50 Best Blogs by PhD Candidates
You've finished high school. You sailed through college. What's your next step? Oftentimes, successful graduates from university will choose to further their love for academia with the pursuit of a Doctorate in Philosophy, also known as a PhD. Earning that illustrious degree is a process that comes complete with years of hard work, strenuous writing and researching, and not a fair amount of angst and ennui. The flucuating pleasure and pain of chasing a PhD makes the experience an ideal one to blog about. In that spirit, we trolled the Web to present you with 50 absorbing and honest blogs, all crafted by gifted minds on the hunt for the respected honorific.
Top Five
- Middle Savagery: An uncommonly articulate PhD candidate in anthropology has crafted a personal blog that has done anything but ossify over the years. Blogger and archeologist Colleen demonstrates a passion for history and its relics that is downright infectious. Even postings on topics that seemingly have little to do with the majority of her readers sparkle in their specificity and collection of details that really makes the story come alive.
- Why We Love It: An archaeology PhD candidate charms readers as she dusts off the ancient.
- Favorite Post: Blogging Archaelogy
- PhD Blog.net: Internationally, the PhD degree speaks to a level of scholarly rigor and precision that precedes the holder of the title. The process of earning the prized honor is as rewarding as it is harrowing. No blog better captures the ups and downs of the experience as this page, helmed by education PhD candidate Andy, who is completing his PhD in England. Yet location is of little matter here. The sophistication and keen perception on this page transcends place and culture.
- Why We Love It: This blog covers the inner workings of the PhD process with energy and clarity.
- Favorite Post: Retro Tweeting
- Maitresse: Blogger Lauren would make an entire generation of both French and American intellectuals giddily happy. She holds two master's degrees: one in French from the Sorbonne, and another in English from NYU. The duality of her academic pleasures persists not only in the pursuit of her PhD in literature at a Parisian university, but also in the romance and dynamic flair of her praised blog page. Anyone even blankly considering the idea of a PhD would do very well to read the chic site often.
- Why We Love It: An American in Paris whips up a ton of ooh-la-la scholarly joy on her exciting page.
- Favorite Post: Woolf and Pedagogy
- zunguzungu: The popular film "White Men Can't Jump" spawned a running discourse in black society about the attempts of white individuals to fit in. Blogger Aaron could have cheekily titled his winning blog, "White Men Can't Join an African Society." But with patience and perseverance, this PhD candidate earned the respect of not only Tanzanians but also the Americans who gobbled up his juicy chronicles. Those interested in the ideas of race and social discourse will undoubtedly grow addicted.
- Why We Love It: A remarkable blog that charts a PhD chaser's love affair with Africa.
- Favorite Post: Ignorance in America
- Gradland: The 49 other blogs we've featured here will most likely whet your appetite about the consideration of grad school and chasing the PhD. We highly recommend that you also pass by this site to ensure that the decision is the best for your circumstances. Gradland pulls no punches in informing readers about the realities of going after the higher degree. No other blogger injects more reality into the heads of PhD dreamers.
- Why We Love It: This blog encourages you to be pragmatic about all the prestige that surrounds the PhD.
- Favorite Post: Bad Reasons to Go
The Rest of the Best
- Adventures of a Grad Student: The happenings of this math PhD contender are incalculably readable. He also branches out to write thoughts on movie reviews, capoeira, and more.
- AFj's PhD and After: Let this blog show you what life as a PhD student is like before, during, and after the degree. Blogger Alfredo covers the theme with grace and warmth.
- Annie's Blog: This PhD student in educational technology informs her readers about her unique field and charming personality. Firmly rooted in academia, the blog still feels open for regular folk.
- BenchFly: PhD candidates in the science sphere readily enjoy this page. It's composed for science students, by science students.
- Cassandra Forsythe: This PhD earner in exercise science and nutrition knows how to jump-start any fitness and diet routine. She often includes delicious yet healthful recipes here.
- ClioWeb: This history PhD in-the-making spotlights an interest in chronicling digital history here. Those who think that history is fuddy-duddy will enjoy how it's dusted off here.
- Doctoral School: PhD candidates at the University of Sussex scribe insightfully on their travails here. Students around the globe will get a kick out of these charming posts.
- Engineering Science: PhD chasers in the realm of engineering helm this blog site. Science students at any level will appreciate what they find here.
- Gathering In Light: This doctoral student focuses on the presence of spirituality and religion in life. Remain calm, atheists; there's little proselytization here.
- Human Rights Doctorate: Earning a PhD in a discipline of human rights presents special challenges and privileges. A PhD candidate himself provides insight into this special circumstance.
- Idee Marginali: This PhD candidate in economics writes this page on money matters, focused on Italy. Written in the native tongue, the smart posts deserve to be translated and read.
- Legal History Blog: Students earning a degree in legal history, not the law per se, document an interesting perspective on this site. Anyone impassioned by the law will love this.
