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2014/11/17 | 511 | 2,291 | <issue_start>username_0: Imagine one, as part of their academic research, makes a theoretical finding of a new material with interesting properties based on a computer simulation. The method used in the simulation is sound and has been proven to provide reliable results.
Can the discoverer file a patent based on this theoretical work or does one need experimental confirmation that the new material indeed has the predicted properties before being able to file a patent?<issue_comment>username_1: The relevant concept here is ["reduction to practice,"](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reduction_to_practice) which means that a concept has been sufficiently realized to make it believable. Where, exactly, this bar lies depends on which field and which country you are dealing with.
The United States, for example, used to have much stronger requirements for working models, but has recently introduced a notion of "preliminary filing" which lets one start the patent process before demonstrating a working model. In some cases, particularly mechanical devices, the device ([fortunately](http://www.google.com/patents/US3216423)) might never actually have to be demonstrated in action. In others, such as many types of biological invention, the science is considered so unpredictable that you cannot be considered to have reduced the idea to practice unless you have an actual working example.
For your particular question of computational material design, I do not know where the boundary of "reduction to practice" currently lies. It is likely to be field-dependent (e.g., is this a mechanical macrostructure like a fabric, a simple atomic structure like a new alloy of steel, or a complex organic structure like a protein agglomerate), will depend on jurisdiction, and is likely to move again in the future as patent offices slowly come to accept the validity of more classes of models. Thus, the overall answer is "it depends" and "talk to a patent lawyer."
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I haven't encountered cases like patenting a theological findings. If the findings was a result of a research or a thesis, it would be easy to compile it and have it copyrighted under your name. Note: you can only patent a research study if the creator is you.
Upvotes: 0 |
2014/11/17 | 1,488 | 6,205 | <issue_start>username_0: My area of interest is not so well-researched in the US, but it attracts more interest in some developing countries where the topic is more relevant, but also where academic standards tend to be different, and I must proceed with much more caution.
In EBSCO, recently my searches have turned up a number of articles published in journals abroad that either: (1) contain no in-text citations, but present entries in the reference list related to material discussed earlier in the paper or (2) contain no citations at all and no reference list at the end.
Is the lack of citations in an article sufficient criteria for casting aside a paper, even if I think some of the ideas relate to a paper I am writing?<issue_comment>username_1: I think it depends what you mean by "trust".
A modern academic paper which references no other paper is unusual and *possibly* fishy, but at least in my field (mathematics) there is nothing *inherently* faulty about the practice: perhaps you really are answering a question that you thought up yourself and for which the answer does not require you to use or cause you to refer to any published result. (There must be some examples of this: anyone?)
If you're being asked to *evaluate* a paper then, sure, read it much more carefully if there are no citations. That's not a good sign. If you know the field well enough to know specific papers that the paper you're reading *should* have cited, then you should evaluate the paper negatively for not citing them. If the paper has been published in a reputable journal you might consider writing to the editors to suggest missed citations.
On the other hand, a lack of references (or in-line citations) does not cause a paper to cease to exist. If you want to cite the paper then you still can, and if you do use the material in the paper then you must cite it, as usual.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Is there any kind of formal or empirical validation of the information that the paper contains? Citations and peer-reviews are standard today, as well as the reputation of the venue. Trust is often correlated with these, but this leads to the perversion of the whole system.
Many systems pervert when there is some discrepancy between how things are and how they look. E.g. economic bubbles, perceived and real value of some goods.
IMHO, trustworthiness comes from verifiability (and I think that is the whole point of science). Verifiability implies replicability, reproducibility, falsifiability, etc.
In short: no, you should not trust a paper that doesn't cite any previous work, but you should not trust a paper that cites many others just because they are there. You should, in general, trust no one, and check whether what they say is true by yourself, whether it is coherent with latter studies, whether latter studies could have contradicted it, whether it is possible to see if what they claim is true or not (open data, open science, open source, etc.)
Related and recommended: [Top Ten Reasons to *Not* Share Your Code
(and why you should anyway)](http://faculty.washington.edu/rjl/pubs/topten/topten.pdf)
PD: a whole different point (as pointed by @petelclark) is evaluating a paper, in that case you have to consider whether what the paper says is true, but you have to check as well whether it is original research (or it was published before). Citations help to understand the context and the state of the art previous to the paper, and to see that the authors know the state of the art.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: There are certainly non-traditional publications that have a high value and that you may wish to cite. For example, one of the important driving scientific analyses in biotechnology right now is the [Carlson Curve](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlson_Curve), which is the DNA synthesis equivalent of [Moore's Law](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore%27s_law). The up-to-date versions of the analysis, however, are not published in any journal article that I am aware of, but rather [on <NAME>'s blog](http://www.synthesis.cc/cgi-bin/mt/mt-search.cgi?blog_id=1&tag=Carlson%20Curves). Not only is it not a "proper" article, but it has no "proper" citations---just links to various sources and related work. As such, it clearly preserves the intent and the value, just not the form. It's also not even vaguely peer reviewed, but it's an important work that is sometimes necessary to cite.
For the cases that you describe, coming from areas where the academic traditions are weak or different, it will typically be harder to determine the difference between low quality work and work that is high quality but fails to conform to the norms of scientific presentation. You should *not* discard something just because it fails to follow forms.
You should, however, treat non-conforming publications with heightened suspicion: publishing according to typical standards in well-known peer-reviewed publications can be viewed as a form of [costly signalling](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signalling_theory). Conforming is no guarantee of quality, and failure to conform does not prohibit it, but failure to conform with publishing norms is strongly *correlated* with poor quality work for many different reasons.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_4: If you strictly ignored papers that had no references, then one of the papers you'd be ignoring would be Einstein's 1905 paper in which he originated the theory of special relativity. But times have changed since 1905, and it is now extremely unusual to see any academic paper without references; high-quality journals simply wouldn't consider such a paper seriously. Because of this, my experience has been that when kooks write papers, they do include references. From the examples I've seen in my field (physics) the telltale signs of a kook paper are not a lack of references but one of the following.
* Most of the references are to the author's own previous work.
* Where other people's work is referenced, the references don't show familiarity with the current state of the field. Instead, the references are to papers from the 1940s, or to sources such as textbooks.
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/17 | 1,213 | 5,142 | <issue_start>username_0: This question is specifically in the context of an American public institution and a generic faculty member, specifically not someone working in religious studies or a similar department. I have noticed over the years that many faculty members have religious items on display in their office or on their office doors, and I was wondering on the one hand whether they are legally allowed, and on the other hand how wise it is to display them while being sensitive to a diverse student population. Here are a few examples from my own experience (all in mathematics).
* Several years ago I had a colleague post the ten commandments outside his office door.
* I have another colleague who has Bible study books prominently
displayed on his bookshelf.
* I myself have a poster of the Buddha and a Buddha statue in my
office, both given to me by a student.
* Somewhat less on topic: a now-retired faculty member used to put ads
for a Bible study that he held in his home in graduate student mailboxes. (I know many foreign graduate students found this off-putting.)<issue_comment>username_1: There's a big difference between inconspicuously displaying religiously-themed materials in one's office and effectively proselytizing, as the retired faculty in your example apparently did. The former is I think entirely reasonable, as it's a personal display that does not put any burden on a visitor or guest to the office. Putting religious materials in their inboxes is unwanted, and is inappropriate for a faculty member to do (particularly given the power imbalance involved).
I don't think I've ever received (or heard of) a legal notice that one is *not* allowed to display religious imagery in a personal office. Is it a good idea? Again, I think it's a question of degree. There's nothing wrong with displaying a small cross or Star of David or moon and crescent in one's office. Having a large and ostentatious display, though, would probably put students ill at ease. Similarly, having those materials where you actually meet with students (say, at a conference table in the office) is more "aggressive" than just having it on a bookshelf.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: Here is a [document](http://www.calstate.edu/Gc/documents/HolidayReligiousDisplaysThreading1stAmendment.pdf) explaining some of the legal issues involved. Since I have no legal education, I will refrain from commenting too much, it is probably better to consult the document and the references within. With that disclaimer, my understanding is that the main legal tension is between First Amendment rights of the employee and the anti-discrimination clause of the Civil Rights Act, on one hand, and, in the case of a public university, the Establishment Clause on the other. If an unequivocally religious display is placed in a way which may induce others to think that the government (including state government) is endorsing a religion, then the display may be unconstitutional. So, for example, placing the ten commandments in a reception area, like the student accounting office, would likely be a problem. On the other hand, displays *inside* a faculty office are most likely legitimate exercises of free speech. Another consideration is how much disruption the display causes.
To me the ten commandments on the outside of an office door and placing religious ads in mailboxes seem borderline. I have seen posters (for conferences or publications) and comic strip cutouts on office doors, and I always interpreted them as communication from the person who sits in the office, and not university-endorsed communication. So in that sense, I am not sure the endorsement test I mentioned above applies. On the other hand, putting ads in the mail could be reasonably interpreted as something okay-ed by the university, and may be illegal.
One should consult the code of conduct of the institution, which hopefully has more specific guidelines.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: At my college we had one faculty who was a very devout christian. The only visible sign was a small bible in the far corner of his obsessively-tidy desk, and topics of religion never came up. Not once. He was also, per christian teachings, rather homophobic. As a significant percentage (like, half) of the students in that program were gay men he rather pointedly never approached the subject.
End result: zero problems. And he got along fine with the 2 gay guys in our section.
Moral: keep your personal beliefs to yourself and everything will be fine.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: Seeing as many universities are actually private schools, there is no legality behind it unless the university is a publicly funded school. Even in the case of a public institution, it is only illegal if its being taught as dogma. Displaying religious text outside an office is toeing that line.
Over-all, I would refer to your institutions policies on this. On a personal note, what you want to display in your office is fine, just don't get upset when people judge you for it. School is for academia, not religious expression.
Upvotes: 0 |
2014/11/17 | 1,930 | 8,271 | <issue_start>username_0: I am a postdoc in mathematics and I work in the US. Two months ago I was diagnosed with moderate depression. In retrospect, I can say that I must have starting suffering from it last spring, though I was completely unaware of it at the time. I am currently under treatment, and symptoms are getting better. In particular my work rhythm is back to be usual. Anyway, I was told that I should continue the treatment for a few other months for safety.
I was wondering whether I should talk about this to my mentor, coauthors or somebody at the department. On one hand, my concern is that they might have realized my slowing down and thought that I was lazy or that I was not interested in doing research on our projects; on the other hand, I am afraid of being stigmatized in the future as a non-reliable person because I had depression.<issue_comment>username_1: I'm a tenured faculty member with chronic depression. Even though one of the flareups was in my early twenties, I didn't tell anyone in graduate school. Because of the stigma involved, I'm unsure even now whether I would advise telling your advisor about this unless you were absolute sure that he would be receptive. The worst case is that he could view you as less than capable and won't push you when he should. Even now (when I'm relatively open about this), I have used the gloss of personal or family issues when going through particularly difficult times.
But you should also not struggle alone. Your school should have mental health services. There may also be an ombudsman for student affairs. You may also find many of your peers also have mental health concerns. Create a strong support network for yourself.
I also agree with one of the commenters that depression is a chronic condition. I've had several severe bouts through my 20 year career -- and moments when the sun came out and everything felt great. I no longer hold the illusion that any sunny period will last and that I'm free of depression forever. The OP should also plan on what they will do if their depression is chronic, pharma-resistant, or remitting. That being said, I believe that some aspects of academia are good for people with depression (flexible schedules and being able to work from home for some of us) although there are obviously a lot of negatives as well (toxicity in some departments, incessant deadlines, stress before tenure, contingent employment etc.).
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: I would be particular about who you share this with in your department, and outside of your regular circles. I would ask myself, how close am I with the people I am considering confiding in - in particular, how much have they been open about their own lives? If I am not certain, can I be somewhat open with them, without being detailed - can I, for instance, clarify that I had a family or personal issue impacting my work, without specifying my condition? I would also ask myself, is the drive for me to tell someone about this, about an existing group of relationships - e.g. these people are close to you, and you feel like you're hiding something from them - or about my need to develop stronger bonds and friendships, but not necessarily with *this* group of people. I think it is tremendously valuable to talk about depression or other illnesses, but perhaps not always at the workplace.
I was working on my master's degree when I confided in my advisor about a medical condition, and how that had led to a period of depression and unhappiness impacting the pace of my work. We had not been deep confidantes prior to that, but she tried to be understanding, and at one point mentioned other faculty members who were dealing with similar issues. (Actually, another committee member alluded, in our meetings, to having coped with cancer - not my diagnosis, but something that made me feel so much better nonetheless.) I was then given an extension on my work by the dean after I explained my situation in writing. Everyone in this scenario was female, in a predominantly female department, in a field that encourages reflection and expression - and I still felt very vulnerable discussing my problems. Ultimately, it was the right decision for me, but I think you are right to consider the potential for problems if you discuss your experience at work.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: Depression is a burden, and one that nobody should have to carry on their own.
There are people in life who are meant to help carry the burden. A therapist is someone who is *paid* to help, while a friend may be someone who *wants* to help.
A colleague, depending on how close you are to them, may be in more of a situation where they ought not to *add to the burden*. You might tell a colleague what you are going through if you feel it is necessary for them to realize so that they don't add to your burden.
If you feel that your colleagues will not add to your burden regardless, then sharing with them would probably depend solely on how close you are to them.
This is a complicated issue, so I hope I didn't oversimplify it.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_4: Although my level of education and position at the learning institution I work for are not comparable to yours, and the specifics of your situation are going to be a major component in your decision; the defining issues in dilemmas such as the one you are experiencing are universal.
Being the pragmatic individual that I am, I can see (and I believe that you too understand this to be true as well) that the answer to your problem ultimately hinges on one thing and one thing only. Will the revelation of your struggle improve or hinder your career?
My husband, who works as a graphic artist has been fighting depression for his entire life, and he had a particularly nasty bout with it earlier this year. When he asked for my advice on the matter, I told him that because he worked for a small business whose owner is extremely involved in his work, she had a right to know due to the fact that it was directly affecting the quality of product being put out. He took my advice and has gained empathy rather than a negative stigma from his employer and colleagues.
That being said, I was hired as a high school Spanish teacher a couple years back. I was struggling with depression as well as anxiety issues. Three weeks into my first semester, the headmaster of the school learned of my conditions, stated that he never would have hired me to begin with if he had known, and asked for my letter of resignation.
Deeply understanding the need for a sense of community when illnesses such as depression arise, I would still say that so long as your work performance has returned to normal levels, you should not confide in anyone associated with your work environment. However, you may want to look into forming bonds with someone in a similar position at a different institution in conjunction with the continuation of your therapy.
Remember, a professional's reputation is one of his most important assets.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: I am in the same situation doing my postdoc. Due to the micromanaging style of my PI I have been developing anxiety for a while and at the moment I write this I am totally unproductive at work. The tension is building up as my boss can see me disengaged and I decided that I have to tell him.
My plan is ask him to direct my work so I can be a robot producing data during one or two months while I assist to therapy.
I think that in this world you have to share how you feel. Once you do that you can face two situations. Or your PI doesn't show empathy, or your PI works with you to help you out.
My philosophy in live is that being honest with your feelings will make you aware of the environment where you are. If he doesn't understand and does not want to help, leave your position, that's what I will do. I think that by behaving this way you will always be surrounded with people that has empathy and is less toxic with your personality.
This way, you are moving on to find the best place for you to work.
Needless to say I apply the same with friends and colleagues, as I believe that you have to surround yourself with whom you feel comfortable with.
Upvotes: 0 |
2014/11/17 | 714 | 3,159 | <issue_start>username_0: Let's assume someone has a very thorough knowledge of a particular field of science but they have absolutely no formal education in this background.
This individual one day realizes a very novel approach to solving a somewhat complex problem. After developing independent tests and coming up with rock-solid evidence that her method is groundbreaking, and consistently produces test results that would be impossible without a legitimate solution, what can she do with her research to both share the information with the world and retain some form of credit for the discovery?
In other words, how can one be both a hobbyist contributing to a field of scientific study and yet also retain the respect they deserve for their work if it is of great use and benefit?
To be clear, this isn't about having one's name appear in a Science Journal without the necessary credentials. I think it's respectable to maintain certain sets of rules and standards for journalistic publications. However, it also isn't fair for such a person to have to divulge this information to someone who is "qualified" and have them receive all or most of the credit for someone elses work, just because that other person hasn't earned a piece of paper.
How can hobbyist both share, and maintain, the recognition they deserve if they make a legitimate scientific breakthrough?<issue_comment>username_1: I guess there are quite a few scientists that have not graduated in a certain field and later prominently published in it. The best thing to do is to talk to people about it e.g. on conferences or seminars. Because in the end that is what you want: Get feedback/support/critique from other experts in the field. If you have discovered a breakthrough, writing it down in an abstract or discussion paper should be the easiest thing. Hand it in at conferences or local university faculties in order to get the chance to speak about it. If it is good, they will tell. If it aint, they will let you know. Most people I met in academia are open minded and willing to give you a chance (whether or not you have a degree in the field) if they found your abstract/paper interesting enough.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I see a few approaches you could take (or some combination):
* Write up the idea as a white paper and submit to <http://arxiv.org> (or something similar). This gets the idea documented, public, timestamped, and allows people to easily cite it.
* Reach out to researchers in the field to see if they would be willing to help you form a scientific paper based on your idea. Not all professors are scary!
* Submit to the industry track of a research conference if you have an industry background (if not, then maybe a workshop). Some conferences elicit papers from industry that can get your idea out there, generate discussion, and allows you to get feedback. These tracks are often less competitive and very open to non-researchers. For example, [Software Engineering In Practice at the International Conference on Software Engineering](http://2015.icse-conferences.org/call-dates/call-for-contributions/seip)
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer] |
2014/11/17 | 626 | 2,597 | <issue_start>username_0: I am a undergraduate student interested in doing my higher studies in USA. I am tempted to apply for PhD program offered by the colleges but I am skeptical of my selection due to high competition. So, I was planning to first do MS from a reputed college and then later do a PhD. This will improve my chances of admit as well.
However, while going through the FAQs of some colleges I came to know that there is a possibility of applying for PhD in a college, and in case the application gets rejected they consider the application for MS as well.
So, I just wanted to know which is a wiser decision? To apply only for MS or to apply for PhD and hope that they select you at least for MS. Also, does the chances of being selected for MS reduce if the applicant follows the latter procedure?<issue_comment>username_1: I guess there are quite a few scientists that have not graduated in a certain field and later prominently published in it. The best thing to do is to talk to people about it e.g. on conferences or seminars. Because in the end that is what you want: Get feedback/support/critique from other experts in the field. If you have discovered a breakthrough, writing it down in an abstract or discussion paper should be the easiest thing. Hand it in at conferences or local university faculties in order to get the chance to speak about it. If it is good, they will tell. If it aint, they will let you know. Most people I met in academia are open minded and willing to give you a chance (whether or not you have a degree in the field) if they found your abstract/paper interesting enough.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I see a few approaches you could take (or some combination):
* Write up the idea as a white paper and submit to <http://arxiv.org> (or something similar). This gets the idea documented, public, timestamped, and allows people to easily cite it.
* Reach out to researchers in the field to see if they would be willing to help you form a scientific paper based on your idea. Not all professors are scary!
* Submit to the industry track of a research conference if you have an industry background (if not, then maybe a workshop). Some conferences elicit papers from industry that can get your idea out there, generate discussion, and allows you to get feedback. These tracks are often less competitive and very open to non-researchers. For example, [Software Engineering In Practice at the International Conference on Software Engineering](http://2015.icse-conferences.org/call-dates/call-for-contributions/seip)
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer] |
2014/11/18 | 1,016 | 4,305 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm taking for granted several fact about higher-education system in the US, such as:
* Professors can move freely between universities, even ones outside US. They are in this regard like professional football players.
(Not every country wholeheartedly allows this.)
* Lecturers can obtain tenure position. (Some countries are in the habit of "perpetually in 5-year contracts")
* There is such a thing as liberal arts education. (Not all
countries have this!)
* An undergraduate student can take a major and a minor in their study. (Some countries prefer to have only majors)
* ...
**My question**: where can I find documents regarding all these higher education system rules and statute? Which part is governed by the government (state/federal), and which part is decentralized to the univ. management?
Links to such documents (US/UK/Australia/Can.) or Wikipedia pages would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!<issue_comment>username_1: One of the key things about U.S. system of higher education is that it is, for the most part, *not* regulated by statute. For all of the "rules" that you explained, there are institutions that do not follow them (except the freedom to depart, which is guaranteed not by regulation, but by the lack of regulation, which creates a free market).
In theory, anybody in the US can found an institute of higher education, at any time, for any reason. People in fact *do* create all sorts of new institutions all the time: [some turn out very well](http://olin.edu/), and [some do not](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unaccredited_institutions_of_higher_education). In practice, admission to the "club" of credible institutions is regulated by accreditation organizations, such as [this one](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_for_Higher_Education_Accreditation). Every institution that can meet the fairly basic requirements for accreditation can set its rules as it wishes. Public universities are typically regulated by the state that runs them (e.g., U.C. Berkeley) or the relevant federal agency (e.g., the [Naval Postgraduate School](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Postgraduate_School)), but private institutions like Harvard have a great degree of freedom in how they organize themselves.
In short: there is no document for the rules on how the system works, because the nature of the system is that there is no system, only a market loosely managed by accreditation.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: Much of what you've mentioned is simply customary within the US system of higher education rather than being mandated by law.
The federal government does have some involvement in higher education in the US, most importantly through the system of federal financial aid for students. Without federal financial aid, most public and private institutions would cease operations. The federal government also provides some funding for educational activities to universities through the Department of Education. Historically, the federal government provided support for the establishment of universities through the land grant acts of 1862 and 1890.
An additional important influence on research universities is that the federal government (through the National Science Foundation, Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health, and other agencies) sponsors research at universities- universities must follow the rules of these agencies in applying for grants and research contracts and conducting the research. For example, there is a "common rule" (common among the funding agencies) concerning ethical activity in research involving human subjects.
The [Higher Education Act](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Higher_Education_Act_of_1965) is the federal law that sets the policy of the US federal government on higher education and finacial aid in particular. The act has been repeatedly amended with the most recent substantial changes in 2008.
At the level of the 50 states, many states provide a substantial fraction of the funding for public universities. However, in recent years state appropriations to the universities in many states have decreased and in some cases the remaining percentage of state funding is very small- these institutions are becoming effectively independent of state funding.
Upvotes: 3 |
2014/11/18 | 1,358 | 5,326 | <issue_start>username_0: This post is similar to [this one](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/8278/worry-about-stealing-of-research-ideas) except this is a little bit of a special scenario, I have yet to graduate high school.
I know what you're thinking, oh THIS conversation again, check if it exists, make sure your theorem works, etc. etc.
I have gone through all of this, for over a year I have looked for my theorem online and nothing has come up. I have tried disproving my theorem for over a year, and I have contacted professors and have conversed about this and they all say that it is definitely publishable, but that I should prove it myself. My big worry is that due to my position my ideas can easily be stolen, and I am starting to get a little on edge.
How can I ensure that my ideas are not stolen, Can I provide direct proof that the idea is mine somehow? Should I just publish it without a proof, Can I even publish without a proof? I am kind of stuck at this point.
I have a document that has the theorem on it written in permanent ink, dated, and it is signed by a witness. But what more can I do?
EDIT:
For those curious about my conjecture [click here](https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202409277147990&l=d80870ebcf), there are two pages so click next to see the other page.
Feel free to comment<issue_comment>username_1: For mathematics finding a "Theorem" without a proof has very little to no value. With very few exceptions, a Theorem becomes (somewhat) important when it is proven.
The hard part of mathematics is not finding Theorems or statements which seem plausible, the hard part is proving them. And the most important skill as a researcher is finding results which **can be proven**.
For many Theorems in mathematics, over the years there were many people which discovered and re-discovered that a certain result seems plausible, but no proof. Most of the times noone remembers them, and they don't often care. People usually remember who proved the Theorem, not who discovered first that this could be true.
I wouldn't worry about your Conjecture being stolen, unless you find a proof. And this is probably what those profs suggested: if you want to publish it you need to find a proof.
Also keep in mind that this applies to mathematics, might be different in other fields.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: The word "theorem" implies that there is a proof. If you do not have a proof, you do not have a theorem. Let's call it a **conjecture** instead.
>
> I have tried disproving my theorem for over a year.
>
>
>
That's a slightly strange thing to say: how long have you spent trying to prove your conjecture?
>
> Should I just publish it without a proof, Can I even publish without a proof?
>
>
>
It is possible to publish conjectures, but it is significantly harder to do so than to publish theorems. I would not recommend that a young researcher -- especially, a high school student! -- try to do this.
>
> I have contacted professors and have conversed about this and they all say that it is definitely publishable, but that I should prove it myself.
>
>
>
It's no help if I'm not honest, so: this sounds fishy to me. It is often not so easy for (even) a professional mathematician to know what is "definitely publishable": after more than a decade of submitting math papers I find that I still have some things to learn about this. But anyone who is telling you that your mathematical work is "definitely publishable" if it does not contain a proven theorem is either giving you bad advice, or you are misinterpreting the advice.
>
> How can I ensure that my ideas are not stolen, Can I provide direct proof that the idea is mine somehow?
>
>
>
With probability extremely close to 1, professional mathematicians simply do not steal ideas in the manner you are worried about. The "I did something great, but oh no I can't show it to anyone" train of thought is a sad one that amateurs often fall into. Rather, if you do something great, show it to more than one person, and you're fine. One way to do this is just to upload it to the internet in some public or semi-public location. For instance, if you have an account on facebook, just post a scanned copy of the paper as photos. Facebook posts are archived with date and time, so that's that.
I will extend to you the following offer: after you archive your paper publicly on the internet, send me a copy. I will spend up to one hour looking at the paper and tell you one of the following:
* The mathematical content of your work is such that you should *try* to publish it. I will then tell you some places you might send it.
* In my opinion your work is not publishable in a reputable, professional mathematical journal.
* I am not qualified to judge whether your work is publishable, but I recommend that you send it to third party X.
You should understand that unless the work is very directly connected to my own I will not have the time to help you with it, nor to send more than one email. (I simply can't: I have a lot of other people who are counting on me to spend my time on them. In many cases I am being paid to do so.) But I will give you a professional evaluation of your work so you can (probably) know where you stand.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer] |
2014/11/18 | 542 | 2,343 | <issue_start>username_0: I graduated 3 years ago with a MS degree and a thesis. I recently discovered that I forgot to include some data - tables and list of datasets. All my final analysis has been included. Can there be some problem about this in the future?
I have a couple of sentences such as : "For the list of datasets used in this experiment, see table xx". I do not have that table. I guess I was in a mad rush at the end and forgot to include those.<issue_comment>username_1: >
> Can there be some problem about this in the future?
>
>
>
What sort of problems do you mean? It could certainly inconvenience someone in the future if they try to build on your work and have to reconstruct this data. I'd recommend writing to your advisor to send the additional data tables in case anyone could benefit from them, assuming you don't have in mind doing anything else with them yourself. You don't have to describe it as material you forgot to include (although, in light of the edited question, there's no way of saving face since you referred to it in the thesis as if it were included). Instead, you could reasonably say something like "While going through old files, I discovered some potentially useful material that never made it into my master's thesis, which I've attached to this e-mail. Feel free to make use of it if any future students work on related projects."
On the other hand, you don't need to worry about being punished or having your degree revoked, assuming there was no dishonesty or fraud involved. There's always more material you could have included in your thesis but didn't, and this is not relevant once the thesis has been approved. Omissions or even mistakes won't invalidate your degree.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: If you are asking, "Can somebody claim my degree is improper?" then no, you are in no danger. You really did the work and advisor and your institution have accepted the work as worthy of an MS degree. Your degree is real and solid.
If you are asking, "Can somebody have real problems trying to build on my work?" then yes, it could be a real problem. If you want to be a good scientific citizen, then you should get in touch with your advisor or the department staff and find out how to add a correction; in these days of digital documents, it should be possible.
Upvotes: 4 |
2014/11/18 | 1,498 | 6,307 | <issue_start>username_0: There's this teacher who takes pictures of his students during exams, and posts them on social media, with the knowledge of the students. A lot of people enjoy these pictures (including the students), but I'm not sure how I should feel about this.
This also includes editing pictures to make them into *meme*s of some kind. There is no foul play involved, just for fun.
Is this behavior alright? Should it be tolerated?
Addition :
The students were not asked for their consent. There have been no verbal objections, so far.<issue_comment>username_1: Doing this without permission is unprofessional, and it may be illegal, depending on your jurisdiction.
Asking for students' permission first is still unprofessional, especially in an exam situation, where students are already nervous, and given the power imbalance between the professor and the students. Who among the students will dare to object right before the exam? (This could depend on your local culture.)
You write that "There is no foul play involved, just for fun." - What is fun for one student could very well be harrassment for another, especially if pictures are edited. I don't see how this furthers the academic enterprise, so I would avoid doing this, at the risk of coming across as a spoilsport.
I surmise this question could soon be closed as opinion-based.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: >
> Is this behavior alright? Should it be tolerated?
>
>
>
Well, it certainly does not seem very professional to me, and I would neither do it nor suggest it to any other lecturer. That being said, I can certainly imagine small, informal master-level classes, where doing this *may* be perceived as a fun gimmick and not as outrageous.
Whether you should tolerate it probably depends on whether you are personally offended, and to what degree. If you personally don't care (and don't know somebody else who clearly cares), I do not see a reason to make a big preemptive fuss. If you would really rather not have your picture taken, or you expect the shy guy at the back to be really bothered by that, then you can (and should) talk to the lecturer in private and explain the situation to her/him.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: I got a picture of me taken during the entrance exam for my undergrad. The photographer tried to capture the environment where 1000+ candidates sit in this huge hall and compete for a place at the institution. The photo shows a portion of the seats, but as the photographer stood right in front of me, I happened to be in the first plan. This photo was posted on the institution's official web site. It is quite dear to me as it captures a moment which you wouldn't expect to be documented in such a way and I see nothing wrong with it. The same reasoning might apply to your professor. Of course, editing the picture might be another story, especially if it is done with malicious intent. As I see it, you or any other student could approach the professor afterwards and ask them to remove or not disclose the pictures taken. This is a viable option even if those pictures were posted on social media.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: I would bet that this is surely a FERPA violation in the U. S.
This is not based on my detailed knowledge of the law, but only my past experiences (and vague recollections from the FERPA quiz my university has everyone take).
Here's an example of how strict these laws can be: once I got an email from the parent of an autistic student in my course. The parent wanted to know how the student was doing in class so the parent could help her child stay on top of things. On a hunch, I contacted the disability services office to see if I could speak with the parent about the student in this case. I was told that it would be a violation of FERPA to even confirm with the parent that this student was enrolled in my course!
Since posting a photo of someone taking an exam is certainly evidence that they are taking a particular course, it is very likely posting the photo is not okay.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: Rather than assuming consent, or requesting it on a short timeframe right as the exam starts, the professor should get consent this way:
>
> In the first or second lecture, show a series of pictures from previous years, including the memed ones. Further, explain where these go (public blog or twitter? private facebook page for students in this class this year? The physical wall outside the profs office?) Then say "if you're cool with being the subject of one of these pictures, please [email me and say so, or put your name on this list at the front, or go to this web page and enter your student id, or something relatively unspoofable.]
>
>
>
The onus is now on the prof to ensure that pictures are taken and cropped so that they only include students known to have agreed to this. (Don't recognize third-from-the-left? Can't remember if that's Ashleigh or Ashley? Not a usable picture.)
At most one reminder later in the term for new arrivals would be ok. Other than that, there shouldn't be any haranguing like "7 people still haven't filled out the ok-to-make-a-meme-of-me form, please try to get that done today."
Approaching this any other way at best risks leaving some students unhappy and feeling mocked; depending on where you live it could have worse outcomes including legal and financial liabilities. **There is no upside to assuming consent and saying it's all for fun.** The prof and students are spending 4 or 8 months together, there is plenty of time to collect non pressured optional true consent if this really is so much fun.
In addition, a role model showing people that "hey, this is fun, don't be a spoilsport, just go along" is no longer the way universities operate will be doing a larger public service for those who will hear the same words around alcohol, drugs, vandalism, coerced sex, and the like. Just because something will be fun for some of the people participating in it, that doesn't mean everyone should participate regardless of their feelings or preferences. Demonstrating that with something relatively minor like pictures of funny faces during exams is probably a really good life lesson. True consent matters.
Upvotes: 3 |
2014/11/18 | 392 | 1,690 | <issue_start>username_0: From your experience, is it some kind of sign when handling editor of your manuscript (which is under review) sends you a review invitation for other manuscript?<issue_comment>username_1: No, it's no sign at all other than that the handling editor thinks you are qualified to review the article you were invited to review.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: Yes, it's a sign that they don't think you're a complete crank. That may not sound like progress, but it is a good thing nevertheless. It doesn't mean anything else about the handling of your own paper.
And remember, part of the art of getting published is keeping on the good side of editors.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: Apart from the fact that you are seen as a person qualified for providing a review, this *CAN* (half-jokingly) be the sign of desperation of laziness from the side of an editor. Knowing that you are currently enjoying the services of the journal you are perhaps more likely to accept doing the journal a service as a reviewer. The situation you mention has happened to me quite a few times where a rush of requests from a specific journal has followed after submitting a manuscript to that journal. Of course an eaqually or more likely explanation is that the editor is running thin on good contacts that have not been asked already and now finds a new fresh name that can cover topics that correspond to manuscripts of the editor's desk.
In the end, you will never know, but as alrady stated elsewhere, you are deemed as a person with a standing or reputation that qualifies you to provide valuable input as a reviewer and that is all that you need to know.
Upvotes: 3 |
2014/11/18 | 1,680 | 7,455 | <issue_start>username_0: I am enrolled in a Master's program (Computational Science and Engineering) in Germany and currently I am looking for a Master's Thesis abroad, preferably in the US or in Canada.
Unfortunately, I am not sure how to apply for a thesis and to be honest I am walking around in a vicious circle.
*What I've done so far:*
My first step was to visit the international office at our university. The lady there told me that I should have a look at some university/institute websites, look for specific research areas/topics of my interest and write application letters to the respective persons.
Additionally, I went to one of my professors who gave me a list of people that he has worked with in the past and which probably might have interesting topics available. However, after carefully working through the list and writing down what looked interesting to me he told me that there's a 99% chance that my application will be ignored or denied if I don't explicitly describe what work I want to do. So actually his attempt to help was not of much use to me.
*My main concern is:* How can I know what I want to do if I don't know what is being offered? Most departments do not explicitly offer positions, in particular I haven't found a single offer for a master thesis at US/Canada department sites.
My area of interests involves fields such as the numerical treatment of partial differential equations (e.g. finite elements, solvers for hyperbolic problems...), numerical linear algebra, etc.
However, if there is no disclosure of potential necessities for a master student I don't see a chance to describe my interests more specific than that. On the other hand, I am afraid that my applications will be interpreted as "bulk letters" if I just write down everything that I would like to work with.
I also thought of reading through some publications/papers of the respective persons, which would be very time consuming. But regarding the fact that I can have at most a slight insight into the respective topics and that I don't even know if there is any need for further work at a master student's level I don't think it is reasonable to spend too much time with that without a gleam of any success.
I would appreciate if someone could help me with some hints on how to come across that. It would be even better if someone who faced the same situation and succeeded could share her/his approach.<issue_comment>username_1: Master's have a different meaning in North-America than in Germany. While the Master's thesis typically closes the university studies in Germany, it is considered 'graduate studies' in North America (the Bachelor is considered the 'university degree' and the majority of students join the workforce with it). Masters are either specializations or given to graduate students who wish or have to stop graduate school before completing a PhD. That is the reason why you didn't find any offers for 'Master's theses' on institution websites there.
**You approach of asking a local faculty for contacts is probably your best shot, don't give up.** Narrow down to a few options and write them an email, explaining your skills, interests and field of study. Ask if they can think of a possible project for you. In your inquiries *explain the requirements for a foreign Master thesis host at your university*. Stress out the fact that you are merely asking for the right to use the local facilities and a co-supervision of your work. In my case, a professor told me about a project he had in mind, and I expanded it in a short proposal that was accepted by the local faculty and my program.
North-American professors have to worry about *funding* for their local Master students. You have to make clear that you want to be a *visiting student* and thus you will most likely be able to waive tuition fees (with some exceptions, like MIT). Along that line, explain that like Masters students in Germany, *you will pay for your ramen noodles yourself* and don't necessarily need a stipend if it can't be provided (on that note, Canada and the USA require that you prove you have sufficient means to support yourself while on their territory, so start a piggy bank).
With this in mind, there are few reasons for a group leader abroad not to consider your project, since you might contribute to their research while not costing anything. These few reasons include: too much supervision burden already.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I recently applied for my final Master's thesis at institutions in the US and got accepted at the MIT. Without having a warm contact such a professor giving you an introduction to some former research collaborators abroad it is definitely a more challenging task. As I didn’t have these strong ties in the research area of my interest, approaching the research faculty was the option I chose. It is important to note that writing your thesis in US/CA is formally being a visiting researcher / visiting scholar. That’s what you should refer to in your application.
In general what you want to do is to draft tailored messages to members of the faculty and show that you are interested in **THEIR** particular research **AND** why your could be valuable for him.
**In general my application approach was the following:**
1. **Find a research area of interest:** I identified a broad research area
that I am passionate about and a few sub branches that would provide
room for thesis topics.
2. **Choose some preferred universities:** For the
first application round I chose 3-5 different Universities in the US
and UK. I was planning to do the following steps iteratively but got
a positive response in the first round.
3. **Identify research groups:** I browsed through the websites of the different chairs and research groups of the preferred universities to find out which group was
working recently on topics in the research area of my interest.
Mainly the section of publications combined with Google Scholar and
current projects they are working on were helpful here.
4. **Find a topic:** Based on their research, I came up with rather broad topic.
Inspiration can come from “future work” section in their published
papers.
5. **Identify potential advisors:** Within the research group I
looked for specific persons working on the topics. Usually, there is
a staff website or a list of names on published papers. As
professors are usually super busy, my main focus were PhD students
or Post Docs, who usually are also the main authors of the papers.
6. **Hand-craft an individual email:** Faculty members at reputable
universities get hundreds of emails every week from students all
around the world wanting to collaborate. So the message really needs
to be individual (not a mass email) and short (quick to read). I
tried to show that I familiarized myself with his specific research.
Aspects of the message were mainly motivation, the research
idea/topic and how I can contribute. As already mentioned your
chances increase significantly if you state that they don’t need to
fund you.
Of course this is not an easy process and you might need a few tries to get a response. But if you convince them about the value you can create being a free research support is a good value proposition. Once I got my acceptance I looked for supportive professors in similar / adjacent research areas at my universities who would possibly supervise it.
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/18 | 2,646 | 11,620 | <issue_start>username_0: I tend to get much work done when some external force (a teacher) applies pressure. Skills such as speed reading and rapid writing come to me only while working under pressure. Also, sometimes the best solutions only come to me immediately before deadlines. I am interested in starting a PhD, but nervous that there will be long stretches where I will not have to submit progress or there might not be much pressure for me to get work done.
Do students working towards a PhD thesis typically face frequent deadlines and pressure in the form of specific targets? How do advisors typically apply pressure to their PhD students?<issue_comment>username_1: For your coursework, if any, you will face the same sort of deadlines you'd find in any college course. Expect little or no slack on late or sloppy work, though. In one of my courses, grades were 100% or zero. For the dissertation, it will depend on your supervisor. Mine required biweekly reports. When you get near the dissertation stage, ask potential supervisors or committee chairs how they do that.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> I am interested in starting a PhD, but nervous that there will be long stretches where I will not have to submit progress or there might not be much pressure for me to get work done.
>
>
>
Congratulations for having identified one of the major differences between research projects on the PhD level and earlier levels even before starting a PhD! In my opinion, dealing with problems on your own and without real pressure for weeks ore maybe even months is really a characteristic feature of PhD research. One of the competences which you should acquire before the PhD degree is to go through such phases successfully.
That said, there's of course different types of *support* (or *pressure*, if you prefer to call it so) from your supervisor and your fellow researchers, mostly your supervisor's group or collaboration partners.
* Your supervisor may ask you or suggest to submit a paper to a specific conference, which has a submission deadline.
* You may be involved in a collaboration project, where regular meetings with project partners take place, and a presentation of the latest results will be expected.
* A third-party funded project may require regular reports on research results, which you may be asked to provide if you work on that project or a related topic.
* Many groups have regular meetings where people discuss their latest research results. You'll be expected to contribute some results of yours from time to time.
But of course, how much pressure is built up by such expectations varies from place to place.
Also, a difference to undergraduate research or coursework is that consequences usually do not come immediately if you fail to "deliver", but will only be visible on the long run, over the course of one or two years maybe.
Generally, I'd say that a young supervisor with a growing group will put more pressure on you to deliver research results than a more established researcher with a large group, because the young supervisor depends more on your results for his own progress, and should have more time to work with you closely.
Also, the group you're involved in matters a lot, because discussion with colleagues stimulates research ideas, and also puts you into a mode of "having to deliver something". Check a potential group for jointly authored publications (not only PhD student + supervisor) to get a feeling for how active it is in terms of collaboration. The latter point is especially important for a large group with an established senior supervisor.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: In my opinion, the most important thing that one should learn during the course of a Ph.D. and postdoc is how to be an independent researcher, directing one's own line of research. Part of that is learning how to acquire your own motivators. If you need external motivators, the academic world is *full* of deadlines that you can apply to yourself: conference deadlines, journal revision deadlines, project review deadlines, grant application deadlines, collaborators who need you to hold up your end of a bargain.
If you find a framework of deadlines is important for you, you should be able to arrange for weekly meetings with your advisor, which can provide a running set of deadlines for you to target. Early on in your program, much of the goal-setting is likely to come from your advisor. Later, as you mature as a researcher, hopefully it will shift to be more coming from you. Depending on your field, your advisor, and your personality, that may come sooner or it may come later (which is why I included postdoc above).
At the same time, I will warn you that deadlines and short-term goals are a good way to avoid one of the hardest things about research: finding the perspective to step back, take a look at the bigger picture, and figure out what is actually important to do. At one point in my Ph.D., my advisor told me that now was the time that I needed to just go sit under a tree and think for a while. He was right, and I didn't like what I found when I stopped *doing* and thought seriously about how those things related to my actual dissertation goals.
It's entirely possible to do a Ph.D. and postdoc in an entirely project-focused and deadline-driven way, while never developing as an independent researcher, but instead becoming sort of a "super technician." In fact, pressure from grants provides incentives for professors to push their students to do so, creating deliverables rather than learning to self-direct. You can have an excellent career in industry or a non-PI position in academia on the basis of such work, and that's fine. If you want to be an independent investigator leading your own line of research, however, then at some point across Ph.D. and postdoc, you will need to learn how to handle the dreadful freedom of managing your own time and expectations.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: Don't bother. You will be wasting your time and others, and possible stopping someone more deserving from the getting opportunity of a lifetime. I expect someone with or aiming for a PhD to be telling me what needs to be done, not expecting me to tell them.
The whole point of having a higher level certificate is not to prove that you can be taught, it is to prove that you can learn and you can work. As an employer, I want someone that I can present with a problem and get back a solution. If I have to stand over your shoulder asking "have you done it yet?" then you wont enjoy my company, and I certainly wont enjoy yours.
**---- edit to address some of the comments below ----**
I was being deliberately harsh but not (intentionally) insulting, I apologise for any offence taken. I did not criticise the OP for his or her self-organisation, only their self motivation, and it is this I am hoping they will re-evaluate. In academia, as in commerce, it is expected that a junior will have to be told what to do, and that a senior will already know and be getting on with it. This is often the most useful distinguishing feature between them. I would expect a PhD candidate to be a senior, or one their way to becoming one, but I accept that opinions can differ.
I do not understand how the certificate of achievement can be considered as anything other then a significant accomplishment. In industry, I do not much care what subject you have mastered as it is unlikely to be relevant, and extremely unlikely that I will be able to ask you meaningful questions on it, but I do care *that* you have mastered a subject, and I will want to know how you solved problems and approached difficulties. For it is that ability to overcome obstacles in the pursuit of knowledge the makes you a master in the eyes of your peers.
To the original poster, I suggest you find a way to internalise those external pressures you say you need. Whether it is your diary or your professional pride that is applying the pressure, you need to find a way to keep focused and keep working when you are bored, tired, distracted and/or frustrated. When not only is no one pushing you, but when people are telling you that you are wasting your time, wasting their time, that you are wrong or that you have already failed.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_5: I would offer two suggestions.
First, the structure of the relationship between a grad student and their advisor is partly dependent on their individual styles, but is largely what they make it. So don't expect that your advisor would automatically set deadlines, targets, etc (some might and some might not), but if that is something that would be helpful to you, ask your advisor to help you by doing it. You could arrange a system where at each meeting, the two of you agree on what you will have finished by the next meeting (or by intermediate deadlines in between if needed). You might find it helpful to describe it as "accountability" rather than "pressure".
