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CS697 | Graduate Research Skills Seminar Fall 2009

Coordinator: Chrysanne DiMarco
Fall 2009 Wednesdays 12:30-2:00 MC2036

This is a credit/no-credit course. It covers research and life skills that can offer new insights to graduate students. The course features guest speakers and panel discussions, as well as a few in-class exercises by students.

We begin with a panel on what graduate studies is really all about, a session referred to as the "Graduate UnHandbook". We then move on to discuss time management and stress management skills. Next we cover some of the academic skills involved in graduate studies. We begin with hands-on tutorials about some important library research skills. We follow with sessions on various types of academic communication skills, both oral and written, with applications to job interview situations and proposal-writing, including the different politics of research funding in Canada and the U.S.

We close the series with an entertaining view of what PhD studies are all about and a enlightening panel discussion comparing academic and industrial career paths.

Schedule of seminars:

September 16

Inside view of graduate studies: "The Graduate UnHandbook"
Panel of Computer Science faculty members and graduate students

September 23

Library Research Skills: Hands-On Session
Linda Howell, Davis Centre Library
Note: Different location for this week and next: MC2037

September 30

Literature Search
Linda Howell

October 7

Stress and Time Management Skills
Linda Mackay, Counselling Services

October 14

Communication Skills: Writing the Master's Thesis
Chrysanne DiMarco

October 21

Academic Oral Presentations
Chrysanne DiMarco

October 28

Communication Skills: Academic and Industry Interviews
Speaker TBA

November 4

Proposal Writing
Speaker TBA

November 11

The Politics of Funding
Speaker TBA

November 18

PhD Student Life: How to Finish that Damn PhD
Dan Berry, Computer Science

November 25

What Comes After the Master's?:
Academia versus Industry
Panel of academic and industrial members

My Contact Information:
cdimarco AT uwaterloo.ca, DC1308, x84443