Take a look at the research-inclusive courses offered at Queens College.
Keeping a detailed record of your research is essential in any field. Colin Purrington offers advice on Maintaining a Laboratory Notebook.
Gregory Lang made available a sample laboratory notebook for his work on GAL gene expression.
Writing a Scientific Research Paper
A good research paper should tell a story. Entice the reader with a question, describe the path chosen to find an answer, reveal the results, then conclude by putting the outcomes in a larger context.
Guide to Writing Scientific Papers
As a scientist, you are expected to share your research work with others in various forms. Probably the most demanding of these forms is the paper published in a scientific journal.
How to Create a Research Poster
Posters are widely used in the academic community, and most conferences include poster presentations in their program. Research posters summarize information or research concisely and attractively to help publicize it and generate discussion.
Make Designs: Scientific Posters
The presenter’s goal is to display information in a clear, concise manner, while generating interest to engage in a discussion.
How to Give a Good Research Talk
A YouTube video series on oral presentations by Simon Peyton Jones.
Scientifically Speaking
Tips for preparing and delivering scientific talks and using visual aids.
Recommendation letters are one of the most important parts of your application package. Someone’s personal opinion of you can carry a lot of weight with admissions officers and reviewers. These sites provide advice on asking for recommendation letters.
How to Ask a Professor for a Letter of Recommendation
Confessions of a Professor: How to Get A Great Letter of Recommendation (Or Not)
To these advice, we add an additional point of emphasis. Always thank your referees and let them know the outcomes of your applications.
A curriculum vitae, also known as a vita or a CV, is a detailed biographical summary of your educational background and employment experience submitted as part of an application for an academic position (e.g., graduate, postdoctoral and faculty positions) . A CV differs from a resume mainly by length. A resume is usually one page long whereas a CV can run three or more pages. Here we link to web pages providing advice on how to construct an effective CV.
The graduate school application process usually begins in earnest the summer before your senior year, but you should start building the groundwork two years before you anticipate graduating. You will likely be confronted with an overwhelming set of options, but it is good to develop a plan early. Most of your options will share a common set of requirements, such as GRE scores, letters of recommendation and a personal statement. Devising a plan for these elements ahead of time can leave you well prepared for the admission’s process.
Some additional advice can be found here: Kisses of Death in the Graduate School Application Process.
Phillip Guo (University of Rochester) shares his perspective in Advice for PhD Program Applications.
