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2013/04/04 | 786 | 3,476 | <issue_start>username_0: I see sad students who meet may be once in a month and they complaint of not having enough progress. I have seen systems where the prof meets almost every few hours on weekdays and the prof is basically continuously working with the students. I see students who meet every 2-3 days or every week.
So what is the "right" frequency if at all?
What is the good frequency?
Once the weekly(instant) gratification of getting full scores on the course homework is removed it is quite a challenge to keep a gauge of whether one has made any progress during the week. How does one measure progress during the week during one's PhD?<issue_comment>username_1: The "right" frequency is probably "enough". Whereas this may seem like a joke, it is not. The frequency with which you need to meet your advisor will primarily depend on you, your advisor and your project (work conditions). If someone complains about not meeting enough, it can be because of two things, either they do indeed not meet enough or maybe the student is not independent enough. It is important to be self-critical on both sides. The problem is, in other words, that each student-advisor relationship is different and enough may not be what either the student or the professor thinks is enough. A minimum should from my perspective include meetings to iron out the really difficult points in the work and to provide feedback on thesis revisions, prepare for lab or field work or the equivalent and to simply touch base on a regular basis (perhaps monthly). If there is a social environment where you meet, that is fine but not necessary.
I personally had a weekly "show-and-tell" with the research group my advisor ran. These meetings were awful and more stressful than anything else. I could have done better without them. I probably met and discussed my thesis once per month on average, certainly more when writing up. I doubt my story is neither unique nor typical.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: To expand on Peter's great answer, I'd also like to throw out the idea that the "ideal" frequency varies not only case-by-case, but also may change *during the course of one's graduate education*.
A beginning graduate student will very likely need much more supervision than a student in the middle of her program. Similarly, the student who is finishing up may need more frequent contact, but only because changes are probably happening at a very rapid pace, and it's important to make sure deadlines are completed on time.
From my own experience, I started out meeting weekly with my advisors; after about a year or so, the meetings became every two weeks, but then toward the end became weekly again (for the last two or so months before the defense).
Within my current group, I use a similar scheme: new students have weekly meetings, while older students (and the postdocs) meet every other week, or as needed. (Some of my students get along quite fine meeting with me only once every three to four weeks, and I'm fine with that, because they are independent enough not to need more "face-to-face" time.)
The important thing, I think, is that the PhD student should know that the time is *available*, if she needs it. However, it's also been my belief that it's when the student *doesn't* want to meet that it's actually most important to do so. This usually means that something's not quite right—and that's when intervention can make the most difference!
Upvotes: 4 |
2013/04/04 | 3,083 | 12,305 | <issue_start>username_0: In the somehow recent past, teaching evaluations have become obligatory in many universities/departments in Germany. I've also heard that sometimes these evaluations are used in formal ways to decide about salary raises or even hiring. For me it is pretty clear that a purely formal use of teaching evaluations is not a good idea, but my questions goes in a different direction. From time to time I read in newspapers and other kind of media that a side effect of these teaching evaluations is that
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> "the solicitous professor who aims at good teaching evaluations usually lowers the level in class and gives good grades in general."
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Myself I never did it like that and I have the feeling that giving an "easy" course where everyone is able to score good grades but does not learn very much will not be appreciated by the students.
My questions is:
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> Do you know of any evidence for the claim that teaching evaluations encourage professors to lower standards and give better grades?
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Note that I am not trying to deduce that the use of teaching evaluations in a formal way to decide about hiring or salary is a good thing; I am just not sure that "lowering standards and pampering students" is a major side effect of teaching evaluations.<issue_comment>username_1: Jacob and Levitt have an article in the quarterly journal of economics that looks at teachers cheating in public schools due to compensation based on their class performance. They find that teachers will do things to help their students get higher grades if it affects their compensation.
Rotten Apples: An Investigation of the Prevalence and Predictors of Teacher Cheating. Quarterly Journal of Economics. 2003
An article by Nelson and Lynch look at the relationship between grade inflation and teaching evaluations suggesting professors buy better teacher evaluations with grades.
Grade Inflation, Real Income, Simultaneity, and Teaching Evaluations. The Journal of Economic Education. 1984.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: It depends on what they are evaluating, and how.
I studied at a university in a mess of a country that was recovering from a period of war. The educational system was not just depressingly dated, it was also falling apart at the seams. Enthusiasts were trying to reform the system, and one of the bigger pushes in the right direction was achieved through course evaluations. This evaluation had questions such as these:
* How often does the lecturer show up for class?
* Does each lesson have a clear topic?
* Is it clear which parts of the printed course materials are covered in which lecture?
* Were all the exam questions linked to some printed course material?
* Does the lecturer answer students' questions?
* Is the lecturer available to students at any point outside the lectures?
* Does the lecturer use e-mail to correspond with students?
* Do you feel that the lecturer treated you unfairly at some point? How so?
* Do you feel that the lecturer engages in any problematic behaviors during class? Please describe.
* Did the lecturer ask you for any favors in return for a higher grade?
* What are, in your opinion, the good aspects of this course?
* What are the bad aspects?
...etc.
There were more questions - many were about lecturing style for example; these are just off the top of my head. Now, this evaluation made lecturers begin to come to class, made them finally pick textbooks, forced them to pick a topic for every lesson (rather than just rambling on), forced them to tell students which part of the book corresponds to which lecture so that students could read the materials in parallel. It also rapidly cut down on truly problematic behaviors such as smoking in class. Furthermore, it helped lecturers improve their performance through providing feedback on the strong and weak points of the course, at least as students saw them. Here, I think the evaluations very clearly helped improve standards in class, especially in truly problematic departments. The reason they helped was twofold: (1) there was a lot of room for improvement, and (2) the questions were well thought out, i.e. each question was linked to a particular goal in the educational reform.
I've also studied at a wonderful, well organized university where most of these questions would be completely ridiculous. There, the evaluations had questions such as:
* How many hours per week did you study for this course?
* How important would you say this course is for your overall academic development?
* Would you say this course was easy, just right, or difficult in terms of content?
* Do you think the lecturers evaluate students' knowledge fairly?
...etc.
I honestly have no clue what is gained by such an evaluation, and I hope nobody's salary depends on it. With the right (i.e. wrong) questions, I'm sure you could lower teaching standards by giving financial incentive to score well. The question, then, boils down to what the evaluation sheets look like. To the best of my knowledge, these are not standardized across universities, so the results may vary a lot.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: Grade inflation has been an issue in the US since mid 1970s, so welcome to the club. See [endgradeinflation.org](https://web.archive.org/web/20130404085346/http://www.endgradeinflation.org/). None of the attempts to curb it have been successful so far; the practice of student evaluations is deep-rooted in US colleges, and cannot be easily modified.
The uphill battle against grade inflation has been spearheaded by University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, one of top 5 large public US universities. They put a rather extensive research effort into figuring out the patterns of grade inflation. The cause, as you observed, is what economists call market failure, when the self-motivated actions of the players lead to outcomes that are worse for everybody. The employers of the graduates, and the grad programs they apply for, suffer the most, as they cannot distinguish good students from bad students. Organizations and student societies that rely solely on GPA (grade point average) discover great differences between disciplines: the humanities end of the spectrum have been hit the hardest by grade inflation, while engineering and sciences that have more specific assessment and evaluation criteria tend to produce lower grades. The opening page of [this 2000 report](https://web.archive.org/web/20130605071305/http://www.unc.edu/faculty/faccoun/reports/1999-00/R2000EPCGrdInfl.PDF) provides a specific figure to answer your question: **about 15% increase in student evaluations associated with 1 standard deviation increase in the course average grade**. This standard deviation was 0.4 on the American scale that goes from 0 to 4; at the time of writing the report, the average GPA at UNC was 3.18.
In mid 2000s, UNC came up with an idea of an effective grade, called [achievement index](https://web.archive.org/web/20130605233104/http://www.unc.edu/%7Epcg/grading/AIPrimer.pdf). In very simplistic terms, it essentially normalizes each class to have the same GPA. Each student is mapped onto a percentile implied by his grade in a given class, relative to the distribution of grades in this class; percentiles across all classes that a student took would be aggregated; and the ultimate student's achievement GPA would be reported based on the normative judgement of what the university wants to see as the average GPA and the range of grades. [This idea](https://doi.org/10.1214/ss/1030037959) is based on [item-response theory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Item_response_theory), or can alternatively be explained using Bayesian methods (a maximum a posteriori estimate of student ability). As you can imagine, this literally caused a student unrest that UNC has not seen since the civil rights movement of the 1960s (o tempora o mores... how petty motives are these days), so the faculty chickened out and [ruled](https://web.archive.org/web/20130604010517/http://www.unc.edu/faculty/faccoun/minutes/2006-07/M07FC04.shtml) against it.
Still, UNC has found a way to put the grades into the context by [augmenting the transcript](https://www.chronicle.com/article/to-give-clearer-picture-of-achievement-university-adds-more-data-to-student-transcripts/) with the average GPA of other students who took this particular class, student's percentile in a given class, and the "schedule point average" = average GPA of all the students in the classes that a student took. The above link shows a clear picture of somebody who had a nominal GPA of 3.6, way up from the average GPA of classmates of 3.0, consistently performing above the median (7 grades above the median, 5 at the median, 0 below), vs. somebody who has only be able to achieve GPA of 2.5 in easier classes with average GPA of 3.2 (1 grade above the median, 3 at the median, 9 below).
The dramatic timeline (if you know how to read between the lines... I grew up in Soviet Union and have this unfortunate skill) of UNC attempts to deal with grade inflation is available [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20130604041722/http://www.unc.edu/faculty/faccoun/reports/2009-10/specrepts/20091002GradingTrendsTimeline.shtml). Some other institutions are likely to use these or similar ideas, including another high-profile public school, [Berkeley](https://www.dailycal.org/2013/03/11/uc-berkeley-may-combat-grade-inflation-through-new-grading-system/). (The administrator's claim that the university's computer system cannot handle the additional evaluation method is ridiculous; I could do these numbers on my laptop.)
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: I can offer only personal experience on this topic. However, I can say that I read the literature on course evaluations rather extensively in preparation for a past application for promotion. What I found was that there are passionate people on both sides of this debate. Some think course evaluations are the best thing since ice cream, while others believe they are responsible for grade inflation and overall lowering of standards. Based on my own experience, I tend to side with the latter group. I have been at the same institution for almost thirty years, and early in my career enjoyed very good course evaluations. After about ten to fifteen years, I notice that my evaluation scores began to erode. So, I started making things a bit easier for the students to get good grades, but nothing I felt uncomfortable with. My evaluation scores shot up noticably.
In recent years, the quality of our incoming students has slipped, and so have my evaluation scores once again. But this time, I do not feel I can make any more concessions to the students, at least if I want to retain the integrity of my course (and myself). At least at this point I have a good deal of job security, so I can hold my ground, even though students and administrators probably wish I wouldn't. Someone in a less secure position could face a serious moral or ethical dilemna in this situation. It is easy to see how grade inflation can happen.
In the U.S., we face the same problem with standardized testing. So much is at stake with these tests for high school students and teachers, that the whole process has devolved into teaching to the test as opposed to teaching for understanding. In my opinion, it will take a vocal effort by major public institution, and even private ones, to make any headway against teacher evaluations at the college level. That is not to say that professors and teachers are not to be held accountable for the conduct of their courses. Evaluation is necessary. The devil is in the details of finding the best way to do the evaluation. I don't think the current way is the right way.
According to some writers, peer evaluations are an even worse tool than student evaluations. username_3 has written a great answer. Pay particular attention to the remark that administrators don't believe the univeersity computing system could handle the load. Administrators are quick to cite some technical limitation as to why they cannot do something. They seem to forget that they are talking to an audience that contains experts who know that their arguments don't hold water.
Upvotes: 3 |
2013/04/05 | 1,066 | 4,532 | <issue_start>username_0: I am a post-doc and I get regular requests to referee papers, largely because of a review paper I published as a grad student.
I am yet to turn down a review request--It is rewarding, an opportunity to immerse oneself in another topic, and it feels good to give back to the community.
Unfortunately, I am peri-employed, and the rational decision maker with non-infinite time resources is regrettably obliged to consider her CV.
At what point will listing another journal (or another instance of refereeing for a given journal) on your CV generate negligible returns for an early-career researcher?
At what point does the rational actor say no?<issue_comment>username_1: One simple criterion is that if you have refereed more papers than the number of referee reports you have received for your papers, perhaps even divided by the number of coauthors you have for each paper, then you are ahead of the game and shouldn't feel guilty about turning requests down. Ultimately, if your career goes really well you should expect to do substantially more than your share of reviewing, but you aren't obligated to do this while still a postdoc.
Even if you haven't reached this point, it's reasonable to put your career development first for now. Strategically, you should referee a paper if reading it will be valuable for your research, if you can impress an influential editor, or if it's for a particularly prestigious journal (so it will stand out on your CV in the list of journals you have reviewed for). Beyond that, you can do what you reasonably have time for, but you should feel free to decline review requests when you are busy with other things. If you feel guilty about this, you can make up for it by reviewing more papers than you would otherwise like someday when you have a stable job.
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> At what point will listing another journal (or another instance of refereeing for a given journal) on your CV generate negligible returns for an early-career researcher?
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I'd say the returns become negligible pretty quickly. Adding a really fancy journal can look impressive, but even doubling the number of run of the mill journals will make only a small difference. (People want to see that your reputation leads to review requests, but don't care much beyond that.)
To the extent refereeing helps your career, it's more likely to be because you impressed the editor than because a hiring committee liked the line on your CV. However, writing papers and giving talks will reach a much broader audience than refereeing can, so extra refereeing is not an efficient career boost.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: In my field (mathematics) it is not usual for CVs to mention referee assignments, and I don't believe they are considered at all in hiring decisions, so the direct returns are negligible at any level (not counting the indirect benefit that you may learn something from reading the paper carefully).
Keep in mind that every referee is busy and has other things to do that would be more directly rewarding, but they do it anyway. However, if your situation means it would be a drastically larger burden for you than for an average researcher, then by all means decline with a clear conscience.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: Apart from the plus minus statistics of "you do for other what they do for you" I think there are two points yu could ask yourself:
1. Reviewing keeps you in touch with the field. Do you think it helps you stay in touch with developments until you find a position (assuming that is what you want?
2. Reviewing keeps you on the radar within the field. By reviewing you will "advertise" your expertise which may not hurt in the future. So do you wish to be seen as an active player aiming for a position?
Clearly none of these are make-or-break for the future but it involves assessing your own interests for the future. If you clearly think you will look for employment outside of academia and association with research, then you simply pick and chose your reviews based on interest.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: Assuming unemployed means you are looking for an academic job and not moving to a new field, the answer is **NEVER**. Since you are unemployed, your chances to network are greatly reduced. I would suggest taking every review possible and consider adding my name to reviews.
I would actually suggest contacting editors to request that they consider you to review articles in the future.
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/05 | 1,220 | 5,256 | <issue_start>username_0: Unfortunately, there are circumstances when not everything goes right in a student's PhD career, or there can be personal circumstances that require doctoral candidates to withdraw from a PhD program before they have completed the requirements.
However, what is not clear to me is how to handle this situation from the *advisor's* perspective. What should an advisor do to:
* Help the candidate, should she wish to apply elsewhere?
* Discuss the situation with the group, to maintain morale?
* Handle the "transition" process (during which the student is still officially on the payroll)?<issue_comment>username_1: Without additional details, it will be impossible to provide very detailed answers so from a general point, each case has its own solutions. The first question I would ask is, what is my part in this and how can I best help out (best may be = nothing). In general I would try to help out as much as I can unless the problem lies in the realm of a conflict or personal problems. Then there is not much you can do except suggest professional help. If the candidate is a good student then I would certainly support with any letter of recommendation I could. Since you mention morale issues in the group, it suggests some form of non-trivial problem. In some cases too much help makes people fall into a false sense of security so to be shaken can be useful as long as the reasons are very clear.
So without trying to read too much into what is between the lines, I think the degree of help depends on to what extent help can or should be given (seen from an objective point).
Probably not the most satisfactory answer but being responsible for the research education at my dept., I have seen how difficult these matters can be. In our case, I would also be a resource to help out, if nothing else just to discuss the matter. (This does not mean I run a research group completely without problems myself!)
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: From my experience, most advisors seem to simply shake hands and part ways; I've seen a number of students leave, and in no case did the advisor do anything for the student. I view this as appropriate. Consider a work relationship, where an employee decides to leave because they (got married/got sick/won the lottery/will likely be fired for poor performance/dislike their job/dislike their boss/etc.). It's almost unheard of for the employer to assist the quitting employee to find new employment. (Note I'm not talking about firing someone, where local laws may require some sort of employment help.)
It's a similar situation here. You have a student who decides to leave for whatever reason. At that point, your work relationship is simply terminated. You can continue to interact as professionals, but you are under no obligation to assist in future endeavors.
That being said, I don't think any grad student would turn you down if you offer to help. It would definitely be a nice professional gesture. Just realize that you are under no obligation to offer such help.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: It depends on the circumstances, but I certainly help the student if I'm able. We had one student who wanted to transfer to a Ph.D. program closer to home, and another who wanted to take a crack at programs better than ours. I was happy to support them both, including writing rec letters. I put a third student in touch with some people who worked at a software company.
Some students blow us off, in which case general well wishes and respectful silence seem to be what is called for.
A Ph.D. is 5+ years of backbreaking work, during which you make poverty-level wages, with uncertain job prospects at the other end. I can hardly blame a student for leaving, if his/her heart is not in it.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: >
> Handle the "transition" process (during which the student is still officially on the payroll)?
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Support would be great.
On the other hand:
If you are talking about a PhD student who was employed at an institute, then maybe the advisor should think what he/she has made wrong concerning advising.
From my point of view, a retrospective would be worth for both - student and advisor. For instance, can you remember the first time when an expectation and an actual state of the student's work was rather different. Talked the advisor with the student regarding publications and interesting conferences? Which intervals were scheduled for meetings? Did their meetings worked out? If not, why not? (agenda, interruptions during the meeting). Which method was used by the student to assess his/her progress? Were these "story points" observed a little bit by the advisor?
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> Discuss the situation with the group, to maintain morale?
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Yes, but firstly the advisor needs to know the actual reason concerning the end of the student's work. Talking in front of a group about a reason which was not the actual reason could be not the best when having persons in the group who are friends of the student who ends his study and work.
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> Help the candidate, should she wish to apply elsewhere?
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If she has achieved a certain level within her scientific field, why not?
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/05 | 375 | 1,556 | <issue_start>username_0: I have seen some graduate (PhD and Masters) students in Turkey, Nigeria, Malaysia etc that can not work in the university they study. In fact I am one of them as I am about to finish Msc mathematics and computer science in Turkey and planning to start PhD in USA. My question is, is it a policy of most universities in the world that post graduate students can not work in the institution they are studying and earn their living? Even to work as graduate assistant perhaps.<issue_comment>username_1: Degree programs need to produce a whole lot more graduates than instructors in order for the programs to be economically viable. Student to staff numbers of around 15-1 are not uncommon. If the average staff member works for 30 years, this then becomes 450-1. In other words, for every 450 students that graduate one position becomes available. Even in the "best" situation of a 5-1 student to graduate assistant ratio and a 2 year average "career", you are talking about 10%.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: No.
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In North America, at least in science and engineering, PhD students are generally *expected* to work for their host universities as either teaching assistants or research assistants, except for the relative few who win full-ride fellowships. This expectation is strong enough that it is considered foolish to accept an offer of admission to any PhD program **without** a simultaneous offer of a fellowship or assistantship. Sometimes these assistantships are also available to Master's students.
Upvotes: 3 |
2013/04/06 | 848 | 3,721 | <issue_start>username_0: I independently wrote a number of math articles, and published some of them in refereed journals. I wrote the draft of the thesis, and contacted a Prof., and started a PhD program under his supervision. After being accepted, the supervisor
1. Asked me to change all notations and terminology. I hesitate, because I used the terminology in use in the domain, I kept at minimum new terms, and I already used these terms in the published papers.
2. Asked me to make him coauthor of some of the papers I haven't yet published, and which I wrote previously, without any suggestion or discussion with him. He motivated his request by saying that my articles need to be polished (ie terminology changed with an invented one), and that even when they will be ready, nobody will accept them with my name only (although I already published some articles as single author).
He is very assertive with these requests, and I feel like he is putting pressure on me. Normally, I would like to have him as coauthor, and maybe it will be good for my career. But I am affraid that he will make my results unrecognizable, and incompatible with the other papers in domain, including my owns. And, frankly, his only contribution is that he suggested to change the terminology.
What should I do?<issue_comment>username_1: From a purely objective point of view, I would say that co-authorship should be granted only if someone has a scientific input to the paper (such as significant reworking, polishing (whatever that is) is not enough) or if the prospective co-author is the originator of the ideas in the paper (also a scientific contribution).
In your specific case I can see that the professor could be part of a paper if he puts enough work into it. I think it is very unattractive to force oneself onto a paper the way it sounds in your case. On the other hand, you could consider whether having a "big name" on your paper could benefit you in the long-term? I know co-authorships are viewed differently in different fields so I dare not say what would be appropriate in your case.
The nasty part of the story is of course what might happen if you do not put the Professor on your papers. That is something which only you can assess. But, you could possibly get some insights by talking to others who knows the situation in your department/research group.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: We cannot tell you what the best decision is, but I get the feeling from your post that you already have some course of action in mind: **politely decline, with your arguments, and if he insists too much, find another advisor.** I would agree with that being the best solution for you, but only ***assuming that your assessment of the situation is correct***.
Don't take it badly, but I have seen it happen before. An established researcher gives advice to a newcomer (or more junior researcher), who disagrees and concludes that such bad advice can only be motivated by self interest. That sure is one possible explanation, but another might be that the advice is (partly or fully) correct, but the student doesn't recognize it (yet). Take a second look at his advice... There can be good reasons to suggest nonstandard notation: trying to make the paper more appealing to the community of another field, by using their notations. Or making the case that existing notation doesn't properly cover the cases considered. Or maybe what you consider standard notation actually isn't, and you are currently using a notation used by a prolific research group (bias in your reading list).
I am not saying that it is your case. I'm only saying that you should seriously consider it before taking any action.
Upvotes: 4 |
2013/04/06 | 1,684 | 6,910 | <issue_start>username_0: In this site, I quite often see answers containing this *"Publish or perish"* sentence.
What does it really mean? Is it limited to a particular academic system (i.e. U.S.) or it is the general case all over the world?
Lastly, is it possible to be a researcher without concerning about "Publish or perish"?<issue_comment>username_1: For graduate students, it means "Publish or you won't get an academic job." In many parts of academia, not getting an academic job is considered equivalent to death.
For assistant professors, if means "Publish or you won't get tenure." In many parts of academia, not getting tenure is considered equivalent to death.
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> Lastly, is it possible to be a researcher without concerning about "Publish or perish"?
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Sure, of course.
If you're publishing.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_2: I will add to username_1's answer by stating:
For researchers, it means "publish or you will not get more funding". Funding is evaluated based on the strength of a proposal but if you are not showing a strong regular publicationr record, the interpretation might be that "you use money but do not produce", hence a risk not worth taking.
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> Lastly, to answer username_1's question (thereby emphasizing his implicit statement): No!
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Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: In addition to prior answers, the [Publish or Perish application](http://www.harzing.com/pop.htm) can be mentioned, which is a software program that retrieves and analyzes academic citations. It uses Google Scholar to obtain the raw citations, then analyzes these and presents the following statistics:
* Total number of papers
* Total number of citations
* Average number of citations per paper
* Average number of citations per author
* Average number of papers per author
* Average number of citations per year
* Hirsch's h-index and related parameters
* Egghe's g-index
* The contemporary h-index
* The age-weighted citation rate
* Two variations of individual h-indices
* An analysis of the number of authors per paper.
The results are available on-screen and can also be copied to the Windows clipboard (for pasting into other applications) or saved to a variety of output formats (for future reference or further analysis). Publish or Perish includes a detailed help file with search tips and additional information about the citation metrics.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: It is possible to be a researcher without worrying about PoP only if you're not being paid to be a researcher. If you are being paid to do research, then publication is the most basic way of measuring whether you're doing anything.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: First a disclaimer: I personally do not agree with some "ways of life" I am going to describe and already upvoted other answers :-).
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> is it possible to be a researcher without concerning about "Publish or perish"?
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**YES**, albeit probably only in atypical settings.
* firstly, at this site, we tend to forget that academia is not only the first league of the few top-notch research universities, but includes a MASS of smaller universities and research institutes in all sorts of small, hidden corners of the world which tend either not to produce academic output in terms of journal articles, books, conference papers, etc., but at which they live and breath by e.g., primarily education, local politics, etc. Yet, on paper they claim to do research, so working there, you would be officially a researcher. I am speaking for instance about universities in countries, where rigorous science and high education, for whatever reasons, does not have a very strong tradition. At such places, doing research would resemble a kind of a [cargo cult](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult). Most often, at least at some stage in the career, you still need to publish something. E.g. a dissertation would probably suffice. But often an interview with such a researcher in a local newspaper would count at the place more than a first-class academic journal. Being coined an expert on X by the local media a single time would allow you to survive at such a university for a decade (at any level from a PhD student to a Full Professor) without being concerned with perishing. If there is a desperate lack of teaching staff, then you do not have to care even for being any good teacher either and you wouldn't perish. I know personally people who are are doing some research (or at least everybody around says so) for decades without moving from a place and without publishing even a technical report and do not perish.
* to a more optimistic note, though being pedantic now, you can easily be a researcher and not publish in the industry. Many industrial researchers do not primarily work for the benefit of the humankind (as you could see said in academia), but for the benefit of a company.
* finally, I speculate there could be some special professorship positions where you do not have to worry about publishing anymore, because you are not about to perish anymore.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_6: From [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publish_or_perish):
>
> "Publish or perish" is a phrase coined to describe the pressure in academia to rapidly and continuously publish academic work to sustain or further one's career.
>
>
>
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: You have two choices or paths ahead of you as an academic researcher: Publish or Perish. By Publish it is meant in relatively high impact factor journals. This builds a reputation in the field and hopefully citations in subsequent publications by other labs. Next, you apply for grants in which the reviewer gauges your investigator value in the field. The more grant funding you get, the more freedom you have to explore and expand your lab. If you don't publish, no one can cite your work except in a cumbersome not generally accepted way (i.e. personal communication). Therefore not publishing in academia is similar to not existing at all and doing nothing to advance science, thus the Perish.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_8: I'd like to add just one point to the fantastic answers already posted. Publish or perish often tends to favour quantity over quality, so a researcher who publishes 5 papers per year in mediocre journals may be seen, on paper, as being more productive than a researcher who produces an actual groundbreaking work once in two years.
This is common in places where the assessment of performance is done centrally, such that the assessors are not necessarily experts in one's field, and may not know the value/quality of different journals. In such a case, the number of publications becomes an easy metric to use. Over time, this incentivises low quality, high quantity work.
The perish could mean denial/delay of tenure, promotions or salary hike.
Upvotes: 1 |
2013/04/06 | 709 | 3,158 | <issue_start>username_0: As an undergraduate student, I have worked on some projects for my own interest, and recently a professor said that one of these works can be published (in a Elsevier journal with impact factor of about 2). I personally think that this work is not *strong* enough to be published and included in my resume. (I don't have any prior experience in publishing and related stuff.)
Can a weak research article published in a journal affect my application for graduate school in a negative way?<issue_comment>username_1: I think your supervisor may want to extend the research with more experiments, data, etc. This will lead to an much stronger paper.
Good journals often reject weak papers, or ask authors to make major changes to their manuscript. So it is hard to publish a weak paper in a good journal. But always remember that **Many weak papers are improved to strong papers in the review process.**
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: There are very few circumstances under which I think it's a bad idea for undergraduates to write research papers. These primarily have to do with the quality of the journal: so long as it is a *reputable*, *peer-reviewed* journal, I wouldn't be too concerned with the "strength" of the work.
The reason is that publishing while an undergraduate—particularly as a primary author—demonstrates that you have already started to learn the basics of how to do research in your field. This means that you're less of an "unknown" quantity, and therefore less of a risk for a department reviewing your application. If you don't publish the research, then there's no tangible proof, and then you need to rely on your research supervisor to make that point in a letter of recommendation. (But then the question becomes: "if she could have written a paper, why didn't she?")
As for the exceptions above, so long as you don't publish in "vanity" journals (those which will publish basically anything, so long as people pay the appropriate publication "fees"), you should be fine.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: I fully concur with the reply from username_2 but will add the following:
Publishing means your paper will go through peer-review. With a journal with impact=2 (reasonably respectable) you are likely to get a good set of revieweers. This will either lead to rejection or to suggestions for improvements. If publsihed the paper will likely be better than when it arrived at the journal. So remember that publishing includes more work than just sending something to be printed.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: It is of course always much better to have publications in high impact journals, but this also depends on who is publishing. For a professor or post doc, the impact factor of the journal is very important.
However PhD student or undergraduate is usually understood as somebody who still cannot deserve a very high significance of they research work just by they competence and hard work. It is often looked just like a success and matters less. As a result, publications in low impact ( > 0 ! ) journals in this stage are also good enough.
Upvotes: 0 |
2013/04/07 | 641 | 2,786 | <issue_start>username_0: I am in an MS program at a big university in the US, where I pay my own tuition.
I am not happy with the quality of education I am getting at this university.
I am thinking that after this quarter is complete, that I want to officially withdraw from the program and go somewhere else. I think I can get much better education and for much less cost as well.
My question is: Will this affect me in any way for future admission to other schools? I am an A student, and I'll be withdrawing after the quarter is over, not in the middle.
Will the transcript contain some negative marker in it because I did not complete the MS program? Has anyone been through this and found any negative effect when not completing a program?<issue_comment>username_1: Your transcript will very likely have a notation that shows you withdrew from the program; to claim that you are still enrolled when you are not would be dishonest (if *either* you *or* the university said so!).
And yes, this will be something that you will need to explain to schools to which you apply in the future. Just saying "it's not good enough for me" is a *bad* reason to withdraw from the program, because it suggests a "diva-like" attitude that is not particularly desirable (in just about any circumstances). If you're responsible for paying your tuition, and found you could no longer afford it, that would be a more tolerable reason.
But you *will* need to explain this, and it can definitely have an impact on the decision of future admissions committees.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: If it is possible, you may want to consider applying to a new program while you are still in your current program. In some sense it will be like a transfer, which may come across as a better move than to withdraw and re-apply to other schools later.
Bear in mind that you will need recommendation letters again, and you should be cultivating relationships with professors now with the hope of getting good recommendations. While you can ask the people who wrote your last recommendation letters again, you would need to explain why you didn't get recommendations (at least one) from a professor from your current school.
If you are in the midst of fruitful research, I would also advise you to try to finish up and put together a paper for publication -- if published, this will also help in future applications, and you don't want to waste the effort if you can help it.
One further caveat: graduate schools sometimes have a cap on how many courses you can transfer from a previous school, and you may find that you have to re-take a number of courses you've already passed (and paid for). The financial benefit from withdrawing now may not be as good as you hope.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2013/04/07 | 2,376 | 9,566 | <issue_start>username_0: Marriage is a recurrent topic in the lives of most PhDs. The meagre pay and the burden of responsibility could make marriage in the middle of PhD look like a terrible idea. But on the positive side, marriage gives one an intimate companion in a long and bleak journey. The pay hurdle could also be overcome if the partner finds a job.
While eventually it is a personal decision for the couple based on their commitment and readiness, what are the points to remember when one thinks of getting married in the middle of a PhD?<issue_comment>username_1: For the actual question (*“ what are the points to remember when one thinks of getting married in the middle of a PhD?”*):
* If you are a woman, and live in a country where you are expected to take the surname of your husband, make sure that doesn't interfere with other people's ability to keep track of your publications. (Some women I know, though they use their husband's name for daily life, use their maiden name for academic purposes. That or using both surnames.)
Honestly, that's about the only academia-specific or PhD-specific real advice I could think of. Everything else is just, well, the usual stuff:
* Planning a wedding can become really time consuming. Organize efficiently, or delegate, or simply choose to do something simple. (Elope?)
* The honeymoon may be tricky to arrange, especially if your spouse has high expectations (some people would expect the happy couple to take a 3-week vacation starting the day after the wedding, which might be hard to schedule).
And obvious reference:
[](http://www.phdcomics.com/comics.php?f=1296)
---
For the rest of the question, the only thing I have to say is: *oh man, you've got to get your priorities straight!*
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_2: Having gotten married more or less exactly in the middle of my PhD, I would say emphatically no, it is not a bad idea at all! (I expect you just meant 'during' by 'in the middle of' though. =] )
Regarding the 'meagre pay': at the time my PhD scholarship was about twice as much money as I had ever had in my life before, so I felt comparatively wealthy. We were not interested in having a lavish wedding anyway, but we did manage to afford a very nice wedding with 80 guests, paid for out of money saved from our PhD scholarships.
Of course PhD students might not be similarly well-paid in many countries (we were in the UK).
As for the 'burden of responsibility', I'm not quite sure what you mean by this, so I'll ask a question in a comment and wait until you reply.
Points to consider:
* You will potentially need to lower your expectations about what kind of wedding you can afford, but if the point is to achieve the state of *being married*, I don't think that's a big problem. You can always throw a big anniversary party at some point later when you have more money.
* Potential name change (as mentioned by username_1): If a name change is going to be involved, it can be very convenient to have this happen before one has any publications, which is a lot more likely to be the case during the PhD than afterwards. (I did change my surname, and had no publications yet at that point, so there is no problem with using my new surname for academic purposes.)
* Honeymoon: There's a lot more chance of getting enough time off for a proper honeymoon during a PhD than once you have a job, although this is going to depend completely on your supervisor, of course. [Added because of username_1 thinking the honeymoon could be a problem: My supervisor allowed me a month after my wedding.]
* Companionship, as you mentioned: This is obviously especially relevant if you are from a culture/religion where living together before marriage is not usual. Definitely having 'an intimate companion' during the PhD journey (not that mine was that long or bleak - but my husband's was more so) can be a huge help, and I don't see any reason for a couple to wait until after a PhD to get married if they are ready now.
I may add more later if I think of anything else. There is more I would say if I wasn't trying not to stray too far into 'discussion' or 'off-topic'ness.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: Love is nice and all, but you want to make sure your career decisions do not result in resentment for either you or your partner. There are two big issues with marriage/relationships that I think are unique to academics and especially relevant for PhD students since they are just starting down the academic road. It is critical that your partner (whether he/she is an academic or not) understands that as an academic we often chose to make substantially less money to take a high stress level, time-consuming job. Many people find that a difficult decision to understand and it can lead to stress/resentment. The second is that until tenure, academics often have a series of one or two year jobs with periods of unemployment in between and cross country/international moves. Rarely do we get to decide where we get to work.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: If you've found the right person to marry in graduate school, what's the alternative? Getting married as a postdoc or tenure-track faculty member is also difficult, since you still have a lot of career pressure and uncertainty. It won't go over well to say "I love you, but let's wait until I have tenure to get married," since that's way too far in the future, and I don't see any real advantage to saying "let's wait until I'm a postdoc."
Before marrying a non-academic, it's important to make sure they understand some of the basic parameters of academia:
1. The job market is incredibly competitive. Harvard probably won't hire you even if everyone agrees you're really smart, and getting a job at a less prestigious university is not a form of career failure. Indeed, just the opposite is true: any career progress in academia is a success that should be celebrated.
2. There is a national, and even international, job market with universities in many locations, but that doesn't mean you can choose where you want to live. Instead, it means you need to apply everywhere and take what you can get. Unless you are really lucky, having an academic career may require living somewhere you do not consider desirable, and you won't even be able to predict in advance where that might be.
3. Having a successful research career requires a lot of work, but it's a little different from many demanding jobs because the work is mostly self-imposed. You need to do it, but nobody is specifying what, when, or how. This can lead to resentment since everything you spend time on seems like a choice, rather than an externally imposed requirement. So you need a partner who is not inclined towards jealousy over time commitments.
If these issues are not an obstacle, then it's reasonable to get married whenever seems appropriate.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_5: Marriage is only a momentary distraction of what one might presume to be a state of cohabitation both before and after. There may be some ancillary health coverage and/or tax benefits as a result. Other factors would dominate the decision.
A baby or babies on the other hand would likely either significantly slow down the completion of the Ph.D., or put a big strain on the relationship. That perhaps would make for a more interesting question.
Cohabitation could and should be a benefit while pursuing a Ph.D. with lower living costs and reduced time spent on mundane things through the sharing of chores (cooking, cleaning, washing clothes, etc.). But you don't need to be married for that. Of course, the significant other would need to be tolerant of the time not spent with them.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_6: First of all, I do think, this is a [boat question](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/14470/what-is-the-boat-programming-meme-about). Aren't those concerns about career and pay valid for all early-career knowledge workers (i.e., people in non-manual occupations)?
But to answer your question, as somebody who married in the middle of PhD, I think I have evidence, a sample set of size 1, which allows me to conclude that doing so is a **good thing**.
Many young people nowadays ask questions (as you do) *What are the reasons to marry/have kids/etc. in my situation? When is a good time to start a family?* There is never the right time and there almost never is a good reason to change your life in whichever way. You should ask differently. *What are the reasons **not to** marry/start a family now? Why not to start family right now?* Things will never be better than right now. You think that being a post-doc you will have more time and less stress in the career? Or when you will be assistant professor? Or associate? Or full? Yeah, you can wait till the time when the waters calm down. Good luck starting family when you are 80 (if you will be lucky).
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_7: Better ask your to be wife/husband, if he/she agrees with your thoughts?
No matter how well we justify, if your partner does not agree to a thought! no one on the earth make him/her agree to the same(with some exceptions).
Take his/her consent in detail with all possible conditions after marriage with PhD.
If he/she approves than follow the same as receive approval(I believe it will have some conditions)
Neither PhD is easy nor marriage, both requires good amount of efforts for success.
Upvotes: 1 |
2013/04/07 | 1,247 | 4,970 | <issue_start>username_0: I want to quote the following passage (actually, the original passage as somewhat longer but let's consider this a minimal working example)
>
> Awareness of others, can address affective needs.
>
>
>
but the misplaced comma bothers me.
The common *sic* is not only often perceived to be impolite due to its overuse as a way ridicule the original author of a text, it also seems overkill in this case and – worst of all – it might not be clear that it relates to the tiny comma that comes right before but might be understood to refer to "awareness of others" instead:
>
> Awareness of others, [*sic*] can address affective needs.
>
>
>
A missing comma could just be put in square brackets itself as a way to more or less silently add it to the quotation without misquoting but the least distracting way to remove a comma that I could come up with is
>
> [Awareness of others] can address affective needs.
>
>
>
Of course silently dropping the comma would be even less distracting but it might also constitute a misquotation:
>
> Awareness of others can address affective needs.
>
>
>
What is your opinion on this? Is there a standard or otherwise widely accepted way to do this?<issue_comment>username_1: Any emendations you make to a quoted text should be made in square brackets. These emendations should be limited to corrections necessary for grammatical do not include skipping over parts of the text, which should be done with ellipses (and then only sparingly, and not in any way which will change the meaning of the text.
In principle, then, I might write the passage as:
>
> Author X's assertion that "[a]wareness of others [] can address effective needs" is motivated by . . .
>
>
>
Note that the first "a" in awareness has changed capitalization, and therefore should also be placed in brackets.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Just delete the offending comma. No one will accuse you of misquoting; if they track down the original quote and notice that you've made a minor grammatical edit, they will not dwell on it long.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: [Let's make an answer out of my comment to username_2's answer with which I agree]
Alternative solution could be:
1. to use the corrected quote without any indication of what changed
2. to the end of the quote append a footnotemark
3. in the footnote explain that punctuation was slightly changed in the quote with respect to the original phrase, but without changing the original meaning of the sentence.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: Honestly, i would just drop the comma, it's a minor correction and i doubt anyone will accuse you of misquoting. Dwelling on this minor grammatical error will obfuscate the meaning of your text and could confuse readers.
Full disclosure is good, but in this case it does not add any new information for your readers. It might even do the opposite.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: Phrase it in such a way that you don't need the direct quotation, and just cite instead.
```
In related work, Doe claimed that awareness of others addresses affective needs, and that (other stuff here) [1].
[1] <NAME>. "How to address affective needs." Doe Publishing: London, 1989
```
The comma doesn't introduce ambiguity, so I don't see a need to point out its prior existence. Phrasing it as above also avoids you having to [sic] or footnote it or whatever.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_6: The answer to the question may vary depending on whether you are dealing with a simple punctuation error -- as you surmise -- or with a punctuation variant that, in the time or cultural context it was written, would have been considered acceptable. In your example, setting off a subject from the rest of the clause with commas, or setting off prepositional phrases from their head nouns, used to be unremarkable in written American English of a few hundred years ago. (Cf. Amendment 9 to the US Constitution: "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.")
If it's indeed a simple error, I would second username_3's suggestion to just correct and add a footnote about having made minor changes to punctuation without relevance to meaning. If it's a historical variant or a text from a different cultural context - say, Indian colonial - I would hesitate to make changes as they would necessarily introduce inauthenticity. You could then leave the text as-is and add a footnote "punctuation as in original": less intrusive and smug than "[sic]", but fulfils the same purpose.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: I just wanted to add this screen shot of what I ended up doing. It's essentially username_3's suggestion but instead of using a footnote I wrote the remark directly underneath the block quotation in a smaller font.
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/07 | 2,080 | 8,662 | <issue_start>username_0: I work on research, trying to get grants and publish papers and the like, I really like my job, could not think about doing anything else. When the weekend comes, or just free time I have the problem that I can not stop thinking on research, it does not matter what. Sometimes it is that I feel so relaxed during the weekend that new ideas come to my mind and then I can not avoid to write them down or think a bit more about them. My wife obviously does not like this, but I try my best.
Do you experience the same and do you know how to avoid this?<issue_comment>username_1: I believe it comes with the territory. Since being involved in research means exercising your imagination and intellect, it is hard to stop the stimulation. I personally have no problems relaxing from my research when I do other stimulating activities such as hobbies. I personally do not find thinking about my research much of a problem but I have noticed that I have a tendency to start thinking more about my science when I am in the company of what I might consider dull people. That will probably make me seem dull too!
I try to look at it, and explain it, by comparing with an elite athlete, you need to keep at it constantly to be on top. Many can see and appreciate the (intellectual) similarities.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: I agree with @PeterJanson's answer, but I'd like to add my 2 cents on it:
Often, I find myself "constantly" thinking about a problem when I'm stuck or I'm not sure how to approach it. Often, it's because I've got *tunnel vision* on the problem. That is, I'm only thinking about it from a limited number of perspectives and can't think of other possible approaches to the problem. I used to spend long hours thinking about a problem (even outside of normal work hours) without ever really getting anywhere on it.
When that happens, I find it's good to pursue other activities that stimulate my brain to think outside of the box. That could be anything from reading semi-related research papers to playing video games to engaging in stand up comedy! When I challenge my brain to approach other problems from new perspectives, I find those same skills help loosen my brain to engage in research in new ways as well.
While I never really stop thinking about research, I find these other activities help me engage in research with fresh eyes and renewed energy. And ultimately, that has lead me to better research results and liberates me from "overthinking" the problem during my leisure time.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: This kind of thinking about your work is typical if a) you like your job, and b) you do work that involves a lot of creativity. Going with the flow of your mood can help greatly in getting work done as doing creative work when you feel inspired goes much much faster. Ofcourse, a big danger is that the lines between personal life and work become vague, and you turn into a work-a-holic (if this is a bad thing entirely depends on you).
It seems that you yourself do not have a problem with this, and that it is mainly the people around you that experience it as a problem. This is imo best dealt with by communication. Setting some ground rules together with your spouse about when you act on your creativity may lessen the irritation she experiences from it.
For example, you could organise it like this: when you feel 'the urge' you can propose to your spouse that you take some time to work out a problem. She than has an opportunity to say no ("we have to go to the store/beach/parents", or "you haven't spent a lot of time with the kids today"). Of course, in a healthy balance she will also sometimes allow you to follow your urges.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: A large part of the motivation to be a scientist, or a researcher, is to exercise your curiosity and let it drive you. I find that I very often thing about “research” in daily life, but not necessarily of “my day-job research”. To some extent, it is a way of thinking and approaching daily life. So, there are many non-academic research projects that can occupy one's mind, wherever you are and whatever you are doing. Trying to find symmetry patterns in wallpaper or train departure times, doing a side experiment with your curry to see what is the maximal concentration of peppers one can reasonably ingest, whatever.
