We brought in the experts To answer these questions, and better elucidate the realities of blog writing we thought it best to turn to the experts - eight of them to be exact. As a group, they are among the best-respected economists around, blogging to large and loyal audiences in their respective fields. Each was asked to share their experience of cyberspace, and to pontificate on the perks of publicising one’s personal musings on the web - they had much to say. For other articles on economics, studying and finding jobs... ➲ Download the 2019 Handbook now! A crisis as motivation For all our participants, blogging was an activity that was added to an already tightly packed schedule, begging the immediate question: what was your motivation to begin? In response, a number referenced the 2008 financial crisis and ensuing recession as their starting point. As Antonio Fatas explained, the rupture brought economic matters to the forefront of public consciousness, and prompted people, often with no prior economic interest to query ‘why is this happening?’ and, ‘which policies could we implement to alleviate the situation?’ Fatas believed that a discussion of this kind – public, charged and highly fluid - demanded the ‘transparency and accessibility’ that only blogging could afford - the blogosphere, it could be said, was beckoning. Author/Economist Leigh Caldwell was similarly enticed, seeking a public space to deliberate such questions, approaching them, as is his wont, with a psychological perspective. For him too, blogging was the answer. This desire, to serve and engage with the public, was a rather common motivational theme. John H. Cochrane, for instance, was driven by a growing frustration at the ‘bloody idiots’ behind the poorly researched morning op-eds and inaccurate nightly news stories he saw proliferating. To counteract this - and bring about some personal catharsis - he used blogging ‘to bring economic common sense to policy issues’. John, we thank you for that. A pragmatic approach Responding to external stimuli, however, did not account for all. Miles Kimball’s blogging career, for example, was born, in part, from pragmatism – given his standing, young economists take note. Although like many other bloggers, he wanted his blog to have an impact on public policy, it was also designed as a ‘sounding board’ for new ideas, an arena where they ‘could be sharpened’, and thus a space in which larger scale research could be incubated. He also believed, in an opinion roundly shared, that the instantaneous exchange between peers was imperative for the production of relevant research in a rapidly changing world. Such sentiment was reiterated by Robin Hanson, for whom blogging was, and remains, an excellent means of ‘joining the conversation’, the associate professor lauding its inherently dialectical nature. In particular, he appreciated the newfound ability to ‘make an intellectual contribution in just a few hours’ and get feedback, compared to the weeks or months a research paper demands. American economist Timothy Taylor adopted a similarly practical tact. From its outset, his blog doubled up as a personal archive or library, proving ‘a considerable time saver when pulling together a talk or lecture’. His works are collated and chronologised all in one place – meaning his whole canon is condensed and navigable at the click of a button. Quite the utility! But who should be able to blog? This is all well and good, but let us not forget that these bloggers are seasoned professionals, established names in their respective fields, with years of experience already behind them. Perhaps blogging is just a luxury pastime, an activity to be considered only by those who have already ‘made it’? How appropriate is it really for young economists, students, recent graduates, and the like? Is it worth their time too? Well, we posed this question to the panel and received insightful, and interestingly, rather varied responses. For those still unsure whether blogging really is for them, the below is essential reading. On questioning, a consensus quickly emerged that blogging should be approached with, if not caution, at least some consideration, especially by those inexperienced and perhaps un-established in their field. Epitomising this viewpoint was Diane Coyle – herself a strong blogging advocate - who warned ‘young researchers not to let any [blogging] activity diminish the effort available for the outputs that may help get your career off to a good start’. ‘In many cases what matters [still] might be something else’- whether academic papers published, client contacts recorded, etc. In her eyes, one should always prioritise; keep abreast of all formal commitments, and only then, if left with a spare moment, consider blogging. Econometrician James Hamilton was even more circumspect, imploring young economists not to simply jump on the blogging bandwagon, but rather ‘carefully manage their time according to their own interests and talents’. Blogging, he reaffirmed, just isn’t for everyone. And yet, even in these cautionary words there remained the understanding that for those with organised and well-managed schedules, there is much to be gained, as long as the practice is viewed, as Kimball describes, ‘as a complement’ to existing commitments, rather than a substitute. This mindset assumed the potential benefits of blogging are vast. Among the more restrained endorsers was Taylor who recommended something of a halfway house, suggesting that young economists with a specialised focus participate in a group blog. A collective of this kind could provide the benefits of blogging - the synthesis and distilling of ideas - without its drawbacks - the consumption of time, and the ever-present risk of an online feud. Hanson, was more convinced, assuring that even for those with fledgling portfolios it could be a great source of marketing: ‘people will read your other things because you’ve blogged’. Although such advice is maybe not applicable for bachelor students, it should certainly be contemplated by recent graduates and certainly young professionals. Marketing, research and scope From others, endorsement was less fettered. Asked whether they would recommend blogging to economists at the beginning of their careers, Caldwell and Cochrane both responded - presumably sharing the same thesaurus - with a unanimous: ‘absolutely’. They did, however, diverge in explanation. Caldwell, with a more marketing tilt, placed emphasis on the practice’s ability to raise one’s profile, whilst also acting as a useful barometer of current economic trends. Cochrane, on the other hand, issued something of a rallying cry, proclaiming that blogging was essential to the overall discipline: ‘we should be batting around the basic research ideas more often and in more accessible and timely forms’. It is true; debating the building blocks of research, and as a by-product refining them, helps save time and makes academic sense. In Cochrane’s case the increased circulation of his work, facilitated by his blog, has helped him become a well-known name within public policy circles - certainly no mean feat. Fatas echoed this enthusiasm, appealing to all economists - not just those starting out - to take up blogging, recommending it ‘in particular [to] those writing on topics that are more applied in nature’. He justified this by submitting that all research ‘benefits from the discipline of having to put ideas in a different language than the usual academic paper’, and that dialogue, ‘via the comment section’, can be hugely constructive. Go forth and blog! Well, there you have it; the experts have spoken. Clearly, there is agreement: blogging has become an influential and heuristic tool that, given sufficient time, and when not too great a sacrifice to other commitments, is a worthwhile endeavour. There remain question marks, however, as to how much students, particularly those of bachelor or master levels, should commit to it. While still cutting teeth on the basics, one should think carefully whether it really is a sensible undertaking. Waiting a few years is hardly the end of the world, and trust us, the bandwagon isn’t leaving anytime soon. For those who are ready, who feel the time really is now, we advise you to blog in adherence to the following principle, as distilled from our interviewees’ responses: Blog good; blog niche; and blog dedicated. Over to you. So what are you waiting for, potential blogger extraordinaire? Get blogging. But first, download our latest Handbook by clicking the button below. ➲ Download the 2019 Handbook now!
It is well known that blogging can be a useful, if not essential, tool for expanding networks, creating academic dialogue, and generally fomenting ideas. Alas, as wonderful as this may sound, like always, it is not always quite that easy. It also requires time, which tends to be tight; energy, at times lacking, and dedication. With this in mind, we wanted clarity; in practice, how can blogging benefit one’s work? And, what role can it play in the career development of an aspiring, young economist?
