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40,619 |
<p>I refereed a paper after a skim-through and a careful examination of about (1/3) of it after a couple of weeks, and then sent it back due to expository issues, a few gripes about certain things not being correct, about a dozen notes, and suggestions on what needs cleaning so that I could rigorously go through all the arguments to check everything and give a better assessment of the paper. I gave it a gut feeling of about what level of quality the paper seemed to be, relating it to another paper in the close literature. In the report, I said I would be happy to referee the paper more fully after these preliminary edits are made.</p>
<p>Almost a month has gone by and the editor has not acknowledged my emailing of the referee report to him. Do I wait to see if he acknowledges my report or does this get stuck in the ether without me knowing the result of the paper? Do I email him asking if he received my referee report? Was I wrong in sending it back to the authors so quickly to ask for more clarity? Or should I be taking a back seat to this and only responding when prompted and going along my merry way?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40624,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>My experience has been that a review acknowledgement should come immediately---usually via an automated system, but quite rapidly even when there isn't one. This is sensible: otherwise, how do you know that your review was actually received? You should feel free to query the editor on this matter.</p>\n\n<p>Your assessment of the paper sounds a bit unconventional, but essentially boils down to a recommendation for major revision. It's possible you haven't heard back because the editor doesn't have all the reviews in, and some journals never actually tell you what the final result is.</p>\n\n<p>Do check, however, that the journal is really a reasonable that you want to be associated with... review by informal email with a non-communicative editor would be a very bad sign in my field...</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40630,
"author": "Peter Jansson",
"author_id": 4394,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4394",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>If you send in a review by e-mail, not through an automated system which will most likely spit out an automatic mail in response, common decency would dictate you should get an acknowledgement of receipt. But, this does not mean you receive one in all cases. What seems a good way forward is to simply send an e-mail to the editor (or to whom you sent the review) inquiring whether or not the review arrived safely since you did not hear back. There is no guarantee this will be credited with a response either and then you should probably just drop it and I would also argue the journal/journal editor is not very careful with their correspondence. This does not reflect well on the journal so as already suggested elsewhere, the journal may not be worthwhile any future efforts for reviews or publishing.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/02/26
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40619",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12656/"
] |
40,626 |
<p>I have been reading that a publisher called WIT Press has the following copyright agreement:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.icsis.org/WITcopyright.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.icsis.org/WITcopyright.pdf</a></p>
<p>It has one part that says: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>We will not withhold permission for any reasonable request from you
to publish parts of this paper in connection with any other work by
you, provided the usual acknowledgements are given regarding
copyright notice and reference to the original publication.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>What does it really mean? It means that if a paper submitted to that publisher gets accepted I cannot put it on my personal webpage or in the repository of the university that I am?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40631,
"author": "Flyto",
"author_id": 8394,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/8394",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>By default, you hold the copyright for everything you write (note that some things such as contracts of employment may change this default).</p>\n\n<p>When you \"assign\" the copyright, as often one must to an academic publisher, you give <em>them</em> control over your work. At that point you are correct that you would not be able to put it on your personal webpage without permission from the copyright holder - although in practice many publishers have policies that grant you permission to do this.</p>\n\n<p>The part of the article that you quote appears to be promising that the publisher in question will grant you permission to use parts of your own work in other work, under certain conditions.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40636,
"author": "Colin McLarty",
"author_id": 27912,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27912",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You should ask the publisher. It is simply obvious they will give permission \"under certain conditions.\" The concern is to know what those conditions are. I find the wording about \"any reasonable request\" vague and much less author-friendly that what I usually see. But their actual intent might be just fine. Ask specifically about your personal webpage or in the repository of the university. Most publishers in my experience talk about those things in their copyright transfer form in the first place.</p>\n\n<p>Do not approach this by trying to guess what is \"reasonable.\"</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40997,
"author": "Andrew",
"author_id": 27825,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27825",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>This copyright statement <strong>does not say</strong> whether you can put it on the repository or your personal website. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like WIT Press actually have a clear policy on this. The \"publish parts of this paper in connection with any other work by you\" wording is usually used to refer to, as Simon says, reusing parts in later publications.</p>\n\n<p>SHERPA/Romeo list WIT's journal policies as \"unknown\" (see eg the <a href=\"http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/search.php?source=journal&sourceid=3606&la=en&fIDnum=%7C&mode=simple\" rel=\"nofollow\">International Journal of Safety and Security Engineering entry</a>, which suggests they do not have a repository (etc) policy at all. If they don't have one, you can't assume you're allowed to do it - they <em>may</em> let you if you ask, but you'd have to ask, and they can say no.</p>\n\n<p>If you're required to deposit material in an institutional/funder repository, talk to your institution or funder before publishing in this journal. (WIT do have a very limited paid \"open access\" system, but this is unusually restrictive, and would not comply with many funder OA policies in any case)</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/02/26
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40626",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6144/"
] |
40,635 |
<p>I was asked to review a paper which was submitted to a conference. The author of the paper was one of my former professors* and of course I declined to review the submission due to conflict interest.</p>
<p>I was wondering however, would it be unethical to write an email to my professor give him a feedback on the paper and perhaps, provide him some kind of unofficial review? </p>
<p>Of course it would not change the fate of the paper but if the paper gets accepted, they can use my pseudo-review when doing their final editing. I was not sure if this is ethical and/or according to the etiquette of academia.</p>
<p><strong>Edit</strong>: Perhaps I should clarify what do I mean by <em>feedback</em>. What I had in my mind wasn't a complete review but rather some suggestions. Something in the lines of:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Very interesting stuff bla bla... however, I think it would be better
if you had written sec. IV in this fashion and you add data-field foo
to figure bar.</p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<p>*<sub>I have a good relationship with professor but we never had any projects or publications together.</sub></p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40638,
"author": "che_kid",
"author_id": 6093,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6093",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>My gut instinct is to avoid doing this. Typically reviews are supposed to be anonymous and letting the professor know you've seen it breaks the anonymity of it all. You may be breaking the ethical guidelines of the conference.</p>\n\n<p><em>Best case scenario</em>: the professor appreciates your comments, and nothing else happens.\n<em>Worst case scenario</em>: it becomes known what you did and people (editors, other researchers, etc.) stop trusting you.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40641,
"author": "user1258240",
"author_id": 29406,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/29406",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>There might be an ethical problem with telling the professor that you were asked to review his paper, but I think it's a minor issue: the anonymity of the reviewers is mostly there to allow them to give their opinion freely. If you are eventually not reviewing the paper then I don't think you are required to preserve that anonymity (even if you do review the paper, it's not totally clear that you must stay quiet about it). </p>\n\n<p>And if the paper is available online on some archive or on the authors' web pages, then it is definitely ok to give the authors your opinion based on the online version if there is a plausible way in which you could know about the paper had you not been asked about it.</p>\n\n<p>I feel that you main concern is that the fact that the paper was sent to you in error would give the authors an unfair advantage by giving them the opportunity to hear your opinion about it. Well, it is unfair, as are many things in life, but not un-ethical. Ethics is there to keep science working well and making progress, and by letting the authors know your opinion you are doing exactly that. Fairness is only relevant when there is competition for competition's sake, and science should not be that.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40650,
"author": "Zibbobz",
"author_id": 23717,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/23717",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>That depends upon the guildelines of your review board. Consult the person or group that organized the peer review, and ask them if it would be acceptable practice. If you strongly wish to send this feedback, mention to the group that you will not mention the names of the other peer reviewers (if you know them) or any other facts about the review, and will only be addressing the content itself. </p>\n\n<p>From there, it becomes an issue of whether or not the group will allow it, and act on the assumption that they will <strong>not</strong> until proven otherwise, to avoid being placed in a sticky spot. </p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p>You can also ask if the paper will be made public after the conference, and if so then you should be able to offer your critique afterwards without any ethical qualms, except to mention to the professor why you withheld the comments (to avoid compromising ethical guidelines). </p>\n\n<p>I think you should be safe giving your professor this feedback as long as you don't breach the anonymity of the peer reviewers that are on his review board - but don't assume that is the case. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40682,
"author": "RoboKaren",
"author_id": 14885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14885",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I've had anonymous reviewers disclose to me and I've always found it very uncomfortable. Almost as if they were asking for a tit-for-tat (an unspoken \"I wrote a positive review of your paper, so I hope you return the favor in the future\").</p>\n\n<p>Unless the issues you found would be something that only <em>you</em> with your specialized expertise could provide insight into -- or there is something damning that needs to be said or people will die, I'd just hold your tongue. Wait until the paper comes out and then comment on it as if you've never seen it before. </p>\n\n<p>Alternately, if the prof has posted a line in his CV with the paper's title and a note \"under review\" -- you could ask him for a copy of the draft and then send back comments as if you had just seen it de novo.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40688,
"author": "Danny Ruijters",
"author_id": 28830,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28830",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Of course you could send your feedback anonymously to the mentioned professor, using an anonymous email service. In that case you would not breach any guidelines as you would not have revealed yourself. In the email you could explain that you declined to review due to conflict of interest, but want to send some suggestions anyway.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40697,
"author": "cbeleites unhappy with SX",
"author_id": 725,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/725",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Summary: I don't see any particular problem in discussing the paper with the authors. But I do have a problem with an editor sending out <em>full</em> manuscripts <em>before</em> confidentiality is agreed upon. As a reviewer and researcher, I want to be able to regain my full freedom of speaking to the authors by declining to review. </p>\n\n<p>Here, a diplomatic approach may be </p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>to let the authors know you were asked and have declined to review, and</li>\n<li>ask them whether they would like to discuss the paper</li>\n<li>suggest to the editor to switch to a process where reviewers accept or decline based on title, abstract (and author names if not double blinded) only and do not get the full manuscript until they accepted to review.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<hr>\n\n<ul>\n<li><p>In my field, agreeing to treat the manuscript confidential happens when accepting to review. </p></li>\n<li><p>I assume that there was no process where the OP signed up as reviewer and at that point agreed to confidentiality. (Otherwise I suppose this question wouldn't have been asked)</p></li>\n<li><p>I also assume that this question wouldn't have been asked if the manuscript was attached to an email that clearly says \"keep this confidential\".<br>\nAlthough I object to this situation: I prefer to agree to confidentiality on a case by case basis rather than being bound to it by an email I cannot influence. The extreme case of what makes me uneasy here would the ridiculous situation that I'm bound to not talk to a close colleague because a 3rd party sent me some email.<br>\nBeing \"spoiled\" by the practice in my field, I'd now answer the editor in question that I do not want to receive confidential information such as the full manuscript before having agreed to confidentiality and I'm not available as reviewer in a procedure where even declining to review binds me to not talk to the authors about the manuscript. I'd also point out that the decide-by-abstract procedure practically avoids the problem. Yes, I do keep the abstract confidential but that is no practical limitation for my work as researcher: title and abstract typically do not contain information (in my field) that wasn't available already from conference proceedings/talks (I'm in a proceedings-are-unimportant field). There's typically nothing to talk about in the abstract, at least nothing that cannot wait until the paper is out officially. </p></li>\n<li><p>Last but not least, IANAL, but from the editor's perspective I would not rely on a one-sided confidentiality \"agreement\" in unsolicited email (full manuscript attached to \"do you accept for review?\"-email as legally valid across all kinds of legislations. Explicit consent to confidentiality is IMHO legally much safer, ethically much better, and not so difficult to implement: </p></li>\n<li><p>In my field, the decision to accept or decline to do a review is done based on title + abstract (+ author names). \nThat way, I don't get particularly sensitive/confidential information before having agreed to treat it as such and the problem is avoided.<br>\nMaybe you could suggest this to the editor.</p></li>\n<li><p>Also from this point of view, it was the <em>editor</em> who violated the confidentiality. After all: there's no way to say how many other people got the manuscript without agreeing to confidentiality. Blaming the OP for discussing the paper with the author is killing the messenger of the bad news.</p></li>\n<li><p>The major ethical problem on the OP's side was solved appropriately by declining to review a paper of a close colleague.</p></li>\n<li><p>I then don't see any problem giving feedback to a close colleague. Discussing science and papers and manuscripts is what you do with close colleagues. Otherwise they aren't close collegues IMHO. </p></li>\n<li><p>Just to be clear: I do make a rather large distinction between confidentiality towards third parties and being restricted in talking to the authors. </p></li>\n<li>If I need to decline the review in order to be free to discuss with the authors whatever I want, that's fine. But I need the ethical and legal possibility to keep this freedom, so collaborations are not strained by reviews I didn't even do.<br>\nWhile close colleagues shouldn't be invited to review at least for a couple of years, I know of several instances where this happened (oversight by overworked editor I assume). </li>\n</ul>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40700,
"author": "Peter Jansson",
"author_id": 4394,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4394",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The question covers a wider issue than what you explicitly ask. To contact an author about a manuscript that you have not reviewed is not unethical as such but carries with it several other issues. You will essentially provide comments as any other colleague of the authors would except the comments would be unsolicited. If you contacted the authors as a reviewer outside of the review process the matter would be very different, of course.</p>\n\n<p>First, there is the personal issue. How well do you know your former professor, do you think he/she will react positively to your comments \"out of the blue\"? I think it is worth thinking twice about providing comments on something the author would not expect you would necessarily see other than as a reviewer of course. If this happened to me and the colleague was a close friend with whom I feel comfortable discussing our respective science freely it would not be a problem. But, somewhere is a line where the comments would be come uncomfortable due to an uncertainty about the reaction.</p>\n\n<p>Second, as an author, I would not expect the journal/conference to send out the entire article when asking for reviews. That behaviour is closer to unethical than what your question concerns. It is more appropriate to provide the title and abstract to the prospective reviewer so here I think the conference, in this case, should make their routines more strict. As you can see from this perspective, it is not your fault you have gained access to the entire manuscript so at least you are not, in my opinion, breaking any confidence, that has already been broken by \"the conference\".</p>\n\n<p>So while I do not see any strictly ethical problems with providing comments, you should perhaps consider the action twice before continuing for the first reason above. I am sure there are differing opinion about this but the main problem here lies in the fact that you were given access to the entire manuscript even though you have not agreed to be a reviewer. In an open review system this would be perfectly fine but I would be quite irritated if I found my manuscript has been distributed to large numbers of prospective reviewers.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40709,
"author": "Anonymous Mathematician",
"author_id": 612,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/612",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>As <a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/40641/\">user1258240 pointed out</a>, if the paper is publicly available you can avoid the entire issue of how it came to your attention. But if it isn't, then you shouldn't get in touch with the authors directly:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li><p>There's at least a mild ethical issue, namely why you read the paper at all, rather than discarding it once you recognized the conflict of interest. You would have had a legitimate reason to read it as a reviewer, but now you've put yourself in the same potentially awkward position as a reviewer (where you have to be careful not to take advantage of having early access to the paper's contents) without the justification. It may have been simple curiosity on your part, but it could also look a little suspicious, like you hope to derive some benefit from having read the paper.</p></li>\n<li><p>Identifying yourself to the authors could make this impression worse. The illegitimate benefit you're deriving could be getting to show off in front of the authors or establishing that they are in your debt. (On the other hand, sending anonymous e-mail with unofficial feedback feels creepy to me.)</p></li>\n<li><p>Even aside from whether it's actually unethical, you don't want to get a reputation as someone who pushes ethical boundaries. That can leave people with an uncomfortable impression, like you're a loose cannon who might cause trouble even while you're trying to behave ethically.</p></li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>Instead of contacting the authors yourself, you could write to the editor and ask whether you could supply unofficial feedback, which the editor wouldn't use for deciding whether to accept the paper (but would provide to the authors). It can't hurt to ask, and the editor might agree. However, I'd avoid saying that you've already read the paper, since I think there's a good chance the editor will say \"No, if you have a conflict of interest you shouldn't even read the paper in the first place.\"</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/02/26
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40635",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12666/"
] |
40,637 |
<p>I'm giving a talk summarizing someone else's paper and I'd like to show some figures from their paper during my presentation. It's an informal talk to fellow students and a few professors at my school. Would it okay to just have a PDF of their paper up on the screen showing the figures needed? Should I obtain permission before I do this?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40638,
"author": "che_kid",
"author_id": 6093,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6093",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>My gut instinct is to avoid doing this. Typically reviews are supposed to be anonymous and letting the professor know you've seen it breaks the anonymity of it all. You may be breaking the ethical guidelines of the conference.</p>\n\n<p><em>Best case scenario</em>: the professor appreciates your comments, and nothing else happens.\n<em>Worst case scenario</em>: it becomes known what you did and people (editors, other researchers, etc.) stop trusting you.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40641,
"author": "user1258240",
"author_id": 29406,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/29406",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>There might be an ethical problem with telling the professor that you were asked to review his paper, but I think it's a minor issue: the anonymity of the reviewers is mostly there to allow them to give their opinion freely. If you are eventually not reviewing the paper then I don't think you are required to preserve that anonymity (even if you do review the paper, it's not totally clear that you must stay quiet about it). </p>\n\n<p>And if the paper is available online on some archive or on the authors' web pages, then it is definitely ok to give the authors your opinion based on the online version if there is a plausible way in which you could know about the paper had you not been asked about it.</p>\n\n<p>I feel that you main concern is that the fact that the paper was sent to you in error would give the authors an unfair advantage by giving them the opportunity to hear your opinion about it. Well, it is unfair, as are many things in life, but not un-ethical. Ethics is there to keep science working well and making progress, and by letting the authors know your opinion you are doing exactly that. Fairness is only relevant when there is competition for competition's sake, and science should not be that.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40650,
"author": "Zibbobz",
"author_id": 23717,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/23717",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>That depends upon the guildelines of your review board. Consult the person or group that organized the peer review, and ask them if it would be acceptable practice. If you strongly wish to send this feedback, mention to the group that you will not mention the names of the other peer reviewers (if you know them) or any other facts about the review, and will only be addressing the content itself. </p>\n\n<p>From there, it becomes an issue of whether or not the group will allow it, and act on the assumption that they will <strong>not</strong> until proven otherwise, to avoid being placed in a sticky spot. </p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p>You can also ask if the paper will be made public after the conference, and if so then you should be able to offer your critique afterwards without any ethical qualms, except to mention to the professor why you withheld the comments (to avoid compromising ethical guidelines). </p>\n\n<p>I think you should be safe giving your professor this feedback as long as you don't breach the anonymity of the peer reviewers that are on his review board - but don't assume that is the case. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40682,
"author": "RoboKaren",
"author_id": 14885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14885",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I've had anonymous reviewers disclose to me and I've always found it very uncomfortable. Almost as if they were asking for a tit-for-tat (an unspoken \"I wrote a positive review of your paper, so I hope you return the favor in the future\").</p>\n\n<p>Unless the issues you found would be something that only <em>you</em> with your specialized expertise could provide insight into -- or there is something damning that needs to be said or people will die, I'd just hold your tongue. Wait until the paper comes out and then comment on it as if you've never seen it before. </p>\n\n<p>Alternately, if the prof has posted a line in his CV with the paper's title and a note \"under review\" -- you could ask him for a copy of the draft and then send back comments as if you had just seen it de novo.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40688,
"author": "Danny Ruijters",
"author_id": 28830,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28830",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Of course you could send your feedback anonymously to the mentioned professor, using an anonymous email service. In that case you would not breach any guidelines as you would not have revealed yourself. In the email you could explain that you declined to review due to conflict of interest, but want to send some suggestions anyway.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40697,
"author": "cbeleites unhappy with SX",
"author_id": 725,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/725",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Summary: I don't see any particular problem in discussing the paper with the authors. But I do have a problem with an editor sending out <em>full</em> manuscripts <em>before</em> confidentiality is agreed upon. As a reviewer and researcher, I want to be able to regain my full freedom of speaking to the authors by declining to review. </p>\n\n<p>Here, a diplomatic approach may be </p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>to let the authors know you were asked and have declined to review, and</li>\n<li>ask them whether they would like to discuss the paper</li>\n<li>suggest to the editor to switch to a process where reviewers accept or decline based on title, abstract (and author names if not double blinded) only and do not get the full manuscript until they accepted to review.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<hr>\n\n<ul>\n<li><p>In my field, agreeing to treat the manuscript confidential happens when accepting to review. </p></li>\n<li><p>I assume that there was no process where the OP signed up as reviewer and at that point agreed to confidentiality. (Otherwise I suppose this question wouldn't have been asked)</p></li>\n<li><p>I also assume that this question wouldn't have been asked if the manuscript was attached to an email that clearly says \"keep this confidential\".<br>\nAlthough I object to this situation: I prefer to agree to confidentiality on a case by case basis rather than being bound to it by an email I cannot influence. The extreme case of what makes me uneasy here would the ridiculous situation that I'm bound to not talk to a close colleague because a 3rd party sent me some email.<br>\nBeing \"spoiled\" by the practice in my field, I'd now answer the editor in question that I do not want to receive confidential information such as the full manuscript before having agreed to confidentiality and I'm not available as reviewer in a procedure where even declining to review binds me to not talk to the authors about the manuscript. I'd also point out that the decide-by-abstract procedure practically avoids the problem. Yes, I do keep the abstract confidential but that is no practical limitation for my work as researcher: title and abstract typically do not contain information (in my field) that wasn't available already from conference proceedings/talks (I'm in a proceedings-are-unimportant field). There's typically nothing to talk about in the abstract, at least nothing that cannot wait until the paper is out officially. </p></li>\n<li><p>Last but not least, IANAL, but from the editor's perspective I would not rely on a one-sided confidentiality \"agreement\" in unsolicited email (full manuscript attached to \"do you accept for review?\"-email as legally valid across all kinds of legislations. Explicit consent to confidentiality is IMHO legally much safer, ethically much better, and not so difficult to implement: </p></li>\n<li><p>In my field, the decision to accept or decline to do a review is done based on title + abstract (+ author names). \nThat way, I don't get particularly sensitive/confidential information before having agreed to treat it as such and the problem is avoided.<br>\nMaybe you could suggest this to the editor.</p></li>\n<li><p>Also from this point of view, it was the <em>editor</em> who violated the confidentiality. After all: there's no way to say how many other people got the manuscript without agreeing to confidentiality. Blaming the OP for discussing the paper with the author is killing the messenger of the bad news.</p></li>\n<li><p>The major ethical problem on the OP's side was solved appropriately by declining to review a paper of a close colleague.</p></li>\n<li><p>I then don't see any problem giving feedback to a close colleague. Discussing science and papers and manuscripts is what you do with close colleagues. Otherwise they aren't close collegues IMHO. </p></li>\n<li><p>Just to be clear: I do make a rather large distinction between confidentiality towards third parties and being restricted in talking to the authors. </p></li>\n<li>If I need to decline the review in order to be free to discuss with the authors whatever I want, that's fine. But I need the ethical and legal possibility to keep this freedom, so collaborations are not strained by reviews I didn't even do.<br>\nWhile close colleagues shouldn't be invited to review at least for a couple of years, I know of several instances where this happened (oversight by overworked editor I assume). </li>\n</ul>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40700,
"author": "Peter Jansson",
"author_id": 4394,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4394",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The question covers a wider issue than what you explicitly ask. To contact an author about a manuscript that you have not reviewed is not unethical as such but carries with it several other issues. You will essentially provide comments as any other colleague of the authors would except the comments would be unsolicited. If you contacted the authors as a reviewer outside of the review process the matter would be very different, of course.</p>\n\n<p>First, there is the personal issue. How well do you know your former professor, do you think he/she will react positively to your comments \"out of the blue\"? I think it is worth thinking twice about providing comments on something the author would not expect you would necessarily see other than as a reviewer of course. If this happened to me and the colleague was a close friend with whom I feel comfortable discussing our respective science freely it would not be a problem. But, somewhere is a line where the comments would be come uncomfortable due to an uncertainty about the reaction.</p>\n\n<p>Second, as an author, I would not expect the journal/conference to send out the entire article when asking for reviews. That behaviour is closer to unethical than what your question concerns. It is more appropriate to provide the title and abstract to the prospective reviewer so here I think the conference, in this case, should make their routines more strict. As you can see from this perspective, it is not your fault you have gained access to the entire manuscript so at least you are not, in my opinion, breaking any confidence, that has already been broken by \"the conference\".</p>\n\n<p>So while I do not see any strictly ethical problems with providing comments, you should perhaps consider the action twice before continuing for the first reason above. I am sure there are differing opinion about this but the main problem here lies in the fact that you were given access to the entire manuscript even though you have not agreed to be a reviewer. In an open review system this would be perfectly fine but I would be quite irritated if I found my manuscript has been distributed to large numbers of prospective reviewers.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40709,
"author": "Anonymous Mathematician",
"author_id": 612,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/612",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>As <a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/40641/\">user1258240 pointed out</a>, if the paper is publicly available you can avoid the entire issue of how it came to your attention. But if it isn't, then you shouldn't get in touch with the authors directly:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li><p>There's at least a mild ethical issue, namely why you read the paper at all, rather than discarding it once you recognized the conflict of interest. You would have had a legitimate reason to read it as a reviewer, but now you've put yourself in the same potentially awkward position as a reviewer (where you have to be careful not to take advantage of having early access to the paper's contents) without the justification. It may have been simple curiosity on your part, but it could also look a little suspicious, like you hope to derive some benefit from having read the paper.</p></li>\n<li><p>Identifying yourself to the authors could make this impression worse. The illegitimate benefit you're deriving could be getting to show off in front of the authors or establishing that they are in your debt. (On the other hand, sending anonymous e-mail with unofficial feedback feels creepy to me.)</p></li>\n<li><p>Even aside from whether it's actually unethical, you don't want to get a reputation as someone who pushes ethical boundaries. That can leave people with an uncomfortable impression, like you're a loose cannon who might cause trouble even while you're trying to behave ethically.</p></li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>Instead of contacting the authors yourself, you could write to the editor and ask whether you could supply unofficial feedback, which the editor wouldn't use for deciding whether to accept the paper (but would provide to the authors). It can't hurt to ask, and the editor might agree. However, I'd avoid saying that you've already read the paper, since I think there's a good chance the editor will say \"No, if you have a conflict of interest you shouldn't even read the paper in the first place.\"</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/02/26
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40637",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/21536/"
] |
40,647 |
<p>I have been curious about why so many journals only accept EPS for vector graphs rather than PDF.</p>
<p>It is indeed weird because these journals have to convert EPS figures to PDF anyway. Adobe also suggests to use PDF instead of EPS.</p>
<p>For me, EPS is much hard to view and process than PDF. Does EPS makes a journal editor's life easier? Why?</p>
<p>In addition, as far as I understand, PDF is an open standard format that is free to anyone (relative sure), while EPS is copyrighted by Adobe (not very sure).</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40648,
"author": "Damian Nikodem",
"author_id": 30775,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30775",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Eps is a format designed specifically for printing. All publishing companies have eps and ps editing capacity . </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40652,
"author": "Federico Poloni",
"author_id": 958,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/958",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>The <code>eps</code> format used to be the only possibility for including graphics in (La)TeX. Now the more modern alternative is using <code>pdflatex</code>, which also supports other more common graphic formats natively (such as pdf).</p>\n\n<p>Most journals have outdated LaTeX processing pipelines, so they are still using eps. (And, frankly, they have little incentive to get more modern, since they are in a strong oligopoly position.)</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40655,
"author": "Cape Code",
"author_id": 10643,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10643",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The most probable reason is that many publishers use Adobe products (such as InDesign) in their production and these used to rely heavily on EPS. This might change in the future as PDF becomes more popular. </p>\n\n<p>Also, EPS is an open format, which means any graphing or vector graphics program (like Inkscape) have options to save artwork and plots in EPS. Not to mention Matlab and the like.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 138114,
"author": "Niel Malan",
"author_id": 114792,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/114792",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>EPS is a vector format, which means it's a mathematical description of the graph or diagram. This can be edited automatically, for example a script can change all the colours in the graph to shades of gray. EPS figures can be scaled to any size without loss of resolution.</p>\n\n<p>PDF can include vector graphics, in the EPS or other formats, but it can also include raster images, which can not so easily be edited by scripts, and is problematic to scale to different sizes. If the submitter submits a PDF graph, which might display and print beautifully on their computer, it might be either a raster image or a vector image, <em>and the publisher has no way to tell without opening the PDF.</em> </p>\n\n<p>Most authors don't know if the software they use produce vector-based or raster-based PDF images. For all they know their PDF of a beautiful graph might be an embedded Flash image. It will print beautifully, but it will not fit into the publisher's workflow. </p>\n\n<p>The only way for a publisher to ensure they get a vector image is to require a vector format. In future they might switch to SVG or a more modern vector format, but for the moment EPS is still widely supported.</p>\n\n<p>In summary: while PDF is a perfectly good format to submit to <em>printers</em>, it can easily cause problems to <em>editors</em> (and their technical staff), so for the moment they demand EPS.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/02/26
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40647",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15547/"
] |
40,649 |
<p>I have written a math paper on combinatorics (a generalization of a math olympiad problem) and am looking to get it published. I believe I have discovered something new (although I don't claim it is "important" in the sense of being a breakthrough or anything) and want to get credit for it. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find anyone to endorse me to publish on arxiv, so I'm trying to get it published in another (less popular) repository that doesn't need endorsement.</p>
<p>Any suggestions? Things I have looked at so far:</p>
<ul>
<li>academia.edu - apparently this isn't safe enough for protecting your work.</li>
<li>hal archives ouvertes - I tried searching about this one but there's no information regarding how trustworthy it is, etc.</li>
<li>github - this seems to be for computer science.</li>
<li>vixra - looked promising at first considering the "everything gets accepted" rule, but then the downside is that people have started viewing it as an arxiv for crackpots, so it doesn't seem like a good idea to publish there, but this being my first paper I'm not so sure.</li>
</ul>
<p>I would love to hear your thoughts on this and any advice you can give.</p>
<p>Note: I'm not prepared to send my paper to any journals so that is out of the question at the moment.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40654,
"author": "Piotr Migdal",
"author_id": 49,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/49",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>First, if it is not submission-ready, then it is unlikely that it is arXiv-ready either.</p>\n\n<p>If you put it in another place, you won't get much prestige or recognition, so I would aim at a place accessible to everyone (without login) - your homepage, GitHub or anything (it does not matter). It may be a good place if you want to start discussions.</p>\n\n<p>Second, it is rather unlikely that it's something ground-breaking that everyone would like to steal from you. (But don't get discouraged - it is certainly possible that it is an <em>interesting</em> result!) You would benefit more from discussions than have to lose.</p>\n\n<p>Third, some guidance is needed. Ideally, you can consult it with a friendly teacher, professor or PhD student. If not possible, one way to go is to try some research-level competitions for high school students (e.g. like <a href=\"http://www.ifpan.edu.pl/firststep/\">First Step to Nobel Prize in Physics</a>, <a href=\"http://ec.europa.eu/research/eucys/index_en.cfm?pg=home\">European Union For Young Scientists</a> or something in that line). Even if you don't win anything (those are very though competitions) you might get some feedback. Additionally, <del>even</del> in Poland there are a few local competitions for works in mathematics by high schools students (e.g. <a href=\"http://spinor.edu.pl/sejmik.php\">this</a> and <a href=\"http://www.deltami.edu.pl/delta/redakcja/konkurs_prac_uczniowskich/\">that</a>). I am sure in UK there are also some. If you did something in a Math Olympiad, you can try asking organizers if they know such competitions (or someone suitable for mentoring you).</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40671,
"author": "Dane Bouchie",
"author_id": 31011,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31011",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I am actually just a few steps ahead of your shoes, so I'll tell you what I'm doing, that I think might help you as well.</p>\n\n<p>In high-school I also found something interesting in mathematics. I've been developing it for a year now, so now that I'm in college I tried taking it to professors. Surprisingly, none of them had much interest in primality testing. After doing a little research of my own and looking publications similar to what I am working on, I found a few journals that have published similar work to mine. Looking at the requirements of the journal submission, I found their TeX format and I am now currently working to format my work in TeX before I submit my work to a Journal. </p>\n\n<p>So my advice, although I can't relate to success yet, would be if the work you are doing is relevant enough (that it might have a use for someone else), then:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>Turn it into TeX if you haven't yet</li>\n<li>Make sure your work has a good \"story\" (Explain the work and its relevance thoroughly)</li>\n<li>Make sure grammar and spelling are flawless</li>\n<li>Find a couple Journals you could possibly submit it to, and pick the top one (Look at other's work and papers, and remember, typically you can only submit to one journal simultaneously)</li>\n<li>Format and submit</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>I've found that the proof itself is less than half the work. And its taken me a couple months to were I'm at (near-finishing an semi-important generalization and a new algorithm in publication format). So just keep working on it, and give it effort. Best of Luck!</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/02/26
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40649",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30793/"
] |
40,657 |
<p>I am working in a highly technical field (quantitative finance/ statistical analysis) for a private company with a Master of Science degree in economics. </p>
<p>Does it make sense to get a PhD (in quantitative finance, math, statistics) if I do not want to be in academia and prefer to stay in business. </p>
<p>What I expect from PhD: </p>
<ol>
<li>Structure and deepen my knowledge in the relevant fields through
high quality classes (where I sit and listen and learn and do
homework to make sure that I have learned).</li>
<li>Get the ability to read any scientific article in the related fields and without much pain understand 90% of it to the very last detail (and implement ideas from the article in my work).</li>
<li>Possibly acquire certain thinking and problem solving culture (so vague... and I guess after my Master I have a fair part of it already(?)) </li>
</ol>
<p>Also important:</p>
<ol>
<li>PhD was never mentioned as a prerequisite for a promotion or a salary increase. </li>
<li>My colleges who have PhD are not visibly advantaged by the company (do not know about the rest of the industry, but the company being a big player is representative of it).</li>
<li>I enjoy learning new stuff on my own (not a problem to spend many nights with a math book), but hate the status of a student (little money, slave of professors and their peculiar exam requirements). </li>
</ol>
<p>So should I go for a PhD or rather a specialized Master, or develop myself through separate university courses of my choice and professional programs + self-study? </p>
<p>Any pieces of advice from people used to be in my situation?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40659,
"author": "peterh",
"author_id": 10234,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10234",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p><strong>If you absolutely won't an academical carrier, then the price of the Phd is probably too big for you.</strong></p>\n\n<p>Yes, in this case it means 5-6 years of needless and low-paid hard work for you. If you want to <em>research</em>, it will be later the \"golden age\" of your life. Everything has its cost. I know many Phd owners thinking similarly to you, and I know also people who left the academy after MSc and they repent this in their entire life.</p>\n\n<p><strong>Working by that company isn't the only option for you.</strong></p>\n\n<p>Your <em>market</em> <em>value</em> will get higher, much higher, by your PhD - especially if you can find a job around your research area. On the nearer region I know better the wage difference between MSc and Phd is around 30-50%.</p>\n\n<p>But you have your <em>role</em> by your current employer. This role doesn't change automatically. Your promotion depends not only on your degree, but on the possibilities which this company can give you.</p>\n\n<p>Every hierarchy has its limits for you. Its limits, until them it allows you to advance. Over this limits you can't advance efficiently.</p>\n\n<p>On my experience, it is a very common thing, that getting an academical degree results a workplace change in a year.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40667,
"author": "Daniel Wessel",
"author_id": 26614,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/26614",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>PhDs programs vary depending on country and discipline. In some countries, it's possible to do a PhD while working a full-time job. That incurs a very high workload and I would only recommend doing so if you are pretty much bored by your day-job and can do it 'en passant' (and are willing to say good-bye to your private life).</p>\n\n<p>As for the expectations, also difficult to answer, but I think:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>you can become an expert in the tiny area where you specialize. How long you can keep that expertise once you are out of Academia and no longer being part of the research community is another question. As for applicability, I think in many disciplines there are intermediary steps between research and public use by professionals. It's less papers that make a difference but books that summarize research (e.g., many papers).</li>\n<li>you will likely get an understanding of how science actually works in your discipline. A view behind the curtain, so to speak. I did a PhD in psychology and found it very enlightening and would not have missed it for the world.</li>\n<li>you will likely be able to work with scientific literature, e.g., knowing how to quickly skim articles and extract the relevant parts. Personally, I think few people read articles like they read books, so going for 90% does not make sense to me. Papers aren't meant to learn about a subject. They are meant to communicate findings on a very specialized subject.</li>\n<li>thinking and problem solving yes, also (if successful) persistence and dealing with setbacks and failures.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>As for the advantage of having a PhD, what about those in higher positions, do they have PhDs? What about in other companies? I think a PhD is the entrance card to Academia, not something that should be used for promotion, but others might (and do) think differently.</p>\n\n<p>Personally, I think the main advantage of doing a PhD in your situation would be to find someone in Academia you like to work with, use your practical background (something many students lack IMO), and use the opportunity to contribute something under the scrutiny of Academia (which is a \"joy\" of its own). But seriously, in contrast to learning on your own your thesis has to be accepted and if you get someone who is critical, it might really be beneficial. At best, do it while continue to work for your company and with their support. Just expect it to be very stressful. A PhD in itself is already a full-time job.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40679,
"author": "user2350366",
"author_id": 9589,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/9589",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Ultimately no one else can make this decision for you. At best we can give our biased (after all many of us here will have taken the PhD/academic route) opinions.</p>\n\n<p>First of all doing a PhD for financial or career reasons is not, in general, a good idea. Yes we all know the story of google, but Larry Page and Sergey Brin didn't go into the PhD planning to make it big and it was their passion that produced google. A PhD is a long and sometimes painful process taken on because the individual gets a buzz from the challenge, the field and a desire to push it forward. There will be weeks if not months when nothing is working or making sense. I think it was Boot and Randall, after having developed the high-power magnetron for radar at Birmingham university and giving the allies a much needed early warning system, who attributed their success to something akin to \"the one day in which all the equipment in the lab happen to work\". Tongue and cheek and modesty no doubt, but it serves as a good antidote to research life - very few things, codes included, work first time! Its the burning passion that keeps you going time and time again until you get results. </p>\n\n<p>Second, a PhD is not taught (Not sure where your from but the USA and some European PhD's do have a taught masters in the first year, but this is not the norm in Europe). Classes to a large extent are not an efficient use of time, they serve to give a broader overview of the field but will certainly not be anywhere near enough to get you through a PhD. If its being taught in a class its not research! And its certainly not going to be a novel idea for your thesis. At the end of the PhD you should be the world expert on the niche area of your field, there are no (or few) textbooks on the subject - because you have written them yet!</p>\n\n<p>When reading papers, even the most experienced academics, are unlikely to understand everything first read, the specific technique maybe, the unique application? probably not. As a research you don’t want to waste time absorbing every little detail, just the bits relevant to your research. You simply don’t have time.</p>\n\n<p>Research does teach you a certain set of skills, first is how to deal with failure and keep going - Persistence. Project management (3 year long project after all) skills and of course critical thinking and problem solving skills, particularly in the technical areas.</p>\n\n<p>Now, none of what I said should be taken as trying to put you off but rather help you make an informed decision. You could possibly look at a research masters, known as an MRes? This may be the best of both worlds. Good luck with whatever you choose to do and remember you don't need PhD's or degrees to continue learning, someone above mentioned online course and these open access avenues are a great way to expand your knowledge.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40710,
"author": "Yasha",
"author_id": 28181,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28181",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>My gut suggestion? The PhD simply wouldn't be worth your time or energy. I applaud your interest in truly bettering yourself and making yourself the best candidate you can be, but if you've already found a great position with a good company, returning to a PhD would be a serious blow in your career. In order to complete a PhD, you'll have to leave your current job to return to full-time graduate student status, essentially take a 5 - 7 year hiatus from your current work, and then return back to the field with only a marginally higher market value.</p>\n<p>Remember: PhDs are <em>research degrees</em>. Whether you use that degree to enter into academia or into a private research organization doesn't matter, provided you're interested in conducting research. Doctoral level training is, at its core, a preparation for a specific vocation. Medical school teaches one to be a physician or surgeon; law school teaches one to be a lawyer; and PhDs teach one to be a researcher (the field of study is, in this analogy, unimportant).</p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>What I expect from PhD:</p>\n<ol>\n<li><p>Structure and deepen my knowledge in the relevant fields through high\nquality classes (where I sit and listen and learn and do homework to\nmake sure that I have learned).</p>\n</li>\n<li><p>Get the ability to read any scientific\narticle in the related fields and without much pain understand 90% of\nit to the very last detail (and implement ideas from the article in my\nwork).</p>\n</li>\n<li><p>Possibly acquire certain thinking and problem solving culture\n(so vague... and I guess after my Master I have a fair part of it\nalready(?))</p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</blockquote>\n<p>Regarding expectation #1, you have to remember that the bulk of a PhD is actually not coursework; it is self-directed research. In America, you'll spend 4-5 semesters taking structured courses, followed by 3-4 years of unstructured research. You're talking about 5 years during which you're:</p>\n<ol>\n<li>Not advancing in your career</li>\n<li>Not accruing significant income or putting money away</li>\n<li>Not establishing yourself within your field</li>\n</ol>\n<p>This leads to expectation #2. You will certainly emerge from a PhD program equipped to read scientific articles ... but that could be accomplished by taking 2 - 3 graduate-level courses at your local university. Why not see whether your current employer will pay for these specialized courses?</p>\n<p>Regarding expectation #3 - I'm not actually sure what this means.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/02/26
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40657",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28086/"
] |
40,661 |
<p>I have been accepted to a Ph.D. program in St. Louis, MO and will be visiting the school in late March. I will be reimbursed for flight tickets. The scheduled Open House runs from Thursday to Saturday, and I have been told to book my flights with arrival on Thursday and departure on Saturday. The flight ticket per those specifications is at least $510, while if I arrive on Thursday and depart on Sunday, it would be $50 less. Since I will be committing 5 years of my life to studying there, I would like to know that I like the place, in addition to liking the Department (which I do). So is it okay to ask the secretary if I can book my departure on Sunday and save them $50 (lodging that extra night will be on me)?</p>
<p>Additionally, the secretary said they will book my hotel stay themselves. I would like to know St. Louis a little better, so I would like to stay at an airbnb place (which is more than 50% less expensive). Would proposing to stay at the airbnb place instead of the hotel they provide considered a strange request?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40662,
"author": "Herman Toothrot",
"author_id": 4050,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4050",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It's perfectly acceptable to ask such thing, it does not make any difference to the department if you can show that the ticket price is the same or even less in your case. I suggest you try to stay longer if you can. When I was invited for an interview I was given a budget and I routed my flights the way I wanted.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40666,
"author": "xLeitix",
"author_id": 10094,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10094",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I see no problem with the flight. However, as Patricia mentions, there is a chance that they won't be thrilled about you staying somewhere else via AirBNB - if this is a larger \"Open House\" event, they may have some arrangements and events planned, and if not all people are at the same place logistics may get more complicated for them. However, of course <strong>you can always ask</strong>. No reasonable person would get annoyed by that.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/02/26
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40661",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/26799/"
] |
40,675 |
<p>or to other research organizations for example government labs?</p>
<p>I am currently a post doc at large and would like to co-write a proposal (probably NSF) with a Professor at a nearby University. With the funding, I'd be getting a salary and doing the majority of the work and the lead PI (the prof) would work partial time and time in the summer.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40676,
"author": "Brian Borchers",
"author_id": 4453,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4453",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>See the NSF web site at:</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappguide/nsf15001/gpg_1.jsp#categories\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappguide/nsf15001/gpg_1.jsp#categories</a></p>\n\n<p>Individuals don't generally apply directly for NSF funding. You could apply for certain grants as a non-profit or for-profit corporation, but the funding opportunities for these are limited. </p>\n\n<p>The most reasonable way for you to work this would be for your colleague to submit the proposal through the prof's university with an arrangement where you'd become an employee of the university if the grant is funded. It's also possible for the prof to submit a proposal and budget for you to work on the project as a consultant, but it can be harder to get such an arrangement approved. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40677,
"author": "che_kid",
"author_id": 6093,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6093",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You should read the guidelines for the program you are applying for to see who would be eligible in that program. My guess is that you may not be eligible to be PI, but possibly co-PI. </p>\n\n<p>Also be aware that success rates are pretty low with NSF and many governmental agencies (typically 5-25%), so don't count your salary before you get funded. It is a competitive world out there, so have many backup plans.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40683,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Every US funding agency has its own rules, and most agencies have many different types of programs with different intentions. For most (maybe all) agencies, this includes both funding to universities and funding to corporations, particularly under <a href=\"http://www.sbir.gov/\" rel=\"nofollow\">SBIR</a> programs. Some agencies will also fund individual consultants directly for various specialized roles, but that tends to happen mostly with rather senior individuals. </p>\n\n<p>Your options are even larger if you are not the PI, however, but a co-PI (I think this is actually what you want to do). For most agencies and most funding vehicles, the PI's organization can subcontract work with a fair degree of freedom. Also, there is <em>only</em> one PI, from the point of view of the contract: it doesn't matter if you call all the leaders PIs, the government is going to negotiate with one organization per contract, and that organization is going to be asked to designate one person be <em>the</em> PI, and in practice everybody else is co-PIs.</p>\n\n<p>For you, then, there are three main paths to take:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>Propose, with the professor as PI, under the plan that if funded you will become affiliated with the PI's university</li>\n<li>Propose, with the professor as PI, where you will be contracted as a consultant.</li>\n<li>Set up an <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limited_liability_company\" rel=\"nofollow\">LLC</a>, from which you can propose as PI, and subcontract to the professor. You'll have to comply with government contracting rules, which are painful, but much less so for SBIRs.</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>Number 1 is probably the best, unless you have some reason to avoid affiliation, in which case #2 is a good alternative. #3 doesn't have much advantage unless you intend to apply for SBIRs, and is still a pain to get started.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/02/27
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40675",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28991/"
] |
40,687 |
<p>When I worked in industry,
I had unchecked access to a huge stationery cupboard.
As did hundreds of other employees.</p>
<p>Full of useful things like:</p>
<ul>
<li>Files, folders, binders</li>
<li>coloured pens, mechanical pencils, markers</li>
<li>BlueTack, bull dog clips, coloured masking tape</li>
<li>index cards, A3 sketch books</li>
<li>postage paid envelopes</li>
</ul>
<p>and the list goes on. We got some more exciting stuff as it was Agile company.</p>
<p>A friend of mine working for the tax office had similar access to stationery, though without the extra Agile arts and crafts supplies. She did get all the pocket calculators she ever wanted, though.
