PhD students are prone to getting stuck in a rut during their doctoral journey. Motivational books play a great role in bringing back their enthusiasm for research. Interestingly, there are more treasures in books than you can find on Treasure Island in the pirate’s loot. Also, there comes a point in the lives of individuals when they need to uplift themselves to achieve their goals.
Motivational books for students can drive them forward towards success. They are like small packets of energy that boost morale and zest for work. Such books revive students’ spirits and encourage them to work hard.
If you feel too little interested in research, we have another viable solution for you. It will be better for you to get timely help from an expert PhD dissertation writer online. As they have an aptitude for academic success, they can carry out your work for you. So, shift your burden onto their shoulders while you go get your enthusiasm back.
Coming back to the topic, we are going to discuss some inspiring motivational books for PhD students in this article. Let’s dive into further details.
Top 8 Motivational Books for PhD Students
Without making you wait any further, here is the detail of recommended motivational books for doctoral candidates:
- The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
- The Little Book of Contentment
- Helping Doctoral Students Write
- The Unwritten Rules of PhD Research
- The Craft of Research
- 265 Trouble Shooting Strategies for Writing Non-Fiction
- How to Write a Better Thesis
- Planning and Passing Your PhD Defence
1. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Author
Benjamin Franklin
Book Details
Franklin’s autobiography is not like a typical academic guide, but it gives PhD students timeless wisdom. It is considered one of the best motivational books because it guides the doctoral students on multiple aspects of study, such as the following:
- The value of discipline
- The importance of intellectual curiosity
- Self-improvement and the ways for it
Benjamin Franklin’s life story will always be ideal for learning and inspiration. Furthermore, it helps students learn how to overcome the challenges of the rigorous path to a PhD.
2. The Little Book of Contentment
Author
Leo Babauta
Book Details
Leo’s guide offers different helpful strategies for students to find contentment in their doctoral journey. Also, it emphasizes the importance of gratitude and mindfulness. Furthermore, it contains multiple reminders for PhD students to concentrate on their academic and personal well-being. It makes the students realize that they should appreciate themselves for achieving small and big milestones during their journey.
Overall, the book raises the motivational level of candidates and prepares them to overcome the hardships of the way. If you are feeling too depressed to concentrate on the research and writing work, we recommend reading this book at least once. It goes without saying that it does wonders.
3. Helping Doctoral Students Write
Authors
Pat Thomson and Barbara Kamler
Book Details
In this book, Thomson and Kamler explain the concept of scholarly grammar and provide the students with multiple examples. In fact, what makes this book one of the best motivational books is its simplicity. At a certain stage during the PhD degree journey, students lose their momentum, and they need to hear encouraging words. Needless to say, this book has that all. It’s particularly best for social science students.
4. The Unwritten Rules of PhD Research
Authors
Gordon Rugg and Marian Petre
Book Details
This is one of the popular motivational books because it sheds light on the social complexities of a doctoral degree. In some instances, the writing becomes quite comical, and the authors explain in the best way how academia works.
Also, if you have to write some conference papers, you can get your references from this book. Apart from that, you will get information about the mistakes of PhD students and the typology of their supervisors.
5. The Craft of Research
Authors
Joseph Williams, Wayne Booth and Greg Colomb
Book Details
You might be surprised to know that the publishers sell a shell load of this book every year. There’s a reason why it is considered one of the best motivational books for doctoral candidates. The authors have covered almost all aspects of research and writing here. Furthermore, they have made the understanding of epistemology (conceptually difficult for many) really easy. However, sometimes, students need personalised guidance and assistance. If you are feeling the need for it, you can ask for PhD dissertation help online from seasoned writers.
6. 265 Trouble Shooting Strategies for Writing Non-Fiction
Author
Barbara Fine Clouse
Book Details
This book is basically something which contains a big list of helpful strategies for PhD dissertation writing. It is considered one of the great motivational books because it doesn’t teach students how to write. Instead, this book provides you with help to improve the quality of your work. Furthermore, the said book provides you with the strategies you might like when you are feeling bored or stuck with the way you write.
7. How to Write a Better Thesis
Authors
David Evans and Paul Gruba
Book Details
This is one of the most recommended motivational books to the PhD students ever since it was written. The most appealing thing about this book is that it simply sticks to the basic mechanics of writing a thesis. Also, it is quite simple to read and understand. You will learn how to write the intro, literature review, methods, results and conclusion of your work. Not only that, if you want to read only one of all the motivation books, read this one!
8. Planning and Passing Your PhD Defence
Authors
Eva Lantsoght & Olga Degtyareva
Book Details
Finally, this one is the last on our list of popular motivational books for the PhD students. Basically, it focuses on the thesis defence part and guides students on how they can prepare for it effectively. Also, it covers other relevant strategies for success and excellence in their journey. Apart from that, you can also learn about the common pitfalls you must avoid to stay safe from failure. In summary, this book breaks down the thesis defence process into manageable steps, making it easy for students to grasp the entire concept.
How Do PhD Students Keep Their Motivation Up?
As per Cheeky Scientist, students can keep their morale and motivation up during their PhD journey in multiple ways. Some of them are listed here:
- Focus on the bigger picture.
- Celebrate the small achievements.
- Pay attention to your diet.
- Invest in your research equipment.
- Rest well and stay consistent.
How Stressed Are PhD Students?
As per the American Physiological Society Journal, up to 75% of graduate students feel a lot of academic stress and burnout. Another 50% cannot help feeling overwhelmed and yet another 40% of students report being frequently exhausted.
Conclusion
All these motivational books offer a wide range of practical advice and perspectives to PhD candidates. Hence, these books are no less than valuable resources for the doctoral degree students. However, sometimes, merely instructions on paper are not enough to guide students’ writing process. So, you can also get consultations from the supervisor and ask your peers for ways to overcome the lethargy.
Furthermore, you can hire PhD dissertation writing services to refine the overall quality of your work. Such writing platforms have seasoned writers on their teams, and they have a taste for academic excellence. Furthermore, they follow the clients’ guidelines and can craft tailored custom papers that meet students’ needs.
