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46,334 |
<p>I am an undergraduate student.
In about a month, there will be a conference a professor of mine suggested that I go to. The subject of the conference is part of his research field and I am interested in doing a MSc with him later on.
I was wondering whether there is a way of asking him to join me (or me to join him) while attending the conference without creating an awkward situation. What I mean to say is that I really think that being around him at the conference, sitting somewhere close to him will benefit myself in many ways (for example hear some comments during a speech, share thoughts etc.). Is there anyway I could ask him so we meet there and sit together or something? In no way, do I want him to take that in a wrong way.</p>
<p>I would really appreciate it if you could help me.
Thank you.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46340,
"author": "paul garrett",
"author_id": 980,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/980",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Probably the faculty person's plans are already made, months in advance, so your asking will have no impact on their actual plans. Possible, but not likely.</p>\n\n<p>That is, if they'd not already planned to attend, they had reasons to not do so, or insufficient reasons to do so, and these reasons will probably not be changed by your own attendance... especially when the faculty person has made a recommendation.</p>\n\n<p>Yes, as often, there is some risk of accidental misunderstanding about motivations, personal versus professional. The usual irony is that only the scrupulous, honorable people worry about such things... :) But, in any case, I'd think that the on-the-mark question would be \"are you yourself going to be there... for me to bounce questions off?\"</p>\n\n<p>As in many situations, asking the actual operational question, rather than any sort of circumlocutious persiflage, is ... good. In fact, the tone of many circumlocutions can accidentally/inappropriately suggest unintended intentions... of course.</p>\n\n<p>This is yet-another one of those situations where worrying about \"coded\" communication is not productive. Be forthright.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46344,
"author": "galois",
"author_id": 25375,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/25375",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>\"Would you like to attend it as well?\"</p>\n\n<p>Or</p>\n\n<p>\"Would you mind if I came along? The conference sounds very interesting.\"</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46440,
"author": "O. R. Mapper",
"author_id": 14017,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14017",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>I am going to answer specifically based on the explanation</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>He is already planning to attend and I want his permission to be near him during the conference.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>I doubt anyone plans a conference visit down to that level of detail. Planning to be \"near someone else\" during a conference is rather counterproductive:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>You don't want to focus on following someone, you want to focus on the conference presentations.</li>\n<li>During the presentations, you <em>could</em> sit next to him, but what for? The options for talking or otherwise exchanging any meaningful information are rather limited while attending a talk.</li>\n<li>You <em>might</em> then plan for joining him during coffee breaks. But then, those are exactly the time when a large chaos starts (everyone leaves rooms and walks around) and all the spontaneous things come up (fetching beverages and food, running into old and new acquaintances that want to discuss something, starting a conversation about one of the talks just attended, going to the bathroom, ...) and all planning is in vain.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Of course, you could ask the professor beforehand: \"I would like to discuss some topics with you during the conference, can we meet for that purpose?\", but from the point of view of the professor, that will most likely be a <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NOP\" rel=\"nofollow\">NOOP</a>, a bit of conversation with you that does not provoke any concrete reactions. Once again, because that level of detail can hardly be planned beforehand.</p>\n\n<p>Rather than that, approach the professor spontaneously during the conference; that makes it likely that either he'll be free then, or he'll promise some free time in the <em>near</em> future (e.g. the next break).</p>\n\n<p>This way, there will be no need for you to follow him all the time:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>You can pick the sessions you are personally most interested in.</li>\n<li>By <em>not</em> attending the same session as your professor, you can even contribute to gathering as much from the conference as possible (with respect to your whole \"delegation\", as different members of your team gather impressions from different talks).</li>\n<li>Maybe you can even find some contacts of your own (who might very well be quite a different set of contacts than who you might more or less get in touch with when just standing around next to your professor).</li>\n</ul>\n"
}
] |
2015/05/30
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46334",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35237/"
] |
46,346 |
<p>So I was listening to this story on The Moth about a woman who earned a degree in Egypt and then an advanced degree in England and then went back to Zimbabwe to be a professor at local university: <a href="http://themoth.org/posts/stories/grandma-mahembes-farm" rel="noreferrer">http://themoth.org/posts/stories/grandma-mahembes-farm</a></p>
<p>Would it be possible for a US citizen to do something similar and, after earning a PhD in the US, then pursue a professorship in a developing country? Is there any stigma against this as well? Should US citizens be expected to leave such opportunities the peoples of those countries? I know that the NSF has some bridge programs to bring people from developing countries to he US, but are there programs that do the reverse: that is, programs targeted at sending US PhDs to developing countries?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46347,
"author": "Aleksandr Blekh",
"author_id": 12391,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12391",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>While I'm not aware of specific programs for international professorship opportunities (other than direct ads in regard to open positions), I compiled the following list of <strong>international-focused research and teaching programs</strong>, which might very well be what you're looking for. Keep in mind that the list below is not exhaustive, as there are various other programs (especially field-specific, i.e., <a href=\"http://www.whitaker.org/grants/fellows-scholars\" rel=\"nofollow\">biomedical</a>, <a href=\"http://www.hfsp.org/funding/postdoctoral-fellowships\" rel=\"nofollow\">complex biological systems</a>, <a href=\"http://www.acls.org/programs/comps\" rel=\"nofollow\">social sciences</a>, etc.), but IMHO contains the most well-known and/or important programs on the topic. Hope this helps.</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><p><a href=\"http://catalog.cies.org\" rel=\"nofollow\">The Fullbright U.S. Scholar Program</a> - also see potentially relevant information on the related <a href=\"http://www.iie.org\" rel=\"nofollow\">website</a> of Institute of International Education;</p></li>\n<li><p><a href=\"http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5179&org=NSF\" rel=\"nofollow\">NSF International Research Fellowship Program</a> - the program no longer receives proposals, see next program instead;</p></li>\n<li><p><a href=\"http://www.nsf.gov/od/iia/ise/iprffapp.jsp\" rel=\"nofollow\">International Postdoctoral Research Fellowships</a> - the information specifies individual NSF programs that allow international component.</p></li>\n</ul>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 186549,
"author": "Thomas Schwarz",
"author_id": 75315,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/75315",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Many developing countries try to build up a university system, but they have difficulties staffing it, because the local crop of Ph.D.s is too small or of bad quality (because of lack of educational opportunity). The movement of qualified people is in general in the other direction, from developing countries to the US and Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.</p>\n<p>Very often, the pay is close to miserable and the conditions are poor, such as very high teaching loads and lack of research support. In Latin America, high school teachers often need two jobs to survive (one at a morning school and one at an evening school) and university salaries are not that much better. This is balanced against the chance of being able to make a real difference.</p>\n<p>If you decide to pursue a career outside of the US in a developing country, be aware of bureaucracy (you will need to get the right type of visa and eventually residency), the difficulties of inculturization (how do bused in Montevideo UR work, when to go to a doctor, ...), the dangers ('Don't go on a bus in El Salvador, the gangs will kill you'), the language difficulties (in India, you need to be trilingual if you want to function), the differences in the educational system and the level of administration, the attitudes of students towards the institution and vice versa, prejudices against you and by you, etc. Often, people will welcome you, but sometimes not. Your experience will be overvalued or undervalued. ...</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 186561,
"author": "Anonymous Physicist",
"author_id": 13240,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/13240",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<blockquote>\n<p>Would it be possible for a US citizen to do something similar</p>\n</blockquote>\n<p>Yes. I know of one person who moved from a wealthy country, where they were born, to a professorship at a poor country.</p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Is there any stigma against this as well?</p>\n</blockquote>\n<p>There is a stigma associated with low-ranked universities.</p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Should US citizens be expected to leave such opportunities the peoples of those countries?</p>\n</blockquote>\n<p>No.</p>\n<p>The main difficulty are the financial and health disadvantages of working in developing countries.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/05/31
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46346",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/26832/"
] |
46,350 |
<p>I am an 11th grader and studying undergraduate mathematics and living in India.
I want to become a mathematician, but there is one problem in this path. My parents want me to become a medical doctor, but I have no interest in biology. My parents say there is no career in mathematics and it is a total passion job, you can't get anything from it. They say: "There is no demand of mathematics and you can't go anywhere after few years. The salary is not good and no job as a mathematician. You will only get a job if you do your Ph.D."</p>
<p>So my questions are:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Is it true what my parents are saying?</p></li>
<li><p>If it isn't, then what are the careers in mathematics? It is fine if it is a bit long; I don't want any shortcut to success. Also will studying mathematics take up a lot of money? It is a huge issue in my house.</p></li>
</ol>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46352,
"author": "Dave Clarke",
"author_id": 643,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/643",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The answer very much depends on what kind of mathematics you study. Some purely theoretical topics may lead only to academic positions, whereas other areas could lead to positions in finance, data science, statistics. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46353,
"author": "Nicholas",
"author_id": 1424,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1424",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Your parents are thoroughly incorrect when they say that there is no career opportunities in mathematics. </p>\n\n<p>Further to Dave Clarke's answer, many (applied) mathematicians find work in the City (as in the financial services sector of London) running risk analyses, for instance. </p>\n\n<p>If however, you are looking at finding work as a research academic in mathematics, then jobs are there, but sought after. Teaching mathematics at university level provides wider prospects, however. </p>\n\n<p>To answer your question about money, the amount you have to pay largely rests on the tuition fees that you can afford. This will depend on which university you choose to attend.</p>\n\n<p>There is also the middle ground of studying mathematics with a view to putting that study to work in medicine. Consider that statistics (yes, probably not the subject you are interested in), was essentially developed as a response to a medical situation (plague in London). There is also a vast amount of work requiring pure and applied mathematics in medicine (nuclear medicine, MRI, NMR, for example). </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46362,
"author": "Joe Corneli",
"author_id": 32387,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/32387",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Mathematician was the top-rated job according to a study <a href=\"http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123119236117055127\" rel=\"nofollow\">discussed in the Wall Street Journal in 2009</a>. Number 2 was Actuary and Number 3 was Statistician. Income for mathematicians was a bit higher than either of those (it surprised me how well-paid \"mathematicians\" are). Computer-related careers also placed well in this ranking. </p>\n\n<p>Like they say \"it's nice work if you can get it\"! For some sense of the available jobs, check <a href=\"https://www.mathjobs.org/jobs\" rel=\"nofollow\">mathjobs.org</a>. A PhD will likely be required for many but not all. </p>\n\n<p>Regarding costs: You don't need much equipment, so that could help keep costs down. ✎ Scholarships are often available for advanced degrees in this area, so earning a PhD may be more a matter of time and effort than money. </p>\n\n<p>If you're interested in going to grad school for mathematics in the US, have a look at the <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GRE_Mathematics_Test\" rel=\"nofollow\">Mathematics GRE Subject Test</a>, since your results on that test will (likely) be a strong factor in influencing where you are accepted.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46368,
"author": "DVK",
"author_id": 20300,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20300",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<ol>\n<li><p>If you have good grounding in math, this opens you up to well placed career in anything computer related (software development, research, all sorts of finance-related positions). Obviously, that's a pretty good career path these days. You'd be surprised and how varied computer-related positions involving heavy math lifting are.</p></li>\n<li><p>If you want to do pure math research, that may be harder to pursue. There aren't all that many research positions in terms of pure math out there, in India or even elsewhere, compared to amount of people seeking them.</p></li>\n<li><p>However, you're not restricted to pure academic university position. If you're into number theory, any number of crypto* related opportunities are there (NSA in US is a heavy employer of such people; and I'm pretty sure India may have it equivalent). As time goes, security and encryption gets to be more and more important.</p></li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>To convince your parents, show them the numbers for those applied jobs. Both their #, and the salaries (especially for things like quants in financial firms)</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46369,
"author": "Mohamed Khamis",
"author_id": 703,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/703",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I can understand your situation since I come as well from a country where parents convince their offspring to join either: medicine, engineering or pharmacy. Because they think these are the \"secure\" jobs. Although the following might sound intuitive to many readers, I expect that people coming from developing countries (like me) might find this advice valuable. </p>\n\n<p>Your parents speak out of their experience from what they see around them. I would assume that, like in my country, it is true that mathematicians do not have many good opportunities in India. </p>\n\n<p>So to answer question (1), I assume that in India this is true. In other countries that might not be the case, although it is true that in general medical doctors will probably earn more than mathematicians, but in many countries (e.g. western European countries) you (as well as your family) can live a very decent life with a mathematician's salary. </p>\n\n<p>(2) As others said already, mathematicians can get jobs in research, IT and as well in insurance companies.</p>\n\n<p>Now my advice is to do what you love and let it eat you! this will sound Utopian to some, but no it is true, you can do what you love and live a decent life a the same time, you do not have to do something you hate (e.g. study biology) in order to live happily. Money is not everything, and you cannot guarantee you'll earn a lot of money even if you become a medical doctor. </p>\n\n<p>If you really have the passion for mathematics, I suggest you apply at universities abroad. Apply for scholarships and fellowships and study at a place that will appreciate your passion to the field. If you really love something you'll do great at it, and I think you'll have a better chance to reach your highest potential at universities known to be strong in mathematics. Also that's where you will probably get exposed to better job opportunities.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46375,
"author": "Mikasa",
"author_id": 35264,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35264",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Quite simply, you're not going to be happy if you (for example) become a medical doctor and you hate the job. This is <em>your</em> life and you need to do what you want to do, regardless of whether or not it pleases your parents. </p>\n\n<p>You clearly have a deep understanding and passion for maths, and if you follow it as a career path you could do great things.</p>\n\n<p>You're just going to have to tell your parents that this is what <em>you</em> want to do.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 49792,
"author": "John_dydx",
"author_id": 8901,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/8901",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I would advise that you go for your passion which is mathematics. If you do change your mind after obtaining a degree in mathematics, you can always apply to medical school as a graduate and by this time, your decision will be well informed. Perhaps explaining this to your parents might help ease their anxieties about your future. Also, bear in mind that medicine is more expensive to study at university level (more years of study) compared to mathematics. It is true that you could probably get by as an average medical doctor but if you don't have the right personality for the job, you will stand out for the wrong reasons and you will definitely hate it in the end. There is a lot of pressure on medical doctors and its not uncommon for the media to focus on them.</p>\n\n<p>Think about it-if you study maths and you change your mind to medicine, you don't have much to lose. However, if you study medicine and realise its not for you, you run the risk of either dropping out of the course or forcing yourself to complete a degree you don't enjoy.</p>\n\n<p>It is true that Pure mathematics may not necessarily earn you millions but you can never predict where your research will take you. There are mathematicians who consult in the industry in addition to their academic duties. </p>\n\n<p>You just need to find a way to convince your parents-perhaps get the attention of someone whom your parents respect and are likely to listen to. </p>\n\n<p>Best wishes. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/05/31
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46350",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/-1/"
] |
46,354 |
<p>I'm not sure if this question is too broad or opinion-based, but I have been wondering about it for sometime.</p>
<p>In the old days when communication was not as abundant as is today, periodicals were a very effective means of communicating one's research and findings to interested people. Books and personal letters were also available, but were either not suitable for short communications or narrowly accessible. Thus, journals made sense at that time.</p>
<p>Today, however, especially with the widespread use of the internet, I find it hard to justify the existence of journals other than to preserve the status quo from the past. In fact, I can see several disadvantages such as:</p>
<ol>
<li>Economic burden on institutions and individuals.</li>
<li>Unnecessary delay in publication due to processing and reviewing times.</li>
<li>Subjective editor/peer-review process with many decisions made based on personal and/or journal-specific reasons.</li>
</ol>
<p>So my question is: are there any real advantages of having journals nowadays? Wouldn't it be better to adopt an open publication method (maybe similar to that here at SX) in which people can rank, cite, and vote on publications instead?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46356,
"author": "J. Zimmerman",
"author_id": 7921,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7921",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The primary reasons for the continuation of academic journals are correlaries to some of the things you've mentioned as negative. </p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><p><strong>Peer review.</strong> This a key driver for academic publishing in general. It provides a way to control the quality of published material, and an enforcement of accepted standards, and (for the author) feedback prior to publication. </p></li>\n<li><p><strong>Communication.</strong> Journals provide a means of communicating research to a targeted audience. Conventional subscription-based models do so for a fee, while the rapidly growing open-access model (which I highly commend) provides even broader and easier access for researchers, students, and others. </p></li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>In short, journals serve to curate content to meet the needs of a particular audience, and thus they are unlikely to completely disappear in the near future. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46357,
"author": "Miguel",
"author_id": 14695,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14695",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>This is an incomplete answer. I think this is a very pertinent question I too have been considering for some time. I'm eager to read what other people have to say.</p>\n\n<p>One of the reasons why authors seek publication in traditional journals, despite apparent nonsense such as paying an institutional subscription for access to your own work, is that funding agencies, institutions and authors ourselves rely too much on the ranking of a journal to assign a quality/relevance tag to scientific work. In practice, this means that to obtain reputation and credit for your work, secure future funding, etc. you have to publish in prestigious journals.</p>\n\n<p>To give you an idea, Scandinavian countries have a ranking 1, 2, 3 that gives you points depending on where you publish. For instance Nature scores 3, and respectable journals with a lower impact factor, e.g. Physical Review E, score 1. This is regardless of whether the peer-review process was more or less rigorous in each journal.</p>\n\n<p>I think the point of peer review is a non issue because it's voluntary and authors could organize ourselves to solve this in an open access non-for-profit setting.</p>\n\n<p>So to sum up, I think journals are necessary only in the present context of how credit and reputation are assigned, and that both authors and institutions (in that order) will eventually realize and the paradigm of academic publishing will gradually be shifted.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46366,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Many journals have asked the same questions that you are asking, and are experimenting with different approaches to shifting the notion of \"journal\" to better fit our evolving world.</p>\n\n<p>So far as I can see, the key persistent value that journals are serving is one of curation. No matter what call the institutions or how we organize them, it will always be necessary for science to have some means of bringing important information to the fore, winnowing out problematic information, and preserving information over long periods of time.</p>\n\n<p>In most fields, journals are the institutions that have historically served that purpose. Some fields have already radically changed the way in which they interact with journals:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>In computer science, high-importance peer-reviewed conferences typically remove the problems of long delay and restrictions on number of accepted papers, though they add their own problems, such as travel requirements and single-round review.</li>\n<li>In mathematics, long circulation of pre-prints on arXiv removes long delay, monetary barriers, and restrictions on number of accepted papers, though it adds its own problems, such as lack of filtering and returning to a \"default\" word-of-mouth promotion.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Likewise, a number of journals are experimenting with alternate approaches designed to alleviate the problems from how journals are currently organized. For example, <a href=\"http://www.plosone.org/\">PLOS ONE</a> has been fairly successful without any restriction on topic or notability, and has a fairly reliable and decently fast time to publication. Another interesting example is the <a href=\"http://www.frontiersin.org/\">\"Frontiers\" journals</a>, which have an interactive review process which invites back-and-forth discussion between authors, reviewer, and editor, followed by publicly identifying the reviewers of accepted papers, which helps mitigate many of the issues of bias in peer review. Neither of these is \"periodical\" either except in the loosest sense of the word: papers simply go up when they are ready, and then later might be post-facto grouped into collections.</p>\n\n<p>Bottom line: I suspect that \"journal\" in the traditional sense is an endangered concept, but that the aspects of journals with ongoing value will continue to be promoted and preserved by the scientific community, and that some of them will still be called \"journal\" as well, no matter how different their model.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46367,
"author": "Wrzlprmft",
"author_id": 7734,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7734",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Well, what does the scientific community need in terms of publications?</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><p>Somebody who organises some sort of peer review. This does not necesarily have to happen in the currently common form, but some mechanism that avoids total nonsense and ensures quality is needed. This cannot be done (in my opinion) on basis of a voting and commenting system, as people would either not do it (and thus no peer review would happen) or abuse the system (which is not to say that no abuse of peer review is happening now, but this would be worse).</p></li>\n<li><p>Somebody who publishes papers, be it online or in printed form.</p></li>\n<li><p>Somebody who typesets papers or otherwise renders them in a digestable form. While many scientists may be able to do this themselves if provided with a proper LaTeX template or similar, they are still the minority, and at least I do not want to have to read papers set in Word or similar.</p></li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Now at least in my opinion, the above points are also the defining properties of a <em>journal,</em>¹ and some journals, e.g., PLoS One do nothing more. So unless you want to propagate a different definition of <em>journal</em> (in which case this question becomes one of definition), we cannot do without journals.</p>\n\n<p>Note that I do not claim that there is nothing wrong with the current publication system – on the contrary: there are a lot of things that need radical improvement. But the mere existence of journals in general is not the problem and cannot really be avoided.</p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p><sup>¹ and yes, this means that even conference proceedings, which are the dominant form of publication in computer science, are some variant of a journal</sup></p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46372,
"author": "Relaxed",
"author_id": 11596,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11596",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>One function is in fact to provide a way to “rank, cite and vote” on publications. Journal publications show that you can publish in journals and are used to identify people who can. It might sound circular and not as valuable or noble as disseminating findings but, for better or worse, it's a very real function nonetheless and one that is not easy to replicate from scratch elsewhere.</p>\n\n<p>Arguably, it's one of the functions of universities too (it's sometimes called “signalling”). Many students don't learn that much that is directly useful to their life or their career or could learn those things in other ways but earning a degree is a way to show you can in fact earn a degree. And people pay a lot of money for that kind of certification, it cannot be dismissed as a mere historical oddity or unwelcome side-effect without fundamentally misunderstanding what's really going on.</p>\n\n<p>That's also why it's so difficult to switch to another model and why the “brand” and reputation of a journal is perhaps more valuable than anything else. It's now easy to put together, print and distribute a new periodical. Conversely, it would be easy to get rid of paper journals entirely. But there would still only be one <em>Nature</em>, one <em>Science</em>, etc.</p>\n\n<p>And I know some scientists who are proud not only of having published a paper in <em>Nature</em> but of having made the cover (let that sink in for a minute: any pretence that this is about communicating the substance of the research or anything like that is gone, it's only about prestige and recognition)…</p>\n\n<p>In fact, on a purely technical level, the transition to another paradigm has already mostly happened, we currently have a myriad of initiatives and platforms, open-access archives, open journal publishers like PLOS and even traditional journals are already mostly read and distributed online anyway. But online subscriptions to these journals are still very expensive and the system has not fully “opened up”, which shows that the medium isn't really the issue.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46383,
"author": "Rex Kerr",
"author_id": 669,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/669",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You're partly right, of course, that journals' prominence is a historical artefact.</p>\n\n<p>But let's look at this some other way. Would you want to learn mathematics from a bunch of tweets? How about following developments in Ukraine by reading Facebook posts by people with very strong interests in having people think a certain way about the topic?</p>\n\n<p>Well, no, that wouldn't be so great. Sometimes you want to have information presented in a way that's easier to learn, where the source conveniently contains most of the background you need to know to understand the new material (once you know the basic prerequisites). Sometimes you'd like to have at least some basic fact-checking.</p>\n\n<p>And that's why you always would want something like a journal: a place where fully-crafted, peer-reviewed stories reporting on original research are published.</p>\n\n<p>But many of the other features of journals are anachronistic now. Do you want to know how to run a protocol? You should have something more like GitHub for protocols (but better-indexed that GitHub) so you can search for ways to do something, then clone your own branch, modify, and update as you go. Do you want to know the latest research? Well, it should be there online <em>right away</em>, ideally, as soon as the person knows about it and manages to make it into a figure or something that they can share. (Computers are awesome at tracking citation-like metrics; credit needn't be a problem.)</p>\n\n<p>So I think that the role of journals in transmitting groundbreaking research, or in evaluating the worth of a scientist, ought eventually to be replaced by something faster and more accurate. But that doesn't mean that they'll go away any more than it means that textbooks will go away now that we have Wikipedia. It diminishes the role somewhat, but a unique and vital role remains.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 56434,
"author": "Jakub Konieczny",
"author_id": 7328,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7328",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The key function of journals nowadays is to <strong>certify quality of papers</strong>. </p>\n\n<p>(Of course, this is a oversimplification and it is field-specific, but I think that this is essentially true, at least for mathematics.)</p>\n\n<p>It is not at all easy to judge correctness of a paper just by looking. It is even harder to judge a paper's importance. On the other hand, if a paper has been published in a journal, it is guaranteed that at least someone read it and verified that it is correct. If the journal is a somewhat prestigious one, it proves the quality of the paper - it is innovative, important, or good in some other way.</p>\n\n<p>Knowing if a result is correct is crucial when you want to apply it somewhere else. Being able to prove that your results are important is useful when applying for jobs, etc.</p>\n\n<p>All this having been said, there is a spreading belief that journals do not provide enough utility to justify their continued existence <em>in their present form</em> - see for instance <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cost_of_Knowledge\" rel=\"nofollow\">the Cost of Knowledge</a> campaign.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 56443,
"author": "Fomite",
"author_id": 118,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/118",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>My take on some of these questions, particularly as they regard public health and medicine in terms of journals:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>They help support professional societies. Profits from society-level journals, if they indeed do turn a profit, allow professional societies to engage in other activities, from political advocacy to supporting students attending their conferences.</li>\n<li>They provide typesetting and layout, as well as proof reading. While this is not true for all fields, generally speaking it is true in biomedicine and public health. To my mind, all but the most carefully done LaTeX templates are a poor substitute to actual page layout tools, and typesetting is something that is not necessarily an academic skill set.</li>\n<li>They provide a means for manditory, potentially blinded review. Most alternate systems rely on optional post-publication review, whereas the conventional journal system ensures <em>somebody</em> saw it before it reached the press. This might seem like something of a low bar, but it's better than a paper that never attracts reviewers. Additionally, it's essentially impossible to make post-publication reviews anonymous. I'd suggest that the quality and level of criticism for identical papers published by a \"Senior Luminary in the Field\" and a \"Female Graduate Student with a Foreign Sounding Name\" will be markedly different. This is just as subjective as the existing peer-review system. For something like SX voting, you're also going to conflate two issues - popularity and quality.</li>\n<li>You mention in the OP that there is an economic burden on institutions and individuals. Disaggregating the publishing process doesn't change that there will be costs associated with publishing and hosting papers.</li>\n<li>Journals, through their editorial boards, provide a means of field-wide advocacy. I would, for example, suggest that the <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICMJE_recommendations\" rel=\"nofollow\">ICMJE Guidelines</a> carry far more weight because of the associated journals.</li>\n<li>Journals also provide essentially a curated collection of papers that meet a certain quality standard (whatever that standard may be) and are topical. I can read <em>Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology</em> every month and get a sense for what's going on in a particular field. And importantly, I can find papers there that I wouldn't necessarily have read if I was just searching through somewhere like arXiv. Journals provide a means to browse a field in addition to targeted searches of the literature.</li>\n</ul>\n"
}
] |
2015/05/31
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46354",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31480/"
] |
46,358 |
<p>A few days ago I was browsing open-access social-science journals and I found one ‘author guideline’ explicitly saying that they are accepting student submissions if and only if the manuscript is co-authored with the academic advisor or a senior researcher.</p>
<p>I have acquaintances with several editors and editorial board members at various journals and I know from experience that some of us tends to be careful with manuscripts coming from PhD students. This manifests in practices that I find questionable (e.g., insisting on three unanimously positive specialist peer evaluations before acceptance, while a senior researcher’s manuscript may go with only two positives) and in other practices that I find to be biased (like an easier desk reject, or being less willing to deal with them, which results in longer peer evaluation cycles).</p>
<p>Is it justifiable for editors to restrict – formally or informally – the opportunities for PhD students to publish in their journals, like restricting them to submit only co-authored papers or subject their manuscript to more strict criteria than those of senior researchers before acceptance?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46365,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>In my opinion, such a policy is absolutely unethical.</p>\n\n<p>One of the key principles of science is that scientific work can be done by anybody. Good science can be done by people who aren't even <em>in</em> academia, let alone by students. A scientific paper should be evaluated on its merits, not an <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_authority\">argument from authority</a> based on its authors.</p>\n\n<p>Now, humans being humans, reviewers <em>will</em> tend to bias towards known authorities and prejudice against unknowns, students, etc. But this journal's policy, rather than fighting against such a tendency, explicitly enshrines and adopts it. Likewise with the informal policies that you describe: anything that amplifies unfairness in judgement rather than de-amplifying it is highly suspect and likely scientifically unethical.</p>\n\n<p>This doesn't mean that one should drop standards. Rather, it means that one should treat <a href=\"http://retractionwatch.com/2015/05/20/author-retracts-study-of-changing-minds-on-same-sex-marriage-after-colleague-admits-data-were-faked/\">a paper coming from a well-known PI at an august institution</a> with just as much suspicion as one from a student author from a developing-world university you've never heard of before. Being status-conscious primates, we're not very good at doing this, but such a condition is the goal towards which we should strive.</p>\n\n<p>PS: Note that a policy the other way, i.e., <a href=\"http://www.cur.org/resources/students/undergraduate_journals/\">student journals</a> that don't accept papers <em>without</em> student authors, is not problematic because it is inverting the privilege gradient.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46370,
"author": "Wrzlprmft",
"author_id": 7734,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7734",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I know that <a href=\"https://academia.meta.stackexchange.com/a/1212/7734\">academia varies strongly</a> and I am not familiar with the customs and procedures in the social sciences. Therefore this answer is based on assuming my field’s situation and it may ignore some pecularity of social sciences that plays into this. Anyway, I want to take another point of view at your example, i.e., the explicit exclusion of papers with only students as authors:</p>\n\n<p>Most papers whose primary author is a student originate from some work happening under supervision, whether the supervisor is a co-author or not. Going by authorship standards, the latter question depends on whether the supervisor made an intellectual contribution to the paper. Often this is ignored and the supervisor is made coauthor for no reason other than being the supervisor. This unethical “custom” is ensured by the student’s strong dependecy on the supervisor and there is no need for journal policies to enforce it.</p>\n\n<p>So, most papers that could potentially be submitted a journal without an advisor as an author are originating from work happening under a supervisor and thus the mentioned restriction can easily be surpassed by the authors by just asking their supervisor to coauthor the paper. Note that <em>easily</em> refers to the practical aspects, as it would be unethical and may have a slight negative impact on the student’s career. Thus, <strong>the main consequence of this policy is that supervisors are added to papers ignoring authorship ethics</strong>.</p>\n\n<p>Now it is debatable whether rules that lead to unethical behaviour are themselves unethical, but in my opinion they are at least to some extent and hence this policy is unethical – in particular as I can see no positive effect justifying it. I would refuse to review or author for a journal holding such a policy.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46382,
"author": "Rex Kerr",
"author_id": 669,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/669",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It is both justifiable and unethical.</p>\n\n<p>It is justifiable because, in practice, the peer review process is rarely good enough to catch all or even most errors that might appear in a manuscript. The presence of a senior researcher on a manuscript indicates (not in a foolproof way, but it's better than nothing) that someone with the experience and interest to catch (some of) these errors has already had a go at it.</p>\n\n<p>Of course there are cases where exactly the opposite is true (a senior researcher pushes for inclusion of a flaw based upon their hunches/experience), but on balance having a senior person responsible on board improves the quality and lowers the error rate, which lessens the burden on the peer review process, which makes the journal less likely to publish something which is wrong. (And if they do, people are more likely to blame the senior author than the journal.)</p>\n\n<p>But it is unethical because the long-term success of the academic endeavour depends critically upon the ability of peer review to actually be a good review of the work. The journal shouldn't be shirking its duty there, or at least if it does it should do so apologetically. The editorial staff's job includes summarily rejecting papers that have too many basic mistakes (unclear abstract, no references, etc.) that more often are made by Ph.D. students alone, but they can and should do that on the basis of the content of the paper, not the seniority of the authors.</p>\n\n<p>So unless this is the <em>Journal of Opinions of Prominent People whose Importance is a Social Construct</em>, I would view the policy very unfavorably.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/05/31
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46358",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31208/"
] |
46,378 |
<p>I am curious to know whether there exists any data set that forces users to publicly release any source code written to analyse it.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46381,
"author": "Roger Fan",
"author_id": 20375,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20375",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Open data licenses apparently do exist, for instance, Open Data Commons maintains the <a href=\"http://opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/summary/\" rel=\"nofollow\">ODbL</a>. I don't think that this has a restriction on code used for <em>analysis</em>, but it does put a share-alike restriction on any derivative datasets. </p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>If you publicly use any adapted version of this database, or works produced from an adapted database, you must also offer that adapted database under the ODbL.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>This essentially ensures that the derived database (or steps used to create it) used for analysis must be shared, though not necessarily the analysis itself.</p>\n\n<p>I imagine that you could modify this license to mandate that you share the steps used to create any work produced (i.e. the analysis code) as well under some kind of open license, but I am not a lawyer, and I did not find an existing license that does this in my (short) search. In particular, this could easily be troublesome if you use closed-source third-party software in your analysis (e.g. Stata, Matlab), though people have overcome similar issues with GPL licenses.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46399,
"author": "Gaurav",
"author_id": 60,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/60",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I don't think that would work in the US, where facts <a href=\"http://www.newmediarights.org/business_models/artist/what_can%E2%80%99t_be_copyrighted\" rel=\"nofollow\">cannot</a> <a href=\"http://www.cendi.gov/publications/04-8copyright.html#214\" rel=\"nofollow\">be</a> <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feist_Publications,_Inc.,_v._Rural_Telephone_Service_Co.\" rel=\"nofollow\">copyrighted</a>, so -- once you publicly publish data -- there's nothing stopping anybody else from republishing it in a different form. That might be <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plagiarism\" rel=\"nofollow\">plagiarism</a>, but you can usually get around that by citing the source of your data.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 87189,
"author": "Franck Dernoncourt",
"author_id": 452,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/452",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The data user agreement for this dataset (MIMIC/eICU) requires users to share their code. <a href=\"https://physionet.org/pnw/a/manage-duas\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">https://physionet.org/pnw/a/manage-duas</a> :</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>If I openly disseminate my results, I will also contribute the code used to produce those results to a defined PhysioNet repository (physionet.org/physiotools/repository/) that is open to the research community.</p>\n</blockquote>\n"
}
] |
2015/05/31
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46378",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/452/"
] |
46,379 |
<p>I am in a reputed PhD Programme in Computer Science. In the prior part of my PhD I was focussed on applicative research but during the course of time I developed a keen interest in the theoretical reasoning behind algorithms and methods. I would have liked to prove the correctness of my work theoretically along with the experimental results. Since I didn't have a very strong fundamental background in mathematics, I developed a habit of asking "why" behind every assumption made in any topic. For example: I had a 15 minute long discussion with my lab mate on why the sample event space for calculating probability consists of a null set and what does it mean.</p>
<p>Our lab has weekly presentations by various students of my lab about their research topics or something else, focussed towards people who don't know anything. My obsession to understand the fundamentals have probably led me to be able to ask questions even upon topics not remotely concerned with my field of study. And I do ask questions (I don't know about the quality of questions since I am mostly not very well versed with the topics being presented). I somehow also have a habit of being able to relate things from various fields of study, so after or during the presentations I am usually able to find the connection between my and the other person's field. </p>
<p>Due to this, my advisor (occasionally and in a positive manner) and other people have started tagging me as overly curious. A few students make fun of me behind me, saying why the hell I can dive into discussions with people working in String theory when I don't have to work upon it. </p>
<p>Though I am producing results (coding, studying and teaching the same to my co-authors) and mostly the one who brings new ideas to the table, I am mostly taunted as being unfocussed by my lab mates when I just try to discuss about some random idea during coffee or lunch break or try to know about a new project initiated in other labs. Earlier I chose to address their concerns and accepted that maybe I have a problem, but with time people even question my focus when I just express my wish to attend an advanced Algebra lecture (an hour a week). This hasn't killed my curiosity but has led me to question my abilities and is affecting my self-confidence. I am an excellent team player, but due to continuous taunting I prefer working and hanging out alone (against my nature) since I think I am negatively impacting others' work.</p>
<p>My questions are:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Does it make sense to attend these weekly presentations whose main aim in my view was to develop a habit of asking questions? </p></li>
<li><p>Is wanting to know about other people's work, even from other domains, considered as lack of focus?</p></li>
<li><p>Is there something called "overly curious" ?</p></li>
</ol>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46434,
"author": "MrMeritology",
"author_id": 17564,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17564",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Answers to your questions are dependent on the culture you are in, and how you, personally, want to cope with the norms and values of that culture.</p>\n\n<p>For example, in some cultures, it is possible to be labeled \"overly ambitious\" if one voices the ambition to be the \"best X in the world\", or even \"the top X in our country\". This doesn't apply to the US, where open ambition is rarely stigmatized.</p>\n\n<p>Also, be aware that your class mates and lab mates may be taunting you and make fun of you as a way to cope with their own discomforts and insecurities. Such reactions are hardly useful or informative to you as you develop your skills and capabilities in a way that suits your disposition and inclinations.</p>\n\n<p>Here are my answers to your questions:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <ol>\n <li>Does it make sense to attend these weekly presentations whose main aim in my view was to develop a habit of asking questions.</li>\n </ol>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Yes, this is perfectly fine if it doesn't take away time or energy from your other work and doesn't delay progress in your PhD program. As my (well-regarded) adviser says: \"Intellectual curiosity is very valuable in academic life. It is not widely distributed and it is hard to develop if you don't already have it\".</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <ol start=\"2\">\n <li>Does wanting to know about other people's work; even from other domains considered as lack of focus.</li>\n </ol>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>No, not in and of itself. This is the way of the \"<a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymath\">polymath</a>\". You might just start telling people: \"I'm a polymath, or aspiring polymath. This is what I do.\" Also, you might read some biographies of polymaths. They will give you inspiration and insights.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <ol start=\"3\">\n <li>Is there something called \"overly curious\" </li>\n </ol>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Curiosity is only excessive if it distracts from the focus necessary to develop depth in your specialty, or gets in the way of getting meaningful work done (courses passed, papers published, etc.). PhD is about <em>depth</em>, so if your curiosity keeps you hopping from question to question where you develop only a superficial understanding, then, yes, it is excessive.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 58637,
"author": "aparente001",
"author_id": 32436,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/32436",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<blockquote>\n <p>Since I didn't have a very strong fundamental background in mathematics, I developed a habit of asking \"why\" behind every assumption made in any topic. For example: I had a 15 minute long discussion with my lab mate on why the sample event space for calculating probability consists of a null set and what does it mean.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>The weak background in mathematics is the thing to do something about. It can be a lot of fun, and productive, to ask questions. But you do need to get enough of a foundation to be able to tell, most of the time, whether a question you have asked, or are thinking about asking, is a good one.</p>\n\n<p>It will take some time to build up your mathematical foundation. In the meantime, do me a favor. Carry around a notebook in which you jot down all your questions. Choose carefully the people you feel you trust enough to pose the more naïve questions to. And don't overload those people. I have a young friend who likes to interrupt whatever we are doing, to say, \"A., may I ask you a question?\" I have learned the hard way that there is no point in saying, \"Not right now, my friend, let's just finish such-and-so up first\" -- because this makes zero difference. He just asks me anyway, then and there. But he's ten years old. You can display a bit more self control than he can, I hope.</p>\n\n<p>Here is a practical technique for keeping your number of questions down to a more manageable level: put three small, smooth stones in one pocket in the morning. Each time you ask one of those iffy questions, the type that you're not sure whether it's going to get on someone's nerves, like the sample event space question, transfer one stone to the other pocket. When you've transferred all three -- your quota is used up for the day.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 71359,
"author": "mathreadler",
"author_id": 42750,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/42750",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Most people are probably (much) more driven by prestige and other social drives than you are. Engaging with them with your never ending flow of curiosity (which seems to be one of your strongest drives to work hard) will probably be quite tiresome or even annoying to them at least in the long run. </p>\n\n<p>Just try and learn that you will need to curb your enthusiasm and curiosity around this category of people and try and identify the ones you can speak more openly about such things with. Sometimes these people who are more happy to discus curiosities can be outside of work or formal studies.</p>\n\n<p>Maybe it can be good to follow the advice by @aparente001 to write down your questions for yourself to indulge in later or to save for talking with someone more compatible with your curious personality later.</p>\n\n<p>Oh I forgot at least one obvious great forum for your curiosity: the other stack exchange sites! Maybe especially <strong>math.stackexchange</strong> if it is usually mathematical questions which raise your curiosity. You will need to learn to formulate your curiosity into well defined questions or maybe if you are OK just surfing around lots of other peoples questions and answers.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/05/31
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46379",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/2823/"
] |
46,385 |
<p>It has been mentioned couple of times in this site that faculty could be able to distribute their salary over 9 or 12 months. What are advantages and disadvantages of each? And can faculty who distribute their salary over 12 months work during the summer? Do they get 1 month vacation and sick leave? Any effect on taxes, health insurance, and deduction for benefits? Does it affect the amount of summer salary from the university or a funding agency? </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46386,
"author": "user6726",
"author_id": 28972,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28972",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In the US, there are no tax implications behind distributing a 9-month salary over 12 months. If you have a 9 month appointment, you can work other jobs those 3 months, or get summer salary from a granting agency. However, if you have a 12 month appointment, then your university will probably not allow you to take a second job (though you may be able to arrange to buy some of your \"time\" to work on a grant). Faculty usually do not get \"vacation\" per se, they just go on vacation when they feel they have the free time (during one of their 3 free months, technically). However, in strongly unionized arrangements, vacation and sick leave may be more relevant. The advantage of 12 month distribution is that you get a regular amount of money flowing in to your bank account and you don't have to be careful to leave enough in savings to survive the summer.</p>\n\n<p>[EDIT] The comments point out the possibility of micro-(dis)advantages to the employee in spreading salary over 12 months. I suggest that we need a full analysis of <em>all</em> of these effects. For example, employees usually make some contribution to the insurance scheme, which is usually divided evenly over 12 checks. If you aren't paid over your off 3 months, you would have to have set aside money to cover insurance during that time. This could get bureaucratically complicated, w.r.t. factoring in the employer contribution, and might necessitate increasing the employer contribution during salaried months to balance the lack of employer contributions during non-salary months. There would also be administrative costs to the university involved in processing monthly insurance contributions from employees (assuming that employees don't just end up on their own insurance-wise during their off months). Given the various unknowns, I'd want to see a detailed economic analysis of the effect of 9-month and 12-month payouts for 9-month appointments, before concluding that one has a monetary advantage over the other.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46388,
"author": "Brian Borchers",
"author_id": 4453,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4453",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>There may be some confusion here about the difference between 9 and 12 month appointments vs. arranging to have the salary for a 9 month appointment paid out over 12 months. </p>\n\n<p>In the U.S., the typical faculty appointment is a 9 month appointment. Under this arrangement, a faculty member is required to be present on campus and teaching (and doing research and service) from September through May. They typically do not have formal vacation or sick leave but in practice can stay home (and cancel classes) if sick. They can also go on personal travel when classes are not in session. Faculty don't have to formally request time off as long as they attend to their responsibilities.</p>\n\n<p>In this system faculty do not have to work over the summers, although many faculty do teach summer school or work on research grants and earn additional salary over the summer. Faculty will also often work on unfunded research projects over the summer.</p>\n\n<p>Many faculty with 9 month appointments choose to have their annual salary paid out over 12 months. This doesn't create any obligation to work over the summer and has no significant tax consequences, but it is more convenient for household budgeting since summer salary can be quite variable and unpredictable from year to year. </p>\n\n<p>For example, I just learned today that I will be able to earn a month of summer salary teaching a course that starts on June 8. I'm still waiting to hear if some research funding for this summer will come through. I've designed my personal budget so that I'm not dependent on summer salary, so I have my 9 month salary paid out over 12 months.</p>\n\n<p>12 month appointments are quite common for academic administrators and some full time researchers. These typically do accrue sick leave and paid vacation, which has some advantages but also has some disadvantages such as having to explicitly request time off.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 72558,
"author": "Autar Kaw",
"author_id": 57818,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/57818",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I use the 9 to 12 month salary distribution as I do not work full time during summer anymore. With current saving interest rates at 1% (e.g., capitalone savings account), for every $1000 take-home monthly salary, they may set aside $250 out of the paycheck every month to be paid during summer. </p>\n\n<p>The interest you are giving away would be about $12 (Wrong calculations are made by other respondents as they use the time as 9 months on the whole amount they set aside for the whole summer). So if your 9-month take home salary is $45,000, you are just giving away $72 of your money. Now that is a dinner out for a couple and a kid nowadays, but I end up saving more as my budget gets reset to a lower amount for the rest of the year.</p>\n\n<p>There is no substantial tax implication for me, as taxes are taken on the gross income and are distributed with no deductions in the summer.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 138798,
"author": "Joe bob",
"author_id": 115332,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/115332",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>What everybody on here is forgetting or not aware of, is that you can get unemployment during the off months if you are paid on a 9 months basis. That could add up to over $7500 a year if you make 60000 a year. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/05/31
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46385",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/24823/"
] |
46,389 |
<p>It is often told that working under big shots (I mean, recognized professors) in a particular research field is always beneficial on the way towards getting a faculty job in top research universities (perhaps in the US). My concern is how a big professor can help his students (PhDs, postdocs, project scientists who are badly seeking a faculty job) in addition to providing a recommendation letter? Is there anything else they could favor me on? Or, in other words, is there anything else I could ask them giving me a favor for? For instance, can I ask my professors to give a phone call to the faculty search committee (where I submitted my application) to consider my application with care? Such effort is nothing but highlighting one's application so that the search committee gives a special attention to it. </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46390,
"author": "Bill Barth",
"author_id": 11600,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11600",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>This doesn't usually work that way. When your prof gets involved on your behalf, besides writing the most stellar recommendation letter they can, they're just going to pick up the phone and call if they know someone at the place you are applying. A personal recommendation beyond the usual stellar letter from someone trustworthy that you know can go a long way towards differentiating between otherwise equally viable candidates. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46398,
"author": "Gaurav",
"author_id": 60,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/60",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>One of the advantages of having a well-known professor is that they can introduce you to more colleagues (and potential collaborators!) at conferences or graduate school than a less-well-known professor can. That improves your chance that somebody on the search committee knows you or of you, or has worked with you directly or indirectly on a project.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/05/31
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46389",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/34604/"
] |
46,392 |
<p>I am a very enthusiastic person academically and I love to gather new (sometimes irrelevant but useful) knowledge about my field in my free time. I am now at the point where I would like to start writing a paper on something in my field of interest and based on my own research.</p>
<p><em>If my paper is credible, contributes to my field and fulfills the standards that apply to any PhD thesis, would I be awarded a doctorate if I applied for the degree and publish the paper?</em></p>
<p>As an undergraduate, I don't know much about a PhD program. From what I know, it's simply you and your research that counts. I understand that, in the last analysis, it is the contribution to your field that counts. Am I missing anything?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46394,
"author": "Ellen Spertus",
"author_id": 269,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/269",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>No, as commenter Zach H points out, doctoral programs also have other requirements, such as courses and sometimes exams.</p>\n\n<p>UPDATE: As commenters have shown, my answer was US-centric and thus incorrect. I'd delete it, but that would delete the helpful comments below.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46395,
"author": "Mikhail",
"author_id": 4240,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4240",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<blockquote>\n <p>If my paper is credible, fruitful to my field and otherwise fulfilling the standards that any PhD thesis should</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>A research paper is not a thesis. Theses are usually expositions upon some field that the author has contributed to, and frequently contain extensive background that is typically omitted in academic literature. Indeed, many of my colleagues in industry have published research papers without having PhDs.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>... would I be awarded a doctorate if I'd publish and wish for it?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>In addition, you would need to find a university to endorse your work, which often requires collaborating with faculty.</p>\n\n<p>Although, if your work is truly groundbreaking and you spend a lot of time <em>hanging out</em> at a particular campus, you might qualify for an honorary degree! </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46413,
"author": "Relaxed",
"author_id": 11596,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11596",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>All this depends on the field, the country, etc. but in theory, if you already have a master's degree, it <em>is</em> possible to get a PhD based on previous (published) research. But typically not on a single <em>paper</em>. (Over)generalizing and assuming your research is genuinely interesting and meets all the (sometimes arbitrary) requirements of your field, a rough guideline is that you need material corresponding to at least three papers.</p>\n\n<p>You would also need to write some intro/conclusion putting the research in context, make revisions based on your advisors' comments, find a jury and satisfy them. You cannot just show up with a paper and “wish” for a PhD, at least not from a real, reputable university. That's assuming you really manage to make your research publication-worthy (which means not only rigorous but also connected to recent literature and current problems in your field) and find a faculty willing to accommodate you as it's not the “normal” way to get a PhD.</p>\n\n<p>Don't overlook the bit about finding an advisor: It's incredibly important. The PhD is really an apprenticeship under the supervision of a full professor. You don't ask a university or department for a doctorate, there is no process to submit a thesis and have it evaluated on your own, it's all driven by faculty members and you won't even be allowed to defend a thesis if it's not endorsed by one (he or she would also typically help you recruit a jury).</p>\n\n<p>Realistically, a mediocre thesis can be validated if a professor puts his or her mind to it, asks friends to sit in the jury, etc. but even brilliant work is nothing if you don't find an interested academic to move the process along.</p>\n\n<p>Beyond that, others have mentioned extra requirements but the thesis is really the most important thing. In my experience, in Europe (I got my PhD in the Netherlands but I know a little bit about France, Germany, or the UK), it's increasingly common to organise some mandatory courses for PhD candidates but the load is very light, a few short courses about soft skills or methodology with no exam, only pass/fail based on attendance. And there are ways around that if you have a good reason.</p>\n\n<p>But to be perfectly honest, your question suggests you are not very familiar with academia so it seems highly unlikely you would succeed in getting a PhD without proper support. I am not sure why you want one but if it's important to you, it might be a better idea to simply enroll in a PhD program.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46414,
"author": "henning",
"author_id": 31917,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31917",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p><strong>Just write your paper</strong>, as long as the writing does not distract you from your undergrad studies. If the paper has merit, you may be able to present it at a colloquium of your university, at a workshop, or even at a conference. If you put some more work into it and are lucky, you might eventually be able to publish it in a journal. Certainly, your paper will open up more questions than it answers. Now you have a research trajectory that you can follow up and that may lead to a PhD thesis, based on but surely not limited to your first paper.</p>\n\n<p>In other words: There is no reason why you should not start to work on your PhD topic already as an undergraduate, <strong>but it seems to me that you underestimate the time and work it takes to finish the PhD</strong>. And since PhDs require a lot of work, there are PhD programs, which facilitate the process and in which most PhDs are actually produced. In that sense, writing your PhD outside of the designated framework is a bit like digging a well with a spoon. It can be done, but it is not too efficient. On top of that (as others have said already), at many institutions, the written thesis is only one requirement among others to be awarded a title.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46432,
"author": "Community",
"author_id": -1,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/-1",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>An example of someone who did just this was Ludwig Wittgenstein. So yes you could, especially if you are a genius.</p>\n<p>Wittgenstein wrote the <em>Tractatus</em> during his free time and it was used as his thesis for his Cambridge PhD.</p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Wittgenstein came to feel that he could not get to the heart of his most fundamental questions while surrounded by other academics, and so in 1913 he retreated to the village of Skjolden in Norway, where he rented the second floor of a house for the winter. He later saw this as one of the most productive periods of his life, writing <em>Logik</em> (Notes on Logic), the predecessor of much of the <em>Tractatus</em>.</p>\n<p>...</p>\n<p>In the summer of 1918 Wittgenstein took military leave and went to stay in one of his family's Vienna summer houses, Neuwaldegg. It was there in August 1918 that he completed the <em>Tractatus</em></p>\n<p>...</p>\n<p>he could not initially work at Cambridge as he did not have a degree, so he applied as an advanced undergraduate. Russell noted that his previous residency was sufficient for a PhD, and urged him to offer the <em>Tractatus</em> as his thesis. It was examined in 1929 by Russell and Moore; at the end of the thesis defence, Wittgenstein clapped the two examiners on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry, I know you'll never understand it." Moore wrote in the examiner's report: "I myself consider that this is a work of genius; but, even if I am completely mistaken and it is nothing of the sort, it is well above the standard required for the Ph.D. degree." Wittgenstein was appointed as a lecturer and was made a fellow of Trinity College. (<a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_Wittgenstein\" rel=\"noreferrer\">Wikipedia</a>)</p>\n</blockquote>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46442,