I'm sure some companies even treat USB drives as disposable.</p>
<p>Point being in industry, the disposable tools you need to do your job were provided to you.</p>
<p>What I have found recently working as a research assistant is that nothing disposable is provided. There is no stationery cupboard to raid. When I need paper to throw together some math, I often end up using the back of a journal article I printed to read.</p>
<p>I can understand not supplying undergraduates, there are so many it is impossible to keep track of them. But there are a lot fewer staff/postgrads.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Is this normal for universities?</strong>
<ul>
<li>Is there likely to actually be a stationery cupboard (or fund) that I have just never noticed, and that I should ask my supervisor about?</li>
</ul></li>
<li><strong>If this is normal practice, what is the history/reasoning behind it?</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>It is not so much a issue of cost, it is tax deductible (for staff at least), and the pay (for staff) is generally high enough to dwarf these expenses, but of practicality. The same cost vs payrate, and tax deductions are true in industry, but big (and small) companies judge the productivity gain of no one spending 20 minutes going down to the store to buy a pen worth the costs (I guess).</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40692,
"author": "StrongBad",
"author_id": 929,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/929",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Stationary products, with the exception of prepaid postal envelopes, are not reimbursable from most grants and needed to be provided by the university as part of its infrastructure. How the university provides the stationary products is up to them, they can of a closet full of the required supplies, be willing to order them at no cost to grant holders, or provide grant holders with a sufficient portion of the grant overheads so that stationary products can be ordered. Every university I have studied or worked at has had a closet full of supplies and the office staff were willing to order special supplies within reason, but this doesn't mean other models do not exist. You just need to ask.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40734,
"author": "awsoci",
"author_id": 28324,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28324",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>There is a difference between faculty (both continuing and fixed term), sessional (casual staff) and students.</p>\n\n<p>At my university, the stationery supplies closet is in the photocopier room. Only faculty (continuing/fixed term staff) have access via their staff ID card. Sessional staff (teaching assistants, research assistants, casual lecturers not considered faculty etc) are not given access unless there are extenuating circumstances. Students, regardless of whether they are undergraduate or postgraduate, are expected to supply their own stationery. </p>\n\n<p>When we take stationery, we actually have to record it on a sheet with the staff id and so on. It's a bit pedantic but I think it's to avoid losing heaps of stationery taken by students. I don't think it used to be in a locked room but this has since changed.</p>\n\n<p>This may, or may not be the case at your university. If you are not continuing/fixed term staff (so considered part of faculty, you would know if you were actually part of faculty) then you might not actually have privilege to access stationery. Be worth checking. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40747,
"author": "RoboKaren",
"author_id": 14885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14885",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>At my large, elite, private R1 university with an endowment in the billions of dollars, all stationery purchases (copy paper, letterhead, name cards toner cartridges, staples, pens, paper clips) must come out of our individual faculty research accounts. </p>\n\n<p>It was not always this bad, but our current and past provosts in their infinite wisdom used the recessions of 2008 and 2001 to cut down the operating budgets of departments to the absolute minimum. No crisis gone to waste. Now, everything must come out of faculty research or external grant money.</p>\n\n<p>We dream of a future where the endowment growth will mean the return of free paper clips, but no one is holding their breath.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40793,
"author": "mako",
"author_id": 5962,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/5962",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It sounds, from the other answers, that not having access to free office supplies is not unheard of. Based on my experience, I would not call it \"normal\" either.</p>\n\n<p>I have been in three departments (engineering and social science) in major research universities and I have <em>always</em> had stationary provided for free. Every single thing on your list has been available and more. This includes two private and one public research universities. I just asked a colleague with experience in two different universities (both social science departments) and he said that staff and faculty have access to office supplies as well.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/02/27
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40687",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/8513/"
] |
40,690 |
<p>Is there a way for me to be notified automatically when a ACM or IEEE conference proceedings is published? I was unable to find such option in either of their websites. How else do researchers (professors, students, industry folks) who are interested in a particular conference, know that the Proceedings for a particular conference have been published?</p>
<p>TIA,
Jake Clawson</p>
<p>PS - I am aware of Google Scholar Alerts but I wanted to know when the entire proceedings have been published as compared to following an author or a specific paper.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40699,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Last year, I was the publication chair for an IEEE conference, meaning that I was responsible (among other things) for working with IEEE to get the proceedings onto <a href=\"http://ieeexplore.ieee.org\" rel=\"nofollow\">Xplore</a>. Now, more than six months since we turned in the proceedings to IEEE, and nearly as long after the conference was held, only one part of the proceedings is online. The IEEE repeatedly promises that the rest will go up \"soon,\" but no schedule is forthcoming. Moreover, even as publication chair, I have do not get any sort of systematic notification about the proceedings.</p>\n\n<p>Long story short: with IEEE, at least, it seems you can't. Maybe ACM is better, but I haven't worked with them on this...</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40852,
"author": "al_b",
"author_id": 5963,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/5963",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I know that you have asked specifically about IEEE/ACM, but assuming you are interested also in other CS conferences - with Springer you can get ToC of each new volume published, e.g., <a href=\"http://www.springer.com/series/558\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.springer.com/series/558</a> for Lecture Notes in Computer Science (the major series for CS conference proceedings in Springer)</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/02/27
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40690",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31024/"
] |
40,713 |
<p>Do professors get paid for supervising PhD students / honours student's projects?</p>
<p>If so, typically how much? </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40714,
"author": "rachaelbe",
"author_id": 11304,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11304",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Not in the UK. Supervision is usually a job requirement. It's also necessary to boost research output.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40715,
"author": "Brian Borchers",
"author_id": 4453,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4453",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>In the US, supervising graduate students is generally considered part of the normal workload of a faculty member and there's no extra pay for doing this. </p>\n\n<p>The number of students supervised is typically a factor in tenure, promotion, and pay raise evaluations. Not supervising enough graduate students can hurt your evaluations and might possibly result in your not getting tenure or promotion or a pay raise. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40716,
"author": "Stephan Kolassa",
"author_id": 4140,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4140",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In Germany, you may get a little personal bonus (on the order of 100 EUR), which does not flow into the research group budget, per bachelor's, master's or Ph.D. dissertation you supervised. The bonus is usually contingent on reviewing it on time after receiving the official version. This practice may vary from university to university.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40717,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Although professors are not <em>technically</em> paid for this work in the US, in many cases they are <em>effectively</em> paid for doing so, particularly for Ph.D. students. This is because in many cases, the professor requires grants in order to be able to hire Ph.D. students to work for them, and those same grants pay for a portion of the professor's time, some of which is expected to be used for supervising the student. The accounting is often rather obscure, however...</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40720,
"author": "Relaxed",
"author_id": 11596,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11596",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In the countries I know, professors are indeed paid to do that. They do not get any extra money per hour spent supervising students or anything like that but it's part of their regular duties, i.e. what they get a salary for in the first place.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40721,
"author": "peterh",
"author_id": 10234,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10234",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It depends on the work contract between the prof and the University, and in most cases is it highly private data. In the academical sphere I know, they have a base wage, and they get a minimal bonus for the similar things as per-student \"services\". The most part of their wage comes from the first, despite most of their work is highly student-specific.</p>\n\n<p>I think, it differs highly on other parts of the world (probably even there is big difference between different Universities of the same city).</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40723,
"author": "Peteris",
"author_id": 10730,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10730",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>[As an external advisor,] I got paid for supervising a few masters & bachelors thesis. If I would be a professor or other direct employee of the university, then that would be included in the normal teaching duties for their usual salary, but external supervisors from other universities, research institutes or the industry, as well as external reviewers get separate compensation. The amounts aren't large though, if you put reasonable effort in it then it comes up to a rather tiny hourly rate.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40726,
"author": "Ben Bitdiddle",
"author_id": 24384,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/24384",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>At my university (in the United States), professors actually <em>pay</em> to supervise students, in the sense that money for their students' salaries comes out of their grants.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40728,
"author": "Dirk",
"author_id": 529,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/529",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Another answer from Germany: Supervising students (BSc, MSc or PhD) is part of the job. No extra salary in general but, as part of the usual negotiations, one may get a temporary raise for \"outstanding efforts in supervision\".</p>\n\n<p>At my university supervision of students can cover some of your teaching load (e.g. supervising one BSc thesis in math is equivalent to 0.3 hours teaching per week, an MSc thesis is 0.6 hours per week, each thesis counts for the semester in which it is submitted, its capped at 1.8 hours if I remember correctly). However, supervising PhD students does not give anything since PhD students in Germany do not count as students and even teaching at a PhD level does not count for the teaching load.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 127852,
"author": "Al-Jabr",
"author_id": 106616,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/106616",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>A grad student costs X dollars. This pays tuition, stipend benefits. The grad student eventually stops taking classes, the new cost of the student is X-T. (T is cost of tuition). Now if the professor still has X coming in (through grants and other funding sources) and the student only costs X-T, there is T left over that neither school nor student needs. </p>\n\n<p>Source- Prof*** at Univeristy of ***</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/02/27
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40713",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22728/"
] |
40,722 |
<p>(Please excuse my ignorance if this is an obvious question, but my Googling skills don't seem to be up to par today.)</p>
<p>I was just wondering if there is a branch of sociology that deals with health and wellness - like nutrition and exercise - when looking at a community or nation as a whole. If there is, would this be something that one could study in graduate school? (I'm interested in how lifestyles affect societies, not really the biology and chemistry part of health. I mean, I realize that I'd probably have to learn about those things, but they're not what I want my main focus to be.)</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40724,
"author": "Compass",
"author_id": 22013,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22013",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Not necessarily sociology, but there is a graduate degree known as the <a href=\"http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/public-health-rankings\" rel=\"nofollow\">Master of Public Health</a>.</p>\n\n<p>It's been a while since I've looked into it, but the degree typically covers health administration, policy, and nutrition, and disease prevention. You obviously aren't a doctor, but you work with them.</p>\n\n<p>Basically, imagine that doctors work at the individual level, while MPHs work at the community level.</p>\n\n<p>From what I can tell, this is a general page for <a href=\"http://www.aspph.org/discover/\" rel=\"nofollow\">public health programs</a> that will give you more information than I can given how far removed I am from medicine now.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40733,
"author": "awsoci",
"author_id": 28324,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28324",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>There is a branch of sociology, which would be the sociology of health. Research into 'active' lifestyles and nutrition would fall under sociology of health.</p>\n\n<p>Unlike public health which will take a much more straight forward approach in addressing issues based on biological/essentialist research, sociology of health will look into the social constructs of health, how that's implemented in society and the issues surrounding it (i.e. fat discrimination, issues of class/race/gender in the 'health' rhetoric' and so on.</p>\n\n<p>Many universities with sociology programs might offer an undergraduate course in the sociology of health. I took one and loved it. It's not my main focus in sociology but I do find the social construct of health and medicine highly fascinating, especially in the way in seems to be used to justify our discriminations. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/02/27
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40722",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31053/"
] |
40,725 |
<p>I am a PhD candidate in literature, finishing my degree in August. Due to a combination of factors, I did not line anything (academic) up for the coming academic year. However, I will be spending that year on the job market. I had planned to simply teach a couple of courses if possible, and to work on getting some publications out, and attending conferences where possible. This would make me a bit of a drifter for one academic year, and I am wondering how that would reflect upon my qualifications while applying and (hopefully) interviewing for academic jobs. Essentially, I want to stay active in my research, but I won't have the banner of a university name under my own...</p>
<p>The reason I'm crowdsourcing this is because I'm getting conflicting information. One of my committee members tells me that it's better to have the PhD in hand while applying, so I should finish up ASAP. He also assures me that a PhD still looks "fresh" up to two years after completion, so I shouldn't have a problem. Another member, however (who is perhaps more familiar with the current job market climate) has informed me that a gap year will ruin all chances of employment, and that any period of wandering institutionless - no post-doc, no fellowship, no teaching - would be fatal. He suggests that I hold off graduation, so that I have no in-between time.</p>
<p>Do any of you out there have any thoughts? Or similar experiences?</p>
<p>Thanks for any responses you have.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40738,
"author": "user6726",
"author_id": 28972,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28972",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The only context in Humanities where I can imagine that a year or three of employment gap is noticeable would be if you graduate from The Best Program Ever where absolutely everybody -- except you -- gets multiple offers. If the dissertation is defended, revised and ready to go, and you can afford to pay tuition in some future term in order to deposit, then it might be harmless to delay depositing, though there are risks associated with getting \"scooped\" if someone else is working on a similar topic.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 42854,
"author": "aparente001",
"author_id": 32436,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/32436",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Trailing spouses often have this problem. Here's how I've seen them address it:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><p>continue working as though they were doing a postdoc, building up the publication list</p></li>\n<li><p>get an office in some institution, as a courtesy -- this is a great way of staying fresh because you attend seminars, participate in stimulating discussions, stay connected and fresh</p></li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>I also like your idea of doing some teaching -- for the income, for the experience, and as a CV builder.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 42892,
"author": "Pupahava",
"author_id": 23089,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/23089",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>If you decide to graduate, you should get some sort of affiliation with a university, even if it is teaching a course or two as an adjunct, or getting a visiting scholar or some such other non-paid position. Besides other, more noble things mentioned above, you need university letterhead for your letters of application. They look terrible on personal letterhead. </p>\n\n<p>Considering how the job market is, you will most likely spend a year or four without an academic post, even if you deposit a year after you've actually written. Unless you're a rock star from the best program, etc. </p>\n\n<p>And last, but not least: Being on the job market (this is my second year, PhD in literature), takes up most of your time, if you do it right. You will have little time to focus on real work, unfortunately. So, don't think this is going to be like the time spent on the dissertation. Instead, you will be writing and rewriting dozens of rather formulaic documents, researching programs and their needs, and writing dozens of potential syllabi to submit with your apps. </p>\n\n<p>Hope that helps.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 42897,
"author": "RoboKaren",
"author_id": 14885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14885",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I'm in the humanistic social sciences. If you were my doctoral student, I would suggest that you delay depositing your dissertation. This is even though there is considerable pressure from my institution to hurry students out (part of the NRC university rankings is time-to-completion so the provost puts pressure on faculty in this regard). </p>\n\n<p>If you can afford the continuous registration fee and the university does not put onerous rules to make life difficult, then there are many more pros to cons.</p>\n\n<p>Pros:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>You can work on your publications as if you are a post-doc.</li>\n<li>Applying for jobs is a full-time job</li>\n<li>You still get to use your university letterhead</li>\n<li>If you don't get any jobs this year it isn't as apparent that you're \"stale\" next year</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Cons:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Your advisor may be under pressure not to allow this. It could impact her/his ability to recruit new doctoral students until the old ones graduate.</li>\n<li>Your university may not allow this</li>\n<li>Your university may charge continuous registration fees</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Notes:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Your advisor will have to write in his/her letters that your dissertation is essentially finished. Everyone is familiar with this strategy so it's not a red flag.</li>\n</ul>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 57610,
"author": "chris cumo",
"author_id": 43856,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/43856",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I can't speak to the general predicament that is the dismal academic job market. I completed my PhD (in history) and was underemployed for several years until a very good research university offered me a temporary appointment. By that time I had amassed a solid, if unspectacular, publication record. Since then, however, I have found nothing and so split my time between writing and cutting grass. Good luck.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/02/27
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40725",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31052/"
] |
40,727 |
<p>I am a young researcher already having published several papers, and in the same time I have participated several times in bids for national and European (fp7, h2020) projects. So I could say I have some experience in proposal-writing.</p>
<p>I am now preparing my cv to apply for a lecturer position in UK. The question is: should I highlight this experience in my cv (i.e. provide more details about the bids in which I participated, my role, the outcome etc), or hiring committees are mostly focused on publications? How important is fund attraction at a lecturer level? I am asking because I see that this kind of experience is often mentioned in the desired (not the essential) qualifications of the applicant.</p>
<p>An other point of view over the same issue is this: If I have the chance to avoid being involved in proposal-writing efforts, should I? That is, of course, in order to continue with my research (i.e. focus on papers).</p>
<p>Moreover, how can one's claims be verified? How do you prove that you are telling the truth and not over-selling yourself, regarding your participation and experience? Isn't this part of your cv a part that is less verifiable?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40730,
"author": "xLeitix",
"author_id": 10094,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10094",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>First, your titular question:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>What is the value of participating in proposal-writing efforts, for a postdoc researcher?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Especially in Europe, and when applying for faculty positions, the value is <em>huge</em>. Successfully playing the grant game is nowadays what keeps the lights on in many European universities, at least research-wise. Having a track record in this dimension can easily be viewed as even more desirable than a great research track record (although, of course, you will still need at least good publications).</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>should I highlight this experience in my cv (i.e. provide more details about the bids in which I participated, my role, the outcome etc)</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Yes, you should definitely highlight this somewhere in your application (not sure if the CV is the right place, though). Your letters may or may not be a good place, if LoR are considered important for the job you are applying to.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>If I have the chance to avoid being involved in proposal-writing efforts, should I?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>This is an interesting question, and mainly depends on what your grant and research track records look like at the moment. If you have not actually been involved in grant proposals, I would certainly recommend getting this experience. If your research track record is lacking, I would focus on research. Realistically, you will need a good record in both dimensions to be competitive for faculty positions.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Moreover, how can one's claims be verified? How do you prove that you are telling the truth and not over-selling yourself, regarding your participation and experience? Isn't this part of your cv a part that is less verifiable?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>In the optimal case, you have won some grants in your own name. But even if this is not the case, the experienced recruiter knows what to look for and who to ask to figure out whether you are overselling yourself. Keep in mind that researchers are connected and EU projects are large - <em>somebody</em> in the hiring faculty will know <em>somebody</em> who was involved in your project and give them a ring to ask them whether you actually did what you claim you did. If that's also not possible, the recruiting faculty will just ask you a few questions regarding the claim they are interested in, and observe your reaction.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40737,
"author": "Jeff Yarger",
"author_id": 31064,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31064",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I think a critical component of being a scientific postdoc is to gain experience with writing and submitting research proposals and papers. While I understand the concern that postdocs often do NOT get the credit they deserve when assisting with proposals, the benefit is more typically indirect and usually becomes critical experience when postdocs are writing their own research proposals for academic jobs or as independent scientists.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/02/27
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40727",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/21766/"
] |
40,731 |
<p>I am a second year PhD student. I am still in the process of finding a research topic. I have a couple research ideas at early stages with two different professors.</p>
<p>I will be in another country for two weeks, for personal reasons. I want to meet with several professors when I am there. First, I believe it is a good opportunity to network. Second, there are a couple professors with very interesting research areas and I can see myself working on one of these areas. </p>
<p>Since I do not have a concrete research area, is it still a good idea to meet with them? How can I make sure that they will not feel like I wasted their time? </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40736,
"author": "Jeff Yarger",
"author_id": 31064,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31064",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>I think face to face meetings to discuss overlapping research interests with a professor from another university is a great way to network and potentially develop a future collaborator, mentor, postdoc advisor, etc. I think as long as you are clear and upfront in your email requesting a meeting with the person/professor and you also clearly state the topics and research you would like to discuss, then there is little fear that you would be wasting anyones time. Because the professor would just decline the meeting, if he or she was not interested in the research topic or discussion you wish to have. I have met with numerous visiting students over the years and many have turned into future postdocs or collaborators. Hope this helps!! And good luck.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40873,
"author": "Stephen Nand-Lal",
"author_id": 31165,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31165",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I agree with the previous answer, however I would also add that you need to make sure that you can strike up a personal relationship with any potential advisor, and make sure you feel like you can work under them. For many people this type of relationship will be different, however sometimes by just meeting a potential advisor you can tell what they will expect from you, and how they react to your questions / answers! Hope that helps a little :)</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/02/27
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40731",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31061/"
] |
40,732 |
<p>I am the editor of a student-edited journal at a graduate school. We extended a publication offer to an author that has published with the journal in the past, and with whom I do not wish to burn any bridges. The normal process of an offer goes like this: (1) extend the offer, (2) author either accepts or rejects, (3) send copyright agreement, (4) author signs and returns copyright agreement, (5) we edit and publish the article.</p>
<p>The author accepted the offer within the time frame (step 2), but we have not progressed beyond that. I have to withdraw/rescind the offer because we have maxed out our page numbers for this year. I tried telling the author that I would be happy to work with the incoming editor in chief to see if they want to make him an offer to publish next year, but he insists that because he accepted the offer we are now obligated to publish it next year. I reminded him that we have not sent him a copyright agreement or entered into a publication contract, and even if we did so the journal reserves the right to terminate the agreement at its sole discretion. He essentially said that his acceptance of the publication offer formed the publication contract and now we have to publish him or else (said he turned down other offers, etc.).</p>
<p>I feel terrible about the situation (we've tried our best to never put authors in this position, and have never had to rescind/withdraw an offer before). Since I've only experienced this from the editor's point of view, I'm wondering what published authors have to say about the situation? Is it your understanding that once you accept an offer you've formed a contract with the publication, and they are obliged to print it? Have you ever had an offer withdrawn, and did it burn all bridges with that institution/publication? </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40735,
"author": "Nate Eldredge",
"author_id": 1010,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1010",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I believe the author is in the right here. Accepting an article is morally binding and should commit the journal to publish it, barring exceptional circumstances. Authors should be entitled to rely on that commitment.</p>\n\n<p>Although you may not have any legal obligation to publish the paper at this point, to refuse to do so would be extremely unprofessional and reflect very poorly on the journal. Given the deadlines, you can't publish in the current issue, but you should queue it for publication in the next issue with available space, ahead of any other articles not yet accepted.</p>\n\n<p>Your idea seems to be that the incoming editor should have sole authority to determine the content of the next issue, and as such that he should have the right to decide not to publish the article if he so chooses. I would disagree with that. I believe the incoming editor has a professional duty to treat your acceptance of the article as binding on him as well. If you want to think of the journal as a continuing entity, rather than a sequence of unrelated anthologies, there needs to be continuity of this kind.</p>\n\n<p>It is somewhat awkward for the incoming editor, as now he will have less space to fill with articles he selects. He may have a right to be annoyed with your poor planning, but that's between the two of you; you shouldn't make the author suffer for it.</p>\n\n<p>I'd make exceptions only in very unusual cases, such as if the incoming editor discovers fraud or plagiarism in the article, or finds that your review process grossly violated the journal's stated standards.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40740,
"author": "Bill Barth",
"author_id": 11600,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11600",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I presume this is a law review. If so, you should really talk to your faculty advisor, who is, presumably, a lawyer. From my non-lawyer perspective, where is the consideration necessary to form a contract? What are his damages if he were to try to sue? Specific performance doesn't seem likely if he were either. </p>\n\n<p>The legal publishing world is very different from the typical academic publishing community. He probably shopped this article to lots of different journals, and he strategically chose among several offers. There's always a chance something could have fallen though at any stage after your verbal/email acceptance. He might have not liked your edits or some other aspect of your (now unsigned) publishing agreement. </p>\n\n<p>Reneging on an agreement certainly agreement isn't professional. I presume there were some extenuating circumstances that caused the delay in the process. Is there a reason the page count cannot be extended?</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/02/27
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40732",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/-1/"
] |
40,739 |
<p>My mental health is declining and as a result I haven't been a good TA. For example I let my students out of section early because I was too tired to present some of the material, and I did not understand some of my section notes because another TA prepared them, and I didn't read them in advance.</p>
<p>I also have trouble helping students during office hours, and often ask students to repeat themselves, and I don't do adequate preparation (by reading the solution sets in advance). I often don't know how to answer questions and I ask the students to collaborate with each other and solicit help from people who have already solved the problem. I wasn't the best TA to begin with, but now that I'm depressed, I am basically useless, and embarrassingly so.</p>
<p>I feel pretty bad about this and I am also terrified that my students will complain to the professor, who is friends with my advisor. What should I do? I haven't told the professor or anyone about my diagnosis (of bipolar disorder). And I am afraid to talk to the people at the school counseling center, because they might force me to take time off (this happened to me in college), and I can't really do that in grad school without irreparably burning bridges.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40741,
"author": "Mad Jack",
"author_id": 11192,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11192",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<blockquote>\n <p>What do I do as a depressed and incompetent TA?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>The students are suffering as a result of your condition. So I think the right thing to do is</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>seek help for yourself, and</li>\n<li>ask to be removed from your TA post until you are able to effectively TA again.</li>\n</ol>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40743,
"author": "RoboKaren",
"author_id": 14885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14885",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I utterly disagree with Mad Jack. You do not need to resign and by resigning, you set yourself up for a future where you will think of resigning every time you have a task that you do not think you will be able to complete to the high standards you set for yourself.</p>\n\n<p>Try to disaggregate the two things -- the depression and the incompetence. If you are merely incompetent (or not as competent as you would like to be), read the rest of this answer. If your depression is putting you at risk to yourself or others (and will not be alleviated by acceptance that one cannot be competent at all things all the time), then perhaps Mad Jack's advice is warranted.</p>\n\n<p>Now, about incompetence.</p>\n\n<p>The reality is that you cannot be good at everything you do. Not all classes go well - even with the best of intentions. Sometimes, a class just fails. Sometimes it's your fault, sometimes it's the students, sometimes it's a combination. There are many classes that I've wished that I could have quit teaching halfway through.<sup>1</sup></p>\n\n<p>Sure, after you finish this semester your TA evals might be bad, they might be scorchingly bad. But that's ok. You fulfilled your obligation -- poorly, perhaps -- but you fulfilled them. The students themselves will recover. It's terrible that we can't all be always be stellar teachers, but we're human beings. You're just a blip -- one section of one of the 32 classes they take at the university. </p>\n\n<p>You've found out that teaching does not come naturally and that teaching is hard. This is a good life lesson. It's part of your graduate education. You will get better at teaching the more you do it -- or at least figure out how to work around your incompetencies. We all do.</p>\n\n<p><sup>1. In the interest of full disclosure, I also struggle from depression and so this is written to you from the position of a peer. This advice is of course null and void if you at risk of entirely melting down. Your first duty is to yourself. But only you can know how close you are to endangering your own health for the sake of the class -- not anonymous internet peers.</sup></p>\n\n<p><sup>Anecdote: I was forced to TA a class on a topic that I knew nothing about when I was a grad student. It quickly became clear that the even the most basic students knew infinitely more than I did about the subject. I was a terrible, terrible TA but my professor worked around me, the students learned to never come to my sections or office hours, and somehow we made it work. Now every time I get assigned a terrible TA, I believe it to be karmic retribution for my past sins. So talk to your professor. S/he may have also been a terrible TA and may be more than willing to work with you on this.</sup></p>\n\n<p><sup>Finally, mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorder are not incompatible with academia. There are many successful academics with tenure (Kay Redfield Jamison and Emily Martin have both written books on their own experiences with bipolar disorder). Yes, during our trough periods things can be hard to do, but when the fog lifts we tend to be more productive. I've used that successfully to write two books, publish numerous articles, blah blah. Fortunately I'm at a university that allows for some umm ... eccentrism in the faculty body. I am three sigmas on that scale. :-)</sup></p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40753,
"author": "Patricia Shanahan",
"author_id": 10220,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10220",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>There are at least two issues, what to do about your TA performance, and what to do about your depression. You need help with both.</p>\n\n<p>Depression could affect your self-evaluation. Your performance as a TA may be fine with some minor problems, or could be really bad, and you might not be able to tell the difference. You need an objective observer to evaluate how you are doing before deciding what, if anything, to do about it.</p>\n\n<p>Similarly, if depression is affecting you to the point where you at least feel you are incompetent, whether accurately or not, you may need medical help with that.</p>\n\n<p>The real problem is your feeling that seeking out help will risk \"irreparably burning bridges\". I know by practical experience that graduate students needing leave or other accommodations for medical issues is something that happens, something for which colleges have procedures in place. I don't know why you feel seeking help from the school counseling center, and if necessary taking medical leave, would be such a serious step in your case.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40756,
"author": "Lubo Antonov",
"author_id": 17730,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17730",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>First off, disclaimer - this is not clinical advice!</p>\n\n<p>I think the best thing to do is get support from other people around you. The worst thing is when you have to deal with this alone. In theory, a therapist can supply some of that, but I think you need to share what you have told us with friends around you that can relate to your situation. They may have dealt with something similar before, and they might be able to help you with knowledge about the subject you are TA-ing. One powerful way to use them is to make specific commitments that you share with them, so that they can hold you accountable.</p>\n\n<p>It seems to me that the most immediate thing to deal with is your inability to commit time to preparation for your sessions. So, work out a schedule that lets you prepare, share it with a friend and report to them daily on your progress. Don't lie and don't make excuses. Stop using social media. Don't work at home. These are things that have helped me ;)</p>\n\n<p>Ultimately, it is likely that your problems with TA-ing are linked to lack of confidence in your abilities. That's a big topic, but as a PhD student, you were selected because you are good at <em>something</em>. You don't need to be an expert in everything and you don't need to be afraid to admit it to others - even your students. Focus on the things you are good at (think about what made a PhD possible for you), learn more about the things that are interesting to you, and become just competent enough in the rest.</p>\n\n<p>I am sure it would be possible to arrange time off for mental health reasons, and this should not \"burn bridges\". But it seems to me that you feel down because you are not doing well, not the other way around. Taking time off is not going to change anything except save you from this particular course and reinforce the idea that you can't do it. Instead, I would focus on getting through this TA. Set some ground rules for yourself that you can't break - for example, you can't finish the session early, you have to spend X hours preparing, etc. And don't worry - the students will learn what they need even while having a so-so TA.</p>\n\n<p>I wish you the best!</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40767,
"author": "Been There",
"author_id": 31082,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31082",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Jennifer,</p>\n\n<p>My heart goes out to you. I am an educator who has also suffered from depression. Each case is unique and I am not sure if my personal insights will be helpful in your situation. First of all teaching and learning are very complex endeavors. Perhaps you have unrealistic expectations for what makes a successful teacher. Each student brings their own baggage to the classroom that can interfere with the learning process. This baggage is persistent and often stays with a person over a lifetime. As a result, there is ALWAYS more a teacher could do to help their students. Expecting to solve everything is unrealistic and defeating. Herculean efforts still are not enough to meet everyone's needs. If this is your goal, it is easy to get in a state of mind that any preparation is wasted effort because it only leads to failure. In fact, the act of preparing can make you feel hopeless so it becomes harder and harder to do. Lack of preparation makes you less successful so you feel even more the failure leading to an escalating spiral.</p>\n\n<p>My advice would be to try to set small, realistic goals and prepare to achieve these goals. For example, you could prepare the session so students have a better understanding of . . . After recitation, be sure to be realistic about your performance. Remember you can't be everything to everyone. If something comes up that seems to be a need among many students, let yourself off the hook for not meeting that need during this session. Perhaps make it your small, realistic goal for the next session if it is important enough and seems to be a problem for a significant number of students. When you start to think of the problems of individuals, remind yourself of your small goal and pat yourself on the back for meeting that goal. Choose your small goals carefully so you get the most bang for your buck. Ask yourself what seems to be giving the most students difficulties AND is most important to their understanding of the fundamental principles. Most importantly, acknowledge and celebrate your successes. Don't define unmet student needs as failures but as possible opportunities for future goals. Keep those future goals small and focused, remembering a class of students has more needs than any one person will be able to meet.</p>\n\n<p>Best wishes to you, Jennifer. Know that others struggle with these issues as well.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40771,
"author": "SE318",
"author_id": 31084,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31084",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>This post really struck me because I am also a TA working on my PhD and have struggled with depression for the majority of my adult life. I've always found that I am most successful in school in my classes, my teaching, and my research when I keep my mood up. That being said, keeping my mood up has been a task more difficult than school could ever be, so rather than addressing your concerns specific to being a TA, I figured I would share with you what I have found works best to keep my mood in check. Note though, that this is merely one man's personal experience, not based in scientific research.</p>\n\n<p>Now, I've tried plenty of medications, and I've never found one that works for me. Either they make me feel strange, they don't work, or they cloud my thoughts(which is unacceptable for someone trying to do research in a thought subject). If a medication does work for you, then that is great. I am going to discuss the alternative options that I have found for keeping my mood up.</p>\n\n<p>There are really three main things that I have found to be successful at keeping my depression at bay: Exercise, a healthy diet, and choosing to do the little things for the future. Exercise and diet are obvious. I try not to take either to the extreme, but I try to run a few times a week, and do some kind of strength training activity a few times a week. Recently that activity has been rock-climbing at my university's rec. I also just try to make little changes to my diet(get a salad rather than fries with a meal when I eat out, buy higher quality foods with more wholesome ingredients, substitute V8 or unsweatened tea or other non-sugarwater flavorful beverage for all that pop[soda/coke/proper regional substitute] I was drinking) and I try to avoid having an ongoing relationship with the pizza delivery man.)</p>\n\n<p>Now, doing the little things for the future... this is the one that I use to pull myself out of a bad funk(you can't start exercising or eating right when you can't even get off the couch, so those two come a little later). This is something that seems so insignificant that I am able to accomplish it even in the worst of my depressive fits, but has an interesting psychological impact on me.</p>\n\n<p>So what do I mean by the little things? Brushing my teeth for example. cleaning up my house a little, doing the dishes. Taking a shower. doing my laundry. Now, these are all very basic things, and you probably are already doing some/most/all of them, but what you might not be doing is thinking about what they mean. After I do one of these things,brushing my teeth for example, I ask myself \"if I really wanted to end it right now, why would I care about my dental hygiene?\" that answer is, I wouldn't. So, why did I just brush my teeth? the only logical conclusion is that I don't want to end it right now. Our minds have an amazing way of rationalizing things, and it has trouble when it cannot find reasons for why we do what we do. If I don't consciously think about that though, my mind won't realize that the only reason I would have brushed my teeth is because I want to continue on. I know this sounds so simple and basic, but repetitive use of this technique has gotten me out of some very dark places, and to a point where I could start eating right and exercising.</p>\n\n<p>Now, as I said, these things have worked for me. I cannot guarantee that they will work for you, but if you do choose to use them, I wish you the best of luck in controlling your mood, and hopefully in turn becoming the best TA you can be.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40779,
"author": "user31094",
"author_id": 31094,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31094",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Things like this are difficult but you need to ask for help from a psychiatrist. With the right kind of medication it would be able to help you quite a bit. Don't be afraid of asking for help. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40787,
"author": "Future Doc",
"author_id": 31107,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31107",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Whoa. Everyone here is missing a key point: This is <em>bipolar</em>, not just depression. This is very serious -- this is the disorder that killed Robin Williams. Jennifer's functioning is affected during the depressed phase and <em>it's getting worse</em>.</p>\n\n<p>Jennifer, your first priority is to save yourself. The prof can get a new TA, although it might not need to come to that if you get some help first. By letting this go on, <em>you are causing the very thing you don't want to happen</em>: Your students will complain, your professor and advisor will find out, and you will be looking at some consequences that you don't want to happen.</p>\n\n<p>Get ahead of this thing now before that happens. Get on meds -- there are some really good ones out now. You can keep your moods in check by following a treatment plan. Also, remember, when you are in your depressed state, <em>you aren't making good decisions</em> and your thinking may be distorted -- some of the things you fear may not happen. Therapy is confidential -- what happens in session stays in session. Your job may also be protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act. A therapist can give you an extra set of eyes and ears and give you a more hopeful perspective and a better way of dealing with this. It sounds like you could use someone in your corner right now so that you aren't battling this by yourself. That must feel very lonely and overwhelming.</p>\n\n<p>There are low cost options through universities and county mental health services. Your first good decision would be to find a source of help and just get there.</p>\n\n<p>Good luck, Jennifer.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40838,
"author": "Wolfgang Bangerth",
"author_id": 31149,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31149",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The thing is: the vast majority of professors actually do care about the well-being of their graduate students. I certainly did not realize this when I was a graduate student myself, but you have to know that professors are people too: they have children who may be sick or are struggling in school; they have parents affected by old age; they have friends who have problems. In other words, while you as a graduate student typically only interact with your professor in a professional capacity, they do understand issues such as mental health. They may also have been through similar issues with other students before.</p>\n\n<p>The way you describe your situation -- regardless of whether your perception is accurate or not -- is not good for anyone. First of all, it's not good for you. It's not good for your students. And it's not good for the department who put you in this class. The key to improve the situation for everyone is to make you better, but this will not happen unless you take the first step and talk about it with those who can help you. I am certain that most professors will see it as their professional duty (and their human duty) to find ways to help you. As I said above, they may in fact have dealt with similar situations before (for example, I think that I have sent home every single one of my students at least once when I saw that they had trouble with private issues, and I have talked to almost every one of my students about personal problems at various times). They also typically have large professional networks both within and outside the department to look for the best ways to find you help. They also have the resources to replace you in the classroom if necessary. The two solution the least productive to anyone are (i) to fire you, given that everyone has invested time into you and that they likely feel towards you as humans should, and (ii) let you continue to struggle in the classroom and be unproductive.</p>\n\n<p>So, my advice is to talk to your professor. It is the first step to build a network of people around you who you can go to for help if you find that your health issues collide with your professional obligations. If you do not feel like you can talk about these things with your professor about this right away, first talk to someone else in the department (the graduate coordinator, the department head, one of the administrative assistants, a postdoc in your lab) and ask them if they can mediate a meeting with your professor. As I said, my experience tells me that everyone will find it quite obvious that the first order of business needs to be make sure you get better.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40848,
"author": "fleur-de-lis",
"author_id": 31155,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31155",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Ohhh, no, I'm so sorry you're going through this. I deal with depression too.</p>\n\n<p>First, you really need to recognize that everything you're perceiving, you're perceiving through a Fog of Depression. Your brain is attacking your self-esteem and motivation, and also causing you to worry about things that you don't need to worry about nearly as much as you think you do, and it seems even more awful because you can't see an end to your problems. There is, in fact, an end--there is a solution out there--and you can find it and your life will get better again.</p>\n\n<p>This includes your perception of your past performance. You have been doing better than you think. (Yes, you have.) Don't dismiss your efforts. </p>\n\n<p>Second, talk to your professor. Straightforward honesty can help you get to the root of your problems and start fixing them. If your prof is a human and not a jackal in a human suit, they shouldn't think any less of you for something you can't control. (No, you can't control the fact that you have an illness. You're not just being lazy.) There may be school policies in place protecting you from discrimination based on mental illness, which may or may not be a thing you'll see. Your worries on this count may be entirely baseless depending on what the people around you are like. Remember, you are chemically disposed towards pessimism right now and it's screwing with your head--you need to learn to recognize the thought patterns that cue you in as to when it's the depression talking.</p>\n\n<p>If you don't tell your professor, then at least tell SOMEONE about your diagnosis. It doesn't even have to be someone official. Just tell someone who won't make you feel like crap about it and will maybe go to Dairy Queen with you sometimes to cheer you up. Getting out of the house/apartment/dorm/whatever is really important.</p>\n\n<p>Third--It's the middle of winter; could your mental illness be worse because you've got some seasonal affective disorder on the side? If so, you should buy some full-spectrum \"daylight\" light bulbs. I'm talking about the kind where the color temperature is something like 5000 or 6500, instead of 2700 or whatever lower number. This helps replace sunlight in winter when your brain is missing it, and using those light bulbs in your living spaces, like in your desk lamp and so on, can help dramatically with SAD. I know it sounds like one of those bizarre homeopathic remedies, but it does work--there are studies out there and my personal experience backs them up, you can Google for them if you're interested.</p>\n\n<p>Fourth, sometimes you do need to take time for yourself. Ask yourself: would the mental health professionals at your university really recommend something that would ruin your career? Where did you get the information that taking time off would burn bridges? Is it based in fact, or in anxiety? I'm not saying that your worries are for-sure baseless, but you need to double-check. You can tell the counselors about your concerns, too. And maybe you don't need to take a lot of time off--maybe a month while you try out a medication, or even less time while you just take time out to relax and take care of yourself.</p>\n\n<p>I know I have a bad habit of taking things on that I can handle academically--like, I learn well enough to take them on, they're nothing I can't understand--but they're too difficult to keep up with emotionally and I have to step back one way or another. That's okay. Everyone has limits, no one's Superman, you're not a robot. But because you're not a robot, your limits WILL change over time. You've learned you're dealing with a problem; once you adjust to coping with it and find out what works, your limits will expand again. Sometimes you need time away from stress to get to that point though.</p>\n\n<p>Fifth and related: take time out for self-care. Bake a cake (like <a href=\"http://allrecipes.com/recipe/extreme-chocolate-cake/\">this one</a>), take care of a houseplant (green oxalis or african violets will bloom indoors), learn how to properly keep a betta fish (the people over at the forum bettafish will happily tell you how to make a betta live for years instead of months), cook yourself dinner instead of ordering takeout, read a few chapters of a kids' fantasy book each night, take a long bath with soap that smells nice, spend time with your friends, listen to music, leave the house just to buy a cookie at a coffee shop, follow a web comic (you might like <a href=\"http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20021104#.VPQLkyldUag\">this one</a>--hold out on it, the art starting in Vol2 is pretty odd but it gets better fast).</p>\n\n<p>This point might seem off-topic, but it isn't. You really do need to make sure that the thing that's been stressing you out isn't your whole life.</p>\n\n<p>Good luck :) We're rooting for you!</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/02/28
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40739",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/29506/"
] |
40,745 |
<p>I had submitted research paper to a journal two and half months ago. It was under review for two months and now the status is showing that the paper is with editor from last ten days. If the paper has got reviewed why I am not getting any response from the editor. </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40748,
"author": "Corvus",
"author_id": 27900,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27900",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>There are a number of possibilities. Off the top of my head:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>The editor is traveling or otherwise occupied. In my experience, this is particularly likely if you are dealing with a journal that employs professional editors rather than relying upon academic editors. </li>\n<li>The reviews are mixed and the editor has decided to careful assess the manuscript himself or herself--which may take as long as writing a review would take.</li>\n<li>The reviews are mixed and the editor has decided to seek additional reviews, but this is not yet reflected in the manuscript management system. </li>\n<li>The editor wishes to speak in person to one of the referees to clarify something that the referee wrote, but has not yet been able to reach the referee.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>You could go on and on and imagine any number of other possible scenarios. I agree it is not optimal for this to happen, but nor is it unusual. As an editor, I try very hard to return a decision within 2 or 3 days of receiving all reviews, but as an author I have found that waits of a week or two are not unusual.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40751,
"author": "user6726",
"author_id": 28972,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28972",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I only want to amplify on the answer by Corvus, based on my own experience as editor. First, editors usually have other full-time jobs as teachers and researchers. In my field, there are <em>no</em> editors who are employees of publishing companies rather than academicians. Other overwhelming demands are the main cause of lag between receipt of review and making a decision. Second, an editor <em>ought</em> to be more than a mechanical bean-counter who plugs 3-value accept-meh-reject reviews into a formula, and it can quite some time to absorb the intellectual content of a submission and 2-5 reviews, and then frame the decision in a way that is optimal for the journal (specifically, be encouraging if there is promise in the paper). Third, while this is rare, sometimes the existing reviews are patently inadequate, i.e. <em>every</em> reviewer missed a flaw that the editor saw.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40758,
"author": "Peter Jansson",
"author_id": 4394,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4394",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>First, editors take decisions seriously and will not rush decisions unnecessarily, however, neither does anyone want unnecessary delays, long turnover times is not good for the journal in that authors find the venue less attractive for publishing. In \"my\" journal we have set a three week period to make decisions based on the reviews. This period is by no means a law but it appears reasonable and to some extent normal based on experiences from other journals. So 10 days is, from this perspective, not something worrisome.</p>\n\n<p>What has to be remembered is that many, I would say most, editors perform their duties outside of regular academic jobs. They handle more manuscripts than yours at the same time and which are at various stages of the review process. </p>\n\n<p>So, about three weeks seems like a reasonable limit after which one can consider checking up on the status. That decisions can take longer is not uncommon for a variety of reasons but to some extent, no new is usually good news since rejections are usually easier to decide than providing recommendations for revisions.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/02/28
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40745",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30637/"
] |
40,773 |
<p>I have a question related to this post,</p>
<p><a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/16831/is-it-legal-to-upload-a-paper-to-arxiv-when-it-is-under-double-blind-review-for">Is it legal to upload a paper to arXiv when it is under double blind review for one of the IEEE journals?</a></p>
<p>What should I do if I uploaded my manuscript on arxiv and plan to pass it on a peer reviewed journal? I am worried after reading the answers in the link.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40775,
"author": "moorepants",
"author_id": 28991,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28991",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Every journal has a different copyright policy. Some allow you to post pre-prints and others do not. One good resource to find out what the policy of your journal is the Sherpa Romeo index: <a href=\"http://sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/</a>. Else you need to read the copyright form that you are required to sign carefully.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40776,
"author": "Nate Eldredge",
"author_id": 1010,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1010",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Based on your profile, I will assume this is a mathematics paper. In that case, the answer is almost certainly: <strong>This is totally fine. You don't need to do anything. Just submit your paper to a journal whenever you are ready.</strong></p>\n\n<p>There are two main ways in which posting a preprint could interfere with publication, but <strong>neither of them is usually applicable in mathematics</strong>.</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li><p><strong>Double-blind review.</strong> In some fields, it is common for the journal to send the referee a copy of the paper with the author's name removed. The theory is that this makes the review more impartial. In this case, if you had a preprint on arXiv, the referee might find it by searching for the paper's title; then she would know your name and the review would no longer be double-blind. This is the issue discussed by the question you linked. However, <strong>I've never heard of any math journals that do double-blind review.</strong> </p></li>\n<li><p><strong>Prior publication.</strong> A nearly universal rule in academic publishing is that you cannot publish the same paper in two different journals. This is a mechanism to keep the scientific record orderly (so that there is one unique place to find and cite the article); also, for subscription-based publishers, it helps ensure that people have to subscribe to their journal to read their content, and can't get it elsewhere. So you might worry that if you had a paper on arXiv, a journal would reject it on the grounds that it was already published. Fortunately, though, <strong>I've never heard of any mathematics journal that considers an arXiv preprint to constitute \"prior publication\"</strong>. arXiv is so widely used in math that publishers generally don't object to the paper being available there. (But I have heard that in chemistry the opposite is true: posting a paper to arXiv can torpedo your chances of publishing in a journal.)</p></li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>Of course, to be safe, you should <strong>check the policies of the journal where you are submitting</strong>. Questions regarding preprint archival are usually addressed explicitly in these policies.</p>\n\n<p>One thing to note: some publishers do not want you to update your preprint with any changes suggested by their editor or referee. That way, only the journal can print the \"final version\", so there is still something that they have that the reader can't get any other way. Other journals say it is fine to update the preprint, making the arXiv and journal versions identical. Again, check the journal's policies.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/02/28
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40773",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30903/"
] |
40,783 |
<p>It has been discussed and explained many times that in (at least some subdisciplines of) Computer Science, conference publications have a special status compared to many other fields - where in other fields, journals are the only way of publication, in Computer Science, many conferences allow publications with a comparable peer-review process as a journal, and consequently, reputable conferences in some subfields have a similar standing as reputable journals.</p>
<p>Some exemplary resources that outline this peculiarity:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/38086/why-are-conference-papers-so-important-in-computer-science-cs">Why are conference papers so important in computer science (CS)?</a></li>
<li><a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/5696/journal-vs-conference-publications-when-looking-for-a-job-in-in-computer-science">Journal vs conference publications when looking for a job in in computer science</a></li>
<li><a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/18349/difference-between-conference-paper-and-journal-paper">Difference between conference paper and journal paper</a></li>
<li><a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/9761/whats-the-expected-level-of-paper-for-top-conferences-in-computer-science">What's the expected level of paper for top conferences in Computer Science</a></li>
<li><a href="http://cacm.acm.org/magazines/2009/5/24632-conferences-vs-journals-in-computing-research/fulltext" rel="noreferrer">Editor's Letter: Conferences vs. Journals in Computing Research</a></li>
<li><a href="https://homes.cs.washington.edu/~mernst/advice/conf-vs-journal-uscis.pdf" rel="noreferrer">Choosing a venue: conference or journal?</a></li>
<li><a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/331/journal-publication-and-acceptance-to-competitive-conferences">Journal publication and acceptance to competitive conferences</a></li>
<li><a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/37801/should-computer-science-indexing-sites-be-considered-in-rating-research">Should computer science indexing sites be considered in rating research?</a></li>
<li><a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/12948/what-constitutes-a-publication-in-computer-science">What constitutes a “publication” in Computer Science?</a></li>
<li><a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/10898/why-conferences-are-the-main-venue-for-cs-research">Why conferences are the main venue for CS research?</a></li>
</ul>
<p>While the perception of a special treatment of conferences in Computer Science appears to be evident, there are sometimes hints this can actually be observed in a few other fields, as well:</p>
<p><a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/154/daniel-standage">Daniel Standage</a> writes in his <a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/331/journal-publication-and-acceptance-to-competitive-conferences">question</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>(...) whereas some of the more quantitative and technical fields (comp sci and engineering especially) seem to be focused on getting accepted to high-profile conferences with low acceptance rate (...)</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/118/fomite">Fomite</a> <a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/334/14017">responds</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>(...) CS and related fields very heavily weight conference presentations and proceedings papers (...)</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7746/badroit">badroit</a> <a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/18434/14017">cites</a> from the <a href="http://www.academic.umn.edu/provost/faculty/tenure/pdf/IT/7-12CSE.pdf" rel="noreferrer">Department of Computer Science & Engineering, University of Minnesota: Criteria for Promotion and Tenure</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>A 1994 NRC Committee on Academic Careers for Experimental Computer Science stated “The requirements for good research and engineering in experimental computer science and engineering (ECSE) are different from those of many other academic disciplines” and then added “Because conferences are the vehicle of choice in ECSE for the dissemination of research, well-refereed conference proceedings (as well as work published in refereed private journals) should be given as much weight as archival journal articles</p>
</blockquote>
<p>On the other hand, there is also the contrary claim, that Computer Science is an absolute exception with this. For instance, <a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/53/aeismail">aeismail</a> remarks in one of his <a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/336/14017">answers</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>(...) I would argue that the weighting of conference papers seems to be restricted to computer science (...)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Likewise, Lance Fortnow starts his article <a href="http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=1536616.1536631" rel="noreferrer">Viewpoint: Time for computer science to grow up</a> by stating:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Unlike every other academic field, computer science uses conferences rather than journals as the main publication venue.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>As it is notable that a rather unspecific "engineering" is consistently mentioned in the examples that imply a few other fields use conferences the same way as CS, I have tried to track down those fields, but could not come to any useful conclusions. In particular, I am not even sure what to look for, because "engineering" might mean various things:</p>
<ul>
<li>It might mean all of engineering, which I find improbable (that would probably mean peer-reviewed conference publications are not as unheard of in other fields as some CS people suggest).</li>
<li>It might mean a few subfields in engineering. To find more information, knowing <em>which</em> subfields those are would probably be helpful.</li>
<li>It might actually be a pleonasm for <em>computer science</em>, in a way that a department for "engineering and computer science" wants to highlight it does not only deal with theoretical aspects, but also investigates "technical", "practical" sides of computer science.</li>
</ul>
<p>Thus, my question is: <strong>Are there any other fields beside Computer Science that use peer-reviewed conferences for publication, where such conference publications have a similar standing as journal publications? If so, what are some examples of such other fields?</strong></p>
<p><em>Note: I consider this an answerable question, not an indefinite list question. One or a few verifiable examples for other fields that use conferences as described - or a sufficiently convincing statement or reference that shows there are no such other fields at all - are completely sufficient, I am not looking for an exhaustive list of fields.</em></p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40853,
"author": "al_b",
"author_id": 5963,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/5963",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Engineering would most probably be \"electrical engineering\" and examples of venues where conference proceedings are published would include:\n* IEEEXplore (BTW, IEEE stands for \"...Electrical and Electronics Engineers\"\n* LNEE series published by Springer: <a href=\"http://www.springer.com/series/7818\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.springer.com/series/7818</a>\nYou can also check <a href=\"http://www.springer.com/series/11156\" rel=\"nofollow\" title=\"AISC series\">http://www.springer.com/series/11156</a> at Springer, which publishes a lot of conference proceedings.\nI have recently did several author workshops for researchers in medicine, and they have told that in their field it is also common to have proceedings (of full papers, not a book of abstracts) of a conference. However, I do not have any evidence for that.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40914,
"author": "user-2147482637",
"author_id": 12718,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12718",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Although maybe not a main field, Robotics as a field is a bit similar to highly regarded conferences. The two largest are <a href=\"http://icra2015.org/\" rel=\"nofollow\">ICRA</a> and <a href=\"http://www.iros2015.org/\" rel=\"nofollow\">IROS</a>. Not that it is the best method, but you can see the importance of ICRA as being top ranked in <a href=\"https://scholar.google.co.kr/citations?view_op=top_venues&hl=en&vq=eng_robotics\" rel=\"nofollow\">googles metrics</a>. I think you can see a few of these trends within the google rankings as very few disciplines have a conference ranked in their top 20. Of course, the computer science fields do. Using what I believe is the same methodology SCImago(h-index), an older (2010) <a href=\"http://robotland.blogspot.kr/2011/01/top-10-robotics-journals-2010.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">blog post</a> discussed some of the robotics journal rankings as well, which also produced ICRA as top.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 61555,
"author": "Luis Caires",
"author_id": 47419,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/47419",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I have recently written a note about this issue, with some interesting data from the UK REF 2014 and GSM, that may be of interest.</p>\n\n<p>\"<a href=\"http://ctp.di.fct.unl.pt/~lcaires/papers/conferencesCS.v4.pdf\">Again, the role of conference publications in Computer Science and Informatics</a>\"</p>\n\n<p>Abstract: It is often claimed that in the Computer Science and Informatics many top tier conferences are high profile venues, with journal-equivalent status or even higher. </p>\n\n<p>The goal of this note is to highlight further evidence, based on recent publicly available indicators from the UK REF 2014 evaluation exercise and Google Scholar Metrics, of the special nature and purpose of conference venues in CS and related fields, not shared by most conference venues in other fields of science and engineering. We believe that our analysis is particularly interesting for anyone involved in research evaluation at large, but not necessarily familiar with the CS field. </p>\n\n<p>In particular, we focus on the comparison between the status of conferences and journals in different science and engineering fields, and discuss the status and role of conference and journal papers within the CS field itself.</p>\n\n<p>LC</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/02/28
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40783",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14017/"
] |
40,785 |
<p>I don't want to release too many details in this inquiry, but I do have a very legitimate question to ask. My senior class (aerospace engineering) has been hard at work for nearly nine months reverse engineering a particular <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_X-planes" rel="nofollow">X-Plane</a>. We have done detailed analysis on almost all the aspects of the craft and we have just heard that our supervising professor intends to release this research as his own for future technologies in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-stage-to-orbit" rel="nofollow">SSTO</a> vehicle analysis. What options do we have to prevent this blatant plagiarism by an adviser and how soon should we act? </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40800,
"author": "Danny Ruijters",
"author_id": 28830,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28830",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You must have documented your reverse engineering efforts in some way (e.g. Student reports). You can publish these online, e.g. On ArXiv.</p>\n\n<p>You might also discuss coauthorship with your professor on future publications.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41269,
"author": "StrongBad",
"author_id": 929,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/929",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Using student work is always a difficult situation and we spend a considerable amount of time thinking about <a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/12030/what-are-the-minimum-contributions-required-for-co-authorship\">What are the minimum contributions required for co-authorship</a>. In many cases advisors conclude that students have just turned the crank of the well designed project that they have been handed and that they do not warrant authorship. I think that within reason that advisors who have been active in the research process of students (e.g., suggesting the topic, initial readings, experimental design, and analyses) should be at a minimum of offered authorship and in many cases should actually be the sole author.</p>\n\n<p>There are cases where the student wants to publish in a lower ranked journal than the advisor would like. It seems wrong of an advisor to stand in the way of a coauthored lower ranked publication so they can have a single authored higher ranked publication. That said, if the advisor has correctly evaluated that the student contribution is not worthy of authorship, the lower ranked publication will not stop the higher ranked publication.</p>\n\n<p>Making your work publicly available (e.g., through a website or ArXiv) is beneficial to everyone. When your advisor attempts to publish/republish the work, reviewers will have to decide if the work is new and if you should be an author. Assuming your advisor correctly determined that you do not warrant authorship, he/she will still be able to publish the results. In other words, if you class project is your advisor's research, you cannot stop him/her from publishing it as his own. As crazy as it sounds, the only way to stop it is to make sure your class project contains enough of your research that you have some ownership in the project.</p>\n\n<p>It is probably worth noting that, at least in my field, the traditional bar for a MS thesis is a research project that could be published. An undergraduate class project that takes up a 1/4 of a students time for an academic year is generally much less comprehensive than what MS students produce over 1-2 years of fulltime research.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41275,
"author": "Eric",
"author_id": 20424,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20424",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>This sounds like a common misunderstanding of what research actually is. Most professors in technology are not doing the day to day research work. That part is done by students and postdocs. The professors are setting direction, offering guidance and feedback, securing funding, etc. They are the \"managers\" in academia. This role definitely warrants their name being on any publication they are involved with and is not the professor \"stealing\" ideas.</p>\n\n<p>The second question is whether your work alone qualifies as publishable. Published work must have novel content. If your project is the equivalent of supplying some numbers in a table in a larger study done by your professor, then your work probably does not stand on its own and may not warrant you being listed as an author. If your work makes up the main body of a paper though or supplies some crucial insight that the whole paper would be based on, then your work would stand on its own. If so, you should be a coauthor of anything that uses it.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41286,
"author": "Davidmh",
"author_id": 12587,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12587",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>First, something you should consider. How reliable is the source of this \"we heard\"? And how complete? Sometimes, professors present in meetings the work done in their group, not necessarily by themselves.</p>\n\n<p>If your source is not confidential, you should be clear and talk to him in a non confrontational way. Ask what is the purpose of the meeting, what is he going to present, and maybe if some of you could come along. If after the talk you are still suspicious, you could talk to another professor familiar with your field that could know what is the extent and purpose of this meeting.</p>\n\n<p>If your source is confidential and the contents of this meeting are not public, you can ask him if he thinks your results are publishable and how to proceed. You can also discuss what would the logical continuations be.</p>\n\n<p>Also, I wouldn't post it anywhere without his permission, or clear evidence that he wants to take your work as his. Research is, to some degree, confidential until it is in a publishable form, and you may get shooting yourself in the foot. Specially when working on hearsays, don't do anything that you may regret afterwards.</p>\n\n<p>If you do get solid evidence that he is plagiarising you (and please, confirm this with someone external) you may begin taking bigger actions. Posting your work publicly is a good way of asserting your authorship and getting a timestamp.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40785",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31106/"
] |
40,786 |
<p>I recreated an image from a paper I liked (didn't use the same image to get out of the asking permission which could take a while). Now the reviewer asked us to give credit to the original paper. How do I do that? Is it okay to write that my image was 'inspired' from this other paper, as I didn't copy the image but used the image as a reference to create my own?</p>
<p>Its a drawing of blood vessels (with appropriate details related to our work).</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40788,
"author": "Gimelist",
"author_id": 22213,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22213",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>First of all,</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>permission which could take a while</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Is not entirely correct. Most major publishers have an automated \"permission request\" system that in many cases automatically grants you permission to reuse a figure from a published paper. It takes about 5 minutes and usually you can find it in the journal's home page.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Now the reviewer asked us to give credit to the original paper. How do I do that?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>This isn't too hard. One way, for instance, would be to add to the figure caption: \"<strong>Redrawn after Smith et al. (2005)</strong>\". I think it also depends on what the figure is about. Is it a graph with data points that you used? Is it some schematic drawing? If you edit your question to better describe the figure we can give you a better answer.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40789,
"author": "user6726",
"author_id": 28972,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28972",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In addition, modifying an image does <em>not</em> overcome copyright protection and the need to get permission. Making a modification to someone else's image requires copying it, and the copyright owner is the one who has the right to allow copying. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40786",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/3949/"
] |
40,791 |
<p>Update:</p>
<p>I found 8 students cheating in today's quiz despite stern warning and personal threatening to kick them out of the classroom if I notice cheating behavior again. 4 of them also likely cheated last time. The main reason is I left 5 minutes to fetch old quiz from last time. </p>
<p>I have reported this to the instructor and the two chairs of the department as well as sending the quiz sheets. I am very upset even though it "is not my fault". I have asked the professors explicitly that I do not to see these students in classroom again. </p>
<hr>
<p>I work as a probability&statistics TA. During actual grading of the quiz papers submitted by students, I <em>suspect</em> some students are involved in cheating. The question is what I should do. I should note that my relationship with students is not the best judged from <a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/38867/how-should-an-graduate-student-with-aspergers-syndrome-prepare-for-a-teaching-ca">past experience</a>. </p>
<p>The evidence that support my claim students were cheating in the quiz was follows:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>During the quiz, I noticed students A, B, C, D, E, F, etc sitting very close to each other. I pulled their chairs apart and minutes later their chairs were close again. While I did not suspect cheating, I felt this is quite strange. In the end I have to pull their chairs apart three times. I also noticed they talking to each other, but I am not sure if they were borrowing the calculator or something. I simply did not suspect cheating. </p></li>
<li><p>During the actual grading I found the students A, B, C, D, E, F, etc all submitted work of very low quality and they made identical elementary mistakes like 1+1=3 on their exam sheets. This elementary mistake was carried through to the second part of the exam, such that a few of them did not bother to give any derivation to the wrong results in the test paper. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>I have reported this to the professor, who avoided my email on any discussion with this topic. My questions are as follows:</p>
<ol>
<li>If I want to report cheating, how do I make sure students A, B, C, D, E, F, etc all cheated? Of course there is a small chance that they all made the "stupid mistake" due to some random misunderstanding. For example, maybe students E, F did not cheat; they simply misunderstood the problem or their Casio calculator malfunctioned. Who knows? </li>
</ol>
<p>For example, when I was an undergraduate, I was <em>wrongly</em> accused for cheating, and I knew such accusations makes people psychologically very uncomfortable even if turned out false in the end. While I am quite confident with what I found, I do not want to be the mean professor who treated me that way. I checked the university honor code and it says "the instructor should communicate with the students regarding the nature of the charge and the evidence...". I simply do not know what to say in this case. Should I simply say "I am suspecting you of cheating behavior, please explain yourself", or something? </p>
<ol start="2">
<li>More importantly, what I should do for the future to the class to <em>prevent</em> cheating? I put "cheating behavior means -10 points and an invitation to visit the Dean" in every exam sheet. But I could not prevent this situation from happening again in future. I felt very uncomfortable that I am preparing lecture for students who paid <em>negative amount of input</em> to the class material. To me a student walking out of the classroom and believe my lecture was tedious is okay; one do not need to take the class if one already knew the material. </li>
</ol>
<p>But cheating behavior is far worse; it makes the normal Q&A process break down, and I simply do not know what feedback should I give to the students who cheated. It also makes life very unfair for students who made an huge effort but did not do as well as cheaters. I find it very difficult to prepare the lecture in the same mood again and pretend that this have not happened. </p>
<ol start="3">
<li>In the extreme case, if the professor took no action at all, what should I do next? Should I waste many hours coming back and forth on this "trivial" issue and facing various committees, or should I simply turn a deaf ear on it because this is first time offense? To me, this seems a black and white situation. But I am still quite confused. </li>
</ol>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40796,
"author": "user6726",