More broadly, I completely understand your tendency to "work best under pressure" (I sometimes feel the same myself), but I would suggest that ultimately, rather than relying on people around you to impose that pressure, you might consider working on changing that aspect of yourself. In my own experience, I found that saying "I work best under pressure" turned into "I *only* work when there is pressure, and until then I procrastinate." (Sometimes this is due to the work being consciously or subconsciously stressful; perhaps paying attention to a project brings up the fear that maybe I'm doing it all wrong, I must be an idiot, I'll never graduate, etc. So it's easiest to avoid these thoughts by avoiding the work until it can't be avoided any longer.)
The work got done in the end, but it wasn't my best work: it was last-minute and only marginally acceptable, and had I started earlier I could have produced something better. It's not easy to change one's own habits and thought patterns if they are ingrained, but it's something that can really be a long-term benefit.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_6: There is no unique answer for this question of course. So I would like to add also my view:
Some supervisors "apply pressure", by being very passive and not setting any deadlines at all, but giving students a lot of self-responsibility. For some people there is no greater pressure then the pressure they set themselves. So the idea is they are learning you to create your own pressure.
It is kind of in the same way as the most horrible teacher, can in the end be the best teacher. Because in case you didn't understand anything of his/her horrible explanation, you had to figure it out yourself, and after you did, you never forget it. Whereas the good flowed story of the great professor, saved you a lot of time, and boosted fast understanding but might have hindered you to question important assumptions, or to study fundamental aspects firmly.
If supervisors help you by setting a lot of deadlines, chopping up the work in small pieces, and specifying the targets, it may help you, but also it could hinder independence. This is why I think its very difficult to compare PhD's because even of 2 people would have done the same work, but under completely different supervision, and resources, the grade or rating, should be different.
My recommendation is that you tell him, how you liked to be supervised. In my case I would have asked for a gradual transition from very structured with deadlines in the first year, to complete freedom in the last year.
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/18 | 995 | 4,150 | <issue_start>username_0: [Related but not a dupe](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/31328/is-it-ever-appropriate-to-correct-a-non-native-teachers-english). One of my Japanese teachers often explains things in a difficult to understand way, or because she uses a lot of Japanese quite quickly, sometimes with constructions we haven't quite covered. I often don't understand the tasks that are set. Usually I can ask, but there's a point where I feel like I'm annoying my classmates, and there are a few lessons where I've walked out and everyone was confused. It's just this teacher, the other four communicate very well in general. I'm not going to say anything yet, but the question is: what should I do if this is a persistent issue? What is the most polite and appropriate way to approach her out of hours and tell her that I am struggling to understand her.<issue_comment>username_1: You can always ask for the task instructions in English, as it's an introductory class she probably won't mind repeating it in English. If the problem persists you might want to just privately say you have some problems understanding her, and explain a bit why, some of your peers might have similar issues.
(I have been in three introductory language courses and had such an issue as well)
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: I was in a similar position as your classmates in my language course. I'll describe the situation so you can "step into my shoes" and see how it looks from the other side. Hopefully, this will help you understand your situation a bit more.
I'm fluent in spoken Chinese, but being illiterate in would prevent me from passing the equivalency exam, so I took the Intro 101 course with most of the class not being able to speak any Chinese.
Our professor was a grad student originally from China. Her English was acceptable as she was a native Chinese speaker, and she had only come to the US after college.
I had no issues with other students (the class was probably ~15 people) asking for directions to be repeated again more slowly.
Reason? *Because, from experience, I know languages are hard to learn*. I may be fluent in Chinese, but if I were to take a French class, I'd be in the same boat.
The other students in your class should be able to recognize that you are a new learner. Now, leaving the class might not have been the best response, but you can't change that now. I would recommend not leaving class in the future. That's counter-productive.
Have you tried talking to the other students or asking them for help? I'm sure they're willing to help you learn Japanese as well. Certainly, if they already know the material, they might not even want to be in a rush to go through all the material.
I guess a final concrete example is in order.
>
> If you were an English teacher with a college mastery of English, and teaching a 1st grade English class, would you be annoyed when the 1th graders asked 1st grade English questions?
>
>
>
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: If the other students are also having difficulties, speak with another member of staff who is a friend of hers - indicate that your group is having trouble keeping up with the lesson plan, and ask that staff member if you should approach your teacher directly. Often word will get back about you asking for advice.
If it's just you, then ask your teacher if there is tutorial or support lessons you could do to improve your phrasing/parsing skills. Often this is the best way, as you asking for help is polite and acceptable - as opposed to complaining. Often your teacher will then consider if her phrasing or speed is a little too fast and will slightly adjust their teaching method because often if one person can't keep up then two others are only just managing.
And if you truly can't follow the phrasing or meaning of what you're asked then you do need some extra remedial work.
It's normal. Many of us have been there. The sooner you act the better.
Just be prepared to be passed through a lot of hoops or have to run with it yourself, as in the end you are the one responsible for your life/learning.
Upvotes: 0 |
2014/11/18 | 878 | 3,641 | <issue_start>username_0: Preface: I know
* how how difficult is to get any professorship
* that i should write really good research papers etc...
* that its not smart to plan on this and only this
My hometown is middle of the country, only 2 universities in my field.
Help me out, how do I maximize my chances of being near my family and getting my ideal job?<issue_comment>username_1: You can always ask for the task instructions in English, as it's an introductory class she probably won't mind repeating it in English. If the problem persists you might want to just privately say you have some problems understanding her, and explain a bit why, some of your peers might have similar issues.
(I have been in three introductory language courses and had such an issue as well)
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: I was in a similar position as your classmates in my language course. I'll describe the situation so you can "step into my shoes" and see how it looks from the other side. Hopefully, this will help you understand your situation a bit more.
I'm fluent in spoken Chinese, but being illiterate in would prevent me from passing the equivalency exam, so I took the Intro 101 course with most of the class not being able to speak any Chinese.
Our professor was a grad student originally from China. Her English was acceptable as she was a native Chinese speaker, and she had only come to the US after college.
I had no issues with other students (the class was probably ~15 people) asking for directions to be repeated again more slowly.
Reason? *Because, from experience, I know languages are hard to learn*. I may be fluent in Chinese, but if I were to take a French class, I'd be in the same boat.
The other students in your class should be able to recognize that you are a new learner. Now, leaving the class might not have been the best response, but you can't change that now. I would recommend not leaving class in the future. That's counter-productive.
Have you tried talking to the other students or asking them for help? I'm sure they're willing to help you learn Japanese as well. Certainly, if they already know the material, they might not even want to be in a rush to go through all the material.
I guess a final concrete example is in order.
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> If you were an English teacher with a college mastery of English, and teaching a 1st grade English class, would you be annoyed when the 1th graders asked 1st grade English questions?
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Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: If the other students are also having difficulties, speak with another member of staff who is a friend of hers - indicate that your group is having trouble keeping up with the lesson plan, and ask that staff member if you should approach your teacher directly. Often word will get back about you asking for advice.
If it's just you, then ask your teacher if there is tutorial or support lessons you could do to improve your phrasing/parsing skills. Often this is the best way, as you asking for help is polite and acceptable - as opposed to complaining. Often your teacher will then consider if her phrasing or speed is a little too fast and will slightly adjust their teaching method because often if one person can't keep up then two others are only just managing.
And if you truly can't follow the phrasing or meaning of what you're asked then you do need some extra remedial work.
It's normal. Many of us have been there. The sooner you act the better.
Just be prepared to be passed through a lot of hoops or have to run with it yourself, as in the end you are the one responsible for your life/learning.
Upvotes: 0 |
2014/11/18 | 1,398 | 6,368 | <issue_start>username_0: I heard this speaker at IJCAI complained that his paper got rejected because the methods he used were too simple despite the results being highly competitive (twice the state of the art, at least according to one metric). The complain can be listened in [this video at 29'30''](http://videolectures.net/ijcai2011_etzioni_webscale/). Excerpt:
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> (Addressed to reviewers) Accept simple papers if they demonstrated what they were trying to
> show.
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It wasn't the first time I heard such a complain, as simplifying existing solutions is arguably a contribution, yet sometime despised.
Is there any research/study/survey that looked at the impact of the complexity of the method(s) proposed in a submitted paper on its acceptance rate?
I am mostly interested in the field of computer science > machine learning / NLP / data mining, and English-speaking venues.<issue_comment>username_1: This is relevant to the Kuhn - Popper debate about the way science works, and there is a considerable literature here... I don't know about statistics, but I do know this is extremely common! A new simpler approach will usually be dismissed out of hand with scant regard by the powers that be with their strong ties to the traditional model.
Kuhn notes that researchers get locked into Paradigms. Those in positions of power (referees and editors, professors and deans) prefer papers that continue their work, use the tools they invented or are familiar with, cite their journals or journals indexed by their favourite citation company. There is also a factor of workload in relation to interest: They skim things quickly and pay particular attention to headings, tables, figures, equations and references - looking for things that connect to them/their interests/their journal. Some reviewers show no evidence of having actually read the paper, particularly for so-called 'top journals'. If they are not interested, or they have decided it a 'poor approach' a priori, then it doesn't matter how good the approach is or the results are, and you will be flipped off with comments about the style, format, equations or references (e.g. a complaint of lack of references to X or insufficient or unnumbered equations, or lack of road map glue telling them there is are Introduction, Methods, Results and Conclusion sections). That is there are not only paradigms within fields, in relation to how you tackle a problem, or the theoretical framework or model you work in, there are paradigms in relation to modes of presentation.
Popper on the other hand espouses Parsimony and Refutation. The simpler theory or model is better, other things being equal. A poor theory grows more complex as it keeps being adjusted or extended to deal with new cases that cause it difficulties. Usually the poor theories and models don't die off until their proponents and perpetrators do, until they get so complex as to be completely unmanageable and they eventually topple over and fall into oblivion. Conversely, a simple model will be ignored until it is demonstrated that it handles everything that the older theories tried to do, and makes new advances and predictions that are borne out. Popper's ideal researcher is totally different from Kuhn's dogmatic paradigmatic researcher. A good researcher is making predictions into the unknown where the different theories predict different outcomes. A good researcher is not trying to bolster their models, but rather to refute them - find the holes rather than plug the holes.
So how do you deal with this? A very good question - glad you asked...
You have to face it head on. Choose publication venues that are high quality but have the kind of format and expectations that allow you to present your new simpler ideas and models, even though it may not be fully worked out and compared against all your thousands of competitors and their thousands of datasets or examples. Get feedback, and find who is sympathetic, where they publish/review/edit etc. Eventually, you need to target the archival traditional journals, the bastion of the current paradigm, and fit things into their mould, follow their rules, explain the equations/models you are competing against in detail, especially those that are pushed by the journal and its editors/authors (at least they get a citation). Clearly point out the advantages...
* The theory explains more with less (effectiveness/parsimony)
* The model/algorithm is shorter and/or runs faster (efficiency)
* The results are more accurate and/or have lower variance (efficacy)
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_2: I haven't seen any research on the correlation between the complexity of the methods and the acceptance odds of a work and I think it is relatively hard to do a study on this. First because being simple or complex is completely subjective and domain dependent and hard to quantify. One can not generalize a pattern that is seen in a particular scientific community to others. Moreover, the information about rejection of papers is not publicly or easily accessible making the hypothesis hard to investigate.
That being said, in computer science machine learning community, I have seen that people are pushing towards critiquing the unnecessary complexity of the suggested methods and putting more emphasis on the actual results rather than the simplicity or complexity of the methods. There are many simple methods that are being published because they actually work well. I personally don't think that simple ideas which show good results are necessarily prone to rejection, but the opposite argument (complicated methods having higher chance of acceptance) is sometimes true.
On a related note, explanation of the ideas and presenting a work in the most simple way for people to understand, is being emphasized more and more. One reason of people trying to complicate things is that they think the less it is easy for reviewers to understand their work, the higher their chance of acceptance. I personally think that ideas in the papers should be explained simply and clearly because if it can’t be explained simply, probably it can be done better. And reviewers should not praise the work they don't understand, because it is the duty of the writer to explain everything simply enough so that the corresponding community understands it well.
Upvotes: 1 |
2014/11/18 | 308 | 1,336 | <issue_start>username_0: I wonder is it a good idea to ask for a letter of recommendation from a emeritus professor who I took his course and knows me well?
I was wondering is it bad to get a letter from someone who is not in Academia anymore?<issue_comment>username_1: The best reference is the one that is both honest and based on extensive firsthand knowledge of your qualities. Emeritus status would seem irrelevant to me.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I think the answer to your question hugely depends on your application and resume.
If you are having advisers who are writing you strong letters of recommendation (for instance, your masters thesis advisers or professors you have worked in their research group and have publications with them), then you will probably do not need a letter from a professor with whom you'd only passed a course.
On the other hand, if you have not worked with a professor, probably your advisers of your thesis, then you really need a letter of recommendation from a professor that knows you and you had passed his course. So that emeritus professor can write a good letter of recommendation for you. Of course, it is better that nothing.
To the best of my knowledge, students usually need two or three letters of recommendation for their PhD applications.
Upvotes: 1 |
2014/11/19 | 3,922 | 17,430 | <issue_start>username_0: I am currently leading a three person team to tackle an undergrad engineering project that involves several parts. I am responsible for data analysis using sophisticated computer algorithms, another is responsible for creating a software graphical display and another is involved in the programming of a piece of hardware.
**The problem is that both of those other students are freeloading on my efforts and neither has contributed much since the project started in May of this year (that's 6 months of doing next to nothing).**
In the lasts couple of months, every two weeks we would have a team meeting with our project supervisor. The team meeting involves a submission of progress since last meeting. Here's what would happen: one or two days before the meeting, a person will do something that is tangential to what he is assigned to do. For example, it could be setting up a piece of software, or trying someone else's code. Nothing is ever successful and in every single progress report I would see them putting down "investigating alternatives" or "still under research". What? You have been researching for more than half a year.
The most irritating issue for me is that they are both freeloading on my efforts. Because data analysis requires a huge amount of experiments and organization of the data, every once a while I would get them to spend less than 30 minutes with me (amidst whining and complaining and playing with cellphone) on organizing about 4 TB worth of data, while I spend the next week incessantly work on the data analysis, organization of the data, and preparing for presentation at project meetings. You've guessed it, this is exactly what they would put down on the progress report - "helped team member X to perform data organization". In addition, when they are stuck on their parts, I am often forced to take over just to meet the deadline. To be honest, I have single handedly spear-headed every single aspect of project (even though I have never done GUI or hardware programming!) because things are never delivered and there are no immediate, effective checks to keep them from not delivering their work.
MOST irritating aspect: they have put my work onto their LinkedIn profile!
The top excuse that they give is that they are busy with other courses. Since this project is over a long period of time and graded based on overall success, they do not think it is as important as their other half semester courses. They keep on telling me how they are so busy with their courses and everything is due on the next day and midterms is next week they never think that I have the exact same workload (if not more). I also don't have any financial power or control over their grades as we do not have any official reporting system put in place to get them working. Also it is impossible to kick them off of the team without shutting the project down.
I want to signal to my project supervisor that they are not performing AT ALL. This will definitely come as a surprise to him since every meeting there are enormous progress (all from my end) and the project has been an overall success. I am also kind of upset that my team members are going to chip in on a potentially big prize at the end of this year.
From your experience, what is commonly done for a supervisor to spot freeloaders in a group project and how are penalties handed down? How can I work with my supervisor now (who maybe completely unaware of the situation) to effectively put these people back to work?<issue_comment>username_1: The issue you are referring to is called "[social loafing](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_loafing)" and is a very common problem in teamwork. To fix this, us need to do a number of things but the most important is to shine a spotlight on everyone. When people are anonymous, they tend to do things the would not otherwise do (or tend to avoid things they would otherwise not avoid).
So, ideally, when forming the team, you would **set out the ground rules for what is required to join the team and what are the rules for continues membership**. However, this does not seem to work in your current situation (and the nature of your work might have made this unrealistic at the start).
The next thing to do is to **ensure that everyone is responsible to everyone else in the team**. That is, the members do not simply answer to the supervisor but they also answer to everyone else. In this case, they answer to you (and you answer to them). If they are not fulfilling the requirements for continued membership, then they get warned or removed from the team. However, again, this seems difficult in your situation.
If you do have the option of solving the problem through team design, then **you need to resort to coaching/leadership**. That is, you need to find a way to motivate them. Of course, nobody can you tell you what it takes because we do not know them. You need to find out what really motivates them and then you should work with that to try to get them inspired enough to actually get their jobs done. Of course, leadership ability does not happen overnight but it can be developed. The first thing you should do is to take a stand. That is, tell them that enough is enough and it is unreasonable and unfair that you are doing the lion's share of the work while they are trying to take an equal share of the credit.
The last recommendation I would make is to **bring up to your supervisor what is actually going on**. I assume he/she is bright enough to be able to monitor what's really going on. After all, yours is not the first team of students to encounter the issue of social loafing.
If you have no penalties (your supervisor should have these tools available) then your only option is leadership/coaching. Best to use both, if you can.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> From your experience, what is commonly done for a supervisor to spot freeloaders in a group project and how are penalties handed down? How can I work with my supervisor now (who maybe completely unaware of the situation) to effectively put these people back to work?
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As somebody who taught many courses with a similar structure to what you described: **the common approach for supervisors to handle this situation is to do nothing** (at least not on their own initiative). You are likely not aware of it, but you are in the middle of learning something that will presumably be more valuable to you than the hard technical skills of the project. You are learning how to handle team work that isn't going smoothly.
There is a good chance your supervisor is already aware that things are not working out in your project (your team mates have been reporting that things are "under research" for half a year while you have been delivering results - any half-decent supervisor knows what that means). He does not step in because one of the main learning outcomes of such a project is that he expects you to learn how to handle such issues.
So far, you are not handling it well. You are clearly very annoyed by the situation, but you do not mention any clear steps to resolve the issue. You cover their asses by taking over their work, and have as far as I can tell not formally escalated the problem. Instead, you are hoping that the "higher-ups" will figure it out on their own, and step in without you having to take responsibility. *This is exactly how you should also **not** handle this situation in the real world.*
And, I should add, do not hope that this situation will not come up when you work in industry. Replace *"we don't have time for this because of other courses"* with *"we don't have time for this because of other projects"*, and you will have the exact same problem in the real world. Only in industry, the stakes for failing will be higher. As usual, university gives you a comparatively low-risk environment to train working on the same kinds of problems that you will also routinely face later on.
To end this with a practical remark: stop focusing so much on what *they* do, and what your *supervisor* should do. Start thinking of your environment as a context that you can't (directly) change, at least not without effort. Your task is to figure out what *you* can do to work in the environment you are given. This may include taking more responsibility for managing the group, or getting into a big, potentially productive fight with your team. This may also include formally escalating the problem.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Group dynamics are the responsibility of the group
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The short answer to "How do project supervisors address the “freeloading” problem in group projects" is that they don't. It's generally the responsibility of the group to allocate the tasks and the share of effort. If they are unable to do it in a way that's satisfactory to everyone (such as your example) then the solution is to change groups - if everyone really is freeloading off of you in the manner described, then you obviously are capable to do the project on your own. Due to the problem of sunk effort, it's preferable to identify such cases early and split up before too much work is done - giving this advice is something that the supervisors should be doing.
Other than that, the only long term effect is to avoid doing common work with those people in future. For such cases, it helps if such projects are organized not a single event but rather multiple smaller projects with possibly different groups - where functioning groups can stick together for multiple projects, and conflicting groups can re-form in a possibly better configuration.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: I teach a design course. We have a number of checks in place to discourage this from happening.
Perhaps the biggest is we give a little practice team experience before assigning real teams. We ask each team member to evaluate their peers on the team. Students are then surprised to find out that their grades for the team portion of the overall grade are adjusted by up to a full letter based on these evaluations. We then let them know that this is how the rest of the year will be graded. This gets the grade-motivated students participating.
The rest comes down to making sure that each player has some buy in on the project. Our course is customer driven, with students applying to work on specific teams. Once the real teams are formed, I give a mini lecture on project management skills, based on a book by Heerkens (Project Management, from the Briefcase Series -- especially the section on "Accidental Managers"), and we discuss as a class why people participate more or less on teams. I point out that our starting assumption is that since everyone applied to participate on the team they ended up on, that everyone wants to make the customer happy. We also discuss that different people are motivated by different things. I ask the students to think about if they would be disappointed if they got less than an A in the class. After they think a bit, I ask them to consider whether their teammates feel the same way. I point out that some students have real obstacles that a team as a whole can help deal with -- like the student that lives off-campus and can't make 11PM meetings, or even a student that might be supporting a family the team doesn't know about, and has an entirely different priority set.
Once the projects get kicking, I ask for lists of weekly action items and who is to carry them out. If a TA (I have a fleet of TAs) notices that someone isn't taking action items, or not delivering on them, we'll intervene to see how we can get the student some more buy-in on the project, often by making sure there's an aspect of the overall project they can call their own.
Is this 100% effective?? Obviously not, but I feel I have some grip on such issues.
In this particular case, one must consider the possibility that the original asker might be part of a poisonous team dynamic that I see over and over and over (usually in the practice team experience, and then I teach about it in my project management lecture so it comes up less often on the real projects). This is where one team member becomes the self-appointed leader without really understanding what that role means. When this happens, you can end up with one person who assumes leading means doing more work, and sometimes can make other team members not want to work with that person. So, without trying to analyze the team, the person who believes that the others aren't doing their fair share might want to reflect on the situation and ask himself if he's done anything to help create this situation. A leader works hard to make sure he's getting the most that can be gotten from every team member, and the teammates are eager to work with him or her.
**To offer simple advice for this case** -- you seem to have periodic meetings and progress reports. That's a start. I recommend Gantt Charting the whole project, so you can start showing which parts of the project are moving along and which are not. This way, your teammates see it staring them in the face. Make it clear which tasks you are willing to work on and which parts you are not. When it becomes clear that there are gaping areas, figure out which teammates are going to handle what's left. Help them break up the big tasks into bite sized subtasks, with each tasks assigned to a responsible person. While you're doing this, you might consider asking your teammates if you're doing anything that is pushing them away from the project. If there is, figure out how you can make that stop happening. Apologize, if its called for, and let them know you don't want to dwell on it, but want to move on.
Every meeting should end with a list of ACTION ITEMS, along with the party responsible for each, and a target date of completion.
This way, assuming your teammates want to help (unless you've really alienated them!!) but simply are overwhelmed and don't know how they can best take a bite out of their project, you're actually helping them through the process (i.e., actually leading). Also, you'll have a record of who's supposed to do what, and it will be clear to everybody where progress is happening and where it's not.
Lastly, when you really sit down and start Gantt Charting, you might figure out that the plan is overly ambitious for the remaining time. If this is the case, no use tilting at windmills. Reestablish a new scope of the project that's actually achievable given the time and resources (human or otherwise), and talk this over with your teammates and supervisor.
In the long run, depersonalize it and stop working on blame. Your team is at point A, you need to be at point B. Figure out how to best get there with the resources you have.
Good luck.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_5: Fire your team. Tell your supervisor that you're going it alone. The other team members are free to take what you've contributed so far and finish it up, which they probably will have trouble doing. I had a programming partner who basically dropped out of school to do drugs and so I submitted the final project with only my name. He complained to the instructor but I responded with how he abandoned the project to party and do drugs. The instructor let him take what I had given him to that point and try to complete it. He could not.
"Leadership" can't solve most problems like this. Next time choose your partners more carefully. No amount of inspiring leadership will make incompetent team members competent. The key to leadership is choosing the right team. If everyone on the team is good then the other problems take care of themselves.
In the private sector, it is the supervisor's job to find dead weight and either put them somewhere that they can be productive or get rid of them. Dead weight is incredibly corrosive to any team and once a few people start getting away with it spreads like a cancer to everyone around them. "If so-and-so can get away with hardly doing anything, then I will too!" If the whole company is like that, and I've seen it happen, then the solution is to find a better job.
username_2 mentioned this is like the real world with competing project priorities. If it's a matter of resources available due to project priorities, then the supervisors will have to work out as a company which people need to be working on which projects. If your supervisor tells you someone can't help you with the current project, then you tell him or her it will take longer since you'll be doing it all alone. And if company politics don't allow you to work on the other guy's technology stack, then the project will simply have to be on hold until that changes.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_6: I was with a similar group in uni. Instead of seeing it as a hindrance, I embraced it. Their lack of input and interest meant that I had full autonomy and control over the project. Yea you have to work harder personally, but what you produce will be top quality, and lets face it, if they did contribute, it would probably be so half-assed it would drag your grade down anyway.
I embraced it so much that I elected the same lazy f\*\*ks for all of my group projects. I enjoyed having full control. I was never disappointed with any of my grades, that's for sure.
Upvotes: 3 |
2014/11/19 | 1,171 | 5,102 | <issue_start>username_0: I wanted to know how the research profile of a doctoral student or a post-doc is usually judged in academia. In the list of peer-reviewed conference or journal publications, how crucial is the **position** in the authors list, to judge the research calibre.
I am aware that being the first (primary) author is most important. As an example, consider a case where a candidate has 4-5 publications. In all these publications he/she is neither the primary author nor the supervisor of that project. On the other hand, assume he/she has 2 highly ranked publications as the first author. Which of these two cases can be used as a comparative study of the candidate's research contribution.
I see these days a kind of rat-race for papers, where each publication has more than 4 authors. Is the "number of papers" parameter lone enough?
Agreeing that working on multiple projects is important, should the focus be more on publishing one's own work rather than collaborating on multiple papers where the contribution is not significant.<issue_comment>username_1: Your focus needs to be on accomplishing significant work, and then receiving appropriate credit for that work. Number of papers is often a reflection of that, but is not, ultimately, the metric on which you will be judged by anybody who is actually thinking of *hiring* you. More distant reviewers of various sorts (e.g., for a grant or a tenure case) are more likely to apply publication-based metrics out of a lack of knowledge or imagination. Anybody who is considering hiring you, however, should be less interested in what your rank order in authorship is and more interested in what you have accomplished (which is partially reflected by author order).
For example, in your question about comparing a candidate with middle authorships vs. first authorships, I would want to know what, exactly, either candidate had done. Did the first author candidate actually conceive the work and do most of the writing, or were they just acting as a lab tech on behalf of the more senior authors? Was the middle-author candidate just along for the ride, or was it a complicated project where their contribution was critical, but others happened to be more critical.
Thus, in a statement of purpose or other self-presentation, I look for a candidate to be saying, "I accomplished all of these things (as reflected by these publications)", rather than simply "I have all of these publications."
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: First, it is worth mentioning that there are several models for authorship in use. In some fields alphabetaical is used, in some the last author is considered the important person (usually project leader), in some single author is used even when collaborations are performed. That said, however, the most common form is by weight and I mean *weight* in an ambiguous way because this is what is usually the problem, *weight* can be input but also importance or even by bullying.
So, the way in which to judge placement in an authorship list has shown signs of collapse, not to mention inflation. To remedy this many journals start to ask for accounts of the contributions made by each author. The notion of contributorship rather than authorship is emerging (see e.g. the [BMJ](http://www.bmj.com/about-bmj/resources-authors/article-submission/authorship-contributorship) description of their use fo the terms in practise). The ideas are based on the (expanded) Vancouver Protocol definitions of authorship which is as follows
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> * Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work;
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This has been reproduced numerous times in replies on Academia.sx so you may want to do a search on the [authorship](/questions/tagged/authorship "show questions tagged 'authorship'") tag and on the term contributorship to see more discussions.
So as the idea of contributorship and the definition of what contributions mean the view on author order might become closer to what it originally was intended. There is thus good incentives for listing contributions in paper even if it is not requested by journals. My suspicion (any certainty will have to come with time) is that when publications are assessed for job applications and promotions, the contributorship will be increasingly important, and by that coherence between author order (including appearance as author) and actual contribution.
In the end being high on the list is important, clearly showing author's contributions is necessary to judge the placement. This, I would argue, is particularly important for early career scientists.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2014/11/19 | 1,333 | 5,548 | <issue_start>username_0: Suppose I'm writing a paper and at some point in the paper (e.g. the background section), I write that "Vanilla ice cream is healthier than chocolate ice cream." I search EBSCO and find check all research studies that tested this and find and skim through 15 papers all supporting this claim, including the earliest pioneer research in the area up to the most recent. Is it then appropriate to affix in-text citations for all 15 of those studies to that sentence? What about if I find 50 studies?<issue_comment>username_1: The purpose of a citation is twofold:
1. It prevents you from taking credit for other person's work.
2. It can serve as an "external appendix" (the interested reader can read more in ...)
Neither requires that you cite everybody. If there is a large body of work done already, then typically one or more overview articles have already appeared. You can cite those, and combine both purposes: you indicate that it is not your finding and the interested reader can find a complete list of references in the overview article.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: It depends on the purpose of the paper.
If it is a review article on the effects of different flavor of ice cream, it may well be appropriate to cite far more papers than it would be if you are merely establishing the point in a paper containing your original research on the subject. In the latter case you may even be able to cite someone else's review.
Generally speaking, new papers in a field only get published if there is an element of novelty to them. Thus it is unlikely to find 50 different papers saying exactly the same thing. If you need the citation to support your own project, you should be able to find a small subset of those that are most relevant to the question at hand (e.g. if I am using mouse models, I should probably cite prior work in mice over prior work in rabbit models). If you are reviewing a topic, you should be able to find the most important papers out of the group (e.g. the ones that were transformative to our understanding of ice cream health effects).
Additionally some papers will vary in quality or scope. Citing an initial, limited scope paper might be appropriate if you are discussing the history of a topic, but if you are just trying to establish a basis for a claim you may want to go with a later, more definitive study.
Many publications will give you a citation limit when writing for them. So you often won't have a chance to cite an entire library of previous work. You need to be able to pin down the papers that are best suited for your specific need.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: +1 to [Maarten's answer](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/31945/4140).
In addition: likely enough, the more recent of the 50 studies you mention already cite most of the earlier ones, so the reader can just follow the breadcrumbs back - no need for you to essentially repeat the literature survey that was already done in the papers you cite. Stick (mostly) with the recent literature.
Of course, you *should* cite papers that are most relevant to your study (e.g., similar protocols, similar questions etc.), and if you manage to find a relevant study that everyone else has overlooked, by all means include it.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: In my field (particle physics), at least, when you give a citation for a result, it's traditional to cite the *original* result. Many papers that come later might also give the same result, some with the original derivation, some with updated derivations, some with experimental evidence (though that is really considered a separate result from the theoretical discovery in its own right), but they don't all get cited for that one result.
So it probably depends somewhat on the conventions of your field.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: **Usually one reference is best; sometimes you want more**.
In general a single, well-chosen, citation is all that is needed. Select a paper that (a) you've read (b) clearly supports your assertion and (c) is well written and the job is done.
However, sometimes you may wish to include more than one references. The appropriate time to do this is if there is historical reason to do so (e.g. you may wish to cite the original paper and a more recent update), if you wish to emphasize the breadth of support for the point, if the point is - in your view - controversial or if you're giving a historical view and want to cite multiple papers to give the historical perspective on the point.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_6: It depends on how important is that point to your paper. If you are studying the consistency of ice cream, and you find that vanilla has a better consistency, and furthermore, is healthier, you just need one good reference.
On the other hand, if that is a central point of your article (you are researching how to condition children into choosing vanilla instead of chocolate), you should make a strong point. In this case, is beneficial to put things in perspective:
>
> The first work by Jones in 1976 suggested that Chocolate was not so healthy...
>
>
>
If there is a review, it can mostly replace all the older papers:
>
> The fact was well established since the work by Marks, "Ice cream flavours, health, and little humans", 1998.
>
>
>
and possibly special mention mention those papers that are a substantial breakthrough or strength:
>
> Smith 2003 followed the ice cream preferences of 10 000 white children...
>
>
>
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/19 | 768 | 3,224 | <issue_start>username_0: I had a telephone conversation with a proposed Ph.D. supervisor last Monday and he agreed that he will double-check my research proposal before I submit it. Then I emailed him the proposal. However, I haven't heard from him for a week, so I sent a reminder email to him this Monday. And yet still no feedback from him so far. I know that professors are busy and slow responders, but Christmas is coming and I do not want to miss the deadline. I wonder whether it is ok for me to call him at the same time as last time if I do not get his response before next Monday? Or are there any other solutions in this situation?<issue_comment>username_1: First, ask yourself whether you are sending the right email.
One of my professor mentors had a very useful heuristic for ensuring effective communication with busy people. For any busy person, email typically gets triaged into three bins:
1. Email that can be safely ignored.
2. Email that can be responded to with trivial effort, thereby clearing it from their "todo list."
3. Email that requires non-trivial effort to respond, and must be put off for later... and later may be a long time, because now it's competing with their other "large" duties.
If you want a response from a busy person, write a short email that includes precisely one question, and make sure that question is easy to respond to. For example, in your case, if you send email saying:
>
> Here is my research proposal, as discussed. Can you please send me feedback?
>
>
>
then that might get no response until the professor has the feedback ready, and preparing your feedback may get pushed off and pushed off again. The professor might also misremember the deadline and have a lesser sense of urgency.
If instead you write:
>
> Here is my research proposal, as discussed. Please recall that I must submit before the deadline of XXX, and I would like time to revise if necessary. When can I expect your feedback?
>
>
>
In this you've posed an easy question, which should get a response, and also gotten them to commit to a specific date. If you don't get a response in a day or two from an "easy" email like this, then you need to wonder whether this person is actually somebody you want to work with.
What, however, if you send the right email, get them to commit to a date, and then they fail to either respond or tell you they need more time? At that point, I would recommend against either emailing or calling on the phone. Instead, go find the professor in person. I have found that with busy people who fail on their commitments, that finding them in person is the best way to get yourself back in their queue. Again, however, you should ask yourself whether you really want your whole Ph.D. to be this way, because it is likely to be a pattern...
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: If you are danger of missing a deadline, yes call her/him. @username_1's answer is great for email, but sometimes people just don't check their email.
If you are worried about seeming too "pushy" or aggressive, just be really polite and give a sense that you are trying to get things done and moving, rather than blaming her/him for the delay.
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/19 | 507 | 2,002 | <issue_start>username_0: We've had discussions on this site about the [German tradition of Prof. Dr.](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/12406/why-are-the-german-professors-addressed-as-prof-dr-xxx), but I'm unclear on how it maps over to the North American academy.
My question, therefore, is whether a North American assistant professor (PhD holding, tenure-stream) would be considered a professor, a doctor, a professor doctor, or some other form when registering for an event there.<issue_comment>username_1: In North America, one would only mention an academic's rank (assistant professor, associate professor, full professor, etc) in formal contexts where it is important to describe their exact job title (in a CV, business card, news article, etc).
Otherwise, the word "professor" is used generically to refer to any tenure-stream university faculty members, and in some cases also non-tenure-stream. For example, "<NAME> is a biology professor at Harvard." That would still be correct if her rank is assistant professor. Or: "The conference was attended by 300 professors from across the country." They need not all have been full professors.
It is also the word used to address any of these people. ("<NAME>, I thought your paper was very interesting.")
"Doctor" is also used as a term of address, assuming the faculty member in question holds a doctoral degree. ("<NAME>, please tell me more about your experiment.") Whether "Professor" or "Doctor" is to be preferred is a matter of local custom which varies from one institution to the next. But "Doctor" is not used to refer to the job itself. You would not say "<NAME> is a biology doctor at Harvard."
In North America, titles are *never* stacked. One does not say "Professor Doctor Jones".
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: In North America, all professors at all levels seem to just use the salutation "doctor", and nothing more. Does this answer your question?
Upvotes: -1 |
2014/11/19 | 2,629 | 10,489 | <issue_start>username_0: In about a week I'll be introducing the Coriolis effect to a group of about 50 undergrads. This means I'm going to have to at least touch on fictitious forces and frames of reference.
These aren't physicists and I can't guarantee that they've taken (or paid attention during) elementary physics, so I can't just put the equations up on the board and get comprehension; I'm going to have to be a bit more visceral.
My strongest example refers, from time to time, to the inertial frame as the "God's eye view". This means that while working through it, I would be using the word "God" a few dozen times during lecture.
I don't personally find this term offensive but I don't want the *presentation* to turn my students away from the *content*.
So my question has two parts:
1. **Is using "God" in the way that I've detailed acceptable, or should I search for a different example?**
2. **If it is acceptable, should I have a heads-up at the beginning of lecture?**
---
Extra information:
* I'm an adjunct at a large public university in the United States.
* This is an introduction to applied meteorology course.
* I've been teaching for six years but this is only my second time teaching this course.<issue_comment>username_1: It's acceptable, but why do you need to use it? It seems to me that you could just as easily use a secular phrase like "looking down from above"?
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: You seem to be a reasonable person. The fact that you're asking this question means that at least one reasonable person has doubts about what you're proposing to do is appropriate. Since using this particular metaphor isn't crucial to your course, why do it?
To be honest, I don't think it would be an issue but I'd also recommend against it simply because it isn't clear. Many religions view god as being present everywhere so it doesn't really make sense to use "god's eye view" to refer to looking from a particular direction. Instead, you can use the prosaic "Seen from above, ..." or say things like "If you were in orbit, looking down at the earth..." If you want something a bit more fun and colourful, "So, a martian looking at the earth through a telescope would see..."
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: In context, references to 'God' are best avoided because religion may be a big part of many people's lives. Yet, to others He (or She, or It) is an archaic irrelevance and for a few - those who will be making assumptions about who you are and why you are focusing away from the science. (I assume since it underpins the class and will have to be spoken about at some point, even if you will be helping them take a run at it.)
Short version, bringing God into your lecture will be distracting (assuming the members of your class aren't coreligionists/members of the same sect/congregation/Bible study group/friends/neighbors/family members). If you feel compelled to use the specific form of shorthand terms mentioned - and I can understand why you might, if it's accustomed and familiar - I'd advise saying so up front where you personally are coming from and quickly move on.
Alternatively you could substitute the anodyne but less contentious phraseology, such as 'from the viewpoint of a space probe/flying saucer/little green man etc' but ideally I'd advise a combination of both based on audience reaction. Perhaps I've been lucky but I've found most classes - particularly those dealing with challenging material - respond well to mild comic irony and gentle self-deprecation.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: Well, I am European and an atheist, so I may not have the most relevant opinion. However, I find this perfectly fine. I understand that you are just using this as a connection of words people tend to say, just like "birds perspective." Why should I be offended by that? Why should anyone? I understand that you are not teaching that the god actually is the reason why the Coriolis effect takes place, so I believe it should not interfere with anyone's impression what the god is - whether he exists, what he possibly looks like and so on. I say that if you believe it will make the topic easier to understand, go for it.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: Why don't you call it a "satellite view" or "orbital view"? Satellites are used for this kind of imagery anyway, and people will understand that this is about view from high above. "Orbital" indicates a view from orbit and is easier to say.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_6: The perfect place to admire the dynamics of Earth's atmospheric currents and their interaction with the Earth's rotation is, of course, Moonbase Alpha from "Space 1999" TV series, or any similar Moon base that you can devise.
OTOH who thinks Apollo's missions are a fake could be offended. But a Believer in Flat Earth would be offended by the notion *per se* of Coriolis forces.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: I think the phrase "God's eye view" works fine, because it implies a level of omniscience that you wouldn't get as a human observer, regardless of location. A non-religious person can still understand the concept of God, which is all you really need to make your point
A human can't see air currents, only the shapes of clouds. If you look at a hurricane for example, you can infer the motion of the air currents but you would not be able to see a jet stream on a clear day.
As a human, you are limited to looking at one hemisphere at a time. God, presumably, can see the entire earth and gain a more complete big picture view
Finally, a God's eye view would be better for time-lapse imagery. As humans, we are constrained to experiencing time (and gravity) in the usual sense. You would not be able to sit over one spot of the earth observing a hurricane developing over the course of several days and then distill it down to a span of a few minutes
TLDR; if you are describing something a human would reasonably be able to observe, describe it from that human's viewpoint. If you are describing something that would be difficult/impossible to observe directly with the naked eye use a metaphor. God, in this case, is used as a metaphor not religious doctrine
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_8: I might say "well I would mean to say bird's eye view, but there's no birds up there so it's more like a God's eye view..."
As an atheist I get that there is an image of a big-man-in-the-sky and you're not taking any claim on the literal existence of such an entity, so it's fine.
As a Christian you're portraying the God *I* worship in a way more or less consistent with my religion and you're certainly not offending Him, so it's fine.
As a Buddhist I understand that people understand God as having a total view of the universe, and I can certainly picture God as somehow being "out there", so it's fine.
This strikes me as really, really okay. There's always a risk and it always involves a judgment call but any "reasonable person" test says you're not harassing or excluding anyone. It's probably best not to throw in "of *course* who we know doesn't exist..." or anything though.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_9: Maybe use "from the outside"?
For example something like this "Imagine a ball, floating in space (no gravity), but rotating as it does. An ant on the surface picks up a grain of sand and throws it. No gravity, so to an outside observer/from the outside the grain of sand will fly straight. But the ant rotates together with the ball, so from the ant's point of view the grain of sand appears to be spinning and turning as if a bunch of strange forces was accelerating it all over the place." and then work on Earth and the forces in reference frames.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_8: You are teaching a university course on meteorology to people who have presumably sat through at least one semester of courses.
Your job isn't to dumb this down its to teach the course, if your course requires basic physics, use the term "inertial frame of reference". If you feel its necessary give a brief description of what that is and then move on.
Your job isn't to spoon feed them palatable ideas, its to teach them, but more importantly give them a starting point to teach themselves.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_10: The problem with using "god's eye view" is that by choosing to use 'God' in preference to, say 'Allah's eye view' or 'Yahweh's eye view', you have already introduce a religious element into the discussion and taken a stance on it.
Unless you actively want to introduce God for some reason, there is absolutely no need to do it. I studied basic meteorology, and 'god's eye view' was never mentioned, though 'stationary point in space was'. Both [The Met Office](http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/learning/learn-about-the-weather/how-weather-works/coriolis-effect) and [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriolis_effect) manage to explain it without mentioning God.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_11: I think you want to gather attention by making an outstanding sentence.
Hence, I do not think username_1's answer serves your purpose (of course it is the best way I can think of, but if your purpose is not only telling the subject but giving an extraordinary example, it will not be enough).
Using *God* is I think not a good idea. However, there are several choices for you, I think:
* You can tell a mythological story and use one of the gods' name (e.g. Zeus).
* You can ask "have you ever imagined how an astranaut sees the world?" and then build your sentences on this question, like "he/she sees the world turning otherwise" etc.
* You can show a video of a spinning wheel of a car and ask the question "towards which direction does this car go?" and then answer "we cannot know until we see the bigger picture".
In summary, I would not use it but give another extraordinary example to emphasise on the subject.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_12: Anytime God is used in a scientific context, you should replace it the the ambiguous Universe. The use of God to explain or describe any force that can't be observed is directly insulting to anyone who isn't from a monotheistic religion. By referring to god as the universe you remove the superstitious and replace it with a polite "we can't describe it." Seeing as these forces are are only unknown due to lack of advancement, not because there is a bearded man in the sky moving the stars about.
Upvotes: 1 |
2014/11/19 | 616 | 2,457 | <issue_start>username_0: I am currently teaching computer-science courses in a Spanish-speaking country and I’m having trouble translating my academic rank into English.
Here in my country the position is called *profesor auxiliar (auxiliary professor* in a word-by-word translation) and it has this responsibilities:
* You’re expected to have at least a master’s degree.
* It is a part-time position. Several auxiliary professors teach one or two courses, and have also jobs in the industry.
* There are no research responsibilities. The main job is to give lectures.
Initially I thought the best translation was simply *professor,* but I’ve been warned that the word implies much more on USA (like a PhD requirement and research duties). Is there an equivalent for this position in USA?<issue_comment>username_1: In the US, the usual title for such a position is **Adjunct Professor**.
See [What are the roles and responsibilities of an adjunct faculty?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/3430/what-are-the-roles-and-responsibilities-of-an-adjunct-faculty)
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: At many universities where the professors (even the adjuncts) desire to have that phrase restricted to those teachers who have earned a terminal degree, a more common title for non-tenure-track teaching positions would be Instructor or Lecturer.
NOTE: this distinction is more common in disciplines in which the terminal degree is considered more of an absolute prerequisite for a tenure-track position; in many, more "skill-oriented" disciplines (I'm thinking music performance, theater, art, and yes, often computer science), such an academic degree is indeed considered...well, "academic," and a master's-level teacher with a plentiful level of "real-world" experience can indeed be considered sufficiently "expert" to be granted the exact same level of professional courtesy. Many schools can still be found to have (grandfathered in) veteran master's-level teachers who were in fact granted the luxury of a tenured position (whether dubbed Instructor or Professor).
P.S. It also bears asking whether the "Master's" degree in your country is comparable to the Master's in the U.S., or whether there is a level beyond it in your country. If there is no higher level than "Master" where you come from, then I would argue that your Auxiliary Prof. absolutely correlates with Assistant or Associate Professor here.
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/19 | 1,012 | 4,379 | <issue_start>username_0: There is a PhD thesis which is inline with my MSc thesis topic.
The author has collected and classified a huge number of references for the background.
While I am writing the background section, if I use the references he used, but not the sentences and organization, is it still plagiarism?