*(A comment more than an answer, but a rather long one. Sorry!)*
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: You don't ever *stop thinking*, much in the way that you shouldn't tell someone to *stop feeling* sad/angry/upset/whatever. But, if there are actions you're doing that interrupt your relationships with others, you can take steps to try to reduce the effect of these actions.
Instead of trying to *not think* about research, I would try to curb activities that you may act upon as a result of thinking about research.
* Keep a notebook on you that you can *quickly* write your thoughts down in. Dump your brain in about a minute and then move on with whatever you're supposed to be doing. The key word here is quickly - you don't want this to turn into a five minute exercise.
* Concentrate heavily on what you're currently doing and focus. Easier said than done, but the key is not to let yourself get distracted with your thoughts. Even if you're not fully focused, try your best to appear focused.
* Limit your discussions about research with others if they're not interested in them.
* Excuse yourself if you want to think or write more in a way that might appear rude or inappropriate to others. Thus, rather than trying to write things down extensively while in the middle of a nice dinner, excuse yourself, go to the washroom, and write things down there. If you're out walking and get a great idea that you want to think about, ask to stop for a break and think then.
I think the key point here is to differentiate the things that you can control (your actions) compared to things that are much more difficult to control (your thoughts) and to ensure that your behaviors are not disturbing others. Take time for yourself too!
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_6: You will never escape this, and
for the sake of your research, don't.
-------------------------------------
We need to look at the core of the problem: your brain function. <NAME>, Professor of Psychology at the College of Charleston, wrote an article about this in Scientific American:
>
> If your task requires strong focus and careful concentration - like balancing spreadsheets or reading a textbook - you are better off scheduling that task for your peak time of day. However, **if you need to open your mind to alternative approaches and consider diverse options**, it may be wise to do so when your filter is not so functional.
>
>
>
In short, the best time for your brain to think about the research is your free time!
Remember Archimedes? He solved his problem when he was relaxing during the bath. It's the same as us today. You got the idea when you eat, when you take a shower, when you about to sleep, when you hanging out with your boy/girlfriend. Sure, the Eureka moment only comes when you have arduously been working, but it's **not** likely to come when you are working.
If you have an Eureka when you are taking a bath, try to calm down a little bit :D
Unfortunately, a research requires both two things at different time: strong focus and careful concentration, and alternative approaches and consider diverse options. So it means you will likely to be a workaholic.
**But the Eureka only comes when it's truly your free time**, when your, erm, brain is truly relaxed. It is very frustrating for us to halt the power flood of idea that coming to our brains. But it is also hard for us to stop the current activity to rush into the lab. I will call this the Researcher's dilemma.
So, how to solve the dilemma?
-----------------------------
I honestly don't have any efficient solution. It just up to you and up to the situation to solve this. But I think taking note is the most efficient one. You see, once you finally have a **new approach**, you can wait for your next morning to have your peak time of day to have strong focus and careful concentration.
Source: [The Inspiration Paradox: Your Best Creative Time Is Not When You Think](http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/your-best-creative-time-not-when-you-think/) . Also, to find your peak time of the day, you can take the [Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire](http://www.cet-hosting.com/limesurvey/?sid=61524). Note that the research about this is pretty old (1976).
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/08 | 2,792 | 11,729 | <issue_start>username_0: There is a student who attended a seminar where they were supposed to study an assigned research paper and deliver a presentation to the class. Their presentation was very low quality. Four (!) seminar tutors, from post-doc to associate professor level, all agreed to assign a low grade. I am confident that all reasonable measures to ensure fairness were taken. The student received a careful explanation of the grade based on a clear (and beforehand known) list of partially evaluated rubrics.
The evaluation turned out to be a big blow to the student's ego and even after several weeks, the person can't digest the failure, despite very careful explanation on the spot, as well as several interactions and (failed) attempts to "better the grade by performing some extra work". The student keeps coming back with requests for additional explanation of particularities of the failure.
**What is/are the right pedagogical technique(s) to handle such a situation?**
* clearly, the student has a high self-esteem and opinion about him/herself
* probably did not face a situation of a miserable failure before in the past
* the student does not seem to see/accept the relative difference in his/her performance and the rest of the peer group
My question is only about the student's unwillingness to accept the grade, not about the student's performance or the grade's fairness.<issue_comment>username_1: My first question to you would be
>
> Did you lay out the assignment expectations and how the grade would be determined when you gave the assignment?
>
>
>
If the answer is "yes" (and I expect that it is), I would use that as a starting point for explaining to the student why he/she did poorly.
That aside, it seems that either (1) the student didn't understand what was expected (regardless of the question above), and/or (2) the student isn't prepared for the type of work required, and/or (3) the student had a bad day.
It sounds to me like the answer is firmly #2, as repeated attempts to improve the grade hasn't worked. Given that you've already spent a good deal of time with the student, it might be time to have a heart-to-heart discussion and say that **it is time to stop thinking about that grade and to move on**. Obviously, you need to do this diplomatically, but (as they say), to make an omelet you need to break some eggs, and sometimes a firm and diplomatic "get over it" is appropriate. I would pose the following questions to the student:
1. Do you have a clear set of goals that you are working on for the class?
2. Do you know what other grades are going to be part of the final grade for the class, and do you have a plan for making sure you are ready for each assignment / talk?
3. Do you conduct practice talks with other students in order to get constructive feedback? (if not, you should!)
4. (If the problem is English language skills) Have you sought out on-campus help with your writing or speaking skills? (this is available at many larger universities in the States)
Depending on how much time you are willing to devote to helping the student improve, you could also offer to sit in on any future practice talks to give pointers and feedback. Likewise for written work -- you could offer to pre-read assignments. This is a slippery slope, so tread carefully. You want to avoid having the student see you as an always-available tutor, but there are times when providing such support is just part of the job.
Finally, I would stress to the student that one bad grade does not make or break a student, and it is better to make mistakes while in school than later when they might mean more in the bigger picture. School is about learning, and you learn from mistakes.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: An all too familiar situation. I will focus not so much on what to do about this particular student but what can be done for the future.
In my university system we use grading criteria, which I think can also be referred to as "rubrics". The main point here is that you set up careful critiera for what should be met for each grade. You can then tick off what is fulfilled as a basis for grading. You also need some weighing system to add the different criteria into a single grade. This is also important and can be done in different ways. In some systems aritthmetically, in others by stating rules for what is a specific grade (such as to get a B you need nothing lower than a B on all criteria). Room for experimentation and discussion!
The students should know (be carefully informaed about) the grading criteria and how they are weighted to the final grade by the time they start the course. When the grade is set it becomes very easy to explain why the grade became what it became and it will be up to the student to argue why they have met a higher criteria than what they have been given.
Now, the caveat, this will not work better than how carefully you have done the ground work with putting together the criteria. So while rubriics involves quite a lot of pre-course thinking to begin with, rewards for all concerned are large at the end.
A final remark: I find that the grades I provide are more or less exactly what I would have given by just reading it and setting the grade based on my impression. The criteria provides an explicit basis for that judgement. I have interpreted this as "we know what we are doing but we may not have expressed it explicitly to ourselves."
A quick search on some combination of "rubrics", "grading criteria", "essay writing" etc. should give plenty of ideas. I do not have a good starting resource to provide at this stage.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: This can be tricky.
To answer properly, it is important to know if the student is asking about *explanations* for his grade or just *demanding/requesting* a better grade.
The second case seems "easier" to me because then one can just ask for a specific reason why the student thinks, that a higher grade would be appropriate (or just reply that there is no negotiation about grades).
In the first case, when the student asks for explanations, one has to distinguish again: Is the student interested in *explanations, to learn from failure and to improve*, or *to prove that the grading was not appropriate*.
Here the first case is easy as soon as you can make sure that the student understands your points. In the second case one could, in principle fall back to the case above: Ask for specific points and don't negotiate about grades. I think that most difficult part is to ensure that you do not have to repeat yourself too often. You could work with written notes for you and/or the student on which you can build for a next discussion. If you see (from the notes) that the discussion is not evolving you can communicate this to the student. If you have the notes of the last session available, and the student raises a point which you have discussed, you can point to the notes and ask what is still remaining about this point. If he repeats the same issue from the last session, answer that there is no negotiation about grades.
Regarding self-esteem and experience of failure, it is important to communicate that science and also learning science if a lot about failure. There is this famous quote from <NAME>:
>
> "Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better."
>
>
>
Also, failure in a learning task shall not be related to self-esteem in any way (sometimes hard to accept for students). You can help the student by talking exclusively about his performance in relation to the task he had to do.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_4: Although [this rubric from Rubistar](http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&rubric_id=1925241&) is certainly not tailored to the university level, it is an good example and a useful tool in regards to the rising need for teachers to "prove" a grade (in any sense, not simply "good" vs."bad").
This is on the rampage, and rubrics seem to be the safest way to show students (and parents...and administrators...) what is going on in our heads as educators evaluating based our own (formerly self-evident) assignment criteria.
Giving students, their classmates, and TA's similar rubrics, rewording with "I showed" or "SWBAT" can prove, if you will, how delusional any party may be.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: Say something like
>
> I cannot go over this assignment again with you. There are several
> other students who need my attention, and we have already discussed
> this issue multiple times. The grade you made is final, but you can improve your overall grade on the next assignment.
>
>
>
It is your job to give out the grade you feel is appropriate. You did that. I would also instruct the TAs not to go over this assignment with him either. Right now all you can do is explain that the grade is final, and their is nothing he can do about it.
When students enter college they are immature, part of your job as a prof is to treat them like adults, and help turn them into mature, professional people.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_6: It depends very much on what kind of class this is, and what kind of evaluation tools are used. It is possible that the 'experts' are simply looking at things differently. It is not unusual for brilliant students to see things quite differently, and be right.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_7: I was marking computer programs by hand, which dates this story. I awarded the single worst program 1 point out of 10, which I believe was promised for getting one's name in the correct place. Over half of the lines had elementary syntax errors, which was remarkable because he composed it at a Mac (512!); only the grading was from paper. He thought with only half of the lines clearly, totally wrong he deserved 5/10.
Finally I told him that if I cut off half his body he would be totally dead. This wasn't very nice, but it did stop the complaints.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_8: Fixing the problem after the fact is hard. I am aware the advice comes late now, but the rules of engagement are easy to set at the beginning, not the end.
Therefore, I often map out such problems ahead of time. If it's a one-on-one (e.g. in a project or individual coursework), and I notice students that I believe have much higher expectations of themselves than I estimate is warranted, then I set my expectations very explicit and clear and even higher than normal to leave a quality buffer to what you think would be a good solution.
Good students will usually accept the challenge without argument (one way to distinguish them, BTW!), but weaker, but ambitious students then realise that there is a lot more to do than they thought was needed and may sometimes complain or become argumentative. These are used to getting away well with comparatively little in the past. Stick to your guns, and you may be surprised as to what you can get out of them in the end. It also gives them a good learning experience in that, in the end of the process, they understand the nature of excellence and develop a newfound level of pride in their own achievement.
If you suspect you have such people in class, the idea is similar, but, of course, undirected. Make clear it is a hard class upfront. Don't give them the impression they can "wing it". It is much easier to start out tough and to decide to go for milder approach later on if you think that is appropriate than the other way round. Some care needs to be taken, though, to not increase the anxiety of already insecure students - so, tough requirements can be balanced by offers of support.
Upvotes: 1 |
2013/04/08 | 1,551 | 5,562 | <issue_start>username_0: MIT's OpenCourseWare has many [video courses](http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/audio-video-courses/). They are very helpful, but compared to the majority of MIT curriculum they're only a small part. So, how much effort does it take to record video courses?<issue_comment>username_1: I'm in the middle of recording lectures for a class now, and I'm doing all the work (recording/processing/uploading) myself. Luckily, I like doing the technical part of it, because it is rather time intensive. I've also taught a course that had dedicated software to take care of the entire process ([BB Collaborate](https://www.blackboard.com/platforms/collaborate/overview.aspx)). I'd walk into class, log into the system, push "Record" and lo-and-behold the videos (with everything I had on my computer desktop at the time) were uploaded to the site a few hours after class (and were available live to the students who wanted to watch and participate remotely). So, the effort varies depending on what situation you are in at your school.
If you have no supporting system (like BB Collaborate), plan on at least an hour or so per class of your time (not to mention render and upload time, which can take many hours depending on the length of your class and your Internet bandwidth), and this is once you get everything figured out. Oh, and that doesn't include editing bells and whistles; I basically put raw class footage online and take as little time as I can for post-processing and editing.
For a self-built system, you'll need a number of things:
1. [A decent Camcorder](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B006UMMP2I) ($200-300 will get you one)
2. [Flash based media](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B003VNKNF0) ($25 for a 32GB card)
3. [A tripod](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B000V7AF8E) ($25)
4. [A remote microphone](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B00006JPD5) ($150 for a decent one)
5. Video editing software (I started with [iMovie](http://www.apple.com/ilife/imovie/) on my Mac ($15) and have since graduated to [Final Cut Pro X](http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/) ($300) and [Compressor](http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/compressor/) ($50). I assume you already have a computer, but you'll need that, too ($500-1500).)
6. [External hard drive with a fast connection](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B005ELBSWO) (Firewire or USB 3, $100 for 1TB). This isn't strictly necessary, but you'll find that you may run out of disk space quickly without one.
7. A YouTube account (free), with a relatively fast internet connection (I'm currently faced with a molasses-slow upload speed in Djibouti, Africa, so that hasn't been fun). Make sure you verify your YouTube account so you can upload videos longer than 15 minutes.
Once you get the equipment (total cost ~$1000 without the computer), you'll need to learn how to use everything. You have to remember to record all your lectures, and plan on spending five minutes or so setting everything up before class, unless you have your own classroom. I simply focus the camcorder on the board and me, with a bit of room on the sides for me to move around. If you want panning and zooming, you'll have to rely on someone else to do it.
Getting up to speed with the editing software can take time, especially if you haven't done it before. You could spend months editing a 1-hour class, but as I say, if you keep it bare-bones you can get the editing down to an hour or so of your time, including setting up all the steps to upload to YouTube. I record all my videos at 1080p, but I upload to YouTube at 480p because of my slow connection (and my students have the same slow connection). I find that the board is difficult to read, even though the camera is only 10 feet away -- I also upload my slideshows and try to write big!
Bottom line: either convince your school to invest in a professional system so you don't have to do much work yourself, or plan on spending a good bit of time (and money, if your school won't pay for it--I bought everything out of my own pocket, but as I say, I'm enjoying it) to learn the setup and edit/upload videos.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: You might be interested in Erik Demaine's set up for video classes, which seems to require less work: <http://erikdemaine.org/classes/recording/>
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: <NAME> made a useful youtube video about how he records his lectures:
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5v_uSQ-JXg>
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: By far the biggest cost consideration is time.
CGP Grey said in a 2013 Q&A ([YouTube video](https://youtu.be/GOiIxqcbzyM?t=39), [transcript](http://www.cgpgrey.com/blog/qa-with-grey)):
>
> I've tracked my time to get an accurate answer and every minute of final video you see takes me between 10 and 20 hours of writing and animating to make. So a typical 5 minute video is 50 to 100 hours of work.
>
>
> While that's a lot, it doesn't include the research phase which is difficult to quantify -- some of the videos I've made I'd been collecting notes on for more than a year before starting.
>
>
>
Note though that CGP Grey is a one-person production studio. Moreover, he seems to be a perfectionist and his videos are IMHO very good.
Many other video courses I've seen put in much less work. It seems to me that some (e.g. <NAME>) do an impromptu, one-take recording. One tradeoff is quantity vs quality - CGP Grey has 88 YouTube videos in total, while Khan has thousands.
Upvotes: 1 |
2013/04/08 | 854 | 3,673 | <issue_start>username_0: I have previously been involved in a course, where we (the students) were supposed to use a specific style, when presenting our graphical data. By `style` I mean the size/color of legends, thickness of datapoints, layout of the figure, etc....
Does similar guidelines exist when publishing data in a peer-reviewed journal? Or is it entirely up to me to decide, how it should look?<issue_comment>username_1: The purpose of any style when presenting graphics should aim at making the information as easy to read and comprehend as possible. I do not think any journals would provide specific style recommendaions except provide information on, for example, the thinnest posible lines, smallest possible font sizes to be reproduced in printing, color models etc.
I think it is important to think about how you present data in any scientific or professional communication. It will be largely up to you to make decisions on the material you visualize. My recommendation is to look at the book [The Visual Display Of Quantitative Information by Edward Tufte](http://www.edwardtufte.com/tufte/books_vdqi) and then to learn by example. This book, in my opinion, like no other, provides a good basis for understanding graphic display of data. Look at what others do and critically evaluate how successful those attempts are.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: There may be journal-specific guidelines, but none of the journals I dabble in have specified such. I tell students that journal articles require "professional" looking graphs. This usually translates into simple graphs. If you take something like the Excel defaults you will see the opposite of professional looking. Excel puts lots of colors, too small fonts, lines everywhere, titles, unlabeled axes, etc. Simple black and white plots work just fine for most plots. Your job is to present the data for easy access to the reader. If you want to understand this, just grab some recent journal articles in top journals and look at their graphs. You'll see what good graphs should look like.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: I'd suggest just using a good graphics program and using its defaults. This would normally look good enough, I imagine most journals would not be too fussy about such things. You probably also want to use a scripting language for reproducibility and efficiency. The following packages are reasonable choices, produce high quality graphics without much work, have reasonable defaults which can be tweaked if necessary, and export into the common image file formats like PDF, PNG etc. `ggplot2` in particular is designed to be very high level and flexible, and is based somewhat on the [Grammar of Graphics book by Wilkinson](http://www.cs.uic.edu/~wilkinson/TheGrammarOfGraphics/GOG.html), which describes a high level approach to data visualization. Specifically, high level implies ignoring the small details of your graphic and letting the program taking care of it for you.
The R package [`ggplot2`](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ggplot2) already mentioned is quite popular. You could also try [`PGF/TikZ`](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PGF/TikZ) and the plot package that uses it, [`pgfplots`](http://pgfplots.sourceforge.net/). [`matplotlib`](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matplotlib) is another possibility, though I have not used it much. Also note that both `R` and `matplotlib` have `PGF/TikZ`backends. For `R` see [`TikZDevice`](https://github.com/Sharpie/RTikZDevice) though it does not seem to be actively developed. For `matplotlib`, see [matplotlib: Typesetting With XeLaTeX/LuaLaTeX](http://matplotlib.org/users/pgf.html).
Upvotes: 0 |
2013/04/08 | 1,617 | 6,553 | <issue_start>username_0: Take <NAME>
>
> <NAME> had intended a career in humanities, and received his first degree in history. Afterwards, though, he turned his attention toward mathematics and physics and received a degree in physics
>
>
>
And <NAME>,a very famous theoretical physicist
>
> Witten attended the Park School of Baltimore (class of '68), and received his Bachelor of Arts with a major in history and minor in linguistics from Brandeis University in 1971. He published articles in The New Republic and The Nation. In 1968 Witten published an article in The Nation arguing that the New Left had no strategy.[citation needed] He worked briefly for <NAME>'s presidential campaign. McGovern lost the 1972 election in a landslide to <NAME>.
>
> Witten attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison for one semester as an economics graduate student before dropping out.[citation needed] He returned to academia, enrolling in applied mathematics at Princeton University[citation needed] then shifting departments and receiving a Ph.D. in physics in 1976 under <NAME>, the 2004 Nobel laureate in Physics.
>
>
>
In china,student major in history or literature won't study mathematics *at all*,and almost everyone think it's impossible for someone receive BA then turn to science,so how did someone receive BA and then become a scientist?<issue_comment>username_1: This was supposed to be a comment, but it got just a little long.
Well, in both of your examples, the person did a second undergraduate degree. There's no indication that they necessarily studied any mathematics or science in their first degree. So I don't see that there's anything very surprising going on there.
However, in some countries (such as the US and New Zealand), undergraduate degrees can be fairly broad, so a person who is mainly studying humanities might very well take some science courses as well (in fact, they might even be required to). [My first degree was a BA - however one of my majors ended up being mathematics. I only took two maths courses in my first two years, though, before deciding to change from music to maths.]
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: It's not impossible if you try hard (and a little bit of luck). I did my undergraduate in urban planning (had math), masters in bio-physics and will be getting a doctorate in CS and finally joining a lab modeling and studying arctic ice melts for my post-doc.
* Was it hard? Yes, absolutely.
* Did I have to learn (and struggle with) certain concepts much later than those that did their undergrad, masters, doctorate, all in X? Yes
* Do some people not give my resume a second look because they think I'm a drifter? Yes
In reality, while it is a weird path on paper, I never took something up because it sounded fancy. In all the cases, I was genuinely motivated by something unsolved in the new field. While it was easier to switch fields as a grad student, it's a lot tougher now, as a post-doc and early career scientist, because one needs to cozy up to the funding managers and build a rapport etc., which is not possible if I'm changing, so I probably won't (I'm happy where I am now).
We all have things and topics that interest us in other fields (that we aren't working in), but are constrained by various factors such as funding, inability to relocate, etc. I just happened to get lucky with a couple of internships (where the PI said he chose me because I went to a top school), which gave me the necessary boost to get to the next stage. That, and I performed exceedingly well at them, to get glowing recommendations which then got me the next one, etc.
I must also note that I don't think any of this would've been possible if this were in Europe or Asia (where I did my UG). I have observed that in general, in North America (as far as grad school goes), people are more willing to consider your potential rather than what you've done so far (if you've already done something impressive thus far, then it counts more).
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: The thing to remember is that an individual is more than their degree classification.
Every person has their own interests, hobbies, skills, and personal projects. While a BA in one field may be an indicator of a person's interests, it does not mean that the person in question knows nothing outside of what was required for that degree.
For example, it is very possible that a person receiving a BA in philosophy may:
* enjoy a STEM discipline, leading them to take classes in it for their own enjoyment
* enjoy a STEM discipline or topic and choose to learn about it on their own
* end up in a job that requires that they learn skills that are applicable to a different discipline
* apply to graduate school for a STEM discipline and be willing and able to invest the time to catching up on the material
* be naturally gifted at whatever the STEM discipline is
Most likely, in cases where people change disciplines, it's a combination of several of the above.
Anecdotally, I got a BFA, but continued taking calculus as a free elective in my undergraduate degree. I had to learn programming for work after graduating and ended up in graduate school for Computer Science. I entered graduate school with the knowledge that I would need to work at least twice as hard to catch up on the material and just went ahead and worked at it.
It may be completely different in other countries, but even in those countries, I can't imagine that anyone is completely limited to only knowing things that are required for their degree. There are a lot of situations that can force you to learn new skills, and that's without taking into account that some people have hobbies that are cross-discipline.
Another way of looking at it is: would you be surprised if a famous physicist played the violin well enough to perform? There's no logical reason why someone who plays the violin shouldn't be able to do the same the other way around. Both require a progressive learning of skills and a large time investment, unless you're naturally gifted.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: Witten's father was a theoretical physicist. I wouldn't be shocked if you dug his biography and found out that he learned all the basic undergraduate physics and mathematics under guidance from his father even before he enrolled in graduate school. This, after all, is a speculation, but the fact that his father is a theoretical cosmologist is very suggestive. ;-
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/08 | 628 | 2,805 | <issue_start>username_0: For a PhD in computer science or informatics, are there good reasons **not** to choose an area of research in which very few (3 or 4) known (small- to middle-sized) research groups work in the world?<issue_comment>username_1: >
> are there good reasons not to choose an area of research in which very few people work worldwide?
>
>
>
There might be.
* **a research clique might be at work**: sometimes, often unintentionally, you can observe a bunch of researchers starting to push some topic and ending up absorbed in their own little world proposing extensions of extensions of extensions and not noticing that they became irrelevant. Usually because something is wrong with the problem they work on. But sometimes such a niche might be actually very healthy, except the topic did not caught up more popularity in the relevant mainstream community.
* **something might be wrong with the problem they tackle**: sometimes a group of absorbed (as above) researchers looses connection with reality and pushes towards solving a problem which does not exist anymore because somebody else solved it just by the way along a route to some other problem and everybody else recognized.
* **something might be wrong with the method the small group applies to the problem they tackle**: sometimes the problem is *good* (see below), but the bunch tries to hopelessly push a method which simply does not yield anything. Often this is accompanied with use of a highly specialized terminology so that it is difficult to see that the method they use and the problem they tackle is in fact very much related to something else what yields more healthy research in the relevant mainstream community.
More generally, don't worry about the size of the field. What matters is whether the problem at the core of the niche is real and sound. Real means that solving it can have an impact on the society at large. You need to believe in your cause. For the sake of this blob, let sound mean that you see a solid way to articulate it and get a grip on it, most preferably including a method to measure progress. If you have the two, you are set even if the community tackling the problem is relatively small. All the rest is up to your capabilities and the difficulty level of the problem.
*Trust your judgement.*
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: One key thing is that there might be no open position for your to continue your line of research, if you wish to.
But here it is an important question, whether there are growing, or are in decline. And, more importantly, if you like and believe in this field.
Otherwise importance of the problem they are solving lies on a different axis than number of groups. Not every important topic is popular (and vice versa).
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/09 | 333 | 1,214 | <issue_start>username_0: Is there a way to search all openly published theses online?
Maybe there is a way for Google Scholar to ignore other types of articles?
I am aware of SCOPUS and Web of Knowledge, but unfortunately I do not have access to these services.
**Edit:** I talked to my librarian and we found a service called [EThOS](http://ethos.bl.uk/Home.do) and additionally a service called [openthesis](http://openthesis.org). Openthesis requires people to upload submissions, which would cover nowhere near as many as Google has indexed. EthOS is for the UK only.<issue_comment>username_1: The only thing I can think of given the lack of other details is [this](http://www.proquest.com/en-US/catalogs/databases/detail/pqdt.shtml) They claim to be "the world's most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses." While that is not "ALL", it certainly is "MOST"?
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Check to see the list of sites that are comprehensive: <https://www.netvibes.com/ircnigeria#FREE_Virtual_Libraries>
One of them, Global ETD Search <http://search.ndltd.org/> as at today has 5,382,984 electronic theses and dissertations contained in the NDLTD archive
Upvotes: 0 |
2013/04/09 | 1,078 | 4,779 | <issue_start>username_0: In STEM (In USA), the coursework duration of the PhD typically lasts about 1-2 years beyond that, students take 0 (or in certain cases, very few) courses in their subsequent PhD years. I work in applied math with a lot of applications in every field imaginable : Finance, Economics, Energy, Healthcare, Services etc.
During my coursework phase (owing to the breadth requirement), I was made to take courses in different departments and each time I attended a course in a new department I would think "Wow, this field could really benefit from extensions of my research". I would chalk out a few ideas and read up a few papers, find out that it's already done but be glad that I generated a new idea nonetheless.
Now, I am nearing the end of my coursework phase and I am wondering : How do I keep my ability to "see" applications in fields other than mine alive?
**Global Question : After a student's coursework phase, how does he stay aware of applications of his research field besides the ones discussed in papers?**
My advisor encourages me to attend as many seminar talks as possible (in all allied fields) which I do but it's not the same level of enjoyment.<issue_comment>username_1: First of all, unless there is a policy against it, you should feel free to enroll in subsequent courses even though you are done with your requirements. The caveat is that this will take time, and **your primary responsibility after finishing those requirements is to do research in your specific area to make progress on your PhD**.
To a first approximation, a PhD program is designed to have you focus on one particular problem until you are the only person in the world that completely understands that problem. That is not to say that you won't find research inspiration from those other seminars, and in fact you might find that you will tailor your research based on one (probably not more) of those other fields. But, if you continue an academic career after you get your PhD, you'll have more flexibility to collaborate outside your particular field, and that is probably a better time to do it than right now.
To answer your specific question: you're on the right track by going to seminars, and if you can justify the time, taking subsequent classes is not out of the ordinary. You could also get on mailing lists for other fields that interest you, and nothing is stopping you from becoming a member of professional organizations outside your immediate field (and, they're cheap when you're a student!). You could also consider collaborating with folks from other departments on projects, bearing in mind that you'll need to be able to differentiate your contributions if you want to use that work in your dissertation.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I will add and expand on username_1's good answer. I think the key to your question is "keeping up to date". What I mean is that by keeping up with what is going on in a field wil also show you the trends, needs, open key questions etc. Now, taking a course, to me, does not sound like getting to the forefront of a subject, typically courses (unless at very advanced levels) will cover core material in a field. I think this is why you find that the ideas you got already may have been solved. So, in my mind course work is not the way to research ideas, it may form a good and perhaps necessary basis for understanding research papers etc.
Today, even specialists have a hard time keeping up in their own field, I therefore think that it will be hard for you to keep up with several. Your notion that your own research could help others in other fields is most likely spot-on! But, you probably need to get to know people in some fields who have the solid basis and can jointly with you identify the research questions where your knowledge can be of use. So if you can spare the time, try to go to research seminars in other departments and even if you may not know the details, try to pick up what is going on, ask questions. Obviosuly I am not suggesting you should go to seminars at random but you can probably identify fields where you have some interests. Browse through some higher ranked journals from those fields as well to see what the research is about.
Then finally, you should not worry about getting all this done as a PhD student. I am sre opportunities will come after your PhD to broaden and find colaborations. I will say that finding colaborators in other fields is usually hard and if your knowledge is in demand you will probably get sucked in to many interesting projects if you make yourself and your expertise known. and that I do not think happens with course work.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: Use StackExchange for the relevant field.
Upvotes: 1 |
2013/04/09 | 1,098 | 4,303 | <issue_start>username_0: This might be off-topic but I thought I would try here since I know we have people who will know the answer.
I have received two documents from a prospective teacher. They seem to be German diplomas but I do not understand clearly what they really mean. The names of the diplomas are:
1. Diplomurkunde, and
2. Diplom (Diplomlehrer)
(1) translates (via Google) as Diploma Certificate. This is a bit confusing because I normally think of certificates as something and a diploma as something else (which requires more studying).
(2) translates as Graduate Teacher. This seems to be quite different from what I'm used to as a graduate teacher is something you are (or something you do) rather than something you've achieved.
Is there a more detailed explanation which would tie back to the UK or US educational system?<issue_comment>username_1: 'Diplom' is the standard academic degree in Germany (slowly being replaced by a bachelor/master system). In the German system, it is roughly equivalent to a master degree. It usually takes about 5 years to complete.
Teachers-to-be in Germany usually take a combination of two subjects. Their studies include courses on teaching/education as well.
Since schools are subject to special federal law, teachers usually end their studies with a state-controlled exam ("Staatsexamen").
Regarding the word "Diplomurkunde": The word simply denotes the piece of paper confirming that the person holds the respective degree. It is the one you want to see.
I'm not so sure about the other one, but from my own experience, I would guess that the "Diplomurkunde" simply has the applicants name, place of birth and a date one it, while the other document has a bit more information but basically grants the same degree.
Cf the article on Wikipedia: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplom>
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Pre-Bologna process, a German *Diplom* (which is no longer being awarded, and [see cbeleites's comment below] is mostly replaced now by a Master's degree) was generally the rough equivalent of a US Master's degree, attaining it is one of the requirements to start Doctorate studies.
Your applicant sent you two documents:
1. The *Diplomurkunde* is roughly the Master's diploma in the US. It is called a "certificate" (Urkunde) to distinguish it from the *Diplomzeugnisse* which also includes the transcript of grades. It is the one that one may consider framing and putting on the wall.
2. The *Diplomlehrer* tells you what subject the applicant received his "masters" in. In particular, he received it in *Lehrer*, which translates directly to Lecturer Teacher. Or, as we may say, it tells you that he received something like a Master's in education.
To clear up any doubts, though, you could just ask your applicant to ask the *Akademisches Auslandsamt* of the place where he received the degree to send a letter attesting to the equivalency of the degree. (That shouldn't be too hard, since now they should've converted to a Bachlor/Master system anyway.)
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: (answering the comment)
4 years separation would be enough to do the teaching program after the "normal" subject. And it would definitively not be the parts of one Diplom (Zeugnis + Urkunde), they have the same date.
And, by the way, till now I was always required to show/hand in both Urkunde and Zeugnis of my Diplom. As I understand it, the Urkunde certifies that I have the "title" of Diplom-chemist, the Zeugnis certifies the grades of the final exams, and possibly other legally relevant additional exams (the examn that allows me to handle chemicals according to the German laws).
I'm wondering a bit about the teaching Diplom - usually the teaching studies end with "Staatsexamen" (state exams, also includes one or two theses). But this can differ a lot depending on the state, and I don't know that much about the teaching studies. AFAIK, if you have a master/Diplom in some subject and then do the teaching studies for this subject, you can get the master/Diplom recognized as the first state exam. Otherwise, what you write sounds like 2 separate Diplome.
I guess it boils down to asking and getting the Diploma Supplements - AFAIK they explain what the Diplom is about.
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/09 | 1,222 | 5,235 | <issue_start>username_0: In order to encourage and motivate students to work harder and study more, it seems the teacher can use various competitions in class or after class. But on the other hand, competitions could cause jealousy and other destructive emotions among students and therefore affect the performance of some students adversely. Due to my doubts and my lack of experience, I haven't used competitions in my classes as a means of motivating students yet. But I would like to know if there is an experienced and useful method to do that. So my questions are:
**Have you ever used competitions in your classes? What are the pros and cons of students compete in the class for higher grades? Which points should I consider before encouraging students to compete with each other?**<issue_comment>username_1: One key thing to consider is whether you are encouraging your students to do better for themselves or if you are encouraging them to harm other students to look *relatively* better. Clearly, you must decide how to structure the class to achieve what you want.
I've seen many teachers take the stance: I will give 10% A's, 50% B's, 20% C's, 10% D's, and 10% F's. Their rationale is that this is the way the real world works: There are only a certain number of management positions and if they want it, they must work harder and step on others to get it. However, I've found this is not great for the classroom and it is not the way the real world works either. It is clearly possible to grow a company so that there are *more* management positions available (indeed, growth is the goal).
Personally, I have come to the point where each student should be judged on his/her own merits so I never run the kinds of competitions discussed above. That said, I have been known to offer prizes in class which are clearly limited. Prizes might include money (I don't generally offer a lot but students do seem excited about even small things, perhaps because they simply like something to represent them winning) but could easily be something else. What I offer comes out of my own pocket (though I don't tell the students this...and I'm not sure they would care either way).
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: A competition is almost by definition a zero-sum game, and thus has the destructive aspects described above. But if you want to reward overachievement you can provide extra credit work.
The trick here is to use the extra credit only to improve the grade. Practically what that means is that you assign grades based on your system, and then add in the extra credit and see if that moves people. In other words, allow the extra credit to change your position in the curve, but not the curve itself.
In this way, doing extra credit will benefit the overachievers, but not doing it won't hurt the others.
**Update**: I want to reiterate one point, because I think it's important. As you state in your question, the goal of the competition is to **motivate students to work harder and study more**. Students are motivated by many things, but the goal of the competition has to be "to work harder and study more". If the way to "win" the competition is by being better than others, then you're not achieving the goal you set out to achieve, and you're vitiating the class atmosphere. Artificially placing constraints on who can win doesn't make sense, because there's no reason that ALL students can't work harder and study more and *get a reward for doing so*, and in fact that's a great outcome.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: I often have competitions in class. I try to use them primarily for motivation, not assessment.
Let me give an example: I was teaching an image processing class and we had some images of x-rays of "old master" canvas paintings. The goal was to create an algorithm that could count the density of the thread weave patterns. The quality of the answers could be assessed by comparing the algorithmic answers to manual counts, and I had about 200 locations where I knew the answer. I gave them 100 to train the algorithms. After about two weeks, there were 25 different algorithms submitted (most people worked in pairs) and then I ran the submitted codes on the 100 "unknown" locations.
I called it the "2010 Thread Counting Olympics" and made a big deal about giving out "medals". I created several different ways of measuring the quality of the algorithms: closest in least squares error, number of answers within +/-1 mm per thread, number within +/-2 mm per thread, closest in absolute value of error, closest on the canvases by Van Gogh and closest on the canvases by Vermeer. Then there were bronze, silver, gold, and titanium medals in each category. As I presented the results to the class, I described the various approaches and pitfalls of each of the algorithms, and often asked for clarifications and comments by the authors of the algorithms. By the end of the competition, well over half of the students had won "prizes"... plus they had the recognition of their peers.
The amount of effort that the students put into this project and into the class were amazing, and I think the "competition" aspect was a prime motivating factor.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer] |
2013/04/09 | 776 | 2,756 | <issue_start>username_0: (Not sure if this is the right SX site, but math.sx seemed to have no questions concerning DOIs.)
Everything I cite in my thesis has a DOI or URL (I think that's important), but I'm citing an article that was the first to mention a kind of problem,
>
> <NAME>. Nonparametric estimation of smooth regression
> functions. In: Tekhnicheskaya Kibernetika 3 (1985)
>
>
>
which seems to be quite obscure, it's not even listed on [the author's website](http://www2.isye.gatech.edu/~nemirovs/). It's not in our library (or any catalog I searched), but just a handed-down copy of unknown origin.
The journal doesn't seem to exist any more (or it doesn't have a website), and [crossref.org](http://www.crossref.org/guestquery/) yields nothing. The article is translated, there are some inconsistencies with transliteration, i.e. the author's last name is sometimes written *Nemirovskiĭ*, the journal is sometimes written as *Techničeskaja*, the title might be completely different, etc.
Any pointers where I could find some canonical information?<issue_comment>username_1: Short answer: The full name is *<NAME> SSSR, Tekhnicheskaya Kibernetika*. As you inferred, it looks like it was terminated, doesn't have a web site, and all that was before the advent of Digital Object Identifiers. So, what are you asking for exactly?
---
Obviously, there is a longer answer to that question. As you said, it is unfortunate this content doesn't have a canonical URL, or even a Digital Object Identifier. The good news is that you can actually fix that problem!
1. Create and incorporate your own company: *Lost and Inaccessible Academic Content, Inc.* (actual title may vary). Depending on local legislation, this might not be so hard as it sounds.
2. Contact a [DOI Registration Agency](http://www.doi.org/doi_handbook/8_Registration_Agencies.html) to register a [DOI prefix](http://www.doi.org/doi_handbook/9_OperatingProcedures.html#9.1.1).
3. Register the [DOI name](http://www.doi.org/doi_handbook/9_OperatingProcedures.html#9.1.4) and associated metadata.
4. Write down that DOI name in your thesis bibliography.
5. Bathe in the joy of the world now being a (slightly) more organized (and thus better) place.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: As others have said, not every (old) article has a DOI or a URL. However, in mathematics every article since 1940 has an MR number which uniquely identifies it. So go to [mathscinet](http://www.ams.org/mathscinet/) and look up this article. I just did, it has MR number MR0844292. The bibliographical information on mathscinet (like the transliteration of the author's name) would also be considered the "canonical information".
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer] |
2013/04/09 | 2,258 | 9,385 | <issue_start>username_0: I am currently in my junior year of undergraduate work at Creighton University and have found out that my employer may possibly pay for me to work towards a Master's degree. I don't know all the specifics yet, but I have been browsing schools that offer Graduate programs in software engineering (or computer science with a focus in software engineering). It appears that the only school near me is the University of Nebraska-Omaha, so I have been checking out online programs as well, since I would have to stay in the Omaha area. It looks like USC has an excellent program in computer science, and I have also looked at Penn State and Drexel. So my questions are:
How difficult are these programs to get into?
Is it worth it to work towards a Master's Degree right after undergraduate?
What other programs should I be looking at?
I currently have a 4.0 GPA in my Computer Science Major, but I still have 4 classes left to take. I am also minoring in Business Administration and Interactive Web Development(basically Graphic Design classes).
Thanks ahead of time!<issue_comment>username_1: Kgvnova,
Congratulations on all of your success so far and your decision to consider furthering your education. I'm in a very similar position as you and I'm currently considering distance education for a Master's degree in Computer Science or Software Engineering. I'll do my best to answer your questions the best that I can.
1) The difficulty of getting into programs varies, but I would say it's probably easier to be admitted into an online program than the live/in-person program. I was accepted into all programs that I applied to. (I graduated with a science degree at the top of my class, have good test scores and work experience, so I'd say I'm a strong candidate for most programs.) Just be careful about some "diploma mills". Some schools are "for profit" and let everyone in. Just try to find an established school that has a distance education component and you should be in good shape.
2) Whether you go straight to a Master's degree or not depends on you and your life situation. You can consider your situation from a few angles.
**Job Opportunities/ Return on Investment**: I think that most computer related careers are available to people with a technically-oriented bachelor's degree so the return on your investment might be neglible since you already have a bachelor's. You mentioned that your employer may pay for it, so your investment might just be your time and energy.
**Timing and Other Life Events:** If you are willing and able to invest 20-40 hours per week for the next 2 years or so, then getting a Master's could be a good idea. If you're planning on having a family in the next few years, maybe it's a good time to get this done. If you're just starting a family or have other commitments, then maybe you should wait. Graduate schools aren't going anywhere.
**Certainty:** How certain are you that this is the career/industry for you? Do you have significant experience working in software engineering? I just ask because you may find that this is not what you actually want to do, especially if you've never done it before. I've changed my mind a lot in the past. Since I've graduated a few years ago, I've worked in sales, health services, teaching, insurance, and web development. I always thought I was going to enjoy those fields until I actually worked in them. Once I started doing web development and LOVING it, I decided it's worth pursuing an education to take me a step further.
3) There are a lot of programs to consider. I started by looking at US News to see a list of highly-regarded schools. I then visited their websites to see if they had distance programs in Computer Science. Another few schools that I've considered are:
* Brandeis University - Master's in Software Engineering
* University of Bridgeport (CT) - Master's in CS with Software Engineering Concentration (ranked in top 10 online CS programs nationally)
* Harvard Univerisity - they have an Extension School where you can get a Master's in Liberal Arts with a concentration in Software Engineering
You should also consider the finances and "pacing" of programs. Some programs are really expensive. Also, some degrees are accelerated and take 18 months, while some programs take 3-4 years to complete.
Sorry for the long response. I just wanted to give you the information I've been researching this for several months. I wish you the best of luck with everything.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: >
> How difficult are these programs to get into?
>
>
>
It is going to be different with every school. Some will require you to take the GRE or GMAT, while some will admit you as long as you had a halfway-decent GPA in your undergraduate program. Some won't admit you unless you have a few years of experience working in the field.
>
> Is it worth it to work towards a Master's Degree right after
> undergraduate?
>
>
>
Again, it depends. Is it going to advance your career? Perhaps. Having a Master's Degree as a software developer (assuming that is what you are aspiring to be) does open some doors that might otherwise be closed to you. Will you get a raise or better pay increases because of it? Probably not. And I don't know if I agree with going to graduate school immediately after finishing your bachelor's degree, but that is a decision you need to make for yourself.
For me, I needed 13 years before I was ready to go to school again...and it paid off. I found that I had an easier time with my classes, because I had already worked with most of the technologies that I studied in grad school. Not just because of familiarity either, but because I had worked with them enough that I already understood *why* they worked the way that they do.
>
> What other programs should I be looking at?
>
>
>
Not all computer science/software engineering/IT-based graduate programs are created equally. Many are geared more towards IT management, and go little into the technical side. If a technical deep-dive is what you want, you need to look really hard to find it.
Also, many programs will be either practicum or thesis-based (or give you an option to choose). A thesis-based master's program may sound daunting, but again, it opens doors for you. If you are considering an academic career path at some point, you will want a program that requires a thesis.
Another thing to consider, is to work at least a year before going back to school, just to get used to your workload. You will probably find that your employer will want 45-50 hours per week out of you (maybe more). Going home on a Friday night to work on a paper is a lot tougher to do after you've already been writing code for 10 hours.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: You may want to check out Virginia Tech Online. They have Master's degrees in Computer Engineering and Information Technology (in which you can specialize in Software Development) and it doesn't look like their admissions process is too hellish. I actually spoke with the Director of Admissions for their IT program and he's a really cool guy. Spent time going over the whole admissions process with me and answered all of my questions.
[Virginia Tech Online Master's Degrees](http://vto.vt.edu/programs.php?prog_type=9,12,11)
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_4: I'm completing an online Masters in Software Engineering from Penn State. I have 17 years professional experience and started the program when I had 15 years experience.
Having the benefit of past experiences I would recommend spending a few years (<5) doing hard core software development and moving up the technical ranks to Senior Engineer before pursuing a masters.
The main reason why is you'll have the practical real-world knowledge that will help anchor the theory they will thrust at you in the Master's program. If you decide to pursue your Master's right after your undergrade, be forwarned that much of what they teach you in academia is theory which means it won't make much sense to you until you start to use it. Even then, you'll have a conflict since the real-world != academia and it's the real-world that is the truth and academia is just a nice cozy padded room.
