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How to get the most out of your time as a graduate student
4 Minute Read - Think about it. Your entire childhood consisted of you getting used to some form of structure. From bedtime routines instilled by your caregivers and waking up at a set time every morning for primary school, to the timetable you were handed in secondary school and your seemingly flexible, but jam-packed university timetable. After having completed a four-year undergraduate degree or an honours degree, many students go on to register for their master’s degree. If you are lucky and you have the…
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How to craft a bold but practical methodology
5 Minute Read - Research proposals generally consist of three main sections: (1) the introduction, where you spell out your purpose and research questions; (2) the literature review, where you provide a synopsis of the most relevant literature related to your topic; and (3) the methodology section in which you explain how you will go about answering your research question. Although the format of this document differs depending on the guidelines or rules of your institution, all research proposals contain these elements. The methodology section…
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How to make the most of your ‘proposal stage’
6 Minute Read - The proposal stage is arguably the most difficult part of a research journey. It takes many people outside their comfort zones and can be an incredibly stressful time, especially if you are not sure what topic you want to pursue. But the purpose of the proposal stage is designed to help you gain clarity as you move towards the research stage. Despite this, many students want to avoid the discomfort of the proposal stage. Based on my experience as a student…
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COVID-19 and the Decent Work Agenda
6 Minute Read - The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us how valuable time is. We were and still are in a constant race against time. We raced to produce a vaccine to save as many lives as possible, we raced to implement interventions before each new wave hit and the same is happening right now. All of this is in an effort to increase the amount of time we get to spend on earth or to ensure our survival as individuals and as the human…
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How to increase your productivity as a researcher
5 Minute Read - When I first commenced my studies as an undergraduate student, I did everything manually. I thought that we had come a long way since people submitted hand-written theses and kept printed out copies of every article they referenced in their bibliography. Wrapping up my PhD thesis, just over a decade since I first set foot in a university lecture hall, I have now come to learn how much further technology has advanced since I first started. But I am also surprised…
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Why we need to start measuring quality of work and how to do it
4 Minute Read - Global inequality has become more pressing in recent decades as social unrest has become ever prevalent and writers on the subject more vocal. The predominant focus of the inequality debate has been on the differences between rich and poor countries; African countries being consistently cited as disadvantaged in this relationship. However, this focus has tended to overlook the inequalities which exist on the continent itself. It is in this area that this special issue of the African Review of Economics and Finance is dedicated as well as studies on stratification…
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Five ways to measure the effects of a crisis like COVID-19 on women
4 Minute Read - Social issues and crises tend to affect women more severely than men. This is why terms like “gender mainstreaming policies”, “gender-responsive interventions” and “gender-based budgeting” have become more popular in public policy discussions in recent years. The case has been made for the need to include gender in every analysis of social policy. But many of the toolkits which have been designed to do so have come up short. This is for a variety of reasons. Some of these shortcomings include…
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6 tips to help you get your New Year’s Resolutions back on track
6 Minute Read - The beginning of the year is the most opportune time to start something new. Consequently, many start off their year with a list of resolutions; from exercising more to drinking less alcohol. Many even spend tons of money investing in exercise equipment, training gear, and other tools needed to make the year a successful one. Unfortunately, only 66% of those who set new year’s resolutions at the beginning of January would have stuck to them 2 weeks into January, 55% by…
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Planning For Success: Strategies for Early Career Graduate Students
8 Minute Read - Does it feel like you fluctuate between the two extremes of the students you saw sitting on the lawn reading an economics textbook or casually hunched over a microscope in a white coat in your university prospectus and the meme of the lady in a business suit frantically working against time while pulling out her hair? If your answer is yes, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Oh, and…welcome to graduate school! But, do not fear, you do not need to feel…
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Pandemic underscores burden women carry doing paid and unpaid reproductive labour
4 Minute Read - Debates about women’s unpaid reproductive labour have been going on since the first woman received cash for her services. Reproductive labour includes cooking, cleaning, and caring for the elderly, the sick and children. It’s important to make the distinction between paid and unpaid reproductive labour. Paid reproductive labour is performed in exchange for money or a wage. Unpaid reproductive labour is done for free, and usually for the household in which the individual lives. This reproductive work has traditionally been undervalued…
