January was long enough that NYE feels like a distant memory, but Lunar New Year is just around the corner and that is enough to justify a “New Year, New Me” introduction. My name is Beth, and I am taking the reins of the SGSAH blog for the next six months. I’m a first-year SGSAH … Continue reading New Year, New SGSAH Blogger
‘Hands on the Treasure Troves’: exploring archives and sharing experiences in an informal setting
'Hands on the Treasure Troves' was a SGSAH CDF-funded event held on 26 October 2023. It was supported by Culture Perth & Kinross and the University of Aberdeen. What follows here are highlights and reflections from the CDF event-running experience.
Building Authentic Case Studies
Building Authentic Case Studies was a two-day workshop that took place during Spring into Methods 2023. The Spring into Methods programme runs annually and brings together arts, humanities, social science, and other doctoral researchers from across Scotland to offer sessions providing an in-depth approach to learning a specific research method. The motivation for the Building Authentic Case Studies … Continue reading Building Authentic Case Studies
Why You Should Consider Attending a Writing Retreat: Hospitalfield Edition
As some of you may know, last week kicked off a series of SGSAH-organised writing retreats in Hospitalfield, Arbroath. The instructions for participants were clear: Have something to work on, set manageable goals – and most importantly: forget about the outside world for three days.
How to talk about old books
In our digitally saturated age it is easy to forget that for 94.2% of the past half a millennium the western world has been reliant on the printed book as our predominant "information technology". What does this mean for us as scholars? For one thing it means that any of us working in a historical perspective will probably want to have some understanding of how the book developed as a technology and of how we can make use of that in our research.
How ChatGPT Can Help You Overcome Writer’s Block
Spoiler alert: No, this blog post will not encourage plagiarism.
International Women’s Day: Women in Academia
It’s International Women’s Day! What better occasion to talk about the impact women have had in academia in the past, present, and will continue to have in the future.
How to stand out at research showcases
The SGSAH annual research showcase is just around the corner. This might be just the opportunity for you to present your work with funding of up to 1000£ for related costs, regarl. But how can you best capture your (PhD-)life’s work to attract attention and garner interest in your topic? Here are three tips to make your work stand out and get most out of the showcase.
The eternal student
Doing a PhD inevitably means staying in university longer and not being able to rinse off the student-status. This can at times feel a bit awkward when friends and people around us seem to be in completely different life stages. They might be getting a dog and a mortgage, while you’re trying to convince a prospective landlord that you are technically a professional even if you’re officially a student. You’re neither fish nor fowl, navigating the grey area of work, bureaucracy, and life.
Research visits: a lesson in flexibility and resilience
Every PhD journey is unique. In the coming and borrowed lines, I would like to share my experience with research trips and how flexibility and resilience have been key to adapting and developing this core part of my research plan.
