TA or RA?

[buzz2010]

If you can choose either TA or RA, which one would you pick? Most first-year students tend to do TA and then get a RA position next year.

What kind of benefits would RA-ship bring to the students? Any slim chance of publication out of first year research work? Is it frowned upon not working as a TA in the first year?

Any input would be much appreciated.

Edited March 13, 2010 by buzz2010

[hip2btriangle]

If you can choose either TA or RA, which one would you pick? Most first-year students tend to do TA and then get a RA position next year.

What kind of benefits would RA-ship bring to the students? Any slim chance of publication out of first year research work? Is it frowned upon not working as a TA in the first year?

Any input would be much appreciated.

it's my understanding that RAships are better overall, since it's actually a real opportunity to work on research and work with a professor in the context of doing research. i'm not sure if there's room to debate which is more work -- both i think can be pretty demanding depending on the kind of assistance you're providing -- but i've heard more people coming out with published work prior to submitting their master's paper by being a RA.

[rising_star]

Well, it depends on your career goals. If you want to teach, then you should be a TA in graduate school to gain classroom and curriculum experience. Teaching isn't the most natural thing for most people and being a TA multiple times gives you a chance to get better at it. It also depends on how closely related to your research the RA position is. If you're an urban sociologist interested in race and social stratification, you may not want to be a RA on a historical sociology project, you know? The chance for publications will vary from one project to the next, so it would be something to inquire about before you take the position.

[Roll Right]

I was granted an RA position this semester. Hopefully next year I'll teach. I'd like both opportunities.