Private Academic Coach
RESOURCES I LOVE...
Here is a collection of the people, books, and things that have helped me - I hope you find them useful too
Manchester University's Academic Phrasebank is one of the most helpful resources for writing essays, dissertations or a thesis. It provides a fantastic range of phrases and terminology specifically aimed at the student or academic looking to improve his or her writing. It also acts as a really beneficial tool for structuring and organising your thinking, (and thereby, your writing), helping to create a professional document or presentation.
I am so grateful this exists!
I attended one of Helen's workshops on Creative Research Methods and she was such a revelation - a really exciting and enjoyable day spent thinking creatively about research - which is not something often mentioned in the same sentence!
Helen made research methodologies exciting and accessible, including a few approaches I would never have considered.
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Here is a link to one of her excellent books, 'Creative Research Methods in the Social Sciences' - really enjoyable to read and extremely helpful.
Thank you Helen!
Helen's books are a revelation: it wasn't until I read 'Stylish Academic Writing,' that I realised academic writing can be enjoyable and creative. No more dry and stodgy essays! All of Helen's books are full of exciting yet simple ways to improve your writing - and a joy to read in their own right!
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'RESEARCH FOR DESIGNERS,' BY GJOKO MURATOVSKI
This is one for the designers: finally a book that simply and concisely explains how to do proper research, Gjoko Muratovski's, 'Research for Designers: A Guide to Methods & Practice', published by Sage.
I use this all the time with my creative students and it has proven its worth time and time again. In fact, they seem to love it!
Kerry's book, 'An Introduction to the Philosophy of Methodology,' published by Sage, became an invaluable resource during my PhD. It explains in simple language the philosophy of and approaches to research methodologies and added vital context to my thesis. It added a huge dimension to my work in relation to the wider world - so important when conducting research at post-grad level. This is a total 'must have' for all PhD researchers.