"author_id": 28972,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28972",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>If I were on an academic misconduct panel hearing your charge, I would not give much credence to subjective reports of strangeness and sitting close, unless the distances were strikingly abnormal. In light of the physical constraints of the room and the typical spread of students in that space, and especially assuming that these students were close friends a.k.a. study-buddies, how far off of the norm was their spacing? [Suggestion for the future: require cheating suspects to sit in completely different areas during exams; put it on the syllabus that during exams, you will randomly move students within the room, at your discretion]. Your second basis is, potentially, clear and objective, and is the evidence that these panels require.</p>\n\n<p>I am a bit confused about your second basis, that they all claimed that 1+1=3 -- that is so incredibly unlikely that I have to believe that you are speaking somewhat metaphorically. If that is really the case, then that's a key to your dilemma. Suppose, for example, that the accused all made the same elementary mistake in confusing \"standard deviation\" and \"standard error\". In a sense that's a very elementary mistake, but in another sense, it's a beginner's mistake that's likely to be propagated in an under-informed study group. However, if you are talking about a <em>really</em> elementary arithmetic error that is exactly repeated in the group, and you were not speaking metaphorically, that is an event of such low probability of occurrence that you could probably say why it <em>can't</em> be due to a non-cheating common cause. So it is crucial to carefully examine the nature of the shared error.</p>\n\n<p>Typically, the instructor of record has to be the one to make the formal accusation. You should request a meeting with the professor (yes, not pleasant) to discuss the problem in person (forget email), and be prepared to suggest a three-way meeting with the chair. If pursuing the matter would not cause you severe problems (the professor hating you forever and voting to terminate your funding because you stirred the pot), I would say you should pursue the matter. If there would be negative consequences for pursuing justice, it comes down to the question of how much you care about justice. [A totally neutral way of framing the matter, of course].</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40802,
"author": "Massimo Ortolano",
"author_id": 20058,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20058",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Disclaimers: Firstly, how cheating is treated varies a lot among different countries, so what I'm going to say might not be applicable to your case. Secondly, you actually ask several questions, and I shall concentrate just on the following one:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>More importantly, what I should do for the future to the class to prevent cheating?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>The students' behaviour you describe in point 1) should be cut off directly during the exam, and not discussed afterwards. In general, I enforce the following rules:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>Students are not allowed to talk to each other. If I find two or more students trying to talk to each other, I warn them once, but the second time they're out.</li>\n<li>Students should bring their own calculators and cannot borrow calculators from other students. If a students forgets her/his calculator, too bad, she/he can employ the good ol' pencil and paper method of calculation. </li>\n<li>We don't have movable chairs, but, in case: if you're too close, the first time I come to pull you apart and warn you; the second time, that's the door and you're welcome to walk out of it. </li>\n</ol>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40808,
"author": "Nate Eldredge",
"author_id": 1010,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1010",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Addressing (3): You should check the policies at your institution, but a common rule is that the only person who can initiate academic dishonesty proceedings is the instructor of record for the course, ie the professor. This means that you cannot prosecute the students yourself; your job is to report what you observed to the professor, and let her handle it. (Note that references to \"instructor\" in university policies most likely do not include TAs.)</p>\n\n<p>You say the professor is \"avoiding\" your emails about this, but how do you know? One possibility is that she hasn't received them, or hasn't read them; so you should contact her by some other means and ask if she got them. Once you have verified that she did, that is where your responsibility ends, unless you are asked to further explain your evidence, appear at a formal hearing, etc.</p>\n\n<p>Another possibility is that she got your report and decided not to take any action. Again, policies vary, but most likely that is her prerogative. Maybe she thinks the evidence is not strong enough, or knows something about the disciplinary procedure that you do not, or simply wants to avoid conflict. Whatever. Her problem, not yours.</p>\n\n<p>A third option is that she is taking steps to punish the students, but has not told you about it. Again depending on policies, she may not be allowed to do so; such proceedings are usually confidential, and you don't really have a need to know.</p>\n\n<p>So in short: make your report to the professor, verify that it was received, and move on with your life.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40829,
"author": "JRN",
"author_id": 64,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/64",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>This is an answer to your second question: \"More importantly, what I should do for the future to the class to <em>prevent</em> cheating?\"</p>\n\n<p>I usually give different sets of exams; usually three is enough. Make sure students sitting next to each other have different sets assigned to them. Have the students sign an attendance sheet indicating what set they were given. (This sheet can be distributed while they are taking the exam. While they are filling it up, verify that the set they indicated in the sheet matches the actual set given to them.)</p>\n\n<p>Let's say the sets have the following questions:</p>\n\n<p>Set A: <code>2+5=, 6+2=, 3+3=, 0+9= (answers: 7 8 6 9)</code></p>\n\n<p>Set B: <code>2+4=, 7+2=, 4+4=, 0+7= (answers: 6 9 8 7)</code></p>\n\n<p>Set C: <code>3+5=, 5+2=, 5+5=, 0+6= (answers: 8 7 10 6)</code></p>\n\n<p>Let's say that students X, Y, and Z were given sets A, B, and C, respectively. If student Y is seated in between X and Z and answers 7 8 6 9, then this is extremely strong evidence that student Y copied from student X (and not from Z). (The example I've given has four answers copied, but if there are much more, then the evidence would be stronger.) Keep the test papers of students X and Y (and maybe even Z) as evidence, but do return copies of the test papers to them.</p>\n\n<p>Show the evidence to students X and Y. They may or they may not admit guilt. If they do, then obtain proof of it (a signed statement or a video). Submit all the evidence (including the admission of guilt) to the student disciplinary body*. There is a very good chance they will find the students guilty.</p>\n\n<p>By showing the students that you report cases of cheating and that you win them, students will be less likely to cheat in your class in the future.</p>\n\n<p><em>Note</em>: </p>\n\n<p>*I realize that my answer here is more appropriate for teachers of a course, and not for teaching assistants. If, in your institution, a teaching assistant is not supposed to go directly to the student disciplinary body, then present the evidence to the teacher. Your problem is now whether or not the teacher will act on it.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40791",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6335/"
] |
40,794 |
<p>I am collaborating with a foreign author. As I am still pursuing my degree, I have to add my supervisor's name in that paper, even though my supervisor has not contributed to the preparation of this manuscript.</p>
<p>How should I ask my collaborator (foreign author) to include my supervisor's name as a third author? I need some help in this. </p>
<p><strong>Edited:</strong> As my supervisor has told me to add his name, I am obliged to add. I have no other options left. I am asking how should I write and request to my collaborator to include my supervisor name in the manuscript. Also, I am afraid whether my collaborator will feel odd or bad if I request him to do that.</p>
<p>Please help me: what should I say to my collaborator so that he may give third authorship to my supervisor?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40795,
"author": "Corvus",
"author_id": 27900,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27900",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>While conventions vary greatly from field to field, if your supervisor has made literally no contribution, he or she should not be listed as an author. There is been plenty of discussion here of this issue; see e.g. </p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/6130/co-authorship-for-not-very-involved-supervisor\">Co-authorship for not very involved supervisor</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/644/when-should-a-supervisor-be-an-author\">When should a supervisor be an author?</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/12030/what-are-the-minimum-contributions-required-for-co-authorship\">What are the minimum contributions required for co-authorship</a></li>\n</ul>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40798,
"author": "Danny Ruijters",
"author_id": 28830,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28830",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>After you have asserted that your supervisor really merits coauthorship, you could simply write to your collaborator:\n\"dear collaborator, could you please add [supervisor name] as coauthor? [supervisor name] has contributed to the research in this and this way. Thanks!\"</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40799,
"author": "user-2147482637",
"author_id": 12718,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12718",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>If your supervisor has made no contribution, and there was no discussion with your collaborator about your supervisor, and especially if the work is already done, you should have another conversation with your supervisor as they should not be on the paper.</p>\n\n<p>The only way I could see you asking the collaborator is by saying something along the lines of, as long as it is true:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>My time dedicated to our collaboration, and the knowledge I brought to\n the project was only possible by the advice of my advisor and the\n funding I have been paid with. Would you feel comfortable with adding\n my supervisor on the paper?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>You may just be in a difficult situation in which there is not win. If you do try to force your supervisors name, you may ruin any relationship with your collaborator. If they have any position in the academic field, you may be making a bad name for yourself. You may also burn bridges with your advisor, but the story would sound bad if your advisor said he could not force you to unethically add his name to your collaborators paper.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40903,
"author": "mako",
"author_id": 5962,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/5962",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>You're in a difficult position and there aren't a lot of good options here. Your adivsor is wrong to have put you in this situation. From an ethical perspective, I think it would be wrong to have your supervisor as an author on this paper. On the other hand, you also clearly feel that you have no choice in the matter and feel that standing up to your advisor on this issue is not worth the trouble it would cause. Ultimately, that is your decision to make.</p>\n\n<p>The best course at this point is to set up an honest conversation with your collaborator. I would do it over the phone or video chat. Explain the situation clearly and completely (just as you have here) and explain that you feel like you've been put into a difficult situation.</p>\n\n<p>If your collaborator is also uncomfortable and is willing to be the \"bad guy\" by going on record as putting their foot down on the ethical issue of authorship (even if they are more open to the possibility than that), you might have a solution.</p>\n\n<p>In that case, you can go back to your advisor and say that you asked your collaborator to put their name on the paper and that your collaborator pointed out that according to their university's and/or funder's rules and/or their own personal convictions, they felt that it would be wrong. The policies and rules bit is almost always true because basically all rules on these subjects say that co-authorship in these situations is wrong. Tell your advisor that you did your best but you could not get your collaborator to budge on the issue. Your advisor may be mad, but they won't be mad at you.</p>\n\n<p>If your collaborator is not willing to potentially annoy your advisor, an in-person conversation will at least allow you to make it clear that you're not comfortable with the situation either. At that point, the two of you will have to decide what to do.</p>\n\n<p>I'm sorry you've been put into a such a tricky place.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40907,
"author": "Patricia Shanahan",
"author_id": 10220,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10220",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Like many questions from graduate students, I believe a possible answer to \"How should I write and request to my collaborator to include my supervisor's name in the manuscript?\" is \"Ask your supervisor.\". </p>\n\n<p>The question to ask is something like this: \"I'm about to write to Foreign Author to get your name added to the paper. What should I list as your main contributions to it?\"</p>\n\n<p>If the collaborator finds the result reasonably convincing, the supervisor's name gets added. If not, it is not your fault.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40908,
"author": "aeismail",
"author_id": 53,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/53",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It sounds like your colleague is the \"corresponding author\" on the paper, and therefore is the one who has the ability to say who should or should not be a co-author on the paper. </p>\n\n<p>Consequently, depending on your co-author's seniority (relative to your advisor), he may have the ability to decline your advisor's demands on the grounds that he has not participated in the preparation of the manuscript. While your advisor can force <em>you</em> to list him, he can't force someone else to include him as a co-author.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 127222,
"author": "anon",
"author_id": 106105,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/106105",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>If I were your collaborator on this paper, I would refuse to add the supervisor's name no matter how you asked. The only reason I would consider adding it is if the supervisor had actually made a contribution commensurate with authorship (if that were the case, you should have mentioned this to your collaborator a lot earlier, rather than pretending that you had done the work).</p>\n\n<p>One way of cutting the Gordian knot is to have your supervisor do some significant work on rewriting or expanding the paper. But, if I were your collaborator, I would need to be convinced that such rewriting/expanding would make the paper better.</p>\n\n<p>And, by the way, your claim that your supervisor must be a co-author on every paper you write is utter nonsense. Any supervisor claiming this to be the case is acting unprofessionally and unethically.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40794",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/13294/"
] |
40,809 |
<p>I am currently lecturing at a private tertiary education college where I am obliged to lecture, on average, 12 distinct subjects per year at both diploma and degree level. I lecture 6 to 8 subjects per week or around 4 or 5 unique subjects per day across all graduate levels (first, second and third year students). Some of these classes are repeated identically up to 7 times each week for 7 different groups of students for around 30 to 35 lecturing hours per week. </p>
<p>I am currently feeling a little overwhelmed by the workload. Is this normal for a private education institution? </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40811,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I have never heard of an undergraduate institution inflicting this level of lecturing on a professor. Perhaps it happens at vocational or associates degree schools, where, e.g., you might be teaching a whole bunch of sections of \"database entry\" or \"machine operation\" or something like that?</p>\n\n<p>For my colleagues at institutions offering 4-year degrees, the normal range is:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>1-2 classes in a semester at a research-centric institution, where the professor is expected to also be supervising Ph.D. students</li>\n<li>3-4 classes in a semester at a teaching-centric institution, where that is expected to be the primary focus.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Depending on the format of the classes, then, that is likely to mean somewhere between 2 and 20 hours of lecturing per week, which is still far less than what you report.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40861,
"author": "earthling",
"author_id": 2692,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/2692",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>While I believe @jakebeal's answer is quite common in the US and UK, in Asia you get pushed a little harder...but still not as hard as they are pushing you. Here it is common that full time undergraduate lecturers are expected to be in the classroom 16-20 hours per week. I've known cases of lecturers who were pressured into lecturing 28 hours per week, but they were paid extra for those extra hours.</p>\n\n<p>Since your question is not about about the financial aspects of but rather how much one can do, here they traditionally try to get you to teach only 3 unique subjects per week which can be 6 per year (or less). It is common that classes get repeated - that is, you teach the exact same material to multiple, separate groups of students. Combining the student groups into larger classes is not always an option.</p>\n\n<p>12 distinct subjects per year / 6 to 8 unique subjects per week (you also described 4-5 subjects per day)... this is too much for most people (anyone?) to handle while delivering a reasonable quality. If they have you switching subjects this often, it implies that they are more concerned with quantity than quality.</p>\n\n<p>It would help to know what country/area you are in. Again, standards in the US are not the same as Europe which is different from Asia.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40878,
"author": "RoboKaren",
"author_id": 14885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14885",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>This sounds as if it would be the equivalent of a 6:6 (six courses per semester; two semesters a year) teaching load. It also sounds like you can share course-preps between some classes, which lessens the burden a little bit.</p>\n\n<p>A 6:6 load is unheard of at American research universities and liberal arts colleges or any place where you are expected to also do research and service work (university committees, student mentoring, etc.). In these places, 2:1, 2:2, 2:3, or 3:2 are the norm. </p>\n\n<p>That being said, even a 5:5 teaching load is not unheard of at community colleges and some lower-tier state colleges, especially for the non tenure-track instructional staff. </p>\n\n<p>I've never heard of a full-time 6:6 teaching load at a college or university in the United States -- except for adjunct faculty, who often have to do this because they are only paid a piddling ($2~3000) per class. Usually, those 12 classes are spread between different institutions in the same region.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40809",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31124/"
] |
40,814 |
<p>Among my other duties as a tenure-track assistant professor (in math), I serve as an advisor to undergraduates: they are required to meet with me and get my approval on their choice of courses before they can register.</p>
<p>I dread this job every semester, because I suspect that I do a poor job of it. Some of the reasons:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>I have little sense of what career opportunities are available to students of moderate ability and motivation. I can probably help the very top students, because I enjoy reading and listening to first-hand accounts told by extremely successful people, but I have little sense of what is available in the "middle of the market".</p>
<p>It does not help that this city is relatively economically depressed, and that I have learned the hard way not to ask people here "What do you do?" This seems to run counter to local etiquette, and when I do ask, people often describe work which sounds dull to me, and about which they don't seem very excited either.</p></li>
<li><p>There are a plethora of campus-wide programs, and periodically I get e-mails asking me to push various of these to my advisees. However, I don't really know anything about these beyond what I read in the e-mails, and in particular I don't have (and can't readily acquire) any first-hand knowledge of which are actually valuable and which are just empty organizationalism and/or some administrator trying to make him- or herself look good.</p></li>
<li><p>Students rely on me for information on what their graduation requirements are, but this is subject to rapid change and to misinformation which I can still find on the internet (despite me pointing it out to those responsible). I am constantly terrified of giving students bad advice which will delay their graduation.</p></li>
<li><p>In general, I am somewhat spooked by discussions with my colleagues who have invested a lot of time and energy in learning how the university outside my department works. I get the sense that there are a bunch of administrators pushing their pet projects, and colleagues who are involved with these seem a bit shell-shocked to me.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Despite all of this, I have the opportunity to help students, and I want to do a good job of it. What are some principles to keep in mind?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40817,
"author": "Brian Borchers",
"author_id": 4453,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4453",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>I've had some experience in running a training program for faculty advisors and working with new advsiors at my institution in the US (you haven't said so, but I'm guessing that you're at a US institution.) I've been asked a lot of very similar questions in recent years. Your questions show that you care about doing a good job! </p>\n\n<p>Your questions also seem to show that your university isn't providing enough support to faculty advisors. I'd argue that having incorrect information on the web site and pushing new programs for undergraduates without providing relevant information to the advisors are signs of disfunction in the advising system at the university level. You may be able to work around these issues, but a better long term solution is to encourage the administration to fix the system. </p>\n\n<p>At a very low level, you can address systematic problems like this by being persistent but polite in reporting issues to the responsible authorities. For example, emailing the registrar's office to tell them that information on one of their web pages is contradicted by the current catalog should probably result in the incorrect web page being updated. Don't complain about these things in a very public way though. Some administrators welcome this kind of assistance while others dislike \"interference\" and might ignore you. If you run into that attitude, then your best approach may be to escalate to that person's boss. </p>\n\n<p>At a higher level, issues like these can be addressed through faculty committees. If you have a faculty committee that deals with advising issues (or more generally with academic procedures) then you can bring these issues to the attention of the committee. Don't be surprised if you're recruited to work on the committee! </p>\n\n<p>Here are some suggestions of things that you can do on your own to be a better advisor:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li><p>Learn as much as you can about the academic rules and keep up with changes. In working with students, either be absolutely certain of the answer to a question or know who to ask to get an authoritative answer to that question. The worst mistake that you can make is giving incorrect information to a student. In comparison, \"I'm not sure of the answer to this question\" is much better. </p></li>\n<li><p>Make sure that you have correct information about any student that you're advising. Know how to use your Student Information System to look up a student's transcript, run a degree audit, etc. Many advising mistakes are the result of advisors not having complete and correct information about their advisees.</p></li>\n<li><p>If a student is in danger of \"flunking out\" due to bad grades, it is important to intervene as early as possible. If the problems are academic rather than personal than you should work with the student to come up with a realistic plan to address the student's bad grades. Make sure that you know all of the rules about academic probation/suspension and that you're aware of the options that a student might have for withdrawing from classes. Monitor your advisees' performance by checking their midterm and final grades each semester. If your campus has an early alert system then respond to flags raised on your advisees. </p></li>\n<li><p>Crisis management is important. When a student who has been doing well suddenly starts doing poorly, this can very rapidly result in loss of financial aid, academic suspension, etc. Often times these situations are the result of personal problems (health problems, psychiatric illness, drug abuse, death in the family, breakup with a boyfriend/girlfriend, etc.) These kinds of personal problems are not things that you should address, but you should refer the student to offices that can help (a campus health center, counseling office, etc.) In these situations it is often best for the student to cut back on their academic commitments by dropping courses or even withdrawing from an entire semester.</p></li>\n<li><p>Academic decisions can affect financial aid, and the rules are so complicated that faculty advisors generally aren't in a good position to answer questions about them. Check with your financial aid office on the consequences of any action that a student takes that changes their number of registered credit hours. </p></li>\n<li><p>Advising students should ideally be more than just course selection. The traditional \"prescriptive advising\" approach of simply telling students what courses to take should be replaced by a \"developmental advising\" approach in which the advisor's job is to help the student understand the choices available to them, clarify their goals, and then take responsibility for their educational path. This kind of advising can be more rewarding for both students and advisors but it takes a lot of work. Developmental advising can be particularly helpful for those students \"of moderate ability and motivation\" by helping them to figure out what they want to do in life and having that serve as motivation to do the hard work necessary to be more successful students. </p></li>\n<li><p>The reality is that a BS/BA in mathematics is not by itself a qualification that is likely to lead to an exciting career in mathematics. Most students are going to need to combine this with either a second major or a more advanced degree. For example, there are lots of opportunities for students with MS degrees in applied math, statistics, OR, etc. Some web sites that do provide useful information on careers for students majoring in mathematics include:</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"http://weusemath.org/\">http://weusemath.org/</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"http://www.siam.org/careers/\">http://www.siam.org/careers/</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"http://www.amstat.org/careers/\">http://www.amstat.org/careers/</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"http://www.ams.org/profession/career-info/career-index\">http://www.ams.org/profession/career-info/career-index</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"http://www.beanactuary.org/\">http://www.beanactuary.org/</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.informs.org/Build-Your-Career/INFORMS-Student-Union/Career-Links-for-Students/Career-FAQs\">https://www.informs.org/Build-Your-Career/INFORMS-Student-Union/Career-Links-for-Students/Career-FAQs</a></p></li>\n<li><p>You should get to know the \"career services\" office on your campus. I encourage my undergraduate advisees to attend job fairs and look for internship opporunities starting very early in their undergraduate career. Finding out that many employers have GPA cutoffs at 3.0 (or even 3.5) can have a powerful impact on a student who has been getting lower grades... </p></li>\n</ol>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40836,
"author": "Brandon Sherman",
"author_id": 29428,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/29428",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>As an undergraduate who has been given blatantly wrong information by an advisor, please stay up to date with university policies. Know how general education requirements work and what courses count for what requirements. That's a really easy way to ensure that students will be able to graduate on time.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40840,
"author": "Wolfgang Bangerth",
"author_id": 31149,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31149",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I sense a certain amount of resent towards your department for putting you in this position (and maybe rightfully so -- being an undergraduate adviser should not be an assistant professor's role). Even so, you are in this position and, being at an institution of higher education, it is your duty to do the best unto the students you are advising. So use your professional network if you have questions: the professor who had this job before you; staff in the department who worked with the previous adviser; and maybe equally important to the first option above, the advisers in other departments who may have been doing this for a few years already and who know the ropes.</p>\n\n<p>If you don't have a professional relationship with someone whose expertise you need, write them an email: \"Dear Dr X, I have recently been appointed as the undergraduate adviser in my department, but I find that I still have much to learn. Since you have been doing this job in your department for a few years already, would you be willing to let me pick your brain over lunch sometime next week?\" Few older colleagues will be able to say \"no\" to such a request, and you may create yourself a source of knowledge for those cases you don't know how to handle. You may also create a bigger army than only yourself if you need to push back against the upper administration or ask them to provide better websites etc.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40814",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11565/"
] |
40,816 |
<p>I've attended a few workshops consisting of some talks, and then maybe 10-15 hours of "group work" over the course of a week. At one, my group more or less solved the question we set out to answer, which was mildly interesting but not particularly ambitious. (Essentially, it was a computation a few of us had wondered about over coffee at previous conferences.) </p>
<p>The organizers are hoping the groups will write up and post (arxiv+journal?) reports on the outcomes of the work. My impression is that most people in the group were on board. It's possible to imagine a continuing project in this direction, but I think everyone has better things to do.</p>
<p>In any case, we do have something to write up, and the result is even mildly amusing. But if I'd worked it all out myself, I certainly wouldn't arXiv it or submit anywhere. I'm faced with the possibility of being on a slightly embarrassing, very-many-author paper.</p>
<p>1) is there any polite way to opt to keep my name off of it? (the others are mostly more senior, but I can't really claim I didn't contribute)</p>
<p>2) if this thing does see the light of day, would it be acceptable to omit it from my CV, or list it in some different section?</p>
<p>My perspective is that of a postdoc who will be on the market a couple years from now. How are these sorts of papers viewed by hiring committees? (My impression is that they are not uncommon these days.)</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40817,
"author": "Brian Borchers",
"author_id": 4453,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4453",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>I've had some experience in running a training program for faculty advisors and working with new advsiors at my institution in the US (you haven't said so, but I'm guessing that you're at a US institution.) I've been asked a lot of very similar questions in recent years. Your questions show that you care about doing a good job! </p>\n\n<p>Your questions also seem to show that your university isn't providing enough support to faculty advisors. I'd argue that having incorrect information on the web site and pushing new programs for undergraduates without providing relevant information to the advisors are signs of disfunction in the advising system at the university level. You may be able to work around these issues, but a better long term solution is to encourage the administration to fix the system. </p>\n\n<p>At a very low level, you can address systematic problems like this by being persistent but polite in reporting issues to the responsible authorities. For example, emailing the registrar's office to tell them that information on one of their web pages is contradicted by the current catalog should probably result in the incorrect web page being updated. Don't complain about these things in a very public way though. Some administrators welcome this kind of assistance while others dislike \"interference\" and might ignore you. If you run into that attitude, then your best approach may be to escalate to that person's boss. </p>\n\n<p>At a higher level, issues like these can be addressed through faculty committees. If you have a faculty committee that deals with advising issues (or more generally with academic procedures) then you can bring these issues to the attention of the committee. Don't be surprised if you're recruited to work on the committee! </p>\n\n<p>Here are some suggestions of things that you can do on your own to be a better advisor:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li><p>Learn as much as you can about the academic rules and keep up with changes. In working with students, either be absolutely certain of the answer to a question or know who to ask to get an authoritative answer to that question. The worst mistake that you can make is giving incorrect information to a student. In comparison, \"I'm not sure of the answer to this question\" is much better. </p></li>\n<li><p>Make sure that you have correct information about any student that you're advising. Know how to use your Student Information System to look up a student's transcript, run a degree audit, etc. Many advising mistakes are the result of advisors not having complete and correct information about their advisees.</p></li>\n<li><p>If a student is in danger of \"flunking out\" due to bad grades, it is important to intervene as early as possible. If the problems are academic rather than personal than you should work with the student to come up with a realistic plan to address the student's bad grades. Make sure that you know all of the rules about academic probation/suspension and that you're aware of the options that a student might have for withdrawing from classes. Monitor your advisees' performance by checking their midterm and final grades each semester. If your campus has an early alert system then respond to flags raised on your advisees. </p></li>\n<li><p>Crisis management is important. When a student who has been doing well suddenly starts doing poorly, this can very rapidly result in loss of financial aid, academic suspension, etc. Often times these situations are the result of personal problems (health problems, psychiatric illness, drug abuse, death in the family, breakup with a boyfriend/girlfriend, etc.) These kinds of personal problems are not things that you should address, but you should refer the student to offices that can help (a campus health center, counseling office, etc.) In these situations it is often best for the student to cut back on their academic commitments by dropping courses or even withdrawing from an entire semester.</p></li>\n<li><p>Academic decisions can affect financial aid, and the rules are so complicated that faculty advisors generally aren't in a good position to answer questions about them. Check with your financial aid office on the consequences of any action that a student takes that changes their number of registered credit hours. </p></li>\n<li><p>Advising students should ideally be more than just course selection. The traditional \"prescriptive advising\" approach of simply telling students what courses to take should be replaced by a \"developmental advising\" approach in which the advisor's job is to help the student understand the choices available to them, clarify their goals, and then take responsibility for their educational path. This kind of advising can be more rewarding for both students and advisors but it takes a lot of work. Developmental advising can be particularly helpful for those students \"of moderate ability and motivation\" by helping them to figure out what they want to do in life and having that serve as motivation to do the hard work necessary to be more successful students. </p></li>\n<li><p>The reality is that a BS/BA in mathematics is not by itself a qualification that is likely to lead to an exciting career in mathematics. Most students are going to need to combine this with either a second major or a more advanced degree. For example, there are lots of opportunities for students with MS degrees in applied math, statistics, OR, etc. Some web sites that do provide useful information on careers for students majoring in mathematics include:</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"http://weusemath.org/\">http://weusemath.org/</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"http://www.siam.org/careers/\">http://www.siam.org/careers/</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"http://www.amstat.org/careers/\">http://www.amstat.org/careers/</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"http://www.ams.org/profession/career-info/career-index\">http://www.ams.org/profession/career-info/career-index</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"http://www.beanactuary.org/\">http://www.beanactuary.org/</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.informs.org/Build-Your-Career/INFORMS-Student-Union/Career-Links-for-Students/Career-FAQs\">https://www.informs.org/Build-Your-Career/INFORMS-Student-Union/Career-Links-for-Students/Career-FAQs</a></p></li>\n<li><p>You should get to know the \"career services\" office on your campus. I encourage my undergraduate advisees to attend job fairs and look for internship opporunities starting very early in their undergraduate career. Finding out that many employers have GPA cutoffs at 3.0 (or even 3.5) can have a powerful impact on a student who has been getting lower grades... </p></li>\n</ol>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40836,
"author": "Brandon Sherman",
"author_id": 29428,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/29428",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>As an undergraduate who has been given blatantly wrong information by an advisor, please stay up to date with university policies. Know how general education requirements work and what courses count for what requirements. That's a really easy way to ensure that students will be able to graduate on time.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40840,
"author": "Wolfgang Bangerth",
"author_id": 31149,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31149",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I sense a certain amount of resent towards your department for putting you in this position (and maybe rightfully so -- being an undergraduate adviser should not be an assistant professor's role). Even so, you are in this position and, being at an institution of higher education, it is your duty to do the best unto the students you are advising. So use your professional network if you have questions: the professor who had this job before you; staff in the department who worked with the previous adviser; and maybe equally important to the first option above, the advisers in other departments who may have been doing this for a few years already and who know the ropes.</p>\n\n<p>If you don't have a professional relationship with someone whose expertise you need, write them an email: \"Dear Dr X, I have recently been appointed as the undergraduate adviser in my department, but I find that I still have much to learn. Since you have been doing this job in your department for a few years already, would you be willing to let me pick your brain over lunch sometime next week?\" Few older colleagues will be able to say \"no\" to such a request, and you may create yourself a source of knowledge for those cases you don't know how to handle. You may also create a bigger army than only yourself if you need to push back against the upper administration or ask them to provide better websites etc.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40816",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/23399/"
] |
40,823 |
<p>I am currently in my first year of a general mathematics PhD program at a state university that isn't rated particularly high. As far my classes go, I put in little to no effort towards them and instead dedicate my time to the research I've started, and still am at/near the top of my class. The students in my classes just seem to be at a much lower level of understanding than I am, and I am afraid I am stagnating myself by not being in a more competitive setting. I've begun working on a research project with a few other students who are soon to graduate, and thus far, everything we have done this semester has come from me, even though I haven't even finished the sequence of courses relevant to the material we are researching. Granted, there are a few professors who are well-respected in their field that I currently work under, and that is a great privilege, but I do not feel that most the other students there are my academic peers.</p>
<p>I would like to look into transferring to a better university, but I have one main concern; my undergraduate transcript is not very good. Upon close inspection, one would find that I received very good grades in the advanced classes I took, but poor grades in the easier classes I took earlier in my academic career. I got a 4.0 the first semester of my grad program, and am confident that I will 4.0 this semester as well, but will this be enough to get into a highly ranked PhD program?(Edit: This is a rhetorical question, not the question I am trying to ask. It is obvious that this is not enough, so I am trying to find out what outside of this I can do?)</p>
<p>So my question is should I look into transferring?(and maybe risk offending the professors I have a good relationship right now?) and if so how can I prove that what they see on paper(my undergraduate transcript) is not reflective of my abilities as a mathematician?</p>
<p>EDIT: I should mention that my biggest concern right now is that my classes are being held back by the people who don't understand the material. I would love to be in a class where things were faster-paced so we could get into more detail and more subjects. I've been studying into more detail by myself, but I feel I would benefit from seeing this from my instructor as well(which is what I would imagine happens at a university with a better student body), which I don't get because too many people in my classes are struggling with the basics.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40824,
"author": "Anonymous",
"author_id": 11565,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11565",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<blockquote>\n <p>will this be enough to get into a highly ranked PhD program?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p><strong>No.</strong></p>\n\n<p>You might well be able to get into a highly ranked PhD program, and have your bad undergraduate grades overlooked.</p>\n\n<p>But this is difficult; many more try to do this than succeed. Perfect grades in grad school are common and will not make a strong impression on graduate admissions committees. What will be more impressive is going <em>far</em> beyond what is expected of you, learning advanced topics on your own initiative and discussing them with faculty, being a leader at your current university (e.g., helping others, giving seminar talks), and <em>carrying out research</em>. If, next year, your rec letters read \"SE318 is only in his/her second year in the Ph.D. program, but his/her research output already exceeds that of most of our graduating Ph.D. students, and he/she clearly deserves a shot at a much stronger program\"... then you have a decent shot.</p>\n\n<p>In particular:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>I put in little to no effort</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>If you hope to realize your potential then you must start putting in much more effort immediately. Outwork everybody and be someone that everyone looks up to.</p>\n\n<p>Best luck to you.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40828,
"author": "Pete L. Clark",
"author_id": 938,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/938",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Many, many students who are at lower-ranked universities aspire to be at higher-ranked places instead. (In fact, what is more surprising to me is that <em>not all</em> such students feel this way.) The hard truth is that top-ranked universities by definition are very selective of their applicants, and in your case the \"main round\" of the selection process has already occurred. It is not impossible to transfer to a much better place, but it is difficult, to the extent that it may or may not be a reasonable goal. Growing where you are planted sounds like a smarter strategy to me, and in fact it is not fundamentally incompatible with the ambition to move elsewhere. </p>\n\n<p>The one way I can think of to effectively demonstrate your potential is to <em>realize it</em>, i.e., to prove at least one theorem of a caliber beyond what most students in your program do as part of their PhD thesis work. If you can do that, then you clearly deserve to be at a better place, and you should not have much trouble finding some place to take you on. I don't think anything else is worth banking on: as others have said, grades in PhD-level mathematics courses in the US are not necessarily very meaningful. This varies in its extent, but every program I know has enough courses where all students who do not do anything egregiously, ridiculously wrong get the highest possible grade that a 4.0 GPA at the graduate level is just not the same thing as it is at the undergraduate level. I would expect that a substantial proportion of the students in your program would have 4.0 GPAs. </p>\n\n<p>Unfortunately I think the strategy of \"gunning for an early research success\" will either be a good one or (and in terms of the percentages, this is more likely) a very bad one. Most early career math PhD students are not anywhere near equipped to do meaningful research, to an extent that other academic fields would have a hard time believing. In my program (about the 50th best in the US) early career students neglecting their coursework in favor of their \"research\" is a big red flag for me: these students often fail to meet programmatic requirements and get in real trouble. </p>\n\n<p>To be very honest: I think the big risk here is that you are not as exceptional as you think, that your lack of effort in your coursework will itself become a problem down the road, and that your superiority to those around you may only be a matter of opinion. Of course I'm not saying that this <em>is</em> the case -- I couldn't know -- but it would be very smart to be concerned about this on your own behalf. You need some reality checks. Here are some checkpoints:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Step 1: Can you pass all your generals / quals / required coursework rapidly and unusually well?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>In most non-top math PhD programs I know of, there is an initial phase of 1-3 years where students spend time studying coursework and then passing exams. A small number of students get through this portion much more quickly: within a single year, a single semester or even immediately upon arrival. It is debatable whether such students are truly more talented than the others or simply arrived very well prepared and have their act together, but in any event such students are certainly doing exceptionally well in the program. </p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Step 2: Can you get faculty on board with the plan of your having exceptional promise and ambition and get a very meaty project to work on?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Go to one of the faculty members you're working with and level with them: say that you feel understimulated by the program, are worried that your peers lack your intensity and ambition, and that you are really looking for a project to sink your teeth into. Then step back and listen very carefully to what she has to say. You will probably get some amount of corroboration/denial of the picture you have painted, though it may be subtle. (I <em>would not say</em>: \"No, I completely disagree: you're just average, maybe not even that\" to a student, even if I felt that way!) More importantly you should get something to work on. Do so. If it is not what you wanted, or if you have your own ideas about what you want to work on, come back and say so, but I think it's good to spend some time on projects that other people give you at this stage.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Step 3: Can you get some results? Anything at first, then something nice, then maybe a real breakthrough?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>If you can make it successfully through Step 3, then as above you're ready to go somewhere better. Let me not even try to hide the following key point: the merit of this checklist is that <strong>it's what you're supposed to be doing anyway</strong>. If by the time you successfully complete Step 3 you're ready to graduate, should you curse my trickery? No, you should proudly write up your thesis and expect to get a postdoc at a much better place than you did your PhD, which is hard to do and puts you on a great trajectory for your later career.</p>\n\n<p>Good luck.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40863,
"author": "MerseyViking",
"author_id": 31161,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31161",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You might find your attitude holds you back. Universities are much like any large organization, and not like movies such as A Beautiful Mind or Good Will Hunting, initially you are little more than a name on a list. If you want to be noticed and get involved with exciting research, you have to put in the time doing the tasks the professors have set you; if you don't you may find you're considered a slacker, or worse, insulting the teaching staff by implying their work is beneath you. To get anywhere in academia (or indeed business), you need people on your side, and if that means sucking down your pride and getting the job done, then so be it. If you're ambitious, it will be noticed because your excellent grades will stand out to those who have the influence.</p>\n\n<p>Richard Feynman was given permission to study other subjects on top of physics, as long as he did the work for <em>all</em> the subjects - this he did with grace and time to spare. Shine by your diligence and hard work, and it won't matter much which institution you're at, your work (and association with those eminent professors) will do you the most good. Besides, you may find you actually learn something along the way.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40865,
"author": "Bombyx mori",
"author_id": 6335,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6335",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The answer is very simple. You have realized that the courses are easy and getting a high mark is not difficult. So you should not expect this will be selling points for you to get into a top program. If you know this, then the admission committee from Harvard University must know it as well or better than you are. Otherwise, what is the point to go to Harvard? </p>\n\n<p>At this point in your career, it is much more important for you to have a solid foundation in whatever you are interested, and do not plunge into research right away. The first two years of a typical PhD program is to help you consolidate your understanding of the material. If you skip it and regard the courses at face value because you can easily get high grades through easy psets, it would be more detrimental to you than good in the long term. This is to exclude the chance that you are very talented, independent, hard working students like John Nash, Samuel Donaldson, Alexrander Gronthedieck, etc. But even they would need an advisor. </p>\n\n<p>I will suggest you try to read some faculty's papers in your department and find some potential advisors after you pass the generals. Transfer only make sense if you can work with a much better advisor in some other university, or you want to switch your research field to something simply not available in your department. But even in this case it is very risky bet. </p>\n\n<p>As a fellow math PhD student, I am not as experienced as Prof. Clark or others in the forum as I have not finished my PhD, but I do have 3.95/4.0 GPA in my grad school, fastest graduate student on department record to pass the qual, etc and I have went through a similar confusing period about my identity and my future. So this is my sincere advice. </p>\n\n<p>Best wishes for your future academic career.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40943,
"author": "cs_alumnus",
"author_id": 20495,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20495",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>What you learn in graduate school doesn't just come from the professor. You are there to learn how to learn for yourself. After you finish your Ph.D. and move on to some academic position there is will not be a professor continuing to teach you new things. You need to learn how to teach yourself if you want to advance. If you are being graded on a curve then a high GPA does not mean you understand the material. It means you understand the material better than your peers. Even if there is no curve, then the professor may be reducing the difficulty of the exams to fit the ability of the class. Either way, saying you don't put in any effort because you outperform people who don't understand the basics does not suggest that you understand the course material.</p>\n\n<p>When you find the other students are struggling, see if they want to form a study group to go over the material outside of class. <strong>Do not tell them you want to form this group because you think you are brilliant and everyone is holding you back</strong>. By studying the material with the rest of the class you will be forced to put in the effort. You will be forced to examine what you claim to know and you will see various misconceptions you have about the material. Misconceptions which won't keep you from being at the top of the class but will keep you from having a true understanding of the material. You will learn things from the other students that are at/near the top of the class. You will gain teaching experience. You will make some friends. You will help to bring the quality of your entire program to a higher level.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40823",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31084/"
] |
40,825 |
<p>I am curious as to how academia continues itself without replication or reinventing the wheel. So many academicians in so many areas of work, how would one ever find out whether the work he or she is about to embark on can be considered an original work? That someone didn't already publish the very same result?</p>
<p>In engineering, we have all heard the story of Cooley-Tukey's method of Fast Fourier Transform. The story goes Tukey has been applying his own method of FFT for years without recognizing that the implementation was a fundamentally original approach. Until he brought it up in a meeting in the 1950s, he had always thought that this method was used widely given its extraordinarily simple implementation. Only later did everyone realize that Gauss had used the very same method 160 years earlier.</p>
<p>The same goes for the famed Wiener-Khinchin theorem in stochastic analysis. After two most ingenious mathematicians ever graced this earth came up with this theorem did they realized that Einstein had already published it a decade ago.</p>
<p>Doubtlessly, there are thousands of examples in all branches of natural sciences. It is less clear whether the social science encounters this problem since no two times and places are ever alike, and the social reality keeps on changing therefore novel results is always promised.</p>
<p>So how can one find out in the quickest way possible that his or her work is original work? Original in the sense that the end result is something that improves upon an existing result or opens up an entirely new field without duplications from other people. Does there exist a database somewhere to categorizes all recent and historic progress in a certain field? Are there people who are employed in academia or elsewhere to do this very task?</p>
<p>Edit: I guess same goes for asking a question without looking at the other questions first...seems like this question was resolved in another post T_T</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40826,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>I think that to answer this effectively, one needs to carefully distinguish between two concepts that are often conflated in discussing research: <em>originality</em> and <em>significance</em>. The <em>originality</em> of a piece of work is the degree to which it is distinguished from other pieces of work, while the <em>significance</em> of a piece of work is the intellectual impact that it has.</p>\n\n<p>I think that these two tend to get tangled up because what typically concerns us is significance, but significance can only actually be measured in retrospect. Originality thus gets used as a proxy for determining significance. Intuitively, it makes sense: the more creatively different an idea is, the more likely it seems that it will have an impact. </p>\n\n<p>Originality, however, is a matter of both perspective and scale of measurement. Newton's famous quote: <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standing_on_the_shoulders_of_giants\">\"If I have seen farther it is by standing on the shoulders of giants\"</a>, summarizes that no intellectual work exists in a vacuum: the myth of the lone genius is just that, a myth. Edison did not invent the lightbulb, he made a significant improvement in its design which moved it past the tipping point; Einstein did not invent relativity, he had a mathematical insight which crystalized a collection of growing problems that many were starting to pay attention to; Hopper did not invent the compiler from whole cloth, she simply was the first to achieve that milestone amongst a number of others who were working on the automation of computer control. Reinvention, at this gross intellectual level, is not only frequent, it is to be expected.</p>\n\n<p>At a finer granularity of measure, however, pretty much every non-plagiarized work is quite original: even if two people come up with effectively the same approach to a problem, how they approach it and how they validate their approaches will generally end up being very different, simply because the space of possible viable realizations of a program of research is so large. Likewise, even a highly \"unoriginal\" idea at the grand scale may have great impact when introduced to an area where it is not commonly used, such as the recent <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayesian_cognitive_science\">Bayesian revolution in cognitive science.</a></p>\n\n<p>So, originality per se is not a very useful measure; instead, you really want to be able to evaluate the likelihood of intellectual significance in your work. For that, there is simply no substitute for getting to know the community that you want to impact. You can do the most beautiful and elegant research in the world, but if it does not connect with intellectual issues that matter to others, it will remain in a sort of limbo... perhaps to be revived in 100 years (cf. the swing between frequentist and Bayesian statistics), or perhaps simply to be forgotten in the archives of history.</p>\n\n<p>Thus, when it comes to evaluating one's own research, the thing you really should be worrying about is not unoriginality, but insignificance. If you are working honestly, you will be original. To estimate the significance of a piece of your work:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Know who you are trying to affect, and learn how to speak their language. This typically involves reading relevant parts of the literature.</li>\n<li>With respect to that literature, be able to explain how your work <em>changes</em> how people in that community should be thinking and acting.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>And that's the (perhaps unsatisfying) long and short of it: if your work is done honestly and has an impact on the scientific community, then its originality is sufficient.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40845,
"author": "David Z",
"author_id": 236,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/236",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You can never really find out for sure (which is why it's not uncommon for things which are not really original to be published). However, when a scientist has an idea that they would like to publish, it's expected that they be reasonably confident that it has not been published before. Someone who works in that field of research will have been keeping up with the latest developments, and should therefore know (99% of the time) whether their idea is new or not. If they don't know of any prior instances of that work, they should then search the standard references in their field, and these days, probably search the internet as well (e.g. Google Scholar) to see whether anything in a different field comes up. </p>\n\n<p>When the paper is finished and sent for review, the reviewer(s) will go through the same steps; perhaps less rigorously, but still, there will be multiple people checking any given paper for previous work on the same topic. By the time a paper makes it to publication, one can be fairly confident that it contains something original.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40825",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20070/"
] |
40,832 |
<p>I am doing a technical presentation on <em>Minimizing Real-Time Data Stream Latency: Node.js and Asynchronous Operations.</em> I've done some thorough research on the topic and I want to add some code blocks to a few slides to visually show Asynch Programming in Node.js as well as to visually show pros and cons.</p>
<p>The presentation is for 30–40 minutes. I want to keep it to about 10–12 slides.</p>
<h3>Questions</h3>
<ul>
<li>Is it appropriate to add code blocks to some slides? </li>
<li>If it is appropriate, how many slides is too much? </li>
</ul>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40833,
"author": "Fomite",
"author_id": 118,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/118",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It may or may not be appropriate, depending on your audience (I also feel this way about equations). A couple things to keep in mind:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>If you have non-technical people in your audience, you'll likely lose them for these slides, and there's a risk you'll lose them entirely.</li>\n<li>Even if people <em>are</em> technically-inclined, they now need to read your code block, interpret it in their mind, and think about it long enough to see your point. And they'll have the distraction of you talking to them at the time. That's a pretty steep thing to ask your audience to do.</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>Generally, I think you'll likely be better served talking about these issues conceptually, rather than with code, which will require people to wade through it. If you <em>must</em> include code blocks, make sure they are clear, in a very recognizable style (no personal quirks or idioms, clear variable names, etc.) and clearly annotated as you walk through it.</p>\n\n<p>But honestly, I don't think I've ever seen a talk with code-as-content (beyond \"These 2 lines instead of these 15!\") that I thought was aided by having it there.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40837,
"author": "Patricia Shanahan",
"author_id": 10220,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10220",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I suggest testing your slide, using colleagues with similar skills to the target audience. As Fomite pointed out in a <a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/40833/10220\">prior answer</a>, listening to a speaker and reading code can be difficult to do at the same time.</p>\n\n<p>One option would be to allow time for the code reading: \"Please examine this code block\" followed by a pause. You can find out how long a pause is needed by observing your test audience. If you cannot afford to allow enough time to read and understand the code, get rid of it.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40850,
"author": "Nick Vence",
"author_id": 30542,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30542",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Complicated concepts are often best explained with a figures. Try representing synchronous & asynchronous data-stream packets as boxes traveling along a line. Coupling this with a few lines of pseudo-code, might allow you to explain your algorithm's superiority.</p>\n\n<p>-0-0-0-0----0----0----0----0----0-0-0-0----0----0----0----0-0-0-0----0----0----0</p>\n\n<p>--0-0--0-0-0--0--0-0-0--0---0-0--0-0-0--0-0--0-0--0----0-0-0-0-0--0-0--0-0-0--</p>\n\n<p>This demonstration of your knowledge / problem solving skills goes along way towards recommending you for a job. And remember, it is all about clear communication -- not about trying to impress (or confuse) anyone.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40859,
"author": "Piotr Migdal",
"author_id": 49,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/49",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>If it is a technical talk on a particular library then yes, code is appropriate, and in some cases - even recommended (as opposed to hand waving).</p>\n\n<p>But:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>keep it readable (big font, syntax highlighting, reasonable variable names),</li>\n<li>keep it short (examples as minimal as possible),</li>\n<li>give enough time to read and understand it.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Some examples how it is being done: <a href=\"http://scott.sauyet.com/Javascript/Talk/FunctionalProgramming/#slide-12\" rel=\"nofollow\">this slide</a> or for async JS: <a href=\"http://www.medikoo.com/asynchronous-javascript/\" rel=\"nofollow\">this presentation</a>.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40876,
"author": "Zibbobz",
"author_id": 23717,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/23717",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It is almost never appropriate to put code in your slides, psudo-code or not. This has nothing to do with the level of technical finesse of your slides, and everything to do with whether or not it is a good presentation that your audience can follow. Most of the time, you will want to represent your ideas graphically, not textually.</p>\n\n<p>A slide-based presentation is a visual medium, supplemented by what you have to say about each slide. The content should largely be bold-print headers and visual representations of your concept - not large chunks of text that your audience is not likely to read in the time it is on the screen anyway. </p>\n\n<p>One case in which you <em>could</em> justify the inclusion of code is if you plan to go over each step of the code line-by-line, or as a side-by-side comparison, and then only if you are willing to guide your audience through every single step, preferably with a laser pointer or other type of pointer to indicate how each part of the code is relevant. </p>\n\n<p>Even then, I would not recommend including more than a few lines of code - text is very difficult to focus on during a presentation when the presenter is speaking, unless they are explaining the text to the viewer. The larger the block of text, the more explanation will be required, and the less interest your viewers will have. </p>\n\n<p>As a technical presentation, if it is strictly <em>necessary</em> to include an example, then there is no question - you will have to include it, and find a way to explain it within your allotted presentation time. But if you have the option, a visual representation with a flowchart or some other graphic medium would be better suited to a slide-presentation style. </p>\n\n<p>(<strong>Note</strong>: If it is not actually a 'presentation' and is meant to be a handout to others, disregard this and include some examples, but do not go over them too much during the actual presentation unless absolutely required.)</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40832",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15518/"
] |
40,842 |
<p>I'm currently finishing up my masters degree and hoping to apply to quite a few good PhD programs. I've gotten perfect scores in all my classes thus far as a graduate student and as an undergraduate, I got perfect scores in my major classes.</p>
<p>I'm currently taking only one class because I'm working full time (and I've taken all the graduate courses in my field already (at my current university), so there isn't really much left for me to take), and it's taking it's toll on me quite a bit (I'm barely sleeping, constantly stressed, anxious, etc.). </p>
<p>I'm considering dropping the one course I'm taking, but it's halfway through the semester and I would end up receiving a W (withdrawal) on my transcripts. I plan to leave my job at the end of the semester, so this shouldn't be a problem in the upcoming semesters.</p>
<ul>
<li>How does having a W on ones transcripts affect PhD applications? </li>
<li>How do admissions committees look at it? </li>
<li>Any advice to students in a similar position as my own?</li>
</ul>
<p><em>Note</em>: I've read <a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/9972/">this</a> post with a similar title, but it doesn't directly address my concerns; it's primarily asking about the proper protocol to follow when sending transcripts; in this case, the transcripts will be sent regardless. </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40843,
"author": "Corvus",
"author_id": 27900,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27900",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I've been heavily involved in graduate admissions at a top-20 program for many years. A single withdrawal never bothers me; I realize that life happens. It's when they start to become common across a transcript that I start to worry. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40844,
"author": "Brian Borchers",
"author_id": 4453,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4453",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You should plan on explaining this \"W\" as part of the application process (perhaps in the cover letter of your application.) The fact that you're withdrawing from the very last course that you took at this university looks suspicious. For example, it might be what we would see if you were caught cheating by a professor. </p>\n\n<p>The explanation that you weren't able to complete the course because you took on a full time job is a quite reasonable one. My point is that you will want to communicate this information along with your application (and perhaps have one of your recommendation letters address what happened.) </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40842",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31151/"
] |
40,851 |
<p>I'm studying maths, and I've found it beneficial to write my notes as if I were writing a textbook for someone else's self study - forces me to understand the material to some extent. </p>
<p>It's of course incredibly unlikely these notes could <em>actually</em> be made into a textbook, but hypothetically, if I decided in some distant future to attempt to publish a textbook on maths, what are the rules for referencing? </p>
<p>Is it acceptable to source material almost solely from other textbooks, and simply place in the references at the back the names of those text books, or...? </p>
<p>Exercises. If I borrow exercises from other textbooks which look challenging (not every exercise) then how required am I to reference the book I found the exercise in? Even if I do reference, is there any issue that could stem from using those exercises? I've seen Wilson's theorem used as an exercise for almost every abstract algebra book I've read. </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40856,
"author": "Dirk",
"author_id": 529,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/529",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Textbooks seldomly state original results and it is generally assumed that the author of the textbook is not the inventor of the results. So your conception that there are different rules for references for textbooks is right. Since textbooks are for students who are usually not used to look up references one aims to make textbooks as self-contained as possible. Hence, there are few references. Mostly, references point to previous textbooks (references given in the introduction, appendix or \"Further reading\" sections). In fact, a lot of references go into sections like \"Further reading\" or \"Historical remarks\". Sometimes you may want to give a reference for a specific result which could be contained in the book but is not for some reason. I would always strive to keep the number of such references in a textbook as small as possible. Also keep the number of different books to which you refer as small as possible. Referencing to original results is mostly omitted but you should always state names with theorems, i.e. you could write \"<strong>Theorem</strong> (Taylor): ...\", \"<strong>Theorem</strong> (Green/Tao): ...\", of course use \"<strong>Banach's Fixed Point Theorem</strong>\" or write \"<strong>Mean Value Theorem</strong> (Cauchy): ...\" </p>\n\n<p>Regarding exercises: If you know a true reference for an exercise you could give it like \"<strong>Exercise</strong> (Erdős): ...\". Otherwise, I think that exercises are considered to be \"in the public domain\" (not taken as a legal claim) and can be reused without reference (but correct me, if I'm wrong).</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40857,
"author": "MrMeritology",
"author_id": 17564,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17564",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I strongly disagree with <a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/529/dirk\">Dirk</a>. You should not \"always strive to keep the number of such references in a textbook as small as possible.\"</p>\n\n<p>Also, I would say that this: \"Also keep the number of different books to which you refer as small as possible.\" is very poor advice. It is a disservice to your readers, and wholly unnecessary.</p>\n\n<p>Instead, you should have extensive references in a textbook whenever you draw on other materials. This is a matter of intellectual honesty and to provide your readers (and their teachers/advisers) links to source material. If your content or results come from other sources, including from textbooks, you should make explicit references to them.</p>\n\n<p>Exercises are only in \"the public domain\" if they are from sources whose copyrights have expired or are from authors who have explicitly made them public domain, or variant thereof.</p>\n\n<p>It may be advisable to have a section of your textbook that minimizes references -- mainly to improve readability. If so, then you'd be advised to have a parallel section titled \"Sources and Further Reading\" where you recapitulate the content in the main section and include all references.</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/529/dirk\">Dirk</a> says that textbooks are to be \"as self-contained as possible. Hence, there are few references.\" This is poor advice since it confuses readability with completeness and usability. To omit references when you have copied or otherwise drawn material from other sources is both incomplete and disreputable. It harms usability because some students and many teachers will want access to the original books and papers. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40851",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/26647/"
] |
40,854 |
<p>I have 1 Bachelors degree and 2 Masters degrees. They are in different subjects, not closely related. I am now planning to apply for a PhD program. </p>
<p>Question: Do you think that I can only mention the most recent Masters degree and hide others? My last degree is closely related with this PhD program. Also, my grades were good in this recent Masters program, unlike the others.</p>
<p>To be honest, I am not happy with my other degrees. My performance was not good and they are not related with the PhD that I intend to pursue. For these reasons, I prefer to not to talk about them. Can I leave them off my CV? If, in an interview, they ask my education before my last degree, my plan is to talk about them briefly. Do you think this is acceptable?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40855,
"author": "o-0",
"author_id": 21552,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/21552",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I would suggest to do not hide your educational background, simply because <strong><em>any</em></strong> degree you got does reflect a showcase of your commitment to a goal; regardless of your marks. And, more than anything, during your Ph.D. <em>your</em> commitment is essential.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40858,
"author": "MrMeritology",
"author_id": 17564,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17564",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>No. You should not hide anything that you have done -- in academic programs or in work experience. It doesn't matter whether you think that it is or is not related to the PhD application. </p>\n\n<p>If you made mistakes, then address them directly in your application essay. What were the mistakes? What did you learn from these past mistakes? Who are you now, given your experience in these mistakes?</p>\n\n<p>In my opinion, if you aren't able or willing to talk about these \"mistakes\", then you aren't ready to enter a PhD program.</p>\n\n<p><em>EDIT</em></p>\n\n<p>My suggestion reflects a particular moral and ethical code, and it also reflects a certain culture (US Science, Engineering, and Social Science programs). It may not be appropriate in other cultures, and it may not suit your morals and ethics.</p>\n\n<p>To the folks who recommend \"only focus on the positives\", my reply is \"good luck with that\". In my experience, admission committees (and hiring managers) are keen to find any weaknesses and problems. If none are apparent, they will ferret them out.</p>\n\n<p>If OP leaves these off his/her CV, then there will be holes. If s/he doesn't address the holes in the application essay, then you are leaving it up to the admissions committee to fill in the holes with their imagination. I presume they will assume the worst. (In my experience, this can happen even with evidence of accomplishment.)</p>\n\n<p>If these are included in the CV, then official transcripts will have to be submitted (this is standard in the US), and thereby the committee will see the full record, not just GPA for each degree program. And if s/he doesn't say anything about them in the application essay, the committee will probably draw very negative conclusions from them.</p>\n\n<p>Finally, my suggestion to address the problems and learning in the application essay doesn't mean that it needs to be long or detailed. It could be a couple of sentences: \"These degree programs were not as successful as I would have liked, and but thankfully I'm much the wiser now. I learned what I'm good at and what I'm not good at, and I learned what I really want to do in my career.\"</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40872,
"author": "suruveche",
"author_id": 31127,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31127",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>If the interviewers are more knowledgeable than you are, you can include all your degrees.</p>\n\n<p>If they are less knowledgeable, you will loose by mentioning these degrees in your CV. You should mention them only if there is a law or regulation which forces you to mention them in your CV.</p>\n\n<p>You should discuss this with a lawyer. You know what you want to do; the only thing you have to do is find whether the law supports you. I cannot give you legal advice myself.</p>\n\n<p>(As a lighter answer, since a few people who answered here are telling you to include these degrees in your CV, you can join their institution! In that case, you can include everything in your CV.)</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40877,
"author": "fileunderwater",
"author_id": 7223,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7223",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Your CV should be an honest reflection of your background and all academic degrees should therefore be included. The people that will evaluate your application will probably also spot holes in your CV if you remove some degrees (e.g. wondering what you were doing during periods of time that are not covered by education or employment). However, you do not need to emphasize all parts of your education in the same way, and degrees less relevant for the current application can be downplayed (e.g. by not including poor grades directly in the CV). </p>\n\n<p>That said, I also don't think that you should discuss the potential perceived ''problems'' with your extra degrees in your application (e.g. cover letter and CV), simply because the application should highlight your strengths and not focus on your potential weak points. Those are something for the evaluating commitee to consider and assess, and I don't think you will have much to gain from trying to be preventive.</p>\n\n<p>Also, you definitely need to be prepared to talk about the other degrees during the interview process.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40882,
"author": "Peter Fox",
"author_id": 31171,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31171",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>When it comes to a CV, if you can make enough relevant content that fills a both sides of an A4 sheet of paper then leave them off. If asked about your full education at say an interview you shouldn't deliberately leave them out but trust me, no employer wants your whole education they just care that you have the right experiences to do they job they have in mind.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40891,
"author": "lodebari",
"author_id": 21332,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/21332",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I think you should include all your degrees in your CV. In order to get a job (including a PhD position) you usually have to pass two filters: the CV and the interview, and in this order.</p>\n\n<p>If your CV is convincing enough and appropriate for the position, you may get an interview. However, if you leave your Bachelor and first Masters degree out it won't probably seem very convincing. The evaluators expect to find information on your Bachelors degree and blank periods of time, when they don't know what you were doing (your other Masters degree) won't help.</p>\n\n<p>Just try to put yourself in the position of the evaluator. What does an incomplete CV mean? That you want to hide anything from them? What and why? That you are sloppy and you sent the application without properly checking that you included all the information? Not a good sign, in any case.</p>\n\n<p>Now, just imagine at the end of the process the evaluator has one candidate (you) with a good Masters degree and no information on your Bachelor and ten others with different Bachelor and Master degrees and performances. The evaluator won't loose any time trying to figure out what your Bachelor degree and performance was and will decide to interview someone else. So, if you don't tell about your other degrees in the CV, you most probably won't have the opportunity to tell about it in the interview.</p>\n\n<p>Remember also that not only your CV needs to be convincing, but it has to be better than the others. Having two Masters degrees is a competitive advantage, a point in your favour. So, do use it. Since you are not happy with those other degrees, I would also suggest you to try to find the good side of having made them. What did you learn, which skills and abilities did you acquire doing them that you can apply to the position you are applying to? Did it help you to know what you really wanted to do? And be prepared to answer (positively) to questions such as \"why did you do a masters degree in such thing and then another one in such other thing?\"</p>\n\n<p>I hope you good luck.</p>\n\n<p>PS: I have a BSc in Biology, a Masters and a PhD in Civil Engineering, and a MA in Specialised Translation. And it hasn't been a problem to find a good postdoc position.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40893,
"author": "user6726",
"author_id": 28972,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28972",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>A particularly compelling reason to include all of your degrees is that the admissions process frequently has a minimum GPA requirement that includes your undergraduate degree and all graduate work. That means you are obliged to submit a <em>complete</em> record, and if you are found to have suppressed information, you can be expelled (I am aware of a case). Admissions committees usually have the sense to recognize that e.g. an MA in Film isn't relevant to a PhD in Physics, so discussion can be omitted.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40902,
"author": "user31187",
"author_id": 31187,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31187",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>As others have said, lying or failing to give an honest complete picture of (the relevant parts of) your background at any point in the application process is a bad idea. Here are a few reasons that I don't think have been mentioned yet.</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li><p>You are going to spend <em>years</em> of your life around the people in your Ph.D. program. If you are trying to somehow hide a particular experience from your life, you are going to have to keep up the lie for much longer than the admissions process.</p></li>\n<li><p>Some graduate programs give different offer letters to students with masters degrees than they give to students whose highest degree is a bachelor's. In particular, the requirements (in terms of timelines to complete certain degree milestones) for students entering with a masters degree may be different than those with a bachelor's. If anyone even felt like you tried to hide a certain degree and this affected your funding, they would not be happy with you!</p></li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>(I realize you are only talking about leaving off one of two masters degrees, but item 2 may still apply to you if they view your \"hidden\" masters as applicable to the Ph.D. program and thus would factor it into a funding decision.)</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40923,
"author": "user31212",
"author_id": 31212,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31212",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>By all means, put them in. You were not happy with the degrees and the topics. Which is <em>great</em> since it explains what you have been doing with your years (rather than just dangling your cojones from a balcony), and it is great since it highlights that you can stick with things that don't work all that well to some reasonable completion, and it is even greater since it shows that your current career path is a better fit.</p>\n\n<p>If those other degrees and attempts would have <em>excellent</em> grades while your current grades were so-so, that would be much worse since it would make it likely that you won't persist with your current endeavors and might fall back to what you did earlier.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40924,
"author": "Mitra",
"author_id": 31211,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31211",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>As other have already said, you should not let your past degrees out of your CV.</p>\n\n<p>I am just a bit surprised that they didn't emphasise the fact that it can be actually very beneficial for you. </p>\n\n<p>You might not want to give right away your grades on the CV[1] but I think you should definitely mention them. </p>\n\n<p>Doing a PhD takes time, motivation and perseverance but it also means asking yourself a lot of questions: those questions are related to the subject you are researching but also on yourself which can be pretty <a href=\"http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2014_02_04/caredit.a1400031\">challenging</a>.</p>\n\n<p>Whatever you can hear, if you have a PhD program with a high rate of dropout or that take a long time to be achieved, it is not good. </p>\n\n<p>Showing that you already have faced turning points in your life and managed to go forward (and have managed better) can be reassuring for the recruiters that you will do well in the PhD program: </p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>That means you probably know yourself better. You are not keeping with a pre-establish path just because it is easy. (I suppose that you change field after due reflexion) </li>\n<li>You change fields: This mean that at some point you have make a decision. Taking decision (particularly life-changing ones) is not always easy. Particularly, when this means starting 'again'. </li>\n<li>You are motivated: doing a Master is not a piece of cake and you knew it but still you were <strike>foolish</strike> motivated enough to go through it another\ntime. </li>\n<li>On a side note, it also proves that you are not taken aback by\nwhat you might see as a failure and you actually try again.</li>\n<li>Even if your grades weren't good in your previous track, they did improve while the later Master. Basically, you showed that you improved and developed through time. Which is a very good point for a PhD. It also means that you were right to change. </li>\n<li>It also means that you have a broader view. Okay, you might not had good grades in your previous Bachelor and Master, but you do have them i.e. a committee of experts in the field considered that you know enough to have these degrees! Apart if you are considering a very technical PhD (and even though) doing a PhD (well really any research in general) is doing something that nobody else has done before. Granted you start from something, but then you are on your own. Believe me, having a broader view can be very helpful on the creative side.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>And to finish, apart that lying or omitting key information can be seen as a huge breach of trust, I would like to ask:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Do you really see yourself rejecting your past? </li>\n<li>Don't you want to do your PhD in a place where you know that you have been accepted as yourself as a whole? </li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Doing a PhD is not an easy process - not because the applications are though - because it is though. IMO, applications are just the quickest way and the least worse (and not actually the best) for recruiters to identify who are the people who would manage to finish it.</p>\n\n<p>[1] Keep this for the interview, if they ask.</p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p><em>Disclaimer: I am French who has done a Bachelor and a Master in Organic Chemistry before doing a Master degree in Bioinformatics and actually doing a PhD in Bioinformatics in Cambridge,UK.</em></p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40982,
