A Guide to Academia: Getting into and Surviving Grad School, Postdocs and a Research Job [Paperback]

Prosanta Chakrabarty (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 20, 2012 | ISBN-10: 0470960418 | ISBN-13: 978-0470960417 | Edition: 1

A Guide to Academia is a handbook for all those individuals thinking seriously about going to graduate school. Written by an author with extensive experience navigating the academic world, the book explains all the steps and potential bumps in the road that a student might encounter as they take the plunge into academia. Each chapter begins with a section called the "hard truth," which will help students determine if they are on the right path. Starting with an undergraduate student looking for a graduate school, the reader is taken on a journey up the academic ladder through graduate studies, a postdoctoral fellowship and an assistant professorship. Each chapter gives advice on not only how to survive the current stage but how to get to the next stage quickly. Enhanced with material from the author's own job applications and interview presentations, A Guide to Academia provides concrete examples of the tools needed for a successful career in academia.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Overall, this is a useful, practical handbook on academic careers in any specific discipline as well as nonscience fields.  Summing Up: Recommended.  All students, researchers/faculty, and professionals." (Choice, 1 December 2012) 

“The comprehensive overview A Guide to Academiaprovides will be useful to any scientist embarking on a career in academia.”  (Science, 8 June 2012)

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell; 1 edition (March 20, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470960418
• ISBN-13: 978-0470960417
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 0.3 x 9.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #660,496 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #34 in Books > Business & Investing > Job Hunting & Careers > Business School Guides

More About the Author

Prosanta Chakrabarty is an ichthyologist and evolutionary biologist working as an assistant professor and curator of fishes at Louisiana State University. He was born in Montreal and moved to New York City with his family when he was 1. He grew up in Bayside, Queens and went to Cardozo High School. He met his wife Annemarie while attending McGill University for his bachelor's degree. They moved to Ann Arbor in 2001 so that he could attend graduate school at the University of Michigan. He graduated with his PhD in 2006 and moved back to New York as a postdoc at the American Museum of Natural History. In 2008 he was hired as an assistant professor in the department of Biological Sciences at LSU, and as curator of fishes at the Museum of Natural Science in Baton Rouge. He has published over 30 scientific articles; "A Guide to Academia" is his first book. Prosanta is also the proud father of identical twin girls born in 2011. Read more about him at www.prosanta.net and follow him on Twitter @LSU_FISH

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Buyer beware - look elsewhere for advice May 19, 2012

By Carl

Format:Paperback

I am interested in a research career in the natural sciences, so I was eager to read this new guide. Unfortunately, I don't feel that the book addressed any of the questions that I had about the whole process. I am left wondering if the author should have waited until she was further along in her career before she wrote this guide. I also wish that the book was edited better; this was a huge distraction. Frequently, relevant sections are quizzically in the wrong place (e.g., hints to being a postdoc buried in that assistant professor section) that give the book an unpleasant stream of consciousness feel.

The only good thing I can say about this guide is that it is written in a breezy, friendly manner, so it is a quick read. As noted by a previous reviewer, I believe this has to do with the fact that the author never really goes into any depth with any topics. It seems clear that the author based this on her experiences and did not do any research to support her arguments. This was excruciating at times. Given that this was written by a scientist, where are the data or citations to back up the many assertions?

For example,

"I have often found that master's students at universities without a Ph.D. program are better students than master's students at Ph.D.-granting institutions." (Kindle Locations 493-494)

This is a pretty strong *personal* view, and it is one that should never had passed an editor's desk without data to support it. It can only serve to discourage eager Masters students, particularly those working at Louisiana State University.

or

"The discrepancy in women's pay may have more to do with negotiating tactics than sexism" (Kindle Location 2949)

Really? Maybe. I don't know, but this sure seems like something that should be supported by data. It should not just be presented as fact.

Similarly, the book makes up contrived examples or analogies that are, at best, confusing and, at worst, erroneous.

