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  Holly Giles

Role: Guest Contributor

Postgraduate expertise

Holly is a final year PhD student at the University of Reading. Her undergraduate degree was in Biomedical Sciences at Cardiff University during the pandemic. Following this she moved to the University of Liverpool for an MRes in Musculoskeletal Ageing, before coming back home for a PhD in Food and Nutritional Sciences. Her research focuses on food science for older adults in the prevention of ageing diseases. She also has four dogs and loves walking them as a break from research.


Latest blogs from Holly Giles

Pulling It All Together: How To Write a Thesis Discussion

How do you pull three years of research into a final chapter? Holly shares her top tips for nailing your thesis discussion.

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The Importance of Your Supervisory Relationship

Want to make your PhD experience seamless and successful? Nurture your relationship with your supervisor! Holly shares her top tips.

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From Author To Reviewer

You've probably been on the receiving end of reviewer comments already! But, what's it like from the other side? Holly talks about how peer reviews work and shares some tips on how you can be a good reviewer.

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Next Steps in Academia: Fellowships vs Postdocs

If academia is your calling after a PhD, fellowships and postdocs might be the way to go. But, what are they and which one should you choose?

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Lining Up Your Next Steps Post PhD

Coming up to the end of your PhD? While thinking about the real world can be daunting, Holly talks about how some PhD hindsight can help you plan your next steps.

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Protecting Your Mental Health in Your Final PhD Year

It's important to take care of yourself during your PhD, particularly in the final stretch! Holly, a final year student, has some tips for you!

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Ethics 101: A Step-By-Step Guide for Research with Participants

Working with people for your PhD research? Holly talks you through the ethics application process which you'll need to complete before you can start.

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3-year vs 4-year PhD projects: What Do Students Have to Say?

Are you curious about studying a three-year or a four-year PhD project but not sure what to expect. PhD student, Holly shares her experience and other students and what they think of both types of PhD courses.

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Final Year PhD Student in 3. . . 2. . . 1

Holly's penned down some thoughts (and her battle plan to deal with them!) as she heads into her final PhD year.

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Making Summer (aka The Academic Ghost Town) Work For You

Holly’s tips for staying productive and continuing to make progress during the quieter summer months.

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An Average Week as a Third Year PhD Student Running a Consumer Trial

Follow Holly through an average week as a third-year PhD student and get a behind-the-scenes look at the ever-evolving PhD life.

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When Is Enough, Enough? Setting Timelines for Your Final Year

Nearing the end of your PhD and starting to feel the pressure? Holly's got some advice on how to set realistic final year goals and transition smoothly from lab to laptop.

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How Do You Write Up As You Go?

What if we said you didn't have to wait till the last year to actually start writing your PhD thesis? Holly is writing hers as she goes and she's got some tips and tricks here for you!

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Writing Your Thesis as a Collection of Papers

Ever wondered if there are different ways to write your PhD thesis? Holly explores writing a thesis as a collection of papers, reflecting on some pros and cons and why it's the best option for her.

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Need Money for a Conference? Top Tips for Writing a Travel Grant

You could apply for a travel grant if you're going to a conference as part of your PhD! Here are some of Holly's top tips for making your grant application the best it can be.

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Help! I’ve Run Out of Money For My Research!

What do you when you run out of money mid-research? PhD student Holly has created a battle plan for when you need more research money.

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Critique Is Not Criticism: Dealing With Peer Reviewers’ Comments on Your Paper

Have you just got some peer review comments back on a paper? PhD student Holly talks you through what you should do, how you should approach these comments and what your replies should look like.

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Taking a Break Over the Holidays: Advice From a Third Year PhD Student

PhD student Holly talks about taking a much-needed break this Christmas and how to truly relax during the Holidays.

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Protecting Your Mental Health During Your PhD

PhD student Holly talks about the importance of looking after your mental health during a PhD and how you can go about it.

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Motivations for Completing a PhD: Looking Back from Third Year

PhD student Holly takes a look back on what motivated her to do a PhD in the first place.

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