"author": "Theodore Sternberg",
"author_id": 32709,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/32709",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>PhD programs provide funding for, typically, no more than four years. Given that the average time to completion is well in excess of that (it was ten years in the UC Berkeley English department last time I checked), the reality is that the majority of PhD theses are completed during time not spent doing remunerated work, which is another name for \"free time\". So yes, not only <em>can</em> you do a PhD thesis in your free time, in most cases that's what you'll end up doing even if you enroll in a formal PhD program. Hope that helps...</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46463,
"author": "JM_BJ",
"author_id": 35350,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35350",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The front page of every PhD thesis states \"Submit as Partial Fulfillment of the Degree\". So, a thesis is a must but not all for a PhD degree. The degree requires years of academic training, not as simple as just one thesis, or several published research papers.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/05/31
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46392",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/18078/"
] |
46,402 |
<p>I finished my PhD a few months ago and am now settling into a postdoc position. The last 6-8 months of my PhD had been quite stressful (well, nothing unusual there, of course) and when it came to thinking about the next career step, all I knew was that I was a bit more inclined towards staying in academia than moving to the industry. So as soon as the offer for this postdoc came, I accepted. <strong>Just to prevent any confusion before I go any further: I am certainly not regretting that decision.</strong> As in, I am happy with my research work, one reason being its multidisciplinary nature (both physics & electronics are heavily involved). It is likely therefore that I continue on this career path. </p>
<p>But one never knows what life brings, so it is good to keep one's options open. So this is more about obtaining knowledge/collecting information for alternative career avenues. </p>
<p>In that regard, one area that sort of intrigues me is academic publishing. I have tried (by means of web-search, talking to the employees of scientific journals I met at a conference booth, etc.) to find out on how it is to be involved with the scientific-publishing industry, e.g., what does a typical day at the office look like, what are the challenges they face, what kind of freedom is possible in the various tasks, etc. But I somehow haven't received any concrete information based on which I could assess this as a potential career option. </p>
<p>So below are my main questions, asked from the perspective of a PhD/Postdoc. As such, any references (books/articles/memoirs) that may serve as a good introduction to this topic would be very much appreciated. Even more, if someone on this stackexchange community comes from a similar background, then it would be really great if he/she could share their experiences. </p>
<p>Q1. What kind of full-time career paths can be envisaged in the publishing industry?</p>
<p>(This is one <a href="http://www.aps.org/about/jobs/aeditor-pra.cfm">advertisment</a> that I recently saw. It sounds nice but I'd like a detailed description about the job role, for example).</p>
<p>Q2. How is the career progression? What kind of challenges does one typically face in this profession? </p>
<p>Q3. Are there any short-term jobs or internships suitable for PhDs/Postdocs in this field? </p>
<p>Q4. What are the typical exit options? For instance, </p>
<ul>
<li>Is it easy to switch back to your research career (postdoc/professorship)? </li>
<li>What kind of secondary and tertiary industries, if any, be interested in hiring someone with an experience in the world of publishing?</li>
</ul>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46535,
"author": "Aleksandr Blekh",
"author_id": 12391,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12391",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I'm in a similar situation, meaning that I'm also a recent (less than two months) Ph.D. graduate and currently focus my effort on a job search (both in industry and academia). The differences between you and me include the discipline (not essential) and my lack of postdoctoral (or any other, for that matter) job offers at the moment. Since I briefly have been considering a <strong>temporary</strong> career move toward a scientific publishing world, while I do not have a direct work experience in the scientific publishing industry, I think that I have browsed through enough job advertisements to form and share my opinion on the subject, as follows (certainly, take it with a grain of salt).</p>\n\n<p>I consider the temporary career move toward scientific publishing that I've mentioned mostly as an industry career option and not an academic one. While in the context of scientific publishing, there is an intersection between classifying such career option as one of industry or academia, I believe that a career in scientific publishing cannot be considered as an academic career. Therefore, my first point is that, if you, as myself, consider academia as your main ultimate career avenue, going the scientific publishing route is not a good option (unless it is very short-term and due to circumstances). Continuing my <em>road terminology analogy</em>, the above-mentioned avenue and route are not parallel, thus, after some time traveling the scientific publishing career route, one can find themselves <strong>too far</strong> from the academia career avenue. That will most likely make returning back to academia very difficult, if not impossible.</p>\n\n<p>Based on various job descriptions that I've looked at, a career in scientific publishing seems to involve <strong>much less scholarly activities</strong> at the expense of <em>much more project management, marketing and operational ones</em> (especially, for non-senior editorial roles). Moreover, internal organizational politics, tight deadlines and other time-related issues, as well as stress of juggling multiple publication projects add insult to injury.</p>\n\n<p>Finally, I personally dislike the scientific publishing industry's negative role due to lack of openness in dissemination of scientific information and corresponding strategies and tactics they use (that includes <a href=\"http://www.davidketcheson.info/2011/12/16/in-defense-of-submission-in-scientific.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">their \"implementation\"</a> of the <em>open access</em> paradigm). Therefore, it would make even more difficult for me to work in such environment and organizational culture.</p>\n\n<p>Considering all the above, I would not go the scientific publishing route, even temporarily, but, instead, would try my best to join <strong>academia</strong> as a postdoc or junior faculty member and progress there or, alternatively, go the <strong>real science-related industry</strong> route (less perfect, considering the ultimate goal, but, can be either temporary, or long-term, combined - in a form of <em>consulting</em> - with academic positions).</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 137505,
"author": "Allure",
"author_id": 84834,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/84834",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>I used to work in academic publishing. In the following answer, job titles are very variable; the word \"editor\" can mean one of a multitude of jobs.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Q1. What kind of full-time career paths can be envisaged in the publishing industry?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>At the bottom tier there's the proofreader. You read the paper and make sure everything is in the right format, e.g. perhaps your journal follows a style where the word 'datum' is used as the singular form of 'data', and it's your job to fix it if you spot it. You don't really do copyediting, you only do proofreading. To do this job you don't really need a PhD, or even a Bachelor's. It's also (in my opinion) very boring.</p>\n\n<p>Next up there's the journal production editor. When the editorial board accepts a paper, these people get it through to published form. This could involve copyediting, typesetting, sending to author for corrections, uploading online, etc., or (rather more likely) working with the people who actually do these things. The JPE acts as the overall coordinator and is expected to be able to answer author questions \"my paper was accepted three weeks ago and I've not yet received proofs, what's going on?\" For this job you'll typically need a Bachelor's degree.</p>\n\n<p>Then there are the desk editors. They can do all the things JPEs do, and then some: they might for example be responsible for the content on the journal's website, they have to work directly with the editorial board (e.g. editorial board says let's take advantage of [this conference] to promote our journal, the DE is then responsible for getting management to approve the expenditure, work with the artists to put together flyers, posters, etc.), handle author questions \"my paper was submitted three months ago and I haven't heard anything, what's the review status?\", etc. There's also a good chance that desk editors handle books (JPEs usually don't, because they can easily handle papers from many different journals at the same time). Desk editors usually need a Bachelor's degree, but it is also a somewhat more advanced position than JPEs.</p>\n\n<p>Next up is acquisition editors, who are tasked with acquiring new projects for the publisher. This could be new books, new authors, new journals. AEs write to academics and convince them to publish with [publisher]. They could conceivably be asked to attend conferences to promote the publisher's products. The better desk editors can conceivably also do the AE's job, but this is usually a more senior position for which an advanced degree is preferable - a Masters or PhD. Because of this advanced degree they can also be asked to resolve peer review disputes, make a final decision on a publication proposal, and so on.</p>\n\n<p>This covers only the editorial jobs. Of course at various levels you also need marketing executives (who market the publisher's products), HR, people management, and so on, but these other positions are less specialized to the publisher and you'll have them in other industries.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Q2. How is the career progression? What kind of challenges does one typically face in this profession?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Progression kind of stops with acquisition editors - once you become an acquisition editor, the \"next step\" is doing it more, in more fields, manage other people doing it, and so on.</p>\n\n<p>Right now I'd say the main challenge is dealing with people who <a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/109003/why-are-academics-not-paid-royalties-on-published-research-papers-in-ieee-acm-e\">think publishing is a scam</a> and that you, by working in it, are complicit in the scam.</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.vault.com/book-editor/day-in-the-life-of\" rel=\"noreferrer\">Description of typical day</a>. Based on the description this person is at the interface of desk editor and acquisition editor - she both acquires projects and produces them. </p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Q3. Are there any short-term jobs or internships suitable for PhDs/Postdocs in this field?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>You'd have to ask, but in my experience, no. You could get short-term jobs or interns as a Bachelors student, but not for the more advanced roles performed by PhDs and Postdocs. It's not something which you can easily hand off to an intern and then pick it back up when the internship is over.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Q4. What are the typical exit options? For instance, is it easy to switch back to your research career (postdoc/professorship)? What kind of secondary and tertiary industries, if any, be interested in hiring someone with an experience in the world of publishing?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Like with any field change you'll need to convince someone you have transferable skills. If you remember your research skills you could move back, although of course the longer you wait the less you'll remember and the harder it gets. Moving to another industry? Same thing: you could argue you can work under tight deadlines (if you did production), you are good at networking (if you did acquisitions), you can handle multiple different projects simultaneously, etc. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46402",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/18210/"
] |
46,403 |
<p>The organisers of a conference have informed the session chairs what is expected from them. On the list of duties listed is for chairs to familiarise themselves in advance with the pronunciation of the speakers' names.</p>
<p>In practice, how do I do this? Speakers come from all the countries in the world. It's not practical to contact the speakers in advance. Is there any way to try this systematically?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46404,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 7,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>When I am chairing a session, I always check a few minutes beforehand to ensure that all of the speakers are there. That's also a good time to check on pronunciation of names. Just say something like:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Can you please say your name for me? I'd like to pronounce it right when I introduce you.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Then it will be fresh in your mind, there'll be a decent chance of getting it right, and the speaker will know that you cared to consult them and try, even if you do end up screwing it up.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46406,
"author": "Massimo Ortolano",
"author_id": 20058,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20058",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>One possibility is to have a chat with the speakers over breakfast, if this is served at the conference place for all the participants. For example, a well-known conference in my field organizes the so-called <em>speakers' breakfasts</em> to allow a first contact between chairmen and speakers.</p>\n\n<p>A second possibility is to check a few pronunciation guides on the internet (e.g. <a href=\"http://inogolo.com/\">Inogolo</a>): though not exhaustive (both in breadth and depth, because different pronunciations of the same name might not be adressed), they can sure be of help. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46422,
"author": "Andreas Blass",
"author_id": 14506,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14506",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>When a name comes from a non-English language, there's always the question whether the pronunciation has been anglicized or not. In such cases, I see no sound alternative to asking the speaker directly. For example, some of my siblings have anglicized the pronunciation of our common name \"Blass\" more than I have. I experienced another example a few years ago, when I chaired a session and had to introduce three or four speakers with non-English names. I knew that I had to check about the pronunciations, but I thought I had a clever idea: All the speakers had been either students or postdocs of a certain professor, whom I knew. So I just asked this professor about all the names. He said they all used the anglicized pronunciation. That struck me as unlikely on statistical grounds, so I stopped being clever and asked the speakers themselves. It turned out that all of them preferred the original non-anglicized pronunciations. (So much for my cleverness and my statistical intuition.)</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46403",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1033/"
] |
46,405 |
<p>I plan to do my PhD in Computational Linguistics in the near future. As one would imagine, it requires a bit of knowledge in Computer Science as well as Linguistics. Particularly, I enjoy French and Japanese.</p>
<p>The problem is that I want to <em>teach</em> too many topics at the university level. In my imaginary world, I would teach courses in Computer Science that overlap with Computational Linguistics (e.g. Structure of Programming Languages, Artificial Intelligence, etc.), as well as French and Japanese.</p>
<p>As far as I know, we have only one professor at my university who overlapped topics - the Russian department needed a temp, and one of the Computer Science professors was a Russian native; he filled in for a semester.</p>
<p>Presumably I would only teach courses that overlap with my research (the Computer Science courses I listed, French/Japanese Syntax/Morphology, etc).</p>
<p>Granted this is pretty specific to my case, so how about I generalize: <em>how plausible is it to teach multiple subjects that are inter-departmental at the university level?</em> If it is indeed plausible and is something that I can specifically work toward, <em>what steps are necessary to be <strong>able</strong> to do so?</em></p>
<p><strong>Edit</strong>: To clarify, this would be teaching <em>as a postdoc</em>, not particularly <em>during</em> my PhD. I think my brain would explode if I tried to take on that kind of workload.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46409,
"author": "ham-sandwich",
"author_id": 34573,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/34573",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>As someone who is doing my PhD in Natural Language Understanding I first of all recommend you are careful what you wish for. Undertaking a teaching post while doing a PhD is very time consuming and I have found that it has got in the way of my research. So much so in fact that I limit myself to no more than 6 hours of teaching a week. </p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>In my imaginary world, I would teach courses in Computer Science that\n overlap with Computational Linguistics (e.g. Structure of Programming\n Languages, Artificial Intelligence, etc.), as well as French and\n Japanese.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>I'm sure it's different depending on the university, but whatever department is paying your PhD stipend most definitely has first call on where and what you teach. Although I'm a mathematical linguist, I spend all of my time teaching programming and artificial intelligence. Another reason for this is because my background is mathematics and computer science. </p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Granted this is pretty specific to my case, so how about I generalize:\n how plausible is it to teach multiple subjects that are\n inter-departmental at the university level?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Taking on a PhD project is about becoming a specialist, not a generalist. Everyone is arguably a generalist. If you are a Computational Linguist, just take on modules such as Intelligent Systems, Computational Linguistics, Mathematical Linguistics, Logic Programming, Math for Computer Science, etc.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>If it is indeed plausible and is something that I can specifically\n work toward, what steps are necessary to be able to do so?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>I think it is possible. However, you would need to get explicit permission from your project advisors which I imagine would be difficult. You would then have to discuss how you can help with the other departments such as Linguistics. However, be prepared for rejection if you are not classically trained in the subject and hold some sort of academic merit.</p>\n\n<p>When you start your PhD you will not become a lecturer most likely. You will be encouraged to take on a teaching assistant or demonstrator role, aiding a lecturer. This is still good as it's the next best thing and sometimes you can get loads of marking. It will also give you loads of time to reflect and decide what you want to teach.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46424,
"author": "aeismail",
"author_id": 53,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/53",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Regardless of the stage of career at which you would teach, the basic issue is the following: at least in the US, faculty and teaching staff are normally hired by individual departments, and approved up the \"food chain,\" as it were. </p>\n\n<p>Consequently, your teaching duties are expected as much as possible to be a part of that department's work—since you're being paid by them, you should teach their classes. If you want to teach classes in multiple programs, you'd need to find a way to secure a <em>joint appointment,</em> in which you could teach in multiple different departments. </p>\n\n<p>An alternative—although this would be harder to do as a postdoc—would be to look for a smaller school in which several of the programs are lumped together. Obviously, this is much easier in your case to do with the languages (French and Japanese), rather than CS. I would be hard pressed to think of a case where someone would get a joint appointment in CS and a modern languages department. (CS and linguistics is another issue, but linguistics staff wouldn't teach modern languages.) The reason it would be hard to do this with a postdoc is that schools small enough to lump lots of languages into a single department probably aren't big enough to support large numbers of postdocs (or in some cases, any postdocs at all).</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46426,
"author": "user6726",
"author_id": 28972,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28972",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Postdocs are short-term and hard to get, and I don't think it's wise to make such restricted plans (at your current stage stage). It might be for example that if you get a postdoc, they will have in mind a specific course that they want you to teach, and it almost certainly would not be a language course. On the other hand, such planning could land you a first job (not a postdoc) somewhere that had multiple instructional needs. Setting aside the postdoc restriction, it is plausible and potentially advantageous to be in a position to teach multiple areas, even in multiple departments. </p>\n\n<p>Speaking as a linguist, I know a number of linguists who are also in language teaching. Sometimes the language (modern) is taught in the linguistics department (which may be a \"languages and linguistics\" department), and sometimes this is via a joint appointment. In the latter case, the person usually is hired in one department and later splits the appointment. I doubt that you could get an initial position in a French department with a degree in CS or Linguistics, but if you had an appointment in Linguistics, that could be split later. Though if you spoke something \"exotic\" (in some contexts, that could be Japanese), you might actually get your first appointment in language teaching.</p>\n\n<p>In R1 institutions, such arrangements probably exist for 5-10% of appointments, and for smaller colleges I expect it would be much higher (because they might only have need for a half of a Japanese instructor).</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46405",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15360/"
] |
46,408 |
<p>I'm currently an undergraduate student at a university in Canada. Over the past couple of years, it has become very clear to me that I want to pursue teaching as a career. My issue is that the level I want to teach at is the university level, as I feel that I am more likely to encounter students who are interested in and passionate about the material they are learning, just as I have a passion for knowledge and sharing that knowledge with others.</p>
<p>I have been fortunate enough already to have had opportunities to teach and lead study groups ranging in size from one-on-one sessions to larger groups of 40+ individuals, and I have experienced firsthand the joy of helping someone come to a realization, of using a great illustrative analogy, and facilitating someone else's discovery of knowledge. I mention this in an attempt to illustrate the passion I have for sharing knowledge with others.</p>
<p>I have also been lucky enough to develop good relationships with faculty at my institution, including instructors who have a definite focus on teaching above research. However, my understanding is that these faculty are still required to dedicate a significant portion of their time to working on research, and generating output. I have discussed my ambitions with them, and they have been supportive, but I also worry that they are perhaps painting a more fanciful picture for me than reality would warrant.</p>
<p>I have not yet had an opportunity to take on undergraduate research projects, but I hopefully will be able to do so in the next year or two. I am pursuing a double major in biology and physics (with an emphasis on biophysics), and am hoping to be able to undertake research projects in both disciplines.</p>
<p>My concern is that the academic world is very competitive, and I am not certain that I will be well-suited to the networking and politicking that such a career would require. I am aware that it is possible to get contract positions as a sessional lecturer without a PhD, but these positions are inherently unstable, and perhaps not as rewarding.</p>
<p>The other area I have considered is attempting to find work as an educator in the public or private school systems. However, I worry that this work would not be as rewarding, being as many high school students do not have the passion for knowledge often found in higher-level undergraduate or graduate students.</p>
<p>As mentioned above, I am in Canada, but I am not adverse in concept to relocating, either for purposes of study or permanently. English is my first and only language.</p>
<p>So, at the end of it all, my question is: what advice would you give someone hoping to find a stable, secure job teaching in biology or biophysics at the university level?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46411,
"author": "user3209815",
"author_id": 14133,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14133",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In my part of Europe a teacher at a university is obliged to have a PhD (although the law defines also a \"sufficiently large contribution to the field\" to warrant an employment without a doctorate, however this is very rare and usually reserved for artistic fields, e.g. a successful writer teaching a literature course). This does not apply to teaching/research assistants which are commonly on a PhD track. One can't stay an assistant until retirement though, so you are looking for a professorship.</p>\n\n<p>On the other hand, I know a number of professors who are primarily devoted to teaching (I hesitate to say exclusively) and that is not uncommon at all. They are also required to publish, but, as they receive no grants, the pressure is minimal. And that amount of papers, they are required to publish by university law, typically comes from collaboration with other faculty.</p>\n\n<p>To summarize, I expect that you do need a PhD (and the required research that goes with it) to get a professor position. However, once you are there, I think you'll find it easy to keep up with the minimal requirements required to keep that job. This career path is not so stressful and competitive as you fear. Good teachers are very important to universities and they are also entitled for tenure.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46412,
"author": "Suresh",
"author_id": 346,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/346",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p><strong>This answer pertains to the United States</strong></p>\n\n<p>Given your interests, a possible avenue to consider is a college dedicated to teaching, such as Harvey Mudd and the other SoCal colleges, Haverford, Swarthmore, and the cluster of teaching colleges in western Massachusetts (Smith, Mt Holyoke and the like). </p>\n\n<p>In all of these places, your primary job is to teach. You will also have a chance to do research, and your research productivity is valued, but the amount of research you need to do, and the amounts of grant money you pull in, have very different expectations from a typical R1 university. </p>\n\n<p>You will still need a Ph.D. You will still have to do all the usual networking required to get a job. But you won't need to do battle for grants in the same way, and often teaching at an undergrad college can confer a slight advantage when it comes to asking for grant money. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46415,
"author": "pimmen",
"author_id": 17272,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17272",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In Sweden you don't have to have a Ph.D to teach but you really need to be very knowledgable in the subject. I know five people at the faculty of my department who only have master's degrees but still teach courses at the undergraduate level. One of them is my program coordinator, he's been here for 25 years.</p>\n\n<p>But, they are not allowed to teach graduate level courses although one of them has been a thesis advisor for some students opting for a master's.</p>\n\n<p>This is at the Computer Science Department though. I have never heard of a non-Ph.D teacher in the Physics or Math Department.</p>\n\n<p>I know you're based in Canada, but English only courses is not uncommon in the EU. Although migrating here could be a huge hassle with paper work.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46408",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35287/"
] |
46,417 |
<p>I recently finished my PhD and moved on to a postdoc research position in a semi-related subject area at a different University. I have an idea for a narritive review in my old subject area and I have some time to make a start on it before the current project gets really busy. </p>
<p>My issue is that I would like to invite my old PhD supervisor and another researcher from a third University, who we have collaborated with before, to co-author the paper with me as they are experts in the area that the review would cover. My current postdoc supervisor/line manager and other research colleague do not have any expertise in this subject area. </p>
<p>Is it ok to start writing the paper with my old colleagues without permission or notification of my current research team/boss? Or should I tell them that I am writing a paper with my old colleagues, without being able to offer them the chance to be involved? Not sure what the expectation is and don't want to annoy anyone at my (very new) job.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46418,
"author": "Stephan Kolassa",
"author_id": 4140,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4140",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You should <em>not</em> start working on an independent project without telling your current supervisor. After all, he acquired the funding which pays your salary, so he needs to be on board with everything you do that takes up a significant amount of time. (Of course, I am not talking about asking for his permission every time you review a paper.)</p>\n\n<p>Then again, as a postdoc (as compared to Ph.D. students), you are <em>expected</em> to start spreading your wings and collaborating with people outside your supervisor's immediate group. So chances are that your supervisor will be supportive, especially since you write that you have some time to kill.</p>\n\n<p>But ask first; it's possible that your supervisor knows something that needs to be done before your project \"really\" starts.</p>\n\n<p>This question is related (full disclosure: I answered there): <a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/18832/4140\">Should postdocs work only on the projects they are hired for, or can they work with other people in the same research group on other projects?</a></p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46419,
"author": "stay_frosty",
"author_id": 18052,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/18052",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>As henning said, it's always good to be upfront with your supervisor on your current activities, especially if they may overlap with your current duties.</p>\n\n<p>I would have a chat with my current supervisor about what their expectations are for extra-curricular research, especially if it is not in their domain of expertise.</p>\n\n<p>I would be surprised if they said no. The only reason they may have a problem with it would be due to worries that your efforts are being directed toward a non-work related activity. Also, double-check if there are any contractual obligations you have entered into in your new team to share credit. You may be obliged to include authorship to your supervisor in any work you create whilst at your workplace.</p>\n\n<p>All of these are big if's; but I would say that it would be no problem at all, if you mention it in passing to your new supervisor, and just get their assent that it is all ok :) </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46417",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35301/"
] |
46,420 |
<p>I am an international student and was enrolled in a PhD program for the last 4 years. My GPA is above 3.8.</p>
<p>I was recently given a termination letter(without any warnings) from my department regarding my PhD program. Apparently my termination is because I missed a deadline for an article submission. I am surprised as I was not given probation for even one semester before termination. It could be because in the last 6 months my progress on my thesis was slow because I was busy with a few personal commitments.
i was getting married and had a couple of unexpected deaths in the family. </p>
<p>EDIT: "The deadline I missed first was a mutually set one to review the final draft of an article to publish. I missed it by more than 10 days as I had a death in the family. I sent the final edition of the draft 5 days before actual submission date for the journal. But got no response. I missed the submission date as I had no feedback from him."</p>
<p>I am in the last year and finishing my data analysis. I was outside the US for my research and my I-20 expired last week and now I am stranded outside the US.
As it is the summer vacation, the staff and my adviser are unavailable on the phone.
I got a reply to my emails as follows:
For the i-20, since you are currently no longer in the program. I cannot complete a graduate student program extension form for you.
I wish it had turned out better for you. I am available at any time to talk. </p>
<p>But the office line is still under answered. I don't have any other number. I have emailed him asking for a time and number I can contact him.
Weirdly got an email today saying let's talk on 17th June. The other members havnt responded.
An old student of the my advisor told me something similar has happened before where a student was told to look for another advisor by my advisor. But she was in her first year. It was because he felt the performance wasn't up to the mark. It was also very unexpected as he was always very cordial with her too in team meetings and department meeting. The girl took up another professor and completed her PhD. </p>
<p>What options do I have?</p>
<p>Should I wait to get back in contact with my department or should I look for other universities and programs?</p>
<p>What happens to the data I have collected? As I was outside the USA during the data collection, I was not given any stipend while I collected the data. Do I have rights on my data or does my adviser or does the department? The data is in audio format collected by me using a set of guidelines created by me but approved by my adviser.</p>
<p>I might be getting ahead of myself, but I am, to say the least, feeling panicked right now.</p>
<p>UPDATE Jan 2020: The advisor never explained properly, but 5 years down the line I understand what happened. My advisor wanted to leave the institute. I believe his contract/commitment made it impossible to do so while I was a student there. He did write me glowing recommendation and helped me secure a good institute in my own country. Due to the setback and credits not transferring, I had to "sit" through some courses but I will be defending my PhD this year. In the mean time I have written chapters and articles with my new and my old advisor. The old advisor runs his own research institute. The data is mine to use without issue.</p>
<p>I do not like being in the dark and my life partner helped me live through those times. What I will say is that power dynamics for an international student make the advisor more powerful than should be. And without an option I had to spend more time than I should have to complete an already long PhD. </p>
<p>Thanks for all the responses. As you can tell I opened this account and have worded everything to ensure that there is anonymity for all involved. The advisor is highly regarded in my field and his willingness to work with me is a disincentive to reveal/smear his name. Now that he has a private research institute without any international students, I hope the same will not be repeated with others.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46423,
"author": "StrongBad",
"author_id": 929,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/929",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Departments generally do not terminate PhD students without letting the student's advisor know in advance. The fact that your advisor has not responded to you for 3 weeks, suggests the possibility that he/she is ignoring you. This is reasonable behaviour, if in fact your advisor was behind your termination.</p>\n\n<p>As you are not currently in the US, you need to call your department chair and/or the chair of graduate studies and figure out what is going on. In my opinion, it is too soon to look for a new program or to start really worrying about your data.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46425,
"author": "aeismail",
"author_id": 53,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/53",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>In general, I've never heard of a student who was dismissed from a PhD program without sufficient warning and advance notice to make necessary alternate arrangements (for instance, write up and leave with a terminal master's instead of a PhD). The fact that you've been summarily terminated from a PhD program comes as a complete shock to me—you should have been given some knowledge and warning that this was coming.</p>\n\n<p>However, the silence from your advisor is quite unusual. Even if your advisor were not supposed to converse with you about your situation, a short email saying \"You need to address all of your concerns to [person X]\" would not violate any such issues. So, it's not clear why your advisor is ignoring you—but it does seem rather obvious that your advisor has consented to your termination. (In my experience, if the advisor is willing to fight for a student, then only very serious issues such as plagiarism or sabotage will lead to termination.)</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46428,
"author": "Matt",
"author_id": 35317,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35317",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Out of curiosity, can you explain the significance of the article submission deadline? I finished my PhD in the life sciences, years ago. Having peer-reviewed publications certainly helped me complete in a reasonable amount of time, but the ‘deadlines’ to have these submitted were not true deadlines, but moving ones I decided upon with my advisor to push our projects along. I’m certain I missed more than a few of these.</p>\n\n<p>In any case, my guess would be that your advisor is solely responsible for having you terminated for what they deem as lack of progress, and is presenting this as a decision made by the department. I’d agree with the others that this does seem very childish on their part, and if the only criticism they have is that you missed a paper submission, then you definitely deserve more of an explanation that that. I'm not sure exactly what your options are - but if I were you I would first want to know why I'd been terminated, and I wouldn't be satisfied with the reason you've been given.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46420",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35306/"
] |
46,433 |
<p>Arguably the most time-consuming component of teaching is preparation of study material (especially when in comes to a fresh lecturer of a new module). </p>
<ol><li>First of all, every presentation should have slides. Who takes a lecturer without slides seriously? (with the only exception of, perhaps, really senior professors). If one dares to use a black- or whiteboard, students will take pictures on their iPhones instead of following the lecture, pretending they will follow it at home, which they never do. And students who miss the lecture will complain, since the slides are not available.<li>Secondly, some question / exercise sheets are important to keep students entertained and busy in class / tutorial. <li>Question sheets imply answer sheets, with (some) of solutions worked out, to help students prepare to the assessments. <li>Lecture notes, to collect all relevant information in one place, and save students some trouble looking for it in various textbooks. Helps with those students who are hip enough to never use a library. <li>Practice instructions, to carry out lab classes.</ol>
<p>This is just a basic list, which comes to my mind, and I'm sure that other types of study / supporting materials are used in teaching.</p>
<p>I've heard rumours about some <i>loci amoeni</i> universities in the US, which provide their lecturers with all (or most) of these materials, professionally prepared by academic publishers. Apparently, this is not the case in the UK, at least not at every university. And I can now appreciate, that preparation of all these materials to every lecture / tutorial class can take a very considerable time.</p>
<p><b>Question:</b> How do we decide, which materials are the most important for the class, and which are not? How do we assess, that the amount of materials prepared is sufficient?</p>
<p><i>Specs</i> (by popular request): I am teaching Maths at BSc and MSc level in the UK. However, I would appreciate answers regardless your discipline / profile.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46435,
"author": "MrMeritology",
"author_id": 17564,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17564",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>A short answer (not snide or sarcastic) to \"How much course material is necessary?\": </p>\n\n<p><strong>As much as is necessary for all sorts of students to effectively learn and meet the course objectives.</strong> </p>\n\n<p>This depends on the varying skill and background of students who take the course, your teaching approach, the nature of the course (i.e. where do students have the most difficulty, etc.). As a student, I always appreciated <strong><em>more</em></strong> study material, and was frequently frustrated by <strong><em>too little</em></strong> study material.</p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p>Longer answer:</p>\n\n<p>You could use a \"Management By Objectives\" approach to teaching. (see Peter Drucker) This goes beyond just listing \"Course Objectives\", which usually just enumerate statements like this: \"The student should master X, Y, and Z\".</p>\n\n<p>I suggest created a list of <em>Teaching Objectives</em> for yourself, and <em>Learning Objectives</em> for students. The Teaching Objectives apply to the work <em>you</em> do and the goals you need meet, and likewise for the student's Learning Objectives.</p>\n\n<p>These objectives should not be generic. They should apply uniquely to <em>you</em> -- your teaching style, your strengths and weaknesses, etc. They should apply uniquely to the types of students you get in the course -- their background, their capabilities, their strengths and weaknesses, etc. Most of all, a good set of objectives help you and your students <strong><em>focus</em></strong> on a few key things that deserve special attention and make the most difference in success. (Avoid \"laundry list\" objectives that includes every little task you and they need to do. These are not \"to-do\" lists of activities to \"check off\" when completed.)</p>\n\n<p>After you create these two sets of objectives, ask yourself: \"What sorts of teaching experiences and learning experiences will be most effective in achieving these objectives?\" (<em>Teaching</em> and <em>learning</em> are complementary, and not perfect substitutes.) Generally, sometimes \"repetition\" is most effective (e.g. memorizing multiplication tables). Sometimes, \"trial and error\" experiences are most effective. Sometimes, \"watch a demonstration, and then imitate\" is most effective. Sometimes, Socratic questioning and debate is most effective.</p>\n\n<p>FINALLY ask: What sorts of <strong>course materials</strong> support these teaching and learning experiences? If \"learning by repetition\" is most important, then you need lots of material that supports (rewarding) repetition by students. If Socratic dialog is most effective, then class lecture notes are either unimportant or detrimental. This is where academic research in Education might be able to inform you.</p>\n\n<p>Too often, course material is designed for one type of student. The value of your course will be significantly raised if you design course material for the diverse range of students you are likely to encounter. Please don't assume that students who do poorly in the course \"aren't good enough\" or \"didn't try hard enough\". Those same students might do much better if the course material was better suited to them.</p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p>What ever you choose to do, you don't have to rely only on your own past experience or what professors in your university have always done. There is abundant research on the topic of effectiveness of course material relative to various subjects, levels, and teaching methods. It is a specialty within the discipline of Education. I mention this not because they have <em>the</em> answer, but because you might be able to find evidence for or against any given type of course material.</p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p>While you are thinking about this topic, have you considered computer-based study materials? If your course has significant math content, then interactive coursework using Mathematica, MatLab, iPython Notebook, or R could replace much of the traditional material (exercise sheets, answer sheets, lecture notes, etc.) </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46436,
"author": "Patric Hartmann",
"author_id": 20449,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20449",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>At first I thought that this question is too opinion-based but I think some general rules can be worked out. However, I think that an answer is always depending on the field.</p>\n\n<p>I follow your numbering:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li><p>What for? I barely ever use slides except for showing verbatim quotes. The students are old enough to know what they have to write down and what not. If not, they are anyway unfit for academia.</p></li>\n<li><p>Most discussions arise from the topic treated in the lecture. Therefore I do not really prepare questions. I challenge the students with statements they have to prove or disprove. It's my job to make them think on their own, not to answer prefab questions. If they can't do that: again, unfit for academia.</p></li>\n<li><p>Irrelevant (cf 2.)</p></li>\n<li><p>Academic research is all about finding ways to get the information you need. If one can't do it for something as simple as an exam (where you know the topics), then one's surely not fit for academia.</p></li>\n<li><p>In my case irrelevant (liberal arts), but the disputes mentioned in 2. come very close. But as I wrote there: I do not really prepare the discussions. They arise from the ductus of the lecture.</p></li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>The tl;dr answer: It's all about experience. You'll figure out what to prepare for which class.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46439,
"author": "Penguin_Knight",
"author_id": 6450,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6450",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Use <a href=\"http://chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/planning-a-class-with-backward-design/33625\">backward design</a>, start with what you'd like the students to become or to achieve at the end of the course. Then, according to each of these \"wishes,\" determine the best way to collect evidence on learning, and according to each of these evidence, design the teaching/learning experience. Formats should not drive the contents; it's the experience you wish to achieve that drives the formats. If lecture with slides is the best way, then lecture with slides; do not add lecture with slides because it's your institute's status quo.</p>\n\n<p>Here are some of my anecdotes addressing your points:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>First of all, every presentation should have slides. Who takes a\n lecturer without slides seriously? (with the only exception of,\n perhaps, really senior professors).</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Teaching in a US university, I have started to see students showing excitement because a certain lecturer does not use slides in the class as early as 2010. That got me start thinking if slides are still a viable teaching tool. After some thought, I made the decision to go slide-free and have complete done away with slides two years ago.</p>\n\n<p>I like the format so far because slides had been acting as an invisible wall between me and the students. Just because I have clicked through them does not mean I have taught them. However, I felt <em>safe</em> behind the screen, and perhaps had grown to relish that false security too much.</p>\n\n<p>I replaced the slides with what I call a \"learner's package\" (more details below) and I immediately felt a lot better. There are more discussions, questions, and interaction. The questions became a lot more spontaneous. In the beginning it can be daunting, but once I got into the rhythm I can never go back to the slides. As of now, four cycles into this new scheme, 80 students taught, and none of them complained the lack of slides in the evaluation.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>If one dares to use a black- or whiteboard, students will take\n pictures on their iPhones instead of following the lecture, pretending\n they will follow it at home, which they never do.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>It's not if they will or will not follow up; it's if you have structured the activities or evaluation exercises to make them follow up or not. If there is no reason, why would they be motivated to look at something they have already archived?</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>And students who miss the lecture will complain, since the slides are\n not available.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Many technological solutions here: e.g. First, make it clear in the syllabus that it's their responsibility to solicit notes from their peer if they miss a class. Second, consider video-taping your lecture. Third, consider using screen capture with audio recording if you will be using slides. Talk to your IT folks for possible supports.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Secondly, some question / exercise sheets are important to keep\n students entertained and busy in class / tutorial.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>While I love the idea of enriching the types of formats and interactions, it should be based on the desirable outcomes of the course, and not based on entertainment (though I sense that your questions are portrayed with a bit of sarcasm). Different types of format have their pedagogical pros and cons and they should be used to best fit what you want to achieve.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Question sheets imply answer sheets, with (some) of solutions worked\n out, to help students prepare to the assessments.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>I'd disagree with making it a routine to provide answers; this can cause them to rely on the eventually available right answers. Instead, I'd suggest base the questions on a defined set of skills (that you can point to at a section of the text, or on a certain page of the notes) with mild to moderate modification. That way, you can point them to the section to see how similar questions are solved, and encourage them to revise their answer.</p>\n\n<p>If possible, base your answer scheme on instant feedback of the class's performance. E.g. if last week's quiz shows that only 35% of the class got question 6 correct, then consider making a detailed answer scheme for that.</p>\n\n<p>Use your teaching assistants. Make them try your questions. They can i) find typos or errors, ii) give you a sense of how much time was needed to complete each question (multiply it with a factor of 1.5 to 3.0 to factor in the fact that the TAs probably can complete the exercise in a shorter time,) iii) draft the model answers.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Lecture notes, to collect all relevant information in one place, and\n save students some trouble looking for it in various textbooks. Helps\n with those students who are hip enough to never use a library.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>I agree a one-stop reference point would be helpful. It can be a set of notes or a list of materials hosted on the online learning website (like Blackboard.)</p>\n\n<p>In my \"learner's package,\" I included the followings:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>List of learning objectives</li>\n<li>Learning resources, which include corresponding sections in the textbook, readings, videos, etc.</li>\n<li>Self-assessments. This section contains a list of activities and exercise with answers for students to test their own understanding. It's not graded.</li>\n<li>Lesson evaluation. This section details how the students will be evaluated formally. I often put the link to the weekly quiz here. And if appropriate I also suggest some mile stone that they should achieve in this week with their personal final project. (I provide rubrics and so, but this answer is long enough so I'll save it for another day.)</li>\n<li>All the notes, with citations.</li>\n<li>In-class exercise and activities.</li>\n<li>I use the <a href=\"https://tufte-latex.github.io/tufte-latex/\">Tufte LaTeX codes</a> to compose the notes. I picked it because of its pleasant layout and ample amount of space for students to write.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p>Lastly, here are some titles that have inspired me with trying different instructional designs (I'm not affiliated with these authors nor Amazon.com):</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Wiggins and McTighe. <a href=\"http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0131950843\">Understanding by Design</a>.</li>\n<li>Smith. <a href=\"http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0787994421\">Conquering the Content</a>. It's for online course design by the contents helped me greatly in designing the online teaching platform.</li>\n<li>Dirksen. <a href=\"http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0321768434\">Design for How People Learn</a></li>\n<li>Ambrose et. al. <a href=\"http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0470484101\">How Learning Works</a></li>\n<li>Davis. <a href=\"http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0787965677\">Tools for Teaching</a></li>\n</ul>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46433",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17418/"
] |
46,441 |
<p>I have a personal relationship with a psychology professor. We have 2 situations where I may have some claim on authorship but I'm not confident. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>I was a participant in a research project in the spring semester. Due to my performance, I was asked to continue. The theory behind the research is that getting 2 types of training will improve learning of a specific task. Each session, I received both types of training. </p>
<p>He wasn't happy with the data from the spring semester. After spending hours looking at the data, he found some way to eek out an abstract. As we continued, I started to realize that although my performance varied from session to session, I either increased or decreased on both tasks. In other words, I thought that if I did better with Training A on Tuesday, I also did better on Training B. If I did worse on Wednesday, I would do worse on both tasks. </p>
<p>I told him about this. He looked at those particular data and I was right. There was a clear correlation. Within a few hours, he was saying it would be publishable. </p>
<p>My contention is that he provided the theory for the study but I proposed the hypothesis. He said "You don't think I would have eventually looked at that?" Then I pointed out that he hadn't looked at those data when he was struggling for an abstract. He says I'm just a subject who provided feedback but I did more than that. I predicted the correlation between specific data. </p></li>
<li><p>He's been working on a book chapter. His original plan was to write about his subject from the perspective of a different branch of psychology, one in which I hold a masters. His original interpretation was not good and I told him. We spent hours discussing this. I found the main reference on which he is basing this claim. Also, I spent hours teaching him the principles of my area. I gave him the interpretation from the perspective of my discipline which is the point of that section of the chapter. </p>
<p>He had me read the relevant part of the chapter. I found it confusing. He failed to explain some things and implied information that was incorrect. Also, he explained things in an order that would leave the reader confused. He was frustrated because he had not planned to rewrite that section but said "You're right." To be helpful, I sat down and wrote that section myself. Initially, I had given him an example that I'd heard elsewhere. This time, I included a new example that explained things more clearly. I shared the document online and he continued working. </p>
<p>A few hours later we were discussing it and I asked if he was using my new example. He said "No, because I don't want to give you a co-authorship." I was stunned. It's one thing not to give me credit but he is going to a great deal of trouble to avoid crediting me. Later he said he was excited for me to see the acknowledgement. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Yes, I should have discussed authorship with him before making these contributions. Setting that aside, do I have a claim to anything beyond an acknowledgement? I feel like I made "significant intellectual contributions" to both. The study has not been written but I provided a lot of the material for the chapter. </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46455,
"author": "Pete L. Clark",
"author_id": 938,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/938",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>This is one of the most singular situations I have ever encountered on this site. In general, having multiple relationships with the same person can makes things complicated unless the parties are on especially good terms and/or are especially good at setting and respecting boundaries. Academically collaborating with someone with whom you're romantically involved is not (inherently) a conflict of interest, but it <em>is</em> a source of potential complication for both relationships. (I say this as someone who has never had both kinds of relationships with the same person, but who has found successfully navigating one or the other type of relationship separately to be complicated enough!)</p>\n\n<p>I am simply bowled over by the fact that you are in a situation where the above two relationships are joined by yet a third: that of a <strong>participant in a psychological study</strong>. </p>\n\n<p>My academic field (mathematics) is pretty far removed from psychology, so please discount accordingly, but my strong suspicion is that being romantically involved with someone in your psychological research study is already a potentially fatal (to the academic project, I mean!) conflict of interest. My understanding is that this is the sort of thing that should be cleared with IRB in advance, and in the absence of compelling reason to experiment on you and not someone else the practice looks iffy. When you compound that with the fact one of the subjects has a personal relationship with the psychologist <em>and</em> that personal contact led to a discussion of the study <em>while the study is ongoing</em>....holy moley. I think the professor should either submit the entire case to a body who is competent to authoritatively advise on the ethics of the situation or -- and I think this is better -- drop you from the study, remove all data which pertain to you, and consider whether it is worthwhile to try to replicate \"your data\" on a new and unrelated party. Continuing on to try to publish in this situation seems like such a bad idea, in which full disclosure and resulting failure to publish in a reputable journal is one of the better-case scenarios.</p>\n\n<p>Having accomplished this, you will have reduced to the only ordinarily complicated double relationship that I mentioned at the beginning: being in a romantic relationship and a possible academic collaboration. I think you and your psychology professor friend are well overdue for a general talk about the boundaries between your personal and professional relationship. You don't list your own professional identity, and somehow I gather that you are not a psychology professor. Nevertheless you have a master's degree in psychology, which is more than enough for conversations about your friend's work to have a potential professional component. Your interactions with your friend about his work go way beyond the norm for \"off-the-job\" conversations with friends and significant others. Namely you:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>analyzed his data (from the inside!) in a way that he regarded as making the transition to publishability </li>\n<li>gave critical feedback on a subject in which (from the sound of it) you have more expertise than he does </li>\n<li>read his writing in detail and gave critical feedback, both on the content and the presentation </li>\n<li>rewrote a section of the work, changing the content to what you thought was superior </li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>As it sounds like you know, any one of these contributions could be held up (and has been, at least once on this site) as being sufficient for coauthorship. In the confluence of all of them -- or let's say the last three, since the first pertains to something which may be to problematic to see the light of day -- I think it would be unethical not to have a conversation in which the coauthorship is carefully discussed and analyzed. Some may view your contributions as being essential to the point that it could be ethically problematic even for the two of you to <em>agree</em> not to list you as a coauthor: academics are not supposed to get substantial, expert help in their academic work \"under the table\".</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>He said \"No, because I don't want to give you a co-authorship.\" I was stunned. It's one thing not to give me credit but he is going to a great deal of trouble to avoid crediting me. </p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Unfortunately I agree completely. It's unfortunate because this is really a tough situation: even from a professional ethics standpoint there is nothing to do other than to have the coauthorship conversation with someone who doesn't want to have it. If I were you I would plan this very carefully in advance. It may be that you will not be able to salvage both the personal relationship and the academic work you've both done, so it could be helpful for you to go into the situation knowing clearly which one is your priority. Good luck.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 48003,
"author": "Johan Larsson",
"author_id": 36513,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/36513",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Without delving into the particulars of your case, the IMCJE has suggested four criteria that stipulate who should and who should not be considered an author.</p>\n<blockquote>\n<ul>\n<li><p>Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND</p>\n</li>\n<li><p>Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND</p>\n</li>\n<li><p>Final approval of the version to be published; AND</p>\n</li>\n<li><p>Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n</blockquote>\n<p>They also happen to be supported by COPE, who helpfully also has supplied these guidelines: <a href=\"http://publicationethics.org/files/u2/2003pdf12.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">How to handle authorship disputes: a guide for new researchers</a></p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46441",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35333/"
] |
46,445 |
<p>I am considering dropping out of my mechanical engineering PhD program (only a year in) to return to a career in software engineering. During my job search I feel I have had a mediocre response from potential employers for jobs where I should have been a knock-out, home run candidate.</p>
<p>On my resume I have listed that I am currently a PhD student. <strong>Is it possible the in-work PhD is hurting my response? If so, what should I do to better sell myself to potential employers?</strong> Furthermore, is the fact that my PhD and career choice are in different fields hurting?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46446,
"author": "jvriesem",
"author_id": 32794,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/32794",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It's possible that they're not taking you as seriously as you would hope because they think you might want to make your PhD the priority and quit the job soon and return to academia. Or, they may see you as non-committal—one who jumps careers—and they are looking for somebody who will stay with them. </p>\n\n<p>Also, software engineering is a hot field right now. There might be a ton of other really stellar applicants, so you might be facing stronger competition than you expected. </p>\n\n<p>Of course, it does depend on a host of other factors, some of which are in your control and most of which are not.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46448,
"author": "Aleksandr Blekh",
"author_id": 12391,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12391",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I think that such questions do not have general answers. IMHO, it all depends on your particular situation and variables, associated with it. In particular, I believe that it is crucial <strong>who</strong> is looking at your resume or CV and through what <strong>\"lenses\"</strong> (<em>perspectives</em>). Additionally, some <strong>other factors</strong> might be at play, such as <em>timing</em>, <em>areas</em> that you're trying to find jobs in, how well your cover letter, if any, is <em>customized</em> to a particular position, <em>style</em> and <em>contents</em> of your resume/CV, and many others.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46484,
"author": "Compass",
"author_id": 22013,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22013",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>I had a similar case, though my incomplete Master's came before a completed Master's in an entirely different field. Any gaps or oddities in your past are questioned. In my case, I had not completed a Master's in Biology, left, worked for a few years, finished a Master's in Computer Science, and then got a much better job.</p>\n\n<p><strong>Do not remove that entry about being a PhD student.</strong> It can potentially come back to bite you down the road if it is found during a background check/re-evaluation, as you are purposely concealing potentially vital information.</p>\n\n<p>Instead, prepare to be asked why you are leaving the PhD program during your interview phase. I am not sure of your reasons, but you should be able to bounce your answer off any friends and supportive colleagues to see if they are convinced.</p>\n\n<p>Also, consider contacting a technical recruiter to go over your application to evaluate your portfolio. That will help you narrow down any other potential issues with your resume.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46445",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/34556/"
] |
46,452 |
<p>Please read the following background paragraph carefully to understand the meaning of "review" in this question - it may not be what you think. In particular, this is not a duplicate of <a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/9523/is-it-acceptable-as-referee-to-contact-an-author-on-a-paper-you-review">Is it acceptable as referee to contact an author on a paper you review?</a>, and the <a href="/questions/tagged/peer-review" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged 'peer-review'" rel="tag">peer-review</a> and <a href="/questions/tagged/review-articles" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged 'review-articles'" rel="tag">review-articles</a> tags are not really applicable here.</p>
<p>In mathematics, we have two well-known "review databases": <a href="http://www.ams.org/mathscinet/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MathSciNet / Mathematical Reviews</a> and <a href="https://zbmath.org/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Zentralblatt MATH (aka zbMATH)</a>. These services aim to create a comprehensive database of papers that have <strong>already been published</strong> in peer-reviewed journals. For each recently published paper, they invite an independent expert in the subject (not one of the authors) to write what is (perhaps confusingly) called a "review", which is really just a <strong>synopsis of the paper's content</strong> - a sort of third-party extended abstract, perhaps 1-4 paragraphs long. The review is generally <strong><em>not</em> expected to make a judgment of the paper's quality or novelty</strong>, though it may cite other papers for context. When the review is finished, it is posted in the database along with bibliographic information for the paper, <strong>including the reviewer's name</strong> (so these reviews are not anonymous). The databases are available by subscription, and are the field's primary tool for literature searches.</p>
<hr>
<p>I have been invited to review a paper for zbMATH. In reading the paper, I got confused by some notation that seems to be unclear; it could be an error or omission in the original paper, or maybe just something I have overlooked. I would like to contact the authors to ask for clarification. <strong>Is it appropriate for me to contact them directly?</strong> If so, should I identify myself as a zbMATH reviewer, or just a reader with a question?</p>
<p>I can't think of any concrete reason not to do so. My review will eventually be printed with my name, so I don't have anonymity to protect, and it won't say anything controversial. But I do have some vague sense that my review is supposed to be "independent", so I am hesitating.</p>
<p>I suppose I can ask the zbMATH editors / administrators, but I would also be interested in opinions from the community. </p>
<p>(Note that the database editors are not generally in contact with the authors of the paper - they just grab the published papers and send them out to reviewers. So it isn't as though I would use the editors as an intermediary.)</p>
<hr>
<p>For reference, the invitation from zbMATH reads as follows:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>[W]e would like you to contribute a review of the attached item for
zbMATH. We hope that you will find the publication to be of interest to
you. We would appreciate if your review would give an independent
description. If you cite parts of the original text please label
extensive verbatim quotations as such.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>More information about what is expected in a review can be found at <a href="https://zbmath.org/reviewer-service/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://zbmath.org/reviewer-service/</a>, but the issue at hand is not addressed.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46514,