I am talking about 50-60 references out of 250. They are very well classified and right-to-the-point.
I also cited his thesis. However, referring to one thesis for 40 references is silly.
What should I do?<issue_comment>username_1: No. Taking someone else's bibliography, reading those papers, and writing some words of your own about those papers is not plagiarism.
Don't restrict yourself to just those papers, though. In all likelihood, the thesis writer won't have cited every resource that is useful or relevant to your work. If there has been a recent review published on the topic, that's usually the best place to start your own literature survey.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Using references that someone else used is not plagiarism.
That said, if you made significant use of the thesis text itself (not just its bibliography) in understanding what the references were and how they might be relevant, it's worth citing the thesis as a source for more information. For instance, if you got some ideas by looking at a chapter in the thesis titled "Cake-baking", reading its summary of different cake-baking techniques, and then looking up the references in the bibliography to get more detail, then you didn't just use the bibliography, you used the textual explication/summary of the cited material. It's common in articles to see a discussion of previous research with various citations, and then something like "See Jones (2000) for an overview of relevant research in this area."
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: Working from a bibliography in another paper is not plagiarism. It's actually a good research technique. As you read those papers, check *their* bibliographies, too, and so on. Pretty soon you will have thorough coverage of the subject.
Do note that you cannot just plop those 50-60 or so references into your own bibliography but do nothing else, nor paraphrase what someone else has said about them, but without reading them. That's called reference padding and is academic misconduct. You have to actually *read* the papers. When you do that, you may find that some of them don't fit your needs as well as you may have at first thought. You will also find it easy to write your own thoughts about those papers, and so will not have to worry about paraphrasing another author.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: >
> The author have collected and classified huge number of references for background. While I am writing the background section, if I use the references he used, but not the sentences and organization, is it still plagiarism?
>
>
>
It's not clear to me what you mean. If you just mean you learned a lot of references from the thesis and then cited those references when they seemed appropriate in your own writing, then there's nothing wrong with it. On the other hand, it's less appropriate if you are repeatedly imitating someone else's nontrivial choices about which papers to cite. I'm not sure where to draw the line between plagiarism and other inappropriate behavior, but you should avoid it in any case.
For example, suppose someone has carefully chosen ten representative references for each of six topics and made these citations when introducing these topics. If your background section includes different paragraphs describing the topics (so there's no copying of text) but offers exactly the same citations, then you're taking unfair advantage of that person's work by giving the impression that you chose and organized these references yourself. It's arguably not as bad as copying chunks of text, but it at least doesn't seem like good manners. (I'd be annoyed if I noticed that someone else's background section cited the exact same sixty papers as mine without giving me any credit.)
If this is the sort of thing you're talking about, then you should give credit by explaining the source. For example, you could write something like "For further background material, see [that thesis], from which I took many of the citations in this section."
Upvotes: 3 |
2014/11/20 | 245 | 1,053 | <issue_start>username_0: A session at an annual professional society meeting that I regularly help to organize includes an "invited" talk to anchor the session. Some years, the invited speaker is unable to attend the meeting (due to illness, travel problems, etc.). If we are able to arrange a last-minute substitute speaker to fill the time slot (rather than canceling it and risking losing the audience to other parallel sessions), would that speaker be able to list the talk as an "invited" talk on her CV, even though it's not been advertised or listed anywhere?<issue_comment>username_1: Why not? Of all the possible people to give the (new) talk, you invited that person, and even trusted them to give a good talk on short notice!
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I think that there is no difference between first and last minute invited speakers. Nobody mentions in his CV that he is invited in the last days. The important is that he has talked in that conference and this is of value to be mentioned in his CV.
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/20 | 818 | 3,400 | <issue_start>username_0: I sometimes have professors who use their own names for things. For example in lecture one kept referring to the "perfect marriage algorithm" but after talking with him I'm fairly certain he was referring to the [Stable marriage problem](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stable_marriage_problem). This is a challenge for me as I prefer to learn a little about a topic before going to a lecture, or read up on points discussed in the lecture after it. Are there any suggestions on how to approach this? The prof from the example above told us not to use Google to learn material for the class. With that said, he's a very reasonable and intelligent man, but I've been in other classes where profs have used nonstandard terminology (such as in math saying solve a problem by symmetry) and it would be difficult to talk to them.
I don't want to offend them by suggesting the name their using is wrong, but it makes studying from other resources hard and I don't think it's practical to try to learn everything just from lecture.<issue_comment>username_1: This is a tough one because it is a topic that meanders into psychology. I have encountered similar problems when professors insist on calling, that thing that everyone else calls agrees on as blue, pink. I will also add that I agree that this is an "academia" problem, as it relates to distribution and comprehension of information.
Three techniques for clarification that I have tried. YMMV.
1. Ask the professor why they feel the need to be an opaque and pedantic prat. Tell them to stop making up new names for things to feel better about their pathetic little existence and use the language of the field. This method has been met with some ... "resistance". :-P
2. Ask the professor is X has any adjacent concepts or theories that might be good to look up. This is dangerous as sometimes the prof. will decide to wax poetic on the art of Edvard Munch when you started out talking about impedance mismatch. Use with caution.
3. Ask the professor about the similarities and differences between X and Y. On a few occasions I have been VERY surprised to learn that I had completely misunderstood the point they were trying to make. All I needed to do was ask the simple question of "is this like such and such?" This has worked several times. BONUS: This approach has also led to some interesting discussions that worked back around to my area of research.
Jokes aside, the common theme here is 'to ask'. :-) As for "don't use google"... I don't know what to say about that. I guess you could ask for other reference material to gain a better understanding of the topic but google scholar is a pretty awesome/terrible research tool to use as a handicap. (IMHO)
Good luck with your class.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Politely asking for a little clarification has worked well for me. Is "term x" similar to "term y"? Sometimes this is met with "Yes, term x is what I call term y."
For example, my Data Structures professor was using a term that I would deem "non-standard". He was discussing "k-trees", but it was clear from the context that he didn't mean k-trees from graph theory. I asked him if "k-trees" were similar to "k-ary trees". That led to him explaining the similarities between what he calls "k-trees" and "k-ary trees".
Then again, not every professor is so helpful.
Upvotes: 3 |
2014/11/20 | 798 | 3,510 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm writing a statement of purpose for my PhD applications and in some cases I'd be very happy if any person from a certain group (say the Algebra Group) would take me as his/her student. Could this be considered a weakness in my application? How should I handle this?
I've been researching people and groups for over 4 months and I know (as much as I can right now) what I want to do and who does it. It's just that some universities and programs have some amazing faculty.<issue_comment>username_1: I would include which certain aspects of the faculty would support your intentions and why, especially if you can include meaningful references to their previously published work.
For example
"I believe that University X would be a great place to undertake my research into topic Y because it has a great reputation in this field. For example books A and B published by person C are well known texts in the field and I believe the research of person D in the area of E would compliment mine."
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: The sad, but true, situation is that admissions committees are often aware of the needs and funding status of the faculty they are serving. If the people you list are actively looking for students, you might have an easier time with admissions, but if the people you list are in funding trouble, or their labs are full, that might be a bit of a negative.
In the long run, though, programs are looking for good people. The impact I describe is more of a nudging effect than the big decision maker.
I'd recommend mentioning your interest, but also mentioning that you're flexible. It shows good planning.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: I think this is a high-risk high-reward scenario. I did this; I called out one particular professor, and I nailed it because he accepted me, but this same tactic failed on another graduate school application. At least where I went, when an application letter mentions a specific professor, internally that application gets sent to that professor for review. If you are a match for them, you have just won a spot on the team of your choice. But if you call out this professor and they are not hiring or do not like your application, you will probably alienate others. So, I think it is risky due to potentially alienating others who may have seen your application if you didn't specify, but can be rewarding because it can land your application on their desk.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: You should definitely mention your research group preferences. At my university, PhD applicants are required to do so. This implicitly forces the applicants to learn more about the research groups that are offering PhD positions. If your application get through the selection process, you will be interviewed by the professors of your choices. It would be a big plus if you can make an impression that you have general understanding of their research work. It shows that you have **passion** for the topics and also increases your chance of being accepted.
If none of the professors think that you are a match for them, then let it be and choose different PhD Programme. You should not do your PhD in a research group blindfolded, just because you are accepted there. If you don't like the topics, you could run into the risks of not being able to finish your PhD and wasting few years of your life. Academia is all about passion, without it your chance of success is very small.
Upvotes: 3 |
2014/11/20 | 1,204 | 4,370 | <issue_start>username_0: When I read up the bibliography of the mathematicians and scientists in the early 19th to 20th century, I am always shocked at how they were able to graduate university with PhD(s) at such a young age.
For example, <NAME> graduated from two universities simultaneously at the age of 22 with two PhD degrees and critical papers published.
<NAME> graduated with a PhD at 22 on game theory. <NAME> finished school at 21 with thesis on X-ray diffraction. <NAME> finished school at 23 with dissertation on predicate calculus. Abel finished at 20 with thesis on quintic equations. Galois never graduated but created a field of his own before dying at the young age of 20 and the list goes on and on...
I am not knowledgeable of the trend in the social sciences but I suspects much of the same.
* Can someone tell me if there has been a major shift in how university
education is conducted such that university across the world takes
longer to get through than it used to be
* or is it truly because
these people are unusually talented and are able to get through
university purely based on their almost unnatural abilities?
Most importantly (and relevant), why is there such a decline in these young PhDs (I've never heard of a professor at my university who graduated at 21) and is it still possible for people to graduate at such a young age nowadays?<issue_comment>username_1: One relevant aspect is the shift in the socially acceptable career schedule of people. The age of adulthood has been shifted from 13-15 y.o. to 18 in Europe and 21 in North America. This is not only true of scientists, but of *all other professions*. In the early 19th century, people started their professional career at 15 and peaked around 30, blacksmiths or scientists.
This shift likely happened during the 20th century. One example from the UK\*:
>
> the minimum school leaving age increased from 12 to 14 in 1918, to 15
> in 1947 and 16 in 1972.
>
>
>
I've heard it's 17 now.
Nowadays, kids spend years filling coloring books and playing the recorder awkwardly before they first hear of mathematics, natural sciences or philosophy. And even after that, it's socially accepted to enjoy teen years riding a skateboard and playing beer-pong. So, we can certainly argue that we had a more laid back childhood than our 19th century counterparts, but it sure delays PhD graduation.
Some still go faster than others. For example [this guy](http://www.math.columbia.edu/~hongler/) did his PhD in 2 years, got hired as a faculty at Columbia at 25 and got a [tenure track position at EPFL](http://personnes.epfl.ch/clement.hongler) at 29.
\*Education: Historical statistics, Standard Note: SN/SG/4252, available: <http://www.parliament.uk>
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: There are several issues:
1. Your examples are somewhat biased, since you've selected researchers who were not only brilliant but also prodigies. By contrast, Riemann finished his Ph.D. dissertation at the somewhat older age of 25, and Weierstrass didn't start his research career until he was 39 or so. Brilliant researchers are more likely to get an early start than average researchers are, but the correlation is far from perfect. Focusing on prodigies gives a misleading picture.
2. There are plenty of prodigies today (<NAME>, <NAME>, <NAME>, <NAME>, etc.). If they occupy a smaller fraction of academia, it's probably because academia has grown enormously even relative to the population. The faculty in the top departments today are stronger on average than a hundred years ago, but there are many more departments nowadays, so the average professor is overall probably not as talented.
3. The amount that's known is steadily increasing, so getting to the 19th century research frontier takes quite a bit less time than getting to the 21st century research frontier. This is not as relevant in very new fields, but finishing a Ph.D. in algebraic geometry in two years is a more impressive feat today than it was a hundred years ago. This increase in knowledge doesn't translate perfectly into an increase in time to degree: people also compensate by specializing more and then broadening later in their career. However, the obstacles to a quick Ph.D. are certainly increasing over time.
Upvotes: 5 |
2014/11/20 | 1,005 | 3,946 | <issue_start>username_0: For some context:
>
> [In sociolinguistics, a T–V distinction (from the Latin pronouns tu and vos) is a contrast, within one language, between second-person pronouns that are specialized for varying levels of politeness, social distance, courtesy, familiarity, age or insult toward the addressee.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%E2%80%93V_distinction)
>
>
>
So for example in French there is "tu" and "vous", in Spanish there is "tú" and "usted", etc.
In general one uses "tu" (I'm going to use French as an example throughout) for peers or friends, and "vous" for strictly less or more senior people (so for example a professor would use "vous" with their students and vice versa). As a general rule of thumb, if you would call someone "madam/sir", you would use "vous".
In academia however, interactions are usually more relaxed: it's not unusual to call everyone by their first names, even as a PhD student addressing a professor. Similarly, I would expect that use of "tu" would be more prevalent in academia.
But as a new PhD student, it would have been unthinkable to use "tu" with a senior professor just three months ago, for example. And using someone's first name doesn't necessarily imply that I should use "tu" with them.
* Should I use "tu" or "vous" to address more senior people? I guess it's probably safe to use "tu" with other grad students, postdocs or young faculty, but what about other people?
* Does the answer change depending on if you see the person face-to-face or if you write them a letter/email?
PS: This is all probably language-dependent. I'm mostly interested for the answer in French, if it can prevent this question as being closed for being "too broad", but if it's possible to answer it in generality that would be great too.<issue_comment>username_1: Even when addressing professors by their first name you should use "vous". That is not uncommon. I'm not that familiar with French (I had it in high school), but in German that is described as "Hamburger Sie". In my experience, it is considered quite rude to address older unfamiliar people, let alone your supervisor with "tu". So, go with "vous" regardless whether you are on first-name basis with the person. There is of course the exception when they insist on being addressed with "tu", but that is in the case of professors quite rare in my experience.
As for postdocs, students and young faculty I would consider it safe to use "tu", but would opt for the more "safe" option by addressing them with whatever they're addressing me. The once established addressing routine shouldn't wary when communicating face-to-face or via e-mail, unless for specific circumstances (e.g. the e-mail is very formal and is sent to many senior people)
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_2: Unfortunately, there is no general rule covering every situation (or every language).
However, a good rule of thumb is to just use the "vous" when you are not sure which one to use and then imitate the other person.
If you are more senior you probably can also offer using "tu", especially at the university, but with the rule from above you can be sure that you are not being considered rude.
The generally accepted way to address professors unfortunately differs from university to university (in my experience more than from country to country), so I suggest you use the rule from above.
With fellow graduate students and postdocs, you are right, you can in general use "tu".
>
> Does the answer change depending on if you see the person face-to-face
> or if you write them a letter/email?
>
>
>
No.
*(This might be specific to Germany and France, but I guess at least in Spain this behavior would also be fine.)*
Addition: If you are on a first-name basis that usually means that you are allowed to use "tu" (at least in Germany this is generally accepted and from my observations this is also true in France).
Upvotes: 3 |
2014/11/20 | 1,121 | 4,622 | <issue_start>username_0: When I was undergraduate I proved something which was non trivial (but I have to be honest, it was not something very important) in mathematics and i presented it to a professor at the university. He found it correct and he included the theorem in his new book (it *was* new - this happened in 2008) with my name along the theorem. Now you can find this theorem in another book published from Springer.
1. I was wondering if this is considered as one of my own publications.
2. If I submit it to a journal, should I mention the situation with the books?<issue_comment>username_1: >
> 1. I was wondering if this is considered as a publication.
>
>
>
Yes this is a published work and can be referenced by other publications. You are not the author of the published work in this particular case.
>
> 2. If I submit it to a journal, should I mention the situation with the books?
>
>
>
Yes it should form a part of your bibliography / references or some other citation within the paper as it is relevant
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: If you ask whether the theorem is considered as published, then the answer is yes, it is, and it can be cited from either of the two sources you know.
If you ask whether it can be considered as your publication, then the answer is no, it cannot. Proving a theorem and having a publication are two different things. It is just a bit strange that the professor published it in his book without your consent (or have he asked you beforehand?), as a matter of politeness, I would consider it better if he asked you beforehand☆. You could have asked him to list you as a co-author for instance of the chapter in the book; then you could list the chapter as your publication.
I would be very careful about submitting it to a journal, since it is obviously a *previously published work*. It probably can be treated similarly as a conference extended abstract re-published as a full paper so you may be fine, but the journal may as well decide to reject the publication as "not containing original work"/"previously published". Certainly, however, you can publish it on arXiv or similar repositories; this is not a full publication, but it can be cited and included in your list of publications.
---
☆ Originally, I said that it was unprofessional from the professor. After the comment by username_3, I realized that it's really not so uncommon.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: First, you should take pride in proving a theorem that was significant enough for someone to attach your name to it. Even if it was "not very important", as you say, it was still enough to be worth mentioning. Not many undergraduates achieve that.
When you submit to a journal, you don't submit a theorem, of course -- you submit a complete paper. A typical paper has more than one theorem, unless the one theorem is particularly good. In this case, if you describe your theorem as nontrivial but "not very important", it seems unlikely to make a paper on its own.
If you write a paper, you could certainly include the theorem in question. Because the original book attributes the theorem to you, everyone knows it's your theorem, so there is no issue with 'stealing credit'. In the paper, you could say something like
>
> The following theorem has appeared in Smith [1, Theorem 4.5].
>
>
>
just before you state and prove the theorem. This sort of thing is routine, and as long as the theorem fits nicely into the paper it is unlikely that the referee will complain. To answer part of the question, you *should* mention that the theorem has appeared in the book already.
At the same time, you will need to make sure that the *new* content of the paper is enough to merit publication (that is, the previously unpublished results that you put in your paper). As you read more papers in your area, you will get a better sense of how this works in practice.
I think you have also asked whether you can include the book in your vita. The answer is no. But at various times you are asked to write a research statement or research narrative. Because the book attributes the theorem to you, you can state and take credit for the theorem in your research statement. This is particularly relevant if you are applying to graduate schools.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: I see that you have [published a paper](http://arxiv.org/abs/1311.1398) in the arxiv. You could certainly write up your theorem, optionally with background and/or example(s), and submit it. That is certainly a common thing to include in a publication list.
Upvotes: 1 |
2014/11/20 | 1,226 | 5,090 | <issue_start>username_0: One year ago, I started working on a subject with one of the professors of our department. The idea was mine, and all of the subsequent steps including modellings, simulations, generation of figures, writing the paper and even responding to the reviewers were done by myself completely, and the professor just reviewed the paper and reminded some typos and minor mistakes of this kind, and also added a short paragraph (completely unnecessary in my opinion) to the Introduction section.
But at the end he wrote his name as the first author and submitted the paper. He told me that being second author for him means getting no credit from the department.
Anyway, I'm going to apply for grad school, and he told me he will *compensate* in the recommendation he will write for me.
As this is my only published paper as an undergrad, and being first author means everything for me in my application, is there any way for me to prove to the admission committees (or the professors; whoever will review my application) that I was the main contributor of the paper?<issue_comment>username_1: >
> As this is my only published paper as an undergrad, and being first author means everything for me in my application, is there anyway for me to prove to the admission committees (or the professors; whoever will review my application) that I was the main contributor of the paper?
>
>
>
Short answer: no. Aside from the professor writing in his letter that he did indeed not do the work and just put his name front to brush up his CV, I see no way how you can *prove* that you were indeed the "actual" first author. And, given that this would essentially mean that the professor confesses unethical behavior, I see very little chance of this happening.
Anyway, I am not so sure whether being first author means "everything" for you. Undergrads are often not the first authors of publications (for many reasons, not just the unethical reason that you were denied first authorship). Further, if I see a paper with a senior author and an undergrad, I am not assuming that the professor did most of the hard work and undergrad just advised - independently of how the authors are ordered. I would assume your average admission committee to be similarly realistic.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: If you kept a stack of drafts, produce them. While not definite proof, it would be very hard to overcome even if the professor were to try. Likely, he won't and you win by default.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_3: Your question breaks down into distinct subquestions and assumptions, we need to call out each of them separately, especially because you have the importance wrong:
1. **How important is being first named author** [as long as you're second, obviously], in your field. You claimed *"being first author means everything for me in my application"*
2. **Is fighting this fight worth it?** Is it strategically worth picking this one or letting it go? 2b) Also: is it important going forward to preserve your relationship with professor (especially if it sounds like you'll stay in the same dept?)
3. **How do you actually prove you originated the work/ideas?** (This is pretty self-evident and is the least important question)
Answers from experience (almost all of us know people who've been in this situation):
1. **You seem to be making a huge wrong assumption** here, seems like you extrapolated the application's artificial format **to believe in general you will not get any credit unless you're first-named**. Generally everyone knows the deal with academia and tenure-track, it's an imperfect little world, people will understand he is under pressure from his own tenure-track metrics. Yes it's somewhat bad ethics, but this is utterly different to omitting your name entirely, stealing your idea for a startup or patent, esp. when rejecting the associated thesis, stealing your funding and redirecting it to other purposes etc. Outside in the real world noone gives a \*\*\*\* if you were first named author; at interviews or in applications you will be given adequate chance to demonstrate whether you were/were not the prime mover; in fact people may respect the team-member vibe if you diplomatically say "we" and "our idea" while making it blatantly obvious you did the work and wrote the professor's promotion ticket.
2. **To quote Def Leppard's fine song, "Let It Go..."**
You have to answer this question: on a scale of 1-10, how was prof's behavior overall, and factor in "he told me he will compensate in my recommendation". Sounds like an 8/10 to me. Believe me, there are scumbags out there, and it ain't him.
3. Pretty self-evident, and irrelevant. Notebooks, notes, SCM checkins, emails, drafts. If in future you get a really clever idea [while in academia], send a dated email to yourself (/burn a CD and certified-mail it yourself, unopened). Read also about the concept *[Reduction to practice](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reduction_to_practice)* in US patent law, for the future when you're working for a company.
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/20 | 1,999 | 8,509 | <issue_start>username_0: So, thanksgiving break is coming up. On my campus, a large portion of the students leave early Wednesday to get back home. The break doesn't officially start until Thursday, but since that is the holiday the students (understandably) leave earlier.
I teach on Wednesdays (among other days). I had forgotten about this poor attendance when I planned my syllabus and am currently planning to teach new material next Wednesday.
Now, I anticipate about 75% of the class (50 total students) will be absent. They knew I would be teaching new material that day, since it was on the syllabus.
Do I cancel class so that the majority of students don't miss a lecture? Do I hold class but post my lecture notes so that the students who missed could (theoretically, at least) make up the work they missed on their own?
If I cancel class, I could shift around material so that nothing is lost (by moving a review day). However, something feels "wrong" about cancelling a class that the university has scheduled to occur because the students decided they wanted to start their vacation early.
Is it fine to cancel a class because you don't expect many students to attend?<issue_comment>username_1: I have known a number of professors who took a third approach: on an expected low-attendance class day such as the day before Thanksgiving, they held a lecture, but did not make it part of the "standard" curriculum. Instead, they would schedule some sort of fun and exciting "bonus material," like a notable guest speaker or a cool demonstration. That way, those students who showed up got something out of coming, but the ones whose plans prevented them from being there didn't have any missed "core" material to make up.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: There is nothing wrong, in my opinion, with canceling class and being honest with your students. Just tell them the holiday slipped your mind when you were planning out the syllabus. You are human after all. Besides, you don't want to look like some sort of scrudge do you?
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: I agree with other answers that, in general, it is defensible either to hold class on such a day, or not hold it. However, your question is different because you're asking it *now*, less than a week before the day in question. I'd like to make the point that, if you are making the decision at this late date, I think you are honor bound to do something to compensate the students who *would have* attended because they have already planned their shcedule in order to do so.
Many students arrange rides, trains, plane flights, etc., to go home for Thanksgiving, and if they know they have class on that day and thought it was important, they may already have configured their schedules to attend. As someone who has not forgotten what it is like to be a student, I can say that it really sucks to be in that situation and then have the professor cavalierly cancel class, leaving you (the student) in the position of having postponed your trip home for no reason.
Realistically, the only way you can do this is to hold class and make it worth attending. You could do this by making it "fun" (although I think that has to mean more than just "a cool topic" -- at least bring muffins or something to reward the diehards) or, preferably, by making it genuinely useful. Depending on what the class is about, you could spend some extra time on a difficult topic, perhaps go through some example problems (if it's that kind of class), so that those who attend will get extra practice that will actually help them in the class. If your syllabus always clearly showed that class was scheduled, and you haven't given any hint of it not being, it could also be defensible to hold some sort of trivial "pop quiz" that would give a few extra points to those who attend. (You can find other questions on this site with opinions on the ethics of this, but if you have reserved a portion of the class grade for attendance or participation, this is the time to use it to give people a bonus for showing up.)
In short, *in general* it is defensible to cancel class on a day when few people are expected to show up, but if you do that you have to telegraph your intentions early on. I don't think it's acceptable to cancel class for such a reason on less than a week's notice, when students may have already arranged their schedules based on their belief that class will be held. To do so is unfair to students who took you at your (and your syllabus's) word, and penalizes exactly the stalwart and upstanding students who made their plans in order to be able to go to class as scheduled, while rewarding those who had already made the decision to play hookey.
I do think, though, that you could possibly announce what you are doing on that day. In other words, you could say, "Oops, I forgot about Thanksgiving. We'll still be holding class, and it will be [whatever -- review session, quiz for participation points, etc.]." This will make it clear to the students who *are* coming that they are going to get something out of it, and also make it clear to the students who aren't coming that they are going to miss something that will actually be relevant to the class and aren't getting off with nothing. In a way, this can be a good litmus test for whether what you're doing on that day is legit --- if students who already planned to skip have a decent chance of thinking "Oops, that might have been helpful, oh well", then the class is meaningful enough to compensate the students who do attend.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: The fact is students have a life beyond school. They also each have their own set of circumstances, issues, whatever. You might have those who live thousands of miles away and must leave early to get a flight to see family they haven't seen in months, some may need to go home to work during breaks, others might not want to drive all night.
Cancel class, email your students tomorrow so that those who planned on staying can leave earlier if they want.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: Hold the class just like any other day. If you offer some special content that day, you may end up disappointing those who show up or those who don't. And you can't just cancel class if the class is in the official schedule.
But you could agitate politically for the schedule to be changed institution-wide starting next year.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_6: You should make it worthwhile for the student that have made an effort, so you could just do what you would have done that day, but insure the contents is covered by an exam question, so as to reward the good students.
Or you could **take advantage of a smaller number of students**, and do something like a review of how to answer exam questions from past years on topics you have already covered.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_7: My attendance policy is if you miss more than 20% of the class FOR ANY REASON, you fail. That ends up being 3 classes in a 15 week semester. Everyone gets the same three classes. If you miss that Wednesday and no more than one other class during the semester, no problem! If you have missed two other classes and then you miss that Wednesday, you fail the class. Everyone can plan accordingly. You should probably not teach new material but you've put the decision to make or miss that class squarely in your students' hands without unfairly rewarding or penalizing anyone for their travel plans.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_8: I would hold the class and make it available as a podcast if the class were after say 2PM. But that's actually being a bit generous. The holiday is after all a 4 day weekend. It isn't a 5 day weekend. *If it were a workplace, they would be expected to report to work* and I don't see university studies being held to a lower standard as being good preparation.
My concern stems from having seen too many grads from "name" university programs (health care field) - ill prepared for work and life and death responsibilities. They did not know enough to work safely *nor survive their 90 day probationary periods*. Staff who are seasoned instructors of such students are very concerned that recent grads increasingly show inadequate preparation and too lax attitudes to be safe in patient care. It was not just one or two individuals. Ones education at advanced level is preparation for life and work - it needs to reflect that reality.
Upvotes: 0 |
2014/11/20 | 902 | 3,933 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm applying for graduate school in a hard science this year, and most things on my application are pretty good so far. Two of my letters should be strong, but regarding the third one, the professor told me in the interest of full disclosure, that his letter will be a positive one, but certainly not the best he's written. This particular researcher is well known in his subfield, which isn't the field I'm applying to, but it's not very far away either. I've taken many of his graduate courses, and also did an independent reading course with him. The graduate courses went pretty well, but the reading course didn't unfortunately, (mostly due to a difference in style) and as a result of all this interaction, he knows me well, and he thinks I'm a good but not great student. Now I'm really hoping I can get into at least one of the better schools on my list, and it's insanely competitive, particularly in my subfield.
**Another option of mine is** asking another professor who doesn't know me that well and is in mathematics instead than the hard science I'm applying to, but he certainly thinks I'm a top student, since he was responsible for many of the math awards I got and I did really well in the one class that I did take with him.
**Q**: Would having two great and one good letter hurt me at the top places? My impression is that students who get admitted to top places have their professors say that they're the best student they've seen in many years, and not having such a letter could result in rejection. Which recommendation should I go for? Is it advisable that I even do both and send in four letters?<issue_comment>username_1: I think professor "you're good but not great" is doing you a great service by letting you know in advance that his letter will not be one that you want in your application. If you are applying to an insanely competitive program, then indeed such a letter would jeopardize your application. I've done graduate admissions at the 50th best math department in the US, and we can do better than "good but not great".
A letter from someone in an adjacent field is definitely not as good as a letter from someone in your field, but getting a letter from someone who was responsible for "many of the awards" you got is certainly strong. The sentiment that you have award-winning mathematical skills should be a positive one on an application to graduate school in the sciences.
I would definitely switch the letters. Also remember that the first professor really helped you out. It is not the sort of help that is worth an effusive thank-you on your part, but it is worth keeping in mind and perhaps remembering to do for someone else someday.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: "Not the best I've written" is probably a huge understatement, and he's letting you down easy. Pretty much all letters of recommendation are positive ones, so he's basically saying he'll write you a bad or mediocre letter.
I would definitely go with the one who doesn't know you as well but will say good things about you. I think people understand that most undergrads aren't going to get to know three different professors on a super personal level. But it would be bad if you did get to know professors and they said bad things about you.
Besides, it's nice to have someone who can attest to your mathematical ability, since that trait is strongly prized in many of the hard sciences.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: I can tell you from personally witnessing the contrary that even a professor who writes your recommendation letter can't really predict whether or not you'll be admitted into his *own* department correctly. So don't expect that to jeopardize your application.
That said, if you think your second recommendation will be stronger then send that one in instead of this one which you know isn't great; I don't see the benefit of not doing so.
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/20 | 750 | 3,461 | <issue_start>username_0: I just finished my Bachelor in Psychology and the master's programmes I am interested in pursuing require some experience with at least one programming language. Of course, at no point in my studies was there a course related to programming and I am considering taking free online courses. Since there have been some questions on MOOCs with certificates, I want to make a question about MOOCs without enrollment, credit and certificate of completion.
* Does one gain anything by mentioning attendance at such courses or will a reviewer of an application dismiss it as an unverifiable claim (since there is no proof that one has actually attended the course)?<issue_comment>username_1: You may be interested in taking a MOOC on <http://www.coursera.org> . Coursera offers several beginning classes in programming. There is one starting this Febuary entitled "Programming for Everybody" offered by the University of Michigan that teaches python which is a relatively easy programming language to learn. You will receive a certificate of achievement signed by the instructor for the free version.For some courses there is also a verified certificate available if you are willing to pay a little extra. A verified certificate is a method of proving that you and only you did the work for the course which is good for putting on your resume.Your coursera profile will show which classes that you have taken and allow visitors to see how well you have done. You can mention on your resume that you have some experience in python from this class providing a link to your coursera profile just like you would provide the address to your own website if you have one. You will need to make sure that you make your profile visible to the general public though.
I would say that taking a MOOC class will help in showing that you have some experience in a given programming language so it will count for something, but it won't count for nearly as much as an accredited course from your university. That said if you combine it with examples of programs you wrote using the language you learned on the class on github this would be in my opinion enough to lend credibility to your claim. You may not be familiar with [www.github.com](http://github.com) it is a website where you can host your source code and make it visible to the public. Making an account is free. Here is a website with some [resources for learning github](https://help.github.com/articles/good-resources-for-learning-git-and-github/) . Similarly to coursera to include it in your resume provide the url for your account on your resume.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_2: There are many masters programs where programming is not formally required, but still very helpful. Beginning programming is definitely not a masters level skill (nor is it final year bachelors). From that perspective the most interesting questions from an admissions point of view is first of all: do you have affinity with programming (many people, even computer science students) hate programming.
To know that you did additional work shows that you know what programming is and that you are willing to invest some effort into your studies. If you fake this will make you miserable on the course.
The course will however not be relevant in assessing your intellectual abilities (your bsc will) as not only is it hard to verify, it was not designed to test them in the first place.
Upvotes: 1 |
2014/11/20 | 1,399 | 6,476 | <issue_start>username_0: I am in the beginning of my phd studies in computer science. Specifically, I am in the area of machine learning and linked data. I have talked with my professor about these both types of dissertations, however, it`s on my own which format I choose.
Any recommendations, when to choose a cumulative and when to choose a monographic dissertation? What`s your experience with each format?<issue_comment>username_1: If I had had a choice, I would have chosen to write a cumulative thesis.
Results are in the papers. And converting papers into a monograph takes a lot of time with relatively low added value. (When someone asks me about the result I still point to publications.)
One advantage of monographic thesis is when it is on a new field (with publications being very coherent on one topic) - then it can serve as an introduction for the others. (However, it seems that not many theses fit this criterium.)
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: There are advantages with both. It is worth starting by stating that a research education is not about writing papers but to educate a person to become a self-reliant researcher. The thesis or dissertation is the document that shows the result of this effort.
From the perspective of showing the result of the education as such, the monograph probably better reflects the work done since articles normally brush away methods and other aspects through referencing. Articles often focus on a core piece of data and have no space for additional data that may have been collected. or shows data in a very condensed way. In a monographs much of this can be expanded upon and more of what was actually achieved during the study can be documented thoroughly. I occasionally bump into monographs that ha excellent detailed descriptions of methods or other aspects where I can really learn something new in a good way. This is of course not why anyone should write a monograph but the monograph can be an appreciated publication.
So the monograph provides possibilities for the PhD candidate to show the knowledge gained in a detailed way.
The cumulative thesis can probably also have different looks. In Scandinavia, the thesis consists of about 3-5 papers at different stages of completion (a basic rule is that they should be at least in shape to be sent in for peer review in a journal). Most students end up with a couple of published papers and a couple of manuscripts in their thesis. There is also a cover paper to be written where the different papers are shown in a larger perspective and which should tie the thesis together.
The benefit of this format is that the PhD candidate has publications under the belt by the time he/she finishes. This can also be true for anyone writing a monographs but then that person has to write on two things in parallel although much of it is likely a matter of reformatting. But the focus on papers is, regardless of how one feels about it, a necessity since almost everything that concerns evaluation in academia involves counting number of publications. So the more publications the better, basically. Doing a cumulative thesis is thus a more direct way into the "after-life" of scientific publishing.
Another point to bring up is the actual writing of a monograph. Since the monograph is a single entity the author has full control over the progress (bar intervention by the advisor) which makes it easier to complete with a set deadline. With a cumulative thesis, focus is on manuscripts which often involves more or less responding co-authors which in the end can complicate things and most importantly make deadlines more difficult to assess.
One should, however, not forget that it is possible to combine these to some extent. The cover paper for a cumulative thesis can probably look quite differently in different countries (academic cultures). There is, however, nothing that says that the cover paper could not contain just the parts I described are more or less unique to the monograph. This would then provide the best of both worlds.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: I'd recommend to check out the associated burocracy for each version.
* I did a monograph: this was the usual thing to do at my old institute, and I would have needed to apply for permissions to do sandwich thesis and another permission to submit in English. I changed institutes, but kept with the monograph as large parts were written already.
* One colleague told me that he had quite some trouble obtaining the necessary copyright transfers for his cumulative thesis. Many publishers have theses explicitly listed as allowed reuse on their copyright transfer agreements (important also for monographs if the same figures are used!). However, there was one that just gave permission for the required number of *prints*, so the pdf of the thesis cannot be made available by the library.
---
In my experience, there are now to subpopulations in the monographs:
* Monograph had no influence on the expected number of papers published (in English, of course) in my old institute. Compared to what the link in @Austin Henley's comment says, the procedure was the other way round: we did publish like other people that go for cumulative thesis, and the monograph refers to the publications ("These results were published in [CB3]").
* However, where cumulative theses are the default I've also seen people hand in monographs *because* they do not have the required publications for a cumulative thesis.
---
To reinforce @username_2's point that monographs often give more details:
* My monograph thesis holds a number small experiments and results that were not published in detail in any of my papers, e.g. some findings about sample storage and far more detailed descriptions of the practical lab stuff for the experiments and in some aspects is further advanced than the corresponding papers because I gained some more knowledge between submission of the paper and writing up the monograph.
* Actually, I've looked up a number of monograph theses to read up on new subfields and if I need to actually implement the discussed methods - I often found them far more readable than the corresponding publications. Just like I have a look also at the Tech Report if both paper and technical report are available.
* And yes, I sometimes tell students to read up details in my thesis (or to read up the introduction for a crash course of what we are doing).
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/21 | 1,233 | 5,087 | <issue_start>username_0: When I was in high school, I spent one of my summers working in a lab. The professor had a small lab, so I was given my own project, and made enough progress on it to publish a paper.
While I was working there, one of the PhD students started taking a keen interest in my work, and she kept wanting to discuss the problem, asking about details of my methodology, etc. She even started replicating my work and literally rewriting my code to produce the same graphs that I was getting. She was not originally assigned to the project, but I was happy to discuss the problem with her, because I enjoyed my project and wanted to talk about it with as many people as possible.
At the end of the summer she asked me to send her the slides from the talk I gave at group meeting. A few months later my supervisor told my brother that she presented my work at a conference without mentioning my name. (He never told me directly, probably because he thought I'd be sad.)
Anyway, my dad (who is a professor) was very mad about this, and told me I should write a draft of the journal paper myself so the professor would feel obligated to give me first authorship instead of that PhD student. A few months later I sent him the draft, and he didn't give me first authorship, but did give me coauthorship on three different papers, one of which was only marginally related to what I did. I got into my top choice of college (and graduate school), but this was one of the more traumatic experiences I had as a teenager, and ever since this incident I've sworn off academia as a career option.
Do you think I should have done anything differently, and what would you have done in this situation?<issue_comment>username_1: The situation that you describe sounds like extremely unusual and improper behavior on the part of the professor. The graduate student is part of the problem, but the real responsibility lies with the professor who committed two major instances of misconduct:
1. Allowing the graduate student to co-opt your work without giving you credit.
2. "Giving" you authorship on a paper that you did not participate in.
Whether or not you should have been first author is not necessarily clear---one would have to know a lot more about the final form of the work to judge for certain.
As for your actions, I think that the primary actions that you took (raising the issue with the professor, then walking away from the situation when the problem was not addressed) were appropriate. I think that you should probably feel uncomfortable about the paper that has your name on it when you don't feel you deserve authorship. You can get that fixed by the publisher, if it makes you uncomfortable enough.
I think that you are making a mistake, however, in allowing this experience to sour you on academia. Unethical people who will take advantage of you can be found in every profession, and in academia at least there are clear rules on what the ethics are *supposed* to be. You won't necessarily find that in the business world, where it is often considered *ethical* to exploit people for money (see: fiduciary duty to stockholders).
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Take the rough with the smooth.
Yes, it seems the other student took advantage, and if you had been an adult you would perhaps have been more wary. But you were a child, so I don't think it's your fault.
However, you did get your name on several papers, which is very unusual for a high-school student, and there is still some question over whether your work would have been at the same standard as the PhD student; it is easy to think that the idea is all that mattered.
On balance, it worked out well for you. And you clearly have academic aptitude. So my advice would be to go into academia; you are in a rare position of having published already, and having experience of some of the pitfalls of coauthorship in research.
Put the past behind you, it will not be your greatest work and digging over the coals serves no constructive purpose. If it prevents a great academic career, the tragedy will be yours, not hers.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: Personally, I feel mad as well as your father.
This is not only about you but about the fraud of the lab you have worked in. Even the professor approves this behavior by bribing you.
I would never, ever let this go.
Please do not think that I'm winding you up or anything. But this behavior is unaccaptable.
>
> and what would you have done in this situation?
>
>
>
1. I would accept that this has happened and do not try to change the situation.
2. I would not accept the authorship of the papers I have not participated in.
3. I would tell the story in every possible media tool without hiding the names, institutions etc.
4. I would save all the proofs that I can, that approves the work was mine.
Besides all these, I would carry on with my works, not spend a lot of time on this matter (it seems that (3) contradicts with this, but you can write in a blog and copy+paste the link).
Upvotes: 3 |
2014/11/20 | 667 | 2,874 | <issue_start>username_0: I recently sent a paper to a journal (which I put on arXiv beforehand) which has now been accepted with some corrections. I want to put the corrected version on arXiv. The corrected version is written using the style file supplied by the journal.
Should I remove this style file? Does it matter if I don't? Will the journal get mad?<issue_comment>username_1: I think what matters in most cases is whether the journal staff (i.e., not just the external peer reviewers) made some corrections and improvements to the paper. If they did, you generally can't post the fruit of their labor on arXiv without violating the journal's rights. But you can post a version without those corrections and improvements -- and then you can even add additional other improvements of your own that were not in the journal's published version.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: **Legally**, the style file at first only is the software which you use to *generate* your paper and thus there should not be any problems in most cases, for the same reasons that you do not need to ask Microsoft for permission each time you publish something generated with Word. I see three problem cases, however:
* If you use TeX, and ArXiv does not have the style file and thus you need to supply it, which would make it be published alongside your article. In this case you may be distributing a software that you are not allowed not distribute. In my experience, many style files are free to distribute though; have a look at it whether it contains some license.
* The style file includes a logo or similar (e.g., Royal Society Publishing’s style file does this), which in turn may not have a license that allows you to distribute it and also probably is a problem because of the next point.
* The style file makes your paper mention the journal’s name, publisher, or similar, which creates the false impression that your preprint is actually a publication of that journal.
**Will the journal get mad?** – Of course you need to regard the journal’s copyright agreement (which you accepted) with respect to publishing preprints in general or on ArXiv in specific ([Sherpa Romeo](http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/) is a database that helps you to find this out). But if the journal allows you to publish a preprint content-wise, I do not see any reasons why using its style file would enrage it, given that the above problem cases do not apply. Some journals even allow you publishing the journal’s version of the paper on ArXiv, e.g., the [Physical Review series](http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/issn/1539-3755/).
Finally, a **stylistical** argument: If the journal has a single-column layout but your paper has no long equations or something else that would make such a format a good idea, you may want to opt for a two-column layout for your preprint.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer] |
2014/11/21 | 1,419 | 6,021 | <issue_start>username_0: I managed to snag my first interview for a tenure-track assistant professor job. As I had heard, the itinerary seems somewhat gruelling. What caught my eye in particular are three 45min-1hr meetings with various higher-ups: The Dean of Science, the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, and the Associate Vice-president (Academic).
While there is certainly no shortage of topics to discuss with people in my potential department, I have very little sense of what the above three meetings will be like. So my question is:
>
> What kind of questions should I be thinking about asking deans/VPs during these meetings?
>
>
><issue_comment>username_1: You want to be friendly, of course, and make a good impression. Depending on the school, these meetings are not usually too grueling; one purpose of the meetings is just to put a face with your name. There is a good chance these meetings will end up being shorter than the scheduled time.
* Be prepared to give a very brief "elevator style" summary of your work.
* The deans may ask you about grant funding. You may have a good sense, depending on your field, how important grants are to you getting the position. (<NAME> mentioned this in the comments).
Some particular questions I would ask include:
* I would ask all three: *Where do you see the program/college/university going in another 10 years?* This can help you tell whether your vision for a school fits with theirs.
* I would ask the Dean of Science about tenure practices in the college. Do your homework and read the tenure policies before you arrive, of course. As long as you are polite and non-pushy, you can ask for clarifications for anything that isn't clear. You can ask about tenure rates in general, but don't ask anything that would require talking about individual candidates. If you are in a field where grants are important, you should also be sure you know the weight given to grants when they make tenure decisions.
* If you will need anything unusual (e.g. large start-up equipment costs), you should mention that to a departmental representative first, and they can advise whether it needs to be mentioned to the dean.
* If you are trying to arrange a second hire for a spouse, the dean may be able to discuss that. Again, you can talk with the department first. *CAUTION: This bullet only applies to applicants who are also interested in finding a job for their spouse, and who have decided to bring up their spouse before getting an offer. There isn't room in this answer to get into the debate about whether it is preferable to wait until you have an offer to mention that your spouse is looking for a job, which is another commonly advocated strategy for applicants looking to find a job for their spouse at the same institution.*
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: My experience with these interviews is that mostly they will tell you things. For example, I have always gotten a long disquisition on tenure without making any prompts, as well as general discussion about the university. It is possible they'll ask for your thoughts on general topics in education or research (for math, I think the connection between pure and applied math is popular). Grant funding isn't an issue that's come up for me; I don't think it's what people usually have in mind for math but it certainly wouldn't be a surprising topic. Certainly it would be smart to have a few general questions (where they see the university as a whole going, how your department will fit into it) at the ready, just to fill any dead space. I suspect the main thing is to just come across as a normal person. While deans sometimes try to influence hiring based on general considerations (the direction of the department, diversity, etc.) I've never heard of them trying to use their impressions from the interview for this (with the exception of [<NAME>](http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/09/29/pictures-institution)).
