GradProBlog

Technology is available to help you become an effective learner and optimize your research process so you can enjoy other aspects of your life. A smoothly run research project and thesis writing process give you a better quality of life and academic success. Here we share the top ten online tools that any graduate student should have on their toolkit. Read more

A literature review is a fundamental part of your thesis writing process. It provides the theoretical framework, methodology, concepts and problems that frame your research design. Learn 7 steps to do a literature review efficiently and still be thorough. Read more

It is likely that virtual interviews will become the "new normal" during the early stages of the hiring process given social distancing protocols. Here we share seven strategies that will build your confidence and set the optimum environment for a successful online interview. Read more

Concordia Library is more than just a quiet place to study and a place to borrow books. The library has evolved with technological developments and student needs to become a services provider for academic support, both in terms of specialists who help with research and a hub for technological tools to enhance the learning experience. Read more

Machine translation or MT systems have become increasingly easy to use and more well-integrated into other applications. Thinking about whether, when, why, and how to use MT are part of what we term “MT literacy”. It basically comes down to being an informed and critical user of this technology, rather than being someone who just copies, pastes and clicks. Here are some things that you should know about using free online MT systems. Read more

If your research involves manipulating data sets than you may have heard your peers talking about “R”. This free programming language is robust, easy-to-learn and versatile. Just like everyone else, your time is precious. While learning a new tool requires time, it can be a fun and valuable learning experience if you know that it will look great on your CV, help you work faster, and produce more interesting results. Learn about the research capabilities of R to decide if it’s worth your time or not. Read more

Last winter, Concordia set out to find out what online tools Concordia students use most. Based-off the results, we’ve highlighted the most useful online training tools and applications that you might want to incorporate in your Graduate studies. This summary categorizes the digital tool, apps, platforms and software Concordians find most beneficial for learning into four important areas of Graduate student work: Planning and Communication, Productivity, Learning and Education, and Research. Read more

For a lot of people doing academic work, Microsoft PowerPoint is the go-to software for visualizing a presentation. When used efficiently, PowerPoint has the capabilities to attractively disseminate information, engage audiences and bolster an argument. Read more

Statistical data may present hard-hitting facts to support a hypothesis or back up a claim, but it isn’t always the easiest or most aesthetically enticing information to communicate, especially during a presentation. This week's blog post speaks about data visualization and how graduate students can start visually communicating their statistics using a software called Tableau. Read more

If you’re a smartphone user, you already know that the range of activities you can do on your phone vary from browsing videos and reading news articles to catching up with social media and finding out how to get to a location. One of the obvious benefits of these multi-use mobile devices is the addition of apps (applications) that change your user experience and provide entertainment, like Candy Crush. But have you considered how you can use your phone to optimize your graduate school experience? Read more