You’ve finished that piece of work - got the ideas straight, discussed the secondary material, presented a clear argument. But there’s one more thing: proofreading. Your work needs to look perfect and read perfectly to get the attention it deserves, and this isn’t easy, especially if English is not your first language. The Gradgrind is …
So here you are, living the dream: maybe funded, part funded or not at all, but either way managing somehow to do a PhD. What a privilege! Organising your time exactly as you please, exploring an intellectual field that fascinates you, surrounded by like-minded people and having your horizons broadened every day. So why is …
By Suzannah Evans When I decided last year that I might apply to do a practice-led PhD in creative writing, and sat down to research the application process, I found a lot of facts and advice from the Arts and Humanities Research Council and from universities, but very little from real people in a similar … Continue reading
How to overcome PhD isolation in my article over at Warwick University’s Postgraduate Study Blog… Have you been told that the postgrad life is one of solitude? It doesn’t have to be: with only a little effort your CV, as well as your social life, will shine. It can seem strange, when embarking on a postgraduate degree, … Continue reading
by Rebecca Booth Janus is the two-faced Roman god of transition, and a fitting symbol for the multiple roles of a part-time PhD student. I work full-time at the University of Oxford, and am a part-time MPhil student at the University of Roehampton, reading Cultural Studies. Currently in my second year of a four-year programme, … Continue reading
One of the most enlightening lessons I have learned through knowing international students is that many things I thought were normal are in fact peculiarly British, and actually quite peculiar. So this Guide to the British is as much for the Brits as it is for anyone coming from elsewhere and baffled by our strange … Continue reading
Perhaps you are looking for an academic job, or looking for a PhD supervisor: Associate Professor sounds good, right? But is that more senior than Assistant Professor? What about Lecturer - or Reader? Does a Reader really just read? The academic world has always enjoyed its mysterious hierarchies and systems, and you are not alone … Continue reading
To celebrate the official launch of The Gradgrind, the first five proofreading clients will get 15% off their bill! All proofreading details can be found here or email me at Linda[at]thegradgrind[dot]com. I look forward to working with you! Continue reading
Quick trivia question: When was the first PhD awarded? Personally, I would have guessed at the Middle Ages and Oxford University. In fact, the first PhD was awarded in Paris in 1150. Oxford did not award a PhD (or DPhil there) until 1917, so the UK was very late to the party. The origins of … Continue reading