"author": "gilesc",
"author_id": 31261,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31261",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You can't omit them entirely, but you can de-emphasize them. I was in a similar position when applying for my Ph.D. program, as my B.S. was from a not particularly stellar school. The applications for a Ph.D. program will likely require you to be very thorough, so you will probably have to include them somewhere within the application packet. A case could perhaps be made for omitting the previous degrees from the CV on the basis that the school will definitely require you to submit all college transcripts, so they will know anyway, but as others have mentioned, you might be doing this at your own risk. Also, if it's just the GPA you're worried about, there is a simple solution -- just don't put the GPA on the CV, let them look at the transcripts if they want to know.</p>\n\n<p>That said, once you get admitted, and especially once you have the Ph.D., you can start omitting the lower degrees from most things, like many fellowship and grant applications, and your CV for future job applications. People honestly don't care at that point, it becomes about papers, grants, and awards, not degrees or GPA. The only degree that will matter at that point is the Ph.D., and more the fact that you have one than exactly what field it's in or school it's from (unless it's Ivy or something, and even then it's not that big a help).</p>\n\n<p>For the people trying to paint this as a clear, black-and-white moral issue, I would advise you to think a little bit more broadly. A CV is not your life's story, it is you making the case that you are a good candidate. Especially once you amass lots of prior jobs, papers, and awards, you have to start cutting things purely because of space, and it is naturally smart to keep the best-looking items. Obviously it would be wrong and very dangerous to fabricate items, but omitting items is a different matter.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40854",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/26917/"
] |
40,860 |
<p>The <a href="https://oeis.org/" rel="nofollow">Online Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences (OEIS)</a> is a large online database of number sequences. It's popular among professional and amateur mathematicians, and its entries are widely cited. Like Wikipedia, most of its content is authored and edited by the community; no particular qualifications are required to participate, though in my experience most active editors are working mathematicians or scientists.</p>
<p>I've occasionally seen academic CVs which list OEIS contributions among the publications (usually in a separate subsection). I've also seen CVs of known contributors which make no mention whatsoever of their OEIS contributions.</p>
<p>I was wondering, then, whether listing OEIS contributions is generally a good idea when applying for academic jobs such as post-docs and professorships. How much weight, if any, do recruiting committees in math and computer science place on OEIS contributions? Are they viewed as minor professional publications, as non-academic community service, or as unwanted and annoying CV padding?</p>
<p>Related question: <a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/2621/value-of-contributions-to-wikipedia-when-applying-for-academic-jobs">Value of contributions to Wikipedia when applying for academic jobs</a></p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40874,
"author": "GEdgar",
"author_id": 4484,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4484",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Important: separate section. So no one thinks you are trying to sneak them in as equal to publications. </p>\n\n<p>Probably it will have no weight for recruiting. I suppose having the list there may cause someone on the committee to say \"I've heard of this guy.\"</p>\n\n<p>But CVs have uses other than job searches. So go ahead and include them if you want to.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40880,
"author": "MERose",
"author_id": 31167,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31167",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>This kind of contribution is important and not as much credited as it should be. But I wouldn't suggest to include single contributions to OEIS or other things like that in a CV. Two reasons:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>You are not the author and it's an impossible task to include the author list.</li>\n<li>It clutters the CV and makes it unreadable long.</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>However, it deserves its space. In Economics, there is often a section in CVs called <em>Service</em>. It is about refereeing activities and faculty jobs. I would mention there that I contribute to OEIS or Wikipedia. Alternatively, you mention it on your personal website. Recruites look there, too.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40860",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7468/"
] |
40,864 |
<p>Let's say I go to someone's website, look up the source and use some of the JavaScript idea/pattern/code that is not a part of the wider framerwork/something similar, but a unique code that was written by the author of the website.</p>
<p>If it's not officially published in e.g. some coding tutorial, but I looked up the source of the website, is it appropriate to reference directly to the code on that website? (e.g. <code>http://example.com/someonesscript.js</code>)</p>
<p>Small edit #1: Just to mention, I have extensively edited the script, it is still similar, but not the same. It is about 100% longer, but there are similarities.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40874,
"author": "GEdgar",
"author_id": 4484,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4484",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Important: separate section. So no one thinks you are trying to sneak them in as equal to publications. </p>\n\n<p>Probably it will have no weight for recruiting. I suppose having the list there may cause someone on the committee to say \"I've heard of this guy.\"</p>\n\n<p>But CVs have uses other than job searches. So go ahead and include them if you want to.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40880,
"author": "MERose",
"author_id": 31167,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31167",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>This kind of contribution is important and not as much credited as it should be. But I wouldn't suggest to include single contributions to OEIS or other things like that in a CV. Two reasons:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>You are not the author and it's an impossible task to include the author list.</li>\n<li>It clutters the CV and makes it unreadable long.</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>However, it deserves its space. In Economics, there is often a section in CVs called <em>Service</em>. It is about refereeing activities and faculty jobs. I would mention there that I contribute to OEIS or Wikipedia. Alternatively, you mention it on your personal website. Recruites look there, too.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40864",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31163/"
] |
40,871 |
<p>I have contributed significantly to the paper and I was not listed as co-author instead I am listed in acknowledgement section in the end saying that thanks to my preliminary studies. I had sent the data to my supervisor before I left the lab and I have all evidences of work reports and weekly meetings. They repeated my experiments with my optimized conditions and produced their results in the manuscript and included few new data. I could not find much difference between my results and results obtained from their repeated work. I am really disappointed with whole situation which I feel went against ethic science for a significant contributor to be dropped from the list of authors. There was no response to my e-mails from corresponding author that I asked for justification. Please suggest me accordingly, what can I do further, the manuscript is already in ASAP. </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 42300,
"author": "Maarten van Wesel",
"author_id": 32146,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/32146",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I agree with the comment given, contributing data doesn't qualify you as a co-author. However it would, most likely, be good practice of them if you would have had the opportunity to contribute enough of to the paper to meet the standards. But, of course, if this is possible also depends on the circumstances you left the group in.</p>\n\n<p>If you still work at the same institution you could contact the ethical commission (you could also try if you do not work there anymore).</p>\n\n<p>How ever adding an author after submission is not something most journals would consider</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 42301,
"author": "StrongBad",
"author_id": 929,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/929",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<blockquote>\n <p>They repeated my experiments with my optimized conditions</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>It sounds like they repeated the work you did and acknowledged you for running the preliminary experiment. While it sounds like you could have been included to a greater extent in the \"new\" research, they decided for whatever reason to not include you. By recollecting the data, they have essentially eliminated your contribution. In addition to the acknowledgement, providing a reference/citation to your \"preliminary\" data would not be out of place, but if those data are not publicly available (and in some fields in a peer-reviewed and/or archival form) providing a reference may be out of place.</p>\n\n<p>There are really two things you can do. The first is talk to your former supervisor, not the corresponding author, about authorship on the current work and any other work you were involved in while working in the lab. It is quite possible the corresponding author does not really know who you are or what your role in the preliminary studies were. The second thing you could do is attempt to publish your data first. You would of course want to include everyone who deserves authorship (which likely includes your former supervisor) and this could get messy. Getting to the finish line first could be difficult. You may be able to get the work \"published\" on a non-peer-reviewed preprint service (e.g., arXiv) first, but the value of those types of preprints are very field dependent.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 137967,
"author": "Wlod AA",
"author_id": 81220,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/81220",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>My view is that more important than co-authorship is an <strong>adequate</strong> recognition of your contributions. From what you have written, an honest statement about your contributions may show that it was actually your work which was more important than that of the other authors.</p>\n\n<p>(<em>I am not able to address the issue of the coauthorship itself as such -- as important/practical as this could be in real life</em>).</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40871",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/-1/"
] |
40,890 |
<p>I'm working on a paper for IEEE Transactions on Computers, and I can't find any guidelines on how to format code (C++) that is included in the paper.</p>
<p>I found some other papers with short code snippets, and it looks like they just used Courier New for the font, but I'm not sure of the font size. Do I need to include line numbers? I haven't found any with long sections of code (so for something with 4 lines I wouldn't expect line numbers anyways).</p>
<p>If someone has published a paper with code in it in IEEE Trans, and could give me some advice, I would really really appreciate it.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40892,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>The IEEE does not generally have any strict guidelines on how to format code for papers in their journals or conferences, so you have some freedom of choice in how you do so. The general guideline is simply to use a monospace font and formatting choices that are not blatantly incompatible with the rest of the paper.</p>\n\n<p>Now, if you are writing for IEEE, you should probably be using LaTeX. This means that there are a number of excellent packages, <a href=\"http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/LaTeX/Source_Code_Listings\" rel=\"noreferrer\">such as these</a>, that will format your code in a nice and professional manner that is generally quite familiar to IEEE reviewers and editors. If you pick one and use that, you should not expect any problems.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40894,
"author": "Matt Frye",
"author_id": 31102,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31102",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Word's style definitions are really useful in situations like this. As long as everyone is using Word 2007+, one person could set up what code ought to look like (e.g., +1 left indent, +1 right indent, Courier New, single space, do not spell check, etc.) and save it as \"CodeSnippet\" or a similar style by highlighting some of the text, right clicking, and looking under the \"Style\" sub-menu for \"Save selection as new Quick Style.\" Saving it to that document (rather than a template) will at least keep a consistent code style in everyone's document. It's also a little easier to go back and \"clean up\" someone else's code later (highlight it, click the code style in the Quick Styles bar) or modify the style rules for all instances of code later on in revision. </p>\n\n<p>One caveat: aside from the style definitions common to all general use word processors (like blue-text + underline \"HTML Link\" style), I've never seen user-defined styles make the jump between Word and anything else (or vice versa). </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40890",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/23924/"
] |
40,895 |
<p>I am trying to decided whether pursing a Master's in Computer Science will make me more competitive for a job designing video games. I went to a prestigious undergraduate school and finished strongly. The graduate schools which offer Master's programs with concentrations in video game design are less prestigious than my undergraduate school.</p>
<p>The average starting salary with a graduate degree from one of them is actually $30k less than my starting salary with just an undergraduate degree.</p>
<p>If I attend a less prestigious graduate school, will that cancel out my undergraduate degree? Could I end up making less money with my graduate degree from one of these less prestigious schools? Will employers make the false assumption that I attended a lesser graduate school because I did poorly as an undergraduate?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40896,
"author": "avgJoe with dual degree",
"author_id": 31183,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31183",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In my experience people care more about whether you have the appropriate skills for the job at hand rather than where you went to college. </p>\n\n<p>What work-related experience do you have in your field?</p>\n\n<p>Do you have a professional network you can leverage to get the attention of people you might not otherwise?</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40899,
"author": "mac389",
"author_id": 28,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p><em>Edited heavily based on further information provided by OP</em></p>\n<p><strong>If you are going into industry, or pursuing a Master's, it may hurt you in the short term</strong></p>\n<p>A Master's degree is mostly course work. It's too short for you to create a body of work that stands on its own. The quality of the courses largely determines, consequently, the quality of the Master's. Prospective employers may use an institution's reputation as a heuristic/proxy for the quality teaching.</p>\n<p>Attending a less prestigious institution will make it more difficult to get interviews. Not being able to attend the bigger names also means you miss out on their alumni networks.</p>\n<p><strong>Create a compensatory professional network that overcomes these limitations.</strong> Most Master's in CS programs have a semester-long project. Make an impressive project and shop it around. This is a good way to build rapport with potential employers.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40895",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/18171/"
] |
40,910 |
<p>Reviewing an article in your field is an interesting and rewarding experience. Any scientist has, of course, a moral obligation for reviewing other people's work just like he has his/her own work reviewed. </p>
<p>That being said, it's a very time consuming process and it would be nice if you could get some credit for it. Back in ye olde days of print journals, the editorial board and associate editors would be listed in the front pages so that was a form of credit. Nowadays however, with articles being accessed individually online, the editorial board gets much less, if any exposure.</p>
<p>Should the editorial board/associate editors be listed alongside the authors in an article or is that not necessary? If the editors/reviewers are listed alongside the authors then this would create the problem of revealing the reviewers to the authors, in an otherwise blind review.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40911,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Speaking as an associate editor of a journal, I'm quite happy with the credit I receive: I'm listed as part of the editorial board online, it's listed on my C.V., and I get to help make sure what's getting published in my field is up to the standards of quality I desire.</p>\n\n<p>That said, some journals do list the editor and even the reviewers after publication (see, for example, the <a href=\"http://www.frontiersin.org/\">Frontiers series of journals</a>), so at least some people definitely seem to agree with your sentiment.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40918,
"author": "Peter Jansson",
"author_id": 4394,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4394",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Your question asks for both editors and reviewers but goes on to focus on editors. I will thus start with editors.</p>\n\n<p>As you say editors are not generally listed on electronic copies of articles. Being Editor-in-Chief of a journal, I along with the other Associate Editors, do not see any need to be visible there. The reason is that one can ask to whom the credit has meaning. </p>\n\n<p>First a practical issues. For my journal, we are all listed on the journal web site. When a person chooses a journal the line-up of editors is one criteria to use, if you recognise an editor as a prominent scientist in the field, it is a good (although not fool proof) indicator that the journal is good. So from that perspective nothing is lost. I think for most this is the most important issue of seeing the editors names for most authors/readers. Finding the web site is not difficult so I am sure the names can easily be found.</p>\n\n<p>As for credit, I feel I am credited enough by having the job listed in my CV. After all, apart from enjoying the work associated with the editorship, it is a good experience to show in a CV for salary discussions, science proposals etc. That is where it counts for me. I would not be much happier if my name was listed on every paper \"my\" journal puts out. Besides, if an author experiences I have provided a service beyond any normal editor's tasks they usually thank me in the acknowledgement but that is not something that is common (and should not be) or expected.</p>\n\n<p>As for crediting reviewers is should be common courtesy to acknowledge at least very constructive reviewers, even anonymous ones (as anonymous), in the acknowledgement. Unfortunately there seems to be a tradition in some academic cultures never to do so. One possibility is also for the journal to list reviewers in a \"thank you\" page although that carries with it other issues.</p>\n\n<p>So on the whole, for editors, I am sure most editors are quite happy the way things are (or they would find ways of changing it) and in the case of reviewers, authors could improve when it comes to acknowledging the work.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40919,
"author": "fileunderwater",
"author_id": 7223,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7223",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>There are many potential ways to credit reviewers and editors. The most common way from what I've seen is acknowleding the handling editors on papers and in some cases publishing a yearly list of all reviewers that have contributed to the journal during the year. </p>\n\n<p>However, note that some journals have an open review process and disclose the reviewers of papers, such as the <a href=\"http://www.frontiersin.org/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Frontiers journal group</a> (see e.g. <a href=\"http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2014.00059/abstract\" rel=\"nofollow\">this example</a> at the bottom of the page). So to credit reviewers more directly is certainly possible, but will naturally remove the confidentiality of reviewers. </p>\n\n<p>You should also look at <a href=\"https://www.peerageofscience.org/\" rel=\"nofollow\">https://www.peerageofscience.org/</a>, which is a way of formally acknowledging good review work, as well as a way to transfer reviews and also make reviews citable and allow reviews of reviews. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40941,
"author": "Dikran Marsupial",
"author_id": 2827,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/2827",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Some journals (e.g. Neural Networks) start off each year by listing the reviewers who have reviewerd for them in the preceding year to acknowledge the work they have done. I think that is quite a nice gesture. I don't think the reviewers of a particular paper should be identifiable though as that breaks down the benefit of anonymous reviewing.</p>\n\n<p>A better way for commercial publishers to thank their reviewers would be to give them one free book (of their choice) from their catalog for each year in which they review at least one paper for that publisher. ;o)</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40910",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14725/"
] |
40,920 |
<p>My colleague and I work at an Open Access journal, published by a regional scholarly association. The field is Communication and Media Studies. Recently we started to encounter problems with reaching out for authors. We use a small set of professional email lists, listservers and newsletters to disseminate our Call for Articles, which worked in the past 3 years; meaning we always had enough quality submissions from which we could build up a full and content-wise well-balanced issue.</p>
<p>Problem is that recently, we launched a digital marketing campaign after which we received only a handful of manuscripts with average to good publication potential compared to a swarm of plagiarized/incomprehensive/ below-standard/simply uninteresting manuscript mainly from third world countries, India and China (just for clarifications, we do not collect author fees or APCs and all content are free for our readers, so I thought it was clear for everyone that we are not in the pay-to-publish business). We desk reject the majority but enough will remain to completely drain out our reviewer pool for the next 6 months.</p>
<p>I'm asking the community to suggest a better way of reaching out for professional authors. Locally, we are in Eastern Europe and the journal is not ISI or SCOPUS-indexed, so it is not the best for bean-counting purposes; but we have quality content and peer review process. Are there any techniques that should help us convincing western universities to circulate our calls or publish it on their websites? Anyone in the same shoes as we are?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40921,
"author": "Peter Jansson",
"author_id": 4394,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4394",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>The key for most scientists is the impact factor. Trying and succeeding to become listed will attract more good manuscripts (MS). The flood of sub-par MS you are describing comes from the fact that you are free. Unless you want to impose a fee for submitting MS you will simply have to maintain a very stringent policy for submissions and hope that the wave ceases with time. In order to attain IF status, you will need to be stringent anyway. But as you probably realise being stringent and building a reputation is a fine balance.</p>\n\n<p>For a budding journal, the most important aspect is to become known and for the right reasons. For starting a journal I would stress making sure you have some good names among the editors and that the idea of the journal is supported by the community. It is never to late to start this but best before your reputation solidifies as a less prominent journal because then the climb will be harder.</p>\n\n<p>So, some suggestions: Thematic issues generally tends to attract citations because they provide the opportunity for someone interested to find other articles within the same field in the same issue. With electronic publishing it is also possible to assemble virtual thematic issues simply by linking to articles with similar aspects and labelling them with a theme, and of course announcing this on list servers etc.</p>\n\n<p>Attracting established, respected and widely referenced authors to provide articles for the journal is also key. You can, for example, provide opportunities to author invited papers on key issues, review articles on key issues in your field etc.</p>\n\n<p>Success will, however, not come overnight and the most important aspect is to gain the interest of your community. This can be a slow process but can be aided by linking up with societies or equivalent in your field. In my field the European Geophysical Union has generated several Open Access journals that quickly has gained IF status. These journals were firmly embedded in the community and emanated from a discussion about the need for journals with a specific target community. So you need to assess your community and see if you can liaise with activities or organisations that are established in your scientific community.</p>\n\n<p>Regardless how you continue, you definitely need to maintain high standards so even if you need to reject the vast majority of submitted manuscripts, make sure you only publish good quality science and make that very clear in your \"advertising\". Without that basis, very little success can be expected.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41263,
"author": "awsoci",
"author_id": 28324,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28324",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The answer above is well-written and sums up some excellent tips on how to help you.</p>\n\n<p>To add to this, many researchers are now pressured to publish in faculty recognised journals. When I started, I was given a list of journals and academic book publishers that would be considered high quality towards my overall publishing targets as developed by my faculty, and was told that I should aim to only publish in these journals. </p>\n\n<p>There are a number of journals that cover my scope of research that are not included on this list which is highly frustrating. But as a new academic in an environment that's not just about how much you publish, but also where you publish, this means that I need to target these journals and publishing sparingly in non-recognised journals by my faculty.</p>\n\n<p>This is something your journal will be coming up against (and actually, your journal's field would be something I'd publish in if it covers my particular scope of research). However, I can't, because unless it's on the list of journals I'm expected to pursue, I have to justify why I've published there and not somewhere else. Many researchers, already feeling pressured by these new systems in a highly competitive environment are going to forego journals like yours to publish in those recognised by their faculty. </p>\n\n<p>So it's almost a bit of a paradox. You need quality authors to publish their work with your journal in order to strengthen your impact/prestige, but these same authors are pressured to only publish in high impact journals as recognised by their faculty. Give what Petter Jansson has suggested a go to try and raise your journal's impact. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40920",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31208/"
] |
40,925 |
<p>I'm an undergrad and I have invited a speaker to come and speak in my department. He's a mathematician at another university, and although what he will talk about is relevant to mathematics, it's not an academic talk or seminar. It is an academic speaking to other academics and students in an academic setting, however.</p>
<p>I've organised this completely alone so it's down to me to introduce the speaker and make sure the talk runs smoothly. I've never done anything like this and I'm worrying about how I should do it. I'm especially worried about how to run the questions section - which will be a substantial part of the time (at least 15 minutes of the hour).</p>
<p>Here is how I imagine it should go:</p>
<ul>
<li>I thank people for coming and introduce the speaker.</li>
<li>I sit down and the speaker... speaks.</li>
<li>At the end of his talk I stand up and ask if there are any questions. If people raise their hands I'll point at them so they can ask the speaker their question. I'll keep an eye on the time so when there are just a few minutes left I'll say "there's time for just a couple more questions".</li>
<li>After the last question, I'll thank the speaker again and that'll be it.</li>
</ul>
<p>Should I be doing the questions? Or should I let him call on people himself? (In the latter case, how should I make sure we stay in the time limit?). Where should I stand if I'm moderating the questions? The lecture theatre has a stage where he will stand to give the talk. Should I just stand to the side of him? If I'm standing up there, is it ok for me to ask questions (particularly if nobody in the audience is doing so)?</p>
<p>This is in the UK, in case that's significant.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40926,
"author": "Bob Brown",
"author_id": 16183,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/16183",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You should take a seat in the audience, near the front, after you've introduced the speaker. When the speaker calls for questions, ask the first one, on which you and the speaker have agreed in advance. That should break the ice and start questions from the audience. If it doesn't, have about two follow-up questions ready.</p>\n\n<p>When the time limit is approaching, you or the speaker should announce, \"We have time for one more question.\" After answering that last question, the speaker should thank the audience. You stand and face the audience; the audience applauds, and the speaker leaves the stage.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40927,
"author": "xLeitix",
"author_id": 10094,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10094",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>First of all, stop worrying - I am sure that, no matter how you decide to approach this, the quality of the talk will be much more memorable to the participants than how you ran the Q&A part from an administrative point of view.</p>\n\n<p>Further:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>I thank people for coming and introduce the speaker.\n I sit down and the speaker... speaks.\n At the end of his talk I stand up and ask if there are any questions. If people > raise their hands I'll point at them so they can ask the speaker their question. > I'll keep an eye on the time so when there are just a few minutes left I'll say \"there's time for just a couple more questions\".\n After the last question, I'll thank the speaker again and that'll be it.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>This is pretty much the standard layout of such sessions, and I see no problem at all with running it like that.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Should I be doing the questions? Or should I let him call on people himself?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>It is more common that you as a \"moderator\" call the questions, but I have certainly seen it handled differently as well.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Should I just stand to the side of him? </p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Probably not during his talk, but when you are moderating the Q&A part you may get up the stage. However, most moderators seem to prefer to stand somewhere to the side, presumably to not steal the presenter's thunder. </p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>is it ok for me to ask questions (particularly if nobody in the audience is doing so)?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Yes, you should make sure that you have at least a few fallback questions as a discussion starter.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40942,
"author": "user1258240",
"author_id": 29406,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/29406",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>As a host and chair of the session you have many conflicting duties: keeping the speaker happy, keeping him from running overtime, preventing awkwardness if there are not enough questions, preventing awkwardness if a person in the audience asked improper questions (too low-level, too specific, dismissive of speaker), etc.</p>\n\n<p>How you do these things depends on the speaker, the subject, the audience, and lots more (are there refreshments in the room? Is there some important meeting after the talk so people start getting up and walking out? Is the speaker socially awkward or is he well versed in manipulating a crows?). I am probably much more experienced than you in handling such occasions, and often I find myself struggling to find the appropriate response to each situation. </p>\n\n<p>Here's what I've learned through experience that may be helpful to you:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><p>I think about the options in advance, but make the final decision on the spot, depending on the situation.</p></li>\n<li><p>I coordinate with the speaker in advance just before the talk - even if I previously told him everything by email, I speak to him just before the talk starts telling him something like 'ok, you remember that you have 45 minutes, and then we'll probably do about 15 minutes of questions - I will let you know 10 minutes before your 45 minutes are up'. </p></li>\n<li><p>Remember that you are in charge of making the decisions throughout the event, but you can ask people for help in making them. You can ask the speaker and the audience for input, like \"Too bad you couldn't finish the last example - will you be able to complete it if we take 5 minutes out of the questions session\", or \"Is that noise too annoying? should we stop and look for an alternate room?\"</p></li>\n<li><p>You are only in charge because sometimes someone must make a dictatorial decision. But you should avoid making any decision unless you have to. Let the speaker choose who asks questions unless for some reason this is not appropriate, let him decide how long to talk about each subject unless it is becoming awkward, let him fend off inconvenient questions unless he is too shy/weak/nice to do so, let the audience ask him to talk more about some topics or to stop and better explain a definition or whatever, and let the speaker decide what to do as long as it doesn't result in anarchy or is clearly the wrong path to take. You are only there to solves problems that would not be solved naturally. </p></li>\n</ul>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40996,
"author": "Bordaigorl",
"author_id": 8801,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/8801",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In addition to the excellent answers, a couple more tips:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><p>pay attention during the talk for slides that the speaker may skip, details which are only glossed over. In case the audience is particularly shy/uninspired, you can always ask the speaker to talk a bit more about those parts. He/She obviously has something to say about them even if they were less important.</p></li>\n<li><p>during question time, make sure the rest of the audience can hear the questions. If not, try to use a microphone or repeat the question yourself before the speaker replies.</p></li>\n<li><p>depending on the occasion it may be useful to ask the people asking questions to briefly introduce themselves before the question.</p></li>\n</ul>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40925",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31219/"
] |
40,935 |
<p>I got some impressively lengthy, detailed and mostly positive feedback in a double-blind peer review for a paper. Is it ok (or even possible), or is it against best practices (and considered taboo), to try to find out who the reviewer was - just in case you can get more feedback and share ideas related to the topic at hand?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40938,
"author": "SE318",
"author_id": 31084,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31084",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It is not just taboo, it is unethical to try to find out who the reviewer is, and would defeat the purpose of the double-blind. Part of the idea of double-blind is that one is able to be completely honest since they know their comments cannot be tracked back to them. I strongly advise against trying to find out who the commenter is.</p>\n\n<p>Theoretically it may be possible to find out who the reviewer is, but this is a problem with the system, and you should not attempt to do this.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40940,
"author": "Dikran Marsupial",
"author_id": 2827,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/2827",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>As @SE318 explains (+1), it is unethical to try and find out who a reviewer is. However it is not unethical for a reviewer to identify themselves if the so choose (some journals specifically give this option in their review form). I can't see much problem with sending the journal a polite request for the editor to pass on a message explaining what you had in mind so that if the reviewer was interested in collaborating they could contact you.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40935",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7267/"
] |
40,936 |
<p>I completed a PhD a couple of years ago and am looking at postdocs abroad, but not in my original field, so my advisors aren't able to suggest good places to apply to. Are there any programmes (official or unofficial) where a UK PhD is highly regarded that facilitate exchanges of academics between UK and worldwide universities? I'm thinking US and China to start with.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40972,
"author": "Colin Johnson",
"author_id": 22703,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22703",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p><a href=\"http://ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions/about-msca/actions/if/index_en.htm\" rel=\"nofollow\">Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships</a> fund individuals with PhDs to go and do a postdoc research project at another university for a while. If you are interested in the US/China, then you would be looking at the Global Fellowships, which fund a period of study outside the EU (typically 2 years) followed by a year back in an EU country to transfer the knowledge learned back into Europe. The scheme is highly competitive. You would need to make arrangements with appropriate host institutions yourself.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41140,
"author": "gdp",
"author_id": 31290,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31290",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>British Council \"Newton grants\" for travel might be along the lines of what you're asking for. [1]</p>\n\n<p>They are generally shorter than you might be looking for (up to 6 months), and have a formal application call process etc. </p>\n\n<p>You would need to be affiliated with your university to get one though - they're not for finding a postdoc abroad, rather for a finite duration research exchange to collaborate. For that reason it may not be what you're looking for. </p>\n\n<p>As a postdoc, you might be working on one specific project, perhaps with industrial relevance. In that case, you might find your PI isn't keen on losing you for a period of time. On the other hand, if you're part of a team doing more academically funded work, they may like the idea. </p>\n\n<p>From personal experience though, these grants tend to require you to have identified a partner institution to visit and do research with, along with the project you wish to work on, and the expected outcomes.</p>\n\n<p>[1] <a href=\"http://www.britishcouncil.org/education/science/travel-grants\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.britishcouncil.org/education/science/travel-grants</a></p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40936",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31225/"
] |
40,950 |
<p>There has been a lot of buzz about how difficult it is to achieve tenure, however, even getting into graduate school seems harder every day. My case (and the case of a lot of people too): I graduated early from school in a developing country and decided to study Biology with more passion than reason (low salaries compared to a Doctor or an Engineering). I completed in four years a five years Bachelor's in a top institution of my country, with some national awards, grants and scholarships. My GPA was among the best %5. I did research since my second year and established good relations with my Professors (their letters of recommendation are fine without bluff). </p>
<p>I applied to some MSc in Europe and US and got rejected the first time. I got the only available (bad paying) job until the next admission period. I lowered the stakes for my second round of applications and got rejected again. With two consecutive rejections, I am starting to think that I am ineligible for any graduate position. Especially considering that I have been off academia for two consecutive years. Why? A MSc in my country, even at a top school, has no international worth. Furthermore, it doesn't have worth in my own country as few positions are available.</p>
<p>I know I have weaknesses:</p>
<ul>
<li>My college is top in my country, but almost unrecognized internationally. The awards I got have no international value.</li>
<li>Although I was in that 5%, I had a harsh beginning. The first page of my transcripts has some bad scores (~2.8, lowest) along good ones (~4). That first page causes a bad impression.</li>
<li>The extra course load is irrelevant for the admission committees.</li>
<li>I specialized myself too much. While some students attest experience in three or more projects, I focused on one big project since the beginning.</li>
<li>Few publications and conferences. In my country, there have been almost no conferences in my field in years and I cannot travel abroad for a presentation.</li>
</ul>
<p>My future is staring to seem bleak: no job in my country, no graduate school abroad. Overall, I feel a complete failure in what I loved. What should a person in my position do? Should I try again or set new professional goals?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40951,
"author": "Matheus Danella",
"author_id": 29341,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/29341",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Well Luis, In my view, I understand that you have to keep doing your best. I know very well how it is to get good grades in an unrecognized school, and people looking at you and asking \"University of... what? Where is it?\" and bla bla. It is hard to keep up after doing so well, and people still think of you as a regular-bottom person, but that is how world works, and you will have to adapt until they see that you are better than what they think you are.</p>\n\n<p>Also, maybe you should try to apply to a broader range of Universities, so you can have more chances to get approved (yea, the shotgun technique may work sometimes). </p>\n\n<p>Just one more thing, which country are you talking about? Sorry, I just got curious.</p>\n\n<p>Keep up and trying!</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40975,
"author": "Wolfgang Bangerth",
"author_id": 31149,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31149",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I don't have any particularly good suggestions (the world is not always fair) but it is worth remarking that a typical applicant to grad school in the US probably sends out somewhere between 10 and 20 applications. A suggestion would also be to spread where you apply. The United States has a fabulously wide range of universities. My advice is usually to apply to some that are aspirational but unlikely to work out (Harvard, MIT), to some in the middle, and to some at the bottom that you may not necessarily have at the top of your personal list but that are more likely to come through (Boise State, Pomona City College, etc). Hedge your bets.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40977,
"author": "Bombyx mori",
"author_id": 6335,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6335",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<pre><code> A MSc in my country, even at a top school, has no international worth. \n</code></pre>\n\n<p>I think a rational way to think about it to weigh against all options in a 10 year frame. The probability that you will be an excellent biologist after graduate school, no matter in company or university setting, is very small. As others pointed out it is significantly smaller than the chance of getting into a good graduate program. This situation might change, but at least right now it is very difficult to get a serious position without a paper in Journals like Nature, Science, Cell, etc. </p>\n\n<p>The situation thus become very simple. Either you accept that knowledge is an end to itself, and titles means little, then you should continue your studies in a place most likely to help you (not others). You may reapply if you wish, but I think a degree from an obscure university is totally okay from a long time perspective. Otherwise you might consider this as a soft way of indicating that you are not suitable to enter this field, and you should be glad that you were informed this earlier than later. As to how to build a career totally outside of academia I think is outside of the scope of this site, and could not be answered in a Q&A site in general. </p>\n\n<p>You probably did lose 2 years because your wrong perception of yourself, but this is life. Accept this and move on to do more valuable things in future would be more helpful than dwelling on this. I say that as someone who received more than 50+ rejection letters in life. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40978,
"author": "Patricia Shanahan",
"author_id": 10220,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10220",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Maybe networking? Presumably, professors in your country would like to see a promising student go on to further studies and research. Some of them might have contacts in universities with good biology programs. Work broadly and as indirectly as it takes. If you know a biology professor who knows an engineering professor who knows an engineering professor at a suitable university, try to use that.</p>\n\n<p>The objective would be to change your application from being simply an application from someone whose university no one on the admission committee has heard of to being the application from that student Professor X mentioned.</p>\n\n<p>Meanwhile, try to find something constructive to do until the next admission cycle, something that is a start on your career if you don't get into a graduate program. Keep in touch with your professors by e-mail and similar, and go on reading their work, even if you do not have lab access.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40979,
"author": "somerandomdude",
"author_id": 31255,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31255",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I also did my undergrad in the most prestigious university in my country (a developing country) albeit in engineering and started graduate school in the U.S. I have some suggestions for you.</p>\n\n<p>First of all, you need to apply for about 10-20 schools to have a chance. Do not focus on the most prestigious universities (Harvard, MIT, etc.). This was something I had issues with, I didn't want to settle for less than the best because I was in the best university in my country. The truth is, at least in the U.S., there are many many good universities.</p>\n\n<p>Do your research and find schools which you would think would be a good match for you. To get a start you can look at a ranking for your major. If you are looking at the U.S. there will be graduate school rankings for your major published by U.S. news. They can give you a good idea of which schools you may have a better chance of getting into. Once you find the programs you are interested in look up professors and research groups in those universities and even try to get in touch with them and let them know you are interested in their work. Don't just blindly email them, familiarize yourself with their research, read their publications, and try to discuss their work in your emails. Be specific about what you like and what you are interested in and they may help you out and give you suggestions to steer you in the right direction. Take note that professors receive tons of emails from prospective students on a daily basis and often won't read them, so don't get discouraged if they don't respond.</p>\n\n<p>Finally, something I did not see you mention was standardized exams. If your undergrad classes were not taught in English you would have to take the TOEFL. Most U.S. universities also require taking the GRE general exam. For biology, you may also have to take the subject test as well. Focus on getting good scores in all of these tests. Even in the sections not related to your major such as the verbal section of the GRE general test. Often grad schools will be reluctant to offer admission to students from foreign countries who do not have good verbal scores even if for majors like biology.</p>\n\n<p>If this is really your dream, don't give up. Good luck :)</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40992,
"author": "JaBe",
"author_id": 15690,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15690",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I met someone from a developing country who went to the office of a professor in Europe on every day, he didn't have time until one month later he had and she finally got accepted for a PhD there. Trying everything for your dream may pay-off.</p>\n\n<p>If time is not that critical, you could even try to get a Bachelor's degree in a related field (Chemistry, Psychology, Bioengineering,...) at a more prestigeous university. Then you try to score top notch grades there, for which you can use your skills from your first bachelor.</p>\n\n<p>At least in Germany, there is the <a href=\"https://www.daad.de/en/\" rel=\"nofollow\">German Academic Exchange Service</a>, which may help you find a suiting university and/or scholarship.</p>\n\n<p>You could leverage the one big project you focussed on a bit more. Make your weakness to a strength. Probably there is a chance to write a publication about that project - and there may be another small chance, that one of your professors gives you guidance on it (<em>Look, I wrote that paper, would you like to give some remarks and write your name on it?</em>). Maybe it will be accepted <em>somewhere</em> which would increase your chances. You could focus on professors/institutes which specialize in that area and apply there.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40993,
"author": "EvilFonti",
"author_id": 31275,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31275",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Another thing you should maybe point out is how your grade system is working in applications to universitys in Europe.\nIn some if not most countries(I know for sure it is in Austria and Germany) here the best grade is 1 and goes down to 5 or 6. \nSo if someone reading your grades and is not familiar with your grad system it could seem that you got mostly bad grades (1 is exceptional, 4 is minimum to get further while 5 or 6 is failed).</p>\n\n<p>Disclaimer: I had loved to write this as comment but because of reputation it was only possible to answer. I thought it needs to be said and could stay as a short answer.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40999,
"author": "Sylvain Peyronnet",
"author_id": 43,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/43",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>My answer is localized and anecdotal, but may be of interest. </p>\n\n<p>In France, MsC is called Master and is a 2 year program. After the second year (called M2), the best students are accepted to the PhD program, with a funding for 3 years (PhD are done in 3 or 4 years on average in France).</p>\n\n<p>We have a lot of students coming from North Africa (Algeria, Marocco, Tunisia) and a few from Eastern Europe, Africa and China. Most of them already have a degree that corresponds to the M2, but only a very small number of applicants are directly accepted for the PhD or the M2. The usual strategy for those foreign students is to apply for a M1, where they are most of the time accepted (the problem at that point being the visa). Then they follow the usual ladder from the M1 to the PhD.</p>\n\n<p>This strategy means losing 2 years at most, but is working for most good students.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41034,
"author": "BrianH",
"author_id": 6787,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6787",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>My heart goes out to you in your quest, and so I hope to help shed some light on the situation to help you better decide how to proceed with your life's ambitions. I won't begin to try to tell you what you should do or how to live your life, but I hope some information can help to guide you. There are surely many, many people in the same place all over the world, so I hope this will be useful to others as well.</p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p>First, it's good to understand the reality of University admission in the USA (and I wouldn't doubt in Europe as well, but I'll leave that to our friends in European countries to confirm/deny). Lots of institutions are proud of their selectivity and the small percentage of applicants they accept (with 2-4% being a commonly cited elite number, in both undergraduate and graduate programs). The numbers cited aren't exactly a lie - but <strong><em>they don't actually mean what people think they mean!</em></strong> These numbers are often intentionally twisted for marketing purposes, so let's get their real meaning.</p>\n\n<p>I'll give you one \"worked example\". Using publicly available data for one state \"flagship\" University that reported that only 4% of applicants are accepted, I was able to dig through a number of tables (surprisingly hard to find, took shifting through hundreds of pages of admission statistics), I was able to determine that two sets of statistics were kept and reported: domestic (citizens of the United States) and international (everyone else in the world).</p>\n\n<p>Of the US citizens that applied to the institution and to even one specific department (I picked Engineering as one example, being indeed an international topic), ~40% were admitted. Of the international candidates that were admitted, ~3-4% were indeed admitted. How is that possible? <strong>The international applications dwarfed the domestic applications, with more than a 10:1 or even 100:1 ratio in some years!</strong> Many US institutions are flooded with international applications, while at the same time engaging in active funded outreach programs to try to find more US citizens to apply to their programs!</p>\n\n<p>Many institutions don't make these stats available, or at least hide them in mountains of other reports no one likely reads, so it's hard to say just how generalized this situation is - but I've yet to view program for a department or speak with someone who has commented that they just don't have enough international applicants for their program. On the other hand I've been contacted by a number of US Universities who actively are trying to head-hunt for applicants from undergraduate and high school programs, etc.</p>\n\n<p>The reality is that at many (all?) institutions in the US, there are two application tracks: one for US citizens, and one for non-citizens. The University/department/program determines an amount of seats available in the program (considering funding, professor availability, etc), and often a set amount of seats are potentially available to international candidates. This can be a flexible number or fixed, but generally it is understood that it is neither desirable nor even possible to accept more than a certain percentage of international students.</p>\n\n<p>This reality is determined by funding sources (many grants and fellowships from the US government are not available to non-citizens), the higher natural rate of failure of international applicants (due to stress of living in a new country, lack of local support resources, preparation/quality of home institutions/education in that country, reliability of foreign test results, and many other factors), bureaucracy (Visas, endorsements, etc), language/culture barriers, local cultures in the US that aren't supportive/accepting of foreign students, etc. </p>\n\n<p><em>Coming to the USA to study is a hard, hard road, and one that is desired by more people than the road itself is really able to support!</em></p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p>So given the above, what does it take to be admitted to the US?</p>\n\n<p>For one, your application is not in a stack sorted according to % ranking of your country, nor will your application be immediately compared to US candidates (at this stage it doesn't matter how you compare to US candidates in any way - you aren't in that stack yet). Your application goes directly into the other stack - a minority of available seats will be allocated to what is by far the largest stack of applications, simply marked \"International\". </p>\n\n<p>Being in the top 5% for your country is great, but it isn't something really considered - you will be compared to applicants from every applicable country on earth (other than the US, of course). When you are in a stack this big, honestly even being in the top 10% is great - because you're all probably completely qualified and hard to differentiate. <em>In a world of unlimited resources you'd all be admitted!</em> Honestly, <strong>it has nothing to do with what you deserve or have earned</strong> at this point - all of this cream of the crop of applicants would be great candidates for admittance to most institutions in the US.</p>\n\n<p>So, how do you stand a chance? Well, for one thing <strong>the US is a big place, and every institution sets it's own relative weighting of factors!</strong> Some will only accept candidates who've already been to the US before, some will prefer candidates with family here, some will give more weight to reference letters, others will independently evaluate every publication you list in your CV (and will care about little else), others will give greater weight to your personal statement, and yet others will look straight to your grades...etc. </p>\n\n<p>This is where the wisdom of \"apply to many places\" comes in - because institutions generally do not advertise their weighting criteria! It may even change every year!</p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<h2>What can an \"international\" applicant to the US do about all this?</h2>\n\n<ol>\n<li><p>Realize that rejection is going to be common - insanely so. The vast majority of applications will not be accepted, and honestly nothing you do will change that reality - rejection is the rule, not the exception, for international applications. And I don't mean 2:1 - even 50:1 shouldn't be a complete surprise.</p></li>\n<li><p>Apply to many places - you might request fee waivers to help cut the cost down, as some places to understand that $50-200 in US funds is minor here yet an outrageous fee in many countries. </p></li>\n<li><p>Try to customize your application per institution - this is generally more helpful if you actually know what they are looking for and more about the place so that your application doesn't look like a mass form-letter. You might be applying to lots of places, but - just like when looking for a job - you don't want people reading your application to get that impression! Tailor your statement/application at least a little, if nothing else. If you can even talk with someone in the department who is able to offer some insight into what they are looking for from international applicants, take advantage of that!</p></li>\n<li><p>Don't be an international applicant. Many people have gone through the expensive, multi-year process of becoming a citizen of a new country and working any menial crappy job they could get just to get the benefits of being a citizen - even though it doesn't guarantee anything. On the other hand, many people just say \"screw it\".</p></li>\n<li><p>Be an applicant to a place that's more welcoming of international students from your region. If you are in Asia, consider a higher-profile nearby Asiatic country. If you are in Europe, consider a different part of Europe, etc. There's lots of wonderful places in the world outside the US - and many of them are even known and respected in the US, too. </p></li>\n<li><p>Apply to places that aren't so swamped with international applicants. Smaller, less internationally recognized state schools and private institutions will be less likely to have insane amounts of applications for a tiny amount of available seats. Institutions that are advertising that they are expanding their programs or creating new ones may be more risky in some ways - they don't have a proven track-record of success - but they will also have way less applicants to chose from and may be more flexible in their admissions criteria (or at least have more time to look at each candidate more deeply).</p></li>\n<li><p>Consider \"getting your foot in the door\" by actually applying for an undergraduate degree in the US, either more general or more specific than your previous one. You may prioritize \"feeder\" institutions where you will have the opportunity to meet and/or work with people who make decisions on admittance to graduate programs. This way not only will you get rid of the problem of not being from a recognized school/country, but you can also work yourself into being a \"domestic\" applicant AND having earned your own social connections and recognition to help aid your future applications.</p></li>\n<li><p>As with going for an undergraduate degree in the US, you might also wish to target places/programs that have good industry connections, as if nothing else you can at least leave academia with professional interests in the area of your passion and in a place where there is demand for your skills. </p></li>\n<li><p>Seek out international campuses/extensions of US institutions. These can be ultra-competitive too, but not all are - and they come with a built-in connection to \"brands\" that are valued in the US and Europe, and there is the potential to make international connections with the home institution.</p></li>\n<li><p>Finally, reconsider your existing credentials and professional outlook - with a specialized degree, often job opportunities are very regional-specific and not well advertised. This is true everywhere - here in the US I lived in a place where there seemed to be 2 total positions for my professional skills, while 150 miles south there are a dozen companies who are getting into a bidding war for candidates because they can't find enough qualified people! </p></li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>No matter what you do, I hope you realize that no path will be easy, and neither does any path - regardless of difficulty - guarantee anything related to success or even happiness. In the US alone we have more people who commit suicide than die in traffic accidents - over 30,000 per year choose not to live any more. Even if you get what you want and even if you decide to move to the US or any other country, there are people who are unhappy there too, regardless of even if they were getting what they wanted. </p>\n\n<p>Your journey will be whatever it ends up being - this may include going to another country sooner or later, or not. What you've achieved already is proof that you are capable of a great deal, and surely that you also are capable of even more than that. Don't accept only a single isolated path as The One True Way - be open to other options too, so that you get to chose the best option, rather than just end up with the only one that ended up possible. And so in this you won't ever give up - only choose the option that seems to be the best, even if that was not necessarily what you had originally planned!</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40950",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31239/"
] |
40,953 |
<p>My paper has been under review for 2.5 months now at PLoS ONE. I am still waiting for the first review result.</p>
<p>I have sent three inquiries to ask about the progress, and all the responses were telling me that the paper is out for review and PLoS ONE is doing their best to process my paper efficiently.</p>
<p>In the title of the PLoS ONE website, it writes "accelerating the publication of peer-reviewed science". I am really disappointed. PLoS ONE is the slowest among all the journals to which I have submitted.</p>
<p>My question is, does it still make sense to send additional inquires about the progress to the journal? If it does, what should I write in the inquiry?</p>
<p>===update===</p>
<p>Three months now from the submission, I still have not got the first decision. My case is an example showing Plos One is very slow. If you want to publish something quickly, Plos One is the wrong choice! Indeed, it is the slowest among all the journals I have submitted to.</p>
<p>===update===</p>
<p>Just got the first decision a few days ago. i.e. The first decision is made around 3 months after submission. The review results are very simple and positive actually, simply asking to cite more references and add some discussions. Still can not understand though why so simple and straightforward review comments need 3 months to conceive!</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40954,
"author": "gnometorule",
"author_id": 4384,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4384",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I don't know about your field, but 2 1/2 months doesn't strike me as particularly long. I realize that in part you feel that their reference to being speedier than others seems now like false advertising; still.</p>\n\n<p>I would not push more too soon, but if and when you do, I wouldn't ask \"Is it ready?\", but something like \"I realize that the paper is out for review, and so out of your (=editor's) hands. I don't mean to keep stepping on your feet, but is there any way in which I could help speed turnaround up; and if not, do you have any idea when the reviews might be in, based on your experience with the referees?\"</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40962,
"author": "Andrew",
"author_id": 27825,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27825",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Chasing the journal again doesn't seem like a good idea - you'll almost certainly get the same email back. Most PLOS papers are still out for review at this stage, so annoying though it is for you, it's not unusual for them!</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://metarabbit.wordpress.com/2013/06/03/how-long-does-plos-one-take-to-accept-a-paper/\" rel=\"nofollow\">As of mid-2013</a>, the mean time to <s>publication</s> acceptance in PLOS One was 134 days (~4.5 months) with a median time of 100 days (~3.5 months). Anecdotally I don't believe it's got much longer or shorter since then, so 2.5 months seems entirely normal. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40963,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I think PLoS ONE's \"accelerating\" tagline has more to do with their open-access philosophy than the time to publication. My two experiences publishing there took 5 months and 8 months from submission to acceptance---that's still pretty fast compared to many journals, but nothing remarkable. Just leave it be for a little while and don't worry unless you go 4 months without receiving reviews.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40967,
"author": "Jeremy Miles",
"author_id": 6495,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6495",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>PLOS One are pretty good at hassling editors to get a move on (I know, I am one) and if an editor doesn't move on a paper, they will reassign it to a new editor. So I don't think asking what's happening will help.</p>\n\n<p>The usual reason for delays is reviewers. You ask someone to review. They don't reply. They are reminded. After two weeks, you give up and try to find a new reviewer. You invite them to review. After one week they agree. Two weeks later a reminder is sent. A week after that another reminder is sent. A week after that you give up and invite a new reviewer. We are at two months, and we don't have a reviewer yet. </p>\n\n<p>The one thing that you might do to help is suggest reviewers. You might be aware of people who are working in the area that the editor may not know about (for example, because you have seen them present at a conference). </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41014,
"author": "CyberMan",
"author_id": 31236,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31236",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Usually three months are needed to wait for any inquiry form any journal about status of paper, but it is common, journals take more than 3 months of reviewing a paper. This is due to duration, which usually reviewers keep paper for reviewing .</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41058,
"author": "Kakoli Majumder",
"author_id": 9920,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/9920",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You have already written to the journal thrice within a span of two and half months, which I think could be bothersome to many journals. Two and a half months is really not too long for the review process to get completed. In fact, it might take the journal that much time just to get reviewers. Yet, the journal has responded politely and positively each time. I think you should not write again, but just wait patiently for the decision.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41095,
"author": "user49483",
"author_id": 30768,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30768",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Is it 2.5 months under review or 2.5 months since submission? If the latter, how long did it take to get an editor assigned (i.e. to change to 'With Editor') and when did it go out for review (i.e. status changed to 'Under Review')? In my experience (not with PLOS ONE but with other PLOS journals), it can take a while to get an editor assigned, which can increase time to first decision. While 2.5 months is fairly slow (life sciences at least), it's not uncommon. There is a big difference between 2.5 months under review and 1.5 months assigning an editor and 1 month under review, so that information would be helpful. </p>\n\n<p>A couple of notes about time to first decision stats.</p>\n\n<p>First is in regards to the answer by @Andrew. A first decision of 30 -35 days at PLOS ONE should not include any desk rejected papers because PLOS ONE's mantra is that importance/impact/sexiness does not matter - all that matters is whether or not the methodology is sound. I've never submitted a paper to PLOS ONE but I presume they send out any legitimate manuscript for review. </p>\n\n<p>Second, time to first decision is usually given as a median not a mean. In effect, a median time to first decision tells you nothing about those papers that take a really long time to review. So a journal could still have a low median time to first decision if it 1. it desk rejects a high proportion of manuscripts, 2. returns some of the manuscripts sent out for review in a reasonable time (unless it rejects a very high proportion), 3. takes absolutely ages for the rest of the manuscripts.</p>\n\n<p>Third, some publishers don't issue major revisions in an attempt to lower their time to acceptance stat. Instead they go with the 'reject with option to resubmit', which allows them to assign a new submission date for your heavily revised manuscript, thereby artificially reducing the time to acceptance.</p>\n\n<p>So I'd take the time to decision stats with a grain of salt.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40953",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15547/"
] |
40,955 |
<p>One of the students whose work I'm grading has just handed in a piece of work which is much better than what I've come to expect of them after several classes. I was just about to write some rather positive comment on their work, along the lines of <em>"Good job! You're doing much better than you used to."</em>, when it struck me that perhaps this is not such a great idea after all.</p>
<p>The problem is that, even after the jump in performance, the student is by far not the brightest in the group (not that they're not bright; the group is simply very strong overall). This leaves me with a couple of possible concerns. Maybe that would be somewhat unfair to the other students, who usually perform at a consistent level. More importantly, this might come across as a backhanded compliment. Something along the lines of <em>"Well done, you are now about average, which is very high, judging by your abilities."</em> (which of course is very far from what I mean to convey). Are these legitimate concerns?</p>
<p>On the other hand, it feels slightly wrong not to acknowledge improvement. And I usually try to leave some kind word next to a particularly good solutions of people at the top of the group.</p>
<p>So, is it a good idea to comment on the fact that student is doing better? If so, how do I make sure I will not be misunderstood?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40956,
"author": "user141592",
"author_id": 27327,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27327",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Try something along the lines of: Keep up the good work!</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40958,
"author": "Penguin_Knight",
"author_id": 6450,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6450",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Just personal opinion + some experience.</p>\n\n<p>First, if it's graded and the grade shows a large jump, then I'd just leave it as is.</p>\n\n<p>Second, perhaps the first homework was not a true reflection of the student's ability (sickness, etc.) Just be mindful but I trust that you have gotten a clear impression of the class by now.</p>\n\n<p>I feel that it's okay to remark on the improvement <em>if the last homework was apparently bad</em> (say, like a fail or near-fail.) Otherwise the student may not even realize it was bad all along, and this \"better\" comment can be a harsh blow of reality.</p>\n\n<p>My desire to remark will grow stronger if I have written some suggested improvements in the last assignment or highlighted the common errors in class and the students actually followed my advices. My rule is to <em>pair each good remark with a reason, and each bad remark with a suggestion</em>. So, rather than \"good job!\" I'd suggest \"good job on [whatever done right]\" in order to reinforce such positive behaviors.</p>\n\n<p>And lastly, just my thought and I expect not everyone would agree with me: I don't think giving customized remark or suggestion is a sign of being unfair. If someone struggles and wants to put in the effort to perform better, I wouldn't mind giving more detailed guidance in my feedback. The important thing I always remind myself is while past records are important, we should be prepared to evaluate our students with fresh eyes as well whenever possible. Don't give the impression that we had already given the final grades in our head after the first couple classes.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40960,
"author": "Brian Borchers",
"author_id": 4453,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4453",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>There's a fundamental philosophical issue in education about how much \"talent\" or \"ability\" matters compared with \"effort\" and how this interacts with grading specific pieces of student work.</p>\n\n<p>Students are easily demoralized if they believe (or if they're convinced that their teachers believe) that all that matters is native ability. If you reinforce the idea that students can learn and be successful if they make a sustained effort, then this can help to motivate students. However, saying \"you worked hard, Good job!\" when the resulting work is really not good enough is dishonest and students are likely to see through the lie. </p>\n\n<p>Thus, </p>\n\n<ol>\n<li><p>You should honestly praise students' effort, particularly when they really are putting in a lot of effort. You should also connect this effort to their successes. e.g. \"I see you've been visiting the tutoring sessions three or four times a week. I think that this has helped to improve your homework grades.\"</p></li>\n<li><p>You should discuss the students' work objectively and honestly, focus on what could be done to improve it, and do this in a way that makes the student feel that they have a path to follow to be more successful. It's important to offer specific actionable suggestions on how to improve.</p></li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>It sounds in this case as though you feel that this particular student's work has improved dramatically but that the student still has much further to improve. </p>\n\n<p>Don't just say \"Good job\", because that reinforces the notion that good work is the result of talent or luck and doesn't offer the student any suggestion of how to do better. </p>\n\n<p>Rather, say something like \"This is a substantial improvement on your earlier homework. In particular, I think you've improved a lot in your use of quantifiers in your proofs. However, you're still having trouble constructing proofs by contradiction as in problem 5 of the latest homework. Please review the discussion of this in section 3.3 and then stop by my office some time so that we can discuss this further.\" </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40973,
"author": "Wolfgang Bangerth",
"author_id": 31149,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31149",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I think it is generally good life advice to be generous with compliments. In cases like yours I would usually say something like \"<em>Well done, I very much like the direction of your grades</em>\". This would seem uncontroversial to the good students in the group, and not explicitly reference the worse grades he's had in the past.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40955",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7328/"
] |
40,968 |
<p>In my thesis I have several photographs, which have captions in the form of </p>
<p><code>Photograph of building X, taken on date by the author of this thesis</code></p>
<p>Citations to referenced papers follow the [1] (BibTeX plain) format. My supervisor suggested to cite my own photos by using the following caption format:</p>
<p><code>Building X (my name, year)</code></p>
<p>This however follows a different reference style (APA style) and may be confused with a reference to a paper. What are the recommended styles to follow for own made photographs while making sure that I am the actual producer of the photos (as I've seen theses that commonly take photographs from other sources without actually referencing the source)?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40971,
"author": "RoboKaren",
"author_id": 14885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14885",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>At least in the social sciences and sciences, a photograph by itself would not warrant its own citation. You would refer to them the same as other diagrams, figures, and photographs:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Figure 1.1, 2.9, 3.7</li>\n<li>Photograph 3.0, etc.</li>\n<li>Diagram 4.5</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Most people use some form Chapter.Number series enumerating, which makes it simpler when you add additional material in an earlier chapter. Most document editors will renumber your figures for you appropriately. </p>\n\n<p>Then when the photograph comes up, you would caption it appropriately.</p>\n\n<p><img src=\"https://i.stack.imgur.com/JGAuH.jpg\" alt=\"Crazy House\">\n<br>\n<b>Photograph 5.1: Crazy house on Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv. Photograph taken by Sambach on xxxx.xx.xx. Released to Wikimedia Commons.</b></p>\n\n<p>(If you are the photographer/author, you could simply state <em>Photograph by Author, taken on xxxx.xx.xx</em>).</p>\n\n<p>In text, you would refer to Photograph 5.1 in the text, just like that. If you needed to, you could add an explanatory note for example to: </p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Photograph 5.1 (\"Crazy House / Tel Aviv\") is a prime example of what architects would call a <em>maison folle</em>. .... .... I would like to direct your attention to faux turret on the top corner of Photograph 5.1 ... blah blah blah...</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>tl;dr: As with all things, do what your advisor suggests. However, the style I give here is more appropriate in the journals and publications that I'm familiar with.</p>\n\n<p><br>\n<hr>\n<sup>\nFine Print: If you are a fine artist and you list each piece of work (or series) in your cv as part of your intellectual/artistic output, then you <em>could</em> refer to your works using author (date) or other similar styles. But doing so in the sciences and social sciences (and most humanities) will just earn you a bit of scorn. I would only do so if you had solo shows, gallery representation, or some other form of appropriate peer-review recognition of your work within the artistic community. I'm guessing that is not the case since we get so few fine artists in a.se but I'm happy to expand on this if you were. <br>\nFine Print 2: If you are an architect and you designed the building, then you are also free to cite your buildings as separate works.</sup></p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 130888,
"author": "Soalpa",
"author_id": 109037,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/109037",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In the APA style, it is recommended to just use the date the picture was taken:</p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>If you are the photographer, cite in-text only. Do not include in the Reference list.\n[...]</p>\n<p>Include a caption, which is a detailed description under the photograph that explains it meaning and context, such as date, people, and location. For example:</p>\n<p><em>Figure 1. School-aged children playing tag in Edworthy Park, a public park in Calgary, Alberta. November 18, 2016.</em></p>\n</blockquote>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https://bowvalleycollege.libguides.com/c.php?g=494959&p=3828594\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">https://bowvalleycollege.libguides.com/c.php?g=494959&p=3828594</a></p>\n<p>This is what I will use for my thesis in geoinformatics.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40968",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31253/"
] |
41,000 |
<p>I observed some very good math journals are not indexed by Thomson Reuters. The basis of my evaluation is the composition of the editorial board, the university or press that house the journals and the authors that publish with them. My question is what is likely the reason for this non-indexing? </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40971,
"author": "RoboKaren",
"author_id": 14885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14885",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>At least in the social sciences and sciences, a photograph by itself would not warrant its own citation. You would refer to them the same as other diagrams, figures, and photographs:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Figure 1.1, 2.9, 3.7</li>\n<li>Photograph 3.0, etc.</li>\n<li>Diagram 4.5</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Most people use some form Chapter.Number series enumerating, which makes it simpler when you add additional material in an earlier chapter. Most document editors will renumber your figures for you appropriately. </p>\n\n<p>Then when the photograph comes up, you would caption it appropriately.</p>\n\n<p><img src=\"https://i.stack.imgur.com/JGAuH.jpg\" alt=\"Crazy House\">\n<br>\n<b>Photograph 5.1: Crazy house on Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv. Photograph taken by Sambach on xxxx.xx.xx. Released to Wikimedia Commons.</b></p>\n\n<p>(If you are the photographer/author, you could simply state <em>Photograph by Author, taken on xxxx.xx.xx</em>).</p>\n\n<p>In text, you would refer to Photograph 5.1 in the text, just like that. If you needed to, you could add an explanatory note for example to: </p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Photograph 5.1 (\"Crazy House / Tel Aviv\") is a prime example of what architects would call a <em>maison folle</em>. .... .... I would like to direct your attention to faux turret on the top corner of Photograph 5.1 ... blah blah blah...</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>tl;dr: As with all things, do what your advisor suggests. However, the style I give here is more appropriate in the journals and publications that I'm familiar with.</p>\n\n<p><br>\n<hr>\n<sup>\nFine Print: If you are a fine artist and you list each piece of work (or series) in your cv as part of your intellectual/artistic output, then you <em>could</em> refer to your works using author (date) or other similar styles. But doing so in the sciences and social sciences (and most humanities) will just earn you a bit of scorn. I would only do so if you had solo shows, gallery representation, or some other form of appropriate peer-review recognition of your work within the artistic community. I'm guessing that is not the case since we get so few fine artists in a.se but I'm happy to expand on this if you were. <br>\nFine Print 2: If you are an architect and you designed the building, then you are also free to cite your buildings as separate works.</sup></p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 130888,
"author": "Soalpa",
"author_id": 109037,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/109037",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In the APA style, it is recommended to just use the date the picture was taken:</p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>If you are the photographer, cite in-text only. Do not include in the Reference list.\n[...]</p>\n<p>Include a caption, which is a detailed description under the photograph that explains it meaning and context, such as date, people, and location. For example:</p>\n<p><em>Figure 1. School-aged children playing tag in Edworthy Park, a public park in Calgary, Alberta. November 18, 2016.</em></p>\n</blockquote>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https://bowvalleycollege.libguides.com/c.php?g=494959&p=3828594\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">https://bowvalleycollege.libguides.com/c.php?g=494959&p=3828594</a></p>\n<p>This is what I will use for my thesis in geoinformatics.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41000",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30756/"
] |
41,005 |
<p>I've just graduated in Brazil and I plan to apply in some different Master courses in US. I plan to apply to different universities and I did not want to ask my professors to write many different letters. </p>
<p>Should the letter of recommendation be specific to the university I am applying to or can I use a generic letter for all applications?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41007,
"author": "o-0",
"author_id": 21552,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/21552",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p><strong>Never hold your own recommendation letter (looks unethical), let your current lecturers send the recommendation letter to the universities directly (via email for example), that you applied for.</strong></p>\n\n<p>Most universities, ask for two recommendation letters, by asking the information of the lecturers (e.g., email, address, phone, etc.) who do that for you. So the recommendation letters will be sent by your lecturers (e.g., email, mail, online form, etc.) to the universities you applied for; without you seeing/holding the letter.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41008,
"author": "Chris C",
"author_id": 7745,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7745",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It general, as the departments you are applying to are similar, your recommendation writers will probably write a template letter that can be quickly modified to a particular university. They should be specific enough for each university, but the overall picture of you will be the same in each. </p>\n\n<p>Usually these days, these letters are done via a secure email or webpage of sorts where they can ask privately questions of your recommenders. (Probable e-signed) In the rare cases, I've heard of doing it through the mail, in which cases, I would help your recommenders with envelopes, with stamps and addresses. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41015,
"author": "Matheus Danella",
"author_id": 29341,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/29341",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Well, I am a student who also had to get two letters of recommendation from professors when I was in my university (I'm on exchange right now), and I think I have learned the lesson very well: do not write a generic letter and simply ask your professors to sign them. They have more experience than you, and they could even have passed through the same situation that you are experiencing right now. So why would you ask them to shut their mouths while you write all the stuff you want? It does not make sense, because they may know more than you about how the admission process works, and also how some universities like those letters to be written.</p>\n\n<p>Since you still have some time (and planning that now is a good idea), my advice is to ask them to write the letters for you, and then you both sign. It's more natural, honest, and ethical. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41005",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14731/"
] |
41,013 |
<p>I'm getting my Software Engineer degree in one year here in my country, and I want to continue my studies with a Master degree in the US.
Since here in my country is not a common practice to ask or write such letters, I'm not sure about some details.
I have two main concerns about them: </p>
<p>1) How important is the written date of the letter? (It's OK to get one now, dated accordingly, if I will be submitting it in say, 2 years?)</p>
<p>2) Must the letter be always addressed? (It's OK to be generic, not addressed at anyone in particular? -At this moment I don't know what University I would like to apply-)</p>
<p>I'm asking those two questions because currently I'm developing an important software for the local Police (the 911 emergency line) and I think this could be a nice vouch for my technical skills, however since I'm changing jobs in a few weeks it's possible I won't stay in touch anymore with the Chief, or maybe this Chief won't be around in the future to ask him. This also because now I can ask for it and get it in paper, with the official letterhead and seal/stamp, so that will be a proof of authenticity.</p>
<p>Let's say my idea is to get this letter now and save it for later. Of course this would be a field expertise type of letter.
