My mum always said that the best time to study was when you had young kids. I suspect this was because, once she had taken two semesters out of her undergraduate degree to have me, she was desperate to keep her brain occupied until I could read books and discuss…
The fact that women are under-represented in the higher ranks of academia will come as no surprise to those working in universities. Recent statistics by the Department of Education and Training (2016) show that, in Australia, more than half of all positions at the lecturer level are held by females;…
In your academic writing, do you feel the compulsion to utilise complex terminology and vocabulary in hopes of validating your intellectual prowess and ameliorating your grades? If you found that last sentence hard to read, you may realise that complex words are not always the best way to get a…
It is an all too familiar sight in a crowded lecture theatre to see the ambient glow of students’ laptop screens. Some diligent students may be taking lecture notes, but they may also be sneaking in moments to check their personal emails or scrolling through their Facebook feed. There is…
Referencing is a challenging part of academic writing. It’s slow and painstaking work, and mastering a referencing style takes time. To reference a piece of writing correctly, it can literally come down to the correct placement of commas and full stops. It’s no wonder then that many students opt to…
Student holidays and semester breaks are a lean time for those reliant on teaching income, as contracts do not extend into these periods. The lack of reliability of the work is obviously financially disadvantageous: in summer, one cannot live on sunshine alone, it’s difficult to acquire a mortgage based on…
Flexibility Working casually as an academic is somewhat flexible, particularly in research work, when hours can be put in around other commitments. ‘It was great at the time … I could work whatever hours fitted in with my family responsibilities. I could leave early to pick my daughter up from…
‘What are we going to do with you?’ said my supervisor, tapping at the table with his pen. ‘There’s no job for you here.’ I stared at my hands. I knew there was no job, nor the likelihood of a future job. In fact, I didn’t know if I even…
Seeking feedback on your writing is scary. It requires the ability to be vulnerable with something that is often very close to your heart. It can feel like you are putting yourself on the page and emailing it for people to judge. But feedback, when given effectively, can drive us…
Capstone Editing is excited to announce the launch of a new scholarship to help people in need to train to become professional editors. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, many people are changing careers or seeking flexible work they can perform from home. We have noticed a sharp increase in the…