I cannot take credit for these, but hope they offer comfort/ humor to others. Most of these will work for any student, regardless of level)
- “I may be your b*tch, but you have to wait in line like everyone else.”
- ” I just need to know if I need to bring chap stick or assless chaps to the meeting with my committee.”
John and I came up with difference challenges to keep our research interesting. Here’s a list of our challenges:
- Person who can reference the oldest paper. I won by referencing a paper written by Dionysius Thrax in the second B.C.. John is threatening to go cuneiform on me.
- Reference a paper you haven’t written yet. I was able to reference a paper I knew I would be writing, but hadn’t started, in the future work of area of the conclusions in another paper.
- Reference a paper written by each other. John and I are still working on this one.
- The 5th generation iPod Nano is useful for more than listening to music. My advisor has some great information when I meet with him, but I can never seem to write it all down. So, I take my little Nano in with me to record my meetings with him. I just wish I had it when I was still taking classes.
- A Dissertation group is a must!!!! It is very useful for motivation and accountability, but also for moral support and even, as Mark calls it, synergy. I went to our bi-weekly meeting more than once with a problem and figured out the answer while listening to my fellow group members talk about their progress.
- When you are through the majority of the process (i.e. qualifiers, comprehensives, and proposal), you may want to turn your group, or branch it off, into a writing group to help get through the finishing process.
- Meet with your advisor once a week. Also schedule the next meeting before you leave so that you don't get lost in the mess of classes, other students, meetings, etc.
Useful Books
Here’s some books we have found that are useful if you are working on a Masters or PhD, no matter which degree you are working towards. I’ll add to it as we find more books as we find them.
To help with all the fun statistics you get to go: “Statistics in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference (In a Nutshell (O’Reilly))” http://www.amazon.com/Statistics-Nutshell-Desktop-Reference-OReilly/dp/0596510497/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299961394&sr=8-1
To help people who just aren’t writing enough: “How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing” http://www.amazon.com/How-Write-Lot-Practical-Productive/dp/1591477433/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280798644&sr=8-1
For those who wish to stay in the academic field. “What They Didn’t Teach You in Graduate School: 199 Helpful Hints for Success in Your Academic Career” http://www.amazon.com/What-Didnt-Teach-Graduate-School/dp/1579222641/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1280798413&sr=1-1
A good Cliff Notes of good to know information from how to deal with a bad professor to how to get past writer’s block. “Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day: A Guide to Starting, Revising, and Finishing Your Doctoral Thesis” http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Your-Dissertation-Fifteen-Minutes/dp/080504891X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277860642&sr=8-1
A good guide on any type of problem you have in your writing from when to use Everyone, Someone, No One, and None to when to use commas. “BUGS in Writing, Revised Edition: A Guide to Debugging Your Prose” http://www.amazon.com/BUGS-Writing-Revised-Guide-Debugging/dp/020137921X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277860763&sr=1-1
“Tricks of the Trade: How to Think about Your Research While You’re Doing It (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing)” http://www.amazon.com/Tricks-Trade-Research-Chicago-Publishing/dp/0226041247/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3AKUR4K607JIU&colid=2PX6FWSXGQ75C
To help with all the fun statistics you get to go: “Statistics in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference (In a Nutshell (O’Reilly))” http://www.amazon.com/Statistics-Nutshell-Desktop-Reference-OReilly/dp/0596510497/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299961394&sr=8-1
To help people who just aren’t writing enough: “How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing” http://www.amazon.com/How-Write-Lot-Practical-Productive/dp/1591477433/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280798644&sr=8-1
For those who wish to stay in the academic field. “What They Didn’t Teach You in Graduate School: 199 Helpful Hints for Success in Your Academic Career” http://www.amazon.com/What-Didnt-Teach-Graduate-School/dp/1579222641/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1280798413&sr=1-1
A good Cliff Notes of good to know information from how to deal with a bad professor to how to get past writer’s block. “Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day: A Guide to Starting, Revising, and Finishing Your Doctoral Thesis” http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Your-Dissertation-Fifteen-Minutes/dp/080504891X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277860642&sr=8-1
A good guide on any type of problem you have in your writing from when to use Everyone, Someone, No One, and None to when to use commas. “BUGS in Writing, Revised Edition: A Guide to Debugging Your Prose” http://www.amazon.com/BUGS-Writing-Revised-Guide-Debugging/dp/020137921X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277860763&sr=1-1
“Tricks of the Trade: How to Think about Your Research While You’re Doing It (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing)” http://www.amazon.com/Tricks-Trade-Research-Chicago-Publishing/dp/0226041247/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3AKUR4K607JIU&colid=2PX6FWSXGQ75C
Useful Links
Here’s a list of web sites that we have found to be useful. As we find more, I’ll add them to the list.
Google Refine is a power tool for working with messy data, cleaning it up, transforming it from one format into another, extending it with web services, and linking it to databases like Freebase.
A wiki for calls for papers (to help you get your published paper count): http://wikicfp.com/cfp/
Inspiration for completing your dissertation with advice on the art and craft of writing: http://writetodone.com/
PhinisheD is the place on the web to find friendly advice and support as you struggle with your dissertation or thesis, and afterwards as you navigate the stormy seas of academia. http://www.phinished.org/
Advice to Writers that includes daily quotes, writing manual recommendations, and links to articles and essays about writing. http://www.advicetowriters.com/
GradShare – “Where graduate students help each other succeed.” http://www.gradshare.com/landing.html
Courtesy of John: This is the Index of Information Systems Journals. There’s something here for anyone looking to read or publish. http://lamp.infosys.deakin.edu.au/journals/
Bedtime Reading For People Who Do Not Have Time To Sleep: http://www.cs.purdue.edu/homes/dec/essay.dissertation.html
The Researcher’s Bible: http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/dai/teaching/modules/airm/old/lectures/resbible.html
Advice on designing scientific posters: http://www.swarthmore.edu/NatSci/cpurrin1/posteradvice.htm
At the DSS 2010 Conference, I was told that, if you get a paper published in one of the A+ journals, you are guaranteed your degree. John did some research on what makes an A+ journal: Quality of the papers A+ (the top 5% of journals) -Typically an A+ journal would be one of the best in its field or sub field in which to publish and would typically cover the entire field/sub field. Virtually all papers they publish will be of a very high quality. These are journals where most of the work is important (it will really shape the field) and where researchers boast about getting accepted. Acceptance rates would typically be low and the editorial board would be dominated by field leaders, including many from top institutions.” Here’s the full explanation: http://www.pesa.org.au/html_new/quality.htm
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