Also, don't hesitate to ask people in the department what it would wise to discuss with the administrators. They'll know better than us yahoos on the internet what their deans' bugaboos are.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: I am the asker of this question, but now that the interview is done, I thought I might add what my experience ended up being. I guess one thing I didn't really realize before is that they've had these meetings many, many times, and so they know already what topics should be discussed and brought them up themselves. So, as Ben indicated, much of the meeting was me listening or answering questions.
* Much of the the time, the meetings felt more like a pitch to me of how great their university is. This made me feel more confident asking them to address any specific concerns I had about the university and life in their city.
* Most of the meetings were indeed far shorter than the allotted time. The most common topic concerned grants. Mainly the local government funding agency and requirements to get funding from them. Also, discussions concerning start-up funds, and the resources available from the university to help me secure a federal grant.
* There was also discussion of tenure, such as what things to focus my time on in the first few years (research, shockingly). I thought a good piece of advice was to avoid service, but not too much. In particular, that I should try to get myself on the Promotion and Tenure committee for my department so that I have a sense of what is needed for when my turn comes up.
* Discussions about moving expenses and life in the city (typical weather, recreation, schools/daycare for my kids).
* It should be noted that in all of my meetings, the topic of a two-body problem came up, completely unprompted by myself. Although this fortunately isn't really a problem for me, if it was, I would agree with the above advice that it probably would have been a bad idea to bring it up myself, if it should be even discussed at all before an offer is made.
Upvotes: 4 |
2014/11/21 | 1,099 | 4,431 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm an assistant professor in a non-English country. I work in control system and signal processing. I write publications in my native language. But I want to get experience in publications in English. But I think my English is not so good. So I have small questions. Does anyone know courses or sites where I can practice? I know about [Arxiv.org](http://arxiv.org), but I am not sure it's best practice for my problem.<issue_comment>username_1: I am personally not aware of any open online courses although I would be surprised if none existed. I can, however, point you to some other good resources. First there is the [Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL](https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/)) which has guides and resources for teaching so it is not a course in itself but contains very useful material. I can also recommend a couple of books on writing in English for non-native English writers.
The first is
>
> <NAME> and <NAME>, 2011. Scientific English. A guide for scientists and other professionals. ([publisher link](http://www.abc-clio.com/ABC-CLIOGreenwood/product.aspx?pc=A3210C))
>
>
> <NAME>, 2010. Science Research Writing For Non-Native Speakers Of English: A Guide for Non-Native Speakers of English. Imperial College Press ([link from publisher page](http://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/p605))
>
>
>
and then of course
>
> <NAME> Jr and <NAME>, (many editions over the years). The Elements of Style. Longman/Pearon. ([publisher link](http://www.pearsonhighered.com/academic/product?ISBN=020530902X))
>
>
>
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: There are 2 approaches to learning academic writing in English and I'd recommend both of them.
**Read**
The best way to learn the conventions for academic writing in your field (and it does vary between fields). You should read a lot of publications to gain familiarity of how to explain complex topics in your field. The more you read, the more confident you'll get with writing in English yourself.
**Get Feedback**
You can also improve by getting feedback on your writing. It can be difficult if you are in a country where English is not the national language. Still you should be able to get friends and colleagues to give you supportive feedback. You can even get your students to contribute to papers and learn from each others English. Another option is to hire a proofreader to check one of your manuscripts. You can use any suggestions and edits as an opportunity to learn why it needs to be changed. Every time you get a proofreader to help you, you can improve on your writing skills.
Your writing does not have to perfect to submit articles to journals. As long as they can be understood in terms of the science, they can be reviewed. Minor issues with grammar and terminology can be sorted out during the review process. Reviewers should point out minor issues that need to specifically addressed, such as confusing or ambiguous sentences. These can be sorted out during revisions and resubmissions.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: What I do for languages is to read a book out loud (in Spanish etc.) whilst listening to a native speaker talking about something on a Youtube video and then try to copy their pronunciation. If I see a word I don't know, I write it down in a notebook and then look it up.
However, whilst this is good for vocabulary, it's also important to try and get feedback from real people (preferably native speakers). You could join an English language learning group on Facebook and then try to match with people.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_4: There are many ways to learn language and you will need to experiment the way that works best for you. The "best" English used in articles is actually not very fancy as scientific communication needs to be as understandable as possible. Since you already know quite a bit of English, judging from your question, the next step is to eliminate wrong phrasing and specific grammar errors. This is best done using feed-back, that is, writing a paper or a summary of a paper in English and have someone edit it. That is quite painful. You need to first find the person and maybe pay them. Then you have to listen to criticism of something you worked hard to write. But it is worth while. There are now also more editorial houses etc that offer help with this editing.
Upvotes: 0 |
2014/11/21 | 1,475 | 5,630 | <issue_start>username_0: I know that PhD is not like other degrees which ends in a span of 2-4 years.
Also, one cannot control the span of the program which entirely depends on topic and guides.
But I heard from some where that some universities offer PhD within 3-4 years and there is no minimum journal requirements.
I would like to know if such universities really exist and a comment on the university will be highly appreciated.<issue_comment>username_1: In Europe a Phd normally last from 2 to 4 years. But to be admitted to it you must have a Master degree.
The American and the European system are pretty different I think.
check this link about education in Europe: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bologna_Process>
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: In the UK, it is common to go straight from a Bachelors degree (3-4 years) to a PhD (minimum 3 years). Not many complete their PhD in 3 years, but in that time you are expected to reach independent research level and have published papers. Certainly I and my colleagues followed this path and published papers in that timescale, although some of us took a lot longer to finally finish.
At our university, you start technically on an MPhil (Masters) course, and there is a review around 12-18 months in; if your work is on course for PhD grade (i.e. you have published or are soon to publish), you are switched to the PhD. If it is not going so well you can just finish the Masters and move on.
The best option in the UK is to get a sponsored studentship with a company; they will pay a lot of cost of the degree (we got a bursary whichever way) and usually assist with materials, funds, direction during the course itself.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: In the Netherlands, PhD programs are usually salaried four-year programs (though typically requiring 3-4 journal publications to get the degree in the end). For example, good universities for engineering are located in [Delft](http://www.tudelft.nl/en/) and [Eindhoven](https://www.tue.nl/en/).
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: This seems to be a trick question. Are there universities which will "give you a PhD" in a short time? Well, yes. If you work hard enough to "earn a PhD" in a short time.
That said, it is quite common in continental Europe for PhD positions to be offered for a period of 3 years. That's nice if your Masters degree has already prepared you with the relevant graduate-level concepts. You will still have to find a PhD topic and complete your investigations in the stipulated time.
On the down side, PhD supervisors (who may even be a Postdoc or a researcher with individual grant) usually find it difficult to arrange for additional funding if you are unable to produce satisfactory results within 3 years. At good universities, and in well-funded disciplines, this is usually not a problem. But this really happens, and if you do not come from a first-world country, it may get difficult to sustain yourself.
Publication limit? It again depends upon your field. In theoretical fields, like pure mathematics, theoretical physics, some branches of computer science, etc. it is difficult to publish, so you may get a PhD with one or two papers. But in experimental fields, it is difficult to put a number. That shouldn't bother you though, because your supervisor is usually there to help you out.
And PhD is after all a training in becoming an individual researcher. So why bother about number of publications already? What you should worry about is, do you really want a PhD? There, your query suggests only a superficial motivation.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: In France the average length of a PhD in engineering is ~3.5 years
[Source 1](http://rachelgliese.wordpress.com/2013/11/11/la-duree-des-theses/):
>
> Dans le domaine des « sciences dures », la durée moyenne des thèses
> est de 42 mois (3,5 années). Le taux d’abandon est de 5%. Le taux
> d’insertion professionnelle est de 90 %
>
>
>
[Source 2](http://matisse.ueb.eu/):
>
> une durée moyenne de thèse de 41 mois
>
>
>
In the US, in most places it is hard to be complete the PhD in less than 4 years.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_6: In Cambridge University in the UK it is (well, was, in the '80s) not uncommon for students to do most of the work for their PhD in 3 or 4 years - but nobody "gives" you a PhD, you have to work for it (quite hard), and earn it.
A PhD, in the end, is a piece of paper that testifies you have a "license to learn on your own". You are expected to have developed the skills needed to be a successful researcher; while it is important to develop your ability to document your work and write coherently about it, I don't think it should be necessary to have first-author publications to graduate.
Skeptically, one might suspect that organizations that demand publications may be more concerned about their own publication rates, than about the careers of their students (but see below)...
Having said that - if you want to get a job as a postdoc, it is advisable to have some publications under your belt. This may be less important if you want to work in industry - not an unlikely course of action with an advanced engineering degree. And given the salary jump from student to industrial engineer, you may want to "get it over with" quickly.
In summary, you need to take a look at your own career aspirations before choosing a program based on their graduation requirements. The piece of paper is just that - but whether you will have, at graduation, the demonstrated skills needed for the next step is something only you know.
Upvotes: 0 |
2014/11/21 | 339 | 1,521 | <issue_start>username_0: I received an acceptance from the Editor by email, but when I checked the status of my manuscript in the journal website it is "Editor Decision", even after week of receiving the email.
what does that mean? and should I talk to the Editor?<issue_comment>username_1: Yes. Talk to them. Hanging out fretting about it only causes yourself undue stress. I would simply write an email to them... It sounds like the "switch" may be a manual one on their web site? Perhaps the programmer/designer is on holiday break?
Remember... the individual maintaining the status or entries themselves may not be the actual web master in charge of the programming and edits on the site. It's probably an entirely different department and the batch of edit tickets to the site have yet to process.
Still, even if the individual who sent the email **IS** the one in charge of the web site...I'd trust the letter over the web site any day.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: If the editor emails you an acceptance, the paper is accepted. Don't worry about the website not updating.
The acceptance email should contain instructions as to what you have to do next: presumably, make any changes suggested by the reviewers and submit a final version of your manuscript. If it doesn't, wait another week or so to see if you get an email that does have the instructions (this might be sent automatically by the management system when the editor updates it). If not, email the editor then.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer] |
2014/11/21 | 703 | 3,089 | <issue_start>username_0: I am about to wrap up my first semester at my University. Before school had started in the summer I had developed an iOS application for the University which gained the attention of one professor, before the semester had even started he emailed me and informed me of a research position he think I'd be interested in. It turns out that I have experience in exactly what they are doing and it sounded like it would be a great fit.
I accepted the position, it took about a month before I met who I would be working with and how exactly I would be applying my experience. I found out that my colleague developer is a foreign graduate student who doesn't speak much English and has hardly any experience with our technologies. We setup weekly meetings to do something, nothing is ever accomplished at these "meetings". Most of the time the professor cancels the meeting due to "conflicts" an hour before they are supposed to take place
Overall I've got several problems with my current position:
No way to collaborate with my colleague due to a language barrier and no structure in our work environment
No clear objectives for what I should be doing with my time have been laid out, yes I've asked. I get responses back such as "Do some iOS stuff with "Bob"" Whenever I sit down to work, I really don't have an idea on what he's expecting so its hard to put in any meaningful hours.
Extremely low pay for what I am doing, the technologies I am working with are not simple and I am getting paid about 1/5 what I would if I was at a company. I know this is an academic position but it's hard to be motivated knowing I'm getting low pay.
The project I am working on seems to be some project that has been hanging around and he is just trying to produce "results" with the grant money.
Overall I just have no interest continuing to work with this professor. What is the best way to tell that to him?<issue_comment>username_1: Just tell him the way you have told us. Undergraduates quit research projects all the time. In this case the reasons you have given may help him run the project a bit better.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Alternatively, if you are interested in working in something different, do so, without necessarily giving the detailed reasons of your departure. Not everybody reacts gracefully to criticism, especially if you suspect other agendas (speak: grant money spending). Whether you want to give full disclosure of your reasons for leaving, depends heavily on the advisor and the situation.
If you consider going for industry, anyway, now is a good time, as the market is attractive. The professor may not like it, but excellent people leave academia all the time now, you wouldn't be an exception and your step requiring no out of the ordinary justification.
If you want to continue that work, somehow, but not under the current circumstances, then, either look for a suitable other position, or else, if you want to stay put for some reason, you will have to bite the bullet and to ask for conditions to be changed.
Upvotes: 1 |
2014/11/22 | 1,097 | 4,530 | <issue_start>username_0: I am in my first year of my master's program in computer science. I have been sitting in on one professors lab meetings whose research I am really interested in when I asked him if he was comfortable working with me on a master's thesis he gave a response which I am having trouble interpreting. He said that he felt comfortable in the sense that he felt I would do great, but he didn't feel comfortable being the sole adviser due to the number of current master's students he was already advising. He said he would be my thesis adviser if I could find a co-adviser. He is a new professor at my university and does not yet have tenure as this is his first year.
My question is was this a gentle way of letting me down or is it common for busy professors to suggest co-advising?<issue_comment>username_1: As <NAME> indicates, one cannot uniquely decode the professor's intent from this response. You'll have to get more information from him to be confident of his motivations.
Let me say that taking on a coadvisor *could show* a lack of confidence in the student, but more commonly it shows an advisor's lack of confidence in her own experience or is done for a good, subject-oriented reason (i.e., to bring in specific expertise). My first PhD student -- taken on when I was not yet tenured -- was coadvised with a more senior faculty member. This was because I was nervous about myself, not about him (he was really great), but independently of my own gingerness it turned out to be a very good idea because his second adviser imparted some key technical knowledge that got used in his thesis in a very nice way. Now (I am tenured and) I have four students who are solely advised by me: I got a little older is the main difference. So I can understand this faculty member's perspective.
On the other hand, at least in my field (mathematics) advising a master's student is much easier than advising a PhD student: they stay for 1/3 to 1/2 of the time and the whole experience is not as intense. Because of this, "splitting" a master's student is less common (and no examples spring to mind, but then again in mathematics, a master's degree is more likely to be done rather casually *en route* to greater things or as a terminal degree).
From a neutral (read: uninformed) outsider's perspective, I would say that if you're already sitting in this guy's research group then that's pretty close to taking you on as a master's student. One thing you could try is just to organically increase your interactions without "putting a label on it". In other words, instead of sitting in on the group, can you actually do some work for the group? If so, you basically are this guy's master's student, and after a couple of months of work it will be much easier for all involved to call it that. If on the other hand you express an interest in doing work for his group and he tells you why you can't at the moment....then there's your answer.
Another tack to take would be to ask the professor for a specific suggestion of who could co-advise you. Then you can take it up with that person...who of course may suggest single-handedly advising you. I think the suggestion to co-advise without a specific person in mind to do the other half of the advising shows that he is not very enthusiastic about advising you.
Good luck.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: We've used co-advisors in our department for several reasons:
* When the student's work crosses into two specialties -- for example, if someone wanted to study Islam in Russia -- we might have Prof. A who is a Russia specialist with no particular knowledge of religion work with Prof. B who does Islam, but predominantly in the middle-east.
* When Prof. A has too many advisees and needs someone to share the administrative burden. I don't think grad students realize how much of an administrative burden they can be. We have to file progress reports, grant proposals, sign off on expenditures -- not to mention letters of recommendation.
* When there is some doubt of Prof. A's long term plans. Whether they have eyes on becoming provost -- or maybe a transfer to another university -- sometimes either Prof. A or the department itself will proactively make sure that Prof. A's students aren't orphaned.
* Related to this, if Prof. A expects a sabbatical or other leave, they may proactively try to make sure that the students in the first several years of their grad work are properly mentored in their absence.
Upvotes: 3 |
2014/11/22 | 1,535 | 6,752 | <issue_start>username_0: This question is inspired by answers and comments to the question ["Should a postdoc talk about his depression with his mentor?"](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/31855/should-a-postdoc-talk-about-his-depression-with-his-mentor) on this website.
Suppose that an applicant to a graduate program suffered from some mental health issues during the completion of his previous degrees, and that this situation had a noticeable impact on his academic performance (for example, significantly lower grades or part-time status for one or several semesters).
Most graduate school applications have sections dedicated to providing explanations for such special circumstances, and it is of course strongly recommended that any applicant with unusual drops in academic performance should mention something about this in the special circumstances section. Otherwise, the admission committee will be left to guess what might have happened, which is likely to decrease the odds of being admitted (indeed, it seems a consensus that the more tangible information an admission committee has about an applicant, the more confident they can be about the fact that admitting him will be a sound investment).
Many answers/comments to the question ["Should a postdoc talk about his depression with his mentor?"](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/31855/should-a-postdoc-talk-about-his-depression-with-his-mentor) seem to recommend being very careful about revealing details on one's mental health conditions, given that there is still a lot of stigma attached to mental health conditions. However, in the case of PhD applications, not mentioning anything is *not* an option.
This then leads to the following question: If not making any mention of health issues is not an option (such as in PhD applications), how much details should one go into? To avoid stereotyping associated to any particular disease (such as depression=unreliable, learning disability=not smart) one could limit the description to "health problem", but could this lack of details be seen as suspicious and/or still a situation where the admissions committee will have to do guesswork?<issue_comment>username_1: It's not possible to give specific advice without knowing such things as legal jurisdiction and the equal-opportunity commitments of the institution behind the grad school. Be aware that, while there is growing recognition that prejudice against mental-health issues is indeed prejudice, this is a prejudice that is widely tolerated.
Nonetheless, a request for information about "special circumstances" is not an invitation to feed the prejudices of the search committee. Clear, historically objective matters such as:
1. Suspension of studies or retaking a whole year, for whatever reason
2. Behavioural problems that were officially sanctioned by the University, especially violations of anti-harassment rules
will need to be documented and the candidate needs to be ready to handle questions about why such events occurred.
The kind of special circumstance that you should not feel particular need to bring up are
1. Receiving a psychiatric diagnosis
2. Seeking or receiving informal advice about difficulty handling stress or motivation problems
3. Unusual causes of stress from home life, such as mental health issues, physical health problems, abusive relationships, handling infirm relatives, etc.
The fact that one of these issues could influence the decision of someone on the search committee is not sufficient reason to raise it, for the same sort of reason (bar possible absence of equal opportunities legislation) that issues concerning sexual orientation, or religious/ political beliefs: they are not in and of themselves issues in one's academic career. It may be wise to allude to these issues if they explain the former kind of event, but it is unlikely to be wise to do so in lurid terms. If someone retook a year because of a breakdown, saying that they were unable to handle the stress is reasonable, especially if it is possible to show that this was a learning experience and can now be handled in a way that will not undermine their academic career. The existence of the latter kind of issue is not ipso facto a career issue.
Overall, I recommend not being prejudiced against oneself. Nobody lacks mental imperfections, and indeed many mental traits can be problematic in one situation but efficient in another. The advice <NAME> gives in her *Leaning In* deals with prejudices against career women, but the point she makes in her last chapter about not handicapping oneself applies here as well.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: You **do not have** to disclose your personal health history (including mental health) to graduate schools when you are applying -- and even while you are enrolled.
There are occasions where you may **want** to. For example, if there is a semester in your undergraduate record where you did particularly poorly because of (mental) health issues, you may want to note this is in your diversity statement or special circumstances portion. However, you can be as vague as you want -- saying "In the fall of my junior year, my health declined which led to poor performance in a number of my classes. I recovered the next semester and you can see that my senior year grades were all of the highest rank."
If you have faculty writing letters of recommendation for you who know about this incident, you may want to tell them: 1) if you want them to mention it or not; 2) what language to use ("she became depressed following a family death" vs. "She struggled with the additional family issues following the death of her mother" vs. "There was a family crisis that took her away from school that semester", etc.etc.).
Otherwise, your (mental) health record is your personal medical information. The professors in your department do not need to know it -- any more than they would need to know that you had HIV or were on dialysis. If you need accommodation (such as taking Wed and Fri off for dialysis, or for therapy) you may want to disclose that to some people but you should feel free to **compartmentalize** the information to certain people and to not disclose everything about your condition.
For example, it is entirely appropriate to tell just your advisor, department chair or director of graduate studies -- or external to the department: your university ombudsperson, disability services officers, or associate provost or dean -- some of the details of your condition and what accommodations you need to be a successful scholar, but ask that the information not be shared with faculty members in the department. But again, this is your choice.
Upvotes: 4 |
2014/11/22 | 488 | 2,001 | <issue_start>username_0: Maybe my question is naive, but:
If my paper was publish as open access (for example in Springer - <http://www.springer.com/gp/open-access>), could I upload the paper in researchgate.net and similar sites?<issue_comment>username_1: Maybe. But not necessarily. It depends on the exact terms and conditions of the open access paper: there are many different variants (Springer use more than one, as do many other publishers). It also depends on the exact terms and conditions of the site you intend to upload to.
So there is no general answer, beyond this:
1. Read and understand the licence on the paper.
2. Read and understand the terms and conditions of the site you want to upload to.
3. Work out whether they're mutually consistent, and whether you want to accept the T&Cs of the site you want to upload to.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: If you are uncertain, then with a truly open-access paper you can also choose to avoid the question by simply linking to the official publication page - there is often a direct PDF link, and putting that on an external webpage gives no significant difference in user experience than uploading the PDF directly.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: [Open access](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_access):
>
> Open access comes in two degrees: **gratis** open access, which is free
> online access, and **libre** open access, which is free online access
> plus some additional usage rights.These additional usage rights are
> often granted through the use of various specific Creative Commons
> licenses. Only libre open access is fully compliant with
> definitions of open access such as the Berlin Declaration on Open
> Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities.
>
>
>
See [Gratis versus libre](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratis_versus_libre) for more ideas.
As a result, it depends on the contract you agreed to when submitting your article to the open access journal.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2014/11/22 | 4,151 | 17,380 | <issue_start>username_0: After a year of researching for my Masters project, I am writing a manuscript for publication. I have spent nearly 3 months writing it now. My advisor has read my drafts, but after nearly 4 drafts that I thought were successively better, he says that I am in still the pre-draft stage and that I don't know how to write a manuscript properly. Of course, he gives me adequate guidance and is very helpful, but I am demoralized by my own shortcomings.
I have a hard deadline of 3 weeks to submit my edits to my advisor, after which he has said he will finish editing for me.
I understand this sort of thing happens to all new writers, especially in technical writing, and I could hear tons of personal stories about how difficult his/her experience was - but in the end, pain is very personal.
Anyways, the purpose of this post is not just to get motivated or feel better - it is to ask for concrete advice on where and how to begin, especially given that I don't have that much time?<issue_comment>username_1: Three months? Try two years!
I'm trying to write a manuscript since two years.
This is because my advisor is a perfectionist, which makes me an extremely lucky guy (in this case, you as well).
I have a friend whose advisor's expectations are below the average and he ended up submitting a thesis even lower quality than below the average.
Believe me, what you go through is a perfectly normal stage, for who wants to be in academia. At least, this is what I've seen so far.
I suggest you to do the following:
First, write the core of your work. Not the intro, not the conclusion, not the experimental results or methodology. Just tell what your work is about and why is it precious. Tell it like you're telling it to a five-year-old.
Try to tell it using the least number of sentences as you can. If possible, tell it in only one sentence.
Afterwards, read. Read until you memorize it. You will realize that it sucks (unfortunately). Then, change it. Try to change your point of view.
I have written at least thirty manuscripts if not fifty. And I have started over at least ten times. Now, I got "OK" from my advisor for the last version of, wait for it, **introduction chapter**.
"The most important thing is organization of the manuscript", my advisor told me. "It should both teach and entartain the reader." By entertaining, of course, he means that the reader should tell to himself "this is good job!" Like reading a really good novel.
I suggest you to keep your expectations low at this stage, since your last work is still a pre-draft. In a period like three weeks, it is extremely hard to complete a work.
Besides, if you do not rush, you will complete it in a shorter time.
I hope I'm wrong and you publish your work.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: It is surely painful, as you're being assessed on something as intimate and self-defining as cognitive potential, and think you're not measuring up. And academia is a rather terrible environment when it comes to taking into account how this sort of thing affects productivity and happiness. But.
The thing is, the goal is not to make the manuscript good for your supervisor, it's to make it good for a research journal. In this process, the supervisor will help. The help will come in the form of a very red, very re-written manuscript, but it will be useful. For me, the single most helpful event in academic writing (and I have taken courses on it previously and I generally like writing) was when I received my first manuscript back all in red. I looked at it sentence by sentence, and paragraph by paragraph, and man have I learned a lot! So don't look at that deadline in three weeks as the end of the road, but as the beginning. After all, it's not as if the supervisor doesn't know your output so far. So take it exactly for what it is: feedback that's more detailed than what you have received so far.
Other than that, it's very helpful to find similar papers, papers you thought were particularly clear, and look for hints there. Personally, I like short papers that try to drive a single point home, where the intro is short and to the point and where the discussion doesn't go too much beyond the data obtained. Such papers give up on telling you everything the authors know about a question, or even discussing all possible implications of the data, in order to keep concise. But that's just me.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: >
> Concrete advice on where and how to begin, especially given that I
> don't have that much time
>
>
>
I work in biomedical science so my advices may not fully apply to you, feel free to take whatever that is useful.
**Don't write too much:** Most students I work with who are trying to turn their paper into a journal article tend to write too much. It's usually described as a painful process because it would feel like chopping off a lot of work from their thesis (which was done with much blood and sweat.) But the trimming and refinement need to happen because thesis format is not suitable for journal.
Concretely, these newbie articles tend to
1. Have an introduction that is overly long
2. Contain abundance of details in the methods section, documenting the conception of the idea to every little details, with meticulous follow up of citations
3. Justify every single decision, some of which trivial
4. Cover too many hypotheses or fail to boil down the structure to bite-size, thinking everything in the chapter has to go into the paper
5. Elaborate lengthily in Discussion, failing to highlight the most important aspect
**But also don't write too little:** And yet, most students tend to overlook these components:
1. The paper goes into technical way too abruptly, doesn't account for the fact that some non-specialist may be reading this. And this is really an art, you'll need to see your target journal and get a sense of who are the readers, and then decide how broad to start with
2. Fail to explain the "so-whats" in the Discussion
3. Did not address the strengths and the weaknesses of the study. Or quoting weaknesses that actually can be alleviated but were not. For instance, I have a lot of students stating weaknesses like "this is a cross-sectional study so causal inference is not feasible," which I tend to agree; but some may say "in this analysis we did not adjust for income levels" while the income level variable is actually in the data set. In those case I'd request a re-analysis. In short, if you can have done something about it, don't list it as weakness.
**General style mismatches:** Sometimes the articles have nothing really wrong about it but the style just make it clunky as a journal article. For instance:
1. Overly sensationalizing or flooded with emotional adjectives. E.g. "the obesity epidemic is indeed a human tragedy," "our results are surprisingly encouraging."
2. Mixing up facts and arguments, ending up with a lot of statements that are not backed up or statements that are accompanied with a tsunami of facts without a trace of synthesis.
3. The objectives and the conclusion do not match. And this is very common in theses because we set off with a plan and things may fail to work in the middle and we have changed direction. In journal article, the objective statement and the conclusion need to resonate so that they read nearly like Q&A.
4. Trying too hard to make the whole paper self-contained and complete. Common signs are including too many details that can be included in the form of citations.
5. Calling the same concepts or things with many different names. In English composition we are often encourage to diversify our word selection but this is a big no-no in scientific writing. If the variable is "occupational stress," call it so throughout. Do not use variants such as work-induced stress or even worse: work-related mental problems or job-site related depression, etc.
6. Drafting, writing, and editing at the same time. Most of the students lost steam because they want to churn out perfect sentence from the get go. This causes the process extremely slow and painful. It's easier to do a brain dump and then come back to edit the work. On a good day you may save 50-60% of the dump, on a bad day maybe 10%, but I found it worth it because I can be more focused in either laying out ideas or perfecting the wording, separately.
---
So, how to start? Before writing, read a bit. Download the "guideline to the authors" from the target journal and use a highlighter to indicate all stylistic requirements. Follow them to the t.
Then, download about 3-5 articles related to your fields from that journal, and read for word-uses and syntax. Generally, when reading each paragraph, ask yourself "Why did the authors put this information here?"
Now, when it comes to writing/drafting. I find it easiest to do in this sequence:
1. Identify 1-3 main analysis outcomes (table, graph, regression model, etc.) Paste them on a wall or a board and they will be the staple of this article.
2. For each of these output, write about 2-4 main points or interpretations people should take away with. Imagine you're at a conference manning a poster. What would you tell the audience to focus on in each table or each graph? If one of them has overwhelming amount of talking points, you are trying to pack too much. Consider breaking the analysis output down, and trim, trim, trim. In this stage, *do not throw away unused outputs,* put them aside in a folder or a box in case you have a second thought.
3. For each of these output, write out the methods. Remember to only contain enough information to allow readers to replicate, not too much so that the readers have to endure the whole story. For instance, reason for picking a certain concentration or threshold can be explained with a citation rather than writing it out.
4. Now combine your selected output into the Results section. Write it in the driest style you can think of. No interpretation, grievance, celebration, defense whatsoever, just plain, hard, cold data.
5. Break Discussion into segments A, B, C, D, and E. In A, use one paragraph to summarize what you found. In B, incorporate the talking points you generated for each of the output, so that the first paragraph makes sense. In C, compare and contrast your work with other literature and discuss the potential differences. In D, delineate the strengths and weaknesses of your study. For each weakness, discuss what you had tried to make it less a matter, or what else could have been done in future work. Finally, in part E, go slightly wider and wilder: elaborate what these results mean to your target audience and their field. You can quickly see that this section can get overwhelming if you have too many objectives. For starters, one main objective with a sub objective will be a good challenge.
6. Write the Introduction. Focus on some "what's known" to bring your audience to the same page so that they can understand your work. Then, discuss what is not known or what challenges the field is facing. After that, explain how your work may help, and lastly, lay out your objectives clearly.
7. Cut and paste the objective at the end of the paper (or use split screen so that you can see the objective section), and start writing the Conclusion. Introduce no more new information there, simply answer the objectives point by point. Make sure the objective part and the conclusion part resonate. When you feel it's good enough, you can then take out the reference objective you just pasted there (or close the split screen function.)
8. Go back to write the abstract.
---
**Other nitty-gritty**
Don't feel bad that people are not happy with what you write. A lot of the time they do not even concretely know what's wrong with the piece. Ask for actionable suggestions and then thanks for their comments; take whatever applies to you.
Your supervisor may not appreciate your writing quality, but will definitely appreciate your attention to details. So, make his/her life easier by following the journal's guideline tightly when it comes to formatting.
Check if all the figures and tables are correctly indexed.
Check if all the pronouns connect well and leave no room for misunderstanding.
Use subtitle to introduce another layer of structure if you feel too overwhelmed.
It's true that some papers can take years to write. But you have been working on it for more than 3 months and it is more than probable to write a decent article in 3 months. Some other users may say a paper can take years, but remember the duration is also a factor of i) how much time the person is putting in every day, ii) how much the work is being held up by co-authors, and iii) personal writing style. I myself have papers that were done in the span of 2 months to 6 years; there is pretty much no rule when it comes to time.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: To echo cagirici. THREE MONTHS IS NOTHING!!!!! I, took, over a year to finish my first manuscript.
My biggest advice is to put the paper away for a week and revisit it after you've done some reading (and not necessarily in the area that you are writing in, but in areas surrounding that topic). I cannot emphasize enough how putting away your work for a bit of time can help clarify the process and help things become clear within your writing.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: A great online course called ["Writing in the Sciences"](http://online.stanford.edu/course/writing-in-the-sciences) is now available free of charge, and it provides really great advices. When I was writing an article recently, I just had the time to watch the first week's lectures, and it helped me a lot to finish my manuscript.
To summary some quick tips to do a good writing:
1- **Read papers and copy** (everything but the content) from the ones you like. This will give you hints on how to structure a paper, style you can have and many other things. Mimicking is a fundamental learning mechanism of humans that helped us achieve the knowledge we have, don't overlook it.
2- **Just get to write**, even if you don't feel like it. A good paper is reworked several times before it's ready for publication, so just get going on your first pass, you'll enhance later.
3- Don't try to make overly long or complicated sentences. Just try to make short sentences, and try to use simple formulations (present tense instead of past tense, standard sentence form: subject-verb-object). Also **avoid jargon** and initials as much as possible, this will be one less burden for your reader (even when they're specialized in the domain you're writing in).
4- Be **logical** in your progression. Try to be logical and gradual from chapters to chapters (for this, generally there are common templates, like the [OHERIC methodology](http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/OHERIC): Observation/Problem introduction, Hypothesis/Your Model, Experiment/Simulations, Results/Interpretation, Conclusion/Opening) but also inside each chapter, so that the end of a chapter naturally leads to the next.
Usually, the introduction is the hardest part and usually too much overlooked so you should really focus on this part ; the conclusion is the easiest part (just summary what problem you tackled, what you did and what you've found and potentially future avenues that could extend the findings on this problem) ; and the abstract and title are done at the very end when you already wrote the whole paper.
5- Add lots of **pertinent** references. A good example is any well-developped article in Wikipedia (since this encyclopedia follows some common editorial guidelines that are just as well used in scientific publishing). For any claim you make that isn't yours, try to reference, and most importantly, your reference must be pertinent (avoid referencing an article you barely read or that isn't focusing at all on the claim you are making, ie: an article about brain's memory making an hypothesis about consciousness at the conclusion as an opening isn't fit to be referenced for any claim about consciousness since this is just speculation).
6- **Be yourself**. This can be difficult if you are not comfortable in the language you're writing your article in, but if you are comfortable enough, try to keep (or create) your own writing style.
7- I think this one is less important at first, but later if you want to be a pro: **uniformize your editorial line**. For example, if you use American English words in your abstract, don't use British English words suddenly in later parts. A very good listing of editorial tips can be found here:
<http://www.iaria.org/editorialrules.html>
8- Use a **spellchecker**, always.
9- **Ask other people to read your paper**, and be open to feedbacks. This is crucial and the final step to make a good paper, as it is very difficult to see the big picture and the small glitches yourself. If possible, try also to get your paper read by non-specialized persons, like your relatives, they will tell you if your work is pleasant to read even if they can't grasp every technical subtletlies.
Good luck for your paper. And remember: **writing is always painful and feels unnatural for most people (including professional writers)**, so don't feel out of place, just try to do your job and try to be proud of the result.
Upvotes: 3 |
2014/11/22 | 738 | 3,086 | <issue_start>username_0: In many cases the words *via* and *through* are interchangeable. However, is *via* viewed as acceptable to use among the academic community, typically?
I personally have a distaste for it, but that doesn't really mean much.<issue_comment>username_1: There is nothing wrong with the word "via," and in fact I personally have a weakness for it: sometimes it just feels more elegant and specific than alternatives like "through" or "by means of." I also, however, have a weakness for a lot of somewhat archaic phrases, due to spending a lot of my childhood reading old books.
The general principle which I think academic writing should subscribe to is Orwell's notion of "transparent prose," in which the words are as clear as a window, letting one through to the ideas with minimal obstruction. Using too many unusual words, such as a lot of "via" and "thus" can be distracting, particularly for an international audience. Sometimes, though, a word is simply fit and elegant in its context, and there is no reason to avoid using it.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I am skeptical that the [anglophone] *academic community as a whole* has clear preferences on word choices beyond what is considered good English usage. Specific academic fields and communities of academics certainly do have preferred and deprecated word choices (and these choices are not necessarily viewed positively by the larger world: cf. "jargon").
Might some particular professor like one word more than another? Of course, but that is just about the *ne plus ultra* of a question which is "too localized" to be useful on a site like this one. Moreover, even if she likes "through" better than "via" or vice versa: so what? Is she going to think less of your academic essay because of it? That would be most unreasonable.
Having said all that: the words "via" and "through" are not fully synonymous: [see this question on another SE site](https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/108350/via-vs-through) for a good discussion. As the answers indicate, "through" is the much older word in English usage and has a much larger range of uses. The word "via" is much more specific: it means **by way of; by the route which passes through or over (a specified place)** or **by means of, with the aid of**. In academic writing one often wants to express that two things (concepts, ideas, problems...) can be related to each other by means of a third thing. Given that the word via has as its origin a Roman road connecting point A to point B, this usage is very appropriate for making such connections. In spoken language, "via" is somewhat uncommon and may perhaps be viewed as stilted or pretentious. In academic writing it is extremely common and unobtrusive (when used appropriately): the eye passes right over it. The idea that this particular word would be objectionable to an academic is especially strange to me. (There are a lot of words like this: in my academic writing I use "thus" and "hence" all the time; in nonacademic speech, not at all.)
Upvotes: 4 |
2014/11/22 | 390 | 1,672 | <issue_start>username_0: I have developed an educational software in which I make use of some copyrighted images, for example from Disney, and am now writing an article about it.
How should I reference or cite that those images are copyrighted? Should I put it on a footnote or just blur the images inside the article?
I would not like to have problems of an article rejection because of that.<issue_comment>username_1: I would cite images using footnotes using either the MLA or APA image citation guidelines. However, there are some extra citation requirements for disney images see the walt disney terms of use web page <http://www.waltdisney.org/terms-use> pay particular attention to the section on fair use.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: The images are copyrighted. You are not allowed to put it in the article unless you obtain an explicit (and preferably written) permission by the copyright holder to use it there. If you obtained a permission to use it for research and you would like to consider it a permission to publish it in an article, you better consult a lawyer, but the odds are that you can't do that. As well, do not forget to check whether the journal's copyright transfer is not conflicting with the permission you obtain from the picture's copyright holder. You'll very likely need an exception from the Editor to be allowed to use the image.
To see that this is an issue, remember that the usage of the famous Lenna picture led to legal complaints raised by PlayBoy who is the copyright holder. They decided to cancel the complaints, but it was just their choice. (Source: <http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~chuck/lennapg/lenna.shtml>)
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/23 | 1,233 | 5,319 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm considering requiring a textbook that sells for US$140 on Amazon. Used copies cost $95 and up. I expect about 60 students to take the course. Our students are not wealthy. Some will skip buying the book, and their academic performance will suffer, if they feel they cannot afford it. I'd like to find ways of saving my students money.
One idea I have is to see if it's possible to get a bulk discount and pass the savings on to students. Another idea is to set up an Amazon affiliate link and refund the kickbacks to students, although I'd probably be liable for income tax. (Of course, I'd request approval from the Provost's office before trying something that could appear to be profiting off of students.)
I live in the United States. The publisher is Pearson, and there does not seem to be an international edition of the book. There is only one edition of the textbook. (For other classes, I've saved the students money by letting them use an earlier edition.) I have been unable to find a textbook of comparable quality that is significantly cheaper.
Has anyone tried any of the above ideas or others?
Responses to comments
=====================
**Why require a book?** I do not always require a book, but I think it is necessary for this course in order for students to learn the material.
**Why not write my own book or lecture notes?** I have co-authored a book on a topic on which I am an expert and [made the book available for free online](http://www.appinventor.org/book2). I could not do as good a job as the expensive textbook's authors in this subject matter, especially because I expect to only teach this course once.
**Why not use a free online textbook?** I was unable to find a free book that did a good job covering the required material.
**Why not encourage the students to find an illegal copy online?** I consider copyright legitimate and would not encourage my students to do something illegal or unethical.
Update
======
After I assigned the Pearson textbook, a student discovered that it was available for free online through the local public library. I immediately informed the other students of this option and let them know how to get a public library card. I will always know to check this option in the future. It had not occurred to me that a publisher would allow a popular textbook to be made available for free in this way (with no limit on the number of simultaneous viewers).<issue_comment>username_1: An easy thing to do that can be very helpful to your students is to put a copy of the textbook (or two or three copies) on reserve in the university library. Students can then photocopy critical sections of the book (e.g. the homework exercises.) This is particularly helpful at the start of the semester when students are waiting for copies of the book that they've ordered online to arrive.
If you have control over the choice of the textbook, you should consider moving to a cheaper book or even an open educational resource (OER) that is completely free to students.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I have found, by direct experience, that publishers are sometimes willing to offer steep discounts. At any rate I pulled this off once, and arranged for my students to be able to buy their book at an approximately 40% discount to what was available on Amazon or anywhere else.
This involved the students buying their books directly by mail from a private page on the publisher's website, and this led to an ugly argument when the bookstore's manager found out about this. I ended up having to read my faculty manual closely so that I could call the manager's bluff. In the end, I (and more importantly my students) won.
This could well work for others, and without the argument. :) But the bottom line is that publishers *will* negotiate. "I'm *considering* requiring a textbook..." are precisely the magic words. Just look up the contact information for the publisher's regional sales rep on the Internet, and call or e-mail them.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: Another option is to contact the authors and explain the situation. It is possible that they have a PDF version that can be used without legal issues (for example of an earlier edition or a pre-final version).
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: If your textbook happens to have multiple editions, you can tell the students that previous editions will work for the course. Many online sites sell older editions of a textbook at a steep discount.
I have one course where we use the 4th edition of the book, but I have a table in the syllabus that maps the chapters of the 3rd edition to the chapters in the 4th edition. That way, if the reading assignment for the week is Chapter 7, students who are using the older edition know that they should be reading, say, Chapter 5.
Quite often there is enough overlap of material in the older addition that a student can get by just fine.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: You should talk to your 1- University Book Store and 2- a college librarian about what all your options are. There are often rental options, even for new books, and the librarian can tell you whether the university can acquire your textbook in an online format that can be available to enough students.
Upvotes: 0 |
2014/11/23 | 476 | 2,146 | <issue_start>username_0: Recently, a newly published paper in a journal cited one of our papers and managed to misspell my name in the reference list. How should I deal with this? Simply ignore this? Or should I contact the authors or publisher to mention this?<issue_comment>username_1: You may send an email to either the publisher, editor of the journal or even the corresponding author of the paper and inform them about the misspelling. They *may* edit the misspelling.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: In addition to sending an e-mail to the journal, as suggested already, you should **check the most common academic databases** such as Scopus and Web of Knowledge/Science and **submit corrections** to them so that they pick up the citation correctly. They have a form to submit this kind of corrections automatically; it will then take a few weeks to apply them.
People often (way *too* often, actually) rely on these databases to measure the performance of academics, so it is important that they don't miss any of your citations.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: There are a number of services that assign unique identifiers to authors and then associate publications with a particular author. This is particularly helpful for identifying publications of authors that have common names (“<NAME>.”) For example, <NAME> (who publish the “Web of Science” database) have “[ResearcherID](http://www.researchid.com)”. Another important service is [ORCID](http://orcid.org/). You should register yourself with these services and establish your connection to your papers. You should also decide now on one version of your name (e.g. whether to use a middle initial or full middle name) and try to stick with it through out your career.
It may or may not be possible to get the journal to correct the spelling of your name in the online version of the paper. It certainly will not be possible to get this fixed in printed volumes that have already been distributed. That is why it is particularly important to check this information in reviewing page proofs before the paper is published.
Upvotes: 1 |
2014/11/23 | 420 | 1,897 | <issue_start>username_0: I was curious to find out if there were any "tells" in faculty searches that someone is going to get a formal offer before the official paperwork is received. Are candidates who are about to be hired asked to fill out extra forms or provide additional documentation that might not have been needed earlier in the process, or something similar?<issue_comment>username_1: Positive early signs:
* you helped write the job specification;
* one or more of the selection panel advised you to apply for the vacancy;
* they take up your references;
* you hear through the grapevine that members of your target department have been asking around, about you, after your interview;
* you get an additional interview, where the main topics of discussion are pay & other benefits, when you could start, and what facilities you'd require in post.
Regarding formal paperwork,: all applicants at our place are required to show eligibility for employment, at time of interview. So there's no additional requests for paperwork between final interview and job offer.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: For many searches the "official" paperwork is often only received very late in the game such that at the time you receive the contract nothing is left to negotiate. There will often be a very early congratulatory call saying saying we would like to make you an offer (which is not quite the same as making an offer), let's talk about salary and startup. Searches often move quickly once they decide they want to make an offer. Sometimes there is a hold up, for example, waiting for Dean's approval, but generally, I would say once a decision has been reached, they let the candidate know ASAP.
I suggest asking at the interview when a decision will be made. You can then follow up when that date passes and sometimes find out if things are not promising.
Upvotes: 3 |
2014/11/24 | 4,312 | 17,918 | <issue_start>username_0: I've attended a lot of seminars and lectures by now, and it's typical for the chair of the seminar to offer audience members a chance to ask questions of the speaker about their work after the presentation.
Most of the time, the questions seek clarification of some aspect of the presentation or focus on a more comprehensive understanding of the research involved.
However, occasionally, I've noticed that questions are purposefully designed to embarrass the speaker. Things along the lines of "That method won't work at all for what you're trying to do. Your results are completely invalid" or "So-and-so's group already did that work years ago. Did you not read their paper?"
Perhaps more disturbingly (I just got back from a really large conference if you can't tell), is that women seem to be more harshly criticized than men, and over trivial issues. For instance, in a few sessions I went to, female graduate students were given really hard times over their presentations while the male grad students were not. All presentations were about the same quality. I guess I'm a little shocked; I'd heard of sexism in academia but hadn't actually seen it (or noticed it) until this conference.
Oddly enough, I've observed that it's typically prestigious professors or researchers that are asking these ostentatious questions. I suppose they figure they have enough "fame" or whatever that their job isn't in jeopardy, and there's no easy way to really prove they're being rude or sexist.