If you're currently mulling over whether to do a PhD, check out our PhD listings to find the right course for you. Do you want to go into academia? The main reason that most people start a PhD is so that they can begin a career in academia. However, doing a PhD and working in academia is very different from studying from an undergraduate or master's degree. You will need to be much more self directed and self motivated, and you will be more independent in your work, but it is hard to know if this environment will suit you until you try it. A good frame of reference for PhD work is the project that you perform as part of your master's or the final year of your bachelor's degree. Did you enjoy coming up with a concept and finding a way to test or explore that concept in a thesis? If yes, then you may be suited to a PhD. Be realistic about job prospects Many people growing up today have heard all their life that they have to have a good education to get a good job. And though this may be true, a high level of education is in no way a guarantee that a highly paid job will follow. Some subjects are better than others in terms of job outlook: subjects like hard sciences or computer science often lead to fulfilling jobs even if these positions are not necessarily within academia. But other subjects like the arts and humanities produce many more PhD graduates than there are jobs, leading to extremely stiff competition and many unemployed or underemployed graduates. This doesn't mean that doing a PhD is necessarily a bad idea – many students find doing a PhD to be deeply personally rewarding and the most exciting educational experience of their lives – but it does mean that you shouldn't do a PhD because you think you'll get a better job at the end. In most cases, if you want a particular job then you're better off gaining work experience than studying for an extended postgraduate degree. Where will funding for your PhD come from? One aspect of doing a PhD that is not always considered first but definitely should be is where the funding will come from. Doing a PhD is expensive: from the cost of setting up and running experiments, to expenses incurred travelling to conferences, not to mention the considerable expenses of supporting yourself for at least three years. Some people are so desperate to do a PhD that they will offer to fund themselves, by getting support from a partner or family or by living off their savings while they study. But this is generally a bad idea. Doing a PhD is a full-time job that should be paid as such. Working without funding is demoralising and arguably shows a lack of respect on the part of the institution and the supervisor. If they think that you are good enough to do a PhD, they should pay you at least the minimum you need to get by while you work. The systems for funding PhDs vary from country to country, so in Europe you might be first accepted onto a PhD program at a university and then apply for external funding, while in the US you might apply for a PhD and automatically be granted funding by the university if you are accepted. Another option which is common is for PhD students to receive half funding, which they supplement to full funding by working for their university as a teaching assistant or research assistant. In some situations, working a role during the PhD can be a good way to gain experience – especially if teaching experience is important for your career goals – but remember that teaching duties are a big source of extra stress and can require many additional hours of work on top of the actual hours of classroom teaching. Whichever funding route you take, it is advisable that you have at least three years of full-time funding agreed to in writing before starting a PhD. Don't be afraid to ask explicitly about funding and where it will come from. It is sadly common for people to start a PhD with limited funding, then for that funding to dry up after a year or two so that they have to drop out. It is better to defer your PhD application for a year and to take that time to secure full funding than to jump straight into the PhD without a firm funding plan in place. Is your PhD project right for you? Sometimes people can get caught up in the idea of doing a PhD without really thinking about whether they should study the particular project they have chosen. There are generally two ways to choose a PhD project: either you apply for a specific role as a PhD student in an existing lab or group, in which case your project will be largely assigned to you by your supervisor, or you come up with your own project idea and submit this proposal to a grad school or department. The first path is safer in that it involves a project which has been chosen by people with a great deal of experience of PhDs and the field, so you can be confident that the project is likely realistically achievable and will contribute usefully to the field. The second path allows you to follow your own passions and to investigate your own ideas, but it is riskier because there is a greater chance that your project is too big to complete in a reasonable time frame, that your experiment might not work, or that the project might not be perceived as useful by others in the field. Take time to consider not only if you want to do a PhD in general, but also whether you want to do this specific PhD. Get as much feedback as you can from supervisors, friends doing PhDs, former teachers, mentors, and others about your project ideas and whether they would make an achievable and worthwhile project. And be realistic about your interests and strengths – if you've never liked statistics then doing a project heavily based on data analysis is unlikely to make you happy. Ideally your project should be a subject that inspires you and excites you, and to which you feel like you could make a valuable contribution with your ideas. Are the institution, department, and supervisors right for you? Another big factor in how your PhD will be is the environment in which you will work. Doing a PhD can be isolating and you need people around you who will support and help you out. Some academic groups are small and insular, others are large and diverse, but in either case you need to be among people who understand your work and will give you the time that you need. It's hard to know in advance if your supervisor will be difficult, but you can get a good idea by talking to other PhD students who have them as a supervisor and listening to their experiences. Many PhD students will be happy to share this information with you if you are thinking about applying to the same supervisor. Finally, don't feel as if your only opportunity to do a PhD is the program that you apply to first. You can apply to several programs at the same time and see which interview process excites you the most. Or you can wait until you find the right supervisor or institution which will make your experience so much better.
Here's a big question that's on the mind of many master's and undergraduate students: should I do a PhD? The idea of dedicating three years or more of your life to original research is both exciting and terrifying, and the experience can be either exhilarating or harrowing, or usually a mix of both. Today we'll take a look at some of the issues to consider when you are thinking about applying for a PhD program.
How To Prepare For Your Post-Doc Interview
1. Prepare an outline of your current research project One of the biggest questions you will need to answer in your interview is to explain your current research project, or the project you are planning on starting very soon. First off, you should be able to explain the essential principals of your project in just a few sentences, covering the research question you want to answer, the methodology you will use, and what results might mean. Then you should be able to talk about these topics more in depth, and also to explain how your prior experience makes you well suited to performing the project. Talk about what input you are hoping to get on the project from other group members and how the results will contribute to the field. 2. Gather references from your PhD supervisor and others As part of the interview process, you will need to share references or letters of recommendation from your PhD supervisor. If you have a mentor in the field or you have a good relationship with a senior professor, you can also ask them to provide you with a recommendation letter. Typically, you will either be asked to provide letters of recommendation in advance of the interview, or you will be asked for the contact details for your references and your interviewers will contact them and ask for information about you. You should reach out to your references and ask them if they will talk on your behalf, and make sure to bring their contact details with you to the interview. 3. Research the university, department, and PIs you are interviewing with It's important for any interview that you know a bit about the institution and people that you will be interviewed by. You should know the names of your interviewers in advance, or at the very least you should know one of the interviewers. Use this information to learn about the work being done by the interviewers, and also learn about the research interests of the department and the university. If you can explain why you want to do a postdoc with this particular group or department as opposed to other equally prestigious departments, then you can demonstrate that you are a good fit for the postdoc position and that your work will complement the work done by others in the group. 4. Prepare ideas for future projects Not only should you be able to discuss your current and former work, you should have ideas about future projects too. It is very likely that you will be asked about what projects you would like to perform as part of your postdoc. The ideas you have don't have to be complete to the standard of a research proposal, but you should have some concept of what methods you would use and what results you might expect when researching a particular question. If you can find someone in the hiring department who works on a related topic and with whom you could potentially collaborate, definitely mention this too. 5. Bring along teaching evaluations if you have them This tip may differ between the US and Europe. In Europe, there is less emphasis placed on the importance of teaching so you may be applying for a postdoc position with no teaching experience at all. In the US, on the other hand, teaching is a major part of academic life and most postdocs would be expected to have at least some teaching experience. In either case, it is a good idea to put together documentation for the teaching that you have done. Find your lesson plans or semester curricula, and refresh your memory on what topics you taught and any special methods that you used for teaching – such as getting the students to do group work, using audio-visual clips, or what projects you got your students to complete. And most importantly, bring along any student evaluations that you received. Providing evidence that your students enjoyed your classes is always a good boost in a postdoc interview. For more career opportunities and job listings in business, finance, and economics, take a look at our jobs section. It has all that you will need to take that next big step!
When you are applying for a postdoc position, as part of the process you'll need to have an interview with the PI of the group you are applying to work with and others in the department. Here are some steps you should take to prepare for this interview.
Tips for Improving your Economics PhD Motivation Letter
1. Be specific. One bad habit that many people have when writing their motivation letter is being too vague. Saying that you enjoyed your economics undergraduate course or that you find economics interesting is too vague to be meaningful. After all, it can already be assumed that you enjoyed studying economics or you wouldn't be applying for a PhD. Instead, try to be more specific: mention which particular courses or topics appealed to you most, what you learned from them, and why you want to learn more about them. 2. Give concrete examples. Another common mistake is to make claims without giving any evidence to back those claims up. For example, you'll often see people say “I work well independently” or “I am highly organised and good at managing all of my assignments”. But without demonstrating how these things are true, there is no reason for the hiring committee to give weight to your self-assessment. For better results, give concrete examples of your claims in action, such as “My high level of organisation was demonstrated when I completed my economics undergraduate courses while also working a part-time job, which required excellent time management skills.” or “In my second year, I successfully organised an undergraduate conference with 50 attendees.” <11an>limit:3;categories:PhD Programs;disciplines:Economics</11an> 3. Show your personality. It is important to be professional in your motivation letter, so the letter should not contain jokes, sarcasm, or irrelevant personal information. However, you also needn't be dull and impersonal. You can and should allow your personality to shine through in your letter, and show how you are different from other candidates. Maybe you have strong opinions about a particular topic in economics, or perhaps you have taken an unconventional career path that involved working jobs as well as studying. In these cases, you needn't hide your individuality. Show how your background gives you a unique perspective on economic issues and your approach to academic work. Remember, the point of the motivation letter is not to show how similar you are to an imagined perfect candidate – it's to show off your unique personal approach and how you could be a great economics PhD student. 4. Focus on skills. Another issue that some people have in writing a PhD motivation letter is the gulf in requirements between an undergraduate or master's course and a PhD course. In an undergraduate or master's course, you have to attend classes, complete assignments, and perform well in assessments. In a PhD, you will often have to come up with your own research questions, choose the best methodology to answer those questions, and motivate and organise yourself to complete your work. If you don't have direct experience with doing these PhD tasks, that's okay – you won't be expected to know everything before you even start the PhD. However, you do want to show that you have the capacity to perform this kind of work. In order to do this, you focus on the skills that you have – such as data analysis, writing, research, presentation, and so on. Try to give examples of how you have used these skills in the past to show that you're ready for the challenge of a PhD now. 5. Talk about your future plans. Something that hiring committees like to see is that you are interested in working in the field of economics in the future. This means that you need to talk about what your plans are for after the PhD if you want to be accepted. For most people applying for a PhD, the interest will be in doing a postdoc once they have completed the PhD. Other people may know that they want to work in industry, or for an NGO or for the government. Any of these answers is fine, but the committee will want to see that you have thought about your long-term career. Do mention your long-term plans near the end of your motivation letter to show that you are serious about a career in economics.