"author": "Nate Eldredge",
"author_id": 1010,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1010",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I contacted the zbMATH editors with this question, and received the following reply from staff member David Biesenack:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>It is totally okay, if\n you contact the author for clarification.</p>\n</blockquote>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 160667,
"author": "Scott Nollet",
"author_id": 133408,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/133408",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I have written almost 100 Zentralblatt reviews and contacted authors numerous times for clarifications. In one case, the author forgot to include part of a proof, which I put into the review for him. Usually it's just some notation I don't understand. I think there is no problem contacting the author and in fact the author may appreciate it.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46452",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1010/"
] |
46,459 |
<p>For a couple of days ago I had an in class online quiz consisting of multiple choices. I had read and prepared for the quiz and got a 80%, not too well but not bad either. </p>
<p>Several days after the exam I got a email from my professor saying that two different persons had come to him and told I was observed cheating by searching the web for answers. I met up with the professor and he blamed me straight away for cheating. I never talked with him before but he sided immediately with the other side rather than me, even though he had no "past impression" of me. He tried to scare me to admit to something I did not do while I repeatedly told him I did not do it. He made me very uncomfortable, saying I should drop the class and so on... </p>
<p>He was being very childish and immature, I told him it was unfair to take someone’s word over mine when there was no prior relationship, he just started working here. He kept threatening me and I told him I would never admit to something I did not do and it is wrong to accuse someone based on a rumor, this means that I could potentially wrongfully accuse someone of cheating and they would be in trouble. </p>
<p>I am very scared now and I suffer from social anxiety, I have been scared to show up to class as I feel the professor is out after getting me. After this incident, he has also given me very bad grades, borderline failing me, even though I am a student with a 3.5 GPA and very hard working. Also he has been talking about me "cheating" to other students, started a rumor about me that has spread among several classmates, which makes me very uncomfortable being around people. </p>
<p>I have gotten several reports from classmates that he has shared this private matter with them. Whatever I do in class now is not good enough; he keeps on punishing me with bad grades and gave me a zero on the quizzes, making the class hard to even pass. I have no clue what to do in such a situation, and as mentioned before I suffer from heavy social anxiety and I am scared of going to class. </p>
<p>We had a quiz with the same format as the other one shortly after with same amount of questions from a different chapter, I had to finish that quiz while he was looking at me and I got the same exact result as the previous one. I thought that would be proof enough, but he told me that he believes the other person more than me, without giving any reason for why. </p>
<p>I don't want to be labeled for something I am not or punished for something I have not done. Is he allowed to talk to other students about such a private thing? What about my rights? What can I do?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46460,
"author": "T K",
"author_id": 12656,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12656",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>First, you should check and read the entire academic dishonesty statement at your university. This should give you an understanding on how the university normally treats these types of issues. Actually being proactive on contacting an office of academic integrity or student conduct, depending on its name at your university, can help you understand what the standard route for a professor to take for academic integrity.</p>\n\n<p>While it is appropriate for a student to come to a faculty member to talk about another student's cheating, it seems to be a red flag for your instructor to ask others about your cheating by name. A vague announcement about seeing that people are not looking at their own papers or looking at their phones is appropriate, but actively singling a student out for their academic misconduct could violate one's privacy in a case of academic dishonesty. This is something you should check with your university though.</p>\n\n<p>Another person who may be of help is the undergraduate chair of the department in which this is occurring, but it seems in the comments you have tried.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46462,
"author": "henning",
"author_id": 31917,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31917",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You give no information on the country where you are studying, and I really only know about the German examination system. In Germany, university grades are administrative acts, implemented by an examination board, which is governed by public law. Therefore, students can lodge a formal objection (Widerspruch) against an unjust grade, which then is readdressed. </p>\n\n<p>Having said that, I would recommend to look into your exam regulations, as a first step, to find out whether a similar procedure exists at your institution. In many English-speaking countries, complaints can be brought to the student ombudsperson. They might also explain further options.</p>\n\n<p>You seem to have a good case, as you have been accused based on hearsay where you should have been given the benefit of the doubt. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46467,
"author": "Jack Aidley",
"author_id": 5614,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/5614",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Your university should have (a) a formal process to be followed for accusations of cheating and (b) a formal process for resolving disputes between students and academic staff. Contact either your student support or your personal tutor (or both) and seek to get these formal processes engaged. Do not try and resolve this personally by engaging with the professor. Ensure you continue to attend class and perform further coursework to the best of your ability.</p>\n\n<p>Your professor should be following process for dealing with your alleged cheating not arbitrarily punishing you with lower grades on unrelated tests.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46469,
"author": "Brian Tompsett - 汤莱恩",
"author_id": 26708,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/26708",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I do not know in which country you are studying in, but in the UK all universities have a Student Union or Student Association. I always recommend that students seek advice from representatives of the Student Association who will have some experience of handling this kind of thing in the past. The Student Association can also support you by providing representative to speak to the department on your behalf.</p>\n\n<p>I know this might not be available everywhere but I felt it should be included as an answer to a question like this to remind staff and students about the excellent role that Student Unions provide in the case of difficult disputes between staff and students.</p>\n\n<p>I also have significant experience in the university pastoral care system of representing and guiding students who are experiencing similar accusations of unfair means from their departments. Some universities do provide neutral academics who can advise students who find themselves in such difficult positions.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46459",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35344/"
] |
46,461 |
<p>When teaching, at some points I sometimes have to go over "boring" technical stuff. By doing so, I see students attention decreasing: they look at their mobiles, at their laptops or, in lab environments, fool around in facebook, youtube etc. Their attention comes back when the lecture moves on to "lighter" subjects.</p>
<p>The thing is that you cannot just omit the content from the slides, as it is crucial for the course (e.g. IPv6, TCP/IP protocols etc.). However, only a small percentage of the students seems to be interested, even after I underline that the material will be examined in the final exam.</p>
<p>The question is: how to increase student interest and maximize the percentage of students that actually assimilate the lecture content?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46464,
"author": "user3209815",
"author_id": 14133,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14133",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>First of all, you can't expect that all students are interested in the same manner. Concentration has its ups and downs over time. Also, some things are dull and will remain so, no matter how good a lecturer presents or how interested the audience is. This doesn't mean that you should skip it on the exam, students just have the choice to absorb it in class or later by themselves.</p>\n\n<p>You seem, however, to face that the majority of students is uninterested. You could try to change the dynamic of class, for example, by going over the \"heavy\" parts at the beginning. That may include that you pace your schedules so, that that particular part of the curriculum comes at the beginning of the next class. If the \"heavy\" part is too elaborate, try splitting it into meaningful blocks, that can be intersected by \"lighter\" material, of course in a meaningful way. Ideal would be blocks that you can cover in 20-25 minutes.</p>\n\n<p>Being a good lecturer is not only about the eloquence of talk or the skill of rhetoric, it is also about understanding that how to \"pre-chew\" the material for a given audience to keep their attention but still convey the knowledge. Dull things must be included, you can't change that. You can, however, change how you approach them.</p>\n\n<p>PS: I don't think forbidding cells, laptops, youtube, etc. would help very much.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46465,
"author": "Davidmh",
"author_id": 12587,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12587",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Try to lighten the load as much as possible without reducing the actual amount of information taught. An example I found last week, in a certain setting we want to find the maximum of a function. Now, knowing that we have that gradient is a good thing, because we can optimize it more efficiently; but writing down the <em>specific formula</em> for the gradient is not that useful, unless you are actually going to implement it. And furthermore, computing it in class is even more boring, as it only involves standard algebra manipulations.</p>\n\n<p>Once you have chosen your battles wisely, try to justify why you have to go through this. After all, I know that TCP/IP is <em>that thing</em> that makes computers talk to each other, and I have been very happy not knowing more than that. Some of your students may feel that this is something that only the people working on IPv7 would ever use it. Briefly explain why this is not the case, and why should they learn the details.</p>\n\n<p>Lastly, candy is always good. After a hard lecture learning a complex algorithm, you can explain how someone used it to do something completely unexpected or fun. This gives the motivation to go back to the topic, study it deeper to better understand the particular application.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46473,
"author": "Brian Tompsett - 汤莱恩",
"author_id": 26708,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/26708",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Not all students learn in the same way, so not all will find the lecture presentation the best way of understanding or engaging with technical material. Injecting an element of practical or laboratory work is often a way of focussing their attention.</p>\n\n<p>I find with networking they often do not <strong>realise</strong> that it is technical or detailed. They just look at the surface layer (the application in ISO model) and think they <em>understand</em> how email or the web works because they click on it every day. I ask them to program small clients and parts of protocols and they begin to realise that it may not be as straight forward as they thought, this then brings the lecture material back into context and focus for them. This only works, in my experience, when the practical work has some assessment marks associated with it. It depends if you are in a position to make changes to the assessments and the teaching facilities that you use. Some people might be stuck with an exam and a lecture theatre!</p>\n\n<p>I did create a <em>role playing game</em> to teach some of the aspects of networking protocols which worked fine for 12 year olds, but for some reason I could not get 19 year olds <em>en-masse</em> to engage. Those that understood RPG loved it; but at least I can say I used <em>kinesthetics</em> in computer science teaching.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46477,
"author": "Patric Hartmann",
"author_id": 20449,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20449",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It seems obvious but: Make it come alive!</p>\n\n<p>My subject is something completely different (philosophy of religion). Under my professor's predecessor (I'm \"only\" TA), the subject had somewhat of a niche existence. Students went there, because they had to.</p>\n\n<p>Students hate it, when they are just \"receivers\". They want to be involved. I do not know your field enough to give any particular advice, but I can tell a little what we did.</p>\n\n<p>Instead of just \"feeding\" the audience with information for the exam, we let them do research on it on their own. We bring quotes, each can choose one and from that they have to figure out who said it and how to understand it. Furthermore my professor and I have some very distinc differences in our views on certain topics (e.g. the \"liberus/servus arbitrius\"). We both set up small challenges for students where they can try to \"silence\" us (meaning: bring us to the point where we cannot directly reply to their arguments anymore without having to read up first). They get some small rewards for that. Furthermore we re-introduced the old academic tradition of \"disputationes\". It's between professors and students and gives them an opportunity to actually use what they learnt.</p>\n\n<p>I don't know if any of these suggestions can be applied to your field, but one thing for sure can: Let them try out and make mistakes. That's where they learn most from.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46481,
"author": "Wolfgang Bangerth",
"author_id": 31149,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31149",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Change the way you deliver content for such topics, and break lectures into segments. </p>\n\n<p>For example, once you get to a technical topic, say \"The next topic is going to be a bit technical, so let's take a 3 minute break before we get back to this.\" They'll have so much more attention if you don't just glide into it.</p>\n\n<p>One thing that's worked well for me in such situations is to just shuffle class. I ask students to leave their seats and come huddle closer to me with their chairs, a bit like in a circle if the tables weren't in the way. You can't do this 3 times per lecture, but once a week is totally possible, and it changes the dynamics: it's more like a personal communication than a lecture, and it allows me to talk in a different way about things I find important. It doesn't work if you need to use the projector of whiteboard, but it allows to talk about the big picture at least. The shuffling to get everyone away from their phones and seats also serves as a nice break from the previous topic and clears everyone's minds.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46485,
"author": "Bill Nace",
"author_id": 5762,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/5762",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I like many of the answers that have already been posted, but there is one additional aspect that I think is important in all cases -- your own attitude.</p>\n\n<p>Make absolutely sure that you aren't projecting the idea that this topic is boring! You need to raise the energy level and show a very positive attitude toward the topic. Your voice should be loud, your gestures wide, and your face beaming -- you're absolutely blessed to be teaching such a great topic. \"Hey, look, isn't this cool? The SYNACK flags being set will tell the client that their request has been accepted -- and further, that the server wants to talk to the client! Whoopee!\"</p>\n\n<p>Otherwise, the students will sense your disinterest and immediately head to their laptop, without taking the time to figure out the topic is boring on their own.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46488,
"author": "Sudipta",
"author_id": 35365,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35365",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I belong to the field of literature and in that to make things clearer our professors give us examples from the daily life. It not only helps to understand the the thing momentarily but it somehow seeps into your mind and you tend to remember it longer than the information given without examples.</p>\n\n<p>Another great technique is to try to elaborate the tough or the boring part in their own language. As in, if English isn't the first language of all the students and they all share the same language then try explaining things in that language. People tend to grasp things faster in their own language than any other language. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46499,
"author": "PeteCon",
"author_id": 35375,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35375",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>If you're teaching it, and calling it 'boring', what must the students think?</p>\n\n<p>The simple solution is to tell the kiddies that this subject will be on the exam, and it will also be on the retake exam, so it's best to learn it now.</p>\n\n<p>Not all of the problem is yours. If the students don't <em>want</em> to learn, you can't force them. But you also don't have to give them a passing grade if they don't know the correct answers.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46518,
"author": "moonman239",
"author_id": 25392,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/25392",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Give them a project to do. Tell them that they can create any program they want, as long as they use the technical stuff you talk about.</p>\n\n<p>They could, for example, develop an RPG. Or, they could make a program that allows them to, say, turn off a computer using another computer.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46461",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/21766/"
] |
46,466 |
<p>When traveling, there are many things that can possibly happen or go wrong that would require extra money to fix. While these things may not be directly related to the research travel one is doing, these expenses would not pop up if you weren't traveling. </p>
<p>For example, if one gets stuck in the airport on the way back to one's home institution, you may need to get an extra night at a hotel before you go home.</p>
<p>The question is the following: When is it appropriate to claim such an expense on one's grant?</p>
<p>There are clearly varying levels of such events. One is something out of your control like weather pushing your flight back a day. Some are completely in your control and you messed up, e.g., you miss your flight and need to pay a fee to get on a later flight. Others are due to scheduling conflicts and new plans arising, e.g., another talking engagement shows up and one needs to pay the flight change fee in order to make sure one can present at both conferences.</p>
<p>Are all/some of these scenarios appropriate for claiming against a grant or asking reimbursement for?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46468,
"author": "Dave Clarke",
"author_id": 643,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/643",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>These things happen, and as long as the expenses are reasonable, they should be covered by any reasonable funding body. It is a good idea to make a phone call to see whether you are permitted to spend the money, or at least to find out what budget limitations you have.</p>\n\n<p>For instance, the other day my plane was diverted to a different airport. The only way I could make the PhD defence on time was using a taxi. So I took the 80 km trip and paid the 230 euro and fully expect that I'll get this money back. </p>\n\n<p>If I had have purchased a used car to get me to the defence and a bottle of whisky for pain and suffering, I wouldn't expect to get that money back. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46475,
"author": "xLeitix",
"author_id": 10094,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10094",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>With few exceptions, I consider all travel done as part of my university appointment (be it project meetings, formal academic visits, conferences, etc.) as regular business trips. That is, going to that project meeting isn't my personal choice, but something I have to do as part of my job.</p>\n\n<p>This means that I expect not only to get fully refunded for all expected costs of the travel, but that my employer also takes over the risk of unexpected costs. This includes cancellation or rescheduling costs, as long as the reason for cancellation is another business appointment or any other reason that is outside of my control (but not if I cancel for personal reasons - I have in the past been refunded after cancelling for personal reasons, but I saw this as a nice gesture by the grant holder more than something I would have <em>expected</em>). These expectations are also clearly covered by the travel guidelines of my current university (the same was true at the place where I did my PhD).</p>\n\n<p>If additional costs come up due to a screw-up from your side, things get a little bit messy. In theory, my university would not be required to pay for any travel that you booked in error. In practice, my university has a tendency to cover even major screw-ups (such as booking a wrong flight on a ticket that cannot be changed), as long as these circumstances are rare, clearly unintentional and of no profit to you. They would probably be very suspicious if you, for instance, ended up in Hawaii for an additional week due to your \"mistake\".</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46480,
"author": "Wolfgang Bangerth",
"author_id": 31149,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31149",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Everyone recognizes that your business trips are, well, business and not for leisure. Consequently, everything that can go wrong is part of what you do for work and should be reimbursed (and typically will). For example, I have missed the plane from Houston to my home town more often than I care to count (either because my inbound flight was late, or because the connecting flight had been cancelled altogether because of weather). In such cases, I rent a car for a day to get me home. Nobody has ever asked me to justify this: everyone understands that it would be unreasonable to hang out at the airport for the night to take the next flight in the morning. This is simply the cost of doing business.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46483,
"author": "StrongBad",
"author_id": 929,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/929",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In general, it is always reasonable to ask for unexpected expenses to be covered. Unlike the other answers, however, in my experience, getting reimbursed for unexpected expenses almost never happens if you go over budget. For travel on large grants the PI can often shift money around to cover unexpected expenses, if he/she wants, but that money has to come from somewhere. For small grants (e.g., $1000 travel grant) or internally funded travel, there is usually a budget and there just is not any extra money to shift. When visiting another university to give a seminar, they take on the responsibility, to an extent. Sometimes they give the visitor an explicit budget and other times they deal with over spends.</p>\n\n<p>I would suggest prior to spending any money, but especially money that you do not have, that you contact the \"funder\" to confirm. Without prior confirmation, I would assume that I will not get reimbursed for unexpected expenses.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46494,
"author": "Boris Bukh",
"author_id": 609,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/609",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In the universities that I have worked, the university carried an insurance policy that covers business travel. Exact coverage details vary. Depending on the details of the insurance policy, you might have to declare the trip in advance. You might also have to contact the insurer when you incur/about incur the expenses. I suggest to check with the relevant authorities in your university.</p>\n\n<p>If your university does not have such a policy, it might be a good idea to buy it when you buy your travel, especially if you go to places where you do not ordinarily have medical coverage (e.g. a foreign country). Such an expense is normally reimbursable (but you might have to go through the university's preferred insurer; check!). </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46506,
"author": "Scott Seidman",
"author_id": 20457,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20457",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Not only with respect to travel, emergencies happen and money needs to go from category A to category B in your account.</p>\n\n<p>For most situations, Universities won't just set up an account for sponsored research for X dollars and say \"go spend it on your research\". Money will be apportioned by categories as were specified in your application -- A dollars for salaries, B for bennies, C for travel, D for capital equipment, E for supplies, and so on. </p>\n\n<p>Because the government can audit whenever they feel like it, most systems are set up to meet the regulatory requirements of the big government agencies, and they will audit on their own every now and again to make sure they're in compliance.</p>\n\n<p>Now, most agencies will have strict rules about how much money can change categories before you're supposed to give them a ring and ask for permission. My experience is that a $200 hotel bill will generally not exceed those limits.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46582,
"author": "silvado",
"author_id": 3890,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/3890",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>For the reimbursement of business travel cost, it usually <strong>won't matter whether the cost was expected or not</strong>. You had certain costs, and when you hand in your travel cost account, you will be reimbursed or not depending on regulations that should have been defined in advance.</p>\n\n<p>Before going on travel, you will usually get a business trip admission from your employer that defines to what extent travel costs are covered. Usually, this definition will refer to some local regulations, that (at least in my case) try to define very specifically what cost can be covered. Sometimes, an upper limit for reimbursement may have been set, and then you're bound by that, whether the cost was unexpected or not.</p>\n\n<p>If you don't get reimbursement from your employer, you may have a travel grant or stipend, which usually define an upper limit on the cost that is being covered. Again, for that limit it generally doesn't matter whether any cost was expected or not.</p>\n\n<p>In case you're going over any predefined budget due to unexpected circumstances out of your control, it may be worth negotiating to have that reimbursed as well. However, I wouldn't expect that to work, unless there's other funds to reallocate from, and usually you wouldn't have legal entitlement to that.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46466",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12656/"
] |
46,470 |
<p>Scientists and other academics often embark on studies or make research findings of interest to a wider audience of laypeople. Sometimes this work gets covered in media devoted to pop science or pop culture (<a href="http://www.popsci.com/"><em>Popular Science</em></a>, <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks"><em>Quirks and Quarks</em></a>, etc.), and sometimes even in general-purpose news magazines and newspapers like <a href="http://www.time.com/"><em>TIME</em></a> and <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/"><em>The New York Times</em></a>.</p>
<p>If your peer-reviewed research has produced something likely to be of interest to the general public, what are the best ways of bringing this to the attention of non-academic media outlets? I imagine networking could play a big role here (that is, once you've been covered in the media once, you could contact the same journalist with news about related research by yourself or your colleagues). But what if you have no prior contacts? Do newspaper editorial desks welcome tips for science/humanities research stories the same way they do for general news events? Is it a <em>faux pas</em> to write an enquiry directly to a magazine journalist who has previously covered research in a related area? If a press release is the way to go, exactly how and where should it be posted or submitted?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46472,
"author": "Brian Tompsett - 汤莱恩",
"author_id": 26708,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/26708",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I suspect the PR or Marketing department of your university would be very keen to help you place a story and advise you on writing for the media.</p>\n\n<p>In every University I have worked in, this has been important, and media training was part of the staff development program. I was sent on a BBC media training course, for example, and can now operate a remote radio or TV studio, learn how to be an interviewee or interviewer and record students and staff for media inserts. </p>\n\n<p>Tabloid writing was a skill I also picked up which is <strong>so</strong> different from academic writing. Learning to write in a style that the bulk media might pick up and use is not a natural skill for the everyday academic.</p>\n\n<p>So go and ask. Might be fun.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46487,
"author": "Anonymous Mathematician",
"author_id": 612,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/612",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Press releases are important for getting widespread attention. If your university is anything like U.S. universities, then they will have a PR office that can help issue press releases. Of course they won't do it unless they feel there's a plausible story, but if they do then they can be extremely helpful. Some top journals (such as Science and Nature) also try to pitch stories to the press, with embargoed access to papers before publication.</p>\n\n<p>It's absolutely critical to think about timing. At least in the U.S., science journalists care a lot about newsworthiness. If they are writing about a single paper, then they generally want the story to come out when the paper is published, rather than a month later. (In some cases, they would lose interest even a week later. The only way they will maintain sustained interest over time is if the story is extremely important.) If they are writing about a larger trend, then they want their story to appear while the trend is still new and surprising, rather than being a retrospective account. This is radically different from how scientists typically think about public communication. We'd like to see stories that teach the public something valuable, regardless of how fresh and newsworthy the topic is, but journalists lose interest incredibly quickly.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Is it a faux pas to write an enquiry directly to a magazine journalist who has previously covered research in a related area?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>It usually is. My understanding is that science writers get a lot of unsolicited requests to write articles on the requester's work, and having to deal with this does not make them happy. Instead, you can build contacts in other, more constructive ways. One is to offer tips for hot stories on other people's work. Of course you should do this exceedingly sparingly, but if there's a major breakthrough in your field that is very recent and exciting and has not yet had any news stories on it, then that could be a useful tip. Another way to get your name out there is by being interviewed. Your university PR office may be able to connect you with journalists as an expert they could interview regarding stories in your field. It wouldn't be about your work, but it would get you some attention, and if you impress the journalists they are more likely to remember you and pay attention to your work in the future.</p>\n\n<p>Having a high-profile science blog is also a good way to attract attention from journalists, since it establishes you as an expert who can communicate well with the public (which is ideal for getting good quotes).</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>If a press release is the way to go, exactly how and where should it be posted or submitted?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>You shouldn't do this yourself, since it would look tacky. If your university or publisher is willing to do it, then they will know how, so you should ask them. (But don't bother asking the publisher unless it's a fancy journal that is used to doing this.)</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46491,
"author": "Twitch",
"author_id": 10817,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10817",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<blockquote>\n <p>Is it a faux pas to write an enquiry directly to a magazine journalist\n who has previously covered research in a related area?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>No, there is no harm in writing an editor with a story idea, but keep in mind that editors are looking for stories and writing styles that appeal to their audience. </p>\n\n<p>Keep in mind <a href=\"http://www2.uncp.edu/home/acurtis/Courses/ResourcesForCourses/NewsValues.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">the 7 news values</a>:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Impact: the number of people influenced by the subject of the story</li>\n<li>Timeliness: recent events have a higher news value</li>\n<li>Prominence: people in the public eye have higher news value</li>\n<li>Proximity: stories about events and situations near home are more newsworthy</li>\n<li>Bizarreness: man-bites-dog is more interesting than dog-bites-man</li>\n<li>Conflict: public anger or disagreement over fundamental issues</li>\n<li>Currency: stories about issues currently in the public spotlight</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>So with that in mind, the likelihood that your recent conference paper on a theory for a new space elevator -- though revolutionary -- will be front page news of the Wall Street Journal is next to zero... but if you founded a company to build a space elevator and you're prepping for an IPO, than that might get some prominent placement. Then again, the conference paper about space elevators might get some coverage in Popular Mechanics. </p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>If a press release is the way to go, exactly how and where should it\n be posted or submitted?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Those are pretty much guaranteed to go into the trash. Nobody reads those things in a newsroom. There are just too many cheap, online PR companies offering to spin those things out full of fake quotes and exaggerations. I have seen them used more frequently in the business world by prospective applicants looking to make their name more prominent in a Google search, or posting that stuff on their LinkedIn and personal website to make themselves look good... but it looks cheap and artificial.</p>\n\n<p>My advice would be to start a blog featuring your work and covering the work of others in the field. Think and act like a journalist: talk to people, interview people, write stories, explain the big picture and provide lots and lots of visuals. </p>\n\n<p>There are <a href=\"http://www.thefunctionalart.com/\" rel=\"nofollow\">fantastic examples</a> of this sort of working coming from the <a href=\"http://www.mapbox.com/design/\" rel=\"nofollow\">cartography</a> and <a href=\"http://flowingdata.com/\" rel=\"nofollow\">data science</a> communities. Those guys are bootstrapping to try and create a name for themselves, and its working very well. A few years ago, you'd have to be familiar with scripting and programming languages to make those visuals work, but there are <a href=\"https://plot.ly/\" rel=\"nofollow\">lots</a> of <a href=\"https://cartodb.com/\" rel=\"nofollow\">free</a> <a href=\"https://public.tableau.com/s/\" rel=\"nofollow\">services</a> to get around that. </p>\n\n<p>Your blog entries don't have to be masterpieces of fine art. Keep it short, timely, and within the public interest. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46470",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7468/"
] |
46,474 |
<p>Will it make any difference if you do a PHD full time or part time ?</p>
<p>In my case my diploma/certificate <strong>will</strong> mention that the PHD was done part-time, how will this affect my career afterwards? will it have any implications on an academic career ?</p>
<p>The reason for which i have to complete my part-time PHD in 3 years is that i am working at the same university, and my job is actually a researcher on the exact same topic of my PHD. I was initially registered as part-time due to the nature of my situation, but apparently i can change that in to full time, however i want to see if it will be worth the struggle.
I find it unfair that i get the PART-TIME on my diploma although i did in 3 years as any other Full time PHD</p>
<p>Also, i would like to mention that in my case, a part time PHD will also have to be completed in 3 years*, same as the full time PHD.</p>
<p><em>Lets assume money is out of the question in this case</em></p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46486,
"author": "GEdgar",
"author_id": 4484,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4484",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>My impression: no difference. Anyone thinking of hiring you will consider primarily the Ph.D. thesis and your advisor's recommendation.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46496,
"author": "A.S",
"author_id": 22447,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22447",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>I will give two answers, you are welcome to choose which one to pay attention to ;)</p>\n\n<p><strong>Short answer:</strong> If you can change to full time without negative consequences, then I don't see why not. It might look a little 'cleaner' on the diploma and might prevent some biases or questions that part-time doctoral work might arouse in your country (assuming you want to remain in your country, here you are a better judge, since our countries are probably not the same as 3-yr PhDs are definitely not the norm in the U.S.). So if the benefits outweigh the effort, go for it!</p>\n\n<p><strong>Long answer:</strong> I realize everyone's circumstances are different and there may be reasons to rush a PhD for the sake of the diploma and a brighter future with higher salary. With this disclaimer, to me, any (part or full time) PhD done in 3 years by design of the program (rather than special case as with some highly talented students) raises suspicion about the quality of the PhD program. However, from your comment it sounds like it's not that the program is designed to be have 3 year typical duration; it's that you have 3 years of funding on your job contract. That changes the situation, because it means that you are potentially rushing like crazy through a PhD program that is intended for a longer average completion period (e.g. 4-5 years). </p>\n\n<p>This is important because regardless of what your transcript will say, it's what is left in your head that will ultimately determine your worth as a professional in your field. </p>\n\n<p>Students who complete a PhD in 3 years are either highly talented and do so with no detriment to their knowledge - to say it different, they complete the PhD in 3 years because when they are done, their knowledge is at least equivalent to that of typical students who take longer. They are ahead from the start, hence the typical program is too slow for them. That's an OK situation. Different strokes for different folks.</p>\n\n<p>Another situation is that students who complete a PhD in 3 years are in a big rush, the reason being that there are strings attached, and a longer term carries a higher cost either in money, or time (e.g. fellowships that require a student to return for home country for a minimum of 2x the duration of PhD study). </p>\n\n<p>This is problematic for the obvious reason that simply being in a hurry does not make one more qualified by the end of the 3rd year, i.e. more ready to graduate. The reason why this is problematic is the same as the reason why it is problematic if a medical student completes medical school in 2.5 years instead of the typical 5, or an attorney graduates from law school in 1.5 years instead of typical 3. Even if you study really hard, it raises eyebrows. To me personally, a PhD completed in 3 years raises eyebrows in the same way.</p>\n\n<p>I offer this as something to think about because being in a hurry seems to be at least partly the case here. If I am wrong, please correct me. I might also be biased by my own graduate study, which I did not rush. As a result it took longer than average, but I did not see it as a race, and I honestly believe that I have gained more skills, knowledge and experience (and perhaps a little wisdom) than if I had rushed it. </p>\n\n<p><strong>Bottom line:</strong> If at all possible, I recommend to reconsider your plans, taking into account factors other than the contract duration of your job. So far it seems that this single factor is the main consideration. The assumption is that once 3 years is up, that's it, life is over, there is no money left in the universe to fund your study. Is that truly the case? Could it be possible to find fellowships, or part-time work with tuition waiver, to fund a continuation of the study for another year or two? Would this make you a better academic, with better skills under your belt? Or would it only make you look lazy and weird compared to all your peers? I hope you use long-term thinking and consider all options. Good luck!</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46474",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22618/"
] |
46,479 |
<p>I'm a PhD student in my third year (4-6 is common in my country) and seriously consider abandoning my current topic.
The new topic is in the same general field (CS related), yet in a vastly different domain and would need a quite different methods. My advisor suggested this switch, he could keep me funded in both cases, yet probably better with the new topic.</p>
<p>Arguments for switching are both personal interest in the new topic (it's recently trending, I was interested from the beginning, yet few positions were available) and lack of progress in the current area:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I could produce some publications, yet not up to my advisors expectations (should be easier with the new topic, given the impact factors of the journals my advisor suggested)</p></li>
<li><p>For the last 6-8 month I made barely any progress (lots of failed experiments)</p></li>
<li><p>I would probably have to abandon my current methods anyway due to 1./2., so half a year or so will be lost learning new methods no matter how I decide</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Yet I shy away from switching, mainly due to already being quite old (combination of personal problems and a switch of my major as an undergraduate) and fearing how my C.V. would look if I did take about a year longer and had this second switch...</p>
<p>Thanks for any input.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46489,
"author": "aeismail",
"author_id": 53,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/53",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p><strong>Most people won't care.</strong></p>\n\n<p>The time to PhD isn't really considered all that important unless it's <em>highly</em> anomalous (much shorter or longer than standard), and if you get good publications out of it, nobody is going to make a big deal about switching topics. It happens for all kinds of reasons—funding changes, or because the original project doesn't pan out for whatever reason (technical or logistical). </p>\n\n<p>It will also not impact your career much, unless you're planning to continue studying one of those areas as your post-graduation career. Again, the overall quality tends to matter much more than the actual topic in most cases (particularly if you're moving into a different area from your graduate work).</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46492,
"author": "Twitch",
"author_id": 10817,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10817",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": true,
"text": "<blockquote>\n <p>For the last 6-8 month I made barely any progress (lots of failed\n experiments)</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>This sounds like you have not treated your <a href=\"http://matt.might.net/articles/advice-for-phd-thesis-proposals/\" rel=\"nofollow\">prelims as a contract negotiation</a>. </p>\n\n<p>The best advice I've received is that when you pitch your thesis topic to the committee, make sure that everyone agrees on the structure and methodologies involved. That way, if your work falters or your experiments fail, but you followed the guidance outlined by your committee, then you have still earned a pass.</p>\n\n<p>Another piece of great advice is this: <a href=\"https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2011/09/12/essay_on_the_role_of_dissertations_in_an_academic_job_search\" rel=\"nofollow\">nobody is going to read your thesis</a>. </p>\n\n<p>Do not switch your program and do not start over, just complete the tasks you were given and move on. If you decide to switch fields later on, fine... that's normal, reasonable, and expected.</p>\n\n<p>And just because you're studying one thing in school doesn't mean that's what you have to do for the rest of your life. There have been plenty of PhDs that completely jumped fields of study, out of CS and into sociology for example... or vice versa. Besides, the latest rage these days is adding \"multi-disciplinary\" to your grant proposals.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46479",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35361/"
] |
46,501 |
<p>I know a businessman who has received a LOT of mileage off of using "Dr." and "Ph.D." with his name - in fact he puts it front and center. However, it turns out that he never had more than two years of undergraduate work. Is there any teeth behind either of these titles, or is it just a matter of how many you can deceive for how long? </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46503,
"author": "xLeitix",
"author_id": 10094,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10094",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<blockquote>\n <p>I know a businessman who has received a LOT of mileage off of using \"Dr\" and \"PhD\" with his name</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>I don't know which country we are talking about, but at least in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland \"Dr.\" is a protected title, and pretending you have one when you don't is a criminal offence. In Austria, for instance, this is part of federal law (see also the <a href=\"https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=Bundesnormen&Gesetzesnummer=10000172\"><em>Bundesgesetzbuch</em></a>). I would assume that PhD is also a protected title in the US and Great Britain.</p>\n\n<p>However, note that this law explicitly only covers \"pretending to have a doctoral degree\", which leaves some wiggle room. For instance, there is an notorious Austrian bus company called \"Dr. Richard\", where the \"Dr.\" are officially just the initials of the name of the owner (Dragan Richard). </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46504,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In the United States, the appropriate response to such a fabrication is to call the person out and shame them publicly. Once this happens, it is often quite effective, as attested to by infamous cases such as <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/27/us/27mit.html\">Marilee Jones being forced out of MIT</a>. The same goes for people claiming to have proper credentials based on a <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diploma_mill\">\"diploma mill\"</a> degree.</p>\n\n<p>This will not, of course, stop <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillian_McKeith#Controversy_over_qualifications\">a person who has no shame</a>, but it will at least make their life harder and make it difficult for them to maintain their lies with people who actually care about qualifications.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46849,
"author": "fridaymeetssunday",
"author_id": 21636,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/21636",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In Portugal, due to historical reasons, almost anyone that has some education can (high school degree suffices), and sometimes demands, be referred to as 'Doctor' (Dr.), although in Portugal as well, the title is legally protected today. So ultimately it depends on the cultural context and whether the person you refer to goes beyond putting the letters 'Dr.' in business cards, or actively lying about his/her qualifications.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>In Portugal, up to recent times after the completion of an undergraduate degree – except in architecture and engineering – a person was referred to as doutor (Dr.) – male or doutora (Dra.) – female.\n […] Nowadays Portugal is a signatory to the Bologna process and according to the current legislation the title of Doctor (doutor, doutora) is reserved for graduate holders of an academic doctorate.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_%28title%29#Portugal\" rel=\"nofollow\">Source: Wikipedia</a></p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46855,
"author": "Dan",
"author_id": 35620,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35620",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In the US, I know that when you apply for a job and post your credentials, most basic background checks will at least ensure you graduated from said school with what degree you put on it. Lying about it, depending on what job, will probably result in you getting fired or potentially arrested depending on who you lied to. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 47043,
"author": "Alfonso F R",
"author_id": 35071,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35071",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It is also not uncommon to find mistranslations from spanish regarding the term 'Professor' (usually holding a PhD title), since the word for 'teacher' is the same in Spanish for both, altought the second does not generally require to be a doctor. The same happens with \"Associate Professor\" and \"Full (time) Professor\". Further, some medical practicioners are always regarded as doctor whether or not they have a Phd or even some sort of postgraduate or advanced studies. As long as the misinterpretations are not due to malign intentions, this does not suppose a matter to worry much about, but it is always a good idea to find out more about the context where the term is forged. Also be on the look for slight transliterations such as 'Doctorand' or 'PhDc' (PhD candidate) that people generally use when they are in the final stages of attaining the title, but not officially there yet, such as when right before submitting the dissertation or after doing so, while the academic authorities issue the title with the seals and all. But no, the title Ph.D. is not meaningless at all (neither all of the others) and it is generally respected worldwide. There is always of course some trouble with homologation across regions, universities, countries or supranational areas, which is one the the issues that the Bologna process is struggling to deal with across European member states. Some other treaties to be on the look for is the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, a.k.a. \"the Apostille Convention\", or the \"Apostille Treaty\".</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46501",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35377/"
] |
46,502 |
<p>I would like to do <a href="http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~robins/YouAndYourResearch.html" rel="nofollow">first-class research</a>. However, how do I actually accomplish that when my supervisors design not-so-great experiments and I don't have the resources to do more independent work?</p>
<p>In many fields (e.g. psychology, neuroscience), graduate students work in a group (i.e. lab) studying topics that their advisor finds interesting. Each student might have their own thesis topic, but all of the work is focused on the same big question or general research topic.</p>
<p>Typically the data collection is mostly dictated by the senior researchers, as it is very expensive. Once it is collected, the lab might spend several years analyzing it, especially in bigger projects. This means that the potential of a project is mostly determined by the experimental design. If there is something wrong with it, not much can be done afterwards and the results must still be published.</p>
<p>So what can a young researcher do in these fields if the experimental designs (decided on by the advisor or other senior researchers) are lacking? Especially if I have done most of what I think is possible post-hoc (e.g. with the statistics)?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46507,
"author": "Nox",
"author_id": 34771,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/34771",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Though I am not familiar with the specific field you are referring to (neuroscience &c.) one big question presents itself:</p>\n\n<p>Did you actually talk to your adviser/other students about the \"problems\" you perceive in the experimental setup? Are these actually \"problems\" or maybe (just maybe) an insufficient understanding on your part?</p>\n\n<p>If it is indeed a problem of experimental design I would propose to contact the ones responsible for the design and try to work something out - i.e., additional experiments or (if possible) looking for external data.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 51671,
"author": "amw",
"author_id": 38691,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/38691",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>There is no easy answer for this (I speak from experience having been in this situation).</p>\n\n<p>I found some of the thoughts at the following link helpful:</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"http://sphinx.mythic-beasts.com/~mark/random/mediocrity/\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://sphinx.mythic-beasts.com/~mark/random/mediocrity/</a></p>\n\n<p>Good luck!</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46502",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35380/"
] |
46,509 |
<p>I'm a Ph.D. candidate in a theoretical field, so there is only math and programming involved (as opposed to a wet lab). The environment is very casual, everyone just wears jeans and a t-shirt everyday. Sometimes I dress semi-formally (e.g. a dress shirt tucked into nice slacks) just because I like to. I notice people tend to give me quite odd stares when I do this. In the <a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46317/what-is-the-effect-of-a-phd-student-dying-their-hair-blue">blue hair</a> thread, a highly voted comment remarked:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I only remember one situation in my field where somebody’s looks were commented on and that was somebody wearing a tie and a suit as a PhD student.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>and further in the <a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/30851/should-i-dress-up-for-conference-banquet-gala-dinner">conference appearance</a> thread (which is a dressier occasion than daily lab work):</p>
<blockquote>
<p>if you are young (<30) , wearing a suit and a tie would probably seem a little weird. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>I'm likely over-thinking this, but is it inappropriate for me to wear dressy clothes in the lab? Obviously it's not offensive or anything, but I wouldn't want to make anyone else feel uncomfortable or have them dislike me for what I wear. Any thoughts? </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46510,
"author": "BSteinhurst",
"author_id": 7561,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7561",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>It is perfectly appropriate since most university dress codes for students is to make sure nothing offensive or too revealing is worn (local definitions for both of those are widely variable). It sounds like you are having trouble working out if it is simply that you are unusual or if it is actually a problem. The simple solution is to ask some of the folks in your lab what they think. </p>\n\n<p>If it turns out you are worrying on their behalf when they don't care, then keep wearing nice clothes.</p>\n\n<p>If it turns out they care then you actually need to address that, whether by asserting your right to wear what you choose to within the official dress code or by making adjustments. Since clothes are social markers it might be what they perceive to be your statement that is the problem and not the clothes themselves. </p>\n\n<p>It is always possible they are glaring at you for completely unrelated reasons. Again feeling that out is worth your time. </p>\n\n<p>A personal story, I wear Hawaiian print shirts every day while teaching. One day I wore a plain button down shirt and my students asked what was wrong. It was laundry day. So don't discount the possibility that the only thing going on is that you stand out from the norm and nothing beyond that.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46553,
"author": "Dilworth",
"author_id": 8760,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/8760",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>There is nothing wrong in dressing formal. The whole point of dressing \"casual\" is to feel comfortable. If you like dressing up then for you this is comfortable. </p>\n\n<p>I myself have noticed that people in science/tech start treating their \"casual\" wear as some kind of a uniform, like forcing everyone to wear a jeans and a t-shirt just because Steve Jobs did. This obviously misses the point of \"casual\" wear.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46509",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11251/"
] |
46,513 |
<p>I am really interested in translating academic material to my mother tongue. However the other day, I was talking with a professor and he advised me cease translating and start writing research papers if I want to continue my studies and start a PhD, he pointed out translation is of no value to English academicians!</p>
<p>I know it is very important to show your research capabilities by actually doing so but I feel shocked and a bit disappointed if this is true about the attitude towards translating academic material.</p>
<p>Would you tell me what you think on this and whether you think by translating I am spending my time in a wrong area?</p>
<p>I need to add that I am going to start my PhD outside my home country and probably in an English-speaking country.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46517,
"author": "aeismail",
"author_id": 53,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/53",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Unless you're in the humanities, where the ability to translate source materials may be a critical need, what you're doing would be considered an example of a \"service activity.\" You can certainly list such an activity on your CV and applications, but its impact on an admissions committee decision will be minuscule. You're much better off, as your advisors suggested, producing original research results.</p>\n\n<p>Moreover, if you're planning to study in an English-speaking country, you will want to spend time improving your written and oral communication skills, rather than translating materials into your native tongue. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46561,
"author": "RoboKaren",
"author_id": 14885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14885",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>For PhD admissions in the humanities and social sciences, yes I think there would be some value. One has to have a fairly good knowledge of the topic material in order to do an adequate translation. If your translated work was authorized, was of a substantial nature, was published by a notable press, and has received a warm reception in your home country then I think it'd be a net bonus to your application.</p>\n\n<p>However, if you're just translating bits and pieces or translating to the web or other non-reviewed outlet, then it's not really a notable use of your time.</p>\n\n<p>If you've already done the work, put it on your CV but if you have a choice, you'd be much better advised to put your energy into writing peer-reviewed research articles -- either in English, or in your home language and translating those to English.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46513",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11571/"
] |
46,515 |
<p>I was a member of the <a href="http://www.ams.org/home/page" rel="nofollow">AMS</a> in 2014, but my school had cut funding for 2015, should I still list I was a member in 2014 on my CV?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46533,
"author": "malarres",
"author_id": 9924,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/9924",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It depends on the target of your résumé</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>If the company is (uninformed) and (uninterested) you get no\nparticular advantage for putting that. Then, why putting that? </li>\n<li>if the company is (uninformed) and (interested) you could win a small advantage by doing so.</li>\n<li>If the company is (informed) and (uninterested) see case 1</li>\n<li>If the company is (informed) and (interested) then they will ask you during the interview, and feel deceived when you tell them that this is a contact that they will not be able to take advantage of. So it's a loss on your side and may harm your chances of getting a job.</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>I cannot see a clear win in putting that, so I would remove it. Maybe being member you went to a conference, or shared some presentations to them, or did something for them. Focus on that instead.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46534,
"author": "Danny Ruijters",
"author_id": 28830,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28830",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>When you did some work for the organization (e.g., organize a local conference or chapter meeting), you can put exactly that (e.g. 'co-organized annual XYZ regional meeting in 2014').</p>\n\n<p>When you have built up a network relevant for the employer through the organization, you might also list your membership.</p>\n\n<p>Otherwise, leave it out.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46515",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/18330/"
] |
46,521 |
<p>There are the obvious worries about getting scooped (discussed here <a href="http://www.quora.com/When-is-it-wise-to-blog-or-talk-about-your-academic-research-work-before-you-submit-it-for-publication">http://www.quora.com/When-is-it-wise-to-blog-or-talk-about-your-academic-research-work-before-you-submit-it-for-publication</a>).</p>
<p>But I'm wondering if there are more subtle concerns. Could it hurt your chances of publishing in a venue that doesn't allow preprints? Should I cite myself if I copy text?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46537,
"author": "Alireza",
"author_id": 28811,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28811",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>About your first question you should consult with the conference or journal about putting your content on preprint servers (e.g. Arxiv), the policy of different publishers might vary.</p>\n\n<p>About your second question You should cite every content you copy, even the content you copy from your previous research and papers otherwise it would be a case plagiarism or self-plagiarism (copying your own content without citing properly). </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46541,
"author": "Wetlab Walter",
"author_id": 28355,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28355",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I remember very clearly when an editor for Science was asked about whether or not they would publish work if it appeared in a blog post, the editor replied with \"so long as it has no more than 70 likes, 20 share, or 30 re-tweets\".\nShe was actually being satirical, and ended up having to restate that Science doesnt care so long as \"the core scientific message\" is novel in their publication.</p>\n\n<p>Truth is, I hear a lot of stuff like this from journals claiming to be all about the dissemination of science. What i DONT hear is people who's work was rejected specifically because of a blog post. Probably because the rejection letter is the same old standard \"Better luck next time.\" and the real reason is never known.</p>\n\n<p>Long story short, if you want to keep publishers happy, do whatever you can to make the article valuable...</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46521",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12363/"
] |
46,526 |
<p>In my field a number of different styles are used in titles.</p>
<p>Many publications present scientific names in italics, <a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00328689" rel="noreferrer">such as this one</a>. Others do not italicise scientific names, <a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/286087?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents" rel="noreferrer">such as this one</a>. </p>
<p>Some publications are in uppercase, <a href="http://www.esajournals.org/toc/ecol/89/12" rel="noreferrer">such as these</a>, while most others are in lowercase.</p>
<p>When citing, should I follow the original style exactly, i.e., use capitals and italics whereever they were used in the original? Or should I adapt citations to my own consistent style?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46527,
"author": "SolarLunix",
"author_id": 35379,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35379",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Personally, I was taught to keep all of my citations completely consistent, even if it meant changing the title from block capitals to a normal capitalisation. However, I always italicised scientific names in my citations because they're supposed to be italicised in the rest of the paper. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46528,
"author": "Stephan Kolassa",
"author_id": 4140,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4140",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The journal or conference to which you submit your manuscript will likely recommend or require a citation style. Follow that.</p>\n\n<p>Yes, that may well mean having to reformat your manuscript's references if you are rejected and resubmit elsewhere.</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"http://www.apastyle.org/\">Some styles</a> are legendary for their attention to detail, up to and including whether periods should be typeset in italics or not. If the style you are required to use does not address one specific point, like whether or not to keep an italicized word in your reference's title, feel free to make your own choice, striving for consistency.</p>\n\n<p>And don't worry too much. As long as you don't do something enormously strange, not following every detail in the required citation style will likely not harm your submission's chances.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46529,
"author": "Aleksandr Blekh",
"author_id": 12391,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12391",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I think that one's citation style should match the <em>required</em> (or <em>desired</em>) style for the target <strong>document</strong> and/or the publication <strong>outlet</strong> (APA, Chicago, etc.). I believe that the target document's citation style is not related to and, thus, absolutely should not depend on the style of the original source.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46530,
"author": "Wrzlprmft",
"author_id": 7734,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7734",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>All-caps are just a typographical decoration or emphasis of the whole title. You do not need to keep them for the same reason you do not need to use the same font and font size (as used for the original paper title) when citing. Something similar holds for <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_case#Title_case\" rel=\"noreferrer\">title case</a> (i.e., capitalising the first letter of all words except <em>of, the</em> an similar) – it’s just a typographical choice and does not affect the content.</p>\n\n<p>Italics (unless they apply to the whole title) on the other hand serve some non-decorative purpose. In your examples, they allow you to directly see where a potentially complicated species name starts and ends. In other cases they may signal that a word is standing for the word itself, such as:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>On the evolution of <em>the</em> in Old English</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>In those cases, keeping the italics may really ease reading and thus I would personally opt for it in general. Keep in mind that the italics of italics are upright if you choose to italicise titles in general in your style, and you would e.g. get¹:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Aaron A. Aaronson, <em>On the evolution of</em> the <em>in Old English,</em> Journal of Definite Articles (2015)</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Finally note that you may have no choice regarding this anyway, as your supervisor or the journal you are submitting to prescribe some citation style.</p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p><sup>\n¹ LaTeX does this for you automatically if you use <code>\\emph</code> instead of <code>\\textit</code> or similar to italicise.\n</sup></p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46526",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7159/"
] |
46,538 |
<p>This question is closely related to this:
<a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/14796/options-to-publish-a-paper-as-is-without-being-able-to-produce-more-results">Options to publish a paper "as is" without being able to produce "more results"</a></p>
<p>I'm curious if posting on arXiv adds to your online scholarly profile, such ason Google or CiteSeerX. I know some arXiv papers indexed by Google scholar that have quite a few citations in good peer-reviewed journals directly, but conversely I can't find an example of an arXiv paper in the publication list of any author on their scholarly profile (though I have found the subsequent peer-reviewed versions listed).</p>
<p>Are arXiv papers somehow excluded on such profiles? Do they not affect you h-index on such sites?</p>
<p>This seems relevant if you don't want a low tier publication on your CV but do want your results to be out there and visible for someone viewing your track record.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46542,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Both Google Scholar and CiteSeerX can detect arXiv publications. I know for certain on Google Scholar because it has detected mine (and it is also adding to my H-index on the site). For CiteSeerX, if you search by publication venue, you will find many publications in arXiv. Both systems will, however, attempt to merge versions (and Google Scholar at least allows a person to do this manually as well), so a subsequent journal publication can supersede the arXiv version, making such an arXiv version apparently invisible even if it is part of the profile and collecting citations.</p>\n\n<p>Neither system makes any guarantees, however, about how <em>quickly</em> it will detect papers in particular venues, so it is possible that arXiv is updated less frequently or more erratically than others (particularly for CiteSeerX, which is often plagued by maintenance issues).</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46552,