I don't know what's going on here, but it seems to me that these questions, even if they do have technical merit, should be held until after the seminar, where they can be discussed privately with the researcher.
My question here, specifically, is what can be done to minimize these (uncomfortable for everyone) instances? My thoughts are that a session chair should remind the audience to refrain from questions that are accusatory in nature. As a presenter, I'm not sure what can be done in advance to preempt and avoid these questions. Any ideas?<issue_comment>username_1: Firstly, I should note that the examples you give are certainly somewhat agressively formulated (more so than would be common in my field), but not in themselves invalid questions. It is certainly "allowed" to be critical of the presented work, and there is nothing the session chair can or *should* do about this.
**As a speaker**, it always helps to think in advance what kind of "negative" question there could be, and prepare for them. You know that your work is very close to *Foo et al, 2001*? Good, have a backup slide that highlights your contribution over them. You think people would argue that a much simpler standard approach would have also worked instead of your super-complicated new custom method? Have a backup slide which compares the results of the two methods (you *did* test the standard method first, right?). If your answer does not convince the person asking the question, then much of what I [wrote in this related answer](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29576/how-to-respond-to-the-trivialisation-of-one-s-work-and-unjustified-demands-for-a) also applies here. Specifically:
>
> (...) try to explain calmly why you did what you did. Yes, maybe that person asking the question will disagree, but so what? The fact that your actual peer reviews are good shows that there are a non-trivial amount of researchers that actually agree with you. The person asking the question is not your supervisor, you don't need to agree with him/her specifically on your research agenda or approaches.
>
>
>
**As a session chair**, you need to step in as soon as a question starts to become an *ad hominem* attack. That is, *"I think this has been done years ago."* is still fine, while *"How the heck did you even get a PhD?"* isn't. Further, a session chair should interrupt a series of questions as soon as he feels that the discussion isn't of interest to the larger audience anymore. I do not think that there is much that can be done in advance. As a session chair, you typically want to foster discussions, not preemptively set out the ground rules.
About the parts regarding **sexisms** and whether **senior professors tend to be mean**: I don't really have much to say about this. Not being a woman, I have not yet noticed any particular pattern about how females get asked questions versus males. The same is true for whether senior professors ask more critical questions - personally, I rather have the impression that fellow grad students and young postdocs or assistant professors are more likely to be extremely critical of other person's work than more senior researchers.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_2: As a presenter I believe that the best advice I can give is **be honest, be yourself, and be prepared**.
This goes for your presentation and any research/material surrounding your lecture.
I have given many presentations/lectures/seminars in the field of computer science. Many of these at one point in time revolved around trade automation within direct exchange fields.
When I first started doing this, I was in my mid 20s. The audience was 90% men, almost all of them 40+. I have to say at first I cringed when we opened things up to questions. Things were anywhere between uneasy to hostile - mainly due to my age and lack of time in the field.
Some general tips:
* Understand that some things you say people will take that as a threat to whatever their "job" is. Change, new technology or new data can make people fear their abilities. I once discussed a way to cut two milliseconds off an exchange execution. This technique threw out a standard industry mechanism. My boss promptly got several calls from executives at two firms wanting me fired. A year later that industry mechanism was a thing of the past.
* Your topic might be interesting but there is a 99.99% chance that it will have little effect on the history of mankind. You can't put off an aura of godliness and not expect a few smartass questions.
* Give credit where it is due. In my case I combined several theories and current technology to produce something that worked efficiently together. I did not at any point in time act like I created everything. I also (depending on audience) liked to give some shout-outs to those who helped or those whose work influenced what I did.
* Know your audience. I like to know who might attend my sessions. I know that people from certain groups might have certain types of questions. Also at the same time try to acknowledge this audience during your time. Often you can neutralize a harsh person by giving a strategic compliment before they have a chance to ask a question.
Quick bits on your specific questions:
>
> That method won't work at all for what you're trying to do. Your
> results are completely invalid
>
>
> **Answer:** Your session should have been clear enough to answer or refute this. If it can be asked without everyone rolling their eyes then you have not done your job as a presenter getting the facts across. If someone asked me this I would calmly tell them why I disagreed (in less than a minute).
>
>
> So-and-so's group already did that work years ago. Did you not read
> their paper?
>
>
> **Answer:** If your work is just an extension of theirs then this should be part of the presentation. And then during the presentation you would tell how yours differed (you don't have to "compare" the entire time) and give your additions. Again if you did not do this you have failed as a presenter and it is a valid question.
>
>
> that women seem to be more harshly criticized than men, and over trivial issues
>
>
> **Answer:** People always judge others by how they look. This is a fact of life. I was an ex-football player. I get lots of dumb-jock looks and remarks. You can't get hung up on this. Just answer the questions and keep your opinions of their motives to yourself. (You can despise the person and still answer their question nicely)
>
>
> it's typically prestigious professors or researchers that are asking these ostentatious questions.
>
>
> **Answer:** Be self-deprecating, make sure that others know that you don't think you are the smartest person in the world. This seems counter-intuitive but they will soon see that they just spent two hours listening to someone who doesn't think that he/she is smart, so where does that leave them?
>
>
>
As for the chair... People should be allowed to ask questions even if tough. I don't believe in asking certain questions behind closed doors unless the question is truly personal (which I didn't think your examples were). However, the chair should step in if the people asking the questions are keeping others from asking something or if they are just taking too long.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: A neutral way to effectively bypass the question could be to ask *"may we have a chat about that in the break?*".
Those sorts of questions are often not productive to answer in front of an audience, particularly if you don't think it's a valid concern. If you have an answer on hand, then you should answer the question - but you don't want to get into an argument on stage with a well-known professor if you cannot give a concise answer.
By doing this, you're also encouraging the audience to ask questions that are concise and clearly answerable.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: As others have noted in the comments, there's a difference between questions that have legitimate content but an unnecessarily aggressive tone (e.g., "Isn't it obvious that won't work for reason X, you fool?"), and questions that are purely verbal attacks with no real substance ("How did you even get accepted to this conference?").
As a speaker, the best way to respond to the first kind of question is just as if it lacked the harassing component. If you calmly address the substance of the question without getting your dander up, the questioner is the one who will look like a jerk for adopting such a confrontational stance. Of course, it's especially nice if you can cleanly dispatch their question with a concise and accurate rejoinder (e.g., "Actually, Smith and Jones showed in a paper last year that this method works quite well"), but if your research is sound, even a fairly garden-variety response is probably adequate (e.g., "The jury is still out on that question, but our results show it's worth investigating further").
As for the second kind of question, at least in my experience it seems to often take the form of a sort of rambling rant by the questioner, directed less at the current speaker than at some whole research area or methodology. (For instance someone saying, "But don't these kinds of studies always run up against the problem of. . .") I have seen people come of well in responding to these kinds of questions by waiting patiently and then responding good-humoredly but pointedly with something like "I'm not sure I caught what your actual question was."
If the question really is a direct attack or a "gotcha" attempt (e.g., quizzing the person on one particular paper), you'll rarely be faulted for just saying something like "Maybe we can discuss those details individually later" (i.e., in the coffee break or whatever). I think this is the ace-in-the-hole response to many questions that try to derail the question session and turn it into a one-upmanship contest. Of course, it's best only to use it when the question really is out of bounds (or too large in scope to be answered in the question session), because if you try to deflect legitimate questions this way you'll look like you haven't done your homework.
As an audience member, I've noticed that usually when someone asks a confrontational question, it seems to make the audience uncomfortable as well. Often other people have questions and would like to ask them before the question time is consumed by verbal posturing. So it helps to remember that, if the question is really uncalled-for, the audience is probably "on your side" and will not think less of you for simply deflecting it and moving on.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_5: First, a general method for softening rudely-posed questions is that the session chair can rephrase the question into a more productive form. That is, the useful and constructive content can be separated from possibly hostile tone or affect of the questioner... especially if, as the session chair can probably judge by the affect of the speaker, the speaker is flustered.
This mediation is potentially relevant both in the cases where (apparently) the question is sheer bullying, or (apparently) the speaker is actually mistaken or ill-informed or ... and cases in-between.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_6: My method seems to be a bit more... devious... than the methods proposed by other answers. This is something that was handed down in a roundabout fashion from other researchers I know. No one talks about it directly but I've had one on one conversations when it comes up.
As a presenter I try to make sure to lead the audience to what might seem like a couple of 'gotchas'. Just as I control the method and content of the presentation, I think it's important to control, to a limited extent, the questions and post-talk discussion.
What does this mean? I *never* give a talk without a pretty good idea of the worst questions I could get about it. This requires having a group, preferably in your lab, who is willing to give you harsh, constructive feedback. This requires an advisor or supervisor who is willing to listen to your presentation and put their 'asshole' hat on and help you identify those questions. This requires being willing to be told that your baby is ugly. A lot of research groups are very positive and that's good for the most part but when it comes time to present you need honesty and a little bit of appropriate 'meanness'.
Additionally, I typically try to lead the audience to questions during my talk. The 'jerk' questions tend to pop up when others don't have questions. By making a talk that is engaging and encourages questions in a specific vein the presenter is less likely to receive an unhelpful, insincere question. This is a bit more subtle and there's a delicate balance. A presenter should never leave pertinent information out but... there's a line right? With experience a presenter can both know what questions to expect and encourage some questions over others.
It's a bit weird, isn't it? One would think that a 'perfect' presentation would involve precisely describing the topic in such a way that questions are unnecessary but the real world of presentations having questions, having people be engaged is beneficial.
Of course nothing will remove the 'jerk' questions entirely. I once gave a presentation on a visual classification system. A faculty member, a well known faculty member albeit in a different subfield, raked me across the coals. Why? Because *"Training data is stupid, you just need to tell the robot what a chair is. Why are you spending so much time on something stupid!"* Which, for anyone who understands classification systems is... not accurate or very helpful. Sometimes you just gotta let that crotchety jerk get their poison out, say a couple of 'mhmms' and nod while finishing with a "That's very interesting. I'd love to talk more about this with you. Why don't you email me at..."
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_7: >
> **"That method won't work at all for what you're trying to do. Your
> results are completely invalid."**
>
>
>
Stay calm and kindly answer:
>
> "Thank you, I am very grateful for your input. Could you please be more
> specific about why you think it wouldn't work?"
>
>
>
This way *you* will embarrass *them* - you will show that you react like a kind person and scientist, while they weren't able to be specific enough. If they don't specify their critique, you are fine. If they do, you turned the emotional argument into rational one, and you can respond factually.
>
> **"So-and-so's group already did that work years ago. Did you not read
> their paper?"**
>
>
>
Stay calm and kindly answer:
>
> "We did a lot of research of the published studies, but all of them
> were inappropriate for our case because of A, B or C. But we could
> miss something, so I would be very grateful if you give me the
> reference afterwards."
>
>
>
This way you present several things: that you actually *did* the research, that you can accept the critics and that you are working like a scientist.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_8: >
> My question here, specifically, is what can be done to minimize these (uncomfortable for everyone) instances?`
>
>
>
I disagree with your premise, that one *should* do anything to minimize these instances. These questions (excluding sexist behavior) are not only legitimate, but are a useful mechanism of quality control that forces researchers to perform their research more rigorously. A bad researcher can simply ignore most other kinds of criticism of their work without negative personal impact. But they cannot do that in a public forum.
If your research is solid, you should have no problem to defend it against any legitimate accusations, even in a public forum such as a conference. If, however, the person asking that question has a point, it is their duty as a researcher - and the real point of a conference - to point out your mistakes, so that you and others in the room can learn from it.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_9: To the person asking a malicious question regardless of his/her status depicts lack of etiquette. I think the Chair or Moderator should quickly intervene by asking to discuss the issue after the end of event so that the speaker can adequately respond in more details.
Upvotes: 1 |
2014/11/24 | 992 | 3,792 | <issue_start>username_0: I for one have never understood the distinction between a regular prof with a prof Emeritus/Emerita aside from the obvious fact that a Prof. Emeritus is someone who is usually fairly elderly and has spent quite a bit of time in the University.
I am currently spending a working with a Prof. Emeritus who is the a supervisor/advisor to my project and conducts biweekly meetings (which are really brief chats about life) and am in need to make a serious request. I feel uncomfortable because he may have a lot of other work on the side. I do not know whether has classes on the side nor am I aware of any research activities.
How does a professor become Prof. Emeritus (is age-status a must?) and do Prof. Emeritus usually still actively conduct research, teach classes? What is the distinction between a retired professor and a Prof. Emeritus?<issue_comment>username_1: To the best of my understanding, the primary function of a professor switching to emeritus status is that it frees up a faculty slot for a new hire. Emeritus is essentially retirement without giving up affiliation. An emeritus professor can ramp down their duties, go part time, etc. In some cases they may still do some teaching and supervising, and may have office space, but I believe they are typically no longer paid and no longer expected to fulfill normal faculty duties. That said, when they are still active, their advice and participation is often still quite valued by the active faculty.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Emeritus faculty are a subset of retired faculty. At some universities, one gets the title "professor emeritus" practically automatically when one retires; at others, the title is a non-trivial honor. (<NAME> is reported to have explained "emeritus", at the time he retired, with the etymology: "e" means "out", and "meritus" means "deserves to be".)
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: I may be mistaken (being surprised at @AndreasBlass' answer that not all retired faculty are "emeritus/emerita" [if gender matters]), but in the U.S. in the last 20+ years it seems that (at R1 universities, and maybe R2s) that "emerit\*" just means "retired".
The cutesy wrangle about whether the "e(x) merit\*" means "from merit" or "without merit" will probably never go away...
So far as I know, no emeritus faculty get any pay, although there may be some deals about benefits (health care in the U.S., ...) People may get to keep modest offices, in some cases, or be reduced to sharing with several other retirees, depending on status...
With widely available internet, and with crumbling infrastructure at many universities, the supposed advantage of "having an office" is evaporating. Many people have better internet, better control of AC or heat, easier parking, nicer space, ... \_at\_home\_ rather than at the (once-regal?) office space on campus. I have a much smaller chance of getting mugged while working at home, already. I have a thermostat! A clean refrigerator. If I had a nice, big, old-fashioned slate blackboard I'd probably have my research students come to my house instead of going to campus to meet them (and have blackboards, luckily, but no AC, parking difficulties even with paid-for reservations, and traffic...)
Skirting faculty meetings, committee assignments, and administrative overhead is a great perk of being retired/emerit\*.
In my experience, though, retired faculty do not teach, although they may participate in seminars. On one hand, there are serious conflicts-of-interest in having people who're paid $0$ teach classes, no matter their competence. On another, ... sure, why not let people who've stopped occupying a paid faculty slot still contribute? Unclear to me the wise solution here.
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/24 | 705 | 2,744 | <issue_start>username_0: After my 10th grade I joined a polytechnic college for a specialization in Infomation Technology (Diploma in Information Technology). Now, I am in my final year of under-graduate studies (Bachelor of Technology in Information Technology), and I want to pursue my graduate studies from the United States of America.
One of the universities that I am applying to did not offer the option of “Diploma in Information Technology” in their online application form. After doing some [research](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diploma#Usage) I found out that:
>
> In [India](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India), a diploma is a specific academic award usually earned in professional/vocational courses, e.g., Engineering, Pharmacy, Design, etc. In such cases, a diploma is specific in rank than a [Bachelor's degree](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachelor%27s_degree) of that discipline but equivalent to general degree in that discipline, e.g., [Diploma in Engineering](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diploma_in_Engineering) of [Electronics Engineering](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronics_Engineering) is rated differently than [Bachelor of Technology](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachelor_of_Technology) in [Electronics Engineering](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronics_Engineering) but is equivalent to [Bachelor of Science](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachelor_of_Science) in [Electronics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronics).
>
>
>
If so, then what is the equivalent degree of a Diploma in Information Technology in India? Is it Bachelor of Science in Information Technology?<issue_comment>username_1: It's not "equivalent" to any US degree.The US educational system is sufficiently different that no such equivalent degree exists in the US.
If an online application doesn't have your specific credentials as an option, choose "Other" and specify. Don't invent equivalencies.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I expect that the diploma would be similar to a degree that you would get out of a US vocational college, or perhaps a community college. Those are associate degrees, which are below a bachelors degree - it's a two year degree that could be transferred for credits if you were pursuing a bachelors degree.
I would suggest that you look for an Academic equivalency service that will provide you with a solution to your issue. Of course, you cannot invent equivalencies for your degree. Another option would be to call the international students affairs office at the university you hope to apply to. They may have some suggestions on what to put on the application and what your degree is equivalent to. They may even tell you to use an academic equivalency service.
Upvotes: 1 |
2014/11/24 | 1,259 | 5,193 | <issue_start>username_0: I have a professor at my university who uses content from an un-cited textbook that he has never referenced anywhere, including his green sheet (syllabus), as an additional resource. At least some slides he has used include parts of content that have been re-worded and others that are 100% the same. I noticed this by Googling for textbooks on the material we're studying in class and found that examples given in one that I found were exactly the same as what he has provided.
Would this technically be plagiarism? Should he be given the benefit of the doubt in this situation?<issue_comment>username_1: Plagiarism involves dishonesty: taking someone else's work and leading others to believe it is your own.
In the case of unpublished teaching materials, I don't think it's assumed that all the examples, etc., a professor uses are original unless an outside source is cited. So I wouldn't strictly consider this plagiarism (though citing outside sources is definitely preferable to not citing them).
It's possible that in your academic culture it *is* assumed that all of a professor's materials are original, in which case, the above would not apply.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Teaching is tricky:
* My university has a one-year post-doc that has a one-course teaching obligation. One of the applicants submitted the required syllabus for the course -- but except for the title, it was a 100% copy/paste of another person's syllabus (including the course description and assignments) without attribution. This *might* have been forgivable if the source was the applicant's mentor, but it wasn't. Needless to say, we didn't give the person the post-doc although this wasn't the primary reason.
* That all being said -- when planning classes, I think it's common to look for syllabuses to draw on. That's why many professional societies have syllabus databases. You should attempt to make the course your own, but if someone has a great cluster of readings for teaching Dunning-Kruger, I think it's well within fair use to use those sections.
* When teaching 100 level classes, I think it's fairly common for professors to look at intro textbooks other than the course textbook. Often these texts have course plans, etc. I don't think it's uncommon for faculty to integrate these into their lectures, but I do think if you're copy/pasting that you should at least attribute.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Note that I'm not in the US, but in my experience generally it's never implied that all the teaching material is original. There often is a hereditary element too, or the department has common material they share.
Also consider that the only sensitive material in most courses could be copyrighted images. There's no copyright on Newton's law. Plagiarism would be saying that you discovered Newton's law, not copying another teachers' material.
I've noticed that some people put a password on all their PDFs and say it's because of the material they put in it which they don't want to show up in google images.
Often, I've noticed that it's a mix of stuff they wrote with images from those PPTs you can get from the textbook minisites, given free of charge by the publishers so that teachers can use the same pictures that are also in the books.
I haven't read the terms and conditions the publishers put on those slide shows but maybe they don't want the images to be republished without a full citation of the source, hence the practice to keep access restricted to the participants.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: The simple answer is no.
Usually, courses are being taught with the same material every semester which is "inherited" from one lecturer to the next one and usually begins with some textbook so that's not unusual - no one assumes that it is an original material.
More than that, if a lecturer is using exercises from some textbook in class he might also use them for homework sheets and then he would prefer not to disclose their origin in case there are also answers in the textbook.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: As far as I understand the word, **what you describe is factually [plagiarism](http://www.plagiarism.org/plagiarism-101/what-is-plagiarism/)**, which includes both (1) passing others words and ideas as one's own, and (2) using another's production without giving credit. In most classes, the ideas are not assumed in any way to be the lecturer's ones, so (1) does not apply; but if text from an non-cited book is copied verbatim, then (2) applies.
Now, most academics I know do use from time to time other's material without proper referencing, and this seems *in practice* to be accepted (as shown by several other answers). I strongly oppose this habit, especially when the same lecturer blame student for copy-pasting Wikipedia in their homework: even if the situation is somewhat different, the message gets a bit confusing.
That does not mean that lecturers can't use other's production; they just have either to get inspiration from them instead of copy-pasting, or to give credit. This applies notably, but not exclusively, to the use of images.
Upvotes: 1 |
2014/11/24 | 1,550 | 6,481 | <issue_start>username_0: I recently received my Mathematics GRE subject test score of 650 ( 48%). I know this score is miserable but in my country, I have the option to retake the GRE next year October only.
Assuming otherwise I have a strong profile (with achievements in other examinations in my country and some research experience ) Should I be reporting this score to universities where it is not mandatory (but highly encouraged) to submit Math subject GRE scores? I mean will this score weaken my application?
Before this score, I was thinking of applying to universities like Upenn, Penn State etc but feel really nervous about my admission prospects now..<issue_comment>username_1: Since the admissions office receive applications in large numbers they would prefer to work the application that corresponds to the "required list", otherwise it would delay the process. Sending in documents, in your case a low subject score, could have an adverse effect on your application. If the application does not require a subject score, do not send a weak subject score as it will not make your application stronger.
There is a GRE general test and subject test. As far as i know, the general test is mandatory for most programs, but the subject test is optional.
General rule: do not send anything that is optional and does not strengthen your application.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: @<NAME> asked me to answer this, so I will. It's a tough one!
The problem here is that I don't feel that PhD programs are all on the same page here, and their differences from one another are not easily visible to the outside (e.g. two departments of similar quality may well differ on the issue). Here are two different philosophies for departments that recommend but do not require the math subject GRE:
* We don't take the math subject GRE that seriously. A really good score is positive, but it is certainly not sufficient to get you admitted. We don't use poor scores to exclude candidates...but we admit that all else being equal, higher scores are better. A missing subject GRE score just means that we don't take this part of the application into account.
* We do take the math subject GRE seriously, and a low score is a red flag for us. However, although we will almost never want to admit a student with a poor score, we understand that sometimes really strong applicants just don't take the test. If we get a fantastic applicant who didn't manage to take the subject test, we would like to have the right to admit them anyway. Making the subject exam strictly required would call that right into question, so we won't do that. But if you are trying to best compete with the heart of the applicant pool, we advise you to take the test and do well on it.
So you see the problem. The 48 percentile score makes it quite likely that the OP is not (or not yet) a latter-day Gauss. Thus for a department with the second philosophy, he should submit his score. For a department with the first philosophy, maybe not...but there's another wrinkle.
The OP characterizes his 48 percentile score as "miserable". That is a misperception beyond mere histrionics: I believe this is actually a decent score for a range of programs. (I *think* it would be fine for mine, but I am no longer on the graduate committee so can't speak so specifically.) Let's get real: the 48 percentile is on a test which is only taken by people who are seriously considering math grad school but the converse does not hold: a lot of people who are considering math grad school -- and even many that are admitted to a certain range and class of programs -- are not taking this test. Further, I have heard rather convincing rumors that many of the highest scores on this exam are attained by foreign students taking the exam under what we Americans would politely call nonstandard conditions. Apparently this is true to an extent that it does skew the results a bit, so 48 percentile is probably not below average for "reliably honest" scores.
So the situation is even more confusing: I'm not quite sure, but I believe that there are US math PhD programs which fall under the first philosophy, but for which nevertheless turning in a score of 48 percentile would help, rather than hurt, the OP in terms of his placement in the pack.
Let's bring this back to the poor OP. He has gone to all the trouble (and money) of taking the test. As a result there is information out there about the OP's math skills that most PhD programs would want to know. Whether it is in the OP's best interest for them to know it is highly unclear: it varies in a way that is a bit opaque *to me*, let alone the OP. Because his score is under 50% he thinks it is bad and thus doesn't submit it to certain schools. (And *maybe* he is right.) Isn't everyone but the Educational Testing Service losing out on this proposition? What a mess.
For the math faculty who are reading this: I hope you now understand why I contributed in my own department's changeover from recommending the exam to requiring it. I recommend that you require it too (!). When people are taking the test, not telling us their scores, *and we understand why they are doing so*, then we are not setting things up in the best way.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: Lets assume a GRE test is a good thing to show on a PhD. So almost all candidates will take one, so to show their grade.
*A priori* the distribution of grades, in percentiles, is, by definition, a uniform distribution, from 0 to 100.
Assuming only candidates with a grade in the top half will submit it, then the graduate committee may make a *a posteriori* inference of the grade distribution of the candidates that do not show their grade. A rough first approximation is that those grades have a uniform distribution from 0 to 50. So they estimate the students not showing a grade had, on average, a grade in the 25th percentile. Or worse, they did not even dare to take the test because they assumed the grade would be lower than that.
So you'll be better of showing a 48th grade.
Actually everyone with more than a 25th percentile grade should show it. Now, if we plug that back in the starting reasoning, we may show by induction that any student with any vanishingly small grade should show it.
Yes, this is mostly a joke.
Or is it? :-)
(not on academia, not even a math student, but considering the possibility to get back and do a unfinished degree :-)
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/24 | 305 | 1,320 | <issue_start>username_0: I am applying to doctoral programs in the US.
I would like to use my master's thesis preprint as my writing sample because it was written in English and is in the field on which I intend to concentrate in my possible doctoral studies.
Though my advisor, who is not a native speaker too, feels it is okay for my thesis to be my writing sample, I am afraid, because I did not make the English in my thesis polished by native speakers, that using it as my writing sample would backfire.<issue_comment>username_1: English language proficiency is important for any PHD candidate and a writing sample can help them. Since you mentioned the language of the pre-print not upto the mark, you could get it reviewed form someone who has strong english language. It is important to clearly and concisely state your goals and language plays an important role at that. Send in your best writing sample.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: Yes. If an applicant to a doctoral program has written a master's thesis, it will be assumed that the thesis is the applicant's best work. Therefore admissions committees will expect to receive the thesis as the writing sample. If your thesis is long, you may wish to send a polished excerpt; the expected length may be field dependent.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2014/11/24 | 1,554 | 7,190 | <issue_start>username_0: Some months ago, I was asked to review a paper for a computer science conference. I submitted my report about a week before the deadline, and I strongly recommended acceptance subject to a few minor corrections.
Just after the deadline, I was contacted by the programme committee member who originally asked me to review the paper. He sent me another reviewer's report (without a name or other identifying information) and asked for my opinion
of it. The other reviewer had recommended rejection on the grounds that an example in the paper supposedly contradicted the claim of the main theorem. I explained that the other reviewer has misunderstood the example (in fairness, the authors of the paper could have stated it more carefully), and I see that the paper was ultimately accepted.
I have never before seen or been asked to comment on another reviewer's report, but my field is primarily mathematics, where there is often only a single reviewer for a paper, and I have only reviewed a few computer science papers.
So my question is this: in fields where it is usual to have multiple reviewers, is it common to be shown and asked to comment on other reviewers' reports?
A secondary question would be: if it is not uncommon, does it mainly occur when reviewers take opposing positions on a paper, like in the situation I describe?<issue_comment>username_1: It's common for conferences that use the [EasyChair system](http://easychair.org/), for example, to show all reviews to all reviewers of a paper. Once you submit your review, you can see any of the others. With these kinds of conferences, the Program Committee (or a subset of it) often actually meets in some form, online or in person, to discuss all the papers under their scrutiny. This gives them an opportunity to figure out these kinds of problems. A good committee chair may ask one reviewer to revise their review in light of others if there was a mistake or misunderstanding.
That being said, I've never had this happen with journal reviewing. There, it seems more common for editors to take all the reviews into consideration and make these kinds of calls for themselves.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I don't know about other fields, but this is a fairly common practice in computer science. Computer science has a very strong culture of significant publications in conferences, which have significantly different reviewing challenges than journal publications.
The key problem is that conferences typically have a large number of papers that all need to be dealt with by a fixed deadline and with a single iteration of revision. This generally means that:
1. You have to cast a wide net for reviewers, and are likely to be trying out a "new" reviewer on several papers at once, rather than iteratively.
2. People typically commit to reviewing far in advance, when the program committee is formed, and may find themselves with less time than expected and no opportunity to ask for an extra couple of weeks to produce a review.
3. There is no opportunity for the cycles of dialogue between reviewers and authors that happen during the journal manuscript revision process: generally there is no "major revision" option, just "accept with minor revisions" and "reject."
All of this adds up to getting a collection of reviews with more uneven quality and less chance to work the differences through in dialogue. Outlier reviews can be problematic: a very low outlier can cause an otherwise good paper to be rejected; a very good outlier can cause the authors of a rightfully rejected paper to feel that they were robbed of a publication.
One of the typical ways to try to deal with this (supported nicely by platforms like [EasyChair](http://www.easychair.org/)) is to ask the reviewers to look at each others' reviews and to discuss differences. This way, when there are major differences of opinion, the more careful and informed participants can influence the others to adjust their opinions, just as happened in your case. Another mechanism (less commonly practiced, due to time constraints), is to allow the authors to write a rebuttal, which the reviewers are then asked to consider and see whether it leads them to adjust their scores.
There are other, more experimental methods as well---many computer science subfields take their conferences pretty seriously, and are constantly tinkering to try to improve them.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: This isn't exactly the same situation, but in the first round of a paper I submitted in applied math, I received a glowing and a lukewarm/slightly negative review. When it came back to me, there was also what seemed like a tie-breaker opinion pretty much only saying "clearly worth publishing, but not in current form" (the paper was essentially copied and pasted from a thesis chapter which that review continued to say what it looked like). As the 3rd review made no substantial other comments, someone had clearly been asked to opine on the other 2 reviews, also underlined by, in later rounds, only getting feedback from the first two (obvious because of cross-references they made).
This gives anecdotal feedback to your question 2 - for journals, not conferences. It was a good journal in a rather dead field, in case that matters. I went to industry after and cannot provide insight into how common the above is.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: It is fairly common in computer science for program committee members to have a large number of papers assigned to them for review. They will often review some subset of these papers themselves and send the others to sub-reviewers. (EasyChair makes it easy to do this and to keep track of everything.) Usually, the program committee members will see all the reviews, whether from other members or from sub-reviewers. The committee will discuss the reviews and try to iron out any disagreements. In some cases, but usually fairly few cases, this may involve going back to sub-reviewers, making them aware of disagreements, and asking for their help in resolving the issues. From your question, I infer that you were a sub-reviewer for one of the program committee members. In that case, being shown other reviews and asked to comment on them is not the most common situation but it happens for a small percentage of the papers in a typical conference (well, typical among the conferences that I have some experience with).
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: It is apparent that the standards vary between fields. In field with which I am familiar (in the Sciences) seeing and commenting on other reviews is not at all common (in fact I had not heard about the process before). Reviews typically go to an editor and is conveyed to the authors. Even in publications with open reviews where anyone can comment on the manuscript, there are specifically appointed reviewers that provide reviews that will be posted online as the manuscript is closed for further comments. this is the time when the authors get to respond and adjust their manuscript for continued consideration.
So the procedure you describe is not common to al fields by any means.
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/24 | 841 | 3,565 | <issue_start>username_0: If I reuse unpublished work in new unpublished work, would this be considered self-plagiarism?
Examples would be:
1. Use the same paragraph of text in more than one cover letter for job applications
2. Use the same unpublished results in more than one funding application
I would usually say *better safe than sorry* but it just seems silly to state *I previously used this text/material in [unpublished work X]*, in contexts such as the examples I gave above.<issue_comment>username_1: **No.** Unpublished work is unpublished. It's almost as if it doesn't exist. Given that it is your work, there is no case of plagiarism. I don't even think you need to cite yourself --- what would you actually be citing?
*Indeed, how would you prove that you plagiarised yourself?*
If your unpublished work has been circulated among other authors and has been cited by them, maybe you can cite it too. But that seems a bit odd.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Self-plagiarism is attempting to pass off your own words as previously unpublished original work when they are not. If you are copying text from a work that is *not intended for publication*, then it cannot be a prior publication, and thus it cannot be self-plagiarism. Likewise, it is OK to take text from one of your rejected works if you have decided not to publish it. If the other work is not published but is also aiming for publication, however, then it would be self-plagiarism (though which of the two works would be "original" and which "self-plagiarized" could depend on the details of the progress of each toward publication).
Many pieces of text, however, do not expect the work to be original, in which case you can *plagiarize*, but not *self-plagiarize*. Taking your example: if you create job application letters by modifying a base template, the duplication from letter to letter is perfectly ethical, because there is no expectation of originality in a job application, just for truthfulness.
Funding applications are a funny in-between state. They do not have the same expectation of originality in text as a publication, but most funding agencies require that you not be attempting to fund the same proposed research through any other application. Thus, you would be safe to use the same preliminary work text as part of pitching two different ideas (though it will probably need to be customized for context in any case). Pitching closely related ideas, however, even with different text, would typically be a violation of the funding agency rules. Since there is a decent chance that some of the same people will see both proposals, it's a fast track to rejection and burning bridges with funders. Don't do it.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: **Yes, technically you CAN plagiarize yourself.**
According to this page on the [Lancaster University](http://lusu.co.uk/services/advice-support/plagiarism/)'s page, for example, they say: "Duplication of your own work:It is possible to plagiarise yourself by directly copying a section from a previous essay you have written and submitting it as part of your new essay."
You need to check the student policies of the school you attend, most likely there is a clause that specifically forbids you from handing in two separate essays that share sections containing the same work.
I'm not sure if this is really what you are asking though, because you make it sound more like you will be paraphrasing previous work within a new context, which I believe would be acceptable use.
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/24 | 1,351 | 5,592 | <issue_start>username_0: I was alleged in scientific misconduct in form of authorship abuse. More details are in my previous questions
[How to respond to allegations of misconduct in authorship dispute?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/21710/how-to-respond-to-allegations-of-misconduct-in-authorship-dispute)
[Should I put my supervisor as coauthor of a paper?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/20631/should-i-put-my-supervisor-as-coauthor-of-a-paper)
The good news is that the investigations have ended in the inquiry stage (the dean have informed me by email).
There are several probable reasons why they have stopped:
1. The article was indeed done with different methodology, which had nothing to do with the approach described in the grant application.
2. At the interview I have revealed several facts of abuse, namely I was ordered to work on the projects not connected to my funding project.
3. They are afraid I could become a whistleblower.
After receiving the confirmation from the dean, I immediately informed the editor of the journal. Unfortunately, the editor rejected the manuscript, stating that:
>
> This is useful information for us, but the question before the journal is not one of personal scientific misconduct, but rather whether the authorship on the paper is the correct one, and whether we should proceed with the external review process, which may lead to its eventual acceptance and publication.
>
>
> Based on the information available, we have decided not to go further with the review of your manuscript. There are still significant concerns being raised about whether the manuscript should have been submitted with its current authorship, and we do not believe there is any clear path to removing these concerns. The scientific reviews we have received are mixed and would place the manuscript in an unclear position regarding acceptance or rejection based on its content. These two factors together give us sufficient cause to issue a rejection. Because the manuscript did not reach the publication stage, no other action is necessary, and we would like to also consider the case closed.
>
>
>
My questions are:
1. Should I try to resubmit the manuscript as is into some other journal; should I redo all the calculations, reanalyze, and rewrite it first; or should I just abandon it?
2. I have another manuscript, for which my ex-supervisor sent me an email stating that "he assumed that I was going to publish it by my myself", in spite of the fact that he supported me. This seems to be the evidence that he resigns his authorship. Should I try to publish it also?
3. Can they reopen the misconduct case if they would like to do that?<issue_comment>username_1: 1. You should probably continue trying to publish it. Presumably the results will be useful to somebody, and it will help your career.
2. Probably, but you should ask for explicit permission.
3. Surely this depends on your institution's policy. Ask the dean.
If I were in your place, I would seek to repair relationships and maximize the number of publications.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: If you would like an academic future, you should ask these questions your (former?) PI, and do your best to make up.
Some answers to related earlier questions you asked gave you advice that saw this only from a David taking on Goliath perspective, and wrote what I felt would only further egg you on. With additional information added in the newer questions, however, you really found yourself in the extremely rare case of your PI taking action against you at your own school. It is time to stop acting on guesses and interpretations, with some Internet forum feedback. You need to get a clear answer from that PI, ideally in writing: for 1 and 2, ask if this means he agrees you can go ahead and submit the 2 papers under your single-authored name?
However, that isn't what I would do. 2, at least, could be read as a conciliatory outreach by your PI: I assume you want to publish this by yourself? (...but do tell me that no, you would like to go together).
Even if that is not true, publishing something (anything) with your PI now matters more than a publication by yourself. You write they are "afraid" of you. They are not. Whistleblowers (if you even could blow a whistle) are a nuisance and embarrassment, rarely more; and in the cases in industry I know of (a friend was a fairly high profile one in banking), they eventually only come back to bite the whistler. It may take years and seem differently; but they eventually do.
Justly or not, the whole incident reflects poorly on all participants (a petty adviser; and a student setting off a petty adviser). For an academic future, in all cases I am familiar with you *need* your adviser's support. You had a falling out; you should try to mend it. The situation will not help the PI to recruit in the near future; and how are you going to get recommendations that matter? You both have an interest in making up: that is what you should focus on. It may be hard, it may be impossible; but it doesn't seem that you have tried, or tried hard enough. It's your life and future, and phyrric victories and a single publication don't matter in the big scheme.
If you really just want to know if you can ignore all this, and publish alone based on that email and the result of the proceedings: I find it risky, but not very so as there is no way your PI is going through with another case...at least it's extremely unlikely. But I don't think that's what will serve you best.
Upvotes: 3 |
2014/11/25 | 453 | 1,748 | <issue_start>username_0: I am applying to math graduate programs, have a list of schools of different range, but I am so worried about being accepted to a grad school, that am considering to apply to 20 schools.
My undergraduate institution is one of the top schools in math, #1 or #2 in several math fields.
My worry is that I messed up grades of some important classes, also totally messed up my gre sub, since I didn't prepare for it at all. But I do have lots of research experience in fields related to applied math (I want to do applied math, now I am pure math major).
Should I apply to 20 or there is no point in applying to so many, maybe just 15? I also don't want to disturb my rec letter writers so much.
I am not thinking about the money I have to spend on the application process
Thank you :)<issue_comment>username_1: Just my opinion: Do you really need to apply to 20 schools? I think it is very hard to be focused when applying to many schools. You also have to spend lots of money, and more importantly, you have to find referees willing to write 20 recommendation letters!
I have read many articles and most of them suggest 6-8 school: 3 reach schools, 2 match schools, and 2 safe schools and that seems reasonable.
20 seems to be too much and a waste of your time and money.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: If you are worried about being accepted narrowing your choices would be better than enlarging them. Focus on the ones you think will be more successful.
Despite you messed up some grades your researching experience should be taken into account.
>
> I also don't want to disturb my rec letter writers so much
>
>
>
You'll definitely disturb they by applying to 20 schools.
Upvotes: 1 |
2014/11/25 | 564 | 2,339 | <issue_start>username_0: Alice (for argument's sake) is a postdoc in maths in an Australian University, but did her PhD in Europe. She is making two applications for funding. The first is to funding scheme A in her home country, the second is to funding scheme B in Australia. Scheme A is less prestigious and is worth less money than Scheme B. Alice's preferences are obvious: she prefers B to A, and A to whatever her next best option is.
Applications for Scheme A are due in November, the outcome is declared in April, the position begins in October. Applications for Scheme B are due in March, and the outcome is declared in November, the position begins in January. The application to Scheme A must be declared in the application to Scheme B. And, should Alice be accepted by Scheme A, she would have to notify Scheme B before they have made a decision on her application.
Question: Suppose Alice is offered Scheme A, how does she indicate this to Scheme B without prejudicing the outcome? Assume that Alice is willing to resign from Scheme A, say after six months or a year. Assume further that Alice stands a reasonable chance in both schemes. There is no guidance online about how this situation is resolved by the funding body for Scheme B.
TL;DR: What does one do if one receives a less prestigious offer while waiting for a decision on a more prestigious one?<issue_comment>username_1: Alice should tell scheme B something like "I have won competition A, which shows that I am very well qualified for B."
I do not see how winning A can be all that bad for Alice unless A requires her to commit to stay for some period. In any case, I think she should remember how fortunate she is to have A.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Alice might consider using a "decision tree" to help her resolve the best route to take.
The following resources will aide Alice in making informed decision based on her odds of being accepted (within reason) to B, the risk of rejecting A and not being accepted to B, how much she values the prestige (and pay) of B, and any other relevant factors Alice considers important.
<http://vserver1.cscs.lsa.umich.edu/~spage/ONLINECOURSE/R4Decision.pdf>
<http://www.mindtools.com/dectree.html>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decision_tree#Advantages_and_disadvantages>
Upvotes: 0 |
2014/11/25 | 499 | 2,274 | <issue_start>username_0: My UG university have awarded me a scholarship for master's degree ( I'm an international student ) the scholarship pays for all expenses of the master's degree for the whole duration of the study.
I would like to know if this raises my chances to get accepted for a masters program ? Does being a "risk free" student gives me more leeway?<issue_comment>username_1: It may depend upon what field you are in, but in biology in the USA most universities I know would be much more interested in a student if they brought their own funding!
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: In the science and engineering fields in the US, where nearly all graduate students are supported by teaching or research assistantships (TA/RA), academic departments have to decide whether an applicant is adequately prepared to be a successful student in the program and whether the student can do the TA/RA job. When the student comes with their own funding, that second question doesn't have to be answered.
In my department (mathematics) it's quite common to have an applicant whose academic preparation is good but whose English isn't good enough that the student could be successful as a TA. We would typically admit the student without offering the student an assistantship. Most applicants that are offered admission without an assistantship don't enter the program. However, if the same applicant came to us with their own funding, we'd admit the student. So, having your own funding might help.
There are some costs associated with having a student even if the student has their own funding for tuition and living expenses. Supervising a graduate student takes faculty time, and some faculty are only interested in supervising PhD students and less willing to work with MS students.
Also in the lab sciences and engineering students need access to research facilities, equipment, and supplies to conduct their research. Students who are funded as RA's under a grant also come with grant funding to cover these costs. Depending on your area of study, you might have to convince the department (or perhaps an individual faculty member) that you would be able to contribute enough to the research activity to justify these expenses.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2014/11/25 | 2,040 | 8,517 | <issue_start>username_0: I was flagged for plagiarism on a programming assignment. We get 3 submissions a day for the ~3 weeks that the project is open. I finished my project in about 1 week, but on one of those days I used my friend's computer to submit my assignment to the autograder (so I really got 4 submissions in one day). The undergraduate Honor Council at my college found me guilty of cheating on the assignment, and I'll have to report to another Honor Council with 5 professors evaluating my case and asking me questions to determine my ultimate punishment.
In all honestly, I just submitted on my friend's account to see if it would work (I was curious if they checked on submitting on peoples' accounts who weren't in the class). I still had ~2 weeks worth of submissions when I submitted my project for the final time, so I don't really think I had an unfair advantage over my peers.
Is this really a serious offense? The undergraduate council recommended to the official council that I get a 0 on the project (I actually got 100 on it), which would put me at a <= C- in the class (which is failing) given how heavily weighted this assignment was, but this seems rather ridiculous given it was all my code.<issue_comment>username_1: What you did, in my opinion, doesn't deserve more punishment than a frown. Your problem now is convincing them that that is exactly what happened. It should be easy to see that the code is all yours, and that you had plenty of extra time. It would speak in your favour if the submission you did with your friend's computer was the same as one done with your account.
Keep a cool head and explain things clearly.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: Be ready to explain your code and prove it is yours. It was submitted from two accounts, the council knows it was from the same author, but they don't know who the author is yet. At my school the students are questioned about the code and how it works.
Explain to them what you did was dumb and that you did not benefit from it. Technically, you found a loophole in their system that could give you an unfair advantage. If possible bring the assignment sheet with due dates, and the dates/times of each submission. Have evidence that you didn't do that for fraudulent reasons, and that if submitted the next day it would still be on time.
And as username_1 said, it is very important to be polite and calm. No one has ever gotten a warning from a police officer after being disrespectful to them. They may very well have not dealt with a situation like this before, and are treating it with a guilty until proven innocent approach. Treat it as a court case and professionally present your evidence and make your case as to why you didn't benefit and that you didn't plagiarize.
Lastly, learn from this. I have painfully learned like you that following your curiosity without either notice or consent from those in charge can end badly. People just see the outcome, with no knowledge of if the intent was malicious, and sadly most the time people assume the worst.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: Given that the student Honor Council has already found you guilty of cheating, maintaining that what you did was simply out of curiosity does not seem like a good strategy. I don't find that explanation so convincing myself: your "curiosity" got you an unfair advantage in the grading of the assignment. Your position that this advantage was not relevant to the final outcome is really not the point: many if not most students who cheat on assignments and exams could have reached the same outcome honestly if only they had been more patient (and honest!). If you were really "just curious", you could have asked about it, and you certainly could have submitted only the allowed total number of submissions in a single day.
The real question is whether you deserve the punishment you've thus far been given, of a 0 on the entire assignment. Generally, when students don't follow all the rules of an assignment, they can reasonably expect to be penalized for it in some way, but the penalty need not be the entire value of the assignment. I think your position should be that you agree that you did not follow the rules and that you did this out of a combination of curiosity and stupidity. You can make a reasonable case that you did not violate any fundamental principles of the assignment: all the work you turned in was your own, and you got it 100% correct well before the final deadline. So all in all you did more good work than bad. You did exhibit poor judgment and agree that some penalty is reasonable.
