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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 12h

Some PhDs are struggling. Others say they’re doing okay. But having finished one, I think a lot of PhD students develop a very flexible definition of “okay” 😅 The experiment failed, the paper got rejected, you’re behind schedule... but you’re still moving forward.

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 15h

A literature map can help you spot foundational papers, emerging work, and the studies getting the most attention. That makes it easier to see where a field has been, where it is going, and where to look more closely. Watch: youtu.be/-spNwKVqi1k

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

You can think of yourself as friendly and approachable and still look deeply unapproachable when you’re writing. Someone asks a normal question, and you look up like they’ve ruined your entire day. If you don't want to be interrupted, then make that clear ahead of time😅

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

No single research tool is perfect. That is why we created PhD's Toolkit: to test tools so you can build a workflow that works. Watch: youtu.be/M8WQKaKo5Ng Try it: thestrugglingscientists.com/scispace Discount codes: JNSS20 = 20% off monthly JNSS40 = 40% off annual

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

“Significant difference” is such a calm way to describe what often feels like: “Something finally happened.” After weeks of failed experiments and confusing data, one result finally moves. Scientifically: significant difference. Emotionally: thank god 😅

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

ResearchRabbit’s literature maps are much more useful once you know how to read them. In this video, we break down how to read the map. It then becomes much easier to spot older foundational work and newer papers. Watch: youtu.be/-spNwKVqi1k

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

By the last day of a multi-day conference, I’m usually done. The talks were good. The conversations were useful. But all I want is to do is go home, get under a blanket, and nap. You can appreciate a conference and still be completely ready for it to end 😅

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Where does SciSpace rank on our PhD Toolkit leaderboard? We reveal how it compares to the other research tools we have tested so far. Watch: youtu.be/M8WQKaKo5Ng Try it: thestrugglingscientists.com/scispace Discount codes: JNSS20 = 20% off monthly JNSS40 = 40% off annual

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Researchers get tired of hearing that the university “values its people.” Especially when the same problems have been raised for years. People don’t just want nice words about support. They want realistic workloads, stability, and problems that actually get addressed.

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

You can start ResearchRabbit with just one paper. Instead of another list of results, it builds a literature map around it. Add more relevant papers and the map becomes increasingly focused on your research interest. Watch: youtu.be/-spNwKVqi1k

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Academia tells you to be passionate about your research. Preferably while you’re tired, underpaid, and way too attached to your data. You don’t have to feel passionate all the time to be a good researcher. Sometimes the best thing you can do is step back and get some distance🙂

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Google Scholar starts with keywords. ResearchRabbit can start with a paper you already know is relevant and help you explore the literature around it. A useful way to understand a field faster. Watch the full video: youtu.be/-spNwKVqi1k

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Sometimes everyone in the lab can see the problem. But everyone is too overworked and underpaid to fix it. So people adapt, warn each other, and keep going. If the problem affects everyone, the solution shouldn’t depend on one exhausted person taking it on alone🙂

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Would we recommend SciSpace? We give our verdict in this PhD Toolkit review, including where it helps and where researchers should be careful. Watch: youtu.be/M8WQKaKo5Ng Try it: thestrugglingscientists.com/scispace Discount codes: JNSS20 = 20% off monthly JNSS40 = 40% off annual

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

I've seen many researchers deal with procrastination, especially when they needed to write. The longer you avoid it, the bigger it feels. Make the first goal tiny. One paragraph. One section. 20 minutes. Starting usually helps more than waiting to feel motivated.

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

One of the easiest ways to avoid writing a literature review is to keep finding more literature. One interesting paper becomes six PDFs and twelve tabs. At some point, stop searching and start writing. There will always be one more paper 😅

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Ever followed one reference… then another… and forgotten what you were searching for? We tested ResearchRabbit to see if mapping the literature can make discovery easier. 📚 Key papers 📂 Emerging work 🤝 Connections Watch: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-spNwKVqi1k…

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Some PhDs get great supervision. Others are left figuring it out alone. If your supervisor isn’t giving you the support you need, try to build it elsewhere. It doesn’t replace good supervision, but you don’t have to do everything alone🙂

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Sometimes you read a review and notice the same author names appearing again and again. Then you check who wrote it. Self-citation isn’t automatically bad, but don’t let one review define the field. Use it as a starting point, then check other reviews and key papers🙂

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

A research tool does not need to replace your workflow. It needs to fit into it. We tested SciSpace’s workflow integration in practice. Watch: youtu.be/M8WQKaKo5Ng Try it: thestrugglingscientists.com/scispace Discount codes: JNSS20 = 20% off monthly JNSS40 = 40% off annual

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Sometimes even a coffee break doesn’t feel like a break. You tell yourself to relax, but the revisions are still sitting in the back of your mind. If you’re taking 15 minutes, actually take them. The work will still be there. You’ll probably handle it better after the break🙂

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Academia loves offering authorship as motivation for extra work. No extra pay or extra time. But hey, you’ll be on the paper. Which sounds nice until you realize that you'll just be "et al.” Authorship can be useful. But it isn’t automatically worth every extra task🙂

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Few things make you question your academic competence faster than eduroam😅 You can analyze data and write papers, but somehow still spend 20 minutes entering the same password into Wi-Fi that worked yesterday. Check the basics, forget the network, and ask IT if needed.

