Starting a PhD can feel overwhelming. Objectives and deadlines pile up, making it seem like you are juggling a thousand tasks at once. However, there are a few steps that do help you navigate this experience. One of the very first steps is to perform your literature review, which will serve as the foundation for your research.
To help other early career scientists tackle this activity at the beginning of their PhDs in hydrology, we, Giulia (a “senior” PhD student) and Martina (a “junior” PhD student), decided to share some insights.
“Pursuing a PhD is a big adventure, full of surprises and challenges.”
- G: “Does this sound too poetic?”.
- M: “Maybe a little, but it is a good start. Still, I don’t even know where to begin with my literature review!”
So, like most PhD students in need of advice, we started by asking our supervisor. After a long brainstorming session, where he patiently answered many of our questions, he had one final idea: “Keep calm and lean on your colleagues! Let’s ask around within our research network: “What are three hydrology papers you would recommend to a new PhD student?”
So, we did. The result? A list of 80 different papers and books from researchers who were kind enough to share their insights.
- M: “So here we are: what are the 3 most meaningful papers about hydrology?”
- G: “Spoiler: there is no unique answer, but rather some recurring tips that can be useful for PhD students, early career scientists, and even master students. Several researchers suggested starting with seminal papers, the must-read ones, the ones that made history in the field of hydrology.”
- M: “I see. The “pillars” of hydrology. Reading these papers and learning the basics of this discipline is fundamental to understanding more recent papers.”
In other words, let’s introduce Tip 1:
Tip 1: Learn the foundations of your field: look for seminal papers, must-reads to understand the basis of your work. Read papers from the pioneers of hydrology.
That said, while revisiting the classics is essential, it’s also important to recognize that the history of hydrology—like many scientific fields—has been shaped by systemic biases.
To foster a more inclusive perspective, consider broadening your reading list by actively seeking out research by women and underrepresented groups in hydrology. Doing so not only broadens your perspective but also helps ensure that valuable contributions aren’t overlooked, enriching the way we think about and approach hydrological challenges.
Piled Higher and Deeper” by Jorge Cham https://phdcomics.com/comics/archive_print.php?comicid=1416
- G: “Martina, have you noticed that the most recent suggested papers focus on a variety of topics? Some focus on catchment hydrology, some on snow, others on glaciers or floods, or droughts. Not to mention drivers, impacts, and policy! Today hydrology has so many “flavors” and cuts across different topics.”
- M: “You are totally right! When you research state-of-the-art ideas in hydrology, you always find something that strikes your interest and so you keep searching. Unfortunately, you do not always find the answers to your questions, at least not the way you want to.”
This leads us to Tip 2:
Tip 2: Be curious and dive deep: find the niche in your field that is most interesting for you and keep up with new developments.
Piled Higher and Deeper” by Jorge Cham https://phdcomics.com/comics.php?f=1506
- G: “could we say that the paper you are looking for is the one that is not yet written? Thinking this way helps you shape your ideas and might lead you to develop a research question that you could investigate in your studies.”
- M: “Wow… not only an up-and-coming researcher, but a philosopher too! You are right, though. Missing information pushes you to pursue your curiosity. But just reading papers isn’t usually enough to fully flesh out your research questions. That’s where Tip 3 comes in (spoiler: it is the most important one)”:
Tip 3: Make friends!
Find someone you can discuss your ideas and curiosity with. They could be your supervisor or another researcher. Someone who can help you shape your main questions just by suggesting and discussing great papers or studies they have read in their life.
Piled higher and deeper by Jorge Cham, http://phdcomics.com/comics.php?f=1821
- M and G: “You can even find some guidance from the list of researchers we interviewed! Here it is!”
A big thank you to all the scientists who shared their must-read books and papers with us. This list of suggestions and tips wouldn’t have been possible without their valuable contributions.