"author": "Dilworth",
"author_id": 8760,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/8760",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The short answer is yes. Google scholar and even DBLP (for computer science) do record arxiv publication. Though they might treat them as \"informal\" publications. As far as I checked it is also counted in your citation counts.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46538",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/34767/"
] |
46,543 |
<p>I am applying directly to several Professors for a PhD. As part of my applications I usually attach a CV, two references (one is a professor, the other is a research project leader in industry), and if asked I add a note transcript too.</p>
<p>My second referee just told me he quit his job as project leader. As contact info I had attached his work phone and address. Obviously, he will no longer be reachable at those.</p>
<p>What makes things worse is the fact that I recently submitted two PhD applications.<ul><li>To professor A: I sent it a month ago, and he recently replied asking me for my note transcripts. Regardless if he is satisfied or not with my academic performance, when he calls/writes my second reference, the fact that he is unreachable would be a red flag. <li>To professor B: I sent the application a week ago, and have not got any response. Same problem applies, he won't be able to reach my second reference. In such case, he would probably not even bother to ask for my transcript.</ul></p>
<p>What would be the correct course of action now?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46545,
"author": "Dilworth",
"author_id": 8760,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/8760",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I don't see much of the problem here. You are applying to a PhD not a faculty position. The second reference should or might be contacted by email. The fact that he quit his job has no relevance (unless he tries to politely decline serving as a reference for you). </p>\n\n<p>Otherwise, just ask your second reference to email directly the reference to the Professor. </p>\n\n<p>The point being is that the bureaucratic side is unimportant. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46546,
"author": "StrongBad",
"author_id": 929,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/929",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>The first thing you need to do is check if your reference is still willing to act as a reference even though they have changed jobs. In general, they will, but if they have retired or left the field completely maybe they do not want to. Potentially, a reference who works in industry has signed some sort of non-compete agreement or an NDA that does not allow them to write a reference any longer. Once you either get the referee's new contact information, or a new reference, you need to email your potential supervisors.</p>\n\n<p>In the email, you need to tell the potential supervisor what happened. A job change is pretty typical and does not look bad in any way. Having to change referees is a little more problematic, but just explain briefly what happened.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46543",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/32446/"
] |
46,547 |
<p>I'm an American citizen and a Junior at a US institution and I've recently been compiling a list of graduate schools to apply to. I'm mostly interested in differential geometry and geometric analysis. In addition to domestic institutions I have been looking at institutions in the UK such as the London School of Geometry and Number Theory, Cambridge, Oxford, etc... </p>
<p>Are there any fundamental differences in the way UK PhD programs admit and train their students? As an international student would I also be able to obtain funding for my education the same way I would be able to in the United States? Finally, how are UK PhD's looked upon in the American Academic job market? I imagine there shouldn't be much difference but there could be some politics I'm overlooking. Thank you.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46556,
"author": "Andrew Krause",
"author_id": 35412,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35412",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I am a first-year PhD student at Oxford, having done some graduate work (and my undergrad) in the US. My answer might be a bit institution specific as Ruadhai Dervan suggested above, but it appears there are some trends across the UK that are quite different from in the US.</p>\n\n<p>\"Are there any fundamental differences in the way UK PhD programs admit and train their students?\" - Most students seem to enter a PhD program in the UK with a fairly specific field of study in mind. For my applications to Manchester, Warwick, and Oxford I had to write a research proposal for a fairly specific topic for each application, as well as have an idea of who might supervise this research. Many students deviate substantially from these ideas, but almost all students here work in a very similar area to what they applied for. In contrast, I know many US students who started out doing pure mathematics preliminary exams and found themselves finishing a thesis in a very different area, such as Numerical Analysis or Mathematical Biology. These things happen much more infrequently in the UK, in part because the programs are much shorter. The Oxford PhD is designed as a 3 year course, though many students take 4 or more years in practice. Some institutions are starting Doctoral Training Centres where a first year of training and project mentoring occurs. This is similar in flavour to US institutions having preliminary or qualifying exams, but these are often much more directed than in the US. I have not heard of any UK program where anything like preliminary or qualifying exams takes place, so that appears to be a US component of graduate school not present here. I would suggest looking at specific institution overviews of their PhD courses to get an idea of how they compare to US PhD programs.</p>\n\n<p>Another important difference is the emphasis here on research as opposed to teaching. Most students in my program do some teaching, but it is frequently less than three hours a week. In comparison, my MS program in the States had me teaching 10+ hours a week, often with 10 or so hours of prep and grading. I also began doing research the week I arrived, whereas a US student may spend some years deciding on a specific topic to study. PhD students here also spend less time attending classes, and coursework requirements seem to be incredibly minimal compared to most programs in the US.</p>\n\n<p>\"As an international student would I also be able to obtain funding for my education the same way I would be able to in the United States?\" - Probably not in general. Most US students in my experience are funded as Teaching Assistants, and they spend a lot of time teaching. Students are paid for their teaching services here, but the quantity is so much less that the funding from teaching is nowhere near enough to cover tuition and living expenses for most students. Exceptions probably exist, but most students here seem to be funded from grants their supervisors have, grants or scholarships they have gotten (e.g. Fullbright, Marshall scholarships), or similar things. You can apply for loans subsidized by the US government as well, just as you would for a domestic program. Many students are now funded through the Doctoral Training Centres, but at Oxford the funding for these is almost entirely for UK/EU students.</p>\n\n<p>Your third question is a bit difficult for me to answer without any experience, so I will refrain from conjecturing. Most people have suggested to me that other factors, such as quantity and quality of publications, conferences and connections made, etc, are more important than where you obtained your PhD.</p>\n\n<p>I would suggest finding a copy of Steven Krantz' book<a href=\"http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/082183455X\">4</a>, and read through it as soon as you can. It is directed almost entirely at students applying for or entering US programs, and is useful just to get an idea of what the whole enterprise of a PhD is about. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46580,
"author": "Ben Webster",
"author_id": 13,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/13",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I feel like I wrote this rant somewhere else, but at the danger of repeating myself, let me just say: going to the UK (or Europe more generally) for a Ph.D. after a Bachelors in the US is not a very good idea. The philosophy about what a Bachelors degree is is so different in the UK vs. the US that only the best US students are really ready to start a European Ph.D. program and complete it in a timely manner before their funding runs out. Most European Ph.D. programs start from the default assumption that you will finish in 3 years (though I think in the UK especially, there's been a recognition of the flaws of this system, and move toward getting students a 4th year), and have a fairly hard deadline. Most US programs will guarantee you 5 years of funding, with a 6th often being possible in practice (and sometimes a 7th, though this depends a lot on the university situation). European students are starting having done much more serious coursework, which in theory makes a shorter Ph.D. with minimal coursework and starting a thesis problem instantly more reasonable (though it's still a struggle for a lot of people; theses don't necessarily come on deadline).</p>\n\n<p>I think it would be more reasonable to join a European program after doing a serious masters (note that Andrew Krause who answered above already had a masters before starting at Oxford). However, there are still other concerns: the funding situation in most EU countries is not all sunshine and rainbows for local students and usually heavily biased against non-EU students. LSGNT (which sounds like a more reasonable option than most) says that funding for non-EU students is \"limited,\" for example.</p>\n\n<p>Of course, it would be silly to say it's never a good idea, but going anywhere outside the US and Canada is making it harder for yourself in a number of ways, without it being clear what the payoff is. In terms of reputation, a few places in Europe have very strong reputations in the US (Oxbridge and Imperial in the UK, some of the Paris's in France) but beyond that, the situation is basically like going to a respectable but not especially prestigious school in the US: if your work stands on its own, it will take you places, but the name of the school is unlikely to even help get you a second look except through the reputation of your advisor.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46583,
"author": "nivag",
"author_id": 14115,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14115",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Here are some points on UK PhDs:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><p>Most Uk PhDs are 3 (up to 4 years) and applicants have completed a masters when they start.</p></li>\n<li><p>Applications are generally directly for a particular project and done directly through your proposed supervisor.</p></li>\n<li><p>Little or no coursework is included as part of the PhD, focus is entirely on research.</p></li>\n<li><p>The London School of Geometry and Number Theory is a Doctoral training centre (DTC). These are more similar to the American system. They are 4 years and only require a bacholars. The first year involves taught course and results a Masters, then you choose a PhD project for the next 3 years. Admissions are generally done centrally.</p></li>\n<li><p>Funding, if available, will generally cover tuition fees and a stipend ~£12000 per year. Some additional income can be made by teaching/marking. Although generally the time spent on this is small.</p></li>\n<li><p>A large amount of funding comes from EPSRC and other research council grants. These are generally limited to UK/EU students. However, other sources of funding do not have these restrictions. You probably need to enquire on a case by case basis.</p></li>\n<li><p>An additional issue is that non-EU students generally have to pay higher tuition fees. This makes them harder to fund than EU students.</p></li>\n<li><p>There are various scholarships and funds that provide funding to international students. For US students I know of the <a href=\"http://www.fulbright.org.uk/fulbright-awards/exchanges-to-the-uk/postgraduates\">Fullbright commision</a>. Although I'm sure there are others. </p></li>\n</ul>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46547",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35406/"
] |
46,550 |
<p>I am applying for a a PhD in the UK, and they ask for my bachelor transcript. Should I only include the third year transcripts or full three years ? Since I am translating it from another language it is better for me to only include the last year</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46551,
"author": "MJeffryes",
"author_id": 31487,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31487",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>This may vary by university, but a transcript is a full academic record of your time at an institution. As such, they will expect information on every course that you took, all three years. A partial transcript is obviously acceptable for degrees which have not yet been completed, but omitting completed courses may look like you have something to hide.</p>\n\n<p>There will likely be a firm requirement to provide a full original transcript, and if not in English, an authorised translation, before your place is confirmed, regardless of whether a partial transcript is acceptable for an offer to be given.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46554,
"author": "DCTLib",
"author_id": 7390,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7390",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>When evaluating applicants for PhD studies, the reader of your application will check whether you seem to have a good chance of finishing the degree within the suggested time span. This is especially important in the UK, where the duration of PhD studies if relatively fixed.</p>\n\n<p>Now for checking whether you have a good chance of finishing in time, they need to see what courses you took in the past. In some fields, there are considerable differences between universities (and countries of study), especially regarding whether the focus is more on the theoretical or more applied topics. Thus, the full transcript allows them to estimate whether you bring the needed background knowledge with you for the PhD program that you are applying to, as they want to avoid that you have to spend time on filling your gaps in knowledge before your can work on research in a productive way.</p>\n\n<p><strong>As a summary, full transcripts are essential for a good application!</strong> Even if you can - for some reason - only provide a partial translation, if your certificates are good enough for, say, Google translate to extract some of their meaning, it makes sense to include scans/copies of the original non-English transcript. This holds especially for languages such as Spanish or Italian, which are close enough to English for a rough translation.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46558,
"author": "Dilworth",
"author_id": 8760,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/8760",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The simple and clear answer is YES. Include all year's transcripts. This is especially important in the UK, where the final marks are more crude than other places (e.g., 70% and up is concerned to be A). </p>\n\n<p>Also, many colleges in the UK might have independent offices for initial evaluation of your application, and they would require all transcripts.</p>\n\n<p>In case of doubt just ask the relevant supervisor/faculty. This is a crucial point to understand. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46550",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35056/"
] |
46,555 |
<p>I was kicked out of my lab late in my graduate school career, which destroyed my confidence and obviously delayed my graduation by 2+ years. What's more, my advisor tried to convince me to drop out of graduate school, saying I was just "embarrassing myself", that I just didn't have any ability.</p>
<p>After me, there were many more awful events-- one person (non-student) was fired and rather slandered in an email to the lab; multiple postdocs had their projects pulled out from under them and were forced to start over in another lab, no papers; I know another graduate student there who has been struggling to decide whether to drop out; in all cases this advisor tries to destroy the person's confidence and convince them they are incapable of success.</p>
<p>I tried to talk to the administration a year or so after I got kicked out... just to suggest that such things should not happen without any scrutiny from the uni. I think it was just viewed as sour grapes, and nothing happened. Recently, my (second) PhD advisor suggested in a veiled way that I should try again, and maybe if I got all the other "survivors" together, we would have credibility. I think it would probably be useless and risky for me. But this person should not be in such a position of power over vulnerable junior scientists. Is it morally wrong for me to do nothing? But what could I do? (I think the best action would be for my advisor to organize something but like all advisors, mine 90% only cares about his/her own career).</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46560,
"author": "Mad Jack",
"author_id": 11192,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11192",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<blockquote>\n <p>Should I try to warn administration about truly unacceptable professor behavior?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>While it's tempting and noble to want to help others who have to deal with your previous advisor, my suggestion would be: </p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>Move on with your life,</li>\n<li>Do the best research/teaching you can, and</li>\n<li>Try to make a positive impact on those in your relatively local area (students, collaborators, etc.)</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>I have some familiarity in dealing with unacceptable supervisor behavior. My former PhD advisor threatened me with physical violence and kicked me out of the program. Another senior faculty member and most of the students in our research group witnessed the event, but none of them would admit to my face what happened. I effectively had nobody willing to provide an eyewitness account of the events (I suppose they were too worried about their own fate; one of the students who witnessed the event is now a tenured faculty member at a top 5 school in my field).</p>\n\n<p>From the fallout of this situation, it was hard enough for me to move on with my goal of getting a PhD without having a recommendation letter from my previous advisor. Once I was able to get into another program, I set out to do the best work I could do and this drives what I do to this very day. </p>\n\n<p>Sure, there are times I wished I would've brought this matter to the attention of administrative staff of my previous institution, but then I recall how difficult it was for me to get back to where I wanted to be, and I try to do the best I can in my little corner of the world using my abilities and not worrying about that \"other guy.\" Plus, I'd like to think that if they screw up enough, someone \"important enough\" will witness it and take the appropriate actions.</p>\n\n<p>I personally see way more downside in lodging an official complaint with the administrative personnel than moving on as I suggest, simply because you have no way of knowing the severity of how painful your former advisor can make your life and the impact this can have on your career.</p>\n\n<p>Good luck.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46603,
"author": "Emilie",
"author_id": 25030,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/25030",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Abusive advisors can be found in a lot of universities. That is why most (all?) universities have ombudsman or help group to address harassment and similar issues. I've heard of people in similar situations bringing up the problems they face to the administration of their department. Like you, they got ignored. If they had contacted the ombudsman, the matter would have probably been dealt with differently. </p>\n\n<p>I understand that there is a potential cost to your career if you try to warn the administration. My suggestion would be the following steps:</p>\n\n<p>1-Find out who at your university is in charge of dealing with harassment case. So, not just bringing up the subject to any part of the administration. Usually, student association are well informed about what kind of help you can get. Your university web site could also provide the information.</p>\n\n<p>2-Have a meeting with the person/group in charge of harassment issues. <strong>Usually, those meeting are confidential</strong>. Describe the issue, ask them if they can do anything. <strong>If anything can be done, ask if you can remain anonymous</strong>. </p>\n\n<p>3-Having all the information in hand with what can be done, you can now make a decision. The rest is up to you...<strong>Are the cost too high ? You might want to say yes and that is ok</strong>.</p>\n\n<p><strong>You might think this process is useless. It isn't.</strong> If someone else lodge a complaint or if somebody already have, it will help the ombudsman or any relevant authority to create a file against the abuser. Even if you do nothing, they will be aware of problems. As the process can, in most universities I know, protect you, I would encourage you to do it. You will help someone someday by doing it. It takes a lot of courage, good luck !</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46555",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/23553/"
] |
46,559 |
<p>I am very interested in Physics and I want to read as much as I can. Most people, including my teachers, advise me to take notes as I read. But I find this very difficult. I can concentrate only on one thing at a time -- whether that's reading or making notes. When I concentrate on reading then usually the notes that I make are of very bad quality and eventually I lose interest in reading. When I focus on reading then usually I read particular content from various resources and I find this very fascinating. On the other hand, if I focus on taking notes then usually I lose interest in reading.</p>
<p>How can I get rid of this habit of mine? How can I take notes effectively?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46564,
"author": "Terry Lewis",
"author_id": 35178,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35178",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I tend to have problems documenting-while-reading as well. What tends to work for me is either:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li><p>Read all of the resources on your topic that you find, and then write a summary of what you've learned immediately afterward. Try to have enough detail that someone following behind you can make sense of what you write. (In a few days, <strong>you</strong> will be that someone!)</p></li>\n<li><p>If I have a specific need (say, to defend a point I'm trying to make), then I'll quickly jot down bullet points while I research, but no more than that. Then when I'm finished with my research, write the summary described above.</p></li>\n</ol>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 166365,
"author": "Noob",
"author_id": 119259,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/119259",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>There are a bunch of resources available online. I hope you have gone through those. I also have faced similar issues as yours and these resources were of great help.</p>\n<p>Many Universities know that students often struggle with such issues and they offer help. For example:</p>\n<ol>\n<li>Learning Strategies Center, Cornell University</li>\n<li>Library, Georgia Tech and Communication Center, Georgia Tech</li>\n<li>Academic Skills Resources, University of Melbourne</li>\n<li>Learning Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill</li>\n<li>Student Success Resources, College of Natural Science, Michigan State etc.</li>\n</ol>\n<p>If you want I can provide actual links. I have named only a few (those I have looked up and have benefited from). There are plenty other universities that offer such help.</p>\n<p><em><strong>PS.</strong></em> <em>They won't be able to help you personally if you are not a student there but there are plenty of reading materials, tutorial videos, templates available for free.</em></p>\n<p>Coursera has a series of courses offered by the University of Sydney titled 'Academic Skills for University Success'. You can check that out too :)</p>\n<p><strong>EDIT</strong>: To be more specific to your questions, the following are some of the readings I would suggest:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/reading-textbooks-effectively/\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">Reading Textbooks Effectively</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/taking-notes-while-reading/\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">Taking Notes While Reading</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/using-highlighters/\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">Highlighting</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/annotating-texts/\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">Annotating Texts</a></li>\n</ul>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 167354,
"author": "gmdidro",
"author_id": 124156,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/124156",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>If you read a paper book and use a paper notebook for notes, try to switch to digital. Might be you find this variant more convinient, just because you could copy and paste some quotes from book to note-taking app and you will feel, that you could easily change you notes (edit or make some structure from</p>\n<p>Just want to share my post on Medium in case you want to take a look at different digital note taking methods and my thoughts about thinking spaces in digital</p>\n<p><a href=\"https://alexmind.medium.com/thinking-spaces-and-note-taking-methods-275bd80d0df6\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">https://alexmind.medium.com/thinking-spaces-and-note-taking-methods-275bd80d0df6</a></p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46559",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35418/"
] |
46,566 |
<p>Due to my country's education (we finish high school later than other countries), a year off, doing master's degree, I am finding myself in my first year of PhD in States being 26 years old, possibly graduating when I am 30. I have recently become very anxious about my age, since scientific career has been always my goal, I feel like I am too old and behind everyone else. In Europe, where I am from, I have been told that age does not matter as much, and what matters is papers/scientific output, especially since the end of PhD, in support of me pursuing the doctoral degree in USA, where it takes longer. I am doing my PhD at one of the top tier schools in a very prolific group, where I am surrounded by people that got their PhD when they were 25...
In addition I know from experience of me and others that in my field (physics) women are heavily biased against at all stages. Also, my field requires completion of usually 2 post-docs before applying for positions, which would take around 5 years.</p>
<p>I am looking for some input on this and <strong>how realistic my chances of staying in academia are</strong>, <strong>how much age matters when hiring for post-docs/faculty positions (in Europe)</strong> and <strong>how to cope with age related anxiety in academia</strong>. </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46567,
"author": "henning",
"author_id": 31917,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31917",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Probably, age at graduation is not the most important factor for a career in academia. But assuming it was, then according to your estimate (30), you should be rather competitive.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>For the 2003 doctorate recipients, the median total time from\n baccalaureate to doctorate was 10.1 years, while the median registered\n time was 7.5 years and the median age at doctorate was 33.3 years.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p><a href=\"http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf06312/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Time to Degree of U.S. Research Doctorate Recipients</a> </p>\n\n<p>(Being 33 and just about to submit my thesis, I'm right on target.) Also notice that with your pre-PhD degree, you are already looking back at a a few years of scientific education that your US peers lack, if they start grad school with a bachelors degree. Academic employers know this. </p>\n\n<p>Maybe this is not a full answer to your question, but at least a consolation. Don't panic.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46569,
"author": "GEdgar",
"author_id": 4484,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4484",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In the US it is illegal to discriminate in hiring based on age (or on gender). So if your Ph.D. is superb, then you are in no trouble.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46566",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35423/"
] |
46,572 |
<p>As someone not in academia but beginning professional work in science outreach and communication, I'd like to stay well-versed and abreast of the research. However, upon performing rudimentary searches on these topics, I'm blown away by the number of results.</p>
<p>For instance, a <a href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q="Science+Communication"">Google Scholar search on "science communication" (in quotes)</a> yields about 298,000 results, and a <a href="https://www.mendeley.com/">Mendeley</a> search yields thousands also.</p>
<p>So, any words of wisdom on how to go about this? I'd like to dig in and do my homework over time, but I'm not sure how to work with the obvious limitations. I don't feel I have the benefit of specificity of a topic or previous familiarity with the research due to not being in academia also (to narrow down my concerns). I'm also not satisfied with simply reading popular accounts, as I would like to be able to back up my perspective with research when needed (and ideally in a less ad-hoc fashion).</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46574,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>The situation for academics is actually quite similar to that of non-academics, when faced with any discipline where they are not already an expert. In cross-disciplinary interactions, we are all the laypersons for the other disciplines.</p>\n\n<p>I find that when I am trying to learn about a new area, often the first problem is even just to figure out what the right words are to search for. Every discipline has its own specialized vocabulary, and often the words have unexpected meanings.</p>\n\n<p>As such, my approach tends to be as follows:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>Start with Wikipedia or textbooks or some other similar popular (but well referenced!) source.</li>\n<li>Identify key terms and key sources, and use those to find some good scientific review papers to read.</li>\n<li>That will often be enough, since I'm often less interested in bleeding-edge theories or origins than in the current community consensus. If not, however, then the review papers generally give enough context that I can follow references forward and back from the review papers, search key words I learn from those articles, or look for other papers authored by key players.</li>\n</ol>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46575,
"author": "Aleksandr Blekh",
"author_id": 12391,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12391",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Generally, there are no <em>easy</em> solutions to that and the underlying problem, which is usually referred to as <em>information overload</em>. Having said that, I can think of various approaches to the problem that you have described, including the following ones.</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><p>Mastering the use of <em>keywords</em> and corresponding databases' search engine <em>syntax</em>, when performing <strong>direct search</strong> of research papers on a specific topic. This approach includes using <em>alerts</em>, which I find as quite an effective tool to fight information overload in academia.</p></li>\n<li><p>Using various <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citation_index\">citation indices</a> and <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citation_impact\">citation impact indices</a>, with my personal preference being the <em>open</em> (non-commercial) ones, such as Google Scholar, CiteSeerX, RePEc and SSRN (obviously, I mean here <em>indexing</em> and <em>ranking</em> functionality of the corresponding services).</p></li>\n<li><p>Using <strong>professional</strong> <em>curated sources</em>, in particular, research- and science-focused online portals (including ones, affiliated with major professional societies and research journals), where popular, significant or promising research if often <em>featured</em>.</p></li>\n<li><p>Using, similarly to the above-mentioned curation services, <strong>personal</strong> <em>curated sources</em>, such as thematic or topical websites, blogs, discipline-focused social media and other online resources.</p></li>\n<li><p>Last, but not least, using the power of <em>professional networking</em> (both online and offline), <strong>tailored</strong> to your research or professional interests, IMHO promises to increase chances in staying up-to-date on important classical and emerging scientific trends and discoveries.</p></li>\n</ul>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46577,
"author": "Patricia Shanahan",
"author_id": 10220,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10220",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>298,000 search hits indicates a mature field that has attracted significant attention. There should be textbooks, and, yes, repeating the search on Amazon gets hits. Begin with one or two well-reviewed books.</p>\n\n<p>After reading a textbook or two you should have the general outline of the field, and some questions about it. The next step is to pick a sub-area, defined by terminology you learned from the books. Do more focused searches for papers.</p>\n\n<p>The ideal type of publication at this stage is either a survey paper or the \"related work\" section of a doctoral dissertation. Either will give you references to foundation papers in the subarea of interest. Now look for recent papers referencing those foundation papers, with additional keywords related to your current question. You should get a feel for who is doing, or at least supervising, research that may interest you. Pick out some of the papers for which they are a co-author.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46578,
"author": "Stephan Kolassa",
"author_id": 4140,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4140",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>+1 to both <a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/46575/4140\">Alexsandr's</a> and <a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/46574/4140\">jakebeal's answers</a>, especially jakebeal's recommendation to look at review articles, i.e., articles that review the state of the art in a particular topic, summarizing many individual contributions and articles. Reviews are definitely something to look out for.</p>\n\n<p>Depending on your specific field(s), there may be entire journals set up to publish nothing but reviews. These are the journals you want to find and set up alerts for, as per Aleksandr's answer.</p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p>Three things I'd like to add:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><p>First, try to attend a conference once in a while if your budget permits. It's a lot easier to figure out who the central people in a field are when you see who is on a conference organizing committee, who is invited for keynote talks, and who generally makes insightful comments at others' presentations. Get their cards, google their names, find out what they do, and follow them as appropriate, by subscribing to blogs or Twitter feeds, friending them on Facebook, or following them on <a href=\"http://www.researchgate.net/\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">ResearchGate</a> or <a href=\"https://www.academia.edu/\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">Academia.edu</a>.</p></li>\n<li><p>Second, develop the art of skimming. You simply won't be able to read everything, even if you restrict yourself to review articles. With any paper, start by reading the abstract. If that does not appear to be useful, don't feel guilty about putting the entire article aside and focusing on a different article that <em>is</em> helpful.</p></li>\n<li><p>However, <em>do</em> also develop the art of not only checking what's immediately relevant, but also what is only tangentially related to your main focus, because this is how you acquire breadth, as opposed to depth. I'll save any article that sounds even vaguely interesting and have made it a <a href=\"https://productivity.stackexchange.com/q/5246/4716\">habit</a> to at least skim one of those on a daily basis. (Yes, I do need to explicitly track this, because otherwise this daily reading will be crowded out by short-term issues, and I'll <em>never</em> get around to reducing my \"unread\" pile. YMMV.)</p></li>\n</ul>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p>Edit: Regarding my first point, on conferences, <a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46572/how-do-i-deal-with-the-vast-number-of-research-papers-on-a-topic-for-non-acade/46578?noredirect=1#comment106938_46578\">@Josh comments</a> that it might be difficult to network one's way into those.</p>\n\n<p>At least in my field, you can simply attend a conference without presenting anything, so there is nothing to stop you from attending. I don't know whether there are conferences that only allow you to attend if you present something, but I would be surprised if such restrictions were common. </p>\n\n<p>Conversely, large conferences will eagerly welcome new attendees. For instance, the <a href=\"http://www.amstat.org/\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">American Statistical Association</a>, at their <a href=\"http://www.amstat.org/meetings/jsm.cfm\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">Joint Statistical Meetings</a>, have \"docents\", long-time attendees that are available to show first-timers how to navigate a convention center full of thousands of statisticians.</p>\n\n<p>I agree that there is a bit of a chicken-and-egg problem in finding the <em>right</em> conferences to attend, if you want to attend to get an overview of a field... because looking for an overview by definition means you don't know enough about the field to choose a good conference. You will likely need to do some homework about this.</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Look for good publications, check which academic societies sponsor those publications, look whether they organize conferences.</li>\n<li>If you found someone who does good work, see what conferences he or she tweets about attending.</li>\n<li>In computer science specifically, where most of the science is done via conferences rather than via journals, once you find a good publication, check what conference it was published in, and more importantly, what conferences its <em>references</em> were published in.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>The entire \"find a good conference to find good researchers to get an overview of a field to find a good conference\" loop will likely need a few iterations. But there is positive feedback involved: the more high quality people/journals/conferences you know, the more <em>new</em> high quality people/journals/conferences you will get to know, because your network will gain dynamics and traction!</p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p>In fact, I started out in my now current field as a blank slate in 2006, with a completely unrelated Ph.D. and no academic connections to this field whatsoever. So I simply googled around, found some papers, then a <a href=\"http://forecasters.org/ijf/index.php\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">journal</a>, then the journal's sponsoring <a href=\"http://forecasters.org/\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">association</a>, then its <a href=\"http://forecasters.org/isf/\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">conference</a>, simply attended this conference in 2006 without knowing anyone whatsoever, chatted up everyone I met, contributed a little to the associated <a href=\"http://forecasters.org/foresight/\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">practitioners' publication</a> and pretty soon felt very welcome indeed in this particular community, although I am of course not an academic per se. The approach I propose works.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46657,
"author": "joesch",
"author_id": 35486,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35486",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The answers you have been given are pretty comprehensive, but an additional avenue you might find beneficial is to ask an academic librarian. </p>\n\n<p>Whilst not all are experts on the field (or even have a qualification in that particular area), their profession is to deal with information. As such they might be able to help you navigate resources and construct search queries to refine your result sets.</p>\n\n<p>They are often well placed to suggest resources or databases to help manage your research that you might not be aware of. </p>\n\n<p>Most university libraries are pretty accommodating to visitors (the University I work at allows free access and limited access to some e-resources, with a paid option for borrowing entitlements) especially at this time of year as the exam period draws to a close. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46572",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35429/"
] |
46,586 |
<p>After an article/book has finally reached the pre-publication stage, the authors have to check the proofs for errors (introduced by themselves or during type-setting). I find this one of the least enjoyable aspects of my work and also think I might not be particularly efficient. It varies with the length of the manuscript. A five-page article in conference proceedings is obviously less of a problem than a monograph.</p>
<ul>
<li>When proof-reading my own contributions, it is the umpteenth time that I am reading the same text. I find it exceedingly boring, which might make me ineffective (taking a long time to read the text, and potentially overlooking errors).</li>
<li>The delay between the actual research and publication of the work can be quite extensive. After such a long time, I am less likely to recall all the details of the analysis, making me more likely to overlook errors in the manuscript.</li>
</ul>
<p>Asking colleagues to help with this also seems ineffective. They might be less bored while reading the text, but (a) might not be very attentive because they have more pressing issues at hand and (b) can only spot clear inconsistencies, but not other errors you can only notice if you did the research yourself.</p>
<p>How can I make my proof-reading more effective and enjoyable/increase my motivation?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46587,
"author": "henning",
"author_id": 31917,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31917",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>From Google: </p>\n\n<p><strong>Proof-read:</strong></p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>from hard-copy</li>\n<li>backwards</li>\n<li>aloud</li>\n<li>a few days after the last revision</li>\n<li>after revising the text for clarity and brevity</li>\n<li>line by line, covering the remainder</li>\n<li>double-checking small words (\"if\") and proper names</li>\n<li>looking for one type of mistake at a time</li>\n<li>looking for mistakes and idiosyncrasies to which you are prone (using the search function or even <a href=\"http://matt.might.net/articles/shell-scripts-for-passive-voice-weasel-words-duplicates/\">more sophisticated</a>).</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p><strong>Helpful links:</strong></p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http://www.lrcom.com/tips/proofreading_editing.htm\">Proofreading and editing tips</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"http://grammar.about.com/od/improveyourwriting/a/tipsproofreading.htm\">Top 10 Proofreading Tips</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/Proofreading.html\">\"Proofreading\", from The Writer's Handbook</a></li>\n</ul>\n\n<p><strong>On motivation:</strong></p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>schedule enough time to divide the task into small chunks and take breaks</li>\n<li>reward yourself after completion of each chunk</li>\n<li>listen to music</li>\n<li>have a nice cup of tea</li>\n<li>you have the soon-to-be published result of your hard work in front of you. Indulge in some pride as you go through the paper.</li>\n</ul>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46609,
"author": "Sam Liddicott",
"author_id": 35454,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35454",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Read it as if you are someone whose opinion on the work matters to you. That will help you read it with their eyes, or as if you are reading it aloud to them.</p>\n\n<p>I find that this, along with the natural anticipation of their (imagined) response gives me the fresh view necessary.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46998,
"author": "Amir",
"author_id": 23641,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/23641",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<ol>\n<li>Double space it and print it. Nothing tops paper. </li>\n<li>make a check list of items that you usually forget. You can write macros and codes to check your common mistakes. However, this list should be ongoing and always around your desk. People have blind spots that lives with them. For example lower-case, upper case in the reference list is something I always miss, even though I hoped Mendeley would take care of it (but it is still very unreliable).</li>\n<li>Read it from the end to the front, and chapters in random orders depending on the type of paper.</li>\n<li>You can use software like Grammarly, but don't expect 100% accuracy.</li>\n<li>If you are doing it on computer, change the color of pages and fonts every once in a while. </li>\n<li>You can also assign a memory map to each chapter of the book; for example, assign the whole road from DC to SF to the book and create a road trip by reading each chapter in each state. It helps you also memorize where did you say what in your book.</li>\n</ol>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46586",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/21144/"
] |
46,588 |
<p>So I am going to write my master thesis in psychology. It is expected to be of roughly publishable quality since I am a research master student. I always struggled with writing and am often overwhelmed with the vagueness of theories and concepts in this field. I often get lost and thrown of path without a good structure.
What books can you recommend me that are for "dummies". </p>
<p>The things I would like to improve and know more about are:</p>
<ul>
<li>The right attitude for academic writing</li>
<li>Academic writing pitfalls (e.g. when does something become too speculative?)</li>
<li>Smart ways to structure the process</li>
<li>Ways to make my writing more readable and make it flow better</li>
</ul>
<p>Are there recommendable books that address such issues that are considered standard in any way?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46590,
"author": "A.S",
"author_id": 22447,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22447",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Different books work well for different people, depending on your natural writing style, how you think, and your writing process (long writing sessions or short bursts, frequent iterative revision to 'perfect' each sentence as you go, or drafting the whole thing and revising from start to end later, etc.). </p>\n\n<p>I recommend first googling \"thesis writing tips\" and reading reviews of the books that pop up in the results (on Amazon, etc.)</p>\n\n<p>Also you might find some ready-made lists of resources helpful, such as this one from UIUC: \n<a href=\"http://www.library.illinois.edu/learn/research/writing_tips.html\">http://www.library.illinois.edu/learn/research/writing_tips.html</a></p>\n\n<p>In addition, there are some fundamental classics on general writing strategies that can dramatically improve your academic writing. One such classic is Zinsser's \"On Writing Well\" (<a href=\"http://amzn.com/0060891548\">http://amzn.com/0060891548</a>).</p>\n\n<p>You might also appreciate some one-off resources that offer advice about specific sections of a thesis, such as the literature review, methodology, analysis, results, and conclusions. Google \"tips for writing [fill in section here]\" and see what comes up. </p>\n\n<p>For instance, doing this for \"literature review\" brings up resources such as this handout, from the University of Toronto: \n<a href=\"https://ctl.utsc.utoronto.ca/twc/sites/default/files/LitReview.pdf\">https://ctl.utsc.utoronto.ca/twc/sites/default/files/LitReview.pdf</a></p>\n\n<p>or this presentation from faculty at UCSD:\n<a href=\"http://www.jacobsschool.ucsd.edu/student/student_grad/docs/How_to_Write_an_Effective_Literature_Review.pdf\">http://www.jacobsschool.ucsd.edu/student/student_grad/docs/How_to_Write_an_Effective_Literature_Review.pdf</a></p>\n\n<p>or this page from the UNC Writing Center:\n<a href=\"http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/literature-reviews/\">http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/literature-reviews/</a></p>\n\n<p>In general, university writing centers exist for the very purpose of assisting students with writing needs. I highly recommend spending an hour at your university's center perusing their resources and learning about the types of support they provide. Try a consulting session with one or two of their writing assistants and see if it helps. Often a 1-hr consultation can help to correct some persistent trouble spots. They can provide actionable advice on everything from the right 'attitude' (ways to motivate yourself to write and to structure your time accordingly) to thesis organization, to grammar and style issues.</p>\n\n<p>With regard to technical aspects, a helpful resource would be the <a href=\"http://www.apastyle.org/manual/index.aspx\">APA Publication Manual</a>, now in its sixth edition. Proper formatting seems a trivial after-thought, but appearances do matter in the academe. How you cite authors in a citation, or what part of the citation you italicize, can jump out at your reviewers (professors or journal peer reviewers, should you choose to submit the thesis for publication - which I recommend) and either enhance or hurt the overall impression about the quality of your written work. Good luck!</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46591,
"author": "henning",
"author_id": 31917,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31917",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I found Tara Gray's «<a href=\"http://taragray.com/workshops/publish.html\" rel=\"noreferrer\">Publish & Florish</a>» useful. It is very hands-on and emphasizes the practical and motivational problems of productive writing. Having said, that there are countless other guides and you can check their reviews on amazon etc. (Now, if you will excuse me, I need to get back to my daily writing routine.)</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46592,
"author": "silvado",
"author_id": 3890,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/3890",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I can recommend the book \"How to write a lot\" from Paul Silvia. It specifically addresses all questions that you pose: the right attitude for academic writing, writing pitfalls, and guidelines for the process as well as the text itself.</p>\n\n<p>What I like particularly about this book is that it clearly distinguishes academic, technical writing from writing prose. It compares this metaphorically to painting a wall vs. painting a piece of art. As with painting a wall, there's a clear way to getting it done, and if you follow guidelines of good practice, there's not a lot to get wrong with it. I found that reading this book really leaves you wanting to write more.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46594,
"author": "Penguin_Knight",
"author_id": 6450,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6450",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p><strong>On attitude to academic writing</strong></p>\n\n<p>I like <a href=\"http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1403977437\">Write to the Top</a> by Johnson. It has 65 short gems on how to structure an academic writing life; most of the tips are applicable to graduate students.</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0060891548\">On Writing Well</a> by Zinsser is a classic. It's not a recipe kind of book, but closer to something like those \"Chicken Soup\" series for writers. When I felt not very productive I read this as a \"cleansing.\"</p>\n\n<p><strong>Academic writing pitfalls</strong></p>\n\n<p>A must have is Booth's <a href=\"http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0226065669\">the Craft of Research</a>. It talks about the whole process of research from generating arguments and hypotheses to writing up the thesis or paper.</p>\n\n<p>I also like <a href=\"http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0226816389\">A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations</a> by Turabian. It's more of a style book, very clearly laid out and approachable.</p>\n\n<p><strong>Smart ways to structure the process</strong></p>\n\n<p>This is really \"my grandma's potato salad is the best\" kind of answer. No one can tell you because they probably will tell you different things that work for them. Here are what I use and have found useful. (If that helps, I work in biomedical field.)</p>\n\n<p>I use <a href=\"https://evernote.com/\">Evernote</a> to organize writing projects. I also incorporate <a href=\"https://www.zotero.org/\">Zotero</a> or other bibliography software like <a href=\"http://endnote.com\">Endnote</a> (I like how Endnote allows me to link to PDF and comment them). I have also recently started using <a href=\"http://www.docear.org/\">Docear</a> to manage the thought process and it was fun. I also like <a href=\"https://www.literatureandlatte.com/\">Scrivener</a> although I prefer physical note cards and Evernote. The key is to keep all resources in one place that is very accessible. <strong><em>Keep backups</strong> of your work.</em></p>\n\n<p>For the writing process, setting up a ritual is important. Silvia's <a href=\"http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B001Y35G60\">How to Write a Lot</a> would be a nice inspiration. Pretty much the key point is: write every day for a fixed amount of time at a comfortable place. One hour, two hours, it does not matter, what matters is that you write.</p>\n\n<p><strong>Ways to make my writing more readable and make it flow better</strong></p>\n\n<p>Two eye-opening titles for me are Williams's <a href=\"http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0226899152\">Style: Toward Clarity and Grace</a> and Schimel's <a href=\"http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0199760241\">Writing Science: How to Write Papers That Get Cited and Proposals That Get Funded</a>.</p>\n\n<p>Style: Toward Clarity and Grace is just simply wonderful. Starting from just \"Subject + Verb,\" the book builds a framework on how to structure a statement based on one main theme: to be clear.</p>\n\n<p>Writing Science dives further to analyze different levels from word use, syntax, sentence, paragraph, to the whole article using components seen in storytelling (Opening, Challenges, Action, Resolution) and their variation. It even discusses how different words in a sentence form a relational \"arcs\" and how to place and pace these relations for best clarity.</p>\n\n<p>A classic that I must also mention is <a href=\"http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/020530902X\">The Elements of Style</a> by Strunk and White. Also having an easy access to Chicago Manual of Style, APA Manual (I use AMA), and Gregg Reference Manual on your desk would be tremendously helpful when any stylistic questions arise.</p>\n\n<p>If you'd be writing about statistics, I'd also recommend Miller's <a href=\"http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0226527875\">The Chicago Guide to Writing about Multivariate Analysis</a> which covers basics on par with writing statistics for news. For more advanced writing examples, Huck's <a href=\"http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/013217863X\">Reading Statistics and Research</a> is a good option. It talks about how to read results of different statistical techniques with plenty of examples from journal articles.</p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p><strong>Freebie that you didn't ask but I want to tell anyway:</strong></p>\n\n<p>Break in by practicing <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_writing\">free writing</a>. It helps me focus in the morning before my writing hour. </p>\n\n<p>Meet with an editor or academic writing coach who is familiar with your field for an assessment. Show your work and get a general sense of areas to improve on.</p>\n\n<p>Just write. It's not possible to become a good writer by reading about writing. Remember: to suck at something is a start of being excellent at it.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46595,
"author": "Ethan Bolker",
"author_id": 7018,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7018",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Take a look at <em>Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day</em>\n(<a href=\"http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/080504891X\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Your-Dissertation-Fifteen-Minutes/dp/080504891X</a>).</p>\n\n<p>It doesn't deal explicitly with writing quality per se, but others have found it helpful.</p>\n\n<p>One thing you'll find there is an endorsement of @Penguin_Knight 's free writing strategy.</p>\n\n<p>Shameless publicity department (the author is my wife).</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46588",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/34430/"
] |
46,611 |
<p>Student starts a PhD at University A, the student is offered a project conceived by University A supervisor. Then student transfers to University B in agreement with University A supervisor that they will keep working on the project together. Student expands and develops the project and after 9 months at University B the external advisor at University A pulls out of the collaboration due to lack of time to properly supervise student. Student wants to keep working on the project independently given the time and money investment (salary from University B) and the interest for the topic but University A supervisor claims the ownership of the project. Student offers maximum flexibility to A supervisor to try to keep the supervisor involved in the project with little time commitment. Student has now developed a sense of ownership to the project.</p>
<p>How should the student handle the situation? Who owns the project? And what happens if the student keeps working on the project even if A supervisor has not given the green light?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46620,
"author": "Bill Barth",
"author_id": 11600,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11600",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>For what it's worth, I don't think either university can own the project directly. Anybody can work on anything, pretty much, but there are many caveats. If code or data were produced, that may be owned by UniA. If there was funding, it's definitely going to stay at UniA. So you may have to find some alternative source of funding to work on the project, but if the supervisor at UniB wants to pay you to work in the same area, you almost certainly can. Now, if you can't come to agreement with the supervisor at UniA, you may also have some trouble publishing when it comes to things they wrote. It would be best to get the two supervisors to come to an amicable agreement to work together on it with you at UniB.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46623,
"author": "Amir",
"author_id": 23641,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/23641",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>University A can claim ownership of part of the project, because of the work that has been done when the student was in UniA. \nUniB can claim the project as well, if they can show that the work is related to what you are getting paid for in UnivB or it is been done by using their resources from library, wifi, computers to their faculty supervisorship and stipend. \nStudent also owns part of the project.\nRule of thumb, Universities are generally are more laid back when it comes to acting on ownership than claiming the ownership. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46611",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4050/"
] |
46,614 |
<p>I am enrolled as a student in a U.S. university. I will be applying for a PhD program in physics in the coming months and I can't really move to another city. Therefore I am considering to stay at my current university A for my PhD (where I will receive my B.S). I am 100% sure that I will be accepted and I am very happy here.</p>
<p>However, there is no research going on at university A that I am interested in for graduate school or for a career. My main interest is in theoretical physics.</p>
<p>There <em>is</em> a top-ranked school B for physics about forty minutes away. This school has exactly what I am looking for in graduate research, but for other reasons I did not like school B at all, when I briefly attended it. Moreover, it is very unlikely that I will be accepted there for a PhD program.</p>
<p>I am wondering:</p>
<ul>
<li>Can I pursue uni A's PhD program and have an advisor from uni B?</li>
<li><em>If so, should I bring this up with both universities before I apply or should I wait until I am in the program and chose my adviser?</em></li>
</ul>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46615,
"author": "Dmitry Savostyanov",
"author_id": 17418,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17418",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>It is not uncommon to have a formal PhD position at university X, a supervisor at university X, and a co-supervisor at university / institution Y. This may happen for example, if the PhD topic is on the interface of two subjects, or if Y provides essential experimental / lab / other facilities for the research.</p>\n\n<p>It is also not uncommon to have a PhD at university X, a supervisor at university Y, and a co-supervisor at university X. This usually happens when a professor from X moves to Y some time before, or shortly after, the PhD is started. The role of a co-supervisor may be solely to observe the process and make sure that the research will succeed and the thesis will be submitted in time and in good order, to university X's satisfaction.</p>\n\n<p>In the UK, the so-called Doctoral Training Centers, are sometimes organised between several universities, sharing the same direction of research. I have not heard of any examples, but I assume that a collaboration of a PhD candidate with several professors at different universities in this case is more than likely to happen. </p>\n\n<p>Another example, which can happen very naturally, is when a PhD candidate is closely involved in a research project, which is already collaborative.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46616,
"author": "user6726",
"author_id": 28972,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28972",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I was the \"advisor at a distance\" for such an arrangement in the US, so it is in principle possible -- depending. The student went through \"the other university\", and I was one of his co-advisors. Thanks to the interwebs, that was easy, and thanks to their rules, it was possible for me to be co-advisor (though not sole advisor). So analogously, you could stay put while working with a relevant faculty person at that institution. However, institutions differ in their tolerance of outsiders, and my own institution would not tolerate an outsider as co-advisor.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46617,
"author": "Mangara",
"author_id": 8185,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/8185",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Depending on the specific universities you are considering, it might also be possible to do a <strong>cotutelle</strong> program. In the words of the <a href=\"http://www.grad.uottawa.ca/default.aspx?tabid=3763\" rel=\"nofollow\">University of Ottawa</a>:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>A cotutelle doctoral program offers you the opportunity to complete your doctoral studies at the University of Ottawa as well as at another university (outside of Ontario). In a cotutelle doctoral program you are jointly supervised by a thesis supervisor at each institution and you attend the two universities alternately. You need to take a single comprehensive examination, and you work on a thesis to be defended only once in front of a jury chosen by the two partner universities. Once you have completed your doctoral program, each university confers a separate degree, with a mention of the cotutelle collaboration on the degrees.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>If you want to go this route, you need to tell the university well in advance, so they can come to an agreement with the other university. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46621,
"author": "Relaxed",
"author_id": 11596,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11596",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Everything is possible (well at least, as other answers have already shown there are many forms of multi-university PhD). But it's not extremely common either and an important question for you is how will you go about finding/creating such a position?</p>\n\n<p>In the examples I know (admittedly in Europe, not the US), the position was often funded from the get-go as a collaboration (perhaps as part of a specific grant application) and advertised as such. Alternatively, I know people who have been hired at some institution and added an external supervisor after one or two years, obviously with the consent (or perhaps on the advice) of their first advisor because of the direction their research was going or some other opportunity for a collaboration.</p>\n\n<p>Often those projects were cross-disciplinary (and sometimes transnational) in nature and the secondary advisor came from a different field/country. (National funding agencies often have some money earmarked for cross-disciplinary projects and the European Union encourages transnational projects through its Framework Programmes, thus providing additional incentives.)</p>\n\n<p>In your case, if there is no research on your topic of choice at university A and nobody interested in starting such a project, it's difficult to see how it could come about.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46622,
"author": "Franck Dernoncourt",
"author_id": 452,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/452",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Three aspects to consider:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Funding: who is going to pay your tuition fees and give you pocket money? It's often not obvious for an advisor to fund a student located in another school. But maybe you have some fellowship or TA.</li>\n<li>PhD committee: schools put conditions on who can be in your PhD committee (e.g. at least 2 profs in your department), so at some point you may have to deal with profs from your school.</li>\n<li>Administravia: the school's policy might force you to have an advisor from the same school.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>In my grad school, I've never seen anyone working with an advisor from another place only (except when the advisor recently moved of schools): there is always one local co-advisor.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46614",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35458/"
] |
46,624 |
<p>During my academic studies, I have always been ambitious in pursuing academic research with no luck. I have not gotten along with any of the professors whom I attempted to set up an advisor-advisee relationship with. This was not due to my lack of knowledge or incapability because they acknowledged my competency many times.</p>
<p>I have started to think that they were too lazy to adjust to my eagerness and wanted to take it easy. Maybe they thought that I will be a burden for them. Also, I get the impression that they hate me, because of the disgust they seem to exhibit when I talk about the work of leading researchers in the field. If I do not follow or discuss the leading researchers work how can I contribute to the field? </p>
<p>Please give me some advice on ego problems of academics, and how to politely show them that their research is inferior without making them hate me. </p>
<p>I am very respectful. But my former professor asked me if I do not like his work. I criticized the professor's work, and professor could not tolerate to it. If I was wrong prof could have told me the true value of the work, instead he stayed quiet and took revenge on me. I always choose wrong persons - I can't recognize good and bad people in my relationships. My love life is also a disaster. Always credit bad ones in every aspect of life. </p>
<p>I am in a 3rd world country in the Middle East. Here, finding someone with an inferior work is like finding a water in a desert. My intention is using them for future Ph.D admissions in the western world. I am interested in their connections and network. But, they hide it from me, they want me to stay with them forever, and then they hate me. They are usually western educated PhDs - from the ones that return back and usually produce low-quality papers.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46625,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 7,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Back when I was in grad school and everybody I knew lived with roommates due to housing costs, some sets of roommates got along well and some had serious problems sharing space with one another. Over time, I noticed that while most people had mostly decent experiences, there were certain people who I knew who <em>always</em> seemed to end up with nightmarish roommates. The same way, while most people seemed to have their share of ups and downs in their love life, certain people <em>always</em> seemed to end up with nightmarish relationships. </p>\n\n<p>Was it just bad luck or a bad environment? Generally not: when a person has an unusually long string of failed relationships, usually that person is somehow involved in creating their luck.</p>\n\n<p>I tell this by way of suggesting that you may want to reflect on your own choices here. Are you poisoning the relationships with your professors by holding a contemptuous attitude towards them? Is your ambition somehow leading you toward selecting professors who are incompatible with you? Is it something else entirely?</p>\n\n<p>It's impossible for we strangers on the internet to tell what's really going on for you. It is certain, however, that every failed advisor/advisee relationship that you have been involved with has at least one thing in common: <em>you</em>. It's worth reflecting on that and seeing if you can figure out something that you can change in your own attitudes that might make it easier for the next one to be better.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46626,
"author": "Patricia Shanahan",