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Opening the folder with failed experiments is never fun. You see the bad controls, failed repeats, and all the time you spent on results that went nowhere. But don’t only ask what failed. Ask what it taught you. Not every experiment needs to become a figure to have been useful🙂

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Few things ruin your lab mood faster than finding an empty stock solution. You planned the experiment. Then someone used the last of what you needed and left the empty bottle behind. If you finish it, remake it. If you can’t, tell the group. Small thing. Huge difference🙂

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Price is not the same as value. We tested whether SciSpace is actually worth it for researchers, and when the paid version makes sense. Watch: youtu.be/M8WQKaKo5Ng Try it: thestrugglingscientists.com/scispace Discount codes: JNSS20 = 20% off monthly JNSS40 = 40% off annual

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Getting a publishable result should feel great. Sometimes it mostly makes you suspicious. Can I trust it? Is it reproducible? Did I miss something? That skepticism isn’t always bad. Repeat it, check the controls, and see if the result survives another round🙂

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Every lab has this sentence: “We’re not really supposed to do it like this, but this is how everyone does it.” This is why it helps to: Learn the official method first and ask why the workaround exists. Otherwise bad shortcuts just become lab tradition.

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

A research tool can have great features, but researchers will not keep using it if it is confusing. We tested SciSpace’s ease of use. Watch: youtu.be/M8WQKaKo5Ng Try it: thestrugglingscientists.com/scispace Discount codes: JNSS20 = 20% off monthly JNSS40 = 40% off annual

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Grant applications have always seemed weird to me During my PhD, I noticed how many researchers were struggling with grant applications. But not continuing isn’t quitting. It’s being honest that you don’t enjoy the work anymore and there may be better opportunities elsewhere🙂

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Universities say they support early-career researchers. But that is hard to believe when people are still dealing with short contracts, low pay, and unclear futures. A wellbeing page isn’t a living wage. If researchers are valued, the conditions should show it🙂

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Sometimes after a long week, the only real weekend plan is to recover. Not catch up on work. Just recover. Rest isn’t laziness when you’re tired. Some weeks take more from you than expected. It’s okay if the weekend is mostly about getting some of it back🙂

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Your supervisor saying “let’s submit next week” can create instant stress. Especially when you’re the one still writing. Don’t just panic silently. Ask what “done” means for the paper. Ask what can wait. And ask what should be de-prioritized to make it realistic🙂

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Researchers say they’ll chill during the weekend. Then the weekend arrives and they’re too tired to do anything except recover from the week. Plan 1 thing you actually want to do. A hobby. A walk. Seeing someone. Otherwise the weekend can pass without feeling like it was yours.

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

AI research tools should not just have features but should improve how you work. We tested SciSpace’s research impact, including literature review & image generation Watch: youtu.be/M8WQKaKo5Ng Try it: thestrugglingscientists.com/scispace Discount codes: JNSS20 = 20% JNSS40 = 40%

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Lab gossip can feel useful when you’re new. And sometimes it is. But be careful. It’s context, not evidence. Listen. Notice patterns. Don’t repeat everything. You can learn from what people tell you without becoming the person who keeps the gossip moving🙂

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Starting thesis writing is hard because you start with confidence. Then you actually start writing and slowly feel like quitting. Not because you don’t want the degree. But because the thesis makes the whole project feel big again. Keep making it more finished than yesterday🙂

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

One dangerous sentence during a PhD: “Sure, I can help with that.” Then you look at your own to-do list and remember you were already overwhelmed. Before saying yes, ask what they need and how much work it is. You can be helpful without pretending you have unlimited time

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Few things are more frustrating near the end of your PhD than being asked to start a new project. Maybe it’s interesting. But right now, you’re trying to finish. Ask what the priority is. What can wait? What is just nice to have? At some point, the priority has to be finishing

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

People love telling PhD students these are the best years of their life. You’re young. You’re learning. You’re full of energy. Meanwhile, you’re wondering where that energy is supposed to be. A PhD can be meaningful and exhausting. You can be young and still be tired🙂

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Nothing hits like getting home from the lab and suddenly thinking: Did I put the samples back in the freezer? Make a closing routine before you leave. Check the freezer, bench, incubator, and samples. And if you’re genuinely unsure, message someone still there🙂

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

A PhD can make you feel like you’re always behind on something. If you’re doing experiments, you feel guilty for not writing. And if you rest, your brain lists everything you ignored. You’re not failing. It’s just too much at once

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

People assume the third year of a PhD must be nice. You’re no longer new, so surely things feel under control. But often you just know enough to see how much work is still left. The early excitement is gone. The end isn’t close yet. That middle part can be rough🙂

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Academia can make it feel like the journal name decides the value of your work. It doesn’t. A paper can be useful without being in a big-name journal. Sometimes the right journal is the one read by the people who actually need the work. Prestige is nice. Usefulness matters more

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Academic publishers say they make research more accessible. Meanwhile researchers do the work, write the paper, often review for free, and universities pay to read it back. Sometimes researchers even pay to make it open access.

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

You can love your research and still be exhausted by the final year of your PhD. That doesn’t mean you don’t care. It means caring about something for years while constantly trying to move it forward takes a lot out of you. You’re allowed to care and still be tired🙂

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

During my PhD, I often told myself I was just tired and needed to push through. But sometimes it wasn’t just tiredness. It was pressure, guilt, and pretending things were more under control than they were. Don’t wait until you break down before taking it seriously🙂

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Being a postdoc around PhD students can make you feel old. Drinks are fun at first. Then it gets late and they’re still deciding where to go next. Meanwhile, you’re thinking about tomorrow. Don’t pretend your energy is the same as it used to be.

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

The final year of a PhD feels like trying to finish everything while already being completely done. You’re close, but there’s still so much left. Chapters. Comments. Figures. Don’t carry it all at once. Pick the next task. Then the next. That’s how it gets finished🙂

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The Struggling Scientists @thestrugglings4.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Going through the folder with crappy data is never fun. Failed repeats. Unclear controls. Files you quietly avoided for weeks. But at some point, you need to know what actually happened. Bad data may not tell the story you wanted. But it can still tell you what not to repeat🙂

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