 10 years ago.
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   Look at the trends. Start looking at the projected career growth of the field you are interested in. There could be a graduate degree program that will put you on the fast track to high career earnings. Read business magazines and the business section of major newspapers regularly. Bookmark your favorite business websites and subscribe to their newsletters.
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   Be practical. Some master’s degrees are worth far more than others. If you want a master’s degree in art history, but you know you’ll probably never recoup the expense of that graduate degree, consider getting your master’s in a more lucrative, hopefully compatible, field. If time and money allow, you can always pursue an additional master’s degree in art history at a later time.
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   Determine the worth and the risk of an advanced degree. If you are considering a master’s program that will cost $50,000 and you will have 10 years to repay your loan, you need to take a very hard look at the average starting salary level of jobs in that career field. The value of a master’s degree sometimes takes more than 10 years to offset the cost of earning it.

EditMethod 2 of 2: Most Profitable Master’s Degrees

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   People who have a master’s degree in one of the following career fields currently have the highest mid-career incomes:
   • Electrical Engineering
   • Finance
   • Physics
   • Computer Science or Information Technology (IT)
     
   • Business administration
     
   • Chemical Engineering
     
   • Physician Assistant Studies
   • Economics
   • Nursing
     
   • Civil Engineering
     
   • Mechanical Engineering
   • Management Information Systems (MIS)
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   Keep in mind that graduate degrees in these fields may not have the same value five years from now. That’s why you should always be aware of the changing dynamics of the workplace.
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Edit Tips

• A master’s degree in physician assistant studies doesn’t require a special undergraduate degree.
• A person at mid-career usually has at least 10 years on the job.
• Find out what the job placement success for graduate students is at the university you are considering.

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Edit Warnings

• Don’t undervalue the benefit of work experience. If you already have more than 10 years of work experience in your field, a master’s degree may not give you much of a bump in income. Check with the Human Resources department before you pursue an advanced degree, if the only reason you are considering doing so is to get a boost in salary at your company.
• Always compare the cost of earning your master’s degree against the potential career income gains. A master’s degree program may cost the same as any other, but your gains might be much lower. For example the worst paying careers for people who hold master’s degrees are in education, social services (including counseling), music and library science.

EditSources and Citations

1. ↑ http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm
2. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/24/education/edlife/edl-24roi-t.html?pagewanted=all

• Directory of graduate schools

How to Get a PhD

Going Through the Process of Earning a PhDObtaining Skills You'll Need to Earn a PhD

Edited by Mike, Chris Hadley, Twoscompany, Colby! and 9 others

A PhD, short for doctor of philosophy, is the top academic degree. It represents a mastering of one's field of study and entitles the person who earns it to be addressed with the honorific "Doctor." Earning a PhD requires a considerable amount of work is not for everyone, but if it is for you, here is how to get a PhD.