"author_id": 10220,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10220",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Generally, you get back from a relationship what you put into it. In your next attempt at a student-advisor relationship, I suggest concentrating on two questions:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>What can I learn from the advisor?</li>\n<li>What can I do to help the advisor and the advisor's other students?</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>You are dealing with intelligent people who typically have more life experience than you, have met more people than you have. They probably know how you think of them.</p>\n\n<p>Suppose you met someone who believed themself superior to you and who intended to use you only to get access to your contacts and network. Would you like that person? Want to help them?</p>\n\n<p>If you go in with a wish to learn and help, appropriate to the relationship between student and advisor, you are more likely to have a positive experience.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46630,
"author": "Aleksandr Blekh",
"author_id": 12391,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12391",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Of course, I may be wrong (note my attitude here!), but here are some insights of mine, based on my reading and interpreting your question. Firstly, it seems to me that your ambitions (and, by the way, I am rather ambitious as well) <strong>cloud</strong> your <em>judgement</em> and, thus, an <em>objective</em> <strong>professional assessment</strong> of both yourself and your advisors, who are essentially your <em>colleagues</em>.</p>\n\n<p>Secondly, your knowledge and capabilities <em>in general</em> do not automatically imply that the work of your advisors or other colleagues is inferior - it is all a matter of <em>opinions</em> and, more importantly, <em>perspectives</em>. Just because you have a particular opinion (via your <em>subjective</em> \"lens\" or even <em>objective</em> perspective) on a subject, it doesn't mean that you are right and they are wrong (and vice versa!). It is worth repeating: <strong>most things in research (and in life, for that matter) are matters of perspective</strong>. Plus, a scholar IMHO should be <em>modest/humble</em> and <em>open</em> to other opinions. The key phrase in that regard is <em>being tolerant</em>. You can pursue your own opinions and agenda, but do so in a diplomatic way, without hurting others' feelings and ego and, thus, damaging professional relationships. In particular, when presenting your \"correct\" views on the subject, position them not against others', but rather as an <em>alternative</em>. You can use various verbal approaches to <em>frame</em> your views as alternative. For example: <em>\"what do you think about ...?\"</em> or <em>\"I was thinking about different approach ...?\"</em> or similar. This approach that I've just described above is very much applicable not only to your own views, but to the work of \"leading researchers in the field\" - of course, your should follow and mention it, but downplay the \"leading\" part (which, by the way, often is a very subjective aspect) and <em>concentrate on ideas</em> themselves.</p>\n\n<p>Thirdly, unless the <strong>relationships</strong> you're talking about are too damaged, try to <em>repair</em> them by using the approaches I recommend above. If you feel that it is impossible, consider changing your advisors and apply the <em>being-humble-and-tolerant</em> approach to new professional relationships.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46636,
"author": "Flexo",
"author_id": 32798,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/32798",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Often big names in a field are the big name because their work represents a well established status quo. </p>\n\n<p>The \"small names\" are often exploring alternatives that if successful would represent a major deviation from the tried and tested. They are in essence the potential big names of the future. If you show up very excited about the status quo it's hard for them to be enthusiastic about it because that research represents the here and now, not the big deviation they're hoping to unleash on the field when the peices come together. </p>\n\n<p>In short by focusing on the rock star names you're probably limiting your exposure and lacking the vision for revolutionising the way a field approaches a whole class of problems. This, combined with a view that the less established work is inferior doesn't exactly endear yourself towards people. </p>\n\n<p>Finally when I read your point on egos my initial reading misinterpreted it - I thought you were referring to another seemingly large ego in the situation than the one I think you meant to refer to. You would do well to consider that. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46637,
"author": "Jessica B",
"author_id": 20036,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20036",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Not so much an answer as a suggestion:</p>\n\n<p>There are (at least) two types of students who think they are right and the professor is wrong: those who have done something correct beyond what they professor can get their head round, and those who are so clueless the professor cannot communicate to them why they are wrong.</p>\n\n<p>I have no way of knowing if this applies in your case, but I would suggest at least considering whether it's possible you fall into the second category. Even if the answer is 'no', the process itself may help you.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46643,
"author": "Danny Ruijters",
"author_id": 28830,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28830",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You can ask your former supervisors what they thought of your collaboration. Ask it in an open, non-offensive way. Do not go into arguments, but write down their answers as verbatim as possible. Then re-read the answers at home, and try to conclude what the most important message is.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46659,
"author": "sean",
"author_id": 15501,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15501",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<blockquote>\n <p>I have started to think that they were too lazy to adjust my eagerness\n and wanted to take it easy.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>There is an old good saying \"<strong>Think big but take baby steps</strong>\". Ambition is a good thing, but only when your ability can afford it. </p>\n\n<p>If you consider research of your adviser(s) easy, their papers low-quality. Can you do similar research, write the same quality papers? If yes, start by doing it. Having low-quality papers is still better than having no papers. Experience of writing (low-quality) papers can also help you to write better papers. Take baby steps.</p>\n\n<p>Leading researchers are great. But less-known researchers also deserves to be respected. The fact that they are in a position that you are dreaming to reach (western educated PhD) means there are something you can learn from them (if you really want to learn).</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46660,
"author": "Rhonda",
"author_id": 35487,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35487",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<blockquote>\n <p>During my academic studies, I have always been ambitious in pursuing\n academic research...</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>That is a positive quality</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>All the professors whom I came across with or I attempted to set up an\n advisor-advisee relationship with, in some way kicked me from the deck\n of the ship.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>If it is one or two, it may be rough patch, but if it's many, than maybe you need to change your approach. Sometimes when we show we are too ambitious, people do not take kindly to. This is human nature.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>This was not due to my lack of knowledge or incapability because they\n acknowledged my competency many times.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>It's great to have knowledge. </p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>However, at the end of the day my hands were always empty. I have\n started to think that they were too lazy to adjust my eagerness and\n wanted to take it easy.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>They say \"Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all\". This fragment \"they were too lazy to adjust to my\" shows you need to work on the heart part. I'm not saying what they are doing is right or wrong, but when you wish to change a situation, you need to look within first.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Maybe they thought that I will be a burden for them. Also, I believe\n that they developed a kind of hate and dislike to me because when I\n talked about the work of leading researchers in the field, I could\n feel the disgust in their faces. If I do not follow or discuss the\n leading researchers work how can I contribute to the field?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Not only you are showing your ambition (without heart), and you feel they are lazy, they probably think you are comparing them to leading researchers, basically telling these advisors that they are simply not good enough for you.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Please give me some advice on ego problems of academics, and how to\n politely show them that their research is inferior without making them\n hate me.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Look at how you can change yourself before blaming others. I have had personal experience with this, and continue to do so. Many times I ask God (or Universe or whatever you believe) for help in tough situations.</p>\n\n<p>All the best.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46662,
"author": "A.S",
"author_id": 22447,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22447",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<blockquote>\n <p>Could not get along with any advisor, is it ego?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>In short, yes...first and foremost, yours. Most of the problems we experience in relationships originate in ourselves, our attitude toward the outside world. The attitudes of others toward us are but a consequence, a reflection of this. This is a difficult concept to accept for those of us brought up in the Western philosophical empirical tradition, which looks for causes in the external 'objective reality' (which still turns out to be in the eye of the beholder). </p>\n\n<p>In contrast, the Eastern philosophical tradition begins with the internal, subjective self.<a href=\"http://www.differencebetween.net/science/differences-between-eastern-and-western-philosophy/\" rel=\"nofollow\">1</a>,<a href=\"http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/crosscuttings/cultures_east-west-phylosophy.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">2</a> In this tradition, questions of the \"why is this happening to me\" type have a default answer: because I have done something to deserve this. The cause is invariably within. The external impact that we suffer (or enjoy) as a result is merely a natural consequence of our own ego-driven choices. I choose to use this perspective to address questions concerning relationships and attitudes, because in my experience this perspective has proven vastly more effective in achieving the desired positive change, or at least in providing a proven recipe for it.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>How to politely show them that their research is inferior without\n making them hate me</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>This is like saying, \"can you tell me how to <strong>politely</strong> tell people their looks are inferior, without making them hate me.\" </p>\n\n<p>Lets think about it. How many examples do you know when pointing out others' deficiencies did not undermine one's relationship with them? Self-esteem is a very fragile asset which people naturally seek to protect from harm. When they detect possible threats to the integrity of this asset, they naturally act to remove the threat. Basic psychology. Typical results are either avoidance or confrontation. Hardly the recipe for making the world a better place! </p>\n\n<p>There are certainly ways to talk about research without harming egos. EVERY program of academic research has flaws. There are no perfect theories, every theory is only as strong as its weakest claim, methodological step, or piece of evidence. Academics aren't dumb. They have a good grasp of the field and more often than not, realize (if only privately) the limitations of their research. What they definitely do not need is anyone rubbing their nose in these issues. </p>\n\n<p>Surely there must be ways to manifest your brilliance in ways other than this. It is a matter of consciously reorienting your focus and attention, from the negative to the positive. Leave the negative and the weaknesses to others to sort out. Focus on what your professors do right, find what in their experience, wisdom, or skills is worthy of respect. You might have to try harder with some than with others, but everyone possesses such qualities and characteristics. </p>\n\n<p>Thus, it is a matter of personal choice. What do you choose to concentrate on in your interaction with this person? Making one choice will result in straining of the relationship. Making another choice will result in the growth of professional collaboration. Cause and effect. But the chain reaction of change for the better must begin with you. Waiting for others to change is only wasting time. One must always begin with oneself. </p>\n\n<p>How you react and what you point out in others, inevitably comes back as either a blessing or a punishment. If looking back, you see more punishment than blessing from your interaction with advisors, what has to change here? Only one thing: the intent and purpose with which you approach the interaction. </p>\n\n<p>So find the things you can appreciate and respect in others, and cultivate these aspects in your perception of these individuals as scholars, colleagues, and your advisors. Leave the deficiencies for them to sort out on their own. Trust they have the wherewithal for that. If you are not seeing it happening, then there must be reasons. </p>\n\n<p>The role of an advisee is first and foremost the role of a student. Appreciate the opportunities to learn and gain experience, which advisors can provide for you. If critical reflection reveals weak points, make a mental note, learn from their mistakes, but it is not your place or your responsibility to blow the whistle on them. As your own experience shows, doing so bring nothing good. So, learn from your own past experience, and work on changing your perspective during interaction with other academics. </p>\n\n<p>The problem is not all these other people, the problem is deficiency in understanding of how to interact with them in a positive and productive way. </p>\n\n<p>Arrogance comes from disrespect, and disrespect comes from insecurity. A useful exercise is to ask yourself, \"What am I compensating for by not being nice to people?\" </p>\n\n<p>Start by working on yourself to cultivate humbleness, respect, and kindness toward others, and the solution will emerge.</p>\n\n<p>If you don't want to be knocked off the ship, don't rock the boat. </p>\n\n<p>Give them the benefit of the doubt and instead, train your critical eye (which apparently you have perfected) on yourself, first and foremost. This is a difficult and unpleasant exercise, but if you try it earnestly, it will pay dividends and make you a more sensitive and positive human being. These effects will extend far beyond the professional relationships, and you will see positive transformations in your relationships with relatives, partners, friends, and complete strangers. </p>\n\n<p>Changing oneself is difficult. But it is the only way to see guaranteed progress. You seem to possess the reflective capacity to accomplish this. The very fact that you asked this question suggests that you might suspect that you are doing something wrong. This is the first step in the right direction. Good luck!</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46664,
"author": "aeismail",
"author_id": 53,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/53",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>There hasn't been a lot of discussion about the issue of contacts and networking, so I'd like to take a moment to address that issue in particular.</p>\n\n<p>A network of colleagues, mentors, and collaborators is fundamental for the success of the modern academician. That network is cultivated over time, but is based on both competency and respect. If you do something to violate someone else's trust, you poison your relationship with that person, perhaps irreparably.</p>\n\n<p>As an example, I know of several long-standing \"relationships\" that have soured when faculty members tried to send unqualified graduate students to other groups to work as postdocs, knowing that things probably weren't going to work out, but not saying anything in advance to the other advisors. As a result of this, how can the receiving graduate student trust anything the old advisor has to say? That poisons the well.</p>\n\n<p>Another way to cause problems within your personal network is to introduce into it someone who's going to cause more problems than help you. Someone who has a bad attitude and is unpleasant to work with is one of the big things to avoid, because you just make your life (and everyone else's) that much more difficult. (How do your advisors know, for instance, that you won't treat their colleagues the same way you do them?) </p>\n\n<p>Until you give an advisor reason to believe that you won't cause more trouble than you will be helpful, they're simply not going to trust you, and therefore they almost certainly won't take the time to take advantage of their connections to help you out. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46736,
"author": "Count Iblis",
"author_id": 17479,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17479",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>There is always the option of pursuing academic research on your own. Nothing stops you from reading the scientific literature in your field of interest, doing your own research, writing your own papers and getting them published. Without the benefit of close supervision, this is going to take more effort, but it will allow you to collaborate with others on a more equal basis.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46770,
"author": "Steve Jessop",
"author_id": 11440,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11440",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It sounds as though you enjoy comparing the work of your supervisors to the work of leading researchers in the field, and talking to them about the inferiority of their work.</p>\n\n<p>They do not enjoy this. They signal to you their lack of enjoyment by expressing disgust, and you've noticed that signal but carry on anyway. This happens repeatedly. They don't wish to spend their time defending their work to someone who is in their eyes an obnoxious novice, and who is in any case applying an irrelevant standard. Almost everyone is inferior (in some sense) to the leading researchers in their field, that's what \"leading\" means. There's no need to bang on about it.</p>\n\n<p>If you have no respect for their work then <em>you should not have applied to work with them in the first place</em>. They'd rather have a student who is enthusiastic about what they do, who wants to contribute to it, than someone who spends his time criticising them, and who wants to talk about how much he prefers other people.</p>\n\n<p>Either apply to work with someone you respect, or consider very carefully whether you enjoy these discussions so much that you prefer alienating supervisors rather than give up criticising them in this way.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Please give me some advice on ego problems of academics</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>It's very easy, through ego, to think that your opinion is the only important one, and that everyone you meet has an obligation to listen to it and either accept it or else disprove it to your satisfaction. Learn from these experiences that <em>this is not true</em>, and that's why it's an ego problem for you. Other people do not share your high opinion of yourself, and they're perfectly able to show you the door instead of put up with it.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>how to politely show them that their research is inferior without making them hate me.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>They know what their research is, and they know what the leaders in the field are doing. It is not polite to presume that they'll benefit from you showing them your views on the matter. However unremarkable their research record is, yours is even less remarkable, and that's how it's going to stay unless you can drop the ego. If you apply to work with someone, work with them, don't try to explain to them how you think working with them isn't worthwhile.</p>\n\n<p>You say that your goal is to get contacts and recommendations. By no means am I certain that this is best done cynically, but if that's the route you're taking then stick to the goal. Wanting these people to <em>agree</em> with you is ego, and it's distracting you from your goal. Try agreeing with them, you'll get a different response.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46858,
"author": "Dan",
"author_id": 35620,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35620",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>What you have to remember is that professors have a LOT of students to deal with. So if you demand something from them, then that will probably be met with rejection.</p>\n\n<p>From my own personal experience, I didn't really build a rapport with professors at first. I just sort of hung around some of the nicer ones and talked about subject matters, etc that went on in the class. Pretty soon they just came to me with opportunities or at least hinted at something they had going on.</p>\n\n<p>My thought is build a relationship this way. Don't go to a professor demanding something just go there and talk about something in the class. Try to go to ones who are polite and open to discussions.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46624",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35462/"
] |
46,638 |
<p>Given that a lot of prizes or grants are specific to a particular university, is there any point in listing the exact name of a prize or grant on one's resume?</p>
<p>For example, if I say that I won "John Doe Scholarship" or "Mary Doe Thesis Award", it won't really mean anything to someone outside the university. Would it be easier just to say you won scholarships/grants and an award for your thesis?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46639,
"author": "Danny Ruijters",
"author_id": 28830,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28830",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Unless you won a huge amount of awards, I would be quite specific: \"John Doe award from XYZ university for best master thesis in 2014\".</p>\n\n<p>Even when you have won many awards, it still makes sense to be specific about the most important ones, and be brief about the others.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46640,
"author": "user3209815",
"author_id": 14133,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14133",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Would it hurt to name the prizes and grants? Between \"some grant\" and \"x y grant\" I would always choose \"x y grant\". It doesn't matter if the reader is unfamiliar with it, as such a reader would gain the exact same amount of information as if you stated \"some grant\". But, by being specific you also don't leave room for ambiguity and provide additional for the informed reader.</p>\n\n<p>On a personal note, I dislike such vague statements as \"some grants and prizes\". Somehow it immediately gets me thinking about somebody patting you on the back or giving thumbs up. If you won a competition, you should be proud of it and show it on the resume. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46638",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/29303/"
] |
46,647 |
<p>I submitted an abstract for presentation in an international conference. The paper was accepted, but with a caveat. The organizers replied me that it is an abstract-only presentation. Please what do I do?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46654,
"author": "Bill Barth",
"author_id": 11600,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11600",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You go and present a talk. No paper will be published in the proceedings. If proceedings are published at all for this conference, your abstract will probably be published therein. This is a pretty common conference format in many engineering disciplines. You should take any review feedback, apply it to your article, and find a journal to send it to. If there is a distinction between published papers and abstracts at this conference, you should think about beefing up the paper before you send it to a journal.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46663,
"author": "Kakoli Majumder",
"author_id": 9920,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/9920",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I don't think there's a problem with an abstract-only presentation. Possibly the caveat is to remind you that only your abstract will be published in the conference proceedings, and not the full paper. This would work well for you as you can take the feedback at the conference and use it to improve your study. Moreover, for conference papers to be published in a journal, you need to have at least 30 percent new material (field specific); however, in your case, since you'll be presenting only the abstract at the conference, you don't need to think about these things.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46647",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35482/"
] |
46,651 |
<p>I see that every paper which propose (present) something (new) (over existing methods) should possess an experimental result section and some tables and figures and numbers. Some papers may be rejected if they don't follow this format regardless what they are going to say. They may are needed for the evaluation of the method or comparison of it with the related methods.</p>
<p>I myself, when read some papers, based on the arguments in them, propose a new or more general techniques which covers their shortcomings. Or I may propose a new formalism or tool which can be shown that is novel or useful.</p>
<p>However, providing some experimental results for them is not always easy. Some measures should be defined and samples should be gathered to get some statistics ( for something that you know works in practice). In fact some times, I don't know how can I offer such results or whether it is necessary or not.</p>
<p>Then, I would like to know which type of researches need those quantities and tables and diagrams? </p>
<p>Or in the other words, which articles don't need a results section? How can I write or put my arguments to show that it doesn't need further evaluation.</p>
<p>I give some examples to show my problems (first I should say my filed of study is computer science):</p>
<ul>
<li>There are some grammar or annotation scheme to build a linguistic corpora for English, there is no such corpora for Persian, I justified a similar scheme for building such a corpora for Persian based on the language features, Should I provide (experimental) results?</li>
<li>I developed a software which filter a webpage and remove noise and reformat the content to enhance readability and comprehension for non native English speakers ..... I used the results of another article on reading comprehension which didn't implement a web tool for their foundings.. Should I provide (experimental) results?</li>
<li>There is an algorithm for converting a linguistic corpora specially designed for English language, I generalized it to cover some other languages and justified that with some arguments, should I provide results?</li>
<li>I proposed a formalism for extraction rules for a data extractor from webpages, I provided many examples how it works, and how it is more robust, understandable and easier to use and based on previous tools and methods and how it borrowed their features ..., should I provide (experimental) results?
......</li>
</ul>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46653,
"author": "Aleksandr Blekh",
"author_id": 12391,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12391",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I think that you answer your question yourself in its title: experimental results section is needed in papers, reporting on <em>experimental research</em> studies. However, <em>not all</em> studies with quantitative results are <em>true experiments</em>. Thus, speaking more general, all <strong>quantitative research studies</strong> are expected to report their <strong>results</strong> by including corresponding quantitative results sections.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46679,
"author": "Wrzlprmft",
"author_id": 7734,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7734",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In all the work you are giving as examples, you are essentially developing methods. Not giving any experimental or very strong theoretical evidence that those methods do what they are supposed to do has many negative effects:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><p>It strongly diminishes the value of your work to the extent that you may have trouble publishing work that you could otherwise publish it in a high-ranking journal. Peer reviewers may very well demand that you report on the results of applying your method to some data and may reject your paper if you have no very good arguments for not doing so.</p>\n\n<p>Publishing methods without giving such evidence is the exception and usually only done, if deriving and explaining the method makes for a whole paper and applying the method is done in a follow-up paper or if the method paper and the experimental paper are better published in separate journals. And even then, there is usally some short application to (often artificial) example data in the method paper.</p></li>\n<li><p>It makes it much less likely that people ever use your work, build upon it or cite you. If I read a paper in which the author proposes a method but fails to show any application, I would strongly suspect that this is because they can’t, which in turn hints at something being very wrong with the method. I would be very skeptical about such a method and would be much less likely to use it.</p></li>\n<li><p>It will be harder to get funding for your work or justify that you spent your funding well.</p></li>\n<li><p>Whether you publish it or not, applying methods is one of the best ways to learn what demands and problems occur in reality, which allows you to develop better methods.</p></li>\n<li><p>If you repeatedly do something like this, you may obtain a bad reputation due to the above.</p></li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>How bad all this is, eventually depends on your field’s openness to theoretical work and how difficult its is to apply the methods and properly evaluate them. But as far as I can tell from my limited insight into the computer-science literature, I would consider the impact to be rather strong in your case.</p>\n\n<p>Given the nature of your work, I expect it to be impossible to provide convincing theoretical evidence that your methods work. For example languages are notorious for exhibiting weird behaviour and having tons of exceptions. Thus only by applying your method can you demonstrate that your it isn’t rendered useless by peculiarities or special cases you did not account for.</p>\n\n<p>So, to sum it up: <strong>Yes, it may be possible to publish your methods without experimental evidence that they work, but I would strongly advise against it.</strong></p>\n\n<p>If you strongly despise experimental work, I suggest that you team up with somebody who does this work for you.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46651",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/21885/"
] |
46,665 |
<p>Variation of <a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/27872/when-is-it-wrong-to-look-at-previous-exams">When is it wrong to look at previous exams?</a></p>
<p>Suppose students are taking a certain subject and are divided into classes A and B at different times but under the same professor.</p>
<p>Say the students are assigned an exam that is said to be sometime in a certain week. Is it wrong for the students of the other class B to ask the students in class A about the exam if they know that the teacher will change the questions in the exam?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46667,
"author": "Roger Fan",
"author_id": 20375,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20375",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I do not believe that this is ethical, as it gives students in the second class an unfair advantage over students in the first. As keshlam mentioned in <a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46665/when-is-it-wrong-for-students-to-ask-about-previous-exams-known-to-change/46667#comment107074_46665\">his comment</a>, if you want to give students access to previous exams, then both classes should be given access to the same set of prior-year exams.</p>\n\n<p>This is less of an issue if the exams are graded by separate professors (which does not seem like the case) or if the grades will be curved separately, though I would still lean towards it being wrong in the latter case.</p>\n\n<p>Though, when it doubt, the answer is the ask the professor (as <a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/27879/20375\">this answer</a> suggests). If you aren't comfortable asking the professor this question, then that is a sign that it is almost certainly unethical. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46701,
"author": "Henry",
"author_id": 8,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/8",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The ethical answer for students is easy in this case: if it's not clear, and remotely borderline, ask the professor. Ideally, ask the professor publicly, so that everyone hears the answer.</p>\n\n<p>That said, the real problem is that in this situation, the professor should be dealing with this publicly in one of two ways: either clearly instructing the first class not to discuss the exam until the second class has taken it, or making the exam available directly to the second class (so as not to benefit students who have friends in the first class over those who don't).</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 56689,
"author": "Karolina",
"author_id": 39157,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/39157",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It's not ethical as a one-timer, but can be ethical as a long-time trade. When one time group A has earlier exams and shares questions with group B, and next time it's the other way around, then it should be ethical.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 56690,
"author": "paul garrett",
"author_id": 980,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/980",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>This is an artificial issue, creating an unenforceable rule, stress for students, etc. The teacher should create a situation in which people have enough information about prior exams to (rightly) feel that they have an idea what will be on the upcoming exam. And if two exams are given at two times, they should not be identical, certainly. It should be arranged that students in the later exam should find nothing surprising or particularly in formative in seeing the first exam. That is, the marginal information content of seeing the first-given exam, with all prior exams visible, for example, should be close to zero.</p>\n\n<p>Edit: it is never genuinely wrong for students to get information about past exams. It is not the obligation of students to \"refuse\" to give information about exams they have taken. It is not the obligation of students to \"not ask\" students who've already taken exams about their content. Students should be allowed to behave sensibly. It is, instead, the obligation (if any) of their teachers to create contexts in which the students do not have to worry about artificial (and extremely awkward) constraints on information. </p>\n\n<p>Unenforceable rules create stress, trouble, and fatigue, to no good purpose. Students shouldn't have to think in such terms. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46665",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/21026/"
] |
46,673 |
<p>Recently I have received a peer-review letter on my article. While preparing an answer I've found that I have no idea what I should include in the answer.</p>
<p>There is multiple "idea" notes and few language issue mentioned.</p>
<p>It's my first peer-review, so it would be very useful to have some idea how to compose a good reviewer reply.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46682,
"author": "user6726",
"author_id": 28972,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28972",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It is not actually appropriate to reply directly to the reviewer, instead, you should summarize to the editor (knowing that the reviewers will see your response) what changes you made (especially relating them to what reviewers tell you you should do), and what changes you did not make (briefly justify not making a change requested by a reviewer). Most of the time, you should make a change, though it may not be the change requested. For example, if a reviewer tells you to used method X rather than Y, you don't have to use method X but you should explain in the paper why method Y is not appropriate. The reason for doing that is because if the reviewer didn't understand your paper well enough to see that, other readers are also likely to be perplexed, so you need to explain better. Sometimes reviewers are just embarassingly wrong so that <em>anybody</em> in the field should know why you use Y rather than X, in which case you can keep the discussion out of the paper, and simply tell the editor why Y is the appropriate method.</p>\n\n<p>There is no need to give a detailed accounting of every criticism, and you could summarize criticisms of exposition with a general statement like \"problems with language have been resolved throughout the paper\".</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46683,
"author": "Buzz",
"author_id": 27515,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27515",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Generally, the best way to respond is with a detailed rundown, discussing every point that the referee raised in turn. (This may be unnecessary if there are only a handful of minor changes asked for, but it doesn't hurt even then.)</p>\n\n<p>What I generally do is to start with a two or three sentence introduction, stating that I have made all the changes that the referee suggests. If there were changes that I was unwilling to make, I just say that I have made most of the changes but that I feel that one or more of the referee's requests were not appropriate.</p>\n\n<p>Then I begin a point-by-point analysis of what the referee said and how I have responded. Usually, I address the points in the same order as the referee raised them in their report, but not always. (Sometimes there may be just one major revision that was requested, and I want to discuss that first, before the minor points, even though the referee did not order things the same way.) It's often a good idea to quote directly what the referee said in the report and then follow up with an explanation of the changes that have been made.</p>\n\n<p>Sometimes, just stating that the change has been made is sufficient. This is typically all that's needed for linguistic problems. If the editor and referee may have trouble finding a change, you can point out where it is. If the changes are more substantive, it's a good idea to give a summary of what the changes were. These don't need to be long, but the should point out the main significance of the changes.</p>\n\n<p>If there were changes that you were unwilling to make, you must carefully explain why. If you think the referee was wrong, this should be pointed out very tactfully. A good referee will recognize their error if they really made one. If there are matters of opinion, it may be trickier to convince editor and referee that things are really better your way. It is also important that you make it clear that you are reasonable about making changes. If you refuse to make anything but the most trivial corrections in response to a referee's report, that makes you look stubborn and probably unreasonable.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46686,
"author": "Ran G.",
"author_id": 324,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/324",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The format that works for me, looks like that:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>Thanking the reviewers and editor for comments</li>\n<li>Stating the major issues of the referee report, and how we address them in the new version.</li>\n<li>Summarizing major revisions done, if any. This includes re-organizing the paper; change in terminology; adding / removing results; etc. Sometimes this part blends with the previous one, but sometimes there are changes that you have done which were NOT requested by any reviewer, but were needed in the revised paper.</li>\n<li>If the referee report contains a list of specific comments: add a list of these comments (copy-pasted from the report itself). Below each comment, reply if, and how, the comment was addressed. </li>\n<li>thanking the reviewers and editor.</li>\n</ol>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46691,
"author": "henning",
"author_id": 31917,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31917",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Matt Might <a href=\"http://matt.might.net/articles/peer-review-rebuttals/\" rel=\"nofollow\">explains on his blog</a> a very systematic step-by-step procedure to address reviewer comments, which I recommend you to read. His premise is that every response should ensure the reviewers that</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>We acknowledge your criticism and advice; we understand your\n misunderstanding; and we can fully integrate this feedback.</p>\n</blockquote>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46673",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/-1/"
] |
46,677 |
<p>Recently on my University he dies and now I was wondering how should be the ideal candidate. Taking into account that he/she is the one above all the faculties.</p>
<ol>
<li>Does he/she need to have a Doctor degree? and of what kind?</li>
<li>Does he/she needs to speaks more than just one language?</li>
</ol>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46694,
"author": "dbmag9",
"author_id": 6899,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6899",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>This will vary hugely between countries and individual universities.</p>\n\n<p>In the UK most universities are formally led by a Chancellor: see <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chancellor_(education)\" rel=\"nofollow\">this link</a> for more information. Since their role is largely ceremonial, what is important is that they are people seen as being prestigious enough to represent the university. The current Chancellor of Oxford is Lord Patten, who used to be Governor of Hong Kong and chairman of the BBC trust. To the extent that a chancellor may sometimes publicly advocate for the university (especially for funding) it's also valuable for them to be something of an 'establishment' figure on good terms with those in positions of power.</p>\n\n<p>If you mean to ask about the qualities of the person who actually controls the university (which in the UK would normally be the Vice-Chancellor) that deserves a separate answer, but one would expect them to be experts in the education sector and experienced at leading large complex organisations.</p>\n\n<p>To answer your numbered questions:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li><p>It wouldn't normally be a requirement that they be a doctor.</p></li>\n<li><p>I imagine speaking multiple languages would be a benefit (particularly speaking English in a non-English-speaking country), but I can't see it being a formal requirement.</p></li>\n</ol>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46697,
"author": "Stephanie",
"author_id": 32695,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/32695",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It is probably similar to the skills of a ceo, the position is about leadership, management, teamwork and being able to represent the University. Although an experience in academia might be tangentially useful in order to relate to the people working in the university, their job is so broad, they work with so many people on different levels that this is potentially irrelevant. \nYou can look at previous people who held the position to work out whether certain universities have more specific requirements. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46677",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/29290/"
] |
46,681 |
<p>I'm just finishing my PhD but don't yet have the qualification.</p>
<p>I'm applying for a post-doc and need to construct a CV.</p>
<p>Should I include my PhD as "ongoing" in a separate section to the rest of my education? Or can I just indicate it as part of my education, but with a note like "2011-present" or something?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46685,
"author": "Dilworth",
"author_id": 8760,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/8760",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "<blockquote>\n <p>Should I include my PhD as \"ongoing\" in a separate section to the rest of my education? Or can I just indicate it as part of my education, but with a note like \"2011-present\" or something?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>The second option. I.e., just indicate it as part of the education while noting explicitly something like \n<em>\"2011- 2016 (expected)\"</em></p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46751,
"author": "leotwist",
"author_id": 35542,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35542",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Building on the above answer, to be completely clear, you should also consider stating your status explicitly afterwards, like so:</p>\n\n<p>2011-2016 (expected) PhD/doctoral candidate, Name of University\nThesis Title: \"XXX\"</p>\n\n<p>\"Doctoral candidate\" would be a further acceptable alternative to \"PhD candidate\" and some people add the name of their doctoral supervisor, especially if the application is for a faculty/research position and it's someone in your field who might be known to the committee.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46681",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35505/"
] |
46,684 |
<p>I notice that the majority of admission questions on this site regarding admissions specifically refer to Ph.D admissions. That being the case, are Master's applicants evaluated any differently in regards to focus on research, grades, letters of recommendation, etc.? For instance, research potential is a big determining factor for Ph.D admissions I know, but the Ph.D is a research oriented degree. Is there the same focus on research potential for Master's students? </p>
<p>This is specifically focused on STEM fields, particularly the "E."</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46693,
"author": "Stephanie",
"author_id": 32695,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/32695",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>A masters in research applicant is usually assessed for very similar things to the PhD, all the things that you mention but to a lower level, the amount of experience and strength of the candidate is not required to be as high, the masters is much less of a commitment than a 4 year PhD for example and so the entry requirements aren't as stringent. </p>\n\n<p>It is for this reason that some bachelor students who cannot obtain a PhD offer may do a masters first or why a thesis not good enough to gain a PhD may be awarded a masters instead. \nA purely taught masters candidate would not be necessarily assessed on research potential, mainly grades and motivation instead (which could include desire to do future research). </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46699,
"author": "Dave Clarke",
"author_id": 643,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/643",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In universities I've been at (in Sweden & Belgium), students apply for a masters at the department level or higher and all candidates are assessed collectively. PhD candidates are assessed by the individual professor who holds the grant that will pay the student.</p>\n\n<p>A few important additional criteria used to assess PhD candidates include: </p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Is the candidate's background and interests suitable for this particular project?</li>\n<li>Is the candidate likely to fit into the research group?</li>\n<li>Is the candidate likely to last the distance?</li>\n<li>Is the candidate likely to become independent?</li>\n<li>How creative is the candidate?</li>\n<li>How does the candidate approach problem solving?</li>\n</ul>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46702,
"author": "Ellen Spertus",
"author_id": 269,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/269",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The difference is huge, at least in my field, computer science. Master's programs are typically money-makers, with students paying full tuition. Some programs are purely coursework; others require Master's theses or projects.</p>\n\n<p>In contrast, PhD programs accept many fewer students, none of whom pay tuition, instead receiving stipends paid for by fellowships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships.</p>\n\n<p>Because of the difference in the size of these programs and who pays whom, PhD programs are far more selective.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46684",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/21694/"
] |
46,698 |
<p>I'm applying for readmission to UC Berkeley after taking a semester off. In the <em>Application for Readmission</em>, one question asks, "Will you be in residence at Berkeley for the entire semester?"</p>
<p>Does "in residence at Berkeley" mean "using on-campus housing" or just "living in the vicinity of the university"?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46700,
"author": "abcd",
"author_id": 35513,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35513",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>This is the response I received from my graduate program's coordinator:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>It just means physically being here, so doesn't have to be on-campus housing.</p>\n</blockquote>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46717,
"author": "D.W.",
"author_id": 705,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/705",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It means being on-campus for your studies: e.g., attending classes, doing research, collaborating on research, whatever. It's not a question about where you sleep at night (whether your home residence is in on-campus housing or not) so much as about whether you are physically here for your studies.</p>\n\n<p>This is aimed at separating out \"working remotely\". If you are living on the other side of the country and trying to do your studies remotely, then you're not in residence at the university.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46698",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35513/"
] |
46,706 |
<p>This is a follow-up to this question: <a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/45929/should-i-recommend-rejection-for-a-paper-i-referee-if-the-authors-dont-make-cha">Should I recommend rejection for a paper I referee if the authors don't make changes that they could have made?</a></p>
<p>To recap: I was sent a paper to referee by a top journal. My first report pointed out that the authors had only considered one of two possible behavior patterns that their system might have. When the authors resubmitted, they basically ignored what I had said (although see below). So I sent it back, asking that the changes I had asked for before actually be made.</p>
<p>When I read the second draft very carefully, I saw they had actually added a very short paragraph that seemed to be arguing against the second type of behavior I was worried about being possible. It was so minor I didn't even notice it before I asked my earlier StackExchange question. However, the manuscript authors made an error in their attempt to demonstrate this point quantitatively; as I pointed out in my second report, their argument actually showed that I was correct.</p>
<p>Now, they have submitted the paper a third time. This time, they very enthusiastically acknowledge that I am right--both types of system behavior are expected to occur. However, they now claim that their numerical calculations actually include both possibilities, and that they actually did all along! The letter says that they just explained things really badly.</p>
<p>They have made more changes to the manuscript. It now states that both behaviors can occur and that both are fully included. I am not in a position to check whether their results are consistent with this. The paper does a lot of heavy numerical calculation, which would take a long time to replicate. Since the bottom line result is not going to depend much on the intermediate details, it is plausible that their graphs could have been showing the fully correct answers all along.</p>
<p>However, the format of the paper suggests otherwise. Add to that the fact that the second draft of the paper actually argued obliquely against the type of behavior that they now admit is natural. I feel like there are two likely possibilities. The first is that the authors are being dishonest. They missed the second possibility, and now that I have pointed out that it definitely occurs, they have reasoned that they can fib about the matter and it will be difficult to refute their claim. I am rather unhappy about this possibility; I hope it's not the case. The second possibility is that the communication between the two authors of the paper was extremely poor. The person who did the actual writing would have to have been quite ignorant of what his coauthor was actually calculating. This is a less troubling but still far from ideal situation.</p>
<p>So, once again, I find myself unsure what to do. Should I share my misgivings with the editor? Or should I take the current draft's claims as is--chalk the whole thing up to incompetence rather than dishonesty? I have, after all, no concrete evidence of fraud.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46707,
"author": "aeismail",
"author_id": 53,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/53",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>I have found myself in similar situations in the past. However, in such cases, the fraudulent behavior was much more obvious. This is a bit of a mixed case.</p>\n\n<p>So long as the results are plausible, the authors do have some liberty to do what you say they have. However, given that they should have also known that the same referees would review the paper again, the way they have addressed the changes does seem to be in poor taste.</p>\n\n<p>I would recommend mentioning what you find problematic in your comments— confidentially to the editor if necessary, but preferably in the \"open\" comments the authors get to see. This will make it clear exactly <em>why</em> you believe the paper should (or should not) be accepted. You could state something like the following:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Scientifically the results are acceptable, but I am highly uncomfortable with and concerned by the way in which the authors have incorporated the changes. The editor should take these issues into consideration before rendering a final decision.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>That puts the decision in the editor's hands (where it rightfully belongs), while you get to make whatever case you feel is appropriate.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46709,
"author": "xLeitix",
"author_id": 10094,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10094",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It is hard to tell from just your description alone (and without knowing the actual paper and revisions), but honestly this does not really sound like unethical behavior to me. Basically, what seemed to have happened was the following:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>Authors hand the paper in. You review and claim that one of two important aspects is missing.</li>\n<li>The authors disagree and, in an attempt to calm you over, write a short token paragraph about the second aspect (that they, in all honesty, don't believe to be very important).</li>\n<li>You <strong>insist</strong> that the second aspect is super-important and needs to be covered more explicitly.</li>\n<li>The authors give up and describe what the may think to be a minor aspect in much more detail than what they originally planned to do. Note that it is well possible that the authors were fully aware of this and had the data to do this all the time, but just did not think about it as something important. That they now agree that this is super-important sounds more like an attempt to win you over than anything else.</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>I have seen these kinds of exchanges play out in many, many journal submissions. Whether this actually improves the paper or not depends primarily on whether the second aspect <em>was</em> actually important or not. You say it is, but I have definitely seen reviewers get hung up on absolute sidenotes as well (which I am sure they honestly thought were essential), ultimately to the detriment of the manuscript.</p>\n\n<p>More generally, it sounds a bit like you were a bit the \"<em>damned if you do, damned if you don't</em>\" kind of reviewer in this process. What kind of change did you expect after the second review round? You wanted this additional behavior covered, and they did - and now that they did, you wonder why they did not do so from the beginning and presume that something unethical is happening. If they wouldn't have addressed this point, you would have been unhappy because the authors did not fix your major comments.</p>\n\n<p>What I generally try to teach my students is that when you review for journals, <em>you need to recommend fixes that can actually be done</em>. That is, there needs to be a reasonable and doable change that would actually make you happy to accept the manuscript. If you think that a paper can in no reasonable way be fixed, recommend rejection (and don't accept another review if the editor decides for revision). Never recommend revision if you won't like any outcome.</p>\n\n<p><strong>Edit based on Lohoris' comment to aismail's answer:</strong></p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>I've no clue why is the other answer who got all the upvotes, <a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/46707/10094\">this one</a> seems reasonable and to the point, while the other one basically says \"you suspect something, don't bother, go on, everything's nice\" which is a wtf for me.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Accusing authors of fabricating the data is a <strong>serious</strong> suspicion and should not be raised lightly if there are other plausible explanations. It's not that you <em>\"shouldn't bother\"</em>, it's that it simply does not <em>sound</em> like the data has been fabricated to me (or, at least, it does not sound significantly more likely than in any journal submission where the code etc. is not public, which is a systemic problem). There are any number of (good or at least less bad) reasons why the authors may now have data that they did not report on in the first version, including:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>The authors generated this data in the many months between revisions</li>\n<li>The authors had the data all along but did not consider it very important</li>\n<li>The authors wanted to save up this data for another paper (either to salami-slice, or because they truly thought that those should logically be two separate papers)</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>It is widely accepted that even major changes to the data and analysis can happen in between major revisions, and indeed it is common-place at least in my community to add more data to the paper based on reviewer request. This is basically the reason why we do peer review in the first place - if we always remain suspicious when the authors do more than cosmetic changes, why do we recommend revisions in the first place?</p>\n\n<p>I understand that the authors were talking about a \"miscommunication\" in the response letter, but frankly, after two revisions (especially with a very critical reviewer in the loop), most authors tend to write in the response letter whatever they think gives them the best chance to calm the reviewer over. I would not give too much weight to whatever people write in this non-public document.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46706",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27515/"
] |
46,721 |
<p>How is the grade <code>F</code> viewed in US academic system, is it abhorred or people see that grade as any other grade. If a student gets an <code>A</code> retaking that particular course, the previous <code>F</code> grade he got would be overwritten, even though there will be a mark on the transcript.Is there any sort of negative stigma because of that?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46722,
"author": "aeismail",
"author_id": 53,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/53",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>As F stands for <strong>failing</strong>, of course there's a stigma associated with it. How much depends on the course in which it's received. For example, failing freshman biology matters much less if you're in art than if you're planning on applying for medical school. </p>\n\n<p>Also note that different schools handle repeated courses differently. Some schools count only the last grade, while some count both equally in the final average (a zero plus whatever an \"A\" grade counts as). </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46723,
"author": "Ryan",
"author_id": 19685,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/19685",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>At my university (in the United States), a failure grade (which is <code>E</code> here) can only be replaced if in a lower division (of undergraduate) class, and only a certain number of times. After that, or for upper division courses, the failure grade and the passing grade are recorded in the transcript. </p>\n\n<p>As for the stigma associated with failure grades, I suppose that there shouldn't be any <em>immediate</em> negative stigma as there are many possible factors associated with the student:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>The student took too many courses at once, or the particular course was very challenging.</li>\n<li>Any social/health/familial reasons that have the student leave the university.</li>\n<li>The student does not study well in general, or take exams well (more present if the course grade is primarily based off of exams).</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>Of course, there are other reasons for a failure grade, such as academic dishonesty (a grade of <code>XE</code> instead of <code>E</code>) or pure laziness in not completing most/all of the course requirements.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46744,
"author": "Kevin Keane",
"author_id": 35540,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35540",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>A very wise supervisor of mine gave me an interesting aspect to ponder here. He also ran a a business, and when hiring, he <em>liked</em> to hire people with F grades on the record. He didn't like to hire people with a W (which at our school stands for \"withdraw\" - students who don't complete the class). The F, especially when combined with success when retaking the class, to him indicates the stick-to-it-ness that he was looking for in his employees.</p>\n\n<p>So an F may not be all bad.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/06
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46721",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10851/"
] |
46,728 |
<p>I'm a PhD student, and I invented a new method to assist and semi-automate the writing process. Since I need to add more papers to my CV I decided to teach some of my PhD student colleges the method and convince them to put me as a coauthor in one of their papers. I know getting a paper is quite hard, because I've written some during my PhD.</p>
<p>Since I could get trouble at work, how to do this is an elegant and professional way, like a technical assistant?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46729,
"author": "Aleksandr Blekh",
"author_id": 12391,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12391",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You invented a new writing method? You're kidding, right? As far as I know, there exist only one writing method known to mankind, which hasn't changed much since the invention of writing. If you're talking about some NLP technique, not only it is likely not novel, but I think that the <strong>value</strong> of all that is close to zero and actually can be <em>damaging</em> to research and writing skills of potential users of such method and corresponding software.</p>\n\n<p>However, what is more important and troubling is your planning of a rather <em>unethical</em> behavior with your \"smart\" payback scheme (unless you've poorly described your role). It is neither elegant, nor professional - the indication of that you can see in a series of downvoting of your question as well as comments. I would suggest you to reconsider your \"shortcuts\" approach to earning <em>academic reputation</em> or, at least, be careful with similar approaches, as they might be damaging career-wise.</p>\n\n<p>The minimum requirements for an <em>authorship</em>, according to the <a href=\"http://www.icmje.org/recommendations\" rel=\"nofollow\">Vancouver protocol</a> are:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Conception, design, analysis and interpretation of data;</li>\n<li>Drafting an article or revising it critically for important intellectual content;</li>\n<li>Final approval of the version to be published.</li>\n</ul>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46731,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I, like many others, am skeptical that your new writing method is actually valid and/or useful.</p>\n\n<p>If by some chance your method is actually valid and useful, however, then you should not be given a co-authorship by those who use the method. Rather, they should <em>cite</em> your method, just like they would any method that they used in conducting the experimentation.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/06
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46728",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/19880/"
] |
46,730 |
<p>I have completed my Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA) from India. The minimum requirement for admission into the MS in Computer Science program requires a 4 year college degree. My BCA degree was a 3 year degree and I am planning on pursuing a 1 year Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Applications (PGDCA) from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and would like to find out if these total 4 years satisfy as minimum requirements for admission consideration.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46745,
"author": "NickyR",
"author_id": 35237,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35237",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Maybe you should ask a professor you know that has some connections with professors in US to tell you more about that.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46852,
"author": "Aleksandr Blekh",
"author_id": 12391,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12391",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I suggest you to inquire such information at one or, better, more international academic credential evaluation companies, such as <a href=\"http://wes.org\" rel=\"nofollow\">WES</a> (be careful, as I've had some negative experience with them in terms of accuracy of evaluation). Nevertheless, you can check the WES' <a href=\"http://www.wes.org/evaluations/preliminary.asp\" rel=\"nofollow\">international-to-US academic credential equivalency tool</a>.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/06
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46730",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35522/"
] |
46,734 |
<p>I am a student from Sri Lanka, and I have just finished my degree. Because of the rules of my University ( My program was a direct intake for Mathematical Finance specialization, and despite this I have followed mathematics subjects the most) I was not allowed to take any abstract algebra courses. I have completed the other courses which Pure Mathematics Special students undertake such as in Analysis and have good results. I will be undertaking a reading course for Algebra with the senior lecturer at the University at whilst he said he will give a letter as evidence as possibly at best a letter from the faculty it won't be officially recognized in the transcript</p>
<p>So my main question is that would such a letter be recognized, even if it is signed by the dean of the faculty when apply for a phd? I hope I will be able to cover the usual algebra syllabus and maybe even more. </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46738,
"author": "Brian Borchers",
"author_id": 4453,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4453",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<blockquote>\n <p>I would also like to know if its possible what kind of undergraduate\n requirements does an Applied Maths program usually look into? Would I\n be correct in assuming that they won't be looking in to algebra that\n much?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Not having had an undergraduate course in abstract algebra wouldn't be much of problem for admission to the graduate program at my institution (which focuses on applied and industrial mathematics.) Background in analysis, differential equations, modeling, probability, and numerical analysis is much more important. Significant background (such as a minor) in some area of science or engineering is also helpful. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46739,
"author": "paul garrett",
"author_id": 980,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/980",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Seemingly the question and Brian Borchers' answer refer to \"applied math\" in a certain popular (if narrow) tradition, so probably Brian's answer answers the question appropriately.</p>\n\n<p>However, if \"applied math\" is construed as \"math that is applied\", then it would certainly include abstract algebra and number theory, for cryptography and error-correcting coding. It would also include things toward design-of-experiments. Game theory? It really does appear that there is no simply-described subset of mathematics that is \"applicable\" while others aren't.</p>\n\n<p>But/and then returning to the part of the question about certifying acquaintance with abstract algebra: a direct letter of recommendation commenting on a \"reading course\" could potentially be stronger than a mere grade-on-a-transcript, so I'd think it'd not be an obstacle. If anything, the evidence of taking initiative is a big plus, in itself, when I look at grad applications.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/06
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46734",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11929/"
] |
46,737 |
<p>In UK/Ireland/Australia/NZ, they don't seem to have a set retirement age. However, when do faculty members actually retire, or 'have to' retire (due to peer pressure, for example)? </p>
<p>This question is related to: 1. <a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40374/how-common-is-it-for-tenured-professors-to-retire?rq=1">How common is it for tenured professors to retire?</a>,
but my question is specific to the British system, and
2. <a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46297/how-common-is-redundancy-in-the-british-uk-australia-nz-ireland-system">How common is redundancy in the British (UK/Australia/NZ/Ireland) system?</a></p>
<p>If there is no tenured position in these countries (except Ireland, perhaps), isn't it easier to pressure the older faculty members (who may not be doing much research but at least be doing all the mandatory teaching) to step down?