For example,

"Academic requirements should never have to hold you back from your goals of having and planning a family. I once heard a young female associate professor say, "I could never have gotten to where I am if I had kids." At first that gave me pause, but then I realized she didn't have the experience to make such a statement (i.e., she doesn't know how her life would be different with kids because she didn't have any). It wouldn't be okay for her to say, "If I only had one arm, I would never be able to be president." Only listen to people who have had experience to give you guidance." (Kindle Locations 2913-2918)

Huh? How are those comparable? And by this measure, why should we take Dr. Chakrabarty's advice when she is still so early in her career? Does she have the experience necessary to provide advice on getting tenure or eventually reaching full professor?

The book is full of unhelpful broad overviews when it should be focusing on pearls of wisdom. As other reviewers have noted, this books is only relevant for R1 natural science students. For people interested in this narrow career path, other quick reads (e.g., What They Didn't Teach You in Graduate School: 199 Helpful Hints for Success in Your Academic Career, A PhD is not enough) or more complete books (e.g., The Academic's Handbook, The Compleat Academic: A Career Guide) were all more helpful to me. I heartily recommend that the readers look to these other sources for advice and ignore this overly superficial handbook.

Caveat emptor.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Too much breadth leads to not enough depth. May 17, 2012

By Kevin Currie-Knight TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I am going to second what some of the other reviewers have said. By way of brief background, I am currently ending my third year of PhD study in the field of Education, writing my dissertation.

Basically, this book is a pretty decent guide to the entire grad school process, from choosing the school that is best to applying to jobs after grad school. As another reviewer said, though, this book is quite specifically tailored, seemingly, to R1 universities, so if your goal is to become a teaching professor (or go into a discipline that is outside of the natural sciences, where the author spends most of her time), this book will be decent, but of limited value.

But my big criticism is that while this is a decent comprehensive guide to the entire grad school process, its breadth comes at the price of depth. If you want to read a chapter on how to plan a dissertation, get this. But realistically, no one writing a dissertation will benefit from reading A CHAPTER when there are plenty of books out there totally devoted to dissertation writing (because the subject IS that complex and in need of deep treatment). Same goes for applying to grad school: read a book on that, not a chapter.

So, while this may be a good book to read for someone getting the feel of what they will need to know across the board when going to grad school, the big picture approach will not give you any close-ups, and close-up, detailed, knowledge of each process is what you will need when you are in grad school.

My recommendation is to read this ONLY as a vague primer and then read books on each subject as needed.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Cup of Tea and a little bit of Knowledge April 14, 2013

By Laura Renee

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Professors are busy people. They have lots of important and exciting research that occupies their mind and their time.
I wish to sincerely thank Professor Chakrabarty for taking time out of his busy schedule to write this book.

The book reads like a friendly conversation with a top-tier professor, it is best read while sipping a cup.
This book can also be described as reading a long string of personal emails from an inspiring and honest professor, it is best read while sipping a cold mug of beer.

In the world of Academia professors do not take time out of their schedule to have a friendly general chat with students about the ins-outs and tricks of the Academic World. Professors do not have time or interest in sitting down for a cup of tea and discussing the map they have drawn of the Land of Academia. Within the pages of this readable conversation Prosanta Chakrabarty does just that, he sits down with the student and gives them a 'little bit of knowledge.'

This book is an over-view of grad school in general. It is not specific to you nor I, nor any one. If you are looking for a step-by-step guide to get through your specific grad school program, I'd suggest re-thinking entering grad school.

I am entering the University of Arizona Graduate School in a few months.

Grad School is a 'choose-your-own-adventure' experience then undergrad and I am grateful I have read this helpful guide to the world that I will be entering. I feel a bit more confident that I am familiar with the language, culture and expectations of the Land of Academia. Thank You, Professor Chakrabarty for taking time out of your schedule to have tea and conversation with an entering grad student. Best of Luck with your Research.