Working Double-Time
To start building an awesome resume/CV, think about creating as much overlap as possible between professional development (publication, conference presentations, etc.) and your CMU academic life (classes, assistantships, independent studies, etc.). In undergrad, it was common to write a paper in a class for the sake of developing writing skills, demonstrating learning, and getting a grade. What else were you really going to do with it—post it on your fridge? Once it was done you could sigh a breath of relief and promptly erase the entire experience from your mind.
You’ll want to change that mentality in grad school. Take what you do in each class or assistantship position (in ENG 101 classes or the Writing Center) and see if you can turn it into a conference paper, a poster session, a panel, or even a paper for publication. For the creative writers, turn as much creative work as possible from writing workshops into pieces you send out for publication.
All of this is especially true if you plan to go on for a Ph.D. Robert L. Peters, author of Getting What You Came For: A Smart Student’s Guide to Earning a Master’s or a Ph.D. explains, “You should try to maximize your chances of acceptance by getting a head start on your academic career” (116). What he means by this is what I call working double-time—“When you are planning your thesis or other research papers, talk with your adviser about tailoring them for publication” (116). See, it’s as easy as that! Ha. I’m just kidding. Working on a paper for publication is hard stuff, but at least it can be the hard stuff you’ve already struggled with in your thesis, Plan B, or seminar classes. Trust me, when you’re stressed, tired, and pushed to your limit old hard stuff is better than new hard stuff.
Keep the idea of working double-time in your mind as you work through your program. Ask yourself, could I present or publish this seminar idea I’m working on somewhere else? Then, do what you need to take your work to the next level. Trust me, no matter what your future plans are after CMU, you’ll be glad you did—you’ll be more experienced, more prepared, and definitely more competitive.
You’ll want to change that mentality in grad school. Take what you do in each class or assistantship position (in ENG 101 classes or the Writing Center) and see if you can turn it into a conference paper, a poster session, a panel, or even a paper for publication. For the creative writers, turn as much creative work as possible from writing workshops into pieces you send out for publication.
All of this is especially true if you plan to go on for a Ph.D. Robert L. Peters, author of Getting What You Came For: A Smart Student’s Guide to Earning a Master’s or a Ph.D. explains, “You should try to maximize your chances of acceptance by getting a head start on your academic career” (116). What he means by this is what I call working double-time—“When you are planning your thesis or other research papers, talk with your adviser about tailoring them for publication” (116). See, it’s as easy as that! Ha. I’m just kidding. Working on a paper for publication is hard stuff, but at least it can be the hard stuff you’ve already struggled with in your thesis, Plan B, or seminar classes. Trust me, when you’re stressed, tired, and pushed to your limit old hard stuff is better than new hard stuff.
Keep the idea of working double-time in your mind as you work through your program. Ask yourself, could I present or publish this seminar idea I’m working on somewhere else? Then, do what you need to take your work to the next level. Trust me, no matter what your future plans are after CMU, you’ll be glad you did—you’ll be more experienced, more prepared, and definitely more competitive.
Getting Down with the CFPIf you haven’t realized it by now, your advisor is going to be an important person in your life. Classes. Thesis or Plan B. Professional Development. These are all things you’ll likely rely on your advisor for. Another thing your advisor can help you with is forwarding CFPs, or Calls for Papers. CFPs are the announcements that go out from major professional organizations and journals within your field, describing the theme for upcoming conferences and journal issues, as well as important deadlines. Ask your advisor if they would be willing to forward you any that come through. Use these to get an idea of academic pacing, conference scheduling, and the general requirements for CFP submissions.
Then, in your second semester and beyond start to consider them carefully and see if there is something you can develop for your second year of grad school. Maybe a short article or book review? Maybe a panel discussion or presentation at a regional conference? Set a goal of having one publication in the works and one conference presentation completed by the time you leave grad school. If you've been focused on working double-time, you'll find that it's easy to use the stuff that's come out of your seminar classes. |
Working Double-Time
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Rebecca Conklin is an ENG 101 graduate assistant in the (currently suspended) Composition and Communication concentration. Some call her “The Last “MACC” but she’s hopeful the program will find an upswing in the years to come because it has brought so much awesomeness into her life. She’s planning on continuing her studies with a Ph.D. after CMU, and with any luck it will be at MSU’s Rhetoric, Writing, and American Cultures department
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