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Newest: Random: Illustrated: Functional Programming: Graduate School: Productivity: iPhone, iPad, iPod: HOWTOs: Undergraduate Computer Science: Parsing: Continuations: Compilation: Mathematics: Programming Languages: Writing: Giving Presentations: Lambda Calculus: C: C++: Scheme: Racket: JavaScript: Swift: Understanding and implementing lazinessPython: Perl: Java: Scala: LaTeX: Hacking the OS X Address Book with C, Racket and LaTeXML: Advanced programming languagesSQL: Haskell: Scripting: Lambda: Apple: Unix: Web servers: Static Analysis: Security: Hacks: Travel: Greasemonkey Hacks: Academia: Teaching: Science: Health: Gadgets: Gaming: Classroom Fortress: Nine Kinds of StudentsHome Improvement: Rants: American Airlines sucks Chronological Order:
The illustrated guide to a Ph.D.
Imagine a circle that contains all of human knowledge: By the time you finish elementary school, you know a little: By the time you finish high school, you know a bit more: With a bachelor's degree, you gain a specialty: A master's degree deepens that specialty: Reading research papers takes you to the edge of human knowledge: Once you're at the boundary, you focus: You push at the boundary for a few years: Until one day, the boundary gives way: And, that dent you've made is called a Ph.D Of course, the world looks different to you now: So, don't forget the bigger picture: Keep pushing. There's a bit more below, but I also wrote a follow-up 5 years after the illustrated guide which may be of interest -- HOWTO: Get tenure. Related posts If you like these posts, then I recommend the book A PhD Is Not Enough Get it in print; fund students; save lives By request, a print version of The Illustrated Guide to a Ph.D. is on sale. Click here to preview or buy it. Why biology? License: Creative Commons Resources
Asking for a letter of recommendation
Aside: Professional correspondence Update: A few readers have asked if I have general recommendations on writing professional emails and correspondence. I do. I have an article on how to write an email. For professional correspondence, I keep a copy of Business Notes by Florence Isaacs on my desk: It's a valuable reference. Ask early Do not wait until right before the deadline. Don't be shy Do not be shy about asking for letters. Remember that everyone you ask for a letter once had to ask for letters themselves. I hated asking for letters because it seemed like such an imposition, and I hate to impose. Sitting on the other side of the desk, I realize that writing letters is something we sign up for with the job. Personally, I don't mind writing letters, and for good students, I enjoy it. Pick your letter-writers well If you're applying to grad school, you should seek letters from strong names in the field in which you wish to do research. Don't get n letters This will get a student an "nth" letter.
Improve Your Google Search Skills [Infographic]
Don’t limit yourself to just plugging in simple search terms to Google; check out this infographic and learn a search string search or two. You don’t need to limit yourself to searching just for simple strings; Google supports all manner of handy search tricks. If you want to search just HowToGeek.com’s archive of XBMC articles, for example, you can plug in site:howtogeek.com XBMC to search our site. Get More Out of Google [HackCollege via Mashable] Jason Fitzpatrick is a warranty-voiding DIYer who spends his days cracking opening cases and wrestling with code so you don't have to. If it can be modded, optimized, repurposed, or torn apart for fun he's interested (and probably already at the workbench taking it apart).
Academic martial arts: Defending your Ph.D.
A good thesis proposal A proper defense begins at the thesis proposal. A good thesis proposal makes a subsequent defense significantly easier. A poor thesis proposal delays graduation and reduces the odds of success. A good proposal forms a contract between student and committee: If I do X, Y and Z, you agree that this constitutes a Ph.D. See my prior advice on thesis proposals. Check in with the committee Students should check in with their committee members at least once a semester between proposal and defense. The committee should receive a copy of any new publications. If conditions arose during the thesis proposal, students should follow up with committee members to ensure that those conditions are being satisfied. The goal is to make the committee feel like the candidate is addressing their concerns, and to simultaneously convey a sense of activity and momentum to the candidate's research. Structure the talk It's a short read, and it will improve presentation skills overnight. Motivation Thesis
Ph.D. Depression: Ten Tips for Staying Sane While Getting a PhD
When starting this blog a few months ago, my goal was to alternate posts between those that document my struggle with PhD Depression and those that provide tips for surviving the PhD program. I didn't think it was useful to focus entirely on the negative and wanted to suggest some things that were helping me pull myself out of my all time low, which caused me to start this blog back in July. I've collected the first 10 here for anyone who's interested in getting an overview of what I said. Within each tip post are suggestions of how to go about putting the tip into practice, so click on the links if they sound interesting. As usual I'd love to hear feedback if this is useful or worthless or missing something that works for you. Without further ado... Write down your negative thoughts - Identify what it is that is really bothering you.
Classroom Fortress: The Nine Kinds of Students
The Soldier Quiet, obedient and consistent, the Soldier charges into every assignment and stops only once enough damage is done to get the desired grade. Soldiers don't show off. Soldiers don't ask questions. Soldiers don't complain. Soldiers just get the job done. Trademark question: "What will we be graded on?" The Heavy Weapons Guy The Heavy Weapons Guy isn't the swiftest. To compensate, he unleashes a near-aimless fusilade of effort in class, at home, in office hours, on the newsgroup, over email and with the TA. The trademark behavior of these students is doing everything the hard way. The Heavy Weapons Guy usually grinds his way to a solid C. The Demoman Nothing can satiate the Demoman's thirst for knowledge. The Demoman is the student that aces all the assignments, nukes all the tests and earns all the bonus points. The trademark maneuver of the Demoman is blasting the curve into orbit, leaving behind only the charred remains of his classmate's grades. The Sniper The Medic The Engineer The Scout
Phd & Depression. | thinking is the new black
After a little procrastination and fashion chat here is the 1st of a series of the promised posts about making corrections to a thesis. As you can see I’ve begun with a cheery title: PhD & Depression. Please stick with reading this post. There’ll be a few paragraphs of woe and misery as context but there is advice and cheer at the end When I was starting to think about what I wanted to say, I came across and incredibly sad blog post. Here’s a sample of what people said I have come to terms with realizing the most difficult part of a PhD is coming face forward with one’s own weaknesses (loneliness, procrastination, fear of rejection). I so desperately want to say something positive and helpful now about the experience of doing revisions. Complain, but for the love of god, please complain sensibly. Tell people who you care about and who care about you – how you feel. Some more comprehensive and great tips on staying sane during a PhD & depression to be found here too.
