Advice for Students
Resources on academic writing, productivity, and professional development.
Getting Started
- Five things I wish I knew before starting grad school
Is grad school really that hard? How many hours will I have to work? Will I get a job?
- How to choose an academic advisor
Five qualities to consider beyond their research agenda and subfield expertise.
- Why you need an academic website
Practical advice for how to make one and what to put on it.
Productivity
- Seven habits of highly effective grad students
The academic market is tough; here are habits to stay productive and sane.
- Power through your to-do list with time blocking
Stop working in reaction mode and carve out deep work for big, complicated projects.
Research
- How to have more research ideas
A repeatable approach to generating many ideas so some of them are great.
- Write your first draft faster by writing the "Minimum Viable Paper"
Try many ideas quickly and pick the one that works instead of chasing perfection.
- How to productively process feedback and criticism
Strategies for handling the sting and making the most of constructive criticism.
- A long guide to giving a short academic talk
Take your audience for a test drive—don’t read them the owner’s manual.
- How to be a better reviewer (JAWS event recap)
Avoid being Reviewer 2 (and stop writing the summary paragraph).
Networking
- An introvert's guide to navigating academic conferences
What to do before, during, and after conferences—especially if mingling makes you sweat.