EditPart 1 of 2: Going Through the Process of Earning a PhD

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   1
   Consider if getting a PhD is right for you. PhD careers are mostly careers in research. As a PhD, you may secure a position as a college or university professor, a researcher in a government or industrial laboratory, a consultant, or an independent practitioner. If you have the curiosity to explore a subject in depth and the tenacity to do so for many years, applying for a graduate PhD program may be for you. If you are simply seeking wealth or the status of being seen as smarter than everyone else, applying for a PhD program is most likely not the best direction for you.
   • See the section "Skills You'll Need to Earn a PhD" for advice on what it takes to see a doctoral program through to completion.
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2. 
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   Complete your undergraduate education. You will need a solid record of coursework from a reputable university that shows potential for both advanced coursework and independent research. Your undergraduate degree will be in the field in which you plan to earn a PhD, although this is not a requirement. While not necessary, the following are a good idea while you are an undergraduate:
   • Obtain research experience in the field you will likely be attending graduate school. Try to publish several articles in the professional literature and deliver several professional conference presentations as an undergraduate. This will most likely help you obtain needed skills, give you extra exposure to your field, and help you to demonstrate that you will be successful in your field.
   • Become very involved in your academic department's club or honor society if one exists. If not, speak with your advisor or department chair about starting one.
   • Speak to graduate students and faculty about their experiences; many will be happy to let you know about the advantages and disadvantages of studying for and obtaining a Ph.D.
   • Find one or more faculty members who will mentor you, guide your development, and assist you in finding the right program for you. A good way to develop a relationship with a professor is to take multiple classes with her and join her lab. Most professors are more than happy to work with a talented student who shows a sincere interest in their work.
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   Apply for admission to a graduate school. Although some people obtain an honours degree, higher degree by diploma or master's degree before applying to a Ph.D. program, most Ph.D. students apply directly for a Ph.D. program without completing an honours degree, higher diploma or master's degree. Doctoral programs are based on research in the PhD candidate's field of study. They often begin with a thorough investigation of the existing body of knowledge on a subject to define specific questions that can be answered through original research. You will need to send the following items with your application:
   • Your undergraduate and graduate transcripts
   • A curriculum vitae (CV) or resume
   • Letters of recommendation from people familiar with your work who also know what the program you are applying to is looking for. Often, your undergraduate and graduate professors and advisers will have a better handle on the specific information the admissions committee wants than would a supervisor from outside the academic world.
   • A statement of purpose, describing what you have already done and what you hope to accomplish in your doctoral research, who you hope to work with as your research supervisor and the reasons you want to work with that person. Your research program should be in an area that has not been previously researched.
   • You may or may not also have to take a written exam as you did when entering graduate school, depending on the college or university you're applying to. These can include the Graduate Records Exam or another test.
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   4
   Choose an academic advisor and committee. You want an advisor familiar with your area of research who can direct you when needed and have resources and connections you can draw on. Tenured professors have access to more grant money, equipment, and connections, while non-tenured professors are more personally available. You can compensate for the disadvantages of one professor by choosing both tenured and non-tenured professors for your advisory committee, provided they are all versed in your field of research.
   • Your proposed academic advisor/research supervisor should be named in your statement of purpose, with the reasons you want to work with that person. Those reasons should show that you know something about that person's background and why he or she would make an effective advisor.
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   Try to get a teaching or research assistantship. Any of these assistantships will help pay your way through the years of your doctoral program, with the research assistantship directly funding your research. Initially, you may be doing more of the research grant work, but you should progress to self-directed research.
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   Complete requisite coursework and, most likely, an intensive comprehensive examination covering your entire field of study.
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   Prepare a doctoral dissertation/thesis. Your doctoral dissertation is a written document that should flow from your statement of purpose and have a subject that forms the basis for your years of research. You will present the dissertation in writing to the faculty and be examined orally on the contents of your work.

EditPart 2 of 2: Obtaining Skills You'll Need to Earn a PhD

1. 
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   Display initiative. While professors, in a doctoral program, lead your undergraduate classes, you direct your research with the assistance of your advisor. It is up to you to get the work done.
2. 
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   Be tenacious. Your research program and dissertation may take anywhere from two to six years to complete, on average. You have to be prepared to commit the time and then commit it.
3. 
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   Plan and organize your work. Decide what tasks are most important at any given time and give them priority, relegating less important tasks for later. Break large jobs down into smaller manageable tasks that you can complete and move on to the next task.
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   Adapt to opportunities and challenges. During the time you spend working on your doctorate, you will face both obstacles to completing your research, such as lack of laboratory access, and opportunities, such as new grants or faculty members. How you incorporate the opportunities and work around the challenges will have an impact on your success.
5. 
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   Work well with others. No matter how smart you may be, you will need the help of others in your research, particularly the support staff. You also need to keep your advisory committee regularly updated on your progress.
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   Communicate effectively. You need to present yourself and your work well both orally and in writing to earn recognition as a PhD candidate and a researcher. You need to deliver your main point quickly and your overall presentation or paper with confidence.
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   Keep a sense of perspective. While your research and dissertation are your primary focus during your doctoral studies, take some time. Because you will spend several years to earn your doctorate, you need to take care of your physical and mental health, eat right, and make time to exercise regularly. So when you finish your work, it does not finish you.
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• http://www.cs.purdue.edu/homes/dec/essay.phd.html
• http://www.cs.unc.edu/~azuma/hitch4.html