In a tenured system such as US/Canada, it would be difficult to fire a tenured and aged professor even if he/she is research inactive, I believe?</p>
<p>Edit: With the follow up comments, the refinement of my question is: can the management in a university in the British system use the redundancy as an excuse to remove an 'old' and research inactive (but ok at teaching etc.) faculty member?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46763,
"author": "ctokelly",
"author_id": 12045,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12045",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In the UK there is no longer a mandatory retirement age because having one would be discriminatory on grounds of age under <a href=\"http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15127835\" rel=\"nofollow\">2011 legislation</a>. So you cannot be compelled to retire. In fact, the current generation tend to retire at 65 more or less because that's when their pensions can be fully realised.</p>\n\n<p>Future generations of academics in their mid-60s may respond differently because they will have different (as in, less generous) pension structures. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 47381,
"author": "lc9315",
"author_id": 35410,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35410",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>To be a bit more specific:</p>\n\n<p>ctokelly is correct to say that there is no mandatory requirement age, as this was indeed phased out, but from the <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/retirement-age\">UK Government website</a>:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>[S]ome employers can set a compulsory retirement age if they can clearly justify it.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>In practice, this seems to vary from university to university. Oxford, for example, do set a compulsory retirement age for their staff. From their <a href=\"https://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/personnel/end/retirement/acrelretire/ejra/\">website</a>:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Council has agreed to maintain a retirement age for university academic and academic-related staff[...] All existing members of academic and related staff who have a normal retirement date of 30 September immediately preceding the 66th birthday will be deemed, from 1 October 2011, to have a retirement date of 30 September preceding the 68th birthday, which shall be the EJRA.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Cambridge have a similar policy: see <a href=\"http://www.equality-law.co.uk/news/2305/66/Cambridge-academics-approve-compulsory-retirement-age-for-intergenerational-fairness/\">here</a> and <a href=\"http://www.hr.admin.cam.ac.uk/policies-procedures/retirement-policy/statement-policy\">here</a>.</p>\n\n<p>Others, such as the <a href=\"http://www.london.ac.uk/4265.html\">University of London</a> and <a href=\"http://www.york.ac.uk/admin/hr/resources/policy/retirement.htm\">York</a>, seem not to.</p>\n\n<p>In the other direction, UCL suggest that their employees may need to work until 65 to access their full pension. From their <a href=\"http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/docs/retirement.php\">website</a>:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Effective from 1 October 2011, there is no compulsory retirement age at UCL. Staff may voluntarily retire at a time of their choice, subject to providing appropriate notice. Many staff may continue to retire at their pension age (currently 65 years) because <strong>this is when they can access their full pension benefits</strong> although they have the choice to work beyond this age. Staff may be able to flexibly retire or retire before 65 years (normally accessing reduced pension benefits) depending on their pension scheme rules. (<em>emphasis mine)</em></p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>The answer seems to be, then, that it depends on the individual university. Oxford and Cambridge do seem to be in the minority in enforcing a mandatory retirement age; most universities stress in their policies that the age of retirement is a choice.</p>\n\n<p>As to when academics actually do retire: I couldn't find any hard figures on this, although the general consensus for the UK across all job sectors is that people are choosing to work longer. I should imagine, however, that the default is still somewhere between the former mandatory age of 65, and the 67 or 68 set by Oxford and Cambridge.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 47513,
"author": "Moriarty",
"author_id": 8562,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/8562",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The retirement age in New Zealand is, officially, the state retirement age of 65. The politicians are flip-flopping over raising this.</p>\n\n<p>However, as far as I am aware there is no <em>mandatory</em> age of retirement. It's simply the age at which you are allowed to collect the state pension. Some professors continue working well into their seventies, just because they love their job.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 67350,
"author": "gman",
"author_id": 12454,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12454",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In Ireland there is no statutory retirement age. That said, under the <a href=\"http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1998/act/21/enacted/en/print.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">Employment Equality Acts, 1998 (see Section 34 for more detail)</a> to 2011, it does not constitute discrimination on the grounds of age for employers to fix mandatory ages for retirement of employees so a university can fix a retirement age if it wishes.</p>\n\n<p>Also the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004 removed the compulsory retirement age for new entrants to the public service (covered some universities) with effect from 1 April 2004. This means that staff do not have to retire at the normal retirement age of 65. </p>\n\n<p>Staff who are ‘new entrant’ on or after 1st April, 2004, the minimum\nretirement age is 65 years.</p>\n\n<p>Staff who are deemed not to be ‘new entrants’ shall be entitled to hold office until the age of 65 years. However, a person may retire on reaching the age of 60 years</p>\n\n<p>For an example of polices in some Irish Universities see <a href=\"http://www.ucd.ie/hr/pensions/normalretirement/\" rel=\"nofollow\">here</a>, <a href=\"https://www.tcd.ie/hr/assets/pdf/retirement.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow\">here</a>, and <a href=\"http://www.nuigalway.ie/media/humanresources/documents/nuig_retired_staff_policy_beartas_o_gaillimh_do_chomhalta_foirne_scor.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow\">here</a>.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/06
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46737",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30606/"
] |
46,747 |
<p>Perhaps, it's a naive question, but I'd like to have some clarification of my own thoughts on the subject. I'm curious about what is the <em>rationale</em> or need of 1) transferring copyright from authors of an academic artifact (paper, chapter, book, etc.) to a publication outlet and, consequently, 2) an inability for the authors to publish <em>their</em> work via other publication outlets.</p>
<p>I realize that the above is somewhat questionable from the <em>ethical</em> perspective of accumulating publication credit for essentially the same work. However, I think that this problem has an easy solution (which I've seen used by some people) - specifying in CVs and other materials that paper B, published in journal BB is the same (or lightly changed) as paper A, published in journal AA.</p>
<p>Assuming that the ultimate goal of scientific research is to enrich the human knowledge on a global scale is much more important than the above-mentioned slight ethical concerns (which can be easily alleviated), publishing scientific artifacts via multiple outlets IMHO makes quite a lot of sense from the perspective of exposing the work to a larger potential <em>audience</em>, which, ultimately has a <strong>positive</strong> effect on scientific research <em>knowledge sharing</em> and distribution.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46748,
"author": "Paul Gowder",
"author_id": 34179,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/34179",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Publishers have to eat too, and if you can take the same thing you published with them and publish it again with someone else, who will buy it from them? Their argument is that they invest in the publication process and need to get a return for it. I have some skepticism about this argument (these days, universities could pretty easily and cheaply operate open-access online publications, etc. etc.), and am personally a much bigger fan of open access, but that's the standard argument.</p>\n\n<p>N.b. there's also a (smallish) benefit for authors in having a central place to go for things like reprint requests.</p>\n\n<p>Also, many publishers these days are ok with a certain amount of republication. For example, most copyright transfer agreements I've seen for journal articles explicitly allow the author to republish in a larger book, e.g., a collected papers book or a follow-up.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46749,
"author": "paul garrett",
"author_id": 980,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/980",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>As with many questions about giving up (or not) versus retaining it, and why one should give it up in the first place, a criterion of something like \"added value\" is clarifying. In the first place, why \"publish\" with anyone who needs/wants to take the copyright from you? Duh, because those same people seem to have the power to grant <em>status</em> (nevermind the arguable business of \"peer review\"/correctness). Thus, from an economics viewpoint, many/most publishers are entirely happy to give you \"status points\" while making money by charging a fee for access to your work.</p>\n\n<p>Naturally, as long as such publishers control the status-game, they will be happy to grant status while charging fees for access.</p>\n\n<p>Naturally, there is an ambient confusion cultivated by for-profits about the supposed benefits-to-all of this system.</p>\n\n<p>Naturally, in the short term, it is hard to generate status-points by \"free\" (but, therefore, mostly not \"peer-reviewed\") publication. (In fact, the very word \"publication\" in academia no longer seem to mean \"a thing that has been made publicly available\", but only something that has entered the formal peer-reviewed (and mostly corporation-controlled) \"publishing\" game.)</p>\n\n<p>Now, yes, maintaining a web-site is not really \"free\", especially worrying about long-term maintenance. Filtering manuscripts even for basic sensibility is not trivial... It is a slightly pathetic form of \"luck\" that for most submissions to refereed journals, nothing is claimed that is sufficiently scandalous, or perhaps even widely interesting, to invite too serious skepticism, so that even if it's wrong or garbled, it really doesn't matter. In all that, and in light of recent years' journals' comments to referees that it's not our responsibility to verify correctness (!?!), but more \"appropriateness for the journal\" (this is about status), unless some alarm goes off about significant content... \"peer review\" absolutely does not guarantee exact correctness. Maybe ball-park correctness, on general principles of sense... which should be ok most of the time, etc.</p>\n\n<p>So, for the time being, we are caught in a legacy system that had insinuated itself into the very fabric of academic function... and will be hard to surgically remove without endangering the patient, etc.</p>\n\n<p>Still, some (especially not-for-profits, but not <em>all</em> not-for-profits!) are willing to negotiate limited-rights-transfers, ... which makes sense. But, even these days, one must speak up, or the default is that you surrender all rights, which is senseless.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/06
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46747",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12391/"
] |
46,755 |
<p>So let me give a little info of who I am and what my interests are. I just graduated with a BA in Mathematics, concentrating almost exclusively in pure math courses (favoring analysis, algebra, topology, number theory, and combinatorics over computational/applied classes). Next semester I'm beginning a 2-year masters program in computational mathematics (at a group-1 public school, under old AMS rankings). </p>
<p>My research interests are currently strongest in the following areas: </p>
<ul>
<li>Combinatorics, especially algorithmic/computational and combinatorial optimization</li>
<li>Cryptography, information encryption/decryption and security</li>
<li>Number theory, but really just for the purposes of encryption/decryption</li>
</ul>
<p>After doing some research on the Web, it seems to be the case that my interests fall into the field of theoretical computer science and discrete mathematics. </p>
<p>At this point in time, my idea of an ideal career would be a professor of math or CS at a university, probably a doctoral-granting university. I might also consider working for the government in information security, data analysis, etc. </p>
<p>Also, I definitely want a PhD. It's just been one of the constants in my life as a goal. </p>
<p>So, I pose the question. Given the above information, would a PhD in Math be more appropriate, or would a PhD in CS (probably concentrating in Theoretical CS) be more appropriate? </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46757,
"author": "Aleksandr Blekh",
"author_id": 12391,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12391",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I am not a mathematician, so take my advice with a grain of salt. I would say that your current interests belong to two broad categories: <em>applied mathematics</em> (via combinatorics and, to a lesser degree, number theory) and computer science with an emphasis on <em>information security</em> aka <em>information assurance</em> (via cryptography, etc.) - so either of those areas seem to fit your <strong>current</strong> research interests.</p>\n\n<p>However, notice my special emphasis on the word \"current\". Considering the IMHO high likelihood of your research interests might change in the future, I would recommend you to prefer an applied mathematics over CS, as that will give you more <em>flexibility</em> career-wise (i.e., you could apply your knowledge and skills to the fields of operations research, financial engineering and many others).</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46764,
"author": "Pete L. Clark",
"author_id": 938,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/938",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<blockquote>\n <p>After doing some research on the Web, it seems to be the case that my interests fall into the field of theoretical computer science and discrete mathematics. </p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Yes, I agree. Moreover these fields have substantial overlap, and your interests lie safely in this intersecting region. You could plausibly attend either program, and the post-PHD opportunities and career trajectories would be very similar.</p>\n\n<p>One way to think about the decision is that the differences between a math program and a CS program will be more cultural and incidental. In a US PhD program there are going to be a lot of required components besides your thesis work. If you attend a math PhD program you will be required to take courses and pass qualifying exams in areas of mathematics somewhat removed from your stated research interests: e.g. I don't know any math PhD program in which you would not have to take graduate level analysis, including measure theory. Similarly, in a CS program you're going to have to take coursework and pass exams on <em>non-theoretical</em>, <em>non-cryptographic</em> computer science. Which of these sets of requirements sounds better to you?</p>\n\n<p>If it's really a coin flip, then I would argue in favor of breadth and diversity of skills. At a certain point you have to specialize, but all other things being equal, I find basic knowledge more useful: it is so much easier to learn <em>more</em> about something than to get a first, rudimentary clue. Your undergraduate career gave you training in many theoretical areas of mathematics that are not directly related to your current research interests: great! Now give yourself the advantage of getting some broad training in CS topics as well.</p>\n\n<p>Anyway, it ought to be clear from this answer that I think there is no bad choice. Good luck!</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46787,
"author": "user3390629",
"author_id": 35092,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35092",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I believe Pete L Clark gives a good answer. Let me just supplement it with my personal experience. I was in a very similar situation a few years ago, choosing between pursuing a PhD in Mathematics with a focus on discrete fields including graph theory and optimization, and Computer Science with a focus on algorithms and data analytics. I had done research in both fields as an undergraduate, and I would be attending graduate school at the same institution I completed my undergraduate degree. I had the advantage of getting a little taste of the culture and expectations of each department.</p>\n\n<p>In the end, my decision came down to how much I liked each department in terms of faculty, research groups, other students, and degree requirements. With regard to degree requirements, I found one department seemed to offer more flexibility and more chances to take classes that I thought I would like.</p>\n\n<p>Perhaps most importantly, finding a research group that you like could determine which degree you choose. I think it's often much easier to work with an adviser if you are in the same department. </p>\n\n<p>So my advice would be to take a look at the requirements of each department at whatever schools you apply to, talk to a faculty member and/or student if possible, and generally try to get a sense of the culture of each department. Especially look at the research of different faculty members and see if there are any groups which you particularly like. Surely it's not an easy task to gather all of this information if you don't go to one of those schools already, but you should be able at least to look up the degree requirements for each department and the research of different faculty.</p>\n\n<p>Hope that helps some. Good luck!</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/07
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46755",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35550/"
] |
46,771 |
<p>I just took the revised GRE general test. As a math major preparing to apply to math PhD programs, it was kind of surprising to see that my quantitative reasoning score was just 167, whereas my verbal reasoning score was 169. I attribute this to the fact that my anxiety about the exam prevented me from finishing all of the quantitative questions, which required a moderate amount of concentration; I finished the verbal portion quickly since it was just a matter of being able to read carefully and know fancy words. Should I retake the test and try to get a 169 or 170 in the quantitative portion? Or is my score good enough that it doesn't really matter?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46803,
"author": "Wolfgang Bangerth",
"author_id": 31149,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31149",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>At Texas A&M, we typically admit graduate student applicants with quantitative GRE scores down to somewhere between 160 and 165. So your 167 is totally fine, in fact I would say it's in the top 1/2 of those we accept. No need to worry.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46815,
"author": "Kimball",
"author_id": 19607,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/19607",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I've been on the graduate admissions committee in my math department a few times, and we never pay much attention to the general GRE score. Even the math GRE score is not a big concern, unless it is egregious.</p>\n\n<p>By the way, here are a couple of related questions:</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/32514/19607\">How does a low quantitative score on GRE general exam affect admissions to mathematics PhD programs?</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/13678/19607\">What is the median math GRE subject score for admission to a Group 2 or 3 PhD program in applied mathematics?</a></p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/07
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46771",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/24280/"
] |
46,773 |
<p>I have completed a Ph.D. in India, which is my native country, and am applying for post doc positions in the UK. However, due to strict visa rules, I am not sure if my application would be shortlisted. In these types of situations, my CV and application file have already been approved by the PI. </p>
<p>However, do universities generally sponsor non-EU candidates like me or is it the responsibility of the PI to make the proper arrangements? How can I ensure that my job is not denied due to non-academic reasons like visa issues?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46778,
"author": "Dmitry Savostyanov",
"author_id": 17418,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17418",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p><strong>tl;dr</strong>: Read the job description.</p>\n\n<p><strong>Details</strong>: The job you're applying to is advertised publicly, and as a part of a job description it is normally explicitly stated whether or not the particular University is willing to sponsor the visa application for the non-EU candidates. If unsure, ask the contact person or/and their HR department.</p>\n\n<p>If the university invites only those having a right to work in the UK to apply, there is nothing you can do about it — find another position to apply.</p>\n\n<p>If the university is willing to sponsor the work visa for a candidate, there is nothing you (and your PI) need to worry about — the process will be handled by their HR department. Just make sure you meet Tier2 <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/tier-2-general/overview\">visa requirements</a>.</p>\n\n<p>Note that there are certain conditions for the University to apply for a Tier2 visa. Normally, the position should be advertised for at least 1 month. Also, the University should be a Tier2 sponsor (check the <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/432786/2015-06-05_Tier_25_Register_of_Sponsors.pdf\">list</a>).</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46779,
"author": "sean",
"author_id": 15501,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15501",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I just want to ask to Dmitry's answer:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Beside Tier 2, Tier 5 is also an option for post doc (actually most post docs I know are in Tier 5). Compare to Tier 2, Tier 5 is much easier and faster to get, and it will cost the university less (if any). Moreover, only a limited number of Tier 2 visas will be issued per year. However, if you intend to apply for permernant residency, then the time in Tier 5 will not be counted, you need to stay 5 years under Tier 2.</li>\n<li>Most university will not require you to have a working visa (Tier 1, 2, 5) to do a post-doc. Even if you already have one, you still apply to a new visa when changing the sponsor.</li>\n<li>To know if the university will sponsor the visa, reading the job description is not enough. You need to ask the PI. My own experience: I once applied to a post doc which stated clearly in job description that applicants have to show proof of work permit in the UK on the interview day. I didn't have one, because I'm a Tier 4 student. But it turned out it was not necessary, and many applicants did interview via skype from their home country.</li>\n</ul>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46850,
"author": "Dilworth",
"author_id": 8760,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/8760",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I believe that if the PI accepted your application, he/she knows they can accept international applicants. You should just make sure this is the case by emailing the PI directly about this. </p>\n\n<p>Once you get the offer, it is still not certain that you get the visa. The UKVI (UK visa and immigration) authority and the university giving you the so-called COS (certificate of sponsorship, which is a requirement to get the UK visa (Tier-2)) are two totally independent entities. This means that the UK university cannot guarantee you'll get the visa. </p>\n\n<p>For most cases you should get the visa, however because of many factors, most prominently inefficiency and mistakes made by UKVI, your visa might get delayed. </p>\n\n<p>It is also quite rare that the university will pay you for issuing the visa as far as I know. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/07
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46773",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35565/"
] |
46,775 |
<p>In my field (theoretic CS) it is very common to list the authors names alphabetically on papers. </p>
<p>I have been working on a paper for quite a long time with three other researchers, which is almost complete, and in the last week or so we consulted another researcher who made a non-negligible contribution to the paper by pointing out (with a proof he thought of after considering the problem with us for a couple of days) some direction we were working on shouldn't work and suggesting considering a different direction - the final version of the paper will not include his ideas but we probably wouldn't finish it on time without realizing we are following a dead-end.</p>
<p>So, he deserves being listed as an author if he wishes, but the problem is that if we list the names alphabetically his name will be first - is it acceptable to put our three names (alphabetically ordered) before his, breaking the common alphabetical order? If not, what is the usual practice in such cases?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46791,
"author": "user3697176",
"author_id": 31433,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31433",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Since the other author's \"non-negligible contribution\" did not actually make it into your paper, I think an acknowledgement would be sufficient. Making him/her a co-author would imply that some of the work in the paper is not yours --- and that would be a misrepresentation.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46793,
"author": "Pete L. Clark",
"author_id": 938,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/938",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In fields (like pure math and TCS) in which the convention is to list authors in alphabetical order, it makes a very jarring, striking statement to put authors non-alphabetically. The most common instance of this in my experience is when one author is <em>very</em> senior, enough to perform a power play on their very junior coauthor. Unless the reasons for the non-alphabetical order are carefully explained and seem logical to the readers, this could make a widely negative impression.</p>\n\n<p>Non-alphabetical ordering is almost never used in pure math and TCS to signal importance of contribution: the convention, for better and for worse, is that the authorial contributions are not disclosed to the reader. As a result of this, unlike many other academic fields in which being a fifth author may be understood to mean very little contribution, in pure math and TCS there is a <em>cutoff phenomenon</em>: you have to decide what level of contribution merits coauthorship, and there will certainly be many cases in which a positive contribution does not result in an authorship. People who are not coauthors but made intellectual contributions to the work should be <strong>acknowledged</strong> for this. If you read acknowledgments on papers in this area, you will find that people are sometimes acknowledged for things that are clearly significant contributions: e.g. for providing the key idea of the project, or for providing correct proofs of key technical results needed by the authors. </p>\n\n<p>The general conventions are to be <strong>generous</strong> and <strong>modest</strong>. Namely, the coauthors should err on the side of generously offering coauthorship to those whose contributions were positive, even if they were lesser in magnitude than the other coauthors. On the other hand, one should be modest in responding to coauthorship requests: if what you did feels like helping out a colleague rather than doing substantial, original work, then probably you do not want to be listed as a coauthor. </p>\n\n<p>Of course in practice there is a lot of subjectivity here. In the case at hand, another answerer says that because your colleague's contributions \"did not actually make it into your paper\", then they are not sufficient for coauthorship. I don't completely agree. Telling people what not to do and setting them back on the right track can be an invaluable contribution. </p>\n\n<p>Recently a junior colleague found a key mistake in a draft of a work of mine in which she was not an author. The coauthor and I withdrew the paper immediately and were able to fairly quickly recover the main result of the paper by arguing in a different way. The paper was then accepted. I think it is quite likely that if not for my colleague's contribution, the original, erroneous version of the paper would have been published. In principle we would have fixed it eventually, but in practice: yikes -- she deflected a bullet. I offered my colleague coauthorship...and she declined. In this case the offer was essentially mandatory, whereas both accepting and declining it seem reasonable.</p>\n\n<p>If the OP feels that the contribution to the work was sufficient to make it plausible for the contributor to be listed as an author, I would recommend that the coauthorship offer be extended. If you know your colleague pretty well, I might follow the offer with an offer to discuss the situation: that's a good way \nto make sure that you reach an outcome which you are both comfortable with. I don't think your colleague's last name has any role to play in this discussion.</p>\n\n<p><b>Added</b>: <a href=\"http://www.ams.org/profession/leaders/culture/CultureStatement04.pdf\">Here</a> is the American Mathematical Society's 2004 \"culture statement\" on coauthorship. It says that more than 75% of coauthored math papers with at least one American author use alphabetical order, and that this percentage is over 90% in pure mathematics. I think that for publications in more mainstream and prestigious journals, the percentage is even higher. For instance, I checked the last 100 multiply authored papers in the Journal of the American Mathematical Society and found that alphabetical order was preserved 99 out of 100 times.</p>\n\n<p>The cultural statement also says: \"Joint work in mathematics almost always involves a small number of researchers contributing equally to a research project.\" Unfortunately I do not completely agree with this statement. For one thing, the number of coauthors on papers has been rising so sharply that even a statement from 2004 seems a little out of date: I remember that 10 years ago, seeing a math paper with more than three or four authors was worth a raised eyebrow. That is really not true anymore: a substantial minority of papers has a long enough list of authors -- with such widely varying expertise -- that it is not plausible that all are contributing equally. Moreover, unlike alphabetical order, I don't know how one can gather statistics about whether authors contribute equally. To me this statement reads like an aspiration rather than a description of reality. In my experience, there is a cultural push for authors to contribute equally, but there are other cultural pushes as well. Listing authors alphabetically essentially always in confluence with the reality that sometimes the contributions are not equal seems to me to an underacknowledged problem of our profession. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46802,
"author": "Wolfgang Bangerth",
"author_id": 31149,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31149",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Some disciplines <em>usually</em> use alphabetical order, but this is by no means mandatory. In fact, I would say that one of the rules of writing papers with others is that you should have a conversation between all co-authors to discuss precisely this point: who should be a author, why, and in which order. In some disciplines, such as pure math, this most often leads to alphabetical order, which is used to indicate that everyone contributed to the same degree (or, at least, nobody feels strongly enough to push for having their name listed first). But other disciplines do it differently, including for example applied mathematics where many papers are written to indicate one of two things:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>The first author really did more work than the others.</li>\n<li>The first author is junior and needs a first-author paper more than others. (For example, almost all of my more recent papers have my students and/or postdocs listed before me -- because I have tenure and don't need these papers more than I do -- even though oftentimes I would have a fairly good argument for being the first author, having done a very substantial amount of work.)</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>So, in your case, I would suggest talking this trough with your co-authors: who did how much, who are the possible authors, what order should they be listed in, and then come to a joint conclusion that does everyone justice. I certainly don't see a stigma in figuring this out, rather than just going with the default alphabetical order.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/07
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46775",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28389/"
] |
46,776 |
<p>I'm new in the use of bibliometrics. I was wondering if you can help me out? Consider this situation, an author "x" of the country "c" , publishes a paper "p" with a(n) international collaborator(s). If I want to know how many citations does the paper "p" has received from the country "c", is that possible? Is that so, three situations can happen.</p>
<p>One is that "only" author(s) of "c" cited "p", in which I will count 1. The second case is that there is a mix between author(s) of the country "c" and international authors, in which I will count a fraction of the authors belonging to "c" divided by the total authors of the paper that is citing "p". The third case is that only papers with international authors are citing "p", that I will count 0. </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46789,
"author": "Andrew",
"author_id": 27825,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27825",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>WoS allows you to look at all the papers citing a given paper P, and there is a link to \"Analyze Results\", where country is one of the options. (It defaults to a minimum count of 2; you'll want to drop this to 1)</p>\n\n<p>For a randomly selected paper from a recent search, here's an example:</p>\n\n<p><img src=\"https://i.stack.imgur.com/iWOkk.png\" alt=\"enter image description here\"></p>\n\n<p>There are 11 citing papers; of these, seven have at least one US author, two at least one Czech author, etc. This would give a value of 0.64 if your original author was American, or 0.18 if they were Czech.</p>\n\n<p>The obvious downside is that you need to do this for each paper P; you can't do it automatically for a hundred at once. But it's a start...</p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p><strong>Edit</strong>: you can do this through Scopus as well. Select the paper, find citing papers, \"analyse search results\", and you get this:</p>\n\n<p>Here, there are a total of three papers citing P, two of which have German author(s), one Austrian, etc.</p>\n\n<p><img src=\"https://i.stack.imgur.com/su23R.png\" alt=\"enter image description here\"></p>\n\n<p>With Scopus, you <em>can</em> do the analysis for a large group of papers, but it won't help you very much. From your initial search result, select all items using the checkbox, and click \"view cited by\". Then analyse search results again, and you get the stats for all papers citing one or more of the original search results. However, this won't help answer your question as to %age of papers with overseas citations - they're all bundled together and not segregated by cited paper.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46848,
"author": "user-2147482637",
"author_id": 12718,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12718",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Yes, this is possible with WOS. You can use the WOS API. Using python it is very simple to download the data and make specific queries. The data can be fetched with SOAP as an XML format document. You can then parse it with a few lines of code to extract the data you want by searching the address fields of the citations.</p>\n\n<p>You can get started here: <a href=\"http://ip-science.thomsonreuters.com/m/pdfs/wos_workbook_en.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://ip-science.thomsonreuters.com/m/pdfs/wos_workbook_en.pdf</a></p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/07
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46776",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35563/"
] |
46,777 |
<p>Are the any famous or well-known (today-living) researchers without academic degrees working as professors or permanent staff members?</p>
<p>There are two related questions:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/17841/phd-without-previous-academic-degree-truth-or-myth">PhD without previous academic degree: truth or myth?</a></li>
<li><a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/26786/is-it-possible-to-obtain-a-masters-degree-without-bachelors-degree">Is it possible to obtain a Master's degree without Bachelor's degree?</a></li>
</ul>
<p>However, I am curious about the no-degree (past upper secondary school, i.e. no BSc, MSc, PhD, etc) case.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46801,
"author": "Prof. Santa Claus",
"author_id": 35582,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35582",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Freeman Dyson does not have a PhD.</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"http://pipeline.corante.com/archives/2014/04/01/freeman_dyson_on_the_phd_degree.php\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://pipeline.corante.com/archives/2014/04/01/freeman_dyson_on_the_phd_degree.php</a></p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46804,
"author": "Aleksandr Blekh",
"author_id": 12391,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12391",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>In regard to your question's topic, at least two relevant terms come to mind: <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lay_scholar\" rel=\"nofollow\">lay scholar</a> and <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autodidacticism\" rel=\"nofollow\">autodidact</a>. Once we establish the right terminology, it is not too difficult to find information that you're looking for. In particular, <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_autodidacts\" rel=\"nofollow\">this Wikipedia list</a> and <a href=\"http://www.autodidactic.com/profiles/profiles.htm\" rel=\"nofollow\">this list</a> seem to be rather comprehensive (you will have to filter the information to select the <em>modern-era</em> academics without degrees).</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/07
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46777",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10421/"
] |
46,782 |
<p>Some publishers, such as the APS, allow to submit papers from the ArXiv instead of from your computer. While this seemed somewhat reasonable to me at first glance, I noticed one problem with this that seems to render this feature pointless:</p>
<p>ArXiv submissions as well as replacements take some time, usually a few days, to be published. So, if you just submitted your files to the ArXiv, you would have to wait this time before you can submit to a journal. Instead of waiting, you could just take the files your just submitted to the ArXiv (or download your files via your ArXiv account) and submit them to the journal directly. This should take little additional time, as you do not need to prepare these files in any special way – if you would need to, submitting from ArXiv wouldn’t work anyway, as it would yield the same files.</p>
<p>Now, I can think of some exceptions where your files could already be published on the ArXiv. For example, you submitted a version to the ArXiv and to “internal” review at the same time and the internal review results in no changes whatsoever. Or you submitted a paper to the ArXiv and a journal at the same time and the latter desk-rejects your paper for being out of scope or similar; then you could submit to another journal from ArXiv. But these are exceptional cases: In most situations, you would decide that a paper is submit-worthy directly after you made some changes, which hence cannot already be published on the ArXiv.</p>
<p>Note that at least the APS does not seem to have a way to magically obtain the paper you just submitted to ArXiv as it requires an ArXiv number for submitting, which you only obtain after publication and hence after waiting.</p>
<p>As it would surprise me that time was wasted in implementing this feature if it really is as useless as I consider it to be, I am curious: <strong>What am I missing here?</strong> For example: Is there some common situation in which you would decide that a paper is ready for submission without any change? Or do you not have to wait for the ArXiv to publish your paper for some reason I am missing? <strong>Please answer only if you can address the above concerns.</strong></p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46790,
"author": "paul garrett",
"author_id": 980,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/980",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>I think you are not really missing anything at all, except that there is not compulsion to make the set-up as minimalist/efficient as you seem to argue it should be. That is, while you and others may not find this feature useful, it's probably harmless, no? And some programmer somewhere might've thought it would be interesting to implement this, and proposed it to whatever authority, it was approved, and so on.</p>\n\n<p>But, yes, there are common situations for many people (in math, familiar to me) in which the submission to arXiv is essentially simultaneous with a submission to a journal, whether or not they make use of a literal submit-from-arXiv feature. So, yes, a paper might be considered ready without-change-from-the-version-submitted-to-arXiv. Why not? (Sure, one might realize things later, perhaps upon referee reports...) </p>\n\n<p>As to whether one \"has to wait until arXiv publishes...\" Well, apparently, yes, since your paper won't have been processed. Perhaps someone who knows the inside workings of the software at arXiv (which surely could change from time to time) knows a trick to interact with the system prior to that, but I've never heard of anyone finding a need to do so, given the quick turnaround. But I can't help but wondering why a day-or-two delay would matter...</p>\n\n<p>So I think you're right that it's a fairly useless feature, but it wouldn't be the first.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46854,
"author": "Buzz",
"author_id": 27515,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27515",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The submission and refereeing system used by the American Physical Society supports direct submission from the arXiv. However, I have found that the system does not work well enough for this feature actually to be useful. The APS system is not good enough at handling the metadata it extracts from the arXiv and from LaTeX source files to make submission from the arXiv worthwhile. (This has consistently been true of for my submissions, but perhaps other people using different style files and layout formats have had better results.) So when I want to submit a paper to an APS journal, I work directly from the source files on my own machine, not worrying about the arXiv submission feature.</p>\n\n<p>In general, it takes about one business day from the submission of a paper to the arXiv to its becoming available for viewing. I have never worried about delays of a day or so in the submission process. Sometimes, I post papers on the arXiv first and don't submit to a journal for a while, because I want to see if I get any comments from other people in the field. A few times, this had led me to make changes to my manuscript before I sent a version to a journal. In other instances, I have submitted to the arXiv and a peer-reviewed journal at essentially the same time. However, even when I am anxious to get a paper into the reviewing queue quickly, I am not going to sweat about a one-day delay.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/07
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46782",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7734/"
] |
46,792 |
<p>If you want to optimize a technique used in a given publication, is it considered necessary to use the same programming language and data sets?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46797,
"author": "Ellen Spertus",
"author_id": 269,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/269",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You don't need to use the same programming language, but it would be wise to use the same data sets (if available), to check that you get the same results and to compare performance. Of course, you may want to use additional data sets.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46823,
"author": "Christian",
"author_id": 35572,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35572",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It depends on the goal of your work.</p>\n\n<p>If you want to use the algorithm for something else and just as one piece of the puzzle, you are free to implement it however you want. Especially with popular algorithms you will find that mostly only the very basic idea survives. The algorithm itself changes a lot over time with different improvements of various researchers.</p>\n\n<p>If the algorithm itself is the core of your research, you should definitely keep all the same language and data sets to make your results comparable. If you then for example want to try it out in a different language, you should compare it to the original implementation.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46825,
"author": "Aleksandr Blekh",
"author_id": 12391,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12391",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It's not totally clear what is the meaning of the phrase \"optimize a technique\", thus, it is difficult to tell, especially since it is most likely <em>discipline-</em> and, even, <em>context-dependent</em>. However, regardless of the above, technique, by definition, is independent of programming language (at least, IMHO it should be), so my answer to that part is <strong>No</strong>.</p>\n\n<p>In regard to data sets, the situation is also rather fuzzy, as that also depends on domain, context and, perhaps, other factors. Nevertheless, I would suggest considering using the same data set (so, my answer to that part is <strong>Yes</strong>), if possible, along with a rather standard approach of <em>splitting</em> it into two (<em>training</em> and <em>test</em>) or three (<em>training</em>, <em>validation</em> and <em>test</em> - so called \"three-way data split\") subsets (that is, of course, if you perform relevant data analysis).</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46919,
"author": "user3697176",
"author_id": 31433,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31433",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I am going to assume that \"optimize\" means \"improve upon\" (otherwise the entire question is meaningless).</p>\n\n<p>Then the question is, what do you want to prove? Is it that your algorithm is better? In this case you would be well advised to stick to the original programming language. If you do not, it will be hard to counter the criticism that your performance improvements are due not to your own hard work, but simply to different efficiencies of the programming languages and/or compilers. </p>\n\n<p>Sometimes the goal of the experiments is, in fact, to show the superiority of one programming language over another, see, e.g., <a href=\"http://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/abs/10.1287/ijoc.2.2.152\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/abs/10.1287/ijoc.2.2.152</a>. In this case, of course you would be free to use a different programming language.</p>\n\n<p>That you should use the same data set in either case goes without saying.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/07
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46792",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35577/"
] |
46,798 |
<p>Sometimes when doing course work for university, I'd like to write about it on my website, or publish it in its entirety, because I think that other people might be interested in it.</p>
<p>My goal is not to reach other students, but depending on the work, I think it's likely that they would easily find it when searching for it, and most courses reuse homework questions and paper topics over multiple years.</p>
<p>So my question is if it would be ethical for me to do so, and under which circumstances.</p>
<ul>
<li>Does it depend on the task? Eg I would assume that it's not ok if it's a very specific task that only other students would be interested in, but ok if it's a general problem? </li>
<li>Does it depend on length? What about simple homework questions vs page-long papers vs presentation slides vs thesis paper vs code?</li>
<li>Should I do something to conceal it? Eg change the paper title, remove any mention of the course and university name, not publish the homework question itself?</li>
</ul>
<p>I'm mainly asking about the ethics of it, but if you know if it is generally legal or forbidden by universities, I would be interested in that as well.</p>
<p><sub>
In case it affects your answer: I'm studying computer science in Germany.<br>
</sub></p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46810,
"author": "Rhonda",
"author_id": 35487,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35487",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<blockquote>\n <p>Sometimes when doing course work for university, I'd like to write\n about it on my website, or publish it in its entirety, because I think\n that other people might be interested in it.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>This re-enforces your learning BUT will current students have access to it.</p>\n\n<p>Once, a student from my University did this, and someone else copied from her. There was a big mess about this. Fortunately the student got a passing grade for the class.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>and most courses reuse homework questions and paper topics over\n multiple years.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>and</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>So my question is if it would be ethical for me to do so, and under\n which circumstances.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Instead of using exact question answer, can you create similar question and give solution. This way you are tutoring other people and making them think (and making yourself think), rather than giving the answers to students who just want to pass the class and forget what they \"learned\".</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46811,
"author": "MJeffryes",
"author_id": 31487,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31487",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In the final year of my undergraduate computer science programme, we were all emailed by the department reminding us that publishing homework solutions is forbidden, due to the increasing number of people either deliberately or inadvertently making theirs available through public Github repositories.</p>\n\n<p>There is the argument that lecturers shouldn't be reusing homework, but a strong counter argument is that in some courses there are only a few obvious tasks to set (eg, in a database internals course implementing a merge or sorting algorithm, or in a text retrieval course implementing Pagerank). So in many cases it will be forbidden by university or departmental rules to publish solutions. Furthermore, facilitating someone else's plagiarism, by allowing them to copy your solution, is often an academic offence itself.</p>\n\n<p>Publishing solutions to specific questions clearly facilitates cheating (especially in the case of easily Googleable source code), and as such I think it is unethical.</p>\n\n<p>From a legal perspective, if you give the question you may be infringing on the author's copyright, but I don't know of any countries where helping other people plagiarise your work is illegal.</p>\n\n<p>A thesis is generally expected to be published, and so there is likely no problem here in putting it on the internet.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46813,
"author": "paul garrett",
"author_id": 980,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/980",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>In brief, I claim that this should not be a question a student has to comtemplate... So, operationally, the answer is \"no, it is not unethical, but it may be against the (unreasonable, indefensible) rules to an extent that will create fatal trouble for you...\" So, no, it's not unethical, but probably often \"seriously illegal\", dangerously to you, though it should not be.</p>\n\n<p>The points the other answers have made are \"not unreasonable\", but, I claim, essentially untenable. That is, if there are indeed very few tasks whose performance could be \"tested\", example executions will certainly exist \"in the wild\", whether or not a student in a specific class puts their own solution on-line. Although I'm thinking primarily about a mathematics environment, I'm well-enough acquainted with CS issues to not feel too out-of-it in thinking about such issues, as well. Indeed, the number of \"stock\" issues in both cases seems similar ... and small. That is, there is a greater underlying issue, that the number of reasonable, answerable questions (apart from trivial variations) is very small, and a conscientious person can merely <em>collect</em> \"solutions\", rather than think them through themself.</p>\n\n<p>To my mind that is the \"real issue\", if it is an issue at all. That is, we might take the poverty-of-variation as a signal that pretending to keep some trivial idea secret so as to \"test\" on it is perverse!?! </p>\n\n<p>There are two fundamentally conflicting issues: promoting understanding and scholarship, versus arranging convenient \"testing\" for various purposes. \"Convenient testing\" prefers as many secrets as possible, obviously. Promoting understanding would <em>exactly</em> want to explain to interested parties how to resolve issues raised... among other places ... in the \"tests\".</p>\n\n<p>Some events that finally \"got through to me\" about this, some years ago, involved my colleagues firm admonishments that \"approved solutions\" for (graduate) Qualifying Exams should never be published, because otherwise the students would learn how to do those problems... uh... whah? :)\nOk, even if we \"buy\" that for a moment, one can observe that then <em>bad</em> \"solutions\" are the only ones available, so people study from bad material... ?!?!</p>\n\n<p>The meta-comment is that many \"educational\" institutions have not-at-all figured out how to cope with the fluidity and availability of information, and, instead, try to prohibit all the obvious \"new\" avenues, simply to avoid change. While it is arguably true that the motivations of some students may not be the most honorable, I am absolutely not in favor of sting operations that declare them guilty of serious malfeasance by \"using the internet\" or \"telling people what they know\", and so on. That'd be perverse. Instead, things need to be reconstituted so that \"keeping secrets\" is not an essential part of appraising competence.</p>\n\n<p>Summary: it's not at all unethical, but it may be so illegal that you must ask your local authorities. (Yet, again, while it's good to ask, it is terrible that there is an issue here...) </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46827,
"author": "Nox",
"author_id": 34771,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/34771",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In my opinion there is nothing wrong with publishing solutions to (interesting)\nquestions/exercises on one's own page, given that there is no explicit policy \nagainst doing so at your university.</p>\n\n<p>I never heard of a policy forbidding publication of answers at my university\nand the general approach in our group is that students may very well learn\nsomething even from reproducing solutions of others. Specifically for physics (my\nsubject) there is a set of problems which come up in certain variations over\nthe years and by looking hard enough you'll find an answer (or at least an\noutline of a solution) for almost any problem.</p>\n\n<p>My personal position is that the students are old enough to get a grip on reality and\nunderstand, that if they just copy solutions they are doing themselves a disservice\nin the long run. At some point in time the missing methodology will come to bite them\nin the a**.</p>\n\n<p>TL;DR students should be mature enough to understand that 1:1 copying is more harmful than\nusefl. We (as TA's) are not their nannies.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46859,
"author": "Dan",
"author_id": 35620,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35620",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I got my undergrad in Computer Science and no matter what the professor asked, it's a sure bet there's a solution already posted out there somewhere. So the way I see it is that it's a bit difficult to NOT expect your solution to be posted out there.</p>\n\n<p>As far as posting answers, I can't see why it would be wrong especially if it is a trick question or a unique question that made you think. I remember in school we had to make a algorithm that figures out simply xor encryption and figuring out a key based on a known word. I felt my answer was unique and I asked the professor if I could post it online. He agreed and had no issue with me doing it.</p>\n\n<p>If you want to discuss something perhaps ask the teacher of that course if you can post/discuss it on a personal blog.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46861,
"author": "Fuhrmanator",
"author_id": 3859,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/3859",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Check your school's definition of plagiarism. My university defines the following as an act of plagiarism subject to sanctions:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Remettre ou rendre disponible un travail, une partie de celui-ci, tel que décrit à l’alinéa précédent, à un autre étudiant qui l’utilise en tout ou en partie sous sa signature; </p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Translated it means more or less</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Submitting or making available any work, or part of such work, to another student who uses it or part of it as his own work. </p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>If you commit an act of plagiarism at your university, I'd say it's unethical. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46866,
"author": "ahorn",
"author_id": 20862,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20862",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I wait at least a week after the due date before posting my work online, so to ensure that the students handing in late do not access my work in a last minute rush to complete the work. In the event that somebody does copy your work, a long period between the due date and the online post will help to prevent confusion about who created the work. If there is a query by the university, you need to be able to prove that your work was handed in before the other person. Additionally, you may be able to prove that the work you posted online was your work, and that the other person copied it from your website.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46873,
"author": "keshlam",
"author_id": 10225,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10225",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Just a quick observation: a good copyright lawyer might be able to argue that homework answers are a Derivative Work, which would put you at risk of being sued if you publish without permission from whoever owns the copyright on the assignment material. I doubt most schools would exercise that right under normal conditions, but that's up to them, not you, and they've already got lawyers on staff.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46905,
"author": "Scott Seidman",
"author_id": 20457,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20457",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>From our recently updated Academic Honesty policy (or perhaps to be implemented int the near future:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>6) Unauthorized Distribution or Publication of Course-‐-‐‐Related\n Materials The sharing of course materials on an individual level for\n educational purposes (e.g., working with groups or with a tutor) is\n permitted, provided that it has not been prohibited by the professor.\n Students may not publish, distribute, or sell-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐\n electronically or otherwise-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐any course materials that\n the instructor has developed in any course of instruction in the\n University (e.g., presentation slides, lecture aids, video or audio\n recordings of lectures, and exams) without the explicit permission of\n the instructor. The sharing or distribution of course materials for\n purposes of giving or gaining unfair advantage in a course is\n prohibited. Students must further respect the requirements of\n copyright protection for materials that are made available for\n instructional purposes.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Thus, such action would be an academic honestly violation at our institution, and can result in punishments from a warning all the way to separation.</p>\n\n<p>Violation or not, at best you are publishing derivative work that you are not entitled to be publishing. It is unethical behavior.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46916,
"author": "Kate Gregory",
"author_id": 12693,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12693",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I would like to think that you are telling the truth when you say you want to blog your homework because you find it interesting and you're happy with your solution. Let's say you were assigned something in a programming course and told to use recursion to solve it. And further that as a result of this assignment you \"get\" recursion and think it's amazing.</p>\n\n<p>In that case, blogging \"I finally see what all the fuss is about for recursion\" is entirely appropriate. You can include some code snippets from your recursive solution, perhaps contrasting them with some iterative version as well. You might include a diagram or other illustrative aid that helped you understand what was happening, or a screen shot from the debugger showing the call stack. All of this is a good blog post about recursion that happens to have 10-20 lines of code in it, code that at some point was included in something you handed in for marks.</p>\n\n<p>In contrast, blogging \"CS 123 Assignment 4 (XYZ University Prof ABC)\" which consists of one or two sentences of your own, if that, followed by the text of the question, with a complete zipped solution attached to the blog post - well that's an entirely different thing. It's not interesting, it's not something anyone wants to read or will learn from. It's just a way to hand out solutions to future students for the least effort possible from them and from you. It is not ethical, professional, fair, or decent. </p>\n\n<p>This isn't restricted to programming, of course. If you wrote an essay about something and learned some very interesting things as you did, then a blog post that includes some excerpts from the essay and links to resources is not the same as a blog post that pastes in the question and includes the essay as either the rest of the post or an attachment. If you designed a lovely room, building, wedding announcement, dinner, playground, or album cover, sharing that design along with the thoughts that went into it, the parts you like the most, and the reactions you have collected from others is not the same as \"Here's the question, here's what I did for my solution.\" Right?</p>\n\n<p>You know which you want to do, I'm sure.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 47041,
"author": "Alfonso F R",
"author_id": 35071,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35071",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>This is more of a political issue than an ethical one and is also related to Intellectual Property management. If your work is code related to open source software (such as GNU/LINUX) or to open source hardware, you should definitely post it. On the other hand, if you institution is a private corporation, it is generally not advisable to do so, even if it does not strictly infringe the organization's policy on IP. It is also a good idea to check against your teacher, advisor or managers whether they might have an issue with it or not. For instance: some teachers might object if their course's syllabi does not change often and they put a lot of effort in building it and keeping it private (f. i: for evaluation purposes), while other might encourage you to do so for the greater good of the classroom. I'd say that it depends mostly on the discipline and environment rather than on the length of your work. While the trend towards Open Access is more prevalent everyday at the dawn of the Internet Era, it is still not prevalent in some areas and institutions, and is definitily less encouraged in the private sector. One must also bear in mind that your work will be subject to public scrutiny and that it at times might be plagiarized by unscrupuled individuals. If you choose to do so, please always adequately mention and refer properly other people's work whose shoulders you are climbing onto. Not only because it is ethical and more useful to do so, but because showing adequate respect to others' work will make yours' less prone to eventual abuse.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/07
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46798",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/23297/"
] |
46,800 |
<p>Considering that sooner or later I will, hopefully, be able to teach formally at a university level, I'm curious about the following. While I do have pretty decent (some people, even, say, very good [<em>he is blushing</em>]) informal pedagogical skills, especially in terms of explanatory power :-), I'm thinking about how best to <strong>improve</strong> my ability to teach (I have <em>informal teaching experience</em> via high school students tutoring, corporate IT classes teaching as well as informal advising online and offline).</p>
<p>With that in mind, I wanted to ask people's recommendations on what are the optimal <em>strategy</em> and useful <em>approaches</em> in terms of acquiring some additional formal knowledge on pedagogy, instructional design, learning theories and similar disciplines and areas of study. While currently I'm preparing my research (have an agenda) and teaching statements, this question is not concerned about that, but rather about establishing a solid <em>foundation</em> for the long-term teaching success. In addition to strategy and approaches, some advice on relevant <em>resources</em>, including MOOCs and books on the topic will be greatly appreciated. (This question is inspired by reading <a href="http://elearningindustry.com/situated-cognition-theory-and-cognitive-apprenticeship-model">this</a> and <a href="http://elearningindustry.com/instructional-design-models-and-theories">this</a>.)</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46806,
"author": "Nicholas",
"author_id": 1424,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1424",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Many universities now recognise that tertiary academic teaching can be taught as a scholarly subject. There is a growing body of research on the subject. </p>\n\n<p>Similarly, tertiary institutions recognise that there has generally not been a requirement for academics (usually research-focused) to demonstrate any ability in teaching, nor are they exposed to any opportunities for training.</p>\n\n<p>For this reason, many institutions (in the UK and Commonwealth, at least) offer a post-graduate diploma or certificate in Academic Practice. In such a course -- usually attended by research academics with a teaching component to their work -- students are exposed to current pedagogical theories. </p>\n\n<p>My institution offers such a PGCert, and I am working my way through it now, with the support of my HoD. It's been pretty good, so far. See if your institution offers such a degree. </p>\n\n<p>Bear in mind, I've seen this strategy -- institutions offering PGCerts in academic practice -- done very badly. Namely, staff are <em>required</em> to take the course, and pass. In the worst case, the quality of the teaching was poor.</p>\n\n<p>I am pleased to say, that at my present institution, the teaching on the PGCert has been very good, the readings helpful, the exercises relevant. Your mileage may vary.</p>\n\n<p>With respect to resources, I am generating an annotated bibliography of the readings (journal articles, books, etc) that we have been recommended for this course. If you are interested in this, I can share the link with you.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46851,
"author": "earthling",
"author_id": 2692,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/2692",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>As Nicholas said, you can get a certificate, diploma, or even a master degree in education (some focus on higher ed, some on primary and secondary teaching). However, for me, I've always found it quite helpful to read-plan-use-evalate and repeat as necessary.</p>\n\n<p>For the reading, <a href=\"http://facultyfocus.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Faculty Focus</a> on the <a href=\"http://www.magnapubs.com/newsletter/the-teaching-professor-2907-1.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">Teaching Professor</a> are wonderful. There are countless good quality texts. I'm continually surprised at the percentage of high-quality books (like <a href=\"http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1133936792\" rel=\"nofollow\">McKeachie's Teaching Tips</a>) on higher ed teaching. By far <strong>most</strong> of the higher ed teaching books I've read have been very helpful. Resources aimed at primary and secondary school teachers have not been very helpful to me in my university teaching.</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"http://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/art-of-teaching-best-practices-from-a-master-educator.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">The Art of Teaching</a> is also quite good as a video or audio book. I have not found MOOCs to be better than books and newsletters, at least not yet.</p>\n\n<p>There is so much theory out there that it is difficult to read even a significant portion of it. However, I believe what is most important is to find what pedagogical styles best fit both you and your students (if you know much about them at this point). So, I return to my earlier point: read-plan-use-evaluate, then try something else to build up your toolbox. Granted, this is difficult to do without actually doing it.</p>\n\n<p>Oh, it goes without saying that <a href=\"http://academia.stackexchange.com\">Academia.SE</a> is a great resource. :-)</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/07
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46800",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12391/"
] |
46,812 |
<p>tl;dr: <strong>"Are there any professors in Humanities working in North America or Europe who have recieved their PhDs from a University in Asia (Japan in particular)?"</strong> (I'm specifically interested in Asian Studies, but any Humanities would be of interest. Also, any permanent or semi-permanent teaching position would be of interest)</p>
<p>I'm currently a second year masters student from the U.S. in an Asian-studies related field at a University in Japan, and am considering whether I should continue on for a PhD there. Graduate students and professors from the U.S. have more or less told me that getting a degree from Japan would be more or less "career suicide" (my words not theirs) because degrees from even well known universities in Japan are not considered on the level of well known schools in North America or Europe. </p>
<p>Obviously there's a lot to consider when thinking about going for a PhD, but <strong>I am specifically looking to contact people in the humanities, particularly Asian Studies, working in North America or Europe who got their PhD from a University in Asia.</strong> I'm specifically interested in Japan, but degrees from S. Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, China or even India or other parts of South or Southeast Asia would be welcome. Thank You.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46817,
"author": "Nobody",
"author_id": 546,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/546",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p><strong>Update</strong></p>\n\n<p>I found at least one. <a href=\"http://ealac.columbia.edu/portfolio-items/hikari-hori/?portfolioID=750\" rel=\"noreferrer\">Hikari Hori</a> currently teaches at Department of East Asian languages and Culture of Columbia University. She received her Ph. D. in gender studies and Japanese visual cultural studies from Gakushuin University, Tokyo, in 2004</p>\n\n<p><strong>End of Update</strong></p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p>I am no expert in Asian studies. Please take my opinion as a grain of salt. However, being a native Chinese speaker and having read some academic papers about politics and economics in Asian Studies recently, I feel that I want to say something about your question.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>getting a degree from Japan would be more or less \"career suicide\"</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>This may have some truth in it if you study one of the STEM fields because many good schools in STEM fields are not in Asia. So, you have fewer choices if you pursue PhD in Asia.</p>\n\n<p>But, you study in an <strong>Asian-studies related field</strong> and you go to North America or Europe to study it? This does not make sense to me. Let's say your topic is related to social economics in Japan. You don't want to study Japanese and live in Japan to observe its social economics by yourself? You go to US and read papers about Japanese social economics without seeing the recent developments in Japan and then write your own papers?</p>\n\n<p>On the behalf of all Asians, I certainly welcome you to stay in Asia, speak Asian languages and then study Asia. We would all appreciate it! Thank you.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46830,
"author": "Whitebear",