If you're writing a motivation letter to apply for a PhD in economics, then follow these tips to increase your chances of success. If you plan to start your PhD application this autumn, download our free guide "How to successfully apply to a PhD in Economics".
The INOMICS Questionnaire: Fratzscher v Cochrane
What unfolded proved illuminating, often personal, and frequently amusing, the dialogue shedding light on the inner workings of the enigma that is the ‘economist’s mind’. Ranging from the trivial to the truly insightful, the following is an essential read for anyone even vaguely interested in the field of economics. Put the kettle on, pull up your favourite chair and enjoy. To find a range of other economics insights, click the button below to download the latest INOMICS handbook. ➲ Download the Handbook now! Marcel Fratzscher: What is your favourite place on earth? John H. Cochrane: I love lots of places. But if I have to choose one, Florence, which combines beauty, history, and for me a bit of nostalgia. What alternative occupation would you want to have if you had a free choice? I have a free choice! Perhaps you mean the chance to make alternative human capital investments? Given my talents, and my many limitations - there are lots of things I’m no good at, and I know to avoid tasks that require them - I have to say I’ve pretty much maximized. I started in aeronautical engineering and then physics, and designing gliders or being a physicist still has a romantic appeal. But I know it wouldn’t have turned out as well as this has. What is the virtue you appreciate the most? Intellectual honesty and ethics. And these are the virtues that when absent in our profession bug me the most. Your all-time favourite figure in economics? Too many to name. Bob Lucas, Gene Fama, Lars Hansen have been huge influences and I admire them a lot. Your # 1 economics blog? Grumpy Economist! Seriously, I read Marginal Revolution most, and follow its links. Your ideal student? Smart, self-directed, thinks big but achievable, takes what is useful in my feedback and ignores the rest. What should be done to address a gender bias in research in economics? That is a big and important question that I can’t fully answer in a little questionnaire. I don’t think the question as stated is correct - I don’t perceive “a gender bias in research in economics,” whatever that might mean. There is a huge problem that women, especially married women with children, fall out of the profession at such a rate that there are almost none of them in the ranks of tenured and chaired professors at major universities. A lot of that is cultural. I’m brewing a long grumpy post on it, but it’s a delicate issue so I’m taking my time. What is the most misguided research agenda in economics? Part of my “ethics” virtue above is that one should not be snarky about alternative approaches, and one should not criticize research agendas one does not know well. That said, I’ve had my differences with Keynesian and new-Keynesian research, and some behavioural research. Old Keynesian seems to want to keep alive a quasi-religion that makes very little actual economic logic, and failed utterly in contact with the data, at least to the extent that a quasi-religion can ever fail. New-Keynesian is an admirable program, but I think it went wrong with the “active” monetary policy idea instead of fiscal theory. If you look hard at “active” money in those models it just seems looney. That’s expost hindsight - the people involved are tremendous researchers and figuring out what equations really mean is as hard in economics as in physics. But it’s time to move on. The idea “let’s put psychology in economics” is a good one, but a lot of the research seems stuck at ex-post storytelling, an interpretive rather than scientific approach, very small effects, and endless claims that someday this is going to really pay off. What is the most promising current research field or issue in economics? Mine of course! Fiscal theory of the price level and risk aversion at the source of business cycles and finance. Seriously, a rule I tell grad students: don’t listen to old guys like me for direction. In the past, great new research fields have almost come despite our contrary advice. Intellectual arbitrage has also paid off well in the past, and clearly, the young stars are using new computational and internet data power to make a lot of progress. Where does economic research have the most influence on policy-making? In my view, in the broad cloud of ideas, not in day-to-day analysis. In a tax bill, say, there will be piles of competing studies, to say this or that tax makes this or that person $402.57 better or worse off. I think this has very little effect. I think economics is most effective in the very important broader circle of ideas. Do people - voters, op-ed writers, newspaper reporters, etc. - understand that when a Chinese company sells us something that’s good for us? Do they understand that marginal taxes distort behaviour? When they see houses that are too expensive do they understand that “we need to let people build more houses” not “we need to pass a lot of taxes to subsidize housing” Do they understand that rent controls will kill the housing market? If people at large understand these things, policy will follow. If they don’t, no amount of enlightened politicians will ever get us anywhere. Politicians are largely smart and well-intentioned people. But they can’t go where their voters do not want them to go. On what issues should policy listen more to economists? I would say all issues! Except that economists (other than me!) seem to offer pretty lousy, and often politically motivated advice. Sorry, we’re not that great. Being good at research does not mean one is good at crafting policy solutions. Being smart is different than being wise. Policy needs basic economics, and clear wisdom about just how little we actually know. Researchers tend to suffer a lot of overconfidence bias, and are all excited about their latest idea and ready to unleash it on the poor unwitting taxpayer. We might be best in the role of devil’s advocate - here is why your latest idea will fall apart. What is your career advice to a young economics researcher? Take yourself and your work seriously. Don’t play games. It’s not about getting published or getting this or that job or promotion or impressing people with technique. It’s about writing things that people care about, in the simplest most transparent and honest way. Treat others as you wish to be treated. To read more of our insights into economics, download our Handbook for free! ➲ Download the Handbook now Header Image Credits: Marcel Fratzscher / DIW and John H. Cochrane (kindly provided)
Esteemed economist, blogger and friend of INOMICS, John H. Cochrane, kindly took time out of his busy schedule to take part in our Handbook questionnaire. However, this was no regular questionnaire, far from it. At its helm, assuming the role of quizmaster was none other than Mr Marcel Fratzscher: president of the DIW Berlin, and one of Germany’s leading voices in macroeconomics. Such is the reputation of these heavyweights we dubbed the encounter ‘Fratzscher v Cochrane’ – our personal nod to the pair’s professional standing.
How To Apply For Research Funding: 10 Tips For Economists in Academia
1. Apply early One important tip to remember is that the assessment process for funding applications can often take 6 months or longer. And some funding opportunities may only accept applications once per year. So, if you’re hoping to get funding, you need to check the deadlines and apply early on. It’s best to start preparing several months before a deadline to be sure you have everything ready on time. 2. You will need letters of recommendation One of the reasons you need a long time to prepare a funding application is that you will need letters of recommendation. In addition to your project proposal and letter of motivation, it’s common to require one to three letters of recommendation as part of your funding application. So think of which supervisors or colleagues know your work well and could speak positively about you, and ask them for a recommendation letter ahead of time. 3. You can apply to several funders with the same project A funding application is a lot of work, and you’re not guaranteed to be successful. However, you can improve your chance of receiving funding by applying to several funding bodies simultaneously. Some funding applications will ask if you are applying with the same project elsewhere, but it shouldn’t be a problem to say yes. If these simultaneously submitted proposals are forbidden by the funder you’re applying to, they will say so on their website. 4. Demonstrate you have the skills required to perform the research you propose One aspect of funding applications which is often overlooked is not just describing the project you intend to work on but demonstrating how you personally are suited to perform the research you propose. You need to give information about the research you have performed in the past to show that you’re capable of completing the new project. For example, if your project requires a lot of data analysis work then you should mention previous projects you have completed and talk about your experience with statistics for the best chances of winning funding. 5. Consider applying to bodies which offer funding outside of economics When you’re working in economics, it’s natural that your first thought would be to apply for funding from economics organisations. However, depending on your area of research, you may be eligible to apply for funding from bodies in the fields of politics, international development, or mathematics. Have a think about what other fields your proposed project might fit into. This can be especially fruitful if you have colleagues in those fields with whom you could collaborate for the best demonstration of interdisciplinarity. 6. Prepare a budget for your project As part of your funding application, depending on the organisation you apply to you may need to include a budget. Funding usually covers your research expenses, possibly a salary for assistants or research workers, and a salary for yourself. You need to account for typical salaries and the expenses you foresee incurring as you work on your project. Your budget needn’t be totally finalised or too detailed, but you should list your key expenses and estimates for the cost of each one. 7. Show the social relevance of your proposed research Another important factor to include in your proposal is the social relevance that your work will have. Social relevance is a key factor in deciding who is awarded funding, especially when you are applying to a government body. As you are in economics, there may a direct relevance of your work to government policy, which you should emphasise for the best chance of successfully receiving funding. If you can directly show how your work will benefit the government or save it money, even better. 8. Take a grant writing course If you’re currently a PhD student or postdoc, there may be soft skills courses offered by your university which you can take. If there is a grant writing course of half a day to a couple of days, then this can be a very efficient way to learn about the basics of funding applications and get some practice at writing project proposals. You can also bring along any funding applications that you are currently working on and get helpful feedback from the course leader and your fellow attendees, which is a great way to gain experience. 9. Don’t make your proposal too technical and do make it easy to read Remember that although your project proposal will be assessed by fellow economists, the assessors may not be experts in your particular area of research. Your proposal may be assessed by people who are not experts in your particular sub-field, so make sure it’s comprehensible. You can achieve this by avoiding jargon terms and including a brief introduction to the topic in your proposal. If you’re unsure, show your proposal to a fellow economist with a different speciality from you and see if they can grasp the fundamentals of your project. 10. If you are rejected, don’t despair You can always try again next year It’s very common for funding proposals to be rejected, even if the research proposed is good. Perhaps the funding organisation had a high number of proposals this year, or they are concentrating their funding on a different area of research. If your funding application is not successful the first time, don’t despair. Funding applications are highly competitive, and you may need to apply several times before you are successful. If your application is rejected, you can take your research proposal and improve it according to reviewers’ suggestions, then apply again next year. Remember that winning funding can take several cycles of application, so keep trying and don’t give up! Find the above helpful? Well, for a whole lot more career and study advice download the INOMICS Handbook in its entirety! It is free for all and just a click away! ➲ Download the Handbook now! Header Image: Copyright INOMICS (Photographer: Christy Ioannidou)
Applying for funding is a major part of life for every academic, so it’s something you’ll have to be prepared for as you reach the postgraduate stage and beyond. Here are 10 tips for applying for funding as an economist.
