Reading in Grad School | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Reading for fun, including comic books and blogs, has helped improve communication skills and enhance PowerPoint presentations for a PhD student.

Key Insights

• 🫠 Reading for fun, regardless of the genre, can have a positive impact on academic success.
• 💍 Comic books offer valuable lessons in creating engaging PowerPoint presentations and improving visual communication skills.
• 👨‍🔬 Blogs about queries for potential agents can teach scientists how to effectively condense and sell their research work to a broader audience.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: How did reading comic books help the PhD student improve as a scientist?

Reading comic books broadened the student's perspective and improved their understanding of different narratives, which is crucial for scientific communication and problem-solving.

Q: How did reading comic books help the student improve PowerPoint presentations?

Comic books taught the student valuable lessons in creating visually appealing PowerPoint presentations, such as using appropriate color choices, balancing text and images, and drawing the audience's attention to important messages.

Q: How did reading blogs about queries help the student improve their research writing?

The student learned from these blogs how to condense their research work into essential points, make their writing more enticing, and effectively communicate their research to a broader audience.

Q: How did reading "The Emperor of All Maladies" impact the student's PhD journey?

Reading this book provided the student with historical context and personal stories related to cancer. It helped the student gain perspective on the incremental nature of scientific progress and the importance of their own research contributions, even if they may not appear significant in the moment.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Reading for fun, such as comic books, has helped the PhD student improve as a scientist and student by broadening their perspective and enhancing their understanding of different narratives.

• Comic books have taught the student important skills in creating balanced PowerPoint presentations and engaging with audiences effectively.

• Reading blogs about writing queries for potential agents has helped the student develop skills in condensing their research work and selling it to a broader audience.