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- by Charlotte King
- In Student Life
Posted Aug. 6, 2014
Studying, Newspapers and You
Following the news carefully is of the utmost importance as it not only allows you to keep up to date with current affairs, it can help you to form ideas and actively encourages discussion amongst groups. When you embark on your time as a postgraduate student, you may feel that keeping abreast of what is happening in the world is too tiresome. You’ll have a lot to take on board in your field of studying and it’s easy to feel that sitting down with a newspaper with be incredibly time-consuming. However, if you fail to keep informed about changing events in the world, those studies you care so much about could be affected.
Research conducted by Patricia Greenfield, professor of psychology and director of the Children’s Digital Media Centre at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), in 2009 found that people who read regularly for pleasure exhibited enhanced levels of thinking and imagination. Of course, no one is saying you should cast your studies aside in favour of spending hours pouring over every word or detail found in a broadsheet. It is all about getting the balance right and thankfully we now live in age where obtaining information has never been easier.
The way in which news is presented has changed massively in the past two decades. Not so long ago, most of us had to wait until pages featuring yesterday’s news dropped through our letterbox, but now we can find out about things as they happen. As well as watching 24 hour news channels, we can keep up to date with key events by logging onto websites and even checking out social media platforms . The internet has revolutionised both the way news is presented and the way that it is consumed. While some will rightly argue that it has put the future of many traditional media outlets at risk, few could claim that the web has not enriched us with a wealth of knowledge.
A key advantage of the changes seen in recent decades is the amount of differing opinions that can be garnered almost instantly. Many people do still stick to one newspaper or outlet because its agenda fits well with their own views, but thanks to the internet, people are now able to see how events are presented differently around the globe with just a few clicks of a mouse.
There are some instances where a good grasp of current affairs is essential to your field of postgraduate or PhD study itself. For example, if you are studying journalism or communications, your ability to succeed with be severely hampered if you fail to keep at least an eye out for important developments.
In areas such as science and medicine, a good nose for news is equally important. Breakthroughs happen rapidly and while your text books will likely remain the best place for key knowledge, newspapers can often be the first place that you hear about significant new studies.
As well as looking at newspapers and websites, subscribing to key journals is also a smart move. These will provide more in-depth analysis of studies and they can often be used as reliable references for your own thesis. What is happening in the news can even directly affect your field of study or university and it pays to ensure you know all the whys and wherefores. An example of this could be if new funding became available for your level of expertise or governmental changes had an impact on the financial stability of your university.
Once you’ve completed your postgraduate study, knowing about what’s going on in the world will also help you to secure a job . Employers often ask questions to establish an applicant’s knowledge and those that know the most are typically the best candidates.
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Research conducted by Patricia Greenfield, professor of psychology and director of the Children’s Digital Media Centre at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), in 2009 found that people who read regularly for pleasure exhibited enhanced levels of thinking and imagination. Of course, no one is saying you should cast your studies aside in favour of spending hours pouring over every word or detail found in a broadsheet. It is all about getting the balance right and thankfully we now live in age where obtaining information has never been easier.
The way in which news is presented has changed massively in the past two decades. Not so long ago, most of us had to wait until pages featuring yesterday’s news dropped through our letterbox, but now we can find out about things as they happen. As well as watching 24 hour news channels, we can keep up to date with key events by logging onto websites and even checking out social media platforms . The internet has revolutionised both the way news is presented and the way that it is consumed. While some will rightly argue that it has put the future of many traditional media outlets at risk, few could claim that the web has not enriched us with a wealth of knowledge.
A key advantage of the changes seen in recent decades is the amount of differing opinions that can be garnered almost instantly. Many people do still stick to one newspaper or outlet because its agenda fits well with their own views, but thanks to the internet, people are now able to see how events are presented differently around the globe with just a few clicks of a mouse.
There are some instances where a good grasp of current affairs is essential to your field of postgraduate or PhD study itself. For example, if you are studying journalism or communications, your ability to succeed with be severely hampered if you fail to keep at least an eye out for important developments.
In areas such as science and medicine, a good nose for news is equally important. Breakthroughs happen rapidly and while your text books will likely remain the best place for key knowledge, newspapers can often be the first place that you hear about significant new studies.
As well as looking at newspapers and websites, subscribing to key journals is also a smart move. These will provide more in-depth analysis of studies and they can often be used as reliable references for your own thesis. What is happening in the news can even directly affect your field of study or university and it pays to ensure you know all the whys and wherefores. An example of this could be if new funding became available for your level of expertise or governmental changes had an impact on the financial stability of your university.
Once you’ve completed your postgraduate study, knowing about what’s going on in the world will also help you to secure a job . Employers often ask questions to establish an applicant’s knowledge and those that know the most are typically the best candidates.
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Deon Oct. 31, 2016, 6:18 a.m.
Major thankies for the article post.
Really thank you!
Keep writing.