I would suggest that you ask to be given the score that you got on the last attempt *before* you submitted on your friend's computer. This score is undeniably legit, and giving you that score for the assignment seems like a nice compromise between giving no penalty for breaking the rules and ruining your entire course grade.
On the other hand, all this is to answer your question "Is this really a serious offense?" (TL,DR: probably not *too* serious, but you did do something wrong.) What I suggested above is really more a suggestion for what I think a just outcome of the faculty deliberation would be. Depending upon how your system works, you may or may not have the opportunity to suggest a punishment. As others have said, your real strategy here is to remain calm, explain all the facts as clearly as possible, accept that what you did is wrong and convey the impression that you are nevertheless a good student overall. What they decide is really up to them.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_4: You knew what the rules were (3 submissions a day) and you knowingly violated those rules (by making 4 submissions in a day). This gives them a slam-dunk justification for giving you 0 on the assignment. If this happens your response needs to recognise that you are in the wrong and accept the consequences of your actions.
It does seem on the harsh side however. To convince the council to favour you, I would suggest that you must first convince them that you (a) accept you did something wrong and (b) won't do it again. Once you've done this you may be able to achieve leniency by arguing that these were your submissions and they are of the highest standard.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: This does not seem to be a case of plagiarism but identity theft (or "surrogation").
>
> In all honestly, I just submitted on my friend's account to see if it would work (I was curious if they checked on submitting on peoples' accounts who weren't in the class)
>
>
>
Sure it's all your code, your programming skills may be unpaired, but you are going to be taught a lesson on ethics, protocols and behaviour. Be prepared. This is the result of curiosity, now you learn that and its consequences.
It's really not about the qualification or your skills, it's about sending a message about what is misconduct and the tolerance to that. Basically, you are questioning the rules (I can have 4 submissions in one day and that doesn't make a difference) and they won't like that.
I don't think a 0 in that project is too harsh. For the reference, real plagiarism in my university would imply a 0 in the whole course and waiting for 2 years to be able to take it again. This is not real plagiarism, hence just a 0 seems reasonable to me.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_6: I was a tutor once for a couple of years and I had students like you who tried to push the boundaries, doing things that were forbidden and trying to make excuses similar to yours... Your excuse seems really poor, I'm not sure if they will believe it or even care, as others have pointed out, you could have:
* asked whether it would work
* upload something from your friend's account that is not your code
* upload it on a day where you did not already have 3 submissions
Honestly, did you even think about what you where doing?
I don't mean to be offensive, I want to believe that you didn't mean to cheat or get an advantage, but from the position of a tutor/teacher, such behaviour is annoying. It means more work for them (5 professors have to deal with your case!) because of something that you think is not serious at all.
I would probably give you 50% of the points you had on your last legitimate submission.
What I suggest you to do is to apologize (mean it!), say how stupid and unthoughtful that was and kindly ask to get the points you had on your last legitimate submission.
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/25 | 704 | 3,259 | <issue_start>username_0: Recently I wrote a course paper on a subject connecting my major to my current major. In the background section, I listed quite a bit of essential information I think is information that is readily available, and which I can confirm through many years of life and work experience, but which my instructor knows nothing about. The instructor has accused me of not providing references for this information.
Do I need to fill my paper with citations to people who wrote books saying the same thing? How do I know where to draw the line between what gets a reference and what does not?<issue_comment>username_1: **The standard rule of thumb in this situation is not whether the information is readily available, but whether it is common knowledge.** If the majority of people on the street (or beginners in your field) will know the information, then you probably don't need to cite a source for that information. However, if it is information specific to your subspecialty, you do need to cite a source, even when this is 'common knowledge' to you and others in your sub-specialty. The rest of the world--and in this case, your instructor--do not simply know this information, and thus you need to provide them a way to evaluate the validity of your claims.
Where this really gets tricky is when you are writing for a specialty audience. You do not need to provide a source for background information that your audience already knows and has known since beginning their studies. For example, I would not expect to need to provide a definition of, or citation for, third spacing to an audience of healthcare professionals, but if my audience may include other disciplines then I need to address this because third spacing can mean more than one thing.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Here is the general principle for citations: anything that is not considered "elementary knowledge" to the community *reading* the paper must have a citation.
This means that different communities need citations for different things.
For example, when I write for a biology community, I often end up including citations to basic computer science textbooks, to give a grounding for things that are simple undergraduate information in my background, but that would be highly unintuitive to an experimental biologist. The reverse applies as well, for a biologist writing to a computer science audience.
Something that you know through experience **definitely** needs to be backed up with citation. One of the critical values of the scientific method is that it lets us separate statements supportable by facts from myths based on cognitive biases. We humans are very, very bad at learning from experience, in the sense that we draw many conclusions that are simply not true. Folklore is full of these types of experience-grounded myths, some of which turn out to be true (willow bark does help with pain: that's the basis for aspirin), and some of which turn out to be false (mercury turns out to be terrible as a medicine).
If you can find things backing up your experience in reliable literature, you can cite them. If not, perhaps you have a good subject for study, if you can figure out how to design an appropriate experiment...
Upvotes: 3 |
2014/11/25 | 388 | 1,439 | <issue_start>username_0: I find most articles through EBSCO and similar search tools, then export the BibTeX details to my own `bibliography.bib` file. Recently, I found some BibTeX files with a strange author field, containing not just the name of a person, but also of a research lab or a college. E.g.:
>
> Author = {<NAME>. and West College Child Development Laboratory}
>
>
>
When compiled in APA format, it looks very odd:
>
> White, <NAME>. and Laboratory, <NAME>.
>
>
>
Are there situations in which it is correct to place such lab or school details directly in the author field? If not, where do I need to relocate this information to?<issue_comment>username_1: What does the article itself look like if you pull it up from the journal itself? You should probably adjust your record of it to match whatever the article actually says. This could be a problem with the machine parsing of the original document, or the journal may have accepted the "authorship" of the lab as a convention in that field.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I have seen labs signing papers in cases of very big collaborations. If that is how it is cited in the journal, you should adjust your bib file [like so](http://timmurphy.org/2011/02/15/using-an-organisation-name-as-an-author-in-bibtex/) (thanks to <NAME> for the fix):
```
Author = "<NAME>. and {West College Child Development Laboratory}"
```
Upvotes: 3 |
2014/11/25 | 375 | 1,530 | <issue_start>username_0: I have a discussion with my mate about how to reference with the Harvard referencing style.
I would say it is wrong to do the referencing like in the picture below.
My suggestion was that the footnotes was to explantion of synonyms or something like that and all references should be in the end of the paper work, so the reader have all the references in one or two pages, so it's easier to get an overview of all references.
Am I totally wrong?<issue_comment>username_1: Footnotes are quite common in the humanities, and less so in science and engineering. Putting a reference in the footnotes *can* happen, according to the specific paper and citation style you are using. For example, the *Chicago Manual of Style* can use [either footnotes or parenthetical references](http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html).
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: As your question is directly about Harvard referencing, I believe all Harvard referencing uses in-text citations. [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parenthetical_referencing) supports this understanding.
Yes, you can use footnotes but they are used for clarification or comments, they are not used for referencing as the image in the question has done [therefore the author has cited improperly].
There are several sub-types of Harvard but ALL of them that I am familiar with are in-text, not based on footnotes (except as noted above).
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/25 | 785 | 3,110 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm applying to a BS/MS program and I'm gathering recommendations. I'm an international student from China and I was transferred to my current college last year.
Two weeks ago, I went to see my professor during his office hours to ask if he could write me a recommendation letter. He agreed and told me to email him.
I sent my request a week later and it was just a general email asking for recommendation (without mentioning when I'd visited him).
I still haven't got a response from that professor. It's possible that the professor didn't recognize me in the email, since I sent that only one week after going to his office.
Should I leave him a reminder in a follow-up email? Or should I do so in person?<issue_comment>username_1: My experience was that professors tend to take long time to write recommendations and many of them just forget that you requested one. I would send him an email then visit him a few days later if he doesn't reply. You need to give many warnings and reminders or otherwise you will not get it.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I would send an email along these lines (taken from [Cindy Au on Quora](https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-etiquette-for-sending-reminder-emails-to-professors-writing-recommendations-for-you/answer/Cindy-Au-1)):
>
> Dear Professor [Professor's name],
>
>
> The deadline for submitting letter of recommendation for [name of
> program/ fellowship] is quickly approaching. I would like to
> inquire if there is still any document I can supply to make your
> writing easier in addition to what we discussed during office hours 2 weeks ago.
>
>
> I understand that this is a very hectic time in the school year and
> thus can't thank you enough for your time and support.
>
>
> Respectfully yours,
>
>
> [Your name + ideally a link to some website containing your photo]
>
>
>
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Here is a useful hack for emails in academia:
Email your professor with a subject line about his research. Pick something about their research that intrigues you and ask a pointed question.
Then remind them you are also waiting for their response regarding writing a letter of recommendation. The professor may have decision paralysis when weighing other tasks they have against writing a letter. They may not have even closely read your request. They may have thought about getting to it later, but later may never be. Try this solution as it will get them to read your email. It's better if you do a bit of research regarding their work to make it sincere.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_4: Here is a useful and ethical problem free hack for emails in academia or any place where emails are used a lot:
Send your email at the right time - Not after dinner time so that next day when the person you are trying to contact opens the email in the morning and yours is under 1000 other emails... So I would say send it around the time where workday starts or around lunch. Then the chances of your email being in the top 10 and visible are much higher.
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/25 | 1,704 | 7,194 | <issue_start>username_0: Having recently finished my PhD, I have now secured funding to act as PI on a project.
I continue to work alongside my former PhD supervisor, with the old supervisor listed as a collaborator on the new project.
The former supervisor frequently refers to me as *their* 'postdoctoral fellow'. **Question 1: Is this appropriate, given that I am the PI on the new project?** The former supervisor is certainly in a higher position than I (Professor, whereas I am indeed a postdoc), but I feel that I should not be considered 'their' worker.
The current project requires me to use equipment owned by the former supervisor, and we closely collaborate on a lot of work. I value the impact my former supervisor has had on my career so far, and would hope to continue to work with them in the future. **Question 2: How can I best make clear (respectfully) that they are now a colleague?**
(UK based)<issue_comment>username_1: Working with former advisors can result in unexpected issues as you clearly point out. The reasons can be a question of (bad) traditions or just not reflecting on the new position to which you have arrived. The "once a PhD student, always a PhD student" is a common syndrome.
What appears to make your situation worse is the fact that you depend on your former advisor even though you are now a PI. I have a colleague who went through the same thing. Sadly things did not improve until he left and that was with a large bang. Clearly the resolution depends on the personality of your advisor and an answer is therefore slightly difficult to pin down.
Communication is always good and so if your former advisor is sensible and has a reputation as being so then a short to the point discussion should suffice where you can state your obvious gratitude to the former advisor for supporting the application and providing facilities in the collaboration but that you want to be appreciated as a peer, albeit perhaps inexperienced, but not a student. That is the simple way in a good situation.
Now if you know your former advisor is less susceptible to good two-way communication, then the problem is more difficult. You should know your environment by now and should probably know of other peers to whom you can talk and ask for additional advice concerning the situation. I would see this as the second port of call. In the worst case, the problem might not be possible to remove until you remove yourself and then it is an endurance test.
Since you have finished your PhD and still opted to seek funding with your advisor I suspect reality to be located away from the last scenario. Finding colleagues, with insight into the actual conditions to talk things over and seek advice is the best step forward you can take.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: >
> The former supervisor frequently refers to me as *their* 'postdoctoral fellow'. Question 1: Is this appropriate, given that I am the PI on the new project?
>
>
>
I have never encountered a "postdoctoral fellow" that does not have a supervisor. But my experience is far from global. As [this article on postdoctoral research says](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postdoctoral_research), "Depending on the type of appointment, postdoctoral researchers may work independently or under the supervision of a principal investigator." Later it says "In the US, a postdoctoral scholar is an individual holding a doctoral degree who is engaged in mentored research and/or scholarly training for the purpose of acquiring the professional skills needed to pursue a career path of his or her choosing."
If you are the PI on your project then yes, I suppose that must mean that you do not have a formal supervisor. However you can still have a **mentor**...and you should. Your former PhD advisor's description of you as "theirs" need not imply that they view themselves as your boss; it may only mean that they are affiliated with you and are taking a role of mentoring you, as seems to be the case here.
Let me also say that in that this person who is formally associated with the grant is your former PhD advisor and in that he owns (you say) the equipment that you are using both give him more oversight than some other independent researcher would expect. If I borrow my friend's car that does not make her my boss, but it does give her some supervisory role over my use of the car. A senior academic who owns equipment you are using *should* have some supervisory role in your work.
>
> Question 2: How can I best make clear (respectfully) that they are now a colleague?
>
>
>
I don't see what behavior of the supervisor indicates that he does not view you as a colleague. I have a postdoc, and I view her as a colleague: a junior one, in which I have some supervisory role, but still a colleague: I have some projects she is not involved in, she has some projects I am not involved in except to hear her talk about them, and there are some projects we do together. If she decided tomorrow that she only wanted to work on her own projects alone, that would in my view be suboptimal for both of us, but it would be her right.
In some fields postdocs are treated rather differently: they are the highest level of workers for the PI professor. But since you are a PI, that is not your situation.
Having a senior colleague who can mentor you is extremely valuable. I continue to mentor my PhD students after they get the PhD -- well, so far I have one, but soon two more -- but this mentorship is limited by my time and energy. Any mentor should be guiding his/her mentees towards greater mastery, independence and autonomy. Gradually the influence of mentors wanes: when I was an untenured assistant professor I had a research mentor and a teaching mentor; as a tenured associate professor I have no formal mentors anymore....which is a shame, since to paraphrase Yoda, *much to learn, I still have*. But my work is still evaluated by more senior people -- that is a ubiquitous phenomenon in academia -- so it is still important for me to maintain good relationships with senior colleagues. Unless people are literally telling me what to do, I tend to let it slide when people treat me with less "seniority" than I think I have.
I am a little worried that you may have your eye on the wrong problem. You have a one year position: what happens next year? That's the key question, and your future relationship with your advisor is a key part of the answer. You don't need to kowtow or be subservient to him: on the contrary, you're the PI, so when it comes to the work itself you get to call the shots (and you should). But you are still looking for a lot of help from your supervisor -- help landing the best possible future job, if nothing else. So trying to insist "You're not my mentor; I am fully independent from you" in a one-year position seems really to be a strategic mistake to me. Instead you should apply yourself and show your former PhD supervisor how much stronger and more capable you have become, and then they can write you an excellent recommendation because all of your post-PhD growth and maturation took place before his eyes.
Upvotes: 4 |
2014/11/25 | 302 | 1,335 | <issue_start>username_0: My postdoc finished 9 months ago. My former supervisor has asked me to submit an abstract on my work to a conference next year.
No-one intends that I will attend the conference. My ex-supervisor has an invited talk there, and basically wants current and former group members to also submit contributed talks that can also be presented if the main authors don’t show up.
The supervisor essentially wants to be able to give three or four talks for the cost of one attendee. I don’t really feel this is right. On the other hand I also want to remain on good terms with them, as they are a reference on my current job applications, and we are also still working on papers together.
Should I refuse to submit an abstract? Or just bite the bullet and write something?<issue_comment>username_1: I would say it is right: I have never seen any conference put a cap on the number of talks a speaker can give, and it's quite commonplace that the speaker is not the primary author.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I think it can be acceptable if and only if it is clearly communicated in the submission that the former supervisor is the intended presenter. Deliberately misrepresenting who will present at the conference is dishonest. If in doubt, contact someone at the conference.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2014/11/25 | 1,082 | 4,538 | <issue_start>username_0: I’m finishing my first paper, and am struggling with the citations a bit.
I have used a particular implementation of an algorithm.
The citation of those who thought of this particular variation and implementation of the algorithm is clear, but should I also include the creators of the original idea, and not just the implementation that I use?
In the case of genetic algorithms, seems like a tower where quite a lot of people have worked on (see [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_algorithm) for a short history), and it isn’t really clear who put the first or most important stone. Most people cite the work of J. Holland who popularized it, but that also doesn’t really feel right, since I wouldn’t give credit to all the others. On the other hand I don’t want to spend half a page repeating the history of the idea, citing 15 papers or so.
Some options that crossed my mind:
1. Is it enough to refer to the name of the idea (of which the detailed history is quite accessible such in the example)?
2. A huge list of citations [5,6,7,8,...,20].
3. Referring to a source that has a nice overview of the history.
What would you advise?<issue_comment>username_1: To cite a body of work large enough to have generated textbooks or comprehensive review papers, you should cite a good recent textbook or comprehensive review paper.
You may not need to, however, depending on why and how you are using the algorithm.
The key is to provide the reader with everything they need to know about why you chose that algorithm and the significance of the choice.
In this case, if your work is focused on genetic algorithms and/or their applications, then you should position it within the comprehensive space of genetic algorithms work. You would then cite both the textbook/review sources and the more specific "nearby" pieces to compare it to.
In the other hand, if your work is focused on an application, it's its more just about needing some tool and you happened to find genetic algorithms promising, then you don't need the comprehensive references because that's not the point. Instead,
if you chose Algorithm X for particular reasons, then you should explain why you didn't pick competitor Algorithms Y, Z, and W (citing each). If you just chose Algorithm X because you thought that probably any algorithm would likely do, then be clear about that fact and don't worry about positioning it within a larger field, because honestly you haven't.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: For a general reference I usually cite two papers: original/influential and a review paper.
In the case where the idea is relatively well-known and there is no single original paper, a review paper or textbook should suffice.
Unless you talk specifically about history of a discovery, or trying to put things in a historical context, there is no need for historical reviews.
In the case of doubt think about the reader. (Or imagine that you are a reader, new to this topic.)
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Assuming you are writing an article for an audience that knows what a genetic algorithm is (at least, anyone in CS and related fields), it is not so important to explain what it is, as much as the implementation details. In your shoes, I would cite the paper of the implementation.
If there is a risk of readers not knowing what a genetic algorithm is, or you are using advanced details that are not common knowledge, I think it is best to add a modern textbook, or whichever explanation you think is clearest.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: Just to add a little to the other answers (which are good): **don't worry about it!**
As long as you cite at least one relevant source (the one you directly used) you have a lot of leeway as to which historical papers to cite. I like to do a couple things:
* Think about who might review your paper and cite them. You can even recommend them as a reviewer.
* Cite an often overlooked, but good quality paper. If a paper already has hundreds of citations, it doesn't need any more. But maybe there is a nice paper with a similar result that only has a handful of citations. The authors of the less cited paper will appreciate it.
* Cite open source citations. If I have a choice people of citing a paper in a paywalled journal or an open-access journal, I will cite the open-access one, and I will cite papers from a nonprofit publisher (like [PLOS](https://plos.org) or [eLife](https://elifesciences.org)) if I can.
Upvotes: 0 |
2014/11/25 | 1,059 | 4,467 | <issue_start>username_0: I am a recently PhD graduate student in computer science.
In the last months, I wrote a paper about an aspect of my thesis, with the collaboration of my former supervisor.
We found a call for papers for a **"special section"** of an important journal, that is a section focused on the data set we are exploiting.
The submission deadline was set to the end of November 2014, but surprisingly we just discovered that it has been **post-poned** to the end of March 2015. So a **4 months delay**.
**Our paper is ready and I don't know what to do with the submission.**
I would prefer to submit it now to the **"normal"** track of the journal, to move on to new projects and close this. But my former supervisor thinks that it's better to wait and submit it to the March 2015 "special section", because he says we will have more likelihood to get it accepted, even if this will make our paper more outdated.
What should I do?
**Submit it to the "normal" track now with less chances to get it published, or wait 4 months and submit it (more outdated) to the easier "special section"?**<issue_comment>username_1: To cite a body of work large enough to have generated textbooks or comprehensive review papers, you should cite a good recent textbook or comprehensive review paper.
You may not need to, however, depending on why and how you are using the algorithm.
The key is to provide the reader with everything they need to know about why you chose that algorithm and the significance of the choice.
In this case, if your work is focused on genetic algorithms and/or their applications, then you should position it within the comprehensive space of genetic algorithms work. You would then cite both the textbook/review sources and the more specific "nearby" pieces to compare it to.
In the other hand, if your work is focused on an application, it's its more just about needing some tool and you happened to find genetic algorithms promising, then you don't need the comprehensive references because that's not the point. Instead,
if you chose Algorithm X for particular reasons, then you should explain why you didn't pick competitor Algorithms Y, Z, and W (citing each). If you just chose Algorithm X because you thought that probably any algorithm would likely do, then be clear about that fact and don't worry about positioning it within a larger field, because honestly you haven't.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: For a general reference I usually cite two papers: original/influential and a review paper.
In the case where the idea is relatively well-known and there is no single original paper, a review paper or textbook should suffice.
Unless you talk specifically about history of a discovery, or trying to put things in a historical context, there is no need for historical reviews.
In the case of doubt think about the reader. (Or imagine that you are a reader, new to this topic.)
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Assuming you are writing an article for an audience that knows what a genetic algorithm is (at least, anyone in CS and related fields), it is not so important to explain what it is, as much as the implementation details. In your shoes, I would cite the paper of the implementation.
If there is a risk of readers not knowing what a genetic algorithm is, or you are using advanced details that are not common knowledge, I think it is best to add a modern textbook, or whichever explanation you think is clearest.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: Just to add a little to the other answers (which are good): **don't worry about it!**
As long as you cite at least one relevant source (the one you directly used) you have a lot of leeway as to which historical papers to cite. I like to do a couple things:
* Think about who might review your paper and cite them. You can even recommend them as a reviewer.
* Cite an often overlooked, but good quality paper. If a paper already has hundreds of citations, it doesn't need any more. But maybe there is a nice paper with a similar result that only has a handful of citations. The authors of the less cited paper will appreciate it.
* Cite open source citations. If I have a choice people of citing a paper in a paywalled journal or an open-access journal, I will cite the open-access one, and I will cite papers from a nonprofit publisher (like [PLOS](https://plos.org) or [eLife](https://elifesciences.org)) if I can.
Upvotes: 0 |
2014/11/25 | 725 | 3,174 | <issue_start>username_0: Grad school application starts now along with all the anxieties associated with it.
One of the question I ask myself and repeatedly get asked by my peers is that what would the profs think when the transcript and resume reveals that they are just an average student (i.e. 3.3 GPA, at minimum of grad school acceptance requirement).
Of course, the top factor here is that we are being evaluated by people who are exceptionally talented and likely the top students back in their days. And plus we may have built an amicable relationship over a long period, no one wants to appear like a useless person. Lastly, there may exist a significant time period between when an application is sent out to when the letter is received, during this time I find a lot of students will question whether the profs are still open writing the letter for them.
What if a professor doesn't like what he sees in the transcript, or feel that the resume does not reflect any exceptional talent, what would a prof usually do in this case?<issue_comment>username_1: **If you want to go to graduate school and think you will be successful, you should apply. Let the admissions committee decide your package.**
I've written plenty of recommendation letters for more "average" students and I suspect most other faculty have too.
The only time I turn down a recommendation letter is if the student really did poorly (e.g., sub-3.0 GPA) in my classes. Then I gently suggest students find another letter-writer. This has only happened once.
Plenty of average students go to grad school and most of them get Ph.D.s. The degree is not necessarily an indication of exceptional brilliance. There are brilliant Ph.D. recipients, and there are less stellar Ph.D. recipients. Instead, the Ph.D. indicates a number of factors, including the ability to do independent research, a great deal of learning and advancement beyond a master's or bachelor's degree, and a ***huge*** amount of perseverance.
So I will write a letter appropriate to the student. I will indicate the grade they received in my class, or the research work they did in my group (e.g., "top third" or "top half of the graduating majors").
In terms of writing the recommendation letter, I try to stress positive points, but I am also honest to the admissions committee.
On the other side, the admissions committee knows how to read recommendation letters. There are *many* graduate programs, and not all programs expect the truly top students. So they can translate your application package into an evaluation of how likely you are to succeed in their program.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I have written letters for average students as well, but I consider a few things before doing so. I believe it is easier for me to determine who I will write a letter for or not because I coordinate a tutoring program and have a working relationship with the students.
1. Did this student make a significant impact on campus?
2. Did this student contribute something tangible to the program?
3. Did this student apply training properly?
4. Did this student maintain their curiosity?
Upvotes: 3 |
2014/11/26 | 1,198 | 4,902 | <issue_start>username_0: I am a first-year international master student in a US statistics department. I am offered a 10-hour teaching assistant appointment next semester. I am considering taking it. I have no idea how to weight the benefit and cost of the appointment.
Background information:
1. I plan to apply PhD next fall.
2. I plan to take 14-credit course next semester.
Costs (that I can come up with):
1. Potential overload
Benefits:
1. Improve my English skills
2. Half-coverage of tuition and salary (important to life yet trivial to PhD application)
What are the other cost and benefit of taking a TA appointment? In particular, how would TA experience affect PhD application?<issue_comment>username_1: Usually people take TAs because they need the money. If you want to get a teaching job in the future it may help to show that you have teaching experience (keep records of what you did and how well it worked.)
If you do not need the money, I think you should use the time to improve your research and grades instead.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Being a TA has helped throughout my Ph.D. I would highly recommend becoming a TA for the following reasons.
* You get paid.
* You learn teaching skills
* You strengthen your knowledge.
* It's good for the C.V.
First and foremost you need to fund your life and studies. Although being a TA might not offer the greatest of pay and may take a lot of time. It does seem to pay reasonably well for the amount of effort you have to put in.
Secondly but possibly one of the most underrated things about being a TA. You learn to communicate, and you learn to communicate and learn how to teach.
By communicate, I don't mean just how to improve your English, but how to engage with students. Teaching skills are great, and if you want to go into academia or wish to go in a role where you have to explain concepts to others this will come in handy.
OK, you're teaching at undergrad level. So you may think you know everything. You may actually be surprised that some undergrads may ask some really advanced level questions. Also you may find yourself recapping on some content which you just swept over in your own undergraduate degree. Recovering content, you could find you have a better understanding of it.
Since being a TA. I have had several offers to teach in academic and commercial organisations, and have become a visiting lecturer at another institution based on some of my TA activities.
In terms of cons:
* Time
Teaching, marking etc takes time. You may only be teaching for an hour of time, but actually its 4 hours worth of work. From preparing slides, teaching, marking coursework, meetings about students progress with academic staff etc.
I would suggest you give it a go, its only 10 hours after all. If you find it's too much you can always say that it's too much and you will be unable to continue being a TA as you feel your studies are suffering.
Best of luck and I hope this has been of some help.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: Another point which can be added to your pros list is that by teaching you are effectively *giving back to the community*. Consider that somewhere sometime someone invested some of their time to teach *you*. You now have the chance to do the same for the future generations. This is an argument that somewhat holds for all teaching duties in general, be it for assistantships or full time professorships.
Personally I'm not at a teaching level yet. Nevertheless I always consider `giving back` in the pros list when I am asked to supervise interns.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: I'm seeing some misleading comments about the time commitment and feel this warrants more than a comment, so here it is:
"just 10 hours per week" is misleading. Often times professors are told to make sure they don't exceed the *total* number of hours for the term, so in order to save hours for midterm and final exam grading, they will reduce the actual number of hours in a non-exam week. This means as TA you will be spending a lot of time grading precisely during the times when you yourself will be taking exams!
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_5: In many departments, including mine, when you apply for a postdoctoral position, you'll have to provide a reference letter about your teaching. And the people making the hiring decisions pay attention to those letters, not just to the letters about research. So you'd better have done some teaching. And if your first teaching assignment didn't go well, you should try again and do better.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_6: Ten hours a week is not bad, you know! Most TAships are 20 hours a week.
It can give you some balance in your life, and having it offered to you is an honor.
Being a teaching assistant is a very common thing; I have never seen this be what makes or breaks a grad student.
Upvotes: 0 |
2014/11/26 | 2,998 | 11,845 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm looking at faculty ads for computer science in the UK and noticed that the average salary range seems to be significantly lower compared to the US. Typically, a starting Lecturer ( = Assistent Professor) can expect an [annual salary in the range of only 35k - 42k GPD which is in the range of 55k - 66k USD.](http://www.indeed.co.uk/Lecturer-in-Computer-Science-jobs)
On the other hand, if I look at the academic job market in the US, then this would be considered an average PostDoc salary at best, whereas the lower limit for computer science assistant professors seems to be around 80k. Considering that faculty gets this amount for 9 months in the US rather than 12 as in the UK and taking into account the higher income tax rates of the UK, this gap becomes significantly big.
Does the UK system include certain perks that the US system does not have that I'm missing here?
Are there other ways that UK faculty can make up for this quite significant gap?<issue_comment>username_1: You are trying to compare a US salary to a UK salary using the current exchange rate. I do not think this is particularly relevant. Even if you are willing to ignore differences between the UK and US in terms of work/life balance, teaching load, and job security, you probably want to compare the quality of life that a salary buys you and not what would happen if you converted it to USD. The starting salary for a CS lecturer/assistant professor, when converted to USD, is much lower for a UK academic than a US academic, but there are differences between the value of a US and UK salary.
While you say the UK tax rate is higher, that is a huge over simplification. Two random online tax calculators I used gave a US income tax of 24% on an 80,000 USD salary and a UK income tax of 25% on a 42,000 GBP salary. This ignores US state (and possibly city) income tax. The UK VAT of 20% is much higher than typical US sales taxes, but not everything is subject to VAT/sales tax. Even if you can accurately calculate an average total tax liability, you still need to account for purchasing power.
I have work in both the US and UK in comparable cites (not NYC/London) and tend to think that the value of my UK salary is a little lower than value of my US salary. It is worth noting that UK salaries are much more consistent across fields. This means that I make the same as a CS lecturer in the UK, but that in the US I would probably be making 10% less than a CS assistant professor. My guess is that for CS there is a substantial, maybe 15%, hit in quality of life that an academic salary buys.
In the US your starting salary is often your salary until you get tenure/promotion while in the UK you get a larger salary every year. There is a performance based pay raise, that essentially everyone gets, which is generally about 2.5%. This means the gap between the US and UK values gets smaller every year and after 6 years, when one is preparing to be promoted, the gap is pretty small. Further, UK salaries also have a cost of living adjustment. For the past few years this has been about 0.5-2% and less than the inflation, but it wouldn't surprise me if the union negotiates a big salary bump, maybe 10%, in the next few years. This would really close the gap.
It is also worth noting that a US assistant professor is not directly equivalent to a UK lecturer. I think a US assistant professor is often a few years ahead in terms of productivity and experience.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: It also depends largely on your discipline. Computer science is likely to make far more (especially starting out) than say history or languages, here in the U.S anyway. The STEM disciplines are doing very well right now but my experience (and among other junior faculty colleagues across the country) is that $80K is well above average starting salary. If you are making $80 starting out, be very happy about it- you are one of the lucky few.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: Comparing salaries internationally based on currency conversion is never meaningful because it ignores differences in cost of living, tax rates and so on. I have always found it more productive to compare salaries based on ratio to average full time earnings when I am considering moving countries. That is, I assume the local economy is such that someone who is working full time can afford decent housing and lifestyle. This is not always true (London!) but is reasonable because a city would usually collapse if people couldn't live there with a job.
Using the tried and true method of a quick google search, I couldn't find individual earnings, but US average household income was 41 355 USD and UK was 27 029 USD in the same unstated year [OECD report](http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/). Based on your estimate of UK salary at 60k USD, that is about 2.2 times average household income, which is actually higher than the 1.9 ratio for your figure for US.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: Salaries (of any job - not just academic) are usually due to a number of reasons -
1) The demand for that job
2) the number of applicants
3) The value that the employer puts to that job / person
4) How much the employer can afford (sometimes but not always related to 3 above)
5) What the employer can get away with
In case of UK, I think (5) plays a more prominent role than the other 4 reasons. The annual salary for lecturers tends to start at £ 31,000 with very low increments. After taxes, and contributions to insurance etc, this yields around £ 1800 per month, which admittedly is a pretty miserly sum when one considers that at least half of this is spent on rent.
**1) Demand for a lecturers job -** is fairly moderate / low. There tend to be a few jobs advertised - but most of them are the result of disgruntled lecturers leaving. Very few jobs are being created due to additional departments or growing numbers of students. Unlike countries like China and India where going to college is the norm for people of all classes (and hence people save for college since the child is a toddler), it is not so in UK. Education is not a priority for the average UK citizen. This simply lowers the number of students further.
**2) Number of applicants -**
Actually, due to the above stated reason, there are a rather limited number of British citizens available for faculty positions. However, this tends to be compensated by educated people from EU, and sometimes from Asia. While British teachers consider it their right to be paid fair wages, and demand them, this is not always so for their EU and Asian counterparts. The result supports reason (5).
**3) The value that the employer puts to that job / person**
Is quiet high. Education is a big business in the UK and lecturers are among the most important cogs in this apparatus. However, one always needs to assert this importance to prove it in the UK (not just in academic, but in many other professions too except perhaps for banking, financial services, real estate and politics).
Student feedback is taken regularly and published openly (however, only around 20-30% students actually respond to these official surveys thus limiting the visibility of good lecturers in the larger scope of education)
**4) How much the employer can afford -**
Unlike many other sectors where employers genuinely cannot afford to pay more, universities are not so. They earn rather well, and the fees paid by EU/UK as well as overseas students tend to be to the tune of £ 8,000-£ 11,000 annually in an ordinary university. At UCL and Cass, it is even higher and to the tune of £ 15,000-18,000.
These tuition fees cannot be directly compared to tuition fees in USA and other countries as actual classroom lecture hours in the UK in most universities are lower than their counterparts in USA - as low as 12-16 hours per week for a Masters level course, and just 20 hours for under graduates per student per week.
Also, Universities tend to pay far lower rates for rents, gas and electricity than their business house counterparts.
**5) What the employer can get away with-**
Sadly (for lecturers - and hence students, as good lecturers tend to leave) and happily (for deans, and upper level management), universities in UK have been able to get away with low salaries. The fact that the lowest median wage in the UK is even lower makes it that much easier for universities to escape scot free. The fact that the number of British students attending classes in UK is so low, means that this is not an issue to the British voter currently. You will recollect that none of the campaigns last year said that they would try to improve the education system for British people.
And hence, UK faculty salaries are so low.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_5: Let me give you some first hand insights from someone who did her PostDoc and a PhD in the US respectively Europe and then got hired as a computer science Lecturer three years ago in the London area.
**Short Answer:** *The academic salaries in the UK are in no way competitive to salaries in the US even when considering only the 9 months US salaries. In some disciplines (e.g. computer science) a US PostDoc salary enables a better lifestyle than a UK Lecturer salary.*
**The Long Version**
**Salary scales are evil**. In my opinion, the main reason for the low UK salaries is the "salary scale" system, which is the same for *all* public universities. Yep, that's right: *It won't matter if you have snatched an offer from Imperial/Oxford/Cambridge or, for example, from a much lesser ranked institutions such as the London Metropolitan University, you will roughly earn between 38k-45k GBP a year as a starting Lecturer.*
It also does not matter if you are based in a less popular area where you can rent a two bedroom house for as little as 600 GBP a month or in central London where you will have troubles finding a room in a shared flat for the same price.
(I am not exaggerating, feel free to check the data. To be fair, the London universities offer a "London allowance" in addition to the base salary which adds 2k-3k per year amounting to maybe around 100 GBP extra per month after deductions - note that these allowances were fixed back in the 90s and are rarely increased ever since.)
Why am I saying that salary scales are evil? The problem is that some of the more reputable institutions would be able (and maybe even willing) to offer their staff higher compensation. But having salary scales essentially requires the scale adjustments to match the amount that is affordable for even the least endowed institution.
In my case, taking up the Lecturer (Uk) job after doing a PostDoc (US) means that I'm struggling to even afford the lifestyle that I had as a PostDoc. **Compared to a US assistant professor it feels that I am earning 50% less.** Again, this is not an exaggeration and a simply calculation by checking the [UK academic salary data](https://www.timeshighereducation.com/features/times-higher-education-pay-survey-2015/2019360.article) and factoring in the cost of living. [My university is frequently ranked among the top ones for computer science in the UK thus for others this might be even worse.]
The projection of "closing the gap between UK and US salaries" due to the union's salary negotiations as outlined in the accepted answer by @username_1 is wishful thinking: Last year's increase was 1% and this year the so called improved offer amounts to 1.1%. [Strike actions](https://www.ucu.org.uk/he2016) by the union had no effect whatsoever.
**Recommendation:**
Stay clear of the UK academic market especially when looking for an entry level position. The situation is slightly better for higher ranked positions such as Reader or (Full) Professor.
Upvotes: 4 |
2014/11/26 | 2,885 | 11,405 | <issue_start>username_0: I recently started my PhD and now try to find a convenient software for managing my literature research. What I want it to be able to do is:
* Let me highlight PDFs
* Add notes to PDFs
* Add tags to my literature
* (as a bonus:) load methadata and create bibtex files
I personally really like Mendeley as it does pretty much exactly that. At my institute we have a strict open source policy though, which excludes Mendeley. Is there an open source alternative to Mendeley, which runs under Linux Gnome?
Thanks for your input.<issue_comment>username_1: You are trying to compare a US salary to a UK salary using the current exchange rate. I do not think this is particularly relevant. Even if you are willing to ignore differences between the UK and US in terms of work/life balance, teaching load, and job security, you probably want to compare the quality of life that a salary buys you and not what would happen if you converted it to USD. The starting salary for a CS lecturer/assistant professor, when converted to USD, is much lower for a UK academic than a US academic, but there are differences between the value of a US and UK salary.
While you say the UK tax rate is higher, that is a huge over simplification. Two random online tax calculators I used gave a US income tax of 24% on an 80,000 USD salary and a UK income tax of 25% on a 42,000 GBP salary. This ignores US state (and possibly city) income tax. The UK VAT of 20% is much higher than typical US sales taxes, but not everything is subject to VAT/sales tax. Even if you can accurately calculate an average total tax liability, you still need to account for purchasing power.
I have work in both the US and UK in comparable cites (not NYC/London) and tend to think that the value of my UK salary is a little lower than value of my US salary. It is worth noting that UK salaries are much more consistent across fields. This means that I make the same as a CS lecturer in the UK, but that in the US I would probably be making 10% less than a CS assistant professor. My guess is that for CS there is a substantial, maybe 15%, hit in quality of life that an academic salary buys.
In the US your starting salary is often your salary until you get tenure/promotion while in the UK you get a larger salary every year. There is a performance based pay raise, that essentially everyone gets, which is generally about 2.5%. This means the gap between the US and UK values gets smaller every year and after 6 years, when one is preparing to be promoted, the gap is pretty small. Further, UK salaries also have a cost of living adjustment. For the past few years this has been about 0.5-2% and less than the inflation, but it wouldn't surprise me if the union negotiates a big salary bump, maybe 10%, in the next few years. This would really close the gap.
It is also worth noting that a US assistant professor is not directly equivalent to a UK lecturer. I think a US assistant professor is often a few years ahead in terms of productivity and experience.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: It also depends largely on your discipline. Computer science is likely to make far more (especially starting out) than say history or languages, here in the U.S anyway. The STEM disciplines are doing very well right now but my experience (and among other junior faculty colleagues across the country) is that $80K is well above average starting salary. If you are making $80 starting out, be very happy about it- you are one of the lucky few.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: Comparing salaries internationally based on currency conversion is never meaningful because it ignores differences in cost of living, tax rates and so on. I have always found it more productive to compare salaries based on ratio to average full time earnings when I am considering moving countries. That is, I assume the local economy is such that someone who is working full time can afford decent housing and lifestyle. This is not always true (London!) but is reasonable because a city would usually collapse if people couldn't live there with a job.
Using the tried and true method of a quick google search, I couldn't find individual earnings, but US average household income was 41 355 USD and UK was 27 029 USD in the same unstated year [OECD report](http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/). Based on your estimate of UK salary at 60k USD, that is about 2.2 times average household income, which is actually higher than the 1.9 ratio for your figure for US.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: Salaries (of any job - not just academic) are usually due to a number of reasons -
1) The demand for that job
2) the number of applicants
3) The value that the employer puts to that job / person
4) How much the employer can afford (sometimes but not always related to 3 above)
5) What the employer can get away with
In case of UK, I think (5) plays a more prominent role than the other 4 reasons. The annual salary for lecturers tends to start at £ 31,000 with very low increments. After taxes, and contributions to insurance etc, this yields around £ 1800 per month, which admittedly is a pretty miserly sum when one considers that at least half of this is spent on rent.
**1) Demand for a lecturers job -** is fairly moderate / low. There tend to be a few jobs advertised - but most of them are the result of disgruntled lecturers leaving. Very few jobs are being created due to additional departments or growing numbers of students. Unlike countries like China and India where going to college is the norm for people of all classes (and hence people save for college since the child is a toddler), it is not so in UK. Education is not a priority for the average UK citizen. This simply lowers the number of students further.
**2) Number of applicants -**
Actually, due to the above stated reason, there are a rather limited number of British citizens available for faculty positions. However, this tends to be compensated by educated people from EU, and sometimes from Asia. While British teachers consider it their right to be paid fair wages, and demand them, this is not always so for their EU and Asian counterparts. The result supports reason (5).
**3) The value that the employer puts to that job / person**
Is quiet high. Education is a big business in the UK and lecturers are among the most important cogs in this apparatus. However, one always needs to assert this importance to prove it in the UK (not just in academic, but in many other professions too except perhaps for banking, financial services, real estate and politics).
Student feedback is taken regularly and published openly (however, only around 20-30% students actually respond to these official surveys thus limiting the visibility of good lecturers in the larger scope of education)
**4) How much the employer can afford -**
Unlike many other sectors where employers genuinely cannot afford to pay more, universities are not so. They earn rather well, and the fees paid by EU/UK as well as overseas students tend to be to the tune of £ 8,000-£ 11,000 annually in an ordinary university. At UCL and Cass, it is even higher and to the tune of £ 15,000-18,000.
These tuition fees cannot be directly compared to tuition fees in USA and other countries as actual classroom lecture hours in the UK in most universities are lower than their counterparts in USA - as low as 12-16 hours per week for a Masters level course, and just 20 hours for under graduates per student per week.
Also, Universities tend to pay far lower rates for rents, gas and electricity than their business house counterparts.
**5) What the employer can get away with-**
Sadly (for lecturers - and hence students, as good lecturers tend to leave) and happily (for deans, and upper level management), universities in UK have been able to get away with low salaries. The fact that the lowest median wage in the UK is even lower makes it that much easier for universities to escape scot free. The fact that the number of British students attending classes in UK is so low, means that this is not an issue to the British voter currently. You will recollect that none of the campaigns last year said that they would try to improve the education system for British people.
And hence, UK faculty salaries are so low.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_5: Let me give you some first hand insights from someone who did her PostDoc and a PhD in the US respectively Europe and then got hired as a computer science Lecturer three years ago in the London area.
**Short Answer:** *The academic salaries in the UK are in no way competitive to salaries in the US even when considering only the 9 months US salaries. In some disciplines (e.g. computer science) a US PostDoc salary enables a better lifestyle than a UK Lecturer salary.*
**The Long Version**
**Salary scales are evil**. In my opinion, the main reason for the low UK salaries is the "salary scale" system, which is the same for *all* public universities. Yep, that's right: *It won't matter if you have snatched an offer from Imperial/Oxford/Cambridge or, for example, from a much lesser ranked institutions such as the London Metropolitan University, you will roughly earn between 38k-45k GBP a year as a starting Lecturer.*
It also does not matter if you are based in a less popular area where you can rent a two bedroom house for as little as 600 GBP a month or in central London where you will have troubles finding a room in a shared flat for the same price.
(I am not exaggerating, feel free to check the data. To be fair, the London universities offer a "London allowance" in addition to the base salary which adds 2k-3k per year amounting to maybe around 100 GBP extra per month after deductions - note that these allowances were fixed back in the 90s and are rarely increased ever since.)
Why am I saying that salary scales are evil? The problem is that some of the more reputable institutions would be able (and maybe even willing) to offer their staff higher compensation. But having salary scales essentially requires the scale adjustments to match the amount that is affordable for even the least endowed institution.
In my case, taking up the Lecturer (Uk) job after doing a PostDoc (US) means that I'm struggling to even afford the lifestyle that I had as a PostDoc. **Compared to a US assistant professor it feels that I am earning 50% less.** Again, this is not an exaggeration and a simply calculation by checking the [UK academic salary data](https://www.timeshighereducation.com/features/times-higher-education-pay-survey-2015/2019360.article) and factoring in the cost of living. [My university is frequently ranked among the top ones for computer science in the UK thus for others this might be even worse.]
The projection of "closing the gap between UK and US salaries" due to the union's salary negotiations as outlined in the accepted answer by @username_1 is wishful thinking: Last year's increase was 1% and this year the so called improved offer amounts to 1.1%. [Strike actions](https://www.ucu.org.uk/he2016) by the union had no effect whatsoever.
**Recommendation:**
Stay clear of the UK academic market especially when looking for an entry level position. The situation is slightly better for higher ranked positions such as Reader or (Full) Professor.