For Economics students: Classes from other disciplines you could take to complement your study
Politics / International Relations If you're interested in economic policy, or especially if you're interested in economic justice issues such as inequality and globalisation, then studying a unit of either politics or international relations can be very beneficial. If you are more interested in the theoretical aspects of different political systems and policies, then you will likely get more useful knowledge from a political philosophy or similar class. However, if you are interested in globalisation or if you are considering working abroad, then studying international relations can teach you a lot. Both these subjects are social sciences and so are comparable to economics, so you shouldn't struggle too much as an economics student in either of these classes. Psychology / Sociology If you want to know more about how people act in practice, and why economics models generally don't do well at predicting human behaviour, then you can study either psychology or sociology. Psychology focuses on the mental processes and cognition of individuals, while sociology looks at the behaviour of humans in large groups. Sociology is more directly related to economics, but psychology is useful to understand the underlying motivations that drive people when they make economic decisions. Both psychology and sociology have an emphasis on experimentation as well as theory, so you'll learn about experimental methodology as well when you study these subjects. Philosophy Philosophy is one of those subjects that has a reputation for being irrelevant, but in fact, it is relevant to practically everything. The most important thing you'll learn from philosophy is probably not particular theories of mind or theories about the world – though this is interesting too – but rather essential critical thinking skills. The ability to analyse an argument and to identify logical fallacies is something that will benefit every student, no matter what subject you come from. Philosophy classes can be a challenge if you aren't used to the language and style of philosophy, so it's a good idea to ask for advice from a professor or friend in the field before you choose a class to take. Neuroscience The field of neuroeconomics is becoming more trendy, although the links between observable brain states and economic decision making are tenuous. Still, if you want to get an idea of what the future of economics might look like, then studying neuroscience offers a glimpse into how the brain relates to the mind, and how both are influenced by social factors and the environment. The most useful neuroscience classes for economists will be in the area of cognitive neuroscience, which looks specifically at how mental processes are realised in the brain. More fundamental subjects like neurophysiology will be less relevant to economics students. Statistics A very practical class for economics students to take is statistics. Statistical analyses are an essential part of many economics studies, and you will almost certainly need skills in statistics if you eventually want to get a job in economics. A statistics class can put you at the head of the pack by ensuring that you have both the knowledge and the skills to correctly use statistical techniques. It is important not only that you know how to run a statistical analysis, but also that you know which analyses are appropriate for which kinds of data sets. This is the kind of in-depth knowledge that you can gain from taking a specifically statistics-oriented class. Statistics classes can rely heavily on mathematics, so it's advisable to check the contents and requirements of a class before you sign up for it. Many universities offer statistics classes which are tailored to the social sciences, which will be the best choice for economics students. For a comprehensive list of economics, finance, and business study options click here!
As an economics student, you already have a host of different topics that you study and a variety of methodologies that you use in research. However, you can also gain valuable knowledge and experience from studying topics from outside the field of economics. If you're thinking about branching out and studying some other subjects in addition to economics, here are suggestions for related fields that you could study alongside your economics degree:
How to Write a Cover Letter For Your Journal Submission
Use standard business language and formatting The tone and layout of your cover letter should be in standard business style. So that means that the language you use should be fairly formal, and you should address the editor by their full name and title. Do not use contractions or slang in your cover letter, and do not share personal information about yourself. Instead, focus on presenting the paper as you might present it to a conference. It aids in readability to use short paragraphs, so make sure that each paragraph is only a few sentences long. Use the standard business letter layout of the editor's name and address at the top, followed by your name and address, and sign the bottom of the letter. Tailor the cover letter to the journal Remember that just like how you need to tailor your cover letter to the company when you apply for a job, you also need to tailor your cover letter to the journal when you submit a paper. The cover letter should describe specifically how your paper will add to not only the knowledge of the field, but also to the knowledge of the journal's specific audience. For example, if you are applying to a journal with a clinical focus or one which is read by many clinicians, then you should include information in your cover letter about how your paper could affect clinical practice. You may also choose to reference other important papers in your topic which have been published in the journal you are applying to. If an upcoming issue of the journal that you are submitting to has a theme that your paper fits into, definitely mention this as this will increase the chances of your paper being accepted. <11an>limit:2;categories:jobs|courses|conferences|Professor;disciplines:General Economics (JEL A)</11an> Describe your research in non-expert terms Remember that the editor who will read your cover letter will likely have expertise in your general field, but may not have a lot of knowledge of your specific subtopic. For this reason, you should avoid using overly technical language or jargon in your cover letter, as this may not be comprehensible to the editor. Instead, you should describe your research as if you were explaining it to an intelligent non-expert. You don't need to explain the basic fundamentals of your field, but do be prepared to give brief background information on your topic and why your paper, in particular, will add to the body of knowledge in the field. Talk about the impact of your research As well as describing who you are, the background to your research, your methodology, and your results, it's vital that your cover letter addresses the potential impact of your research on either the academic community or the broader public. It's not enough just to explain what you did and why – you also need to explain why this matters and why it will be of relevance to the journal's audience. Try to stay away from generic phrases like “This research will further knowledge in [your field]” and to instead use more specific phrases like “Our findings of [x] will be relevant to [this group] and the approach taken to [this subject]”. If you can be even more specific, then that's better – something like “With [event x] happening soon, there is a pressing need for research into [your topic] in order to [achieve a specific goal]”. A good cover letter should give information on yourself and your co-authors, as well as information on your topic and your paper, and then convey why this work is important to the journal's audience. Looking for a job in the world of economics, business or finance? Click here for a comprehensive list of what is currently on offer!
When you submit your paper to a journal, as well as the paper itself you will need to include a cover letter. This cover letter is addressed to the editor of the journal and acts as a guide to the contents of your paper. In many ways, the cover letter can be as important as the paper itself in terms of getting accepted to a journal. So you should take your time with your cover letter and make it as good as possible. Here are tips on polishing your cover letter for a journal submission.
