Guide to Resources
Take advantage of professors and other professional contacts.
More likely than not, you will not find another prestigious academic opportunity where you have access to some of the best and the brightest in your field. You may need these contacts for your first job after you graduate, so cultivate relationships early on and not solely when you’re looking for recommendations.
Revise your approach.
Just because you were a strong undergraduate student does not assume the same will happen in graduate school. Pursuing an advanced degree won’t be the same as pursuing your bachelor’s, nor should it be. Go into the experience with high expectations for yourself, and the attitude that you’ll need to devote more time to your academiclife to be successful.
Get organized.
Much of what you do on the graduate level will be useful in the future, whether that means an assignment will be integrated into a portfolio or will eventually be highlighted on your resume. Find a place to compile all your academic work, that you can return to after graduation- separate from any thesis materials you already know you’ll need.
Take initiative.
There isn’t much hand-holding in graduate school, and you will be expected to be independent. If you do have questions about your financial aid, a big assignment, or anything else, take initiate to answer your own question. Your professors will appreciate you coming to them sooner rather than later.
Expect to be busy.
If you struggled with time management as an undergraduate, you’ll need to think about breaking that bad habit as soon as you start your new life as a graduate student. The assignments you’re given will be more involved, the exams you take will take more preparation, and you’ll be spending more of your time on academic work, whether it is on research, a thesis paper, or keeping on top of your studying.
Prioritize.
There will be a lot thrown at you from the minute you start graduate school, so make sure things are accomplished sooner rather than later. Don't procrastinate: Big projects may need to be tackled piece by piece, and you’ll be responsible for not letting all of your other work and responsibilities slide in the meantime.
Study now.
It’s much harder to procrastinate on graduate level work than it may have been when you were an undergraduate so stay on top of your studies. The best way to avoid burnout (and all-nighters) is to manage your time. Keep a calendar or to-do list because we guarantee the coursework and assignments will be more intense than those in graduate school.
Become an expert.
Take advantage of research opportunities. When else will you have access higher caliber academic professionals and materials? Getting more involved in field research may also help you cover your tuition and fees, as numerous fellowships, grants, and assistantships are based on your experience and willingness to conduct research.
Budget wisely.
It may be difficult to save money while in graduate school, but it should be your goal to live frugally. You probably have student loan debt waiting for you from your bachelor’s education, so do not rely on loans to cover all of your college expenses. Find some part-time work that plays to your strengths or looks good on a resume, like working as a research assistant, and stick to a budget
Branch out.
Even the most studious among you need to leave the library sometimes and get acquainted with the rest of your graduate school class. Make sure to take advantage of what your school has to offer from time to time, whether it be a lecture series, a student-affiliated group that supports your interests, or free pizzain the student lounge. Even graduate students need a break sometimes.
Open Dissertation Database by EBSCO
EBSCO’s American Doctoral Dissertations database is a free index to more than 172,000 theses and dissertations accepted at American universities from 1902 to the present. There are links to access the full text via the database, or the institutional repository where the thesis or dissertation is housed. This is an ideal resource for graduate students who want to see the existing research in their fields of study.
www.opendissertations.com
Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC)
ERIC is an online index of academic journals and non-journal research sources. Journals include education-related articles while non-journals offer more broad-based research options. Graduate students can find resources in the non-journals section of ERIC that include work produced or funded by the U.S. Department of Education, other federal agencies, universities, research agencies, nonprofit organizations, foreign organizations, or even individuals.
https://eric.ed.gov
iSEEKTM
iSEEK™ Education is a search engine that contains hundreds of thousands of authoritative resources from university, government, and established non-commercial providers. In addition to intelligent search, it provides a personal Web-based library that offers graduate students a resource to locate their most relevant results, and find them quickly later.
http://education.iseek.com/iseek/home.page
Google Scholar
Google Scholar enables graduate students a resource to search for scholarly literature across many disciplines and sources. You can find articles, theses, books, abstracts and court opinions, from academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, universities and other web sites.
http://scholar.google.com/
U.S. Census Bureau
The Census Bureau offers volumes of data about the people and economy in the U.S. It’s a research tool that graduate students can use to find data on a variety of topics including population, housing, workforce, economy, and state and local government. Many statistical tables allow for sorting information to meet the needs of your research.
https://www.census.gov/en.html
WorldCat
WorldCat is an incredible search tool that allows students to find books, DVDs and CDs in libraries near them. Available through most university libraries, the site's article search tool also allows researchers to find and read articles in a variety of disciplines. If your university's library is connected with WorldCat, you may be able to use the Ask a Librarian feature to get help with research questions, too. For graduate students, WorldCat provides an awesome way to find out-of-print and obscure texts at surrounding libraries. Of course, some of the libraries that have listed catalogs on the site allow remote checkout of materials.
