# Ressources for PhD students # The Hero's Quest: An Academic Journey The Hero's Quest has also been used metaphorically to describe the journey of PhD students. The latter are embarking on their quest for knowledge. The path of a PhD student is often strewn with research challenges and academic obstacles; fortunately, the PhD advisor serves a role similar to the "helper" or "mentor" figures described by Campbell (1949), offering essential guidance and support through these trials. The Hero's Quest capture the transformative nature of pursuing a PhD. It's not just an intellectual challenge, but also a personal quest, involving significant growth, change, and ultimately, a redefinition of the individual's identity and place in the academic and larger community. ![[logotree.svg|sban cover center]] This blog expands on the most common questions I have received as a PhD advisor, aiming to shed light on the intricacies and challenges of doctoral studies. It covers a wide array of topics, from the initial stages of formulating a research question to the final steps of thesis submission and defense. Key areas include strategies for effective literature review, methods for designing and conducting research, and tips for writing and publishing academic papers. This page is organized as a Map of Content (MoC) (see [[What is a Map of Content?]]). # The Call to Adventure You are tinkering about your PhD (or master thesis) project. [[Beginning your journey]] You are writing your first academic paper. Have a look at the [[Publication checklist]]. You are writing your master thesis. It is good to have also a look at the [[Manuscript template]]. Then, have a read on the [[Challenges of simple writing]]. This article contains a few tips on bad habits to avoid: overcomplicating the model, the method and muddling your argumentation.