I've just read a lovely book on being a junior academic, the notes from which I'm posting below. I think I'll put a page up of the notes I've made from 'self improvement' books like "Economical Writing", "The Craft of Research, Advice for New Faculty Members,"The Elements of Style" , "Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Take Hold and Others Come Unstuck" , and so forth.

It'll be useful for me more than others, but that's mainly what this site is for anyway. Notes below the fold.

Here's a link to the book:

"Advice for New Faculty Members: Nihil Nimus" (Robert Boice)

The book includes three sections. In the first, "Moderate Work at Teaching," Boice discusses "proven ways of easing the surprisingly hard work of teaching." It includes eight rules or principles, many of which are similar to the rules in Section 2 of the book, "Write in Mindful Ways." Section 3, "Socialize and Serve with Compassion," discusses not only the typical service activities of faculty members, but also the importance (according to Boice) of socializing and getting along with colleagues.

Throughout the book, the theme of nihil nimus (i.e., nothing in excess) is discussed and applied; Boice further defines nihil nimus as "looking for simple, [End Page 186] effective strategies that allow new faculty to work efficiently amid a seeming overload of demands for their time and energy." He also refers to this theme as "moderation in working,".

In the section on teaching Boice elaborates on his eight rules of moderation (p. 99):

1. Wait, reflect, and learn--rather than rush, impatiently and impulsively.

2. Begin early at truly important tasks, before feeling fully ready.

3. Work in brief, economical sessions.

4. Stop in timely fashion, before diminishing returns set in.

5. Moderate over attachments to what you prepare, present--and overreactions to criticism.

6. Moderate negative thoughts and excessive emotions.

7. Let others, even critics, do some of the work.

8. Teach with compassion, communicate with immediacy and comprehension, and thus decrease student (and faculty) incivilities.