EndNote
Designed to make research mobile, EndNote is a unique service from Thomson Reuters that allows you to gather bibliographic entries and share them seamlessly across your devices. The app not only allows you to create and share a bibliography but also allows you to search online databases and access some articles. Truly built for every field, EndNote allows citations in more than 6,000 different styles and allows for collaboration, too. As a grad student, you can also benefit from the app's journal matching tool, which suggests journals that might be a good fit to publish your research.
Pathways to Science
Hosted by the Institute for Broadening Participation (IBP), the Pathways to Science website includes a page dedicated to graduate student resources. If you're in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, you'll find access to short-term research and travel opportunities. The site also provides tools to study graduate programs and to find fellowships as you progress through your studies. Among the site's greatest assets are its archived webinars, which cover a wide variety of topics from funding your education to writing a personal statement. If you're looking for a summer research opportunity or want to know more about hot careers in your field, the Pathways to Science site has that, too.
The National Science Foundation (NSF)
Dedicated to advancing science, the NSF provides an array of information for graduate students. Research opportunities, grants and fellowships are covered in full, and the site is regularly updated to include new opportunities. You'll also find grant-writing resources and guides that help you break down grant requirements and craft strong proposals. While you might think of the hard sciences when you think of the NSF, the website provides a host of resources for students in the social sciences, as well. Thanks to the diversity of opportunities that it represents, it's a resource that you can use throughout your graduate education. Of course, the site also includes current research findings in a variety of fields.
The Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is an amazing resource for students living in the Washington D.C. area. Of course, many of the library's research resources are also available online. The online database is easy to access and offers researchers the option to either browse by category or complete a keyword search. In addition to providing access to major research catalogs online, the Library of Congress site also lets researchers access trial databases. If you're conducting research in a relatively new field, these trial databases can provide information that you might not find listed in other catalogs.
Gradloans.com
A great resource for all of your graduate school financial needs. This is especially helpful for understanding the terms of your financial aid package and learning responsible borrowing.
JourneyEd.com
Need expensive software for a class? Hit up Journeyed, a discount software store for students, teachers and schools.
Fellowship Opportunities
North Carolina State University lists popular fellowships organized by month due.
Time Management Skills
This resource compiled by the Academic Skills Center at Dartmouth College has videos on learning strategies and a handy tool to assess your learning-style.
Purdue Online Writing Lab
If proofreading is just not your thing, or you have a specific question about it, visit the Purdue Online Writing Lab to get your questions answered. This is the most reliable proofreading website found on the Internet today.
Styling Guide for MLA, APA, Chicago and CSB
Research is a large part of pursuing a graduate degree, especially your Ph.D. Depending on where you go to school, what professor you have and what type of research you are performing, you will need to hand in papers with a variety of citing standards.
Thefreelibrary.com
All public libraries are free, but not all are so readily available. This site focuses more on articles than books, and can be great for research. Their books range from the classics to works by celebrated authors.
20 Great Google Secrets
Tired of typing in a few random search words and praying the right results come out? Check out this article in PCmag.com that details 20 secrets to help improve your Google searching. This will help you save time and effort when performing Internet research for your coursework.
Google Calendar
In grad school, you’re going to have a lot of assignments, research papers and of course, classes to attend. To keep track of it all and improve mmm time management, check out Google Calendar’s features. The great thing about this calendar is you can allow other people with a Gmail account to view and add to it. This tool is especially helpful for online students and organizing study or research groups.
Bookfinder.com
Cut down on book costs by using this search tool that scours the Internet to find you the cheapest deal on books and textbooks
Take advantage of professors and other professional contacts.
