While criticizing procrastination the other day, we realized that it would be fair to suggest a solution to it, so here it goes: 250 words a day add up to 91250 words a year. That's approximately one page a day, adding up to more than the average required word limit across all study programs at the University of Cambridge, and matches the length of the average dissertation … [Read more...] about 250 Words a Day
Procrastination is NOT cool
We have received a comment from one of our blog readers, reacting to our article “PhD Comics” (and apparently, to “Sit Down and Write”, too) “No offence, I love PhD Comics - both the comic strips and the PhD movies - I really do. Jorge Cham and his team have created something unique, entertaining and impactful over the years. I have been following their work for years. … [Read more...] about Procrastination is NOT cool
What Great Writers Have in Common
Great writers write. That's what they do. They sit down every morning and write. Not because anybody tells them to write, but because they love writing. Not necessarily because they have any specific goals set, but because they fell in love with the process a long time ago. Some call it deliberate practice. There is enough evidence to say that most successful writers tend to … [Read more...] about What Great Writers Have in Common
Sit Down and Write
Referring to our previous article, nobly titled as "Get Off Your Ass and Write Your Thesis", the bottom line is that it may be easier to stay motivated in grad school in the long run if you work hard consistently, rather than falling behind on your short-term objectives, such as paper writing, and then burning the candle at both ends during stressful peak periods, as deadlines … [Read more...] about Sit Down and Write
Get Off Your A** and Write Your Thesis
We have already touched down on the topic of thesis writing in other posts, listing a few of our funny thesis-related themes that you can order as a motivational gift to a fellow PhD student. However, after stumbling upon this (somewhat harsh but realistic) piece of motivational advice on LifeHacker, we decided to dedicate a quick post to our own variation of. The … [Read more...] about Get Off Your A** and Write Your Thesis
No Grad Student is an Island
The phrase "no man is an island" - coined by English poet John Donne in 1624 - expresses the idea that human beings do badly when isolated from others and need to be part of a community in order to thrive [1]. John Donne has ingeniously summed up his observation of people in a few words, long before the "invention" of social psychology, and colloquial language picked up his … [Read more...] about No Grad Student is an Island
What Are Your Own Metrics?
Metrics are super important in every project, in and outside academia, and a PhD program is no exception. If you are a PhD student: What metrics do you live by? How do you measure your progress? What goals you have set for your PhD? Is it just finishing it on time time, or the quality of your publications over time? Measuring your professional progress is an important … [Read more...] about What Are Your Own Metrics?
The Real Cost of Graduation
According to various studies, one of the main reasons for delayed graduation is money. While some research indicates that there are several other factors (e.g. personal support from staff, program organization, quality of staff) [1] that may influence dropout rate, financial factors (e.g. student loan, tuition reduction, deferment status) are highly related to graduate … [Read more...] about The Real Cost of Graduation
Read Fiction
It is important to read fiction regularly, especially if you have a lot of nonfiction to read already. Why Read Fiction? It disengages your mind, in other words, it lets you relax. People who read books, in general, tend to live longer. Fiction makes your life richer and more interesting than other watching TV. Reading fiction improves your "human" (aka "non-scientific") … [Read more...] about Read Fiction
Why Proofreading Matters
If ur speling iz inkorect, you are either under-qualified for academic writing, or you didn't pay enough attention. Flawless spelling indicates attention to detail, and it may become a deal breaker in certain situations. Any doubt? Ask a seasoned journal editor. Please note: we are not talking about editing here. The content you write, along with the grammar, vocabulary and … [Read more...] about Why Proofreading Matters