One con to waiting to take on your Master's is the double workload you'll be carrying. It was extremely difficult for me to handle both a full work load (50-60hours a week since no engineer worth their salt only works 40hours a week.) and be full time student. Another con is the fact that companies typically advertise educational benefits, but they can be very hard to obtain. It took me three companies before I finally landed at one that would pony up the cash. The other three companies said they would, but never did so after a few years I told them to suck it and moved on.
That being said, looking down the long road and if I had it all to do over again, I'd of pusued my Master's ~5 years after completing my undergrad. After 15 years (17 when I finished my Masters) of experience, much of what I learned earning my Masters was nothing new. I think you'll get the best mental and career boost if you follow the timeline I mentioned.
That all being said, I am happy I pursued my Masters and obtained it. The company paid for all of it (minus books) which was just south of $36k.
Upvotes: 0 |
2013/04/10 | 611 | 2,585 | <issue_start>username_0: I know that there are often summer courses through TAing, but those are much rarer. Many departments don't even offer summer courses.
In that case, are graduate students over summer always supported by RAships? And does an adviser *have* to have funding in order to support these students (in US)?
Do these standards also vary between professors at public schools and those at private schools? Especially schools that have guaranteed five-year funding?<issue_comment>username_1: In my experience in math in the US it is not expected that the school or the advisor provide summer funding. Many people do make money in the summer in a variety of ways, but it's much less formalized than during the year. Personally, I was funded by the NSF half the summers I was in grad school and worked at a summer math program for the other half.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: As Noah mentioned, I don't think there is a binding contract to provide funding.
A few points (US Specific)
* Within my school itself, there are variable policies across departments. Certain departments provide 9 month guarantees and if you want to hang around in summer, either convince your advisor to find money for you or find your own. Certain departments guarantee funding for all 12 months, if you take an internship or decide to take a break or whatever, you don't get paid.
* If you are an international student, AFAIK, You have two (realistic) options : Convince advisor, get an internship. Finding your own summer funding can be quite tough for international students in the US.
* Usually, (at least in my experience), if you are doing good work and your advisor doesn't want to lose momentum, he will get you funding. In my field, it's not hard to get internships even for international students but most advisors will try to get funding so as to not break flow of things. But again, this is experience, not fact.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: In an engineering discipline, it is not hard to be funded for most/all of grad school. I was a research assistant almost my entire time (at 2 different universities), minus one semester as a TA. Most of the time this was working for grants that my professors had already secured. While TAs may not have as much work in the summer, RAs can work whenever as long as the advisor has money. This works best if you have an advisor who is well-connected and has a large group with several grants from which he can shuffle money around. Newer professors may simply not have available funds for all of their students.
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/10 | 1,013 | 4,280 | <issue_start>username_0: Or is it usually not possible?
Does this also depend from department to department? I'm in a geoscience department, and I was recently advised that due to a limited number of positions, students can only expect to be TAs for 1/4 of their time here. Geoscience does tend to have significantly fewer courses than most other fields though, so I wonder if it varies from field to field?
Does it also vary depending on whether the school is public or private?<issue_comment>username_1: The ability of a department to fund TAs depends on the courses being taught, the number of students in a class, and the overall budget. Often, a department will use this number in combination with the amount of funding faculty are pulling in as well as other sources to decide how many students to admit and how much TA funding support to provide.
Independently, a department might make a determination of how long any one student might be guaranteed a TA position (this is often detailed on the admissions letter), with the expectation that students will look to be supported by research funding, or are expected to support themselves. Again, this depends from department to department and from university to university.
I don't think there's any area-wide standard. In computer science, I see all kinds of models, ranging from full support through the entire program to no funding at all (although this latter model is rare).
So to answer your question: maybe, it depends.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: This does vary from school to school and field to field, and it would be difficult to classify public or private schools as being in one camp or another. I have known people who never TA'd and I've known people who have TA'd for their whole graduate career. Here are some plusses and minuses (and certainly my own opinion):
Plusses to only TA'ing:
1. You spend more time teaching, although some TAs spend all their time grading, which can be tedious and not particularly beneficial to you.
2. If your advisor isn't paying you from his/her grants, you could have more leeway for a more self-directed PhD. Obviously, your advisor still has a large roll to play, but ultimately less control if you want to push the issue. This is generally more true if your funding comes from an external fellowship.
3. If you're in a field where grant money is limited, this is a good way to get funding for your degree.
Minuses:
1. TA'ing takes up time that could be spent on your own research. The point of Research Assistant fellowships is explicitly for you to do research.
2. As a corollary to #2 above, your advisor might not feel as much ownership of you, and you might find that he/she isn't as willing to spend the time to help you with your research.
3. Other students might wonder why you can't find research funding.
I know students who love being TAs, and they actively try to find new TA positions because of that and not because of the money.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: >
> Is it possible for a student to TA their entire way through graduate school?
>
>
>
**Yes, it is possible**.
I did it. I'm betting most academics can list someone they know who did it for whatever the reason might be. I did it partly because I enjoyed it and partly because the grant money was tight. I was able to do it because there were not enough first year graduate students to fill every open TA position. I suspect that the situations the lead to someone teaching their way through grad school have some features in common with my situation.
You don't say so, but the tone of your question implies that you might want to do this. If so, ask the appropriate person who controls such things - the chair, assistant chair, undergraduate coordinator, or even the professor of the class you want to TA for. If you are good at it they might let you **with your thesis adviser's support.**
The extra teaching experience will be beneficial if you intend a career at a 4-year liberal arts school.
However, if there are a limited number of TA positions, those will go to the first year graduate students because those students 1) are not likely to be supported by grants or fellowships, and 2) probably have a TA requirement to complete the program.
Upvotes: 3 |
2013/04/10 | 762 | 3,166 | <issue_start>username_0: Given a (rather large) list of authors, what is the best way to find the number of publications by each author? The big problem here is author ambiguity (which <NAME>, etc.) - the author list we have doesn't even include middle initials! What we do have is the full name of a FDA Committee on which they have sat, which has some useful key terms (e.g., arthritis).
Ideally, some sort of API/automated search could be used given the large number of authors! I've heard about some databases (eRA Commons, for example) but these don't seem to have a visible search page.
What is the best way to figure out publication number given these constraints?<issue_comment>username_1: This is a little bit shaky, but let's give it a try. Apart from a programmatic solution where you would have to write your own [web-scraping](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_scraping) scripts which would construct appropriate URLs for each authors and extract their publication statistics, there might be another, though still quite tedious and technically involved approach.
[Harzing's Publish or Perish](http://www.harzing.com/pop.htm) program (PoP) has a feature called "Multi-query center". It allows you to create a set of queries and then generate publication/citation statistics for each of them in bulk. It is meant to periodically re-generate the citation statistics for a set of queries so that you do not have to laboriously write the queries again and again. Now the technical steps towards your solutions would be the following:
1. produce a set of queries corresponding to the list of authors you are interested in;
2. update all these queries at once by a single button click;
3. save the statistics for all the queries e.g., into a CSV file; and
4. extract the numbers you are interested in in your favorite spreadsheet program.
The most technically involved step is to produce a set of queries corresponding to the list of authors you have. If the list is not too long (e.g., up to 50), the easiest method would be to enter the queries manually. In the case you have a very long list of authors (several hundreds), then I would try to generate the set of queries programatically. The PoP program stores the queries you enter in it in a file `Queries3.xml` in the corresponding `Program Files` folder. The queries are organised into folders, the XML is easy to read. Producing a correct XML file with the queries is a little bit try-error process, but you can easily succeed when you create an empty query with an authors and then using a small script (or you favourite text editor/spreadsheet) copy the query entry and only change the Author attribute of the `PoPQuery` element.
*Good Luck!*
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: My answer is a supplement to walkmanyl's answer.
Can I suggest you to go through [this](https://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=1998076.1998122) paper? It is a very nice paper which gives you an algorithm to disambiguate author names and can be used in conjunction with the method described above.
Anecdotally, I know that it has been used in a number of scientometric/bibliometric studies already.
Upvotes: 1 |
2013/04/10 | 593 | 2,407 | <issue_start>username_0: This is related to [this question](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/7316/is-it-advisable-to-mention-the-dollar-amount-for-grants-on-a-cv), but I don't believe a duplicate since the dollar amount there was impressive, whereas mine are not.
I have been awarded several intra-University small grants ($2-4k each), about one a year, during my Ph.D. These were funds to cover research expenses, rather than to cover my stipend, and I believe I've used them productively.
Should I list the dollar amounts of these on my C.V.? On the one hand, listing them shows they're not just honorary amounts. On the other, the amounts are not enormous either, and there are all the usual disadvantages of listing (setting the wrong tone, etc.). Plus it just makes me a little uneasy.
Background here is: headed into a soft money position eventually, and my stipend is fully covered without conditions, so I've had no need to apply for any of the big extramural grants.<issue_comment>username_1: I would say yes. I have done so from when I received my first grant/stipend. I ceased listing once I received a permanent position (or thereabouts) and started getting multiyer grants from national sources.
As long as you think adding it shows that you are active and competitive (well merited) in terms of receiving the trust to receive money it will be a good thing. You need to constantly evaluate the possible pros and cons of adding informaton to your cv, including funding. I would imagine that being in a soft money situation, listing funding will only be a positive. But, be aware that gaps in your funding stream may become question marks unless they are explicitly explained.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I'd say it depends on who the CV is going to. In most cases, I would think that listing dollar amounts leaves the wrong impression: first, that your primary thought is of money, and second that you're not very good at it. It is probably more impressive sounding, in general, if you list the award, the donor, the purpose. For example, the "<NAME> award for student creativity" is more impressive sounding than "$1K departmental stipend." Let the reader imagine that you might have received some large amount of money, and if they ask, say that it was a modest amount, enough to enable you to accomplish your research goals.
Upvotes: 1 |
2013/04/10 | 416 | 1,686 | <issue_start>username_0: Why do we use F for failing on an otherwise arbitrary alphabetic grading scale? Isn't E just as meaningful for failing as A is for excellent?
I'm more interested in a response on the history of how the current scale came to be.
(Edit: prompted from the comments below, I am asking about this situation within the context of the American grading system.)<issue_comment>username_1: I think, and this is really only conjecture since I don't know the history, is the potential conflict with the ESNU system where E stands for excellent. The ESNU was (and potentially still is) used in US based elementary education.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Since it seems we have trouble finding a true history of the A-F my guess would be the following. Many scales rely oon an odd number scale because then something can be in the middle. It is also then possible to think of C as the center of a normal distribution, if that is how grades should be distributed. We used to have a grading system from 1-5 with no intermdiate steps in schools in Sweden where 3 was considered an ok grade and 1 and 2 were poor. There was also a fail whioch was a dash instead of a number.
By accident or by construction, F became Fail. It is possible that a five grade scale was chosen to make F Fail but my guess is that it was more a fotunate coincidence rather than deliberate choice.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: My US high school had a grading scheme where A-D were all passing grades, and E and F were both failing grades (E is between 50 and 60, F is less than 50). I believe the difference was that an E class could be retaken, whereas an F could not.
Upvotes: 3 |
2013/04/10 | 864 | 3,649 | <issue_start>username_0: I found a major flaw in reasoning in a psychological experiment, but I am not even related to psychology, I just attended to that course at my university in my spare time. The flaw I found is strictly logical, and also quite tricky, so I think it is feasible that no one noticed it yet.
This mistake (if it turns out to be an actual flaw) has huge consequences since a few studies validated the results (by repeatedly committing this mistake) and many psychological sub-fields referenced the study.
I want someone to validate my concerns about that study, and then if possible I want to discover the consequences of that error, and make humble suggestion on how to deal with the situation. If my notice would be published anywhere, I want to make sure my name will be seen in that article. (It would be awesome)
What would be the way to go in my situation if such things can be published at all?
**Little Edit:**
The error is highly controversial but my point of view should be true. It is similar to the [Monty Hall problem](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Hall_problem).<issue_comment>username_1: In order for this to happen, you need two things:
1. You need to communicate with specialists and convince them that you have identified a logical flaw. You might worry that they will take your idea without giving you credit, but you shouldn't worry too much about that: the more worrisome scenario is that neither of you will be able to convince the other and it will end with a stalemate. Without expert advice, it's unlikely that you can present your idea in a way that would be publishable, so talking with experts should be the first step. (Of course unlikely is different from impossible, but it's best to plan on getting advice.)
2. Once they understand you, the experts need to care. Many experiments have loopholes and caveats that are well known to experts but not described in popular accounts or even introductory college courses. You may end up hearing "Yes, that's logically possible, but it's not a possibility we think is important." Or "Yes, Jones and Smith pointed that out in a paper last year, but I still think the conclusions are true and the experiment is illuminating." Using an argument that is not 100% logically air-tight is not in itself a problem outside of pure mathematics.
I'd suggest starting by talking with someone from the course you took (the professor or a teaching assistant). If all goes well, either you'll convince them that this is new and serious, or they'll convince you that it isn't.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: I think there is no way for you to publish this without understanding the psychology:
* You won't know the significance of your work.
* You will receive rebuttals that require you to have domain-specific knowledge. (It might even be that your argument does not hold due to some domain-specific reason.)
You can discuss it with experts, but *you* need to know what it is *you* are actually claiming.
As a personal example, I spent the last 2+ years, along with my co-author, writing a paper where we discredit the typical statistical analysis used in network motifs. Writing this paper changed me as a person.
I feel there would have been no way to write this paper without understanding the biological side (my research was in pure mathematics and computer science). Time and time again, I would be asked questions that required knowledge from biology, and *I don't know* or *I don't understand the question* are not appropriate responses.
Nowadays, I would say biology (or, at least, computational biology) *is* a field I study.
Upvotes: 4 |
2013/04/11 | 1,397 | 6,062 | <issue_start>username_0: In any tutorial class some students seem to get frustrated with little tougher questions. While tackling them is important to learn the subject. How to motivate the students to attempt tougher questions without getting discouraged ?<issue_comment>username_1: **Hints** and **extra credits**.
You mention *some students seem to get frustrated with little tougher questions*. They are students. They don't have enough knowledge/skill/experience to crack tough problems. Hints will get them the starting/entry points.
If a student spend hours or days to solve tough problems and get nothing afterwards, he would lose interests quickly. If he knows he would get some extra credits after solving those problems, he would be more inclined to finish them.
Once they get used to those happy (accomplished) feelings after solving tough problems, some will automatically jump to those tough problems without your hints/extra credits. They become **self motivated**.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Tough questions look scary and student get hopeless when they don't even know how to start thinking about the solution. That's why they get frustrated. My suggestion to prepare students for tough questions is as follows:
1. Teach them various ways of approaching questions.
2. Teach them to review (or rewrite) the data and assumptions of the question to understand what has been given and what has been asked to show (prove, compute, etc).
3. Solving tough questions usually require a combination of different techniques, formulas and applying them in several steps. Make sure you give a hint about these techniques and steps or teach them to guess these steps. It is also useful if you teach them to break down long and complicated questions to several smaller and easier questions (of course if it is possible).
4. Solve some examples of tough questions and explain them how you start thinking about the solution and how you proceed.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: I just would like to amend Vahid's answer, which I think goes in right direction.
Part of the problem is not that students wouldn't have the required skills, often they do not see a way forward. This is more about being "brave" enough to wage the war on the problem. To help with that, I think the following is essential:
1. guide them through examples of the problem to show them that the problems of that kind are indeed approachable and solvable,
2. more importantly, help them help themselves. Consider a discussion in which the class, or groups, or individuals would solve the problem themselves, but the teacher guides them through it. I.e., when they get stuck, asks the right questions, answers to which will put them back on track, or point out a mistake in their reasoning to fix a mistake they made.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: This is a tough question and one that teachers have struggled with throughout the history of pedagogy. Sometimes, students need to find within themselves the curiosity and drive to plow forward despite the frustration. So, don't be discouraged when you see frustrated students, as every teacher has to deal with this. Philosophy aside, here are some tips I've found helpful over the years:
1. **Scaffolding is immensely important.** Build up to the harder problems, and give students the time they need to process how typical problems are solved. E.g., If you're studying friction, have the students do plenty of problems that involve friction on a flat surface, then move to friction on a ramp, then work on friction on a vertical wall (by a sideways force), then move to centripetal friction that keeps a turning car from sliding off a road, then move to cars on banked hills.
2. **Don't try to cover too much material in one sitting.** Students can only process so much at once, and many really do need time to process.
3. **Positive feedback goes a long way.** When a student makes progression on a problem, acknowledge it.
4. **Be available for help, but not *always* available.** Some students like the easy way out, which is to ask you how to do the problem! Don't be afraid to turn a student away until they've given it a decent try. That said, judicious pointers in the right direction can help.
5. **Encourage them to work in groups.** This does run into the "easy way out" for some students, but more often it can lead to good ideas being generated, and students can learn from the collaboration.
6. **Give them lots and lots of examples.** The more they see problem-solving techniques, the better they will become.
Unfortunately, given the time constraints of college teaching, it isn't always possible to use all of these strategies--I found that it was easier to find the time when I taught high school. That said, students in college should be willing to work harder on their own, anyway (but we all know that isn't always the case!).
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_5: In the beginning of class I announce the handling of exercises. Where I am we pose weekly homework exercises and collect and grade them. The student have to collect enough points on the exercises to be allowed to take the oral exam (or, obtain a "attended" certificate. However, the threshold for "enough points" is set be each instructor. I usually set 50%. However, I communicate that there will always be tough questions and easier questions and that I do not suppose that any student has to solve all questions. If they want to work for 50% and make it, that is enough. If they want to be ambitious, they can go for 100%. I also communicate that there will be tough (and very tough) questions because **I want that also very bright student can learn something**. This often serves as a motivation to work on tougher questions. Of course, there are a lot of students who are comfortable with less. However, I set the 50% hurdle and have to make sure that everybody who passes it "has learned enough". On the upper end, the very tough questions ensure that the very good ones also learn something interesting.
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/11 | 673 | 3,128 | <issue_start>username_0: A couple of simple questions:
1. Books are not peer reviewed in general. Are book reviews that appear in academic journals peer-reviewed? Since they represent personal opinions, I would think they cannot be peer reviewed.
2. What about news articles? For example, journal Nature has various short news focus and research highlights that discuss other peer-reviewed research articles in a broader perspective. Are those peer-reviewed? Due to time pressure, I would think it would be difficult to peer review these in time.<issue_comment>username_1: Book reviews, opinion pieces, and news articles are generally not peer reviewed. That's not to say there's no review at all: editors read and approve these contributions, and they may request changes before publication if they feel it is necessary. It's even possible that an editor would ask for an opinion from a third party. However, peer review (by an external expert) is not a standard practice for these sorts of articles.
>
> Books are not peer reviewed in general.
>
>
>
Books can be an intermediate case. Acquisitions editors often solicit external reviews of book proposals or manuscripts, to decide which ones to accept and how they should be revised. However, you are right that the level of review is generally not as comprehensive or detailed as it is for journal articles.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: It depends entirely on what you mean by peer review. Using [Australia's Higher Education Research Data Collection (HERDC) criteria](http://www.innovation.gov.au/Research/ResearchBlockGrants/Documents/2012HERDCSpecifications.pdf) for the collection of publication information, peer review amounts to substantial review by appropriate experts. Books are either reviewed by proxy by commercial publication in this research data collection scheme, reliant on the habit of scholarly monographs being sent out for readers and scholarly collections being edited by the book's editors, or they have to be explicitly peer reviewed if published in an electronic only format. The quality of review of monographs varies considerably from field to field and from publishing house to publishing house. It matters quite a great deal for my discipline as my discipline is monograph driven.
Book reviews are sometimes peer reviewed. Book reviews of more than one work which advance original scholarly arguments are regularly peer reviewed in my domain ([HASS: Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences](http://www.chass.org.au/); the converse of STEM). These reviews contribute either a critical reflection on current practice, or they contribute a substantive account of the field (literature review / review article / field review). HERDC recognises this to the extent that reviews of more than one work which otherwise meet the criteria of a journal article (contribution to scholarly knowledge, peer review) are accepted as full journal articles.
Some news articles in journals formally meet the standard for peer review of HERDC, but fail other criteria, such as an original contribution to scholarly knowledge.
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/11 | 635 | 2,740 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm currently in the process of applying to business schools and I notice that nearly all of them have general MBA degrees and MBA degrees with different areas of concentration or specialization. I currently work in the IT industry doing some project management and customer support, though I'm on the fence about whether the IT industry is where I'd like to stay.
I'm going back and forth between the general MBA and something like an MBA in IT Management, but I'm having trouble deciding. What are some things I can consider during this process so that I can make a good decision and not get a degree that's either too general to be useful or too specific to give me options?<issue_comment>username_1: Because you already have real world experience in IT but are unsure it is where you want to stay, a general MBA should be fine.
If you want to stay in IT, what most companies care about is actual experience - and it seems you have that. Having an MBA and experience in IT is a great combination and having experience in IT is far more useful than having a specialist MBA in IT.
Another issue is that IT management is usually not a challenging place to get to if you are interested. I've worked with quite a few people in IT and it was the rare one who wanted to be in management. Most wanted to keep their hands in the technology. For this reason, IT management is different from many other fields in business.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: You are saying that you have working experience in project management and customer support in the IT sector, in that case you can choose MBA specialization, that means MBA in IT. This specialization will give more fruit.
But for non working person I want to suggest to all go for general MBA
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: I think a general MBA is much better.
The course load is about the same; to qualify for a specialist MBA you often only need a few specialized classes.
The MBA general or specific is still a very broad based super-generalist degree. Uninformed employers may believe that a specialized MBA makes you a specialist and not someone for the management track.
A general MBA will allow you to progress through many changes of industry and jobs. Yesterday a banker, today a quality control supervisor, tomorrow a head of strategic management, that is an MBA. Specializing is for undergrad and msc.
When I did my BBA in finance, my main professor allowed me to sit in his finance MBA classes, they knew less than undergrads. It is quite understandable a BBA needs nearly 2 years of finance courses, an MBA like 3-4 courses. So when I did my MBA I chose General but elected to do a thesis in finance.
Upvotes: 0 |
2013/04/11 | 1,534 | 6,521 | <issue_start>username_0: The above question is self explanatory, still I would like to break it into two parts.
**Q1.** What is the difference between abstract and summary/conclusion?
**Q2.** What is the difference between summary and conclusion ?
Thanks<issue_comment>username_1: **A1**: In the context of a journal article, thesis etc., the abstract should provide a brief summary of each of the main parts of the article: Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion. In the words of Houghton (1975), "An abstract can be defined as a summary of the information in a document". The Conclusions (in some cases also called a *Summary*) chapter is a summary of the main ideas that come out from the discussion (e.g., Katz, 2009) and hence only a subset of the abstract. Usually, the Conclusions sum up the discussion whereas the abstract only reiterates the most important of the conclusions.
**A2**: The difference between a summary and the conclusions is less clear. First, it is not clear if the summary is to be compared with the Abstract or the Conclusions. A summary may also be more appropriate as Conclusions when writing an overview where the conclusions may not be easy to identify. As stated above some journals use the word *Summary* instead of *Conclusions*. Sometimes this can also be labelled *Synthesis* and cap off a lengthy discussion.
References:
<NAME>., 1975. Scientific periodicals: their historical development, characteristics and control. Hamden CT, Shoe String Press.
<NAME>., 2009. From research to manuscript. A guide to scientific writing. Second edition. Berlin, Springer.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: A conclusion section might for example include speculations about some patterns in the data, or proposals for future research. It basically is really the only place to put your opinions. A summary I expect would not include any opinions and just re-iterate the findings and weaknesses in the study.
As the other answer mentioned, the abstract should include all the main aspects of the paper in an abbreviated form - the topic, the hypotheses, the participants and study design, and the results.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: The **abstract** is written for the potentially interested reader. While writing it, keep in mind that most readers read the abstract before they read the paper (sounds obvious, but many abstracts read like the authors did not consider this). The abstract should give an impression of what the paper will be about. Do not use jargon or *any* abbreviations here. It should be understandable for non-specialists and even for people from fields somehow far away.
The **conclusion** should conclude the paper and is written for the reader who already has read the paper. In other words: most readers have read the paper when they read the conclusion. Again, this sounds obvious but, again, a lot of conclusions do not read like this. It does not make sense to write a conclusion like "we have shown this and that by using this and that method". Well, this is what the reader has just read (and what he may know since he has read the abstract). A proper conclusion should tell the reader what she can or he could do with the newly acquired knowledge. Answer the question "So what?".
A **summary** sums up the paper. I am not sure if a paper needs a summary.
I've written some tips for abstracts some time ago:
* **Avoid jargon.** Although this sounds obvious, most abstracts contain jargon in one way or the other. Of course one can not avoid the use of specific terminology and technical terms but even then there is an easy check if a technical term is appropriate: Try to find a definition on the internet (if the term has a fairly stable wikipedia page, there it is not jargon) – if you do not succeed within a few minutes you should find a different word.
* **Use buzzwords.** This may sound to contradict the previous point and in part it does. But note that you can use a buzzword together with its explanation. Again, the example from the previous point works: “Funk metric” may be a buzzword and the explanation using the name “Finsler” is supposed to ring a bell (as I learned, it is related to Hilbert’s 23rd problem). This helps the readers to find related work and to remember what was the field you were working in.
* **General to specific.** In general, it’s good advice to work from general to specific. Start with a sentence which points in the direction of the field you are working in. So your potential audience will know from the beginning in which field your work is situated.
* **Answer questions.** If you think that your work answers questions, why not pose the questions in the abstract? This may motivate the readers to think by themselves and draw their interest to the topic.
* **Don’t be afraid of layman’s terms.** Although layman’s terms usually do not give exact description and sometimes even are ridiculously oversimplified, they still help to form a mental picture.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_4: **Abstract:**
Author short story about what is in it (no matter good or bad, valuable or scrap)
**Conclusion:**
Authors statement about the findings justified by the detailed content (findings/achievement/affirmation of a doubtful fact/negation of an established belief...etc) for a reader who has a guided-travel across by the author.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: One basic difference: An abstract is always at the beginning of a academic paper. A conclusion is always at the end. A summary could be anywhere, even separate from the paper itself, so it's a bit more slippery.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_6: * The abstract is like a movie trailer.
* The summary is an arrangement of actions/events of movie in a short way.
* The conclusion is the objective of the movie in light of the evidence and arguments given in the movie.
The conclusion of one person can vary from that of another.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_7: abstract = what is to be done by researcher in the given paper.
summary = what is accomplished in the paper under consideration.
conclusion = what are the limitations of study, what needs to be done by upcoming researchers.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_8: Summary: Its a brief note that gives us an overview, ideas and insight about major topics in a paper.
Abstract: Its a short note that express the contents of the work.
Conclusion: Its a statement/decision reached by the researcher based on findings in the research.
Upvotes: 0 |
2013/04/11 | 1,400 | 6,066 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm currently a senior who wants to get a PhD in physics. However, I may only have the chance to go to a school which has a strong professor in a certain area, but the school itself is not highly ranked.
My other option is, one of the professors I'm working with at my current institution is favorably disposed towards me, and could support me for another year while I do more research. If I did this, I will push out publications (including at least one first author) before I apply.
Another professor I know has told me that he thinks I should not waste my time, and get started on the PhD, especially since I might be able to hit the ground running there. However, I am aware that getting a degree from a non-top 10 school will hurt my prospects for future positions. I'm also keeping in mind that I could also head to this school next year as well if everything goes sour again.
What do the members of the community think? I would really appreciate more viewpoints on this matter. Thanks for your time!
Edit: I understand that questions asked here should be of a general nature, and not just apply to an individual's unique situation. However, I don't think this situation is all too uncommon, and this question may be useful to those who are looking for information in the future.<issue_comment>username_1: Doing outstanding research is what ultimately matters, not the rank of the university. High quality research is not exclusive to top tier universities alone. If you find an advisor with whom you can publish top quality research in your topic of interest, then go for it. The rank of the university is less important than your advisor's ability to help you carry out and publish good quality research.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I was in almost the exact same situation you describe. My scenario was choosing between a top 20 (but not top 10 school) vs. delaying a year and doing research and then re-applying. Like you, I would've been able to raise my pGRE score and put out a couple of first-author publications.
I decided instead to just go to the PhD program at the slightly lower ranked institution (but this school had two world-famous professors working in an area that I was interested in). Why? Well, it's because people only care about your advisor, not the quality of the school (usually; there are always exceptions). Generally, the statement
>
> However, I am aware that getting a degree from a non-top 10 school will hurt my prospects for future positions.
>
>
>
is false. There are of course exceptions, but I've received much more recognition at conferences for being Prof. X's student rather than being a student at Y institution. In the end, I realized it was more important that I learn from a good and well respected advisor than worrying about attending a top 10 school. I'm just a grad student finishing up his final year (received some very nice postdoc offers), but just my 2 cents.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: I don't entirely disagree with the two previous answers: taking the offer you have now may be a fine choice. However, I'd give serious consideration to strengthening your application and trying again.
One of the biggest differences between departments is the strength of the peer group. You will ultimately spend **much** more time talking and working with your fellow students than with faculty, and being part of an amazing cohort is incredibly beneficial. You'll spend countless hours in detailed discussions, going into far more depth than any faculty member is likely to have time for, and you'll organize student seminars and study groups. Depending on your field, you may write papers with your fellow students with no faculty involvement. In the end, you'll learn far more from them than from courses or meetings with faculty, and these relationships will last for the rest of your career.
If you don't have this opportunity, you can certainly still become an excellent researcher, but you are less likely to reach your full potential, and even if you do it will be harder. To maximize the benefit, you need to be surrounded by lots of wonderful students, many of whom are just as talented, hard working, and ambitious as you are, and some of whom are destined for even greater things.
As a rule of thumb, as you move down the prestige scale the average level of the students drops off much faster than the level of the faculty, because there are many more students than faculty. There can be exceptions, such as a department that attracts much stronger students in one subfield than overall, but you shouldn't count on it without concrete evidence.
Here are a few ways you can gauge the students in a department:
1. When you visit, do you have really interesting discussions with current students, which leave you feeling excited about further interactions? (Don't take this too seriously, since if you're shy it may be difficult to connect quickly, but it's worth thinking about.)
2. Does the department regularly produce graduates whose careers you would be happy with? (Take this one very seriously. If you are aiming for a job at a major research university but few people from your Ph.D. program get such jobs, then either your goals are unrealistic or you'll really stand out compared with your peers.)
If the answer to both questions is yes, then that's a good sign, but otherwise you should be cautious.
Returning to the original question, this might help you judge the offer you have already. For the option of spending another year where you are, I'd ask three questions:
1. How likely are you to get better offers next year? Of course there's no way to be sure, but perhaps a mentor could help you make an informed guess.
2. Will you enjoy the next year? It's not worth doing if you're going to be stressed out and miserable. Besides, unhappy people rarely do their best work.
3. Will you look back on it as a valuable intellectual experience, regardless of its effects on your grad school applications?
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer] |
2013/04/12 | 881 | 3,893 | <issue_start>username_0: I am told that one of the best ways in which to disseminate information/knowledge/findings from doctoral research is to put your dissertation on-line. By default, many universities make the dissertations of their students available on their websites.
I am wondering what are the merits of putting your dissertation on Facebook. I am unsure whether this is possible or there is just an ability to create a link on Facebook that goes to the university's website.
The above is particularly appealing for anyone who does not want to create their own websites.<issue_comment>username_1: Why Facebook, in particular? I know you didn't want to do it, but I do suggest setting up a minimal website with your pertinent information (CV, Bio), and then hosting the dissertation there, with a link. I would be very surprised if you can't get a free website through your university, and setting up a small site is relatively painless. If you're going to link anything on other sites (e.g., Facebook), I would link your homepage. I do not think you will get extra traction by simply hosting your dissertation on a particular website, social or otherwise.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: The suggestion made regarding setting up web sites as a tool to reach out with your research by others is very good so I just want to expand a little on the social media side.
If you want to use social media as a vehicle fryour career I would suggest you join something intended for professionals (in the sense of work oriented) such as [LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/). There you will be able to get in contact with people who may be interested in your field and your publications (incl. thesis) more efficiently than with Facebook. Since it is geared towards the work part of your life, it is also taken more seriously than facebook. You would however still need some repository for pdfs etc. but that can be done using for example dropBox or some other free storage service. Using these kind sof services means that nothing can be considered permanent but on the other hand contenst should be updated and refreshed.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: I would support a suggestion regarding setting up a small website AKA your academic homepage, you can also do it via your university or various free hosting services (googlesites, etc).
And once your dissertation is online, and you have a link to PDF (either on your homepage or in your institutional repository) do use ANY social media to spread the word. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, ResearchGate - they will help you to reach various people (and I do agree that Facebook is probably the least professional out of those).
If your dissertation is superb, you can consider publishing it with a reputable publisher (people and especially evaluation committees do see value in such publications w.r.t. just putting sth online)
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: I think the best option is to set up your personal page and have your file hosted there. It is better to have your own independent site (independent from your university) in case you are to move to another university (post-doc, faculty position, etc) and cannot host your file there anymore. Once you have the dissertation hosted somewhere, you can share it through social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn.
If that is not a possibility for you, another option would be to share it online in an open access database like Figshare (<http://figshare.com/>). Note that you should double check guidelines from your university to ensure it is okay, and consider if you plan to publish your dissertation in a journal in the future (some journals do not like it if the pre-prints are available elsewhere publicly).
Here is an online post about why one decides to have dissertations hosted there.
<http://sites.tdl.org/fuse/?p=347>
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer] |
2013/04/12 | 872 | 3,599 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm doing a PhD related to my supervisor's research area. Sometimes, I think about problems that I do not immediately know the answer to. Naturally, I come to Stack Exchange and other forums and ask :) But on some occasions, the question is rather specific so I email my supervisor instead.
How often do you generally email a supervisor about research questions? I know he has other PhD students plus his own research to do. I have a weekly 45 min meeting with him, so I try to save questions for that and give a report to him about what I did in the previous week. On very rare occasions, he comes down to the lab and we talk in person. I usually email him when there is some administrative stuff we need to talk about, but I'm asking about research questions here or about giving updates about the progress of my research.<issue_comment>username_1: When you email him, at your current rate, how often do you get responses? Has he indicated that it bothers him? (either directly or by showing signs that it annoys him) If not, why are you worried about it?
I'll add that the right question to ask is probably not *“**how often** can I email him?”*, but rather *“am I emailing him with the **right questions**?”*. What will definitely annoy your advisor, and pretty much any other person, is if you ask them series of questions to which you could have found the answer yourself, or questions whom they are not the right person to ask.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: You mention a weekly meeting with him. At the very least this means that when you have a research question you will have to wait 6 days before having an answer. My 2 cents is that you can wait, you cannot ask for help with only a few days of work on a research question.
If what you call a research question is not really a research question (for instance how to make a specific experiment), you may consider asking to other students and postdocs.
edit : and as for the updates, if your supervisor decided on a weekly meeting, don't send him email about updates, except if you have a revolutionary breakthrough.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: The simple answer is:
Not more than he wants.
-----------------------
You must be very sensitive to when you annoy him, and **don't annoy him**.
Even if he wants his interactions with and about you not to be flavored by his (occasional) annoyance, which is rare, he's still human, and they will be.
Any other answer will be defective, not knowing how much will annoy him. Many don't mind, or even enjoy, responding to one email per day, and some will find that obnoxious. You might even try asking him something like "if I have questions between our meetings, and want to email you, is that OK?" You can probably judge from his response a good starting point.
Also, realize that **NOT ALL EMAILS ARE THE SAME**.
A 2-sentence email that is clear, concise, to the point, and asks a single question with a definite answer that he already knows and can give you a 2-word answer "counts" much less than a long, rambling mini-essay that asks him to analyze, or worse, research something and give a multi-part reply.
Personally, I try to make sure each email asks a single question, and can be read and answered in 2 minutes or less (preferably 30 seconds). I also find I get a lot more (and more useful) answers to such emails than when I let them get longer. Also, I find that as long as I keep to that format, even 2 or 3 emails in a day is not too many for most people. OTOH, even one rambling email per week is too many for most.
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/12 | 951 | 4,028 | <issue_start>username_0: What is the usual expectation of a student by an alma mater? Usually students quit after becoming a part of the alumni association. The contacts are by and large severed a few months after leaving a school.
What are some ways in which one can give something back to alma mater? Is monetary support the best way? One can also be a point of contact to current students. Are there other ways of giving back to our teachers and institutions?<issue_comment>username_1: Why are you concerned about *expectations*? After you get your parchment, your school no longer has anything to give to you.
What you give is purely *from your own generosity* -- because *you* feel by giving back to the school, others will benefit. You give because you feel it is the right thing to do. You give because you want the school to purchase that lab upgrade. You give because you want to fund this research because you think it's important.
"Expectations" from an alma mater are not only irrelevant, but it is wrong to think that you *owe* them something. You paid tuition, they gave you your parchment. That deal is orthogonal to "donations" and post-grad support of alma mater.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: Aside from the more obvious choice of making donations of money (for which there is practically no upper bound, and the entire expenditure may not be as transparent as you'd like it to be), there can be an equally valuable way of helping your alma mater: **Your time**.
It may be as simple as giving a graduation speech (for the more famous/successful alums who have good oratory skills), or as sustained as acting as mentors for a group of freshmen who'd share your career interests. With regard to the latter, you can make a visible, personal impact in multiple careers, which might be more satisfying and help create a stronger alumni network in the long run.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: The customs about alumni associations **depend very strongly on the country**: alumni donations in US institutions (for example) contributes in part to their funding, while in France it ranges from nonexistant (for small institutions) to negligible.
However, one role of alumni associations which has not been detailed in the other answers is the role it can play in **network building**. By participating in the alumni association, you may get good networking opportunities, and also help the younger/less connected members of the association. I'll also point out that **participation does not need to take the form of checks or wire transfer**: you can play an active role in other important ways, such as organizing and hosting events, helping maintain a newsletter or website, act as a representative in your field/industry/community, etc.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: Some ways in which our Alumni association "gives back".
* Donating money to create and sustain a fund for kids who join our school but don't have the finances to pay the fees easily.
* Many alumni paid to get our school a new school bus.
* We set up a fund to give the teachers health insurance (which the school earlier didn't provide)
* Long service awards to teachers.
* Rolling trophies for exceptional students.
* Creating an association to mentor students when they have queries about the future career path they could choose.
* Spreading word via social networking websites and helping out if any teacher/student needs urgent help of any kind.
Other activities:
\* Road-races, basketball tournaments and other sports to remain in touch with each other and with the existing school students.
\* Organizing for reunions both in our country and abroad, for alumni who ended up abroad.
Update: In general, there are no expectations. But if you do want to help the school for having given you knowledge, then it's necessary to stay in touch to know what problems they face and how you and the alumni can help solve it. If staying in touch is difficult, a regular monetary donation always helps.
Upvotes: 0 |
2013/04/12 | 1,138 | 5,057 | <issue_start>username_0: While technical papers are generally considered to be "non-archival" and journal papers "archival", I couldn't find a clear statement about papers that appear in conference proceedings. Does it matter in which for the proceedings are published, e.g. only online, on CD/USB drive, or printed with/without ISBN?<issue_comment>username_1: Unfortunately, the reason you can't find a clear statement on this issue is because there isn't one. The answer depends heavily on the field and the particular conference, and there isn't necessarily an absolute answer even in a specific case. It may depend on why you care:
1. You may care yourself, because you want your paper to be carefully archived and made available in perpetuity. In that case, it depends on whether a long-lasting, trustworthy organization has committed to providing access forever (and whether they have archiving contingency plans in case they go out of business).
2. You may need to make this distinction to assist in evaluating your CV. In that case, the evaluators probably care primarily whether the papers are carefully refereed and in their final form, but the only way to know for sure is to ask them what their criteria are.
3. You may be wondering whether you can publish an updated version of your conference paper in a journal. This depends on the customs in your field, and it requires agreement from both the conference and the journal. The publishing agreement for the conference should specify what sorts of further publication are allowable (if it does not, then you should be sure to ask, since saying nothing suggests they do not expect any further publication at all), and the submission instructions for the journal may also address this issue. If your submission is a revision of a conference paper, you should always specify this fact clearly and give a precise reference somewhere on the first page and in the cover letter, to make sure nobody could accuse you of hiding the previous publication.
The answers to these questions can vary. For example, major theoretical CS conferences are archival in sense 1 (permanent archiving and availability) but not 2 or 3 (papers are not necessarily intended to be in their final form and definitive versions may be published elsewhere).
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: The editor of [IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON SOFTWARE ENGINEERING](http://www.computer.org/portal/web/tse/about) asked the same question in editorial to [VOL. 37, NO. 2, MARCH/APRIL 2011](http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=05739157). He did not provide an answer, but it might be interesting to consult your university library and check the issues right after this one, I am sure there was a discussion in the journal. The archive does not seem to hold other than regular paper contributions.
My personal take on this (informed by the research field culture and research community I live in) is that **a publication is archival whenever it comes with an assigned [ISBN](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number)/[ISSN](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Serial_Number)**. That makes the publication, be it a book, journal, or proceedings uniquely identifiable and thus it makes its source identifiable too. Whether that will make the publication physically, or digitally available on request is another story (publisher going bankrupt, etc.). I would consider this the minimal requirement.
Now to your concrete question regarding archival nature of conference proceedings, note, many conference proceedings come with an ISBN, or ISSN number. Even many technical report series at some universities do. In my field (CompSci/AI et al.) all the relevant top-tier conference proceedings have an ISBN. The lower tier conferences and more prominent workshop series tend to publish their proceedings and post-proceedings as Springer LNCS/LNAI series and thus get an ISBN too. I personally treat all such publication as archival and of course refrain from resubmitting such results elsewhere. This is however not the case for really small workshops (usually one-of), which only print their proceedings and bind them. In all conferences/journals I care for, these are treated as mere non-archival technical reports and thus can be further disseminated, or resubmitted to a better venue, such as a good conference. *But again, your mileage might vary. In different fields, there are different habits regarding such results dissemination strategy.*
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: One more thing to consider - are you requested to sign copyright transfer form (or sth similar, like consent to publish). If you are - then the publication is most likely archival and you can read on the copyright form if and under which conditions you can reuse the material. E.g., in the above mentioned LNCS-LNAI copyright form it is explicitly mentioned that you can re-publish it only with apprx 30% of new material (more or less standard condition in Computer Science)
Upvotes: 1 |
2013/04/13 | 1,870 | 7,525 | <issue_start>username_0: I finally realized that there is a term for the situation I am in,"**burned out**". [What can I do to recover from a short term burnout?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/7668/what-can-i-do-to-recover-from-a-short-term-burnout/7692#7692)
I am at the the last four months of my MSc program and I haven't started my thesis yet. The reason was complicated, the MSc program was quite different from the one I had in mind. So, from the start I felt I was wasting my time by continuing at the program. The only reason I didn't quit is because the scholarship is sponsored by the company I used to work. I am still their employee and I am expected to join them once I finished.
If I quit, I wouldn't get promotion not to mention the "he wasn't able to graduate" rumor. Besides, I am supposed to serve three years as a pay back for the scholarship they gave me.
Despite my adviser's genuine effort to help, I am not able to pull myself and do something. I continually failed to see my adviser despite having an appointment with him. The only thing that crossed my mind for months as a solution is SUICIDE. I am deeply stressed and have presumably stress initiated headache that lasts for weeks.
**What would you do if you were in my position?**<issue_comment>username_1: 1. **Talk to people.** Here, elsewhere on the internet, but most importantly in real life, whether it's with people from your program (if you feel like opening to them) or at a local discussion group or whatever. Don't isolate yourself.
2. Recognize what you are experiencing: describe its symptoms, put a name (or names) on it, identify it. Recognize that it is quite common, and that there are solutions.
3. Make some time, even if it's not much, to do something else (vacation, volunteer work, some time with family, …) to put things in perspective. This should help you evaluate your overall goals, and decide what you are willing to do to achieve them.
4. Talk to key people involved (advisor, your boss at the company), and let them know in a professional way that you have hit a bump in the road.
From you post, it sounds to me that you've made a great deal of progress on that path already! You'll get through that hard time, believe us.
---
I'll maybe add something more personal, regarding the “if I quit, I wouldn't get promotion” part: advancement in your work is not the ultimate goal, it is only worth pursuing if it makes you (and the people around you) happier, directly or by achieving other goals. If it makes you miserable, you have to realize (and accept) that **failing *is* an option**.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: To me it sounds as if you might have depression. I'm no expert though, I just have a few friends with depression and so have read a little about it (most effectively by playing a game called Depression Quest, actually!). It might be worth seeing a doctor about it if you think that could at all be a possibility.