"author_id": 34791,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/34791",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<blockquote>\n <p>Graduate students and professors from the U.S. have more or less told me that getting a degree from Japan would be more or less \"career suicide\" (my words not theirs) because degrees from even well known universities in Japan are not considered on the level of well known schools in North America or Europe.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Having done my post-graduate study in humanities at a National University in Japan, I can understand where they are coming from.</p>\n\n<p>The approach is quite different. In an American/Western university, a Ph.D. program is very structured, with you taking classes in your first year, and exams, before your final dissertation and defence.</p>\n\n<p>In Japanese universities, from my experience, you are pretty much left to your own devices. You may have to attend seminars, but these are student-run exercises, and you are essentially being a senpai (tutor) to the master-level students. To graduate, you need to publish at least one article in an academic journal (requirements differ according to your faculty), and the defence's I have seen were no where as rigorous as what is required in the West. </p>\n\n<p>If you want to have your degree recognised, you need to go to one of the big-name universities, such as Tokyo University, Waseda, etc. They are more rigorous, and have a reputation to maintain, compared to other universities. </p>\n\n<p>More than half of the faculty at the Japanese University I went to had done their post-graduate studies in America, before coming back to get tenured positions. In fact, the only Professors who had done their Ph.D. in Japan had gone to Tokyo Uni/Waseda. </p>\n\n<p>So read what you will into that, but if you want to become an expert in Asia, you may want to get your Ph.D. from a Western Uni, and do exchange/post-doc/later study in Japan. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46878,
"author": "Kimball",
"author_id": 19607,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/19607",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Unfortunately, there seem to be a lot of biases, which come from the way different cultures approach research. My understanding is that Westerners approach (Asian) history from a more ideological perspective, and are less concerned with examining lots of data. On the other hand, the way Japanese research Japanese history is very data driven, and they are less prone to make sweeping ideological statements because, well, it <em>is</em> complicated. Consequently, Westerners seem to think they are better historians than Japanese. I can imagine that there are similar issues in other aspects of Asian studies as well. I think the issue is that the type of research done in Japan is not appreciated well enough in the West, and this is what will cause a difficulty in getting a job in the West later. Asia is obviously the best place to study Asia.</p>\n\n<p>Note: I am not in the humanities, but this is what I have gleaned from discussions with a friend who is a Japanese historian, and did get his PhD in Japan (and works in Asia but not Japan).</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/07
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46812",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35587/"
] |
46,834 |
<p>I have about one free year before I go to grad school and I would like to go to work. I live with my family (I'm Asian by the way) and so gaining experience is my priority, not salary. What job will help me maximize the skills that I would need during my grad school? I have two options below, but I'm open for any advise.</p>
<h1>Tutoring</h1>
<p>You know, in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Asian_cultural_sphere" rel="noreferrer">Sinosphere</a> countries, there is a pressure to get to university, so high school students need to study at night in "academies" beside the daytime they study at schools. I will help the teachers there help them solving homeworks. This center is founded by a famous mathematician in my country and seems to operate pretty well (but I suspect no foreigner know since he has switched to teaching a long time ago). I confident in my ability of explaining. Here are the advantages to choose this job:</p>
<ul>
<li>know how being a TA is like.</li>
<li>have to spend only 6 to 10 hours a week so that I can have time to search for professors.</li>
<li>I have an idea about running a science channel in YouTube, like Vsauce or Veritasium. This is because our country is lack of good material for study. Small part of this motive is for building my reputation. With teaching, I can prepare for some materials and have first audience to get their feedback. It may be unlikely to help me to get admission, but if I succeed, I can have some reputation in media. May I will need it in the future?</li>
</ul>
<h1>Data researcher</h1>
<p>The second one is being a data researcher in a technology company. I'm not sure about the working time but I think it will like any other company. I have sent them an email explaining that my major is not data (I study physics) and I'm not a PhD either, but then they reply that I need to send them my CV first (I haven't because I'm in a middle of medical treatment, but it will be over soon). Does this indicate that I'm suitable for them? Here are the advantages to choose this job:</p>
<ul>
<li>working in an English environment, in one of the world leading companies in its niche. Very good for my CV.</li>
<li>Have a chance to expertise a programming language (Python). I'm not sure if Python is the second language beside English in academia or not, but I have seen a lot of science programs written in Python. I need to code in grad school anyway.</li>
<li>Know what the outside world looks like.</li>
</ul>
<p>I know that this question is lengthy, and I appreciate for your reading. Thank you in advance.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46844,
"author": "Calchas",
"author_id": 31491,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31491",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Personally I would choose the company position:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Prior experience in the private sector (outside of teaching) is a big advantage if you decide to look for a non-academic job later.</li>\n<li>Python is a popular programming tool to use. Might as well learn now.</li>\n<li>Data analysis is a big part of doing a physics PhD.</li>\n<li>You will form better contacts (probably). Never underestimate the value of good connections.</li>\n<li>You will get plenty of opportunity to do teaching later if you wish; and I do not really see what it adds to your position now. However, I never really saw the appeal of teaching, so perhaps my view is coloured.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>A CV is just a way to get yourself an interview. It doesn't get you a job. Definitely send your CV in.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46845,
"author": "sean",
"author_id": 15501,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15501",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>1) Did you already get an admission to grad school? I get confused when you say \"search for professors\".</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>If no, use your time to focus on getting admission first, e.g. improve GRE score, read papers etc etc. Getting an admission may not be as easy as you think.</li>\n<li>If yes, 30 hours per week to search for a professor is too much.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>2) Since you haven't been accepted to the second job. It is too early to ask about which job to choose. I don't want to be rude, but if you are rejected, then you will not need to ask this question.</p>\n\n<p>3) Running a Youtube channel and helping (lazy) students doing their homework are unlikely to help in getting an admission, or improving your chance to get a job. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/08
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46834",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14341/"
] |
46,837 |
<p>I want to include a philosopher's quote in an essay (APA). Is it okay to do so? If yes, how should this be formatted? Should the quote be in italics followed by an English translation in square brackets [ ] ?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46838,
"author": "Nox",
"author_id": 34771,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/34771",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>If memory serves, then I have not read a quote yet which was not in the original language with a translation appended at the end.</p>\n\n<p>If you want to include a quotation (even if it is just to make the text visually more appealing) then you should use the original formulation with a translation appended at the end.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46839,
"author": "mafu",
"author_id": 5640,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/5640",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Reasons why you might want to include the original:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li><p>There are issues related to the precise wording and terms used in the original, which you pick up and elaborate on.</p></li>\n<li><p>There is no reliable translation available, i.e. no published article contains the quote you would like to refer to. In this case, I would translate the quote myself and add a footnote along the lines of <code>\"original text\" [source] (translated by this article's author)</code>.</p></li>\n<li><p>Understanding the language the original is in is expected from the reader, e.g. in an article about the particular language. No need to include the translation in that case.</p></li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>In any other case, I would stick to the translated version solely (and attribute it to its source as usual).</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46841,
"author": "Aleksandr Blekh",
"author_id": 12391,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12391",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In addition to my comment above, I want to mention that, if you will decide to go ahead and include both the original quote and translation, them, as far as I know, at least per <a href=\"http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2010/08/apples-to-%D7%AA%D7%A4%D7%97%D7%99%D7%9D.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">this APA Style blog post and comments</a>, you should not only, as you said, place English translation in square brackets after the original, but also present the original quote <em>italicized</em> (as you mentioned) and <strong>transliterated</strong> into the Latin alphabet, if the original language's alphabet is different from Latin.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/08
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46837",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35605/"
] |
46,847 |
<p>I have some papers for which I want to somehow download an easily manipulated (CSV, Excel) list of references and list of papers which cited the given paper.</p>
<p>On Google Scholar, one can see a "Cited By" option, but there is no way to download this list in bulk. Also, there is no option to get the list of references that the paper made. Although one can look at the paper itself for this information, I'd want a way to get these as a CSV or Excel.</p>
<p>Is there any way to do this? </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46872,
"author": "Gaurav",
"author_id": 60,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/60",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>As far as I know, <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIS_%28file_format%29\" rel=\"nofollow\">RIS</a> and <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BibTeX\" rel=\"nofollow\">BibTeX</a> are the two standard file formats for moving references around. I store my references <a href=\"http://www.citeulike.org/user/mrvaidya/\" rel=\"nofollow\">on Citeulike</a>, which allows me to download them in either format -- I usually use BibTeX since I write my papers in LaTeX, but I know <a href=\"https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/importing_records_from_endnote\" rel=\"nofollow\">RIS is used to move references from Endnote to Zotero</a>. </p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://images.webofknowledge.com/WOK50B6/help/WOK/hs_output_records.html#dsy426-TRS_other_software\" rel=\"nofollow\">ISI Web of Knowledge</a> and other citation trackers do allow you to export both the citations in a particular paper as well as the papers that cite it in RIS, BibTeX and tab-delimited formats (using RIS column names, oddly enough!), but I don't think Google Scholar has this functionality. You may have access to the Web of Knowledge through your institute's library.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46874,
"author": "Brian P",
"author_id": 17232,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17232",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Yes, use Web of Science (Thomson Reuter's) database called Cited Reference Searching. You can download a list of citations, which can be exported as *.csv. Here is a <a href=\"http://hsl.lib.umn.edu/biomed/help/web-science-science-find-cited-references\" rel=\"nofollow\">link</a> showing some of the basic functionalities. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46875,
"author": "Aleksandr Blekh",
"author_id": 12391,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12391",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I am not aware of such functionality in existing online repositories at the present time. However, depending on your needs, skills and willingness to dedicate your time and efforts to such project, you can consider <em>writing custom software</em>, based on <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_language_processing\" rel=\"nofollow\">natural language processing (NLP)</a> approaches, in particular <em>information extraction</em>, for parsing papers of interest - individually or in bulk - in order to <em>extract</em> their reference list information. I believe that it should be <em>relatively</em> easy to write such software, as the semantic complexity of reference list sections is relatively low. Having said that, I see some potential difficulties, related to the quality (consistency) of listed references in terms of content, formatting and publication style.</p>\n\n<p>I think that using such software would be perfectly <em>legal</em> and <em>ethical</em>, as that part within each paper doesn't really represent an intellectual property or is copyrighted (please correct me, if I'm wrong).</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 182083,
"author": "reza ebrahimoghlu",
"author_id": 153140,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/153140",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Enjoy using <a href=\"https://estech.shinyapps.io/citationchaser/\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">CitationChaser</a>. Follow these steps to start chasing:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><p>In the "Article input" tab, paste a list of article identifiers (e.g. DOIs)</p>\n</li>\n<li><p>Check the articles returned are the ones your interested in</p>\n</li>\n<li><p>If you want to perform backward citation chasing (which articles did my articles reference?) then proceed to the "References" tab and click "Search for all referenced articles in Lens.org"</p>\n</li>\n<li><p>If you want to perform forward citation chasing (which articles have cited my articles?) then proceed to the "Citations" tab and click "Search for all citing articles in Lens.org"</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p>You can download a list in RIS format of your input articles, referenced articles, and citing articles for easy integration with your reference/review management workflow.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/08
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46847",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35611/"
] |
46,853 |
<p>I see some papers that aim to present a <strong>formalism</strong> for something. First, what probably they are going to do? (for example in the field of computer science) Second, what is the methodology and main structure of such papers (which sections do they need)? </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46889,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It seems to me that you are making a common mistake of classification. In your question, you speak of a formalism as the <em>goal</em> of a paper. Instead, I would recommend thinking of formalism as a <em>tool</em> toward achieving some goal. </p>\n\n<p>Since formalism is a tool, and not a goal, it can be presented in a number of different ways, as best serves its position within a larger framework. To better illustrate this, Let me give a few examples of the use of formalism in a larger narrative from recent papers that I have published:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Formalization used to extract and clarify the \"important bits\" of a complex model</li>\n<li>Formalization used to develop a new set of theoretical guarantees</li>\n<li>Formalization user to analyze the tradeoffs between a set of competing approaches</li>\n<li>Formalization used to create a predictive model for an experimental system</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>For each case, the way in which the formalism is best presented varies greatly (although in all cases I like to use certain presentation aids, such as creating a table of symbols). </p>\n\n<p>I would thus recommend starting by asking the following questions:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>What is the value of creating this formalism?</li>\n<li>What evidence can be presented to demonstrate the value of the formalism?</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>When you have answered these questions, the arrangement of the formalism within the larger narrative of the paper can follow.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46924,
"author": "MrMeritology",
"author_id": 17564,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17564",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>\"Formalism\" is the practice of using strict and complete methods to define and analyze a model, usually an abstract, idealized model. Every term is given precise a definition. Every variable, parameter, and factor is given a precise name and definition. All assumptions are made explicit and are defined precisely. Qualifiers (e.g. \"there exists...\", \"there does NOT exist...\") and quantifiers (e.g. \"for any...\", \"for all...\") are made explicit in relational and logical statements. In formalisms based in logic and mathematics, there are often a set of existential and relational rules called \"axioms\" that are \"given\" (assumed to be true), and these axioms are used to prove other existential and relational statements or rules (theorems and lemmas).</p>\n\n<p>It's common and convenient to use symbols and symbol statements rather than words -- i.e. single letters for variables, single shapes for operations, etc. Depending on the formalism, these could be mathematical and/or logical symbols.</p>\n\n<p>To qualify as a \"formalism\", the definitions, statements, and rules described above need to be a <em>complete</em> definition of the model and it's mechanisms, ideally with no redundancy or gaps. Furthermore, a formalism should enable other researchers to reproduce the analysis that leads to the results <em>by following the formalism</em> <strong><em>literally</em></strong>, and without recourse to any other context or information. While intuition is useful to interpret a formalism and see the value of it in a given context, intuition is never called into the formalism itself.</p>\n\n<p>Finally, a formalism is a <em>world unto itself</em>, in that it's meaning and interpretation do not depend on any connection or any context in the \"real world\". Whether or not a formalism has any relevance to real world phenomena is a separate (and important) question.</p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p>Regarding paper structure using formalism, the following sections are common after the Introduction:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>General description, goals, and scope</li>\n<li>Definitions</li>\n<li>Assumptions</li>\n<li>Axioms</li>\n<li>Theorems and proofs</li>\n<li>Results </li>\n<li>Discussion (i.e. research implications relative to the goals of the model)</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>In addition, some papers have worked examples to illustrate the model and it's results in particular cases. I find these very helpful to understand and visualize the model and it's significance.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/08
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46853",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/21885/"
] |
46,857 |
<p>Soon I will give a presentation in college for a few professors. In this presentation I research a somewhat complex concept, though the focus is how said concept can be used in company X. </p>
<p>So I'd rather not spend too much time elaborating on the concept and spend more time on the actual findings of my research. How can I do this though? </p>
<p>Currently I have a slide with a rather long quote on top, 5 key points in the middle and a 'summary' or a 'simplified' version below. I'm not entirely happy with this though, as in my opinion a simplified sentence implies the stuff above is less important or even too complex for my audience. </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46860,
"author": "Dan",
"author_id": 35620,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35620",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I recommend short simple words no matter how complex the audience is. Just highlight main points of what is being said per slide. I don't recommend quotes on a slide though especially if it requires inhaling to read.</p>\n\n<p>If you need hard data shown, I recommend bringing a printout and handing it out.</p>\n\n<p>Be sure to include your name/contact info at the last slide.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46871,
"author": "Gaurav",
"author_id": 60,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/60",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Figure out which part of the concept is <strong>absolutely</strong> essential to the rest of your presentation. This should be <em>less</em> than the five key points: if you can distill it to one or two sentences, that'd be perfect. Make this part of your presentation overlap with the next part: instead of explaining the concept completely by itself and then moving on to your results, provide a one-slide, high-level introduction to why the concept is applicable (in one or two points!), and then -- just as your audience starts to wonder why this is relevant -- tell them how your findings show it applies to/is valuable for company X. Move everything else to extra slides at the end of your talk as suggested by Ben in the comments: that way, you can give a mini five-minute presentation on just this concept alone after your main talk, if necessary.</p>\n\n<p>The most important part of polishing any presentation is practice talks: give the talk to a few of your friends or some of the professors who you will eventually present to, and see if they stumble or get confused at the slides you're worried about. Having seen the rest of your presentation, they'll have a better idea about where exactly you're stumbling and how to make your presentation flow better.</p>\n\n<p>Also: I <strong>hate</strong> quotes in presentations, because you can only either read them off verbatim to your audience (which is boring), give the audience a few minutes to read them (which is also boring, but useful if you need a break to drink water), or ignore them entirely, which is a big no-no.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/08
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46857",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35086/"
] |
46,863 |
<p>I'm submitting to a journal and they require me to suggest several reviewers. Do they mean that I should select from among members of the editorial board, or do they mean that I should recommend from among all experts in the field? It doesn't say anywhere.</p>
<p>I'm thinking they must mean to select among members of the editorial board, because I assume they're not going to bother some random member of the community who has no connection with the journal and ask him/her to work for them. So, I'm guessing they must want me to select from among members of the editorial board.</p>
<p>On the other hand, selecting from among members of the editorial board is a miserable process. <a href="http://imechanica.org/node/14942" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Other stuff I've read on the web</a> suggests I need to make sure the people I'm suggesting have some connection to the subject of my manuscript. However, I find it hard to tell what each board member's interests and expertise is. Often it's hard to find their web page (e.g., because I only have their last name and initial of their first name); many of them don't have web pages; and even if they don't have a web page, it might not be updated or might not be in English. If they really mean I should select from among members of the editorial board, this sounds like a really bad system, which makes me doubt my guess.</p>
<p>So, which is it? Who do they want me to select from?</p>
<hr>
<p>Yes, I've seen <a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/10474/how-to-suggest-reviewers-for-a-journal">this thread</a>, but I don't really think it answers the question (at least the ones I have) well.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46864,
"author": "avid",
"author_id": 15798,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15798",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>No, the editorial board serves a different purpose from the reviewers. Typically, your paper will be assigned to one member of the editorial board, who will be responsible for managing the review process, and making a decision based on the reviewers' recommendations. However, the reviewers may be anyone with sufficient knowledge to understand and assess your paper.</p>\n\n<p>So, feel free to list reviewers from the wide world! Note that there is typically no obligation for the editor to use the names you suggest; often they will make their own selection, based on their knowledge of the field.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46888,
"author": "299792458",
"author_id": 17534,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17534",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>As a minor extension to <a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/46864/17534\">avid's answer</a>, I'll point out that depending on the specific subject area of your manuscript, it may occasionally happen that a person among the editorial board may find himself/herself to be in a position to be able to examine the manuscript. This, while being a tiny subset among all possibilities, is generally a happy situation from the point of view of saving manuscript review time.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/08
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46863",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/13312/"
] |
46,877 |
<p>I'll be presenting at my first conference in 2 days, and I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to be doing, to be blunt. I was the second author in a paper that recently got published. So I more or less have an idea of what I need to discuss. I'm limited to at most 15 slides but what I'm dreading the most is the question and answer section. Can anyone tell me how these presentations are usually done and/or give hints? (I'm a grad student in math, by the way)</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46864,
"author": "avid",
"author_id": 15798,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15798",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>No, the editorial board serves a different purpose from the reviewers. Typically, your paper will be assigned to one member of the editorial board, who will be responsible for managing the review process, and making a decision based on the reviewers' recommendations. However, the reviewers may be anyone with sufficient knowledge to understand and assess your paper.</p>\n\n<p>So, feel free to list reviewers from the wide world! Note that there is typically no obligation for the editor to use the names you suggest; often they will make their own selection, based on their knowledge of the field.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46888,
"author": "299792458",
"author_id": 17534,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17534",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>As a minor extension to <a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/46864/17534\">avid's answer</a>, I'll point out that depending on the specific subject area of your manuscript, it may occasionally happen that a person among the editorial board may find himself/herself to be in a position to be able to examine the manuscript. This, while being a tiny subset among all possibilities, is generally a happy situation from the point of view of saving manuscript review time.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/09
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46877",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/18330/"
] |
46,879 |
<p>One of my friends is in a very curious position. He has been researching on a number theoretic problem for months but couldn’t solve it until recently after he has seen a pre-print in arXiv which attempts to prove the problem. But though he has taken ideas from the pre-print, his own article differs considerably from that of the pre-print. According to him, following are the chief points of difference,</p>
<ol>
<li>My friend actually proved a stronger version of the problem.</li>
<li>He gave an outline to the proof of a conjecture that the author of the pre-print stated in the concluding section of his/her paper.</li>
</ol>
<p>My friend has decided to mention precisely how much he had been benefited from the paper in the <strong>Acknowledgements</strong> section. Will there be any problem if he sends his article to a journal for publication? </p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46880,
"author": "Bill Barth",
"author_id": 11600,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11600",
"pm_score": 7,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>He should just cite what he used or learned from the ArXiv paper and send it in. There's no real need to add an acknowledgement.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46922,
"author": "Ben Voigt",
"author_id": 8705,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/8705",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>@BillBarth has the correct approach, but his phrasing \"just cite\", and \"no real need for an acknowledgement\" I find rather misleading, because it seems that the attribution is being somehow reduced.</p>\n\n<p>The reality is that this preprint should be referenced and cited <strong>in the main body of the paper, where its contribution is used</strong>, and not merely mentioned in the acknowledgements where few readers will actually note it.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46947,
"author": "Nate Eldredge",
"author_id": 1010,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1010",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>As mentioned in other answers, it's completely fine to use / extend ideas from a preprint that's been posted on arXiv or otherwise made public. This is essentially the exact reason why the author made the preprint public in the first place. You will cite the preprint as you would a paper published in a journal, conference proceedings, etc, except that of course you will list an arXiv ID instead of a journal title, volume number, etc. Your journal's style guide should explain how to cite preprints (if using BiBTeX, consider <code>@preprint</code>). </p>\n\n<p>You may convey additional thanks in your Acknowledgements section if you are moved to do so, but this should not take the place of proper citation. </p>\n\n<p>Of course, as is the case whenever you are extending someone else's work, your paper should accurately describe the work done by the preprint's author, and carefully distinguish it from what you have added. You should be careful that you do not inadvertently misrepresent the preprint author's work as your own.</p>\n\n<p>There are a few extra considerations when extending work from a preprint:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><p>Keep in mind that the preprint has not undergone peer review. Of course, peer review is no guarantee of correctness, and if you are writing a paper that depends heavily on a previous paper, you will want to check it carefully enough to be sure that your work rests on solid foundations, regardless of where/if the previous paper was published. But for an unreviewed preprint, you should check it even more carefully.</p></li>\n<li><p>Before starting work on your own paper, you might want to consider contacting the preprint author with your idea and suggesting a collaboration. In addition to sharing expertise, this also helps mitigate the risk that the preprint author has already had an idea similar to yours, and is currently writing it up in a paper that will be published before yours would be. (This is also possible when extending work from a traditionally published paper, but is perhaps somewhat more likely in the preprint case because of the shorter timeline; if the work is very recent, it's more likely that the author is still actively working on related topics.)</p></li>\n<li><p>There's a good chance that the preprint is currently being reviewed for traditional publication. Before submitting your paper, you should check to see whether the preprint has been accepted / published in a journal / proceedings / etc, and update your citation if necessary. (If it has been accepted but not yet published, you can list it as \"To appear\" with the journal's title.) Check one more time when you correct the galley proofs of your paper.</p></li>\n<li><p>Check periodically to see if the preprint has been revised or updated, as the changes may involve something that materially affects your paper. Note that arXiv only includes the first 5 updates in their daily emails, so just checking the emails may not suffice. It is even possible for an arXiv preprint to be withdrawn by the author (this might happen if they find a fundamental error); it remains available for download, but in this case it's probably not a good idea to try to use it. (Of course, published papers can also have corrigenda or retractions, but they are more common for preprints.)</p></li>\n</ul>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46957,
"author": "Community",
"author_id": -1,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/-1",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>No,there is nothing unethical to take ideas from a pre-print to write your own research paper,especially if the author of the pre-print is already acknowledged in your paper,</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/09
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46879",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/-1/"
] |
46,890 |
<p>I hesitated to ask this question since it may not relevant to this website, but I saw a question of same category <a href="https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/71874/can-i-use-my-powers-for-good">here</a> but still couldn't find an answer ...</p>
<p>Since childhood, I've had a sharp enthusiasm for Maths, studying books from an elementary level to ones suited for the level of a Masters of Science student at Melbourne University. I am currently 15, but the formal classroom setting feels like a waste of my time. Because of my passion for Maths, going through the formal procedure of education is making me severely depressed...</p>
<p>Here is my question: </p>
<p><strong>What careers which do not require an academic degree (all research positions require a PhD) might be open (in Australia) to a self-learner who wants to do research on Pure Mathematics?</strong></p>
<p>Salaries for a postdoc position are ~80k in Australia, but I am looking for a research career even of a ~15k salary <em>because</em> that would be enough money to survive while doing research. I have yet to published any paper to impress some institution to believe in me, if it helps at all. </p>
<p><strong>EDIT</strong> - Thank you all very much for your very informative answers. To be more precise, I would like to write my main reasons of the 'horror' of university:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Solving exercises or studying the texts in self-study themselves can (although difficult) be stopped for the duration of university affairs (classes, ...) but I believe that research can't be frequently stopped by other irrelevant things even with university affairs [university classes will be Math, but not be the research that I want to engross in, at least for first few years], since being creative requires to be much more engrossed (to put it simpler: 1 2-day is more efficient than 2 1-day <strong>for research</strong>).</p></li>
<li><p>Even with prestigious universities it involves a lot of bureaucracy, which they may find necessary to obtain a degree but are irrelevant to Mathematics.</p></li>
<li><p>Being very deep concentrated and having manic passion causes a lot sensitivity, that's why we have some recluse people (in Arts and Science) and most of them are suffering from Bipolar Disorder caused by their manic-enthusiasm. While there are many people with great achievements living in society with high-degrees UNFORTUNATELY I don't think it's impossible for me. </p>
<p>3a. An example of negativity in university education is the focus on institutional ranking. Combined with job-seaerching being the main purpose of study for some, it could impact someone who just seeks the beauty of Mathematics faith in seeking a degree.</p></li>
<li><p>University costs a lot for a Bachelors of Science, much more than it would to be a mathematician in solitude.</p></li>
</ol>
<p><strong>EDIT 2</strong> - In my question, I have asked that from where I can get financial support for basic life expenditure, however many answers include enrollment in universities which costs A LOT for just BSc (supposing that I can survive with my mentioned conditions in first EDIT). </p>
<p>Thank you, everyone. I highly appreciate the brilliant advise in many of your answers, however my main question remains <em>how would I pursue research in Mathematics without a degree?</em> I know the path that is recommended for pursuing a research career, but the cost of university and not having peace of mind are too great of an expense for me.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46896,
"author": "Kimball",
"author_id": 19607,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/19607",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Research is demanding (well, at least good research is), and a career in research requires discipline, among other things. I understand being bored in classes, but if you don't have the discipline to go through a standard academic program, it doesn't bode well for a research career. </p>\n\n<p>One option is: if the courses really are too easy for you, you may be able to arrange to take more advanced courses instead (<a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Placement\">AP</a>, <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Baccalaureate\">IB</a>, possibly at a university), or <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_entrance_to_college\">go to university early</a>.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46897,
"author": "Andrew Krause",
"author_id": 35412,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35412",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>The question you seem to be asking is \"Can I be paid to do research, without any formal education, if I am very good?\" The likely answer is no. I know many serious researchers across countless fields, and the only ones I am aware of who can make a living without any formal training are inventors who got quite lucky in terms of their ideas and their marketability. Many great artists, mathematicians, and scientists did other things to survive while doing the work they were truly passionate for, and we romanticise many very inspirational people. Research is probably much more a function of diligence and persistence, even when things are depressingly boring, than it is of intelligence or genius. I would suggest reading some of the good bits of advice many modern prodigies have given on the subject. Terence Tao in particular has several good pieces on <a href=\"https://terrytao.wordpress.com/career-advice/advice-on-gifted-education/\">accelerated education</a>, <a href=\"https://terrytao.wordpress.com/career-advice/work-hard/\">working hard</a>, and <a href=\"https://terrytao.wordpress.com/career-advice/does-one-have-to-be-a-genius-to-do-maths/\">being a genius</a>.</p>\n\n<p>Yes, school can be terribly dull if you are quick. But being able to succeed in that environment is an invaluable human skill, which will prove useful in a research career when looking for funding, or when setting up research groups and similar things, as well as really showing that you have a sense of humility. We can complain about how slow and tedious bureaucracy can be, but if you really are quite good, it is worth your time to learn and understand how to survive in it. Mathematics is not simply something devoid of social interaction or human involvement. Pure and applied mathematics stem from human ideas and are inherently connected to social and cultural concepts, and these connections are often a part of what traditional formal education gives us. I would absolutely advise you to go further than what you see in a classroom, do independent and guided research as early as possible, and test out of whatever classes you can. But skipping the process entirely will handicap your ability to contribute meaningfully to mathematical research. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46898,
"author": "Davidmh",
"author_id": 12587,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12587",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Can you do research without formal education? Sure. Will it be of any relevance? Perhaps not so much.</p>\n\n<p>There are a few advantages that a formal education gives you. First, it sort of forces you to sit through a series of topics that you may find boring, uninteresting, or irrelevant at the moment; but at some point they may turn out to be useful. Conversely, it also gives you easy access to other branches that may be quite difficult to get on on your own, but may prove useful later. For example, in a course on Theoretical Physics tailored for Mathematicians you may discover a certain trick to solve a particular problem that may pop up outside of Physics.</p>\n\n<p>These extra courses also provide a broader view and understanding. Mathematics are useless unless they serve some sort of purpose, even if it is inside Mathematics. Knowing a bit of everything can help you find applications and identify potentially interesting problems. If you are unlucky, you may find yourself working for years in a theory that may be correct, but essentially useless for anybody else.</p>\n\n<p>Related to the previous point is that it is easier to get expert supervision. At the beginning of your career, you work with a professor, that is the one giving you the broader understanding of the field, useful references, contacts, etc. that only years of experience can teach you.</p>\n\n<p>You said you read a MSc level book, but have you fully understood it? How can you be sure of that? As an undergrad I thought I had master partial differential equations, and I totally aced the exam, only to find that my understanding was flawed, and all the answers were wrong. If I had not had an external evaluation, I would have taken me a long time to realise, and the fall would have been big.</p>\n\n<p>And lastly, you have a lot to learn to do research. When I finished my master's project, I thought I had done quite a few clever things; but also realised, with hindsight, that I had done a few pretty dumb things that I hope won't do again in the future (nothing bad, just a few weeks of wasted effort). A few months into my PhD project I look back and see other mistakes. Learning how to do research takes time, no matter how smart you are. Your undergrad will provide a low risk environment to make some of these beginner mistakes that will teach you a lot. I, for example, would be wary of paying someone that has not had this basic experience, because I will have to fund their mistakes.</p>\n\n<p>All of these things you can, of course, circumvent without an undergrad; but I don't think it is a wise strategy to reject it up front. You don't know how a BSc is, and you don't even fully know yourself. My advise is that you take it easy, learn as much as possible, and see where it leads. You don't have to give up research, as you can always continue it while studying; and if you are truly natural at Maths, most of the coursework won't take long (and if it doesn't, maybe you were not so good on your own).</p>\n\n<p>Lastly, a word of caution: I have seen some people who had done some research in High School drop off university because they wanted to do the \"real stuff\", and it turn out that the path there is rougher than it seems. They discovered the hard way that there are easy things you can do in the flashy parts of research; but you need much more to actually be able to fully do it on your own. Don't become one of them.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46899,
"author": "Benoît Kloeckner",
"author_id": 946,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/946",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>There certainly exist math classes that would not bore you; they might simply be more advanced classes than the ones you're in right now. It is difficult to answer precisely without knowing more about your situation (notably which country you live in, how far you are in your studies right know), but I don't think your goal should be to avoid PhD: doing a PhD is both the gatekeeper to research positions <strong>and</strong> really about doing research, so if you are dedicated to math <strong>your goal should be to do a great PhD, not to avoid it.</strong> Without a PhD, as mentioned you can still do math by yourself while working on a side job, but this has several drawbacks. You cannot expect to get a paid research position, even with very low salary (by the way there exist low-salary research positions that require a PhD). Also, note that even if you are very bright, <strong>actually advancing the knowledge of humanity takes a great deal of work and effort</strong>. Be prepared for the path to be long, the tests to be tough, and be prepared to fail more often than you succeed.</p>\n\n<p>Let me give an example of possible path in a specific case. I assume you are indeed great at math and knowledgeable (beware that some people are delusional about this, but let this point apart).\nIf you where a French high-school student (or European with fluent French), I would then suggest you take a look at math (and physics) tests for entering Écoles Normales Supérieures. If you are able to do great at them, then you might be able to enter these schools younger than most students, and there you will find a very favorable environment which would be very different from what you know. There is hardly any chance you would get bored for long. If the tests are too difficult for you, then work toward them and see whether you can move forward one class, and aim to enter a good \"classe prepa\" to prepare for these tests as soon as you reasonably can (though for this you will need support from your teachers).</p>\n\n<p>If you are willing to move or already in the right place, the same kind of advice can work, to look at what it takes to enter elite universities around the world, which are used to accomodate young brilliant student (I heard that Don Zagier could not do its undergraduate study at Cambridge because he was 12 or 13 at the time and they had a policy of not taking undergrad before 16, but that then he settled for MIT and came back to Cambridge for graduate studies, at the age of 15).</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46900,
"author": "Stephan Kolassa",
"author_id": 4140,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4140",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Be <em>very</em> wary of doing mathematical research on your own. Even if you read all the books there are, you will most likely go off on a tangent and reinvent a theory that has been known in math for decades or centuries - simply because you never heard about it and did not know the commonly accepted names of the structures you have been working with. Or, as others point out, you might work on something that may be true but is of zero interest to anyone else.</p>\n\n<p>If all you are looking for is the joy of doing mathematics, that may well be fine (although even then I'd say using up-to-date tools and theory would probably be more satisfying, just as I'd prefer to code on a modern machine and not an antique, even if it does run a compiler). However, if you want to make a difference in the mathematical world, possibly publish your findings, then you will need to interact with other mathematicians.</p>\n\n<p>And this is where a formal education will help. A math degree will show other mathematicians that you at least have learned the fundamentals. When you contact a mathematician, you will need to differentiate yourself from a random crank. There are far too many home-educated random cranks in mathematics, and you are lucky if they self-identify by claiming that they can <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galois_theory\">solve the general quintic equation by radicals</a>. Having a degree in math will make it easier for you to get other mathematicians to talk to you. In addition, your advisor will have decades more experience than you and will be able to steer you in fruitful directions.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46912,
"author": "Count Iblis",
"author_id": 17479,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17479",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The degree isn't a big issue as you think it is. Just continue studying math on your own. When you've mastered most of the math curriculum, you just contact some university and ask if you can do fast track exams for most subjects. If you show some exceptional talent in some subject, then you'll likely catch the attention of some professor, who will put severe pressure on you to become his/her Ph.D student. You'll produce a lot of work together, you'll travel all around the World, visiting many conferences where you present your work. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46925,
"author": "Ununoctium",
"author_id": 35671,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35671",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Yes, you can do mathematic research on your own and without a formal education. There is a term for people who do such things. They're called autodidacts. Many great contributions can be attributed to such people. I could name many notable autodidacts but in relevancy to your question, Srinivasa Ramanuja, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, and Walter Pitts may provide inspiration.</p>\n\n<p>My experience with self-learning began with aviation. Out of high school I wanted to learn to fly, but I couldn’t afford to go to a \"pilot mill\". I read the books and found a mentor. I would study at night and we would fly in the day. Eventually I made it to my commercial license, but decided airline piloting wasn't the career for me.</p>\n\n<p>Then I decided to go to University for physics and engineering. I left after two years because of my frustrations with the system. I contacted companies like Dassault systems and Adobe and asked for student versions of their software. I acquired \"less than authentic\" versions of Comsol multi physics and Matlab. I read books and watched videos on YouTube and learned to use the software. Eventually I was proficient enough to get a mechanical/systems engineering job. I was able to get the job without a degree because I proved that I could do the job of several people. Progressively, I took on the roles of researcher, designer, engineer, and programmer. Now I both design and build the robotics for the purpose of manufacturing specialty custom products, and I love doing it.</p>\n\n<p>Next, I began studying chemistry in my spare time. Again, I read the material and watched YouTube. I invested money and bought the equipment to build a laboratory. (This is the part when you’re usually told “don’t try this at home”… but all I will say is that curiosity can be as useful as it is precarious). </p>\n\n<p>I'm 26 years old and I will be applying for my first patent in 2 days (self-drafted) and forming my own company all thanks to self-taught knowledge.</p>\n\n<p>However, you should know that this path is not easy. It requires enormous dedication. Most nights I come home and teach myself what is required to succeed the next day. Add in family, friends, a significant other and life in general, and the pressure can build quite quickly.\nYou have to stay positive. There are many times I've questioned taking the path less traveled as they say. There will likely be many zetetic influences, especially in the beginning of your endeavor. Social skeptics seem to be a universal constant.</p>\n\n<p>One more thing worth noting - Always be open minded and on the lookout for mentors. I've had several mentors whom I learned a great deal from, and many of them entered my life unexpectedly.</p>\n\n<p>So in conclusion, if you have the aptitude and the ambition then go for it, and give it your all. What's the worst that could happen? You may lose money? You may have to go back to school? But no matter what, you'll acquire new perspectives in life. You'll still net knowledge and neither of those can be can be considered a zero gain.</p>\n\n<p>P.s.</p>\n\n<p>Some relevant quotes:</p>\n\n<p>\"The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education.\" ~ Albert Einstein</p>\n\n<p>\"I loved education, which is why I spent as little time as possible in school.\" ~ Karl Hess</p>\n\n<p>\"It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education.\" ~ Albert Einstein</p>\n\n<p>“I have not trodden through the conventional regular course which is followed in a University course, but I am striking out a new path for myself. I have made a special investigation of divergent series in general and the results I get are termed by the local mathematicians as startling.\" ~ Srinivasa Ramanujan</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46932,
"author": "Stephanie",
"author_id": 32695,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/32695",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I would advise trying to complete qualifications like those in the UK. You can take A-levels without going to classes and with only minimal coursework. You could just take them without preparation to get a good high school level qualification. The next thing in the UK would be to get into a place like Oxford or Cambridge, you could do well in the STEP paper and get admitted. Then completing a maths degree at Oxbridge would be doable. The Oxford /Cambridge maths programs have very little in the way of compulsory course work. You could take the exams and work with world class researchers for the majority of the time. </p>\n\n<p>In short, University courses with minimal compulsory class hours and course work do exist and you may be able to successfully complete these quickly and relatively painlessly. </p>\n\n<p>Importantly taking some form of higher ed qualification will help you to gain respect and credibility when trying to publish or work with other mathematicians. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 47187,
"author": "Telastyn",
"author_id": 23976,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/23976",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>First, I agree with many of the other answers that advocate for formal study to help you. And I would like to caution you against thinking that classrooms are entirely a waste of time. Far too often I've come up with novel solutions to problems <em>specifically</em> because I took an unrelated concept and applied it to the problem at hand. All education is beneficial.</p>\n\n<p>All that said, there are a few careers I can think of that would value heavy math research (although not \"pure\" in the strictest sense):</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Finance</strong> - there is piles of research being done in finance to help produce better predictive analytics. It might be difficult to get your foot in the door there, but that sort of industry rewards success, and has a clear measurable way of evaluating it. If you can make people money, they won't care about your degree.</li>\n<li><strong>Games</strong> - the gaming industry has a long track record of discounting degrees. There's also a good amount of work being done on algorithms here to better handle problems in rendering, network prediction, AI, etc. </li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>Both of these options require application to some degree, even if the research itself is purer than most. For your situation, it is a benefit since your employers will care about results, not your educational background. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 49062,
"author": "roseofjuly",
"author_id": 37289,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/37289",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I want to answer this question from a different angle, by addressing two things you say in your original question that I think are untrue and kind of show why you need a broader education.</p>\n\n<p>For one, you say that universities require you to take a lot of irrelevant classes to earn a degree (or at least that's what I think you are trying to say - part of my point). A lot of those classes you think are \"irrelevant,\" though, are necessary to broaden your thinking and will make you into a more well-rounded professional researcher. At the most basic level, the way that mathematicians communicate with one another is through scientific journal articles. In order to do that, you need to know how to write well in English, and your university English and composition classes will assist you with that. Moreover, mathematics is often developed in hopes of applications to other fields - the sciences for sure, but also the social sciences - and an understanding of the conventions and needs of those fields will enrich your understanding of how mathematics ties the world together, even if you are interested in the purest of math. I didn't get a true appreciation of mathematics until I studied my own chosen field (psychology) more deeply.</p>\n\n<p>Secondly, you espouse the idea that research can't be \"frequently stopped by other irrelevant things.\" But the way research works in the modern world...it usually IS stopped by other irrelevant things - and relevant things too. Modern scientists spend a lot of time teaching classes, advising students, writing grants, and serving on committees in their field and at their university. No one is going to hire you to to purely be a mathematician and sit around and think 8-12 hours a day - you'll also have other tasks to complete. One of the values of formal education is that you learn how to balance all of these commitments and still think deeply and do great research. Creativity does require engrossment for some period of time, but most scholars have to stay productive over long periods of time while handling other responsibilities.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 49165,
"author": "userABC123",
"author_id": 32873,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/32873",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You need a Bachelors degree. Having worked in government labs (USA) there are many researchers that have a BS in math, physics, or engineering, and nothing beyond that. (It doesn't work like that for chemistry or biology, generally.)</p>\n\n<p>You shouldn't focus so much on the education... the true purposes are 1) clear the minimum hurdle of the bureaucracy in order to apply for the job you want 2) prove to the employeer that you're valuable. The BS in Math can do both of those things. It's essentially impossible to do that without some kind of certification. </p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>...enrollment in universities which costs A LOT for just BSc...</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>That's what loans are for. Again referencing those government labs: I may be green with envy, but some of those people were hideously overpaid. You'll have no problem paying off the loan, even if you don't receive a scholarship.</p>\n\n<p>If you really want to avoid school, there are 1) accelerated programs 2) internship programs for credit while you're doing your degree 3) if you become well-liked by a professor, there are normally directed research credits you can take (so you can avoid class). I did all of these.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/09
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46890",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35647/"
] |
46,892 |
<p>I am 15 now. If I quit high school now and start a BSc around age 35 and finish my PhD around age 45, is it possible to find a job in some university after being out of academia for so long?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46893,
"author": "Dmitry Savostyanov",
"author_id": 17418,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17418",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>In modern dynamic society it is next to impossible to predict what happens with education systems, universities, and job market in 20 years time. Also, the success in finding an academic job depends highly on the skill of a candidate, and we do not know what your skills are now, and will be after 20 years. It is unlikely that you find the precise answer to your question here.</p>\n\n<p>However, it is very likely that a proper education, and a \"badge\" which confirms it, will be still of <i>some</i> value. Therefore, quitting the high school may really be not the wisest choice.</p>\n\n<p>Of course, there are stories of prominent success of people without any degree, and it is tempting to revolt the system and prove yourself a hero. Just bear in mind that a great amount of people without any degree achieve nothing and remain unknown to most. A real genius may (and hopefully will) rise no matter what, but in the long run and on average people with the structured education and degrees are more successful in getting themselves high-skilled jobs.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46895,
"author": "Patricia Shanahan",
"author_id": 10220,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10220",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I entered a computer science PhD program over 25 years after my last formal education. Although I retired after completing the PhD at age 60, I did get contacts from recruiters suggesting I would have been able to find research work in industry. The gap is not in itself a killer problem.</p>\n\n<p>However, there were two differences from your scheme:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>The 25 year education gap started when I received my master's degree.</li>\n<li>I was working in an intellectually demanding job that produced both patents and references suggesting I was capable of research.</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>I know some young people who are trying to earn enough to support themselves, at a minimal level, after only just scraping through high school and with little or no college. It takes a lot of time and energy, because of the low wage rates and physical demands of the jobs, when they get a job. It tends to be a very high stress lifestyle, because the jobs are temporary or part time, low benefit, and drastically varying hours.</p>\n\n<p>I can't imagine living that way and being able to concentrate, when not working or looking for work, on mathematics research.</p>\n\n<p>In <a href=\"https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/46890/10220\">another question</a> you wrote: \"Solving exercises or studying the texts in self-study themselves can (although difficult) be stopped for the duration of university affairs (classes, ...) but I believe that research can't be frequently stopped by other irrelevant things ..., as to be creative requires to be much more engrossed (to put it simpler: 1 2-day is more efficient than 2 1-day for research).\"</p>\n\n<p>Given that, you may have trouble getting much research done mixed with the practical demands of supporting yourself with no qualifications. You may need to work early morning rush Monday through Friday at a coffee shop and late afternoons Thursday through Monday at a supermarket. If you can get the work.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/09
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46892",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35647/"
] |
46,904 |
<p>I got a B.S. in Math several years ago. I'm applying for CS MS this fall, but I still need some coursework before admission. I spent the past year at College X as a non-degree student. I did well last fall (all As), but was caught cheating on an elective CS class this spring (googled some answers on one homework assignment). The result is a B- in the class (instead of a B). I realize I'm fortunate for a pretty minimal penalty -- I just got a 0 on the assignment, and a one-semester probation (which doesn't affect me since I was only a non-degree student here and I'm not continuing here anyway). I don't have an excuse for this, and I don't know why I decided to do this. This is the only time I've cheated. For whatever it's worth, it's not indicated on my transcript, only in some confidential file the university has somewhere. My questions are:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>How badly does this affect my chances for admission? I was planning on applying to just one top 20 school that I doubt I'd get into anyway, but most of the schools on my list are still ranked in the top 50.</p></li>
<li><p>More importantly, is there anything I can do to repair the situation? I don't have years of time before application season to be able to say it happened a long time ago. That said, I'm taking two classes this summer at College Y, and another class in the fall at either College Z or Z'. The advice given in a similar thread here was to do very well in classes from here on out, but would people reading my application even believe the rest of my work is honest after committing academic dishonesty?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>If I go to College Z this fall, I could also retake the same class from this spring. It wouldn't do anything to help my GPA at College X, but my GPA there is > 3.6 anyway. I believe I could do well, at least an A-. The class also covers an extra couple chapters, one of which is related to my CS interests. Would it be worth "retaking?" It's basically the same class, so it feels like it might be a waste of time, especially since one B- isn't that bad. If I go to College Z' this fall, I could probably take an advanced class related to the class I took this spring. This advanced (joint undergrad/grad) class seems to cover a lot of material specifically related to my CS interests.</p>
<p>My overall application is pretty strong (3.7 GPA, GRE 170Q, 158V, 4.5A, 2-3 strong LORs, 75%ile Math Subject GRE). Hopefully it helps that three schools I'm considering are Colleges Y, Z, and Z', so maybe having a little bit of coursework done at two of them could help.</p>
<p>Thanks for any advice.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46910,
"author": "eykanal",
"author_id": 73,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/73",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Based on what you stated, it doesn't really sound like this will follow you anywhere. You were caught, they gave you a token punishment, and everyone moved on. It's not as though you have to state your dishonesty on your resume or whatnot. I would recommend treating it as a lesson learned, and unless someone specifically asks you about it, don't bring it up.</p>\n\n<p>To directly answer your questions... no, you really can't do anything to fix it. It's part of your history now. However, it may not affect your application, as they receiving university will probably never find out about it.</p>\n\n<p>Note that all of this is based on the assumption that your dishonesty does not go on your official transcript, based on your having stated that in the question text. If it <em>is</em> on the official transcript—the one that one university will send to another when asked—then your situation is a good deal worse. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46928,
"author": "Phil Miller",
"author_id": 21987,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/21987",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The bigger concern in this matter is not what impact this incident has had on your grades, but on <strong>letters of recommendation</strong>. Who is going to be writing them for you, and how will they see this?</p>\n\n<p>The professor who taught the class in question is presumably a bad pick, both because they caught you cheating, and because they gave you your worst grade in that program.</p>\n\n<p>Other professors in that program, and likely anywhere, will potentially ask to see your transcripts, to get a general sense of your capabilities, and will ask about that outlier grade. You'd better hope they're willing to excuse that indiscretion.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/09
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46904",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35654/"
] |
46,906 |
<p>If someone would have obtained two MSc degrees, how do you put that on a business card?</p>
<p>I myself have two MSc degrees from a Dutch university. The degrees are Computer Science which gives me the Dutch title <em>ir</em>, and Science Communication which gives the Dutch title <em>drs</em>. Both degrees are internationally an MSc (as indicated on my diplomas). I know that in Holland I can use the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>drs. ir. John Doe</li>
</ul>
<p>Since the Dutch titles are confusing in international use (especially the <em>drs</em> part), I would like to use the international format on my business card. For <strong>one</strong> MSc I know that it is written internationally like this:</p>
<ul>
<li>John Doe, MSc</li>
</ul>
<p>However, how is the international format for two MSc degrees?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46907,
"author": "Danny Ruijters",
"author_id": 28830,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28830",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Unless you are doing business with countries where the number of titles is important (e.g., Germany), I would suggest to write only a single MSc on your business cards (and in your email signature).</p>\n\n<p>You can highlight the two titles in your CV.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46909,
"author": "Stephan Kolassa",
"author_id": 4140,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4140",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>How about</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>John Doe, MSc (Comp. Sci.), MSc (Sci. Comm.)</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>? (Then again, this <em>could</em> look pretentious. Proceed with caution.)</p>\n\n<p>Unfortunately, the relevant <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-nominal_letters#Etiquette_for_deciding_which_higher_educational_qualifications_may_be_listed_post-nominally\" rel=\"nofollow\">Wikipedia article</a> is not highly informative, and anyway it is flagged as \"citations required\" and specific to the UK:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Where two different postgraduate qualifications with the same name\n have been obtained (for example two different postgraduate MAs from\n King's College London and University of Sussex), this can be indicated\n by using one degree postnominal, and the abbreviations of the two\n awarding bodies in parentheses, sometimes joined by the Latin \"et\" (or\n with an ampersand), e.g. \"Jane Smith MA (KCL et Sussex)\", and not\n \"Jane Smith MA MA\". However, when qualifications with the same name\n have been gained through different routes (for example an MA from\n Oxford University converted from a Bachelor of Arts, and a studied and\n examined postgraduate degree from King's College London these are\n listed separately with the institution only listed after the\n non-examined qualification (e.g. \"Jane Smith MA(Oxf) MA\", and not\n \"Jane Smith MA (Oxf et KCL)\").</p>\n</blockquote>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/09
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46906",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35661/"
] |
46,917 |
<p>How can a student get a academic mentor to help during publications and research.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46921,
"author": "henning",
"author_id": 31917,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31917",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Two ideas:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Ask around for a student assistant job that can yield a first glimpse inside the world of research. </li>\n<li>Write your thesis about one of the topics that you alluded to in your question. This can be a first step towards a paper and it is an opportunity to discuss your topic with a professor.</li>\n</ul>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46966,
"author": "aeismail",
"author_id": 53,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/53",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Mentors and advisors serve two different purposes.</p>\n\n<p>An <em>advisor</em> is someone who acts in academic or research capacity as a supervisor for teaching or training purposes. A <em>mentor</em> acts like a counselor, providing advice about how to conduct one's studies and one's career. </p>\n\n<p>The biggest difference between an advisor and a mentor is the notion of \"received benefit\"; an advisor has a vested interest in your success (perhaps she will write papers with you if you succeed), while a mentor should have a more altruistic attitude, and should not expect any such benefits from helping you. (They're helping you because they want to see you succeed.)</p>\n\n<p>Someone can be both an advisor and a mentor at the same time, but this is a relatively rare combination (usually it's someone who has already been quite successful, and so further \"benefits\" from helping you don't make a large dent in his or her career). </p>\n\n<p>As for finding a mentor, this can be a bit tricky; often they start out (temporarily) as an advisor, and then migrate into a mentor role. Sometimes they can be friends or family, or you can be introduced through a mutual colleague. There are also some programs available that help to find mentors for young students. But there's no magic wand that produces mentors out of thin air. You'll have to work at finding one—and keeping one! (And ultimately, <em>more</em> than one.)</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46991,
"author": "MrMeritology",
"author_id": 17564,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17564",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I suggest that you join several of the professional communities associated with information security. (I assume you mean \"information security\" when you say \"security\".) Get to know people in the community, find people with similar interests, ask questions, and ask for advice and support. The people who respond positively might be candidates for mentors.</p>\n\n<p>Some communities are formal and some are informal. Some are centered on a geography and some are not. Some are focused on physical interaction and others are on-line/virtual. Depending on where you are located, you may or may not have easy access to some of these options. The good news is that, in the year 2015, it is easier than ever to connect with professional communities nearly anywhere in the world.</p>\n\n<p>Look for your local chapter of ACM and IEEE. Look for Meetups and hackathons in your area. Look for conferences and workshops to attend. Look for on-line mailing lists on topics that interest you, and then join them. Join Twitter and start following information security professionals and academics there.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 47072,
"author": "Community",
"author_id": -1,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/-1",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>This may depend on the institution where s/he studies, for example:</p>\n\n<p>For schools, these young students can select a teacher who has a postgraduate degree in their subject of interest as their mentor, just as in colleges & universities, the person who supervises a young student during his/her thesis, which is generally written for a postgraduate degree, becomes his/her mentor.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/09
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46917",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/-1/"
] |
46,926 |
<p>Academic papers in engineering sometimes propose a new model to tackle prior difficulties. These proposed models are not usually patented. For example in experimental papers and many power electronic papers, the models are fully available.<br>
I have a published work that proposes a new model, but it is pure computer simulation and math. </p>
<p>So, my questions:</p>
<ol>
<li>Can I patent my own published paper?</li>
