These links are all excellent sources of advice on the practical
process of becoming an historian. While I don't agree with
everything these authors have to say, they generally do an excellent
job laying out the challenges you face and present some good strategies
for dealing with them. If you find dead links, please let me know.
General advice:
Thomas
H. Benton on succeeding as a grad student
Dealing
with comprehensive exams
Writing:
Liena Vayzman with practical advice on writing a dissertation / thesis
William
Germano on avoiding passive voice
Patricia
Limerick on bad academic writing
Bruce
Mazlish on writing good book reviews
Conferences, talks, and presentations:
Julie Miller Vick and Jennifer S. Furlong with general advice
Benton with cynical but useful advice
Germano on academic talks
Linda Kerber on presenting a paper
Kerber
on moderating a discussion
The Job Market:
Vitas
and cover letters
Depressing
but important news on the impact of the recession
Anthony
Grafton and Robert Townsend on the current state of the market
Mary Morris Heiberger and Vick on job market terminology
Heiberger and Vick on preparing yourself to go on the market
Eve Levin on acing the job market and and Stephen Bittner on four
things to know
Mary Dillon Johnson on job interviews
Mary Sies
on job interview questions
Marilynn
Johnson on job talks
Rob Jenkins on community college jobs: article
one
Article
two
Article
three
Publishing:
Christopher
Tomlims on scholarly publishing in general
Elaine Maisner on university presses
Life as a new faculty member
Mary Deane
Sorcinelli with ten things you ought to know
Rob
Weir on starting as a new faculty member
Paul Gray and David E. Drew on what you don’t learn in graduate school
A roundtable on the transition to becoming faculty
Jenkins
on succeeding as a new faculty member. Jenkins aims this
at community college faculty, but everything he says is pitch perfect for
faculty at any institution.