find your perfect postgrad program
Search our Database of 30,000 Courses

Refine courses

Posted May 14, 2014

Three Programs All Postgrads Should Know

Whether it is to boost your career prospects in the competitive academic world, or to help get that thesis finished, some computer programs and online resources are invaluable for all postgraduates.

Most obviously, at some point in your postgrad degree, you are going to need to write. This might come carefully and gently throughout your studies, or it might rush at you like a screaming banshee at four in the morning on the day of your thesis deadline. Either way, without the right word-processing tools, you’re going to struggle.

Microsoft Word is the industry standard for PC users and does just about everything you want it to for basic writing, editing and formatting, but Pages on iOS/iPad is a good imitation. Where Word has real functionality for postgrads, however, is in its large document handling. You do not want to be re-numbering pages in a single document thesis the day it is due in. Instead, why not learn how to use Word’s ‘Master Document’ features to generate sections and chapters, to generate a contents page and to keep track of page numbering and footnotes? Don't forget though - if you can't afford the full version, there are free alternatives such as Open Office, which have lots of the same functionality.

That thesis won’t get written without having done some reading , however, and while getting to grips with a good word-processor early on is essential, the single biggest headache task for most postgrads is finding, managing and listing their sources. So you’re going to need to automate this as much as possible because yet another thing you don’t want to be doing right up to your deadline is losing that tiny scrap of paper with the reference details of that crucial quotation. Nobody wants a dodgy bibliography in these plagiarism-sensitive times. Get yourself a trusty reference management programme NOW to save yourself heartache later. Your university will inevitably supply you with access to one, such as Endnote or Reference Manager; but my favourite, by a mile, is the free, OpenSource option Zotero . Available on all platforms, Zotero allows you to download reference information instantly, syncing with its cloud servers, meaning you can access your source information anywhere. With a fantastic bookmarklet add-on for all browsers, you can simply click a little book or folder icon in the URL bar and it will automatically add the source information for books, articles, films, photographs and many other media. The real genius of referencing programs for postgrads is when it comes to printing out that bibliography: choose a style, highlight the sources you want and – bingo – one beautifully formatted, alphabetised reference list with zero stress.

Seminar papers, conference presentations and draft chapters are all part of the daily postgrad grind. But you can raise your profile, build writing confidence and make external connections by blogging for external audiences. Start your own blog using the elegant and intuitive Wordpress if your Department doesn’t already have one, or create one with other postgrads. Academic employers want to see energy, commitment and product, so it can be a crucial useful extra tool in your employability chest.
 

Leave a comment

All contributors must be over 16 year olds

By submitting your comment you agree to our privacy policy.

Categories