I'm hesitant to give any further advice because of this. A lot of advice that ordinarily might be helpful just for burn-out might turn out to be unhelpful if you are actually depressed. (Although all the advice given by username_1 looks fine as far as I can tell, except potentially you would have to be quite careful with what you chose to do for 3, as some options might make things worse.)
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: First of all, suicidal thoughts are very serious. Many universities have counselling centres that are free for students. Walk in and tell them you've been contemplating suicide and they will get you immediate help. The [International Suicide Prevention Wiki](http://suicideprevention.wikia.com/wiki/International_Suicide_Prevention_Directory) might also help you find resources in your area. If nothing else works, go to the emergency room. Suicide qualifies as an emergency!
Next, be honest with your adviser about what's going on. If you've been avoiding meetings, it's possible that he thinks the worst: you aren't interested in the work, or you're lazy, or whatever. If you tell him that you're depressed and struggling, he will be much more sympathetic and will try to help. (You mentioned that he's already trying to help, but if he doesn't know the real problem, his help might have been ineffectual.) If you don't think you can say it in person, send an email.
Third: curing burnout. One common suggestion is to take a vacation, but I don't recommend this. If you're already stressed out about the work you aren't doing, sitting on the beach thinking about it will probably make it worse. I would instead suggest diving into something totally new, and preferably not related to your thesis at all. Learn how to make a perfect omelette, or read a photography book and go out and practice (even if your only camera is your cell phone), or learn how to change the oil in your car. The specific thing you learn doesn't matter that much as long as it's new to you. Universities often have clubs for people interested in rock climbing, chess, learning languages, you name it, so you might see what your university offers. This can also help you make friends -- isolation is a big problem for grad students and can contribute to stress and depression. Do your new activity for a week or two and you'll probably find yourself getting interested in your thesis problem again.
Try to exercise and eat reasonably well. When you're depressed, exercise is the last thing on your mind, but even a walk around the block can be helpful. Eating nothing but ramen is depressing in itself, so although you might not have a lot of spending money (I don't know exactly what your scholarship is paying for), buy ingredients for some healthy meals if you can. Fruit, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, etc. If you don't know how to cook, make that your project.
Finally, to echo username_1, remember that the worst case scenario is manageable. If you are truly miserable, dropping out *is* an option. The completion rate for most grad programs is low, often in the neighbourhood of 50%, so many other smart, hardworking people decided it wasn't for them. There's no shame in that.
I hope some of this advice helps you. Good luck. You aren't alone!
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: >
> I continually failed to see my adviser despite having an appointment
> with him. The only thing that crossed my mind for months as a solution
> is SUICIDE. I am deeply stressed and have presumably stress initiated
> headache that lasts for weeks.
>
>
>
Based on this, I would strongly recommend seeing your university's psychologist or counselor immediately.
Do not rely on advise over the internet. Probably, no one here is qualified to help you. Even if there is a qualified mental health professional here, he/she will not be able to assist you without talking to you in person.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: While others have commented on the number one concern you should have right now (get professional help, be it in the counseling centre at school, a clinical psychologist, or whomever), I will make one comment with respect to the academics:
You probably have more time to finish than the "four months" you mention. Even if you miss that deadline, you will probably be allowed to turn in your thesis later (especially because this is a health related delay).
Talk to your advisor. He will probably appreciate you coming clean with him. Many students finish later. It's not a race.
Upvotes: 3 |
2013/04/13 | 1,558 | 5,835 | <issue_start>username_0: I am a software engineer with 2 years of experience. I am very passionate about software and technology. I code the whole day, creating applications that my friends and I can use.
Now I have left my job because I was not finding it challenging enough (intellectually) and wanted to do something of my own. I feel that I need to study and gain more knowledge in a more systematic way. Thus only option which I feel has the maximum return to investment ratio for me are the MS programs in USA.
So this year I am taking the GRE General Test in May (2013). The problem is that I am not good at words plus I am not very passionate about learning them also. I also feel that they should not really matter considering I want to do research work in the field of Computers.
My question is -
Can I still get into a university?
If yes then what should be the right approach?
I am really scared about what I should be doing right now as the dates for my exams are getting closer. Please Help.
**Update:**
I saw this video on [TED](http://www.ted.com/talks/patricia_ryan_ideas_in_all_languages_not_just_english.html) trying to explain why being good in english is not required (Im being even more liberal by saying what is the point of learning so many words?)<issue_comment>username_1: There are a number of different exams that comprise the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). There is also the [TOEFL](http://www.ets.org/toefl) exam, which may be required if English is not your first language.
Each university has its own set of requirements, and you will have to look on the websites for individual programs to find out this information. Here are the exams you may have to take:
* The [GRE General Test](https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/about?WT.ac=grehome_about_b_121009), comprised of three sections:
1. Verbal Reasoning (i.e., English reading and analysis skills)
2. Quantitative Reasoning (i.e., math skills)
3. Analytical Writing (i.e., English writing skills)
* The [GRE Subject Test](https://www.ets.org/gre/subject/about?WT.ac=grehome_gresubject_121017), which (in your case) would be the Computer Science, but it looks like [the computer science exam is being discontinued as of this month](https://www.ets.org/gre/subject/about/content/computer_science).
The bigger question is not necessarily which exams you have to take, but **which exams will make a difference**. In computer science, your verbal and analytic writing score will count for much less than the quantitative score (which in some case is a shame, because analytical writing skills are very important for reading and writing papers...).
>
> What should be the right approach?
>
>
>
1. Study for the exams. There are [many online study guides and practice exams](https://www.google.com/search?q=gre%20practice&aq=f&oq=gre%20practice&aqs=chrome.0.57j61j60l3j0.2196&sugexp=chrome,mod=17&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8), and [books to purchase](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=gre%20prep).
2. Take it as many times as you can before applications are due. This can get expensive.
>
> The problem is that I am not good at words
>
>
>
You'll need to work on that, and it is very possible to improve your skills and ability with hard work.
>
> ...plus I am not very passionate about learning them also.
>
>
>
You'll have to change this attitude if you want to be successful.
>
> I also feel that they should not really matter considering I want to do research work in the field of Computers.
>
>
>
As I said above, the quantitative exam will matter the most (and the CS exam will matter more if you take it). The verbal and writing exams will matter, but you can afford to do worse on them than on the other exams. Unfortunately, your personal feelings on the matter won't get you accepted, and you have to work within the system and do the best you can.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: There are a couple of ways to look at this issue.
* I agree with the commentators who point out that any grad program worth its salt requires good communication skills (involving reading and expressing non-trivial ideas), but I suspect thats not what you are objecting to - its the word-list aspect of the General GRE that you find pointless. In that context:
+ Feel thankful that you would be taking the *Revised* General GRE, which as wikipedia [notes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graduate_Record_Examinations#Verbal_section), has a much more reduced emphasis to rote memorization of uncommon words, than the older version (which I had to take, unfortunately)!
+ Also, I've read on blogs/heard from seniors that top CS programs don't look *too closely* at your verbal scores: a good score would not get you too far ahead, nor would an abysmal score totally gut your chances (this does not apply for quantitative scores - I'd been consistently advised by seniors that scores below 780-750, out of 800 in the old scale, would definitely get your application rejected!)
* There are some schools in US where the applicants are encouraged, but not required to submit, General GRE scores. If you feel that other aspects of your application are strong enough, you can opt for those schools only - but IMHO, its not recommended, as almost every other applicant would submit GRE scores, and the absence of one on your profile may seem suspicious and may do more damage than a mediocre score.
* Also, the Verbal section and the AWA sections are radically different - whereas the former may have limited utility in a grad program, the latter is much more relevant, as it tests your ability to reason and express the same within a short time-frame. Preparing for the AWA does not involve any rote memorization, so you shouldn't be complaining about it!
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer] |
2013/04/13 | 366 | 1,691 | <issue_start>username_0: I think about starting studies towards Master Degree in Computer Science abroad, I finished my bachelor studies few years ago, but I didn't stop studying, during these years I finished few courses of master degree in the domestic university, as result I have transcripts for all of them in English.
The question is what is is the common practice is there any chance that abroad university will consider credit on the courses I already finished, the point is if it's possible I want to lower the pressure to get credit on courses and mostly investing my time in research.
I checked this issue with few another universities in my country, all of them taking into account the credit I already have with promise to give exemption from studying theses courses if there are requirement of the master degree and to give a credit for all of them.<issue_comment>username_1: The best answer to this question is <NAME>'s comment.
**You need to check with each individual school or even each individual program.**
The schools you already checked with will allow it. Chris's program allowed a maximum of two courses. My graduate program accepted transfer credits infrequently. Some programs may not accept any.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Another factor to consider is how long ago you took those other courses. Some schools are more likely to accept recently-taken courses, but might balk on courses taken, say, over a decade ago.
Also, some schools will want to see an official course description before accepting the transfer credits (or, before letting you use those credits in place of requisite courses in their programs).
Upvotes: 0 |
2013/04/13 | 1,366 | 5,665 | <issue_start>username_0: I would like to ask Prof. X, a distinguished scholar at a top school, for a recommendation for a tenure-track academic position. However, I only want him to write me a recommendation if he is going to write a *good* one. If he will write me a mediocre or just insufficiently positive recommendation, I would prefer to have someone less famous than X but more positive about me write the letter.
If I simply ask Prof. X for a letter, there is the possibility that he will agree and then write something that is not as positive as I would like. I want to avoid this.
One way to solve this problem would be for me to ask Prof. X if he is sufficiently familiar with my work to write me a strong letter. If he does not wish to write me a strong letter, he can simply reply that he is not that familiar with the whole body of my work. By giving him an easy way to decline, this makes it more likely that he will write a strong letter if he accepts.
Unfortunately, in this case this little strategem will not work, as Prof. X and I have been working on the same questions for years, so there is little question of him being unfamiliar with my results.
Another possible solution would be to have someone else approach him to ask whether he can write me a strong letter. Sadly I have no one who could do this for me.
What would be a good strategy to use in this situation? More broadly, what are some general tips for asking people for recommendation letters which ensure you only get strong letters, besides the two I mentioned above?
**Edited**: Maybe I should mention a couple of other strategies that crossed my mind:
A. Mention to Prof. X that I'm going on the job market in unrelated conversation and see if he volunteers to write me a letter.
B. Ask him for a letter in an email and see how he responds. If he responds enthusiastically, e.g., "It would be my pleasure to write you a letter..." or "I'd be extremely happy to..." this is good. If he only responds neutrally, e.g., "Sure, I can write you a letter" then simply neglect to follow up with him and ask someone else for the letter.
Both of these strategies are decent, but they are not perfect. They might work, but they also might cause me to miss out on a good letter from a well-known scholar. Anyway, I'd welcome thoughts, corrections, additional strategies to use that I haven't thought of, etc.<issue_comment>username_1: I assume here that Prof X knows you (and not only your work). I also assume that you work is strong enough to ensure that you are eligible for a tenure-track position somewhere.
One thing you can do is contacting Prof X, asking him for advice regarding your application. More specifically, you can ask him to read your research project and giving you some hints about what can be done to make it "sexier". That way, you will certainly have a good idea of his opinion on your work. Afterwards, you can decide to ask him for a letter (in the best case scenario, he will volunteer before you ask). If he doesn't even want to read your research project, this is a good clue that he will not write a very good letter.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> One way to solve this problem would be for me to ask <NAME> if he is sufficiently familiar with my work to write me a strong letter.
>
>
>
**No. Do not play mind games.** The best approach is to be completely straightforward.
If you already *know* that he is *familiar* with your work, suggesting otherwise is dishonest and potentially insulting. What you really want to know is whether he's *impressed* by your work. **The only way to find out is to ask directly.** If possible, ask in person, preferably over coffee/beer or in some other informal neutral setting; conferences are really good for this. Be straightforward about your desire for a strong letter, but use the opportunity to develop a stronger collaborative relationship. Ask for honest feedback on your work. Ask about future opportunities to work together. Ask where he thinks you should apply. Be sincere in asking whether he can write you a **strong** recommendation letter; he knows what that means. Be sincerely ready to be turned down. Listen.
If you're not comfortable asking him directly, or you think that he might not be comfortable answering you, ask your advisor to informally sound out Prof X's opinion of you first. (Ideally, your advisor already has some idea what Prof X will say.) But the actual letter request must come directly from you.
>
> If he only responds neutrally, e.g., "Sure, I can write you a letter" then simply neglect to follow up with him and ask someone else for the letter.
>
>
>
**No. Do not play mind games.**
First, unless you already know Prof X *extremely* well, you should not attempt to read his mind through email. "Sure, I can write you a letter" says *nothing* about his level of enthusiasm. If his response to your request makes you hesitant to use his letter, ask him again. Second, if you decide, for *whatever* reason, that you don't need his letter after you've asked for it, you **must** tell him directly, so that he doesn't waste his time.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: Here's another variation: email prof X and tell him you are thinking of applying for faculty positions. Ask if he has any suggestions of who might be willing to write you a letter of recommendation to help you achieve your goal.
This is pretty straightforward. If he is willing to write a strong letter, he will offer. If he is not willing to write a strong letter, he will not offer. And he might have some good suggestions for other possible letter writers.
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/14 | 870 | 3,858 | <issue_start>username_0: I have graduated nearly 5 years ago and I want to get a Computer Science Master's degree from an above average school in U.S. or Canada, preferably a thesis based degree.
However, I am having difficulty in getting recommendation letters since I graduated long time ago. And, even if I get any letters, my professors are not professional, they ask me to write them myself. Long ago when I asked for a position they did so and sure they will do the same now. So I got stuck in an handicapped position for my future grad school pursuits.
Please recommend me some ways to overcome this situation. Should I go for a one term non-degree program in U.S. or Europe to get a letter from a professional member of an academic community who is capable of doing this job.
End Note: I am in a third world country.<issue_comment>username_1: I would not necessarily assert that professors asking for you to write your letter for them are 'unprofessional'. It's quite possible, and even common for professors to request this for a number of reasons:
* You know you better than they know you - a letter written by you has the full depth of your experience available to be written about. This is especially important in a circumstance like yours, where their direct memory of you might have faded with time.
* You likely have a better understanding of what parts of your CV, studies, etc. you'd like to be highlighted. For example, while they might think X about you is important, if you're trying to craft a narrative in your application materials that's all about your skills in Y, it's important they know that.
* Professors are busy people, and crafting a good letter requires a great deal of effort. Providing them a framework with which to work off of as they add their own language, opinions, etc. will save them a great deal of time.
I wouldn't automatically assume it's a sign of unprofessionalism. I've been asked to write my own letter by professors who I worked extremely closely with because of some of the reasons I outlined above.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: It's important to have at least one letter from a former professor, but especially for a professional master's degree, strong recommendation letters from work supervisors can also be effective, as long as they're tuned correctly. **I did this.** It's probably best to ask someone with an advanced degree if possible — not for the pedigree, but because they might remember academic culture/goals better than someone who hasn't spent time in the ivory tower. It's important that your letter does *not* simply praise you as a *programmer*, but as a potential *computer scientist*. The letter should emphasize your intellectual and creative contributions, your problem-solving skills, and your potential for further academic study.
Remember that writing academic recommendation letters is *not* a standard part of most industry management jobs; you are asking for a significant favor. Nevertheless, you should strongly resist requests to write the letter yourself. Have an open and frank discussion about the purpose of the letter, their perceptions of your matching strengths, the points that you think should be emphasized. Give them your CV with appropriate points highlighted. **Then ask them again** if they are willing to write you a strong recommendation letter; be sincerely willing to take no for an answer.
Signing up for a short non-degree program in U.S. or Europe is an excellent idea, but it's important to take proper advantage. Don't just sit in class and get an A. Talk with your instructors **early** about your goals for graduate study. Try to get involved with faculty research, or at lest an independent study project.
Finally, I'd recommend pursuing both of these avenues simultaneously. Give yourself as many options as possible!
Upvotes: 3 |
2013/04/15 | 1,191 | 5,226 | <issue_start>username_0: Important scholars (e.g. Nobel laureates) regularly receive honorary doctorate from different universities. I know that the Board of Trustees (or a similar board) reviews available nominations and awards an honorary degree to a person, but I wonder how the nomination process is conducted.
It seems to be very chancy, as there are many universities and many famous scholars. Usually there were no previous relationship between the awarding university and awardee.
For example, it is common for a Nobel Prize winner to receive honorary doctorate from 30 universities. He/she could have previous connections (e.g. collaboration, contribution, etc) with only a few of them.
How does a nominator suggest awarding to an eligible but irrelevant scholar?<issue_comment>username_1: Some universities allow faculty to nominate those chosen for honorary degrees. From what I understand, some even allow certain members of the graduating class and/or student council to nominate & vote. At other institutions, the senate, department heads, deans, president or chancellor may pick the candidates. Some institutions may have a nomination body and a voting body. I would think that it depends upon the size of the institution.
To find out for sure, check out websites for specific universities. Often times universities have focused areas of research or a campus wide research goal for which they have TONS of funding. On most occasions, honorary degrees are awarded to those who are conducting research in that field. They often award honorary degrees to those who are active in their communities as well.
Another common thing with honorary degrees: once an individual has been granted one other institutions will sometimes scramble to recognize that person as well. This is especially true if both institutions are located in the same area, or if they largely focus on the same research matters. People who make a difference on a global scale are often chosen as recipients of honorary degrees not only because they've made a difference, but because a university is, after all, still a business. If they give someone famous an honorary degree, you can bet it will be on the news. It will even get better coverage if other universities have also awarded the person with honorary degrees! Sometimes they look for a unique person to give an honorary degree to- because that will also get more coverage (for example, people from minority groups or from third world countries).
Each university has their own policy regarding nominations and different criterion, but they're all about creating a buzz. They may pick a First Nations community leader as a recipient in hoping that they will attract more students from that community. They also use honorary degrees as a way to network. If they want to meet their idol, they award them with an honorary degree so that person has to come and meet them to accept it (it is, after all, only polite, right?).
If you're curious about individual schools, you can look up the honorary degree recipients - they will often state why the person was given the degree. The key thing to remember is that they could come across anyone and find a reason to nominate them. They may see a firefighter on the news who saved the lives of people by rushing into a burning building. They attribute great courage to that person, so they nominate them to receive an honorary degree in emergency service operations. Their spouse, friend or neighbor may tell them an inspiring story which urges them to do more research on the person. Then that person ends up nominated! Yes, they have criterion, but it is flexible. They can word their statements for nomination in such a way that anyone would be fit for an honorable degree.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Often honorary degrees are awarded because an individual is seen to have done some service to the field in question, often outside the normal confines of academia.
A notable example is [<NAME>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Clarkson#Recognition) who holds an honorary doctorate in engineering form Brunel University, even though he clearly doesn't have the equivalent technical or academic knowledge. In this case it is more about his prominence as a motoring journalist and broadcaster. Note that this was a bit controversial at the time.
This is often a two way street, with an academic institution recognising a person who has some links to the institution itself or the local area and may be a way of attracting or rewarding high profile patrons.
On one hand an honorary degrees is a 'free' form of currency for a university to dish out at virtually no cost to themselves, but of course they don't want to dilute it too much or it will loose it's (already rather vague) value.
The actual decision making process will depend on the management structure of the university but would normally need to be approved at a high level ultimately by the Vice-Chancellor via the Senate, or Equivalent body and it is fairly reasonable to assume that formal nominations originate at Chair or Head of Department level vial whatever political structures exist in any given institution.
Upvotes: 1 |
2013/04/15 | 2,371 | 9,912 | <issue_start>username_0: I recently received an invitation to a conference and I'm trying to determine how reputable it is. Is there a good way to go about this?<issue_comment>username_1: I'm assuming you are really asking how to check whether a conference is *reputable* (meaning not a scam), not how to check whether a conference is actually *good*.
Short answer: **If you don't recognize the conference or its organizers, stay away.**
You should already know a relatively short list of established, reputable conferences in your research area. If you don't, ask your advisor to give you such a list. (If your advisor doesn't know, you need a new advisor.)
If this conference isn't on that list, it *might* still be reputable, but either very new or slightly outside your research area. In that case, take a serious look at the organizing committee. If the members of the organizing committee are well-known active researchers, the conference is probably fine. Otherwise, it's probably a scam.
You mention that you were invited to submit to the conference. At least in computer science, such invitations are almost unheard of; conferences are normally advertised by impersonal calls for papers. Did the invitation come from someone you already know, at least professionally? Does the invitation mention specific technical details of your work (more than just a paper title)? If you answered "No" to both these questions, the conference is almost certainly a scam.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: What I usually do is look at the list of speakers in the current and past years. If the conference is in my field, I usually can tell if the speakers are well-known and what the level of the conference will be. If the conference is not in my field, I google some of the speakers and check out their websites to get an impression.
Another thing which is often helpful to do, is to simply ask someone with knowledge of the field which conferences are good.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: Maybe I will add to username_1’s answer. I agree with him that, *in your field*, you probably have established your own list of reputable conferences after a few years. However, it does happen that you get invited or submit a paper to a conference that's outside your natural “comfort zone”. One reason is because of a joint work with other authors from that area, another may be that you are shifting the focus of your research, or you published a paper that has potential applications in another field.
Anyway, if that happens, you want to check out the **organizers and speakers** (keynote speakers if it's a large conference). One or two serious people doesn't mean anything though, especially if the conference is held in an attractive touristic area (Caribbean islands?). Some people accept conferences that they know are not good, if they see a nice opportunity for a holiday in them. However, if half the organizers or speakers are well known, or have well established research groups, then you're probably good to go.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: Looking at the program committee, organizers, other presenters (e.g. keynote speakers) and what work they've done is one helpful approach. Asking your advisor is often quite useful.
Also consider if you've read papers from that venue in the past and found them helpful enough and high-quality enough to be citing / using as a basis for your work.
Finally, there's the Computing Research & Education conference ranking portal [here](http://www.core.edu.au/conference-portal) which might be another signal to consider.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_5: In addition to the other answers, it's worth taking a close look at conferences that tick several of these boxes (although *some* may turn out to be OK on further inspection). These can be warning signs of conferences that are basically scams, or that will be a waste of your time/money/energy.
Items 2-5 are indicators of insufficient peer review, and are problematic only for conferences that claim to publish peer-reviewed proceedings.
Items 6-9 are warning signs that the aim of the conference organizers is profits, not academics.
1. Organizers, program committee members, or keynote speakers are not established researchers in the field (as per some of the other answers on this page).
2. It has an extremely short review period (e.g. submissions due November 1, author notification November 10).
3. You receive reviews that are very short and/or don't say anything insightful about the paper.
4. The technical program committee is small, but the conference accepts hundreds of papers.
5. If the conference proceedings are published or indexed by a well-known publisher, look at past editions of the proceedings and check if multiple papers have been retracted or withdrawn for plagiarism and/or for being [computer generated](http://retractionwatch.com/2014/02/24/springer-ieee-withdrawing-more-than-120-nonsense-papers/).
6. The scope of the conference is extremely broad, such that people who work in one of the areas of interest are not likely to be interested in presentations from the other areas (this can be a tactic to get a lot of submissions, at the expense of conference quality).
7. The conference organizer also organizes many other conferences, on a very diverse range of unrelated topics.
8. The organizer holds many conferences on unrelated topics at the same time and place.
9. The organizer is also associated with one or more [predatory journals](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/17379/what-are-fake-shady-and-or-predatory-journals), or selected papers from the conference are published in a predatory journal.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_6: Note: This answer was merged from a duplicate question.
The [previously-referenced post](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/2158/how-to-identify-predatory-publishers-journals) on detecting predatory journals is helpful, but incomplete. The duplicate question asked about conferences which were overt about accepted papers being able to be published in conference proceedings with an ISBN. While I cannot speak for all fields, I can say that in social sciences and statistics, that description alone sounds like a low-quality conference.
In my experience, there are a few markers ("red flags") for low-quality conferences. This list is by no means canonical, but is based on over a decade of my experience.
The first red flag is the note that accepted papers will be published in conference proceedings with an ISBN or ISSN number. Sure, some very good conferences allow for dual submission to a journal or a journal publishes conference proceedings. However, the explicit mention of an ISBN number (often required by accreditors for a professor to remain academically qualified) is something I have seen only at low-quality conferences. Good conferences know that you may want to publish your work elsewhere and assume you are not desperate for any publication. (**Caveat**: Some fields like engineering tend to publish their work more as conference papers or in proceedings. In those cases, the overt mention of publishing in proceedings may not be a red flag.)
The second red flag is when a conference folds many costs into a high registration fee. This can let dishonest academics claim a food per diem while the "registration fee" can be paid out of a research budget even though that fee also covers food and parties. I'm not talking about a $150 fee; rather, I have seen conferences with a $750 or $1000 fee which covers swanky parties. Most serious researchers getting their work into more than a couple of conferences won't want to blow their research budget on one conference with a bunch of parties. (Besides, most academics can make party enough talking with other academics over some wine or beer.)
The third red flag is the conference's call for papers: if they spam people with the CFP and the deadline does not allow much time for review, that's likely a low-quality conference.
A fourth red flag is if the conference has an unusually broad focus. Some big conferences may cover a wide range of topics; however, you probably already know the reputable big conferences which do that. Less well-known conferences tend to be more focused.
A fifth red flag is if the conference is held in a nice and *unusual* place. Sure, lots of conferences are in nice places to attract academics, but I'm talking about unusual places like a conference on a cruise ship or a tropical island with no local university. If there is no local academic community organizing the conference, the expected quality is lower.
Suppose a conference does not raise any (or many) of these red flags. How can further check the quality? Usually, this is easy: see who the organizers are and look for prior year agendas to see if there are many good academics presenting (or people from industry/government, in some fields). Essentially, check if the organizers and presenters are people you would want to see and comment on your work. If those people are there, you probably also should want to be there. If none of the names are familiar, you may want to consider if that is a good outlet for getting feedback.
Finally, you ask if you can submit your work to the proceedings and then later extend the work and submit it to a journal. Sadly, that depends on the journal and I do know of people who were told their work could not be accepted since most of it had been published earlier in conference proceedings.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_7: One answer that I'm missing above is quantitative methods (as for example used for journals in other fields). This less common for conferences but also exists e.g. via Google Scholar. For example if you're looking for top conferences in AI:
<https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=top_venues&hl=en&vq=eng_artificialintelligence>
Upvotes: 0 |
2013/04/15 | 1,047 | 4,538 | <issue_start>username_0: When writing an abstract for talks at conferences, workshops, etc., I often wonder if it would be considered a self-plagiarism if I copied a few sentences from a paper that is already published. Sometimes those abstracts are "published" in one form or another (proceedings, workshop schedule in print and/or on the web, etc). What is a general guideline?
Can I copy and paste an abstract from a published paper I wrote, and submit it as an abstract for a talk at a conference? Or is it necessary to paraphrase my own writing?<issue_comment>username_1: In general, do not copy from your previous publications. At the same time, I would say that the severity of "self-plagiarism" depends on what you copy. If it is a description of a tool or site, it is not very problematic (after all there may be only so many ways to describe it). If you copy conclusions and items of creative importance then I would say it is more severe. I personally rewrite everything just because I am fine with that, even site descriptions. At some point I will have to go through and see if I unknowingly copied myself in those trivial sections at some point.
So in short, don't copy, rewrite. Who knows, you may find that you improve your formulations that way.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: In papers themselves, there is absolutely no reason why you should ever copy any previously published text (including yours) without explicit acknowledgment, along the lines of "The background material in this section is a nearly verbatim adaptation of Section 3.2 of X". Assuming you make it perfectly clear what you have copied and from where (not hiding this information in a note later in your paper, for example) and you have permission from the copyright holder, then this is ethical, while it's not ethical without these conditions.
Of course talk abstracts are not quite the same. Let's assume we're talking about relatively ephemeral abstracts. I.e., they might appear on the web or in the conference program, but they aren't carefully archived, citable contributions to the research literature. (This distinguishes them from "extended abstracts" in CS conferences, which are actually short research papers, and there may be other intermediate cases.) These sorts of abstracts generally don't list any references within the abstract, and they aren't considered published or treated nearly as formally as published material.
In mathematics, I doubt anyone would get upset about recycling a paper abstract for this kind of talk abstract. Customs vary greatly between fields or sorts of abstracts, so you should seek advice from colleagues in your area, since "someone on the internet said it was OK" is not a compelling argument.
If you are worried about self-plagiarism, you can simply append something like "(adapted from the abstract of *paper citation*)" at the end of your talk abstract. However, that might stand out in its formality.
It's probably a good idea in any case to rewrite the abstract at least a little, since a talk abstract has different goals from a paper abstract.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Uhm... discipline specific tag missing??? In economics, you can often see an acknowledgement like "I would like to thank [the list of 15 specific people, may be a Nobel prize winner or two thrown in], audiences at [10 universities in which this talk was given] and [4 more international conferences] for their helpful comments". So an economist won't even get what it is that you are asking; presenting the same stuff over is their daily business.
Generally, I think it is basically your own self-discipline and commitment to moving research further with new work (as opposed to just selling your name with one or two successful papers that everybody keeps wanting to hear about). I usually present the same research two-three times, which means copying and pasting the abstract, but once I hit all the major audiences with it, I move on to something different.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: >
> Can I copy and paste an abstract from a published paper I wrote, and submit it as an abstract for a talk at a conference? Or is it necessary to paraphrase my own writing?
>
>
>
This depends *very* much on who holds the copyright to the published work you're copying. Some publishers may give you the right to reuse the text however you see fit. Others may not be so liberal.
But in general, the longer the snippet you want to reuse, the worse the idea it is.
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/16 | 1,522 | 6,825 | <issue_start>username_0: Textbooks take a lot of time and effort to write, so why would a university support their faculty to do so? The author can make a good profit from a textbook and I am guessing the institution doesn't get any of these profits.
What about the grad students that edit and also work on the textbook? It seems as if they are working to fill the faculty member's pocket while being [partially] supported by the department/university and expected to do research.
All of this seems odd to me since it seems like the author is just using the university's resources to generate personal revenue, so **why do universities support/allow their faculty to write textbooks?**
If you need context, I am talking about in the US and specifically a freshmen/sophomore CS course's textbook.<issue_comment>username_1: Australia's university system, a centrally funded multiple university system, quite simply does not support staff doing this. Australia had prior to the late 1980s a broad based academic publishing culture that included diverse ancillary publishing by academics in terms of social opinion, literary and arts engagement, and text book publication. However, under the Dawkins era reforms, Australian higher education research output became subject to a measurement metric (the "Publications count," a quantity count, currently known as the HERDC publications collection) which then informed the distribution of a significant pool of money. The metric was originally described as a "proxy" for real activity, but increasingly the metric is taken to be the indicator of real activity. As the metric, funding, and fund seeking imperatives have become tighter—in part as a labour discipline / productivity effort—since the late 1980s, the level of University management intervention into the publishing mode of academics has increased. Currently, research activity measures within Universities, modelled strongly on the federal funding metric, strongly motivate academic staff to not publish uncounted books such as undergraduate textbooks. The penalty for failing to achieve the metric includes increased teaching loads and (eventual and sometimes constructive) dismissal. The effect of this has been academic disengagement from social and aesthetic opinion forming, and a move away from textbook authoring.
By inverting the above example, the reasons why institutions may tolerate staff producing textbooks would be:
* an absence of external funding drivers dictating publication modes
* an absence of internal management pressure dictating publication modes
* the presence of external funding or internal management pressure, but measured against a metric that accepts textbooks as worthwhile activity
Further work can be found in *Vestes* / *Australian Universities Review* on the metrification of academic output and funding changes in Australia. The relevant federal department, and other bodies, have a variety of reports on the actual publication measure.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> Textbooks take a lot of time and effort to write, so why would a university support their faculty to do so?
>
>
>
Why wouldn't they? Writing textbooks is an important form of scholarship, with great influence on the field, and this is something universities should strongly encourage. The only reason I can think of not to support textbook writing is the profit issue, but this is not generally an important factor, since very few textbooks make a lot of money.
The fact that U.S. faculty are allowed to keep the royalties from textbooks they write is a historical contingency, and there's no reason why the system has to work that way. However, I think it's a good system in practice. Overall, the incentives to write good textbooks are too low, since both the financial rewards and the academic rewards are generally small compared with the time commitment. Removing the (small) profit motive would leave the incentives even lower, and I think the net effect would outweigh the tiny increase in university funding.
>
> What about the grad students that edit and also work on the textbook? It seems as if they are working to fill the faculty member's pocket while being [partially] supported by the department/university and expected to do research.
>
>
>
If grad students are being enlisted as unpaid labor, then that's a real problem, but in my experience it's not common. If there's any prospect of nontrivial royalties, then it's unethical to ask students to work without compensation. Furthermore, the arrangement needs to be formal enough to include a copyright transfer (otherwise, the students will own the copyright to their contributions).
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: To widen the perspective (fully understanding the limitations imposed by the OP), I will try to be more general in my reply. All university systems do not support writing text books. In some systems it is up to the researcher to either try to find funding to at least cover some costs or simply try to squeeze it into whatever time can be found.
There are also different scenarios for what to write. If one intends to write a basic introductory text, it would involve providing lots of examples and figures over a broad area. While the text may be relatively simple to write (subject matter not on a difficult level) the amount of text and illustrations will make it an arduous task. If, on the other hand, one writes an advanced textbook, the volume of text is smaller and, I would assume, more focussed on ones own research field. I would therefore think that it is relatively easier to write such a book than an introductory one. Having only written one book, a intermediate level specialist text on my research topic, I have little to compare it with, but it took 2.5 months (in parallel with full time work) to write, and I had someone paid to do the illustrations.
So the situation will vary quite a lot between systems, which is also reflected by the types of books that come out of them. Advanced books come from almost all systems, while introductory texts probably are more commonly produced in systems where such book production is supported at some level in the system.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: i think the Universities are for improving the skills and knowledge of the mankind not only for financial growth :) its their duty to make the knowledge reachable to everyone and also make the knowledge grow, find more and develop more.. The books are the medium which all of these are possible. And also in the view of financial case, may be a university dont get any profits straightly but they will get it via the fame of the author who is a faculty of that university. He will attract more students. thus it will help the university :D :)
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/16 | 883 | 3,743 | <issue_start>username_0: One of my colleagues told me authors after acceptance can negotiate about the intellectual property (IP) rights. It is frustrating to wait for peer review long times, and after acceptance publisher asks you to agree with his copyright without any modification.
I am keen to know **when is the best time to negotiate my IP rights?** Can I write to the publisher when the paper is under review (or even before submission)?<issue_comment>username_1: I would not try to negotiate author rights before the paper is accepted, for two reasons. First, from the point of view of the editor and the publisher, it is premature and may be a waste of time (since, statistically at least, your paper has a significant chance of being rejected). Second, this negotiation could, in principle, influence the decision about whether to accept your paper (though of course it shouldn't).
Instead, educate yourself on what the publisher will allow, beforehand. Use the [Sherpa/RoMEO database](http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/) to know what rights a publisher will allow you, before you choose where to submit. If you choose a journal that already allows you the rights you want, then you will avoid the problem altogether.
Finally, after acceptance use the [SPARC addendum](http://www.sparc.arl.org/author/addendum.shtml) to assert the rights you intend to retain.
For one story of negotiations where I didn't follow my own advice -- but things turned out fairly well -- see [this blog post](http://www.davidketcheson.info/2012/12/06/reproducible-research-standard.html).
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: I would only submit a manuscript for publication when I was confident that there will not be any IP/copyright issues. For some types of publications, for example books, publishers will need to see the manuscript, and possibly get it reviewed, prior to making decisions about IP and royalties. I am not aware of any journal that needs/wants to see the manuscript prior to discussing IP. There tends to be things they will do and things they will not do, and it doesn't matter how good the manuscript is. The reason for dealing with IP issues (and publication fees) up front is that you do not want to waste time waiting for a publication decision that you might ultimately turn down. Further, as a reviewer, I would be completely pissed if I spend time reviewing a manuscript to see the authors publish someplace else.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: At the moment, authors are at a terrible disadvantage relative to publishers with regards to this issue, since there's no collective, organized, resistance action to what publishers demand (that I know of, anyway). So you are not likely - from my limited experience, anyway - to get far with these negotiations; why should they make an exception for you? Lots of other fish in the sea.
I'd say the most important thing you can do is ***circumvent* the copyrights issue**: Publish a version of the paper which is exactly the version you initially submit to the journal on your website, university paper repository, or ArXiv, possibly with an appropriate license (e.g. see the [ArXiv license page](https://arxiv.org/help/license)) - but not with the template used for the journal submission, i.e. as a plain-vanilla article.
Having done so, surrendering your rights via a contract witht he publisher no longer means all that much, because everybody in the world has the rights you allowed them with your free license - including yourself. The paper will thus be publicly-accessible and updatable by you without the journal being able to say anything about it. The only thing you will likely not be able to do is re-publish it in another for-pay journal etc.
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/16 | 1,114 | 4,682 | <issue_start>username_0: For instance, if someone is working as a Phd in computer-science, but on a neuroscience related topic, she might need to take some neuroscience related courses. And some CS courses might not be any help at all for the area she is interested in. Do universities put a lower/upper limit on the number of courses one can take?
Also, does this differ from university to university?<issue_comment>username_1: This is going to be school- and program-dependent. In my Computer Engineering program, we had to take two 1-credit overview courses (not intensive) our first semester, and then my advisor told me the courses he expected me to take during that semeseter. I ended up taking three full classes, which was probably excessive. Of course, then I took three the next semester, too... After the first semester, I chose courses that fit in with my research, and also courses that were required for the degree.
Here are some pros and cons to taking multiple courses and courses outside your field:
Plusses:
1. If you take more courses when you haven't yet begun research, you will have more time for research when you're more advanced (if you fulfill any requirements early).
2. Taking courses tangentially related to your field or outside your field leads to a greater body of knowledge in which to find interesting problems. This can lead to better research.
3. You'll meet more professors, and this can lead to other research opportunities.
Minuses:
1. You can easily become too busy to get research done, and research is what will get you the PhD. One of my fellow student's advisor tells his students, "No A plusses!" and what he really means is, you can study too hard on a course with a detriment to the more important research. During grad school, I only had one semester where I didn't take any courses (and it was nice, I'll admit).
2. You could lose focus entirely. Remember, getting a PhD is all about focusing on a particular problem until you are the expert on that problem. Spread yourself too thin, and you'll have a harder time reining in that one problem. This really is a minor minus, though, especially during your first year.
The bottom line is that you need to tailor your schedule to account for a number of factors, including your own sanity and your ability to do research. How your schedule is determined will largely be up to you, but each school will have its own individual requirements and policies.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: It varies dramatically, by university, field, and country.
It can be any of:
* There is a fixed curriculum that everyone takes
* There are a few required courses and the student can choose the rest
* The student has a committee which recommends courses to take
* The student can take any courses but has exams to pass
* No coursework at all (I understand this is common in Europe, where Ph.D. students come in with a Masters)
Usually there are upper and lower limits on the number of courses to take. In the US, one usually has to take at least 3 or 4 courses to be considered a "full time student" and be eligible for funding. (But one can often count research as one or more of these courses.) And it is often not allowed to exceed 5 or 6 courses without special permission.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: You will likely piss people off at your major department if you take more courses outside than at the department itself. This will be viewed as lack of respect to them -- what kind of know-it-all are you??? One course is probably OK, especially if you "negotiated" that upfront by stating your multidisciplinary interests, but I wouldn't risk any more; not at least until you are done with the comprehensive exams, or whatever they may be called in your program. Passing them should be your top priority. You can also excuse yourself by declaring a Ph.D. minor in an additional field, or working towards an MA/MSc in that field. Again, that's something that needs to be discussed with your Director of Graduate Studies and adviser (which you may not have in the first year).
In my program, I took about 15-18 courses in my main department (statistics), another 6 in a graduate certificate program, and a scattered number of 1-2 courses in four or so other departments (economics, biostatistics, sociology, taking their [whatever]metrics courses), and graduated with some 70+ credit hours instead of required 45 or 48. I don't think they liked it very much... but then my tuition coverage came from another research center on campus that appreciated my breadth. Do as I say, not as I do, though, as I now work in industry after having failed the tenure track.
Upvotes: 0 |
2013/04/16 | 1,307 | 5,376 | <issue_start>username_0: I would like to get some advice on what may or may not be a problem, namely the lack of unique identifiers for scientific authors.
So there is a researcher with the same first and last name as myself, who works in a different field (physics vs computer science), but is in a similar stage of academic career (PhD candidate).
Are there potential problems? Is there a danger that publications are associated wrongly, with negative consequences for either one of the authors? Will this cause confusion in databases like arXiv?
What would you suggest?
* don't care?
* disambiguate by adding middle initials to future publications?
* ...
When I add initials for future publications, is there a change that I might somehow "lose" 3 earlier publications?<issue_comment>username_1: I have the same problem. First, I would make a decision on how many initials to put on the papers and then stick to it. There are many different "standards", some use two initials (US?), some three (British?), while in, for example, many central European countries one intial seems ot be the norm (there may be more to it than this). In any case, you can use as many as you feel comfortable with and so that you feel you can be distinguished from others in the same or related fields.
If you have namesakes in other, to yours, non-related fields, it would normally not be much of a problem since the article titles would give it away.
The important thing is to make a choice and stick with it. It will then be easier to find your references in databases etc.
An associated problem may occur if you marry and change name for that reason. You then have a different problem to sort out. See for example the question [Indicating a name change after publication](https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/9003/4394)
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Definitely do what you can to ensure lack of ambiguity. It will make so many things easier: getting promoted, finding number of citations, etc. It is better to have a unique name, even if you lose 3 earlier papers. It is only 3. The future has more.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: First, you don't lose anything by adding initials. They will make it easier to search for your name in databases, until the day comes when academia has a unique/canonical researcher ID scheme in place.
If you have a middle name (or middle names), you can use those. If you don't, **just choose a "pen name" by adding initials**, chosen to make the combination of your name + initials unique (for now, of course… you cannot do anything about someone having the same name and starting to publish in a few years). I recommend doing that.
What can happen is that other people searching for your publications in the future might miss your first three papers. But if you have a publication list on your webpage (you have a webpage, right?), it's no big deal. Also, three seems like a large number now, but it will not always be that way.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: Open Research Contributor ID (analog of DOI to researcher names) has been proposed recently to solve the problem. - <http://orcid.org/>
However, it is just out and is not yet widely adopted in industry. If you change your "academic name" to disambiguate then you can always contact arxiv and other systems asking to merge two authors. I did that for DBLP which is very important in Computer Science.
But in general, if you are not <NAME>, having not so unique name is not a problem in academia:)
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: After having just one publication out of my MSc and during the early years of my PhD studies, I married. One of my decisions was to change my name; from <NAME> to username_5, adding my wife's name.
One of the larger reasons I did this was because there is already a well established Mikael Johansson in a nearby field of research, with whom I had already been confused in academic contexts.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_6: One, which is a common solution, it to have a webpage and make it explicit who you are (and who you aren't). See e.g. contact info at [(one of) <NAME>'s webpage](http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/):
>
> I am not the only professor called <NAME> at the University of Michigan. I'm the physicist who works on networks. There is another <NAME> in the UM School of Information who works on human-computer interaction.
>
>
>
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_7: There are several other scientists named "username_7" and I've never had any problems with confusions. Obviously if you were in the same field you'd need to do something, but my 2 cents is that since you're in different fields why worry about it?
One simple thing you can do is set up a google scholar profile, so that google scholar will be able to distinguish which papers are yours. Note that you'll need to do that even if you add initials.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_8: Get an ORCID ID - <https://orcid.org/register>. This is an international, non-profit initiative to "provide a persistent digital identifier that distinguishes you from every other researcher and, through integration in key research workflows such as manuscript and grant submission, supports automated linkages between you and your professional activities ensuring that your work is recognized"
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/16 | 606 | 2,634 | <issue_start>username_0: Especially if you are someone who is entering a PhD with very broad interests and little depth of knowledge in your field.<issue_comment>username_1: If you are talking about the writing of a formal proposal document, the rules vary from department to department. If you are talking about the idea for a project, then that needs to be developed very early on—the tentative idea should already be in place by the time work starts.
In my department, for instance, students had roughly one year from the completion of the qualifying examination to submit the research proposal. This was a fairly substantial document (25-30 pages). Other schools I considered required the submission as late as the third or fourth year (in what was nominally a five- to six-year program); in that case, the research proposal was almost a first draft of the thesis, as it was typically anywhere from 50 to 100 pages in length!