Upvotes: 4 |
2014/11/26 | 1,411 | 5,743 | <issue_start>username_0: Are there any issues or concerns a with student giving lecturers Christmas cards? I am apprehensive that the religious connotations of Christmas might offend some card recipient(s). However, if the card is appropriate and professional I can't imagine why it would raise concerns. I wanted to gather the opinions of others in the same position as my possible card recipient(s).
*Is it appropriate for students to give university lecturers Christmas cards?*<issue_comment>username_1: Don't do it. First, as mentioned in the comments, not everyone is a Christian. Second, *your* religion is none of the lecturer's business (unless you're in seminary or something.) Third, your professors are not your friends, at least mostly; they're your professors. Finally, it could be perceived as an attempt to curry favor.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: The religious connotations of word "Christmas" can be confusing and depend on the region. My UK university has Christmas and Easter vacations while most US universities now call these winter and spring vacations. In the US, a Christmas card implies a religious celebration while a holiday card is secular. In the UK, a Christmas card that says "<NAME>" would be seen as secular and the same as a US card saying "Happy Holidays". There are of course religious Christmas cards in the UK.
The level of appropriateness (or inappropriateness) of a Christmas card depends on the level of religiousness and the recipient. While I would not say giving a secular holiday card is inappropriate, it is pretty rare. I teach probably 500 students a year and I receive on average of 1 holiday card a year from my students.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: In my opinion, it is appropriate, but I would get one card and sign it together with your peers.
Others have pointed out that it's culturally dependent. That's surely true. In some countries one will see nativity scenes throughout towns and villages. Personally, I think all other public decorations I remember seeing are pagan, and I'd speculate pagan celebrations ("Christmas" trees, Santa Claus/Father Christmas, lights, etc.) should rather offend Christians than irreligious people.
However, there might be an issue if the lecturer always gets cards from some people but not from others. Therefore, I would recommend to get one card together with your peers, and all sign it together. That mostly eliminates the problem of favouritism.
(Personally, I would not be offended *at all* by receiving a religious Christmas card at Christmas, a Jewish card at Hanukkah, an Islamic card at Eid, etc. It would make a delightful collection above my desk!)
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: I have never heard anything saying there are issues, and on a quick search I wasn't able it find anything. Based on my own experience I would think there aren't any major issues in the UK with this (with regard to @dirkk's comment, I think this is again a cultural thing, and giving (suitable) cards to those you know more formally is not considered inappropriate. I think that how common this is is changing rapidly though, and could be very sensitive to respective ages etc).
I think though you are wise to consider whether it's a good idea or not. As you mention, overly familial expressions would be bad. If you're also someone who includes a Christmas letter, that would also be best avoided here, I would say (usually). You should thing about how it will be viewed. Handing over a card along with an assessed project might be different to giving one to a lecturer who will never be marking your work/has no way of identifying it. You might also want to consider the effect of giving one to all/only some lecturers, or if you're the only person doing so.
I take it the question primarily refers to current lecturers, but it is possible the question could be asked about past lecturers, who you might have developed a closer relationship with. In that case, one point to remember might be whether you are likely to be asking them for a reference any time soon.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: Giving someone a christmas (or other celebration, i.e., birthday) card is a (somewhat) personal matter, so that will depend strongly on the personal relation to the lecturer, and also on "general environment". E.g., here some departments insist on strictly "professional" (distant) relations between students and lecturers, others are much more relaxed and friendly. This will probably also vary for undergraduates/graduates, a lecturer you know well (e.g. have been a TA for several terms) and more so between you and e.g. your thesis advisor).
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_6: I would be more concerned about the ethical aspect of this than the religious one. The lecturer is grading your work, so I would suggest that if you do send them a card to leave it until after you have received your grade for the module.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_7: I'd say it depends on how well you know the lecturer. Have you talked to him/her in a more personal manner?
But in the end: if the country where the University lies does celebrate "Christmas", then I see nothing wrong with a "Christmas Card". Highly-educated people (such as professors or lecturers in the academic domain), usually know something about the culture and what holidays are celebrated (and in what way (commercial/religious)). If it is a tradition to give/send/receive postcards for some holiday they should not be offended by it at least.
A "long story short": When in Rome, do as the Romans.
Yes, there are some left-wing "liberalists" who do not like common sense, but hey that's their problem as I see it :)
Upvotes: 0 |
2014/11/26 | 828 | 3,648 | <issue_start>username_0: How should one cite previous work of his own? If one paper relies on previous work that author already did I suppose that paper should be cited. Given that one paper is a continuation of the one before should the papers that are cited there as previous work be cited as-well?<issue_comment>username_1: If I take your question literally, then this would be my answer:
I citation serves two purposes:
1. You avoid that you take credit for work by others, and thus avoid plagiarism. This point also applies to your own work published somewhere else.
2. It can act like an "external appendix" (e.g. the interested reader can read the proof in...).
So, if you make a statement in your current article that relies on findings in your previous articles, then you should cite yourself. If your previous articles contain information you would otherwise have put in an (web)appendix, then you can cite yourself. Otherwise, you should not cite yourself.
However, I suspect you want to know how far back you should go when writing the section "previous research". Here the answer is it depends on what is considered normal in your (sub-)discipline. At the very least I would look at that section from the perspective of a reader: Can they understand how you want to place your article within the research that has been done in this area? Discussing the creation of the computer is typically not necessary to achieve that goal...
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Your previous work already cites the papers it's based on, so just citing your own paper is implicitly citing the other ones.
I think NO, you don't need to cite them all, just the last.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: A paper should be largely self-contained in its citations. Cite everything that is directly needed to understand the context of the *current* paper. This will typically mean that there are many citations shared between papers, but that is OK.
Let me illustrate by means of three examples. Let's say that you have already written paper A, which presents a method for making widgets. A year later, you write paper B, building on the work.
* **Case 1: Paper B is about a *better* method for making widgets:** In this case, you need to give the context for addressing the widget-making problem. You should not assume that the reader has read paper A, so the citations of paper B should likely be nearly identical, with the addition of paper A. The only missing will be citations that were supporting the method in paper A but that do not apply to paper B (e.g., an analytical technique used for one but not the other).
* **Case 2: Paper B is about applications of widgets:** In this case, you need to keep the citations supporting why anybody should care about widgets, but can drop all of the citations on alternate ways of making widgets. It is enough to say, "we make the widgets using the method in [cite]", if the paper isn't about making them.
* **Case 3: Paper B is about using the same method to make gizmos instead of widgets:** In this case, you can drop all of the citations motivating care about widgets, since this is about gizmos instead. You will still need citations to compare this method to alternate methods of making gizmos (which might be the same citations as for widgets, depending).
Thus, you may see that the number of shared citations depends on the type of relationship between the papers, because ultimately it boils down to making sure the reader doesn't have to look up another paper in order to find the critical pieces of related work for the one that they are currently reading.
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/26 | 864 | 3,703 | <issue_start>username_0: I’m applying for a postdoctoral role in the UK, and I am asked to have ’bibliographic search skills’. I’m sort of at a loss as to what that means, specifically – does anyone know? I’m assuming it doesn’t just mean ‘can read a bibliography’. I have a Ph.D., so I’m sort of embarrassed not to know what this means, but there you go.<issue_comment>username_1: If I take your question literally, then this would be my answer:
I citation serves two purposes:
1. You avoid that you take credit for work by others, and thus avoid plagiarism. This point also applies to your own work published somewhere else.
2. It can act like an "external appendix" (e.g. the interested reader can read the proof in...).
So, if you make a statement in your current article that relies on findings in your previous articles, then you should cite yourself. If your previous articles contain information you would otherwise have put in an (web)appendix, then you can cite yourself. Otherwise, you should not cite yourself.
However, I suspect you want to know how far back you should go when writing the section "previous research". Here the answer is it depends on what is considered normal in your (sub-)discipline. At the very least I would look at that section from the perspective of a reader: Can they understand how you want to place your article within the research that has been done in this area? Discussing the creation of the computer is typically not necessary to achieve that goal...
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Your previous work already cites the papers it's based on, so just citing your own paper is implicitly citing the other ones.
I think NO, you don't need to cite them all, just the last.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: A paper should be largely self-contained in its citations. Cite everything that is directly needed to understand the context of the *current* paper. This will typically mean that there are many citations shared between papers, but that is OK.
Let me illustrate by means of three examples. Let's say that you have already written paper A, which presents a method for making widgets. A year later, you write paper B, building on the work.
* **Case 1: Paper B is about a *better* method for making widgets:** In this case, you need to give the context for addressing the widget-making problem. You should not assume that the reader has read paper A, so the citations of paper B should likely be nearly identical, with the addition of paper A. The only missing will be citations that were supporting the method in paper A but that do not apply to paper B (e.g., an analytical technique used for one but not the other).
* **Case 2: Paper B is about applications of widgets:** In this case, you need to keep the citations supporting why anybody should care about widgets, but can drop all of the citations on alternate ways of making widgets. It is enough to say, "we make the widgets using the method in [cite]", if the paper isn't about making them.
* **Case 3: Paper B is about using the same method to make gizmos instead of widgets:** In this case, you can drop all of the citations motivating care about widgets, since this is about gizmos instead. You will still need citations to compare this method to alternate methods of making gizmos (which might be the same citations as for widgets, depending).
Thus, you may see that the number of shared citations depends on the type of relationship between the papers, because ultimately it boils down to making sure the reader doesn't have to look up another paper in order to find the critical pieces of related work for the one that they are currently reading.
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/26 | 957 | 4,054 | <issue_start>username_0: I submitted my paper to one of Springer’s journals seven months ago. One month ago I received a letter from the editor-in-chief:
>
> Following a review of the manuscript by the editorial
> board, we have regretfully decided not to consider this work for
> publication. We thank you for your interest in our journal and...
>
>
>
I wrote the journal an e-mail and asked for the review mentioned in the letter, but received no answer. I also wrote to the editor himself (to his personal e-mail), and asked the fair question: “why the editorial board decided not to consider the work?”, but my question was ignored. I have been waiting for one month for the answer.
What can I do in this case? Note that I only want to know the reasons for the rejection.<issue_comment>username_1: >
> "Following a review of the manuscript by the editorial board, we have regretfully decided not to consider this work for publication. We thank you for your interest in our journal and..."
>
>
>
This sounds like an editorial ("desk") reject more than anything else. Hence, there typically is no formal, written review that the editor could forward to you. It is just that the handling editor and/or the Editor-in-Chief have decided that the paper is either of low enough quality, or so clearly out of scope, that running it through the full-blown peer-review process would be a waste of reviewer time. While this is of course a harsh judgement for your submission, the editors are entirely allowed to do this - there is no formal "obligation" that any submission will have to be peer-reviewed before it can be rejected.
>
> What can I do in this case? Note that the only thing I want is to know reasons for the rejection.
>
>
>
Realistically, not much. Of course it would be nice if the editors at least gave you some informal pointers why your submission was desk-rejected, e.g., "I am sorry but your submission is out of scope for this journal", but maybe if your request was combative enough, the editor decided that she/he rather did not want to get into an argument with you about this. Anyway, I doubt that there is an obligation on the editor's side to always fully justify each rejection. At the end of the day, acceptance of papers is always a discretionary decision by the Editor-in-Chief, and not something you can formally object to.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_2: It does not seem likely that you will get an answer from the journal. The next best thing would be to look among those you know, or those to whom you can get introductions, for people who have had papers published in the journal. Ideally, find at least one experienced professor who is a co-author of a student-written paper in the journal.
Someone who has published in a journal has some understanding of the criteria it applies, including topics and quality requirements. A professor co-author may have guided graduate students through the process of writing a paper the journal will accept.
Ask each of them for their opinion of your paper as a potential submission to the journal. If they all indicate the same or similar problems, that is almost certainly the reason for rejection.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: Although 6 months is definitely too long, here is a possible timeline that may cause legit delays in the processing.
* The paper is received by the editorial system, and it might get some time to get to the corresponding editor.
* Maybe the journal offers the manuscripts to the editors, and it takes some time until and editor picks it up.
* Sometimes the editor is not sure about what to do with the manuscript, so it sends it to some colleagues for an informal assessment, asking them whether they think the paper should be reviewed.
* After getting mixed answers at the previous stage, the manuscript has to wait to the next editorial board meeting for the decision to be made.
I don't think this explains easily a six month delay, but it does show that desk rejections are not necessarily immediate.
Upvotes: 0 |
2014/11/26 | 2,192 | 8,358 | <issue_start>username_0: >
> **IMPORTANT:** The allegation of gang-rape in the *Rolling Stone* article that formed the basis for this question has been retracted; later evidence on the matter shows that [the allegation that gang-rape occurred at the fraternity was false](http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/12/everything-we-know-uva-rape-case.html). Other similar events have since been alleged at other universities: [Baylor](http://www.kwtx.com/content/news/Waco--16-defendants-added-to-lawsuit-over-2016-BU-frat-party-rape-474908383.html), [Yale](http://www.businessinsider.com/yale-dke-frat-brothers-allegations-of-sexual-assault-2018-2) and [Wisconsin](https://badgerherald.com/news/2018/02/04/saturday-night-sexual-assault-reported-at-unknown-fraternity/)
>
>
>
Rolling Stone [recently reported](http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/a-rape-on-campus-20141119) a horrific preplanned gang rape at a Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house at the University of Virginia, with the victim's "friends" telling her afterward not to report the crime, on the theory that "She's gonna be the girl who cried 'rape,' and we'll never be allowed into any frat party again."
Under pressure, the university has belatedly decided to suspend fraternity events until January. This seems pathetically inadequate to me, but what can a university actually do in this situation that will have a significant and lasting effect on a firmly entrenched rape culture? Are there cases where other schools have done something more effectual? Supposing for the sake of argument that they were willing to completely disassociate themselves from one frat, or from the frat system as a whole, would it do any good? I assume that the frats own their houses, and the schools can't actually shut them down.<issue_comment>username_1: I had friends at a very popular fraternity at a major college (and later served on a discipline board). This fraternity had a series of violations. Mainly underage drinking, poor grades, and complaints from girls (nothing even close to rape). So just a series of dumbass fraternity guys acting like dumbass fraternity guys. Seriously what do you expect when putting 20-200 guys between 18-22 in the same housing.
For these smaller infractions the school will warn both the local charter and the fraternity national headquarters. Each school has its own rules. So I can't say that one violation at one school is handled the same as another. Also when I say a school has rules I am being very liberal. **[A school will have an advisory/disciplinary committee that will basically do whatever it wants]**
A school may have outlined several examples of violations (hazing, drinking, grades...) and then their punishment for those. But I have first hand seen how hazing has turned into - boys will be boys - because someone on the committee went to school with one of the boy's fathers. Or another dad makes a big contribution right after he got in trouble.
So a school may do pretty much whatever it wants from putting a fraternity/sorority on probation, from expelling members of that fraternity, from taking the charter away from the fraternity. And it doesn't matter if the house is off campus or not. In the case I mentioned above, the fraternity owned a house about a half mile off campus. The university read the boys the riot act, said they were closed, or they could leave the school.
I have first hand seen both good and bad things happen using the school system as reinforcement.
Good
* School can act much faster than our court system
* School can make people "testify" (based on most honor codes)
* School usually has some reasonably smart people making decisions
Bad
* It is easy to cover things up. I had a friend get assaulted on campus. The campus police did next to nothing and it didn't get reported as an assault to the actual police because the university was worried about their crime stats. Friend found out nothing was happening, so reported to the police... case was too cold by then to get much traction.
* One influential person can taint any committee. Several times I was told to vote a certain way (or I wouldn't be on said committee in future). Let it be known after I refused once that 3 committee spots were cut including mine - and then 3 months later 5 committee spots were opened.
* Once things hit the press a school will do damage control not get to the bottom of what was actually happening. See the Duke lacrosse team as a perfect example.
Answer in short: The school will threaten to kick out any students that don't abide by their rules. So even if a "fraternity" isn't nationally chartered and doesn't have any direct correlation with the school the school can still have said fraternity disbanded or the members face expulsion. This threat happens all the time but is hardly ever enacted on. The students really have no discourse except for talking to the press (which in some schools can lead to expulsion).
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: As it turns out, [membership in fraternities is not, in general, strongly correlated with rape](http://vaw.sagepub.com/content/2/2/148.short). Rather, it appears that a large percentage of sexual assault is committed by a [very small fraction of men who are deliberate predators](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11991158), who tend to seek out environments where their behavior is enabled by people either turn a blind eye to their behavior or who are not willing to intervene in a problematic situation. Some fraternities provide such environments, but many non-fraternity social environments do so as well.
Rape is committed [mostly against women who know their attacker](https://rainn.org/get-information/statistics/sexual-assault-offenders) and who may even be intimate with them willingly under other circumstances (men are raped as well, but at [much lower percentages than women](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_statistics#United_States)). One of the major recommended interventions for a college is thus to [educate students, especially other men, on how to intervene in situations that are likely to be a prelude to rape](http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ792548.pdf). This is one example of [a broad spectrum of recommended prevention and mitigation policies](https://www.rainn.org/public-policy/campus-safety), which appear to be both effective in reducing the incidence of rape and reducing the damage that compounds to rape victims in an unsupportive campus culture.
None of these interventions are particularly difficult or expensive. The main challenges in implementing them are resistance from people who have some stake in keeping aspects of their campus culture from changing, or who are worried about potential image problems.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: Now that the reported rape at the University of Virginia has been [thoroughly discredited](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Rape_on_Campus) and exposed as serious journalistic misconduct, I think it is worth adding a new answer to this question that reflects that updated information.
The OP has suggested that the university’s action in suspending the fraternity, after receiving public pressure, was “pathetically inadequate”. We now know that the allegation made against the fraternity was false, and they were the victims of a smear campaign. The university has [settled a defamation claim by the fraternity](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/13/business/media/rape-uva-rolling-stone-frat.html) for $1.65 million in damages, and there have also been other legal settlements from the magazine and the writer of this rape hoax. The legal settlements are minimal given the extreme misconduct and bigotry of the university and the magazine.
In view of these developments, I submit that the lesson to be learned in these cases is not to grab the pitchforks and rouse the town-folk due to unconfirmed (and farcically implausible) allegations levelled against socially unpopular groups. People with the scientific training of academics should have the integrity to reject this kind of “trial by media” that proceeds without regard to evidence and due process. Much of the academic community disgraced itself with this witch-hunt against a group of innocent men. This is unfortunately typical of the rampant anti-male bigotry of modern academia.
Upvotes: -1 |
2014/11/26 | 812 | 3,478 | <issue_start>username_0: I was born in Ukraine and when I immigrated to the United States at a young age my middle name was translated phonetically. In Eastern Slavic cultures, our middle names aren't quite the same as middle names in the United States. It's not simply an "alternative name" for me. Our middle names are patronymic. They are our father's names. I do not consider my middle name to be the same as the traditional middle name used in the United States.
I am currently applying to graduate programs and I have decided to leave my middle name out. The name is long and unpronounceable by most. On top of it being my father's name, it has a suffix ending "-evich" tacked on at the end. This makes it 11 characters long and it usually gets truncated to fewer characters when seen in my undergraduate university's system. This bothers me and I would just rather then not have the patronymic middle name in my records at all.
*Are there specific reasons I should include my middle name on my graduate school applications?*<issue_comment>username_1: I recommend that you do not include your middle name because it will be inconvenient to get people to spell it correctly. In American academic culture, most people will respect whatever name you wish to go by (assuming they are able to pronounce it).
I routinely omit different parts of my legal name for different purposes and it has never caused me any problems.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: Here is how I handle these things:
* I publish papers with just my first and last name - no middle name or initial.
* My vita and website use just my first and last name.
* When I fill out "official" forms, like employment paperwork and tax forms, I use the full name that is on my passport and driver's license. This helps to avoid any confusion when these forms are compared with each other.
For a school application, I would use the same name that is on your government ID. But this is just for the centralized records. Nobody in the academic department is likely to care (or even notice) if you just go by your first name and last name in public life.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: I sympathize with your problem: I have two middle names, and databases don't tend to believe in that. Rather than fight the system or pick one, I typically omit my middle names except when explicitly required by the government (e.g., dealing with customs and immigration).
When you are applying for an academic position (grad school, postdoc, faculty, industrial research, etc), generally what the institution really cares about is simply that you are uniquely identifiable. In other words, the exact name you use isn't all that important as long as it clearly connects to a real person and doesn't indicate any intention to deceive.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: For *legal* issues (application to school, work, passport, ...) you have to give your full name, and be consistent with it. Transliteration can be tricky here...
For informal contact, a nickname will do ;)
For publications, pick one and be consistent. There are people who publish under their middle name, or initial and middle name, others use full first and middle name, I use first name and middle initial. Whatever you pick, use it consistently. It is frustrating to see some J. Doe, <NAME>, <NAME>, <NAME>, <NAME> Doe publishing in your field and not being able to tell if they are the same or different people.
Upvotes: 0 |
2014/11/26 | 623 | 2,691 | <issue_start>username_0: Is it standard for graduate students to give their advisors gifts around Christmas, like chocolates or bottles of wine? What about other important people, such as their thesis committee members, or department secretaries?<issue_comment>username_1: I recommend that you do not include your middle name because it will be inconvenient to get people to spell it correctly. In American academic culture, most people will respect whatever name you wish to go by (assuming they are able to pronounce it).
I routinely omit different parts of my legal name for different purposes and it has never caused me any problems.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: Here is how I handle these things:
* I publish papers with just my first and last name - no middle name or initial.
* My vita and website use just my first and last name.
* When I fill out "official" forms, like employment paperwork and tax forms, I use the full name that is on my passport and driver's license. This helps to avoid any confusion when these forms are compared with each other.
For a school application, I would use the same name that is on your government ID. But this is just for the centralized records. Nobody in the academic department is likely to care (or even notice) if you just go by your first name and last name in public life.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: I sympathize with your problem: I have two middle names, and databases don't tend to believe in that. Rather than fight the system or pick one, I typically omit my middle names except when explicitly required by the government (e.g., dealing with customs and immigration).
When you are applying for an academic position (grad school, postdoc, faculty, industrial research, etc), generally what the institution really cares about is simply that you are uniquely identifiable. In other words, the exact name you use isn't all that important as long as it clearly connects to a real person and doesn't indicate any intention to deceive.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: For *legal* issues (application to school, work, passport, ...) you have to give your full name, and be consistent with it. Transliteration can be tricky here...
For informal contact, a nickname will do ;)
For publications, pick one and be consistent. There are people who publish under their middle name, or initial and middle name, others use full first and middle name, I use first name and middle initial. Whatever you pick, use it consistently. It is frustrating to see some <NAME>, <NAME>, <NAME>, <NAME>, <NAME> Doe publishing in your field and not being able to tell if they are the same or different people.
Upvotes: 0 |
2014/11/26 | 648 | 2,722 | <issue_start>username_0: I am currently in the second year of a four year Computer Science MSCi program in the UK.
I would like to know how credible is an application for a PHD in Computational Fluid Dynamics, from an MSCi in Computer Science?
I understand that these courses are usually delivered by engineering, physics, or maths departments, but does the computational aspect stand me in good stead?<issue_comment>username_1: If you have had no basic physics courses, no fluid dynamics/mechanics courses, and no courses in PDEs, you're probably going have a hard time with your application. You might be able to work on things that contribute to solving problems in CFD like linear and non-linear solvers, but your background is lacking when it comes to application for a PhD in an engineering, physics, or mathematics department. You might be better off finding an advisor in a CS program who does interdisciplinary work related to fluids and get in with them. Guys like <NAME> in CS at UCLA and <NAME> at in CS at Utah are Maths PhDs in CS departments working on CFD problems. Working with someone like one of them might give you the time and space to pick up the fluids and PDEs through coursework or reading and working problems while you target some of the more CS-ish problems in their projects.
In the end, it can work out, but I think you'll have a hard time with a frontal assault on an engineering PhD program application. You're going to have to be more targeted in your approach.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: If at the moment you didn't take any courses in physics and fluid mechanics yet then I think your chances are close to zero.
However, you mentioned that you still have 2 years to go on your MSc program. In that case you still have 2 years to 'reshape' yourself for such a position. I would approach this endeavor in 3 steps:
1. Talk to professors with (open) PhD positions in CFD and ask them what courses they think are prerequisite for the positions that they have. Also ask what courses would be desirable/helpful.
2. Take ALL of the prerequisite courses they mentioned and as many of the desirable ones as possible. Either take them as electives for your current program or just on top of it. This might seem like a lot of work, and it probably is, but if you are serious about the PhD in CFD then this will actually help in your application process, because it shows that you are committed.
3. In many MSc programs you will have some big project at the end. If that is the case for you as well, make it a CFD project for a professor with PhD projects available. Give it your all and you might be able to 'network' your way into one of his/her positions.
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/27 | 1,878 | 7,532 | <issue_start>username_0: I was reading [this question](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/32164/what-to-do-about-questions-that-are-designed-to-embarrass-the-speaker) about famous people asking rude questions in talks, and it reminded me of a situation which happened at the end of my academic career. I would really like some advice on how I should have handled it.
I was giving a short talk at a conference and at the end the session chair asked for questions or comments. An eminent Belgian professor said "I really think you should look at X from 197y" and, since I *had* looked at X, I began to reply, and then the professor interrupted my reply with
>
> "That wasn't a question. That was a comment."
>
>
>
I was speechless. This is Treppenwitz as it was several years ago, but what would have been a good comeback?<issue_comment>username_1: The question's title does not reveal the status of the obstructionist questioner, and this status matters enormously. Lower-status people behaving this way could not *"get away with it"*. High-status people often can.
Given all the implicit primate-interaction and other presumption in anyone's behaving like that, in particular *denying response*, this should be treated like bad drivers on the highway, specifically, potentially more *reactive* than the indifferent bad weather or bad luck of various sorts. Namely, any substantial response, especially any expression of annoyance or umbrage, will incur a cost that makes whatever satisfaction one had hoped-for too expensive.
Instead, a dumb-happy-innocent smile and "thanks for your comment... then", to avoid *engagement*, is wise.
Sure, this amounts to a sort of impersonal bullying, but you yourself could not likely change the outcome. It'd require the intervention of someone of comparable status, blah-blah-blah.
So, in summary, no, such "comments" are not productive, are status-reiterating, ... and do create a generally stifling status-conscious atmosphere. Not that most human scenarios aren't status-conscious... :)
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: I would tell him to accept the consequences of his comments or keep them to himself. Then, reply to his comment. If he has a legitimate concern that hadn't occurred to me, I would thank him for his input and take it into consideration (these are awkward moments, but I always learn so much from them). If, however, he attacks my findings and I am truly certain his attack is unfounded, I would tell him why I think it's unfounded.
Academia is about discovering the truth; status should *never* get in the way of that. If academia weren't allowed to speak their mind, how would we ever discover the truth?
That said, I think everyone has their own opinion on how to deal with these situations where you're unreasonably backed into a corner by someone with higher status than yourself.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: Since you had looked at X, a reply saying so is appropriate. There are two ways this could go:
* you should look at X
* in fact I have, and -
* that wasn't a question, it was a comment
* thankyou for your comment, which was founded on the invalid assumption I hadn't looked at X. [Grin. Adjust body language so you are no longer speaking to questioner but to entire audience.] Speaking of X, when I looked at it I found...
this approach takes the "it's my stage, buddy" position - you don't need permission from an audience member to do anything. It also puts the questioner down a peg, which might be a dangerous thing to do.
Alternatively:
* you should look at X
* in fact I have, and -
* that wasn't a question, it was a comment
* I see. Well, since I have looked at X, it turns out to be a rather nonconstructive comment. Do you have a question?
This is somewhat ruder and gives up the opportunity to talk about X, but might result in useful dialog should that be your aim.
Depending on the audience reaction to the rude questioner (and make no mistake, telling you what to read as though there was some sort of supervisor/student relationship, interrupting and correcting you, and not playing along with the unspoken rules of Q&A after a talk are all rude, and probably designed to show the commenter's superiority to you) you could also just roll your eyes or sigh and move on to another question as quickly as possible, optionally thanking the commenter first in a bored, polite voice. This is a good choice only if you can clearly tell that most of the audience doesn't see the commenter as superior to you or the comment as a "telling blow" on you.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: * The chair asked for questions *or comments*.
* Your title is about being prevented from answering a question, but the eminent Prof was correct in one thing. It was a statement, not a question.
* The eminent Prof acted as if there's a right to make a comment *without you responding to it*. Since your response made the remark look obtuse (saying you should look at something you've already looked at), it seems likely that interrupting you was a ploy to avoid embarrassment.
* It's really up to the chair whether you should respond to comments or not, but usually if the speaker thinks they have a useful response then they should make it. So typically the audience has no right to make comments without allowing a response.
So, any further response you make to the interruption should bear in mind that the Prof is quite likely only interrupting you to avoid looking silly:
* You could treat it as a heckle. If you have a useful remark on the applicability (or otherwise) of X, then ignore the interruption and continue making it. An audience member raised X, you're talking about X: that's what the questions and comments part of your talk is supposed to be for. Remember it's not the eminent Prof that decides who's allowed to speak, it's the chair. So you can speak unless the chair interrupts.
* If you're just defending yourself against an accusation of ignoring X when you didn't, then state that X was considered and move on to the next question/comment.
* If you want to put down the eminent Prof (perhaps because you're at the end of your academic career anyway), then you could try some cutting remark before continuing: "This isn't an answer, it's a response to your comment", "Yes, but your comment is so wrong it risks misleading listeners", "Your mother", etc.
* You could make the point in a much more friendly way, that you're determined to speak about X: "I agree with you, X is relevant and interesting because..." or "I thought the same thing, but it turns out X isn't applicable because..."
---
I've just realised that the eminent professor was quite possibly referring to an anecdote concerning <NAME>:
<http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/review-the-strangest-man-by-graham-farmelo/article4289494/>
Dirac's incident was the other way around. An audience member said that he didn't understand an equation given by Dirac in a lecture. Dirac gave no response, and when prompted to answer the question it was Dirac who said, "that was not a question, it was a comment".
Therefore, it's possible that your eminent professor intended to come across more funny and less controlling than he actually did. Still wouldn't excuse him trying to prevent you speaking, of course.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_5: "Yes, and I'd like to respond to your comment by saying ...."
I'd avoid sarcasm, put-downs, or anything that could be described as a "good comeback."
Upvotes: 4 |
2014/11/27 | 1,848 | 7,646 | <issue_start>username_0: Several small related questions about how to present oneself in a faculty application, and in particular the cover letter:
Should it end by saying something, like "I am waiting for your call" or "I will follow up by phone or email"? I have seen the latter recommended, but for me it seems somehow annoying.
Should the cover letter contain qualifications and skills like highly-motivated, fast learner, etc?
Some recommend mentioning potential members of the department that the applicant can work with in a faculty application. Is this a good idea? If Dr. A is working on topic T, and I want to work on topic T, then should I say that I would like to collaborate with Dr. A, and if so, how?<issue_comment>username_1: >
> (1) For the cover letter, should it end by saying something,
>
>
>
In my experience (~10 years on hiring committees, starting my second year as hiring committee chair), almost nobody will read your cover letter. If you have something to say about your research, say it in your research statement. If you have something to say about your teaching, say it in your teaching statement. If you have something to say about your personal life, don't.
If the department doesn't acknowledge receipt (typically by email), it's reasonable to call or email the department to double-check. But "waiting for your call" is unreasonably optimistic. Each department you're applying to probably gets hundreds of applications for each faculty position.
>
> (2) Should the cover letter contain qualifications and skills like highly-motivated, fast learner etc?
>
>
>
**Absolutely not!** "Motivated" and "fast learner" are neither skills nor qualifications; they're useless boilerplate. *Of course* you're motivated and a fast learner; otherwise, you wouldn't have a PhD and a publication record consistent with a tenure-track faculty position. Your actual skills and qualifications should be apparent from your CV, your research and teaching statements, and your recommendation letters.
>
> (3) Some recommends to mention potential drs from the department that the applicant can work with. Is this a good idea? If Dr. A is working on topic T, and I want to work on topic T, then should I say that I would like to collaborate with Dr. A? If yes, what is a good way to say it?!
>
>
>
Don't just say it; make a convincing case. Just dropping a few names into your research statement will be written off immediately as meaningless boilerplate. If your research goals really do converge with Dr. A's research interests, that should be obvious from your larger research narrative, and it should be easy for you to draw specific, technical, and credible connections between your interests and Dr. A's. **Do not fake it. We can tell.**
>
> (4) For the research statement, should I use "I" or "we" for joint papers, assuming that I was the first author?
>
>
>
"We" or "my coauthors and I"; using "I" for joint work is dishonest. But this is a relatively minor issue.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: username_1 has given an excellent answer, but I want to give a slightly differing viewpoint on the purpose of the cover letter, which will address items (1) and (2) in the question. It will take a few paragraphs to motivate the answer; the summary is **"Use the cover letter as an opportunity to show you are genuinely interested in the school."**
Two important caveats: I am writing this from the perspective of "non-elite" U.S. schools. These schools often have a more teaching-oriented mission, and are often located in more remote locations. I am also writing from the perspective of mathematics, where even at such schools there will be a few hundred applications for each advertised position, and certainly over a hundred "qualified" applications even for a relatively specialized job ad. Things are very different in other fields where there may be a lack of applicants in a given subfield.
These non-elite, regional schools have a few common issues during job searches:
* Candidates may have applied to the school only as a "safety net", without really wanting to have a job there. In math, when I was in graduate school, I saw some people who applied to 100 jobs (!) in the same search.
* Candidates who are only familiar with larger, research-intensive schools may have unrealistic expectations about salary, teaching load, amenities, etc.
* Candidates may come for an interview, but turn down the job offer because they get a better offer somewhere else.
* Candidates may leave more frequently than expected to find a "better" school. Of course some turnover is natural and expected, but if the turnover rate is too high for too long then there may be a lack of experienced faculty. Some candidates may stay, but hate the area (e.g. if it is very rural) and wish there were somewhere else (e.g. in a larger city, or closer to the coast).
How does this relate to your cover letter? You can (and should, in my opinion) use the cover letter as an opportunity to address points like these:
* Make it clear that you really do want to work at the school (e.g. by not having a boilerplate cover letter, by bringing up experience at similar schools, or by otherwise establishing a connection).
* Avoid any *faux pas* in which you treat a non-elite school like elite schools (e.g. talking only about research in your cover letter).
* If possible and reasonable, for remotely-located schools, establish why you would be happy to be at the school. Perhaps it is near some of your family. Perhaps you have lived in a rural area before. Maybe they have some sort of outdoor activity that you enjoy.
* Don't say anything that signals you view the position just as a stepping stone. You can always apply someone else, of course, but in your application you should have a plan for what you can do if you stay at the school for some time.
* Remember that even if the search committee only skims the cover letter, the packets for the finalists will often be read by the whole department, and by the dean. At that stage, there are only a few candidates, and every aspect of the packet is subject to scrutiny.
From those bullets, you can guess my answers to (1) and (2).
**For (1)**, you shouldn't say anything like that. Those types of statements go in a cover letter for a business job, not an academic job. When we have 400 applications for one position, we will not call every applicant to say we received their package. And, while you can call the committee, you can imagine the workload if all 400 applicants did so. (For math, with the advent of mathjobs.org, this is less important anyway.)
**For (2)**, qualifications like "fast learner" are meaningless. But you should think about the "extra qualifications" I mentioned above:
* Why in particular did you apply to the school, besides the obvious fact that they have a job ad? What can you contribute in particular to the department?
* Are there any special reasons you'd like to work in that location?
* What are your professional goals for the next 5-10 years, and how do they fit into the mission of the school you are applying to? For example, some applicants are keen on developing online courses, or are interested in various sorts of service. These things would be less relevant to a tenure-track position at a research school, and might even be red flags there, but service and teaching are much more important at non-research schools.
* This is a more difficult choice, but if you have a spouse who is also looking for a job, you need to decide whether to mention it in your cover letter or not.
Upvotes: 4 |
2014/11/27 | 340 | 1,305 | <issue_start>username_0: Is a letter of recommendation from an employer required to be on the official letter head of the company?
Also is it okay if I give the recommender's personal email?<issue_comment>username_1: Nothing in particular is *required* for a company letter of recommendation. Pretty much any established company will have some sort of letterhead, though, and your recommender using it will feel more "professional." Likewise with corporate vs. personal email addresses.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Regarding personal vs corporate email, I would strongly recommend using the corporate one. If nothing else, because it gives some assurance that the person on the other side is who he claims to be. Would you take this seriously?
>
> I am recommended by the President of the USA, you can find him at <EMAIL>
>
>
>
Also, consider that in industry, LoR in many countries are just brief cold objective statements:
>
> <NAME> worked for Company.inc from 2003 to 2014 in the position of Junior Developer.
>
>
> Yours trully,
>
>
> Mr CEO
>
>
>
But an academic letter is expected to present you as an excellent candidate. Make sure the head of the company understands the difference and is happy providing a *strong* letter.
Upvotes: 1 |
2014/11/27 | 1,358 | 5,555 | <issue_start>username_0: Sometimes I struggle in choosing notations for a mathematical paper. There are probably no explicit rules, but unwritten conventions. In a discussion, is it proper to use different typographical variants of the same letter to denote different variables?
For example, is it acceptable to use an italic K (), an upright K (K), a blackletter K () and a calligraphic K () for four different variables in one section?<issue_comment>username_1: Yes, it is acceptable and I have done so in publications myself.
However, you should not use these variants randomly but follow some system, e.g., you could use a calligraphic K do denote the set that contains K₁, K₂, K₃, … and a blackletter K do denote some transformation of that set. You should also check whether there are some generally accepted conventions in your field (and follow them), e.g., in some fields, vectors are indicated by using upright boldface letters while the corresponding normal italic letters are used for their components.
(In general, I prefer to use one typographic variant for symbols representing similar structures, e.g., lowercase italic letters for natural numbers, lowercase greek letters for real numbers, uppercase italic letters for countable sets of natural numbers, calligraphic uppercase letters for uncountable collections of natural numbers, etc.)
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Just an opinion: I think four variants of the same letter in one section is probably too much. In particular, I think (non-bolded) upright letters don’t work well for typesetting mathematics.
Also you say ”for four different variables”; this suggests that maybe you want to denote four of the *same kind of thing* in four different variants. (If I'm wrong, ignore the rest.) That is definitely to be avoided. As @username_1 says, the variant should reflect the *kind* of object you’re talking about, and related objects of different kinds should be denoted by the different variants of the same letter. The first example that comes to mind is a Lie group *G* and its Lie algebra (blackletter g).
Here’s an apposite quote from Littlewood’s Miscellany, via Milne:
>
> It is said of Jordan's writings that if he had 4 things on the same footing (as *a, b, c, d* ) they would appear as *a*, *M3'*, ε2, ∏"1,2.
>
>
>
Bad Jordan!
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: Enhancing on some of the other answers: while this is OK, and I have done this and worse in extremis (one of my papers is known as "the one with the four types of arrow"), **your paper will be difficult to read**.
You need to be aware of the fact that many readers will have a hard time tracking the differences between symbols. I recommend:
1. Doing everything in your power notationally to avoid this situation in the first place
2. If you must, first choose things that are easy to tell apart: e.g. capital vs. lowercase vs. mathcal. Upright vs. italic or symbol vs. symbol-bar are much harder to tell apart at a glance.
3. **Most important, in any symbol-heavy paper, include a "cheat sheet" table up front that gives the definitions of all important symbols or symbol-classes**
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: One thing to keep in mind is that readers may want to work through some of your derivations while they read it, using pen and a separate piece of paper. Bold symbols can be handwritten using doublestruck letters, and calligraphic letters are generally fine, but distinguishing between italic and upright Ks in handwritten notes is a killer and it is likely to discourage exactly the sort of attentive reader that you want to really read your paper in depth.
This suggests, then, the rule of thumb that if you can consistently use those symbols in handwritten notes you will generally be fine. What symbols did you use when you developed the material? That is a good starting point, and beware of trying to cram extra concepts onto the same symbols *after* you've moved off the pen-and-paper and onto the computer screen.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_5: In mathematics, **the typeface says what your variable is**. It is like writing `pCounter` in a computer program to make clear that the variable holds a pointer.
For instance, one of the many common notations in linear algebra is that capital letters like `$A$` represent matrices, lowercase letters like `$a$` represent vectors, Greek letters such as `$\alpha$` represent scalars, script letters such as `$\mathcal{A}$` represent subspaces.
The actual letter that you use often is a "default letter" for that kind of mathematical object: for instance, `$D$` often represents a diagonal matrix, `$H$` a Hermitian one, and so on.
Of course, the choice isn't always obvious, and often notations for different fields clash (for instance, you may want to use `$\delta_{ij}$` as the Kronecker delta, but `$\delta$` as the prototypical calculus "small positive number").
Using the same letter in different typefaces is often reserved for **related quantities**: for instance, you could call `$d$` a vector, `$D$` the diagonal matrix with diagonal entries `$d$`, and `$\mathcal{D}$` its spanned subspace (just the first example that crossed my mind). Or vectors and their containing subspaces: `$u\in \mathcal{U}$`, `$v\in\mathcal{V}$`.
If you use the same letters for different things, I assume that they are either "default letters" or related quantities. Otherwise, you are just making life harder for your readers.
TL;DR: **It depends on what your variables represent**.
Upvotes: 0 |
2014/11/27 | 1,063 | 3,709 | <issue_start>username_0: One of the main criticism against arXiv is that while there is some basic filtering, but there is no scientific review of the papers. I wonder whether adding a comment section has already being discussed publicly and why as of now arXiv does not have a comment section.<issue_comment>username_1: * Comment systems cost money to develop and moderate.
* Some people may not want their preprint commented on.
* You can comment by submitting your own preprint.
* Third-party sites provide this service.
* Journals do not not have comment sections on their websites.
* I doubt many people are asking for a comment section.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: There is no need for a comment section. The authors have provided their contact information, so you can email them directly with any feedback you have for them.
PLOS has comments, though: <http://www.plosone.org/static/commentGuidelines>.
When they're used, they don't generate much discussion, so maybe arXiv has guessed right about the user demand for them. <http://www.plosone.org/article/comments/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0105948>
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: <http://www.nature.com/news/arxiv-preprint-server-plans-multimillion-dollar-overhaul-1.20181> (published on 29 June 2016) has some interesting statistics on whether users want a comment section:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/qot8k.png)
>
> When asked whether arXiv should embark on more transformational
> changes, respondents gave mixed answers. In particular, some questions
> focused on whether it should develop into a social forum that allows
> scientists to comment on papers or leave ratings. A few social-media
> sites have already been built around the repository for just such
> purposes — such as SciRate and Arxiv Sanity Preserver — and some argue
> that the site itself should begin to incorporate such functionalities.
> “ArXiv should be more dynamic — allowing readers to filter the wheat
> from the chaff,” says <NAME>, a quantum chemist at Harvard
> University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. But one-third of respondents
> said that this wasn’t important or that arXiv shouldn’t be doing it.
> Only 34% voted in favour of such changes.
>
>
> That response points to a tension between researchers who want to see
> the site incorporate aspects of open review, and those who want it to
> stick to its core mission of allowing rapid exchange of scholarly
> papers, says Rieger. There were hints of a generational divide, with
> those aged under 30 more in favour of allowing comments. But even
> those who wanted a more social site said that they were keen to avoid
> a commenting free-for-all, Rieger adds.
>
>
> “The message was more or less ‘stay focused on the basic dissemination
> task, and don’t get distracted by getting overextended or going
> commercial’,” says <NAME>, a physicist at Cornell University
> who launched arXiv in 1991 as a pre-World-Wide-Web-era bulletin board.
>
>
>
Interestingly, [bioRxiv](https://www.biorxiv.org/) does have a comment section, e.g. from <https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/332825v2>:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/W67xV.png)
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_4: The idea of adding comments in some form (not 'on the arXiv' directly) has had some public discussion. See <NAME>'s blog post [Why I've also joined the good guys](https://gowers.wordpress.com/2013/01/16/why-ive-also-joined-the-good-guys/). Sadly I've seen very little of the idea since, so I don't know what the current state-of-play is.
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/27 | 2,070 | 8,645 | <issue_start>username_0: *When during the application process should a candidate say that their spouse is also looking for a job?*
The issue of academic spouses who want to find employment close enough to live together is colloquially called the "two body problem", and it is a perpetual challenge for job applicants.
The italicized question came up in [a recent comment thread](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/32074/16122) on this site, and I realized there is no post on Academia.SE about it. So I am making one.
I have seen many answers to the question, which usually fall between two extremes:
1. Don't mention your spouse in any way until you have a job offer, then bring up the question of a job for your spouse. Sometimes the advice even recommends taking off wedding rings during interviews.
2. Mention the spouse immediately in your application cover letter.
Each has its advantages and disadvantages, certainly, depending on the specific circumstances of the applicant and school being applied to.
Because many people, like me, have a perspective limited by their own life experience and the schools they have worked at, I expect that there should be many different answers to the question, expressing different perspectives. I think that collection of answers would provide an extremely useful resource for job applicants.
In the thread I linked, another user left a comment:
>
> ... I'd particularly be interested in seeing answers supported by data, as there seem to be a wide range of opinions, each supported by apparently convincing logical reasons and/or anecdotes.
