The document outlines the journey towards obtaining a Ph.D., beginning with basic knowledge acquired during elementary school and culminating in the discovery of new knowledge at the boundary of human understanding. It describes the educational progression from high school to bachelor's and master's degrees, before emphasizing the research process leading to a Ph.D. Finally, it reminds readers to keep the broader perspective in mind, as the Ph.D. represents only a small advancement in the overall landscape of knowledge.

1. The illustrated guide to a Ph.D.
Matt Might
matt.might.net
Japanese translation by Akira Nakayasu http://nakayasu.com
博士号への道

2. Imagine a circle that contains all of human knowledge:
この円は人類の叡知を表しています

3. By the time you finish elementary school, you know a little:
小学校を卒業した時、あなたは少しだけ知識が増えているでしょう

4. By the time you finish high school, you know a bit more:
高校を卒業した頃はこのくらい

5. With a bachelor's degree, you gain a specialty:
大学では専門的な知識も習得します

6. A master's degree deepens that specialty:
大学院ではさらに専門知識を深めます

7. Reading research papers takes you to the edge of human knowledge:
多くの論文を読むことで、あなたは人類の叡知の端まで近づくことができます

8. Once you're at the boundary, you focus:
端まで到達したら、その領域に集中して研究しましょう

9. You push at the boundary for a few years:
数年かけてさらにその知識を探求していきます

10. Until one day, the boundary gives way:
ある日、あなたは未知なる知識を発見するでしょう

11. Ph.D.
And, that dent you've made is called a Ph.D.:
このでっぱりのことを博士号と呼びます

12. Of course, the world looks different to you now:
その時、あなたには世界が違ってみえるでしょう
Ph.D.

13. Ph.D.
でも忘れてはいけません、全体から見ればそれはわずかな進歩です
So, don't forget the bigger picture:

14. 継続は力なり
Keep pushing.

15. More at http://blog.might.net/