Advice to Current Graduate Students
Note: These “blurbs” have been written over a number of years by the current chair of GSAC, Leora Auslander, most often alone but sometimes in collaboration with colleagues. The goal of these blurbs on key tasks and moments in graduate school is to demystify the process and to provide one faculty member’s sense of norms and useful strategies. It should be emphasized that they do not represent departmental consensus and students should always consult closely with the faculty with whom they work rather than relying on the advice contained here. They are intended as a starting point for discussion, not a last word.
It would, in fact, be very helpful to get feedback on these blurbs. Are additional topics needed? More information? Different information? Please send your thoughts to lausland@uchicago.edu and kpollock@uchicago.edu.
Further blurbs will be added as editing is completed (those with * below have not yet been completed).
General:
Conferences
Seminars and Seminar Papers
Teaching*
Languages*
Workshops*
Oral Examinations
Choosing Fields,
Choosing a Committee, and The Exam
The Dissertation:
Choosing a Topic, an Advisor, and a Committee
Pre-Dissertation Archive visits
Dissertation Proposals
Dissertation Proposal Hearings
Scheduling the Defense
Dissertation Defenses
The Job Market:
Post-Docs and Jobs
Job Letters
Dissertation Abstract
AHA Interviews
Campus Interviews
Job Talks
Publishing:
Articles*
The Book Prospectus*