<li>Can I use others' paper and patent their idea? (specifically
experimental for papers)</li>
<li>If the answer of 1 or 2 is not, how many modifications do I need to
apply in my model be able to patent it?</li>
<li>If I have an original idea to propose a new model, what should I do then: A patent or good rank ISI paper?</li>
</ol>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46933,
"author": "curiousdannii",
"author_id": 21773,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/21773",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You don't patent papers. You patent ideas.</p>\n\n<p>You can't patent other people's published work because their published papers are clear evidence of prior art.</p>\n\n<p>Why do you want to patent a computer model in the first place? Why do you want to restrict people's use of it? How lucrative will it be?</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46939,
"author": "user-2147482637",
"author_id": 12718,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12718",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Im Not A Lawyer. Heres what I have found in my own experience.</p>\n\n<p>First, this is very country specific. Both in terms of what is 'good' for reputation and what is allowed by the patent law.</p>\n\n<p>In many countries, you can publish a paper and then patent the (or some of) idea within a certain time period, usually under 1 year, of course, it must be your paper. </p>\n\n<p>As for modifications, that will be up to the evaluator. There are rules, novelty, innovative step, etc. You need to read your specific countries rules for what qualifies an idea to pass.</p>\n\n<p>In some countries and research areas, patents are well regarded. For example, in parts of Asia, I have seen patents very admired as it helps research institutes make money that can be used outside of the normal grant allowances. </p>\n\n<p>This all depends on your target audience. If you want to join the lab of someone who is very open-source minded, having a patent might be a turn off for them. If you join a lab that has many grants from industry, it is possible they like to have someone with experience in patents, which could lead to a better chance of getting industry funded projects if the company wants to work with people that can get patents from research funding (which can be shared IP or not, depending on location).</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46965,
"author": "silvado",
"author_id": 3890,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/3890",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "<blockquote>\n <p>If I have an original idea to propose a new model, what should I do then: A patent or good rank ISI paper?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>It depends on your objectives.</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>If you want to <strong>make money</strong> from your model: Get a patent.</li>\n<li>If you want to <strong>earn academic reputation</strong>: Publish a paper.</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>In many cases, it's actually possible to do both - assuming your \"model\" can be patented at all. However, note that patent fees can be quite expensive, and it is usually only worth paying if you really aim to make money from it. The academic reputation gain from a patent is mostly marginal.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46970,
"author": "Danny Ruijters",
"author_id": 28830,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28830",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Adding to the other fine answers:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>It costs a considerable amount of money to file a patent.</li>\n<li>Patents are written using very specific idiom and formulations. There are commercial bureaus that rewrite your idea into a proper patent proposal, but that also costs a serious amount of money.</li>\n<li>You can find most patents through the world intellectual property organisation (WIPO): <a href=\"https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/search.jsf\">https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/search.jsf</a>\n. Have a look there and read some patents in your target domain, if you want to proceed.</li>\n</ul>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/09
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46926",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27274/"
] |
46,931 |
<p>In my department, there are 2 styles for a supervisor to supervise student.</p>
<p>In the first one, a supervisor understands his PhD student's research deep enough to provide technical advices such as which algorithms to try, possible solutions for a problem, or even to be able to read and comment on the source code.</p>
<p>In the second one, a supervisor understands his PhD student's research just enough to comment about the feasibility and novelty of the research and its contribution, but does not understand exactly how the research is carried out.</p>
<p>In my opinion, the second style is easier for a supervisor to not only supervise his students but also looks for new ones, as his candidate pool is larger. It also helps a supervisor to have more diversitized research group.</p>
<p>On the other hand, it is harder a supervisor who has deep knowledge about the research of his students to find a new one, as he can only look for those whose research is close to his. But this makes the research of his group more focused.</p>
<p>So, I wonder which one is a common practice, and if a supervisor should have deep understanding, e.g. technical level, about the research of his student.</p>
<p>My field is computer science but answers from other fields are also welcome.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 47805,
"author": "ScienceGuy59",
"author_id": 36327,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/36327",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>There is no \"requirement\", per se. However, the principle investigator is 100% responsible for work published from his laboratory. In general, (in my opinion) an academic advisor/supervisor should be knowledgeable in all aspects of the research conducted in his laboratory. If the advisor/mentor does not understand everything, how can he be a source of mentorship or supervision? If anyone is unfamiliar with technical aspects of the research, it should be the student. This is a primary reason for going to graduate school in the first place - to learn! That being said, nobody can expect a PI to know every miniscule detail of all experimental protocols in his/her lab. There are other exceptions as well. For example, I know a chemistry professor who hired a molecular biologist to work in his lab. I wouldn't think that the professor is an expert in the technical aspects of the research conducted by this molecular biologist, but he most certainly understand the science. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 47809,
"author": "Scott Seidman",
"author_id": 20457,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20457",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Both types of mentors can be good. A <em>good</em> mentor of the second type will make sure that there is expertise somewhere that a student can go to for advice and help if called for.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 47815,
"author": "gented",
"author_id": 36339,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/36339",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>To directly answer the question of what the common practice is: there is <em>no</em> common practice, as the level of expertise depends on the topics at hand and the same advisor may supervise more than one student at a time, each one of them being involved in their own different projects. In my opinion the question is whether it is best for the students to have supervisors who are technically skilled in the area the project is dealing with.</p>\n\n<p>I have got a PhD in mathematical physics and had a supervisor who was by all means deeply expert on the mathematical technicalities of my topic: since a PhD in this area is basically about proving theorems and doing analytical calculations, I found his technical help always very precious, although, on the other hand, sometimes he had the tendency to get bogged down too much on those technicalities. However, do not forget that the purpose of a PhD is also (albeit not only) to eventually produce and publish material: in this respect having a supervisor who is technically skilled does help a lot because it reduces the dead end paths.</p>\n\n<p>I have also had the opportunity to teach exercise classes for graduate students in mathematics and I have always helped them especially in the technicalities, because it is the only way to fully understand what you are doing. Of course nothing is <em>required</em>, but helping on the actual work is always best to have.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 47818,
"author": "fedja",
"author_id": 6118,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6118",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In my opinion, the supervisor has no duty to provide technical advice or to control the general direction in which the research is going tightly but it is his duty to verify the results (either himself or by finding an expert who is capable of going into the nitty-gritty of the project). The common understanding is that the PhD student is normally just crossing the line between being a \"schoolboy\" for whom the ultimate criterion of truth are the grades given by his teachers and being an \"independent craftsman\" who is solely responsible for the quality of his work. So, if you use style 2, you should be aware that you may have some trouble at the end if the student's maturity and intelligence levels are short of perfect.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/09
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46931",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12635/"
] |
46,936 |
<p>I am a mathematics graduate who recently dropped out of a PhD for personal reasons. I also have Asperger's Syndrome which I was diagnosed with in 1996. Since dropping out, I have been thinking long and hard about why it did not work out, and something that's just occurred to me is that being on the autistic spectrum has presented greater challenges in trying to succeed in academia than I originally anticipated. It is something that I have tried to overcome and repress in very recent years but it has still played a major part in how I learn and interpret things compared to other people. </p>
<p>Here are some ways in which I am affected by my Asperger's Syndrome:</p>
<ul>
<li>I can be more easily overwhelmed by dealing with unfamiliar people and environments than most other people, which may present challenges in moving departments.</li>
<li>I often find independent and open-ended learning tasks overwhelming; even if the work is relatively straightforward.</li>
<li>I have difficulty picking up on the social cues of supervisors and implicit ways of communicating to me that something needs to be improved. By the time it is made much more explicit, it is often too late.</li>
<li>I find learning unfamiliar content a challenge, and although I can learn things fairly well if they engage me well enough, I find the whole process daunting, particularly when I don't know what I am working towards or if I don't have an underlying sense of what is "correct". This is especially challenging in experimental and research environments, where this preconcieved knowledge is not present.</li>
<li>I can get sidetracked from a task if I am overwhelmed by it, which leads to me going off at tangents and being afraid to approach the task at hand.</li>
<li>I am very prone to forgetting things and mixing things up unless they are written down or stated very explicitly.</li>
<li>I find it difficult to manage my time, and based on previous experience, I find I cannot simply say "I am going to learn chapter X in Y hours".</li>
<li>I can often find it hard to articulate my emotions and separate personal matters from professional matters.</li>
<li>I often have major difficulty interpreting criticism. If it is presented in a diplomatic and ecplicit manner then I can correct what was wrong, but sometimes my mind struggles to know how to process it and how to move forward. In some instances people have expressed their disappointment about my apparent inability to complete a task which may seem somewhat basic to them, and things like this can send me on a downward spiral which makes me feel depressed and demotivated, thus making me feel much less like improving my work and finding a way forward. (This is what happened during my dissertation and the PhD that I started and dropped out of, but this is a problem that I didn't really acknowledge at the time.)</li>
</ul>
<p>I have always been a consistently high achiever at school and university (gaining several awards along the way) but this has not come without its difficulties. Although learning new things can be challenging for a lot of people, people on the autistic spectrum, myself included, often have fewer tools in being able to deal with the associated stress and anxiety than most other people. I have worked with academic faculty before and they have been completely oblivious to this aspect of my life, even though there has been documentation provided by the universities' support units which has been freely accessible by the faculty involved. As a result, they simply think of me as a highly capable student as most of my exam marks have been 1sts, and then they become surprised or disappointed when my progress is slow due to finding the tasks psychologically challenging to process and make progress with. I tried to mention my specific needs to my supervisors but their response was that the expectations they have are those of anyone they work with, and even when they have been disappointed with my progress for one reason or other, they have been unwilling to adapt their supervision techniques or people skills to make me feel more comfortable and more able to progress. I have had some rotten luck with supervisors before, who seemed ill-equipped to deal with people like me, which is probably a reflection of their people skills and the extent to which they were worth me working for in the first place.</p>
<p>I really want to become an academic mathematician in the long run and make a return to it in the forthcoming years, although I'm very aware that the challenges I face may make this very difficult to cope with if I'm doing a PhD or a post-doc or so forth, especially as the whole point of research is to delve deeper into some unknown aspect of a subject that hasn't been uncovered before. However, this would make successfully completing a PhD incredibly rewarding for me as it will have helped me to convince myself that I can overcome such obstacles, thus providing personal gain as well as building my academic career. I have had numerous attempts at research projects, although both supervisors expressed their disappointment at how slow my performance has been, despite this being more to do with the personal challenges I've already mentioned as opposed to being lazy and not putting the work in (which incidentally is what my supervisors thought I was). I am not giving up with academia though. I am not letting these bad experiences make me think I’m simply not cut out for academia, as people with Asperger’s Syndrome and autism can accomplish a great deal of success if the right type of support is in place for them. I want to return to doing a PhD in the future although I am taking a pause from academia to broaden my horizons and regain my motivation.</p>
<p>Does anyone have any advice on how to overcome these issues in the fullness of time, or more realistically, alleviate them? Also, how would I mention this to a potential future supervisor without making them potentially think I may not be capable of doctoral level work?</p>
<p><em>(Also, I am not looking for any comments on my suitability as a PhD student. I know that given my predicament, doing a PhD or other academic jobs will be difficult, but advice telling me that I am not good enough, I should just give up or settle for something else is not what I am looking for.)</em></p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46937,
"author": "Aleksandr Blekh",
"author_id": 12391,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12391",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>While I don't have a direct relevant experience, let me offer you some advice. First of all, I would like to express that I am quite impressed with your achievements as well as your <em>attitude</em> and <em>spirit</em> toward achieving your dream. Now, the promised advice.</p>\n\n<p>My first point is that you are presumably is still relatively young and, thus, it is possible for you not to worry too much about the <em>speed</em> of your return to academia. So, my first advice is to take <em>one step</em> (in the right direction) <em>at a time</em>. The second advice is, when doing professional networking (via online, offline or various hybrid modes), try to find and connect with people in academia, who are less focused on <em>immediate results</em> and more on the human factor. In other words, people, who see <em>potential</em> in other people. It it not easy to find such people, I know, but you have to be persistent and, at the same time, patient, as it might take time (which you, hopefully, have, as I assumed).</p>\n\n<p>Finally, it is IMHO very important, when being in a Ph.D. program, to <em>periodically self-assess</em> your motivation with the selected topic or area of research. If you will find that your motivation has a downward trend (not when it has already reached dangerously low level), try to <em>improve</em> your motivation by looking at the topic or field of study at different angles, in other words, from different perspectives. If that approach won't infuse an additional portion of motivation into you, consider changing the topic or area of research, based on, perhaps, your new interests or shared interests of you and the above-mentioned people in academia. While this last advice of mine seems like a common sense, sometimes we forget about simple solutions to our problems and lose precious time in unnecessary struggles. Hope this helps. Good luck!</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 89355,
"author": "StefanH",
"author_id": 68087,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/68087",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I also have autism, although discovered this quite lately, and I am doing a PhD in theoretical computer science (which is very mathematical, way more than most other branches of cs).</p>\n\n<p>Let me share my experiences with you. I can relate to some of your points very well, but regarding my supervisor I am really lucky, as far as I know he did not know that I am on the autistic spectrum. We get along really good up to now (1 year), he is a kind person, gives me lots of freedom, encourages me and so on. So I really enjoy being here.</p>\n\n<p>But in the first year up to now I have not accomplished anything scientifically important, I do not even have a topic for my thesis fixed; and over the course of the last months this comes up more and more, and yes builds up tension on myself, but I try to stay focused and built a plan for the next months.</p>\n\n<p>Where I really have problems is in my social life, I have difficulty bonding with people, to understand why they act like they do. I am also more or less a \"closed\" person in that I cannot talk well about feelings or \"everyday stuff\", or sometimes act inappropriate in social situation, feel inhibited, which makes me act disorganized or planless, and so on; I guess the mix of all of them makes it difficult for people to relate to me too, alienates them from me or they just think I am chaotic/stupid whatever. Let me mention that this gave (and still) gives me a really hard time here in my new place as I had to move the city to start my PhD, where in my hometown the people I know there accepted me as I am.</p>\n\n<p>But despite from that, maybe I can tell you something about \"inappropriate advisors\". I have also studied mathematics (after computer science), therein I specialised in an area of algebra and the experiences I collected there with my advisor where totally different; and hypothetically if she where my PhD advisor I can imagine things would run very different for me, in the bad direction. I still remember one of the first meetings with her, where in some sense she was putting me down, as how difficult her field is, how much work you have to put in and that this is not for everyone, and even questioned my ability as a person. Later I heard that she did this with other students too (but before drawing a wrong picture, there are also student which come along with her really well).</p>\n\n<p>Anyway, as I was genuinely interested in the field I specialised in it. During the course of me working in this field I had some difficulty with her. \nOne time she totally put me down on one approach, it was quite an basic issue, but anyway still after 3 years I cannot say what I have done wrong.</p>\n\n<p>Later I read (peer-reviewed journal-) papers from her, even discovered many (substanciel) errors (maybe due to the fact that I was quite new to the field I suspect that I questioned many \"standard\" arguments more closely). And suprisingly to this criticism from me she was very kind, accepted them, and even sincerely thanked me for them.</p>\n\n<p>Eventually I started my PhD, and moved to another city for it. I meet her at a conference later (as I said, I still have an interest and the conference was in my past home town and I was anyway around at that time, so I visited it despite not being in the field anymore). And there suprisingly she was very kind to me, I still remember I was standing away from the crowd outside smoking and she came to me, quite enthusiastic, smiling and asking me a lot of questions of what I am doing now and so on. </p>\n\n<p>If you would see me you would not think that I am autistic, guess I have learned some strategies to cope with it in the long term, so people might get a different impression from me at first. As written above I often make the impression (and indeed I am much to often) desorganized/inappropriate/chaotic. But on the other side, on an intellectuel level: I started programming quite early, participated in contests in my teenage years, and even got it to the finals of a national wide programming contest two times, as a student I won prices, often had the best marks, was among the best in the university of the students I started with (thats why I got recommended for student grants), my thesis got published and I also won a price for that. </p>\n\n<p>Also I am very formal in my thinking, on an intellectuell level in math and cs, I always question things, and I also critize others quickly for it, expecially for bad notation or sloppy reasoning, this I already started in school - quite contrary to that I am a very shy person in social aspects.</p>\n\n<p>Let me add, I already worked for one and a half year before starting my PhD as a programmer. I had great freedom therein and I was the only programmer, in this context I got along with my colleagues very well, but as I know myself this was partly because of this independence I had there (and also which I had here in my PhD again).</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/09
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46936",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/-1/"
] |
46,938 |
<p>After I submitted my thesis recently, I discovered that I made a very silly mistake in typing the title of my thesis; I missed one letter. Instead of implementation I typed "implemenation". The thesis is now printed and submitted.</p>
<p>I was very cautious but still, this typo slipped my attention, probably due to some technical issues that I had with my LaTeX editor and using separate files for title and body. Now the typos is there and I want to fix it. I found similar questions (<a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/25804/what-to-do-when-you-discover-a-mistake-in-the-archived-copy-of-your-phd-thesis">here</a> and <a href="http://forum.thegradcafe.com/topic/43210-making-changes-to-thesis-after-the-fact/" rel="nofollow noreferrer"> there</a>) but it looks like my problem is different. Do you have any suggestions? For example, can I submit an erratum?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46940,
"author": "Aleksandr Blekh",
"author_id": 12391,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12391",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Regardless of whether your thesis is published in print form or electronic one, I think that you can and should contact the publisher and your university and/or school (usually, either one and/or both maintain university- and/or school-wide <em>electronic repositories</em> of defended dissertations and theses, which are considered as <em>unpublished</em> artifacts in a traditional, peer-reviewed outlet, sense) with request to make the appropriate <strong>correction</strong> or publish an <strong>errata</strong>.</p>\n\n<p>In addition to that, if your thesis has been submitted to nationwide or global <em>e-repositories</em>, such as <em>ProQuest</em> (AFAIK, it's pretty much a standard, at least for US academia, for maintaining and distributing Ph.D. dissertations, not so sure about other geographical destinations and Master's theses), you can and should contact them as well with the same request as one, mentioned above.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46944,
"author": "Gaurav",
"author_id": 60,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/60",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I don't think you need to worry: \"implemenation\" is similar enough to \"implementation\" that I don't think anybody will have any problem understanding what you intended (which is probably why nobody noticed the error earlier!), so I would leave it as is. If the typo is only on your front page, you can correct it by hand if you don't have too many copies to fix.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 48140,
"author": "henning",
"author_id": 31917,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31917",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>You should contact your thesis advisor and state briefly and clearly your mistake. They are the only person who can authoritatively tell you how to proceed and whether this could affect your grading at all.</p>\n\n<p>Most likely, they will tell you to do nothing and regard the typo as a silly but minor mishap that could have occurred to anyone. As long as the rest of your thesis is flawless, don't fret.</p>\n\n<p>If you worry about your thesis being published on a repository or university archive etc. with the flawed title page, your advisor can tell you whether it is possible to correct the \"proof\" before publication.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 48141,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>First and foremost, I would strongly advise you to not worry too much about the printed copies. Printed copies of any literature, not just your thesis, are largely vestigial these days: it is the electronic copy that people looking for literature will be able to discover, and it is the electronic copy that they will be generally capable of accessing. In my experience, the current purposes of the printed copy are:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>Fulfilling depository requirements of libraries, where paper is still the best known method for long-term archival storage (even plain text files rot quickly---ever heard of <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EBCDIC\">EBCDIC</a>?). In all likelihood, nobody will ever access these paper copies.</li>\n<li>Giving \"trophy\" copies to people that you personally know, like your advisor, your family, or other mentors who have helped you.</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>Neither of these really needs correction: the library depository copies are likely write-only artifacts, and the trophy copies are going to people who already know you and are likely to laugh and sympathize with you over your typo rather than hold it against you.</p>\n\n<p>What I think <em>is</em> worth getting corrected is any electronic version. For that, you need to talk to whoever is in charge of maintaining the electronic depository at your institution. Often, this is the librarians, and they will generally have a procedure for fixing errors---your error will by no means be the first or the most severe that they have dealt with.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 48152,
"author": "Brian Tompsett - 汤莱恩",
"author_id": 26708,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/26708",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I just thought it appropriate to reflect on what was done in this situation before we had word processors and text editing tools. At that time a University regulation/procedure for correcting an error in a thesis specified <strong>cut and paste</strong>. <em>Real</em> cut and paste. You typed up the word for the correction, cut it out of the paper with scissors or a craft knife and pasted it into the thesis over the offending error. Book binders even had a method of correcting typos made in the gold embossing used on the spine or cover.</p>\n\n<p>The university library, and other parts of the university responsible for a thesis, I am sure, will be pleased to take an errata which can be pasted inside the thesis, but may also permit you to actually do cut and paste on the paper copy. They would want the copy preserved for all time to be correct.</p>\n\n<p>However, like the other answerers, I would not be too concerned about this fault. It is very minor. I recently had the experience of OCR text recovery of my own thesis which was done before the days of word processing. I was shocked at the number of small typos that the OCR discovered that had been missed by the examiners, proof readers and myself. I have to live with the knowledge that all the typos are then in the paper copy in the library vaults for all time.....</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/10
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46938",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/23946/"
] |
46,942 |
<p>I am submitting my first paper ever in a couple of months and I was wondering about my family name. The paper is in English and the conference is an international conference.</p>
<p>Assume my name is {Alan} {võn Neumann} {Chúrch}, so {first name} {family name father} and {family name mother} where {<strong>family name father has two words</strong>}. Note also the special characters (õ and ú) I added there on purpose (as I do have them in my real name).</p>
<p>If I had the choice, I would go with {Alan} {võn Neumann} {Chúrch}, but I don't want to be cited as Chúrch or Võn. A proper citation would be võn Neumann Chúrch, but võn Neumann would be fine as well.</p>
<p>How can I ensure that I would be properly cited?
Also, should I keep the special characters? I really would rather keep them.</p>
<p>Best,
Not Alan von Neumann Church ;)</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46945,
"author": "Stephan Kolassa",
"author_id": 4140,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4140",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>+1 for thinking about this <em>before</em> your first publication. Have you read through the other questions tagged <a href=\"/questions/tagged/personal-name\" class=\"post-tag\" title=\"show questions tagged 'personal-name'\" rel=\"tag\">personal-name</a>? They may be helpful.</p>\n\n<p>In your case, I’d go with <em>Alan võn Neumann,</em> or <em>võn Neumann, Alan</em> if your target journal uses this format.</p>\n\n<p>If you include <em>Chúrch,</em> then I’ll <em>guarantee</em> that you will start being referenced as “Chúrch (2015)” - maybe not on this publication, but later. (You <em>do</em> plan on using a consistent name throughout your sciencific career, right?) Bibliographic databases may be smart enough to pick this up, but they will need to rely on journal editors including your correct name in their journal databases, and this is where noise will creep in.</p>\n\n<p>Conversely, I wouldn’t worry too much about the diacritical characters, as long as their mapping to basic characters is straightforward. Search engines understand this, so it won’t make a difference whether your name is listed as <em>võn Neumann</em> or <em>von Neumann.</em> One exception would be <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%9F\">German <em>ß</em></a>, where it is not obvious that this should be transcribed <em>ss.</em> IIRC, people have legally changed their names over this.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46946,
"author": "Aleksandr Blekh",
"author_id": 12391,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12391",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Here's my opinion on the topic. Firstly, a proper citation for a paper is more of a function of a particular <em>publishing style</em> (APA, Chicago, etc.) than your naming preferences. Secondly, while I can totally understand your desire to keep the original alphabet's letters with <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diacritic\" rel=\"nofollow\">diacritical marks</a>, I see a potential problem with that. What I mean is that citations, including such letters, for some people (audience), might be difficult to <em>reproduce (cite)</em>, <em>search for</em> and (for authors) get proper <em>attribution</em>.</p>\n\n<p>Therefore, I guess, this problem requires making a trade-off between desiring to present information most <em>accurately</em> in terms of <em>naming</em> and more pragmatic aspects (<em>convenience</em> for authors and their audience as well as better accuracy in terms of <em>attribution</em>).</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46948,
"author": "henning",
"author_id": 31917,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31917",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Another option is to write your pen name with a dash: võn Neumann-Chúrch. This could be a reasonable compromise: On the one hand, you can keep both of your actual surnames. On the other hand, the risk of being misquoted is slightly greater than if you drop the second surname (but it is smaller than if you keep both and write them without a dash).</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46959,
"author": "WoJ",
"author_id": 15446,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15446",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Despite Stephan's comments on diacritical characters, I would still worry somehow about them. I do not know what the state of the art is today, but I saw in horror once an article of mine being from <strong>Mylast<em>error</em>ame</strong> instead of <strong>Mylastname</strong>, with <strong>n</strong> being a diacritical character.</p>\n\n<p>And yes, Google still finds the wrong version.</p>\n\n<p>I do not care about that anymore (having left the academics world) but, should I have known, I would have dropped anything which is not ASCII in my name immediately.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/10
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46942",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35682/"
] |
46,950 |
<p>As I'm currently pursuing an academic job search (in parallel to the industry one), which includes potential postdoctoral positions, I would appreciate some clarifications on the following aspects.</p>
<p><strong>Positions (terminology).</strong> I have seen various titles for postdoctoral positions, i.e., postdoctoral scholar (or researcher), research assistant, research associate and similar. <strong>Question:</strong> Are there any essential differences, implied by these titles, or they are just terminology variations (perhaps, geographically- or university-dependent) for essentially the same type of position?</p>
<p><strong>Note:</strong> My field is <em>Information Systems</em>, a discipline, which can be considered as a sub-domain of <em>Management Science</em>, which, in turn, is a <em>social sciences</em> discipline.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46956,
"author": "StrongBad",
"author_id": 929,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/929",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>It is all just terminology. Within a single university/department there might, but not necessarily, be consistency on what the titles mean, but across universities all bets are off. Some postdocs have teaching requirements while others do not and sometimes departments try and use different title. Same goes for using title to highlight differences in how the position is funded. Sometimes the title is specified by the funding agency.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46968,
"author": "Bill Barth",
"author_id": 11600,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11600",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Contrary to StrongBad, I would say there are important non-terminological differences. While both are junior positions that a recent PhD grad may hold, at my university, a postdoc or Postdoctoral Researcher is intended to be a temporary position for 2-ish years. On the other hand, the Research Associate title is the first in a sequence of <em>permanent</em> full-time research staff positions that goes Research Associate, Research Scientist, and then Senior Research Scientist. While there is no tenure for these positions, the levels are intended to parallel the professor levels here (Assistant, Associate, (full) Professor), and the requirements for promotion are similar (minus teaching). </p>\n\n<p>These permanent positions are expected to continue as long as there is funding to cover them, whereas postdocs are expected to move on after a few years. Given the commitment, most professors, especially the junior ones, will not have Research Associate positions to offer. These are more often affiliated with large labs, centers, or institutes that are large enough and diverse enough to be able to offer long-term funding stability. </p>\n\n<p>There are other differences as well. Postdocs at my university require a special exception to be allowed PI their own grants while Research Associates may PI them from the start without special permission. RAs usually not involved in teaching, where postdoc positions seem to be more flexible in this regard. Also, given the permanence, RAs come with considerably higher status than postdocs, though the respect doesn't really kick in until Research Scientist is reached. Postdocs are a further training position intended to allow a recent grad to finish publishing things from their thesis, branch out into some new areas, and get ready for a faculty position.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/10
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46950",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12391/"
] |
46,952 |
<p>As I'm currently pursuing an academic job search (in parallel to the industry one), which includes potential postdoctoral positions, I would appreciate some clarifications on the following aspect.</p>
<p><strong>Freedom.</strong> I assume that there are two major options for postdoctoral positions in regard to academic (research) freedom: 1) postdoctoral researcher joins a group, lab or project and contributes to one or more of <em>their</em> research projects under PI's guidance; 2) postdoctoral researcher joins a group, lab or department and contributes to one of those entities' research portfolio by conceptualizing and performing <em>her/his own</em> research (still under PI's guidance), based on previously negotiated agenda, which fits and supports larger groups' research themes.</p>
<p><strong>Question:</strong> are my my assumptions correct; does a postdoctoral title reflect the type of freedom (or lack of) of the position?</p>
<p><strong>Note:</strong> My field is <em>Information Systems</em>, a discipline, which can be considered as a sub-domain of <em>Management Science</em>, which, in turn, is a <em>social sciences</em> discipline.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46955,
"author": "Stephan Kolassa",
"author_id": 4140,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4140",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The answer is a resounding <em>Yes</em>.</p>\n\n<p>That is, it's not \"either-or\", but \"both\". On the one hand, as a postdoc, you will be expected to start coming up with your own research ideas and projects and take an active role in pitching your ideas to funding bodies, possibly even become PI on smaller grants yourself. Your supervisor will of course still play a major role.</p>\n\n<p>On the other hand, your research should still tie in to your supervisor's area of expertise. Otherwise, why do you work with him and not someone else? And how should he help you with advice and contacts?</p>\n\n<p>In the end, there will be a mixture between the two options you describe. When you join a group, you may respond to a job opening for a specific project, but even then, you will need to develop your own ideas in relation to this project and pursue your own interesting questions related to the project. Or you may have your own idea, possibly even your own funding, and more-or-less cold-call a potential supervisor, but even then, for the supervisor to accept you as a postdoc, you will need to explain to him how your idea ties in with his own work.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46982,
"author": "avid",
"author_id": 15798,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15798",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Follow the money!</p>\n\n<p>At the end of a grant, the PI usually has to demonstrate to the funding agency that it was used for more or less the same research as was set out in the original proposal. If a postdoc is funded through such a grant, there will not usually be too much flexibility - <em>someone</em> has to do the work the PI has proposed, and it will probably be you. In large research projects, other people may be dependent on your piece of work being completed in a timely fashion. While many PIs will encourage you to develop your own ideas in parallel, the 'main' project must come first.</p>\n\n<p>On the other hand, if the supervisor is not financially accountable to anyone for the funding (e.g. the postdoc is supported through the supervisor's startup grant), there may be more scope to pursue your own ideas. Whether the supervisor is happy with this depends on (a) the quality of your ideas, and (b) the supervisor's character.</p>\n\n<p>At the most extreme end of the scale, you might be able to get a postdoctoral fellowship. These typically allow you to work entirely independently, on research of your own choosing. As such, you will not have a supervisor (but often one or more 'advisors' will be involved.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/10
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46952",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12391/"
] |
46,953 |
<p>As I'm currently pursuing an academic job search (in parallel to the industry one), which includes potential postdoctoral positions, I would appreciate some clarifications on the following aspect.</p>
<p><strong>Mixed applications.</strong> At some institutions/departments (usually, large), I see multiple positions that I think I would fit well. Perhaps, one is the best, but, considering the tight competition, I consider it as a luxury to apply to a single position per institution. Important: unlike <a href="https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/14646/is-it-acceptable-to-apply-for-two-different-postdoc-positions-in-the-same-instit">that question</a>, this particular one is concerned with a situation, where multiple positions, which I consider, constitute a <em>mixture</em> of postdoctoral and staff [with some teaching- and/or research-related support component] positions.</p>
<p><strong>Question:</strong> 1) assuming that the other positions are also quite interesting (and they are), is it a good idea to apply to all of them or apply to several in groups (of one or more) of decreasing excitement or stick to the most interesting or valuable? 2) do applications for teaching- or research-related staff positions jeopardize the ones for postdoctoral positions (or junior faculty ones, for that matter)?</p>
<p><strong>Note:</strong> My field is <em>Information Systems</em>, a discipline, which can be considered as a sub-domain of <em>Management Science</em>, which, in turn, is a <em>social sciences</em> discipline.</p>
<p><strong>UPDATE (clarification).</strong> This question is not an exact duplicate of the suggested question, even though they are very close. The question you're referring to, covers only a subset of my question's scenarios. For example, it doesn't cover one of my real cases, where there are several postdoc positions within the same department (lab) - no junior faculty positions there.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 47530,
"author": "Fuca26",
"author_id": 23222,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/23222",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>I imagine your application is composed by a cover letter as well.</p>\n\n<p>I think it is appropriate that you explain in 1-2 lines that you are applying to another position within the same institute and explain the reason, as you have done in your question. It seems neither strange nor inappropriate to me.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 47532,
"author": "HBSKan",
"author_id": 36014,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/36014",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>I rarely find people applying to one job and moving on. Doing so involves a lot of risks. In applying to the one job you believe is best, and getting rejected, you keep delaying the hire date of the job you may get. In waiting for a response from your perfect job,the alternative positions may be filled or closed due to lack of appropriate candidates. Point is, the norm is for people to apply to multiple positions, across universities or departments, or even within the same department or doctoral college.</p>\n\n<p>One person in their search applied for two positions within the same department, both of which he was well suited for; both positions will from here on out be referred to as positions A & B, respectively. The person preferred job A, but for reasons like the ones mentioned above, he applied to both. He was contacted for both positions and was deemed fit for both positions. The supervisors then realized that they had the same candidate; enter inter-departmental politics. Eventually, the supervisor of position A yielded and the person was assigned to position B. The point here being, there exists a possibility that it is no longer your choice which position you take once you apply to multiple positions in the same department/university, less so within the same field.</p>\n\n<p>Also, if you receive an offer for a position less preferred and you accept, do not renege if you receive one for a position you prefer more. Aside from the ethical and moral issues, the person you just harmed will be your colleague in your field for many years to come; i.e. this may also harm you professionally.</p>\n\n<p>As for the last part of your question, you'll find plenty of examples of people that occupy any number of roles as a PhD, lecturer, researcher or post-doc. People also tend to move fluidly between these positions. It's also worth mentioning that it is irregular for a post-doc or researcher to not lecture. This is as the post-doc/researcher requires students to fulfill certain portions of their research. To do so, the post-doc holds a lecture, at least, the moment they begin their work in order to attract students that are interested in his/her work while ensuring that they would research their part of the work while having the necessary foundation in place. This covers a post-doc that wants to lecture. </p>\n\n<p>In the case of a lecturer that wants to apply for a post-doc position, you're directly in contact with the supervisors and have an insider's insight into their work. If anything, you could create your own post-doc position by attaining approval for supervision from a professor, and then securing your own funding from a funding institution (DARPA, etc.). In short, as far as I've seen, no, it doesn't harm your chances, but rather improves them.</p>\n\n<p>Sorry for the long post. Hope it helps.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/10
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46953",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12391/"
] |
46,954 |
<p>Should a criminal lawyer, for example, have a solid background in biological sciences and ballistics? Or is it enough that he or she understands criminal law?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46960,
"author": "mac389",
"author_id": 28,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>No one can be an expert in everything. Try and you'll likely end up mediocre at many things.</p>\n\n<p>Like a general practicioner in medicine, lawyers need to know their field, have a working knowledge of the germane aspects of other fields, and to know when to call in an expert. It is my understanding that criminal lawyers routinely call in expert (subject) witnesses, both to inform the court and to provide a more objective opinion than the counsel of either side could. </p>\n\n<p>Understanding criminal law is no mean feat, especially if we use understanding in the sense of \"have it in my mind and can readily apply the relevant statutes to this case\". </p>\n\n<p>Tellingly, there is no prerequisite coursework for law school. If a layer had to master a body of knowledge outside the law to practice, then that other body of knowledge would be required for admission to law school or taught during law school. The exception which demonstrates this heuristic is patent law.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46980,
"author": "Fomite",
"author_id": 118,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/118",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>This question can, in some ways, be extended to anyone who is at the intersection of several disciplines - be that lawyers, some types of researchers, etc.</p>\n\n<p>So I'm going to give my answer in more general terms.</p>\n\n<p>\"Do you have to be an expert in everything that touches your field?\" - <strong>No</strong>.</p>\n\n<p>That's why we have experts. Doctors call in experts for consultations. Lawyers have expert witnesses. In my own work, I commonly find myself collaborating with experts in particular fields while working toward a more general problem. What <em>is</em> important is that you, the non-expert integrating their expertise, needs to be familiar enough with the ideas that you can critically evaluate what the expert said, ask questions, and not view their field as a black box for which answers come out that you just have to trust.</p>\n\n<p>What, and how much, expertise is required for a particular field of law will vary very much by the type of law. For example, patent law likely requires a fairly extensive array of expertise (and indeed, I've seen it suggested that a degree in a technical field is a bonus for getting into patent law), financial law requires at least a passing understanding of accounting, but a small town sole practitioner is likely better served by knowing the name of the county clerk's children, and how the local sports team is doing.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/10
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46954",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/33677/"
] |
46,983 |
<p>In academia in the US, the dominant name format is [firstName lastName]. And in APA citation format you typically cite by referring to the last name. So e.g. if John Doe wrote a paper in 2014, you might cite it as <em>Doe (2014).</em></p>
<p>More generally you'd cite by referring to the family name. So e.g. if the Chinese basketball player Yao Ming wrote a paper in 2014, you would cite it as <em>Yao (2014),</em> since <em>Yao</em> is his family name and <em>Ming</em> is his given name. But there is typically no confusion anyway, because when East Asians publish in Western academia, they simply give in to Western convention and reverse the order of their names. So Yao Ming would typically simply have his name printed as Ming Yao. And so we're back to the [firstName lastName] format and there is no confusion.</p>
<p>My question is: What about patronymics? E.g. if Osama bin Laden writes a paper in 2014, should he be cited as <em>Osama (2014)</em> or <em>bin Laden (2014)?</em> It seems that unlike with East Asians, people with patronymic names have been less inclined to give in to Western convention and reverse the order of their names. So his name would still appear as Osama bin Laden on the title page. </p>
<p>Suppose I notice that everyone simply cites his paper as <em>bin Laden (2014).</em> (Indeed, in the real world, this is how Western media outlets often refer to this historical figure, even though this makes as much sense as referring to George W. Bush as simply George.) If I want to cite this paper, should I simply follow what is now the convention and cite it as <em>bin Laden (2014),</em> even though this is mistaken? Or should I cite it as <em>Osama (2014),</em> at the risk of my peers having no idea which paper I am talking about? What is or should be the proper convention?</p>
<p>Note that this 'problem' is not limited to Muslim names. Even in Europe there are e.g. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icelandic_name">Icelandic names</a>. There are also some cultures where people go by a single given name (i.e. no last name/family name/surname) but which may sometimes be composed of more than one word (e.g. sometimes in Mongolia, Burma, South India, Indonesia).</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46984,
"author": "henning",
"author_id": 31917,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31917",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Interesting question. The best thing would certainly be to consult the journal's style manual or, if this does not yield an answer (as is likely), to ask the editor. Their response is conclusive. Having said that, the issue seems to be very complex. There are no hard and fast rules. I quote from the \"<a href=\"https://ore.exeter.ac.uk/repository/bitstream/handle/10036/11244/Referencing%20Manual.pdf?sequence=3\">Referencing Manual For IAIS students</a>\" (Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exter):</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Some names are made up of fifteen or even twenty words, and it can be\n baffling at first glance to determine how to put the various elements\n in the right order. […] Any one of these elements can become the 'urf'\n (customary name).</p>\n \n <p>[…] </p>\n \n <p>Once you have established the ‘urf, it is customary to follow this by\n the author’s given name (ism) and the name of his father (nasab)\n joined by the word ibn (son of – also written bin) or bint (daughter\n of) in the case of a woman.</p>\n \n <p>[…]</p>\n \n <p>Surnames are a relatively recent phenomenon across the Islamic world\n and modern Arabic names only came into existence towards the end of\n the 19th century. It is now accepted practice, particularly in the\n West, to treat the final element of a person’s name as a surname and\n the first as a forename, so it is now correct to cite Taha Ḥusayn as\n Ḥusayn, Taha, although you will find Taha Husayn in older books and\n catalogues. The Western obsession with the surname can lead to some\n strange coinages, for example Saddam Hussein’s full name is Ṣaddām\n ibn Ḥusayn al-Tikrītī, yet it is now standard to cite him by his\n father’s given name (Ḥusayn) as a surname. (Most second forenames\n indicate the father’s name, which is why names such as Aḥmad can be\n found as the second element in women’s forenames). Similarly, the form\n of given name `Abd (slave/servant of), followed by one of the\n ninety-nine names of God, should never be split from the element which\n follows it, although most Westerners still cite Jamāl ‘Abd al-Nāṣir\n (wrongly) as Nasser.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>The referencing manual suggests to use the following established bibliographic resources to find the 'urf (customary name):</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><p>the bibliography of a scholarly book (however, different sources will quote the same Arabic name in different ways)</p></li>\n<li><p>the Exeter University Library catalogue, which uses the best-known name in the Library of Congress transliteration</p></li>\n<li><p>the Encyclopaedia of Islam</p></li>\n<li><p>the Library of Congress Authority List</p></li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>In all of these cases, problems with transliteration may render it difficult to look up the proper name.</p>\n\n<p>The <a href=\"http://www.umlib.um.edu.my/publications/APA-Guide.pdf\">University of Malaya's APA Formatting and Style Guide</a> is another useful resource.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46999,
"author": "Federico Poloni",
"author_id": 958,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/958",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p><strong>Use the patronymic. It is the part that looks like a surname, has the function of a surname, and is less likely to cause confusion</strong>.</p>\n\n<p>It seems clear enough to me. One of the two is a personal name, supposedly unique or almost unique among their relatives, which is used to address the author among his/her family. The other one serves to identify the author's lineage and distinguish among other people with the same name. By convention, we cite using the second.</p>\n\n<p>One could argue that a surname is a form of patronymic, too.</p>\n\n<p>This is, incidentally, the solution that causes less practical trouble. If someone is called Andreas Jonsson, it is difficult to assess if the latter is a surname or a patronymic without asking the author personally.</p>\n\n<p>I know it is <a href=\"http://www.kalzumeus.com/2010/06/17/falsehoods-programmers-believe-about-names/\" rel=\"nofollow\">not always</a> that easy with names, but it seems like there is a simple way out if the problem is limited to this issue of patronymic vs surname.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 47042,
"author": "Gaurav",
"author_id": 60,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/60",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Some friends of mine <a href=\"http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v452/n7187/full/452530d.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">wrote a letter to <em>Nature</em> about this question</a>, in which they argue that where family names don't exist, <strong>first names alone</strong> should be used instead of the father's name:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>Indians from the south traditionally do not have surnames. It is only when forced to comply with Western naming standards that they use their father's given name as a substitute. As a consequence, journal rules require them to publish research under the fathers' given names (with which we — Nalini, Jeevananthinee and Sujatha — also sign this Correspondence letter). Obviously, as young south Indian scientists making a contribution to science, we would prefer to be identified with our first names and not by our fathers' given names. [...] We believe that now is the time to introduce a consistent publication system that accommodates Indian names. The universal author-identification that uses contributor IDs, as discussed in your News Feature, is a good start. Such a system could be designed along the lines of the digital object identifier (doi) system used for journal articles.</p>\n</blockquote>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 99074,
"author": "user83041",
"author_id": 83041,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/83041",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>In my experience, the Korean case is not <em>clear.</em> This is because some Koreans change their name order, while others do not. What's more, some will change the order in some situations (academic publishing, for example) but not in others (academic social context in Korea mixing with Westerners). Thus, it can be unclear which of two or three syllables is the family name and which the given name. The political family Park is an example of Koreans not changing the name order -- and the U.S. media also retaining the original order (at least in this century).</p>\n\n<p>Spanish names can also be a problem, since some have given, middle and last but others have given, last and mother's last.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/10
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46983",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/-1/"
] |
46,986 |
<p>I intend to apply to PhD programs in computer science, and I have been advised to reach out to professors I'm interested in working with by sending them my CV. My GPA is 3.6, which is not bad, but it's not great either. I think the rest of my CV/profile is quite positive, but I am not inclined to list my GPA for this 'reaching out CV', since it may create a bad first impression, even before I apply. So the question is whether I should leave my GPA on.</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46987,
"author": "Ari Trachtenberg",
"author_id": 15885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15885",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>Conspicuously missing a CV makes a worse impression. The most important thing, in my view, is to take some time to properly understand what the professor is doing, and how you could help his/her research efforts. A thoughtful contact of this type is much more valuable than crafting the correct CV/profile.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 46990,
"author": "paul garrett",
"author_id": 980,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/980",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>While people may not care very, very much about undergrad GPA, if you send a CV <em>without</em> it people may notice (even if not caring deeply), and wonder about it, ... which is not what you want them to be thinking.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/10
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46986",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/-1/"
] |
46,989 |
<p>I am now drafting a complaint letter to the editor-in-chief of a technical journal, against an act of plagiarism committed by a famous researcher in my field. This researcher is apparently aware of my original work, written three years prior to his/her work. I've been having trouble with two of my own submissions to the same journal. I suspect this researcher may have intentionally sabotaged my review process by either offering unfair comments or delay the review process, while his/her own submission got revised, accepted and published in a whirlwind. Ironically, this researcher did actually cite my only published work, a conference paper, and at the same time pretended that he/she didn't know that I did it, and helped him/herself to do it all over again.</p>
<p>I am somehow confident about the objectiveness of the editor-in-chief, although it might be that the AE is also involved in this misconduct. But in case my complaint is unfortunately ignored, what can I do to defend myself? </p>
<p>Can I directly contact the superior of this researcher's institution to bring up the complaint again, hoping to have a different result? </p>
<hr>
<p><strong>Added later:</strong> for those who is unclear about what I mean and downvoted my question, please compare the difference between:</p>
<p>Reference [xxx] already did it. The result shown here can be found in [xxx].</p>
<p>and</p>
<p>Reference [xxx] mentioned it. But it is really me that first give the result.</p>
<hr>
<p><strong>Added much later:</strong> someone suggests that this might be an insufficient attribution. If you were in my place, what will you do then?</p>
<p>Suppose I am this famous researcher and I found out a nobody is not giving me sufficient attribution, will the situation be completely different?</p>
<hr>
<p><strong>Added much much later:</strong> Many thanks for all the comments and replies. I have drafted my letter of inquiry very carefully after taking the many suggestions given to me. Nevertheless I am prepared to eat the shxt...fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice...</p>
<p>Now I think it is not true that the "game" is rigged for me just because I am a Chinese...if I received my education in one of the top universities in Europe or in the states, I would have a much lower chance of knowing people like this researcher in the first place...now it sounds like it is still because I am a Chinese...damn this life played with hard mode...</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 46997,
"author": "Corvus",
"author_id": 27900,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27900",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "<p>Given your addendum, what you are talking about is <strong>not plagiarism</strong>. It <em>might</em> be a case of insufficient attribution, but without seeing the papers and knowing the field it is impossible to tell. </p>\n\n<p>You are guaranteed to fail in your efforts, and to make yourself look bad in the process, if you accuse this famous researcher of the wrong transgression simply because you don't know the difference between plagiarism and insufficient attribution. </p>\n\n<p>As an aside, the fact that you don't know this difference makes me question whether you are able to objectively judge whether or not the researcher in question has violated the norms of your field. I'd strongly advise seeking advice from a trusted senior mentor before doing <em>anything</em>.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 47037,
"author": "Peter Jansson",
"author_id": 4394,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4394",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>First, take a deep breath. There are many unknowns here and your may be correct and at it may not. Yes, cases like you describe have happened. Usually persons acting this way will be fairly known for doing so. So try to assess if this person falls into this category. If it is a known trouble maker, you have a tough decision to make. Such personalities are not easy to handle and others may be reluctant do do so as well. If the person does not carry such a reputation, then you may have to question your judgement a little harder. In any case, assess the circumstances and try to gain some understanding of the players.</p>\n\n<p>So what can be done. First of all, you should definitely feel free to approach the editor. But, you should not do it with a preconceived idea of where the problem looms. Instead, try to describe your issue without casting judgement and ask the editor for advise. Remember, the editor, in this case, is very likely completely oblivious to what may or may not have happened and has most likely acted in good faith. You need to have this perspective in mind in your approach since that sets the proper tone in your request(s) or questions.</p>\n\n<p>The information in your question is of course to scarce to make a deeper analysis. What you can do is to visit the <a href=\"http://publicationethics.org/\" rel=\"nofollow\">COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics)</a> web site and see if there are any cases described that carry similar contexts. This may give you an idea of how editors may act and likely outcomes of their actions.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/10
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/46989",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20539/"
] |
47,002 |
<p>As the title says, I am a math postdoc. I am working on a project, which I expect will result in a long paper (60-100+ pages, I am not really sure yet). As I work along the way, I am getting results, which are probably interesting on their own.</p>
<p>I wonder if it would look bad on my resume if I will have many short papers (say, of less then 10-15 pages)? or having many papers at this stage of the career is good for me? </p>
<p>Should I balance between these two approaches? What are you thoughts on this, assuming I am interested in getting a tenure track position at a research university?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 47012,
"author": "Kimball",
"author_id": 19607,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/19607",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>This really depends on the situation, and I suggest you consult with some colleagues/mentors/your advisor for your specific case. Here are a few points to keep in mind.</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>If these results are completely separate, then it makes absolute sense to break things up into separate parts, then assemble the various needed results for the endgame of your project.</li>\n<li>If you're just continually improving results, it may not be worth while to publish every little improvement, particularly if they will not go into good journals, but you might want to look for natural breaks. </li>\n<li>One great paper is better than many mediocre papers, but at this stage you should equate a few good papers with one great paper. </li>\n<li>There's no general rule for how much you should publish, but a good rule of thumb is to aim to have at least decent 1 paper/year since you graduate. Keep in mind, that papers always take longer than expected, and the refereeing time is generally long in math (particularly more so for longer papers), so the sooner you can submit, the better.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>So you should take into account the rest of your publication record, a conservative estimate of how long the project will take, and what quality of journals you can publish in if you break things up in to parts versus keeping it as a whole. If you can break things up and still publish in good journals, then I would say this is the safer way to make you a good candidate for tenure-track/second postdoc positions.</p>\n\n<p><strong>Edit:</strong> I just realized I didn't directly address the OP's second paragraph. It's not bad to have many papers at this stage if those are good papers (though it can initially look suspicuous if you have many more papers than your peers, and most don't appear in good journals). In some fields, it is normal to mostly write many short papers (and for certain subjects, all papers under 15 pages would be strange). What's most important is that people think you are doing good research, which will come primarily from letters of recommendations and secondarily your list of publications. So while you should think carefully and seek advice from colleagues on how to publish your papers, but one long paper versus a few short-medium papers will probably not affect your application too much if they're accepted by the time you apply.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 47017,
"author": "Jan-Christoph Schlage-Puchta",
"author_id": 30965,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30965",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>The answer depends on several questions:</p>\n\n<p>Is there a natural way to split the paper? If chapter 1 uses algebra to show that the number of plimps equals the number of glops, chapter 2 uses complex analysis to count glops, and chapter 3 uses this to construct an improved database design, splitting seems possiblee. If you develop one idea over a long time and the reader builds up a general understanding of the topic, splitting looks bad.</p>\n\n<p>Would different parts of the paper address different audiences? If your work is in area A, but has implications to area B, people from B might simply ignore a long paper dealing with stuff they don't understand and don't care about. In this case splitting would be good.</p>\n\n<p>Have you other publications? A 60+ page paper in a serious journal makes a pretty good impression. People will take your smaller papers more seriously. If you have no smaller papers, the benefit of a big one is somewhat diminished. However, if people get the impression that you split papers to increase their numbers, your reputation is lost.</p>\n\n<p>Where do you live? There are countries where the number of publications is seen as an objective measure of quality, there are countries where quality is determined in a formalized way, and there are countries where personal impression and reputation count. </p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 48115,
"author": "David Hill",
"author_id": 11258,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11258",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>One consideration that hasn't come up yet is the issue of the amount of time it takes to get published in mathematics. In my experience, it is not uncommon for papers to be in the review stage for up to a year or more, and the longer the paper, the longer the review period.</p>\n\n<p>Since you are a postdoc, you are going to be coming back onto the job market fairly soon and you'll want to have publications to put on your resume. Writing a 60-100 page treatise is going to have a diminished impact if it has not been accepted to a good journal yet. Assuming a 3 year postdoc and taking into account a 1 year review process, a rule of thumb would be to have at least one paper submitted by the fall of your second year and probably you should have more. </p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/11
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/47002",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35739/"
] |
47,005 |
<p>I am a recent Masters graduate in nanotechnology and I have applied for a reputed phd position. I will have an interview very shortly. Unfortunately my Masters grades are very bad and I believe that this will most likely come up as a question in the interview. I would like to know how I can explain those very low grades?</p>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 47014,
"author": "henning",
"author_id": 31917,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31917",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p><em>Can</em> you explain your low grades? If so, give whichever explanation makes you look least bad <em>and is truthful</em>. There is no point in beating around the bush here. The grades are on your record and that is that.</p>\n\n<p>The committee must have a reason why they invited you in spite of low grades. Ask yourself: How did I manage to impress the committee and get invited? Rather than come up with a justification for any deficits, I suggest you focus on these strengths. Try to shift the topic of the conversation toward what's positive in your application. You want to be remembered as the one with the awesome project, not as the one with the subpar grades.</p>\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 47025,
"author": "laureapresa",
"author_id": 32032,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/32032",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "<p>From your other question, have you studied in Italy and applying there? If so, I will try to answer with my own take from the country. Remember though:</p>\n\n<p><strong>We cannot know why you have bad grades. We can only speculate.</strong></p>\n\n<p>I am going to exclude any serious issues in your life, such as sickness or death in the family or economical hardships that got you to stop caring about grades; if this happened, I am sorry to hear it and I think it is great that you were able to finish your Master's nonetheless; on the other hand, that would be your reason: just tell them you have been through a rough time, so it was a challenge to simply graduate, let alone graduate well.</p>\n\n<p>I bet the most likely reason why you have \"bad\" (how bad?) grades in Italy is that you accepted your grades no matter what, even when they were low, when you had a chance to refuse them and take the exams again. </p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><p>Maybe you did this because you wanted to graduate as quickly as possible and get a headstart in the field as a young graduate. </p></li>\n<li><p>maybe you took very difficult classes with strict professors and you did learn the material, but without much luck in the exams. </p></li>\n<li><p>Maybe you could not afford to stay in school for too long, so you finished quickly in order to move on with your life. </p></li>\n<li><p>Maybe you were just unlucky in a few, \"heavy\" exams, and the other grades could not raise your GPA back up. This happened to me in my B.Sc. and I was recently asked about it in an interview; in my first year, not wanting to disappoint my family, to drag on my studies, to repeat some exams I did not like, I accepted some bad grades that affected my GPA throughout my B.Sc.</p></li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>I can only repeat what other people have told you: first of all <em>be truthful</em> about it and remember that if your grades had been really THAT bad, you would not have been contacted for an interview. Try to understand why they liked your application enough and play those strengths.</p>\n"
}
] |
2015/06/11
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/47005",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35673/"
] |
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