When you apply for a PhD, you will need to write not just a research proposal but also a letter of motivation. This letter describes why you wish to undertake a PhD and why you would be well-suited to researching your proposed topic. But what needs to go in this letter, and what tone is appropriate for it?

Upon completion of a Master's degree or PhD, the big question arises: what next? Although it seems like natural progression to continue with further research, there are many other careers open to academics in business, education, or communications and journalism, to name but a few examples. So how do you know if research is the right career choice for you? A good way of figuring it out is weighing up the pros and cons.

When applying for a academic position as a researcher, lecturer or for a fellowship, a cover letter is usually required to accompany your CV. Stating your particular interest in the role, and showing how your experience enables you to excel at the job, is the aim of a successful cover letter. They can be one of the most important parts of your application, giving the recipient an idea of who you are and what your relevant expertise is. Essentially, it's the first impression an institution will have of you, so it's important to get it right.

Whether you’re a graduate student giving a presentation for a course or a researcher presenting at a conference, being able to give an engaging and well-prepared presentation is a valuable skill for anyone in academia – in COVID times it is invaluable. Today, hardly a talk is given without an accompanying PowerPoint presentation full of flashy graphs, images, exploding sub-titles, and often far too many bullet points.

Your first day at work and you’re nervous, naturally. You decide, for the sake of catharsis, to quickly recap the journey that led you to the computer screen into which you now resolutely stare, a journey that many INOMICS readers will know all too well.

To help you choose your perfect course in economics, we hand-picked top summer schools taking place this year. The organizers from the list are currently recruiting. All the summer courses will take place online.

What does it take to succeed as a economics student? What qualities do you need to thrive at university, to enjoy your studies, and, then, once it's all done and dusted, to go and get yourself a good job?

Reading economics blogs can be an easy way to get your fill of knowledge and, in many cases, they're more palatable compared with academic journals, which can be dense and gruelling. The blogs we've listed - in no particular order - are the ones we here at INOMICS turn to when we're looking for interesting, informative, and occasionally offbeat articles on a wide range of economic topics. With much of the outside world still off-limits, they also provide an excellent and productive means of passing the time. So go on, dive in.

Getting published. It's the bane of many economists' lives, and it's never been so important. Jobs, tenure, not to mention reputation, all heavily rely on getting published – often regularly. Unsurprisingly, given its significance, there's much to consider when approaching journals. Where your work is published can have a huge effect on how it's perceived, how many people it reaches, and what kind of profile engages with it. Alarm bells need not ring, though, this article will walk you through the process, ensuring your work finds its rightful home.

In spite of all its distracting qualities, your phone is one of the most useful tools you’ve got, whether you’re studying or working in the field. It’s simply a question of how you use it. With this in mind, we have compiled a list of the apps that – we at INOMICS believe – are best placed to support both your studies and research. To make the most of them, maybe think about uninstalling messenger, too.

It’s a tough time to be a teacher. COVID has meant that schools and universities have closed and reopened countless times, leaving teachers oscillating between online learning and socially-distanced classes onsite, often with little support to facilitate the constant migration between the two.

Teaching in any capacity, let alone in economics, can be a daunting prospect: the prepping, marking, not to mention the actual teaching. It’s hard work. This reality is most acutely felt when you are starting out or moving institutions and having to settle in somewhere new. In both instances, the pressure and workload can feel intense. That is why it's useful – if not essential – to be aware of all the support that is out there, most of which is free and accessible online. So, without further ado, here are ten of our favourite tools for teaching economics.

Doing a PhD is an incredibly daunting task. Normally at least 3 years, there are some challenges that you are almost certainly going to have to face. Below we look at some of the biggest (and most common) problems that PhD students encounter. If you are considering a PhD, or just beginning one, advanced awareness of these stresses may help you overcome them if you ever have to make their acquaintance (don't worry, we have our fingers crossed). Plus, knowing that they are frequently experienced and nothing out of the ordinary will hopefully provide you some comfort.

When you're just beginning your studies in economics, you'll quickly come across two very important branches – microeconomics and macroeconomics. It's highly likely that you'll study both at some point during your degree, as they are two of the foundational planks of the subject.

Fortunately, the UK and the US aren't the only two places in the world with universities great for studying economics, and particularly in Europe, higher education hasn't yet been turned into corporate business, meaning not only are degrees cheap, some are completely free. And paying less (or even nothing) doesn't translate into a lesser experience. To the contrary, many of countries on this list can make legitimate claims to housing some of the most prestigious higher learning institutions in the world.

If you're thinking about which direction to take your research career, one possibility is the professor route, teaching and researching in a university context. This is one of the most desirable jobs among young academics, and something that people often strive for. But what are the pros and cons of working as a college professor?

Whether you are applying to a structured program like those typically found in the United States, an independent research PhD like those in much of Europe and elsewhere, or a hybrid of the two, the first step is to gather your thoughts (and paperwork) in an effort to convince the admissions board that you are the most qualified and motivated candidate for the position. Regardless of location or discipline, your application will almost certainly include a personal statement, transcripts, copies of your previous degrees and letters of recommendation.

If you're an economics student currently doing your undergraduate or Master's degree, you might be considering doing a PhD at some point. The idea of dedicating another three years or more of your life to original research is both exciting and terrifying, and the experience of actually doing it can be both exhilarating and harrowing. Taking the step towards doing a PhD is a big decision, and one that shouldn't be made without the proper research and consideration. Once taken, however, it can be an extremely valuable experience and one that can set you up nicely in the future.

There are now more online learning options than ever, including courses which are - thank you Internet - absolutely free. Whether you want to prepare for your upcoming university course, need to pick up some extra skills to help with your job, or you are just interested in a subject and want to learn more, there will be an online course out there that can help you achieve your goals.

A new initiative from Hamburg University, Universität Potsdam, and the Berlin School of Economics is helping economics students get ahead in the fundamentals of econometrics. The online tool mcEmpirics offers econometrics practice tests for students and is now being rolled out for whole economics departments with new campus-licenses.