As an academic, I’ve marked thousands of undergraduate student essays and reports. Most of my courses involve students doing some kind of empirical data-gathering, and then writing it up as a report. Often, these students make similar errors, so I thought I would compile some advice here. Before you start Firstly, start your report by …
By Gunjan Silwal, Newcastle University There are many ways to study glaciers and their behaviour. We can observe glaciers through satellites and aerial photographs, we can measure velocity, volume and area changes, and we can observe glacier structures. But visiting glaciers, and working directly on them during fieldwork, offers scientists an opportunity to directly observe …
The articles here are applicable to people across a range of career stages. See also the Careers category in the Blog. Further resources: External links: Here is a video on making better conference posters:
At some point in the journey to the PhD, it is time to stop experimentation, stop data collection, stop fieldwork, and consider how to convert this huge pile of data into a PhD. It’s not easy. No one said it would be easy. But it is achievable. Here are some coping strategies that I used …
Presentations are the mainstay of academic life, as well as the corporate and business world. Undergraduate students will probably need to give solo or group presentations as part of their coursework. Postgradute students will certainly have to do so. But giving a good presentation is an art, and it takes a lot of practice. I …
Writing an abstract is an important skill, and you will need to do it time and time again, for theses, conferences, posters, grant applications as well as papers. Undergraduate and Masters students may be set a task to write an abstract as part of their degree, and will need to write one for their dissertation. …
Many geoscientists undertake fieldwork as part of their research. Undergraduate, Masters and PhD students may all participate in fieldwork expeditions in far-flung, exotic locations. What things to researchers need to consider before they undertake their first expedition? I have put together this step by step guide, based on my 10 years of research in remote …
Writing your dissertation in Geography or Geology A significant part of most undergraduate and taught masters degrees is the independent research study. In glaciology, this study may often take the form of fieldwork, perhaps underpinned by remote sensing. There are so many things to research that your dissertation, probably the most significant piece of work …
Using photographs in our research As geoscientists, we are trained to observe and record the world around us. We often use but simple tools – a note book, a hammer, a camera, maybe a handheld GPS. With these implements, we can make careful observations and deductions about the evolution of the landscape around us.
Writing academic papers is important If you are a PhD student in the Geosciences and are wanting to go forward into an academic or research career, then it is imperative that you write papers. The process can seem daunting, but it is excellent training, and seeing your name in print is intensely rewarding. So, here …