Thanks!</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41025,
"author": "Davidmh",
"author_id": 12587,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12587",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Your letters should preferably be written by one of your professors, that will hopefully be aware of the protocols on how to write them. Also, usually you don't get access to your letters, but provide the university you are applying to with the contact of recommendation writers that have agreed to write your letter. The idea is that letters are supposed to be blind, so the recommender can freely express their opinions about you, and also make sure you haven't tampered with it.</p>\n\n<p>I would advise against getting a letter from the police chief. He can certify that you did that job (and that should be attached to your application), but he doesn't have the technical skills to evaluate your job beyond \"it works\", and he cannot put you in perspective compared with other students. Plus, industry letters are usually a string of cold facts:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>This person worked here from November to April developing the system C.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Whereas an academic letter is on the line of:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>I strongly recommend the student for the program because... as he showed working on ...\n [And some paragraphs more saying how awesome you are].</p>\n</blockquote>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41542,
"author": "Soupturtle",
"author_id": 31633,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31633",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>A good letter of recommendation should be specific for the position you are applying for, and be written by someone you actually worked with personally (or did course work for), so that they can say something about you and not just about your work. So I do not think that a generic letter from the police chief will be very useful as one of the reference letters you will be asked for in two years time.</p>\n\n<p>However, that doesn't mean that it isn't worthwhile to get some sort of formal statement of the work you did. My advice would be to ask for a short statement saying what you did, and (hopefully) that you did a good job. Then in two years time you can include that with your applications on top of the required reference letter(s) from your professors, as I do think developing something for the emergency services is worth including in your resume.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41013",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31284/"
] |
41,016 |
<h1>Question</h1>
<p>I'm wondering about people's experiences with navigating job offers while pursuing a Ph.D. How did you make the decision to stay or leave? If you left, how did you break the news? Were you satisfied with the decision you made?</p>
<h1>Context</h1>
<p>I'm currently in an internship, which is required as part of my program. The internship is outside of academia. I've been doing great work there, and there's already been some insinuation from management at the internship that they'd like to keep me around. Honestly, I really like the work I am doing at the internship.</p>
<p>In regards to the work:</p>
<ul>
<li>I am working on projects where I can showcase my strengths.</li>
<li>I am working at a level where I can see lots of potential for professional growth, and I am in the midst of experiencing that growth.</li>
<li>The work I am doing is boosting the marketability of my resume by orders of magnitude above and beyond what I have, could or would get from my program.</li>
<li>I've been able to take on a leadership role with high level projects and contribute in valuable ways.</li>
<li>I think the work I am doing is meaningful and has the potential to make a difference in the world. It also has the potential to end up as a brief that sits on someone's desk, but potential exists nonetheless.</li>
</ul>
<p>In regards to the job/employer:</p>
<ul>
<li>I'm surrounded by very smart people. I'm quite sure that management thinks of me as an A-Team caliber employee, but I know that there is a lot to learn from the people I am surrounded by at the internship. Honestly, I have not felt this way in my program.</li>
<li>There is a great work life balance. Full time salaried employees can work no more than 39.5 hours a week. Anything above that is considered overtime, and employees are compensated appropriately.</li>
<li>The benefits for full-time employees are better than what many people in my field will likely have when they are employed.</li>
<li>Compensation is slightly above average, but stable with guaranteed incremental raises.</li>
<li>There's modest potential for career advancement. If I did go to work for them, how much I could advance would likely be due to the level they hired me at. Honestly, at the higher levels (i.e., the level of my current boss), there's really not a huge difference in pay as you move to other levels in the company.</li>
<li>MA/MS with experience are not compensated less than those with a PhD.</li>
</ul>
<p>Bottom line: It is a place I could see myself putting in a decade for sure. I'd leave the job after that decade in a good position to work in a variety of other contexts.</p>
<h1>Tension</h1>
<p>I really don't want to piss anyone off too bad if I get an offer at this job and leave. It's never been my intention to stay in academia or even in the research firm circuit, which is still kind of academia. I've always been very clear and direct with my advisor about that point. My advisor has been fine with that, although very pointed in telling me that she/he has never worked outside of academia and all he/she really knows how to do is prepare me to be an academic... so if I want something additional from my experience in grad school I need to figure it out myself. My advisor has largely been supportive of allowing me to find my own path in graduate school, and I've been successful at finding that path and not too much wandering along the way. So, really it's a question of whether or not I owe it to my advisor to stay and forgo being paid an actual salary that I can live on, passing on a potentially great job opportunity, etc. A part of me says yes, but I'm wondering if the more mature answer is no. Everything I wanted in a job appears to be right in front of me. Would you take it?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41017,
"author": "mako",
"author_id": 5962,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/5962",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>As an advisor, I want students to be up front about what their long term goals are. If a student is not interested in an academic career, I'll take that into account when I decide to work with them. Part of that calculus is the concern that the student might jump ship part way through.</p>\n\n<p>It sounds like you've been up front and honest about your intentions with your advisor at every step of the way. Your advisor will probably be disappointed, but they will not likely be surprised. I don't think you owe it to them to stay and that seems like a bad reason to stay doing something other than what you want to do with your life. Your own time is simply too valuable and your advisor should respect that.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41018,
"author": "Pete L. Clark",
"author_id": 938,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/938",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You lay out such clear preferences for taking the industry job that there seems to be little doubt that you should try to pursue this option. If you didn't want to stay in academia anyway, why wouldn't you try to take the kind of job that you wanted to get after getting your degree? </p>\n\n<p>As a PhD advisor, I find the idea that a student might \"owe me\" enough to make it plausible to pass on a lucrative, stimulating career of the sort that they always wanted completely crazy. People have a tough time deciding whether they owe their spouse, their parents or their children that much. I don't see how you could possibly have accrued this much indebtedness to your thesis advisor. The more indebted you feel, the more help you can provide in ensuring a smooth transition and that he has someone else to take over your responsibilities. That's really about it. Also, you really do well in industry, maybe your contact with your former advisor will turn out to be advantageous in a way that your work for him was not. So your relationship with your advisor and your department might not even suffer at all in the long run. </p>\n\n<p>The one warning I would give is that things can move much faster in the business world than academia. As you write, you certainly want to get an offer before you burn any bridges on the academic side. Even if you do, I would try to angle for taking a semester or a year off, or to leave the door to that particular academic program partially open. You don't say how long you've been doing your internship, but I assume less than a year. It is plausible to me that they think you're doing fantastically now and are willing to offer you a job...but that offer would be to try you out and maybe after a few months to reevaluate your future in the firm. True career security in the business world is hard to find.</p>\n\n<p>But you really sound like you are finding your joy outside of academia. Above subtleties aside: when that happens, you should leave academia. You can do it: it's your life, not ours. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41016",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/19610/"
] |
41,019 |
<p>I made several applications to Universities in the US, Canada, and Europe. One of the universities in Europe asked me for an interview which I attended several weeks ago. I felt like they dedicated resources to interview me as there was 5 professor present. They interview was completely technical in nature.</p>
<p>A week ago I received an email where a professor wrote a feedback about my interview, and told me that they are considering me for a position. They will have to arrange an interview with their industrial liaison before I get the offer. (In Europe, a PhD is a job). </p>
<p>I didn't receive any decisions yet from other places which are preferable choices to me. In case I get an admission offer elsewhere, I intend to accept it. Otherwise, I will accept the offer in Europe.</p>
<p>I feel like what I am doing is not completely ethical since it seemed to me that they university in Europe, or more precisely the professor I am in contact with, is dedicating lots of resources just to interview me and they are trying to get someone on the project quickly. They have never asked me about my plans or whether I applied elsewhere </p>
<p>My question: Should I say something in the next interview? Is what I am doing right (Keeping this place as a plan B) while applying elsewhere?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41021,
"author": "Bill Barth",
"author_id": 11600,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11600",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Interviewers typically assume that applicants have applied to several positions, and it's their free choice on how to organize themselves to determine who to make offers to. Will they be disappointed if they make you an offer and then you decline, maybe, but perhaps you aren't their first choice either. Once you have an offer in hand from anyone, you should work promptly with them to accept or decline it within the time frame you negotiate, and if you accept an offer, you should promptly withdraw any pending applications you still have out there.</p>\n\n<p>I would not tell this European university that they are your Plan B or say anything to them about your concerns. They haven't told you how many applicants they have or where you rank among them. They are unlikely to do so. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41022,
"author": "Corvus",
"author_id": 27900,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27900",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Having spent many years on the other side, I can assure you that what you are doing is completely ethical. Interviewing at multiple locations is simply part of the process. As a department, we spend considerable resources, both time and money, trying to recruit the best students that we can to our graduate program. We are fully aware that most if not all will receive other offers at top universities. And we know from experience that about half of the students we bring in will ultimately turn us down. It's a calculated risk that we are happy to take in order to recruit a top-notch cohort of students.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41024,
"author": "Herman Toothrot",
"author_id": 4050,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4050",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Until you have an offer in hand written black on white, you are free to pursue anything else. And promises of maybe, or almost, or for sure don't matter at all. So while it might feel unethical keep pursuing other options but when you get a concrete offer be clear if you need more time to think about it or accept it.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41019",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/18244/"
] |
41,020 |
<p>I am familiar with what the US Code says about copyright and fair use, and am specifically interested in actual practice regarding academic publications which use small amount (under 10% of the original) of a protected work, without obtaining permission. Specifically, I would like to know if an infringement suit has ever been successful when the amount of copying has been under the prevailing "substantiality" threshhold, and the copying was in an academic publication. I'm not asking what might happen or whether I <em>should</em> ask permission. U.S. cases and non-U.S. cases would be relevant (to the extent that "fair use" concepts exist in other systems). Alternatively, if you know of a case where the copier prevailed specifically because the use was in an academic publication, that would be relevant. </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41029,
"author": "Andrew",
"author_id": 27825,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27825",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Half an answer...</p>\n\n<p>I no longer have a copy of <a href=\"http://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/P/bo4087193.html\" rel=\"nofollow\"><em>Permissions: a survival guide</em></a> (lent it to someone and never saw it again) but from memory, it discusses a few cases along these lines, particularly from the scholarly-art-monograph world.</p>\n\n<p>(While the XYZ estate can't stop you writing about XYZ, they can make it very difficult if they refuse you the rights to use any of their visual artwork... and publishers get nervy about claiming fair use on things they would normally expect to pay fees for.)</p>\n\n<p>Unfortunately, it's been a while since I read it and so I don't recall if any of them got as far as a legal case; I suspect the publishers usually folded. Worth taking a look if you can find a library copy, and seeing if it names specific cases, as these might be just what you're after.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41092,
"author": "Tim P",
"author_id": 31327,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31327",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>One case in a similar direction is Sundeman v. The Seajay Society. A researcher included quotations from an unpublished work in a presentation; this was upheld as fair use. There's some discussion of the case and the outcome <a href=\"http://copyright.columbia.edu/copyright/fair-use/case-summaries/\" rel=\"nofollow\">from the Columbia copyright office</a> (have to scroll down a little bit). There are some other related cases listed on the same page, e.g. involving fair use of copyrighted images in less academic publications.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41020",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28972/"
] |
41,023 |
<p>I'm a Msc student, and my project is to develop a novel software tool for use in neurosurgery.</p>
<p>There is a current tool that is considered the standard of care for the procedure, but it has low rates of clinical adoption (~45%) due to archaic technical limitations. We propose that we can develop a new system, exploiting advances in available computational power and state-of-the-art image processing algorithms, that could improve the rate of adoption for these systems.</p>
<p>My question: Does development qualify as research? Or does research begin after development? My intuition tells me the latter.</p>
<p>For example, a hypothesis I could have would be "We propose that we can develop a novel system that overcomes technical limitations of traditional systems". However, this seems to be a weak hypothesis to me. Could we ever say that it is theoretically <strong>not</strong> possible to do that?</p>
<p>However, if research begins <strong>after</strong> development, we could propose that "our tool has increased usability compared to traditional systems". This seems much stronger to me: we can test whether our tool leads to significant improvements in different measures of usability.</p>
<p>I am unsure which path is more suitable to present in a formal research proposal, after all, at the stage of the proposal, we have not developed anything.</p>
<p>Maybe I'm not even formulating the initial hypothesis correctly.</p>
<p>I've looked at other dissertations in the field, and have noticed that some do not even attempt to structure the dissertation around a hypothesis, but rather say things like: "The goal of this thesis is the development of such techniques utilizing prominent HARDI data models", "This thesis presents the development of a 96-well plate culture system that allows 4-color, flow cytometry based high throughput screening of defined, serum-free hESC differentiation conditions". It seems that they just present the outcome of development, rather than test some constructed hypothesis.</p>
<p>I ask because my courses and committee seem to desire a formal hypothesis and I am hesitant to provide something weak.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41026,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>The goal of research is to advance the state of human knowledge. The goal of development is to create a new capability that did not previously exist.</p>\n\n<p>Sometimes, these goals are separate. For example, one might acquire knowledge by studying outcomes from a medical intervention without needing to develop anything new. Likewise, one may do development that provides new capabilities but doesn't particularly add to the state of human knowledge (e.g., making phone app versions of existing software or web sites).</p>\n\n<p>Often, however, as in the case of your own research, the goals are inextricably intertwined: the capability comes from the synthesis of recent developments in knowledge, and will in turn produce new knowledge (\"Yes, this is better positioned for adoption\"). If you're doing it right, there will tend to be a lot of feedback between the two sides in the process, and thus the idea of does research come \"before\" or \"after\" development doesn't make much sense.</p>\n\n<p>Rather, when you are putting together research proposals, I would suggest that you focus on the following questions:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>What will be possible when you have finished the project, which is not possible now?</li>\n<li>How will you be able to measure that you have succeeded?</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>The first is the development aspect, the second the research aspect (which is inextricably tied to the development).</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41027,
"author": "Bill Barth",
"author_id": 11600,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11600",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I don't know the standards for neuromedicine, but in my engineering field, the research contribution, cast into medical terms, would be the increased adoption rate leading to measurably better patient outcomes. In my field, sayings like \"no one ever got a PhD/tenure in this department for writing a code\" are extremely common. I think this does a disservice to important work in the field, but it's an extremely common viewpoint. </p>\n\n<p>As such, most famous software packages have a marker paper out there somewhere which describes the functioning of the code <em>and</em> an new science result enabled by it. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41028,
"author": "Paul",
"author_id": 931,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/931",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Generally, scientific theses require an innovative development and some evaluation of its effectiveness for its intended uses. A thesis proposal requires some justification of why the \"improvements\" might be beneficial, but not necessarily direct evidence. Although, if you have already developed the \"idea\" and have some positive preliminary evidence to present in your proposal, this certainly helps. Often, it is not a requirement for a proposal.</p>\n\n<p>In your final dissertation writeup, after you have all of your evidence and conclusions in mind, you can still structure your thesis around the presentation of the idea and its effectiveness. Either way, as long as you're doing something new and testing it, you're doing more than 'development'... you're actually doing 'research'.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41023",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31189/"
] |
41,031 |
<p>I would like to build up my publication profile, including the writing of book reviews. I am not well-known by any means having just completed my PhD, though I am now working full time (contract) as a level A academic in research and teaching in my field. </p>
<p><strong>I wanted to know whether it would be beneficial to approach the book reviews editor of a journal to see if they have any books in my field/subject expertise that require reviewing, and the best way to go about this.</strong> </p>
<p>This question/response <a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/12254/who-gets-to-write-book-reviews-for-academic-journals">here</a> advises not to approach editors; however, in a publications workshop I took in 2013, I was advised that I should approach editors who often have a stack of books that need reviewing. </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41039,
"author": "Brian Borchers",
"author_id": 4453,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4453",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Yes, it's entirely appropriate to volunteer to serve as a reviewer. In doing so, you should be clear about your current background and current position (e.g. that you have a PhD and are working as a postdoc) and your specific areas of expertise. The worst that might happen is that you'll get no response or be told that they want more experienced reviewers. </p>\n\n<p>Book review columns vary tremendously in the number of books that get reviewed and the depth and quality of the reviews. In some cases the reviews are brief (less than 200 words) and descriptive, while in other cases the reviews are longer and include more of an evaluation of the work. Some book review columns solicit in depth reviews from experts in the field, while other columns (particularly ones that review a wide variety of books including textbooks) may use reviewers who aren't necessarily experts on the topic. </p>\n\n<p>In my opinion, it's best to try to limit yourself to reviewing books in areas where you really are an expert- I've been asked to stretch further than I'm comfortable with in a few cases, and I didn't like the results. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41056,
"author": "RoboKaren",
"author_id": 14885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14885",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You should know that book reviews count for absolutely zero towards your \"research\" score at R1 universities. Instead, they only count as \"service.\" That's fair as they are not the product of your research endeavors. </p>\n\n<p>If you need more publications, then publish from your research more. </p>\n\n<p>That being said, most book editors welcome volunteers. Just e-mail them. I would not suggest titles to review, but topics areas that you have expertise in.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41031",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28324/"
] |
41,032 |
<p>I am applying for a post that requests me to provide student feedbacks. While my evaluation scores are pretty good, the feedback written by students sometime contradict each other. Some student wrote, "He is very nice and caring," while another wrote, "He is too harsh! :(" (<em>yes, with the :(</em> ) </p>
<p>The contradicting one could be explained somehow, as students have different perspectives, but some feedbacks were invalid. For example, a student wrote "did not mark homework quickly," but my course did not have any homework.</p>
<p>I could foresee the interviewer will ask me to comment on these review—what is the best way to address them, particularly, for the invalid comments. For instance, I worry that the interviewer won't believe me when I say my course did not have homework. </p>
<p>(My university uses electronic feedback system so all the comments were printed on 2 A4 sheets, thus I cannot skip those invalid feedbacks.)</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41041,
"author": "xLeitix",
"author_id": 10094,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10094",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Everybody who evaluates student feedback expects a certain number of false positives / negatives. If a small-ish fraction of your students gave bad or just plain false feedback this is nothing to worry about.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>I could foresee the interviewer will ask me to comment on these review, what is the best way to address them?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>If those are only a few, then I doubt that an interviewer will be overly concerned by them. If she is, you can truthfully explain that it is simply not possible to be everybody's perfect teacher. Student's expectations differ, so it is infeasible to be great for everybody.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>In particular those comments which were invalid. For instance, I worry the interviewer won't believe me when I say my course did not have homework.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Why do these specifically worry you? Frankly, <em>\"did not mark homework quickly\"</em> is not exactly a crushingly bad feedback even if correct.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>(My university uses electronic feedback system so all the comments were printed on 2 A4 sheets, so I cannot skip those invalid feedback)</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Of course not :) what would be the point if you could just pick-and-choose which feedback you consider valid?</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41042,
"author": "padawan",
"author_id": 15949,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15949",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Actually, it would be even worse if all the students have written \"what a perfect teacher!\" or so.</p>\n\n<p>If the commitee has a little bit experience with student feedbacks (and I think they have), they will understand the standard deviation of the comments.</p>\n\n<p>Since <strong>you</strong> are applying, you are the one who is going to explain these. So, they will not try to explain the comments by themselves.</p>\n\n<p>I would suggest you to read them once more to remember for which course and semester they are written. In my opinion, it is more important for someone to keep track of his/her past.</p>\n\n<p>All in all, if they are looking for someone with zero negative comments, they probably will end up with noone. And they know this </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41032",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28695/"
] |
41,044 |
<p>Is there a date when interview invitations stop going out? Some said that interview invitations will come between mid-Jan and mid-Feb, so can an applicant assume that by March or mid-March there will be no more interview invitations? </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41047,
"author": "aeismail",
"author_id": 53,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/53",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>I don't think there is a single answer here. Some schools start their interview process in late fall, and other schools don't even conduct preliminary interviews until the end of February. In addition, there's always the possibility that nobody accepts their initial offers, in which case they may want to start a new round of interviews. So basically, you can get an interview request until you get a rejection letter. </p>\n\n<p>However, I would suspect that the bulk of interview requests go out by late February.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41049,
"author": "Wolfgang Bangerth",
"author_id": 31149,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31149",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It depends on the field you're in. I'm familiar with Math and there, all research schools probably finish hiring at the end of February. We might have sent offers in March, but I don't think we ever invited anyone after mid-February.</p>\n\n<p>Of course, the timeline is completely different for senior hires where there is, essentially, no timeline at all. But I assume that's not what you were asking for.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41129,
"author": "Fomite",
"author_id": 118,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/118",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>As some folks have mentioned, it will depend greatly based on the field. My own field doesn't even have a well-defined cycle - there are job announcements posted essentially continuously, which means a similarly continuous trickle of possible interview invitations, and some announcements are held open a remarkably long time.</p>\n\n<p>It may be useful to consult someone specifically in your field, such as your advisor, or another faculty member you trust.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 42046,
"author": "Sander Heinsalu",
"author_id": 6313,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6313",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In economics for assistant prof positions, the interviews are all during the AEA/ASSA conference during the first week of January, or similar conferences in Britain and Europe. The interview invitations are usually out by Dec. 15.</p>\n\n<p>Varies by discipline, as mentioned in the other answers.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41044",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/24823/"
] |
41,045 |
<p>When I was applying for PhD programs, I got into my first choice school. Some time later, a school that was lower-ranked but still a good school offered me a Skype interview. Should I have declined the interview so they could give the spot to someone else? Or would that have been considered rude?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41046,
"author": "Compass",
"author_id": 22013,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22013",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>If there's a reasonable chance you'd consider the second school after being accepted at your first choice, I feel it's okay for you to interview.</p>\n\n<p>That being said, if it's a 1% chance you'd change your mind, I'd pass, <em>especially</em> if it's an in-person interview.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41048,
"author": "aeismail",
"author_id": 53,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/53",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I think the only thing that would be considered rude would be to have the interview and not take it seriously. Declining the interview if you're not going to attend saves everyone time, and accepting the interview if you think you <em>might</em> attend is perfectly reasonable. It can even help you if the less preferred school offers you a better support package.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41053,
"author": "sevensevens",
"author_id": 14754,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14754",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Given the recent mistaken admission of several grad students at <a href=\"http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/02/18/carnegie-mellon-mistakenly-sends-acceptance-letters-to-800-students\">CMU</a>, I would interview. You should continue interviewing until you've accepted an offer, and have some confirmation from your chosen school.</p>\n\n<p>EDIT:</p>\n\n<p>Just to be safe, treat admission to a university like an employment opportunity. Until the ink is dry on your employment contract, you don't have a job. Same for admission - until you've accepted the admission, and received confirmation, keep interviewing at universities.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41045",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/24384/"
] |
41,052 |
<p>I submitted a paper to a Taylor and Francis journal that uses the ScholarOne submission system. The manuscript status has changed from "Under Review" to "Awaiting Reviewer Scores". </p>
<p>What does this change mean?
What is the flow chart of the different statuses for a manuscript?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41055,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>With a typical ScholarOne configuration, \"Awaiting Reviewer Scores\" means that it is actually out with (at least some) reviewers, while \"Under Review\" would instead mean the previous stage, where it is being considered by the handling editor(s) and might still be rejected without review.</p>\n\n<p>After the review scores come back, a manuscript then returns to the handling editor for a recommendation, and thence up to the chief editor(s) for a decision.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41060,
"author": "o4tlulz",
"author_id": 6978,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6978",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>\"Awaiting Reviewer Scores\" means that the paper has been assigned the minimum amount of reviewers that the Associate Editor has set for the manuscript. The minimum would be either two or three depending on the publication but the associate editor might have sent a few more invitations around. \"Under Review\" means that reviewers have been selected and invitations have been sent out but some of them have not responded yet or some of them have rejected the invitation and the editorial board is still looking for reviewers. </p>\n\n<p>I also think that it is up to the specific settings of each journal to show the different status of the review process. In some you can see \"Under Review\", \"Awaiting Associate Editor Recommendation\", \"Awaiting EIC decision\" etc but in others you just see \"Under review\" for the whole process. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 42747,
"author": "user32537",
"author_id": 32537,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/32537",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Yes, Indeed mine is undergoing the same process as we speak. under review basically means that your manuscript is still with the handling editor and is being reviewed if instructions were followed, thus fit enough to be sent to blind reviewers. Awaiting reviewer score, it has been sent out to selected reviewers and is still awaiting for their scores (comments). </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 52437,
"author": "nineth",
"author_id": 39305,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/39305",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>None of the answers above are accurate at least in my scenario. I had a revision decision, and after I submitted the revision, the status went to \"Under review\", and after about 4 weeks, it has now changed to \"Awaiting reviewer scores\". In this case, the reviewers were already lined up to get the revision, and so it doesn't make sense for \"awaiting reviewer scores\" to just mean that the reviewing is in progress -- in fact, it's \"under review\" that means that, and it doesn't make sense for \"under review\" to mean pre-screening. What the \"awaiting reviewer scores\" most plausibly means here is that the reviews are now due! 4 weeks is also the time I'd expect the AE to allot for the reviewers (from past experience), and so the timing is right for the status to change from \"Under review\" to \"Awaiting reviewer scores\" - so it just means some reviewers haven't yet submitted it and the reviews are either due or overdue. This explanation also makes sense if you just look at the English of the status \"Under review\" and \"Awaiting reviewer scores\" -- the scores aren't awaited unless it's due! It's probably why they chose this language for the status message. In addition, for all my submissions in the past, the \"Under review\" status has always meant that the paper was actually with the reviewers as opposed to with the AE waiting for the assignment; papers have been in the \"Under review\" status for me for several months after which they change to \"Awaiting AE recommendation\". So it makes no sense that \"Under review\" means pre-screening (as suggested by one of the comments) - it may be different for different journals but I doubt that is the case for any journal.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 54426,
"author": "user41177",
"author_id": 41177,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/41177",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Awaiting reviewers scores simply mean the article is with the reviewers and the journal office is waiting for the comments.</p>\n\n<p>Under review also can mean that the article is being considered by the science editor for technical and English language check or it is with the subject editor and he is evaluating it for external review, or the article is with the reviewer for evaluation.</p>\n\n<p>So, the former (Awaiting reviewers scores) is a direct statement that the article is with the reviewers. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 60092,
"author": "Pankaj K Mishra",
"author_id": 46070,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/46070",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I have found a tutorial for Editors for Oxford journals. I think, this slide explains it all. \n<a href=\"https://i.stack.imgur.com/IjlXF.png\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><img src=\"https://i.stack.imgur.com/IjlXF.png\" alt=\"enter image description here\"></a></p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41052",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30766/"
] |
41,054 |
<p>This may be off-topic here; if so, I'd appreciate suggestions for where else to post it.</p>
<p>I recently got into a disagreement with someone regarding Ben Carson, the neurosurgeon who has recently become a prominent figure in American politics, and is said to be considering a run for the Presidency. The other person in this disagreement referred to Carson as a "scientist". I thought that label seemed wrong. Without question he is an accomplished neurosurgeon, perhaps one of the greatest living, and he definitely has many, many publications. But somehow the "scientist" label felt off-key to me, and those publications don't seem to me to be "research" as much as they are clinical reports.</p>
<p>I know the words "scientist" and "research" don't have hard-and-fast definitions, and I certainly don't want to cast aspersions on the applied sciences. Nor do I want this thread to fixate solely on the individual that inspired it. I'm really interested in the more general issue that is in the title of the question: <em>Is it correct to refer to a neurosurgeon with many scholarly publications as a "scientist"?</em></p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41057,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>At the research company where I work, there are three parallel career tracks: scientist, engineer, and manager. Manager is obviously quite different than the other two, and eventually ends up with the person doing little or no technical work. The only distinction between the scientists and the engineers, however, is determined <em>post hoc</em> by observing what the person tends to do: scientists are the people who tend to publish a lot and lead research projects, and engineers are the people who don't do those things much.</p>\n\n<p>Science is not a tribe, nor is it a credential, nor an award. Science is a behavior: performing investigations that contribute to human knowledge. Any person who does this in a consistent and sustained manner, I would call a scientist, in addition to whatever other labels may be appropriate.</p>\n\n<p>In the case of your example, Ben Carson, a quick <a href=\"https://scholar.google.com/scholar?start=0&q=Benjamin%20Carson&hl=en&as_sdt=0,16\">Google Scholar search</a> shows he's got a lot of publications, many well-cited (easily 2000+ citations, H-index of around 35). Even without reading any of it to see if his work is ultimately borne out or refuted, it is clear that this is a person who has made a significant intellectual mark on the scientific discussion of their field. This is not surprising: careful and well-presented clinical reports are an important contribution to knowledge! Complementarily, a non-scientifically inclined doctor might simply treat their patients and not write the cases up for publication, merely keeping their private records in accordance with normal medical practice.</p>\n\n<p>In short: definitely a scientist, no matter what else he may or may not be as well.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41088,
"author": "Marc Chiesa",
"author_id": 31323,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31323",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I think there are two question at play in whether or not Mr. Carson can be considered a scientist.</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>Is the field in which Mr. Carson practiced a science?</li>\n<li>Is the work that Mr. Carson performed in this field scientific?</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>The answer to the first question is not as definitive as some might believe. Even among physicians, some view medicine as more art than science (every patient is different, not all treatments can be universally applied, have to tailor care to the individual, etc, etc). It sounds to me like you believe it falls into the realm of applied science, and since it incorporates the application of several branches of biological science, \"applied science\" is a logical and fitting tag.</p>\n\n<p>The answer to the second question in my opinion should be handled with care, and not treated as a blanket answer for all medical physicians. So let's just take Mr. Carson's body of work and see if it fits the mold for \"scientific.\" To me, the high level basic test of whether or not a study is scientific is whether or not it uses the scientific method. To remind everyone:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Ask a question</li>\n<li>Do research</li>\n<li>Form a hypothesis</li>\n<li>Test the hypothesis with an experiment</li>\n<li>Analyze the data and form a conclusion</li>\n<li>Share your results</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Just reading his <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Carson\">Wikipedia article</a>, the following jumped out at me:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>I was talking to a friend of mine, who was a cardiothoracic surgeon, who was the chief of the division, and I said, \"You guys operate on the heart in babies, how do you keep them from exsanguinating\" and he says, \"Well, we put them in hypothermic arrest.\" I said, \"Is there any reason that -- if we were doing a set of Siamese twins that were joined at the head -- that we couldn't put them into hypothermic arrest, at the appropriate time, when we're likely to lose a lot of blood?\" and he said, \"No.\" I said, \"Wow, this is great.\" Then I said, \"Why am I putting my time into this? I'm not going to see any Siamese twins.\" So I kind of forgot about it, and lo and behold, two months later, along came these doctors from Germany, presenting this case of Siamese twins. And, I was asked for my opinion, and I then began to explain the techniques that should be used, and how we would incorporate hypothermic arrest, and everybody said \"Wow! That sounds like it might work.\" And, my colleagues and I, a few of us went over to Germany. We looked at the twins. We actually put in scalp expanders, and five months later we brought them over and did the operation, and lo and behold, it worked.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Just from this blurb I can see that he formulates questions for a field of applied science, forms a hypothesis based on known science, and performs his experiments. Based on his published works, I think it's reasonably safe to assume that he analyzes results and shares the findings.</p>\n\n<p>My opinion is that a doctor that does not simply read from a script of \"How To Treat\" is absolutely a scientist. The body is their Petri dish, so to speak. He shares his results, and I don't see anything about him being a kook, charlatan, or fraud, so I am assuming, given his prominence, that his results have been reproduced by others in the field. The human brain in particular is an area where medical science's understanding is pretty limited, so I think the tag is even more fitting for someone like Mr. Carson whose work didn't have a definitive How-To guide. However, your views may differ based on how you would answer the questions above.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41054",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17928/"
] |
41,063 |
<p>If a PhD student kills himself, how does that affect the advisor? Does it count against him for tenure purposes?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41064,
"author": "xLeitix",
"author_id": 10094,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10094",
"pm_score": 7,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p><em>To get the elephant out of the room first:</em></p>\n\n<p>If you are contemplating suicide and wondering whether you will hurt the tenure case of your advisor by this, <strong>stop this thought right there and get counselling</strong>. The tenure case <strong>really</strong> is of no concern in this question. I am sure your advisor would also agree to this.</p>\n\n<p><em>Now, assuming that this is a hypothetical question, or it concerns a suicide that already happened.</em></p>\n\n<p>A suicide of a student will very likely not hurt a tenure case directly. No educated person in her/his right mind would react like <em>\"he killed this guy, he must be the worst teacher ever!\"</em> I would rather expect a wave of sympathy and compassion about the loss. Of course, whenever a student leaves (for whatever reason), the tenure case is indirectly hurt a little, simply because the advisor needs to start from ground up with a new student, who is likely not going to be very productive for some time.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41068,
"author": "Wolfgang Bangerth",
"author_id": 31149,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31149",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I'm quite sure that for most professors, their own tenure is about last in the things they care about in this situation. Professors are people too, they care about their students and how they do. In some sense, your students are your children too, as you see them grow up and spend a lot of time together. You're proud if they succeed, and you're sad if they struggle. If a student kills themselves, from the perspective of the adviser it's first and foremost a human tragedy. The impact on the tenure case is really something that's secondary (or tertiary, or even less important).</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 62192,
"author": "Piwaldo",
"author_id": 47934,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/47934",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>There is no obvious link between a student suicide and the supervisor's tenure. As you may know, even a breaking up with his/her boy-/girl-friend can lead to a suicide.</p>\n\n<p>If you are planning to punish/revenge your bad-ass supervisor, there are more than 100 ways, but none of them would be a suicide. If he/her has ever abused/hurt you, just report to the committee, and you may find that someone even help you punish him/her.</p>\n\n<p>If the tragedy has happened to your student, please first make sure not to blame on yourself too much -- unless you really <em>helped</em> a lot on the tragedy -- a suicide is also a decision of him/herself.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41063",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31307/"
] |
41,067 |
<p><strong>Tl;dr:</strong> Having taken lots of math classes, I've managed to forget a lot of information. Also, since I'm at a small university, most of my peers are not interested in pure mathematics graduate school, so I am not sure whether I am truly prepared for graduate school. I also feel that my GPA indicates my ability to work hard as opposed to any real ability. How do I know if I am actually ready for graduate school, as opposed to being a big hardworking fish in a small pond? </p>
<hr>
<p>I am currently in my fourth year of undergraduate school at a small public liberal arts university (I transferred in during my sophomore year from community college). I plan on spending another year here in order to graduate with the degrees I want. I came in as a biology major, taking mathematics courses for fun. I ended up getting As in each math course and was hooked. I am now a math major, with minors in biology and chemistry. </p>
<p>I've taken several classes (including Proof/discrete math, Linear Algebra, Real Analysis, ODE, Advanced ODE, Abstract Algebra, Number Theory, Math Methods Operation Research) and some independent learning studies (fractals, Cantor set, some real analysis, measure theory, etc). I'm currently in Complex Variables, Real Analysis - 2, and Mathematical Modeling. In the future I am planning to take Abstract Algebra - 2, partial DEs, and an independent learning study on primality. So far I have a 4.0 GPA in math (3.92 overall). </p>
<p>I am not required to take many of these courses to graduate, but I have taken them because I enjoy math and to broaden what I know. I have pass failed only 2 classes (mathematical modeling and operations research) because I did not have enough time to devote to get the grade I wanted, due to pledging into a fraternity and being ill. I attained a pass of course in these two classes. Plus, these are more applied courses which I did not care as much as the purer courses.</p>
<p>My ultimate goal is to go to graduate school in number theory, mainly focusing on pure mathematics and primality. </p>
<p>My main problem is that over the years, I have taken more math courses than the average undergraduate would at my university and plan to do more. Although I've maintained an A average in all my math courses, I have managed to forget a lot of information I have learned. This mainly has occurred due to the fact that I've focused so hard to maintain this GPA that I often work very hard to get that A and then the knowledge is never used again for the most part. I am very, very afraid that when I attend graduate school, I will not know as much as I should, that I will be subpar, much far behind other applicants who have more mathematics memorized. Granted I have decent grades, it almost feels as if I don't deserve it since I can not recall a lot of the information I knew so well at one point or the other. I want to pursue a career in mathematics as I love it. I am just worried. </p>
<p>Also, aside from one very gifted student, I do not know of any other students in the small math department with grades like mine. Many are pursuing teaching masters and not as interested in pure math. Many of my classmates believe I am intelligent or gifted of some sort, but I do not feel like it. I feel like I should know everything if I attained an A in every course. The problem this is late in the game and I'm not sure what to do. Having a course load so difficult and challenging for the past few years, with taking organic chemistry/biology lectures and labs, with 2-3 math courses each semester, I barely have time to sit there and recall information from earlier courses to jog my memory.</p>
<p>I also don't believe I have the mind like some select few who just know how to do things or apply things. Sure I can work on something for a few hours and eventually get it but it does not just spark into my head to do certain things.</p>
<p>Overall, I honestly do not believe that my GPA is a good representation of what I know, but more how hard I can work. I know the simple answer is to just take the time and review things, learn it again, and use it so it isn't forgotten; but surely I can not do this for all the courses I've taken.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41071,
"author": "Aru Ray",
"author_id": 948,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/948",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>It was a bit surreal reading your question, because my own thoughts back when I was an undergraduate were eerily similar. Are you me? </p>\n\n<p>Anyway, first and foremost, as JeffE would say, <strong>do not listen to the imposter syndrome!</strong> Here's some <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_syndrome\">information</a> on that in case you are unfamiliar with the term; it's worth keeping in mind - imposter syndrome is far too prevalent in academia. </p>\n\n<p>Secondly, I don't know which university you are in, but unless you have massive grade inflation where everyone gets an A all the time (which you have indicated later in your question is not the case), if you're consistently getting great grades, you're doing something right. The underlying thread in your question seems to be the notion that the ability to do math (research) well is some sort of innate spark that some people have and some people don't. <strong>Nope, doesn't work that way.</strong> Math, even advanced math research, much like research anywhere else, is mostly about hard work. Some people do math more quickly than others, which must be nice for them and is an advantage sure; but the rest of us can do math just as well. </p>\n\n<p>The point I'm trying to make is that you shouldn't knock hard work, it's at least 95% of any PhD. </p>\n\n<p>Your (sub)question about remembering every single thing you have learned in college reminded me of this <a href=\"http://www.quora.com/Do-grad-school-students-remember-everything-they-were-taught-in-college-all-the-time\">question on quora</a>, which is about physics, but is pretty relevant to math as well. To summarize the many good answers there, no, you're not supposed to remember every single detail of everything you learned in college (ok, I guess there are people with eidetic memories, but not every person with an eidetic memory is in research, and not every successful person in research has an eidetic memory). If you learned something well, as in understood it and didn't just memorize it, it will come back to you when you need it (and it will take less time to understand it the next time). </p>\n\n<p>A couple things about this: firstly, preparing for the math subject GRE, which you should take if you are planning on graduate school in mathematics in the US, was really helpful for me to recall a lot of the information I had managed to forget as an undergraduate. It also made a lot of connections between fields clear to me. (Of course I have now forgotten it all again!) Secondly, and very importantly, your statements about memorizing mathematics are odd. Maybe this was just an odd choice of phrasing, but you're not supposed to memorize mathematics, beyond say differentiation/integration formulas in calculus (although even those are better remembered by understanding where they come from). <em>Memorizing</em> proofs is different from <em>understanding</em> proofs; I hope this is clear to you. </p>\n\n<p>I was also in a small department where not too many of us were interested in graduate school (we also had a large math education program, so again, are you me?). But, remember that you do have access to lots of people interested in mathematics, namely the faculty in your department! It sounds like you've taken several independent learning courses with some of them, why don't you ask them if they think you are prepared for graduate school? Back in the day, I got a lot of useful advice, ended up taking a reading course in graduate-level math which was lot of fun, which was a large part of how I decided that why yes, I am prepared for this. </p>\n\n<p>Lastly, math is not just for a select cadre of geniuses. In order to succeed in graduate school (and probably beyond, but I am still working on that myself), you should have the ability to work really hard, feel really dumb most of the time, and yet still keep going. Being a genius is helpful, but neither necessary nor sufficient. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41076,
"author": "Jim2B",
"author_id": 31317,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31317",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>My wife suffers from Imposter Syndrome. I will tell you what I tell her:</p>\n\n<p><strong>Rationally:</strong> </p>\n\n<ol>\n<li><p>As @Aru-ray suggests, take the GRE. It will be a requirement for admission to graduate school anyway. Even if it isn't necessary, take the math subject matter portion of the test too. This will give you an idea of how you compare in knowledge and ability to apply that knowledge against all undergraduate students who intend to continue with graduate studies as well as undergraduates who intend to study Mathematics.</p></li>\n<li><p>Your grades give you a comparison of your ability to complete the assigned work at your school. See if you can find the distribution curve of grades vs. number of students for your major. Also see how your school compares to other schools in Mathematics.</p></li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>Doing just these two things, and applying a little of your mathematics skills, should give you a very good idea of how you compare to other students who intend to pursue graduate studies in Mathematics.</p>\n\n<p>If you still feel uncomfortable, talk to guidance counselors at the school you wish to perform graduate studies for their opinion.</p>\n\n<p><strong>Emotionally:</strong><br>\nMy wife informs me that Imposter Syndrome often does not succumb to rational arguments. If this applies to you, use the following argument:</p>\n\n<p>If post-graduate work in math is what you want to do, you are enjoying it, and you qualify to do it; why do you care how you rank among other students? Just do it!</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41077,
"author": "Zimul8r",
"author_id": 31316,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31316",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Very good points from @Aru Ray. I'll throw one more disclaimer out there, in reference to the last line of your summary:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>\"How do I know if I am actually ready for graduate school, as opposed\n to being a big hardworking fish in a small pond?\"</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>In truth, many mathematics graduate programs at well known and respected universities are pretty small ponds. I got my degrees from Vanderbilt, and their graduate mathematics class size averages no more than a dozen (there were 7 of us in my year). So if you were thinking you'll be adrift in a vast sea of geniuses, it's not really like that. Instead, if you choose well, you can become one of a very tight-knit group of people working together and supporting each other through the difficult, but very do-able task of getting your graduate degrees. There are small ponds everywhere, sometimes where you least expect them.</p>\n\n<p>While I'm at it, I'll throw another tidbit out there. How and when you enter the PhD program, the requirements for the Master's and the PhD, and the choices you need/get to make along the way can vary wildly from program to program. Some schools reward you with a Master's after passing 2 years of their regular graduate level program. No Master's thesis required. Some don't even allow you to petition for the PhD program until after you've got your Master's, while others tend to weed out Master's candidates right from the start based on their likelihood to continue to their PhD. </p>\n\n<p>I knew several folks in graduate school who were unsure, but applied, got accepted, worked until they got their Masters degrees, and then decided whether to continue. And even if you stop there, there are a lot of advantages to a Master's degree. For instance, you can teach at most community colleges across the US with just a Master's, and no education courses or certificates are required. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41130,
"author": "Loststudent22",
"author_id": 31343,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31343",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I think the only thing I would add is in your last year try to do some research with a faculty member(or REU). For any area of grad school actually doing research as an undergraduate can help give you a good idea if you will enjoy doing that for the next few years. I've been told that doing research can be quite different then course work. If you are able to present your work at a conference(poster board) or maybe even publish then I think that would be a big indicator that you would be ready.(not required at all). </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41143,
"author": "user31350",
"author_id": 31350,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31350",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You are drawn to the tough stuff. You deal with it. You master it.</p>\n\n<p>You are afraid you don't remember enough of it.</p>\n\n<p>You sound like a sword master who had won a fight against one of the great after preparing for a year. Now he's afraid that he might not remember all the winning moves in case this great sword master met him in an underground station and ambushed him.</p>\n\n<p>And since he cannot remember the moves in detail, he considers himself unfit for a fight.</p>\n\n<p>That's not how it works. Of course, sitting back and sipping wine is also not how it works. But it does not sound like that's what you are doing.</p>\n\n<p>You'll meet more great challenges. But you are not expected to walk into them unprepared.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41067",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31311/"
] |
41,078 |
<p><a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/21742/7734">It has been asked before</a> if it is ethical to withdraw from one journal, from which a paper has been accepted, and resubmit to another better journal. I believe that the situation here is a little bit different.</p>
<p>I submitted an article to a Computer Science conference in which the organizers stated that the proceedings were going to be published with publisher X, which is indexed by Scopus and Scimago. I personally checked up if that publisher was on those indexing sites, and it was true; so far so good. So I submit a research paper to that conference that got accepted and in the acceptance letter they put again that paper will be put on the proceedings published with publisher X.</p>
<p>A few days after my notification letter, I checked up again at the site and saw that "mysteriously" they have taken away the note saying that they will publish with publisher X, to put that they will be publishing with another publisher X. When I checked it up I saw that the publisher Y is not indexed on Scopus, or Scimago, but only by Google Scholar, DBLP, EBSCO, DOAJ, and ProQuest.</p>
<p>I have also seen in the webpage that publisher X has put the following message on their news site:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Please be aware that there are conferences claiming to be associated with X, despite having no relationship with us whatsoever.
X attaches the utmost importance to the standard and quality of publications.
If you are aware of any such conferences, or suspect their authenticity, please contact us at xxxxxxx.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Personally, I feel like being cheated. I mean, I have spent time and financial resources trying to reach the deadline, and now this conference has just changed the rules without giving a notification to anybody.</p>
<p>Long story short, I have seen other conferences that are really sponsored by publisher X; and the question that I have is if I should resubmit my research paper to these other venues? I have still not paid for the registration part, I only got the acceptance letter. Also, one funny thing is that this conference put a document of copyright transfer, which was the format of publisher X, but since publisher X has informed that they do not have any relationship with this conference I did not sign any document.</p>
<p>On the conference site they have put the following (I put it here for clarification purposes):</p>
<blockquote>
<p>To be published in the XXXX Conference Proceedings and submitted to X,
an author of an accepted paper is <strong>required to register</strong> for the
conference at the full (member or non-member) rate and the paper must
be presented by an author of that paper at the conference unless the
Workshop Chair grants permission for a substitute presenter.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Actually, publisher X has put a list of conferences that are misusing their name (this was recently posted a few days ago), and that conference is pointed out in that list.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41084,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>If your paper was submitted to a scam publication venue, because that scam venue had willfully misrepresented itself as a legitimate venue, then it is perfectly reasonable for you to withdraw your paper and resubmit it to a legitimate venue instead. </p>\n\n<p>Actually doing so, however, may pose some challenges, so I would recommend the following procedure:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>Get in touch with X and confirm that you really are being scammed, and that it's not just incompetent conference staff.</li>\n<li>Assuming you are being scammed, contact the scammers and withdraw your publication, cc'ing the contact at X who has confirmed the scam.</li>\n<li>The scammers will likely fail to respect your request for withdrawal, likely publishing without your consent. You can't do anything about this, because they are fundamentally dishonest, and you don't have the resources to fight them. X might choose to do so, however.</li>\n<li>Submit your paper to a legitimate venue, and get it properly published.</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>Now, if the scammers publish your paper without your consent before your paper is reviewed, there is the possibility that somebody might notice it and think that you are self-plagiarizing. It's not clear to me whether it's better to address this head-on with a note in your cover letter, or whether to wait until it comes up (assuming that the reviewers will discount a fraudulent site). I suspect that it is unlikely to come up, but you should decide whether you would prefer to speak about it in advance or whether you want to wait and respond if necessary.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41086,
"author": "Nate Eldredge",
"author_id": 1010,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1010",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>At this point, I think you need to get in touch with publisher X directly and ask them what's going on with this conference.</p>\n<p>You mention the note on their web page that conferences may be using their name without their consent, and it does seem likely that this conference may be one of those, but you need to be absolutely sure. Ask X explicitly if they are, or ever were, intending to publish the proceedings of this conference.</p>\n<p>Then find out what the status of the copyright transfer is. Maybe X really does have it and, in light of the situation, would be willing to transfer it back to you. Maybe they already transferred it to someone else (eg the new publisher Y). Maybe this was another instance of the conference misusing X's name and they know nothing about it. In the latter case, you might be able to claim the transfer is void because it was fraudulent; but ideally, you would talk to a lawyer before doing anything further.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41078",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6144/"
] |
41,080 |
<p>I just had an abstract accepted by a UK conference and will be submitting the final paper in a few months. We were notified by email of the acceptance and directed to register for the conference. The information we were sent currently does not mention a presentation and the schedule is not yet posted. </p>
<p>Does this mean that I will definitely be presenting at the conference? Or are abstracts/papers sometimes accepted but not presented? </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41081,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The practices vary significantly by field, but unless it is a very unusual case, having your abstract accepted means that you will be presented in some form or another. It is not certain, however, whether you will be making an oral presentation.</p>\n\n<p>In some meetings, having your abstract accepted means that you are definitely going to be getting up on stage and presenting. In others, it means that you will definitely not be presenting, but will be given a chance to stand next to a poster in a distant corner of a giant room where nobody will realize that you are even there. Most are somewhere in the middle, and you cannot know where it will fall on that spectrum without asking the organizers or looking at information from past conferences.</p>\n\n<p>In all cases, however, it is reasonable to approach your advisor / department to ask about travel support. Whether you can get full support depends on their policies and finances. If you cannot, many conferences also have student travel grants or opportunities to work as a conference volunteer in return for having some of your costs compensated.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41082,
"author": "Federico Poloni",
"author_id": 958,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/958",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Yes, \"accepted\" means that your talk is going to be included in the program (when it's published) and you are expected to present it at the conference. Congratulations! Don't get your hopes up though, your time slot could be as short as 15 minutes and in parallel with other talks, and the conference organizers will not contribute any money towards your accommodation or registration costs (unless explicitly stated).</p>\n\n<p>If this is a joint work with your advisor and/or they suggested you to apply for the conference, probably they have already plans for the funding to be covered by your department (usually, under their research funds or under a common fund for phd students). If you applied for the conference without telling anybody, this is unusual and it will be a surprise for them. Ask your advisor, definitely, but the answer is not a certain \"yes\", especially if they are short on funding.</p>\n\n<p>If I can add some more advice, <strong>don't be afraid to talk to your advisor</strong> for matters such as this one. It is a reasonable doubt and it's understandable that you have it, since you have zero experience with conferences.</p>\n\n<p>It is crucial for the future of your doctorate that there is a direct and healthy line of communication between you two.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41087,
"author": "Mohamed Khamis",
"author_id": 703,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/703",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>First of all don't worry about whether the question is silly or not. There are no silly questions, there are only silly questions ;) Moreover, it's pretty normal for early PhD students to be unacquainted with the 'politics' of academia (how publishing works, differences between venues, etc..). So it is pretty normal to ask your supervisor about these stuff, otherwise he/she might assume that you know that information already and, then, you will be in trouble. </p>\n\n<p>In my field, some conferences base their acceptance on the abstract only, meaning that they accept or reject your abstract, and based on that you get an opportunity to write the full paper, submit it and present. I am sad to say that usually these conferences are not really strong ones.. but in any case going through the submission process and getting the opportunity to write a paper and present it has a lot of benefits that outbalance the strength of the conference. </p>\n\n<p>You should examine the conference's website, you could also email the organizers. Usually they should clarify whether accepted contributions are to be presented in talks, or as posters (where you print a poster, stand next to it and answer questions of those who pass by). </p>\n\n<p>I don't know any venue that accepts contributions without planning them to be presented. So I really doubt that.</p>\n\n<p>As for the funding, yes it is always okay to ask, if they can't fund you they'll just say that they can't. They could also agree but set limits to the accommodation (e.g. it doesn't have to be a 5-stars hotel). If your supervisor recommended submitting a paper there then he probably knows that it is possible to fund you to attend. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41100,
"author": "gdp",
"author_id": 31290,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31290",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I would suggest that, as the other answers say, you should talk to your advisor about this. First off, they will be happy to explain the process to you. In fact, I'd go so far as to take a guess that your advisor will have potentially published in this conference before (you could check their past publications to see if this is the case). Was your advisor aware that you had submitted to the conference? (I will presume so, as in my experience, UK PhD students typically show their papers to their advisors prior to submission). If not, it might be helpful to do so in future, as it allows them to anticipate the potential need for conference funding in advance.</p>\n\n<p>I know that my first publication was at a conference which my advisor had previously presented at many times before (as well as having at one point been an organiser). As to if you will give an oral presentation or not, that is highly conference-specific. My first conference presentation was highly unusual, in that I ended up having around 1 hour to give a presentation and field an extended Q&A session (which was very helpful). Don't fret though - this was highly unusual, and I was aware of it in advance. You will more likely either be giving a poster presentation, or a standard-length presentation with a few minutes for questions. I simply give this example to highlight that you really should speak to your advisor, as every conference is different.</p>\n\n<p>Don't feel silly about asking your supervisor, however. I am sure they will be supportive, and happy to explain how this works. They should also be happy to explain how the process of paying for conferences works (since it is hardly an elephant in the room - conference publications are relatively expensive). There might even be a designated fund to pay for student publications.</p>\n\n<p>While certainly not always the case, I had my own budget for conference travel and registration fees, and was able to simply use this to pay for conferences and travel. For my first conference, I spent roughly the same as you are talking about spending, so that's not wholly unreasonable. Conferences can be expensive, but the opportunities to network, meet other researchers, and share your work are important, and your advisor should understand this and be able to help you understand what is going on. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41104,
"author": "Bill Barth",
"author_id": 11600,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11600",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>This may get lost among the other good answers, but it's worth looking at the conference website for last year's edition of the conference (or the last several) in order to find out about the format. If it's entirely organized around parallel sessions of paper presentations, then you're likely to be giving a talk. If it's an even mix of posters and talks, then it might be up in the air. </p>\n\n<p>Also, you should look at the Call for Participation for this year again as well. If posters are mentioned as a separate submission item with a different date or other specification, then it's likely you submitted for a talk and should be presenting one. It might also say there whether accepted abstracts will be invited for talks, posters, or a mix.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41080",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31321/"
] |
41,085 |
<p>I am working on my undergraduate research project in an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HPCC">HPCC</a>. Whoever does programming knows this is a "teach-yourself" skill. Everytime a problem arises, you search the wealth of tutorials and guides on the Internet, you ask in an specialized forum and the last resource is to consult a colleague (everybody is very occupied with their own business).</p>
<p>A few weeks ago, a new MSc candidate entered our lab and was assigned a seat next to me. She seems unable to go beyond very basic commands like executing a <code>for</code> loop in a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bash_%28Unix_shell%29">Bash</a> script. We helped during the first weeks, but she is making no progress. I myself handed her down a couple of tutorials and scripts. What exasperates us is that the more frustrated she gets the more she starts mumbling expecting that someone will approach and solve the problem for her, not to mention that she interrupts every five minutes asking the same question we have answered several times. We spoke about it in the most kindly possible way, now she says we are bullying her!</p>
<p>She is completely unprepared and we are starting to think that she lied to get accepted by our supervisor. She is destroying the amicable relations in our lab and affecting performance of almost everybody. I decided to program the most I can in my laptop instead of using the HPCC, but a process that gets done in five minutes at home is solved in seconds in the lab.</p>
<p>We don't want to mess up her reputation with our supervisor, but we got to find solutions. Does anyone had a similar situation with a colleague? How would you solve it in the most diplomatic way?</p>
<p><strong>UPDATE:</strong> Group meeting this morning. Our supervisor found out she has done nothing. She blame us. Our supervisor said it is not our business to solve her problems, she might have spoken them out a couple of weeks ago. She (our supervisor) asked her to separate an appointment to talk privately. Let's see what happens...</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41094,
"author": "gdp",
"author_id": 31290,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31290",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>This is a obviously difficult situation, perhaps in part due to being an undergraduate researcher, with an MSc candidate the subject of your question. As you said that this is starting to affect the productivity of the lab though, this is obviously a matter which may affect the PI or supervisor. </p>\n\n<p>I've been faced with a similar situation before, although the dynamic was somewhat different, in that while officially of the same level as the person in question, I effectively was their mentor or \"secondary unofficial supervisor\". In that case, I had a duty to raise the concern with their formal supervisor (in an informal manner), to alert them to the concern. They were grateful at being alerted early to the situation, rather than being left out of the loop, although this will vary in different cases, depending on their (desired) level of involvement in the goings-on of the lab.</p>\n\n<p>If someone is struggling though, I do feel that you have an academic responsibility to a colleague to offer assistance if appropriate, but that has obviously been done here, to the point of detriment of others' work.</p>\n\n<p>If you have a good working relationship with the supervisor (I am presuming it is also your supervisor), you could probably bring this to their attention casually/informally, although this obviously may not be the case - I had a completely colleague-like relationship with mine, and would act as the main contact supervisor to his project students), and any problems or concerns (including with other graduate students, as I was the most experienced) would be raised. In that case however, this information was always understood to be simply to help them as much as possible.</p>\n\n<p>Perhaps you could discuss the concerns with a (no doubt already aware) experienced colleague in the lab. I am presuming that there's someone who is generally looked up to for advice by those working there. I'm sure they would be happy to discuss the matter in private and advise (or perhaps talk to the supervisor if they have a good relationship with them). </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41101,
"author": "DoubleDouble",
"author_id": 23421,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/23421",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Let's say you have taken the final <em>\"asked a colleague\"</em> step, what's the next source of help if that still isn't useful? It sounds like that is the action she should take.</p>\n\n<p>If you are not sure yourself, then that is probably the problem. There should be another source of information past just your colleagues.</p>\n\n<p>If the answer by that final source of information is, \"Look it up\" then support that answer yourself. Ask <code>\"Have you looked it up?\"</code> She may say she didn't find it. Ask <code>\"Have you asked on the [such and such] forum?</code> She may say she didn't get an answer. If she <em>has</em> done this, and you don't know the answer yourself without looking stuff up - you can choose to either show her <strong>how</strong> you do your process for looking something up - by having her looking it up but you just tell her verbally what you would do - or refer her back to the final source of information saying, <code>I tried looking it up but still can't figure it out</code>.</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><p>Most people like to \"take control of the keyboard\" to teach, but that is probably a poor teaching method for her. Guide her if you choose too, but don't do it for her.</p></li>\n<li><p>Is she asking the same questions over a particular process? Have her write it down somewhere safe and then if she asks again, refer her to the notes. She may not realize everybody doesn't memorize <em>everything</em>.</p></li>\n</ul>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p>I myself was a student who would be afraid to ask above the colleague level because after the first time of <code>\"Look it up\"</code> it felt like that means, <code>\"I will not help you\"</code>, which is not true - they are just trying to make the best use of their and everybody's time.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41119,
"author": "yo'",
"author_id": 1471,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1471",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I will try to present yet another approach than the ones in the answers above. I don't consider it a definite solution, rather a way to go that may work for someone and may not for someone else. (And also, <strong>I would much more prefer to speak to someone higher-up, if you can; that's what the other answers discuss.</strong>)</p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p>The thing is: <strong>Be honest, but without judging the other person's qualities at all.</strong> I had been in such a situation before: person coming to me with simple problems that fall in the \"googlable\" or \"in every book\" or \"in every course\" or \"in every tutorial\" category, again and again.</p>\n\n<p>The honest answer was, for me at least: <em>Well, we have discussed a similar thing before. I'm sorry but I have got other things to do as well. I'm willing to help you with the burdens, but please, try to [point out some good resources here] before approaching me, and if you approach me, please make it specific enough so that we don't lose too much time solving the problems.</em></p>\n\n<p>It is true, honest but not rude. After all, it is your time, your studies and you yourself who'll go on the market to sell your results, and you need to be productive. If this is a serious annoyance that makes your productivity drop significantly, they need to know it.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41125,
"author": "Salvador Dali",
"author_id": 7096,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7096",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You are a student, not a mentor, advisor, teacher, or <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teaching_assistant\" rel=\"nofollow\">TA</a>. And therefore it is not your responsibility to teach other people to do their job (you can help, but only if you want so). When the time will come and your advisor will ask you to present your results, I highly doubt that <code>\"I have not finished my task, but I helped A and B to do their task\"</code> will help you.</p>\n\n<p>It looks like you have done more than expected. Taking into consideration that some of your attempts were considered as bulling I would stop giving any help.</p>\n\n<p>If you want to make it in a more diplomatic way and do not want to speak with your supervisor I think about two possible ways:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li><p>Start answering the questions with an increasing delay: answer the first question, for the second - tell that you need to finish some stuff and will be able to think about it in 15 minutes, the third in 1 hour and so on.</p></li>\n<li><p>Tell that you will be able to do this tomorrow, so ask her to write her problem in an email so that you will be prepared on the next day. This way the third person (your supervisor) would be able to see whether the issues she is failing with are really trivial (who knows, maybe only you think that it is easy) and you would have a list of all problems she faced and asked your help.</p></li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>If the person tells <code>\"I want it now, stop all you things and go help me\"</code>, you have to explain that the word does not work this way.</p>\n\n<p><strong>P.S</strong>: But please do not assume things like this: \"she lied to get accepted by our supervisor\". There are a lot of explanations apart of she lied, so this is a really strong accusation. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41144,
"author": "Peter",
"author_id": 22020,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22020",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Be careful about the bullying part. Even if it's completely unfounded, if she complains about bullying to a supervisor or even the department, you will have to explain yourself. And if people believe her but not you, you are in trouble. There is no guarantee that people make sensible judgments.</p>\n\n<p>If you raise the issue with a supervisor in a way that leaves a paper trail, you are not only doing something to address the immediate situation, you are also protecting yourself from a situation that is much worse than the current one.</p>\n\n<p>Also keep in mind that communication is tricky. If you say \"she starts mumbling expecting that someone will approach and solve the problem for her\", then <strong>that is almost certainly not the way she experiences this</strong>. Involving a third party (the supervisor) can resolve communication issues, or mismatching expectations. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41145,
"author": "Karsten Gutjahr",
"author_id": 21668,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/21668",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I don't know much about the interpersonal climate in your lab, but if you feel confident to solve it with humor, I can help you.</p>\n\n<p>Hand her 20 question vouchers. Sounds ridiculous but worked perfectly for my daughters some years ago. 20 vouchers per day are plenty, but it forces her to think about every question. It also gives her the possibility to proof, that she isn't asking to much questions, which is smoothing her way to improve her \"teach-yourself\" skill.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41149,
"author": "user31352",
"author_id": 31352,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31352",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Is she pretty? This may sound like the most sexist question possible, but in some STEM courses/disciplines particularly with a low female quota this can be a large contributing factor to not getting used early to organizing your workloads and learning yourself. Because those male coeds who get along well with their stuff have little better to do than fall over themselves providing help and support in study groups.</p>\n\n<p>Been there, done that, got no T-shirt (800 coeds starting with me, about 16 female students among them). Now depending on the college and courses you are in, you still need the skills and brains to pass. There are hard limits to how far you'll get just by being someone to look at. Which is not restricted to females, actually: it is well-known that taller and/or more self-confident men convey much more competency than their less visually gifted counterparts. But they are less likely to be the victim of unabating \"let me do as much for you as I can\" attack waves.</p>\n\n<p>Whatever the reasons, it is becoming apparent that she is not well-prepared for the kind of workflow she is supposed to be part of. That does not have to mean she is dead baggage: one thing that comes to mind to me is oboists: one of the most time-consuming and exasperating part of playing that instrument is making your reeds. As an amateur, you easily spend an hour on a reed, and then it will work any amont of time from 5 minutes to several months. Several professional oboists have a side business of making reeds for amateurs. You can perfectly well perform on your instrument while never making a reed yourself. But it makes you dependent on the skills and availability of someone else. Of course, you'd not expect another colleague in your orchestra to make your reeds without compensation.</p>\n\n<p>So at any rate, it is clear that your colleague here is not able to do her work without the involvement of others. That's a department and managing problem. You need to get together, figure out what is missing here, figure out what is required for jump-starting her into become productive in the manner expected in your department, figure out who can help with that in what manner and what effort, and figure out how to free the resources necessary to do that.</p>\n\n<p>Basically there are three possible outcomes:\na) she'll be more work than she gets done. This will not work out, separate.\nb) she'll require work on a continuing basis, but deliver more than one puts in. This requires proper work arrangements and understandings. One needs to evaluate whether the net benefit justifies the pay and the work disruption.\nc) she can develop into a productive member of your team once she gets over the culture shock and develops the necessary skills.</p>\n\n<p>It is clear that this will not work without someone originally carrying some of the weight, and the self-organizing of that does not work well. Fingerpointing will not get this situation under control. Actively trying to fix this on a department level will keep the cost under control, will make it clear who needs to get credit and responsibility for carrying that initial cost, and will make it clear how to assess where one is getting.</p>\n\n<p>This is an unproductive and aggravating situation for all of the involved. Conflicting plans, targets, and expectations are not going to help.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41151,
"author": "Davidmh",
"author_id": 12587,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12587",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I think this calls for some serious talking with all the parties involved, including your supervisor.</p>\n\n<p>One possible approach to keep things civilised and without pointing fingers, is to set up a private chat for the lab, and everybody asks through that. This way, you don't interrupt anyone asking a question, and potentially anybody can answer you. This also gives some broad exposure to the questions (maybe you didn't know that one of the new people to join the group is an expert in the technology you have a question about, and you wouldn't have asked him).</p>\n\n<p>Applied to your particular case, it creates a paper trail of her questions, spreads the load among more people, and forces her to think about the question (I managed to answer a couple of questions I had while writing them on Stack Overflow). When she asks in person, politely point her to the chat, where she will get the answers. It is important that you make this a firm rule, with no exceptions.</p>\n\n<p>If she still refuses to use this chat, you change your subjective complaint (she asks too many too basic questions) to a very objective one (she is not asking through the chat).</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41160,
"author": "Pouya",
"author_id": 12666,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12666",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>There are several good answers here already. For example, be honest with her. I really like this idea but it might not work for a simple reason:</p>\n\n<p>No matter how hard you try, if there is no will to change on her side, you will not succeed. There is one person who <em>can</em> force her to change her attitude and that is of course your supervisor. I think safest solution here is to let the supervisor know about the situation and let him/her handle the situation.</p>\n\n<p>The point is, you are in a tough situation and I encourage you to act very wisely. You need to consider few aspects carefully.</p>\n\n<p>For instance, be mindful of sexist behavior/bullying/humiliating. I am <em>not</em> saying that you are being patronizing or any other accusations. However, experience is telling me these types of situations have good potentials for misinterpretations. For this reason, I believe it is wise to handle this situation through the senior staff sooner or later.</p>\n\n<p>The rather difficult part here, is how bring this situation to your supervisor's attention. Perhaps you can directly tell them about the situation and ask them to handle it. This highly depend on the relationship you have with you supervisor and your position in the lab. Be sure that he/she knows that you have done more than enough to solve the situation in the lab. </p>\n\n<p>Another solution would be involve the supervisors indirectly. For instance next time she comes with a new question, ask her to email it to you and CC the supervisor. If the answer to the question is very trivial your supervisor will automatically be alerted about the quality of new msc candidate. A better scenario would be that she will try to solve the problem herself, when she face the case of supervisor's involvement. You should carefully and delicately pass her to the supervisor.</p>\n\n<p>Couple of notes:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>She might be in a hard situation as well. New programming paradigm, new person in the town, just coming from bachelor, feeling a bit vulnerable, etc. Maybe, just <em>maybe</em>, she is actually trying.</li>\n<li>Do <strong>NOT</strong> assume she is lying. You are not in a position to judge her and this is a very strong accusation and quite unprofessional.</li>\n</ol>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41166,
"author": "Zibbobz",
"author_id": 23717,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/23717",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>This person sounds like a real-world <a href=\"https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/19665/the-help-vampire-problem\">help vampire</a>. The problem is, you don't have the buffer of an SE site to prevent her vampirism, and she seems to have learned very well how to leech help off of those around her - recognizing that her muttering will get people to pay attention to her, if for no other reason than to stop it, and knowing that repeatedly asking the same question will get people to eventually just do the work <em>for</em> her. </p>\n\n<p>This is an entirely unhealthy habit on her part, and you should do everything you can to <strong>not</strong> feed into it. Don't help her unless it is absolutely necessary. Don't offer to write any script for her. Don't direct her to anything but the most basic of search engines. You may even want to consider playing dumb if she insists on you giving her help, and if that doesn't work, then consider asking for or sitting in a different seat (I can't imagine you have assigned seating at the Graduate level, but if you do you should be able to ask the professor for a change of seating). </p>\n\n<p>Above all else though, do <em>not</em> feel guilty about cutting yourself off from this person. They may try, very effectively, to guilt trip you into offering help, but do not feed into it. As you said, this is a class where it is expected that the student will do a lot of self-teaching (and I hope that's true, or else she should be asking the <em>professor</em>, not you, for help) and she's going to have to learn, the hard way, that self-teaching means exactly that - finding a way to teach yourself. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41189,
"author": "Ben Bitdiddle",
"author_id": 24384,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/24384",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Suppose she asks you how to open a file in Python. Rather than telling her about the \"open\" command, go to her computer and google \"how to open a file in Python.\" She'll quickly learn that she should be asking Google instead of you.</p>\n\n<p>If her question requires more than 30 seconds of thought for you to answer, you can also say \"I don't know, why don't you check the Internet? Someone there will probably know the answer.\"</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41292,
"author": "Blaisorblade",
"author_id": 8966,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/8966",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>You have a legitimate complaint (you are not there to teach that stuff). However, that's surrounded by misconceptions that I'd like to correct. <a href=\"http://www.pgbovine.net/command-line-bullshittery.htm\">Philip Guo's</a> has written excellently on the topic and I recommend his post; I'll apply his idea to what you describe (which is a part of your actual case).</p>\n\n<p>There are two explanations for the situation you described:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>she's indeed incompetent on stuff she should know (as you're assuming);</li>\n<li>she just happens to not know <em>bash</em> and run into some obstacle learning it, but appropriate training would make her able to contribute. In which case, the (wrong) assumption \"how could one possibly not get that by oneself\" acts as a form of bullying. In fact, since women and minorities are less likely to know Unix culture, this attitude can easily be a source of discrimination (see <a href=\"http://www.pgbovine.net/command-line-bullshittery.htm\">Philip Guo's post</a>).</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>And my HPCC experience was <em>full</em> of <code>bash</code>-like tools with similar problems. (You only mention <code>bash</code> once, and <code>bash</code> is a bad offender, but lots of this answer is more generally valid).</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Whoever does programming knows this is a \"teach-yourself\" skill. Everytime a problem arises, you search the wealth of tutorials and guides in Internet, you ask in an specialized forum and the last resource is to consult a colleague (everybody is very occupied with its own business).</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>I've learned programming that way (up to Linux-kernel-hacking level, in case you're tempted to dismiss me), but that's not the only one. For all skills, teachers exist to help overcome \"teach yourself\" obstacle.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>[...] She seems unable to go beyond very basic commands like executing a for loop in a BASH script.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Does she ignore languages she was taught in her courses, or does she have trouble getting bash? In the second case, I have news for you: it's extremely easy to be a genius and not get bash. I'm a PhD student who does get bash, surrounded by many smart students who get it less, in a programming languages lab.</p>\n\n<p>One key problem is that bash violates so many unconscious assumptions that are valid in \"sensible\" programming languages—for instance, by lacking a parser. So that forgetting any space in <code>if [ -f \"$i\" ]; then</code> will result in unhelpful errors — and trying to get them will result in more frustration.</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"http://www.pgbovine.net/command-line-bullshittery.htm\">As Philip Guo explains</a>:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>There is a huge disconnect between the elegant high-level ideas discussed on the whiteboard (while presumably sipping cappuccinos) and the grimy, grungy, terrible command-line bullshittery required to set up a computing environment suitable for implementing those ideas in code. This gulf of execution is tremendously frustrating for highly-capable and motivated students who just didn't happen to spend 10,000 hours of their youth wrestling with nasty command-line interfaces.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Now, you're not supposed to teach her this stuff — the professor should check one has the skills on entry or setup training. However, I don't see how one can <em>avoid</em> unconsciously bullying somebody else with those misconceptions.</p>\n\n<p>Now, how could it be that she has an issue with the whole lab? Guo answers again:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>OK here's what gets me super pissed. Many commenters presumed that “real programmers” should be command-line experts... POSIX-flavored command-line experts, to be precise.</p>\n \n <p>[...]</p>\n \n <p>More generally, this notion that the only “real programmers” are those who have already mastered POSIX command-line-fu before they leave the university is a dangerous one, and contributes to the continued monoculture in software-based industries.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>I've had the same idea—then being a PhD student gave overwhelming contrary evidence.</p>\n\n<p>EDIT: Another insightful analysis of what's hard in learning POSIX (specifically, of the \"long tail\" problem) appears in an analysis of a completely different problem—learning to cook for geeks. <a href=\"http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/05/the-psychology-of-soylent-and-the-prison-of-first-world-food-choices/2/\">Here it is</a>. Enjoy.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41085",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/-1/"
] |
41,089 |
<p>With almost every question from people having dealing with predatory publishers, the question comes up whether they have already signed a copyright agreement. This always makes me ask myself this question:</p>
<p><strong>When it comes to that point, how could a publisher actually prove, that you “signed” a specific copyright transfer agreement?</strong> Any copyright transfer agreement I have encountered so far (only reputable publishers) I agreed to by clicking on a button in some submission system. Now there are two cases to distinguish:</p>
<ul>
