Whether you’re an undergrad, grad student, or research professional, you will need to master acquiring, evaluating, and synthesizing vast amounts of research materials. There’s no better place to find critical insights than from experts in their fields. Compiled for their excellence, longevity, and continuing relevance, these academic blogs by professors all feature thought-provoking posts.
The Thesis Whisperer is an academic blog dedicated to providing resources and insights to Ph.D. candidates struggling to complete their dissertations. The blog has garnered more than 100,000 followers over ten years. Some popular articles include “Writing as an imaginary conversation with your reader” and “Why a Ph.D. can feel pointless.” Read this blog if you’re a Ph.D. candidate or thinking of becoming one.
As the subtitle says, “Just like the Thesis Whisperer--but with more money,” this academic blog seeks to facilitate all aspects of the Ph.D. research process by offering practical advice about funding, writing, and other research-related topics. Recent posts of interest include “Academic resilience in times of COVID,” “Too close: research in a familiar context,” and “Treating networking like a research project.” Since the blog covers so much breadth, visitors seeking specific research help may use the search function to sort through the copious amounts of knowledge featured on this top academic blog resource.
On his academic blog, Prof Terry Tao deep dives into mathematical research. Though his blog primarily addresses those with a graduate-level understanding of math, he occasionally features less technical posts. Those who can navigate advanced math will enjoy the expository articles and discussion of open problems. Newcomers may sample graduate-level mathematics and gain insights into academia. This academic blog is not for the faint of heart. A recent post is “The inverse theorem for the U^3 Gowers uniformity norm on arbitrary finite abelian groups”. If you have a taste for numbers, this is one of the best mathematics blogs for researchers.
Dangerously Irrelevant is the academic blog of Dr. Scott McLeod, J.D., Ph.D., one of the nation's leading experts on P-12 school leadership, technology, and innovation. The blog closely examines these topics with posts like “Why school might look a little different these days,” “Retrieval practice, CBE, and what we value regarding student learning,” and “Instagram, adolescent girls, and the importance of evidence.” For more information exploring the P-12 education and technology intersection, check this current blog for news, recent publications, and related events.
Lawfare is a serious national security blog co-founded by Professor Bobby Chesney (Charles I. Francis Professor in Law at the University of Texas School of Law), Professor Jack Goldsmith (Learned Hand Professor at Harvard Law School), and American legal journalist Benjamin Wittes (Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution). Read by scholastic and professional audiences; this blog features hundreds of distinguished guests and authors covering various topics surrounding national security. Between explanatory articles on technology and strategy, analytical reviews of current and historical events, and philosophical ruminations on law and society, this distinguished academic blog appeals to audiences interested in national and international politics, justice, law, and warfare.
This academic blog features articles from some of the most respected minds on national and international security topics. Originating in the Reiss Center on Law and Security at New York University School of Law, its co-editors-in-chief are Dr. Tess Bridgeman and Dr. Ryan Goodman. Bridgeman was Special Assistant to the President, and Goodman was Special Counsel to the General Counsel of the Department of Defense. They bring their combined knowledge, experience, and prolific network of experts to their blog. In the ever-changing security landscape, updates are posted at least once daily.
Noted simply, Prof Mankiw, Robert M. Beren Professor of Economics at Harvard University, “uses this blog to keep in touch with current and former students.” He is famous for co-authoring the internationally established textbook on economics principles, Macroeconomics. Prof Mankiw covers fiscal policy, inflation, public debt, carbon tax, micro and macroeconomic theory, current events, and many other musings. Recent titles include “It's not inflationary because it's paid for,” “BBB's Ugly Fine Print,” and “Two Ways to Tell the Story.” This excellent academic blog on economics is a great way to enhance your knowledge on the topic.
John H. Cochrane, the professor behind this academic blog, explains that he took to academic blogging “after one too many rants at the dinner table.” A Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford, Cochrane writes about inflation, fiscal theory, speculation, and debt. Cochrane brings intelligence and wit to otherwise abstract conversations and delivers another excellent resource for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of economics.
Bruce Schneier, a fellow and lecturer at Harvard’s Kennedy School, blogs about the intersection of security, technology, and people. With his extensive experience in academic blogging (early posts date from 2004), Schneier interprets recent news stories through the lens of his expertise. Popular articles include “NSO Group’s Pegasus Spyware Used Against US State Department Officials”, “Law Enforcement Access to Chat Data and Metadata,” and “New German Government is Pro-Encryption and Anti-Backdoors.” Known for his striking opinions and nonconformist attitude, follow this blog for a stimulating look at security issues.
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