How to Combine Attending a Conference with Travel
Conferences are held all over the world, but most often in large cities with good transport links that are well-known destinations. This makes going to a conference a fun way to travel! Conferences frequently take place in desirable locations which gives you a great excuse to get in some tourist activities or explore the local area while you're networking. Here are some tips on how to combine attending a conference with travelling. Add a holiday in the area before or after the conference<o:p></o:p> If you're going to be travelling a long way to a conference – especially if you're having your travel costs covered by your institution – then you might as well take full advantage of the situation and spend some holiday time in the area while you're there. You can arrive at the conference location a few days or a week early and spend your time vacationing before the conference. Or better yet, stay for a while after the conference so you have time to relax and unwind and you're aren't stressing out about the upcoming work you'll have to do. If you're getting your conference trip funded through work, then usually universities or research institutions are fine with you extending your stay for a few days as long as the flights aren't more expensive and you pay for the extra days in the hotel. <o:p></o:p><11an>limit:3;categories:Conferences;disciplines:Economics</11an><o:p></o:p> Meet up with friends or family<o:p></o:p> While you're away, if you know anyone who lives nearby to the conference location then this is a great chance to see them. If you're taking a long trip – for example, going from Europe to the US for a conference – then you have the perfect chance to visit people you know while you're in the US. You can arrange to meet up with friends or family in the evening after the conference, so you can get dinner together or they can show you around. Just remember that sometimes the social events of a conference which are held in a more informal setting in the evening can be the best networking opportunities, so if you go out with friends instead of going to the conference events you might miss out on that. One compromise is to see if your guests can join you on some of the conference social events, such as trips to tourist attractions. Occasionally you'll see conference attendees bringing their spouses or friends to conference dinners or parties, but this differs by conference so ask around to see if this would be appropriate before inviting anyone else to a conference event.<o:p></o:p> How to pack for a conference and travelling<o:p></o:p> When it comes to getting ready to travel, pack carefully. You'll likely only be bringing one suitcase with you, and often only a smaller hand baggage case, so you need to think about what you pack if you're going to combine a conference trip with a holiday. You can try to take a large case with two sets of clothes in it: one of business wear for the conference and one of holiday clothes for afterwards, but lugging a huge case around an unfamiliar city is a pain. An alternative is to try to find items which strike a middle group, like a tailored shirt which can be dressed up with smart trousers or down with a pair of jeans. Then you can use the same clothes for both halves of your trip and you don't need to pack so much. Just be aware that there is a line here: flip-flops and sundresses are rarely appropriate conference wear, and no one wants to be stuck wearing a suit on their holiday!<o:p></o:p>
One of the most fun parts about attending an academic conference – as well as all of the important research you'll hear about, of course – is having the opportunity to visit a new place.
2018 Economics Job Market Scramble for New PhDs
With the PhD recruitment season coming to an end, there are still institutions and candidates who have not yet found a suitable offer. As a nice addition to your job hunt on INOMICS you should consider participating in the Economics Job Market “Scramble”, especially if your career goals lead you to North America. As the primary recruitment phase closes in February and March, it is difficult for both employers and candidates to determine available positions on either side of the job market. In order to improve job market transparency and to help identify available candidates, the American Economic Association (AEA) sponsors a “scramble” toward the end of the job market season. The main goal of the Economics Job Market "Scramble" for new PhDs is to increase the chances of matching prospective employers and job candidates who remain unmatched during the recruitment season. The job “Scramble” consists of a website in which candidates and employers can advertise their availability for new offers. 2018 Job Market Scramble in a Nutshell: Available only for candidates who have not yet accepted a job offer or employers with remaining unfilled positions Candidates holding a job offer they have not accepted may participate in the scramble. It is advised to discuss the situation with advisors and placement director prior to joining the scramble Candidates will be asked to fill in their profiles, so they have all documents ready for registration Participation for candidates is free. For participation requirements for prospective employers, please visit the AEA website The scramble website is not updated, the information is static reflecting content added up to deadline for registration. Registration: available until March 21 at 5:00 p.m (EDT) Open for participants: March 23 - April 10. If you are interested in getting to know more about the 2018 Job Market Scramble, please visit the following website: https://www.aeaweb.org/joe/scramble/. Visit INOMICS to find new PhD jobs every week. Remember to subscribe to the INOMICS Email Alert to receive the latest PhD jobs, training courses and conferences to help you achieve your career goals. For lots more information for economics students and others, see these articles: >> Top PhD jobs listed on INOMICS >> Courses To Boost Your Job Market Prospects >> Top 10 Economics Journals >> Top Economics Podcasts >> 30 Top Twitter Feeds in Economics and Finance >> What to Do With Your Economics Degree: Career Paths for An Economist >> Top Economics Think Tanks and Research Institutes in the US
You can look at resources like Plamen Nikolov's writing tips for more information, or check out our top 10 tips on writing economics papers below. 1. Use a professional, factual tone The manner in which you write should be based on objective facts and should be impersonal. You shouldn't write like a journalist or an opinion piece author – you are not trying to persuade the reader with your tone, but rather with your facts. 2. Use the present tense This one differs between fields, but in economics, it is typical to use the present rather than the past tense. So you should write “Smith finds that...” rather than “Smith found that...” This also applies when you are writing about yourself, such as “This paper attempts to show...” <11an>limit:3;categories:Conferences;disciplines:Economics</11an> 3. Use short sentences People often pick up the bad habit of using too-long sentences, thinking that they sound more knowledgeable or sophisticated. Instead, they just make life more difficult for the reader. Use sentences which are short and to the point. When in doubt, split a longer sentence into two to make it more readable. 4. Use the active voice, not the passive voice A habit of some science disciplines has leaked over into other subjects: using the passive rather than the active voice. For example, when describing an experiment, a science article might say “Effects were measured with a reader and the range was calculated.” But this is used less frequently in economics. Instead, use the active voice, for example, “We modelled the effects and used the model to make predictions.” 5. Use “I” and “we” correctly Another habit of scientists is to avoid the first person, and on the rare occasions that it is used to tend towards using “we” rather than “I”. This makes sense given how common it is for scientific research to be performed in large groups. In economics, however, you should not be afraid of the first person, and use “I” and “we” literally. If you did something yourself, use “I”, if it was as part of a group, use “we”. 6. Dates for citations go in brackets Again, this differs between fields, but in economics, the norm is “Smith (1970) finds that...” rather than “Smith found in a 1970 paper that...” 7. Use footnotes If there is extra information which you've found and think to be interesting and of value to the reader, but isn't directly connected to your argument, then put it in a footnote. Do the same with extra details or very in-depth information which is not necessary for the understanding of your argument, but is useful as a reference for the reader. 8. Avoid jargon Another common writing mistake among undergraduates is a tendency to use too much jargon or highly technical language. Students sometimes think that this will make their writing seem more professional or more respectable. But in fact, jargon is an annoyance to the reader and is almost always unnecessary. Use clear, simple terminology instead. 9. Know when to cut Yet another bad writing habit that many people develop at school is the habit of always writing more words. Schools often set homework assignments of at least a certain word count, and this trains students into padding out their essays. In a university context, however, you are much better off being brief and accurate than you are adding a lot of filler words. Cut down any repetition or unnecessary fluff from your essays to make them short and better. 10. Read economics paper and mimic the style The very best way to learn the style of any field is to do plenty of reading within it. Note the writing conventions of articles in economics journals and try to mimic their style.
If you're a student and you're new to the subject of economics, then you might need some assistance with learning how to write in a style which is appropriate for the field.
How to Make The Most of Your PhD - Tips For Beginner Doctoral Students
Get to know your fellow PhD students. Doing a PhD is sometimes a lonely experience, but it can also be a chance to meet like-minded people. Whenever possible, take the opportunity to get to know your fellows PhD students at lectures, department events, or social events. As well as being a good way to make new friends, you'll benefit from having people to talk to about your PhD experience and to turn to for help or advice. <11an>limit:3;categories:PhD Programs;disciplines:Economics</11an><o:p></o:p> Find out about the library, IT systems, and university administration. While there is a lot to think about at the start of your PhD, it will only get more busy as time goes on. So take a few days at some point near the start of your PhD to look into your university library and IT systems. Find out where the buildings are located, what kind of log-in information or card you need, and who you can ask if you run into problems. Also find out about the administrative arrangements and student support for matriculation, funding, and other issues. If you need to use these services later down the line, you'll be glad that you already know where to turn for help. Organise regular meetings with both of your supervisors. You need to make sure that you have regular contact with both of your supervisors. Specifics can vary between individuals, but generally you should see your main supervisor at least once every two weeks, and your second supervisor at least once per semester. Set up these meetings early on and be diligent about attending them. Do attend lectures, departmental seminars, and events. With so much pressure on, you might feel like you need to spend all of your time getting started on your research project. But you need to learn about your subject more broadly in order to become a good researcher, and you also need to get to know the other people in your department and university. So do attend extra lectures, departmental seminars, and events – particularly at the beginning of your PhD when you have more time than you will later. Have a plan, but be okay with changing it. When you start you PhD, you will need a plan of what research you are intending to perform, and the timescale in which you will operate. The more detailed this plan is, the better – for example, for a science PhD, try to think through each stage of literature review, hypothesis formation, experimental design, data analysis, and so on - and make a note of how long you think you should spend on each task. Do be realistic here! This is where it helps to talk to other PhDs or academics, as you can ask them how long certain tasks typically (recruitment of participants, for example, always takes far longer than you imagine it would). Draw up your timetable, however, also remember that this plan is subject to change. Perhaps you come up with a new idea, or your first experiment doesn't work out, and you need to change your plan. That's okay! Your plan should be a guideline, but you need to be flexible about how things work out. Look for training courses – especially for soft skills. Soft skills like oral presentation, essay writing, or supervision can be frequently overlooked by PhD students and supervisors alike. However, these skills are essential for you to succeed in your PhD and beyond, so you should make an effort to learn more about them. See if your university or graduate school runs training courses, and sign yourself up if you can – half a day to two days' worth of training on these skills can be incredibly useful throughout your career. Get a support system in place of friends, family, and fellow academics. Working on your PhD can be wonderful, but it can be stressful too! You'll need help and support from others to avoid burning out. Make an effort to get to know new people and to keep in contact with family, friends, and former co-workers to ensure that you have people who can give you emotional support when you need it.