In my current department, students receive fellowships to work on projects with their advisors. In such cases, the advisor typically plans the basic outline of the project, and the start of the work plan. Later years are left for the student to devise.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: For PhD in the United Kingdom:
It is not uncommon for students submit a PhD research proposal as part of their application for the PhD program. They can also find a supervisor to work on the research proposal together before submitting it as part of their application.
I have applied for a PhD in another field before and was able to write a proposal in 2 weeks that was good enough to get an interview for the program. This was with the help of a supervisor who gave me the research area, open problems he is interested in, relevant literature and he read several of my drafts.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: In the department where I got my degree at, the proposal was expected in the third year, had to represent about 30% of dissertation work, and qualified as a Master's defense should the student drop out of the program and yet being able to walk away with *something* in hand. In the department where I worked, the proposal was expected half a year before the defense (i.e., in the fall of the fifth year), had to constitute about 80% of the work, and basically was a rehearsal for the job market talk (the winter of the fifth year). So yes, rules and traditions vary from department to department and from discipline to discipline. Ask your Director of Graduate studies (or chair if the department does not have a designated officer for this role) as to what the expectations are.
Upvotes: 1 |
2013/04/16 | 910 | 4,012 | <issue_start>username_0: If someone has bad grades and limited programming experience, can they afford to rely on their first year of coursework to come up to speed with the field? Or is it a better idea to take some time off before starting your PhD and improve your skills?<issue_comment>username_1: This is phrased as a question about first-year coursework, but it's actually a question about admissions. Specifically, a department won't offer admission to someone they feel has inadequate preparation, so this situation should not arise (assuming the admissions process works well).
From this perspective, the reformulated question is: if you have bad grades and limited programming experience, is admission to a CS PhD program still possible, or do you need to take some time off to improve your skills?
At this level of detail, there's no way to say for sure. If your application shows nothing but bad grades and lack of programming experience, then admission is presumably out of the question. On the other hand, why would you even want to enter a PhD program without some other background that indicates it's a good idea? In which case the admissions decision comes down to what that background is and whether it outweighs the grades and programming experience. It would take something impressive, but it's possible in principle.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Current CS PhD student here, I can at least speak to the content of coursework. It does depends a lot on what sort of programming experience you have, and what field you are planning to go into - e.g., if all you've done is some web dev and you want to work on compilers, you're going to have a lot of catching up to do. But if you wanted to do HCI and you can pick up new syntax relatively fast, you'd probably be fine.
Personally, while I had both decent grades and a fair amount of programming experience in undergrad, I was primarily a physics major and hadn't taken any courses on topics that everyone already seemed to know about, like parallel computing or crypto or even networking - starting out with grad courses on those topics was one of the hardest things for me, not learning a new language. Classes move a lot faster and assume a lot more background knowledge at the graduate level vs. undergrad. For example, in my programming language course, we spent two days on an introduction to OCaml, where the undergrad level course spent about two weeks. It's certainly possible - and schools do admit people with limited CS experience but demonstrate promise in other ways! - but it will mean you have to work a little harder to catch up. As an example, in my "advanced database manangement systems" course last semester, I was in a project group with two other CS PhD students, one of whom knew only MATLAB (he was going into theory), and the other had a some experience (an intro class or two) with Java. However, they were both either planning to or taking undergrad-level programming courses. So that is one option, although of course it'd be more work on top of your classes. I would say the most important factor in deciding to take time off to "get up to speed" would be whether or not you feel you know enough about your desired field. If it's just "wow [x] sounds so cool, I wanna work on that!", you might want to take time to get your feet wet and see if you really do like it before committing to a Ph.D. program. But if you are sure enough, apply away, and be confident in knowing that an admission offer means they think you're ready to go!
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: I came into my PhD in CS (JHU) with a solid background in mathematics (12+ graduate courses, 8 undergraduate courses) but little programming experience (I had data structures and theory of computation). I worked a few hours a day just on catching up. It was difficult my first year. If you feel confident about your ability to learn and are able to work extra hard (zero other responsibilities) then I would just begin.
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/16 | 2,391 | 9,955 | <issue_start>username_0: Some days ago I was talking with a friend of mine, who is currently a post-doc at the illustrious [Italian Institute of Technology (IIT)](http://www.iit.it) working on humanoid robotics.
He was quite disgruntled because he recently spent a lot of time testing his latest discoveries and writing a scientific paper to submit to an important artificial intelligence conference, but on the day of the deadline, his supervisor asked him not to submit the paper. Indeed, his supervisor felt the experiments were not good enough, or the results were not excellent.
Anyway, he did not want him to submit the paper, and so he did not do it.
We discussed about it and we both stated that, even if the paper and the discoveries were not excellent, they should have sent the paper anyway. The eventual rejection maybe would have come later, by the reviewers, together with the important review notes.
This way, they would have **probably** got a **paper rejection**, but they would have been able to **treasure the reviewers' review notes**.
Instead, with his supervisor initial rejection, they won't get anything except their opinions.
So we thought that his supervisor had a bad idea.
My question is: **why did his supervisor suggest him not to submit the paper?** Why did he not think about the possibility of **getting at least the reviewers' comments**?
Is a paper rejection so **grave** a fact?
Is it so **dishonorable** to get a paper rejection?<issue_comment>username_1: Let's start from the latter questions.
>
> Is a paper rejection a so grave fact?
>
>
>
No. Unless you are not resilient enough and ready to become depressed because of a paper rejection. Happens in early PhD, later it usually gets easier to swallow.
>
> Is it so dishonorable to get a paper rejection?
>
>
>
No it is not.
>
> why his supervisor suggest him not to submit the paper? Why did he not think about the possibility of getting at least the reviewers' comments?
>
>
>
I can't know what the particular reasons were, but here are my own personal considerations in situations like this.
1. As a reviewer I value my time. I am very frustrated with papers which are obviously substandard and I have to waste my time to deliver a high quality review. Remember, also low quality papers deserve a high quality review. A review is a standalone artifact too and as such it has to be crafted too. Over time we develop a good feeling what is the required standard for a given venue.
2. My name is connected to a paper when I submit it. You are submitting and delivering a piece of work. Most people with high personal integrity attitude want to deliver only their top pieces of work. I certainly do not want my name to be attached to a piece of work I am ashamed for. Therefore, sometimes I stop myself and don't submit a paper when I know it is not up to scratch. It happens to me quite often.
Notice, *as a frequent reviewer, I very well know what the reviewers' response would be*. If you are desperate and in a need of a yet another publication, OK, frivolous submissions is a game you can play. If you have a high standard on yourself and your surroundings, playing this game is no good. Delivering good work is what counts, delivering yet another insignificant paper doesn't. In this case we do not speak about rejection on the ground of correctness, or projected significance, but on the ground of not being up to the minimal standard.
Later edit: the above stance is about subjective attitude to things, therefore point 2 applies also to conferences with double-blind review policy.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: Reviewers almost universally volunteer their time, and if you are sending a paper that you feel will be rejected because it isn't ready for publication, and/or has serious flaws, then you'll waste the time of a number of people trying to get one or two nuggets of feedback.
Blind review is not the time to elicit feedback on your work; it is meant to ensure a forum for reviewing **publishable** work. If you want feedback on your work, make the contacts with the right people who will help you, and don't try to abuse the review system by submitting immature work under false pretenses or with an ulterior motive.
p.s. There are places for work that isn't quite ready: conference workshops. Many times they are blind review, but with a high acceptance rate and with the hope that workshop attendees will provide good feedback on the work and it can be improved for conference or journal publication.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: Paper rejections are far more common than one might think. A rejection rate of 50% is not uncommon in most average journals that I know about. In some high-reputation journals it may be over 90%. So rejection is not uncommon. There are of course different reasons for a rejection, some worse than others (incomplete and in approximately falling order): the manuscript (MS) content is not appropriate for the journal; the MS (and/or figures) is poorly formated (to the point that it is hard to follow); the MS has severe language problems; the science is poorly supported by references and/or the discussion; the MS contains scientific errors or misconceptions; and then more shady problems such as falsification and plagiarism.
Now to send in a MS just to get comments from reviewers. As an editor, I really would resent this behaviour. After all what is happening is that the Ms would take up at least one editor and a couple of reviewers (free) time (none are usually paid for the work). There are authors who send in their half-baked manuscripts just to have reviewers help them iron out things they were too lazy or incapable to do themselves. I know such cases personally. The risk is that the paper gets rejected but if not then someone pours in a lot of work for very little credit (which in turn is taken up by someone else).
So from the description above, I would say that the advisor may have done the honest thing and wanted to prepare the paper as best he/she could, you be the judge. It is of course a grey zone when something may be good enough to become accepted for review or just not good enough and head for rejection. Where one draws this line is perhaps personal but it is far better to stay away from the grey zone altogether. I would therefore suggest that discussing this matter with the advisor may prove to be both a fruitful and interesting endeavour.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: The other answers mention that submitting a paper only to get some feedback is a waste of time for the reviewers, and it can be particularly damageable for your reputation when the submission is not double-blind. Remember that academia is a small world, and reputation a very important aspect.
In addition, submitting a paper to a venue usually prevents to submit it to other venues, at least during the reviewing process. When you're pretty sure that the paper will be rejected, you might miss other opportunities.
Finally, there is another risk: the paper might be accepted! Of course, at first, you might think it's a good thing, but if the results are not good enough, it might hurt your reputation, and there is of course the possibility that you're wrong. Publishing wrong results (and I'm only talking about mistake, not fraud) is far worse than getting a paper rejected. On top of that, if the paper is published, it might be harder to publish only the improved results, as they might not consist a novel contribution on their own.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_5: When I was 16, I had a rather nice idea for a quantum mechanical experiment. At the time, my theoretical foundations were shaky, and I just wanted to know if there were any flaws in it. Unfortunately, I didn't have any contacts in the physics academia, so I had nobody to talk to. Instead, I went ahead and submitted it, and mentioned that I only wanted input. Here's the mail I received:
>
> Dear Prof. <NAME>,
>
>
> We have received your submission [id] entitled [title]
>
>
> Before entering a submission to the reviewing process, we check
> whether it obeys criteria such as the following:
>
>
> * Is the topic of research suitable for this journal?
> * Does the paper contain original ideas and new
> results?
> * Are the arguments and calculations accurate and
> correct?
> * Is the exposition sufficiently well organized, and
> worded well?
> * Does the overall quality agree with our very tough
> standards?
>
>
> I regret to inform you that the editors had to conclude that this work
> is not suitable for publication in Foundations of Physics.
>
>
> I would like to thank you very much for forwarding your manuscript to
> us for consideration and wish you every success in finding an
> alternative place of publication.
>
>
> With kind regards,
>
>
> <NAME> Chief Editor
>
>
> Specific comments from a member of the Editorial Board:
>
>
> **It is not considered a task of the editorial office to evaluate
> unpublished, or unpublishable, research.**
>
>
>
(emphasis mine, I have removed references to the specific paper)
---
If I had not mentioned that I was only looking for input, then I may have gotten a more detailed rejection. However, it is clear from this that the priority of the editors is not to help researchers along, but rather to focus on publishable stuff -- which is perfectly understandable.
Regarding your specific situation (different from mine since you were planning to submit *without* mentioning that you only wanted an eval): My guess is that the supervisor did it out of courtesy. He did not feel that the editors should waste their time on something which does not benefit them -- sure, helping others is a good thing, but forcing (or tricking) someone into to helping you isn't.
I wouldn't know much about whether or not paper rejection is dishonorable, though.
Upvotes: 4 |
2013/04/16 | 2,110 | 8,744 | <issue_start>username_0: In the past, when forming student groups in class I've always allowed the students to form their own groups, which has certainly made them happy as they tend to form around social circles. As a side note, students at my school go together as classes so they have years where they know all the other people in their class quite well.
However, I'm considering doing things differently this time. I'm thinking to actively form the groups in such a way that strong students are in groups with weak students and average students - that is, groups are balanced and there are no 'strong' or 'weak' groups. I believe I can simply randomly pick students for each group and as long as strong, normal, and weak exist in roughly equal numbers, I will naturally achieve my goals, at least for the most part.
What I'm really wondering is if anyone knows the effects of student groups being formed by teachers as opposed to being formed by students themselves when those students have a strong social connection because of traveling though university as a group.
**Edit: The class size is 70 and the group size is five.**
**Edit(2): While the studying will be done in teams, individual members are assessed individually - social loafing will hurt the loafer the most.**<issue_comment>username_1: I am not sure this is a good idea in your case,
They *go together as classes so they have years where they know all the other people in their class quite well.*
So, there is a long story in their social circles. You really don't want to be part of that story.
For example, if student A and student B happen to be dating the same person, where do you put A and B?
In addition to balance skills, I can understand one of your purposes is to let them work together as professionals regardless their personal relationships. In the real world, it would work if there is a good group leader.
In your case, how do you find 14 good leaders from 70 students? (group size is 5)
Note that you mention strong, average and weak students. I would like to emphasize that it is not too hard to find 14 strong students from 70 students. However, it is not an easy task to find 14 good leaders from a 70 student class.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: If you choose the groups, then in a sense you have taken responsibility for their success. A group that perceives themselves as "weak" will subconsciously or consciously blame you for their predicament, absolving them of the need to work hard.
You also open yourself up to charges of favoritism or worse. Again, your perception of strength and weakness might be quite different to the students' own perception, and this has little to do with what the "right" answer is.
It's not clear that the pedagogical benefits of explicit grouping (even assuming you're able to separate weak from strong, which I am dubious of) balance all the downsides of grouping in this manner. While your goal is honorable (balancing groups so that they're of roughly equal strength), it's a doomed goal.
You can never force equality in the classroom. What you can aim for is fairness. A group formed by students is fair in the sense that the students can't complain that you forced them into it.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: My armchair researching dug up a lot of articles about this. I'm not an education scholar but here's a brief slice of some results from some research in the business education literature.
From *<NAME> (2006)*: Benefits and Problems With Student Teams: Suggestions for Improving Team Projects, Journal of Education for Business, 82:1, 11-19
In their related work section, their works surveyed suggest that professor-selected groups appear to have a more positive experience.
>
> However, Muller (1989) stated that student preferences are not
> necessarily the most important criterion for successful group work,
> whereas Koppenhaver and Shrader (2003) suggested that
> instructor-assigned teams lead to more stability in membership, and
> that stability enhances each team’s ability to perform effectively.
> Contrary to earlier researchers, Hernandez (2002) stated that student
> teams should be formed by the instructor, and that students are more
> likely to have a positive learning experience when groups are selected
> by the professor.
>
>
>
In an empirical study by *<NAME> and <NAME> (2008)*: Social Loafing on Group Projects: Structural Antecedents and Effect on Student Satisfaction, Journal of Marketing Education. 30:255, they hypothesize that self-selection of groups might reduce social loafing, based on some related work below:
>
> [...] This prediction has some precedence in the pedagogical
> literature. Groups formed by the students instead of random assignment
> by the instructor are assumed to be more cohe- sive, more productive,
> and experience a lower incidence of social loafing (Strong & Anderson,
> 1990). Mahenthiran and Rouse (2000) found that paired groups of
> friends had less incidence of social loafing than randomly assigned
> groups.
>
>
>
However, after their empirical study of 420 students in marketing and marketing-related fields, they conclude that there's no effect of student self-selected teams on social loafing.
>
> In this study we proposed four such factors: reducing the scope of the
> project, reducing group size, allowing students to self-select group
> members, and including multiple peer evaluations. Three of the four
> factors were found to have an impact on social loafing.
>
>
>
The only one that didn't have an impact was self-selection.
So one paper says that self-selection is worse, another says it generally doesn't matter. This might suggest that there are other factors that you may want to consider first with respect to making teams perform.
However, as mentioned, I'm not a business education researcher, and these projects might not generalize to other domains either. For example, the fact that these two papers don't cite a similar body of work might suggest that there's a lot more stuff out there. If someone out there is able to expand on this that would be excellent.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: I have a practical suggestion based on a course I used to attend.
It was a natural continuation of another course (which was a requirement), and the majority of the student body from the first course was proceeding to take the second course.
The **only team leaders were picked by the professor**, in a sense that the best students from the previous class were team leaders, and were **free to form their group** as they wanted.
This ensured several things:
* no "elite" team with only the top students
* the groups were formed mostly to students liking
* some degree of balance was naturally present
(e.g. we grouped on purpose with 6:4 in favor of "stronger" students, because we were allowed to distribute the assignment grade on our own, and that way non-perfect score still meant everybody got approximately the grade they wanted *which coincided mostly* with their effort: non-perfect project was not a tragedy)
* on the previous class, a small number of students were actually "pushed" to go the extra mile, do exceptionally, and provide a team leader for their social group
From the student perspective, at least, it worked pretty well. If you say the student body is not changing that much from class to class, maybe something similar could work.
The downside might be that an "elite" group is clearly identified, but if it is based on objective criteria, and not seemingly the random whiff of a professor, it does not seem so bad.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: Balancing skills is very different from balancing past performance. Strong students will, by definition, be strong at most things. Weak students on the other hand will have different strengths. For example, a group of weak students who are all bad at X, will form an extremely weak group. A group of weak students where student A is bad at X but excellent at Y, student B is bad at Y but excellent at Z, and student C is bad at Z but excellent at X could actually form an extremely strong group. Better than grouping on past performance might be for students to rank their strengths at X, Y, and Z and create groups based on this. This will alert students to the strengths required to do well and also allow them to see the strengths/weakness of their groups.
An alternative, which was used during my undergraduate education, is to use a personality test to create groups. This way the students are aware of the benefits/difficulties of personal interactions, which is of high importance to success.
Upvotes: 0 |
2013/04/16 | 2,580 | 9,950 | <issue_start>username_0: I was reading [this paper](http://mor.journal.informs.org/content/37/1/111) titled "Optimal Symmetric Rendezvous Search on Three Locations." While talking about the history of search problems, the author mentions the following anecdote in passing.
>
> In 2007 a letter writer to the Guardian newspaper queried, “I lost my wife in the crowd at Glastonbury (a music festival). What is the best strategy for finding her?” A reader replied, “Start talking to an attractive woman. Your wife
> will reappear almost immediately.”
>
>
>
While I found it quite amusing to read this, I do not often come across papers with such witticisms. Is there an unwritten rule about the tone of sobriety that is considered appropriate in academic papers? Are jokes or anecdotes fine as long as they do not appear forced?<issue_comment>username_1: >
> Are jokes or anecdotes fine as long as they do not appear forced?
>
>
>
To me, there is a single measure for this: *does a sentence X contribute to the paper, or not.* If the answer is `no`, it shouldn't be there at all.
To apply the principle to the joke: *if the joke illustrates a common problem which needs a solution, or illustrates a common (perhaps insufficient) solution to a well stated problem, then it certainly has a place in a research paper.*
I understand scientific writing as a form of literature. I do not see any reason for literature (including scientific discourse) not to be entertaining as well, when appropriate. But everything has its time and place. However, it shouldn't be forced and has to fit the main contribution of the paper, hence the filter rule above.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: To add to username_1's good answer: To make jokes in a scientific article is "dangerous". It is similarly a bad idea to use "quotes"! In both cases the reader may interpret the written text in many different and unforeseen ways. It is particularly problematic since readers come from many different cultures and different ways of expressing themselves, for example, figuratively. Since clarity should be a key aspect of an article, it is best to stay clear of jokes and such, keeping the somber tone you refer to.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: Quoting [<NAME>:](http://terrytao.wordpress.com/advice-on-writing-papers/write-professionally/)
>
> Overly philosophical, witty, obscure or otherwise “clever” comments should generally be avoided; they may not seem so clever to you ten years from now, and can sometimes irritate the very readers you want to communicate your result to.
>
>
>
However, you'll always be a little embarrassed looking back at yourself, so this is a pretty mild warning. I think there's nothing wrong with a little humor in papers.
That said, your example joke is definitely inappropriate to put in a formal paper because it's a joke that assumes the audience is all straight men. There may be a place for mildly sexist humor, but that place is not the workplace.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_4: Humor should be used sparingly, and when used, should not be obviously offensive. If you can imagine that someone could *reasonably* take offense to something, then it shouldn't be included in a formal research article. I would even avoid such a joke in a formal talk.
That said, humor *does* have its place in a scientific delivery. I often include a few wry remarks in my classroom lectures, but they are used sparingly, and only to lighten the mood. (I might make reference, for example, that you could do something, but only if you want your work to end up in the [*Journal of Irreproducible Results*.](http://www.jir.com))
But tasteless and overly lewd jokes should be saved for a stand-up comedy routine.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: There was a physicist(?) in the Soviet Union who always sited a non-existent paper by Cheyne and Stokes ("irregular respiration brings relief"?) in *all* his publications (and also thanked them in acknowledgements). He was imprisoned in the GULAG in 1953 when it was announced (on March 5th) that Stalin had [Cheyne–Stokes respiration](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheyne%E2%80%93Stokes_respiration). Another inmate, a physician, explained to him that this meant an inevitable death, and, thus, a hope for a change in their fortunes.
I am not sure if this qualifies as "humor", but I see no problem with it.
More to the point, you want your paper to be read to the end, and you want the readers to understand and appreciate the results. If a joke would illuminate your point, making it clear and unforgettable, go for it!
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_6: The truth is that it depends on your institution. My college required us to keep a somber tone, avoid dressing up how we presented things, etc. In other words, it had to sound incredibly boring. We were taught that academic papers were meant to deliver factual information. These other things didn't contribute to the facts or analysis, so they were unnecessary. I'm sure many other institutions might have variations of these rules. Break the rules, your paper doesn't make it. :(
Here's why I think that's ludicrous. ;) The purpose of any written work (excluding entertainment) is to convey a message. The writer must get the reader's attention, adequately get the message across, HOLD reader's attention while doing so, and (optionally) leave a lasting impression. Requirements 1, 3, and 4 are all in the presentation. So, it stands to reason that a witty, funny, or just somewhat unique presentation of content is entirely justified.
The irony of it is that many other classes taught us these principles of effective writing and captivating penmanship, then the academic papers we wrote were to avoid these things to be more successful. Makes a lot of sense, yeah?
Bonus thought. Academic papers also don't usually happen in a vacuum: many papers published in journals are competing with others. Different institutions want to make the best papers, find greatest discoveries, have highest acclaim, etc. It's not all that different from people publishing books. In light of this, I think academics have even more justification for going the extra mile to make their work stand out. Just a thought.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_7: The driest book I ever read was the revised report on Algol 68. It was liberally salted with quotes. The best one was the "Merely corroborative detail" line from the Mikado, used to introduce pragmas (a kind of semantically meaningful comment). Quotes like this stopped one wanting to slit ones' wrist while reading the meat of the document.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_8: Answering from a Humanities, Arts and Social Science (HASS) focus, to contrast the STEM focus of previous responses:
Humour may play a vital role in both the dissemination of, and methodology of HASS discoveries. HASS fields tend to deal with multiple overlaid meanings, whether they reference social meanings or cultural meanings or pure ideas. Things that simultaneously mean many things tend to be funny.
<NAME>'s sly fable, *In the Name of the Rose* is a useful case here. Eco is otherwise a scholar in a field where multiple meanings are vitally important. His novel is a Sherlock Holmes pastiche, a piece of pulp fiction, while also being a sly attack on Stalinism and Academic life. Perhaps most importantly for this question, the issue of whether the innermost nature of reality (God, art / the least worst empirically tested description of external reality) can only be approached in a reverent and serious fashion, or whether the seriously funny kind of levity also gives us access to reality? Now *In the Name of the Rose* may not have been the best way to communicate new linguistics findings; but, a serious exegesis of *In the Name of the Rose* as a post-modern novel might reasonably try to recreate some of the levity of its evidentiary text.
I wouldn't suggest writing a paper full of the Big Bumper Book of Jokes, but if your evidence is naturally funny (anti-government jokes as representative of public sentiment); or, if there's an obvious irony in the case study that you can state clearly for the reader; or, if the proper presentation of your findings calls for wit; then, use it within the broader genre conventions of your discipline's writing.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_9: If it makes your point well, then a comment that is humorous can add to the paper. The cutoff for this is rather more permissive in a conference presentation, though sprinkling a few semi-relevant jokes into a presentation is best left to the keynotes.
The more eminent the author, the more they can get away with in terms of grabbing the reader's attention: How about the abstract to [Can apparent superluminal neutrino speeds be explained as a quantum weak measurement?](http://iopscience.iop.org/1751-8121/44/49/492001/article)
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_10: Sometimes humor can help readers to remember the essence of an approach. The best example I can give in this regard is from <NAME>'s original paper about bagging predictors\* (paper available [here](http://statistics.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/tech-reports/421.pdf)). In the conclusion he summarizes the paper like this:
>
> Bagging goes a ways toward making a silk purse out of a sow's ear, especially if the sow's ear is twitchy.
>
>
>
\* Used to make a stronger model by combining a set of weak ones, which is particularly effective when there is high variability between the weak models.
On very rare occasions, authors go even further and write a paper about a humorous topic, such as [WHEN ZOMBIES ATTACK!: MATHEMATICAL MODELLING OF AN OUTBREAK OF ZOMBIE INFECTION](http://www.math.upenn.edu/~ted/203S10/Projects/Zombies/Zombies.pdf). Humor can be a good way of bringing abstract matter under the spotlight for laymen to appreciate.
Upvotes: 1 |
2013/04/16 | 512 | 2,181 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm currently finishing up my J.D., and I plan on practicing law for at least a few years. However, I'm also considering returning to school to study CS. In the meantime, I plan on researching and attempting to publish at least a few articles - perhaps some related to cyber law.
Given the less rigorous nature of law review, how would an admission committee view these?
Also, does the prestige of the journal matter - i.e. *Harvard Journal of Law & Technology* vs. *Michigan State Law Review*?<issue_comment>username_1: The higher the quality the journal you can publish in, the better—but that's a truism.
On the other hand, I don't know how much weight an admissions committee would give to a law review publication, because these tend to be *synthetic* papers rather than *creative* papers: that is, a law review acts much like a literature review paper, instead of a paper where you've done original research and found an interesting result. Consequently, it's not fully reflective of what you would be doing as a researcher, and thus may carry less weight overall than a traditional research article.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: First, I don't agree much with username_1's assessment that *review articles “may carry less weight overall than a traditional research article”*. A **good review article** is very hard to write, because this requires a very high level of understanding of the existing research and literature, as well as strategic thinking to discuss what will be of importance in times to come. To me, this is actually very much harder for a PhD student to have than publishing a “regular” research article. I think most committees would agree.
Now, how will the committee recognized a good review article? Ideally, by reading it and being impressed at the clarity and level of the discussion it displays. **In the real world? Probably by the name and prestige of the journal it was published in.**
So, my advice is: publish good stuff, in good venues. It matters more that you get to publish things, than what exactly you publish, as long as it is good! *(Yeah, that sounds trivial, but you asked for it!)*
Upvotes: 3 |
2013/04/17 | 679 | 2,667 | <issue_start>username_0: Today, I read the name “Howard University” on a list, and since I had no idea where it was, I looked it up. I was amazed from their website because, well, most people on the photos there are black!
Since I assume it does not reflect the ethnicity of the local environment (Washington DC), I went to search for an explanation. Wikipedia says it's a [“historically black university”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historically_black_colleges_and_universities):
>
> established before 1964 with the intention of serving the black community
>
>
>
So, I understand that segregation-era black universities might have a predominantly African American faculty and student body after the end of segregation, but it's now almost 50 years ago. So, **what factors explain how an institution such as Howard University didn't get more ethnically/racially diverse, while multiculturalism seems an important part of academic way of life?**<issue_comment>username_1: The excellent book "Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?", by <NAME>, offers an explanation of -- well, the question posed by the title of the book, but as a general phenomenon, for example why HBCU's continue to appeal to African-Americans.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: I just don't think HBCUs are all that unusual in terms of having a student body that's not a random demographic sample of the United States. Brandeis has a higher than average percentage of Jewish students, Cardiff has a higher than average percentage of Welsh students, and Duke has a higher percentage of southern students. Students pick schools in part by cultural and social match, and ethnicity plays a role there. Furthermore, people go to schools that their family members and friends went to, and a black kid is more likely to have grown up hearing "keep up the good work and you'll get into Howard/Morehouse/Spelman" from their alumni parents and teachers while a white kid's role models are less likely to be Howard alums. Finally, demographic shifts happen slowly: <NAME> has been coed since 1968 and it's still 3/4s female.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: As a Black graduate of Howard University, I think this best sums the factors and answers your question. The United States of America, has embedded within its socio-economic and political systems, systemic racism. The reasons for Howard University, in fact all HBCUs existence still remains. Until the systemic racism is directed to all OR until it is significantly removed, there is no reason for any HBCU to become a PWI (predominately white institution).
Upvotes: 3 |
2013/04/17 | 1,353 | 5,660 | <issue_start>username_0: I decided fairly late in life (21) that I feel like studying mathematics. I've always been interested in higher maths, I've just been daunted by some of the esoteric notations and theorems. But, no longer a philistine, I'm infatuated with pure mathematics. Right now I'm pursuing a Bachelor's degree in English. Is there a way I can get a Phd via an MSc?
I guess what I'm really asking is this: **Is it possible to get into a Masters program without having a Bachelors in the field?**<issue_comment>username_1: From my experience, it is possible to get into a masters program without a bachelor in the field. What you do need to do though display an aptitude for the subject. Also, if you were to be admitted into a masters program, you would likely be required to take undergraduate courses to get "up to speed."
Since you are still in undergrad studies, why not make the switch now by taking mathematics courses. The additional advantage to this is if it turns out that you don't like the area, you had not invested a significant amount of effort and time.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Yes, it's possible to get a graduate degree in mathematics even if your undergraduate degree is in a completely unrelated field. (Everything I say will be assuming you are in the U.S.; otherwise, I don't know.) In practice, you'll need to acquire much of the knowledge from an undergraduate degree in mathematics before starting, although you can fill in a few gaps during a master's program.
If you have unlimited time and money, then it's straightforward. You take undergraduate courses until you have completed most of a math major, either by delaying your graduation or by taking courses as a special student (i.e., not in a degree program) after your bachelor's degree. At that point, even thought you won't have a degree in mathematics, you'll be able to make a compelling case that you have equivalent background. You may not have a strong enough application to get into a top Ph.D. program directly, but you should be able to get into a master's program in a decent department, and if you do well enough there you can apply to even stronger departments for your Ph.D.
The drawback with this plan is that it's slow (you might spend two years or more taking courses before even applying to master's programs) and expensive (you'll be being charged tuition for these courses). Instead, the real question isn't whether it's possible in principle, but rather how to get to a Ph.D. program as quickly as possible, since at that point you'll no longer need to pay anything.
How efficiently you can do this depends heavily on your background and experience. If you are just starting to take college math courses, then it may take several years to prepare yourself for a master's program. If you already have a lot of experience, then you might be ready to apply this fall. I'd recommend consulting with faculty in your math department to see what they think of your background and what they would advise.
There exist certificate or post-baccalaureate programs designed to prepare people from other fields for math grad school. (See, for example, <http://departments.columbian.gwu.edu/math/certificates/gradmath>.) Such a program could be useful, depending on how well it fits with your background and preparation.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: I got into MSc program in Economics having my base degree in Engineering, and then moved to get a Ph.D. in Statistics with these two degrees. But all of them are highly math-intensive. You are at about 5-8 years disadvantage compared to Chinese and Korean applicants, and at about 3-5 years disadvantage compared to US applicants (again, assuming that you are in the U.S.). While username_2, obviously, has a more in depth knowledge of what kind of applicants are being admitted to his or her department, I would say that it seems very difficult to me given your non-technical background. You can take courses in math, but if you have not been trained to think as a mathematician, you won't be able to fit into math world. (A girlfriend who was majoring in math dumped me when I was an undergrad saying "You don't think like a mathematician". So be prepared that this is a different bunch than the people you are used to in your English classes.) This had to happen throughout your secondary school; if you start math in college, you could still do engineering and economics, but pure math is nearly impossible. Furthermore, you would have to seek proof-based courses, and you may not see them until the senior year even if you major in math. (I was stunned to hear from one of my students that he only saw epsilon-delta formalism in calculus as a senior in college; I had it as a junior in high school.) If you apply to a graduate math program with just three semesters of calculus, you won't be taken very seriously. I personally think that one cannot seriously call themselves mathematicians unless they know abstract algebra and complex analysis, as these keep reappearing in pretty much every field of mathematics. (Folks at math.stackexchange might be able to give you better pointers as far as specific courses go, though. Your question being moved to Academia made some sense, but it is still very much discipline-specific.)
To get a glimpse of whether you are prepared to work in a math grad program, take GRE Math subject test. If you don't get some 80+%, you are not ready yet (folks [here](http://www.mathematicsgre.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1003) with scores below 60% don't go anywhere; even folks with 80+% percentile don't get accepted left and right).
Upvotes: 1 |
2013/04/17 | 1,408 | 5,632 | <issue_start>username_0: I don't want to stay in academia after finishing my PhD. My current research field is not exciting to me anymore, but also I am too old to change fields. Although my research and my interest were so far quite theoretically focussed, I would like to find a more applied job in R&D in a big prestigeous company, helping improving future technologies.
Now: How do I tell my supervisor? I want to avoid leaving the impression I think our research field is boring.
My supervisor tries already finding Postdoc positions for me, and probably thinks I'm quite qualified for staying in academia. So I fear to be disappointing.<issue_comment>username_1: Different fields have very different attitudes about academia vs industry. In computer science, for example, research jobs in industry have a lot of respect (and pay incredibly well). Moreover, given how few academic jobs there are out there, it would be foolish not to look for opportunities wherever you can find them.
You don't need to go into academia just because your advisor thinks you should. And you *definitely* should not take a job that you're not interested in pursuing. As an advisor, I'm happy when my students get good jobs anywhere, and I'd imagine that your supervisor would be that way too.
Most likely your advisor is in "default mode" assuming that you'll continue in academia. If you were to tell him/her that you'd like to explore other options, I wouldn't be surprised if he/she had good contacts to help you find good industrial jobs.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: Whatever you are going to do after PhD is **your** business. You **own** the decision. username_2 else does.
You want to avoid leaving the impression your research field is boring, then don't say it that way.
Tell him it is your will to go to industry. It is your future at stake.
You would like to *find a more applied job in R&D in a big prestigious company, helping improving future technologies*. **This is good enough reason to go to industry.** Tell him that. If he disagrees, ask him why.
If he had the impression that you are interested in staying in academia, it's time to tell him the truth. Honesty is the best policy. Tell him you will be much happier if you work in industry.
Be honest. Be frank. Be polite. He is your advisor after all. If he disagrees with you. let him convince you otherwise. Listen to him. He would provide the opinions from his perspective.
Use his advice as the opinion from your advisor (the person who advises you).
Then, make your own decision.
The most important thing for you right now is to **find a job to do whatever you want to do**.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: >
> How do I tell my supervisor? I want to avoid leaving the impression I think our research field is boring.
>
>
>
The other answers are already very good. You don't have a specifically academic problem, yours is a communication strategy issue.
1. **be honest:** in your specific case, tell your advisor as soon as possible in order to avoid a situation when too individuals want/wish each other only good and due to a misalignment it ends up in a clash;
2. **focus on the positive side:** Communicate that *you are motivated to go for an industry position*. It's easier than to focus on why you *don't want to stay in academia*.
There are always two sides of a coin. Your question sounds as if you wanted to avoid something (staying in academia) and that is always difficult to communicate, since it **pushes** you to defend your decision. Try to formulate it as if you were positively **pulled** to somewhere else. Then it's not you who is on defense, you took the active part in the conversation and usually it will be the other party to defend their position why not to do something (going to industry) is a bad move. As pointed out by others, you own a decision to do something (subjective, hence any reason is good enough), but there usually arises a need to explain why you don't want to go the default route (calls for more objective arguments, which are much harder to formulate). Your motivation for being pulled somewhere can stay vague, I wouldn't even hesitate to invoke emotions, such as `I feel like I would like such a job and want to give it a try`.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: To be completely honest, I faced a similar situation towards the end of my PhD - I wasn't exactly bored with the research field but simply felt I should try out the non-academia. And I am glad I took that decision. But beware: there is a definite getting-used-to phase wherein you need to come to terms with your ego satisfaction etc. I also know of instances where people have gone back to academics after a 2-year stint at the industry. My 2 cents will be to pitch your am-getting-bored-of-this-stuff down and promote a wanna-try-this-out-too.
HTH!
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: The only way to mention it is to go ahead and actually discuss it with your advisor frankly. You should be prepared to explain why you don't want to go into academia.
However, it may just be the case that your professor assumes you want to go into academia because you haven't told him otherwise! It's quite possible that if you mentioned wanting to go down an alternate career path, he'd help with that, too. (Although that does depend on your advisor.)
You may also need to have this conversation more than once. I've known a few fellow graduate students who have had that issue with their advisors not "getting the hint" and continuing to recommend academic positions, *even after they've moved on*!
Upvotes: 3 |
2013/04/18 | 1,035 | 4,554 | <issue_start>username_0: There are some journals, such as [Behavioral and Brain Sciences](http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=BBS), that publish a single target article per issue, followed by 20 to 30 commentaries on that article, and then a rebuttal/synthesis from the target article authors. Their rough workflow seems to be:
1. Authors submit a target article.
2. Target article is peer-reviewed as in a normal journal, with a focus on if it is of sufficient interest to warrant discussion in such a forum setting.
3. If accepted, the editors send a massive number of invitations to associates of the journal, soliciting commentary proposals on the target article. A dark-net link to the final version of the target article is included.
4. Authors submit commentary proposals, and the editors review them, selecting a subset that would make a good discussion.
5. Selected commentators write their articles and submit them to the editors
6. Editors do a quick review of commentaries and pass them on to the target article authors for a rebuttal.
7. Target article authors write a rebuttal.
8. Everything is published at the same time (this is the stage that BBS makes anything directly publicly available from their site).
At stage [3], the number of commentators contacted is significantly in excess of what you would for soliciting peer review. A link to the post-review paper that is accessible without any logins is also distributed, but this link is on the 'dark net' -- nothing on the main site links directly to it. The contacted associates are encouraged to share the article with their colleagues and bring non-contacted collaborators on board if they want to write a commentary.
My question is: **to what extent can the sharing in step [3] be taken?**
* Can you share the article privately as much as you want? I.e. can a non-associate that was sent the article by an associate (but not the editor) then forward it to another non-associate?
* Can you contact the authors of the target article with questions or comments that make it obvious that you've read the article? (Note, that you wouldn't be able to do this for an article you are peer-reviewing)
* Can you write a blog post about the article before it comes out, making a summary of it, and referencing it as (to appear)?
* Can you share the link that was emailed to you publicly (say on your blog)?
Note that the target authors often have a preprint of the target article linked from their website, kind of like a white paper (although it isn't always exactly the same version as is sent out by BBS). I am interested in answers to the above questions in both cases: when a preprint is available from the authors and when only the BBS dark-net link exists.<issue_comment>username_1: If you are unclear on the matter, I would ask the person who sent you the article. Asking the editor or authors may get the person who sent it to you in trouble. In most cases, the first answer is probably no. However, it may be true in some cases where there are no provisions on the confidentiality of the article. When sent out to be peer reviewed, they usually stamp the title page of the article with the confidentiality clauses. I don't think you should contact the authors until the peer-reviewing process is over, but that doesn't mean you can't. They might just refuse to comment. The last two questions you have posted... You most definitely cannot do that. You could get in major trouble for early distribution of research, especially if the project is not finished. You may face academic dis-accreditation which would make it very difficult for you to ever be involved in the academic community. This would be especially true if you wanted to peer review articles for that journal in the future or if you wish to publish articles with them. You would likely also face difficulties publishing in related journals, which may be problematic if you choose to work in an academic setting. If the author has a link to the article on their webpage, I would suggest you contact them and ask for their permission to post it on your blog. Doing so without their permission is an infringement on their property.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: **If the paper is not publicly accessible, and you were not given explicit permission to share it, I would consider it confidential**. It was sent to you (and few others), so assume that it is not yours to share. If you want to, ask the editors (not the authors, in case your identity was not yet given to them).
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/18 | 917 | 3,003 | <issue_start>username_0: I have noticed that the copy editors of at least two publishers (the American Institute for Physics and American Physical Society) do something weird when they copy-edit my submitted papers. For all references to papers in *Nature*, which I include in my references as such:
>
> <NAME>, Nature **197**, 412 (1974)
>
>
>
they replace “Nature” by “Nature (London)”:
>
> <NAME>, Nature (London) **197**, 412 (1974)
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>
>
I do not understand why they do that! I know it is customary in they style for *books* to have a city next to the publisher name (though I don't think it is very relevant in this day and age), but why do it for journals? Are there multiple **different** editions of *Nature*?<issue_comment>username_1: Indeed, according to both [AIP style guide](http://www.aip.org/pubservs/style/4thed/AIP_Style_4thed.pdf), as well as [APS style guide](https://publish.aps.org/files/styleguide-pr.pdf), references to journal articles should be referred to without a place of publication. However, in the [ACS style guide](http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/bk-2006-STYG.ch014) on page 9, you can read the following:
>
> For some periodicals whose CASSI abbreviation includes a place of publication, you need not add the place of publication unless its omission would
> create ambiguity. If CASSI lists only one journal with a given main title, there is no ambiguity in omitting the place of publication.
>
>
>
And indeed, the [CASSI](http://cassi.cas.org/search.jsp) tool [entry for Nature](http://cassi.cas.org/publication.jsp?P=LglBQf5Q2NQyz133K_ll3zLPXfcr-WXfgiNFJ_JXtGlPxOTvACeoFzLPXfcr-WXfimSBIkq8XcUjhmk0WtYxmzLPXfcr-WXfOVmSOhs8-IG1XmrSkgbolw) reads as follows:
>
> Displaying Record for Publication: `Nature (London, United Kingdom)`
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>
>
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: For these journals, the copy editor is correct. "Nature (London)" is listed in the American Physical Society's house style for [abbreviations](https://authors.aps.org/STYLE/style_jabbr.html), which makes it the standard abbreviation for APS journals, and it is also in the American Institute of Physics's [list](http://www.aip.org/pubservs/style/4thed/appg.pdf). It's not part of a general pattern of including locations, but rather a special case.
Presumably the inclusion of "London" was originally intended to avoid some long-ago ambiguity, perhaps with [La Nature](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Nature). It sounds like La Nature was more of a popular magazine about science than a modern scientific journal, but then again [so was Nature](http://www.nature.com/npg_/company_info/mission.html) in its early history.
There is no serious ambiguity about the name Nature today, but publishers are reluctant to change abbreviations, partly out of fear that if you've been using a specific abbreviation for many decades, a careful reader may wonder whether a different abbreviation is a mistake or even refers to another journal.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer] |
2013/04/17 | 560 | 1,963 | <issue_start>username_0: I am submitting a Ph.D. thesis fairly soon and my supervisor has flagged my use of capitalisation in "Section" and "Chapter" as possibly incorrect. I have googled about a bit and I see mixed opinions.
So my question is, when writing a computer science Ph.D. thesis, what is the correct way to capitalise "Section", "Chapter", "Appendix", "Figure", "Table", ... ?
For example, what is the correct capitalisation for the following:
* "In Chapter 3, it was shown that..."
* "In the previous Section, a method was presented to..."
* "The graph in Figure 3 shows..."<issue_comment>username_1: >
> "In Chapter 3, it was shown that..."
>
>
>
This seems correct. "Chapter 3" is the name of the third chapter. Names are capitalised.
>
> "In the previous Section, a method was presented to..."
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>
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This seems wrong. "Section" is not referring to the previous section by name, therefore no capital.
>
> "The graph in Figure 3 shows..."
>
>
>
Correct. Same as the first example.
So the rule (I use) is, if it is a proper name, then use a capital. This means, if it is of the form "Section $n$", where $n$ is a number, then it needs a capital.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: It is a question of style. The most accepted custom is that given by Dave: you capitalize logical divisions if you refer to them by number.
However, I've never believed that there is any real logic behind that rule, other than emphasis. Identifying things by a number doesn't make them proper nouns: as an example, you don't commonly capitalize “page” as “see Page 10”…
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: A search on Google Scholar reveals that both the forms
>
> in chapter/section 3
>
>
>
and
>
> in Chapter/Section 3
>
>
>
exist in published scientific articles.
For "chapter" the capitalised version seems to be a little more common. For "section" the capitalised version is much more common.
