Before the PhD: What Early Research Experience Can Change
In their recent article in Studies in Higher Education, Elena Tarasova and Svetlana Zhuchkova (Centre for Sociology of Higher Education) examine how pre-doctoral research experience shapes PhD students’ experiences during doctoral training. Drawing on Bourdieu’s concepts of fields and capital, the authors analyse data from a nationwide survey of 1,796 doctoral students in Russia.
We try to answer the following research questions: How does pre-doctoral research experience relate to different aspects of doctoral experience? How does pre-doctoral research experience relate to different difficulties that students face during doctorate?” the authors point out in the article.
Starting a PhD on unequal footing
Doctoral education, the authors argue, is not a level playing field. Students enter PhD programmes with very different levels of preparation, and early research experience is one of the key factors that shapes these differences.
This experience can take many forms: participating in research projects, analysing data, writing academic texts, or presenting at conferences. For those who have had such exposure, the transition into doctoral study tends to be smoother (at least initially).
Yet the study shows that this kind of experience is far from universal. Around half of current PhD candidates had never participated in any scholarly work beyond compulsory coursework, even in rudimentary forms such as literature review or data analysis. At the same time, many students struggle with core elements of doctoral training: 63% report difficulties with publishing, and nearly 60% find it challenging to meet academic and curricular requirements.
What early experience actually helps with
Students who enter doctoral programmes with research experience tend to be more actively involved in academic work. They report higher confidence in their research skills and are more successful in securing grants and scholarships.
In Bourdieu’s terms, early research experience can be seen as a form of cultural capital. It gives students a better understanding of how the academic field works and allows them to convert this knowledge into tangible advantages during their PhD.
This finding aligns with previous research: those who begin their doctoral studies with accumulated academic capital, whether in the form of skills, publications, or project experience, are better positioned to navigate research opportunities.
At the same time, the study highlights clear limits to these advantages.
Perhaps most surprisingly, prior research experience does not appear to improve students’ relationships with supervisors or departments—factors widely recognised as crucial for doctoral success. In other words, having research experience helps students “do” research, but does not necessarily help them become better integrated into the academic environment.
This reflects a broader structural feature of doctoral education in Russia. Unlike systems built around large research teams, doctoral training here remains highly individualised, and supervision practices vary considerably. As a result, early experience functions more as personal preparation than as an entry point into academic networks.
The study also shows that prior experience does not significantly reduce the difficulties students face during their PhD. Regardless of their background, many doctoral students struggle with publication requirements, administrative demands, and balancing work and study. Early research experience provides few advantages, and most of the difficulties are relevant even for experienced graduate students.
One reason may be that doctoral education operates according to its own rules. Expectations around research design, academic writing, and scholarly recognition often differ substantially from earlier stages of education. Without clear guidance, even well-prepared students may find it difficult to navigate these implicit norms.
What universities can take from this
The findings point to several important implications for universities.
Since early research experience is linked to greater academic engagement and success in securing funding, admissions processes could place more emphasis on applicants’ prior involvement in research—not only formal qualifications, but also practical experience such as writing, data analysis, or project work.
At the same time, this approach needs to be balanced with support for students who lack such experience. Academic writing courses, mentorship programmes, and structured research training can help reduce these gaps.
The study also suggests that students with prior research experience are more likely to build peer networks. Universities could strengthen this dynamic by actively integrating doctoral students into collaborative projects and research groups, especially those who might otherwise remain on the margins.
The authors acknowledge the need for further research to improve our understanding of how different forms of capital interact during doctoral training, and to establish whether institutional interventions can enhance the advantages of early research experience. Future studies could also examine how these patterns differ across disciplines and national contexts.