Doctoral candidates' experiences of social media: I don't think I could do the PhD without it

This chapter draws on the experiences of doctoral study from a group of twenty-two doctoral candidates, including part and full timers. It considers the ways that social media tools, in particular Twitter and blogging, can be used by doctoral candidates to support and enhance their experience of study. It identifies key benefits to candidates in terms of connections, support and becoming a part of a discipline community. However blogging was taken up by only a few candidates which appears linked to protecting one’s developing identity, as well as for part timers the challenge of managing the demands of study. Killey’s (2009) threshold concepts of doctoral study are employed to theorise the discussion. The chapter concludes by identifying some practical recommendations aimed at both candidates and graduate educators.