When you start a PhD, there's a lot to think about – so here are our tips on what to do to make the most of your PhD experience.
Should I Choose an MBA Concentration? - Pros & Cons
Pros of an MBA concentration At some business schools, you will find that having a concentration is mandatory. But if choosing a concentration is optional for you, then you should consider your long-term career goals. If you know exactly which job you are aiming for after graduation, a concentration during the MBA can help you get an edge on other applicants. For example, if you wish to enter a career in financial services, then a finance concentration will help, both to prepare you better for your future role, and to help you to stand out from the crowd when you are applying for highly competitive positions with very large numbers of applicants, all or most of whom have an MBA. There can also be a financial advantage to choosing a concentration, as some of the best compensated jobs which are open to MBA students – such as in banking or risk management – are roles in which you can specialise while you are still studying. Typically, an MBA with a concentration can help you earn more over a lifetime career than an equivalent Master's degree. So if you are focused on getting a well-paid job once you graduate then a specialisation can help you to achieve this. Even a field which you think you may not like, such as information technology, or a field which seems obscure, such as sustainability, may prove not only more interesting than you think, but also rewarding. Employers in niche areas who are looking to fill a position with an MBA graduate are likely to prefer applicants with knowledge of their field, and also willing to pay a higher salary for the right candidate. Cons of an MBA concentration If you already have a degree in economics, and are looking for an MBA as a means of transitioning into general business and management, then in a sense you already have a specialisation in economics. With an understanding of economic theory, and an awareness of how markets work and the role that businesses function within them, with an additional, general MBA in your pocket you will be well-placed to make smart decisions and advance up the management structure. One common motivator for students pursuing an MBA is the desire to be entrepreneurs once they graduate. If you wish to start up your own business, then it is in your interest to have as broad a range of skills and knowledge as possible. In this case, an MBA concentration, unless perhaps a concentration in entrepreneurship, would come at the cost of breadth of knowledge, and may not be the right option. Also worth noting is that some MBA concentrations are less worthwhile, financially speaking, than others. Specialisations in human resources, for example, tend to produce lower salaries than those in consulting or operations. If you are aiming to specialise not because of a passion for one area, but because of a notion that you might be more employable and therefore better paid, do your homework before deciding. Similarly, be careful about choosing an MBA specialisation if you haven't yet decided what you want to do after you graduate. If you only know that you want to go into business, but aren't sure in what capacity, then it is to your advantage to study as many areas of business as possible. Selecting a concentration, while not exactly ruling out other areas in future, certainly gives you a more difficult story to tell a potential employer, explaining why you specialised in one area but are applying for a job in another. In this sense, a general MBA degree keeps your options open. Secret option number three: Look for alternatives to an MBA If you know you want to work in a specific field, then there may be cheaper and more effective courses than an MBA. For example, if your interest is in working in HR, you may be better served by first looking for a job and gaining real-world experience, perhaps supplementing it with additional professional training courses, rather than paying for an expensive MBA course. Similarly, in a field such as accounting you may be better served by a cheaper and quicker one-year master's degree in accounting, than a longer and more expensive MBA with a specialisation in accounting. Whether or not you specialise in your MBA (or decide to do an MBA at all) of course depends on your own career status, ambition and financial situation. While some employers insist on an MBA, for others a graduate degree in economics or related field may be sufficient. If you are already decided on an MBA, and perhaps specialising within it, then hopefully this post has given you some food for thought. Do your research, think carefully about what is right for you, your wallet, and for your career, and look forward to one of the most interesting, and in the long-term rewarding years of your life.
When you begin studying for an MBA, you may have the chance to choose a concentration – that is, a specialisation in which you focus on a particular area of business to study in-depth. Students with an economics graduate degree who are starting an MBA program are especially likely to be tempted towards a concentration option, with the perspective gained from an economics program offering an advantage in career paths like consulting, finance or information systems. It is particularly common in the USA for MBA students to have the chance to choose a concentration before they begin their course, similar to how other students would choose a major. If you are given this chance, should you choose a concentration? Here are the pros and cons of specialising during your MBA.
10 New Year's Resolutions for an Economics Student
1. I will try to stay up to date on world politics and the effect it has on global economics. Economics in the real world is intricately connected to politics, international relations, and sociology. To be the best economics student, you need to stay updated on global political events, so make a point of regularly reading newspapers, websites, or magazines. 2. I will read up on related fields like finance, business, and psychology. Keep expanding your mind and learning more from fields which are related to economics. It is both interesting and valuable to understand how one discipline affects work in another. 3. I will think about the transferable skills I am learning and identify areas where I need to learn more. When it comes to career success, it's not just good grades that you need to consider. Think about what jobs you'd like to do in the futue, and what skills you would need for them. Then consider the skills you're learning (like programming, presentation, writing, and so on) and which skills you still need to work on. 4. I will work on my mathematical and data analysis skills. Talking of skills, remember that data analysis is an important part of economics which students often struggle with. Especially if you're not terribly mathematically inclined, put aside some time to work on your data analysis so you can approach this area of your studies with more confidence. 5. I will start looking for internships or jobs as soon as possible. If you need to complete an internship as part of your degree, or if you're nearing the end of your studies and are thinking about your next steps, then it will help to get started hunting for positions early. Internships can be filled as early as 6 months before they start, so if you need to land a position then the sooner you start looking, the better. 6. I will arrive on time to all my classes, and I will listen attentively during class. Not only is this polite to your lecturers and fellow students, but it will also be good practice for the working world where you'll need to be on time. 7. I will participate in debates and discussions within classes and outside of them, and I will seriously consider opposing viewpoints. When you first start debating in class it can seem like the point is to “win” - to show that you're right and to persuade other people. But in fact you can learn even more from discussions but really trying to listen to and understand opposing view points. 8. I will plan out my assignments in advance and hand them in on time. Everyone finds it stressful to have to complete essays or to take written exams, but you can make the experience easier for yourself if you start preparing in plenty of time. Give yourself a month to work on your essay or exam revision and you'll learn more and feel less stressed than if you leave it until the last minute. 9. I will attend a conference, workshop, or public lecture in my field. One of the best ways to hear about the latest work in your field and to meet other academics is to attend events like conferences, workshops, or lectures, so don't miss out on these opportunities. 10. I will look for grants or scholarships which I could apply for, for added financial security and as a boost for my CV. It's always helpful to have more sources of funding, and being awarded a grant or scholarship will make you stand out when applying for jobs or further study.
Now it's time to start looking ahead to the new year and thinking about what you want to achieve. For economics students, we've got suggestions for 10 new year's resolutions which will help to make your studies more engaging, less stressful, and more rewarding.