>
>
>
I don't want to limit answers here to ones based on data, but answers that do include broad data would be particularly welcome.
This kind of question has also been [asked on MathOverflow](https://mathoverflow.net/questions/5424/how-does-one-handle-two-body-job-searches).<issue_comment>username_1: **I'd mention it during an on-campus interview.**
In my department, we don't factor "the two-body problem" into an initial evaluation (i.e., do we bring someone for an on-campus interview). So it's up to you about mentioning it in a cover letter or not. I don't think I have ***ever*** read that in a cover letter in chemistry, though.
During an on-campus interview, sometimes it comes up, and sometimes it does not. Keep in mind that usually, the department cannot ask. We *prefer* if it comes up, so that we can work on solving the problem at the same time we make an offer.
When we decide about who gets an offer, the two-body problem doesn't factor into the decision at all.
Why? Well, for one, we want the best person we can get. For another, almost *all* of our candidates have a two-body problem of some sort. Sometimes, it's another academic job. In other cases, the spouse is a doctor, or a lawyer, or another scientist or ...
Suffice to say, once we make an offer, we're trying to do the best to get the candidate to come, and that includes making sure a significant other would be happy here.
I'll be honest. We're much happier if we know there's a two-body problem (of any type) *before* we make the offer (i.e. during the on-campus interview), so that we can start working on finding another position. As I said, we want you to come. Sometimes, we don't find out until after we extend the offer, but that just makes our job more difficult because we have much less time.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: If your partner is looking for a job in some non academic field, then the university might be able to help out by giving you information about employment opportunities for the area and even offering the services of a career counselor, but it's unlikely that the university can do anything directly to ensure that your partner gets a job.
So I'll assume that you are talking about a situation in which your partner is looking for an academic position or perhaps you're in a situation where you and your partner would like to share a single position.
Many universities have spousal hiring policies that lay out what the university is willing to do in these situations. The most generous of these policies provide money to help create a position for the trailing spouse in the same academic department or in another academic department. This can be a huge win for that other department if the position wasn't otherwise going to exist. Thus there is some incentive to hire in this situation. Other policies are much more vague and aren't much more than an assurance that the spouse will be considered for some kind of employment. You should check to see if the university has such a policy and decide for yourself whether the policy is flexible enough to deal with your situation.
If there is no spousal hiring policy then this may be because the university simply isn't interested in hiring couples or it may be because these situations are handled on a case by case basis.
My advice is that if you would be unwilling to accept a position unless your spouse is hired then I would reveal the information early in the process whether or not the university has a policy. It's true that you might be passed over because of this, but if neither party is willing to give this up, there's no point in playing the game. If the university is willing to deal with this, then they'll have plenty of time to respond by e.g. interviewing the spouse. On the other hand, if you wait until after an offer has been made to you, then you'll either be told "no", or the process of negotiating the spousal hire will start late and take a long time to complete.
If you would be willing (or might be willing only if you have no other offers) to take a position without your spouse being hired, then you might withhold this information until an on-campus interview or even until you've received an offer. This eliminates the risk that you'll be passed over because of your interest in a spousal hire. Realize that when you do finally reveal the information and ask to negotiate a spousal hire you'll be asking for a lot, and it's likely that the university will take a tough position in negotiating all aspect of your hiring. In many cases there will be other qualified applicants for the position, so it's pretty easy for the university to just say "no" and tell you to take their offer or leave it on the table.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: I've been at both a small-liberal arts as well as a research I university. I would not mention it at either at any stage until an offer. The reason for this is this: provosts usually only give departments one slot at a time -- asking for a spousal hire requires getting an additional slot from the provost -- i.e., a lot of lobbying work and justification for the position. In order to commit to this, we have to be 100% sure that you are the person we want (and that we or another department wants your spouse) in order to make that effort.
We really won't know that we want to make that effort until after we've met you for the on-campus visit. Often a candidate just 'clicks' and we are then fully committed to getting them whatever they need to be happy on campus. But until then, the top ranked candidates are just sheets of paper and the knowledge that resources for additional faculty slots are very tight may be enough to push you off the bottom of the short-list. This is of course unfair and discriminatory, which is why it's illegal (in the USA) for us as the hiring body to ask you whether or not you have a spouse.
The one case where I would mention it is if you and your spouse are applying to the university at the same time in different departments/searches or at a different ranked search. In that case, there's really no hiding it and it's not necessarily a zero sum game. In addition, small liberal arts colleges know that their flexibility with spouses (and general higher quality of family life) is a selling point to married couples, so you may have more flexibility with them.
Nota bene: The same goes for any other requests you might have -- for example, that you'd want a teaching release the first year, that you have a disability, that you will need maternity leave, or that you won't touch a salary less than US$150,000, etc. etc. Make all these requests after you've been made the offer. Especially in the case of protected categories (pregnancy/disability), they cannot withdraw the offer without exposing themselves legally.
**tl;dr**: Don't mention you have a spouse until the department has committed to you as the top candidate and is willing to go to bat for the additional resources that will make you a happy scholar.
Upvotes: 3 |
2014/11/27 | 693 | 3,085 | <issue_start>username_0: Several advices for job application, recommend to mention faculty that have similar interests and can be future collaborators. What is the best way to do that?
* I have worked on topic T and I would like collaborate with with Dr. A
* I believe that my work can extend the work of Dr. A
And do making such connection is valid for all schools, or can have exceptions in small departments? My concern here, is that specifying some names, may have some negative effects. Since Dr. A, could be leading a research on specific topic or teaching course C, and is not willing to allow other new faculty to compete with him.<issue_comment>username_1: Imagine for a moment that Dr A doesn't want any help and would see you as competition. Would leaving off your knowledge of and interest in T help prevent Dr A from suggesting they hire someone else? I doubt it.
Now imagine that you include mention of topic T but don't mention Dr A. Perhaps they will think "this applicant doesn't even realize we have a world expert on T here already!"
Suggesting you can help Dr A may be a bit presumptive. But saying that you love topic T and are already working on it, and that the presence of Dr A in the department is one of the reasons you want to come to this group? That sounds very positive to me.
Is there a reason you aren't contacting these Dr As directly and saying "I'm thinking of applying to your department because I'm so excited about topic T; do you have any advice for me?" That seems like a good use of your time if the number of Dr As is reasonably small.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: If your work is closely related to the work of Professor A in the department, that should obvious from your research statement. The committee will likely give much more weight to research you have already done and describe in your statement then they will give to plans for future research.
So the first step is to make sure that you write the research statement in a way that directly shows how what you have done is related to Professor A.
Once that is done, you can also mention Professor A in your cover letter, and indicate that your research statement shows how your work is related. The committee can interpret that mention however they like. They may ignore it, they may view it as a sign that you would fit into the department, they may ask Professor A to look at your research statement and give an opinion.
If you can follow that advice, it can't hurt you to mention someone who you can work with. But only do that if there really is a clear relationship between your work and theirs. I have seen some job applications where the applicant claims they could work with someone, but there is no evidence on their vita or research statement that they can.
For example, they may have studied one subfield of a general field, and mention someone who works in a completely different subfield. In that case, it is not clear that the two could work together easily, and the claim in the cover letter comes off as exaggerated.
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/27 | 209 | 934 | <issue_start>username_0: I just found out one of my grad school electronic applications is having problem with a third party letter service company. So I have to ask the letter writers themselves to upload the recommendation letters. The deadline is the first day after returning from Thanksgiving so I am thinking to email them today (Thanksgiving) would that be inappropriate? (But if I do, of course I will say Happy Thanksgiving but sorry to bother you....etc)<issue_comment>username_1: Asking is always possible.
Expecting any response or action ... well, that, as they say, is another story.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Today is the only potentially problematic day. You can mail them today or Friday without harm since either way they will have the whole weekend and Monday to respond. They are all inclined to be charitable towards you, so I don't think it matters whether you do it today or tomorrow.
Upvotes: 1 |
2014/11/28 | 1,602 | 6,129 | <issue_start>username_0: There are some general questions on this site about judging the reputability of journals in general:
* [How do you judge the quality of a journal?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/101/how-do-you-judge-the-quality-of-a-journal) and
* [How to identify predatory publishers/journals](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/2158/how-to-identify-predatory-publishers-journals)
I am interested in answers specific to mathematics, that may not have been raised in the other questions.
I received the following email from the "American Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics" ten days after submitting a paper online. How can I tell whether this is a reputable journal? In general, how can I tell whether a mathematics journal is reputable?
>
> Dear Authors,
>
>
> On behalf of the Chief Editor of the “American Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics” we are happy to inform you that your article entitled ‘A possible approach proof to proof the Riemann Hypothesis” is accepted for publication in (Jan-June 2015).
>
>
> Please send DD/Cheque for US $ 250.00 payable to ‘ <NAME> ‘ to our address.
>
>
> Our address:
> <NAME>
> Managing Editor
> c\o. ACADEMIC RESEARCH JOURNALS (INDIA)
>
>
> 4383/4A, Ansari Road, Darya Ganj, New Delhi-110002
>
>
> (M) 08826561892
>
>
> We thank you very much for your contribution and encourage you to continue submitting your future.
>
>
> Yours sincerely,
>
>
><issue_comment>username_1: The publisher of this particular journal, "Academic Research Journals", appears on a widely cited list of "predatory publishers" who publish open access journals with very low standards and charge authors to publish. You probably don't want a publication in this journal.
See Beall's list at:
<http://scholarlyoa.com/publishers/>
Also follow the link from the list to the criteria that Beall used to compile the list. New predatory publishers pop up every week, so you really need to consider these issues in evaluating a new journal.
As ff524 has pointed out in the comments, there are actually two web sites using the name "Academic Research Journals" The web site of academicresearchjournals.com could easily be confused with the other academicresearchjournals.org. Whoever put together the .com web site used "Academic Research Journals (India)" rather than "Academic Research Journals" in some places but not others. This certainly looks like a copycat operation.
In any case, the journal mentioned by the original poster has the appearance of one of these predatory journals and should be avoided for that reason.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: For academic mathematicians, it's not so hard to avoid predatory journals. We have a sense of the journals that we "typically" publish in, and the journals we "aspire" to publish in, and we stick mostly to these journals. For journals we don't know yet, we can ask colleagues to get their opinion. One (possibly unfortunate) goal of publishing in academia is to build a vita and maintain/advance your career, and it doesn't help as much to publish in a journal that none of your colleagues or supervisors has heard about.
For people who don't have that kind of professional experience, there are several easier questions you can ask. The better answer to each of these is "Yes". **On their own, none of these questions indicates that a journal is necessarily reputable or nonreputable.** But, if the journal gets a "No" answer to many of them, then I would be very hesitant to submit a paper.
* Does the journal publish with no cost to the author? Reputable mathematics journals almost never charge fees for publication. Some very good journals offer an open-access model as an option, but it is almost never the default at the moment.
* Is the journal indexed by MathSciNet and/or Zentralblatt MATH? These sites aim to be very comprehensive for mathematics journals. Being indexed is not really a sign of quality, but not being indexed is a red flag.
* Is the journal ranked on the [Australian Mathematical Society Ranking](http://www.austms.org.au/Rankings/AustMS_final_ranked.html)? Even C-rated journals can be OK, but if a journal is completely omitted I would take that as a reason to be cautious.
* Is the journal either published by a well-known publisher, or affiliated with a university or mathematical society? Most reputable math journals fall into these categories, but not all. Some journals run by professional publishers are still not very reputable, of course.
* Does the journal have a professional looking website? Grammatical errors or parts of the website that seem to be entirely missing are a cause for concern.
* Does the journal have a long history of publication (say, at least 20 years)? Most predatory journals are very young; most math journals are relatively old.
The "American Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics" has a "No" answer to all of these questions. If they really did have a 10-day turn around between receiving a paper and accepting it, as described in comments, I am even more skeptical of the quality of the journal - that is an almost absurdly fast turn around time for a mathematics journal. I would not pay them anything to publish a paper of mine, nor would I recommend it to anyone else.
Of course, you *can* publish in a predatory journal, just as you *can* publish in a for-hire press. But if you are an amateur or "outsider" looking to publish in a math journal, you are likely doing it to get a sort of "seal of approval" on your paper. Journals that mathematicians view as unreputable will not give your paper that kind of recognition among mathematicians, just as degrees from unreputable colleges are unlikely to impress others.
If your goal is just to disseminate your mathematical work, and you don't require peer review, you can often use arXiv.org instead. Depending on the area, you may need to have a professional "sponsor", but the arXiv will keep your paper available for free for the indefinite future in a way that is widely accessible to the public.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer] |
2014/11/28 | 2,600 | 11,822 | <issue_start>username_0: For the last many days, I have a question in mind related with the editorial decision of accepting or rejecting the manuscript after peer-review:
Few days back I got a review report from a very reputed mathematics journal in which reviewer 1 had given some good points and suggestions to further improve the paper while reviewer 2 had given some points and rejected my manuscript.
Although, its not tough to revise the paper as per the suggestions of reviewer 2.
I would like to know why editor has given me chance to revise the manuscript while reviewer 2 has rejected it. I asked this question because in the past I had bad experience of rejection despite of getting acceptance from one of the reviewers.<issue_comment>username_1: It is up to the editor whether to accept or reject. The reviewers only make recommendations. Even if the reviewers give positive recommendations, the editor can decide to reject a paper.
If both reviewers give negative recommendations, it is much less likely for the editor to accept a paper. If there is a mix of opinions the editor has to make a judgment, subject to whatever internal procedures the journal has in place. It seems like, this time, the decision was favorable for you.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: To make sure I understand: you submitted a manuscript and got two referee reports. One of them was favorable (?) but the other one recommended rejection. Nevertheless you have been given the opportunity to revise the paper. I hope I got that right.
From the sound of it, the editor sees more merit in your paper than the second reviewer. I agree that when one review is positive and one is negative, rejection is the most common outcome. (I think the extent to which this happens is positively correlated with the reputation of the journal. Most of the journals I submit to are roughly in the "very good" range, and in that range they can and most often do only accept papers with uniformly positive feedback from reviewers.) However, that need not *necessarily* be the case: most frequent referees know of at least one example of a paper that appears notwithstanding the fact that they recommended rejection.
I would be wary of making changes that are (i) time-consuming and (ii) you do not agree actually improve the paper, because it is still by no means assured that the paper will be accepted by this journal in the end. However, if you agree with the suggestions and think the journal is very reputable: sure, make the changes, resubmit and hope for the best. Sometimes you catch a break: enjoy it.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: Some venues have a more fine-grained scale. For instance, I have seen "weak" and "strong" accepts/rejects.
A "strong accept" may cancel out a "weak reject" and then some, especially if there are few submissions with stellar reviews.
Even if this is not made explicit in the "recommendation" field, the editor may very well have inspected (the language in) the reviews in full and put them in relation themselves.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: The decision on a manuscript is usually based on more than one review, often two. As an editor you are faced with many different view from reviewers. Often reviews point in the same direction and may be differ by one providing a major revision and one a minor. But, it is no unheard of that one reviewer can suggest rejection while the other a direct accept.
In all cases, the editor should evaluate the reviews and arrive at some well-balanced decision for how the author should use the reviews to improve the manuscript (in addition, cases where MS are accepted without revisions are very, very rare; direct rejections are of course not so uncommon). If reviewers arrive at widely different recommendations and there are no obvious ways in which the editor can see how to reconcile the differing opinions, requesting an additional review by a third reviewer should be the solution. It is in this process where your question can appear because the way in which an editor values reviews depends on the scientific content, for one, but also on considerations such as the integrity of the journal and the publisher. Often such considerations lead to rejections rather than acceptance.
Accepting papers that have received more negative reviews can usually occur because the editor believes, for example, that the revisions suggested are not as severe as the reviewer indicated by suggesting (in your case) rejection, or, that the reviewer is off in the judgement as a whole. I have for example, seen rejection suggestions that are based more on antagonism than scientific reasons.
In the end reviewers make suggestions, editors (hopefully) provides an educated and insightful "verdict" that you need to adhere to in your revisions.
*ad endum*: When you receive more "extreme" negative reviews, you should ask yourself: is this because I am not very clear in some way? The answer is often yes!
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: I had the exact same item happen recently in quite a well renowned journal. One very strong review, one very weak review. Accept and decline. The editor acted as a referee and said he felt the reject review was over "petty" and moved the paper forward with minor edits. I think it was good practice by the editor as he clearly read both reviews and then made the call. This is essentially their job. I think in other cases the editor may have gone with the reject if he felt it was the more robust review. I would say it is just the way it falls sometimes. I would say your goal under revisions is to move the "reject" reviewer to a position of indifferent. Make them at least not block the progress of the paper.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_6: Assuming the editor is not an expert in the paper's subject matter, he/she will defer to the referees regarding correctness and importance. However, the referees do not necessarily have a clear understanding of the journal's standards. Sometimes the standards change over time (a low-quality journal may be gradually improving, or a high-quality journal may not be able to attract quite as high a caliber of papers as it did a few decades ago), and the referees may not be up to date on these changes. The standards may not be the same in all areas: sometimes a journal manages to attract excellent papers in one niche but doesn't want to restrict its coverage to just that area and is therefore willing to accept somewhat weaker papers on other topics if necessary. Sometimes a journal is not so well known and the referees simply don't understand what it's looking for. Sometimes a journal is famous enough to have mythical standards attributed to it that would be completely unworkable in practice. And sometimes referees are just out of line with the rest of the field in terms of their personal standards: some people are consistently harsher or more lenient than other referees, and the editor may know this.
In principle the journal's public description and private instructions to referees can help alleviate these issues by establishing standards. However, it's difficult to write clear and unambiguous standards. Past examples give far more information than any description of reasonable length, and the editors will be more familiar with those examples than just about anyone else.
The net effect is that although the referee's recommendations are very useful and often followed, the editor's decision is made in a broader context that is not necessarily fully visible to the referees or the author.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_7: There're a lot of possible reasons. Some possibilities:
1. *The reject review(s) are weak while the accept review(s) are strong*. I once had a paper were one reviewer said "this paper is clearly wrong, if we accept this methodology one can prove anything, reject" without elaborating. The paper also had three other reviewers who all took the paper seriously and gave suggestions for improvements. At this point it's either trust the word of the first reviewer (bringing in secondary factors like seniority, publication record ...) or ignore the first review. I think most people will think the latter is more reasonable.
2. *The reasons for rejection are not fatal*. This is the most common reason. In the above example, suppose the first reviewer had gone into why the methodology is clearly wrong, and provided good reasons for it. In that case the paper is fatally flawed, and so rejection is obvious. On the other hand if the flaws can be corrected, then revision might be better. This comes down to the judgment of the editor, and different editors will react differently.
3. *The journal lacks papers*. The ugly side, but does happen. If the journal is having trouble filling its issues then it might be more inclined to send your paper for revision than reject outright. Conversely if the journal is receiving way more submissions than it needs, it might incline towards rejection. This is also when biases can play a role. For example, a journal could be trying to expand its author market to [X country]. If you're from X, then they might incline towards revision.
4. *The editor had received confidential information*. This usually leads to the second possibility (when the editor rejects even though reviewers recommend accept), but it's possible it leads to acceptance. There are two main sources for this: the "confidential comments to editor" box when writing a review, and the "please explain why you are declining to review" box.
5. *The reviewer(s) might have a history of recommending rejection* (or vice versa). Editors can see a reviewer's history of recommendations. If the reviewer has been recommending reject for most papers (including those that were accepted and went on to generate lots of citations), then the editor might put less weight on the review.
Ultimately, the job of the editor is to decide whether or not to accept the paper, and it's a judgment call. Just like different reviewers might have different opinions on a paper, different editors can also reach different conclusions.
**Edit**: here's an explicit example of why an editor might accept a paper even with outstanding reject reviews.
The authors are modelling [phenomenon], and they did it with a 2D simulation. The reviewer said 2D is not good enough, and requests a 3D simulation. Obviously 3D simulations are a lot more expensive to run, so the authors decline to do it, and the reviewer recommends rejection as a result.
Note that even if the reviewer is right, the 2D simulation might still provide a useful first step. It does mean the paper is not going to be revolutionary (and hence a top journal will likely reject it). However, if the paper is still a solid piece of work given the limitations of the method, then it still might be acceptable.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_8: I had a quite similar situation: the paper was accepted after one negative review and two positive.
At the beginning there were only two referees. The negative one was shallow and gave a negative opinion stating that he did not see the aim of the paper since there was previous literature in the subject. The second one was more robust; he suggested reconsideration following revision and indicated some points that could be improved.
The editor gave me the chance to respond to the reviewers and then he asked the opinion of a third referee at the second round of review. At this stage the the third referee gave a positive opinion and well founded and the paper was accepted.
I concur with comments above, editors usually takes more seriously the most solid and well founded opinion, whether positive or negative. Sometimes they give the author the chance to respond.
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/28 | 658 | 2,784 | <issue_start>username_0: I noticed that a few research centres and university departments provide a multi-year **strategic plan** document on their websites.
For example, [IIT (Italian Institute of Technology)](http://www.iit.it/images/stories/scientific_plan/iit-strategic-plan-2012-2014.pdf) and [Stanford Computer Science Department](http://www-cs.stanford.edu/info/strategic_plan).
The plan usually describes the main goals and purpose of the institution, both in science and in research management.
**Why do they actually do it?**
Is it just a way professors and researchers try to predict their future?
Or is it a solid way to show their future scientific directions to the world?
What happens if the strategic plan is not respected by scientists and events during the following years?
And why so many institutes actually don't do it?<issue_comment>username_1: Writing plans can be useful for a department to come together and find common goals. Putting them in writing and publishing them is way for a department and its faculty to commit to those plans. Evaluating a couple of years later to see whether the plans were actually implemented, can be good way to evaluate the last couple of years. Not implementing the plans is not necessarily bad, unpredictable things always happen. The plan can however be a good way to structure that discussion (why did we not meet our objectives? What did we do instead? Is that equally good or better than our original plan, or did we make a mistake?)
As a tool such plans can play a positive role. They can also go horribly wrong. If it is seen by the faculty as a bureaucratic waste of time, than writing it will be a waste of time. Nobody will then feel committed by that plan. Evaluating it will also be just a waste of time because nobody felt bound by that plan anyhow so what is there to evaluate. Worse, such plans can lead to lots of unproductive fights between faculty and rip a department appart.
So there are good reasons why some departments do it, and there are also good reasons why other departments avoid doing it.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Another reason may be funding at a large scale. Governments sometimes have plans to strengthen the research in a certain area (ex. biosciences). By making an institution-wide plan, you can make a very strong case for the funding agency and possibly secure a large amount of money. The time scale is also important. If you have money guaranteed for seven years, you can buy expensive equipment and hire experts knowing that you will not have to let them go after a year, for example.
In the particular case of Stanford I imagine their main target is private investment. The aim of the plan is then showing off a strong commitment to their objectives.
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/28 | 361 | 1,580 | <issue_start>username_0: I recently attended a lecture where the speaker used piece of software to interactively poll the audience and display the results. The particular solution was [ResponseWare](https://www.turningtechnologies.com/response-solutions/responseware). What other solutions are available? Worth the money (if paid)? Pros and cons?
Please note, that I'm not interested in top 5 results of Google search.. I'd be more interested to hear personal experiences with specific software, both as a presenter or audience.<issue_comment>username_1: The [Software Carpentry](http://software-carpentry.org) instructors do lots of presentations where they need/expect rapid, interactive feedback. They (especially <NAME>) have lots of experience of different ways of doing this. Note that [their current method, that works extremely well, is to use different coloured sticky notes](http://software-carpentry.org/workshops/operations.html#feedback).
I haven't seen a technical solution that worked better; most are considerably worse. However, this is only practical for yes/no or multiple choice polls.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: The organizers of a workshop I recently attended used [Socrative](http://socrative.com/) to help drive discussion by letting attendees choose among topics that had been introduced during the first half of the session. I found it pretty effective, and since it is HTML5/JS driven, it doesn't need an app or download. You can access the site from any Internet-enabled device and watch the answers come in in real time.
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/28 | 1,105 | 4,843 | <issue_start>username_0: I recently attended a lecture where the speaker used piece of software to add interactive results to poll audience. As a presenter and/or audience - what is your opinion on added value of such exercise? Worth the hassle?
What are the benefits? What problems can it get you into?
In my particular case for example - you could answer via smartphone (app or website) or laptop (website), both of these had to of course be connected to Internet. So automatically - the poll excluded all those who didn't have this option.<issue_comment>username_1: When you say "lecture", I'm not sure whether you're talking about a one-shot talk (e.g., a conference presentation, an invited seminar), or about an ongoing series in a class.
While I personally have not taught this way, I know that there has been a lot of experimentation with having students answer questions during lectures with software in the way that you describe. There, the idea is to have the students actually working problem as part of the lecture---essentially, a hybrid between normal and [flipped classroom](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flipped_classroom). In at least some cases, this seems to work very well.
For a one-shot talk, on the other hand, I have a hard time coming up with non-contrived scenarios where I think this would be worth it. Why would anybody be willing to install some random app for just one talk, and won't you lose time to getting them set up with it? What could you gain from an online poll that you couldn't get through a quick show of hands? Once people have switched their attention from you to their screens, aren't you just encouraging them to check out and read their email / browse the web? To me at least, the negatives seem to far outweigh the benefits.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I agree with username_1 that it matters a lot whether you're doing this for one isolated lecture or as part of a class.
As I see it, the main advantage of this is as a pedagogical tool. It's most useful when you're teaching a class, because then you can give small "quiz" questions as interactive polls, and from the pattern of student responses you can get an idea of whether they're understanding the material. I used this technique in a class I taught and found it quite useful. If most of the class was quickly getting the right answer, I knew I could move ahead speedily; if many students got the answer wrong, I could slow down to go over stuff more slowly.
I think these advantages are much reduced in a single-lecture situation. For one thing, at least in my experience, the proportion of standalone lectures that are pedagogical in nature is fairly small. Second, for pedagogical standalone lectures, you typically have a preplanned talk that you're going to give, with little room to adjust the pace based on audience responses. For a class, you can use results from a poll one day to plan and adjust what you talk about at the next class session, but there's no way to do that if the entire thing is just one lecture. Finally, to get at your main question, I just don't think it's worth the hassle for a single lecture. People have to install an app or go to a website. If technical difficulties prevent them from doing so, you have to either use up precious time from your single lecture, or ignore the problems, which makes the poll results less representative. For a class, it can make sense to spend the time resolving technical issues because the polling mechanism can be used again and again over a period of weeks; for a single lecture, any time spent dealing with that is just cutting into the substance of the talk.
If the talk is not pedagogical, I think there's little point to these polls. You don't really *need* audience feedback (at least not until after the talk) if you're not trying to teach them something and make sure they understand it as you go along.
I personally used the iClicker device and software, because that was provided by the institution where I was teaching. This is nice because it doesn't require anyone to install anything or look at a screen; they just use the device, which is like a remote control, to respond to polls you show in your slides. Again, though, in a single-lecture setting, it's unlikely to be worth it to pass out iClickers for everyone and then collect them at the end. The only way I could see this being practical is if your talk, although standalone, was one of many such talks at a conference or something, and the conference provided the iClicker or other poll infrastructure. Then the economies of scale could make sense, because people could participate in polls across many talks. For this to be worth it, though, you'd have to have substantial interest from the speakers, or else they might not bother to include polls in their talks.
Upvotes: 2 |
2014/11/28 | 4,748 | 18,874 | <issue_start>username_0: A colleague of mine enjoys using philosophical questions to undermine ideas that are different to his own and to derail discussions that are not in his favour. At first I thought he was offering genuine perspectives, but overtime I realised he was just being defensive and finding enjoyment out of disrupting discussions.
To give you some examples, here are some of his frequent techniques:
1. The you-can’t-know-for-sure:
>
> The evidence may seem to be true but it could be wrong, and we can never know that for sure. You can only believe in evidence. Therefore, making claims about anything, with or without evidence, is meaningless.
>
> The human senses and the human mind are limited and fallible, and to say that an idea is more correct than another is just your opinion based on a fallible experience.
>
>
>
2. Disagrees with the definition, or shifts to a different definition, or question the meaningfulness of definitions and language in general:
>
> I define X as something different to how you defined X, and according to what I think of X, I am right. You can think of X how you want but it doesn’t matter to me.
>
>
>
> “X” only means X because humans defined “X” to be X. But “X” is just a subjective idea that doesn’t exist in reality. Therefore, anything you say about X, your ideas are on based on something non-objective and arguable.
>
>
>
3. All things are just perspectives:
>
> To say that I’m inconsistent with my argument or to say that I’m wrong is just a perspective. There are many perspectives and just because from one perspective I’m a certain way, doesn’t mean I really am.
>
>
>
I usually enjoy genuine philosophical perspectives in all discussions, but this colleague never offers his philosophical ideas at the beginning of talks and never mentions them when we agree with him, but only throws them out selectively against ideas during the middle of discussions. The worst is that he speaks them with a triumphant and condescending tone of voice over everyone else as if he is so clever.
**Question:** When he uses these types of philosophical questions as a way to undermine someone’s idea or to derail a discussion, what is an appropriate way to interfere with his remark in a way that doesn’t confront him, protects the other person from appearing to have being undermined or devalued, and restores the direction discussion to what it was before?<issue_comment>username_1: I would first like to note that you can twist ideas fairly easily if you read Orwell’s *1984,* you may want to read it, you will see the similarities.
Now, not confronting him is not easily done, have you found others that share the same opinion on him? if so, go in as a group and get the approval of the vast majority, then you won’t have to worry about confronting him.
Showing that the speaker is being undermined should also probably not worry you, this is a ridiculous form of undermining and it is to shame the interrupter, not the speaker.
Finally you have two choices for counter-measures:
* Demand that he gives an alternative that cannot be challenged in the same way, that is independent of human interpretation in any possible way, and is solid and concrete.
* Challenge his own proposals in the same way, if he challenges the name of an unknown variable, challenge the name of a number, claim that you define 2+2 to be five, and that five for you is written as 4, i.e. you call 4 *five.*
* As far as the “You can't know for sure” policy, tell him that the same applies to anything he says, and if you constantly reject ideas due to that he should reject his own ideas and accept that there are no answers, solutions, or actions for that matter.
Unless there is some superior who can take care of this issue, there is no way to deal with him in a kind manner (I’m not telling anyone to be rude), you should be harsh, but make sure you have the majority on your side.
Also note, if you check out debating groups, people who study debating and practice it on ridiculous matters as a hobby, you will find out how to counter any junk he uses, I’m sure there are books on this too (there is one by Schopenhauer too).
Again, the most important thing is to be sure the others are on your side, just to be safe and make sure you don’t get into bad trouble, and try to divide the confrontation between multiple people so he can’t cause trouble to just one.
Hope I helped, there is not much clarity in such issues and there are no definitive answers either, as he would suggest, but that’s why we have to choose based on suggestions and speculations, otherwise nothing happens.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Is this colleague really an academic? How on earth did he get a job in academia? How does he manage to retain it? He sounds like a teenage boy from your description of his style of arguing.
He's a troll, so best ignored. He also sounds like he's realised he's way out of his depth, and this is bluster to cover it up.
Formulate a single sentence that lets him know he's been heard, but that it was irrelevant, and that you've already moved on. Use it. Vary it, but keep it short, and always end with an invitation to the interrupted speaker to carry on where they left off. The troll should get the message that he's been sidelined, and troll elsewhere.
"I don't think we need to surrender to nihilism just yet, do we? [turn back to the interrupted speaker] Now, as you were saying ..."
Then just exclude him from discussions in the future. Take your fellow discussants to another room, away from the troll, if you have to.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: As [EnergyNumbers already correctly noted](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/32428/7734), this is trolling and if ignoring that guy or dismissing him with a single statement is an option, that’s probably the best way. However, given his acceptance in the group or similar, this may not always be possible. Also, the fact that this guy actually manages to derail discussions indicates that he has some support or people are falling for his “arguments”. Under these conditions, it may be an option to outwit him with short arguments that hopefully derail *his* approach and the continue.
Your examples share some common approaches (some more, some less):
* They are true to some extent.
* They are irrelevant to the discussion at hand.
* They attack the fundaments of science or discourse.
Thus, a general short reply could start with of briefly acknowlegding the truth of his statement, if applicable (“Yes, but …”; “Indeed, however …”). If you can come up with a good argument quickly, use it; otherwise you can resort to the undeniable success of using abstractions, science, probabilistic statements, etc, in short: “[Science – it works, bitch.](http://xkcd.com/54/)” (and probably also pays both your bills). As a last resort, “so what?” seems to be a valid response to all of your examples.
Some examples:
* >
> The evidence may seems to be true but it could be wrong and you can’t know that for sure. You can only believe in evidence. Therefore to make claims about anything with or without evidence is meaningless.
>
> — And that’s why all claims we make are not absolute but implicitly probabilistic.
>
>
>
Alternative, more aggressive answer:
>
> And fortunately, so is your claim. Where were we?
>
>
>
* >
> The human senses and the human mind are limited and fallible, and to say that an idea is more correct than another idea is just your opinion based on a fallible experience.
>
> — Indeed, however, as opinions are all we have, we have to stick with them; moreover, since as I just tried to argue, I have reasons to consider my opinion an informed and substantiated one.
>
>
>
* >
> I define X as something different to how you defined X, and according to what I think of X, I am right. You can think of X how you want but it doesn’t matter to me.
>
> — Fortunately, reality does not care about what words we use to desribe it.
>
>
>
(Note, that his last sentence is also a good hook for ignoring him outright.)
* >
> “X” only means X because humans defined “X” to be X. But “X” is just a subjective idea that doesn’t exist in reality. Therefore, anything you say about X, your ideas are on based on something non-objective and arguable.
>
> – True, but on the other hand, humans have faired pretty well with using the concept of X [alternatively: defining X as ”X”], so I stick with that.
>
>
>
* >
> To say that I’m inconsistent with my argument or to say that I’m wrong is just a perspective. There are many perspectives and just because from one perspective I’m a certain way, doesn’t mean I really am.
>
> – True, but as I just tried to argue, my perspective is well-founded and thus there are increased chances that you are really wrong.
>
>
>
A final note: It looks as if this guy operates by attacking one’s philosophical foundations and his continued doing so indicates that he does indeed succeed on some people. Thus it may also help to inforce your philosophical foundations and not let him shake them a single bit. Relatedly, it might probably help to answer to him in a self-concious manner.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: There is a technique - I don't know its "official" name or whether it even has one - I call "Freeze":
If somebody talks to you and you are not interested in the topic or don't want to listen too long don't give him/her
reinforcing reactions, neither positive nor negative.
Look, almost stare, at him/her without any movement of any part of your body. Not even the slightest nodding, no movement of any muscle of your face (apart from the natural blinking of your eyes), no playing with the pen in your fingers, no looking at your watch or your mobile, no ... you get the point. Keep freezed all the time looking/staring at the speaker. I he/she stops (such an unusual [not-]reaction is irritating) and asks: "What's the matter (with you)?", or the like, simply answer with a neutral voice: "Nothing. I'm just listening.". Nothing less, nothing more. Freeze again immediately after that! Until the next question, which gets exactly the same answer...and the next...and the next...and...ad infinitum.
Normally it doesn't take too long until he/she ends speaking (because of not getting ANY reaction). If he/she ends keep the "freeze" (this is hard, I know, silence becomes uncomfortable after just a few seconds...keep it anyway):
1. either until the former speaker reacts with "What do you think?", or the like. Answer "Thank you for your contribution". Switch to somebody or something else without any further word to the speaker.
2. or after a time that is much more than the comfortable few seconds. Say "Thank you for your contribution". Switch to somebody or something else without any further word to the speaker.
I tried this many times and it worked almost every time. I tried this once with a person who knew this. We were in the same training where we got taught exactly this technique. It even worked with her.
It works best if you prepare yourself in advance, since not reacting to a person who speaks to you personally is hard for people who are socialized normally. Practicing with a person of your confidence helps a lot.
I admit, it works best with just one speaker and one listener. In a group all of the listeners must be prepared (ideally trained) and strong enough to stick to the "freeze" behaviour up to the very end. I have no experience whether this works reliably under such circumstances. I'd say it's worth trying. It can't become worse, can it?
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_5: This is typical academic evasiveness. I would simply ignore this weasel or see to it that he does not get a chance to get a word in. Or perhaps, say how astonished you are to hear this.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_6: I would say something like:
"I really don't think that is relevant for the purposes of the current conversation. I think we can all agree on \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_." Where you fill in the blank with an assumption/axiom/principle that is strong enough to invalidate their relativistic perspective on this topic, and weak enough to be very commonly accepted.
If it is a values question, it might be time to play the Nazi card. It is old and worn, but it works. (EDIT: I think maybe people are misinterpreting this. What I mean is pointing out that relativism doesn't leave one any space to condemn Nazism.)
It also might be necessary to expand on what you think the purpose of the conversation is, inviting discussion. As Davidmh commented, the context is crucially important. If they are interrupting the conversation that you were having with the third party, then you really don't need to consider their goals wrt the conversation (unless something forces you to, like them having power over you). However, if they have been a participant/observer to the conversation so far, then it is important to identify with the third party what you consider to be the mutually understood assumptions at play in the conversation so far, with the idea of reaffirming your commitment to them for the duration of the conversation, or possibly making some insignificant concession(s) to relativism to satisfy the challenger.
A side comment:
You seem to be ascribing a conscious deliberateness to their actions that borders on malice. I'm hesitant to view it that way based on the evidence you've presented, although of course you know better.
These are all extreme relativist arguments that are difficult or impossible to refute logically, and they can provide valuable perspectives in some contexts (IMO). But my impression is that alarmingly many people genuinely believe their practical applicability to be greater than it truly is (one reason being that it allows them to avoid confronting challenges to their worldview).
What evidence do you have that this person actually views what they are doing as simply disruptive and not contributive?
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_7: I've actually been on both sides of what you're describing, so I think a proper answer is highly dependent on the context; it's even possible that your colleague is making a valid point. As an example, his complaints about the uncertainty of evidence might be because he thinks you're taking some results for granted when you shouldn't. Indeed, as a physicist working in biology, I've had to adapt to the fact that in fields like biology or psychology, even 'established' results can be questionable on many different levels. He may be trying to undermine an idea because he thinks it's wrong, not because it's not his own. Your question suggests that you've convinced yourself that this is not true, that your colleague is just trying to be defensive and annoying. However, if I were you, I'd first make sure other people (your supervisor, for example) agree with this assessment.
Other answers have given good ideas for how to react to your colleague's behavior, but I think the way in which you should react again depends a lot on context. If this is a talk, unless you're either the speaker or the host, there's nothing you can or should do about it. If you are the speaker or the host, you can invoke time limitations and suggest to discuss the issue later, in private. And remember that you're under no obligation to spend time discussing with this person if you think it's a waste of time.
If this is a group meeting, I think it's a good idea to talk to your supervisor about it, see if (s)he agrees with you, and what (s)he suggests you do. Chances are your supervisor has more experience with this than you, and (s)he also has a lot more power to stop your colleague's behavior.
Sometimes the solution may be to just talk to your colleague: *e.g.,* go with his definitions and see where they lead. In the best case, one of you will convince the other and you'll learn something. In the worst case, you will get some insight into the cause of his stubbornness. I think it's a lot more likely that he's just confused about something than that he is actively trying to attack anyone.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_8: >
> The you-can’t-know-for-sure:
>
>
> The evidence may seem to be true but it could be wrong and you can’t know that for sure. You can only believe in evidence. Therefore to make claims about anything with or without evidence is meaningless.
>
>
>
Remind the colleague that science doesn't claim to know anything for sure, only to have pruned the world of hypotheses that are inconsistent with the evidence. The point is a *strawman*. Nobody claims to have access to the truth.
>
> Disagrees with the definition, or shifts to a different definition, or question the meaningfulness of definitions and language in general:
>
>
> I define X as something different to how you defined X, and according to what I think of X, I am right. You can think of X how you want but it doesn’t matter to me.
>
>
>
Agree to definitions at the outset. Don't argue about definitions. Decide on precise terms and operational definitions or invent a new term just for the sake of communication. His point is moot if they simply insert their own definition for a word that you have used in a different sense. Basically, you could say to him, "True, but that's not what we're talking about."
>
> All things are just perspectives:
>
>
> To say that I’m inconsistent with my argument or to say that I’m wrong is just a perspective. There are many perspectives and just because from one perspective I’m a certain way, doesn’t mean I really am.
>
>
>
Is being a "perspective" a negative thing? It seems that he is implying that perspectives are less valuable. Perspectives can be consistent with evidence (i.e. the perspective that plate tectonics explain the broad geological features of the Earth), or inconsistent with the evidence (i.e. the perspective that the Earth has always been as it is today). Deeming a position a "perspective" doesn't save it from scientific scrutiny.
---
But, more important, this person's arguments do not seem worth spending any time or attention on. If the arguments are actually presented in the way you have described, he is not interested in following the evidence and logic to arrive at a well supported conclusion. Ignore this guy. Focus on productive conversation, not distractions like this.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_8: Is this guy really a peer? How did he get a job? He sounds immature.
Ignore the fool. Sounds like he's overcompensating for incompetence.
Tell him that you've heard him and that you don't care.
For example, just say, "Okay.", and then go back to the rest of your discussion.
Don't invite him to any more gatherings. Move away from him, if necessary.
Upvotes: 1 |
2014/11/28 | 1,258 | 5,420 | <issue_start>username_0: I am a PhD student from India studying in the UK and I have been diagnosed with Hepatitis B during my recent visit to India. The sad part is that it is a recurrence of the disease as I contracted it before my PhD and had to delay my PhD for a few months in the beginning.
Now that I have been diagnosed with it again, I'm afraid of telling my supervisor and sponsors about it as I feel they might cancel the funding as I have such a recurrent problem.
I say this because my project is funded by a German company who are a stickler for time and want me to finish my work on time as there have been enough delays.
I also took 2 months off in the summer to work on a separate research project outside of my PhD to build experience. It was not taken nicely by the company but I went anyway as I had a very good first year viva and report. I took it with the thought that I would make up the time by working extra once I get back and my supervisor supported me in this regard. Plus, UK PhD students are allowed 6-8 weeks off during their PhD for holidays and I haven't taken any time off since except to visit India for a conference, which has led to my predicament.
I feel completely lost and I do not know what to do.
What I exactly want to know is, If its normal for PhD students to take time off for illnesses? Can sponsors withdraw funding in that event? How does it affect the time of the PhD?<issue_comment>username_1: I'm at Simon Fraser University in Canada, but I've recently been dealing with this issue as I'm involved with our grad student association, so I wanted to respond to your question. If you don't change your registration status in any way, your semesters will almost certainly count against you in every way imaginable -- everyone thinks you're making progress and there is nothing to say otherwise. You should look into your university's 'on leave' policy, as that will be the formal mechanism that allows other allowances to take place. Here, leave for medical reasons will require going through your supervisor (and in turn, a faculty committee), but is essentially always granted, so I hope that works the same where you are.
Unfortunately, funding entities likely have their own, probably very specific, rules, so it's unlikely any general advice would cover them.
Ultimately, I highly recommend taking formal leave (i.e. changing your registration status), because various negative effects will likely accrue otherwise.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I'm at a UK university. In my institution, which almost certainly doesn't have the same regulations as all, there are two distinct issues.
First, the university regulations around PhD candidature. Here, you can suspend your studies which "stops the clock" on your PhD with absolutely no come-back (formally). There is a maximum length of time for this (from memory, a total of 18 months) after which it becomes a "fitness to study" matter. But initially I would *always* recommend that a student suspends until they are well enough to continue.
Second, the issues around the funding for your PhD. There are (at least) two possibilities here, and you'll need to carefully read your contract/offer letter to see which applies to you. In the first case, the company is paying the university in general, or your supervisor in particular, for the research. In this case it is **their** responsibility to get the work done on time, **not yours**. The university and its staff has to work within its own regulations regarding sick leave. I would be astonished if those regulations could force you to work whilst seriously ill. [I would not be at all astonished if some within the university would try to make you work when ill, outwith the regulations]
In the second case, you are (possibly partially) directly funded by the company. In that case the contract may have clauses about "funding subject to suitable progress". However, as commenters have mentioned, that again has to be judged within UK employment law. Here it is more complex, but I would expect that sick leave regulations would again apply as normal.
Bottom line: I would recommend to tell your supervisor and graduate school as soon as possible, to suspend your studies until able to work again, and to contact your union / student union / student support people if there is any trouble about this.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: You may be interest to see university of Manchester's [sick leave policy](http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=7440) for PhD students.
I suspect the main points will be similar for other UK institutions, although details may vary.
Relevant points are:
* You may suspend you studies due to sickness for a maximum of 12 months throughout your studies.
* For industry funded PhDs payment of stipend will depend on regulations of funder, so you may not get paid sick leave.
* You must get a medical certificate to certify you are ill.
Personally I would just tell you supervisor that you are ill and explain the situation to them.
However, if you are not comfortable telling them immediately other people you could contact are your student union welfare rep/graduate school rep or most places also have a student advice centre or similar. These should be able to tell you/find out the specific regulations for you institution and assist you if your supervisor is awkward.
Upvotes: 2 |
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