Category Archives: academic writing

five suggestions for universal PhD ‘after-care’

Posted on May 25, 2020 by pat thomson

One of the things that has become obvious during lockdown is how much more we might do for PhDers contemplating their futures. If ever there was a time to start something better and more supportive for researchers in our care, … Continue reading →

lockdown diary

Posted on May 18, 2020 by pat thomson

I’ve been in lockdown with my partner for two months now. I have hardly left the house, apart from the occasional walk. Well I have been outside, of course, but in our small backyard and not proper outside outside, if … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, emotional labour, lockdown, pandemic, productivity | Tagged emotional regime, FONDA, lockdown, pandemic, Pat Thomson, producivity | 5 Comments

gulp – deadlines despite lockdown

Posted on May 11, 2020 by pat thomson

Be kind to others and to yourself. Do what you can do. Make small daily goals. Be realistic. Celebrate every victory. Don’t be hard on yourself. These are extraordinary times. These are the messages that I and a lot of … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, deadline, list, pandemic, to do list | Tagged deadlines, list, lockdown, pandemic, Pat Thomson | 5 Comments

progress

Posted on May 4, 2020 by pat thomson

Progress – getting somewhere. Good progress – doing what is expected and a bit more. Poor progress – the reverse. Remember those ambiguous school reports? “Patricia is making good progress with… , but she could do better in … ” Patricia … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, pandemic, progress | Tagged academic wriitng, pandemic, Pat Thomson, productivity, progress | 7 Comments

we need to talk about Zoom

Posted on April 27, 2020 by pat thomson

This is a guest post from Mark Carrigan who works as postdoctoral research fellow in the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge. There’s a peculiar kind of exhaustion which comes from spending an afternoon staring at Zoom. I’m mentally drained … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, Mark Carrigan, meetings, online meeting | Tagged Mark Carrigan, online meetings | 7 Comments

a parable for online teaching

Posted on April 20, 2020 by pat thomson

The early 1930s. Pre Nazi Germany. Walter Benjamin, philosopher and cultural critic, regularly presents a twenty minute “book lore”programme on German radio. In his story “On the minute” Benjamin tells us that when his programmes were first commissioned, the department … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, audience, online teaching, pedagogy | Tagged audience, online teaching, Pat Thomson, pedagogy, Walter Benjamin | 3 Comments

are we all part time now?

Posted on April 13, 2020 by pat thomson

Being a part-time doctoral researcher is hard. Part-timers are generally already in work, professionals, “mature”, doing the doctorate to upgrade quals and/or further an interest. There’s a lot of part-time in my field of education, and in other areas like … Continue reading →