- Library Student Journal: Students earning degrees in library science catalog remarkable thoughts on books and their world here. Interviews with leaders in the field appear regularly.
- Life After the PhD: A PhD student in the humanities has developed this page, essential for anyone in the PhD process. It sheds light on to the ways in which the degree can fit in your life.
- Mama Ph.D.: This mother who at once raises a kid and raises hopes of a PhD writes fluently on the juggling act. Parents and students alike will enjoy this page.
- Math Grad Blog: Calculate the goings on of life as a math PhD candidate on this page. A welcoming tone throughout the page spells inclusive dividends for math-hating readers.
- New Kid on the Hallway: This erstwhile medieval historian hops around various academic communities and now looks at law. This is a great blog for PhD newbies to learn from.
- Partly Cloudy: Blogger Camille is courting a PhD in industrial design. She composes her site in a way that includes even those who don't have a clue about her field.
- PhD Comics: Even the sternest academics can get off on a good laugh. Scholars and laymen alike can enjoy these cartoons created by PhD chasers.
- PhD Works: Students and experts alike all read and contribute to this page, which focuses on the art of the dissertation. Glean advice on sharpening your writing here.
- PhDiva: Blogger Dorothy wields a wealth of experience in archeology into her pursuit of a degree in medieval history. She keeps track of her research via this blog.
- Primatology: Several students earning PhDs in primatology help to develop this blog page. It's not all monkeying around though; these pupils are serious and passionate.
- PsyBlog: Psych PhD students contribute to this important and always entertaining page. Learn about lie detectors, visualisation, and a ton more here on a regular basis.
- Quantitative Peace: A political science PhD focuses on international relations and comparative politics. This blog works as an extension of Michael's relationship with his studies.
- Ramblings of a Grad Student: We forecast particular enjoyment on this meteorology PhD candidate's sunny page. He blogs about all sides of the process, the blues skies and showers alike.
- Ravens: This blog, crafted by a religion PhD, focuses on the idea of God and his (her, its) existence. It's an interesting page to begin a spiritual dialectic.
- Real Life PhD: This blog lets readers understand the realities, and real rewards, of a PhD lifestyle. There's a focus on the British experience, but other cultures can still glean a ton.
- Red Sea Dolphin Project: PhD students contribute to this effervescent page that chronicles the study of dolphins in the Red Sea. Anticipate a whale of a tale here.
- Ryan's Linguistics Blog: A PhD student in the field of linguistics uses some great language to color his thoughts on this site. Phonetics, syntax, and more factor in here.
- Saket Vora: Blogger Saket is a highly interesting and vivid academic, of Stanford fame. Follow his forays into electrical engineering and more.
- Sara Perry: A doctoral student in the field of archeology digs up gem-like posts on a frequent basis here. The writing here is fresh, never prehistoric.
- Savage Minds: A group of anthropology students has created this consistently informative and worthwhile page. Anyone not clear on what the field entails will want to read this often.
- Scott Harrison: This history PhD candidate moonlights as an expert mountain climber. Read along as he scales the heights of peaks and periods of history.
- sensate: Several PhD candidate in media, music, and anthropology collaborate to craft this trendy and modern blog page. Expect an assortment of zany, charming images.
- Spanish is Fun!: Monica, earning a PhD in Spanish, has created this page to proclaim the wonders and romance of her language. Pick up a few phrases and vocab words here.
- Survival Blog for Scientists: Let these doctoral students advise you on the surest paths to becoming a great scientist in your own right. Each blogger makes for an example to emulate.
- Tanya Roth: A history PhD student lets readers into the trials and tribulations of creating a dissertation here. Anyone who's ever written a massive volume will relate to her thoughts.
- Ten Best Films: A film PhD candidate captures the best in modern cinema on this filmic page. His top 10 films of 2010 make for some interesting and vivid choices.
- The Bubble Chamber: PhD students in multidisciplinary fields contribute to this page with several subjects as its focus. The site caters those interested in science's place in society.
- The Croalian Progressive: A doctoral candidate in 20th-century U.S. history shows a unique and important viewpoint here. Young history buffs will want to follow in his stead.
- The Fire and the Rose: This student at the Princeton Theological Seminary seeks to understand more about the religious world. Indie music, tea, and coffee also show up and lend some levity.
- The Gold Ibex: Harry is chasing an interesting PhD, one in classical philology at Princeton. The field, the study of literary texts and records, makes for several compelling posts.
- The Rambler: Tim, earning a PhD in musicology, plays all the right notes on his blog page. Anyone interested in classical music will be especially turned on here.
- Undulations: This doctoral student in physics education knows that what comes up must come down. Compelling topics are posted up often, and readers can't help but digest them down.
- Zero Intelligence Agents: An NYU political science PhD candidate chronicles his thoughts on terrorism and more here. Peer into the brain of a blossoming genius on this site.
