Comments on: Three Student Resolutions Worth Making http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/01/05/three-student-resolutions-worth-making/ Decoding Patterns of Success Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:32:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Twitter Trackbacks for Study Hacks » Blog Archive » Three Student Resolutions Worth Making [calnewport.com] on Topsy.com http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/01/05/three-student-resolutions-worth-making/#comment-11702 Twitter Trackbacks for Study Hacks » Blog Archive » Three Student Resolutions Worth Making [calnewport.com] on Topsy.com Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:34:33 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/01/05/three-student-resolutions-worth-making/#comment-11702 [...] Study Hacks » Blog Archive » Three Student Resolutions Worth Making calnewport.com/blog/2009/01/05/three-student-resolutions-worth-making – view page – cached Features: Pulling It All Together Study Hacks January 5th. 2009, 10:25pm [...]

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]]> By: Margaret Gouin http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/01/05/three-student-resolutions-worth-making/#comment-7782 Margaret Gouin Sat, 17 Jan 2009 13:19:11 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/01/05/three-student-resolutions-worth-making/#comment-7782 Maybe this would help with long research papers... When I did my PhD, I had a different folder for each chapter, plus a folder for 'bibliography' where miscellaneous notes about books and articles waited for attention, and an 'ideas' folder for things which didn't seem to fit anywhere at the time (but often came in useful later). I changed my PhD structure several times but that just meant pulling folders apart and re-organising them and sticking on new labels. With a big paper, it's also important to review your folders regularly to make sure they're all still going in the same direction. The best piece of advice I had for writing my PhD was 'Start writing your dissertation the day you register for your degree.' The best piece of practice I learned was to never be afraid of pulling things apart and reassembling them. One of the best pieces of software I used was (still is) Compendium, free mapping software; and the 'outline' view in MSWord was invaluable, I wrote most of my PhD in Outline mode. Thanks Cal for this great website. Maybe this would help with long research papers… When I did my PhD, I had a different folder for each chapter, plus a folder for ‘bibliography’ where miscellaneous notes about books and articles waited for attention, and an ‘ideas’ folder for things which didn’t seem to fit anywhere at the time (but often came in useful later). I changed my PhD structure several times but that just meant pulling folders apart and re-organising them and sticking on new labels. With a big paper, it’s also important to review your folders regularly to make sure they’re all still going in the same direction.
The best piece of advice I had for writing my PhD was ‘Start writing your dissertation the day you register for your degree.’
The best piece of practice I learned was to never be afraid of pulling things apart and reassembling them.
One of the best pieces of software I used was (still is) Compendium, free mapping software; and the ‘outline’ view in MSWord was invaluable, I wrote most of my PhD in Outline mode.
Thanks Cal for this great website.

]]> By: Nickie Yue http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/01/05/three-student-resolutions-worth-making/#comment-7749 Nickie Yue Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:13:18 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/01/05/three-student-resolutions-worth-making/#comment-7749 Yeah! I bought them in Eslite! You really should read them, very inspiring! :D Good luck with you finding. Yeah! I bought them in Eslite! You really should read them, very inspiring! :D Good luck with you finding.

]]> By: Study Hacks http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/01/05/three-student-resolutions-worth-making/#comment-7742 Study Hacks Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:34:11 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/01/05/three-student-resolutions-worth-making/#comment-7742 <blockquote>Could you suggest one good software?</blockquote> I keep my to-dos using Remember the Milk. I have the gmail plug-in so I can manage this from GMAIL and also easily convert e-mails into tasks. I use Google Calendar for my calendar.

Could you suggest one good software?

I keep my to-dos using Remember the Milk. I have the gmail plug-in so I can manage this from GMAIL and also easily convert e-mails into tasks. I use Google Calendar for my calendar.

]]> By: Felipe Araújo http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/01/05/three-student-resolutions-worth-making/#comment-7741 Felipe Araújo Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:29:23 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/01/05/three-student-resolutions-worth-making/#comment-7741 <em>Keep a master calendar and a master to-do list on your computer. I don’t care what software you use. </em> Could you suggest one good software? Thanks. Keep a master calendar and a master to-do list on your computer. I don’t care what software you use.

Could you suggest one good software?
Thanks.

]]> By: RF http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/01/05/three-student-resolutions-worth-making/#comment-7733 RF Sat, 10 Jan 2009 13:44:34 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/01/05/three-student-resolutions-worth-making/#comment-7733 Nickie, did you buy the chinese version in Eslite or somewhere else? They'll probably have an english one... Thanks~ Nickie, did you buy the chinese version in Eslite or somewhere else? They’ll probably have an english one…