Upvotes: 3 |
2013/04/18 | 1,502 | 6,616 | <issue_start>username_0: I did not get accepted into any good graduate programs. For various reasons, I feel I could do much better if I reapplied next year. This question isn't about the *feasibility* of doing so, but of the affect on my professional reputation and network.
It is an investment for the university to give me funding, so it would be a jerk move to transfer simply for the increase in prestige. But **how much** of a jerk move would it be? Would it burn my colleagues and advisors so hard that I would scar my reputation for the rest of my career? Would I simply lose these people as connections, but have no lasting affect other than that? Or would everyone be understanding that this is a professional choice, that I am looking out for my future? (If so, could I request recommendations from professors in the program?)
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> If I transfer to a better school either at the end of my first or second year as a graduate student, how much will this piss people off?
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To be clear, I am talking about transferring from a mid-ranked state school to somewhere good, at least top 20 hopefully top 10. And since I am sure this matters, the discipline is mathematics.<issue_comment>username_1: This is fine. Don't feel guilty at all. I say this as a math professor at a mid-ranked state school, who has written rec letters for students who, for various reasons, wanted to transfer out.
Be sure not to speak ill of the place you're leaving, but you owe it to yourself to seek out the best opportunities available. Good luck!
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: No.
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It's *your* degree. As long as you are honest with *everyone* about your intentions and your motivations, and you don't speak ill of your old department in your application, nobody has cause to label you a jerk. I recommend asking your current advisor for a recommendation letter, so that the program you're applying to knows (1) that you're not trying to sneak out, and (2) that your current department isn't kicking you out.
Moreover, changing departments is no reason to stop collaborating with your old advisor; that collaboration can pay off handsomely later. Strong recommendation letters from faculty *outside* your PhD institution are *extremely* helpful for the post-PhD job search.
**I did this. Some of my former students have done this. We're all fine.**
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: In my field, which is not mathematics, externally funded studentships are quite common. Leaving an externally funded studentship is completely unprofessional and very bad form. If a student withdraws the PI will generally lose the remainder of the funding and potentially be band from applying in the future.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_4: Provided you are cordial and tread cautiously, no, it won't. (I know this is a late answer, but since people think of doing this fairly often, I figured I might give my two cents. While I am not a professor, I figured it might help to have a current graduate student's perspective.)
I myself have transferred between math graduate programs at different schools. Furthermore, I know three or four others who have transferred between math programs at different schools, two people who have transferred from a math program to a non-math program at a different school, and two people who have left math programs for a non-math program at the same university. (And no, these people weren't all transferring to or from the same university.) I know many others who have changed advisors or left graduate school entirely. And people often transfer for reasons other than the reputation of the schools, myself included. (Such reasons may include moving to be closer to significant others, dissatisfaction with the geographical location of the school, changing research interests, advisors switching schools and bringing their students with them, advisors ceasing to work with students, and interest in a specific advisor at a different school, among others.) As much as it would be ideal for all graduate students to arrive precisely where they belong and know exactly what they will do over the next four years, it's probably an understatement to say that this doesn't always happen. And many professors are sympathetic and understanding.
I would, however, caution you about the following. Keep in mind that if you don't get accepted into any transfer schools, you probably want to still get good funding and work with an advisor that fits you at your current school. You may indeed later find that you want to stay at your current school, even if you've been accepted to other places! So, informing those who determine your funding that you're thinking of transferring before you actually have been accepted into another school doesn't necessarily seem like a good idea to me. Depending on the perspective of the department, it can be like telling your romantic partner that you're thinking of breaking up well before you make the actual decision. (On the other hand, they might appreciate being informed early and may be very kind and understanding. It's tough to judge, since it all depends on the people involved.)
But if you *do* get accepted into a transfer institution and decide to go there, you should make sure to have a conversation with the heads of your current graduate program and department, to notify them that you are leaving, and to politely express why you are making this change. I'd recommend being brief (you don't need to tell them your life story), but clear, and always polite. It may be a good idea not to hold off the decision until the last minute (i.e. the April 15th deadline) like I did. Keep in mind that they need to find someone to replace you, and the closer to the deadline, the harder it is for the school to find qualified candidates.
And I agree that you should be sure not to denigrate your current institution in any of your applications, or when you tell people at your current institution why you're leaving. I also agree that when you apply to other institutions, you should very honestly express why you're making this switch (without denigration, of course).
Edit: Also, regarding username_1 Mathematician's comment under the question: I transferred after my second year and it's worked out fine, but certainly it is best to be actively pursuing a backup plan for research at your current institution if you're attempting to transfer any later than your first year. That is, keep looking for possible advisors and research projects at your current university even after you've submitted your transfer applications.
Upvotes: 1 |
2013/04/19 | 655 | 2,692 | <issue_start>username_0: For something I'm applying to, I need to know if I'm considered a student, a part-time employee, or a full-time employee.
I am a graduate research assistant with a yearly stipend. No other employment is allowed. 20 hours a week of research is expected according to the contract.<issue_comment>username_1: For your purposes, I would use either "full-time employee" or "student," depending on which answer gives you the most benefit. Because you aren't allowed other employment (the legality of whether that is enforceable is disputable), your position is full-time because it implies that the other 20 hours a week of 40-hour a week employment\* will be spent on studies. You can certainly claim to be a student, as I assume you have a student ID that demonstrates that.
\*if you make it through graduate school working only 40 hours a week, you're either brilliant, or not working hard enough, or both.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> For something I'm applying to, I need to know if I'm considered a student, a part-time employee, or a full-time employee.
>
>
>
The answer could heavily depend on the country you are located in.
The following is obvious:
1. do you have a proper work contract with the university? If yes, then check your contract and see what kind of employee you are;
2. are you officially enrolled at a university as a student? If yes, the program you are enrolled in tells you what kind of a student you are.
Now to the non-obvious part. As pointed out by others, in some countries you would be a either a full-time, or a part-time employee, but despite that, for many purposes (grant applications, student fellowships, conference registration, etc.) you could be considered a full-time student. This is the case for Germany (among others) where your contract would stipulate an amount of hours you are paid for, but you would be nevertheless expected to work full-time as a PhD. student and the university would have no problem issuing a certificate about your "studentship" for you. So to tackle your question, the first instance to consult is your supervisor/adviser, and the second one would be your department/faculty administration.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: I don't have citable information to give you but being a doctoral student and usually being on a research assistantship, anecdotally, I can tell you that in the United States, if you are a full time MS/PhD student and are on a research assistantship then it is not considered a full time job. Your full time job is that of a "student".
This was confirmed by an HR representative of my university because I asked her this exact question.
Upvotes: 3 |
2013/04/19 | 629 | 2,763 | <issue_start>username_0: I am writing a conference paper of the first time, and the conference I am targeting requires anonymized submissions for the peer review. But at the same time, we (as in, my research group) are required to acknowledge the grants and support of our funding agency in all our publications. Plus, I also need to refer to a previous work of our group.
Is it appropriate for me to *leave out* the acknowledgements section and the reference to my work while sending the paper for review, but *add these details later on* if and when the paper gets accepted?
Is appropriate to add details (the acknowledgments section, for instance) which were not a part of the paper when it went for review?
I could think of this as the only way to satisfy all concerns. Are there better suggestions from more experienced people in academia?<issue_comment>username_1: To your best ability, you should remove all identifying information for the blind review. This includes removing author names and affiliations, avoiding phrases such as "in our previous work," and removing acknowledgements. During the camera-ready portion of the review process (should your paper be accepted), you will add in that information. You'll almost certainly have to make some changes to the paper, so if you are concerned about leaving space for an acknowledgements section, don't be, as you can't really predict the exact text right now.
As for referring to your previous work, make it as anonymous as you can. In general, you should refer to your other work as if it was any other work--i.e., don't link it directly to yourself at all. Although it may sound odd for an author to talk about himself/herself as if he or she was a different person, it's acceptable and expected in academia.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: You're required to acknowledge grants and grant agencies in your **publications**. Right now, all you have is a **submission**. If and when the submission becomes a publication will be the time to add the grant information in, especially if the venue has a strong anonymization policy for submissions.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: I would go about it slightly differently. I would write the manuscript as you wish it to appear and then redact any identifying information. The redaction process should given a sense of what has been redacted without revealing the identity of the authors. See for example: <https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/41995/efficient-ways-to-anonymize-a-document>.
In summary I would not leave the acknowledgement section out, but would rather do:
>
> Author XXX was funded by XXX and Author XXX was funded by XXX. We thank XXX for help with the fancy piece of hardware.
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Upvotes: 4 |
2013/04/19 | 762 | 3,339 | <issue_start>username_0: I just got into a PhD program and was asked to give a presentation to my juniors regarding grad school applications.
In my country (Asia region), people are fanatical about non-academic extra curricular activities that are totally not related to their topic (sports, debate team, run charities etc). E.g. A student with good grades and is the captain of the school's basket ball team can get picked for a mathematics PhD scholarship over the top mathematics student with zero non-academic activities. The belief is that scholars should be "all rounded".
I think the situation is different in the USA. I would like to encourage my juniors who have excellent academic records but without significant non-academic extra curricular activities to try for the USA because of this.
I understand there are scholarships like the Rhodes which do look at non-academic achievements. But is my general understanding of non-academic activities for USA PhD admissions correct?<issue_comment>username_1: In general. non-academic activities are *not* considered for admissions for schools and most fellowship programs in the US. The primary reason for this is that graduate programs are looking for people who will become excellent scholars and researchers (and sometimes even good teachers!). Success in sports and other highly non-academic activities is less likely to have significant influence in assessments of one's ability to do research, and therefore is not strongly considered.
However, there *are* exceptions. People can choose to fund activities however they choose, and can place whatever restrictions on the use of the money they donate. For instance, an alumnus could fund a fellowship for PhD students who play the tuba in a college marching band. While this doesn't happen often, it can be done. But typically admissions committees aren't concerned with such issues, and don't take them into account in making admissions decisions.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: >
> In my country (Asia region), people are fanatical about non-academic extra curricular activities that are totally not related to their topic (sports, debate team, run charities etc). ... I think the situation is different in the USA.
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Its not actually that different. Universities are generally looking for engaged graduate students, so showing involvement outside of classes is generally a positive thing. Extra-curriculars should be noted in any application.
Holding a leadership role in a student organization is seen as positive, and should be especially noted in any graduate school application. This includes leadership positions in Fraternities or Sororities. See below for the one exception to this rule.
**Think carefully before listing religious, political or fan clubs**
Be careful listing activities that involve either religion or politics. Its a fact of life that some people are prejudice, and listing a republican, democratic, LGBT, or any other club that would imply a strong religious or social viewpoint opens you to attack. Do not give someone on the admittance committee reason to hate you.
Also be careful listing fan club activities like your Quiddich team, or presidency of the Star Trek club. These activities may make you appear immature to the admittance committee.
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/19 | 935 | 3,977 | <issue_start>username_0: I finished reading a textbook of about 250 pages. For my personal reference, I created a summary in note form of about 30 pages. Formulations are close to the original text with some variation on my part, and there are literal quotes. I don't consider it a replacement of the book (obviously?).
What can I do with this summary? Is it fair to give it to friends who are interested in the topic? What about students? Can I even publish it online?
I am aware that laws may play into this. The book has been published in the U.S., I live in Germany.<issue_comment>username_1: You can:
* **Criticise it:** Do you disagree with the authors about some topics/methods? Do you have some ideas on how to enhance the book? Discuss them with your peers.
* **Rephrase it:** You can rewrite the summary with your own words and publish it as **Notes on XXX** where XXX is the book topic.
* **Publish** a [Book Review](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0004370209001325) out of it.
* KEEP it to refresh your knowledge about the topic. In case you forgot or its not directly related to your research.
* Depends on the topic, you might write a blog about it; if you have one.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: There are two questions, namely what you can do legally and what the community would consider acceptable.
Legally, distributing such a summary is probably a copyright violation if you borrow too much from the original; in the U.S., it would be considered a [derivative work](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derivative_work) (the legal definition includes "abridgment" and "condensation" as forms of derivative work). In that case, it would be illegal to distribute it without permission from the copyright holder. On the other hand, you are not likely to get in trouble unless you offend the author or publisher. The easiest way to offend the publisher would be if they view your summary as competition that might decrease sales of the book, but they might take a strict approach to copyright enforcement in any case (it depends on the publisher, and I would guess that a nonprofit publisher might be more understanding than a big commercial publisher). In practice, the worst case scenario is probably being forced to take down any copies you had posted online. You could be sued, but that seems unlikely to me.
The research community is likely to take a less strict approach than the law. If you distribute the summary privately (e.g., just to friends or students), then nobody is likely to find out or care. If you post it online, then it's more likely to attract attention, but it won't necessarily be negative attention. That depends on how you've written it.
You should keep several things in mind to avoid causing offense:
1. You should be absolutely clear about what you have done: what's a direct quote, what's a mildly reworded version of the author's words, what's a summary in your own words. You need to be careful about distinguishing your own interpretaton from the author's, and you can run into trouble in two directions, either by seeming to take credit for observations that are explained in the book, or by seeming to attribute your own ideas or organization to the author. This is a difficult balancing act, which is easy to mess up. Even if you are very careful, the author may still feel that you are distorting the emphasis on different topics, for example.
2. You should be very careful about correctness. I would be unhappy if someone circulated a summary of a book of mine that had mistakes in it.
I would **not** recommend asking the author for permission, since that would put the author in an awkward position (of having to either endorse or object to your summary). If the author discovers your summary and complains, then I feel professional courtesy requires you to make changes or take it down.
Personally, I would probably not post it online, but opinions could differ.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer] |
2013/04/19 | 1,621 | 6,935 | <issue_start>username_0: I realize that this sort of question has been asked before and I have read through some of the other threads but I figured I'd see if there are any more perspectives out there. I am currently a research embryologist for a small fertility clinic with a Bsc in molecular biology. I have about 2 1/2 years of experience and have been accepted into an Masters in Bioinformatics program. I am very excited to begin taking classes but l have recently begun second guessing whether I should have tried to get into a PhD program. I will not be able to continue working at my current job while I am in school so I will likely be paying for school with loans unless I'm able to find a job after I relocate.
Those of you who have Masters degrees, would you do it again or go for a PhD? From what I have found searching around the site many people say PhDs are more academically focused while Masters degree holders tend to find more positions in industry. Is concern over the cost of a Masters degree a good reason to consider a PhD instead or do most of you find you were able to offset your education costs with the job you eventually found? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you in advance!<issue_comment>username_1: When I was studying for my MBA I also thought about this choice. However, a PhD is long and I was looking forward to working with my new-found knowledge sooner than a PhD would allow. For me, I prefer to balance practice with theory. That is, I did not want to wait for longer than I had to before being able to use my knowledge in the 'real world.'
That said, I'm now looking seriously at a PhD and I certainly do not regret my decision. I could work while I was studying during my MBA. Now, I do understand that one can take some time off during a PhD but I wasn't really looking forward to starting something which would likely require a break. I prefer the clean completion which the master gave me.
Since I could work while studying my MBA, finances were not much of an issue. The cost of my education was easily offset by the higher salary which came with the degree. The payback period (considering the increase in my income directly related to my additional qualification) in my case was less than 18 months.
It is a little different from your situation in that many people who study business for work in the real world do not go beyond an MBA. I will, but I also teach.
In short, I'm glad I got my MBA before pursuing a PhD.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: First, disclaimer. I'm not sure I'm qualified to be giving anyone advice of this nature. But since you asked, here are my 2 cents.
The bottom line is that people do a PhD if they want to do research. Otherwise, probably not. I believe this is true in both academic and industry circles - if you want to do research type stuff, you need a PhD. I could be wrong about industry - if people know of counterexamples, please comment. So, a relevant question is whether you want to do research.
My experience is that in practical terms, at least in the applied sciences, research translates into more autonomy pursuing questions which you find interesting. In general, not having a PhD means less autonomy. Of course, having a PhD does not mean anything like total independence - there are always people you have to answer to. However, with just a Masters, you are much more likely to be taking direction from people in the choice of projects you pursue, and how you pursue them. You should try to figure out how happy you will be doing this. I used to think I would be Ok with that, and discovered later that I really wanted to be making my own decisions. So, you might think now that you are happy to do what you are told, you you may later discover that you do not consider these decisions that others make for you to be all that great. It really depends on your personality and inclinations.
It seems ridiculous that people will treat you differently on the basis of a piece of paper, but that is how human beings, at least the more bureaucratic variety, are constituted - they like to pigeonhole and put labels on people.
Having said all of the above, of course, if you do a Masters and then decide you want to do a PhD, you can always do it later, but I suppose you are trying to figure out the more efficient path to follow.
One fairly obvious question - is there some reason you can't go into the PhD program and leave with a Masters if you decide you don't want to do a PhD? I have done that (left a PhD program with a Masters), and it seems like a relatively common thing to do. I think that some Masters degrees do require a thesis, but others may just require coursework which you will be doing as part of the PhD program anyway. You can check with the programs you are considering what the rules for pursuing these options might be. If you could do this, it might be your best option. You can leave yourself some space and time for figuring out what you want to do, not pay lots of money in tuition, and not burn any bridges.
I have a PhD in Statistics, and know a fair amount about programming and related things (check my SE accounts), though my primary background is mathematical. I've also done some bioinformatics work. Given that, I'd say the comment by @Bitwise above is right on the money. With a big interdisciplinary field like bioinformatics, you need a lot of background and a fairly substantial and diverse skill set to get moving - cramming all that into a masters degree will be brutal unless you know a lot already. After a masters degree you might not know enough to do anything really interesting. Of course, you might be able to get an industry job where they will be willing to give you the space and time to learn more and develop. I don't have any experience of industry jobs; however from what I have heard, those sorts of conditions are more easily met in academia.
Also, personally I would not consider the cost of a MSc as a major factor when making such a decision, though of course it is a factor. I would think bigger picture, myself.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: Just a side note from a central european (Germany) perspective. Although things have similar names now (Bachelor, Master), things work a bit different over here.
While we know that this is possible in the anglo-american education systems, people here wonder whether someone who has not completed a Master (or Diplom) is actually fit for tackling a PhD project (in terms of subject knowledge, working techniques, and experience you learn during the Master's).
However, most PhD projects here have a Master's or equvalent degree as prerequisite. In your case you may argue that your work experience in research should be counted as equivalent. Over here, this would likely lead to an invitation to take a bunch of oral exams before you are officially accepted into a PhD program.
Upvotes: 1 |
2013/04/19 | 795 | 3,224 | <issue_start>username_0: Marking exams can be long, boring, and un-engaging.
It is important one remain focused though to ensure that the evaluation is fair to each student.
What are some methods one can employ to maintain focus and not zone-out while reading answers?<issue_comment>username_1: True story: a bottle of wine (well, maybe just half a bottle). Spirits are not a good choice since they go quickly to your brain.
Sorry if I hurt feelings with my answer but the truth is that this technique is more common in the academia than I would like it were.
Another technique consists of splitting the marking into several short sessions.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Your own website says:
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> My primary area of research is the application of mathematical methods to educational testing
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so I'm sure you have much more experience (first-hand or second-hand) and have given it more thought that you let appear in your question ;-)
Of course, it heavily depends on the type of examination being marked, but unless it is very short, I tend to simply split it into many short bursts, and do those at a time when I am well rested (morning) and when I am outside my regular “work” setting: public transportation, waiting room of a doctor, café, in a garden when it's sunny, etc. The mood of the place I'm in helps, and gloomy settings just get me bored faster.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: There is two issues in your question.
1. How to be fair to each student when it comes to this boring task of evaluating them
My own policy is the "mark-one-question-and-shuffle" : I correct the first question/problem for all the students, then I shuffle the whole stack and go for another question that I also pick at random. This way if I am tired or in a bad mood, it will impact everybody, so it will be fair.
1. How to stay focus for a long marking session
I cannot answer to that and I guess it depends of many personal factors. Personally, I find marking tasks boring but easy to do and easy to focus on. It's like driving, some people can drive for hours, others can't. To tell the truth, marking is somehow relaxing for me.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: I suspect my answer will be less applicable to math (your subject) but your question is not specific so I'll cover my subject (business management).
First, I find the more I can process in a single session the more fair my marking is overall. In my field, answers are not so clear-cut. That is, there is rarely a right and wrong answer but rather the process of application/evidence that is evaluated. Because of this, there is a risk of being inconsistent when marking in different sessions.
Second, I try to process 10 or so exams before actually marking any of them. The reason for this is that I need to understand the general level of the group. If I don't do this, I find that I am much stricter on the first few exams and get easier as I find everyone is at a lower level than I had anticipated.
Third, I try to give my eyes a break between exams. That is, stare at a point some ways off so that my eyes are not constantly focusing on a point to close (which causes strain and can cause lasting problems).
Upvotes: 3 |
2013/04/20 | 393 | 1,516 | <issue_start>username_0: I have looked at this [travel grant question](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/897/travel-grants-for-international-students-in-the-us) but it talks about when the OP already was pursuing his PhD.
I am from India and have a different scenario as I have just received my PhD offer in Computer Science. Are there institutions that can fund my going there (even just the flight)? I do have good academic records as well as papers published.
I have searched on the internet and have found one from [tata](http://www.srtt.org/individual_grants/education_grants.htm). But, Are you aware of any others that do provide support?<issue_comment>username_1: I am not aware of any relocation only independent grants, but there are a number of other ways relocation expenses could be covered. There may be funding available via the University, Department, or PI. If you are being funded by an external grant relocation
expenses may be allowable (e.g., the [NIH](http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2011/nihgps_ch7.htm#preaward_preagreement_costs) allows relocation costs).
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: If you have already been in contact with your future (potential) advisor, you might raise the issue with them. They might have funding they can use, or (more likely) they might be able to pull strings with the department or university to provide travel funding.
However, I do *not* recommend raising this issue as your *first* contact with a potential advisor.
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/20 | 785 | 3,463 | <issue_start>username_0: 1. I'm wondering are there any PhD programs (specifically in machine learning) in the US that are structured more like the European ones, i.e. where you immediately start doing research and don't spend your first two years or so on something very similar to Masters' program (lots of coursework, less research).
I have already a Master's degree and research experience and would like to start working on my thesis from the start.
2. Also I'm wondering are there any non-university research institutions in the US that grant PhDs? (For example, something like German Max Planck research institutes)
Thank you!<issue_comment>username_1: It should be noted that the reason for the difference between the US and European style programs is primarily *philosophical*, and has to do with the way master's degrees are considered.
In Europe (or at least those countries part of the Bologna treaty), master's degrees "follow on" from the bachelor's degree program, and usually programs are designed so that students who complete the bachelor's degree will continue on to the master's at the same institution before beginning a doctoral program.
By contrast, in the United States, the master's degree is very weakly coupled to the bachelor's program. Instead, in many places, it's viewed either as a separate degree in its own right, or as a stepping stone to doing a doctoral degree. Moreover, because the bachelor's degree program is only four years, while the European bachelor's-master's system includes five years of coursework, there is a bit of a discrepancy between the coursework a bachelor's degree holder in the US would have, versus that of a master's holder in Europe. Consequently, most schools tend to require roughly a year of coursework for students entering a doctoral program, as it acts as completing the master's program at a European university.
Also, because graduate admissions are almost always organized at the *departmental* level in the US, rather than the research group level, there is usually a "qualification" procedure which must be completed at American universities that aren't found in European universities. The coursework phase of the doctoral degree often figures into the material tested in the qualifying exam, and therefore schools often are reluctant to waive these coursework requirements.
However, reluctance is not necessarily the same as refusal. If you have questions about how things work, and whether a particular department would be willing to waive some of the requirements for you, you should contact them. If you can demonstrate that you have most of the work already in place, they may be able to let you skip some of the classes, or at least replace them with other electives (which may be of benefit—you shouldn't assume you're done with classes and learning just because you have a master's or even a doctoral degree!).
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: Many graduate programs in the US allow you to either waive coursework by claiming prior credits, or waive coursework by taking a series of examinations. If that's a primary concern, you should look into programs that offer such a format for what's usually called the "breadth" or "comprehensive" requirement.
In answer to your second question, the [Toyota Technical Institute in Chicago](http://www.ttic.edu/) is a non-university research institute that offers a Ph.D program in Machine Learning.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer] |
2013/04/20 | 1,296 | 5,733 | <issue_start>username_0: I know peer-reviewing research papers is a lot of work, but it is something that as a scientist in academia you must do. However, you are not required to become an editor of a journal. It seems to be tons of work, and I am trying to understand what people gain from it and whether it is worth the effort.
I mean, I can understand how being an editor for Science or Cell would be helpful in terms of prestige, connections, and exposure to top science, but what about for lesser known journals? And how is that integrated with research and other duties?<issue_comment>username_1: As you alluded to in your question, there are several things to be gained by being a journal editor:
* Greater familiarity with ongoing research in your field
* Credit for "service" within your department institution
* Greater visibility within your research community
* In some cases, monetary compensation (some editor positions are paid, some are unpaid)
Being a journal editor *can* be a very time-consuming job, and it's certainly not for everyone. However, it can also be an interesting and rewarding experience, even if it's not a journal at the level of *Science* or *Cell*. (Then again, many of the journals at the level of *Science* have in-house professional editors, rather than part-time staff from academia!)
Editing a minor journal can also offset other forms of outreach service, particularly if you are still developing a tenure dossier. In those situations you may find editing more (or less) rewarding than the duties you would take on (or be assigned) otherwise. (You should check with your department chair, however, that such service would be considered acceptable before committing to a position!)
Whether or not the connections are worth it at a particular level of journal is not something we can directly answer. You should consider the time commitments relative to other priorities that you might have, and make a decision accordingly.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Aeismail have listed several gains as reasons for becoming a journal editor. I think there are also several personal reasons which likely vary between persons. For me, I found that my experience as guest editor for several issues of journals was extremely rewarding. I found I was involved in handling new science at a detailed level unmatched by other venues. I also found myself getting new contacts in the form of authors and reviewers. All along the lines of Aeismail's answer. I strongly recommend trying to get involved in guest editing a single issue if the possibility arises. This might give you an insight into what is involved and how you might like it.
Before continuing, I should perhaps point out that editorships comes in several flavours (with varying names). Editors that are responsible for journals are often called Chief Editors, whereas a staff of other editors may handle reviews and not be involved in making the final decisions for publications and the journal itself. This will vary from journal to journal. The point of saying it is because getting involved as an editor can happen at different levels with differing tasks to perform.
When the opportunity came around for me to shoulder a journal as Editor-in-Chief, I did not need much convincing, but the reasons were more personal than anything else. One could say it is a position of power (to ultimately decide the fate of manuscripts), but I rather think of it in terms of responsibility. I saw it as a challenge to improve the journal and its standing, and to get a chance to implement several ideas I had developed over the years. Assembling a team around me and the second co-chief editor of the journal was also awarding and interesting. So more than anything else, the rewards now come as I can see the Citation Index rising and (hopefully) the standard of the journal improving.
In my case I (really "we" since we are two) get reimbursed for the editorship corresponding to one half day per week. The job is literally 365 days a year, and so far I have not seen this as a problem. The compensation is by no means corresponding to the time I spend on the task but more of a symbolic sum for the responsibility involved. Money is certainly not a reason for me.
To sign up as chief editor likely means signing up for a longer period, at least 3-5 years, to be able to fully embrace the flow of articles and handle all problems that may occur. This is particularly true if you wish to see any results of your work while you are still associated with the journal; it takes time to influence the reputation of a journal in a positive direction. I am not planning to stay forever, so somewhere between 5 and 10 years is likely a maximum. To sign up as review editor (or whatever it may be called) may not require such a long period since the task is more hands on.
So, as you can see I think becoming an editor is not something you just choose, you need to see if you personally get something out of the job that makes it worth your while. For me, just money or personal credit would not be enough, the challenge and sense of contribution associated with leading and improving a journal is.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: I agree with previous posts that being an editor has several benefits, fame, service, and recognition, to name a few.
I know a division in a society has a division journal. The Editor-in-Chief is paid over $65000 per year and several associate editors are paid ~$3000 each per year. These EIC and AEs are usually scholars/professors who have a full-time job in their own universities. They have different responsibilities. (These numbers are clearly specified in their bylaws).
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/20 | 796 | 3,439 | <issue_start>username_0: When establishing yourself as a researcher, the importance of independence from your PhD supervisor and focusing on a niche area (to establish popularity in a particular sub-field) are fairly well-established. For longevity of research career the polar opposite criteria of collaboration and breadth have been suggested.
Defining the terms field and subfield etc. is important, so taking the following hypothetical example:
* Subfield - PhD research uses a common computational method applied to a number of closely related problems.
* Related Subfield - Other PhD students in the group apply the same method to different problems.
* Field - Computational methods related to PhD yet distinct applied to any problem in the super field
* Superfield - Broad area of research encompassing theoretical, computational and experimental work, eg superconductors, photonics, etc.
After PhD and prior to tenure, how specialised should one aim to be and how closely related to the PhD should the specialty be?
If given the choice, is it best to focus exclusively on a related subfield topic (generally project based research typical of most post doc positions), or take on another topic in the field, or to develop breadth by researching multiple related sub field topics in collaboration with other groups?<issue_comment>username_1: *This answer warns against being too narrow; see [username_2's answer](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/9513/65) for reasons not to be too broad.*
The precise answer is going to depend on your institution and your field. But as a first order approximation, you *must* establish yourself as an independent intellectual leader in a broad enough research area to attract good tenure letters. An obscure subsubfield beloved by only ten researchers probably isn't going to be enough, because not all of those people will be credible references — well-known, active, full professors (preferably with named positions and Academy memberships) at top-ranked US departments (assuming you're at a US institution) who are not your advisor (and preferably are not your coauthors or from your PhD department either).
So your question becomes:
1. How large a field do you need to consider to include a sufficient number of viable tenure writers?
2. How you establish a world-class reputation within that field?
As a general rule in my field, you should move as far away from your PhD thesis as possible while still being visible and productive. But other fields may have different expectations.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: The advice that I've received from my own PhD advisors, as well as from my interim review, was not to broaden one's activities *too* much before tenure. There needs to be a convincing thread to the work efforts that you're doing.
The danger of spreading your efforts too thinly is that nobody knows which "box" to put you in. This is a problem, as username_1 suggests, because you need to be able to get good letters of recommendation in your tenure case. However, spread out over too broad a region, you won't have nearly enough papers in any one area to make a significant dent.
So, having many subfields is probably a bad idea. If, however, you can find and exploit a common theme to these different subfields, you can probably make a much more convincing case (perhaps because you will be addressing a problem that they all have in overlap?).
Upvotes: 4 |
2013/04/20 | 828 | 3,343 | <issue_start>username_0: I have a BSc degree from a private university in Egypt. The university offered me a scholarship at the beginning of the program but that scholarship applied only partially to a subsequent MSc degree.
There's an overlap in the degree requirements for the BSc and the MSc, which means that the 5th year of the BSc is also the first year of the MSc. By doing research for 6 more months, the MSc degree is complete. The scholarship applied to everything but those 6 months, yet the tuition for that was very expensive.
Since I was a top ranked student, my dean said that if I did research at an associate research institute abroad he will ask the university's top management to
1. officially enroll me in the program,
2. delay payment of the tuition,
3. and consider offering me a scholarship for the remaining tuition
with one caveat: He will not know their decision until the very end of the program.
I took that risk, and successfully defended and submitted my thesis at the end of the program. While the university agreed to #1 and #2, my dean's attempts at #3 were fruitless. I have proof that I was enrolled as an MSc student and the university printed my degree's certificate but they will not hand it to me unless I pay the full tuition, which I can not.
My question is: **Do I have a MSc degree or not? How should I address this on my CV/Resume?**<issue_comment>username_1: No.
---
Unless your university is willing to provide proof that they granted you a degree, they didn't. Listing an MSc degree on your résumé that your university is unwilling to confirm invites accusations of fabrication, which would be nearly impossible to refute and which could cost you your job *many* years in the future.
On the other hand, nothing stops you from publishing your thesis, or asking your dean for a recommendation letter explaining the unfortunate situation.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: First of all, I agree 100% with [everything username_1 wrote](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/9511/), so I won't repeat it here.
As for how you should describe this in your CV / résumé, I'd suggest describing your M.Sc. studies as *in progress*, with a brief parenthetical note explaining the details (e.g. "studies completed in 201*X* with GPA *Y*, thesis approved with grade *Z*; formal completion delayed pending resolution of financial issues").
After all, that's what your situation technically is: you haven't received your Master's diploma yet, but you've completed some of the requirements for it, and may receive it in the future once you complete the rest. The fact that, in your case, the missing requirements are financial rather than strictly educational does not affect this main point.
I wouldn't dwell too much on the specific details in a CV, since it's supposed to be a *brief summary* of your experience. In particular, you do *not* want to come across as bitter or accusatory, nor as financially irresponsible. A short and neutral phrase like "financial issues" is probably best: if the prospective employer is curious, they'll ask you about it. (Do expect it to come up in an interview, if you make it that far.) Or just do as username_1 suggests, and get someone else, like your dean, to write a letter of recommendation for you explaining the situation.
Upvotes: 4 |
2013/04/21 | 1,005 | 4,467 | <issue_start>username_0: This may be a question repeated many times, but I want to know your opinion.
I submitted a journal paper for an algorithm (Computer Science). Fearing that the review process take too long, I decided to submit a short-version conference paper, while the long version is under-review. I received the journal review comments, and re-sent the modifications to the journal. Meanwhile, the conference paper was accepted. But the camera-ready is not sent yet.
The problem is that both papers are about the same idea. There is also some copy-pasted parts in both papers. But:
1) the editor of the journal was not informed about the conference paper (I heard that I should tell the journal about any published papers - but note that the conference paper is not yet published - not even the camera ready is submitted),
2) the organization organizing the conference, is not the same that manage the journal. I have been told that there are conflicting copyrights.
The proposed solutions (that colleagues told me about):
a) submit both as is !
b) submit both (but with change in text).
c) do not submit the conference paper (but I heard this can be harmful)
d) tell the editor now (but honestly, the journal is way more important than the conference).<issue_comment>username_1: There is no "easy answer" here nor is there a "right answer". You can
* take the high road and say "It's unethical of me to publish similar papers in two competing publications, so I'll withdraw one", which might make you feel good, but leaves you 1 paper less. You don't get brownie points for "feeling good"
* publish both the conference and journal paper and do your best to have some differences between them (i.e., they're not word-for-word identical or don't have passages copied wholesale).
Honestly, the most important issue here is that you're not copy-pasting content verbatim and submitting to multiple journals hoping that neither knows of the other and get it passed through both review processes.
If I were you, I would have (and have)
* submitted a conference paper discussing the objectives, a brief sketch of the methodology, significance of results and some figures if any, and
* submitted a journal paper with a deeper literature review, in depth explanations of methodology with proofs, if any, detailed figures **that are different from the conference submission**.
This is a perfectly acceptable practice and strikes a fine balance between the need to disseminate information quickly, stake your claim to being "first", and being fair to the academic process.
However, also be aware that if your field of research is narrow/small, then it is highly likely that there is an overlap of reviewers among journals. I recently reviewed a manuscript for journal A which eventually was rejected, because although 3 reviewers (including myself) gave it an "acceptable" rating, the fourth reviewer who happened to also review the authors' previous similar submission to journal B (which was accepted a few weeks prior), notified the editor. It turns out, that they tried to do something similar to what you're doing, except that journal A would've been preferable to journal B, but things didn't turn out as they had hoped (i.e. 2 publications). So be wary of this happening to you as well.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: The problem is that you have painted yourself into a corner.
You have made a very serious mistake by submitting simultaneously to a conference (with formal proceedings) and a journal. Most likely *both* the conference *and* the journal have explicit rules forbidding this, and in any case any kind of simultaneous submission is highly unethical: you are abusing the peer-review system.
No matter what you do, someone will be upset.
If you are a student, perhaps the best approach is to play stupid. Contact the conference organisers, apologise sincerely, explain that you were not aware that simultaneous submissions are not permitted, explain that you are just a student, apologise again, and withdraw the conference paper.
The conference organisers will be upset. But maybe this is much better in the long run than proceeding with the publication of both versions, in which case you will make your mistake *public* and anyone is able to see it (conference submission & acceptance dates are public information, and journals typically publish the submission & acceptance dates of the articles).
Upvotes: 3 |
2013/04/21 | 1,768 | 7,753 | <issue_start>username_0: Some friends and I were discussing a certain conference that has a "rebuttal" phase, in which the authors can see the reviews and reply to them. We realized that this rebuttal phase probably couldn't happen before e-mail was common, which lead us to think on the question
>
> How did conferences "work" before everybody had e-mails?
>
>
>
I don't know about other fields, but in computer-science, some of the conferences are dated to early 60's. Back then there was no email and internet (were fax machines common enough?).
I have plenty of questions about how the process worked back then:
* How did one submit a paper? (I assume one had to print the paper and mail it? Was the "deadline" determined by the post-date, or maybe there was no deadline?)
* How did one get the reviews back, if at all?
* Where did one send his paper? To the program chair? How did the reviewers get a copy of the paper (I assume the chair would first need to look at the abstracts and then assign to other PC members/reviewers? or maybe the entire committee would get copies of all the papers, and there was no sub-reviewing?)
* How much time did the entire process take (seems like the overhead of mail adds quite a lot to the already-long process)
(maybe I'm taking it all wrong, and conferences back then were not peer-reviewed, and anyone that came could give a talk??)
---
Some things that I (think that I) know, and might help to complete the atmosphere of 'making science without the supporting technology':
* How would the program committee make the decision? - they'd meet in some place together, and decide.. Which means that one had to travel quite a lot to be on a committee.
* Proceedings were sent to print months *after* the conference, so they actually described what had happened during the conference.
* Presentations were done using a projector and transparent slides (it's funny to think about it..)<issue_comment>username_1: I have heard many stories of people rushing to the FedEx station at the airport to ship off papers at the last possible minute. I've also heard stories of grad students driving from Boston to New York with all the submissions from MIT to submit them.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: There are some vestiges of the pre-electronic era still out there. For instance, the [American Physical Society](http://www.aps.org) continues to this day to have an annual "Sorting Meeting" for their conference, where anyone interested in helping to organize the meeting comes together. At that meeting, all of the abstracts, which have been printed out, are available, and need to be "sorted" and collected into groups that would become different sessions.
You will also sometimes see references to manuscripts needing to be "camera-ready"; this is also a reference to how production of conference proceedings worked. The manuscripts were photographed and then turned into material that the publisher used to make the final printed copies.
Of course, even after the advent of the fax, many things would still have to be done by mail. However, I think that ultimately things had to be done "on site," as it was simply too impractical to mail everything around to all of the reviewers. However, I also think it would have been much more difficult to ask for full papers, just because of the logistics of having to deal with so much material in one sitting. You would need to rely on abstracts (regular or "extended"), and then ask for full papers from the accepted papers.
(And, because of the poor quality of faxes, anything that would be submitted to a publisher would have to be done by mail. Note that this was true even after the advent of the email era!)
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: Conferences were organized pretty much as they are now, only slower and with lots more paper.
* Conferences would advertise by **physically mailing paper fliers** to potential authors (primarily past attendees) and perhaps some department chairs. Postage was a significant portion of the conference budget. Professional society publications (like *Communications of the ACM* and *SIGACT News*) would include several pages of calls for papers with upcoming deadlines. These calls for papers were typically prepared and sent to publishers/printers about a year in advance of the conference.
* Authors would send **multiple physical paper copies** of each submission by post (or FedEx, or whatever) to the physical address of the program committee chair. Typically, the author would send one copy for each member of the program committee. Papers usually had to be *received*, not merely *postmarked*, by the submission deadline. (Hence the probably-not-apocryphal stories of grad students flying to the PC chair's city with a box of last-minute submissions from their home department.)
* Submission deadlines were typically about six months before the actual conference date, just as they are now.
* The PC chair (or more likely, their secretary and/or students) would collate the received submissions into boxes/binders, which would be **physically mailed** to each program committee member. Thus, each PC member would receive a copy of each submitted paper. Shipping costs were a non-trivial portion of the conference budget. (Having never been on a committee organized this way, I don't know how review assignments were done. I assume the now ubiquitous practice of sub-reviewing was very rare.)
* A couple of months later, the entire program committee would fly to a **central physical location** with their submission boxes/binders, to decide which submissions to accept. Conference budgets *sometimes* included travel costs for the program committee, but not always.
* The PC chair (or more likely, their secretary and/or students) would send **a physical letter** to each submitting author informing them of the committee's decision about their paper. Often this was the *only* feedback from the program committee. Authors who wanted more information about *why* a paper was rejected often had to contact one of the committee members directly.
* About three months before the conference, authors of accepted papers would **physically mail** camera-ready copies of their papers to the publisher, after following formatting instructions received by physical mail. The publisher would duplicate (using an actual camera!) and bind these papers into books, along with front and back matter prepared by the PC chair and also physically mailed to the publisher.
* The publisher would ship **physical books** containing all the camera-ready papers, which would be distributed to the conference attendees. (Again, shipping costs were a non-trivial portion of the conference budget.) Faculty attending the conferences would often buy extra books to distribute to their students who could not attend. Other copies of the same book would be physically mailed to hundreds of university libraries and other subscribers.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: Typically, each program committee member would receive ALL the submissions (100-200 back in the 1970s and 80s), when STOC and FOCS did not have parallel
sessions and were only accepting 30-36 papers.
Authors with accepted papers would receive a mailing tube
containing large size sheets into which their papers were to
be typed (or pasted), with blue guidelines indicating the margins for the
2-column format. These were then sent to the publisher, who would photograph
the pages - the proceedings pages were reduced-size versions of the
"camera-ready" versions. Figures were often hand-drawn, as you can see if
you look at some of those old proceedings, scans of which are available in
the relevant digital libraries.
Upvotes: 3 |
2013/04/21 | 1,082 | 4,438 | <issue_start>username_0: The American Mathematical Society (AMS) has quite a few journals titled "(something) of the AMS".
The research journals include:
* Journal of the AMS
* Proceedings of the AMS
* Transactions of the AMS
* Memoirs of the AMS
How do these journals differ in terms of scope?
Some information about the roles of these journals can be found on the AMS [journals website](http://www.ams.org/journals). However the only distinctions given are that JAMS is for "research articles of the highest quality," while PAMS, TAMS, and MAMS are for short, medium, and long articles respectively.
Are there further differentiations between these journals? If a mathematician wants to submit a paper to an AMS journal is the decision process for which one really as simple as "If my paper isn't good enough for JAMS I'll check its length and ship it off to the appropriate one of the other 3?"<issue_comment>username_1: I found a paper [Mathematical Journals](https://faculty.math.illinois.edu/~hildebr/reu2009/journals.pdf) by <NAME>
* Journal of the American Mathematical Society is one of the elite journals
* Proceedings of the AMS and Transactions of the AMS are society journals
come in pairs that have a single editorial board, and which complement each
other in that one specializes in shorter articles, whereas the other publishes
mainly longer articles
There are interesting descriptions for other math journals in that paper as well.
According to the [Wiki page](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memoirs_of_the_American_Mathematical_Society)
Memoirs of the American Mathematical Society (ISSN 0065-9266) is a mathematical journal published in six volumes per year, totalling approximately 25 to 30 individually bound numbers, by the American Mathematical Society. It is intended to carry papers on new mathematical research between 80 and 200 pages in length. Usually, a bound number consists of a single paper, i.e., it is a monograph.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: This is not an answer, but it is too long for a comment. I am not going to compare the quality and scope of the AMS journals, but I would like to share an experience. Once an editor of PAMS told me that he receives about 100 papers every year and he can only accept about 10 papers each year, so he has to reject so many of (good) submissions. My estimation is more than half of the submitted papers (to PAMS) contain some interesting results and deserve publication in a respectful journal, but most of them will be rejected, just because there are better papers.
Regarding this point of view, I think one should submit a paper to an AMS journal only if he is sure that his paper is among the top 10% papers submitted to the journal. Otherwise, he is wasting his time.
There are so many other nice mathematical journals which provide authors with professional services and have way less traffic.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: >
> If a mathematician wants to submit a paper to an AMS journal is the decision process for which one really as simple as "If my paper isn't good enough for JAMS I'll check its length and ship it off to the appropriate one of the other 3?"
>
>
>
Yes, more or less. Journal of the AMS is a special case (as you observed) because of its extremely high level, and Memoirs of the AMS because it will consider incredibly long papers. In both cases, there are only a small number of competing journals with these properties. On the other hand, Transactions and Proceedings have substantially more competitors. The primary distinction between them is length, but from my perspective there's also a difference in prestige. Proceedings of the AMS gets some great submissions, but the length cut-off is pretty short for mathematics papers and this means it gets fewer great submissions than Transactions does, so the prestige level is a little lower. Other than length and prestige, they are pretty much identical, for example in topics covered (a broad spectrum of pure mathematics, but limited coverage of applied mathematics).
