As we come up on many faith traditions holidays that are marked by gifts and indeed those who partake in the secular traditions around gift exchanges, you may wonder what to given an accounting PHD student or an assistant professor!

My editor based suggestions include:

1. Gift coupons for a reputable English editor that understands academic writing practices. Lots of them!

2. A private tutor to teach the recipient English grammar and writing. 8 to10 lessons work wonders. Did it myself!

3. Sophisticated software that critics business english especially the placement of s at-end of words.

4. For the non English speaking doctoral student potentially English elocution lessons. It is amazing how much improvement can be obtained by 8 or 10 private lessons ( I have paid for same for some of my doctoral students and they were worth every penny on the job market).

5. For young native English speakers I wish there was an app that could be purchased that would sap you every time you substitute a five dollar word that you ” think” you know the meaning of for a simpler word that you actually know the meaning of. No this is not a dig at interpretivist researchers but on the tendency of young assistant professors of all stripes to try to “look smart” by using big words! Unfortunately this is not yet available but friends and loved ones could do this and make a joke out of it by presenting lottery ticket every time you called them on it. Hence lots and lots of 1 euro or dollar lottery tickets would be needed by the friend or loved one!!!!

There you go, suggestions from an editor for the perfect holiday present (and potentially a good test of your friendship or love). I call that truly a gift that can keep on giving!