More likely than not, you will not find another prestigious academic opportunity where you have access to some of the best and the brightest in your field. You may need these contacts for your first job after you graduate, so cultivate relationships early on and not solely when you’re looking for recommendations.
Revise your approach.
Just because you were a strong undergraduate student does not assume the same will happen in graduate school. Pursuing an advanced degree won’t be the same as pursuing your bachelor’s, nor should it be. Go into the experience with high expectations for yourself, and the attitude that you’ll need to devote more time to your academiclife to be successful.
Get organized.
Much of what you do on the graduate level will be useful in the future, whether that means an assignment will be integrated into a portfolio or will eventually be highlighted on your resume. Find a place to compile all your academic work, that you can return to after graduation- separate from any thesis materials you already know you’ll need.
Take initiative.
There isn’t much hand-holding in graduate school, and you will be expected to be independent. If you do have questions about your financial aid, a big assignment, or anything else, take initiate to answer your own question. Your professors will appreciate you coming to them sooner rather than later.
Expect to be busy.
If you struggled with time management as an undergraduate, you’ll need to think about breaking that bad habit as soon as you start your new life as a graduate student. The assignments you’re given will be more involved, the exams you take will take more preparation, and you’ll be spending more of your time on academic work, whether it is on research, a thesis paper, or keeping on top of your studying.
Prioritize.
There will be a lot thrown at you from the minute you start graduate school, so make sure things are accomplished sooner rather than later. Don't procrastinate: Big projects may need to be tackled piece by piece, and you’ll be responsible for not letting all of your other work and responsibilities slide in the meantime.
Study now.
It’s much harder to procrastinate on graduate level work than it may have been when you were an undergraduate so stay on top of your studies. The best way to avoid burnout (and all-nighters) is to manage your time. Keep a calendar or to-do list because we guarantee the coursework and assignments will be more intense than those in graduate school.
Become an expert.
Take advantage of research opportunities. When else will you have access higher caliber academic professionals and materials? Getting more involved in field research may also help you cover your tuition and fees, as numerous fellowships, grants, and assistantships are based on your experience and willingness to conduct research.
Budget wisely.
It may be difficult to save money while in graduate school, but it should be your goal to live frugally. You probably have student loan debt waiting for you from your bachelor’s education, so do not rely on loans to cover all of your college expenses. Find some part-time work that plays to your strengths or looks good on a resume, like working as a research assistant, and stick to a budget
Branch out.
Even the most studious among you need to leave the library sometimes and get acquainted with the rest of your graduate school class. Make sure to take advantage of what your school has to offer from time to time, whether it be a lecture series, a student-affiliated group that supports your interests, or free pizzain the student lounge. Even graduate students need a break sometimes.
Open Dissertation Database by EBSCO
EBSCO’s American Doctoral Dissertations database is a free index to more than 172,000 theses and dissertations accepted at American universities from 1902 to the present. There are links to access the full text via the database, or the institutional repository where the thesis or dissertation is housed. This is an ideal resource for graduate students who want to see the existing research in their fields of study.
www.opendissertations.com
Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC)
ERIC is an online index of academic journals and non-journal research sources. Journals include education-related articles while non-journals offer more broad-based research options. Graduate students can find resources in the non-journals section of ERIC that include work produced or funded by the U.S. Department of Education, other federal agencies, universities, research agencies, nonprofit organizations, foreign organizations, or even individuals.
https://eric.ed.gov
iSEEKTM
iSEEK™ Education is a search engine that contains hundreds of thousands of authoritative resources from university, government, and established non-commercial providers. In addition to intelligent search, it provides a personal Web-based library that offers graduate students a resource to locate their most relevant results, and find them quickly later.
http://education.iseek.com/iseek/home.page
Google Scholar
Google Scholar enables graduate students a resource to search for scholarly literature across many disciplines and sources. You can find articles, theses, books, abstracts and court opinions, from academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, universities and other web sites.
http://scholar.google.com/
U.S. Census Bureau
The Census Bureau offers volumes of data about the people and economy in the U.S. It’s a research tool that graduate students can use to find data on a variety of topics including population, housing, workforce, economy, and state and local government. Many statistical tables allow for sorting information to meet the needs of your research.
https://www.census.gov/en.html
WorldCat
WorldCat is an incredible search tool that allows students to find books, DVDs and CDs in libraries near them. Available through most university libraries, the site's article search tool also allows researchers to find and read articles in a variety of disciplines. If your university's library is connected with WorldCat, you may be able to use the Ask a Librarian feature to get help with research questions, too. For graduate students, WorldCat provides an awesome way to find out-of-print and obscure texts at surrounding libraries. Of course, some of the libraries that have listed catalogs on the site allow remote checkout of materials.