<li>The submission system is hosted by a third party. In this case, the publisher has a source other than itself that could confirm that you¹ clicked on <em>agree</em> and what exactly you agreed to. I do not deny that there may be some evidence here.</li>
<li>The system is hosted by the publisher itself. Some reputable publishers do this (at least so it seems to me) and I also would guess that this is what most disreputable publishers do. How can the publisher produce any evidence that you¹ clicked the button and what copyright agreement was shown to you? They can show that the <code>accepted_copyright_agreement</code>-flag in their database is set to <code>true</code> for your submission, but given that it’s their database, they can manipulate it at will and this does not constitute any proof.</li>
</ul>
<p>I have not come across any other case where such kind of unilateral agreements are made online. For example, if I buy something online, the actual contract of sale is established by me transferring money (or similar) and the other party transferring a product (and I have full return rights for some weeks, at least in my country, legal disputes on whether the <em>buy</em> button was actually clicked are unlikely).</p>
<p>Note that I am not so much asking about whether some evidence would actually convince a court but rather about anything that could be even considered as evidence by any reasonable person or court.</p>
<hr>
<p><sup>¹ or more precisely: the person who submitted the manuscript</sup></p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41091,
"author": "William Forcier",
"author_id": 28459,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28459",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>First, I would like to clear up a little misconception. A signature is never proof of anything. There is very little difference among a hand written signature, pressing the I agree button, and writing an 'X' on the signature line. They all carry the exact same legal weight provided they were done in a proper fashion. The only time a signature is ever really sufficient proof is when it has been notarized (which is much more than just the notary's signature). So, signing a paper and faxing it over, for instance, doesn't have much more value then pressing your \"I agree\" button. Without being notarized, signatures in any form are simply evidence. </p>\n\n<p>Third parties, in this case, can effectively act as notaries to a certain extent. There tend to be very strict guidelines when dealing with electronic signatures. Depending on the field and the government involved, how the signatures are stored is often very important. Other than the legal requirements, the person or court would need to ask the question \"Why would the third party forge the signature\" and \"Was the signer who they say they were\". Usually these are emailed and involve a unique token, so identity is based on the security of email and the token is stored and hopefully not accessed. Periodic backups (using non-re-writable media) that are stored securely can often be used to ensure data hadn't been added or modified. </p>\n\n<p>It is nearly impossible for a party of the deal to serve as the sole witness to the authenticity of any signature as they generally have reason to lie. Instead, they need to show that you agreed to transfer copyright as evidence that the signature is authentic. If they don't have you agreeing to the publication somewhere, then they are just waving around a piece of paper with an 'X' on it. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41111,
"author": "Bill Barth",
"author_id": 11600,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11600",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The standard in US civil courts is that one side needs to show by a <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_burden_of_proof#Preponderance_of_the_evidence\" rel=\"nofollow\">preponderance of the evidence</a> that their side is true. This is actually a pretty low bar, i.e. that there's a greater than 50% chance that their version is true. It's a lot easier to come up with evidence to this level than it is to the \"reasonable doubt\" standard that US criminal prosecutions need in order to convict some one of a crime. </p>\n\n<p>As such, a copy of the email from your email address, attested to by sworn testimony from the recipient and containing the proper text to be a copyright transfer would probably be sufficient. Similar evidence could be used if you submitted the form through a website. In order to rebut this evidence you'd need convincing evidence that you didn't do it or that it was done fraudulently.</p>\n\n<p>I know that you say that you don't care about what a court would say, but the only time it would come up is in that context. Nothing else matters. If you need to try to stop someone from publishing an article or to retract an already published one, in the end, you're going to be in court. If you're going to try to convince a judge or jury that you didn't really execute the copyright transfer, you're going to have a high hurdle. If the journal presents some evidence of a transfer document, you're going to have to try to convince a judge/jury that it's somehow fraudulent.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41089",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7734/"
] |
41,093 |
<p>I am currently in a financial accounting class with a professor that has used offensive (in my opinion) commentary in her lectures since my first exposure. </p>
<p>Examples of comments she makes:</p>
<ul>
<li>Financial accounting is a class everyone <em>should</em> take, because it's actually useful, not like forced electives such as sociology. (Whether or not you believe income statements and balance sheets are more important than understanding how and why the society around you functions, the tone of this comment was what bothered me at the time.) </li>
<li>Boys are bad at wearing work clothes for work instead of nice clothes.</li>
<li>Girls treat their clothes better because they find them more precious.</li>
<li>Woman have a shopping gene.</li>
<li>It's implied that women (or moms) do all the shopping and cooking.</li>
</ul>
<p>I admit that I don't attend class often enough to know whether this is a pervasive or sporadic issue. I just know I've been put off enough to not attend classes more often and find out. I make up not going to her lectures by putting in extra effort other ways.</p>
<p>I can tell that she's not <em>trying</em> to be offensive. Her comments are meant to come off as motherly and humorous. I'm also not <em>trying</em> to be offended, as I gain nothing from that. </p>
<p><strong>What is the most diplomatic way of addressing issues with a professor when you're in a large lecture hall setting?</strong> (As opposed to small classroom settings, which lend themselves to more personal connections with the instructors)<br>
Or<br>
<strong>How would a professor prefer I address them if I were dissatisfied with the nature of their off topic commentary?</strong> (As opposed to opinionated comments that relate to the course or field, such as economic policy preferences in a economics course) </p>
<ul>
<li>Should I send a polite email to the professor explaining that I wasn't comfortable? It's quick and semi-anonymous. She won't be able to associate the name with my face. Presenting myself in an impersonal matter may result in an impersonal response. </li>
<li>Should I wait until the end-of-semester course evaluations and express my concerns? These are completely anonymous, but seems passive aggressive and rather too far after the fact. </li>
<li>Should I approach her directly <em>if</em> it happens again? It's more personal, but that can also seem to be more confrontational (especially if I go out of my way to meet her during office hours). I don't feel it's confrontational, or that I would present myself that way, but people receiving critique can feel that way. </li>
<li>Is there a better solution? </li>
</ul>
<p>Switching sections isn't any more preferable than skipping the current lectures. The other available times didn't work well for me or my family on a regular basis. I'm also not sold that it's the best option for most students in a similar situation. I would see changing sections as a recourse only if other methods failed, or the lecturer was wildly offensive. </p>
<p>While the first class bothered me, I didn't drop attendance immediately. This was done after getting a feel for the course, when I knew I could balance not being in the lectures. It wasn't a knee-jerk "How dare she!" reaction.</p>
<p>Spotty attendance is admittedly doing nothing to address the issue. Thus, my inquiry.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41102,
"author": "410 gone",
"author_id": 96,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/96",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You're a postgraduate student. You and the professor are both academics. And you're both grown-ups.</p>\n\n<p>So have a grown-up, informed, intelligent conversation with her about this. Pick her up on it during a seminar or lecture, when it happens. Do it intelligently. Use your academic skills. Build a point up <em>concisely</em> from literature and reason. You should be able to do that in three sentences with some thought; have other literature to hand to back up your discussion, after the lecture.</p>\n\n<p>The lecturer started the disruption: If a lecturer is perpetuating nonsense such as \"shopping genes\" and women's role being cooking and shopping, that needs challenging. Do it at the moment it occurs: it really is the best time to catch it. When people use stereotypes that reinforce existing hegemonies, they often don't even realise they're doing it. Catching it in the moment gives them an opportunity to reflect. Postgraduate education can be much more versatile, more flexible than undergraduate - it can be open to broadening out and extending discussions.</p>\n\n<p>If we were talking about undergraduates in large groups then the disruption to the lecture might be inappropriate, just as the lecturer's sexism is: but we don't deal with that sort of undergraduate question here, so the only way to make this question useful is to deal with it as a question about a postgraduate degree. And in such cases, there is a much more level playing field between lecturer and students: learning is a collaboration.</p>\n\n<p>A large part of a postgraduate degree is independent study and thought. So show some.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41139,
"author": "Pete L. Clark",
"author_id": 938,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/938",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I'm afraid you lose a lot of my sympathy by complaining about a lecture that you rarely attend. I don't really understand what you mean by \"the luxury of other options\". If you can take the class from a different instructor and would prefer to do that, do it. If the attendance in the lecture is not required and you feel that you can get what you want out of the course without attending the lectures: that's your choice too, but is it a good choice? </p>\n\n<p>You seem to be prioritizing sociopolitical beliefs over the material of the course. It's very easy to be offended if you want to be. I won't comment on the gender stuff, but I will say that the bit about accounting over sociology really doesn't rate as an \"offensive\" comment. I think it's true that accounting is a more practical field than sociology and that most American adults need to do some accounting in their daily lives in a way that they do not <em>need</em> to do sociology. Not knowing how interest and loans work will have a more direct negative effect on most people than not understanding the difference between mechanical and organic solidarity. Of course \"practical\" is not necessarily better: it is a matter of taste and goals. I am a mathematician, I have taken courses in sociology but not accounting, and I am fully content with that decision: in fact, I would be hard-pressed to imagine a university course that sounds less interesting to me than accounting. But that's just my own personal taste: the idea that the accounting instructor prefers accounting over sociology is neither offensive nor even surprising. We have a right to like what we do better and tell that to students.</p>\n\n<p>Not everyone has the same views that we do. But an accounting instructor's views on gender, shopping and clothing seem incidental rather than professional: it is very unlikely that she is <em>pushing</em> these views on the students or that she is holding herself up as an authority figure on them; they're just part of the way that she likes to present her lectures. Ask yourself this: what are the negative effects of her expression of these views? Is it likely that the men and women in the class will adjust their own behavior or views in accordance with hers? Will men feel worried about their own cooking and shopping agency? It just doesn't sound that insidious to me. </p>\n\n<p>In my opinion, if you disagree with the views and feel strongly that the lectures would be improved by not sharing them, then have the courage of your convictions and convey this to the instructor, either in person or by email during the class, or after the class is over. But not attending the lecture because you don't like the incidental views that the instructor expresses? I'm sorry to say that I don't find that to be a very mature reaction. In so doing you are compromising your own educational experience in exchange for...what, exactly? What is anyone gaining by your failure to attend the lectures? </p>\n\n<p><b>Added</b>: If from the first day of class you have a problem with the instructor which is severe enough that you can only bring yourself to attend the class sporadically because of it, you have an excellent reason to drop the course or change sections <em>right away</em>. Staying in a course with an instructor that you find personally offensive doesn't seem like a very good plan. In fact, if you tell your advisor that you want to change sections for this reason, you can probably get additional help with the particulars of that: it is in everyone's best interest for you to take a different course. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 52241,
"author": "mist42nz",
"author_id": 39089,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/39089",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>If the language is sexist (and your examples are) file an official complaint or grow a pair. Don't whine, no-one wants to hear it and it just makes you sound foolish.</p>\n\n<p>Many women don't understand how sexist and rude their language and behaviour is, and you don't have to put up with the abuse anymore than they have to put up with flirt/pickup orientated abuse in class.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41093",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/-1/"
] |
41,105 |
<p>I have accepted a PhD offer from a very good university to do a project very close to my interests. I have told the project supervisor I accept it. In the meanwhile I have managed to secure a PhD offer from another 2 universities much better in world rankings and with better research groups and better faculty. Additionally these 2 universities do research exactly on what I want to devote my PhD research.</p>
<p>My only commitment to the first university is a mail confirming I accept. Nothing else. I understand declining the offer after already having accepted it is quite dishonest but it is a huge decision that will affect my future in a very significant level. </p>
<p>I would like your opinion and I would also like to ask for possible consequences of such an action. As far a postdocs concerned, in the first university there is no chance I ever get a postdoc since they do not actually do research on my area (except for the prospective supervisor and even he not as much).</p>
<p><strong>UPDATE</strong>
I have decided to do as I was afraid to. I have decided to choose a different university than the first one that I have already accepted the offer. My offer acceptance included: </p>
<ul>
<li>An online "I accept" statement.</li>
<li>An e-mail I sent stating "I accept the scholarship and this University is my first option"</li>
</ul>
<p>I do not have any legal commitments since I have not signed anything. The supervisor of the first university though is really nice to me and continuously was sending me mails. <strong>How do I very nicely tell her I will not be joining in the end?</strong> Additionally the place I will go in the end will be for research in Mathematics and not Physics. Can I use this as a part of a sensical excuse?</p>
<p><strong>WHAT I HAVE CHOSEN AND WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES WERE</strong></p>
<p>I think that I should let people, especially other beginning grad students know what happened with my case. I have chosen to nicely tell the first university I got accepted that I will not be attending and will not be pursuing a PhD there since I decided I have different research interests (which is true). I had applied there in the first place since I was not sure what I wanted to do and because it was a nice program. Despite that, I got an offer from a World top university to work on 100% my research interests. I explained this to them, the first uni, and they happily let me go and wished me good luck, especially the supervisor who faught a lot secure me funding. I was lucky.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41184,
"author": "Blair MacIntyre",
"author_id": 28128,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28128",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>I am assuming you are going to go to the better place, so asking our opinion is rhetorical.</p>\n<p>The consequences depend on the people at the university: if they are reasonable folks, they should understand. But you never know.</p>\n<p>You should do your best to make it as painless as possible FOR THEM. My suggestion is that you should decide where you want to go, and accept there. And AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, send a <strong>very very</strong> nice and <strong>very very</strong> apologetic letter to the person you had said yes to, explaining that you have decided to go elsewhere. The key here is "<strong>as soon as possible</strong>" so they have the opportunity to offer acceptance to someone else — that will lessen any annoyance they have.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41188,
"author": "jayburg",
"author_id": 31385,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31385",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Of course this a tremendous decision, and one that will likely stay with you for the rest of your life. Trust me, while the folks at this institution are likely of a particular kind of 'good' sort, I would bet a boatload of money that each of the committee members that accepted you would likely do what was best for them should they have ever found themselves in your shoes. The worst possible scenario is that if you've paid some sort of deposit, you will likely not see this returned. Also, in the future, should you seek employment at this institution, you might find yourself in a precarious situation should one of these committee members find themselves on a search committee for a position you're interested in (unlikely). Perhaps the most disheartening impact will be felt by way of having to explain to those you might have already told that you'd be attending this particular institution about your change of mind. Rest assured, they will not judge you, and if they are in fact true friends, family, or kin, they'll unconditionally support your decision. Hope this helps..</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 42534,
"author": "Corvus",
"author_id": 27900,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27900",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Most US universities with serious graduate programs are signatories to the <a href=\"http://www.cgsnet.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/CGSResolution_Rev2015.pdf\">Council of Graduate Schools Resolution Regarding Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees and Assistants</a>, which pertains to situtations in which graduate acceptance comes with an offer of TA and/or RA support. This resolution explicitly allows students to retract acceptances made prior to April 15th, but not after April 15th:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>In those instances in which a student accepts an offer before April 15, and subsequently\n desires to withdraw that acceptance, the student may submit in writing a resignation of the appointment at any time\n through April 15. However, an acceptance given or left in force after April 15 commits the student not to accept another offer\n without first obtaining a written release from the institution to which a commitment has been made.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>This is not to say that programs will be <em>happy</em> to hear that you have retracted your acceptance, only that you have every right to do so as long as you do this before April 15th. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41105",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31331/"
] |
41,110 |
<p>I'm starting a unit (undergraduate class) at my university which deals very much with topics researched by my grandfather - He has written a number of books and papers on the issue.</p>
<p>I don't yet know if I'll need to cite them but I thought it would be wise to ask now, rather than with a looming deadline. Is there anything I should take into consideration if I end up citing his works?</p>
<p>Additionally, would it be considered unethical (and/or an 'unfair advantage') to clarify anything on the subject matter with him, or does that just constitute "good research"? If I did get clarification from him, would I have to add my communications with him in an appendix?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41113,
"author": "gdp",
"author_id": 31290,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31290",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>I'm not aware of any reason you couldn't cite work of a family member. Indeed, a tenet of academic work is to cite your sources and give references appropriately, so due credit is given to previous works. </p>\n\n<p>Were you not to cite your grandfather (or indeed anyone else's work you reference), that in itself would be the improper behaviour. </p>\n\n<p>It is normal (and often necessary) to cite your own work as well - in order to avoid self-plagiarism, you need to reference any previous works by yourself if you use them in a future work, so as not to be re-presenting the same work repeatedly and claiming it as new every time. </p>\n\n<p>Regarding clarifying points, that wouldn't be a problem - it is actively encouraged to discuss and collaborate with others in research. Authors place their email addresses and affiliations on publications to facilitate private conversation and discussion with other researchers, and often this is how collaborations and future advances happen. Conferences are also organised with the principle aim of facilitating dialogue and further discussion between researchers. </p>\n\n<p>You would be able to cite information from clarifications with him as personal correspondence type references, and I don't see a reason you would need an appendix to quote the actual correspondence. </p>\n\n<p>In the event that there were to be any kind of potential for conflict of interest, you obviously should disclose it as such. Also, if you are significantly referencing personal correspondence with your grandfather, he may be making sufficient intellectual contribution to be considered an author of the paper. Simple clarification of points in already-published works wouldn't be an issue (otherwise I'd be an author on any paper as a result of an email I replied to!), but significant intellectual contribution or addition of new material would probably require you to regard him as an author. For assistance and clarifications which don't constitute author him, you could add an acknowledgement to the paper to express recognition of the assistance and advice given. </p>\n\n<p>Disclaimer - there may be discipline specific nuances here I am not aware of, most probably around how to cite personal correspondence, since it's not something I've had to do before. The requirements to declare authorship may also vary between disciplines and publications based on their regulations. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41114,
"author": "Kukanani",
"author_id": 7891,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7891",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I would say it's definitely permitted. Citing is a part of preventing bias...the point here is \"this comes from a published work, so it's trusted.\" This is a major reason why you are required to self-cite, too. Citing shows that someone already approved the results that you are referencing in your paper, so people it's not just a quote pulled out of thin air from your crazy uncle.</p>\n\n<p>If you contact him personally and use the information he gives you in your paper, that requires a separate citation. Most reference styles have a format for a \"personal interview\" or \"personal communication.\"</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41116,
"author": "O. R. Mapper",
"author_id": 14017,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14017",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>By all means, do not treat your grandfather (or his works) any different from any other publications you come across when it comes to citing. If the citation is appropriate, do cite them, and if it is not, do not cite them.</p>\n\n<p>There is nothing unfair or unethical about using the opportunity to clarify anything on the subject matter with him. Indeed, I would argue it constitutes \"good research\" to use such a source of knowledge; there is no point in cutting yourself off of possibly significant information and restricting yourself to what is literally written in a paper just because other people may not have the option to casually call your grandfather to inquire in the case of inclarities. The only thing you may want to make sure is that if a paper you want to cite says X, and your grandfather insists he actually meant Y, be aware that your readers will not be able to find the additional information, so the paper in question may not be the best source to cite Y from.</p>\n\n<p>Lastly, there is no need to add any such communications to the appendix. During your research career, you will come in touch with plenty of people who work in the same field as you do, and you will cite numerous of them. You need to make sure you provide all information you get, and you properly reference where you got it and where other people can check it. However, that is for informative purposes towards your readers, there is no ethical obligation to publicize the specifics of when you talked to whom while conducting your research. Thus, <em>you</em> may have received a particular bit of information in the conversation with your grandfather, but (if you ask him!) he might point you to a work that contains the same bit of information that you can actually verifiably cite.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41186,
"author": "Ben Bitdiddle",
"author_id": 24384,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/24384",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I've had several professors who discussed their <em>own</em> work in class. Sometimes they explicitly say it's their work, but sometimes they present the work without saying who did it, probably to minimize awkwardness. Or they'll cite the work, but only in a footnote, and without drawing much attention to the author.</p>\n\n<p>Especially at the graduate level, you'll often see professors who made substantial contributions to the material they are teaching, and the class would have been incomplete without a discussion of their work.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41233,
"author": "Nate Eldredge",
"author_id": 1010,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1010",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Given that this is for a class assignment, some of the other answers may not apply. For instance, you can't offer co-authorship to your grandfather. The goal here is not only to produce a worthwhile paper on your topic, but to demonstrate that you can do it yourself.</p>\n\n<p>So I think the best course of action would be to approach your professor and ask how she would like you to proceed.</p>\n\n<p>If I were the professor, I'd probably say it's fine to read and cite his papers, but I'd discourage you from involving him personally. There can be a fine line between \"he's clarifying his work\" and \"you're using his ideas instead of synthesizing them for yourself\". The line can be hard to judge even for experienced academics, and more so for students. If you do discuss the paper with him, I'd want careful documentation of his contributions, so that I could judge what you had done yourself. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41110",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31336/"
] |
41,122 |
<p>Can someone provide advise as to what a student should do immediately after being accepted into a graduate program and has identified with a professor?</p>
<p>Usually students are accepted in the middle of their final year of undergrad. A window of time opens between now and when the first semester begins.</p>
<p>I wonder what should a student optimally do during this time to smoothly transit into the designated graduate program.</p>
<p>Some thoughts:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Build up relationships with other graduate students, professors</p></li>
<li><p>Start reading papers on the topic of focus</p></li>
<li><p>Start preparing course work for first year of graduate school</p></li>
<li><p>Start identifying specific research area and pin point thesis topic and open questions</p></li>
<li><p>Get to know the locale</p></li>
</ol>
<p>But ultimately this question is directed at people who have went through this process. What can a student do now in the little time that he or she has to smoothly enter the graduate program?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41124,
"author": "RoboKaren",
"author_id": 14885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14885",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>I have three utterly contradictory pieces of advice:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li><p>The first year of graduate school will be a much more intense version of the coursework that you took as an undergraduate. In particular, the basic core courses often sink many first year students. For example, in some disciplines you may be asked to read over 1000 pages a week during that first semester, while in others you might be asked to do significantly more complex problem sets or labs than you've ever encountered previously. If you can, I'd obtain copies of the syllabi for the required first year classes and start reading as much of the material as you can. The more breathing space you can give yourself that first semester the better. Build up your scholarly reserve.</p></li>\n<li><p>Graduate school is a very long haul. Burnout is a very real possibility. Because you don't have a gap year, you should use your summer to expand your mind a bit. Go for a month or so of walkabout in Europe or Australia. Take what will be your last extended vacation for a little while. Build up your emotional/psychological reserves.</p></li>\n<li><p>Unless you're in a well-funded program, you may well be destitute -- especially before you pick up a TA/RA position. Even with funding, you may only make $15-25,000 a year, which can be very hard to live on. You might want to build up your savings heading into grad school so that you don't have to take out too many loans or spend too many cold nights eating ramen noodles. Build up your financial reserves.</p></li>\n</ol>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41199,
"author": "Ben Bitdiddle",
"author_id": 24384,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/24384",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Talk to a lot of graduate students, especially in the lab(s) you are interested in. If necessary, cold-email them and ask about their experiences in the PhD program. There will be time to talk to graduate students during visit weekend, but you won't get enough time to have a lot of in-depth conversations, and in general the department will put on its best face for you. (It will mostly be the happy students who bother to show up at visit weekend.)</p>\n\n<p>You don't want to accept an offer only to realize it was not quite what you'd expected. There are usually things that seem like no big deal during visit weekend, but are actually a huge pain in the ass, and you want to be warned of that early.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41512,
"author": "nnadeau",
"author_id": 31613,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31613",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>As a PhD student in engineering, I can say that the most important initial task is to build relationships with your peers and especially your supervisor. The stronger your academic relationships, the better your foundation of support will be. This will especially come in handy when you need help, either academically or personally. </p>\n\n<p>Also.... read.... a lot.... My trick is to setup a Google Scholar alerts system that forwards relevant articles to a special Gmail tag, for me to read at my own convenience. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/06
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41122",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20070/"
] |
41,123 |
<p><strong>Summary (TL;DR):</strong> The following's biased; so are there any counterarguments? Please beware that this question concerns only authors who are professors and who also write textbooks.</p>
<p>Are authors truly helping students as much as possible? For example, are textbooks edited and revised every two years out of greed? Certain subjects tied to real-life reforms (like law) may require such turnover, but what of Economics (as below) or <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Calculus-James-Stewart/dp/1285740629/ref=dp_ob_title_bk" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>Calculus</em></a>?</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>[Supplementary Context]</strong> <a href="http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2014/12/modern-principles-3rd-ed.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">[Source:]</a> Ray Lopez December 16, 2014 at 12:22 pm</p>
<p>LOL from the comments section of the npr post:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Mankiw is the worst sort of economist. He’s a blatant liar. Why does <a href="https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/128516587X" rel="nofollow noreferrer" rel="nofollow noreferrer">his book cost $320</a>? Because that’s how much the publisher, Cengage, has determined the market will bear. Why does he not advocate reducing the price of the book to make it affordable to more students around the world? Because he wants to make as much money for himself as possible. (This is also why pharmaceutical companies often price their newest drugs at outrageously high prices; to maximise profits in the short term, rather than to deliver the greatest public health good.) Mankiw does not care about the impact of his ridiculously priced book on the purchasers of his product, and he papers over any twinge of guilt he might otherwise experience by convincing himself that his personal brilliance is worth the extra money. Congratulations, professor, for playing your little part in the grand national pastime of burying America’s college students in debt.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>(no sympathy from me as he dissed outrageously priced on-patent drugs, but it’s telling how people think education is a public good. Nothing can be further from the truth. If you can’t afford an Ivy League education you have no business applying to Harvard…)</p>
</blockquote>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41137,
"author": "410 gone",
"author_id": 96,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/96",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Academic authors typically receive very very little, if any, of the cover price. And an author has very little leverage over their publisher. Many publishers would be either bemused or amused by an author telling them how to do their job. I expect to receive zero financial compensation from books, as that seems to be the going rate here. If the author receives 4-6% of a book's cover price, that gives the author scope to reduce the price by 4-6% by foregoing their royalties. But a one-off cost reduction of 4-6% is not really worth having the discussion about, is it?</p>\n\n<p>Well-produced books take the time of many skilled professionals to do the work of co-ordination, editing, layout and printing; then there's the material costs, distribution and marketing, and overheads. Only a few dozen copies may get sold. So there are a lot of fixed costs to be distributed over a few sales.</p>\n\n<p>It's rather different to an amateur publisher knocking out a pdf. (Not <em>you</em>, dear reader, if you publish your own books, do all your own editing and layout: I'm sure that's of the same quality as something from the OUP; here I'm talking about the <em>other</em> amateur publishers - the one's who think they're professional-grade editors and graphic designers, but, well, aren't.)</p>\n\n<p>And it's a market. Supply and demand. If the book's worth $320 buy it; and if it's not, don't. Students still have a choice. They can choose the course with a $320 book, or a different course. If you're getting taught by Mankiw himself, I'd expect the $320 to be (1) a tiny part of your total costs; (2) tiny compared to your expected future earnings increment resulting from your education; (3) tiny compared to the value you get out of it.</p>\n\n<p>The discussion about education as a public good, and the economic & social impacts of student debt, are a distraction, a red herring, <em>for this particular question on this site</em>. Those are important discussions; but we don't do discussion here, and book costs are tiny compared to tuition fees.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41154,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Short answer: both yes and no.</p>\n\n<p>Partially, no they are not responsible, because some of it is a matter of costs and markets. You're never going to see textbooks offered for the same price-per-page as romance novels, because the cost of creating and curating the textbook is so different. So the base price of textbooks is expected to be significantly higher.</p>\n\n<p>At the same time, however, authors have a lot of choice which publisher to work with, and some publishers are much more predatory in their pricing than others. Most significantly, there are a number of university and society presses that can give a book quite good promotion and also a reasonable price. Consider, for example, the MIT Press, and these widely used books: <a href=\"http://mitpress.mit.edu/books/introduction-algorithms\">the CLR(S) Algorithms textbook ($70)</a> and <a href=\"http://mitpress.mit.edu/books/structure-and-interpretation-computer-programs\">the SICP programming textbook ($49)</a> and also <a href=\"http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/\">free</a>. Moreover, academic publishing is a seller's market, unlike fiction publishing: in my experience, big academic publishers are always soliciting for authors to create books for them, and so there is space for an author to select (if not necessarily negotiate).</p>\n\n<p>I would say, than, that any author who has courage of their convictions with regards to education can make a publishing choice that keeps their textbook well under $100 US. Doing otherwise demonstrates either that the person is not caring about student costs or else <a href=\"http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=3507#comic\">that they think like an economist</a>.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/06
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41123",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/-1/"
] |
41,131 |
<p>One of the most common replies I have gotten as a student in engineering is the phrase "what you are asking is beyond the scope of this course". But I always found it a bit funny coming from the prof since he or she most reasonable have a thing or two to say about the subject. Furthermore, whether something is considered "beyond" sometimes depends on a prof's temperament, on a good day a topic that is beyond will be addressed, or a busy day that topic is hold off indefinitely.</p>
<p>Now I am a TA for an introductory calculus class. Often there would be a handful of students come into the class with years worth of experience in calculus. Sometimes they will ask a question that is addressed in an upper year course, sometimes the question would have to resort to complex variables, sometimes it relates to physics. </p>
<p>How should I handle students who are interested but asks question beyond the course in the sense it requires an additional course or two to truly appreciate its importance or at least to see how the actual calculations are performed. </p>
<p>I could tell them the answer but sometimes it can lead a student down a rabbit hole which can be devastating given how busy first year students are. </p>
<p>Further, I don't want to disrupt their "natural course" by saying something that may prevent independent self discovery. </p>
<p>Lastly, I don't want to say something which could be misconstrued as a test topic.</p>
<p>At the end of the day, how should I address the questions that are deemed beyond the scope while not withhold information. </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41132,
"author": "Pete L. Clark",
"author_id": 938,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/938",
"pm_score": 7,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>\"This is beyond the scope of the course\" is not a great answer without further clarification or commentary. As you say, the ethos of the university is that your instructor is someone whose qualifications and expertise lie <em>far beyond</em> the scope of any undergraduate course. The answer is justified for a student who asks a certain kind of question <em>in class</em>, because class time is limited and one must exercise judgment about what to say and cover in that limited time. Going off on a lengthy digression that is likely to be of interest to only one student and perhaps not even well understood by her is not a good use of class time. So I would expect an instructor to say \"Come talk to me after class if you are interested in that.\"</p>\n\n<p>If a student comes to talk to you in your office hours or your spare time, I think that she deserves some kind of answer. The answer may in fact be that the question lies beyond <em>your</em> expertise (and there is nothing inherently wrong with that; there is a lot of stuff out there...), but in that case you should still spend at least a little while trying to direct the student elsewhere, either to the appropriate reading materials or to some other faculty member who can better help them out. </p>\n\n<p>If you do feel that you know the answer to the question -- or at least, enough of the answer to the question -- then, sure, take a crack at answering it. It takes a lot of expertise -- subject expertise, pedagogical expertise, and practice -- to be able to give answers to such questions which occupy a reasonable amount of time and are at least somewhat meaningful to the student. This may involve for instance asking some quick questions of your own, trying to understand the student's background and the true direction and depth of their interest. One mistake that even seasoned pros make is to open up the gates and flood the student with information of a quantity, density and sophistication that is beyond what they can be expected to process in the moment. If someone asks you about the example of a conservative vector field on the punctured plane which is not a gradient field that you discussed in class, you should probably not respond by giving them a half hour lecture on DeRham cohomology. (At least not at first. One of the amazing things about teaching is that the chance that a multivariable calculus student really is looking for a lecture on DeRham cohomology in answer to their question is very, very small...but it is positive!)</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>How should I handle students who are interested but asks question beyond the course in the sense it requires an additional course or two to truly appreciate its importance or at least to see how the actual calculations are performed. </p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>You take a shot at it. Make your first shot very brief: just drop some terminology and try to give a sentence or two expressing one of the main ideas in broadest terms. In the above case, you might say \"Whether every conservative field is a gradient field depends on the domain. We saw that this is the case when the vector field is defined on the entire plane [or all of three-dimensional space...]. It is also true if the domain is something like an open disk or ball. It turns out though that 'holes in the domain' lead to conservative vector fields which are not gradient fields.\" (By the way, I first wrote more and then deleted some of it! Restraint is truly hard.)</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>I could tell them the answer but sometimes it can lead a student down a rabbit hole which can be devastating given how busy first year students are. </p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>I'm not really sure what you mean by this. The type of personality that is going to be \"devastated\" by learning that things go deeper than they currently know does not seem well suited to higher education. If anything I feel exactly the opposite way: as an educator at any level, <em>showing students the rabbit hole</em> is one of the most important things that you can do. Especially, getting an undergraduate degree is all about learning just enough to get an awareness of the true depth of knowledge and acquiring a sound foundation upon which more knowledge can be built.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Further, I don't want to disrupt their \"natural course\" by saying something that may prevent independent self discovery. </p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Again, I don't really buy into this. Students who want to be sufficiently well insulated from being taught things by other people do not belong in a university. Self discovery is a wonderful and important thing, but it is enriched and reinforced by prior knowledge and coursework, not ruined by it. There are plenty of things to discover for oneself, and anyway you are only telling them a little. It seems very likely that such a conversation would if anything trigger the student's independent learning and self discovery, not inhibit it.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Lastly, I don't want to say something which could be misconstrued as a test topic.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>This is why it's best to address such questions outside of the classroom, or at least outside of the class session, and ideally with only the students who are explicitly interested. It should then be much clearer that what you are telling them is not a test topic. If there is any ambiguity about that then you should resolve it. For instance, maybe the question actually is closely related to a test topic but comes from a direction in which the student does not see that. In that case you should point out the connection to them. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41157,
"author": "Paul92",
"author_id": 14003,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14003",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>From a student perspective, a short answer that just mention the concepts I need to know to solve a certain problem I am interested in is pure gold. If it comes with a reference or two, it's even better.</p>\n\n<p>I think most students (especially those who ask that kind of questions) are able to manage their time efficiently and decide what is more important for them. Also, some of them actually enjoy what they are doing (some ask just of curiosity) and want to study that topic more deeply, in their own spare time. From my experience, knowing what to look for or where to look for it saves a lot of time. Considering the fact that if I ask such a question, I'm usually really interested in that topic, I'll waste that time to find the concepts/references that I need.</p>\n\n<p>So, for questions that are way beyond the scope of the course, I think the following answer is ideal:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>This question is well beyond the scope of this course. In order to solve your problem, you require concepts A, B, C, which are studied in more detail in courses X, Y, Z. But, if you're really interested, you can find some information in the following textbooks ...</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>I don't believe that this is too much time wasted on your side, given the fact that you are aware of the required concepts. Also, it is not harmful to the student, as you make him aware that if he chooses to study this in more detail, he should do it on his spare time at this moment. Also, you inform him about a possible academic path, by giving information about which courses study the topic in more detail. And, if he really wants to study the topic in more detail, he has the references required and knows what to look for.</p>\n\n<p>Also, it might helpful to point to another academic who is more entitled to give an answer like above.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41169,
"author": "smci",
"author_id": 12050,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12050",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Excessive enthusiasm or curiosity is usually easily handled (unless you have Feynman Jr) and is a Good Thing.</p>\n<p>Obviously the primary responsibility of the prof and TAs is to teach the on-course material, and teach it clearly and well. If not, you deservedly get into trouble.\nIf you confuse some students or they mistakenly think something is on-course when it isn't, you could get into trouble.\nBut, you also want to encourage curiosity and give students signposts to how everything all fits together and what future courses build on it, and how it relates to other disciplines. Yes, it's a judgment call and depends on your/professor's workload, mood and energy level that particular day.</p>\n<p>So as to material beyond the scope of this course, IMO that falls into different categories:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>a) stuff that's beyond the scope of this course, but will be covered in follow-on courses (core or popular electives).</li>\n<li>b) ... stuff that's really advanced or only covered in rare electives.</li>\n<li>c) ... stuff that's generally offtopic for most students, as in essentially irrelevant.</li>\n<li>d) ... stuff that's generally offtopic for most students, as in is only covered by further degrees or diplomas, possibly in a different field, e.g. Masters in Quantitative Finance.</li>\n</ul>\n<p>a), b) you try to encourage their curiosity without dedicating class time or injecting confusion about what's on-topic.\nc), d) you gently tell them is offtopic and point them to the library for any independent reading they care to do.</p>\n<p>I guess your specific case is kind of the flipside of a):\ne) stuff that can be understood by people who have done other prerequisites or courses</p>\n<p>I would briefly mention to them the advanced calculus or physics implications of something, while preambling "this is not on the course, just for the benefit of people who've already studied X,Y,Z".\nIf the more basic students object, you may have to tone it down.\nPossibly better to give these pointers in writing (/on course website) so doesn't take up class time or confuse the others.\n"See me in office hours" might be one tactic but don't let it preempt teaching the essential material.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41220,
"author": "Patric Hartmann",
"author_id": 20449,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20449",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Write down the question: I always do this, even with questions I answer right away. It shows me the gaps in my teachings. By the students' questions I can adjust my material for the next time I teach a topic. Taking a note is also the basis for all other recommendations.</p>\n\n<p>Recommend books: Tell the students where to find that topic treated. This also \"forces\" you to keep up to date about material that would else lie beyond the scope of your own preparations. It's never bad to know more than you have to teach. Since I have written down the question I can check what books are available and give more precise recommendations (e.g. \"Chapter X in book Y treats this topic thoroughly - but I find the whole book very interesting.\").</p>\n\n<p>Office hours: Since I wrote down the question I can do some short research to be up-to-date when the student (or group of students) comes to seek my answer on it.</p>\n\n<p>Breaks/After lecture: My least favourite way of handling this. First of all you're under time pressure during breaks and after lecture (cleaning up the space for the next lecturer, etc.) and secondly there's no time anymore to really have a look at material covering that topic. I prefer to be up-to-date before giving an answer.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 187910,
"author": "Sidharth Ghoshal",
"author_id": 41923,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/41923",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Your first goal is to NOT disrupt the flow of class. So what you could do is have the student write their question down and bring it to you at the end of class or during office hours.</p>\n<p>Now if you are exceptionally busy (which is entirely possible maybe a large class) then you probably don't want to be sniped at the end of class or during office hours by the same question if there are other students with more basic needs. In this case you can either 1. make the student wait [which also might not work if the question-load is so high that you miss your next class/fail to dinner and sleep before the next day] or 2. have them email you a list of questions which you add to some kind of TODO list, and then you get to them when you get to them.</p>\n<p>Assuming you're acting in good faith and you have reached plan (2) those questions will be answered as soon as possible whenever they can be answered and the student receives the enrichment they are looking for, but it might be a long time. If you just do not have enough time to answer those questions you are best off directing the student towards someone else who might have more time OR give them a lesson in asking questions on online forums such as math.stackexchange, physics.stackexchange and physicsforums.</p>\n<p>Nurturing curiosity is a critical role so you really want to try backup plan after backup plan to try to answer those questions and never abandon someone or just flat out say "i refuse", at most you should say "I can't but here where you can go next to find an answer ____"</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/06
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41131",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20070/"
] |
41,133 |
<p>I am a graduate student in math in my final year, and for several years have been teaching at my department as a lecturer. This semester, in the same lecture hall there is another lecture that starts 20 minutes after my class ends. It's taught by another instructor from my department. I usually have many students coming to office hours and there are also students asking questions immediately after lecture. Due to other activities, I cannot have office hours right after the lecture this semester and can only stay for about 15 minutes to answer questions.</p>
<p>Many times in the past I had a similar situation and never had any issues with it. This semester the instructor who is teaching right after often arrives 20-15 minutes before her class starts and tells me immediately that I have to go with my students somewhere else. </p>
<p>I make sure to leave the blackboard clean and take all my stuff away from the instructor's desk before she arrives, but I do believe that I have a right to stay in the classroom after my lecture for at least 5-10 minutes. There is no vacant classroom around, and I don't have time to go with students to my office, which is in a different building.</p>
<p>Last time the instructor told me <strong>in front of my students</strong> that I don't understand "simple things" and that I am "playing games". When I was talking to one of my students, she stood very close to us and clearly demonstrated that she wanted us out. I tried to explain her that I couldn't go anywhere else due to my time constraints, but she didn't want to listen to me. I really don't understand what "simple" things she meant and what "games" I am playing. </p>
<p>We leave the board clean. She doesn't need to set up a projector. She can still talk to her students before her class starts, if she wants to (even though it seems like her students don't ask her any questions before their class). So, I don't see how I cause any disruption. </p>
<p>I had met this woman many times before this semester, but we never talked. I didn't see her talking to other instructors/students much, and she seems to be quite reserved and a bit neurotic. She doesn't want to have any conversation with me regarding the issue.</p>
<p>I felt really offended after last class when she said those things to me in front of my students. What would you do in my case? </p>
<p><strong>Added later:</strong> There are no official rules regarding classroom occupancy between classes. Instructors are supposed to use common sense and be reasonable. For me using 50% of the break time seems reasonable to answer questions after lecture seems reasonable. I agree that for some people it may not.</p>
<p>I don't block the entrance to the classroom. A few students from the next class who come earlier always go ahead and take their seats as soon as my students start leaving the room. I also had one of the students from the next class listening to my explanation to one of those after-class questions and asking me further questions before their class (which is the same class as I am teaching, just a different section). Maybe the instructor got jealous, I don't know.</p>
<p>The entrance to the classroom is from its front (not back), so I do stay in the front. But it is a big lecture hall, and there is a plenty of space in front of the room (the board itself consists of 8 huge panels).</p>
<p>Also, during my career as a grad.student who is also teaching for the department, I have had several observations from experienced professors who are considered to be great teachers at the department and are in charge of undergraduate teaching policy. In my evaluations the fact that there are always several students approaching me with questions after class considered as very positive, meaning that students find me approachable. </p>
<p>Thank you everyone for answers. </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41134,
"author": "410 gone",
"author_id": 96,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/96",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>What are your university's rules about lecture room bookings? Find them, stick to them, make sure the other instructor does too. Typically, they'd indicate a 5- or 10-minute grace period between bookings which is explicitly for the following lecturer to set up. With a 5-minute grace period (which is what my place has) a room booking for 10.00-11.00 means that we're cleaned up and out by 10.55.</p>\n\n<p>Make sure you know the rules; then let her know what they are, and explain to her why they are what they are.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41135,
"author": "Brian Borchers",
"author_id": 4453,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4453",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You should clean up after yourself and get out of the classroom so that the instructor and students who will use the classroom next can get into the room and prepare for their class. Classrooms aren't the place to have these kinds of discussions with students- that's what you've got an office for. </p>\n\n<p>At the very least, you should give the next instructor half of the time between the scheduled end of your class and the start of their class. It seems that you're taking 15 minutes of the 20 minutes between classes, which is excessive. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41136,
"author": "Pete L. Clark",
"author_id": 938,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/938",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You should first find out what is the standard convention for when you have to vacate the room. Since the other instructor is in your department, you can take this up at the department level: talk to your advisor and/or a trusted faculty mentor about it. </p>\n\n<p>In my experience though this is often left a little fungible and people need to be reasonable about it. In my opinion it is reasonable to expect to have access to the room five minutes before your class begins. Ideally the previous instructor will have vacated the room at that point; if not, s/he should be occupying the room in a way which doesn't interfere with your own use of it. (For instance, a lot of times students will not enter a room if an instructor is still writing on the blackboard. It can be annoying to come to your class a few minutes before you want to start and find everyone waiting out in the hall.)</p>\n\n<p>In the absence of a clear directive about how to split the time, it seems reasonable for the departing instructor to take half of the time, as long as they leave at least five minutes for the other instructor. In your case 20 minutes is a very nice cushion (in my university it's 15 minutes), to the extent that I find it a little strange that the other instructor is arriving 15-20 minutes early. What is she doing with that time? Do more than a few students arrive that early? If you are using the time to talk to your students and she's using the time for nothing, then I think you are morally in the right and should push back on it a bit. You should be able to stay for the first half of the 20 minute break.</p>\n\n<p>How should you do that? As above, I would find out what other people do. If the standard convention is that you can take those 10 minutes, then talk to the department head (or other departmental authority figure; e.g. whoever schedules the teaching) about it and get their support. (You don't need to phrase it as a grievance or even identify the other instructor by name.) Assuming you get backed, then you should pay a visit to the instructor in her office and explain that you looked into the matter, that you have a clear instructional purpose for how to use the time, and that the head (or whoever) has confirmed that this is a standard practice. Definitely do this outside of the classroom so that you two can have the conversation you need to have not in front of the students and so that there is not a direct confrontation to be resolved.</p>\n\n<p>In my opinion it is probably not worth trying to seek redress for your poor treatment by this instructor. We are not obligated to be nice to each other; it's just better if we are. If you respond to the treatment in a professional way and show that you are neither going to get pushed around nor retaliate in any personal or emotional way, then you're basically just rising above. What some random person who you're only going to see for one more semester thinks of you isn't really so important, is it? Especially if you're confident that you're in the right? </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41147,
"author": "J.R.",
"author_id": 780,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/780",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You don't mention where you and the students stand when having these conversations. Are you up front near the podium, or in a back corner of the room? If it's the latter, then it seems she's perhaps a bit rude and territorial; but if it's the former, she might have a fair point. </p>\n\n<p>She may not look like she's doing anything before class, but you don't know what kinds of thoughts are racing through her mind – perhaps she's mentally prepping, and she's unable to do that effectively with a lot of commotion in the room. </p>\n\n<p>Either way, I agree with the gist of what others have said here. The best course of action is to solve such disputes privately, locally, and cordially. When that seems unlikely, find out what the official rules are and, if you must, (reluctantly) get the department head involved. </p>\n\n<p>You also might quietly mention this conflict with your room scheduler. You could make a request that, if possible, you not be assigned a room where this instructor has a follow-on class. (Sometimes you can't resolve a conflict in the present, but you can avoid it in the future.)</p>\n\n<p>One last recommendation: try to keep a sense of humor about it. Even when you're in the right, being uptight and brewing animosity is rarely a better solution than an amused shrug. The worst case scenario for you here is that you have to move your after-class discussions into the hallway – something that may not be as ideal for you, but something that most instructors have to deal with eventually. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41148,
"author": "O. R. Mapper",
"author_id": 14017,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14017",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I would like to provide two suggestions. The first one directly refers to your discussions with students:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>There is no vacant classroom around, and I don't have time to go with students to my office, which is in a different building.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>If the questions really need to be answered immediately, you could simply take the discussion outside into the hallway. Surely, most of the students have to or want to leave, anyway, I presume, as they might have to move to different buildings themselves (?)</p>\n\n<p>For anything else, you do not have to \"have office hours right after the lecture\", and you do not have to \"go with students to [your] office\". They are adults. <strong>Surely, your students can find out where your office is on their own and come there when you are free.</strong></p>\n\n<p>My second suggestion is related to whether you may stay around in the lecture room after your class:</p>\n\n<p>It generally seems like the most corteous and natural thing to me that once the class has ended, one should try and leave the room as quickly as possible. Unless otherwise regulated by your organisation, I see no basis for the fundamental belief</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>I have a right to stay in the classroom after my lecture for at least 5-10 minutes</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>... unless your departure actually takes that long (e.g. because you have to pack some elaborate experimental setups for a while). At the same time, however, I wouldn't concede the other lecturer any basic right to arrive in the classroom at least 5 - 10 minutes before the next lecture starts, unless some elaborate setup needs to be prepared for that lecture.</p>\n\n<p>In other words: <strong>If you are entitled to stay for at least 5 to 10 minutes after your lecture has ended, I would argue that the next lecturer is just as entitled to claim the room for themselves at least 5 to 10 minutes before the next lecture starts.</strong></p>\n\n<p>With that said, it is usually well possible to stay around to answer such questions, though that does neither mean that the room will be <em>reserved</em> for you (the next lecture may already be under preparation), nor are you automatically the \"main party\" (in that you may block the \"lecturer's desk\" or any such central device, rather than cluster your discussion in a corner of the room to give the next people space).</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41173,
"author": "Lightness Races in Orbit",
"author_id": 12378,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12378",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I would be quite firm about this. The woman is a bully. She comes in demanding you clear out the room, you say \"I believe the next lecture is not for another 20 minutes; I need ten minutes here to wrap up. Thank you\" with a curt smile. She will have no choice but to comply unless she feels like committing physical assault.</p>\n\n<p>If she kicks up a stink, <em>she</em> can take it to a higher authority (and ultimately, from the sounds of it, get shouted down by them). When they ask you about the situation, then you have an opportunity to also tell them about the inappropriate things she's said about you in front of your students, which is a bonus because then there is no impression that you went complaining about her: you were <em>asked</em> about it.</p>\n\n<p>If you have good reason to believe that she would actually cause a big scene there and then, frankly I'd let it happen — but only after quietly consulting the relevant authorities on the rules of room use, so that you may be absolutely certain as to your position before she makes a total fool out of herself.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41174,
"author": "Adam Davis",
"author_id": 11901,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11901",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>So it seems strange that you can't have office hours right after this lecture, but you can, in fact, spend 15 minutes after the lecture time helping students. It appears you could have 15 minutes of office hours right after this lecture. Perhaps the travel time is excessive, or you have an aversion to setting up office hours of such short periods of time?</p>\n\n<p>An option not already presented in other answers is to end your lecture 5-10 minutes early and encourage students to spend the remaining time working with each other, or asking you questions individually.</p>\n\n<p>This would alleviate the issues you have with limited office time. I don't think it's a great choice, though, as lecture time is also valuable.</p>\n\n<p>I think to root problem is convenience. You find you can support your students better by providing some time at the end of class, which they already attend, to support them rather than expecting them to schedule time out of their day to visit you during normal office hours. You don't seem to suggest you don't have enough office hours, so it appears you are doing this purely as a convenience for your students.</p>\n\n<p>You don't have a right to the classroom outside your lecture hours, save, perhaps, for several minutes before and after to set up the classroom if necessary. Your use of the classroom as an informal office is a convenience.</p>\n\n<p>If your university or college doesn't have rules regarding classroom use between lectures, or preparation/cleanup time, then I'd suggest it's fair for you and your students to vacate the room by the halfway point between your two lectures. This doesn't mean ending your conversations ten minutes after your lecture, but being out of the room.</p>\n\n<p>I suspect that she's only becoming more and more insistent as you are consistently going well over 10 minutes, and perhaps even infringing on her 5 minute preparation time.</p>\n\n<p>Regardless, I believe your best bet in this case is to simply stand firm. If she asks, tell her you and the students will be out ten minutes prior to her lecture start, and then stick to it aggressively so it's something she can count on. She should, then, stop interrupting your activities and passive aggressively intruding on your after-lecture time. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41177,
"author": "Matt S",
"author_id": 31376,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31376",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>If I were in your situation, I would ask the other professor for a reason and explain that I wanted to make an announcement to my students at the next lecture. If the response is \"because I want you out\" then I would politely explain that I would announce to the students that we could only remain for 10 minutes after class after which time we would all need to be out of the room. </p>\n\n<p>No need to make it confrontational. I find that if you offer to help people solve a problem that helps reduce tension. If this professor doesn't actually have a problem then offering to help solve a problem will be a non-confrontational way of pointing that out. </p>\n\n<p>This worked for me last semester. We only had 15 minutes between classes and my course was taught in a computer lab. Quite often students had questions about projects they were working on and already had their code pulled up on their screen. Unfortunately the students from the following course would be filing in and because their course required them to have access to code on a particular machine (shared drives wouldn't work) they needed particular seats which my students were still occupying. </p>\n\n<p>In my case, the professor after me simply explained why he needed the room and at the next lecture I explained to my students why they needed to exit within 5 minutes of the end of class. Everyone understood, no tension, no confrontation. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41180,
"author": "B Patrick Chapman",
"author_id": 31380,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31380",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>There are a number of good suggestions above.</p>\n\n<p>If I were in your place I would want to understand why she wants / feel she needs the full 20 minutes before her class starts in the classroom without interruption. She might be territorial, she might find lecturing stressful and wants / needs the time to prepare.</p>\n\n<p>You now seem to have a second problem that both you (from the fact that you are posting) and her are upset. At this point I would learn if there is a departmental guideline on when you should be out of the classroom, or if there is no guildline then with the knowledge be non-confrontational, say you don't understand, and ask her to explain why she wants/needs all of the 20 minutes. Be ready for her to be hostile but listen first, then explain why you would like to have time after the class. Again she may be hostile to your explanation.</p>\n\n<p>Once you understand you can decide what to do next.</p>\n\n<p>There is an good book called \"Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In\" by by Roger Fisher, William L. Ury, and Bruce Patton. Which is a good read. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41196,
"author": "Aaron Hall",
"author_id": 9518,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/9518",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I have a slightly different perspective here, and I want to offer two options. </p>\n\n<p><strong>Option 1: be selfish</strong></p>\n\n<p>Assume the instructor is a neurotic bully. Don't be passive aggressive. Don't get the instructor overruled.</p>\n\n<p>It's not worth it. Use your imagination as to why.</p>\n\n<p>Arrive early to class if you can to answer questions before the start. At the end the lecture tell your students to come to your office hours, then arrive early to the next item on your schedule. Your department would probably rather you get another paper out than spend 15 minutes after every class with students who can't do it themselves or won't use other resources of the school (your office hours, other help rooms, tutors, etc...)</p>\n\n<p><strong>Option 2: be selfless</strong></p>\n\n<p>Ok, so you want to be your students' advocate? Tell the department head and ask for advice on how to handle it, and try to be discrete (that is, don't embarrass her in front of students). </p>\n\n<p>This <em>could</em> be interpreted as the selfish approach, if you consider that it makes you look good to the department head and makes a seemingly unpleasant person seem even moreso. </p>\n\n<p>But it also has risks. What if there are rules on the matter that you have overlooked? Then you appear foolish to your department head. Double-check before you do. Also, your department head would probably rather you have another paper published, and might question your priorities.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41209,
"author": "zplizzi",
"author_id": 31402,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31402",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I'd agree with the ideas posted by others here, especially about checking with your department about if there are official policies around the issue, and then discussing it with her privately. However, I know the barrier of entry to walking into an argument with someone who may be many levels above you in the university hierarchy - not a fun thing to do. As an easier first option, what about simply sending her an email - something like:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>\"Hi, I'm the lecturer in Room XXX before your 3:20 lecture, and I'm sorry that I sometimes run late with discussions with my students after class. However, I like to be able to answer questions that have come up during lecture, and due to location and scheduling constraints can't take them to my office after lecture. Since we have a 20 minute gap between our lectures, would it be okay if I used the first 10 minutes of that time to hold discussions with my students, as long as we're cleaned up and out 10 minutes before your lecture starts? Of course, if you ever have special preparation that needs more time, feel free to shoot me an email before my lecture, and I'll be happy to let my students know that we need to be out earlier. Thanks for understanding! I appreciate it so much.\"</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>That way, you can avoid a direct argument, or confrontation in front of your students, while still getting to address your concerns to her directly. If she has a valid reason to need you out, you can talk it through - if not, she should have no way to refuse your request. If she does, you can even take her response to your adviser and see what he recommends. If she doesn't respond and then confronts you again, you can simply tell her that you tried to address the issue in private with her but didn't get a response - and she'll look very foolish in front of the students from your class and her class too. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41246,
"author": "Count Iblis",
"author_id": 17479,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17479",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<blockquote>\n <p>Last time the instructor told me in front of my students that I don't understand \"simple things\" and that I am \"playing games\". </p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>This is where she lost her argument. You should have simply totally ignored her. Let her make a formal complaint and only respond to such formal complaints. You don't have the duty to respond to insults, or to look up what the guidelines say in response to insults. If you were violating the small print of some guidelines, then it is her job to point that out to you.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41304,
"author": "Bombyx mori",
"author_id": 6335,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6335",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I think the logic behind the post is quite confusing. You should tell your students directly that discussion can only happen during office hour, and mention that there is another class afterwards. And you can extend your office hour (in a different day, say) by some period of time or move it if you wish, this can always be discussed with department secretary. </p>\n\n<p>You suggested that:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Many times in the past I had a similar situation and never had any\n issues with it.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>as well as</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>In my evaluations the fact that there are always several students\n approaching me with questions after class considered as very positive,\n meaning that students find me approachable.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>and many other reasons claiming your behavior is tolerable and okay by your standards. But these justifications is simply not related to the fact that she finds it uncomfortable because you did not end up the class on time. Since you are aware of that, you should do something concrete to resolve this issue. For example you can cover more background in the lecture time available, and encourage students to come to your office hour for longer 1-1 discussions. </p>\n\n<p>My impression for after class discussions is totally opposite to yours; the fact students coming after you after class usually means you did not explain the material well enough during class or unclear during the grading process. Your course should be in the format like \"Calculus III, 2:00-3:00pm, Room 31A, Darwin building\". If the description did not mention an extra 15 minutes for afterclass discussion, then it means you do not have it. As what the other instructor does when she comes to your classroom is totally irrelevant. In my experience a student (not even an instructor or dept chair) can knock at your classroom door and friendly to ask you get out without giving any specific reasons. They might need the room for group projects or whatever. The fact you are late should be compelling evidence against you already. </p>\n\n<p>You also suggested that</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Last time the instructor told me in front of my students that I don't\n understand \"simple things\" and that I am \"playing games\". When I was\n talking to one of my students, she stood very close to us and clearly\n demonstrated that she wanted us out. I tried to explain her that I\n couldn't go anywhere else due to my time constraints, but she didn't\n want to listen to me. I really don't understand what \"simple\" things\n she meant and what \"games\" I am playing.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>I think you should think from her point of view, that your class <strong>should</strong> end up on time. The fact that you have time constraints, etc is irrelevant to her. If you think these are legitimate reasons to justify your behavior, to her you were simply being immature and using poor excuses. You may have your disagreement and ask for support from senior faculty in the department as Prof. Clark suggested, but her position is very clear. If she demonstrated you need to get out, then you need to get out even if this is the final exam. Unless you have a student with disability that needs extra time, etc I think there is no point arguing further on this issue. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 57143,
"author": "WoJ",
"author_id": 15446,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15446",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I must be missing a point but if the schedule is</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>your class is 10:00 - 11:00</li>\n<li>there is a break between 11:00 and 11:15</li>\n<li>her class starts at 11:15 - ...</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>then I fail to understand where the problem is. She comes in, tells you to leave in front of your students, you first respond first nicely (for her not to interrupt you), and if she insists you just tell her to shut the [censored] up.</p>\n\n<p>Is there something I missed? </p>\n\n<p>If she is offended by the fact that you dare to talk to her, tell her to <strong>escalate to her boss</strong>, ideally on the spot - and turn your back to her. This is a fantastic mechanism as soon as <strong>you</strong> are right (and have a supportive boss , etc.). </p>\n\n<p>A behavior like hers is either psychopathic, not enough parent supervision when she was growing up or seen in nature by individuals who pee in selected places to mark territory.</p>\n\n<p>Note: an edit for the last paragraph was suggested (and accepted by a vote 2/3) (on the grounds that it is insulting or loaded with assumptions). For me, it is not. If one feels that the answer is wrong and that a bully like her should be approached in a kind or elegant way please, by all means, downvote my answer. Everyone has its own subjective way of dealing with psychopathic, badly brought up or territory-marking people.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/06
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41133",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31345/"
] |
41,141 |
<p>When it comes to the evaluation of a methodology (or an algorithm (CS)) we usually see how well the methodology actually is by comparing it with other similar methods that achieve the same thing.</p>
<p>However, in my case, the method we are proposing is unique and novel and, to best of my knowledge, isn't used anywhere else. Is it valid to evaluate it on its own, for example by simply measuring its time/complexity against <em>n</em> datasets? How would we perform evaluation for methods that can't be compared against others?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41142,
"author": "gdp",
"author_id": 31290,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31290",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>When proposing a new technique, where there isn't an equivalent to compare performance with, I tend to do as you suggested, and measure the time/complexity, and give some real world data points (it would take X time to operate on realistic situation Y). </p>\n\n<p>Depending on the specific work, you could present an analysis of it based on rationale (for example, evaluating the security of a proposal by explaining the assumptions and demonstrating it is secure against certain threat models). </p>\n\n<p>If there really is nothing which can do the same task, then you can't do a comparison. But perhaps there is another technique which, while technically different, can be used to solve a similar problem to your technique? You could compare performance within the context of that problem in that case. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41150,
"author": "xLeitix",
"author_id": 10094,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10094",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p><strong><em>TL;DR: if you don't know how to evaluate your work, you probably don't know exactly what research question you are working on.</em></strong></p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>How would we perform evaluation for methods that can't be compared against others?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>I work in applied computer science, and this qualifies as the Number One statement my master students usually have when I ask them how they plan to evaluate their work - <em>\"I can't compare my tool / approach against anything - no existing tool has exactly the same scope, so the comparison won't be fair!\"</em>.</p>\n\n<p>This is of course true, but it also shows a misunderstanding about the research question that the work is addressing. Essentially, the \"compare against a standard tool\" approach is a valuable evaluation method if the research question is <em>\"Can we improve the performance/quality/whatever of an approach that does X?\"</em>. If the research question is rather, as presumably in your case, <em>\"Can we find an approach that does X?\"</em>, the evaluation of course needs to be different.</p>\n\n<p>In that case, you need to find an evaluation that actually shows what you claim your approach does. Some recent examples from my students:</p>\n\n<p>Is your claim that it makes sense to show software developers certain information, which isn't visualized by any other development tool? In that case you need to set up a study where you show that developers that see this piece of information do <em>something</em> better than developers that don't. Is your claim that taking costs of cloud resources into account when scheduling tasks allows for cheaper execution with the same quality? Set up an experiment where you compare costs with and without taking costs into account for a number of representative workloads.</p>\n\n<p>Orthogonally, it often makes sense to do a <em>partial comparison</em> to existing approaches and tools, to also check how your approach fares in comparison to standard tools on standard problems, essentially to make sure that the improvement your approach presumably has in a \"new\" dimension does not mean that something else does not work anymore. For instance, in the development tool example above, you may also want to check if the new visualization distracts people so much that they now fare less well in usual development tasks than with standard tools.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41155,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>There are two things that you need to evaluate with your method:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>Does the method actually do what you want it to / claim it does?</li>\n<li>What improvement does the method offer over prior work?</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>No matter what you are doing and how unique it is, you need to be able to validate #1 (preferably experimentally, but simulation and analytic methods can be fine as well). If you can't do that, you aren't doing science.</p>\n\n<p>The improvement, however, may be either qualitative or quantitative. If it is a quantitative improvement, you must be able to validate by direct comparison (e.g., 30% faster, 5 db more gain, quadratic rather than exponential growth). For a qualitative improvement, however, you may not need to compare if you can demonstrate that prior methods simply do not address certain aspects of your problem (e.g., you can predict upcoming frozbozz failures, but nobody else has even tried). In this case, the comparison with other methods is most appropriately done in the literature review.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/06
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41141",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12847/"
] |
41,146 |
<p>Scenario: A researcher, who is also a member of the political party A, investigated the impact (e.g. on public health) of specific actions or policies (e.g. strikes or health expenditure cuts) belonging to the rival party B.</p>
<p>Assuming that the research motivation is scientifically justified, the methodology is sound, the results are "unbiased" and reproducible, and support was only received from an independent body (e.g. a research council), should the researcher disclose his/her political motivation in the publication?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41156,
"author": "Bill Barth",
"author_id": 11600,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11600",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The researcher should probably disclose any bias she knows she has, though outside of potential biases due to funding of the research (think drug companies funding studies for their products), I don't think this is done much. Prominent public intellectuals usually wear their biases on their sleeves, so reviewers are often pretty aware of them. I'm not sure matters as much for less well known academics unless there's a worry that they were cooking the data.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41310,
"author": "Stephan Kolassa",
"author_id": 4140,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4140",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The correct answer is probably to look at the journal's website. It sounds like the manuscript would be submitted to journals of political science, where possible biases or conflicts of interest of this type could be expected to occur frequently. So I'd expect editorial boards to have thought about this and to have formulated guidelines about what kind of bias needs to be disclosed, and in what way.</p>\n\n<p>Anecdotally, neither the <a href=\"http://ajps.org/\" rel=\"nofollow\"><em>American Journal of Political Science</em></a> nor the <a href=\"http://www.thejournalofpolitics.org/\" rel=\"nofollow\"><em>Journal of Politics</em></a> (both of which I pulled out of a random Google search) seem to have <em>any</em> guidance on conflicts of interest at all. So it may make sense to contact the editor and ask explicitly.</p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p>That said, here is <em>my</em> answer (as opposed to what I think is the <em>correct</em> one, see above): I don't think it makes sense to require disclosure of political bias based on party membership. Why? Because if party membership was a criterion, all you'd need to do is to renounce your membership. Which would likely not change your biases, only whether or not you'd need to disclose them. Doesn't make sense to me.</p>\n\n<p>Unless the criterion for disclosure is \"was a party member during the last year, or two, or five years\", which also seems to border on the absurd. Suppose you left a party not to avoid having to disclose a conflict of interest, but because you changed your views so that now you are <em>less</em> biased than when you were a member. There are just so many ways such requirements might have unforeseen consequences.</p>\n\n<p>So what about some other criterion to disclose political views? I don't see anything that can be operationalized meaningfully. Nor does it sound realistic to me that people can really step back and assess their own biases dispassionately.</p>\n\n<p>Bottom line: it looks to me like requiring disclosure of political leanings will likely not result in useful information. Instead, it makes more sense to rely on reviewers to catch methodological weaknesses due to such biases, and on readers to understand that political biases may well play a bigger role in political science than, say, in molecular biology.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41316,
"author": "Penguin_Knight",
"author_id": 6450,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6450",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Totally not an answer, more like a \"what about an option three.\"</p>\n\n<p>I personally think it's not necessary. Because it's creating a false label that indicates a certain piece of work is likely tainted with or free of political biases. But in fact, a party member's work can be critical and objective towards his/her party; and a seemingly neutral person could have been paid by a party using paths with variable traceability to produce biased reports.</p>\n\n<p>To bring the argument up one more level, it's unrealistic to expect everyone to operate in a truly objective manner. We're all shaped by experience, beliefs, feed backs, etc. in both conscious and subconscious manners. Just like another answer says: the affiliation in question is not operationalizable. If political interest needs to be reported... what else should also be reported? A researcher who was molested as a child may advocate for stronger punishment against sex offenders, another researcher who lost her child to medical malpractice may study the benefits of alternative medicines... etc. There is no end to it.</p>\n\n<p>Whoever thinks that if they pick up an article written by a seemingly \"clean\" author will definitely learn something objective is going to have a really bad time. While I do embrace the idea of reporting conflict of interest, I don't think it's viable to report conflicts of belief. Instead, we educators should encourage students and audience to engage in critical thinking, to ask questions, and to consider and evaluate multiple points of view.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/06
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41146",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4018/"
] |
41,152 |
<p>Once upon a time in a lecture I attended, the lecturer had clearly not fully understood the material and was struggling to explain it. I was a student, but very knowledgeable about the topic, and had taught it many times in informal settings, so I felt silly just listening.</p>
<p>In the interest of the other attendees' learning, I considered offering to take over the lecture. However, I stopped myself, out of concern that the lecturer might feel humiliated, or think I'm questioning their authority more generally.</p>
<p>In such a situation, is it appropriate for a student to offer to teach a topic? What about other teaching staff who are attending? How would one politely suggest it, or otherwise deal with the situation?</p>
<hr>
<p><strong>Related questions</strong>: From a student's perspective: <a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/30728/as-a-student-should-i-offer-alternative-ways-of-understanding-a-point-in-lectur">offering alternative viewpoints on lecture content</a>, <a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/16858/a-lecturer-is-hard-to-understand-what-to-do">handling unintelligible lecturers</a> and <a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/13363/frustration-with-lectures">handling lecturers who just read from the book</a>. From a lecturer's perspective: <a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/3210/how-to-teach-a-class-that-ive-never-taken">teaching a class you've never taken</a>.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41158,
"author": "Blair MacIntyre",
"author_id": 28128,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28128",
"pm_score": 7,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Perhaps the best approach would be to ask leading questions that helps the lecturer head in the right direction. Or, offer an answer to a question that wasn't going well.</p>\n\n<p>I've taught classes (especially ones that use complex libraries, such as parts of a game engine, that I wasn't a seasoned expert with), and have had students who had more experience with a specific topic chime in to the discussion with details I didn't know. It was great. I've also had students who were aggressive and conveyed arrogance and had them derail the class by setting up a me vs them dynamic. Not so great.</p>\n\n<p>The most important thing is classroom dynamics: let the lecturer retain control (ie. facilitate the discussion) but you actively participate. The lecturer should be there to create a learning environment, not bestow knowledge on the class. You can make it clear you know the topic, and let them have you participate as much as they are comfortable.</p>\n\n<p>Asking to \"take over\" would not go over well; offering your knowledge on bits and pieces and nudging the lecturer in the right direction through questions would be better.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41165,
"author": "Ian",
"author_id": 22000,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22000",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>No, you should not.</p>\n\n<p>The lecturer isn't trying to give a single lecture, but deliver a complete course. That means connecting many lectures together, alongside supplementary material (notes, textbooks, etc), whilst pitching it at a level so that all can engage (taking into account the background and prior knowledge of all).</p>\n\n<p>It may be that the lecturer really didn't understand the material. Or it may be that the material was difficult to teach coherently with the rest of the course, in a way that matched the expected prior knowledge of the others in the room.</p>\n\n<p>It's most likely that your first impression is right: the lecturer was poorly prepared. But unless you're truly confident that you could explain the material to all in the room (you know all their background knowledge?), and link it to the rest of the course (you know how future lessons will be delivered and approached?), you can't expect to do better <em>in the context of the whole course</em>.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41221,
"author": "krman",
"author_id": 31413,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31413",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You should also keep in mind the reactions of other students in the class. Most people are aware that what you propose (getting up, telling the lecturer they don't understand the material, and starting to teach it yourself) is wildly inappropriate. This will almost certainly earn you a reputation you don't want to have, both with teaching staff and other students.</p>\n\n<p>Your concern about balancing the needs of students to learn with the ego of the lecturer is noble, but you taking over the lecture is not only rude (or socially awkward at best), it's probably going to be ineffective. There's a high chance that other students will be turned off from the lecture based on your behaviour, no matter how technically accurate the content. Behaviour management in the classroom would be difficult after such an interruption. And as others have commented, knowing the material and being able to teach it effectively to a large group are very different things (I have tutored 1-on-1/in small groups as well as in larger classrooms, and they are very different environments).</p>\n\n<p>In the immediate situation, do what other answerers have suggested and ask leading/clarifying questions in situations where you know the material is clearly wrong. If it's more a matter of ineffectual lecturing style and you just think the material could be explained better, perhaps you could start a study group or similar, to help other students to understand the material without embarrassing the lecturer?</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41239,
"author": "user31421",
"author_id": 31421,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31421",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Does not likely work anyway. Students are \"entitled\" to lecturers with \"proper qualification\". A student does not qualify, and probably assistant teachers must not exceed a particular percentage of lectures either.</p>\n\n<p>Never mind who does a better job for the particular task. There might be less formal tutoring sessions where you actually might be able to get a small job. But the lectures themselves more likely than not are off-limits.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41262,
"author": "John",
"author_id": 31435,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31435",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>If you feel the lecturer doesn't have a full understanding the material. You should make a list of documented cases of the material being mis-explained or misleading. </p>\n\n<p>Then make an appointment with the Department Head or with the Academic Dean of the College. If the faculty of the department are not informed about the lecturer, then they can't take steps to fix the situation.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41342,
"author": "Dennis",
"author_id": 29346,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/29346",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>First of all: If you approach the teacher about anything like this, make sure to do it privately. </p>\n\n<p>Secondly, offering to take over something he is doing may generate feelings of hostility, so tread carefully.</p>\n\n<p>Finally, if you think you can do a good job, <strong>consider offering your services as a guest speaker for the <em>next</em> semester</strong>. Preferably <em>after</em> you have aced the test that covers this part.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/06
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41152",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14560/"
] |
41,162 |
<p>Before I begin, feel I should make it clear that I have no doubt that undertaking a PhD. anywhere, let alone at Harvard, will be a difficult and strenuous task!</p>
<p>To briefly explain, I have graduated with a good Bachelors of Arts from the UK, and am set to do my Research Masters in Holland. However, I have been in contact and have contacted the literature faculties in Harvard, who have been very encouraging but, to be honest, the system itself seems very different.</p>
<p>To clarify, I'll copy in some of what my (possible) supervisor has emailed me:</p>
<p><em>Our students enter the program, take two or three years of courses, and only then settle on a dissertation topic and choose a committee of three faculty -- one primary advisor and two other readers.</em></p>
<p>This sounds at once much more fluid and liberal a way of doing things, but, considering the ridiculous costs of studying in the USA, I'm not sure how leisurely that would be in reality! Should I assume that Doctoral programs in the USA are like a Masters leading into a PhD? Is there a scholarship available for both of these?
