Spending years on your doctoral research? Eager to finally earn that coveted Dr. title? Set a timely graduation goal by dodging these all-too-common PhD pitfalls that can drag out your completion timeline unnecessarily: Choosing an Overly Broad Topic An expansive research topic may seem impressive at first but can quickly become unmanageable. Narrow down your focus to a specific gap in literature that can realistically be addressed within your PhD tenure. An overly broad scope is a recipe for delay. Neglecting Early Planning Failing to plan adequately early on and establishing clear objectives, milestones and timelines will leave you wandering aimlessly later. Map out the steps entailed - like completing coursework, fieldwork, analysis, writing - to streamline your workflow. Underestimating the Literature Review Many students don’t realize the vast amount of time a robust literature review requires. Be prepared to devote months reading papers, taking notes, and pulling together back