EndNote
Designed to make research mobile, EndNote is a unique service from Thomson Reuters that allows you to gather bibliographic entries and share them seamlessly across your devices. The app not only allows you to create and share a bibliography but also allows you to search online databases and access some articles. Truly built for every field, EndNote allows citations in more than 6,000 different styles and allows for collaboration, too. As a grad student, you can also benefit from the app's journal matching tool, which suggests journals that might be a good fit to publish your research.
Pathways to Science
Hosted by the Institute for Broadening Participation (IBP), the Pathways to Science website includes a page dedicated to graduate student resources. If you're in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, you'll find access to short-term research and travel opportunities. The site also provides tools to study graduate programs and to find fellowships as you progress through your studies. Among the site's greatest assets are its archived webinars, which cover a wide variety of topics from funding your education to writing a personal statement. If you're looking for a summer research opportunity or want to know more about hot careers in your field, the Pathways to Science site has that, too.
The National Science Foundation (NSF)
Dedicated to advancing science, the NSF provides an array of information for graduate students. Research opportunities, grants and fellowships are covered in full, and the site is regularly updated to include new opportunities. You'll also find grant-writing resources and guides that help you break down grant requirements and craft strong proposals. While you might think of the hard sciences when you think of the NSF, the website provides a host of resources for students in the social sciences, as well. Thanks to the diversity of opportunities that it represents, it's a resource that you can use throughout your graduate education. Of course, the site also includes current research findings in a variety of fields.
The Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is an amazing resource for students living in the Washington D.C. area. Of course, many of the library's research resources are also available online. The online database is easy to access and offers researchers the option to either browse by category or complete a keyword search. In addition to providing access to major research catalogs online, the Library of Congress site also lets researchers access trial databases. If you're conducting research in a relatively new field, these trial databases can provide information that you might not find listed in other catalogs.
Gradloans.com
A great resource for all of your graduate school financial needs. This is especially helpful for understanding the terms of your financial aid package and learning responsible borrowing.
JourneyEd.com
Need expensive software for a class? Hit up Journeyed, a discount software store for students, teachers and schools.
Fellowship Opportunities
North Carolina State University lists popular fellowships organized by month due.
Time Management Skills
This resource compiled by the Academic Skills Center at Dartmouth College has videos on learning strategies and a handy tool to assess your learning-style.
Purdue Online Writing Lab
If proofreading is just not your thing, or you have a specific question about it, visit the Purdue Online Writing Lab to get your questions answered. This is the most reliable proofreading website found on the Internet today.
Styling Guide for MLA, APA, Chicago and CSB
Research is a large part of pursuing a graduate degree, especially your Ph.D. Depending on where you go to school, what professor you have and what type of research you are performing, you will need to hand in papers with a variety of citing standards.
Thefreelibrary.com
All public libraries are free, but not all are so readily available. This site focuses more on articles than books, and can be great for research. Their books range from the classics to works by celebrated authors.
20 Great Google Secrets
Tired of typing in a few random search words and praying the right results come out? Check out this article in PCmag.com that details 20 secrets to help improve your Google searching. This will help you save time and effort when performing Internet research for your coursework.
Google Calendar
In grad school, you’re going to have a lot of assignments, research papers and of course, classes to attend. To keep track of it all and improve mmm time management, check out Google Calendar’s features. The great thing about this calendar is you can allow other people with a Gmail account to view and add to it. This tool is especially helpful for online students and organizing study or research groups.
Bookfinder.com
Cut down on book costs by using this search tool that scours the Internet to find you the cheapest deal on books and textbooks
