Graduate school will be one of the most challenging and rewarding times of your life.
One key to success in your graduate studies is a good support network — this
includes friends, family, colleagues, faculty, and Graduate Division!
Our online library (below) will help you make the most of your time at UC Merced.
Click on the topic headings to access information, resources, links, and more.
Transitioning To Graduate School
The transition to graduate school can be difficult. Start your graduate career out right by following the advice found in these resources.
General Resources
- Tools for Success in Graduate School and Beyond
- University of Texas at Austin (pdf) - Some Modest Advice for Graduate Students
- Dr. Stephen C. Stearns, Yale University - Seven Steps to Success in Graduate School (and Beyond)
- Rice University (pdf) - There's No Crying In Graduate School
- Rachel Verona Cote (via Vitae)
Mentor/Menteeship
Mentorship is a two way street. Be prepared for what will be expected of you and get the most out of the experience.
- UC Merced Graduate Division's GRAD EXCEL Peer Mentorship Program
- UC Merced Grad Council Mentoring Guidelines
Mentees should read this too! - UC Merced Graduate Student/Advisor's Handbook
- Advice on Being Advised
- Chronicle Vitae - A Mentoring Guide for Faculty: Race and ethnicity
- University of Washington - Graduate Student's Rights & Responsibilities
- A Guide to Quality Mentoring
- University of Washington
Individual Development Plans (IDPs)
- Individual Development Plan
- ScienceCareers.org - Using IDPs to Leverage Strengths
- GovLeaders.org - How to Write a Great Individual Development Plan
Time Management, Well-Being & Productivity
Ask any graduate student what their biggest issues are, and many will say time management and stress. Here are a few good suggestions for managing your time and boosting productivity.
- Time Managment for Graduate Students
- University of Western Ontario - Where Do the Hours Go?
- American Psychological Association (APA) - Balancing work and lifestyle
- University of Washington - Time Management Tips for Grad Students
- Rutgers University
Well-Being
- Perfectionism Versus Healthy Striving
- University of Texas at Austin - Sleep and Grad School: How Important Is It For Students?
- Psychology Today Blog
Academic Writing and Data Management
You are sure to do plenty of writing over the course of your graduate career. Brush up on your skills here.
- 10 Tips on How to Write Less Badly
- Michael C. Munger - Chronicle of Higher Education’s Vitae - On Scholarly Writing (forum)
- Writing for Research e-book
includes a section on writing in English as a second language
- Raewyn Connell
- [Writing] Introductions
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - [Writing] Conclusions
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - [Writing] Introductions and Conclusions
- University of Toronto
- Writing a Literature Review
- The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Literature Reviews - An Overview for Graduate Students
- North Carolina State University Library - Guidelines for Writing a Literature Review
- University of Minnesota-Duluth
- English Communication for Scientists
- Jean-luc Doumonot (ed.), Nature (2010) - Writing Science: How to Write Papers That Get Cited and Proposals That Get Funded
- Joshua Shimel, UCSB (2011) (print resource available via interlibrary loan)
- The Completion Agenda, Part 1: Finishing A Submittable Draft
- The Chronicle of Higher Education - The Completion Agenda, Part 2: The Best Defense
- The Chronicle of Higher Education - The Completion Agenda, Part 3: Revising Your Dissertation
- The Chronicle of Higher Education
Fellowship & Grant Writing
Writing about your research in order to secure funding is a skill that you will need to hone throughout (and, often, beyond) your graduate career. The following workshops and resources will set you up for funding success!
- Applying for National Predoctoral Fellowships
- Applying for Dissertation Fellowships
- Applying for Postdoctoral Fellowships
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Resources
- Planning Resources for those applying to NSF GRFP
- NSF GRFP Essay Insights (Application Resources)
- How to Win a Graduate Fellowship
- Michael Kiparsky, Chronicle of Higher Education (May 11, 2006) - Grant-Writing Tips for Graduate Students
- Lisa Patrick Bentley, Chronicle of Higher Education (November 11, 2010) - Dr. Karen's Foolproof Grant Template
- Karen Kelsky, The Professor Is In (July 16, 2011) - How to Fail in Grant Writing
- Elizabeth Jakob, Adam Porter, Jeffrey Podos, Barry Baun, Normal Johnson, and Stephen Vessey, Chronicle of Higher Educaiton (December 5, 2010) of Higher Education
Conference Posters & Presentations 
Preparing clear and concise talks or poster presentations on your research takes lots of practice. Explore workshops and resources designed to help you hone your presentation skills below.
- Giving an Academic Talk
- Jonathon Shewchuk, UC Berkeley - Presentation Tips - Prepare, Design, Deliver
- Garr Reynolds - How to Deliver and Effective Conference Paper
- The Chronicle of Higher Education's ProfHacker Blog
- Better Posters: A Blog that deals with improving poster presentations
- Zen Faulkes, University of Texas-Pan American - Creating Effective Poster Presentations
- North Carolina State University - Effective Communication Through Visual Design: Tables and Charts
- Rebecca Carr and Mary Harrington, Strategy Institute (2011)
Teaching Resources
Whether you are stepping into the classroom as a TA for the first time, or you consider yourself a seasoned professional — your teaching can only be improved by exploring the resources here.
- Chronicle of Higher Education Vitae - Teaching Tips (forum)
- Diary of a New TA
- Arizona State University - Elements of Effective TA-ing
- UC Santa Barbara - Special Teaching Topics for TAs
- UC Santa Barbara - Promoting Academic Integrity and Dealing with Cheating
- UC Santa Barbara - Creating Inclusive College Classrooms
- Shari Saunders and Diana Kardia, University of Michigan
Job Market & Beyond
As you near the completion of your degree, your thoughts will inevitably turn to what comes next. Explore your options and be better prepared for the job market with these workshops and resources.
- Preparing for the Job Interview and Negotiating the Job Offer
- Choosing Between Academic and Nonacademic Sector Jobs
- New Faculty Panel
- Preparing for the Postdoctoral Position
- National Labs Day
- Jobs for Social Scientists and Humanists in Industry, Government, and Non-Profit Sectors
- Jobs for Natural Scientists and Engineers in Industry and Government
Academic Job Resources
- The Academic Job Market: An Intro for Everyone
- Associate Dean Chris Kello, adapted fom a presentation by Stephanie Shih - The Quick and Relatively Painless Guide to your Academic Job Search
You may also want to explore the resources in the Guide, located here.
- Karen Kelshky (free pdf download from Chronicle Vitae) - Jobs in Higher Education
- The Chronicle of Higher Education Career Network
- Academic Careers Online
On Being a Versatile Ph.D.
- Chronicle of Higher Education Vitae - News & Advice (forum)
- Chronicle of Higher Education Vitae - Flexible Academics (forum)
- The Versatile Ph.D Online Community
UC Merced students, staff, and faculty have full access to this site - just create an account with your UC Merced email address. - Connected Academics
This site offers resources and career information to help humanities doctoral students identify appropriate career paths. - Humanists@Work
Humanists@Work is a UC-wide initiative geared towards UC Humanities and humanistic Social Science MAs and PhDs interested in careers outside/alongside the academy.
More General Career/Field Information
- Are You Career Competent? (Inside Higher Ed)
- Finding Your Footing in a New Position (Chronicle Vitae advice)
- STEM Careers - Best Colleges (listing of STEM job boards at the bottom of the page)
- Women in STEM - Best Colleges (STEM-specific scholarships at the end, some available for graduate students)
- MYIDP: Science Careers - An individual development plan (IDP) helps you explore career possibilities and set goals to follow the career path that fits you best.