So for Proceedings/Transactions papers, there's a four step decision procedure:
1. Is your paper on an appropriate topic? (To a first approximation: is it pure mathematics?)
2. How long is your paper?
3. Do you have a realistic shot at acceptance?
4. Is the journal prestigious enough that you would be happy publishing your paper there?
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer] |
2013/04/21 | 1,759 | 7,767 | <issue_start>username_0: I am reviewing the second revision of a paper and am getting tired of this incredibly slow process of me pointing something out that requires clarification just to hear back from those authors two or three months from now (at the earliest).
Do you think I would insult gravely the academic spirit and / or authors of that manuscript if I just e-mailed the corresponding author saying "Look I still don't understand X because of Y can you please explain?"?
Personally, I think that doing so would just be what science is about: a bunch of people interested in similar scientific topics talking to each other.<issue_comment>username_1: No, you should not, but there is of course no law that prevents it. Peer review is a process where the editor appoints reviewers because of their expertise to provide independent and knowledgeable views on the submitted manuscript. As such the reviews should pass through the editor since they are not only made to improve the manuscript from the point of the author but also prepare it to be worthy of publication in the journal to which it is submitted. Making such contact is thus breaking an understanding with the editor/journal and integrity of the journal review system and quality assurance. The correspondence needs to go through the editor.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: >
> I am reviewing the second revision of a paper and am getting tired of this incredibly slow process of me pointing something out that requires clarification just to hear back from those authors two or three months from now (at the earliest).
>
>
>
You don't need to e-mail the authors directly to get the information you want. The several month delay you are talking about is the time it takes to collect all the reviews, send them to the authors, and wait for a revised version of the paper. However, in the journals I'm familiar with you could request clarification by asking the editor to send a short message to the authors now and relay the response to you. Going through the editor might slow things down by a day or two, but not by months.
>
> Do you think I would insult gravely the academic spirit and / or authors of that manuscript if I just e-mailed the corresponding author saying "Look I still don't understand X because of Y can you please explain?"?
>
>
>
The phrasing of your question is hyperbolic, but yes, this is something that could be considered offensive or unethical. Sending queries through the editor slows things down only slightly, while it avoids various difficulties:
1. Reviewers might bypass the editor on requests they would rather not call to the editor's attention (for example, suggesting that their papers be cited). Along similar ethical lines, announcing to the authors that you are reviewing their paper might help you pressure them for favors elsewhere. For example, it would be unethical to write "Dear X, I'm a reviewer for your recent submission to Y. I'm having trouble understanding it, so I fear it might take a while to arrive at a decision, but it could help to know blah blah blah. Can you supply any additional information? Regards, <NAME>. Have you reached a decision about participating in the joint project I proposed?"
2. It's important for the editor to be aware of all relevant information. If several reviewers request clarification about something, then that is itself informative about the clarity of the manuscript, even if they all agree in the end that it is correct. It's also valuable for the editor to see and judge the response itself (and not just to know whether it convinced the reviewer).
As <NAME> pointed out in the comments, you can always ask the editor whether it would be appropriate for you to contact the authors directly (it may depend on journal policy, customs in your field, or the editor's judgment of the particular situation). If the answer is yes, then you are all set. However, if the answer is no or you don't ask, then you should relay all communication through the editor, and I would expect that to be the usual answer.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: >
> Do you think I would insult gravely the academic spirit and / or authors of that manuscript if I just e-mailed the corresponding author?
>
>
>
You are "hired" as a reviewer by the responsible editor hence by default you should obey the journal editorial board/conference programme committee rules. In your particular situation, I do not think contacting authors is appropriate. Obviously, *they did not communicate their ideas/results clearly enough for the target audience*, which is a reason for rejection (or at least subtracting "points" in the review). As a referee, that's just about what you need to care for. *You are not supposed to do the authors' job, or invest more energy than any other interested expert reader would.*
**Communication with authors:**
Generally speaking, sometimes there are sound reasons for starting a communication link with the authors (for example when the referee process is friendly, such as for invited contributions to journals, or chapters in an edited book). If that is the case, then you have at least the following options:
1. **anonymized channel**: preferrably channel all the communication between you and authors via the responsible editor who will "anonymise" your messages. Of course the editor has to be OK with such a setup;
2. **direct communication link**: ask the responsible editor for approval whether establishing a direct communication link is fine with her/him and if so, obey by whatever restrictions (s)he puts in place and keep the editor in the loop too - you need to keep a good track of the communication should there be a dispute later on. Sometimes communicating with authors is outright forbidden in guidelines to referees. Check the journal's rules carefully! Or finally,
3. **after-review contact**: you can finish the review on the basis of what is submitted as is usual, but you identify yourself in the review. Again, ask the responsible editor for approval first. Authors might choose to contact you, or not. It will be their decision.
In the past, I went the route #3. It worked well. But remember, reviews are blind in order to allow reviewers to be frank. Sometimes (most of the time?) such a feedback causes pain and friction. You need to think twice about this and **always** obey the editor's guidance. The reason is, **sometimes with a best intention, you might cause harm!** Such as rejection of the paper on the grounds of a mismanaged review process.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: >
> I am reviewing the second revision of a paper and am getting tired of this incredibly slow process of me pointing something out that requires clarification just to hear back from those authors two or three months from now (at the earliest).
>
>
>
So what? Your understanding is not one of the required outcomes of the refereeing process.
>
> Do you think I would insult gravely the academic spirit and / or authors of that manuscript if I just e-mailed the corresponding author saying "Look I still don't understand X because of Y can you please explain?"?
>
>
>
Perhaps not, but you would subvert the whole point of refereeing, which is to **judge the paper on its own merits**. The typical reader is not going to have access to the authors to clarify any confusing aspects of the paper. If the paper is confusing, it is simply not ready to publish; contacting the authors would not change this fact. If the authors have not addressed your concerns despite multiple rounds of reviewing, the appropriate response is to **recommend rejection**.
Others have raised additional ethical issues, so I won't repeat them.
Upvotes: 3 |
2013/04/21 | 945 | 3,186 | <issue_start>username_0: When reading about people who have studied at Oxford the word "read" is used instead of study. Example:
"He read Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford"
Why when discussing study at Oxford (and maybe other universities) is the word "read" used?<issue_comment>username_1: This is just a peculiarity of British English that *read* can have this particular meaning. The *New Oxford American Dictionary* says:
>
> **read**
>
> 3. *chiefly Brit.* study (an academic subject) at a university: *I'm reading English at Cambridge*
>
> [ no obj. ]: *he went to Manchester to read for a BA in Economics*.
>
>
>
So, it's more about language itself than the official title of the diploma or an academic custom.
---
*— Hey, wait, but where does this idea come up to associate *“read”* with *“learn, understand”*? Surely there is a reason? And why is it English only?*
Well, as it turns out, **the meaning of *“learn, understand, think, explain”* is actually the original meaning of the Old English word** from which we inherited *read*! The Old English word is *rædan* (“explain”, amongst its meanings), from Proto-Germanic *raedanan*, from Proto-Indo-European root *re(i)-* (“to reason, count”).
Now, in many languages, the words derived from this root kept their original meaning. In German, *[raten](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/raten#German)* means “to advise, counsel”; in Icelandic, *[ráða](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/r%C3%A1%C3%B0a#Icelandic)* means “advise, decide, solve”.
Now, at some point something in Old English went sideways. [Wiktionary](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/read#Etymology) states very clearly:
>
> The development from “advise, interpret” to “interpret letters, read” is unique to English
>
>
>
[Etymonline](http://etymonline.com/index.php?term=read&allowed_in_frame=0) is more specific:
>
> Transference to “understand the meaning of written symbols” is unique to Old English and (perhaps under English influence) Old Norse *raða*. Most languages use a word rooted in the idea of "gather up" as their word for "read" (cf. French *lire*, from Latin *legere*).
>
>
>
Now, the original meaning of the word *read* is retained in some contexts in British English, but was lost in other forms of the English language, such as American English.
---
As a summary, the hard question is not really “why can *read* mean *study*”, but instead: **why did *read* come to mean “read”?**
(source for the above: my memory, which is backed by the most excellent [Etymonline](http://etymonline.com/index.php?term=read&allowed_in_frame=0))
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: The respondents so far have missed a crucial point. When one ‘reads’ for a degree in the sandstone Unis in the UK, it is different to a normal course of study. Reading for a degree involves few lectures or tutorials, and consists mainly of being allotted texts by an academic supervisor, who then discusses what you have learned, and possibly sets essays for you to demonstrate logical argument and research. There’s no classroom study as such. It’s more about analytical thinking to earn your ‘Oxbridge’ degree.
Upvotes: -1 |
2013/04/21 | 578 | 2,412 | <issue_start>username_0: How does one call postgraduate studies in countries where the appropriate degree is not PHD? It can't be PHD scholarship. Can I use "postgraduate studentship" in this sense in official papers? Maybe "postgraduate scholarship" is better or there are some other variants?<issue_comment>username_1: This really depends on where you are going to use this term. The goal is to make clear to people what kind of degrees you have. So if you communicate with people from the US, you can just say you are working on a PhD. If you are communicating with people form your own system, just use the title that is appropriate int that context.
For example, until recently the Netherlands did not have the Bachelor-Master system. This did not prevent people from using the MSc title abroad when that was the title people where familiar with.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> How does one call postgraduate studies in countries where the appropriate degree is not PHD?
>
>
>
You need to be precise about which term for the title/degree you would use. In the follow-up comment you reveal that the degree is "candidate of sciences". In Eastern Europe there were such degrees given in the past, in most countries this was one way or another changed to PhD, or similar. In the past, the process towards the "candidate of sciences" (CSc. degree in a country I am familiar with) was called `candidature`. `"I work on my candidature."` Just like that. You would also call it `postgradute studies`, but see also [this question](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/7469/undergraduate-graduate-or-post-graduate-student-is-that-bachelor-master-phd-o/) for potential caveats.
However, as username_1 points out, you would use this in your system, but when communicating with the world you should use the equivalent term. Most countries have a signed international treaties regarding education and professional degree recognition and equivalence with most other countries (at least in Europe and OECD). In those treaties (usually public material) you should be able to find the exact tables of equivalent degrees, possibly with various stipulations about their use. Look for such a treaty which your country signed with the country where you want to use your title/study term.
P.S.
`Scholarship` is usually the funding you get to perform your `studentship`.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2013/04/22 | 1,205 | 5,216 | <issue_start>username_0: From a technical stand point, what do I need to show up to a conference with (in general) to ensure that my presentation will go smoothly?
Two things I can think of:
* Presentation remote
* Equipment to connect my laptop to the projector
The remote is simple enough, it just needs to work with my computer and be reliable. Connecting my computer to the projector is not trivial since a lot of laptops don't come with DVI or VGA output any more (mine doesn't!). What kind of output do I usually need, DVI or VGA? Do I need something like [this](http://amzn.com/B00ABNLEWO) which supports all output methods (seems like over kill but might be a good investment)?
Is there anything else to make sure I am prepared to deal with the technical aspects of a presentation?<issue_comment>username_1: From less esoteric to more (I've seen all these things happen):
1. Make sure you know how to "send the image to a projector". Not all laptops do this automatically, and I'm surprised at how many people don't know how to do it. I've also seen people be confused by the mirroring feature on Macs.
2. Verify that there's a power outlet or some place to plug in your laptop. Driving a projector eats power, and you don't want to drain your battery during the presentation
3. Turn off screen savers. at the very least it's annoying, and sometimes the screen saver does wonky things to the projector display.
4. Turn off your notifications (mail, facebook, twitter, skype...). It's amusing for an audience (but not for you) if during a job talk they all get to see a subject header of the form "Interview at University X" where X is not where you're at :)
5. Make sure you have the right display converters. Usually something that converts your laptop to a VGA is standard. Macs are particularly difficult in this regard.
6. Watch out for resolution issues. Most laptops are smart enough to drop resolution to deal with a projector, but sometimes they're not.
7. Keep a backup copy of the slides in a portable format (PDF or PPT) on a usb stick. In the worst-case you can always borrow a laptop (from the previous speaker even) and load up the slides. Dropbox/a web page is ok but not great because it requires an internet connection.
And above all, as <NAME>. says, check the setup beforehand if you can. Even that doesn't guarantee a smooth presentation, but it eliminates a lot of the potential problems listed above.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: In addition to username_1 comprehensive answer, and understanding you are referring primarily to the technology, would add the following which concerns the presentation:
Do not include media (video, sound etc) in your presentations unless absolutely necessary. If you do, make sure in advance (before the conference or some time before your talk that everything will work. This is particularly true if you need to switch platform from whatever you use to whatever the conference might run (unless they let you use your own computer (which is rare).
Make copies of your presentation in alternative formats. for example. if you make a presentation in PowerPoint, save it also as PDF (and make sure the PDF looks ok). Moving PowerPoint files between Win and Mac can be far from trivial. Not even PDFs are fool proof, particularly if media players need to be involved.
To add a technical item:
Be aware that older projectors may not resolve the color space you have in your presentation. This may render certain colours invisible and make other look identical. Therefore be careful and avoid choosing too many similar colours in plots etc.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: In addition to username_1's and Peter's advice, there is one other unlikely scenario to consider. Be prepared to give your presentation without the assistance of technology. Depending on the venue, if the projector fails, it may take longer to get a new one in place than you have to speak. If the talk is for an interview, being able to seamlessly switch to the low-tech version is a big plus for you. If you are at a conference, then the attendees at your session will still get to hear about your work. If the presentation is your thesis defense, then you absolutely must be able to continue in the analog fashion.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: The other answers are all great. Also keep in mind:
* If you don't know what kind of room you'll be presenting in, keep all the vital info in the slides on the top half or top third of the slide. You never know when you'll get a room where the screen is at the same level as the audience seating. When that happens, no one behind the first row will be able to see the whole slide.
* When microphones are provided, do a sound check before your presentation starts. Use the microphone.
* Be prepared to present on a machine other than the one you bring. Have your presentation materials on an external drive AND in the cloud.
* If you created your presentation on a mac and you'll be presenting on a pc, or vice versa, try to do a practice round on that operating system. Even if both OS's are running PowerPoint, certain features or slide transitions might not be supported.
Upvotes: 4 |
2013/04/22 | 2,607 | 11,004 | <issue_start>username_0: As a grad student, I just find it tremendously frustrating when emails are ignored by faculty (both at my institution and at other places). Is this acceptable? I'd be content with a simple response with one line along the lines of "I have read this email and am busy right now, will respond in X days when I can write a more detailed email." I understand that, as a first year student in my field, I'm not really in a position to request anything of anyone, but it just seems like common decency.
Instead, I never hear back, as if my email has been jettisoned off into oblivion.<issue_comment>username_1: I agree that it can be frustrating, but this is not uncommon in a big organisation (I don't think this is specific to academia). People get a lot of e-mail, and are very busy. Answering each and every email can be a lot of work in an already fully packed day. This either leads to people forgetting, or simply ignoring their e-mail to some extent. Also remember that something might be a really high priority for you, but a relatively low priority for the person you mail. So I don't think ignoring mails is acceptable, but sometimes understandable.
I think the best way to deal with it is to try and work with the system. If you see that professor X is very unresponsive to his mail, approach him in person. If a department does not return your mails, give them a call. This kind of personal approach makes it harder for those persons to ignore you, an email is very easy to ignore.
Upvotes: 7 <issue_comment>username_2: E-mails are not easily ignored in all systems. In Sweden, e-mails sent to public agencies and organizations must be answered in "due time" (mostly meaning within days). Since many or most of our universities are public, we as faculty fall under the same rules and must answer all mails sent to us. In our case, this of course only concerns matters dealing with university matters, no need to worry about spam etc. We are even requested by law to file all correspondence although there is no clear indication on how this should be done with electronic correspondence.
I have kept tally of my e-mail correspondence for years and receive about 10k mails per year and send about 2-3k. If I do not respond to mails relatively quickly they may soon become forgotten even though they are marked as not read. But, I do not miss more than probably around a few tens of mails every year, a pretty ok "percentage" in my own opinion. I believe all senior staff have similar numbers regarding e-mail harvest.
In my department I have colleagues who's e-mail discipline ranges from "may occasionally answer" to "seems to use e-mail instead of a telephone". In the first case, the persons are by no means not answering out of malice. The persons in the latter category are simply annoying. So regardless of the circumstances, some people are notoriously poor regarding answering, even to relatively close colleagues.
So as was stated by username_1, try to catch the person who is unresponsive in person. it may turn out this is their preferred way to communicate.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: Within limits of my experience as an administrator, who regularly asks large numbers of academics for responses by email (eventually, by deadlines, or immediately with harsh consequences):
* if you directly address correspondence on a topic to a person who has no competence or responsibility for that topic, they are likely to ignore your email as spam.
* emails can cover both "please action X" and "please action X in a manner which requires response." Some email cultures do not respond to the first, as a response is not implicitly or explicitly required; other email cultures explicitly respond to the first.
* your email may lie within your correspondents' area of discretion, for example, in my University system requests to discuss research are normally considered to be discretionary—people are unlikely to discuss research with members of the general public, and most likely to discuss research with colleagues in coaligned fields. Your correspondence may fall into the gap between "must answer" and "don't have to."
* my experience of general society is that most cold calls fall flat; this tends to be true in academia unless you have something to give someone.
* academic work is a high stress and "sweated" industry in Anglophone countries at the moment. Out of the hundreds of things academics are obliged to do, answering emails often comes last out of the immediate obligations. The penalties for not answering email are low and eventual. The penalties for failing to deliver coursework or publish research are more immediate and severe.
* following on from the above, one long term coping mechanism for many academics is to push deadlines and delay. Some academics rely on these time bargaining tools. Email is an easy victim.
* "that Guy" still exists in the academy. Your correspondent could just be that guy.
* even the harshest consequences for failing to answer emails won't necessarily summon a response from someone on sabbatical or funded research relief from teaching. An academic's line manager in the immediate chain of management can't always summon responses.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_4: For a grad student/young people/etc the amount or received mail counts in dozens per day (100 emails a day is something that I've never ever seen in my inbox)
However, people with larger academic networks, industry links, or just a bit older, receive thousands emails per day (this is actually common place, not strange exception). It means that just reading them all may take hours each day, not to say writing an answer. (Even hundreds emails is a bit too much to handle)
And even among those who are not flooded by emails, there are many that do not 'catch up' with technology - they have a default email address but never or seldom use it.
Some people use smart tools to help them manage the deluge (automatic filters, canned responses, secretary, etc)
Some are simply overwhelmed, and just ignore most emails, except those for a weekend beer with an old friend.
Now, you cannot blame them (you'll be in their shoes soon). What you can do about it is to follow some of username_1's recommendations and use some other, less busy channel to contact them.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: The Problem
-----------
People who are super busy don't have the time to spend minutes first reading, then processing (and/or rereading), then responding to your email. This is simply life, there is only so much time in a day, and some people have way more constraints on their time.
Spending lots of time parsing/processing/understanding/formulating responses/replying to emails from people they don't know or have reason to care about? Probably not high on their list of priorities - which for the record is probably already completely overloaded anyways.
The Solution
------------
Write shorter emails (or electronic content) which are easy to answer. This ability is an art, get used to practicing it if you want responses.
Make it *easy* for someone to respond.
Practical advice from this question
-----------------------------------
Notice that even in this question, the important part
>
> Why is this acceptable?
>
>
>
was buried in a large paragraph (assuming this is even your primary question, which I'm *assuming* it was). Plus, it was filled with irrelevant information which suggests other things are what you are interested in.
If I'm a really busy person getting hundreds of emails a day, you just made me read, then reread the email after finishing to figure out what you want a response to. You can't do this if you want responses consistently - and this is relatively SIMPLE with minimal text.
>
> I just find it tremendously frustrating when my emails are ignored by
> faculty (both at my institution and at other places) and I don't hear
> back at all. I understand that I'm not really in a position to
> request anything of anyone, but it just seems like common decency to respond rather than say nothing at all
>
>
> * Why is this behavior acceptable?
>
>
>
This is considerably more clear and makes it easier to respond to.
---
tl;dr
-----
If you are not naturally able to write clear, concise, and easy to respond to emails, practice and spend time rewriting them until you feel they are.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_6: This is an old question but one that speaks to me as a former graduate student who was puzzled and very frustrated by the same thing. Ignored emails are the norm in graduate school--unless a faculty member wants you to email something of course. Yes, it is frustrating to turn in a dissertation proposal or chapter and not hear back for months in spite of several friendly reminders. You need questions answered, problems pointed out, or just a few words of reassurance that you are going in a good direction before working six more months on what might be wrong. (And the blame for not getting finished in a timely manner will only fall on your head.) As a new student, you also probably have scores of questions about the program, policies and procedures, and many other things and you, too, have a busy schedule of classes, teaching, perhaps another job, maybe even family, and deadlines of your own. However, as others have said, answering students' email is not high on the list, even if it is possible. Sadly, many faculty do not have time (or inclination) to help you.
So my advice is to memorize the handbook. Then get friendly with other graduate students, especially those who have been there longer, for they can be valuable sources of information. If the issue is very important and can only be answered by a faculty member then drop by during office hours and see if the person can spare a few minutes or make an appointment. It is hard not to see the blatant ignoring of one's communication as just rudeness and arrogance--and maybe it is. But that's the way it is and there is nothing to be done without risking your career so your option, until you have that diploma and job recommendations, is suck it up and not complain. Good luck with it.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_7: From my experience in industry, one reason I think many emails go unanswered is that it's become *common* (though, in my opinion, not *acceptable*) for a lack of a reply to mean "no"/"I don't know"/"I can't help"/"I don't understand your request". If I analyse the emails I sent which never got replies, it seems that around 40% of such cases could be explained by such a phenomenon.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_8: At my university professors are required to respond within 24 hours or they can get in trouble, especially if it is an ongoing issue.
Source: a previous professor told me this little important tid bit of information & I have had to use this information to my benefit a couple of times for lazy or asinine instructors.
Upvotes: -1 |
2013/04/22 | 942 | 4,030 | <issue_start>username_0: Every time I apply for a job I write a new cover letter, research statement, and teaching statement. While each statement is personalized for the specific job, I tend to do a lot of cutting and pasting and little new writing (yes I have a whole collection of past statements). This seems like something that might be useful to keep under version control. how do people manage the different versions of the cover letter, research statement, and teaching statement?<issue_comment>username_1: While I keep my correspondence in version control, I don't have the same document for cover letters that go to different schools. I simply prepend the name of the school to all of my correspondence for that school, and/or file everything into folders with the school's name.
As you point out, you end up personalizing almost everything (even CVs), so we aren't talking about one document for which you need version control. You want version control for *all* the documents, but each document has its own identity.
Now, if you do have a unique document that will be sent to different schools, you would want to create one document, and then create a [*symbolic link*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbolic_link) (or an [alias](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alias_%28Mac_OS%29)) from one original to each school folder where it will be sent. Then, when you update the original, all the symbolic links point to the same file.
Finally, you may want to consider using a word processor that has the ability to use templates, but I find that is sometimes just as much work as simply duplicating a file and changing the duplicate.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: My research and teaching statement have a lot of commented text (I write in LaTeX). This is because I amend each document specifically for each job application - as you do.
The detail in which I describe each topic changes depending on what job I am applying for. I comment out text which is too detailed for the job to which I am applying. However, for other job applications, I might like to have that text put back into my statement, or write new text, to be perhaps commented out in a future application for a different job.
I now have documents with a lot of phrases from which I can "pick and choose", depending on the specific job to which I am applying, and amend appropriately. It isn't really version control, I know, but I find it useful to have a selection of wordings to choose from **in one place** so that I can compare and contrast things like the level of detail and the tone. This isn't particularly onerous as these documents do not total more than 2 - 3 pages in my case.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: I am in the middle of my job search and I do the following to keep myself organised:
Directory structure: ('#' for comments and '/' for directories)
```
/Interested
/-University1
#job ad and README.txt in here
/-University2
/Not Interested or Expired
/-University3
/Submitted
/-University4
/Application Materials #pdfs, copied over from git repos
/RS-git #git repo
#possibly a generic Research Statement in here
/
/University4
#Latest Research Statement in one of these
#similarly for TS, CV, CL
/TS-git #git repo for Teaching Statements
/CV-git #git repo for CV
/CL-git #git repo for Cover Letters
```
For each job ad I have a directory for the ad, a readme with notes to myself, and a directory for the application I am building/submitting. I then create related directories in each of the RS, TS, CV, CL directories, so that I can quickly start the application without affecting other concurrent ones. Importantly **I never have to pull an earlier commit or mess around with branches to switch between job applications**. This last bit is important because I often work on two applications at the same time, either to copy-paste between them, or simply to meet simultaneous deadlines.
One last note, my are in ISO format, so they appear in order of submission deadline.
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/22 | 878 | 3,341 | <issue_start>username_0: Academia values [academic freedom](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_freedom). However, there may be some practical limitations on academic freedom. What repercussions might an academic face for voicing unpopular or offensive views in the name of academic freedom?
For example, how might a professor's academic reputation be impacted by publicly expressing views that support dictatorships (and other type of politicians) and their established crimes and violation of human rights?<issue_comment>username_1: First, **academic freedom** as it is commonly understood does not refer to one's views and publicly stated opinions, but to the freedom in which they conduct teaching **in the classroom**. The reference in US is the [1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_freedom#In_the_United_States) stating that
>
> Teachers are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing their subject
>
>
>
But as a rule, **academics do not get special treatment outside of the classroom with regards to freedom of speech**. It's certainly not the case in the US, and I am not aware of any other country where it might be the case.
Now, regarding the impact of unpopular or offensive views on reputation, it will heavily depend on your colleagues! I personally find that, while freedom of speech is highly valued in academic circles in general, Academia as a system is a rather conservative institution and I suspect you would not find much more sympathy for extreme views than in any other workplace.
---
NB: Academic freedom is also used to refer to a [US jurisprudence applying to universities and colleges](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_freedom#Academic_freedom_for_colleges_and_universities); in that sense, it is unrelated to rights and duties of an individual teacher.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: In addition to getting flak from your colleagues, some views might also get you fired or forced out of your position. For example, if you publicly state that the best solution for Africa is to drop a few nukes, the university might force you to resign.
I think what is important is that you can provide rational arguments for your opinion, as science is based on facts (and the interpretation of those facts).
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: For propagating unpopular view (which can be considered offensive) a professor may lose a position (see e.g. [<NAME>'s case](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Watson#Controversies)). And in general, sensitive topics (e.g. like gender and ethnicity) may be risky, regardless of the scientific value of a statement one is making.
Moreover, sometimes there is a particular ban on some ideologies (e.g. propagation of Nazism in many European countries). However, it this case it is (usually) not a limitation on academic research, but only on political activity. (Similarly, "encouraging or assisting crime" is an offence and it does limit what one can say.)
As a side note, a humoristic slide from a presentation [Beauty and the beast](http://offtopicarium.wdfiles.com/local--files/v2:program/beauty.pdf) at the [2nd Offtopicarium](http://offtopicarium.wikidot.com/v2:program):
Upvotes: 3 |
2013/04/22 | 1,570 | 6,783 | <issue_start>username_0: I receive about 10k emails per year and send about 2-3k. In my department (the sphere I can influence) there are those who almost never respond and those who respond as soon as I have hit the send button. There are also those who send mails on weekends, in the middle of the night, seemingly expecting answers fairly immediately. The record was probably the mail that was send shortly after midnight on a Sunday night about stuff that needed to be sorted out by Monday morning. In short, different person have different views on how and for what email should be used. I should add that in my system, the university email is strictly not to be used for private emailing.
*I am therefore interested in hearing about if and if so how one can establish an email policy which provides guidelines for reasonable emailing practices within a department.*
I have heard about guidelines against sending mails from off duty hours, about avoiding disputes over email, and about reasonable (expected) response times, etc. but have so far failed to locate any good sources for such practices and guidelines.<issue_comment>username_1: I've heard of a few trainings that help new employees get integrated inside a large organization. In my case, it was an offshore division of a large, IT company who was training its employees on how to communicate effectively.
That said, the goals of your organization, a University, would be very different from a multinational.
Nonetheless, here's some of the notes from that training:
* When you write email, write email about one topic only. If you need to discuss another topic, that should be in a separate email.
* Ensure that the contents written in the body of the email are about the subject.
* Write very clear, descriptive subject lines. ("ex: Problems with implementing FooBar" vs. "Got a problem"). Often it is helpful to include square brackets that describe the project of your email as well. Ex: "[Budget 2013] Need review of the FY03 proposals by Friday."
* If someone asks you for help and you know who to contact, instead of just telling them to contact <NAME> or <NAME>, reply to the original sender and CC John and Jane as part of your reply.
I don't know if these are helpful at all - this is mostly a list of examples rather than an actual straight-up policy.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Do issues like this really need a policy to govern them? If someone in a department has a problem responding to emails in a timely manner, it seems to me that it would be better to counsel them directly. Creating a policy for it may come across as passive-aggressive.
Corporations may have formal policies about how to answer email, and how to organize your desk, and how to change the toilet paper in the restroom. But academics are used to a considerable degree of autonomy, and dislike being micromanaged.
My humble opinion.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: After searching and collating ideas from numerous internet sources (a simple search provides plenty of sources of variable quality and usefulness) I have come up with the list below. In my own case there are over-arching rules about usage of university e-mail, which for example makes it clear that the university mail should not be used for private purposes and that all e-mails are public documents. Since each organization probably have such central rules, I have omitted such points and concentrated on good practises in the professional email correspondence.
* **Be courteous**. Beware that written communication is more likely to be misunderstood than personal communication. Include courteous greetings and closings to prevent your e-mail seem demanding or terse. Don't hesitate to say *thank you*, *how are you*, or *appreciate your help!* Sign your name and include contact details in the footer of the mail.
* **Be concise and clear**. Keep e-mails brief and to the point. Make sure your point(s) is (are) clear from the beginning. Be sure to fill out the *Subject:* field and that it accurately reflects the content of your email. It is sometimes better to write several mails than to fill one mail full of questions on different topics, alternatively number them. Save long conversations for a telephone/Skype/personal meeting.
* **Proofread**. Read your email out loud to ensure the tone is that which you desire. Avoid spelling and grammatical errors. Try to avoid relying on formatting for emphasis; rather choose the words that reflect your meaning instead. A few additions of the words "please" and "thank you" go a long way!
* **Avoid emotions**. Do not attempt to solve emotional problems or issues over e-mail. Instead, suggest a personal meeting. Always wait at least a day before attempting to send or answering emotional e-mails. Keep copies of all such correspondence and seek advice from colleagues to prevent issues to build.
* **Received e-mails**. Always try to answer an e-mail within a workday or two. Always acknowledge the receipt of a mail as soon as you can if you are not able to provide a comprehensive reply within a day or two.
* **Sending E-mails**. Never use an old email to hit reply and start typing about an entirely new topic. Do not send e-mails during weekends or off hours since this may give off the wrong signals or excuse yourself if you do. Do not expect immediate answers to your e-mails. A couple of days is a reasonable delay. Use a phone or visit the colleague if something is urgent.
* **Using *Cc:*, *Bcc:* and *Return Receipts*.** Include addresses in the *To:* field for those who you would like a response from. Include addresses in the *Cc:* field for those who you are just informing. Remove the addresses of those who your reply does not apply to when replying to an email with multiple recipients noted in the *To:* or *Cc:* fields. Use *Return Receipt* sparingly since it can be viewed as intrusive and annoying; save it for when you really need to know.
These points can be summarized by: **Mail others as you would have them mail you!**
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: Being highly responsive (and attentive) to email may be in direct conflict with productivity; only some messages have truly high priority (and senders often don't have full perspective on this).
For some faculty, the measure of productivity is funding and publication, which are unlikely to correlate strongly with email responsiveness in general.
Other faculty may have a role that requires responsiveness.
Faculty should have clear overall goals, and expectations for mundane tasks (like email) should be set with those goals in mind. For some, email might best be relegated to short bursts once a day (with selected emails assigned high priority, of course).
Upvotes: 0 |
2013/04/23 | 456 | 1,979 | <issue_start>username_0: As many universities provide funding covering only part of the tuition fee or living expenses, especially in the UK where tuition fees are different for UK/EU and international students while most scholarships only cover the first one, i.e. international students have to pay the difference. My question is whether it is possible for PhD funding to be updated/upgraded (to cover more expenses) if a student performs well, e.g. produce high quality publication, while doing his PhD.<issue_comment>username_1: I cannot speak for the UK/EU but in the US, your funding is not generally "updateable". It always increases by a non significant inflationary rate amount every year.
The only way in which funding is generally updated is if you acquire for yourself some other funding sources which replace your base funding because they have a higher stipend level eg. NSF graduate fellowship, MSR fellowship, Facebook fellowship etc.
The other way in which my funding has been supplemented at least in my case is my ex-adviser used to give me some more funds as research expenses out of his discretionary funding (or other grant funding, I am not sure) because I was involved in extra projects (not directly related to my own but I was brought in as an analyst) on his request.
I do not think that publishing in great journals/conferences will bring in more funding for you (*in general*)
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Is it possible? YES.
Will it be likely? NO.
The funding model depends entirely on the institution who is funding you. It is ultimately up to them as to how you will be compensated for your time and effort.
If you are concerned about sustaining yourself through your study there are other avenues which candidates pursue such as lecturing/tutoring, marking and being a research assistant. Additionally there may be other scholarships available to you from the university or from external institutions.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2013/04/23 | 1,073 | 4,641 | <issue_start>username_0: Several times in the past, after publishing a paper, I have sent email to several people which I thought might be interested in the results obtained in the paper. Usually I have emailed some of the people whose result I was citing in my paper and to people who were working on related problems.
I such a practice ok, or do people consider emails like this too intrusive?
---
When I did this in the past, some of the people answered to me with a brief email (along the lines of "thanks for letting me know"). In a one or two cases the answer indicated that this person is interested in similar emails in the future, if I have some updates on that particular topic. And in one case I was even asked about possibility of collaboration on some problems.
So from these answers it seems that it was ok. But if there were some people who did not like receiving such emails, they probably did not bother to answer.<issue_comment>username_1: I think there are two important factors to keep in mind when writing *unsolicited email*, which could be taken as spam by the person who receives it:
1. Whether **you believe, in good faith, that the receiver will find the information useful**. That test is not as easy as it may seem, because what seems obvious to you (*“this guy in field Y will be happy that we're developing somewhat related concepts in field X that may generate a new vision of his field”*) may not be to him (*“why is this X specialist writing to me to promote his recent work I don't care about?”*). Messages need to be tailored, so that people can immediately see how your paper can be of interest to them.
2. The **frequency** of such messages: if you write 5 papers a year on a given topic, and send a nice informative email each time, that is a lot of mail! Consider doing this only once in a while, maybe for high-profile articles or reviews.
Now, regarding whether it's accepted practice (and common practice): I receive a dozen such emails of this nature per year, from colleagues in my field, and every time I am actually interested in their paper. I have not yet received spam of that sort, i.e. notification of new papers I couldn't care less about (I receive lots of spam job applications, on the other hand).
I also do it myself, once or twice a year: sit back, think about my recent papers, and ask myself “what colleagues do I have that may be interested in this and that?”. Usually, I then write a few different emails, depending on the specific interests of the colleagues in question, so that the email is personalized. I also use that occasion to ask questions to them , if I have any of relevance, asking their opinion on recent developments (by them, me or other groups) in our field.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Yes, I think this is absolutely acceptable, and indeed if you are at the beginning of your career, highly encouraged. When I was a graduate student I was shocked when my advisor asked me to e-mail my paper to most of the famous people working in the field. I was even more surprised when several of them wrote back with very substantive replies.
To make sure you're not being intrusive (which I recommend if the recipient is famous, and/or you don't know him/her personally), word your e-mail in such a way that suggests that you would welcome, but don't expect, a reply. i.e., "If you have any comments I would be grateful to hear them."
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: As is indicated by other answers, the practise is acceptable in general but there is a fine line when it becomes intrusive.
In addition to what has been stated already, I would add that if your paper is published in a journal that is well known to anyone in the field, the paper is less likely to come as a (pleasant) surprise. If it is published somewhere where it is less likely that many would normally find it, then the information is more likely positive.
Another factor is how you write your mail. If you send the paper to persons who do similar research you could point out the common interest from your side and use that as an "excuse" to provide a copy of your paper. It is easier to accept getting stuff if the there ios a clear reason or coupling explicitly stated in the mail.
The worst that can happen is otherwise that someone tells you not to send more material, I doubt anyone would get annoyed to the point where it may affect you negatively (unless you persists despite wishes to the contrary). Despite internet access, RSS feeds etc, I still find that I miss good papers, particularly from journals more peripheral to my subject.
Upvotes: 3 |
2013/04/23 | 860 | 3,622 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm an Australian maths undergraduate student, and our academic year ends at the beginning of December. I understand that PhDs in the USA (and elsewhere?) generally start before this time, about September. So, if I want to pursue a PhD overseas, I have a long time to kill in between my undergrad and postgrad degrees.
Consequently I've been investigating the possibility of cramming the remainder of my undergraduate degree into one fewer semester, so that I can graduate at the beginning of July (2014), just in time to start a PhD overseas.
However, this would mean I would have to send out applications in December this year, before I have actually finished my degree. I am particularly concerned because in Australia the last year of an undergraduate maths degree is an "honours" year, which comprises the main research component and the most serious coursework.
Does anyone have advice or experience?
>
> Would I be substantially more competitive for a top university if I delayed for a year and had an honours thesis and good results from many advanced classes under my belt, compared to applying early and having only a promise of an honours thesis? Or, would it be a minor issue with good letters of recommendation?
>
>
><issue_comment>username_1: The academic year does start around September in the USA and I think most European countries. At least in Europe, this doesn't necessarily mean that you would have to start your PhD in September. For example, I did my PhD in the UK and started in June.
Note that your 'competitors' won't have finished their degree yet either when they are applying. They will be slightly further along, having already started their final year, but not significantly so, I think.
Is cramming the rest of your undergraduate degree into one semester less at all a realistic option?
I do think you are likely to get stronger letters of recommendation once you are in your final year, because you will have been doing more advanced work and will probably have closer contacts with faculty.
I don't think that having some time between your honours year and your PhD is necessarily a bad idea. My husband started his PhD only two weeks after finishing his MSc, and he really could have done with more of a break. I had almost a year between my MSc and PhD, but I spent six months of that doing research.
One of my friends from Australia managed to get part-time teaching work at his undergraduate university until he went to the UK for his PhD. Or if money isn't too much of an issue, you could take the opportunity to go travelling.
EDIT: I'd just like to add, along the lines of username_2's comment, that you should bear in mind that your honours year will likely be a lot more challenging than previous years, and so 'accelerating' this year might turn out to be a bad idea. I certainly worked harder in my fourth year of university (honours in New Zealand, so quite a similar system to Australia) than I have in any year since.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I would not accelerate things, to avoid getting worse grades that you want.
If you find that you have a half year of free time, fill this usefully either by working (earn some cash, gain some experience), travelling (spend some cash, gain some experience) or by doing research (perhaps a professor will even pay you to do something useful for 6 months, or maybe you can get a 6 month RA position).
Getting good scores will obviously help you. Working or travelling ... well, you'll thank yourself later. And research experience will help your application (and CV).
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/23 | 950 | 3,749 | <issue_start>username_0: I could have written this question in some other stack places, but prefer to do here because the affinity with the audience. I am the head of a research group, 38 years old, engaged in a lot of things and working on average 12 hours per day on research and all related stuff. My son (first one) was born last week and we really enjoy it. My only concern is: how will I be able to cope with my workload and scientific output after my paternity leave (in two weeks)? I really never thought about this and wonder whether other academics could give advice.<issue_comment>username_1: I was close to vote to close for this question, however, in view of the upvotes, I'll give my two cents.
I think you are asking yourself the wrong question. You should not ask "How will I be able to keep up with my workload and scientific output?" but rather
>
> What I am willing to do for my work and for my family? How do I and the rest of my family should arrange our life including work hours, family time and all the rest?
>
>
>
You may come to the conclusion that a reduced scientific output may be a "good price to pay" for a richer family life. On the other hand, if you are pre-tenure for example, you may also reach the conclusion that a year or two of "not so rich family life" and more hours at work are worth it.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: Can you *produce* as much, or even more, with less time available? Yes.
Is it easy? No.
What generic advice can be given? Little, especially in such short space. Numerous entire books have been written on the topic of time management. Read the advice of others, decide whether it can apply to you, try it out.
---
Now, the above isn't very helpful. Not in the short term, at least. Below are a few tips from my own experience, maybe you will find them helpful:
* First, **decide what your priorities are**, what you are willing to compromise, what you aren't. When I read *“engaged in a lot of things”*, it sounds like a warning to me. Honestly, the first two years of a baby's life are hard on the parents. Social life is hard to maintain, work output too, etc. Decide which you want to keep most, and focus there. **Don't set your expectations too high across the board.**
* Second, learn to say *no*. People at your department probably ask you to participate in all sorts of research-related work (committees, etc.). If you have been playing ball ’til then, probably they can understand if you say *“I'm sorry, right now is not a time I can take some extra work, I need to focus on my family”*. Don't use that as an excuse to get out of every commitment, or avoid anything that is thrown your way, but strategically get a bit more time that way. **Most people are quite understanding of the hardship of having a newborn baby**. (Or my colleagues and bosses are extraordinary people; knowing them, it's also quite possible!)
* **Delegate stuff**. You lead a team, so you have some responsibility in sharing the load. You can try to offload yourself a bit, by getting others to step in.
* **Work whenever you can (read: when the baby sleeps). Adjust your work style.** I'll give only one example: when the baby gets to cry real bad in evenings or at night, I noticed I could get her to sleep if I had her in a sling against my chest and rocked from one foot to the other:
(the sling was as in the picture, except I needed to be standing and rocking). Well, I put my laptop on top of a high table (bar table), and quickly adapted to type and rock the baby. That way, I had time to work at night, while her mother could rest. I wrote quite a few grant proposals and articles that way.
Upvotes: 5 |
2013/04/23 | 2,080 | 8,273 | <issue_start>username_0: In Philips and Pugh's [*How to get a PhD*](http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=k-K8SzpEaRgC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA54#v=onepage&q&f=false), the authors describe the general philosophical concept of *research* 'in all disciplines'. I have two questions in this context.
**A.** They said that an activity that tries to answer a question like
>
> 'What are the age, sex and subject distributions of doctoral students in
> British higher education?'
>
>
>
is considered descriptive, intelligence-gathering activity, but not research. This is pretty clear and agreed upon. However, they attribute that to the **'what'** nature of the question.
Later, they said:
>
> Research goes beyond description and requires analysis. It looks for explanations,
> relationships, comparisons, predictions, generalizations and theories. These are the **‘why’** questions. Why are there so many fewer women doctoral students in physics than in biology? ...
>
>
> All these questions require good intelligence-gathering, just as decisionmaking and policy formulation do. But the information is used for the purpose of developing understanding – by comparison, by relating to other factors, by theorizing and testing the theories.
>
>
>
Is it sound to consider only 'why' questions as research? How about some 'what' and 'how' questions?
**B.** In the same text:
>
> **All research questions have comparisons in them**, as the words ‘fewer’, ‘different’ and ‘less’ in the examples above illustrate.
>
>
>
Should all real research questions really contain *comparison* (explicitly or implicitly)?<issue_comment>username_1: The Australian *Higher Education Research Data Collection specification* (2012)[1] (ie: HERDC) defines research as
>
> the creation of new knowledge and/or the use of existing
> knowledge in a new and creative way so as to generate new concepts,
> methodologies and understandings. This could include synthesis and analysis of
> previous research to the extent that it leads to new and creative outcomes.
>
>
>
and uses the OECD Frascati Manual[2][3] to support that definition as:
>
> consistent with a broad notion of research and
> experimental development (R&D) as comprising of creative work undertaken on a
> systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of
> humanity, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new
> applications
>
>
>
HERDC and the Frascati Manual focus on the generation of new understandings, of new knowledges. There's a commonly agreed purposive utility to knowledge that is lacking in the generation of data and information.[4] I would suggest that as knowledge lies in a network of other knowledges, that any production of knowledge is implicitly or explicitly comparative to the existing body of literature. HERDC goes on to suggest that apart from "increasing the stock of knowledge" and being in a form suitable for the dissemination of knowledge, that research publications must "evidenced by discussion of the relevant literature,
an awareness of the history and antecedents of work described, and provided in a
format which allows a reader to trace sources of the work, including through
citations and footnotes." This explicit comparison between the production of understandings as knowledge and the past production of understandings as knowledge would be the basic comparison at the heart of scholarship and research.