Has anyone reading this had any experience on the matter, and can relate more clearly how this process works, and whether exceptions are every possible? </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41168,
"author": "Nate Eldredge",
"author_id": 1010,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1010",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Yes, you can assume that the coursework part of an American PhD program is the rough equivalent of a European Masters, and the research part is like a European PhD. In many American programs, after completing the coursework part you actually receive a Masters degree.</p>\n\n<p>Scholarships do exist (they are usually called \"fellowships\" at the postgraduate level) but a more common funding method are assistantships, in which you are paid for either teaching or for research work (the latter is often funded by a supervisor's grant). If you got a fellowship or assistantship, you could expect it to pay for all of your tuition and a low-to-modest salary. Teaching assistantships are usually based on 10-20 hours of work per week; research assistantships vary, but in some cases you can get paid for doing your own dissertation research. Depending on the department, the availability of assistantships can range from scarce to universal. Part of your conversation with your Harvard contacts should definitely be \"What funding is available, and how much can I realistically expect to actually get?\"</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41170,
"author": "StrongBad",
"author_id": 929,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/929",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The quoted description is pretty standard for how Humanities departments in the US work. Most students entering Humanities PhD programs in the States do not have MA degrees, although a significant proportion of those from the UK do. It would be unlikely that you could skip those first 2-3 years of coursework. Even if you could, it would put you at a serious disadvantage even if you knew in advance what topic you wanted to research. A 1-year UK MA degree, just does not prepare you to the same extent as 2-3 years of coursework.</p>\n\n<p>As for funding, the top students are likely guaranteed funding for some number of years. The funding will likely require some teaching. The teaching maybe in the form as a TA, but is likely to be much more extensive and require you to design and run a large undergraduate lecture class. For those students, the funding will cover tuition and a stipend. Those without guaranteed funding can still get funding for teaching, but you cannot count on it. How tuition is handled depends on the university/department and where you are in the program.</p>\n\n<p>In the Humanities, it is unlikely that any supervisors will have grants that pay for PhD students, but there are grants that you can apply directly for. Some of these cover students in the first few years, but most are for more senior students.</p>\n\n<p>For US PhD programs in the Humanities, unlike in the Sciences, funding should play a huge role in your decision of where to go. In the Sciences, everyone essentially has funding that covers tuition and living expenses and very little teaching. In the Humanities, self funded students and students with with huge teaching requirements are common. There is a huge difference in productivity and happiness between those who have to take out loans, that they will likely never be able to pay back, or teach and those who do not.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/06
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41162",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31359/"
] |
41,178 |
<p>In science and engineering classes involving a "practical" lab, students are often required to write some kind of "lab report," typically describing the procedure and results of the lab experiment.</p>
<p>Is there any research on the pedagogical benefit of having students at the graduate level write lab reports? </p>
<p>(I've seen some on K-12 education and a little bit about undergraduate education, but couldn't find anything relevant to graduate students.)</p>
<p>I am especially interested in research that describes <em>how</em> students learn by writing lab reports, and what parts of this exercise benefit them most. For example, what is the benefit of having students write a full lab report vs. just reporting their results? I read <a href="http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1662/0002-7685(2006)68[342:DTIIIA]2.0.CO;2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this paper</a> which asserts (tangentially) that "very little is learned by rephrasing the written procedure," and I am wondering if anybody has formally studied this.</p>
<hr>
<p>This is a <a href="/questions/tagged/reference-request" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged 'reference-request'" rel="tag">reference-request</a> question: I am looking for a citation+brief summary of a research study, not personal opinions.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41281,
"author": "ScienceGuru",
"author_id": 31450,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31450",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p><a href=\"http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED286205.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED286205.pdf</a>\nThere was too much to cite, but I think this addresses the issue.\nIf not, I'm sorry.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41772,
"author": "DoubleYou",
"author_id": 31253,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31253",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>There is research to graduate student's teaching skill:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>Graduate Students’ Teaching Experiences Improve Their Methodological\nResearch Skills (<a href=\"http://ste2m.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/pub__1630192.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow\">link</a>)</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>And research to lab reports, evaluating the reports and how reports are viewed:</p>\n\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li>Using the Science Writing Heuristic in the General Chemistry Laboratory To Improve Students' Academic Performance (<a href=\"http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ed084p1371\" rel=\"nofollow\">link</a>)</li>\n<li>Development of a ‘universal’ rubric for assessing undergraduates’ scientific reasoning skills using scientific writing (<a href=\"http://scholarcommons.sc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1003&context=biol_facpub\" rel=\"nofollow\">link</a>)</li>\n<li>“As You're Writing, You Have these Epiphanies” - What College Students Say about Writing and Learning in their Majors (<a href=\"http://wcx.sagepub.com/content/16/3/317.short\" rel=\"nofollow\">link</a>)</li>\n<li>The Laboratory Report: A Pedagogical Tool in College Science Courses (<a href=\"http://repository.lib.ncsu.edu/ir/handle/1840.16/3343\" rel=\"nofollow\">link</a>)</li>\n<li>Writing-To-Teach: A New Pedagogical Approach To Elicit Explanative Writing from Undergraduate Chemistry Students (<a href=\"http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ed200410k\" rel=\"nofollow\">link</a>)</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>If a paper you found is interesting, use Google Scholar to search for that title and click 'Cited by' to see other papers that refer that paper. Then you might find more interesting papers. For example, for papers that cite item 3 probably use this rubric or relate to the use of lab reports: (<a href=\"https://scholar.google.com.au/scholar?cites=12611023932064724797&as_sdt=2005&sciodt=0,5&hl=en\" rel=\"nofollow\">link</a>).</p>\n\n<p>I'm not in this area of research, so it's hard for me to find the right papers and I'm not 100% sure what you look for. Some of the links above require university access to read the full paper.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/06
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41178",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11365/"
] |
41,185 |
<p>Whenever I've been in the audience of a faculty interview presentation, I left impressed but demoralised. It appears the bar of making it as far as the interview is very high indeed, and I don't know if I'll ever be able to reach a similar level. On the other hand, I know quite some people employed as researchers at national/supernational scientific research laboratories, or at research divisions of operational government institutes. I don't get the same impression there. It seems to me that people who obtain faculty positions are more outstanding than those who obtain scientist positions for governments.</p>
<p>Is my impression correct? Is it less competitive to get employed at research laboratories or government institute research divisions, than it is to get employed as faculty at a university? If yes, why is this so? At a university, faculty spend their time writing grants, teaching, doing administration, and hopefully still a little bit of science. At research labs, the exact division of work probably varies, but involves doing research, developing products, writing reports and papers, perhaps doing consultancy or other work. Unless one loves teaching (I suppose nobody loves grant writing), I'm not sure why a position at a university would be more desirable/competitive than one at a laboratory. Is my impression wrong, or am I missing something?</p>
<p>(I have this impression for at least Sweden, United Kingdom, United States, and Canada.)</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41194,
"author": "Anonymous Mathematician",
"author_id": 612,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/612",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Of course the answer depends on the university and the lab. There are plenty of university departments with low standards, and some labs are truly excellent. However, I think your comparison is right on average for top universities vs. national labs in the U.S. There are several reasons for this:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li><p>Many researchers at universities aren't professors, and in some universities the non-faculty research staff outnumber the faculty by a substantial factor. To make a fair comparison, you should not restrict your attention to professors, but rather compare all research staff in both institutions (or look at especially noteworthy or high-level employees at labs).</p></li>\n<li><p>Some research labs are huge. For example, Los Alamos and Sandia are each the size of a whole university, but they cover a much narrower range of fields. The top researchers at these labs are exceptional, but the sheer number of positions makes it difficult to maintain the highest standards for everyone. (And you can't just keep positions open for years while you look for the perfect candidate, since that would compromise the lab's mission.)</p></li>\n<li><p>Researchers at national labs in the U.S. do not have tenure, and their jobs are subject to availability of funding and political interference. In some cases they face as much or more pressure to get grants as faculty do.</p></li>\n</ol>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41195,
"author": "Nick Vence",
"author_id": 30542,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30542",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In his book A PhD Is Not Enough, physicist Peter Feibelman argues that government labs are a superior place to start one's research career. He argues that assistant professors (at universities) are burdened with too much busy work: committees, advising, creating lecture notes, teaching, and grading.</p>\n\n<p>If academia is a merit-based organization, then prestige comes from one work (publication record). In my mind this means finding the best environment for research. Feibelman argues that a scientist's optimal path is to establish one's research at a national lab, then move to a university.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41210,
"author": "Nick Vence",
"author_id": 30542,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30542",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Stereotypically, I would say your perception is correct: university faculty are (on average) slightly more outstanding than their colleagues at national labs. Why is this the case when science is easier at national labs?</p>\n<p>A national lab researcher has one main job (research) with a token amount of administration on the side. A university faculty has more roles: research, mentoring grad students & postdocs, teaching class, advising students, and (more complex) university & departmental administration.</p>\n<p>Scientists with minimal people skills are often proud of shirking extraneous administrative duties "to get some 'real' work done." Those with this attitude will likely find a national lab to be a better fit, while those with higher <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_intelligence\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">EQ</a> will preferentially select faculty jobs. Perhaps this selection mechanism accounts for university faculty members being more "outstanding" than colleagues working in government labs.</p>\n<p>But what might attract faculty to such a disadvantageous work environment?</p>\n<ul>\n<li>superior university architecture & aesthetics,</li>\n<li>convenient university location (universities (usually older than labs) had the city grow up around them),</li>\n<li>greater variety of culture & the arts,</li>\n<li>teaching/mentoring students is rewarding,</li>\n<li>teaching responsibilities offset grant writing pressure,</li>\n<li>cheep graduate students can be an effective source of labor,</li>\n<li>faculty jobs are more abundant than those at national laboratory, and</li>\n<li>the possibility of tenure.</li>\n</ul>\n<p>(The University of Tennessee at Knoxville & Oak Ridge National Laboratory furnished me with these stereotypes.)</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41238,
"author": "StrongBad",
"author_id": 929,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/929",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>There is a big difference between the search processes at Universities and National Research Labs. In an open University call you may be going up against 100+ qualified applicants so even getting to the interview is difficult. In my field everyone of those applicants will be doing research in an area relevant to the department, have a strong publication and funding history, and some teaching experience. For a targeted call, the search might be limited to a subfield, for example an Psychology Department might do a search for a Cognitive Psychologist. The search might even get so specific that it is for a Cognitive Psychologist with interests in memory. For a research lab the search will be even more specific. For example, it might be for a Cognitive Psychologist that uses fMRI to understand memory issues of children with ADHD. If the National Lab search is lucky, they will get 5 qualified applicants, so getting to the interview is not that tough. National Labs are more likely to have top people in their sub-sub-sub------subfield than Universities, but that person may not be particularly strong relative to others in their field in general.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/06
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41185",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1033/"
] |
41,201 |
<p>I actually wrote two papers on my work, and I want to publish both in same conference. I have now submitted first paper and it is yet to be selected and my second paper is extension of my first paper. I want to publish the second one also. So can anyone please tell me how to cite my first paper? Both are IEEE papers.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41204,
"author": "I Heart Beats",
"author_id": 22408,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22408",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Since at this time your first work is unpublished, that is how you unfortunately have to cite it, unless you state \"submitted to ....\" but the latter is usually used on a CV rather than for publications. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41206,
"author": "Corvus",
"author_id": 27900,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27900",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>One solution would be to post one or both papers to the arXiv, and then cite the arXiv versions. </p>\n\n<p>IEEE does allow posting to the arXiv with certain terms. From their <a href=\"http://www.ieee.org/documents/author_faq.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow\">FAQ</a>:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p><strong>Can an author post his manuscript on a preprint server such as ArXiv?</strong></p>\n \n <p>Yes. The IEEE recognizes that many authors share their unpublished manuscripts on public sites. Once manuscripts have been accepted for publication by IEEE, an author is required to post an IEEE copyright notice on his preprint. Upon publication, the author must replace the preprint with either 1) the full citation to the IEEE work with Digital Object Identifiers (DOI) or a link to the paper’s abstract in IEEE Xplore, or 2) the accepted version only (not the IEEE-published version), including the IEEE copyright notice and full citation, with a link to the final, published paper in IEEE Xplore.</p>\n</blockquote>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41207,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Dual submission of related works is a fairly common occurrence, and need not be problematic. The key question is the degree to which one work depends on the other. </p>\n\n<p>Typically, if you have two pieces that are being submitted in parallel, they should be exploring different aspects of the work. In this case, you simply cite the other paper with its publication date and venue as \"submitted.\" When this is done with journals, one often submits the other paper as supplementary information, but many conferences to not allow this.</p>\n\n<p>If one piece builds incrementally on the other, however (as it sounds like is the case for you), then you should seriously consider whether it is actually appropriate to have two separate papers, or whether they should be combined into one. Otherwise, you may be viewed as engaging in <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Least_publishable_unit\" rel=\"nofollow\">salami slicing</a>, which is definitely a bad thing.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/07
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41201",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31392/"
] |
41,211 |
<p>In my country where I come from, online or part-time or even more, part-time online degrees are not comparable with on-campus full-time degrees. The difference in the value of the degree/diploma is huge, in the depth and breadth of the studied material and recognition from prospective employers.</p>
<p>Is it true for US education? Would a part-time student who earns his/her degree 100% online cover the same exact material than another student who is studying the same program but full-time and on-campus?</p>
<p>Do US employers favor on-campus graduates over online part-time graduates?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41242,
"author": "JJLL",
"author_id": 31401,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31401",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>For many years on-line (a/k/a, \"distance learning\") degrees have been offered by regionally accredited universities In the USA. Until a decade or so ago, most of the degrees were earned by schools that specialized in distance learning. Even graduates of schools that had physical campuses and regional accreditation who studied full-time on campus were perceived as having earned their degrees through distance learning. Over the course of many decades with little or no government regulations, legitimate distance learning programs were viewed as \"mail order\" degrees and thus, looked down upon by brick and mortar schools as well as the business world. Schools often refused to accept transfer credits or admit holders of such degrees into their graduate programs. Employers, at least of top firms tended to reject such job applicants. </p>\n\n<p>In more recent years however, many top tier universities have been offering on-line degrees adding legitimacy. American institutions of higher learning are slow to adapt new methodologies but are beginning to recognize we have already passed through the \"Information Age.\" </p>\n\n<p>So Daveel, I would say that if you earn your degree from a top tier university and your diploma does not make note that the degree is from the school's on-line division, your degree will increase its likelihood of being accepted in both the academic and business worlds. This is especially true of earned degrees in areas that are a natural match for on-line study, namely anything that has to do with computers.</p>\n\n<p>Daveel, I suggest that you do an internet search on the history of distance learning. You will better understand the negative views that were held in the not so distant past. I would also highly suggest that you discuss the validity of such a degree with people in position to make such judgments. This specifically means academics people who hire professors in universities and human resource managers who are responsible for hiring in your intended field. If your degree is intended to be used for licensing purposes, contact the government agency that sets the licensing requirements. They will be the ones who can best answer your question.</p>\n\n<p>Best wishes to you Daveel.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41255,
"author": "Nate 8",
"author_id": 31430,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31430",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Sometimes online learning is the only practical option, and in that case I'd recommend it. It may be difficult to find someone to speak for all prospective employers, so you might want to check on the college quality as much as you can yourself. Make sure that online or not, the colleges you consider have the same quality of programs.</p>\n\n<p>It also depends on what field you're considering, and if you can demonstrate your knowledge to employers. For example, if you have projects to show off, a potential employer may be more convinced in the depth of your study.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46661,
"author": "Rachel Ferrigno",
"author_id": 35488,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35488",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The number of students who take online courses and get their degrees online continues to grow each year, so I would say that in general most employers view them as legitimate. <a href=\"http://www.pewinternet.org/2011/08/28/the-digital-revolution-and-higher-education/\" rel=\"nofollow\">More than 75%</a> of colleges offer online courses. </p>\n\n<p>US News puts together a list every year of the best online programs, so this might help when choosing a school: <a href=\"http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education</a></p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/07
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41211",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31404/"
] |
41,215 |
<p>I'm writing my bachelor's thesis with OpenOffice Writer. Most of my sources are websites, and the author or publication year is often absent.</p>
<p>With Writer's bibliography system, you can specify whether to display author, publication year etc. for a certain type of entry, eg. WWW document, but the same settings will be used for every WWW document (whereas I would like to have the author displayed when and only when applicable).</p>
<p>I know there are "user-defined" entries, but this system seems a bit clumsy, as you can't rename them from "User-Defined1" and so on.</p>
<p>I think MS Office Word has a better system, but I've heard that the open-source alternatives are just as good, so why buy it? I've also tried Zotero and Mendeley, but it seems they can't display inline citations in the [1][2] style, which I would prefer.</p>
<p>Would rather avoid using LaTeX/BibTeX, since they seem like overkill.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41216,
"author": "user3452453",
"author_id": 31407,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31407",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Okay, apparently you can get the [1] style in Zotero, but it's not installed by default.</p>\n\n<p>Also, there's a \"protect from manual changes\" checkbox which can be unchecked in Writer. This way you can edit the entries in pretty much any way. It's far from ideal though, as manual changes are overwritten every time you update the bibliography.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 48429,
"author": "André Kleinschmidt",
"author_id": 36613,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/36613",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Alternatively you can use the WWW-document type in every case instead of a second or third user-defined one. Build the bibliography entry for WWW-documents in a way that it always reflect an Author.</p>\n\n<p>If no Author is given, you can fill the author-field with:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><em>Unknown</em> or <em>Anonymous</em></li>\n<li>a <em>user name</em> in case of publications under pseudonyms</li>\n<li>a <em>company name</em> e.g. for white papers from tech companies. (W3C, Oracle...)</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>WWW documents are difficult to deal in citation at all. You may also miss a creation or publishing date and can sometimes only rely on the date you requested it from a web server. </p>\n\n<p>Anyway you should ask your supervisor if he/she accepts WWW documents as cited sources at all. Some supervisors may reject sources without an author as not proof-able or not cite-able.</p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p><strong>Tip:</strong> If you want to be sure, that a website did not change in the time between submitting it to the examination office and the reading by your supervisor, I suggest you to use a web preservation service like <a href=\"http://www.webcitation.org\" rel=\"nofollow\">WebCite</a>. With this you can provide an additional link to a preserved version, even if the original source is yet gone.</p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p><strong>Early warning:</strong> I've made bad experiences with de-activating the \"protect from manual changes\"-option in LibreOffice/OpenOffice Writer. It kills the advantage of auto generating the bibliography cause everytime you update the bibliography after adding new sources your manual changes are gone with the wind.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/07
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41215",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31407/"
] |
41,224 |
<p>I am reviewing a conference paper that violates the maximum number of pages by more than 10%. I believe that this is enough reason to outright reject the paper.</p>
<p>However, maybe the authors would welcome reviewer comments anyway. But I do not want to waste a day's work, in case nobody cares about my comments. What is customary and ethical in such a situation?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41225,
"author": "ResearchEnthusiast",
"author_id": 28389,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28389",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Technically speaking, you have the right to immediately vote for rejection because of the length constraint violation. </p>\n\n<p>If you <strong>want</strong> to review the paper and leave helpful comments, you are obviously welcome (for example, if there is some section in the paper you think is not necessary and can be removed to make the paper both in the correct length and good enough for the journal / conference then you might point that out).</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41228,
"author": "Pete L. Clark",
"author_id": 938,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/938",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>As a disclaimer, I have not been in this exact situation: in my field (mathematics) there are few conference papers, and the number of journals with strict length requirements is small enough that I have never reviewed a paper which violated the requirements. Nevertheless:</p>\n\n<p>In my experience it is <em>customary</em> in academic and professional contexts that if you submit something that does not adhere to the rules of submission, then you should expect that your submission will be rejected for that reason alone. Now it may be the case that rather than definitively rejecting your submission you are told, \"Hey, please fix X so that your submission can be considered\"...and it may not. There is much talk of grant applications that are rejected because something in the fine print of the submission rules was not followed.</p>\n\n<p>In your case, you have noticed that one of the submission requirements has been violated, apparently in a nontrivial way (\"by more than 10%\"). In my opinion your clearest ethical obligation is to convey this knowledge to the editors. It is really unfair if the requirement gets completely ignored and the paper gets published anyway whereas some other authors are either getting dinged for not following the same rules or are working much harder (and perhaps, trading on the quality of their paper) in order to follow them. So I think your first step should be to point this out to the editors.</p>\n\n<p>If you like, you can convey your willingness to look at a new version in a timely manner. You could even say that you are reading the version that you already have and are willing to work on a report under the assumption that the authors will later submit a version which is essentially the same but meets the length requirements. But I think that's about as far as you can go. If the submission really is permanently rejected based on the length then the authors will resubmit to another conference/journal and they'll get their feedback at that time (possibly even from you!). Viewing the fact that you received the paper and are not at this time writing a report on it to the authors as some kind of disservice to them is probably the wrong way to view it: this is really part of the usual business of academic refereeing.</p>\n\n<p><b>Added</b>: As long as you point out the failure to meet the length requirement, I certainly see no ethical problem with passing on whatever evaluation of the paper you want. In fact, when communicating with the editors if you think that the paper is otherwise very strong then it would be useful to say that. However, it seems to me that it is possible that the editors might decide that since the length requirements have been violated the paper will be rejected <em>and the authors will not receive a referee report</em>. Thus your careful comments are not guaranteed to be conveyed to the authors. This seems like a good argument for checking in with the editors before writing a full-blown report.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41232,
"author": "Marc Claesen",
"author_id": 7173,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7173",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It's not uncommon to have vague descriptions of maximum length (do references count? acknowledgments? tables? all of these can vary across conferences). Maybe the maximum length is not as you interpreted.</p>\n\n<p>If you suspect that the paper is overlength, I would petition the program committee and wait for their response before putting any effort into reviewing, but I would not vote for rejection myself. </p>\n\n<p>In my opinion, deciding on desk rejection is up to the editors/PC, not the reviewers. If the paper was sent out for review, I assume that it passed initial screening, but ofcourse it is possible to have slipped through the cracks.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41253,
"author": "Eric",
"author_id": 20424,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20424",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Maximum length alone should not be a criterion for rejection. If the paper has merit, then final acceptance <strong>should</strong> be contingent on bringing the length down.</p>\n\n<p>EDIT: Maximum length should still be within reason and often there is some flexibility for one page over the limit. If the maximum page limit is 8 pages and the paper is 15 pages, it should be rejected. For an 8 page limit, 10 pages is about the limit of what could be condensed to something less than 9 pages without losing content.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41259,
"author": "yo'",
"author_id": 1471,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1471",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>There is only one possible answer: <strong>Ask the Program Committee chair</strong>. It is an almost-one-line mail:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Hello Jeffy,</p>\n \n <p>one of the papers I've got to review for the ABC Congress doesn't fit in the page limit given, it's: John Doe et al.: Study of DEF in context of XYZ, link:\n <a href=\"http://sciencesconf..../link-to-the-paper-in-the-review-system\">http://sciencesconf..../link-to-the-paper-in-the-review-system</a></p>\n \n <p>Should I still review it or is exceeding the length itself a reason for rejection?</p>\n \n <p>Cheers, Tom</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>It saves troubles in the thing I think. It may be fine in some conferences (when the page limit is taken loosely) and may be a problem elsewhere (when it's strict for instance because the proceedings publisher is strict about it, or for whatever reason). You can't know this, there's the PC chair to know this.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41261,
"author": "user3697176",
"author_id": 31433,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31433",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Given that it is a conference paper, I would assume that by the time the reviewer sees it, the submission deadline has already passed. The authors would therefore not be able to submit any modifications. Hence the only viable action is to contact the chair of the program committee, as yo' suggested.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41311,
"author": "Peter Jansson",
"author_id": 4394,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4394",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The rejection is not up to you. The fact that the manuscript (MS) has gone out to review despite being two long can be for two reasons: (1) the length was not spotted by the editors and was thus sent out without identifying the problem and (2) the editors know it is too long but do not think it is a problem. Now you do not know which of these apply. If you refuse to review it and number (2) is the case, you are not doing the editors any favours. If you review the MS and (1) is the case, then it is still not certain you can see what will happen since any decision is up to the editors. It is possible they will reject the MS once they know it is too long but it is also possible they will require the authors to take the reviews and both revise according to suggestions and shorten the MS to a proper length. It is of course possible they let MS through despite breaking the length. </p>\n\n<p>So options are plenty. Therefore, if you think your work may be done in vain, you simply drop a line to the editors pointing out the fact that the MS is longer than expected and ask whether or not they still want you to do the review. An editor should be quite happy to respond to such a heads up mail question.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41698,
"author": "8404man",
"author_id": 31785,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31785",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Ask them to re-write it properly or if they refuse reject the paper. Schools work on a basis of you teach this person and <strong>they</strong> adhere to <strong>you're</strong> guidelines not vica versa. As they are opposing this is the basic contract of teaching discluding money and limitations such as not permenantly confiscating or prosecuting.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/07
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41224",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14651/"
] |
41,226 |
<p>I have a question about "post-academia" personal websites. The question is open-ended and fuzzy because I am not 100% certain with what I would like to do, so I am also looking for suggestions.</p>
<p>Some background first.
I will soon finish my PhD and I will probably leave academia permanently for an industry job (and most likely it will not include any research). Despite leaving academia I am not abandoning my work and my academic credentials. In future (at least in the next 5-10 years) I would like to </p>
<ul>
<li>brand myself as a professional in the field with an emphasis on my academic contributions (I think that if someone googles my name and as the first result is listed my academic page that can only be positive for my image)</li>
<li>remain open to a potential collaboration with academia (e.g. projects that my company finds interesting; reviewing papers for conferences)</li>
<li>remain open to sporadically co-author papers that are related to my previous research (e.g. someone reads my paper, finds my work interesting enough to ask me to contribute to his future paper, but realises that I am not anymore in academia so gets a wrong impression that I am closed to such offers -> I would like to avoid that).</li>
</ul>
<p>Now goes the question.</p>
<p>As many academics, I have a personal website with my research interests, projects, publications, and so on. I would like to retain that website, but I have no idea how to design it in the way it is sustainable and not dead for many years to come. I have seen that former researchers leave personal websites on the server of their former departments, but they look quite dead with an obsolete email as contact, old photograph, last update 10 years ago, etc.</p>
<p>But on the other hand, probably I will also not have any new content to fill since I will not be writing papers anymore, and my field is not like architecture where architects have websites with their portfolio even when they work for a large company.</p>
<p>How to design a "post-academic" website in the way it is sustainable? What content to put? Do you have any examples of successful webpages of former researchers?</p>
<p>Edit: I forgot to note that I have a Linkedin profile, but I don't find it as a good replacement for a personal website.</p>
<p>Edit 2: I'd like to make a website that is sustainable irregardless of the job and company I will work for (I expect this to change multiple times in the next 10 years).</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41241,
"author": "David Mulder",
"author_id": 11353,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11353",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>So, just some thoughts:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>If you are in a field were you are allowed to show of individual work you did for various employers (or various projects for the same employer)\n<ul>\n<li>Make it a portfolio driven website. Like with the blog below you need the discipline to keep it updated, but perfect for freelancers and the like.</li>\n</ul></li>\n<li>If not you have two other options\n<ul>\n<li>Make it primarily a contact card, so put your contact details, name and biography up front and centre and 'hide' the more time sensitive details away. \n<ul>\n<li>For example, on my <a href=\"http://www.apriol.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">own site</a> I have removed <em>all</em> time sensitive things after realizing I wasn't keeping them up to date enough and I have a second 'secret' portfolio I update every time (once every two or three years) I need to share it.</li>\n</ul></li>\n<li>Make it a personal blog discussing things in your area of expertise. If you do this however you have to be sure you will be keeping this up to date with at least a single post per four to six weeks. If you know you won't be able to keep that up, don't do this (as an out of date blog looks kinda bad).</li>\n</ul></li>\n</ul>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41243,
"author": "Piotr Migdal",
"author_id": 49,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/49",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<ul>\n<li>Put your website on some other hosting than your university.</li>\n<li>Write up-to-date status and contact, perhaps with a few words of explanation (e.g. to make it clear that is not only for archival purposes).</li>\n<li>When it comes to rest of stuff, they can be the same. (Minding academic data and contact; when it comes to branding - it is a question for <a href=\"https://workplace.stackexchange.com/\">Workplace SE</a> and answers will depend on your profession.)</li>\n</ul>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/07
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41226",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31414/"
] |
41,234 |
<p>It's not that I cannot hold my attention - I find it a lot easier to put in sustained effort during research - literature surveys, practising derivations, and coding. I also find myself actively engaging in 1-1 (or smaller groups) discussions over long periods of time.</p>
<p>During lectures and seminars, it is a completely different story. I invariantly doze off within 15-20 minutes, irrespective of the content, presenter and class size. I despise it, and sincerely want to change it. Any suggestions?</p>
<p><strong>EDIT</strong> <strong>:</strong> All your answers made me go through all the possible reasons for nodding off. In my case, it is most likely a case of lack of interaction (Peter Teoh's answer) since I have made through with long hours of both mental and physical work for consecutive days (hence mostly not a case of sleep deprivation). Thank you!</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41236,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The first thing you need to do in order to address this issue is to understand why you are falling asleep. Since you say that you do not have difficulty focusing elsewhere, it seems likely that there is something specific about the lecture environment that is triggering your sleep. The approach to fixing it depends on the cause.</p>\n\n<p>Two likely possibilities:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><p>If you are extremely fatigued in general, then any significant chunk of time where you are entirely passive, like in a lecture, is likely to result in you falling asleep. I had this experience as an undergraduate. The only real cure is to start sleeping more at night. Remember, you are not in a sprint, but running a marathon, and you need to pace yourself at a sustainable level.</p></li>\n<li><p>Packed lecture halls often have dim lights and/or higher CO<sub>2</sub> content in the room (due to how densely packed people are), both of which are sleep-inducing for many people. If this is the case, for you, a good way to counteract it is to move your body and get your blood flowing. There are many <a href=\"http://www.boeing.com/boeing/commercial/cabinair/seatedexercises.page\">exercises that can be done while seated</a>, which will not generally be disruptive if you do them toward the back of a classroom. In some larger lecture halls, it may also be possible to actually stand in the back, behind the seats.</p></li>\n</ul>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41237,
"author": "GSat",
"author_id": 31420,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31420",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>If fatigue is not the issue at hand then I have found the following tactic to be helpful in graduate-level courses and research talks.</p>\n\n<p>I take a few notes on <em>paper</em> with the intention of:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>identifying three important messages from the presentation;</li>\n<li>identifying at least one key question for the presenter.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>You don't always have to ask the question but the process of identifying the question helps improve focus.</p>\n\n<p>More generally, I have a small notebook that I carry to all research talks these days and the notes are valuable if I need to go find additional references, etc.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41250,
"author": "BlueRaja - Danny Pflughoeft",
"author_id": 5595,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/5595",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The other popular alternative to getting more sleep is <strong>caffeine</strong>. Coffee, green/black tea, many sodas, dark chocolate, etc. all contain caffeine.</p>\n\n<p>Just remember that, though it may be socially acceptable, it is still an addictive drug. So don't overdo it...</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41252,
"author": "spacecadet",
"author_id": 31426,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31426",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I had issues falling asleep in some of my classes but I found the link to be that I entered these courses already in a sleepy mindset. For example, classes in which I had friends were much better because I would be hanging out with them before the class, and I'd enter the room in a more active state. Classes where I knew no one or had a long break beforehand were classes I struggled to stay awake in.</p>\n\n<p>I (while completely unqualified to say) strongly believe that your brain can only be so productive throughout the day before you just kind of shut down, so I started to cut back on intense studying between lectures. Instead, I left that for when the day was winding down, so if I got burned out, it was okay. </p>\n\n<p>Between classes, I would be sure to eat well and spend time doing productive things that would not burn me out, such as making study schedules, cleaning my dorm, reassuring my parents that I was still alive...etc. Anything that would take minimal mental energy, but would lessen distractions or otherwise improve my productivity later on.</p>\n\n<p>Conserving mental energy was a big thing for me, as was eating properly and <em>avoiding</em> caffeine dependency. I did find, however, that when I needed a quick jolt to wake me up...nothing would do it like a single sip of Coke. I quickly realize that it wasn't even the sugar or caffeine, it was the carbonation. I replaced it with seltzer and when my buddies in my 8am Physics lab thought I was nuts...well, maybe, but I was <em>wide</em> awake instantly.</p>\n\n<p>This is all very personal fixes to my issues with falling asleep, but I hope some are helpful.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41260,
"author": "Count Iblis",
"author_id": 17479,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17479",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p><a href=\"http://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-news/study-physical-activity-impacts-overall-quality-sleep\">Make sure you get enough exercise</a>. Young people need to do at least 30 minutes of intensive exercise at least 5 times per week. If you don't do this regularly already, you may not have the physical fitness to start doing this rightaway, you then need to start slowly with exercise and gradually build up your fitnness levels so that you can run for half an hour without gasping for air.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41271,
"author": "Peter Teoh",
"author_id": 10695,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10695",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Since you invariably falls asleep during lectures, and not when you are doing any other actively engaging/interacting work, I presumed you are not overtired, or lacking of sleep. Most likely you lack interaction. Whenever you talk to someone, you will not fall asleep. So when the lecturer are talking, it is very often I take down notes. And there are two kinds of notes - just like different ways of talking to the lecturer.</p>\n\n<p>If I already understood what he said: you can often see me dropping down QUESTIONS which I want elaborate further - likely to be on my own, or with hime/someone else.</p>\n\n<p>If he covered some topics / area which I am not familiar, I will try to understand at a high level (if I were to zoom in understanding every word he said - it is not fruitful), and perhaps summarized as one word or two what he said - which I will explore further after the lectures.</p>\n\n<p>Through these two types of notes, often it can sometimes be overwhelming as I try to concentrate listening + writing at the same time - strike a balance for yourself. </p>\n\n<p>Another way? In the past I used to use my handphone, mp3 recorder etc to record the lecturer teaching, but that required you to seat in front.</p>\n\n<p>SITTING IN FRONT does help too - as I find myself more likely to interact (with lecturers) through asking questions.</p>\n\n<p>My past lecturer also encourage questioning - intelligently posed, which will score points. And so all of us are encouraged to engage in actively making remarks, asking questions to further our understanding. Once in a while some chocolate bars are offered for the highest numbers of questions asked, or best questions posed (some times very subjective, so difficult to judge).</p>\n\n<p>Update:</p>\n\n<p>I used to have lectures at 2.00pm too, and that is after lunch hours. As I invariably will fall asleep after a heavy meal, I did TWO things:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>I jogged at 12 noon under the sun in the stadium, or you can go swimming. All these is to build up the short period of alertness after exercising.</li>\n<li>Since you don't eat before exercising, that's good. And after exercising, have a small meal - 80% full usually will mean sleepiness after a short while, but 30% to 50% full usually I can stay awake for at least 4 or 5 hours. Many times I can skip lunch altogether, just to make sure I stay awake throughout the entire lectures.</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>Another new way for the electronic geek :</p>\n\n<p>Recently, since I had a new Nexus 7 7\" tablet with me, I found it extremely useful. I was listening to a lot of different talks (in a Conference), and many times the technically advanced speaker will mumble something which I don't understand or know of. Instead of writing down some keywords to be explored later, I entered into Google the keywords, out came the many search results as answer INSTANTLY. It helped me to understand IMMEDIATELY the outline ideas, but more important - I just enter \"star\" button and this search results is remembered as a favorited page. The list of the favorited pages exported out as HTML can be easily imported anywhere to be explored further just by clicking. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41308,
"author": "tobias47n9e",
"author_id": 1100,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1100",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I think the best idea is to sit in the <strong>first row</strong>. You will have to move your head and eyes a lot more during lectures which will keep you a lot more alert. I'm sure the body also releases stress hormones to prevent the awkwardness of sleeping in the first row, or there is some other psychology behind it, but it certainly always helped me.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41317,
"author": "Former USN",
"author_id": 31469,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31469",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>This simple way to stay awake (but not necessarily alert) worked for me in night school: chew gum. </p>\n\n<p>Even though I was not paying attention, giving me some kind of action instead of sitting completely passive kept me awake more than cups of coffee.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41318,
"author": "Andreas Blass",
"author_id": 14506,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14506",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You might want to get tested for sleep apnea. (See <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_apnea\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_apnea</a> for lots of information about it.) The essential point is that you could be getting far less sleep than you think, so no wonder you get sleepy. I had sleep apnea for a long time before it was diagnosed; once it was diagnosed it was quite easy to treat.</p>\n\n<p>I'd also endorse the suggestion in one of the other answers to take notes, but only after making sure there isn't a medical problem.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41369,
"author": "Ed Vogel",
"author_id": 31506,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31506",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Standing instead of sitting is what got me through the lectures in Navy Nuclear Power School. Note taking was mandatory (your advisor checked your notes weekly) but I could fall asleep while writing.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41379,
"author": "foobarbecue",
"author_id": 11473,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11473",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Here's my trick: I find someone else who's falling asleep, and watch them desperately trying to stay awake. It's usually hilarious. This, of course, introduces a new problem: not laughing out loud during the lecture.</p>\n\n<p>Generally the hilarity wakes me up enough that I can return my attention to the speaker.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41465,
"author": "Martin - マーチン",
"author_id": 13372,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/13372",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Although most has been already said in this thread, There is something that gets me through lengthy conferences and/or block lectures, which I did not see yet mentioned. I found hydrating and fresh air and sunlight to be the best friends. Use the breaks to get your blood pumping, so you can stay alert. Also avoid caffeine as you might get pretty soon accustomed to it and then it is not helping any more. When air is not helping, try to have a little power nap (about ten minutes) before the lecture in question. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/07
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41234",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/21457/"
] |
41,235 |
<p>I realize there are different forms that a qualifying exam can take in CS / ECE PhD programs. </p>
<p><em>In departments where this does not take the form of a comprehensive written exam</em>:</p>
<ul>
<li>What is the role that the qualifying exam fulfills in the PhD program in your department?</li>
<li>What is the approach taken in your department?</li>
<li>What are the perceived advantages / weaknesses of the approach?</li>
</ul>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41236,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The first thing you need to do in order to address this issue is to understand why you are falling asleep. Since you say that you do not have difficulty focusing elsewhere, it seems likely that there is something specific about the lecture environment that is triggering your sleep. The approach to fixing it depends on the cause.</p>\n\n<p>Two likely possibilities:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><p>If you are extremely fatigued in general, then any significant chunk of time where you are entirely passive, like in a lecture, is likely to result in you falling asleep. I had this experience as an undergraduate. The only real cure is to start sleeping more at night. Remember, you are not in a sprint, but running a marathon, and you need to pace yourself at a sustainable level.</p></li>\n<li><p>Packed lecture halls often have dim lights and/or higher CO<sub>2</sub> content in the room (due to how densely packed people are), both of which are sleep-inducing for many people. If this is the case, for you, a good way to counteract it is to move your body and get your blood flowing. There are many <a href=\"http://www.boeing.com/boeing/commercial/cabinair/seatedexercises.page\">exercises that can be done while seated</a>, which will not generally be disruptive if you do them toward the back of a classroom. In some larger lecture halls, it may also be possible to actually stand in the back, behind the seats.</p></li>\n</ul>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41237,
"author": "GSat",
"author_id": 31420,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31420",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>If fatigue is not the issue at hand then I have found the following tactic to be helpful in graduate-level courses and research talks.</p>\n\n<p>I take a few notes on <em>paper</em> with the intention of:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>identifying three important messages from the presentation;</li>\n<li>identifying at least one key question for the presenter.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>You don't always have to ask the question but the process of identifying the question helps improve focus.</p>\n\n<p>More generally, I have a small notebook that I carry to all research talks these days and the notes are valuable if I need to go find additional references, etc.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41250,
"author": "BlueRaja - Danny Pflughoeft",
"author_id": 5595,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/5595",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The other popular alternative to getting more sleep is <strong>caffeine</strong>. Coffee, green/black tea, many sodas, dark chocolate, etc. all contain caffeine.</p>\n\n<p>Just remember that, though it may be socially acceptable, it is still an addictive drug. So don't overdo it...</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41252,
"author": "spacecadet",
"author_id": 31426,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31426",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I had issues falling asleep in some of my classes but I found the link to be that I entered these courses already in a sleepy mindset. For example, classes in which I had friends were much better because I would be hanging out with them before the class, and I'd enter the room in a more active state. Classes where I knew no one or had a long break beforehand were classes I struggled to stay awake in.</p>\n\n<p>I (while completely unqualified to say) strongly believe that your brain can only be so productive throughout the day before you just kind of shut down, so I started to cut back on intense studying between lectures. Instead, I left that for when the day was winding down, so if I got burned out, it was okay. </p>\n\n<p>Between classes, I would be sure to eat well and spend time doing productive things that would not burn me out, such as making study schedules, cleaning my dorm, reassuring my parents that I was still alive...etc. Anything that would take minimal mental energy, but would lessen distractions or otherwise improve my productivity later on.</p>\n\n<p>Conserving mental energy was a big thing for me, as was eating properly and <em>avoiding</em> caffeine dependency. I did find, however, that when I needed a quick jolt to wake me up...nothing would do it like a single sip of Coke. I quickly realize that it wasn't even the sugar or caffeine, it was the carbonation. I replaced it with seltzer and when my buddies in my 8am Physics lab thought I was nuts...well, maybe, but I was <em>wide</em> awake instantly.</p>\n\n<p>This is all very personal fixes to my issues with falling asleep, but I hope some are helpful.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41260,
"author": "Count Iblis",
"author_id": 17479,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17479",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p><a href=\"http://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-news/study-physical-activity-impacts-overall-quality-sleep\">Make sure you get enough exercise</a>. Young people need to do at least 30 minutes of intensive exercise at least 5 times per week. If you don't do this regularly already, you may not have the physical fitness to start doing this rightaway, you then need to start slowly with exercise and gradually build up your fitnness levels so that you can run for half an hour without gasping for air.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41271,
"author": "Peter Teoh",
"author_id": 10695,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10695",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Since you invariably falls asleep during lectures, and not when you are doing any other actively engaging/interacting work, I presumed you are not overtired, or lacking of sleep. Most likely you lack interaction. Whenever you talk to someone, you will not fall asleep. So when the lecturer are talking, it is very often I take down notes. And there are two kinds of notes - just like different ways of talking to the lecturer.</p>\n\n<p>If I already understood what he said: you can often see me dropping down QUESTIONS which I want elaborate further - likely to be on my own, or with hime/someone else.</p>\n\n<p>If he covered some topics / area which I am not familiar, I will try to understand at a high level (if I were to zoom in understanding every word he said - it is not fruitful), and perhaps summarized as one word or two what he said - which I will explore further after the lectures.</p>\n\n<p>Through these two types of notes, often it can sometimes be overwhelming as I try to concentrate listening + writing at the same time - strike a balance for yourself. </p>\n\n<p>Another way? In the past I used to use my handphone, mp3 recorder etc to record the lecturer teaching, but that required you to seat in front.</p>\n\n<p>SITTING IN FRONT does help too - as I find myself more likely to interact (with lecturers) through asking questions.</p>\n\n<p>My past lecturer also encourage questioning - intelligently posed, which will score points. And so all of us are encouraged to engage in actively making remarks, asking questions to further our understanding. Once in a while some chocolate bars are offered for the highest numbers of questions asked, or best questions posed (some times very subjective, so difficult to judge).</p>\n\n<p>Update:</p>\n\n<p>I used to have lectures at 2.00pm too, and that is after lunch hours. As I invariably will fall asleep after a heavy meal, I did TWO things:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>I jogged at 12 noon under the sun in the stadium, or you can go swimming. All these is to build up the short period of alertness after exercising.</li>\n<li>Since you don't eat before exercising, that's good. And after exercising, have a small meal - 80% full usually will mean sleepiness after a short while, but 30% to 50% full usually I can stay awake for at least 4 or 5 hours. Many times I can skip lunch altogether, just to make sure I stay awake throughout the entire lectures.</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>Another new way for the electronic geek :</p>\n\n<p>Recently, since I had a new Nexus 7 7\" tablet with me, I found it extremely useful. I was listening to a lot of different talks (in a Conference), and many times the technically advanced speaker will mumble something which I don't understand or know of. Instead of writing down some keywords to be explored later, I entered into Google the keywords, out came the many search results as answer INSTANTLY. It helped me to understand IMMEDIATELY the outline ideas, but more important - I just enter \"star\" button and this search results is remembered as a favorited page. The list of the favorited pages exported out as HTML can be easily imported anywhere to be explored further just by clicking. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41308,
"author": "tobias47n9e",
"author_id": 1100,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1100",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I think the best idea is to sit in the <strong>first row</strong>. You will have to move your head and eyes a lot more during lectures which will keep you a lot more alert. I'm sure the body also releases stress hormones to prevent the awkwardness of sleeping in the first row, or there is some other psychology behind it, but it certainly always helped me.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41317,
"author": "Former USN",
"author_id": 31469,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31469",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>This simple way to stay awake (but not necessarily alert) worked for me in night school: chew gum. </p>\n\n<p>Even though I was not paying attention, giving me some kind of action instead of sitting completely passive kept me awake more than cups of coffee.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41318,
"author": "Andreas Blass",
"author_id": 14506,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14506",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You might want to get tested for sleep apnea. (See <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_apnea\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_apnea</a> for lots of information about it.) The essential point is that you could be getting far less sleep than you think, so no wonder you get sleepy. I had sleep apnea for a long time before it was diagnosed; once it was diagnosed it was quite easy to treat.</p>\n\n<p>I'd also endorse the suggestion in one of the other answers to take notes, but only after making sure there isn't a medical problem.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41369,
"author": "Ed Vogel",
"author_id": 31506,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31506",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Standing instead of sitting is what got me through the lectures in Navy Nuclear Power School. Note taking was mandatory (your advisor checked your notes weekly) but I could fall asleep while writing.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41379,
"author": "foobarbecue",
"author_id": 11473,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11473",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Here's my trick: I find someone else who's falling asleep, and watch them desperately trying to stay awake. It's usually hilarious. This, of course, introduces a new problem: not laughing out loud during the lecture.</p>\n\n<p>Generally the hilarity wakes me up enough that I can return my attention to the speaker.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41465,
"author": "Martin - マーチン",
"author_id": 13372,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/13372",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Although most has been already said in this thread, There is something that gets me through lengthy conferences and/or block lectures, which I did not see yet mentioned. I found hydrating and fresh air and sunlight to be the best friends. Use the breaks to get your blood pumping, so you can stay alert. Also avoid caffeine as you might get pretty soon accustomed to it and then it is not helping any more. When air is not helping, try to have a little power nap (about ten minutes) before the lecture in question. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/07
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41235",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31420/"
] |
41,257 |
<p>I have been involved in a number of large-ish research consortia usually with 10 or more groups, with each group containing 2 or more individuals. Some have originated from computer science, others engineering, and even the social sciences. In general all have contained partners from a variety of disciplines.</p>
<p>I'm curious as to how large mathematics research projects tend to be? Do they tend to be smaller, with individuals rather than research groups and/or subject matter experts involved. Are there any mathematical research associates out there that could offer insight into this please?</p>
<p><em>EDIT:</em> Just to clarify, if P is a project, the "size" of P I'm interested in is:</p>
<pre><code>|P|=Total number of people involved.
