Any students or early career scholars have questions or want to talk about things you could use some support around?! Comment here or DM!

Questions: tips on finishing up papers? Advice for early career folks re: pipeline of papers?

My thoughts: writing was hard for me until I figured out which things I was doing the hard way. First of all, literature reviews were grueling when I was reading individual pdfs, highlighting, taking notes in a notebook, & annotating the hard-copies. For me, that was too chaotic

I started using atlas.ti to organize the relevant literature and highlighting things that I though would help me make my argument. For me, writing was hard b/c I thought I had to come up with every sentence from my own brain, which is NOT TRUE.

The existing literature is there to help you make your argument. Somebody probably has already said everything you need to say to set up your argument. Rephrase their words and cite them. Then add your study's results and talk about how your work fits in the larger literature.

WRITE EVERYDAY for at least 30mins. No, seriously: EVERYDAY. According to the QUEEN Kerry Ann Rockquemore, everything that is done in service to your research is considered writing. Formatting tables, reading lit, adding citations to endnote, words on the page, everything.

The pub pipeline is easier to fill when you have your own writing process solidified. You might offer to help others on things that need to get done on their projects but they could use some help with, in exchange for co-authorship. Then you pay that generosity forward. Always.

Q: "how do you deal with institutional racism as a graduate student? I cant stand the hypocrisy of the institution"

My thoughts: most of us from the global majority experience institutional and systemic racism, and other isms. And to be clear: the responsibility to dismantle white supremacist ideologies and practices lies with white people.

So, if you don't have any help from your advisors/mentors or chair of your department you can consider going above the department to the dean...or higher. You shouldn't be experiencing trauma in your grad program. Take it up a notch if need be. Your silence won't protect you

#UnderdogTwitterTakeover