Do's and Don'ts In Your College Freshman Year
DON'T mistake a friendly demeanour from your professors as an invitation to treat them casually. College lecturers and professors are often passionate about their subject and really enjoy teaching it to new students. They may be younger than you expect, and are sometimes more informal in their interactions with you than school teachers would be. Which is nice! But remember, you still need to behave professionally. It's fine to use first names for your lecturers if they allow it, for example, but it's not okay to send them drunk emails or to blow off their assignments. Find a balance between feeling comfortable and being professional. DO try taking a course in a subject you've never studied before. You might think that the best way to succeed at college is to focus on just the courses which are essential to your degree. And that's true, to some extent. But it's also incredibly useful, both in college and beyond, to have some experience with fields or subjects other than your major. Most colleges allow you to take a few optional courses from other subjects, and this is the perfect opportunity for you to learn about a new topic or find out more about a subject you've always been interested in. DON'T live in denial about your assignments and exams. When people around you seem to be having fun all the time and are very casual about their work, it can feel like everyone else is blowing off their assignments, so why shouldn't you do it too? But the truth is, if you ignore work which you have to do then it will just keep mounting up and causing you more stress. Know when your important assignments are due, and do a little bit of work towards them each day. You'll still have plenty of time for socialising and having fun, but you won't be stressed about looming deadlines. DO ask for help if you need it. Adjusting to college life is a huge change, both academically and socially. It's common for new students to struggle with how to manage their workloads, or with how to balance socialising and work. But there are resources which can help you. Firstly, talk to your fellow students about the problems you're having – it's very likely that some of them feel the same way, and they might have tips to help you. Also, if you are struggling with a particular class then talk to the professor about this during their office hours and they'll be able to suggest materials to catch you up. Finally, see if your college has a counselling department, a mentoring system, or a student support centre, where you can get help and guidance from experienced college staff. DON'T feel like you have to follow your original plan to the letter. Sometimes, you'll find that you are not enjoying studying a subject as much as you expected, or that you've chosen a course which is too advanced for your level of knowledge. You can't always know in advance if the choices you've made will work out well. So allow yourself to be flexible. Maybe you'd like to change your major, or to take a minor in a different subject. Or perhaps you need to drop a course and come back to it later, when you have more experience. These options are open to you if you feel like your current path is not working out. DO look after yourself and enjoy your college experience. College is a place for learning, yes, but it's also a place for you to grow as a person. Try out new things and go to new places. Also, remember to care for yourself by getting enough sleep and eating something healthy once in a while. Do go out and have fun, but don't try to party every night of the week.
DO get to know your dorm-mates and fellow students. College can be a scary place, socially speaking. But making friends and connections is as much a part of the college experience as academic achievement. Try new things, meet new people, and push yourself to try to make new friends. The secret is that everyone feels uncomfortable and shy when they first start college – you're not the only one!
10 Tips for a Successful Start to Your New Academic Year
1. Pick your courses. Hopefully you've already chosen the courses that you'll be taking in the new academic year – but if not, get on this now! Check your student handbook to see what courses are a requirement for you degree, and have a think about what new skills you need to develop and which courses can help you with this. 2. Try studying something new. It's easy to get into a rut when you're studying, and find yourself taking the same courses and doing the same work as everyone else. But university is a wonderful opportunity to try new things and learn about new topics – so why not see if you can take a class in a subject which is new to you but which you've always found interesting? Consider studying one course from outside of your academic subject, to broaden your horizons and to teach you a different approach to learning. 3. Register for your courses. One you've chosen your courses, you may need to register for them. Check out your university's website to see when and how you need to register, and do this quickly as popular courses can sometimes be over-subscribed. 4. Get organised early. Find out as soon as possible what your deadlines are, and when you will have to submit work or sit exams. Start planning out your semester so that you can see how long you have to write your essays and assignments, or to revise for your exams. The early you start, the less stressful this will be. 5. Get a calendar (and use it!) Once you know when your deadlines are and when you need to be working on various projects, write all of this information down in a pocketbook or electronic calendar. Check your calendar regularly and update it as you get new information, so you'll always know what you need to be working on today. 6. Get on your university's CMS. Many universities now use an electronic Course Management System like Moodle or Blackboard, through which you can get information about your courses and assignments and download reading materials. Get a login from your university's IT department, and make sure that it works and you can access all the materials you need. This will make your life much easier than scrabbling to get it working at the last minute when you urgently need some information from the CMS! 7. Pick up extra reading from the library. Once you have your course introductory materials, take a look at the reading list and suggested extra reading materials. Take a trip to the library and pick up any books which you think will be helpful to give you a general overview of the course topic, and start reading these. You'll find it easier to read the latest journal articles or highly technical materials if you have an understanding of the broad themes under discussion your subject field. 8. Get to know your new coursemates. When you are in your second or third year of studying and are taking several courses, it can be tempting to skip out on social occasions with your fellow students. After all, you've already made friends and have lots going on. However, don't underestimate the value of spending time with your fellow students, as you can learn a lot from academic discussions with them as well as having fun socially. 9. Get to know your new lecturers. Lecturers all have different teaching styles and preferences, and different knowledge that they can share with you. Read over any notes or guidelines which your lecturers give you about office hours, their preferred method of communication, and their research interests so that you can get an idea of what they're like. After a few weeks, consider visiting them during their office hours to discuss how you are finding the course so far. 10. Make sure you're getting enough sleep. The start of the academic year can be busy and demanding, and you might feel like you have no time to relax. But you can't study effectively if you're already exhausted at the start of the year. Give yourself a full 8 hours sleep a night as often as you can, and you'll find studying and working to be much easier.
The new academic year is about to begin, so follow these ten tips for a successful start to the year!
Types Of Difficult PhD Supervisors And How To Successfully Deal With Them
Micromanagers A micromanager is one who is overly controlling and wishes to make input on all of your decisions, however small. For example, they may want to check every single slide or piece of writing which you produce, multiple times. Or they may try to dictate the way in which you divide up your time and how you prioritise. Micromanagers can be difficult to deal with, as different students and supervisors have different ideas about how much management a supervisor should perform. For some PhD students, having a lot of guidance and having their work checked regularly can be reassuring, while for others, it feels patronising. So if you find you supervisor to be too involved, remember that this is an issue of preference and not necessarily an indication that your supervisor thinks that you are not competent. To deal with a micromanager, you'll need to take a dual approach: firstly, demonstrating that you can perform tasks competently without their guidance. If you show that you can prepare a presentation well, for example, without their influence, then they will feel less need to manage you in the future. The other approach is to talk with them and try to discover their underlying concerns. Do they feel like they need to micromanage because they are concerned about your ability to organize your time? Do they worry that your research will go over budget? Or are they trying to be supportive by giving you lots of feedback on your writing? Identify the underlying concern which is leading to the micromanaging behaviour, and try to demonstrate that their worries are not founded. <11an>limit:3;categories:Postdoc;disciplines:Economics</11an> Absentee Absentee supervisors are those who are not present during your PhD, either physically (i.e. they are away travelling a lot) or metaphorically (they are so busy that you never see them). This is a common problem with senior professors and those who supervise lots of PhD students. Without advice and guidance from a supervisor, performing your PhD research is much harder. To deal with an absentee supervisor, you can first try laying out an agreement with them about regular meetings. If you can arrange a meeting with them once a week or once every two weeks at a set time, you'll know that you at least have the chance to get their input on any issues. Often professors can be bad at replying to emails, so a face-to-face meeting is the best way to get their attention. If you can't get regular meetings with them, you can turn to your second supervisor or other senior researchers who you trust, and ask for input from them instead. However, if it is truly not possible to see your supervisor regularly, you should consider moving to a different supervisor who can give you and your research the time and attention which you deserve. Overly Critical It is part of the supervisor's job to offer criticism of your work, but some supervisors take this too far. Supervisors who yell at their students, who belittle them, or who make unpleasant personal comments are not unheard of. Dealing with such a supervisor can leave students stressed, depressed, and insecure about their own abilities. Doing a PhD can certainly be an emotional experience, but if students are regularly leaving the office in tears after speaking with their supervisor, then something is very wrong. To deal with such a supervisor, you will need to assess how severe the situation is. If you supervisor is generally well meaning but rather harsh with their feedback, you can try talking to them about your overall progress in your PhD. Some supervisors, especially if they are new to management, forget that it's important to give positive feedback as well as pointing out errors. They may in fact be very satisfied with your work, but they only mention the negative points that they see. In this case, by talking to them about your overall progress you can get a more positive picture of your work. In severe cases, however, this may not help. If a supervisor is abusive towards you and they are having an overall negative effect on your life and your work, then you need to protect yourself by leaving their group and finding a new supervisor. Remember that a supervisor should support you and assist you, not make you feel like a failure. You can always get another supervisor, but your mental health is of the highest priority.
Supervision is a difficult task, and there is often conflict between supervisors and their PhD students. Even if you find a supervisor with whom you have excellent rapport, there can still be problems. Here are some of the types of difficult supervisor which you might encounter, and tips on how to manage them.
