The Books/Reading Thread

[Overwatch]

Sounds like an interesting read.

[monoxide_child]

Originally Posted by Master_Yoda77

wow
this looks awesome

[The Ozzman]

I finally finished Nixon & Kissinger and picked up this while on vacation at Mt Rushmore:



I'm still reading The Day of Battle though. Once that is finished, I'll either start on Seven Habits of Highly Effective People or re-read Atlas Shrugged.

[Master_Yoda77]

My father was so kind to purchase this for me. Any advice on taking the GRE? I'm going to read this and take the test (hopefully) sometime in early August before class starts.

[The Ozzman]

If it's anything like the GMAT, memorize the geometry shit.

[Master_Yoda77]

Yeah, the math portion is the part the scares me the most, but I'm sure if I figure out the types of questions they ask I'll be able to solve them.

[Zephyrus]

Aren't you like, a sophomore in college?

[Einherjar86]

If you're planning on applying to English grad programs, don't worry as much about the math sections. I mean, don't bomb them or leave them blank, but don't concern yourself with scoring a 700 on them. Focus on the analytic and verbal sections.

For vocabulary, make flash cards. There will be words you don't know, but don't make cards for every single one. You should be able to find a list of the hundred words (or 150, something like that) that show up most often. Make cards for the ones off that list that you don't know (just to make sure, look up definitions for all of them). Also, the verbal section will ask you content-related questions about textual passages, some of which can be very long. Learn how to read them quickly and efficiently, since you'll waste time re-reading. Try and pick up on key moments of the passage, such as when the author makes or refutes a point.

Analytic is more difficult to study for, but if you don't have trouble with critical thinking you should do well. You'll need to flesh out a logical argument of your own making, as well as pick apart another argument (i.e. determine if it's strong or weak and point out its errors; most arguments in this section usually have glaring errors).

Finally, take a practice exam. Then take another. Then take another. Take as many as you can. The GRE isn't about learning the material as much as it is about learning how to take the GRE. Once you learn how they ask questions, and the kinds of questions they ask, you'll perform better.

[Zephyrus]

I will add to Pat's astute advice that long-term study in Latin, Greek and Logic will be the best keys to success on the Verbal sections of the GRE. I didn't even study for those sections and still got in the 600's.

[Master_Yoda77]

I'm going to be a senior Jeremy you twat.

But thanks for the advice. This book comes with a CD-ROM that contains a practice test, and I know there are free ones online. I took a speed reading class a few years ago, so I have some experience reading quickly. I love the flashcard idea, I'll definitely keep that in mind.

Not sure about my analytical skills, but I'm sure this book will help me out somewhat.

[Zephyrus]

My bad. I can't keep track of you kids and your growing-up business.

[Master_Yoda77]

Yeah, unless I plan on taking a year off I should start applying to grad programs this fall.

[Zephyrus]

Year off is not a bad idea if you can you can log some relevant professional experience during it.

[Master_Yoda77]

Yeah, not sure if I'll be ready to teach any classes though.

[Zephyrus]

Well you better figure out what you want to do specifically, something beyond "I like Mark Twain."

[Master_Yoda77]

Fixed my last post to make more sense. I know what I want to do, I was just saying that I don't think I'm going to be qualified to teach any classes after I get my undergrad degree. I suppose there are other things I can do for experience though.

[Einherjar86]

I'd still apply for adjunct positions. Lots of community colleges will likely be looking for cheap adjunct labor to teach entry-level composition classes and possibly even an entry-level literature class (e.g. American literature until 1860, or something like that). And I know some people who land jobs like that with only a bachelor's. Just be aware that you may have to go on food stamps to survive, or get a second job.

[unknown]

Originally Posted by Einherjar86

Lots of community colleges will likely be looking for cheap adjunct labor to teach entry-level composition classes and possibly even an entry-level literature class (e.g. American literature until 1860, or something like that). And I know some people who land jobs like that with only a bachelor's. Just be aware that you may have to go on food stamps to survive, or get a second job.

Not to be debbie downer, but since I am the person described above, I will tell you it's incredibly hard. Community Colleges are incredibly difficult to get into because, at least in California, they pay a LOT better and have better benefits than most universities. Also, most universities have applicant pools which means you're one of a few hundred fresh faced graduates looking for an adjunct teaching gig. And they will be entry level classes (Freshman Composition, Intro to Lit, etc.).

Also, from what I've seen, you need a minimum of a master's. I haven't seen any place that hires BAs to teach. I've even seen ads requesting PhDs for adjunct positions (which is a bunch of horseshit). That's why I focused on Rhetoric & Composition for my master's, thinking it'd be easier to land a job. While there are far more Composition teaching jobs out there, it's still very difficult. My advice is when you're in grad school or even as an undergrad, get any experience tutoring, TAing, or teaching a class or two like I did (and Jeremy did too). It's all about the experience on the resume.

[Einherjar86]

Originally Posted by unknown

Not to be debbie downer, but since I am the person described above, I will tell you it's incredibly hard. Community Colleges are incredibly difficult to get into because, at least in California, they pay a LOT better and have better benefits than most universities.

Even for adjuncts? I'm an adjunct now (with a Master's) and I get shit. From my experience, adjuncts have to work potentially as much as tenure-track professors/instructors, and get paid less than half what they make and get no benefits.

I agree with what Mike said about experience though. I was fortunate enough to land a teaching job after my graduate experience at UChicago, and I'm going to have to teach for Boston as part of my fellowship. Here's hoping that collective experience works wonders in my post-doc career.

However... don't worry about teaching experience as much for grad school. If you're able to get a teaching position, then by all means put it in your statement of purpose; but if not, focus on what you want to study and why, and zero in on specific professors in each department that you apply to. Schools want to know why you want to attend their program. A big part of my statement was that I wanted to teach, and BU picked up on that. But it's not imperative that you teach before doing a doctorate in English, and some programs reject those who say they want to teach because they're looking for researchers. Research is great, but I feel like it's much harder to land a job afterwards, since there are way more positions in English departments that emphasize teaching. If you want to do research, then you basically need to pray you land a job at UChicago, UMichigan, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, etc. (i.e. the toughest schools to get into for graduate work, let alone a tenure-track position). I felt like BU was a good mix of research possibility and teaching experience, which is one of the reasons I went with it.

[Master_Yoda77]

Yeah, I hope to land some sort of TAing job during my Graduate programs. I could use the tuition stipends and experience.

[Black Orifice]

I ordered "The Framework" from Mises.org the other day and I officially have more to read than I could possible digest within the near future.





I purchased Stranger in a Strange Land recently as well. I'm looking forward to picking that up too.

[Overwatch]

I've read most of MESwPM, and started Human Action. Reading time has dropped in the last couple of months with moving and whatnot.

[Cronopio]

Do any of you guys EVER read fiction?

[Einherjar86]

That's actually something I think about a lot; I tend to focus on non-fiction too much.

However, I prefer to be reading one fiction and one non-fiction work at all times. Right now, these are what's on my plate:

(Fiction)


(Non-fiction)

[Overwatch]

Originally Posted by Einherjar86

(Non-fiction)

Interesting

Re: Our discussion the other day, I requested The Diamond Age at the local library. Waiting on it to get shipped.