Advice for Graduate Students

So, you would like to do your research with Jim?  Well, here are some guidelines:

Before You Start

1. Read "A Practical Guide to Graduate Research" by Molly Stock. Call Number: Q180.55.M4S86 1985
2. Read "How to Succeed in Graduate School" by Marie desJardins
3. Read "Wanda Pratt's "Graduate School Survival Guide"
4. Keep an engineering notebook with all of your thoughts, ideas, and results
5. Learn how to effectively use Unix and associated software (Mentor Graphics, Smartspice, Matlab, etc.)
6. Check out Collected Advice on Research and Writing

Before You Start Writing

1. Borrow "How to Write & Publish a Scientific Paper" and "How to Write & Publish Engineering Papers and Reports."
2. Read “A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations” by Kate Turabian.
3. Read the "IEEE Information for IEEE Transactions, Journals, and Letters Authors."
4. Read the University of Idaho's "Graduate Handbook for Theses and Dissertations."

Once You are Ready to Write

1. Do your thesis and any articles in LaTeX2e.
2. Use ui-thesis.cls and IEEEtran.cls for articles.
3. Use BibTeX for all bibliographies and IEEEbib.bst.
4. Do all drawings in xfig and then convert to EPS. Use EPS for any other figures.  Include all EPS files using the graphics package and dvips option.
5. Be sure to run spell check using ispell!!!
6. In terms of style, follow this precedence:
• University of Idaho College of Graduate Studies
• The IEEE
• The IEEE - Computer Society
7. Thesis example in LaTeX2e.
8. UW-Madison Writing Center Handbook
9. University of Toronto Engineering Communication Centre
10. Twelve Common Errors Checklist
11. Grammar and Style Notes
12. Common Errors in English

Once You are Ready to Defend

1. I required two weeks to read a draft.
2. I must approve your “final” draft two weeks before the defense.
3. No defenses during Finals Week or No Examination Week.
4. Read How to give a bad (good) talk
5. “Effective Presentations” by Erin B. Lindsay
6. Beyond Powerpoint
7. Jim’s Presentation Tips

After Your are Done

1. Secrets of a Selling Resume
2. Your Job Interview