</code></pre>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41266,
"author": "Nate Eldredge",
"author_id": 1010,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1010",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It's rare for a large number of mathematicians to collaborate on a single project. The vast majority of mathematics papers have 1, 2 or 3 authors.</p>\n\n<p>Using the techniques described in <a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/38969/getting-a-dump-of-arxiv-metadata\">Getting a dump of arXiv metadata</a>, I downloaded metadata for all the <code>math</code> preprints on arXiv, and had a script count the number of authors. I got the following results:</p>\n\n<pre><code>251459 papers\n0 authors: 1 papers 0.0004%\n1 authors: 101926 papers 40.5338%\n2 authors: 89630 papers 35.6440%\n3 authors: 43290 papers 17.2155%\n4 authors: 12555 papers 4.9929%\n5 authors: 2949 papers 1.1728%\n6 authors: 700 papers 0.2784%\n7 authors: 216 papers 0.0859%\n8 authors: 102 papers 0.0406%\n9 authors: 40 papers 0.0159%\n10 authors: 14 papers 0.0056%\n11 authors: 9 papers 0.0036%\n12 authors: 7 papers 0.0028%\n13 authors: 4 papers 0.0016%\n14 authors: 2 papers 0.0008%\n15 authors: 3 papers 0.0012%\n16 authors: 2 papers 0.0008%\n20 authors: 1 papers 0.0004%\n22 authors: 3 papers 0.0012%\n23 authors: 1 papers 0.0004%\n28 authors: 1 papers 0.0004%\n37 authors: 1 papers 0.0004%\n60 authors: 1 papers 0.0004%\n67 authors: 1 papers 0.0004%\n</code></pre>\n\n<p>I took a look at some of the outliers. Some are ordinary papers but some are other kinds of collective works. Note that some appear to be cross-listed under other arXiv sections.</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http://arxiv.org/abs/1005.0836\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">0 authors: arXiv:1005.0836</a> (placeholder for a preprint deleted because it was a duplicate)</li>\n<li><a href=\"http://arxiv.org/abs/1011.1764\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">20 authors: arXiv:1011.1764</a> (regular paper)</li>\n<li><a href=\"http://arxiv.org/abs/1403.2953\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">22 authors: arXiv:1403.2953</a> (review article)</li>\n<li><a href=\"http://arxiv.org/abs/1501.02155\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">22 authors: arXiv:1501.02155</a> (regular paper, computer-aided proof project)</li>\n<li><a href=\"http://arxiv.org/abs/cs/9909001\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">22 authors: arXiv:cs/9909001</a> (report on the results of a workshop)</li>\n<li><a href=\"http://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0701168\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">23 authors: arXiv:quant-ph/0701168</a> (regular paper)</li>\n<li><a href=\"http://arxiv.org/abs/1009.4134\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">28 authors: arXiv:1009.4134</a> (regular paper)</li>\n<li><a href=\"http://arxiv.org/abs/1001.4737\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">37 authors: arXiv:1001.4737</a> (regular paper but seems closer to physics)</li>\n<li><a href=\"http://arxiv.org/abs/math/0406190\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">60 authors: arXiv:math/0406190</a> (list of open problems collected from a workshop)</li>\n<li><a href=\"http://arxiv.org/abs/1410.0719\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">67 authors: arXiv:1410.0719</a> (extended abstracts from a conference)</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>To the asker: There may be some ambiguity here based on what we think of as a \"project\" and \"people involved\", and how research is conducted in our fields. As a mathematician, I think of a \"project\" as a concerted effort by a researcher, or group of researchers, actively working to resolve a specific mathematical question. If this effort is successful, it normally results in one or more published papers (sometimes three or four, but usually not dozens), and all the researchers who significantly contributed to the solution will be authors of those papers. If it's a two-author paper, then there really were only two people working on that project. (Of course, there could have been other unrelated groups working on the same question, or something closely related, but they would normally publish separately.) So to me, there is a pretty close correspondence between \"project\" and \"paper\".</p>\n\n<p>You might also find this question interesting: <a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/34038/1010\">How do mathematicians conduct research?</a></p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41267,
"author": "Federico Poloni",
"author_id": 958,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/958",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>It depends on what you mean by \"projects\", but there are both large and small ones.</p>\n\n<p>There are both casual collaborations between two or three individuals, which translate to a single paper, and which can be funded individually (there are grants as small as 1k USD or less, the money for a single visit or a conference participation), and larger ones that can let you hire multiple people for several years (e.g., the EU grants called ERC, which can give six-digit amounts).</p>\n\n<p>I have also seen even larger \"projects\", but they were usually structured as mini-funding agencies, giving out their funding to smaller individual research endeavours.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41279,
"author": "Kimball",
"author_id": 19607,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/19607",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Are you asking about projects or papers? (You could measure how big a project is in person-hours, people/project, actual time/project, etc.) What I think of a project may be something spanning many years (possibly most of one's career) with lots of different papers, possibly with different sets of coauthors, or it could be a single standalone paper, or something that never turns into a paper at all. I would guess that most published research papers are pieces of a larger project that the investigator(s) are working on. For example, this is probably true for 2/3rds or 3/4th of my papers, depending how you count. The reason is because math is hard, and one typically can't prove what one hopes right away.</p>\n\n<p>If you just are asking about number of people on papers this is easier to answer. There are two papers of Jerrold Grossman just about math publications you may find interesting, though the information is a bit dated (particularly compared to Nate's answer, but using Mathematical Reviews data, which is more representative than the arXiv):</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https://www.siam.org/pdf/news/485.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow\">Patterns of Collaboration in Mathematical Research</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"http://www.ams.org/notices/200501/fea-grossman.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow\">Patterns of Research in Mathematics</a></li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>These study things like trends in the number of coauthors and variation by field. For example, from Table 3 in the first article the average number of authors/paper went from 1.1 in the 1940's to 1.63 in the 1990's, and the number of 3+ author papers went from 1% to 13%. See also Figure 6 of the second article which has a graph. Table 3 of the second article, breaks things down by section classifications (which are subjective, but still instructive). Here is a sample from that table:</p>\n\n<pre><code>Section #authors/paper 2+ authors 3+authors\nCS 1.77 53% 17.7%\nCombinatorics 1.64 46% 17.7%\nStatistics 1.56 45% 8.7%\nGeometry 1.34 28% 4.9%\nNumber Theory 1.32 26% 5.0%\n</code></pre>\n\n<p>Note these numbers are for papers in between 1980 and 1999, so I suspect the numbers should be considerably higher now, based on the upward trends in Grossman's papers and just from what I personally see in Number Theory. This is also supported by the data from Nate's answer.</p>\n\n<p><strong>(Edit)</strong> I just remembered <a href=\"http://arxiv.org/abs/1203.5158\" rel=\"nofollow\">this paper</a> (with 8 authors) which has more recent data than Grossman's (going up to 2009). See Figs 2a and 3a, from which it's clear that there's more collaboration in applied areas. The most recent data in there gives about 2.2 authors/paper for applied math and 1.8 for pure math. (End edit.)</p>\n\n<p>For a comparative study across different disciplines, <a href=\"http://www.pnas.org/content/101/suppl_1/5200.full\" rel=\"nofollow\">his paper of Newman</a> is perhaps the most well known (at least to me) study. From Table 1 we see</p>\n\n<pre><code>discipline avg #authors/paper\nbiology 3.75\nphysics 2.53\nmath 1.45\n</code></pre>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41287,
"author": "Anonymous Mathematician",
"author_id": 612,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/612",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>How common it is for mathematicians to be officially organized in structured projects varies a lot, depending on the country, the institution, and the type of mathematics.</p>\n\n<p>For pure mathematics in U.S. universities, there's practically no notion of named projects or consortia. Just about everyone is an individual researcher, including graduate students. You may have short or long-term collaborations, and it's common to write papers together, but there are no formal organizations behind the collaborations. Even if a funding agency conceives of a grant as funding a specific project with PIs in charge of a group, it's not likely to be described this way in casual communication among mathematicians. You might say \"Smith and I have been working a lot on widget optimization recently\", but you wouldn't describe it as the WIDGEMAX project.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/07
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41257",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/-1/"
] |
41,264 |
<p>I spent a bit of time in France and in the USA. I observed that there are many more awards given to students and academics in the US than there are in France. Is that observation correct, and if so what accounts for it?</p>
<hr>
<p>Examples:</p>
<p>Grade awards in the US:</p>
<ul>
<li>University of Chicago Student Marshal</li>
<li>Dean’s List</li>
</ul>
<p>Student research awards in the US:</p>
<ul>
<li>Charles W. and Jennifer C. Johnson Prize</li>
<li>Jin Au Kong Thesis Award</li>
<li>George M. Sprowls PhD thesis award</li>
<li>William A. Martin Memorial Master's Thesis Award </li>
</ul>
<p>Teaching awards in the US:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://inspire.mit.edu/" rel="noreferrer">MIT Inspirational Teacher Award</a></li>
<li>Everett Moore Baker Memorial Award</li>
<li>Gordon Y Billard Award</li>
<li>Graduate Student Council Teaching Awards</li>
</ul>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41458,
"author": "blankip",
"author_id": 11420,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11420",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>I have half french kids and I have spent a lot of my life in France and in the Midwest. The answer is easy - culture. </p>\n\n<p>Americans love recognizing everything. Participation awards, so many awards that anyone that is pretty good at something will surely get one. My 4th grader at the time got a ribbon for 4th place in a race and his French grandmother said, \"Why?\" She didn't even understand it. </p>\n\n<p>In France if you win something you are really at the top of your game and its a big deal. They generally don't placate to keeping self-esteem high, even with children. Things are more regulated, committees generally mean something and there isn't a lot of duplication. Now I see this slowly changing in France over the years and it becoming more westernized.</p>\n\n<p>Your answer is just, different culture. England is a bit the same as America except they seem to have accreditation companies and societies that also allow you to \"pay\" for an award.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 44292,
"author": "sevensevens",
"author_id": 14754,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14754",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In the US, its common to try and award as many participants as possible. This trend hasn't gone <a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-sigman/when-everyone-gets-a-trop_b_1431319.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">unnoticed in the US either</a>.</p>\n\n<p>Usually this trend is blamed on one of two things - raising self-esteem of the participant, and need to show achievement to be accepted into a prestigious school or college.</p>\n\n<p>In America, its pretty common for families to enroll their young children (middle school and younger) into summer sports teams. As these teams are meant more as a family bonding experience, several hand out participation and superlative trophies to encourage families to sign up next summer.</p>\n\n<p>The other recent I hear less often is that most universities expect to see extra-curricular activities, and winning an award is better than simply participating. Therefore parents may expect (or demand) their child be awarded in some way. Sports and other clubs have responded by simply adding more awards.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/08
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41264",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/452/"
] |
41,273 |
<p>This question is motivated by the movie <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2582802/" rel="nofollow">Whiplash</a> which justifies the abusive behavior of a teacher by the future success of the student. The idea is that if a student fails to become fanatically driven to the degree that (s)he ignores/survives/enjoys teacher's abuse, then (s)he is no potential genius and his/her departure from the field is no loss to the field and Humanity.</p>
<p>Science is, of course, very different from music (which is the subject of the movie), e.g., they have very different <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorenz_curve" rel="nofollow">Lorenz curves</a>. I.e., a Ph.D. in Physics at the 50th percentile in his class can still have a decent professional life. In Music, he will probably drop out of the field (like the drummer who switched to medicine in the movie).</p>
<p>Still, I wonder what influence abusive professors (e.g., <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lev_Landau" rel="nofollow">Landau</a>) could have on science. We will never know, of course, of any potential Einsteins who left the field because they were mistreated by their thesis advisors, but we might be able to find circumstantial evidence.</p>
<p>Statistical evidence: are there any studies correlating students' success with teachers' personality at the <strong>high</strong> end of the spectrum? (I.e., <em>very</em> talented graduate students, <em>very</em> famous professors, success is measured in Nobel Prizes or something similar).</p>
<p>Anecdotal evidence: are there any examples of students leaving their advisors because of abuse and still achieving great success in science?</p>
<p>PS. Please note that the important point here is the <em>high</em> end of the spectrum (i.e., not elementary school, and not even college). The critical aspect of the question is that the teacher can claim that he is the <em>senior colleague</em> of the student, and that their common interest is <em>advancing the field</em> rather than <em>educating the student</em>.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41282,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Because of the way our systems work, at the top end of the distribution in fame, you will find people who are not only very good, but who also strongly desire to be famous and are very skilled self-promoters. The market is simply too large for people to rise to the very top without that being the case. And that means <a href=\"http://thenarcissistinyourlife.com/the-rise-of-high-level-socialized-sociopaths/\">they are more likely to be abusers as well</a>.</p>\n\n<p>Sufficient abuse, academic or otherwise, can destroy any person.</p>\n\n<p>Abuse can also help the abuser, by allowing them to effectively exploit other people... and that in turn might help those who survive (or who also learn to profit from the strategies of abuse), because they have a famous supervisor.</p>\n\n<p>So: abuse can be profitable to the abusers and their chosen disciples, but it's a bad deal for the rest of the human beings they interact with and should be resisted at every turn.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41290,
"author": "keshlam",
"author_id": 10225,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10225",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Abuse of the wrong kind, at the wrong time, can break anyone. </p>\n\n<p>I spent grades 3-7 fighting a near-total writing block, literally unable to put more than a sentence or two on paper though I was reading far above my grade. Driven into it by one abusive teacher whom I had made the mistake of correcting; brought out of it by one exceptional special-ed teacher who was able to give me assignments designed to gradually pierce that defensive shell.</p>\n\n<p>I don't think that's the question you were asking, though.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 182532,
"author": "Anonymous Physicist",
"author_id": 13240,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/13240",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Movies are <em>intentionally</em> fantasy. You certainly should not interpret them as telling you the truth about much of anything.</p>\n<p>"Genius" and "talent" are mostly movie fantasy. The literary "chosen one" is not a real thing.</p>\n<p>Anyone can experience a sudden mental illness. "Broken" is the wrong word to describe that. They are just sick, and they may get better. Abuse might cause that illness, but it can also happen with no know cause.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 182533,
"author": "kosmos",
"author_id": 104667,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/104667",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Let me start by giving my opinion ( I do not think your question has one answer, correct or otherwise) from your last point.</p>\n<p>You mention that statistical evidence suggests that talented students come from famous teachers, and it is these elites who get the Nobel prize. Yes, it is true. But it is not just because of the so-called 'genius' qualities. Nobel prize committee does not confer its prize by using some heavenly mechanism which shows them the best candidate. Winning a Nobel prize not only requires a lot of hard work but <em>more</em> importantly requires lobbying. Being able to find other top researchers in that area who can give letters supporting you. And that is where this game changes.</p>\n<p>By working with a famous professor, you get a headstart in forming those connections. You get to work in those areas that those "top" researchers consider the most important. You get evaluated by the 'best', 'cited' by the best and you get to collaborate with the 'best'. I hope you get the underlying reason behind the statistics, which you refer to. Geniuses are created in the minds of the observers and commentators, not in the labs. Not every deserving researcher is celebrated. You need to be a salesman too, to be called a 'genius'. And this is true for all professions.</p>\n<p>Now coming to the main part of your question. Abuse in any form should be unacceptable, even at the price of success. No one has the right to abuse anyone. Being a genius is less important than being a good human. As a society, we need to start rewarding only 'geniuses' who are good human beings.</p>\n<p>I have been scolded by my supervisor (who is no genius) but with the sole intention of helping me. And that is not abuse, that is a gift because the truth was conveyed to me. I became confident, better. The supervisor would think for hours before giving his harsh opinion and would do it in a professional manner.</p>\n<p>Then, I have also had a supervisor who was selfish to the core and would only look for his academic interest and exploit me, borderline abuse me. And that man is considered a gem in my university because of his tall accomplishments. After working with him for close to 2 years, I confronted him over a trivial matter. I decided to stand up. It just had to be done once, and his demeanor changed. I wish I had spoken up at least a year ago, I would have flourished more in my Ph.D. as it was only after that moment that I could really enjoy my work.</p>\n<p>So, one must determine if the strict demeanor of the supervisor is genuine or if it is totally selfish. And if it is abuse, then it is totally unacceptable. If they abuse for pleasure, it is the worst kind. If someone is accepting abuse in such a scenario, in the hope that it would make them a good researcher, it is akin to prostitution.</p>\n<p>Also, note that there are examples of 'genius' students who never meet their supervisors during their Ph.D. study and won Nobel prizes. Science is above everything. And you as a person are more important than science.</p>\n<p>Our society is changing. For example, more women are in the industry at least in Europe, the Americas, and most parts of Asia Pacific. Now mental health is important. We had a me-too movement. In a changing society, it is time that bullying, even by the "genius" is not accepted.</p>\n<p>And, IMHO, movies are the last place to look for answers or form opinions.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/08
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41273",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/5829/"
] |
41,274 |
<p>I'll be applying to graduate schools in the fall but so far don't have any real clue what area I want to focus on. As such, I hope to attend a very large math graduate program with a lot of varied research going on so that there are many avenues I can explore. I also worry that if I attend a small or midsize graduate school, I may come to find out that my true passion is in an topic for which there are no suitable advisers. I also think I'd fit in <em>much</em> better in a larger department.</p>
<p>I'm interested in a list of PhD math programs by number of students. So I've done some googling, but I can't find any relavant results. <strong>What are the largest math graduate programs in the US?</strong></p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41277,
"author": "user141592",
"author_id": 27327,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27327",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>In general, the state universities have much larger programs. There is a very strong correlation between the size of the school, the size of the math department, and the size of the math graduate program. For example, Ohio State has over 60 000 students over all their campuses and if I remember correctly, nearly 200 grad students in math and faculty in nearly every area. Look up the largest universities, and they will be very likely to have the largest programs.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41302,
"author": "GEdgar",
"author_id": 4484,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4484",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The AMS has <a href=\"http://www.ams.org/programs/students/findgradprograms/findgradprograms\">this help</a> for those searching graduate schools.\nFor \"size\" you can use the statistic \"Number of PhDs awarded in the last 3 years\" which is included. For example, I found that the champion was U.C.Berkeley, with 83 PhDs</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41313,
"author": "Wolfgang Bangerth",
"author_id": 31149,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31149",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>As has been pointed out by Johanna, there is a strong correlation between the size of a university and the size of the math department (because basically every student in a university has to take some kind of math course), and by consequence with the size of the graduate program. But the better correlation is actually between the size of the <em>engineering program of a university</em> and the size of its math departments because engineering students have to take <em>multiple</em> math courses.</p>\n\n<p>This explains why universities such as Ohio State, Michigan State, Texas A&M, etc, have such large math departments -- they are very large engineering schools. A general rule of thumb is that in most states, the University of X has a larger liberal arts program and a smaller engineering program, whereas the X State University has it reverse (due to their heritage as land grant universities). The names of the X State University are not always uniform (as in the case of Texas A&M, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech) but often are (in the cases of Ohio, Michigan, Colorado, Oklahoma, for example).</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/08
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41274",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31448/"
] |
41,276 |
<p>When I had just started my PhD in Computer Science in Korea, a Physics PhD student in the EU proposed a collaboration. He and I wrote one paper for a conference. I learned last week that the paper was accepted. He is first author. I am second author. </p>
<p>I did not tell my professor about this project even though he was my supervisor then. I mentioned it to my professor recently. He became very angry. He asked me to remove my name from the paper. He said that all my work represents his lab and my university. I shouldn't conduct other work. </p>
<p><strong>My professor's points</strong> </p>
<ul>
<li><p>The collaboration should be done between supervisors. (My professor's background and interest do not fit with my coauthor.) </p></li>
<li><p>Another issue is none of us can present the paper at that time, asking someone for authorship is acceptable for this situation?</p></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>My question</strong></p>
<p>How can I mend things with my professor and continue to collaborate with my coauthor?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41284,
"author": "mac389",
"author_id": 28,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p><strong>Decode your professor first</strong></p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><p>If this is a <em>scientific</em> disagreement, then you should try to have a scientific discussion with him and perhaps the other author. </p></li>\n<li><p>If this is your supervisor's indirect/cryptic way of saying that he cannot pay for this, look for other means of funding. Perhaps your university has a general travel fund. At worst, you may have to sit this conference out. Anecdotally, I have seen many formerly well-funded professors who project their anger at their shrinking budgets onto students in situations like this. </p></li>\n<li><p>If this is an <em>interpersonal conflict</em>, then you have to decide whether the tension results from miscommunication or deeper differences. As @O.R. Mapper says, a PhD student is learning how to conduct independent research. Shockingly, that involves the student taking initiative. </p></li>\n</ul>\n\n<p><strong>Tread lightly</strong></p>\n\n<p>We all have to deal with irate superiors from time to time. If you two cannot have a civil conversation about this, work around him until things cool off. (See the general travel fund above.) Is there an ombudsperson? Can someone from your committee who is at your supervisors level mediate?</p>\n\n<p><strong>Mind the politics</strong></p>\n\n<p>Invoking <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sayre%27s_law\">Sayre's law</a>, politics in academia can be stupidly vicious, especially if the issue involves people at different levels in the hierarchy. It is wise to recognize if your supervisor is playing power politics and wiser to recognize if supervisors you might go to tend to do the same thing. You wouldn't want to win the battle but lose the war. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41285,
"author": "Nate Eldredge",
"author_id": 1010,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1010",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>It's reasonable for your professor to want some input as to how you spend your time, and it's customary for students to keep their advisors informed about other things they are working on. You have perhaps committed a slight breach of etiquette by not telling him about this project earlier.</p>\n\n<p>However, in my view, it is deeply inappropriate for him to ask you to take your name off the paper. He is your advisor but he doesn't own your life. You have done the work and as an academic it is your right to publish it. An interaction like this would have me thinking about looking for a new advisor, quick.</p>\n\n<p>If the professor has technical concerns about the quality of the paper itself and thinks that it is not ready to appear in the scientific/academic record, then he should discuss this with you, and you should share those concerns with your coauthor and come to a decision on their merits. But I feel it's not appropriate for your professor's reputation to be part of that conversation - just decide whether the paper is good and publishable or not.</p>\n\n<p>Your second question is unrelated but I'll address it here anyway. Do not add another person as author (your advisor or anyone else) just so they can present it at the conference. In order to be an author, a person must have made a significant intellectual contribution to the work, and it's unethical to \"gift\" authorship for any other reason. </p>\n\n<p>In many cases, conferences allow a paper to be presented by someone other than an author. So if you know someone who is attending the conference and willing to present your paper, they may be able to do it without you unethically making them an author. But if the conference really requires one of the authors to attend and neither of you can, then I suppose all you can do is withdraw your paper and resubmit to a conference which you can attend.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41360,
"author": "Peter Teoh",
"author_id": 10695,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10695",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Well, you are dealing with politics, cultural habits, and Asian values all at the same time. He is thinking you should be working for him ALL the time. And having the Asian/Confucian values as their background: respect for seniors and authority is more important than being right or wrong. Or whatever...better not to have too much assumptions about others' thinking.</p>\n\n<p>So solution should be quick and easy: if he want your name removed, either continue with another pseudo-name + email, or retain your name + not using the university email, just your personal email will do. Since this is done without using any of the University's resources, you have the right to retain your name as well, and remove all obvious link back to the University. This is not being dishonest, but your right to do things outside your \"working hours\".</p>\n\n<p>Ok, if you really want to be honest, just follow whatever he said, and showed him nothing has been done externally. But in the background, just maintained your relationship with your collaborators. Many times in life, a paper is often read and forgotten - good ones are few and rare. But your relationship with other people matters most - in future, you may even coauthor many more papers with your existing supervisor + the \"illegitimate\" partner after you have completed your PhD. </p>\n\n<p>Bottomlines is always: BRIGHT IDEAS that matters most. A name (in the paper) is just for eternity sake (or may be not): it is not as important as the content of the paper. These contents/bright ideas, are always a result of a cordial collaboration / interaction among people - and you should aim for that, actively working towards perfection. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41372,
"author": "user168715",
"author_id": 5596,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/5596",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I will throw out another opinion here: if your supervisor was paying you to work on his research agenda, it is unethical and unprofessional to instead work on something different without telling him. Likely the money came out of a hard-won research grant that specifically stipulated the type of project you were to work on, and your advisor will be on the hook with the funding agency when the project doesn't deliver.</p>\n\n<p>Even if the supervisor gave up nothing but his time training and mentoring you, there was still an expectation that you would work in good faith on the project the two of you discussed. </p>\n\n<p>That said, what's done is done. Taking your name off of the paper is not an appropriate fix, nor is adding your supervisor's name gratuitously. Have a candid talk with your supervisor, ask him for his specific concerns and how he suggests you make things right, and in the future strive to keep communication more open so that a similar situation does not arise.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41398,
"author": "Angry Lettuce",
"author_id": 31535,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31535",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<blockquote>\n<p>He is your advisor but he doesn't own your life. – Nate Eldredge</p>\n<p>Professors/supervisors do not own people like their pet turtle. – Greg</p>\n<p>Your adviser is a jerk, regardless of culture. This is 2015, not 1895. – gnometorule</p>\n</blockquote>\n<p>I don't think there is such a thing as "regardless of culture". The world is very diverse and sadly, the English-speaking Internet tends to forget that.</p>\n<hr />\n<p>As you may have noticed, the hierarchy is very strong in Korean society. Your professor may not "own" you, but he is both older than you <em>and</em> hierarchically above you. As such, you owe him respect. In theory, if he gives you an order, you have to comply, whether you like it or not. If he asks you to come work on a weekend or late at night, you have to. In practice, rules are more relaxed for foreigners, who are not expected to know all these cultural details, but I suggest you be aware of them to avoid any mistake!</p>\n<p>What you really have to remember is that <em>you and your professor are not equal</em>. In all situations, your professor dictates what is right and what is not, what you should do and what you should not.</p>\n<p>That being said, there are (mainly) two kind of professors:</p>\n<ol>\n<li><p>Your professor is from an older generation and / or he is a reputed researcher in his field. This kind of individual tends to be <em>very</em> traditional and <em>very</em> finicky on "proper respect". If this is the kind of professor you have, I strongly advise: <strong>do not displease him</strong>. Just obey. Lie if you have to, but <em>do not</em> go against him in any way, the consequences may get way out of proportion. I am serious!</p>\n</li>\n<li><p>Your professor is more understanding and used to dealing with foreigners. First, start with an apology and try to explain the situation with him: you didn't know you were not allowed to do what you did, and that you will refrain from doing it without his approval in the future (again, lie if you want to, just try to not offend him). He will probably listen to you (but it's unlikely that he will change his mind anyway) and move on. Perhaps try negotiating a collaboration with him and the other author's supervisor.</p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n<p>So, in short:</p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>How can I mend things with my professor and continue to collaborate with my coauthor?</p>\n</blockquote>\n<p>Make an apology, do (or say you will do) what your professor wants, and continue collaborating <em>discretely</em>. Do not get caught again and do never mention any external research again. If asked about it, feel free to lie if needed. It is OK to say something and do the opposite, the only important thing is to not show disrespect.</p>\n<p>This may sound stupid or senseless to foreigners, but this is how things work, whether you like it or not. Hopefully, it will change over time, and in fact, it is already changing, albeit slowly.</p>\n<p>Hope that helps.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/08
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41276",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11841/"
] |
41,293 |
<p>I am writing an undergraduate dissertation and I have found some very good information from lecture handouts from other universities.
Will using these lecture notes compared to official publications or other dissertations reflect my dissertation in a bad light?
Of course I will source everything. </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41301,
"author": "Bill Barth",
"author_id": 11600,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11600",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You probably shouldn't source a concept key to your thesis from some unreviewed, posted on some website lecture notes. If the concept turns out to be wrong, the data unreproducible, or anything else comes up, your entire dissertation could be called into question. </p>\n\n<p>Your best bet is to try to find a textbook or peer-reviewed publication which the author used to create the lecture notes and cite that. Look in the notes themselves for references, and then look at the publications of the author of the notes. If you don't find something in one of those places, write the author and ask them for something citable. Also, start searching the internet for related concepts. You might even ask a professional librarian at your institution for help tracking down a good source. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41307,
"author": "paul garrett",
"author_id": 980,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/980",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I firmly believe that one should cite what one has used... and possibly more. To use a source and not cite it is simply dishonest and fails to give credit where it is due. At the same time, yes, one <em>also</em> wants official credibility, which usually entails citing refereed-journal publications (although the latter is not a promise of correctness, either). If nothing else, citing refereed-journal publications is <em>expected</em>, so doing it is doing what one is expected to do.</p>\n\n<p>(Lecture notes are not always mere echoing of textbooks or journal articles.)</p>\n\n<p>So, cite both the actual source you used, and find \"cite-able\" sources to accompany, so you'll be both honest (and explanatory) and \"formally correct\".</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/08
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41293",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/-1/"
] |
41,315 |
<p>In my department, PhD admissions and funding are two separate processes, which means many PhD students are admitted even if there is no funding for them. To be admitted, an applicant typically needs to impress a faculty member enough to want them to take the applicant on as a student (which means this faculty member becomes the applicant's advisor, if they decide to accept the offer of admission). To get funding, an applicant need to impress at least one of the several faculty members who controls a training grant enough to want them to offer the applicant a slot on the grant. It is very uncommon (if not impossible) for any PhD student to receive funding outside of a training grant via an RA, TA, or other source, at least in the 1st year.</p>
<p>As such, it is fairly common for a professor who wants a particular student to join the department as their advisee to lobby for the student with one of the training grant directors. This is particularly true in cases where the student of interest has communicated that they have a funded offer from a rival department and will likely not consider our department without a similar funding offer being extended.</p>
<p>Because of this practice, a difficult situation sometimes arises when funded students want to switch into a research area that is still within the scope of their training grant but not within the scope of their advisors' interests. Because both areas fall within the goals of their grant, these students are not risking their funding by switching (although they may be risking an additional year of PhD studies, depending on how late they switch). However, because their initial advisors usually had a large role in helping them secure funding, they are hesitant to make the switch out of a feeling of obligation to their advisor (e.g., "Dr. Z did a lot of work recruiting me and helping me get a funded offer, so I feel bad leaving her").</p>
<p>In situations where funding is not directly tied to one's advisor (but may be indirectly tied to them), what obligations does the student have to their advisor? Should the student feel free to switch advisors if they discover that another research area appeals more to them? Are there any special considerations or etiquette protocols?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41319,
"author": "user6726",
"author_id": 28972,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28972",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You should select your advisor based on your actual research interests and abilities, bearing in mind that that might not be possible given a change in funding. You should <em>never</em> maintain a relationship solely out of a feeling of guilt. However, you should carefully scrutinize your interactions with the potential abandonee, to be sure that you didn't make promises that you would now be breaking. If Professor X had a 4-year position to offer to you or an alternative student Z and you promised to see the project through to the end (which resulted in the actual offer), then that is a kind of promise / contractual relationship that should be taken very seriously. But usually, all the student knows about the matter is that they have an offer, and they are not contracting for anything long-term. It seems clear that in the situation that you describe, there is no broken promise.</p>\n\n<p>The right (polite) thing to do is have a frank discussion with the faculty member, explaining your interests. It is okay to acknowledge his/her interests, but you need to hold fast to your own interests, which are primary. There could be bad consequences if the professor isn't sufficiently rational and professional to handle this, but you can't live your life for someone else's sake.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41334,
"author": "xLeitix",
"author_id": 10094,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10094",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I think it is hard to answer this question without actually knowing the system and seeing whether such switches are commonly done. Typically, admission systems are either <em>central</em> (e.g., US-style, you apply with the faculty and once you are admitted you get an advisor) or <em>decentral</em> (e.g., central European, you apply and get funded directly by a specific professor). In the former case, transfers are not entirely uncommon. In the latter case, transfers are a bit of a dicey topic as students really only apply with and get accepted by one specific professor.</p>\n\n<p>Your system sounds a bit like a mixture of both - somehow, admissions are centralized, but it sounds like individual professors have so much say in the process that it in practice may well work like a decentral system. One important question may be how this \"lobbying\" for students works in practice. Does every professor have an \"alotted\" number of students that they can choose (either explicitly or by common practice)? That is, does the transferring student \"take away\" an alotted place for a professor and add one for another? If that is the case, I would assume that transferring <em>will indeed</em> lead to some hard feelings. However, if the system is more flexible, and \"lobbying\" for a student really just means that the advisor sent a recommendation without many more implications, I think transferring may be just fine for everybody.</p>\n\n<p>In the end, I think you need to see whether transfers happen regularly, and how the students that transferred are seen by the old and new faculty. If they never seem to happen, I would assume that professors will not be thrilled about the idea.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/09
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41315",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/26958/"
] |
41,322 |
<p>I often find myself lecturing for 7 hours in one day. This question is not about how to reduce my hours, it is about making healthy choices with my existing constraints.</p>
<p>I am lecturing to different classes during the day (it is not a single group of students for all 7 hours), in case that makes a difference.</p>
<p>I realize that during my lectures, I must choose what to do with my body. Should I sit (blood clots, deep-vein thrombus) or do I stand (I've heard non-lecturers complain about swelling legs when standing too much). </p>
<p>My questions are:</p>
<ul>
<li>What impacts are known from standing while lecturing for 7 hours per day, 3 days per week?</li>
<li>Is it better to stand or to walk around?</li>
<li>Is it better to sit for the whole time?</li>
<li>Is it best to do a "little bit of everything?" If so, where is the optimal balance?</li>
</ul>
<p>I realize that this might be specific to the person but I am hoping to find some experiences or, even better, research, which will indicate the best choices to make when one must lecture for many hours.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41353,
"author": "Calchas",
"author_id": 31491,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31491",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The health impacts of standing while doing a job are known to be strongly positive, compared to sitting while performing a similar function. For the seminal paper on this, see Morris et al., 1953 in the Lancet (<a href=\"http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673653914950\">http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673653914950</a>). Morris examined the incidence of heart disease in bus drivers vs. bus conductors. The former spend the day sat at the wheel while the latter spend the day walking around the bus collecting fares and enforcing the rules. This occupation was chosen because drivers and conductors come from the same socio-economic conditions and were expected to be fairly similar in every respect except for their working activity. Naturally the incidence was sharply reduced in the conductors. A casual Google Scholar search will pick up more recent references, and the health benefits of standing vs. sitting are widespread.</p>\n\n<p>One can imagine that standing for very long periods of time repeatedly might cause problems, particularly on the feet or ankles, but seven hours a day a few times a week is not really anything to be excited about. Many people work in bars or restaurants, on building sites, in hospitals and so on doing much more labour intensive work with shift lengths exceeding twelve hours, six days a week.</p>\n\n<p>All I would say is ensure you wear comfortable shoes!</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41405,
"author": "cbeleites unhappy with SX",
"author_id": 725,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/725",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I don't have hard evidence at hand, but I'd guess</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><p>a bit of everything is probably good</p></li>\n<li><p>Walking around is better than standing still or sitting only. One way of doing this could be to walk back and forth between slide changing (keyboard) and a lecturing position somewhere forming a triangle with students and projected slide. </p></li>\n<li>Some colleagues of mine who have to stand a lot in somewhat similar settings like <a href=\"https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masai_Barefoot_Technology\" rel=\"noreferrer\">unstable \"rocking chair\" shoes</a>.</li>\n<li>AFAIK, people who get swollen feet while standing tend to have the same problem when sitting for a long time. Which is plausible because the swelling has to do with the valves in leg veins and lymphatic vessels not working properly. Walking is better because the calf muscles help getting the blood back up. But for optimal results you need to use all kinds of muscles of the calf and foot, which you normally don't do on flat floors (this would be an argument for the rocking chair shoes, but I have no idea whether they actually help). OTOH, sitting on a table with legs dangling is really bad with resped to swollen feet: the edge compresses the veins in the upper leg. The same can happen with chairs that have the wrong (backward) seat slope and/or height. </li>\n<li><p>Making good use of breaks could also help without distracting students from the lecture because you do funny gymnastics. I knew a teacher who spent the lunch break doing a power nap with the feet up to prevent/alleviate swollen feet. </p></li>\n<li><p>I don't lecture long times, but: my natural idea about lecturing is to do it standing: this way you are better seen by the students, gestures work better and the voice is better as well. Standing still becomes uncomfortable very soon (=> walk). I take this as a (possibly rather late) sign that the body needs to move, so walk. Obviously, you cannot hike or run around the lecture hall, although this would be more healthy than walking a few steps every once in a while: it would make the students crazy.<br>\nGoing on with this train of thought, I sit down when standing becomes uncomfortable. Again, I take this as a sign that some (back) muscles get tired from the standing position, so having some other posture for a while is a good idea.<br>\nI call this primarily standing even if you walk a bit back and forth from the observation that I find it <em>much</em> easier to hike a whole day with a substantial (e.g. 25 kg) backback than to keep on my feet in these standing plus a tiny bit of walking postures. </p></li>\n</ul>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/09
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41322",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/2692/"
] |
41,324 |
<p>I'm currently an MSc student, and I really enjoy teaching. As an anecdote, when I was younger (like 7) I had a school for all my toys and did homework (with errors!) for them all. </p>
<p>Anyway, I have good reviews from my current students (I'm a lab instructor this semester), and a TA award from last semester. I enjoy this process - explaining concepts, developing lectures/labs, interacting with students. I do not really want to do a PhD though - it is not that I do not like research... I do, but I do not think it aligns with my life goals exactly.</p>
<p>We have two instructors with just MSc-s in my department, but they both apparently did so much research they could get a PhD if they wanted to. So I'm not sure if it is even possible to do from my current position? Can I become an instructor without doing a PhD once I graduate?</p>
<p>I mean, if not, I will probably spend that time developing online tutorials instead :)</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41328,
"author": "Ramrod",
"author_id": 28310,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28310",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Typically at larger \"more prestigious\" institutions, Professors must have their PhD to teach. It has been my experience that some smaller institutions will allow MS holders to teach undergraduate students - but your mileage may vary.</p>\n\n<p>As an example, a friend of mine has currently taken over a Computer Science department at a small institution and only has his Masters. While they would prefer a PhD holder, they can not find one to take the job.</p>\n\n<p>So, technically, yes - it is possible. Although you may not find yourself at a top-level institution. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 42045,
"author": "gdp",
"author_id": 31290,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31290",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>No, except in fairly unusual (and limited) circumstances. You generally require a PhD to lecture.</p>\n\n<p>In my department, it's expected that those lecturing classes will hold a PhD (I understand this is different from the USA where TAs may lecture). Teaching assistants are well paid (compared to some horror stories I've heard) and available to those working on their PhD, as well as finishing up a masters. They generally only assist in lab sessions and tutorials though. </p>\n\n<p>I did give some masters lectures while working on a PhD but this was definitely the exception rather than the rule - it was on a very specific niche where I was unofficially viewed as \"professor of practice\" by colleagues, so the restriction was ignored on that occasion, on account of having teaching and presentation experience, and that everyone else offered the class asked if I had been offered it... (to try cut their own teaching load) </p>\n\n<p>In my experience from my own institution and department, it wouldn't be possible to start a career today and move into lecturing undergraduate classes without a PhD, so I have to suggest my answer is no, a PhD or similar \"terminal degree\" would be needed. In some cases there are exceptions made, but these are pretty rare and generally relate to a special exception being made for someone with comparable experience gained elsewhere.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 160745,
"author": "Nicole Hamilton",
"author_id": 9553,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/9553",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Yes, absolutely, it is possible, at least, here in the US. Lots of top schools use teaching faculty for large undergraduate courses, especially in computer science and engineering and a few of them (like me at Michigan) only have a master's.</p>\n<p>The rule is you're supposed to have one degree higher than the students you're teaching or a terminal degree, i.e., a PhD. So, if you're only teaching students working on their bachelor's, all you <em>really</em> need is a master's. Even if their post says applicants should have a PhD, it doesn't mean you can't get the job without one. (What else do you bring to the table?)</p>\n<p>What matters is whether you can teach. So, the search committee will be looking for teaching experience and ability. The way to get the experience when you have none is (or was for me) as a part-time affiliate or adjunct instructor, perhaps starting out teaching a lab, later a lecture course. (Part-time opportunities tend to open up last minute when they realize they've got a hole in their schedule, a course they've promised to offer but no one available to teach it, and they're desperate to find someone right away. This is especially true of summer offerings. Check in regularly with the chairs or whoever's doing scheduling at the relevant local departments to let them know you're available.)</p>\n<p>The search committee will ask for your CV, some LORs, a few short essays, e.g., describing your teaching philosophy, list of classes taught, probably want to see past student evals, and perhaps a short video of one of your classes. If they like what they see, they'll ask for a teaching demonstration where you'll present a sample lecture and they will role-play as students. (Hint: Never take new material on the road. If you're asked to give a teaching demo, give a lecture you've previously given and thoroughly debugged in front of a live class, hopefully several times. Pick something where you know you nailed it. The quality of your lecture is far more important than the topic, so don't try to "pitch" your lecture to what you think the department is looking for with new untried material.)</p>\n<p>Teaching appointments are not tenure track positions, it's all teaching, no research, and the pay and status is lower, which is why they're not very attractive to top PhDs. So, it's a lot harder to attract really good teaching faculty than you'd think and why they may be willing to hire you with only a master's if you can do the job. Typical contracts are initially 3 years, then 5 years at each renewal. At many schools, the title is some variation of "lecturer". That's what we have here at Michigan, where it's Lecturer I through Lecturer IV. (Yeah, no one likes the title.) Some schools have switched to a variation on "teaching professor". <a href=\"https://ap.washington.edu/blog/2020/05/uw-establishes-new-professorial-teaching-track/\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">University of Washington</a> now has Assistant Teaching Professor, Associate Teaching Professor and Teaching Professor titles.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/09
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41324",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/23924/"
] |
41,333 |
<p>This question is triggered by the recent allegations about Willie Soon failing to declare conflicts of interest in his papers on climate change. It got me wondering about situations where an obvious conflict of interest existed in the past, but doesn't exists anymore at the time where a paper is published.</p>
<p>Are there generally accepted practices on when to declare past conflicts of interest, or is this entirely up to each journal? Requiring disclosure of decades-old conflicts of interests does feel a bit silly to me, but making them disappear if they just happened shortly before one worked on a paper seems rather problematic as well.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41335,
"author": "410 gone",
"author_id": 96,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/96",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Usually the consideration is not about the funding received when the paper was <em>published</em>, but received <em>while the work was being done</em>. To illustrate: if a grant is won after a paper is submitted, but before it is published, it would be strange to see it declared as a conflict of interest.</p>\n\n<p>But if a researcher persistently receives funding from a particular source, and then takes time off from that funding and uses those windows in funding to publish material in support of that source, then it would be inappropriate to stay silent about that funding: doing so would be against at least the spirit of the rules about declaring conflicts of interest; and may be explicity against the letter of the rules, when the papers contained work that was done during the funding period.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41346,
"author": "Dikran Marsupial",
"author_id": 2827,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/2827",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I think the principle is fairly straightforward: if some factor exists that a (possibly imaginary) opponent of yours would consider a legitimate conflict of interest, then declare it. In other words, you need to consider what other people would regard as a conflict of interest, rather than what <em>you</em> view as a conflict of interest. If the journal requirements are even more stringent than this, then you still have to abide by it if you want to publish a paper with them.</p>\n\n<p>In this particular case, it is a requirement of the <a href=\"http://www.springer.com/cda/content/document/cda_downloaddocument/11434_IFA.pdf?SGWID=0-0-45-1492850-p173620791\" rel=\"nofollow\">journal</a></p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>i. Disclosure of potential Conflict of interests </p>\n \n <p>Authors must disclose\n all relationships or interests that could influence or bias the work.\n Examples of potential conflicts of interests that are directly or\n indirectly related to the research may include but not limited to the\n following:</p>\n \n <p>Research grants from funding agencies (please give the\n research funder and the grant number) </p>\n \n <ul>\n <li><p>Honoraria for speaking at\n symposia</p></li>\n <li><p>Financial support for attending symposia </p></li>\n <li><p>Financial\n support for educational programs </p></li>\n <li><p>Employment or consultation </p></li>\n <li><p>Support from a project sponsor </p></li>\n <li><p>Position on advisory board or board\n of directors or other type of management relationships </p></li>\n <li><p>Multiple affiliations </p></li>\n <li><p>Financial relationships, for example equity ownership\n or investment interest </p></li>\n <li><p>Intellectual property rights (e.g. patents,\n copyrights and royalties from such rights) </p></li>\n <li><p>Holdings of spouse and/or\n children that may have financial interest in the work </p></li>\n </ul>\n \n <p>In addition,\n interests that go beyond financial interests and compensation\n (non-financial interests) that may be important to readers should be\n disclosed. These may include but are not limited to personal\n relationships or competing interests directly or indirectly tied to\n this research, or professional interests or personal beliefs that may\n influence your research. The corresponding author will include a\n summary statement in the text of the manuscript in a separate section\n before the reference list. An examples of disclosures is shown below:\n Conflict of interest: Author A has received research grants from\n Company A. Author B has received a speaker honorarium from Company X\n and owns stock in Company Y. Author C is a member of committee Z. If\n no conflict exists, the authors should state: Conflict of interest:\n The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>This specification seems rather more rigorous than most journals, but it is pretty clear. It seems reasonable to say that the previous funding is indirectly related to the research in the paper in question. I would also say that all four authors of the paper being affiliated with think-tanks (e.g. the Heartland Institute) that are active in the political debate on climate change is a far more significant conflict of interest than the funding issue. Having said which, this is IMHO a fairly minor issue, which should be dealt with via due process, just like any other case. I am more concerned with scientists being harassed by FOIA requests, regardless of which \"side\" of the argument they support. It would be better all round if we could just stick to the science.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/09
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41333",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/201/"
] |
41,337 |
<p>Why does there <strong>seem</strong> to be a lack of oversight when it comes to how professors interact with students? </p>
<p>For example, consider the following questions:</p>
<ol>
<li><p><a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/28631/how-to-deal-with-an-advisor-who-wants-a-friendlier-relationship-with-me-than-i">How to deal with an advisor who wants a "friendlier" relationship with me than I do?</a></p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/31265/my-professor-is-rigging-data-and-plagiarizing-what-can-i-do">My professor is rigging data and plagiarizing. What can I do?</a></p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29572/my-first-authorship-is-being-turned-into-co-first-authorship-what-can-i-do">My first authorship is being turned into co-first authorship, what can I do?</a></p></li>
</ol>
<p>I understand that these situations are not typical, but why is this able to exist at all in the academic world? In all three of these situations it seems that there is a complete lack of oversight of professors went it comes to their interactions with student and it seems their students can do very little if they are being treated unfairly.</p>
<p>I ask this because in many ways, it seems that academia is much more objective and fair than the corporate world. For example, one cannot get a faculty position at a top school by interviewing well or because their friend heads the department. College admissions tend to very (perhaps, even brutally) objective. Lastly, outright fraud and theft of one's work tends to be low compared to outside academia. I suppose my point of confusion is why does academia fail to be as strict and fair at the professor/student level. </p>
<p>To give some context to my question, I work in the software industry and <strong>I am approaching this question as a total outsider.</strong> It seems like the academic world tries to do everything it can to be fair, but I don't (as an outsider) see this with the professor/student dynamic.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41338,
"author": "Faheem Mitha",
"author_id": 285,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/285",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Much abuse in the academic world is directed against students. They are in an ambiguous position. They are often not considered working professionals, though in practice they are. I.e. they often teach and/or conduct research. They are usually not rewarded financially in line with their training and skills. They cannot easily move to another place till they have completed their degree. Also, they are more dependent on their mentor/supervisor than a working professional would typically be. And they are not accorded the rights that working persons normally are. Students are also less likely to complain because they need to have good relations with the faculty for their future careers. Often they are working with faculty members on projects. While similar situations/circumstances can arise outside academia, this combination is relatively unusual. The closest analogy I can think of is the institution of interns, who probably also endure abuse, though their stays are usually much shorter.\nAnyway, this is fertile ground for abuse.</p>\n\n<p>While this is not directly relevant, it's symptomatic that there is often much controversy/difficulty when students try to start Unions to protect their rights. This has been an issue for a good many years, at least in the United States. There was a famous case at Yale some years ago, for example.</p>\n\n<p>Additionally, the institution of tenure is quite rare outside academia, though it exists. For example, judges have tenure. Tenured professors are hard to fire, and therefore are more likely to get away with abuse without consequences.</p>\n\n<p>There is another issue, which is more speculative. But I'll mention it, anyway. This may also be country dependent. Foreigners entering Western countries, at least, are subject to employment restrictions. There is one notable exception to this restriction - namely educational institutions, which means universities in practice. This may not be universally true, but for example in the US, being a student is probably the easiest way to enter the country, and the main exception to the H1B work visa cap, the last I heard, were educational and non-profit institutions. </p>\n\n<p>Anyway, in practice this means there are many foreigners in Western universities, both at a student and post-doc level, and of course at faculty level. Here I am only concerned about junior temporary employees like students and post-docs. In the US, at least, there is much institutional discrimination against such persons. They can't easily move to another job or university because of employment restrictions. Getting a non-university job is often very difficult. Getting employed involves an additional burden of paperwork. So, such people are, again, targets for abuse. This is not theoretical - I've seen and heard much to support this. Of course, foreigners get employment outside academia too, but for the reasons I have discussed, I believe the density of foreigners employed is particularly high in Western universities.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41339,
"author": "410 gone",
"author_id": 96,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/96",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It's a strange thing to ask why do bad things happen.</p>\n\n<p>Bad things happen.</p>\n\n<p>Rules aren't there to prevent bad things happening altogether. That would be an impossible goal. They are there to reduce the occurrences, and their consequences, as far as is practicable.</p>\n\n<p>You have found some cases where bad things happen. You've then tried to extrapolate that to infer something about academia as a whole. And that inference is invalid. You've identified some possible bad things. All their existence shows, is that bad things might happen. Not that oversight is missing; not that there is an absence of accountability; not that there is a failure to redress wrongs. Just that sometimes, bad things happen.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41345,
"author": "Piotr Migdal",
"author_id": 49,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/49",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>To supplement <a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/41338/49\">a great answer by Faheem Mitha</a>:</p>\n\n<p>I would add that there are professions with very structured career (e.g. in medicine, law and military), and problems there are at least as severe. In general, the thing is a about the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guild\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">guild system</a>, where the only way to become a professional is to get acceptance of a small community of professionals (cf. free jobs, where anyone can start and it is the market who decides). </p>\n\n<p>Such systems have good quality control (i.e. there is no way around internal checks), but also generate huge gap between the already established people and the newcomers (which is an ample room for abuse - conflict with supervisors may not only jeopardize one's position in a particular company or institute, but the whole career).</p>\n\n<p>As a side note, internships in the guild system are not only meant to <em>teach</em>, but also to control supply, so to maintain prices or prestige.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41361,
"author": "gerrit",
"author_id": 1033,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1033",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Oversight rules vary tremendously, but at the end of the day, professors have a considerably position of power over students, no matter how many rules the university has to protect them.</p>\n\n<p>In at least two Swedish universities I am aware of, PhD students have the right to change supervisors. This rule is designed to provide the student a way out in case the relationship with the supervisor becomes unworkable. I know at least one case where this happened, but having heard both sides of the story, I think it is rather a case of conflicting personalities than a case of abuse. Of course, it's an undesirable situation in any case, but it does mean there is some form of oversight. If it happens more than once to the same professor that their students switch before finishing, that's going to look quite bad on the professor. Maybe it helps, if only a little.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41365,
"author": "Alecos Papadopoulos",
"author_id": 8575,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/8575",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The OP wrote</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>\"<em>...I ask this because in many ways, it seems that academia is much\n more objective and fair than the corporate world.</em>\"</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>So I understand the question as follows: Academia seems, <em>in general</em>, structured to exhibit a <em>lower</em> degree of harassment, unfair practices, etc, compared to the corporate world. But it appears that in one particular \"field\", the professor/student relationship, Academia does worse than it does in other fields, like</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>\"<em>For example, one cannot get a faculty position at a top school by\n interviewing well or because their friend heads the department.</em>\"</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>This we could call <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meritocracy\" rel=\"nofollow\"><strong>meritocracy</strong></a> (as a guiding principle). And meritocracy is a <em>ruthless</em> regime, where those with lesser merit, are, pardon my political incorrectness, <em>lesser</em>. And however imperfectly measured, and bar exceptional situations that validate the rule, students have lesser merit than professors, in the specific field of activity that they meet and interact.</p>\n\n<p>In theory and in imagination, armed with humanistic principles and the currently prevailing <em>ethical ideals</em> (not practiced ethics), at least in the Western world with which I am familiar, we could perceive of a meritocratic system totally free of (from?) abusive treatment of those with lesser merit.</p>\n\n<p>And as @Energynumbers answer correctly points out, after all, the issue at hand is a matter of <em>degree</em>, and so we will have to measure it in order to conclude on how widespread it is, how frequent, how severe, and whether it has become the rule, or the exception that validates the rule.</p>\n\n<p>My answer just says that the same rules that may make Academia \"score better\" than the corporate world in the eyes of outsiders, are those that create also the potential for seemingly conflicting attitudes and phenomena.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41373,
"author": "Wolfgang Bangerth",
"author_id": 31149,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31149",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The question makes a salient point, namely why it keeps happening (to whichever degree) even though everyone knows that it happens.</p>\n\n<p>I think there are two answers to this question:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><p>Professors don't really have any kind of training with regard to human resource management. As a professor, at least at research intensive universities, you are hired and promoted almost exclusively based on your research credentials. You may be managing a group of 20 grad students and postdocs, but almost never will these managers have gone through any kind of training that would teach them how to actually do this -- neither from the operational viewpoint, nor from the point of view of how to manage the humans that make up your group. It is certainly true for me that I have felt unsure how to deal with situations in my own research group many times. There is no formal structure in universities where you have to go through (or could even choose to go through) any kind of training that would prepare you for being in the position of a group leader before you get into it. Consequently, many professors essentially wing it day in day out and \"shit happens\". (The same happens, by the way, within the professorial ranks -- there is no training you can take before you become a department head.)</p></li>\n<li><p>Among colleagues, it is usually reasonably well known which of the professors treat their students well and which don't. But what are you going to do about it? Once someone has tenure, the only stick you have is to open post-tenure proceedings or to have formal hearings to revoke someone's tenure because of abuse of students. Unless a professor sexually assaults a student, it is almost inconceivable to think of evidence that would stand in the court of law upon which a university could base revoking someone's tenure. So it isn't done. A department head might talk to a professor in a case where students keep complaining, but as there are no formal training programs or requirements for professors (see above), there is in fact very little that can be done in practice. (I'm not trying to make this into an excuse, it's just a cold hard look at the realities of a university, sad as it is in these cases.)</p></li>\n</ul>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/09
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41337",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31463/"
] |
41,341 |
<p>I, along with two fellow doctoral students, am about to publish a paper supervised by our professor. Our professor is listed as the last author, which of course is fair as he supervised the project.</p>
<p>One of us, student A, is listed as the first author, which there is not disagreement on. Student B is listed afterwards, and I am the third listed author.</p>
<p>The ordering of student B and I is alphabetical, nothing more. This is also reasonable, as we all believe that our contribution has been the same.</p>
<p>However, it is not listed in the paper that our contributions are the same. Should I insist on this before submitting the paper?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41343,
"author": "TheWanderer",
"author_id": 11338,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11338",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Personally, I don't think that being second or third matters. At least not to the point of arguing (in case you needed to). If you have the space, you can add a statement in the Acknowledgements section.</p>\n\n<p>Realistically, only those who read the paper would be aware of that. You'd have to replicate the statement in your CV, or the distinction might be lost.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41348,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In fields where authorship order matters, the difference between second author and third author is very little, pragmatically, in terms of how people will think about your contributions. Neither is the first author (whose name will be noticed in every citation), and neither is the last author (in those fields where last = senior).</p>\n\n<p>What you can do, however, is what many journals now require, where you add a section at the end of the paper with a name like \"Author Contributions.\" In this section, you write down exactly what each author did, e.g., </p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>R.L. performed the experiments, T.X. ran spectroscopic analysis, B.G. supplied a critical DNA construct, R.L. and T.X. analyzed the data, T.X. and B.M. wrote the manuscript, and R.L,.T.X., and B.M. edited the manuscript.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>This won't change the \"first impressions\" that anybody has of the paper, but anybody who wants to know whether you're a significant contributor or not will be readily able to find out.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41367,
"author": "j6m8",
"author_id": 11993,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11993",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In many cases (especially seen on online sources like PubMed et al), names are suffixed with a * and explanation:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Smith J, Lee H *, Doe J *, Howard M, PhD</p>\n \n <p>*: These authors contributed equally.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Whether this solves the problem or just makes the order slightly less important... That's up to your personal preference. But this is a commonly accepted method of mitigating just this issue.</p>\n\n<p>The greatest benefit of this solution is that it <em>can</em> change the first impression of the viewer, if the * catches their attention.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 89253,
"author": "XavierStuvw",
"author_id": 73304,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/73304",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>If you want to highlight that everyone has contributed his/her expertise equally, you could sort the authors' names alphabetically and specify in the acknowledgement that 'the order of the authors is alphabetical'. I have seen this a few times. Of course, this is meaningful for the audience that reads the acknowledgement, which may be a small subset of the overall target audience (who may just be content reading abstract and conclusions).</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/09
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41341",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6049/"
] |
41,351 |
<p>I submitted a paper ten day ago, respecting the dead line. Precisely, I submitted the paper two days before the dead line indicated by the Journal on its web site. The Journal had different editions during the years, such as the spring, summer and winter one. The deadline is important only to see your article published on the next edition of the journal. However, from the day I submitted the paper, I still haven't received any answer from the editors. I submitted my paper, as required by e/mail. I didn't get even a confirmitation that the paper was received. Is this normal?</p>
<p>Should I ask about the current status of the paper?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41411,
"author": "george",
"author_id": 21766,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/21766",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>From what I understand, the journal has a schedule for considering articles to be published in the next issues. This means that if you miss a (not <em>the</em>) deadline, your article will be considered for inclusion in a subsequent issue. No problem there.</p>\n\n<p>You not having heard from them in 10 days does not mean your paper was not received. I assume they received the paper already, but they 're too busy/unprofessional not to send back a confirmation or a thank you email.</p>\n\n<p>Yes, of course you can ask about the status; nothing wrong can come out of that. I would write an email of the form:</p>\n\n<pre><code>Dear Editor,\nI am writing to inquire about the status of the paper, entitled:\n[title]\nthat I submitted to the [Journal name], on [Date].\nI would appreciate if you could confirm that you have received the paper.\nBest regards,\n[Name]\n[Affiliation]\n</code></pre>\n\n<p>Assuming of course that you have checked your spam folder.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 41475,
"author": "dtrihinas",
"author_id": 25403,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/25403",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You should always get a confirmation email that your journal, paper, demo, etc. has been received. </p>\n\n<p>Now this happened to me once before where the journal article was submitted on time but due to some automatic pdf renaming, the journal got sent by the system to the wrong editor who just ignored it. Luckily, because this article was an invited one our editor sent us a kind reminder that we didn't make the deadline (since she never got it) and we figured out what happen and resolved the problem.</p>\n\n<p>So as george suggests, just ask about the status of receiving it. A review will take some time...</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/03/09
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41351",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31497/"
] |
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