Student Resources

This is a curated list of various resources for students on time management, scientific writing, and presentations.

Time management

1. Watch my time management video part 1 and part 2.

2. Read updated blogpost on academic writing.

3. Read my general article on time management The Crux of Time Management. The article also lists various strategies including prioritization of tasks, scheduling, avoidance of procrastination, punctuality, studying concepts Vs. facts, Flash cards, Podcasts, MOOC, RSS feeds, Cornell note taking, SQ3R method, bibliography management, maintaining good health and so on.

4. For improving vocabulary (especially if you plan to take GRE) suggest these two flashcards: flashcard box 1, box 2

Writing/Critical Thinking

1. Have a look at Royal Society's booklet on cognitive biases, to make sure your work is not suffered by them!

2. Checkout Google sheet listing most important Mental Models here

3. Make sure your work is not affected by confounding-a very common logical problem with scientific research. For biostatistics, I suggest Intuitive Biostatistics a highly accessible non-mathematical book for the students of biology. Also grab Naked Statistics to see the field from the general life-application point of view.

4. Guide for writing thesis and dissertations for CUPB students

5. Download my ENDNOTE-X presentation for bibliography management

6. Check annotated example of nature summary paragraph. This is an excellent format to write abstract section of your articles/theses.

7. Take my power user's guide on Word and download the book Word for Dummy's (and never overlook the word, there are many things to learn for making good use of!)

   1.     Make sure you use appropriate "list" function (either bulleted, or numbered, based on what you are referring to) rather than creating a list by yourself!

   2.     Make sure paragraphs are properly formatted

   3.     Make sure all figures and tables are appropriately labelled and cited in-text

   4.     Make sure pages are paginated

   5.     Make sure you've rectified all grammar and spelling suggestions

8. I use grammarly chrome add-in and grammarly-pro for copy-editing my writings.

9. Check your manuscript thoroughly for usage consistency (Hyphenation, spelling variations, abbreviation in multiple forms). One easy way is paste/upload document to Google Drive and open the document> Add In> Consistency Checker.

10. Make sure you use a cloud-based back-up, such as Dropbox, for saving and backing-up all your works (I dont want my students complain they can't meet deadlines as their PC crashed, or their house conflagrated)

11. Read books/booklets on scientific writing and improving English language in manuscripts here

12. Dissertation submission checklist for CUPB students here.

Presentations

1. Get a copy of Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences

2. How to prep for the presentations?

3. Making powerpoint presentations amazing

4. Have a look at TED and TEDx for example presentations

5. A speech is not an essay

6. 6 Ways to Reduce the Stress of Presenting

7. I use this wireless slide changer with laser pointer. I love its blank button, to blank the screen so that your audience won't stare at the screen throughout the talk!

8. More tips on improving presentations in my latest book Life Skills

Research Opportunities

1. MHRD Overseas scholarship portal (Including Monbukagakusho-MEXT)

2. DST-Prize/Award announcements (Including Meet the Nobel laureates programme)

3. Science Academies' Summer Research Fellowship Programme

4. CSIR-UGC JRF Examination