While the HERDC specifications are normative, and punative (they're about divvying up a pot of government research money), there has at least been an attempt to cover them with a fig leaf of collegiality, and for them to reflect academic practices. The absence of protest over their unfairness is an indication that they "work" as a punative practice.
[1]: HERDC (2012) <http://www.innovation.gov.au/Research/ResearchBlockGrants/Documents/2012HERDCSpecifications.pdf> at page 7-8, 1.3.10
[2]: OECD (2002), *Frascati Manual: Proposed Standard Practice for Surveys on Research and Experimental Development*, OECD: Paris.
[3]: Cited in HERDC (2012)
[4]: DIKW models, <NAME> (2007). "Conceptual Approaches for Defining Data, Information, and Knowledge" *Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology* 58 (4): 479–493. doi:10.1002/asi.20508 cited in Wiki.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: There are lots of different types of research. Some research is hypothesis driven other research is not. **What** questions generally are not hypothesis driven while **why** questions usually have a related hypothesis. Comparison words are useful to indicate both sides of the hypothesis (i.e., the null hypothesis which you are often attempting to reject and the alternative hypothesis which you are often attempting to provide support for). Hypothesis testing is the basis of the scientific method. Typically doctoral research leads to a thesis/dissertation which historically has been about hypothesis driven research. Things like design based research in the sciences and performance based research in the arts, however, are now often being submitted as dissertations. Whether this is a bastardization of the term dissertation is not clear to me.
Within the wider realm of research, the quoted material is wrong. Within the realm of getting a PhD the quoted material may be historically and technically/etymologically correct, but it is clearly a dated view.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: In biology, **what** questions are extremely popular, even though they can be largely descriptive. The point is, that knowing descriptive details of a system is the first step in understanding how it works, and can often raise many interesting hypotheses. In fact, this trend of questions is increasing as high-throughput experimental methods are used to collect more and more data (which by itself is only descriptive).
Some famous examples of such **what** questions are "what is the structure of DNA?" and "what is the sequence of the human genome?".
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: I agree with the other responders and commenters that it's silly to generalize over all disciplines like this. What makes it particularly funny to me as someone in physics, is that it is [often said](https://physics.stackexchange.com/a/54918/49107) that physics is concerned with the **'how'**, not the **'why'**. I guess we, along with people in other hard sciences, don't do research at all then... At least philosophically, we're in the business of describing how nature behaves, how a particle moves and interacts, but can't really tell you why our models work, only that they more or less "fit the data". (Then there's the problem of [model-dependent realism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model-dependent_realism) - do our models actually reflect what's going on in nature, or just happen to predict the same outcomes?)
For example, in the words of Feynman
>
> While I am describing to you how Nature works, you won't understand why Nature works that way. But you see, nobody understands that.
>
>
>
Sometimes you can ask 'why' questions that lead to unifying principles, with better explanatory power. For example, "why do these properties share property X?" rather than "what properties do these materials have?", but generally, you don't get one without the other, and both are considered research. Even if you manage to answer this 'why' question, however, you'll be left with a more fundamental 'why' question that we don't know how to begin to answer. And many levels of the more accessible 'why' questions are beyond the scope and time frame of most PhD studies.
As for the statement that all research questions should have comparisons in them, I don't even know where to begin. Consider e.g. the 2017 Nobel prize in physics for the observation of gravitational waves. The LIGO project attempted to answer questions like "do gravitational waves exist?", "can we see them?", and "can we use them for new kinds of astronomy?". If you really want to twist things, I guess they could be rephrased "are there more than zero gravitational waves in the universe?" and so on. It still wouldn't be a 'why' question as described above though.
Upvotes: 1 |
2013/04/23 | 758 | 2,883 | <issue_start>username_0: At the moment I'm using Zotero to organize my paper collection and for my current work I'm very happy with it's possobilities to organize content (folders and tags).
However, working on bigger projects a hierarchical tag structure would come in handy where subtags can be assigned to lead-tags (or something similar). Is there any reference program that can do that?<issue_comment>username_1: This is a question which has often come up on the webz.
I am not really sure of your exact requirements but Mendeley has *some* of the functions or you could develop a workaround. See [this](http://www.quora.com/What-are-the-differences-between-Papers-and-Mendeley) and [this](http://blog.mendeley.com/academic-features/searching-vs-filing-managing-your-library-the-modern-way-with-tags-and-filters/). I have also heard good things about [Sente](http://www.joachim-scholz.com/academipad/2012/04/09/sente-papers-best-pdf-management-system/) but I have not used it.
These are solutions for Macs though. I am not sure about Windows and do not know if that is a constraint which you have. Personally, I use a hierarchical folder system in Mendeley and export to BibTeX and add tags - which, so far, seems to work well enough.
Are you seeking more, in general of optimizing your academic workflow? In case you haven't heard of it, I suggest visiting [this](http://blog.macademic.org/) blog. It updates sporadically but most of the good stuff is in there. I hope this helps.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: [JabRef](http://jabref.sourceforge.net) is a reference manager using the BibTeX format. It uses the concept of **groups**, i.e. papers can be put into groups, and it allows to create a hierarchical group structure. Since one paper can be put into any number of groups, it is essentially hierarchical tagging.
With JabRef, one can even configure for individual groups whether a group will automatically include the content of any subgroups (analog to tagging), or will include the content of any supergroup (refining), or just include the papers assigned exactly to this group (as in a classical folder structure).
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: It seems that in the current version of standalone Zotero (4.0.28), you can nest folders in the left pane, and add a document or reference to several such folders.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: Check out Citavi.
It supports keywords, categories, and groups. Categories can be organized hierarchically.
Among many other features, Citavi also allows you to save quotations, comments, summaries, and your own ideas, and to organize and structure them before you start writing.
Citavi is Windows-only at the moment, but a web version is being developped.
The video "Citavi 5 in a nutshell" explains the main features: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3vbWIcljDQ>
(I work for Citavi)
Upvotes: 1 |
2013/04/24 | 1,827 | 7,298 | <issue_start>username_0: There's a well-known paper in academic circles that features a rediscovery of the [trapezoidal rule](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trapezoidal_rule) for numerical integration by a medical researcher:
>
> “A Mathematical Model for the Determination of Total Area Under Glucose Tolerance and Other Metabolic Curves”, <NAME>, *Diabetes Care*, **1994**, *17*, 152–154.
>
>
>
I think the paper's only figure says it all:
You can find comments on many blogs about it, most of them along the lines of [“turns out calculus was invented in 1994”](http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2011/11/10/apparently-calculus-was-invented-in-1994/). I think it truly is a bit sad that the paper made it past the researcher, her immediate colleagues and friends, a Yale professor of electrical engineering who is thanked for “his expert review”, and most importantly reviewers, without someone giving the author a hint.
In my opinion, the most optimistic view is to see it as an educational paper: the method is not new, but that particular medical community didn't know about it, so it was worth publishing. However, that is *not* what the paper states: the author clearly presents the method as new and names it after her.
---
Okay, I think I have explained the context. My question is: **after that peer-review failure was exposed, what should have happened to the paper?** What happened is that the same journal published a [series of comments](https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/17/10/1225/18706/Reply-From-Mary-Tai) on the paper, and a reply by the author to the comments. Was that the correct/ethical way of handling the issue, as an editor? Or should the paper have been retracted?<issue_comment>username_1: Personally, if I had anything to do with the acceptance of a paper such as this, I'd want to suppress any knowledge that I had anything to do with this paper at all as thoroughly as possible.
I would certainly hope that in such a case the author in question would be so embarrassed by "rediscovering" something known for hundreds of years that the author would willingly retract the paper. But if that has not happened, there's not much that can be done. The peer-review process failed, but it would be up to either the journal editor or the author to demand retraction. Newton and Simpson are dead, and nobody else could realistically make a claim to be "injured" by this momentous "discovery."
If you want to ask the question *must* the paper be retracted, then the answer is no, unless there was actual bias or foul play in the peer review process. If the reviewers *knew* there was a problem, and intentionally allowed the paper to move forward, then a retraction is necessary. Otherwise, though, the paper should not *de rigueur* be retracted. It should be shunned by the academic community, however, and people should refrain from citing it (except perhaps for articles and works showing how *not* to do research!).
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: The answer to this question depends on what we should term a **peer-review failure**. There are tons of journals in the academic market: some journals are happy to publish results as long as they are correct even if they do not push the boundary of innovation. There are some journals that are happy to publish unsound experimental work, and on the other hand, some that encourage theoretical models that are severely impractical and are essentially mathematical mumbo-jumbo.
Publishing something blindingly obvious even to a high-school student is ridiculous, but we could infer two things: one, the editor and the reviewers had not found this so obvious, and two, the journal did not (or does not?) have high standards on innovation anyway. Given it is a field that potentially could have practitioners who know not a thing about calculus, the publication should not come as a big surprise.
The reality is that [publication of known facts](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/7360/how-common-is-it-to-inadvertently-reinvent-the-wheel-in-academia) is not all that uncommon in academia. The hoo-ha over this paper is basically because of the elementariness of the concept. One could expect apologies from journals for wrong results but not necessarily for stale ones.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Online publishing, at the face of it, should be giving editors some room for maneuver. In this case, they could append the online version of the paper with an editorial note like
>
> EDITORIAL NOTE: Citing this paper as "Tai's method" is strongly discouraged, as the method is actually known under the name of trapezoidal rule. See also [Comments](http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/17/10/1223.2.full.pdf+html) for further explanations.
>
>
>
The academic community affected by this rediscovery should have taken actions accordingly, and editors in other journals should have made sure that citations to the paper are only given if something other than the trapezoidal rule is being discussed.
<NAME> II [apologized](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_apologies_made_by_Pope_John_Paul_II) for a number of misdoings by the Catholic Church. The editors should've apologized to their research community for committing this peer review failure. It's OK to be wrong from time to time; science moves by rectifying things that come into contradiction with other bits of knowledge. However it's not OK to withhold knowing that you are wrong and insisting on it.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_4: There is an even a bigger problem than the lack of innovation, with this paper.
Any academic publication is a form of communication within a particular scholar community. If that community is not aware that a mathematical tool known for ages can solve one of their problems, there certainly is some merit in pointing that out. Maybe not enough to name the tool after her, but still enough to acknowledge her with citations.
However this is not the case, here. I was so curious to check out those other methods she claims having superseded with her "invention", that I decided to have a quick look at a couple of them. I was particularly interested in the method that apparently gives only 3% of the true value **(!)**. Well, it turns out the number obtained with this method is not at all meant to be an estimation of the area under the curve: to make the calculations simpler the authors simply decided to take out a time factor, which in their study was always the same. As for the other method, it was yet another implementation of the trapezoidal rule, with the addition of some complications due to medical considerations about the correct time interval that should be used, which she obviously misinterpreted.
Basically everyone in her field was using the same algorithm, but she didn't realize it, and to prove her point she completely misrepresented the work of the authors she cited. I think the reviewers should have spotted that even if they didn't know anything about the trapezoidal rule! When an author builds an argument using the work of other researchers, the reviewers must always check whether this work is presented fairly or not.
Upvotes: 5 |
2013/04/24 | 2,993 | 10,660 | <issue_start>username_0: Let's start with background: I'm European, don't know much about undergrad educational systems, and especially grading, outside my own area. So, I receive a CV from an Indian undergrad with the following section:
Now, I have no idea whether the scores displayed here are dismal, average, good or excellent. [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_grading_in_India) doesn't know what CGPA is, except in Nepal (and the student in case was not educated in Nepal), so I turn to you, Academia Stack Exchange, to help me solve this riddle!<issue_comment>username_1: Two factors can be used to get a broad idea about an Indian engineering student - one is the college and the second is the CGPA.
**College**:
The [Indian Institute of Science](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Institute_of_Science) and [Indian institutes of technology](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Institutes_of_Technology) are top technical institutions in the country. Of late, multiple IITs have been set up, leading to (arguably) diminishing quality. The [original seven IITs](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Institutes_of_Technology#Institutes_of_Technology_Act.2C_1961) boast of excellent faculty in most departments and are understood to be better than the newer ones.
Besides, there are regional colleges like [National Institutes of Technology](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Institutes_of_Technology) and [Anna University](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_of_Engineering,_Guindy) and [BITS](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BITS_Pilani) which are also among the top engineering colleges in the country.
**Grading System**:
Most of the above colleges use the CGPA system for grading. Students are awarded grades ranging from S (=10) to D (=6) in various courses that they enroll over a period of 4 years. In a course, the top performers could expect an S, the students who have scored 80%-90% could score an A and so on. Obviously, the exact grades depend on the instructor and the overall performance. A student that scores S in all his courses over 4 years ends up with the perfect CGPA of 10.0. A 9-10 CGPA indicates mostly excellent track record and so on.
It should be clear that the CV in the question reflects a mediocre score in a top college.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I'm from India and I must say that getting into IIT's is a pretty much of a big deal here. You can be sure of the fact that the kid is hard working. But a GPA of 6.96 ~ 7 is Okay-ish. Average. 9-10 is brilliant. 8-9 is about average and very good.
You can ask what other things he excel in. Extra activities he participate in etc..etc..
Report cards don't show someone's potential. Do they?
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: I am a graduate from BITS Pilani, India. We have a 10-point Cummulative GPA. Here is a table converting the CGPA to GPA 
Source: <http://gmatclub.com/forum/how-to-convert-indian-gpa-percentage-to-us-4-pt-gpa-scale-124249.html> This has some detailed insights into the CGPA and the method.
Hope this helps.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: I completely agree with all the answers that an Indian student can be judged keeping in mind both the college and the grades. IIT's (Indian Institute of Technology) are among the best schools of India. For the grading scheme however, the following guide is issued by the **[University Grants Commission(India)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_Grants_Commission_(India))** which is in charge of the coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of university education in India.
```
Letter Grade Grade Point
O (Outstanding) 10
A+(Excellent) 9
A(Very Good) 8
B+(Good) 7
B(Above Average) 6
C(Average) 5
P (Pass) 4
F(Fail) 0
Ab (Absent) 0
```
The Universities can decide on the grade or percentage of marks required to pass in a
course and also the CGPA required to qualify for a degree. You might also see some students mentioning their SGPA. This is how CGPA and SGPA is generally computed:
### Computation of SGPA and CGPA
The SGPA is the ratio of sum of the product of the number of credits with the grade
points scored by a student in all the courses taken by a student and the sum of the
number of credits of all the courses undergone by a student, i.e
`SGPA (Si) = ∑(Ci x Gi) / ∑Ci`
where `Ci` is the number of credits of the ith course and `Gi` is the grade point scored by the
student in the ith course.
The CGPA is also calculated in the same manner taking into account all the courses
undergone by a student over all the semesters of a programme, i.e.
`CGPA = ∑(Ci x Si) / ∑ Ci`
where `Si` is the SGPA of the ith semester and `Ci` is the total number of credits in that
semester.
### Illustration of Computation of SGPA and CGPA and Format for Transcript
Ilustration for SGPA
```
Course Credit Grade letter Grade point Credit Point
(Credit x Grade)
Course 1 3 A 8 3 X 8 = 24
Course 2 4 B+ 7 4 X 7 = 28
Course 3 3 B 6 3 X 6 = 18
Course 4 3 O 10 3 X 10 = 30
Course 5 3 C 5 3 X 5 = 15
Course 6 4 B 6 4 X 6 = 24
----- ------------
20 139
```
Thus, SGPA =139/20 =6.95
Illustration for CGPA
```
*-----------------------------------------------------------------------------*
| Semester 1 | Semester 2 | Semester 3 | Semester 4 | Semester 5 | Semester 6 |
*-----------------------------------------------------------------------------*
| Credit: 20 | Credit: 22 | Credit: 25 | Credit: 26 | Credit: 26 | Credit: 25 |
| SGPA:6.9 | SGPA:7.8 | SGPA: 5.6 | SGPA:6.0 | SGPA:6.3 | SGPA: 8.0 |
*-----------------------------------------------------------------------------*
```
Thus,
```
CGPA = 20 x 6.9 + 22 x 7.8 + 25 x 5.6 + 26 x 6.0 + 26 x 6.3 + 25 x 8.0
_______________________________________________________________ = 6.73
144
```
Sources: <http://www.du.ac.in/du/uploads/Guidelines/UGC_credit_Guidelines.pdf>
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: All schools are not same. Getting into IIT is very very tough. A CGPA of 6 is not the same ( simply because the cohort is far more competitive with an acceptance rate of 1%-2% esp at the 5 IITs) as CGPA of 6 at another school.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_6: Yes IITs are good technical institutions in India. But you can't recruit a person simply because he came from a good college. He should possess the skills required for your job. That's the main thing you should look for rather on his background.
I would like to say that getting a good grade in IIT is very challenging. A 7 grader would be comparable to a 8.5 or even 9 grader in private colleges. IITs are not made by its faculties (which many IITs are facing shortage of and also of quality) or infrastructure but by students.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_7: CGPA or Cumulative Grade Point Average should be considered in relation to the class curve. If we assume that the top edge of the curve denotes 8.2, then we should preclude that 6.96 as B+. And if we try to calculate this to the US GPA, 6.96/10.0 would co-relate to 3.3/4.0.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_8: In my experience at a top European university, many grades even from top tier Indian universities don't have the same explanatory power as grades from European or American universities.
We regularly got applications with grades in the 9-10 ranges and 99.x percentile scores. However, many students we interviewed were not up to our standards. Basic knowledge even in core topics such as programming, cs theory, mathematics and statistics was lacking, and while we noticed that many 'famous' algorithms could be reproduced, tasks involving writing new algorithms for specific problems were generally not solved or solved inadequately.
Of course, the sample size was not large enough to form a proper sample, and there might have been a selection bias in what students even applied for a position with us. Still, all other things equal, I would rate an 9-10 / 99.x grade from a good Indian university about on par with at most a 'cum laude' degree (non-magna/summa) from a good European university.
My conclusion therefore is to **invest additional efforts into the interview and selection process**, and I would suggest to **not consider any mid-range marks as in the application in question**.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_9: IITs (the original 5 at Bombay, Delhi, Kanpur, Madras, Kharagpur) are the best UG institutes in India bar none. There are more now but they don't have as good a reputation as the first 4 in the original list (Kharagpur has lagged somewhat recently). If this person is from one got an All India Rank under the General Category (not under any reservation/quota scheme) then you can be assured that he has raw intelligence and smarts.
Some IITs are notorious for rigorous grading very unlike ivy leagues in the US where grade inflation is rampant. GPA of 6.96 is mediocre but if it's in a hard stream such as Electrical Engineering or Comp Sci then it may not be that bad (one has to obtain an All India Rank within top 300-400 kids from all over India to obtain admission to these stream in the first 4 IITs). The peer group is simply extraordinarily competitive -- think of hand picking top few hundred students out of a country of billion and have them take tests under a common roof.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_10: I presume one can easily search about the quality of the university and its faculty through the internet.
The problem might be how to interpret the score.
In such cases, it is best to ask the student for an official transript.
Official transcripts usually have all the information about how grading is done. It will describe the grading scale (e.g. 4-10), whether any courses are just pass/fail, whether there's some "exceptional" grade, and what does a grade number X usually mean.
Once you get a sizeable number of applications from such a university, you can interpret the results for yourself.
Upvotes: -1 |
2013/04/24 | 1,642 | 7,199 | <issue_start>username_0: I am a Masters degree holder in Computer Science. Where I live, the most popular way of receiving research grants is from the government. There are two problems with that.
First, You have to be enrolled in a Masters or doctorate degree program at the time of applying for funding.
Secondly, the researcher only gets a small amount of pay from the grant(Like about 2 or 3 percent). About 10 to 15 percent is for research supervisor. And remaining is equipment and other costs.
So is there any way of applying for research funding as an independent researcher?
I am currently enrolled in a Masters program and am very close to getting a grant for my research. But I would like to continue work as a researcher after completing my Masters and would like to apply for funding independently.<issue_comment>username_1: It can be very difficult to get government financing depending on where you reside. For instance, here in Germany, only qualified workers affiliated with a "recognized" institution, such as a university or a government research organization, can apply for grants. Moreover, only PhD-level staff can act as a principal investigator.
So, the basic upshot is that you need to see what the official rules are in the country where you are working. In general, you cannot work around the qualification rules for such programs!
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Having only a MSc (and not doing a PhD) it might be hard to get an official research funding (although, there are many different programs and maybe there is one for someone with your status; especially if in some way you are still affiliated with an university of institute).
Sadly, (as <NAME> pointed out) there no such thing as a scientific freelancer. Science market is very far from an unregulated, free market (and the supply is higher than demands, so it is not a place for freelancer jobs).
However, there are two options which may make sense to you:
* doing a part-time PhD, or some PhD where you are not expected to be at the univ. all the time; effectively, it may work for you (though, then it will need to be rather at a low-rank univ.; most likely the most important thing is to find a univ. with no to low teaching load + an advisor who does not care (sic!) or one who understands your situation *and* is willing to participate in such relationship),
* considering crowdfunding - i.e. describing you project on a website and gathering from all interested people (like on [Kickstarter](http://www.kickstarter.com/)); here is [a list of sites for crowdfunding in science](http://science.okfn.org/tools-for-open-science/) (then it is not from government).
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: The biggest obstacle is that you haven't been through a Ph.D. program. Not (just) because of formal qualifications, but also because a Ph.D. program is where one learns how to manage an independent research program. The reason Ph.D. programs are a de facto requirement for research positions is that very few people learn how to do this in a bachelor's or master's program. It's not impossible, but it's certainly rare. (It's already difficult for recent Ph.D.s to get research grants in competition against much more experienced researchers.)
Aside from appropriate research experience, what you need is a formal affiliation with a university. In the U.S., it's called a "soft-money position." This is a position paid for entirely by research grants, without salary or funding from the university. (Soft money is money that depends on outside grants, while hard money is budgeted from the university itself.) If you can get the grants in the first place, it's much easier to get a soft-money position than a regular job, since there's no risk for the university: as long as your grants continue, they can collect overhead to pay for office space, computer and library access, etc., but if your grants end then so does your job. Of course nobody will give you a soft-money position unless they are impressed with your work and think you would be valuable to have around (and would not hurt the department's reputation), but this is a much lower bar than convincing them to spend their own money on you.
A soft-money position is the closest thing I'm aware of to applying for funding as an independent researcher. (It's not completely independent, but about as close as you are likely to come to independence.) However, in the U.S. it would be nearly impossible to get such a position with just a master's degree.
Whether this path is feasible at all depends on your research area, and of course your funding agency's policies. In the U.S. it's pretty common in medical research, but almost unheard of in mathematics (where there is much less funding available). In computer science it's somewhere in between, depending on the specific subfield.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: If you are in the US, what you are requesting is highly unlikely. There is no peer-review that is institutionalized enough to keep control of research quality and avoid people taking advantage.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_5: There are two obstacles:
1. The funding body - sometimes their rules specifies you must work for a university or research organisation or worse a registered research organisation (if it doesn't say registered, then invent a business name or found a consultancy/company; if it does say registered, then try to get your research organisation registered). Sometimes the rules will also specify a proportion of the "marks" for rating the researcher/team and the institution/infrastructure. If you register a commercial entity, you however now have access to commercialisation funds and programs which often have more money that is easier to obtain (government funding programs, angels and VCs). About half my funds comes from non-traditional funding sources, often with matching private and public funding.
2. The referees - the referees will in general know nothing about your work, will know a little about the general area but will have specialist expertise in some other area, they will not understand every point of the grant application, they will have some part of their rating based on who you are which will be judged from CV-type information, including your publications, grants and affiliations. They will take into account your lack of a research record one way or another, often negatively when there is no evidence to support you can do the work, often positively when you have done well with the little you have for the stage in your career.
Some funding programs (or referees/committees) will explicitly make allowance for early career researchers, or even actively encourage and support them, which mitigates against the disadvantage. The idea is that the success rate of ECRs should be commensurate with the overall success rate (where other things being equal it could be less due to the lack of runs on the board). Many grant processes (and referees/committees) specifically operate on the basis that assessment of the research team should be on the basis of "opportunity" - and so no special ECR category is needed.
Upvotes: 0 |
2013/04/24 | 1,323 | 4,682 | <issue_start>username_0: As my bachelor's thesis, I'm developing some software (a mocking framework for MATLAB). As such, I often need to reference software documentation - both from MATLAB and the software which serves as my inspiration. It would also be nice to be able to reference the documentation of the specific feature I'm referring to (the analogue of referencing a specific page in a book). However, I mostly access this documentation online and by its nature it tends to exist just in electronic form, which is not really recommended in publishing. So far, the best I've come up with is this:
```
@misc{mockitoFeatures,
author = {{\em mockito} developers},
title = {Features and Motivations},
note = {\url{https://code.google.com/p/mockito/wiki/FeaturesAndMotivations}},
urldate = {2013-04-24},
}
```
(ok strictly speaking, this isn't part of the official docs but it serves the same purpose: it's a specific page and it's only available online)
Specific questions:
* **Who should be the author?** In the case of MATLAB I guess it's Mathworks or somesuch; I guess listing open-source projects as "xx developers" is the best I can do.
* **How should I mention the version?** Urldate helps in general, but if I'm referring to a particular software version, where should I put this info? In the title?
* **Are there any "official" MATLAB citation recommendations?** MATLAB is used in research a lot, perhaps there's a suggested way of doing it and I'm just missing it. The rest of the question still applies for other software, though.<issue_comment>username_1: In general, I would treat software documentation depending on how it's distributed.
* If it's published in book form, then it should be cited as a book. The version number goes where you would put the edition, and the company that manufactures the software is the "publisher."
* If the manual is distributed electronically, then you should cite the website from which it is obtained as the "source."
* An exception to this is if you are asked in the documentation to reference a specific work (for instance, a research article, or a website) when citing a code. Then you should follow the specific guidance provided.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: In addition to @username_1's answer:
* In my field it is common to refer to Matlab in the text "Matlab version X.Y (The Mathworks, USA)"
* as @Bitwise comments, scientific FOSS often specifies how cite. So we refer e.g. to R as a normal book. R's recommended citation includes the version.
* If the version is not included in the recommended citation, I put it into the note field (Bibtex) - that's the R way of putting together such citations:
```
> citation ("cbmodels")
To cite package ‘cbmodels’ in publications use:
<NAME> (2013). cbmodels: Collection of "combined" models:
PCA-LDA, PLS-LDA, etc.. R package version 0.5-20130417.
A BibTeX entry for LaTeX users is
@Manual{,
title = {cbmodels: Collection of "combined" models: PCA-LDA, PLS-LDA, etc.},
author = {<NAME>},
year = {2013},
note = {R package version 0.5-20130417},
}
```
* If there's a "normal" publication, I combine the normal citation data with additional URL and version information:
```
> citation ("softclassval")
To cite package 'softclassval' please use:
<NAME>, <NAME> and <NAME>: 'Validation of Soft
Classification Models using Partial Class Memberships: An Extended
Concept of Sensitivity & Co. applied to grading of astrocytoma
tissues', Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems, 122
(2013), 12 - 22, DOI: 10.1016/j.chemolab.2012.12.003, arXiv:
1301.0264, R package version 1.0-20130318,
http://softclassval.r-forge.r-project.org.
A BibTeX entry for LaTeX users is
@Article{,
title = {Validation of Soft Classification Models using Partial Class Memberships: An Extended Concept of Sensitivity & Co. applied to Grading of Astrocytoma Tissues},
author = {<NAME> and <NAME> and <NAME>},
year = {2013},
number = {122},
pages = {12 -- 22},
journal = {Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems},
note = {R package version 1.0-20130318},
url = {http://softclassval.r-forge.r-project.org},
doi = {10.1016/j.chemolab.2012.12.003},
eprint = {http://arxiv.org/abs/1301.0264},
}
```
(Here, I don't need an additional date, because the release date is included in the version number.
* I've been using other FOSS software where I did not find a specification, so
I asked the developers how they want to be cited.
The experience is that the developers usually are very happy about this kind of question.
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/25 | 572 | 2,349 | <issue_start>username_0: When I was starting out in my Masters degree, I had an idea of a publication that could be completed in a small amount of time. I was starting out and I felt it would get me at ease with research after publishing this idea.
My idea was like a comparison between two different techniques of solving a problem and the paper could be completed in a week. However, My supervisor told me that I could get a publication for this idea but he recommended me not to waste my efforts on a low quality publication and focus on a long term high to medium quality publication.
So my question is would it have badly affected my research career if I had published that paper?<issue_comment>username_1: First, regarding your comment that *“if [the paper] was so bad it would not have been published”*: in my experience, pretty much anything is publishable, it all depends on the journal. Don't overestimate the field: there are journals out there that publish absolute crap. And that is not only my opinion, e.g.
>
> in many cases, [Bentham Open journals](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentham_Science_Publishers) publish articles that no legitimate peer-review journal would accept
>
>
>
Now, the initial question is: *how bad can it be?* Well, it can be bad. As a researcher (or wannabe researcher), **your publications list is like an artist's portfolio**. When you look for a job, apply for a grant or try to recruit new team members, this is what they will judge you on.
Now, **for a young student** (say undergrad or MSc level), **one *weird* paper would not completely freak me out**. It would mostly speak to me about the quality of the tutor/advisor/program director: a newbie can sure get a wrong idea at some point, but how come noöne was there to tell him it was a wrong idea? On the other hand, if he was told and did not listen, it might speak to his character!
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Not if you published it as a non-peer-reviewed technical report / note on your webpage, or even a adapted it into something like a blog post.
However, it's quite often the case that small results can be augmented with related small results, or added to more significant results, too build up a paper that' more worth of publishing "for real", i.e. in a respectable conference or journal.
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/25 | 1,807 | 8,128 | <issue_start>username_0: Let's say I invented a system to solve a problem. To run this system, I made my own algorithm.I also created some other things for that system. The main contribution was supposed to be the system.So is it a good idea to have as many research papers out of the project as I can? Or to publish a single research paper?
I have seen a lot of researchers where they were targeting a single problem and they proposed a single solution. Now, what they would do is write a research paper for every component separately. Then they would write a single research paper showing how all the components would fit together.
So is it a good idea to try and increase the number of publications you can have out of a single research project?
My own personal opinion is that the quality of your research matters not the quantity. But I have also seen a number of institutions requiring a specific number of publications to even apply for their jobs.<issue_comment>username_1: The way I see it, there are a number of factors at play:
1. Your goals: Do you want your paper to be published in a high-impact journal? If so they will most likely be interested in the whole story rather than a small piece of it.
2. Readability/General appeal: Can you make a coherent story with individual components? Will they all be interesting for wider audience on their own? In other words, if you opt for multiple papers out of one project; can you make sure these will be able to stand on their own? I personally think going for multiple papers is only valid when combining them into a single big paper would push aside some of your interesting results (or methods) to a metaphorical corner
3. Limitations imposed by the target journal: Can you actually put together all that in a single manuscript? In biomedical research you always get a limit on the number of words in the manuscript, and there is only so much you can put in supplementary.
With regards to quality-vs-quantity, I heard that early on in your career quantity is more important while as you become more and more senior, quality becomes the main concern. I am often told that as a PhD student I can, and should try to get involved in as many papers as I can. Around the time I do post-doc, however, it's time I pay a lot of attention to where I put my name and try to work on a good paper, preferably in a high-impact journal.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I think we all want fewer but high quality publications but many aspects of academia seems to favour quantity. We should also not forget that apart from numbers of publications, the impact of them through different index measures such as the "[h](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H-index)" and number of citations play a vital role in evaluating your output. A paper with no citations is not "good" for your record. I think one has to consider when our publications count and I can think of two and a possible third case (in the following I am concentrating on numbers/quality not impact/h but one could (should?) argue that quality = high impact/h):
1. Publications count when you seek employment. The publications will be scrutinized by peers and in this case the quality definitely counts since the publication will be the key evaluation parameter of your scientific capacity, possibly in parallel to your ability to attract funding.
2. Publications count when you apply for funding. In this case it is not likely that your publications will be read and evaluated; your proposal will. And, your publication list will be looked at as a sign of productivity. So in this case I would argue that numbers count (not even first/leading authorship may be critical although must be present).
3. Publications may be important when it comes to promotions and particularly salary discussions. Here it is less clear if quality or quantity counts but I would argue that quantity is more important since your productivity can be shown as a statistic ( by the dept. and univ.) whereas quality is more difficult to quantify directly.
Since you are likely to seek funding more often than switch jobs, one might suspect that quantity is a must. In my funding system, a certain productivity is expected and in this case it is merely a number/year (on average; if you fall short it will be taken as a negative). At the same time you may lose opportunities when applying for jobs if quality does not enter the picture.
So there is need for a balance between quantity and quality. Very few can survive in the long term by writing few but high profile quality papers and it is also not likely you will survive only on quantity if that is at the expense of quality. We of course need to remember that all papers that count are peer reviewed and as such have formally passed quality control.
My personal reflection is that most of us do as much as we can to produce good quality science. If one were to try to constantly push low-quality manuscripts to gain quantity, ones reputation would probably soon suffer, so there may be additional equalizers at play.
So to answer the question: yes quantity counts but cannot be gained at the expense of quality. To "squeeze" as much as possible out of your research is good in the sense that your experience gets out to the public but negative if your research becomes fragmented across several publications that are lost in the background noise. Finding a good balance and seeing how many quality publications can be produced from a project idea is important.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: The UK is rapidly moving to a low quantity high quality model. The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is an exercise that is conducted every 4 years and is used to rate the research quality of "departments" (they are not truly departments, but the details are irrelevant). For the REF each researcher is expected to return 4 items (i.e., 1 per year on average) and these items are rated on a 4 star scale, with 4\* being the best and encompassing about 10-20% of the submitted work. Given how REF computes value, an person who publishes a single 4\* paper and nothing else over a 4 year window is more valuable than an individual who publishes 100 3\* publications. For the REF quantity above 4 is completely valueless and quality trumps all.
Research councils in the UK are following suit saying that they are uninterested in funding 2\* research.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: It depends on many factors. People may love to have a single "great" article, but there can be obstacles:
1. Many institutions or countries have objective measures such as the number of publications, being published in a journal which is indexed in Web of Science, and has a high rank among the competitors, etc. These limit the authors.
2. Journal limitations. I personally love to have perfect articles. But those will be very long, Journals would not love them very much because the reader gets bored. So a way is to split it. As a matter of fact in some instances, it was the reviewer or editor who asked me to remove many parts of my article. I could not stand seeing they are going to be flushed away forever, so I published them as another article.
3. And finally, note that it is difficult and sometimes impossible to "subjectively" judge the quality of a paper and say "well this paper is high-quality and is worth three average papers"... I have seen strange judgments from senior researchers. For example, I have seen the results of a nation-level contest, where a very poor paper was selected as #1 by 5 judges and another paper which was absolutely unique in its field and very high-quality, was chosen as #2, because the judges were not familiar with the content of the latter (or whatever other reasons they might have) [they later changed their minds when the researcher explained the research to those idiots! but the grant was already given to the poor research!]... So in such situations, objective scores are the only tool for qualification, and the notion "quality" is not even applicable! This is why some researchers would prefer split
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/25 | 799 | 3,543 | <issue_start>username_0: I have once, some time ago, received a rejection notice in which the journal editor made what I thought was a peculiar comment. The reviewers all found that the work was good, but one emitted a doubt that I had chosen the right journal for it, saying the paper might not appeal to the broad readership of the journal (it was a general physics journal). So far, nothing out of the ordinary.
However, the editor indicated that his judgment to reject the paper was based on the fact that **very few of the citations in the manuscript actually referred to the journal I had submitted it to**. (Like, 2 citations out of 35. Some of the other citations were to other general physics journals, some to more specific journals.)
Back then, this looked very weird to me. To some extent, **it could be interpreted as a push by the editor to increase self-citation of his journal**. It has never occurred to me since.
Is it common practice? When does it become ethically wrong?<issue_comment>username_1: Answering as editor of a journal (albeit not in Physics) I have never heard of such comments. It seems misdirected. The one possible and reasonable (in some sense of the word) reason for it might be that the editor considers the journal so specialized that most relevant literature in the field would be published in the same journal. As a result, one could conclude that if the manuscript lacks references to papers in the same journal it is peripheral to the field. I am by no means suggesting that this would be a good way to make such assertions.
Sometimes, and I am now speaking in my experience as an author, I have felt that such comments are excuses for other reasons to reject the paper. Without seeming too paranoid, I think this can be the result of a rash decision by the editor based on confidential comments by a reviewer but which cannot easily be conveyed. As an editor, I see different comments from reviewers which almost say that I (as an editor) would essentially be stupid if I did not reject the paper and where it seems clear some personal reason rather than scientific arguments are the basis for the judgement. What I am trying to say is that there may be reasons that are far from clear as to why you receive such comments. Unfortunately there is not much one can do about it unless you feel comfortable asking the editor to provide some background for why? I think such a question is reasonable, if for no other reason than to avoid "burdening" the journal with "off topic" questions in the future (quotations meant from journal/editor perspective).
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: It is not unheard of. For a journal that I submit regularly to the instructions for authors state
>
> Given that the Journal has been in existence for over 80 years and has
> published of the order of 35,000 papers on a wide variety of
> acoustical topics over its lifetime, the absence of any references to
> previously published papers in the Journal raises a flag signaling the
> possibility that the paper lies outside the de facto scope of the
> Journal
>
>
>
I think it really is a scope question and not a self citation question. That said, the handling editors of this journal often alert authors during the later stages of review of potentially relevant in press publications within the journal. Most have been relevant and I am happy to add the sentence or two to the background, but I also think of it as a clear attempt at increasing self citation counts.
Upvotes: 4 |
2013/04/25 | 509 | 2,211 | <issue_start>username_0: This question is in spirit a very general one. When a person (say in CS) is choosing among multiple options for gradschool, which one would experience and prudence point towards? Along with research interests and all that, things to factor in would be the extra strain involved, to be honest.
Case in point:
1. Choice A: PhD advisor in the field of computer vision and machine learning. My undergrad experience was mostly in image processing, with one instance of training a rather vanilla backprop neural network. So this would be pretty much be building on the base of undergrad research experience. Yeah, the school is a tough one, and my math background is rather sparse. lots of catching up to do on the maths front.
2. Choice B: PhD advisor does work in graphics. mostly interactive graphics, lighting models and all that. These are topics i am vaguely familiar with, never having taken a graphics course during undergrad. Nor did any research project on that. Its a fresh topic for me, but I am not qualified enough to judge whether to pursue this or not.<issue_comment>username_1: If you start by thinking about what's *safe* as an undergrad/grad, I think you may experience (unpleasant) surprises down the road. **Do what you like best!** Grad school is not an easy path, and motivation is sometimes hard to maintain throughout, so the best way to help your chances of success is actually to do something that you enjoy (and hopefully will enjoy for the next few years).
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Personally, I think grad school is as much about learning than it is about doing research. Don't be afraid to learn new things and expand into new fields - grad school is exactly the time do that. My main regret from my own graduate studies is that I focused too much on doing research and not enough on learning. Of course it requires hard work, but if you don't want to work hard I would say grad school is probably not the right choice for you.
As Fx writes in his answer, you should pursue whatever interests you the most. Of course it is also important to have a good advisor - so if you have no knowledge of the field you might like to ask around.
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/04/25 | 1,723 | 7,277 | <issue_start>username_0: I would like to attract more discussion, comments or reviews of my papers and so would like to add the ability for comments or reviews to be made by the public in relation to my papers. Ideally I would like a comments section similar to those found in blogging software which allows comments to be moderated. I would like to provide this ability in an easy to maintain way but also maintain mediation control. I would rather not use blogging software.
What would be the best way of allowing open comments/reviews on my work? What are the pros and cons of allowing open, but moderated comments like this?<issue_comment>username_1: I agree that blogging would technically be the way to go.
However, realistically speaking, I don't think you are going to get many comments unless your papers are truly outstanding. See for example [Terry Tao's blog](http://terrytao.wordpress.com/) -- one of the best-written and widely admired math blogs out there -- the number of comments is often in the single figures. Presumably that is an upper bound for what you should expect.
The best way to get comments, in my opinion, is to e-mail your paper to individually selected people and invite them to offer comments. Most people won't reply, but you might get a couple of interesting responses.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Okay, this is totally *not* an answer to your specific question, but I think it is an interesting answer to the broader question of getting comments and feedback on your published papers…
**Go to conferences, present your work** (either at oral or poster presentations), and make sure you stick around and are welcoming enough so people will ask questions, give you feedback, engage in discussion about your methods and results, etc. I have received tons of insightful comments on my own work in conferences, and still find them an extraordinary tool to gather feedback on your published work.
Also, **do not hesitate to engage with other researchers** with research interests close to yours, and after you get to know them, **ask them clearly what they think about it**. I mean, if you discuss with top-notch people in the same area, they will have read your paper (unless it's really very recent); I have started very insightful conversations with lines like:
>
> Hello, <NAME>, it's nice to meet you. Since the 2011 conference, when we last met, I saw your nice paper on X in *Flagship journal of your field*. It was really an improvement over existing methods. Actually, there was a question I wanted to ask: you may have seen that we published a different approach with the same goal last year in *International journal of our field*, and we are getting slightly different convergence properties. I haven't had yet the opportunity of asking you what you thought of our approach and the way it may prevent the issue of Y…
>
>
>
Just remember, that's not a conversation everyone is willing to have. So, if it looks like they are trying to bail out, help them get out easily! Manners, always :)
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: In fact, a number of scientific publishers are experimenting with online comments on their publications. Examples are the [PLoS](http://www.plos.org) or [BioMed Central](https://www.biomedcentral.com). This is of course mostly suitable for online-only journals, and depending on your field they me be more or less reputable. I guess the publishers are also moderating comments on these articles. So a good approach on getting comments on your articles is publishing with a publisher that offers this functionality.
If you check on a few articles with comments enabled, you will quickly learn that the typical number of comments is: **zero**. I think it is just not that suitable for scientific communication, and the approaches mentioned in username_2's answer would be more useful to get into scientific debate about your paper.
Maybe in the future the scientific culture will change to have more public online interaction, but at the moment this possibility doesn't seem to draw much attention.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: **If the topic of your paper aligns with a StackExchange site, you could post questions related to your paper on that site.**
For example if you you wrote a paper in a psychology journal you could post a question about it on [cogsci.stackexchange.com](http://cogsci.stackexchange.com) . As a moderator and active user of cogsci.SE, I'd like to see academics posting questions about their papers on the site.
I imagine this would take some thought. You'd have to understand the norms of the site and you might want to post on meta if you felt that this format was a little different to usual questions. You'd also want to be upfront about your motivations.
I think the stackexchange format provides an excellent commenting, spam management, and quality sorting system, and there is often an active community around the topic. That said, you might need to encourage others not familiar with StackExchange to direct their comments to particular pages.
In the post, you'd want to provide a link to the full-text of the article.
You'd also need to think about how to frame a given question so that it is not too open ended.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: I've seen researchers posting their papers on [Researchgate](http://www.researchgate.net/), explicitly asking readers to submit questions or criticisms.
Resaerchgate aims to be a social networks for scientists. While posting your paper there may draw the attention of people who don't already follow your work, I'd see it as an additional channel to communicate with collegues, and not as a replacement for beeing present at conferences or similiar.
Disclaimer: I'm an engineer, not an active researcher, so the dynamics on researchgate might look different to me than to they would to you.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_6: I recently asked a similar question [here](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/54022/is-there-an-open-crowd-based-peer-review-tool). Although I haven't received any answers, I came up with some possible answers myself.
I use a service named [Academia](http://www.academia.edu), who describe them self this way:
>
> Academia.edu is a platform for academics to share research papers. The
> company's mission is to accelerate the world's research
>
>
>
When you have uploaded your paper, you can then invite people from your network, or outside your network, to participate in a review and discussion of your paper. An example of how to do this, can be seen at this [example](https://www.academia.edu/s/8ccbb0cf80?source=work).
Academia is also a sort of social network, which mean you can "follow" other researcher with same interest and then invite them to review your paper.
If you want to expand your reach further, you can see in the above example, that it can be shared on twitter. You are probably already familier with twitter and know how hashtags work.
If not, I will simply explain:
Lets say your research area is webdesign, then you add hashtags like #webdesign, #webdevelopment etc.
As above, I'm also an engineer and have only used it, as a part of my master, so it might not be as relevant for you?!
Upvotes: 0 |
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