Top Mistakes To Avoid While Writing Your PhD Thesis
1. Starting too late With a project as big as a PhD, it can feel like there's always more work to do, and always more time before you have to start writing. But the earlier you can start, the less stressful writing up will be. Even if you just start making notes or jotting down a few bullet points of issues you want to raise in your thesis, this will be very helpful when you start writing in full and you're not left staring at a blank page. Try writing small sections of a few hundred words per day to get you into the zone without becoming overwhelmed. 2. Being a perfectionist PhD students often feel as if their thesis needs to be the pinnacle of their career, and that it has to be the perfect expression of all of the work they have done over the years. But focusing too much on making your thesis perfect will stop you from getting it written at all. Accept that there will be flaws in your thesis, and that there will be some questions which you can't answer, or some issues which you can't overcome. That's okay! You want to make the thesis as good as you can, while still ensuring that it gets finished. 3. Doing more research Too much research? Surely there's no such thing! Well, in fact, there is a time at which you need to stop reading new articles, books, or sources, and to focus on your write-up. If you have come to the end of your PhD, then you already have all the knowledge that you need to write your thesis. You don't need to collect even more information; you need to focus on getting what you already know down onto the page. <11an>limit:3;categories:Postdoc;disciplines:Economics</11an><o:p></o:p> 4. Trying to write up in one draft The secret to successful writing is to not spend hours worrying about making each word you write perfect the first time around. Instead, get a rough draft finished as soon as you can, and then gradually edit and re-draft over several iterations. One you have a draft, you can see your thesis in context and start making changes to make it better. Editing an already-existing document is so much easier than writing from scratch! 5. Not taking feedback Once you have a draft, you should solicit as much feedback as you can. Your supervisors, colleagues, and friends can all give you useful feedback, even if they are not specialists in your field. When you receive feedback on your thesis, it can be hard to accept if it is critical. If you find it hard to hear feedback without being defensive, try waiting 24 hours between receiving the feedback and acting on it. You'll usually be much more receptive once a day has passed. 6. Forgetting about formatting and paperwork Formatting might not seem to be terribly important, in the grand scheme of things. However, it does take time to get your thesis into an acceptable format for submission and printing. In addition, there is probably a pile of paperwork which you will have to hand in to your university. You don't want to scrabbling to get everything finished at the last minute, especially if you are already stressed. Leave yourself a few days to sort out all the formatting and paperwork, so you don't have to rush. 7. Trying to do your own proofreading It's tempting to think that because you spend so much time writing your thesis, you will spot any spelling or grammar errors. But actually it is almost impossible to proofread your own writing accurately. Rope in some people to be your proofreaders – they don't need to be specialists in your field, so this is a great role for your family or friends to help you out with. Ask them to check just the spelling and grammar in your thesis, give them a week or two if possible, then you can add in their corrections before submission. 8. Not taking care of yourself Even if everything goes as well as possible, writing up your PhD thesis is still a hugely stressful time. It's understandable that you'll be more focused on your work than anything else. However, it's important that you take care of yourself during this period too. In order to do your best work, you need to make sure that you are eating and sleeping enough, and that you get away from your desk or office at least occasionally. This will help you to focus and not to burn out while you're writing up. Good luck with writing up!
Will you be writing up your PhD thesis soon? Avoid these eight mistakes and the writing process will be much smoother.
8 Kinds Of Life Experience Which Will Help You As A Student
1. Organising social events If you're the friend in your social group who's always organising the social occasions by planning parties, trips, or holidays, then good news – this experience will help you in a university setting too. The ability to take a desired outcome (a trip to a certain place), to see all the steps required to achieve it (transport, tickets, picking a date), to inspire and motivate others to join you, and then to put the plan into practice, will help you in planning and executing your projects, and in organising group work. 2. Working with others or playing a team sport People sometimes think of studying as being a solitary pursuit, but actually you'll often need to work with others at university. You'll have group projects to complete which will require you to work as part of a team, and sometimes you'll need to take a leadership role. Having had practise at this by playing as part of a sports team or other social group will help you to complete your university assignments efficiently. 3. Being a member of a book club If you've been a member of a book club, or if you like to discuss books that you've read with your friends and family, then this is useful experience. You've learnt how to analyse and critique a text, to identify its key themes, and to communicate your analysis with others. This is very similar to the process you'll go through when analysing a text in your studies and when writing an essay. 4. Being a debater If you're the sort of person who can't resist a political debate over the dinner table, then you'll have sharpened your critical thinking and communication skills from all that arguing. Happily, university classes are the perfect place to work more on your debate skills. 5. Having had a casual job If you've had a job before you study, even if it wasn't related to your field of study, then you'll still have picked up useful skills. You'll have learned how to present yourself in a professional way, to perform tasks within a certain timeframe, and to motivate yourself to get to work even if you weren't feeling up to it. These will be invaluable when you're starting off at university and finding out how to adjust to your student life. 6. Dealing with a difficult boss If you've ever had to deal with a difficult boss, then you may have learned skills like how to cope with unclear instructions, how to keep calm in stressful situations, and how to extract useful information from difficult sources. These are all extremely useful when dealing with a challenging situation in your studies. Also, the confidence that you gain from being able to overcome difficulties will help you too. So there were some advantages to that horrible summer job you had after all! 7. Drama or music performance If you have performed on stage as a musician or actor, then you will have some understanding of stage presence and connecting with an audience. This is excellent training for public speaking and oral presentation, which will serve you well when you have to give talks or presentations in university. Knowing how to stand, how to project your voice, and being comfortable in front of an audience are essential skills for good presentations. 8. Writing experience of all kinds Chances are that you've written a lot of essays throughout your education so far, and you'll be writing even more for your university studies. But it's not just essay writing which is useful for a student. If you've written newspaper articles for a school paper, tried creative writing such as poetry or fiction, or written an online blog on a topic you're interested in, these are all great preparation for university writing too. You'll have learned how to convey complex ideas in a simple way, how to adapt your writing for your audience, and how to gauge the appropriate level of detail for a piece of writing, all of which are beneficial for your essay and exam writing at university.
When you think about what skills a student needs to be successful, you probably think of academic skills like research or academic writing. If you're becoming a student for the first time, this can be intimidating – you've never learned those skills before! But there are lots of other skills you will have picked up in your life which will help you through your studies. Consider the following:
8 Things You Will Never Hear From Your PhD Supervisor
1. “There's no rush with that. Take your time.” In your PhD, you'll need to be able to move quickly, and to produce work fast. The work may not be as good as you want it to be, but sometimes it's more important for something to be done than for it to be perfect. When your supervisor asks you for work, they'll often want it done on a tight time schedule. <11an>limit:3;categories:Postdoc;disciplines:Economics</11an><o:p></o:p> 2. “Don't work too hard this weekend.” It is vitally important that you have free time as a PhD student, to relax, to see friends and family, and to indulge in your hobbies. But you cannot rely on your supervisor to help you with this – you have to set your own boundaries about how much you should be working and when you need time off. Your supervisor would rather you worked all of the time, so don't wait for their permission to give yourself a break. 3. “This is perfect and needs no corrections.” You need to learn that no piece of work that you produce will ever be perfect. There will always be room for improvements, and ways to make something better. Don't be discouraged if you have worked hard on a piece and your supervisor points out ways that it could be improved – this is part of the process of learning and growing as a researcher. 4. “Some things are more important than your PhD.” Everyone has different values about what is most important in their life, and PhD students tend to be very career-focused and ambitious. But if doing a PhD is negatively impacting your physical or mental health, or your relationships with your friends and family, then you need to reconsider your work-life balance. Your supervisor will always push you to focus more on your work, so you need to strongly advocate for your own well-being. 5. “There are jobs outside of academia.” Because they have spent their careers in academia, supervisors tend to forgot about preparing their students for the world of industry. If you're interested in eventually working in industry or in another type of role outside of the academic system, your supervisor is unlikely to offer much help or encouragement. You should start networking with those in industry positions, and talking to other former academics who have made the transition out of academia. Your supervisor is not the best person to advise you on this. 6. “I'm asking you to do this because I don't want to do it.” PhD students are at the bottom of the totem when it comes to assigning work. Unglamorous assignments like teaching introductory courses, marking exams, or writing peer reviews are often passed on to PhDs because more senior researchers would rather not do them. This is the nature of delegation, and you can actually learn a lot from doing these routine tasks. But be prepared that, as a PhD student, you will be asked to do the less interesting work. 7. “Sometimes I feel unsure and insecure about my own work.” All people deal with doubt and insecurity, and academics are no different. There are times at which everyone has thought that their research was pointless, their ideas were stupid, and that they were personally not up to scratch. Because supervisors are more senior, it wouldn't be appropriate for them to reveal these insecurities to the students who work for them. However, remember that when you have doubts about your competence, you are definitely not the only person to feel that way! Even the most senior and respected of people struggle with doubts, though you probably wouldn't hear them admit to it. 8. “Good job!” This one is not entirely true – some supervisors do work hard to give positive feedback. But often, supervisors can forget that giving praise is as important as giving criticism when it comes to motivating students. It's possible that it will be very rare for anyone to tell you that you're doing well or that a piece of work was excellent, so you need to develop your own motivational skills. If you think that you've done good work, then congratulate yourself! Don't let your supervisor's opinion become more essential to your self-worth than your own opinion.
Your supervisor should play a helpful and supportive role in your PhD – but you should also be realistic about what to expect from them. Here are 8 things you'll never hear your PhD supervisor say: