i’ve seen masterposts for like every subject besides politics, which is what i’m studying, so i decided 2 make one!! my fanmail + ask is always open if u have any questions, comments, or suggestions xxx
read the news !! - poli sci professors + teachers LOVE talking about the news, one of my professors spends 10-15 mins every class discussing relevant topics! here are some good news sites to get you started:
quartz + a daily brief they send straight to ur email!
the guardian + love their editorials!! + good 4 european news
bloomberg + rly readable business news!!
al-jazeera + gr8 resource 4 international news
ask ur librarian if u can get these from ur school!
know ur history + geography - i honestly can’t stress this enough ok, when studying the present u have 2 remember the past!
world history association
everything u need 2 know abt a country
rly good article abt the importance of history!
look @ some think tanks - these r rly good resources to figure out how ppl in the field feel abt different policies, but they can be rly biased toward a specific policy so be careful !!
council on foreign relations
carnegie endowment for international peace
catham house, the royal institute for international affairs
scholars strategy network
+more (click “publishing institutions on the left + click “more”)
do the readings!!! - take notes!! underline!! use highlighters!! draw in the margins!! connect different ideas!! + make sure u go over them right before class so u can stay on top of the subject, studyign has a rly good resource 4 notetaking here!
get in touch with ur professors - honestly can’t stress this enough!! ur professors are ur connection to the field, they know people + will help u with jobs after u graduate if ur tight with them! go to their office hours, bring snacks + coffee, talk about the readings, talk about current events, ask them about their past, anything!
pay attention + participate - there’s no point in being there if u don’t say what u think abt the subject! + professors love when students speak up
make a friend - u can trade notes + they will help u if u miss a class!!
come hydrated + fed - this will help with knowledge retention!! + no one wants to be that kid who’s stomach growls in the middle of class
have ur readings handy - if the lecture references it, u can look back + see the exact quote + whatever notes u took
write down everything ur professor says!!!
esp if it’s a repeated phrase!!
+ if they reference something u’ve never heard before
try the cornell method or try 2 make a mind map
i always bring a blue pen + a red pen - write with the blue, connect ideas + concepts or underline important phrases w the red!
if u prefer typing notes, check out lattesandnetflix‘s post here
try 2 connect what ur learning w/ current + past events! this is when reading the news comes in handy B-)
discuss the main points of the lecture - w/ that friend we talked abt earlier, or ur coworker, or even ur mom on the phone!! this helps 2 reinforce what u learned
rewrite ur notes! this will give u a clear idea of what u actually learned bc professors can talk in circles + u can make them rly pretty (check out areistotle‘s post abt this here)
watch free lectures online !!!!
london school of economics
join or start a model un club or a political forum at ur school
volunteer 4 campaigns in ur area - gr8 way to meet likeminded people!!
email ur professor if u have any specific questions - they want 2 help u, don’t worry!!
how 2 get an A on a poli sci paper
fun videos on us government
intro 2 political thinkers
google scholar’s most cited poli sci journals
rly reputable website w us national polls
constitutional law course from stanford
library of congress online
women in politics database!!
resource 4 american foreign policy
us embassies across the world
world bank open knowledge site