PhD Applications

[Igglepigglesgrubbyblanket]

Hi,
I already have a job as a teaching fellow and am being encouraged to apply for a PhD in the short to medium term to improve my career prospects. I've found one, which is both funded and looks interesting. The application includes a four page proposal (lit review, aims and objectives, methods etc..)
The subject is humanities based and has significant crossover with the modules I run so I do have some expertise, but I feel really out of my depth applying. I don't think I have time to do a proper systematic lit review, particularly as the subject is cross disciplinary. I'm also concerned about how to approach the methods section - I'm presuming I can't just say 'thematic content analysis of x,y, z' or similar and this was definitely the area in my masters which was weakest.
To top it off my whole household including primary aged kids are isolating and the application needs handing in my Friday. Does anyone have any good advice for me?!

Systematic review means something very specific & technical to me. I am intrigued what you think it means. Maybe it's different in humanities. Why would you do it in humanities.

What have you lost if you apply now & decide not to proceed later?

can you reach out to the person who will be supervising the project to see if you would be a strong candidate?

This sounds like an odd (and laborious) application process. In science, the 2 major routes to a funded phd are

1. supervisor has a defined project, apply like a job with a CV
2. student contacts supervisor & they define the project etc together.

I would never expect a student to write a 4 page application with no input from a supervisor.

But anyway, I think you should try to write something for the deadline & get your application in. An imperfect application that shows passion for the topic might be a good way to start a discussion & find other funding options too.

Just write it. Set aside the imposter syndrome. I'm in science, not humanities, but in my area we would not expect the equivalent of a systematic review for an application. Good ideas, clear and correct writing that is well organised, and a good background, which you have, would make a strong application.

What was the lead time on this? Has it been advertised for 6 months but you've only just seen it? Or is it more a quick there-and-gone-again thing?
I'm from a different discipline entirely, but for my funded PhD I had to do something not dissimilar to a grant application. Really written up approach, created with my potential supervisor (and then interview rounds...). So that is a possibility, but we had almost a year to get it sorted.
FWIW, I think a quick application is sensible. As pp said, passion and a plausible approach that shows understanding of the methods and the field.

I've just seen the advert, but I'd assume it's been there for a while. I hadn't been looking because I've had a really heavy teaching load and all the general pandemic madness with the kids.
Yes, I am using systematic lit review differently (and probably wrongly!) I mean a really thorough critical read of all the relevant literature, identifying any issues and gaps in the research, whereas what I have at the moment is more of a chaotic dash through some relevant literature.
It's a useful process to have a go at my first application anyway and thank you all for replying!!

@MedSchoolRat

Systematic review means something very specific & technical to me. I am intrigued what you think it means. Maybe it's different in humanities. Why would you do it in humanities.

What have you lost if you apply now & decide not to proceed later?

Does it ever occur to you that disciplines vary quite a bit?

I'm just asking because I was really struck recently when you seemed unable to conceive what a 'literature academic' would be given what 'literature' means in your field, and now you're claiming to by mystified by someone talking about a systematic review who clearly isn't using the term in the same way it's used in your field.

I dunno if I'm picking up on something that isn't there, but it feels quite weird and aggressive persistently to reply to Arts/Hums academics with the equivalent of 'OMG your weird terms lol'. Just google it if you don't understand?

You're projecting, SarahAndQuack.

I don't think so.

@MedSchoolRat

You're projecting, SarahAndQuack.

No she isn't. FWIW I'm a scientist, but 'got' what the OP's meant in both cases. And the 'how my field works is how every field works' thing has shown up with careers advice in the past too.

And the 'how my field works is how every field works' thing has shown up with careers advice in the past too.

Yes.

@qudylogra

And the 'how my field works is how every field works' thing has shown up with careers advice in the past too.

Yes.

I’ve also thought this.

Just seen there's a few more messages here. Just to say, thanks for the advice and also for the moral boost @SarahAndQuack :-) It does feel slightly bad to be told you're incomprehensible!! However, I will be far more specific in any communication with supervisors etc so that is useful.
I handed it in so fingers crossed