Graduate References

One of the greatest challenges in these times of information overload is the careful selection of resources that can enhance the research process.  On this page I provide a range of academic resources that I have found to be of great help for promoting graduate student success and quality academic research.

These resources are sure to create some questions for you to consider further, so please feel free to contact me to discuss them in confidence. I am passionate about making a positive difference for all graduate students!

Items below include:

• References on Success and Survival in Graduate School
• References on Career Planning and Success for Graduate Students
• References on Dissertation Development
• References on Trends, Costs, and Outcomes of Graduate Study 

References on Success and Survival in Graduate School

• Undergraduates Aren’t Sure about Postgraduate Study. These Factors Encourage them to Apply, by Lindsay Ellis, published October 2018 in the Chronicle of Higher Education
• Succeeding in Graduate School
  From the website PhDs.org sponsored by the American Council on Education
• The Graduate Game Plan
  From the University of British Columbia, authored by Gradmentor Scott Kerlin
• The GradSchool Match
  Founded by an Emory University professor, this site provides comprehensive guidance on selecting the right graduate program and university. Notable for its frequently-updated blog
• Seven Steps to Finding the Right Graduate School Advisor or Mentor
  A guide from the American Psychological Association by Laura Zimmerman, Ph.D.
• How to Obtain the Mentoring You Need: A Guide for Graduate Students
  An online resource with all the essential questions for further investigation, from the University of Washington Graduate School
• Achieving Excellence in Graduate Research: A Guide for New Graduate Students
  A guide by Charles B. Parker and colleagues published in the open-access academic journal Advanced Science in 2015
• The Graduate Adviser: A Monthly Column Exploring the Ins and Outs of Doctoral Study
  From the Chronicle of Higher Education, authored by Leonard Cassuto
• The Overlooked Lesson of the Ronell-Reitman Case
  Essential reading from the Chronicle of Higher Education: A story of strained relations between doctoral advisor and doctoral student–and its consequences (2018)
• How to Fire Your Doctoral Adviser: Sometimes the Only Way Forward is to Start Over Again
  An article by Leonard Cassuto in the Chronicle of Higher Education published as part of an extended series
• How to Hope in Graduate School
  Sage advice from the Chronicle of Higher Education
• Three Keys for Graduate Student Success
  By Rick Reis, this is from an interview conducted by doctoral education research scholar Chris Golde in 2016 for Stanford University’s Tomorrow’s Professor network
• Principles of Good Practice in Dealing with Graduate Students in Distress
  From the Council of Graduate Schools
• Debriefing the Ph.D. Journey by Deidre Faye Jackson
  A reflective essay by a recent Ph.D. recipient (summer 2018)

References on Career Planning and Success for Graduate Students

• Career Exploration and Skill Development
  An exemplary website for graduate students at the University of California at San Francisco, this resource is filled with resources that any student anywhere will find beneficial, emphasizing Ph.D. student career exploration, skills development, and self-assessment. Includes the resource The MIND Career Exploration Roadmap
• The Career Planning Process: 4 Steps to Choosing a Career
  From the award-winning careers website The Balance Careers
• 6 Career-Building Steps to Take While in Graduate School
  Sponsored by BiteSizeBio, this reference by Crystina Pyrgaki emphasizes early development of career-building skills for graduate students in the sciences. Recommended for other disciplines also
• Understanding PhD Career Pathways: A Comprehensive Longitudinal Study
  This resource guide from the Council of Graduate Schools is represented as having the goal “to expand the definition of what career success means” for graduate schools, graduate students, and alumni
• The Professor is In
  This comprehensive graduate student success site is maintained by a former tenured professor Karen L. Kelsky, Ph.D
• From Doctoral Study to… 
  A series from the Chronicle of Higher Education focusing on nonfaculty career options for PhDs who want to work in higher education. Especially important is the resource The First Steps to a Nonfaculty Job Search for Ph.Ds.
• MyIDP Individualized Career Plan for Doctoral Students in Sciences
  This site enables current doctoral students to create a profile and then follow various career planning scenarios. Highly recommended regardless of your current discipline of study
• Imagine PhD
  Top-rated career exploration and planning tool for doctoral students in the humanities and social sciences
• Connected Academics: Preparing Doctoral Students of Language and Literature for a Variety of Careers
  Sponsored by the Modern Language Association
• The PhD Career Ladder Program
  The Ladder Program was founded on two principles: peer support and incremental progress. Students can group together to communually explore and prepare for their futures. With the Ladder Program, students gain a dedicated time and place for career development, as well as access to peer mentoring and constructive feedback. The benefit of group sharing is cumulative group learning

References on Choosing a Dissertation Topic and Completing the Dissertation

(Note: Additional resources on dissertation research are available from the tools section of GradMentor)

• Choosing a Dissertation Topic, from Tomorrow’s Professor
  Comprehensive overview of essential considerations when determining the subject area of a dissertation. Provided by Stanford University’s Tomorrow’s Professor network
• Planning and Conducting a Dissertation Research Project
  A guide from the University of Leicester that addresses the task of planning and conducting a small research project, such as for an undergraduate or masters’ level dissertation. Recommended for doctoral students in most major disciplines
• Writing a Dissertation Handbook
  Comprehensive guide on using a project management framework for conceptualizing and completing a doctoral dissertation
• The Completion Agenda in Five Parts
  A truly valuable special report from the Chronicle of Higher Education focusing on dissertation completion and career development planning
• How to Finish Your Dissertation
  A guide from Kerry Ann Rockquemore giving advice for getting past the three biggest obstacles to completion
• (new) My Dissertation Go Bag
  Advice from doctoral candidate Heather VanMouwerik on keeping everything you need to write in one place so you can work anytime anywhere.

References on Trends, Costs and Outcomes of Graduate Study

• Graduate Enrollment and Degrees in the U.S. 2006-16
  This 74-page report from the Council of Graduate Schools provides a comprehensive source of information for master’s and doctoral program applications, enrollment, and completion trends in the United States through Fall 2016
• Ph.D. Attrition: How Much is Too Much?
  This 2013 story from the Chronicle of Higher Education reports that “a disturbing 50 percent of doctoral students leave graduate school without finishing”
• Why do so Many Graduate Students Quit? Universities May be Contributing
  An investigative article by Te Erika Patterson published July 2016 in The Atlantic. Gradmentor Scott Kerlin’s published research on “survival of the fittest” culture in doctoral programs is cited and discussed
• GradSense: Planning for the Costs of Graduate Study
  This guide sponsored by the Council of Graduate Schools enables prospective graduate students to explore the typical costs associated with pursuing graduate degrees in their specific chosen field of study
• Graduate School Debt Data: What we Can and Cannot Tell
  This research from the Council of Graduate Schools observes that a substantial number of graduate students across the U.S. who receive financial aid receive it in the form of loans
• Financial Education: Developing High Impact Programs for Graduate Students
  The Council of Graduate Schools and TIAA joined forces with leading universities to conduct research on their students’ financial challenges and to develop innovative student financial education programs. This site is a snapshot of the findings and best practices from the full report, which is available for downloading.