Thanks~

]]> By: Study Hacks http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/01/05/three-student-resolutions-worth-making/#comment-7730 Study Hacks Fri, 09 Jan 2009 22:11:47 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/01/05/three-student-resolutions-worth-making/#comment-7730 <blockquote>Okay, well I guess i could try and divide tasks into categories,e.g. reading primary material, secondary material, notetaking, writing, etc, so that it breaks down a bit more. 2-having a separate place where i write comments or ideas that could be followed up-as I usually write them in with my notes and then I don’t always come back to them in time. 3- maybe making a list of possible next actions at the end of a work session, as that is when i have most ideas, whereas by the next morning my mind is blank.</blockquote> This is a great start. My main point in this exercise is to demonstrate that it doesn't make sense to throw your hands up and say "I'm terrible at paper research" when you haven't actually tried out different better methods. From your above list, I think breaking down the tasks and keeping a better next action list will help. I would also schedule regular blocks of time during the week for you to general paper research. This will keep you working consistently. To help structure your work during these blocks, read the following articles: http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/09/08/monday-master-class-the-paperback-writer-method/ http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/05/monday-master-class-how-two-extra-hours-can-make-your-paper-two-times-better/ http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/03/31/monday-master-class-how-to-transform-your-professer-into-your-paper-writing-partner/ http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/01/14/monday-master-class-how-to-edit-your-paper-in-three-passes-or-less/ http://calnewport.com/blog/2007/12/17/monday-master-class-the-most-important-paper-research-advice-youve-never-heard/ http://calnewport.com/blog/2007/11/05/monday-master-class-how-to-use-a-flat-outline-to-write-outstanding-papers-fast/ Trust me, the 30 minutes you spend reading this articles will payback huge dividends.

Okay,
well I guess i could try and divide tasks into categories,e.g. reading primary material, secondary material, notetaking, writing, etc, so that it breaks down a bit more.
2-having a separate place where i write comments or ideas that could be followed up-as I usually write them in with my notes and then I don’t always come back to them in time.
3- maybe making a list of possible next actions at the end of a work session, as that is when i have most ideas, whereas by the next morning my mind is blank.

This is a great start. My main point in this exercise is to demonstrate that it doesn’t make sense to throw your hands up and say “I’m terrible at paper research” when you haven’t actually tried out different better methods.

From your above list, I think breaking down the tasks and keeping a better next action list will help. I would also schedule regular blocks of time during the week for you to general paper research. This will keep you working consistently. To help structure your work during these blocks, read the following articles:

http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/09/08/monday-master-class-the-paperback-writer-method/
http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/05/monday-master-class-how-two-extra-hours-can-make-your-paper-two-times-better/
http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/03/31/monday-master-class-how-to-transform-your-professer-into-your-paper-writing-partner/
http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/01/14/monday-master-class-how-to-edit-your-paper-in-three-passes-or-less/
http://calnewport.com/blog/2007/12/17/monday-master-class-the-most-important-paper-research-advice-youve-never-heard/
http://calnewport.com/blog/2007/11/05/monday-master-class-how-to-use-a-flat-outline-to-write-outstanding-papers-fast/

Trust me, the 30 minutes you spend reading this articles will payback huge dividends.

]]> By: orientalist http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/01/05/three-student-resolutions-worth-making/#comment-7728 orientalist Fri, 09 Jan 2009 19:16:28 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/01/05/three-student-resolutions-worth-making/#comment-7728 <blockquote> Let’s think this through. See if you can come up with 3 new rules that would help organize this research better. Post them here, and I’ll give you some commentary.</blockquote> Okay, well I guess i could try and divide tasks into categories,e.g. reading primary material, secondary material, notetaking, writing, etc, so that it breaks down a bit more. 2-having a separate place where i write comments or ideas that could be followed up-as I usually write them in with my notes and then I don't always come back to them in time. 3- maybe making a list of possible next actions at the end of a work session, as that is when i have most ideas, whereas by the next morning my mind is blank. Thanks for making me look at my researching technique this way. I look forward to reading your commentary Aminah

Let’s think this through. See if you can come up with 3 new rules that would help organize this research better. Post them here, and I’ll give you some commentary.

Okay,
well I guess i could try and divide tasks into categories,e.g. reading primary material, secondary material, notetaking, writing, etc, so that it breaks down a bit more.
2-having a separate place where i write comments or ideas that could be followed up-as I usually write them in with my notes and then I don’t always come back to them in time.
3- maybe making a list of possible next actions at the end of a work session, as that is when i have most ideas, whereas by the next morning my mind is blank.

Thanks for making me look at my researching technique this way. I look forward to reading your commentary

Aminah

]]> By: Nickie Yue http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/01/05/three-student-resolutions-worth-making/#comment-7725 Nickie Yue Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:40:27 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/01/05/three-student-resolutions-worth-making/#comment-7725 WOW!!!! Fancy meeting you here! lol! Well I was reading its Chinese version though. WOW!!!! Fancy meeting you here! lol! Well I was reading its Chinese version though.

]]> By: RF http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/01/05/three-student-resolutions-worth-making/#comment-7721 RF Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:12:52 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/01/05/three-student-resolutions-worth-making/#comment-7721 Nickie where do you buy the books in Taiwan? I'm currently in Taiwan for the holidays and couldn't find them in Australia and would really like to get them. Thanks. Btw I go to the shopping place right opposite your university all the time. :D Nickie where do you buy the books in Taiwan? I’m currently in Taiwan for the holidays and couldn’t find them in Australia and would really like to get them. Thanks. Btw I go to the shopping place right opposite your university all the time. :D

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