Some Advice (and Resources) for Econ Ph.D. Students
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1) Write your papers and make your slides with LaTeX. Click here for details. 2) Learn numerical methods and solve your models on the computer. Click here for some help getting started. 3) Improve your writing skills. a. A very useful book is: Elements of Style by Strunk, White, and Angell b. Economical Writing by McColskey c. Need to write a research proposal? Check out On the Art of Writing Proposals. d. Some interesting tips on how to organize and write a paper can be found in Writing Tips for Ph.D. Students. Note, however, that I don't agree with all the recommendations! The paper might still serve as a good starting point for developing your own style. 4) Presentation skills are important! a. Practice with your classmates. b. Explain to your parents what you are working on and why it is interesting. c. Pretty slides are not enough. Think about what you want to communicate, and emphasize the main points you want to make. 5) Don’t underestimate the importance of being a “social economist” a. Practice econ small talk by talking to your classmates about your research. b. Ask good questions in seminars. c. Apply to conferences early, and especially during the summer before going on the market. d. Attend a summer school, especially one in which you can present your own work. For example the Villa Mondragone Workshop. e. Meet with seminar speakers or join for lunch. 6) Some additional resources a. The American Economic Association's Resources for Economists on the Internet. b. Form a dissertation group. Click here for details. c. Robert Boice has a book called Advice for New Faculty Members that makes good reading for advanced students. It also has some ideas for time management and efficient teaching. d. Become a CSWEP member (free membership for students). e. Check out the Econ PhD net online. f. Take a look at Resources for Economics Graduate Students g. Want to improve your exam results? Stanford provides some general some advice here. h. If your research is related to women or gender issues: apply for the Graduate Dissertation Fellows Program from the Michelle Clayman Institute (on campus): i. Vaden Health Center offers workshops on topics like “Procrastination”, “Depression”, and “Anxiety”, and also offers help on how to deal with stress. j. Stanford's Resources for Ph.D. Students in Economics 7) Job Market Resources a. The AEA's Job Openings for Economists. This site contains job listings for economist, and the following articles
b. Another AEA site with useful info: Jobs, Grants, Grad School, & Advice c. Bob Hall’s job market advice for Stanford economics students d. Stanford Economics Ph.D. Placement Guide e. Talk to your advisor about going on the market and what schools you should apply to. |